Tick-tock, the moogle clock runs on clockwork, kupo. If I forget to wind it up, it'll stop dead and we'll be in untimely trouble!
Mog in Time's Shell Fragment
The Mog Clock (モーグリクロック, Mōguri Kurokku?, lit. Moogle Clock) is a gameplay element exclusive to Final Fantasy XIII-2. It appears whenever Mog senses that monsters are about to materialize before the player character and progresses through a series of phases. It is mainly used to give the party an advantage in battle.
If the player gets 100 consecutive preemptive strikes with the Mog Clock, they earn the achievement/trophy "Clock Stopper".
Gameplay[]
The Mog Clock will appear when an enemy group materializes, initiating a timer. The initial green section of the clock indicates the monsters are standing still and not pursuing the player party, making them easier to avoid. When the clock reaches the yellow section after a few seconds, the monsters will notice the party and come after them. If contact is made with the party leader, a battle will begin.
Enemies can be avoided by moving far enough away from them. The clock disappears if the player successfully flees, but failing to escape before time runs out will force a battle, regardless of the player's position. The retry option will be locked, though it will still be made available if the player loses. When a player runs out of time, images of a Grim Reaper appear on the screen during the battle transition phase.
The player can strike nearby enemies without making contact by pressing /, granting a preemptive strike. Upon doing so, the battle will begin with all enemies having their chain gauges increased to 120%, and the party will start with Haste, which lasts for 24 seconds.
If Mog is away due to the player having used Moogle Throw, the Mog Clock will still appear, but will run down quickly. This will almost always result in either a normal battle or a battle with disadvantages. Additionally, some enemies, such as the encounters in Academia 400 AF, will actively pursue the party when they materialize, and the Mog Clock will lack a green section to reflect this. The player will also be unable to flee from enemies there.
If an enemy appears in Yaschas Massif in the searchlight area of the Pass of Paddra, and the player character is within the searchlight's light area, the clock hand will stand still.
Datalog[]
Whenever monsters suddenly materialize, the Mog Clock appears and progresses through the following indicators:
- Green: The enemy is immobile. Preemptive Attack possible.
- If you attack successfully, you will begin the battle with bonuses.
- Yellow: Enemy is moving and ready for battle.
- Coming into contact with the enemy will begin a standard battle.
- Time's Up: Enemy is fully alert and battle begins.
- If time runs out, you begin the battle with penalties.
You can attack any enemies within your encounter circle. Press / to initiate battle when an enemy is in front of you.
Behind the scenes[]
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII has a similar mechanic for initiating battles, although some rules were changed: if the enemy attacks Lightning first, she loses 5% of her HP on Normal and Hard difficulties; when Lightning strikes the enemy after she is noticed, all the enemies in the enemy party lose 10% of their HP, and if Lightning strikes the enemy without being noticed, all the enemies in the enemy party will lose 25% of their HP.