Proof that Hugh and Shir are not useless in combat.

[Doctor Hooves]

We'll start with Hugh -

People claim Hugh is useless because his spells aren't all that powerful - What about SaGen ? It can wipe the bio's on a screen clean, and Vol, it destroys a bio monster and a magical monster for about 570 damage, and SaVol does about 1000 damage to them!

Shir - Despite stealing, she has a major use! NaGra! She also has Hinas and Ryuka, if you're in a dungeon before you have the Nei-Sword, Rolf could run out of TP, and if you're not using her techs often, she can use it!

[Nommy]

Sure, but that's contextually valid. What about when you're facing down a row of murderous bots and you have Hugh in your party? Guess who just became useless. Also, I may be mistaken, but I believe he's also useless against Mother Brain. Someone here will know for sure, though.

And I don't consider Shir useless, just not as useful as Rudo/Anna/Amy. You have to level up each character from scratch and I've always thought that, considering you get Rudo and Amy first (I think Anna is 6th), you'd have put more time into leveling them than you could other characters. And while the exp ratio climbs quite a bit near the end... what's the point if Rolf is going to be 10 levels above that character when facing Mother Brain (who has to hit the minimum level to even consider fighting Mother Brain).

I just don't see the point in it unless you really like those characters. I've never had a problem getting through the game that made me wish I'd taken the time to level one of them.

[DarkMyau]

True.

Buuuuuuuuut Hugh has limited TP as does everyone else. So you cant just keep using Vol. 9 times out of 10 you will just be using their physical attack and thus both Hugh and Shir fall down. Shir has the added problem of stealing. Yes it has its advantages, but if you re going to keep her in the party, having her disappear on Dezo is a giant pain in the ass!

[Kalisiin]

We'll start with Hugh -

People claim Hugh is useless because his spells aren't all that powerful - What about SaGen ? It can wipe the bio's on a screen clean, and Vol, it destroys a bio monster and a magical monster for about 570 damage, and SaVol does about 1000 damage to them!

Shir - Despite stealing, she has a major use! NaGra! She also has Hinas and Ryuka, if you're in a dungeon before you have the Nei-Sword, Rolf could run out of TP, and if you're not using her techs often, she can use it!

NeiSword only gets you out of Noah....not other dungeons??

I never even TRIED to use it to get out of other dungeons, the idea never even occurred to me

[Kalisiin]

True.

Buuuuuuuuut Hugh has limited TP as does everyone else. So you cant just keep using Vol. 9 times out of 10 you will just be using their physical attack and thus both Hugh and Shir fall down. Shir has the added problem of stealing. Yes it has its advantages, but if you re going to keep her in the party, having her disappear on Dezo is a giant pain in the ass!

Always wondered how she got back to your house on Paseo without a spaceship, LOL!!

[The PS Logo]

If a mention from TVtropes is to be believed, Hugh and Shir are mostly useless because they were heavily nerfed due to technical limitations.

... in a 10th Anniversay collection ... Shir was also supposed to be able to steal items from enemies in battle at higher levels. Hugh also was supposed to have techniques that allowed him to control Biomonsters and communicate with them to avoid conflict

[DarkMyau]

What would Shir be stealing? Would any of the items be useful? And I wonder what level she would have needed to be. Would she also leave mid fight? So it doesnt sould all that great to me. However if she had to steal the Nei items from monsters, that would be great.

As for Hugh's abilities. Why would you want to talk to bio monsters? You want to kill them for the exp. And controlling them might allow you to win a battle but again you would be loosing exp from not killing them. If Hugh could keep a pet, it would make him more fun to use....till you kill Neifirst and dont face monsters anymore.

[Kalisiin]

What would Shir be stealing? Would any of the items be useful? And I wonder what level she would have needed to be. Would she also leave mid fight? So it doesnt sould all that great to me. However if she had to steal teh Nei items form monsters, that would be great.

As for Hugh's abilities. Why would you want to talk to bio monsters? You want to kill them for the exp. And controlling them might allow you to win a battle but again you would be loosing exp from not killing them. If Hugh could keep a pet, it would make him more fun to use....till you kill Neifirst and dont face monsters anymore.

Shir only steals from Stores. Never leaves in mid-battle.
Hugh doesn't talk to monsters in PS2.

[The PS Logo]

Shir only steals from Stores. Never leaves in mid-battle.
Hugh doesn't talk to monsters in PS2.

Dark Myau was responding to my post, that stated that they would have been able to if it weren't for space limitations and/or time constraints. Of course, if that 10th anniversary collection had been uploaded to the net and translated, we'd have a better understanding as to what Sega really had in mind for them.

[DarkMyau]

On the topic of hugh. It would be interesting if he could charm a group of bio monsters then send them to attack other groups, raking up exp for your party the whole time. Considering when you get him, you also will get the other remaining party members around that time, it would really give you a boost to leveling.

[Kalisiin]

Shir only steals from Stores. Never leaves in mid-battle.
Hugh doesn't talk to monsters in PS2.

Dark Myau was responding to my post, that stated that they would have been able to if it weren't for space limitations and/or time constraints. Of course, if that 10th anniversary collection had been uploaded to the net and translated, we'd have a better understanding as to what Sega really had in mind for them.

My own thought was that Shir should steal medicine from the Doctor and Moon Dew from the Clone witch.
It would also be fun if Shir had a chance of getting caught while stealing, and you had to bail her out of jail.

I still wanna know how she gets all the way back to the house on Paseo....after stealing on Dezo...without using the only remaining space ship!

[Tryphon]

It would also be fun if Shir had a chance of getting caught while stealing, and you had to bail her out of jail.

That's actually a good idea. I put it somewhere, just in case...

[Kalisiin]

It would also be fun if Shir had a chance of getting caught while stealing, and you had to bail her out of jail.

That's actually a good idea. I put it somewhere, just in case...

Even better, you have to BREAK her out of jail!!

[Doctor Hooves]

Sure, but that's contextually valid. What about when you're facing down a row of murderous bots and you have Hugh in your party? Guess who just became useless. Also, I may be mistaken, but I believe he's also useless against Mother Brain. Someone here will know for sure, though.

So Kain would be useful at that time then. People consider Kain a lot better than Hugh, but...

You suddenly run into a row of dangerous Bio-Monsters, Kain becomes useless there.