Unfair final boss.

[censor]

Hello.
I´m spanish and I do not speak english very well. I´m sorry if my english seems is dull.

I have played more than 100 games. i believe that FTL is one of the best games I have played in my live (and I have played hundreds). All is great until you get the final boss. In normal mode, i think it is overpowered. I have tried with many ships, many configurations, and I CAN´T beat that damn ship. Once I get to third stage and almost destroy it (only one hull point to beat it).

I just want to say that the regular play in normal mode is fair. You can lose very early or you can advance. Many times you lose in the middle game; no problem for me. But sometimes you get the righ weapons, the right augmentations, and all shield, weapons and engine upgrades; and you cant even scratch its hull. It is TOO hard even for the hardcore gamers.

PLEASE, do something. I think it have too much hard (weapons) points. You can´t break it´s weapons system. The best strategy I have figured is to hit the shield, cloack (level 3) and pray.

I can finish the game in easy mode, but in normal... imposible.

Anyway, it is an outstanding game.

[Gorlom]

Other people have beaten it in normal mode. It's supposed to be very hard indeed. Have you read their tips on it? I notice that you haven't mentioned teleporter in your "best strategy". Have you considered porting in a crew to disable the weapon systems? Since they are isolated form the rest of the ship they can't be repaired again after you kill the operator).

[censor]

I dont usually play with teleporter. Anyway, you should be able to destroy the boss using weapons only. Otherwise, there is only one solution, the teleporter. And I really don´t like it .

[Gorlom]

I would expect you can do it without the teleporter, but you can't do it with just starting weapons or sidegrades to the starter weapons. The teleporter tactic only help you to disable the weapons. If you got a pegasus +firebomb combo and 30+ missiles you can disable the weapons that way. Using drones is another way.

The final boss is intended to be harder then everything else in the game, it is intended to make use of everything you have seen in the game so far plus a little bit more.


If it is still too hard I would suggest you switch to easy. there is no shame in playing on easy, but wanting to make the game easier when it is clearly possible to complete it as it is seems such a cheap way. It's like you want to play on easy but still having it called normal.

[irongamer]

I dont usually play with teleporter. Anyway, you should be able to destroy the boss using weapons only. Otherwise, there is only one solution, the teleporter. And I really don´t like it .

*spoilers*

I have defeated the boss on normal with the Torus and the Osprey. Both times I have never picked up the teleporter and didn't even use missiles. I did have the cloaking device. It can be done with weapons and the cloaking device. I haven't tired out the teleporter yet, it does look like fun though.

A note on weapon upgrades. I usually had one or two buster lasers and the Torus was using 3 weapons (burster level 2 I believe, and 2 level 1 ions). The Torus was also using 2 level 1 anti-ship drones. So, not many upgrades are needed on weapons. Good defenses go a long ways and the cloak is the best defense in the game imho.

[censor]

Finally. I beat the game in normal today.
With the Kestrel ship. Shields and engines maxed. My weapons was 1 artemis missile launcher, 2 mk2 burst lasers and a halberd beam. My ship was burning, lost half of my crew, many system seriously damaged, the oxygen was depleted and many doors open. I believe the rest of my crew would die after the battle
I will remember you.

[OrangeBottle]

Having a fully upgraded cloaking device helps, believe it or not. It allows you to evade the super-attacks from the boss ship.

[LukaCola]

Okay, someone tell me what I'm doing wrong. Besides not carrying enough missiles...

I thought I had the boss beat, I was in a bit of a stalemate in the first round (I could very occasionally get a shot in from 1 of my five burst laser shots) and it took forever, but by the second round I thought I was doing fairly well.

Mind you this is on easy, I had the cloaking device (and used it well) but no teleporter. The weapon systems were not at all a problem, however, on the second round the drones began.

My strategy was simple, burn the fucking place down. And I did, firebombed the drone bay and completely destroyed it and the fire continuously raged within...

Problem being the fire wouldn't do any hull damage, it wouldn't stop the drone attacks, and it wouldn't spread to kill the crew. This just pissed me off, the boss can spawn a dozen drones all at once with a completely and utterly destroyed drone bay... I mean, honestly, what the hell? Why even include the drone bay then? I THINK it disabled boarding and repair drones, but that's hardly important. drones that start hammering my ship do far too much damage in much too short a time, I couldn't tank it fast enough, and after a few critical systems took too much damage I was just done for...

I have tried many, many methods. From bypassing the shields with missiles, to using teleporters, from cloaking, to just brute forcing it. Nothing has worked for me, I don't know what I'm doing, but it feels like a lot of it depends on what kind of items you come across if you'll succeed. (Which I am notoriously unlucky about)

For instance, if I had the burst laser mark III I would've been able to keep a lot more pressure on him than I did. But I have never come across it. If I had enough missiles this time, maybe I would've made it, but once again I did from a lack of resources rather than skill which is just... Lame.

I have seriously tried a lot of strategies, my ship is usually very well upgraded by the end of the game, I just can't keep up against the drones on the second level.

Just my little rant...

[Gorlom]

There are special abilities that can't be avoided by destroying the system that seems to be spawning them. That taking out the drone room only disables the nonspecial ability drones are how the encounter is intended.

Tell me why isn't cloaking working for you?

[Gomisan]

The fact that the boss plays by different rules (eg the huge amount of Drone spwans and the fact theat destroying the drone bay has little/no impact on the drones) makes it unfair, and not fun.

If I've got a kick arse ship I should be able to employ normal tactics and have a tough, but fair fight. Nothing should be availabel to an enemy that I cant have or disable.

With over 90hrs into this game I am still to defeat the boss and it all seems to come down to the Drones.