Decided to pull myself out of the rut and finish my solo FFT challenge, since my Swordless Lttp run is on hiatus and I just have a really annoying and tedious thing to do in order to progress.
That said, I've been making waves, huge ones. I was at Riovanes trying to figure out what the fuck to do about Rafa dying. After killing Wiegraf as a
And having to leave the castle entirely and lose all my JP and EXP up to the point when I left again for the 2nd time to grind Chemist/Oracle/Summoner skills I finally have all the sideskills I needed to beat Wiegraf and deal with Marquis Elmdor.
The roof battle I decided to throw White Magic on my Squire and cast Protect on Rafa while standing in front of Celia, this prevented her from instantly killing Rafa and instead opt to cast Ultima on her instead; after getting a little lucky, Rafa survived the spell and the hit before from Elmdor's samurai skill (fucking edgelord) and I was able to end the battle, albeit without learning Ultima.
Now I've just been grinding a lot, mostly at Mandalia Plain and Sweegy Woods, so far the only place I can recommend for a solo Summoner to level grind. Got some Oracle levels too, so now I have a decent side skillset that can replenish MP and HP as well as petrify anyone who becomes a problem (mainly skellies and chocobos).
Speaking of Chocobos..
Finath River is the worst
I tried over and over and over repeatedly just to try to have even a chance at winning, and with Black and Red Chocobos popping up everywhere it looked grim.
Then I got lucky when I was messing around with an experimental Squire setup and somehow that triggered a battle with only Yellows, which I grit my teeth and got through, using Ramza's special self-only buff which increases Brave, Speed, Physical and Magical attack. With Regen from the Chantage I'd just stolen from Meliadoul (a ridiculously easy and unnoteworthy battle) I could Chakra myself if I got too low, and otherwise just wait in the corner and shout at myself to 'Git gud, idiot'.
Once they got to around 350-400 per attack, I decided my strength was "good enough" and finished off the 6 or so chocobos.
Now, to go with my new perfume, I have a new sword solely to parry attacks with, a fancy new ice gun, a sword solely to make me go faster, and some other great shit I robbed an old man from before kicking him to the curb. On my way now to a castle which sounds like a lingering poop particle remnant on the anus to go attack a guy for looking at me funny and demand his concubines teach me new magic.