To those fighting the Lingering Will on Critical. How are you preparing yourselves?
Honestly? I used this guide:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGIaJ6TJA4w
But, I am no where near as good as this dude is, and I adjusted to my own playstyle, but there is definitely useful information throughout the video.
One of the main ones being his invisible barrier: the more combos done to him, the more damage he'll start taking, until that string of combos ends. But you need to be careful because he will counter attack after a while. The guide above goes over this, and I followed suit with it.
You really need to utilize all your resources. It should definitely be one of the last things you do.
I refused to farm stat boosts, as I feel it would cheapen the experience, but if you feel you must do so, you can collect them from doing various Data Battles.
Obviously, being level 99 is ideal.
Auto Limit Form helps if you need to replenish your MP quick, and revert back after. Additionally, if you can time it and break from a combo with it, and start attacking him, using Infinity and a well timed Giga Impact (the reaction command that follows it) is a NICE chunk of damage, and you should be able to do it twice, but you'll run out of MP. (Utilizing this is what actually helped me won it.)
I did not use other forms, unless I was desperate and needed the MP.
I used the Ultima weapon. MP Hastega yes please.
I turned Goofy and Donald's attack abilities off, and only let have Donald have Cure for emergencies and Duck Flare or whatever it's called.
Donald's limit is useful for getting a nice chunk of damage done to the boss, but you need both mp and Donald alive, so if by chance that is the case, definitely use it. I used his auto limit feature to ensure quick access.
I gave Goofy and Donald ethers up the wazoo. I gave myself 4 elixirs and 4 ethers. If you can get more elixers, do it, I was just too lazy to farm and didn't really think I would need them all anyway.
Other than that... I just kept trying and trying, learned to dodge his moves, find my own audio cues when to defend and dodge roll, and learned how to block his desperation attack.
Utilizing Thunder is good when he is vulnerable but you are too far. I would usually cast it multiple times until I reached him, and did only 2-3 combos as I knew the count would be off doing so. Using thunder, then jumping, casting it again, then gliding, usually worked for me. In the video his timing is perfect and he only uses it like once to reach him.
Blizzard is another good one to have in case you get attack locked, and you need to damage him (Thunder just won't do enough and you'll run out of MP.)
I've killed myself so many times with Aerial Recovery it's not even funny.
Reflect is not at all useful, and may as well replace it off your shortcuts with Blizzard.
Also, a well placed Limit Drive form in the middle of his barrage of attacks from his desperation attack can help give you the advantage and get some hits in, in case you do get yourself caught in his flurry of attacks.
You can dodge the first two phases of his Desperation attack with just Glide. Careful not to run into rocks though. This makes it so you really only need to learn to block the third phase.
Honestly still have no freakin clue how to properly evade his barrage of ice and glider attack. I got lucky and he didn't use it on my win.
Trying to beat Zexion, still trying. Any advice for Critical mode?
Data, or Absent Silhouette? They are very similar, but the AS I know a lot better.
For the AS, I waited until after Pirates of the Caribbean world.
You should definitely have Once More, especially if you are having major issues. Reflect is definitely a MUST.
Utlizie the Destroy Button when you get command locked, then lock target his book and break free. Will help you immensely.
Donald's Duck Flare is another great resource to damage his book fast, if you are having trouble.
Apparently it is more likely that the barrier for the meteor attack usually appears on the first blue circle it changes too, so I usually wait there and prepare reflect. Make sure you don't spam reflect and you cast it as soon as you feel it's about to go off. But don't go crazy, in case you did choose the right one, you want the time to wail on the book above you as that's his book.
Break Donald and Goofy out of the books. It is actually useful to have Goofy's attack abilities on, as Zexion cannot trap him in a book if he is in the middle of an attack (unless it's the one where everyone goes in.) Just give Donald cure. The damage they do does pretty much nothing.
When the book glows red, he is doing that bomb attack. Also, when you are usually forced into the book, he is most likely preparing to do it right at the start. Spam reflect until you see it. He'll start doing this on his "second phase." The third phase he will be bringing you into the meteor roulette thing, so no need to waste your MP once you get thrown in after that point.
Other than that... find his book ASAP when you get trapped and break free as soon as you can, but also pay attention to what's happening. Play offensively and defensively in a balanced way, and use resources you may have been neglecting.
If you can handle AS's attacks pretty well, the Data Battle is pretty similar and is pretty much the same fight. Just that his order of attacks are switched around meaning you can't really predict him, but with Once More, Second Chance, and other abilities... he's cake.