Lost Odyssey

• Each area of the game has a kind of "recommended level" you'll know you've reached it if you complete a battle and only get 1 or 2 experience points. This means with the proper set up you shouldn't have any problems with the next boss fight.

• Make sure to check everywhere in an area before you go to the boss because the early ones usually have something that will help in the fight.

• You can change any and all gear mid-combat with absolutely no penalty.

• Explore as much as possible - level up as much as possible until you hit the 'cap' for that area. Try to make it so your immortals are learning mortals' skills as efficiently as possible, and note that towards the end of the game you'll be required to use all the characters at least once - so don't leave them too far behind.

• Use a guide for the two Eastern Tribe temples - trust me.

• All you need to know about Lost Odyssey is that there's no point in grinding, there are no missables because there're all purchasable at an auction house later in the game, and remember to keep everyone fairly equally levelled.

• I've heard differing opinions on purchasing ALL of the missables. Apparently, it's possible to miss the spells Shieldus and Barricadus, so it's best to purchase them immediately as soon as you can. I've only heard this from one FAQ, however, so it may or may not be true.

• You gain levels very quickly when you progress to a new area of the game, 1-2 battles usually. Once this stops happening in an area, you'll be at the correct level range for the encounters so you never really have to grind levels.

• Immortals gain abilities by either skill linking with a non-Immortal character or by equipping items. After every battle you gain skill points, so while you're not going to grind for level you might want to take some time to gain skills. Non-Immortal characters gain skills from equipping items, but only as long as they have that item equipped. Important note: you can switch equipment in battle if necessary.

• Elemential weaknesses are the key to winning - most enemies in the game are one of four element types; earth, fire, wind or water. Earth is strong against water. Wind is strong against earth. Fire is strong against wind. Water is strong against fire.

• Abilities that give immortals more ability slots are always worth the one they take up.

• The little silver guys that dance are worth a ton of experience and if you don't feel like grinding or want to breeze through parts of the game you can easily level a good extra 30 levels. The easiest way to kill them early on is by one of Mack's spells called Gamble that deals random damage. You can only get this spell by doing a "side quest" on Disc 2. The quest, if I remember right, is part of the story but you aren't required to finish it. Find all the statues that the quest has you look for and you'll get the spell.

• Even if you don't care about leveling on the silver guys (which can be found at Numara Atoll, an island shoreline area) Gamble is a nice spell to have around and is missable.