Updates late Dec 2021

Now in v33, it is possible to route this with Key Items shuffled amongst themselves. There is also now a tracker created (courtesy of MLSTRM), that will help you stay aware of what you have grabbed so far, avoiding uneeded menu checks. The below will be a brief layout of how you can tackle a challenge such as:

Key Items Shuffled Random EP costs +/- 1 EP ability drops randomized Bosses and Enemies randomized, including Ereshkigal Random Material Drops Random Garbs/Weapons/Accesory drops and stats

You can enable Bhuni+ for an extra challenge, but I wouldn't opt for it if you're doing Normal difficulty.

Proceed through the randomized tutorial monsters as best as you can, using up your 2 Potions. Proceed if one garb deals sufficient Magic damage, and the second garb deals sufficient Physical damage.

Buy 6 free items from the Potion Man.

Starting off, you'll likely not see your EP cost until the "Tutorial Zaltys", which will likely be a different randomized boss. Seeing 3 EP Overclock, I would reset. This gives you 1 OC per boss, until you happen to defeat a boss/quest that gives you 1 EP to put you to 6 max. Not worth the struggle.

Like before, Noel/Snow/Erkel are the best bosses to see. Being in their weakened states, there's no obvious strategy to defeat them. Erkel try to defeat while he's casting something, as that makes him more vulnerable. Noel, Guard his attacks, eventualy he'll stagger with your default Thunder spell, and hit him with anything. Snow is the toughest of the 3, so you may need to sink one of your free potions you purchased.

In the Ark, open up the cubes, redo the tutorial boss (EP gets replenished after the battle), talk to Hope, don't buy nothing, beam down to Lux.

Much like before, complete the Detective and Holmes quests (even on Normal, as the rewards could be worthwhile), grabbing the 1 TS (Treasure Sphere) up top. Once the Detective disappears, head on left, up the right stairs, to grab 2 more TS, and the Quill Pen. This item will likely be something else, so here are the main items to look out for:

Wildlands:

Dr. Gyshal Greens (without seeing this, it's not a speedrun)

Dead Dunes:

3 Tablets

Yusnaan:

Midnight Mauve

No key items in Luxerion. Everything else is optional.

Speak to the Forge after this 1st key item grab, in case he's got a good weapon/sword for you. Return to the main area in Lux North, swinging by the Outfitter for a Garb Check, then sleep to 00:00.

Take on the Fanatics, but save prior to engaging them. If the battle is too hard, you can hide.

Post phone booth and 3 shinies, go toward Lux South, getting the Soul Ticket from Baird, and picking up 1 Soul Seed.

Instead of the Train Attendant, run left and down the steps, to the Innkeeper, getting 1 TS behind and around him. Turn back and continue left through Lux, talking to Tailor for a GC. Keep going left for Violet Amuler, and beyond that Cathedral gate for a Proof of Courage.

Returning right to the station, take the upper part and swing into the rocky portion to grab 1 TS. Now you can head to the attendant. It should be 02:30, or 03:00 if you waited for those Fanatics. I'll assume it's the latter time.

Off to Dead dunes. Outfitter check. CS (Cac Stat). 1 TS at top left of dune. Slide down for another CS. Up the mini cliff for a third CS. Slide down for a TS. Around the bend and sliding down for another TS. Through the Chaos, grab the Crux (also randomized). Onward to another CS. Briefly head down the Grave Ruin for Bandit's Bloodseal. Back up and to Ruffian, swinging left to the ruin for a TS. At Ruffian unlock, turn back and grab the TS on the edge. Fall down and slide around, for another Crux. Down to Atmos, go left and grab the Loupe. Activate the CS. Turn back to Ruffian, while climbing up the right passage get another TS. Go to Adonis. CS to Near God's. Gurangatch miniboss (menu here to see what new things you've obtained).

Post boss, go down and right towards Dry Floodlands, grabbing 1 Crux, and the Dry CS. If you have 1 Pilgrim Crux in your inventory, head up and fight Cactiar. Proceed through the tornado and grab the Key Sand Gate, as well as the other TS and 3 Bhakti oils. Can grab the EP Cube for fun. Day should end.

Day 2 in the Ark, talk to Hope about 2 red topics, grab the cube, and back down to:

Wildlands if you got Dr Gyshal's Greens Lux North if you got no Cruxes. Ruffian if you have 3 Cruxes.

Cruxes are common, so I'll assume you have 3. Check each shrine, because a Tablet each is 3 KI checks. After checks, return to Ruf, and sleep to an odd time (9am, 11am, etc.). If you recieved at least 1 Tablet so far, you can do like 90% of the maze. Ruf CS to Station CS, and run upright to the God's Hand, grabbing a TS at the top of the dune.

You'll get to the Dune Maze at a decent time, when it comes to maximizing the treasure pick-ups. Unlock and CS you see. Move the camera towards the doors of interest, going towards the TS and Cruxes you see.

After the Sanctuary Gate, be sure to detour for Bhakti and his rewards, including 1 Crux. 5 Cruxes is enough for the whole game's requirements. Side note, Elmer (Loupe boy) has a Key Item if you trade an Unappraised Item, so do so.

Once you get to the third red box, and grab the TS and Crux at the end, swing left instead of sliding down to Mural 2, getting another TS, another CS, and swinging around the turn for the Earth Eater fight (which will not be him, this is rando). Proceed through straight for Crux, down and straight, making a left to open a 4th Red Box (optional), then up the ladder. Do a 180 and get into the caged room, grabbing 1 TS and Golden Scarab.

Depending on your Tablet count, either go left and check Mural 2 and 3, followed by the Grendel fight, or go right for a Crux, and right again through the sealed door for CS, which will warp you to Ruf. At Ruf, speak to Forge and Outfitter for potentials. After, CS to Dunes Station, and go to Lux South.

At this point, it's about 11am. Go down the right steps, and speak to the Outfitter you didn't. The General Store too, buying any Enpotions and Phoenix Downs you may have.

Sleep to 13 at the Innkeeper, then go left and up the steps. On the scaffolding is a Rubber Ball. Now return the way back to Lux North slowly, going right for Solana and her side quest and the Thunderclap Cap, speaking to Baird for some reward, moving straight and at the left corner, talking to the Sphere Dude for a Passcode, then Lamont for an easy sidequest. During that race, grab the 2 TS you didn't grab the first way through here.

After Lamont's defeat, you can sleep to 4 and do Luxerion's Main Quest, or proceed to Yusnaan.

If Yusnaan, go straight for a TS, the poster for the Meow Meow, right for a TS, a General Store, through the snake way to the Slaughterhouse, with a TS in the right corner, to the Forge, the Outfitter, to the Musical Kid, to accept the quest for a Spherecode, to the right corner for a TS, all the way to the Augurs, but after the Tourist, go the right corner for another TS. Now head to the Band Man, and buy the Ticket.

Before returning, swing left and down, to grab Oatkeeper's Guild. Run back toward Yusnaan Station, letting Pickett steal 200 gil from you to unlock that sidequest. Speak and accept the Tophat's request.

Before going down, swing left to the Outfitter. Then grab the 2 TS on the way to the Guard Guy. Fight the Gremlins, as they die easily and can drop good abilities. Optional to go to the end of the runway to get another TS.

Sneak In for Gate Guy, and proceed. Get the Jade Comb after the cutscene. There's only 1 TS here, in the scaffolding just before Cyclops. Check the Merchant.

Post Cyclops, another TS above the scaffolding, and the ID card. Proceed through, back to the Augurs. If for some reason you don't have the ID card yet, you can spend "all your EP" to open the gate, and then buy the ID card from the Band Man for 15,000 gil.

Through the Giant Gate, speak to Sarzak. Drop behind after for a TS, another Merchant, under the big statue for another TS, then the Boss. After the Note, go behind for an Outfitter check. Then before exiting, go up the stairs opposite Sarzak for another TS.

Return through Yusnaan, get Lapis Lazuli beside the Innkeeper, and continue by grabbing all the Fireworks from the Chocogirls (1 TS beside the first one, behind the Band Man). Mi'Quote will be randomized too. Do the Funicula quest too.

Note, if you have the Spherecode, now is a good time to do 3 more Key Item checks, which are the 3 Music Spheres in Yusnaan (1 beside the Slaughterhouse, 1 beside the first Fireworks dude by the Gaint Cac Stat, 1 beside Yus station).

After getting them all, return to Boss to hand in, and Sarz to unlock Slaughterhouse. Return to it, and do the first 3 battles. You can't do the 2nd Zaltys until you unlocked Wildlands' Sazh quest.

With the Midnight Mauve obtained (another Key Item), you can either finish off Yusnaan by fighting Snow, or if you didn't get the Key Item yet, return to the station for Lux North.

For Noel, sleep at the hotel to 4. Go the phone, and force through. 2 TS in the graveyard. Crest of Etro. Run back to Lux North. Talk to the Carbuncle Girl. Grab the Green one. Return and complete quest. To the station and through the Warren toward Noel. 2 more TS in that Warren before Noel.

Day ends around here. Remember to pick up a cube each day you return to the Ark.

That is as optimized of a route as I can summarize here.

With no Greens you can't heal the bird. It's not worth running to Aryas, Mog Village, Polta, or the Research Camp, just for a single check.

If you got Greens, it unlocks many Key Item checks, so do that ASAP.

ChEater. Canopus. Sarala. Sleep to 5, run to Jagd, 4 Ferts, Outfitter/Forge. Day ends.

Wildlands Station. Sleep to 7. Sarala. Ferts. Plant 4. Feed. Sleep to 14. Pick. Plant. Sleep to 5. Pick. Trot to Aryas, checking the Outfitter, and the Key to Gate, 1 TS, and the Beloved's Gift.

Wild Stat. Get on the bird and go left to Wil Res, getting the TS and the Old Fashioned Frame. To Sazh, get the Broken Gyroscope and 1 Fragment. Go for a trot through the Craig, getting 1 TS, and go to Polta. Grab the TS up the ladder, sleep to 2, check General Store, pick up Etro Tome, and continue up toward the Temple, getting another TS near the end.

Get all the TS in the Temple, and the time should be a bit after 5am. After Caius, grab the shiny, get on the bird, and make a beeline for Mog Village. 2 TS on the way. Remember to grab the Moogle Dust.

That's pretty much it. There are 2 more Key Items you can check in Yusnaan's first maze, pre-Cyclops, but it unlocks late and is very out of the way (Power Booster and Bronze Pocketwatch).

Spherecode unlocks 3 checks Sazh unlocks several checks (Mog Fragment/Beloved's Gift exchange) Chocogirl Phone No is miscellaneous

The below is from a previous version.

====

Updated Dec 2021

So with v21, more things are randomized now. Ereshkigal and Zaltys in the boss randomizer, enemy drops, tutorial enemies, hints, and general balances now brought in.

This will be a brief guide as to how to approach this type of challenge, where all settings are Randomized, except for Key Items. Let's jump right in!

Good starts will have your two beginning garbs with 50+% starting ATB. One should be magic based (anything below Tier 4 spells), the other attack based (Punt/Light Slash/Defensive Strike, stuff with a small ATB cost are dandy). Passive abilities can come in handy, but don't worry about reseting for those.

Fight the Niblet after the first Anubys. You'll be able to determine if this is a troubling enemy or not. Once you've gotten through the first one or two enemies, you should have 1 EP by now. Use it on the 2nd Niblet if it was a tough enemy, or the 2nd Anubys if it wasn't a problem. Through these 4 fights, try to waste your 2 Potions.

Getting to first Shop Guy, buy 6 free potions, whatever they may be. You'll sell these for easy gil early.

Continue to "Zaltys". Honestly, the best enemy to see here is Erkel, followed by Snow/Noel. The latter drop 10,000gil, while the former drops 50k. Most garbs good for endgame start at 50,000 gil, so to get that available on Day 1, you can have a very enjoyable randomizer.

If Erkel, use your Blizzard spells during his animation. It may take 5 Overclocks, but he will go down. As for Noel/Snow, OC Thunder to stagger, and physically attack however you can.

Off in the Ark, get your 3rd garb, and look around your schemata. Change the strongest sword to the attacking outfit, and the the best magic weapon to the mage outfit. Garb 3 is filler right now, but in the future it's aim is to be the Debuffing garb, so it will want 75%+ starting ATB, with any dropped (Deprotects/Deshells/Imperil). All garbs will have 1 Guard, unless you get a very good buffed ability to replace it with.

Don't buy items from Hope, you don't know when you'll need your EP. With all shop items randomized, you'll likely find better things in the overworld anyways. Down to Luxerion with you.

Complete the Detective+Holmes quest, getting the Fighter's Emblem sphere (which will be something else), and the watch those quest rewards. You can get something good to sell.

Head to the Outfitter just across the Hotel Guy, and check out their wares. Buy 1 new garb, odds are they have SOMETHING better than your defaults. Check the auto-abilties with R2 as well. Ultimatus (50k) should always be on watch, as it comes defaulted with a Star ability, and odds are it will be a great multiplier.

Sleep to 00:00, then take on the Fanatics. Save before you attack the ! dude. Remake your garb layouts if you want, and fight.

Who knows what you're gunna get, but if there's Earth Eater/Chimera/Cactair, you are likely too weak to defeat them. This is why we saved. Reset, reload, and then you will do this portion with stealth. Otherwise, defeat the randomized enemies and head to the phone.

Post phone, pick up the 3 shinies. These will be the only shinies on the ground that are randomized. Throughout the run, pick up other ones you see, as finding extra gil is handy.

Proceed to Lux South, picking up 2 Treasure Spheres (TS) before Baird. Speak to the Soul Seed guy, accept quest, head into the Chaos, grab 1 Seed in the garden, and do a 180 and return to Baird. Hand it in for another quest completion.

Return to the chaos and through, but instead of going up the stairs, veer left to the lady. Accept Quest (AQ). and keep going into the walkway to fight the "Stormdragon". It will not be in Chaos, and likely an easy foe. Return to the lady, hand over the Tooth, and you'll get more random rewards.

Continue up the stairs, and jump downleft to another Outfitter. Check his wares. Remeber, you want a Garb 3 with Deprotect/Imperil, or garbs that surpass your defaults when it comes to Attack abilities or Magic abilities. Don;t buy everything you see, as you'll run out of Gil very fast. If time is not your concern, save in front of the shop, so you can save scum your purchases.

Talk to the General Shop beside for items. Any Enelement potions, buy 1 of each to keep in your inventory, along with 1 Phoenix Down.

Move away from the shop, beyond the Innkeeper and around the corner, for another TS. Back to General, turn left for a 2nd Outfitter. Check. Continue right for the Violet Amulet. Hairpin turn after a few metres, towards the cat, but go beyond for another TS. Now find your way to Lux South, departing for Dead Dunes.

Time should be 3:00am. Check Outfitter. Station Stat. Run left of the shrine and up the dune for a TS. Slide down for Ruins North Stat. Up the stairs for a TS, Beyond that for Near God's Stat. 180 and go down, around the bend, and slide down for another TS. Turn right and find another TS in the small ruin. Left and into the chaos. Grab the "Crux" (also random). Continue through, to Grave Stat. Run to Ruffian, but get another TS to the left in the ruins. If there' no shiny Unaprraised Item for pick up yet, attack lizards and pick up one of their drops.

After unlocking the new teleport point, go left for a TS at the end of the cliff. Now return to the entrance of Ruf, getting the TS you walked by initiallty. Around the bend for a Crux. Slide down and unlock Atmos Stat. Heading back to Ruf, get the Loupe (glowing on the ground), another TS up the slope, and around a bend to Adonis.

AQ, Ruf Stat, NG Stat, and fight the "Gurangatch". Do another menu here to resort your garbs. Post battle, go to Dry Floodlands, grabbing 1 Crux, followed by the Dry Stat.

If you have at least 1 Crux randomized into your inventory, you can now fight Cactiar. If not, return to Ruf via Dry Stat, and hand in Adonis' quest, getting Fang in the party. Note, after this, be sure to go to the second floor of the Ruffian, to complete the Loupe quests, recieve 1 Crux for the Unapp Item, and one strat TS.

If "Cactair" is defeated, continue through the tornado and get the TSs at the back, along with 3 Bhakti Oils. If you have the EP, grab the locked treasure too (though I'd bet you'd just get an Adornment).

Day is now over. Talk to Hope about 2 Red Items, and get another treasure. Return.

It is up to you to determine the next order of things, as it partially is dependant on what you have in your inventory by now.

If Dead Dunes (you need 3 Cruxes here, excluding the Loupe one; this guide assumed you never find Teleport):

Start at Ruf. Complete anything you haven't yet there. Ruf Stat into Station Stat. Head upright, grabbing a TS. Head back right, near the ocean is a Crux. Go straight to god's hand, down into the maze.

Tons of treasure in the maze, but the path is dependant on the doors. Once you unlock the Sanc Stat, teleport back to the other shrines, using the 3 Cruxes to get the 3 Tablets. Atmos and Dry have 1 TS each in their depths, while Grave just has a key item (grab it anyways).

Assuming you went through the whole maze and just picked up Tablet 2, head back up to the lobby you just passed, but go right and open the door with a 5th Crux (gotten from Bhakti's quest). This stat can warp you back to Sanc Stat, or to Ruf if you want a sleep break. Remember, Ruf now has an Outfitter and Forge, so check their wares. As for weapons, any sword with 1500+ Atk is great, just watch the pricing. Sell your garbage weapons if they sell for a high value. Shield are largely unused, so sell those too.

After defeating "Grendel", you are done. Ruf Stat into Ruf to sleep.

If doing Wildlands first (I recommend this before Yusnaan):

Run to ChEater. Run back to Canopus, getting the "Imp's Crest". Check Outfitter and General Shop. Sarala quest, Buy 4 Vegetable Seeds. Get Chocobull. DON'T start running to Jagd yet, but go back to the hotel, and sleep to 5. With good movement, you can end the day by running to Jagd, getting 4 Fertilizers + talking wirh Cole, and speaking wtih both the Outfitter and Forge in Jagd.

Once day ends, warp back to Wildlands station. At Canopus, sleep 1 hour to respawn Sarala. Complete her quest. Hand in 4 Ferts, plant enough for 8 Greens, eventually grab all 8 and heal your bird. You can sink another day here through your continuos 7 hour naps, since the Ark gives you 1 free cube per day.

When healed, sleep to 5 again, and trot to Aryas. Hit up the Outfitter there, along with two TS around the big shell, then finish off the day by grabbing the Beloved's Gift.

Returning to Wildlands Station, head left to the Research Camp, grabbing 2 TS behind it, and doing the Stubborn quest. Plant your remaining seed there. Also do the Data recording quest. After going to Sazh, find 4 glowing data discs, and return to the Camp to complete the quest.

Detour to "Windwalker Bracelet", and trot through the Craig towards Polta. Once there, get the "Aerora" sphere up the ladder. Sleep to 2am. Check General Store. Fly to Caius' Temple, getting one more TS to the right at the end below the ladder.

Into the temple, grab all spheres. One is behind you back of the rubble, one is after the first Yeul platform spawn at the end of a walkway, one is after the 2nd platform if you jump down from the 2nd set of Yeuls', another after the 3rd Yeuls, 2 more by the 4th Yeuls, the "Aeroga" sphere, the "notes" in the hallway, and "Element" near the end.

Save and regarb before "Caius". Pick up his "revenge", get back on your bird, and trot to Mog Village. One more TS in the Craig, and one TS on the way on top of a hut.

Save before the "Dryad" fights, as the randomizer may be unkind to you. Take 'em out, grabbing the Moogle Dust after the quest is completed, along with the one on the wall cliff. Check out the Mog Outfitter too. That's all for Wildlands until the endgame, where you go for one more day to hand in Dajh fragments, and complete the Stubborn quest.

If Luxerion:

Go to the hotel beside North station, sleep to 4, don't check numbers, just fight. 2 TS through the graveyard. Crest of Etro. Run back to Lux North. Talk to the little girl. Quest. Go forward and up the stairs, make a right and continue. Get the TS on the scaffolding. Can move beyond into part of the Warren for the "Thundara" sphere. Jump down for "Sparkstrike". Grab the Green doll. Check out the Forge. Return to the girl, Hand in quest.

Go through the station into the Warren. There are 2 TS below Noel's Maze. Fight the randomized boss. Pick up the "Shadow Hunter" and the day ends. If you got time, run back up and break some boxes for some medals.

If Yusnaan (this can be done all on 1 day):

Straight. Cutscene. Chocolina. "Blitz Lv2". Meow Meow poster. Right for a TS. General Store. To the slaughterhouse, check the right corner for a TS. To the Forge, to the Outfitter, right of the slope by the Cac Stat, is another TS. Cutscene. Walking more, let Pickett steal something, then catch him. Continue to the big gate. Knowledgable Tourist. Fall down to the left for the TS. Band Man. Sneak In Ticket. Around the corner for another TS. Back to Cac Stat, but go right and up the stairs. Don't continue straight, but go left for the Outfitter. 2 TS on the little ledge. Talk to the Magician Girl and hand in your extra Seeds and the Mog Fragment. Continue weaving and go all the way to the metal gate at the end for another TS. Return to the Gate Guardian.

Now 6pm, continue through the maze. 1 Merchant, 1 TS, and a "miniboss". Another TS, some key items with the ID, and back to Augurs. Sarzak, but fall down behind him for "Demon Earings". Speak to the Merchant beside. Head to Fireworks Boss, getting the 1 TS below the stage. Get his Note, talk to the Outfitter behind him, and return back to another buit of scaffolding opposite Sarzak for another TS.

Opening the Augurs Gate, talk to each of the Chocolinas for 4 Fireworks + Miquote Dress, which will have some Star abilities. Run all the way back top Funicula, accept and complete his quest (do not steal Fireworks). Returning to Augurs, talk with Tophat man for a Quest, return by Pickett, continue to Fireworks Boss, then Sarzak.

Run all the way back to Cac Stat, but go to Top Hat man to finish the quest. Return to Slaughterhouse for the gauntlet, also randomized. You'll still get Midnight Mauve which still needs to be equipped. Return to Sarzak, and continue into Snow's Palace.

Veer right for "Thorn of Courage". Continue through the tutorial maze. Get "Flamestrike" after 1st button, "Heavy Guard" after 2nd button, another TS by the 4th button, and the other TS around the corner post Snow's door. The Guardian may have something to sell.

Continue on for the 2 Anubii (randomized), Serah's pendant, and save in front of Snow's door before you fight whoever could be behind it.

Day is done, but it's probably a bit after 5am. There's nothing worth doing anymore, so just grab the shiny and chill.

That's that. Use one more day to return to Wildlands Station, to Canopus, sleep to 5, and trot to Wil Res followed by the Broken Gyroscope and Sazh to finish off all the main quests.

On Day 12, check Chocolina and hand in whatever you happened to pick up. The rewards will also be randomized. Sleep. At the Ark, pick up any Cubes you forgot. In front of the Cathedral, talk to the Outfitter and Forge one last time, selling what you don't need, and buying and last goodies.

Proceed through the final dungeon, in which there are 2 TSs.

It is up to you if you want to do the 4 Alters, but they are a considerable timesink. But Ultima Weapon granted me max magic, so you may want to invest the last chance you can.

Bhunivelze+

That's right, you can fight him in this Randomizer if you so choose.

He starts in Phase 2. This is why you got 4 Enelement Potions. An attacking layout is much more dependable than a magical layout. If you happened to get Decoy, use it. Throw out a Hero's Pootion/Warriors/Nektar, an Enelement, stagger him with some stray -ra spells (surely you got at least 1), and once you got him staggered, the plan is really just stay in OC at all times and hammer away with attacks. Thanks to the Ranomdizer, you probably have Ethers with you, and you'll only need 2 if you are coming in with 8 or more EP.

Phase 4 isn't a big deal, but the Phoenix Down may save you. Stagger, and proceed to Imperil/Deprotect/Enelement/Attacks.

Below is from Nov 2021, for an earlier version of the Mod.

Lightning Returns Final Fantasy 13 Easy Difficulty Randomizer (Default settings, v0.1.2) - sorta guide

This will be brief attempt at how to approach and complete the challenge in a relatively non-stressful manner.

Quick set-up guide (I won't include the links):

1. Remove previous mods from your LR client. I uninstalled LR from Steam. Reinstalled it. (Didn't know how to remove Imperil Mods cleanly otherwise).

2. Downloaded 2 things. LRRandomizer + Nova Chrysalia.

3. With those ZIP/RAR files on your Desktop, make 2 empty file folder. One called LRRando to but said file inside, the other called Nova for the the other said files. Both those zip/rar files are to be extracted in their respective folders.

4. Open Nova's first (Run as Administrator), pick the filepath of at third bar ar the top (probably in Steam under C:), select the left bottom circle to select LR, and then look right and pick the drop down menu under Filesystem, and switch to "unpacked".

5. Choose Unpack Game Data EN audio, may take 10 or less minutes. Now go to the second, LR Rando folder, run the LRRando Application (as Adminstrator too). Beside Setup, make sure your filepaths are correct (one for the steam game, one for the Nova files).

6. Select a New Seed if you want, but it should give you a new one each time you boot up the program. Flag step is not needed, default settings are fine to start. Beside Finish, select Generate Mod Pack. Few more minutes, and you'll get a unique .ncmp file. It is located under "packs" in the LRRando folder.

7. Switch back to the Nova Chrysalia app, select the ModPack Manager tab, and then select Add Modpack on the right. Find that .ncmp file, and put that in the list. Double click from the list, wait a few minutes, and you should be set.

8. At the bottom left of the first window of the Nova app, select Launch game. It may say "process not found", but Steam should still run Lighting Returns.exe afterwards. You'll know you are successful if the NewGame-Contue-Settings menu has different music.

Pick what Settings you like, and begin a New Game.

You'll see that your 2 default garbs remain the same, but they'll each have 2 new abilities. Guard/Thunder and Guard/Blizzard remain such that you don't somehow softlock so early.

Tutorial Enemies aren't any more difficult, but it's entirely possible you have stats that put your Phys/Magic to 5, forcing you to do chip damage. Overclock (1 EP) is a default ability for all seeds, otherwise all tutorial battles here would languish for quite awhile.

If you are causing chip damage, I recommend you reset for a different seed. Note, I'll assume Overclock is the ability that will drop for you, so assume you'll be doing a lot more movement.

Going back to casual thinking, what you are generally looking for from your 3 Garbs, is 1 Physical Attacker, 1 Magic Thrower, and 1 Debuff Caster.

Attack/Elestrike/Blitz for Garb 1, most spells for Garb 2. Garb 3 you'll eventually shop for, or get a good treasure drop.

If you are happy with the damage output you got, continue on with the tutorial. With the first shop guy, grab 4 0-Gil potions, whether they be Warriors/Heros or what have you. You can sell them later if you they serve no use.

First boss may be randomized, so it may not be Zaltys. Don't worry, even main bosses are wekaend at this state. You also regain 5 EP to tackle the boss.

OC, cast a Potion, stagger with your Thunders/Blizzards. Continue to inflict damage with whichever garb has the higher damage output, and block the enemies attacks.

Press on, into the Ark. 4 Cubes are random too, but they will yield at least a Garb 3, a sword, and a shield. Remember, EP abilities are rando'd, so you may go through the entire run with only Overclock at your disposal.

As the game opens up the main menu for you, check out your stats, and switch over equipment to benefit the Garb 1 Warrior, Garb 2 Warlock, and Garb 3 Weakener.

Consult Hope, but don't buy things from him. You don't know what enemies you are about to face, so you want all your EP. Warp down.

Accept and complete the Detective quest like you normally would. The Fighter's Emblem treasure sphere should be something new, as well as the quest rewards from Holmes and the Detective.

Now go to the Outfitter, and check out what he's got. Sell your 2 base Potions if you haven't used them, as well as any useless equipment. Odds are you don't have any yet, but if you're lucky, the Rando gave you an expensive sword with 5 figure Gil, but with garbage stats such that you don't want it.

Garbs can be anywhere from 1250Gil to 100k+, so maybe there's one with some abilities that will benefit your fighting tastes. If not, move on, you'll be exploring many Outfitters anyways.

Head to the Hotel and sleep to 12:00. Turn back, and run to the Fanatics. If you bought a new garb, equip it here.

It's up to you, but you can save, and either fight the ! Fanatics, or hide in the corner and let them walk to the phone. A mere human can be replaced with an Earth Eater, and regarldess of your rando luck thus far, he will not be going down with your current stats.

Once your decision has been made and you are at the phone, pick up the 3 Shinies. These are the only ones randomized.

Now you can really start exploring. I recommend you run to Lux South.

Some spheres on the way, get the Soul Ticket to pick up Seeds. Pick up all the ones on the ground in your adventure. 400 Gil a pop can come in handy. Take the detour to Solana to get the Cursed Dragon Claw, since it's not going to be a Chaos Stormdragon anymore.

Proceed to the 2 Outfitters below Lux South, and check out their wares, then head on up to the train station, and go to Dead Dunes. There's plenty of treasure here, which means plenty of chances to get something helpful.

It should be between 2:00am-3:00am after the trip. Check out the Outfitter in front. You'll be activating all Cactuar Statues you see, since odds are Teleport won't come by you. Attack the Lizards/Skeleton Statues to get 1 Unappraised Item.

Go straight and left, to get the Sphere above the dune. Slide down to Ruins North Statue. Go up to Near God's Statue. Slide down to Galestrike sphere. Head left and down to Defaith. Head right to Debrave? Go through the Chaos and get the 1st Crux (which is also not a Crux). Continue to Colossi Grave Statue. Get 1 Bhakti's Oil to the left. Continue toward Ruffian, but go left and get the Sphere in the wreckage (and an Unappraised Item if it's shining on the ground). Get the one to the right of the Ruffian Entrance. Go and unlock Ruffian Teleport, but turn left and get the sphere on the cliff. Jump down, hand in your Seeds to Mal, and talk to Adonis.

Unlock Ruffian Statue, but turn left, get a 2nd Bhakti's Oil beside the shop. Move onward to Atmos, grabbing 1 sphere and Loupe. Unlock Atmos Statue, and teleport to Near God's. Move to the tornado and fight the non-Gurangatch. Do another Menu here to check out the goodies you've gained.

With little time remaining to end of day, you should unlock Fang first, along with the Loupe quest from the kid on the second floor of Ruffian (plus his exchange of 1 Unappraised Item for a Crux), and a another treasure sphere up there.

Ruf Stat into Near God's, and go left towards Dry Floodlands, getting the Crux and Stat. Don't go down into the shrine, but if it's almost ~5:50, Statue Warp back to the train station, and go to Wildlands to end the day.

If it's only ~5:20, go up and do the Cactair Quest, with the 1 Crux you got from Loupe Boy. Move beyond the tornado afterwards to get more Bhakti's Oil if you didn't before, plus the treasure spheres. If you have enough EP, invest it into the treasure, but odds are it will only be some adornment.

That ends Day 1. Rest of the route is up for debate, but I'll outline one in this typeout.

Back in the Ark, talk to Hope about the 2 red categories, and unlock the new Treasure Cube. Warp back down and explore.

Odds are you don't have enough Cruxes to do the Dead Dunes Maze, or get the Tablets, so save that for last. Yusnaan can be done all in a day or two. Luxerion can be done now, but you have to give up hald a day.

So let's do Wildlands. Go to Chocobo Eater, run back to Canopus, grabbing Imp's Crest and checking out the Outfitters and General Store. If there are Phoenix Downs/Enelement Potions, pick some up. Do the requirements for Dr. Gyshal and Sarala, and buy 4 Seeds off the Adventuring Essentials guy.

If you want to save yourself some running, sleep to 5am, and head to Jagd, whereas the day end will end shortly after you've gotten all important things (except Cole, who's alseep at that ungodly hour). Otherwise, keep on running to Jagd, grabbing 4 Fertilizers, Cole, the Jagd Outfitter and Forge (this may be your first Forge, so look for weapons that boost Attack or Magic by ~1000 and don't break your bank). Nadia's Quest.

Once Cole has been conversed with, return to Sarala, plant your seeds in the handed over fertilizers, sleep 6 hours once, plant another 4, sleep another 6 (time should be ~21:00 now), heal your bird, you know the drill.

Go for a run to Aryas, grabbing Yeul's Flower behind. Check out the Outfitter, veer right for the Fira sphere underneath the giant shell, and go to the end of the road for Beloved's Gift. Once again, if it's not 21:00 but instead 05:00, you can end a day here and save yourself the run back.

If going back, head back toward the station, grabbing Firewyrm Bracelet. Move beyond the train, and go to Wildlands Research Camp. Get Blizzara behind, and check out the Forge here too. Continue to Sazh. Back on the Bird, trot through the Craig, getting Windwalker Bracelet, and zig zagging towards Polta.

There should still be enough time to do Caius' Temple. Get the Aerora Sphere. If you want to end the day shortly around the boss, sleep to 03:00. General store. Sphere at the end of the jumping sidequest. Into the Temple.

Aeroga, Firaga, Element, Elementa, notes, all these spheres will be something else.

Post boss, get the shiny (not a Chaos Revenge) and run back to your bird. If it's still in the early morning before 06:00, you can trot to Moogle Village, and do that quest. Note, there are no hotels nearby, so sleep to 05:00 at the Polta Hotel if you want the day to end post Mog Village.

You would be something like on Day 4 here. Everytime you're in the Ark, grab the free Cube. Go to Lux North, and to Yusnaan now.

Hand over Beloved's Gift to Chocolina. Grab Blitz Sphere. Check out the poster to weeb it up. Head right and grab another sphere in the corner. Go towards Slaughterhouse now. In the right corner is another sphere. Ignore the colisseum and go to the Forge.

You probably have a good amount of Gil now. Though randomized, a great Garb to grab is Ultimatus, worth 50,000 Gil. It often has it;s ability as Starred (max level), and thus has a great multiplier. This is a great damage dealer, physical or magical.

If Forge and Outfitter have nothing, keep going. By the Giant Statue is another sphere in the corner. Move on to the Augur's quarter, and after the Gate Guy you should grab the Thorn in the corner. Down the steps and to the Band Man for the Sneak Ticket. Around the corner for another sphere. Now run back to the Giant Statue, and up the stairs. Loop around to the Outfitter to see if he's got anything worth stylin'. 180 degress and grab the Wolf's Emblem plus extra sphere just beyond.

Down the ramps and off to the dumpster land. There's another sphere at the far end before the Gate Man. Gate Man will push the time to 18:00 for you.

Continue through Maze #1. There's only one extra sphere of interest, above the scaffolding pre-Cyclops. After the miniboss, Maze #2, another sphere high in the scaffolding, and with an ID card, you'll wind up back in the Augur's Quarter.

Talk to Sarzak, and jump between the buildings for the Demon's Earrings. Jump out and go to the Fireworks Boss. Another Outfitter is just behind him. Before you exit, go up the other viewing area for one more sphere.

Collect your fireworks, off of Chocolinas and Fireworks Dudes. 1 girl + 3 dude + 1 girl + 3 dude + 2 dude will put you in front of the Train Station again. If you have lost too much time, go to Luxerion now. But I would advise, despite being repetitious, go back Augur's and hand in the fireworks to Sarzak, and return to and complete the Slaughterhouse.

Should be around 24:00, so now you can run back to Yusnaan Train, and take it to Lux North. You are free to guess the phone. Force through, since it won't be a Dreadnought anymore.

2 spheres in this graveyard, but the Crest will be the same. Run out of the grave, and back to Lux North Station. Take the longer way around, talking to the little girl in front for the Carbuncle Doll quest, grabbing the sphere right of the stair path on top of the scaffolding, where then you jump down for Sparkstrike, Carbuncle Doll, and another Forge check. Turn back and get Thundara. Proceed through Noel's junkyard, and hand in the Crest. Through the rooftops, fall down once for Battleaxe.

Save outside the boss, check for any goodies you may have been awarded in your inventory, equip if found, and proceed. I will continue to give you no boss advice, as it's so random at this point I have no idea what you got.

Run back to the Lux North train station. Hand over the Doll to the girl to complete one of your few sidequests. Sleep to the next day. Can't do anything else with the time you have available.

I'll assume you still have insufficient Cruxes. Finish off the Yusnaan Slaughterhouse quest (inlcuding the Dajh fragment if you haven't). Back to Sarzak, get the cutscene, etc.

Snow's Temple time. Grab the extra spheres like Thorn of Courage, Heavy Guard and Flamestrike, throughout the maze. If you take your time, it will be about 05:30 after the boss. The Hood is not a Hood. Let the day end.

Day 6 now? What have we done up to here. Caius/Noel/Snow/Mogs defeated. Parandus is next.

Use a full day for this, since so much randomness is around. If you got 3 Cruxes, grab the Tablets with them, running down anf running up each shrine, CacWarping to each in tow.

Otherwise, brave the maze and hope one of it's treasures below has what you need. I have no advice for you if you haven't gained 4 Cruxes in your adventures. Go out of the way in the other 3 worlds for other Treasure Spheres, or do some easy Sidequests. The only 2 I can guarantee is from Loupe Boy and Bhakti (in the maze).

I'll assume you are through the maze now, having all tablets. Enter the Sanctuary and fight the last main boss. Afterwards, use the Sanctuary Statue and go to Ruffian Statue, speaking to Mal to hand in the Mog Fragmenet for a Dajh one. Sleep to 4am. Stat Warp back to the Station, and ride to Wildland. With your trusty steed, trot to Sazh and finish off his quest with all 5 Fragments handy. Day should end around here soon enough.

That's all the major quests in the randomizer in half your alotted time. If you're enjoying this type of gameplay, go and try to 100%. The world is your oyster. I expect you have Garb 1 as your Physical Attacker with Light Slash/Punt/Attack, Garb 2 as your Magic Attacker with a -ga spell, -ra spell, or Magnet, and Garb 3 with Imperil(ga)/Deprotect(ga)/Deshell(ga). Garbs have varying starting ATBs too, so despite them having identical abilities, pick the one with a stronger starting bar.

Eventually on Day 13 you'll be up in the Ark with Mog. Grab all the rest of the Cubes, since they'll be different things. You may never see Garb Upgrade, but you are likely overpowered enough as it is. Warp back down.

Talk to the Forge/Outfitter one last time, selling abilities/medals/weapons/shields you don't use, and picking up any potential final weapons of war.

Proceed through the endgame obstacles. Eventually you get to Bhuni.

What can I say that goes beyond casual gameplay? Be sure you fight him with full EP. Phase 1 debuff him, Enelement yourself, proceed to unleash damage. It will probably be through Physicals, but a magic damage dealer does the job just fine if your stat is above 3000. Guard his attacks as they come by. Redebuff for each of God's phases, and buff yourself too. Imperil+Enelement+Deprotect/Deshell+Bravery/Faith will still finish him off speedily. Be sure you have something to weaken his Phase 4 stagger threshold, otherwise he can unleash his full power attacks and you didn't buy enough Phoenix Downs to save yourself, did you?

And that as they say is that.