Summons rock the beast world, just to let you know. With FFXII released now, it's made me think back and realize that this is one of the best ways to obtain the Summons over the gaming series, but I wanted to know which FF game had the best method of obtaining Sumons in your opinion.

There's been a mix of games where you have to either find the certain magicite(FFVI) or materia(FFVII), or summon in a certain location. Other times you have to fight them(FFXII) all or draw them from enemies(FFVIII). Even the method of obtaining them through the Clositer of Trials in FFX was a pretty neat method, but not to challenging in my opinion.

I'd have to go with the current set up in FFXII being my favorite method so far. You have to yourself prove worthy of being able to control one of these beasts, and go through what it feels like to fae them before you unleash them on your foes later in the game. I tell ya, it's definitely a big challenge walking into the waterway to face Cuchilain(sp?) and instantly ahve your HP sapped the hell out of you constantly... :/ Not to mnetion he has a crapload of HP.

So what's your favorite way of obtaining Summons/Espers/GF's/Eidolons/Aeons in the Final Fantasy series?

Hmmmm well outta the FF's that I played I think I quite like the way you obtain Aeons.

Materia is cool but getting the summons didn't really make them feel special enough in my opinion... Well saying that some did and some didn't. I think the ones you had to work harder for like Leviathan and KOTR felt more special than ones like Kjata.

Drawing GF's was annoying, although like in FFVII there were some cool ways of getting them. I liked the ones like Ifrit, Cerberus, Dom Train etc... Where there was more too it. The Ifrit fight was really cool and using Shiva against him was fun because I've always imagined what it would be like to have them fight.

Eidelons in FFIX... Hmmmmm can't really remember how you got them... But that must mean that it impressed me a great deal, lol! The FMV with the Eidelons in were cool but apart from that I don't really remember anything else.

Finally FFX! The Aeons! The reason why I liked the Aeons more is because they felt special. HAving to go through the Cloisters before you obtained them was fun and then getting the each different chamber of the fayth too really was something different. The only thing I didn't really like was when you had to fight the other summoners (I forget his name I'm tired) Aeons in La Purifco in Bevelle, you know Grothia and what ever they were called. I know why they had the same forms as Yuna's Aeons but it annoyed me slightly. The temples were awesome though.

As for FFXII.... I wish I had a copy ;_; Just a polite warning to the people who do... Make sure you mark your FFXII spoilers in here because if you don't then I'll have a tantrum and be scared for life!

Yay, let's give it a shot at all of them.

FF4: You either got them in the story or had to fight them to get them. So FFXII is not that original.

FF5: Same of the above really. You could also buy some of the early Summons.

FF6: Yeah, I liked the Magicite idea. The Espers could teach you magic by equipping them. I tink this one was the roots of the GF idea.

FF7: Nothing to say really. Just find them, get them through the story, get them after a boss battle. It's just that since they use up so much HP, it's useless to equip more than 2 per character.

FF8: This is my favourite. Fight them, Draw them, or just find them. The Junction system rocked as well. It's just a lot like the Magicite system, except for the Magic.

FF9: I don't like this one. The difference between Summons and Eidolons was ok, but getting them was way too easy. Even Ark was easy to get.

FF10: My second favourite. The way you can use them in battles is great, it just gets you closer to them. It's just that getting them was nothing special. Cloister of Trials everytime, it got kind of annoying.

FF12: I haven's played FFXII yet, will have to wait a few months... but it seems ok, especially since Zeromus and Exdeath have become Summons ^^

Final Fantasy XI, You try getting the summons on particular days, when theres particular weathers lol, its not easy... then you have to fight hard battles for them... try that without some level 75 help!

To unlock the job summoner is a chore in its self, i believe to get carbuncles ruby to unlock the job is a 1/150 (1/50 with thief treasure hunter ability) chance!

Second that that was probably Final Fantasy X, Some of the aeons were a pain to get, but fun none the less... same as in final fantasy VIII... some of the goddamned things you needed for Doom train

I also liked the Final Fantasy IX summon system... it was hard to get ark and still have enough pumices... Madeen was also a chore, though i dont exactly have the biggest knowledge about that seeing as never used Eiko unless forced.

Final Fantasy VII's system was pretty cool, i liked the fact that it was hard to get some of the ultimate summon materia.

Final Fantasy VI was a goddam chore! so many summons, and most you had to battle... but still rewarding... and i still think the esper/magic system is the best to date in any game!

The rest of them you just bought them generally and that wasnt exactly "Hard" to do.

I prefer fighting the Guardian Beasts to gain thier power as originally depicted in FFIV and later in FFVIII, thus FFXII is as Lionheart said is not that all original. (off topic rant warning) I just believe in giving credit where credits due that's all. Besides if I hear anymore hype about FFXII I'm going to hurl. I know its the newest eddition to the FF series and the plot is suposidly really good, but stop treating it like its the only fucking FF that exists. That forum is almost as big as the FFVIII forum and its only been out for a few days in the US, a week at most, 4.5 pages may be just speculations and rumors, but still give it a fucking rest. (back on topic warning)

A second option to acheiving the Summons that I like is finding them. Not finding the summon that is careless lying around, but the one that involves some elaborate proccess that makes you work for it. A different sort of battle to prove your worth, whether that be puzzle solving or simply time.

Oh, I give complete understanding to giving credit where credit is due, TMC. I know in Final Fantasy VI you'd run into Shiva and Ifrit almost back to back and ahve to fight them and it was a cool idea and definitely "Before" FFXII, but FFXII takes toughness to an all new level when fighting some of these guys. Ya can't really knock it until you try it, and I'm not trying to overshadow older games at all, as those are still basking in their greatness in my eyes.

My main point is, I want to have to do a sidequest that leaves my characters to the point of extreme exhaustion (and myself as well) and then enter a huge room where the summoned beast you are trying to acquire is roaming. As you enter, the room shakes, the beast makes his threatening jeers at the party, and you say to yourself "well, here goes nothing..."

Finding Odin and making your way towards King Tonberry in FFVIII's Centra Ruins are perfect examples of my favorite way of obtaining summons. You have to work for them, them prove you are worthy of their services by showing you can beat and control them. Last night Aztec did the Exodus sidequest and fought that battle to obtain him, and it was pretty sweet.

I guess just the whole process in this system advances the one's of the past. The summons' backstories tie in with why they are in their current positions in the world map (example: Belias) and the reason for them being sent to their current location. Explains who they are, what they went through to be turned into the Espers they are, and all that jazz. My achilles heal of affection for FF games: plot and backstories.

:D

If I hear one more pessimistic rant form TMC I'm gonna hurl ;). C'mon man, its new, it's exciting, everyone wants to talk about what they just expirienced so they do. Of course it's gonna be huge. And I havent seen anyone treat it like its the only FF that exists. They're just talking about it more because they're playing it right now.

I... really have no preference for getting summons. Hah. Mostly I just role with whatever they throw at me.

Hmmm... I don't think I've played any of the ones that you've mentioned that you have to work for lol... I've done VII, IX, X, and working on XII but haven't got any summons yet. In VII and IX it seemed sort of as if they got handed to you, VII you just gotta find the damn shiney rock and as far as I have gotten on IX (lost my disc 3... dammit!) you get them from the magic stoney things, Aquamarine and such.

X was a little more difficult, I remember wanting to kill myself after doing the Macalania cloister and then going out the way I came in by mistake and having to do it all over again =P Sucked some major ass.

And XII I haven't gotten any summons yet, I'm in the Sandsea, are they hard to get?