The Walkthrough and Battle Tactics Guide; WoB
Version 1.7
Djibriel, November 2005
"It doesn't seem fair, does it?"
- Final Fantasy VI ad
..."The OC guide to beating the game while rabid and one-armed making clever
use of a wall"
- Imzogelmo
Contents
No number: Contents
Foreword (11/14/2005, by Imzogelmo)
1.0 Version History
2.0 Introduction
3.0 Set-up of the document, and slang you're going to start recognizing
4.0 Walkthrough
5.0 Menus and Game Options: As boring as a concrete floor in math class
6.0 Characters. Poor saps.
7.0 Game mechanics; real quick, I promise
8.0 Not Infrequently Asked Questions
9.0 Espers and their Magicite
10.0 A Flippin' Contest!
11.0 Final Fantasy VI Junkie links and contact information
12.0 Credits; People I love because they've done things I wanted them to do
No number: Disclaimer
**********************************
Foreword (11/14/2005, by Imzogelmo)
**********************************
The year was 1994. Until that time, humanity seemed a bleak existence --
why, the 20th century alone saw the world ravaged by two world wars, a tense
period known as the Cold War, and various regional conflicts. Finally, in the
latter decades of the century, a new ray of hope emerged -- the video game.
Instead of fighting and killing one another, now mankind could do so
vicariously or, if it was preferred, two could team up and do battle against
a fictional foe.
Like all forms of expression, the video game underwent many reformations
(or generations) before the recipe became "just right." Several genres of game
sprang into being: platform games, shoot-em-ups, action/adventures, sports,
puzzlers, fighting games, and RPGs. Each type of game appealed to a different
type of player or interest, and all the while advances were being made both in
capacity of games' data and complexity of the hardware used to run it. By the
early 1990's, the types of presentation that would work with a given genre
were well-established, and players could afford to specialize in a particular
genre without narrowing the field of games too greatly.
That brings us back to 1994, or, as Nintendo called it, "The year of the
cartridge." In that year, _Final_Fantasy_VI_ was released, and there was much
rejoicing. The genre was RPG; the fictional foe was the evil Emperor Gestahl,
and later, the pompous nihilist Kefka. Sure, there were other RPGs before it,
but none that struck the perfect balance of character similarity vs. diversity,
importance of storyline vs. gameplay, and plot linearity vs. non-linearity. The
depth of characters and robustness of the game engine (plus the time investment
required to fully explore the nuances of the game) made this one of the highest-
rated games in terms of replayability. Furthermore, the vivid graphics and
moving musical score made it a complete experience, not just a game.
"But it is just a game!" I hear someone in the back say.
No, it is not just a game. In the fast-paced world where information is old
as soon as it can be emailed, a video game generally has a very small window of
time that it is considered new or exciting. For the early history of video
games that may not have been so true, but for the entire history of this game,
the internet has been a very influential medium for discussion among players.
For many fans of the series, this is still the greatest game, in spite of the
hype surrounding some of its successors. So no, it is not "just a game" --
it is a culture. And like many great cultures, it needs great works to
explain, enhance, and record its story.
To document every piece of useful (and no-so-useful) data on a culture --
that's a difficult task. Many approximations have come forward, but always
they have had inaccurate, inconsistent, or insufficient information. That is
not meant as an insult on previous guides -- like I said, it's difficult.
Much information has been uncovered through deliberate playing and replaying
of the game, through hacking its internal code and data, and through combined
effort of its many fans. This guide seeks to improve upon and surpass all
previous attempts. This guide seeks to be the great work of which I speak.
This guide covers _everything_.
**********************************
1.0 Version History
**********************************
Version History:
- Version 1.7 (3/9/2006)
Mainly just an update to incooperate the fact the WoR walkthrough has been
released. Added links towards the document and its Table of Contents in
sections 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0 and 9.0
Gave a slight addition to the Love Sonata learning grounds in 6.3
- Version 1.6 (3/9/2006)
Reversed version history in order to make the new updates appear on top.
Why I didn't do that earlier defies all logic.
Fixed some minor errors in section 4.28.4 (the second fight with Ultros)
Fixed a few errors, mainly data errors, that were pointed out to me
Worded some things on the FC walkthrough better so it would be less
confusing.
Changed the version at the top of document to 1.6, for which you might
think 'duh' or something horrible like that. Fact is, I forgot to do so
with the 1.5 update :/
Updated Thanks section
- Version 1.5 (1/11/2006)
I need to stop needing to ninja-update. I left an unfinished new section
in 1.4, section 8.8, so I fixed that.
Fixed section numbers in the Version History
Added how Seize/Poison/Regen-Seizure never acts on the same interval
Fixed a line that implied that Break stops HadesGigas from counter-
attacking (which it does not).
Mentioned how Imped monsters can use the Imp spell where I previously
said they couldn't.
- Version 1.4 (1/8/2006)
Fairly obvious lay-out and formatting overhaul after the kind of folks
of the GameFAQs General FAQ Contributors Board - unblinded by the actual
content of the document - discovered it could really use some improvement.
Inserted primary physical and magical attacks in the 4.3.1 and 4.3.4
sections
Fixed all colon problems
Fixed an error in the explanation about Golem's Earth Wall
Added information about dying, running and letting the timer run out
when fighting Imperial soldiers before the Banquet.
Added a note about Condemned its behavior on the Cursed Shld and Cursed
Ring.
Added the location of the hidden Tent in the Impresario Car of the
Phantom Train
Noted how you can forever be devoid of the Coin Toss Relic in section 8.3
Added the existence of the wizard/ghost character in Zozo and Narshe's
Classroom after obtaining Magicite
Expanded section 7.6, Magitek to include all other effects the Armor has
on your characters.
Expanded in the Status Ailment section to include prevention of Black
Belt counter-attacks and True Knight protection where necessary.
Discussed the uses of Dried Meat when reaching Mobliz
Added attack descriptions from the Dance command
Added the alternate way to do Blitz techniques, which doesn't involve
diagonals
Added how you can go back for the Commander and Vector Pup Rages and the
treasure in that secret tunnel by taking Locke through the hidden back
door of the house of Duncan's Wife.
Mentioned how the Memento Ring is now called the Safety Ring/Safty Ring
in the PSX releases.
- Version 1.3 (12/9/2005)
Eheheh....I left a small note to myself at the start of the guide, so this
version is mainly there to remove the 'Mandrake' at the start.
Added information about the Thief Glove in the 4.26.2 section.
- Version 1.2 (12/8/2005)
Changed every 'Kotesu' into 'Kotetsu'
Corrected GhostTrain's stats
Added a note about Espers removing Clear status in section 9.0
Re-inserted correct solution to the Contest
Corrected typo on TunnelArmr's AI script
Corrected the Matthew/Matthias mix-up in section 6.5
Corrected Mandrake's behavior under Stop in section 4.41.2
Updates Thanks section once again
- Version 1.1 (11/21/2005)
Fixed several typos.
Distinguished the two Joker Dooms in Setzer's Slot ability section.
Changed the link to Master ZED's Slot ability guide.
Added contact information in section 11.0
Added Ctrl + F to the Slang section in 3.0
Added a Rare Items section
Changed the information on the Telstar song; how dares the internet
give me misinformation!
Added the Japanese Moogle names in section 4.3.1
Added Relm's and Strago's Step Mine to the honest Intangir strategies.
Added Kamog's equipment being given to you
Added some information about Shadow's and Cyan's oriental weapons
Added information about the secret bridge in South Figaro
Added extensive information about the Kutan bug where you miss out on
Celes and obtain Kutan the Moogle instead
Added a lot of names in the Thanks section
- Version 1.0 (11/14/2005)
Initial Release
**********************************
2.0 Introduction
**********************************
I was tired. And I was sick and tired of always being sick and tired.
I can't really tell you when it started, because I wasn't around when it did. It
probably started innocently...a friend invited a friend over to come play his
new SNES game. "That armored guy with the sword is awesome!", a pimple-cheeked
girl with glasses but with a radiant smile would say. "Dispatch kills everything
he touches!", she would add. The guy would sigh.
"This guy is much better. He kicks all kinds of ass with Fire Dance. It looks so
cool, too!" This boy, who'd later grow up to be one of the most successful
failures of his lifetime, loved Sabin with all his teenage heart.
Neither knew that they started a great tradition. And by 'great', I mean
'unwanted, horrible'. Illiterates would somehow manage to drool over the
keyboard in such a way it created a post that stated that Gau sucks. Good men
wasted good time countering said horror. Locke was awesome because of his Speed,
only he wasn't. Cyan has great equips, only he doesn't. Or did he? Gogo was
awesome because he could equip any skill by going to the status screen. But that
was just practical on paper, some said. Others weeped over this statement, which
they considered a lie fueled by hate and lack of a social life. Others had a
social life and claimed that it wasn't all that important as long as you had
fun. Heh.
In short: there were debates. And here's something funny to consider; you'd
think that numbers, data output, logical solutions and expectations would be
beyond personal interpretation. A common Dutch saying states that "one cannot
argue about opinions". That's the biggest load of feces ever to hit the scene
of sayings, I think. You can argue about opinions, you can't argue about facts.
So, you'd think that in a game where the same Dispatch in the same situation
always results into the same damage output, there'd be little place for debate.
Ugh.
Besides, it was time somebody took this task upon himself. There's so much known
about this game, yet even the best walkthroughs were almost entirely, but not
quite, unlike the walkthrough they were supposed to be. So here it is! I've
prophesized on numerous occasions that I would never write a document like this
on the basis of the fact I would go bat-shit crazy and wouldn't be able to
stop typing, making the document a behemoth of unreadable gibberish (most likely
consisting out of Relm fetishism and little bits of info nobody in their right
mind find amusing).
But what is this document you're seeing? Does it really contain everything? Is
it some kind of Hitchhiker's Guide to FF VI? The Encyclopedea CCLV VIea? The
Kamog Sutra, where you'll learn all about Tantric Gameplay (lasts for hours;
winning the battle is NOT the main goal)? I think the best mental image of the
document can be extracted from all the following possible titles that have
passed the revue while creation was still a process of the present:
(by PrattDaBard, of which the last part of his name is more apt than the middle
part will reveal)
"The Spoiler-Filled Walkthrough"
"The Ecumencial FF3 Encyclopedia"
"The Compendious FF3 Companion"
"The Un-Restricted FF3 Reader"
"FF3: an Exhaustive Exhortation"
"The All-Inclusive FF3 Compendium"
"The Far-Reaching FF3 FAQ"
"FF3 for Fools"
"A Discursive Dissertation on FF3"
"A Panoptic FF3 Primer"
"FF3: The Liberal Lexicon"
"The Hefty FF3 Handbook"
"The Full FF3 Folio"
"Djibriel's Dictionary"
(by Imzogelmo)
"Everything You Always Wanted to Know about FF3 (But Would've Got Flamed for
Asking)"
"640 KB Ought to be Enough for Anybody" (ed: 640. Heh)
"The FF3 Bible"
"Detailed Journal of Information By Resolute, Industrious Exploratory
Learning" (ed: I especially loved this one, people with thinking brains can
figure out why)
(by assassin)
"Mages are from Thamasa, Warriors are from Doma"
"An Idiot's A-Z guide to FF3: from Albrook to Tzen"
"Gestahl: The Man, the Dog, the Legend"
"101 Easy Pet Care Tips for your Emperor"
"Just Hold it 'til Vector: A Globetrotter's Guide to Bladder Control"
"I Feel Safe in Suits: Gary Newman's Easy Tutorial to Dancing in MagiTek"
"Djibriel's Humility Fest"
--Warning
This is my fourth document meant for public release, and as I was with the
other three, I'm pretty excited about it. My other projects will both be very
helpful for this guide; while the Level # Lore Guide will be only moderately
useful and the Sketch Guide just managed to confirm what everybody already
knew, a lot of walkthroughs contain a string of question marks concerning Gau
and his Rage ability and my Rage Guide taught me exactly what to fill in
those question marks.
Now, I've basically gotten two kinds of responses about the Rage Guide. Most of
it was very positive, and I'm thankful for that. It's great to see the document
being linked to all the time (get this: almost as often as the How to Blitz
Guide!). But there are a few who've said that my guide contains a major flaw;
I'm too talkative. I elaborate and fill it with too much information. You see,
there's a reason for that. Everybody has his own personal little fetish; mine
is Final Fantasy VI. I've played the game to death and know far more about it
than could ever be considered healthy. I want all that information to shine
through in my documents, as I personally think it's awesome to know all those
things. Also, I tend to waste lines on introductions, puns and other stuff that
could have been left out. That's mostly for personal pleasure. As the bored,
soulless eyes of your high school math teacher can tell you, explaining stuff
that's incredibly basic to you tends to be less fun than, say, sharing a beer
with friends or having incredibly awesomely crazy sex. With a woman.
You're looking at the most complete walkthrough that exists out there, I can
make that statement without false modesty. But if you're repelled by overly
verbose descriptions, if you like your walkthroughs clean and quick and to the
point with tables and abbreviations and all that, there are other documents for
you.
One that's generally been called the best one before this one was written is
Atom Edge's Walkthrough. It can be found at GameFAQs, but is at the time of
writing three years old. Slightly outdated, but it features all of the commonly
asked questions and lists a lot of more obscure items.
**********************************
3.0 Set-up of the document, and slang you're going to start recognizing
**********************************
First off: if you have a question, I've answered it. That's the premise we're
working with here. If the question you have seems oddly GENERAL to you, as in:
is of influence through the entire game, you won't find it in the Walkthrough;
you will find it in the FAQ at the bottom. So, if you want to know about stats,
or what-does-this-do or something, go there.
Question: I noticed you used the terminology from the older SNES versions. I
hope you're aware of the fact there are PAL-versions available in Europe and
US and the US have even seen an Anthology release where it's offered together
with FFV. Why not adapt the names to that game? They're slightly different,
and as they were changed from the original, obviously what was meant to happen.
Yes, I am aware. Sadly so, in fact. I think Master ZED said it best when he
mentioned how he took the PSX port as a personal insult. They did close to
nothing to fix old bugs, inserted a couple of new ones, raped Ted Woolsey's
legacy by using the entire translation with a couple of minor changes while
removing his name from the credits, and gave us a game with sound and graphics
INFERIOR to the SNES game that was released five years prior to the PSX release:
SNES:
Release Data
Final Fantasy VI Square Enix 04/02/94 JP
Final Fantasy III Square Enix 10/20/94 US
PAL version:
Release Data
Final Fantasy VI (w/FFX Demo) Sony Interactive Studios America 03/01/02 EU
Final Fantasy VI Square Enix 03/11/99 JP
Anthology:
Release Data
Final Fantasy Anthology Electronic Arts 05/17/02 EU
Final Fantasy Anthology Square Enix 09/30/99 US
Also, Anthology has three different names for each monster; In-battle the names
were shortened to 9 characters, in the Rage List there were with the normal
ten, and in the Bestiary they were a shocking 8. All SNES names can be easily
recognized when you've only been playing/are playing Anthology, as it doesn't
take a genius to know that Mithril and Mythril are the same material and that a
Fenix Down is the same as a Phoenix Down.
To conclude, the PSX blows. The SNES has died, long live the SNES!
Slang:
Ctrl + F:
That most holy of combos, the road to salvation. Had enough of the ridicule of
those more adapted to today's lifestyle than you? Have you been bossed around
by the 'elite' for far too long? Don't take it out on the naturally superior,
but Physician, heal thyself: Ctrl + F is the search function. Learn to love it
like your long-lost little brother.
ST:
Single-target. It targets a single target.
MT:
Multi-target. It targets multiple targets, in most cases all.
LLG:
Low Level Game. A playthrough in which the level of the characters is kept
as low as possible. The current lowest score has been an average of around 7.2,
ranging from 6 to 13.
NMG:
Natural Magic Game. Called a challenge while it's really not, it just prevents
you from equipping Espers and items which teach spells. Naturally learned Magic
and Lores are allowed.
!Special:
It's great to have an obvious distinction between spells and Special attacks,
the modified physical attacks which either set a status effect, do x times
as much damage as the normal physical attack or drain HP/MP. Every Special
I've listed in this document (that's quite a lot) is preceded by an
exclamation point to identify it as such. My Sketch Guide already featured
this. The exclamation point doesn't find any feedback in the game whatsoever,
and isn't canon in the current other documents out there, but I felt it was a
good idea.
ID (Instant Death) attack:
Instant Death attacks are attacks that check for the Instant Death protection
bit. Most of the time, these attacks set Wound (Doom, Snare, ectera), but other
attacks also use this feature, most noticeably percentage-based attacks like
Demi and Cyclonic. Several Petrifying spells will check for ID next to Petrify
protection and the oddball Overcast and the level-halving attack Dischord also
check for it. The X-type ID of the Assassin, Trump, Striker, Wing Edge and the
dicing effect of the Scimitar also check for ID protection. The following
attacks are ID attacks:
Roulette, Break, Demi, Doom, Quartr, W Wind, X-Zone, Atom Edge, True Edge,
Demon Eye, Cleave, Slash, Antlion, Cave in, Cokatrice, Snare, Snowball, Sonic
Boom, Air Anchor, Chain Saw's ID attack, X-Fer, Condemned, Dischord, L.5 Doom,
Roulette, Blaster, Cyclonic, Grav Bomb, Overcast, Shimsham, SabreSoul, Star
Prism
Note that this makes Joker Doom the only Wound-setting attack that doesn't
check for the bit, and Dread the only 'normal' Petrify-setting attack that
doesn't check for ID protection.
**********************************
4.0 The Walkthrough
**********************************
Table of Contents:
4.1.1 Prelude: The attack on Narshe
4.1.2 Prelude: The newly dug mineshaft
4.1.3 Prelude: The battle with Whelk
4.2.1 Old Man's House
4.2.2 Escape through the mines
4.3.1 Defending Terra from Marshal
4.4.1 Classroom for the Beginner
4.4.2 Traveling to Figaro Castle
4.5.1 Figaro Castle
4.5.2 Fighting off MagiTek power
4.6.1 Traveling through Figaro Cave
4.7.1 South Figaro
4.7.2 The Overworld Map around South Figaro
4.8.1 Sabin's Hut
4.8.2 Mt. Koltz
4.8.3 The battle with Vargas
4.9.1 Traveling to the Returners' Hideout
4.9.2 The Returners' Hideout
4.10.1 Escaping over the Lete River
4.10.2 The first fight with Ultros
4.11.1 Choosing a scenario
4.12.1 Scenario Terra/Edgar/Banon: Lete River continued
4.12.2 Scenario Terra/Edgar/Banon: Traveling to Narshe
4.12.3 Scenario Terra/Edgar/Banon: Narshe
4.13.1 Scenario Sabin: Meeting Shadow and finding the Imperial Camp
4.13.2 Scenario Sabin: Imperial Camp and Doma
4.13.3 Scenario Sabin: Telstar and Imperial Camp continued
4.14.1 Scenario Sabin: Traveling to the Phantom Forest
4.14.2 Scenario Sabin: The Phantom Forest
4.15.1 Scenario Sabin: The Phantom Train
4.15.2 Scenario Sabin: Specter and the Phantom Train continued
4.15.3 Scenario Sabin: The battle with GhostTrain
4.16.1 Scenario Sabin: Traveling to Baren Falls
4.16.2 Scenario Sabin: Baren Falls
4.16.3 Scenario Sabin: Traveling over the Veldt to Mobliz
4.17.1 Scenario Sabin: Mobliz
4.17.2 Scenario Sabin: Recruiting Gau
4.17.3 Scenario Sabin: Veldt Hunting
4.17.4 Scenario Sabin: Crescent Mountain
4.18.1 Scenario Sabin: The Serpent Trench
4.18.2 Scenario Sabin: Nikeah
4.19.1 Scenario Locke: South Figaro
4.19.2 Scenario Locke: Secret Underground Passge of South Figaro
4.20.1 Scenario Locke: Traveling to Figaro Cave
4.20.2 Scenario Locke: Figaro Cave
4.20.3 Scenario Locke: The battle with TunnelArmr
4.21.1 Defending the Esper from Kefka
4.21.2 Rider
4.21.3 The battle with Kefka
4.22.1 Narshe
4.23.1 Traveling to Kohlingen and optional trip to the Veldt
4.23.2 Figaro Castle
4.24.1 Kohlingen
4.25.1 Traveling to Jidoor
4.25.2 Jidoor
4.26.1 Zozo
4.26.2 Chainsaw Riddle and Zozo continued
4.26.3 The battle with Dadaluma and meeting with Ramuh
4.27.1 Magicite and Owzer's Mansion in Jidoor
4.28.1 The Opera House
4.28.2 The Dream Oath (Celes' Opera Performance)
4.28.3 Stopping Ultros
4.28.4 The second fight with Ultros
4.29.1 The Blackjack
4.30.1 Albrook
4.30.2 Traveling on the Southern Continent
4.30.3 The Imperial Base near the Mountains
4.30.4 Tzen
4.30.5 Maranda
4.31.1 Vector
4.31.2 Imperial MagiTek Research Facility; MagiTek Factory
4.31.3 Imperial MagiTek Research Facility; The Pit
4.31.4 The battle with Ifrit and Shiva
4.31.5 Imperial MagiTek Research Facility
4.31.6 The battle with Number 024
4.31.7 Imperial MagiTek Research Facility; Mine Cart Ride
4.31.8 The battle with Number 128
4.32.1 Escaping Vector
4.32.2 The battle with the Cranes
4.33.1 Zozo; Terra's Flashback
4.34.1 Airship Exploitation: Sraphim
4.34.2 Airship Exploitation: Auction House: Golem and ZoneSeek
4.34.3 Airship Exploitation: Locating Grenade
4.34.4 Airship Exploitation: Obtaining Gaia Gear
4.34.5 Airship Exploitation: Intangir
4.34.6 Airship Exploitation: Veldt hunting
4.34.7 Intermezzo; Espers 101
4.35.1 Narshe
4.35.2 Lone Wolf persecution and recruiting Mog
4.35.3 Dance lessons, including Water Rondo
4.36.1 Cave to the Sealed Gate
4.36.2 Coin Toss and Cave to the Sealed Gate continued
4.37.1 Esper rampage; Snake eyes
4.38.1 Vector; Imperial Palace
4.38.2 The Banquet
4.38.3 Items of the Imperial Base near the Cave to the Sealed Gate and
Setzer's cutscene
4.39.1 Albrook
4.40.1 Traveling to Thamasa; Crescent Island
4.40.2 Thamasa
4.40.3 The Burning Mansion
4.40.4 The battle with FlameEater
4.41.1 Leaving Thamasa
4.41.2 Crescent Island's Eastern mountains
4.41.3 The third fight with Ultros
4.41.4 Relm and the Espers' gathering place
4.42.1 Epilogue
4.42.2 Leo versus Kefka
4.43.1 Airship Exploitation: Rage and Lore hunting
4.43.2 Airship Exploitation: Doma Castle
4.44.1 Preparation for the Floating Continent
4.44.2 Imperial Air Force
4.44.3 The fourth fight with Ultros
4.44.4 The battle with Air Force
4.45.1 The Floating Continent
4.45.2 Gigantos and the Floating Continent continued
4.45.3 The decisive battle with AtmaWeapon
4.45.4 Kefka's Betrayal
4.45.5 Escape from the Floating Continent
4.45.6 The battle with Nerapa and Exit
Take note that this is a walkthrough for the first half of the game; the World
of Balance. The walkthrough for the second half can be found here:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/final_fantasy_iii_l_2.txt
Table of Contents:
4.46.1 Intermezzo; The Solitary Island
4.46.2 Intermezzo; Saving Cid
4.47.1 The World of Ruin
4.47.2 Albrook
4.48.1 En route to Tzen
4.48.2 Tzen; the Light of Judgment
4.48.3 Tzen; the Collapsing House
4.49.1 The Serpent Trench
4.49.2 The tail of the Serpent Trench; Mobliz
4.49.3 The fight with Phunbaba
4.50.1 The head of the Serpent trench; Nikeah
4.51.1 South Figaro; Gerad and the Crimson Robbers
4.51.2 Pursuing Gerad and the Crimson Robbers
4.51.3 Pursuing Gerad and the Crimson Robbers; Cave of Figaro
4.51.4 Pursuing Gerad and the Crimson Robbers; Figaro Castle
4.51.5 The fight with the Tentacles
4.52.1 Figaro Castle
4.52.2 En route to Kohlingen
4.53.1 Kohlingen
4.53.2 Dragon's Neck Colosseum
4.53.3 Daryl's Tomb
4.53.4 The fight with Presenter
4.53.5 The fight with Dullahan
4.54.1 Airship Exploitation: Visiting Maranda
4.54.2 Airship Exploitation: The Overworld Map
4.54.3 Airship Exploitation: Master Duncan; completing Sabin's training
4.54.4 Airship Exploitation: Obtaining Palidor
4.54.5 Airship Exploitation: Visiting Jidoor
4.54.6 Airship Exploitation: The Auction House
4.54.7 Airship Exploitation: Fanatics Tower
4.54.8 Airship Exploitation: Thamasa
4.54.9 Airship Exploitation: Dragon's Neck Colosseum
4.54.10 Airship Exploitation: Doom Gaze
4.55.1 Narshe
4.55.2 Narshe's Snowfields; the battle with Ice Dragon
4.55.3 Narshe's Snowfields; the battle with Tritoch
4.55.4 Umaro's Cave; the battle with three Pugs
4.55.5 The battle with Umaro
4.55.6 The Moogle Raid
4.56.1 The battle with Phunbaba
4.57.1 Following the pigeon
4.57.2 Mount Zozo
4.57.3 The battle with Storm Drgn
4.57.4 Cyan Garamonde
4.58.1 The Veldt
4.58.2 The Cave of the Veldt and Allo Ver
4.58.3 The battle with SrBehemoth
4.59.1 Thamasa and the Colosseum once again
4.61.1 Jidoor; Owzer's Mansion
4.61.2 Owzer's Mansion, the Magic House
4.61.3 Owzer's Mansion, the battle with Chadarnook
4.62.1 Obtaining Strago
4.62.2 Bulking up the Thamasian Two
4.62.3 The battle with Dirt Drgn
4.62.4 Gungho's assignment; Ebot's Rock
4.62.5 The battle with Hidon
4.63.1 Another Colosseum trip
4.64.1 Doma Castle
4.64.2 Cyan's Soul
4.64.3 Cyan's Soul; the battle with the Dream Stooges
4.64.4 Cyan's Dream; the Phantom Train?
4.64.5 Cyan's Dream; Mechanical mines
4.64.6 Cyan's Dream; Doma Castle
4.64.7 Cyan's Dream; the battle with WrexSoul
4.65.1 The road to the Ancient Castle and the fight with Master Pug
4.65.2 The Ancient Castle and the battle with KatanaSoul
4.65.3 The battle with the Blue Drgn
4.66.1 Triangle Island
4.66.2 The world inside of the Zone Eater
4.66.3 Wake me up before you Gogo
4.66.4 The Steal command regained
4.67.1 Phoenix Cave
4.67.2 The battle with the Red Dragon
4.68.1 Locke Cole
4.68.2 Narshe revisited with Locke; Ragnarok and Cursed Shld
4.68.3 Gau and his father
4.69.1 The Fanatics Tower and the battle with White Drgn
4.69.2 The battle with MagiMaster
4.70.1 End-game character evaluation
4.71.1 Kefka's Tower: Preparation and explanation
4.71.2 Kefka's Tower: Reconnaisance
4.71.3 Kefka's Tower: The source of all Magic
4.71.4 Kefka's Tower: The Final Battle
4.72.1 The Ending
4.73.1 The proverbial postcoital cigarette
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4.1.1 Prelude: The attack on Narshe
**********************************
Location: Narshe
Party members: Terra, Vicks, Wedge
Opponents: Guard, Lobo, Vommamoth
Narshe, a coalmine city that manages its own business and cares not for the
war that is waged far away, has stumbled upon a mysterious find in their mines.
The Empire, the all-consuming power-hungry nation to the far south of the world,
has learned of this.
-Command to the Empire Force in particular.
-Commence to launch the attack on Narshe, the coal mines city.
Three of their most dangerous units are dispatched to claim this discovered
treasure for the glory of the Empire and by all means necessary. Three soldiers
of the Empire, piloting MagiTek Armors, are sent out. One of them is a very
special soldier of the Empire, and a future unlike any other is waiting for her.
Preparation: Put all your characters in the Back Row. MagiTek attacks, being
MAGICAL BEAMS and all, won't suffer from the 50 % damage reduction, but you'll
be reaping the benefits soon enough. From the reduced damage you'll be taking,
that is.
To learn about MagiTek attacks: [MAGITEK-LINK]
Monster formations:
Lobo
Lobo, Lobo
Guard, Guard
Lobo, Guard, Guard (forced Pincer attack)
Vomammoth, Vomammoth, Guard, Guard
This is the prologue of the game, and it concerns you, being overpowered,
blasting your way through poor defenseless Narshe. Enjoy the MagiTek powers
while they last.
You can't really touch equipment right now. Ogle your mystery girl and her
Imperial Starsky and Hutch buddies, as the situation is about to change. For
trivia knowledge, this is the equipment of your generic soldiers:
MithrilBlade
Buckler
Leather Hat
LeatherArmor
Any offensive attack you perform at this point results into Death on the other
side. With this in mind, the choice is simple. If Terra comes up, have her use
the MT Bio Blast attack. The Imperial soldiers can make themselves useful by
using any of the three beams; they are identical in power and are always
fatal, so it doesn't matter what you do. After you've leveled, you can use
Terra's Cure out-battle to restore HP. Use it once with an MT effect and you're
set. Do the same after the forced pincer attack you had to endure from the
Lobo, Guard, Guard monster formation. The next one will feature Vommamoth.
These monsters will start using Blizzard, an MT Ice-elemental on you as soon
as Terra (or, if not available, a randomly decided party member) has a level
equal to or higher than 7. This is not the case when you encounter them now,
so they will only attack you physically with Battle and !Bear Claw.
Although they have the second-highest Battle Power in the game, the fact they're
level 1 effectively screws them out of any significant damage output. If you're
in the Back Row, you'll see them doing 0 damage. Savor the sight; it'll be a
while before you see it happening again on a physical attack. For extra fun,
try using Confuser against them; it'll give you a little taste of what
Blizzardy violence will be sent your way later in the game. For imminent death
on their side of the battlefield, Bio Blast works well enough as it kills all
four targets instantly.
There is a maximum of 5 battles and a minimum of 2 battles to be fought in
this part of Narshe. When you enter, you can try to go right of the Inn. A
single Lobo will be sent after you.
You have no choice but to press on. You will encounter two Guards when you try
to pass the Inn, there's no avoiding them.
There are lines of what appear to be vents on the ground. You've been following
the vertical line, you now come across a horizontal line of vents. If you stand
on the tile where the two cross, two Lobos will be sent after you, and then
two Narshe Guards. You can avoid this by going around the tile in question.
If you pass the Item Shop, you'll be caught in a Pincer attack of two Guards
and a Lobo; this is unavoidable.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.1.2 Prelude: The newly dug mineshaft
**********************************
Location: Narshe Mineshaft
Party members: Terra, Vicks, Wedge
Opponents: Were-Rat, Vaporite, Repo Man
You've entered a newly dug Mine Shaft in search of the Esper you're supposed to
retrieve. You're up for some vermin in the mines. Not Vermin, but vermin. Note
the difference.
Preparation: Still in the Back Row, are we? There's nothing interesting here to
do, so let's move on.
Monster formations:
First cave:
Were-Rat, Were-Rat, Were-Rat (10/16)
Were-Rat, Repo Man (6/16)
Second cave:
Repo Man, Vaporite (6/16)
Vaporite, Vaporite (5/16)
Were-Rat, Were-Rat (5/16)
You're past the town of Narshe. You can be proud of yourself; you just killed
a number of brave men, undoubtedly with a happy life and a family. Faintly, you
can hear an orphan crying.
You can pretty much blast your way through these monsters too. In the first
cavern, there are Were-Rat and Repo Man, in the second, Vaporite. Were-Rat
absorbs Poison, so while it may be tempting to use an MT spell against the
largest group of enemies you're facing, don't. Vaporite absorbs Lightning, so
in any battle you find one, avoid Bolt Beam like the demonic plague it is.
Electricity fails at success, anyway.
Repo Man...This little goblinoid (is that a word?) is one messed-up little dude
with self-destructive tendencies of the worst kind: the kind that can hurt you
as well. Every time you'll hurt it without killing it, there's a 33 % chance
he'll use !Wrench on himself. If, however, you dealt a fatal blow to him and
he decides to execute that !Wrench, he'll find that he can't actually attack
himself. Nay, one cannot attack the dead. Only on the GameFAQs Board, and that's
limited to kicking and horses. He'll fling the tool in your direction instead.
Avoid this by using X-Fer, or try to not care.
Eventually, you'll come across a barrier. Vicks will knock it down for you, but
as soon as you want to continue a Narshe guard rushes out with quite a nasty
surprise...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.1.3 Prelude: The battle with Whelk
**********************************
Whelk (shell)
Level: 4, HP: 50000, MP: 120
Steal: Nothing (always), Win: Tincture (always)
Absorbs: Lightning
Special: !Hit : Battle x 4
Vulnerable to: Nothing
Attacks: Mega Volt
Head (Whelk's head)
Level: 6, HP: 1600, MP: 1000
Steal: Nothing (always), Win: Potion (always)
Special: !Slime: sets Slow
Vulnerable to: Nothing
Attacks: Battle, !Slime
This battle is quite simple. Vicks and Wedge will alert each other about the
grave importance of avoiding attacking the shell at all costs. When they're
done, you can move in your very first boss battle.
The shell and the head are two separate entities. The shell will do nothing as
long as you won't attack it, but every time you do damage, it will counter
with Mega Volt. Mega Volt won't be strong enough to actually kill a character
at full HP, but it will be strong enough to do so in two hits.
The head will just attack physically and on occasion slow you down with !Slime.
After every 10 seconds, it'll 'retreat in its shell', i.o.w. disappear from the
battlefield. He'll keep this up for 10 seconds, and he'll pop out again. Both
actions are accompanied with an oh-so-sinister "Gruuu".
Your strategy? The main thing to avoid is selecting an attack on the head just
when it retreats. It's because of this it's best to just go with one attack for
each character in one period of 10 seconds. When you can move, make your
generic Imperial soldiers attack with a Beam-class attack and the mysterious
girl use TekMissile. Wait until the head has retreated and appeared again.
Repeat. Whelk should be dead by now if you fought all the battles against the
Narshe guards; if not, just go for another round.
Whelk is, to be honest, nothing more than a big sign saying: "You see, this game
isn't about mindless violence...it's about strategy, about good thinking".
Yeah...
Note: If you are beyond the shame of any man, you can go for the Tincture the
shell provides. Since the shell only has 120 MP, he can only use six Mega Volt
attacks. After this, it is helpless. If you whittle down its 50000 HP and make
sure you kill both the shell and the head with one attack (use a calculator!),
you'll get both a Tincture AND a Potion, and it'll only have cost you over an
hour and your dignity.
In the second cave, you finally come across the object of your mission: the
dug-up Esper. But as soon as you get near it, the mind-slave of your party acts
very weird indeed, and it's not long after the two soldiers grow suspicious
they are removed. Note that we can't say for sure the Esper killed them or
simply warped to some place, but we never ever see them again.
Alone, the Esper does *something* to Terra. Her MagiTek Armor explodes
underneath her, and all turns to an inky black.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.2.1 Old Man's House
**********************************
Location: Old Man's house
Party members: Terra
Opponents: None
You wake up alone, scared, and confused. An old man has found you in the
mines and has nursed you back to health. To make matters worse, you have to
flee as soon as there's somebody to explain the situation to you. Such plot
device! You get the fact that Narshe guards outside are trying to get to you.
Scones will not be involved in the meeting, so you'd better make a run for it.
Preparation: Remember when you were in the Back Row? Let's stick to that.
When you awoke, you received two Sleeping Bags (from Arvis, we could assume).
Sleeping Bags are like Tents, but for one person only. They completely restore
HP/MP and remove any status ailment except for Zombie, but are only usable on
a Save Point or the Overworld Map.
Before you go, grab the Elixir in the clock.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.2.2 Escape through the mines
**********************************
Location: Narshe, Forsaken Mines
Party members: Terra
Opponents: Were-Rat, Vaporite, Repo Man
Remember those kick-ass attacks you just did? Yeah, about those? They're gone.
Your party members have been magically consumed, and your magical tank of
happiness exploded under your seat. Everything you love is finite. But don't
fear too much, for a Final Fantasy tradition of old is about to set in: you can
now hurt stuff with pointy things that you push into them using your muscles.
Use it to your advantage.
Preparation: If you're in for some leveling, I suggest moving to the Front Row.
You'll take more damage, sure, but you can also kill Were-Rat and Vaporite with
a single Fight command now, which is much more MP-friendly in the long run. If
you seek to breeze through, stick to the Back Row and use Fire. Out-of-battle
Cure is your friend.
Monster formations:
Repo Man, Vaporite (6/16)
Vaporite, Vaporite (5/16)
Were-Rat, Were-Rat (5/16)
These monsters and monster formations seem awfully familiar, don't you think?
The difference is, though, that now you're by your lonesome, without magical
machines of malice and maniacal maiming under your command. I guess we can
do it the old-fashioned way, then. Double Vaporites should be taken care of
with an MT Fire spell, as should a double Were-Rat. Start the Repo Man/Vaporite
battle off with an MT Fire spell and finish Repo Man off with a physical. You
can't do anything about !Wrench now, so suffer in silence.
There are two chests here. Feel free to grab the left one; it contains a
Sleeping Bag. Later it turns into an Elixir, which is much better, but you can
steal them in large quantities by then so there's no need to wait. It'd be best
to leave the right chest alone; while the Fenix Down it now contains is nice,
the Pod Bracelet Relic it transforms into later will be much nicer.
When you're past the two chests and the Save Point (did you save? Saving is
good, word on the street says even Jesus saves!), remove Terra's MithrilKnife
and Buckler, and press on.
The Narshe Guards will corner Terra, but she has a plan: quickly, she
collapses down a conveniently thin layer of rock that caves in underneath her.
One could argue this isn't so much a plan as it is sheer luck, but I'm willing
to give our heroine some credit here.
Three flashbacks will be seen now: Terra getting her Slave Crown from Kefka,
Terra being tested as the Imperial weapon she was meant to be, Terra at an
Imperial parade. Behind the Emperor here, from left to right: Kefka Palazzo,
general Leo Christope, general Celes Chere. A cozy bunch.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.3.1 Defending Terra from Marshal
**********************************
Location: Narshe, Forsaken Mines
Party members: Locke, Mog, Kupek, Kupop, Kumama, Kuku, Kutan, Kupan, Kushu,
Kurin, Kuru, Kamog
Opponents: Lobo, Vomammoth, Marshal
Locke arrives to the game! Locke and the old man chat about bygones and
memories past, while the old man (still anonymous) takes care of some
exposition. Basic points: The Empire is evil, the Returners are fighting the
Empire, and Narshe should join the Returners but, right now, has not done such
a thing.
Locke manages to reach Terra before the Narshe guards do, which is a good thing
all in all. Terra is still unconscious, so She Needs To Be Rescued.
Locke is your new permanent character. That naming screen sure is a dead give-
away, is it not? You can now control him using your controller. It won't be
for long though, as the half dozen enemies, which come storming into the place,
will ensure Terra is captured and Locke smacked around.
But lo and behold, there are eleven Moogle friends for you to exploit as well!
Sadly, you cannot enter their equipment. Except for one, Mog. How bizarre.
Here's the rundown of the Moogles:
Mog - Level average + 5
Mithril Pike; Mithril Shld
Kupek - Level average + 2
Mithril Pike; Buckler
Kupop - Level average + 0
Morning Star; Buckler
Kumama - Level average + 0
Mithril Claw; Buckler
Kuku - Level average - 5
Flail; Buckler
Kutan - Level average + 0
MithrilBlade; Buckler
Kupan - Level average + 2
Full Moon; Buckler
Kushu - Level average + 2
Chocobo Brsh; Buckler
Kurin - Level average + 0
Mithril Pike; Buckler
Kuru - Level average + 0
MithrilBlade; Buckler
Kamog - Level average + 2
Boomerang; Buckler
They're all collected in three teams. These are the teams; behind the names of
the Japanese Moogles for RPGone players.
Locke's group:
Locke Lock
Kupek Moglin
Kupop Mogpu
Kumama Mogchi
Mog's group:
Mog Mog
Kuku Morul
Kutan Mogtan
Kupan Mogul
Kushu's group:
Kushu Mogshi
Kurin Mogpon
Kuru Mugmug
Kamog Zummog
Preparation: Equip Locke with the equipment you snatched from Terra; the Buckler
will be especially nice. You can put Kupop, Kuku, Kupan and Kamog in the Back
Row, as their weapons will still do full damage. Now, head into battle. Already
know which team you want to use for the boss battle; read below. Try to avoid
fighting with this group, and catch the other monsters with your inferior
groups. If you fail, the monsters will reach Terra, prompting Locke to say:
"Couldn't hold out...?! Uh oh..."
Monster formations:
Lobo, Lobo, Marshal
Vomammoth, Lobo
Marshal
Level: 8, HP: 420, MP: 150
Steal: MithrilKnife (common), Win: Potion (always)
Weakness: Poison
Special: !Charge: Battle x 2
Sketch : !Charge, Battle
Control: Battle, !Charge, Bolt 2
Vulnerable to: Imp, Petrify, Death, Condemned, Mute, Berserk, Muddled, Sleep,
Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Charge, Net
There are two battles here. First, I'll talk about the battle you engage in when
you meet the walking monsters. This is the Vomammoth and the Lobo formation.
Aim all attacks on the Vomammoth at first, then the Lobo. Don't bother using
Steal with Locke; they carry nothing of importance. If you use Mog's party, you
will notice that Mog learns the Dusk Requiem after one battle. Have him use
this Dance for the other battles, as it kills stuff dead very seriously.
For information about Steal and how it works: [STEAL-LINK]
Mog's Dance skill is limited to the Dusk Requiem, a Dance he will learn as soon
as he has fought one battle here. The Dusk Requiem will have the following
random effects every turn:
7/16 43.75 % Cave In - Removes 75 % of target's current HP
6/16 37.50 % Snare - Kills one enemy, prevents final counters
2/16 12.50 % Elf Fire - ST magical, Fire-elemental attack
1/16 6.25 % Pois. Frog - ST magical, Poison-elemental attack, also sets Poison
Unless both Mog's team and Locke's team have been beaten down severely, there's
no good reason to use the four-generic-Moogle party against the Marshal. Between
the other two, the choice is up to you. As you cannot get a Game Over in this
part of the game - a defeated party is sent back to a certain point with all
characters at 1 HP - you can always fight Marshal with Locke until you have a
MithrilKnife. If you have trouble with the actual 'killing' part of the Marshal
battle (Power-wise, not moral-wise), Mog has extremely dangerous attacks to
offer, so you can use him for that.
If you picked Mog's team, the Dusk Requiem will make short work of the
fight regardless. If you picked Locke's team or the third and inferior party,
you will want to kill one Lobo and then focus your attack on Marshal. As long
as he's not alone, he won't use !Charge, an extremely strong physical attack
that can kill weaker units in the Front Row. He will, on the other hand, use
the Net spell to stop some of your party members. You can try to stall if
Locke is hit if you want to.
Before you engage in the Marshal battle, remove Mog's MithrilPike and Mithril
Shld. Equip the Shield on Locke if you're fighting Marshal with him.
For some trivia knowledge some would appreciate, Kuku is Mog's girlfriend. Kuku
is the weakest Moogle you'll find here and stands next to Mog on the battlefield
on the second position of his group. Male chauvinist pig explanation of Kuku's
weakness: she's a woman. Family-friendly support group-evading explanation:
although lacking in combat experience, Kuku shows some proverbial nuts by going
with her lover anyway. At any rate, the Moogle Charm you'll find later in the
game, a Mog-exclusive Relic, is supposed to be given to him by Kuku. The only
proof of this off-game knowledge lies in its Japanese roots: Kuku was called
Moruru there, and the Moogle Charm the Moruru's Charm.
Also, the Japanese Creation Data Collection Book supposedly clearly says the
Moogle Charm is a "crystal ball charm given by his lover, Moruru". I've never
seen it myself and wouldn't recognize Japanese if it exploded from my stomach
like the aliens in the aptly-named movies with Sigourney Weaver, but I have
no reason to doubt it either.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.4.1 Classroom for the Beginner
**********************************
Location: Classroom for the Beginner
Party members: Terra, Locke
Opponents: Lobo
It was going to happen regardless of your wishes. This is the place where the
game is explained to you. They should've just listed the GameFAQs URL in my
opinion, but hey. It's Square. You shouldn't expect anything from them when it
comes to logic.
If you really want to learn about general Battle Mechanics: [BATTLE-LINK]
Preparation: There will be one battle against the weakest opponent in the game.
Try finding your chi or something. I hear it's located within you.
Monster formations:
Lobo
When you enter, the first thing you'll see is a man standing over a bucket.
While normally I wouldn't advise you to go near people bending over buckets,
let alone drink anything those buckets may contain, this specific bucket
contains water from a Recovery Spring, magical springs that heal HP, MP, and
remove all status effects.
There are three rooms in this building. Environmental Science is the one to the
far right, and it's where the only monster here is located. Open the chest to
fight a single Lobo. Have Terra Defend (press right when in the command menu)
and Locke Steal until you've gotten that Tonic. You know you want it. Kill him
with violence.
Find the Tincture in the yellow pot in Environmental Science and open the chest
in Battle Tactics (middle door) for a Sleeping Bag. Then, be bold and walk
straight into Advanced Battle Tactics. There's a chest containing a Tonic in
there. Now, exit.
The guy in front of the door advises you to skip Advanced Battle Tactics. What
a Tonic-hogger, eh?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.4.2 Traveling to Figaro Castle
**********************************
Location: Overworld Map. Between Narshe and Figaro Desert
Party members: Terra, Locke
Opponents: Leafer, Dark Wind, Sand Ray, Areneid
Having been dissed by a Narshe guard, you have no choice but to pursue a
career in fighting for the greater good. Locke was told to bring Terra to the
king of Figaro, and so he does. Castle Figaro lies in the middle of the desert,
denying the rules of logic and reason. You need to cross the Overworld Map in
order to reach it. Hold me.
Should you try to enter Narshe, a Narshe guard will rush to the scene and
inquire to your name. You quickly run off.
Preparation: Equip the newly acquired MithrilKnife on Terra. She won't use it,
gods no, But it's still a 4 point increase in Battle Power, and I don't see why
the hell not. Keep the Mithril Shld on Locke; he has more Hit Points, granted,
but he will be taking more damage as well. For the battles against the grassland
and forest monsters, it would be best for both Terra and Locke to sit safely in
the Back Row, as neither of them will be using the Fight command. In the desert,
put Locke in the Front Row, and keep Terra in the Back Row.
Monster formations:
Grasslands:
Leafer (10/16)
Leafer, Leafer, Dark Wind (6/16)
Forest:
Leafer, Leafer, Dark Wind (10/16)
Leafer, Leafer, Dark Wind, Dark Wind (6/16)
Desert:
Sand Ray, Sand Ray (5/16)
Areneid, Areneid, Areneid (5/16)
Sand Ray, Areneid, Areneid (5/16)
Sand Ray, Areneid, Areneid, Areneid (1/16)
There are two kinds of battles here. There are the desert battles and the
non-desert battles. The non-desert battles are no threat to you. If Locke
comes up first, have him Steal. It'll get you moderately useless junk,
solely limited to Tonics. If Terra comes up, an MT Fire spell kills everything.
Desert battles are different. In here, you'll face danger. And sand in your
boots. If you come across a double Sand Ray formation, have Locke Steal
(Antidotes!) and Terra use an ST Fire spell, which should take one down in a
single hit. Repeat for the other. If, however, you come across more than two, an
MT Fire spell followed by a physical from Locke kills. Do just that. Don't
waste more than one Fire spell in one battle unless you're close to the castle.
Hey, did you know that the Sand Ray was based off an actual creature, the
Trilobite? They're related to crabs, scorpions and spiders, but are extinct
due to the fact they failed at life in general.
There's a Chocobo Stable hidden in the forest south of the desert. There's no
reason to go there whatsoever. The owner will charge you 100 Gold Pieces to
rent-a-bird. If this seems insane to you, remember that this is the same guy who
hides his own shop in the woods. And here I was thinking you'd want to promote
your shop if it depended on your amount of customers. I'll never understand
capitalism.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.5.1 Figaro Castle
**********************************
Location: Figaro Castle
Party members: Terra, Locke, Edgar
Opponents: None
You've reached Figaro Castle. Everybody's mighty polite. There's not a whole
lot to do here. Walk on. In the farthest room, Edgar Roni Figaro is casually
lounging in his throne.
Before you talk to Edgar, put Locke in the Front Row (if you hadn't already) and
take his Mithril Shld from him. He'll leave.
Edgar hits on you! Oh my, I can't see that working out. After the failing of
his charmings, he leaves, leaving Terra to question her sexuality.
When controlling Terra, equip the Mithril Shld on her and put her in the
Front Row as well. There are two shops here, an Item shop and a Weapon shop:
Item Shop:
Tonic 50
Tincture 1500
Antidote 50
Soft 200
Echo Screen 120
Fenix Down 500
Sleeping Bag 500
Tent 1200
There's really not anything that you need to buy here. You could buy a Tent or
two if you have the money, but you'll need 1250 GP for the Weapon Shop.
Weapon Shop:
AutoCrossbow 250
NoiseBlaster 500
Bio Blaster 750
Buy a NoiseBlaster and a Bio Blaster; you have obtained an AutoCrossbow by
talking to Edgar. One should wonder where Edgar keeps his hands if he has the
power to sneak stuff in your inventory without you noticing, especially since
he's the token pervert of this game. Haha, now that was a mental image that
delivered big funny! Make sure to find the Tonic, Antidote, Soft, and Fenix
Down in the castle. All of them are easy to find so I won't bother pointing
them out to you.
Try to find the Matron of the castle; she is located in the left wing of the
castle. She'll tell you all about the rather tragic past of the Figaro throne;
twin brothers. Twins. Poor Figaro. Luckily, Sabin Rene Figaro ran away leaving
his brother as the sole monarch, as things should be. In the Japanese game, she
also states here that Sabin was smaller and weaker than Edgar when they were
children.
When Matron is done telling her story, you can find Edgar again, who has
returned to his throne. In the hallway, you meet the second man of the Figaro
army, the Chancellor. Have a chat, by all means.
As soon as Edgar starts to make small talk again, he is disturbed by the
gravest of messages; Kefka Palazzo, a big man of the Empire, is coming for a
visit, and something tells you he won't be wanting any of your scones.
When controlling Edgar, keep him in the Front Row and equip Mog's MithrilPike
on him. As this is the first time you're actually handling Edgar, this might
be the perfect time to learn about his fighting powers:
If you'd like to learn about Tools: [TOOLS-LINK]
Edgar defies the Empire! He blatantly lies to Kefka when he asks if he knows
anything about Terra, the girl who 'stole something of minor importance'. The
only thing she stole was the Empire's dignity! Zing!
In the Japanese game, Edgar calls Kefka a Mage Warrior of the Empire. Does that
mean that Kefka knows Magic as well?
Now, when you're controlling Terra again, take hold of that MithrilBlade.
What a switch-happy game it is. You can follow Locke now if you want to.
You'll notice that Terra is one level, if not two, behind Locke. Edgar will be
even stronger. If you want to equal the situation out a little, you can choose
to leave the castle and fight some solo-Terra battles outside. I advise you
do the training in the forest, though, as the desert enemies might Numb you
and grant you a Game Over of Death. You might opt to rent a Chocobo to return
to Figaro Castle, too.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.5.2 Fighting off MagiTek power
**********************************
Location: Figaro Desert
Party members: Terra, Locke, Edgar
Opponents: M-TekArmor
That night: misfortune! Kefka has royally screwed Figaro's alliance with the
Empire up its currently non-existent ass. For a moment, all seems hopeless, but
Locke had a plan! Turns out Edgar and the Chancellor had taken this possibility
in account. But see, I know it's Locke's plan, because his music is playing.
Anyway, you escape your castle while said castle is digging its way through the
desert. No, I don't know either why they didn't do that right away, before
the bad guys set it on fire. You're now being chased by the MagiTek Armors.
We saw how powerful they are, remember? You are going to die a painful but
mercifully quick death.
Preparation: You did the preparation thing in the castle, right? All one can do
at this moment is pray to whatever god you worship.
Monster formations:
M-TekArmor, M-TekArmor
M-TekArmor
Level: 8, HP: 210, MP: 250
Steal: Potion (rare), Tonic (common), Win: Potion (common)
Weakness: Lightning
Status: Safe
Special: !Metal Kick, Battle x 1.5
Sketch : Tek Laser, Battle
Control: Battle, Tek Laser
Vulnerable to: Mute, Berserk, Muddled, Sleep, Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Metal Kick, Tek Laser
It turns out that, like Uruk-Hai, MagiTek Armors are about as laughably
incompetent in combat as they were awesome out of it. For this battle, the main
objective is to avoid being hit. The enemies are susceptible to Muddle, so use
that knowledge to your advantage. By which I mean the NoiseBlaster. Have Edgar
use it as soon as possible and keep them confused during the rest of the battle.
Simply let him bide his time if both are still confused and it's his turn to
move again. Locke should Steal; Tonics and Potions are nothing to get excited
about, but Fight removes the Muddled status. Terra should pump out ST Fire
spells. It'll get you a 'hilarious' scene. I guess it looked good on paper.
For those of you emulator players, Edgar and Locke are supposed to hide behind
the menu when Terra goes 'Stop swooning!'.
Terra's Magic and their own self-destructive tendencies (Tek Laser hit
themselves for super-effective damage) will grant you victory.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.6.1 Traveling through Figaro Cave
**********************************
Location: Figaro Cave
Party members: Terra, Locke, Edgar
Opponents: Hornet, Crawly, Bleary
Figaro Castle is gone, and you still can't go to Narshe...I guess it's time to
quest further into Edgar's Lands, Figaro, to reach the Returners' Hideout.
Terra should be useful in their battle against the evil Empire, which is evil.
Preparation: Everybody in the Back Row again. I know it gets boring now, but
I promise I'll eventually let you keep characters in the Front Row. If you're
wondering why Back Row characters still take reduced damage even when there's
nobody in the Front Row to protect them - which is the initial point of being in
the Back Row - then I have no satisfying answer.
Monster formations:
First cave:
Hornet, Bleary, Bleary, Bleary, Hornet (10/16)
Hornet, Crawly, Crawly (6/16)
Second cave and third cave:
Crawly, Crawly, Crawly (6/16)
Bleary, Bleary, Crawly (5/16)
Hornet, Hornet (5/16)
Note: if you didn't use Terra's Magic spells in the battle against the
M-TekArmors, you still can trigger the 'flipping-out' scene in normal battles.
Throughout the cave you retain this possibility, but once you step on the tile
just in front of the exit, the ability to see the scene is lost if you haven't
already.
Hornets are Floating creatures, but that doesn't make any difference at this
point of the game. They attack physically with Battle and !IronNeedle.
Crawly are horribly defenseless creatures, but something about Crawly monsters
I find particularly repulsive, so I don't feel bad about killing them. When you
confuse them with NoiseBlaster, they might try to use the Magnitude8 attack, but
they have insufficient MP.
Bleary are the only creatures here that *might* stand through a single
AutoCrossbow attack. They can force you to sleep when you look in their eyes
with !Slumber, but you'll have killed them before they get a chance to use
an attack like that.
Edgar is a very nice addition to your team. In fact, I'd say he's horribly
overpowered at this stage of the game. Time to take advantage of it! Edgar can
one-hit KO Hornet and Crawly with his AutoCrossbow. If you don't meet Bleary
monsters, have Terra simply Defend and Locke Steal while you're waiting for
Edgar's turn to come up. When Bleary does in fact make an appearance, have Locke
still Steal, Terra use a single MT Fire on the group, and Edgar finish it off
with his AutoCrossbow. If you're scared you wasted GP on the Bio Blaster, you'll
gain use for it soon enough. If there's a choice, always try to Steal from
Crawly. A Tonic is a Tonic, but a Remedy is a Remedy, if you know what I mean!
As far as chests go, there are three in this cave. I know you're just dying to
grab them, but desist and cease! Know that the amount of chests you shouldn't
get is about to rapidly decrease, and these items, while 'meh' at this point
(Fenix Down upstairs, two Tinctures downstairs) will transform into rad items
in the near future. I advise you to let them be.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.7.1 South Figaro
**********************************
Location: South Figaro
Party members: Terra, Locke, Edgar
Opponents: None
You've reached South Figaro! Great. This is the first town you arrive in where
you don't try to slaughter innocent inhabitants, so you should be able to shop,
sleep at Inns, steal stuff from houses, talk to NPCs, the usual RPG to-do
list. How awesome.
Item Shop:
Tonic 50
Antidote 50
Soft 200
Eyedrop 50
Echo Screen 120
Fenix Down 500
Sleeping Bag 500
Tent 1200
You might want to buy one or two Soft potions, as it *is* possible to
accidentally get a Petrified character in a bit, and you'll want something to
counter its effects.
Weapon Shop:
Dirk 150
MithrilKnife 300
MithrilBlade 450
RegalCutlass 800
NoiseBlaster 500
Bio Blaster 750
Buy a RegalCutlass and give it to Terra. Give the MithrilBlade to Locke. You'll
be switching to a better weapon in no time, but for the time being, it's a free
upgrade from the MithrilKnife. You can buy the two non-AutoCrossbow Tools for
Edgar if your ignorant brother saved after the Figaro Castle experience without
buying them there.
Armor Shop:
Buckler 200
Heavy Shld 400
Hair Band 150
Plumed Hat 250
Cotton Robe 200
Kung Fu Suit 250
Buy two Heavy Shlds, three Plumed Hats, a Cotton Robe, and a Kung Fu Suit.
Equip them with Optimum.
Relic Shop:
Spring Shoes 1500
Goggles 500
Star Pendant 500
Jewel Ring 1000
True Knight 1000
Buy three Star Pendants and a Jewel Ring. True Knight and Sprint Shoes I'll
leave up to you. Goggles are entirely useless so unless you want to obtain as
many Items as possible, ignore them. Equip a Star Pendant on every character.
The Jewel Ring, despite what its descriptions says, only protects against
Petrify. Because you won't be able to get yourself Petrified unless you level
Terra up to level 68 (she learns the Break spell at that point) or take
tremendously stupid actions when facing Cirpius, you can just let the Relic
rest in your Inventory. You'll need it later on.
Hidden Items: Like in the first cavern you explored with a lone Terra, there are
items hidden here that are best left untouched for a while. Here's a list of the
items in South Figaro:
(items now) (items they become)
Fenix Down - Fenix Down
Tonic - X-Potion
Antidote - Tent
Eyedrop - Remedy
Tonic - Revivify
Green Cherry - Tent
Soft - Elixir
Warp Stone - Fenix Down
There's a Tonic in the barrel between the Weapon and Armor Shop. I suggest
skipping this one; you've got plenty of Tonics, but X-Potions will always be
nice to have. There's an Eyedrop in a box north of the entrance to the port,
and an Antidote in the barrel just above it. They become a Tent and Remedy
respectively, so it doesn't really matter what you do. The barrel next to the
Chocobo Stable contains a Tonic that becomes a Revivify (leave it), the Green
Cherry behind the Chocobo Stable becomes a Tent (grab the Cherry) and the Soft
in the box to the far southwest corner of the town becomes an Elixir (definitely
leave this one to change).
Enter the large house in the northwest corner of South Figaro. You'll enter
through the left door; exit through the right door. In one of the barrels you
see here, there's a Fenix Down.
Continue behind this corner of the house and you'll find yourself in a hidden
room! Search the clock for an Elixir. Now, go back in the house and go up the
stairs.
In one of the rooms, there will be a man writing a letter (who is he writing
to? I'm sure it's not important. Couldn't be the enemy, anyway). Behind the
bookcase, you'll find a secret entrance to a staircase, which leads to another
staircase. Follow it in the next screen. Now, go all the way to the right until
you're facing a wall. Now, go all the way down to the bottom. You should be out
of sight now. Now, go right to enter a secret area with a Hyper Wrist and a pair
of RunningShoes. The Hyper Wrist boosts Vigor, increasing your physical attack
power; the RunningShoes gives you inherent and unremovable Haste status. I
suggest giving the RunningShoes to Locke and the Hyper Wrist to Edgar. If you
had some Sprint Shoes equipped on either, you can just pass it to Terra.
Exit. Going up will take you two a room with three doors. The first is empty,
the second one contains a Save Point, and the third one contains four chests,
respectively containing 500 GP, 1000 GP, 1500 GP, and nothing. I, for one,
believe the last one is symbolic for the meaning of life. Exit.
On the town wall, there's a group of three barrels you can see when standing
near the Chocobo Stable. Find your way there (stairs are near the Armor Shop)
and grab a Warp Stone. It'll become a Fenix Down later, but Warp Stones are
infinitely cooler at this stage of the game than Fenix Downs will ever be.
Finally, there's a Tonic in the house of the old servant of the richest man in
town. I figured I'd save the best for last.
Other stuff to do: In the Pub, there will be a dark man with a dog near the
counter. Talking to him will make you be able to name him. Shadow sure is
mysterious. If you thought he was going to join your party now, think again.
This guy is a ninja; they don't bother in RPGs unless you're at least past the
first serious town.
In the Japanese game, an old man in the Pub will also say that 'you' (Edgar)
look like one of Duncan's students, which is the first hint there that Sabin
went off to train under Master Duncan.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.7.2 The Overworld Map around South Figaro
**********************************
Location: Overworld Map. Around South Figaro
Party members: Terra, Locke, Edgar
Opponents: Rhodox, Rhinotaur, GreaseMonk
You've had your fun in South Figaro, bought some new armor, equipped some
Relics, and met a mysterious stranger with the name of Shadow. I'd say it was
worth it.
But, time to move on. Go straight north, as there's something of interest there.
But woe to those who seek to cross the Overworld Map!
Preparation: You prepared in South Figaro. Still keep everybody in the Back Row.
Monster formations:
Grass:
Rhinotaur (6/16)
GreaseMonk, GreaseMonk (5/16)
Rhodox, Rhodox, GreaseMonk (5/16)
Forest:
Rhodox, Rhodox, Rhodox, Rhodox (6/16)
Rhinotaur, Rhodox, Rhodox (5/16)
Rhinotaur, GreaseMonk, Rhodox, Rhodox (5/16)
Fairly standard stuff, now. GreaseMonks take more damage from Bio Blaster than
from AutoCrossbow, so use that on double GreaseMonks. They'll just attack
physically and won't start using !LodeWrench until they're alone, which they
probably will never be. The Anthology Bestiary claims they're Imperial
maintenance troops. It's official media, but one wonders why Imperial
maintenance troops would wander off into the lands to smack people with wrenches
as opposed to, say, carry out maintenance to Imperial stuff.
Rhodox are obscenely boring creatures as they do nothing but Battle under
any circumstance. The only interesting thing to note about them is the fact that
they cannot be Suplex'd. A character you'll meet in the future can lift trains,
hold up houses and whatnot, but he cannot lift this squirrel up in the air.
Rhinotaur are the first genuinely dangerous-looking creatures you meet. They
attack with Battle and !Redline, and counter Magic spells with a 1/3 shot at
using Mega Volt, so don't do that. You'll want to try to Steal a Mithril Claw
from him; it's a weapon none of your characters can equip...yet.
Any monster fight should include Edgar using AutoCrossbow (double GreaseMonk
can be taken down easier with Bio Blaster, though), Locke Stealing and Terra
using Defend and Cure outside of battle when needed. When your level is
decently high (9), Edgar should be taking out GreaseMonks in one hit as well
with the AutoCrossbow.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.8.1 Sabin's Hut
**********************************
Location: Sabin's Hut
Party members: Terra, Locke, Edgar
Opponents: None
The three of you come across an odd hut in the middle of nowhere. Obviously,
you choose to explore it and take a nap if nobody is around. Let's just hope
the beds and spoons are decently sized, or some *bear* might come for you. It's
a Goldilocks/FF VI cross-reference!
The flowers, stove, and dishes all draw a comment from Edgar. What is he
talking about? We can rest assured it's a woman, however, since no man would
profile himself through tea and domestic ornament like this. There's a Tonic
in the bucket.
Egads! He was talking about his long-lost twin brother, Sabin. Outside, Edgar
will show his double-headed coin to an old man and ask if he's seen 'this guy'
(Sabin) before. Sabin has headed into Mt. Koltz; his mentor has been killed, and
the mentor's son, Vargas, is missing too. Nice.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.8.2 Mt. Koltz
**********************************
Location: Mount Koltz
Party members: Terra, Locke, Edgar
Opponents: Brawler, Trilium, Tusker, Cirpius
Mountains are always nasty to cross, and Mount Koltz is no exception. You will
be attacked, spied upon, and tested severely. Also, a boss fight at the end I
might add. If that sounds fun, you're doing well.
Preparation: I think this section will grow in usefulness once the game
progresses. In the meantime, I feel like I should say something about the Back
Row and in what fashion everybody should be in it.
Monster formations:
Caves:
Brawler, Brawler (10/16)
Tusker, Tusker (6/16)
Slopes:
Cirpius, Cirpius, Cirpius (11/16)
Tusker, Cirpius, Cirpius, Cirpius (5/16)
Great slopes:
Trilium, Trilium (10/16)
Trilium, Tusker, Cirpius, Cirpius (5/16)
Foot of Mount. Koltz:
Brawler, Trilium, Vaporite, Vaporite (10/16)
Tusker, Tusker (6/16)
This is highly frustrating for console players, but Brawler enemies carry
Bandanas, which are incredibly hard to obtain right now. They're rare steals,
and the common steal is empty. This means that you automatically have a 7 in 8
chance to fail at your Steal attempt. It's a slightly stronger helmet for Locke,
Terra, and a character you're about to obtain, so if you're really adamant/near
the entrance anyway/playing on an emulator, try to get three of them. For
killing them, the AutoCrossbow works great. If it doesn't outright kill them,
you can finish them off with Back Row physicals or an MT Fire spell (although
you should really be saving your MP in this 'dungeon').
Brawlers, by the way, are martial artists who have turned to a life of evil,
using their combat skills for personal gain. It's like the Dark Side, only
different. Their Special, which you never get to see unless you bring a
late-game character around to use Sketch on them, is called !Punch; the Japanese
version was Holy Moon Sword. Way to boringify an attack, Woolsey.
Cirpius are potentially the most dangerous, but never live up to that promise.
If you allow them to take three turns, they have a rare chance of using !Beak,
which sets Petrify on a character. A triple Cirpius formation can be killed in
one go with the AutoCrossbow; when they come with a Tusker you'll want to
confuse them until one of them has petrified the Tusker with either !Beak or
the Break spell.
Tuskers are the only real threats here. They have stronger physicals comparable
to Marshal's pounding, and they have a 1/3 chance at countering every Fight
command. Don't use it. An MT Fire spell and an AutoCrossbow round kills them.
Trilium, lastly, are annoying because they Poison you with !Bane Touch. They
only use it the first round though, after which they'll take two turns by just
attacking you physically. This means you can easily use (an) Antidote first
and kill them second.
The first slopes feature no enemies, so you can safely walk into the cave. The
cave is straightforward. The other side takes you to another slope, with
monsters this time. You see a chest there, but you can't reach it.
This cave has two 'hidden' passages to treasure. The first is to the south of
the entrance. Around the square-ish bulge, you can reach an exit where you can
open the chest you saw earlier. It's a Guardian! It's the first weapon with
a stat boost you see, and it's a better weapon for Locke. Go back in.
To the right of the path/stairway, there's a hidden passage into another room,
which holds a chest containing the Atlas Armlet. The Atlas Armlet is much better
that the Hyper Wrist; while the Hyper Wrist boosts a stat used for physical
damage calculation by 50 %, the Atlas Armlet simply boosts your physical damage
by 25 % period. Equip it on Edgar to boost his AutoCrossbow. With the Atlas
Armlet equipped, Edgar should be taking everything out in one hit except for
Tuskers, which can be finished with an ST Fire. Locke should Steal.
Continue up the wooden pathway. Outside, you walk around two slopes and reach
two entrances into the mountain. Now, for the first time, you'll see a shadow
figure leaping away from you. Who could it be? Mystery.
The first entrance takes you to a chest with a Tent, the second one continues
your way through Mt. Koltz.
Misty slopes with a bridge this time. The bridge looks like it might collapse,
but it doesn't. Ever. Unlike that one bridge from King's Quest; you'd get a
point every time you'd cross it, but while you were having a blast collecting
points, a big goofy grin on your young face, it would suddenly go down. Bad pun,
the end.
The next room contains a Save Point, and when you leave it, you'll be on what
I've dubbed as the Great Slopes at the Monster formations section. Follow them
all the way down, and...
...eventually you'll meet the shadowy figure that has been stalking your every
move. It's Vargas. He believes you have something to do with Sabin, so he
commences his violence.
You get to hurt him now. Obviously you made sure that your HP is high enough for
boss battles, as is Terra's MP. Take the Atlas Armlet from Edgar and give it to
Locke; give his RunningShoes to Terra. Equip Edgar with the Hyper Wrist or, if
you have it, the True Knight. The first one will give you a slight increase in
offensive power, and the latter will make sure that Edgar takes physical damage
for characters in Near Fatal. It's a matter of personal preference as neither
should really be of any significant use.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.8.3 The battle with Vargas
**********************************
Ipooh
Level: 11, HP: 360, MP: 60
Steal: Potion (rare), Potion (common)
Weakness: Fire
Special: !Claw: Battle x 1.5
Sketch : !Claw, Battle
Control: Battle, !Claw
Vulnerable to: Imp, Mute, Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Claw
Vargas
Level: 12, HP: 11600, MP: 220
Steal: Mithril Claw (rare), Tonic (common)
Weakness: Poison
Special: !Doom Fist: sets Condemned, Battle x 1.5
Sketch : !Doom Fist, Battle
Control: Battle, !Doom Fist
Vulnerable to: Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Doom Fist, Gale Cut
Two Ipooh bears initially protect Vargas; you can't harm him until you
have killed the Ipooh. Ipooh attack physically only, with Battle and !Claw.
Vargas will casually switch between Battle and Gale Cut in a Battle-Gale Cut-
Battle rhythm. Dance to it. After every 50 seconds, he will taunt you cruelly by
saying: "Come on. What's the matter?" and use Battle twice, as if to insult you.
What a bastard.
Once he hits 10880 HP - that's after 720 damage - he will start getting bored
with you and exclaim: "Enough!! Off with ya now!". Just then, a new character
will appear. It's Sabin Rene Figaro, long lost heir to the throne of Figaro
and twin brother to Edgar.
It seems that Vargas misunderstood the outcome of a successor issue of Duncan,
their master and father to Vargas. Vargas turned to patricide, and here Sabin
is complimenting Vargas on his FINE SPIRIT. Morals these days, let me tell ya...
Anyway, Vargas executes "Mortal attack: Blizzard Fist!" Blasting all inferior
warriors of the field, the battle is up to Sabin alone. In the Japanese version,
this attack was called 'Super Wind Tsunami Fist', which makes a whole lot more
sense.
When Sabin has appeared and Vargas hits 10368 HP - that's 512 more damage -
Sabin will lament about his master's teachings. You'll have to use a Blitz to
win this battle. Once the primary Blitz technique has been used, Vargas will
...die or run, it's kind of vague. At any rate, Vargas is never to be heard
from again.
Your strategy? When you engage Vargas, try to pick some Ipooh possessions
with Locke, have Edgar use AutoCrossbow, and Terra use ST Fire spells on the
Ipooh you looted. After you've taken care of the Ipoohs, switch to the
Bio Blaster with Edgar, have Terra on stand-by for an MT Cure spell for every
Gale Cut that is sent your way. After a successful Steal attempt with Locke,
have him attack. The Bio Blaster will do the bulk of your damage
anyway, so it's probably not justified to take a turn moving to the Front Row
and take more damage there.
Eventually, Sabin will crash the party. PAY ATTENTION, AS YOU ARE ABOUT
TO DO THE MOST COMPLICATED THING INVENTED IN VIDEO GAME HISTORY. That's right,
you're about to execute a Blitz technique. Follow on-screen commands closely.
Write them down. Remember. After you've completed a Pummel technique, you've
won your battle.
If you'd like to learn more about Blitz: [BLITZ-LINK]
If your life is a complete, miserable failure, try this:
http://members.shaw.ca/yoshi6400/HowToBlitz6400.txt
So there you have it! It's a sad and symbolic story, the rivalry of Sabin and
Vargas. As a son to Duncan, he was forced to pursue a career in martial arts,
even though Vargas resented it. When Master Duncan, after training (among
others? It's not clear) Sabin and Vargas for 10 years, decides he's too old to
uphold the title of Master any longer, he decides that Vargas should be his
successor.
However, somehow Vargas understood that Sabin would be his father's follow-up.
The cause of this misunderstanding is never explained, and much like how Judas
betrayed Jesus to his death, so did Vargas betray his father and took care of
him. After that he went searching for Sabin, who knew that it was Vargas who
was supposed to be the next Master. Believing that Edgar had something to do
with Sabin, he attacked them, which led to the stand-off between Sabin and
Vargas, from which Sabin emerges victorious.
Little can be said about your Mount Koltz experience with Sabin. You can meet
Vaporites here, which seem horrible misplaced in space. AuraBolt is the
strongest ST attack you have at this point; take advantage of it. Only after
you annihilated everything non-Tusker on screen though. If you have a Bandana
and/or Mithril Claw in your inventory, give it to Sabin.
Oh yeah, and there's a Tent in the chest, but you can't miss it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.9.1 Traveling to the Returners' Hideout
**********************************
Location: Returners Hideout (and surrounding lands)
Party members: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin
Opponents: Rhodox, Rhinotaur, GreaseMonk
Monster formations:
Rhodox, Rhodox, GreaseMonk (6/16)
GreaseMonk, GreaseMonk (5/16)
Rhinotaur, Rhodox, Rhodox (5/16)
After descending from Mount Koltz, you'll find yourself on the Overworld Map
again. The Returners' Hideout is to the north. I won't bother explaining the
battles and how Sabin fits in here; you were fully capable of handling them
without a 400 damage producing righteous killing machine, so I suspect you'll
do just fine. If you still don't have a Mithril Claw, try going for one here.
You can, if you want to, hike back to South Figaro with Sabin in your party,
which will get you a small cutscene with Duncan's Wife. It's not very
impressive and it's needlessly time-consuming, but if you're like me, you'll
wind up doing it anyway:
Duncan's Wife: SABIN, where's Vargas? Where's my husband?
SABIN (looking down): Master was... Vargas...
DUNCAN'S WIFE: I'll never understand Vargas... Fortunately, my husband taught
his most secret techniques to you.
SABIN: For 10 years you've treated me like a son. I am eternally grateful!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.9.2 The Returners' Hideout
**********************************
Location: Returners' Hideout
Party members: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin
Opponents: None
Once you enter the Hideout, you'll have to follow a Returner and enter the door
he points you to. Enter and watch the cutscene. There's a Greek mythology
reference here (a rather obvious one) and a symbolic position for Terra. How
neat. When the scene's over, you're by yourself again.
Hidden Items: You can find a Fenix Down in the chest in the room you woke up in.
Go out and head up. You'll find three chests here: a True Knight, another Fenix
Down, and an Air Lancet, a stronger weapon for Locke that's also Wind-elemental.
A hidden passage to the right of the three chests (walk around them) leads to a
White Cape. Be sure to grab it. In the bucket and pot, which are standing next
to each other, you can find an Antidote and a Tincture.
Furthermore, there's a Green Cherry in the pot in the conference room (the one
with the large table) and a Potion in the save point room.
If you examine the top-right part of the large conference table, near Sabin,
Terra'll crouch down and say: "Someone dropped a scrap of paper..." and you'll
get two options:
Toss it in the trash.
Leave it there.
If you toss it in the trash, nothing will happen. If you leave it there, and
Banon calls the Returners around the table for a meeting, he'll freak out, say:
"BANON: Who did this? Who left this piece of paper here?" and throw it away
himself. This makes Terra laugh (which, incidentally, probably is the only
time Terra laughs in a long, long time as far as I can recall). This whole
thing is supposed to be a Japanese joke that didn't port so well in the
transition. Nobody has ever been able to explain to me why exactly this is
supposed to be funny, so let's move on.
There's an Item Shop here:
Eyedrop 50
Tonic 50
Potion 300
Tincture 1500
Echo Screen 120
Sleeping Bag 500
Tent 1200
Sprint Shoes 1500
This is the first shop you can actually buy Potions at, so if you're low on
them, it might a good idea to stock up on some. A few Eyedrops are also nice
if you think those black sunglasses are just SO 1983.
Other stuff to do: You need to talk to your three companions before you can talk
to Banon. You find Locke immediately upon crawling out of bed, Sabin is in the
conference room and Edgar in the Save Point room where you met Banon earlier.
You can now exit the Returner Hideout and talk to Banon. Now, you'll have to
make a choice. If you immediately want to go for the offer, you'll get a
Gauntlet. If you decline, you can get a Genji Glove from the Returner walking
around in the storage room. If you decline three times, you'll get a Genji
Glove from from another Returner in the middle of some important conversation.
You'll want to pick the Genji Glove, trust me. Granted, the Gauntlet is more
of a rarity, but that doesn't mean it's also better (it isn't).
You could, with Terra alone, hike back to Mt. Koltz. However, there will be an
Imperial soldier guarding the entrance who'll chase you out on the World Map
if you talk to him: "Scum! You're Returners!"
If you declined Banon's offer three times, Terra will walk back into the Hideout
and mutter: "Hope... How can anyone put their hope in me?". Just then, a wounded
Returner stumbles in with Banon. Locke, Edgar and Sabin come rushing in, Locke
leaves for South Figaro and Terra, Edgar, Sabin and Banon will be going to
Narshe through the back door, the Lete River. A Returner quickly sneaks into the
conversation to give you a Genji Glove (truly one of the few acceptable reasons
to interrupt important dialogue) and off you go.
If you did anything else, there'll be a meeting. Banon gets angsty about
MagiTek power, failing to realize that on the two occasions MagiTek power
has been employed so far, it accomplished NOTHING. Banon kinda steers towards
the 'we need Magic too' topic when a wounded Returner stumbles in. Returners,
assemble! Locke goes off to stop Imperial Forces in South Figaro by his lonesome
and Terra, Banon, Edgar and Sabin will escape via the Lete River, raging river
of the wilderness.
After the sequence has played out, you've had Locke split (don't worry, his
equipment is in your inventory) and Banon added. The fact that you couldn't
name him should tip you off to his inferior status in your party. Although
he's a PC in battle, you cannot access his Equipment and Relic screen. His
equipment:
Punisher
-
Magus Hat
Silk Robe
Don't immediately go to the raft; go up and remember where you came out.
You'll need to find the hidden access to the Lete River later in the game. For
a fun little tidbit, go to the room Terra woke up in and stand under the chest.
Pride yourself in having seen one of the most elusive minor cutscenes in the
game. :)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.10.1 Escaping over the Lete River
**********************************
Location: Lete River
Party members: Terra, Edgar, Sabin, Banon
Opponents: Pterodon, Nautiloid, Exocite
The Empire invaded South Figaro (notice how Edgar didn't respond *whatsoever*
to that notion?) and is coming to the Hideout. We must run like the wind.
We'll escape using a raft and the flowing water that carries it. Fun!
Preparation: Everybody in the Back Row. You can strip the Star Pendants from
your characters and apply Atlas Armlet/RunningShoes to Edgar, Hyper Wrist and
True Knight to Sabin, and a White Cape to Terra. There's nothing remotely
useful you can put in Terra's second Relic Slot (you'll want to have those
Sprint Shoes in your inventory, and you won't be walking anyway).
Monster formations:
Okay, this is rather complicated to do right here, so I'll explain it a few
paragraphs down the line.
First, I want you to exit the hallway you find yourself in through the northern
entrance. Not only will you now know where you can find it from the Returners'
Hideout, you can also walk over to the room where Terra woke up in and find the
wounded Returner in bed. If you stand beneath the chest here, you'll catch the
poor sap having a nightmare:
Uwaaaa! The Empire's invading! (cue 'Troops march on')
(Troops march on fades out)
"What the...? Sleep talking?"
Welcome to Lete River. The first rule of Lete River is: you don't talk about
Lete River. The second rule of Lete River is: you do not talk about Lete River.
The third rule of Lete River is when Banon goes down, the game is over. If Banon
receives Wound status, you'll get a Game Over. Protecting Banon should be your
first priority. If you fail, you'll get a neat message saying, "Banon fell..."
Fun fact: if you level Terra up to level 68 before meeting Banon, you can set
Petrify with the Break spell she learned and make him invincible. Then again,
if you're leveled like that, you really needn't worry in the first place.
Exocite is your average physical attacker. He seems to have a specifically
strong, instinct-based hatred for the elderly, as after every six turns, he
will always target Banon for a single Battle attack. You should have turned
Exocite in little bits of Exocite nuggets by then, though.
Nautiloid is more annoying. Rather than doing damage with his Special, !Ink
sets Dark, which is a useless thing to do but still looks rather stupid on
your characters. To top that, his Defense is very strong (partly thanks to
an inherent Safe status), so the AutoCrossbow and Fight commands will do
little here. Also, after three turns he'll turn on Banon for a Battle attack,
so BEWARE.
Pterodon are the strongest enemies here. They can use Battle, execute !Wing to
set Seizure on the party the second turn and can actually use Fire Ball the
third one, which is an MT Fire-elemental attack and particularly dangerous.
Pterodon should be subdued by NoiseBlaster at all times and taken out first
if possible.
The strategy is simple. Keep the monsters at bay with NoiseBlaster, use Fire
and AuraBolt to deliver damage, and have Banon use Health to recover from any
damage you might have taken.
As soon as you decide to hop on board the raft, you'll be taken down the
Lete River. However, there are many ways to Rome, and many ways to travel the
Lete River. At two points in the trip, you'll be asked to pick a direction.
Each direction has an influence on the monsters you face.
Here's the run-down of your possibilities:
Monster Formation Pack # 1:
Nautiloid, Exocite (3/4)
Pterodon, Exocite, Exocite (1/4)
Monster Formation Pack # 2
Pterodon, Pterodon (3/4)
Nautiloid, Exocite, Pterodon (1/4)
Start:
(Invoke Battle with # 1)
You'll reach the Straight/Left/Right decision.
You'll want to pick Left for the shortest time of passing through and the
potentially least amount of battles. If you're going for the most battles, or
want to make sure you encounter a Pterodon, obviously pick
'Straight'.
Straight:
(Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
(Invoke Battle with # 2)
(Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
(Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
(Invoke Battle with # 1)
Left:
Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
(Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
(Invoke Battle with # 2 50 % of the time)
Right:
(Invoke Battle with # 1)
(Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
(Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
Regardless of your choice, you will end up at a small cave with a Save Point
in it.
(Invoke Battle with # 1)
You'll reach the Up/Left decision.
Up:
(Invoke Battle with # 2 50 % of the time)
(Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
(Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
You're back at the Up/Left decision.
Left:
(Invoke Battle with # 2 50 % of the time)
A cave with a mandatory Save Point. Last Save Point you can get the 'eerie glow'
speech at!
From second Save Point to exit:
(Invoke Battle with # 2 50 % of the time)
(Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
Ultros Battle if you haven't fought him before.
At the end of the Lete River ordeal, you'll encounter what looks like the
ultimate Nautiloid, a huge purple octopus who goes by the name of Ultros...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.10.2 The first fight with Ultros
**********************************
Ultros
Level: 13, HP: 3000, MP: 640
Weakness: Fire, Lightning
Special: !Ink: sets Dark, Battle x 1.5
Vulnerable to: Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Ink, Tentacle
"Uwee hee hee Game over! Don't tease the octopus, kids!"
Ultros is a tough bastard whose Tentacle attack can be a huge pain if you're
playing the game without over leveling. Everybody *must* be in the Back Row. If
you are a moron and played with any of your characters in the Front Row, fix
that.
He'll start by saying: "Uwee hee hee Game over! Don't tease the octopus,
kids!" and using a Battle attack.
Then, if 10 seconds have passed (and they will have), he'll say "Delicious
morsel! Let me get my bib!" and target Terra with an ST Tentacle attack. If
at his next turn another 10 seconds have passed, he'll say "Muscle-heads?
Hate 'em!" target Sabin with an ST Tentacle attack and use an MT Tentacle
attack on his next turn, followed by either Battle, !Ink or an ST Tentacle in
that very same turn; if not, he'll spread the happiness with an MT Tentacle/
follow up with Battle/!Ink/ST Tentacle, wait a turn, and THEN hate Sabin for
his body.
His next turn is devoted to a Battle attack and either a Battle, !Ink or ST or
MT Tentacle attack in the same turn.
Then, he'll say "Y you frighten me!" and use an ST Tentacle attack on Banon,
from where he'll start at his first MT Tentacle-Battle/!Ink/ST Tentacle turn
again.
Also, every time he is targeted by a Fire-elemental attack, which at this
stage is either a Fire spell from Terra or Sabin's Fire Dance Blitz, he will
say "Yaaooouch! Seafood soup!" and counter with an !Ink attack.
...yeah, it's a talkative guy.
Beating Ultros down is relatively simple if you pay close attention to his
AI script. Have at the very least Terra and Banon in the Back Row using their
Def. skill to reduce the power of Tentacle when you know they'll be targeted
by it. Have Banon use Health at all times, as his Fight is nothing to consider
seriously (even though he possesses a snazzy weapon that you won't get on other
characters for a long, long time from now).
For damage output, have Terra use her Fire spells, Edgar fire off arrows with
the AutoCrossbow, and Sabin use AuraBolt. IF he knows Fire Dance at this point,
it's stronger than AuraBolt, but if you're highly leveled like that, you
probably don't need to worry about anything.
If you defeat him, he'll go "Th that's all, friends!" and escape underwater.
Sabin won't like this and he'll go after him; sadly, Sabin does not consider
he's more of a 'land-based' guy and Ultros appears to sane people as a generally
aqua-themed creature. In other words: Sabin is dead in the water. Pun!
P.S.: On Ultros being 'obviously' aqua-themed, I suppose several people now
think that Lovecraft's Cthulhu is entirely capable of surviving on land. But
as it is generally held into account that whoever sees Cthulhu will turn mad
within an instant, it still can be said that no SANE man will assume a
squid-like creature to be land-based, and my statement still stands.
He'll rise and feed upon your brain and soul and is more powerful than anything
you could begin to comprehend.
Cthulhu will rise.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.11.1 Choosing a scenario
**********************************
Location: ???
Party members: Mog
Opponents: None
There were initial plans for a normal menu screen where you could select your
scenario from, but I guess they figured this would be more fun. They were right.
Unlike the previous Mog, you can't access this guy's equipment or relics, so
don't bother. It's here that you'll need to decide what scenario to do first.
Here's a quick list what you can gain from each scenario:
Terra/Edgar/Banon: a Rune Edge, and the ability to de-equip, most likely
freeing an Atlas Armlet and RunningShoes.
Locke: Iron Helmets, a Ribbon, one pair of Earrings, a Thunder Rod (if you
left the Fenix Down alone when you passed through the Cave of Figaro with Edgar,
Locke, and Terra). Ends with a boss fight, so it's dangerous to de-equip at the
end.
Sabin: a MithrilGlove, a Barrier Ring, Green Berets, a set of Earrings, a Sniper
Sight, a Tintinabar and the ability to buy new equipment, including Magus Hats,
Iron Armor, Silk Robes, and Bandanas. Ability to de-equip at the end.
Now, I would advise you take the scenarios in the following order:
Terra --> Sabin --> Locke
Terra's scenario is a cinch where no extra items are needed by a long shot.
However, it does contain some strong Relics you can't free until you've played
through it. Therefore, Terra's scenario first. Now, Locke's scenario could use
Sabin's items and vice versa...but the fact that Locke's scenario is probably
the more difficult of the two, and you can't properly de-equip at the end of
Locke's scenario, made me advise Locke's scenario last.
On to the three scenarios: I'll handle them in the same order I advise you to
take them in.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.12.1 Scenario Terra/Edgar/Banon: Lete River continued
**********************************
Location: Lete River
Party members: Terra, Edgar, Banon
Opponents: Pterodon, Nautiloid, Exocite
Preparation: Ain't nothing you can do, lil' missy.
Monster Formation Pack # 1:
Nautiloid, Exocite (3/4)
Pterodon, Exocite, Exocite (1/4)
Monster Formation Pack # 2
Pterodon, Pterodon (3/4)
Nautiloid, Exocite, Pterodon (1/4)
(Invoke Battle with # 2 50 % of the time)
(Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
(Invoke Battle with # 1 50 % of the time)
With Sabin gone, battles will take a little longer. Not to worry, though. Keep
the Pterodon Muddled, take Nautiloid with an ST Fire spell, and Exocite with
the AutoCrossbow. Have Banon on stand-by. You should be used to these guys
by now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.12.2 Scenario Terra/Edgar/Banon: Traveling to Narshe
**********************************
Location: Overworld Map
Party members: Terra, Edgar, Banon
Opponents: Leafer, Dark Wind
You rode that Lete River (more commonly known as 1337 River by flourishing
people around the world...by which I mean flowers of ACNE) like a professional.
You're right in front of Narshe; this should be a cinch.
Preparation: Keepin' it in the Back Row there? I promise this is going to
change. If you did any of the other scenarios before this one, upgrade your
equipment, give Terra one or two sets of Earrings, and have Edgar stick to
Atlas Armlet/RunningShoes.
Monster formations:
Grasslands:
Leafer (10/16)
Leafer, Leafer, Dark Wind (6/16)
Forest:
Leafer, Leafer, Dark Wind (10/16)
Leafer, Leafer, Dark Wind, Dark Wind (6/16)
Desert:
Sand Ray, Sand Ray (5/16)
Areneid, Areneid, Areneid (5/16)
Sand Ray, Areneid, Areneid (5/16)
Sand Ray, Areneid, Areneid, Areneid (1/16)
You can just slaughter these guys left and right however you please; MT Fire
spell or AutoCrossbow, your pick.
For some extra fun, you can take Banon to the hidden Chocobo Stable south of
Figaro Desert. He's not a permanent character and was never given a 'rider'
sprite, but it is called when you put him as the lead character and order a
ride. Garbage with maximum entertainment (I'll admit there's a possibility
that Garbage - the Band does make for an ever better evening, but I've never
actually heard anything by them to my knowledge).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.12.3 Scenario Terra/Edgar/Banon: Narshe
**********************************
Location: Narshe
Party members: Terra, Edgar, Banon
Opponents: Were-Rat, Vaporite, Repo Man, Dark Side, Spectre, Rinn, 1st Class,
Wild Rat.
Now, that was ridiculously easy; I told you this scenario was nothing to get
your underwear in a twist about. After some Narshe Guards show you disrespect
(remember to murderalize them later for that), it's up to you to find an
alternative entrance. Luckily, you remember that secret entrance from the
start of the game. No, yes you do. The one to the left?
Preparation: You should've done that on the Overworld Map. Life does *not* start
and stop at your convenience. Games do, though, so you can do it anyway.
Enter the cave and walk through it. You'll recognize it as being the one Locke
carried the unconscious Terra through.
Monster formations:
Were-Rat, Were-Rat, Were-Rat (10/16)
Were-Rat, Repo Man (6/16)
You'll walk over a snowy slope. You can see Narshe already to the right of
you, but you still can't reach it. The next cave contains new enemies:
Monster formations:
Wild Rat, 1st Class, 1st Class, Wild Rat, Wild Rat (6/16)
1st Class, 1st Class, 1st Class (5/16)
1st Class, Wild Rat (5/16)
Both 1st Class and Wild Rat monsters attack physically only, so there's little
point in explaining what it is that they do. 1st Classes are the highest-ranking
maintenance troops in the Empire. What the hell are all the Imperial guys
doing in places where there's nothing for them to maintain?
Pass through it. On the other side, you'll encounter the Dreaded Security Check
Point. From the Japanese game, you could have learned this is a testing place
for Narshe Guards. Who made it? Who creates something like this *period*, let
alone in a desolate cave like this, punishing the weakest fighters in the game
to follow its path with legions of undead monstrosities? Drunken wizards? Frat
boys who find little pieces of Magicite and, being too poor to buy the pretty
girls a drink, try to impress by feats of magic?
So here's the deal. Follow the path of the sparkle thingy. Abandon knowledge
of the will o' the wisp and DO follow this one. If not, nine revolving lights
will quickly surround you. If you manage to tag the yellow one, you'll be given
a chance to get back on track. If not, you will have to fight a battle:
Dark Side, Dark Side (3/4)
Dark Side, Spectre, Rinn, Rinn, Rinn (1/4)
Suffice to say, if you mess up here, you'll have to fight a battle. Now, I was
assuming that you acted on mistake and you were incapable of avoiding this
bold act. However, it should be noted that you'll probably want to fight this
illuminating magical sphere, as this is the only place where you'll find the
nefarious Dark Side enemy.
Lo and behold, as there is a small chance (25 %) you will actually encounter the
interesting Spectre and Rinn. There's no reason you want to meet them and
killing them is very easy, but you'll make them appear on the Veldt so you don't
end up with a needlessly incomplete Rage list. Spectre has a rare Ice Rod for
stealing, but you sadly lack Locke at the moment.
Intruding further into the dark, cold mines will allow you to come across
the location where the Moogles live.
Resuming your quest will get you past the chest in this room; reach it and
open it to obtain the Rune Edge*. It's is stronger then your current blade.
Unfortunately, it consumes 12 to 18 MP to inflict a critical hit every time, so
grab onto your few MP and stick with the RegalCutlass, as the Rune Edge is
horribly cost-inefficient at this stage of the game.
* Actually, it would make more sense to just leave it here. Despite the fact
that the Rune Edge allows Terra or Celes to do more damage than she could do
without it, you probably will never use it. Much later, the treasure here will
change into a Ribbon, which is much better at that time than the Rune Edge is
now.
Monster formations:
Repo Man, Vaporite (6/16)
Vaporite, Vaporite (5/16)
Were-Rat, Were-Rat (5/16)
When you walk out of the Moogle Den, you're pretty much done. Keep ignoring
any closed chests you might encounter; their contents haven't changed yet.
When you're out of the cave, you can safely de-equip everything. That just was
Scenario # 1... hope you liked it.
The Old Man has been given a name! His name is Arvis. Nothing much has changed
in Narshe; they're still neutral even though the Empire attacked them, they
haven't really done anything with the Esper, and are a generally indecisive
bunch.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.13.1 Scenario Sabin: Meeting Shadow and finding the Imperial Camp
**********************************
Location: Overworld Map
Party members: Sabin, Shadow
Opponents: Stray Cat, Beakor, CrassHoppr, Rhobite
So, Sabin was thrown off the raft and separated from his 5-minute friends.
Getting back to Narshe is going to be tedious, as you have no idea which way
to go. Your only hope is to find somebody who can point out the way...
Preparation: Keep Sabin in the Back Row. White Cape and a Star Pendant.
Even if you do have Earrings, AuraBolt kills everything in one shot anyway, so
a power boost isn't needed. Beakor's Duster can Poison you, so that's why I
advise a Star Pendant. Clever, no?
Monster formations:
Grass:
Beakor (6/16)
Rhobite, Rhobite, Rhobite (5/16)
Beakor, Rhobite, Rhobite (5/16)
Forest:
CrassHoppr, CrassHoppr, Stray Cat, Stray Cat (5/16)
Rhobite, Rhobite, Rhobite, Rhobite, Rhobite (5/16)
Beakor, Beakor, Stray Cat (5/16)
Beakor, Stray Cat, CrassHoppr, CrassHoppr (1/16)
You start near a little house. Walk over to it. If you couldn't figure that
out by yourself, I advise you to equip a Gun Relic in your mouth and use Pull
The Trigger for offense.
Here, there are three main points of interest. The guy you met in South Figaro
is here, there's a green soldier-type merchant on a chocobo who comes in and
leaves pretty quickly, and there's a house to go in.
First, go over to the merchant. He has a nice set of items for you:
Tonic 50
Fenix Down 500
Tent 1200
Plumed Hat 250
Shuriken 30
Inviz Edge 200
Shadow Edge 400
Sprint Shoes 1500
I suggest you buy 99 Shurikens from him. 2970 GP is not that much, and it'll
stop any worrying about the limit of Shadow's attacks for a good while. Also,
buy 5 Inviz Edges and 5 Shadow Edges. You probably won't ever need any more.
Now, go over to Shadow (you can talk to his dog from various angles and watch
Sabin hide behind several objects, that always gets a kick out of me: "Whoa...
The dog just can't stand strangers."), chat with him, and accept him in your
party.
I guess I should note it's not required as such; you can perfectly well finish
the scenario without him. It's just that there's no reason whatsoever to ignore
him, as not only is he a great asset to your team at this stage, he also comes
with some Ninja Gear on him, which is great armor for now. Your additions to his
equipment should be a Heavy Shld and a Plumed Hat (you can buy the latter from
the merchant if you have none to spare). Like I mentioned in the preparations,
you'll want an Atlas Armlet and a filler Relic on him, such as the Hyper Wrist.
Stick him in the Back Row, as the very purpose of throwing something is ignoring
the distance between you and the target.
A little note on his Imperial weapon: some have seen this as a hint that Shadow
is originally from the Southern continent, possible from Vector. 'Imperial'
was never the weapon's name in the Japanese game; there it was called the
Kunai, which should make anime otaku smile with recognition. It's *the* generic
ninja weapon.
Since this is the moment Shadow is officially a party member, it'd be nice to
know what it is that he does in battle. Learn it: [THROW-LINK]
Entering the house will be difficult. You'll need to locate the door. It's
hidden somewhere on the front side of the house itself, so look carefully.
Inside the house, you can touch the stove for a neat little scene about how
crazy this guy in fact is, but there's nothing remotely useful for you to do
here otherwise. Make sure you talk to the Crazy Old Man in question several
times, as his lines change.
There are moments in the game Shadow has the annoying tendency to have a chance
of running off after every battle. I'll explain that when that chance actually
presents itself. For now, Shadow is your loyal sidekick. In other words, Shadow
will NOT run out on you right now.
On the Overworld Map, all violence directed at you is physical. In the first
battle you fight with Shadow, have him Throw an Inviz Edge. This makes him
invulnerable for the remaining journey on the Overworld Map. Throw Shurikens
and AuraBolts at your heart's delight; you'll find there's little strategy in
this scenario as most of your fights consist of taking hits and returning
ST one-hit KO's.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.13.2 Scenario Sabin: Imperial Camp and Doma
**********************************
Location: Imperial Camp, Doma Castle
Party members: Sabin, Shadow, Cyan
Opponents: Soldier, Doberman, M-TekArmor, Leader
It seems there is an Imperial obstruction in the way. This is the Imperial
Camp Shadow talked about, the one that will have to overcome the defenses of
Doma at some point in the near future. We'll have to try to sneak past it.
Preparation: Keep Sabin in the Back Row, as well as Shadow if you brought him.
As soon as you enter the Imperial Camp, a cutscene will ensue. It becomes
apparent that general Leo is leading the attack on Doma, and that he's pretty
popular with the soldiers. Kefka, on the other hand, is expected to drive Leo
out of the mission, becoming a general himself, a thought that inspires fear in
the soldiers. Also, Doma is being attacked. Right now.
The scene switches to Doma, where chances of overcoming the attack are slim.
The retainer however, Cyan Garamonde, has a daring plan: rush out of the castle
to kill the leading officer; this might send the soldiers scurrying off for the
time being.
After the scene, you are in control of Cyan. Equip Cyan with fancy new
equipment you can offer him (Heavy Shld, Plumed Hat or even an Iron Helmet
if you went through some pains in Locke's scenario already).
I suggest you take a moment to check up on the character that is Cyan:
[SWDTECH-LINK]
Outside, eight Imperial soldiers are banging their heads against the walls of
Doma in a sophisticated attempt to infiltrate it. The leading officer does
nothing. You can pick a fight with any of the wandering Imperial soldiers (which
will trigger a battle with two Soldiers), but it's of little use, as you'll be
forced to fight Soldiers in the near future anyway. I suggest you simply go
for the leader.
Leader
Level: 12, HP: 456, MP: 20
Win: Fenix Down (rare), Black Belt (common)
Status: Safe
Special: !Axe: Attack * 1.5
Attacks: Battle, !Axe
The leader, surprisingly called 'Leader', will sometimes use !Axe in between
his normal physicals. He has a 33 % of countering any damage with !Axe, and
that wraps it up for Leader.
Cyan should be in the Back Row, so Leader's attacks shouldn't really hurt him.
Cyan's # 1 SwdTech skill, Dispatch, will deal sufficient damage to easily kill
Leader before Leader can come anywhere near killing Cyan. SwdTech skill # 2,
Retort, will make sure that the Leader is killed in one hit. SwdTech skill
# 3 works as well, although it takes needlessly long.
Make sure you end up with a Black Belt rather than a Fenix Down; the Black Belt
is a nice Relic at this point of the game, and you can't get another one for
quite some time.
When you're done playing around with petty officers, and the Imperial Soldiers,
despite their overwhelming number, have decided it would be best to flee, the
scene switches back to Sabin and Shadow.
Proceed to explore the Imperial Camp. To the left is an Imperial soldier
marching around; engaging him will get you a Soldier, Soldier, M-TekArmor
battle. This walking soldier will re-spawn every time you leave and enter the
Imperial Camp, by the way.
To the left are a seemingly passive guard dog and a chest in the large military
tent. You'll be given three options when examining the chest:
Urrgh! The top won't open. Right...
(Kick it)
(Hit it)
(Leave it)
- If you Kick it, the guard dog outside will be alarmed and will attack you,
triggering an attack:
Monster formations:
Doberman, Doberman, Doberman (3/4)
Doberman, Doberman (1/4)
They're the only Dobermans you'll ever see in the game, so if you're still
cruising for the perfect Rage list, this is the option you'll want. After
Kicking it, the chest is open. It contains a Star Pendant.
- If you Hit it, you'll fool an Imperial soldier by pretending to be a
NEKO NEKO KAWAII. I meant a cat. After the soldier has disappeared, you'll be
able to open the chest, which contains a Star Pendant.
- If you Leave it, nothing will happen, unlike, say, Leaving your wife.
If you're done in this part of the Imperial Camp and are ready to continue,
you'll come across a cutscene in which general Leo is called home to Vector by
Emperor Gestahl, leaving Kefka in charge.
You can get up and stretch you muscles for two steps before Leo and Kefka meet
before your eyes. Kefka and Leo do NOT get along. Leo hasn't disappeared from
your sight for a second when Kefka orders the poisoning of Doma's water supply,
which not only goes against the laws of honor and war, but will take out several
Imperial prisoners within the walls of Doma castle. Even given your current
position, you cannot allow this to happen.
You'll be fighting a character Kefka, who runs after taking one hit. He'll
simply smack you over the head with his Morning Star if you let him, so getting
your ass kicked isn't even terribly interesting in this case.
Don't immediately follow him all the way; there are important things to be done:
- In a tent, there are two chests. Ignore them for now, walk behind this tent.
Automatically, you'll jump off a ledge in walk into another Tent. Here, you'll
find a Barrier Ring; swap it with Sabin's Star Pendant. He can enjoy the slight
AuraBolt damage increase. Now, walk back into the tent with two chests.
- The right one contains a MithrilGlove, which you can ignore for the rest of
your life.
- The left one contains one of NASA's old-time prides: the first active
communications satellite, the first satellite designed to transmit telephone
and high-speed data communications, as well as the first privately owned
satellite. Joe Meek wrote a song about it. In short: the Telstar. If you
already completed Locke's scenario, give the Ribbon to Sabin at this point.
If not, give him the Genji Glove and move him to the *gasp* Front Row.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.13.3 Scenario Sabin: Telstar and Imperial Camp continued
**********************************
Location: Imperial Camp, Doma Castle
Party members: Sabin, Shadow, Cyan
Opponents: Soldier, Templar, M-TekArmor, Telstar, Grunt, Cadet
Telstar
Level: 14, HP: 1800, MP: 250
Steal: X-Potion (rare), Win: Green Beret (rare), Green Beret (common)
Weakness: Lightning, Water
Status: Float
Special: !SonicBlast: sets Muddled
Vulnerable to: Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !SonicBlast, Dischord, Schiller, Megazerk, Tek Laser, Missile
Telstar will normally use Battle, !SonicBlast, Schiller, Tek Laser, and Missile
to make your life harder than it already is. Every ninth turn it takes, Telstar
will use Dischord to halve a character's level.
After 25 seconds of fighting, Telstar will call two Soldiers to aid him. 55
seconds later, he'll call in three Soldiers to help him (if there are Soldiers
from the previous calling still standing, he'll fill the number to 3), and 120
seconds later, he'll call four Soldiers (once again, he fills the screen up
to four Soldiers anyway).
Finally, Telstar will counter any Blitz attack with Megazerk, making sure that
Sabin will be Blitz-less in this battle, like an animal.
Shadow should be Throwing Shurikens while Sabin can keep on pumping out
AuraBolts. If you didn't have a Ribbon, he will be Berserked by Telstar's
Blitz-counter, Megazerk. It should be noted that Shadow will, for the first
time, be vulnerable to attacks here as there's a large chance at least one of
Telstar's magical attacks will be striking Shadow, removing the Clear status.
After the fight, you win a Green Beret. Equip it on Sabin and swap his White
Cape with the MithrilGlove (don't worry, it'll soon fade into the non-existence
it was created for). Return Sabin to his Back Row AuraBolt self and move on.
Following Kefka further will get you into another battle with character Kefka.
Have Shadow re-apply his Clear status if you lost it versus Telstar.
After talking to Kefka for the third time, he'll run off and sends Soldier,
Soldier, Templar, Templar at you. If Shadow is still visible, take care of that
problem. Have Sabin Defend and keep his own HP up, while Shadow takes out the
enemies one by one (Templars first). There's a large chance they will use
strong physical counters on you, and Shadow can avoid all of them.
After Kefka breaks the universal honor code and Cyan learns that everything he
loves is subject to Poison, you gain control of the good knight. Equip the
RunningShoes on him and another nice filler Relic. You don't really have a
choice but to go downstairs and watch Cyan rush into the royal chamber. The King
of Doma (whose name is King Doma; I like to think his first names are 'King of')
is dying. Then, he dies.
Do not go into the door to the right when you leave the royal chamber. It
contains graphic adultery, you hear? Instead, go on do the bottom of the screen
and see two doors there. Pick the right one and enter. There's a Remedy in a
pot here. Talk to the Doma Sentry you see in this room, and try to explore the
available door next to him. It seems the statement about 'survivors' was too
hopeful. When you're done, put Cyan in the Front Row and enter the room I
previously forbid you to enter.
You regain control of Sabin and Shadow once the scene is done. You can't exit
left, as there's poison there (although you'll learn in a little while
there's good distance between the Imperial Camp and Doma Castle, plot device
laughs in the face of logic). No choice but to help Cyan! For some extra fun,
try talking to Cyan when between the two attacking Imperial soldiers:
CYAN: Eeoooa! Be you friend or enemy?!
SABIN: Ouuuch! ...didn't MEAN to step in there...
Too bad you don't lose HP there; that would amuse my bitter, bitter self.
Cyan will fight automatically in this battle, having a 66 % of using Fight and
33 % shot at Dispatch. Sabin and Shadow can stick to their trusted ST power-
blows, and you'll win the day without breaking a sweat in the battle formations
you have to go through:
Grunt, Grunt, Grunt (3/4) / Grunt, Grunt, Grunt, Grunt (1/4)
Grunt, Grunt, Grunt (3/4) / Grunt, Grunt, Grunt, Grunt (1/4)
Cadet, Grunt, Grunt
After all is said and done, you get to run around in MagiTek Armor again! How
sweet it is! Heal any damage done to Sabin and Cyan with Heal Force (obviously
Shadow wasn't touched at all; he's a non-generic ninja). Use Heal Force anyway,
as his invisibility can, believe it or not, become a negative factor in the
near future. Put Cyan back in the Back Row and blast your way through any
opposition with whatever beam you can use. Everything kills everything, to be
blunt. The helpless opposition:
M-TekArmor
Soldier, Soldier, M-TekArmor
M-TekArmor, M-TekArmor
When you're done, leave. This is, by the way, a good strategy for a large
portion of your life, although it doesn't seem to work as effectively after
you've taken what you want from girls.
Finally! You've managed to sneak through an Imperial Camp without the loss of
your life. Of course, you didn't so much 'sneak through' as simply murdered
everybody you saw, which was half of the Camp's population. Still, you live.
That's good.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.14.1 Scenario Sabin: Traveling to the Phantom Forest
**********************************
Location: Overworld Map
Party members: Sabin, Shadow, Cyan
Opponents: Stray Cat, Beakor, CrassHoppr, Rhobite
Having broken out like a bad case of acne, your only hope to reach Narshe is
to travel through a dark forest to the east of Doma Castle.
Preparation: Save, darn you! Now that Sabin is no longer alone and scared, there
is little direct reason for Shadow to linger. That means that starting from your
escape from the Imperial Camp, he may randomly decide to leave you after every
battle. It's just a 1/16 chance though (which, by the way, is in NO way
influenced by the order you performed the scenarios in, there are many myths
and misconceptions about that). I can say that in a short while, there will be
a situation in which Shadow will no longer be able to escape, but you'll need to
make it there with Shadow at your side, preferably. This can be reached by:
a) Saving beforehand and relying on your luck
b) Killing Shadow until the party reaches said destination.
c) Running from every battle
If you're playing the game on an emulator, I suggest the first (you can always
Quick Save after every battle and Quick Load when Shadow decides it's time to
hit the road). If you're playing on a console (especially PSX), I advise you to
simply kill Shadow for the time being. Resetting is a bore. Just have him sneak
a Shuriken down his own throat and that should be the end of Shadow for now.
Darn, I promised this section would grow interesting, right? As far as Relics
go, I advise a Genji Glove/Black Belt and Front Row Sabin and a Back Row Cyan
with Barrier Ring and MithrilGlove. Shadow can have those RunningShoes and
Atlas Armlet.
Monster formations:
Grass north of Imperial Camp:
Beakor, Beakor (6/16)
Rhobite, Rhobite, Rhobite (5/16)
Beakor, Rhobite, Rhobite (5/16)
Grass south and west of Imperial Camp:
CrassHoppr, CrassHoppr, CrassHoppr (6/16)
Stray Cat, Stray Cat, Stray Cat (5/16)
Beakor, Stray Cat, CrassHoppr, CrassHoppr (5/16)
Forest:
CrassHoppr, CrassHoppr, Stray Cat, Stray Cat (5/16)
Rhobite, Rhobite, Rhobite, Rhobite, Rhobite (5/16)
Beakor, Beakor, Stray Cat (5/16)
Beakor, Stray Cat, CrassHoppr, CrassHoppr (1/16)
Desert:
Sand Ray, Sand Ray (5/16)
Areneid, Areneid, Areneid (5/16)
Sand Ray, Areneid, Areneid (5/16)
Sand Ray, Areneid, Areneid, Areneid (1/16)
You know how to handle the wildlife here. You can travel to Doma Castle, but
you'll find it occupied by Imperial troops so you cannot enter. Just travel
to the forest to the southeast.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.14.2 Scenario Sabin: The Phantom Forest
**********************************
Location: Phantom Forest
Party members: Sabin, Shadow, Cyan
Opponents: Ghost, Poplium
Welcome to Phantom Forest, called the Forest of Illusion in the Japanese game.
After entering the forest, something quickly seems...off. Eyes from the darkness
leering at you. Sounds from places you can't keep your eye on. You being on
fire.
Preparation: Shadow's still a possible run-away, so keep him down if that's
your strategy.
Monster formations:
First and second screen:
Ghost (10/16)
Ghost, Poplium, Poplium (6/16)
Third screen and fourth screen:
Ghost, Ghost, Poplium, Poplium, Poplium (10/16)
Ghost, Ghost, Ghost (5/16)
Ghost (1/16)
Ghosts are unfriendly, generally unpleasant, Undead, and they hate you. Every
first turn will be a Fire spell or nothing, but the second turn can contain
Battle, !Pause (which sets Stop) and Fire Wall, a very strong ST Fire-elemental
attack that will probably shave off 150 HP.
Poplium are waiting to be relieved from this unlife they're doomed to suffer
through. They attack physically and if they're feeling particularly grumpy they
might even use !Cling to slow you down.
This is, strategy-wise, a very boring and straightforward part of the game.
Sabin, Cyan, and Shadow all have ST attacks that can take out all enemies in
one hit. Keep up with Dispatch, Shuriken, and AuraBolt. Use Potions when you are
hit with an unlucky Fire Wall or when your HP is running low due to other
causes.
You will find a Recovery Spring you will automatically heal yourself in. Make
sure to kill Shadow again if you're a console player. Think: "Take this,
nemesis! A Shuriken to the face! Oh, wait. Fitting as it is for my dark,
brooding character, I myself am my nemesis. My physical agony is without
boundaries."
Always stick to the next exit on the top of the screen; other exits will lead
you in circles. Laugh at their attempts to trick you.
Eventually, you'll reach a train. The train was destroyed in the recent war
between Doma and the Empire, and Sabin will talk about survivors and taking
looks. Cyan will freak, but we're used to that by now and pay little attention
to him as we climb aboard.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.15.1 The Phantom Train
**********************************
Location: Phantom Train
Party members: Sabin, Shadow, Cyan
Opponents: Hazer, Whisper, Over-Mind, Bomb, Ghost, StillGoing, GhostTrain,
Ziegfried*, Specter
* Is called Siegfried in the SNES release, but is more commonly known as
Ziegfried on the forums for various reasons, and the Anthology release calls
him Ziegfried as well. Jay for reality imitating art imitating reality, I guess.
Preparation: You can revive Shadow now as, trapped on the Phantom Train as
he is, he won't run away anymore. You'll want to keep hold of your high-tech
reviving utilities, as a Save Point is nearby.
Monster formations:
(Outside portions of the entire Phantom Train):
Whisper, Whisper, Hazer (5/16)
Bomb (5/16)
Whisper, Whisper, Whisper, Whisper (5/16)
Bomb, Bomb, Bomb (1/16)
Behold, the Phantom Train! This is the first area where we'll fight multiple
monsters that regularly use spells; learn to love it.
The Phantom Train is a luxury, a transportation device unlike any other. Pulled
by a locomotive, the Train features a Save Point, two train wagons for the rich,
a restaurant wagon, and five normal wagons with the Impresario's working area
in the far back. This is it:
( LOCOMOTIVE )
( SAVE POINT CAR )
( SPECTER CAR, POSH )
(ZIEGFRIED CAR, POSH)
( RESTAURANT CAR )
( MAGIC SWITCH CAR )
( LEAP OVER CAR )
( NO ESCAPE CAR )
(HUMEROUS TUMBLE CAR)
( STARTING CAR )
( IMPRESARIO CAR )
Whispers are emissaries from a magical world. They use Battle, as is the wont
of monsters, and Demi, a spell that halves your amount of current HP. It's
pretty annoying. This is also the first monster you'll see with inherent
Seizure status. The undead were supposed to be healed by this status, so this
was supposed to be a recovering opponent. Instead, due to a bug, Whispers just
waste away in their own misery.
StillGoing are warrior zombies possessed by an evil spirit. Nice. They attack
physically and with !Slip Touch, which sets Seizure. They're inherently boring
and mediocre.
Hazer monsters are NOT undead. This is a surprising feat for a creature on
the Phantom Train, and I don't really know why this is. They cast Drain to
little avail, as you'll be doing one-hit KO's against them, but it's a nice try.
Also, !Invizap damages.
Over-Minds are undead skeletons born from a coalescence of hatred. Also, they're
most rude. Every second turn they take can make them use Dread, an attack that
sets Petrify on a single target. If they're alone they won't ever use Dread,
but they can use !Wild Touch, which sets Muddled and is potentially even more
dangerous than Dread.
Bombs are mostly found when you're walking outside, and they have nothing to
do with the Phantom Train and its destination. If they attack at all, they
use Blaze, a strong Fire-elemental attack they can either aim at a single
character or at the entire party. Always go for Bombs first, but never allow
yourself to hit them with a non-fatal attack as they could use Exploder,
which harms you as much as the Bomb in question has for current HP. Luckily,
as Exploder is all about self-destruction, the Bomb will be dead.
Even though a great variety of attacks will be sent your way, there's very
little you can do about them. Continue to use your powerful ST attacks, and
have Shadow target Bombs and then Whispers before anything else, as their Blaze
and/or Demi attacks are the biggest threats you face.
It's feasible that your Sabin has learned Fire Dance by now.
While you must've leveled him to level 15 for Fire Dance to be an option,
and while level 15 is over leveled at this point, it's not entirely dramatically
high. Bombs absorb Fire/Fire Dance, so refrain from using it when facing them.
AuraBolt is more powerful on a single target, but both feed off the weaknesses
that seems inherent to all undead enemies: Fire and Pearl. You'll learn to use
Fire Dance, I'm sure. Give Shadow the RunningShoes, as his ST attacks will be
the most important ones. MithrilGlove/Atlas Armlet Cyan in the Front Row,
AuraBolt Sabin in the Back Row with a White Cape and Barrier Ring.
Once you decide to board the train, there's no going back. The door will close
behind you and the train will start moving. Examine the door, and Cyan will
explain about the Phantom Train, which brings the deceased to the afterlife.
Business must be small, with all them Fenix Downs.
Monster formations:
Bomb (10/16)
Bomb, Bomb, Bomb (6/16)
When you're done gasping and shaking in fear, head to the right. You'll walk
out of the train car and, if you keep that button down, into a new one. You'll
see a ghost here. Talk to him and have him join your party! It's only temporary,
but I'll discuss the White Robed a bit:
The ghost joins on a level quite similar to yours, and can use Fight, Possess,
and Item. Since he has no weapons, his Fight is horribly weak. Possess is a
quirky command that is only seen here; Possess will remove both the caster and
the target from the battle. The caster is gone from the party after the battle
ends. This command has a 3 out of 8 chance of succeeding against every target,
regardless of Death Protection, Evade, or Magic Block. The ghost comes equipped
with NO equipment, and only one Relic: the Relic Ring. This turns the wearer
into an Undead creature, which is exactly the story behind the temporary
character. This means you will *hurt* the poor bastard with Tonics and Potions
and kill it instantly with Fenix Downs. If it has fallen in battle, you cannot
revive him (the Fenix Down will miss). Outside of battle, however, you can heal
with restorative items. If a temporary ghost character dies, he will be removed
from the party.
If you haven't brought Shadow, you can recruit two Ghost characters. You'll
always obtain the stronger one first, and should you have left Shadow behind or
allowed him to run off, a weaker one will come second.
Enter the cabin. If you look at the switch, you'll see a cutscene in which
Cyan's fear or machinery is once again displayed in a humorous manner.
If you examine the book, you'll see some dialogue. If you talk to the
Impresario (also: why the hell is this guy called 'Impresario'?), you can
ask some questions. In the top-left corner of the car, there's a hidden Tent
just waiting for you to be discovered.
If you leave again, you'll see another ghost. If Shadow left you/if you haven't
bothered with him at all, you can have this guy join you too, although this
second ghost is always significantly more useless.
Monster formations:
Whisper, Hazer, Hazer, Hazer (6/16)
Whisper (5/16)
StillGoing, StillGoing, StillGoing (5/16)
Okay, to the left we go! This is where the Locomotive is located, which we need
to shut down. In the next train car, you see all sorts of ghosts. Some will
attack you, some will want to join you, and some will want to sell you items.
You shouldn't really benefit from the items, but if you feel you could use extra
from the following, be my guest to search them out:
Tonic 50
Potion 300
Antidote 50
Green Cherry 150
Fenix Down 500
Sleeping Bag 500
Shuriken 30
Ghosts that attack you are either:
Ghost (3/4)
Ghost, Ghost, Ghost (1/4)
So don't worry about that.
When you exit the train car to the left, you can use a ladder to climb up the
car you just abandoned and come across an air vent you fall through should you
stand on it. How rad! How entirely useless!
Going into the next train car will be a suicidal plan, as it turns out. Just
seconds after you entered, a ghost will appear from behind and block your path
back. There are no other exits. It's time to fight the bugger! Like all other
ghosts that have attacked you when you talked to them, this is either a single
Ghost or a triple Ghost formation.
When outside, you will be cornered by a mob of angry undeads. And they're not
doing the moonwalk either! Time to escape. The roof, however, fits the role of
upper surface completely and provides no means of exit. Then, Sabin gets an
idea, which apparently requires Cyan to 'come'. Who knows what those years of
training have been good for? You escape, Shadow and the ghost carefully secured
in your back pocket. Or something.
Monster formations:
Whisper, Hazer, Hazer, Hazer (6/16)
Over-Mind, Over-Mind (5/16)
Over-Mind, StillGoing, StillGoing (5/16)
The ghosts pursue! Instead of making this a kick-ass pursuit scene, you can
simply flick a switch to detach the rear train cars. Do so. Remember, this has
no consequences for the otherwise innocent, as the only thing you do is trap
dozens of souls in the mortal realms, denying them passage to the afterlife,
including, but not limited to, those nice guys who wanted to sell you items and
help you on your quest. But hey, you're the good guys, right?
Once back inside, you can swap the same switch to clear your path. What, is this
some kind of MAGICAL switch that can do whatever you want it to do? Is this
some kind of MAGICAL world you play this game in? Balderdash! Humbug, I say!
This is the train car you want to be in to find Over-Mind, as they don't appear
on earlier or subsequent train cars.
The next train houses the Dish of the Damned! The Food of the Forgotten! The
Cuisine of the Con...demned! Sitting at the middle table will make a ghost
waiter serve you some food. Cyan will spaz out (he does that a lot) but you'll
be fully healed, just like a meal in real life. You can repeat this for a less
dramatic but more personal scene by switching lead characters the next time(s)
you sit down:
SABIN: Food! Chop! Let's go slop the hogs!
CYAN: A...are you going to be okay if you eat THIS?
SHADOW: ......Interceptor...are you hungry?
The Ghost will just go bananas on the food. It's a hoot to see, seriously :D
You can't exit to the left, so go out and walk around the train car. Don't
forget to go back in the other side and open the chest behind the waiters for a
set of Earrings. Swap one of Sabin's Relics with it, as you'll need the boost
in Aurabolt power in a bit.
Monster formations:
Whisper (6/16)
Bomb, Bomb, Hazer, Hazer (5/16)
Whisper, StillGoing, Hazer, Hazer (5/16)
You can't go around the next train car, so just get in! There are two
compartments in this train car. The first one houses a chest, but as soon as
you face it from the front (you can't open it from the side), you will hear an
ominous voice! Of course, there's really no indication the voice is ominous, so
I'm just making that up.
Ziegfried
Level: 7, HP: 100, MP: 5
Steal: Win: Green Cherry (rare), Green Cherry (common)
Special: !Hit: Battle x 1.5
Vulnerable to: Petrify, Death, Condemned, Mute
Attacks: Battle
After the introduction between you and Ziegfried is done, it's fighty time.
Ziegfried has 100 HP and opens with a flurry of eight weak physical attacks.
Chances are your Black Belt character or Interceptor kills him before he
finishes all eight, but if that's not the case, you can just do whatever
(Slash doesn't work!). You'll get a Green Cherry for your troubles.
Ziegfried is impersonating the legendary swordsman Siegfried and had hoped to
scare you off rather than actually having to fight you in any kind of serious
battle. In the Japanese version, Ziegfried continuously refers to himself as
Mr. Me. It gets really annoying really quick. Anyway, the pansy has been beaten.
Ziegfried runs off with the treasure - tata! Don't worry if you just missed the
biggest kick-ass Gamma Sword just there; the chest isn't really a chest with
contents anyway. The next room in the compartment appears empty, but this is
not the case. See those two empty tiles to the left of the bench? The left one
contains a Tent; just face it and press action. The right one contains a Fairy
Ring, but you can't obtain it since you can't face it. Stupid programmers are
the scourge of gaming. :(
On to the next car! Once again, it's a posh car with two compartments. The first
one is empty. Completely bona fide empty. The second one is lined up with four
chests; rejoice. From right to left, they contain a Fenix Down, Sniper Sight
(you can ignore this Relic for now, nothing evades your physicals at this stage
of the game, and you're not using them anyway), Fenix Down, and a Monster-in-a-
Box. How frightening.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.15.2 Scenario Sabin: Specter and the Phantom Train continued
**********************************
Specter
Level: 19, HP: 1500, MP: 10000
Steal: Win: Hyper Wrist (rare), Hyper Wrist (common)
Absorbs: Poison, Weakness: Fire, Pearl
Status: Undead
Special: !Lightning: Battle x 2
Sketch : !Lightning, Battle
Control: Battle, !Lightning
Vulnerable to: Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Lightning, Ice, Raid
This is Specter. According to the latest Anthology release (I imagine somebody
reading this in 2050 and laughing...laughing!), this is the ghost of a murdered
person. Oh my.
Specter has normal access to three attacks: Battle, the Ice spell, and Raid,
which drains HP. If you damage Specter, he will hate you for it and get a 33 %
shot at attacking his attacker with !Lightning, which is nothing even remotely
like Lightning-elemental.
There are a number of ways to kill this thing humiliatingly easy, but the Top 2
of cheap tactics go right against my game ethics. Of course, there's taking
advantage of Square's assumption that even though it's supposed to be a rather
difficult enemy, it still should be vulnerable to a Fenix Down scoring a one-hit
KO. Also, you're traveling with a ghost that is capable of delivering a one-hit
KO on everything. But I'll take that not only are you too good for the Fenix
Down move, you also don't want to lose your cool ghost guy just yet.
So, when the battle begins, wait for Cyan's third SwdTech, Slash. Don't move
with Sabin and Shadow or even the ghost; just skip to Cyan and use Slash.
It'll halve his current HP and should do 750 damage. Follow up with an AuraBolt
and a Shuriken and you should be done. You'll get a Hyper Wrist for your
troubles, which is hardly satisfactory. Then again, it wasn't much trouble.
Before you can reach the next car, your ghost companion(s) will leave you.
...How troublesome.
The next car contains a Save Point. Save. That is its point.
Finally, you made it to the locomotive. Rather than making puns with 'loco' (or
worse, with 'motive'), I'll just say that the engineer's compartment will make
Sabin and Cyan excited before they even set as much as a single step within it.
Sounds promising! In the top-left and the bottom-left corners of the room, you
can read that you need to shut the first and third pressure valves. All three
are now open, so just flip the first and third one, and go outside near the
smoke stack. Before you operate, you should expect a major fight coming up.
As preparation, move everybody to the Front Row and equip any Ribbon you might
have. Equip the White Cape on Cyan (switch with Hyper Wrist).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.15.3 Scenario Sabin: The battle with GhostTrain
**********************************
GhostTrain
Level: 14, HP: 1900, MP: 350
Steal: Nothing (always), Win: Tent (always)
Absorbs: Poison, Weakness: Fire, Lightning, Pearl
Status: Undead
Special: !Wheel: Battle x 2
Vulnerable to: Death
Attacks: Battle, !Wheel, Acid Rain, Evil Toot, Scar Beam
GhostTrain will start with the battle with either a physical attack, !Wheel,
or Evil Toot. The next four turns will be spent at using normal physical attacks
and his Special !Wheel; the fifth turn will be Evil Toot, but only if there
are at least two characters still alive.
After every 15 seconds of battle, GhostTrain will use either Acid Rain (2/3)
or Scar Beam, a GhostTrain-specific attack that deals MT Pearl-elemental
damage to your party. Finally, if GhostTrain has been damaged, he has a one
in three chance of using !Wheel.
The fight against GhostTrain can be real easy and real bad, and it all depends
on his Evil Toot attack. This sets one random status ailment on your party out
of the following: Dark, Poison, Imp, Condemned, Berserk, Muddled, Seizure, and
Slow.
The ones you need to be concerned about are Imp, Berserk, and Muddled. If one of
your characters is Imped, you'll want to use Potions to damage GhostTrain.
Potions inflict 250 worth of HP damage, which is superior to your crummy Imped
Fight command. Smack your Confused characters, as there's nothing more fatal
than Confused characters, especially when they have access to Fire Dance or
barrier-piercing attacks.
The GhostTrain battle is very much like the Specter battle in the sense that
using a Fenix Down is the coward's way out, and that the strategy revolves
around allowing Cyan to start the battle with his third SwdTech skill, Slash.
After this, have Sabin come in with an AuraBolt and Shadow with Shuriken.
A lot of people have dubbed it 'hilarious' to have Sabin use Suplex on the
GhostTrain. If you want to see a tiny sprite lift a huge train, be my guest.
After the fight is over, you're in for the most dramatic moment of your life. If
you don't actually have a life, that is. Cyan Garamonde, who has lost everything
he ever lived for, has to come face to face with his departed wife and son, only
moments before the GhostTrain forcefully takes them away. I suppose it's
only justifiable Cyan is slightly in shock after this.
You'll be able to leave after a set period of time.
"SHADOW: Leave 'em alone."
After all has been said and done, you find yourself on the Overworld Map.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.16.1 Scenario Sabin: Traveling to Baren Falls
**********************************
Location: Overworld Map
Party members: Sabin, Cyan, Shadow
Opponents: Stray Cat, Beakor, CrassHoppr
Monster formations:
CrassHoppr, CrassHoppr, CrassHoppr (6/16)
Stray Cat, Stray Cat, Stray Cat (5/16)
Beakor, Stray Cat, CrassHoppr, CrassHoppr (5/16)
You've escaped the Phantom Train and find yourself at the southern edge of the
Phantom Forest. To your right is Baren Falls, a great waterfall you must get
past to reach the Veldt, which is full of dangerous monsters. It seems Sabin's
scenario is packed with landmark-esque obstacles.
Preparation: Shadow, once again, may run away. Also, he will depart anyway in a
very small bit; de-equip him of his equipment and relics. Give the Ninja Gear
and RunningShoes to Sabin and pass the Atlas Armlet to Cyan. If you're still
suffering from bad status afflictions from GhostTrain's Evil Toot, a Tent might
be appropriate. Don't forget to move all but your Black Belt character to the
Back Row.
Wait for Sabin's Fire Dance to kill everything or, should you lack it, slave
away with those ST slayers you've grown so familiar with. Make sure to fight
Stray Cats here if you haven't before, as they will prove most useful.
Simply walk into the cave to the east and head all the way to the falls. Sabin
and Cyan will discuss your bad situation and Shadow will leave you here. He'll
be missed, but you'll get an ever better character in a bit, so don't feel too
bad about it.
You could return to the Phantom Forest, but there's really no point; you'll just
find yourself walking through some familiar screens of the Phantom Forest and
you'll eventually reach the other side.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.16.2 Scenario Sabin: Baren Falls
**********************************
Location: Baren Falls
Party members: Sabin, Cyan, Shadow
Opponents: Piranha, Rizopas
Lacking your favorite ninja, your first course of action is hurling yourself
down a waterfall packed with rabid piranhas with crazy spell casting abilities.
I'd say it's clear who the brains in that team was.
Preparation: You're still set. You might want to de-equip the Black Belt (read
the text below).
Monster formations:
Piranha, Piranha, Piranha, Piranha, Piranha, Rizopas
Yeah, you read that right, but it's more of a data thing. What you'll see
on-screen is monster formations of Piranha x2, Piranha x3 and Rizopas. What'll
happen here is that you'll be fighting Piranhas for 60 seconds before Rizopas
appears. Which pack of Piranha monsters pops up entirely depends on which
Piranha you killed last, but it shouldn't really concern you, as the normal
Piranhas are extremely weak.
What you do in the first 60 seconds is entirely up to you. If you want little
fuss, you can just wait the 60 seconds out in the first battle, kill all but
one, heal up with Tonics for the Rizopas confrontation, and kill the last
bugger. On the other hand, Piranhas know a rare Tonic drop, so if you want a
shot at as much of those possible, kill as much Piranha as you can handle.
Since Piranha only have 10 HP even a Back Row Fight command kills them, so do
that. It's the fastest way.
Rizopas
Level: 13, HP: 775, MP: 39
Steal: Win: Remedy (rare), Remedy (common)
Absorbs: Water, Weakness: Lightning
Status: Float
Special: !Bite: Battle x 1.5
Vulnerable to: Berserk, Muddled, Sleep, Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Bite, Ice, El Nino, Mega Volt
As soon as Rizopas comes you're in trouble. This little guy has access to the
El Nino spell, which will deal up to 250 damage to both characters. Your best
bet is to go all-out offensive. While Rizopas has very decent magical defense,
AuraBolt still out damages Pummel (and Fire Dance, but that should be obvious).
Slash doesn't work, so just go with Dispatch. If you're really unlucky, Rizopas
kills you, and there's nothing you can do about that short of over leveling.
The odds aren't that high, though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.16.3 Scenario Sabin: Traveling over the Veldt to Mobliz
**********************************
Location: The Veldt
Party members: Sabin, Cyan
Opponents: It's the Veldt, man!
You've managed to survive the Seafood of Doom, and now you're on the Veldt. You
came across a strange boy, dressed in animal hides. Life is strange.
Preparation: Re-equip that Black Belt if you took it off.
Welcome to the Veldt! Here, random encounter monster formations are reproduced
for you to fight. You will not gain Experience Points, and its main purpose is
obtaining Rages for Gau, the character you will have to name. I'll explain that
in a bit.
For now, you'll be able to name Gau. I'll call him Gau.
For now, you'll have to go find Mobliz, to the east. You'll fight battles in the
meantime, and there's a chance you'll see Gau appear when you're done. You
probably don't want to hurt the guy, but you can't run from him (the buttons
will do nothing), so your only option is to smack him over the head to cause
him to flee. The alternative is fleeing from the random encounters themselves,
if possible.
You've reached Mobliz? Good!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.17.1 Scenario Sabin: Mobliz
**********************************
Location: Mobliz
Party members: Sabin, Cyan
Opponents: None
Mobliz is a great backwater village supporting itself through hunting. Or
something. There are some great shops here, so take a look around.
Weapon Shop:
MithrilKnife 300
MithrilBlade 450
Mithril Claw 800
Kotetsu 800
You'll want to buy a Kotetsu for Cyan, or two if you want to make him a Genji
Glove/Black Belt character (which is a wise decision).
Armor Shop:
Buckler 200
Heavy Shld 400
Plumed Hat 250
Magus Hat 600
Bandana 800
Iron Helmet 1000
Kung Fu Suit 250
Iron Armor 700
Buy two Heavy Shlds, two Magus Hats, another Plumed hat, and two Iron
Armors. The Iron Helmets are ridiculously expensive and you find better
alternatives in a short while.
Item Shop:
Dried Meat 150
Tonic 50
Potion 300
Eyedrop 50
Green Cherry 150
Fenix Down 500
Tent 1200
You'll want to buy at least one Dried Meat, as you'll need it to trigger a
necessary cutscene. Dried Meat is basically a healing potion that heals a
character for 150 HP (so it's inferior to normal Potions), but has the added
property of also healing Undead monsters/characters (instead of hurting them
like Tonics and Potions do).
Relic shop:
Sprint Shoes 1500
White Cape 5000
It's never a bad idea to have White Capes ready, as they make grand
filler relics. Make sure you leave 2500 GP in your wallet, at least.
Hidden Items: There is an Elixir hidden in the clock of the carrier pigeon
house.
Don't bother paying the Inn fee; you can sleep at the bed in the back of the
Relic shop. Take a look at the two kiddos in love; Duane and Katarin will make
a more significant appearance in the future.
There's a wounded lad from Maranda residing in Mobliz. He left the army when
he heard they were heading for Doma, but was busted up for his insolence. They
broke every bone in his body for leaving, to be more precise. Poor lad indeed.
Him being here makes sense because Mobliz is in no way on route when traveling
from Vector to Doma. Anyway, he has a honey in Maranda, and you can help him
with it! He receives letters from her, but can't write back. Do it for him,
I say!
You'll have to send a total of five letters over there:
A letter
A record
Some Tonic (which will not be taken from your inventory)
Another letter
A book
You can't send new stuff if the wounded soldier hasn't gotten any reply; he gets
a reply whenever you've:
- slept at the Inn
- have talked to the salesman of the Item Shop
- have talked to the salesman of the Weapon Shop
- have talked to the salesman of the Armor Shop
- have talked to the salesman of the Relic Shop
- have let the scholar show you the Serpent Trench
That makes NO sense whatsoever, I am completely aware of that. After you've
sent the five letters, the poor guy gives you a Tintinabar, a nice filler Relic
and extremely rare, which gives the illusion it's actually more useful than it
in fact is. If you're wondering what the hell exactly a Tintinabar is, it's
probably derived from 'tintinabulation' which means 'ringing'. I can add that
the Japanese game calls it a Cat's Bell; I guess we're supposed to assume that
with every step the Tintinabar lets out a chime and heals the wearer a little.
Once you're done dancing and prancing in Mobliz, head to the Veldt again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.17.2 Scenario Sabin: Recruiting Gau
**********************************
Location: The Veldt
Party members: Sabin, Cyan
Opponents: It's the Veldt, man!
The weird kid called Gau repeatedly said he was hungry, but you had nothing to
help him with. Fortunately, Mobliz offers you the possibility of buying food,
unlike other towns. Because that makes sense.
Preparation: Equip the Genji Glove and Kotetsu Knives on Cyan and keep him in
the Front Row, or stick with Back Row Cyan if you don't have a Genji Glove. The
other Relic should be the Black Belt if you have the Genji Glove; while Dispatch
still out damages Cyan's Fight attack (it's pretty close), the counterattack
will kill most critters here.
You're bound to run into a few battles here, and you're bound to come across
Gau while doing so. You'll need both Sabin and Cyan alive for him to appear.
Feeding him a Dried Meat (just use it on him) will trigger a long, long, yet
surprisingly un-boring cutscene in which Gau joins you.
Learn the basics of Gau: [RAGE-LINK]
Gau arrives, like a baby, completely naked (and screaming nonsense). Equip him
with what you have, which probably is a Buckler, Bandana, and Kung Fu Suit. You
will want to swap Sabin's MithrilShld with Gau's Buckler as Gau will have to be
in the Front Row and can use the extra defense. Not only does Gau return to his
spot in the team in the Front Row at all times, his physicals are important
enough on the Veldt to warrant Front Row. As far as Relics go, you should have
an Atlas Armlet free. Set the other Relic slot up with a filler Relic (White
Cape is nice).
Gau joins with a few Rages already: Brawler, Exocite, Hornet, Lobo, M-TekArmor,
Rhinotaur, Trilobiter, Were-Rat, and Whisper. Brawler is nice, and Rhinotaur has
its distant uses, but for the real good stuff (and there really is a lot of
good stuff for Gau to Rage, make no mistake), you'll want to obtain these:
Dark Wind (inherent Float, Break)
Trilium (Bio which is a strong ST/MT Poison-elemental spell)
Areneid (!Numb sets Stop)
Vaporite (absorbs Lightning, inherent Float, Blaze)
Over-Mind (absorbs Poison, Elf Fire which is a strong ST Fire-elemental attack)
Stray Cat (!Catscratch = Battle * 4)
Marshal (Wind Slash which is a strong MT Wind-elemental attack)
Pterodon (inherent Float, Fire Ball, which is a strong MT Fire-elemental attack)
Rhodox (Snare, which is the most accurate ST Wound-setting attack you have now)
Templar (inherent Safe, Fire 2)
Hazer (Bolt 2)
Telstar (inherent Float, ID protection, Sonic Boom)
Bomb (absorbs Fire, inherent Float, Blaze)
The most important ones right now are Dark Wind, Trilium, Areneid, Templar
and Marshal/Pterodon.
If you completed Locke's scenario already, Primordite is just as good as Areneid
for the purpose it's designed for.
Really, unless you want to obtain as much Rages as possible, you can ignore
other monsters. Keep in mind that Leaping at monsters such as Lobo and Tusker
is just losing control of Gau's Leaping for the time being, which could make him
miss out on the others.
Marshal has the strongest MT attack you can possess up to now: Wind Slash. He
is, sadly, especially elusive due to the way the Veldt works, so don't feel too
bad if you leave the Veldt without having met this one. Obviously, no Rage
is mandatory, but keep in mind that Gau's usefulness exceeds all other
characters if you find the right Rages, and sucks beyond belief if you don't
invest the time in him.
Telstars still drop Green Berets, which are superior Helmets for everybody.
Terra and a mystery character soon to be introduced (I'm talking about Celes)
have an acceptable alternate option in the Magus Hat, but ideally, you'll want
to stick around until you've won another three Green Berets (you'll find one
extra before long).
When you're done chasing Gau around, stick him in the Back Row as the next
dungeon will have him rely on magical attacks and go visit Crescent Mountain,
located to the southeast. Gau has a gift for you there, and a bloke in Mobliz
mentioned you could reach Nikeah by jumping into the raging current of the
Serpent Trench. Who knows, those might be connected somehow!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.17.3 Scenario Sabin: Crescent Mountain
**********************************
Location: Crescent Mountain
Party members: Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: None
Upon entering the cave, Gau will fail to do the one thing he was enlisted for.
Let's take a look around. To the right side of the plateau you're standing on,
you can see a little cutscene (7 steps up, 1 step to the side from the entrance)
that is entirely useless. To the left, you'll see a little square sticking out
where Gau will find you a Tonic (which, believe it or not, is actually added
to your inventory!). Proceed and you'll come across a ridge you can walk up on.
All the way left, another cutscene will ensue where Gau will scare Sabin out of
500 GP (which is removed from your amount of money). If you had less than that,
Cyan will magically possess the remaining GP instead of Sabin and nothing will
be removed.
Proceeding further will allow Gau to find the diving helmet! Many a philosopher
has pondered over the impossibility of three men sharing the same helmet, but
none have found a satisfactory answer. Regardless, the cutscene will take you
outside and plunge you into the cold, cold waters of the Serpent Trench.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.18.1 Scenario Sabin: The Serpent Trench
**********************************
Location: The Serpent Trench
Party members: Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: Anguiform, Aspik, Actaneon
Narshe is a long way if you take the wrong turn at the Lete River! Having passed
through an Imperial Camp, the lands of Doma, the Phantom Forest, Baren Falls,
and the Veldt, you now need to reach Nikeah where a ferry should be available
to take you to South Figaro and finally deliver you close to Narshe. But the
Serpent Trench is a raging current with violent monsters hunting for you...
Preparation: Make absolutely sure you have a fully equipped Gau, as there are
two rather nasty monsters waiting for you here.
There are three monsters here. You can really forget about Actaneon; his
physicals shouldn't really bother you that much, and whenever you meet a triple
Actaneon monster formation, Dispatch, AuraBolt/Fire Dance and the Templar, Bomb,
or Pterodon Rages go well with that.
Anguiform are dangerous not only because they have a murdering physical attack
in !Garrotte, which is actually as painful as it sounds, but especially
because they like to use Aqua Rake when they are alone. Aqua Rake is an
extremely strong MT Water/Wind-elemental attack that will hurt for about
170-200 HP damage. Not nice. You should kill with Fire Dance if possible,
but if you lack it, you should be careful. Gau's MT attacks don't guarantee a
KO on multiple Anguiforms. Take them out as fast as possible with AuraBolt,
Dispatch, and either Trilium (absorbs Aqua Rake and has very decent offense)
or Hazer/Ghost (Bolt 2 slaughters any Anguiform period).
Aspik are the trickiest. Whenever you meet them, keep hold of your precious
secondary commands as Aspik will counter any damage not inflicted by the Fight
command with a 33 % shot at Giga Volt for about 330-350 of damage to whatever
hit him. Unless you gained more levels then you normally should, that kills you.
Counter this with your Genji Gloved character to (Cyan was the wisest option)
kill it or use Rhinotaur/Vaporite Rages, as they will allow Gau to absorb Giga
Volt.
This is the 'map' of the Serpent Trench and the effects it will have for you:
Monster Formation Pack # 1:
Actaneon, Actaneon, Actaneon (3/4)
Anguiform (1/4)
Monster Formation Pack # 2
Anguiform, Actaneon, Aspik (always)
Monster Formation Pack # 3
Anguiform, Anguiform (3/4)
Actaneon, Actaneon, Actaneon, Aspik, Aspik (1/4)
Start:
(Invoke Battle with # 1)
You'll get the choice of going either to the Left or to the Right. The Left
features more monsters and a certain encounter with all the creatures of the
Serpent Trench, the Right features a small cave with an X-Potion chest in it.
Left:
(Invoke Battle with # 2)
(Invoke Battle with # 3)
Right:
(Invoke Battle with # 2)
(Cave with X-Potion)
Here, the two paths will reunite. However, no battle is fought before you are
presented with yet another choice. Left again means monsters, Right again means
treasure.
Left:
(Invoke Battle with # 2)
(Invoke Battle with # 3)
Right:
(Invoke Battle with # 3)
(Cave with Green Beret. You'll have to stand on a certain tile to let the
water out in this cave so you can proceed)
After this, you'll safely reach Nikeah.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.18.2 Scenario Sabin: Nikeah
**********************************
Location: Nikeah
Party members: Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: None
Nikeah is small town that thrives on their ports and ferries. There used to be
remote access to the lands of Doma, but due to a recent rockslide, the path
there is blocked (imagine, if that hadn't been the case you could've just
walked to the west for a while when it was just Sabin and you had found a way
home).
Weapon Shop:
Mithril Claw 800
Kotetsu 800
Mithril Pike 800
You can buy another MithrilPike here if you wish, but you won't really use
the Fight command with Edgar and the character That Might In The Future Join
You And Wield Lances To Boot will have a better weapon by then, so you can save
your money.
Armor Shop:
Heavy Shld 400
Plumed Hat 250
Magus Hat 600
Bandana 800
Iron Helmet 1000
Kung Fu Suit 250
Silk Robe 600
Iron Armor 700
You should've bought everything available here a while ago, with the exception
of the Silk Robes. Buy two of them.
Item Shop:
Tonic 50
Potion 300
Echo Screen 120
Smoke Bomb 300
Green Cherry 150
Fenix Down 500
Sleeping Bag 500
Tent 1200
How's your supply of Potions and Fenix Downs looking? If you're low on them,
it's never a bad idea to stock some of them up. Also, you might want to buy a
few Smoke Bombs, as you don't have any of them right now and they could prove
useful in the future.
Relic shop:
Goggles 500
Star Pendant 500
White Cape 5000
Fairy Ring 1500
The only thing this guy has going for him is his collection of White Capes.
You could buy one if you pulled enough GP from your Veldt hunting (which means
over 10000 GP), but you might as well leave him.
There's an Elixir hidden in the clock of the Inn, as always. Take it.
Finally, there's an awesome scene between Cyan and the hooker of the local Pub;
you haven't lived a satisfying life without having seen it. In the Japanese
game her position as Girl of Entertainment is stated much more blatantly,
while Sabin will state how he knows plenty about girls.
When you're done in Nikeah, strip the boys of their gear and Relics, then put
them on the ferry to South Figaro. Your scenario is over. Time for pie.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.19.1 Scenario Locke: South Figaro
**********************************
Location: South Figaro
Party members: Locke; Locke, Celes
Opponents: HeavyArmor, Merchant, Officer
Locke has somehow managed to stall the actions of an entire army, safeguarding
the Returner Hideout...for now. His mission now is to get to Narshe, but South
Figaro is under strict martial law and nobody is allowed to leave, not even
Imperial Troopers themselves. But somehow, Locke has to find a way...
Preparation: Equip the Genji Glove and Atlas Armlet on Locke, and stick him with
Ninja Gear and a Green Beret. Front Row for now. Obviously, if you haven't done
the Sabin scenario yet, it'll be a Genji Glove/Atlas Armlet with Bandana and
Kung Fu Suit. You see why it was a good idea to do Locke's scenario last?
Note: You can skip this entire section of the game by using a bug. This results
into you missing the Rare Item Cider, never obtaining Celes as a character for
the entire game and getting the Moogle Kutan and lacking Runic on Gogo when you
recruit him. I wouldn't advise it in the slightest, especially because it
forces power-leveling (Locke needs to defeat the boss by himself where he
really isn't supposed to be able to do that, and as you might know Celes needs
to solo a small bit of the game by herself). But it's a humorous alternative
really. If you want to learn exactly how to do all this:
[KUTAN-LINK]
A MagiTek Armored soldier has blocked the normal entrance to the rest of town.
There are two ways to continue:
- In the Item Shop, there's a Merchant. He insults you be stating your actual
profession, so obviously you'll need to kill him. By successfully Stealing his
item, you also steal his clothes. After the battle is over, you'll be in
Merchant outfit. If you just beat him up instead of Stealing his clothes, you'll
be plain Locke after the battle and you'll have gained nothing from the brawl.
Once dressed up as a Merchant, you can go to the house of the servant (he was
the waiter, to be precise) of the richest man in town and peacefully walk
through to the other side of town.
- OR, you could just bust up the HeavyArmor guarding the area. This is extremely
risky and is prone to failure if you're not slightly high-leveled. The other way
is definitely the way it was meant to be done.
Once in the rest of South Figaro, your plan is simple. Mug a soldier and walk
out of town in soldier's clothes. Remember where you found the Warp Stone here?
Walk up the perimeter wall and go over to the three barrels. There's an Officer
walking around. Engage in a fight with him and Steal one of his items; once
again, you'll walk off with his garment.
Another option is using a secret passage even the game designers forgot while
creating this scenario for you: there's a big building that's built over the
water here; it's the to left of the Armored trooper, and on the other side
you can see it's the Inn/Cafe. Behind the part that's built over the water is
a secret bridge you can use to walk over the water. You circumvent having to
steal from the Officer here, and if you're a match for the HeaveyArmor you can
circumvent stealing clothes entirely.
The only soldier you can convince is the one near the Chocobo stable, and the
exit is still prohibited. Oh well, might as well gather some more information
in the Pub; you learned from the soldier near the MagiTek Armor that Narshe is
the next target of the Imperial Army, who knows what else you might learn?
The Pub is bustling with activity! Chatting here will tell you there's an
Imperial general held captive somewhere in South Figaro for treason, and there's
talk of a secret passage out of South Figaro from the rich man's house. Too bad
you can't enter it. But there also seems to be a secret passage from the rich
man's house to another house in town, and what house could be more logical than
the one of the servant? Better charm that old coot with some Cider to see if
he talks.
Go downstairs and you'll find the merchant who continuously brought Cider to the
old man when you first visited South Figaro with Edgar and Terra. Obviously, he
says something that will make you want to beat him up. Since you're still in
the outfit of an Imperial Soldier, you'll want to steal his clothes again (else
that kid won't let you pass). If you accidentally beat him up, there's always
a merchant waiting for homicide in one of the rooms of the Inn.
Bring the Cider (which, by the way, is a Key Item) to the old servant and he
will reveal the existence of a secret passage. He cannot remember his own
password, nor is he willing to walk five steps to go over to his grandson and
tell him it's okay. You'll have to go downstairs and guess.
Or, I could just tell you the correct password is 'Courage'. You're in the
secret passage to the rich man's house! Once you arrive, you'll see the clock
you robbed earlier from his Elixir. If you didn't do that with Edgar and Terra,
do so now. Exit, walk around to the door, and enter. Go up to the second floor.
The right room has a girl saying something about 'Winding the Clock'. Guess
that's what the kids call it these days, eh? The left room contains a grieving
rich man, showing how capitalism ruins a man. Find the secret passage behind the
bookcase and descend.
Halfway to the basement, you will be asked to change your clothes. Doing so will
turn you back into plain Locke. It doesn't really matter what you do. Walk on.
A cutscene wherein Celes makes her unflattering introduction is shown. I imagine
it has inspired lemon writers all around the world.
Fun trivia: The Japanese game had the 'leave her' options phrased something like
'Looking at her is good enough'.
If you were plain ol' Locke or in Merchant mode, you'll hide in the rafters;
if you're disguised as a soldier you'll simply give a salute.
(Locke still disguised as a trooper)
CELES: You're awfully short for a soldier.
LOCKE: Oh, I forgot I was wearing a uniform!
(Locke still disguised as a merchant)
CELES: What do you hope to peddle down here?
LOCKE: Oops! Forgot I was wearing these clothes.
(Locke in normal-mode)
CELES: And you are...
Since Celes is now introduced to your party, it might be a good idea to read
about her special skill, Runic: [RUNIC-LINK]
When you're done being the chivalrous young male protagonist (Final Fantasy
players should be used to that), it's time to bust out. Celes points out that
the soldier has something you want. Take it. I love how morals stop you from
progressing at this point. :P
Don't forget to equip Celes; she was wearing nothing but a Hair Band. If this is
your last scenario, her equipment is best off looking like this: RegalCutlass/
Rune Edge, Heavy Shld, Green Beret, Silk Robe. If you haven't, it'll be
RegalCutlass, Heavy Shld, Plumed Hat (or Bandana if you went through the trouble
of stealing it), LeatherArmr. Keep Celes in the Back Row; she'll like it there.
Walking out of the room there are two more doors for you. The second one
contains a Save Point (for Saving) and the third room is a room you should've
looted earlier. A lot of junk, a ticking clock, and a clock that isn't ticking.
Wind it with the Clock Key, and a cabinet will move, revealing a door.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.19.2 Scenario Locke: Secret Underground Passge of South Figaro
**********************************
Location: Secret Passage
Party members: Locke, Celes
Opponents: Commander, Vector Pup
Way to go, Locke! Not only did you find a passageway out of South Figaro, you
also won a powerful new ally. As a former general, Celes is bound to have a
huge amount of information you can use. Also, she appears to be able to cast
Magic, like Terra.
Preparation: If you haven't equipped Celes, you're in trouble.
Monster formations:
Commander, Commander, Commander (6/16)
Vector Pup, Vector Pup (5/16)
Vector Pup, Vector Pup, Commander (5/16)
The strategy here is simple: both Celes and Locke need to equipped in such a
fashion that they can both take out one enemy in one hit. Typically, that
means Celes with some Earrings and the Ice spell and Locke with the Atlas
Armlet. The Genji Glove isn't necessary unless you're level 10 or lower and
would just be harmful to your defense.
Vector Pups are the more durable enemies, but even they should fall to a single
attack. When a Vector Pup is alone, it will Escape, so take out Commanders first
so you have to kill one less living thing. If everything looks good, simply
try to nab some extra items with Locke (nothing to get excited about, sadly)
while having Celes kill all with two MT Ice castings. It's the most effective
way, but don't do it all the time, as her MP isn't high enough to take such a
constant toll.
Walking through this underground passageway can be frustrating; there are a few
rooms seemingly blocked from your path. There is always a hidden path there,
though. I tried describing the locations, but since there's no real stable
point here, I failed miserably. The only pointer I can give you, though, is
the stairs leading to an even lower location; there are two chests here, one
containing an Ether and one containing an X-Potion. Below the one with the
X-Potion is a hidden chest containing a Ribbon. Be sure to grab it.
All other, more visible treasures in the passageway itself include Iron Armor,
RegalCutlass, Earrings, and a Heavy Shld.
Make sure to find all items. The battles can be a tad boring due to their
repetitiveness, but Locke and Celes tend to come to Narshe with the lowest
levels so the extra experience doesn't really hurt.
When you're done, you can leave. You'll see another set of stairs to the
south of the stairs you're using to escape; that's the only room you can't
gain entrance to. It's the basement of the house where Duncan's wife lives,
and should you enter the basement from her house you'll find a Save Point there
which you can't seen now.
Now you're in South Figaro again, but you have no options besides escaping.
You can talk to the Imperial Trooper who was pursuing Locke in the beginning
of the scenario, but he will be *completely incapable of recognizing either
the person he was chasing a while ago and/or a famous general of his own army*.
And than he calls YOU blockheads. Craziness.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.20.1 Scenario Locke: Traveling to Figaro Cave
**********************************
Location: Overworld Map. Around South Figaro
Party members: Locke, Celes
Opponents: Rhodox, Rhinotaur, GreaseMonk
You've finally escaped South Figaro. Now it's all about reaching Narshe,
tracking back to where you came from through the Cave of Figaro, Figaro Desert,
and into Narshe. Unlike Terra, neither Locke nor Celes are infamous in the town,
so walking into Narshe should be a piece of cake.
Preparation: Nothing new here. Keep at it. I trust you took the liberty of
equipping better equipment where you saw it fit.
Monster formations:
Grass:
Rhinotaur (6/16)
GreaseMonk, GreaseMonk (5/16)
Rhodox, Rhodox, GreaseMonk (5/16)
Forest:
Rhodox, Rhodox, Rhodox, Rhodox (6/16)
Rhinotaur, Rhodox, Rhodox (5/16)
Rhinotaur, GreaseMonk, Rhodox, Rhodox (5/16)
You know the drill by now. Kill with Ice spells and pointy knives. Rhinotaur
will still counter spells with Mega Volt, so lay off it when you meet one. Your
goal is to reach the cave entrance to the East (Mount Koltz is still blocked
by Imperial Troopers, and you have no business going to the Returner Hideout
anyway). You can rest in Sabin's hut if you're hurt (or if the prospect of Locke
and Celes sleeping together gives you a funny feeling in your stomach).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.20.2 Scenario Locke: Figaro Cave
**********************************
Location: Cave of Figaro
Party members: Locke, Celes
Opponents: Trilobiter, Primordite, Gold Bear
Monster formations:
Trilobiter, Primordite, Primordite (5/16)
Gold Bear, Primordite (5/16)
Primordite, Primordite (5/16)
Trilobiter, Trilobiter, Trilobiter (1/16)
This is one of those nasty Changing Caves (caves that change). Not only do chest
contents turn into other chest contents before you can say "Glachenspiell
Gazette", monsters also change. No more inferior caterpillars who sport a
fetish for attacking you; instead, land crabs will hound your steps. No more
cycloptic furries, or even oversized bees to make your life miserable. Nay,
purple trilobites inject poison and bears straight from El Dorado wrap their
expansive paws around your neck. Danger!
Only, not really. The only thing that makes this dungeon somewhat annoying is
the fact you only have two characters. !PoisonBarb is more a nuisance than
anything else (use an Antidote or the spell, whichever you seem to have more
resources for; out of battle, a Star Pendant can cure the Poison status by
equipping it and removing it), while !Numblade can prolong the battle. The only
strong attack you need to fear is !Gouge coming from Gold Bear, but as long as
you keep your HP up, there's no need to worry.
Both Primordite and Trilobiter fall to a single ST Ice spell. Primordite
also falls to Locke's physical. Trilobiters have a nasty Safe status that makes
them pull through single physicals, so let Celes concentrate on them. Gold Bear
monsters will have to be taken down with two hits unless you're high-leveled or
equipped with the Genji Glove. Cure when needed, as logic applies once again.
You know the way. You could pick up an X-Potion from the chest to the west. The
other chests will still become better later on so I'd leave them for now. The
only real choice you should make is the chest on the upper level; it's a Thunder
Rod now and will become a Hero Ring later. The Thunder Rod can be broken during
the next boss fight, pretty much insta-killing the thing, after which it's gone.
The Hero Ring will serve you very well in the future though. I'd go for the Hero
Ring just because the Thunder Rod is in no way necessary to make it through
TunnelArmr, but it's up to you.
You heard strange noises all the time. You might have mistaken this for the
rumbling of your stomach or the pleasant murmur of Russian tanks rolling through
the streets, but nothing could be less true; it was a boss following you!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.19.2 Scenario Locke: The battle with TunnelArmr
**********************************
TunnelArmr
Level: 16, HP: 1300, MP: 900
Steal: Bio Blaster (rare), Air Lancet (common)
Win: Elixir (always)
Weakness: Lightning, Water
Special: !Drill: Battle x 2
Vulnerable to: Nothing
Attacks: Battle, !Drill, Fire, Bolt, Poison, Tek Laser
TunnelArmr is a scripted battle, more or less; it forces you to use Celes as a
Runic user while Locke should Fight, Fight, Fight!
Runic is a brilliant command that allows Celes to absorb most spells and a
number of enemy moves. Obviously, you've already read all about it; if you
haven't, here you go: [RUNIC-LINK]
TunnelArmr is boring. He uses Battle, !Drill, Fire, Bolt, and Poison to hurt
you. If he hits 384 HP, he'll swap the possibility of casting Poison for the
ability to fire off Tek Lasers. If he's been damaged, he'll sometimes counter
with Battle.
Have Celes under continual Runic during this fight. If your enemy casts a
spell, have her use it as soon as possible. If the enemy uses a physical attack,
just have Celes wait; there'll be a magical attack around the corner. Locke
should try to steal something as long as TunnelArmr still has anything (if you
steal a second Air Lancet, and Locke still has a Genji Glove with a Guardian
equipped, you can use the second Air Lancet by equipping it mid-battle). Have
Locke use a Potion if either Locke or Celes' HP is a tad low (the strongest
attack he'll be able to successfully use is !Drill, which hits for slightly
over 100 HP worth of damage on a Genji Glove wearing, Front Row Locke).
Otherwise, he should simply attack. Eventually, you'll beat the burrowing
fiend, and you'll be good to go!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.21.1 Defending the Esper from Kefka
**********************************
Location: Mountains of Narshe
Party members: Terra, Edgar, Locke, Celes, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: Fidor, Rider, Trooper, Bounty Man, HeavyArmor, Kefka
Reality split the Returners into factions, but due to the power of Friendship
and Plot Device, they all found their way to Narshe to re-unite. And lo and
behold, it was just in time to thwart the execution of evil plans! As Locke
learned in South Figaro, a detachment from the Empire led by Kefka is planning
to do what Terra and her two companions were unable to: obtain the mysterious
Esper located in Narshe. For no particular reason at all, it was moved to the
snowy hills behind Narshe, so it is here that the seven of you will have to make
a stand. Obviously, Narshe guards will not be helping you whatsoever.
Preparation: You have an abundance of equipment and seven characters to equip
it on. I'll give a brief overview on how to treat the seven characters now
that the good relics seem surprisingly small in number:
Terra - Back Row
RegalCutlass
Heavy Shld
Magus Hat (if you have more than five Green Berets, equip one of them on Terra)
Silk Robe
Earrings
Edgar - Back Row
MithrilPike
Heavy Shld
Green Beret
Iron Armor
Locke - Front Row
Air Lancet
Air Lancet/Guardian (depends on what you were able to steal from TunnelArmr)
Green Beret
Ninja Gear
Genji Glove
Celes - Back Row
RegalCutlass
Heavy Shld
Magus Hat (if you have more than six Green Berets, you psycho, equip one here)
Silk Robe
Sabin - Back Row
MithrilClaw
Buckler
Green Beret
Kung Fu Suit
Cyan - Back Row
Kotetsu
Heavy Shld
Green Beret
Iron Armor
Gau - Front Row
Empty
MithrilShld
Green Beret
Kung Fu Suit
Earrings
The Relics...I'll leave this one up to you. I'd really advise Earrings on Gau,
as he'll be doing monster MT magical damage. If you have Fire Dance, equip
Earrings on Sabin as well. RunningShoes are great for those you want to attack
first: either Locke (for Stealing before killing) or Gau (for killing ASAP).
Atlas Armlet is nice for those you'll be doing physical with (Locke, Cyan; NOT
Edgar), and the Black Belt is only worth it on Locke.
The teams! The monster hitters at this point of the game are Edgar and Gau.
Edgar's Bio Blaster, that one Tool you kept ignoring, will now hit the weak spot
of a lot of enemies here and will take them down in one hit. You can complement
him with a weaker character, so I would suggest Terra; her Fire spells are
starting to become really poor when talking damage output, and Edgar will like
the Cure spells.
Gau rules this part of the game even more than he rules most parts. He will be
doing superior MT damage when using Pterodon's Fire Ball or Marshal's Wind
Slash, and is by far the best choice for both 'boss battles' you'll be
battling. Gau should be the core of your superior team, and should be
complemented by the other two characters that have things to offer besides
damage: Locke (for Steal) and Celes (for Runic).
This leaves us with Sabin and Cyan. If Sabin knows Fire Dance, this team will
more than make up for its lack of Cure spells; if not, this is easily the
weakest team out of the three. Both Cyan and Sabin will have sufficient ST
damage without the ability to heal beyond Potions, so they'll require your
maintenance.
As soon as you are done with equipping everybody, talk to Banon to make your
teams. My personal choice, as I've explained, is the following:
1. Edgar, Terra
2. Locke, Celes, Gau
3. Cyan, Sabin
When you're done, Kefka will appear with a frighteningly large amount of enemy
soldiers at his disposal. They will line up and start walking to you. This is
very much like defending Terra from the Marshal's minions; if the soldiers reach
Banon, it's Game Over. Your job is to protect. Block all three pathways to him
with your three teams and have out-battle control over the one with Sabin and
Cyan (as you'll be needing to feed them Potions outside of battle).
Monster formations:
Green Soldiers:
Trooper, Trooper, Trooper, Trooper (3/4)
Bounty Man, Trooper, Trooper (1/4)
Brown Soldiers:
Fidor, Trooper (3/4)
HeavyArmor, Trooper, Trooper (1/4)
Racing Brown Soldier:
Rider (always)
Kefka:
Kefka (always)
The battle strategy here is simple. If you have a strong MT character (Gau,
possibly Sabin, Edgar against Troopers), let them do their killing. Strong ST
characters (Locke with Genji Glove, Sabin, Cyan) should pick apart. Weak
offensive characters (Locke without Genji Glove, Terra, Celes) can support the
general party by Stealing and Curing.
Troopers fall to Bio Blaster and are generally weak units. Avoid the Fight
command against them as their strong point is !Swing, which they'll only use to
counter Fight with.
Bounty Man dogs, like their palette swaps, flee when alone. In Trooper x2,
Bounty Man monster formations you can take out the Troopers and ignore the
dogs if you like.
Fidor dogs are heavily armored brutes that will probably survive single attacks
if they're not really strong ones. They only get stronger when alone (they
will start using !Pounce every time as opposed to only 33 % of the possible
times), so weaken them/kill them first before you finish of the rest.
HeavyArmor are opponents you still recognize from Locke's scenario, where they
were used as more-or-less unbeatable monster you had to run around. Here, you'll
have to defeat them, which is considerably easier given the fact you have
more than one character to work with. When Celes is in your party, the Imperial
tank will recognize her and fear her magic, prompting him to use TekBarrier,
which sets Safe and Reflect. You weren't using Ice anyway (unless you've been
a naughty boy), so that shouldn't be that much of a concern. Don't start using
Hazer or Templar, though.
After the two waves of 'normal' enemies are over, there are but two opponents
left after the massacre: Rider and Kefka. Rider is surfing around Kefka so
you'll need to take him out first.
This might be a fun time to learn about your character's feelings at the moment;
you can talk to the lead characters of the teams (you can obviously switch
around). Here's what they have to say:
TERRA: Kefka...He stuck that crown on me?
LOCKE: Bloody Empire!! We are your worst enemy!
CELES: I'm free... The Empire can't control me!
EDGAR: Kefka...grr...What's he up to...?
SABIN: Master Duncan's techniques mustn't fail me.
CYAN: I will avenge the people of Doma!!
GAU: GAU hit hard!!!
BANON: We're history if they reach me! Good luck!
There's no Game Over here unless you let the soldiers reach Banon, in which
case he'll go:
BANON: Couldn't hold out!? I have a bad feeling about this...
If a team is entirely killed, the characters will find themselves with 1 HP on
the spot where the Save Point used to reside. This means that you can engage a
battle, get yourself killed, and engage again. This also means you can Steal
from what is supposed to be a single encounter time after time. Rider has a
common MithrilVest, a piece of armor everybody can equip that is superior
to everything so far but the Ninja Gear. There's also a rare Elixir. Kefka
features the same rare Elixir and common Ethers, a superior version to the
insanely expensive Tincture. I'd advise you to steal three MithrilVests
(you'll take one Ninja Gear along) and as many Ethers as you want. Ethers are
very rare, very useful, and you're not going to get unlimited amounts of them
until the late WoR, and even then it's a huge stretch to try to obtain them.
I've dubbed it the OnionRider trick, so make me proud and mention it wherever
you go!
Remember now, OnionRider.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.21.2 Rider
**********************************
Rider
Level: 14, HP: 1300, MP: 170
Steal: Elixir (rare), Mithril Vest (common), Win: Remedy (rare), Remedy (common)
Weakness: Fire, Poison
Special: !SilverPike: Battle x 3
Vulnerable to: Petrify, Death, Condemned, Mute, Berserk, Sleep, Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !SilverPike, Virite, R. Polarity
Rider is a durable bastard who has an extremely strong physical attack in
!SilverPike, which he also uses to counter a successful Steal attempt with.
Every fourth attack he has a 1/3 chance of using Virite, an inaccurate MT
Poison-elemental attack that also sets the Poison status.
Gau can take him out in a single hit with Rhodox's Snare and the Break spell
from Dark Wind and/or Commander. If you have nothing along those lines, his
Areneid's !Numb and Primordite's !Numblade will stop him in his actions. If
you lack Gau (shame on you), Cyan's Slash works great if used first, and any
combination of your strongest attacks should suffice. He can also counter any
Fight attack with R. Polarity on that character, so that's kinda silly to do.
Now, this is, finally, the confrontation with Kefka. He enslaved Terra's mind,
set fire to castle Figaro, and destroyed Cyan's life. It's time to give him
some payback for all that he's done.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.21.3 The battle with Kefka
**********************************
Kefka
Level: 18, HP: 3000, MP: 3000
Steal: Elixir (rare), Ether (common), Win: Peace Ring (always)
Special: !Hit: Battle x 1.5
Vulnerable to: Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, Ice, Ice 2, Bolt, Poison, Drain, Muddle, Escape
Kefka is vulnerable to Stop, so have Gau Rage Areneid and/or Primordite for best
results. Always have Runic in place, as he knows some very powerful spells
that can one-hit KO your characters when focused in an ST blast, regardless of
row. Have your other character(s) give it their best shot. Terra's Fire cannot
be used with Runic in place so she should focus on her other powers; she can
cast Magic when Celes isn't on Runic stand-by or simply wield the Rune Edge to
some very nice result. Locke should Fight, Edgar should unload his AutoCrossbow,
Sabin relies on good old AuraBolt, Cyan can use Dispatch or his fourth SwdTech,
Quadra Slam, if he has access to it, and that's about it. The battle is slightly
anti-climactic when you consider the implications of it, but you'll pull
through. When Kefka is defeated, he'll manage to escape (leaving behind an
utterly useless, albeit new, Peace Ring).
And that was that.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.22.1 Narshe
**********************************
Location: Narshe
Party members: Optional: Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Celes, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: None
After killing the main part of their defensive force in the beginning of the
game and being denied entrance two times in subsequent parts, it is finally
time to embrace all that Narshe has to offer. It is quite a city indeed. To
the west, there are the caves where the Moogles live. To the north are the
coalmines and the passageway leading into the snowy mountains where you
protected the Esper. The city itself, independent as it is, has many great
items to offer you.
This is the first time you have to make a choice between your seven characters.
Whom to take, whom to leave behind? Since it mostly depends on personal
preference, I will write from now on knowing that you could have every character
combination possible (although I will expect you to have four party members).
As far as best characters at this point go, I'll do my best:
Edgar buys two great new Tools in a short while, which definitely beat all
other options. Edgar is a must-have at this point in the game.
Sabin should reach level 15 if he hadn't already and learn Fire Dance, a great
MT attack that puts the significant hurt on pretty much everything.
Gau is an offensive maniac at this point, only hindered by the fact he only
uses the Awesome Attack 50 % of the time. However, he does have access to stuff
like auto-Safe, Catscratch, Bio, and Numblade. If you found even one third of
the Rages I recommended earlier, Gau is a much better choice then whatever is
left.
I'd definitely recommend these three characters for this scenario, as they'll
have the easiest time coming through. If you didn't pick any of Gau's Rages,
though, his only saving grace is Brawler, which frankly, still puts him above
Cyan but doesn't make him superior to Locke and Celes.
Celes is a nice addition to your team as a Cure user. You have all the
offensive power you could ever need with Flash (Edgar's new MT damage Tool) and
Fire Dance, so the fact she can't really damage stuff efficiently doesn't
hurt her case. She'll also make a fine asset to the boss battle of the scenario,
although nowhere near the usefulness of a good Raged-up Gau with Areneid or
Primordite.
Locke doesn't have any offensive power to bring to your team either, but his
purpose is the Steal command (obviously). There are quite a few rare Steals
that are worth your time, and where Celes heals with Cure, Locke simply adds
an extra restorative item to your team in every battle.
Cyan is the worst character right now. The only thing he can do is offense,
and not only do you not need it, SwdTechs are horrible at this part of the
game. Dispatch is so-so and while Cyan learns Quadra Slam, you either have to
charge it up while the Figaro Brothers attack (in which case there's nothing
to Slam left in most cases) or while all other characters are on hold, which
disrupts the flow of the battle. Also, Quadra Slam is far inferior to Flash
and Fire Dance (although it makes an above-average ST attack, for all that's
worth).
Finally, you *could* choose to leave Narshe with only three characters and pick
up an old 'friend' in Kohlingen: Shadow. Shadow will randomly leave you
throughout the entire scenario, and is therefore a risky investment. I would
only consider him when playing on an emulator (in which case I'd still pick
Locke over him). Battle-wise, Shadow is a straight offense man. Very acceptable
ST damage still comes from Thrown Shuriken, and he has extremely strong MT
damage at the cost of 500 GP a toss (you can obtain elemental scrolls in
Kohlingen as well, but they are very expensive at 500 GP a piece).
In the end, my personal recommendation is a team consisting of Edgar, Sabin,
Gau, and Locke. If you're playing on an emulator, Locke is an even better
addition as you have control over what he steals (just abuse those Save
States). On a console, it's really a personal toss-up between Locke and
Celes.
Weapon Shop:
RegalCutlass 800
Mithril Clase 800
Kotestu 800
Mithril Pike 800
Air Lancet 950
Flail 2000
Full Moon 2500
New weapons here include the Flail and the Full Moon. The Flail is a weapon
for Terra and Celes; Terra is gone and Celes will still do more damage with
and Ice spell than with the Flail. It's an entirely useless weapon, but you
might want to buy it for completeness' sake. It deals the same amount of damage
from the back row, so it has that going for it, but since the possible wielder
at this point (Celes) loses the ability to Runic and shouldn't be attacking
anyway, it's still a moot point. Ice spells do cost MP where a Flail attack
does not, so in theory (when you're stupid), it could have its use. The Full
Moon is a weapon for Locke that allows him to do full damage from the Back Row;
a superior weapon without this feature can be found somewhere else. I'd buy
one, as you may want to use it.
Armor Shop:
Mithril Shld 1200
Magus Hat 600
Bandana 800
Iron Helmet 1000
Silk Robe 600
Iron Armor 700
Finally, Mithril Shields for everybody! Buy one for the entire team (as in:
your current team of four characters and you probably already have one). All
other items were previously obtainable.
Relic Shop:
Sprint Shoes 1500
Jewel Ring 1000
Fairy Ring 1500
Barrier Ring 500
MithrilGlove 700
True Knight 1000
The first Relic shop that sells those crappy near-death Safe/Shell relics!
If you must do anything in this shop, I suggest you mock the owner of the relic
shop.
Item Shop:
Tonic 50
Potion 300
Tincture 1500
Soft 200
Fenix Down 500
Smoke Bomb 300
Sleeping Bag 500
Tent 1200
Especially if you don't bring Celes, Potions might come in handy, so keep an
eye out for your stock. Fenix Downs are ever useful, so make sure you have a
few of those to throw around if necessary.
Hidden Items: In the clock in the Elder's House, you'll find an Elixir. A
helpful peasant allows you to take his stuff. While normally that'd include
such useless trinkets as paled paintings and broken silverware, what will be
offered here is very nice indeed: in the small shack, you'll find the following:
5000 GP, a ThiefKnife, a pair of Earrings, a Wall Ring, a Sneak Ring and a
Hyper Wrist. The ThiefKnife is Locke's superior weapon I was talking about.
The Sneak Ring doubles his Steal success rate; the treasure hunter is quite
hyped at this point!
If you walk to the north, where you entered the coalmines to find the Esper
with Terra and co., you'll catch a glimpse of a being, dressed in white fur.
Maybe at some point in the future you'll learn who, or what, it is.
Remember that elusive battle formation you hunted for in the caves of Narshe,
the one with Spectre and Rinn from the security checkpoint? Well, guess what:
Spectre has a rare Ice Rod for you to steal, and with Locke, you finally have
access to it. Granted, without an emulator the odds are far too small, but
while the Ice Rod is a weapon you cannot currently equip on anybody, you can
break it for massive damage in battle, and it's nice to have at this point.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.23.1 Traveling to Kohlingen and optional trip to the Veldt
**********************************
Location: Overworld Map. From Narshe to Kohlingen Desert
Party members: Optional: Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Celes, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: Leafer, Dark Wind, Sand Ray, Areneid
Terra flew off. Not only do you personally care for her well being, she is still
a key player in your struggle against the Empire; she must be retrieved or it
will be a major setback for the Returners. Witnesses say they a soaring light,
heading west... The western continent is accessible with Figaro Castle, the
subterranean taxi. It's time to split your team between those who will seek
Terra, and those who stay behind should the Empire attempt another attack to
obtain the Esper. And now, you travel...
Preparation: I'm not going to bother listing the enemies to Figaro Castle this
time, as they only things they'll be able to do by now are rolling over and
dying. You have three Earrings now; split them between those of your party who
can use it (Sabin, Gau, and Edgar). Celes' damage will be subpar anyway, so
trying to make something out of it will be a waste of Earrings. If you have
the Genji Glove, Locke and Cyan (in that order) will benefit from it, possibly
paired with a Black Belt (although you'll want to equip that Sneak Ring on
Locke).
-There is one small 'side-quest' you can perform before going further to
Kohlingen and beyond, and that's taking Gau back to the Veldt to have him learn
some new Rages. The two new Rages of interest are Anguiform and Aspik. Anguiform
performs Aqua Rake, which although weaker than Wind Slash on multiple targets,
will nail the weakness of much more monsters later on. Aspik, whose Giga Volt is
an obscenely strong magical attack that sometimes goes MT (far surpassing Aqua
Rake and Wind Slash in that aspect) or ST (far surpassing...anything. For
comparison, it's almost as strong as a Fire 2 spell...when the latter is HITTING
A WEAKNESS). It's not entirely necessary as Gau's attacks are already stronger
than whatever your other characters are capable of, and there will be a more
rewarding time for Gau to visit the Veldt in the near future, but it never hurts
to boost offense.
To visit the Veldt, take the Cave to South Figaro and pass through Mt. Koltz.
You'll find the Returner Hideout again, and in Banon's Room, you can find the
hidden passage to the raft. Jump on it, and after the same battles you had to
fight earlier, you'll now take the path Sabin took when he drifted off. You
find yourself near the hut of the crazy man again. Walk to and through the
Phantom Forest (no Imperial Camp or Phantom Train this time) and jump down
Baren Falls (no battles here either). You're on the Veldt now. Leap around
until you're satisfied. Jump down the Serpent Trench and wind up in Nikeah.
Take the ferry to South Figaro and you're on known territory. Oh yeah, and
you're smuggled out of South Figaro in a chest; that never ceases to amuse the
kids.
Weapon Shop:
AutoCrossbow 250
NoiseBlaster 500
Bio Blaster 750
Flash 1000
Drill 3000
In Figaro Castle, there are new Tools for sale! Flash is a non-elemental MT
magical attack, so your Earrings on Edgar will shine even more. Drill is an
attack like Dispatch, Pummel, and Shuriken; physical, barrier-piercing, and
non-elemental. Drill beats Dispatch and Pummel in power, though. Since Edgar
is king, you can put him as the lead character to obtain a discount; the
merchant will whine regardless but will ONLY give a discount of Edgar is your
leader. If you lack Edgar in your party but have Sabin, the merchant will
notice even that...but regardless of Sabin's position, no discount for you.
At this stage, the Suplex Blitz will start becoming more dangerous than AuraBolt
when Sabin is without Earrings. With Earrings, the damage difference is
marginal, but you'll want to get used to using Suplex when only one monster is
on the battlefield (it will do double damage when only one target remains).
On Suplex: Code-wise, it would be better to say that it deals half damage when
more than one opponent is on the battlefield. However, since Suplex can never
target more than one opponent at a time, it would seem like it deals double
damage when only target is around, and that's also how at least one Square-
approved piece of media.
Cyan will learn Quadra Slam on level 15. The charge time becomes noticeable now,
and the result, four hits on random targets whose total add up to be the same as
Drill's damage, is hardly worth it. I would advise Cyan to stick to Dispatch
and Fight (Dispatch is slightly stronger, but Genji Glove Fight is targetable).
If you take either Edgar or Sabin to Figaro Castle, this will draw a reaction
from them:
SABIN: This's like old times! I have to wander around for a while!
EDGAR: If only SABIN were here...(if Sabin is still in Narshe)
If you go sleep at the Inn of Figaro Castle with both Edgar and Sabin, the
tragic past of the Figaro Throne will be revealed in a touching scene. There's
a more logical moment to see this scene in the future though, so I'll list it
then.
When you're done, have the man in the room left from the entrance ship you to
Kohlingen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.24.1 Kohlingen
**********************************
Location: Kohlingen
Party members: Optional: Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Celes, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: None
You've safely arrived on the other side of the mountains, on an exciting new
continent. Oh, the monsters!
Monster formations:
Grasslands:
Red Fang, Vulture, Red Fang (6/16)
Red Fang, Red Fang (5/16)
Vulture, Vulture (5/16)
Forest:
Over Grunk, Over Grunk, Mind Candy, Mind Candy, Mind Candy (6/16)
Over Grunk, Vulture, Iron Fist (5/16)
Iron Fist, Iron Fist, Mind Candy, Mind Candy (5/16)
Desert:
Sand Ray, Areneid, Areneid (6/16)
FossilFang (5/16)
Sand Ray, Sand Ray (5/16)
I'll explain about the monsters when you need to cross the Overworld Map in
earnest.
Kohlingen is a nice town without anything significantly wrong with it. It
doesn't house any gargantuan frozen serpents, it's not being overrun by the
Empire, it doesn't consist of hunters, dogs, and Mickey Mouse Club rejects;
Kohlingen is your average village where the sun shines and the grass grows (the
non-narcotic kind). But since that doesn't attract any tourists, you'll quickly
notice that Kohlingen houses crazy people, preserves dead people, and has
assassins in every Inn, not unlike whatever the hell the Russians did to
Moscow after Lenin died.
Weapon Shop:
Air Lancet 950
Flail 2000
Full Moon 2500
Shuriken 30
Fire Skean 500
Water Edge 500
Bolt Edge 500
Inviz Edge 200
On actual weapons, they have nothing new for you. What is interesting is the
fact you can buy scrolls here (yes, they are scrolls. Ninja scrolls. I know
that sounds like 'Dental Plan of Doom' or 'Waffle of Power', but they are
actual Ninja scrolls. I can't help it). At 500 GP a piece, they are really too
expensive for you to buy in mass amounts. If you chose to hire Shadow, buy a
few Fire Skeans. All three are equal in power and only differ in their element,
and the Fire-elemental ones are just the most useful.
Armor Shop:
Mithril Shld 1200
Magus Hat 600
Bandana 800
Head Band 1600
Iron Helmet 1000
Silk Robe 600
Iron Armor 700
The only new item of interest here is the Head Band. The Head Band is a
ridiculously expensive helmet that is inferior to the Green Beret. If you have
any characters that can equip it without having a Green Beret for them, you
might consider buying one (Note that you'll get another Green Beret somewhere
in this city).
Item Shop:
Potion 300
Tincture 1500
Revivify 300
Antidote 50
Green Cherry 150
Fenix Down 500
Sleeping Bag 500
Tent 1200
If you brought Locke instead of Celes, this might be a good time to make sure
your amount of Potions doesn't drop to one-digit levels. Never travel without
less than 5 Fenix Downs and less than 20 Potions, as they're always useful.
The most important are the Revivifies; carry a few at ALL times, as the Zombie
status they cure can only be healed by Tents and Revivies and Tents are just a
waste to use just for that.
Hidden Items: In Rachel's House, there is an Elixir in the clock. If you want
the Elixir with Locke in your party without having to see the scene, know that
the scene is triggered when you cross the tile directly in front of you after
you've entered the house. You can walk around it if you want to.
To the northeast is Rachel's House, who has a history with Locke. If Locke is
in your party, you'll learn more about his tragic past. If he isn't, you will
learn NOTHING, like you always do when you make mistakes.
LOCKE: ...wasn't able to...save her when she needed me...
(switch to a cave. Locke and a girl are walking through it)
RACHEL: LOCKE! What are we off to find today?
LOCKE: Soon, you'll...
LOCKE: You're not going to believe what awaits us up here! Come on, it's worth
a fortune!
(Locke crosses a wooden bridge, but it starts to collapse underneath him.
RACHEL: LOCKE! Look out!
(Rachel rushes towards Locke and pushes him off of the bridge, just as it
collapses. Rachel tumbles downwards instead.
LOCKE: RACHEL!!
(Locke jumps down)
(switch to Rachel's house. Rachel is lying in bed, Locke is standing next to
her)
LOCKE: Rachel! Are you awake?
(Rachel gets up out of bed)
RACHEL: ... ... ...? I...I can't remember anything...
(switch to the outside of Rachel's house. Locke is thrown out. A man appears in
the doorway)
RACHEL'S DAD: Get outta here! It's your fault she's lost her memory!
LOCKE: Wait a minute! She said "Yes!" We were gonna...
(Rachel appears as well)
RACHEL: Go! I don't know who you are, but ever since you came here my parents
have been upset!
(Locke is standing outside of Rachel's house, alone. A man with the appearance
of an outlaw walks up to him)
You'd best leave Rachel alone. She's going to have to make a new start of it.
LOCKE... Your being here doesn't help.
(Locke slowly walks off, out of town)
Back to the present:
"A year passed... When I returned here, I learned that Rachel had perished in an
Imperial attack. Her memory returned just before she passed away. The last
thing she uttered was... my name... I should never have left her side. I... I
failed her..."
To the northwest, there is a large mansion that houses two points of interest.
If you sneak through the back entrance (you'll see the door when you're in the
house, and you can walk around the house to find the hidden door there), you'll
find a Green Beret hidden there (the chest is visible, but barely; it's hidden
behind the armor).
If you descend to the cellar, you'll meet a crazy man who apparently keeps a
body lying around, preserving it. Since the necrophilia jokes are all too
obvious, I won't make them (much as I ignored any Aspik puns). It IS an
interesting fact that there are FOUR scenes where an old man watches over a
lifeless body of a girl. But I digress; if you have Locke, you can add some
more story to him, and Celes will make a short but important star performance
when she's also in your party.
(Upon entry)
"Oh! Is that you, LOCKE? It's been a while! Uh? Oh, that?! Worry not! Your
treasure's quite safe! Uwa, ha, ha!"
(When examining Rachel's body)
"I used some herbs to put her into suspended animation. She won't age a day!
Uwaa, ha! That's what you wanted, right? Had to use my herbs, I did!"
(Cut to a flashback in the very room you're standing in)
LOCKE: Rachel...
LOCKE: You mean those herbs have actually saved her?
Of course! The love of your life will sleep here like this forever. Kwa, ha, ha!
LOCKE: What if there were some way to...call her back?
If you could call her back... ...she'd come back! Wah, ha, ha! I'm sure you'll
find something that'll bring her around! Kuha, ha, ha!!"
(End flashback)
I... failed her...
(Exit Locke. All team members follow him out)
If Celes is present:
(Celes comes back, takes a look at Rachel, and bows her head)
CELES: LOCKE...
He will refuse to divulge the secret when you lack Locke, though:
"That? Oh, that's LOCKE's... Dear, me! Almost spilled the beans! Kwa, ha!"
In the Inn, there's Shadow waiting for you! For 3000 GP, he will offer to join
your team as long as there's room for him (otherwise, he'll simply tell you to
piss off). His merit in this scenario has been discussed earlier; I just want to
stress again that Shadow might leave you at all times after every battle.
Also, you now have finally access to the infamous Shadow's Dreams! If you want
to learn about them, go to the end of the document where I talk about them.
A burned house here is inaccessible. A 'creature of light' destroyed it; it
seems Terra made a visit to Kohlingen and flew off again. But where? No sense
doubting, as there's really only one place to go. A random NPC saying that the
creature of light left to the south removes any hesitation you might have.
We're off to Jidoor, to the South.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.25.1 Traveling to Jidoor
**********************************
Location: Overworld Map, between Kohlingen and Jidoor
Party members: Optional: Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Celes, Cyan, Gau, Shadow
Opponents: FossilFang, Vulture, Iron Fist, Red Fang, Mind Candy, Over Grunk
While searching for Terra, you were told Terra went to Jidoor. But reaching
Jidoor is not an easy task, as the road to Jidoor is a long and dangerous one.
Preparation: Since you didn't really improve equipment-wise, stick to what you
know.
Monster formations:
Grasslands to the north:
Red Fang, Vulture, Red Fang (6/16)
Red Fang, Red Fang (5/16)
Vulture, Vulture (5/16)
Grasslands to the south:
Iron Fist, Iron Fist, Mind Candy, Mind Candy (6/16)
Vulture, Iron Fist (5/16)
Mind Candy, Mind Candy, Mind Candy, Mind Candy (5/16)
Forest:
Over Grunk, Over Grunk, Mind Candy, Mind Candy, Mind Candy (6/16)
Over Grunk, Vulture, Iron Fist (5/16)
Iron Fist, Iron Fist, Mind Candy, Mind Candy (5/16)
Desert:
Sand Ray, Areneid, Areneid (6/16)
FossilFang (5/16)
Sand Ray, Sand Ray (5/16)
Before you go all the way to Jidoor, let's take a look at some features this
part of the game provides! A man in Kohlingen told you about his brother to
the north, at Dragon's Neck, who dreams of building a colosseum. You'll want to
pay this so-called lunatic a visit, as one of his buckets houses an
ever-so-precious Hero Ring, which is an Atlas Armlet and Earrings combined.
They work on every character, but especially nice on those who use both magical
and physical attacks, such as Edgar and Gau.
The desert is dangerous! While most battles will just feature the same critters
you faced on the other side of the mountains, you're more than likely to meet
a FossilFang before long. These undead dragons have witnessed their own bones
bleaching in the sun, being polished by the never-ending sand storms of the
desert. They have a fatal attack in !Bone (for which you'll need a Revivify to
cure), and Sand Storm is a nasty attack that deals about 200 HP worth of damage
to your entire party. It's easily evaded, but at this point, your team isn't
going to avoid an old man in a wheelchair, so watch out. Beating one will get
you 1870 GP though, so it's worth the challenge if you're low on cash. The
easiest way to take care of them is using a Fenix Down or Revivify (you can buy
three Fenix Downs or six Revivifies from one battle, so it's a feasible
strategy that goes easy on the wallet), but if you lack those, it's up to your
most powerful attacks. Steal a Fenix Down/Revivify with Locke, Drill a hole with
Edgar, Sabin can deliver massive pain with AuraBolt (it's super-effective),
Celes can make little difference regardless besides an MT Cure when a Sand Storm
attack kicks in, Cyan can use Slash early on or deliver a Dispatch later, and
Gau's Dark Side, Anguiform, Templar, and Rhodox are extremely effective.
In the forest near the would-be Colosseum is a Chocobo Stable. If you don't feel
like traveling and doing battle, you can always rent one here and reach Jidoor
on a whim. To be honest, the monsters here, as well as their corresponding
Rages (excluding Mind Candy, which only appear near Jidoor anyway), are worth
crap so you're not really missing out.
The grasslands and forests are littered by useless enemies who are just waiting
for you to kick their Battle/!Special asses. The most dangerous ones are Iron
Fists, crazy monks gone wild. Wild for BEADS! When they're alone they will use
Stone, a horrid spell that not only will do 7.5 as much damage to you when
you're the same level as the caster (in Iron Fist's case, 15) but will also
Muddle anything that survives it. If you're level 15 and are hit with Stone,
you die (it's over 1300 HP worth of damage, folks). If you're not and you're
still hit, you go medieval with AutoCrossbow, Fire Dance, Wind Slash, and
whatnot on your own party members. You'll want to avoid this scenario at all
costs; kill Iron Fists first. Two legs bad.
All other enemies are generally unassuming. Red Fang and Over Grunk can poison
you, so watch out, and give them priority over Mind Candy bugs. These simple
pests prolong the battle by putting you to sleep. They're easy enemies and
you should destroy them.
Fire Dance and Flash rule supreme as heavy-hitting MT spells that can either
seriously weaken or kill anything they touch with consistent effort. Wind Slash,
Giga Volt, and Aqua Rake performed by Gau are going to kill everything when they
occur. Let these characters do the hitting and have other characters run utility
work. Celes can absorb Shimsham with Runic, so you might want to have her ready
with it, should those two meet. Locke can Steal some rather uninteresting
healing potions and Cyan can waste time in your party. That may seem harsh,
but I told you this would be the case, so you obviously brought him along
to do just that :) There's a peninsula to the south of Jidoor, leading to a
sole building. This is the Opera House, and it's closed. Closed. No, it's
closed. Honest.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.25.2 Jidoor
**********************************
Location: Jidoor
Party members: Optional: Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Celes, Cyan, Gau, Shadow
Opponents: None
Remember that day? Remember that day you went to visit your aunt's eccentric and
rich sister, who had those beautiful crystal-like glasses you wanted to have so
very, very bad? And remember when you told your mom and she told you that you
would never ever earn enough money to buy one, no matter how hard you tried?
This is like a city full of those rich sisters, but this time you *can't* punch
them in the face and take what you like from them.
Weapon Shop:
Forged 1200
Kaiser 1000
Kodachi 1200
Full Moon 2500
Fire Skean 500
Water Edge 500
Bolt Edge 500
Shadow Edge 400
New weapons! The Kaiser Knuckles are new weapons for Sabin, and they're
Pearl-elemental. Aside from being fairly legendary throughout a lot of Final
Fantasy games, they're also somewhat, but not entirely, useless. I do suggest
you pick up two of them, as there will be one scenario where they will come in
handy.
Forged are new Knives for Cyan. 'Forged' is one of the few translation choices
I really feel missed the point. The Japanese called them Kikuichimonji, and
that is the name I shall honor them by, dammit! Regardless, if you have Cyan
in your party, you probably made a Genji Glover/Black Belt out of him; two
Forged Knives improve his usefulness. Kodachi blades for Shadow; disregarding
the fact you're unlikely to actually have him on the team, the fact any Thrown
Shuriken will surpass any held blade in damage will make sure the Thiefknife
is superior to equip. May be less of a non-factor if you brought Locke AND
Shadow and have felt the necessity to equip the Thiefknife on the treasure
hunter.
Armor Shop:
Mithril Shld 1200
Head Band 1600
Mithril Vest 1200
Ninja Gear 1100
White Dress 2200
Jidoor sells expensive new stuff. First and foremost, you'll notice Mithril
Vests for sale. You should already have enough of them, but if you don't have
enough to keep the Cyans and Edgars in your party pleased, you could get some.
The Ninja Gear was thus far an exclusive item you kinda forgot to return to
Shadow when he left, but it's likely the majority of your party can enjoy
this thing. Finally, the White Dress: if you have money, buy two. The White
Dress kicks ass, giving a hefty Magic Boost and solid Magic Defense.
Relic Shop:
Peace Ring 3000
Barrier Ring 500
MithrilGlove 700
Earrings 5000
True Knight 1000
Sniper Sight 3000
This if the first time you can buy noteworthy nice Relics! Earrings are for
sale in Jidoor. After the many new weapons, potions, scrolls, whatever, it's
unlikely you have a lot of money to spare. If your party can really use a third
set of Earrings (say, if you brought Gau, Edgar, Sabin, and Celes), consider
buying one.
Item Shop:
Potion 300
Tincture 1500
Antidote 50
Soft 200
Revivify 300
Fenix Down 500
Echo Screen 120
Tent 1200
Stock up on stuff you feel like you need. It's very simple!
Hidden Items: All the way to the north is a massive mansion that wouldn't really
stand out as an attraction in a cheesy amusement park (where, surprisingly,
nobody really amuses him/herself). There's a Tincture in a bucket.
Time to explore the town! There's precious little to explore, actually; like
actual rich people, it's all appearance and little content. Remember the huge
mansion to the north; the owner of it is Owzer, a famous art lover. The Auction
House is closed for the time being; a convenient plot device employed to tell
you that whatever you can buy here shouldn't be available yet. The NPCs are
generally useless here, but there are three points of interesting to derive from
them:
*1 Terra apparently headed north, into the mountains. That's where Zozo is.
*2 People in Zozo lie. They lie!
*3 The inhabitants of Zozo also steal.
Why would Terra use her newfound ability to travel by air to go to what sounds
like the slums of Jidoor, detached, full of American Presidents? It will
forever be a mystery. Or not, because you're about to find out.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.26.1 Zozo
**********************************
Location: Zozo
Party members: Optional: Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Celes, Cyan, Gau, Shadow
Opponents: Harvester, SlamDancer, HadesGigas, Iron Fist, Gabbldegak, Dadaluma
Upon entry of Zozo, the image you had of it quickly abandons you. You expected
poor people; you encounter pure madness. Staggering through the buildings are
madmen mumbling about minutes, hours, and seconds. The exotic dancers wield
arcane spells no human is to possess. Bulking giants attack you, shaking the
ground with every 20-ton step. Corpses rot on the street. Towering constructions
reach into the sky. And somewhere in this chaos, Terra is waiting for you.
Preparation: You should've equipped all new pieces of armor before entry. If you
have Gau in your party, make sure his first Rage is something Float inducing
such as Ghost, Pterodon, Aspik, or Hornet. It will protect at least him from the
dreaded Magnitude8 you may encounter here. Save. Zozo is the most dangerous
place you'll set foot into for a while, so make sure you're not caught with
yer shorts down.
Monster formations:
Outside the buildings:
Gabbldegak, Gabbldegak, Gabbldegak, Gabbldegak (5/16)
HadesGigas (5/16)
Harvester, Gabbldegak, Gabbldegak (5/16)
HadesGigas, Harvester (1/16)
Inside the buildings:
SlamDancer (5/16)
SlamDancer, Harvester, Harvester (5/16)
Harvester (5/16)
SlamDancer, Gabbldegak, Gabbldegak, Gabbldegak (1/16)
First off, how to treat the enemies here. It's incomprehensible why these
cretins wield destructive power of Magic; there's certainly not a plot-related
explanation given. But regardless, these inhabitants aren't going to give you
random advice, allow you to raid their homes and take 300 GP they contained in
that bucket for over three generations, or sell you new stuff. They are here to
kill you. It's up to you, but I'd say we kill them right back.
SlamDancers should be your first concern, period. If they are alone, they start
casting Fire 2, Ice 2, or Bolt 2. Always. A focused ST level 2 spell will
probably kill a character. An MT spell will hurt your entire party more than
anything you've encountered so far. Take them out ASAP when they're alone. If
they come with other opponents, try to see if you can steal more ThiefKnives
from them and then end their lives.
HadesGigas is your second large concern. They just hit stuff, hard. If you keep
your HP up, they're not going to kill you, but keep in mind that a weakened
character can quickly fall victim to a devastating physical blow like the ones
HadesGigas delivers. If you kill one, there's a 33 % chance they will end
things with a Magnitude8 attack. This hurts about as much as an MT level 2
spell, and since I just spent quite some words detailing the fact you want to
avoid that at all costs, know that once again this is the case. You can avoid
this fate by changing the giant into an Imp with Celes, or let him sink in a
Snare attack, only employable by a well-trained Gau. Dark Wind is also an
efficient way of dealing with the wall of muscle, but Break won't stop the
Magnitude8 attack. Cross your fingers and make sure you have four Potions or
Celes' Cure spell ready.
Harvesters are next. They're weak fighters, but when allowed to take a third
turn, they will use Shadow's Throw technique to hurl either a Dirk or a
MithrilKnife at you. This is crazy high ST damage that's likely to take a
character down in one shot. It ignores defense and Row, so if you see it, you're
in trouble. The only way to dodge around these flying blades of death is the
Clear status.
And that's where our fourth and final random encounter comes in! Gabbldegak are
Zozo's cannon fodder; useless pieces of Hit Points that run into your sharp
objects and die from them. Compared to their fellow monsters here, they are
doubly pathetic. They serve a grand purpose, though. If you have any means of
setting Muddled, use it! Edgar's NoiseBlaster is far and entirely superior to
Gau's Brawler Rage (Stone), but if you lack Edgar, you have precious little
choice should you want to employ this. A confused Gabbldegak has a 33 % chance
of casting Vanish at a random character of yours. The Clear status remains
after battle and makes you immune to all physical attacks sent your way,
including items Thrown by Harvester. Two characters under Clear is good, three
is grand, but four is generally unconceivable as you can't control which
character gets to be the target, and a Vanish spell on a Vanished target is
just going to remove the status.
So, welcome to Zozo! If you walk a bit into the town, you'll notice there are
three buildings here. The one you passed is the smaller building, which has some
treasure on top. The door says 'Cafe'. All the way to the north is a small
building with only a clock to set. The final and remaining tower is what could
be defined as the main dungeon, a construction even Gaudi didn't dare dream of.
Twisted, man. I'll call the three buildings the Small Tower, the Chainsaw Tower,
and the High Tower, for readability. Not that hard.
Enter the Small Tower first. A Zozo crook shouts gibberish over his counter.
Ignore him and continue to ascend. You'll meet a split here: a door to the left
and one to the right. The left one takes you nowhere, like studying philosophy.
The right one takes you outside, where you climb a frightening stairway to the
next level. Here, the left door is rusted shut and the left one opens to reveal
a Tincture. Now, you can track back!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.26.2 Chainsaw Riddle and Zozo continued
**********************************
The Chainsaw Tower is the one you were meant to explore last. The trick is
that there is a mysterious clock; its time you can set. By collecting clues
from the Zozo inhabitants, you could discover the time you needed to unlock a
secret treasure. Here are all the clues you can find:
That clock has no minute hand. It's never pointing to the right time anyway!
(This 'that clock' means the one nearby. Talking to it will get you the message,
'Hand's pointin' at the two.')
Clock's second hand's pointin' at 30.
The seconds? They're divisible by 20!
The second hand of my watch is pointing at four.
Time? It's 4:00.
You can trust me! It's 8:00.
10:00! Time to go home!
It's already 12:00.
It's now 2:00.
With the options presented to you when trying to set the clock to the right
time, it's clear that the hour must be 6:00, as all other options are stated
by lying Zozo pigs. The seconds are NOT divisible by 20, and it's not 0:00:30.
The minutes can be narrowed to only one option; the man who tells you there is
no minute hand on THAT clock proceeds to say it isn't on the right time. Talking
to the clock will reveal that the (minute) hand is standing on the two, i.o.w.
0:10.
At any rate, after some trying here and there, it's clear that the real time is
either 6:10:10 or 6:10:50. Regardless, after you've tried one of them you know
what the real answer is: 6:10:50. When you reset the time to match this, a wall
will slide away to reveal another pathway to a chest containing the Chainsaw.
It's a powerful new Tool for Edgar that is basically Drill on crack with the
annoying 25 % tendency to try to go for an instant-kill, which has a small
chance of missing, and always misses against targets immune to Instant Death.
For a comparison between Chainsaw and Drill, go to the end of this document
and search for the 8.2 section.
Now, for the High Tower! It's the one to the southwest, with the Relic shop
logo above the entrance. When you enter, another politician in the making is
waiting for you to listen to his crap. Leave him. You take a stairway outside
to enter the second level, where cycloptic thieves run rampant. There are a
total of seven of them, repeating themselves in an endless polonaise of decay
and horror. Walk amongst them to leave. Now you're outside again!
At the end of the first set of stairs, you can face south and be asked
if you want to use the Crane. Using the Crane will simply let you descend to the
previous level. The Crane was probably installed so you could easily return to
the ground without having to wade through the thieves. Maybe the designers
figured it would in fact be impossible to return by those means; by clever
navigational skills it's very much possible though. Pressing on, stair after
stair, will get you to a dead end! Granted, there was a room with a Thief Glove
on the way, but you cannot proceed. Time to pick up an ancient Zozo trick:
jumping between buildings. There is a small black entrance above the door you
passed through to get outside. Enter it and face the west. Now, walk over there
and jump! Twice!
The Thief Glove, by the way, is a Relic for Locke that allows him to change his
Steal command into Capture, which is basically Fight + Steal. The Sneak Ring
also boosts the chances of stealing through Capture, and the chances of stealing
are just as high for Capture as it is for Steal. The only downside (and very
rarely upside) of Capture is that it makes the weapon lose some special
powers. None of the weapons you have at this point will lose any effect, but
the following weapons do:
- The Atma Weapon; Becomes a normal 255 Battle Power blade
- Striker, Assassin, Wing Edge and Trump/Doom Darts (dependent on game version)
will not execute X-type ID any more.
- The Scimitar won't slice enemies, ever.
- The Man Eater won't double damage on 'Human' targets.
- Drainer and Soul Sabre won't absorb respectively HP and MP and do normal
damage instead.
- Rune Edge, Ragnarok, Illumina, Punisher and the Ogre Nix can't execute the
MP-powered critical hit; in addition, the Ogre Nix can't break on you.
- No random extra damage from Hawk Eye and the Sniper; the throw graphic won't
be used either.
- Dice and Fixed Dice become worthless due to the 2 and 3 Hit Rate for them,
while graphic glitches ensue.
- Loses defense-ignoring properties and doesn't add the (max HP - current HP)
damage.
- Tempest won't cast Wind Slash
You get back inside on the other side of the building and continue to travel.
Ignore the first partly hidden set of stairs to your left; it will only take
you behind some counter. The second one gets you to your needed destination:
further. There is a Potion and a Tincture hidden in two pots here. Leave.
Time to leave this detour building and jump back to the normal one, which has
a girl on top. According to the Zozoian below. Or, NOT, so it is. Still
with me here? Jump again and you'll find yourself in a huge set of swirling
stairs. Climb them. When you find yourself outside again, climb those stairs
too. Don't forget to find the Fire Knuckle hidden in the small chamber here;
the door is obvious. Eventually, you will reach Dadaluma.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.26.3 The battle with Dadaluma and the meeting with Ramuh
**********************************
Dadaluma
Level: 22, HP: 3270, MP: 1005
Steal: Sneak Ring (rare), Jewel Ring (common)
Weakness: Poison
Special: !Sweep: sets Seizure
Vulnerable to: Imp, Petrify, Condemned, Mute, Sleep, Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Sweep, Jump, Safe, Shock Wave, Item (Tonic), Item (Potion),
Throw (Dirk), Throw (MithrilKnife), Steal
Dadaluma is...yeah, what the hell is he anyway? He's a crazy lying dog like the
entire population of Zozo, as he charges at you as soon as he's finished saying
he's going to let you by unharmed. He's some hybrid between a martial artist
and a thief: the love child of a Harvester and an Iron Fist on steroids.
Most of his attacks are physical, and his most powerful ones are him Throwing
Dirks and MithrilKnives. Your Vanished characters are relatively safe if he
doesn't expose them with Shock Wave, which is a weakish attack with the power to
hit your Clear targets. When he's taking enough damage to dive below 1920
HP, he'll use either a Potion or Tonic three times and cast Safe on himself.
That's only slightly annoying for Locke, as all other characters are going to
attack either with barrier-piercing attacks or those that are magical of
nature.
There are some more twists and turns to Dadaluma's battle script! When you've
hurt him with the Magic command two times, he will Throw one weapon and Jump
in the air, being temporarily untouchable. He'll come down to damage a character
for some minor physical hurting. He won't do all this if he has the Slow status,
but since the only way to set it is by using Gau's Poplium Rage, there are much
better things to set on Dadaluma.
If you've hit him with the Fight command four times, he will Throw TWO weapons.
Such violence. Obviously, you're never going to use Fight that much, but if
you brought Locke AND Cyan and went Fight-happy for some reason, watch out.
Finally, after 30 seconds, he will call some aid. God knows he needs it by then,
if he's not dead already. He'll whistle for two Iron Fists that you'll never
face alone and are thus deprived of their one and only strength: Stone.
Dadaluma won't be able to whistle when he's Muted, but you can't silence him
at this point of the game, so there's no avoiding it.
So yeah, you can imagine what to do. Try to nick that rare Sneak Ring with
Locke. Edgar can play with his new equipment (like you did when you grew hair
in weird places...don't deny it). AuraBolt with Sabin. Cyan's Quadra Slam will
be better before Dadaluma has cast the Safe spell on himself, but Dispatch
comes out victorious after he's successfully done so. Even when Safe isn't in
effect, the wait time might make Dispatch more appealing to you. Celes' Imp
spell can seriously cripple Dadaluma, as it actually works on him. His
physicals will now always do twice as much damage, but his Shock Wave/Throw
days are over, so if you have any characters under Clear, you're destined to
win. Have her pose as a back-up Cure caster if necessary, and if you choose
not to turn Dadaluma into an Imp, you'll want her ready with Runic to disable
Safe for the Lockes and Cyans of this world. Gau's Areneid and Primordite Rages
will set Stop on Dadaluma, turning him completely useless. Trilium offers Bio,
on the other hand, which will hit for CRAZY damage. Shadow can simply toss his
stuff; his Skeans (especially when Earrings-boosted) will come out stronger
than his Shuriken, but you might not want to waste them on an easy fight
like this.
Yeah, when all is said and done, after a dungeon like Zozo a final boss like
Dadaluma fails to impress anybody.
Stepping over the battered corpse of the Bandit King, you find yourself in a
large room. There are two chests here, containing rather nice items: an X-Potion
and a set of RunningShoes. But most importantly, it houses Terra.
I advise you to simply watch the scene yourself, and don't forget to take all
your new sources of happiness and power with you. Before I go to the next part
of the walkthrough, though, I want to leave you with what Gau would say had you
brought an actual solo-Gau party to Ramuh, as it's one of the bits of dialogue
that never ceases to amuse me in its brilliance:
TERRA...she ok?
Espers...from other world?
Why hide fact you Esper?
GAU hear fairy tale. People...Esper once live together peacefully...
MagiTek Research Facility...? There...your people?
R.a.m.u.h...You leave...?
Awoooo...!
Note that this guy, later in the game, has trouble saying 'yes'.
From now on, there will be a wizard/ghost character roaming the streets of
Zozo as well as the Classroom for the Beginner in Narshe to explain how
Magicite works. What great news!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.27.1 Magicite and Owzer's Mansion in Jidoor
**********************************
Location: Overworld Map (between Zozo, Jidoor and the Opera House)
Party members: Locke, Celes; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau, Shadow
Opponents: Vulture, Iron Fist, Red Fang, Mind Candy, Over Grunk
As it turns out, Terra is apparently safe in Zozo. All she needs is more time
to understand her newfound powers. Ramuh, the ancient Esper of Lightning, in
the meantime, begged you for a favor. The Empire's forbidden might, Magic, is
extracted from Espers held within the city of Vector, in the MagiTek Research
Facility. Releasing them or otherwise disabling the flow of Magic to the Empire
would deal a serious blow to its offensive forces. To top that, Ramuh's plea
is understandable; no conscious being should be held into submission and tested
on like this.
But the Empire knows better than to allow offensive forces into their lands, and
after conquering the entire continent, they disabled any means of traveling to
the Southern Continent. So how will these Returners reach Vector? Jidoor might
hold some answers.
Preparation: Your choice of team is more limited now, as both Locke and Celes
are forced into your party. It's too bad, as both are relatively weak characters
at the moment. But hey, forced is forced. Know that physical attacks, unless
barrier-piercing, are almost entirely useless in the next scenario, so Cyan is
out from the get-go (Dispatch fails to measure up to your other offensive
options, and Quadra Slam is going to be laughable most of the time). Shadow is
still in the Kohlingen Inn if you haven't recruited him earlier, but he will
leave at a crucial point where, even while you technically CAN go back to
Narshe, will be most annoying. Shadow is out.
It boils down to Sabin, Edgar, and Gau. If you haven't trained Gau, it's no
contest and you'll want to bring the Figaro brothers. If you have, it's no
contest and you'll want to add Gau. Seriously, he is *obscenely* strong
at this point of the game (provided you go Rage Hunting in a bit, anyway).
Between Edgar and Sabin, I'd definitely pick Edgar over Sabin. They're about
equals in offense at this point, but Edgar has the option of using the
NoiseBlaster, and being able to target will be a damn useful function before
long.
If you picked Gau, you'll want to pick some new Rages from the new monsters
you encountered. Useful Rages include: Anguiform, Aspik, Mind Candy, SlamDancer,
Gabbldegak and HadesGigas. HadesGigas' Magnitude8 will be stronger than Wind
Slash in MT damage, but it cannot hit Floating targets. Anguiform and Aspik both
hit the weakness of pretty much everything in the next real dungeon, so don't
feel complete until you've found them. Route to the Veldt, Copy/Paste from the
previous section:
To visit the Veldt, take the Cave to South Figaro and pass through Mt. Koltz.
You'll find the Returner Hideout again, and in Banon's Room, you can find the
hidden passage to the raft. Jump on it, and after the same battles you had to
fight earlier, you'll now take the path Sabin took when he drifted off. You
find yourself near the hut of the crazy man again. Walk to and through the
Phantom Forest (no Imperial Camp or Phantom Train this time) and jump down
Baren Falls (no battles here either). You're on the Veldt now. Leap around
until you're satisfied. Jump down the Serpent Trench and wind up in Nikeah.
Take the ferry to South Figaro and you're on known territory. Oh yeah, and
you're smuggled out of South Figaro in a chest; that never ceases to amuse the
kids.
Also, you've received Magicite! Magicite are awesome little gems that allow you
to summon the corresponding Esper once a battle, learn the spells the Magicite
teaches, and even give you a stat boost when you level up! For a more detailed
descriptions of Espers and how do and do not work, there's a section towards
the bottom of the document.
I will not fail to mention THIS, though: To unequip an Esper, select a black
slot from the Esper list. There are too many creatures out there that, after
having consumed a meal consisting entirely out of Doritos and feces, nose-type
a "how to unequip Espers" topic. Because, typing the message and waiting for the
often verbally violent and inaccurate response somehow takes less time in their
dimension of madness than simply trying the option, which has always seemed to
me as a product of logic.
Monster formations:
Grasslands:
Iron Fist, Iron Fist, Mind Candy, Mind Candy (6/16)
Vulture, Iron Fist (5/16)
Mind Candy, Mind Candy, Mind Candy, Mind Candy (5/16)
Forest:
Over Grunk, Over Grunk, Mind Candy, Mind Candy, Mind Candy (6/16)
Over Grunk, Vulture, Iron Fist (5/16)
Iron Fist, Iron Fist, Mind Candy, Mind Candy (5/16)
Desert:
Sand Ray, Areneid, Areneid (6/16)
FossilFang (5/16)
Sand Ray, Sand Ray (5/16)
I speak too much! Your job is to find a proper means of transportation towards
the Empire. By now, you'll probably stare at the lead character of your party,
going, and here I quote one of the best films recently created, Napoleon
Dynamite: "Before we get started on our new project, I have a few concerns.
First off, I'm concerned about your transportation situation." See, you need to
go to Vector, capital of the Empire. This city is on a continent, and while you
are also on a continent, it's sadly an entirely different one. While Celes is
wearing a bathing suit, swimming is not an option. Maybe you can get yourself
a ship in Jidoor? Money buys anything, right? Except for happiness. Happiness
and actual quality coffee, when you're living in America. Starbucks my ass.
While walking to Jidoor, you'll be surprised to note that every battle ends with
an added message of you obtaining Magic Points! That's good.
When you've reached Jidoor, you may want to rest at the Inn. The guy standing
in front of the counter has some new info about this guy called 'the gambler',
who likes operas. Kind of the dumbest thing ever, talking to strangers ABOUT
strangers, no? At Owzer's place (you know, that huge mansion? The mansion to
rule them all?), you'll find somebody called the Impresario. He's having a bad
time. Talk to him and grab the letter on the way out.
Resume: The Impresario (trivia: his name is Dancho) is the Big Chief of the
Opera. Everybody loves that place, especially because of Maria, the very sexual,
the very tight. Setzer Gabbiani, world-cruising playboy of a gambler that he
is, has announced in a private letter to the Impresario that he will kidnap
Maria right from the stage. The Impresario doesn't want Maria to be kidnapped;
bad for business, nor does he want to call off the next show; bad for business.
Dancho's in a tight spot. Oh, the troubles of capitalism.
Also, Celes is the 'spitting image' of Maria, it seems. I never quite understood
this expression. Two women and saliva doesn't sound too bad, but it just seems
kinda out of place in a game like this. So yeah, world's most popular fetish
aside, you need to go to the Opera House, where you'll try to set up a meeting
with Setzer, pilot of the world's only airship, the Blackjack (off-game
knowledge!).
Once you reach the Opera House (don't tell me you needed any more info on the
monsters occupying the way there), all will be self-explanatory. So, allow me to
skip to the next thrilling action sequence, which involves the favorite FF VI
scene for many.
Not me, though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.28.1 The Opera House
**********************************
Location: Opera House
Party members: Locke; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau, Shadow (leaves)
Opponents: Sewer Rat, Vermin, Ultros
So here's the plan. Instead of Maria, who hid her pretty self somewhere, Celes
will perform the Dream Oath, the massively popular opera about Draco and Maria
(seems like the opera star and her part share the name), a story of love, war,
honor, and as bad luck gives us, a squid. Ultros followed you here. The reason
is not clear; it's not so much revenge for beating him, as it's entirely
possible to use a team that features none of the characters you used to fight
him the first time. But let evil be evil as long as you stop it. Celes needs
to be successfully abducted here, and we can't have any octopi ruining the
plan.
Preparation: Celes de-equipped herself when she changed into Maria's opera
get-up, so if she was carrying anything other party members might be able to
use, that's great. Make sure that one of your remaining party members has
Sprint Shoes equipped if you're playing one of the SNES versions.
The Impresario predicted Setzer would arrive in the first scene, and as Setzer
is an undependable scoundrel who has no ties in life and has much to gain by
surprising the Impresario in his abduction in as many ways possible, the
prediction can be nothing but 100 % accurate. So, Celes needs to survive only
through the first scene before she gets her proverbial homerun! Here's what she
has to do:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.28.2 The Dream Oath (Celes' Opera Performance)
**********************************
Scene 1
Oh my hero, so far away now. Will I ever see your smile?
Love goes away, like night into day. It's just a fading dream...
I'm the darkness, you're the stars. Our love is brighter than the sun.
For eternity, for me there can be, only you, my chosen one...
Must I forget you? Our solemn promise? Will autumn take the place of
spring?
What shall I do? I'm lost without you. Speak to me once more!
...here you pick up the flowers.
Climb the stairs to the balcony high atop the castle. Raise the
flowers to the stars.
(Hurry! You have just moments before Scene 2 starts!
The Impresario)
Scene 2
At least, that's what the score says. Listen to it; it makes sense. Celes will
be given three options during her play concerning the proper lines, and then has
to successfully climb some stairs and lift flowers. Quite a workout! Here's what
the options will do:
(Oh my hero...) --> success! GOOD.
(Alas, Draco...) --> Alas, Draco! You're outta here! The orchestra stops. BAD.
(I wish I...) --> I wish I...uh? The orchestra stops. BAD.
(I'm the darkness)--> success! GOOD.
(Must I...) --> success! GOOD.
(Prince Ralse...) --> Prince Ralse...yeah, so? I hate him! Everyone does. BAD.
Now, you walk the stairs, talk to the phantom Draco three times, pick up the
flowers, and stand on the far end of the balcony. If you fail to do this in
time, Celes says: "Uhnn...not in time...We messed up.", the orchestra stops and
that's BAD.
Every time you mess up the Opera (you mess up the lines, you don't move around
fast enough, Ultros does his thang), the Opera is halted and you find yourself
outside of the building, where you can go back in to plead for another chance.
After you mess up the first time, you get three chances. That's a total of four
tries to get it right. If you fail four times, evolution hasn't been kind to
you and you receive the message "You don't have enough acting ability to
convince your own mama!" and get an actual Game Over.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.28.3 Stopping Ultros
**********************************
So, that's Celes' part. You can do it. Meanwhile, Ultros has decided to kill
the woman on stage with the combined terror of weight and gravity, which he told
Locke with a letter. Because that's useful for your chances of actually
pulling it off, you see. Before you alert the Impresario, make sure to talk to
your fellow characters. Amusing!
EDGAR: Go right ahead.
SABIN: Uh?
Why's everyone singing?
CYAN: Going somewhere?
I'm going to relax!
GAU: Pretty song!
And if you brought Shadow, against all possible odds and rules of logic:
IMPRESARIO: Your friend left. Said he'd have fallen asleep in another
5 minutes...
I'm sure a lot of you folks thinks that's awesome. You have five minutes to
reach the lever on the right side of the Opera House, flip it, go to the
rafters, which are accessible on the left side of the Opera House, fight your
way through some annoying rats, and stop Ultros.
So do it! Flip the far right switch in the room to the right. For you left/right
analphabetics out there, I'll lay it out for you:
Switch 1 Switch 2 Switch 3 Super Switch!
Switch 1 makes a sound like a dog barking.
Switch 2 turns out the lights in the opera hall, causing the crowds to make
little eyes in the darkness.
Switch 3 opens a hole directly under you, causing you to slide on stage! You
immediately get off by hopping on the heads of the crowd, bursting in the
entrance hall of the Opera House, where the lead character will strike a pose
and say 'Surprise!'.
I suppose all three switches are pretty amusing, but there's imminent squashing
and you can't shrug that off, so what you'll want to flip is the Super Switch.
Now, sprint all the way to the far left room (you'll pass the Impresario again)
and pass the door (which would be locked if you hadn't flipped the switch in the
far right room). Now, you're on the rafters. Don't fall down now.
Haha, you can't fall down! You can, however, fight rats and get kicked out of
the Opera House for another try if you lose. So, you don't want that.
Each rat will trigger a battle, which contains either:
Vermin, Sewer Rat, Sewer Rat (3/4)
Sewer Rat, Vermin, Sewer Rat, Sewer Rat, Vermin (1/4)
The Vermin monsters (yellow) are the main problem, the Sewer Rats (black/green)
the lackeys. If you take out all the Sewer Rat while one or two Vermin still
live, they'll call more, prolonging the battle. So have Edgar, Locke and Genji
Glove'd Cyan and/or Sabin go for the ST kill on those before you try to engage
in MT slaughter.
Vermin are weak against Ice, so if Gau can Rage SlamDancer, that might be a good
idea too. They have nothing worth stealing, so don't waste time there.
It's said it's actually possible to get by without having to fight a single
group of rats, but you'll skip both their Rages (not that good, I'll admit, but
you can *miss* them for the sake of the Savior), and it's damn hard to boot.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.28.4 The second fight with Ultros
**********************************
Ultros
Level: 19, HP: 2550, MP: 500
Steal: Nothing (always)
Absorbs: Water, Weakness: Fire, Lightning
Special: !Ink: sets Dark, attack x 1.5
Vulnerable to: Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Ink, Fire, Drain, L.3 Muddle, Imp Song, Acid Rain, Mega Volt,
Tentacle
Before you try to hurt Ultros, make sure your Ramuh-wearing character is
equipped with an Earring (or two). If you have a Fire Knuckle-wearing
Sabin, he should be in the third or fourth position, as that'll make sure
he'll face Ultros' back at the start of the match. Make sure that your party
is covered in Peace Rings/Ribbons, as Ultros has the ability to set Confuse,
which is serious business.
Ultros is back and he's better and badder then ever. Only not really, because
he actually has less HP than he did when you first met him. To compensate, he
has quite a few spells to throw at you, and has a nasty Command Script that
gives him the power to, at the worst situation possible, actually take 10197 HP
of damage before going down. Here's how that works:
Ultros has four positions. He starts at Position 1. Every time he takes two
rounds, he'll make a comment, switch to another position and start using
different spells. Now the story and our eyes will have us believe that it's
one Ultros, hopping about; the game treats this battle as one with four
Ultros', each with his own set of 2550 HP. If you hurt Ultros but let him
escape to a different position, you can Scan him and see he will again have
2550 out of 2550 HP. At least, that's what you would see if this Ultros didn't
yield a "Can't probe target" message. So, the trick is to kill him as quick as
possible, before he can move around at all.
For the record, he will go like this:
1 - 3 - 2* - 4 - 2 - 1 - 4 - 2 - 3**
** = Here, he makes four attacks before he moves on to 2* again.
So what does Ultros do? He counters Blitz techniques and SwdTech skills with
Acid Rain, a nasty Water/Poison-elemental attack that sets Seizure. I'd advise
against using those skills, especially because Sabin will inflict more damage
with the Fire Knuckle then he will with his Blitz attacks (unless it's Fire
Dance, unless he's hitting with the Fire Knuckle in the back of Ultros).
After every minute of battling, Ultros will use Imp Song, which changes the
living characters on one side of him into Imps. This is very annoying and yet
another reason to deal with Ultros as quickly as possible.
Finally, his attack pattern is this, depending on his position:
1 = Battle Ink (Special) or Tentacle
2 = Battle (33%) or Fire (66%)
3 = Battle (33%) or L.3 Muddle (66%)
4 = Battle or Mega Volt or Drain
But none of this should really matter, honestly. Because if you even get to see
Acid Rain or L.3 Muddle, let alone Imp Song, you've already missed the goal
and are in actual danger of losing the battle if you're either inexperienced or
unlucky. So here's what to do to prevent that.
Locke is fairly useless; Ultros has nothing to steal whatsoever. If Locke knows
Slow or Bolt 2, have him cast it. Otherwise, just attack. Edgar's Chainsaw
inflicts very decent damage, and I've said enough about Sabin's Fire Knuckle to
make the impression I actually want you to use it. Cyan should ignore his
SwdTech command and act like Locke. Gau, finally, can pick a Rage like Aspik
or Hazer for direct violence (Aspik is godly), or Primordite/Areneid for causing
Stop if you want to prevent him from changing position rather than killing him
outright.
Unless it's Sabin, summoning Ramuh takes priority over anything else. It's
basically a Bolt 2 spell coming from someone who probably hasn't learned
Bolt 2 yet. The only scenario I can see where the above strategy wouldn't
automatically mean you toasted the guy before he could move a muscle is a
rather low-leveled Locke, Cyan, and Gau team where Gau just didn't feel
like doing his non-Battle attack. If this is the case, have Cyan and Locke
support Gau and cure their own Imp status should this become a problem. Ultros
really isn't that much of a deal if you take him down with as much brute
force in as little time you could do; if you allow him to wander, he could
become quite a nuisance. You'll get a Green Cherry for your troubles at the
end.
His lines, because there are people who love him as much as I dislike the guy:
"Long time no see! You've changed! Did ya miss me?" (Battle Commence)
"Here! Over here!"
"I ain't no garden-variety octopus!"
"Havin' fun?"
"Have ya read it?"
"How sweet it is!" (Marvin Gaye quote?)
"Here! Over here!"
"I ain't no garden-variety octopus!"
"I ain't ready ta go yet."
"Imp! Pal! Buddy!" (Imp Song)
"What an unlucky day! Adios!" (Defeat)
Having stopped the threat that threatened the plan, the plan comes together!
Setzer, quite possibly the most awesome character out of video game history as
far as looks and style go, swoops down, grabs Celes, and in one awesome spin
gets her out of her opera gown, into her normal clothes, and entirely tied up.
Wow. And to know that there are some, who shall remain nameless, who at one
time had problems with bra clasps!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.29.1 The Blackjack
**********************************
Location: The Blackjack
Party members: Locke, Celes; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: None
My God, Setzer is awesome. He's a world-traveling albino pirate who kidnaps
this game's equivalent of Kylie Mynogue to marry her on his own casino-zeppelin.
His airship-crash-induced facial scars only make him more of a special case and
nicely compliment the rather gothic black trench coat he got way before the
Wachowski brothers had even dreamed about bending spoons that aren't there and
bullet-time and whatnot.
Sadly, he gets punked by a band of unlikely heroes the world has never seen
before. First, he is persuaded by you to listen to your tale of woe rather than
kick you off his property:
CELES: Wait! We were told your ship is the finest vessel in the world.
LOCKE: And that you were the world's most notorious gambler...
CYAN: I'm one of Doma's Knights. Please, help us.
SABIN: My brother's the King of Figaro. Cooperate, and you'll be well rewarded!
(But only if the brother in question isn't there)
EDGAR: I'm the King of Figaro. If you cooperate, you'll be well rewarded...
(See? Sabin sounds kind of redundant next to Edgar)
Then, he is converted from a rather pro-Empire guy to a full-fledged Narshesque
I-don't-knower:
CELES: Stop thinking of yourself. Many towns and villages have been smashed
by the Empire.
LOCKE: The Empire's also totally rotten! It's using magic to enslave the world.
EDGAR: The Empire and my realm were allies...
SABIN: The Empire'll end up owning you!
CYAN: ...I lost my friends...and my family. (He gets all sad after this)
Finally, he is joining your cause! It was inevitable after all; you gave him
a name and whatnot. Celes will fool him with a double-headed coin. If Edgar's
present, he'll give the coin to her. If Sabin is also present, he'll shout at
his brother for a bit for obvious reasons (and if they're not obvious, you
didn't take them to sleep at Figaro Castle, am I right?). The coin in question
is a coin from Figaro, displaying Edgar's face on one side and Sabin's face on
the other. You'll see it in action in the credits... but enough about this.
You hitched a ride to the Empire. Go Returners.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.30.1 Albrook
**********************************
Location: Albrook
Party members: Locke, Celes; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: None
You're finding yourself next to an entirely new town. This is called 'hinting'.
Square wants you to go in. Do it.
Note: Don't forget to re-equip Celes. We don't want her running around naked.
Well, I've seen enough GameFAQs posts that say that some of you would, but
that's talking 'naked', not "naked".
Albrook is one of the three major towns the Empire invaded and currently
occupies. The Imperial troopers here won't directly recognize you, and won't
attack you outright. If you try to enter the port, the MagiTek Armored soldier
will prevent your entry by means of hitting you. No Hit Points will be lost,
don't worry. Most soldiers will show themselves as patriotic pigs, and most
inhabitants of Albrook will sigh and moan about their lot. The only useful
information you receive here is that coming from a portrait painter and two
scholars. The painter tells of a portrait he must do of the Emperor himself
(you'll come across this painting in your travels later, where it serves a
special purpose). The first scholar will talk about the fact that the monsters
on the continent have only weak magical power (which is a flat-out lie as some
of them have the power to outright create several new interesting ways to
urinate for you if you don't watch out). The other one is talking about two
Atma Weapons; one a sword, one a monster.
I'M SURE WE'LL NEVER MEET EITHER OF THEM.
Weapon Shop:
Forged 1200
Poison Claw 2500
Epee 3000
Blossom 3200
Shuriken 30
Fire Skean 500
Water Edge 500
Bolt Edge 500
The Weapon shop has Epee swords (which you can ignore if you want to as
neither Celes nor Edgar will ever use it), Forged Knives for Cyan that you
previously bought in Jidoor (right?), and Poison Knuckles for Sabin, of which I
recommend you buy two. You can leave Shadow's Blossom Dirks for now, as he's
not around and you'll be able to buy more of them later.
Armor Shop:
Head Band 1600
Bard's Hat 3000
Mithril Vest 1200
Ninja Gear 1100
White Dress 2200
The Olde Armore Shoppe sells nothing of value other than Bard's Hats. They're
the magical equivalent of the Green Berets; where Green Berets raise HP by 12.5
percent and give you a 10 % bonus on your Evade rating, the Bard's Hat raises
MP by that very amount and gives a 10 % bonus on your M.Block rating. It's a
popular choice for obtaining a god-like assembly of equipment later in the game,
but right now, you're probably better off with the Green Berets, unless you
think evasion is better than endurance.
And yes, the chests in the Armor Shop are now, and will under any circumstance
be, empty.
Relic Shop:
Goggles 500
Peace Ring 3000
Earrings 5000
Sniper Sight 3000
Wall Ring 6000
Amulet 5000
The Relic Shop has Amulets and Wall Rings. The Amulet will be kind of a
necessity in later dungeons, but you can wait for now. Make sure to grab
four Wall Rings here, though. The main attractions at the moment though are
Earrings; Earrings are almost universally useful. You should have four Earrings
and a Hero Ring; you might want to buy another one or even two. Earrings are
great damage boosters.
Item Shop:
Potion 300
Tincture 1500
Eyedrop 50
Remedy 1000
Revivify 300
Fenix Down 500
Tent 1200
Warp Stone 700
Items of +2/+2 using. First Remedies for sale ever.
The Cafe is plain awesome. I wish there was a place over here that played
Johnny C. Bad continuously; I wouldn't go there because I'd go stark raving mad,
but it be nice to have around, just because.
Items are hidden throughout the town. There's the mandatory Elixir in the clock
in the hallway connecting the Armor Shop and the Cafe. There's a Potion in a
barrel next to the Inn. A hidden Tincture in the pot of the Weapon Shop closes
the deal.
On the whole, Albrook is a rather disappointing hole of a town, not at all worth
the hassle of the whole having-Celes-abducted-by-a-flying-albino thing. So I
suggest we explore the rest of the continent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.30.2 Traveling on the Southern Continent
**********************************
Location: Overworld Map (Southern Continent)
Party members: Locke, Celes; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: FossilFang, ChickenLip, Joker, Ralph, Wyvern, WeedFeeder, Commando,
Bug, Mega Armor, ProtoArmor
Welcome to what we like to call the Southern Continent. Vector in the middle,
Albrook to the south, Tzen to the north, Maranda to the West, and an Imperial
camp seemingly built to protect a mountain range to the East. As is the
tendency of games like the one we're talking about here, a new continent
features new enemies that are stronger than the ones seen before.
Preparation: Re-equipped Celes? Swapped a possible Kaiser with that Poison Claw?
All done? Make sure you have Sneak Ring on Locke, as the upcoming monsters
might actually have something worth stealing. If any of the characters knows
Float, cast it on the party. If not, have Gau (if present) Rage Hornet or a
similar Rage that is Float-inducing.
Monster formations:
(Middle and West grasslands)
WeedFeeder, WeedFeeder, WeedFeeder (6/16)
Ralph, Ralph (5/16)
Ralph, Wyvern, Wyvern (5/16)
(Southwest and East grasslands)
Ralph, Joker (5/16)
Ralph, Wyvern, Wyvern (5/16)
Joker, Joker, Joker (5/16)
ChickenLip, ChickenLip, ChickenLip, ChickenLip, ChickenLip (1/16)
(Forest)
Ralph, Wyvern, ChickenLip, ChickenLip (10/16)
ChickenLip, ChickenLip, ChickenLip, ChickenLip, ChickenLip (6/16)
There's a plethora (expensive word: + 500 Exp.) of dangerous monsters around.
WeedEaters are entirely like CrassHopprs, only they're red. They're just as
weak to Fire as their green brethren are, they're just as silly in their
physical attacks and berserking attempts with their Special, and they're just
as likely to find themselves in several flaming pieces on the cold earth before
an even remotely long time.
Ralph are simple Battle/Special cannon fodder, only they're kinda sturdy and
tend to take more than one attack to kill. Also, they have a rare Tiger Mask
steal, a nice Helmet for Sabin and/or Gau that you probably want to swap for
the Green Beret (but only for the sake of being able to; I'd still say the
Green Beret is the better choice of the two). For a bit of trivia, their
Anthology Bestiary mentions these dogs were created as a test of using MagiTek
power. But then again, the Bestiary is so full of shit I tend to ignore it
despite the fact it's official Square statements.
Jokers are bastards. They're floating, so they're immune to your strongest MT
attack (Gau's Magnitude8). If you allow them to take more than one turn, they
start casting Acid Rain on the entire party, which you'll want to prevent. If
they're alone, they start casting Bolt 2, which you will really want to prevent.
Summoning Siren is a very good idea if you run into them, as doing so removes
the threat of both spells. NoiseBlaster also works well. Rarely, they will drop
Mithril Rods. You didn't have those yet. If you were greedy, you'll have three
different kinds of Rod already, and nobody can equip them. Beautiful.
Wyvern are... NOT FLOATING. They have wings, and they are called 'wyvern', a
word commonly reserved for flying serpents of death. They are in a flying
position in their sprite, which was specifically designed to capture the very
nature of the beast in one pose. Yet, not floating. It's a mockery of the
concept of wing itself. Wyvern are monsters who will use Cyclonic when they're
alone, a percentage-based attack that will remove 93.75 % of the targets
current HP. And Cyclonic hits all characters. Don't let this happen. They have
rare DragoonBoots for any Lockes you might have in your party, which sell for
a whole bunch of moola.
ChickenLip are the silliest and potentially the most deadly of the monsters
found on the continent. When they're alone, they cast Quake. Surely, they
must've abandoned all hope of getting out of the battle alive, as it hurts them
as well. Quake is a seriously powerful spell: an Earth-elemental,
barrier-piercing spell that hits every target on screen as long as it isn't
Floating. If you kept Stray around long enough for any of your characters to
learn Float, be sure to cast it if you are still touching the ground. Otherwise,
they're weak to Ice and look silly.
The desert houses FossilFang, and you should be used to their presence by now.
If not, Ctrl + F the thing. Bugs are also found circling their bodies. Bugs are
annoying because they tend to go out with a BANG: a BANG of petrifying their
killer. Only if they were killed by Battle, and only if they were alone, and
only 33 % of the time, but still... Avoid it, as that's good.
To sum it up: Have Locke try and steal from Ralph and Wyvern monsters, don't
let ChickenLip or Wyvern alone, both are weak to Ice attacks, summon Siren
when you meet Jokers (and Wyvern and ChickenLip if you're not feeling confident
about your ability to take them out first. Siren stops Quake and Cyclonic as
well) and don't do drugs.
It's by no means mandatory or even very beneficial to visit the other three
locations before going into Vector, but it doesn't hurt to do it in any
way and it gives more back story to the game. It's up to you to decide if you'll
want to do it. Here are the benefits of investing the time:
The Imperial Base near the Mountains.
Eh...you get to fight monsters that have glands on their back that secrete
Tents. A lot of them. You'll be fighting them anyway in the next serious
dungeon.
Tzen:
Boomerangs for sale, a slight improvement over the Full Moon.
Mithril Helmets for sale, featureless helmet for everybody but Sabin.
Black Belt Relics for sale.
Maranda:
Boomerangs for sale, a slight improvement over the Full Moon.
Tridents for sale, a Water-elemental Pike.
Mithril Helmets for sale, featureless helmet for everybody but Sabin.
Mithril Mail for sale, better armor for Cyan and Edgar.
Free Remedy and Revivify to find!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.30.3 The Imperial Base near the Mountains
**********************************
The Imperial Base near the Mountains:
Party members: Locke, Celes; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: Commando, Mega Armor, ProtoArmor
Monster formations:
(Walking soldiers)
Commando, Commando, Commando, Commando (always)
(Armored soldiers)
Mega Armor, ProtoArmor (always)
Yeah, it's called differently, but the name kinda reveals its purpose so we
wouldn't want that yet. All you'll find here is a truly impenetrable Imperial
Base, blocking access to whatever lies on the other side. You can fight the
walking people here. The normal soldiers, regardless of color, will turn out
to be four Commando soldiers, and the Armored soldier is a ProtoArmor/Mega Armor
combo.
Note on the four Commando: this is an easily controllable battle where you
don't really have to fear sudden KO's creeping up on you. The thing is, though,
Commando have a Tent for common steal. So, you have the option of complete
restoration after every battle if you steal one. I tend to linger a while. It
builds my amount of Tents to about 20 and gains some sweet spells in the
meantime.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.30.4 Tzen
**********************************
Location: Tzen
Party members: Locke, Celes; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: None
Tzen is a small town. Used to be an independent town, a monarchy no less. The
Empire has slaughtered the royal family, and Tzen is currently under
even more Imperial watch than Albrook is. There...really isn't much to say
about Tzen.
The soldiers will be useless and passive as they were in Albrook, the citizens
friendly and helpful. One will tell about an Imperial weapon called the
Guardian, which can't move by itself but is extremely powerful. Oh well, we can
always make a run for it should we come across it. Another man tells of a gate
in the mountains to the East. The mountains were heavily guarded and
impenetrable for you; could it be that the Empire is looking for something
there?
Weapon Shop:
Air Lancet 950
Full Moon 2500
Epee 3000
Boomerang 4500
The Weapon Shop offers nothing you can use other than the Boomerang. The
Boomerang is a slightly better version of the Full Moon, so if you were using
it I suggest you replace it.
Armor Shop:
Bard's Hat 3000
Mithril Helm 2000
Mithril Vest 1200
Ninja Gear 1100
White Dress 2200
The Armor Shop has Mithril equipment! However, you have plenty of Mithril
Shields from Narshe, and you could've obtained enough Mithril Vests from Rider
earlier. So, if you played smart so far, the only feature of meaning is the
Mithril Helmets. It has a slight defensive boost over the Green Beret and the
Bard's Hat, but it isn't worth the loss of those two its special properties in
my opinion. And it's flat-out worse than the Tiger Mask.
Relic Shop:
Earrings 5000
RunningShoes 7000
Black Belt 5000
Amulet 5000
Nice Relics for sale in Tzen. The Amulet is the first store-bought item that
protects you from the Zombie status. You'll need it later, but not now. All
other Relics are filler relics.
Item Shop:
Potion 300
Tincture 1500
Eyedrop 50
Green Cherry 150
Echo Screen 120
Revivify 300
Fenix Down 500
Tent 1200
You might want to grab a Chocobo in the hidden Chocobo Stable in the forest to
the east of Tzen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.30.5 Maranda
**********************************
Location: Maranda
Party members: Locke, Celes; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: None
Maranda, Maranda... what do we know about Maranda? The last to fall against
the Empire, it was general Celes Chere herself who led the attack to conquer the
continent. It's still slightly trashed from the attack. Like Tzen, many of the
city's young men were led to fight in the army of the Empire. The wounded man
you found in Mobliz was one of them, and his darling Lola still lives here.
Lola lives in a little house in Maranda, and if you'll speak to her, her
response depends on your actions in Mobliz:
Didn't help shit: My love hasn't sent me back any letters since he's been gone.
I'm sick with worry...
Sent a letter: A letter came from him! He's all right!
Sent the record: He sent me a record! I'm so happy!
Sent the Tonic: He sent some Tonic for Mom! He's so kind!
Sent 2nd letter: A letter came from him! He's all right!
Sent the book: He sent that book! I'll read it every evening, before bed!
If you sent an item, received her next request and DIDN'T respond to that
letter, Lola will also say 'My love hasn't sent me back any letters... etc.'
Weapon Shop:
Mithril Pike 800
Trident 1700
Poison Claw 2500
Epee 3000
Boomerang 4500
The Weapon Shop has three new weapons. The Trident, a Water-elemental Pike you
might want to use later in the game, the mandatory Epee, and the Boomerang you
could've found in Tzen. On the whole, buy a Trident and leave.
Armor Shop:
Bard's Hat 3000
Green Beret 3000
Mithril Helm 2000
Mithril Vest 1200
Mithril Mail 3500
The Armor Shop has Mithril Equipment as well, but they're a little better at
it. There's only one feature of interest if you visited Tzen earlier: the
Mithril Mail, heavy defensive equipment for Celes, Cyan, and Edgar. I wouldn't
recommend it on Celes though, as the White Dress is only slightly less
protective and gives a very nice Magic bonus. Finally, let's not forget about
the fact this is the first time you see Green Berets in shops. It's not like
you shouldn't be swamped in those buggers by now, but hey.
Item Shop:
Say what? This town doesn't have one! I believe that makes it the only town
ever, ever, ever in this game. Crazy world. Let's not start on Zozo, as that's
a dungeon rather than a town.
If you want two free items, find the Revivify in the bottom crate west of the
south exit and find the Remedy in one of the two crates near the arguing couple.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.31.1 Vector
**********************************
Location: Vector
Party members: Locke, Celes; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: Commando, Garm, ProtoArmor, Guardian
Well, here you are, deep in the heart of the Empire. Vector is the capital of
the Empire and houses its two most important structures: the Imperial Palace,
home to Emperor Gestahl, general Leo Christophe, and general Kefka Palazzo, and
the Imperial MagiTek Research Facility, where the very source of Magic is
somehow obtained under the eyes of master scientist Cid del Norte Marguez.
There's a lot to do here. I'll discuss it feature by feature:
In the part of town closer to the Imperial Palace (to the north), soldiers
roam the streets. The normal troopers will be:
Garm, Garm, Commando, Commando (3/4)
Garm, Garm, Commando (1/4)
The Armored troopers will be:
ProtoArmor, Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak (3/4)
ProtoArmor, ProtoArmor (1/4)
The Inn is not very trustworthy. The guy behind the counter looks like a Zozo
bum, and sure enough, after he's offered you the room free, there's a 50 %
chance he'll come and steal 1000 GP during the night. If you don't have 1000 GP
you'll see the man sneak around in the night, but the 'Stole 1000 GP!' message
won't pop up and no money will be lost.
No, you're better off going to the slim house to the left of the Inn, where an
old woman will ask you to pledge your allegiance to the Empire. If you do so,
all will be fine. If you refuse, she will send two... Narshe Guards after you?
After you have beaten them, she will offer you a free healing service every
time you talk to her, much like a Recovery Spring.
A less successful way of healing yourself is going over to the running kid, who
was subject to one of Cid's experiments and now has the power to heal with the
Cure spell. Sadly, he's not very good at it, and will be able to only heal 1 HP
at the time. He can also 'heal' the dead without actually reviving them; the
only chance in the game you'll be able to see a dead character with above-0 HP.
The Weapon Shop and Armor Shop sell nothing you couldn't buy in Albrook.
The inhabitants of Vector are, understandably, pro-Empire, but will provide you
with information nonetheless. You learn that general Leo refused a MagiTek
infusion, where Kefka was Cid's first experiment, which supposedly turned him
into the ranting fool he now is. Imperial soldiers on the higher regions of
town will recognize you and engage in a fight. Every time you either win or run
away, you'll find yourself on the southern edge of town again.
If you managed to elude all the troops and you try to enter the Imperial Palace
to the far north of the city, you'll be heard by an Imperial Soldier within the
Palace, and you hide. If you walk away again, a member of the Imperial Special
Force will send Guardian after you.
Guardian is invulnerable in the true sense of the word. You can't damage him
in any way, he's immune to any status effect including Clear, you can't spin
Joker Doom against him; you name it. He's the very model of a plot device that
looks like an enemy: Can't go here, sonny. The only way out of this battle that
doesn't include running yourself is using Muddle on somebody who is about to use
a Smoke Bomb; the Smoke Bomb will target Guardian, and you cause Guardian to
run away itself. This has the same effect as running away yourself, though.
Weapon Shop:
Forged 1200
Poison Claw 2500
Epee 3000
Blossom 3200
You shouldn't need anything here. If you haven't bought a Blossom Dirk yet,
now's your chance. The Blossom Dirk was called the Sakurafubuki in the Japanese
game; 'sakura' is cherry blossom' and 'fubuki' is blizzard. Elegant and
graceful like the sakura, destructive and ruthless like a blizzard; the perfect
ninja warrior. Note that the Blossom is Wind-elemental.
Armor Shop:
Head Band 1600
Bard's Hat 3000
Mithril Vest 1200
Ninja Gear 1100
White Dress 2200
This Armor Shop is exactly the same as the one in Albrook, so you shouldn't see
anything new.
Item Shop:
Heh, yeah. No Item Shop here either, I guess Maranda wasn't all that unique.
Now, make sure you're fully healed before you engage in the rescue mission of
a lifetime.
Monster formations:
(Facility Guards)
Garm, Garm, Commando, Commando (3/4)
Garm, Garm, Commando (1/4)
Three soldiers guard the road to the Imperial MagiTek Research Facility,
and you can't just smack them around in broad daylight in the middle of Vector.
Luckily, and old man standing behind some crates is a sympathizer of the
Returners and offers you his assistance. While he pretends to throw up (great
plan, sport), you sneak behind the soldiers' back on the metal rafters. Just
walk into the crates and you'll jump onto them, automatically walking over to
the other side of the human barrier. If you come too close near the soldiers
now, a battle will be triggered (Commando and two Garm, or two Commando and
two Garm) so try not to do that. If you want out, though, it's the only way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.31.2 Imperial MagiTek Research Facility; MagiTek Factory
**********************************
Location: Imperial MagiTek Research Facility; MagiTek Factory
Party members: Locke, Celes; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: Pipsqueak, Commando, Garm, ProtoArmor
Unbelievable. You managed to reach Vector and actually made it into the IMRF
(Imperial MagiTek Research Facility) itself. But you didn't think it would go
unguarded, did you? The IMRF not only is the laboratory where Cid del Norte
Marguez strolls ever onwards in the mysteries of magic, making the Empire both
more dangerous and more despicable by the second; it's also the building where
the MagiTek Armors are created. Each machine is a nature-perverting hybrid of
metal and magic, designed and infused for the sole reason to kill. You're
walking into THE power source of the Empire. No, I don't think it will be
unguarded at all.
Preparation: Everybody in the Back Row. This is a theme-based dungeon, and the
theme is "If ye can't top 200 Defense, you ain't no kinda man." If a physical
attack isn't specifically barrier-piercing, it will be like butting your head
against a wall to try to break it. So, Front Row is useless. Genji Glove is
useless. A weapon's Battle Power is useless; if your Locke runs around with a
Boomerang, you might as well switch it to a Thiefknife as neither will do even
a remotely impressive amount of damage but the Thiefknife has added benefits
for it. The same goes for Epee swords, although you can't really get anything
with an added bonus on Celes/Edgar yet.
So yes, if it can't penetrate defenses and has a physical nature, you'll be
hard-pressed to find a use for it. I think it might be wise to give a quick
recap on what's useful here and what's not:
Useful:
Magic, especially Bolt and Bolt 2
Summon attacks, which especially means Ramuh right now.
Flash, Drill, Chainsaw
Pummel, Suplex, AuraBolt, Fire Dance
Dispatch, Retort, Slash
Rage-inflicted magical attacks, which besides Magic, includes Aspik's Giga Volt,
Anguiform's Aqua Rake, Marshal's Wind Slash and HadesGigas' Magnitude8.
Not useful:
Fight
AutoCrossbow
Quadra Slam
Rage-inflicted physical attacks, which include Specials such as Catscratch.
So yes, try to boost your magical attacks. Cyan will be especially boring and
useless here, as Dispatch starts to definitely lack in power and is only ST.
Locke, unless he can get in an acceptable shot, like casting Siren or a Bolt
spell, should do nothing but Steal (wear a Sneak Ring; Thief Glove nigh useless)
and use some Potions, if necessary. If you have a Gau around who can Rage
Anguiform, you should just wait for him to use Aqua Rake and stall with
NoiseBlaster, Runic, Cure, and Steal, as he will end the battle when he attacks
with it. If you're low-leveled, some Earrings might help. If you lack Gau and/or
his Anguiform Rage but have the Figaro brothers, a Flash/Fire Dance combo with
some Earrings behind it should end all. If you lack both, use some more sneaky
tactics and attack to your best insight concerning the enemies.
The ultimate way of dealing with enemies here is having a character with
(1 or 2) Earrings, especially Celes, summon Ramuh for Bolt Fist. Bolt Fist will
kill everything it touches, and it's not random like Gau's Aqua Rake. However,
it will cost you 25 MP per summon, so unless you switch Ramuh around (which is
a lot of trouble as it slows spell learning down) you'll have to use Tinctures
to keep it up.
Monster formations:
(First room)
Garm, Garm, Commando, Commando (6/16)
Garm, Garm, Commando (5/16)
ProtoArmor, Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak (5/16)
(Second room)
Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak (6/16)
ProtoArmor, ProtoArmor (5/16)
Garm, Garm, Commando (5/16)
The most common foe is the one you found earlier in the Imperial Camp and
strolling the streets of Vector: Commando. Their most attractive feature is
their common Tent Steal, and otherwise they're very straightforward. Cid
programmed them with Program 65, which, when executed, will silence the target
for the duration of the battle. Their set of elemental weaknesses is rather
strange; humans tend to succumb to Poison where machines are more likely to
have a problem with Lightning and Water. Maybe this and the fact that they're
apparently programmed is a hint they are some kind of cyborgs? At any rate,
normal cannon fodder you have to plow through.
Commandos are often accompanied by Garm dogs. They're canine versions of the
Commando, really. Cid's program for them was Program 95, which ignites madness
in the target, confusing them for the rest of the battle. Same weaknesses,
same treatment. Don't worry too much about them confusing your Sabin when he
is about to execute a Fire Dance Blitz; they will never use it unless they're
alone, and you're bound to take them on with MT attacks anyway, right?
The metallic vermin of the IMRF are the Pipsqueak robots. They're small, have
little HP, are kinda weak, and only attack in large numbers. To compensate for
their lack in offensive power, Cid set them up to use Program 55, one that
turns the target into the illustrious Imp creature that is incapable of doing
anything that is more than a little unlike rolling over and dying. The Flash
Tool alone will finish them off without a lot of trouble, let alone Fire Dance
and Aqua Rake.
The Empire is about to bring a new kind of MagiTek Armor, but they have created
nothing but prototypes for them yet; the ProtoArmor is the pure chassis of the
new model, but fully operational. Its powers over the standard MagiTek Armor
include, besides the standard electricity-based Tek Laser, a missile support
unit to fire off either a single Missile or go for the massive Launcher attack
to attack multiple targets simultaneously, a blinding flash of light called
Schiller - also used by the Telstar - to blind the offensive party, and Cid's
personal touch, Program 35, which by magical means fuels the body to deliver
physical damage. To properly dispose of these tanks, Siren is massively useful
to halt all magical attacks, should you not wish to wait for their demise
before disabling them. NoiseBlaster works too. Besides, Schiller and Launcher,
both more dangerous than Missile, will only be carried if the ProtoArmor is
either alone or has just been targeted by a Fight command, which was foolishness
to begin with.
You are now entering what the Bestiary gives as the MagiTek Factory: the part
of the building where the MagiTek Armors are being created. What you'll want to
do first is go all the way to the left, through a pipe, on a conveyer belt,
to a chest that contains, oh sweetness, a Flame Sabre. It's a nice
Fire-elemental sword that mildly boosts your Magic Power; give it to either
Celes or Edgar (where Edgar probably has the slight preference as you'll be
using him more). You'll notice a crane going back and forth. Face the crane, and
when it's on your side, quickly jump onto it with the Action button to let
it carry you across the gap. Over here, you'll see two pipes where the ends
that are facing the gamer kinda look like eyes. You'll want to enter the right
one first to obtain access to the chest - a Tincture - before climbing back and
allowing your party to climb down the left one.
The stairs will drop you on another conveyer belt, which drops you off near a
chest and another pipe. The pipe will take you back should you want it to (with
an elevator! Oh, my!), but you probably won't. Grab the chest - X-Potion. The
path downwards will get you exactly nowhere (you can't make that elevator go
down to where you are), so get on the conveyer belt that takes you further
into the factory.
It delivers you to another chest! The ThunderBlade is waiting for you. If
you had an Edgar or Celes left to equip it on, do so (there's really no point in
switching it with the Flame Sabre, but if it pleases ye...). Move down a little
and there'll be another chest. Such treasury! It's a Remedy. Get on the newly
visible conveyer belt and don't forget about the chest you see on the way down;
we'll be coming for it later.
There's a slight break from the conveyer belt here. Continuing right on will
simply get you to advance the dungeon, but you'll miss treasures! Rather
nice ones, actually, although nothing can compare to blades of which the first
one is on fire and the second one has electric currents running through it.
To the bottom-left is the first accessible chest, which contains DragoonBoots.
Going up the ladder near it will get you (through a door) to the chest you
passed earlier, which will contain a Gold Shld. It's also the way out if you
still want to pussy out of the mission. Descending the stairs near the
DragoonBoots chest again, you'll want to go all the way to the right (just past
a crane that has no use here) and all the way to the bottom, where you'll see
a door leading to a chest containing a Gold Helmet. Exit the door and go all
the way to the right, where you'll see a small chamber of which only the inner
wall is visible. Here, a chest is hidden with Gold Armor. Exit the room
and walk up the stairs for the Tent in the chest. Hike back to the place where
the conveyer belt dropped you off in this room, but don't continue just yet; go
up the stairs above the conveyer belt. You'll meet plenty of crates here (with,
as your sharp eye has probably noticed, the Imperial Logo on 'em). There's a
hidden entrance to the right just below the fifth crate. If you're having
trouble finding it, face the first crate you come across, take five steps down,
all the way to the right, one step back. Go down a while and you'll see the
hidden chamber with two chests; one the Blizzard sword, a blade made entirely
out of never-melting ice and the Ice-elemental equivalent of the Flame Sabre and
ThunderBlade, and the Zephyr Cape, which is basically an inferior version of the
White Cape Relic.
If you're done, it doesn't matter if you hike back or continue down; if you go
down, you'll fall out of the end, and a while later, appear at the end of a
pipe close to the conveyer belt you were just thinking of continuing.
Get on the conveyer belt and simply walk on until you meet a friendly face,
by which I mean a certain kind of friend who would like to hit you in the
abdomen with a rather large and heavy object and who would enjoy extra ice in
his drinks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.31.3 Imperial MagiTek Research Facility; The Pit
**********************************
Location: Imperial MagiTek Research Facility
Party members: Locke, Celes; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: Trapper, Flan, General, Rhinox, Gobbler, Shiva, Ifrit, Number 024
Kefka. You don't get to fight him or even confront him this time, and all he
basically does is prove with his power-horny monologue what you already knew;
the facility houses Espers, and magic is being drained from them. There's one
thing that clings to you, or at least *should* cling to you, like one of those
little corn skins between your teeth or barely noticeable migraine during your
important exam; Kefka mentions reviving the Statues, as if this would be of
great value to him. What are these Statues?
Preparation: Nothing special, as the monsters, while changing, will also be
annoyingly much like the ones you met earlier in their high regard of
physical defense. Except for a tiny few, but hey, they're zeroes.
Monster formations:
Flan, Flan, Flan, Flan (10/16)
Flan, Flan, Flan, Flan, Flan, Flan (6/16)
Great Scott(y, 1920-2005), would the famous Cid del Norte Marguez wade through
tiny metallic leprechauns, stumble over conveyer belts, and fly up on ascending
cranes to his lab every single day? Remove the semi-futuristic crazy scientists'
lab setting and he'd have to be Mary bloody Poppins, wouldn't he? But I
digress. You made it past the factory...at least, it seems you did. Take a
look around. You're standing in some kind of...death room. Skeletons everywhere,
two lifeless Espers who you saw thrown down here. One could pick a nicer spot
for a picnic.
First, the layout. The blue Esper, Shiva, is blocking a door. She (the
Anthology Bestiary at least confirmed she's female) won't respond to your calls.
There's another door, leading to a small room with no purpose one could
easily pinpoint (although there's a Save Point glowing on the ground).
A hook provides you escape from the room...but all is not silent in the
halls of the dead. The red Esper, Ifrit, stirs. And blue goop, all around you,
appears to move by itself, splitting and sinking into the tiles.
Flan are this game's incarnation of the Pudding, the Jello, the Blobra...they're
in every game; semi-liquid monsters who are not particularly dangerous but are
rather a pest to take on due to their extreme physical protection and oft-
changing elemental weakness. FF VI Flan are entirely unlike their counterparts.
FF VI Flan are immune to all the non-basic elements, and their defense is, well,
pathetic. A Defense rating of 13. That's...just great. Take them out any ol'
way you want, but take note; these monsters have had time to feast upon the
'useless' corpses of many Espers thrown here; they might have some Magicite
shards on them. In cooking, flan is a custard-like dessert originating from
Spain, and is popular in former Spanish colonies such as Latin America, the
Philippines, and Puerto Rico. So there you go.
Flan, by the way, appear in two kinds of group. The first is your average
four-headed party. The second appears to be only a single Flan enemy, but
when you kill it, two more will appear. If you kill those, three more will
appear, until you've killed them. If you kill the first Flan or the last of
the two Flan with Gau's Rhodox' Snare, you won't get any more Flan down your
throat.
Now, it's time to turn our attention to the two Espers here. Equip as many
Wall Rings as you have (obviously, one on every character is plenty) and face
them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.31.4 The battle with Ifrit and Shiva
**********************************
Shiva
Level: 21, HP: 3000, MP: 500
Steal: Nothing (always)
Absorbs: Ice, Nullify: Bolt, Poison, Wind, Pearl, Earth and Water,
Weakness: Fire
Special: !Hit: attack x 1.5
Vulnerable to: Slow
Attacks: Ice, Ice 2, Rflect, Blizzard
Ifrit
Level: 21, HP: 3300, MP: 600
Steal: Nothing (always)
Absorbs: Fire, Nullify: Bolt, Poison, Wind, Pearl, Earth and Water,
Weakness: Ice
Special: !Hit: attack x 1.5
Vulnerable to: Slow
Attacks: Battle, Fire, Fire 2, Fire 3, Blaze
The battle against Ifrit and, if you allow it, Shiva, is not your classic
battle of good vs. evil. Nay, two scared, dying members of an abused race turn
like a dog in a corner on whoever comes near them. Ifrit, the fire Esper, and
Shiva, the ice Esper...eternal counterparts.
Ifrit, the fire Djinni. Next to a physical attack, he performs Fire and Fire 2
spells and a deadly Blaze attack that ignores Wall Rings and Runic blade
alike. If provoked by three Magic spells from you, he will charge up for a
massive Fire 3 attack, which you'll want to avoid at all costs if you're not
fully protected from the spell by Wall Ring, Celes' Runic, or Gau's possible
inherent Fire-elemental absorption.
Shiva, the Ice Queen, will come at you with the more basic Ice and Ice 2 spells,
on occasion switching on performing a nasty Blizzard attack, which isn't as
strong, but penetrates Wall Rings and Runic. If damaged she can be quick to
retort with an Ice spell, and when hit three times with a Magic spell herself
she will cast a Reflect spell on one of your characters, which will send any
Ice and Ice 2 spell she will cast on you back at her, healing her.
The trick here is to defeat one of them. If this happens, the Espers will
realize they're not fighting someone coming for their death and they will
sense Ramuh's soul near you. However, you can't just focus on one just like
that, as you will only fight one at a time. Every time bit 3 reaches an amount
of 5, they'll switch in for the other. The quickest approach may lie in
taking Ifrit down before he can call on Shiva, but that may not always be
possible. Bit 3 is incremented when:
a) the Esper is damaged by any means
b) the Magic skill is used on them
Their Defenses are through the roof, much like most opponents you've faced so
far. You know how to deal with that, although these magical beasts also take
no damage from elemental magic unless it's their own element (which they'll
absorb) or their weakness.
So, you can forget about your Magic skill. If you're sure you won't be able to
pull off a Blitzkrieg against Ifrit anyway, you might want to start the battle
off with a Slow spell if you have it, else it's a wasted turn as it increments
bit 3. Drill/Chainsaw does great damage, especially when backed up with an
Atlas Armlet. Celes can cast an Ice spell (Runic, with frequent counter-spells,
doesn't work as well as you'd think and is entirely redundant if you are fully
protected by Wall Rings). Sabin can Pummel Ifrit and perform Fire Dance when
Shiva's around. Locke has no business being a thief in this battle, and might
as well grab the Blizzard against Ifrit (he might pull off the random Ice spell)
and the Flame Sabre against Shiva (or plain cast the Fire spell if he knows it).
Cyan's Dispatch is the only thing he CAN do with some success, useless cretin
that he is. Gau's irresponsible nature makes him kind of a Janos in this
battle. With other characters backing him up, the wisest course of action will
probably be Brawler, as it's non-elemental, magical damage against both targets.
Along with the violence, summoning Kirin to aid you throughout the battle and
casting a lot of Cure spells is a probably a great idea as you may not have Wall
Rings here. The Runic blade, more often than not, catches a counter-Ice
while letting the Ice 2 spell slip by.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.31.5 Imperial MagiTek Research Facility
**********************************
When all is done, Ifrit and Shiva will realize their position and will offer
themselves to you as Magicite. It's possible to leave the Magicite of Ifrit
here and miss it forever; note that there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to
do so. I say you grab Shiva and Ifrit and equip them if you think their x 5
Ice 2 and Fire 2 spell learn rates look yummy to your tummy. Shiva's Rasp and
Osmose spells do not hurt your cause at the slightest; Rasp is a great tactical
spell, and Osmose simply means you won't need any MP-restoring potions
anymore. Ever.
Rather then using the crane to escape, I suggest you press on and open the door.
On the other side are stairs. A whole mother lode of them. You'll find new
enemies here, of which the most dangerous ones are the Trapper robots.
Trapper robots care not for personal safety or any kind of intelligence or
battle skill. They care for nothing; as robots, they are nihilists. They perform
only three tasks: casting L.3 Muddle, casting L.4 Flare, and casting L.5
Doom. They are bitches if you let them be. The spells will do what you would
have kind of guessed they did: L.3 Muddle confuses any character whose level
is divisible by 3, L.4 Flare casts a Flare-like attack on every character whose
level is divisible by 4, which means pure sonic death at this stage of the game,
and L.5 Doom...well, it kills any character whose level is divisible by 5. If
you find that all your characters are level 18, you might want to go back and
steal some Magicite from the Flan until you've collectively reached 19, and if
your level is 15 or (especially) 20 you'll want to do this, as you'll never
make it. To take care of Trappers with utmost efficiency, summon Ramuh or cast
Bolt 2 if you have it. If you brought Edgar, NoiseBlaster works very well, and
like you could expect, Gau's Anguiform-induced Aqua Rake kills them with death.
Generals, finally, are mere humans. Their Defense is high but not sky-high, and
they're normal and weak to Poison attacks. Unleash the new-found fury of Ifrit
and Shiva if you want; they are unassuming compared to the enemies you've found
so far. They have restorative powers in an actual spell they learned, Cure 2,
but they won't make a lot of use out of it, as they're often being too dead to
use it.
Gobbler. What a name. I didn't know a gobbler was hunter's slang until Barry
Bales, bass player and harmony vocalist for Alison Krauss and Union Station
showed his love for the ol' lead-in-the-head of the turkey. So yes, we're
dealing with turkeys here. Is it any surprise the Gobbler appears to be so
weak, especially next to horned demons from the underworld? They're unassuming
opponents you can take down any way you want, but know that when left alone,
they start attacking with Shimsham attacks non-stop. It makes for a great
MP-refiller for Celes, as it's basically a 20 MP gain every turn the Gobbler
takes.
The horned demons from the underworld I was talking about are called Rhinox.
I hope I didn't get you all worried; stress is bad. And they're not that
dangerous once you get to know them. They make silly physical swipes with their
claws, and on occasion try to poison you with BaneStrike, but it's not until
their solitude arises they start showing their true colors, which are very,
very, incompetent. When alone, the Rhinox tries to cast the overly cheap Life 3
spell, the spell that grants an automatic revive of a fallen character right
after he dies. Sadly, the spell takes 50 MP, and Rhinox only has 35. So sorry.
Their incredible defense, Death protection, and Lightning-absorbing can make
them tedious to take down; a combination of Flash and Fire Dance, not mentioning
the trusted Aqua Rake, will get the job done.
The room you enter after the Stairs of Seeming Infinity contain five vacant
tubes; three to the top of the screen, two to the bottom. Hidden to the left of
the bottom-left tube is a Break Blade. The Break Blade sadly lacks in special
stat bonus properties, but makes up for it with having impressive Battle Power
and a rather interesting randomly cast spell in Break, a petrifying move. At
this point, if any of your characters stuck with Stray long enough to learn
Float, have him or her cast it on the party (this can be done outside of
battle), as when you continue, you meet the... yes, what the hell is this guy?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.31.6 The battle with Number 024
**********************************
Number 024
Level: 24, HP: 4777, MP: 777
Steal: Drainer (rare), Rune Edge (common); Win: Flame Sabre (rare),
Blizzard (common)
Special: !Overflow: sets Muddled
Vulnerable to: Imp, Sleep
Attacks: Battle, !Overflow, Fire, Fire 2, Ice, Ice 2, Bolt, Bolt 2, Scan, Cure,
Cure 2, Aqua Rake, Sun Bath, Cave In, Ice Rabbit, Acid Rain, Fire Ball,
Magnitude8, WallChange, R. Polarity, Gale Cut
On one hand, machines tend to have that crippling weakness to Lightning, or at
the very least a Program ## move somewhere to dish out. This guy has neither.
He uses spells and wields swords, so you'd almost assume he was a human if it
hadn't been for a 'System error!' message he is able to produce in the middle
of battle. A cyborg, then, like the Commando? We can only guess. Fact remains
Number 024 is a darned interesting opponent that is no real challenge even if
you forget about his status ailment weaknesses, but is so darn versatile we
still love him anyway.
The guy's main move is Wallchange. Wallchange shuffles all the elemental
properties of the caster and picks one element to set as its weakness. Then, it
sets one element as the element it absorbs. First effects: you'll never know
what exactly your elemental attacks will do; 75 % chance they'll do nothing,
12.5 % chance they'll heal him, 12.5 % chance they'll do double damage.
Conclusion: waste of time, think of alternative means of violence. But # 024
adapts his fighting style according to his weakness. Here are his moves:
Weakness Fire = Ice, Ice 2
Weakness Ice = Fire, Fire 2, Fire Ball
Weakness Lightning = Aqua Rake, Acid Rain
Weakness Poison = Cure, Cure 2
Weakness Wind = Magnitude8, Cave In (Here's where Float comes in handy)
Weakness Pearl = Battle, R. Polarity
Weakness Earth = Sonic Boom, Gale Cut
Weakness Water = Bolt, Bolt 2
Here's what he'll do. He'll simply strike you physically for 30 seconds. Then,
he'll do his first Wallchange. If you manage to strike his weakness then
(discover it with a Scan spell), he'll perform it again. Even if you just let
him perform another 30 seconds of action, he'll perform another WallChange.
After he has performed a Wallchange for three times, he'll go haywire, even
though you haven't destroyed him, reading 'System error', calling up Ice
Rabbits (the more successful branch of the Lagomorph family), enjoying Sun
Baths, and finding his true self with the Scan spell. After 30 seconds of
this, he'll snap out of it again, starting over as if he had cast his first
Wallchange of the battle.
But you won't have to see all this madness. The Sleep spell, taught to you by
Siren, works on the fiend, as does Stray's Imp spell. Alone, they severely
cripple him; together, they are an unstoppable force. Keep him 'Psyched' AKA
sleeping and make sure you only cast Magic. If that blasted neutral Tapir shows
up and awakens him, cast Sleep again as soon as possible. If Gau is among your
forces, just have him relax. Try to steal with Locke; Rune Edge or Drainer,
both are nice additions if nothing else. I'd especially go for the Drainer if
you have any choice in the matter, as it's quite unique. In the end, # 024's
Hit Points will run out, and he will die. Victory dance, coffee et thou.
Note: If you want to go for a perfect game, it's nice if you fight one more
battle before entering the next room WITH CELES AS YOUR LEADER. This is
important.
It seems this Number 024 was guarding the room where the remaining Espers are
being subdued in their test tubes. We know that Ramuh, Kirin, Siren, and Stray
escaped, which might explain the empty test tubes we saw earlier. In this room,
six Espers fuel the Empire's power. Meet Bismark and Maduin, Unicorn and
Shoat, and Phantom and Carbunkl. There's a lever over there. It's a fictional
universe; I'll be damned if the most prominent button or lever in the room
isn't at least slightly self-destructive. Use it.
Watch the scene now.
That moment was...disturbing in quite a few ways. First, before the eyes of Cid
himself, we revealed the secret of Magicite, one that he apparently did not
know yet. The Magicite handed itself to you, safe for the moment from the
Empire, but only as long as you manage to stay out of their hands. And you're
still in the heart of Vector.
Then, Celes' true loyalty is questioned. We can assume she has sworn an oath or
two, oaths not cheaply dismissed. Cyan, who has waged war with the Empire
already and has shown more knowledge about Celes than anyone else, has never
trusted her and almost carelessly dismisses the scene as an inevitable one:
"CYAN: See! I knew she couldn't be trusted!" Locke, whose bond with Celes has
been the strongest so far, is not happy with the situation.
Amidst it all, Kefka has made another appearance and shows the upper hand until
Celes warps her, Kefka, and the Armored soldiers out of the room. This still
proves nothing on the subject of her allegiance, by the way; it's reasonable
to assume she just couldn't bear being the witness of their direct death.
The Espers have ruptured their tubes, something they apparently could only do
as Magicite, and spilled dangerous fluids. The IMRF shakes on its foundations.
Time to save your own lives first and ponder important questions later. Join
Cid on the elevator, and abandon the place.
Note: In the Japanese game, Cid casually states that there are hundreds of
Espers rather than the 26 you eventually obtain.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.31.7 Imperial MagiTek Research Facility; Mine Cart Ride
**********************************
Location: Imperial MagiTek Research Facility; Underground railroad system
Party members: Locke; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: Mag Roader (purple), Mag Roader (red), Number 128, RightBlade,
Left Blade
CID: Kefka has used me...used the Empire. What have I done...?
CID: The life-energy of those Espers...
CID: You've helped me come to a decision. I'm going to talk to the Emperor and
have this stupid war stopped!
I've always thought that Cid comes off very clean very quick in this game. Cid
del Norte Marquez is a ruthless scientist who experimented on scientist beings
in an attempt to remove their very life energy to the benefit of the Empire.
Just because as a scientist he feels the war should be stopped doesn't he mean
he feels even the slightest remorse at his actions per se; he regrets them being
used for military purposes, apparently, but shows no regret on his glorious
victories in the field of science.
Preparation: Celes, the poor lass, was de-equipped upon her exit from your
party. You'll want to keep everybody in the Back Row here and equip everyone
to their best possible ability, as the next opponents will not have as much
Defense as those you've seen just now. You've obtained six new Espers, and
you can check them out if you want. There's NO WAY you'll learn new spells
before the next boss, but their effects can be nice. I really, really suggest
equipping Phantom, as his Fader attack can turn the entire party invisible,
which is a good thing against both the monsters and the boss you're about to
face.
When you arrive, you're bound to notice the Save Point waiting for you there.
Cid plays another emo-card by declaring himself as the almost-daddy of Celes,
and how sorry he feels her life was dedicated to warfare. Before he can go on,
though, Kefka is heard close by, and Cid pushes you into a mine cart. Now,
a warning about the upcoming scene: if you're on acid, don't do it. Mindfuck.
I guarantee it. I'm not sure what the graphic designers were thinking here, but
it can only be interpreted as one of those paintings of which close inspection
only reveals rubbish, while standing away a long distance you'll suddenly
notice it's a fish! Or a tree! Or even Jesus! At any rate, abstract gaming is
not pleasant.
I think it's supposed to be some kind of underground railroad from the
perspective of a viewer in a speeding mine cart, but I'm not sure.
Right now, you'll face five monster formations before the eventual boss, without
time to heal or change equipment in between. These monster formations can
either be:
One purple Mag Roader, one red Mag Roader
One purple Mag Roader
Two purple Mag Roaders.
Four red Mag Roaders.
Novalia Spirit has, during the writing of this guide, found out what influences
the appearance of the critters. I'll be explaining what you'll want to do in
certain situation for several reasons:
a) It's important knowledge to Low Level Gamers, who obviously want as little
forced Exp. points down their throat as possible.
b) It's important knowledge to perfectionists, as it *is* possible to completely
miss out on the red Mag Roaders, locking their Rage away from you forever,
useless as it may be.
c) Because I want to, dammit.
If you don't Save your game and reset:
- If you followed my advice and fought a battle earlier with Celes as the leader
and then entered the Magicite room, you can just talk to Cid here and the
first opponents you'll meet are one purple Mag Roader and one red Mag Roader.
- If you didn't and your last battle didn't feature Sabin or Cyan as leader,
put Sabin or Cyan as your leader now for red Mag Roaders.
- If your last battle before the Mine cart ride featured Edgar, Gau, Sabin,
Cyan or Celes as leader, you can free your first character slot and you'll
meet Red Mag Roaders.
- If none of the above can be applied to you (you brought Locke, Edgar, Gau and
kept Locke as team leader the entire time), you can Save your game and reset
and free your first characters lot.
- An alternate method lies in casting Imp on your leader during the Mine Cart
ride.
If the name has you confused, 'Mag Roaders' is short for 'Magnum Roaders'. If
your Latin is slightly rusty, that's basically saying 'Great Roaders'. What we
have here is the monsterized version of Hell's Angels.
Purple Mag Roaders are big and weak. Red Mag Roaders are small and weaker.
Purple Mag Roaders wield Fire and Fire 2 spells, both horribly weak. Red Mag
Roaders attack with Ice and Ice 2 spells. Both monsters are cannon fodder with
especially low amounts of Defense. Their spells are more annoying than
dangerous (as they prevent you from summoning Phantom at the start of the
five monster formations and gain invulnerability for the time being).
Make sure you're fully prepared - or AS fully prepared as possible - when you
leave the fifth monster formation behind you. The next battle will be
unpleasantly like being difficult. Here's how to pull that off nice and
professional-like. Step one: Mute the remaining opponent(s). Step two: summon
Phantom. Heal up with Potions and Tonics until you're at full health. Smack
the last Roader down. You're good to go.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.31.8 The battle with Number 128
**********************************
Number 128
Level: 23, HP: 3276, MP: 810
Steal: Tempest (rare); Win: Tent (always)
Absorbs: Ice
Special: !Red Feast: Drains HP, attack x 1.5
Vulnerable to: Berserk, Slow
Attacks: Battle, !Red Feast, Ice, Haste, Net, Blaster, Atomic Ray, Shock Wave,
Gale Cut
Left Blade
Level: 22, HP: 700, MP: 470
Steal: Tincture (rare); Win: Fenix Down (common)
Absorbs: Ice
Special: !Slash: attack x 2
Vulnerable to: Petrify, Death, Condemned, Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Slash, Shimsham
RightBlade
Level: 21, HP: 400, MP: 150
Steal: Tincture (rare); Win: Fenix Down (common)
Absorbs: Ice
Special: !Rapier: attack x 1.5
Vulnerable to: Petrify, Death, Condemned, Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Rapier
Number 128 is not so much a human with the cybernetic parts in him but a robot
with flesh on it. I've only ever seen one thing that vaguely reminded me of it,
and that was during a Hellraiser movie. You know, horror. To top it, he's
stronger than anything you've ever encountered so far. There are three
attacking parts here, and only three party members. The absolute worst part
is the fact he carries a very rare sword on him, a sword that will remain
useful throughout the entire game, of which only two exist; one in a chest
you'll find two dungeons from now, one as a rare steal on this very opponent.
It's by no means horrible if you don't obtain it, but it's really nice if you
do.
There are two blades. Left Blade and RightBlade. They're to the left and right
of Number 128. Hence their name. They attack physically every round, and throw
in a mean Special if you're in bad luck. If you kill them, they'll be back
within 15 seconds. Left Blade knows Shimsham, which is especially dangerous as
it reveals invisible characters.
The main body is the worst, as you could imagine. Physical strikes more
powerful than those of the blades, a Special that drains HP, the ability to
cast the Ice spell, and cast a Net over a character. The latter two reveal
invisible characters. But when both blades are killed, he gets really mean.
He will cast Haste on himself to increase his amount of turns and starts using
almost exclusively magical attacks. Gale Cut and Atomic Ray are both MT attacks,
and Atomic Ray hurts quite a bundle. Shock Wave is an attack you saw earlier on
Dadaluma, and Blaster is its most dangerous move; while inaccurate, it will
simply kill any character it does hit. If you are under the influence of Clear,
you get a Game Over.
So here's the strategy if have Phantom at your disposal and/or have summoned him
earlier: ignore the blades and try to focus on the main body. Locke should use
Potions or Fenix Downs when necessary, and spend all other turns trying to
get that Tempest Knife. He's a good character to cast Slow spells if he can
use them; focus them on the blades to slow them down. Edgar is reliable and
powerful with Drill or Chainsaw, but his brother not so much. If Sabin doesn't
know the Bolt 2 spell, I suggest Fire Dance. Eventually it will take out the
blades, but Phantom gave us a head start at the very least, and you can always
summon him again if you entered the battle under Clear. With Cyan, it's the
same, only with Dispatch rather than AuraBolt. If you obtain the Tempest for
him, equip it and simply Fight the body. Gau can Rage Anguiform to be sure to
hit the body every Aqua Rake, or Rage Aspik if you're feeling lucky. Giga Volt
is stronger, yet not always MT. A few tips remaining:
- If (most of) your party is revealed and you can still summon Phantom, do so.
Invisibility is definitely a positive status as long as you can keep at least
one blade around at all times.
- Counter his Haste spell with a Slow spell from your side when possible.
- If you find yourself in the rare position of having Shoat equipped but not
Phantom, summon the piglet Esper right away. There's a rather large chance he'll
take out both blades in one go.
Number 128 is one of the most dangerous opponents of the game given its
relative setting, and if your luck is just really, really bad it's
possible to die even if you're a rather experienced player, especially if
you're trying to get that Tempest.
A note about the common Fenix Downs you get from the blades; you'll only get
them if you kill the main body TOGETHER with (one of) the blades. So, if you
kill the main body and the blades have HP, they'll die but drop nothing; if the
blades are dead and you kill the main body, you get nothing. Think Whelk.
Focusing on getting those two Fenix Downs is folly, though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.32.1 Escaping Vector
**********************************
Location: Vector
Party members: Locke; Optional: Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau
Opponents: Pipsqueak, Chaser, Commando, Crane, Crane
Well, officially, the mission was a success. You penetrated the Imperial
MagiTek Research Facility. You didn't so much rescue the eight Espers you
managed to find, but took their Magicite remains as per their request. Nobody on
your side died. Cid is just a scientist, but his promise to try to persuade the
Emperor is a glimmer of hope. Yet, the loss of Celes weighs heavily, and you're
not out of Vector yet.
Monster formations:
Chaser, Trapper, Trapper, Trapper (5/16)
Commando, Commando, Commando, Commando (5/16)
Chaser, Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak (5/16)
Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak, Pipsqueak (1/16)
Preparation: Equip the Tempest on Cyan if you haven't already. You can once
again go for a simply what's-best set-up, as neither impossibly high
Defense nor insane flurries of physical attacks are present now. Summoning
Bismark will be very useful in the next boss battle (don't worry; it'll take
a while before there's another boss fight after it), so you might want to equip
it. The Flame Sabre and ThunderBlade should not stay equipped (go with Blizzard
instead), and any Fire Knuckle should be swapped with a Poison Claw.
Your infiltration didn't go unnoticed, and you have Imperial forces chasing
you down. The aptly named Chaser robot is one of them. Chaser robots rain
death from above, so it's your task to, you know, kinda geyser death from below.
Even from below, I think it's more of a raining motion, but I couldn't think of
anything that rains upside-down. Unless you're in Australia. Heh.
Back to Chaser robots. They're the last of Cid's protective metal golems you'll
meet. Chaser robots can shoot Tek Lasers and weaken opponents by use of
Dischord (which halves their level, as I explained with Telstar, the palette
swap). It can also attack with a Plasma attack, which is actually very powerful.
Plasma is ST, luckily, so if one of your characters dies you can simply revive
him. If you encounter them alone, their death will cause three Trappers to
appear (unless you kill him with Gau's Rhodox Snare), and if you meet him with
three Pipsqueaks already present, take him out first, as he will just continue
to call more if you take them all down.
Now that you have access to both Vanish, the spell that can make any target
invisible at your command and Doom, the instant-death attack, through
respectively Phantom and Shoat, it's time to tell you a little about the horror,
the absolute horror that is commonly known as Vanish/Doom, but has many
incarnations. It's kinda lengthy, but definitely worth reading, so here you go:
[VANISHDOOM-LINK]
Save at the Save Point if you want to. You can stroll into the MagiTek Factory
again here, but one of the pipes collapsed, so you can't go very far. The fact
that even this part is shaking hints at the fact the entire building is going
down; this was more than you could've hoped for. Simply run down the rails and
you'll meet up with Setzer. The Empire was becoming paranoid, and the hustle and
bustle in Vector alarmed him. He notices the lack of Celes, but understands the
need to escape. The four of you rush out of Vector, freedom nigh.
Not nigh enough. Kefka plays a last card in a final attempt to stop you from
escaping.
CYAN: Whoa! What IS that?!
EDGAR: Something horrible's coming!!
SABIN: Uwaaoo! What in the...?
GAU: Gau! GAU go!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.32.2 The battle with the Cranes
**********************************
Cranes. I don't know about the 'countries' you guys live in, but here in the
Netherlands, cranes are not an uncommon sight if there's building going on.
They tend not to attack us, though. These two attack in pairs, can use Magic,
and can significantly screw you up if you're not careful. You have one
character you couldn't equip beforehand: Setzer. I'll talk a bit about the
Cranes.
Setzer comes with the following equipment:
Cards
Mithril Shld
Bandana
Mithril Vest
That's pretty shitty. Fun fact: Setzer can't equip the Bandana, so as soon
as you take it off of him, you'll never get it back on.
There are two Cranes, and they're not completely the same.
Crane (right one)
Level: 24, HP: 2300, MP: 447
Steal: Debilitator (rare), Potion (common)
Absorbs: Fire, Weakness: Lightning, Water
Special: !Iron Ball: Battle x 2
Vulnerable to: Slow
Attacks: Battle, !Iron Ball, Fire, Fire 2, Fire 3, Bolt 2, Magnitude8,
TekBarrier
Crane (left one)
Level: 23, HP: 1800, MP: 447
Steal: NoiseBlaster (rare)
Absorbs: Lightning, Weakness: Water
Special: !Iron Ball: Battle x 1.5
Vulnerable to: Slow
Attacks: Battle, !Iron Ball, Bolt, Bolt 2, Fire 2, Giga Volt, Magnitude8,
TekBarrier
Vanish/Doom: No
Immunity to Clear status.
Joker Doom: Yes
TekBarrier screws with the RNG, but you shouldn't see it if you're going for
Echo Screen/Joker Doom anyway. (I'll explain all this in a bit, or if you want
to know right now, you can go to [SLOT-LINK2])
The right one is fire-based. It will attack physically and use the Fire and
Fire 2 spell. When hit by a Fire-elemental attack of any kind, it will charge,
going through "Heat source LV 1," to "Heat source LV 2," and finally to "Heat
source LV 3 - Unleashed thermal energy!" at which point it will target the
entire party with a Fire 3 spell. When alone, it will boost its defenses with
TekBarrier, which as you know, grants both Safe and Reflect, protecting it from
Magic spells. After one minute of fighting, the message "The crane shook the
deck!" will appear and the Crane will perform a Magnitude8 attack. Finally,
every third time it has been damaged, it will perform a Bolt 2 spell on the
other Crane, charging it. It has a rare Debilitator steal that you might want;
it's another Tool for Edgar.
The left one is pretty much the same, only lightning-based. From "Electrified
LV 1" it will pass through "Electrified LV 2" and "Electrified LV 3 - Unleashed
electric energy!" performing an MT Giga Volt attack. All other features are the
same, only it will cast a Fire 2 spell on the other crane every third time
it has been damaged.
If you brought Gau and he knows how to perform the Anguiform Rage, you're in
luck, as the Aqua Rake attack is incredibly powerful in this battle, up to the
point where an Earrings-boosted Aqua Rake will probably kill one Crane in one
hit. Do NOT let him enter a Rage that performs either Fire or Lightning based
attacks, and don't let him enter a Rage with a special attack that is
Reflectable. Locke can do little here but try to Steal the Debilitator from
the right Crane. Focus on one Crane at the time where possible. Drill/Chainsaw
and AuraBolt are songs often sung right now, and Cyan can enjoy his Tempest
Knife. Setzer is easily the weakest link at this point, lacking in proper
equipment. Just try to nail a diamond or Chocobo on your first spin; that will
make for the most consistent damage output.
The Cranes are not as hard as Number 128 was, and you're bound to gain the upper
hand if you don't make any mistakes. Now, it's time to fly to Zozo. Let's see
what Terra has been doing in the meantime; with Celes gone, we need Terra to
fill the role of ex-Imperial magic woman.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.33.1 Zozo; Terra's flashback
**********************************
Location: -
Party members: -
Opponents: None
When you arrive in the sanctuary Ramuh prepared for Terra, one of the pieces of
Magicite you took from the Imperial Factory starts to glow, much like Tritoch
did when it and Terra crossed paths. It's Maduin, and he inspires a memory in
Terra...
As Maduin, you relive the history of Terra's birth. Maduin is the Gate Keeper
of the Esper world, whose job is to make sure whatever needs to stay out stays
out. A youthful Esper, alarms you there's something going on (the alpha
version of this document stated this was Yura. While I still believe this is
accurate, it's never stated so I won't do so here). The gate is near Maduin's
cave, to the north. The strong winds of the day have already alarmed the Elder
of the Esper World, who has explained them as an ill omen.
Walking around the Esper World gives you the following responses from the
ancient Espers:
You okay, Maduin?
You're the Gate Keeper, Maduin?
Strong winds... Be careful, Maduin.
This evening is an ill omen... (the Elder)
When you reach the gate, you see a collapsed girl - a human girl. Choosing to
let her lay there simply won't continue the plot, so take her with you.
After she has been installed in her bed to rest, the Elder has come to see her.
The Espers are not happy about her arrival; humans and Espers don't mix. While
the day has cleared, the moods of the Espers have not.
Walking around the Esper World gives you the following responses from the
ancient Espers:
Everyone here's feeling uneasy.
The link between worlds has surely weakened over the past 1000 years.
They say a human girl's here...
Do you even know what you've done?
Why has this happened now after all these years?
(The Youth, standing guard near the gate) Elder's orders...no one passes
through the gate.
Talking to the girl will wake her up. Her name is Madonna. Maduin gives her a
pendant for no apparent reason, perhaps as a gift of good will. Maduin says
it somehow helps protect the Esper World, but that's a bit of info that Ted
Woolsey put there for us and was never featured in the original game. Terra
carried a Pendant when she invaded Narshe, and kept it with her ever since...
When Maduin wakes up, he quickly notices Madonna is gone. The Elder is waiting
outside, concerned about the situation, and while outside one Esper laments on
the worst possible scenario ("If this generation of humans knew about our
abilities... And decided they wanted to utilize our powers... It would be a
total disaster!"), another one saw Madonna go to the gate. Try to catch up with
her. Apparently, she slipped by the guard, as he has no idea what's going on.
In a declaration of love that is more sudden than the infamous Neo/Trinity
thing from the Matrix, Madonna decides to stay behind with Maduin. They
have a baby, and it is Terra.
Two years later, the same winds of ill fate howl through the Esper World, and
the Empire marches in. They beat up and take several Espers. Amidst the chaos,
Madonna takes her chance and tries to escape with Terra. It seems she could not
live in the Esper World as much as she wanted. When Maduin tries to catch up
with her, tragedy ensues...Terra is taken by the Empire, Madonna is killed by
the Emperor, and Maduin's fate is sealed to suffer in the heart of the Empire at
the hands of Cid.
When Terra wakes up, it's time to go. Regrouping is done. Time for action.
From this point on, Terra finally gains access to a second skill: Morph. Learn
all about it here: [MORPH-LINK]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.34.1 Airship Exploitation: Sraphim
**********************************
Location: Airship
Party members: Optional: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau, Setzer
Opponents: None
We're free to do what we want now. This is the glorious moment I cherish in
all the Final Fantasy games I've ever played; first time on the airship. The
Blackjack is waiting for your instructions. Nothing is off-limits. Well, except
for Vector. Guardian is waiting for your arrival, and there's no way to gain
entry to Vector now. Joker Doom cannot be produced against Guardian, if you were
wondering. But there are plenty of things to be done before actually going to
Narshe.
In Tzen, a crook is hiding in the trees next to the Relic shop. During your
mission in the Imperial MagiTek Research Facility, this guy managed to sneak
out a piece of Magicite, and he's offering to sell it to you now. 3000 GP is
not a lot of money, and even though the Esper Sraphim doesn't teach you any
spells you couldn't have obtained from other Espers, her learning rates are
much more user-friendly. Sraphim is far and above the best White Magic Esper
you'll get for quite a while. You can wait until after a certain point of the
story at which point he'll offer you the 'stone' for only 10 GP (The world's
going to heck in a hand basket...just look at this weird stone!). I advise just
buying it right now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.34.2 Airship Exploitation: Auction House: Golem and ZoneSeek
**********************************
In Jidoor, the Auction House is finally open. It's not so much the bidding
here that's annoying. You'll be asked two times if you want to over the current
prize; if you say no, you don't get the item, if you say yes two times, you get
the item. It's just that there are two items right now you want: two pieces of
Magicite. Golem and ZoneSeek are waiting for your capable hands. Here's how the
Auction House works.
There's a 50 % chance the item up for bidding is a Cherub Down, a Relic that
gives you the automatic ability to Float. If it's not, we continue.
Then, there's a 50 % chance it's a walking, talking Chocobo. You can never buy
this 'item' no matter how much you pay, as the father will always buy it. But
if this item isn't the Chocobo, we continue.
Then, there's a 50 % chance it's the Golem Magicite! Nice. Try to buy it. If
you already bought it earlier, or the item isn't Golem, we continue.
Then, there's a 50 % chance it's the ZoneSeek Magicite. Good. If you already
bought this item, or if it still isn't this item, we continue.
If it's none of the above, it's a Cure Ring. Period.
So in the end, if you haven't bought any of the pieces of Magicite yet, the odds
will be as following:
Cherub Down 50 %
Chocobo 25 %
The Magicite Golem 12.5 %
The Magicite ZoneSeek 6.25 %
Cure Ring 6.25 %
If you bought Golem:
Cherub Down 50 %
Chocobo 25 %
The Magicite ZoneSeek 12.5 %
Cure Ring 12.5 %
If you bought ZoneSeek:
Cherub Down 50 %
Chocobo 25 %
The Magicite Golem 12.5 %
Cure Ring 12.5 %
If you bought both:
Cherub Down 50 %
Chocobo 25 %
Cure Ring 25 %
Don't worry; if another person buys a piece of Magicite, it will have a chance
of appearing next time you pay the Auction House a visit. Prices are as
follows:
Cherub Down 10000 GP
The Magicite Golem 20000 GP
The Magicite ZoneSeek 10000 GP
Cure Ring 20000 GP
If you don't have enough money, fly the Blackjack to an area where FossilFang
monsters appear; they give great amounts of money and you should be able to
handle them pretty easily by now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.34.3 Airship Exploitation: Locating Grenade
**********************************
Monster formations:
Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb (10/16)
Bomb (5/16)
Grenade (1/16)
In the large forest west of the Veldt, only Bombs seem to appear. There is
a rare chance you'll encounter a Grenade, though. Fighting one gets you
nothing, but if you want a complete Rage list, you'd better have met one,
as you will never come across one by following the story only.
I suggest you bring Edgar, as he has brilliant means of taking them all out in
one shot, and at least one character with Cure and/or Cure 2, as no matter how
repetitive Blaze will seem in a while, it still hurts.
Grenade enemies have 3000 HP, but very poor Defense and Magic Defense. Target
them with Ice-elemental attacks and just whatever you have. Instant-Death
attacks work well, though he is immune to Petrify. If you use Fight on him,
he can use Exploder on you, which is likely to kill the initial attacker, so
try to avoid it. If he uses !Mesmerize, you have little choice in the matter
unless you manage to use Dispel before the situation gets too serious.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.34.4 Airship Exploitation: Obtaining Gaia Gear
**********************************
Monster formations:
(grasslands)
Cephaler, Baserkvor (6/16)
Baskervor (5/16)
Baskervor, Baskervor (5/16)
(forest)
Cephaler, Cephaler, Cephaler (6/16)
Chimera (5/16)
Chimera, Cephaler, Cephaler (5/16)
On the continent to the east of the Veldt, there are three new monsters:
Baskervor and Cephaler on the grasslands and Cephaler and Chimera in the forest.
I'll tell you how to deal with them when you actually need to go there.
Ctrl + F their name if you're feeling uneasy. The Baskervor have a rare
Gaia Gear you can steal from them, and there's nothing in the Common slot, so
you can just keep trying. Chimera drop the alternate nice armor, the Gold
Armor, for your Edgars and Cyans. Gaia Gear especially will be VERY nice to
have at the next dungeon, and this is the only way of obtaining it.
To the north of this continent is the town of Thamasa. The Inn charges
outrageous fees, the Weapon and Armor Shop will refuse to help you (we reserve
the right to deny service blah blah), and you aren't getting anything out of
anybody; info, items, nothing. We'll come back here someday.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.34.5 Airship Exploitation: Intangir
**********************************
Monster formations:
(grasslands)
Leafer, Leafer, Dark Wind (6/16)
Leafer (5/16)
Intangir (5/16)
(forest)
Intangir (6/16)
Leafer, Leafer, Dark Wind, Dark Wind (5/16)
Leafer, Leafer, Dark Wind (5/16)
On the small triangle-shaped island to the northeast of the World Map,
you'll find lots of Leafers and Dark Wind enemies. However, you'll also find
Intangir monsters. Intangir are massively powerful, absorb all elements, and
are invisible. They confuse a lot of first-time players. When you damage them,
they retaliate with a Meteo attack, which is likely to actually kill anybody
it hits, as it will damage for over 900 HP. Due to the questionable existence
of that shadiest tactic of all, Vanish/Doom, you can kill him without having to
run away by casting Doom (which will send Meteo after the killer), or having
Gau Rage Rhodox for Snare, which does the trick cleanly.
If you want to defeat Intangir without succumbing to the Dark Side, here's
another strategy. Intangir is vulnerable to the Stop ailment. Cast Stop and
wail on him for half a minute. Since his Defences are very good and he
absorbs all elements, good choices against Intangir are Edgar (Drill), Sabin
(Suplex) and Cyan (Dispatch). Relm's Sketch results into a 75 % shot at
Step Mine, which is also a powerful attack to use against Intangir, but keep
in mind that Sketch always misses monsters under the effects of Clear. Strago
can just use it from the Lore menu, obviously.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.34.6 Airship Exploitation: Veldt hunting
**********************************
It's a great time for the hunting down of some new Rages. You have a whole
set of new spells to learn, Espers to use, monsters to see...have fun. Great
new Rages include Anguiform, Aspik, Mind Candy, SlamDancer, Gabbldegak, and
HadesGigas, all that you could've obtained earlier, and Cephaler, ChickenLip,
Chimera, General, Intangir, Mag Roader (purple), Rhinox, and Baskervor.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.34.7 Intermezzo; Espers 101
**********************************
This is, by the way, a perfect time to learn about two of the most obscure
tricks in the game: The WoB Ragnarok trick and Echo Screen/Joker Doom. Learn
all about it here: [SLOT-LINK2]
Finally, now that you have all the Espers you'll have for quite some time, I'll
give some pointers on how to wisely handle Espers:
At first, it's important to note that there are basically two kinds of people
when it comes to Magicite. There are the characters that need Espers to teach
them the valuable spells to damage opponents with, and the characters that can
damage just fine on their own and would rather benefit from supportive spells.
Terra, Locke, Celes, and Relm are all characters that, in the World of Balance,
will have a hard time comparing themselves to the other characters in terms of
damage as long as you haven't made sure that they know a level 2 spell or Bio.
They need it to survive. For this purpose, it's useful to teach them at least
one level 2 spell as soon as possible (Ifrit and Shiva excel at this), and then
bring in a supportive Esper for this newly found magic nature (ZoneSeek or
Shiva, both teach the Osmose spell, while Rasp too is nice to have on them).
You can expand the pool of options to another level 2 spell or perhaps even more
of them, but as soon as you have two, it would be wise to start thinking of
tacking on Sraphim, Golem, or Unicorn, as Cure 2 is a nice asset to any
character, and these characters are definitely making use of Earrings anyway
(unless you have made gross errors).
The characters who don't depend on damage from the spells can, if they want to,
take one or more level 2 spells from Espers, but will generally find that their
special skill surpasses the Magic spell in almost every way (no MP cost,
stronger, that kind of thing). The major exceptions to this rule are Gau, Mog,
and Setzer, who could use at least one strong magical attack that always hits
and isn't bothered by a factor of randomness. So, these guys will want to focus
on supportive Espers. Siren teaches three spells that are all very useful to
have around at all times, as does Phantom (granted, Demi sucks, but both Vanish
and Bserk can be tactically brilliant...especially when combined). At some
points in the game, the possession of Break and/or Doom spells can really save
you a lot of trouble, so Shoat is definitely a consideration if you're done
with Siren and Phantom.
Golem is good on everybody as Cure 2, like I said, is always an asset, while
Stop especially can be a great spell for everybody. Stray is not as good as its
fellow starters, but while Imp and especially Float can take a while to learn
and the very nature of Muddle makes you want to ridicule it, Float can be
damned handy to have around as preparation for a dungeon with Earth-elemental
creatures, and Imp can disable quite a few dangerous enemies.
All other Espers - Bismark, Kirin, Carbunkl - their summons can be useful
in some situations, but their spells don't specifically merit any interest, so
I'd say you should mainly use them if you have a character who's already filled
with good spells and you are in need of a rogue Float caster. I've yet to find
a specific use for the Rflect spell as long as Carbunkl's MT Ruby Power and
Wall Rings exist, Bismark teaches subpar spells at insane learning rates, and
Kirin just kinda fails at anything other than being summoned.
One last piece of advice: a lot of people are looking to learn Magic without
gaining levels. The two best places to gain Magic Points without Experience
are the Veldt and Triangle Island, where the Intangir roam. Triangle Island
is more efficient, but if you're using Gau there's a large advantage involved
when walking on the Veldt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.35.1 Narshe
**********************************
Location: Narshe
Party members: Optional: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau, Setzer
Opponents: None
Well, it's Narshe again. The first time Terra came here, she was violently
pulled out of the clutches of the Empire. The second time, she was again
touched by Tritoch and lost control of her self. Narshe has not been a good
city to Terra at all; let's hope it has some good news this time.
And so it appears! Narshe, ever-doubting about their role in the war, has
finally decided to stand with the Returners against the Empire. A plan is
revealed wherein Narshe and Figaro team up to make for war. But the Empire, even
without the ever-increasing number of MagiTek Armors, is a force far greater
then Narshe and Figaro combined. The gate needs to be opened; the Espers need
to be contacted. Surely, they would be willing to aid against those who have
wronged their species so much. Terra is the necessary link; a new mission is
given.
Narshe is once again bustling with activity! New weapons and equipment are being
sold in the stores for the upcoming war.
Weapon Shop:
Poison Rod 1500
Trident 1700
Boomerang 4500
Morning Star 5000
Hawk Eye 6000
Blossom 3200
In the Weapon Shop, there's a new kind of Rod: the Poison Rod. You can let it
rest for now. The Morning Star is a Back Row weapon for Celes and Terra, simply
an upgraded version of the Flail. The most interesting sell here is the Hawk
Eye for Locke. The Hawk Eye has a 50 % chance of doing 1.5 damage (no visual
effect) to non-Floating enemies and 3 times as much damage against Floating
enemies (it will appear to be thrown). Very nice. Buy one, or two if you feel
you want to use Locke and the Genji Glove together.
Armor Shop:
Gold Shld 2500
Bard's Hat 3000
Green Beret 3000
Mithril Helm 2000
Tiara 3000
Gold Helmet 4000
Mithril Mail 3500
Power Sash 5000
The Armor Shop sells new equipment as well. Gold Shlds and Gold Helmets for
the heavy-equippers (you still have to get Gold Armors from the Chimera if you
want them), a Tiara for Terra (the first actual helmet I'll simply recommend
over the Green Beret), and Power Sash for those guys whose name isn't Edgar
or Setzer.
Relic Shop:
Earrings 5000
Sniper Sight 3000
RunningShoes 7000
Wall Ring 6000
Black Belt 5000
Nothing new here, but if you feel like you could use some of the above, don't
hesitate.
Item Shop:
Potion 300
Tincture 1500
Fenix Down 500
Green Cherry 150
Tent 1200
Fire Skean 500
Water Edge 500
Bolt Edge 500
There's nothing remarkable here other than the fact this is the first town that
sells Shadow's scrolls when he isn't a possible party member.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.35.2 Lone Wolf persecution and recruiting Mog
**********************************
But this isn't all. One odd character has chosen to take advantage of the
situation of Narshe: Lone Wolf, the infamous thief, has paid a visit.
Lone Wolf is a character from FF V, and if not, at least so similar to him
there's bound to be a conscious running theme here. FF V's Lone Wolf was a thief
locked up in a dungeon in some castle. He looked like a humanoid wolf. A
werewolf, as they appeared more in the game, though Lone Wolf has no obvious
connection to them and it's even possible it's just a guy with a mask. You had
the option of releasing him, but he would just take three treasures you would
then be unable to obtain later in the game.
The old man who gave you his treasures earlier (remember, the house with the
Thiefknife and Sneak Ring in it?) worries about the treasure he didn't give
you; the locked chest. If you are kind enough to take a look for him, you'll
just see Lone Wolf running off with its contents.
Follow Lone Wolf to retrieve the treasure! He escapes to the mines. The path
is straightforward. On occasion, you'll see Lone Wolf running from you. And
eventually, you'll have him cornered, but the situation is looking grim, as
Lone Wolf has taken a Moogle hostage.
If you try to approach, Lone Wolf will threaten to kill the Moogle. Sweaty
mongoloids whose basic garment consist entirely out of underpants will tell you
that you can recruit Mog by trying to walk over to Lone Wolf over and over and
over until you loose patience and spam message boards, but this is humbug. The
trick here is to simply stand still at the spot you automatically back away
to. After a while, the Moogle will be able to free itself, and in the struggle
that ensues, both are thrown over a side of the cliff. Will you help the
Moogle, or will you try to obtain the treasure you initially came for?
The treasure is a Gold Hairpin, a Relic that cuts your MP usage in half. It's a
Relic I only find useful when playing a Low Level Game, as you will be able to
cast spells you otherwise don't have the MP for. But in a normal game, the
better (and morally superior) choice is helping the Moogle.
The Moogle is an old acquaintance of yours, the leader of the gang of Moogles
who helped Locke save Terra. To top that, he appears to be able to talk,
something no other Moogle can do. Apparently was contacted by Ramuh at a time
and was told to join your cause. He joins your cause, and runs off to your
airship.
Mog is the unofficial mascot of this game, and everybody thinks he's bloody
adorable. Myself, I just appreciate him as one of the strongest characters the
game has to offer. Right now, his main power lies in his special ability,
Dance, with which he summons awesome power from the very terrain around him and
the animals that live there to put the hurt on your enemies. Let's go collect
Dances for him, and on the way, I'll explain how Mog works.
[DANCE-LINK]
Wasn't that easy?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.35.3 Dance lessons, including Water Rondo
**********************************
Go to the Blackjack and change your party so it includes Mog. You'll notice his
level is very high - 5 levels higher, in fact. Equip him (you'll see he uses
Lances, mostly) and head out to the open sky.
- Land in front of Narshe and fight some Leafers on the grasslands to make him
learn the Wind Song (casually named Ind Song in the Anthology release; way to
go, chumps!). Stride into the forest for the Forest Suite and enter the
desert for the Desert Aria.
- Now, get back on the Blackjack and fly to South Figaro where you can climb
Mt. Koltz. On the slopes, Mog will learn the Earth Blues (possibly the
most universally useful Dance). If you didn't pick up the Dusk Requiem while
protecting Terra earlier, you can head in one of the caves to learn it.
- Fly the Blackjack to Zozo and fight a battle there; the Love Sonata will be
Mog's.
- The Dance that is the hardest to obtain, and the only actually missable
Dance in the game, is the Water Rondo. There are two places where Mog can
learn it: on the Lete River and in the Serpent Trench. Both take you along a
one-way route to a radically different place. Here's the quickest way:
Land in front of Baren Falls, and leap down the raging waters. Don't worry,
there won't be any Piranhas to worry about this time. Walk across the Veldt
and enter Crescent Moutain. Jump in the Serpent Trench to re-appear in Nikeah.
Grab a Chocobo in the local Stable (to the north) and ride the big bird all
the way to Baren Falls again.
Now, you've gained 6 or 7 out of 8 Dances in very little time; that's a 75 or
87.5% increase right there! That's more than Cyan can say; he probably has
gained about one SwdTech since you recruited him, lazy hobo that he is.
We've concluded Mog's training. Let's see if we can advance the plot now.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.36.1 Cave to the Sealed Gate
**********************************
Location: Cave to the Sealed Gate
Party members: Optional: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau, Setzer, Mog
Opponents: None
The Empire has abducted several Espers about 20 years ago, and kept an Imperial
Base around to guard the Sealed Gate. The Espers sealed it from the inside, so
there's no way for the Empire to actually get in. But you have to try for the
Returners. So now it's your mission to sneak through this Imperial Base and
pass through the cave to reach the Sealed Gate and...Yeah, do what exactly?
Terra seems like the most likely way of getting contact. Let's see what we can
do when we get there.
Preparation:
First: Once again, I want to stress how nice it is if you collect four sets of
Gaia Gear, which you can rarely Steal from Baskervor on the grassland of the
continent East of the Veldt. Thank you for your patience!
Now, Relics are important in the first few parts of this dungeon. One of the
enemies can cast Fire, Fire 2 and Fire 3 (!) so Wall Rings are very handy,
especially since Fire 3 is really powerful and could kill you. Peace Rings/
Ribbons are great to equip against this very same enemy's Confuse-setting
Special.
Time to choose a new four-headed party out of your eight-headed available party!
Mog is the most powerful party member at this point; those five extra levels
don't hurt his cause, and his Water Rondo Dance cleans house like nothing before
in the next dungeon. El Nino equals death to the most common and most dangerous
enemy. A much surer way of making fatal hits is giving DragoonBoots to Mog and
equipping a Trident. Sabin is another great choice; go for either a Genji Glove
and two Kaiser Claws or an Earrings and AuraBolt spamming. Edgar's Chainsaw
with an Atlas Armlet is another great asset to your team. Terra is a mandatory
character, so there's little to choose there (although she is very weak at
this point). Cyan, Tempest or not, is simply strategically unfit for the next
dungeon. Gau is great if he knows Anguiform or Chimera Rages, but not quite
as good as the other characters. Setzer's Slot is too unreliable at this moment,
and he needs to pull something like H-Bomb or Sun Flare out of his *cough* nose
to finish off Ings, so he's a bad choice. Locke, finally, is simply too weak
without heavy Relic-boosting.
In Terra's case, I'd especially advise you to allow her to have some private
moments with Shiva, as that's the fastest route to a powerful spell that isn't
Bio or Fire 2 (both are useless in the upcoming dungeon).
If you have Gaia Gear, equip it. If you have four sets of it, I suggest you swap
Edgar out of the party - he can't equip it - and replace him with Gau (or one of
the others; it really doesn't matter that much as long as it isn't Cyan, as he
can't equip it either).
Monster formations:
(First cave)
Lich, Lich, Lich (6/16)
Apparite, Apparite (5/16)
Lich, Apparite, Coelecite (5/16)
(Basement 1)
Ing, Ing, Ing (6/16)
Apparite, Apparite (5/16)
Apparite, Apparite, Lich, Lich (5/16)
(Basement 2)
Coelecite, Coelecite, Coelecite (6/16)
Zombone (5/16)
Zombone, Ing, Ing (5/16)
(Basement 3)
Ing, Ing, Ing (6/16)
Zombone, Zombone (5/16)
Zombone, Ing, Ing (5/16)
You need Terra for this mission. As your party leader will point out if you
try to enter without her:
"The Espers wouldn't give us the time of day without...TERRA..."
Terra, in the meantime, isn't a happy camper. She needs some support, as when
she enters the Imperial Camp by herself she'll go: "I can do it...But why do I
feel so wretched?" and will refuse to continue.
First three rooms are partly filled with monsters you won't find in the rest of
the dungeon: Apparite, Coelecite, and Lich.
Apparites are nasty upgrades of your average Whisper. They absorb Fire-
elemental attacks, and have a one-third chance of countering any attack that
damages them with Imp Song. Sadly, Siren stands helpless against them, so
you'll just have to try to kill them in one hit. AuraBolt, Chainsaw, Ice 2,
double Kaiser, all works great.
Coelecites are small scorpion-like creatures with no real special power. They
can put you to sleep with !HypnoSting, and have a slight chance of countering
attacks with a Magnitude8 spell, for which it has insufficient MP. Way to go
there, champ. Strong MT attacks are particularly helpful here, like Flash,
Chocobop, Magnitude8, Sand Storm, you name it.
Liches are the worst, man. They can start the battle with !Mad Touch. Confused
characters are never a good idea; with a little luck you can snap them out of
it before bad things happen, but chances always exist you'll have to swallow
a Fire Dance or something before you do. To top this madness, they can cast
Fire 2 with considerable power and can even cast Fire 3. Their Fire 3 attacks
taste like burning. :( You'll want to avoid that. You can't shut them up with
Siren or Mute. If you have Edgar, NoiseBlaster can confuse them to buy you
enough time to kill them. Charge for Lich immediately. You won't meet a lot of
them, so there's no shame in using a Fenix Down or Life spell if you run into
one, although an ST Ice 2 spell or something might be more cost-efficient.
If your level is really low, make sure you have four Wall Rings, and keep them
on your characters at all times. This should prevent Lich's spells from hurting
you. Like I said before, Peace Rings and Ribbons protect nicely against !Mad
Touch.
Every step you take after those three rooms consist out of only two enemies:
Zombone and Ing. Zombones are bigger, so you'd assume they're more dangerous.
Such folly. Wall Rings are useless once you get into Zombone territory, and
status-prevention Relics can be removed as well as Ing's !Glare just sets
Dark and Zombone's !Bone attack, while setting the dangerous Zombie status,
is so rare and used so late you shouldn't even see it.
Zombones just attack physically, unless you wait a really, really long time
until they have a slight chance of turning a character into a Zombie with !Bone.
Zombones are the only enemies in this blasted cave that don't absorb Fire, so
if somebody knows or learns Fire 2 here (Terra learns it naturally at level 22),
use it to great effect. Otherwise, you know how to handle monsters now. Gau
can flush Zombones nicely with Rhodox' Snare.
Ings are entirely different. They have a move called Liveshaver, an obscenely
strong attack. It's an Earth-elemental attack that functions entirely like
Drain; drains HP, can't drain more then the caster is damaged anyway. Since it's
such a strong attack at this point, the Ing will most likely drain all their
lost HP. If both his lack of HP and the targets possession of it allows it,
Liveshaver can do up to 750 damage; unless you are equipped with Gaia Gear, in
which case you don't need to worry as you'll absorb the attack and the Ing will
damage itself. If you're equipped with Gaia Gear, there's no need to worry about
specific tactics as you can just pound away. But without, the highest priority
when facing Ing is this: YOU WANT TO TAKE THEM OUT IN ONE SHOT. This way, they
have no chance of casting Liveshaver (You cannot Mute the bastards). If you
brought Locke with you, definitely try to Steal four Amulets here; they are a
common steal, so it requires little work.
You can one-hit KO them in a multitude of ways, but you'll have to make an
effort to have at least one of the following on the team. Earrings/AuraBolt is a
good one, while Genji Glove/Double Kaiser is a nice alternative. Jump/Trident
works well on Edgar or Mog, although the latter might enjoy Dancing the Water
Rondo better; El Nino not only kills Ing, it sends them flying in the bloody
Clouds of Magellan. Aqua Rake, sadly, probably isn't strong enough at this
point, even with a Hero Ring or Earrings behind it.
If you did bring Gaia Gear for all your boys and girls, Gau can make
Baskervor's Cyclonic work to great effect as every opponent is vulnerable to
Instant Death attacks. Sure, Wyvern works just as well, but since we got the
Gaia Gear from Baskervor enemies in the first place, let this be a tribute. ;)
When you arrive at the Imperial Base, there are no soldiers around. That's
mighty suspicious, as reasonably argued that can only mean two things: the
soldiers are somewhere else, preparing for an attack, or the Empire has decided
they will let you go the Sealed Gate, of which can come no good. Still, you
press on.
Boy, is it HOT in this cave. The Cave to the Sealed Gate is a volcanic area,
and the monsters have adapted to it. The first room has a chest already! It
contains the Assassin dirk, a brilliant semi-ThiefKnife that randomly kills
in one hit. The comparison with the ThiefKnife comes from the fact it's both
Locke/Shadow only and gives stat boosts, making it a nice option if you don't
plan on using Fight anyway. The Assassin revives the Undead though, all the
time, so I wouldn't suggest equipping it here (even if you weren't going to
use it, ThiefKnife's special abilities are better).
The next room has another chest, this one containing a Tempest blade. If you
hadn't stolen one from Number 128, this is the only one you'll find in the
game. It has a 50 % chance of nulling the special effects of the physical strike
and casting Wind Slash instead. It's pretty much the most interesting weapon
Cyan will ever get his hands on, so cherish it (for all the lack of Cyan I
tried to talk into you).
Next room is a 'puzzle': Every 1.5 second or so, the pathway changes from one
state to the other. Explaining how to get across would be folly, as not only
would my hints just confuse, it's not that hard. The chest to the right
contains an X-Potion, and the chest to the bottom contains the Coin Toss Relic,
a Relic that changes Setzer's ability from Slot into GP Rain. A little talk
on GP Rain:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.36.2 Coin Toss and Cave to the Sealed Gate continued
**********************************
If you think throwing coins is a rather silly way of doing damage, it has been
featured in FF V as a grossly overpowered attack and finds its roots in Japanese
folklore. The Coin Toss Relic is Heiji's Cross, you see. Zenigata Heiji was a
kind of 'Sherlock Holmes' during the samurai era who stopped/killed his foes by
throwing a coin at them.
GP Rain, while more consistent, is inferior to Slot, especially when Setzer is
equipped with Earrings, as he should be. Imagine the Flash Tool for an
indication of the amount of damage to one or two targets, but Coin Toss actually
splits the damage between the amount of targets, so the more targets, the
weaker it turns out. Besides that, there's no way of boosting it other than
level, AND it costs you money every time you use it by a
Amount of gold used = Level * 30
ratio. There are times -- in the future -- where it'll be worth it to equip the
Relic, but not now.
The exit of the room is to the bottom-right of the screen. Here, you come across
a choice: right or dead ahead. Going to the right will get you to a chest with
an Ether in it. Grab it, hike back, and continue. You'll want to go up the
diagonal nature-crafted stairway and you'll reach a bridge with a switch next to
it. If you press the switch, the bridge will collapse under you and you'll fall
down, but no HP damage will be done, and you 'hear a distant sound'. Going to
the left and up will get you to a chest with...a Genji Glove! A very kick-ass
Relic indeed. If you have the equipment and the characters, you can add a
double Trident Fighter to the party this way, eliminating the Jumping time.
Go back and continue this time.
You'll see a plateau with two switches, and a bridge with a switch next to it.
Go over to the two switches on the plateau. The left switch opens the door to
a Save Point and a chest with a Tent in it; the right switch triggers a battle
with a Ninja and accomplishes otherwise nothing (you won't ever make this Ninja
appear on the Veldt). If you decide to fight the Ninja, make sure you heal
yourself, as he's bound to get in at least one Thrown Skean. The best way of
dealing with the Ninja is by utilizing Death-based attacks; the Doom spell
should do the trick, otherwise the Rhodox Rage or Dusk Requiem will offer a
large chance. If you don't want to rely on luck, he's weak to Lightning, so
Bolt 2 and Gau's Aspik's Giga Volt work well. He doesn't have that many HP,
and when he dies, he will talk about hidden treasures in the 'plaza beneath the
grand stairway'. Few people seem to know actually what he's talking about there,
but yours truly naturally does so don't worry.
The switch on the bridge (doesn't that sound like a Dr. Seuss novel to you?) is
mandatory this time, as it will create a large stairway. Egads, a GRAND
stairway I might add.
Behold, the plaza! This already is the plaza the Ninja risked his life for,
littered with treasure. This is where they are:
Inviz Edge: One step down and one step to the left from the lowest stairway
tile.
Remedy: Six steps down from the Inviz Edge.
2000 GP: Three steps up from the treasure chest visible here.
Water Skean: Three steps down and three steps to the right from the lowest
stairway tile.
It should be noted here that the 2000 GP isn't actually 2000 GP, but
293 GP, the Remedy is a Soft Item, and if you buy them, they're called Water
Edges and not Skeans. Nice, trustworthy game designers.
The chest here contains an Ether. Let's move on. When you enter the little cave,
you'll have to find your way up through a hidden tunnel, but a monkey with
brain cancer could do that, so I won't be helping you. When you emerge, you can
open the chest for an Elixir.
This part is kind of frustrating to 'pin down'. There are two stepping tiles
in front of you. The first one accomplishes about as much as I know about
car mechanics: absolutely nothing. It creates a stairway to a featureless little
six-tile area. The second stepping tile breaks a bridge apart to the chest;
you can walk around it or step on it anyway and go another route I'll point out
in a bit. The chest in question contains not an item or a monster, but a switch.
Switch-in-a-box. Heh. Flick it, or don't, it doesn't do anything remotely
interesting.
Going down will get you to another stepping tile. This one is more of a friend
to you; it opens a door to a small cave with four chests: two Magicite shards,
an Ether, and the ATMA WEAPON.
The Atma Weapon is a nifty sword that's more special than useful. A scholar in
Albrook mentioned it, remember? It was created during the War of the Magi, along
with a monster with the same name. Meeting the sword was the better choice, I
think.
The Atma Weapon will do rather weak, barrier-piercing damage at this point of
the game when the wielder is at his maximum HP; its damage is partially based
on the max HP/current HP ratio where the Atma Weapon will do more damage when
the wielder at full health and almost no damage when the wielder only has a few
HP left. The Atma Weapon gains strength with the wielder's level, and can
achieve three lengths, depending on the damage output (it changes from short
to medium beyond 500 HP damage, and from medium to long at 1000). I wouldn't
equip it at this point. Points of interest:
- The Atma Weapon is rather famous for starring in the horrid legend where you
Throw this weapon for an instant kill against the final boss. You can't throw
the Atma Weapon.
- When you combine the Atma Weapon with Capture, it will lose its special
damage formula and it'll become a normal sword with the Battle Power of 255,
which is rather nice. Most people will argue this is a bug, though.
- INCREASE YOUR ATMA LENGTH WITH NATURAL ENHANCERS. It's folly. Much like the
male reproductive organ, there are legions who claim there are fast and easy
ways to increase its performance. The urban myth includes wearing Green Berets
or Red Caps and equipping Muscle Belts, all to increase maximum HP and boost
that blue thing. It doesn't work, as it's the ratio that's important, not max
HP.
- Isn't it wicked? It's like a lightsaber.
Let's walk over to the new pathway. You'll encounter a switch you have to
press to raise land to the right of you so you can cross it. Here's a switch
as well; if you stepped on the bad stepping tile earlier, you can press it so
you can walk over to the chest.
The switch, by the way, would block your path IF you had stood on the two
useless/bad stepping tiles earlier, and only as long as you didn't fight a
random encounter. I really don't know why programmers even bother with things
like this.
Moving on will get you a chest with a Magicite shard. From here on, it's a
straight path to the Sealed Gate.
Finally, there you are. Nobody's too comfortable with the place:
LOCKE: Beyond is the Esper World...
CYAN: What an eerie place...
EDGAR: From here on, it's all up to TERRA...
SABIN: We're counting on you, TERRA...
SETZER: Why'd you bring me to such an awful place!?
As usual, Gau and Mog are entirely forgotten by their creators. As soon as
Terra wants to call out to the Espers: a burden! Kefka has followed you here,
hoping you'd be able to open the Sealed Gate and deliver more Espers to the
Empire. Folly! How could you have been so foolish!? Time to put the hurt on
Kefka!
Like in the Imperial Camp, you fight a human Kefka. I won't bother really
listing what he does and how you should handle it, as the fight ends as soon
as you do anything to Kefka, be it helpful to him or damaging. For trivia
purposes, I'll list his moves, though: Poison, Fire 2, Dischord, Battle, Rasp,
Slow, and Special. He doesn't actually HAVE a Special attack though, as he's a
character, so instead, the attack name pop-up will display nothing, Kefka will
take one step forward and raise his arms (like Gau performing a Special), and
without any attack animation, the attack will miss. Oh yes, and don't use
Magicite, as those cancel on characters, including opponent characters.
During the battle with Kefka, Terra manages somehow to explore contact with
the Espers behind the Gate. The door opens, but something is wrong; rather
than asking what you want, several Espers bolt out the door, flying off,
sending shockwaves of power through your body. When they are gone, the door
closes behind you and is blocked with an eerily skull-like barricade of rocks.
Terra urges you to get out when she awakens, and maybe it's wise to follow
her advice.
The cave has a new exit; take it for a shortcut. Make sure that you've collected
all the treasures you wanted, as once you get out of the cave and board the
Blackjack, there's no going back in unless you go out of your way to do so
(ominous foreshadowing).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.37.1 Esper rampage; Snake Eyes
**********************************
Location: Blackjack
Party members: Optional: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau, Setzer, Mog
Opponents: None
Once you pass through the Imperial Base and find your ally at the other end,
he'll tell you that the Espers have flown to Vector. You were planning to have
them attack it anyway, but it's doubtful if this is the best outcome...
The ill-news bringer depends on whoever is in your party, but starting from the
most likely one, the game works down the list from Locke to Cyan, Edgar, Sabin,
and finally Setzer. Actually, it's quite impossible for you to encounter Setzer
here, as you'll at the very worst have a Terra/Locke/Cyan/Edgar party, in
which case it's still Sabin who delivers the news. Ah, goddess of unnecessary
coding!
Immediately afterwards, you find yourself flying to Vector. But you start
feeling some vibration, and it isn't the good vibration Marky Mark & The Funky
Bunch and the Beach Boys used to sing about. No sih, not at all:
It's such a good vibration
It's such a sweet sensation
No sih, not at all.
TERRA: ...the Espers...Something happened...
LOCKE: I'm sure the Espers were headed for Vector...
CYAN: I could feel the warrior spirits of those Espers!
EDGAR: Somehow we need to tap in to the power of those Espers...
SABIN: Let's see what's become of the Empire! Hurry!
SETZER: Urghh! For the time being, I don't own the skies...
MOG: ...puuh...
GAU: ...ooh...GAU...high place...Not good...don't like...
You'll find yourself near Maranda. Absolutely nothing has changed in this
town, so you might as well go find the hidden Chocobo Stable and hike to Vector.
The Stable is hidden in the narrow part in the forest to the East of Maranda.
As you can see when you arrive, Vector is in ruins. Seems the Espers smacked it
around with a club called 'Destruction'. The Returners are, without any
apparent reason, exposing themselves to the Empire now that it seems weakened.
I'm sure they won't call the soldiers on you, sillies. Even Banon and Arvis are
here. Banon will declare you mad for even bringing up the option of talking
with Espers; clearly, they are barbarians whose bones are filled with violence
and manslaughter.
Entering the Imperial MagiTek Research Facility will accomplish exactly
nothing, as you can't.
Entering the Imperial Palace, however, will get you an Imperial escort who
will take you to the Emperor himself.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.38.1 Vector; Imperial palace
**********************************
Location: Imperial Palace
Party members: Optional: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau, Setzer, Mog
Opponents: Commando, Mega Armor
It appears that the Emperor has changed from the power-hungry antagonist to the
sorrowful ally! The Espers destroyed his town, his pride. He's been severely
punished already for his arrogant lust for control and domination; but can a
man change so quickly, so completely? For now, you can do what Cid has asked
you to do, and try to warm the hearts of Imperial Soldiers. At the very least,
it'll give you something positive to do until you can start negotiations with
the Emperor.
There are 24 soldiers to talk to. You have four minutes: 4:00. Later on in
this part of the game, you are rewarded for your behavior in the Palace; it
starts here. You get a point for every soldier you talk to, and another five for
every soldier you manage to convert by shoving his testicles upwards through
his throat. For maximum enjoyment and treasure, you'll want to talk to all of
them (you can skip 3 of the passive ones without any penalty). Skip any
treasure chests for now; you can get them a little while later when the
seconds aren't of any importance.
Every normal trooper who wishes to fight you turns out to be a single Commando
unit, and every Armored trooper that confronts you is a single Mega Armor.
Bio spells and barrier-piercing attacks work great against the Commando units;
Instant Death attacks work nicely (including Break). As far as the Mega Armor
goes, Instant Death attacks go well against him too (although he has Petrify
protection for Break). He may counter Fight attacks with Tek Laser and
non-fatal Magic spells with Missile, so be wary.
If you die, you don't get a Game Over but you'll find yourself out-battle after
a red flash. You'll get the 1 point for talking to the soldier but not the 5
points for defeating the soldier. If you escape the battle by running, using
Smoke Bombs or the Warp Stone/Warp spell, you'll find yourself out-battle
after a green flash, and you'll get 1 point but not the other 5. You can't run
from Mega Armor regardless. If you let the timer run out during a battle,
there's a blue flash and you'll get 1 point but, again, not 5.
Walk right ahead and talk to the first four soldiers. Take a turn to the right
(from your view). Ignore the first door for now; it houses Kefka, who talks too
much for your precious time to be wasted on him. Go up the stairs and enter the
door on this floor. In this room, you can talk to a soldier, a Special Forces
unit, and a soldier in the bathroom. Get out of the room and go up the stairs.
Here, you enter the balcony of the palace. You can talk to five soldiers here,
and one soldier in the cabin on top (which you might recognize as the one
where Kefka released the Cranes from) wants to fight you. Fight him (it's a
single Commando) and press on. Enter the door to the other side of the little
cabin on top.
In here, there's a wandering soldier. You should be at 14 by now. Go further
down. Enter the first new door. There are four wandering soldiers below the
soldier in the bed and one above. One of the four wants to fight you; do so.
When you have talked to all in the room, enter the bathroom, where another
soldiers wants to fight you. You're on 21 now. Get out, ignore the next door
(treasure only), and go out of the palace. There are two soldiers here and an
Armored soldier who wants to fight; it's a Mega Armor now. Kill it and you
have the final, 24th soldier.
44 points maximum.
Dinner time!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.38.2 The Banquet
**********************************
At the great Banquet, where you'll settle manners with the Empire, removing the
very core of the conflict, you'll be repeatedly allowed to fill in gaps in the
conversation. Your choice influences how much the Emperor likes you, and how
much he'll reward you for showing up. It's like trying to hit on that hot girl
at the bar, only with me showing you what works well and what will get you
slapped in the face. Here we go:
GESTAHL: Imagine! All of us here together, sharing a meal! First we must have
a toast!
2 ^ To the Empire...
1 ^ To the Returners...
5 ^ To our hometowns...
GESTAHL: As you know, Kefka's in jail for war crimes. What shall we do with him?
5 ^ Leave him in jail...
1 ^ Pardon him...
3 ^ Execute him...
GESTAHL: I truly apologize about the poisoning of Doma. No one dreamed Kefka
would use poison.
1 ^ What's done is done...
5 ^ That was inexcusable.
3 ^ Apologize again!!
GESTAHL: By the way...With regard to General CELES...
1 ^ Was she an Imperial spy?
5 ^ CELES is one of us!
3 ^ We trust CELES!
Any other questions for me?
2 ^ Why'd you start the war?
2 ^ Why do you want peace now?
2 ^ Why'd we have to talk to your men?
GESTAHL: With your permission, I'd like to talk about the Espers...
0 ^ One more question please!
(Every question you ask will get you 2 points, but the same question asked
twice will cost you 10 points)
0 ^ Okay.
0 ^ One more question please!
0 ^ Let's talk about Espers...
GESTAHL: My Empire's been decimated by the Espers that emerged from the sealed
gate.
They're acting spiteful. Unless they're stopped, they'll rip the
world asunder!
5 ^ Yes, the Espers have gone too far.
2 ^ But you unleashed their power!!
GESTAHL: After the Espers went on their rampage, I knew I couldn't go on with
my war. I asked myself why I had started it in the first place.
By the way...
About those questions you asked me...which did you ask first?
^ Why'd you start the war?
^ Why do you want peace now?
^ Why'd we have to talk to your men?
(if you answer correctly, you get 5 points. If not, 0 points for you)
CID: You seem a bit tired. Care for a rest break?
0 ^ Yes, let's take a break.
0 ^ Let's keep talking.
(Here, you'll get the option of walking about a bit and talking to the Sp.
Forces, who will challenge you. You get 5 points for kicking Sp. Forces
in their bathing suit area within 2 minutes. If you fail, you get 0 points).
Shall we begin again?
0 ^ Yes
0 ^ No
GESTAHL: Is there anything you wish to hear me say?
3 ^ That all you really want is peace.
5 ^ That your war's truly over.
1 ^ That you're sorry...
GESTAHL: We must make for Crescent Island aboard the freighter from Albrook.
Will you accompany me?
3 ^ Yes
0 ^ No
(If you first answer no, and then answer yes, you won't get the 3 point
increase).
And this is it.
49 points to earn at the Banquet. Plus 44, that's 93. Nice.
The negotiations were a success! You are to be dispatched, now employed of all
things by the Empire of all empires, to seek out the Espers who destroyed
Vector. General Leo Christophe will accompany you. Depending on your party,
you'll see old acquaintances meet again:
SABIN: Didn't I see you at Doma? ...I'm SURE I did... So that was General Leo...
LEO: You! You're CYAN, liege to the king of Doma! Please forgive me for not
being there to stop Kefka...
CYAN: ... ... That wasn't your fault.
If you're done, Terra gets on a solo mission... until Locke mixes himself in it
again. That guy has a serious problem with being left behind, it seems. Locke
and Terra will go to Crescent Island to search for the Espers. Congrats.
When you leave, a Special Forces unit will come up to you, and reward you for
your troubles in the Palace:
Always: South Figaro is liberated. You gain nothing but your pride for it.
50-66: South Figaro is liberated. You gain nothing but your pride for it. Doma
Castle is liberated. Some minor items AND your pride. Things are looking
up!
67-76: South Figaro is liberated. You gain nothing but your pride for it. Doma
Castle is liberated. Some minor items AND your pride. Things are looking
up! The locked house in the Imperial Base near the Cave to the Sealed
Gate is opened. This is very nice.
77-90: South Figaro is liberated. You gain nothing but your pride for it. Doma
Castle is liberated. Some minor items AND your pride. Things are looking
up! The locked house in the Imperial Base near the Cave to the Sealed
Gate is opened. This is very nice. You get a Tintinabar from the
Emperor! He likes you!
90-93: South Figaro is liberated. You gain nothing but your pride for it.
Doma Castle is liberated. Some minor items AND your pride. Things are
looking up! The locked house in the Imperial Base near the Cave to the
Sealed Gate is opened. This is very nice. You get a Tintinabar from the
Emperor! He likes you! You get a Charm Bangle from the Special Forces
unit you are talking to! He wants to have your man-babies! Run like the
wind!
Well...
As soon as you have your new Locke/Terra combo (something probably not seen
since you tried to locate Figaro Castle in the desert south of Narshe), you'll
notice that you have received the items all other characters were equipped with.
That's nice. For equipment, I'd advise something like this:
Terra:
Blizzard/ThunderBlade
Gold Shld
Tiara
White Dress
Earrings, Earrings
Locke
Atma Weapon
Hawk Eye
Green Beret
Power Sash
Genji Glove/Thief Glove
Roaming the Imperial Palace, you can now find the things you skipped earlier in
your rush to be helpful for the Empire. They're hard to miss, and include a
Back Guard Relic, an X-Potion, a Gale Hairpin, a Revivify, and a Tincture. Also,
you can find Kefka in jail, who's so annoyed he's about to go soil himself.
You can find your former party members all over Vector:
EDGAR: Albrook's a port to the south of the Empire. A MagiTek Armor hauling ship
plies the waters between...there and Crescent Island...We'll penetrate the
Imperial base. You deal with the Espers!
SABIN: Can we really trust the Empire?! I have an awful feeling about this...
CYAN: Never will I be able to forgive Kefka...
GAU: Smells like parents' house here...why so familiar?
MOG: Kupo!
BANON: Could Gestahl have meant such a thing? Team up with the Empire to track
down an Esper... Hmm...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.38.3 Items of the Imperial Base near the Cave to the Sealed Gate and
Setzer's cutscene
**********************************
Other than the fact Gau seems to remember things about the house he was
supposedly thrown out of immediately after his birth, you notice here that
Setzer is missing. I can divulge here that Setzer is not in Vector at all; he's
on the Blackjack, over at Maranda. Together with Cid, he's repairing his beloved
airship. You can go over there if you want to and watch the often missed and
delightful scene between the two. This is it, if you're lazy:
(Setzer is fixing things in the engine, Cid is standing around, likely in awe
or admiration)
CID: Wow, what a ship!
SETZER: That landing really messed up the engine. It'll take a while to fix...
CID: I'll help. No machine can stump me!
SETZER: Don't touch anything!
CID: Go kill time in the casino! I can speed this crate up!
SETZER: ...... You little...!! Get outta my sight!
CID: But I could really make this thing hum...!
(Exit CID)
TERRA: You love this ship, more than anything, huh?
SETZER: Actually, when I was young there was something I was mad about...
TERRA: ...huh?
SETZER: In my youth I dreamed of having the world's fastest airship.
TERRA: You mean......
SETZER: At that time there was a young girl who piloted the Falcon, the fastest
vessel ever made. Sometimes we were the worst of rivals...but other times we
were the best of friends. We always egged each other on to go faster and higher.
When she disappeared along with her ship...I felt like I lost my spirit.
SETZER: ...Poor Daryl...
After the scene: SETZER: Repairs aren't finished yet. You'd better take the
boat from Albrook.
Note: In the Japanese version, Cid mentions how the Blackjack could be faster
by removing the casino in its belly. This is what Setzer can't take.
Anyway, the real new treasure lies in the Imperial Base at the Cave to the
Sealed Gate. Enter the house, and prepare to be stumped; the Empire has made
a great gesture of good will with this gift. The chests here include: and
X-Potion, a Cherub Down, an Ether, a Wall Ring, RunningShoes, an Elixir,
a Cure Ring, and a Back Guard, together with 8000 GP + 13000 GP + 20000 GP =
41000 GP. There's a hidden chest with an Elixir hidden by the south wall, and
there's a Flame Sabre in the stove.
If you want to, you can go and visit Tzen and Maranda; there's really nothing
for you there, but you can see how both towns have been abandoned by the
oppressive Imperial forces, and how glad everybody is that the war is finally
over.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.39.1 Albrook
**********************************
At any rate, as soon as you can get to Albrook, you'll find the entry to the
port open. You immediately appear next to two crates, of which one contains a
Warp Stone. General Leo is discussing with subordinates here; he tells you to
go and take a rest at the Inn, but not before 'introducing' you to two
'strangers': The first is Shadow, the second another general of the Empire,
General Celes Chere. Locke spazzes out and Celes runs off. You can bask in
Shadow's idea of humor for a while before acknowledging Leo has made
arrangements, and you can rest at the Inn free.
Doing so will trigger a sad cutscene in which Locke and Celes exchange their
names and offer charged silences to each other.
When morning comes, the freighter takes off.
A lot is afoot during the night.
When the morning comes, everybody is already awake. You can learn from the
soldiers that rumors say magic still exists on Crescent Island -- clearly folly
-- and you can talk to Leo for your mission briefing.
General Celes and General Leo will try to gain information, while Terra, Locke,
and Shadow are dispatched by themselves. There's a town to the north called
Thamasa, so it might be a good idea to try to learn something there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.40.1 Traveling to Thamasa; Crescent Island
**********************************
Location: Crescent Island
Party members: Terra, Locke, Shadow
Opponents: Chimera, Baskervor, Cephaler
You've been dropped off at the southern end of Crescent Island. Shadow, now
under employment by the Empire, aids you in your search, and you can at least
be certain he won't run out on you this time.
Preparation: Be sure to equip Shadow in the latest fashion fads, and it might
be useful to have him equip a nice Esper like Siren to unlock his Magic ability.
If you decide to stay around and fight some monsters for whatever reason,
summon Phantom; it will be very nice.
Monster formations:
(grasslands)
Cephaler, Baserkvor (6/16)
Baskervor (5/16)
Baskervor, Baskervor (5/16)
(forest)
Cephaler, Cephaler, Cephaler (6/16)
Chimera (5/16)
Chimera, Cephaler, Cephaler (5/16)
The monsters here are pretty interesting. The only one you need to worry about
right now is Baskervor, as you don't need to go through the forest, but you
might want to, so I'll take a look at them too.
Baskervors are turtle-like monsters that only attack physically. I've mentioned
them earlier for their rare Gaia Gear Steal, a nice addition to your equipment
options. If a single Baskervor is damaged, there's a 33 % chance it will
counter with Sneeze, an odd attack that basically forces the target to run.
There's nothing you can do about it, sadly.
Cephaler, to me, stand out because of their overwhelming usefulness with Rage-
centered SCC games. Cephaler is one of the two monsters that combine a Special
with Death Protection on Gau, which is very nice. As opponents, they stand out
for their great physical defense (auto-Safe) and the fact they rarely employ
Ultros' Tentacle attack, which makes them the only random encounter monsters to
use it. Tentacle is a very strong attack, so take out Cephaler as soon as
possible.
Crescent Island's Magnum Monster is Chimera. They have a lot of HP, are
invulnerable to all prominent status effects, and torment the party with magical
MT attacks, which include Aqua Rake on a regular basis and Blizzard, Fire Ball,
and Cyclonic when they're alone. Don't take Chimera for granted; keep your HP
up and don't go easy on him. The only way out of a head-on fight is casting
Bserk on him; his physical attacks also hurt, but if you're quick, you can
simply shrug it off with Phantom.
In short, if you act quickly with Chimera around (he'll always take at least
one turn before he employs a magical attack), Phantom gives you invulnerability.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.40.2 Thamasa
**********************************
Location: Thamasa
Party members: Terra, Locke, Shadow
Opponents: None
As soon as you enter Thamasa, you'll notice strange things going on. There's an
unfriendly atmosphere, and the Innkeeper charges insane amounts of money (well,
1500 GP a night is very expensive!). But hey, at least the shops are open now!
Also, three free items are lying around town: There's an Echo Screen in the
top barrel next to mayor's house, a Green Cherry in the barrel next to Strago's
house, a Soft item in the bottom barrel near the Relic shop, an Eyedrop in the
middle barrel near the Item shop, and a Fenix Down in the upper barrel next to
the Inn.
Armor Shop:
Gold Shld 2500
Tiger Mask 2500
Tiara 3000
Gold Helmet 4000
Mystery Veil 5500
Power Sash 5000
Gaia Gear 6000
Gold Armor 10000
The Armor Shop is open! You can finally buy your Gaia Gear if you were too
lazy to Steal it earlier. Also, the Mystery Veil, a great helmet for Celes and
Terra that you'll want to equip for a long time from now. Also, Gold Armor,
but you really don't want to buy more, as the next dungeon, which you'll be able
to choose party members for, will need Gaia Gear wearers anyway.
Weapon Shop:
Mithril Rod 500
Fire Rod 3000
Ice Rod 3000
Thunder Rod 3000
Morning Star 5000
Hawk Eye 6000
Stout Steap 10000
Darts 10000
The Weapon Shop is also open. Rods for SALE now? Such folly. I suggest you buy
an Ice Rod; leave it at that as far as Rods are concerned (you'll understand
why later on). New weapons also include a Stout Spear for Edgar and Mog, and
Darts for Setzer. While I can guarantee you none of these characters will really
use those weapons, it doesn't hurt to boost their Battle Power. :)
Relic Shop:
Earrings 5000
Sniper Sight 3000
RunningShoes 7000
Wall Ring 6000
Black Belt 5000
DragoonBoots 9000
Sprint Shoes 1500
Nothing new here, really, although the general layout is nice. All Relics here
are nice to have as supplementary stuff.
Item Shop:
Tonic 50
Potion 300
Tincture 1500
Remedy 1000
Warp Stone 700
Revivify 300
Fenix Down 500
Tent 1200
Item Shop. You can shop for Items in the Item Shop. It's what the name tries to
indicate, silly.
Someone advises you to talk to the old man who lives on the edge of town. It's
to the northeast of the plaza. In here, you'll meet a strange man indeed...
Meet Strago Magus, and his lovely adopted granddaughter Relm Arrowny. While
Strago is explaining to you that he has no idea whatsoever what Espers are
(even though he's supposed to be the expert in town), Relm barges in and asks
if they can 'use magic too'. How odd! How terribly, terribly odd! Relm proceeds
to not be mauled up by Interceptor, instead seemingly befriending him.
Disappointed yet suspicious, you leave the house.
Around town, odd things happen. Behind Strago's house, you can interrupt what
appears as a Cure casting, and behind the large mansion a kid is practicing
what looks like fire magic. How can this be? Regardless, it's been a tough day,
I'd say we'd better take a nap at the Inn, which has suddenly taken on a much
more customer-friendly pricing...
Important note: Before you take your nap, de-equip Shadow of his equipment,
Relics and most importantly, of his Esper. All set? Good. If you don't do this,
he'll take it all with him when he goes, not to be seen for a while.
In the middle of the night: panic! Strago wakes you up as he needs your help;
Relm is trapped inside the mansion, and it's on fire! It's getting progressively
worse. You go with the old man, while Shadow stays behind. This isn't what he
is paid to do, so he doesn't do it.
Outside, Strago shows you exactly what you've been 'suspecting' so far. He tries
to use magic to calm the flames. The entire population of Thamasa tries to use
magic to calm the flames. They fail. Strago goes in, and you rush after him.
This all makes sense, as if all else fails, try to stab the flames with your
weapons. It'll do some good.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.40.3 The Burning Mansion
**********************************
Location: Thamasa
Party members: Terra, Locke, Strago
Opponents: Bomb, Grenade, FlameEater
Lores: Exploder
The mansion is on fire, and somewhere is a scared little 10-year-old waiting to
be rescued by you. Her adoptive grandfather, despite the fact IT'S NOT POSSIBLE,
has magical powers. This turns out to be an odd night indeed.
Preparation: You have a new party member: Strago. I'll explain in a bit what
he's all about, I'll first explain how to properly handle him. He's a mage, but
in this dungeon, he'd do well to preserve MP, as his magical skills are grossly
overkill. I suggest you equip him with an Ice Rod, Mithril Shld, Bard's Hat or
Magus Hat, and some Gaia Gear. As far as Espers go, Shiva is a brilliant pick,
as she teaches five spells that are all very useful in this dungeon and for
Strago is general. Also, equip Locke and Terra with Blizzard blades (Hawk Eye
is sufficient with an Atlas Armlet).
Monster formations:
(wandering flame)
Balloon, Balloon, Balloon (3/4)
Balloon, Balloon, Balloon , Balloon, Balloon, Balloon (1/4)
(trap door)
Balloon, Balloon, Balloon, Balloon (always)
Strago is the FF VI Blue Mage. His special skill is called Lore, with which he
can use several monster attacks. Learn all about them here:
[LORE-LINK]
Right now, he knows Aqua Rake, a powerful MT Water/Wind-elemental attack, Stone,
an inaccurate attack that deals non-elemental damage and does 7.5 times as
much damage if the attacker and target have the same level (remember Gau
during the Narshe Raid?), and Revenge, of which the damage output is simply
caster's maximum HP - caster's current HP, dealing the damage the caster
currently has on him.
All the roaming flames here indicate flame monsters: Balloon. Letting them
touch you means either a battle with three Balloons, or a battle with six
Balloons. Balloons rarely use Exploder and attack physically otherwise, so I
suggest summoning Phantom or casting Vanish during the first battle. Use an MT
attack to finish off the six Balloons (MT Ice 2 spell, Aqua Rake, Shiva's Gem
Dust) and use physical attacks for the three.
You can either use the Muddle spell, Stray's Cat Rain attack, or the Stone
Lore (MT) to confuse Balloon monsters, in which case they're likely to use
Exploder on each other. This will make Strago learn Exploder, an attack he will
hopefully never, ever have to use, as it's horrid; it kills the caster, and all
it does is damage equal to the caster's current HP to a single target.
The first two rooms are straightforward. The third room has two doors standing
next to each other.
The left one opens to expose four flames leaping out, catching you in a four-
headed Balloon monster formation that is a fixed Pincer attack. This happens
every time you try to enter the door. The right one allows you to continue.
In this room, two more doors:
The right door takes you to a room with a chest in it containing a Fire Rod.
The left one allows you to continue.
In this room, two more doors:
The right one takes you to a room with a chest in it containing an Ice Rod.
The left one allows you to continue.
The next room is simply a hallway. It opens into the largest room of the house,
where the source of the blaze is located. If you take one step into the room,
it will attack you. Equipping ZoneSeek helps for the battle, as does Kirin
(as usual). Try to equip as many Wall Rings as possible; you're bound to have
two from treasures. You can circumvent the Wall Rings by equipping Carbunkl, but
while that doesn't take any Relic slots, it's not what a sane man would call
permanent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.40.4 The battle with FlameEater
**********************************
FlameEater
Level: 26, HP: 8400, MP: 480
Steal: Flame Sabre (common)
Absorbs: Fire; Nullify: Lightning, Poison, Pearl, Earth; Weakness: Ice
Special: !Hit: Battle x 1.5
Vulnerable to: Slow
Attacks: Fire, Fire 2, Fire 3, Safe, Rflect, Fire Ball, Bomblet
Vanish/Doom: No
Immunity to Clear status.
FlameEater starts the battle by using Bomblet. The move Bomblet itself doesn't
really do anything (although it removes your Clear status if you had it on you),
but it's always followed by FlameEater summoning allies. FlameEater can summon
from two to four Balloon monsters and even a Grenade. He will always start
with four Balloons.
FlameEater is basically a massive floating flame, so you could expect him to
have a fire-based AI script. He normally uses Fire spells and Fire Ball attacks,
while countering one third of your damaging attacks with a Fire 2 spell. After
you've damaged him six times, he'll cast Safe and Rflect on himself (unless he
already had Reflect on him), at which point he will bounce Fire 2 and Fire 3
spells off his own barrier until it's faded (he'll go back to regular
programming at that point.
Also, if you would hit him with Demi or Quartr (a spell you're unlikely to
have), he would have retorted with a Quartr or Flare spell of his own; sadly
for FlameEater, you can never actually hit him with Demi/Quartr, as he has
Death protection. Silly programmers.
The strategy is simple and Ice-based. Cast Slow as soon as you can. If you have
Kirin or ZoneSeek equipped, start it at the start of the battle. Try to steal
his Flame Sabre with Locke; you don't really need it, but there's no harm in
it. Whenever FlameEater summons allies, use a powerful MT attack like Shiva's
Gem Dust, Aqua Rake, or an MT Ice 2 spell to take care of them all. First
priority would be not dying, second priority is attacking with Ice 2 spells
and Ice-elemental weapons (especially dual Ice Rods!), and making sure he
doesn't get all Reflective on you if you are spamming spells. If Strago is
level 26, you can't pass up the opportunity to deal illegal amounts of damage
with Stone.
FlameEater is a simple boss who's likely to go down easy on you. To sum it all
up: "Attacks are the best attack." (RedDemon).
When you've put it out, you find Relm in the back of the house. Just in time
to be buried beneath flaming rubble with her.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.41.1 Leaving Thamasa
**********************************
Location: Thamasa
Party members: Terra, Locke, Strago
Opponents: None
Remember when you died in a fire? That didn't happen. Shadow came in and saved
the day, just to rescue his dog. He decided he might be able to spare your
sorry lives free. Wotta guy, eh?
Thamasa is the village of Mage Warrior's descendents. During the War of the
Magi, Magicite-powered humans called Mage Warriors fought alongside of normal
humans and Espers. When the war ended, the Espers retreated and the humans
hated the remaining influence of the magical: the Mage Warriors. They were
forced to flee, and much like the Espers founded the Esper World, so did the
Mage Warriors create Thamasa. Their descendents have lost a slight tough of
their magic after the 1000 years, but they're still powerful enough to
actually use the magic the world has forgotten for so long.
As soon as Strago mentions that the mountains to the east might be worth a look,
Shadow splits. Outside, it seems that he will 'search for the Espers in his
own way'. You shouldn't forget that despite the fact Shadow has fought alongside
of you, he is a morally lacking person directly employed by the Empire, whose
interests are still rather questionable. He's breaking a direct order for no
apparent reason. Highly suspicious. Highly, highly suspicious.
With Strago in your party, you get the new mission of finding Espers in the
mountains. Nice. Relm offered to join, but despite her prominent naming screen,
was refused entry into the party, which even has a free spot for her.
I'M SURE WE'LL NEVER SEE HER AGAIN.
There's a Relic hidden in Strago's house, on the second floor: hidden in the
bulge in the left wall, it's near the small table with the two chairs
surrounding it. This Relic, the Memento Ring, is at this moment entirely useless
to you. You should know that in the PSX release, they changed the name of this
Relic to 'Safety Ring'. At least, that's what it says when you grab it here;
if you check your inventory or try to equip it, it'll speak of a 'Safty Ring'.
When you're done, take a nice and uneventful nap at the Inn and head out to the
mountains.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.41.2 Crescent Island's Eastern Mountains
**********************************
Location: Crescent Island's Eastern mountains
Party members: Terra, Locke, Strago
Opponents: None
Lores: Pearl Wind
Thus, a typical Byronian hero accompanies the half-Esper magical prodigy and
the elderly walking-encyclopedia-on-monsters-and-their-behavior-with-magical-
powers to what they hope will be a place filled with Beasts of Doom. If this
is achieved, we can get the peace the Returners have fought so hard for.
Preparation: Make sure your equipment and Espers are comfortable.
It's wisdom to summon Phantom at the very start, as most attacks are physical
here. Jewel Rings and Ribbons are nice to protect against the Petrifying
Special of one of the monsters on the slopes, though, as these are the same
monsters that have the power of removing your Clear status.
There are five entirely new monsters roaming these mountains, two in the caves
and three on the slopes. They are:
Slurm. Anything resembling a Crawly palette-swap can be nothing but very, very
weak. An Earring-boosted MT Fire spell tends to take them all out (although at
lower levels, you might need a follow-up MT spell).
They share the caves with Adamanchyt monsters. Rather soon for a palette-swap
in this case, don't you think? You met Baskervor at the foot of these mountains.
That's just not right. Adamanchyt are named like that because their hide is
hard. Hard like ADAMANTINE. There's no penetrating it (unless it's with barrier-
piercing physical attacks, obviously). You'll want to stick to magical attacks
with them. Don't ever use Fight, ever, as they have a one/third chance of
using Sneeze, breaking your ever-so-fragile invisibility.
On the slopes, a brilliant new enemy is called Abolisher. They abolish nothing
but your lack of Pearl Wind Lores, I dare say! They attack physically only,
having a small chance of trying to poison you with !Down Dust. After they've
taken three turns, they'll use Pearl Wind. Have Strago stand there and observe.
Also, Insecare. Remember CrassHoppr? Remember WeedFeeder? I'm sure you don't,
as both are dull as hell. Insecare have a more diverse color pattern on them,
but fail to impress on all related issues.
The most dangerous enemies of the mountains are Mandrake plants. The Anthology
Bestiary says their vines are made out of metal. Metal. The main annoyance with
them is the fact they will retaliate your damaging moves with a 33 % chance
at casting Raid, which is basically a more powerful version of your Drain spell.
It can make battle very long if you're in bad luck and Raid removes the Clear
status that protected you from all other attacks on the entire mountain. The
only thing you can do about it is systematically cast Stop spells (learned by
Golem) on them and kill them while they're Stopped.
The entrance of the mountains lies north of the forest here. The entrance wasn't
here before, if you were wondering. The first room houses a chest with a Heal
Rod (keep hold of this one!).
The Heal Rod is a spiffy Rod that heals all targets, be it living or undead.
At this point of the game, a Front Row character using it is likely to fully
heal the target character (it'll do about 1000 HP worth of curing). Personally,
I think the supposed equippers of a Heal Rod, Strago and Relm, will usually be
too busy doing the exact same thing with an ST Cure 2 spell and still having
room for an offensive weapon, but there are people out there who are in love
with the Heal Rod because it's MP-free.
Regardless, much later in the game you can trade your Heal Rod for a weapon
that is so kick-ass they might have called it +7/+7 Weapon of kick-ass for all
I care, so definitely don't EVER sell it.
Heh, or Throw it. There's a bug in the game that makes the Heal Rod with the
Fight command auto-target the enemy, and selecting the Heal Rod with Throw will
make it auto-target the Thrower. Obviously, this was supposed to be the other
way around, but if you haven't heard of this game being fuller with bugs than
MTV is with non-music videos, you've been living in Ignorantville, capital of
Lack-Of-Information.
The cave opening to the north and left will just link to each other, so take
the right one (to the right). You'll see a quick 'unrecognizable' red flash
dash from the corner of your eye, but that's just the shadows being a bitch to
you.
In the slopes here, you can find Abolisher monsters. You'll want to meet them
at least once to learn Pearl Wind.
Pearl Wind is a full-party healing move that cures for the same amount of
Hit Points the caster currently has. This sounds like a silly move, as you'd
guess the more you're damaged, the more you need healing, and that's exactly
when this move tends to fail (if Strago is near-fatal, Pearl Wind will do
little). Pearl Wind is *very* useful though, as it is a move that can heal
characters with Wall Rings and surpasses Runic.
If you cross these slopes and enter a new cave, you see the red movement again.
What's with your eyes these days? The new cave can be easily passed through;
you see a lot of broken pathways here, but you can't reach them anyway.
The next room houses three golden statues. Strago will freak out when he sees
them, and explain about the Statues. Remember when Kefka talked about reviving
the Statues, and how fun he thought that was going to be? Better learn about
them, then.
These golden icons are mere representations of the real Statues, and even these
shimmer with power. Strago muses that perhaps the Espers came here to bask in
this power so familiar to them (and obviously, this is where it's said the
Espers were created all this time ago).
The following is inscribed in the statues:
The birth of magic...
Three goddesses were banished here. In time, they began quarreling, which led to
all-out war.
Those unlucky humans who got in the way were transformed into Espers, and used
as living war machines...
The goddesses finally realized that they were being laughed at by those who had
banished them here.
In a rare moment of mutual clarity, they agreed to seal themselves away from
the world.
With their last ounce of energy, they gave the Espers back their own free will,
and then transformed themselves...
...into stone. Their only request was that the Espers keep them sealed away for
all eternity.
The Espers created these statues as a symbol of their vow to let the goddesses
sleep in peace.
The Espers have sworn to keep the goddesses' power from being abused.
As soon as you intend to leave, a familiar octopod crashes the party. It's
Ultros. Laugh or die. He mentions something about Ziegfried (calls him 'big
brother' in the Japanese version), throws a semi-smart retort to Locke's
comment (at whose body he jumped a little, Locke's his personal nemesis since he
met him on stage), and attacks you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.41.3 The third fight with Ultros
**********************************
Ultros
Level: 25, HP: 22000, MP: 750
Steal: White Cape (common)
Absorbs: Water, Weakness: Fire, Lightning
Status: Float
Special: !Ink: sets Dark, Battle x 1.5
Sketch : Tentacle (rare), Tentacle (common)
Vulnerable to: Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Ink, Fire 3, Ice 3, Bolt 3, Safe, Haste, Aqua Rake, Stone,
Magnitude8, Tentacle, Lode Stone
Ultros isn't very hard this time around. He starts the battle off with the
message "I was just thinking about you! I've more lives than I do arms!" He'll
normally use Battle, !Ink, Stone, and Tentacle. After every minute of battle,
he'll use Lode Stone, a percentage-based attack that removes 75 % of your
current HP.
Every other turn, he'll start by taking a little slither in your direction.
Once he has slithered eight times, he uses a particularly nasty spell: either
Aqua Rake or Magnitude8. You can easily take both (especially the latter if
you're equipped with Gaia Gear as you should be), but you can make him back
off one slither if you hit him three times with a Magic spell (not Lore).
Not that that's really advisable, but I'll explain that in a minute.
When Ultros reaches the low grounds of mere 15360 HP, he'll cast Haste and Safe
on himself. "Hope I'm not making a nuisance of myself! So sorry!" Yes.
Once you've cast five spells on him, he'll go red and the screen will say:
"Ultros's form has changed! Beware his tri-elemental attack!" There's not so
much a tri-elemental attack to be feared, though. It means that any
Fire-elemental spells will be countered by Fire 3, Ice-elemental spells by
Ice 3, and Lightning-elemental spells by Bolt 3.
As soon as you bring down Ultros to 10240 HP, a cutscene will trigger to bring
in Relm. She'll chat with Ultros, and some moments later - after the obviously
hi-la-rious cutscene has passed - will join you on your side against Ultros. If
you use her Sketch ability on him, Ultros will say: "How can this be? I...I'm
nothing more than a stupid octopus!" and leave.
The strategy is pretty straightforward. I wouldn't bother with offensive
spells whatsoever if I were you (other then two Slow spells, one to start off
with and one to counter his Haste/Safe combo with). If you have Golem's Stop
spell, use it to great effect and cast it every time you see Ultros taking
another turn. Strago's Rods, should they have the Fire or Lightning element,
will do decent damage overall (especially when that random spell steps in).
Ultros Floats, so Locke can horribly abuse that with his Hawk Eye(s) (you can
cast Bserk on Locke if you feel like you can miss the controllable nature of
him). Terra can wield Flame Sabres and/or ThunderBlades to hurt Ultros a
bundle. If Strago's level is 25, he can rock out with his rock out; Stone will
do major damage. Try to Steal his White Cape, as it's basically free and
generally useful. End the battle with Sketch if you want to.
You could end this battle with Vanish/Doom and Relm will still be there, taking
all the credit. :)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.41.4 Relm and the Espers' gathering place
**********************************
Relm's ability is Sketch, and I dare say it's the worst ability in the game.
If you're interested in the reason, go to [SKETCH-LINK]
Right now, I suggest you give Relm an Esper to teach her a good spell pronto.
Shiva is perfect, but Strago is probably still struggling with it, so either
Ifrit or Shoat is a generally quick road to success.
She starts with the left list of equipment, and I'd advise the right one:
Chocobo Brsh Fire/Lightning/Ice Rod (in that order)
Mithril Shld Mithril Shld
Plumed Hat Mystery Veil/Tiara
Silk Robe White Dress/Gaia Gear
She comes equipped with a Memento Ring; you found one earlier in Strago's house.
It can be equipped by two people, of which Relm is one. Another character you
already know can also equip it, but it's not Strago, and who could possibly be
protected by Relm's dead mother besides Relm herself?
The next room contains a Save Point and three tiles that look like they might
cave in underneath you. These cave in underneath you. The top one takes you to
a place in the broken walking bridge maze where you can go to the slopes at
two places and find two nice pieces of equipment: The Chocobo Suit and the Tabby
Suit. Equip Strago and Relm accordingly. You can jump off to a familiar path.
The loose tile to the far right will take you to an X-Potion, and the loose tile
to the bottom-left will advance your path to the Espers. After you pass this
last slope, you enter a room brimming with magical energy...
The Espers have indeed gathered in this mountain, and they don't look too
friendly. They've stopped Strago and Relm from leaving and are slowly
surrounding you. Even though they have the plot power to wipe three members of
your party from this world like excrement from a boot, you still prepare for
battle; until an Esper who once discovered Terra's mother face-down near the
entrance of the Esper World, and who even longer ago was human, recognizes the
power within Terra and saves the day. It's Yura.
The Espers are talking peace and non-carnage now. The Espers were gathering
near the Sealed Gate, plotting how to rescue their captured comrades. It took
them 18 bloody years; way to go, champs. Just at that time, in a great
coincidence, Terra called out to the Espers and, according to Yura, it was her
who opened the gate. As we knew from Terra herself, Espers in our world tend
to go bat-shit bat-fucking crazy, and that's what happened to Yura and his
merry friends. And now they're here, feeling sorry about it all.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.42.1 Epilogue
**********************************
Location: Thamasa
Party members: Terra, Locke, Strago, Relm
Opponents: None
Epilogue time! Every conflict has been resolved, the war is over, the Espers
have been calmed down, everybody is happy. Leo and Yura apologize much like
two lovers who just came out of an argument (I didn't mean what I said about
your mother and the way she smells!), and Locke makes a light-hearted innuendo
about Celes.
Everybody smiley face. The End.
Kefka appears. Or is it? How is this possible? Isn't he stuck in jail? Did he
escape? Did the Empire set you up and was Kefka released? Is everybody safe?
Within seconds, he has sent MagiTek Armors on you that have taken all your
party members down, killed three Espers, knocked Leo out cold, and has caused
general unhappiness. Damn his eyes! During the conversation of Kefka and Leo,
it becomes clear that the Empire did set you up. When Shadow heard you
mentioning the Espers being at the Eastern Mountains, he most likely reported
to the Emperor, who sent Kefka and a MagiTek Armor division to Thamasa
as soon as possible. Who knows what he has done to your friends in the
meantime.
As Leo Christophe, you wake up. Leo can't leave town, as where ever he ventures,
a Guardian will attack him, leaving him no choice but to turn back. Houses are
all empty (though you can just shop away; it's like a Wal-mart policy). You
*can* pick up the Memento Ring with him if you haven't already, but there's
little point. There's one sensible thing to do. Leo Christophe never got
himself a naming screen, which bodes ill for the upcoming battle, but he'll be
damned if he won't act honorably. Talk to Kefka and fight him. He is a disgrace
to the Empire.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.42.2 Leo versus Kefka
**********************************
Crystal
Aegis Shld
Gold Helmet
Gold Armor
Atlas Armlet
Offering
Leo has awesome equipment and has quite a high level. The Emperor called him
his greatest warrior; it shows. Due to the Offering Relic, he attacks four
times rather than one time with the Fight command, and an Atlas Armlet really
boosts his damage with it. His special skill, Shock, is an MT non-elemental
magical attack.
This Kefka uses several attacks, including Battle, Poison, Drain, Bio, and
Fire 3. Strategy isn't really important, as you can't really lose this battle.
If Leo is in the Front Row, his Fight command will do more damage than Shock.
You can use Magicite items for miscellaneous effects, but it bears no purpose
whatsoever and is just wasting resources. Once you 'kill' Kefka, he'll put on
a nice show that stars Gestahl, and then he proceeds to actually murder general
Leo Christophe.
The next few scenes are not positive to your chances of making a positive
action. All the remaining Espers bolt through the gate to attack Kefka, and he
kills them all. He leaves you alive, but it's hinted at that he backstabbed
Shadow as well. Thanks to Edgar, your party members were able to save
themselves from imminent death, but Banon, Arvis, a lot of Narshe guards, and
the majority of the Returners have apparently been killed in Vector, though.
All in all, a rotten day.
You leave Interceptor behind in Thamasa.
Less-then-serious intermezzo: When Edgar and Relm meet, Edgar will say, "you've
grown up entirely too fast...lighten up, okay?", which can be explained as
some contemplation of his youth. The Japanese game does this differently, and
it's probably the best-known of Woolsey's censorship: In the Japanese game,
Relm calls Edgar a randy man. Edgar, after asking Relm how old she is (10),
says to himself: That's just criminal. Don't even think about it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.43.1 Airship Exploitation: Rage and Lore hunting
**********************************
Location: Blackjack
Party members: Optional: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau, Setzer, Mog,
Strago, Relm
Opponents: a' plenty.
Lores: Condemned, Dischord, L.3 Muddle, L.4 Flare, L.5 Doom, Pep Up, Roulette,
Step Mine
As soon as you find yourself outside of Thamasa, you'll want to board the
Blackjack. A cutscene in which bad things happen is triggered. Gestahl and Kefka
have reached the Statues, and have apparently used them to set afloat the
continent of the Cave to the Sealed Gate, creating a massive airborne weapon
from which Gestahl can probably wreck havoc without fearing any kind of
retribution. This is bad shit.
Change to a party without Strago in it, and head back into Thamasa. You can find
Gungho, an old acquaintance of Strago, near the Inn. Your leading party member
will call Strago a 'monumental bag of hot air'. That's nice.
I am Gungho. Warrior extraordinaire from the town of Thamasa.
First time I've been back in a while, and the village looks trashed. What on
earth happened?
(Probably your team leader, although there's no indication) I've got STRAGO on
my side now, but what a monumental bag of hot air!
When you were younger you hunted Hidon, the legendary monster. But you quit
before you found it...
With Strago (you can head back, change, enter again):
I am Gungho. Warrior extraordinaire from the town of Thamasa.
First time I've been back in a while, and the village looks trashed. What on
earth happened?
STRAGO: G...Gungho?!
GUNGHO: Is that you, STRAGO? Have you come back to hunt Hidon?
GUNGHO: He'll never change. That's who he is!
When you were younger you hunted Hidon, the legendary monster. But you quit
before you found it...
STRAGO: I didn't really quit! It's just that, well, the monster lives only on
Ebot's Rock, which has been submerged for some time.
GUNGHO: You never could give me an honest answer.
GUNGHO: What a buffoon!!
Now you're airborne and you're simply dying to stop the Emperor from doing
nasty things with the Statues, but there's no rush, and there are quite a few
things to do right now. First, enjoy your massive pool of character options:
TERRA: I'm all right. I'm sure peace is within our grasp!
LOCKE: I can't believe we played a major role in it all!
CYAN: The Empire deserves the worst!
EDGAR: We can't be smug. We must be thinking of our strategy.
SABIN: Let me at the Empire!
CELES: I was one of the Empire's generals, but I still know evil when I see it.
STRAGO: In all my travels, and in all my years...
RELM: I know. Let me draw their portraits!
SETZER: What's the most important thing in life? Being free of obligations!
Otherwise, you lose the ability to gamble...
MOG: Kupoppo!!
GAU: GAU become stronger on the Veldt.
The world is barren of Imperial activity. Vector and the Imperial Palace are
completely deserted, and there are no soldiers in Albrook anymore. Albrook is
rather overshadowed at the moment, as the Floating Continent is right above
them. I don't see why they would want to linger there; if I had a floating
landmass the size of Belgium floating over my head, I think I'd high-tail it to
Germany before long.
- More Lores. I'll explain how to get as many Lores as you can at this point
of the game:
- Condemned
Rummage around on the Veldt until Gau encounters and Leaps a Zombone. When you
get Gau back, have him Rage Zombone. His special attack is Condemned, and Strago
will learn it if he's paying attention.
Condemned sets a timer over the target's head and uses an automatic unblockable
Doom spell if the timer runs out. Monsters can be immune to both Condemned and
(Instant) Death, mind. Rather useless.
- Dischord
Meet either a Chaser or a Telstar on the Veldt. Telstar will *always* use
Dischord after he's taken nine turns, Chaser will use it randomly.
Dischord is an attack that halves the target's level. If the target is immune
to Instant Death, Dischord will fail. This makes for a very interesting
Vanish/Dischord combo on bosses. The best use of Dischord lies in stealing;
lowering an opponent's level increases your chances of stealing.
- L.3 Muddle
Try to meet up with a Trapper (the hanging robots from the IMRF, remember).
They will randomly and happily use L.3 Muddle.
- L.4 Flare
It's like with L.3 Muddle, only you need to make sure that L.4 Flare doesn't
kill your entire party.
- L.5 Doom
Trappers, Trappers, Trappers, Trappers. And waiting.
- Pep Up
Make sure you have encountered at least one Intangir, and go Rage-hunting on
the Veldt. When Gau learns the Intangir Rage, he can execute it to use Pep Up.
Strago will learn it, although I can't see a use for it whatsoever.
- Roulette
Make sure you have Relm in your party for this one. Try to find Pipsqueak
enemies on the Veldt. If you Sketch one, there's a 75 % chance it will cast
Roulette. Strago can watch and learn.
Roulette basically lets the cursor spin around. If you hit the action button,
it'll slow down and deliver an unblockable Doom spell (targets that are
immune to Instant Death survive the attack). I'm sure you can get Roulette
targeting down to a science, but it's not really worth it.
- Step Mine
Fly over to South Figaro. You can take a walk there and enjoy the freedom of the
town for a moment, but the real treat lies just outside of its borders.
GreaseMonks, when confused, will somehow -- while drooling and flailing their
arms around and being generally amusing to look at -- use the Step Mine attack.
Step Mine is a brilliant attack with fixed damage. It's non-elemental, barrier-
piercing, and the direct output of a simple mathematical formula:
The damage you deal = Number of steps taken / 32
The amount of MP it costs you = Amount of minutes played / 30
In case you were wondering, whenever monsters use this attack they use YOUR
amount of steps for it. That's hardly fair. It's like tax money, only they
use it to spy on you rather than help your poor family members through the
winter.
Update: Hollywood Narrator gave me some information about US politics So, for
US readers: It's like tax money!
Also: new Rages! New monsters you'll want to Leap include Coelecite and Ing.
There are not a lot of new monsters here, but you'll probably be here anyway, as
you're hunting for Lores. Aren't you? You disturbed excuse of a human being.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.43.2 Airship Exploitation: Doma Castle
**********************************
Doma Castle! Doma Castle was occupied all this time, but back when Emperor
Gestahl was punking you, you were very nice to him and he opened up Doma Castle
for you. Doma Castle has generally little and valueless treasure for you.
You can find an Ether, an Elixir in the alarm clock in a bedroom, an
X-Potion in the room Cyan found his dead wife and son in, and when you go
outside on one of the walls, you can find a little room with a Fenix Down and
some Beads. Beads are more useless than Goggles. Forget them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.44.1 Preparation for the Floating Continent
**********************************
Now, I'm going to have to give you a spoiler, as otherwise I'd be constantly
busy with trying to get you to do things while I can't explain why they're
particularly useful. Here we go:
After the next dungeon, you will NOT be able to visit this world again. So, if
there are things you have yet to do -- obtaining the Water Rondo, meeting some
snazzy elusive monsters, buying more weaponry -- this is the time. Stock up on
Fenix Downs, as they're always useful. I specifically want you to have four
sets of Gaia Gear, and four Bard's Hats are nice as well.
I'd like to direct you to Kohlingen now, as I want you to buy a good amount of
Skeans. Maybe 40 Bolt Edges and 20 Fire Skeans. You can laugh in the face of
Water Edges, as they are useless. The entire deal of 60 new scrolls will just
cost you 30000 GP, which isn't that much.
Also, tip for the future: if you have excess money at this point, you might
consider buying a few Blossom Dirks, 10 or so. They make for excellent ST
Wind-elemental Throw objects, the best there are.
When you're done with whatever you want to do, go to the Floating Continent.
Location: Blackjack
Party members: Optional: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Celes, Cyan, Gau, Setzer,
Mog, Strago, Relm
Opponents: a' plenty.
Let's see here. As replacement for the Espers you stole from their Facility in
Vector, the Empire, by the name of Kefka, has obtained a lot of new Magicite.
Before long, this might be a real problem. The problem that is existent right
now, though, is the fact that Gestahl is up there on his cozy Floating Island,
with the power of three ancient Goddesses at his disposal. He doesn't need
Magicite, MagiTek Armor, or honorable generals. All he needs is the wish to
flail the flesh off your face with a thousand flaming arrows and urinate on the
bloody ribbons of what once was your body, and so it shall be done.
Eh, we can always try to stop him. We've got an albino who throws coins.
Preparation: Whom to bring to the FC?
It's hard to give proper advice concerning your party for the next round.
First off, you can only take three. Second off, going easily through the
majority of the dungeon is largely dependent on your Magic skills; the more
prepared (especially with Grey magic) the better. A few pointers (not at all
meant to discuss every character):
- Terra is a person who relies on Magic. When properly equipped, she can always
make herself known on the battlefield. Plus, she has the uncanny ability
to go all Rambo on monster's ass when she's Morphed. Definitely a solid
contender, especially in boss battles.
- Celes is, like Terra, a character who is decent in the dungeon and very good
against the boss fights. Her Runic ability really helps at some point in the
next dungeon, but as she is forced into your party at some point later in
the dungeon anyway, bringing Celes means that you'll have to do an (admittably
easy) part of the dungeon with three characters rather than four.
- Cyan, as always, should stay behind. He tended to be subpar, now he's just
plain bad. He would have a moment against the IAF, as his Tempest blades make
for great Wind Slash spammers, but after that, it's a never-ending quest of
pain and misery. He can't even equip Gaia Gear.
- Edgar can't equip Gaia Gear either, and although he's not half bad, I'd advise
against him, as there are plenty of options that are equally good and CAN wear
Gaia Gear.
- Mog reigns supreme over all character, especially if you waited until now to
pick him up and he's five levels above you. Make sure to allow him to learn at
least Siren's spells to start with, though.
- Should you take Mog, I would advise against Gau, as you don't want to lose
control over two characters in the same party. His Rage ability makes for an
unnecessary random factor anyway.
- Locke is rather weak, a guy who needs dual Hawk Eyes and an Atlas Armlet if
he's going to leave a mark. Fact of the matter is though, the next dungeon
contains a monsters with a rare Genji Glove steal, something some people go
absolutely wild for. And no, you won't find them anywhere else.
It's really just a matter of preference. If pressed, I'd go for a
Mog/Terra/Locke party, but that's assuming they know some spells. It's up to
you.
Equipment example:
- Note that Blizzard, Flame Sabre, and ThunderBlade are interchangeable, as are
Green Berets and Bard's Hats. Green Berets give slightly more HP, Bard's Hats
a tad more evasion and MP. It's your choice.
Terra
Blizzard, Gold Shld, Mystery Veil, Gaia Gear, Earrings, Back Guard/Earrings
Locke
Hawk Eye, Hawk Eye, Green Beret, Gaia Gear, Genji Glove, Sneak Ring
Edgar
Blizzard, Gold Shld, Green Beret, Gold Armor, Hero Ring, Earrings
Sabin
Fire Knuckle, Mithril Shld, Green Beret, Gaia Gear, Earrings, Earrings
Cyan
Tempest, Tempest, Green Beret, Power Sash, Hero Ring, Genji Glove
Gau
Empty, Mithril Shld, Green Beret, Gaia Gear, Hero Ring, Earrings
Celes
ThunderBlade, Gold Shld, Mystery Veil, Gaia Gear, Earrings, Back Guard/Earrings
Setzer
Darts, Gold Shld, Green Beret, Gaia Gear, Earrings, Earrings
Mog
Stout Spear, Gold Shld, Green Beret, Gaia Gear, Earrings, Earrings
Strago
Thunder Rod, Mithril Shld, Green Beret, Gaia Gear, Earrings, Earrings
Relm
Thunder Rod, Mithril Shld, Mystery Veil, Gaia Gear, Earrings, Earrings
If you're all properly equipped, let's roll.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.44.2 Imperial Air Force
**********************************
Monster formations:
Sky Armor, Sky Armor, Spit Fire (3/4)
Sky Armor, Spit Fire (1/4)
"Uh, oh!!!"
"The Imperial Airforce (IAF)!"
"We're surrounded!"
"Let's give 'em a bloody lip!"
So it seems you still haven't gone through every last one of the Imperial
soldiers just yet. You'll have to fight four battles in succession now.
Each battle can either consist of a single Spit Fire and a single Sky
Armor, or a Spit Fire and two Sky Armors. It's always a forced pincer, but
that's okay, as they have little damaging physical attacks to take advantage of
it with. In between, you have some moments to use Items and whatnot. Then, you
note how "Something...curious ...approaches!!" You have to fight another two
battles against the IAF. Then, Ultros hops off whatever it is that approached
you, and his mere presence inspires you to pull out his brains through his
nostrils. And if he doesn't have the latter, we can always make holes for that
very purpose.
Sky Armors are the weaker of the two. Normally, they simply use Tek Laser or
!Backlash, but if one is alone, he might even consider firing a Missile or
two.
Spit Fires are the scourge of the LLG player. Every turn, he has a 33 % chance
of using Absolute 0, an MT Ice-elemental attack. If he's alone, he has a 33 %
of using Diffuser, an MT Lightning-elemental attack that is about half as
effective as Absolute 0 is, so I don't know what's up with that.
The strategy is very simple. Siren just stops these guys from doing any damage
whatsoever (not counting Spit Fire its Special), so make sure one of your
characters has it. Summon Siren, listen to her Hope Song, loot the buggers if
you have Locke with you (rare Elixirs on Spit Fire, and the common Tincture
isn't half bad either), and kill them all. Wind Song (home Dance!), Cyan's
Tempest blades and Gau's Marshal Rage all offer a chance at Wind Slash, which
kills all enemies (on both sides of you, that is). Strago, if he has access to
L.5 Doom, should use it to take out any Spit Fire monsters right away. L.4
Flare affects Sky Armor, but that's probably far too expensive.
It's worthy of note that the Spit Fire, the proud top model of the Imperial Air
Force, is not Floating. And we figured those Wyvern were bad. Ugh.
"No, really, this is our LAST battle! Trust me!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.44.3 The fourth fight with Ultros
**********************************
Chupon
Level: 26, HP: 10000, MP: 40000
Steal: Dirk (common)
Absorbs: Fire, Weakness: Ice, Water
Special: !Hit: sets Poison
Sketch : !Hit, Battle
Vulnerable to: Mute, Berserk, Sleep, Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, Fire Ball, Sneeze
Ultros
Level: 26, HP: 17000, MP: 8000
Steal: Dried Meat (common)
Absorbs: Water, Weakness: Fire, Poison
Special: !OctopusInk: sets Dark, Battle x 1.5
Sketch : !OctopusInk (rare), Battle (common)
Vulnerable to: Slow
Attacks: Battle, !OctopusInk, Tentacle
Vanish/Doom: Yes
Only on Ultros, though. Chupon has immunity to Clear status.
Joker Doom: No.
Ultros is an absolute joke this time, with a very simple script and weak stats.
He has three attacks: Battle, !OctopusInk, and Tentacle, so we're back to
basics. If he reaches 12800 HP -- that's about 5000 damage, something a Bio
spell coming from a normally leveled Earrings-boosted Terra can do in ONE hit
-- he will complain and call his buddy, Chupon. "Ultros: I lose AGAIN! Well,
today I've brought a pal! Mr. Chupon! Come on down!" From here, he'll keep
attacking like he used to, only he'll talk about the monstrosity now.
"Ultros: Mr. Chupon's taciturn, but terribly powerful!"
"Ultros: Better not irritate him! He gets hungry when he's irritated "
"Ultros: I was drowsing the other day when Mr. Chupon gnawed on my head!
He needed something to polish his teeth on! "
Chupon is nothing to worry about either. His attacks are unassuming, his stats
fairly weak: Battle and Fire Ball are past their prime. When he dies, he'll use
a final Sneeze attack on everybody. Gezondheid!
Strategy? Psh. Summoning Phantom at the very start takes care of Battle and
!OctopusInk, and you can Bserk or Mute Chupon as soon as he comes down. You're
invulnerable. Not that a normal Cure or Cure 2 casting couldn't prevent any
kind of danger, but...on the offensive side, Fire 2 and Bio work very well on
Ultros (yes, he suddenly traded his Lightning-weakness for a Poison one), and
Chupon can suck down some Ice 2 spells. It's just acceleration material though,
as this is a very easy battle.
Chupon sneezed you off the ship! And if he didn't, you probably tripped after
completing that obscene victory dance of Vanish/Doom. You fall of the Blackjack,
tumbling down towards the Floating Continent. It's like the Satanic Verses,
only with less 'Death to its creator' from Muslim-extremists.
Remember the five Mag Roader fights in a row, with their ultra-violent and
dangerous gang leader at the end with two fully self-conscious and sentient
arms? It's going to be like that again. The head of the IAF is a big machine
thingy called Air Force. I wouldn't know if it's piloted or just a sentient
machine or what; all I know is it's attacking me with very powerful spells I'm
not too fond of. Let's take a look at him.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.44.4 The battle with Air Force
**********************************
Air Force
Level: 25, HP: 8000, MP: 750
Steal: Elixir (common), Win: Czarina Ring (always)
Weakness: Lightning, Water
Special: !Hit: Battle x 1.5
Sketch : !Hit (rare), Battle (common)
Vulnerable to: Nothing
Attacks: Tek Laser, Diffuser, WaveCannon
Laser Gun
Level: 24, HP: 3300, MP: 335
Steal: X-Ether (common)
Weakness: Lightning, Water
Special: !Hit: Battle x 1.5
Sketch : !Hit (rare), Battle (common)
Vulnerable to: Slow, Stop
Attacks: Tek Laser, Diffuser, Atomic Ray
MissileBay
Level: 25, HP: 40, MP: 15
Steal: Debilitator (rare)
Weakness: Lightning, Water
Special: !Hit: Battle x 1.5
Sketch : !Hit (rare), Battle (common)
Vulnerable to: Slow, Stop
Attacks: Missile, Launcher
Speck
Level: 25, HP: 420, MP: 285
Steal: Amulet (rare)
Weakness: Lightning, Water
Status: Freeze, Runic
Special: !Hit: Battle x 1.5
Sketch : !Hit (rare), Battle (common)
Vulnerable to: Slow, Stop
Attacks: None
Vanish/Doom: No
Immunity to Clear status (all four opponents).
Joker Doom: Yes
Atomic Ray and WaveCannon screw with the RNG. Laser Gun can start the battle
with Atomic Ray, so when that happens you can forget all about Joker Doom.
WaveCannon shouldn't make an appearance if you're going for Echo Screen/
Joker Doom anyway.
The parts to this battle: Air Force, Laser Gun (the part to the right of Air
Force), and MissileBay (the part below Air Force).
MissileBay fires off Missile attacks. If it gets weak and reaches 1536 HP -
that's after taking 1464 HP damage - it might get a shot at using Launcher.
Laser Gun uses Tek Laser and Atomic Ray. If it hits 1536 HP - after taking
1764 HP damage - it loses the Atomic Ray option, but gains Diffuser, which is
slightly weaker than Atomic Ray.
Air Force itself will just use Tek Laser and Diffuser. When Laser Gun dies, a
Speck will be released. Speck is an opponent that takes no turns; the only
thing it does is floating on constant Runic stand-by, absorbing all your Magic
spells. At this point, Air Force will try to self-apply Haste status (and fail,
as he's immune to Slow) and start counting down:
Display message: "Count 6!"
Display message: "Count 5!"
Display message: "Count 4!"
Display message: "Count 3!"
Display message: "Count 2!"
Display message: "Count 1!"
At this point, it will use WaveCannon, a very strong MT Lightning-elemental
attack. By this point, you should be fully healed though, so you won't die from
it if all is well. After WaveCannon, it'll start couting again, but it'll start
at Count 3 now.
The first thing on your mind is taking out MissileBay. If you have Locke
in the party, try to Steal for as long as he's around; MissileBay has a rare
Debilitator you probably don't have yet. ZoneSeek is a brilliant summon here,
as the Shell status can really help you out in this battle, and once MissileBay
is gone, you can safely summon Kirin to override all Seizure effects with the
positive Regen blessings.
- If you have Terra on the time, I definitely believe Morph is justified in this
battle, as it's one of the hardest in the game, in my opinion. Have her focus
on her strongest spells, Bolt 2 if possible.
- The same goes for Celes; Runic isn't justified in the battle, as she'll take
one Tek Laser while she lets other attacks past her.
- Gau should enter either Chimera or Rhinox Rage. Chimera's Aqua Rake hits quite
hard on all targets, and it's superior to Anguiform because that would self-
apply a weakness to Fire-elemental attacks in a battle where Atomic Ray might
appear. Aspik's Giga Volt will be absorbed by Speck once it arrives, so
Chimera is definitely the way to go. Rhinox, on the other hand, will absorb
Tek Laser, Diffuser, and WaveCannon while being immune to Missile and
Launcher. If you have the time and manage to take out Laser Gun, Rhinox wins
you the battle.
- Locke's usefulness in this battle is limited. If he knows Bolt 2, he can do
some decent damage, but if not you should let him run utility as otherwise
his turns will be pretty much wasted (none of the opponents here are Floating;
go figure). He can try to Steal if he has nothing better to do; Laser Gun's
X-Ether is one of the few finite items in the game, and MissileBay's
Debilitator might prove useful if you didn't nick it from Crane earlier.
- Sabin isn't especially helpful in this fight; Fire Dance is all he can do.
If Sabin knows Bolt 2, it takes preference over his Blitz abilities.
- The same goes for Edgar, although his Drill/Chainsaw attacks can take out a
Speck very quickly. Bolt 2 will do more damage to Air Force than his Tools
will.
- Setzer should fire off Slot attacks if he doesn't know Bolt 2. H-Bomb and Sun
Flare are more powerful than Bolt 2, but you're likely to mess around with
Lagomorph and 7-Flush more than you'll see diving squadrons of death or the
King of Dragons coming to your aid, so Bolt 2 will be better to stick to.
- Strago can simply fire off Aqua Rake attacks rather than Rage like a madman
for it, so do just that. Aqua Rake is more powerful than Bolt 2, mind. If
Strago is level 25 at this point, he can hit for a LOT of damage on Air Force,
Speck and MissileBay if Stone connects.
- Cyan should use his Tempest blade(s), as his SwdTech are horrible, absolutely
horrible. A disgrace to the very essence of a special skill.
- Relm's Sketch is even worse. If you can't use powerful Magic with her like
Terra and Celes, she should equip a Thunder Rod and simply attack with it.
She's a 10-year-old girl slapping a machine with a rod, but it's still
superior to Sketch.
- Mog's home dance here is the Wind Song. Wind Slash is decent and Sun Bath
always nice. If you feel like taking a gamble you can go for Water Rondo.
El Nino and Plasma will both hurt VERY badly, and Wild Bear has the added
advantage of removing Seizure (slim though that chance may be).
Heal regularly, keep your defenses up, and you'll defeat Air Force in no time
at all. If you're really having trouble, you can break Thunder Rods. Something
to remember if you're playing the game blindfolded. Or simply blind. Poor lad.
An alternate strategy if you picked three characters that all heavily rely on
Magic (Locke, Relm, Celes, for example) is this. Since you want to avoid the
presence of Speck here, don't kill Laser Gun. However, you can stop his attacks
for long periods of time if you combine the Slow and Stop status ailments on it.
Kill off MissileBay, use your speed-reducing grey magic on Laser Gun and focus
all spells on Air Force. No Speck, no WaveCannon, no fuss.
You'll get a Czarina Ring for your trouble, which is about as useless as
something you'd consider quite extraordinarily useless.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.45.1 The Floating Continent
**********************************
Location: The Floating Continent
Party members: Optional: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau, Celes, Shadow,
Setzer, Mog, Strago, Relm
Opponents: Ninja, Apokryphos, Behemoth, Brainpan, Dragon, Misfit, Gigantos,
Wirey Drgn, AtmaWeapon
Lores: L.3 Muddle, L.4 Flare, L.5 Doom, Blow Fish
Welcome to the Floating Continent! The Floating Continent is one of the most
fun and dangerous dungeons in the game, so if you're not enjoying it, I suggest
you quit the game. ;) Kefka and Gestahl are standing with the Statues, sadly
on the other end of the Floating Continent. You'd better high-tail it there
as fast as possible, as who knows what they're about to do. On the other end,
you're likely to die once you get there. But hey, you caused this mess, better
try to clean it up as well.
Shadow is waiting for you. Although to the untrained eye, it seems like Shadow
is more or less 'severely wounded and unable to go anywhere else' rather then
'tricking you with awesome ninjutsu skills of yore'. At any rate, Shadow bears
a personal grudge to the Empire, and goes with you to get his revenge. You also
notice that Shadow can equip the Memento Ring, which would appear to have been
a Relm-only Relic. Hmm.
Important detail: Since Interceptor is in Thamasa, he obviously will NOT be
defending Shadow in-battle at this moment. You can't go back to Thamasa and
pick up Interceptor now that you know where his owner is at, either.
Preparation: Equip Gaia Gear where possible, and stick everybody in the Back
Row unless it's vital for their strategy (and quite frankly, I can't think of
anybody fitting that profile but Gau, and even he should be in the Back Row
and ignore his Catscratch urges in favor of other ones). Make sure you have nice
Espers on everybody, and set Shadow on his path of supportive Espers (I'd
suggest you move from Siren to Shoat). Shadow's main power lies in his Skeans
now, so Earrings rather than Atlas Armlets.
Monster formations:
Dragon (6/64)
Behemoth, Misfit, Misfit (6/64)
Ninja, Ninja (10/64)
Brainpan, Misfit, Apokryphos, Brainpan (10/64)
Behemoth (5/64)
Apokryhpos, Brainpan, Brainpan (5/64)
Apokryphos (5/64)
Wirey Drgn, Wirey Drgn, Wirey Drgn (5/64)
Apokryphos, Apokryphos, Apokryphos (5/64)
Brainpan, Brainpan, Brainpan (5/64)
Behemoth, Behemoth (1/64)
Ninja, Ninja, Wirey Drgn (1/64)
You've met a Ninja earlier, in the Cave to the Sealed Gate. What went down
then still goes down here. They throw one of the three Skeans and very rarely
use a normal Battle attack. Lightning-elemental attacks get them very quickly,
as do Instant Death attacks. You can Imp them, but that won't stop them from
using Skeans (Imps can still use Items). Rarely they will drop a Ninja Star,
which are upgraded Shuriken. Save them for later.
Apokryphos are odd little demon-buggers who attack physically only, until
there's only one left. A lone Apokryphos will counter any damage you do with
L.5 Doom, L.4 Flare, or L.3 Muddle. Ideal for Strago if he hasn't learned all
of those attacks yet, but annoying on your party. Try to circumvent the
possibility by taking Apokryphos out first (or all at the same time). If you
find yourself stuck against a lone Apokryphos, Break and other Instant Death
attacks can kill it without provoking any kind of counter in any way, and an
even better way of doing that is the Rasp spell, as reducing Apokryphos' MP
to 0 kills him. Mute/Hope Song also works. You can rarely Steal Cure Rings from
them.
Behemoths are legendary Final Fantasy monsters, and in this dungeon they may
just be the most dangerous monsters you can encounter, especially so because
they can appear in tandem. This means two Behemoths in one fight. They tend
to use physical attacks, but their Special !Take Down is very strong. If they
are alone (which they often are), they'll counter any damage you do by having a
66 % chance at countering with !Take Down. Luckily, you can use Petrification
and other Instant Death attacks to go around this. They're weak to Ice, and
Ice2 will deal a nice amount of damage, but ID attacks like Doom, Shoat's
Demon Eye, and Gau's Rhodox Rage-induced Snare are by far the easiest way out
of an encounter with Behemoth monsters.
If you are forced to fight them head-on, you're in slightly more trouble, but it
still can be done with relative ease. If you have Vanish around or Phantom
equipped, make everybody invisible before attacking. Heal regularly. Ice2 is
a powerful spell on them, and Strago's L.4 Flare is especially fruitful here.
Brainpan monsters are bloody annoying. They randomly Stop one of your characters
with !Smirk, and when they are alone, they will use Blow Fish, an attack that
will always deal 1000 HP of damage. Strago can learn it if he's around. The
proper way of treating them is mass attack: They are weak to Fire and Lightning,
so Shadow's Skeans should severely cripple them in a small amount of time. Try
to Steal some Earrings if Locke is around; any amount lower than 24 is a bad
amount. Brainpan are also nice for Sketching, by the way, as both !Smirk and
Blow Fish will be unhappily received at the other end of the battlefield.
Dragon! Dragons are even more dangerous than Behemoths, when left unattended.
They're also very famous for being the only source of Genji Gloves besides those
that chests and events give you (which is often not enough to satisfy some
players). If you run into one, your first action should be disabling him, as
his attacks include !Tail (which is his Special and will likely kill you),
Revenge (with a maximum HP of 7000, that can become very painful), Blizzard
and Cold Dust, an attack that will Freeze one character solid and disable it.
Every time a Dragon has been damaged, it'll have a 33 % chance of using Sneeze.
There's danger all around here, and they're immune to Instant Death attacks.
To handle them, cast either Sleep or Stop on them, possibly both, and try to
shave off as much HP while he's incapacitated. He's weak to Lightning, so
Bolt2, Giga Volt (although you'll probably want to lay off Rages against Dragon
as the random physical attack will wake him up), and Bolt Edges work very well.
If Locke or Shadow with one or two Thiefknives is in the party, Steal from
every Dragon you encounter. Even one extra Genji Glove is nice.
Misfits are Ing palette swaps, and once again, they are imMuteable bastards that
use Lifeshaver. Luckily, at this point, you should be entirely clothed in Gaia
Gear no matter what you did, and Edgar and Setzer should just keep themselves
healed. They're weak to Fire, which is a great plus over the original Ing, so
take advantage of that. Break and Rasp both kill Misfit in one hit when they
connect (Break sometimes misses).
Wirey Dragon is the last random encounter monster we'll see in this dungeon.
Imagine Wyvern, Floating, with a very high amount of Defense. That's basically
it. The trick to defeating them easily is turning them on each other.
NoiseBlaster and Stray's Cat Rain will make them randomly use Cyclonic on each
other, after which you can simply pick them apart with any ol' MT attack you
have. If you lack MT confusion devices, you can try to Sketch them if Relm
is around for Cyclonic, or simply use Instant Death attacks on one at a time.
They CAN use Cyclonic themselves when they're alone, so keep that in mind.
Shoat's Demon Eye can take care of them all if you have him equipped, although
he might miss sometimes.
Pick up Shadow, and after some "I am not worthy" dialogue he will join your
party for the time being. Note that bringing Shadow along is entirely optional,
although not bringing him is just not very smart.
Walk to the right, and a passageway will automatically open for you. This is a
theme in the dungeon; a lot of passageways will open or have to be opened. Walk
on and you'll open another passage. Now, you'll come across a blue orb to the
north of you; these are the Floating Continent's version of chests. Open it for
the Murasame, which does NOT live up to its name in this game and should not
be equipped, as Dispatch is better than any Fight attack you'll pull off
with it.
Now, you'll encounter again what seems like a dead end. To the north, a
stairway will open into a bulge in the landscape, and to the south, one will
open towards a blue orb if you near it. You'll want to grab the blue orb
first, but not until after you've finished at least one battle and have
summoned Phantom to open this orb with an invisible team.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.45.2 Gigantos and the Floating Continent continued
**********************************
Gigantos
Level: 25, HP: 6000, MP: 1120
Steal: Elixir (rare), X-Potion (common), Win: Hardened (always)
Status: Safe
Special: !Throat Jab: Battle x 5
Sketch : !Throat Jab (rare), Battle (common)
Vulnerable to: Imp, Petrify, Death, Condemned, Mute, Berserk, Slow, Stop
Attacks: Battle, !Throat Jab
Vanish/Doom: Yes
No restrictions.
Joker Doom: Yes
No restrictions.
You see, the blue orb holds the monster-in-a-box Gigantos, a purely physical
fighter that can kill Front Row character in one go with !Throat Jab. Gigantos
will start the battle off with THREE !Throat Jab attacks, and continue to switch
between Battle and !Throat Jab while countering any damage you do with two
Battle attacks and a !Throat Jab. That's a lot of physical damage. If you
self-applied the Clear status like I advised, you're invulnerable in this fight.
If you're fighting him, Instant Death attacks work best. L.5 Doom offs him
easily, as do Break, Shoat's Demon Eye, Snare (Rhodox Rage), and Doom. You can,
of course, toy with him a little bit; try to steal his rare Elixir or common
X-Potion. He's vulnerable to Stop as well, so for ensured victory, you can use
a Stop/Doom combo if you're evil enough. For all your trouble, you get a
Hardened, a stronger Dirk for Shadow without the Assassin's Instant-Death
property. Since you should not be using Fight at all, I recommend sticking to
your current blade, which should be either the Thiefknife or Assassin.
Now, enter the bulge, which will swallow you and deliver you at another point in
the dungeon. Go down and you'll come across an odd stone that you need to stand
on to proceed. The landmass will expand, allowing you to cross where your path
was previously impeded. Just walk over to the other side of this part, as
there's only one way that gets you anywhere (another bulge you need to enter).
The bulge delivers unto you a decision when you arrive and notice two new
bulges. The right one takes you nowhere, so the left one it is. Left = right,
what a world.
The new delivery point immediately features a new stone to step on, so you do
that. It lowers some part in front of you, but you can't reach that now. Go
back and find the other stone waiting for you. You'll need to activate the
obvious stepping-stone for another obvious obstacle, see. Continue and now you
can reach the lowered part. Walk on and on, to the left, down, right and then
northwards until you reach yet another stepping-stone. It'll reveal a familiar
bulge, but before you enter it, you should go down the stairway below you for a
Save Point and open the blue orb to the right of you, which contains a Beret.
The Beret is a nifty helmet for Relm that increases her Sketch success, allowing
her to be entirely useless with it more often than before. I'd stick to the
Mystery Veil. If you're done, continue.
You'll be asked if you want to return to the Blackjack now. There's no real
reason to unless you're really out of resources, as at this point, you've almost
completed the dungeon, and should you return to the Blackjack and fly up to
the Floating Continent again, you'll have to do the entire dungeon again. Plus,
Shadow will leave here and won't return to your party until you're back on the
FC, where he will be waiting in the same spot as he was when you found him
there for the first time (although he will be brooding rather than suffering
face-down). If you do decide to hop off, remember that Shadow will take the
equipment and Esper he has on him with him.
Pressing on opens another pathway, where a beast is waiting for you. A beast
created long, long ago, during the War of the Magi. A beast of mass destruction.
A beast of pure power. AtmaWeapon. Before you fight him, have somebody cast
Float on those in your team that lack Gaia Gear if possible (Gau, as always,
can self-inflict it), equip the Coin Toss on Setzer if he's on your team and
equip Wall Rings, if that's possible.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.45.3 The decisive battle with AtmaWeapon
**********************************
AtmaWeapon
Level: 37, HP: 24000, MP: 5000
Steal: Ribbon (rare), Elixir (common), Win: Elixir (always)
Status: Float
Special: !Full Power: Battle x 2
Sketch : !Full Power (rare), Battle (common)
Vulnerable to: Slow
Attacks: Battle, !Full Power, Fire 2, Bio, Flare, Quartr, Quake, W Wind, Rasp,
Mind Blast, Flare Star, Meteo, Blaze
Vanish/Doom: Yes
No restrictions.
Joker Doom: Yes
Flare, W Wind, Rasp, and Meteo all screw with the RNG, but the only one you
need to worry about is Flare, as that can be cast right away.
AtmaWeapon is quite a challenge. Not quite as disgustingly horrible as Air
Force, but you could maim the two cannons off Air Force and he'd be at your
mercy as long as you had something to do about Speck. AtmaWeapon starts
like a rather tough monster, and as he has the most HP of any normal monster
so far (Intangir excluded), he'll be quite the little troublemaker.
His normal battle script from the start consists of saying: "My name is
Atma... ...I am pure energy...and as ancient as the cosmos. Feeble creatures,
GO!" and then simply pound your character into submission with Battle, Flare,
and Blaze. Flare is a snazzy new spell you're probably not familiar with yet.
Flare is non-elemental and barrier-piercing, yet can be protected from with
Wall Rings and the like. This is, until he reaches 12800 HP, at which point
he'll start casting Bio, Quake, or Meteo, use either Battle or !Full Power, use
an MT Fire 2 spell, and end with Mind Blast, an AtmaWeapon-specific attack.
Mind Blast is an MT attack that randomly selects a character four times
and sets on them one randomly selected status ailments out of the following
possibilities: Dark, Zombie, Poison, Imp, Petrify, Condemned, Mute, Berserk,
Muddled, Seizure, Sleep, Slow, and Stop. If a character is never chosen, he
won't be affected by the spell; if a character was randomly selected three
times, he'll get three randomly selected status ailments set on him. As you
can imagine, you can come away from this attack with relatively minor damage,
or with some fairly severe damage. It might be a good idea to summon Unicorn
if you have it after Mind Blast has been used.
After Mind Blast, AtmaWeapon will get even stronger. The message "Vast energy
focused" will appear, and AtmaWeapon will give himself Safe, Shell, and Haste
status and glow an eerie yellow. He'll wait for his next turn and glow yellow
again. That next turn, he'll glow yellow for a long time, some cogwheels will
spin (as the hobby assembly enthusiast, I wonder how the hell they did that),
and AtmaWeapon will use the move Flare Star.
Flare Star is a neat attack. It's fire-elemental and its damage depends on YOUR
level. It multiplies the level of a random party member by 80 and splits the
damage by the amount of characters you have. So, if you have a four-headed
party, all level 25, the damage will be 500 per party member.
After Flare Star, he basically starts over again with Bio/Quake/Meteo, etc.
When you knock him below 6144 HP, he'll start using another set of spells:
Battle, Quartr, W Wind, Rasp, and Blaze. Every time he is damaged in this stage,
he'll have a 33 % chance of countering the attack with Flare. He'll keep this
up until he dies.
You can basically do two things here, if you ignore Vanish/Doom and its many
ill-conceived brethren. In both scenarios you'll want your party covered in
Wall Rings. Celes shouldn't need to use Runic until the final stage of
AtmaWeapon when he gains the ability to cast Quartr, as that can be absorbed
by Celes' Runic blade yet flies past Wall Rings.
If a lot of your characters know the Rasp spell (say, three or four), you could
try to Rasp his 5000 MP down to 0 and kill him that way. It will take longer
than HP violence will, but if you just stick with attacking his MP, he'll never
leave the 'safe' area of using Battle, Flare and Blaze, with which ZoneSeek and
Wall Rings means easy victory. Even without those two, it'll be easier on you
to handle it than the HP violence will.
If you decide to just smack him to death with your ouchies, beware. Start the
battle off with ZoneSeek to soften the blow of his magical attacks. Make
staying alive priority one: Flare can do over 600 damage, so be prepared for a
Flare spell at all times if you're not covered in Wall Rings. Cast Slow on him
to slow him down.
Try to steal a Ribbon with Locke, and if Edgar is in your party and he can use
a Debilitator; use it until you've nailed a nice weakness to something you can
exploit. Exploit it.
If he uses Mind Blast, cure the most dangerous status ailments and proceed.
If the message "Vast energy focused" appears, use Dispel to remove the
positive status effects (and cast Slow again).
Basically, it's a story of heal first and damage later. Terra, Celes, and Relm
should just use their level 2 spells (Ice 2 is, by a very slight margin, the
strongest of the three). Have Locke steal until he has acquired either an Elixir
or a Ribbon, and use Hawk Eyes to fight with for the duration of the fight.
Edgar can use Drill and Sabin AuraBolt for superior damage.
Mog's Dance is up for debate. The Earth Dance is the home Dance, so it will
never fail, and it also has the most damaging attack of all of Mog's attacks:
Land Slide. The Water Rondo, on the other hand, has a more constant damage
output, as both El Nino (most common attack) and Plasma (2nd most common attack)
will work. In contrast, Earth Blues' Sonic Boom will fail whenever it's used.
I'm leaning toward Earth Blues myself, but it's more a matter of personal
preference.
Setzer will probably want to stick to GP Rain. Even with double Earrings, his
level 2 spells are inferior to GP Rain and his Slots aren't very useful in
this fight. 7-Flush can't compare to GP Rain, Chocobop misses entirely due to
AtmaWeapon's inherent Float and the other attacks are too rare to consider an
option.
Cyan's Quadra Slam out damages Dispatch, so try to have other characters attack
while you wait for Quadra Slam to load. It might be safer, if you're less
experienced, to simply stick to Dispatch and have him run utility work if that's
necessary. If you seriously brought Cyan for some reason I expect you to have
taught him at least one level 2 spell; with some Earrings, a level 2 spell
will outdamage Dispatch.
Strago's Aqua Rake attack is the strongest he'll be able to do. If you equipped
Wall Rings, his Pearl Wind move will be very nice to have around. Step Mine
might be stronger than Aqua Rake, but it should also be much more troublesome
on your MP. Try it out and see what hurts more in your case. An added benefit of
Aqua Rake, by the way, is it's dual-elemental nature; if you brought Edgar,
there's a double chance Strago can exploit the Debilitator-induced weakness with
the attack.
Gau's best choices are probably either Ninja (Water Edge), Chimera (Aqua Rake),
Bomb (Blaze) or Ing (Lifeshaver). Ninja is the strongest offensively, but you
probably didn't go back to pick it up. Ing is very defensive; since it makes
Gau absorb Fire-elemental attacks, it's inherently Floating and gives the Undead
property, Ing will protect against Fire 2, Bio, Quake, Blaze, Flare Star and
quite a few of the Mind Blaster-induced status ailments. If you have level 2
spells on Gau, I'd advise you to use Magic rather than Rages in this battle,
as the level of control will be nice to have and with all the Battle attacks
Gau uses, damage output will be higher overall.
After AtmaWeapon has been defeated, you get an Elixir for beating him. Shadow
will leave you, and it will only take you five steps to come face to face
with Emperor Gestahl and Kefka.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.45.4 Kefka's Betrayal
**********************************
Before your eyes, Gestahl absorbs more and more of the power of the Statues.
Celes will arrive if you didn't bring her, and in both cases, she will be spared
from Gestahl's paralyzing spell, as Gestahl has an offer to make. Even after all
this time collaborating with the Returners, he is still willing to allow her to
return to his side. It certainly looks like the winning party, but Celes decides
differently.
In other words: DIS!
Celes uses the sword given to her to stab Kefka. The desired effect (death)
does not take place, however. Kefka, in a fit of rage, rushes into the field
in the middle of the Goddesses and commands them to give him power. Nothing
happens. Kefka repeats the statement. The Goddesses glow a little, about as
enthusiastic about the job as a McDonald's employee on Mondays. Gestahl starts
shouting about actually reviving the statues; according to Gestahl, reviving
is bad. It was Kefka's plan all along though, so what gives?
It's at this point that Gestahl realizes that he cannot have Kefka around;
his practical use is over now that Gestahl has everything he lusted for, and
the man is simply unstable. But when Gestahl tries to use the awesome power the
Goddesses have bestowed upon him, nothing happens. The field of the Goddesses
absorbs all Magic sent their way (even Merton, which is unRunicable!). Kefka
gains control over the slowly reviving Statues and commands them to unleash
their power on Gestahl. They do. Emperor Gestahl, your most important enemy
throughout the game, dies.
After that, Kefka does the unthinkable. Strago warned you earlier about the
Statues. Move them from their spot, and this world they partly created will
go haywire.
At this time, Shadow arrives! Eager to deliver a payback from getting
back-stabbed (and maybe even feeling guilty of being the tool of the Empire),
he rushes in and traps Kefka between the field of the Statues. The paralyzing
spell on your party members is lifted, and it's time to run.
Recap:
Celes stabs Kefka in his body. He reacts by swearing and killing Gestahl, much
like how Bush responded to unaligned terrorist threats by going after Iraq.
Kefka than proceeds to fuck everything up by moving the statues. Shadow arrives
to stop him and tells you to get away; the Floating Continent is going down.
Celes and co. run off while Shadow sacrifices himself to save the planet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.45.5 Escape from the Floating Continent
**********************************
Location: The Floating Continent (breaking apart!)
Party members: Celes; Optional: Terra, Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Gau, Setzer,
Mog, Strago, Relm
Opponents: Naughty, Nerapa
Lores: Condemned, Roulette
Monster formations:
Naughty (always)
You have six minutes, 6:00, to get off the Floating Continent. Goddess
energy naturally takes on the form of monsters, and you have to plow through
these newly born entities to reach the end (which is also the landing point
of a particularly big sparkle, AKA a particularly powerful new creature).
Preparation: You're still covered in Wall Rings if you listened to my advice.
Keep them on! If Celes joined your party just now, give one to her as well.
The Wall Rings protect from the ICe 2 spell the Naughty enemies cast, and it
will be nice to have against the boss here as well.
Naughty enemies are a pain because they take time to defeat and you can't run
from them. They're about wasting time, and they're fairly competent at it.
Their attacks include Battle, !Hit, Ice 2, Blizzard, and Cold Dust. Sadly,
they can use Cold Dust on the first turn, disabling a character. If you hit
them with a Magic spell, they have a 33 % shot at using Mute (Note: this is NOT
the Spell Mute; it's a monster attack with the same name, animation, and
effect. Delightfully useless). When you Imp them, their next turn will be spent
on de-Imping themselves and using Escape.
Since Celes is a mandatory character and she'll be above level 14 unless
you were really going for an LLG, she'll know Imp. I suggest you use it. If
Celes if frozen beforehand and nobody else knows the Imp spell, just take
advantage of Naughty's weakness to Fire, Lightning, and Pearl. L.4 Flare works
on him as well, so if Strago is around, he'll be able to do quite some damage
with it. Sprint Shoes are great in any situation with a timer; while you
shouldn't need them, they cut back the time you spend walking.
Walk on, and the ground will crack underneath you. You'll make a surprised jump
and can continue. Behind you, the part you just walked on falls off. Dangerous
shit, this dungeon! Walk on, another crack, another part breaks off behind you.
Walk on. Another crack. If you go to the featureless part below you now, a
small part will come off. You'll want to press on, though. You now reach for
a small plateau with a blue orb on it, but when you get near it the ground
cracks beneath you. Should you now simply continue, the part you'll need to
reach the blue orb will fall off. Go around the gap here so you can grab the
treasure: an Elixir. Now you'll see the big sparkle: go over to it and prepare
yourself.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.45.6 The battle with Nerapa and Exit
**********************************
Nerapa
Level: 26, HP: 2800, MP: 280
Absorbs: Fire, Nullify: Poison, Wind, Earth, Water Weakness: Ice, Lightning,
Pearl
Status: Reflect, Float
Special: !Hit: Battle x 1.5
Sketch : !Hit (rare), Battle (common)
Vulnerable to: Death, Condemned, Berserk, Muddled, Stop
Attacks: Battle, Fire 2, Fire 3, Condemned, Roulette, Fire Ball
Vanish/Doom: No
Immunity to Clear status.
Joker Doom: Yes
Fire Ball and Roulette both mess with the RNG. Who are you kidding? Trying to
obtain Joker Doom for Nerapa is like spending large sums of cash on learning
how to make your own solar-powered shotgun with poisoned slugs so you can take
care of your rodent problem.
The big sparkle's name is Nerapa. He gets 10 out of 10 for style, but minus
one billion for good thinking. I mean, here you are, with a timer quickening
your pace, and he thinks it's a good idea to cast Condemned on the party.
It's like: "If I give them TWO timers simultaneously, they'll have to move
TWO times as fast!" If this is what Japanese logic is all about, I fail to see
how they even managed to make this game work. Then again, it *is* the most
bugged game currently mapped, so I guess that still doesn't say much.
Anyway, being a pompous annoyance "Mwa ha ha you can't run!" and after casting
Condemned on the party, he will now try to attack you. I very much doubt he
won't be looking like a kitten that just came out of your microwave at this
point, but let's give this guy some credit and assume that he's still standing.
He can use Battle, Fire 2, Fire 3, and Fire Ball. Very spooky. Fire 3 actually
hurts a bit.
Now HERE'S a hoot: If you hit Nerapa with six Fight commands, he'll use
Roulette. Next to the fact that Roulette can actually take Nerapa himself down,
the mere thought that Nerapa could even survive six Fight attacks is laughable
by itself. You'd need a Heal Rod or a rat-flail or something in order to pull
that off.
Anyway, back to not insulting this guy into submission (although you could).
He's weak to Lightning AND Ice AND Pearl. He's also Floating. Just make sure you
keep in the back of your mind this guy is inherently Reflective, which means
you'll need to resort to your skills and summon attacks. There are literally
hundreds of ways to off this guy, and they're all very easy. Gau's Rhodox Rage
can enSnare him for a one-hit KO, as can a fatal Chainsaw attack. Bouncing a
few Rasp spells off yourself will kill him. Bouncing a Doom spell off yourself
will kill it. You can confuse him; you don't get any more pathetic than that.
Just use your strongest attacks, be it Giga Volt, or AuraBolt, or Gem Dust, or
what have you. Nerapa has 2800 HP. If you played your cards right, you were
doing 2800 in one attack back there against Atma Weapon.
Once you've beaten Nerapa, you can walk over to the edge and the Blackjack will
appear under you.
The airship's below.
Jump!!
Wait!!
But Shadow is still back there!
If you choose to Jump!!, the entire Floating Continent will come crashing down
with Shadow on it and you will never, ever see him again.
If you choose to Wait!!, you'll do nothing and you'll get the option
Jump!!
Gotta wait for SHADOW...
every time you walk up the ledge. You'll want to keep standing there. He might
still show up. And he does, once the timer hits 0:04 Shadow will appear, make
a smart remark in the middle of the Tempest of Destruction and Doom you find
yourself in, and will jump down on the Blackjack with you. If you were goofing
off in the menu during 0:04 he still appears if you get out of it between 0:04
and 0:01, but if you wait until time runs out you're just going down.
So, Shadow was going to sacrifice himself to save the planet.
Only:
a) he doesn't sacrifice himself and
b) the planet isn't saved.
In the next cutscene, a lot of bad things happen. Congratulations. You try to
rally in the Esper troops from behind the Sealed Gate; you send them on a
murderous rampage. You try to talk peacefully to them; you deliver them
straight to Kefka. You try to stop Gestahl; you destroy the world. A competent
bunch of heroes, these Returners. Real smart.
Planet: I'm apocalypsing!
As a side note, due to a bug you now receive the equipment of the generic
Moogle Kamog, one of the Moogles that helped you rescue Terra way in the
beginning. This means you win a Boomerang and a Buckler. For free!
This is the end of the World of Balance walkthrough. You can go to the second
half by using this URL:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/final_fantasy_iii_l_2.txt
**********************************
5.0 Menus and Game Options: As boring as a concrete floor in math class
**********************************
Table of Contents:
5.1 Item
5.2 Skills
5.3 Equip
5.4 Relic
5.5 Status
5.6 Config
5.7 Save
Danger: humor void ahead. This is just an explanation of how the menu works.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.1 Item
**********************************
There are three functions within Item. You'll start off in Use, where you're
able to select and possibly use an item. When moving the cursor on an item,
a short description of its use will appear in the second text box. This text
box also houses the number of different items you are carrying around. If it's
an actual Item (meaning it has no symbol in front of it), a Tool or a Skean
there's nothing you can do with it but move it around. If it's anything else,
you'll be able to learn more about it by selecting it and pressing the Action
button (i.e. , pressing it twice).
By doing this, you'll enter a screen which tells you:
If it's a weapon, the element it attacks with (if any) and the characters who
can equip it. By hitting the 'left' button you can learn if it's compatible with
SwdTech, Runic and/or 2-hand (Gauntlet's effect) and its stat boosts (which
includes Battle Power).
If it's a shield, helmet, piece of armor or relic, the elemental properties of
it, divided over 50% damage, absorb, nullifying and being weak to an element.
By hitting the 'left' button you can learn about its stat boosts.
By pressing 'L' or whatever button you saw fit for taking over its tasks you
can jump 10 Items back; by pressing 'R' you'll jump 10 items down.
Arrange lets you automatically arrange all the items in your inventory, sorting
them out and putting them together in the following fashion:
Items - Dirks - Swords - Lances - Knives - Rods - Brushes - Stars - Special -
Gambler - Claws - Shields - Helmets - Armor - Tools - Skeans - Relics
Rare simply allows you to view the Rare, Key Items you have obtained during
your quest. You can't really use Rare Items but they'll be used in events/are
necessary to continue, have plot-related value, etcetera. You can select the
different Rare Items and marvel at their descriptions. There will also be a
number in the second text box to show how many different Key Items you possess.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.2 Skills
**********************************
In the second text box you'll see the same info you saw in the menu screen;
statuses, Level, HP/MP info. Also, you'll see the name of the Esper equipped
here, if an Esper is equipped.
To the top-left there's a list of skills. They are only available if the
character you selected can actually use the skill.
Espers is always available. When moving the cursor on an Esper, you'll notice
that in the top text box you'll see a short description of their summon attack.
Next to the Esper names is the MP cost displayed their summon attacks require.
By selecting an Esper you'll learn about the spells he/she/it teaches, the
Learning Rate by which it does so and how well you're underway to learning
the spell (obviously, 100 % means you can use it).
TO UNEQUIP AN ESPER, SIMPLY CHOOSE AN EMPTY SLOT.
In the Magic menu, provided the character in question knows any, you can take
a look at all the spells the character knows. If they are simple and white
you can use them right now; spells which are usable outside of battle include:
Float (to set the Float status, can be MT'd in the menu by pressing L or R)
Imp (to set or lift the Imp status)
Warp (to Warp out of dungeons outside of battle)
Dispel (to remove Float, as that is its only use outside of battle)
Cure, Cure 2 and Cure 3 (for healing)
Life, Life 2 (for reviving)
Antdot (to cure the Poison status)
Remedy (to cure Dark, Poison and Petrify)
Spells not yet fully learned have a percentage behind them. If you haven't
even bothered trying to learn the spell and are stuck at 0 % the spell won't
even appear, otherwise the percentage indicates how far you're on your way.
If you hit the 'Y' button here, you can swap to a different mode that will let
you see how much MP the spells here will take. Spells not fully learned will
disappear entirely in this mode. Equipped Relics such as Gold Hairpin (halves
MP cost) and Economizer (turns MP cost of every spell into 1) will be taken into
account.
*This is not an option in the Japanese SNES game.
SwdTech allows you to BEHOLD! This is where you could change the SwdTech names
in the Japanese version, but the American version just shows the SwdTech moves
to you and gives a slight description.
Blitz allows you to view the button combination necessary for the Blitz attacks.
The names are not shows here, but this is the lay-out:
Pummel AuraBolt
Suplex Fire Dance
Mantra Air Blade
Spiraler Bum Rush
Lore gives you all the Lores Strago and Gogo can use with their respective MP
cost.
Rage lists all the Rages you have collected. Nothing more. Skip through them
by 16 at a time with L and R if you want to.
Dance simply lists the Dances available to Mog and Gogo.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.3 Equip
**********************************
You can multi-target the Equip feature by pressing 'left'. Selecting it while
MT'd will get you the equipment and relics of all characters, but you can't
change them. When ST'd, you enter a screen of the character selected and his
equipment. In this screen, you can press L or R to switch between characters.
With Equip, you get to select a new piece of equipment for one of the four
slots.
With Optimum, your equipment will be automatically decided. The decision
is based on Battle Power for weapons and Defense for Shields, Helmets, and
Armor. There are 10 items that are never equipped with Optimum; these
include Drainer, Soul Sabre, Atma Weapon, Imp Halberd, Heal Rod, Cursed Shld,
TortoiseShld, Thornlet, Titanium and Imp's Armor, all because their
Battle Power/Defense stat doesn't say anything about their actual nature
in-battle (except for Thornlet, but with that inherent Seizure, who wants
to equip it anyway?).
With Remove you can remove a piece of equipment. If a character has no weapons,
he or she automatically obtains the semi-weapon of his or her Fists, which add
10 to his or her Battle Power.
With Empty, you automatilly de-equip the character of all pieces of equipment,
not counting Relics.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.4 Relic
**********************************
Like with Equip, you can multi-target it to access the Equipment and Relics of
all character without being able to change it.
ST'd, you get to appoint new Relics with Equip and remove them with Remove.
You can press L or R to switch between characters.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.5 Status
**********************************
All information about your character's current situation is displayed with
Status. Over the screen, the following information is shown:
Name
Level
Current HP and maximum HP
Current MP and maximum MP
Status effects currently set
Amount of Experience Points needed to obtain the next level
Amount of Experience Points gained so far
Esper equipped, if any.
Commands
Stats
Like Equip and Relic, you can switch between characters with L & R.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.6 Config
**********************************
- Battle Mode
There are two types of Battle Mode: Active and Wait.
When Battle Mode is set to Active, all characters and monsters with automatic
AI scripts - Umaro, Berserked/Muddled characters, Ragers, Dancers, all
monsters unless affected by Control, etcetera - will take actions while
you are busy selecting stuff from in-battle menus.
When Battle Mode is set to Wait, ATB Gauges will stop when you are
selecting a spell/skill/whatever from in-game menus. Unless you have three
automatic characters and one character with an extensive menu list - and
that's only Throw and Rage -, you'll want to stick to Wait.
- Battle Speed
You'd expect a general Battle Speed-affecting option to actually affect
the entire battle, no? In fact, all that Battle Speed does is control the
rate at which monster ATB Gauges fill up. You could say that Battle Speed
is more a difficulty-level option. Note that 1 is by no means 'Hard', but
6 is simply 'even easier'.
- Message Speed
Does NOT handle out-battle text and in-battle dialogue, much to the surprise of
well-thinking individuals. The only thing Message Speed controls is the amount
of time attack names are seen in-battle when they are used. I see no reason to
set it to anything but 1 but I'm sure there's some kind of reason for it as
Square would NEVER do anything illogical and/or unnecessary.*
* The author of this document does not feel responsible for any actions caused
by people actually believing this.
- Command Settings
You can play this game with a 'Short' menu. The 'Short' feature itself adds
very little to the game, but you get to customize the location of the four
commands if you hit the action button when you've selected Short in the menu,
and these changes affect the Window version menu too (put the Fight command in
slot #3 in Short, it'll also be in slot #3 in Window). With 'Window', you'll get
the
FIGHT
RUNIC
MAGIC
ITEM
lay-out, and with the 'Short' version you will get a
FIGHT
RUNIC MAGIC
ITEM
lay-out. Whatever gets you hot, I suppose.
- Gauge
This handles the ATB Gauge of the game. Turning the option 'On' will show you
the progress of the ATB bar in-battle for you. Turning it 'Off' will leave it
off, making room for the maximum HP next to current HP for your characters:
349~1509 (current HP~max HP)
I prefer turning the Gauge on as it's the default option, and I've always played
like this; both options have their merits though, so it's up to you.
- Sound
Stereo or Mono. Oh, the agonies of choice! The peril of decisions! I can't
really comment on this feature as I play the game on an emulator, but I'm sure
it unfolds exactly as you'd think it would.
- Cursor
When setting the Cursor option to Memory, the game will remember what
action you took and set the cursor for that character at that very command,
so you don't need to select Throw and then search for those Shurikens; the
cursor will just start on Throw, and after being selected, start on Shuriken.
Advised, especially when you're working with an Active Battle Mode.
When you set Cursor to Reset, it does none of the above and simply rests
on the first command in your character menu.
- Re-equip
There are certain Relics that force your equipment to be re-decided when
you equip or de-equip them. These Relics are the Merit Award, Gauntlet, and
Genji Glove. The Re-equip option lets you decide in what fashion this is
done:
With Optimum, your equipment will be automatically decided. The decision
is based on Battle Power for weapons and Defense for Shields, Helmets, and
Armor. There are 10 items that are never equipped with Optimum; these
include Drainer, Soul Sabre, Atma Weapon, Imp Halberd, Heal Rod, Cursed Shld,
TortoiseShld, Thornlet, Titanium and Imp's Armor, all because their
Battle Power/Defense stat doesn't say anything about their actual nature
in-battle (except for Thornlet, but with that inherent Seizure, who wants
to equip it anyway?).
- Controller
Very strictly speaking, FF VI can be a four-player game! By selecting 'Multiple'
under Controller, you can have two different controllers controlling four
different characters. Swap your controllers around and have four people control
their favorite character. Select the characters and their respective controllers
by setting 'Multiple' and pressing the Action button. 'Single' obviously is
the standard setting which you'll use almost always.
* In the Japanese SNES game, you can also change what the buttons on your
controller do. The seven buttons could each be given one of the seven actions:
Confirm, Cancel, Menu (summons Menu screen), Party (switches party if possible),
Row Change (summons 'Row' command when the menu is 'Short'), Defend (summons
Def. command when the menu is 'Short').
- Magic Order
Changes the order of your spells. Here are the possibilities:
1: Healing, Attack, Effect
2: Healing, Effect, Attack
3: Attack, Effect, Healing
4: Attack, Healing, Effect
5: Effect, Healing, Attack
6: Effect, Attack, Healing
The traditional, default setting is #1 and the way the data in the game is
governed is true to #3. It doesn't really matter what you do.
- Window
Lets you select a background for out-battle dialogue, menus and in-battle
spell and event announcements. There's not a lot to say as you can see for
yourself what it all looks like; the only thing I can add is that I really,
really hope nobody has ever finished the game while using Window #8 :)
- Color
This allows you to alter all the colors in your window of choice. It works
with the traditional fail-proof mixing and matching of 32 shades of Red (R),
Green (G) and Blue (B). 0 means nothink, 31 is the hardest/brightest shade
of the color.
Font handles the letters/numbers/symbols you see on your quest, Window
the 7 colors the background is composed out of.
If you don't like the changes you've made, you can always reset back to
default by standing on Font or any of the colors under Window and pressing
the Action button.
The large screen will feature your character(s). The one highest on the list
is the character you'll see walking around when you're controlling the team.
Next to a menu portrait which is directly based off of Yoshitaka Amano's concept
artwork, you'll see status icons if they are affected by them, Level info,
maximum and current HP and current and maximum MP.
By pressing left you'll be able to access the Order function. This way you can
switch the leading party member and put the characters in the Front or Back Row,
which is the one they'll start each battle with. The 'Cancel' button allows
you to leave the Order function.
**********************************
6.0 The Characters. Poor saps.
**********************************
Table of Contents:
6.1 Terra Branford
6.2 Locke Cole
6.3 Mog
6.4 Edgar Roni Figaro
6.5 Sabin Rene Figaro
6.6 Cyan Garamonde
6.7 Setzer Gabbiani
6.8 Shadow
6.9 Gau
6.10 Celes Chere
6.11 Relm Arrowny
6.12 Strago Magus
6.13 Emperor Gestahl
6.14 Kefka Palazzo
6.15 Cid del Norte Marguez
6.16 Leo Cristophe
6.17 Banon
This section misses information on two characters, which are listed in the
second half of this walkthrough. Link and Table of Contents:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/final_fantasy_iii_l_2.txt
Table of Contents:
6.18 Gogo
6.19 Umaro
The following data contains spoilers about their history and current situation.
It doesn't so much spoil the story though, as everything listed here already
happened before the game starts off.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.1 Terra Branford
**********************************
Terra (original name: Tina) Branford
Mage Warrior
Vigor 31
Speed 33
Stamina 28
Magic Power 39
Battle Power 12
Defense 42
Magic Defense 33
MBlock 7
Evade 5
Equipment: Sword, Helmet, Armor
Starting equipment:
R-Hand MithrilKnife
L-Hand Buckler
Head Leather Hat
Body LeatherArmor
Age: 18
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 105 lbs.
Birthdate: October 18
Blood Type: ??
Hometown: The Esper World
Treasure: A broken piece of Magicite
Likes: Animals
Dislikes: Crowded places
Often pets Moogles.
Terra's past is a dark one indeed. Conceived by the Esper Maduin and a human
girl called Madonna who one day stumbled into the Esper World, Terra is unique
in being the only half-Esper in existence. At the tender age of two, Imperial
forces invaded the Esper World, killed Terra's mother Madonna, and took Maduin
away to be experimented upon. From that day on, Terra was raised as a
biological weapon to work for the Empire, and has never left the laboratories
of Vector until she is dispatched for the very first time on a mission in
Narshe...
- Both general Leo and Celes have known about Terra's existence.
- At early development stages, Terra was designed to be male, and she would
perish at the end of the game.
Special skill: Morph. [MORPH-LINK]
When Terra uses Morph, she turns into her Esper form for a while, tapping into
the awesome power of these beings.
When Terra is Morphed, she will do twice as much physical and magical damage,
and take 50 % damage from all non-barrier-piercing magical attacks.
Morphing is only temporary, and will wear out in time. The length of
the time she can stay morphed depends on the amount of Magic Points she receives
(unlike other characters, she will also receive Magic Points if she isn't
equipped with an Esper or piece of equipment that teaches spells). The minimum
value of the Morph bar is 00, the maximum 256. Her Morph bar will increase with
Magic Points gained * 2. You can't Morph if the Morph bar has value 16 or lower.
When Morphed, the Morph bar gets more complicated: the entire time you can
Morph is set to 65535, and is slowly reduced by the outcome of the following
formula:
((65535 / morph duration counter) / 8) + 1
Spoilers ahoy:
In the WoR, you have to find her two times before she agrees to join you. In
the second time, she'll save your ass against Phunbaba. During this fight she
is continuously under the effect of Morph. After the fight, her control over
her Esper form is much better, which results in a much more positive Morph bar:
((65535 / morph duration counter) / 16) + 1
In other words, her Morph bar effectively becomes twice as slow.
Long story in one sentence: Terra gains Morph energy from Magic Points and loses
it when she's in Morph status, so try to save up on your Morph energy for
particularly tough battles.
Terra is also one of the two characters that learn natural Magic:
Level 1 - Cure
Level 3 - Fire
Level 6 - Antdot
Level 12 - Drain
Level 18 - Life
Level 22 - Fire 2
Level 26 - Warp
Level 33 - Cure 2
Level 37 - Dispel
Level 43 - Fire 3
Level 49 - Life 2
Level 57 - Pearl
Level 68 - Break
Level 75 - Quartr
Level 86 - Merton
Level 99 - Ultima
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.2 Locke Cole
**********************************
Locke (original name: Lock) Cole
Treasure Hunter
Vigor 37
Speed 40
Stamina 31
Magic Power 28
Battle Power 14
Defense 46
Magic Defense 23
MBlock 2
Evade 15
Equipment: Dagger, Sword, Plain Sword, Helmet, Light Mail
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Dirk
L-Hand
Head Leather Hat
Body LeatherArmor
Age: 25
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 147 lbs.
Birthdate: November 24
Blood Type: O
Hometown: ??
Treasure: Bandana
Likes: Maps
Dislikes: Mushrooms
Often takes naps in open fields
What we know of Locke Cole's past starts in Kohlingen, where he had a
relationship with Rachel, a girl he also went on expeditions with. One time,
however, Locke almost tumbled down a pathway that broke away underneath him.
Rachel saved him, but opened her eyes with a severe case of amnesia. Her parents
blamed Locke for this, and as Rachel didn't know any better, she kindly asked
Locke to leave as he was upsetting her parents.
Locke, with a broken heart, left. Rachel regained her memory just before an
Imperial attack on Kohlingen (which, surprisingly, apparently didn't work out as
Kohlingen at no point in the game is occupied), where she was killed. Before
she died, however, she said: "If a man named LOCKE returns, please tell him I
love him..."
When Locke heard this, he devoted his life to bringing her back from the dead.
There are legends of a hidden treasure that has the power to restore life. It's
in Imperial hands though, and Locke joins the Returners in an effort to make
something out of his life during his search for this ancient relic.
In the Returners, Locke Cole is the link between Banon and Edgar, king of
Figaro and a spy in the Empire.
- There is no in-game representation or explanation about his hate for
mushrooms whatsoever. Allergy?
- At early development stages, Locke Cole was supposed to be a much more angsty
character than he turned out to be.
- Also, his special skill would have been Runic rather than Steal, which would
have made no sense whatsoever.
Special skill: Steal [STEAL-LINK]
Steal allows a character to, you know, steal.
Each monster has two slots in which they can carry items. One slot holds the
item you'll most commonly see being stolen, which is generally called the
'common steal'. The other item is the one you'll want, and this is the 'rare
steal'. Locke has, when he successfully steals, an 87.5 % chance of going for
the common steal, and a 12.5 % chance of going for the rare steal. If one of
these spaces is empty, it *will* be ignored in the decision between the two
items. If the common steal slot is empty, you're already looking at a 7/8-miss
chance before the success rate is decided.
Your Steal attempts won't always be successful. Remember, it is the opponent's
interest to keep hold of its belongings. The chance of Steal working depends
entirely on your level and the opponent's level. Speed is no issue, so raising
it won't increase the success rate of Steal. What will make for a better thief
is the Sneak Ring. The Sneak Ring doubles your chances at stealing. It won't
stack with another Sneak Ring (the +5 on Speed will, but the special effect
won't).
Steal will let you steal all sorts of items: Healing potions, weapons, armor,
relics, you name it. What you can't steal: vital body parts, girlfriends, money,
dignity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.3 Mog
**********************************
Mog
Moogle
Vigor 29 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 12)
Speed 36 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 14)
Stamina 26 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 33)
Magic Power 35 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's
12)
Battle Power 16
Defense 52
Magic Defense 36
MBlock 12
Evade 10
Equipment: Spear, Hat, Light Armor
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Mithril Pike
L-Hand Mithril Shld
Head
Body
Age: 11
Height: 4'0"
Weight: 95 lbs.
Birthdate: May 11
Bloodtype: ??
Hometown: Narshe
Treasure: The crystal ball given to him by his lover, Kuku
Likes: People who pet him
Dislikes: People who pull his tail or the red ball on his head
Often sings and dances
Mog, as a mascot and optional character save for the very beginning, doesn't
have a lot of story going for him. We know Mog is male, that he has a girlfriend
named Kuku, and that he's living in the caves near Narshe, not bothering much
with people's affairs. On occasion, he feeds the Yeti who lives in the area.
- Mog is the unofficial mascot of the game, and many more Moogles with the name
Mog or a variation on it have appeared in other Final Fantasy games.
Special skill: Dance [DANCE-LINK]
By using the Dance command, Mog can use the power of the terrain around him.
There are eight Dances, each in correspondence with a type of terrain. To
learn a Dance, Mog must have completed a battle fighting with a proper
background. If he or Gogo himself changes the background (I'll get into that in
a bit) he won't learn the Dance. He can be dead by the end of the battle, you
can even drag his lifeless body through a battle. Doesn't matter, he'll learn
the Dance. Maybe going face-down in the dirt gets him in touch with nature or
something zen-esque like that (note: zen teachings in no way involve being
dragged face-down through the dirt).
There are eight Dances:
Wind Song (grasslands and plains of the Overworld Map)
Forest Suite (forests of the Overworld Map, Phantom Forest)
Desert Aria (deserts of the Overworld Map)
Love Sonata (towns and houses; Zozo, the Imperial Palace, the Ancient Castle)
Earth Blues (slopes of Mt. Koltz, Floating Continent)
Water Rondo (Serpent Trench, Lete River)
Dusk Requiem (caves)
Snowman Jazz (snowfields)
All Dances have four moves listed, with different odds of being used:
Wind Song
7/16 43.75 % Wind Slash - MT Wind-elemental attack
6/16 37.5 % Sun Bath - MT healing move
2/16 12.5 % Plasma - ST Lightning-elemental attack
1/16 6.25 % Cokatrice - ST barrier-piercing non-elemental attack that also
sets Petrify. Misses if target is protected from ID.
Forest Suite
7/16 43.75 % Rage - MT non-elemental attack
6/16 37.5 % Harvester - MT move that removes Dark, Poison, Petrify, Mute,
Muddle, Seizure, Sleep, Slow and Stop
2/16 12.5 % Elf Fire - ST Fire-elemental attack
1/16 6.25 % Wombat - ST non-elemental barrier-piercing attack. Doesn't hit
Floating targets
Desert Aria
7/16 43.75 % Sand Storm - MT Wind-elemental attack
6/16 37.5 % Antlion - ST attack that sets Wound, prevents final counters.
2/16 12.5 % Wind Slash - MT Wind-elemental attack
1/16 6.25 % Kitty - MT move that sets Haste on all characters
Love Sonata
7/16 43.75 % Elf Fire - ST Fire-elemental attack
6/16 37.5 % Specter - ST attack that sets Confuse
2/16 12.5 % Snare - ST attack that sets Wound, prevents final counters
1/16 6.25 % Tapir - MT move that removes Dark, Zombie, Poison, Imp, Petrify,
Condemned, Mute, Berserk, Muddled, Seizure, Sleep, Slow
and Stop; also restores HP and MP back to full when the
target has the Sleep status.
Earth Blues
7/16 43.75 % Land Slide - ST non-elemental barrier-piercing attack
6/16 37.5 % Sonic Boom - ST attack that deals (current HP * 0.625) damage. Also
sets Seizure
2/16 12.5 % Sun Bath - MT healing move
1/16 6.25 % Whump - ST non-elemental barrier-piercing attack. Doesn't hit
Floating targets
Water Rondo
7/16 43.75 % El Nino - MT Water-elemental attack
6/16 37.5 % Plasma - ST Lightning-elemental attack
2/16 12.5 % Specter - ST attack that sets Confuse
1/16 6.25 % Wild Bear - MT healing attack, removes all status ailments.
Dusk Requiem
7/16 43.75 % Cave In - ST attack that deals (current HP * 0.75) damage. Also
sets Seizure
6/16 37.5 % Snare - ST attack that sets Wound, prevents final counters
2/16 12.5 % Elf Fire - ST Fire-elemental attack
1/16 6.25 % Pois. Frog - ST Poison-elemental attack, also sets Poison
Snowman Jazz
7/16 43.75 % Snowball - ST attack that deals (current HP * 0.5) damage. Also
sets Seizure
6/16 37.5 % Surge - MT Ice-elemental attack
2/16 12.5 % Snare - ST attack that sets Wound, prevents final counters
1/16 6.25 % Ice Rabbit - MT healing move
Every battle is 'home terrain' to one Dance; you could learn the Dance in the
battle, and when executing the Dance in this area Mog will never fail. If you
try to use a Dance other than the one learned by the area, there's a 50 % chance
Mog will stumble, aka do nothing that turn other than falling down. If you do
manage to execute the Dance in alien surroundings, the background will change
to accommodate the new Dance (if the Water Rondo is successfully executed in the
desert, the background will change to an underwater battlefield).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.4 Edgar Roni Figaro
**********************************
Edgar Roni Figaro
Mechanic
Vigor 39
Speed 30
Stamina 34
Magic Power 29
Battle Power 20
Defense 50
Magic Defense 22
MBlock 1
Evade 4
Equipment: Spear, Sword, Knight Sword, Helmet, Armor
Starting equipment:
R-Hand MithrilBlade
L-Hand Buckler
Head Leather Hat
Body LeatherArmor
Age: 27
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 169 lbs.
Birthdate: August 16
Blood Type: O
Hometown: Figaro
Treasure: Two-headed coin
Likes: Ladies
Dislikes: Lectures and the people who give them
Often creates odd weapons and redecorates his room
Edgar Roni Figaro has been born a prince to the throne of Figaro, together with
his twin brother Sabin Rene Figaro. His mother died at childbirth. At the age
of 14, Edgar participated in the 'hunting of the Antlion', a Figaro rite of
passage into adulthood. With the help of his brother, he succeeded. When Edgar
was 17, the Empire poisoned his father, Stewart Remy Figaro.
At this point, Sabin decided he wanted out of his role as the next successor of
the throne, and Edgar proposed a coin toss. Picking "heads" for Sabin, he
threw a coin with on one side his own face, and on the other side Sabin's.
For the dense among you; he was cheating, making sure that Sabin would win.
Sabin accepted his victory and ran away, leaving Edgar as the new king of
Figaro.
As the king, he has no choice but to play nice when the Empire is looking. In
the meantime, Edgar hasn't forgotten which nation had his father murdered, and
collaborates with the Returners.
- At the age of 15, Edgar got into trouble for hitting on the wife of his
uncle.
- Gold is the color of sand, blue the color of water. This is why Edgar always
dresses in yellow and blue.
- Blue eyes are a sign of nobility in Figaro, which is a good thing for Edgar
as his eyes are so blue it's downright creepy.
Special skill: Tools [TOOLS-LINK]
Edgar has eight different Tools he can use, but you'll have to acquire them
first. One Tool is enough; multiple copies of the same Tool have no added
effect, and Tools will never break or wear out.
AutoCrossbow - MT physical, non-elemental damage
NoiseBlaster - MT, sets Muddled on all targets
Bio Blaster - MT magical, poison-elemental damage and the 'Poison' status
effect
Flash - MT magical, non-elemental damage
Drill - ST physical, barrier-piercing damage
Chainsaw - ST physical, barrier-piercing damage. Has a 25 % chance of going
for an instant kill
Debilitator - Adds an elemental weakness to a single target
Air Anchor - Makes a single target die upon the next turn
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.5 Sabin Rene Figaro
**********************************
Sabin (original: Mash/Matthew) Rene Figaro
Blackbelt
Vigor 47
Speed 37
Stamina 39
Magic Power 28
Battle Power 26
Defense 53
Magic Defense 21
MBlock 4
Evade 12
Equipment: Knuckles, Hat, Light Armor
Starting equipment:
R-Hand MetalKnuckle
L-Hand
Head Leather Hat
Body Kung Fu Suit
Age: 27
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 233 lbs.
Birthdate: August 16
Blood Type: O
Hometown: Figaro
Treasure: Two-headed coin
Likes: Nuts
Dislikes: Nut-Eaters (a specific kind of weak monster resembling a squirrel)
Often trains.
Sabin Rene Figaro has been born a prince to the throne of Figaro, together with
his twin brother Edgar Roni Figaro. His mother died at childbirth. At the young
age of 3, Sabin is attacked by a Nut-Eater (a squirrel-like monster), and he
developed a severe disliking for them. At the age of 8, Sabin became very ill,
which is a trend in the family. To restore his health and build up resistance,
Sabin began his physical training (not under Duncan yet, though). At the age
of 14, he succeeded in passing into adulthood by catching an Antlion with his
brother Edgar, even though Sabin was very ill.
At the age of 17, his father died. Sabin took this very poorly. He developed
hatred for the Empire and for those who were already busy with the preparation
of the installment of the new successor. He told his brother he had enough
and wanted to leave. Edgar suggested a coin toss, and picked "heads" for Sabin.
Sabin never knew that Edgar cheated in the coin-toss, throwing a double-headed
coin ensuring victory for Sabin. Sabin won and left the castle.
After a certain period of time, he met master Duncan, who accepted him as his
pupil in the martial arts.
- His original Japanese name is supposedly derived from the apostle Matthew.
Special skill: Blitz [BLITZ-LINK]
Sabin can execute the Blitz attacks by means of pressing the correct button
sequence. Blitz attacks are learned by gaining levels:
Level 1 - Pummel - ST physical, non-elemental barrier-piercing attack
Level 6 - AuraBolt - ST magical, Pearl-elemental attack
Level 10 - Suplex* - ST physical, non-elemental barrier-piercing attack
Level 15 - Fire Dance - MT magical, Fire-elemental attack
Level 23 - Mantra - Heals all characters but the caster for the amount of
the caster's current HP / number of characters.
Level 30 - Air Blade - MT magical, Wind-elemental attack
Level 42 - Spiraler - Heals all characters and removes negative status
effects. Kills caster
Level 70 - Bum Rush - ST magical, non-elemental barrier-piercing attack
The Blitz techniques can be executed as follows:
Pummel : Left, Right, Left
AuraBolt : Down, Down/Left, Left
Suplex : X, Y, Down, Up
Fire Dance : Left, Left/Down, Down, Down/Right, Right
Mantra : R, L, R, L, X, Y
Air Blade : Up, Up/Right, Right, Right/Down, Down, Down/Left, Left
Spiraler : R, L, X, Y, Right, Left
Bum Rush : Left, Left/Up, Up, Up/Right, Right, Right/Down, Down, Down/Left,
Left
An alternate way to do Blitzes which most people find more fail-proof and
easier to input, is by converting the diagonals into double arrow input. This
means for four of the Blitz techniques the following:
AuraBolt : Down, Down, Left
Fire Dance : Left, Left, Down, Down, Right
Air Blade : Up, Up, Right, Right, Down, Down, Left
Bum Rush : Left, Left, Up, Up, Right, Right, Down, Down, Left
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Suplex is a special attack that needs its own paragraph. It has its own
"cannot be Suplex'd" byte in the game so it deserves it.
Suplex deals double damage when only one opponent is around. Code-wise, it would
be better to say that it deals half damage when more than one opponent is on
the battlefield. However, since Suplex can never target more than one opponent
at a time, it would seem like it deals double damage when only target is around,
and that's also how at least one Square-approved piece of media.
Furthermore, there are quite a few monsters that cannot be Suplex'd at all.
Rain Man, Apokryphos, Whisper, Rhodox, Pterodon, FossilFang, Doom Drgn,
Dark Wind, Vulture, Harpy, Trapper, Hornet, CrassHoppr, Trilium, Bloompire,
Hoover, Chupon 12, Sky Armor, Telstar, Vaporite, Ing, Brainpan, Bomb,
Still Life, Boxed Set, Mover, Aspik, Ghost, Dark Side, Crawly, Joker, Goblin,
Apparite, Peepers, Wyvern, Zombone, Cirpius, Gobbler, Harpiai, Drop, Mind Candy,
WeedFeeder, Over Grunk, Sky Cap, Land Worm, Chaser, Poplium, Misfit, Grenade,
Pan Dora, Parasite, Hipocampus, Spectre, Slurm, Outsider, Parasoul, Pm Stalker,
Poppers, Vindr, Rinn, Insecare, Black Drgn, Wirey Drgn, Psychot, Karkass,
Balloon, Spit Fire, Lich, Osprey, Bug, Aquila, Junk, Mandrake, Necromancr,
Trixter, Woolly, Veteran, Mega Armor, Vargas, Shiva, Ifrit, Number 128, Inferno,
Crane, Crane, Air Force, Tritoch, AtmaWeapon, Tentacle x4, Doom Gaze,
Chadarnook, Doom, Goddess, Poltrgeist, Kefka, Ultros 1234, Siegfried,
Blades 4, Kefka (Narshe), Storm Drgn, Skull Drgn, Piranha, Rizopas, Final
Battle Components, Naughty, Zone Eater, Atma
That's quite a list. What you need to remember is this, though: Suplex picks
an opponent from the ground and slams it, after leaping in the air, back into
it. Logic tells us that, for instance, flying enemies can't be picked up from
the ground. In summary, you can be almost entirely sure your Suplex attempt
will fail if the opponent is:
(PL means 'palette swap', meaning the sprite is the same, the colors (palette)
is different)
- Emerging from the ground in one way or another (Rhodox PL, Hoover PL, Crawly
PL, FossilFang PL, Trilium PL, Apokryphos PL, Cranes, Ultros 1, Doom, Goddess,
Poltrgeist, Tentacles)
- Attached to the wall or ceiling (Trapper PL, Still Life, Chadarnook)
- Attached to other 'monsters' (Number 128, Inferno, the four blades that go
with these bosses, Air Force, Laser Gun, MissileBay, all targets in the final
battle.
- Obviously flying as opposed to floating opponents (Joker PL, Pterodon PL,
Dark Wind PL, Vulture PL, Harpy PL, Hornet PL, CrassHoppr PL, Sky Armor PL,
Telstar PL, Veteran, Speck, Doom Gaze, Kefka)
- Weird opponents of which you kinda guessed they flew but couldn't be really
sure of (Whisper PL, Vaporite PL, Ing PL, Bomb PL, Boxed Set PL, Aspik PL,
Mover, Ghost PL, Naughty PL, AtmaWeapon PL)
- Fish throwing themselves out of a waterfall just to bite you in the knee
(Piranha PL)
- Miscellaneous: Chupon, Brainpan, Hipocampus, Outsider, Woolly, Mega Armor,
Vargas, Shiva, Ifrit, Tritoch, Ultros, Siegfried, Kefka (Narshe)
If you command Sabin to use Suplex in a monster formation which contains
monsters both susceptible and immune to Suplex, Sabin will always go for the
targets he can Suplex; in other words, Sabin will never miss unless he really
can't get anything done with Suplex.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bum Rush can be learned at level 70, but also through a plot-related event.
Spoilers ahoy:
In the WoR, you can find Duncan training by himself near Narshe. Enter his
house by finding the five trees that form a cross and enter the middle one.
By bringing Sabin, you'll see a cutscene in which Sabin completes his training.
When the cutscene is over, Sabin will know Bum Rush. He will not know any of
the other Blitz techniques he has yet to acquire, though.
Spoilers end.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.6 Cyan Garamonde
**********************************
Cyan (original: Cayenne) Garamonde
Knight
Vigor 40
Speed 28
Stamina 33 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 32)
Magic Power 25
Battle Power 25
Defense 48
Magic Defense 20
MBlock 1
Evade 6
Equipment: Katana, Helmet, Armor
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Ashura
L-Hand Buckler
Head Leather Hat
Body LeatherArmor
Age: 50
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 158 lbs.
Birthdate: January 3
Bloodtype: A
Hometown: Doma
Treasure: A watch with a picture of his family in it
Likes: Tradition
Dislikes: Machines
He keeps a collection of antique weapons
Cyan is the retainer to the King of Doma, King Doma (silly, isn't it?), and was
retainer to King Doma's father too. Doma has been at war with the Empire for a
while now, but the Empire hasn't made a full-scale attack on its castle yet.
Cyan has a wife, Elayne, and a son, Owain.
Special skill: SwdTech [SWDTECH-LINK]
Cyan can execute SwdTech skills by charging up. The bar will start at SwdTech 1
and will charge up to the most sophisticated SwdTech Cyan knows, ultimately 8,
and will start at 1 again. To pick a SwdTech, press the action button
when the SwdTech bar has reached the SwdTech you want to perform. New SwdTech
skills are learned as Cyan levels.
Level 1 - Dispatch - ST non-elemental, barrier-piercing attack
Level 6 - Retort - Allows the user to counter the next physical attack
directed at him with an ST magical, barrier-piercing attack.
Level 12 - Slash - ST attack that cuts the target's current HP by 50 % and
sets Seizure.
Level 15 - Quadra Slam - Four physical, non-elemental attacks
Level 24 - Empowerer - Drains HP and MP from a single target
Level 34 - Stunner - MT magical, non-elemental attack that also sets Stop
Level 44 - Quadra Slice - Four physical, non-elemental barrier-piercing attacks.
Level 70 - Cleave - MT attack that sets Wound and prevents final counters.
All SwdTech skills can also be acquired through a plot-related event.
Spoilers ahoy:
In the WoR, you can take Cyan (and three other characters) to the derelict Doma
Castle and sleep in one of the bedrooms. Cyan will not wake up, three demons
will leap into his mind to feast on his soul and you'll follow him. When the
dungeon is over, Cyan will have met his former demons and have cleared his soul
of its impurity and confusion. He will have obtained an Aura katana and have
learned all eight SwdTech skills, regardless of his level.
Spoilers end.
- In the Japanese version of the game, you can rename your SwdTech skills.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.7 Setzer Gabbiani
**********************************
Setzer Gabbiani
Gambler
Vigor 36 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 32)
Speed 32
Stamina 32 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 31)
Magic Power 29 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's
28)
Battle Power 18
Defense 48
Magic Defense 26
MBlock 1
Evade 9
Equipment Cards, Dice, Helmet, Armor
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Cards
L-Hand Mithril Shld
Head Bandana
Body Mithril Vest
Age: 27
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 106 lbs. (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide claims it's 136)
Birthdate: February 8
Blood Type: AB
Hometown: ??
Treasure: The "Blackjack"
Likes: Serious duels
Dislikes: Quitting, easily scared people
Setzer is often found playing Solitaire
When Setzer Gabbiani was about 18 years old, he wasn't the only airship pilot
in the world, and he wasn't a gambler either. Next to his Blackjack, there was
the Falcon, an airship owned by his friend Daryl. Their friendship and
simultaneous rivalry revolved around their airships.
One day, Daryl pulled an Icarus; in an attempt to go even higher, even faster,
she disappeared for a while. Much later, the wreck of the Falcon was found.
Setzer made a huge memorial for his friend near Kohlingen, and stored the
Falcon there as well.
Setzer is a very rich man who enjoys breaking a rule or two when it suits his
fancy. He's a big fan of operas, and especially has a thing for Maria, a famous
and gorgeous opera singer.
- Setzer is an albino.
- Setzer's facial scars are as a result from an airship crash.
- His first name is German and means 'he who places a bet'.
- While initially equipped with a Bandana, he can't actually equip it, so as
soon as you take it off you can't get it back on.
Special skill: Slot [SLOT-LINK]
Setzer is a gambler, but also, he's a Gambler. It's his Class. His weapons are
all game-based (either cards, darts or dice), and his special skill involves the
most prominent of Las Vegas imagery: the Slot machine. You spin it, you win it.
Most of the time, anyway. On a normal, losing spin, you get minor recovery. If
you're really unfortunate (as in, really, really unfortunate), you roll Snake
Eyes and cast Joker Doom on your own party.
Quick run-down to his abilities:
Three diamonds:
7-Flush
Non-elemental damage to all opponents
Three Chocobo's
Chocobop
Non-elemental barrier-piercing damage to all opponents that doesn't hit
Floating enemies
Three airships
H-Bomb
Non-elemental damage to all opponents. Stronger than 7-Flush.
Three dragons
Mega Flare
Non-elemental barrier-piercing damage to all opponents. It's the same attack
you get when you summon the Esper Bahamut, which you won't get for a quite
some time.
Three BAR symbols
A random Esper is summoned, not including Odin and Raiden. There's a small
chance (1/25) this will produce Crusader, whose Purifier attack hits you as
well, meaning death early on.
7 - 7 - BAR
Joker Doom
Instant death to your entire party. Characters in the air from a Jump attack
are spared, and Life 3 restoration can prevent a Game Over.
Three 7's
Joker Doom
Instant death to the enemy party. There are some battles where this cannot
be rolled.
Anything else
Lagomorph
Small amount of restoration to the entire party. Also cures Dark, Poison
and Sleep.
7-Flush and Chocobop, the weakest attacks Setzer can produce, can be rolled
under any circumstance. The other attacks can be impossible to obtain in
certain situations despite the fact your timing is perfect. It can be
complicated for some, and due to its technical nature, I don't think it has a
place in this document. Master ZED's Slot ability Guide covers it most
thoroughly; try to find it.
For even more information: [SLOT-LINK2]
- The WoB Ragnarok trick
How does WoR equipment in the WoB sound to you? Fire absorption where you
really aren't supposed to be able to do it? Sounds good? Don't get your hopes
up...
The WoB Ragnarok trick is, in reality, an illusion. It's possible, yes. It
doesn't exploit bugs, no. But the odds are so astronomically small that even
when you're abusing Save States on an emulator, you're likely to spend hours
getting it to work. The pay-off can be very nice but it still isn't worth it.
This is the trick: Magicite and Setzer's 3-BAR summons a random Esper, which
can include any Esper except for Odin and Raiden. Ergo, there's a small chance
that Ragnarok will be summoned (1 in 25). Some WoB monsters will transform into
nice items. Examples:
Crystal equipment from ProtoArmor
Striker, Assassin or Trump from Ninja
Marvel Shoes from SlamDancer
Flame Shld from Chimera, Grenade and Bomb
Ogre Nix from HadesGigas
I think the most useful items here are Flame Shlds and Marvel Shoes, although
the others wouldn't hurt your cause whatsoever.
Why is this only in theory? Let's calculate:
I'm skipping Setzer's odds at landing 3-BAR, as it's a variable factor anyway,
and if you want to execute this trick no matter what your sanity says, you'll
want to go with Magicite.
4 % (Ragnarok odds)
12.5 % (odds that Ragnarok actually hits one of these critters)
25 % (good item odds, as in the case of Marvel Shoes/Flame Shld and Ogre Nix,
the other 75 % will get you a Tonic)
The final odds are 0.125 % of getting the item you desire. That's 1 in 800.
Assuming you can use all items (ProtoArmor/Ninja), that's 0.5 %, or 1 in 200.
Note: Just because I'm horrible like that, I once managed to land a Crystal
Helmet against a ProtoArmor on the Veldt after half an hour. I also have a
failed attempt at a Flame Shld on my record; I give up after about an hour of
trying.
So, like I said, while the trick makes for interesting trivia, only a dog of a
man would scrape an advantage out of this trick, like leftovers from a plate.
- The Echo Screen/Joker Doom trick.
To properly explain this trick (and for you to understand it completely), I'll
have to get a little technical. If you want the full version, go visit
masterzed.cavesofnarshe.com and find Master ZED's Slot ability Guide. For the
very, very short version:
All Slot attacks other than 7-Flush, Chocobop and Lagomorph (H-Bomb, Sun Flare,
BAR-BAR-BAR and the two Joker Doom attacks) can randomly not be used as the
game will skip over the necessary slot outcome, even if your timing is perfect.
To determine if an attack is allowed or not, the game uses a little routine
called an RNG: a Random Number Generator. Think of it as a pair of dice. Not the
fuzzy kind for you car, mind you (although those are awesome).
The problem is, a microprocessor (the little thingy that makes the game work)
is purely logical, and there's nothing random about it. Instead, the 'RNG' is
affected by certain spell animations. Every battle, the RNG starts at 00.
Certain RNG values allow certain attacks. 00 allows nothing. This is why you
will NEVER use Joker Doom as the first attack in a battle, EVER.
For H-Bomb and BAR-BAR-BAR, half of the RNG values will allow it.
For Sun Flare, one quarter of the RNG values will allow it.
For Joker Doom the Good and Joker Doom the Bad, only 3.125 % will allow it;
that's eight values out of the possible 256.
Echo Screen and Smoke Bomb are the only two attacks you will be able to use
that set the RNG from its original position of 00 to a position that allows
EVERY Slot outcome, including Joker Doom. Obviously, Smoke Bomb tends to make
you run away, so Echo Screen is the more canonized version of the trick. If you
make sure no other influential spell animation has been used between using
the Echo Screen and initiating Slot, the only thing you'll need to worry about
is timing.
Again: this is just the poor man's version of the explanation. I really suggest
you go read Master ZED's document.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.8 Shadow
**********************************
Shadow (real name: Clyde Arrowny)
Ninja
Vigor 39
Speed 38
Stamina 30
Magic Power 33
Battle Power 23
Defense 47
Magic Defense 25
MBlock 9
Evade 28
Equipment: Ninja Sword, Hat, Light Armor
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Imperial
L-Hand
Head
Body Ninja Gear
Age: ?? (at least older than 25, most likely somewhere between 35 and 40)
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 145 lbs.
Birthdate: ??
Bloodtype: ??
Hometown: ??
Treasure: A watch with somebody's picture in it
Likes: Hard-boiled eggs
Dislikes: Dreams
Clyde Arrowny was a thief who one day over-did it when he robbed a train of
one million GP together with his partner, Baram. At this point Baram thought of
the name Shadow for Clyde, but Clyde did not use it. While escaping with the
loot, Baram was wounded and asked Clyde to kill him, as he did not want to be
captured. Clyde couldn't bring himself to do this and ran off. Later, a weakened
Clyde arrived in Thamasa. A period of time passed in which Clyde befriended the
dog Interceptor. Eventually, he left Thamasa, as he wanted Interceptor and
'the girl' to live in peace. Interceptor followed him, though.
Since then, the mercenary Shadow has walked the earth, earning money wherever
he can. Shadow is known for his ruthlessness and the company of his dog, which
mauls anyone that dares to come near it.
Special skill: Throw [THROW-LINK]
When Shadow Throws a weapon, it's gone for good. Don't worry though; there are
three kinds of Shuriken specially designed for Throwing:
Shuriken (Battle Power: 86)
Ninja Star (Battle Power: 132)
Tack Star (Battle Power: 190)
When a weapon is thrown, it will become barrier-piercing, Row-ignoring and
Unblockable and deal twice as much damage as it normally would with these
properties. All special properties of the weapon thrown are disregarded, but
elemental features still apply.
There are also five scrolls for Shadow to 'Throw', which allow him to use the
ancient Ninjutsu magic:
Fire Skean - MT magical, Fire-elemental attack
Water Edge - MT magical, Water-elemental attack
Bolt Edge - MT magical, Lightning-elemental attack
Shadow Edge - sets Image on the user
Inviz Edge - sets Clear on the user
Special status: Dog Block [INTERCEPTOR-LINK]
Shadow travels the world with his dog, Interceptor. Interceptor will be a
random ally in-battle, and will make Shadow's appeal even greater when it comes
to killing things most efficiently.
When it has been decided that a physical attack would normally hit Shadow,
after taking into account Clear (but before Golem, Image and Magic Block),
there's a 50 % chance that Interceptor will block a physical attack for you.
If you actually get an Interceptor block animation, there's a 50 % chance that
Interceptor will use a counter-attack (but never against another character):
Takedown is an ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing attack (1/2). Will
not hit Floating enemies.
Wild Fang is an ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing attack (1/2). Will
not hit Floating enemies. Stronger than Takedown.
Interceptor is considered to have a Defense of 192 for purpose of damage
calculation, but unlike Golem, he will never run out of HP.
There's only one instance where Interceptor will not cover for Shadow, and
this is the Floating Continent, as Interceptor is in Thamasa at the time.
Also, due to a bug in the Rippler move, it's possible to swap Dog block to
a monster or another character! Monsters that use Rippler are Reach Frog and
Blue Dragon. If you kill the monster in question before you use Rippler
yourself, the Interceptor will be GONE from the battlefields. FOREVER.
However, by using Rippler on a monster that used Rippler itself or setting
Muddled on somebody who is about to use Rippler can make any character obtain
Shadow's Dog Block status. Shadow will never regain Interceptor and the
character in question will never lose Interceptor. Unless, obviously, you
choose to mess with Rippler again and you swap him to another character/back to
Shadow.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.9 Gau
**********************************
Gau
Wild Child
Vigor 44 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 15)
Speed 38 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 16)
Stamina 36 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 14)
Magic Power 34 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's
21)
Battle Power 99
Defense 44
Magic Defense 34
MBlock 18
Evade 21
Equipment: Hat, Light Armor
Starting equipment:
R-Hand
L-Hand
Head
Body
Age: 13
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 110 lbs.
Birthdate: April 5
Blood Type: B
Hometown: The Veldt
Treasure: A teddy bear he was holding when he was thrown onto the Veldt
Likes: Shiny things
Dislikes: Clothes, especially formal clothes
Gau was born in a dysfunctional house. His father was unstable and an alcoholic,
and his mother passed away at birth. Something in the mind of Gau's father
snapped at the sight of his son, and he 'realized' the mother of his child had
given birth to a monster. Horrified, he took the baby to the Veldt, where all
other monsters breed. He abandoned the kid there, and over the years told
himself it had all been a dream.
Gau, in the meantime, did not die; he was accepted and raised by the monsters
of the Veldt. Although life on the Veldt is a never-ending struggle for
food, it has merely honed his battle skills. On occasion, he steals shiny
things from the nearby village Mobliz.
- Gau distinctly dislikes being anywhere but solid land. He doesn't like being
either in or on water, and flying is much the same.
Special skill: Rage and Leap [RAGE-LINK]
Short version (only, in reality, the longer):
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/final_fantasy_iii_rage_a.txt
Long version (only, in reality, the shorter):
When selecting Rage by using the arrow keys (yes, they're used in this game)
and actually using the action button, a menu screen will appear where you can
pick between every Rage you have. Select one, and watch how Gau and/or Gogo
gets into a killing frenzy, randomly switching between a normal Battle command
and a special attack every turn, automatically, until the Rage user is either
killed or victorious. At first glance.
There is a Rage for pretty much every random encounter monster in the game,
and even a few odd bosses here and there. Every Rage is named after its
corresponding monster. There is the Brawler monster at Mt. Koltz, and there is
the Brawler Rage. When Gau or Gogo selects the Brawler Rage, he will become
the Brawler in several aspects. Not only will he randomly perform a specific
attack 50 % of the time, he will adopt elemental attributes, inherent statuses,
and special properties of this monster. Confused yet?
Let's look at Brawler. This monster absorbs Poison-elemental attacks.
As soon as Gau takes his first turn in this Rage, he will start absorbing
Poison. Elemental properties are always handled in such a way that the most
positive outcome for the target is determined, not counting ForceField
(which rules all) and having no special treatment, which is always
overruled. So, if Gau's equipment says he should absorb Ice-elemental
attacks, yet his Rage says he should be weak against it, the absorbing will
prevail. In other words:
ForceField --> Absorbing --> nullify --> 50 % damage --> weakness
Let's look at another monster. Let's look at Apokryphos, a
creature from the Floating Continent. This monster is immune to certain status
ailments. For Apokryphos, these status ailments are: Zombie, Poison, Imp,
Condemned, Near Fatal, Berserk, and Muddled. Upon entering the Apokryphos Rage,
Gau and/or Gogo will become immune to these status ailments as well,
effectively protecting him from every single one of these life-threatening
ailments without having to sacrifice a Relic slot. The status ailments Rage
can protect against are: Dark, Zombie, Poison, Clear, Imp, Petrify, Condemned,
Near Fatal, Image, Mute, Berserk, Muddled, Seizure, Sleep, Slow, Stop and
finally Wound.
Note that Death protection doesn't really include being immortal. Death
protection will grant Gau the same effects Relm and Shadow receive from
the Memento Ring (and every character from the Safety Bit): he will be immune
to death-based attacks such as Demi, Missile, and Dischord. Also, note that some
of these sudden status protections will appear more positive than negative
(Clear, Image, Berserk). You'll have to live with it :)
I told you about special properties, right? The properties I was talking about
are these three: Die if MP = 0, Human, and Undead.
Die if MP = 0 is a pesky property that you don't really want but isn't really
harmful either. When the MP of the Rage user reaches 0 by means of an MP
attack (Rasp, Osmose), the Death status will automatically be set.
A grand total of two enemies I can come up with use Rasp, so you should
have no fear.
Human is a very slight property that only comes into play when somebody
somehow targets the Rage user with the Man Eater, as he'll take double
damage. That's all there is to it. In all my play-throughs I have never had his
happen, so let's pretend this feature isn't there, okay?
Undead is the most annoying one. Becoming Undead will give the Rage user some
advantages, and in some rare situations it's a good thing. The undead Rage
user will not die from Doom, enemy Roulette, the Reaper that comes with
Condemned and any strike with the Assassin/Striker/Wing Edge/Trump but instead
will be fully healed by it. The downside, however, is that curative spells
will now harm the undead Rage user. Those spells that will heal regardless of
being undead or not are:
Pep Up
Lagomorph
The Dried Meat Item
Fight command with the Heal Rod
Tapir (only when the target has the 'Sleep' status)
All others, such as Cure/Cure2/Cure3, Pearl Wind, and Mantra will damage Gau,
and given the nature of healing spells they will kill him very quickly. Be
aware.
Let's look at Brawler yet again. The monster is always under the
influence of the Berserk status. As soon as Gau or Gogo selects this Rage, the
Berserk status is applied to the Rage user. A Rage-inflicted status (ailment)
is not removable/curable. A status protection Relic will prevent Rage-
inflicted status ailments coming into play, though. Should Gau or Gogo have
been wearing a Ribbon or Peace Ring, the auto-Berserk would not have been
applied. Both positive and negative statuses are applied in some cases.
Templar benefits from auto-Safe, and Enuo suffers from auto-Seizure. Status
ailments are often hardly more than a small annoyance, beneficial statuses is
what it's all about in some battles.
There is yet another thing that the Rage user receives, and it's the
Special attack. Some Rages will have no spell for the second attack, but
instead have the monster's Special. This Special can vary from status-
infliction (Primordite's Numblade causes 'Stop', Mind Candy's SleepSting
causes 'Sleep') to a physical attack stronger than Battle (Hornet's IronNeedle
is 1.5 times stronger than Battle, Stray Cat's Catscratch is 4 times stronger
than Battle). Obviously, Gau will be doing this monster?s Special attack
should his Rage force him to do so.
Every monster
has a 'weapon' of which the graphic is shown. This weapon is also placed on
a Rager. Note that this does not, in any way, have an influence of the power
of the physical attack itself. Some monsters use a Trident, other use a
Partisan; the latter is not stronger then the first when you see it on a
Rager.
So, this is what the Rage user receives. To be clear, the Rage user does *not*
take over:
- Any kind of statistic, including Evade and Magic Block
- Stolen items
- Control and Sketch attacks
- Morph items
- AI Script
The Rage user stays in the monster-induced frenzy until the battle is over or
the Rage user is Petrified or killed. Also, Rippler can take away
the 'Rage' status, which causes the Rage user to stop with the frenzy thing.
Look at the bugs section for more info about that.
So, to be perfectly clear, let me sum it all up:
- Two attacks, of which one is always Battle
- Elemental properties, which are placed alongside of the existing ones
- Status protection, which are placed alongside of the existing ones, with
Death Protection being the exception.
- Inherent statuses/status ailments, which can be prevented by means of status
protection
- Special properties, which include Die if MP = 0, Human, and Undead, which
replace the current
special properties.
- Special attack
- Weapon graphic, which replaces the current weapon graphic, unless the held
weapon is Dice or Fixed Dice. The effect and strength of the weapon are not
affected in any way.
A list of all Rages, their attacks, and elemental properties alone would
be far too large. If you want a good guide, try my Rage Guide, as it's
specifically designed in all its 300 KB splendor to explain it:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/final_fantasy_iii_rage_a.txt
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.10 Celes Chere
**********************************
Celes Chere
Rune Knight
Vigor 34 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 31)
Speed 34 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 31)
Stamina 31
Magic Power 36 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's
29)
Battle Power 16
Defense 44
Magic Defense 31
MBlock 9
Evade 7
Equipment: Sword, Knight Sword, Helmet, Armor
Starting equipment:
R-Hand
L-Hand
Head Hair Band
Body
Age: 18
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 128 lbs.
Birthdate: March 10
Blood Type: B
Hometown: Vector
Treasure: a rose brooch Cid del Norte Marquez gave her, called Celes itself
Likes: Books
Dislikes: Weak men
Celes is often found chatting with Cid or making rose brooches
We don't know a lot about Celes, actually. She was artificially created as a
warrior of the Empire, but not as a MagiTek knight: more as a Mage Knight. She
was given magical power at a certain point in her life, but has never known it
came from Espers.
She is a general to the Empire, but how she got there at the age of 18 is a
mystery. She led the attack into Maranda, and was practically raised by
Cid, who loves her like a (grand)-daughter.
- Celes knows about the existence of Terra.
Special skill: Runic [RUNIC-LINK]
Runic disables Celes as a character, and sets her up as an advanced Lightning
Rod: any Magic will be absorbed by her Runic blade and converted into MP. The
only drawbacks here are that Celes can't act and the fact that should Celes have
absorbed the spell in the first place by means of elemental properties (say, she
absorbs Ice 2 by means of her Ice Shield), absorbing it with the Runic blade
will damage her MP.
When Celes has absorbed a spell, she won't absorb any other spells until you
command her to use Runic again.
Also, take note that Celes will be more than happy to absorb Magic your own
characters cast.
The spells that Celes can absorb are:
Any Magic spell BUT:
Meteor
Quake
W Wind
Merton
Warp
Quick
And she can absorb the following monster attacks:
Megazerk
Blaster
Atomic Ray
Tek Laser
Diffuser
Mega Volt
Giga Volt
50 Gs
N. Cross
HyperDrive
Disaster
Shimsham
Scar Beam
Fire Wall
Celes is also one of the two characters who learn natural magic due to her
unique upbringing:
Level 1 - Ice
Level 4 - Cure
Level 8 - Antdot
Level 13 - Imp
Level 18 - Scan
Level 22 - Safe
Level 26 - Ice 2
Level 32 - Haste & Muddle
Level 40 - Bserk
Level 42 - Ice 3
Level 48 - Vanish
Level 52 - Haste2
Level 72 - Pearl
Level 81 - Flare
Level 98 - Meteor
- If Celes reaches or passes level 32 when she's not in your party at the time,
she will not learn Muddle at that level, nor will she at another level unless
equipped with Stray. If you recruit her for the first time at a level of 32
or higher, she will know Muddle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.11 Relm Arrowny
**********************************
Relm Arrowny
Artist
Vigor 26 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 10)
Speed 34 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 13)
Stamina 22 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 11)
Magic Power 44 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's
34)
Battle Power 11
Defense 35
Magic Defense 30
MBlock 9
Evade 13
Equipment: Paint Brush, Rod, Hat, Stuffed Toy
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Chocobo Brsh
L-Hand Mithril Shld
Head Plumed Hat
Body Silk Robe
Relic1 Memento Ring
Age: 10
Height: 5'0"
Weight: 88 lbs.
Birthdate: September 9
Blood Type: B
Hometown: Thamasa
Treasure: a ribbon made by her mother
Likes: Pancakes with syrup and eggs
Dislikes: Caterpillars, big people
Relm loves to paint pictures, and she collects ribbons.
Relm has lived in Thamasa all her life, and is quite used to the concept of
magic. She herself has the amazing skill of bringing everything she paints to
life and making it do what she wants. Also, she curses like a sailor.
Relm lives with Strago Magus, whom she considers her grandfather. She
knows he isn't her family, though. Relm's father ran away when she was little,
and her mother has died. To remember her mother by, she has a ribbon she made
and a special ring.
- In the Japanese version of the game, her cursing was much worse.
- The reason she can control monsters is quite simple: she knows their name.
- In the Japanese game, she refers to herself in the third person: "No fair to
Relm..." "Relm will paint their portraits", etc.
Special skill: Sketch [SKETCH-LINK]
Relm's ability is Sketch, and I dare say it's the worst ability in the game.
What it does is this: It takes the target's Vigor or Magic Power, and uses one
of the two attacks every monster has in their Sketch listing with those stats.
Not only does that mean that what Sketch brings up is unpredictable and
untargetable, monster stats also plain suck (Locke has a Magic Power of 28 when
its not boosted by anything, your average monster has 10). On top of that, a
lot of, say, Fire-elemental monsters will obviously produce Fire-elemental
Sketch attacks, which they absorb, and sometimes the Sketch attack is something
like Exploder.
If you really want to know when Sketch actually is useful, make sure to take
a quick glance at my Sketch Guide: it deserves props for other things than
the intro, darn it:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/final_fantasy_iii_sketch.txt
Relm is a character you have to make proud by giving her a lot of nice Espers.
She has the highest starting Magic Power in the game, and her equips are
very nice (and will be even nicer later on). So just because Sketch blows chunks
you shouldn't dismiss Relm. However, unless there's a large chance the attack in
question is an instant-death attack or one with fixed damage or a useful
status ailment, Sketch probably isn't worth the turn.
Also, there's the infamous SKETCH BUG. What's that all about? Master ZED,
leading authority on FF VI blunders and one heck of a guy has the following
to say about it:
The infamous Sketch bug -
Follow this link; http://masterzed.cavesofnarshe.com/GameDocs/ff3sktch.txt
If not, here's the short of it; the Sketch bug occurs whenever you miss an
enemy with Sketch. What happens is that the game loads up a pointer from an
unknown spot in the ROM and uses it to load a monster sprite even though
there's no point because it missed. The unknown spot is dictated by offset
7E:20FF/7E:2100 in the RAM, which is part of the first character's in-battle
spell list, the 28th spell to be exact. 7E:20FF is an unknown byte that also
serves as the byte that dictates whether a spell is greyed out, and 7E:2100 is
the spell's aiming byte. Normally, this bug produces nothing, but under the
correct circumstances, the game will go haywire from this bad sprite loading.
The effects range from messed up item lists, equipment changes, town/dungeon PC
sprite glitches, blackouts, freezeups, intense graphic glitches, etc. This can
be seen rather easily when Mute or a spell with the same aiming type is in slot
28, and Sketch misses. There are coincidentally three known methods of seeing
the bug in FF3us v1.0 with Mute and the like; normal, being an Imp at the
beginning of battle, and becoming an Imp in battle. So long as the first
character casts no spells, the unknown byte will only change from Imp
transformations, so the bug is easy to get. Beware, however, that the bug
could erase your saves on the cart, so usage there is *NOT* encouraged by
myself. For further information, check my Sketch bug guide, linked to above.
This bug also exists in FF6j SFC, however there is no known method of getting
the game to go haywire yet. When that is found, the Sketch bug guide will be
the first of these two guides to be updated.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.12 Strago Magus
**********************************
Strago (Stragos) Magus
Lore Master
Vigor 28 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 9)
Speed 25 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 9)
Stamina 19 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims it's 9)
Magic Power 34 (Nintendo's Final Fantasy III Player's Guide falsely claims
it's 31)
Battle Power 10
Defense 33
Magic Defense 27
MBlock 7
Evade 6
Equipment: Rod, Hat, Stuffed Toy, Lore
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Mithril Rod
L-Hand Mithril Shld
Head Plumed Hat
Body Cotton Robe
Age: 70
Height: 4'11"
Weight: 95 lbs.
Birthdate: June 13
Bloodtype: O
Hometown: Thamasa
Treasure: His monster costume collection
Likes: Monsters
Dislikes: Being treated like an "old timer"
Strago likes to make monster costumes
Strago is an inhabitant of the town of Thamasa, which makes him a direct
descendent of the Mage Warriors of yore.
Long ago, when Strago was young, he hunted down a legendary monster called
Hidon with his friend Gungho. Hidon is very hard to track down, and Strago
never succeeded in finding him. Hidon is currently living in Ebot's Rock, which
is submerged in the sea, and Strago has more or less given up on ever defeating
him.
Strago is raising little Relm Arrowny, the daughter of a friend of his. He's
doing a particularly poor job, which doesn't stop Relm and Strago from loving
each other to death.
- Strago has a wife called Lara who is 65 years old and is a Geomancer.
- Japanese credits claim Strago's name is 'Stragus'. Folly.
- In the Japanese game, Strago uses a lot of double lines, like 'she is in the
house, she is'.
Special skill: Lore [LORE-LINK]
Strago is the FF VI Blue Mage. His special skill is called Lore, with which he
can use several monster attacks. In order for him to learn these attacks, he
needs to be both present and conscious at the time of the enemy attack. This
means he won't learn new skills when he's suffering from Wound, Petrify, Zombie,
Dark, Sleep, Muddled, Stop and Freeze. What happens after he has correctly
witnessed the attack doesn't matter, be it Wound, Zombie or rheumatoid
arthritis.
Condemned - sets Condemned on a single target
Roulette - A cursor flies over all targets, and you get to decide at what
point it slows down. The target it stops at, be it friend or foe,
will die.
CleanSweep - MT magical, Water-elemental attack
Aqua Rake - MT magical, Wind/Water-elemental attack
Aero - MT magical, Wind-elemental attack
Blow Fish - Always deals 1000 damage to a single target
Big Guard - MT attack that sets Safe and Shell
Revenge - deals (caster's maximum HP - caster's current HP) damage to a
single target
Pearl Wind - MT healing move that heals for (caster's current HP)
L.5 Doom - sets Death to all opponents whose level is divisible by 5
L.4 Flare - a magical, non-elemental barrier-piercing attack to all opponents
whose level is divisible by 4
L.3 Muddle - sets Muddled to all opponents whose level is divisible by 3
Reflect??? - MT attack that sets Dark, Mute and Slow, but it will not target
any opponent without the Reflect status
L? Pearl - a magical, Pearl-elemental attack on all opponents whose level is
divisible by (last digit of party's amount of GP)
Step Mine - ST magical attack that deals (steps taken / 32) damage
ForceField - Completely nullifies a random element
Dischord - Halves the level of a single opponent
Sour Mouth - Sets Dark, Poison, Imp, Mute, Muddled and Sleep on a single target.
Pep Up - Completely heals the targets HP, MP and status, but the caster
dies
Rippler - Swaps all statuses between the caster and target
Stone - Optionally MT magical, non-elemental attack that sets Muddled.
Deals 7.5 as much damage if the caster's level equals the target's
level
Quasar - MT magical, non-elemental, barrier-piercing attack
GrandTrain - MT magical, non-elemental, barrier-piercing attack
Exploder - Deals (caster's current HP) damage to a single target, but kills
the caster
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.13 Emperor Gestahl
**********************************
Emperor Gestahl (original name: Ghastra)
Age: ??
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 156 lbs.
Birthdate: October 26
Bloodtype: B
Hometown: Vector
Likes: Power
Dislikes: Being told what to do
Has an art collection
Emperor Gestahl is your average evil dictator. He stands at the head of the
Empire, and lusts for continuously increasing power, preferably world domination
at the end of it all.
Gestahl has had the Empire attack Albrook, Tzen and Maranda, has issued the
attack on the Esper World and has generally caused everything that has made
the Empire appear evil to all outside of it.
As the head of the Empire, Emperor Gestahl has several people work under him.
Kefka Palazzo, general Leo Christophe, and general Celes Chere are his first
officers. He is allied with Figaro, and finds a rebel group in the Returners,
led by Banon.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.14 Kefka Palazzo
**********************************
Kefka Palazzo
Age: ??
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 105 lbs.
Birthdate: November 19
Bloodtype: AB
Likes: Mirrors
Dislikes: General Leo Christophe
Kefka likes to play with puppets
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Morning Star
L-Hand
Head Mithril Helm
Body Mithril Vest
Relic1 Ribbon
Not a lot is known about Kefka before his Magic infusion, as that's what
changed him into the infamous man he now is. Kefka was the first subject of
Magic infusion, and while the experiment was a success, it left him unstable
and, well, stark-raving mad.
Kefka is not a general, but has a lot of influence over the Emperor and is his
right-hand man. He holds a special grudge against Leo, who is the antithesis
of everything he himself is and is in rank still higher than Kefka.
- People wonder if his name is derived from Franz Kafka, the Jewish-German
writer whose works still boggle the minds of literary critics around the
world. I've read more Kafka than I care for and can safely say that even if
such is the case, there are no specific grounds for it.
- His last name is Italian. While some believe it means 'clown', the Italian
name for clown is 'pagliaccio'. Palazzo means 'castle'.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.15 Cid del Norte Marguez
**********************************
Cid del Norte Marguez
Age: 46
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 132 lbs.
Birthdate: May 27
Bloodtype: B
Likes: Meditation, Knowledge
Dislikes: Vulgar affairs, especially money
- Cid del Norte Marguez is a Spanish name.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.16 Leo Cristophe
**********************************
Leo Cristophe
Age: 30
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 182 lbs.
Birthdate: July 8
Bloodtype: O
Likes: Honor
Dislikes: Contemptible people
Leo likes to listen to music
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Crystal
L-Hand Aegis Shld
Head Gold Helmet
Body Gold Armor
Relic1 Atlas Armlet
Relic2 Offering
General Leo is a warrior's warrior. It's not quite clear what such a nice
fellow is doing in the highest ranks of the Empire. Not much is known about
Leo, other than the fact he refused a magic infusion when it was offered to
him.
- General Leo is the only colored man in this game, and as far as I know the
first to appear in the Final Fantasy games period.
Special skill: Shock
Shock is an MT magical, non-elemental attack.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.17 Banon
**********************************
Banon (original name: Bannan)
Age: 54
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 154 lbs.
Birthdate: October 23
Bloodtype: A
Likes: Peace
Dislikes: Chaos
Banon reads a lot (apparently, this includes Greek mythology ;) )
Starting equipment:
R-Hand Punisher
L-Hand
Head Magus Hat
Body Silk Robe
Banon is the leader of the Returners. He has been for a while now. Why exactly
he hates the Empire enough to live in caves is unknown.
- Banon is a priest, and his supernatural healing abilities are from a divine
source (Health was more like 'Pray' in the Japanese game).
Special skill: Health
Health makes Banon cast Cure 2 on the entire party, which makes it an MT healing
move. Unlike Cure 2 though, it's blue.
**********************************
7.0 Game mechanics; real quick, I promise
**********************************
Table of Contents:
7.1 Desperation Attacks
7.2 Status effects
7.3 Statistics
7.4 Battle Timing
7.5 Running
7.6 MagiTek
7.7 Battle formations
A final section can be found in the World of Ruin walkthrough document, which
can be found here:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/final_fantasy_iii_l_2.txt
Table of Contents:
7.8 Metamorph
[BATTLE-LINK]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.1 Desperation attacks
**********************************
One of the more hidden gimmicks of this game is the Desperation attack; if
you're a forum-browsing brother you'll be certain to come across it every now
and then; if you're just playing the game you're likely to have missed it
entirely or, when you come across it, be entirely too flabbergasted to make
any sense out of it.
If a character is in Near Fatal status, which under all normal circumstances
means he or she is crouching down and has less than 1/8 of his/her maximum HP,
there's a 1 in 16 chance he or she will perform an attack based on his/her inner
strength, the Desperation Attack when he or she selects the Fight command.
- Characters under the effects of Muddled, Image, Clear, and/or Zombie will
never perform a Desperation attack.
- If the battle hasn't lasted for about 25 seconds/13 Condemned intervals, no
Desperation attack will be used.
- If the character in question has already used his/her DA, he/she won't do it
again.
Terra - Riot Blade - Deals ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing damage
Locke - Mirager - Deals ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing damage
Cyan - Back Blade - Deals ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing damage
Shadow - Shadow Fang - Deals ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing damage,
also sets Seizure
Edgar - Royal Shock - Deals ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing damage
Sabin - Tiger Break - Deals ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing damage
Celes - Spin Edge - Deals ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing damage
Strago - Sabre Soul - Sets Death, misses targets immune to ID
Relm - Star Prism - Sets Death, misses targets immune to ID
Setzer - Red Card - Deals ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing damage
Mog - MoogleRush - Deals ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing damage
Gogo - X-Meteo - Deals ST magical non-elemental barrier-piercing damage
Obviously, any damaging DA is sickeningly powerful. The strongest DA,
MoogleRush, has the exact same power as an ST Ultima spell, which is the
strongest spell in the game and is said to completely ruin any challenge the
game possesses.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2 Status effects
**********************************
Table of Contents:
7.2.1 Dark
7.2.2 Zombie
7.2.3 Poison
7.2.4 Clear
7.2.5 Imp
7.2.6 Petrify
7.2.7 Condemned
7.2.8 Near Fatal
7.2.9 Image
7.2.10 Mute
7.2.11 Berserk
7.2.12 Muddled
7.2.13 Seizure
7.2.14 Psyche/Sleep
7.2.15 Regen
7.2.16 Slow
7.2.17 Haste
7.2.18 Stop
7.2.19 Shell
7.2.20 Safe
7.2.21 Reflect
7.2.22 Freeze
7.2.23 Life 3
7.2.24 Float
7.2.25 Hide
7.2.26 Wound
Status effects are the weapon of the experienced. Just because Sabin's Pummel
packs a bunch doesn't mean a well-timed Sleep spell can't cripple your enemy
twice as hard. Sadly, most tend to ignore the usage of status effects and
pout when their characters are hit by it.
Following is a detailed introduction to all status effects worthy of mentioning.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.1 Dark
**********************************
Due to a bug in the game, Dark does nothing. It was supposed to reduce the
Hit Rate of a character's/monster's physical attacks by 50 %, but it doesn't
now. Its only effect is preventing Strago from learning Lores.
Dark lingers after combat and can be healed by using an Eyedrop, a Remedy, the
Remedy spell or using a Tent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.2 Zombie
**********************************
On characters:
Characters that suffer from Zombie are considered 'dead' in terms of Game Over.
HP is dropped to 0 and healing spells have no effect. Characters under Zombie
will still use attacks (the same as Berserked characters; Fight, Jump, Capture,
Rage and Magitek). They will randomly attack either an ally/allies or
opponent(s). On every Fight command a character under Zombie makes, he/she
has a 1/16 chance of inflicting Dark and a 1/16 of inflicting Poison, never
both. When Zombie is set, Dark, Poison, Clear, Near Fatal, Berserk, Muddled
and Sleep will be automatically removed. Zombie will prevent characters from
benefitting from/using the Black Belt or True Knight Relics, prevent Strago
from learning Lores and Desperation Attacks will not be executed.
On monsters:
Monsters that suffer from Zombie are considered 'dead' in terms of battle won.
HP is dropped to 0 and healing spells have no effect. Monsters under Zombie will
still continue with their normal AI script and become invisible and normally
untargetable. They will randomly attack either an ally/allies or opponent(s).
When Zombie is set, Dark, Poison, Clear, Near Fatal, Berserk, Muddled and
Sleep will be automatically removed.
Zombie lingers after combat and can be healed by using a Revivify. Tents do
not remove the Zombie status.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.3 Poison
**********************************
The Poison status deals Poison-elemental damage to its target. The Poison
status cannot be set if the target nullifies the Poison element, regardless of
actual protection from the Poison status. The damage can be nulled by nulling
the element mid-battle somehow, and can be absorbed if the target absorbs the
Poison element.
While a character is poisoned, they will periodically take poison damage.
The amount of damage done by poison is calculated as follows:
Max Damage = (Max HP * stamina / 1024) + 2 (if this value is greater than
255 it is set to 255)
Damage = Max Damage * ([224..255]) / 256
For characters, it's the above formula with Damage = Damage / 2.
The damage output gets another added damage multiplier every time damage is
taken (* 2, * 3, * 4, etcetera). The limit is * 8.
Poison damage is randomly taken every interval (see Battle Timing at 7.4)
12.5 % of the time.
Poison lingers after combat and can be healed by using an Antidote, a Remedy,
casting the Antdot spell, the Remedy spell or by using a Tent.
Outside of combat, the amount of damage done per step is : (Max HP / 32). With
every step the screen will spazz out on you. Poison outside of combat will
never actually kill a person, and he or she will always remain on 1 HP while
walking.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.4 Clear
**********************************
The Clear status makes all physical attacks miss. All magical attacks will
ignore Hit Rate/Magic Block and (due to a bug), will also allow magical attacks
to hit regardless of Death Protection (Vanish/Doom) or Death status
(Vanish/Life2). Clear status will be removed if a magical attack connects.
Clear overrides the Reflect status; if both are applied spells that would
normally bounce off of the Reflect status will connect.
Spells that miss on characters with Clear status (L.4 Flare on targets with
unsuitable levels, Quake on Floating targets, etc.) will miss but still remove
the Clear status. Characters with the Clear status will never make use of the
True Knight Relic or use Desperation Attacks.
Clear lingers after combat and can be removed by casting a spell on them that
has effect (spells like Cure on a character at full health will not remove the
Clear status) or by using a Tent. Dispel specifically has the power to remove
Clear, but since it's a magical spell, its power is wasted in that aspect.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.5 Imp
**********************************
On characters:
The Imp status gives the afflicted the appearance of a Kappa water spirit in
battle, but not out of battle. The Imp status will grey out every command but
Fight, Jump, X-Magic, Magic and Item. From the Magic and X-Magic commands, only
the Imp spell is selectable.
Imps benefit from the Defense and Battle Power of the following pieces of
equipment: Imp Halberd, TortoiseShld, Titanium, Imp's Armor. Imps do not benefit
from the Defense and Battle Power of all other pieces of equipment, including
Fists. 1 is added to both Defense and Battle Power instead.
Imp lingers after combat and can be removed by a Green Cherry, a Remedy, the
Imp spell (can be used outside of combat) or by using a Tent.
On monsters:
The Imp status doesn't necessarily change the monster into a Kappa water spirit,
this only happens when the monster is hit by the Imp spell. Imp prevents most of
the attack of the monsters and replaces them with Battle attacks. Attacks not
prevented are: Items, Throw, Storm, and attacks normally used by Mog when he
is Dancing. The Imp spell can also be executed by monsters afflicted by Imp.
The Imp status reduces the Battle Power of the afflicted monster to 1. Some
monsters retain their complete Battle Power though, and do automatic critical
hits as well. These monsters are:
Retainer, Brawler, Were-Rat, Ursus, Rhinotaur, Fidor, Baskervor, Siegfried,
HadesGigas, Pug, Figaliz, Buffalax, General, Covert, Iron Fist, Slatter, Rhinox,
Tusker, Ralph, Chitonid, Spek Tor, Sp Forces, Scrapper, Ceritops, Vermin, Bogy,
Adamanchyt, Chaos Drgn, Borras, Gold Bear, Pugs, Dadaluma, Number 024,
SrBehemoth (living) and Naughty.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.6 Petrify
**********************************
Petrified characters and monsters are considered dead. Petrified monsters
become invisible and untargetable. Petrified characters will still be targeted
by monster attacks. Petrified targets will never evade attacks but will never
take damage. The only exception to this is the Atma Weapon; when struck by this
sword a petrified target will lose 1 HP. When Petrify is set, the following
statuses will be removed: Dark, Zombie, Poison, Clear, Image, Mute, Berserk,
Muddled, Seizure, Sleep. A petrified character is also immune to these statuses
as long as he stays Petrified.
Petrify stops the ATB bar and stops every effect of an interval (see Battle
Timing at 6.4). This means that Petrified characters will not get a chance to
run away, the Condemned timer will not decrease, Poison, Regen and Seizure
effects won't be felt and Reflect, Freeze and Sleep intervals won't be
decreased.
Petrified characters cannot be picked up by Palidor's Sonic Dive or absorb
spells with Runic. Strago cannot learn Lores when he suffers from Petrify.
A Petrified character will never use the Black Belt or True Knight Relics.
Petrify lingers after battle and can be healed with a Soft, a Remedy, the Remedy
spell or by using a Tent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.7 Condemned
**********************************
Characters under Condemned get a timer over their head. When the timer expires,
an unblockable Doom spell will be cast on the target. If the target is protected
from Instant Death attacks, it will survive the outcome of the timer; if the
target is undead, it will be healed.
The amount of intervals before the Doom spell is activated is determined as
followed:
Value of timer = 81 - a random number from level of caster to ((2 * level of
caster) - 1)
If this value is less than 21 then the countdown is set to 20 instead
The timer is reduced by 1 every interval (see Battle Timing at 7.4).
If the Condemned status is inherent (in other words, inflicted by the Cursed
Ring or Cursed Shld), the 'level of caster' will be set to 20, meaning that
the timer'll be a random number between 60 and 41.
Condemned does not linger after combat and cannot be removed by any conventional
way of healing; only Spiraler, Tapir, Wild Bear and Pep Up can remove Condemned.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.8 Near Fatal
**********************************
Near Fatal is a status that is automatically set when a character drops below
1/8 of his/her maximum HP and automatically removed when he/she rises above it.
The character will crouch down in battle, and have a chance at a Desperation
Attack. Since it's not a strategic status but a way for the game to check if
you can use DA's, it cannot be removed by other means than increasing your
amount of current HP.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.9 Image
**********************************
Image will make you immune to all physical attacks that aren't unblockable or
coming from an opponent that hits you from behind. Every physical attack that
is evaded has a 25 % chance of removing the Image status. Characters under
influence of Image will never use a Desperation Attack. If the character in
question also has Sleep, Freeze or Stop set, Image will do nothing. If the
character in question is waiting to use Retort when he's hit by a physical
attack, Image will do nothing.
Image does not linger after battle and can be removed by Dispel.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.10 Mute
**********************************
Mute greys out the Magic and Lore commands on characters and makes it
impossible to use any Magic spell, Lore or monster attack that consumes MP to
cast. It doesn't stop spells without an MP cost (such as Sneeze) and has no
effect on weapons that consume MP to create automatic criticals (Rune Edge,
etc.) If a spell is cast by means of Rage and Sketch, the spells will not be
executed unless the spell has no MP cost.
Mute does not linger after battle and can be healed with an Echo Screen, a
Remedy item and the Remedy spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.11 Berserk
**********************************
Berserk makes a character uncontrollable. The character will only use the
following commands: Fight, Jump, Capture, Rage and Magitek (randomly Fire Beam,
Ice Beam or Bolt Beam), or the attack that the character was about to use when
he was Berserked. Even if the Fight command wasn't an option from the menu, a
Fight command is still added to the list of possible commands used (but not
while riding a Magitek Armor). Any physical attack gets a 50 % boost in damage.
Monsters afflicted by Berserk will do nothing but use Battle attacks. Berserk
prevents a character from learning Lores.
Berserk does not linger after battle and can be removed with the Dispel spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.12 Muddled
**********************************
On characters:
A Muddled character will become uncontrollable, and will randomly use an
attack. However, the aiming is reversed so the a Confused character will always
be attacking other characters and healing/aiding monsters. Commands that will
never be used while Confused are: Item, Revert, Throw, Control, Slot, Leap,
Def. and Possess. These commands/resulting attacks may still be used if they
were selected before the character became Confused. A character cannot learn
Lores while Muddled, will never make use of the Black Belt and True Knight
Relics and no character will use a Desperation Attack while Muddled. If Umaro
is in the party and decides to use his Throw Character attack, he will favor
Confused characters whenever possible. When he has used his Throw Character
attack, the character thrown will have his/her Muddled status removed.
Muddled does not linger after battle and is automatically removed when
struck by a physical attack. It can be removed with the Remedy spell.
On monsters:
Monsters turn around on the battlefield and randomly select one of the attacks
in their Control menu. These may differ from the attacks normally used. For
targetting purposes, everything will be reversed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.13 Seizure
**********************************
The Seizure status hurts the afflicted over time, like the Poison status. Unlike
the Poison status however, damage does not increase. The damage formula is
like Poison:
Max Damage = (Max HP * stamina / 1024) + 2 (if this value is greater than 255
it is set to 255)
Damage = Max Damage * ([224..255]) / 256
If Seizure is set on a target with the Regen status, the Regen status will be
removed; if the Regen status is permanent, Seizure will not be set. If Regen
is set on a target with the Seizure status, the Seizure status will be removed;
if the Seizure status is permanent, Regen will not be set.
Seizure damage is randomly taken every interval (see Battle Timing at 7.4) 25 %
of the time.
Seizure does not linger after battle and can be healed with a Remedy item, the
Antdot spell and the Remedy spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.14 Psyche/Sleep*
**********************************
* Since Psyche is retarded, every description of 'Psyche' outside of the game
has always been Sleep. The PSX versions also make mention of Sleep rather than
Psyche. This document continues the tradition.
Sleep stops the ATB gauge and prevents the afflicted from taking action. Any
attack directed at a target afflicted with Sleep obtains a perfect Hit Rate.
Any physical attack that strikes a target afflicted by Sleep will remove the
Sleep status. Characters under the effects of Sleep will not be picked up by
Sonic Dive, will never use the Black Belt or True Knight Relics, will not learn
Lores and will not absorb spells with Runic. If Umaro is in the party and
decides to use his Throw Character attack, he will favor Sleeping characters
whenever possible. When he has used his Throw Character attack, the character
thrown will have his/her Sleep status removed.
When Sleeping targets go undisturbed, Sleep lasts for 18 intervals or about 36
seconds when they are automatically waken up. A tapir will appear and Sleep
is removed. The tapir has nothing to do with Mog's Tapir spell.
Sleep does not linger after battle and can be healed with the Remedy spell or
by striking the target with a physical attack.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.15 Regen
**********************************
The Regen status heals the afflicted over time. It shares the damage formula
of Poison and Seizure, only it's used for healing:
Max Damage = (Max HP * stamina / 1024) + 2 (if this value is greater than
255 it is set to 255)
Damage = Max Damage * ([224..255]) / 256
If Seizure is set on a target with the Regen status, the Regen status will be
removed; if the Regen status is permanent, Seizure will not be set. If Regen
is set on a target with the Seizure status, the Seizure status will be removed;
if the Seizure status is permanent, Regen will not be set.
Regen randomly kicks in every interval (see Battle Timing at 7.4) 25 % of the
time.
Regen does not linger after battle and can be removed with the Dispel spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.16 Slow
**********************************
Reduces the speed of the ATB bar, and there will be twice as much time between
two intervals (see Battle Timing at 7.4). This means the period of time
between Poison and Seizure damage and Regen healing becomes longer, and the
Condemned timer will count down slower. Freeze, Sleep and Stop will last
longer while Slow is set. Characters afflicted by Slow will have less
chances of running away.
If Slow is set on a target with the Haste status, the Haste status will be
removed; if the Haste status is permanent, Slow will not be set. If Haste
is set on a target with the Slow status, the Slow status will be removed;
if the Slow status is permanent, Haste will not be set.
Slow does not linger after battle and can be healed by the Remedy spell and the
Dispel spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.17 Haste
**********************************
Increases the speed of the ATB bar, and there will be 25 % less time between two
intervals (see Battle Timing at 7.4). The period of time between Poison and
Seizure damage and Regen healing becomes shorter, and the Condemned timer will
count down faster. Freeze, Sleep and Stop will last for a shorter period of time
while Haste is set. Characters afflicted by Haste will have more chances of
running away.
If Slow is set on a target with the Haste status, the Haste status will be
removed; if the Haste status is permanent, Slow will not be set. If Haste
is set on a target with the Slow status, the Slow status will be removed;
if the Slow status is permanent, Haste will not be set.
Haste does not linger after battle and can be removed by the Dispel spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.18 Stop
**********************************
Stop stops the ATB gauge and prevents the afflicted from taking action. Any
attack directed at a target afflicted with Stop obtains a perfect Hit Rate.
Stop prevents the character from being picked up by Sonic Dive, counter-
attacking with the Black Belt, blocking an attack for another character with
the True Knight, learning Lores and absorbing spells with Runic.
Stop stops every effect of an interval (see Battle Timing at 7.4) except for
decreasing the Stop timer by one every interval. This means that Stopped
characters will not get a chance to run away, the Condemned timer will not
decrease, Poison, Regen and Seizure effects won't be felt and Reflect, Freeze
and Sleep intervals won't be decreased.
Stop lasts for 18 intervals (see Battle timing at 7.4) or about 36 seconds.
Stop does not linger after battle and can be healed by the Dispel spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.19 Shell
**********************************
Reduces damage taken from magical attacks by 1/3. Barrier-piercing attacks also
ignore Shell.
Shell does not linger after battle and can be removed by the Dispel spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.20 Safe
**********************************
Reduces damage taken from physical attacks by 1/3. Barrier-piercing attacks also
ignore Safe.
Safe does not linger after battle and can be removed by the Dispel spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.21 Reflect
**********************************
Makes the following spells bounce off of the initial target and hit members of
the opposing party instead:
Scan, Slow, Rasp, Mute, Safe, Sleep, Muddle, Haste, Stop, Bserk, Imp, Rflect,
Shell, Haste2, Slow2, Fire, Ice, Bolt, Poison, Fire2, Ice2, Bolt2, Bio, Fire3,
Ice3, Bolt3, Break, Doom, Pearl, Flare, Cure, Cure 2, Cure 3, Fire Beam,
Ice Beam, Bolt Beam, TekBarrier
Reflect lasts for 26 intervals (see Battle timing at 7.4) or about 52 seconds.
If the original caster belongs to the party that's going to be hit by the
bounced-off spell, there's a 50 % chance the caster will be hit by the spell
instead of a random target out of the available targets.
Reflected spells only do 50 % as much damage as they would normally do. Clear
overrides the effects of Reflect. Reflect makes the target vulnerable to
Reflect???.
Reflect does not linger after battle and can be removed by the Dispel spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.22 Freeze
**********************************
Freeze stops the ATB gauge and prevents the afflicted from taking action. Any
attack directed at a target afflicted with Freeze obtains a perfect Hit Rate.
Freeze prevents the character from being picked up by Sonic Dive, countering
with the Black Belt, blocking with the True Knight, learning Lores and
absorbing spells with Runic.
Freeze lasts for 34 intervals (see Battle Timing at 7.4) or about 68 seconds.
Freeze does not linger after battle and can be healed by using a Fire-elemental
attack on the target.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.23 Life 3
**********************************
Life 3 brings back a target from the dead when he/she receives the Wound status.
A Life spell is cast immediately upon the target's reception of Wound.
Characters under the influence of Life 3 will never use Desperation Attacks.
Life 3 does not linger after battle and can be removed by the Dispel spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.24 Float
**********************************
Float makes the afflicted float in battle. Targets with Float become immune to
the following spells:
Quake, Earth Aura (Terrato), Whump, Wombat, Chocobop, Magnitude8, Slide,
Takedown (Interceptor) and Wild Fang (Interceptor).
Targets with the Float status become more vulnerable to the special effect of
the Hawk Eye and Sniper weapons.
Float lingers after battle and can be removed by the Dispel spell.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.25 Hide
**********************************
Hide is the status you receive while you're off-screen by means of Jump and
Sonic Dive, have run away or have been forced to flee (Sneeze, Engulf). Hide
prevents you from being hit by any attack, but obviously you can't issue
actions either. Hide allows a character to circumvent pretty much everything:
he/she cannot be picked up by Sonic Dive, won't counter-attacking with the
Black Belt or protect other characters with the True Knight, cannot learn
Lores and cannot absorb magic through Runic.
Characters who have finished the battle with the permanent Hide of fleeing
don't get Experience points/Magic points. A battle in which everybody on the
field is dead yet some have received the Hide status will be treated as a
battle from which everybody has fled.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.2.26 Wound
**********************************
Wound is a status automatically set when a monster's or character's amount of
HP drops below 0. Wounded targets are considered 'dead'. If the character or
monster has the 'die if MP = 0' property, it will also receive Wound status
when MP reaches 0 or 'below' by means of an MP-damaging spell.
Wounded characters are inoperable and cannot be targeted by spells without
the specific ability to target Wounded characters.
Wound is the standard way of being defeated in battle. Wounded characters cannot
learn Lores, counter-attack with the Black Belt, protect characters with the
True Knight, be picked up with Sonic Dive or absorb spells with Runic.
**********************************
7.3 Statistics
**********************************
Table of Contents:
7.3.1 Vigor
7.3.2 Speed
7.3.3 Stamina
7.3.4 Magic Power
7.3.5 Battle Power
7.3.6 Defense
7.3.7 Magic Defense
7.3.8 Evade
7.3.9 Magic Block
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.3.1 Vigor
**********************************
Vigor is a factor in determining the amount of physical damage your character
will deliver. Obviously, more Vigor means more damage. Vigor, however, is only
a small factor in formula, so boosting it with Espers and Relics (Hyper Wrist)
will make little impact.
Primary physical attacks for your characters include:
Fight/Jump
The AutoCrossbow, Drill, Chain Saw and Air Anchor Tools
The Pummel and Suplex Blitz techniques
The Dispatch, Quadra Slam and Quadra Slice SwdTech skills
Any Thrown weapon other than Skeans
Gau's Battle and !Special attacks
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.3.2 Speed
**********************************
Speed is a determining factor in your ATB gauge. Characters with a lot of
Speed have an ATB bar that fills up faster than character with less Speed.
However, Speed is a fairly worthless stat to raise, as the change is rather
insignificant and you'll need to raise the Speed stat a LOT if you ever want to
double-turn another of your characters.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.3.3 Stamina
**********************************
Stamina is a minor stat that determines HP gained by Regen, as well as HP lost
by Poison and Seizure. The more Stamina a character has, the more HP will be
gained/lost. A second influence of Stamina is the amount of HP a Tintinabar
will heal per step, although take heed: Stamina given to you by equipment will
NOT be taken into account by the Tintinabar. The final and most important use
of Stamina is evading Instant Death attacks. More Stamina means more evasion
of them. The spells that check for Stamina are the following: Break, Doom,
Demi, Quartr, X-Zone, W Wind, Shoat, Odin, Raiden, Antlion, Snare, X-Fer,
and Grav Bomb. Stamina is a complete waste of your time. While 128 Stamina
will ensure none of the above attacks will ever make a hit, it's not worth it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.3.4 Magic Power
**********************************
Magic Power is a factor in determining the damage you do with magical attacks.
Magic Power of all stats has THE most influence in damage output, which is why
it's usually the best stat to raise on characters.
Primary magical attacks for your characters include:
Any Magic spell
The Bio Blaster and Flash Tools
The AuraBolt, Fire Dance, Air Blade and Bum Rush Blitz techniques
The Retort, Empowerer and Stunner SwdTech skills
The Skeans
Any attack Gau performs other than Battle and !Special
The Slot attacks
The Dances
All Lores
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.3.5 Battle Power
**********************************
Battle Power is only raised by the weapons you equip, and is a factor in
determining Fight damage (not Desperation Attacks, though), Umaro's Charge
attack, and Umaro's Throw attack (the Battle Power of the character thrown and
Umaro's Battle Power is used).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.3.6 Defense
**********************************
Defense is only raised by equipment and Relics and is a factor in determining
physical damage taken by your characters.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.3.7 Magic Defense
**********************************
Magic Defense is only raised by equipment and Relics and is a factor in
determining the amount of damage taken from magical attacks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.3.8 Evade
**********************************
Evade was supposed to be a factor in the amount of physical attacks you evaded.
Instead, due to silly coding by Square employees, Evade does NOTHING. Weapons,
equipment, and Relics that raise your Evade stat will NOT increase the amount of
physical hits you avoid. Instead, all evasion checks are made via Magic Block.
**********************************
7.3.9 Magic Block
**********************************
Magic Block was supposed to only determine the amount of magical attacks you
avoided. Due to Square employees being an incompetent bunch, Magic Block also
determines the amount of physical attacks you evade. 128 % Magic Block or more
means that you cannot be touched by any attack that can be evaded, be it
magical or physical.
**********************************
7.4 Battle Timing
**********************************
A character's ATB Bar is determined by Speed. Some numbers:
Speed 25, Slowed (initial Strago) 16.2 seconds to fill up entirely
Speed 25 (initial Strago) 8.1 seconds to fill up entirely
Speed 40 (initial Locke) 6 seconds to fill up entirely
Speed 128 (maximum) 2.5 seconds to fill up entirely
Speed 128, Hasted (maximum) 1.9 seconds to fill up entirely
Monsters don't have an ATB bar, but their turns are determined with Speed and
your Battle Speed setting.
Every character and monster also has an individual timer which is determined by
intervals:
An interval on a normal target comes around every 2 seconds.
An interval on a hasted target comes around every 1.5 second
An interval on a slowed target comes around every 4 seconds
Every interval:
- Is Stop set on the target? If so, decrease the Stop timer by one and skip
all other steps.
- A character gets a chance to run.
- The Condemned timer on character and monsters decreases by one (only visually
on characters).
- There's a 62.5 % chance of receiving Seize damage.
- There's a 12.5 % chance of receiving Poison damage.
- There's a 25 % chance of receiving Regen or Seizure damage.
- Is Reflect set on the target? If so, decrease the Reflect timer by one.
- Is Freeze set on the target? If so, decrease the Freeze timer by one.
- Is Sleep set on the target? If so, decrease the Sleep timer by one.
Note that the % chances of Seize, Poison and Regen/Seizure add up to a 100 %?
A character will never suffer from two ailments at the same interval. It's
Seize damage OR Poison damage OR Seizure/Regen coming into effect.
**********************************
7.5 Running
**********************************
Characters run if [1...run success value] > [pursue value]
If they are running, the following amount is added to the characters run
success value every interval
Terra: 4
Locke: 5
Cyan: 3
Shadow: 5
Edgar: 4
Sabin: 4
Celes: 4
Strago: 3
Relm: 5
Setzer: 4
Mog: 5
Gau: 5
Gogo: 4
Umaro: 3
Banon: 2
Leo: 3
Vicks: 4
Wedge: 4
Pursue value is determined as follows: every monsters present adds 2 to the
pursue value, but the following monsters add 6:
Retainer, Apokryphos, Dark Force, Steroidite, Doom Drgn, Tyranosaur, Anguiform,
Hoover, Mover, Crawler, Madam, Goblin, Power-Demon, Vectaur, Dragon, Brontaur,
Allosaurus, Test Rider, Scullion, SoulDancer, Parasite, Evil Oscar, Outsider,
Hemophyte, Scrapper, Opinicus, Vindr, Kiwok, Mantodea, Dueller, Muus, Punisher,
Vectagoyle, Mag Roader (yellow), Fortis, Junk, Borras, Mag Roader (brown),
Innoc, Red Wolf, Didalos, Veteran, Sky Base, IronHitman, Prometheus, Guardian
**********************************
7.6 MagiTek
**********************************
[MAGITEK-LINK]
There are moments in this game where you'll be able to take advantage of one of
the Empire's most dangerous weapons: the Imperial MagiTek Armor. Whether you
admire their sleek design in their appearance in the game or if you prefer the
dark, Amano-based metallic monstrosities of the game's logo and the FMV in the
Anthology version, the MagiTek Armor is a whole lot of kick-ass. What can it
do?
Fire Beam - ST magical, Fire-elemental damage
Bolt Beam - ST magical, Lightning-elemental damage
Ice Beam - ST magical, Ice-elemental damage
Bio Blast - MT magical, Poison-elemental damage, also sets Poison and Seizure
Heal Force - ST healing
Confuser - MT attack, sets Muddled
X-Fer - ST attack, sets Death, prevents final counters
TekMissile - ST magical, non-elemental, barrier-piercing attack. Also sets
Seizure.
While riding MagiTek Armor, the Fight command is changed in the Magitek command
and your secondary ability is disabled. Gau's Rage command is also turned into
MagiTek, while Gogo's Rage command is not. The only abilities you can use while
riding MagiTek Armor are Magitek, Magic and Item. When Palidor is summoned, you
will be able to perform a Jump attack as well. You shouldn't be normally able to
use Fight attacks; a Berserked or Confused character will always use one of the
three beam-class attacks (Fire Beam, Ice Beam, Bolt Beam), and the Black Belt
will have no effect on a character riding MagiTek Armor.
Terra is the only character in the game who is able to deploy all eight attacks.
All other character can only use Fire Beam, Bolt Beam, Ice Beam and Heal Force.
Gogo should be given a Fight command when he's in MagiTek Armor, or else he
won't be able to use the Magitek command. Mimic is disabled like any other
secondary skill.
Umaro will randomly pick one of the three beam-class attacks, never Heal Force.
**********************************
7.7 Battle Formations
**********************************
There are four kinds of battle formations:
The normal battle formations: Rows are enabled, as is running (unless any of
the monsters you're facing doesn't allow running). Your party stands at the
far right of the screen and faces left; the monsters vice versa. The normal
battle formation has a 208/255 chance of happening in a normal situation.
The Back Attack: Your character is surprised and attacked from behind; when
the battle starts, they are facing the monsters, but are on the left side of the
screen and the monsters on the right side. Rows are enabled, but every
character normally in the Front Row is now treated as if he or she was in the
Back Row, and characters in the Back Row are treated like Front Row characters.
Running is enabled like normal. Preemptive attacks are disabled. All characters
take longer to take their first turn. The Back Attack has an 8/255 chance of
happening in a normal situation.
The Pincer Attack: Your party is caught between the monsters and stands in
the middle. On both sides of the screen are monsters present, facing the
party. Rows are enabled, but everybody is in the Front Row. The Row command
can be used to switch to the Back Row (which makes NO sense) but no visual
effect is shown. Running is disabled until one side of the monsters is cleared.
Preemptive attacks are disabled. Characters that are physically attacked from
behind take 1.5 as much damage, and these physical attacks become
unblockable (meaning no amount of M.Block or Image status will block it, but
Earth Wall, Interceptor and the Clear status will). The Pincer attack has an
8/255 chance of happening.
A Side Attack: Your party has managed to catch the monsters off-guard and you
have surrounded the enemy party. On both sides of the screen are party members;
Party members #1 and #2 to the right, and #3 and #4 to the left, which are the
ones starting out facing the back of the monsters. Rows are enabled as usual,
as is running. Attacking a monster in the back will result in 1.5 as much
damage and the attack becomes unblockable as usual. A Side Attack has a 31/255
chance of happening.
In addition, one extra situation may occur, that being the Preemptive
attack. This may happen in addition to a normal battle or a Side Attack; the
ATB bars of all your characters start out completely full, giving you an(other)
advantage. In a normal battle, the chances of a Preemptive attack are 1/8; in
a Side Attack, the chances are 7/32. The Gale Hairpin Relic doubles these odds.
The Back Guard will protect your party from Back and Pincer Attacks if
possible. It won't protect against forced Back or Pincer attacks, such as
the undead SrBehemoth on the Veldt (forced Back attack) or the dual Tyrannosaur
monster formation (forced Pincer).
**********************************
8.0 Not Infrequently Asked Questions
**********************************
Table of Contents:
8.1 Dude, where's my airship?
8.2 Drill VS Chainsaw; the eternal struggle
8.3 I'm about to head for the big WoB/WoR switcheroo, what can I miss?
8.4 Shadow's Dreams. That, with question marks.
8.5 Vanish/Doom. Explain?
8.6 Where are all the Rare items, and what do they do?
8.7 Kutan?
8.8 How to work with Esper boosts?
More NIAQ can be found in the World of Ruin document, which can be found here:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/final_fantasy_iii_l_2.txt
Table of Contents:
8.9 Where the best place to train when it comes to Magic Points?
8.10 Hu---man?
8.11 Imp equipment and the Imp warrior
8.12 Ragnarok; Sword or Esper?
8.13 Trump and Doom Darts...what's the deal?
8.14 255 Items Checklist
8.15 Timeline
8.16 Siegfried/Ziegfried
A kind of fan service which doesn't include the female cast of a webcomic in
French maid outfits!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.1 Dude, where's my airship?
**********************************
- I can't find my Airship. It has left me. I promised to Mother I would take
good care of it this time. Where is it?
If it's not in the area around you (make sure you check everything), it's highly
likely you were trying to get Mog's Water Rondo and forgot all about it. This
means it's either at the entrance of the Returners' Hideout or at the mouth of
the Cave on the Veldt. This is the route you'll want to take (start reading
at the point you are now):
Go to the Returners' Hideout over Mt. Koltz near South Figaro. Seek out the
room you first met Banon in, and find the rather hidden entrance to the Lete
River. Ride it. On the other side, go WEST to Nikeah, under the mountain range.
Take the ferry from Nikeah to South Figaro, where the captain of the ferry will
smuggle you out of town in a treasure chest if South Figaro is still occupied.
Climb Mt. Koltz and you're at your starting point. Note that the Blackjack is
invisible while riding a Chocobo, so you should hop off if you want to see if
it's there.
If this does not apply, the airship is still somewhere near you; there's no
other alternative.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.2 Drill VS Chainsaw; the eternal struggle
**********************************
- In a lot of battles, especially in the WoB, where Edgar appears, it's clear
that I have to choose between Drill and Chainsaw. Chainsaw is more powerful,
but it also misses entirely 25 % of the time because the thing goes for an
instant-kill sometimes. So, which one is better when I know the target is
immune to Instant Death, like most bosses?
Answer: The answer to this question is entirely mathematic. Drill has a Battle
Power of 191; Chainsaw has a Battle Power of 252. Assuming that Drill hits four
times, and Chainsaw the average of three times (and one miss), we get:
4 x 191 = 764
3 x 252 = 756
The difference is almost zilch here. But does Battle Power directly parallel
damage output? A test with a level 5 Edgar, a test with a level 50 Edgar, and
a test with a level 99 Edgar. We'll assume non-boosted Vigor levels.
191 + ((5 * 5 * 269)/256) * 3/2 = 230
191 + ((50 * 50 * 269)/256) * 3/2 = 4131
191 + ((99 * 99 * 269)/256) * 3/2 = 16212 --> 9999
252 + ((5 * 5 * 330)/256) * 3/2 = 300
252 + ((50 * 50 * 330)/256) * 3/2 = 5085
252 + ((99 * 99 * 330)/256) * 3/2 = 19203 --> 9999
230 x 4 = 920
4131 x 4 = 16524
16212 x 4 = 64848
300 x 3 = 900
5085 x 3 = 15225
19203 x 3 = 57609
So, Drill comes out slightly on top here. Of course, Drill becomes far superior
to Chainsaw once Chainsaw hits the 9999 cap. While I've theorized what would
happen if the cap weren't there to show average damage differences, Chainsaw's
extra damage would decrease as Drill continues to be stronger, as Chainsaw
will obviously never surpass 9999. Chainsaw will hit the maximum damage
somewhere around level 71 without damage-boosting Relics.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.3 I'm about to head for the big WoB/WoR switcheroo, what can I miss?
**********************************
- I'm about to go to the World of Ruin. What can I have missed in the WoB?
Almost nothing. Things you can have missed are:
The Tintinabar the Wounded Lad in Mobliz gives you after you have helped him
correspond with his lassie in Maranda.
A whole bunch of monsters you didn't fight and can never get a Rage for. Go with
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/final_fantasy_iii_rage_a.txt. It's my
Rage Guide, and chapter 3.2 mentions ALL the WoB monsters you could ever hope
to encounter.
Obtaining WoB Mog and getting his Water Rondo.
If you've arrived at this point and you don't have the following, you've lost
them forever already:
Atma Weapon, Tempest (x2), the Coin Toss Relic, the Magicite Ifrit. Sucker!
If you're concerned about not having at least one copy of every item in the
game, this is a list of WoB-only items:
Atma Weapon x 1 *1
Epee
RegalCutlass
Mithril Pike *2
Blossom
Kodachi
Tempest x 2
Chocobo Brsh x 1 (unique item)
Boomerang *3
Hawk Eye
Morning Star
Cards x 1(unique item)
MetalKnuckle x 1 (unique item)
Hair Band
Leather Hat
Magus Hat
Plumed Hat *4
Tiara
Cotton Robe
Iron Armor
Kung Fu Suit
LeatherArmor
Ninja Gear
Silk Robe
White Dress
*1 The Atma Weapon can also be stolen in the final battle
*2 If you wait until the WoR to recruit Mog in your party, he'll come with a
Mithril Pike equipped
*3 Due to a bug, a Boomerang and a Buckler are added to your inventory when
you enter the WoR.
*4 When you recruit Gogo, he comes equipped with a Plumed Hat
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.4 Shadow's Dreams. That, with question marks.
**********************************
- What's up with Shadow's Dreams? Can I see them anywhere? Does a full moon
affect my chances, or perhaps wearing a silly paper hat while playing?
Every time you sleep in a bed and Shadow is in your party -- it need not be an
Inn, any single bed will suffice -- there is a 50 % chance a dream sequence
will be triggered. The only Inn where this will never happen is the Inn in
Thamasa once it sells arrangements for 1 GP. There is NOTHING that affects
this 50 % chance. The dreams are seen in a set sequence:
Dream # 1: Dark background. The dream is accompanied by strange noises.
BARAM: Clyde...I'm...done for...F...find me here...Please, Clyde...
Dream # 2: Baram and Clyde rush through what looks like the Phantom Forest.
BARAM: Yahoooo! We did it, Clyde!
CLYDE: A million GP! What a blast! I love this!
BARAM: Guess it's time to change our name.
CLYDE: Our name?
BARAM: We need something more_appropriate.
BARAM: Such as...?
BARAM: ... SHADOW! Not bad, huh?
CLYDE: Great train robbers of the century... SHADOW...?
Dream # 3: Baram and Clyde at what looks like the shores of the Veldt. Baram
is down, Clyde still standing.
CLYDE: Open your eyes!
BARAM: I'm scared...hack, cough...Is...is this MY blood...?
CLYDE: You're gonna be okay!
BARAM: I've let you down... I'm sorry...
CLYDE: Save your strength. We're almost to a town.
BARAM: You don't have to pretend. I know. I've lost...too much blood.
BARAM: Get going! I'm gonna slow you down.
CLYDE: But...!
BARAM: You wanna get caught?
BARAM: Before you go... You have to use your knife...
CLYDE: WHAT!!!!
BARAM: Think what they'll do to me if I get caught. I don't want to
go through that. Do me this favor.
BARAM: Are you...shaking? I can't believe it! You're acting like a
coward! Come on, you weakling! Grab a knife and...
CLYDE: I CAN'T!
BARAM: Clyde!!!
CLYDE: I'm sorry...
BARAM: Clyde! How dare you!?
Dream # 4: Clyde, alone now, stumbles into a town resembling Thamasa. A woman
approaches.
: Hey...HEY! Stay with me now!
CLYDE: Where...am...?
: A small village called Thama...Hang in there!
And that's all there is. The fifth dream will be seen at a fixed time if you
have saved Shadow; another dream will be experienced by Relm if you haven't.
There are NO other dreams, no matter what other people say.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.5 Vanish/Doom. Explain?
**********************************
- What exactly is Vanish/Doom? All the cool kids are using it, but isn't it
dangerous?
[VANISHDOOM-LINK]
There's a bug in this game. To be honest with you, there are over 160 documented
bugs in this game, but among the few major ones, one would definitely be the
one usually called Vanish/Doom, although it has many vile incarnations.
Here's the deal. When the game determines if an attack will hit the target,
it goes through a lot of things. M.Block, Golem, Reflect status, you name it.
One of these checks is to see if the target has Clear status; if the attack is
magical, the attack always hits. Another check is made on Death-based attacks;
if the target has immunity to it, death-based attacks will always miss.
Sadly, the game does it in this order:
(If attack is magical)
If target is under Clear status, the attack ALWAYS hits.
If attack is Death-based, and the target has Death immunity, the attack ALWAYS
misses.
You see the problem here?
So, when you apply the Clear status to a target immune to Death-based attacks,
such as all bosses and a few tougher enemies, you can still kill them in one
hit. Vanish/Doom is the common combo, but Vanish/Snare, Vanish/X-Zone, and
Vanish/Demi are not unheard of. Another more interesting combination is
Vanish/Dischord; this can halve the level of pretty much any creature over and
over again, making them less and less of a threat and more susceptible to, for
instance, Steal attempts.
It's difficult to say if this is a bug. Not because of its woefully erroneous
nature, but because Square has, since they discovered its existence, gone out
of their way to say it's NOT a bug. They have only partly fixed it in
Anthology, etcetera. I still say it IS a bug if only for the fact that several
battles that should have been concluded in a certain manner (Ultros #3 with
Relm showing up, Ultros #4 with Chupon Sneezing you off the Blackjack,
Phunbaba #1 against Terra) can be cut short with Vanish/Doom. So, Relm will
boast about her presence where she never appeared, you'll just kind of 'fall'
off the Blackjack because Chupon never sneezed you off of it, and other crazy
antics like that.
Also, Vanish was never meant to make magical attacks connect PERIOD,
disregarding all other properties. Ragnarok's Metamorph may still miss on
targets under Clear, Float still allows you to circumvent damage from ground-
based attacks, L.# Lores still miss if the level is inappropriate, etcetera.
Another, lesser known, result of the bug is the fact it allows spells only
normally successfully used on character with the Wound status (Life 2,
ChokeSmoke, such attacks) to work on living targets.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.6 Where are all the Rare items, and what do they do?
**********************************
Cider Cider, taken from a merchant
-Obtained when you defeat the responsible Merchant in South Figaro. Is needed
to advance the game.
Old Clock-Key An Old Clock-Key, found on a soldier
-Obtained when you search the sleeping soldier that was supposed to guard
general Celes Chere. Is needed to advance the game.
Fish A yummy fish
-Obtained when fishing on the Solitary Island. Very healthy!
Fish Just a fish
-Obtained when fishing on the Solitary Island. Healthy.
Fish A rotten fish
-Obtained when fishing on the Solitary Island. Not very healthy.
Fish Fish
-Obtained when fishing on the Solitary Island. Very unhealthy.
Lump of Metal A heavy weight. Put it into a chest, and...
-Obtained in Cyan's Soul, this is found in a chest. Is needed to obtain the
Flame Shld in this dungeon.
Lola's Letter Thanks for all those flowers! I'm worried about you...
-Obtained when talking to Lola and offering to attach it to the carrier pigeon
outside. Lost when attaching it to the carrier pigeon; Is needed to obtain Cyan.
Coral A piece of coral, found in the cave near Ebot's Rock
-Obtained in Ebot's Rock, 22 of these are needed to satisfy the living chest
which prevents access to Hidon itself.
Books Simple book on machinery... And "Book of Secrets"...
-Obtained when finding the key to Cyan's locked chest and opening it. Serves
no purpose.
Royal Letter At a star-shaped mountain-range...
-Obtained when examining Gestahl's portrait in Owzer's Mansion twice. Reveals
the location of the mysterious reviving power Locke searched for.
Rust Rid Rust solvent
-Obtained when bought from the honest man in Zozo for 1000 GP. Is needed to
obtain Cyan.
Pendant A pendant worn by the girl who pilots the MagiTek armor
-In your inventory from the very start, a pendant worn by Terra.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.7 Kutan?
**********************************
Hardly a frequently asked question, I didn't know where else to stick it :\
[KUTAN-LINK]
Note that this entire section wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Novalia Spirit,
who really deserves a lot of credit for the discovery of this thing alone,
not to mention the over 100 bugs he found and the breaking down of the Mag
Roader puzzle.
Internet rumors speak of reviving Leo and/or acquiring Kappa the Imp. Reviving
Leo is impossible and Kappa is just an Imped character with the Kappa name and
a set of equipment you give to him. No, the only character that comes close to
somehow being the 15th character is Kutan, one of the minor Moogles who helped
you defend Terra! How is this possible? Read on.
You never really acquire Kutan at any point of the game. Rather, you allow the
game to reach for a character you were supposed to have but never did. In
Locke's scenario, the trick is to leave South Figaro *without* saving Celes
from her terrible fate. Obviously, this isn't normally possible as you at the
very least need the Clock Key to continue, which you can't get until you
release Celes.
But you don't have go that far. You know the 'scram, you blockhead' soldier
that was chasing Locke at the very beginning of the scenario and continued to
promptly forget about him? We have to pass him. We do this by exploiting a
poorly coded aspect of the game. We'll have to send both Locke and the trooper
at the same tile. If this succeeds, Locke passes *through* the trooper and is
free to leave South Figaro. Sadly, the game normally prevents this. However,
if you enter the menu screen, leave it and immediately try to possess the same
tile the trooper is going for, it'll work. It might fail a few times, but it
does work. If you want to, you can enter the tunnel you were supposed to enter
with Celes from the other side by entering the hidden back door in the house
of Duncan's Wife; this'll get you the treasure contained here. Make sure not
to wander OUT of this basement on the other side; you can't get back in without
the Clock Key, which you can't get without recruiting Celes.
Now, the second part of the problem lies in Locke having to fight through the
Cave of Figaro by himself and defeating TunnelArmr by himself, a battle which
is scripted and was designed to require the Runic skill which you lack now.
You'll have to powerlevel a little or abuse the Thunder Rod in the chest if
you want to make it through here.
This is the first time Kutan will make a small appearance; it will be him who
will do the 'Something's coming outta the wall!!' line. During the battle, no
name will be shown when the Runic speech is given (Just you watch, etc.).
Back in Narshe, Locke will appear with a comrade, but it's not Celes; Kutan,
Moogle sprite and all, will appear and do everything Celes does. Do the
expressions, say the lines, etcetera.
KUTAN: I'm a soldier, not some love-starved twit!
EDGAR: Cold as ice......
While preparing for Kefka's Raid on Narshe, it turns out Kutan hasn't changed
a bit; his level hasn't risen, his equipment and Relics is still off-limits,
he still has a MithrilBlade and a Buckler and nothing else and he's in the same
state you left him. You can't take him to the Save Point; the character you're
controlling immediately resets back to Terra and Kutan enters the line of
characters again. In the line of characters, by the way, Kutan momentarily
changes his Moogle sprite for the Celes one.
After the battle, Kutan is normally choosable in your party, although he walks
around like Celes in the room. Kutan doesn't appear in shop screens either.
You can just go on with the game until the Opera House; Kutan will change into
Maria's opera gown and get the normal opera Celes sprite. Also, his equipment
will be removed, which is bad as you can never get it back on. After that,
he's given the normal Celes sprite. It's still Kutan though.
The story continues, and at the Imperial MagiTek Research Facility Kutan is
taken from you, not to be returned until you gain access to the Floating
Continent. It's at this point that you can finally return to South Figaro and
try to find Celes there; the game will lock up as soon as you pass the room
where Celes is getting a beating. Locke (whether he is in your party or not)
will say his line, and screen will switch to the room, and stop proceeding
there.
If you don't bring Kutan to the FC, he'll join you there to stop Gestahl. He
and Shadow fail, you make a run for it, kaboomchy, WoR.
Kutan wakes up in the WoR, from which points it's all Kutan until the end. The
only noteworthy effect Kutan has on the WoR is Gogo missing Runic is an option.
Ofcourse, Kutan is a consistently poor character to fight with. He joins you in
the middle of the Narshe Raid at a very low level, his equipment consists of a
MithrilBlade and a Buckler and cannot be changed until he Opera House from
which point he's entirely naked, he doesn't have any skills, he can't equip
Relics, he can't equip Espers and learn or use Magic and his stats are
extremely poor:
Vigor 16
Speed 14
Stamina 12
Magic Power 33
Battle Power 21
Defense 44
Magic Defense 29
MBlock 5
Evade 7
But still, it's absolutely hilarious to see Locke go protective on Kutan, have
a Moogle lament 'her' position in the Empire and 'her' history as a Magic
wielder, and have Owzer claim 'she' looks exactly like Maria.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.8 How to work with Esper boosts?
**********************************
Most Esper you run into on your path towards world peace, flowers and honey
will give you a so-called Esper boost, or level-up bonus.
The level-up bonuses are obviously applied when you gain a level and have an
Esper equipped. If, for instance, Sabin gains a level with Ramuh equipped, he
will gain one extra point on his standard Stamina stat. HP + 10 % and MP + 10 %
does NOT mean overall HP/MP! It concerns the HP/MP gained at that level. Say,
Terra levels from level 26 to level 27. She gains 82 HP in the process. With
Siren equipped, she gains 82 HP + (10 % of 82 HP =) 8 HP is 90 HP. Crummy?
Why, yes :P
First, it's important to know how much effect the stats themselves have on the
gameplay.
I think I just explained the needlessly inferior status of HP/MP boosts given
by Espers. The only reason why you'd want to include these if for a perfect
9999 HP/999 MP character. If this is the goal you're shooting for, realize
that you'll want to do that on specific levels, as HP/MP increase per level-up
isn't the same for every level.
For HP, you'll want to equip Bahamut (HP + 50 %) when gaining level 69, 70 and
71. This applies to each character.
For MP, you'll want to equip Crusader (MP + 50 %) when:
- For Terra, Celes, Relm and Mog: when gaining level 48, 49 and 50.
- For Locke, Edgar, Shadow, Setzer, Strago and Gau: when gaining levels 48, 49,
50 and 51.
- For Cyan and Sabin: when gaining level 48, 49, 50, 51 and 52.
This is due to the MP starting levels being different enough to have an impact
(as opposed to HP).
Stamina is worthless to raise. Since higher Stamina also increases Poison and
Seizure damage, I'd say the Regen boost is a moot point; hardly anybody ever
uses the Tintinabar (for good reasons, too) and as far as the protection from
ID-attacks go; if it's a random encounters, there's almost always some way to
stop the enemy from using an ID attack, and if it's a boss battle you can often
just cover your asses in Safety Bits and Memento Rings. It would take a maximum
of 55 levels (Strago) and a minimum of 45 levels (Sabin) with a Stamina + 2
Esper like Golem to obtain perfect a Stamina rating which WILL protect you
from every attack that checks for Stamina.
Speed is pretty much worthless to raise as well. There's the immediate shortage
of Speed-boosting Espers to consider; there's only one of them (Odin), he's
gotten fairly late in the WoR and only raises Speed by 1. Next to that, Speed
can have a maximum of two uses on a character. You either want him/her to
attack first in battle as often as possible, or you want that character to
double-turn other characters. A character with a high Speed rating is always
hurt by the time you have to spend telling other characters what to do, and
sending out the Speedy one only just isn't worth it. In short, Speed just
doesn't make enough of an impact on the gameplay to justify the loss of other
stat boosts.
Vigor, the secondary stat to raise in most occassions. This is the way to boost
physical damage. It's not as much a factor in the eventual damage output as
Magic Power is in magical attacks, but it's still noticeable. Worth raising for
characters who rely mostly on physical attacks for damage.
Magic Power is, in most cases, the jackpot stat to raise. You see, not only
does everybody obtain the Magic command, most secondary skills are primarily
of partly magical in nature as well. Also, it has much more effect on the
damage output than Vigor.
Terra - Magic. Mind that some tend to mention Vigor here as well, since she
does make an effective fighter, but I tend to experience she's
drawing from her Magic pool a lot more than from physical attacks.
Besides, even when killing things with the Illumina/Ragnarok, the
random spell will benefit from the Magic Power increase.
Locke - Vigor. He's not entirely worthless as a Mage since he does get to
use the +7 Magic Power Ragnarok and Illumina, but that's really only
when you go out of your way to make a physical character a magiacl one.
He needs to focus on his weapons really, all the way until end-game,
so best to raise the damage there.
Edgar - Vigor. His Fight, Jump and Tools options all revolve around physical
damage. Once again, due to stuff like the Enhancer you can make him an
acceptable mage if you train him to be one, but for a canon Edgar, just
go with Vigor.
Sabin - Magic. I've been pressing the Sabin = mage issue throughout the
walkthrough section, but if you're still surprised: Sabin's Blitzes
are, short of Pummel and Suplex, magical. There's no reason for him to
use Fight, as all of his weapons (including the Tiger Fangs) suck.
Shadow - If you plan on going on until level 99, just go with Magic, as his
Throw attacks will hit the ceiling by then. Magic boosts the power of
his Skeans, but do note that his primary way of dealing damage is
the Shuriken/Ninja Star throughout the game, which is entirely
physical.
Gau - Magic, primarily. Since Gau's Rage choices will always result into a
50 % Battle attack, Vigor is never wasted on Gau; however, in these
Rage choices the other attacks are always what you're going for, and
are almost always magical. Add the facts that the power of the Wind
God Tempest is magical and that late-game you'll be casting Magic
spells with him a lot in my expierence, and you'll reach the conclusion
that you'll want to stay on his magical side.
Celes - Magic, like Terra entirely. Celes is a *little* more focused on the
physical side than Terra is, but Magic is still what it should be
about if you're going for total efficiency.
Strago - Magic, no doubt whatsoever. Lore is magical, Magic is magical, and
his Rods kinda blow in most situations anyway.
Relm - Magic. Rods suck, Brushes even more so, Sketch uses the stats of the
monsters anyway, and all that's left is her Magic skillset to wield.
Mog - Vigor. His Dances are Magical, as is the random Pearl spell he might
cast from the Pearl Lance, but his Jump attacks are physical and that
IS his primary source of damage dealing. Magic isn't lost on Mog in
any way, though, so you might want to switch around.
Setzer - Magic. Sure, he's a primarily 'physical character', but neither GP Rain
nor Fixed Dice use Vigor to determine damage, and while Slot is
obsolete in the WoR higher Magic power does boost both Slot and Magic.
Cyan - Eh...yeah. That's really kind of a tough one. Cyan has the lowest
starting Magic Power of the final 14 and his equips do little to
increase it (Genji Armor a little, but that's it), so he makes a
horrible mage. On the other hand, his weapon selection isn't too
special and most SwdTechs take too long. If you want to go with a
more canon version of Cyan who relies primarily on Dispatch, Quadra
Slam/Slice and Fight, raise Vigor; if you want to go with an alternate
Cyan who relies in Tempest Wind Slashes, the Stunner SwdTech and his
Magic skillset, go with Magic Power. The bad thing there is that he'll
be downright inferior in what he does to a lot of other characters,
but I'm tempted to say that's the better Cyan of the two.
Yeah, that's a lot of Magic Power boosting. Since all characters have the
Magic skillset, you really need a persuasive reason to raise physical damage
output.
**********************************
9.0 Espers and their Magicite
**********************************
Table of Contents:
9.1 Ramuh
9.2 Kirin
9.3 Siren
9.4 Stray
9.5 Ifrit
9.6 Shiva
9.7 Unicorn
9.8 Maduin
9.9 Shoat
9.10 Phantom
9.11 Carbunkl
9.12 Bismark
9.13 Golem
9.14 ZoneSeek
9.15 Sraphim
The remainder of the Espers can be found in my World or Ruin document, which can
be found here:
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/file/final_fantasy_iii_l_2.txt
Table of Contents:
9.16 Palidor
9.17 Fenrir
9.18 Tritoch
9.19 Terrato
9.20 Starlet
9.21 Alexandr
9.22 Phoenix
9.23 Odin
9.24 Bahamut
9.25 Ragnarok
9.26 Crusader
9.27 Raiden
- How should I treat my Espers? What character should know which spells? My
world is built on a foundation of confusion and I can't see through the fog of
not knowing what to do! Help?
I'd like to add a quick note on the offensive Espers. Since they are
generally lacking in power over the Magic spells in your inventory (not
counting Bahamut only being inferior to Ultima and Alexandr as he's slightly
stronger than the Pearl spell), you'll want to stick to the spells in most
situations, However, there are a few advantages the summon attack has over
the Magic spells:
- Isn't vulnerable to Runic, so it can be summoned when Celes is there
absorbing enemy spells.
- Isn't bothered by the Reflect status. Enemies with the Reflect status are so
rare that it becomes a non-factor, but Sraphim can heal Reflective
characters.
- It targets the enemies on both sides in a Pincer attack.
- A more or less common mistake is to believe that Espers that target your
party (Kirin, etc.) ignore the Vanish status, much like items. Esper usage
DOES remove Clear.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.1 Ramuh
**********************************
Ramuh
Location: Zozo
Level-up Bonus: Stamina + 1
Bolt . . . . . . . x10
Bolt 2 . . . . . . x 2
Poison . . . . . . x 5
Bolt Fist: MT Lightning-elemental attack, slightly weaker than an MT Bolt 2
MP Cost: 25
Ramuh is the first offensive Esper you get, and as Bolt 2 is a very nice spell
to have in the only dungeon that lies between obtaining Ramuh and obtaining
eight more Espers in the IMRF, he shines like a star. After that, Bolt 2's slow
rate makes it easier to look to Ifrit and Shiva first for level 2 needs,
as Bolt and Poison aren't particularly useful either. If you want to learn
the spells anyway, remember that you'll want to switch to Maduin when Poison
is learned. As with most Espers who simply damage when summoned, Bolt Fist
isn't very impressive; it's powerful, but not quite as powerful as a level 2
spell, and it's very expensive. By its Lightning-elemental nature, it can be
a tremendous force in the IMRF, though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.2 Kirin
**********************************
Kirin
Location: Zozo
Level-up Bonus: None
Cure . . . . . . . x 5
Cure 2 . . . . . . x 1
Regen . . . . . . x 3
Antdot . . . . . . x 4
Scan . . . . . . . x 5
Life Guard: sets Regen on all characters
MP Cost: 18
Kirin is a largely secondary utility Esper that teaches spells that just don't
make the cut. Cure is only nice for MT casting, as at the stage of the game
where Cure 2 isn't much more readily available, Potions will probably outshine
a Cure spell. The ST Regen spell is a waste of time, as are Antdot and Scan,
as you won't be Poisoned a lot and you tend to have Terra or Celes with you
who know the spell anyway.
Kirin is a nice summon that nicely complements all battles, and it's definitely
a plus if you have Kirin available in the battle. It's especially nice to
summon if a lot of party members suffer from Seizure, as it'll remove that
and set Regen in its place.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.3 Siren
**********************************
Siren
Location: Zozo
Level-up Bonus: HP + 10 %
Sleep . . . . . . x10
Mute . . . . . . . x 8
Slow . . . . . . . x 7
Fire . . . . . . . x 6
Hope Song: sets Mute on all enemies
MP Cost: 16
Of the first four Espers you get, Siren is the most useful. Siren
would have earned a spot among my favorites for that x 10 Sleep spell, which is
useful on several strong enemies, but Mute seals the deal VERY tightly. Magical
attacks are usually far stronger than physical attacks, and Mute stops
their existence. Slow is nice to have against bosses, and Fire...yeah, we can
tolerate its existence, but it's not useful by a long shot.
Hope Song itself is almost as useful as the spells Siren teaches. Wyvern,
Sky Armor/Spit Fire, ProtoArmor, Apokryphos; there are quite a few monster
formations you can entirely disable by summoning Siren.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.4 Stray
**********************************
Stray
Location: Zozo
Level-up Bonus: Magic Power + 1
Muddle . . . . . . x 7
Imp . . . . . . . x 5
Float . . . . . . x 2
Cat Rain: sets Muddled on all enemies
MP Cost: 28
Stray kind of lingers between being useful and being...not. Muddle, obviously,
is nothing to be proud of. Imp has its charms in the direction of a couple of
enemies, and can help during the Naughty-outrunning and Number 024. Float
has a slow learning rate I don't appreciate, but Float is useful to have
around if you know the enemies can use Earth-elemental attacks. Any character
will benefit more from an Esper like Siren, Phantom, or Golem, but a team
might want Stray's spells on its side.
Cat Rain is entirely useless. It's like the NoiseBlaster, only it costs MP and
takes up space in your Esper slot! I suppose it's still superior to L.3 Muddle,
though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.5 Ifrit
**********************************
Ifrit
Location: IMRF pit
Level-up Bonus: Vigor + 1
Fire . . . . . . . x10
Fire 2 . . . . . . x 5
Drain . . . . . . x 1
Inferno: An MT Fire-elemental attack slightly weaker than Fire 2
MP Cost: 26
Ifrit is one of the two Espers that have the fastest learning rate for a level 2
spell, and for that case, you'll want to equip him on a lot of people. However,
it should be noted that Ifrit, for all it's worth, is inferior to Shiva, as he
teaches no other spell more credible than Fire, while Shiva offers prospects
of both Rasp and Osmose. Drain is a very useful spell, but a x1 learning rate
makes sure you can only learn it if you decide to use the character from
obtaining Ifrit on in every step you take, with Ifrit equipped. In the WoB, it
probably isn't worth it.
Inferno can be nice to whip out if your Relm is learning Fire 2 but hasn't
actually done so yet, but otherwise it shares the fate of every other purely
offensive summon attack: the scrap-heap.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.6 Shiva
**********************************
Shiva
Location: IMRF pit
Level-up Bonus: None
Ice . . . . . . . x10
Ice 2 . . . . . . x 5
Rasp . . . . . . . x 4
Osmose . . . . . . x 4
Cure . . . . . . . x 3
Gem Dust: An MT Ice-elemental attack slightly weaker than Ice 2
MP Cost: 27
Shiva is one of the monumentally useful Espers you'll find. Together with
Ifrit, she has the fastest learning rate on a powerful level 2 spell, and when
you're done with that, you're well underway to learning both Rasp and Osmose,
two spells that are very useful (and in Osmose's case, almost mandatory) for
any serious spellcaster.
Gem Dust fails to impress. Not even Strago in the Burning Mansion really makes
use of it, as the geezer has Aqua Rake for his MT magical means already.
While Gem Dust is a nice attack that I like to see in action, it has no
particular value over an MT Ice 2 spell, besides the obvious.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.7 Unicorn
**********************************
Unicorn
Location: IMRF Tube room
Level-up Bonus: None
Cure 2 . . . . . . x 4
Remedy . . . . . . x 3
Dispel . . . . . . x 2
Safe . . . . . . . x 1
Shell . . . . . . x 1
Heal Horn: Removes Dark, Poison, Petrify, Mute, Muddled, Seizure, Sleep, Slow,
and Stop from all characters.
MP Cost: 30
Unicorn's spells should probably not be completely learned when equipped. Short
of the completely optional Sraphim, he's the fastest Cure 2 teacher you'll have
right now and the only Remedy teacher. Dispel, although at an even slower
rate, is nice for some boss fights, although it should be noted that Terra
learns it naturally. Safe and Shell at x 1 rates are a disgrace and should
never be achieved.
Heal Horn is an attack you'll likely summon Unicorn to see once and than
forget forever. The Atma Weapon battle offers a situation where having Heal
Horn is handy, but that's one instance for the countless times Heal Horn
will be a useless extra option for you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.8 Maduin
**********************************
Maduin
Location: IMRF Tube room
Level-up Bonus: Magic Power + 1
Fire 2 . . . . . . x 3
Ice 2 . . . . . . x 3
Bolt 2 . . . . . . x 3
Chaos Wing: An MT non-elemental attack slightly weaker than a level 2 spell.
MP Cost: 44
Maduin has the highest overall net value over level 2 spells; after only 34
Magic Points, the wielder has learned all three level 2 spells. Often, you'll
find you need only one anyway and would like to stick to Ifrit and Shiva for
their superior learning rates, but if time is not of the issue, I'll readily
admit that three level 2 spells have their charms over only one. Relm is an
excellent candidate for Maduin, as she tends to come in low-leveled and needs
strong Magic to survive; if you want to use her, you'd do best to send her
to two or three levels of training, and equipping Maduin makes for a very sweet
deal.
Chaos Wing is very expensive on your MP, and while it's stronger than your
average Inferno/Gem Dust/Bolt Fist attack, it's still not superior to a normal
MT level 2. I find no use for it, other than the snazzy animation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.9 Shoat
**********************************
Shoat
Location: IMRF Tube room
Level-up Bonus: HP + 10 %
Bio . . . . . . . x 8
Break . . . . . . x 5
Doom . . . . . . . x 2
Demon Eye: sets Petrify on all enemies, misses on targets immune to ID
MP Cost: 45
Shoat may just be THE most useful Esper of them all. The first spell you'll
learn from it is Bio, which basically is the poor man's level 2 spell (it's
weaker, though it sets Poison). Since Shoat is largely a supportive Esper, you
probably won't find a lot of use for Bio since you'll often find it on
characters with a low Magic Power stat, but this also means that you often
have Bio as the only offensive spell on those characters, so it does have its
uses. The real treasures are Break and Doom, though. Especially on the Floating
Continent, the hardest dungeon in the WoB for sure, a lot of dangerous monsters
are vulnerable to these spells, and casting them is by far superior to simply
smacking them with your hurting stick.
Demon Eye is very expensive, but as it sets Petrify on the entire enemy party,
it's actually worth it. There are a lot of monsters out there immune to Petrify,
not to mention the amount of monsters immune to Instant Death attacks (Demon
Eye checks for both) so an inexperienced player tends to see it miss a few
times too often and disregard Shoat. If you know when to summon him, though,
he can be brilliant.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.10 Phantom
**********************************
Phantom
Location: IMRF Tube room
Level-up Bonus: MP + 10 %
Bserk . . . . . . x 3
Vanish . . . . . x 3
Demi . . . . . . x 5
Fader: sets Clear on all characters
MP Cost: 38
Phantom is definitely an Esper to consider once your support character has
learned everything Siren has to give. Bserk is a nice spell to cast on your
own characters once they have nothing better to do than Fight anyway (consider
Locke, Cyan, Sabin with certain set-ups). Vanish delivers the all-powerful
invisibility, which is, if tactically applied, one of the greatest status
afflictions there is. Demi just sucks.
Fader is awesome. Long before you actually get the ST spell Vanish, Phantom
can make your party invisible. This is especially an issue at Number 128 where
you cannot have Vanish yet, but there are quite a few instances where
full-party invisibility will really help you out (Esper Gathering Place,
Ultros/Chupon)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.11 Carbunkl
**********************************
Carbunkl
Location: IMRF Tube room
Level-up Bonus: None
Rflect . . . . . x 5
Haste . . . . . . x 3
Shell . . . . . . x 2
Safe . . . . . . x 2
Warp . . . . . . x 2
Ruby Power: sets Reflect on all characters
MP Cost: 36
Carbunkl's spells don't make the cut. Rflect is an ST spell that fails to
impress by its very nature: it seeks to protect from Magic spells, yet it's only
ST and it will fade away after a certain amount of time. Ruby Power and Wall
Rings are both superior there. Haste is the only nice thing Carbunkl has to
offer. Warp is just for running purposes (both in-battle and out of
dungeons), and Safe and Shell are learned too slowly here.
Ruby Power has limited use. And by 'limited', I mean VERY SMALL. Like, Link in
Zelda: the Minish Cap small. You won't even be able to helpfully use it in a
normal battle, and the few boss battles where you may need Reflect protection
(FlameEater and AtmaWeapon), you'll want to go with Wall Rings and ZoneSeek.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.12 Bismark
**********************************
Bismark
Location: IMRF Tube room
Level-up Bonus: Vigor + 2
Fire . . . . . . . x20
Ice . . . . . . . x20
Bolt . . . . . . . x20
Life . . . . . . . x 2
Sea Song: An MT Water-elemental attack about as strong as a level 2 spell.
MP Cost: 50
Bismark is a horrible choice if you want to equip an Esper. By the time you
obtain him, you've probably already watched both Celes and Terra take a
tremendous tumble on the damage scales because their level 1 spells simply
didn't do it anymore. And here a big whale comes along and offers all three of
them to you. At crazy learning rates, sure, but you simply don't really want
them. Life x 2 is too slow. Bismark doesn't have my vote for president.
Sea Song is the strongest summon attack in the WoB, and it's the only choice
most characters have if they want to perform a Water-elemental attack. Sadly,
the Water element doesn't have much use, so that's a non-issue. Nice to
have against the monsters in Vector after you've completed the IMRF and against
the Cranes, I'll say that.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.13 Golem
**********************************
Golem
Location: Jidoor Auction House
Level-up Bonus: Stamina + 2
Safe . . . . . . . x 5
Stop . . . . . . . x 5
Cure 2 . . . . . . x 5
Earth Wall: absorbs physical attacks for the party
MP Cost: 33
Golem is ZoneSeek's counterpart; where ZoneSeek is the ultimate Mage Esper,
Golem is one of the best support Espers out there. Safe is crummy, but Golem
is the only Esper in the WoB to teach Stop, a spell that nails the weakness of
many a powerful monster; it entirely disables them, leaving them inactive
momentarily while all your attacks get a perfect Hit Rate on them. I just have
to mention Gau's superiority with Numblade early in the game, do I not?
Earth Wall is absolutely marvelous. Earth Wall actually absorbs physical attacks
for you. If they don't miss you, a hand of earth will appear to take the
damage rather than your character. Earth Wall can take as much damage as the
current HP of the summoner during the summoning. It can't block Thrown items
and Tentacle, though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.14 ZoneSeek
**********************************
ZoneSeek
Location: Jidoor Auction House
Level-up Bonus: Magic Power + 2
Rasp . . . . . . . x20
Osmose . . . . . . x15
Shell . . . . . . x 5
Wall: sets Shell on all characters
MP Cost: 30
Such folly! When I managed Shoat being the most useful Esper out there, I had
clearly not considered ZoneSeek. Any Mage's best friend in the whole wide
universe, ZoneSeek rushes you through Rasp towards Osmose, a necessity as it
removes one of the downsides of Magic usage almost entirely; Magic decreases
your MP, but Osmose can simply drain it back again. Rasp has its moments in the
Floating Continent but especially will do so later in the game, and while Shell
isn't specifically interesting, it doesn't hurt.
Wall is a blessing to any fight where you expect a lot of magic to fly around.
For bosses, this mainly includes Air Force and AtmaWeapon in the WoB.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.15 Sraphim
**********************************
Sraphim
Location: Tzen (local thug)
Level-up Bonus: None
Life . . . . . . . x 5
Cure 2 . . . . . . x 8
Cure . . . . . . . x20
Regen . . . . . . x10
Remedy . . . . . . x 4
Reviver: an MT curation spell slightly weaker than Cure 2
MP Cost: 40
Sraphim is a great Esper that nicely fills in all of your White Magic needs in
the WoB, far surpassing the likes of Kirin and Unicorn in learn rates. Sraphim
is necessary for everybody you want to have as a healer: Life, Cure 2, and
Remedy are all handy to have around at all times.
Reviver is useless. You'll have Cure 2 in ten battles at the most, at which
point Reviver becomes entirely redundant unless you're equipped with Wall Rings
or want to remain invisible.
**********************************
10.0 A Flippin' Contest!
**********************************
A contest!
That's right. Somewhere in this document is a Hidden Message! Somewhere, from
top to bottom, is a small sentence hidden in every first letter of the line.
Mail the line itself and its location to Djibriel@gmail.com and you will, no
shit, receive an AUTOGRAPHED PHOTOGRAPH of yours truly. You can just go the easy
route and I'll have it scanned for you; if you're man enough (or have enough
Girl Power!), you can send along your address and I'll have an original version
coming your way! Include something in your e-mail that makes me laugh and I'll
add something cute for your children to boot!
Act fast, though, as the offer ends 21 December 2012!
**********************************
11.0 Final Fantasy VI Junkie links and contact information
**********************************
If you call yourself a true FF VI junkie (there's no shame!), you'll want to
know as much as possible. Concerning various aspects of the game, the
documents you might want to read as additional material are the following
(almost all have been uploaded to GameFAQs):
Contact Djibriel:
I can be reached a Djibriel at gmail dot com or make a topic at either
www.gamefaqs.com or www.cavesofnarshe.com. This was written in the autumn of
2005, so if you're living in 2012 and the ancient Maya gods are at the verge of
consuming this planet, the forums may pose a better solution as those tend to
last longer. And even if I carved an elegant 'D' in a piece of woodwork and have
traveled to the horizon, there'll be someone there to tell you :)
Technical and property documents:
- Terii Senshi's Algorithms FAQ concerns itself with all the damage formulas,
hit determination formulas and the specific odds, chances, and effect of
almost everything you want to know.
- The Attack Guide of Master ZED features all attacks (even the dummied ones)
and their specific behavior and attributes.
- Atom Edge's Item FAQ basically tells you where and how to find all the items
in the game.
- Master ZED's Monster Statistics Guide tells you everything you need to know
about every monster in the game.
Strategy documents:
- MeepleLard's Character FAQ gives a highly detailed approach to handling your
characters. Some might not like their favorite character labeled as 'mediocre',
but MeepleLard has succeeded in listing the facts and finding the perfect
balance between all the opinions.
- Master ZED's Slot Ability Guide is THE guide to taking Slot from a random
skill of madness and despair to a cold, hard science and exploiting it in
every way possible.
- Mnrogar's Colosseum Guide, next to all the specific info about the items you
can bet and what you'll receive for it, gives detailed strategies for all
opponents.
- Assassin's Lores Acquisition Guide is a comprehensive list of all
the locations a Lore can linger at and a great read.
- Skoobouy's Condensed Lore Guide is another option concerning hunting down
Lores. Less wordy than Assassin's document, some may find his approach superior.
- My very own (Djibriel, remember?) Rage Guide was released to teach you
everything you ever wanted to know about the Rage ability. Detailed boss
strategies, tips, equipment choices; for those who have left Gau out of their
team so far, this document will definitely persuade you to use him and join in
the Glory of the Truth and the Light.
- Skoobouy's Condensed Rage Guide. Again, less wordy than its competitor. Also
features legions of tables and houses a walkthrough based on Veldt trips.
Self-mutilation and masochism documents:
A 6:30 Speed Walkthrough challenge document by BalnabZ
An LLG (Low Level Game) Walkthrough by SharkESP
Another LLG document by rjpageuk / Crinkles. You might want to combine the
knowledge of both these documents for the best source of specific LLG
information (although I certainly will tell you to keep this file around as
well)
An - get this - LLNMG document by Zelgaddis, who combined the worst aspects
of the LLG and NMG and still survived through the entire game. Worthy of
admiration.
An SCC (Single Character Challenge) Walkthrough by MeepleLard. Right now, it
hasn't been completed, but at the very least, it should give you a nice amount
of pointers.
Miscellaneous documents;
Been there? Done that? Bought the t-shirt? Your hobbies, job, and sex life all
revolve around Final Fantasy VI and you have no idea what to do next? Master
ZED's Bugs and Glitches guide has mapped each and every known bug in this
game, and you can try them all out. Like the cancer it in fact represents,
the number of bugs is ever growing at a steady pace and ZED is always looking
for new additions.
Websites:
http://masterzed.cavesofnarshe.com
The Unoriginal White Sheet
A lot of custom monster patches, a New Game + patch, the Test patch, which
allows you to do anything at any point of the game, and a large number of
documents including the latest versions of the Attack Guide, Bugs and
Glitches Guide, Monster Stats Guide, Sketch bug guide, Slot ability guide,
and even a W Wind Guide if you're really desperate for a new angle. ;)
http://www.rpglegion.com
Final Fantasy VI Encyclopedia
THE encyclopedia concerning FF VI. You can find pretty much everything on this
site, even if it can be a little hard to navigate.
http://www.gamefaqs.com
GameFAQs
Pretty much THE FF VI community. We get the worst kind here, but also the best;
between the How To Blitz topics, you'll be able to find every answer there is.
And if we don't know the answer right away, it's a challenge that we'll meet
with a vengeance. ;) Beware though, if you're not in the mood for overwhelming
loads of stupidity, be very careful with your choice of topic to watch. :P
http://www.mnrogar.com
Mnrogar's Den
Mnrogar's own Colosseum Guide is located here, as are several LLG Save States
for all parts of the game, a custom monster patch, and a list of Links that
features pretty much every even remotely interesting FF VI website. Also
available at mnrogar.com are the forums. They're basically for the FF VI ROM
hacker who wants to look beyond the editors, so while we should be able to
answer any game-related question for you, it might be wiser to ask around at
GameFAQs first.
http://www.tenchinohoukai.greatnow.com
Collapse of Heaven and Earth...Tenchinohoukai
My own site. I apologize for a lot of things concerning this site. The amount of
pop-ups for starters, and the horrible layout for eh...seconds. Contains the
Loser Club, a list of every dummied bit of data in the game, my Level # Lore
Guide (you know it's good for something), my Rage Guide, and this document.
Also, some humorous and serious fan fiction if you're into that kind of thing.
http://homepage.mac.com/glennfield/MagiTek/index.html
MagiTek: Final Fantasy VI
A complete list of Treasure Chest contents, the Character Guide from the "Final
Fantasy III Player's Guide" as released by Nintendo, and some info about how
to worship Setzer's Fixed Dice.
**********************************
12.0 People I love because they've done things I wanted them to do
**********************************
An amazing list!
Terii Senshi, for discovering so many of the more basic algorithms. By
discovering the backbone of the game, Terii has partly created this document
as well. His site has been often used during the creation of this document.
Hollywood Narrator, for proofreading and being a back-up support unit.
Those are the best, man.
Assassin, for investing more time in this document than can ever be asked of
a person whose favorite word is 'sloth'. Proofreader and faithful spotter of
my imperfections. Concerning this game anyway.
MeepleLard and Imzogelmo for opinion and other input. Objectivity is a goal
that cannot be reached alone.
Novalia Spirit for discovering the facts behind the Mag Roader appearance in
the mine cart ride and discovering both the secret bridge in South Figaro and
the Kutan bug
Brian Sulpher, for pointing out some specific flaws in the lay-out rather than
throwing hands in the air and moaning about its 'unreadable nature'.
Various GameFAQs people who pointed out incorrect sentences, wanted to see
something changed, had a little more information on whatever subject or helped
in any other way. These include (in no specific order): majesticmystic,
Master ZED, Evan Streb, Eevee208, N W A 1986, ackackatk, The Que, HaroldV,
Kahran042, Novalia Spirit, SurfingVaporeon, alphasmart3000, Big Daddy Corn,
Polizei, YamiExodia, CanDman421, Galbalan, Balnab.
Cyrus Rodgers. You'll live forever in our hearts, man.
The anonymous masses of the GameFAQs' Final Fantasy III board. Boy, can they
be stupid every now and then, but they keep the scene flowing. Their
how-to-Blitz topics are our blood, the favorite-character-polls our soul.
The masterminds behind Nananca Crash. You'd think that one addiction would
overrule the other; instead, they appear to support each other, which in my
case leads to a bizarre mixture of this document, Daft Punk, webcomics, and
hitting bishie main characters from adult games with a bicycle.
Awesome Music Makers; including, but not limited to: Electric Six, Daft Punk,
Fake ID, Franz Ferdinand, Keane, Paul Simon, the Beatles, Ramses Shaffy,
the Kaiser Chiefs, Coldplay, Oasis, and Nobuo Uematsu and the Black Mages.
Mommy. ;_;
**********************************
Disclaimer and legal necessities
**********************************
This was written in 2005, by Thys Ozinga, and is copyrighted by me.
You are unauthorized to present this document, partly or whole, as written
by somebody else as the authors of the respective bodies of text. You are
unauthorized to change anything in this document for any other purpose
then personal use without my explicit permission.
You are unauthorized to stab me in my eyes without my explicit permission.
All rights reserved.