Lots of people go straight to the guard at the front gate or the Trepie in the cafeteria, but these two are so easy to beat when you only have the starting cards. If you need Elnoyle, Abyss Worm, Tonberry King, Adamantoise, etc. just head to the library as soon as you get your first cards. These two are seriously bad at Triple Triad and drop everything you need in the early game.
At some point I decided that unlocking the card was good enough for me.
Also, interesting you mention it failing replayability standards. I've recently (within the last couple years) tried replaying the game with different restrictions. Like no grinding. So, I'd only draw once if I saw "???". No card games. I only went after items for GFs and ultimate weapons. The game went a lot quicker and was still pretty easy. I still refined items I picked up along the way though. I realized just how many different ways you can get OP.
Then I played through while spreading the GFs and magic across everybody instead of just the main party. That was fun. It made it harder to get OP too early.
Spreading the GFs out sounds kinda fun. I couldn't possibly not junction my brains out though. ๐คฃ. I considered trying minimal levels, but it's so hard and I don't have it in me to tiptoe about it.
The limitations are nice to force me to not overcomplicate my playthrough. On another one I randomized my GFs for each player. I just tried to have 1 HP and 1 STR junction available for each. So all bonuses and abilities were left to luck every time my GFs got removed by the story.
I'll never do a low level game. But in my no grind game, they were all still very low until I got to the Deep Sea Research Facility.
HP and STR are basically everything. ๐คฃ Tornado ftw!
Ultimecia Castle always drives me completely nuts since there's no going back. I'm not sure I ever actually completed it properly either.
Do you have a favorite GF? Mine is Alexander. Maybe Gilgamesh because of the scene with Seifer. I always try to get that scene.
Diablos definitely. The time and status magic refine, early Mug, Ability X3, his % based attack. And then his whole design and cutscene. His fight is really fun too, even though Cid is a total a-hole for giving you a lamp that might kill you.
Doomtrain might be number 2.
Oh heck yes. Diablos has incredible utility! I like to be ready to fight him right away, but even if you fight him well prepared he can just incidentally clap you! Best of all is encounter-none!
Doom train is so tedious to get when you're also trying to stack that one ammo for Irvine. Can't not get him though.