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This is a stat maxing guide for LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII. This purpose of this guide is to provide an efficient method of achieving max stats. This guide does not help with any other farming in the game, such as with abilities or GIL. I recommend stat maxing when you have accomplished everything else in the game that you desire. In my case, I completed the following: a couple 100% runs, hard difficulty, farmed max abilities, obtained all schemata, and obtained all weapons. Stat maxing after you have completed your goals minimizes the amount of time you have to grind due to the natural stat gain through playing. While the grind is monotonous, it is a great opportunity to listen to music or watch videos as it requires minimal effort after the route has been learned.

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Max stats is optimally reached through Day 1 farming, meaning the goal is to fit the most rewarding quests in a route that minimizes menuing and travel time. After Day 1 is complete, the game is reset via the Crystal of Atonement in the The Ark where the grind begins anew. While it is certainly possible to achieve max stats through multiple 100% completions, it would take a lot longer than purely focusing on stat maxing. I recommend whatever is more fun for you! For me, I chose to fully focus on stats once all my other goals were completed.

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The only real prerequisite for this guide is that you had to have completed The Last Ones side quest for Zanford in the Dead Dunes. It is perhaps the lengthiest side quest in the game but well worth it for stat maxing. The quest persists through playthroughs and simply auto-completes upon returning to Zanford.

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For an in-depth look at the run, I recorded a run and provided commentary in the following video:


The video provides everything you need to know. If you prefer a written guide, keep reading!

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1. Start the game on Easy difficulty. Stat gains are not affected by difficulty. I additionally recommend having limit break on in the settings to ensure easy one-shot battles.
   
2. Upon entering Luxerion, talk to the Inquisitor in front of you to progress the Whiter Faith quest.
   
3. In a counterclockwise route from the Inquisitor, we are going to make our way around the square. First, climb the ladder and talk to the two individuals up top.
   
4. Drop down and talk to Thorton to start the Where Are You, Holmes? side quest.
   
5. Examine the evidence near the center of the square.
   
6. Talk to Holmes, the Outfitters, and the Innkeeper in that order.
   
7. Talk to Thorton and complete the Where Are You, Holmes? side quest. (10 HP / 1 STR)
   
8. Talk to the Pious Cleric across from Thorton and Holmes. Then talk to the Inquisitor to complete Whither Faith. (40 HP / 3 STR / 3 MAG)
   
9. Rest at the Innkeeper till 00:00.
   
10. Fight the Child of Etro with the exclamation point over their head. A powerful area-of-effect spell like Firaga will destroy them.
    
11. Make your way to the Forsaken Graveyard and answer the phone call.
    
12. Travel to The Avenue and take the left towards the Back Alleys. Talk to Solandra and initiate the Born from Chaos side quest.
    
13. Complete the Born from Chaos side quest by defeating the Zomok. It is preferable to get a preemptive strike on the enemy to ensure a quick battle. Return to Solandra and complete the quest. (80 HP / 12 STR / 6 MAG)
    
14. Travel through the Back Alleys to reach the North-South Corridor and talk to Baird, initiating the Souls Seeds side quest.
    
15. Enter the Chaos Infusion and obtain a single soul seed. Avoid all enemies to not lose time.
16. Return to Baird and complete the Soul Seeds side quest. (20 HP / 4 MAG)
    
17. Make your way to the South Station Platform train station and travel to the Dead Dunes.
    
18. After the unskippable prompts, make your way north to the Cactuar statue Near God’s Wrath and activate it.
    
19. Travel southwest to the Dry Floodlands and pick up the Pilgrim’s Crux on the ledge.
    
20. Travel towards the Oasis Lighthouse. Activate the statue to remove the sandstorm. Talk to Zanford and autocomplete The Last Ones side quest. (100 HP / 10 STR / 8 MAG)
    
21. Teleport to Ruffian.
    
22. Talk to Adonis to initiate the Adonis’s Audition quest. Activate the Ruffian Cactuar statue and teleport to Near God’s Wrath.
    
23. Make your way north to the sandstorm and defeat the Gurangatch. Deprotect helps in a quick battle, negating the need for a stagger.
    
24. Teleport back to Ruffian and talk to Adonis to complete the quest. (50 HP / 4 STR / 6 MAG)
    
25. Make your way to the Innkeeper and sleep till 06:00, ending the day and returning you to The Ark.
    
26. Talk to Hope about Side Quests and use the Crystal of Atonement to start the journey over.

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It can certainly take awhile but if you are looking to fully complete this game than it is not too bad. If you typically try to stat max in other Final Fantasy games than you will feel at home with this one. Not an extreme time commitment compared to other games in the series. I hope you found the guide helpful and have fun!

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