Final Mode

Final Mode is a ZTRPG System term for a gameplay scenario, wherein an extremely powerful non-player character who is not intended to become the final boss of a campaign is somehow provoked or forced by the players into fighting the party at full power. Such battles are typically unwinnable, and triggering them is tantamount to suicide. As such, players should not be able to trigger Final Mode scenarios by accident, and an appropriate in-character or System warning should precede the point of no return.

The ZTG Devs intended this scenario for the fun and challenge of players, rather than for any plot reasons. As such, it is a heavily stylized scenario. The style points are listed below:

* A character should have a unique name by which System calls them when they enter Final Mode, e.g. "Johnny" becomes "Johnny, the Endless Road" or "Ultimate Final Johnny".
* Each Final Mode battle should have its own theme song, which befits not only the character being fought, but the tone of the battle itself. e.g. Fountrena's Final Mode theme song is The Last Journey Home by Dragonforce, starting at 1:47.
* No pulling punches. Final Mode bosses should throw everything they have at the party. The flashier and more devastating their attacks, the better.
* There should be no reward, no honor, no real benefit at all, from engaging a Final Mode boss. The challenge should exist solely for its own sake.

## In LOTUS

The chapters of LOTUS are filled with characters, both main and secondary, who possess uncommon levels of power. This provides each chapter with several opportunities to trigger Final Mode. Some of the more notable possibilities are listed below.

* Engaging Taliro in combat, except as the final boss of the Trida chapter. Taliro enters Final Mode as Cybernetic Samurai Dragonlord Taliro, and may utilize his dragon form. If the party manages to weather his wrath and deal significant damage, Taliro will go Omega Mode due to Zan, so it is impossible to kill him. However, he can be impressed with the valor and convictions of the party, and may show them mercy. Theme song is Broken Heroes by Mystic Force.
* In the Trintia chapter, engaging the Dark Vizier in combat reveals his identity as Thanatos the Zet. He produces a scythe, and enters Final Mode as Thanatos the Death. Given the power scaling of the Trintia chapter, there is little hope of defeating him. If the party somehow succeeds, they become the future retconned reason for Thanatos having left Trintia for Seidia. Theme song is (to be determined)
* On Jedia, it is possible to engage Fountrena in combat by challenging her current incarnation. As the Goddess of Fate, her luck is off the scale, rendering all attacks aimed at her as unlucky as possible. Direct attacks will miss, area attacks will suffer various causal inconveniences, and paranormal attacks have no effect (because on Jedia, Fountrena is the source of everyone's paranormal powers - they cannot be used against her). She enters combat as Shine, Glorious Goddess Fountrena, and may take the form of the gigantic tiger-spirit Mutikapa. Theme song is The Last Journey Home by Dragonforce, started at 1:47.
* Jedia's version of Drake is generally a laid-back decent guy. However, he can be provoked into fighting the party using his Seidian identity. He enters combat as The Nightmare King, and unleashes the full range of the Nightmare King's powers. If there is an Ultimate Sword handy, he may wield it. In such cases the only hope of defeating him is if the party fights him with an Ultimate Sword of their own. Theme song is The Legend of MAX by ZZ.
* While Xenchi the Zet is the final boss of LOTUS, she enters combat in Final Mode regardless, as Woke Xenchi. She wields her World of Blades save file, transforming her game-sphere into a variety of Ultimate and Legendary swords. The only way to beat her is to bring One Less Zanhoshi to the fight, and hope it sets off the Zanhoshi Reunion. That's right - the only way to win is to trigger the game's ending before she kills you. Theme song is Turbo Killer by Carpenter Brut.