I posted this on the relevant SDA thread
here, so I figured I might as well put it here as well.
"From where in the story on did you rely on Ryus Dragon stuff? Immediately after you got Odjn?"
No, I knew I would have no chance if I did that. Let me try and remember what I did. The main problem with running this game is that even disregarding D-Dive, the optimal strategy for fights is usually much slower than the fastest way. While this is great game design on Capcom's part, it doesn't do us any favors. I wasn't too careful and didn't take any notes because this was a (failed) proof of concept run.
I didn't fight any non-required fights. Besides XP, this also hampered me severely in regards to Fol and ID equipment. I also didn't go out of my way to pick up any items or chests. I spend most of my money at the beginning on Fresh Meat, and healing items later. I use up any Party XP I get on Ryu. I had to estimate how to best use Dragon powers to minimize D-Counter usage for each fight, and it was really surprising how many fights, I would knock the enemy down to a tiny sliver, and then be able to Cooldown and attack with Ryu and others for the win, or sometimes barely not be able to do this and reset.
In the first dungeon, Bosch's Twin Wake combo is good. Ryu's X Blade would be good too, except you don't come with Side Slash. I get Kick in the first dungeon; it's quite useful. I run around everywhere with D-Dash while it doesn't increase the D-Counter. (This alone is a good reason why a BoF5 run would look so nice.) I end the first Bosch fight with low D-Counter. Against the Lieutenants, I D-Dive, which in retrospect I would see if I could live without. At the end of CorpLab, I buy the Antenna, the rod with Lightning built in. Against the Gunners and Battlers, I D-Dive, because that fight is nigh impossible at low levels and would take forever besides. More importantly, killing those 8 guys first turn gives a ton of Party XP. Asimov I also D-Dive, but I would see if I could avoid doing that. The main issue is that pushing him into Fragballs is the best way to fight him, but it's in an optional chest. I wonder if Frost (Goo Sapphire drop) would be better, I'd have to see. The level 1 traps are G-Flare and Joltball, how unlucky. Against Zeno and Mage Captains, I D-Dive of course. This fight is hard enough on a normal playthrough. Afterwards I ID Zeno's Violet Blade and use that.
Because of newfound levels and decent weapons, Tantra actually goes down without much difficulty. I D-Dive Geegagis because he is so hard to kill and it takes forever, although if I had Fragball, I think I would have used that instead. I then kill Geegagis-powered Tantra without D-Dive. I remember to buy 1 Multimeds for Nina for the upcoming fight in Trinity. The Trinity battle takes far too long, but I still did it without D-Dive because at this point, I was glad it was still possible. Then the difficulty spikes. I D-Dive against Bosch at Lifeline, then again for Deamoned, and the regents. I picked Hortensia and then Vexacion, because I mistakenly thought that like Zeno, the fight ended when the leader dies. I think I should have went Cupid and Jezuit instead. Cupid has 340 less (HP+ABD) than Hortensia, which mattered because I had to use an extra Vortex I think. Against Jezuit, G-Flare doesn't do enough to get past his ABD and knock him out of his untargetable stage, so you'd have to wait it out or likely die instead before then. Which is why maybe Fragball is a good idea.
Then against Elyon I was toast, with Bosch and D. Bosch (and Chetyre, but he doesn't count) waiting in the wings.
With more getting stuff, instead of just racing through, this run is certainly possible. I just don't know how much time that would add.
