Spoiler-free list of things I wish I'd known before playing Revenant Saga

[Victar]

I wanted to post a strictly spoiler-free list of things I wish I'd known before playing Revenant Saga, just in case it might help someone.

DO NOT USE HP MATTERS OR ALL MATTERS, not if going for all the trophies. Save all maximum-HP-boosting consumables exclusively for endgame trophy shenanigans.
Do not use save/reload scumming to get the best value out of every last STR/INT/SPD/VIT matter (which randomly boost parameters 1-3 points). It is not remotely worth the time and effort.
The "battle shortcut" in Options makes Revenant Saga work like Earthbound - weak enemies are instantly obliterated. Its default setting is "off". I really, really wish I'd known about this from the start of the game.
Auto-battle is extremely fast! It's very nice when you're not high-level enough for the battle shortcut to work, but the enemies aren't a threat.
Do not sell any weapon, armor, or accessory with a unique ability - you never know when it might come in handy.
One of the record keepers (is it the one who tracks max damage dealt?) gives an item that completely turns off random encounters. This is very nice in the postgame, especially when trying to track down every last treasure chest for a trophy.