Which sphere grid,the normal or the expert one : P ? the sphere grid rocks.It gives you enormous flexibility,keeps you very busy,and makes it harder to max chars than just kill kill kill kill hack slash killing monsters everywhere.Though you have to do a lot of that too.I think i was near the games end in 45 hours?Then it took me 100 hours in order to max my chars,get all celestial weapons and kill all Dark Aeons and Penance.The trick is first maxing the grid as it is.Nothing helps more than the Don Tonberry AP trick to that