Tactics
Tactics
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: THE WAR OF THE LIONS (PSP) FAQ & WALKTHROUGH
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M; @ T A C T I C S
T h e W a r o f t h e L i o n s
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
% FINAL FANTASY TACTICS: THE WAR OF THE LIONS FAQ %
% Version 6.03 %
% by Fritz Fraundorf %
% [email protected] %
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%%%%TABLE OF CONTENTS%%%%
To jump to any section of this FAQ, press Ctrl+F to Find and type in the code
(beginning with 00) next to the section title.
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I. REVISION HISTORY 00rev
********************************************************************************
- Kwing points out a good strategy for Mystics and Beowulf: if you need to raise
their hit rates, you can have cast their own Faith-boosting magicks on
themselves at the start of battle.
- Absorb MP doesn't give you any MP for any magicks you cast on yourself.
Thanks to Kwing for this pointer.
- The damage you take from trying to drain the Undead applies even if you are
Undead as well. (Noted in the section on Undead mechanics.) Thanks to Kwing
for this as well.
- Some minor formatting improvements in various sections.
********************************************************************************
II. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 00faq
********************************************************************************
---Basic Mechanics--------------------------------------------------------------
To learn how to use each type of item, the character must also learn the
ability that goes along with it. For instance, to use Phoenix Downs, you
must first learn the Chemist's "Phoenix Down" ability. These abilities can
be bought on your status screen using JP (Job Points) earned by using the
Chemist job.
head), you can use a Phoenix Down, the White Mage's Raise/Arise spells, or
the Monk's Revive. Or, finish the battle before the counter expires and the
character will also be restored.
If the counter counts down past 0, the character will turn into a treasure
chest or crystal. Once this happens, the character is gone for good and
there is unfortunately NO way to revive him or her, ever. You may recruit
replacement generic characters from the Warriors' Guild in any town. Special
story characters are irreplaceable if killed.
Q. What do the Bravery and Faith statistics mean? Do I want high or low
Bravery and Faith?
A. A high Bravery is almost always good. It increases your chance of using
Reaction Abilities, and makes certain weapon types (fists, knight's swords,
katanas, and most monster attacks) stronger. The only advantage of low
Bravery is that it helps you find rare items with the Treasure Hunter
ability, but you can just keep a single low-Bravery character for that
purpose.
Faith makes a character's magicks stronger and makes allies' healing magicks
more effective when used on the character. But, it also makes enemy magicks
do more damage when used against you. So, generally, you'll want your
magick users to have high Faith (to make their magick stronger) and
characters not using magick to have low Faith (to defend them from enemy
magick).
See the Bravery and Faith section for more specific details, as well as tips
on raising/lowering Bravery and Faith.
Q. Is Cloud still in this version of the game, like he was in the PSone
release?
A. Yes. In fact, you can actually recruit him earlier than you could before.
Q. Aren't there some new jobs added to the PSP version that weren't in the
PSone version?
A. The PSP version of FF Tactics has two new jobs. To make a character into an
Onion Knight, simply get their Squire and Chemist jobs up to level 6. The
other new job, Dark Knight, is trickier to unlock. To become a Dark Knight,
the same character must fulfill ALL of these three requirements:
1. Master Knight and Black Mage by learning all the abilities.
2. Earn enough JP to raise the Dragoon, Geomancer, Samurai, and Ninja jobs
to job level 8. While it's possible to master Geomancer without
getting it to job level 8, you MUST continue to earn enough JP
to get to job level 8 if you want to unlock Dark Knight.
3. Kill 20 enemies with the character. Just KOing them does NOT count;
they must turn to chests or crystals. (And poaching does not count!)
It doesn't matter whether or not you actually pick up the crystals.
Yikes! :-)
Q. What are the new subquests in the PSP version? How do I access them?
A. There are three new subquests in Chapter IV, one revolving around Beowulf
and the others revolving around Agrias. Beowulf's subquest is available
after returning Reis to human form at Nelveska Temple and after completing
Mullonde Cathedral in the main storyline. (Press Ctrl+F and enter 00lio to
jump to the section with all the details on the Lionel's New Liege Lord
quest.)
Agrias has a couple of different subquests. First, if you still have Alicia
and Lavian, the Tynar Rouge event can be accessed on 1 Cancer. Second,
after Mullonde, travel to Zeltennia to open up another battle accessed via
the Tavern at Gariland. For details on these events, press Ctrl+F and
enter 00agr to jump to Agrias's Birthday or 00dis for Disorder in the
Order, respectively.
---Character Recruitment--------------------------------------------------------
Balthier isn't available until you've completed the battle at the Free City
of Bervenia in Chapter IV. Any time after that, read the "Rash of Thefts"
rumor at the Gariland tavern, then go to the Dorter tavern and read the
"Call for Guards" rumor. Win the battle that ensues when you try to leave
town and Balthier joins.
Q. How do I get Cloud to join my party? And where do I find his sword?
A. See the "Walkthrough - Subquests" section of the FAQ. You need to complete
the Gollund Colliery, Nelveska Temple, and Recruiting Cloud quests in
sequence.
Q. I didn't buy the flower when I had the chance. Can I still get Cloud?
A. Unfortunately, it seems that you have only one chance to buy the flower. If
you declined to buy it, you are not able to get Cloud, or complete the other
sidequests that depend on the flower. Sorry :(
Q. How do I get the Genji equipment? Can I steal it from the boss who has it?
A. Unfortunately, you can never steal from that boss in the PSP version, so he
gets to keep his Genji gear to himself. Alas! However, you CAN get the
Genji Armor and Masamune from the new "Lionel's New Liege Lord" subquest.
Press Ctrl+F and enter 00lio to jump to the guide for that quest.
enemies KOed increases the NUMBER of items you get, but doesn't change their
quality.
---Poaching---------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. The guy at the Poachers' Den won't talk to me, or says the store is out of
inventory.
A. To get inside the Poachers' Den, you must first poach at least one monster.
(See the question above for instructions on poaching.) Also, if you've
already bought up all the items that you poached, the Den will say they're
out of inventory and there won't be anything for you to buy. So get
poaching!
Q. How do I use the Treasure Hunter coordinates you've included in each battle
strategy?
A. Use the analog stick (in the lower left of the PSP). Every time you tap it
left or right, the perspective changes. Rotate the perspective until the
specified corner is the bottom of the map. From this corner, use the LEFT
and UP buttons on the D-pad to move to the cursor to the correct tile. See
the Treasure Hunter section (hit Ctrl+F and enter 00treasure ) for a more
detailed explanation.
If you picked up the Phoenix Down from the treasure tile instead of the
"good" item, I'm afraid the good item is gone forever--even if you leave the
map and re-enter. You'd have to restore to a previous save to get the item.
Q. What's this about a treasure tile at Mount Bervenia that you can't get?
A. Yep, there's a treasure tile programmed into Mount Bervenia that you can
never actually get. To get it, your Treasure Hunter would have to stop on a
tile filled with lava. The only abilities that let you do this are
Lavawalking and Levitate, neither of which can be equipped simultaneously
with Treasure Hunter. Float magick and gear like the Winged Boots do NOT
work because they only allow you to move THROUGH lava on the way to another
tile, and never allow you to STOP on top of lava.
The tile only has a Flameburst Bomb and X-Potion anyway, so don't sweat it.
---Specific Battles-------------------------------------------------------------
Q. I got into a random battle and was facing a weird set of enemies. Is this
some special event? What's going on?
A. Each wilderness location has a "special" random battle that you can randomly
encounter at low odds in Chapter IV. These special battles pit you against
unusual enemy parties -- mostly collections of human enemies. You don't get
anything special for winning these battles and they have no relation to the
story, but they can be an interesting extra challenge! For a list of all
these special battles, see the Random Battles section.
Q. What job should I use for the best HP? The best attack power?
A. I've added a Job Statistics Comparison chart to the FAQ to quickly compare
each job's stats. Ctrl+F and 00jobstat will get you there.
Q. I've learned all the abilities for one of my jobs, but it still doesn't show
up as Mastered. Why not?
A. Ramza's Squire job and Luso's Game Hunter job also require that you learn
their hidden Ultima ability. The Summoner job also requires that you get
the Zodiark summon. See the FAQs below.
job; then, if someone casts the spell on him, he will learn it. (As long as
just one of the two characters learns it, you can have him cast it on the
other to learn it later.) The best time to learn the spell is from the
assassins outside Limberry Castle in Chapter IV, but you can also have Luso
learn it on the Riovanes Castle Roof in Chapter III, from Ultima Demons in
other battles, or from another player in Rendezvous Mode. (The guest
character during the final battle can also learn Ultima if it's cast on her.)
Q. What's the deal with Onion Knights? They seem horrible. Is there any way
to make them stronger?
A. Actually, yes. The Onion Knight's job level goes up as you master other
jobs, and if you can get the Onion Knight up to job level 8, they'll become
more powerful. Also, if you play the game's multiplayer modes, you can earn
some powerful "Onion" equipment that only Onion Knights can equip.
---Miscellany-------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Are there items or events in this game that I can permanently miss? What do
I need to do to see them?
A. I've put together a Missable Items and Events list -- just press Ctrl+F and
enter 00miss to jump to that section.
Q. Help! I beat the last boss and the game said it was saving afterwards, but
when I load up my last save, I'm just at the last boss fight again. Can I
go anywhere else?
A. Unfortunately, no :(. The game clear save is just to unlock some of the
multiplayer missions. If you want to continue roving the world map, you
need to keep a separate save from before you began the final sequence of
battles.
A. Sure, see the Quickly Gaining Exp & JP (00quick) for strategies for this.
With the right magicks, it's even possible to make this process completely
automatic! But keep in mind you never *need* to do this to finish the game.
Usually, a change of strategy should be enough to get you past the next
battle and you don't need to spend time leveling if you don't want to.
Q. Is there any kind of New Game+ mode, so that I can start from the beginning
but keep all my levels and items?
A. Unfortunately, no. FF Tactics dates back to a time before this feature
started becoming common in RPGs. Whenever you start a new game, you always
have to start from scratch.
********************************************************************************
III. BASIC MECHANICS AND TACTICS 00basic
********************************************************************************
Final Fantasy Tactics includes a pretty extensive in-game tutorial that explains
most of the basics of gameplay like fighting in battle, changing Jobs, equipping
items and abilities, and gaining levels.
You can access the tutorial from the title screen (just choose "Tutorial"), or
during the game by choosing "Tutorial" from the map screen menu.
---ABOUT JOBS---
FF Tactics is one of several Final Fantasy games that uses the Job System. Jobs
are basically like character classes, except you can frequently switch them and
combine their abilities.
The job you have determines the abilities you can learn, your stats, and the
equipment you can use. For instance, the Knight job has high Physical Attack
and HP, can use swords and heavy armor, and has abilities that break the enemy's
items. The Wizard casts offensive magicks, has high magick strength, and wield
rods.
You can change characters' jobs on the Party Roster screen between battles.
Press Triangle on the map screen to open the menu, point to a character, and
press Triangle to open his/her menu.
Switching between jobs and combining their abilities is the key to success in
this game!
A complete list of all the jobs and their abilities is in the Jobs section.
---ABILITIES---
Each job has a category of Action Abilities (e.g. "Black Magicks" or "Steal").
This category of abilities is always available for use by the job. In addition,
each job can equip one other job's Action Ability category. So, you can have a
Knight who casts White Magicks, or a Monk who uses her own Martial Arts
abilities plus the Thief's ability to steal Items.
Each character can also equip one ability in each of three other categories:
> Reaction Abilities (righwards-pointing arrow icon) take effect when you are
targeted by another unit. The chance of using most Reaction Abilties is
equal to your Bravery stat (described below in a bit more detail).
> Support Abilities (circle icon) have general effects that you don't have to
"fire" during a battle. They are always active.
> Movement Abilities (foot icon) control how you move, or take effect when you
move.
To equip abilities, on the map screen, open the menu (with Triangle) and enter
the Party Roster screen. Then point to a character, press Triangle to open the
menu, and choose Abilities -> Assign.
---LEARNING ABILITIES---
New abilities are "purchased" using JP, which you earn from any successful
action in battle. You earn JP separately for each job, so earning JP as an
Archer only lets you buy Archer abilities. (Gaining JP also eventually unlocks
new jobs for you to use.)
To buy abilities, on the map screen, open the menu (with Triangle) and enter the
Party Roster screen. Then point to a character, press Triangle to open the
menu, and choose Abilities -> Learn.
%%%CHARACTER STATISTICS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00stats
---BASIC STATS---
There are 7 basic stats for each character in FF Tactics. In addition to these,
your evasion rates and Bravery/Faith are also really important, and covered in
subsections below this.
> HP: HP represents your health. Enemy attacks reduce your HP. If you run out
of HP, the character is Dead and unable to fight. Moreover, a Dead
character will vanish permanently after a few turns (see next section).
Fortunately, there are many ways to restore HP during a battle, and your HP
is also restored completely between battles.
> MP: MP is consumed when you cast magic. More powerful spells generally cost
more MP. If you run out of MP, you won't be able to cast magic. MP is
restored after a battle, and a few abilities can restore MP during battle.
> Physical Attack: Increases the power of physical attacks. This includes most
weapons, as well as some other special abilities like sword techniques and
Punch Art.
> Magic Attack: Increases the power of magic attacks. Aside from the obvious
(White Magic, etc.), this also includes some other special commands (like
the Samurai's Draw Out) and even a few weapons.
> Speed: The primary function of Speed is to determine how quickly you get your
next turn. If you have high Speed; you'll earn more turns relative to your
opponents. Speed also improves the effectiveness of certain abilities
(like Steal and Jump) and a few weapon types.
> Move: Your Move rating is simply the number of tiles you can move per turn.
> Jump: Jump determines your ability to move across high and low tiles on the
battlefield. Each tile has a Height rating, and you can't move between two
tiles if the height difference is greater than your Jump. For instance, a
Jump stat of 3 would let you move from a height 1 tile to a height 4 tile,
but not height 1 to height 5.
FF Tactics has no "defense" stat, unlike many RPGs. Armor increases your HP
rather than defense. So the main way to survive more attacks is to raise your
HP!
---EVASION RATES---
You've probably noticed that the status screen features *three* numbers for each
character's evade rate. The first number, C-Ev, comes from the character's
current class/job. The second number, S-Ev, comes from the character's shield.
The final number, A-Ev, comes from the character's accessory (i.e., cloaks).
You also have separate evade rates for evading physical attacks and evading
magick attacks.
For physical attacks, your evade rate depends on which direction the attack is
coming from. C-Ev is only effective against attacks from the FRONT. Shields
(S-Ev) are effective against attacks from the front and side, but NOT from the
back. A-Ev is effective against ALL attacks.
For magick attacks, S-Ev and A-Ev are effective against all attacks regardless
of direction. No job actually has a magick C-Ev greater than 0, so magick can
be evaded only with a shield or cloak.
C-Ev, S-Ev, and A-Ev do not completely "stack" because they are combined
multiplicatively. If you have a shield with S-Ev 50% and a cloak with A-Ev 50%,
the shield will reduce the enemy's hit rate by 50% (to 50%), and the cloak will
reduce THAT by another 50% to a 25% hit rate (NOT 0%). That means you get
"diminishing returns" from equipping multiple boosts to your evade rate.
You can plan your attacks with these evade rates in mind. If an enemy has a
shield, attack him or her from behind. (If an enemy doesn't have a shield,
attacking from the side or behind are equally effective.) If an enemy has a
high overall physical evade rate, use magick -- or guns, which ignore evade
rates completely. Equipping the Archer's Concentration ability will completely
prevent your physical attacks from being evaded. And, of course, positioning
your own characters so that their backs/sides can't be attacked helps you evade
enemy attacks.
Some status conditions affect evade rates. If you're Blind, the enemy's evade
rate is doubled versus your physical attacks. If you're Defending, YOUR evade
rate versus both physical and magickal attacks is doubled. Of course, since
these conditions only double an existing evade rate, they have NO effect on
attacks with a 100% hit rate. (So, attacking from behind is often still
effective even if you're Blind or the enemy is Defending!) Finally, while
you're charging up magicks or other abilities, your evade rates versus both
physical and magickal attacks drop to ZERO!
The Shirahadori, First Strike, and Archer's Bane reaction abilities stop attacks
outright and are independent of evade rate.
Faith affects a character's affinity for magick. Having a high Faith stat
makes your offensive magicks do more damage, your healing magicks restore more
HP, and your status change magicks more likely to succeed. It also makes your
allies' healing magicks more effective when used on you. BUT, it also makes
enemy magicks more effective against you! You'll want your magick-users to have
high Faith (so their magick is most effective), but you may want your other
characters to have low Faith so they are less susceptible to enemy magicks.
Aside from the bosses, enemy Zodiac signs are generally random, so it's pretty
hard to plan your deployments around Zodiac signs. However, you can sometimes
exploit your Zodiac signs within a battle to squeeze out a little extra damage.
See the Zodiac Compatibility section under Other Game Information for a more
detailed treatment of Zodiac signs.
INITIAL EQUIPMENT: Male recruits start with a Broadsword, Leather Cap, and
Clothing and cost 1500 gil; female recruits start with a Dagger instead of a
Broadsword and cost 1400 gil. The 100 gil difference is due to the fact that
JOBS: Males get the Bard job, while females get the Dancer job. They also
differ slightly in how they learn Move +3 and Jump +3: Males get Move +3 from
Bard and Jump +3 from Dark Knight, while females get Move +3 from Dark Knight
and Jump +3 from Dancer.
STATS: Males tend to have somewhat more HP and Physical Attack power, while
females tend to have somewhat more MP and Magick Attack power. There are no
gender differences in Speed.
EQUIPMENT: Bags, hair adornments, lip rouge, perfume, and the Minerva Bustier
can only generally be equipped only by female characters. (Male Onion Knights
can also use all of these items, and Cloud can equip hair adornments.) There
are no male-exclusive items. These female-only items include some of the best
items in the game, such as the Ribbon, Tynar Rouge, and Chantage -- which means
that in the long run, female characters tend to end up more powerful than males.
The countdown starts at 3 and counts down to 2, 1, 0, and finally death. The
countdown ticks downward each time the character's "turn" comes up. (Of course,
you don't get an actual turn when you're KOed.) This means that characters with
higher Speed will have a faster countdown.
> Crystals: Picking up a crystal gives you a choice of EITHER fully restoring
your HP and MP, OR learning some of the dead character's abilities.
Don't be fooled by the fact that the cursor only points to one of the
abilities on the list. If you select Acquire Abilities, you will learn ALL
the abilities listed. This makes collecting crystals a great way to learn
abilities quickly! Since monsters don't have any abilities you can learn,
crystals from monsters only allow you to restore HP/MP.
Crystals don't allow a character to learn abilities for a job he/she hasn't
unlocked yet. (Those abilities won't even show up in the list.) So, when
you pick up a crystal, do it with a character who can benefit from it. For
instance, a crystal left by a White Mage would be beneficial for a character
who has unlocked White Mage but doesn't have many White Mage abilities yet.
A character who is currently KOed with a countdown can be cured with many
different abilities (e.g. Phoenix Down, Raise, Revive, etc.) or by completing
the battle before the countdown expires.
However, there is NO way to bring back a character who has been turned into a
If you're trying to get a particular item that an enemy has equipped, one way to
improve your odds of it dropping in a chest is to use the Knight's Arts of War
skills (or the Unyielding Blade skills used by some story characters) to break
the enemy's other equipment before you KO the enemy. Or, you can just use Thief
abilities to steal it, of course :).
> MOVE -- to a new location on the battle map. The maximum number of tiles you
can move is determined by your Move statistic.
> ACT -- perform a standard physical attack, or use one of the Action Abilities
you have equipped. A couple of Support Abilities (Defend and Reequip) will also
add new Act commands.
You can Move or Act in either order. However, it's not possible to Move twice
or Act twice in one turn.
You can also choose to end your turn early by choosing Wait. This is used if
you don't want to Move or Act, or to get your next turn faster (see below).
Normally, you can both Move and Act during a turn. If you do both, your CT
gauge empties to 0. However, if you do only ONE and then select Wait, your CT
gauge only drops back to 20, and if you do neither (just Waiting out your
turn), the CT gauge drops back to 40. This means that you can get turns much
more quickly! So, you shouldn't have each character always Move AND Act if
they don't really need to do one or the other. Using Wait to get extra turns
like this is a CRUCIAL tactic on maps where you're outnumbered and need to get
as many turns as you can. Have your characters attack while remaining
(The Immobilize and Disable status conditions, which prevent you from Moving
or Acting, respectively, actually penalize your CT gauge as if you DID Move
or Act. Alas.)
The Haste status makes a character's CT gauge fill 50% faster and the Quick
magick makes it fill to 100 instantly. On the other hand, the Slow status makes
it fill 50% more slowly and the Stop status makes it fill not at all.
When you're KOed, you don't get any turns. Instead, when your CT reaches 100,
your death countdown decreased by 1 -- from 3 to 2 to 1 to 0 to permanent death.
This means that a speedy character will die sooner!
---PAUSE BATTLES---
If you push Triangle while the enemies are moving, the game will pause after
the current enemy stops moving. (When you press Triangle, you'll hear a chime
sound indicating the pause was activated.) Once paused, you can check out
everyone's status. When you're done, just click on any character and choose
Done to resume.
---TURN LIST---
The Turn List is a very helpful screen that displays which characters will be
getting their turns next, and when magicks currently charging will activate.
To look at the Turn List, press Triangle during battle to get out of the
current menu. (You can also do this using the Pause Battles command above.)
Then click on any blank tile and choose "Turn List."
You can also access the Turn List when selecting an ability. Simply press
the right arrow when you're on the list of ability. This will show you when
the selected ability when finish charging.
While you're looking at the Turn List, if you click on an ability that's being
charged, it will show you what character/tiles will be affected.
There are many reasons to check the Turn List. For example, you can make sure
a charged attack will activate before the enemy moves, you can get out of
the way before an enemy magick activates, you can focus your attacks to KO the
enemy who will move next, and you can make sure to pick up crystals before an
enemy will have a turn to collect them.
Note that the Turn List always assumes that characters will both Move and Act
on their turns. If they use Wait to keep some of their CT gauge filled, or if
Haste or Slow is cast on them, their position on the Turn List may of course
change.
Use Unit targeting if you want to target a specific character -- say, to heal a
specific ally or attack a specific enemy. (This is probably what you'll use
most of the time.) Another nice thing about Unit targeting is that you can use
it to hit an enemy even if s/he tries to flee out of range. You can also
target an enemy with Unit targeting, then retreat from danger. The magick will
still hit its chosen target even though you're now well away from the enemies!
Use Panel targeting if you're more concerned with hitting a group of targets
than any specific individual. This way, even if one individual unit moves, you
can still cast the magick on all the other units. Another good time to use
Panel targeting is when you're aiming a magick at a particular "choke-point" on
the map (such as a bridge or hallway). Here, you're not trying to hit any
particular enemy so much as blasting whatever enemy approaches you.
The Archer's Aim attack, the Dragoon's Jump attack, and Cloud's Limit abilities
can ONLY use Panel targeting. If the enemy moves out of the way while these
attacks are charging, you're out of luck.
Between turns, the in-game clock "ticks" forward. During each "tick," all
characters' CT gauges increase by an amount equal to their Speed statistic.
If a character reaches 100 CT, he or she gets a turn. If no character gets a
turn, the clock ticks forward again and again until someone DOES get a turn.
If more than one character hits 100 CT on the same tick, all those characters
get to take a turn before the clock continues.
The clock calculations are done automatically, so you won't see any actual pause
between turns. It's just the mechanic that controls the order of turns.
Since the rate at which your CT gauge fills is based on your Speed, increasing
your Speed statistic fills your CT gauge more rapidly and allows you to get
more turns relative to the enemy!
Some abilities (magicks, mostly) must be "charged up." After being selected,
these abilities are delayed by a fixed number of clock ticks before they
activate. For example, when you choose to have a character cast Curaga, it
takes 7 clock ticks for Curaga to charge up, and then it activates. The number
of ticks varies by ability, with more powerful abilities requiring more ticks
to charge. Before you begin charging an ability, you can use the Turn List
(see above) to preview when it will activate. (In-game, the charge time for
abilities is displayed as a "speed" number; the number of required ticks is
equal to 100 divided by this number.)
The Haste status also has NO effect on the charge time of magicks or the charge
time of Jump. Similarly, Slow status does not impede charge time.
Since Speed goes up but the number of ticks required for delayed abilities
remains fixed, abilities that require charge time tend to get less useful as you
gain levels and increase Speed. You can get more "regular" (non-charge) turns
relative to the charge time of delayed abilities.
FF Tactics is completely turn-based. While you are looking at the menu and
thinking, the battle clock does NOT tick. (It is not an ATB system.) The
clock only ticks between turns.
The exception is the Archer's Aim attacks: these attacks do not work if you move
away from your target, although you can still change the direction you're
facing.
While charging up an ability that takes a long time to charge, the character may
receive additional turns before the charging is complete. Again, you can use
these turns to move around the battlefield. However, do NOT take another action
or it will cancel the ability you were charging.
While charging an ability, you take more damage from physical attacks, and you
cannot evade any attacks. However, Reaction Abilities can still be used.
---SAVE YOURSELF!---
If you get a turn in time, you can move out of the way of an enemy ability
that's targeting a Panel or targeting a different unit.
If you WON'T get a turn in time, you might still be able to escape. Have
another unit hit the potential with the Squire abilities Rush or Stone; these
abilities have a high chance of knocking the unit back a tile and potentially
pushing them out of the effect radius. (Of course, this won't help you escape
magicks that are directly targeting you.)
%%%MORE ON MAGICKS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00magick
Of course, you also need to watch out for a "friendly fire" effect when casting
magicks -- you don't want to hit your own characters in the effect radius! If
one of your allies is standing close to an enemy, you'll hurt him or her if you
target the enemy directly. So, one solution is to target a more remote panel
that will catch the enemy in the effect radius of your spell, but leave your
ally out of range. (Of course, this also works in reverse for when you want to
heal an ally, but not an enemy.) Just make sure the enemy won't be able to
move before the magick is cast.
Note that Summons and Iaido abilities ONLY target the "correct" units. They
won't hurt allies, or heal enemies.
When a magick bounces off a character with Reflect, it strikes a tile that is
the same direction and distance from the target as the target was from the
original caster. For example, in the diagram below, the target (T) is 3 tiles
to the right of the caster (C). So, the magick gets reflected onto a new tile
(R) that is 3 tiles to the right of the target.
|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|
|C | | |T | | | R|
|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|
You can use Reflect to extend the range of your magicks. Position a unit with
Reflect (ally or enemy, it doesn't matter) halfway towards your intended target,
then bounce the magick off the unit to reach a distant target. You can give
your magicks a range of 8 tiles or more this way!
---CURE/BUFF TRAPS---
When you start charging a healing magick (e.g. Cure) or status buff (e.g.
Protect), enemy units will often move into the effect radius to try to pick up
the benefit of the magick as well.
You can use this AI pattern to your advantage! Start charging a Cure magick
(you can even just target an empty tile!) to draw enemy mages/archers forward so
you can attack them. Or, target Cure on a distant tile to lure enemies away
from your own allies. Note, though, that enemies will only chase the Cure
magick if they need healing; they won't if their HP is full.
This trick also works with positive "buffs" like Protect and Haste. Of course,
enemies won't chase after these magicks if they already have the buff in
question.
You CANNOT use Summons this way, because they only ever target your own units.
You can also use the timing of Silence in dealing with enemy magicks. Casting
Silence on an enemy shortly before his or her magick activates will cancel
the spell.
Silence also prevents the use of Speechcraft, but since Speechcraft abilities
all activate instantaneously, these timing effects don't come into play.
Rainstorms and thunderstorms also multiply evade rates versus bows (and
crossbows). Night time battles have the same effect. And if it's both night
and storming, evade rates against bows increase even more!
Rainstorms and thunderstorms become more common during certain months. See the
Weather Effects & Ivalician Calendar section for more on weather effects.
---CONSUMABLE ITEMS---
Like most RPGs, Final Fantasy Tactics has consumable items (e.g. Potions,
Phoenix Down) that you can use to heal yourself. However, not all characters
can use items. Instead, using items is a special ability of the Chemist job.
To use items, you must either turn the character into a Chemist, or learn some
of the Chemist's abilities and then equip "Items" as your secondary Action
Ability.
Each type of item requires you to learn a corresponding Chemist ability before
it can be used. For instance, to use Hi-Potions, you must learn the "Hi-Potion"
ability.
A nice advantage of using Items is that, unlike White Magicks, they require no
charge time or MP. On the other hand, they can only heal one character at a
time.
Items normally have a range of 1, which means that you have to be standing in a
tile adjacent to the character you want to heal (or be using the item on
yourself). The Chemist's Throw Items ability extends this range to 4. Chemists
have this ability innately, but you'll have to learn and equip it if you're
using Items as another job. Items always have an infinite vertical range,
meaning it doesn't matter how big the height difference is between you and the
character you're trying to heal.
---EQUIPMENT---
Other gear like weapons, shields, headgear, armor, and accessories is equipped
on characters between battles. The type of equipment you can use depends on
your current job; you can also use abilities like "Equip Swords" to expand the
range of equipment you can use.
As far as armor goes, shields are used to block attacks completely by raising
your evade rate. Headgear and armor both raise your HP; some types of armor
will raise your MP as well. Unlike in many games, armor in FF Tactics does not
reduce the damage you take; it just gives you more HP so you can stay alive
longer.
Accessories either raise your evade rate (cloaks) or provide stat boosts,
buffs, or immunity to status ailments or elements (other kinds of accessories).
With the Chemist's Reequip ability, you can change equipment DURING a battle,
but this is a pretty useless capability and not worth an ability slot.
---IAIDO COMMAND---
The Samurai's Iaido ability lets you use the hidden powers of katanas to cast
magick-like effects. To use these abilities, you must have at least 1 copy of
the corresponding katana in your inventory (NOT equipped). For example, to use
the Kiku-ichimonji ability, you must have a Kiku-ichimonji katana in your
inventory.
There is a chance that the corresponding katana will break whenever you use
Iaido.
DEEP WATER: If you're standing in water of depth 2, you cannot take action or
use Reaction Abilities. You can still evade attacks, though.
SHORTENED MOVEMENT: Second, water also shortens your movement range. Normally,
the number of tiles you can move is equal to your Move statistic. However, when
you move through tiles containing clear water (including Canal, River, Lake,
Ocean, and Waterfall tiles), you move at half the usual rate. In other words,
it requires two "points" of Move to move through a clear water tile.
Swamp, Poisonous Fen, and Marsh tiles do not normally slow your movement, except
during a rainstorm or thunderstorm. During a rainstorm, it requires 2 points of
Move to move through these tiles; during a thunderstorm, it requires THREE
points of Move. (A light rain has no effect on movement.) These swampy tiles
only appear on a handful of maps: The Siedge Weald, Tchigolith Fenlands,
Riovanes Castle Gate, and Dorvauldar Marsh.
BLOCKED TILES: Many monster types and some monster-like special story characters
are completely unable to enter water tiles, even as part of a longer move.
Also, water of depth 4 can never be entered by human OR by monsters, unless you
have some of the special abilities listed below. Water this deep only appears
on two maps: Orbonne Monastery and the Fort Besselat Sluice.
If you have the Swim movement ability, all water is treated as having only a
depth of 1, so you won't sink as low in Depth 2 water.
Act in Move/act in
Movement in water of Swampy tiles Depth 4
ABILITY clear water Depth 2? during storms water?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No special ability Slowed No Slowed No
> LAVA: Characters cannot normally walk across Lava tiles, but Float status
(including Levitate) and the Geomancer's Lavawalking movement ability will
allow you to do so. Levitate and Lavawalking will also allow you to STOP
atop lava tiles, whereas Float magick and accessories do not.
> DARKNESS: Empty pits or chasms are referred to as Darkness tiles in the
game. These show up on a few story maps and in the bonus dungeon. You can
only "walk" through these with Float status or Levitate, and you can never
stop over them.
> POISONOUS FENS: If you end your turn standing on a Poisonous Fen tile (found
only at Tchigolith Fenlands), the Poison status will be inflicted on you.
Float and Levitate will protect against this; Waterwalking, Swim, and Ignore
Terrain do not.
%%%UNDEAD UNITS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00undead
The Undead status has two major effects -- it affects healing and draining
magicks, and it changes what happens when the character is KOed.
---WHO IS UNDEAD?---
Undead characters include monsters from the Skeleton and Ghost families, as
well as human enemies in a few story battles. There are also several abilities
and items that will make a unit Undead for the duration of the current battle:
> The Mystic's magick Corruption
> The Templar's magick Zombie (this job is exclusive to one of the special
story characters)
> The Revenant monster's Zombie Touch ability (only usable if the Revenant is
near a human ally with Beastmaster)
> Equipping the Cursed Ring found in the bonus dungeon.
On the other hand, undead characters are *immune* to attacks that drain HP to
the user, such as the Blood Sword weapon or the Mystic's Invigoration magick.
These attacks backfire if used against an undead monster! The undead character
gains HP, and the attacker loses HP! (This is true even if the attacker is also
undead.)
The Monk's Chakra DOES still work on an undead character. The Black Mage's
Death magick, when cast on an undead character, restores the undead unit to full
HP.
---UNDEAD REVIVAL---
Normally, KOed units disappear and turn into a crystal or chest when their
countdown ticks past 0. For an undead character, it's a little different.
There's a 50% chance that an undead character will REVIVE (with a random amount
of HP) when their counter ends. But, there's also a 50% chance the character
will turn into a crystal or chest like usual. It's random!
Some undead units are also immune to Poison and Regen status. This includes
Skeleton- and Ghost-family monsters, and the undead enemies you encounter in
random battles. It does NOT include units that have temporarily been made
---ABOUT MONSTERS---
In addition to human characters, you can also recruit monsters (including
chocobos) to fight on your team. Monsters have some specialized abilities that
humans can't use, and typically have higher HP and attack power. But, they are
NOT able to change jobs or use equipment, and are often slower than humans.
Many monsters also have strengths or weaknesses vs. certain elements of magick.
This section covers general information about how to recruit monsters and use
them. A list of each specific monster and its abilities is in the Jobs section
of the FAQ (press Ctrl+F and 00job3 to jump there.)
---MONSTER TYPES---
Monsters are divided by Family and Rank. Each monster Family has three Ranks:
for instance, the chocobo family contains Chocobo (Rank I), Black Chocobo
(Rank II), and Red Chocobo (Rank III).
Within a Family, the monsters look the same but simply have different color
schemes. Each monster's color scheme is listed in the table below. The color
scheme will help you quickly identify a monster. It can also be used to help
identify the monster inside an egg (see Monster Egg Preview below). The color
of an EGG is random and doesn't tell you anything about what kind of monster
inside the egg.
1. Use the Orator's Entice skill to recruit an enemy monster onto your team.
After the battle, you'll be able to permanently sign the monster up for your
team. Note that in order to use Entice (or any other Speechcraft skill) on
monsters, you must have the Beast Tongue support ability (also from Orator).
Beast Tongue is an innate ability for Orators and doesn't need to be learned or
equipped as long as you're an Orator, but if you switch to another job, you'll
have to equip Beast Tongue to Entice monsters. Reis's Dragon's Charm ability
also has the same effect and does not require Beast Tongue, but only works on
the dragon and hydra families.
If your roster is already full when you recruit a new monster or other
character in battle (either with Entice or with Tame, below), you'll have the
chance to kick out an existing character in order to make room for the new ally.
2. With the Orator's Tame support ability equipped, attack a monster. If the
monster is in critical (low) HP after the attack, you can recruit the monster.
Reis's Dragonkin job has Tame as an innate ability.
3. Once you have recruited a monster onto your team, the monster will lay eggs
and produce other monsters in the same family. Eggs are laid and hatch as you
move around the world map. A monster has about a 2 in 15 chance of laying an
egg with each move you make -- or, on average, you get 1 egg every 7-8 days.
The Rank of the monster laying the egg determines which kind of Ranks you're
likely to find inside of the egg:
(As stated above, the color of the egg is random and has nothing to do with
the monster inside.)
Rank I monsters can never produce Rank III monsters directly. However, you
can use a Rank I monster to breed a Rank II monster, which can then go on to
produce a Rank III monster.
Note that Rank II monsters are actually MORE likely than Rank III monsters to
give birth to Rank III monsters. So, if you want to breed multiple copies of a
Rank III monster (e.g. for poaching), keep a Rank II monster on your squad.
A newborn monster is assigned the Zodiac sign of the month it was born.
Newborn monsters are randomly assigned the exact experience level of one other
member of your roster (monster OR human). For instance, if your entire roster
consisted of three characters at level 24, 63, and 99, then a newborn monster
would be either level 24, 63, or 99 -- but never any other number.
So, if you recruit a monster type you like but the monster is at a low
experience level, one strategy is to let it breed and you may get a higher-level
version of the same monster if you have other high-level characters on your
roster.
Eggs are never laid if your roster is already full. If you want your
monsters to breed but have a full team roster (24 characters), you'll need to
delete one or more existing characters.
5. There are two locations where a friendly monster may join your party after
a random battle:
> Mandalia Plain (north entrance) - Chocobo
> Dorvauldar Marsh (west entrance) - Swine
Rarely at each of these locations, you may get into a random battle where the
respective monster fights as a Guest on your team. Complete the battle and
you'll be able to sign up the monster as a permanent party member. (Other Guest
monsters in random battles are not recruitable in this way.)
6. The Dragon's Charm ability, used by one of the optional story characters, has
a 100% chance of recruiting any dragon or hydra onto your team. It has no
effect on other monster types.
---RIDING A CHOCOBO---
It's not actually too useful, but you can ride chocobos. Move a human character
onto the same tile as a friendly chocobo (of any color). The character will
mount the chocobo and they'll move and act as a single unit.
Riding a chocobo essentially allows you to have a human character with the
movement range of a chocobo. The rider uses his/her abilities and has his or
her regular stats, such as attack power and speed.
But, you get the benefit of the chocobo's movement. All chocobos have a nice
movement range (6), plus Black Chocobos can fly and Red Chocobos have Ignore
Elevation. While you are on a chocobo, your own movement range and movement
abilities is ignored -- so if you equip Teleport and then get on a chocobo, you
don't have a teleporting chocobo.
Chocobos cannot use their own abilities while someone is riding them.
While you're riding a chocobo, all the damage gets inflicted on the rider, and
the chocobo cannot take damage. (Even if the rider is in the middle of Jumping,
attacks directed towards the chocobo will miss!) This has the small benefit
that it prevents your whole team from being KOed at once. If the rider gets
KOed, he or she is thrown off the chocobo and the chocobo can act by itself
again.
---STEPPING STONES---
You can use large monsters as stepping stones to reach high places. Other
characters can move onto the monster's head as if it were a normal panel,
and move from there to somewhere else. The monster will give you a boost of
3 height "units", allowing to reach panels 3 height units higher than you could
normally get to! You can't END your move on top of the monster, but you can use
it for a mid-move boost. You can do this even if the monster is an enemy that's
not on your team!
Monster types that can be used as stepping stones including malboros, behemoths,
dragons (including Holy Dragon Reis), hydras, and Automatons (i.e.,
Construct 8).
While the eggs themselves vary in color, the color of eggs is just random and
doesn't tell you anything about what kind of monster is inside.
%%%WORLD MAP%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00map
FF Tactics uses a "point and click"-style world map. You just click on a
location to head towards it.
You can't walk around or explore the "interior" of any of these locations. All
the movement is on the world map only.
> GREEN DOTS are wilderness locations. When you pass through these dots or pass
through them, you may get into a random battle.
If you click on a distant location, Ramza will first have to move through all
---MAIN MENU---
Press Triangle on the world map to access the menu. Choosing the Formation
option lets you view your team and change their equipment, jobs, and abilities.
---RANDOM BATTLES---
When you pass through a green dot location, you may get into a random battle at
that location.
Random battles function mostly like regular story battles. But, they tend to
feature a more monster-heavy enemy party and you are not required to deploy
Ramza.
The Random Battles section of this FAQ has a detailed list of the monsters you
can encounter at each location.
---TOWNS---
Large blue dots represent towns and castle. When you're standing on one of
these, click on the blue dot again and you can visit one of the buildings in the
town. Towns are purely menu-driven in FF Tactics; you never wander around them.
> The OUTFITTER lets you spend your gil (money) to buy new equipment and items
You can also sell your existing items for gil.
> The TAVERN has several functions. At the beginning of the game, the Tavern is
just to read rumors. These rumors tell you more about the game's story/world,
and in some cases open up optional plot events.
The Tavern also hosts the game's multiplayer modes. You won't be able to
access these until you've progressed midway through Chapter I. Rendezvous
Mode lets you complete co-op missions with another player, while Melee Mode
lets you pit your party against a friend's in battle.
Finally, beginning in Chapter II, the Tavern also allows you send generic
characters on Errands for extra JP and gil. Errands are covered in the FAQ
section of the same name ;)
> The SOLDIER OFFICE lets you recruit new generic human characters. They come
with bare minimum equipment and abilities, so this is pretty useless once
you've progressed even a little into the game.
> The FUR SHOP lets you buy poached items. To get poached items, you must kill
monsters with physical attacks while you have the Thief's Secret Hunt support
ability equipped. Poaching is often the best--or only!--way to get some rare
items. Fur shops do not appear until Chapter III, and even then appear in
only three locations: Dorter, Warjilis, and Zarghidas.
The Fur Shop also functions like a pawn shop: you can sell your items to the
Fur Shop to add them to the Fur Shop's inventory and then buy them back for
the same price later. This is helpful if you need some quick cash but don't
---NAVIGATION BY NAME---
Instead of scrolling around the map to choose a location to visit, you can also
open the menu with Triangle, choose "Move", and then choose from any of the
map locations. You'll still have to pass through all of the locations on the
way, and may get into random battles at the green dots.
---CRITICAL HITS---
A few types of abilities can inflict "critical hits" when you attack with them.
A critical hit occurs completely at random and has a low chance of occurring.
When you DO land a critical hit, the damage from your attack is increased, and
the enemy you're striking may be knocked back. If this attack knocks an enemy
off a high ledge, they'll also take damage from the fall!
Attacks that can inflict critical hits are mostly regular physical attacks,
Monk abilities, the first ability on each monster's ability list, and the sword
techniques used by some of the special story characters.
Since critical hits occur at such low odds, though, you don't really want to
depend on them.
of options here...
It's helpful to use one or more of these tactics if you're interested in
stealing enemy gear, as the Steal command has a pretty low success rate
otherwise.
Another useful trick with Auto-Potion (and other healing or defensive Reaction
Abilities) is that you can have another ally trigger them by using a weak attack
on the target. For example, if Agrias needs healing, hit her with the Squire
ability Stone; it does a few points of damage but can trigger her Auto-Potion
and restore a lot more HP than that.
If you're equipping a weapon that can drain enemy HP (i.e., the Blood Sword
or Orochi ninja blade), be sure to equip that in the top slot. Otherwise,
your first attack may KO the enemy and you won't get a chance to drain its
HP!
When pairing Dual Wield with abilities that depend on your weapon strength
(e.g. sword techniques like Holy Sword and Darkness), be sure to equip the
stronger weapon in the TOP slot. This is because only the FIRST weapon you're
holding determines the power of these abilities.
Note that this is true for sword techniques, even if the first weapon isn't a
sword! For example, you can equip a flail in the top slot and a sword in the
second, and your sword technique power will be determined by the flail power!
So, one trick is to equip a sword in your second slot (to activate the sword
technique command) and then a more powerful weapon in the top slot! In
practice, this trick isn't all *that* great because knight's swords are more
powerful than most other single-handed weapons. However, if you've switched to
another job and are using Equip Swords to enable your sword techniques, then
you're limited to "regular" swords, which are substantially weaker. In this
case, this trick can be quite useful as there may be a stronger weapon to equip
in the top slot!
Finally, Dual Wield paired with Arts of War gives you two chances to perform a
Rend attack.
The Samurai's Doublehand ability, which allows you to wield one weapon two-
handed to increase its attack power, is somewhat similar to Dual Wield. Both
sacrifice your shield slot for a potential doubling of your attack power. In
general, Dual Wield is the better ability. It allows you to perform the above
tricks, works with fist attacks (Doublehand does not), and also divides your
attack strength over two attacks, which means you can often land at least one
attack even if the enemy dodges or blocks the other. And there are many times
when one attack is enough to KO an enemy! (This is particularly useful against
enemies with Shirahadori, since they can only block the first of your two
attacks.)
---2ENEMIES1TURN.COM---
The Shoot Enemies Next To You trick above can be combined with Balthier's
Barrage ability to attack two or more different enemies in one turn. This only
works if Balthier has a weapon with a range of 2 or more, and if the enemies
are both in a line from Balthier (and within range of his weapon). Target the
enemy that's further back with Barrage. Balthier will use a series of four
attacks; of course, the initial strikes will actually hit the enemy closer to
Balthier. However, once that first enemy is KOed, Balthier will continue
attacking and hit his "original" target -- the enemy in back! This way, you
can divide your damage between two targets instead of wasting a lot of damage
finishing off an enemy that was already low on HP. This trick works with guns,
bows, polearms, and any other weapon with a range of 2 or more.
---HEALING STAFF---
The Healing Staff weapon works just like any other weapon, except that it *adds*
HP to whomever you strike, instead of *removing* HP. So, you can use it to heal
your allies! It can be a good tool for a magick-user who isn't likely to be
doing much physical fighting. Unfortunately, your allies will still try to
evade/block the Healing Staff.
The Healing Staff isn't sold in stores. You can find it by de-equipping it from
a guest in Chapter III, from poaching a Dryad, from Rendezvous Mode, or from
using Treasure Hunter in Story Battle 49 (see the walkthrough for the exact
location).
---ROD OF FAITH---
The Rod of Faith, found on the fourth floor (The Catacombs) of the Midlight's
Deep bonus dungeon, has an interesting effect. While equipped with the Rod,
a character has permanent Faith status, giving him or her 100 Faith. Of
course, this is good simply for making your own magick maximally powerful, but
it also allows you to make a more versatile character. Whenever the Rod is
removed, the character's Faith reverts back to its "normal" value. So, if you
want a flexible character who can also defend well against enemy magick, lower
his or her Faith very low (as close to 03 as you can). Without the Rod
equipped, the character is virtually invulnerable to enemy magick and makes a
good fighter. But *with* the Rod equipped, s/he is now a high-Faith magick
user! Using the Reequip ability, you could even make this change mid-battle,
although it costs you a turn.
Of course, this only works if you're planning on using a job that can equip
Rods. That includes Black Mages, Summoners, Mystics, but not White Mages, Time
Mages, or Arithmeticians. Fortunately, Black Mages and Summoners have the best
magick stats anyway.
The Rod of Faith can also be particularly useful for Marach. Normally, his
Nether Mantra abilities require LOW Faith while other magicks require HIGH
Faith, meaning he can't really effectively use both. However, the Faith effect
maximizes the damage from both regular magick and Nether Mantra, allowing him
to use both types of abilities effectively.
Since there's only one Rod of Faith available, though, you can only use this
tactic with a single character at a time.
---STONESHOOTER---
The Stoneshooter is a rare but fairly powerful gun.
The big downside to equipping the Stoneshooter is that you will start all
battles in the Stone status, unable to do anything. To use the character, you
must remove the Stone status (e.g. with a Gold Needle, Remedy, or Esuna magick).
Or, use the Re-equip command to equip the Stoneshooter *during* a battle, and
you won't be petrified.
Equipping gear that normally makes you immune to Stone status does NOT prevent
the Stoneshooter from turning you to Stone at the start of a battle.
The Stoneshooter can be poached from Dark Behemoths. It can also be stolen from
enemy Chemists in the rare random battle you sometimes occur when you enter
Mount Germinas from the north. (In order to steal the Stoneshooter from the
enemy that's carrying it, you must first de-Stone him/her.)
---ALL 9 FEVER--
Once you max out at level 99 and 99 experience, you can easily cast healing or
defensive magicks to your whole party using Arithmeticks and Level Multiple of
3 or Exp Multiple of 3. (Of course, you might hit a few enemies too.)
%%%MENUS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00menu
Pressing the Start button will exit out of a scene you're watching and return
you to the Chronicle menu.
---REWIND TEXT---
At any place where a single text box spans several pages (e.g. one character is
talking a bunch), you can "rewind" to a previous page of text by holding the
Square and pressing up. This is pretty useful if you missed something that was
said earlier, or need to recap.
This doesn't work if a separate text box has been opened -- like if a different
character has started talking.
---QUICK SCROLL---
The Square button can also be used to scroll quickly up and down a menu.
---QUICK UNEQUIP---
When removing characters' equipment, if you select Remove and then tap left on
the D-pad, all of the character's item slots will be highlighted. You can then
equip all of the character's gear in a single click. This is handy when you're
stripping a character you won't be using for a while, or when you're
transferring one character's set of equipment to another equipment.
---SOUND TEST---
To access a "sound test" where you can listen to all the game's music, select
New Game on the title screen and then enter your name as PolkaPolka . You'll
immediately be brought to the sound test. When you're done, press the Circle
key to return to the main menu.
********************************************************************************
IV. WALKTHROUGH AND BATTLE STRATEGIES - MAIN QUEST 00walk0
********************************************************************************
In a regular game, it's not too important to give Ramza a particular Zodiac
sign, so you can enter your own birthday or whatever else you want if you'd
like. But, if you're feeling especially strategic, you may want to give him a
particular sign depending on your game plans:
> If you want to maximize the damage Ramza can do to enemy bosses, Capricorn
is probably your best bet; you'll get this sign if you enter a birthdate
between December 23rd and January 19th.
> If you plan to use Ramza as a support/healing character, Pisces will give
him good compatibility with a number of key allies. You'll get this sign
with a birthdate between February 19th and March 20th. (Virgo -- August
23rd to September 22nd -- will give him compatibility with quite a few
party members as well.)
> If you want as wide a range of Zodiac signs as possible, you could make
Ramza a Taurus, Virgo, or Sagittarius, as no other story characters have
these signs.
--STRATEGY--
This battle is pretty much automatic, as everyone except Ramza is controlled by
the computer. Gaffgarion and Agrias will take care of most of the enemies
without any trouble. You can have Ramza attack the enemies with low HP to help
finish them off, and let Gaffgarion and Agrias save their attacks for the
stronger enemies. Even if Ramza just stands still, though, the other characters
should be able to finish off the enemies on their own, though, so it doesn't
matter too much what Ramza does.
It's possible that one or more of your weaker teammates--Alicia, Lavian, and
Ladd--will get KOed. Don't worry; none of them can die permanently in this
intro battle. It also doesn't matter if any of their items get broken, as those
will come back as well.
After Gaffgarion and Agrias finish wiping out the enemies, there will be some
story scenes, and Ramza will enter into an extended flashback.
---INITIAL PREPARATION---
Before the first battle begins, you'll be given a chance to save. Save your
game so that you won't have to repeat the intro battle! After you save, you'll
deploy your characters for the battle.
If this is your first Final Fantasy Tactics experience, you might want to check
out the "Basic Mechanics and Tactics" section for some general gameplay
information. (Some of this information is also in the tutorial, but I've
included some additional material not covered there.) Press Ctrl+F and enter
00basic to jump back up there.
---Battle 1: Gariland-----------------------------------------------------------
YOUR FORCES: Ramza, Delita [guest], 4 others
ENEMY FORCES: Chemist (lv 1, male) Squire (lv 1, male) Squire (lv 1, male)
Squire (lv 1, male) Squire (lv 1, female)
--STRATEGY--
The key in this battle is to advance slowly and not to let your characters get
spread out. Stay on the left side, away from the bulk of the houses.
The enemy Chemist has the ability to heal the other enemies, which can be a
pain. If you have the chance to take him out, do so; otherwise, he'll heal the
enemy soldiers you've been attacking. Actually, you can stop him from doing
this even if you attack him just once. He'll use up his turn healing himself
instead of healing any of the other enemies.
Attack from the enemy from behind or from the side whenever possible, as you're
more likely to land a hit that way. In general, rear attacks are best as they
also cancel out enemy shields -- but at this point, no enemies have shields, so
side and rear attacks will be equally effective. At the end of each character's
turn, you choose which direction they facing. Make sure you end your turns
facing the enemies, which will make it harder for them to hit you from behind!
(When possible, you can even put your back to the side of a building to protect
it completely!)
Make good use of your Chemists for healing--you start out with 5 Potions and
you can use them to heal a character who gets injured. If you don't have
teammates who need healing, the Chemists can also attack. (Chemists have an
inherent Throw Items ability, so they don't have to be next to a character to
use an item on him/her. This is NOT true for other characters using the Item
ability.)
Don't worry about Delita. The Guest AI is pretty reckless and it's likely he'll
get himself KOed. But since he's a Guest character, he can't die permanently
and will be revived at the end of the battle.
---RECRUITING CHARACTERS---
You may want to stop at the Warriors' Guild to recruit some new characters. In
particular, look for characters with reasonably high Bravery, especially if
your current characters don't have very good Bravery. Bravery affects the
your chance of using Reaction Abilities and the strength of some attacks --
higher is better, of course! (Although there are abilities to raise Bravery
later, you probably won't get them right away.) You may also want a character
or two with high Faith to turn into a magick-user.
A second thing to look at is the character's Zodiac sign. Taurus and Capricorn
characters will be particularly effective against the bosses in this chapter and
the next, so getting some of those signs on your roster will give you a bit of a
leg up.
If you want to spend the time, you can mine the Guild until you get just the
character you want. If you don't like the character that appears; simply
select "Don't Hire." You won't be charged anything and you can select Male
Soldier or Female Soldier to roll another character. You can keep doing this
until you get some high Bravery characters ... but it's certainly not necessary
to spend the time here if you don't want to.
There are a few gender differences to be aware of. Male characters tend to have
more HP and Physical Attack, while females have more MP and Magick Attack. So,
if you have a gender-mixed team, it's best develop female characters towards
being mages and males towards being fighters. More importantly, however, many
of the game's most powerful items can only be used by female characters, so
female recruits tend to be more useful overall in the long run.
This is probably the only time in the game that you'll want to use the
Warriors' Guild. If you lose any of your main team members later in the game,
you're usually better off resetting. It's tough to replace high-level
characters who have already been built up with a lot of abilities!
---SHOPPING---
Each town has an Outfitter where you can buy items. As you progress through the
game, you'll see new items available in the Outfitter. Different towns will
offer different items, as well. Broadly speaking, castles have one set of
equipment, whereas towns and cities have a different set.
You should definitely stop by the Outfitter in Gariland to buy some Potions. If
one or both of your Chemists has enough JP to learn the Phoenix Down ability,
learn that ability and then buy a few (1-2) Phoenix Downs at the store. Phoenix
Downs are great to have as they allow you to revive a KOed character. You'll
also want to equip one of your Chemists with the Mythril Knife that you picked
up as a Battle Trophy in the first battle; it's stronger than the Daggers they
currently have.
If you recruited some female characters and plan on using them as fighting
units, buy them Broadswords to replace the Daggers they start off with. Male
characters already start with a Broadsword.
In my opinion, the Treasure Hunter ability is rarely worth using. The items
that you can get with Treasure Hunter are usually just gear that you can
already buy in stores. Moreover, you need a LOW Bravery statistic to get the
equipment with Treasure Hunter, but a HIGH Bravery statistic is better for
everything else in the game. It's just not worth it. Much later in the game,
there will be some rare items that you can get with Treasure Hunter, but I'll
alert you to these when they appear and you don't really need to worry about
But, if you DO want to go for the Treasure Hunter items, I've listed their
coordinates in each battle strategy. The coordinates are given relative to a
particular corner. First, identify which corner is the reference corner using
the tile height and terrain type information I've provided. Then, tap the
analog stick on the PSP to change your perspective. Keep doing this until the
reference corner is at the bottom of the screen. Start at this corner. Then,
tap the LEFT and UP arrows on the D-pad to move the cursor the specified number
of spaces (e.g., Left: 2, Up: 3 means 2 tiles to the left and 3 tiles up).
(See the Treasure Hunter & Traps section for a more complete description of the
Treasure Hunter mechanics.)
---ONWARD---
Save the game by pressing Triangle and choosing Data, then head west to
Mandalia Plain. As soon as you try to leave the city, you'll have a flashback
(yes, a flashback within a flashback) to the death of Ramza's father Barbaneth.
After that sequence has ended, you'll be back in Gariland. Click on Mandalia
Plain once again and this time you'll actually get there.
--STRATEGY--
At Mandalia Plain, you'll meet Argath, under attack by the Corpse Brigade. You
can choose whether or not to help him (bottom option) or just go after the
Corpse Brigade (top option).
> If you choose not to help Argath (top choice), your goal is just to defeat
all the enemies. It doesn't matter if Argath is KOed during the battle
or not. Choosing this option also adds 10 points to the Bravery score of
every character in your current squad, including Delita and Argath. 2
points of this change will remain even after the battle.
> Choosing to help Argath (bottom choice) adds an additional requirement to
the battle: you'll have to keep Argath from getting KOed during the battle.
This option has no effect on your team's Bravery.
Neither option has any real long-term effect on the storyline. (They only
change the dialogue in one other story scene.) So, the first option is clearly
the best as it makes the battle easier AND gives you a boost in Bravery.
If you DO choose the second option for whatever reason, you will need to protect
Argath from being KOed. In this case, you'll need to start moving a Chemist
towards Argath right away. Fortunately, Argath will probably flee away from the
enemies and into one corner. Heal him just to be on the safe side, and then
you're free to concentrate on the enemies.
Attack the enemies from above if you can, and guard your back with the rocks
scattered about the battlefield or with other ally units. Remember that if you
act without moving, or move without acting, your next turn will come sooner than
if you both act AND move. So if there's no real need for a character to move or
to take action, don't do it just for the heck of it. Your next turn will come
sooner if you don't.
You'll encounter your first monster here in the form of a Red Panther. It's
the toughest unit in the enemy forces, but it's not too bad. Be warned that,
like all monsters, it may counterattack you whenever you attack it. Don't
attack the Red Panther using a character who's low on HP, or the counterattack
is liable to KO you! (You CAN avoid the counterattack by using the Squire
ability Stone to attack from a distance, but this ability is really too weak to
be worth using.) The Red Panther can also poison you, which causes you to
lose a little HP after each turn you take. You can cure this with an Antidote
if you want, but it's probably not necessary--the poison wears off after a short
amount of time, anyway.
This may be your first chance to pick up crystals or chests. When the counter
over a KOed enemy unit goes down past 0, the unit vanishes and is replaced with
a crystal or treasure chest. Pick these up by moving onto the tile with the
crystal or chest.
> Picking up a chest will give you an item. These are typically items you
can buy at the Outfitter anyway and generally are not too important to
collect. But early on, chests can still be useful to grab as money is
tighter.
> Picking up a crystal will either heal the unit, or in some cases give you
the option of learning many of the defeated enemy's abilities. (Note that
although you point the cursor at an individual ability, you actually learn
ALL of the abilities offered, regardless of what you pick!) Crystals from
monsters will only ever give you the option to heal.
When given the chance to learn abilities, that's generally the best choice
(unless you're in desperate need of healing), as this permanently adds
abilities to the character! Crystals from humans are great to pick up as
they can teach you new abilities, so grab them when you see them. Monster
crystals are only necessary to pick up if you need healing. You may also
want to grab crystals just to prevent the enemies from claiming them, as
enemies can heal themselves with crystals too!
If one of your OWN units gets KOed, you must act to revive the character before
the countdown runs down and the character is lost permanently. Right now,
you've got two ways to revive a character. If one of your Chemists learned the
Phoenix Down ability and you have Phoenix Downs in stock, you can use a
Phoenix Down to revive the character. Or, you can hurry and clear the battle
before the countdown runs out -- when you win a battle, any characters who have
been KOed but not completely erased will be brought back to life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---STORY EVENTS---
When the fight concludes, Argath will join as a guest regardless of which option
you chose before the battle. Back on the map, go on up to Eagrose Castle.
You'll have a brief chat with Dycedarg, then Zalbaag will send you to rendezvous
with his spy at Dorter.
---JOB CHANGES---
At this point, you might want to consider changing some of your characters to
new jobs. Chemists are really more useful than either White Mages or Black
Mages, so keep your Chemists as-is. But you might want to change some of your
Squires to Knights, since Knights have more HP and damage potential than
Squires. (I made Ramza into a Knight at this point.) Archers should also be
available at this time. They can be useful in the early game, but for the next
few battles you may want to focus on melee combat. At any rate, it may be a
good idea to keep at least one Squire, though. Why is that? As long as you
have at least one Squire active in battle, everyone will earn some JP towards
that job, and that will help you buy useful Squire abilities like Counter
Tackle, Move +1, and JP Boost. Move +1 and JP Boost are particularly useful.
JP Boost increases the amount of JP you earn, and will help you learn all the
other abilities faster. Learning this ability is a VERY good investment.
It'll also help you out in some of the future battles if you're able to teach
Argath a simple Black Magick spell. This is pretty tricky, though, since he
doesn't participate in any of the random battles and can only earn JP in the
story battles. So, the only way to do this is to have your Chemists take
enough actions during the story battles that Argath gains some JP in the
Chemist job and is able to unlock the Black Mage job. It's cool if you can do
this, but don't worry too much about it if you can't; it's not *necessary*.
---SHOPPING AT EAGROSE---
Before you leave Eagrose, stop by the Outfitter. There's new equipment for
sale here.
Stock up on Potions, then arm your characters with the new gear. Make sure all
your Squires and Knights have Longswords, the best weapon available to them
right now. And if you changed any of your characters' jobs, be sure they have
equipment that goes with the new jobs. You can safely skip the Mythril Knife,
though--it only increase a Chemist's attack power by 1 point, and they don't do
much fighting, anyway.
The shop also sells Battle Boots, which increase your movement range by 1 tile.
As handy as this is, they're pricey, so you won't be able to afford them for
your whole team.
Mandalia Plain is now a green dot on the map, which means there's a chance
you'll get into a random battle when crossing it. Random battles are similar to
story battles, but feature a random selection of monsters instead of humans.
(In Chapter I, you'll only fight monsters in random battles; in later chapters,
humans can sometimes show up.) Since Delita and Argath are Guest characters,
they will not participate in random battles, only story ones. In random
battles, you also have the choice of whether or not to deploy Ramza, whereas
Ramza is always REQUIRED for story battles.
---MULTIPLAYER MODES---
When you get to Gariland, you'll see a scene at the Tavern about the game's
multiplayer modes. Both of these modes are now unlocked, and you can play them
by visiting a Tavern in any town. Melee Mode is a "versus" mode that pits your
party against another player's. Rendezvous Mode is a co-op mode in which you
team up with another player to challenge various missions that will become
unlocked as you play through the game. Right now, there's only one mission
available, "Chocobo Defense." Both modes allow you to earn and keep JP and
items; when you get to a high enough experience level, you can even obtain
items that you can't get anywhere else. Another nice thing about these modes
is that you can't permanently lose any items or characters, so they're risk-
free. (Melee Mode does cost gil to play, though.) You can check them out now
if you want, although at this point, the Rendezvous Mode mission may still be
pretty challenging. Check out the Multiplayer Modes section below for more
information on the modes' rules and for strategies for the Rendezvous Mode
missions. (Note that both modes are playable only over a local, "ad hoc"
connection.)
If you don't have a chance to play the multiplayer modes, don't worry, you
definitely don't need to play multiplayer in order to complete the single-
player game.
---SHOPPING AT GARILAND---
The shop in Gariland sells different items than the one in Eagrose, so stop by
the Outfitter before you leave town. The Gariland shop offers Plumed Hats and
Leather Clothing, which are better armor for your Squires and Chemists. (Unlike
in a lot of games, armor in FF Tactics doesn't actually reduce the damage you
take; it gives you more HP or MP. Still, it helps you stay alive longer!) Pick
up these upgrades as well; you want to make sure your Chemists stay alive so
they can heal people! The Plumed Hat in particular is a good buy; it costs less
than the Leather Clothing but gives you a bigger HP bonus!
Don't forget that you can change Delita's and Argath's equipment, too, despite
the fact that they're guest characters. You can (and should!) have them learn
new abilities, too!
--STRATEGY--
This battle is nothing but monsters; watch out for their counterattacks! If
you do have some range attacks, those will keep you safe from the
counterattacks -- all monsters can only counterattack at a range of 1 panel.
But it doesn't really matter either way, since these monsters aren't too tough
for the most part anyway. Take out on the enemies on the higher ground first
before you start crossing the water. Otherwise, you'll expose yourself to
attack from above.
You may want to gain some levels and abilities before proceeding on to Dorter.
You can do this by strolling back and forth across the Mandalia Plain or the
Siedge Weald until you get into a random battle. Beat up the monsters to earn
extra Exp and JP.
Make sure your Chemists have learned both Potion and Phoenix Down. You can skip
the abilities for all the items that cure individual status condition; most of
these conditions aren't that bad and when you get Remedies, those will cure
*any* negative status. Learning Move +1 for as many characters as possible is
also very helpful.
When you enter Dorter, there will be a cutscene, and then you'll be tossed into
a battle at the Dorter Slums.
--STRATEGY--
The enemy has Archers and Black Mages, who both have ranged attacks and can
hit you from a distance. This means that you'll need to be more aggressive; if
you hang back at a distance, the enemy can keep hitting you from afar!
Since you start on the street and the enemy has the high ground, Archers are
not particularly useful here; they won't have a clear shot with their bows.
On the other hand, Move +1 is a great ability to have as it helps you quickly
close the distance between you and the enemy's ranged attackers.
When one of your characters gets hit with a Black Magick spell, the characters
in adjacent tiles also take damage. There are two ways to avoid this. While
the spell is still charging, you can move the other characters out of the way,
or you can kill the Black Mage charging the spell and stop the attack entirely!
Since the spells do quite a bit of damage, it's great to take out the Black
Mages as soon as you have the chance. They don't have much HP so you can finish
them off easily. (Note that spells can also have a "friendly fire" effect -- if
another enemy is in range of the spell when it goes off, they get hurt too! You
can sometimes use this to your advantage by positioning targeted characters next
to enemy units.) To check when the spell is going to be fired, press the Circle
button when it's your turn, then use the Triangle button to bring up the menu
and choose Turn List.
If you have Black Mages of your own, you can also use these area damage effects
to extend the effective range of your magicks. If the range of your magick is
one tile too short to hit an enemy, you can target the tile directly in front
of the enemy and the magick will still hit the enemy thanks to the area effect.
This is a good tactic for hitting more distant enemies, like you see in this
battle. Just make sure the enemy won't be able to move out of the way before
the magick activates!
Two of the enemy Archers are on the tall building beside where you start. At
the beginning of the battle, Delita and Argath will begin climbing up the
building to attack them. Let Delita and Argath handle those two Archers, and
send at most one other character up the building. The rest of your team
should advance down the street. Take out the Black Mages first since they can
do so much damage.
It's likely that one or more of your characters will get KOed during the
battle. Remember that if the counter over their head goes below 0, you lose
the character permanently. To avoid this, when a character's counter gets low
(0 or 1), use a Phoenix Down on him or her. Even if another attack KOs the
character again right away, the counter will be reset and you've bought yourself
a few more turns to finish the battle.
This is a pretty tough battle. If you don't win at first, try again, or build
up your levels first.
Upon your victory, you'll be able to visit the town. There's no new equipment
to buy, but stock up on items. You'll want at least 10 Potions and 4 Phoenix
Downs. Potions are cheap (50 gil each), so there's no reason not to carry
plenty. Also, winning the battle at the Slums will have netted you an Iron
Sword, which is a better weapon than anything you can find in stores. Equip it
on one of your characters.
Again, you may want to build levels before proceeding to the next battle.
When you're ready, go on up to the Zeklaus Desert, where you'll have a battle
at the Sand Rat's Sietch.
--STRATEGY--
You'll deploy your characters in two squads for this battle. Be sure to deploy
somebody with the Items command (either a Chemist, or another character who's
learned the ability) in the second group.
There are two entrances to the fort. When the battle begins, send most of
your characters towards the entrance that's closer to Argath. This is where
the bulk of the fighting will take place. Argath will probably make a suicide
run into the building, but keep healing him anyway. If you were able to give
him a Black Magick spell, he'll be very helpful. Don't crowd the doorway or
you'll get in trouble. Let the enemies come outside to you.
Meanwhile, Delita will head towards the other entrance. You might want to
send one other character with him. Hopefully, Delita's squad have the chance
to sneak up on the enemy Archer from the rear and take him out so he can't keep
shooting at the main squad.
Remember that if a character doesn't move on a particular turn, his or her next
turn will come quicker. If you don't need to move to land an attack, stay put
and you'll get more turns. This is especially helpful for your Chemist; by
having him/her remain stationary and throw items to the characters who need
healing, you'll get more turns and more chances to heal.
couple tries.
After you win at the Sietch, you'll rescue the Marquis. You'll also pick up a
Blind Knife. It's not stronger than the other knives you already have, but it
does inflict Blind status on enemies (making their attacks easier for you to
dodge), so give it to a Chemist.
---ZEKLAUS WILDERNESS---
Zeklaus Desert now becomes another "wilderness" location where you can get into
random battles. The map you'll see in random battles at Zeklaus Desert is
actually completely different from the Sand Rat's Sietch map.
Note that there's a very valuable pair of Battle Boots stashed on this map that
you can acquire with the Treasure Hunter movement ability. As with most good
Treasure Hunter items, your chance of getting this item goes UP with LOWER
Bravery.
The shops at all three towns will now be stocked with new items.
At Eagrose, you can buy Iron Swords for both your Squires and Knights, as well
as Escutcheons, Iron Helms, and Bronze Armor for any Knights you have. Gariland
has better light armor, used by jobs other than Knights. If you're using
mages, you can buy new rods and staves at Gariland and Dorter, as well as Hempen
Robes, which will give them more MP. All towns also carry a new accessory: the
Shoulder Cape, which will boost both your physical and magick evade rates by a
little bit (10%). It's not really as useful as the Battle Boots, though.
But the most important new item isn't actually an equipment--it's the Hi-Potion,
which is now for sale under Items! Hi-Potions restore 70 HP instead of the 30
you get from a regular Potion. Since you should have a lot more than 30 HP by
now, you'll need the healing boost. You can't use Hi-Potions unless you've
learned the Chemist's Hi-Potion ability, so be sure to have your item-users
learn this ability.
Since there's a lot to buy, you might not be able to afford to buy all of the
new gear. Aside from restocking your item supply, the priorities are probably
the Iron Swords and Bronze Armor at Eagrose, and the Leather Plate or Red Hood
at Gariland. Note that the Iron Helm and Bronze Armor both give you the same HP
bonus, but the Bronze Armor is cheaper! If you can't buy all the armor, the
Bronze Armor is definitely a better buy than the Iron Helm.
After you're done shopping, your new destination is the Brigands' Den, south of
the Mandalia Plain.
--STRATEGY--
You may want to deploy more male characters than female ones here since there's
a chance that one of the male Thieves can Charm a female character, making her
temporarily fight against you. But this is pretty unlikely, so don't go out of
your way to adjust your roster.
Also, if you happen to have any male Pisces characters, or Taurus and Capricorns
of either gender, deploying them here can be useful. Milleuda, the boss here,
is always a female Virgo, and the three Zodiac signs listed above will do extra
damage to her. (You can only prepare your Zodiac signs in this way when
fighting bosses; non-boss enemies have randomized Zodiac signs.) It's
definitely not essential to have them, but it'll help you out if you do.
I recommend standing up on the cliffs on the left side of the fort when
possible; you have a height advantage there. Since you should have Hi-Potions
now, use them for all your healing needs--the 30 HP from a regular Potion just
doesn't cut it now.
There are two White Mages here. Check their status; at least one of them will
have Black Magicks as a secondary ability. A Black Magick-wielding mage is the
most dangerous, so if either or both have Black Magick, you'll generally want to
target them first. (You can use the same tricks you used in Dorter to avoid
their magick.) However, one of the White Mages might have the Items ability. If
an Item-using Mage comes out of the fort and starts using Hi-Potions, you'll
need to concentrate on KOing her instead to prevent her from healing all the
other enemies. If either mage starts casting Cure, note that you can stop it
more or less same way you can stop a Black Magick spell -- either take out the
enemy they're trying to heal, or KO the Mage herself.
After you've taken out the White Mages, concentrate on Milleuda. Her attacks
are quite strong. If you have the Rend Weapon or Rend Armor abilities (both
from the Knight job), you may want to try them on her. Breaking her weapon
will greatly reduce her attack power, and breaking her armor will reduce her
HP total. If you already have a Thief, you could try stealing her equipment
too, as she's got a nice set of gear, but you'll be able to buy all her stuff
eventually.
The Thieves here may swipe some of your armor, or at least your headgear.
Although this might be annoying, it's not really too bad; you can just re-buy
the items after the battle. What's more deadly is the Steal Heart attack they
may use on your female characters, which will temporarily turn them to the enemy
side. That's why it can be advantageous to deploy more male characters here.
Milleuda is the game's first boss character. KOing a boss will end the battle
instantly, even if there are other enemies left standing. If you're in danger,
you can take her out quickly to end the fight. But if you've got Milleuda
cornered or otherwise have the upper hand, you may want to finish off the other
enemies for more Exp & JP, then let them die completely so they turn into a
chest or crystal.
---STORY SCENES---
The Brigands' Den is easier than the Sand Rat's Sieve, so if you won there, you
should be able to attain victory here. Following the battle, there will be a
cutscene at Eagrose as the Corpse Brigade strikes back.
Victory at the Brigands' Den will have earned you a Bronze Shield, which is a
more effective shield than anything else you've got at this point. Don't forget
to equip it.
Strip Argath of all his equipment, as he'll be leaving your party shortly. Go
back up to Eagrose. A series of scenes will follow in which Ramza and Delita
decide to rescue Tietra, and Argath leaves.
---JOB CHANGES---
At this point, you'll probably want to start changing jobs, if you haven't
already. If you can change any of your characters to Monks, do so; they're very
strong fighters. If any of your characters have enough JP to buy the Knight
ability Equip Heavy Armor, a good strategy is to learn that ability and then
make the character into a Monk--the heavy armor will make up for the Monk's
otherwise poor HP count.
It would also help to have a Black Mage and Archer. But, you'll still want a
healer, so the best move is to change a Chemist to another job and then equip
Items as a secondary ability. Before switching out of the Chemist job, though,
you need to learn (and equip) the Throw Items ability. Without Throw Items,
your items will have a range of only 1 tile, and, as Sonic would say, that's NO
GOOD!
Keep in mind that male characters generally have somewhat higher HP and Physical
Attack, while females have somewhat more HP and Magick Attack. So, it makes the
most sense to assign fighting jobs like Knight and Archer to males, and magick-
oriented jobs like Black and White Mage to females.
Also remember that a higher Faith makes your magick stronger, so when you're
deciding what character(s) to turn into a mage, it's advantageous to pick
someone with a high Faith.
If you change jobs, be sure to buy matching equipment for your new jobs. If
you've got an Archer, you'll need to decide whether to use a crossbow or a
regular bow. A crossbow only require one hand, allowing you to equip a shield.
On the other hand, bows deal more damage, have a longer range (which increases
even more when you have a height advantage), and fire in an "arc" pattern that
often allows you to shoot over obstacles in your way. Since Archers are usually
in the back line and don't get attacked too much, a shield isn't too important.
Regular bows are almost always the best choice.
For Black Mages, you can choose between the Flame, Ice, and Thunder Rods (sold
at Gariland and Dorter). These rods boost the damage dealt by your Fire-family,
Blizzard-family, and Thunder-family magicks, respectively. A good trick is to
buy a particular Rod and then learn some of the spells that go along with it
(e.g., buy the Ice Rod and then try to learn Blizzard and Blizzara). This will
increase the damage you can do with your magick. (The rods will also increase
the power of the Ifrit, Shiva, and Ramuh summons, respectively.) These rods
also sometimes cast Fire, Blizzard, or Thunder when executing a physical attack,
As far as choosing between the Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder families of magick,
they all do the same amounts of raw damage under normal circumstances. They
differ only in their elemental affinities, which means they can do more or less
damage in certain cases:
> Fire magick does extra damage to a number of early-game monster types
(Skeletons and Ghosts), but it gets weaker during thunderstorms and doesn't
work against the Bomb family. (It also does more damage to enemies afflicted
with Oil status, but this status condition almost never happens.)
> Blizzard magick is good against many late-game monsters, but the only early-
game monster family weak to ice is Goblins, which are pretty easy anyway.
Blizzard magick gets stronger during a snowstorm, but these are very rare.
> Thunder magick gets stronger during a thunderstorm, and no monsters are
immune to it. But, only one monster family (Mindflayers) is weak to it.
Overall, Thunder is probably your best pick early on. Nothing is immune to it,
so you can use it against any enemy, and it gets stronger during thunderstorms,
which are pretty common during the rainy months. Fire is OK too, but Skeletons
and Ghosts it's effective against are usually fairly easy to defeat anyway.
Blizzard is less useful at first because fewer monsters are weak to it, but
you'll definitely want to learn it later in the game since it's the best against
late-game monsters like Malboros, Hydras, and Red Dragons.
---ITEM SUPPLY---
Aside from re-outfitting yourself after any job changes, you may want to hold
off on any equipment purchases. While you could now buy some of the equipment
upgrades you might not have been able to afford after the Brigands' Den, there
are even better items coming after the next battle. So, you're probably better
off saving your money for those.
After restocking your item supply, go north from Gariland to the Lenalian
Plateau for another battle against Milleuda.
--STRATEGY--
Again, Taurus, Capricorn, and male Pisces characters will do extra damage
against Milleuda since she's a female Virgo.
Play the first few rounds defensively to prevent any early casualties, and use
the high ground to your advantage. Send one or two characters after the Black
Mages, and possibly the Time Mage as well. If you have an Archer, send
him/her up onto the tall ridge and shoot down on the enemies. Firing from a
high place increases the range of bows.
After knocking out the Black Mages, concentrate on Milleuda. This time, she
has the Counter ability, which means that whenever you hit her with a close-
range attack, she has a chance of striking back. So, be sure not to use any
close-range attacks against her unless your HP is high. A good strategy is to
attack her with long-distance attacks like bows and Black Magick, which won't
allow her to counterattack. As in the last battle, Milleuda might use her Rend
abilities to break your gear.
Again, as soon as Milleuda goes down, the battle ends, even if other enemies
are still standing.
---EQUIPMENT UPGRADES---
After you win the battle at the Plateau, the shops will again update their
shelves with new equipment.
As before, you'll find heavy armor and most kinds of weapons in Eagrose, and
lighter armor in Gariland and Dorter. Buy what you can and replace any items
that Milleuda may have broken.
Skip the axe. Although it looks powerful, the amount of damage it deals is
randomly determined, and not exactly what you see previewed. That means it may
fail to deliver a killing blow when you need it most!
---DRAGONS---
If you're crossing the Lenalian Plateau after the initial battle, you may
sometimes encounter a Dragon monster in random battles (only when entering from
Dorter). If you already have an Orator on your team, you can use Entice or Tame
to recruit the Dragon onto your team. Although monsters aren't usually the most
useful units, this is a much stronger monster than you can usually find at this
point in the game. You can also breed it to get even stronger dragons: Blue
Dragons and Red Dragons!
---RENDEZVOUS MODE---
At this point, you should be in great shape to win the Chocobo Defense mission
in Rendezvous Mode, so if you'd like to check that out, you can earn some extra
items and JP. Strategies for these missions are available in the Rendezvous
Mode section.
--STRATEGY--
Like his sister, Wiegraf is a Virgo. He's male, though, so this time Taurus,
Capricorn, and FEMALE Pisces characters are the ones to deploy (if you happen
to have them -- if not, don't sweat it).
Wiegraf is the only real threat here; most of his companions are pretty weak.
Start moving along the bottom of the cliff and quickly take out the Chocobo
(Boco) and the Monk. Wiegraf and the other enemies will soon move down to
fight you. Finish off any enemies that are low on HP, then go after Wiegraf.
Wiegraf uses a couple different special sword techniques that allow him to
attack from a distance and (unlike magick) don't require any charge time.
Most of the time, he'll use Northswain's Strike, which strikes a single
character (usually for about 35 HP or so). If your characters are close
together, he may also use Judgment Blade to attack a "plus-shaped" group of
tiles. These attacks are pretty strong, but Wiegraf doesn't have a great
defense. If you hit him with a few strong attacks (Mythril Swords, black
magick), he'll go down quickly. Just stay healed!
Because you're fighting in such close quarters, watch out for the "friendly
fire" effects of your own magicks! In general, if one of your allies is
standing right next to an enemy, a useful trick is to target the tile right
BEHIND the enemy to avoid hitting your ally when the magick goes off. For
instance, if your characters are positioned like below, target the space marked
with a *:
*EA (A = ally, E = enemy)
This way, you'll still hit the enemy, but the magick is positioned so as not to
harm your ally. But make sure that the magick will activate before the enemy
can move.
This battle isn't too difficult if you have good jobs. You need only Wiegraf's
HP to critical status to win. (If your last hit manages to KO him outright, the
outcome is the same.)
Like Zeklaus Desert, Fovoham Windflats now becomes an entirely different map if
you return to it for random battles.
Nothing is added to the shops after the battle at Fovoham, so if your item
supply is okay, you can continue directly on to Ziekden Fortress, the final
battle of the chapter. There, you'll find Tietra being held captive by a
Gragoroth, a Corpse Brigade knight. Argath arrive with some troops, and you'll
find yourself battling an unexpected enemy.
--STRATEGY--
You'll deploy in two squads again for this battle. Deploy your best damage-
dealer along with Ramza in the first squad. The characters in the second squad
are going to be largely useless as they start far away from the action. If you
want to pick and choose Zodiac signs, Argath is again a Virgo and susceptible to
Taurus, Capricorn, and female Pisces attacks.
Luckily, you can almost beat the whole fight just using Ramza. Just go after
Argath and completely ignore the other enemies. Argath only has a crossbow, so
he can't do much damage to you and is useless at close ranges. Just chase him
down and hit him with your strongest attacks, like Knight and Monk attacks and
Black Magicks. You'll want to block Argath from climbing up the stairs to the
roof of the fort, as he has a good sniping point if he gets up there and it's
slow climbing up after him. If you position your characters between him and the
stairs, he shouldn't be able to climb up there.
Argath does have the Auto-Potion ability, which gives him a random chance to
heal himself with a Potion when you hit him, so you may want to avoid using
very weak attacks against him--the gain from the Auto-Potion may heal him more
than you hurt him for! (The ability isn't always activated, though. And Auto-
Potion also can't protect him whenever you land the killing blow.) Again, as
you soon as you knock down Argath, the fight--and the chapter--ends.
The dialogue between Argath, Ramza, and Delita here will be a little bit
different depending on whether or not you chose to help Argath back on Mandalia
Plain.
After you kill Argath, there are a couple FMV scenes, the fort blows up, and
the chapter ends. The game will give you a chance to save, and then you'll
move on to Chapter II.
You now return to the present, at Orbonne Monastery. It's one year after the
events of Chapter I and your current mission is to rescue Princess Ovelia.
---CHARACTER RECRUITMENT---
After a brief chat, you'll be given a chance to add Ramza's fellow mercenary
Ladd and both of Agrias's Knights (Alicia and Lavian) to the party. There's no
real reason not to take them along, so sign them up! They start with a bare
minimum of abilities, though, so they probably won't see much use compared to
the characters you're carrying over from Chapter I.
However, you MUST keep Alicia and Lavian (as well as Agrias, of course) on your
roster to complete the Agrias's Birthday sidequest in Chapter IV. Don't dismiss
them or let them get permanently killed if you want to complete all the
sidequests. (It's fine if they're KOed as long as they don't ever turn into a
crystal or chest.) Ladd, on the other hand, is not required for any of the
quests.
Agrias and Gaffgarion will also join as Guests. You still have all your
characters from Chapter I (except Delita) as well.
At this point, you should have had all your characters upgraded from the
beginning Jobs (Squire or Chemist) to more advanced ones. In particular,
you'll want to have a Monk, Archer, Black Mage, and maybe a White Mage somewhere
in the party. I like making Ramza into a Monk. You'll want to have him learn
either the Monk's Chakra ability or the Time Mage's Teleport for use in a battle
near the end of the chapter. An Orator can also be useful to have on the team,
but might take some time to get, as you have to get the Mystic job up to job
level 3, and Mystic itself requires job level 3 of White Mage. If you want to
take the time to unlock Orator, you can also have another character acquire
the Thief Job, which is unlocked by getting Archer to job level 3.
When you've got your team organized, go north to the only location available to
you: Dorter, where a battle awaits you.
--STRATEGY--
There's no boss here, so you'll have to wipe out every enemy on the map to win.
If you've got good jobs, though, this battle should be no problem. Just move
up the path and take out the enemies as you go. The Black Mages and Archers
do the most damage, so when you've got a choice, go after them instead of the
Thieves.
Agrias is given a random action ability when she joins. If it's a magick
ability, beware; the goofy Guest AI has a nasty habit of casting spells
indiscriminately on your own people. You can either de-equip Agrias's magicks
from the menu beforehand, or pay attention to which she enemy she is targeting
and stay clear.
One other small caution: A character with Jump 4 can climb up onto the house
nearest your start point, but can't get back down. Of course, you'll get the
character back after the battle, but they'll be out of action for the rest of
this battle. So, either don't climb up there (there's not much reason to do so,
except one Treasure Hunter tile) or use a character that has Jump 5.
BATTLE TROPHIES: 1000 gil, Flame Rod, Mage Masher, Phoenix Down
Once you've cleared this battle, you'll have access to all of the map again.
---MONSTER CHANGES---
All of the random battle locations (green dots) now have a second set of
possible enemies you can encounter. These usually show up less frequently, but
often include more powerful monsters as well as the occasional human. Check the
Random Battles section if you want the complete list.
---ERRANDS---
You also now have the ability to take Errands at taverns. These involve sending
your generic (non-story) characters away for a few days in exchange for gil and
a small amount of JP. The amount you earn isn't generally huge, but this can be
a good way to use characters you weren't going to deploy in active combat.
While the characters are away, you can continue on without them. Or, if you
just want to pass time, you can walk back and forth between two blue dots on
the map, which will never trigger any random battles. (You can use Eagrose &
Ziekden Fortress, or Dorter & the Monastery.)
Once the Errand is done, you'll have to return the appropriate Tavern to collect
your characters and reward.
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
Mount Gulg Mother Lode Eagrose 15-16 600 2549 gil, 103 JP, artefact
Bandits Dorter 11-13 3100 14400 gil, 137 JP
Shoreline Defense Gariland 8-9 3050 11114 gil, 94 JP
Miner's Tale Gariland 8-11 600 2726 gil, 108 JP
The Gariland Magick Melee Gariland 14-16 0 22265 gil, 166 JP, artefact
> Month of Virgo only
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As noted above, two of the errands will yield artefacts. These don't actually
do anything; they just show up on your Chronicle screen to add more background
to the game world.
You can maximize your reward from each errand if you send characters for the
maximize number of days. Having the right jobs, Bravery/Faith stats, and
experience levels will also add a few extra points, but the differences are
actually pretty small and not usually worth bothering with. If you want to
squeeze out the maximum gil, though, I've covered this system in more depth in
the Errands section.
---RENDEZVOUS MISSIONS---
Two new Rendezvous Mode missions are now available in Taverns: Chicken Race and
Treasure Hunt, both of which offer better items than the Chocobo Defense mission
from chapter I. Chicken Race can be completed quite easily by a small party of
Chemists and is great for collecting items at this stage. Treasure Hunt is a
bit harder, but if you pick up the chest on the map, you'll get a good piece of
equipment.
---EQUIPMENT UPGRADES---
All the stores have new equipment, so pay them a visit to gear up your
characters.
Remember that you'll have to hike back to Eagrose to purchase heavy armor and
most weapons. Conversely, you'll only find lighter armor at the other two
cities.
Stock up on Hi-Potions and Phoenix Downs, but don't buy any equipment for
Gaffgarion. (It's OK to get stuff for Agrias, but her equipment is already
really good.) The Headgear is also quite a good buy. It's a good hat, cheaper
more effective than the Mythril Vest, and it raises your attack power as well.
This is a good chance to build up your characters if you want. But as long as
you have new equipment for your main squad of characters and the jobs
recommended above, you should be fine. When you feel confident that you're done
preparing, go to Araguay Woods, east of Dorter.
--STRATEGY--
Here you have to save Boco the chocobo from goblins. As when you met Argath,
you're given two options, which will affect your victory conditions:
- If you choose not to help Boco (top choice), your goal is just to defeat
all the enemies, and you don't have to keep Boco from being KOed. However,
you'll also suffer a 10 point PENALTY to everyone's Bravery, 2 points of
which will remain even after the battle.
- Choosing to help Boco (bottom choice) means you must keep Boco from getting
KOed during the battle, but does not penalize your Bravery.
This time, the top choice still gives you an easier battle, but you'll take a
hit to your Bravery for selecting it. Since protecting Boco during the battle
isn't hard at all, choose the second option to keep from losing Bravery.
Boco will usually retreat into a corner, where will be chased by the lone Black
Goblin. Boco can take care of himself just fine, so don't bother going after
the Black Goblin unless you've mopped up all the other enemies.
The Goblins aren't very strong, especially with Agrias's and Gaffgarion's help,
so I recommend just rushing them. Stay out of the ditches.
---BOCO---
After the battle, Boco will join. Boco just has the same stats and abilities as
any other generic Chocobo, so he's of somewhat limited use. (He does have a
unique help message when you use the Select button and check his name, but this
has no effect on gameplay.)
But, if nothing else, you can keep Boco in your party and use him to breed a
Black Chocobo, which in turn can give you a Red Chocobo. These colored chocobos
are somewhat more useful, so you may want to get one of them.
---ADJUSTING GAFFGARION---
Back on the map, go into your roster screen and change Gaffgarion into a Time
Mage or White Mage, or some other crummy job.
--STRATEGY--
The mission here is to protect Ovelia, which means you can't let her get KOed.
She isn't in too much danger since she can cast Aegis, which puts a whole lot of
good defensive buffs on her. She only has enough MP to cast this once, though,
and it wears off after a few turns. Just to be on the safe side, keep a healer
reasonably close to her.
Gaffgarion is now your enemy, but if you turned him into a weak job and stripped
his equipment, he can't do much to hurt you. So, worry about the other Knights
first. (Plus, if you don't KO Gaffgarion right away, there's a bit of extra
dialogue.)
Start off by taking out the Knights on your side of the falls. (Delita can
do a lot of damage to the Knights on the other side just by himself.) One of
the Knights from the far side will probably try to cross over by wading through
the base of the falls. Position an Archer on the corner of the cliff and shoot
down at the guy. Agrias tends to loiter in the water and may finish him off; if
not, send a character or two down after him.
A great trick here is to KO one of the enemy Knights while he's standing on the
bridge, and then position yourself right behind his body. Until the body decays
into a chest/crystal, it will block the Knights from getting close enough to hit
you with close-range attacks. Since the Knights have NO ranged attacks, they're
helpless and you can pick them off from afar with your own ranged attacks. If
you have a Dragoon, you can also use polearms, which have a range of two tiles.
If any of the Knights drops to critical HP, he may try to flee up the cliffs.
You'll have to chase after him, so it may be useful to bring a character with a
good Move range to this battle. (Battle Shoes and Move +1 or +2 will increase
your Move range.)
If you have a Thief and don't mind exploiting a bug in the game, you can also
use this battle to duplicate any piece of equipment you have. First, equip the
item on Gaffgarion before the battle. Then, steal it from him during the
battle. You'll get one copy then, and a second copy when Gaffgarion's items are
added to your inventory after the battle. The downside is that if you give
Gaffgarion powerful items, it will make him harder to defeat. But, just giving
him the Power Gauntlet works pretty well -- if you turn him into a mage
beforehand, he can't do very much damage to even *with* the Gauntlet.
Left: 8, Up: 4 (height: 8.5, Waterf.) Phoenix Down Poison Rod none
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After the battle, Delita will leave you with Ovelia. Ramza sets a new course
for Lionel Castle, so Fort Besselat disappears from your map, not to return
until much later in the game.
While Ovelia is listed on your roster as a Guest, she won't actually participate
in any more battles. So, you're safe de-equipping her Wizard's Hat and Wizard's
Robe and giving them to another character. The Wizard's Robe is an especially
nice pick-up since you can't buy them in stores yet. It raises your magick
attack, so give it to one of your mages.
There's also some new equipment for sale at Dorter and at Eagrose.
It's probably worth making the trip back to Dorter and Eagrose as you'll want
the new gear for the next battle.
In particular, the Wizard's Hat is a nice purchase for magick-users. It's the
best hat so far, and it gives you a nice MP and Magick Attack best too.
However, you may want to pass on the Poison Rod for your Black Mages. While it
does a little more damage physically than the other rods and sometimes poisons
its target, it doesn't boost the power of any of your Black Magicks like the
Flame, Ice, and Thunder Rods do. Since your Black Mages usually attack with
magicks most of the time (I assume ;) ), you're probably better off sticking
with your existing rod.
The Power Gauntlet now appears in stores, but it's pretty pricey.
---BATTLE PREPARATION---
The next battle is a tough one, so be prepared. You'll want Archers and Black
Mages, and, if you don't include a White Mage in the party, one of the
characters should have White Magick as a secondary ability. A Black Chocobo can
also be helpful, if you can get one. (Boco will randomly lay eggs and they may
hatch into Black Chocobos, but there's obviously an element of luck/randomness
to this.) I ended up using Ramza, two Archers, and a Black Mage.
If you don't have the abilities you want, you can move back and forth across any
green dot on the map to fight random battles and earn more JP. When you're
--STRATEGY--
When deploying your characters, deploy them in the "front" row (i.e., the row
where Ramza is already standing). This starts them closer to the gate and
allows them to get into the city faster.
You'll meet Mustadio, who is being chased by some bad guys. Once again,
you're given two options for the upcoming battle:
- Choosing the first option means that you DO NOT have to keep Mustadio from
getting KOed during the battle. This option raises the Bravery of each
character on your current squad (including Agrias and Mustadio) by 5, 1 point
of which is permanent.
- Choosing the second option means that you DO have to keep from getting
Mustadio from getting KOed. However, this option raises all the characters'
Bravery by 10, 2 points of which are permanent.
In other words, you'll get a Bravery increase either way, but you'll get a
BIGGER increase for helping Mustadio. Of course, this also makes the battle
harder. So, there's no clear "best option" here. It's up to you which to
choose. Since this battle can be pretty challenging, you might want to just
pick the first option; it makes the fight quite a bit easier and you're only
missing out on 1 extra point of Bravery.
The enemy is holed up inside Zaland and launches arrows and powerful Black
Magick at you through (and over) the wall. Any melee characters you have will
need to rush for the gates. In the mean time, your Archers and mages can fire
back with their own ranged attacks. Equip the Archer's Bane reaction ability
on any character who has it, as it will help protect you against the enemy
arrows.
Mustadio will initially do one of two things. Most likely, he'll run up on the
top of the gate and attack with his gun from them. This is the "good" outcome
since it keeps him relatively out of harm's way. But sometimes he'll stay on
the ground inside the city. That's bad news, as all the enemies will pick on
him and it's hard to reach for him healing. In this case, your best option is
to cast Shell on him to reduce the magick damage he takes. Although you can't
throw items through the wall, you CAN cast White Magick through it, so you're
If you've been building Ramza mostly for close-range attacks, he may not be
much help here. On his first turn, you can have him use Tailwind on one of your
Archers or Black Mages to boost their Speed and get them more turns. Then start
him running towards the gate so he can get into the city and use melee attacks.
Make the Black Mages your first target, since their magick attacks are so
strong. Use Black Magick, bows, and the Black Chocobo (if you brought one) to
take them out as quickly as possible. Until the Mages go down, keep your
characters spread out so enemy magicks can't hit more than one of your
characters at a time. After the Mages go down, go after the Archers, then the
Knights.
If you have a Black Chocobo, you should also check out Mustadio's initial
abilities by clicking on his tile. His abilities are randomly determined, but
he may have the Beastmaster skill. If so, land the Black Chocobo next to him.
Beastmaster will allow the Black Chocobo to cast Choco Meteor, a really strong
attack.
Mustadio also uses his Aimed Shot abilities to put status conditions on the
enemies. Immobilize (from Leg Shot) will keep an enemy from moving for a few
turns, and Disable (from Arm Shot) will keep an enemy from taking action. If
a bad guy gets hit with Disable, don't bother targeting them any further,
since they can't do anything to hurt you for a few turns. A Knight that's been
Immobilized is also a low-priority target since he can't move to attack you as
long as you stay out of the tiles directly next to him. But the Black Mages and
Archers can still shoot even if they're Immobilized!
As for the Knights, they'll probably try to climb over the wall on the side of
the map opposite the gate into the city. Agrias will attack them, but she
can't take them out her own, so help her out with your ranged attacks.
The Knights may also use Phoenix Downs to revive any Mages and Archers you KO.
Characters revived with Phoenix Down come back with only a little HP, though,
so you should be able to knock them back out again with just a single attack.
Again, no matter what option you picked at the start of the battle, Mustadio
joins you afterwards as a Guest.
---IN ZALAND---
When all the talking is finished, you're now able to visit the stores in
Zaland. There's not very much in the way of selection, but if you didn't
upgrade your equipment after Zeirchele Falls, the Adamant Vest, Wizard's Hat,
and Serpent Staff are all for sale here. (There's nothing *brand* new.)
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
The Hindenburg Zaland 8-15 100 23029 gil, 108 JP
Zaland Embassy Antiques Zaland 10-12 6000 954 gil, 105 JP, artefact
The Zaland Melee Zaland 14-16 0 20865 gil, 250 JP
> Month of Aries only
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Hindenburg" has a good gil payout, but you're likely to lose money on
"Zaland Embassy Antiques"! There's another very profitable time-sensitive
errand here, "The Zaland Melee," that only appears during Aries. Again, it's
not worth *waiting* for, but definitely take this errand if it's offered!
---LEAVING ZALAND---
Your next stop is Balias Tor. When you first try to leave Zaland, there will
be a cutscene. Afterwards, you'll be back on the map, but Balias Tor is still
red. Travel there for real this time, and you'll get into a fight.
--STRATEGY--
This battle can be harder than it looks. The enemy squad has Summoners for
the first time (one positioned on each side of the hill), and their summons can
do big damage to your team.
On the first turn, Mustadio will probably chase after one of the Summoners.
Send a fast and/or magic-using character around the opposite side of the hill
to take out the other Summoner. The Summoners don't have much HP, so you
should be able to finish them off in a couple turns. Meanwhile, have the rest
of your squad attack the center of the hill. If you can attack the enemies
quickly, the Summoners may squander their turns casting Moogle to heal their
allies instead of using damaging summons on you.
You're not *required* to keep Mustadio alive in this battle -- if he gets KOed,
you won't lose the battle -- but it's a good idea to keep him standing, as his
gun is quite helpful. As in Zaland, don't waste your turns attacking enemies
that Mustadio has Immobilized or Disabled.
A cool trick here is to use the Squire ability Rush to knock the Knights and
Archers off the hill. They'll take damage if they fall too far, and you'll put
them out of range of attacking you.
Since this battle isn't especially difficult, you may want to try to send
someone with Treasure Hunter to try to grab the Power Gauntlet at the far side
of the map. (The exact coordinates are below.) Power Gauntlets normally cost
you 5000 gil, so a free one is great!
Following the fight, a cut scene will pop up back at Eagrose Castle with
Dycedarg and Gaffgarion scheming.
Reaching Lionel Castle also opens up a TON of new items in the shops:
You can now buy the Remedy item in all Outfitters. It can cure any status
ailment, so now there's really no point for your Chemists to learn the abilities
corresponding to any of the other status-restoring items.
If you go back up to Zaland, you can also buy some new light armor: Green
Berets and Wizard Clothing. Keep your magick users equipped with Wizard's
Hats, though, as those raise their magick attack.
You probably won't have unlocked the Samurai or Bard jobs yet. But, if you
have, their specialized weapons are now available. You'll have to hike all the
way back up to Dorter to buy them, though. (A lot of the more "exotic" weapons
are only for sale at Trade Cities like Dorter.)
Buy any stuff you want in Lionel now, as you won't be able to do so later.
And since your access to the shops will be blocked off later, it might be a wise
idea to buy some spare pieces of heavy armor and helms. That way, if any of
your gear gets stolen or broken, you have a replacement.
---ERRANDS---
Also, you may want to send some of your characters out on a errand if you
haven't been doing so; you can earn a lot of money from some of them.
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
My Little Carrot Lionel 15-16 100 14749 gil, 74 JP
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This one can earn you a lot of money. Other good ones to do (if you haven't
done them already) are "Bandits" in Dorter, "Shoreline Defense" in Gariland,
and "The Hindenburg" in Zaland.
Walking between Dorter and Orbonne Monastery is an easy way to pass time and
complete the errands while avoiding random battles.
You'll want to complete all the errands before you reach Goug, though. Once you
get to Goug, it will be a while before you can go back to the other towns to
retrieve your characters.
---BATTLE PREP---
If Mustadio has enough JP, pick up the Seal Evil ability for him if you haven't
already--it'll be handy in the next battle, as it turns undead to stone. Then
head to the fenlands.
--STRATEGY--
The last member of the enemy forces is randomly determined: it could be a
Floating Eye, Malboro, or Pig.
Randomness aside, this is a fairly normal (and easy) battle with a few quirks.
First, if you end your turn in the swamp, you get poisoned. (Simply passing
through the swamp as part of a move won't poison you, as long as you end the
move on dry land.) This isn't that bad, but if you have a choice, stand on
land. And be sure not to end your turn in any water where the Depth is
displayed as 2. If you stop in water of Depth 2, you won't be able to take any
actions, as you're up to your head in water. (The Ninja ability Waterwalking
or the Samurai ability Swim would prevent this, should you have either
already.)
Second, all of the enemies except the randomly determined member are undead.
This means you can use heal spells and items to damage them, which is quite
effective. And if Mustadio has Seal Evil ability, he may also use that to turn
the undead monsters to turn them to stone.
Finally, since there's a rainstorm going on, fire magicks will be less powerful
while lightning magicks will be more powerful. Use those Thunder magicks if you
have them! The storm also means that the enemies are a little more likely to
dodge bow attacks, but in most cases the difference isn't big, so go ahead and
keep using bows.
Other than those three exceptions, there's nothing here you haven't seen before.
The Pig shows up pretty infrequently, but if you DO see it, it's definitely
worth trying to recruit it using the Orator's Entice or Tame abilities.
(Remember that if you're not currently an Orator, you must equip the Beast
Tongue support ability to use Entice on monsters.) Once recruited, you can use
the Pig to breed pig-family monsters, all of which yield great rare items when
poached using the Thief's Poach ability. Or, if you can't recruit the Pig but
DO have Poach, you could at least poach it, though you won't actually be able to
collect your poached item until Chapter III.
Note the Pig can only appear during the initial story battle, not later random
battles. In fact, the next opportunity to get a Pig won't be until Chapter IV.
So, if you're particularly intent on getting a leg up on the enemy, you could
keep entering the battle over and over and resetting until the Pig appears and
you can recruit it. But, that's definitely NOT necessary; you can skip the Pig
entirely and do just fine!
!!!!!CAUTION!!!!!
Before you enter Goug, make sure you've completed any errands you have running,
and visited the appropriate Taverns to get the characters back on your roster.
As soon as you enter Goug, you'll be locked out of many places on the map, and
won't be able to get your characters back until much later!
!!!!!CAUTION!!!!!
Upon arriving in Goug, there will be a brief scene and then you're back on the
map.
The Outfitter doesn't have much of anything. But if you've got a Orator or
Chemist, be sure to buy them a Romandan Pistol. The Romandan Pistol has a great
range, can't be evaded, and is especially useful if you have a chance to pair it
with the Knight's Arts of War abilities -- you can use it Rend enemies'
equipment or stats at a distance!
Before you go anywhere, make sure you're stocked up on Hi-Potions and Phoenix
Downs; you'll need them. You may also want to equip the Archer's Bane ability
on any characters who have it.
--STRATEGY--
Ludovich, the leader of the Baert Company, will appear with Mustadio and
The enemy Archers in this battle have a huge range and it's hard to stay
out of range completely. So, don't deploy any character who has really low HP
as you probably won't be able to protect him/her/it completely. Equipping the
Archer's Bane reaction ability will help you a lot, if you have it available.
Mustadio will be almost invariably KOed at the start of the battle as he has no
equipment and starts right next to the enemies. Don't worry about him. He's
still a Guest so he can't die permanently yet.
Move your guys up onto the roof. Use ranged attacks (like your shiny new
pistols) to take out the Summoners. Note that both Summoners are one side of
the enemy roof and both Archers on the other. If you stick towards the side of
the map with the Summoners, it may keep the Archers from shooting at you for a
turn or two.
Kill any unit that moves onto your roof; Thieves first, Archers second. Early
in the battle, don't chase enemies over to the other roof, or you'll get
surrounded. Just fire ranged attacks at them. (Later, once there are only a
couple enemies left, it's safe to jump across.) Your highest priority is to
keep your guys healed, not to hit the enemy. Useful abilities here are Chakra,
Counter, Firaga/Blizzaga/Thundaga, and Archer's Bane. Bows and guns are also
useful for their ranged attacks. You could try using the gun + Arts of War
combo to use Rend Weapon on the Archers and prevent them from shooting at you.
When the Summoners start charging a spell, use the Turn List to check what it
is. If it's just Moogle, you're fine, as that only heals them a little. But
if they start casting anything else, it's an attack spell. Try to quickly
take out the Summoner before he can finish the spell, or spread your characters
out to minimize the hurt. Summon magick does a lot of damage!
If the battle drags on for a while, the Summoners may run out of MP. In this
case, you can pretty much ignore them completely as they can't really harm you
at all. Another way of dealing with the Summoners is to put Silence, Berserk,
or Atheist status on them using Mystic or Orator abilities, so they can't use
magicks. You could also use a gun + Rend MP to sap all their MP, though with a
gun it's easy enough to just shoot them to death directly.
After this encounter, you check on Besrudio. Mustadio reveals that the Zodiac
Stone that Ludovich got was really a fake.
---MUSTADIO---
Mustadio will join as you a normal party member -- now you can control him! The
only downside to this is that he can now be permanently killed. Be sure to keep
him on your roster; you'll need him to complete most of the subquests in Chapter
IV. Musty's equipment is all gone, so be sure to re-equip him. Also, if he
learned any abilities while he was a Guest, they're also lost and you'll have to
relearn them.
Now that you have Mustadio, a good general trick for leveling up quickly is to
use Arm Shot or Leg Shot to debilitate the last enemy in a battle. Then,
you're free to let the other enemies turn into crystals/chests. Crystals from
human enemies are often a good source of new abilities. Also, while the last
enemy is Disabled or Immobilized, you can have your characters attack each
other to raise JP. As long as you use the right strategies for story battles,
you shouldn't really need to grind in this fashion, but it's an efficient way to
raise levels if you decide to do so.
---TRAVEL---
The route back through the fenlands disappears, and for the time being, you
can't get back to Lionel Castle. If you left any characters there doing
Errands, you unfortunately won't be able to get them back for a while.
Take the ship (well, just walk across the ocean ;) ) over to the Port City of
Warjilis. Upon getting off the ship, you'll see a FMV sequence with Delita.
---IN WARJILIS---
After that scene's ended, you can explore the town. There's no new equipment
available, but Warjilis IS a Trade City, which means that the shop offers a fair
variety of equipment. You may be able to pick up a few new items if you
couldn't afford them earlier.
---ERRANDS AT SEA---
To make some easy money, go to the bar and accept the errand (to find the
Highwind!), then go back to Goug and get the errand there as well. (There will
be a cutscene with Delacroix's scheming when you leave Warjilis the first time.)
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
Miner Shortage Goug 7-9 100 18915 gil, 96 JP
Artificers' Contest Goug 14-16 0 20865 gil, 250 JP
> Month of Sagittarius only
The Highwind Warjilis 5-8 1050 12579 gil, 98 JP
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just go back and forth between the two cities until both errands are complete.
Both are quite profitable, so if you weren't able to afford all the equipment
you wanted in Goug or elsewhere, you should be able to get it now.
---LOST HEIRLOOM---
There's also a new Rendezvous Mode mission, Lost Heirloom, that will have
appeared after you completed the story battle at Goug. This new mission is
pretty difficult if you don't have a good defense, and the enemy Thieves can
charm female characters. If you have a female-heavy party, you may want to
wait until you get to Chapter III and can buy equipment that protects you from
Charm.
ENEMY FORCES:
1st Squad - Knight (lv 15, male) Knight (lv 14, male)
Black Mage (lv 14, male) Archer (lv 15, female)
2nd Squad - Black Mage (lv 15, male) Archer (lv 14, female)
--STRATEGY--
You'll deploy two squads here to save Agrias from Delacroix's Gryphon Knights.
This is a really easy fight, so you might want to deploy some weaker characters
to give them a boost.
Kill the Black Mages first (using range attacks if you have them), then the
Archers. Really, your only concern is making sure Agrias stays alive. Because
this fight is so easy, it's a good time to let the enemies' counters run out and
pick up the loot they leave behind. (Paralyze Agrias or use Mustadio's Arm or
Leg Shot on her to keep her from finishing off the last enemy.)
Agrias comes with her Judgment Blade swordskill, which does fairly good damage
and hits a group of enemies. Her next two skills, Cleansing Strike and
Northswain's Strike, aren't necessarily a huge improvement over Judgment Blade.
You may want to save your JP for Hallowed Bolt--it does more damage, and has a
good range. It's likely to be one of your most-used abilities! Divine
Ruination is a good buy after you get Hallowed Bolt. It's Agrias's hardest-
hitting attack, although its targeting is a little less flexible than Hallowed
Bolt's.
After Agrias joins up, if you head back down to Warjilis, you'll find the shops
have a few new items available.
Most notably, you can replace your Power Gauntlet(s) with the Diamond Bracelets,
which gives you the Power Gauntlet's +1 Physical Attack but also +1 Magick
Attack and immunity to Slow. Protection from Slow is pretty handy in the next
battle, so buy some of the bracelets for your main squad. Agrias comes already
equipped with one, as well.
You can also upgrade your Wizard Clothing to the Brigandine, which gives you a
few more HP. But you'll probably want to keep magick-oriented characters
equipped with the Wizard Clothing or with robes for the magick bonuses they
confer.
Also available for purchase is the Mage's Staff. It's not as strong physically
as the Serpent Staff, but it boosts your magick strength. Since magick strength
is more important for magick-users (obviously!), this is a good upgrade. In the
unlikely event you have a Samurai, the Osafune katana is also available.
Your next stop is Golgollada Gallows. Make sure you're ready; this is a tough
battle. Bring your Diamond Bracelets!
--STRATEGY--
The execution turns out to be a trap, and you have to fight Gaffgarion.
Deploy at least one strong fighter in the second squad (Agrias is good). For
the rest of your team, anyone with a ranged attack is really useful (bows,
guns, or Black Magick), and Monks and Geomancers can be good too.
Although Gaffgarion seems like a boss character, KOing him will NOT end this
battle. You need to take out all the enemies!
Because there are so many enemies here and they all start close to you, you
need to limit the number of enemies who can attack you at once. As you move for
the scaffolding, you can continue to use your abilities to disable the enemy
forces. Abilities that are good for this are Mustadio's Arm Shot, Agrias's
Judgment Blade (which sometimes causes Stop), and the Geomancer's Tanglevine
(which also causes Stop and works more frequently). Leg Shot is also useful
against the Knights, but not against the other enemies, who can all attack from
a distance even if they're Immobilized.
Once you start getting up atop the scaffolding and gate, you can start
attacking. Go after those pesky Archers first. You can use bows, guns, Black
Magick, and Agrias's Holy Sword to attack from a distance. These attacks all
have an infinite vertical range, so you can use them all the way from atop of
the gate or on the scaffolding. Once you have the height advantage, it's a lot
harder for the enemy Knights and Archers to hit you, and you can fight them a
few at a time.
You'll be taking a lot of hits. To make your healing more efficient, don't
have your healer move once he or she is in position on the scaffolding; this
lets him/her get more turns. Throw Items also has an infinite vertical range,
so even if you're positioned up on top of the gate, you can throw items down to
characters still climbing up.
Using Ramza's Tailwind to increase the Speed of your most crucial characters.
If your archers or gunners have a spare turn, you can also have them try using
Focus to build up their attack power.
Gaffgarion is the most dangerous enemy here; not only does his Shadowblade do
good damage to you, it drains HP back to him. If you have a really powerful
magick spell (like Firaja or Holy or something), you can try using that to take
him out in one shot. Or, use Steal Weapon or Rend Weapon to take away his Blood
Sword. Breaking the sword will disable his sword techniques completely. If you
steal it, he can still use his techniques (due to a bug in the game), but they
will probably only do a few points of damage, making them essentially
worthless. Stealing is particularly advantageous, in fact, since the Blood
Sword is a rare weapon and has the nice side effect of draining HP back to you
from the enemy. If you want to steal the Blood Sword, you'll have better luck
if you equip Brawler as a support ability, target Gaffgarion from behind,
and/or put him to sleep. (A Taurus, Capricorn, or female Pisces will also be
at an advantage for stealing from him.)
If you don't steal/rend the Blood Sword, you'll have to knock Gaffgarion down
bit by bit. Take out the Archers first, then start hammering on him with
your whole team; you need to pile on the damage faster than he can heal himself.
He has Counter; attacking from a distance (if you can) is one way to get around
this. Or, you can just hit him with Arm Shot: if he's Disabled, he can't use
his Counter. You needn't take away *all* his HP; as soon as he gets to critical
status, he'll teleport out of the battle.
The Time Mages are your lowest priority here. Even though they don't have much
HP, attacking them is just a waste of turns as they can't do all that much to
harm you. About all they do is cast Slow, and if you brought Diamond
Bracelets from Warjilis, you're immune to that. So attack the Time Mages last.
If you just can't win, try fighting some battles in Balias Swale to get some
better abilities like Arise, Equip Heavy Armor, Auto-Potion, Chakra (which I
would strongly advise you to acquire by now), etc.
If you deploy Agrias in this battle, there will be some extra dialogue between
her and Ramza when she finds out he's a Beoulve.
After you attain victory at the Gallows (it may take a few tries!), you'll see
a scene back at Lionel Castle in which you find out more about Ovelia's past
and Delacroix's plans. Then you're back on the map. When you move back up to
Balias Swale, you'll see a cutscene with Wiegraf.
If you click on any of the destinations PAST Lionel Castle, you can walk right
through the castle without getting into a fight. Just don't click on the castle
ITSELF until you're ready to fight. This way, you can travel up to Eagrose if
you need to buy heavy armor. Also, if you accidentally left any characters
working on errands in Zaland or elsewhere, you can go get them back now.
(Anyone running an errand at Lionel Castle is still unreachable until Chapter
III, though.)
---BATTLE PREPARATION---
To prepare for the upcoming fights, you'll want to make sure that Ramza has
either the Teleport movement ability (Time Mage) or Chakra (Monk). If you're
using Chakra, you can either make Ramza into a Monk or assign Martial Arts as a
secondary action ability.
It's also very helpful to outfit the rest of your team with Rubber Boots to
negate the lightning attacks you'll face -- and if Ramza has Teleport, you'll
want to give him the Boots as well. You can buy Rubber Boots in any town, and
they're fairly inexpensive at 1500 gil each. Just make sure to buy enough so
that you can equip the WHOLE team with them or they won't be very useful.
Finally, you may want to bring a few extra pieces of equipment. You'll be
facing a sequence of battles with no chance to return to a store in between
them, and if any of your equipment gets broken by enemy Knights, you'll want a
replacement item in your inventory.
When you've done all that preparation, it's time for the final battles of the
chapter. Click on Lionel Castle and you'll have no choice but to attack the
gate. As Ramza tries to open the gate, Gaffgarion shows up yet again and
--STRATEGY--
If you thought the Gallows was bad, here's more fun. Actually, the gate isn't
as bad if you play your cards right.
When deploying your second squad, any characters that you want in the front row
(e.g. melee fighters) should be placed in the back of the three rows (i.e., the
top-right) on the deployment screen. You'll be attacked from behind, so these
characters will actually end up closest to the enemy. Meanwhile, ranged
attackers and magick users should go towards the bottom-left of the deployment
screen so they'll end up behind your melee fighters.
Ramza starts trapped inside the gate with Gaffgarion, while the rest of your
characters have another set of enemies to fight outside. There are a couple
different strategies you can use to deal with Gaffgarion:
1. TELEPORT: If Ramza has the Time Mage ability Teleport, you can use that to
move him outside of the gate and strand Gaffgarion inside. Take out all the
enemies outside, then have Ramza teleport back inside and open the gate.
You'll have to be careful not to stand *too* close to the gate when fighting
outside because Gaffgarion can attack you through the wall with his sword
techniques. This strategy has the advantage of allowing Ramza to help
fighting outside.
2. STALLING WITH CHAKRA: Or, move Ramza down to the ground (inside the gate) and
have him use the Monk's Chakra ability on every turn to heal the damage Gaff
is doing. (If Ramza doesn't have Chakra, Hi-Potions should work too, as long
as you have enough of them.) Stay close to Gaffgarion so he won't try to go
anywhere else. Don't attack Gaffgarion or open the gate; just sit there and
use Chakra. Keep stalling Gaffgarion until your other characters defeat the
enemies outside. This strategy won't let Ramza fight outside, but it
guarantees Gaffgarion won't attack anyone outside.
3. BLACK MAGICKS: If one of your characters has strong Black Magicks (e.g. a -ja
or a -ga magick coupled with Arcane Strength), deploy him/her outside the
gate. Use Ramza to lure Gaffgarion near the gate, and then have the Black
Mage use magick on Gaffgarion (since Black Magicks can go through walls) to
KO him. It doesn't matter if the spell KOs Ramza as long as you KO Gaff
because KOing Gaffgarion will cause Ramza to recover with 1 HP. Once you've
KOed Gaffgarion, you can have Ramza open the gate and join the fight outside.
A nice benefit of this strategy is that Gaffgarion immediately turns into a
crystal that you can use for healing or ability learning. (Sadly, you can't
learn his special sword techniques from the crystal). But, this tactic only
works if you have strong Black Magicks.
4. MAKE RAMZA UNDEAD: You can cast the Mystic Arts magick Corruption on Ramza to
make him Undead, which prevents Gaffgarion from draining his HP. (You can
either have Ramza cast Corruption on himself or have another ally on the
ground cast it on him.) Gaffgarion will switch to regular weapon strikes,
though, so Ramza will still need to be capable of beating Gaffgarion in a
straight fight. You'll probably only want to use this tactic if Ramza has
some strong melee combat gear and abilities.
5. TELEPORT / FLY INSIDE: Alternately, if you have characters outside who have
Teleport, you can have them warp inside and help Ramza kill Gaffgarion. Or,
if you have two Black Chocobos, you can assign them to the group outside, and
use them to fly 2 human characters inside to help Ramza defeat Gaffgarion.
The disadvantage to this method is that Black Chocobos aren't very strong
themselves.
6. FIGHT HIM HEAD-ON: If Ramza is really strong (and fast), you might be able to
defeat Gaffgarion just with conventional attacks. This probably won't work
unless you have an advanced job like Ninja, though.
Meanwhile, your other four characters have to take on the gang outside the
gate. Although you're outnumbered, the enemy Knights and Archers out here often
come equipped with weapons that deal lightning damage: Coral Swords and
Lightning Bows, respectively. If you equip your allies with the Rubber Boots
accessory, they will be completely immune to lightning damage, and the Knights
and Archers won't be able to attack them! Just make sure to equip ALL FOUR
characters with Rubber Boots -- and Ramza, too, if you're having him Teleport
outside of the gate. Otherwise, the enemies will simply gang up on the one
character without the Boots. Also, even if you have Rubber Boots, the enemies
can still hit with you other abilities -- like the Knights' Arts of War
abilities, which can break your gear. If they break your Rubber Boots, you'll
be vulnerable again!
Focus your attacks on the enemies that can do the most damage to you. The
Summoner is definitely the most dangerous enemy whether you have Rubber Boots or
not, so try to take him out immediately or use Mustadio's Arm Shot to Disable
him. If he does start casting a spell, spread out your characters so he can't
blast your whole team.
After you do something about the Summoner, check the status screens of the other
enemies. Any enemies that have weapons other than the Coral Sword or Lightning
Bow can still hurt you with their weapons. So, attack these guys first.
Arm Shot is a great ability for this fight, as it reduces the number of enemies
that can attack you at once. (You can also use the Mystic's Hesitation spell
for the same effect.) Moreover, putting Disable on a character causes him/her
to flee into a corner, which means that it will take another turn or two to get
back into the battle even once Disable wears off. Note that Disabling a
character who's charging up an attack will cancel the attack. This is a good
way to stop a Summon or Archer's Aim attack if you've got no other options.
For dealing damage, guns are quite helpful as they can allow you to attack
without having to Move. Remember that if you don't move during a turn, your
next turn will come more quickly, which helps a lot when you're surrounded by
lots of enemies! Agrias's sword techniques are also great for damage-dealing,
and her Northswain's Strike ability (if you have it) has a chance of instantly
KOing an enemy outright. Also, when enemies are bunched together, use Black
Magick, Summon spells or Agrias's Judgment Blade to hit more than one enemy at a
time.
Once you've mopped up most of the enemies outside the gate, move Ramza up to
the switch on the left side of the gate and he will open the door.
Now, have your whole gang rush inside and attack Gaffgarion. Try to rend
Gaffgarion's sword, or even better, steal it. Again, using Arm Shot to Disable
him is quite useful, as it not only prevents from attacking you, but turns off
his counterattack and prevents him from blocking with his shield. He shouldn't
be too much trouble -- the hard part is the fight outside the gate. But, be
careful not to let him pick up any crystallized enemies; he can use the
crystals to restore all his HP just like you can! Either pick up the crystals
as soon as they appear, or position your characters to block his route to the
crystals. You do have to take away ALL his HP this time instead of just
reducing him to critical, but once you do, he's finally gone for good.
The save game screen will pop up at the conclusion of the battle. There are
another couple battles immediately after this one, so I recommend saving a
SEPARATE slot from your main file. This way, you can go back to your main file
if it turns you need to raise more JP outside the castle.
After saving, you cut back to Delita and Ovelia at Zeirchele Falls for a battle
against the Order of the Northern Sky.
--STRATEGY--
Delita is your only controllable character here. Ovelia is a guest. As
before, she'll probably just cast Aegis and run. But now that she has more MP,
she can also cast Aegis on Delita on her second turn instead of only casting
it on herself.
Move Delita across the bridge and start attacking the enemy forces. He has all
of the Holy Sword techniques, so use them -- with Hallowed Bolt and Judgment
Blade, you can probably hit more than enemy at once. Since there are only
three enemies and none of them are that strong, you should be able to defeat
them without much trouble. Really, this battle is quite easy; its main purpose
is just to give you a chance to play as Delita :)
You're given another chance to save; again, don't save in your main slot. Then
your roster screen shows up, allowing Ramza's crew to learn new abilities or
change equipment, which might be necessary if the Knights at the gate used Arts
of War to break anything. Also, change out of your Rubber Boots if you used
them at the Gate; you won't need them for the next battle.
When you leave the Party Roster screen, you'll immediately go to the next battle
and start deploying your characters.
--STRATEGY--
This time you're up against Delacroix, who uses his Zodiac Stone to turn (with
some pyrotechnics) into Cuchulainn.
This battle can be tricky because Cuchulainn casts a variety of status attacks
from a distance while running from you. Plus, unless you have a Ninja or other
very fast character, Cuchulainn gets the first turn!
If you place your characters in this formation, Cuchulainn will have to come
down the stairs on his first turn to start casting his magick. Now you can
rush him and attack. If you can surround him, he won't be able to flee out of
range. If you can't get within striking distance on a particular character's
turn, at least position that character on the stairs to keep Cuchulainn from
climbing back up. You could also use Leg Shot to Immobilize him, but since you
can surround him pretty well with this tactic anyway, it's mostly a wasted turn.
(He's immune to Disable, so don't bother trying Arm Shot.)
Try to keep your support characters spread out so they can't all be hit with
Cuchulainn's magick at once. Since both the Sleep and Doom effects of
Nightmare can be prevented with Protect Rings, you might be tempted to equip
those. However, if you equip Protect Rings, Cuchulainn will just cast Bio
magicks instead. Since Bio is usually more dangerous than Nightmare, you're
better off without Protect Rings!
Good attacks to use against Cuchulainn include physical attacks and Agrias's
sword techniques. Guns and bows are also good, particularly if you trap him
down on your level. If he escapes to the top of the map, guns will be less
useful because there are usually too many obstacles to get a clear line of
fire. The Monk's Aurablast may also be helpful in hitting him before you have
a chance to trap him. Magick may be somewhat less useful here. You're in such
close quarters that the magicks will probably hit your allies too -- plus you
may be halted with a status effect before you can get the spell off. However,
if you happen to already have the Lich summon spell or the Time Mage's Graviga,
these will do a lot of damage -- they both do damage equal to half the target's
max HP, regardless of how high that max may be! Since Cuchulainn has a high max
HP (almost 500 HP!), these magicks will do quite a bit of damage. Even Gravity,
which does damage equal to 1/4 of its target's max HP, can be useful.
Another way to damage Cuchulainn is with the Black Mage's Magick Counter
reaction ability. When he casts his Bio magicks on you, you'll cast them back
on him (even though you can't normally use them!).
In general, a good mix of close range fighters and gun/bow users is probably
best here, and be sure to bring one or two characters who can use Phoenix Downs!
And since Cuchulainn is a Scorpio, any Cancer or Pisces characters you might
have (including Agrias) will do particular damage to him.
Cuchulainn is the first major boss enemy you will have encountered in the
single-player game. That means his HP and MP are displayed simply as ???
and you won't be able to tell exactly how much he has left. However, when
he gets low on HP, his life bar will appear to empty (turning from gray to
black) and he will switch to a "critical" standing pose just like any other
character. At this point, you'll know you're close to defeating him. He
has about 485 HP total. Beat him and he'll blow up (with more nifty effects)
and drop another Zodiac Stone.
If you've played the PSone version of FF Tactics, you may Cuchulainn quite a bit
more challenging in this version. He's been restored to his original Japanese
level of difficulty, and has higher stats than you are used to!
Delita delivers Ovelia to Duke Goltanna, while Duke Larg maintains Orinus as
the heir to the throne. As the War of the Lions begins over these claims to
the throne, Chapter II draws to a close, and you're again given a chance to
save.
Three months into the War of the Lions, things are looking bad for both Larg
and Goltanna. After a scene of Goltanna's council of war, we cut back to
Ramza, whose new mission is to convince Zalbaag that someone is manipulating
Ivalice into the war.
Weakness: Water
Close Helmet Helm 4000 Castle HP +70
Poison Bow Crossbw 4000 Castle/Goug Atk: 4, 5% Parry, Inflicts: Poison
Winged Boots Cloak 2500 Any Always: Float
Magepower Glove Gauntlt 20000 Any Magick Attack +2
Reflect Ring Ring 10000 Any Always: Reflect
Nu Khai Armband Armlet 10000 Any Immune: Confuse,Charm; Halves: Dark
X-Potion Item 700 Any Restores 150 HP
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Headbands are a great buy; not only do they increase your HP over the
previous hats, they also give you a physical attack boost. (You may want to
keep your magick users with the Wizard's Hats, though, as those boost their
*magick* power.) Although the Croakadile Bag may look powerful, it does
variable amounts of damage, which limits its usefulness during actual battles.
Plus, it's ridiculously expensive!
Now that you're in Chapter III, you can also buy X-Potions, so you'll want to
learn the corresponding ability for any item-users you have.
The Flame Shield and Ice Shield absorb fire and ice, respectively, which lets
you do a handy trick: Cast a fire or ice magick that targets both enemies and an
ally with the shield -- you'll damage the enemies, AND heal your character! Not
only does this let you get around the "friendly fire" effects when fighting in
close quarters, it even replenishes your HP!
Of the two shields, the Flame Shield is definitely the better. Not only does it
have a higher evade rate, its elemental profile is more useful. The Ice Shield
makes you weak to lightning. The Flame Shield, on the other hand, is only weak
to water, and there are very few water attacks. So, the extra 500 gil for the
Flame Shield is definitely worth it.
---ERRAND UPDATE---
All this new equipment is expensive, so luckily there's a whole slew of new
errands, at least one in every town.
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
Frontier Marathon Dorter 14-16 0 21265 gil, 156 JP, wonder
Second Frontier Marathon Dorter 14-16 0 21265 gil, 156 JP, wonder
> Must complete "Frontier Marathon"
Third Frontier Marathon Dorter 14-16 0 21265 gil, 156 JP, wonder
> Must complete "Second Frontier Marathon"
Stolen Tomes Gariland 12-16 11000 2026 gil, 112 JP
The Gariland Magick Melee Gariland 14-16 0 22265 gil, 166 JP, artefact
> Month of Virgo only
Minstrel in Distress Eagrose 13-16 50 1216 gil, 98 JP
Mameco the Minstrel Eagrose 15-16 0 5239 gil, 104 JP
> Must complete "Minstrel in Distress"
Lorraide Mine Zaland 10-14 1100 2726 gil, 102 JP
The Zaland Melee Zaland 14-16 0 20865 gil, 250 JP
> Month of Aries only
The Dawn Queen Lionel 8-12 100 15729 gil, 102 JP
Zerro's Challenge Lionel 8-9 50 10999 gil, 143 JP, artefact
Mesa's Legacy Goug 10-13 10000 576 gil, 55 JP
Clockwork Faire Goug 11-13 100 5418 gil, 95 JP, artefact
Particular profitable ones are "The Dawn Queen" in Lionel, "Zerro's Challenge"
in Lionel, and the three "Frontier Marathon" errands in Dorter. (You must
complete the Frontier Marathons in sequence; finishing each one opens up the
next.) Finishing "Zerro's Challenge" will also open up other errands later on.
If you're short on cash, doing these errands will help you out.
I've also re-listed the 3 errands that show up in particular months. If you
haven't already done these, these are great for earning money if it happens to
be the right month. (If you already did any of these in Chapter II, you can't
do it again.)
AVOID "Mesa's Legacy" and "Stolen Tomes." Both these errands are rip-offs that
cost you more money than you'll earn! (If you're a completionist and want to
finish every errand, you can always come back to these later, once money is no
longer an issue.)
Some errands, including the Frontier Marathons, will now start yielding Wonders
of the Ancient World. Like the Artefacts, these have no actual function;
they're just for display!
---MAP UPDATE---
If you had characters who were running errands at Lionel Castle and ended up
"trapped" when you were kicked out of the castle back in Chapter II, you can
finally go collect those characters from the Tavern now. Lionel Castle is back
to being a regular, blue-dot town.
Note that a couple of other routes on the map have disappeared: the sea route
between Goug and Warjilis permanently vanishes at the start of Chapter III, and
Orbonne Monastery is temporarily inaccessible.
---POACHERS' DENS---
The Poachers' Dens are now open. Whenever a character with the Thief's "Poach"
ability kills a monster with a physical attack, an item is sent to the Poachers'
Den. You can then buy the item by visiting the Poachers' Den in Dorter or in
Warjilis. Other cities do not have Dens. (A third Poachers' Den will become
available in Chapter IV when you reach the city of Sal Ghidos.)
If you poached any monsters back in Chapters I or II, you can now buy their
items at the Den. If you haven't poached anything yet, you'll need to poach at
least one monster before you're allowed in the Den.
There are a couple reasons to poach items. First, poached items are cheap; you
can buy them for half their usual price! You can also get some rare items from
poaching that you can't get anywhere else! Each monster can yield one of two
items, a frequent item or an infrequent one -- see the Poaching List for a
complete list.
Many of the best monsters to poach don't appear under Chapter IV, but if you
recruited a Pig at Tchigolith Fenlands in Chapter II, you can now start poaching
your pigs for rare items. And Red Chocobos, which also appear fairly frequently
in Chapter III, sometimes yield the Barette when poached, which protects female
characters against a number of status ailments.
Finally, the Poachers' Dens have one other purpose. Any item that you SELL to
the Poachers' Den gets added to its inventory and can be bought back later for
the same price that you sold it. So, if you need to sell anything for cash,
sell it to the Poachers' Den, and it will be less expensive if you later want to
buy it again.
---RENDEZVOUS MODE---
A new Rendezvous mission, The Fete, is available. This one can be a little
difficult if you haven't yet learned Shirahadori (see below), but with a
Summoner you should be able to win. There's also the Lost Heirloom mission
from last chapter if you haven't done that yet; the Nu Khai Armbands that you
can now buy will make this battle easier by protecting you from Charm.
---ABILITIES TO LEARN---
There are some abilities you'll need at the end of Chapter III that it's a good
idea to start learning now. You don't need these abilities just yet, but
if you build your characters towards those abilities now, you won't have to
spend time grinding for them later.
Specifically, you'll really want Ramza to have Focus and Tailwind (both Squire),
and Auto-Potion (Chemist). If you have the chance to unlock the Ninja job for
him, that'll also help out a little. Combining the Ninja's inherent speed and
double attack with a barehanded attack powered by the Monk's Brawler ability
makes for an incredibly strong and quick fighter. But the Ninja job isn't
strictly necessary -- and it can be a bit of pain to unlock, as it requires
Ramza to at least have Archer at level 4, Thief at level 5, and Geomancer at
level 2! For your other characters, acquiring the Dragoon or Ninja job on as
many as characters as possible is helpful, but also not a must-have.
You may also want to start developing a stealing specialist, if you haven't
already. You'll be encountering more and more enemies with rare equipment
that you can't buy at the Outfitter, so you may want to swipe it :). It'll be a
big help if you can learn the Thief's Steal abilities, and either Concentration
(Archer) or Brawler (Monk), either of which will improve your stealing success
rate. If you don't get to this until Chapter IV, though, it's not a big deal.
Some other abilities that you want to work towards over the course of the
chapter are the Samurai's Shirahadori reaction ability, the Ninja's Dual Wield
support ability, and the Time Mage's Teleport movement ability. Shirahadori
blocks physical attacks outright whenever it activates; if combined with a high
Bravery stat (which you can boost with Ramza's Steel ability), it can render you
virtually impervious to physical attacks. It's one of the best abilities in the
game. If you haven't already unlocked the Samurai job, though, you'll need to
get a character with Knight level 4, Monk level 5, and Dragoon level 2 to become
a Samurai. The Ninja's Dual Wield ability is also great as it allows you equip
two weapons at once to effectively double (or come close to doubling) your
attack power. Finally, the Time Mage's Teleport is helpful for navigating
battlefields with tall walls (as it allows you to essentially warp right up
them), for teleporting through enemy forces blocking your path, and for
extending your move range in a pinch. If you try to teleport long distances,
it'll probably fail, but this ability is still extremely helpful for navigating
both heights and crowded maps. Also, if you have a Summoner, the Golem summon
will also help out in a battle near the end of the chapter.
Lastly, if you haven't been using Ramza's Steel to work on building up your
Bravery, try to do so when you get a chance -- having a high Bravery will make
your Reaction Abilities a lot more useful (such as the aforementioned
Shirahadori).
from Dorter, across the Zeklaus Desert, to the Mining Town of Gollund.
--STRATEGY--
The buildings here are steep, which restricts your movement. So, you'll want
to deploy characters with a good Jump or Move range, or equip accessories to
boost it. Because you start on the bottom and the enemy is on rooftops above
you, guns and bows are not too effective here; it's hard to target the enemy
from below. Instead, try bringing the Dragoon's Jump attack or Black Magick.
Also, since the enemy has three Thieves that like to steal your equipment, you
may want to protect your investments by equipping the Safeguard ability, which
prevents steals.
Orran possess the Celestial Stasis spell, which will Disable, Stop, or
Immobilize at least half the enemy forces every time he casts it. However,
he's still vulnerable until he gets this spell off, and the enemy Chemists can
hit him from a distance with their guns. So, keep an eye on his HP.
From where you start the battle, move a healer character and another character
to your right and up the low steps. These characters will be in a good position
to heal Orran (with White Magick or Throw Items) if he needs it. If Orran's
relatively healthy and doesn't need immediately healing, you can also cast
Protect him on to boost his defense. The rest of your squad can go around the
other side of the building to start fighting the enemies there. The enemies
will probably be no match for your forces; the key is just to keep Orran from
getting killed, since if he's KOed, you lose the battle.
Orran's Counter Tackle will knock enemies off the roofs for extra damage, and
you can try this yourself with Rush. The Orator tends to stay on the highest
roof and may be tough to reach, but you should be able to jump up there using
the "steps" on the right side of the roof. At that point, you can attack him
while on the roof or Rush him off the roof so your entire crew can attack him.
Or, just use Black Magick to attack from below.
This battle is also a great opportunity to do some stealing! Both Chemists are
carrying Mythril Guns, which are 2 attack points stronger than the Romandan
Pistols you're toting. These are the best prizes to steal. Additionally, you
can grab an Orichalcum Dirk (a good dagger) and Germinas Boots (boots that
boost both your Move *and* Jump) from the Orator. The Thieves may also carry
Jujitsu Gis and Main Gauche to swipe, although these aren't quite as good to
grab -- the Main Gauches aren't as strong as the Orichalcum Dirk. Especially
later in the battle, when Orran may have paralyzed lots of enemies, try to steal
some of this gear if you can!
If you've played the PSone version of FF Tactics, you may find this battle more
challenging this time around. It's been restored to the original Japanese level
of difficulty. Orran's stats are now a lot lower, and it's quite a bit easier
for the enemies to KO him.
After you save Orran, you'll chat briefly, and then he'll head off to the south,
sadly depriving you of Celestial Stasis :)
Gollund's shops don't offer any new equipment, so just head straight on to
Lesalia. There's no fight when you first get here, just a short chat with
Zalbaag. However, as soon as you leave, you'll have to fight Zalmour.
--STRATEGY--
If you didn't spot the rest of your team right away, they're behind the gate.
Since none of the enemies here has much in the way of range attacks (just maybe
some weak Geomancy abilities), you needn't rush down to attack them. Instead,
keep your characters up on top of the castle and let the enemies come up to you.
The majority of them will come up the stairs, so position the bulk of your team
near the stairs. Because the enemies are often in clusters, magick (and
Geomancy) works well on them. The railing blocks direct gun shots down onto the
ground, but if you stand up on top of the railing, you should be able to shoot
from there. Standing on the railing also gives you a height advantage and makes
it harder for the enemies to hit you.
Alma will probably cast Aegis on Ramza once, which will make him super-powered
for a few turns. (Shell and Protect will reduce the damage he takes, Regen
heals him, and Haste gets him more turns!) Take advantage of it! After casting
Aegis, Alma will just thwack your characters with her Healing Staff to restore
their HP.
The level 22 Knights may have Flame Shields or Ice Shields, which gives them
some elemental weaknesses you can exploit. Thunder and other lightning magicks
will do extra damage to Knights with an Ice Shield. Knights with Flame Shields
are weak against water, although there aren't many water attacks that you can
use (but, the Leviathan summon and the Ninja's Snowmelt Bomb are two).
The annoying part of this battle is Zalmour, who can cast Cura and Arise to
heal his troops. When you have the chance, start attacking him. (You may
also want to try stealing his White Robe if you get a chance.) He'll go down
quickly, and, as soon as you KO him, you win the battle ... so this is a pretty
easy fight.
---ALMA---
Alma now joins up as a guest. She won't be doing any more fighting, though,
so go ahead and de-equip her Healing Staff, Barette, and Red Shoes. These are
all valuable items: the Healing Staff and Barette are items you can't ever buy
in shops, and the Red Shoes won't be available to purchase until much later.
The Healing Staff is an interesting "weapon" in that it actually restores HP to
the character hit by it. Equipping it on a magick-oriented character can be
quite useful since they probably won't be doing much fighting anyway and it
gives you a free source of healing.
---BAD ERRANDS---
Both Gollund and Lesalia have new errands you can complete:
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
Old Toppa's Will Gollund 11-13 8000 3462 gil, 106 JP
Salvage Expedition Lesalia 10-14 3000 976 gil, 90 JP, artefact
Abandoned Mine Lesalia 10-14 1000 2576 gil, 90 JP, artefact
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can complete these errands easily by walking back and forth between Gollund
and Lesalia. However, none of them are particular lucrative and they may cost
you more money than you earn!
---EQUIPMENT UPGRADES---
Before leaving this region, you can also stop at the Outfitter in Lesalia to buy
new heavy armor.
The Aegis Shield that's now available is much worse against physical attacks
than your existing shields, but it has a 50% evade rate against magicks!
Combined with the Ninja's Reflexes, in fact, you have a 100% evade rate against
evadable magicks! It's not too good for most situations, since you don't face
nearly as many magick attacks as physical attacks. But, you may want to keep
one or two Aegis Shields on hand for battles against magick users. The Aegi
Shield is also a great choice for characters who have learned Shirahadori.
Shirahadori can block most physical attacks by itself, so you can use your
shield slot to beef up your magick defense.
Don't blow all your money in Lesalia, because there's some new equipment down in
Dorter as well. In particular, the Jujitsu Gi is a great set of clothes for
fighting-oriented characters as it also boots your physical attack power, and
the Celebrant's Miter is a hat for mages because it boosts your MP. (You'll
probably want to keep your fighters using the Headband for the attack boost.)
Depending on what jobs you're using, there may be weapon upgrades as well.
A more powerful gun, the Mythril Gun, is now available for sale. Since Goug is
the only city that sells guns, you'll have to walk all the way down to Goug if
you want to buy it. It's 2 points stronger and a stronger gun never appears in
stores, so it's worth the trip if you didn't get the chance to steal any Mythril
Guns during the Gollund battle.
Buying 5 Chameleon Robes at Dorter would give you an easy way to beat an
upcoming boss, but you probably don't need them as the boss isn't that tough
---EVENTS AT ORBONNE---
Purchase anything you want. Then head to Orbonne Monastery, which has appeared
on the map again.
Once you enter the monastery, you'll be locked into a series of three battles.
Make sure that you're well stocked with supplies. You could also pick up a few
of the Jade Armlet accessory to help with an upcoming battle, but they're fairly
expensive and not really necessary.
At Orbonne Monastery, enter the Monastery Vaults (it's the only option
available), where you'll find Simon wounded. He tells you about Funebris's
plot, and Ramza chases after the troops looking for the Virgo Stone. You'll
have a chance to save your game. All you'd have to repeat if you died is that
short scene with Simon, but if you want to save, save in a separate slot
since you're locked into a series of battle. The roster screen will come up,
then you will go down to the second floor and have a fight.
--STRATEGY--
This is your first encounter with enemy Dragoons. Their standard attack has a
two-tile range and is quite strong, and they can also use the Jump attack. If
one of them jumps at a character, try to move that character away before the
Dragoon lands (assuming you have a chance, that is). If you cast Haste on your
characters, you'll get more turns and hence a better chance of being able to
duck out of the way. Although the Dragoons obviously can't be hit *while*
they're Jumping, you can still charge up attacks (including a Jump of your own!)
that will hit them when they land.
Since the Dragoons are so strong physically, you'll probably want to bring some
tough close-range fighters with which to fight back. The Dragoons have a high
evade rate, so equipping the Concentration ability (Archer) on any characters
that have it is a good idea, as it ensures that your attacks can't be evaded.
Also, if your fighters have Flame Shields or Ice Shields equipped, remember that
casting Fire or Blizzard magicks on the group will both damage the enemy
Dragoons and heal any characters with the appropriate shield -- it's good for
close-quarters fighting! (Be careful, though, one of the Dragoons may have a
Flame or Ice Shield himself.)
You'll want to take out the enemy Chemist so he can't heal the enemies, but
you can save the Time Mages for last. Pretty much all they'll do is cast Haste.
If you have the chance, though, position one of your characters next to the
enemy that Haste is going to be cast on; this allows you to pick up the Haste
status as well!
After beating the second floor, you have another save opportunity. Again,
save in a slot separate from your main file. For the next battle, you may want
to equip any accessories you have that boost your Jump statistic (i.e., the
Spiked Boots or Germinas Boots). After you leave the roster screen, you'll go
to the third floor for another battle against Isilud.
--STRATEGY--
Your first order of business in this maze-like level is to send one or two
characters down the hall to kill the Summoner -- used ranged attacks to take
him out quickly before he can hit you with any summons. After the Summoner,
go after the Archer that will have come up behind him.
At this time Isilud and his gang will be nearing you from behind. You'll want
to get up on top of the bookshelves to fight him on the same level. If you
have a Jump statistic of at least 5, you can jump directly on top of the
shelves; otherwise, you'll have to use the stairs in the corner. The stairs
can get a little crowded, so being able to jump up is helpful.
As at Lesalia, the Knights here may have Ice or Flame Shields. These shields
make them weak against lightning and water attacks, respectively.
Watch out; Isilud has the Dragoon's Jump attack and an incredibly long jump
range. If you use Haste, though, you may have a chance to move out of the way
before he comes back down. His plain sword attack is strong, too, and he can
counterattack. He also has Safeguard, so you can't steal or break his sword or
other equipment. Just ignore the other guys and attack Isilud. The Mythril Gun
and Agrias's Holy Sword techniques are both quite effective here, and you can
also use your own Jump attacks if you've got a Dragoon. When Isilud drops to
critical HP, he'll teleport away and you win.
Before you finish off Isilud, you may want to send a character with Treasure
Hunter to the extreme corner of the map near where you start. You may get a
Croakadile Bag from this treasure tile. Although the bag is not very good as a
weapon, you can sell it for 26,500 gil, which will fund a lot of good equipment!
As with most good Treasure Hunter pickups, your chance of getting the bag is
greater the *lower* your Bravery.
Upon winning against Isilud, there's yet another save point, and then the last
of the three battles, this time with Wiegraf. Before the battle, equip any Jade
Armlets you have to protect yourself from his sword attacks. (Alternately, if
you equip your *entire* team with Chameleon Robes, you can stop his sword
techniques outright.)
--STRATEGY--
A shortcut to beating this battle is to equip all your characters with Chameleon
Robes, which absorb holy damage. The enemy AI mistakenly believes that
Wiegraf's sword techniques do holy damage, so if your team is equipped with
Chameleon Robes, he won't even use them. But, you do need to equip ALL your
characters with the robes; if even one character has different armor, Wiegraf
won't be fooled.
If you're not using the Chameleon Robes, spread your characters out in your
initial deployment. Wiegraf is almost guaranteed to target your group with a
Judgment Blade before you have a chance to move.
The tall wall divides this level into two halves -- the half where you start
and the half where the bad guys start -- with a small doorway in the middle.
But Wiegraf will come running through to your side right away. Just go after
Wiegraf; most of his followers are irrelevant and probably won't even reach you
before Wiegraf goes down. The Archers can shoot through the doorway from the
other side, though, so Archer's Bane (or Shirahadori, if you have it) may be
helpful.
As in your previous battle, Wiegraf will use Judgment Blade a lot (unless you
have the Chameleon Robes on). Judgment Blade randomly casts Stop on you
sometimes, but you can protect yourself from that by equipping Jade Armlets.
The armlets won't stop you Judgment Blade from doing HP damage, though.
Focus your attacks on Wiegraf. If you can't kill him in two rounds of turns or
so, the other enemies will show up and you're in trouble. This time, Wiegraf
must be knocked down to 0 HP before you win.
It's pretty hard to get, but there IS a fairly valuable Treasure Hunter item on
this level. If you can make it over to the enemies' side of the map, there's a
Magepower Glove up on the wooden platform on the other side. (See below for
exact coordinates.) This useful accessory boosts your Magick Attack by 2,
making it useful for mages! Although you can buy it item in stores, it costs a
lot of money (20,000 gil!), so the Treasure Hunter pickup is nice if you can get
a character across the map to claim it.
Afterwards, Isilud escapes with both a friend and your Zodiac Stones captive.
Outside, Wiegraf transforms in a rather frightening scene and then Simon shows
up to give you the Scriptures of Germonique.
---SCRIPTURES OF GERMONIQUE---
Back on the map, go to the Chronicle option and check out your Artefacts.
Examine the Scriptures of Germonique and press Triangle if you want to read it
(this takes a while). If you're having a hard time reading the text, pressing
the L button on your PSP will make the background darker (and thus make the text
easier to read), while the R button makes the background brighter. Reading the
Scriptures has no direct impact on the game, but it fills in some story
information.
---STORY EVENTS---
After you're done reading, go to Dorter. A mage will demand the Scriptures
and ask if you've read them. It doesn't matter what you say. When the mage
leaves, the route to Riovanes Castle will open. Try to leave Dorter (just click
anywhere on the map) and you'll see an FMV scene with Delita and Ovelia.
The Power Garbs are a great buy; they're good new clothes that also raise your
physical attack power. And don't miss the White Robe for your magick-users --
you'll have to scroll down through all the clothes to find it! It has the nice
effect of halving damage from fire, lightning, and ice attacks.
But even as you upgrade your robes, KEEP at least one Chameleon Robe in your
inventory; you'll want it for a particular battle near the end of the chapter.
You may want to keep your Headbands and Celebrant's Miters instead of buying
Black Cowls, since the Cowls don't have any special stat boost. Similarly, the
Diamond Shields are not an especially great shield since they don't have any
elemental properties, nor the magick block rate of the Aegis Shield.
If you were able to snag the Croakadile Bag from the Monastery, you can sell it
off for a cool 26,500 gil.
The Gokuu Pole has an interesting effect. When you hit a unit with it, it
may randomly inflicts the Atheist status. Atheist temporarily reduces a unit's
Faith to 0, which means that it can neither use magicks nor be hurt by them. In
theory, you could use this effect to stop enemy mages or to immunize your own
allies against enemy magick by striking them with the pole. But, the pole only
inflicts Atheist status *sometimes*, and the jobs that use poles (Mystic
and Arithmetician) are generally not jobs you want to spend a lot of time in.
So, its practical value is somewhat limited.
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
Guard Duty Eagrose 11-13 2000 17235 gil, 146 JP, artefact
The Siedge Weald Zaland 11-13 1100 5054 gil, 105 JP, wonder
Trick of the Light Lionel 14-15 1050 5049 gil, 83 JP, wonder
Fenland Mystery Lionel 13-14 1100 5049 gil, 83 JP, wonder
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Guard Duty" at Eagrose is a good errand to take; the others are pretty
mediocre.
Taverns also offer a new Rendezvous Mode mission, Desert Minefield. This one is
relatively easy, although tough to clear with just a few characters.
It's now time to head north to Riovanes. As you head up through the Zeklaus
Desert, you'll run into a story battle.
--STRATEGY--
Deploy all your characters towards the upper-left corner of the available
purple tiles. This will start your characters as close to Luso as possible.
If you have anyone who can Poach or Entice/Tame monsters, they're good to bring
here.
After you deploy your characters, there will be a CG scene, as Ramza jumps in to
help Luso. Then the battle starts and then the battle starts. It's Behemoth
city!
Luso can hold his own pretty well -- he comes with an Icebrand sword, which is
better than anything sold at the Outfitter at this point. Still, if he gets
surrounded by Behemoths, he'll get killed and you'll lose the battle, so move a
healer into position ASAP. (Casting the Protect magick on him or your other
characters is also a good idea, as the Behemoths only use physical attacks.)
If you move some other fighters down into the canyon with the Behemoths, you'll
keep them from ganging up on any one particular character. All the Behemoths
can counterattack (since they're monsters), which means Luso can take damage
pretty quickly fighting against them. Fortunately, he's smart enough to flee if
his HP drops to critical, but even if it's not yet critical, a series of
behemoth attacks could take him out before he has a chance to move!
Try to take out a few of the purple "regular" Behemoths quickly, before the
Behemoth Kings and Dark Behemoth have a chance to make it over to you. Those
are lot stronger and will take several attacks to kill. Agrias's Holy Sword
techniques are good for dealing damage and can't be counterattacked.
If you have an Orator or someone else with Entice and Beast Tongue, it's
definitely worth trying to recruit some of the monsters here. If you can turn
one Traitor and keep it alive through the battle, it'll join your squad. None
of these monsters are ones you could otherwise find at this point in the game,
and the Behemoth King and Dark Behemoth are particularly rare. If you get any
of them, you can use them to breed more behemoths and poach them for rare
items! Luso also automatically poaches any enemy he kills, so he if kills any
of the behemoths here, you should also get something good.
The Treasure Hunter items here are especially poor, as they're the same items
available when this map first opened in Chapter I.
---LUSO---
Defeat or recruit all the enemy Behemoths and Luso will join up. (Luso is the
lead character from the Nintendo DS game Final Fantasy Tactics A2 ... he's just
moonlighting here.)
Luso is basically a clone of Ramza, but as long as he's in his Game Hunter job,
he has an intrinsic Poach ability -- no ability needs to be equipped for it.
This makes him very handy for treasure hunting, especially during the monster-
laden random battles. Story battles, of course, contain mostly humans and Poach
doesn't work on them. Luso's Game Hunter job also has a little more MP than
Ramza's Squire job.
You may want to de-equip Luso's Icebrand sword and give it to Agrias -- it will
make her Holy Sword techniques extremely powerful!
---POACHING---
If you poached any of the behemoths, you may want to go back to the Poachers'
Den in Dorter to see what you got, since a lot of these items can be quite
useful. If you recruited any of the behemoths, you're even better off; you can
keep one behemoth on your team, have it breed other behemoths, and poach
*those*. Both Behemoth Kings and Dark Behemoths can give you rare items you
can't find at the Outfitter.
ENEMY FORCES: Thief (lv 27, female) Archer (lv 26, male)
Chemist (lv 27, male) Chemist (lv 26, male)
Squire (lv 27, male) Squire (lv 25, male)
--STRATEGY--
This is a fairly straightforward battle. The main challenges are the Thief,
who of course can steal your gear, and the Chemists, who both have guns and a
humongous range from their vantage point atop the heights. You'll want to
target the Chemists first. Fire back with your own guns, or have Mustadio use
his Arm Shot from a distance to Disable them.
The small passes between the cliffs can be a bit of a choke point as you try to
climb up. If you boost your Jump height with accessories and agile jobs, that
will help you scale the heights quickly. If the *enemies* get bunched up in a
row in a pass, firing one of Agrias's Divine Ruination skills (if you have it)
will decimate them.
There's a thunderstorm going on here, so fire attacks will be weaker and thunder
attacks will be stronger. Given that there's both a storm *and* this battle is
at night, evade rates versus bows will nearly double! Between these effects and
the fact that it's harder to target enemies when firing uphill, Archers may not
be the best pick for this battle.
Because this is a fairly easy battle, it's a good chance to build up your
weaker characters if you want. You could also try letting the enemies decay
into crystals or chests, but these guys don't really have much worth taking.
(Hey, they're deserters, what do you expect?)
After smashing your way through the Heights (I actually felt kind of bad killing
those guys off), you'll meet up with Orran again. You'll also receive a Mythril
Gun in spoils from the battle, so if you didn't bother to go to Goug to buy any
Mythril Guns, equip this one now.
--STRATEGY--
Here you'll encounter Marach (the guy you met in Dorter) and Rapha. You have to
save Rapha from Marach and the Riovanes soldiers. This is another protect-the-
guest battle, so deploy somebody with healing abilities or you're toast. In
fact, bringing two might not be a bad idea! Black Magick will be useful here,
but avoid using Archers because they won't be able to fire through the city
walls.
To protect Rapha, move a character into the city gateway to block it and prevent
the enemies from following her outside.
At the start of the battle, one of the Ninjas will probably give himself an
unfair height advantage by climbing up on the roof and throwing weapons at you.
Use guns or magick to take him out quickly. You could also equip the Thief
ability Sticky Fingers, which will let you catch whatever the Ninja throws at
you, but it's probably not worth giving up your regular Reaction Ability for.
The Ninjas here can hit really hard since they get two attacks. Even if you
have Shirahadori, it can only block one of the two attacks. So make the Ninjas
your first target, and stay out of hand-to-hand range when possible. Even at a
distance, the Ninjas can still Throw weapons at you, but this attack isn't
nearly as strong.
As at Grogh Heights, the gate into the city is a bit of a choke point, which
means it's a great opportunity to fire some Divine Ruinations and hit several
enemies at once.
If you've got anybody with an attack that can go through the wall (i.e., magick
or some monster skills), you can try to kill the Summoners that way. The
enemies start pretty bunched up inside, so this can be a good way of attacking
more than one enemy at a time. It's also possible to get inside with Teleport,
Ignore Elevation, or even just a high Jump rating (5). Otherwise, you'll have
to fight through the Ninjas at the gate to reach the Summoners. As usual, watch
what areas the Summoners are targeting so you can try to keep your team split up
and out of the way.
Although Marach teleports away when you defeat him, you must defeat ALL the
enemies to win here. Since Marach is really the least threatening guy here,
save him for last.
Finally, beware of Rapha's skills -- they target a 3x3 square of the map and hit
random tiles, making them as likely to hit you as the bad guys. Marach's skills
do the same, which fortunately means he's pretty unlikely to actually hit you
... and even if they do, he does very little damage.
It's possible to steal the Japa Mala accessory from one of the Ninjas and the
Magick Ring from one of the Summoners. Although both of these items are already
in stores, they're pretty expensive, so you may want to try stealing them. The
Japa Mala is particularly useful.
After the fight, Rapha discusses her past. (Why the Grand Duke wants Rapha and
Marach's powers so badly is one of FF Tactics's great unsolved mysteries ;) .)
Marach, meanwhile, delivers a amphibian ultimatum.
---RAPHA---
Rapha joins up as a guest for the next couple battles. She probably won't be
all that helpful, though, since her Sky Mantra abilities only strike random
tiles in their effect radius and can't be targeted too precisely.
Any magick users on your main team will benefit quite a bit from this new gear.
The Gold Hairpins raise both your HP and MP a lot, and the Black Robe
strengthens the power of any of your fire-, ice-, or lighting-elemental spells.
(You may want to keep healers using the White Robe, since it's got elemental
defenses and they don't need the offensive capability.) Even though you're
upgrading your equipment, remember to keep at least one Chameleon Robe in your
inventory--its ability to absorb Holy damage is important for a battle at the
end of the chapter.
There are also some new accessories; pick up a pair of the Speed-boosting Hermes
Shoes for later use. The Bracer is also available. It's really expensive
(50,000 gil), but it gives you a huge +3 physical attack boost, so buy one or
two for your front-line fighters if you can afford them.
You could also pick up some better equipment for Rapha, but it's hardly
necessary as you don't need to protect her from being KOed in the subsequent
battles. At any rate, do NOT equip Rapha with any "rare," non-buyable items
like the Barette or Healing Staff; if you do, you'll lose them when Rapha goes
from being a Guest to a regular character.
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
Diving Expedition Yardrow 10-14 5000 2026 gil, 69 JP
The Yardrow Melee Yardrow 14-16 0 22265 gil, 166 JP, artefact
> Month of Cancer only
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Only "The Yardrow Melee" is worth doing, but that only shows up during the month
of Cancer.
---LEAVING YARDROW---
When you leave town, you'll cut to another Delita battle.
--STRATEGY--
It's just Delita and Ovelia against two Ninjas. This should be a cinch;
although the Ninjas can hit hard, Delita and Ovelia have enough HP to survive
a few attacks, and one Holy Sword technique should be enough to take out each
Ninja.
When you've completed your shopping and catching spree, head on up to the
Yuguewood.
--STRATEGY--
Every enemy here is undead, including the humans. After you KO them, when
their counter runs out, they may REVIVE instead of turning into a crystal!
This means that, after you KO the first enemy, you have to hustle to finish off
the rest before the first ones start reviving again.
Fortunately, there's an easier way. Just use Mustadio's Seal Evil skill, which
turns any undead enemy into stone and prevents them from resurrecting. Plus,
it almost always hits!
As for the rest of your team, Phoenix Down is also a really effective ability
here as it has a 100% hit rate for KOing undead monsters. So, you might want to
make a number of your characters into Chemists or give them the Items command
plus Throw Items. (Phoenix Down merely KOs the undead and doesn't petrify them,
though, so they do have the opportunity to revive.)
Other tactics for dealing with the ghost monsters include Poaching them; a
Poached monster disappears from the map and hence can't be revived. You could
even use the Orator's Tame or Entice to recruit the ghosts -- even if you don't
plan on keeping them, it removes them as enemies. The undead humans are immune
to Traitor status, however.
Since the enemies are undead, Cure spells and other healing abilities (e.g.
Raise and items) will do quite a bit of damage to them while simultaneously
healing any nearby allies. You can even strike them with the Healing Staff!
Summon spells also work well, as the enemies are usually packed together.
The undead humans have "upgraded" versions of their jobs that give them better
stats than regular Black Mages and Time Mages. That makes the two Black Mages
your toughest opponents, so take them out first. The Time Mages are a bit of a
pain too, since they can cast Slow or Immobilize on you. You can prevent the
former by equipping Diamond Bracelets and the later by equipping Guardian
Bracelets. Which to choose? For your close-range fighters, defense against
Immobilize is the most important, so give them Guardian Bracelets. But for your
gunners and magick users, being Immobilized may not be such a problem, as they
have enough range that they can still attack even if they're rooted in one spot.
So you might be better off giving Diamond Bracelets to your range attackers.
Rapha is just an "ordinary" guest here, so it doesn't matter if she gets KOed.
Also helpful are a good supply to X-Potions, Jujitsu Gis and Chameleon Robes
(both of which protect against instant KO), and Jade Armlets (protection against
Stop). These items are particularly helpful if you want to attempt to learn the
Ultima magick at Riovanes ... but since Ultima actually isn't very good and is
much easier to learn in Chapter IV, you may not want to bother.
If any characters are close to reaching the Dragoon or Ninja jobs, you may want
to bring them up to those jobs, as they are quite helpful. Zeklaus Desert is a
good place to level up if you need to earn more JP.
Finally, a last bit of preparation you could do is to use the Orator's Enlighten
skill to lower the Faith of your physical fighters. That will reduce the damage
they will take from the powerful magickal attacks you're about to encounter.
DON'T lower your mages' Faith -- that will make their own magicks less powerful!
---AT RIOVANES---
When you think you're ready, save your game, then pay a visit to Riovanes
Castle. You'll see a scene with Barrington and the Templars, then have a
chance to save. Be SURE to save in a separate slot from your main game, so
that you can get out of the castle if you need to go back and level more/buy
stuff. If you save in your main slot, you may wind up STUCK and have to start
again from scratch!
You then go to the first of a series of three battles. Strip Rapha of all her
equipment beforehand.
--STRATEGY--
Deploy another fast character with Ramza, but make sure both are well-armored.
You'll want the two of them to break through to the enemy back line quickly and
take out the Archers. The second squad starts further from the battle, but
they can bring up the rear and keep fighting the Knights.
You'll face a constant rain of arrows from the enemy Archers atop the gates, so
equipping Archer's Bane or (preferably) Shirahadori on as many characters as
possible will be a big help. The Golem summon is also quite helpful if you have
it; cast it at the beginning of the battle and it will temporarily absorb some
of the physical damage you receive. The Mystic ability Defense Boost would also
be helpful here, as would the Protect magick or the Kiyomori Iaido (which casts
Protect). Equipping shields and capes will also boost your evade rate.
Take out the enemy Knight on the bridge to keep him from blocking your path,
then start hurrying up the steps. You want to reach the enemy Archers as
quickly as possible. (If you have the Dragoon ability Ignore Elevation or the
Time Mage ability Teleport, this is easy-peasy, of course; you can just jump
right up from the drawbridge.) Any abilities that you can fire at the Archers
from a few tiles away will be helpful, as is Arithmeticks. Finally, you could
also try riding a Black Chocobo up to the top of the gate; this strategy would
be best combined with the Golem spell to prevent the Chocobo from being shot to
death by the Archers.
Keep your close-range fighters in the rear so they can fend off the enemy
Knights as they approach. Since the enemy Knights have a fairly high evade
rate, Concentration may also be useful to ensure your attacks connect.
Alternately, you can just attack with Agrias's Holy Sword techniques, which
can never be evaded. If you keep killing off one of the Knights, the other ones
may keep bringing him back with Phoenix Down, thus wasting their turns. The
Monk's Revive ability will be useful in bringing back your KOed allies, but only
if you stay on level ground; it has no vertical range. Once the Archers are
KOed, you can have all your characters mop up the remaining Knights.
After you defeat everyone outside the gate, a wounded Knight will crawl out,
warning of the Lucavi's rampage.
Now, make sure you're prepared. You're about face a two-part battle against a
Zodiac-charged Wiegraf, and he is rather powerful. However, if you're reading
this walkthrough and coming prepared ;), he isn't that hard to beat. Before
the battle starts, turn Ramza into his basic Squire job and equip him with a
Chameleon Robe. Make sure he also has some sort of healing ability, like
Chakra (Martial Arts), Lifefont, Items, or Auto-Potion. If you're using
Auto-Potion, you should also drop all your Potions and Hi-Potions. On the
roster screen, click on any character and go to Equipment. Choose View List,
find your Potions and Hi-Potions and select Discard. Throw away ALL of them, so
that you can only use X-Potions when Auto-Potion activates.
As for your other characters, make them into Dragoons or give them range
weapons. Keep Agrias as a Holy Knight if she has the Hallowed Bolt ability.
(If your Ramza is quite strong, you may not need such preparation--just give him
Dual Wield or Jump.) When you think you're set, close the party roster screen
and you'll be thrust into the battle against Wiegraf.
VICTORY CONDITION: Phase One - Reduce Wiegraf to critical HP (< 20% of max HP)
Phase Two - KO Belias
LOSS CONDITION: Phase One - Ramza is KOed
Phase Two - Ramza dies or all allies are KOed/Stone
--STRATEGY--
Wiegraf has a fearsome reputation, in part because you're now stuck in Riovanes
Castle if you don't have another save to go back to. Your ease of beating him
will really depend on what abilities and equipment Ramza has. Wiegraf can be
easy with the right set-up, or very tough if you're stuck inside without an
ideal set of abilities.
Wiegraf has a number of strong Holy Sword techniques. However, you can stop
them completely by equipping a Chameleon Robe. Due to a bug in the game's AI,
the computer thinks that Wiegraf's sword techniques do Holy-elemental damage
(even though they actually don't), and won't use them when you're equipped with
the Chameleon Robe, which absorbs Holy damage. Instead, Wiegraf will just use
some fairly weak Martial Arts abilities.
Once you're protected with the Chameleon Robe, Wiegraf can't do much damage to
you. Keep running from him and keep using the Tailwind ability to boost Ramza's
Speed, and healing when you need to. If you can, sucker Wiegraf into going into
the water and you'll be safe for a turn. Eventually (after you keep using
Tailwind), Ramza will get fast enough that he will get two turns in a row
frequently. Use these extra turns to get further away from Wiegraf and keep
using Tailwind. You will reach a point where you will not have to use all your
moves to get out of Wiegraf's range. Now instead of moving each turn, you can
use Tailwind and then "Wait" to get your next turn faster, allowing you to use
Tailwind even more. Keep going until Ramza's Speed maxes out at 50. (You can
check it by going to Status in his menu.) Then start using Focus to build up
your attack power. (If you don't have Focus, give Ramza a gun instead, since
guns are not reliant on physical attack power.) After you've built up your
attack, just run up to Wiegraf and you can knock him out quickly in one or two
attacks.
If you don't have a Chameleon Robe, there's actually one that you can find on
this very map. Equip Treasure Hunter and quickly move in front of the torch to
Ramza's right to find the Chameleon Robe, then use Reequip to change into it.
You can do this on a single turn. Since the Chameleon Robe is the "good" item
on this Treasure Hunter title, your odds of obtaining it are LOWER the higher
Ramza's Bravery. You might just get a Ether instead. But if that happens, you
could always just reset again.
To keep your HP up while you're Yelling, Auto-Potion works great if you throw
away all your Potions and Hi-Potions before the battle; Ramza will use an
X-Potion to heal himself for 150 HP whenever Wiegraf attacks him. (Auto-Potion
doesn't always activate, so if Ramza runs low on HP, you can also manually use
an X-Potion on yourself to heal.)
Another way to keep your HP up is the combination of Mana Shield (Time Mage)
and Manafont (Mystic). Mana Shield will protect you by diverting damage to
Ramza's MP, and Manafont restores some MP every time you move and keeps up your
Mana Shield. If you don't have Manafont, you can also pair Mana Shield with the
Monk's Chakra. Run from Wiegraf while using Chakra each turn; since Chakra
restores your MP, you'll keep up your Mana Shield. Even when Mana Shield
doesn't trigger, you should have enough HP to survive at least one hit, and
Chakra will keep restoring your HP afterwards. Whenever you get far enough from
Wiegraf that he can't attack you, use Tailwind. This tactic takes a little
longer because it requires you to navigate out of Wiegraf's range in order to
use Tailwind, but it otherwise works the same.
If you don't have any Chameleon Robes, Auto-Potion, or Mana Shield available,
available, you could try the Tailwind strategy but with some other ability to
restore your HP, like Critical: Recover HP, Regenerator, or Lifefont. These
abilities don't restore quite as much HP as Auto-Potion or don't work as
reliably, so it might be more difficult, but you could give it a shot. If you
have Auto-Potion but not Tailwind, you could also use Rend Speed and Rend Power
to weaken Wiegraf -- but a disadvantage of such a strategy is that debuffs won't
carry over to the next stage of the battle, whereas any buffs you place on Ramza
*do*.
If you can't use the heal & Tailwind strategy at all, you'll just have to
finish off Wiegraf quickly, before he can kill you. The Dragoon's Jump attack
may be useful, since Wiegraf can't counterattack if you use it at a distance.
If you need to resort to physical attacks, equip Concentration or attack Wiegraf
from behind so he can't dodge. You can also try using a Blood Sword (if you
have one) to recover a little HP with each attack, but this only really works if
you can Dual Wield it with a stronger weapon since a Blood Sword doesn't do
enough damage by itself to defeat Wiegraf. If you have a magick-oriented Ramza,
you could try use strong Black Magicks to finish Wiegraf in a single shot.
Equipping the Hermes Shoes as an accessory to boost Ramza's Speed may also help
you get the jump on him. Finally, the Mystic's Defense Boost ability will
reduce the damage Wiegraf can do to you, and even Mana Shield by itself will
give you an additional buffer of life before he kills you.
After Wiegraf drops to critical HP, he will disappear, only to return shortly
as Belias. Yup, it's not over yet. Your other characters will now show up,
but Wiegraf summons three Archaeodaemons. On his first turn, Belias will
start charging up a super-powerful Cyclops summon (200+ HP damage), and if
you survive that, he'll hit you with more summons. The trick here is that all
the Speed and attack power bonuses from the first phase of the battle persist,
so if you used Tailwind/Focus, Ramza can run up to Belias and repeatedly attack
him with high-powered hits. You should be able to kill Belias before he gets
to cast Cyclops.
If Ramza isn't able to kill Belias on his own, or you couldn't use the Tailwind
and Focus strategy, you'll have to take down Belias with the rest of your team.
Have your other allies start attacking Belias. You want to him as quickly as
possible, so range attacks (bows/guns) are good as they may not require you to
move. The Dragoon's Jump ability is also good since it takes you off the
screen, where Belias can't kill you. Agrias should use her strongest sword
technique. As in the fight against Cuchulainn, the Lich summon spell or the
Time Magick Graviga do a lot of damage if you can get them off, and a strong
Black Magick spell could be useful too. If you already have Arithmeticks, a
Level Prime calculation will allow you to hit Belias without requiring any
charge times; depending on his Exp, height, or CT, other calculations may work
too.
Ideally, you can take out Belias before he even casts Cyclops. If you can't
manage that, though, you may still be able to keep yourself alive long enough
to finish him off. Using the Jump attack may get some of your characters off
the screen when Cyclops fires and keep them alive. You can also try Silencing
Belias, either with the Mystic's Quiescence or Agrias's Hallowed Bolt. While
putting Silence on Belias will abort his initial Cyclops summon, he will still
be able to use his Petrify ability to turn you to stone, so this tactic works
better if you pair it with Jade Armlets to protect yourself from Stone.
Finally, you could try using the Mystic's Disbelief magick or the Gokuu Pole to
attempt to put the Atheist status on your strongest fighter, which will make
him/her immune to magick and able to survive the initial Cyclops casting. (Or,
deploy characters who already have very low Faith to begin with.) Belias and
his demons can still kill you with physical attacks and petrification, so using
Silence or Atheist is just a stop-gap measure to keep a few characters alive
long enough to finish killing him.
Belias has about 1045 HP. As soon as you defeat him, the Archaeodaemons also
disappear.
The strategies above are, of course, the most extreme strategies for fighting
Wiegraf/Belias. If Ramza is pretty strong, you can take out Belias with fewer
moves and certainly don't need to spend as much time boosting yourself during
the first round. A sufficiently strong Ramza (say, as a bare-fisted Ninja with
Brawler and a Bracer equipped) attacking Wiegraf and Belias from behind could
even do enough damage to punch out both of them without needing any boosts at
all. The Jump attack can also be effective if Ramza has a high Speed. But if
you're having trouble, the Tailwind strategy almost assures you of victory.
If you win both rounds of the battle, you'll go on to the last of this sequence
of battles, on the roof. Be sure to save again.
VICTORY CONDITION: Reduce any one of the enemies to critical HP (< 20% of max)
LOSS CONDITION: Rapha is KOed or Ramza dies
--STRATEGY--
You'll want to optimize your team for speed for this battle. Make Ramza into a
job with a high Speed stat (Ninja if available, otherwise Geomancer, Thief, or
Monk), and equip him with a Green Beret and Hermes Shoes to boost his Speed as
high as possible. Equipping the rest of the team with accessories boosting
Speed or Move is helpful as well. Give the Ignore Elevation or Teleport
movement abilities to as many character as possible.
Ramza always starts in a fixed location, regardless of where you place him
on the deployment screen. Deploy your other characters towards the top of the
deployment screen -- this will start them closer to the battle.
This battle is always really short: either you win quickly or you lose quickly!
All you have to do to win is reduce any one of the enemies to critical HP to
win. Problem is, Rapha loves to make suicide runs at the bad guys, and if she
gets KOed, you lose.
If Ramza is fast enough (e.g. Ninja + Green Beret + Hermes Shoes), he can
move first and immediately rush to attack either Celia or Lettie, and you
should be fine. (Don't attack Elmdore; he can use First Strike to turn your
attack into one of his own.) With Teleport or Ignore Elevation, you may be able
to get another quick character up on the roof to join the attack too. Where
possible, attack the assassins from behind so they can't evade.
Concentrate all your attacks on a single enemy, since as soon as any one of
them drops to critical HP, you win. If any of your own characters get KOed,
don't bother trying to revive them; you're better off continuing to attack and
ending the battle quickly. Luck plays a big role here, especially if you're
not fast enough to get the first move.
If your team is quick enough to end the battle in a few turns, the bad guys
won't really have a chance to kill Rapha. If you're not that fast, you'll need
to protect her, so heal her ASAP. Put Disable on Rapha (via Mustadio's Arm
Shot) as soon as you can; she'll flee the battle and mostly stay out of harm's
way. You can also try casting a Cure spell on an empty square within Rapha's
move range. Rapha will move to the square to receive the spell and thus you can
lure her away from the Assassins. Send as many characters up to the roof as you
can; if nothing else, they can serve as decoys to draw attacks away from Rapha.
Celia and Lettie use ridiculous Subdual Arts abilities on you that can inflict
Stop or KO on you with 100% success. You can guard against the former by
equipping Jade Armlets and the latter with Jujitsu Gis or Chameleon Robes.
A Barette, if equipped on a female character, will also protect against both
Stop *and* KO.
If you deploy Luso in his Game Hunter job, he can learn Ultima should Celia or
Lettie cast it on him. (Ramza can't learn it until Chapter IV, but if you have
Luso learn it here, he can teach it to Ramza as soon as you reach Chapter IV.)
If you're fully equipped with Jujitsu Gis and Jade Armlets, Celia and Lettie's
Stop or KO attacks won't work on you and instead they will almost always cast
Ultima. Move Luso in range of whomever they target to make sure he gets hit
with the magick. It's not easy to learn Ultima here since Rapha is so
vulnerable, so you're probably better off skipping it--you'll have more
opportunities to learn Ultima in Chapter IV that don't involve a suicidal
Rapha.
It's also possible to steal a Cachusha from Celia and a Barette from Lettie.
Neither of these items is ever sold at the Outfitter, but, again, you do also
have other, easier methods for acquiring them, so it's probably not worth
bothering with them here.
After you (eventually) ward off Elmdore and his assassins, Rapha will use the
Zodiac Stone to restore her family to a happy ending. You'll get your Zodiac
Stones back, along with Wiegraf's Aries stone and Isilud's Pisces stone.
ALLY: Rapha [Pisces] - Skyseer, lv. based on party's - Bravery 31, Faith 69
Equipment : Musk Pole, Celebrant's Miter, White Robe, Elven Cloak
Abilities : Sky Mantra, other abilities random
ALLY: Marach [Gemini] - Netherseer, lv. based on party's - Bravery 69, Faith 31
Equipment : Gokuu Pole, Black Cowl, Wizard's Robe, Japa Mala
Abilities : Nether Mantra, other abilities random
You'll want to take Rapha. Her low Bravery makes her ideal for using Treasure
Hunter, which works best with low Bravery. Marach basically sucks, but if you
don't have a full roster already, there's no harm in signing him up. He's
pretty similar to Rapha in that his abilities strike random tiles. What's
interesting is that they do more damage to enemies with LOW Faith and get
stronger when Marach has LOW Faith, the reverse of most magick abilities.
(Rapha's abilities simply ignore Faith entirely.) If you have an Orator lower
Marach's Faith, you can use Marach to attack the enemies with magick while being
resistant to magick himself ... but the randomness of his abilities still makes
him not too useful.
Chapter IV picks up right where Chapter III left off. After a brief scene
in Zeltennia Castle with Orlandeau and Orran, you'll be plopped back on the
world map -- haven't seen that for a while, huh? -- outside Riovanes.
---NEW ABILITIES---
Ramza's appearance has changed again, giving him the ability to equip knight's
swords, powerful weapons that you'll start acquiring soon. He has also has a
new ability available (Shout), so be sure to learn that. You'll note that
Squire does not appear as a Mastered job even if you learn all the abilities --
that's because Ramza is missing the Ultima magick. If you managed to have Luso
learn Ultima back on the roof, you can now have him cast it on Ramza in any
battle to teach it to Ramza. If not, you'll have a chance for both characters
to learn Ultima later on.
Don't forget to change back to your normal jobs and abilities if you switch
them for the fights in Riovanes Castle.
---EQUIPMENT UPGRADES---
While you're still at Riovanes, you can do a bit of equipment upgrading. There
are new swords, shields, and armor available.
If you visit Dorter, you can also buy new a ninja blade, katana, clothes (Gaia
Gear) and the Yagyu Darkrood shuriken. Pick up weapons you might need for your
current jobs. And if you're using the Throw command, stock up on Darkroods too.
You can also now buy the handy Angel Ring accessory. It starts you off in each
battle with Reraise status. This Reraise only works once per battle (unlike
some other accessories you'll get later), but it's still useful!
---ERRANDS---
There are also a SLEW of new errands you can take in the various towns:
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
Gleddia Isle Riovanes 9-11 4000 954 gil, 105 JP, artefact
Foundered Vessel Riovanes 8-13 0 13109 gil, 114 JP
> Must complete "Gleddia Isle"
Fia's Wish Riovanes 12-14 3000 554 gil, 136 JP
Secret Society Riovanes 2-3 600 6099 gil, 43 JP
Lettre d'amour Riovanes 10-12 0 4054 gil, 85 JP, artefact
Arithmetic Tutor Wanted Gariland 10-13 50 576 gil, 55 JP
The Gariland Magick Melee Gariland 14-16 0 22265 gil, 166 JP, artefact
> Month of Virgo only
Hellspawned Beast Eagrose 14-15 1000 6099 gil, 113 JP
Metamorphosed Misery Eagrose 15-16 1100 6099 gil, 83 JP
> Must complete "Hellspawned Beast"
Count Minimas (1) Dorter 12-14 600 20265 gil, 115 JP, artefact
Count Minimas (2) Dorter 12-15 1000 20929 gil, 118 JP, artefact
> Must complete "Count Minimas (1)"
Count Minimas (3) Dorter 11-12 600 16599 gil, 83 JP
> Must complete "Count Minimas (2)"
The Zaland Melee Zaland 14-16 0 20865 gil, 250 JP
> Month of Aries only
Father's Nightmare Lionel 15-16 1500 20099 gil, 163 JP, artefact
The Durga Goug 11-14 100 14679 gil, 118 JP, artefact
Devil in the Dark Goug 8-10 3050 11220 gil, 96 JP
Artificers' Contest Goug 14-16 0 20865 gil, 250 JP
> Month of Sagittarius only
Rain-Swept Slopes Warjilis 13-16 600 5076 gil, 97 JP, wonder
True Romance Warjilis 8-12 0 4076 gil, 111 JP, artefact
> Must complete "Lettre d'amour" at Riovanes Castle
In the Darkness Warjilis 12-14 1500 14400 gil, 157 JP
Wandering Gambler (1) Warjilis 9-12 15000 17429 gil, 55 JP
Coal Miners Wanted Gollund 4-6 50 8310 gil, 106 JP
More Coal Miners Wanted Gollund 4-6 150 12705 gil, 125 JP, artefact
> Must complete "Coal Miners Wanted"
Lamzen the Adventurer Gollund 12-16 1100 18779 gil, 100 JP, wonder
Frontier Expedition Lesalia 10-14 5000 5076 gil, 68 JP, wonder
The Falcon Yardrow 7-9 3500 2318 gil, 115 JP, artefact
The Yardrow Melee Yardrow 14-16 0 22265 gil, 166 JP, artefact
> Month of Cancer only
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your best bets for money are the "Count Minimas" sequence in Dorter, "Father's
Nightmare" in Lionel, "The Durga" and "Devil in the Dark" in Goug, "In the
Darkness" (Warjilis), and all 3 errands at Gollund. And, as a reminder, the 4
month-specific errands are good if you haven't already done them.
---SIDE QUESTS---
Also at this point, you can start accessing the game's side quests. First,
assuming you still have Mustadio, you can head down to Goug to start the Gollund
Colliery quest, which will net you two good new characters (Beowulf and
Construct 8) as well as one OK one (Reis the Holy Dragon). This quest is
covered in the Gollund Colliery section below -- press Ctrl+F and enter 00col
to jump there.
Second, you can also access the event to earn the extremely valuable Tynar Rouge
accessory ... that is, IF you still have Mustadio, Agrias, Alicia, and Lavian on
your team. This event occurs on 1 Cancer, which follows the month of Gemini,
which follows Taurus. So, if you're in Gemini or Taurus, keep your head up
about that. See the Agrias's Birthday section below for the full scoop on how
to complete that mission.
Finally, there's a new Rendezvous Mode mission available, Shades of the Past.
This one is pretty easy if you have a good physical defense. If your level is
sufficiently high, you may start winning rare items from Rendezvous Mode!
If you don't complete these sidequests now, don't worry--they all have no
expiration date and you can always complete them later.
A word (or several :P) about the "CANNOT BE OBTAINED" treasure: Due to what I'm
assuming is a goof, there is no way to actually get this treasure tile. In
order to pick it up, your Treasure Hunter would have to stop on top of a
lava-filled tile. But the only abilities that actually let you STOP on top of
lava are Lavawalking and Levitate -- and neither of those can be equipped at the
same time as Treasure Hunter! Float magick or equipment like the Winged Boots
DO NOT allow you to get this treasure. That's because they only let you move
through lava on the way to another tile, and never allow you to STOP on lava.
The good news? According to the game programming, the tile is just another
X-Potion or Flameburst Bomb, so you're not missing anything.
Instead, you'll want to head towards Zeltennia, where Ramza hopes to meet up
with Delita to discuss the Church's plot. Go up to the pass near Lesalia.
--STRATEGY--
This is a routine battle against the Order of the Southern Sky, with nothing you
haven't seen before. Send one or two characters up to the top of the pass
while your other guys fight the main group of enemies. The Black Mages are
probably the most dangerous enemies here since their spells can do a lot of
damage. Hit them with Disable, Silence, or Atheist, or just move quickly across
the battlefield to take them out.
Before you continue on into the Free City of Bervenia, equip the Chemist's
Safeguard ability on everybody who has it. Archer's Bane or Shirahadori, Jump,
and Ignore Elevation or Teleport are also helpful.
--STRATEGY--
Placing your slower characters in the first squad is a good idea as they start
closer to the bulk of the battle. The second squad will immediately be attacked
by an enemy Ninja. So, deploy a reasonably strong fighter in the front line of
the second squad to quickly KO her. (Again, you could also use Sticky Fingers
to guard against the Ninja's initial Throw attack, but it's not really worth a
Reaction Ability slot as there's only a single Ninja and she can be defeated
quickly.)
Ignore Elevation and Teleport will help you quickly climb the steep walls. The
Dragoon's Jump attack is also good (if sufficiently upgraded), since it will
let you attack enemies at a higher level. Since there are enemy Archers at the
very top raining arrows down on you, Archer's Bane/Shirahadori and
shields/cloaks may be helpful.
While it's tempting to rush the enemies here, you don't want to scale the city
TOO quickly, or you may get surrounded and cut off from your healing.
Additionally, if you don't go up too fast, you can probably lure Meliadoul
down into the town area. This is beneficial for two reasons: it leaves you
clear to jump up and KO the Summoners and Archers without Meliadoul attacking
you, and isolating Meliadoul makes it easier to attack (and steal from) her.
It's probably a good idea to attack the Summoners first, since their spells can
do a lot of damage. Be careful about taking out the Summoner on the left side
of the map, though. The crate there is needed for characters with low Jump to
climb up the city ramparts. If you KO the Summoner while she's standing on the
box, it can obstruct the route up and make it slow going for some characters.
Meliadoul uses Crush skills that will shatter your equipment and do quite a
bit of damage. Safeguard is invaluable here. Not only does it keep your gear
from being broken (especially important if you've got rare items you don't want
to lose), it renders you immune to the HP-damaging part of the skills as well!
So, equip this ability on as many character as possible.
Meliadoul also has the Defender knight's sword and Chantage, an accessory that
gives her a permanent Regen and Reraise. While you don't have to worry about
the Reraise, as KOing Meliadoul will end the battle, this is a GREAT accessory
to steal. The Defender is nice too. To steal from her, first try increasing
your success rate by raising your Speed (e.g. with Tailwind). Lowering
Meliadoul's Speed does not increase your success rate, though it *does* reduce
the number of turns she gets while you're trying to steal from her. The support
abilities Concentration or Brawler will also improve your chance of stealing;
Brawler helps you steal better even if you're not fighting with your fists.
Targeting her from the side or behind or using Arm Shot to Disable her also
works, although both of these are redundant with Concentration as they simply
eliminate her chance of evading. Putting Meliadoul to Sleep with Mimic Darlavon
(Orator), Repose (Mystic), or Sleep (Beowulf; only if you already recruited him
from the sidequests) will also improve your chances to steal, as will using
Trepidation or Beowulf's Chicken magick to turn her into a Chicken. Finally,
since Meliadoul is a Capricorn, you'll have better luck stealing with a Taurus,
Virgo, or male Cancer, and poorer chances stealing with an Aries, Libra, or
female Cancer.
It may take a lot of stealing attempts before you succeed, so if you're serious
about stealing, wipe out the other enemies first. If you're planning on
stealing both the Defender and Chantage, swipe the Defender first as this
reduces her attack power quite a bit. Like other enemy bosses, she can still
use use swordskills even if you steal the Defender. They won't do much damage,
but they can still break your equipment if you don't have Safeguard!
You will have other opportunities to get these items, so you don't *have* to
steal them here, but they're very useful. The Chantage is worth the effort!
If you don't care to steal, or once you've gotten the goods, you can just
rush Meliadoul. Spread your characters out to avoid taking too much damage
from the summon spells.
---BATTLE AFTERMATH---
When you win the battle against Meliadoul, she'll teleport away and you'll be
able to visit the shops in town.
The Outfitter doesn't have anything new, although there are some new errands:
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
Endless Caverns Bervenia 12-14 8000 2554 gil, 95 JP, artefact
Past Glory Bervenia 7-15 500 2769 gil, 184 JP, artefact
Beddha Sandwaste Bervenia 11-15 550 5076 gil, 111 JP, wonder
Adventurers Wanted Bervenia 8-12 100 15629 gil, 144 JP, wonder
Shadows from the Past Bervenia 12-15 3050 5076 gil, 86 JP, wonder
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---MELAIDOUL'S EQUIPMENT---
If you were able to steal the Defender and/or Chantage, equip them. Both
are good items:
> The Defender is the first knight sword you will have come across, which can
only be used by a select few jobs: Knights, Dark Knights, and some of the
special jobs. It has a high attack power and a great block rate when used
with Parry.
> The Chantage is one of the best accessories in the game, as it gives you a
PERMANENT Reraise that allows a character to revive over and over as long as
at least one other ally is standing. This also means you don't really have
to bother with too many defensive abilities on the character and can
configure them for offense instead.
---BALTHIER QUEST---
Also, now that you've completed the battle at Bervenia, you can begin the
subquest to recruit Balthier. It requires trekking back down to Gollund and
later to Dorter, so you can either do it now or just wait until you pass
through that way a few battles later. For the full scoop on the Balthier
quest, see the Recruiting Balthier section -- press Ctrl+F and enter 00balt to
jump down there.
--STRATEGY--
When deploying characters, don't put anybody on the solitary square in the
second squad; it's in the middle of the water.
On this level, you'll face a random assortment of chocobos and possibly a Pig.
You'll probably want to bring an Orator because if the Pig shows up, it's
definitely worth recruiting. Although it's no good in a battle, you can use it
to breed the various pig-class monsters, all of which can be poached for great
items.
Combat-wise, this battle can be annoying because the regular yellow Chocobos
will keep using Choco Cure to heal themselves. One strategy is to just use
attacks that will defeat the Chocobos outright by turning them to stone or
instantly KOing them -- then it doesn't matter how much HP they have! If you
have Beowulf, his Break attack works great; you could also use the Black Mage's
Death or the Mystic's Induration. Agrias's Northswain's Strike occasionally
does an instant KO too, but fairly infrequently.
If you don't have any these abilities, the best strategy is to concentrate on
one Chocobo at a time. Since the Red Chocobos will bombard you with Choco
Meteor for fairly big damage, you'll probably want to kill them first. Red
Chocobos also make good targets for poaching; you may receive a Barette from
them.
As annoying as the Choco Cures can be, this level still shouldn't be too
difficult. If you're having difficulty navigating the watery terrain, the Ninja
ability Waterwalking, the Feather Boots, and the Time Mage ability Levitate will
let you move on the surface of the water, and the Samurai's Swim lets you act in
deep water.
If the battle is going in your favor, you may want to stop to snag the
Pantherskin Bag from one of the treasure tiles. It's next to one of the trees
on the far side of the map; see below for the exact coordinates. Your odds of
getting the Pantherskin Bag from the tile increase the LOWER your Bravery.
If you picked up the Pantherskin Bag, you can now do one of two things with it.
You can sell it for 26,000 gil, which is nice! Or, you can equip the bag on a
female character. It does random damage, which means it's not too good as a
weapon, but it does give you a permanent Regen status. This could be useful on
a character who doesn't do too much fighting, like a Chemist.
After crossing the creek, you can finally get to Zeltennia Castle. Ramza will
go to the church, where he'll meet Delita again. In an FMV scene, Delita
explains more of the church's plan. Zalmour then shows up, and it's fight time.
(Did you really think you could go somewhere without one?)
GUEST: Delita [Sagittarius] - Holy Knight, lv. based on party's - Bravery 75,
Faith 50
Equipment : Runeblade, Platinum Shield, Circlet, Carabineer Mail, Bracer
Abilities : Holy Sword, other abilities random
Immune : Chicken, Toad, Charm, and Doom
--STRATEGY--
Delita teams up with Ramza as a guest in this battle, and his Holy Sword
techniques are even stronger than Agrias's.
Even without Delita, though, this would be a pretty easy fight. Zalmour is up
on top of the bell tower, but the platform where he's standing is almost
directly overhead where you start. This means you can target him with offensive
magick and sword techniques without needing to move, and his Knights can do
nothing to stop you. If you have Ignore Elevation, Teleport, Fly, or a Black
Chocobo, you can also jump up to Zalmour's platform and attack him directly.
(If you position your characters towards the right side of the character
deployment screen, you'll start even closer to Zalmour.)
Zalmour does like to use Curaga to heal himself and his followers. You can stop
this by putting Silence on him from the ground where you start; use the Mystic's
Quiescence or Beowulf's Silence. Another trick -- for free healing -- is to
stand next to the enemies on whom Zalmour is going to cast Curaga.
If you don't have any abilities that will let you attack Zalmour from the
ground, you'll have to move around to the side of the church and climb up that
way. Even taking this route, though, this is an easy battle. Delita can take
out the enemy Knights quickly with his sword techniques. Just be sure not to
stand between Delita and the enemies or YOU'LL get hit too when he uses Divine
Ruination! A Jump attack with high vertical range can be useful for attacking
enemies on higher levels, but it's far from critical--Delita can pretty much
kill all the enemies on his own!
As soon as you KO Zalmour, the battle ends, so you can probably finish this one
off really quickly. Zalmour doesn't have anything worth stealing, either, so
just thrash him and move on.
You'll pick up an Angel Ring in spoils from the battle. As noted above, the
Reraise from the Angel Ring only works ONCE per battle, unlike the Chantage.
It's not quite as abusive an accessory as the Chantage, but it's still useful ;)
After the battle, you'll meet with Valmafra, then Delita will leave (bummer).
Strangely, the shops *still* don't have anything new. But restock your items;
you'll need lots of X-Potions. You may also want to grab a couple Ice Shields
and Guardian Bracelets if you don't already have some in your inventory. Then
go to the Beddha Sandwaste, south of Bervenia, where you'll encounter another
Knight Templar, Barich, in a tough battle.
* Barich's version of the Machinist job also includes Defense Boost, Arcane
Defense, and Beast Tongue as innate abilities.
--STRATEGY--
You start this battle with all your characters poisoned, even if you equip
accessories guarding against poison! Bringing somebody with Esuna [White Mage]
or Purification [Monk] can be helpful to de-poison yourself quickly.
Purification is especially effective since it activates immediately and has a
good hit rate. You could also use the Lifefont movement ability, Chantage
accessory, or Dragonheart reaction ability to offset the HP losses from the
poison.
Barich has all of Mustadio's abilities, which means he can easily Immobilize
or Disable you. He also has a Glacial Gun, which shoots ice magicks at you. To
protect against the former, equip Guardian Bracelets beforehand. (If you've
recruited Balthier, you should also have a Thief's Cap, which gives you the same
immunities.) Again, Esuna or Purification will clear up these status ailments
during battle. The Remedy item does NOT remove Immobilize or Disable.
As for the ice gun, you can guard against it by equipping Ice Shields or by
using Shirahadori. But be warned, if you equip Ice Shields without also
blocking Immobilize/Disable, Barich will exclusively use Arm Shot and Leg Shot,
which is worse than the ice attacks. So if you don't have Guardian Bracelets,
you may want to equip White Robes instead, which will reduce the damage from the
Glacial Gun without blocking it entirely. (Or, just use Blade Grasp :) )
There's a Black Mage in the back casting powerful -ja magicks at you. If you're
protected against Barich's attacks, this will actually be the most dangerous
enemy here. Try to take him out first. Equipping Aegis Shields (if you're not
using Ice Shields) and White Robes will help protect against his magicks. Or,
use Magick Counter to give him back what you're getting.
Since the battle ends when Barich is KOed, the best tactic is probably just to
rush Barich after you've defeated the Black Mage. Barich often tends to retreat
into the back of the battlefield, though, so throw an Immobilize of your own on
him (e.g. with Leg Shot) as soon as you can to keep him in place. (Slow or Stop
will also work.) Then pound on him; you have to reduce him all the way to 0 HP
before the battle ends.
You may also want to try stealing from Barich. This is your first chance to
snag a Glacial Gun, which can't be bought in stores, though you'll find others
later. Barich's Lambent Hat and Luminous Robe are also nice, but you'll be
able to buy them shortly in stores. Stealing the Glacial Gun takes away his
range attack, but he can still Immobilize and Disable you at close range with
his punches. As with Meliadoul, pumping up your Speed or equipping Martial
Arts and Concentration will improve your stealing success rate. And if you've
already recruited Balthier, his Plunder abilities are more effective than a
regular Steal. Unfortunately, Barich is immune to the status conditions that
would improve your odds of stealing from him.
This is one the last difficult encounters of the game, as pretty soon you...
well, you'll see.
After beating Barich (it may well take you a few tries), go on to Fort Besselat.
You'll have a choice as to whether to attack the south or north wall. Each is
a different battle. I find that the south wall is easier, especially if you
don't have characters with a good Jump rating.
--STRATEGY--
Leave behind your magick-users. Unless they have Equip Heavy Armor or some good
defensive abilities, they'll get killed easily.
Split up your characters and attack the side walls on both sides of the map.
Get up on top as soon as you can; it's very advantageous position. This works
especially well if you've got archers or gunners -- station them atop the
walls, don't move (so their CT gauge fills faster), and just shoot at the
enemies. Watch out for the Thief, who may use Steal Heart on female characters
-- bringing a male-heavy party here may be advantageous.
Don't worry about the Knights initially. You should be able to get up on top
of the walls before the Knights can reach you, and once you're up there, you've
got a definite height advantage in taking them out.
--STRATEGY--
There are high walls on this level, which can make it tricky to navigate if you
don't have characters with a high Jump statistic. Characters who can't jump
directly over the first wall will have to cross one-by-one using the "box" in
front of it. This can be time-consuming, especially when you're suffering the
summons and arrows of the enemy forces. (Archer's Bane and Shirahadori are, of
course, helpful in defending against the latter.)
In particular, there's a Summoner tucked away behind the first wall who will
bombard you with some nasty summons (like Leviathan). Get a character over
the initial wall ASAP to take him out. Even if you can just weaken the Summoner
to critical HP, he'll probably start casting Faerie to heal himself instead of
attacking you. You can also try Arithmeticks as a way of attacking enemies on
the far side of the wall.
A lone Monk starts out on the ground near you. If you can get your party over
the wall quickly, you can postpone having to deal with him. Otherwise, you'll
have to KO him so he's not attacking your back. Or, just throw an Immobilize
on him so he can't catch up with you.
Once the Summoner is defeated, you can split up your characters. Have the ones
who can easily scale heights climb up the tower to take out the Archers, while
the others finish up the Dragoons on the ground.
Whichever way you go, you'll end up at the floodgate. Save your game in a
different slot, then continue. There's a second battle at the sluice.
--STRATEGY--
Split up your characters and go up the paths. Because the enemies have such a
height advantage, guns are not so good here; it's hard to get a clear shot.
Jump attacks, on the other hand, are quite useful. A fun trick to do is stand
on the steps or below the dam wall and use Jump attacks on the stationary
Knights. As long as none of your other characters gets close to them, the
Knights won't move and will just sit there while you Jump on them.
The Black Mages have some strong magicks, though, so you may want to target them
first instead. Or, equip gear beforehand that will protect you from magick,
like Aegis Shields.
Since two of the Knights are pretty stationary, this is a good chance to let
the other KOed enemies decay into crystals/chests for loot. This also earns
you additional kills, needed if you're trying to unlock the Dark Knight job.
You could even bring a weaker character or two and attack and heal each other to
build up Exp or JP, if you want (though it's hardly necessary).
Unlike the PSone version, you don't need to do anything with any switches to
clear this level. Just take out all the enemies and the battle ends.
---ORLANDEAU---
After Ramza blows up the sluice, he, Orran, and Valmafra will rescue Orlandeau.
Orran goes back to Zeltennia to guard Ovelia, but Orlandeau THEN JOINS YOU!
YAHOO!! If you just heard a giant sucking sound, it was all the challenge
going down to Mexico (er, unless you live in Mexico, then it all went to
Zimbabwe). Orlandeau is ridiculously powerful, and once you have him, hardly
anyone in the game has a chance against you. He has all of Agrias's,
Gaffgarion's, and Meliadoul's sword techniques, plus a full set of Crystal
equipment and the Excalibur, the latter of which gives him a permanent Haste.
He can also use every type of sword (katana, knight's sword, etc.). To put it
simply, he is hell on wheels.
ALLY: Orlandeau [Scorpio] - Sword Saint, lv. based on party's - Bravery 77,
Faith 65
Equipment : Excalibur, Crystal Shield, Crystal Helm, Crystal Mail, Bracer
Abilities : Swordplay, other abilities random
The road to Limberry starts at Zeltennia. Make your way back to Zeltennia, then
continue south to the new town, Sal Ghidos.
After meeting with Aerith at Sal Ghidos, head into town (yup, there's no
fight).
Lots of new weapons are available. At Zeltennia, you'll also find TWO new types
of armor: the Crystal Mail and the Mirror Mail. The Crystal Mail is just a
regular set of armor. The Mirror Mail gives the character a permanent Reflect
status -- it's the same as a Reflect Ring, but it doesn't take up your accessory
slot :) . The Reflect status will deflect enemy spells, but it also blocks your
own cure spells or buffs. But, if you only use Items and Draw Out to heal, this
isn't so much of a problem and the Reflect effect can be useful!
The Featherweave Cloak is also the best cloak available as far as evade rates
go. That's a good buy. Less useful is the Luminous Robe available at Sal
Ghidos; it doesn't have any special bonuses. For your offensive magick users,
you may prefer to keep the Black Robe for its offensive bonuses.
Aside from one hat that becomes available after Limberry, the gear you can buy
at Sal Ghidos and Zeltennia is the last round of equipment upgrades you'll find
at the Outfitter. There's better equipment out there, of course, but you have
to steal or find it; you can't buy it. Since there isn't anything better to
save your money for, you can go ahead and splurge.
Before you leave town, you'll want to have a good selection of equipment to
protect yourself against the status conditions you'll face at Limberry. Jujitsu
Gis and Jade Armlets are especially helpful, as they protect against the KO and
Stop conditions that Celia and Lettie throw at you, and Protect Rings will
defend against Sleep and Doom. You may also want to pick up a Nu Khai Armband
or two for male characters; these protect against Charm.
---NEW QUESTS---
Assuming you bought Aerith's flower, you can now complete the Nelveska Temple
quest (covered below in the subquests section), though this also requires you to
have finished the Gollund Colliery quest first. The Nelveska Temple nets you
one character upgrade, as well as the chance to acquire some rare items via the
Treasure Hunter ability. Completing the Nelveska Temple in turn opens the
Recruiting Cloud quest, which lets you recruit Cloud from Final Fantasy VII into
your party.
If you accidentally do NOT buy the flower, however, you'll PERMANTLY miss out on
your chance to complete these quests.
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
Rhana Strait Zeltennia 9-13 3100 1764 gil, 122 JP, artefact
Zerro Strikes Zeltennia 8-9 100 10999 gil, 143 JP, artefact
> Must complete "Zerro's Challenge" at Lionel Castle
Nightwalker Zeltennia 8-12 3050 11644 gil, 102 JP
Zerro's Return Lesalia 8-9 500 10999 gil, 143 JP, artefact
> Must complete "Zerro Strikes" at Zeltennia Castle
Zerro Strikes Again Eagrose 8-9 5000 10999 gil, 143 JP, artefact
> Must complete "Zerro's Return" at Lesalia
Himca Cliffs Sal Ghidos 8-12 1500 2576 gil, 111 JP, artefact
Ore of the Gods Sal Ghidos 9-11 2500 2554 gil, 115 JP, artefact
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since Zeltennia and Sal Ghidos are right next to each other, you can easily
clear the errands in either town (as well as in Bervenia) just by walking back
and forth between them. But, "Zerro Strikes" and "Nightwalker" are the only
really lucrative ones.
The "Zerro Strikes" errand only shows up if you've already done the "Zerro's
Challenge" errand back at Lionel. "Zerro Stirkes," in turn, leads to another
series of errands all around the map.
These errands may help you out if you need to earn a little cash to buy stuff.
Or, if you need more still money, you could complete the next two story battles
(en route to Limberry), then come back to Sal Ghidos to shop with the bonus coin
you received.
---MOUNT GERMINAS---
Pop on down to Mount Germinas, where you'll have a run-in with some bandits.
--STRATEGY--
This may be the first time you get to use your new buddy Orlandeau. For a good
taste of his power, deploy him in squad 1. Move him up the mountain as far
as he can and then use Shadowblade on the Ninja leader. Bang, he's dead. You
almost have to feel sorry for the poor bandits... almost. Heh, heh. With
Shadowblade, you can KO a fully healthy bad guy each turn just with Orlandeau
and also refill Orlandeau's own HP by 270 or so.
There are a pair of Thieves in this battle, so either take them out quickly or
equip Safeguard to keep them from nabbing your stuff. You don't want to lose
any rare items to them!
The Archer that starts in the back corner is carrying an Artemis Bow, a strong
bow, which you might want to steal. But if you don't, there's plenty more (in
fact, an infinite supply) that you can win later. If you DO want to steal the
bow, a good strategy for it is to kill off all the other enemies and then
surround the Archers with your characters, blocking him from moving. Since bows
can't be used against adjacent tiles, he can't attack you, and you can just
stand there and attempt steals 'til you get the bow.
This map also contains the Invisibility Cloak, a cloak that (as you might
expect) automatically makes you Invisible. To get the cloak, equip the Treasure
Hunter ability and move to the very top of the peak. The top of the peak forms
sort of an "L" shape; the tile holding the Cloak is the one between the two
"legs" of the L:
___
/ \
/ X \
--/ \--
It's the same tile where the enemy Ninja started.
When you land on this tile, you'll receive either an Ether or the Cloak; your
chance of getting the Cloak goes up the lower your Bravery. You only get to
pick up an item from this tile once, so if you get the Ether, you can no longer
get the Cloak, ever; you'll have to reset the game and try again. This is the
only Invisibility Cloak available in the single-player quest, though you can
easily win more in Rendezvous Mode.
You can also pick up the cloak in any random battles at this location, though,
so it's by no means necessary to acquire it during the story battle.
If you didn't claim the Invisibility Cloak in the initial battle, you may want
to stop and pick it up from a random battle.
Also, when entering Mount Germinas from the north, you may sometimes get into
one of the "special" random battles. The special random battle here pits you
against Chemists and Orators, who will often have a variety of rare guns you can
steal. The battle occurs at fairly low odds, though, and you can get the guns
elsewhere, so it's probably not going out of your way for right now.
--STRATEGY--
This is another map where all your opponents are undead. As in the Yuguewood,
the undead humans have better stats than regular humans.
In spite of this, this battle is really easy. Start off Mustadio and/or
Balthier's Seal Evil ability and you can gun down each of the Revenants in one
shot. (Poaching or recruiting the Revenants is another way to deal with them
that keeps them from reviving.)
Since the human enemies are also undead, Seal Evil works on them too. Magick
and the Dragoon's Jump will be helpful for attacking the enemies on the wooden
platform from below. Or, you can just run up and start hitting them with
Phoenix Downs, which will KO them with 100% certainty.
Once you get on top of the platform, watch out for the enemy's Counter Tackles
if you plan on using any physical attacks. They can knock your characters off
the platform, which will put you back out of range AND do a fair amount of
damage. Stay away from the edge and you should be fine. Or, just stick to
using Phoenix Down. (You can check which enemy units do and don't have Counter
Tackle by viewing their status screens.)
The only thing tricky about this level is that the undead humans will keep
coming back to life if you don't finish off the rest of the enemy party in
time--but, again, Seal Evil will prevent this. Entice will *not* work since,
like other undead human opponents, these guys are immune to Traitor status.
The archers are likely to have Artemis Bows if you're in the mood for a little
stealing.
You then see a scene with Dycedarg, after which you can go to Limberry Castle.
If you didn't have a chance to buy some Jade Armlets beforehand, you may want to
head back to Sal Ghidos now to pick up those.
abilities, Move +1
Immune : Stone, Chicken, Toad
VICTORY CONDITION: Reduce either Celia or Lettie to critical HP (< 20% of max)
LOSS CONDITION: Ramza dies or all allies are KOed/Stone
--STRATEGY--
This battle looks hard at first, but it's not. All you have to do is weaken
Celia or Lettie to critical HP and the battle will immediately end.
The Reavers will only use Bio spells, which don't do all that much damage, so
your main threat is Celia and Lettie. Their Subdual Arts skills can hit you
with a 100% KO or Stop, and they also have a high rate of inflicting Charm on
male and monster targets. The Charm attack is the worst of these since it
turns your characters actively against the rest of your team. Give your male
characters Nu Khai Armbands to immunize them against Charm, or deploy only
female characters (aside from Ramza). Pairing a Jujitsu Gi with a Jade Armlet
will protect you against both KO and Stop; if you have Barettes or Ribbons, you
can use those too. If you have Construct 8 on your roster, it's already
immune to all these status changes and is quite useful here.
Because this battle is fairly easy, it's your best chance to learn Ultima. You
can learn this magick if Ramza is a Squire or if Luso is a Game Hunter and Celia
or Lettie casts the magick on him. If Ramza is protected against KO and Stop
(from equipping a Jujitsu Gi and a Jade Armlet), Celia is almost guaranteed to
cast the magick on him on her first turn. Luso can also learn the magick, but
it's probably easiest to just have Ramza learn it here and then later teach it
to Luso by having Ramza cast it on him.
Once you get Ultima, just have your main group gang up on Lettie to quickly end
the battle. A few sword techniques and/or Construct 8's Dispose should do the
trick. You can completely ignore the Reavers. Since this battle is so easy to
end quickly, your best defense is a good offense. Even if one or two allies
gets KOed, don't bother reviving them. (Since Ramza starts stranded from your
main team, it's pretty likely that he will be KOed.) Just finish off Lettie
and you'll be done in no time at all.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After winning the gate battle, you'll see a story scene with Elmdore and
Folmarv. Keep your status protection gear equipped for the next battle. If
Ramza already learned Ultima, you can switch him back to his regular job now;
otherwise, you'll have additional chances in the next two battles.
--STRATEGY--
It's your team versus Elmdore, Celia, and Lettie, so if you're looking for
revenge from the Riovanes Castle Roof, now's your chance.
Celia and Lettie have the same abilities as before. As long as you're equipped
with Jujitsu Gis and Jade Armlets (or other equipment that protects you against
KO/Stop), they'll mostly just do Ultima, which isn't too bad. If you "KO"
either of them, they will turn into Ultima Demons, which are stronger, so leave
them be.
Elmdore is even tougher than his underlings; he has an 100% working teleport to
any square and does big damage to a wide area with his Muramasa Iaido. Worse,
he has Shirahadori, which gives him a high block rate against a wide range of
physical attacks, even guns.
First, spread out your characters to try to minimize how much his Iaido can
hurt your team. (While Construct 8 is immune to Faith-based magick, Iaido
doesn't use Faith, so Muramasa *will* hurt your robot pal.) Then, attack
Elmdore with things he *can't* dodge. Sword techniques are great, as is
Balthier's Barrage and Construct 8's abilities. You can also use magick and
Arithmeticks, or, in a pinch, a Dual Wielded attack, since he can only block
one of the hits. Standard physical attacks are nearly useless.
Also, whenever Celia or Lettie starts casting Ultima, have the targeted
character stand next to Elmdore. (Check the Turn List in case you didn't catch
who the target is.) This will cause the Ultima to spill over and hit Elmdore
for a fair amount of damage (100-200 HP), a nice way of getting in some extra
damage against him.
If you didn't learn Ultima during the prior battle, you can also learn it here.
Note: In the North American PSone release, you could steal all of Elmdore's
powerful Genji equipment. This is no longer possible (you can't steal from
him at all), so don't even try!
After defeating Elmdore in the keep, you can return your equipment to normal as
you won't have to fight Celia and Lettie any more. Next up is the courtyard,
you'll have to square off against an old "friend."
--STRATEGY--
Argath himself can't do much damage, but his Ultima Demons can cast some really
powerful magic. Especially since Argath takes a while to wear down, you'll need
to take out the Demons first. Fortunately, they're pretty slow and don't have
much HP, so chances are good you can take out one or two before they can even
move. The large gap in the middle of the stage can make it hard to reach the
Ultima Demons in the rear, so either bring characters with Teleport/Ignore
Elevation or just use a variety of long-range attacks (guns, Arithmeticks,
summons, Jump, Dispose, etc.) Just beware that Ultima Demons are immune to
Holy-elemental attacks, so the Holy magick, Reis's Holy Breath, and the Holy
Lance polearm won't work on them.
If you're still missing the Ultima magick, you can also learn it by having the
Ultima Demons cast it on Ramza or Luso in their base jobs. But, the Ultima
Demons don't use it as frequently as Celia and Lettie, so it make take a while.
You'll also need to make sure the Ultima Demons have at least 10 MP, or they
won't be able to cast the magick. (Use Ethers or Chakra to restore their MP if
they run low.)
Once you've finished off all the demons, you can attack Argath. He comes
equipped with Mirror Mail, which reflects most magick. (The -ja Black Magick
spells, Ultima, Meteor, and summons all still work, though.) He also has
Safeguard, so Orlandeau's Crush skills won't work against him, but other sword
skills will. Fortunately, Argath's own attacks are quite weak. His constant
use of Shadowblade keeps healing him, but as long as your whole team is
attacking him, you'll be able to deal way more damage than he can recover.
If you can't Disable him, you can also reduce his Bravery using the Mystic's
Intimidate or Beowulf's Chicken. (Again, you can't use Mystic Arts for this
because Argath will reflect the magick.) Although this won't completely cancel
Critical: Recover HP, it will reduce the odds of it activating.
If neither of the above strategies is an option (i.e., you don't have any
characters with those skills or didn't deploy them), your best bet is to reduce
Argath's HP fairly low (to about 100 or so) but not yet put him in Critical
status. Then, use one very strong attack against him to KO him without ever
putting him in critical status. Orlandeau's sword techniques would work for
this, or a -ja Black Magick or Arithmeticked magick (both of which will pierce
through Argath's Reflect).
Finally, you'll proceed down to the basement for the last battle in this
sequence and your last encounter with Elmdore -- now in Lucavi form.
GUEST: Meliadoul [Capricorn] - Divine Knight, lv. based on party's - Bravery 67,
Faith 68
Equipment : Save the Queen, Aegis Shield, Circlet, Luminous Robe, Hermes Shoes
Abilities : Unyielding Blade, other abilities random
--STRATEGY--
Zalera is accompanied by three skeleton-type monsters and two undead Knights.
The undead Knights have superior stats to regular Knights, but they also have a
shorter move range.
Deploy Mustadio and/or Balthier and use Seal Evil to quickly petrify the two
Knights. The various skeletons are not really worth bothering with; Meliadoul
is a guest here and will take them out for you. Just go after Zalera.
Zalera's main attack is Nightmare, which inflicts Sleep and Doom on a small
group of people. Equipping Protect Rings will guard against both of these.
Zalera also likes to use Bind (causes Stop on a small group) and Flareja, a
strong attack spell. One strategy here is to leave one character vulnerable to
Sleep to sucker Zalera into casting Nightmare. If you then wake the character
up (use Purification or a weak attack), Zalera will probably just keep casting
Nightmare over and over. Construct 8 is also quite useful here since it is
inherently immune to Stop, Sleep, and Faith-based magicks.
Attack Zalera with Lich, Divine Ruination, Graviga, Shadowblade, and Beowulf's
Drain. He has about 1145 HP.
Optionally, you can try to grab the Hydrascale Bag from the treasure tile near
Zalera. (See below for coordinates.) It can be sold for 29,000 gil.
After you defeat Elmdore for the last time, you'll collect two more Zodiac
Stones--Elmdore's Gemini stone and Meliadoul's Sagittarius stone--and Meliadoul
will offer to join you.
---MELIADOUL---
Although Meliadoul's not quite as powerful as Orlandeau (Orlandeau has all her
sword techniques, plus more!), her sword techniques are still pretty good ...
and, unlike in the PSone version, they work on monsters!
Meliadoul comes equipped with the Save the Queen knight sword; if you don't plan
on using her, give this sword to someone else as it's probably stronger than
anything else you have save the Excalibur or Javelin II.
---AT LIMBERRY---
Limberry Castle is now a normal town, so you can go to the Tavern and Outfitter,
although there's nothing new to buy at the Outfitter. When you try to leave,
you'll see a long set of story scenes with Ovelia and then with Zalbaag. Now
take a look at map. You'll note Eagrose Castle has turned red. It's time to
hike all the way back there.
---DORVAULDAR MARSH---
A new wilderness location has opened up west of Limberry: Dorvauldar Marsh.
Although nothing story-related happens at Dorvauldar Marsh and you never *have*
to visit, it provides a handy shortcut between Limberry and Fort Besselat.
Additionally, there's a chance of encountering Pigs or Swines in random battles
here -- though only when you're entering from the Fort Besselat side. If you
haven't snagged any pigs yet for breeding and poaching purposes, you can look
for one here. They appear at fairly low odds, though. If you'd prefer not to
wait for one to show up here, one of the later sidequests also offers an
opportunity to find Pigs with much greater frequency.
Dorvauldar Marsh also offers you the chance to claim up to four Elixirs--rare
healing items--if you hunt around with the Treasure Hunter ability and low
Bravery. Since you can find plenty of other Elixirs in the game, though, you
don't actually need to stop to get these.
---New Errands------------------------------------------------------------------
CITY DAYS COST APPROX. REWARD
Lake Poescas Depths Limberry 12-14 1500 5054 gil, 105 JP, wonder
Cellar Dungeon Limberry 11-13 3000 18235 gil, 156 JP, wonder
Uninvited Guests Limberry 8-13 3050 12174 gil, 103 JP
Gysahl Greens Limberry 2-4 100 9660 gil, 146 JP, artefact
Wandering Gambler (2) Limberry 11-13 15000 16765 gil, 54 JP
> Must complete "Wandering Gambler (1)" at Warjilis
Zerro's Final Heist Limberry 8-9 10000 10599 gil, 153 JP
> Must complete "Zerro Strikes Again" at Eagrose Castle
Ancient Wonder Eagrose 13-14 200 15099 gil, 153 JP, wonder
Cattedona Zaland 14-15 500 5239 gil, 74 JP
Lionel Emissary Lionel 14-15 4000 949 gil, 103 JP, artefact
Twilight Gustkov Gollund 14-15 1000 17264 gil, 154 JP
Terror's Maw Gollund 13-14 1500 14264 gil, 134 JP
Miner's Dream Gollund 12-14 150 4068 gil, 86 JP
> Must complete "Terror's Maw"
Ducal Disaster Lesalia 15-16 6000 17749 gil, 104 JP
Young Lord Pappal Lesalia 12-15 3000 2659 gil, 181 JP
> Must complete "Ducal Disaster"
Cries in the Dark Lesalia 8-11 3050 11644 gil, 98 JP
Salvage Work Yardrow 9-14 0 16409 gil, 81 JP
Coal Mining Expedition Yardrow 10-14 1000 2726 gil, 69 JP
2nd Coal Mining Expedition Yardrow 10-14 1000 2576 gil, 90 JP, artefact
> Must complete "Coal Mining Expedition"
Historic Revolt Riovanes 8-10 3050 11105 gil, 105 JP, artefact
Tutoring Riovanes 8-12 200 11769 gil, 166 JP
The Behemoth Bervenia 13-15 500 1977 gil, 157 JP
Dredge Work Zeltennia 6-10 1000 7854 gil, 80 JP
Missing Boy Zeltennia 15-16 3500 11749 gil, 94 JP
Appraisal Zeltennia 8-9 550 10999 gil, 93 JP, artefact
Death's Gorge Sal Ghidos 9-14 13000 2754 gil, 103 JP
The Typhoon Sal Ghidos 10-13 11000 18094 gil, 181 JP
Beastly Trail Sal Ghidos 11-13 10000 6800 gil, 137 JP
Memories Sal Ghidos 10-12 100 1194 gil, 96 JP
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At this point in the game, you may no longer need very much money. But if
you're still looking to buy some upgrades, quite a few of these errands offer
good payouts. Some ones that you can complete just by walking between two towns
are: "Twilight Gustkov" and "Terror's Maw" in Gollund, "Cries in the Dark" in
Lesalia, "Missing Boy" and "Appraisal" in Zeltennia, and "The Typhoon" and
"Beastly Trail" in Sal Ghidos. Watch out for "Death's Gorge"; you'll lose money
on that one.
Limberry also hosts the last errand in the Zerro sequence, if you've finished
all the other ones up to this point.
now buy Thief's Caps, the last piece of new equipment that the Outfitter will
carry. If you don't have any Nu Khai Armbands in your inventory, you'll also
want to buy a set of those for an upcoming battle.
--STRATEGY--
Meliadoul automatically participates as a guest in this battle, so be sure to
equip her accordingly.
This is the same battlefield as you saw at the beginning of Chapter II. The
enemies here are all magick-users, so there's no value in reaction abilities or
armor that defend against physical attacks (e.g. Counter or Shirahadori).
Instead, equip Aegis Shields, which have a high magick block rate, and
abilities like Magick Counter. And, if you have Construct 8, it's basically
invulnerable in this battle since it's immune to Faith-based magicks.
You'll probably want to take out the Summoners first; they're close by and
you'll want to stop them from hitting you with Summons. The Time Mages, on the
other hand, can be ignored.
Cletienne has an array of strong offensive and defensive spells, plus he can
use Magick Counter to throw your spells back at him. If you want to avoid
this, guns and Jump may be your best bets for attacking him up on the roof.
Beware of using magickal guns, though; these count as magick attacks that he can
Magick Counter! You could also use Orlandeau's Duskblade or another MP-draining
ability to steal Cletienne's MP so he can't even use magicks. But since he has
little HP, it's probably just as easy to attack him head-on. As soon as he's
KOed, you win the battle.
Cletienne has a Dragon Rod, a rare-ish rod, that you can steal. You needn't
get it here, though, as you can also steal one a few battles later or poach it.
Plus, the Dragon Rod is pretty crummy anyway. The Treasure Hunter items in this
battle are also awful--they're the same treasures as the original battle in
Dorter! (In fact, if you picked them up then, you can't get them now.)
When you finally do reach Eagrose, Ramza will open the gate (no gate battle,
yay!), and then you'll line up for a fight.
--STRATEGY--
Equipping Nu Khai Armbands before this battle is a good idea; it will protect
you from Confuse status.
Hitting Dycedarg with Crush Weapon is great idea; it will break his Defender
sword and prevent him from using any of his sword techniques against you. You
could also try stealing the Defender if you want, but it's a little tricky --
using Ignore Elevation or Teleport to jump up to the top of the arch may be your
best bet. (Due to a bug in the game, stealing the Defender also fails to stop
Dycedarg from using his sword techniques, though they'll be greatly reduced in
power.)
Zalbaag is likely to get KOed no matter what you do, but it doesn't matter as
you don't need to keep him alive. If you do keep Zalbaag conscious, there will
be some additional dialogue on Ramza's, Zalbaag's, and Dycedarg's first turns.
It's quite likely that you can finish off Dycedarg before he has a chance to
move much of anywhere, but it's possible he'll start descending the stairs. If
he does, run under the arch and keep attacking him. He likes to use Hallowed
Bolt and Divine Ruination if you haven't yet broken his sword. To avoid getting
hurt too badly by these, avoid putting characters next to each other or on the
same line of fire.
When Dycedarg is KOed, he'll return as Adrammelech. All the other enemies will
disappear from the board, as will Zalbaag, and the battle restarts. But if you
Charmed or Enticed any of the enemy Knights, they'll stick with you into the
next phase of the battle! If you find yourself having trouble beating
Adrammelech, this can be a good trick for beefing up your forces for the second
half of this battle.
If Adrammelech is still up on the arch, you can keep attacking him with sword
techniques once the second phase begins. However, after each character attacks,
you'll want to start moving him/her under the archway. This way, you can keep
hitting Adrammelech once he starts coming down the steps.
Adrammelech uses the Befuddle spell to confuse you, but if you equipped Nu Khai
Armbands, you'll be immune to this. Note that Confuse is the only status
condition that Construct 8 is NOT immune to. In fact, there's NO way to protect
Construct 8 from confusion, so you probably won't want to use it here.
Adrammelech is pretty slow, so you can probably get in quite a few licks--and
maybe even kill him--before he even has a chance to cast any magicks. Like all
Lucavi, Adrammelech will take a lot of damage from Lich or Graviga since they
take away half his maximum HP. He has about 1515 HP.
There are two rare items you can pick up here using Treasure Hunter. A Blood
Sword is located in the rectangular area where you start, but in the corner
furthest from your starting point. This one's pretty easy to get to. There's
also a Healing Staff that's much harder to reach; it's one of the two "nubs"
next to the bridge on the upper level, with a height of 10. Of the two nubs,
it's the one further from where you start. This one is pretty tricky to reach
since you have to climb up all the stairs to get to it. (Precise coordinates
for both items are listed below.)
As with other rare Treasure Hunter items, having a low Bravery will improve your
odds of getting the Blood Sword and Healing Staff as opposed to generic
consumable items. You can pick the items up during either stage of the battle.
However, they're probably not worth bothering with -- you may already have both
items, and unlimited copies are available from poaching. The Blood Sword can be
worth grabbing if it's convenient, but the Healing Staff is just way out of the
way.
If you didn't already beat Cletienne at Dorter, his ambush now disappears, so
you can return to the town without triggering a fight.
After claiming the Capricorn stone, head to Gariland. Stock up on Holy Water
and take the new route south to Mullonde. At Mullonde, you'll be treated to a
series of three battles, beginning outside the church and progressing inside.
--STRATEGY--
If you have anyone with Ignore Elevation or Teleport, deploy him or her in the
first squad and you can immediately spring up and attack the Summoner and White
Mage, who are the most annoying opponents. The rest of the squad will have to
climb up the steps.
The characters in the second squad will be battling against two Orators, so
giving them Earplug could be useful. Again, Teleport or Ignore Elevation will
help them get atop the church quickly, although the steps are reasonably close
by.
The Summoner has another Dragon Rod you can steal, if you didn't get one from
Cletienne and/or want a second one. But, again, it's not good for very much.
There are also three Elixirs here that you can pick up with the Treasure Hunter
ability:
1. One is located on the grass next to the cathedral, adjacent to the front
corner of the cathedral. Facing the cathedral, it's directly to the RIGHT
of the front corner of the cathedral. (It's 3 squares away from where the
one of the enemy Geomancers starts.)
2. One is located on one of the two front towers of the cathedral (of height
16). Facing the front gate of the cathedral, it's on the tower on the
LEFT. There are four tiles on the tower; the Elixir is against the side
"wall" of the map, on the tile towards the back of the cathedral.
3. The last one is lower on the cathedral roof. It's one tile away from
Elixir #2, on a tile of height 5.
As with most Treasure Hunter items, your odds of receiving the Elixirs (as
opposed to generic items) from these tiles increase the lower your Bravery.
Although you can't buy Elixirs at the Outfitter, it's not really that necessary
to pick up the ones here as you can also find them on many other maps and from
poaching.
Honestly, this battle is pretty easy. It's noteworthy mostly because it's the
only story battle where the enemy has Geomancers :)
Equip the Safeguard support ability on as many characters as possible, and the
next battle will be easy as pie.
VICTORY CONDITION: Reduce any one of the enemies to critical HP (< 20% of max)
LOSS CONDITION: Ramza dies or all allies are KOed/Stone
--STRATEGY--
Despite what the in-game victory conditions screen says, all you have to do here
is reduce any of one of the three Knights Templar to critical HP and then they
all will retreat. Cletienne is the weakest, so just attack him. Loffrey and
Folmarv have an annoying habit of breaking your equipment, so Safeguard is
probably a good idea -- it both saves your equipment AND prevents you from
taking damage from the Crush attacks. Since you only need to KO one guy here,
you can probably finish this up quite quickly.
If you deploy Meliadoul, there will be some extra dialogue between her and
Folmarv on her first turn.
Like the previous map, there are a bunch of Elixirs you can find here if you
have Treasure Hunter and low Bravery. All four of them are located on a line
directly down the middle of the room:
1. One is at the extreme rear of the room, behind where you start, at
height 1.
2. One is one tile in front of where Ramza starts, 4 tiles away from the back
of the room, at height 1.
3. One is at the very far end of the room (i.e., 2 tiles behind where Folmarv
starts), at height 4.
4. One is 4 tiles towards your party from the far end of the room -- exactly
on the tile where Loffrey starts, at height 2.
If any of your equipment gets broken when fighting the Knights Templar, you'll
need to replace it. Strip the gear from somebody you're not going to be using
in the next battle and equip that.
You'll then go to the sanctuary, where Ramza will have to fight a possessed
former ally.
--STRATEGY--
The demons here are actually quite a bit more powerful than Zalbaag and use a
variety of strong magick attacks. So, unlike most boss battles, you're probably
better off killing at least two of the demons first, and *then* going after
Zalbaag. Again, both the Ultima Demon and the Archaeodaemons are immune to Holy
attacks, but this isn't much of a problem since there are only a few such
attacks anyway -- the Holy magick, Reis's Holy Breath, and the Holy Lance are
the only ones in the single-player game.
The Ultima Demon here is your last chance to learn (and keep) Ultima in the
single-player game; if you haven't gotten it yet, deploy Ramza or Luso in their
base job (Squire or Game Hunter) and you can learn the magick should the Ultima
Demon cast it on them. The Ultima Demon needs at least 10 MP to cast Ultima;
use Ethers or Chakra to restore their MP if it runs low.
Zalbaag frequently flees into a corner, plus he uses Lifefont to recover his
HP with each move. Hitting him with an Immobilize (e.g. from Leg Shot) will
stop both of these. In fact, if you can Immobilize him right away, you may be
able to just focus your attacks on him and finish him off before the demons
hit you with too much magick. Physical attacks are not that effective against
Zalbaag since he has Defense Boost, but he'll go down eventually ... and if you
take out the demons first, he can do very little to hurt you.
Zalbaag can (and probably will) turn your characters to vampires, but you can
cure this with Holy Water. Construct 8 is useful in this battle as it is
immune to vampirization (though the raw damage from the Vampire attack can
still hurt it) and has a very long range with which to attack Zalbaag. Monsters
are also immune to Vampire status, so if you have any other good monsters, those
work too.
The sanctuary battle is the last of the battles at Mullonde. Afterwards, Ramza
will meet up with a dying Funebris, who tells him that Folmarv is going to
Orbonne Monastery.
---NEW QUESTS---
Back on the map, a handy route has opened up between Mullonde and the Clockwork
City of Goug. Another set of subquests becomes available: Midlight's Deep (in
Warjilis Trade City), Disorder in the Order (in Zeltennia and Dorter), and (if
you've already completed the Nelveska Temple quest) Lionel's New Liege Lord.
The All-Star Melee mission is also unlocked in Rendezvous Mode. And if you're
still working on the earlier subquests, the new route between Mullonde and Goug
makes them a lot easier.
If you're going to do these quests or anything else on the map, take care of it
now! Once you go to Orbonne Monastery, you're locked into the game's final
series of battles.
When you enter Orbonne, you'll begin by fighting some generic humans.
--STRATEGY--
Your first priority is to kill off the guys down on the floor on the other side
of the room, especially the Monks. Most range attacks will work from atop the
central "ridge" of books, and reasonably agile melee fighters can climb over
the ridge to reach the enemies. Characters who can't easily climb over the
ridge should just stand atop it -- there will be enemies coming that way soon
as well.
The Knights' behavior will depend on how quickly you advance. If you quickly
moved most of your team across the ridge, they'll probably descend under the
archway to fight you there. But if you still have some characters on the
higher levels, they may try to cross the narrow walkway up top. In this case,
they're vulnerable to a Divine Ruination or Shockwave that can hit several of
them in a line. Meliadoul's and Orlandeau's Crush techniques are also useful
against all the enemies here. Overall, this isn't a particularly hard battle.
You can steal a Yoichi's Bow, which is even stronger than the Artemis Bow, from
the Archer ... of course, since you're past the point of no return, there's no
need to bother with this unless someone in your main squad can use it.
There are also four Elixirs available on this map and, unlike most Treasure
Hunter items, you'll get them regardless of your Bravery:
1. One is located in the exact corner of the map just next to where you start,
on a tile with height 7.
2. Another is located in another corner, the one with a height of 1.
3. Two panels away from #2, on a sloping panel with height 8.
4. On the other side of the "ridge" of books from where you start. It's on a
slanted panel; the panel looks like a stone slab with writing on it and has
a height of 2.5.
Since you can pick these up fairly easily without worrying about your Bravery,
you may want to grab one or two if you use Items to heal.
Next up is the first of a series of four battles against the Zodiac Braves.
Prepare for this one by arming Safeguard.
--STRATEGY--
Now it gets interesting. The enemy forces are magick-heavy here, so adjust
your defenses accordingly. Aegis Shields are good, as are Magick Counter and
cloaks that give a good boost to your magick evade rate. Counter, Shirahadori,
and First Strike are totally pointless. Construct 8, being immune to Faith-
based magicks, is good to deploy if you have it. It won't be able to navigate
the holes well, but Dispose has such a long range that it doesn't need to travel
very far!
The floor is laded with Darkness tiles (the black holes) that you can't walk
across. If you have Teleport or Winged Boots, however, you can simply move
right through them. You can also jump across the holes with a good jump rating.
If you can't jump across, there's a looping path around the outsides of the map
that lets you walk all the way, but it's slow and you'll keep getting hit by
magicks on the way. Avoid this route if you can. Deploying lots of characters
with range attacks is useful as you can just blast away regardless of the gaps
in the floor.
Loffrey's Save the Queen sword gives him a permanent Protect spell that makes
him slow to kill. So, try to KO the other guys (especially the Summoners)
first before you take on Loffrey.
Loffrey uses Unyielding Blade techniques to crush your gear, but equipping
Safeguard will both preventing him from breaking your equipment and spare you
from the HP damage. Speaking of Crushing, using Crush Weapon on Loffrey is a
great tactic; destroying his sword will remove his Protect as well as prevent
him from using his sword techniques. You can also use Rend Weapon or steal
the sword. But, like other bosses, a bug in the game means that he can still
use sword techniques if you steal (rather than break) his sword. They won't do
much damage, but they can still break your equipment.
As on the previous map (and for the rest of this sequence of battles), you can
find four Elixirs here with Treasure Hunter, regardless of your Bravery. Two of
the Elixirs on this map are located in the extreme back corners of the map, on
the stacks of book behind where you start. The other two Elixirs are near the
center of the map; see below for the coordinates.
After Loffrey is defeated, he'll suck you through a portal to the Necrohol of
Mullonde, located under the sea south of Limberry, then destroy the way back.
If you'd equipped Safeguard or Winged Boots, you can now return your abilities
and equipment to normal.
--STRATEGY--
The second squad starts some distance away, so fill it with fast characters or
characters with long-range attacks.
Cletienne has really strong spells and a range of the whole battlefield. Since
he starts close to you, just forget the other enemies and rush him. If you can
pounce on him on quickly, you can probably to wrap this fight up very quickly.
Cletienne's Magick Boost reaction ability allows him to increase his Magick
Attack whenever you hit him. So, don't try to wear him down with weak attacks.
Instead, try only attack him with your strongest attacks so that you can take
him out in as few hits as possible. Or, you can simply use MP-draining
abilities--Orlandeau's Duskblade works especially well--on Cletienne to take
away all his MP, so that he can't even use his magicks.
Again, with Treasure Hunter you can claim up to four Elixirs on this map, though
most aren't very conveniently located. The Elixirs' locations:
1. In the extreme corner of the map. There's only one corner tile that you
can actually stand on (it has height 0); it's on this tile. It's the
corner closest to where the 2nd Squad starts.
2. The center of the map has a building in it. Look for the doorway to this
building. Now, from the doorway, move the cursor over top of the wall to
the building to the back wall. The Elixir is located here, right against
the back wall, directly opposite to the doorway. This one is actually the
easiest to grab.
3. On the ground (height 0) behind where the 1st Squad (Ramza's squad) starts.
It's the "back row" of tiles, as far from the enemy squad as you can get.
The specific tile is the tile on the ground that's closest to the corner.
4. One edge of the map near where you start has a partially collapsed wall.
On the other side of the hall is a height 4 platform leading down to the
height 0 ground. Climb down using the platform; it's on the first height 0
platform.
After Cletienne, you'll face Barich, brought back to life by the Zodiac Stones.
YOUR FORCES:
1st Squad - Ramza, 2 others
2nd Squad - 2 others
ENEMY FORCES: Barich (lv 55 Machinist) Chemist (lv 49, male)
Tiamat (lv 50) Greater Hydra (lv 47)
Hydra (lv 48) Dark Behemoth (lv 51)
--STRATEGY--
This can be a tough fight. Barich and his crew start on a separate piece of
land from you. Barich and his Chemist can shoot at you from afar, but if you
jump over to his portion of the battlefield to attack them, the monsters will
tear you to shreds.
Barich, as before, will use Aimed Shot abilities to try to Immobilize and
Disable you. This time, you can easily counter this by equipping Thief's Caps,
which makes you immune to both Immobilize and Disable. Shirahadori is also
great for defense, as it allows you to block the shots from the enemy guns (only
in video games...). Auto-Potion is also helpful for dealing with the enemy gun
attacks. Shields and cloaks, on the other hand, are of no use since guns can't
be evaded.
A good tactic may be to fill the first squad with characters with medium-range
attacks (e.g. sword techniques). They should be able to move forward and target
Barich across the gap without having to jump over the chasm. The second squad
starts pretty far away from Barich, so use this squad for characters with
long-range attacks such as guns, Arithmeticks, or a long-range Jump attack.
Have the second squad move up towards the first squad and start targeting Barich
with their range attacks. If you completed the Gollund Colliery quest, Beowulf
and Construct 8 will both be of great use here for their long-range attacks
(Vengeance and Dispose, respectively). Barich may try to hide behind his
monsters (and/or the Chemist), in which case you'll have to take them out first
in order to shoot him. Unfortunately, Barich's own Thief's Cap prevents you
from Immobilizing HIM.
Barich's Hydras will usually spend a turn or two advancing along Barich's
portion of the battlefield without attacking you. After that, they'll fly over
and land on your side! At this point, since the Hydras are no longer guarding
Barich, you may want to jump over Barich's side and start attacking him
directly. If you've done enough to damage to him already, you can probably take
him out with a few attacks. (He does use Lifefont to regenerate his HP,
though.)
If you completed the Nelveska Temple and restored Reis to human form, you could
also try putting Reis in the second squad. Have her run up to the little
"bridge" connecting the two halves of the battlefield and use Dragon's Charm
to charm the enemy Tiamat. Not only will this prevent the Tiamat from
attacking you, it will turn it against Barich! However, it usually takes a
turn or two for the Tiamat to come within range, so this may not be the most
efficient strategy -- and you have to watch out for the Dark Behemoth in the
mean time! If you DO use this strategy, you may wish to change Reis to a job
other than Dragonkin and equip Rubber Boots so that the Tiamat's Tri-Thunder
attack won't kill her before she can charm it.
Like the other maps in the Necrohol, the Lost Halidom contains four Elixirs that
you can pick up with Treasure Hunter. Since this is a tougher battle, it's not
really a good time for item collecting, but if you want 'em, you can check the
coordinates below or use these directions:
1. In the area where the 2nd Squad starts, against the back edge of the map.
It's on a height 7 tile that looks it has four black squares on it. (There
are two such tiles; it's the one that actually touches the edge of the
map.)
2. On the wooden platform in the middle. The platform is four tiles big. The
Elixir is on the tile that's closest to where the 1st Squad started.
3. On Barich's side of the map. It's actually the tile immediately behind
where Barich starts. It's a sloping tile with height 5.5 and four black
squares on it. There are two such tiles; the one you want is the one
that's further from the wooden bridge.
4. Also on Barich's side of the map, on the only height 6 tile that is
directly adjacent to the chasm in the middle.
Finally, you'll head to the Airship Graveyard, which is really just a single
airship, and a rather odd location for a final battle. Folmarv will use the
Leo Stone to transform himself into a giant lion, Hashmal.
--STRATEGY--
Hashmal's two main attacks are Bind, which puts Stop on a group of characters,
and Quake, a fairly powerful area attack magick. (He also uses some other
elemental magicks less frequently.) Of course, equipping Jade Armlets will
protect you against the Stop effect of Bind. But since completely protecting
yourself against Stop will cause him to ONLY cast Quake, one strategy is to
leave one character unprotected against Stop as a decoy. Hashmal will probably
try to Stop him/her, buying your other characters time to attack. Using this
strategy, you can probably defeat him before casts more than one Quake, perhaps
before he casts ANY.
And, if you completed the Gollund Colliery quest, you have an ace up your
sleeve: Construct 8, who is immune to both Faith-based magicks and Stop!
It's also possible to counter all of Hashmal's magicks with Magick Counter.
That won't reduce the damage you take, but it will throw some extra damage on
him that can help you finish him off quickly.
Although Hashmal's spells are strong, with 5 of you versus 1 of him, you
shouldn't have too much trouble taking him down. Just rush him. As always,
Lich and Graviga are effective against him. He only has about 1425 HP.
Since Hashmal isn't too tough, it's pretty easy to grab the Elixirs on this map
using Treasure Hunter if you want them. One is located on the extreme bow
(point) of the ship (tile height 10), and another is located directly in front
of that (height 8.5). The other two are located on the opposite (stern) side,
one in each of the far corners of the ship. Both of these tiles have height
0.5.
Defeat Hashmal and you'll get the Ragnarok sword. St. Ajora will then appear.
You now have one last chance to save your game and adjust your characters.
Equip the Ragnarok sword. It's strong, but not quite as useful as the Excalibur
since it doesn't give you an automatic Haste. But if you're planning to deploy
two characters who can use knight's swords (Knights, Dark Knights, and many of
the story characters), you can give the Excalibur to one and the Ragnarok to the
other. You might also want to use the Ragnarok if you have something *else*
that you gives you an Auto-Haste, like the Tynar Rouge or Septie`me.
After you leave the status screen, it's time for the final battle.
--STRATEGY--
Be sure to deploy your best characters. Since both forms of the final boss have
a lot of HP, attacks that do damage proportional to the enemy's max HP are quite
effective. These include Lich, Graviga, and Beowulf's Drain attack. Ultima
likes to cast a lot of status ailments on you, so equipping female characters
(and Cloud) with any hair adornments (Cachushas, Barettes, or preferably
Ribbons) is also a great idea.
Before the battle starts, Ultima destroys the mast pieces, making the
battlefield a bit more open. You begin this battle on the stern of the ship,
opposite to where you started the last battle.
Alma will fight as a guest in this battle. She starts off with only 1 HP, so
toss her an X-Potion or cure spell to keep her alive. She will first cast
Aegis on herself, then start casting it on the rest of the team. Aegis includes
a number of useful buffs, so this is actually pretty helpful. Note that if
Ramza or Luso casts the Ultima magick on Alma, she can learn that magick as
well. This is not advised, however; you want her casting Aegis, which is quite
a bit more useful! If Alma starts running out of MP, toss her an Ether or
Hi-Ether. (It's also possible to learn Ultima from the Ultima Demons if you
don't kill them quickly; of course, since this is the last battle, you won't be
able to save it permanently to your file.)
The Ultima Demons can do more damage than Ultima herself, so try to defeat them
first. They don't have all that much HP, so you might even be able to take them
out with group attacks. (As always, they're immune to Holy attacks.) If you're
using Orlandeau, Shadowblade is also handy since it restores his HP at the same
time it deals damage.
Ultima can also teleport around the battlefield, often putting her out of your
reach. (This is another reason not to try killing her before the demons.) She
does NOT have a counterattack, so you're free to use any physical or magick
attacks you want -- although you should probably have a better way of attacking
her than plain physical attacks!
Ultima has a permanent Float status. This means that she's immune to any earth-
element attacks, like Titan or Shockwave. Also, if you're using the
Arithmeticks magick command against her, since she's Floating, her height is
considered to be one greater than the tile she's standing on. In other words,
if she's on a height 5 tile, her height is 6 for any calculations.
If the battle drags on, the Ultima Demons you took out early on may start
turning into crystals. Grab these as soon as they appear. Ultima will try to
claim them, and, if she does, her HP will be completely restored!
If you didn't grab the Elixirs during the battle with Hashmal, you can pick them
up now. (If you already picked them up, you cannot get them a second time.)
One Elixir is located on each of the opposite corners on the stern of ship
(behind you, both height 0.5), and two are on the bow (point) of the ship,
height 8.5 and height 10. Of course, since this is the last battle and you
can't save them for later, there's no sense in picking them up unless your
current Elixir supply is running low.
Ultima's first form has about 1400 HP. Of course, like all good final bosses,
Ultima has a second form that appears after the first is defeated. This one has
over 3200 HP (!), but it's probably easier, since there won't be any Ultima
Demons around to harass you.
Attack the second form with the aforementioned Drain attack (Beowulf), Lich,
Graviga, and sword techniques. She still has no counterattack, so physical
attacks are also safe. Again, Ultima teleports around the battlefield on each
of her turns. If she moves out of range, just wait in the center of the ship
and on her next turn she should move in range again. This form of Ultima is now
vulnerable to Immobilize status, so you can also just use a judicious Leg Shot
or other Immobilizing ability to keep her in place. (The second form is immune
to Disable, though, so don't try that again.)
Fortunately, Ultima is pretty slow, and you have quite a bit of time to heal up
and attack between her moves, especially if Alma has been casting Haste on you
via Aegis. Also, if Alma has been casting Aegis on your party, Ultima may well
waste her turns using Dispelja to remove the effects of Aegis, and not even
inflict any damage on you.
When you defeat Ultima's second form, it will blow up (nice special effects).
The Battle Is Won! Leave the game on after the credits for an additional
scene.
Note that when the game says it's saving afterwards, it's just doing so to
unlock the last set of Rendezvous Mode missions. If you saved at any point
during the final sequence of battles (i.e., any time after you entered Orbonne
Monastery), loading this save will only put you back into the last set of
battles and doesn't allow you back to the world map. So, again, if you want to
do anything outside of the Necrohol, hang on to a separate save from before you
entered Orbonne Monastery!
If you haven't beaten Midlight's Deep and all the other subquests, you're not
really done with the game yet! If you kept a save from before you entered
Orbonne Monastery, you can go back and check out these quests for some extra
challenges. Keep on reading for more information on these missions.
********************************************************************************
V. WALKTHROUGH AND BATTLE STRATEGIES - SUBQUESTS 00sub
********************************************************************************
Midlight's Deep
(after Mullonde)
* The battle at Dorter that occurs after Limberry is technically optional, since
you can walk around it. But since most players are likely to encounter it
during the regular course of play, I've covered it up in the MAIN walkthrough
(it's Battle 48), NOT here.
Once a quest becomes available, it never goes away. There's no "time limit" on
when you can complete these quests -- unless you dismiss one of the characters
needed for the quest, of course. (The one exception is that optional Dorter
battle mentioned above, but it's not a "real" subquest and you don't really get
anything from it.)
%%%AGRIAS'S BIRTHDAY%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00agr
The Agrias's Birthday event allows you to obtain the Tynar Rouge, a great
accessory for female characters. It can occur on the date of 1 Cancer, which is
Agrias's birthday.
- Agrias, Mustadio, Alicia, and Lavian must still be on your team roster.
- You must have at least 500,000 gil in your War Funds. Only 50,000 of this
will be spent as part of the quest, but you must have 500,000 available.
- You must be in Chapter IV. (This event can be completed at any point during
Chapter IV, though.)
Once you've met the above requirements, you must land on a town, city, or castle
(i.e., any place with a store) on the world map on 1 Cancer. There are three
towns that DO NOT work for this: Eagrose Castle, Merchant City of Dorter, and
Zeltennia Castle. (These locations have their own new sidequests.) Any OTHER
town or castle BESIDES those three is fine.
Assuming you meet the above requirements, if you move onto one of the proper
locations on 1 Cancer, you'll see a scene in which Mustadio buys Agrias the
Tynar Rouge lip rouge for her birthday.
(It's possible that on 1 Cancer, you might move onto a town that triggers
another cutscene, like the opening of Midlight's Deep. You should still be able
to trigger the Agrias's Birthday event by trying to move away from the town
after the first cutscene has ended.)
The 50,000 gil cost of the rouge will be subtracted from your War Funds. It's
worth the expense, though, as the Tynar Rouge is a great accessory. It can be
equipped by any female character (not just Agrias) and grants a permanent Shell,
Protect, and Haste, as well as a bonus to your attack and magick strength.
1 Cancer follows after 32 Gemini. The easiest way to ensure that you land on a
town on that date is to simply move back and forth between Gollund Coal City and
Lesalia. Both of these cities work for activating the event, so you're
guaranteed to be in the right place on 1 Cancer.
If you somehow miss the date and don't end up on a town on 1 Cancer, don't
worry; the event never "expires." You can just wait until all the months cycle
through and try again the next time 1 Cancer comes up, as long as you still meet
the requirements listed above. (Fortunately, the villains are more than happy
to postpone their plans of world domination while you spend a year shopping for
makeup.)
Although this event never expires, it can only be completed ONCE, even if you
cycle through the calendar to Agrias's birthday again. You can only get a
single Tynar Rouge.
%%%GOLLUND COLLIERY%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00col
In the Gollund Colliery quest, you'll recruit three new characters: Beowulf,
Reis (in dragon form), and Construct 8. It's the first in a series of three
quests, as it leads into the Nelveska Temple and Cloud quests. To complete
ANY of these quests, you must still have Mustadio, so don't dismiss him or let
him get permanently killed! (It doesn't matter if he was KOed as long as he
didn't permanently die.)
Now go to the Mining Town of Gollund, in the center of the map. At the Tavern
in Gollund, listen to the rumor "The Haunted Mine." You will be asked to fight
a monster in the coal mines. Leave the bar. Nothing will happen at first, but
go north to Lesalia. As soon as you arrive here, Ramza will automatically go
into the Tavern and learn more about the coal mine job. He agrees to take it.
On the way out, Beowulf will stop you and ask you to take him with you.
GUEST: Beowulf [Libra] - Templar, lv. based on party's - Bravery 40, Faith 50
Equipment : Random
Abilities : Spellblade, other abilities random
You may want to equip Mystic Arts as Beowulf's second ability, since he starts
with a bunch of Mystic Arts magicks learned.
Before you leave Lesalia, check the Outfitter. Depending on how far you are
through Chapter IV, you may be able to buy Beowulf some better equipment.
Equipment that protects you against ice will be especially helpful in the
upcoming battles, so you may also want to pick up some Ice Shields or White
Robes if you don't have any in your inventory. You'll have to go to a non-
castle town to buy the robes, but don't go to Gollund since it will trigger the
battles!
Ideally, try to load up with both some Icebrands and other swords. The ice
damage from the Icebrands will be effective in some battles here, but there are
also some monsters that absorb ice.
--STRATEGY--
For some reason, you are being attacked by a large band of Chemists. (Look out;
there's one hidden under the staircase right next to where you start!) Since
the Chemists exclusively fight with guns, there's no need for any type of
magick defense. And since guns always have a 100% hit rate, boosting your
evade rate is pointless; leave behind the cloaks and shields and go for dual-
wielded or two-handed weapons. Close-range reaction abilities like Counter are
also pointless; choose reaction abilities like Auto-Potion or Adrenaline Rush
that are useful at any range.
The key to this battle is to close the distance between you and the Chemists as
quickly as possible. Fast characters or those with a high Move rate will be
good for this. You can also use Arithmeticks, Summons, Jump, or your
own guns to hit from a distance.
Since the Chemists all have the Items ability, they can keep healing themselves
and reviving their KOed comrades, which gets a little annoying. If you have
Orlandeau and/or Meliadoul, using their Crush abilities to break the Chemists'
armor will reduce their maximum HP and limit the amount they can heal
themselves. (Rend and Steal abilities work for this, too, but they often miss
and don't deal any direct damage!) You can also use Summons to strike a whole
area and wipe all the critical-HP Chemists who have just been revived.
Reviving any of your *own* KOed can also be difficult--because the Chemists
have guns, they'll immediately shoot and KO any character with critical HP.
You'll need Arise to effectively revive characters. Of course, if a KOed
character's death counter is getting low, you may need to toss a Phoenix Down
or Raise on them anyway--even if they just KOed again, you've at least reset
their counter and saved them from permanent death.
You do NOT need to keep Beowulf from getting KOed in this or the subsequent
battles.
Since this is a mining area, all the Battle Trophies and Treasure Hunter items
around here are Mythril items. These are absolutely worthless at this point in
the game, so there's no reason to go Treasure Hunting here.
Between battles, equip any Icebrands and Glacial Guns you own.
--STRATEGY--
This battle has a similar setting as the previous one, but there's only one
Chemist and, instead, two Thieves and two behemoths. (The Behemoth King is
hiding in the cubby-hole behind the Thief near your start position.) With a
more conventional assortment of enemies, this should actually be a more
straightforward battle.
The Chemist here has a Glacial Gun that you may want to steal -- though if he
happens to start with the Maintenance ability, you're out of luck. He can do
quite a bit of damage using the gun and you can't reach him to attack right
away, but equipping Ice Shields will protect you from the damage. The Thief on
the top level has a tendency to just sit in the corner until you come very
close, making him a sitting duck for magick or Jump attacks.
The snowstorm here boosts the power of ice attacks, including ice-elemental
weapons like Icebrands and Glacial Guns.
Since the Behemoth King is a somewhat rare monster, you may also want to Entice
or Tame it onto your team. Alternately, Poach it and you'll score either an
Artemis Bow or a Cherche perfume.
Before the next battle, de-equip any ice-based weapons you're using, as you'll
face Blue Dragons that absorb ice damage!
--STRATEGY--
This time, you're fighting two Chemists, two Blue Dragons, and a dancing pig.
The Pig is safe to leave 'til last; it can't do any harm. The Blue Dragons,
however, can and WILL harm you. Equipping Ice Shields will defend against their
Ice Breath attack, but even their physical attacks are strong. The Blue Dragons
are weak against fire, so use fire attacks for extra damage. Do NOT use ice
attacks (including Geomancy, the Icebrand, and the Glacial Gun), as the Blue
Dragons will absorb the ice and gain HP! Special sword techniques are your
best offense (as usual).
If you Entice the Pig to your team, you can breed and Poach pigs for great
items, so this is a great opportunity to recruit one! If you already have a
Pig on the team, you can just axe this one.
After the three battles, you'll reach the Coal Shaft. The monsters here are
WEAK against ice, so it's also a good idea to re-equip any Icebrands or other
ice weapons that you have.
GUEST: Reis [Pisces] - Holy Dragon, lv. based on party's - Bravery 31, Faith 32
--STRATEGY--
You need to keep Reis, the Holy Dragon, alive in this battle. Be sure to bring
someone who can heal her.
In order to get into Reis's area, you need to climb up onto the upper level and
pass through the narrow doorway. If you use jobs or accessories that get your
Jump score up to 4, you can jump directly up onto the ledge, which helps you
close the distance quickly. Otherwise, you'll have to take the long route up
by using the stairs behind where your party starts.
The Plague Horrors will turn you to stone or cast Doom on you if given the
chance, so kill them first -- both the Plague Horrors and Ochus are weak
against ice, so use ice attacks! If the enemies get lined up in the narrow
passage, use Shockwave (Monk) or Divine Ruination (Agrias/Orlandeau) to hit the
whole line of them. Reis will probably also rip into them with her Ice Breath.
You may also want to try poaching the Plague Horrors. They sometimes yield the
Zwill Straightblade, the best knife in the game.
After taking out the Plague Horrors, go after Syneugh. (Reis should be
able to handle the two Ochus by herself.) Make sure to keep Reis healed.
Syneugh uses Gigaflare a lot, which hits a wide area but isn't nearly as
powerful as it looks (although it does do a number on the frame rate ^_^). It
also hits his own teammates if they happen to be standing in your vicinity!
Syneugh doesn't have very much HP; if you have Orlandeau, he might able to kill
Syneugh in one shot. This battle isn't really as tough as it may look -- just
make sure Reis stays healed!
After this battle, you'll get the Aquarius Zodiac Stone, and Reis and Beowulf
will offer to join you. Sign them up! Both are required for later quests, so
be sure to keep them alive. Reis is not that great (at least for now), but
Beowulf IS. In particular, shoot for learning his Vengeance and Chicken
abilities. Chicken does a HUGE drop on enemy Bravery and frequently turns them
into a helpless chicken, while Vengeance is a potent attack with a long range.
---CONSTRUCT 8---
Now that you've got the Aquarius Stone, return to Goug. You will put in the
Aquarius stone in the iron sphere, which transforms into Construct 8. A
comical scene will follow, and then another new character, Construct 8, joins
you. Construct 8 is more like a monster in that it can't change jobs, but it's
super-strong anyway. It has a long-range laser attack, an inherent Counter,
and is impervious to Faith-based magicks, all status conditions except Confuse,
and most elements. However, it IS weak to lightning attacks that do not involve
Faith.
%%%RECRUITING BALTHIER%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00balt
QUEST BECOMES AVAILABLE: After completing battle at the Free City of Bervenia
REWARDS: Balthier joins the party, Ras Algethi gun, Mirage Vest
Any time after completing the battle at the Free City of Bervenia in Chapter
IV, visit either the Magick City of Gariland, the Mining Town of Gollund, or
the Royal City of Lesalia. Read the "Rash of Thefts" rumor. (You only need to
read this rumor at ONE of these three cities, not all three!)
After you've read "Rash of Thefts," go to Dorter and visit the Tavern there.
Read the new rumor here ("A Call for Guards") that will have appeared if you've
read "Rash of Thefts."
It seems like nothing has happened, but return to the map and try to leave
Dorter. You'll get into kicked into a battle (though not without a lengthy
FMV intro to Balthier first).
--STRATEGY--
Balthier will help you out here as a guest.
The bulk of your team will start away from Ramza and Balthier, so it may be
helpful to bring characters with a high Move range or guns, so that they can
join the fray quickly. You'll need to make sure Ramza doesn't get separated
and surrounded. Balthier won't fight on the frontlines, but he has a super-
strong gun and will assist from the rooftops. Unless Ramza gets surrounded,
this should be an easy battle.
Afterwards, you can sign Balthier up for your team. He's basically a
combination of Mustadio (he has all of Mustadio's Aimed Shot abilities) and a
Thief, but he has better stats and a wide range of usable equipment (including
polearms, knight's swords, guns, heavy armor, and more). He also has one unique
ability of his own: Barrage. Barrage allows him to attack four times in a row
for 1/2 damage each time, essentially allowing you to do double damage. Barrage
can't be evaded or blocked with Shirahadori, making it a very potent offensive
ability. Balthier's "Plunder" abilities are also a little better than regular
Stealing; when it comes to stealing equipment, a Plunder is 10 percentage points
more likely to succeed than a Steal. (So, if a Steal would have, say, a 36%
success rate, Plunder will have a 46% success rate, for instance.) Overall,
Balthier is a great character and definitely worth a spot on your roster.
Balthier also comes equipped with a Ras Algethi gun and Mirage Vest, two items
you can't find anywhere else! Both are quite strong, so even if you don't plan
on using Balthier, you should at least give his gear to someone else.
%%%NELVESKA TEMPLE%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00nel
---QUEST REQUIREMENTS---
In order to begin the Nelveska Temple quest, you must first have finished the
battles at Fort Besselat in the main storyline, as well as having completed the
Gollund Colliery quest above. Beowulf and Reis the Holy Dragon must also
still be on your team.
When you first reach the Trade City of Sal Ghidos during the main storyline,
you'll be asked to buy a flower for 1 gil from Aerith. Make sure you choose
the SECOND option to buy the flower. You'll need to buy this flower in order
to continue with the quest. If you fail to buy the flower when asked, you do
NOT have a second chance to get it and unfortunately can't continue with this
quest :(
Now go back up to Zeltennia Castle. Go to the tavern and listen to the "Cursed
Isle of Nelveska" rumor. This will open up a new path on your map from
Zeltennia to Nelveska Temple.
Although you can open up the route to Nelveska as soon as you reach Zeltennia,
in order to actually trigger the battle there, you must have seen the scene
at Goug where Besrudio presents his weathervane-like device.
If you do want to get the items, you'll need to have a LOW Bravery -- the
higher your Treasure Hunter's Bravery, the higher the odds of getting a crummy
item instead of the item you want. Rapha is great for this purpose since her
Bravery already starts pretty low. For the best odds, though, you'll want to
lower it even further. The best way to do this is probably with Beowulf's
Chicken magick (up to a 12-point decrease in permanent Bravery) for big changes
coupled with the Orator's Intimidate (4-point decrease in permanent Bravery) for
small changes. Just be to sure to keep her permanent Bravery above 10, so that
she doesn't start the battle as a Chicken.
--STRATEGY--
The enemies here will hit you hard and fast. When deploying characters, put
Orlandeau on either the far left or far right. If you have another character
with an automatic Haste (e.g. from the Tynar Rouge), place her behind
Orlandeau. Together, they can probably KO one of the Hydras on the pillars
before it has a chance to move.
The Hydras will attack you first. Watch out for their Tri-Attack, which hits
the unit in front of them plus any units to either side. Try to kill off one of
the Hydras before the Cockatrices reach you. The Cockatrices have relatively
little HP, so you may be able to take them out with group attacks (e.g. Hallowed
Bolt). Since all the enemies are fairly close by, you often don't need to move
attack to them. Remember that not moving gives you your next turn faster, so
don't move unless you need to. Since you're getting assaulted from all sides
here, Orlandeau's Shadowblade attack is quite useful here -- it both deals
damage AND restores a lot of his HP, keeping him healthy.
Construct 7 will probably come out of its nook in the temple to attack you.
Its attacks are brutal and can do 300+ damage to you. Try to thin out the
other monsters a little bit first so you won't be swarmed while you're wearing
Construct 7 down. Once you've taken out at least half the other monsters, rush
Construct 7. It has NO Faith, so magicks are useless. It's also immune to all
elements except Lightning and Water, so even non-Faith-based attacks that do
elemental damage (like the Monk's Shockwave) don't work. Regular physical
attacks and sword techniques will work. In addition, Construct 7 IS weak to
non-Faith-based Lightning attacks, so Reis's Thunder Breath attack will do quite
a bit of damage; it should take off more than half the Construct's HP! When you
KO Construct 7 the first time, it will come back with 1 HP, so KO it again and
the battle will end.
However, if you want to get the hidden items here, you MUST get them before you
defeat Construct 7, as you can't come back after this battle.
There are four hidden items. On top of the two pillars where the Hydras start,
you'll find the best polearm (the pillar on your right) and shield (the pillar
on your left). They're called the Javelin and Escutcheon, but they're totally
different items from the generic Javelin and Escutcheon. (I'll call the good
ones the Javelin II and Escutcheon II.) The lower your Bravery, the better your
odds of discovering the good items; otherwise, you'll end up with a regular
Javelin and Escutcheon, the WORST polearm and shield. To get up on top of the
pillars, move Construct 8 or Reis next to the pillar as a stepping-stone.
You'll need at least a jump of 4 to get up using the stepping-stone method.
(Ignore Elevation and Teleport are not usable because you need the movement
ability slot for Treasure Hunter!)
Because the "good" Javelin and Escutcheon have the same names as the crummy
Javelin and the Escutcheon, it's hard to tell during the battle which one
you've picked up. The Javelin II is gray instead of silver and has a fatter
point, and the Escutcheon II has gold trim (instead of silver) and an extra
vertical bar on its face. These details can be tough to spot in the few
seconds the item is displayed, though. An easier method is to put Reequip on
your Treasure Hunter, which will allow you to examine the items list during
battle. As long as you have "Display Unequippable Items" set to "On" (under
Options), you can see your entire list of equipment. Press Select on an item
to check its stats. If the Javelin or Escutcheon has great stats, it's the one
you want; if it has terrible stats, it's the "regular" version. (You can reset
if you don't get what you're looking for.) You needn't even use up a turn to
use Reequip in this way; just cancel out of the equipment menu without changing
anything and you can take another action.
The other two hidden items on this map are the Sasuke's Blade ninja blade, and
the Nagnarok, a sword that turns enemies into Toads. The Nagnarok has only 1
attack power but a high evade rate when used with Parry. Both these items also
require low Bravery, or you'll get Elixirs instead.
Sasuke's Blade is hidden in the grassy area behind the temple. When you're
facing the temple, on the right side, you'll see a staircase-like cliff that you
can use to climb up on top of the temple. Once you're on top of the temple,
continue moving away from your starting point into the green and brown grassy
area at the back end of the map. The specific tile is near the very far back.
Face the temple and move the cursor the upper-left corner of the map. Now, move
the cursor one tile to the right and one tile down. You should be on a tile
with a height of 4. This is the tile with Sasuke's Blade. (Another way of
locating this tile is to use the coordinates at the bottom of this battle
strategy.)
The Nagnarok sword is much closer to where you start. When the battle starts,
you'll see that Construct 7 is in the "doorway" of the temple just in front of
where you start. It's a black area with pillars on either side. You'll have
to first lure Construct 7 out of the way of the doorway. Once Construct 7 moves
out of the way, move into that "doorway," as if you were walking inside the
temple. This is a narrow passageway -- move the character as far back in the
passage as the game will let you in. The tile deepest inside the temple has the
Nagnarok.
The battle at Nelveska can be tough in its own right, and trying to claim all
these items will make it even harder. Bringing as any many women with Chantage
as possible will help keep you alive, of course. Even Angel Rings (which
only give you Reraise once per battle) are useful. If your Treasure Hunter is
relatively weak, try equipping him/her with the Invisibility Cloak found on
Mount Germinas. As long as the character doesn't take any actual action and
just moves around picking up items, s/he should be left alone completely.
KOing one or both Hydras at the very start of the battle will leave their
bodies atop the pillars, preventing you from climbing up there until they
crystallize ... but go ahead and KO them anyway. You're being attacked by so
many enemies at the start that it's easier to take them out and then just wait
for them to crystallize once things have settled down.
The biggest concern when item-hunting is Construct 7 and its strong attacks.
Unfortunately, it's immune to most of the status conditions you might want to
inflict to halt it. Instead, use Rend Speed over and over to whittle down its
speed and minimize the number of turns it gets. Once you've taken away all its
speed, you can then use Rend Power on it to make it even weaker. (If you
combine Arts of War with Dual Wield, you get two Rends per turn, which makes
this process much easier.) If you're doing the Rends at close range, you will
have to endure Construct 7's counterattacks, which is why Chantage will be
If you're not shooting for ALL the items, the Escutcheon II is the best to pick
up. It can be equipped by many jobs and cannot be found anywhere else in the
game. The Javelin II is probably second-best, since it's the strongest polearm,
whereas Sasuke's Blade is inferior to the Koga and Iga blades found in
Midlight's Deep. Also, the Javelin II and Sasuke's Blade do not HAVE to be
obtained here as they can eventually be caught with Sticky Fingers, and a
Sasuke's Blade can be stolen in another subquest. The Nagnarok is the lowest
priority, since it is of rather dubious value to begin with and can always be
poached from Swines.
When Construct 7 explodes, you'll get its power source: the Cancer Zodiac Stone.
Back on the map screen, try to leave Nelveska Island. Beowulf will use the
Cancer stone to restore the dragon Reis to her normal human form. She will then
re-join your party, keeping all her dragon abilities and adding many new ones
she can learn. Even in human form, her Dragonkin job can use very little
equipment -- just hair adornments, bags, and some accessories. But, she has
killer stats and an inherent Dual Wield. The Dual Wield can only be used only
with weapon types that can be Dual Wielded, of course, but that includes her
fists.
If you now return the Cancer Stone to Besrudio, he'll summon Cloud. You can now
embark on the Recruiting Cloud quest (below) to add Cloud to your team as well.
If you've cleared Mullonde in the main storyline, you can also tackle the
Lionel's New Liege Lord quest as well.
%%%RECRUITING CLOUD%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00cloud
You can get Cloud any time after you complete Ford Besselat. In order to get
him, you must first complete the Gollund Colliery quest, followed by the
Nelveska Temple quest, both described above. You'll also still need Mustadio
around.
Having completed both of these quests, hike all the way back to Goug. (If
you've finished the battles at Mullonde, you'll have a handy shortcut.)
Besrudio will power up the weathervane with the Cancer Stone and it will ...
summon Cloud. Cloud, in typical Cloud fashion, will refuse to let you
introduce yourselves and run off in pursuit of Sephiroth.
Now you have to go all the way to the Trade City of Sal Ghidos. Remember when
you met Aerith here earlier? Well, she's back, and this time she's being
accosted by some thieves. Cloud comes to save her, but has another one of his
schizophrenic breakdowns. You have to save him from the thieves.
--STRATEGY--
At this point in the game, a bunch of generic enemies with underpowered jobs
shouldn't pose much threat; if you can't win this battle, you probably
shouldn't be playing the game ;). The main concern here is the three Thieves,
who may try to steal your stuff. If you've got any rare gear, you'll probably
want to equip Safeguard to make sure you don't lose it -- or just take the
Thieves out ASAP. You also need to make sure Cloud stays healthy, since you
lose the battle if he's KOed. He's usually not in any danger, though, since he
often flees into the far side of the map and avoids the melee completely.
You're still not totally finished with this quest. In order for Cloud to be
able to use his Limit attacks, you need to find his Materia Blade. The Blade
is found using the Treasure Hunter ability during random battles at Mount
Bervenia. The easiest way to get into a battle at Mount Bervenia is to go to
Riovanes Castle and just move back and forth between Riovanes and Mount Bervenia
until you get into a random battle.
WEATHER: Random
--STRATEGY--
Once you're in battle, move your Treasure Hunter to the very tippy-top of the
volcano to discover the Materia Blade. You'll need a Jump at least of 4 to
reach the volcano top -- equip Germinas Boots if you need a boost. Unlike the
other rare items found with Treasure Hunter, this one doesn't depend on your
Bravery. You'll always receive the Materia Blade on this tile, regardless of
your Bravery; there's no chance of getting the wrong thing. Once you've
secured the Materia Blade, finish off the rest of the enemies to end the
battle. If you end the battle by mistake before getting the Blade, just start
up another battle; the Blade never disappears until you find it.
If you're having a hard time getting your Treasure Hunter up to the top during
the battle, one strategy is to kill off all but one enemy, and then use
Beowulf's Chicken ability to turn the last enemy into a chicken. This leaves
you free to spend as much time as needed navigating the volcano.
By the way, one of the other treasures here can never actually be obtained.
In order to pick it up, your Treasure Hunter would have to stop on top of a
lava-filled tile. But the only abilities that actually let you STOP on top of
lava are Lavawalking and Levitate -- and neither of those can be equipped at the
same time as Treasure Hunter! Float magick or equipment like the Winged Boots
DO NOT allow you to get this treasure. That's because they only let you move
through lava on the way to another tile, and never allow you to STOP on lava.
Equipping Cloud with the Materia Blade allows him to use his Limit command,
although you still have to learn all the Limit abilities individually.
Most of Cloud's Limit attacks do powerful magic damage. The downsides are that
they take a long time to charge, and they only target PANELS -- so if Cloud's
target moves before the attack actviates, it will miss!
Honestly, Cloud isn't really all that great a character, in my estimation. His
Limits take so long to charge, and he requires a lot of time to level up since
he starts back at level 1. If you want to use him, your best bet is probably to
give him the Time Mage's Swiftness ability (which halves the charge time of his
Limits), and give him gear to boost his Magick Attack (which will make his
Limits more powerful).
You can only get the Materia Blade at Mt. Bervenia once. But, if your Materia
Blade is broken or lost, there ARE a couple ways to replace it. First, enemy
ninjas of Lv. 96 or higher will sometimes throw Materia Blades, and you can use
the Thief's Sticky Fingers to catch and keep them. (Good places to find enemy
ninjas include The Interstice, the multiplayer "Littering" mission, and the
special battle at the west entrance to Araguay Woods.) You can also win the
Materia Blade as a prize in both of the multiplayer modes.
The second of two Agrias-related quests, this quest becomes available late in
Chapter IV, after you win the battles at Mullonde Cathedral. You do NOT have
to have completed the other Agrias quest (Agrias's Birthday) to access it.
First, after clearing the Cathedral, make tracks for Zeltennia Castle, in the
upper right corner of the map. As long as Agrias is still with you, when you
reach Zeltennia, you'll see a scene in which Agrias meets with Ovelia and sets
up an important later plot point. If Alicia and Lavian are still around,
they'll also participate in this scene, but they're not required.
Nothing else happens here, but now head to the Magick City of Gariland or
Eagrose Castle and hit up the Tavern. If you saw the scene at Zeltennia, there
will be a new rumor, "Disorder in the Order." Listen to it.
Now, if you head back to the Brigands' Den south of Mandalia Plain, you'll
get into a battle against some deserters from the Order of the Northern Sky.
--STRATEGY--
Agrias fights as a Guest in this battle, but it's not necessary to keep her
from getting KOed. You won't lose if she does. In fact, if you want to
steal from all the enemies here, it's probably a GOOD idea to KO Agrias
yourself to keep her from finishing off the enemies before you do. Since she's
a Guest here, you can leave her KOed as long as you want and she won't ever
disappear.
If you bring Orlandeau along as well, you can see a few extra lines of dialogue.
This battle is a stealing extravaganza! Every enemy here has at least one rare
item that you can't find in the Outfitter (although all these items are also
available in at least one other place in the game as well). The Squires have
Blaze and Glacial Guns respectively, the Ninja has a Sasuke's Blade, the Monk
has Ninja Gear and a Barette, and the Knights have a Venetian Shield and a
Kaiser Shield. If you get nothing else, the shields are probably your best bet.
Since there's a LOT to steal here, equipping Concentration or Martial Arts to
boost your success rate be helpful. Don't forget that raising your Speed also
helps you steal items, so use Ramza and Luso's Tailwind (or the Bard's Rousing
Melody) to crank up your Speed stat. Balthier's Plunder skills are also
advantageous here--they're more likely to successfully steal than a regular
Steal. Unfortunately, most of the enemies have equipment that makes them immune
to Sleep status, but Sleep DOES work on the Ninja and the Knights. Chicken can
also work, but then you'll have to chase after the chickenized enemies as they
run away from you, so this can be more hassle than it's worth.
All the enemies in this battle act as "special" characters who will never
crystallize or turn into chests. This can be kinda handy if you want to steal
from them. You can knock out all but one enemy, then revive just the enemy you
want to steal from, pilfer what you want, KO the enemy again, and repeat. You
never have to worry about anyone disappearing completely. Just don't finish off
the last enemy until you're done stealing!
Don't bother with the Treasure Hunter items here -- they're the same items from
when you fought at the Den way back in Chapter I, so they're totally worthless
now. In fact, if you already collected the items back then, they won't even be
here now.
The actual battle should be fairly easy since these are fairly basic enemies
with few special enemies. A couple of the enemies do start up on top of the
fort, which makes them hard to reach unless you have a good Jump, Teleport, or
Ignore Elevation. However, if you march up to the top of the ramp in front of
the fort, you can still hit them with a lot of special attacks (e.g. sword
techniques). Guns and Construct 8's Dispose are also good for attacking from a
distance.
Nothing special happens when you clear the battle--this quest is mostly just an
avenue for stealing a lot of great items :)
QUEST BECOMES AVAILABLE: After Mullonde battles AND completing Nelveska Temple
quest
REWARDS: Genji Armor, Zeus Mace, Sortile'ge, stealable Masamune and Chantage,
Hydrascale Bag, other equipment
The main purpose of Beowulf's new subquest is to acquire the Masamune and Genji
Armor, as well as a few other goodies.
To begin the subquest, you must first complete the Nelveska Temple quest. At
this point, you will have recruited Beowulf and Reis and returned Reis to human
form. Beowulf and Reis must also still be alive and on your roster. You also
have to completed the battle against Zalbaag at Mullonde in the main storyline.
However, you do NOT need to have recruited Cloud or obtained his Materia Blade.
In addition to meeting the above requirements, to activate the quest, you have
to have read the "Lionel's New Liege Lord" rumor that appears in Taverns after
you've completed the story battle at Bervenia Free City. This rumor can be read
before or after you recruit Beowulf and Reis.
This quest, of course, takes place at Lionel Castle. As soon as you visit
Lionel Castle after reading the rumor and acquiring the needed characters,
you're thrown into the quest, so you'll want to prepare first. Make sure you
have a character able to steal, as this subquest gives you a chance to steal a
Masamune and a Chantage.
When you reach Lionel Castle, you'll see a story scene and Reis will be
spirited away. You're given a chance to save and adjust your roster before
being booted into battle against Beowulf's old pal Aliste.
Since Reis is presently kidnapped, you won't be able to select her as part of
your team for the battles in this quest.
--STRATEGY--
Beowulf fights on your team as a Guest in this battle, which means you only
get to choose 3 other characters to deploy. And while it's not spelled out in
the victory conditions, you have to keep Beowulf alive -- if he gets KOed, you
immediately get a Game Over. Be sure to equip Beowulf with some good armor or a
shield beforehand. It's probably a wise idea to deploy a decent healer as
well so that you can keep his health up. Since your principal enemy here has
Safeguard, Meliadoul's sword techniques are useless, so you probably won't
want to deploy her.
Aliste starts up on the roof, but since he has Elmdore's Master Teleportation
ability, he'll probably warp down to fight you before you can climb up after
him. He's a Templar just like Beowulf, so he has all of Beowulf's Spellblade
skills. (He has a nice set of Genji gear as well, but, also like Elmdore, he
has Safeguard, which means you unfortunately can't steal it from him.) Since
Aliste's Spellblade can inflict a lot of status changes on you, be sure to have
Remedy or Esuna ready. Alternately, try wiping out Aliste's MP using the
Knight's Rend MP, Orlandeau's Duskblade, or the Dark Knight's Infernal Strike.
Aliste has somehow equipped a Ribbon--normally female-only headgear--in his
You might want to send one or two of your less powerful characters to take out
the Ninjas coming through the castle gate. The other enemies can probably
be ignored. The Archers won't do too much damage, and they're hard to target
since the castle wall blocks your ability to shoot at them. If you want to
take them out, use Construct 8's Dispose, which can go through walls.
As with all of the "repeat" battlefields, the Treasure Hunter tiles here are the
same crummy ones from the first time through, so you can safely ignore them.
You'll have another chance to save and adjust your team, so equip the Genji
Armor you just won. It's the second strongest suit of armor in the single-
player game.
--STRATEGY--
Bremondt has a pretty powerful set of underlings here. Most importantly, the
Samurai to Bremondt's right (the left side of the screen when the battle
begins) has a stealable Masamune. This is by far the easiest place to get this
weapon, so be sure to steal it! (The only other way to get a Masamune in the
single-player game is to catch it with Sticky Fingers when enemy Ninjas throw
it.)
Some of Bremondt's other troops are pretty tough, too. The Mystic on his
left (again, the right side of the screen initially) is equipped with Chantage.
This means that there's no point in attacking her, as she'll just revive on
her next turn. The only way to really take her out is to break the Chantage or
steal it. Since Chantage is extremely useful, stealing it isn't a bad idea,
although you CAN get them elsewhere. Watch out, both Mystics also have a pretty
strong attack since they're equipped with bags.
Other rare items available here are a Cachusha and Barette--stolen from the
Mystics on Bremondt's right and left, respectively--and the Sortile'ge perfume,
also stolen from the Mystic on his right. You'll be receiving a Sortile'ge
and Hydrascale Bag for completing this quest anyway, though, so these are
pretty skippable.
Bremondt himself is equipped with a Lordly Robe, which gives him a fair amount
of HP, and a Ribbon, which blocks any status attacks. Unfortunately, he has
Safeguard, so you can't steal this stuff from him. He's not much of a threat in
combat, though. As long as at least one of his underlings is KOed, Bremondt
usually just wastes his turns casting Arise. (This can actually helpful be if
you accidentally KO the Samurai with the Masamune before you're able to steal
it.) Keep at least one of the generic enemies KOed while you go after Bremondt
and he'll just keep using Arise. Since the Ribbon doesn't protect Bremondt from
the Atheist status, you can also try using the Mystic's Disbelief (or Beowulf's
Doubt) to prevent him from casting magicks. Alternately, attack his MP with
Rend MP / Duskblade / Infernal Strike.
When Bremondt is KOed, he will transform into the Dark Dragon, and all the other
enemy troops will be wiped from the board. It's now time for the second phase
of this battle.
The Dark Dragon has some really strong physical attacks, and might occasionally
use breath attacks as well. It can Counter you when you attack, so you're
probably better off using sword techniques or other abilities that aren't
standard melee attacks. Beowulf's Drain is good too, though here you have no
control over whether he uses it! Magicks are pretty useless since the Dark
Dragon has very low Faith AND Arcane Defense. Graviga and Lich can still do big
damage if they connect, but will have a low hit rate. Attacks that don't depend
on Faith are better.
When Bremondt goes down, you'll receive a Zeus Mace, a very nice staff, for
your efforts. (There's a second Zeus Mace in Midlight's Deep, but it doesn't
hurt to have two!)
Beowulf and Reis are reunited. In gratitude for all your help, Beowulf
hands over all his treasure, including a Gold Hairpin, a Hydrascale Bag, a
pair of Hermes Shoes, a Diamond Bracelet, and the Sortile'ge perfume. You're
prompted to add Beowulf and Reis back into your roster, and this subquest is now
complete! At this point, Beowulf and Reis are no longer required for any other
quests, so you COULD delete them if you wanted, but you won't be able to get
them back!
%%%MIDLIGHT'S DEEP%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00md
Midlight's Deep is a bonus dungeon with ten floors (each a separate battle),
each packed with really powerful equipment. It's completely optional, and in
fact is more difficult than the actual end of the game.
You can only access Midlight's Deep after you complete the three battles at
Mullonde Cathedral. But, you don't need to have beaten the final boss.
After completing Mullonde Cathedral, go to the Port City of Warjilis. When you
arrive, you'll automatically see a scene in the tavern in which Ramza overhears
a rumor about the Deep. (Fans of the original PSone version of FF Tactics may
get a kick out of some of the dialogue here.) When you leave town, a route will
automatically pop up on the tiny island to the east, which contains Midlight's
Deep.
To enter Midlight's Deep, move to the island. Then, click on Midlight's Deep a
second time. Choose the floor you want to enter. At the beginning, only the
first floor will be accessible, but you'll open up more as you progress.
---General Instructions---------------------------------------------------------
Although Midlight's Deep *looks* dark, it does not have the penalties on bow
and crossbow accuracies that nighttime battles do in the overworld.
To make things tricky, each time you enter the level, the exit is RANDOMLY
placed on one of five possible tiles -- so you don't know where it is! In the
floor-by-floor walkthrough below, I've listed the possible exit locations for
each floor, in order from nearest to furthest. Bear in mind that the exit can
only be found on ONE of these five tiles, not any of them.
Remember, the battle ends when you KO the last enemy, and if you didn't find
the exit, you'll have to replay the level. So, you need to find the exit
BEFORE you KO that last enemy. The easiest way to do this is to KO all but one
enemy, then use Beowulf's Chicken ability or the Black Mage's Toad magick on
the last enemy to turn it into a chicken or toad. Once the last enemy is a
harmless animal, it's easy to walk around the level and look for the exit. Toad
is ideal -- it lasts *forever*, unless the enemy has Black Magicks and can cast
Toad on itself to cure itself. Chicken lasts for quite a while, but each turn
the enemy gets 1 point of Bravery back, and when it has 10 Bravery, the Chicken
spell will wear off. But, if you always recast Chicken when it's close to
wearing off, you can keep the enemy a chicken forever :). (You can also
supplement Chicken with Sleep--the enemy won't begin regaining Bravery until it
wakes up.) Of course, you don't HAVE to use the Chicken or Toad trick to find
the exit -- it just makes it a lot easier.
While you do need to find the exits to advance, there's no obligation to find
the exit on your first visit. If the battle gets rough, it's fine to just
finish off the enemies and forget about finding the exit. You can look for it
on your next visit.
Also, once you've found a floor's exit once, you never need to look for it
again. So, if you return to a previous floor to hunt for items or poach
monsters, you don't need to worry about looking for the exit.
As with most rare Treasure Hunter finds, you need a LOW Bravery level to pick
up the special item. The higher your Bravery, the higher your chance you'll
get a crummy Phoenix Down instead. (The chance of getting the Phoenix Down is
simply equal to the character's current Bravery -- so a lower Bravery decreases
your chance of getting it.)
If you DO pick up the Phoenix Down, the "good" item is gone FOREVER, even if you
leave the map and come back later! So, if you want to get all the items, you
may want to save pretty frequently and only try picking up one or two items at a
time. That way, it's easy to reset and try again if you don't get the item you
want.
If you forget a treasure tile completely, it's fine to go back to the map and
activate it later. The treasure won't disappear until someone activates the
tile.
Beware that enemy characters with Treasure Hunter can also pick up the rare
items, which will prevent you from ever getting them! At the start of each
battle, you may want to check all the enemy humans to see if they have Treasure
Hunter. If they do, either KO or Immobilize those enemies quickly to prevent
them from beating you to the loot!
If you step on a tile and spring a trap instead of getting the treasure, you
might be experiencing one of two problems. Either the character doesn't have
Treasure Hunter, or someone (either one of your characters or an enemy) already
picked up the treasure from that tile. Unfortunately, once one item is grabbed
from a tile, the treasures are gone permanently.
To make Rapha (or whomever you're using as a Treasure Hunter) more mobile, give
her Germinas Boots to increase her move and jump range. If she has them
unlocked, you can also switch her to an agile job like Thief, Dragoon, or Monk.
This is helpful both for picking up the treasures and for finding the exits.
Alternately (or in addition), you can have her ride a chocobo to increase her
mobility. A Black Chocobo is particularly advantageous since it can fly right
over enemies. Just deploy the chocobo next to her, and then move her onto the
tile with the chocobo to have her ride it. You won't actually be able to claim
items while on the chocobo, though, so park the chocobo NEXT to the tile with
the treasure and have Rapha use the Dismount command to step down onto the
treasure tile. It takes three turns just to move the chocobo, dismount, and
remount, so chocobos are mostly helpful on maps with tricky terrain that would
be even slower to navigate on foot.
If you're having trouble with Rapha getting KOed quickly, you can protect her
by equipping with her an item to make her Invisible. Items you can use include
the Invisibility Cloak found on Mount Germinas (see Battle Strategy 42)
or the Ninja Gear stealable in the Disorder in the Order sidequest.
Both these items causes Rapha to start the battle with Invisible status. As
long as she doesn't take any action and just moves around the battlefield
looking for items and exits, she will stay invisible and will be virtually
ignored by the enemies. (She's still vulnerable to area-effect spells.) The
Ninja Gear is particularly advantageous; since it is body armor, it leaves
Rapha's accessory slot free to equip Germinas Boots for enhanced mobility.
Later, you can also get the Invisible status from the Septie`me perfume,
poachable from the Greater Hydras found in the Deep, and from a second set of
Ninja Gear found on the sixth floor of the dungeon (The Palings).
You can also combine Invisibility with chocobo-riding; if you're Invisible when
you board a chocobo, the chocobo becomes Invisible too (even though it doesn't
look like it on the screen :P). Be careful, though; dismounting from the
chocobo removes the chocobo's Invisibility and gives the enemies a chance to
attack it.
Note that you can also still pick up items as a Chicken, although you can't
control the character. Since Chicken-ified characters usually run into a
corner, you can use this tactic for picking up items in the corner of a map.
Chickens have a Bravery below 10, which almost guarantee you'll get the rare
item.
All of the coordinates are given relative to a particular corner. First, use
the tile height and terrain type information to identify which of the 4 corners
on the map is the reference corner. (You can view the terrain type information
by highlighting a tile with the cursor and then pressing the Select button.)
Now, tilt the analog stick on the PSP left or right. When you do this, the
screen will change perspective and you'll be looking at the battlefield from a
different angle. Keep doing this until the reference corner is at the bottom
of the screen.
You're now all set to find the treasure tiles. Start at the reference corner.
Then, use the LEFT and UP arrows on the D-pad to move the cursor the specified
number of spaces. For example, Left: 3, Up: 2 means 3 tiles to the left and 2
tiles up. The height and terrain type information will help you confirm that
you've found the right space.
(This is the same system I use for all the Treasure Hunter tiles, so if you've
already been collecting them, there's nothing new to learn :) )
For exact item locations, see each level's battle strategy, below.
---POACHING---
There are also a number of rare monsters in Midlight's Deep, and poaching them
can get you some unique items you can't find anywhere else. (See the Poaching
List for the complete list.) Fortunately, since Warjilis Trade City is a trade
city and has a Poachers' Den. So, after poaching some monsters, it's easy to
head back to Warjilis and check on your haul.
If you're serious about poaching (and have space on your roster), the best
tactic for getting these rare items is to recruit a monster from the species
using the Orator abilities Entice or Tame. (The Dragon's Charm ability
possessed by Reis can also be used to recruit dragons and hydras, and works
100% of the time.) Once you've recruited the monster, just walk back and forth
between Warjilis and the Deep. As the days pass, the monster will lay eggs and
the eggs will hatch into new monsters. (You can actually preview exactly which
monsters you'll be getting if you use the trick described in the Monsters
section of Basic Mechanics and Tactics -- press Ctrl+F and 00mon to jump there.)
Poach the HATCHED monsters, but leave the original in your roster. That way,
you have a limitless supply of monsters to poach. This is a great way to poach
In fact, breeding monsters is the ONLY way to get a Wild Boar, which in turn
is your only source in the single-player game for two super-rare items (the
Ribbon and the Fallingstar Bag).
---ENEMY PARTIES---
On each floor, you'll encounter 1 of 4 different possible enemy parties,
randomly determined each time you enter the floor. Within those parties, there
is also some randomness in exactly what enemies you face. I've listed all the
possibilities for each floor in the battle strategies below. Generally
speaking,
> Party Type A features 1-11 enemies, usually many copies of just a few
fairly basic enemy types.
> Party Types B and C always include 8 enemies and a more diverse group of
enemy types.
> Party Type D always includes 4 enemies and usually includes a mix of humans
and more advanced monsters.
---Floor-by-Floor Walkthrough---------------------------------------------------
Whew! I think that's all the instruction you need. Now head on in!
TYPE D - Knight (lv RH+3, m) OR Black Mage (lv RH+3, f) OR Time Mage (lv RH+7,m)
[4 foes] Archer (lv RH+3, m) OR Summoner (lv RH+2, f) OR Thief (lv RH+7, f)
Gobbledygook (lv RH+5) OR Exploder (lv RH+7) OR Wisenkin (lv RH+5)
Squire (lv RH+7, m) OR Red Panther (lv RH+3) OR Piscodaemon (lv RH+4)
--STRATEGY--
In this level, you start out at the top of a large cliff with a staircase-like
path winding down it. The enemies are all at the bottom, which gives you a big
height advantage. It's easy to rain ranged attacks down on them. If you do
want to use melee attacks, Ignore Elevation, Teleport, or other jump boosts are
helpful for navigating the cliff and descending quickly.
The enemies here are all weak jobs and monsters (the Type A party is nothing but
Goblins!), so they shouldn't be that difficult. It's a good warm-up for the
tougher Midlight's Deep battles. Watch out for the Exploder monster, though;
it's dark gray and is very difficult to see in the dark. If you face the Type D
party, scan your cursor through the enemy forces to check for it.
You can find two of the magickal guns here, although you may already have copies
that you stole earlier. The Blaze Gun is a little stronger than the Glacial
Gun, but both are worth picking up. These "magickal" guns do elemental attacks.
Their damage varies; sometimes you get a -ra or a -ga spell visual effect and
increased damage. The damage estimate you see when preparing to attack is the
"low" estimate if you just get the regular spell.
The Kiyomori hidden on this level is just a regular Kiyomori katana like you
could buy in a store, making it the most useless pickup in the Deep.
Remember to find the exit before you KO the last enemy. Otherwise, you won't
be able to advance to the next level!
After you find the exit in The Crevasse, you'll open up The Stair. If you
defeated all the enemies on The Crevasse before you found the exit, just go back
to The Crevasse and keep trying until you find the exit.
TYPE C - Monk (lv RH+8, male) OR Black Mage (lv RH+7, male)
[8 foes] Ninja (lv RH+8, female) OR Time Mage (lv RH+6, female)
Skeleton (lv RH+7) OR Ghoul (lv RH+8)
Skeleton (lv RH+6) OR Ghoul (lv RH+8)
Skeleton (lv RH+5) OR Ghoul (lv RH+8)
Bonesnatch (lv RH+4) OR Ghast (lv RH+8)
Bonesnatch (lv RH+3) OR Ghast (lv RH+8)
Bonesnatch (lv RH+2) OR Ghast (lv RH+8)
TYPE D - Blue Dragon (lv RH+9) OR Knight (lv RH+4, m) OR Archer (lv RH+5, m)
[4 foes] Dragon (lv RH+9) OR Knight (lv RH+5, m) OR Archer (lv RH+6, m)
Dragon (lv RH+9) OR Summoner (lv RH+6, f) OR Archer (lv RH+7, m)
Dragon (lv RH+9) OR Summoner (lv RH+7, f) OR Archer (lv RH+3, m)
--STRATEGY--
Despite the name, this floor isn't quite a stair. Instead, it's a bumpy
landscape full of variations in height. So, again, Ignore Elevation/Teleport
and jump boosts are helpful. Your opponents start quite close to you this time,
but you still have a bit of a height advantages.
Common enemy types include Archers, ahrimans, and skeletons. Since there are
often multiple Archers, the Archer's Bane and Shirahadori abilities are quite
helpful. Having your own strong range attacks also lets you KO the Archers
quickly. Take out the Archers first, then go after the skeletons (their Anima
attacks can be pretty strong!), and finally the ahrimans. Since you're being
attacked by the full enemy party at once, putting Disable or Chicken on some
enemies or using Rend/Crush Weapon on humans will stop their attacks and give
you some breathing room.
Instead of skeletons and Archers, you may instead fight goblins (Type A party)
or ghosts (some Type C parties). These are usually easier battles. All the
groups of enemies are definitely tougher than those in The Crevasse, however.
TYPE D - Dragoon (lv RH+6, f) OR Bl.Mage (lv RH+10,f)OR Elder Treant (lv RH+7)
[4 foes] Geomancer (lv RH+7,m) OR Archer (lv RH+10,m) OR Skeletal Fiend (lvRH+8)
Mystic (lv RH+8, f) OR Knight (lv RH+10,f) OR Squidraken (lv RH+9)
Orator (lv RH+9, m) OR Squire (lv RH+10,m) OR Red Panther (lv RH+5)
--STRATEGY--
The Hollow has a big chasm running through the center of it, dividing the map
into three separate regions. Your party starts on a separate "island" from the
enemy squad and you can only cross with a jump or Teleport.
Probably the most dangerous enemy that can appear here is the Mindflayer. The
Mindflayer's Mind Blast ability can Berserk or Confuse you, and has enough
range that it can reach across the chasm. Try to KO the Mindflayers first. If
they do Confuse you, you can cure a Confused character by whacking them with a
physical attack. This doesn't cure Berserk, though.
Also common here are enemy Black Mages, who can of course hit you with magick
from a distance. Stealing away their MP is one good way of dealing with them.
A gun paired with Rend MP can do this from a long distance, and Orlandeau's
Duskblade has a decent range too.
The Hollow also contains two good pieces of equipment: the Yoichi Bow and the
Zeus Mace. Be sure to pick them up! In general, collecting all the Elixirs is
not necessary as there are quite a few available and you can do fine without
getting them all (or even any of them).
One of the exit locations here is a bit tricky. It's up atop a height 6 pillar.
There's a "step" (of height 2.5) on one side of the pillar you can use to climb
up. Or, just use Teleport or Ignore Elevation to hop up directly. (Finding the
exits doesn't require Treasure Hunter so you can use your movement ability slot
for Teleport.)
Get ready for the fourth floor, The Catacombs, which is fairly challenging.
TYPE D - Hydra (lv RH+13) OR Archer (lv RH+12, m) OR Floating Eye (lv RH+8)
[4 foes] Sekhret (lv RH+12) OR Monk (lv RH+11, m) OR Steelhawk (lv RH+13)
Sekhret (lv RH+11) OR Summoner (lv RH+10,f) OR Gobbledygook (lv RH+13)
Minotaur (lv RH+10) OR Monk (lv RH+9, f) OR Mindflayer (lv RH+13)
--STRATEGY--
The Catacombs are actually just a big staircase that winds back and forth,
similar to The Crevasse (the first floor). However, the staircase is longer
and each tier is separated by a chasm, so you can't jump straight down.
Depending on the enemies you face, this level can either be easy or pretty
challenging. The Type A party pits you against Malboros only, which is easy.
The Malboros are slow, don't have ranged attacks, and tend to bunch up in
groups. You can take your time advancing against them and attack them with
wide-range attacks (e.g. Hallowed Bolt).
More difficult are the Type B and Type C parties, which include aevises; the
Type C party also usually includes Mystics, Black Mages, and Archers. These
battles are tougher. The aevises will quickly fly up the stairs to attack you
and can fly over your front line to attack the magick-/item-users in the back.
The Mystics can also be a pain since they will put lots of status conditions on
you and often start near your team. If you have any Hair Adornments to equip
on your female characters, these are good to bring here since they will protect
against lots of potential status ailments. Attack the Mystics first since they
have less HP and you can probably KO them the fastest. Attack the Aevises
second and save any Malboros/Ochus for last.
The exit is almost always towards the end of path, as are most of the items.
This can make them difficult to reach if the enemy squad confronts you head-on.
You'll probably have the best luck finding everything when you're fighting the
Type A party (the Malboros) and have plenty of room and time for navigation.
It may take you a few tries to collect everything here. But, the equipment
available here is also quite good. The Rod of Faith is available here only and
especially valuable (see below), and the Kaiser Shield is good too. The Faerie
Harp is skippable if you don't use Bards, although it IS the strongest harp
available.
Make sure to pick up the Rod of Faith before you move on from the Catacombs.
The Rod of Faith maximizes its wielder's Faith while equipped, increasing their
magick power (but also the magick damage they receive). You can also whack
other characters with it to give *them* Faith status as well.
The Rod of Faith is ONLY available on The Catacombs, so don't miss it! If you
pick up the Phoenix Down from the tile, or if you claim the Rod and it gets
broken, the Rod is gone forever. Don't let this happen!
The Rod of Faith can be especially useful for Marach, if you're using him. The
Faith status maximizes the damage from *both* his Nether Mantra abilities (which
normally do more damage when his Faith is low) and regular magicks (which do
more damage when Faith is high). Also, since the Rod maximizes your Faith
regardless of its normal value, you can reduce a character's Faith to make them
strong against enemy magick and then only give them the Rod when you want them
using magick. (See the related entry under Tricks Related To Specific Items --
Ctrl+F plus 00tricks -- for more on strategies using the Rod.)
It's also worth noting that the Faerie Harp from The Catacombs is the only
TYPE D - Summoner (lv RH+15,f) OR Monk (lv RH+10, f) OR Squire (lv RH+14, f)
[4 foes] Thief (lv RH+15, m) OR W. Mage (lv RH+14, m) OR Chemist (lv RH+13, m)
Orator (lv RH+15, f) OR Bl.Mage (lv RH+13, f) OR Knight (lv RH+12, f)
Mystic (lv RH+15, m) OR T. Mage (lv RH+12, m) OR Archer (lv RH+11, m)
--STRATEGY--
The Oubliette is basically a "king of the hill" scenario. You're up on top of
a hill which is surrounded by loads of enemies. There's only one path up (or
down) the hill, which loops counterclockwise around the cliff.
Although many of the tiles here are River tiles, the water is so shallow that
it doesn't affect your movement in any way. No need to worry about that.
A second Excalibur sword is hidden right on the top of the hill where you start.
Although you should already have the one Orlandeau comes with, a second never
hurts ... the automatic Haste effect is incredibly useful! If you have Reequip,
you can even arm yourself it with it right away. You can give this second
Excalibur to another character who uses knight's swords, like Agrias, Beowulf,
You can also find the Iga Blade ninja blade on this floor.
It's possible to launch attacks down at the enemies from atop the the cliff, but
it's trickier than it looks. The angle is so steep that guns probably won't
work. You can use magicks, but your best bet is probably just to wind your way
down the trail. For the most part, you'll be on the opposite side of the hill
as the enemies and they can't hit you anyways. Do be careful when you're
descending the initial ramp, though. If you stand close to the edge of the
cliff, any enemy Archers or Summoners CAN hit you from below.
Because the trail is pretty narrow, it can get hard to see where your
characters are, or how far your moving/targeting range extends. Don't forget
that you can rotate the "camera" by tapping the analog stick (in the lower-left
of the PSP) left or right. This will often help you get a better view.
Pressing the R button on top of the PSP will also tilt the camera angle.
After you've made a couple turns around the hill and end up facing the direction
you did when you started the level, you'll come to a pass that's only two tiles
wide. This is the best place to fight. You can just send Divine Ruinations
or Shockwaves down this corridor and rip the enemies. If you have both Agrias
and Orlandeau, you can cover the entire pass with Divine Ruinations.
Another tactic is the to block the full width of the pass with Invisible
characters. (Ninja Gear, Septie`me perfume, the Invisibility Cloak, and the
Ninja's Vanish ability can all make characters Invisible.) The enemies can't
walk past your Invisible characters, and because you're Invisible, they won't be
able to attack you either. Then, you can just have the rest of your team launch
magicks or sword techniques at the enemies from behind your "invisible wall."
If you're battling the Type B party, there will likely be some White Mages here.
These are actually the most dangerous enemies here, as they will keep healing
and Raising the other enemies. Kill them first. Otherwise, you mainly fight
treants and Gobbledygooks here, and they are both pretty easy to defeat.
Finding the exit on this floor can be tough. One of the possible locations is
on a "ledge" directly below where you start. You can jump down there from the
height 13 area, or use Teleport/Ignore Elevation to leap directly. The other
exit locations are on the bottom of the path, with the enemies. It can be
tricky to squeeze past the enemies to reach them. An alternative is to Teleport
directly down at the start of the battle. This works best if the character is
Invisible or has some other good defensive abilities/gear, as s/he is otherwise
likely to get surrounded and KOed.
TYPE D - Dark Behem. (lv ~RH) OR Samurai (lv RH+17, m) OR Chocobo (lv ~RH)
[4 foes] Plague Horr.(lv ~RH) OR Samurai (lv RH+15, f) OR Black Chocobo (lv ~RH)
Dragon (lv ~RH) OR Knight (lv RH+16, m) OR Exploder (lv ~RH)
Behemoth (lv ~RH) OR Knight (lv RH+14, f) OR Red Panther (lv ~RH)
--STRATEGY---
The Palings is a flat level with three big rock ridges. Select a range attack
to get a feel for where they are. Normally, you'd have to wind your way
around them, which means that slower characters can easily get stranded behind
the rest of your team. If you equip the Teleport move ability, though, you can
warp right through the ridges. (Ignore Elevation, however, doesn't work.)
Using Teleport can be helpful for keeping your team together. It also makes it
easier to reach the exit locations, many of which are towards the far end of the
path.
An even better strategy, though, is to just cast magick *through* the walls,
while the enemies are still trying to navigate around them. Sword techniques,
Arithmeticks, and summon spells work great for this purpose. You can even use
Jump to attack over the walls. Using Invisible characters to block the passage
(see The Oubliette, above) works here, too.
As in The Oubliette, it can often get pretty hard to see where you're going, so
rotate the camera to keep track of where the enemies are and where you can
move.
The Type A party here features a slew of Vampire Cats. They like to use Blaster
to turn you to stone, so you may want to equip Jade Armlets for protection just
in case you run into this enemy group. Or, at least bring a supply of Gold
Needle or Remedies.
As on the first floor, the Exploder that may appear in the Type D party is
tricky to see in the dark. Check the enemy party with your cursor to see if
it's hiding out.
All the hidden items are right in the starting corner, so there's no reason not
to pick them up! (If you start on top of one the item tiles, you have to first
move to another tile and then move to the item tile before you can get the item
to appear.) The items include the Blaster (the lightning-elemental magickal gun
and the strongest gun overall), the invisibility-granting Ninja Gear, the Cursed
Ring, and an Elixir.
If you plan on tackling all the co-op Rendezvous Mode missions, the Cursed Ring
is quite important to one of the missions. This is the only one you can get in
the game, so don't miss it or lose it later! The Ring has the effect of making
a character Undead as long as it's equipped. In other words, the effect of most
healing and draining magicks are reversed. The Undead status also gives you a
50% chance of reviving when your death counter reaches 0 -- but be aware that
there's still a 50% chance you'll die permanently!
TYPE D - Hydra (lv RH+18) OR Archer (lv RH+19, m) OR Archer (lv ~RH, f)
[4 foes] Summoner (lv RH+17, f) OR Piscodaemon (lv RH+19) OR Wisenkin (lv ~RH)
Wh. Mage (lv RH+18, f) OR Mindflayer (lv RH+17) OR Dragon (lv ~RH)
Dragoon (lv ~RH, f) OR Squidraken (lv RH+19) OR Archer (lv ~RH, m)
--STRATEGY--
The Crossing is a mostly flat level with a big rock ridge running through the
middle. There's a small gap running through the ridge (the Crossing, I
suppose) that separates it into two smaller cliffs.
You start off next to one of the ends of the ridge. Most of the time, the
enemies will all be clustered around the other cliff. Advance forwards and
start fighting them, using height to your advantage where you can. Again,
because you're often fighting a large group at once, abilities that quickly
put an enemy out of commission (e.g. Chicken or Arm Shot) are helpful.
If you encounter the Type D party, however, the enemies will be more spread out
across the level. Advance forward just the same and cross the level on the
level ground. Trying to climb over the ridge is just liable to get your
characters separated and surrounded.
There's actually not much need to climb up onto the top of the ridge except to
find the items stashed up there. Most of the items (including the two rare
weapons) are atop the cliff that you start beside. To get up there, from the
starting point, move forward a little bit, then move sideways into the gap
through the ridge. From here, you can jump on top of the ridge, but you'll
need a Jump of 5. If you need a boost, use Construct 8 or another large
monster as a stepping stool. (Remember, of course, that Treasure Hunter cannot
be combined with Teleport or Ignore Elevation.)
Actually, most of the items here aren't all that great. The Staff of the Magi
isn't very good; it has a higher *physical* attack power than the Zeus Mace, but
no benefit to your magick attack -- and how often do your magick-users hit
people with their staves? But, do grab the Koga Blade if you have any ninjas.
If you're looking for the exits, you can take the "crossing" through the ridge
to get to the far side (i.e., the other side of the ridge from where you start).
One of the possible locations is *inside* the crossing gap, and three of the
others are on the far side of the ridge.
By now, you're getting near the bottom, and the difficulty level is rising
again. The next two floors will be quite tough, but they also contain some
very strong items.
TYPE D - Arithm. (lv RH+21, m) OR Blk Mage (lv ~RH, m) OR Summoner (lv ~RH, m)
[4 foes] Arithm. (lv RH+21, f) OR Blk Mage (lv ~RH, f) OR Summoner (lv ~RH, f)
Arithm. (lv RH+20, f) OR Blk Mage (lv ~RH, f) OR Summoner (lv ~RH, f)
Arithm. (lv RH+19, f) OR Blk Mage (lv ~RH, f) OR Summoner (lv ~RH, f)
--STRATEGY--
This level has two tiers. You start on the high one and have to cross it,
descend a stair, and fight back across the lower tier -- hence the name "The
Switchback."
As in other levels like The Oubliette, the decline is so steep that it's pretty
hard to shoot downwards, so you're better off heading for the stairs.
Arithmeticks is extremely effective, however; the lower tier is almost
completely height 3, so you can hit most of the enemy forces with a Height 3
calculation. (Any bomb-type enemies are floating, though, which raises them up
1 height unit -- you need to use Height 4 to hit them.)
The Type B party is mostly monsters panthers, bombs, and treants. Be cautious
of any panther enemies in the Type B party. They have an innate Ignore
Elevation, which means they can jump right up the cliff and attack you. You
might want to attack them first. The Type B party may also contain an Exploder
-- again, these guys are pretty hard to see in the dark, so check with your
cursor.
The Type C party features some of the game's toughest monsters -- malboros,
behemoths, dragons, and hydras (oh my!). When you see these guys, you may want
to forestall hunting for items or the exit and just focus on surviving. On the
other hand, this is a great opportunity to go Poaching or monster recruiting.
The items are all found on the bottom tier. These include the Ragnarok knight's
sword (not actually as good as Excalibur as it doesn't have an auto-Haste), the
Lordly Robe (a GREAT robe), and the Perseus Bow (the best bow in the single-
player game).
TYPE D - Summoner (lv RH+24,f) OR T. Mage (lv RH+25,m) OR Red Panther (lv RH+25)
[4 foes] Summoner (lv RH+23,f) OR T. Mage (lv RH+24,m) OR Hydra (lv RH+24)
Summoner (lv RH+23,m) OR Mystic (lv RH+22,m) OR Sekhret (lv RH+23)
Summoner (lv RH+22,m) OR Mystic (lv RH+21,m) OR Behemoth (lv RH+22)
--STRATEGY--
The Interstice has a tricky layout. You start on one of two pillars, with a
tiny mini-pillar in between the two pillars. Parallel to the pillars is a flat
plateau area where the enemies often start. The terrain in between and on the
other side of the pillars is flat.
The enemies often start on top of the flat plateau. From their position here,
they will launch magicks and arrows up at you. If you stand on the side of the
pillar closest to them, you can hit them back with some ranged attacks. To
really attack them (and to use any close-range abilities), though, you'll need
to take down the long route down to their plateau. Jump across the mini-pillar
to the other pillar. From here, there's a staircase down to the plateau.
You should probably hurry for the staircase as quickly as you can. While you
CAN attack from the top of the pillars, it's too crowded to move around, making
it difficult to target the enemies you want. Start moving across the pillars
as fast as you can. You *could* also use Teleport or Ignore Elevation to jump
down to the plateau, but this is pretty tricky because: (a) there's a hole in
the corner of the map closest to where you start; the only route you can take
is directly down off the front of the pillar where you start and (b) the
character is liable to get surrounded and KOed quickly. Only try this if you
have a pretty sturdy character with a lot of HP or a good reaction ability
(e.g. Shirahadori).
You'll also need to take the plateau route if you want to claim all the items
-- the Maximillian armor is located on the far end of the plateau, and the
Venetian Shield is down on the flat floor. (The Grand Helm is up on the
pillars.) All of these are definitely worth grabbing.
If you have Arithmeticks, height-based calculations work great here. The entire
top area has a height of 9 and 8 only. So, if you use Height Prime and Height 5
magicks, you can hit a lot of the enemies without hurting yourself.
The specific enemies you face here, of course, vary. The Type A party features
an assortment of Black Mages, Archers, Knights, and Chocobos. Don't forget
that you can stop the Black Mages pretty quickly by stealing their MP --
Orlandeau's Duskblade works well for that. The Type D party is fairly similar.
The Type C party is a Ninja and Samurai convention. This is fairly easy. If
you're just looking to clear the battle, kill the Ninjas first, since they can
throw from a distance. But, if the Ninjas are at a high level (90+) they will
throw rare weapons at you that you can catch using the Thief reaction ability
Sticky Fingers. Kill off the Samurais first and then just sit around and let
them throw weapons at you. (It's also a good idea to have a character sit on
the tile with the Death Trap, so the enemy Ninjas won't accidentally kill
themselves with it.)
The toughest enemy group here is the Type B party, which includes dragons,
Cockatrices, and human Dragoons. Try to stay in a tight group on the pillars
and use your best attacks. Attack the Cockatrices first, then go for the
dragons closest to you. Don't forget that Shirahadori lets you block the
Dragoon's Jump attacks.
With any of the enemy groups, some of the enemies can sometimes be very hard
to see if they slip in between the pillars or in between the pillar and plateau.
Try to track where they're moving so you don't forget about them even if you
can't see them on the screen.
Finding the exit in this level can be tricky. It's always on the flat "floor"
below the pillars and plateau. Your best best is to put Teleport or Ignore
Elevation on an Invisible character and immediately jump from the starting
pillar down to the flat ground. If you don't have the items/abilities for that,
you'll have to take the very long route: hop across the pillars, descend to the
plateau, cross the plateau, and THEN reach the set of stairs down the floor.
This floor also holds the game's best heavy armor -- the Maximillian and Grand
Helm -- as well as the Venetian Shield, second only to the Escutcheon (II) as a
shield in the single-player game. You'll definitely want to grab this stuff!
There's only one level left after this, appropriately named Terminus. There's
a boss encounter the first time you enter here, and it's your one chance in the
single-player game to learn the game's best Summon, Zodiark. If you want to
learn it, deploy your best Summoner (with Summoner as his/her current job) and
arm him/her with the Time Mage ability Mana Shield for protection. To help
survive Zodiark, Construct 8 and one or more characters with Reraise may also
be helpful.
When you enter Terminus for the first time, you'll meet the former war hero
Elidibus, who will turn himself into a Lucavi.
GUEST: Byblos - level based on party's; Zodiac sign, name, Bravery, Faith are
all random
--STRATEGY--
The battle with Elidibus is considered a story battle, so you'll have to deploy
Ramza. If you want to learn the Zodiark summon (and this is your only
opportunity in the single-player game to do so), you'll also need to deploy
someone who is a Summoner. This can be Ramza or someone else.
There's no exit to find here, just a confrontation with Elidibus and a whole
pile of Reavers. Elidibus is at the top of a spiral staircase; you'll have to
fight your way up past the Reavers to reach him.
The enemy Reavers are gray. The purple monster behind you, the Byblos, is NOT
an enemy; its a Guest fighting on your side. Don't kill it; it's your friend!
(The personal name of the Byblos is random, but it can be identified by its
"Byblos" monster type and purple color.) The Byblos is pretty slow-moving, but
it can heal you from afar. Keep it alive and it will join you afterwards.
Begin fighting your way up the stairs. The Reavers aren't hard to kill; sword
techniques or Dual Wielded physical attacks work wonders. They're weak to Fire-
elemental attacks, but pretty much any strong attack is good for KOing them.
Since their Bio spells take time to charge, you can often KO them before they
can even cast the spell. The Bio spells don't do all that much HP damage, but
do inflict a variety of status ailments, so bring an ability like Esuna or
Purification to remove these. Purification is especially helpful since it
doesn't need time to charge.
You can probably reach Elidibus quickly. Elidibus's main attack is the
extremely powerful Zodiark summon (700+ damage). It's obvious when he's going
to cast it from the humongous damage estimates -- plus it takes a long time to
charge.
You'll need to make sure Zodiark doesn't wipe out all your whole team at once
and give you a game over. Split your characters up so Zodiark can't take out
too many of your characters at one time.
Another easy way to survive Zodiark is to pair Construct 8 with one or more
characters with Reraise (e.g. from the Chantage). Construct 8's Atheist status
means it can't take any damage from Zodiark, and as long as it's still standing,
all your characters with Reraise can revive. Unfortunately, since Construct 8
is slow and takes a long time to get across the battlefield, it may not be all
that much help with the actual fighting. Alternately, you could use the Mystic
or Beowulf's Doubt to give other characters the Atheist status. Atheist status
also renders your own magick useless, though, so you WON'T want to put it on any
magick-users in your team.
Mana Shield and Manafont is another good way to survive Zodiark (and, unlike
Atheist status, Mana Shield allows you to learn Zodiark). Attacking Elidibus
with the Jump ability can also be useful; it deals damage to him and also
protects you from damage while in the air.
Once you've gotten past the Reavers, healing is pretty much pointless because
Zodiark will basically kill you no matter how much HP you have. This makes
Beowulf good here because keeping his HP low will make his Vengeance attack very
strong! You should, however, revive KOed characters. Angel Rings and Chantage
will be quite useful in this battle as they let you recover from the inevitable
KO. (Angel Rings work only once; Chantage works multiple times.)
While Zodiark is Elidibus's main attack, you'll also need to watch out for his
Poisonous Frog magick, which turns characters into toads (and poisons them),
rendering them useless. For female characters, equipping any Cachushas or
Ribbons you have may be a good idea as they will protect you from both Poison
and Toad status. Alternately, you can just use Esuna or Purification to remove
the status. If your characters do get hit with Poisonous Frog, don't just have
them wait out their turns; this gets them more turns and means the poison will
drain their HP faster. Instead, have them move and attack (even if you're just
attacking empty air) on each of their turns until you can heal them. This will
slow their CT gauge refill and reduce the damage they suffer from the poison.
Elidibus's two other attacks are Midgardsormr, a fairly strong summon magick,
and Snakecharm, a close-range physical attack. He tends not to use these unless
both (A) you have a low-HP character within range that he could finish off with
the attack, and (B) Zodiark would not allow him to strike more targets.
When you reach Elidibus, attack him with your strongest abilities -- preferably
ones that hit from a distance so that he can't counterattack you. Sword
techniques, as always, are great. Like all characters, Elidibus takes more
damage while charging magick, so pummel him whenever he starts charging Zodiark.
Attack Boost will also help you do more damage quickly. Elidibus happens to be
immune to Ice (but no other elements), so avoid any ice magicks or weapons.
The key to this battle is mostly just surviving Zodiark; if you can keep one or
two heavy hitters alive, you can fell him fairly quickly.
You can learn Zodiark for yourself if Elidibus casts it on a Summoner and the
Summoner takes at least 1 HP damage but survives the spell. (Coming back to
life with Reraise doesn't count; the Summoner must NOT be KOed by Zodiark.)
When this happens, there's a random probability (90%) that the Summoner will
learn Zodiark. spell. The easiest way to do this is to equip the Time Mage
ability Mana Shield and make sure your Bravery is reasonably high. As long as
you have at least 1 MP, this ability (when activated) causes all attacks to
damage only your MP instead of HP. So, being hit with Zodiark will empty out
your MP, but leave the character standing. If you don't learn the spell on your
first attempt, use an Ether or Chakra to get back at least 1 MP and try again.
If you don't have Mana Shield, an alternate method is to put Equip Heavy Armor
on the Summoner to get his or her HP as high as possible, then start hitting
Elidibus with Rend Magick as many times as you can (preferably using a gun, bow,
or polearm to attack from a distance). This will lower Elidibus's magick power
and decrease the amount of damage Zodiark can do, potentially allowing your
Summoner to withstand the spell without Mana Shield. (Mana Shield is only 400
JP, though, so it's not too tough to grab beforehand.) Using the Atheist status
to temporarily reduce your Faith to 0 will NOT work; your Summoner must take at
least 1 HP damage from Zodiark in order to learn it. Of course, it's fine to
cast Atheist on all your other characters if you want.
If you turn on the Battle Prompts option under Options, a text box will tell you
when you've learned Zodiark. If Battle Prompts isn't on, the cover will just
hover briefly over your Summoner when s/he learns it.
Elidibus has about 2730 HP. If you are trying to learn Zodiark, keep track of
how much damage you're doing and don't hurt him too much until you learn the
magick. You don't want to kill him on accident. Remember, this battle is your
only chance to learn Zodiark outside of one multiplayer mission!
The four hidden items are all located on the platform where Elidibus starts.
You'll have a much easier time finding them if you come back AFTER you beat
him, instead of trying to get them during the battle with Elidibus.
Since this is the final floor of Midlight's Deep, there are no exits to find
here.
TYPE D - Tiamat (lv RH+27) OR Mystic (lv ~RH, m) OR Mystic (lv ~RH, f)
[4 foes] Tiamat (lv RH+26) OR Summoner (lv ~RH, m) OR Summoner (lv ~RH f)
Tiamat (lv RH+25) OR Black Mage (lv ~RH, m) OR Black Mage (lv ~RH, f)
Tiamat (lv RH+24) OR Time Mage (lv ~RH, m) OR Time Mage (lv ~RH, f)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After defeating Elidibus (and hopefully learning Zodiark from him), you'll get
the 13th (!) Zodiac Stone, Serpentarius. Assuming you kept the Byblos from
being killed, it will also offer to join your party. This is your one
opportunity to get this character, so sign it up. The Byblos isn't really that
great, though. It has an automatic Poach (like Luso), but only a handful of
abilities.
Congratulations! You've now beaten Midlight's Deep! You may notice that the
Deep stays a red dot on the map screen even after you've finished off Elidibus.
Don't worry; you haven't missed anything. It just stays red forever.
But, there's still a few more things to do. Go back into Terminus after you
defeat Elidibus, and bring a Treasure Hunter. On the top level (where Elidibus
was), there are four items: two Elixirs, the Chirijiraden, and the Chaos Blade.
The Chaos Blade is one of the best weapons in the game; it has a whopping 40
attack points, automatically Regens you, and petrifies enemies! The
Chirijiraden is the strongest katana and also allows you to use the
corresponding Iaido.
If you're into poaching, you can find Pigs and Swines on Terminus, as well as
all the members of the hydra family. All of these monsters yield rare items
when poached. (And if you want REALLY rare items, recruit a Pig or Swine and
wait until you breed a Wild Boar, then poach that!) You can also use Reis's
Dragon's Charm to recruit a Tiamat. They're THE best monster in the game, and
they're almost as strong as Orlandeau!
If you're at least level 90, you can obtain other rare weapons from enemy
Ninjas. Equip all your characters with Sticky Fingers and go back to The
Interstice. If you can run into some Ninjas here, they'll throw a variety of
nice weapons at you, which -- assuming you have Sticky Fingers -- you'll catch
and claim for your own. If you're at a high enough level, you can even get
Chaos Blades! Masamunes, Chirijiradens, Javelin IIs, and most other rare
weapons can also be obtained here. (The exceptions are the weapons that can't
be thrown, like staves.) See the "Throws from Enemy Ninjas" section for more
details and the specific experience levels at which the Ninjas throw these
items.
What else is there left to do? If you leave Midlight's Deep and head back
around the overworld, each wilderness locations has a "special" random battle
that you can occasionally run into. Some of these, like the infamous all-Monk
melee on Grogh Heights, can be pretty challenging. The special battle at Mount
Germinas also pits you against some gun-wielding Chemists and Orators, where
you can steal additional copies of the magick guns and sometimes the
Stoneshooter. The Araguay Woods special battle is another place to encounter
Ninjas and catch weapons from them. (For a complete list of these special
battles, see the Random Battles section.) You can also continue poaching
monsters if you're looking to complete your collection of items -- see the Rare
Item Locations for where you can find everything. And, if you haven't finished
the other subquests, those are still out there to complete!
Finally, you can team up a friend who owns a copy of the game to complete the
game's multiplayer team missions in Rendezvous Mode, or battle against each
other in the Melee mode. (You'll need to complete the main quest first to
unlock the last four Rendezvous Mode missions.) These missions are some of the
biggest challenges in the game, but you can also win a lot of super-powered
equipment not available in the single-player game.
********************************************************************************
VI. MULTIPLAYER MODES
********************************************************************************
Melee Mode is the new "versus" mode in the PSP version of Final Fantasy
Tactics. It allows two players to pit their regular parties against each
other. Both players also receive prizes after the battle, and there are some
rare items you can *only* find in Melee Mode!
Melee Mode becomes available very early in the game, after you pass through
Gariland on your way to the Siedge Weald. Once both players have unlocked
Melee Mode, you can start a Melee Mode battle by having both players go to the
Tavern and choosing Melee. One player should host the game and the other
should join. Melee Mode can only be played over a local (ad hoc) connection,
not the Internet.
Both players must pay a fee for each Melee Mode battle, to compensate for the
items you can earn.
You can select any map that at least one of the two players has cleared in the
single-player mode. This includes all the story battle locations, plus the
sidequests (including Midlight's Deep), and the wilderness locations where
there are only random battles. The only maps that can NOT ever be selected are
Zeltennia Castle Chapel Ruins and the maps from the final sequence of battles
in the single-player mode (even if you have a clear data save!). The side of
the map on which each player starts is randomly assigned.
During combat, your team always glows blue on your PSP screen. The opponent's
forces glow red.
* You CANNOT permanently lose items or characters in this mode. Stolen and
broken items, and items consumed using the Throw, Iaido, and Items commands,
are restored to you at the end of battle. Characters cannot permanently die
because they simply teleport out of the battle when their KO counter expires.
(Since they're not permanent deaths, these do NOT count as Casualties on your
Chronicle screen.) Anyone turned into a Malboro by Malboro Spores is turned
back into a human.
Note that this makes some abilities substantially more useful in Melee Mode
since you no longer have to worry about losing rare items. Elixirs are great
for restoring HP and MP, the Masamune and Chirijiraden Iaidos can be used
freely (Masamune casts Haste and Regen on a group!) and rare weapons like the
Chaos Blade can be thrown without losing them.
* The Invisible status effect does not make you invisible to the other player,
and the character can still be targeted normally. It DOES still have the effect
of making your attacks impossible to evade (as if you had the Concentration
support ability equipped), and is still removed after taking an action or being
hit.
* Only JP is earned. (You still keep your earned JP even if you lose the
battle.) Exp, levels, and gil cannot be gained. Additionally, magick that
can normally be learned from being hit with it CANNOT be obtained this way in
Melee Mode.
Since you cannot gain levels or gil, abilities that work on gil/Exp are
ineffective in this model. These include Steal/Plunder Exp, Steal/Plunder Gil,
Beg, Glitterlust, and Bequeath Bacon. Gil Snapper still triggers in response
* Monsters cannot be poached for items. Poaching a monster will still remove
it from the map, but no items will be added to the Poachers' Den.
* Items can be stolen from the other team, but they are not kept permanently
after the end of the battle.
* While the Traitor status (from Entice or Tame) can still be used to recruit
enemies onto your side for the duration of the battle, they cannot join your
team permanently afterwards.
* Sticky Fingers can be used to block thrown weapons, but they aren't added to
your inventory.
* Bravery and Faith can be changed for the duration of a battle, but there are
no permanent changes.
* The game cannot be paused. (However, when one player is moving, the other
player can scroll around the map and looking at characters' status.)
* Most traps that affect only 1 tile in the single-player game now have an
effect radius of 3 when sprung, and there are also new traps. (See the Traps
section for more details.) Also, traps that YOU place cannot be sprung by your
units, only by your opponent. Friendly units can still be affected by the trap
if they're caught in the effect radius, however.
* Enemies killed during Melee Mode are not added to your Kills tally on the
Chronicle screen.
* This isn't a Melee Mode-specific rule, but it's worth noting that all of the
multiplayer-exclusive weapons cannot be thrown with the Ninja's Throw command.
---Weather Effects--------------------------------------------------------------
Weather patterns in Melee Mode are based on the map you choose. It appears
that "random battle" wilderness maps have a random weather pattern, whereas
maps that are only used in story battles have the same weather pattern as the
first story battle at that location.
Below, I've listed maps with "special" weather effects. All maps not listed
have NO special weather effects.
See the Weather Effects section under Other Game Information for more on the
mechanics of weather effects.
DAY, RAINSTORM (evade vs. bows x 1.33, fire dmg -25%, lightning dmg +25%):
Brigands' Den
CLEAR NIGHT OR NIGHT, LIGHT RAIN (evade rate vs. bows x 1.33):
Goug Lowtown Lionel Castle Gate Riovanes Castle Gate
Riovanes Castle Roof
Before the battle, the hosting player may set a number of options:
1. Map Selection - The map may be chosen manually, or you can have the game
pick a random map from the ones available. You may fight on any map that at
least one player has completed in the single-player game.
2. Time Limit - You may set a total time limit that each player has to decide
on his/her actions across the course of the battle. This basically works like
a chess clock. When you're deciding on a move, the clock starts counting down.
On your next turn, the clock resumes counting down from where it left off.
When a player's clock reaches 0:00, the battle doesn't end, but that player
will have only 15 seconds each turn to decide on an action before the
character's turn defaults to Wait. (This is basically a way of keeping
players from taking forever to decide on a move.)
The clock stops when attacks and abilities are animating. However, the clock
does NOT stop when characters are walking from one tile to another, or any time
you're in a menu. If the clock expires while you're in the middle of walking,
the move is canceled.
3. Action Limit - You can set a maximum total number of actions for the battle.
Any action taken by ANY player counts towards this limit. (Just moving without
acting does not count as an action.) When the Action Limit is reached, the
battle ends and a winner is declared. The default is 40, and you can choose
20, 40, or 60 actions.
If you set the Action Limit to None, the battle will continue until one side is
completely KOed.
4. Special Controls - This allows you to turn the special action controls on or
off. (They are ON by default.) See below.
5. Trap Placement - In a Melee Mode, both players can set a number of traps on
the map before the battle. If you set Trap Placement to Random, the computer
will place these traps for you; if you set Trap Placement to Manual, you can
put them wherever you want. (It's not possible, however, to put traps on
either side's starting tiles, or in tiles with water of depth 2.)
Note that you cannot trigger the traps that you set. You can only trigger the
traps that your opponent laid for you.
If you don't want to play with traps, set Trap Placement to None and no traps
will appear.
6. Number of Traps - If you have traps allowed, this determines the number of
traps that EACH player can set. You can have 2, 5, or 10 traps per player.
(The default is 2.) If Trap Placement is set to None, this option is ghosted.
---Special Controls-------------------------------------------------------------
* When a physical attack has a moderate hit rate (not very high or not very
low), the attacker and target will "lock weapons." Both players must press the
X button rapidly to determine the outcome:
> If the attacker presses the button more times, the attack goes off as
planned, with the bonus of a critical hit!
> If the defender presses the button more times, the attack is canceled and
the target retaliates with Counter Tackle.
Ranged weapons are not subject to this locked-weapons effect.
* For all other physical attacks, a red exclamation mark flashes over the
attacker's head. Quickly hitting X when this mark appears will give you a
critical attack, which increases your damage and may knock the enemy back a
tile.
* When you step on a trap tile, a sequence of buttons appears at the top of
the screen (e.g. Up Right Triangle Square Left). If you enter the buttons in
order without making a mistake within a time limit, the trap is disarmed and
has no effect. Otherwise, the trap activates as usual.
If you don't like these controls, the hosting player can turn them off before
the battle starts.
When one player has all of his or her characters KO, he or she loses, and the
other player wins the battle.
If both players have their last character KOed at the same time (e.g., a magick
attack hits both of them and KOs them), the battle is declared a Draw.
If the battle is set with fixed maximum number of actions, the battle ends when
either player reaches that number of actions. In this case, victory (or a
draw) is awarded to whomever has more character standing. Of course, even with
the battle set to a fixed number of actions, you can end the battle and win
earlier if you KO all the opponents' characters.
Either player can quit the battle by clicking on an empty tile and choosing
"Quit". In this case, the battle is forfeited and no treasure is awarded.
If one of the PSPs goes to sleep or if the connection is broken, the battle is
terminated and no treasure is awarded.
After each finished Melee battle, each player will be presented with a ring of
chests, and can open 1 to 3 chests and keep the item within each opened chest.
No chests are awarded if the battle was aborted early due to a connection error
or a player quitting.
The NUMBER of chests you can open is determined by the outcome of the battle.
The winner of the battle can open 3 chests, and the loser can open 1. In the
event of a draw, both players can open 2 chests.
The CONTENTS of the chests is determined by the average level of the characters
plus random chance. Most of the rare items will not appear unless your level
is quite high.
If one player wins in a single action (i.e., by using Arithmeticks), the game
will detect you're trying to cheat at item-grinding and both players will
receive nothing but Phoenix Downs :( . At least two actions must occur to
receive actual prizes. (They can both be by one player, or one from each
player.) Just moving without doing anything does not count, but you can always
just attack the air, which DOES count.
An almost certainly incomplete list of RARE items that you can obtain in Melee
Mode is below. (I haven't listed items that can also be bought at the
Outfitter, though you'll often get these if you're at a low level.) Again, you
must be at a high enough level to make these items appear.
WEAPONS:
Zwill Straightblade [dagger] Fomalhaut [gun]
* Orochi [ninja blade] Glacial Gun [gun]
* Moonsilk Blade [ninja blade] Blaze Gun [gun]
Blood Sword [sword] Artemis Bow [bow]
Materia Blade [sword] Dragon Whisker [polearm]
* Onion Sword [sword] * Gae Bolg [polearm]
Save the Queen [knight's sword] Whale Whisker [pole]
* Francisca [axe] * Chaosbringer [fell sword]
Golden Axe [axe] * Arondight [fell sword]
* Nirvana [staff] * Balmung [fell sword]
* Vesper [flail]
SHIELDS:
* Reverie Shield
HEADGEAR:
* Onion Helm [helm] Cachusha [hair adornment]
* Acacia Hat [hat] Ribbon [hair adornment]
ARMOR:
Rubber Suit [clothes] * Brave Suit [clothes]
* Minerva Bustier [clothes] * Sage's Robe [robe]
ACCESSORIES:
* Onion Gloves [gauntlets] Chantage [perfume]
* Empyreal Armband [armlet]
ITEMS:
Elixir [item]
Note that some of these items (like the Brave Suit) are quite rare, and you
won't find them often even with all characters at level 99.
The above items are found in Melee Mode. There are also some other, DIFFERENT
multiplayer-only items that are only available in Rendezvous Mode (the "co-op"
mode); see the section on Rendezvous Mode below.
---Item Evaluation--------------------------------------------------------------
Of these items, the most valuable by far is the Brave Suit. This is the best
suit of clothes in the game; it boosts your HP and MP by quite a bit and gives
you a permanent Reraise like Chantage! This means you can finally have male
characters with a permanent Reraise. And, equipping a Brave Suit on a female
character frees up an accessory slot that otherwise might have gone to
Chantage. Unfortunately, the Brave Suit shows up quite infrequently.
Other good armor here includes the Acacia Hat and the Reverie Shield, which is
second only to the Escutcheon II amongst shields. (And since there's only one
Escutcheon II, a supply of Reverie Shields is good to have.) In some cases,
the Reverie Shield can be even better than the Escutcheon II since it halves
all elemental damage, good for magick attacks you can't evade (e.g. hydra
breath attacks). And while they're not unique to Melee Mode, the plentiful
supply of Rubber Suits and Ribbons here is actually quite nice; the Rubber Suit
is the best alternative to the Brave Suit, and Ribbons guard female characters
against almost all status ailments!
The Orochi and Moonsilk Blade are the most powerful ninja swords -- the
Moonsilk is a bit stronger in raw attack power, but the Orochi drains HP. If
you use Ninjas, you'll want to collect these up!
The Minerva Bustier is also good to pick up if you use Reis. Although not as
strong as some other pieces of armor, it's the only body armor that can be
equipped by Reis's Dragonkin job.
Finally, if you use Onion Knights, you'll also want to grab the Onion Sword,
Helm, and Gloves here. (The Onion Armor and Shield are found in Rendezvous
Mode.)
Most of the other equipment isn't that great; they're either in unhelpful
weapon classes (e.g. axes) or are inferior to items available in Rendezvous
Mode.
The later missions also make for a particular challenge for FF Tactics masters,
as they're the toughest battles in the game.
---STARTING A MISSION---
Beginning midway through Chapter I, new Rendezvous Mode missions will continue
to become available as you progress through the single-player game. A mission
may be selected as long at least ONE of the two players has unlocked it, though
both players must have at least progressed through the first few battles of the
game to make the Rendezvous Mode option appear in a Tavern.
To start a Rendezvous Mode mission, have each player go to the Tavern and
choose Rendezvous Mode and "Start a Mission." The hosting player (Player 1)
should choose to host a mission and the other player should choose to join.
Like Melee Mode, Rendezvous Mode can only be played over a local (ad hoc)
connection.
---MISSION DIFFICULTY---
The Rendezvous Mode missions that you can unlock as you play through the
single-player mode are appropriate for characters at that stage of the game.
So, the missions you unlock in Chapter II can be tackled while you're still in
Chapter II, and so on.
The experience level of the enemies you face in Rendezvous Mode scales with
your own characters' levels. So, simply leveling up won't really help you win
the battles. Of course, learning new abilities, gaining equipment, and using
the stat-raising tricks described in the Level Downs and Stat-Grinding section
*will* help you. :)
The exception is the last four Rendezvous Mode missions, unlocked by completing
the single-player game. Here the enemies *always* have high levels, regardless
of your own levels. Many of the major enemies are fixed at level 99!
If one player has all his/her characters eliminated, the other player can keep
playing. Both players will still be awarded items at the end of the mission.
You can give up on a mission partway through by clicking on a blank tile and
choosing the "Quit" option. If either player chooses to do this, the mission is
forfeited and both players are returned to the Tavern.
A mission also ends if either PSP goes to sleep or if the connection is broken.
If one player has all of his or her characters KOed, that player should NOT just
put down the PSP! Keep it running so the other player can continue trying to
complete the mission.
---THE RULES---
Rendezvous Mode differs from single-player combat in several ways:
* You CANNOT permanently lose items or characters in this mode. Stolen and
broken items, and items consumed using the Throw, Iaido, and Items commands,
are restored to you at the end of battle. Characters cannot permanently die
because they simply teleport out of the battle when their KO counter expires.
(Since they're not permanent deaths, these do NOT count as Casualties on your
Chronicle screen.) Anyone turned into a Malboro by Malboro Spores is turned
back into a human.
Note that this makes some abilities substantially more useful in the Rendezvous
Mode since you no longer have to worry about losing rare items. Elixirs are
great for restoring HP and MP, the Masamune and Chirijiraden Iaidos can be used
freely (Masamune casts Haste and Regen on a group!) and rare weapons like the
Chaos Blade can be thrown without losing them.
* You CAN keep items that YOU obtain from chests, stealing, and catching them
from ENEMIES using Sticky Fingers. You CANNOT keep weapons caught when your
partner throws them (which would otherwise allow you to easily duplicate any
weapon :P). You must win the battle to keep your gained items; they are lost
if you fail the mission.
* Only JP, not Exp or levels, is earned. In addition to earning JP, you can
also learn and keep abilities from crystals. Magick that can be learned from
being hit with it (see Learning Magick From Being Hit) can also be learned and
kept. You must win the battle to keep your abilities; they are lost if you fail
the mission.
Since you cannot gain levels, the Wild Boar's Bequeath Bacon is ineffective in
this mode.
* Bravery and Faith can be changed for the duration of a battle, but there are
no permanent changes.
* Monsters cannot be poached for items. Poaching a monster will still remove
it from the map, but no items will be added to the Poachers' Den.
* While the Traitor status (from Entice or Tame) can still be used to recruit
enemies onto your side for the duration of the battle, they cannot join your
team permanently afterwards.
* There are no traps and no items that can be found using Treasure Hunter, even
on tiles where there are traps/items in the single-player game.
* The game cannot be paused. (However, when one player is moving, the other
player can scroll around the map and look at characters' status.)
* Although Bonus Coin is earned after a battle, gil cannot be gained or lost
*within* a battle from Gil Snapper, Steal/Plunder Gil, Glitterlust, Beg, or
treasure chests.
* Enemies killed during Rendezvous Mode are not added to your Kills tally on
the Chronicle screen and aren't counted towards unlocking Dark Knight.
* This isn't a Rendezvous Mode-specific rule, but it's worth noting that all of
the multiplayer-exclusive weapons cannot be thrown with the Ninja's Throw
command.
---MULTI-BATTLE MISSIONS---
Two of the Rendezvous Mode missions (The Knights Templar and Brave Story)
involve a sequence of battles. In these missions, you move immediately from one
battle to the next. You are not be able to change characters or equipment
between battles.
Most gameplay elements carry over between each battle in the sequence:
> HP/MP are not restored
> KOed characters are not revived
> Used/thrown items are not restored your inventory until the end of the
whole mission
> Broken equipment remains broken until the end of the mission
After winning a Rendezvous Mode battle, each player will be presented with a
ring of chests, and can open 1 to 5 of them based on your performance during
battle. No chests are awarded if you fail the mission.
Since these battles are a cooperative effort, both players will always earn the
same number of chests, even if one player had his/her forces completely wiped
out.
The NUMBER of chests you can open is determined by how well you fought. You
can open more chests when you....
1) Deploy fewer characters. Typically, you can deploy up to a total of 3
characters (i.e., one player deploys 1 character and the other deploys
2 characters) and still earn 5 chests, but this may vary a little from
mission to mission.
2) KO more enemies. Some missions don't require you to KO every enemy, but
KOing more of them will earn you more chests.
3) Do not have any of your own characters get KOed. If characters are KOed
but later revived, this does not appear to penalize you.
The number of turns you take does not seem to be relevant.
Note that the QUALITY and QUANTITY of items you receive are determined by
completely different factors! Even a poor performance on the later missions
will earn you a chance at rare items; you just won't get as *many* of them. On
the other hand, blowing through early missions will not get you unique items,
no matter how efficiently you fight or how high your level is.
WEAPONS:
Sasuke's Blade [ninja blade] Ras Algethi [gun]
Nagnarok [sword] Fomalhaut [gun]
Materia Blade [sword] Glacial Gun [gun]
* Moonblade [sword] Blaze Gun [gun]
Defender [knight's sword] Blaster [gun]
SHIELDS:
Kaiser Shield * Genji Shield
Venetian Shield * Onion Shield
HEADGEAR:
* Genji Helm [helm] Cachusha [hair adornment]
* Vanguard Helm [helm] Barette [hair adornment]
* Brass Coronet [hat] Ribbon [hair adornment]
ARMOR:
Genji Armor [armor] Ninja Gear [clothes]
* Grand Armor [armor] Mirage Vest [clothes]
* Onion Armor [armor] Rubber Suit [clothes]
ACCESSORIES:
* Gaius Caligae [shoes] Invisibility Cloak [cloak]
* Genji Glove [gauntlet] Sortile'ge [perfume]
* Brigand's Gloves [gauntlet] Chantage [perfume]
* Sage's Ring [ring]
Of course, as noted above, not all of these items are available in every
mission. Again, the best items are only found in later missions, and your
characters must have a high level to have a chance of getting them.
In addition, there are also some items that only appear in specific missions:
MISSION ITEMS
The Guarded Temple Grand Armor, Fomalhaut
Nightmares Gungnir, Dreamwaker
Brave Story Crown Sceptre, Sage's Ring
An Ill Wind Valhalla, Vanguard Helm
(Note that the Fomalhaut isn't *really* unique to The Guarded Temple, since you
can get it quite easily in Melee Mode. But The Guarded Temple is the only
place the Fomalhaut shows up in Rendezvous Mode.)
The above items are found in Rendezvous Mode. There are also some other,
DIFFERENT multiplayer-only items that are only available in Melee Mode (the
"versus" mode); see the section on Melee Mode above.
Each title comes with a "level" or star rating, on a scale from 1 to 5. The
star rating is simply equal to the number of chests you were awarded at the end
of the battle. In the Tavern, the game tracks your highest star ratings for
each battle, so you can challenge yourself to try to earn 5 stars on every
mission!
--STRATEGY--
The goal in this mission is to defeat all the human enemies while keeping both
of the Chocobos from being KOed. If *either* Chocobo is KOed, you lose.
Both players start on top of the plateau with the Chocobos and the majority of
the enemies below. Player 1 faces away from the windmill, while Player 2 faces
down the stairs. Both players should put their mages, Archers, and Chemists
in the "back row" of their deployment screens and the fighters in the "front."
This will pack the weaker characters in the center, while the physical fighters
protect them from both sides.
Note that if Player 2 deploys any character in his/her two leftmost tiles,
they'll actually start down on the ground and not on top of the plateau. This
puts them in a bit more danger, but can help you reach the enemies more
quickly. You'll only want to do this with melee fighters, not rearguard
characters like mages.
Your success in this battle will probably depend a lot on what jobs you're
using. If your characters are still Squires, this battle may be tough given
the large enemy party. However, if you change your fighters into Knights and
Monks, their superior Physical Attack will allow them to take out each enemy in
just a few hits. The Knight's ability to equip shields will also be helpful in
this battle, as will the Monk's Counter ability if you have it.
Black Magick is also quite powerful in this battle and sometimes gives you a
chance to hit more than one enemy at once. If you're progressed far enough
that you can buy the Flame, Ice, or Thunder Rod (available after the Sand Rat's
Sietch battle), using one of these rods will make the corresponding elemental
magicks even stronger. Just make sure that the Chocobos don't get hit in the
effect radius of the magick! Before casting, check the Turn List to make sure
your planned target won't have a chance to move next to the Chocobos before the
magick goes off.
Archers can also be useful; standing on the top of the plateau will allow them
to target almost the whole battlefield. They can often attack without having
to move, which will get them more turns. However, Black Magicks tend to do a
little more damage and are probably the better choice.
You'll definitely also want to bring someone with the Items command (or White
Magicks) who can heal the Chocobos. It doesn't necessarily have to be a full
Chemist so long as you assign the Items command as a second ability -- and you
may not *want* to deploy a full Chemist so you can pad your roster with
fighters instead. At any rate, you can use your Items freely; you get them
back after multiplayer battles.
When the battle starts, you'll want to catch up with the Chocobos as quickly as
possible to protect them. Otherwise, the enemies will gang up on them. Most
of the action tends to take place at the bottom of the cliff, so try to get a
few close-range fighters down there quickly. (Mages and Archers can stay up
top where it's harder for them to get attacked.) If the enemies aren't
standing at the side of the plateau, you can jump down fairly easily, or you
can just have Player 2 deploy his/her characters so they *start* down there.
The Squire's Move +1 ability and the Battle Boots accessory will both increase
your movement range, which helps a lot in this battle.
The Chocobos can use Choco Cure to heal themselves (and you!), but they won't
*always* do so. They tend to only do it if one of the Chocobos or a human ally
is in critical HP (HP < 20% of max). However, even if a Chocobo isn't at
critical HP, the enemies may gang up on it and KO it before it DOES have a
chance to heal! That's where Items comes in handy; heal any Chocobo that has
taken a few hits and is vulnerable to attack. Another tactic: when one of your
characters is at critical HP, move him or her away from the battle. This will
often draw the Chocobo away from the enemies to heal him or her.
Watch out; the Squires may throw stones at the Chocobos even if they can't
move in range for a physical attack. It doesn't do much damage but can be
enough to finish off a weakened Chocobo! Keep them healthy.
Another very useful ability is the White Mage's Protect magick; cast this on
the Chocobos and it will reduce the damage they take from physical attacks.
(Shell, which reduces magick damage, is really not helpful here as it's
unlikely the enemies will have many magick attacks.) The Chocobos will
sometimes end up standing next to each other and this is a great opportunity to
cast Protect as you can target both Chocobos at once.
The enemies here have pretty generic jobs and few special abilities, there are
a lot of them. You'll probably want to take out the Thief first since he's
fast and can steal your equipment--it's not lost permanently in multiplayer
play, but losing your gear still makes it harder to win! (The Chemist's
Safeguard ability will also keep your equipment from being stolen.) You'll
also probably want to defeat the two enemy Chemists early since they can
keep healing the enemies otherwise.
You may also encounter some of the Squires using a powerful second ability,
like Martial Arts. (The specific abilities they have are assigned at random.)
If you spot a Squire using a particularly nasty attack, be sure to KO him
quickly.
Depending on your level, the Thief may have a Blind Knife here. This weapon
can inflict the Blind status on your characters, which makes it easier for
enemies to dodge your attacks. This isn't as bad as it seems since most of an
enemy's evasion rate can be nullified by attacking him from behind, even if
you're Blind. (See Important Statistics under Basic Mechanics and Tactics for
more information on evade rates.)
On the other hand, if you're using a shield, it's not effective against rear
attacks, so try to keep your back protected from attack where possible. You
can use the side of the plateau or enemy bodies to guard your back.
In some cases, you may be able to leave a low-HP enemy for the Chocobos to
finish off, if they're nearby.
Finally, when attacking the enemy, don't forget that Zodiac compatibility
affects the damage you do -- you'll do more damage to an enemy with whom you
have good compatibility. When picking the Chemists and Squires to target
first, it can help to go after the enemies with whom you have good
compatibility. You can defeat them more quickly.
While you don't earn Exp and levels during multiplayer combat, you DO earn JP,
and you can also keep abilities from crystals and items from chests. So, after
you've defeated most of the enemies, you may want to hang around and let them
decay into crystals or chests. This is a good way to pick up some extra
abilities, if you don't mind fighting with your friend over who gets to pick up
the crystals ;)
If you're having trouble with this battle, progressing a little further through
Chapter I may help you out as you gain more abilities and can buy useful items
like the elemental rods. Or, team up with a player who's already further
through the game :)
In this and all other Rendezvous Mode battles, you'll earn more items if you
can win the battle using a smaller party of characters. Of course, this makes
the battle tougher for you. When you're just starting out, you may want to
stick with a full party; assuming you don't have any fatalities of your own,
you'll still earn 3 chests per player. Later, you should have no trouble
reducing your party size and still winning.
--STRATEGY--
This is the easiest of the Rendezvous Mode battles! Although there are a lot
of enemies (and the humans have better stats than "regular" humans), they're ALL
undead. This means that each enemy can be instantly killed simply by throwing a
Phoenix Down at it. And, since items you use in Rendezvous Mode are restored
after battle, you won't even permanently consume anything!
However, you'll need your Chemists to be sturdy enough to survive while they
throw Phoenix Downs. There are two good ways to do this: make the Chemist into
a Knight and equip Items and Throw Items, so that you have the Knight's HP and
armor, but all the item-using abilities of a Chemist. Or, equip a Chemist with
the Knight's Equip Heavy Armor ability and you can use good armor to boost your
HP. (You can swipe Gaffgarion's good armor.) If you can't do either of these,
you could also deploy one character as a healer while the other Chemists fling
Phoenix Down.
Throw Phoenix Downs at the enemies as they come in range. The Knights and Black
Mage are the most dangerous, so target them first, followed by the Archers. The
Time Mage can be defeated last. Phoenix Downs are your best weapon since they
have a 100% hit rate and KO the enemy no matter how much HP they have. You'll
need 10 Phoenix Downs between the two players to KO all the enemies. If you run
out, Hi-Potions are also reasonably effective (doing 70 HP damage); you could
also use regular attacks or White Magicks.
When possible, throw Phoenix Downs without moving; you'll get new turns more
quickly when you don't move. Sometimes, though, you'll need to move,
especially if the enemies end up hiding behind plants. If you do need to move,
try to avoid ending your move in the swamp tiles, as doing so will poison you.
And definitely avoid standing in water with a depth of 2; you won't be able to
take action at all there!
Since the enemies here are undead, some of them may start reviving if the
battle drags on. With 3 Chemists throwing Phoenix Downs, you can probably
finish the battle before too many have the chance to revive, though. The KOed
enemies can simply be redefeated; since they won't come back with full HP, you
may be able to defeat them with a weaker attacks. Some enemies may crystallize
instead; picking up these crystals is a good way to heal or (in the case of the
human enemies) learn new abilities!
Later in Chapter II, Mustadio will join your team, and he makes this battle
even easier. His Seal Evil ability turns undead enemies to stone, which both
defeats them and prevents from reviving, and it has a very long range when
combined with his gun.
You can probably clear this battle with a small number of characters.
Completing this battle with just 3 characters total will earn you five stars
and five treasures per player, and it's not very hard to win even with just 3
Chemists.
--STRATEGY--
This mission is a race for the treasure chest on the far side of the map --
whichever team picks it up first (your team or the enemy team) wins.
There are really two ways to play this battle. One is to make a beeline for
the chest and pick it up. If you do this, you'll only receive a 1-star
ranking (because you didn't KO any enemies) and each player will get to open
only a single chest from the ring of chests. But the player who grabbed
the chest gets to keep whatever's inside it, and it's usually a pretty high
quality item -- better than anything you can buy in a store or win from the
item ring at this point in the game. (You also earn the Bonus Coin from
clearing the mission, which means you can earn money pretty quickly.)
The other approach is to play this mission like a conventional battle and KO
all the enemies. You'll get to claim up to 5 chests after the mission this
way, but you won't get the really good item in the battlefield chest. This
strategy is actually kind of pointless: You can earn items of equal quality
from the Chicken Race mission, and Chicken Race is much easier and faster to
win. The real reason to play this mission is to grab the battlefield chest and
claim the good item inside.
So, the way to go is to forget your ranking and just make a run for the chest.
(Since only one player gets to open the chest, the two players can take turns
being the one to open it.)
To reach the chest quickly, deploy characters with a high Speed and/or Move
rating -- Knights, Monk, and Thieves all fit the bill, as do Ninjas if you have
them. Assign a helpful movement ability. Teleport is probably the best, as it
lets you move through the enemy units and also gives you a chance of extending
your movement range. Where you don't have that, Move +1 (or better) is also
quite helpful.
You won't want to waste time fighting, so focus on equipping your characters to
dodge or survive lots of attacks. Heavy armor is a plus, as are good shields
and cloaks. Good reaction abilities are Archer's Bane (which will help block
the attacks from the enemy Archers) or Auto-Potion. If you've progressed far
enough to earn a way to make yourself Invisible (some rare itmes or the Ninja's
Vanish reaction ability), then you're all set! Once you're Invisible, the
enemies will ignore you and you can just rush to the chest.
Also, you should deploy 3 characters per player. If you're going for the chest
and not playing for ranking, there's no reason not to take as many characters
as possible.
During the battle, you'll just want to run for the chest at the other end of
the map. Don't attack enemies; if you only Move (and don't Act), your CT gauge
will fill again more quickly and you can take more turns. If you're using
Teleport, don't forget that you can warp through enemy units. You can also try
teleporting 1 or 2 tiles beyond your usual movement range, but beware that
teleporting *too* far is likely to fail.
The watery tiles here are just regular swamp and NOT poisonous fen, so you
don't have to worry about getting poisoned if you stand in them.
There are a lot of enemies -- too many to fight directly, generally -- so this
battle is mainly about surviving long enough to reach the other side of the
battlefield and claim the chest. One tactic is to designate one or two fast
characters as your main runners. Have them run for the chest, using only the
Move menu so they get more turns. Meanwhile, other characters can follow up
behind them, healing from a distance (using Throw Items or White Magicks) and
other support abilities such as Protect. Another defensive tactic is to use
characters with Archer's Bane as defenders; put them in the way of the enemy
Archers to prevent the Archers from hitting the characters running for the
chest. Don't turn back to revive any downed characters; remember, as long as
one character reaches the chest, you win. Finally, try to keep your front side
towards the bulk of the enemies to maximize your evade rate.
Although the enemy Thieves can steal your equipment, you may not want to block
their steals with Safeguard. If you DON'T have Safeguard, they'll waste some
of their turns trying to steal your equipment instead of attacking, which helps
keep you alive! (You get your stolen equipment back after the battle in
Rendezvous Mode.) However, a Nu Khai Armband (not for sale until Chapter III)
is helpful for blocking their Steal Heart attack. Since there are Thieves of
both genders here, deploying a single-gender party is not helpful :(
If you DO want to take out all the enemies, be warned that it's pretty tough
-- you're outnumbered and the enemies have a lot of annoying abilities. Try to
gather your characters into one group quickly. The Thieves are probably the
most dangerous enemies because of their Steal Heart ability, so take them out
first. If you're planning on fighting, blocking their steals with Safeguard is
a good idea. Also, once you get to Chapter III, a Nu Khai Armband is great for
blocking Steal Heart. If a character DOES get Charmed by Steal Heart, use a
weak attack to knock some sense into him or her. A magick user's physical
attack or the Squire abilities Rush and Stone are good for removing Charm
without inflicting too much damage.
Watch out for the Monks, too. Although fists only have a range of 1, the Monks
will often have Martial Arts abilities that let them attack at a distance!
(i.e., Aurablast and Shockwave)
Even if you're planning just to KO all the enemies, you must keep the enemies
from picking up the chest. You'll especially need to watch out for the male
Thief in the center of the enemy group. He tends to hang back instead of
advancing with the rest of the enemy forces, and in a few turns, he'll pick up
the chest and cause you to lose the battle. To prevent this, you must advance
quickly and he'll come forward to fight you instead of chasing after the chest.
As long as you are in range of the enemies, they should fight you instead of
going after the chest (even when they could pick it up in a single move!).
Other useful abilities for taking down all the enemy forces include Archer's
Bane, Counter, and Defense or Attack Boost. Don't forget, too, to check your
Zodiac compatibility with the enemies. It helps to attack the enemies with
whom you have high Zodiac compatibility as you can more quickly defeat them --
plus they're the ones who can do a lot of damage to you!
Once Mustadio joins the party, his Leg Shot ability is quite helpful here as it
allows you to Immobilize enemies in place and keep them from getting to the
chest, and his gun gives him a long range with which to inflict it. Do NOT use
Arm Shot. If you Disable an enemy with Arm Shot, the enemy will drop out of
the main brawl and go back to pick up the chest, causing you to lose!
Again, since you can earn medium-quality items more quickly from Chicken Race,
there's not too much point in trying to KO all the enemies. (And it's actually
pretty challenging.) Picking up the chest is the real reward. If you want to
earn 5 stars on this battle just for completeness' sake, you may have better
luck as you progress through Chapter II and get some of the special story
characters to join your roster.
--STRATEGY--
The goal of this mission is to defeat Teioh, a Black Chocobo with a ginormous
amount of HP. (Teioh's specific level and max HP are based on your own levels,
but even at a low level, he's going to have over 1000 HP.) Teioh is also
accompanied by a gang of other chocobos and some other miscellaneous monsters.
Although you only need to KO Teioh to win the battle, to get a good rank you'll
need to defeat the other monsters as well. (If you KO only Teioh and no other
monsters, you'll receive only a single star and single chest!)
The enemy chocobos have some powerful attacks, so come prepared with shields
and cloaks to block them. (The only potential status ailment you'll face here
is the occasional Poison from the Red Panther's Poison Fang, so you needn't
worry about any status-protection accessories.) Auto-Potion is a great
defensive ability here, especially if you buy Hi-Potions (or, later, X-Potions)
and discard all your regular Potions. This will allow you to use Hi-Potions
when you activate Auto-Potion. Counter is also quite useful since you'll
mostly be hit with close-range attacks and Counter lets you strike the enemy
back. (Do not use First Strike here; it doesn't work against monsters.)
When deploying your characters, both players should place their characters in
the front row (i.e., the first row in the direction the characters are facing).
Characters placed in the rear will end up on top of the cliff at the back of
the map and have a hard time getting into battle.
Your first target needs to be the Red Chocobos; their Choco Meteor attack does
a lot of damage, has a good range, and is completely unblockable. Concentrate
on chasing them down and defeating them.
The yellow Chocobos can use Choco Cure to heal themselves and other enemies.
This can be a real pain, but the good news is that Chocobos tend not to use
Choco Cure unless they themselves have been injured. So, don't attack the
yellow Chocobos until you've finished off the Red Chocobos, then just attack
one Chocobo at a time. This will minimize the amount of healing they do.
The Pigs and Red Panther are not much of a threat at all, so just ignore them
until you have finished off all the Chocobos. If you have someone with
Counter, you have a pretty good chance of finishing them off just with your
counterattacks. (While Pigs are normally good for poaching rare items, you
can't poach monsters or recruit them in Rendezvous Mode, so they just function
as weak opponents here.)
Because all the enemies here are monsters, they can all have a chance of
Countering your melee attacks. You can avoid this by using attacks that hit
from a distance, like spears and the Monk's Aurablast. Once Agrias joins the
party, her sword techniques will be quite helpful as well. Magick could also
be useful, especially Summons (which will hit many enemies at once), but you'll
need to shield your mage from enemy attacks. Equip Heavy Armor would be good
for giving a mage enough HP to survive the initial wave of Choco Meteors. The
Dragoon's Jump attack also lets you escape counterattacks (as long as you
use it at a range of more than a single tile), but can be tricky to use since
the chocobos are all fairly quick and can often move out of the way before you
land the Jump. Only target chocobos that have just moved or that have been
Immobilized.
Position your characters next to each other will limit the number of directions
some of the enemies can attack from you. Since no enemy here has magick that
hits more than one character, there's no harm in standing next to each other.
Try not to leave enemies standing with critical HP. They'll usually flee into
a corner of the map, which will make it hard to finish them off before you
fight Teioh.
Once you've wiped out all the minor monsters, it's time to take on Teioh. As
mentioned above, he has a ton of HP, but if you've defeated all the other
monsters, you're pretty safe as he can't do all that much damage to you (and
his Choco Beak and Choco Pellets attacks can both be blocked). While you'll
generally want to keep him from attacking your back (since your shields don't
work against rear attacks), in practice this is pretty tricky since he can fly
over your head. Still, in some cases you can put your back to a tree.
Pretty much any attack is good against Teioh. Ranged attacks are particularly
useful since they won't allow him to Counter. If you have any attacks that do
damage based on the target's maximum HP, like the Time Mage's Gravity and
Graviga, the Mystic's Invigoration, or the Lich summon, these attacks are quite
useful since they will quickly knock down Teioh's sizable HP total.
As the battle progresses, many of the defeated monsters will start turning into
crystals. You want to be sure to pick these up before the enemies can; it's a
real pain if Teioh heals himself. Check the Turn List to see when the enemy
will move and be sure to have a character grab the crystal before any of the
enemies will be available to pick them up. (You can use them to heal yourself
too, but even if you don't need healing, you'll want to grab the crystals just
to prevent the enemies from using them.)
If you haven't progressed far enough in the single-player game to encounter any
major boss enemies yet, Teioh will be your first. Like all major bosses, his
HP and MP are displayed simply as ??? and you won't be able to tell exactly how
much he has left. However, when he gets low on HP, his life bar will appear to
empty (turning from gray to black) and he will switch to a squatting pose just
like any other chocobo will critical HP. This means you're close to finishing
him off.
When Teioh does get low on HP, though, he'll start trying to flee while
continuing to shoot Choco Pellets at you. This is pretty annoying. You'll
just have to chase him down and keep hitting him. Again, Immobilizing him, or
even hitting him with Rend Speed to slow his turns down, will help keep him
from escaping you.
If you're having trouble here, this battle is much easier after at least one
player has progressed further through Chapter II and acquired the two story
characters available in this chapter. Agrias's sword techniques are great for
damaging the monsters without being counterattacked, and Mustadio can use Leg
Shot to inflict Immobilize on Teioh or the other chocobos.
--STRATEGY--
The enemies here don't have much in the way of special abilities, but the catch
is that each player is limited to 2 characters. And, to get the highest
possible ranking here, you must only deploy a single character each!
There are three male Thieves here, which puts female characters at a risk for
being Charmed with Steal Heart. This is very bad news when you have such a
small fighting force, so deploying all male characters might be advantageous.
Once you get to Chapter III, you can also buy Nu Khai Armbands to immunize
yourself against Charm.
You'll probably also want a way to restore your HP and revive KOed characters.
Since you have so few characters here, you may not have space for a dedicated
healer, plus Chemists and White Mages will get killed pretty easily here.
Instead, try adding Items or Martial Arts (or even White Magicks) as a
secondary action ability to one of your other characters. Auto-Potion and the
Monk's Lifefont movement ability are also good for restoring HP over the course
of the battle. If you've progressed far enough to steal the Blood Sword, it
can be pretty helpful as it will allow you to regain HP when you attack. (If
you're tackling this mission much later, though, you won't want to use it as it
won't be very strong compared to other weapons and the enemy HP levels.)
Between the Thieves and Knights, there are also a lot of opportunities for your
equipment to be broken or stolen, so Safeguard may be helpful. This is
particularly important for female characters, since losing their Nu Khai
Armbands means they can be Charmed. (Remember, if lose your equipment in
Rendezvous Mode, it IS restored to you after battle, but losing it during the
battle still makes it difficult to win!)
When the battle starts, you'll want to take out the Time Mages first. If they
get off a Haste, Slow, or Stop spell, this can be big trouble when you're
already outnumbered. (They may hit you with Gravity magicks as well!) There's
one on each side of the map, so have each player quickly move forward and KO
one. There's a good chance that the Time Mages may have the Mana Shield
reaction ability, which allows them to take damage to their MP as a buffer
against your attacks. Draining their MP in this way is pretty much as good as
KOing them since they won't be able to use magicks, so you can then leave them
be. (Their physical attack can still do SOME damage, but the Thieves and
Knights are a much higher priority.)
For offense, physical-oriented jobs are probably your best bet. Magick tends
not to be so good, since magick-using jobs are at a disadvantage for evading
attacks and are even more vulnerable when charging magicks. The Dragoon's Jump
attack is particularly useful, since it temporarily removes you from the
battlefield and prevents you from being attacked. (Just watch out for the
slight overhang with the spinning wheel on Player 2's side of the map. If
you're standing directly underneath this overhang, you won't be able to Jump.)
Mustadio will have joined you by the time you get to this mission. His Arm
Shot and Leg Shot abilities can be useful in temporarily taking an enemy out of
play. As a Machinist, he's probably going to be too weak to survive here, but
you can turn him into a Knight and then equip Aimed Shot as a secondary
ability.
If you have a shield, cloak, and Archer's Bane, the Archers will really have
quite a low hit rate against you and you won't need to worry about them too
much. First, take out all the melee fighters on the lower level.
Remember that shields aren't effective against attacks from the rear, and your
own job's innate evade rate is not effective against rear nor side attacks.
(Cloaks and Archer's Bane work at all angles.) So, try to position yourself
after each move so that your back is not vulnerable. You want to avoid turning
your back on the Archers so that you can keep blocking their arrows.
Conversely, try to attack the enemy Knights from the rear so they can't use
their shields to block your attack. You also won't want to attack the enemy
Thieves head on, as they have a high evade rate from the front. Of course, the
Concentration support ability [Archer] allows you to circumvent enemy evade
rates.
Enemies that you've weakened to critical HP may start to flee towards a corner.
Don't worry about these guys; they've essentially removed themselves from the
battle. Focus on the enemies who are still fighting you.
After you've defeated most of the enemies on the ground, you have a good chance
to heal before the final charge to the roof where the Archers usually are. Try
to revive any KOed characters -- remember, your star ranking may decrease if
any of your allies have to teleport out of battle.
Although this battle is fairly do-able with four characters, completing it with
just two characters to earn 5 stars can be tough early on. To succeed, you'll
really need to have the best possible defense; Jump, Safeguard, Lifefont are all
advantageous too. Of course, like all Rendezvous missions, this gets easier as
you go through the game, since better cloaks and shields become available and
your offensive capabilities increase as well.
--STRATEGY--
You'll fight a large group of enemies in close quarters here, including a rare
encounter against enemy Bards and Dancers. The two Knights will rush you
first with their Move +2 movement ability, and tend to be quickly followed by
most of the rest of the group.
Depending on your level, the Bards here may have Lamia's Harps, which sometimes
confuse your characters when they strike. This is bad news if it happens, so
equip Nu Khai Armbands (newly purchasable in the Outfitter) to prevent this.
If you don't have or can't afford the Nu Khai Armbands, you can cure confused
characters by hitting them with a weak physical attack. Or, if you deploy a
character above level 25 or so, the Bards may just have Bloodstring Harps
instead, which drain HP back to the Bards. While annoying, this is less
dangerous to you, and you can just mop up the Bards after you've KOed the real
threats.
You'll face mostly physical attacks here, so a good physical defense is a must.
Use armor to raise your HP, and equip shields to help block physical attacks.
The two Knights always have Concentration, which prevents you from evading their
attack, but shields will at least stop the Monks.
If you have the Samurai's Shirahadori reaction ability, this battle will be
pretty easy as you can block most all the attacks you'll face, even the Knights
with Concentration.
You can still win without Shirahadori, though; the Chemist's Auto-Potion is
another good reaction ability for keeping your health up. The Mystic's Defense
Boost support ability is also helpful. Finally, you could try the Golem summon
to absorb some of the physical attacks, but you're being bombarded with so many
attacks that the Golem effect is likely to wear off too quickly to be much help.
The Chemist's Safeguard support ability can also be somewhat helpful here since
it prevents the Knights from breaking your gear. That said, Defense Boost is
probably the better support ability choice, if you have it.
Since you won't be hit with magick, this is one battle where it helps to
place your characters next to each other. This minimizes the number of
directions from which the enemies can attack each character. As the battle
progresses, you can also stand next to the bodies of KO enemies to block off
more lines of attack. In addition, if you mostly stay put in this formation
and attack enemies as they come to you, you can get more turns as you won't
need to use up CT by moving.
Your best offense here is probably Summons. Since you're crowded into such a
small space, they will hit lots of targets, and they won't damage your own
allies. Use a strong summon, or pair one of the initial three elemental
summons (Ifrit, Shiva, and Ramuh) with a Flame, Ice, or Lightning Rod for extra
damage. The Moogle and Faerie summons can also be used for emergency healing.
Black Magick can work too, but will hit fewer targets and can also damage your
allies. Either way, Chakra is quite useful for recovering your MP -- you can
give this to the Summoner, or have an adjacent character use it. (The latter
is probably better since it allows the Summoner to spend all his/her turns
casting Summons.) You'll also need to protect your magick-user since they
tend to be pretty fragile. Giving the caster a shield or heavy armor can help
somewhat, but remember that shields are no good against the Knights and their
Concentration ability. The best tactic is to put your magick-user in the "back
row," behind characters with a better defense. These characters can block the
enemy from getting to your Summoner and absorb some of the hits while your
Summoner blasts away at the enemies with magick.
Other good attacks include sword techniques (especially Hallowed Bolt and
Divine Ruination) and the Monk's Shockwave. All the Bards and Dancers have the
Defense Boost support ability, which automatically reduces the damage they take
from all physical attacks, including things like sword techniques and Jump.
You can still use these attacks, of course, but magick is going to be the most
effective. Ranged weapons tend not to be useful here; since the enemies are
close to you anyway, the long range doesn't help you much, and you'll want the
higher attack power of a close-range weapon.
The Knights are probably your first target since their Concentration ability
makes their attacks largely unblockable. After that, you'll want to go after
the Monks, who always have the Items ability and can heal other allies. Watch
out, though -- the Knights have Counter, and the Monks have the First Strike
reaction ability, which allows them to cancel direct physical attacks and hit
you instead if you attack them from an adjacent tile. To avoid these
counterattacks, don't use direct physical attacks, but target the enemies with
magick, Jump, sword techniques, or other ranged abilities like the Monk's
Aurablast and Shockwave. If you've progressed far enough into Chapter IV to
get Balthier, his Barrage attack also works. You can even use a plain physical
attack as long as you're attacking from a distance, like with a bow or polearm.
Another alternative is to Disable the Monks or otherwise prevent them from using
reaction abilities, and then you can attack them at close-range. As long as you
have some other decent attacks you can use, though, it probably isn't worth
going to this extra step. Note that the Monks are also always given the Equip
Heavy Armor ability, which gives them a fair amount of HP.
The Dancers and Bards are less of a priority to defeat (especially the Bards),
but ANY enemies you can defeat early on will help relieve some of the pressure
on you.
Both the Monks have Items and can use Phoenix Downs to revive KOed allies;
other enemies may also be randomly assigned the Items ability. If you're using
Summons, this isn't too much of a problem; the revived enemies will come back
with only minimal HP and will be wiped down the next time you cast a Summon.
Otherwise, try to pick off these weak enemies before they get healed back to
full HP.
One last caution: it's likely that at least one of the enemies will have the
Geomancy ability, and will use the Contortion ability from the back of the
battlefield. While this attack won't do much damage, it has a chance of
turning you to Stone, so bring an ability that can cure this status, like
Purification [Monk], Esuna [White Mage], or Gold Needle [Chemist]. Or, if your
levels are high enough that the Bards have Bloodstring Harps, you won't need
a Nu Khai Armband to protect against Confusion, so you can equip a Jade Armlet
to protect yourself against Stone. (However, if the Bards are still using
Lamia's Harps, the Nu Khai Armband is more important.)
For this battle, it doesn't matter who is player 1 and player 2 since you start
in identical positions relative to the enemy.
--STRATEGY--
This mission is an escort mission. You lose if Govis, the guest Chemist, is
KOed. You win when Govis reaches the far side of the map, or if you KO all 11
enemy bombs. KOing as many of the bombs as possible will earn you a higher
star rating (and hence more chests) at the end of the battle, so that's the way
to go.
It's probably a good idea to bring someone with healing abilities who can heal
Govis, just in case. Mustadio can double with this role if you switch him to a
Chemist (and then assign Aimed Shot as his second ability). Don't be shy with
your items; you get them all back after the end of the battle, anyway.
Don't underestimate the bombs. There are a lot of them, and they come at you
quickly. You may be more successful if you generally let them come to you
instead of charging them. This will keep you from getting surrounded.
Shields, cloaks, and Parry will help you avoid their attacks -- and Shirahadori
is even better, if you've already obtained that. Auto-Potion is also quite
useful, especially since you don't really use up potions in Rendezvous Mode.
Where possible, put your back against a cactus, so the bombs can only attack
you from the side or front, which allows you to use your shield.
For attacking the bombs, Agrias's sword techniques are always good as they
can't be counterattacked, do high damage, and can often target more than one
enemy at a time. (Or, if you're only able to attack a single bomb, use
Northswain's Strike, which has a chance of instantly KOing its target.) If you
want to use Black Magick, note that the Bombs absorb fire and halve damage from
ice, so use Thunder spells only. The same goes for Summons and weapons; be
sure to avoid the Icebrand sword. (Note that the Icebrand sword will turn even
your sword techniques into ice-elemental attacks!) If you happen to have the
Leviathan summon, it will do a lot of damage since the bombs are all weak to
water.
Finally, you could try using Orator skills (Entice or Tame) to recruit one or
more bombs to your side. This can help even out the enemy's numerical
advantage, but it has pretty low odds of succeeding.
Of the three kinds of bombs, the Grenades are the most dangerous. Their
Bomblet attack does a lot of damage and is non-elemental, so the Flame Shield
won't protect against it. Take out the Grenades first, and try to get rid of
them before the Exploders reach you.
Once the Exploders join the fray, they'll start using their Spark ability,
which heals any nearby bombs and also damages any characters who aren't
protected with a Flame Shield. This can get quite annoying if the Exploders
get into a big group because the Exploders will just keep healing each other
and you won't be able to defeat any of them. Attack one of the Exploders at a
time until you KO them. You can also try to use your characters to block the
Exploders from reaching each other, or draw them apart into separate groups.
This will reduce their ability to keep healing themselves. Another alternative
is to use abilities like Arm Shot or Mystic Arts to take away the Exploders'
ability to act.
Be careful about leaving any bomb in a low-HP state. It may use Self-Destruct,
which will do sizable damage to a wide range and has a good chance of killing
Govis.
To earn a five-star rating on this battle, you must deploy only a single
character per player, and you must KO all the bombs. This can be quite
difficult, especially when this mission is first unlocked, since you have to
juggle defeating the bombs with healing Govis and preventing him from reaching
the finish line. You'll probably want to have one character do the fighting
while another character heals and Immobilizes Govis, but it will be tricky if
you're not able to easily take out the Exploders.
--STRATEGY--
This is a battle against a squad of ten enemy Ninjas. The Ninjas are extremely
fast and, unless you have an auto-Haste item, it's likely that all of them will
be able to attack before you can even move. Even if you make your own
characters into Ninjas, the enemies can probably move first because of their
superior level-up history.
So, surviving against the initial onslaught is your first priority. Equip
armor that will boost your HP as high as possible (Equip Heavy Armor may be
useful). Use shields and cloaks to boost your evade rate.
The Thief's Sticky Fingers ability is pretty much made for this battle. When
activated, it not only blocks the Ninja's Throw attacks, but adds the thrown
item to your own inventory! Of course, like most Reaction Abilities, it is
dependent on your Bravery and doesn't always activate.) And, if you don't
already have it, it costs only 200 JP to acquire. Actually, if you have them,
Shirahadori (Samurai) or Reflexes (Ninja) are even better. They will help you
against even the Ninjas' regular physical attacks as well as the throws,
although they won't allow you to keep the thrown items, though. Be aware that
Shirahadori will NOT completely protect against you Ninjas with Dual Wield; you
can only block one of their two strikes with Shirahadori. If you're using
Shirahadori, check the enemies' status screens and try to target the ones with
Dual Wield first. Auto-Potion is also an extremely helpful reaction ability
here, especially if you throw away your regular Potions and/or Hi-Potions first
so you can just use the more effective potions.
Teleport and Ignore Elevation can also be helpful for making it easier to get
atop the roof tiles where some of the Ninjas may be, but they're not really
necessary.
Player 1 starts battling the female Ninjas and Player 2 start battling the male
Ninjas. For the most part, this doesn't really matter. However, there's a
chance that the Ninjas will randomly be assigned the Steal Heart ability, which
lets them Charm targets of the opposite sex. Just in case, have the player
with more female characters be Player 1 and the player with more male
characters be Player 2.
At the start of the battle, focus on cutting down a few Ninjas as fast as
possible so you're not so outnumbered. Strong physical attacks are useful.
Target those Ninjas with whom you have good Zodiac compatibility as you may be
able to defeat them in a single strike. (Fortunately, Ninjas are pretty
fragile.) Mustadio's Arm Shot ability is also quite useful; Disabling the
Ninjas keeps them out of your hair for a few turns. Leg Shot isn't too useful
because even if the Ninjas can't move, they can still throw things at you.
Equip an Ice Rod on any magick users to make their ice magick even stronger.
Be careful using Aim and especially Jump here; the Ninjas are so fast that
you'll need to make sure the attack can execute before the Ninjas can move out
of the way.
If you're already into Chapter IV and have acquired some of the sidequests
characters, they may be useful here. Balthier is basically a stronger Mustadio
and Beowulf's Disable, Break, and Chicken abilities can be used to quickly stop
some of the enemy Ninjas.
Although deploying a small number of characters will earn you the most chests
after battle (as always), you may find it more profitable to bring in a lot of
characters with Sticky Fingers and waltz through the battle, collecting as many
weapon as you can. You can get a lot of good weapons this way! This battle is
also great for Ninjas of your own; picking up the crystals the enemy Ninjas
leave will net you many Ninja abilities quickly.
If you're at a very high level, the enemy Ninjas will start throwing rare
weapons that you can't buy at the Outfitter. You'll start getting rare weapons
at level 90, although the really good stuff doesn't come until level 95. Come
back to this battle when your levels are 95+ and you can use it to easily
collect multiple Chaos Blades, Javelin IIs, and so forth. This is a fantastic
weapon to get lots of rare weapons. Just raise your Bravery up and catch away!
The highest-level enemy Ninjas will throw the best weapons -- see the "Throws
from Enemy Ninjas" section for the exact levels that each weapon appears at.
In general, one trick for catching lots of items is to wipe out most of the
enemy Ninjas, then Immobilize the remaining one(s). Stand at a distance and
the Ninjas will have no choice but to throw weapons, which you can then catch!
Unfortunately, this doesn't work later in the game, when the Ninjas will all
have Thief's Caps that protect them from Immobilize; instead, just run from
them and stay out of their immediate attack range so they'll use Throw instead.
--STRATEGY--
There are a lot of enemies here, but they all have pretty weak jobs that are
mostly limited to physical attacks. If you bring a good defense against
physical attacks -- a good shield and Shirahadori or especially First Strike --
you'll be practically invulnerable.
The Teleport or Ignore Elevation movement abilities may also be helpful. The
enemies sometimes climb up atop the fort and stay there, and it can be
difficult to chase after them. A Jump attack with a high horizontal and
vertical range would also work.
Milleuda's Chantage will keep reviving her if she gets KOed, and she has
Safeguard, so you can't steal or break the Chantage. This means that the only
way to get rid of her is to first KO all the other enemies, and *then* finish
her off. (You could soften her up with other attacks beforehand, though
there's not much point.)
The enemy has a number of characters who can heal the other enemies. These
include both of the White Mages, as well as Milleuda, who casts Arise. You'll
want to stop them first. Even though Milleuda has Chantage, you can stop her
White Magick by using Orlandeau's Duskblade or a Dark Knight's Infernal Strike
to wipe out her MP. (You can also just KO her when she starts casting Arise;
she'll bounce back, but the spell will be canceled.) The White Mages are
pretty easy to take out, but be aware of their reaction abilities: the Mage
that starts on the right side of the fort (from your viewpoint) has Magick
Counter, and the one on the left side has Soulbind, which bounces half the
damage you do back onto you. Neither of these abilities are really that
dangerous, though, especially because you may be able to defeat the Mages in a
single strike anyway.
Both of the White Mages also have Sortile'ge perfumes you could steal if you
want.
Milleuda's Parry will block physical attacks, but Jump and sword techniques
will crack through her defenses, or you can just attack her from behind. (Note
that for some reason she's now an Aquarius, even though she was a Virgo in the
single-player game.)
Since having a good physical defense will make you practically invincible here,
this is a great battle to deploy just a single character per player to maximize
your item haul.
The generic enemies have experience levels approximately equal to the highest in
the deployed party (lv ~PH); all the Knights Templar are 5 experience levels
above that.
--PREPARATION--
This mission occurs in four successive "trials," with each trial pitting you
against some of the Knights Templar plus a lot of generic enemies with themed
jobs. This works a little differently from anything in the single-player game,
in that you jump directly from one battle to the next, with no chance to heal,
change equipment, or replaced broken gear. (However, status ailments other than
KO will be cured.)
Unlike the multiphase Lucavi battles in the single-player game, any "buffs" you
cast on yourself do not carry over from one battle to the next, so using Focus
or Tailwind a lot during the first battle will not help you with the later ones
:( . Any crystals and chests are also erased from the battlefield between
battles, so if you see something you want to grab, be sure to pick it up before
the battle ends!
In each trial, you must defeat all the enemies (not just the Knights Templar)
to advance to the next one.
Because there's four battles here, it's advisable to equip your characters for
the long haul. You'll need abilities to heal yourself with, like Items or an
attack that drains HP (such as the Dark Knight's Sanguine Sword or Orlandeau's
Shadowblade). Protection against Immobilize or Disable is also important; you
can get this from equipping a Guardian Bracelet or Thief's Cap. Shirahadori
and a high Bravery is also quite useful for blocking enemy attacks. Finally,
Safeguard will be helpful in stopping the Unyielding Blade attacks used in the
fourth trial.
---BATTLE 1---
ENEMY FORCES: Isilud (lv PH+5 Nightblade) Wiegraf (lv PH+5 White Knight)
Archer (lv ~PH, male) Archer (lv ~PH, male)
Archer (lv ~PH, male) Archer (lv ~PH, male)
Squire (lv ~PH, male) Squire (lv ~PH, male)
Squire (lv ~PH, male) Squire (lv ~PH, male)
Immune : All negative status except Blind, Silence, Oil, and Slow
The first round pits you against Wiegraf and Isilud, plus some Squires and
Archers. The Squires all start in a plus-shaped formation and can be easily
hit with an area-effect attack like Hallowed Bolt or Black Magick at the
beginning of the battle. They're actually mostly harmless, so if there's any
left standing after your initial attack, you may want to leave them be and
concentrate on the other enemies. Wiegraf is probably the toughest enemy here.
(Isilud no longer has his super-powered Jump attack that he used in Orbonne
Monastery, so he isn't much of a threat.) The enemies often get pretty bunched
up, so attacks that can hit a group are useful!
Before you finish off the last enemy, you may want to stop and heal yourself
since you will not otherwise be healed between battles.
---BATTLE 2---
ENEMY FORCES: Cletienne (lv PH+5 Sorceror) Black Mage (lv ~PH, female)
Black Mage (lv ~PH, female) White Mage (lv ~PH, female)
White Mage (lv ~PH, female) Summoner (lv ~PH, female)
Summoner (lv ~PH, female) Summoner (lv ~PH, female)
Time Mage (lv ~PH, female) Time Mage (lv ~PH, female)
When all the enemies in the first trial are KOed, you'll fade to the second
trial. This one includes Cletienne and a slew of magick users. If you move
forward quickly, you can probably take out both Black Mages with a group attack
before they can do anything. The "cone" attack pattern of the Dark Knight's
Abyssal Blade is especially powerful here; if you move forward and use it
immediately, you can strike a huge swath of the enemy forces. In general, the
enemies in this trial are even more apt to get into large groups, so take
advantage of this by hitting them with area-effect attacks.
If you take out the Black Mages and then the Summoners, the enemies won't be
able to hurt you much. They'll keep healing themselves and casting buffs,
which is *annoying*, but they can't really hurt you and you can quickly re-KO
any enemies that get revived.
Since the enemies here typically know a lot of magick, this can also be a
decent opportunity to learn some magick abilities if you let the enemies decay
into crystals after being KOed. Use Duskblade, Infernal Strike, or Rend MP to
steal all the MP from the last enemy and you're pretty much free to let the
other enemies decay. Just be sure to pick up the crystals before this trial
ends, since they'll disappear when Trial 3 starts.
---BATTLE 3---
ENEMY FORCES: Barich (lv PH+5 Machinist) Chemist (lv ~PH, male)
Chemist (lv ~PH, male) Chemist (lv ~PH, male)
Chemist (lv ~PH, male) Chemist (lv ~PH, male)
Orator (lv ~PH, male) Orator (lv ~PH, male)
Orator (lv ~PH, male) Orator (lv ~PH, male)
The third trial is probably the trickiest. You're fighting ten gun-wielders --
Barich, 5 Chemists, and 4 Orators -- and they start so spread out that you can
only attack one at a time. Actually, if you have Shirahadori and a good
Bravery, this isn't too bad because you can block even gun attacks with
Shirahadori and they won't be able to hurt you. If you don't have Shirahadori,
at least equip something to boost your elemental defense (since many of the
enemies have magick guns). A Venetian or Reverie Shield, White or Sage's Robe,
or Minerva Bustier all work great for this purpose, and even a Flame Shield can
work in a pinch, although it's not quite as effective. (The Ice Shield is not
a good idea since it also renders you weak to the lightning attacks from the
Blaster guns.)
Barich is the real threat here, since he can inflict Immobilize and Disable
from a distance. If you don't have any defense against Immobilize or Disable,
you'll need to take him out immediately. (Being Disabled also keeps you from
using Shirahadori to defend yourself!) This whole trial is pretty annoying
since the enemies keep using items to heal and revive each other.
---BATTLE 4---
ENEMY FORCES: Folmarv (lv PH+5 Divine Knight) Loffrey (lv PH+5 Divine Knight)
Dragoon (lv ~PH, male) Dragoon (lv ~PH, male)
Knight (lv ~PH, male) Knight (lv ~PH, male)
Knight (lv ~PH, male) White Mage (lv ~PH, male)
White Mage (lv ~PH, male)
Finally, the fourth trial features Folmarv and Loffrey and an assortment of
Knights, Dragoons, and White Mages. Folmarv and Loffrey have been upgraded to
??? HP status, meaning it will take a lot of damage to defeat them. However,
if you have Safeguard, they can't use their Unyielding Blade techniques. They
can use their other Action Ability (which is randomly assigned) as a backup,
but most of these aren't too bad.
Move forward and quickly attack the three Knights with a group attack. You'll
probably want to target the Dragoons next. The Dragoons have a habit of moving
as far from you as possible and launching Jump attacks from there, so attacking
them before they can move too far is helpful. (Of course, if you have your own
Jump attack, it's no problem.) The White Mages tend not to actually have much
in the way of magick, so you may want to save them for last. Note that Folmarv
and Loffrey have Safeguard, so Unyielding Blade is not effective against them.
Completing this battle earns you an invitation to the Knights Templar! Too
bad Ramza turns it down ;)
--STRATEGY--
This is a battle against many of your own story characters--or at least some
very accurate impostors. Your doppelgangers have mastered many of the game's
most advanced abilities and techniques, making this a tough battle. On the
bright side, all of them just have regular HP totals.
You'll also need protection against Mustadio's Immobilize and Disable attacks;
a Thief's Cap, Guardian Bracelet, or Ribbon will take care of this. The Ribbon
is particularly helpful as it negates all of the other status ailments that
Beowulf will try to throw you.
Shirahadori and First Strike are not that helpful here since they won't protect
you from the special job techniques used by the enemy. Instead, Mana Shield
and Manafont is probably your best best. Auto-Potion would also be helpful.
Finally, be aware that the clones' Zodiac signs often match up poorly with some
of your story characters'. A quick guide to a few of the key characters you
may be using:
GOOD AGAINST THESE ENEMIES: BAD AGAINST THESE ENEMIES:
Agrias Ramza, Rapha, Reis, Orlandeau Mustadio, Beowulf, Meliadoul
Beowulf Marach Ramza, Agrias, Meliadoul
Reis Agrias, Orlandeau Marach
Balthier No one Orlandeau
Orlandeau Agrias, Marach, Reis No one
Meliadoul No one Mustadio, Agrias, Beowulf
In summary, Beowulf and Meliadoul have bad compatibility and are less useful
here -- plus many of the enemies have Safeguard and are protected against
Meliadoul's Unyielding Blade attacks anyway. Orlandeau and Reis have
advantageous compatibility. Agrias is a mixed bag, so if you use her, make
sure you supplement her with another character or two with a different sign.
Player 1 has it especially tough as his/her team starts near Orlandeau, Reis,
and Mustadio, who will immediately attack Player 1's team. Attacking with HP-
draining attacks like Sanguine Sword [Dark Knight], Orlandeau's Shadowblade,
are useful since they let you damage while still recovering HP. If you're
trying to complete this battle with a small number of characters, be sure to
equip Player 1 as defensively as possible. You may have to resort to giving
Player 1 items that yield a permanent Reraise (e.g. Chantage or Brave Suit) and
letting him/her get KOed and regenerate. If you use this strategy, Player 2
will need to play as defensively as possible since if s/he gets KOed too, you
lose!
If you're not fully equipped with Ribbons, Beowulf should probably be your
first target, since he can inflict all kinds of status ailments on you. Note
that his Angel Ring lets him Reraise once after you KO him, so be prepared to
KO him a second time shortly after you take him out once.
Reis, Agrias, and Orlandeau are the next characters you'll want to attack.
Reis and particularly Agrias can be taken out fairly quickly. The enemy
Orlandeau has unfortunately figured out the Mana Shield/Manafont combo, which
means it will definitely take several attacks to KO him. So even though
Orlandeau is the biggest threat, you may want to first KO a few of the other
enemies (like Reis and Agrias), just to quickly reduce the number attacking you
Many of the enemies here have First Strike or Shirahadori as a reaction ability,
which limits your ability to use physical attacks. But sword techniques,
magicks, Balthier's Barrage attack, etc. all work fine. You can also circumvent
First Strike by attacking from a distance or using Jump.
Climbing up on the roofs can be somewhat helpful, as long as you have attacks
you can use from up there. While the roof won't help you escape the sword
techniques (many of which have infinite vertical range), it at least makes it
harder for Meliadoul, Ramza, and Reis to attack you.
Note that if one of the enemies gets lowered to critical HP, he or she may just
run into the corner. It's pretty safe to ignore such enemies and save them for
last. They're not going to attack you, so focus your attacks on the enemies
who are still a threat.
Three of the enemies -- the Rapha, Marach, and Mustadio clones -- have
Soulbind. This tends not to be too much of a problem, since you may be able to
KO them in a single attack anyway. Plus, they're the weaker enemies, so you
can save them to KO later.
Finally, a number of the clones (Ramza, Marach, and Meliadoul) can use Items as
a command. In practice, this isn't too bad since they mostly will just use
regular Potions on themselves, which is about the least threatening action
possible. They also don't have Throw Items, so they can't heal anyone from a
distance. However, they may sometimes revive KOed allies with a Phoenix Down.
If this happens, you can use an area-effect attack to KO the character again
*and* hit the Items-user. (Since they don't have Throw Items, they'll have
to stand in a tile adjacent to the downed tile to use the Phoenix Down.)
Although the clones have a lot of good equipment, most of it is protected with
Safeguard and so there's not actually much you can claim. You're limited to
Meliadoul's Defender, Reis's Cachusha and Septie`me, Mustadio's Blaster, and
Rapha's Septie`me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following four missions are only available after completing the main quest
of the single-player game. After the ending, the game will add an additional
"flag" to your save directory that makes these missions accessible. Load up a
save from before you entered the final sequences of a battle, go to a Tavern,
and you'll see the last missions.
You will NOT be able to access these missions if your only save is in the
final sequence of battles :( -- you need to be able to get to a Tavern.
--STRATEGY--
You must defeat all ten Automatons before they self-destruct and destroy the
temple. This battle really centers around the two Protoconstructs, both of
whom start atop the temple. They control the countdown; every time one of gets
another turn, the countdown ticks down one "minute" from 10. If the countdown
drops to 0, the Automatons explode and you lose. The countdown can only be
stopped by defeating at least one of the Protoconstructs. (Since they take
turns counting down, defeating one will stop the whole process.) To make
things more tricky, on the turn when the countdown is "supposed" to go to 8,
the Automatons experience a "system error" and it jumps all the way down to 4.
This means that you must defeat at least one Protoconstruct within the time it
takes for the Protoconstructs to get 7 turns.
Unfortunately, taking them out isn't easy since both Protoconstructs have
tremendous amounts of HP -- where "tremendous" means "several thousand." While
Automatons can't normally use equipment, the Protoconstructs are also equipped
with Iron Helms, raising their HP even further, and Bracers, boosting their
offense. Plus, there are 8 other Automatons as well. (And, unfortunately, you
can't break/steal the Protoconstructs' gear because the game is confused by
monsters having equipment.)
On the bright side, you may bring up to FOUR characters into battle (combined
across the two players) and still receive a 5-star ranking! And you will need
all four :)
Sword techniques are your weapon of choice here, so you'll want to have each
player deploy Agrias and Orlandeau (or possibly Meliadoul). You'll need to
maximize both your speed and attack power. Use the Tynar Rouge (for
Agrias/Meliadoul) or the Brigand's Gloves (for Orlandeau) to give them a
permanent Haste, and add a Move +x ability to increase your mobility across the
map. To maximize your attack power, equip them with Chaos Blades and either
Vehemence [Dark Knight] or Attack Boost [Geomancer] as a support ability.
If you have it, Vehemence is probably best as it will give you the bigger
attack boost. It does lower your defense, but this is one battle where the
best defense is a good offense :) -- if you can smash the regular Constructs
quickly, you have far fewer sources of damage to contend with.
Since you'll need to focus on offense, you won't have much time for healing.
Equip your best armor and helms to boost your starting HP as high as possible.
You'll face no status attacks here, so Ribbons are unnecessary. Chaos Blades
will also help you a little by giving you a permanent Regen. Potentially, you
could also use Sanguine Sword or Shadowblade to drain HP during the battle,
although you don't want to be doing this too often -- it's not as strong an
attack as some others, and can only strike one enemy at a time. If you have a
Brave Suit (from Melee Mode) or Grand Armor (from a previous victory here), you
will definitely want to use those as they give you a permanent Reraise and you
don't have to worry about your HP at all.
There aren't really any especially great reaction abilities here, since NOTHING
can block the Dispose laser attack. Instead, use abilities that can boost your
stats. The Archer's Adrenaline Rush will increase your Speed every time you
get hit, allowing you even more turns. For female characters, Fury [Dancer]
could also be a good choice, as it will allow you to increase your attack power
even higher.
If you're having trouble surviving, you can use Mana Shield and Manafont,
though this will require you to give up any other movement ability. If you have
low HP, you can also swap Vehemence out for Attack Boost, which doesn't lower
your defense. Finally, you could add Dragonheart as a reaction ability if you
don't have a permanent Reraise, though this is of no help against any attack
strong enough to KO you in one blow since you never get a chance to cast the
Reraise.
If one player has a somewhat stronger team, you'll want to make that player
Player 2 since Player 2 starts a little closer to the stairs and the
Protoconstructs.
When you start out, rush forward and attack the Constructs on the ground with
Hallowed Bolt and Divine Ruination. You should be able to defeat each one in
one or two hits. Try to aim your attacks so you can hit as many as possible at
one time. (In addition to using Hallowed Bolt, you can also move into the
enemy ranks and fire Divine Ruinations parallel to the front of the temple.
This is often a great targeting strategy for hitting 2 or 3 Constructs.) As
each character takes his or her turn, move them as far towards the stairs as
you can while still attacking the Constructs. Essentially, you want to "sweep"
across the front of the temple, taking out the Constructs from left to right
and moving towards the stairs.
You should be able to defeat most of the Constructs before more than a handful
of them move. Quickly mop up the remaining ones as you head for the stairs.
If you do need healing, you can use Shadowblade or Sanguine Sword to finish off
any remaining Constructs and sap their HP.
If you weaken one of the Constructs, it may just run and hide in the corner.
Leave it -- it's harmless and not worth chasing after when you need to defeat
the Protoconstructs ASAP.
Once you reach the Protoconstructs, concentrate all your attacks on one of the
two. Once you defeat one Protoconstruct, the countdown should stop and you're
home free!
Attack the Protoconstructs with Divine Ruination and Crush Armor, both of
Wherever possible, stand in one place and attack without moving. This will
allow you to get new turns more quickly.
Like Construct 7, both Protoconstructs have a Reraise that activates the first
time they are KOed. They will return to action and immediately attack again.
Actually, this isn't such a problem, because the self-inflicted HP loss from
their Tasks abilities usually KOs them right away. Once KOed a second time,
they immediately turn into chests (which often contain their Bracers).
The battle won't actually end until you've KOed every last Construct, but once
you defeat one of the Protoconstructs, you don't have any more time pressure
and should have no trouble mopping up the remaining bots.
There's a certain amount of luck involved in this battle, since the Constructs'
Zodiac signs are randomly determined and you may end up with good or bad
compatibility purely by chance.
The treasures from this battle include two you can't find anywhere else in
Rendezvous Mode. One is the Grand Armor, the best heavy armor available, as it
gives you a permanent Reraise and Regen. This one is definitely worth getting!
The other is the Fomalhaut gun, which is thoroughly pointless to look for here,
as Fomalhauts are abundant in Melee Mode.
Again, keep in mind that you can deploy 4 characters and still get the highest
possible ranking here.
--STRATEGY--
You're battling all of the Lucavi (sans Elidibus) at once, plus five Ultima
Demons. Player 1 will begin battling Zalera and Adrammelech's group, while
Player 2 fights the three other Lucavi.
Between the five of them, the Lucavi can throw a lot of status conditions at
you, so you'll need to equip Ribbons (or Onion Gloves, if you're using Onion
Knights). Fortunately, the Lucavi don't seem to have any of the magick attacks
they used in the single-player game. If you have Ribbons, all they can do is
use physical attacks. This means you can pretty much prevent them from hurting
you at all if you combine a Ribbon with Shirahadori or (preferably) First
Strike, or even just a good shield.
Ribbons are pretty easy to earn in the multiplayer modes. However, if one
player doesn't have any, it's also possible to block the status attacks by
deploying and riding a Chocobo. The rider will need to have high enough Speed
to get on the Chocobo before either the Chocobo or rider is attacked.
Because all of the enemies here have the Can't Enter Water "ability," the water
in the middle of the map functions as a safe spot. The Ultima Demons can still
hit you with their magick if they get close enough, but the Lucavi can't attack
you at all (assuming you're guarded against status conditions). You can jump
directly into the water from the bridge in the center if you have a Jump of at
least 4, or Waterwalking, Levitation, Ignore Elevation, or Teleport. If you
don't have these abilities, you can also get in the water by using the little
"step" (a tile of height 3) on side of the map. It's on the side of the map
WITHOUT the gravestones. From the water, you can safely throw ranged attacks
at the enemies. Actually, if you have First Strike or Shirahadori and a high
Bravery, there isn't much benefit to this, since the Lucavi can't hurt you
anyway, and you may not be in range to attack the Ultima Demons.
Watch out for the Ultima Demons turn to crystals. The Lucavi can pick up these
crystals up to restore some of their HP (though fortunately not all of it).
This isn't fatal, but can be annoying! Grab the crystals as soon as they
appear, and if you see a KOed Ultima Demon about to disappear, try to position
yourself between the enemies and the body so that they can't grab the crystal
before you can. The Lucavi themselves explode when KOed and do not leave
crystals.
With Ribbons and First Strike, this battle actually goes quite quickly -- not
only are you virtually invulnerable, you'll quickly defeat the Lucavi because
their attempts to attack you get turned into additional attack opportunities.
That makes this battle a great one to repeatedly tackle to acquire high-level
rare items. Each player can deploy just a single character to increase your
treasure haul.
The two unique treasures you can obtain here are the Gungnir spear and the
Dreamwaker staff. The Gungnir isn't really special -- it's weaker than the
Javelin II. The Dreamwaker is the best staff in the game; although it doesn't
have the strongest attack power, it boosts your magick power more than any
other staff.
--PREPARATION--
If you thought The Knights Templar was long, this one is even longer! FFT's
100-Man Melee, the Brave Story mission consists of no fewer than TEN continuous
battles, each with 10 opponents, for a total of 100 enemies. You'll face off
against most of the game's story characters in the game here.
Orlandeau and Agrias are really the best characters here, since their sword
techniques work on everything. Meliadoul would also work, but only if
supplemented with some other good attack command (e.g. Darkness, or maybe
Jump) since some enemies have Safeguard and are immune to her Crush attacks.
Other good abilities to have here are Darkness and Arts of War (for equipment
and MP breaking). A long-range Jump can be useful in some situations, but
there are a lot of enemies here who have Shirahadori and can block it.
Finally, Balthier's Barrage attack is also effective for general combat and for
breaking through enemy Shirahadoris.
A few key defensive abilities will actually protect you almost everything here.
First, Shirahadori and a high Bravery will stop physical attacks. Safeguard
will make you immune to Crush attacks, and also keep your equipment from being
stolen or rent. Finally, equip female characters with a Ribbon (easily
obtained in Melee Mode or elsewhere in Rendezvous Mode) to stop all status
attacks, and male characters with a Thief's Cap to at least stop Immobilize and
Disable. With these abilities, there are actually only a few enemies here that
pose a real threat.
The best shields to go with are the Reverie Shield or Kaiser Shield, both of
which halve damage from fire, ice, lightning attacks. This is important
against the hydras -- there's no way to *evade* their breath attacks, but the
shield will reduce the damage it does. The Escutcheon II is actually less
useful here -- since Shirahadori can block almost all physical attacks anyway,
the high physical evade rate from the Escutcheon II doesn't count for much.
As with The Knights Templar, you won't be healed between battles. KOed
characters also won't be revived, although their death counter will reset.
Other status ailments ARE removed, as is broken equipment. Buffs will also
disappear, so using Tailwind during the first battle will not help you later
on, alas. Finally, crystals and chests on the battlefield will also disappear
between battles, so if you see something you want to grab, be sure to pick it
up before the battle ends!
Equipping the Tynar Rouge or a Brigand's Gloves will give you a permanent
Haste, which is quite useful both in giving you the edge against the enemies
and in reducing the time needed to hack through all ten levels.
Move +2 or Move +3 is probably the best movement ability here. Since you're
fighting on a map with a lot of holes, though, you might also consider the
Time Mage's Levitate ability, which will let you move anywhere you want and
saves you from having to take detours around the holes.
Also note that you CAN target "hole" panels, even though you can't see your
targeting cursor. This is often useful when a hole happens to be a good place
to center a Hallowed Bolt.
Since many of the enemies here have Shirahadori or First Strike and physical
attacks are ineffective against them, using Onion Knights (even fully powered
up ones) is probably not a good idea.
Unlike most of the other Rendezvous Mode missions, the enemies here are always
level 90+ regardless of your own experience level. In fact, all of the story
characters you fight are level 99! To stay competitive, you'll want high-level
characters too.
Finally, it's worth pointing out that this mission is LONG. You and your
partner will need to set aside a fair amount of time to clear all ten battles.
--BATTLE 1--
ENEMY FORCES: Luso (lv 99 Game Hunter) Cloud (lv 99 Soldier)
Boco (lv 96 Chocobo) Red Chocobo (lv 98)
Red Chocobo (lv 94) Black Chocobo (lv 95)
Black Chocobo (lv 93) Black Chocobo (lv 92)
Chocobo (lv 97) Chocobo (lv 93)
The first battle pits you against Luso, Cloud, and 8 chocobos. Cloud has
Swiftness to help his Limits charge faster, but even still, you can probably
take him out before he can use them. He has Shirahadori, so don't try direct
physical attacks unless you're Dual Wielding or using Barrage.
After Cloud, the Red Chocobos are the next enemies to take out since their
Choco Meteor attack is unblockable and does a fair amount of damage. Attacking
them with HP-drain attacks will keep you healthy. The Black Chocobos are
your next target, since their Choco Pellets attack is also reasonably powerful.
(You can at least block this one with shields, though not with Shirahadori.)
Although the plain yellow Chocobos can heal wounded allies, this isn't too much
of a problem since you can probably defeat most of the Chocobos in a single
attack, which leaves no chance for healing! Luso also doesn't really have any
particularly dangerous abilities and isn't much of a threat.
If you're still missing the Ultima magick, the enemy Luso will sometimes cast
it, so you could bring Ramza or Luso to learn it. BUT, you must win all 10
battles and clear the mission in order to keep Ultima after you learn it. If
you fail the mission, you won't keep the magick.
--BATTLE 2--
ENEMY FORCES: Mustadio (lv 99 Machinist) Balthier (lv 99 Sky Pirate)
Chemist (lv 98, female) Chemist (lv 96, male)
Chemist (lv 92, male) Chemist (lv 91, female)
Orator (lv 97, male) Orator (lv 97, female)
Orator (lv 94, male) Orator (lv 93, female)
Agrias has poor Zodiac compatibility with Mustadio and won't do much damage to
him, so to speed things up, send another character after Mustadio.
Remember that Balthier's Sky Pirate job has an innate Safeguard, so Crush
skills will not work against him. He also has an Angel Ring, which means that
you will have to KO him twice. Or, simply attack him last. (Since he takes a
while to take down, you might want him to attack him last anyway.)
Balthier has a First Strike that allows him to block (and retaliate against)
direct gunshots. But, he can't use it stop close-range attacks or special
attacks like sword techniques, Jump, and Barrage. His Thief's Cap makes him
immune to Disable, but putting Stop (e.g. with Crushing Blow) or Sleep on him
will also prevent him from First Strike.
The female enemies in the back row tend to use Dance abilities, but this isn't
a particular threat.
--BATTLE 3--
ENEMY FORCES: Onion Knight (lv 99, male) Onion Knight (lv 99, male)
Onion Knight (lv 99, female) Onion Knight (lv 99, female)
Onion Knight (lv 99, female) Plague Horror (lv 98)
Cockatrice (lv 97) Cockatrice (lv 93)
Sekhret (lv 97) Sekhret (lv 94)
Battle three pits you against the Motley Onion Fighting Outfit plus some
assorted monsters. Try to KO the Plague Horror and Cockatrices quickly since
they can inflict status ailments like Stone on any characters that don't have
Ribbons. The Sekhrets are the next targets since their Earthsplitter attack is
pretty powerful. (If you're using Levitate, though, you'll be immune to this
attack.)
Although Onion Knights can't normally equip abilities, the Fighting Outfit has
them anyway. With Shirahadori, though, they're mostly harmless, so take out
the monsters first. Red, Green, and Black basically just use physical attacks,
which you can easily deflect. Purple uses Jump attacks; these can also be
blocked by Shirahadori, but it makes him harder to hit. Be sure to attack him
when you get the chance. Yellow is pretty annoying because she tends to runs
into a corner and use Dance. Plus, she has Mana Shield, so she takes several
attacks to defeat. You may want to chase after her and start attacking her
first.
The Onion Knights all have Safeguard, so, again, Crush skills are out. This
also means that you can't steal any of their equipment, which is unfortunate,
as it's quite good!
If you want to defeat the Onion Knights quickly, Orlandeau has great
compatibility against Green and good compatibility against Purple and Yellow.
Agrias has great compatibility against Red and good against Purple. Meliadoul
has good compatibility against Green and Black but terrible compatibility
against Yellow!
--BATTLE 4--
ENEMY FORCES: Cuchulainn (lv 99 The Impure) Elidibus (lv 99 Serpentarius)
Knight (lv 98, male, undead) Knight (lv 98, male, undead)
Knight (lv 98, male, undead) Greater Malboro (lv 97)
Greater Malboro (lv 97) Greater Malboro (lv 97)
Greater Malboro (lv 97) Greater Malboro (lv 97)
If you have someone with Items, use Phoenix Downs to quickly defeat the enemy
Knights; if you're using Balthier (or Mustadio), Seal Evil is even better.
Remember NOT to try draining HP from undead enemies, as it actually hurts you!
When you KO them, the Knights here all get stars over their head rather than
death counters, which means they can't revive even though they're undead. (So,
it doesn't really matter if you don't petrify them.)
Instead, focus on breaking through the enemy line so you can reach Elidibus.
He can still cast Zodiark which, of course, makes him the biggest threat.
He's not quite as dangerous as he was on Terminus, though, just because the map
is smaller and you should be able to reach him before he can cast the summon.
One strategy you may want to use, then, is just to wipe out his MP so he can't
Zodiark. Two Rend MPs will do it, or you can use Duskblade or Infernal Strike.
Even if Elidibus has no MP, he can still use Poisonous Frog (which doesn't cost
MP) to turn you into a Toad, but this will be removed at the end of this battle.
If you do get hit with this, DON'T just have the affected Toad stand still.
That will cause them to get more turns and hence take more damage from the
poison. Instead, have them keep moving and attacking the air. This slows their
CT gauge refilling and keeps their HP up until they're cured.
Cuchulainn will probably just use Nightmare to put you to sleep, which, while
annoying, is relatively harmless. You're better off defeating Elidibus first,
*then* going after him. The enemies here use a lot of status attacks, but with
at least one Ribbon, you should be OK, and all of the status ailments are
removed for the start of the next battle.
If you didn't learn Zodiark from Elidibus during the single-player game, or
want to have additional characters learn it, you can learn it here as well.
It's probably easier to survive the spell here as you have a good opportunity
to use Rend Magick on Elidibus to make the summon less deadly. As with Ultima,
you must successfully complete all ten battles in this mission to keep the
summon; if you die partway through, Zodiark will be lost.
--BATTLE 5--
ENEMY FORCES: Dycedarg (lv 99 Rune Knight) Zalbaag (lv 99 Ark Knight)
Gaffgarion (lv 99 Fell Knight) Argath (lv 99 Squire)
Dragoon (lv 98, male) Dragoon (lv 98, male)
Dragoon (lv 97, male) Dragoon (lv 97, male)
Dragoon (lv 97, male) Dragoon (lv 97, male)
Battle 5 pits you against Duke Larg's forces, including a plethora of Dragoons.
Gaffgarion and Dycedarg use sword techniques, making them the most dangerous,
and Gaffgarion's allow him to steal HP back to himself! However, Dycedarg
does not have the Magicks command that he used in Eagrose Castle, and this
version of Zalbaag does not have Vampire.
You can often hit multiple Dragoons with your initial attacks. Some are
arranged in a plus-shape formation that you can hit with Hallowed Bolt or other
area-effect targets. If you look closely, you'll also see that many are
arranged in a horizontal line; Divine Ruination, Kiku-ichimonji, Shockwave, or
other attacks that strike along a long line can hit many of these. You can
probably KO a majority of the Dragoons in your initial attacks.
As long as you have Shirahadori and good Bravery, the other Dragoons can't hurt
you much. So, target Dycedarg and Gaffgarion next because of their powerful
sword techniques. Argath is totally useless here (he just has a crossbow), so
you can leave him for later.
Zalbaag's Bonecrusher counter will do a lot of damage to you when you drop him
to critical HP. You can avoid it by attacking from a distance (Bonecrusher only
has a range of 1), KOing him without reducing him to critical HP, or using
Disable/Stop to prevent him from activating Bonecrusher.
--BATTLE 6--
ENEMY FORCES: Orlandeau (lv 99 Sword Saint) Agrias (lv 99 Holy Knight)
Alma (lv 99 Cleric) Ovelia (lv 99 Princess)
Rapha (lv 99 Skyseer) Marach (lv 99 Netherseer)
Orran (lv 99 Astrologer) Time Mage (lv 97, female)
Time Mage (lv 96, female) Mystic (lv 98, male)
When Dycedarg's team goes down, you're halfway through! Next up is a tricky
battle against a large assortment of your own allies, including Orlandeau,
Agrias, Ovelia, Alma, Rapha, Marach, and Orran. You'll now be on the receiving
end of Orran's Celestial Stasis ability. If you have Ribbons and Thief's Caps,
though, you're mostly immune to it. (Characters with Thief's Caps can still
be Stopped, but that's all.) It still can cast Stop on characters who don't
have a Ribbon, though, so you'll probably want to make a beeline for Orran and
KO before he can paralyze anyone. (Orlandeau should be able to defeat him in
a single attack thanks to their Zodiac compatibility.) If your entire team has
Ribbons, you can pretty much ignore Orran completely.
Along with Orran, Agrias and Orlandeau should be your first targets because of
their powerful sword techniques. Agrias's Save the Queen gives her a permanent
Protect, which makes her slow to defeat. Try using Crush Weapon to break it.
(She also has Shirahadori, so Jump or non-Dual Wielded physical attacks will
not work.) Agrias and Orlandeau have good Zodiac compatibility with each
other, which means Agrias is good for defeating the enemy Orlandeau and
Orlandeau good against the enemy Agrias!
Once you defeat Agrias and Orlandeau, you'll probably want to go after Alma
and Ovelia next. As in the main storyline, they mostly cast their Aegis buff.
This can make other enemies tough to defeat, but Alma and Ovelia always cast it
on themselves, so you've got some time to catch up to them and defeat them.
Watch out for their Soulbind! They have so little HP that you may be able to
just circumvent Soulbind by KOing them in a single attack, though. (This will
be a little tougher if they cast Aegis on themselves and have Shell/Protect;
you could try dispelling those effects if you have an ability that will do so.)
Or, inflict a status ailment that stops them from using reaction abilities, like
Stop or Disable. If they did succeed in casting Aegis on themselves, they'll
have a Reraise that lets them return after the KO. So, stay close to them after
KOing the first time. When they wake up, quickly KO them again before they can
cast Aegis a second time. Note that Alma has a very high Faith, so magick would
do a lot of damage to her.
Rapha and Marach are, as always, not really worth worrying about until the end.
--BATTLE 7--
ENEMY FORCES: Elmdore (lv 99 Ark Knight) Zalbaag (lv 99 Ark Knight)
Celia (lv 99 Assassin) Lettie (lv 99 Assassin)
Archaeodaemon (lv 98) Archaeodaemon (lv 97)
Archaeodaemon (lv 96) Archaeodaemon (lv 95)
Archaeodaemon (lv 94) Archaeodaemon (lv 92)
not block the Vampire attack, but having a Ribbon will at least protect you
from the Vampire status (though not the damage from the attack). If one of your
male characters does get turned into a Vampire (as signified by the bat icon),
keep your other characters clear of him. As long as you do so, he should just
attack monsters, and you're fine. There's not much that can cure Vampire
status, only the Holy Water item, but it will be removed at the end of the
battle. If the Vampired character really gets to be a problem, you could
always KO him and then revive him at the start of the next battle when he's no
longer a Vampire.
The good news is that Celia and Lettie are in perfect position for a Hallowed
Bolt at the start of the battle. You can probably also attack multiple
Archaeodaemons at once. Unlike in Limberry, Celia and Lettie do NOT turn into
Ultima Demons when KOed. Zalbaag, for some reason, seems to turn into a
crystal immediately upon being KOed. Grab it before any wounded enemy can.
Elmdore has a lot of HP and will probably take several attacks, so you may want
to focus on eliminating the other humans first.
Be careful when attacking the Archaeodaemons. Their Karma magick does damage
equal to the HP they've lost. If you leave an Archaeodaemon standing with
little HP, this attack will be very powerful and do hundreds of damage! Once
you've started attacked an Archaeodaemon, quickly finish it off. The
Archaeodaemons like to retreat into a corner of the map; a long-range Jump
attack is good for defeating them, if you happen to have it. You can also take
advantage of the old trick of standing next to another enemy when one of the
Archaeodemons starts casting Gigaflare, so the enemy will be hit by magick's
effect radius. At any rate, the Archaeodaemons don't have that much HP, so you
can hopefully defeat them in one hit if your Zodiac compatibility isn't bad.
(There's a certain amount of luck here since the Archaeodaemons have random
Zodiac signs.)
--BATTLE 8--
ENEMY FORCES: Bremondt (lv 99 Celebrant) Beowulf (lv 99 Templar)
Aliste (lv 99 Templar) Reis (lv 99 Dragonkin)
Tiamat (lv 97) Tiamat (lv 96)
Greater Hydra (lv 98) Greater Hydra (lv 98)
Hydra (lv 97) Hydra (lv 96)
attacks can't be blocked with Shirahadori), Reis can support the hydras, and
Bremondt and Reis can both Raise KOed allies. This is where Kaiser or Reverie
Shields will be quite helpful, as they halve all the damage from the hydras'
breath attacks.
If you can move quickly, you can hit Beowulf and Aliste with a Hallowed Bolt
before they can move. You'll want to take them out first because of the status
ailments they can inflict on characters without Ribbons.
If you have your own Reis deployed, you should be able to use Dragon's Charm to
invite the hydras onto your team. This is quite helpful, as it not only
reduces the number of enemies you're fighting but gives you an extra helping
hand. (They won't stay with you past this round, though.)
Although the hydras are the ones doing the damage here, you'll probably have to
KO Bremondt and Reis first. Otherwise, they'll just keep healing or Raising
the hydras. (Orlandeau can do a lot of damage to Reis because of his Zodiac
compatibility.) Don't worry; Bremondt doesn't turn into the Dark Dragon when
KOed here.
The hydras all have 900+ HP, so you're unlikely to be able to KO one in a
single attack. For your first attack, try using Northswain's Strike or the
Dark Knight's Crushing Blow, which may inflict KO or Stop (respectively) and
put the hydra out of play in a single blow. (Of course, there's no guarantee it
will happen, but it's worth a try!) Six hydras together are quite dangerous,
so focus on quickly KOing a few to reduce the number of enemies you're facing.
The white Tiamat and black Greater Hydras are the real dangers because they
have the breath attacks; unless augmented by Reis's Beastmaster, the orange
Hydras can only do physical attacks, which you can easily block. Any hydra
that gets separated from the group is a prime target, as you can attack it
without putting yourself in danger. And as always, whenever you can attack
without moving, you'll get more turns quickly. The hydras' breath attacks can
do quite a bit of damage, so keep your HP high using HP-drain attacks. Hydras
that are low on HP may flee into a corner, and you can just leave them there
until you defeat the others.
After battling all these hydras, you may find yourself low on HP by the end of
the battle. It's probably a good idea to heal yourself before moving onto the
next battle. This is fairly easy to do; if the last hydra has critical HP, it
will just cower in the corner and you've got plenty of time to heal. Just be
sure to pick up any crystallized monsters before the hydra can heal itself!
--BATTLE 9--
ENEMY FORCES: Isilud (lv 99 Nightblade) Meliadoul (lv 99 Divine Knight)
Barich (lv 99 Machinist) Cletienne (lv 99 Sorceror)
Loffrey (lv 99 Divine Knight) Wiegraf (lv 99 White Knight)
Folmarv (lv 99 Divine Knight) Zalmour (lv 99 Celebrant)
Time Mage (lv 99, female) Time Mage (lv 99, female)
On to Battle 9! Here you'll fight all the Knights Templar. This is also a
tricky battle, especially because most of them have Excaliburs (giving them an
auto-Haste) and all have 97 Bravery, which means their reaction abilities
activate quite frequently.
If you have Safeguard, you'll be protected against their Crush attacks and they
pretty much have to resort to physical attacks, which you should be able to
block with Shirahadori. This makes Wiegraf the most dangerous -- Safeguard
won't protect you from his Holy Sword techniques, and they do a LOT of damage,
thanks to his Attack Boost!
Hit Isilud and Meliadoul straight off with a Hallowed Bolt, then go after
Wiegraf. Unfortunately, Wiegraf has Mana Shield, which means you'll need to be
ready with a couple of attacks to take him down. Using Crush Weapon (or even
just Rend Weapon) is extremely effective here. None of the Templars have
Safeguard in this battle, and breaking their Excaliburs will take away their
Haste and disable their sword techniques.
Watch out for Loffrey's Soulbind! You probably can't defeat him in one hit, so
unless you Disable or Stop him, you'll just have to take the hits from Soulbind
as you whack him away at him. Make sure you don't attack him unless you can
receive back half the damage you deal (unless you have a Reraise, in which case
you can attack him with impunity!). Another good tactic is to use Shadowblade
and Sanguine Sword to attack him; while the HP drain effect occurs BEFORE you
take the damage from Soulbind, it at least keeps your HP up. Cletienne and
Zalmour also have Magick Counter, but unless you're using magick, you don't need
to worry about this.
--BATTLE 10--
ENEMY FORCES: Delita (lv 99 Holy Knight) Valmafra (lv 99 Sorceror)
Dark Knight (lv 99, female) Dark Knight (lv 99, female)
Dark Knight (lv 99, female) Dark Knight (lv 99, female)
Dark Knight (lv 99, female) Dark Knight (lv 99, female)
Dark Knight (lv 99, female) Dark Knight (lv 99, female)
After the Knights Templar comes the final battle. Valmafra makes her long-
anticipated debut on the battlefield, accompanied by eight Dark Knights, all of
whom are equipped with Save the Queen and Defense Boost, and Delita. Some of
the Dark Knights have First Strike and some have Mana Shield, and both Delita
and Valmafra have ??? HP status.
All the Dark Knights will be slow to take out because of their Defense Boost
and auto-Protect. Fortunately, they use their Darkness abilities very rarely
if ever; they just use physical attacks, which you should be able to easily
block. Breaking their weapons will help you take them out more quickly, as
well as rendering them completely harmless. It's probably a good idea to first
use Crush Weapon on the Dark Knights with Mana Shield, since these will be the
absolute slowest to defeat. (The other ones you can attack more quickly.)
Some of the Dark Knights also have Steal ... but if you have Safeguard, you're
completely protected against getting your equipment stolen, so don't sweat it.
Advance slowly. Delita will soon advance to attack you. His sword techniques
are quite powerful and he has Safeguard, so you can't break his weapon. He
also has Shirahadori, so Jump and single physical attacks are a no-go. And, he
even has a Ribbon "magically" equipped in his accessory slot that blocks status
attacks. So, your best bet is to use Shadowblade/Sanguine Sword to attack him
while healing yourself; Holy Sword techniques also work well, too. He actually
doesn't have all THAT much HP -- only a little more than 1000.
Once you've defeated Delita, you're pretty much clear. Before you mop up the
Dark Knights, you'll have to deal with Valmafra, who can Raise all the KOed
enemies. (For better or for worse, the Dark Knights here never turn into
crystals and she can always Raise them.) To keep her from using her Chantage
to revive *herself*, break it with Rend Accessory or Crush Accessory or steal
it; she doesn't have Safeguard. (If you don't have any of these abilities,
you'll have to whittle down all the Dark Knights and take her out last.)
Fortunately, she doesn't actually seem to do much except heal herself and cast
Raise. She does have Soulbind, so you'll keep taking damage while you wear her
down. Again, Shadowblade or Sanguine Sword are useful as a way of attacking
her while keeping up your own HP. Like Delita, she only has 1000 HP or so.
Valmafra is also equipped with a Lordly Robe that you can steal, if you bring
someone with Steal/Plunder all the way down here. This is actually a great
item to steal. The Lordly Robe is fantastic armor for magick-users, and
normally there's only one available in the game (the one in Midlight's Deep).
By repeating this mission, however, you can steal as many Lordly Robes as you
want! Once you've KOed Delita, there's no real threat here and you have plenty
of chances to steal from her. She also has a Chantage and Ribbon that you can
steal. (Her weapon and shield are just a garbage Wizard's Rod and Aegis
Shield, stuff you can buy in a store!)
This battle is actually rather anticlimactic after the last two. When you
finally take out Delita and Valmafra's team, congratulations, you've completed
this marathon mission! Your rewards may include two unique items: the Crown
Sceptre, a rod that gives you +4 Magick Attack, and the Sage's Ring, which
allows you to absorb EVERY element and also boosts the power of all your
elemental attacks!
It's also worth noting that there are a fair number of rare items you can steal
here. (Balthier is a good character to use if you want to steal.) Aside from
the Lordly Robe mentioned above, there's nothing much TOO special (that's not
protected with a Safeguard, anyway), but you can pick up a bunch of knight's
swords and hair adornments. Orran has an Omnilex that you can grab; it's also
poachable, but you may find it more convenient to acquire here if you want one
The Dragoons in battle 5 also have some Holy Lances -- these aren't as good as
many other polearms, but you may want to pick one up to round out your weapon
collection if you haven't poached it from Sekhret. And Valmafra has a Chantage
in addition to her Lordly Robe and Ribbon.
--STRATEGY--
It's the Argath Burly Brawl! There are no fewer than TEN Argaths here, and you
must defeat all of them to win.
The best set-up for this battle is to deploy just one character per player, and
give them the following set-up:
Equipment : Cursed Ring, Ribbon or Barette, Chaos Blade or other strong weapon
Abilities : Speechcraft (optional), First Strike, Concentration
The Cursed Ring and either a Ribbon or Barette are essential here. The Argaths
normally use Fell Sword techniques to drain your HP, which will quickly kill
you and make KOing them nearly impossible since they keeps regaining HP. The
Cursed Ring, found on The Switchback in Midlight's Deep in the single-player
game, will protect you from this by negating drain attacks. (There seems to be
only one Cursed Ring, so if you lost it or don't have it, you'll have to
quickly use the Mystic's Corruption magick to make yourself undead.) Argath
also uses the Vampire attack, which has a 100% rate of turning you into a
Vampire, so you need a Ribbon or Barette to protect against this. If both
characters get Vampired, you lose! Once you have both a Cursed Ring and
Ribbon/Barette, the Argaths can only use physical attacks, which you can block
with First Strike (or Shirahadori).
If one player doesn't have the Cursed Ring, you can have that player equip
an item to make his/her character start the battle in Invisible status. The
Ninja Gear, Septie`me perfume, or Invisibility Cloak all work. Then, simply
have that character take no actions. S/he will remain Invisible and can never
be targeted by Argath. Let the other character mop up all the Argaths and you
can still win the battle without a KO. This works fine; it just means the
battle will take longer since you have only 1 character dealing damage instead
of 2.
Because First Strike only works if you're in position where you can attack
back, it's very important to watch your vertical positioning. Swords have a
range of 3 down but only 2 up. If Argath stands on a tile with a height
difference of 3 from your tile, he can attack you and you can't First Strike
him! Stay on level ground and you're fine. Standing next to a tile with a
height difference of MORE than 3 -- like the side of the fort -- is also OK as
Argath can't attack you across such a distance.
The other tricky part of this battle is the Argaths' reaction abilities. Four
of the Argaths have Soulbind, which reflects back half the damage you do. (The
other six Argaths have different reaction abilities: Shirahadori, Sticky
Fingers, two with Mana Shield, and two with First Strike.) You're probably
better off not directly attacking the Argaths with Soulbind. Instead, let them
attack you, and First Strike will turn the attack into one of your own without
triggering Soulbind. He can normally block your counterattacks with his
Escutcheon II shield, but Concentration will take care of that. (If you get
surrounded by the bodies of KOed Argaths, move to another tile so there's room
for additional Argaths to attack you.) You could also attack the Soulbinded
Argaths directly, but you'd have to alternate between that and using Chakra to
heal yourself. Argath has Safeguard, so you can't break or steal his
shield(s).
On your own turns, use sword techniques or other abilities to attack the
Argaths who *don't* have Soulbind. Although you can't view their status screen
directly, you CAN see their reaction ability when the damage estimate appears.
Only attack the ones who don't have Soulbind. Be careful of any area effect
damage; you might hit a second Argath who has Soulbind. If you're not sure
which reaction ability each Argath has, aim your attacks so that you only
strike one at a time, and only attack the ones without Soulbind. It's also
safe to attack a Soulbinded Argath who is low on HP; if you finish him off with
your attack, Soulbind never triggers. Argath has Safeguard, so Crush skills
are out.
Another way to deal with Soulbind and the other reaction abilities is to use
Intimidate [Orator] to lower each Argath's Bravery. (The Mystic's Hesitation
tends not to work so well; if you start charging up magick, Argath will use
Duskblade to steal all your MP.) Argath won't ever turn into a chicken (he's
immune to this status), but with a low Bravery, his reaction abilities are less
likely to trigger, and you can attack him directly. This is a much less
efficient solution, though, since you'll have to spend quite a few turns
lowering Argath's Bravery.
All of the Argaths are immune to status attacks thanks to their Ribbons.
They're also dirty cheaters, and have somehow managed to equip a Ribbon in
their accessory slots even though it's a piece of female-only headgear!
The best secondary action ability to bring is Speechcraft and Praise. The
maximum permanent Bravery you can have is 97, which means that if you enter the
battle with 97 Bravery, there's still a (small) chance that First Strike will
fail and Argath will hit you. So begin the battle by using Praise on yourself
and you can raise your Bravery up to 100, which means you have a 100% chance of
First Strike and Argath can NEVER hurt you. (Fortunately, Argath is an idiot
and will continue attacking you even when it is literally impossible for him to
land a blow.) Alternately, you could use Martial Arts as your action ability.
Chakra heals you even if you're undead, so you can use it for healing in case
the Argaths do land a few hits on you.
This battle is nearly impossible without the right character set-up. On the
other hand, if you *are* properly equipped, it's really no problem as Argath
can't hurt you at all.
The unique treasures you can get here are the Valhalla fell sword and the
Vanguard Helm. The Vanguard Helm is on par with the Grand Helm; it has the
same HP bonus and also gives you +20 MP, but doesn't protect you from Blind or
Sleep. Actually, the Grand Helm is probably a little better because of the
status protection, but there's only one Grand Helm, so the Vanguard Helm can be
useful too!
********************************************************************************
This chart is just a quick reference to the requirements to unlock each job.
New jobs for a character are unlocked by have that character gain JP with
particular jobs he/she already has and increasing their JOB LEVEL. (The Dark
Knight has somewhat more complex requirements -- see below.) The character's
overall experience level plays NO role and you can unlock any job at any
experience level. All that matters is JOB levels.
When more than one required job is listed in the table, you must get ALL the
jobs up to the appropriate level (so Onion Knight requires Squire lv. 6 AND
Chemist lv. 6) with the SAME character.
* To become a Dark Knight, the same character must fulfill ALL of these three
requirements:
1. Master Knight and Black Mage by learning all the abilities. It doesn't
matter how you learn them: you can buy them with JP, acquire them from
crystals, or learn advanced Black Magicks by being hit with them (see
Learning Magick From Being Hit).
2. Earn enough JP to raise the Dragoon, Geomancer, Samurai, and Ninja jobs
to job level 8. While it's possible to master Geomancer without getting
it to job level 8, you MUST continue to earn enough JP to get to job level
8 if you want to unlock Dark Knight.
3. Kill 20 enemies with the character. Just KOing them does NOT count; they
must turn to chests or crystals. (And poaching does not count!) It
doesn't matter whether or not you actually pick up the crystals/chests.
The followings jobs and monsters are used only by enemies and are never
available to you, the player:
Archaeodaemon Arch Seraph Assassin Bringer of Order
Celebrant Dark Dragon Deathknight Death Seraph
Gigas High Seraph Nightblade Reaver
Serpentarius Sorceror The Impure The Wroth
Ultima Demon White Knight
---EQUIPPING ABILITIES---
Each job has a category of Action Abilities (e.g. "Black Magick" or "Steal").
This category of abilities is always available for use by the job. In
addition, each job can equip one other job's Action Ability category. So, you
can have a Black Mage with the Knight's Arts of War ability, or a Samurai who
uses both her inherent Iaido ability plus the Chemists' Items ability.
Each job can also equip one Reaction Ability, one Support Ability, and one
Movement Ability. Note that the Reaction/Support/Movement Abilities that a job
can learn are NOT automatically available (with a few exceptions noted below).
You must use your slots to equip them!
The exception to all of the above are the Onion Knight and Mime jobs, which
can't equip any abilities at all.
GROWTH RATES: A character's stats are also partially determined by the jobs you
used to level up with in the past. While all jobs will grow all stats, some
jobs grow certain stats faster and slower. For example, Monk will grow HP
quickly, while Ninja will grow Speed quickly. These growth rates don't always
match up with the stat bonuses when you're USING the job. (For instance, almost
every job has the same magick attack growth rate, but they definitely differ in
their *current* magick attack!) So I've given separate ratings for the Growth
Rates, on a scale of * (worst) to ***** (best).
If you're just playing through the game normally, you really don't have to pay
any attention to the growth rates. But, if you want, you can use differences in
jobs' growth rates as a way of grinding your characters' stats even higher. See
Level Downs & Stat Grinding under Statistics and Leveling for more information.
Stat growth from level-ups is permanent (outside of the Level Down trick). If
you later switch jobs, your past stat growth will not be lost or changed.
MOVE, JUMP, AND EVADE: These stats do not change with level ups and depend only
on your current job plus your accessories/equipment. Movement range is the
number of tiles a character can move per turn. Jump height is the maximum
height distance between tiles that a character can traverse while moving.
(Additionally, when faced with a gap, characters can make horizontal jumps
equal to half their Jump height.) Finally, each job has a inherent evade rate
for physical attacks. Note that this inherent evade rate is only good against
attacks from the front. (By contrast, shields can also evade attacks from the
side, and cloaks can evade attacks from all directions.)
Even though the status screen has a space for an inherent magickal evade rate,
all jobs actually have a 0% basic magick evade. The only way to evade magick is
to equip shields or accessories.
---UNLOCKING JOBS---
Aside from Squire and Chemist, jobs must be unlocked by gaining Job Levels with
your existing jobs. For example, to switch to the White Mage job, a character
must have Chemist at Job Level 3 or higher. (The requirements for each job are
listed in the charts below, and in the Quick Reference guide above.) You must
reach the required Job Levels with the SAME character you want to switch to the
new job -- so, for instance, having Ladd meet the requirements for the Ninja job
won't help Ramza unlock it.
Experience points and a character's overall experience level does NOT matter for
unlocking jobs. What matters is the JP you've earned for specific jobs.
Job Levels are determined by the TOTAL amount of JP you've earned with a given
job. Spending JP to purchase abilities does NOT decrease this total. So, a
character who's earned 730 JP with Samurai would have a Samurai job level of 4,
even if he's spent 500 of those JP on abilities.
Gaining Job Levels does not improve your stats or abilities (aside from the
Onion Knight, discussed below). It just helps you unlock new jobs.
Note that it's possible to Master a job even if your Job Level is less than 8.
Squire, Geomancer, and some story character jobs require less than 3000 JP to
Master, and you can Master other jobs with less than 3000 JP if you learn a lot
of abilities from crystals. Your Job Level is actually independent of whether
you've Mastered the job and continues to go up until it reaches 8, even if
you've already Mastered the job. Keep this in mind, because most jobs unlock
based on JOB LEVELS, not on Mastered jobs. (For instance, Dark Knight requires
you to have job level 8 with Geomancer, even though you can master Geomancer
with only job level 7!)
Similarly, even though Mime is always Mastered, you can increase its Job Level
by earning JP as a Mime. However, there's no benefit for doing so.
The Job Level for Onion Knight is determined by the number of other jobs that
you've Mastered. Every two jobs Mastered (not including Squire, Chemist, Mime,
or Dark Knight) boosts the Onion Knight's Job Level by 1.
where a story character has a special job, the special job replaces the Squire
job for that character. For more on these special jobs, see the Story Character
Jobs portion of the job/ability list, below.
---Damage Bases-----------------------------------------------------------------
Different types of abilities use different stats in calculating how much damage
they do or how likely they are to succeed. For example, magicks get stronger as
the user's Magick Attack and Faith increase, whereas the success rate for Steal
increases as your Speed goes up. (These bases are also listed in the charts
below for each ability type.) Based on a character's stats, you can try to
choose a good matching set of abilities. Here's a quick overview of what stats
relate to what ability sets:
# Damage from Jump is determined by Physical Attack and weapon strength, whereas
the speed/charge time of the attack is determined by the user's Speed.
+ Geomancy is affected by both Physical Attack and Magick Attack, but Magick
Attack is weighted more heavily.
% For the Throw command, Speed affects the damage inflicted, while your Move
range determines the range of the attack.
NO ability can ever do more than 999 damage per strike. Any formula that would
result in more than 999 damage is rounded down to 999.
---ACTION ABILITIES---
MP: Action Abilities first list the MP cost of each ability. If no MP cost is
listed, the ability doesn't require MP to use.
REFLECT & ARITHMETICKS: For magick, you may see an "R" and/or an "A" after its
MP cost. "R" means the spell can be reflected -- if it's cast on a character
who has the Reflect status, the spell will bounce off and might even strike
another target! "A" means it can be cast using the Arithmetician's
Arithmeticks ability.
CLOCK TICKS/SPEED: "TIC" indicates the number of battle "clock ticks" it takes
for the ability to charge up before it activates. (Each "clock tick" increments
a character's CT by his/her Speed statistic; see Turn Order & Charging Abilities
under Basic Mechanics for more.)
A SMALLER number under "TIC" is BETTER as it means the ability takes less time
to charge! Most non-magick abilities require 0 ticks to charge; these
abilities activate as soon as you select them. (The "Speed" statistic you see
on the in-game status screen equals 100 divided by Ticks; I've listed the clock
ticks here as it's easier to interpret in game terms.)
Be aware that since multiple characters may receive a turn on the same clock
tick (see Basic Mechanics), the total number of characters TURNS before the
ability activates may be the greater than the number of clock ticks.
With the exception of the Dragoon's Jump, changing your character's Speed
statistic has no effect on charge time.
POWER: "PWR" determines the amount of damage inflicted or restored, or the hit
rate of status changing abilities. See each job's section for the specific
formula of how this number is used. (But in every case, higher PWR is better!)
NO ability can ever do more than 999 damage per strike. Any formula that would
result in more than 999 damage is rounded down to 999.
RANGE: Two numbers are listed for Range ("RNG"). The first ("H") is the
horizontal range in tiles -- how many tiles away can the target be? Usually,
you'll see a number. You might also see "Weapon" instead, which means the
range of the ability is equal to the range of the user's current weapon.
"4Dir" means "4 directions"; the ability reaches only in the cardinal directions
and extends the length of its effect radius (see below). The second number
under Range ("V") is the vertical range. Some abilities can only target
characters who are within a certain height of the caster. A * displayed here
means the ability has an infinite vertical range and can target characters at
any height (most abilities actually fall into this category).
EFFECT RADIUS: Many abilities affect not just the character targeted, but
nearby tiles as well. This is the "Effect Radius" of the ability, and is
listed under "RAD". Again, the first number is the horizontal radius -- how
wide is the effect radius in terms of # of map tiles? (An ability with a
radius of 1 targets only one tile; a greater radius target more.) The second
number is the vertical radius. In most cases, the effect radius only holds
over tiles within a certain vertical height of the central target.
So, for instance, the spell Blizzaga has a range of 4/*. This means that it
can target any unit within 4 panels of the caster, regardless of vertical
distance. It also has an effect radius of 2/3. This means that it has a
radius of horizontal size 2 -- it hits both the targeted tile and neighboring
tiles that are 1 tile away. The vertical radius is 3, so any neighboring tiles
that differ in height by more than 3 will NOT be part of the effect radius.
TARGETS: Target ("TAR") determines whether the ability affects only allies
within in the effect radius, only foes, or both. Continuing the Blizzara
example, Blizzara target All units within the radius, meaning that both enemy
LINE OF FIRE: Finally, Line of Fire ("LF") displays whether the ability
requires an unobstructed line of fire between the user and the target.
> If Y (yes) is displayed here, the ability requires a direct line of fire and
CANNOT travel through other units or obstructions such as walls. If there
is another unit in the way, that unit will be hit instead! See the "Shoot
Enemies Next to You" trick in the Tricks Related To Specific Items section
of Basic Mechanics for tips on how to exploit this to your advantage.
> If N (no) is displayed for Line of Fire, the ability does NOT require a
direct line of fire and works even if there are walls or other units in the
way.
Of course, Line of Fire is irrelevant for abilities that affect only the user or
units in adjacent tiles, since there can't be any other obstacles in between.
---REACTION ABILITIES---
Reaction Abilities trigger when the character is hit by a specific kind of
action. The action that triggers that the Reaction Ability is listed under
Trigger. ("Critical HP" means when you have less than 20% of your max HP and
the character is kneeling/crouching.)
Most Reaction Abilities don't always activate. In most cases, the chance of a
Reaction Ability activating is equal to the character's Bravery. If "Yes" is
displayed under Bravery ("BRV"), the chance of the Reaction Ability activating
is equal to your Bravery. If "No" is displayed, Bravery does not affect the
Reaction Ability; the ability either ALWAYS works, or is affected by something
else listed in the description for that ability.
---INNATE ABILITIES---
A few jobs have abiities that are automatically in effect and don't need to be
equipped. For example, the Ninja doesn't need to equip Dual Wield to use two
weapons. You only need to learn Dual Wield for when you change to a different
job and want to retain that ability.
---RECOMMENDED ABILITIES---
Some abilities have been marked with *. A * here means the ability is (in my
usually inaccurate opinion) one of the job's best.
%%%STANDARD JOBS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00job1
---SQUIRE-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : none
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 2 - Knight, Archer
Job Lv 6 - Onion Knight (also needs Chemist)
Job Lv 8 - Mime (also needs Chem., Sum., Ora., Geo., Drag.)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Fundaments--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x (random number from 1 to PWR)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Focus 0 -- Slf 1/- Self - 300 Raises Physical Attack stat by
1. Duration: Battle. 100%
hit rate.
Rush 0 4 1/1 1/- Any - 80 Weak physical attack, good
chance of knocking enemy back
one tile
Stone 0 2 4/* 1/- Any Y 90 Weak physical attack, good
chance of knocking enemy back
one tile
Salve 0 -- 1/2 1/- Any - 150 Cures Blind, Silence, Poison.
100% hit rate.
The damage from Rush and Stone increases (though not by much) if you have the
Monk's Brawler ability equipped.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Counter Tackle Phys. attack Yes 180 Counterattack using Rush
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Equip Axes 170 Equip Axes regardless of current job
Beastmaster 200 Monsters in adjacent tiles gain an
extra ability. (Limited to
vertical range of 3.)
Defend 50 Allows use of Defend action to double
evade rate until next turn
* JP Boost 250 Raises JP received by the unit by
50%
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Move +1 200 Movement range + 1
JP to master: 1670
--MY THOUGHTS--
Squires are what you'd expect from a starting job -- functional, but nothing all
that special. Abilities like Counter Tackle and Stone can be somewhat useful
early on, but are soon supplanted by superior ones. And while the Squire's
stats aren't *bad*, they're not all that great either.
Three key abilities from the Squire job are Move +1, JP Boost, and Focus.
Move +1 is a great all-purpose movement ability though, and definitely worth
learning before you move on from Squire to other jobs, most of which have a
movement range of only 3 (compared to Squire's 4). Having a good movement range
helps you keep up with the battle. Of course, Move +1 will eventually be
supplanted by Move +2 and +3, but it may be some time before you get those.
JP Boost is also great for helping you learn other abilities quickly, especially
when you switch to a new job and need to quickly gain JP for it. It's a great
investment to learn JP Boost early on since it can make every subsequent battle
more rewarding. And if you're into grinding levels, the Focus ability can be
used repeatedly to build up experience and JP.
Since Rush and Stone do so little damage, you can use them to attack friendly
units in order to remove one of the status ailments that can be cured by being
hit with a physical attack: Sleep, Charm, and Confuse. (You'll see the enemy AI
use this tactic a lot.) They also have a high chance of knocking the target
backwards, which you can use to knock enemies off high ledges for extra damage,
or to push your own units out of the effect radius of a enemy magick that's
still being charged up. However, it's rarely worth filling your Action Ability
slot with Fundaments just for this capability.
Although Squires can wield flails and axes, these weapons are somewhat
unreliable since they deal variable damage. If you want to know exactly how
much damage you'll do, stick with swords.
---CHEMIST----------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : none
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 2 - White Mage, Black Mage
Job Lv 6 - Onion Knight (also needs Squire)
Job Lv 8 - Mime (also needs Squi., Sum., Ora., Geo., Drag.)
--ABILITIES--
HP/MP restored : PWR (user's stats are irrelevant!)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Potion 0 30 1/* 1/- Any Y 30 HP restore; uses up 1 Potion
* Hi-Potion 0 70 1/* 1/- Any Y 200 HP restore; uses up 1 Hi-Potion
* X-Potion 0 150 1/* 1/- Any Y 300 HP restore; uses up 1 X-Potion
Ether 0 20 1/* 1/- Any Y 300 MP restore; uses up 1 Ether
* Hi-Ether 0 50 1/* 1/- Any Y 400 MP restore; uses up 1 Hi-Ether
Elixir 0 ALL 1/* 1/- Any Y 900 HP/MP restore; uses up 1 Elixir
Antidote 0 -- 1/* 1/- Any Y 70 Cures Poison; uses 1 Antidote
Eye Drops 0 -- 1/* 1/- Any Y 80 Cures Blind; uses 1 Eye Drops
Echo Herbs 0 -- 1/* 1/- Any Y 120 Cures Silence; uses up 1 Echo
Herbs
Maiden's Kiss 0 -- 1/* 1/- Any Y 200 Cures Toad; uses up 1 Maiden's
Kiss
Gold Needle 0 -- 1/* 1/- Any Y 250 Cures Stone; uses 1 Gold Needle
Holy Water 0 -- 1/* 1/- Any Y 400 Cures Undead and Vampire; uses
up 1 Holy Water
* Remedy 0 -- 1/* 1/- Any Y 700 Cures Stone, Blind, Confuse,
Silence, Oil, Toad, Poison,
and Sleep; uses up 1 Remedy
* Phoenix Down 0 <20 1/* 1/- Any Y 90 Revives KOed character with
minimal HP; uses 1 Ph. Down
All Items abilities require you to have the corresponding item in your
inventory. One item is consumed with each use. All the items except the Elixir
can be bought at the Outfitter, although some do not become available until
later in the game.
The Throw Items ability (innate in the Chemist job, and equippable for other
jobs) extends the range of all Items abilities from 1 to 4.
Versus Undead targets, all Potions do damage, and Phoenix Down works as an
instant KO attack.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Auto-Potion Any HP loss Yes 400 Use weakest potion available on self
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Throw Items 350 Increases horizontal range of Items
command from 1 to 4
* Safeguard 250 Equipment can't be broken or stolen
Reequip 0 Allows use of Reequip action to
change unit's equipment (but
consumes turn)
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Treasure Hunter 100 Allows you to discover any hidden
items on the destination tile,
which are then added to your
inventory. Your chance of getting
a more valuable item increases with
LOW Bravery.
JP to master: 5140
--MY THOUGHTS--
Despite being a "basic" job, Chemists are great! Items are great for healing
because they don't take any time to charge and have a 100% hit rate. Ethers and
Hi-Ethers are also two of the few abilities that can recover MP. And, since the
strength of items doesn't depend on your Magick Attack or Faith, you can assign
the Items ability even to a character with low magick ability. The only real
downside is that items can only heal one character at a time.
Chemists are also one of two standard jobs that can equip guns. Once you're
able to buy guns (late in Chapter II), Chemists will have a range attack, giving
them something else to do when the team doesn't need healing.
When you're ready to switch your Chemist to another job, be sure to learn Throw
Items and then equip it after you switch jobs. Otherwise, your items will only
have a range of 1 and won't be nearly as useful. Chemists themselves don't need
to learn or equip Throw Items, as they have it as an innate ability.
It's pretty safe to skip the items that cure negative status (Eye Drops, etc.);
you don't have to face these status conditions all that often. Save your JP and
just learn Remedy. Once Remedies become available (midway through Chapter II),
they duplicate the effects of ALL the other status-curing items. The one
exception is Holy Water, but there's really only one or two points where you
have to worry about being hit with the Undead or Vampire conditions.
Safeguard is an important support ability, especially later in the game when you
have rare equipment that you can't buy in stores. You don't want that being
broken or stolen! Although you don't need to equip Safeguard all the time, it's
good to have on hand for particular battles where the enemies are apt to break
or steal your equipment.
The Auto-Potion reaction ability allows you to use potions when hit. Although
you normally just use regular Potions, if you discard all Potions from your
inventory, you can use Hi-Potions or X-Potions instead to recover up to 150 HP
per hit! Auto-Potion does require you to survive the initial hit before you can
heal yourself, but it's effective against all kind of attacks, even those that
can't be blocked with other reaction abilities. This makes Auto-Potion one of
the better reaction abilities, especially early in the game.
The Treasure Hunter movement ability, on the other hand, isn't all that useful
during the main game. Most of the items you find from it are nothing special.
However, in the game's sidequests, Treasure Hunter will net you some rare items
you can't find anywhere else, so at that point you'll definitely want to have at
least one character learn Treasure Hunter. (Preferably, give it someone with
low Bravery, as this increases your chance of getting good items with it.)
---KNIGHT-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Squire (job lv. 2)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 3 - Monk
Job Lv 4 - Samurai (also needs Monk & Dragoon)
Mastered - Dark Knight (also needs B.Mag, Geo., Drag.,
Sam., Ninja, 20 kills)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Arts of War--
Item break success : Physical Attack + PWR + Weapon strength
Stat decrease success : Physical Attack + PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rend Helm 0 45 Weapon Any Y 300 Destroys target's headgear
Rend Armor 0 40 Weapon Any Y 400 Destroys target's armor
Rend Shield 0 55 Weapon Any Y 300 Destroys target's shield
* Rend Weapon 0 30 Weapon Any Y 400 Destroys target's weapon
* Rend MP 0 50 Weapon Any Y 250 Lowers target's MP (by 1/2 of
target's maximum MP)
When combined with the Dual Wield support ability and Dual Wielded weapons,
Arts of War fires twice per use.
If Rend Helm, Armor, Shield, or Weapon is used against a target not equipped
with that type of item, it functions as a physical attack instead. This is
useful when you Dual Wield and succeed in rending the item on the first strike.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Parry Phys. attack No 200 Block physical attacks with weapon;
rate of success is equal to
current weapon's Block Rate (see
weapon list). Not effective
against rear attacks.
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Equip Heavy Armor 500 Can equip heavy armor and helmets
regardless of job
Equip Shields 250 Can equip shields regardless of job
* Equip Swords 400 Can equip swords regardless of job
(does not apply to knight's swords
or fell swords)
--Movement Abilities--
none
JP to master: 3750
--MY THOUGHTS--
The Knight is the main fighting job early in the game. It has a good HP,
Physical Attack, and Move range. Knights also have great equipment choices;
aside from swords, heavy armor, and shields, they are one of the few jobs that
can equip knight's swords, the game's most powerful weapons. (The only other
standard job that can use knight's swords is the Dark Knight, which has quite a
few prerequisites to unlock.) Given their good stats, Knights are also a useful
job late in the game, when you've learned all the abilities you want and now
just want to maximize your characters' power (and equip your knight's swords!).
The Knight's equipment choices can be transferred to other jobs with its
support abilities. Equip Heavy Armor helps make vulnerable jobs tougher.
Equip Swords is quite useful for the many story characters (and Dark Knights!)
who need to have a sword equipped in order to use their special abilities.
With Equip Sword, you can use these abilities even if you've switched to a job
that can't normally use swords. Unfortunately, Equip Swords only lets you use
regular swords, not knight's swords.
The Arts of War abilities are only moderately useful as Knight. They have only
moderate accuracy and if you're close enough to use them, you'll often want
to just start attacking and KO the enemy rather than mess with his/her stats.
However, pairing Arts of War with a gun (e.g. by using the Orator's Equip Guns
ability) or the Archer's bows lets you use these attacks at a distance, which
makes them quite useful. You can break your enemies' weapons before they can
get close enough to use them!
You can also use Arts of War when trying to grinding levels or searching
for Treasure Hunter items on the battlefield. Use Arts of War to whittle the
enemy's Speed and attack power down to nothing, and you're free to do pretty
much anything you want without fear of harm.
Note that the four abilities that break enemy items depend on both your Physical
Attack stat and the strength of your weapon. The other four depend on just your
Physical Attack, and your weapon strength is irrelevant.
---ARCHER-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Squire (job lv. 2)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 3 - Thief
Job Lv 4 - Ninja (also needs Thief & Geomancer)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Aim--
Damage inflicted : Depends on weapon type (see weapon list)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Aim +1 4 -- Weapon Any Y 100 Charge attack for more damage
* Aim +2 5 -- Weapon Any Y 150 Charge attack for more damage
* Aim +3 6 -- Weapon Any Y 200 Charge attack for more damage
Aim +4 8 -- Weapon Any Y 250 Charge attack for more damage
Aim +5 10 -- Weapon Any Y 300 Charge attack for more damage
Aim +7 14 -- Weapon Any Y 400 Charge attack for more damage
Aim +10 20 -- Weapon Any Y 700 Charge attack for more damage
Aim +20 35 -- Weapon Any Y 1200 Charge attack for more damage
Each of these Aim abilities does more damage than the previous one, but also
takes longer to charge. (e.g., Aim +4 does more damage than Aim +3, but
requires more clock ticks to charge). If the enemy you're targeting moves
while you're charging, your attack will miss.
Aim does NOT prevent enemies from evading or blocking your attacks, despite its
name (and the effect of Aim in other Final Fantasy games).
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Adrenaline Rush Any HP loss Yes 900 Raise Speed by 1. Duration: Battle.
* Archer's Bane Arrow attack Yes 450 Evade bow / crossbow attacks
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Equip Crossbows 350 Can equip crossbows regardless of job
(does not apply to regular bows)
* Concentration 400 Prevents enemies from evading your
physical attacks
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Jump +1 200 Jump height + 1
JP to master: 5600
--MY THOUGHTS--
Archers make a very valuable addition to your team early in the game, when you
have few other range attacks. Later in the game, as you acquire guns, sword
techniques, and other ranged attacks, Archers become less useful. For one
thing, their Aim command is of limited value. The high Aims (Aim +10, etc.)
take too long to charge and there's rarely any enemy you can target with them.
Plus, while charging an Aim attack, you take more damage and can't evade
attacks. The short Aims will increase your damage a little and are worth using
as an Archer when you have the chance. But, Aim doesn't increase your offense
enough to ever make it worth choosing when it comes to picking a secondary
Action Ability for another job.
Archer's Bane, though, is a great reaction ability against enemy Archers. With
a high Bravery, you're almost impervious to arrows! Since you'll fight Archers
in quite a few battles throughout the game, this is a good ability to learn
early on. Later on, it becomes completely superseded by Shirahadori, which
(despite what the game says) blocks BOTH close-ranged and bow attacks.
Always equip your Archers with the 2-handed longbows rather than crossbows.
Longbows do more damage, have a longer range, and don't need a direct line of
fire. Crossbows do let you equip a shield at the same time, but since your
Archers should be on the back line anyway, they don't need shields that much.
Archers are the ONLY standard job that can equip longbows. The Equip Crossbows
ability only let other jobs use crossbows (not longbows), which makes this
ability of dubious value since crossbows are not so good.
---MONK-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Knight (job lv. 3)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 4 - Geomancer
Job Lv 5 - Samurai (also needs Knight & Dragoon)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Martial Arts--
Damage (Pummel) : 3.0 x Physical Attack x (random number from 1 to PWR)
Damage (others) : 0.5 x Physical Attack x (Physical Attack + PWR)
Success rate (D. Fist): Magick Attack + PWR
Success rate (others) : Physical Attack + PWR
Healing (Chakra) : Physical Attack x PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Unlike White Magicks and Items, the Monk's healing abilities HEAL Undead targets
rather than damaging them.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Critical: Critical HP Yes 500 Restores HP completely
Recover HP
* Counter Phys. Attack Yes 300 Attack enemy with a standard physical
attack
* First Strike Attack command Yes 1300 Cancels enemy's Attack command and
you attack enemy instead. Only
works if enemy is within your
range. Does NOT work against
generic monsters.
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Brawler 200 Raises unarmed attack strength. Also
increases effectiveness of Martial
Arts abilities, success rate of
Steal, and strength of Squire's
Rush and Stone. Does NOT increase
attack strength if you have a
weapon equipped, but still benefits
Fundaments, Steal, and Martial
Arts.
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Lifefont 300 Restores 1/10 of your max HP if you
move at least 1 tile on your turns
JP to master: 5300
--MY THOUGHTS--
Monks rock! In my opinion, they have the best selection of abilities in the
game. Shockwave and to a lesser extent Aurablast are decent offensive
abilities. This offensive potential is combined with three great healing
abilities that don't require any charge time: Chakra can restore HP *AND* MP to
a group, Revive revives KOed characters and usually has an 80+% hit rate, and
Purification cures a number of status conditions for a group. This makes
Martial Arts a great command to have, as it packs both offensive and defensive
abilities into a single ability slot. The one drawback is that most Martial
Arts abilities, including the healing ones, work only over a small vertical
range. You can't Revive someone at a different height than you, for instance.
Monks also have great reaction abilities. Counter is a great reaction ability
to have in almost all situations. Getting counterattacks in response to enemy
attacks lets you do a LOT more damage. Against humans, First Strike is even
better; it cancels the enemy's attack outright. But, First Strike is not
effective against generic monster attacks, so don't use it when you're traveling
the map and will just be facing random battles. (First Strike *is* effective
against monster-like bosses and other "special" monsters.) Critical: Recover
HP can be moderately useful too since it can restore your HP to full and save
a critically wounded character, but many attacks can KO you outright and never
even put you in critical HP.
Another advantage of Monks is that they have good stats: they have a high
Physical Attack and are pretty speedy. Consider pairing their attack with the
Ninja's Dual Wield to get two punches and double your damage!
The Monk's biggest weakness is that they can't equip much in the way of armor.
Equip Heavy Armor can be a good remedy for that. Female Monks can also benefit
from the ability to equip hair adornments (acquired later in the game), which
will at least add a few HPs and some status protection.
---WHITE MAGE-------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Chemist (job lv. 2)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 3 - Mystic
Job Lv 5 - Arithmetician (also needs B.Mag, T.Mag, Mystic)
Versus Undead targets, Cure magicks deal damage, Arise works as an instant KO
attack, and Raise does damage equal to half of the target's max HP.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Regenerate Any HP loss Yes 400 Gain Regen status (restores HP each
turn). Duration: 36 ticks.
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Arcane Defense 400 Lowers damage received from magicks
by 33% and lowers success rate of
status attack magicks. Also works
for other abilities that depend on
the Magick Attack stat, like Iaido,
Geomancy, and Limit.
--Movement Abilities--
none
JP to master: 7070
--MY THOUGHTS--
White Mages are, of course, a healing oriented job; Holy is their only real
offensive spell. However, in my opinion, they tend not to be as effective on
defense as Chemists. Unlike items, White Magicks consume MP and need time to
charge up. The charge time is particularly problematic if an ally has just
been hit for a lot of damage and you need to patch him/her up right away -- you
might not have time to wait!
The GOOD side to White Mages is that they can heal more than one character at a
time, since most of their magicks affect more than one tile. (But, you can also
do this to a lesser extent with the Monk's Chakra.) White Mages can also cast a
few other "buffing" magicks like Protect and Shell, though these may miss if you
have low Faith or Magick Attack! Their Arise spell is also capable of restoring
a character at full HP, which Phoenix Down or a Monk's Revive cannot do. They
are also the fastest of the mage jobs.
White Magicks can also be used an offensive weapon against undead enemies,
though there aren't too many undead enemies and most are pretty easy anyway.
Besides, you can use Chemists' Items to hurt undead enemies too!
Protectja and Shellja are spectacularly bad abilities. Compared to Protect and
Shell, they are LESS likely to work, yet require more MP and charge time! Don't
waste your JP.
Overall, the charge times and MP costs associated with White Magick make
Chemists a better choice for much of the game. If you're likely to get any use
out of White Mages, it's probably in the early stages of the game, when you'll
frequently face barrages of weak attacks spread out against your team. Then,
the ability to heal multiple characters at once is important.
Curaja is one of the magicks that you may (randomly) learn when it is
succesfully cast on you. This makes it very easy to transfer between characters
once one character has learned it. Just turn everyone into White Mages and heal
them with it until they learn it. (You do have to recover at least 1 HP to have
a chance of learning it.)
---BLACK MAGE-------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Chemist (job lv. 2)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 3 - Time Mage
Job Lv 5 - Arithmetician (also needs W.Mag, T.Mag, Mystic)
Mastered - Dark Knight (also needs Knight, Geo., Drag.,
Sam., Ninja, 20 kills)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Black Magicks--
Damage inflicted : Magick Attack x PWR x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
Status attack success : (Magick Attack + PWR) x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fire 6 RA 4 14 4/* 2/1 All N 50 Fire magick attack
Fira 12RA 5 18 4/* 2/2 All N 200 Fire magick attack
Firaga 24RA 7 24 4/* 2/3 All N 500 Fire magick attack
Firaja 48 10 32 4/* 3/3 All N 900& Fire magick attack
* Thunder 6 RA 4 14 4/* 2/1 All N 50 Lightning magick attack
* Thundara 10RA 5 18 4/* 2/2 All N 200 Lightning magick attack
* Thundaga 24RA 7 24 4/* 2/3 All N 500 Lightning magick attack
Thundaja 48 10 32 4/* 3/3 All N 900& Lightning magick attack
* Blizzard 6 RA 4 14 4/* 2/1 All N 50 Ice magick attack
* Blizzara 12RA 5 18 4/* 2/2 All N 200 Ice magick attack
* Blizzaga 24RA 7 24 4/* 2/3 All N 500 Ice magick attack
Blizzaja 48 10 32 4/* 3/3 All N 900& Ice magick attack
Poison 6 RA 3 160 4/* 2/2 All N 150 Causes Poison status.
Duration: 36 ticks.
* Toad 12RA 5 120 3/* 1/- All N 500 Causes Toad status, or cures
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Magick Counter Magick attack Yes 800 Counterattack with same magick (even
if you haven't learned it!). Works
regardless of distance.
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Arcane Strength 400 Increases damage inflicted/HP
restored by your magicks by 33%,
and increases success rate of
status attack magicks. Also works
for other abilities that depend on
your Magick Attack stat, like
Iaido, Geomancy, and Limit.
--Movement Abilities--
none
JP to master: 8400
--MY THOUGHTS--
When it comes to magick, Black Mages are the mythril standard. They have a lot
of MP (second only to Summoner in standard jobs, and third to Summoners and
Beowulf's Templar job overall), and THE highest magick strength of any human.
Plus, they can equip rods that boost their magick abilities even further, and
their Arcane Strength makes their magick do more damage. In other words, the
magick abilities of other jobs get even stronger when used by a Black Mage. A
great strategy is to learn spells from other jobs, then turn your character
into a Black Mage. (Or, even better, learn Arithmeticks and then turn into a
Black Mage so you can cast ALL spells at high power!) They're the best magick
job available.
So, how about Black Mages' own magicks? Well, Black Magicks tend to be pretty
useful--especially early in the game, when you have few other abilities that
can attack multiple enemies.
The Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder families of magick all do the same amounts of
raw damage under normal circumstances. They differ only in their elemental
affinities, which means they can do more or less damage in certain cases:
> Fire magick does extra damage to a number of early-game monster types
(Skeletons and Ghosts), but it gets weaker during thunderstorms and doesn't
work against the Bomb family. (It also does more damage to enemies afflicted
with Oil status, but this status condition almost never happens.)
> Blizzard magick is good against many late-game monsters, but the only early-
game monster family weak to ice is Goblins, which are pretty easy anyway.
Blizzard magick gets stronger during a snowstorm, but snowstorms are very
rare.
> Thunder magick gets stronger during a thunderstorm, and no monsters are
immune to it. But, only one monster family (Mindflayers) is weak to it.
Overall, Thunder is probably your best pick early in the game. Nothing is
immune to it, so you can use it against any enemy, and it gets stronger during
thunderstorms, which are pretty common during the rainy months. Fire is OK too,
but Skeletons and Ghosts are usually fairly easy to defeat anyway. Blizzard
magicks are less useful early in the game. But, they end up being the MOST
useful in Chapter IV, since late-game monsters like Malboros, Hydras, and Red
Dragons are weak to ice.
The Toad magick is also noteworthy. A enemy turned into a Toad can only use
weak physical attacks. This status never wears off unless explicitly cured; it
doesn't go away with the passing of time. This means that turning the
remaining enemies into useless Toads is a great way of prolonging the battle if
you want to grind stats/points or hunt for items with Treasure Hunter. The
limited hit rate of Toad means you may have to try a couple times to get it to
succeed, though.
Magick Counter is a decent reaction ability when faced when lots of enemy
mages, but there aren't really too many situations where this applies.
Later in the game, Black Magicks aren't quite as effective. You'll have other
abilities (like sword techniques and Iaido) that can also hit groups of
enemies, and they don't consume MP and don't need to charge. The strongest
Black Magicks take so long to charge that they're often impractical. The
high-level Black Magicks are not even that great to use with Arithmeticks: the
-ja magicks can't be used with Arithmeticks at all, and Flare does less damage
than the White Mage's Holy. (One small benefit of Flare, though: its animation
time is much shorter than Holy's, so it's quicker to use when finishing off weak
opponents.)
The Black Mage job must be Mastered to unlock Dark Knight. You can speed this
process if at least one character has already learned the -ja spells; cast them
on allied Black Mages and they may learn the magicks from being hit with them.
See the "Learning Magick from Being Hit" section for more on this process.
---TIME MAGE--------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Black Mage (job lv. 3)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 3 - Summoner
Job Lv 4 - Arithmetician (also needs B.Mag, W.Mag, Mystic)
Slowja 30RA 7 240 3/* 2/3 Any N 600& Inflicts Slow status
* Stop 14RA 7 110 3/* 2/0 Any N 350 Inflicts Stop status (CT
gauge doesn't fill).
Duration: 20 ticks.
Immobilize 10RA 3 190 3/* 2/1 Any N 100 Inflicts Immobilize status.
Duration: 24 ticks.
Float 8 RA 2 140 4/* 2/1 Any N 200 Gives Float status (see below).
Duration: Battle.
Reflect 12RA 2 180 4/* 1/- Any N 300 Gives Reflect status (reflects
magick). Duration: 32 ticks.
Quick 24R 4 140 4/* 1/- Any N 900 Fills CT gauge - instant turn!
Gravity 24RA 6 190 4/* 2/1 Any N 250 Damage = 1/4 of target's max HP
* Graviga 50RA 10 120 4/* 2/3 Any N 550 Damage = 1/2 of target's max HP
Meteor 70 20 40 4/* 4/3 Any N 1500 Non-elemental magick attack
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Critical: Quick Critical HP Yes 800 Fills CT gauge to 100; instant turn!
* Mana Shield Any HP loss Yes 400 Damage dealt only to MP instead of
HP if MP >0
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Swiftness 1000 Halves number of clock ticks needed
to charge up magicks & Limit. No
benefit to Jump/Aim/Dance/Bardsong.
--Movement Abilities--
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Teleport 650 Teleport to any square when moving
regardless of move range, height,
or obstacles/enemies in the way.
Chance of failure increases with
longer move distance. #
Levitate 540 Permanent Float status: Can move
over water, lava, fens, and minor
pits as if land; immune to Earth-
elemental attacks; height increases
by 1.
# Teleport never fails if you teleport only within your regular horizontal move
range. For every additional tile beyond your move range, the chance of failure
increases by 10%. Teleport always has an infinite vertical range and your
Jump stat has no effect on its failure rate.
JP to master: 8920
--MY THOUGHTS--
Time Mages play a support role, casting magicks to assist allies or keep the
enemies from acting. They have no healing abilities and their few direct
offensive abilities take a long time to charge, making them impractical in most
combat situations. So, it's probably a good idea to supplement the Time Mage
with a secondary Action Ability set from another job. White or Black Magicks
are good choices. The Samurai's Iaido, if available, also works well since
it's boosted by the Time Mage's high magick attack but saves your MP for Time
Magick.
Having high Faith is also very important for a Time Mage as it makes your
magicks more likely to succeed. Magick Attack also plays a lesser role, but is
not weighted very heavily in the formula for the success rate of Time Magicks.
Time Mages have two abilities that are great to transfer to nearly any job.
Teleport is one of the best movement abilities in the game (along with Move
2/3). It allows you to warp up or down large heights (duplicating all the
effects of the Dragoon's Ignore Elevation), as well as to move through enemies.
This completely changes how can you move around certain maps. For instance,
you can teleport right up a castle wall to attack the Archers up there, or take
a shortcut over the side of a cliff. This can be very helpful in a number of
story battles as it lets you get the jump on range attackers. You can also
conceivably use Teleport to warp long distances, but if you teleport a long
distance outside of your movement range, the teleport is likely to fail and
you'll end up back where you started, unable to move at all that turn. Stick to
teleporting within your movement range or just 1 or 2 tiles beyond, and you'll
be fine!
The other great ability to transfer to other jobs is the Mana Shield reaction
ability, which makes damage go to your MP instead of your HP as long as you
have at least 1 MP. This isn't so good for magick users since it quickly
drains your MP, but it can be great on physical fighters who weren't going to
use their MP anyway. Mana Shield is especially useful if you pair it with
Manafont or another ability that lets you recover MP quickly.
Graviga is also a pretty good magick to use against bosses. It does damage
equal to half of the target's maximum HP, no matter how that is. That's a great
way to whittle down bosses with high HP (some have several thousand!).
---SUMMONER---------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Time Mage (job lv. 3)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 5 - Mime (also needs Squ., Chem., Ora., Geo., Drag.)
Job Lv 5 - Bard (also needs Orator, must be male)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Summon--
Damage inflicted : Magick Attack x PWR x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
Status change success : (Magick Attack + PWR) x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Moogle 8 3 10 4/* 3/2 Ally N 110 "Moogle Charm": Restores HP
* Shiva 24 7 20 4/* 3/2 Foe N 200 "Glacial Shards": Ice magick
attack
* Ramuh 24 7 20 4/* 3/2 Foe N 200 "Judgment Bolt": Lightning
magick attack
Ifrit 24 7 20 4/* 3/2 Foe N 200 "Infernal Blaze": Fire magick
attack
Titan 30 10 22 4/* 3/2 Foe N 220 "Gaia's Wrath": Earth magick
attack
* Golem 40 4 200 All allies N 500 "Earthen Wall": Blocks physical
attacks targeting allies
until its HP damage limit is
When Summons are used, a special attack name (not just the name of the Esper)
is displayed -- these are listed in quotation marks above.
The Zodiark summon cannot be purchased with JP; it must be learned from the
boss on the last floor of the bonus dungeon. See the Midlight's Deep
walkthrough for more tips on how to learn it.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Critical: Critical HP Yes 400 Restores MP to maximum
Recover MP
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Halve MP 1000 Halves MP cost of abilities
--Movement Abilities--
none
JP to master: 9800
--MY THOUGHTS--
While summons don't have quite the power in FF Tactics as they do in some other
FF games, they're still strong. Broadly speaking, Summons require more MP and
charge time than a Black or White Magick of equivalent strength. But, Summons
have a wider effect radius and can reach more targets. And, unlike Black and
White Magick, there's no "friendly fire" -- Summons don't hurt your teammates or
heal the enemies. They only hit the targets they're "supposed" to.
The Summon command also offers you a nice mix of both offensive abilities and a
few defensive ones: Moogle and Faerie restore HP, and the very useful Golem
summon blocks all enemy physical attacks for a while. The Lich summon is also
particularly effective against many of the game's major bosses; it always takes
For high damage dealing, Cyclops is generally best; aside from the hiden Zodiark
summon, it's the most damaging summon. Bahamut and Odin do have a wider range,
but they are less powerful and take longer to charge. Leviathan and Salamander
are flat-out terrible buys; they require the same charge time as Odin but do
less damage.
The disadvantages of Summons are that they take quite a while to charge and cost
a fair amount of MP. The former could be remedied with the Time Mage's
Swiftness ability, which halves their charge time. MP costs can be dealt with
using the Summoner's own Halve MP support ability to decrease MP costs, with
equipment that boosts your max MP (all robes, and some hats), or with the
Chemist's Ethers & Hi-Ethers. There are also some abilities that let you gain
MP from your enemies: The Mystic's Absorb MP lets you absorb MP from enemy
magicks, or you could also pair Summon with Mystic Arts to use Empowerment to
steal enemy's MP. (Orlandeau's Duskblade and Beowulf's Syphon can also steal
MP.) Unfortunately, you can't equip *both* Swiftness and Halve MP as they use
the same support ability slot, but you could pair Swiftness with MP-boosting
equipment, Items, Empowerment, or Absorb MP.
If you want to use Summoner as one of your Mastered jobs for the purposes of
powering up Onion Knight, note that Summoner isn't considered Mastered until you
learn Zodiark.
---THIEF------------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Archer (job lv. 3)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 4 - Dragoon
Job Lv 5 - Ninja (also needs Archer & Geomancer)
--ABILITIES--
Success (Steal Heart) : Magick Attack + PWR
Success (others) : Speed + PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Steal Gil 0 200 1/1 1/- Foe - 10 Steal small amount of gil
(amount = Speed * your level)
* Steal Heart 0 50 3/1 1/- Foe N 150 Inflicts Charm; only effective
on monsters and opposite sex.
Duration: 32 ticks.
Steal Helm 0 40 1/1 1/- Foe - 350 Steal target's helmet
* Steal Armor 0 35 1/1 1/- Foe - 450 Steal target's armor
* Steal Shield 0 35 1/1 1/- Foe - 350 Steal target's shield
* Steal Weapon 0 30 1/1 1/- Foe - 600 Steal target's weapon
* Steal Accessory 0 40 1/1 1/- Foe - 500 Steal target's accessory
Steal Exp 0 70 1/1 1/- Foe - 250 Steal some of target's current
Exp (amount = Speed + 5)
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Vigilance Any HP loss Yes 200 Enter into "Defend" state (doubles
evade rate) until your next turn.
Gil Snapper Any HP loss Yes 200 Receive gil equal to HP lost
Sticky Fingers Throw Yes 200 Blocks Ninja's Throw attack; thrown
item is added to your inventory!
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Poach 200 Monsters KOed with physical attack
are poached and disappear from the
map; item becomes available at
Poachers' Den
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Move +2 560 Movement range + 2
Jump +2 500 Jump height + 2
JP to master: 4520
--MY THOUGHTS--
Thieves are poor at magick and only moderately strong physically. But, boy, are
they speedy! And their movement range and jump height are both 4, so they can
get across the map quickly.
As you might expect, this job revolves around its stealing abilities. Stealing
your opponents' equipment not only cripples them, but adds items to your
inventory. And while Steal Heart doesn't score any items, it's also quite
useful; it's a Charm attack with a fairly good success rate. You can use it to
temporarily turn enemies against their team, which gets one enemy out of your
hair AND inflicts some damage on the opposing side. Steal Heart only works on
the opposite gender (and monsters). So, a female Thief is somewhat more useful
than a male Thief -- there are more male enemies than female ones.
Move +2 is also a great movement ability and makes characters quite a bit more
mobile. Note that this ability supersedes the Squire's Move +1 in every way
-- there's absolutely no trade-off or downside to selecting Move +2 over Move
+1 once you've learned +2.
The Thief's reaction abilities, on the other hand, tend not to be too useful.
Gil Snapper is worthless as the amount of gil you receive from it is so small--
the same goes for the Steal Gil action ability. Sticky Fingers is not
particularly useful for the bulk of the game because you won't fight too many
Ninjas and can block their throws with Shirahadori, anyway.
When Thieves aren't stealing, you may use them as fighters. Since they can only
equip knives, though, their offense can be somewhat weak on its own. You may
want to use an ability like Equip Swords to bolster their offense. Or just
learn the crucial Steal abilities and Move +2 and then move onto another job. In
particular, graduating your Thief to a Ninja is a good idea. The success of
Steal is affected by your Speed, and Ninjas are even faster than Thieves!
(Plus, Ninjas have a better Physical Attack rating, too.)
---ORATOR-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Mystic (job lv. 3)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 5 - Mime (also needs Squ., Chem., Sum., Geo., Drag.)
Job Lv 5 - Bard (also needs Summoner, must be male)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Speechcraft--
Success rate : Magick Attack + PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Entice 0 20 3/3 1/- Foe N 100 Target becomes a guest ally and
joins permanently after
battle. (Does not work on
story characters.)
Stall 0 30 3/3 1/- Any N 100 Resets target's CT
Praise 0 50 3/3 1/- Any N 200 Raises Bravery by 4 #
Intimidate 0 90 3/3 1/- Any N 200 Lowers Bravery by 20 &
* Preach 0 50 3/3 1/- Any N 200 Raises Faith by 4 #
* Enlighten 0 90 3/3 1/- Any N 200 Lowers Faith by 20 &
Condemn 0 30 3/3 1/- Any N 500 Causes Doom status (enemy is
KOed after 3 turns)
Beg 0 90 3/3 1/- Foe N 100 Receive gil from enemy
Insult 0 40 3/3 1/- Any N 300 Causes Berserk status (attack
power up, but can't control
unit). Duration: Battle.
Mimic Darlavon 0 40 3/3 2/* Any N 300 Causes Sleep status (can't do
anything). Duration: 60 ticks
Speechcraft abilities cannot target monsters unless the user has the Beast
Tongue ability. Orators have this ability innately, but other jobs will have
to equip it.
# Note: 1 point of the Faith/Bravery change is permanent; the rest is just for
the battle.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Earplug Speechcraft Yes 300 Cancels Speechcraft ability used on
character
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Equip Guns 800 Can equip guns regardless of job
Tame 500 Physical attacks will recruit
monsters if they have critical HP
(< 20% of max) after the attack
* Beast Tongue 100 Can use Speechcraft against monsters
--Movement Abilities--
none
JP to master: 3900
--MY THOUGHTS--
Like Time Mages, Orators play a supplementary role. They have a pretty limited
set of abilities and probably aren't a job that you'll want to use for general
purposes.
One of their key uses of the Orator is to recruit enemy units with Entice and
Tame. If you want to recruit monsters onto your team, you need this job! (To
recruit monsters, either use Entice + Beast Tongue, or equip Tame and hit
monsters with a physical attack.) Even if you don't want to keep an enemy on
your roster, you can use Entice to turn him/her to your side for the duration of
one battle. This can be useful when you're outnumbered, although the low hit
rate of Entice means it's a bit of a gamble. If you have a spare spot on your
roster, you can also recruit enemies long enough to strip them for their
equipment and then dismiss them.
The other main purpose of the Orator is to adjust your Bravery and Faith
statistics. Boosting your Bravery is particularly useful as it increases the
strength of some weapons, makes your Reaction Ability more likely to activate,
and has no negative side effects. However, you can just as easily raise your
Bravery with Ramza's Steel ability, which also has the advantage that it never
misses. Where Orators DO come in handy is in modifying Faith. Since Faith
controls both the damage you deal with magick and receive from enemy magick, it
can be advantageous to raise your magick users' Faith (making them stronger) and
lower everyone else's Faith (since they won't be using magick, decreasing their
Faith makes enemy magick less effective). If you want to do this, you're better
off making the changes during a random battle against weaker monsters (e.g. at
Mandalia Plain), where you can use Speechcraft with less enemy interference. A
tough story battle is not a good place to grind Bravery and Faith.
The success rate of all Speechcraft abilities, including Entice and the
Bravery/Faith modifiers, depends on the Magick Attack stat. But, the Orator's
Magick Attack actually isn't very high. Once you learn the Speechcraft
abilities you want, you can make them more effective by switching to a job with
a high Magick Attack (like Black Mage or Summoner) and equipping Speechcraft as
your second Action Ability. Just remember that you won't be able to use
Speechcraft on monsters without also equipping the Beast Tongue support ability.
The last key Orator ability is Equip Guns. While Orators can equip guns
naturally, Equip Guns lets you transfer this ability to other jobs. Having the
long range of a gun can be handy for "support" jobs that aren't going to be on
the front lines.
You can safely skip Earplug since you'll face enemy Orators only very rarely.
---MYSTIC-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : White Mage (job lv. 3)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 3 - Orator
Job Lv 5 - Arithmetician (also needs W.Mag, B.Mag, T.Mag)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Mystic Arts--
Success rate : (Magick Attack + PWR) x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Umbra 4 RA 2 200 4/* 2/1 Any N 100 Causes Blind status (doubles
evade rate when attacking).
Duration: Battle.
* Empowerment 2 2 160 4/* 1/- Any N 200 Drains target's MP to caster.
Amount = 1/3 of target MP max
Invigoration 16 2 160 4/* 1/- Any N 350 Drains target's HP to caster.
Amount = 1/4 of target HP max
* Belief 6 RA 4 150 4/* 1/- Any N 400 Causes Faith status (unit has
100 Faith -- raises magick
strength & damage taken from
magicks). Duration: 32 ticks
* Disbelief 6 RA 4 150 4/* 1/- Any N 400 Causes Atheist status (unit is
immune to magick & can't use
magicks). Duration: 32 ticks
Corruption 20RA 5 100 4/* 1/- Any N 300 Causes Undead status (reverses
effect of healing & drain
abilities). Duration: Battle.
Quiescence 16RA 3 180 4/* 1/- Any N 170 Causes Silence status (cannot
use magick). Duration: 36
ticks.
Fervor 16RA 5 120 4/* 1/- Any N 400 Causes Berserk status (attack
pwr up, but can't control
unit). Duration: Battle.
* Trepidation 20RA 4 140 4/* 1/- Any N 200 Lowers Bravery by 30
Delirium 20RA 5 130 4/* 1/- Any N 400 Causes Confuse status (acts
randomly). Duration: Battle.
Harmony 34 A 3 200 4/* 1/- Any N 800 Removes Float, Reraise, Regen,
Invisible, Protect, Shell,
Haste, Faith, and Reflect.
* Hesitation 10RA 5 185 4/* 2/0 Any N 100 Causes Disable status (cannot
Act). Duration: 24 ticks.
Repose 24RA 6 170 4/* 2/1 Any N 350 Causes Sleep status (can't do
anything). Duration: 60 ticks
* Induration 16RA 10 120 4/* 1/- Any N 600 Causes Stone status (can't do
anything). Duration: Battle.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Absorb MP Magick Yes 250 Gain MP equal to the MP cost of a
magick cast on you. Doesn't work
for magicks you cast on yourself.
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Defense Boost 400 Lowers physical damage received
by 33%
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Ignore Weather 200 Move through swampy tiles at normal
rate even if it's storming
* Manafont 350 Restores 1/10 of your max MP if you
move at least 1 tile on your turn
JP to master: 5970
--MY THOUGHTS--
Mystics specialize in inflicting status conditions on their foes. These magicks
often fail, so if you want to use this job, a character with high Faith is
necessary to increase your success rate. In general, though, Mystic is just not
a very useful job. They don't have much in the way of direct offense or
defense, and their status affliction spells aren't really useful enough to
compensate for their charge time, MP cost, and success rate. Mustadio and,
later, Beowulf are much more effective at inflicting status ailments.
However, Disbelief is a pretty useful magick. The Atheist status renders a unit
temporarily immune to magick. Watch out, though -- it also prevents the unit
from using its own magicks, so don't cast it on your mages! Conversely, Belief
maximizes magick damage and the effectiveness of your own magicks.
Like Time Magicks, the success of Mystic Arts is mostly dependent on Faith. So
raise that Faith up if you want to use Mystic Arts effectively! Or, have the
Mystic cast Belief on himself/herself for a temporary Faith boost.
One of the main Mystic abilities you may want to score is Manafont. Manafont
makes for a great combo with the Time Mage's Mana Shield. Mana Shield diverts
the damage you receive to your MP and (with high Bravery) prevents you from
being killed as long as you've got at least 1 MP. Then, you can fill up your MP
again using Manafont.
Mystic Arts CAN be used with Arithmeticks once you acquire that ability. Again,
in most cases you're actually better off using Arithmeticks to do direct damage.
But, calculating Induration can be effective since it lets you turn multiple
enemies to stone and instantly defeat them. Calculating Trepidation also lets
you reduce multiple enemies' Bravery. That reduces their odds of using reaction
abilities, and turns them into Chickens if their Bravery drops below 10.
Ignore Weather is the game's most singularly useless ability. Its only effect
is to reduce the penalty to your movement range that applies when moving through
swampy tiles while there's a rainstorm or thunderstorm. This isn't anything to
bother with.
---GEOMANCER--------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Monk (job lv. 4)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 2 - Ninja (also needs Archer & Thief)
Job Lv 5 - Mime (also needs Squ., Chem., Sum., Ora., Drag.)
Job Lv 5 - Dancer (also needs Dragoon, must be female)
Job Lv 8 - Dark Knight (also needs Knight, B.Mag, Drag.,
Samu., Ninja, 20 kills)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Geomancy--
Damage inflicted : 0.5 x Magick Attack x (Physical Attack + 2)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sinkhole 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Non-elemental magick attack +
Immobilize
Torrent 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Water magick attack + Toad
* Tanglevine 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Non-elemental magick + Stop
* Contortion 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Non-elemental magick + Stone
* Tremor 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Earth magick attack + Confuse
* Wind Slash 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Wind magick attack + Disable
* Will-o'-the-Wisp 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Fire magick attack + Sleep
Quicksand 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Water magick attack + Doom
Sandstorm 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Wind magick attack + Blind
Snowstorm 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Ice magick attack + Silence
Wind Blast 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Wind magick attack + Slow
Magma Surge 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N 150 Fire magick attack + KO
All Geomancy abilities have a 100% hit rate for inflicting damage, and about
a 25% chance of inflicting the status condition.
Raising either Physical Attack or Magick Attack will increase the strength of
Geomancy abilities, but raising Magick Attack will increase the damage MORE.
During battle, only one Geomancy ability is available for use at any given time.
The available ability is determined by the terrain type of the tile on which the
user is standing:
Sinkhole : Soil, Wasteland
Torrent : Canal, River, Lake, Ocean, Waterfall
Tanglevine : Grassland, Underbrush, Vines
Contortion : Gravel, Flagstone, Stone Wall, Earthen Wall, Gravestone
Tremor : Stone Outcropping, Basalt
Wind Slash : Book, Tree, Brick, Bridge, Furnishings, Iron, Moss, Coffin
Will-o'-the-Wisp: Wooden Floor, Carpet, Coffer, Stairs, Wooden Deck
Quicksand : Marsh, Swamp, Poisonous Fen
Sandstorm : Sand, Stalactite, Salt Flat
Snowstorm : Snow
Wind Blast : Roof, Chimney
Magma Surge : Lava, Machinery
You can use the Select button help messages to check individual tiles and see
what Geomancy effects they will have.
All Geomancy attacks do the same amount of damage. They differ only in their
elemental affinity, status condition inflicted, and associated terrain.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Nature's Wrath Phys. attack Yes 300 Counter using the Geomancy command,
or Geomancy regardless of distance. Works even
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Attack Boost 400 Raises physical attack damage by 33%
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Ignore Terrain 220 Moving through clear water does not
decrease movement range. Does NOT
eliminate penalty when moving
through swamps during a storm.
Does not protect against the
poison effect of Poisonous Fens.
Lavawalking 150 Can move across and stop on lava
tiles
JP to master: 2870
--MY THOUGHTS--
Geomancers are sort of a hybrid physical/magick job -- they're pretty decent
fighters, and can also do long-range elemental and status attacks with their
Geomancy. This makes the Geomancer job somewhat useful when it's first
available. Geomancy doesn't cost any MP, activates instantly, and it can hit a
group of enemies. Unfortunately, as the game progresses, the damage inflicted
by Geomancy doesn't keep pace with enemy HP, and Geomancers quickly become less
useful. Plus, there's also the disadvantage that you don't have much choice
over the Geomancy attacks available at any given time -- at most, you can
choose between two or three different attacks by moving to tiles with different
terrain. You can't really choose a specific kind of status condition to
inflict. In the long run, then, you probably won't get much use out of this
job.
Attack Boost, however, is a good support ability throughout the game and can be
useful for any fighting-oriented job. Although the 33% increase isn't as big a
boost to physical attacks as Dual Wield, Attack Boost also increases the power
of other "special" physical attacks like sword techniques, which Dual Wield does
not.
If you do you want to use Geomancy, Tanglevine, Contortion, Tremor, Wind Slash,
and Will-o'-the-Wisp are the most important ones to grab as they will cover most
of the game's terrain.
---DRAGOON----------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Thief (job lv. 4)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 2 - Samurai (also needs Knight & Monk)
Job Lv 5 - Mime (also needs Squ., Chem., Sum., Ora., Geo.)
Job Lv 5 - Dancer (also needs Geomancer, must be female)
Job Lv 8 - Dark Knight (also needs Knight, B.Mag, Geo.,
Samu., Ninja, 20 kills)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Jump--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x Weapon strength,
plus 50% bonus if you have a polearm equipped
Charge time : (50 / Speed) ticks
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Horizontal Jump 2 2/ 1/- Any N 150 Horizontal range of Jump is 1-2
Horizontal Jump 3 3/ 1/- Any N 350 Horizontal range of Jump is 1-3
Horizontal Jump 4 4/ 1/- Any N 550 Horizontal range of Jump is 1-4
Horizontal Jump 5 5/ 1/- Any N 800 Horizontal range of Jump is 1-5
* Horizontal Jump 8 8/ 1/- Any N 1100 Horizontal range of Jump is 1-8
* Vertical Jump 2 /2 1/- Any N 100 Vertical range of Jump is 2
Vertical Jump 3 /3 1/- Any N 250 Vertical range of Jump is 3
Vertical Jump 4 /4 1/- Any N 400 Vertical range of Jump is 4
Vertical Jump 5 /5 1/- Any N 550 Vertical range of Jump is 5
Vertical Jump 6 /6 1/- Any N 700 Vertical range of Jump is 6
* Vertical Jump 7 /7 1/- Any N 1000 Vertical range of Jump is 7
Vertical Jump 8 /8 1/- Any N 1500 Vertical range of Jump is 8
The Jump command causes the user to temporarily disappear from the battlefield
(by jumping off the screen). While off screen, the user is invincible, and
his/her tile cannot be moved into.
On return, the user strikes the targeted tile with a physical attack, then
bounces back to his/her original tile. Jump only targets PANELS, so if the
enemy has moved out of the targeted tile by the time you strike, the attack will
MISS. However, Jump does NOT require an unobstructed line of fire between you
and the target tile.
Initially, Jump has a horizontal range of 1 and a vertical range of 1. All the
action abilities simply extend the maximum horizontal range or vertical range of
the Jump command.
Jump cannot be evaded and always has a 100% hit rate, except when the target
has Shirahadori. A Jump attack CAN be Countered, if your starting location is
within range of the enemy's weapon.
The Jump command can be used with any weapon type, but you'll receive a 50%
BONUS to the damage dealt by Jump if you're equipped with a polearm. Using Dual
Wield or Doublehand does NOT increase the damage from Jump.
The number of clock ticks required for a Jump attack to activate is equal to
50 divided by the user's Speed statistic. If you want to determine for sure
whether or not your Jump will strike before the enemy moves, first calculate the
number of ticks your Jump will take (50 divided by your Speed). Then, look at
the enemy's current CT and Speed. Calculate the number of CT points left to
reach 100, and then divided that by the enemy's Speed stat (rounded up). That's
the number of clock ticks until the enemy's next turn. If that number is
greater than or equal to the number of ticks until Jump strikes, the enemy will
have no chance to move away from your Jump and you can land the hit.
Haste and Swiftness do NOT make Jump strike any more quickly.
The Jump command cannot be used when you are standing directly underneath a tile
at a higher elevation. It also can't target any enemies who happen to be
standing on a tile like that. This is only an issue on a very small number of
maps.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Dragonheart Phys. Attack Yes 600 Cast Reraise on self (return once
from KO automatically)
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Equip Polearms 400 Can equip Polearms regardless of job
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Ignore Elevation 700 Infinite jump height in movement
JP to master: 9150
--MY THOUGHTS--
Dragoons are sort of a souped-up Knight. They have comparable HP and attack
power and can equip heavy armor, and their polearms also have a range of two
tiles. This long-range attack allows them to attack monsters without a fear of
counterattack. Be careful, though -- polearms CAN be countered if you're using
them at close range, or if the enemy has a similarly ranged weapon. On the
downside, polearms don't give you the nice buffs of a knight's sword and don't
allow you to use sword techniques from the Dark Knight and special story jobs.
Dragoons also have the great Jump attack, which does a good amount of damage,
has a potentially HUGE range (if you've learned the top Horizontal and Vertical
Jump abilities), and puts the Dragoon temporarily out of harm's way. Just make
sure your target doesn't have time to move out of the way before you strike!
Unfortunately, you can't preview the exact CT list for a Jump attack like you
can with magicks, but you can look at the enemy CT gauges when selecting a
target. Don't target any enemy who has a high CT gauge, especially if your
character is relatively slow.
A tip about learning the Jump action abilities: Each Horizontal Jump or
Vertical Jump ability replaces all the ones below it. In other words, if you
have Horizontal Jump 8, you can do a jump of 1-8 panels; you don't need to learn
any other remaining Horizontal Jumps. So, a good strategy is to just learn one
or two of the early Horizontal and Vertical Jump abilities (like 2 or 3) to give
yourself a decent Jump in the meantime, then save up your JP for Horizontal Jump
8 and Vertical Jump 8. Don't waste your JP building up your range one ability
at a time. It's best to learn Horizontal Jump 8 before Vertical Jump 8 because a
good horizontal range is most important; in most cases you don't need *that*
great a vertical range to Jump.
Dragonheart and Ignore Elevation are also useful abilities, though neither is
essential. Dragonheart gives you a Reraise when physically attacked, and Ignore
Elevation is helpful for taking shortcuts up and down towers and cliffs. But,
the Time Mage's Teleport has the same benefits as Ignore Elevation plus more,
so Ignore Elevation is kind of redundant. The only reason to learn Ignore
Elevation is if you've been building a melee-oriented character and don't want
to spend time earning JP as a Time Mage -- and, in fact, it can be quite useful
for this purpose.
---SAMURAI----------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Knight (job lv. 4), Monk (job lv. 5) & Dragoon (job lv. 2)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 8 - Dark Knight (also needs Knight, B.Mag, Geo.,
Drag., Ninja, 20 kills)
Iaido abilities can only be used if you possess the corresponding katana in
your inventory (NOT equipped on the character). There is about a 1 in 10 chance
that the katana will break when the ability is used. All of the katanas except
the Masamune and Chirijiraden can be purchased at the Outfitter, although some
do not become available until later in the game.
When Iaido abilities are used, a special attack name (not just the name of the
sword) is displayed -- these are listed in quotation marks above.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Bonecrusher Critical HP Yes 200 Counterattack and do damage equal to
your own maximum HP
* Shirahadori Phys. Attack Yes 700 Block physical attacks. DOES work
work against bows and crossbows,
despite the in-game description.
Even works against guns and
monster physical attacks!
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Equip Katana 400 Can equip Katanas regardless of job
Doublehand 900 Equip one weapon in two hands to
increase damage dealt by regular
attacks and Aim. Does not affect
other weapon-related abilities
like Jump.
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Swim 300 Can act even in water of depth 2 or
greater. Can move through ALL
water tiles at normal rate
(regardless of weather). Can enter
water of depth 4. All water is
treated as having depth 1 when
calculating character's height.
JP to master: 8000
--MY THOUGHTS--
The Samurai possesses the game's best reaction ability, Shirahadori. This
ability blocks outright most physical attacks (though not sword techniques) and
has a success rate equal to your Bravery. With a high enough Bravery, you'll
be practically invulnerable to a large proportion of the game's abilities! The
Samurai job is worth unlocking for this ability alone.
Somewhat like the Monk and Summoner, the Samurai also mixes both offense and
healing with its Iaido ability. Murasame in particular is a GREAT healing
ability, since it restores HP to a large group and requires no charge time.
Masamune is in theory also very useful as it casts Regen and Haste to a group of
characters, but its value is more limited in practice since Masamunes are pretty
hard to get. The Iaido command also includes some decent magick attacks, like
Kiku-ichimonji (strikes only on the 4 cardinal directions, but has a long range)
and Muramasa (area damage). Since Iaido attacks never harm friendly targets or
heal enemies, they can be valuable in close quarters.
The strength of Iaido depends on your Magick Attack stat. So, equipping
accessories that boost your Magick Attack can be advantageous for a Samurai.
Faith has NO effect on Iaido, which means that you can lower your own Faith (to
defend against enemy magicks) while still being able to use Iaido effectively.
The downside to Iaido is that the katanas sometimes break when you use Iaido.
If you want to use a particular Iaido ability, it's a good idea to bring a
couple of copies of that katana into battle. Unfortunately, it sometimes can be
expensive buying new katanas to replace the ones that break. (Why, it's almost
like Samurai were throwing money at their enemies!) This means Iaido tends to
get more useful later in the game, when you have more spare cash. In the
multiplayer modes, your items are restored after battle, so you can use Iaido
freely, even with the rare Masamune and Chirijiraden.
So, you're often better off grabbing some Samurai abilities and transferring
them to another job. Shirahadori is great for ANY job. Iaido is also a great
supplementary Action Ability for other jobs, especially magick-oriented ones. A
job with a high Magick Attack will increase the power of Iaido, and Iaido gives
a mage an alternative to magick that doesn't cost MP and doesn't require
charging.
---NINJA-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Archer (job lv 4), Thief (job lv 5) & Geomancer (job lv 2)
Level up to unlock : Job Lv 8 - Dark Knight (also needs Knight, B.Mag, Geo.,
Drag., Samu., 20 kills)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Throw--
Damage inflicted : Speed x strength of thrown weapon
Range # : Your Move range
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Shuriken 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 50 Throw shuriken
Bomb 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 70 Throw bombs
Knife 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 100 Throw knives
* Sword 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 100 Throw swords
* Flail 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 100 Throw flails
Katana 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 100 Throw samurai katanas
Ninja Blade 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 100 Throw ninja blades
Axe 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 120 Throw axes
Polearm 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 100 Throw polearms
Pole 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 100 Throw poles
Knight's Sword 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 100 Throw knight's swords
Book 0 -- #/* 1/- Any Y 100 Throw books
The Throw command allows you to attack by throwing weapons & items from your
inventory. Obviously, the item/weapon is lost when it is thrown.
Weapons with an elemental affinity still do elemental damage when thrown. But,
weapons that inflict status ailments or randomly cast magick do NOT have such
effects when thrown.
When using Throw, ALL weapon types use the Speed x Weapon Strength damage
formula, regardless of what stats they normally depend on. Similarly, weapons
that otherwise do variable damage will do fixed damage when Thrown.
Weapons that are only found in the game's multiplayer modes CANNOT be thrown
with the Throw command.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Vanish Phys. attack Yes 1000 Gain Invisibility status
Reflexes n/a No 400 Existing evade %s are doubled
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Dual Wield 1000 Equip weapons in both hands and
strike with both, one after the
other, in a single attack. If you
equip only 1 weapon, you will just
strike once.
Note that the damage estimate for Dual Wielded attacks is just for the FIRST
attack -- if you have a weapon in both hands, the total damage will be much
higher!
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Waterwalking 420 Stand on surface of water rather
than decreasing height to go
underwater. Can move on top of
deep water without penalty. Does
NOT protect against Poisonous Fens.
JP to master: 3960
--MY THOUGHTS--
With a high speed and attack strength, and the innate ability to wield two
weapons, Ninja make life very dangerous for your opponents. You can do a lot
of damage with two weapons, and the Ninja's high Speed means that they get to
act first and strike before the enemy does. Plus, their good movement range
and jump height makes it easy for them to reach enemies. Ninjas are effective
for sneaking in and taking out enemy archers, gunners, or mages before they can
fire a shot or spell. Overall, Ninja is one of the most effective standard
jobs. Aim for leveling up Archer and Thief quickly to unlock it!
Throw is also a pretty good action ability. It's not the BEST attack, but
throwing strong weapons usually does a fair amount of damage and has a nice
range if your own Move range is good. Buying weapons does mean that the gil
costs of Throw add up, but, fortunately, you can always switch back to regular
attacks since the Ninja's regular attacks are effective too.
The strongest weapon that you can buy to throw is a tie between the Morning Star
flail and the Slasher axe; the Morning Star costs less money. Although flails
like the Morning Star normally do variable damage, they do regular fixed damage
when Thrown and can be quite powerful.
Good abilities from other jobs to consider for your Ninja are Steal (Thief) and
Brawler (Monk). Ninjas have a very high speed, so this makes your steals more
effective. And Brawler combined with the Ninja's innate Dual Wield gives you
two barehanded punches, which can be an extremely strong physical attack with
high Bravery.
The main weakness of Ninjas (besides pirates!) is their physical frailty. They
have very low HP and can't take much damage. This is particularly problematic
if you're using Ninjas to rush in and attack first -- they can get surrounded
and KOed while your other characters catch up. To solve this, you can equip
cloaks or Shirahadori to boost their evade/block rate, give them an Angel Ring
or Chantage (or the Dragonheart reaction ability) for a Reraise, or use Equip
Heavy Armor to gain more HP.
The Ninja's own Reflexes reaction abiity is also a decent defensive ability. It
doubles the effect of your existing evade rates (your innate evade rate, plus
any effects of a shield or cloak). The nice thing about this is it's one of the
few Reaction Abilities that doesn't depend on your Bravery, and so makes a good
pick for low-Bravery characters.
Ninjas can equip both ninja blades and flails. Overall, flails are stronger,
but they're also more unpredictable -- sometimes they do MORE than the estimate
shown, but sometimes they do LESS. This can be frustrating if you're trying to
finish off a weakened enemy and end up not quite doing enough damage. On the
other hand, in the long run, flails DO deal more damage. It's your call whether
you want to favor predictability or the potential for more damage, but usually
ninja blades are the best way to go.
---ARITHMETICIAN---------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : White Mage (job lv. 5), Black Mage (job lv. 5),
Time Mage (job lv. 4), & Mystic (job lv. 4)
Level up to unlock : nothing
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Arithmeticks--
Damage / healing : Magick Attack x PWR x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
Status change success : (Magick Attack + PWR) x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CT 0 n/a n/a Any N 250 Base equations on CT
* Level 0 n/a n/a Any N 350 Base equations on level
Exp 0 n/a n/a Any N 200 Base equations on Exp
* Height 0 n/a n/a Any N 250 Base equations on panel height
* Prime 0 n/a n/a Any N 300 Selects by prime number
* Multiple of 5 0 n/a n/a Any N 200 Selects by multiple of 5
* Multiple of 4 0 n/a n/a Any N 400 Selects by multiple of 4
* Multiple of 3 0 n/a n/a Any N 600 Selects by multiple of 3
Each time you use Arithmeticks, you select one from the first four abilities and
one from the second four abilities. This determines what characters the ability
will target. For example, selecting "Height" "Multiple of 5" will target all
characters whose current height on the map is a multiple of 5.
Then, you select the magick to cast on those targets. Allowable magicks are
those marked with an "A" under Black Mage, White Mage, Time Mage, and Mystic
(see above). You must have learned the magicks to cast them with Arithmeticks,
but you DO not need those jobs' Action Abilities equipped -- Arithmeticks always
allows access to ALL the allowable magicks you've learned.
Remember, when targeting based on Height, units in water have decreased Height;
the Depth of the water is subtracted from the Height of the panel.
(Exception: If the unit has Swim, all water is treated as having only Depth 1.)
And, Floating units, including monsters that naturally Float, have a Height that
is 1 GREATER than the panel they're Floating over.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cup of Life HP restore Yes 200 If healing ability used on character
restores more HP than is needed to
return to max HP, the excess HP is
distributed to the rest of
the party
Soulbind Any HP loss Yes 300 After any HP damage, restores 1/2 of
of the damage you took, and
inflicts that 1/2 on the character
who attacked you.
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Exp Boost 350 Doubles Exp received in battle
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Accrue Exp 400 Earn 1 Exp per tile moved
Accrue JP 400 Earn 2 JP per tile moved
JP to master: 4200
--MY THOUGHTS--
Arithmeticians are extremely powerful magick-wielders. Unlike conventional
magicks, Arithmeticks takes no time to charge, can strike all the way across the
board, and costs no MP! The Arithmeticks command also allows you cast magicks
learned from four different jobs (White Mage, Black Mage, Time Mage, and
Mystic), giving the Arithmetician great versatility. They can toast enemies
around the battlefield or heal your whole party, without even having to charge
or use MP!
For healing, you can use Arithmeticks with Esuna, Curaga, and Arise. On
offense, Holy is tops, stronger even than Flare! And if you equip gear that
absorbs holy (e.g., Chameleon Robes or the Excalibur), you can heal your allies
at the same time, too. Holy does have a very long on-screen animation, though;
Flare can be nice to use against weaker opponents simply because you don't need
to wait so long for the animation to finish!
You can also use Arithmeticks to mass-cast support magicks like Haste, Protect,
and Shell, although by the time you've mastered Arithmeticks you may already
have many pieces of equipment that you give you these buffs automatically.
Finally, a couple casts of Trepidation can also be useful for turning your
enemies into chickens en masse.
The Arithmetician job itself has very low magick strength and speed. To remedy
this, learn the Arithmeticks abilities, then switch the character to a Black
Mage or Summoner (both of which have a high Magick Attack) and equip
Arithmeticks as your secondary action ability. Once you've learned all the
Arithmetician's abilities, there's pretty much no reason to ever change back to
the job.
---BARD-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Summoner (job lv. 5) & Orator (job lv. 5), MALES only
Level up to unlock : nothing
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Bardsong--
HP/MP restored : Magick Attack + PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Seraph Song 6 20 All allies N 100 Restores MP; 100% hit rate
Life's Anthem 6 10 All allies N 100 Restores HP; 100% hit rate
* Rousing Melody 8 -- All allies N 100 Raises Speed by 1 for battle;
50% success rate per unit
* Battle Chant 8 -- All allies N 100 Raises Physical Attack by 1 for
battle; 50% success rate for
each unit
Magickal Refrain 10 -- All allies N 100 Raises Magick Attack by 1 for
battle; 50% success rate for
each unit
Nameless Song 10 -- All allies N 100 Gives Reraise, Regen, Protect,
Shell, or Haste; 50% success
rate for each target
* Finale 20 -- All allies N 100 Fills CT to 100 for instant
turn; 50% hit rate per target
Bardsongs activate repeatedly until a new command is entered for the unit. This
means that even if you wait out your turns, you can keep activating the ability.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Magick Boost Any HP loss Yes 500 Magick attack power + 1
Faith Boost Magick Yes 400 Faith + 3
--Support Abilities--
none
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Move +3 1000 Movement range + 3
Fly 5000 Ignore terrain and obstacles while
moving
JP to master: 7600
--MY THOUGHTS--
Bards can cast a variety of buffs to your whole party, regardless of where the
characters are standing. Boosting your speed and attack/magic power, or quickly
filling your CT gauge, can help your whole team fight more effectively. On the
other hand, Bards can't do much ELSE; they have very little HP or MP and a weak
attack. Also, their buffs don't always succeed and will miss quite a few of
your party members each time they're used.
The most effective way to use Bardsong is to pair it with the Ninja's Vanish
will keep firing while you're Invisible, as long as you don't do anything else.
That means you can remain invulnerable will continuing to support the party.
Bards can learn Fly, which costs an astronomical 5000 JP! Since Fly is
basically just a more expensive Teleport, it's not worth the JP cost at all. On
the other hand, Move +3 is much more reasonably priced and is extremely
effective for getting around the map quickly! Once you get Move +3, then
Move +1 and Move +2 become completely obsolete.
---DANCER-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Geomancer (job lv. 5) & Dragoon (job lv. 5), FEMALES only
Level up to unlock : nothing
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Dance--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack + PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Witch Hunt 6 20 All enemies N 100 Lowers enemy MP; 100% hit rate
* Mincing Minuet 6 10 All enemies N 100 Lowers enemy HP; 100% hit rate
* Slow Dance 8 All enemies N 100 Lowers enemy Speed by 1; 50%
hit rate on each target
Polka 8 -- All enemies N 100 Lowers enemy Physical Attack by
1; 50% hit rate per target
Heathen Frolick 10 -- All enemies N 100 Lowers enemy Magick Attack by
1; 50% hit rate per target
* Forbidden Dance 10 -- All enemies N 100 Causes Blind, Confuse, Silence,
Toad, Poison, Slow, Stop, or
Sleep; 50% hit rate per unit
Last Waltz 20 -- All enemies N 100 Empties enemy CT gauge; 50% hit
rate on each target
Dance abilities activate repeatedly until a new command is entered for the
character. This means that even if you wait out your turns, you can keep
activating the ability.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Fury Any HP loss Yes 600 Physical attack power + 1
Bravery Boost Physical atk Yes 700 Bravery + 3
--Support Abilities--
none
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
Jump +3 1000 Jump height + 3
Fly 5000 Can fly over terrain and enemies
JP to master: 8000
--MY THOUGHTS--
Whereas Bards cast buffs to help your entire party, Dancers lower the stats of
the enemy party. Lowering enemy speed or attack power, or inflicting status
conditions with Forbidden Dance, can be useful. Mincing Minuet does far too
little damage to be helpful in most circumstances, but works great with the
Vanish trick:
As with Bardsong, the Dance command is best used when paired with the Ninja's
Vanish reaction ability. When you take damage, Vanish will make you
invulnerable until you act again. However, if you're already dancing, the dance
will keep firing while you're Invisible, as long as you don't do anything else.
This means you can remain invulnerable will continuing to hit the enemy with
Mincing Minuet or another dance.
Dancers tend to be at least a little better than Bards. Since there are
generally more bad guys on the map than party members, it's more effective to
drop the enemies' stats than boost your own. Plus, they have a stronger
physical attack. Dancers also work well with the Knight's Parry ability, as
their cloth weapons have a VERY high parry rate (50%).
As with the Bard, Fly is definitely not worth 5000 JP. Dancers learn Jump +3
instead of the Bard's Move +3. Unfortunately, Jump +3 is pretty pointless,
since Teleport essentially duplicates all its effects and costs fewer JP! To
learn Move +3, female characters will have to become a Dark Knight.
---MIME-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Squire (job lv. 8), Chemist (job lv. 8),
Summoner (job lv. 5), Orator (job lv. 5),
Geomancer (job lv. 5), & Dragoon (job lv. 5)
Level up to unlock : nothing
--ABILITIES--
NO ABILITIES
Mimes can only use physical attacks on their own turns. However, they also copy
the abilities of your other characters. After each ally takes a turn, the Mime
copies the ability in the direction the Mime is facing and targets a tile the
same distance away as the original ability. For example, if Ramza casts a
magick on a unit two tiles forward and one tile to his right, the Mime will
target a unit two tiles forward and one tile to HER right.
Mimes only copy physical attacks and generic character abilities. They do not
copy monster abilities, nor abilities that are only used by special characters
(e.g. Agrias's sword techniques). They will also only mimic the *first* strike
of a Dual Wielded attack.
--MY THOUGHTS--
Mimes aren't quite as good as you'd think. They only mimic abilities in the
exact direction and range that they were originally used, which means they
usually miss. They also can't equip any gear to provide buffs or status
immunities.
If you use them very carefully, they can possibly be useful, as they could
potentially double the number of actions you take. For instance, if you pair
a Mime with an Arithmetician, the Mime can repeat every magick that the
Arithmetician calculates for twice the effect. Of course, you could just make
two Arithmeticians instead...
In truth, the main asset of Mimes is that they have great stat growth, making
this a great job to level up with if you're grinding levels. In particular,
aside from the level 8 Onion Knight, the Mime is the only generic job that can
raise your Magick Attack.
---DARK KNIGHT------------------------------------------------------------------
Required jobs : Knight (MASTERED*), Black Mage (MASTERED*),
Geomancer (job lv. 8#), Dragoon (job lv. 8),
Samurai (job lv. 8), & Ninja (job lv. 8), must kill 20
enemies (so that they turn into chests/crystals) with the
character (merely KOing or poaching an enemy doesn't count)
Level Up to Unlock : nothing
* Learn all the job's abilities to Master it. It doesn't matter how you acquire
the abilities as long as you have them all.
# Look out! You can "master" Geomancer at job lv. 7, but you must continue
earning JP with it until it gets to job lv. 8 in order to unlock Dark Knight!
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Darkness--
HP/MP drained : 0.8 x Physical Attack x (Weapon strength + PWR)
Damage (Crushing Blow): Physical Attack x (Weapon strength + PWR)
Damage (Abyssal Bl.) : See below
Damage (U. Sacrifice) : (Physical Attack x Magick Attack x BF Factor)
+ (0.33 x Max HP)
The BF Factor that determines damage for Abyssal Blade and Unholy Sacrifice is:
> If using a knight's sword: (Bravery/100) [damage reduced if Bravery < 100]
> If using a fell sword:([100-Faith]/100) [damage reduced if Faith > 0]
> If using a regular sword: 1
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Sanguine Sword 0 0 3/* 1/- Any N 500 Drains HP from target to user
Infernal Strike 0 0 3/* 1/- Any N 500 Drains MP from target to user
* Crushing Blow 0 2 3/2 1/2 Any N 300 Physical attack, may inflict
Stop. Element is based on
element of user's current
weapon.
* Abyssal Blade 0 ## #Cone#/2 Any N 1000 Physical attack. Element is
based on element of user's
weapon. Inflicts more damage
on targets closer to user.
Consumes HP equal to 20% of
user's max HP.
Unholy Sacrifice 0 -- Self 3/3 Any N 1200 Dark attack, causes Slow.
Consumes HP equal to 30% of
user's max HP.
# Abyssal Blade has a "cone" attack pattern. Within its vertical range of 2,
it strikes the first tile in the orientation you're facing, three tiles in a row
behind that, and five tiles in the row behind *that*. In other words, it looks
something like this:
|U|ser
X Damage = Physical Attack x BF Factor x (Weapon strength + 3)
XXX Damage = Physical Attack x BF Factor x (Weapon strength + 1)
XXXXX Damage = 0.5 x Physical Attack x BF Factor x (Weapon strength + 0)
The damage formula for each row is different; MORE damage is inflicted to the
units CLOSER to you.
All Darkness techniques have a 100% hit rate. However, they cannot be used
unless the user is equipped with a sword, knight's sword, or fell sword.
Damage from Darkness techniques increases when you have a stronger weapon
equipped. When you have two weapons Dual Wielded, only the weapon in the
upper slot counts (whether it's a sword or not!).
--Reaction Abilities--
none
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
HP Boost 2000 Increases maximum HP by 20%
* Vehemence 400 Increases by 50% the effectiveness
of user's attacks and HP-restoring
abilities, but also increases
damage received by 50%
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------
* Move +3# 1000 Movement range + 3
Jump +3# 1000 Jump height + 3
JP to master: 6900
--MY THOUGHTS--
The Dark Knight job allows even generic characters to wield sword techniques
like those used by many of the special story characters. Sanguine Sword in
particular is great for restoring HP while also inflicting heavy damage to
enemies and is extremely helpful in some of the later Rendezvous Mode missions,
especially Brave Story. Their other abilities are good, too, although most are
height-limited. Abyssal Blade and Unholy Sacrifice consume some of the user's
HP, but you can transfer these costs to your MP by equipping the Time Mage
ability Mana Shield. The Dark Knight job is also important for allowing
female characters to learn the extremely valuable Move +3 ability, which
completely supersedes Move +2. Vehemence is also a great support ability for
characters who aren't too fragile.
Dark Knights have the strongest attack power of any regular job and can equip
knight's swords and heavy armor. Dark Knights are also the only job (aside from
Onion Knights) that can equip fell swords, special weapons found exclusively in
the multiplayer modes. Fell swords actually aren't that good though. Although
they can inflict status ailments on their targets, fell swords require both
hands and don't carry all the buffs that knight's swords do. Stick with the
knight's swords.
Of course, the "catch" to all this power is that the Dark Knight job requires a
lot of work to unlock. You need to completely master two other jobs (one
physical, one magickal) by learning all their abilities, get four other jobs up
to level 8, and kill 20 enemies with the character.
In the single-player game, then, the Dark Knight is almost excessive. By the
time you jump through all the hoops to unlock it, you'll probably be tough
enough that you don't even need it! On the other hand, if you want to finish
all the Rendezvous Mode missions, the Dark Knight and its HP-draining ability
is quite important.
---ONION KNIGHT-----------------------------------------------------------------
--ABILITIES--
NO ABILITIES
The Onion Knight cannot use any abilities and can only use physical attacks.
However, they can use any kind of equipment. Even items normally reserved for
female characters can be used by male Onion Knights (and by female Onion
Knights, too, of course).
--MY THOUGHTS--
Taken in their base form, Onion Knights seem how exactly how the game describes
them: sad. Sure, they can equip any piece of equipment, but they have terrible
stats and NO abilities. Even if you gave them a good sword and armor, they'd
still be just a Knight with no abilities and no stats. Plus, they don't gain
experience from taking actions.
So what's the point of Onion Knights? Well, every time you master two other
jobs, the job level of Onion Knight increases. (Squire, Chemist, Mime, Dark
Knight, and special story character jobs that replace Squire do not count
towards this tally.) If you master 14 jobs and get Onion Knight to job level 8,
its stats will see a BIG increase. (Of course, mastering 14 jobs is a LOT of
abilities to learn.) Playing the game's multiplayer modes also allows you to
earn the Onion gear, very strong equipment that can only be used by Onion
Knights. With these two things, Onion Knights can be very strong melee
fighters, although they still cannot equip abilities.
Once at job level 8, the Onion Knight also gains the best stat bonuses whenever
they level-up. But since they don't get Exp from attacking and can't equip
Steal Exp, the only way to level them up is with the Wild Boar's Bequeath Bacon
ability (available with the Beastmaster support ability). Since Wild Boars can
only be obtained by breeding them from a Swine (faster) or from other Wild
Boars (slower), this can take quite a while.
A bug in the game also provides another way to tweak the Onion Knight. First,
be sure "Optimize on Job Change" is set to OFF under Options. Then, equip the
Dual Wield ability (NOT the innate Dual Wield of a Ninja or Dragonkin) and two
weapons. Switch to Onion Knight and you will still have both weapons equipped,
even though Onion Knights can't normally Dual Wield. You CAN'T actually swing
the second weapon and hit enemies with it, but you DO get any buffs, like the
auto-Haste from the Excalibur. This actually isn't super useful because the
Onion gear provides most of these buffs, and using up your shield slot for a
second weapon leaves you with no defense since Onion Knights have no Reaction
Abilities.
If you're not interested in spending a lot of time leveling up your jobs, you
probably won't have much use for the Onion Knight. They're not all that
important, even in the Rendezvous Mode missions.
If you DO want a powered-up Onion Knight, the "quickest" way to get one is to
raise Squire and Chemist to job level 6 (to unlock it), and then master Knight,
Archer, Monk, White Mage, Black Mage, Time Mage, Thief, Orator, Mystic,
Geomancer, Samurai, Ninja, Arithmetician, and Bard/Dancer. Dragoon and Summoner
require more JP to master than any of the other applicable jobs, plus you need
Zodiark to master Summoner.
These are special jobs used by specific story characters, and are not available
to generic characters. In all cases where a story character has a special job,
the special job replaces the Squire job for that character.
Most special jobs have the same reaction, support, and movement abilities as the
Squire job they replace. Therefore, I haven't bothered to list them. The
exceptions are the Ark Knight, Automaton, and Byblos jobs, which do have
different abilities.
---SQUIRE [RAMZA]---------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Ramza Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Knives, swords, Jump height : 3
knight's swords (ch. 4), flails Physical evade : 10%
Equippable armor: Shields (ch. 2+), hats, helms (ch. 2+),
clothes, armor (ch. 2+), robes
Stats When Active Job:
HP: C+ MP: B- Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: C
Stat Growth Rates:
HP: *** MP: **** Phys. Atk.: *** Mag. Atk.: ** Speed: **
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Mettle--
Damage (Rush/Stone) : Physical Attack x (random number from 1 to PWR)
Damage (Ultima) : Magick Attack x PWR x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Focus 0 -- Self 1/- Self - 300 Raises Physical Attack stat
by 1. Duration: Battle.
Rush 0 4 1/1 1/- Any - 80 Weak physical attack, good
chance of knocking enemy back
one tile.
Stone 0 2 4/* 1/- Any Y 90 Weak physical attack, good
chance of knocking enemy back
one tile.
Salve 0 -- 1/2 1/- Any - 150 Cures Blind, Silence, Poison
* Tailwind 0 -- 3/* 1/- Any N 200 Raises Speed by 1. Dur: Battle.
Chant 0 -- 1/3 1/- Any - 0 Restores HP. Amount of HP
restored = 40% of Ramza's max
HP. Ramza loses HP equal to
20% of his max HP.
* Steel (ch. 2+) 0 -- 3/* 1/- Any N 200 Raises Bravery by 5 #
* Shout (ch. 4) 0 -- Self 1/- Self - 500 Raises Bravery by 10 #,
Physical and Magick Attack by
1, Speed by 1. Dur: Battle.
Ultima (ch4) 10 5 23 4/* 2/1 Any N --& Non-elemental magick attack
JP to master: 2570
# Note: These abilities increase your Bravery. Most of this change remains
only for the battle, but for every 4 points you increase your Bravery during
battle, you get a 1 point permanent increase in Bravery.
Ultima can only be learned by having Luso or an enemy cast it on Ramza; see
the "Learning Magick from Being Hit" section for more information.
The damage from Rush and Stone increases (though not by much) if you have the
Monk's Brawler ability equipped.
--MY THOUGHTS--
Ramza's Squire job is powered up quite a bit relative to a regular Squire. He
has better stats, some extra abilities, and as you progress through the game,
he gains the ability to equip heavy armor and knight's swords. Unlike a regular
Squire, he can't wield axes, but axes are pretty useless anyway!
Most of Ramza's extra abilities are quite useful. Tailwind is a Speed boost,
Steel is a Bravery boost, and Shout raises many stats but only works on Ramza.
Steel is particularly useful as it's the fastest way of permanently adding to
your Bravery; it has a 100% hit rate and costs no MP. Whenever Ramza has a
spare turn, it's a good idea to have him use Steel to boost a teammate's
Bravery (or Shout to boost his own); increasing your Bravery makes your
reaction abilities much more effective. In a pinch, his Chant ability is good
for healing too. On the other hand, the Ultima magick is really quite weak,
especially given that you have to go out of your way to learn it.
Since Mettle makes for a good set of support abilities, you may want to
consider developing Ramza as a support character. On the other hand, until you
get some of the other special characters, Ramza will probably have some of the
better stats on your team and may be needed for front-line fighting.
Since Ramza doesn't have much in the way of direct attack or healing abilities,
you'll probably eventually want to supplement Mettle with some other abilities.
You can switch Ramza to another job (I like to make him Monk or a Ninja) and
equip Mettle as your second command. Or, since his Squire job is pretty strong
statistically, learn abilities with a different job and then switch him back
to Squire!
Ramza has one other special property: Being the lead character, he never deserts
the party, no matter how low his Bravery goes or how high his Faith gets. This
means that another strategy would be to to forget his Squire job and turn him
into a magick-user. Why? Normally, a character's Faith can only go up to 94
before the character deserts, but Ramza's Faith could be increased all the way
up to 97 for a few extra points of magick strength. But, it's only a few
points' difference and the Rod of Faith weapon raises any character's Faith to
100 during battle anyway.
If you're in Chapter IV, Ramza's Squire job won't display as Mastered until
you've learned the Ultima magick from an enemy; see "Learning Magick from Being
Hit" for more information.
---SQUIRE [DELITA]--------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Delita (ch. 1) Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Knives, swords, flails Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes, robes Physical evade : 5%
Stats:
HP: C+ MP: C+ Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: C
--ABILITIES--
JP to master: 1670
--MY THOUGHTS--
Like Ramza's, Delita's Squire job has superior stats to a regular Squire, but
Delita only has a single extra ability, Chant. Chant comes in quite useful
during Chapter I, as it lets Delita heal other party members for a substantial
amount (albeit at the cost of some of his own HP). Expect to see the guest AI
using it fairly frequently.
---SQUIRE [ARGATH]-------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Argath (ch. 1) Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Knives, swords, axes, flails Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes Physical evade : 15%
Stats:
HP: C+ MP: C+ Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: C
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Fundaments--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x (random number from 1 to PWR)
Success rate of Rend : Physical Attack + PWR + Weapon strength
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Focus 0 -- Self 1/- Self - 300 Raises Physical Attack stat
by 1. Duration: Battle.
Rush 0 4 1/1 1/- Any - 80 Weak physical attack, good
chance of knocking enemy back
one tile.
Stone 0 2 4/* 1/- Any Y 90 Weak physical attack, good
chance of knocking enemy back
one tile.
Salve 0 -- 1/2 1/- Any - 150 Cures Blind, Silence, Poison
Rend Helm 0 45 Weapon Any Y 300 Destroys target's headgear
Rend Armor 0 40 Weapon Any Y 400 Destroys target's armor
JP to master: 2370
--MY THOUGHTS--
Like Ramza and Delita, Argath's Squire job has superior stats compared to a
regular Squire. Argath's extra abilities are Rend Helm and Rend Armor. They'd
be nice to use, but since Argath doesn't participate in random battles and can
only gain JP from story battles, you likely won't even have a chance to learn
them. Instead, you may want to supplement him with a Black Magick spell or two
if available, or perhaps Items.
---FELL KNIGHT------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Gaffgarion Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Swords, knight's swords Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Shields, helms, armor, robes Physical evade : 15%
Innate ability (only after Zeirchele Falls): Immune to Berserk, Charm, and Stone
Stats:
HP: B+ MP: C+ Phys. Atk.: C Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: A
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Fell Sword--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x (Weapon strength + PWR)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Shadowblade 0 0 3/* 1/- Any N 100 Absorbs HP from target
Duskblade 0 0 3/* 1/- Any N 500 Absorbs MP from target
Fell Sword techniques have a 100% hit rate. However, they cannot be used
unless Gaffgarion is equipped with a sword, knight's sword, or fell sword.
JP to master: 1650
--MY THOUGHTS--
Gaffgarion is cool, but he's only in your party for two battles plus the intro
battle at the start of the game. But, his Shadowblade technique is quite
powerful (and restores some of Gaffgarion's HP!), so he'll be helpful while
you've got him.
---HOLY KNIGHT------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Agrias, Delita (ch. 2+) Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Swords, knight's swords Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Shields, helms, armor, robes Physical evade : 25%
Innate ability (Delita only): Immune to Toad, Chicken, Charm, and Doom
Delita's Stats:
HP: B MP: C+ Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: B
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Holy Sword--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x (Weapon strength + PWR)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Judgment Blade 0 2 2/* 2/0 Any N 0 Physical attack, causes Stop
Cleansing Strike 0 3 3/2 1/- Any N 400 Physical attack, causes Doom
Northswain's 0 2 3/1 1/- Any N 500 Physical attack, instant KO
Strike
* Hallowed Bolt 0 4 3/* 2/1 Any N 700 Physical attack, causes Silence
* Divine Ruination 0 5 4Dir 5/2 Any N 800 Physical attack, causes Confuse
Chant 0 -- 1/3 1/- Any - 0 Restores HP. Amount of HP
Holy Sword techniques have a 100% hit rate. However, they cannot be used
unless Agrias/Delita is equipped with a sword, knight's sword, or fell sword.
Damage from Holy Sword techniques increases when you have a stronger weapon
equipped. When you have two weapons Dual Wielded, only the weapon in the
upper slot counts (whether it's a sword or not!).
The element of these techniques is the same as the element of your weapon. (And
if the weapon has no elemental affinity, then the attack is non-elemental.)
JP to master: 3450
--MY THOUGHTS--
Agrias's sword techniques makes her an invaluable member of your party as soon
as she joins, and she'll stay that way pretty much throughout the game. Her
Holy Sword abilities are the game's best attack abilities. They do a lot of
damage, require no charge time or MP, cannot be evaded, and can strike at a few
panels' range! Many of them can even strike multiple enemies at once! And
since sword techniques are considered physical attacks, the Geomancer's Attack
Boost can make them even stronger!
You may want to save up your JP for Hallowed Bolt and Divine Ruination, her
best techniques. Divine Ruination is her strongest technique and can damage
quite a few enemies if they all happen to be standing on a straight line, but
you can only fire it in a straight line. Hallowed Bolt isn't quite as strong,
but is more flexible in its targeting.
Delita only shows up as a Holy Knight for a few battles, but his version of the
job adds his Chant ability. He's also immune to a few status ailments that
he'll probably never to have face anyway.
---PRINCESS---------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Ovelia Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Staves Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes, robes Physical evade : 20%
Stats:
HP: C- MP: C+ Phys. Atk.: C Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: C
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Holy Magicks--
Status change success : (Magick Attack + PWR) x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Aegis 30 4 200 5/* 1/- Any N 0 Gives Reraise, Regen, Protect,
Shell, and Haste status
Dispelna 20 4 200 4/* 1/- Any N 0 Cures Stone, Confuse, Silence,
Vampire, Toad, Poison, Stop,
--MY THOUGHTS--
Well, Ovelia only fights in a few battles, but she can be a helpful support
character since Aegis casts 5 different buffs at once. Since you can't control
her, she'll usually cast it on herself first, but after that she can cast it
on allies too.
---MACHINIST--------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Mustadio Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Knives, guns Jump height : 4
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes Physical evade : 18%
Innate ability: Safeguard (ONLY as Guest)
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Aimed Shot--
Status attack success : Speed + PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Leg Shot 0 50 Weapon Any Y 200 Causes Immobilize status
* Arm Shot 0 50 Weapon Any Y 300 Causes Disable status
* Seal Evil 0 70 Weapon Any Y 200 Turns undead to Stone
Aimed Shot fires twice per turn if combined with the Dual Wield support ability
and Dual Wielded weapons. (You'll need to have Mustadio configured to use a
weapon type that CAN be Dual Wielded; neither knives nor guns can be Dual
Wielded.)
JP to master: 1750
--MY THOUGHTS--
With his Arm Shot ability and a gun, Mustadio can disable enemies from across
the battlefield. This is a great ability since it effectively stops enemies
from taking any kind of action for a few turns. You can Disable enemy mages to
keep them from casting spells while the rest of your team is trying to reach
them, or Disable a melee fighter and have the rest of your team pounce on
him/her without fear of reprisal. Or, when you're just faced with a lot of
enemies at once, Disabling a few can make the crowd more manageable. Since
Disable also shuts down reaction abilities, you can also use it to stop monsters
from counter-attacking you or to keep humans from recovering from your attacks.
Towards the very end of the game, it becomes slightly less useful since many
human enemies are equipped with Thief's Caps, which renders them immune to
Disable status.
Seal Evil is also useful: it turns undead enemies to stone, which not only
defeats them instantly, but prevents them from reviving. (And it has a high
hit rate!) Although you won't face undead enemies in too many battles, Seal
Evil is quite handy in the ones where you do.
In order for Mustadio's Aimed Shot abilities to keep their long range, Mustadio
needs to stay equipped with a gun, so either learn Equip Guns or stick with jobs
that can use them naturally (Machinist, Chemist, and Orator). Switching him to
a Chemist may be good as you can supplement his Aimed Shots with the ability to
heal your teammates. However, you'll also want to keep his Speed as high as
possible, since Speed determines the success rate of Aimed Shot.
While Mustadio is a guest, he has an innate Safeguard ability that protects his
gun from being broken. However, he loses this once he joins you permanently --
but by that point, you can buy replacement guns anyway.
Once you get Balthier, Mustadio essentially becomes obsolete, since Balthier has
even more abilities and better stats.
---ASTROLOGER-------------------------------------------------------------------
Used by: Orran Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Books Jump height : 4
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes Physical evade : 15%
Innate ability: Immune to all negative status except Stone, Blind, Silence, Oil,
Slow, and Stop
Stats:
HP: C- MP: B- Phys. Atk.: C Mag. Atk.: C+ Speed: A
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Astrology--
Success rate (Stasis) : Magick Attack + PWR
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x (random number from 1 to PWR)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Celestial Stasis 5 50 All foes! N 0 Causes Stop, Immobilize, or
Disable
* Focus 0 -- Self 1/- Self - 300 Raises Physical Attack stat
by 1. Duration: Battle.
Rush 0 4 1/1 1/- Any - 80 Weak physical attack, good
chance of knocking enemy back
one tile.
Stone 0 2 4/* 1/- Any Y 90 Weak physical attack, good
chance of knocking enemy back
one tile.
Salve 0 -- 1/2 1/- Any - 150 Cures Blind, Silence, Poison
JP to master: 1670
--MY THOUGHTS--
Orran's sole unique ability is his Celestial Stasis magick, which will
debilitate most of the enemies on the board every time he uses it and doesn't
even cost any MP! (It does require some charge time, though.) Too bad he only
shows up in one battle and you don't even get to control him :(
---CLERIC-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Alma Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Staves Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes, robes Physical evade : 18%
Stats - Chapter III:
HP: D+ MP: C+ Phys. Atk.: C Mag. Atk.: B Speed: C+
Stats - Chapter IV:
HP: C- MP: A+ Phys. Atk.: C Mag. Atk.: B Speed: B+
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Holy Magicks--
Damage inflicted : Magick Attack x PWR x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
Status change success : (Magick Attack + PWR) x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
--MY THOUGHTS--
Alma is almost identical to Ovelia, except that she has Chant. As with Ovelia,
Aegis is a great support spell, so she'll be useful during the few battles where
you have her on your side. You can use Items to restore her MP and allow her to
keep casting the spell.
It's a good idea to de-equip Alma's gear before you go to Orbonne Monastery in
Chapter III, since most of it can't be bought at the regular Outfitter and she
will leave after that point in the story.
When Alma rejoins during Chapter IV, her stats receive an upgrade. It's also
possible at this time for her to learn Ultima if Ramza, Luso, or an Ultima
Demon casts it on her, but you're better off with her Aegis magick!
---GAME HUNTER------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Luso Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Knives, swords, knight's swords, Jump height : 3
flails Physical evade : 10%
Equippable armor: Shields, hats, helms, clothes, armor,
robes
Innate ability (as Game Hunter only): Poach
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Huntcraft--
Damage (Rush/Stone) : Physical Attack x (random number from 1 to PWR)
Damage (Ultima) : Magick Attack x PWR x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Focus 0 -- Self 1/- Self - 300 Raises Physical Attack stat
by 1. Duration: Battle.
Rush 0 4 1/1 1/- Any - 80 Weak physical attack, good
chance of knocking enemy back
one tile.
Stone 0 2 4/* 1/- Any Y 90 Weak physical attack, good
chance of knocking enemy back
one tile.
Salve 0 -- 1/2 1/- Any - 150 Cures Blind, Silence, Poison
* Tailwind 0 -- 3/* 1/- Any N 200 Raises Speed by 1. Dur: Battle.
Chant 0 -- 1/3 1/- Any - 0 Restores HP. Amount of HP
restored = 40% of Luso's
JP to master: 2570
Ultima can only be learned by having Ramza or an enemy cast it on Luso; see the
"Learning Magick from Being Hit" section for more information.
The damage from Rush and Stone increases (though not by much) if you have the
Monk's Brawler ability equipped.
# Note: These abilities increase your Bravery. Most of this change remains
only for the battle, but for every 4 points you increase your Bravery during
battle, you get a 1 point permanent increase in Bravery.
--MY THOUGHTS--
Luso is basically a clone of Ramza with a slightly better MP growth rate, so he
has the same strengths and weaknesses as Ramza does. Luso's main distinguishing
feature is his innate Poach ability, which can be nice for hunting for the rare
items you get from poaching some monsters.
Overall, Luso's OK. But you already have one Ramza, and *that* Ramza is the one
you're required to use in story battles. As a result, Luso is sadly pretty
redundant in most cases. Ramza's abilities aren't good enough that you need two
people in the party using them, not when you could fill that slot in your party
with a character who has a different set of abilities.
Game Hunter won't display as Mastered until you've learned the Ultima magick
from an enemy; see "Learning Magick from Being Hit" for more information.
---SKYSEER----------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Rapha Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Staves, poles Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes, robes Physical evade : 10%
Stats as Guest:
HP: D+ MP: C+ Phys. Atk.: D+ Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: B+
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Sky Mantra--
Damage : 0.5 x Magick Attack x (Magick Attack + PWR)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Heaven's Wrath 3 10 4/* 2/3 Any N 100 Lightning magick attack; 1-10
hits on random tiles within
radius
Ashura 4 11 4/* 2/3 Any N 200 Fire magick attack; 1-10 hits
on random tiles w/in radius
Adamantine Blade 5 12 4/* 2/3 Any N 300 Wind magick attack; 1-10 hits
Sky Mantra attacks do not take Rapha's Faith or enemy Faith into consideration,
unlike most magick attacks.
JP to master: 3150
--MY THOUGHTS--
As you've probably observed during her time as a guest, Rapha's Sky Mantra
abilities are pretty useless. They strike random tiles within their effect
radius, making them often as likely to hit your allies as your enemies, and they
don't even do all that much damage anyway. Plus, they take time to charge. Her
stats are pretty blah, as well.
Sky Mantra *is* somewhat more useful if you can target tiles that are surrounded
by large variations in height. The Mantra will never strike a tile that's more
than 3 height units higher or lower than the target tile. So, sharp differences
in height help narrow down the targets for the random strikes, and give you
greater odds of repeatedly hitting the enemy that you WANTED to target. But,
this really only works on certain maps.
Given her low starting Bravery, though, Rapha is a character that can easily be
made into a good Treasure Hunter. (You're more likely to get good items with
Treasure Hunter if your Bravery is low.) And, if you're planning to tackle the
bonus dungeon, you'll definitely want a Treasure Hunter! Of course, it's not in
any way necessary to specifically use Rapha for this; any other character with
low Bravery works fine. Rapha just tends to be convenient since her Bravery is
already pretty low to start with. You may want to lower her Bravery even
further with the Mystic's Trepidation to increase your odds even more.
---NETHERSEER-------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Marach Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Rods, poles Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes, robes Physical evade : 8%
Stats When Active Job:
HP: C- MP: B Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: B
Stat Growth Rates:
HP: **** MP: **** Phys. Atk.: *** Mag. Atk.: * Speed: *
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Nether Mantra--
Damage : 0.5 x Magick Attack x (Magick Attack + PWR)
x (100-Faith)/100 x (100-Target Faith)/100
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hell's Wrath 3 22 4/* 2/3 Any N 100 Lightning magick attack; 1-10
hits on random tiles within
radius
Nether Ashura 4 37 4/* 2/3 Any N 200 Fire magick attack; 1-10 hits
Nether Mantra attacks do increased damage to enemies with LOW Faith, and when
Marach has LOW Faith. This is the opposite of most magick attacks, which do
more damage when Faith is high. (Note, however, the Faith and Atheist status
conditions still affect Nether Mantra in the usual way.)
JP to master: 3150
--MY THOUGHTS--
Marach's abilities are quite similar to Rapha's in that they strike random
tiles.
Marach's main interesting feature is that Nether Mantra does more damage to
enemies with LOW Faith (the reverse of regular magick!), with gives you a magick
attack that's effective against low-Faith enemies. Nether Mantra also gets
stronger when Marach's own Faith decreases, so you can lower his Faith to
protect him from enemy magicks and still use his own Mantras. If Marach and his
target have sufficiently low Faith, Nether Mantra is more powerful than Rapha's
Sky Mantra. Unfortunately, since Nether Mantra is so random, it's still not all
that useful.
If you equip the Rod of Faith on Marach, or cast the Faith status on him during
a battle, this will maximize the power of both his Nether Mantra abilities and
regular magicks. This means that, potentially, you could use Marach to cast
both Nether Mantra and regular magicks.
As with Rapha's, Marach's Mantras are a little better if you can target tiles
that are surrounded by large variations in height. The Mantra will never strike
a tile that's more than 3 height units higher or lower than the target tile.
So, sharp differences in height help narrow down the targets for the random
strikes, and give you greater odds of repeatedly hitting the enemy that you
WANTED to target. Again, though, this tactic is often not available on many
maps.
In other words: there's generally not much of a reason to put Marach in your
party, and he's often considered the least useful of the story characters. If
you're not set on having all the story characters on your roster, you could even
skip recruiting him--or sign him up, take his equipment, and then delete him.
If you do want to use Marach, you can always switch him to some standard job
instead of relying on his Nether Mantra abilities. Of course, then he's really
no different from any other generic character.
---TEMPLAR----------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Beowulf Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Knives, swords, knight's swords Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Shields, helms, armor, robes Physical evade : 14%
Stats When Active Job:
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Spellblade--
Status attack success : (Magick Attack + PWR) x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Blind 6 0 220 4/* 1/- Any N 50 Inflicts Blind status (doubles
evade rate when attacking).
Duration: Battle.
Syphon 2 0 200 4/* 1/- Any N 100 Drains target's MP to caster.
Amount = 1/4 of target MP max
Drain 12 0 200 4/* 1/- Any N 180 Drains target's HP to caster.
Amount = 1/4 of target HP max
Faith 10 0 200 4/* 1/- Any N 200 Causes Faith status (unit has
100 Faith -- raises magick
strength & damage taken from
magicks). Duration: 32 ticks
* Doubt 10 0 200 4/* 1/- Any N 200 Causes Atheist status (unit is
immune to magick & can't use
magicks). Duration: 32 ticks
Zombie 14 0 190 4/* 1/- Any N 150 Causes Undead status (reverses
effect of healing & drain
abilities). Duration: Battle.
Silence 16 0 200 4/* 1/- Any N 90 Causes Silence status (cannot
use magick). Duration: 36
ticks.
Berserk 16 0 180 4/* 1/- Any N 200 Causes Berserk status (attack
power up, but can't control
unit). Duration: Battle.
* Chicken 12 0 200 4/* 1/- Any N 500 Lowers target's Bravery by 50
Confuse 14 0 190 4/* 1/- Any N 200 Causes Confuse status (acts
randomly). Duration: Battle.
Dispel 20 0 200 4/* 1/- Any N 300 Removes Float, Reraise, Regen,
Invisible, Protect, Shell,
Haste, Faith, and Reflect.
* Disable 14 0 200 4/* 1/- Any N 50 Causes Disable status (cannot
Act). Duration: 24 ticks.
Sleep 20 0 190 4/* 1/- Any N 170 Causes Sleep status (can't do
anything). Duration: 60 ticks
* Break 24 0 180 4/* 1/- Any N 300 Causes Stone status (can't do
anything). Duration: Battle
* Vengeance 20 0 -- 8/* 1/- Any N 600 Deals damage = (Beowulf's max
HP minus Beowulf's current
HP). 100% hit rate.
JP to master: 4340
--MY THOUGHTS--
Beowulf is essentially a Mystic on steroids! Like a Mystic, he specializes in
inflicting negative status. But, he's far superior: his abilities don't need
to charge, they often are more likely to succeed, and in some cases they cost
less MP than the Mystic equivalent!
Other handy Spellblade abilities include Break, which has a pretty high chance
of turning an enemy instantly to stone, and Doubt, which inflicts the Atheist
status and can cripple enemy magick users or make your own allies immune to
magick.
Templar also has the highest MP of any job in the game. And with a knight's
sword, Beowulf can even be a decent fighter since he has a high Physical Attack
rating as well.
Most of Beowulf's abilities have a pretty high success rate. But if you want to
make their hit rate even higher, the key is raising Beowulf's Faith stat. You
could have him cast his own Faith magick on himself at the start of a battle,
which temporarily gives him 100 Faith.
---AUTOMATON--------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Construct 8 Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: none Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: none Physical : 0%
Innate abilities: Counter, Ignore Terrain, Ignore Weather#, cannot enter water.
Stats:
HP: A MP: F Phys. Atk.: A+ Mag. Atk.: F Speed: D+
# Since Construct 8 can't enter water, its Ignore Weather would appear not to
ever actually do anything. What in the world?
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Tasks--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Destroy 0 10 1/2 1/- Any - 0 Non-elemental physical attack;
user loses HP equal to 1/8 of
damage inflicted
Compress 0 12 1/2 1/- Any - 0 Non-elemental physical attack;
user loses HP equal to 1/6 of
damage inflicted; may inflict
instant KO
* Dispose 0 10 8/* 1/- Any N 0 Non-elemental physical attack;
user loses HP equal to 1/4 of
damage inflicted
Pulverize 0 16 1/0 1/- Any - 0 Non-elemental physical attack;
user loses HP equal to 1/4 of
damage inflicted
All Tasks abilities cannot be evaded or blocked, but consume some of Construct
8's HP when used.
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Counter Physical attk. Yes 0 Counter-attack with physical attack
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Defense Always equipped 0 Lowers damage received from physical
Boost attacks
--Movement Abilities--
none
JP to master: 0
--MY THOUGHTS--
Since Construct 8 is a special "monster," it can't change jobs, use equipment,
or learn new abilities. That means it's not a very customizable character and
has pretty much a fixed set of strengths and weaknesses.
One of Construct 8's great strengths is its Dispose ability, which has a range
of 8 panels and never misses. It's only moderately strong, but the range and
hit rate make it good for taking out enemy mages and gunners/archers.
Construct 8 is also great on defense, since it's immune to Faith-based magicks
and most status conditions. This makes it especially useful in particular
battles where the enemy relies heavily on magick or status attacks. Plus, it
has an inherent Defense Boost and Counter.
The downside to Construct 8 is that it's pretty slow and has a short move
range, so it's pretty rare that you'll actually have a chance to use its close
range attacks. It's of course also immune to any POSITIVE magicks you might
want to cast on it, like buffs or Cure magicks. Using the Tasks abilities also
consumes some of its HP, but the loss is not great, so this isn't much to worry
about.
Since Construct 8 can't use equipment or change abilities, it's hard to upgrade.
The best you can do is gain levels and raise its Bravery. In the long run, it's
hard to remedy some of Construct 8's weaknesses (like its short Move range), and
it eventually can't keep pace with the rest of your team.
In sum, Construct 8 proves to be quite useful when you first get it and remains
very helpful in particular story battles (against enemies using magick or status
attacks), but its usefulness may start to fade as other characters gain more and
more abilities that Construct 8 can never have.
---SKY PIRATE-------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Balthier Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Knives, swords, knight's swords, Jump height : 4
bows, crossbows, guns, polearms Physical evade : 25%
Equippable armor: Shields, hats, helms, clothes, armor,
robes
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Piracy--
Success(Plunder Heart): Magick Attack + PWR
Success (others) : Speed + PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Leg Shot 0 50 Weapon Any Y 200 Causes Immobilize status
* Arm Shot 0 50 Weapon Any Y 300 Causes Disable status
Seal Evil 0 70 Weapon Any Y 200 Turns undead to Stone
* Barrage 0 -- Weapon Any Y 1200 Use weapon 4 times in a row at
1/2 damage per attack; can't
be evaded or blocked
Plunder Gil 0 200 1/1 1/- Foe - 10 Steal small amount of gil
(amount = Speed * level * 2)
* Plunder Heart 0 60 3/1 1/- Foe N 150 Inflicts Charm; only effective
on females and monsters
Plunder Helm 0 50 1/1 1/- Foe - 350 Steal target's helmet
* Plunder Armor 0 45 1/1 1/- Foe - 450 Steal target's armor
* Plunder Shield 0 45 1/1 1/- Foe - 350 Steal target's shield
* Plunder Weapon 0 40 1/1 1/- Foe - 600 Steal target's weapon
Plunder Accessory 0 50 1/1 1/- Foe - 500 Steal target's accessory
Plunder Exp 0 80 1/1 1/- Foe - 250 Steal some of target's current
Exp (amount = Speed + 15)
Leg Shot, Arm Shot, and Seal Evil fire twice per turn if combined with the
Dual Wield support ability and Dual Wielded weapons. (Dual Wield has no effect
on the other Piracy abilities.)
The Plunder abilities have a higher hit rate than the Thief's Steal equivalents.
JP to master: 5610
--MY THOUGHTS--
Balthier is an all-around great character, and quite versatile. He can function
both as a ranged fighter (by equipping a gun or bow) or as a close-range fighter
(by equipping a sword or polearm).
His abilities combine those of Mustadio's and a Thief's ... and he's also
physically stronger, is more successful at stealing than a Thief, and has the
super speed of a Ninja. How can you go wrong with that? Once Balthier joins,
there's not all that much use for Mustadio since Balthier has all of Mustadio's
ability and then some!
Doublehand; it still does regular damage if you have two weapons or one weapon
in two hands. No Genji Glove + Offering this time around :(
---SWORD SAINT------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Orlandeau Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Swords, knight's swords, katanas, Jump height : 3
ninja blades Physical evade : 12%
Equippable armor: Shields, hats, helms, clothes, armor,
robes
Stats When Active Job:
HP: B+ MP: A- Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: B
Stat Growth Rates:
HP: **** MP: **** Phys. Atk.: **** Mag. Atk.: *** Speed: **
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Swordplay--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x (Weapon strength + PWR)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Judgment Blade 0 2 2/* 2/0 Any N 0 Physical attack, causes Stop
Cleansing Strike 0 3 3/2 1/- Any N 400 Physical attack, causes Doom
Northswain's Strike0 2 3/1 1/- Any N 500 Physical attack, instant KO
* Hallowed Bolt 0 4 3/* 2/1 Any N 700 Physical attack, causes Silence
* Divine Ruination 0 5 4Dir 5/2 Any N 800 Physical attack, causes Confuse
* Crush Armor 0 5# 3/* 1/- Any N 200 Physical attack, destroys
target's armor
Crush Helm 0 4# 3/* 1/- Any N 400 Physical attack, destroys
target's headgear
* Crush Weapon 0 3# 3/* 1/- Any N 500 Physical attack, destroys
target's weapon
Crush Accessory 0 2# 3/* 1/- Any N 800 Physical attack, destroys
target's accessory
* Shadowblade 0 0 3/* 1/- Any N 100 Absorbs HP from target
Duskblade 0 0 3/* 1/- Any N 500 Absorbs MP from target
All Swordplay techniques have a 100% hit rate. However, they cannot be used
unless Orlandeau is equipped with a sword, knight's sword, or fell sword.
The elemental affinity of most Swordplay techniques is the same as the elemental
affinity of your weapon. (If the weapon has no elemental affinity, then the
attack is non-elemental.) However, Shadowblade and Duskblade are ALWAYS
non-elemental regardless of your weapon.
JP to master: 5950
--MY THOUGHTS--
There's probably not much I need to say here. The Thunder God himself is
overwhelmingly powerful. He can use all of Agrias's, Meliadoul's, and
Gaffgarion's sword techniques (each quite useful in its own right), he has
tremendous HP and attack power, and he comes with the Excalibur sword, which
gives the bearer a permanent Haste. His attacks do tremendous damage and he can
take down most enemy units with a single sword technique. Shadowblade even lets
Particularly useful abilities are Hallowed Bolt and Divine Ruination for group
damage, Shadowblade for restoring Orlandeau's HP, and Crush Weapon for disabling
an enemy's offense. Duskblade can also be good against enemy magick users; it
typically steals so much MP that it will completely an enemy mage's MP supply
and render them useless. This is a great tactic against magick-using enemies!
(You can also use it to cripple the last enemy in a party if you want to extend
the battle for any reason.) And, as with Agrias, giving him the Geomancer's
Attack Boost will make his sword techniques stronger.
Despite Orlandeau's superior stats, in the long run, Agrias may end up being
your most powerful fighter, thanks to her ability to equip female-only gear
like the Tynar Rouge, Chantage, and Ribbon. Still, Orlandeau is overwhelming
powerful and will likely vault to the front of your team as soon as you get
him.
---HOLY DRAGON------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Reis (before completing Nelveska Temple quest) Movement range : 5
Equippable weapons: none Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: none Physical evade : 5%
Stats:
HP: B+ MP: D- Phys. Atk.: A Mag. Atk.: A+ Speed: B
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Breath--
Damage inflicted : Magick Attack x PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Ice Breath 0 5 2/2 1/- Any Y 0 Ice magick attack
* Fire Breath 0 5 2/2 1/- Any Y 0 Fire magick attack
* Thunder Breath 0 5 2/2 1/- Any Y 0 Lightning magick attack
These three Breath attacks can only target characters in a straight line from
Reis, not on a diagonal.
--Reaction Abilities--
none
--Support Abilities--
none
--Movement Abilities--
none
JP to master: 0
--MY THOUGHTS--
In her dragon form, Reis is limited to her three breath attacks. (And, being
a monster, she obviously can't change jobs.) She has a lot of HP, though, and
her movement range is actually much better than her human form's. Her Magick
Attack is also phenomenally high, which means that her breath attacks are
likely to do more damage now than as a human! However, her very limited set of
abilities and inability to use any kind of equipment or accessories means
you'll get more use out of her human form in the long run.
If you fail to buy Aerith's flower at Sal Ghidos, you won't be able to complete
the quest to restore Reis to human form and she'll actually be stuck in dragon
form for the entirety of the game.
---DRAGONKIN--------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Reis (after Nelveska Temple quest) Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Bags Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hair adornments, Minerva Bustier Physical evade : 7%
Equippable accessories: Rings, armlets, perfume,
and lip rouge only
Innate abilities (as Dragonkin only): Beastmaster, Tame, Dual Wield
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Dragon--
Damage (Holy Breath) : 0.5 x Magick Attack x (Magick Attack + PWR)
Damage (others) : Magick Attack x PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Ice Breath 0 12 2/2 1/- Any Y 0 Ice magick attack #
* Fire Breath 0 12 2/2 1/- Any Y 0 Fire magick attack #
* Thunder Breath 0 12 2/2 1/- Any Y 0 Lightning magick attack #
* Dragon's Charm 0 -- 2/2 1/- Foe N 300 Dragon or hydra joins as guest,
and can be recruited after
battle. 100% hit rate!
Dragon's Gift 0 -- 2/2 1/- Any N 300 Restores some HP to a dragon or
hydra and removes Blind,
Confuse, Silence, Oil,
Berserk, Toad, Poison, Stop,
Sleep, Immobilize, & Disable.
Consumes Reis's HP when used.
Dragon's Might 0 -- 2/2 1/- Any N 400 Boosts dragon or hydra's
Bravery by 5, and Physical
& Magick Attack and Speed
by 2. Duration: Battle.
Dragon's Speed 0 -- 2/2 1/- Any N 400 Fills dragon or hydra's CT
gauge to 100 (instant turn!)
Holy Breath 0 20 4/* 3/3 Any N 900 Holy magick attack; 1-10 hits
on random tiles w/in radius
# The initial three Breath attacks can only target characters in a straight
line from Reis, not on a diagonal.
JP to master: 3350
--MY THOUGHTS--
Although Reis's abilities don't seem too exciting at first glance, check out her
stats! Dragonkin is the fastest job in the game and Reis also has great HP, MP,
and physical attack power. She can also attack twice (as if she were a Ninja)
and her attack can Tame monsters. Note that bags can't be Dual-Wielded (as is
true for any character), but Reis's Dual Wield does work with her fists or other
weapons you give her using Equip ____ abilities.
For a melee fighter, Reis's movement range of 3 is also rather poor, and she
also can't equip the boots that would increase it. Move +1 or Move +2 will
help, though. Or, alternately, give her the Septie`me perfume or Tynar Rouge;
a permanent Haste will give her more turns, so it doesn't matter so much if she
can't move very far on each turn.
As for her abilities, her three initial Breath attacks are nice, since they
supplement her fists with elemental attacks with a 2-tile range (and they're
automatically learned, so you don't have to spend any JP!). You can make them
stronger by raising Reis's Magick Attack (e.g. with accessories). Holy Breath
can be used as a range attack and does sizable damage. But, like Rapha and
Marach's Mantra, it strikes random tiles. This means it's not very reliable
unless you're fighting a large enemy group or there are large height differences
that narrow down the possible targets. (Holy Breath will never strike a tile
that's more than 3 height units different from the tile that you target.)
The four "Dragon's _____" abilities are only useful if you have dragons or
hydras on your squad. This gives them a somewhat limited use -- but the hydra
family contains the strongest monsters in the game, so they may be worth
recruiting and adding to your team! One trick is to use Dragon's Charm to
recruit dragons/hydras just to help you in one battle and also save you from
fighting them; you don't have to permanently add them to your party at the end
of the battle if you don't want to.
Overall, Reis's abilities are only OK. Her real strength is in her excellent
stats and stat growth rates. You may want to supplement the raw power of the
Dragonkin with a nice action ability set from another job. If you're giving
her Brawler, Martial Arts works well.
---DIVINE KNIGHT----------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Meliadoul Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Swords, knight's swords, crossbows, Jump height : 3
polearms Physical evade : 10%
Equippable armor: Shields, helms, clothes, armor, robes
Stats When Active Job:
HP: C+ MP: C- Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: C+
Stat Growth Rates:
HP: **** MP: ** Phys. Atk.: ***** Mag. Atk.: * Speed: *
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Unyielding Blade--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x (Weapon strength + PWR)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* Crush Armor 0 5# 3/* 1/- Any N 200 Physical attack, destroys
target's armor
Crush Helm 0 4# 3/* 1/- Any N 400 Physical attack, destroys
target's headgear
* Crush Weapon 0 3# 3/* 1/- Any N 500 Physical attack, destroys
target's weapon
Crush Accessory 0 2# 3/* 1/- Any N 800 Physical attack, destroys
target's accessory
Unyielding Blade techniques have a 100% hit rate. However, they cannot be used
unless Meliadoul is equipped with a sword, knight's sword, or fell sword.
Damage from Unyielding Blade techniques increases when you have a stronger
weapon equipped. When you have two weapons Dual Wielded, only the weapon in
the upper slot counts (whether it's a sword or not!).
The element of these techniques is the same as the element of your weapon.
If the weapon has no elemental affinity, then the attack is non-elemental.
JP to master: 2950
--MY THOUGHTS--
Meliadoul's sword skills are quite useful, since they do good damage, never
miss, and can shatter enemy equipment. In the PSP version, they can even be
used against targets who don't have the relevant item equipped (e.g. Crush
Armor can still damage a target without armor), which means they also work on
monsters! Of her abilities, Crush Armor and Crush Weapon are probably the
best -- Crush Weapon can cripple an enemy's offense, and Crush Armor does the
most damage to monsters.
Unfortunately for Meliadoul, she doesn't join the team until *after* Orlandeau,
who has all her sword techniques and then some, as well as better stats!
Meliadoul is also limited to sword techniques that strike a single target,
whereas Orlandeau and Agrias both have abilities that can strike multiple
targets. So, what would otherwise be a good character may not find all that
use on your squad.
Meliadoul can equip polearms and crossbows, but be warned that giving her one of
those weapons won't allow her to use her sword techniques.
---SOLDIER----------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Cloud Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Swords Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, hair adornments, clothes Physical evade : 20%
Stats When Active Job:
HP: C+ MP: C+ Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: C
Stat Growth Rates:
HP: *** MP: **** Phys. Atk.: *** Mag. Atk.: * Speed: *
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Limit--
Damage inflicted : Magick Attack x PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Brave Slash 3 8 2/* 1/- Any N 150 Non-elemental magick attack
* Cross Slash 4 12 2/* 2/0 Any N 200 Non-elemental magick attack
* Blade Beam 5 -- 2/* 1/- Any N 250 Damage = (Cloud's max HP minus
current HP)
Climhazzard 7 -- 2/* 1/- Any N 500 Damage = (TARGET'S max HP minus
current HP)
Meteorain 10 20 3/* 3/0 Any N 600 Non-elemental magick attack
* Finishing Touch 5 -- 3/* 2/0 Any N 700 100% chance of inflicting
either KO, Stone, or Stop.
Omnislash 15 30 3/* 3/0 Any N 1200 Non-elemental magick attack
Cherry Blossom 20 42 3/* 3/0 Any N 2500 Non-elemental magick attack
Limit techniques cannot be used unless Cloud is equipped with the Materia Blade
sword. Note that the damage from Limit attacks is determined by Cloud's MAGICK
Attack stat, NOT his Physical Attack (unlike Agrias, Meliadoul, and Orlandeau's
sword techniques).
JP to master: 7150
--MY THOUGHTS--
For being a hidden character, Cloud could be better. His Limit abilities can
only target panels (not units), so enemies can escape them by moving out of the
panels while he's charging -- and most of the Limits take a long time to charge!
The Time Mage's Swiftness ability is a must for alleviating this.
Even with Swiftness, Cloud is still a little underpowered. His physical attack
is only moderately strong at best, since he's stuck with the Materia Blade if
you want to use Limits, and he can't make use of knight's swords and their
special effects. He also has a movement range of only 3, so you may also want
to give him Germinas Boots or Move +1/Move +2 to boost his movement. Finally,
since he starts at level 1, you'll need to spend a lot of time bringing him up
to snuff. Personally, I still don't think he's worth the trouble, but other
people seem to like him.
Since Cloud's Limits depend on his Magick Attack stat, giving him gear to raise
his Magick Attack will make his Limits stronger. You might also want to then
add a second Magick Attack-based ability, like any Iaido or any type of magick.
Iaido might be particularly useful since it doesn't require any charge time and
can be used in situations where you don't have time to charge up a Limit.
Cloud is also the only male character that can equip ribbons for status
protection -- but note that this only works when he's in his Solider job.
---ARK KNIGHT-------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Zalbaag Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Swords, knight's swords Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Shields, helms, armor, robes Physical evade : 10%
Stats:
HP: B+ MP: C- Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: C
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Blade of Ruin--
Success rate : (Magick Attack + PWR) x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Magicksap 20 3 250 4/* 2/0 Any N 0 Lowers target's MP
Speedsap 20 3 250 4/* 2/0 Any N 0 Lowers target's Speed by 3
Powersap 20 3 250 4/* 2/0 Any N 0 Lowers target's Physical Attack
stat by 5
Mindsap 20 3 250 4/* 2/0 Any N 0 Lowers target's Magick Attack
stat by 5
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Counter Phys. Attack Yes 300 Counter-attack with physical attack
--Support Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Concentration 400 Prevents enemies from evading your
physical attacks
Safeguard 250 Equipment can't be broken or stolen
Swiftness 1000 Halves number of clock ticks needed
to charge up magicks & Limit. No
benefit to Jump/Aim/Dance/Bardsong.
--Movement Abilities--
JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Move +1 200 Movement range + 1
JP to master: 2330
--MY THOUGHTS--
Zalbaag doesn't really do much. He's only in one half of one battle that you
may win in one or two rounds. He has a nice set of abilities, but you'll never
see them in action.
---BYBLOS-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: the Byblos (name varies) Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: none Jump height : 6
Equippable armor: none Physical evade : 33%
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Byblos--
Success rate : all 100% except Parasite
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF JP EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Energize 0 -- 4/* 1/- Any N 0 Restores HP; Byblos loses HP
equal to 1/2 of amount healed
Parasite 0 -- 4/* 1/- Any N 0 Causes Stone, Blind, Confuse,
Silence, Oil, Toad, Poison,
and/or Sleep (25% chance of
each)
Vengeance 0 -- 5/3 1/- Any N 0 Damage = (Byblos's max HP minus
current HP)
Manaburn 0 -- 5/3 1/- Any N 0 Deals damage equal to target's
current MP
--Reaction Abilities--
TRIGGER BRV JP EFFECT
-------------------------------------------------------------
Counter Physical atk. Yes 0 Counter-attack with physical attack
--Support Abilities--
none
--Movement Abilities--
none
JP to master: 0
--MY THOUGHTS--
The Byblos doesn't join you until you've reached the last battle of the bonus
dungeon, which limits its usefulness. By the time it's joined your team, you've
already completed pretty much the whole single-player game!
What can it do, though? Like Construct 8, it's a special "monster" and can't
change jobs or use equipment. So, the Byblos is limited to its four abilities.
While none of these are *bad*, they mean the Byblos a very limited set of
actions. The Byblos also doesn't share Construct 8's immunity to magick and
status ailments, and since it can't equip any gear to protect itself, it's quite
vulnerable.
The Byblos is fairly mobile thanks to its innate Ignore Elevation. And it does
have an innate Poach, although the addition of Luso (who also has an innate
Poach) to the PSP version makes this less exciting.
Note that job-specific evade rates (C-Ev) are only effective against attacks
from the front; for more information on evade rates, see Important Statistics
under Basic Mechanics and Tactics.
---NORMAL JOBS---
HP MP Phys.Atk Mag.Atk Speed Move Jump Evade
Squire C- D+ C- D+ C 4 3 5%
Chemist D D+ D+ D+ C 3 3 5%
Knight C+ C- B- D+ C 4 3 10%
Archer C- D C+ D+ C 3 3 10%
Monk B C- B D+ B 3 4 20%
White Mage D A- C- C B 3 3 5%
Black Mage D A- D B C 3 3 5%
Time Mage D A- D- C+ C 3 3 5%
Summoner D A D- C+ D 3 3 5%
Thief D+ D- C D- B 4 4 25%
Orator D D+ D+ D C 3 3 5%
Mystic D B D- C C 3 3 5%
Geomancer C C C+ C- C 4 3 10%
Dragoon C+ D- B- F C 3 4 10%
Samurai D C B C- C 3 3 20%
Ninja D D- B- D A 4 4 30%
Arithmetician D- C- D- D F 3 3 5%
Bard F D- F C C 3 3 5%
Dancer F D- C+ C- C 3 3 5%
Mime B+ D- B- C A 4 4 5%
Dark Knight D C B+ D+ C 3 3 0%
Onion Knight F D- D- F C 3 3 5%
Onion Knight# B+ A+ B+ C A 4 4 30%
# Upon mastering 14 other jobs, Onion Knight advances to job level 8 and its
stats increase substantially. (Squire, Chemist, Mime, Dark Knight, and special
jobs that replace Squire do not count towards this 14.)
A character's job also affects the rate at which his/her permanent stats change
upon gaining a experience level. While all jobs will grow all stats, some jobs
grow certain stats faster and slower. For example, Monk will grow HP quickly,
while Ninja will grow Speed quickly. Note that these growth rates don't always
match up with the stat bonuses when you're using the job. For instance,
almost every job has the same Magick Attack growth rate, but they definitely
differ in their *current* Magick Attack!
Move, Jump, and evade rates do not change with level-up, so there are no growth
rates for these stats.
---NORMAL JOBS---
HP MP Phys.Atk Mag.Atk Speed
Squire *** ** ** * *
Chemist ** ** * * *
Knight **** ** **** * *
Archer *** ** **** * *
Monk **** *** *** * *
White Mage **** **** *** * *
Black Mage ** ***** ** * *
Time Mage ** **** ** * *
Summoner ** ***** * * *
Thief *** ** *** * ***
Orator *** * ** * *
Mystic ** **** ** * *
Geomancer **** **** **** * *
Dragoon **** ** **** * *
Samurai ** *** **** * *
Ninja ** *** **** * *****
Arithmetician ** **** * * *
Bard * * * * *
Dancer * * *** * *
Mime ***** * ***** **** *
# Upon mastering 14 other jobs, Onion Knight advances to job level 8 and its
stat growth rates increase substantially. However, Onion Knights never gain
experience, so the only way to gain levels as an Onion Knight is to breed Wild
Boars and use their Bequeath Bacon ability. (See Level-Downs and Stat-Grinding
for more.)
%%%MONSTER LIST%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00job3
This section lists all the different monsters in the game and their abilities.
For more general information about how to recruit monsters, see Recruiting
& Using Monsters under Basic Mechanics and Tactics.
---About Monsters---------------------------------------------------------------
---MONSTER TYPES---
Monsters are divided by Family and Rank. Each monster Family has three Ranks:
for instance, the chocobo family contains Chocobo (Rank I), Black Chocobo
(Rank II), and Red Chocobo (Rank III).
Within a Family, the monsters look the same but simply have different color
schemes. Each monster's color scheme is listed in the table below. The color
scheme will help you quickly identify a monster. It can also be used to help
identify the monster inside an egg (see Monster Egg Preview under the Monsters
section of Basic Mechanics & Tactics). The color of the EGG itself is random
and doesn't tell you anything about what kind of monster inside the egg.
---MONSTER STATS---
Monsters typically have higher HP and attack power than humans, though many
monsters are also slower. Keep in mind, though, that humans can make up a lot
of the difference by equipping items, which monsters can't do.
---MONSTER ABILITIES---
Monsters cannot change jobs, but instead have a fixed set of 1-3 Action
Abilities. These are their only actions; they have no regular attack command.
Each monster also has one EXTRA ability. This ability can only be used if an
ally with the Beastmaster support ability (Squire) is standing directly next to
the monster. (Reis's Dragonkin job also has an inherent Beastmaster.)
All Action Abilities used by standard, non-boss monsters have no charge time
and consume no MP. Some monster abilities get stronger if you have higher
Bravery (as noted in the charts below), but NO monster abilities depend on
Faith.
*ALL* monsters have Counter as an innate Reaction Ability and are immune to the
Vampire status ailment. Since this is true of EVERY monster, I haven't listed
it for each monster in the table, but be aware of it!
Most monsters one or more innate Movement abilities (such as Ignore Elevation
or Levitate). These are listed in the tables.
---POACHING---
When poached using the Thief's Poach ability, each monster yields one of two
different items -- a common item or a rare item. This item can then be bought
at the Poachers' Den in Dorter, Warjilis, or Sal Ghidos. I've listed the two
items from each monster in the list below, and you can find a more detailed
treatment of poaching in the Poached Items section (00poach).
---MONSTER LOCATIONS---
Monsters don't appear that much in story battles, but make up most of the
enemies you'll face in random battles. Most monsters will appear in MANY spots
on the map. For each monster, I've listed ONE spot where you can COMMONLY find
that monster in each chapter, to help you recruit it or poach it. (Some
monsters cannot be found in the earlier chapters, though.) The monsters you
fight at a location depend the direction you enter the location on the map. In
many cases, you'll need to use the correct entrance to maximize your chances of
seeing the monster (e.g. entering Mandalia Plain from Gariland rather than
Eagrose).
For a *complete* list of what monsters appear at each location, see the Random
Battles section later in the FAQ.
---Chocobo Family---------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Single feather
The Chocobo family of monsters is unique in that human characters can ride them.
To ride a chocobo, move a human character onto the same tile as a friendly
chocobo (of any color). The character will mount the chocobo and they'll move
and act as a single unit.
Riding a chocobo allows you to combine the movement range and Movement Abilities
of a chocobo with the human rider's Action Abilities and other stats (such as
attack power and speed). Humans cannot use their own Movement Abilities while
on a Chocobo, and Chocobos cannot use their Action Abilities while being ridden.
A chocobo & rider combination is also immune to all negative status except
Charm. Only the human takes damage; if he/she dies, he/she is booted off the
chocobo and the chocobo functions normally again.
CHOCOBO
BLACK CHOCOBO
Family: Chocobo Rank : II Color scheme : Black/dark purple
HP : B- Phys. Atk.: A+ Mag. Atk. : A Speed: D
Move : 6 Jump : 5 Physical evade : 25%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES: Fly, Swim
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: none
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Choco Beak 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Choco Pellets 4/* 1/- Any -- N Non-elemental physical attack; can't be
blocked with Shirahadori.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x 50/100
Choco Esuna Self 2/2 Any 65 - Cures Stone, Blind, Silence, Poison,
Stop, Immobilize, Disable
(Choco Meteor) 5/* 1/- Any 4 N Non-elemental magick attack
POACHED ITEM: Eye Drops (common) / X-Potion (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Balias Tor - from Lionel Castle
Chapter IV : Balias Tor - from Lionel Castle
RED CHOCOBO
Family: Chocobo Rank : III Color scheme : Bright red
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk. : A Speed: A
Move : 6 Jump : 5 Physical evade : 10%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES: Ignore Elevation, Swim
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: none
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Choco Beak 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Choco Pellets 4/* 1/- Any -- N Non-elemental physical attack; can't be
blocked with Shirahadori.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x 50/100
Choco Meteor 5/* 1/- Any 4 N Non-elemental magick attack
(Choco Cure) Self 2/2 Any 3 - Restores HP
POACHED ITEM: Remedy (common) / Barette (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
---Goblin Family----------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Goblin lying face-down on ground
GOBLIN
Family: Goblin Rank : I Color scheme : Red and gray
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : B+ Speed: D+
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 18%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES: none
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Ice
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tackle 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Eye Gouge 1/2 1/- Any 45 - Inflicts Blind status
(Goblin Punch) 1/1 1/- Any 35 - Does damage equal to (Goblin's
max HP - current HP)
POACHED ITEM: Potion (common) / Hi-Potion (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Mandalia Plain - any entrance
Chapter II-III : Mandalia Plain - any entrance
Chapter IV : Mandalia Plain - from Eagrose
BLACK GOBLIN
Family: Goblin Rank : II Color scheme : Black and gray
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : B+ Speed: C+
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 19%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES: none
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Ice
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tackle 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Spin Punch Self 2/1 Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x 50/100
(Goblin Punch) 1/1 1/- Any 35 - Does damage equal to (Black Goblin's
max HP - current HP)
POACHED ITEM: Hi-Potion (common) / Shoulder Cape (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : The Siedge Weald - any entrance
Chapter II-III : The Siedge Weald - any entrance
Chapter IV : The Siedge Weald - from Dorter
GOBBLEDYGOOK
Family: Goblin Rank : III Color scheme : Brown skin, green clothes
with purple trim
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: B+ Mag. Atk. : A- Speed: B
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 20%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES: none
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Ice
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---Bomb Family------------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Floating flame
BOMB
Family: Bomb Rank : I Color scheme : Red
HP : B- Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : A- Speed: D+
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 10%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Float, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Fire, Halves Ice, Weak to Water
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bite 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Self-Destruct Self 3/3 Any -- N KOs user & damages nearby units,
inflicts Oil status. Damage is equal
to (Bomb's max HP - current HP).
(Bomblet) 1/0 1/- Any 4 - Non-elemental magick attack #
POACHED ITEM: Flameburst Bomb (common) / Flame Rod (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : The Siedge Weald - from Dorter
Chapter II-III : The Siedge Weald - any entrance
Chapter IV : Balias Tor - from Zaland
GRENADE
Family: Bomb Rank : II Color scheme : Light blue
HP : B- Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk. : A- Speed: C-
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 11%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Float, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Fire, Halves Ice, Weak to Water
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bite 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Bomblet 1/0 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack. #
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x 50/100
Self-Destruct Self 3/3 Any -- N KOs user & damages nearby units,
inflicts Oil status. Damage is equal
to (Grenade's max HP - current HP).
(Flame Attack) 3/* 1/- Any 3 N Fire magick attack
POACHED ITEM: Hi-Potion (common) / Snowmelt Bomb (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Zeklaus Desert - any entrance
EXPLODER
Family: Bomb Rank : III Color scheme : Gray
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: B+ Mag. Atk. : A- Speed: D+
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 12%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Float, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Fire, Halves Ice, Weak to Water
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bite 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Self-Destruct Self 3/3 Any -- N KOs user & damages nearby units,
inflicts Oil status. Damage is equal
to (Exploder's max HP - current HP).
Spark Self 3/1 Any 2 N Fire magick attack; will also heal user
since bombs absorb fire
(Bomblet) 1/0 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack. #
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x 50/100
POACHED ITEM: Spark Bomb (common) / Flame Shield (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Breeding only
Chapter IV : Tchigolith Fenlands - from Lionel Castle
# Note that Bomblet is a PHYSICAL attack when used by Bombs, but a MAGICK attack
when used by Grenades and Exploders. Crazy!
---Panther Family---------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Skull
RED PANTHER
Family: Panther Rank : I Color scheme : Tan
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : A- Speed: C
Move : 4 Jump : 4 Physical evade : 23%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES: Ignore Elevation, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Earth
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Claw 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Venom Fang 1/2 1/- Any 40 - Inflicts Poison status
(Cat Scratch) 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = Physical Attack x (random
number from 1 to 8)
POACHED ITEM: Antidote (common) / Battle Boots (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Mandalia Plain - any entrance
Chapter II-III : Mandalia Plain - any entrance
Chapter IV : Mandalia Plain - from Gariland
COEURL
Family: Panther Rank : II Color scheme : Blue-gray
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: B+ Mag. Atk. : A Speed: B
Move : 4 Jump : 4 Physical evade : 26%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES: Ignore Elevation, can't enter water
VAMPIRE CAT
Family: Panther Rank : III Color scheme : Purple
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk. : B+ Speed: A-
Move : 4 Jump : 4 Physical evade : 24%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES: Ignore Elevation, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Earth
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Claw 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Cat Scratch 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = Physical Attack x (random
number from 1 to 8)
Blaster 3/* 1/- Any 30 Y Inflicts Stone or Stop status
(Vampire) 1/0 1/- Any -- - Drains HP from target to user; amount =
25% of target's max HP. 100% hit
rate. 25% chance of also inflicting
Vampire status.
POACHED ITEM: Holy Water (common) / Croakadile Bag (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Balias Swale - from Warjilis
Chapter IV : Zeirchele Falls - from Zaland
---Mindflayer Family------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Mindflayer lying face-down on ground
PISCODAEMON
Family: Mindflayer Rank : I Color scheme : Tan with brown cloak
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : A- Speed: C-
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 8%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Waterbreathing
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Water, Weak to Lightning
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tentacles 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
(Ink) 2/* 1/- Any 50 Y Inflicts Blind; targets in 4 cardinal
directions only
SQUIDRAKEN
Family: Mindflayer Rank : II Color scheme : Purple with green cloak
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : A- Speed: D
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 9%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Waterbreathing
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Water, Weak to Lightning
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tentacles 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Ink 2/* 1/- Any 50 Y Inflicts Blind; targets in 4 cardinal
directions only
Dischord Self 3/1 Any -- N Removes Float, Reraise, Invisible,
Regen, Protect, Shell, Haste, Faith,
and Reflect. 100% hit rate.
(Mind Blast) 3/* 2/1 Any 35 N Inflicts Confuse or Berserk
POACHED ITEM: Shoulder Cape (common) / Sleep Blade (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Balias Swale - from Lionel Castle
Chapter IV : Lenalian Plateau - from Gariland
MINDFLAYER
Family: Mindflayer Rank : III Color scheme : Pale green with red cloak
HP : B Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk. : A- Speed: C-
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 10%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Waterbreathing
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Water, Weak to Lightning
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tentacles 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Ink 2/* 1/- Any 50 Y Inflicts Blind; targets in 4 cardinal
directions only
Mind Blast 3/* 2/1 Any 35 N Inflicts Confuse or Berserk
(Level Drain) 4/* 1/- Any 60 N Lowers target's experience level by 1
POACHED ITEM: Hi-Ether (common) / Vampire Cape (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Zeirchele Falls - from Zaland
Chapter IV : Fovoham Windflats - from Ziekden Fortress
---Skeleton Family--------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Cape and pile of bones
SKELETON
Family: Skeleton Rank : I Color scheme : Gray with blue cloak
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: B Mag. Atk. : B+ Speed: C+
Move : 3 Jump : 4 Physical evade : 11%
Is Undead.
BONESNATCH
Family: Skeleton Rank : II Color scheme : Gray with green cloak
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: B+ Mag. Atk. : B+ Speed: D+
Move : 3 Jump : 4 Physical evade : 12%
Is Undead.
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : none
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Darkness, Weak to Fire and Holy
STATUS IMMUNITIES : Poison, Regen, Reraise
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chop 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Water Anima 3/* 1/- Any 2 Y Water magick attack
(Ice Anima) 3/* 1/- Any 2 Y Ice magick attack
POACHED ITEM: Hi-Potion (common) / Partisan (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Zeklaus Desert - from Gollund
Chapter IV : Zeklaus Desert - from Gollund
SKELETAL FIEND
Family: Skeleton Rank : III Color scheme : Gray with red cloak
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: B+ Mag. Atk. : B+ Speed: D+
Move : 3 Jump : 4 Physical evade : 13%
Is Undead.
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : none
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Darkness, Weak to Fire and Holy
STATUS IMMUNITIES : Poison, Regen, Reraise
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chop 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Ice Anima 3/* 1/- Any 2 Y Ice magick attack
(Wind Anima) 3/* 1/- Any 3 Y Wind magick attack
POACHED ITEM: Mage's Cloak (common) / Elven Cloak (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Breeding only
Chapter IV : Tchigolith Fenlands - from Goug
---Ghost Family-----------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Floating cloak
GHOUL
Family: Ghost Rank : I Color scheme : Purple body, yellow shirt
HP : B- Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : A Speed: D+
Move : 4 Jump : 4 Physical evade : 26%
Is Undead.
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Teleport, Levitate, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Darkness, Weak to Fire and Holy
STATUS IMMUNITIES : Poison, Regen, Reraise
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ectoplasm 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Can't be blocked with Shirahadori.
Sleep Touch 1/2 1/- Any 40 - Inflicts Sleep status
(Oily Touch) 1/2 1/- Any 50 - Inflicts Oil status
POACHED ITEM: Ether (common) / Kunai (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Does not appear
Chapter II-III : Araguay Woods - from Dorter
Chapter IV : The Yuguewood - from Riovanes
GHAST
Family: Ghost Rank : II Color scheme : Gray body, red shirt
HP : B- Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : A Speed: C-
Move : 4 Jump : 4 Physical evade : 27%
Is Undead.
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Teleport, Levitate, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Darkness, Weak to Fire and Holy
STATUS IMMUNITIES : Poison, Regen, Reraise
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ectoplasm 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Can't be blocked with Shirahadori.
Oily Touch 1/2 1/- Any 50 - Inflicts Oil status
(Drain Touch) 1/2 1/- Any 60 - Drains HP from target to user;
amount = 1/3 of target's max HP
POACHED ITEM: Snowmelt Bomb (common) / Main Gauche (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Does not appear
Chapter II-III : Araguay Woods - from Dorter
Chapter IV : The Yuguewood - any entrance
REVENANT
Family: Ghost Rank : III Color scheme : Tan body, green shirt
HP : B Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : A+ Speed: C+
Move : 5 Jump : 4 Physical evade : 28%
Is Undead.
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Teleport, Levitate, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Darkness, Weak to Fire and Holy
STATUS IMMUNITIES : Poison, Regen, Reraise
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ectoplasm 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
---Ahriman Family---------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Wing
FLOATING EYE
Family: Ahriman Rank : I Color scheme : Green with orange wings
HP : B Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk. : B+ Speed: D+
Move : 5 Jump : 5 Physical evade : 12%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Fly, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Halves Wind, Weak to Ice
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wing Buffet 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
(Dread Gaze) 3/* 1/- Any 40 Y Lowers target's Bravery by 10
POACHED ITEM: Shuriken (common) / Platinum Dagger (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Fovoham Windflats - from Lenalian Plateau
Chapter II-III : Fovoham Windflats - any entrance
Chapter IV : Grogh Heights - from Lesalia
AHRIMAN
Family: Ahriman Rank : II Color scheme : Yellow with purple wings
HP : B- Phys. Atk.: A Mag. Atk. : A+ Speed: D
Move : 5 Jump : 5 Physical evade : 13%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Fly, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Halves Wind, Weak to Ice
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wing Buffet 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Bewitching Gaze 3/* 1/- Any 35 Y Inflicts Stone, Blind, Silence,
Immobilize, or Disable status
Dread Gaze 3/* 1/- Any 40 Y Lowers target's Bravery by 10
(Doom) 3/* 1/- Any 40 N Inflicts Doom status
POACHED ITEM: Fuma Shuriken (common) / Air Knife (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Tchigolith Fenlands - from Lionel
Chapter IV : Fovoham Windflats - from Riovanes
PLAGUE HORROR
Family: Ahriman Rank : III Color scheme : Red with black wings
HP : B- Phys. Atk.: B+ Mag. Atk. : A+ Speed: D+
Move : 5 Jump : 5 Physical evade : 11%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Fly, can't enter water
---Aevis Family-----------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Two feathers
JURA AEVIS
Family: Aevis Rank : I Color scheme : Blue with white plumage
HP : B Phys. Atk.: B Mag. Atk. : B+ Speed: C-
Move : 6 Jump : 6 Physical evade : 30%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Fly, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Halves Wind, Weak to Earth
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talon Dive 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
(Featherbomb) 3/* 1/- Any 2 N Non-elemental magick attack
POACHED ITEM: Potion (common) / Rubber Boots (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Zeklaus Desert - from Dorter
Chapter II-III : Fovoham Windflats - from Ziekden Fortress
Chapter IV : Fovoham Windflats - from Ziekden Fortress
STEELHAWK
Family: Aevis Rank : II Color scheme : Gray with yellow plumage
HP : B- Phys. Atk.: B Mag. Atk. : B+ Speed: A-
Move : 6 Jump : 6 Physical evade : 28%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Fly, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Halves Wind, Weak to Earth
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talon Dive 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Glitterlust 1/1 1/- Any 200 - Steals gil
(Beak) 1/0 1/- Any 37 - Inflicts Stone status
POACHED ITEM: Phoenix Down (common) / Hunting Bow (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Zeklaus Desert - from Gollund
Chapter IV : Zeklaus Desert - from Gollund
COCKATRICE
Family: Aevis Rank : III Color scheme : Black with red plumage
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: A+ Mag. Atk. : A Speed: A-
Move : 6 Jump : 6 Physical evade : 33%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Fly, can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Halves Wind, Weak to Earth
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talon Dive 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Beak 1/0 1/- Any 37 - Inflicts Stone status
Featherbomb 3/* 1/- Any 2 N Non-elemental magick attack
(Peck) 1/1 1/- Any 45 - Lowers target's Physical Attack stat
by 2. Duration: Battle.
POACHED ITEM: Gold Needle (common) / Featherweave Cloak (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Breeding only
Chapter IV : Balias Swale - from Golgollada Gallows
---Treant Family----------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Tree branch
DRYAD
Family: Treant Rank : I Color scheme : Light brown w/ green hair
HP : A- Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : A Speed: D
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 0%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Earth, Weak to Fire
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leaf Rain Self 2/0 Any 3 - Non-elemental magick attack
(Guardian Nymph) Self 2/0 Any 45 - Gives Protect status (reduces magick
damage received by 1/3)
POACHED ITEM: Eye Drops (common) / Healing Staff (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Does not appear
Chapter II-III : Grogh Heights - from Lesalia
Chapter IV : Midlight's Deep - The Oubliette
TREANT
Family: Treant Rank : II Color scheme : Gray with red hair
HP : B+ Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk. : A- Speed: D
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 0%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Earth, Weak to Fire
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leaf Rain Self 2/0 Any 3 - Non-elemental magick attack
Life Nymph Self 2/0 Any 2 - Restores HP
(Shell Nymph) Self 2/0 Any 45 - Gives Shell status (reduces magick
damage received by 1/3)
POACHED ITEM: Golden Staff (common) / Faerie Harp (rare)
ELDER TREANT
Family: Treant Rank : III Color scheme : Silver with gold hair
HP : A Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : A Speed: D
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 0%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Earth, Weak to Fire
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leaf Rain Self 2/0 Any 3 - Non-elemental magick attack
Guardian Nymph Self 2/0 Any 45 - Gives Protect status (reduces magick
damage received by 1/3)
Shell Nymph Self 2/0 Any 45 - Gives Shell status (reduces magick
damage received by 1/3)
(Magick Nymph) Self 2/0 Any 2 - Restores MP
POACHED ITEM: Protect Ring (common) / Defender (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Does not appear
Chapter II-III : Breeding only
Chapter IV : Midlight's Deep - The Oubliette
---Minotaur Family--------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Horned skull
WISENKIN
Family: Minotaur Rank : I Color scheme : Dark green with gray head
HP : A- Phys. Atk.: B+ Mag. Atk. : A Speed: D+
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 11%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Water
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pickaxe 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
(Beef Up) Self 1/- Any -- - Raises user's Physical Attack by 2.
Duration: Battle. 100% success rate.
POACHED ITEM: Battle Axe (common) / Giant's Axe (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : The Siedge Weald - from Dorter
Chapter II-III : Fovoham Windflats - from Ziekden Fortress
Chapter IV : Zeklaus Desert - from Gollund
MINOTAUR
Family: Minotaur Rank : II Color scheme : Red with gray head
HP : A Phys. Atk.: A+ Mag. Atk. : A Speed: D+
Move : 4 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 15%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Water
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pickaxe 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
SEKHRET
Family: Minotaur Rank : III Color scheme : Purple
HP : A Phys. Atk.: A+ Mag. Atk. : A Speed: B-
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 12%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Water
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pickaxe 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Earthsplitter Self 3/1 Any 3 N Earth magick attack
Beef Up Self 1/- Any -- - Raises user's Physical Attack by 2.
Duration: Battle. 100% success rate.
(Breathe Fire) 2/* 1/- Any 4 Y Fire magick attack, targets in 4
cardinal directions only
POACHED ITEM: Holy Lance (common) / Ivory Pole (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Breeding only
Chapter IV : Fovoham Windflats - from Ziekden Fortress
---Malboro Family---------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Two tentacles in puddle of water
MALBORO
Family: Malboro Rank : I Color scheme : Bright light green
HP : A Phys. Atk.: B Mag. Atk. : B Speed: D
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 0%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Waterwalking, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Ice
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tentacles 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Lick 1/0 1/- Any -- - Gives Reflect status; 100% success rate
(Bad Breath) Self 3/0 Any -- - Inflicts Stone, Blind, Confuse,
Silence, Oil, Toad, Poison, and/or
Sleep. 25% chance of inflicting each.
POACHED ITEM: Platinum Dagger (common) / Ice Shield (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Does not appear
Chapter II-III : Araguay Woods - from Zeirchele Falls
Chapter IV : Tchigolith Fenlands - from Goug
OCHU
GREATER MALBORO
Family: Malboro Rank : III Color scheme : Dark gray
HP : A Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk. : B Speed: D
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 0%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Waterwalking, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Ice
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tentacles 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Bad Breath Self 3/0 Any -- - Inflicts Stone, Blind, Confuse,
Silence, Oil, Toad, Poison, and/or
Sleep. 25% chance of inflicting each.
(Malboro Spores) 1/0 1/- Any 5 - PERMANENTLY turns target into a rank I
green Malboro. Does NOT work on
characters with special story jobs.
The character's items are lost.
POACHED ITEM: Elixir (common) / Omnilex (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Does not appear
Chapter II-III : Breeding only
Chapter IV : Midlight's Deep - The Switchback
---Behemoth Family--------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Spiny tail
BEHEMOTH
Family: Behemoth Rank : I Color scheme : Purple with yellow hair
HP : A Phys. Atk.: A Mag. Atk. : A Speed: C+
Move : 4 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 13%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: none
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gore 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
BEHEMOTH KING
Family: Behemoth Rank : II Color scheme : Gold with green hair
HP : A Phys. Atk.: A+ Mag. Atk. : A Speed: B-
Move : 4 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 13%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: none
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gore 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Heave 1/0 1/- Any 2 - Physical attack, chance of instant KO
(Twister) 4/* 3/2 Any 50 N Damage = 1/3 of target's max HP;
wind-elemental.
POACHED ITEM: Cherche (common) / Artemis Bow (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Does not appear
Chapter II-III : Story Battle 27: Zeklaus Desert
Chapter IV : Lake Poescas - any entrance
DARK BEHEMOTH
Family: Behemoth Rank : III Color scheme : Black with orange hair
HP : A Phys. Atk.: A+ Mag. Atk. : A Speed: B
Move : 4 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 18%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: none
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gore 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Heave 1/0 1/- Any 2 - Physical attack, chance of instant KO
(Almagest) 4/* 3/1 Any -- N Does damage equal to (Dark Behemoth's
max HP - current HP). 100% hit rate.
POACHED ITEM: Wizard's Rod (common) / Stoneshooter (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Does not appear
Chapter II-III : Story Battle 27: Zeklaus Desert
Chapter IV : Lake Poescas - from Limberry
---Dragon Family----------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Large wing
DRAGON
Family: Dragon Rank : I Color scheme : Light green
HP : A- Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk. : A Speed: C+
Move : 5 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 5%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: none
RNG RAD
BLUE DRAGON
Family: Dragon Rank : II Color scheme : Light blue
HP : A- Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk. : A Speed: B-
Move : 5 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 9%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Ice, Weak to Fire
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charge 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Ice Breath 2/2 1/- Any 5 Y Ice magick attack
(Thunder Breath) 2/2 1/- Any 5 Y Lightning magick attack
POACHED ITEM: Cashmere (common) / Dragon Rod (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Grogh Heights - from Yardrow
Chapter IV : Dorvauldar Marsh - from Ft. Besselat
RED DRAGON
Family: Dragon Rank : III Color scheme : Brick red
HP : A Phys. Atk.: A Mag. Atk. : A+ Speed: A-
Move : 5 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 8%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Absorbs Fire, Weak to Ice
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charge 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Thunder Breath 2/2 1/- Any 5 Y Lightning magick attack
(Fire Breath) 2/2 1/- Any 5 Y Fire magick attack
POACHED ITEM: Sortile'ge (common) / Dragon Whisker (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Breeding only
Chapter II-III : Breeding only
Chapter IV : Mount Germinas - any entrance
---Hydra Family-----------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Three-headed skull
HYDRA
Family: Hydra Rank : III Color scheme : Gold
HP : A- Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk. : B Speed: B
GREATER HYDRA
Family: Hydra Rank : III Color scheme : Dark purple / black
HP : A Phys. Atk.: A+ Mag. Atk. : B Speed: A-
Move : 4 Jump : 4 Physical evade : 0%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Fly, can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Ice and Wind
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tri-Attack 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack; attacks
front and both sides simultaneously.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Tri-Flame 4/* 2/0 Any 24 N Fire magick attack; hits 3 times on
random tile(s) in effect radius
(Tri-Thunder) 4/* 2/0 Any 12 N Lightning magick attack; hits 3 times
on random tile(s) in effect radius
POACHED ITEM: Septie`me (common) / Rubber Suit (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Does not appear
Chapter II-III : Does not appear
Chapter IV : Midlight's Deep - Terminus
TIAMAT
Family: Hydra Rank : III Color scheme : Off-white
HP : A Phys. Atk.: A+ Mag. Atk. : B Speed: A
Move : 4 Jump : 4 Physical evade : 0%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Fly, can't enter water, immune to Float status
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: Weak to Ice and Wind
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tri-Breath 2/* 2/* Any 120 N Non-elemental magick attack; attacks
front and both sides simultaneously.
Damage = 1/2 of target's max HP
Tri-Thunder 4/* 2/0 Any 12 N Lightning magick attack; hits 3 times
on random tile(s) in effect radius
Tri-Flame 4/* 2/0 Any 24 N Fire magick attack; hits 3 times on
random tile(s) in effect radius
(Dark Whisper) 4/* 2/0 Any 1 N Dark magick attack; hits 6 times on
random tiles(s) in effect radius;
can inflict KO or Sleep
POACHED ITEM: Wyrmweave Silk (common) / Whale Whisker (rare)
---Pig Family-------------------------------------------------------------------
When KOed, looks like : Pig lying face-down on ground
PIG
Family: Pig Rank : I Color scheme : Light yellow, red ears
HP : D+ Phys. Atk.: C- Mag. Atk. : A+ Speed: A
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 42%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: none
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reckless Charge 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
(Squeak) 1/1 1/- Any 70 - Revives KOed character with full HP
POACHED ITEM: Maiden's Kiss (common) / Cachusha (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Does not appear
Chapter II-III : May randomly appear in Story Battle 15: Tchigolith Fenlands
Chapter IV : Midlight's Deep - Terminus
SWINE
Family: Pig Rank : II Color scheme : Light pink, magenta ears
HP : C Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk. : A+ Speed: A
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 36%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: none
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reckless Charge 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
Toot 1/1 1/- Any -- - Causes Confuse or Sleep; 100% hit rate
(Snort) 1/1 1/- Foe 40 - Inflicts Charm status; only effective
on human targets
POACHED ITEM: Chantage (common) / Nagnarok (rare)
CAN BE FOUND AT:
Chapter I : Does not appear
Chapter II-III : Breeding only
Chapter IV : Midlight's Deep - Terminus
WILD BOAR
Family: Pig Rank : III Color scheme : Silver with magenta ears
HP : C- Phys. Atk.: A+ Mag. Atk. : A+ Speed: A
Move : 3 Jump : 3 Physical evade : 39%
MOVEMENT ABILITIES : Can't enter water
ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES: none
RNG RAD
ACTION ABILITIES: H/V H/V TAR PWR LF EFFECT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reckless Charge 1/2 1/- Any -- - Non-elemental physical attack.
Damage = (Phys.Atk)^2 x (Bravery/100)
%%%ENEMY-ONLY JOBS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00job4
Most enemies you'll encounter in the game have either generic jobs, or the same
special jobs as the story characters who join your party. However, a few
enemies have unique jobs that are not available to you, the player. This
section lists those jobs and their abilities.
There are also a few more monster-like units that appear in the enemy forces
and cannot be recruited to your team; you'll find those listed here as well.
Note that while these monster-like enemies are considered monsters for the
purposes of Zodiac compatibility, the First Strike ability *is* effective in
blocking and returning their attacks.
Of course, since these are enemy-only jobs, there is NO way to obtain any of
these jobs or characters for your own team. This section is just to show you
what you're up against.
---WHITE KNIGHT-----------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Wiegraf Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Swords, knight's swords Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Shields, helms, armor, robes Physical evade : 10%
Innate abilities:
> Chapter I - Immune to all negative status except Blind, Silence, Oil, Slow,
Stop, Immobilize, and Disable
> Chapter III - Immune to all negative status except Blind, Silence, Oil, Slow
Stats - Chapter I:
HP: B MP: A Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: C
Stats - Chapter III:
HP: B+ MP: A Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: B
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Holy Sword--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x (Weapon strength + PWR)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Judgment Blade 0 2 2/* 2/0 Any N Physical attack, causes Stop
Cleansing Strike 0 3 3/2 1/- Any N Physical attack, causes Doom
Northswain's Strike 0 2 3/1 1/- Any N Physical attack, instant KO
Hallowed Bolt * 0 4 3/* 2/1 Any N Physical attack, causes Silence
Holy Sword techniques have a 100% hit rate. However, they cannot be used
unless Wiegraf is equipped with a sword, knight's sword, or fell sword.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Aurablast # 0 2 3/3 1/- Any N Non-elemental physical attack
Shockwave # 0 0 4Dir 8/2 Any N Earth physical attack
--DESCRIPTION--
Wiegraf's White Knight job features a subset of Holy Knight sword techniques,
making him the first character in the game who can use sword techniques. In
your final battle with him, he also uses a pair of standard Monk abilities.
---THE IMPURE-------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Cuchulainn Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: None Jump height : 4
Equippable armor: None Physical evade : 12%
Innate abilities: Swiftness, Brawler, can't enter water,
immune to all negative status except Blind, Slow, & Immobilize
Stats:
HP: A+ MP: A+ Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk.: B- Speed: A+
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Dread--
Status attack success : Always 100%!
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Nightmare 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N Inflicts Sleep or Doom;
100% hit rate
Fowlheart 0 -- 5/* 1/- Any N Inflicts Disable; 100% hit rate
Ague 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N Inflicts Slow; 100% hit rate
--DESCRIPTION--
Cuchulainn's magick repertoire consists primarily of Nightmare, which inflicts
Sleep or Doom, and the Bio magicks. Fowlheart and Ague are rarely--if ever!--
used.
Note that are multiple magicks called Bio, Biora, and Bioga; each version
inflicts a different status ailment. Since each version can inflict only a
single status ailment, a single cast of Bio will target each character it hits
with the SAME status ailment.
Bio and Bioga do damage along with the status attacks, but Biora changes status
only.
Surprisingly, you can cast all of these back on Cuchulainn using Magick
Counter, even though you can never cast Bio magicks normally.
---CELEBRANT--------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Zalmour, Bremondt Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Rods, staves, books, poles Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes, robes Physical evade : 9%
Innate ability: Immune to all negative status except Blind, Confuse, Silence,
Oil, Berserk, and Slow
Stats:
HP: B+ MP: A+ Phys. Atk.: C- Mag. Atk.: B- Speed: D+
--DESCRIPTION--
The Celebrant combines high-level White Magicks with some status magick derived
from the Templar's sword techniques. Bremondt, on the other hand, only seems to
want to cast Arise.
---NIGHTBLADE-------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Isilud Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Ninja blades, swords, Jump height : 4
knight's swords, polearms Physical evade : 10%
Equippable armor: Shields, helms, armor, robes
Innate abilities: Concentration, immune to all negative status except Blind,
Silence, Oil, Slow
Stats:
HP: B+ MP: D- Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk.: F Speed: B
--DESCRIPTION--
Isilud's Nightblade job is very similar to a Knight, with the bonus of an
inherent Concentration ability that prevents any of his physical attacks from
missing. He is also equipped with a maxed-out Jump as his secondary action
ability when he appears in the game.
--DESCRIPTION--
Undead Black Mages appear in one story battle and in the Chicken Race co-op
mission. Compared to regular Black Mages, they have enhanced HP and Speed, an
innate Beastmaster ability, and some status immunities. On the other hand,
their magick repertoire is a bit more limited.
Note that these stat/ability changes only to apply to Undead Black Mages who are
permanently undead, not to regular Black Mages that have been made temporarily
undead with magick or an item.
--DESCRIPTION--
Again, the undead Time Mages you encounter in story battles are a little
different from regular Time Mages. They lose the ability to cast Meteor, but
gain an innate Beastmaster, some status immunities, and upgrades to their HP,
Magick Attack, and Speed.
---GIGAS------------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Belias Movement range : 5
Equippable weapons: None Jump height : 5
Equippable armor: None Physical evade : 18%
Innate abilities: Brawler, Swiftness, can't enter water, immune to all negative
status except Blind, Silence, Slow, and Immobilize
Stats:
HP: A+ MP: A+ Phys. Atk.: A Mag. Atk.: B Speed: B
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Dread--
Status attack success : Always 100%!
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Aphony 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N Inflicts Silence (100% hit rate)
Petrify 0 -- 5/* 1/- Any N Inflicts Stone (100% hit rate)
Befuddle 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N Inflicts Confuse (100% hit rate)
--DESCRIPTION--
Belias's main mode of attack, of course, is his mighty summon magicks. He also
possess a few status attack spells as a backup; if he's Silenced and can't use
his summons, he can use Petrify instead.
---ARCHAEODAEMON----------------------------------------------------------------
Enemy monster. Movement range : 4
Innate abilities: Counter, Swiftness, Jump height : 3
can't enter water, Physical evade : 5%
immune to holy damage
When KOed, looks like: Demon idol
Stats:
HP: B+ MP: B- Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk.: B Speed: D+
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Dark Arts--
Damage (Unholy Dkness): Magick Attack x PWR x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
Damage (Gigaflare ): Magick Attack x PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Karma 2 -- 4/* 1/- Any N Does damage equal to
(user's max HP - current HP)
Unholy 40 7 37 4/* 1/- Any N Dark magick attack
Darkness
Gigaflare 0 7 4/* 3/0 Any N Non-elemental magick attack
--DESCRIPTION--
The Archaeodaemon is a monster-type enemy with a few different magick attacks.
Watch out for Karma, which can do big damage to you if you've whittled the
Archaeodaemon down to low HP but haven't finished it off.
---ASSASSIN---------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Celia, Lettie Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Katanas (Celia), ninja blades (Let.) Jump height : 7
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes Physical evade : #
Innate abilities: Dual Wield,
immune to Stone, Chicken, and Toad statuses
# Celia has an evade rate of 30%; Lettie has an evade rate of 28%
Stats - Celia:
HP: B+ MP: A Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk.: B- Speed: B-
Stats - Lettie:
HP: B+ MP: A Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk.: B- Speed: B
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Subdual Arts--
Damage inflicted : Magick Attack x PWR
Status attack success : Magick Attack + PWR
RNG RAD
--DESCRIPTION--
Celia and Lettie are fast and use a variety of status attack abilities, most of
which have a 100% hit rate and are quite dangerous. They also cast Ultima,
which Ramza and Luso can learn if they are hit with the magick as a Squire or
Game Hunter.
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Sword Spirit--
Damage inflicted : Magick Attack x PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ashura 0 8 Self 3/3 Foe N "Spirit Blade": Non-elemental
magick attack
Kotetsu 0 12 Self 3/3 Foe N "Binding Darkness": Non-elemental
magick attack
Osafune 0 4 Self 3/3 Foe N "Verse of Oblivion": Lowers
enemy MP
Muramasa 0 18 Self 3/3 Foe N "Doomed Aspirations": Non-elemental
magick attack, inflicts Confuse
and Doom
Kiku-ichimonji # 0 16 4Dir 8/3 Foe N "Sanguine Blossom": Non-elemental
magick attack
Chirijiraden # 0 30 Self 3/3 Foe N "Raging Inferno": Non-elemental
magick attack
# Only used in Chapter IV.
--Movement Abilities--
EFFECT
----------------------------------------------------------
Master Teleportation Teleport to any tile when moving,
regardless of move range or obstacles
in the way. Unlike regular Teleport,
never fails!
--DESCRIPTION--
Elmdore's Ark Knight job is almost completely different from Zalbaag's and is
similar mostly in name. Elmdore's version of the job is based on the Samurai;
he fights with katanas and can use a few Iaido abilities. He also has a novel
movement ability: Master Teleportation, which lets him warp anywhere on the
battlefield. Sadly, he also has an innate Safeguard that prevents you from
stealing his Genji gear. In Chapter IV, he gains a few more Iaido attacks and
the Vampire ability, but his use of Vampire is rare outside of Rendezvous Mode.
---MACHINIST [BARICH]----------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Barich Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Knives, guns, crossbows Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, armor, robes Physical evade : 18%
Innate abilities: Defense Boost, Arcane Defense, Beast Tongue, immune to all
negative status except Blind, Silence, Oil, Slow, Immobilize
Stats:
HP: B+ MP: C+ Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk.: C Speed: A
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Aimed Shot--
Status attack success : Speed + PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Leg Shot 0 50 Weapon Any Y Causes Immobilize status
Arm Shot 0 50 Weapon Any Y Causes Disable status
Seal Evil 0 70 Weapon Any Y Turns undead to Stone
--DESCRIPTION--
Barich's version of the Machinist job has the same abilities as Mustadio, but
Barich also has a couple of innate Support Abilities, some status ailments, and
better stats.
---UNDEAD ARCHER----------------------------------------------------------------
Enemy human. Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Bows, crossbows Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Shields, hats, clothes, robes Physical evade : 10%
Innate ability: Beastmaster; immune to Blind, Vampire, Invisible, Poison,
Regen, Charm, Doom, and Entice
Stats:
HP: C MP: D Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk.: D+ Speed: C+
--DESCRIPTION--
You'll encounter undead Archers at Lake Poescas and in one multiplayer mission.
They have superior HP and Speed compared to a regular Archer, several status
immunities, and an innate Beastmaster ability.
Note that these stat/ability changes only to apply to Undead Archers who are
permanently undead, not to regular Archers that have been temporarily undead
with magick or an item.
---UNDEAD MYSTIC----------------------------------------------------------------
Enemy human. Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Staves, rods, poles, books Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes, robes Physical evade : 5%
Innate ability: Beastmaster; immune to Blind, Vampire, Invisible, Poison,
Regen, Charm, Doom, and Entice
Stats:
HP: D+ MP: B Phys. Atk.: D- Mag. Atk.: C Speed: B
--DESCRIPTION--
Like other undead enemies in story battles, the Undead Mystic has mildly
enhanced stats, several status immunities, and an innate Beastmaster ability.
He loses the Invigoration HP-draining attack.
There's only one Undead Mystic in the game, at Lake Poescas. Making a regular
Mystic temporarily undead with a magick/item will not result in these changes.
---UNDEAD SUMMONER--------------------------------------------------------------
Enemy human. Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Staves, rods Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes, robes Physical evade : 5%
Innate ability: Beastmaster; immune to Blind, Vampire, Invisible, Poison,
Regen, Charm, Doom, and Entice
Stats:
HP: D MP: A Phys. Atk.: D- Mag. Atk.: C Speed: B
---REAVER-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Enemy monster. Movement range : 4
Innate abilities: Counter, Swiftness, Jump height : 3
Ignore Elevation, can't enter water, Physical evade : 10%
weak to fire damage
When KOed, looks like: Two-horned skull
Stats:
HP: A MP: C Phys. Atk.: B Mag. Atk.: B- Speed: D
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Bio--
Damage (Bio, Bioga) : Magick Attack x PWR x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
Success rate (Biora) : (Magick Attack + PWR) x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Bio 8 R 3 12 4/* 2/2 Any N Non-elemental magick attack,
may inflict Blind
Bio 8 R 3 12 4/* 2/2 Any N Non-elemental magick attack,
--DESCRIPTION--
The Reaver is an enemy monster seen in two battles. It uses Bio magicks. As
with Cuchulainn, note that are multiple magicks called Bio, Biora, and Bioga;
each version inflicts a different status ailment. Since each version can
inflict only a single status ailment, a single cast of Bio will target each
character it hits with the SAME status ailment.
Bio and Bioga do damage along with the status attacks, but Biora changes status
only.
As with Cuchulainn, you can counter-cast these spells using Magick Counter.
---ULTIMA DEMON-----------------------------------------------------------------
Enemy monster. Movement range : 5
Innate Abilities: Counter, Swiftness, Brawler, Jump height : 2
can't enter water, immune to holy Physical evade : 10%
damage
When KOed, looks like: Demon idol
Stats:
HP: B+ MP: B- Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk.: B Speed: D
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Demon Magicks--
Damage (Nanoflare) : 0.5 x Magick Attack x (Magick Attack + PWR)
Damage (others) : Magick Attack x PWR x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
Success rate (Twister): Magick Attack + PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Nanoflare 0 5 5 4/* 3/1 Any N Non-elemental magick attack
Unholy 40 7 37 4/* 1/- Any N Dark magick attack
Darkness
Ultima 10 5 23 4/* 2/1 Any N Non-elemental magick attack
Twister 0 50 4/* 3/2 Any N Damage = 1/3 of target's max HP;
wind-elemental
Almagest 0 -- 4/* 3/1 Any N Does damage equal to
(user's max HP - current HP)
--DESCRIPTION--
The Ultima Demon is an enemy monster seen in a couple battles; it's basically a
stronger form of the Archaeodaemon. It uses some high-level magicks, including
Ultima, which Ramza, Luso, and Alma can learn from it.
---DEATHKNIGHT------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Argath (ch. 4) Movement range : 5
Equippable weapons: Swords Jump height : 4
Equippable armor: Shields, helms, armor Physical evade : 24%
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Fell Sword--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x (Weapon strength + PWR)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
----------------------------------------------------------------
Shadowblade 0 0 3/* 1/- Any N Absorbs HP from target
Duskblade 0 0 3/* 1/- Any N Absorbs MP from target
Fell Sword techniques have a 100% hit rate. However, they cannot be used
unless Argath is equipped with a sword, knight's sword, or fell sword.
--DESCRIPTION--
Argath's Deathknight job actually isn't very different from Gaffgarion's Fell
Knight job and has the same sword techniques.
---DEATH SERAPH-----------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Zalera Movement range : 5
Equippable weapons: None Jump height : 4
Equippable armor: None Physical evade : 24%
Innate abilities: Float, Fly, Swiftness, Beastmaster, can't enter water,
immune to all negative status except Blind and Slow
Stats:
HP: A+ MP: A+ Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk.: C+ Speed: A+
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Dread--
Status attack success : Always 100%!
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Darkness 0 -- 5/* 1/- Any N Inflicts Blind; 100% hit rate
Bind 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N Inflicts Stop; 100% hit rate
Fowlheart 0 -- 5/* 1/- Any N Inflicts Disable; 100% hit rate
Nightmare 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N Inflicts Sleep or Doom
100% hit rate
--DESCRIPTION--
Zalera wields both Flareja (a fairly powerful non-elemental attack magick) and
a wealth of status-attack magicks. His most common attacks tend to be Flareja,
Nightmare, and Bind.
---UNDEAD KNIGHT----------------------------------------------------------------
Enemy human. Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Swords, knight's swords, flails Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Shields, helms, armor, robes Physical evade : 10%
Innate ability: Beastmaster; immune to Blind, Vampire, Invisible, Poison,
Regen, Charm, Doom, and Entice
Stats:
HP: B- MP: C- Phys. Atk.: B- Mag. Atk.: D+ Speed: B
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Swordplay--
Item break success : Physical Attack + PWR + Weapon strength
Stat decrease success : Physical Attack + PWR
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rend Helm 0 45 Weapon Any Y Destroys target's headgear
Rend Armor 0 40 Weapon Any Y Destroys target's armor
Rend Shield 0 55 Weapon Any Y Destroys target's shield
Rend Weapon 0 30 Weapon Any Y Destroys target's weapon
Rend MP 0 50 Weapon Any Y Lowers target's MP (by 1/2 of
target's maximum MP)
Rend Speed 0 50 Weapon Any Y Lowers target's Speed by 2
Rend Power 0 50 Weapon Any Y Lowers target's Phys. Attack by 3
Rend Magick 0 50 Weapon Any Y Lowers target's Mag. Attack by 3
--DESCRIPTION--
Undead Knights accompany Zalera, and also appear in two of the Rendezvous Mode
missions. They have superior HP and Speed compared to a regular Knight, as well
as an innate Beastmaster ability and some status immunities. On the other hand,
their movement range is shorter!
These differences between regular Knights and Undead Knights only apply to the
permanently Undead Knights in story battles. Making a regular Knight
temporarily undead with magick or an item does not result in these changes.
---SORCEROR---------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Cletienne, Valmafra Movement range : 3
Equippable weapons: Rods, staves, poles Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Hats, clothes, robes Physical evade : 14%
Innate ability: Immune to all negative status except
Blind, Silence, Oil, Slow, and Immobilize
Stats:
HP: C MP: A+ Phys. Atk.: D+ Mag. Atk.: C+ Speed: C+
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Magicks [Cletienne]--
Damage inflicted : Magick Attack x PWR x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
Success rate : (Magick Attack + PWR) x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Holy 56RA 6 50 5/* 1/- Any N Holy magick attack
Flare 60RA 7 46 5/1 1/- All N Non-elemental magick attack
Graviga 50RA 10 120 4/* 2/3 Any N Damage = 1/2 of target's max HP
Unholy Dkness 40 7 37 4/* 1/- Any N Dark magick attack
Arise 20RA 10 160 4/* 1/- Any N May revive KOed character with
full HP
--DESCRIPTION--
Cletienne can cast a variety of high-level magicks, including one not available
to player-controlled jobs (Unholy Darkness).
Valmafra appears only in one of the multiplayer Rendezvous Mode missions. Her
version of the Sorceror job has a different set of magicks; she seems to only
cast White Magicks like Cura and Raise.
---RUNE KNIGHT------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Dycedarg Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: Swords, knight's swords Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: Shields, helms, armor, robes Physical evade : 10%
Innate abilities: Defense Boost, Arcane Defense, immune to all negative status
except Blind, Silence, Oil, Chicken, and Slow
Stats:
HP: B+ MP: B- Phys. Atk.: C+ Mag. Atk.: C- Speed: B
Swordplay techniques have a 100% hit rate. However, they cannot be used
unless Dycedarg is equipped with a sword, knight's sword, or fell sword.
--DESCRIPTION--
Dycedarg has a large selection of sword techniques, though not quite as many as
Orlandeau, since Dycedarg doesn't have the two Fell Sword techniques. He also
has a secondary Magicks command that he lets him cast -ga attack magicks.
---THE WROTH--------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Adrammelech Movement range : 5
Equippable weapons: None Jump height : 4
Equippable armor: None Physical evade : 19%
Innate ability: Swiftness, can't enter water, immune to all negative status
except Blind, Silence, and Immobilize
Stats:
HP: A+ MP: A+ Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk.: B- Speed: A
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Dread--
Status attack success : Always 100%!
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Petrify 0 -- 6/* 1/- Any N Inflicts Stone (100% hit rate)
Fowlheart 0 -- 5/* 1/- Any N Inflicts Disable (100% hit rate)
Aphony 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N Inflicts Silence (100% hit rate)
Befuddle 0 -- 5/* 2/0 Any N Inflicts Confuse (100% hit rate)
--DESCRIPTION--
Adrammelech has the usual Lucavi status attacks, plus a wealth of magicks
available to conventional jobs. Of his Dread abilities, Befuddle gets used the
most.
target's armor
Crush Helm 0 4# 3/* 1/- Any N Physical attack, destroys
target's headgear
Crush Weapon 0 3# 3/* 1/- Any N Physical attack, destroys
target's weapon
Unyielding Blade techniques have a 100% hit rate. However, they cannot be used
unless Loffrey is equipped with a sword, knight's sword, or fell sword.
--DESCRIPTION--
Loffrey's Divine Knight job is quite similar to Meliadoul's, except he
exchanges the Crush Accessory ability for a higher evade rate and some status
immunities. In your final encounter with him, he gains a secondary Magicks
command that allows him to cast three Mystic Arts magicks; he typically only
uses these if his weapon is broken.
--ABILITIES--
--Action Abilities: Unyielding Blade--
Damage inflicted : Physical Attack x (Weapon strength + PWR)
RNG RAD
MP TIC PWR H/V H/V TAR LF EFFECT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Crush Armor 0 5# 3/* 1/- Any N Physical attack, destroys
target's armor
Crush Helm 0 4# 3/* 1/- Any N Physical attack, destroys
target's headgear
Crush Weapon 0 3# 3/* 1/- Any N Physical attack, destroys
target's weapon
Crush Accessory 0 2# 3/* 1/- Any N Physical attack, destroys
target's accessory
Unyielding Blade techniques have a 100% hit rate. However, they cannot be used
unless Folmarv is equipped with a sword, knight's sword, or fell sword.
--DESCRIPTION--
Folmarv is even more similar to Meliadoul; his evade rate is just two points
higher and he has some status immunities.
---BRINGER OF ORDER-------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Hashmal Movement range : 5
Equippable weapons: None Jump height : 4
Equippable armor: None Physical evade : 12%
Innate abilities: Swiftness, can't enter water, immune to all negative status
except Blind, Slow, and Immobilize
Stats:
HP: A+ MP: A+ Phys. Atk.: A- Mag. Atk.: C Speed: A+
--DESCRIPTION--
Hashmal wields some very powerful attack magicks possessed only by him. He also
likes to cast Bind to inflict Stop. Ague and Speedsap are rarely or never
used.
Although most of Hashmal's magicks are not normally available to the player, all
four Planar Magicks can actually be cast using the Black Mage's Magick Counter.
---HIGH SERAPH------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Ultima Movement range : 8
Equippable weapons: None Jump height : 5
Equippable armor: None Physical evade : 11%
Innate abilities: Brawler, Swiftness, Master Teleportation, immune to all
negative status except Blind, Disable, and Slow
Stats:
HP: A+ MP: A+ Phys. Atk.: B Mag. Atk.: B Speed: C-
--DESCRIPTION--
Ultima's first form uses Grand Cross, which hits your party with a variety of
status attacks, and a super-powered Ultima magick. (She also uses some physical
attacks.) She has Absorb MP equipped as a Reaction Ability and has an Elmdore-
styled Master Teleportation movement ability.
---ARCH SERAPH------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Ultima Movement range : 8
Equippable weapons: None Jump height : 5
Equippable armor: None Physical evade : 10%
Innate abilities: Swiftness, Master Teleportation, immune to all negative
status except Immobilize and Slow
Stats:
HP: A+ MP: A+ Phys. Atk.: B+ Mag. Atk.: B Speed: A
--DESCRIPTION--
Ultima's second form retains her Grand Cross status attack ability and adds an
even more powerful Ultima magick. She can also use Dispelja to remove your
status buffs, as well as more physical attacks. Disempower and Return are
rarely cast. This form uses Faith Boost as a reaction ability and can again
teleport across the battlefield.
---DARK DRAGON------------------------------------------------------------------
These three Breath attacks can only target characters in a straight line from
Bremondt, not on a diagonal.
--DESCRIPTION--
The Dark Dragon is essentially an "evil" version of Reis's Holy Dragon form,
only with a Lucavi-sized HP maximum. He has Counter as a Reaction Ability.
---SERPENTARIUS-----------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Elidibus Movement range : 4
Equippable weapons: None Jump height : 3
Equippable armor: None Physical evade : 3%
Innate abilities: Counter, Swiftness, immune to all negative status except
Blind, Oil, Toad, Slow, and Stop, immune to ice damage
Stats:
HP: A+ MP: A+ Phys. Atk.: D- Mag. Atk.: B Speed: D-
--DESCRIPTION--
Elidibus's principal attack is the mighty Zodiark summon, which regular
Summoners can learn if they are hit with the summon (and survive). His other
three reptile-themed abilities are unique to him. Poisonous Frog is the one
to watch out for, as it can turn a fairly large group of characters into Frogs
(as well as poisoning them) and has a 100% hit rate.
%%%STRONGEST ABILITIES%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00strong
Magick Attack vs. Physical Attack). So, there isn't one *best* ability in the
game. Which ability is best in a given situation will depend on things like
your stats, equipment, elemental affinities, and in some cases the enemy's
stats.
---Damage-Dealing Abilities-----------------------------------------------------
---SWORD TECHNIQUES---
Damage inflicted = Physical Attack x BF Factor x (Weapon strength + PWR)
ALL swordskills require NO charge time, which makes them often the most
effective attacks in your arsenal.
The PWR of Crush skills is determined by whether or not the target has an item
equipped. If you are using, say, Crush Armor to break the target's armor, it
does less damage than if the target has no armor equipped.
Although Shadowblade and Sanguine Strike have low PWR, they have a drain effect
that restores your own HP, which is quite useful!
---FAITH-BASED MAGICKS---
Damage inflicted = Magick Attack x PWR x (Faith/100) x (Target Faith/100)
PWR JOB MP ARITHM.? ELEMENT NOTES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zodiark 90 Summoner 99 no
Divine Ultima 55 Arch Seraph 50 no Enemy use only
Holy 50 White Mage 56 Yes Holy
Flare 46 Black Mage 60 Yes
Cyclops 44 Summoner 62 no
Bahamut 42 Summoner 60 no
Meteor 40 Time Mage 70 no
Curaja 40 White Mage 20 no vs. undead
Quake 39 Regulator 70 no Earth Enemy use only
Meltdown 38 Regulator 70 no Fire Enemy use only
Flareja 38 Death Seraph 35 no Enemy use only
Tornado 37 Regulator 70 no Wind Enemy use only
Unholy Darkness 37 multiple 40 no Dark Enemy use only
Odin 36 Summoner 50 no
Leviathan 34 Summoner 48 no Water
Salamander 34 Summoner 48 no Fire
-ja magicks 32 Black Mage 48 no Fire/Ice/L'ning
Ultima (II) 30 High Seraph 40 no Enemy use only
Curaga 30 White Magicks 16 Yes vs. undead
Bioga 24 (multiple) 24 no Enemy use only
-ga magicks 24 Black Mage 24 Yes Fire/Ice/L'ning
Ultima 23 (multiple) 10 no
Titan 22 Summoner 30 no Earth
Ramuh 20 Summoner 24 no Lightning
Ifrit 20 Summoner 24 no Fire
Shiva 20 Summoner 24 no Ice
Cura 20 White Mage 10 Yes vs. undead
-ra magicks 18 Black Mage 12 Yes Fire/Ice/L'ning
Cure 14 White Mage 6 Yes vs. undead
Fire/Bliz/Thun 14 Black Mage 6 Yes Fire/Ice/L'ning
Bio 12 (multiple) 8 no Enemy use only
Generally, Summons trade a lower damage efficiency for a wider effect radius and
no "friendly fire" damage to allied units.
Among non-Faith-based magicks, the Samurai's Iaido command generally beats out
Cloud's Limits and Reis's Breath attacks. Cloud's Cherry Blossom IS stronger
than any Iaido attack, but has a horrendous charge time (longer than Zodiark!).
This table shows what kind of penalties you can expect based on your Faith and
the target's Faith.
TARGET'S FAITH
USER'S FAITH | 100 | 75 | 50 | 25 |
---------------|-----------|--------------------------------|
100 | No change | PWR -25% | PWR -50% | PWR -75% |
---------------|-----------|----------|----------|----------|
75 | PWR -25% | PWR -44% | PWR -63% | PWR -81% |
---------------|-----------|----------|----------|----------|
50 | PWR -50% | PWR -63% | PWR -75% | PWR -88% |
---------------|-----------|----------|----------|----------|
25 | PWR -75% | PWR -81% | PWR -88% | PWR -94% |
---------------|-----------|----------|----------|----------|
To make Faith-based magick effective, you will definitely need high Faith on
your mage. Even still, against targets of even moderate Faith, Iaido can often
be more damaging.
---MONSTER MAGICKS---
Damage inflicted = Magick Attack x PWR
( ) indicates that the ability can only be used if the monster is near an ally
with the Beastmaster skill.
Monster magicks do not involve Faith and never require charge time.
Although monster magicks seem to have low PWR, keep in mind that most monsters
have high Magick Attack relative to humans.
The Behemoth's Gigaflare is the most powerful monster magick but requires
Beastmaster.
---Status Changes---------------------------------------------------------------
Aegis is clearly the best status buff magick, but is only used by two Guest
characters.
Beowulf's Templar job is the king of inflicting negative status with abilities
such as Chicken and Disable. His abilities also require no charge time.
The Mystic's Hesitation is also pretty likely to hit and inflicts a very nasty
status attack (Disable). Its only downsides are that Disable status has a
relatively short duration ... and that Mustadio/Balthier's Arm Shot is generally
a more effective way of inflicting Disable.
Hit rate = Magick Attack + PWR except where a [fixed percentage] is listed
STATUS PWR JOB NOTES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Petrify Stone [100%] (multiple) Enemy use only
Shadowbind Stop [100%] Assassin Enemy use only
Suffocate KO [100%] Assassin Enemy use only
Nightmare Sleep or Doom [100%] (multiple) Enemy use only; area effect
Fowlheart Disable [100%] (multiple) Enemy use only
Ague Slow [100%] (multiple) Enemy use only; area effect
Aphony Silence [100%] (multiple) Enemy use only; area effect
Befuddle Confuse [100%] (multiple) Enemy use only; area effect
Darkness Blind [100%] DeathSeraph Enemy use only
Bind Stop [100%] (multiple) Enemy use only; area effect
Poisonous Frog Toad & Poison [100%] Serpentarius Enemy use only; area effect
Tailwind Speed +1 [100%] Ramza
Steel Bravery +5 [100%] Ramza
Shout Bravery +10, [100%] Ramza Self only
Speed +1,
Phys & Mag Atk +1
Dragon's Might Bravery +5, [100%] Dragonkin On dragons and hydras only
Speed +2,
Phys & Mag Atk +2
Finishing Touch KO, Stone, [100%] Soldier Area effect;
or Stop only 1 of these per character
Phoenix Down K.O. [100%] Chemist vs. undead units only
Masamune Regen & Haste [100%] Samurai Area effect; allies only
Kiyomori Protect & [100%] Samurai Area effect; allies only
Shell
Intimidate Bravery -20 90 Orator
Enlighten Faith -20 90 Orator
Charm Charm 70 Assassin Enemy use only
Plunder Heart Charm 60 Sky Pirate vs. opposite sex/monsters only
Steal Heart Charm 50 Thief vs. opposite sex/monsters only
Doom Fist Doom 50 Monk
Preach Faith +4 50 Orator
Praise Bravery +4 50 Orator
Celestial Stop, Immobil. 50 Astrologer Strikes all enemy units on map
Stasis or Disable
Rousing Melody Speed +1 [50%] Bard All friendly units
Slow Dance Speed -1 [50%] Dancer Strikes all enemy units on map
Battle Chant Phys. Atk. +1 [50%] Bard All friendly units
Polka Phys. Atk. -1 [50%] Dancer Strikes all enemy units on map
Magickal Refr. Mag. Atk. +1 [50%] Bard All friendly units
Heathen Frol. Mag. Atk. -1 [50%] Dancer Strikes all enemy units on map
Nameless Song Reraise,Regen,[50%] Bard All friendly units
Protect,Shell Only 1 of these per character
OR Haste
Forbidden Dance (many) [50%] Dancer Strikes all enemy units; 1 bad
status per character
Finale Quick [50%] Bard All friendly units
Last Waltz CT 0 [50%] Dancer Strikes all enemy units on map
Mimic Darlavon Sleep 40 Orator Area effect
Insult Berserk 40 Orator
Stall CT 0 30 Orator
Condemn Doom 30 Orator
Grand Cross (many) [25%] High Seraph Enemy use only, area effect
Arch Seraph
Parasite (many) [25%] Byblos 1 bad status per use
Entice Traitor 20 Orator
Aside from various abilities available only to the enemies, Cloud's Finishing
Touch is one of the strongest status attacks. It is guaranteed to inflict
either K.O., Stone, or Stop on a small group of enemies.
Steal Heart (and its superior cousin, Balthier's Plunder Heart) is also quite
effective.
Balthier and Mustadio also have abilities that can inflict Immobilize, Disable,
or (vs. undead) Stone. These abilities depend on SPEED, not Magick Attack, but
generally have high success rates.
---Other Comparisons------------------------------------------------------------
All of these attacks do damage proportional to the target's max HP. These are
especially good against bosses with high HP, and can do 999 damage to bosses
whose HP exceeds the regular 999 cap.
Among gravity attacks, Bloodfeast is the best. It does damage equal to 75% of
the target's max HP, requires no charge time, *AND* drains HP back to the user.
However, it can only be used a Gobbledygook monster who is near a human with
Beastmaster.
All of these attacks do damage based on the difference between your current HP
and maximum HP. So, they are strongest when you are low on HP. In theory, you
could do up to 998 damage with one of these attacks, if you had 999 max HP but
only 1 HP left.
Since the damage formula for all these abilities is the same, the only
difference is in their targeting properties. Beowulf's Vengeance is clearly the
best, as it has a range of 8 tiles and requires no charge time. However, the
Dark Behemoth's Almagest (accessible only with Beastmaster) is also pretty good
as it does area damage.
---MULTI-STRIKE ATTACKS---
These attacks can hit the same target more than once per use. This means that
it's possible for their total damage output to exceed the usual 999 damage cap.
This is only needed on bosses with ??? HP or targets with Mana Shield.
However, most of these abilities (except Barrage/Dual Wield) hit only random
tiles within their effect radius, so you have to get lucky to hit the same
target multiple times! One way to increase your odds is to target units
surrounded by large variations in map height, which will constrain the effect
radius.
---OTHER STUFF---
Raising Bravery : Steel [Ramza/Luso] +5 Bravery, 100% hit rate
Lowering Bravery : Chicken [Beowulf] -50 Bravery
Raising Faith : Enlighten [Orator] +4 Faith
Lowering Faith : Preach [Orator] -20 Faith
Revival (HP) : Arise [White Mage] is the main revival skill that returns
KOed characters at full HP. (The Pig's Squeak also does
this but requires Beastmaster.)
Revival (hit %) : Phoenix Down [Chemist] always has a 100% hit rate
MP-based damage : Manaburn [Byblos] does damage equal to the target's current
MP. Potentially this can do 999 damage if the target has
999 MP (e.g. Elidibus).
Recruitment : Dragon's Charm [Reis] works 100% of the time, but only on
dragons and hydras
Tame [Orator] works 100% of the time, but only on monsters in
critical HP
Otherwise, use Entice [Orator]
********************************************************************************
VIII. ABILITY STRATEGIES
********************************************************************************
%%%ABILITY COMBOS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00abil
Here are some combinations of abilities (and equipment) you may find
particularly useful.
---Offense-Related--------------------------------------------------------------
Attack Boost (Geomancer) + Holy Sword (Holy Knight) or Swordplay (Sword Saint)
or Unyielding Blade (Divine Knight) or Darkness (Dark Knight)
------------------------------------------------------
Sword techniques are considered physical attacks, so pairing them with Attack
Boost will make them even stronger!
------------------------------------------------------
Since the Geomancy command inflicts different status changes and different
elemental damage depending on where you're standing, it's most flexible and
useful if you can get around the battlefield easily. Move +1/2/3 or Teleport
will help in that regard.
With this combo, you can easily do more than 999 damage to the same target.
You'll only need this against targets with Mana Shield (who get an additional
buffer from the early hits) or the bosses who have more than 999 HP.
---Defense-Related--------------------------------------------------------------
song/dance will cause you to lose your Vanish, but you can always regain it if
an enemy attacks you again. Just make sure you don't get caught in the effect
radius of a wide-area attack, which will also remove your Vanish.
Both abilities activate instantly. Between the two, Revive can be used a truly
infinite number of times, while Phoenix Down has a 100% success rate per use.
Be careful: this doesn't work so well if you're trying to use the character for
Treasure Hunter. You need a HIGH Bravery to activate Mana Shield, but a LOW
Bravery to get good Treasure Hunter items.
Of course, Soulbind will do more damage back to your attacker if you don't have
Defense Boost/Arcane Defense, but you might not survive the initial attack!
Orochi ninja blade from Melee Mode. This gives you a way to heal while keeping
the protective powers of the Cursed Ring.
The Flame Shield is particularly effective because its only weakness is the
uncommon Water element, whereas the Ice Shield makes you weak to Lightning.
(This also works with the Holy magick and Chameleon Robe when using
Arithmeticks; see the Party Strategies below.)
---Miscellaneous----------------------------------------------------------------
Summon (Summoner) +
Absorb MP (Mystic) or Manafont (Mystic) or Hi-Ether (Chemist)
or Halve MP (Summoner)
------------------------------------------------------
Normally, summons eat up a lot of your MP -- but you can remedy this by
equipping an ability that gets you your MP back quickly. Or, reduce their MP
costs with the Summoner's own Halve MP.
Stone (Squire) or Rush (Squire) + Critical: Quick (Time Mage) or Vanish (Ninja)
or Magick Boost (Bard) or Faith Boost (Bard) or Fury (Dancer) or
Bravery Boost (Dancer)
------------------------------------------------------
Stone and Rush are good ways of activating Reaction Abilities that bestow
positive status, or raise your stats. You can also use them to activate healing
abilities, as described above in Defensive Abilities.
the Nagnarok sword or a Dancer's cloth, both of which have a 50% block rate.
> Reflexes doubles the effectiveness of your existing evade rates, so equip
a Featherweave Cloak and double it -- for 80% evade rate against physical
attacks and 60% against magicks.
%%%CHARACTER STRATEGIES%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00char
This set-up can be particularly useful for Ramza because his Shout ability lets
him raise his own Bravery quickly.
Female characters also make good Monks, since their ability to equip hair
adornments partially makes up for the Monk's otherwise poor armor selection.
Action Ability :
Arithmeticks
Reaction Ability :
Magick Counter or Mana Shield
Support Ability :
Arcane Strength or Vehemence
Movement Ability :
Manafont
Equipment :
Rod of Faith, Brass Coronet, Lordly Robe,
Magepower Glove or Septie`me or Brigand's Glove
------------------------------------------------------
The ultimate magic-user. Be sure to have all the Arithmeticks abilities, and
get as many spells (Black, White, Time, and Mystic Arts) as you can. Curaga and
Arise are tops for healing with Arithmeticks; Holy is best on offense (although
Flare has a much shorter animation cycle than Holy).
If you want maximum magick strength, switching back to Black Mage is the way to
go. Alternately, Summoner has a high magick attack as well, and gives you
additional magick variety by letting you cast all the summons, too -- although
a maxed-out Arithmeticks command already gives you pretty much everything you
could need!
Vehemence is probably the best support ability for this set-up. It increases
the potency of attack & healing magick, and the increased damage you receive
isn't a real problem as mages tend to hang back out of danger most of the time
anyway. If you don't have Vehemence or want to play a bit more defensively,
Arcane Strength works great too.
The Brass Coronet headgear is only available in Rendezvous Mode, but makes a
great addition if you score it. It raises your Magick Attack by 3 and also
prevents you from being Silenced.
For a more defensive character of this character, swap out Magick Counter for
Mana Shield, which uses your MP to protect you from physical attacks. As long
as you're using Arithmeticks, you don't need MP anyway, and if you keep walking
around, Manafont will regenerate your MP and keep up your Mana Shield!
NINJA or BALTHIER
Action Ability : Steal
Support Ability : Brawler
Equipment : Mirage Vest or Ninja Gear, Green Beret or Lambent Hat or
Thief's Cap or Acacia Hat, Hermes Shoes
or Brigand's Gloves
------------------------------------------------------
If you're looking to steal items, this will do the trick! Ninjas have the
highest speed of any regular job, and the equipment raises it even further,
increasing your hit rate for stealing. Brawler raises it even more! (Note that
you get a stealing bonus from Brawler even if you've got a weapon equipped, just
not an attack bonus.)
Once you get Balthier, he's even better for stealing items, as his Plunder
abilities have a higher rate of success than a regular Steal and his Sky Pirate
job has a high Speed to boot.
SUMMONER
Action Ability : Iaido or Martial Arts
Reaction Ability : Absorb MP or Mana Shield
Support Ability : Swiftness
For a more defensive version of this character, use Mana Shield instead of
Absorb MP. Martial Arts could also be added as your other action ability, so
that you can use Chakra to regain MP.
The Brass Coronet is only available in Rendezvous Mode, but it gives you a
nice magick attack boost and also protects you from Silence. In its absence,
the Gold Hairpin is a good substitute.
You can raise your Faith up to 93 without actual risk of desertion, although as
long as your Faith is 85 or above, you'll get Desertion Threat warnings after
battle. If you don't want to have to page through the warnings, keep your Faith
at 84.
ARCHER
Action Ability : Arts of War
Reaction Ability : Archer's Bane or Shirahadori
Support Ability : Concentration
Movement Ability : Teleport or Ignore Elevation
Equipment : Bow
------------------------------------------------------
When you're attacking from a distance with bows, you often don't have a choice
of what angle to strike from, so Concentration will ensure you hit even when
attacking from the front. Adding Arts of War as an action ability lets you
rend enemy stats or equipment from a distance, and Concentration helps this as
well. To keep the enemy from shooting bows back at you, you can use the
Archer's own Archer's Bane ability initially, and later Shirahadori, which also
protects you against guns. Finally, on any map with high peaks or towers,
Teleport or Ignore Elevation is a great movement ability for an Archer; you can
quickly get up to a high vantage point and shoot almost anywhere on the map.
GEOMANCER
Reaction Ability : Nature's Wrath
Support Ability : Arcane Strength
Movement Ability : Move +1/2/3 or Teleport
Equipment : Runeblade, Magepower Glove or Genji Glove or Tynar Rouge
------------------------------------------------------
Geomancy isn't really the most useful action ability, but if you want to use
it, the movement abilities Move +1/2/3 or Teleport will give you access to more
tiles on any given turn, allowing you to pick and choose which elements and
status ailments you want to attack with. Runeblade and a Magepower Glove
(or, even better, a Genji Glove or the Tynar Rouge if available) will increase
the power of the Geomancy attacks, as will the Arcane Strength support ability.
NINJA - REFLEXES
Reaction Ability : Reflexes
Support Ability : Equip Shields
Equipment : Crystal Shield or better, Featherweave Cloak
------------------------------------------------------
It's almost impossible (if not actually impossible ;) ) to get hit by any
evadable attack. Your only weakness is attacks that can never be evaded, like
sword techniques and monster breath attacks.
If you have the character as a Ninja, you can Dual Wield a second Nagnarok or
a Runeblade to increase your Parry rate even further.
Once you get some Ninja Gear, you can use that instead of the Septie`me to turn
Actually, this is pretty much overkill; you could go Treasure Hunting with half
these abilities... :)
Of course, by the time you can put this character build together, you'll have
already mastered the game ... it's just there if you feel like seeing how
invulnerable you can make your character ;)
(Note that the four jobs listed above are the only ones that can equip this
entire combination of stuff.)
Onion Knights can't use magicks and don't need Faith, so you should lower your
Faith as low as possible to protect yourself from enemy magicks.
The Onion equipment is all good, but the plethora of buffs from the Onion Armor
don't include an automatic Haste. So, you may want to swap out the Onion
Gloves for Brigand's Gloves or a Tynar Rouge, both of which give you an auto-
Haste. You're now vulnerable to status ailments, but you can prevent this by
equipping a Ribbon as your headgear. (Remember that even male Onion Knights
can equip Ribbons and the Rouge since they can use *any* equipment.)
While the Onion Sword is the strongest weapon in terms of raw attack power, the
Orochi ninja blade has the advantage of draining enemy HP so your Onion Knights
can be self-healing. You may prefer this.
Obviously, this entire strategy only applies if you're playing the multiplayer
game since this equipment is all multiplayer-only.
MONSTERS
Bravery : High (97)
Faith : Low (as close to 03 as possible)
------------------------------------------------------
Since monsters can't change jobs or equipment, the main thing you can do to
improve them is gain levels and increase their Bravery. Increased Bravery will
makes them more likely to use their Counter ability, and raises the strength of
many monster abilities.
No monster abilities depend on Faith, so you might also want to lower their
Faith to reduce the damage they take from enemy magicks. The downside is that
this also makes friendly healing magicks less effective.
RAMZA - MONK
Reaction Ability : Counter or First Strike
Support Ability : Dual Wield
Movement Ability : Lifefont
Equipment : No weapon equipped
Bravery : High (as close to 97 as possible)
------------------------------------------------------
This set-up, described above in Generic Character Strategies, works great for
Ramza because his Shout ability lets him raise his own Bravery quickly.
RAMZA - MAGICKS
Job : Black Mage or Summoner
Faith : 97
-----------------------------------------------------
Or, turn Ramza into a magick-user and follow the Black Mage or Summoner strategy
outlined above. What's the advantage of making Ramza into a magick-user? He's
the only character who won't desert if his Faith raises above 94, so you can
increase his Faith all the way up to 97 for a few extra points of magick
strength that other characters can't get. Of course, it's only a few points'
difference and the Rod of Faith raises any character's Faith to 100 during
battle anyway.
Giving him Hermes Shoes will boost his Speed and make his Aimed Shots more
likely to succeed. (Aimed Shot's success depends on your Speed stat.) Or, if
you're using the magick guns, you can increase their direct damage output by
raising his Faith and giving him a Japa Mala or the multiplayer-only Sage's Ring
for the elemental boost.
Since Mustadio's guns give him a ranged attack, you could also consider giving
him Arts of War, which will let him break enemy gear or reduce their stats from
a distance. However, you might find this somewhat redundant with Arm Shot and
Leg Shot, which while not identical are also pretty effective at shutting down
enemy forces.
LUSO
Job : Game Hunter
Reaction Ability : Auto-Potion (optional)
Support Ability : Dual Wield or Doublehand
Movement Ability : Lifefont (optional)
Equipment : Knight's sword, Power Garb, Headband, Bracer
Bravery : High (as close to 97 as possible)
------------------------------------------------------
Luso's distinguishing characteristic is his inherent Poach. If you want to
exploit this, you'll need to make it easy for Luso to kill enemies with
physical attacks. Give him a couple strong knight's swords with Dual Wield;
or, if you have only a limited supply, one knight's sword plus Doublehand.
Raising his Bravery with Shout will make his knight's sword even stronger. For
further attack boosts, equip a Bracer and perhaps a Power Garb and/or a
Headband. The Power Garb and Headband aren't the best armors in terms of HP
ratings, so if you give him these, you may want to give him Auto-Potion or
Lifefont to keep his HP up.
If you plan to focus on Rapha's Sky Mantra abilities, drop her Faith as low as
possible. Sky Mantra doesn't depend on Rapha's Faith, so lowering her Faith
will protect her against enemy magicks without affecting her offense. (Of
course, doing this does mean she won't be able to other magicks effectively.)
Instead, try giving him the Samurai's Iaido ability, which makes use of his
high Magick Attack but doesn't depend on Faith. Another advantage of Iaido is
that (unlike Nether Mantra) it doesn't affect friendly targets, so you can use
it when he's in close quarters and Nether Mantra is a no-go. A Magepower Glove
or other gear that boosts magick attack could also be added to make both Nether
Mantra and Iaido stronger.
Giving him Move +1, 2, or 3 will help him reach enemy territory before the rest
of your characters do, so he can use Nether Manta without any risk of hitting
an ally by mistake.
Finally, if you're concerned about the charge time of Nether Mantras, Swiftness
will help with that. Alternately, you can use Arcane Strength to boost the
power of both his Mantras and Iaido.
to Marach. The Faith status maximizes both the Faith bonuses from Nether
Mantra *and* from regular magicks, allows him to use both! However, it also
means he's no longer resistant to enemy magicks, so it's a double-edged sword.
Move +1/2/3 and Swiftness or Arcane Strength will still be useful in wielding
Nether Mantra effectively.
Either Teleport or Move +3 is a great movement ability. Move +3 lets him cover
the map faster, but Teleport makes him more agile through difficult terrain and
large crowds of enemies.
You could give him a Grand Helm for maximum HP, but a Thief's Cap may actually
be more useful as it gives him a +2 bonus to Speed, allowing him to take more
turns. He's probably tough enough that the extra 50 HP from the Grand Helm
won't matter much. Plus, the Thief's Cap also protects him from Immobilize and
Disable.
Iaido might be a good secondary action ability since it gives him both group
attack capability and (through Murasame and Kiyomori) some healing and support
abilities.
For a more defensive version of this character, you can swap out Shirahadori
and Move +3/Teleport for Mana Shield and Manafont. You'll be a little less
mobile, but Mana Shield and Manafont will provide Orlandeau with an almost
constant buffer of HP that is effective against any kind of attack.
Shield) and another support ability of your choice. Vehemence or Attack Boost
is a good general-purpose choice, or you can use Safeguard if you're expecting
to fight enemies who will steal/rend your equipment or use Unyielding Blade.
Poach can also be used if you're monster-hunting.
Either the Grand Armor or Brave Suit, also both multiplayer-exclusive, will
give Orlandeau a permanent Reraise.
AGRIAS
Job :
Holy Knight
Action Ability :
Darkness or Iaido
Reaction Ability :
Shirahadori
Support Ability :
Dual Wield
Movement Ability :
Teleport or Move +3
Equipment :
Chaos Blade, Excalibur, Ribbon, Maximillian or Grand Armor,
Chantage or Tynar Rouge
Bravery : High (97)
Faith : Low (03)
------------------------------------------------------
Same as Orlandeau, but with the Ribbon's immunity to status changes, she's even
more invulnerable. For an accessory, you can choose between a Chantage (for
a permanent Reraise), or the instant Haste, attack boost, and protection of the
Tynar Rouge. The Rouge is probably the overall better choice, with the extra
attack power and permanent Shell/Protect, you may not even need a Reraise that
often! (If you can get a Grand Armor from Rendezvous Mode, this will also give
Agrias a permanent Reraise.)
The Darkness ability is also great for Agrias because it gives her additional
sword techniques, including techniques for draining enemy HP and MP.
(Orlandeau already has these as part of Swordplay.) HP-drain attacks are
great for keeping Agrias healthy while still doing damage.
Since Agrias is female and can't use the Bard job, getting Move +3 requires
unlocking Dark Knight; in the mean time, you can give her the Thief's Move +2.
BEOWULF - SUMMONING
Job : Templar
Action Ability : Summon
Reaction Ability : Shirahadori
Equipment : Excalibur, Aegis Shield, Wizard's Robe or Lordly Robe
Bravery : High (97)
Faith : High (84 or 93) - if using Summon
------------------------------------------------------
Beowulf's Templar job is fairly useful as it can inflict a lot of status
conditions with no charge time. It also has the highest MP total of any job in
the game. This means that Beowulf can also make a good Summoner, since the
high MP cost of Summons isn't such an issue for him. If you take this route
with him, you may also want to give him Swiftness so the Summons charge faster.
Similarly, since raising Beowulf's Magick Attack is important (to make his
Spellblades effective), try giving him some gear that boosts his Magick Attack
like the Aegis Shield and a robe. That won't give him the best physical
defense, but Shirahadori will take care of that!
If you're using Summons, you'll also want to boost up Beowulf's Faith to make
them more powerful. 93 is the highest you can safely raise his Faith without
him deserting. But if you don't want to have to see his desertion threats after
battle, drop it to 84. (You can also have Beowulf cast his Faith magick on
himself for a temporary boost to 100 Faith.)
BEOWULF - VENGEANCE
Job : Dark Knight
Action Ability : Spellblade
Bravery : High (97)
Faith : Low (03)
------------------------------------------------------
Alternately, if you've unlocked Dark Knight, the Darkness abilities pair up well
with Beowulf's Vengeance ability. You can first use Darkness attacks, which sap
Beowulf's HP ... thus making his Vengeance attack stronger! And, if his HP
gets *too* low, you can restore it with Sanguine Sword. These abilities don't
require Beowulf to have a high Faith, either, so you can lower it and make him
less vulnerable to magicks.
REIS
Job : Dragonkin
Action Ability : Martial Arts or Steal or Jump
Support Ability : Brawler
Movement Ability : Move +3
Equipment : no weapon, Minerva Bustier, Septie`me or Tynar Rouge
Bravery : High (97)
------------------------------------------------------
Although Reis has high HP, her punches are pretty weak without Brawler and a
high Bravery. Finally, since her move range is somewhat short, Move +3 (or a
lesser movement ability) will help her get across the battlefield. She can't
use much equipment, but you CAN give her perfume or lip rouge. Both the
Septie`me or Tynar Rouge will increase her magick attack (making her breath
attacks stronger) and give her Haste, allowing her to take more turns.
If you're playing the multiplayer modes, you'll also want to collect a Minerva
Bustier from Melee Mode for Reis. This is the only armor that she can equip as
a Dragonkin!
Finally, since Reis's Dragonkin job has outstanding stat growth, try to do the
bulk of her level-gaining as a Dragonkin.
Paired with a Tiamat or Greater Hydra, Reis makes for one heck of a fighting
team, and she's also good at recruiting enemy monsters with her inherent Tame.
CONSTRUCT 8
Bravery : High (97)
------------------------------------------------------
Since Construct 8 can't change abilities or equipment and always has the
minimal level of Faith, the only way you can improve it is to max out its
Bravery and level it up.
BALTHIER - JUMPING
Job : Sky Pirate
Action Ability : Jump
Equipment : Javelin II or other strong polearm
-----------------------------------------------------
The Jump command is great for Balthier because he has a good physical attack
rating and fantastic speed, allowing his Jump attacks to execute before the
enemy can get out of the way. Give him a polearm instead of a knight's sword
-- although its attack power is lower, you'll get a 50% boost to the damage
from your Jump attacks. At closer ranges, Balthier can use Barrage as a strong
physical attack with no delay.
BALTHIER - STEALING
Job : Sky Pirate
Support Ability : Brawler
Equipment : Mirage Vest or Ninja Gear, Green Beret or Lambent Hat or
Thief's Cap, Hermes Shoes
------------------------------------------------------
Again, if you want to steal, this is the way to go. Balthier's Plunder
abilities and high Speed make him the best item-stealer in the game, if you're
so inclined.
BALTHIER - ARCHERY
Job : Sky Pirate
Action Ability : Arts of War
Reaction Ability : Shirahadori
Support Ability : Attack Boost or Vehemence
Movement Ability : Teleport or Ignore Elevation
Equipment : Bow or Gun
------------------------------------------------------
This is a modified version of the generic Archer strategy. Balthier's heavy
armor gives him more survival power than a generic Archer, and his Barrage
attack lets him do twice the damage with no risk of missing! Since Barrage
never misses, you don't need Concentration and can replace it with some other
support ability, like maybe Attack Boost or Vehemence to increase the damage
he does.
Either a bow or gun works with this set-up. A good bow can do more damage,
but may have a shorter range unless you can find a good high point to shoot
from. A gun will typically have a somewhat longer range and allows Balthier
to equip a shield at the same time, but it does less damage. Since Balthier
is pretty mobile anyway and Shirahadori can protect you from a lot of attacks,
the bow may be more advantageous in most situations,
CLOUD
Action Ability : Iaido
Support Ability : Swiftness
Equipment : Materia Blade, Lambent Hat or Brass Coronet,
Magepower Glove
------------------------------------------------------
Swiftness makes Cloud's Limits charge faster. And giving him a Lambent Hat for
headgear and Magepower Glove as accessory raises his magick attack strength,
which makes his Limits stronger. The Brass Coronet, found in Rendezvous Mode,
is an even better booster of Magick Attack. If you're boosting his Magick
Attack, you might want to consider the Iaido abilities too, which are also based
on Magick Attack and, unlike Limit, require no charging, giving him an ability
he can use when time is of the essence.
MELIADOUL
Job : Divine Knight
Action Ability : Darkness
Support Ability : Attack Boost or Vehemence
Equipment : Chantage
------------------------------------------------------
Attack Boost is a good early ability to learn for Meliadoul since it will make
her sword techniques stronger. Later, you could also use Vehemence to boost
her attack even more, as long as you give her a good defense.
Her main weakness, though, is that her sword techniques all only damage one
target at a time. And since the Divine Knight's magick attack is fairly low,
magick isn't a good choice for her either. Instead, you may want to consider
building her towards a Dark Knight. Several Darkness abilities can strike more
than one target and she'll already have the sword she needs to use them.
Since Meliadoul is female, she can use Chantage; the automatic Reraise means
you won't have to worry about the HP loss from Darkness too much.
BYBLOS
Bravery : High (97)
Faith : Low (03)
------------------------------------------------------
As with Construct 8, tweaking the Byblos is pretty much limited to increasing
its Bravery. None of the Byblos's abilities depend on Faith, so you can also
safely lower its Faith to 3 to defend it against enemy magick.
%%%PARTY STRATEGIES%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00par
HOLY JUSTICE
> 4 Knights with Chameleon Robes or Excaliburs
> Black Mage with Arithmeticks, Holy (White Mage) learned,
Chameleon Robes or Excalibur
------------------------------------------------------
Have the Black Mage calculate Holy on as many targets as possible; it will do
lots of damage to the enemies but heal all your characters since Chameleon
Robes and Excalibur absorb holy damage! The Excalibur is preferable since it's
also a good weapon and casts Haste on you ... but since not many jobs can equip
knight's swords, Chameleon Robes work too.
ROBOT REVIVAL
> Construct 8
> 1 or more female characters with Chantage and Safeguard
------------------------------------------------------
Chantage makes a character virtually invulnerable by giving her a permanent
Reraise ... but, of course, the catch is that at least one other character has
to be still alive for the Reraise to work. What to do?
Against enemies that use magicks or status attacks, just deploy Construct 8 and
one or more characters with Chantage. Construct 8 is immune to Faith-based
magicks, to all status conditions except Confuse, and to all elements except
Lightning and Water. As long as that's all your opponents are throwing at you,
Construct 8 will stay alive, and the rest of your team can keep reviving. (The
Safeguard ability will help by keeping your Chantage from getting
broken/stolen.)
Make one teammate Invisible (using the Ninja Gear, Invisibility Cloak, or
Septie`me) and have him/her hide in the corner where s/he won't get hit. As
long as the Invisible character doesn't act and stays invisible, s/he won't get
targeted by enemies and can't die. This means the character(s) with Chantage
can Reraise indefinitely! If you also equip the Chantage characters with
Safeguard, their Chantage can't be broken, and there's no way to lose!
The only possible snag is if the Invisible character loses HP by getting caught
in the effect radius of a wide-range spell, which will cause you to lose
Invisibility. Your insurance against that? Mana Shield, which redirects any
damage to your MP and keeps you from losing Invisible status. Hiding in the
corner is also a good way to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
SERAPH SHIELD
> One character with Seraph Song (Bard) and Mana Shield (Time Mage)
or Vanish (Ninja)
> Other characters with Mana Shield (Time Mage) and good Bravery
------------------------------------------------------
This isn't quite as invulnerable a party, but another tactic is to put Mana
Shield on most of your characters. Assuming they have reasonably good Bravery,
most attacks will just damage their MP as long as they have at least 1 MP.
Then, have one character just use the Bard's Seraph Song to keep restoring MP
to your party. Every Seraph Song means your allies can survive another hit
without taking damage.
For added defense, the character with Seraph Song can use Vanish to turn
Invisible, which--as noted above--makes him basically invulnerable as long as
he only keeps performing Seraph Song ... and stays out of the effect radius of
enemy magicks.
This strategy isn't quite as foolproof as some of the aboves since Mana Shield
might not activate, or you might be attacked again before you can restore MP.
But, it also requires fewer abilities than the above strategies.
COUNTER HEALING
> Multiple characters with Flame Shields or Ice Shields
and Magick Counter (Black Mage)
> At least one character with Fire or Blizzard family magicks
------------------------------------------------------
Cast Fire or Blizzard magicks on a character with a Flame Shield or Ice Shield
to heal them. And, if they have Magick Counter, they'll counter it back onto
the original caster -- who will ALSO be healed if he or she has a Flame Shield
or Ice Shield.
And if any unshielded enemies get caught in the crossfire and take damage? Even
better!
The Flame Shield is particularly effective because its only weakness is the
uncommon Water element, whereas the Ice Shield makes you weak to Lightning.
This is sort of a lesser version of the Holy Justice strategy above, but it
works before you get Arithmeticks.
********************************************************************************
IX. STATISTICS AND LEVELING
********************************************************************************
Bravery and Faith are two "special" statistics that are not affected by gaining
levels. Bravery affects a couple different combat skills, while Faith governs
the effectiveness of magic.
Bravery and Faith each range on a scale from 0 to 100 for each character, both
human and monster. They are not affected by equipment, experience level, or
job. Instead, only a few abilities and story events (listed below) will change
Bravery or Faith temporarily for a battle. At the end of the battle, a quarter
of this change (rounded down) also becomes permanent. For instance, raising
your Bravery by 4 during a battle results in a 1-point permanent increase at
the end of the battle. Or, a 9-point decrease in Bravery during a battle will
result in a 2-point permanent decrease.
This calculation means it's not possible for Bravery or Faith to be permanently
raised above 97 or below 3 -- you can only get a 3-point change, which is not
enough for a permanent change!
---Bravery----------------------------------------------------------------------
- A higher Bravery increases the damage you deal when attacking with fists,
knight's swords, and/or katanas.
- If you're using a knight's sword, high Bravery also increases the damage from
the Dark Knight abilities Abyssal Blade and Unholy Sacrifice. If you're using
a regular sword or fell sword, then your Bravery does not affect these
abilities.
- Some monster abilities also do more damage if the user has a high Bravery.
Specifically, the abilities that depend on Bravery are the FIRST abiities
listed in each monster's menu. A few exceptions are Leaf Rain (Dryad
family) and Tri-Breath (Tiamat), and the abilities of special "story
character" monsters -- none of these depend on Bravery.
- The gil/JP received from some Errands is affected by your Bravery -- some
Errands give you more gil & JP if your Bravery is high, others more gil & JP
if your Bravery is low. (And many other Errands aren't affected by Bravery
at all.)
- If a unit's Bravery drops below 10 during battle, she/he/it will turn into a
Chicken. As a Chicken, the character cannot be controlled and will simply
flee into a corner and do nothing. A Chicken regains 1 Bravery each turn and
will turn back into its regular self once his/her Bravery gets back to 10.
Some bosses are immune to the Chicken status. Even if their Bravery drops
below 10, they will function as normal and not turn into a Chicken. However,
they will still regain 1 Bravery each turn until they get back to 10 Bravery.
You'll start getting Desertion Threat warnings after every battle when a
character's permanent Bravery drops to 15 or lower. No actual desertion will
occur unless permanent Bravery falls to 5, though.
Characters will NEVER desert due to HIGH Bravery. You can raise your Bravery
as high as you like without fear of desertion.
- When discovering items using the Treasure Hunter movement ability, you
receive one of two different possible items based on Bravery ... in this
case, having a LOW Bravery makes receiving the "good" item more likely. For
this reason, Rapha makes a great Treasure Hunter as she starts with a very
low Bravery.
- Your choices in two story battles. Choosing to rush the enemy and not help
Argath on the Mandalia Plain in Chapter I will raise the current team's
Bravery by 10 for the battle (at least 2 of which is thus permanent). In
Chapter II, choosing to help Mustadio at Zaland will raise Bravery by 20;
choosing not to help him will raise Bravery by 10.
- Ramza and Luso's ability Steel (only available in Chapter II or later) raises
Bravery by 5 and has a 100% hit rate.
- Ramza and Luso have an ability called Shout (not available for Ramza until
Chapter IV) that raises their own Bravery by 10, but can only target
themselves, not other allies.
- A character with Bravery less than 10 regains 1 Bravery per turn until he or
she reaches 10 Bravery.
- Choosing not to help Boco in the story battle at Araguay Woods in Chapter II.
This gives a 10 point penalty to the party's Bravery
- The Dread Gaze ability possessed by the Floating Eye and Ahriman monsters
lowers a character's Bravery by 10.
Remember that only 1/4 (25%) of these changes remain after a battle.
Since a high Bravery does not cause characters to desert, you can increase your
permanent Bravery all the way up to the maximum of 97.
Also, when you encounter the three battles in the story where you're given a
choice of mission objectives, be sure to pick the options that net you a higher
Bravery (don't help Argath; help Boco and Mustadio). This is a nice early
Bravery boost before you have other abilities to tweak it.
---Faith------------------------------------------------------------------------
Faith is mostly related to magick, and can be both good and bad.
- If a character has high Faith, healing magicks used by allies will restore
more HP to the character and status change magicks will be more likely to
succeed.
- BUT, enemy magick is also more effective against you when you have high Faith!
- Marach's Nether Mantra abilities reverse all of the above: they do more damage
when Marach has LOW Faith, and when his targets have LOW Faith.
- Healing magicks will restore more HP to you when you have high Faith, and
"buffs" like Protect and Shell are more likely to work on you.
- "Magick" guns (Glacial Gun, Blaze Gun, Blaster) are more likely to do high
damage when the user has high Faith.
- A LOW Faith increases the attack strength of fell swords wielded by the
character. Faith has NO effect on the damage you TAKE from fell swords
wielding by someone attacking you.
- If you're using a fell sword, low Faith also increases the damage from the
Dark Knight abilities Abyssal Blade and Unholy Sacrifice. If you're using
a regular sword or knight's sword, then your Faith does not affect these
abilities.
- The gil/JP received from some Errands is affected by your Faith -- some
Errands give you more gil & JP if your Faith is high, others more gil & JP if
your Faith is low. (And many other Errands aren't affected by Faith at all.)
You'll start getting Desertion Threat warnings after every battle when a
character's permanent Faith rises to 85 or higher. No actual desertion will
occur unless permanent Faith reaches 95, though.
As long your permanent Faith remains below 93, you're at no real risk of
desertion. With a Faith of 93, the maximum Faith change possible within a
single battle is just 1 point, which still keeps you below 95. You will have
to put up with the Desertion Threat warnings after every battle, though.
Characters will NEVER desert due to LOW Faith. You can lower your Faith as
low as you like without fear of desertion.
- The Mystic's Belief spell and the Templar's Belief swordskill cause Faith
status, which acts as a temporary increase in a character's Faith to 100.
Because this status has no effect on a character's actual Faith number, it
does not result in any permanent change to Faith.
- The Rod of Faith weapon gives the character equipped with it a permanent
Faith status as long as it is equipped. (But, again, this never affects your
actual Faith number.)
- Striking characters with the Rod of Faith can bestow the Faith status on
them.
- The Mystic's Disbelief magick, the Templar's Doubt swordskill, and hitting
people with the Gokuu Pole can all inflict Atheist status, which is the
reverse of Faith status: it acts as a temporary reduction to 0 in Faith, but
also has no permanent impact on Faith.
For MAGICK-USERS, you'll probably want a high Faith in order to increase your
magick strength. If you have a support character using a magick gun, you might
want to boost his Faith as well to make the gun more effective.
Remember, though, that you can't get your Faith TOO high (95+) or the character
will quit your team. For characters other than Ramza, the safe number is 93; at
this level of Faith, the maximum Faith change possible within a single battle is
just 1 point, which still keeps you below 95, so even if the character's Faith
gets raised during one battle, he or she won't desert, and then you can lower it
back to 93. You will have to put up with the Desertion Threat warnings after
every battle, though. If you don't want to bother with the Desertion Threats,
keep your Faith at 84.
Ramza never deserts no matter how high his Faith is, so if you want to use Ramza
as a magick-user, raise his Faith all the way up to the maximum 97.
If a character ISN'T going to be using magick, you may want to lower his Faith
as low as possible. Of course, this destroys his/her ability to use magicks,
but it also renders them virtually invulnerable to enemy magicks. For
characters who use primarily physical attacks (e.g. Ninjas, Dark Knights,
special characters with swordskills) and not magicks, low Faith is actually a
great defensive asset! Characters will not desert due to LOW Faith, so you
can drop your permanent Faith all the way down to the minimum of 3.
No monster abilities require Faith, so you can lower monster Faith pretty
safely.
Since the success rate of Enlighten and Preach depends on your Magick Attack
stat, you may find it advantageous to change your characters to jobs with a
high Magick Attack (i.e., Black Mage) and/or equip gear that raises their Magick
Attack if you want to grind Faith. Although Magick Attack doesn't alter the
AMOUNT of Faith you gain/lose, it makes the abilities more likely to succeed.
Characters gain experience after every successful action except Defend and
Reequip, unless they're KOed by an enemy counterattack. You do not earn Exp
for using a Reaction Ability, even if it does damage or KOs the attacking enemy.
A character's experience level and current Exp count can also be used as the
basis of targeting Arithmeticks (see the Arithmetician job description above).
Experience level also has a small effect on your success at Errands; generally,
moderate experiene levels (not too high, not too low) yield the best rewards.
---STAT INCREASES---
Stats that increase with level gains include maximum HP, maximum MP, attack
power, magick power, and speed. Attack and magick power and speed increase
fairly slowly, though; you won't see these increase with every level gain.
Stat growth in FF Tactics is exponential. That means that the more HP you
already have, the more you gain from a level up (and the same for the other
stats).
Bravery and Faith do NOT increase with level up; they have their own mechanic
(see Bravery and Faith, above). Other stats that do NOT increase with level
ups are Move and Jump ranges and evade rates.
Of the five stats that do change, the amount each stat increases at level-up is
determined by the character's current job. For example, being a Knight will
cause you to gain more HP at level up than a Black Mage, but vice versa for MP.
(You can exploit this by leveling down and then back up; see Level-Downs & Stat
Grinding, below) See the Jobs section for ratings of each job's stat growth
rates.
Stat growth from level-ups is permanent. If you later switch jobs, your past
stat growth will not be lost or changed.
Gaining experience levels does not help you earn unlock new jobs or abilities.
To unlock jobs, you must earn JP, which is covered below.
Monsters hatched from eggs are randomly assigned the exact experience level of
one other member of your roster (monster OR human). For instance, if your
entire roster consisted of three characters at level 24, 63, and 99, then a
newborn monster would be either level 24, 63, or 99 -- but never any other
number.
Characters you recruit from the enemy side (using Entice or Tame) obviously stay
at whatever their existing experience level was.
You'll also gain more Exp from an attack that KOs any enemy. However, this
bonus is no longer earned if you revive and KO the same enemy.
---LOW-LEVEL CHARACTERS---
A good way to build up low-level characters is to have them heal teammates who
are at a higher level. This is safe and won't get them counterattacked, and
if there's a big gap in level, they'll gain experience quickly. This technique
is particularly useful for building up Cloud, who starts at experience level 1
at a time when most of your characters are probably at least level 40.
Guns are also useful for low-level characters since their damage is not based
on any stats that are dependent on level. (Regular gun damage is based only on
the attack strength of the gun, and magickal guns reflect only attack strength
and Faith, which doesn't change with levels.)
If you only care about gaining JP, you can turn the low-level characters to
Stone. This will protect them from being KOed, and they can still earn
spillover JP. Of course, they won't earn Exp or levels, and they'll gain JP
pretty slowly. But, this can still be useful if you have a low-level character
you just can't keep alive long enough to gain JP any other way.
- The Thief action ability Steal Exp steals all of an enemy's current
experience counter (i.e., anywhere from 0 to 99) and adds it to the stealer's
own experience counter. This can be useful for small-scale experience
boosts, but it's limited by the amount of Exp that your enemy has. Balthier's
Plunder Exp is a more effective version of this.
- The Arithmetician movement ability Accrue Exp gives you 1 Exp per tile you
move on the battlefield.
- The Wild Boar monster -- available only by breeding from a Swine or other
Wild Boar -- has an ability called Bequeath Bacon that becomes available
when it is standing next to an ally with the Squire's Beastmaster support
ability. This ability causes its target to gain 1 experience level, but
turns the Wild Boar into a crystal, killing it permanently.
- There's a small bug in the game: If you Jump on a KOed character while you're
Invisible, you'll still earn Exp and JP even though the attack did no damage.
(In practical terms, there's probably not much to gain from this bug, though.)
---ONION KNIGHTS---
The Onion Knight job cannot gain Exp! So, the easy way to level up to Onion
Knights is switch them to another job to level up. The hard way is to use
Bequeath Bacon. Using Bequeath Bacon is time-consuming, but rewards you with
the best stat growth -- see the Level-Downs and Stat Grinding section below.
---Gaining JP-------------------------------------------------------------------
JP is gained after every action, just like experience. Characters earn JP for
each job separately -- whatever your current job is, that's the job you'll earn
JP for.
Unlike Exp, you do not earn more JP from targeting a high-level unit or KOing an
enemy.
All new characters come with fairly minimal JP and learned abilities.
---SPILLOVER JP---
Whenever a character gains JP, all other allies ALSO gain some JP for the same
job, equal to 25% of the JP earned by the original character. For example, if
a character on your team who's a Ninja performs an action and gains 40 JP, your
other units will also gain 10 JP for the Ninja job, regardless of what their
current job is.
You also can't earn spillover JP if you're currently KOed. Other status
ailments still allow you to earn spillover JP.
JP Boost has NO effect on spillover JP. (It doesn't increase the amount of
JP that spills over onto others, nor does it increase the JP a character earns
via spillover bonuses.)
Note that "spillover" JP accumulates even for a jobs a given character hasn't
unlocked yet. You'll see it once the job DOES becomes available. For
instance, if Ramza earns JP as a Dragoon, Agrias will get spillover JP for the
Dragoon job, even if she hasn't unlocked it.
"Spillover" JP from a male character using the Bard job does NOT get applied to
- Characters also gain more JP as their job level for the current job
increases. This means your JP growth for each job isn't linear; you start
out gaining JP slowly, but gain it more quickly after you've advanced job
levels.
- The Squire support ability JP Boost increases the JP you earn for each
action by 50%. It has no effect on spillover JP.
- The Arithmetician movement ability Accrue JP gives you 2 JP for every tile you
move on the battlefield.
- There's a small bug in the game: If you Jump on a KOed character while you're
Invisible, you'll still earn JP and Exp even though the attack did no damage.
(In practical terms, there's probably not much to gain from this bug, though.)
---Gil--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gil is Ivalice's currency and is used to purchase items and services in towns.
Unlike Exp and JP, gil is not earned after every action. Instead, it's
primarily earned at the end of a battle as Bonus Coin. The amount of Bonus
Coin you receive at the end of the battle is equal to the combined level of all
the enemies times 100.
The other major way to earn gil is to sell items and equipment in your
inventory to the Outfitter or Poachers' Den. You'll receive half the list
price for each item (e.g., an item that costs 400 gil to buy at the Outfitter
will net you 200 gil when sold). A lot of equipment simply becomes obsolete
after newer equipment becomes available, so sell away! For example, there's no
reason to keep Leather Helms (+10 HP) when Bronze Helms (+20 HP) are available.
However, you may want to hang on to equipment with particular special effects
(e.g. immunity to certain status conditions), as these often come in handy for
particular battles.
Bonus Coin is awarded after battles in Rendezvous Mode, but NOT those in Melee
Mode.
- A few action abilities give you a small amount of gil when they successfully
hit an enemy unit. These include the Thief's Steal Gil, the Orator's Beg,
Balthier's Plunder Gil, and the Steelhawk monster's Glitterlust. (Note that
when enemies hit YOU with one of these abilities, you'll actually lose money
out of your War Funds!) These abilities do not work in the multiplayer modes.
- The Thief reaction ability Gil Snapper, when triggered, gives you an amount
of gil equal to the amount of damage the character just received. This
actually isn't all that useful an ability, since the amount of gil you get
from it is small compared to Bonus Coin. (Even an attack that does 998 HP
damage would only get you 998 gil, compared to the tens of thousands you can
earn in Bonus Coin.) Gil Snapper also does not work in the multiplayer modes.
- Many story battles also give you a fixed amount of gil as a Battle Trophy
after the battle in addition to the regular Bonus Coin. These include story
battles #1, #4, #5, #6, #7, #10, #13, #14, #16, #19, #22, #26, #29, #35, #39,
and #42. This gil tends to be helpful early in the game, but in the
later battles is quite small relative to the Bonus Coin.
- During battle, if you pick up an item from a chest or find an item using the
Treasure Hunter movement ability, and already have the maximum 99 copies of
that item, you'll instead be given gil equal to 1/4 of the list price of the
item. Again, this does not happen in the multiplayer modes. Stealing an
item or catching it (with Sticky Fingers) when you already have 99 copies does
NOT earn you any money; the received item just vanishes.
- Similarly, when you recruit a new ally, it's possible that the ally may come
with a piece of equipment that you already have 99 copies of. In this case,
the extra piece is automatically sold for 1/4 of the list price.
The above sections describes how Exp, JP, and gil are earned in general. The
below section now covers strategies for earning them quickly and maxing out your
stats.
It's RARELY (if ever!) necessary to spend time grinding experience to complete
the game. In most cases, a change of strategy is all you need to get you
through the next battle. But, if you're absolutely stuck or if you just want
to max out your characters, read on :)
---BASIC STRATEGY---
The basic strategy for quickly raising JP is to take out all but 1 or 2
enemies, and then afflict the remaining ones with status conditions that
prevent them from doing much of anything. Now, your characters can simply
perform actions over and over to net JP.
Alternately, you can use your characters to trap the enemy in a place where it
can't move (e.g. in a corner, or next to tall obstacles), then turn those
characters into Stone (e.g. using the Mystic's Induration magick). This will
keep the enemy trapped where it can't move or attack you. Just make sure that
you have a way of eventually killing the enemy -- either a way to remove the
Stone status from your characters or a magick attack that can hit the trapped
enemy.
To further increase the number of actions you can take relative to the enemy,
equip gear that raises your Speed, like the Green Beret, Thief's Cap, or Hermes
Shoes. During the battle, you can also use abilities to raise your Speed (e.g.
Tailwind) and/or lower the enemy's (e.g., Rend Speed, etc.) This will reduce
the amount of time you have to waste watching the enemy move.
Remember that it's important to keep the last enemy alive. If the last enemy is
KOed, the battle ends. For this reason, it's a good idea to remove Reaction
Abilities that would allow you to counterattack and accidentally KO the enemy.
---RAISING JP---
The Focus ability (Squire) is probably the best for gaining JP, as it can be
acquired early in the game, requires no charge time, always succeeds, and does
not consume MP. Plus, it even has a fairly short animation! Once you've
turned the enemies into poultry or amphibians, you can simply use Focus over
and over to build JP.
Most of the special story characters, however, can't learn Focus, and neither
can monsters. For these characters, you'll need to use other action patterns:
- Inflict a minor status condition, then cure that condition. For instance,
make a character blind with the Mystic's Umbra spell or Beowulf's Blind sword
technique, then use Eye Drops to remove it.
- Attack other allied units. This works best if you turn the character into a
Toad first to minimize the damage s/he can do. (You could also use repeated
Rend Powers instead of Toad.) Or, equip the target with Chantage and she
will regenerate no matter times you attack and KO her.
If you're going to be attacking your allies, make sure they aren't equipped
with shields, cloaks, or reaction abilities that can stop attacks (like
Shirahadori or First Strike). You won't earn any JP for a dodged or blocked
attack. On the other hand, healing reaction abilities like Regenerator,
Critical: Recover HP, or Dragonheart will help your punching bags recover
from the damage they take :P.
To prevent yourself from damaging your friends too quickly, remove any strong
weapons that you won't need to kill the monsters. (Or, use Re-equip to change
weapons after you've finished off most of the monsters.) Stripping off your
weapons also saves time because the bare-handed punching animation is pretty
short and definitely faster than, say, the bow-and-arrow animation.
- After you do some damage attacking your allies, you can also then use Chakra
or other healing abilities to heal the damage you inflicted, for another
source of JP.
- If you need money, you can also repeatedly use Steal Gil against the enemies.
Every successful steal nets you both gil and JP/Exp. You can keep using the
ability over and over; all enemies carry an infinite amount of money for you
to steal ;). Watch out for monster counterattacks, though -- you may want
to use Rend Power or Toad on them first.
Equipping the Squire's JP Boost is a HUGE help in raising JP. This ability
gives you a 50% boost to your JP and can be learned very early. (Even
characters without a Squire job have JP Boost available.)
Remember that the "spillover JP" effect means that whenever you gain for a
given job, the other active characters gain a lesser amount of JP for the same
job. You can adjust your strategy accordingly: If you really want to learn
abilities from ONE job, you can turn multiple characters into that job to
maximize your JP gains for that job. Or, you can use different jobs to spread
your JP gains between multiple jobs. This can be useful if Character A only
needs a few more JP for a particular job (say, Knight) -- you can make
Character B a Knight and Character A can just pick up the remaining Knight JP
from spillover while s/he works on a different job.
---RAISING EXP---
You can raise experience points in pretty much the same way as JP, since you'll
also earn experience for all of the actions listed above. Of course, Exp Boost
and Accrue Exp (both Arithmetician abilities) will speed your experience
gaining.
You can use Steal Exp on enemies to help build up Exp quickly. You'll gain Exp
both from the steal and from performing a successful steal. This only works on
enemies that have at least 1 Exp to steal, though, so you have to let them gain
experience by attacking you. In the long run, this is less efficient than
Rending the enemies down to 1 speed and grinding the experience yourself. But,
it can be handy if you just need a few extra Exp somewhere.
Once you hit level 99 and 99 experience, you can easily cast healing or
defensive magicks to your whole party using Arithmeticks and Level Multiple of
3 or Exp Multiple of 3. (Of course, you might hit a few enemies too.)
Note that, for monsters, it may be faster to get a "new" high-level monster
rather than level up an existing one. The level of a new monster born from an
egg can be as high as the highest-level character on your roster. So, if you
have a monster type you like but the monster is at a low experience level, you
can let the monster breed and you can probably get a higher-level version of
the same monster that way.
---RAISING BRAVERY/FAITH---
If you want to grind your Bravery and Faith up or down, you can paralyze the
enemies in the same way, and then repeatedly use abilities that change your
Bravery and Faith. The best abilities for this task are:
Aside from Steel, the success rate of all these abilities depends on your Magick
Attack sat. So, you may find it advantageous to change your characters to jobs
with a high Magick Attack (i.e., Black Mage) and/or equip gear that raises their
Magick Attack. Although Magick Attack doesn't alter the AMOUNT of Bravery and
Faith you gain/lose, it makes the abilities more likely to succeed.
You'll need to equip the Orator's Beast Tongue support ability if you want to
use Intimidate, Preach, or Enlighten on monsters. The Orator has this support
ability innately, so this is only if you've changed jobs.
%%%AUTOMATED LEVELING%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00auto
It's possible to combine the above leveling tactics to make the game AI
automatically raise JP and experience for you! You can let the characters
fight and earn JP without even having to watch the game.
There are two different methods for doing this. The Simple Method is quick and
easy, but it doesn't work for monsters or most story characters and can be
tricky to use with a few generic jobs. The Universal Method is a bit more
complex and requires a few more abilities, but works for all characters and
jobs.
This method, developed and refined by readers winddraco, Adam Scarrett, Reed
Parkes, and Piers* is quite easy to do, but it does NOT work as well with some
characters. This includes monsters, and all story characters except Ramza and
Luso. It does, however, also help you grind your Bravery up.
STEP ONE: You must have learned some ability that will let you cripple the
enemies' abilities to attack you. Either Toad (Black Mage) or Rend
Power/Speed (Knight) will work.
STEP TWO: In the Options list, set Battle Prompts, Display Ability Names, and
Display Effect Messages, and Display Earned Exp/JP (items 6 through 9) to
OFF, so that these messages won't interrupt the game.
STEP THREE: The characters you want to level up must have learned the Focus
ability (Squire). (Most story characters don't have Focus, which is why this
strategy doesn't work so well for them, but there's a variant that kind of
works for them.) Switch these characters into the job you want to gain JP
as, then have them equip the Squire's Fundaments ability as a secondary
action ability. REMOVE any ranged weapons they might have.
STEP FOUR (OPTIONAL): Equip JP Boost on the characters who will be gaining JP.
This isn't strictly *necessary*, but certainly helps you gain JP faster!
Equipping the Accrue JP or Accrue EXP movement abilities, if you have them,
is also helpful.
STEP FIVE (OPTIONAL): If you have any Ninjas, Samurai, or Chemists on the team,
you may want to temporarily sell your rare weapons and items to the Poachers'
Den. You can buy them back for the same price after the battle, so you're not
losing any money, and doing this prevents the AI from accidentally losing your
rare items with Throw/Iaido/Items.
STEP SIX (OPTIONAL): If the characters who will be gaining levels are pretty
weak, you may want to deploy some other "helper" characters who will just
function to kill the other enemies. If you're doing this, make sure at least
one character in the squad has the Mystic's Induration magick available.
STEP SEVEN: Get into a random battle. A spacious map like Zeklaus Desert is
helpful because you'll need to keep your characters separated from the
enemies.
STEP EIGHT: Defeat all but a few of the enemies. Clear out the enemy bodies
and any chests or crystals. (Crystals will interrupt the battle with a
message you have to respond to, so you want to get rid of them.)
STEP NINE: Use Toad or repeated Rend Powers/Rend Speeds to reduce the
remaining enemies to a crippled state so they can't hurt you.
STEP TEN (OPTIONAL): If you were using any "helper" characters, use the
Induration magick to turn all these characters to Stone. This will keep them
from participating in the battle or taking up turns. Ideally, first have the
"helper" character back the remaining enemy into a corner where it can't move.
Then, when you turn the "helper" to Stone, the remaining enemy won't be able
to move or do anything and you won't have to worry about it.
STEP ELEVEN: Move all your remaining characters to the opposite site of the
battlefield from the remaining enemies.
STEP TWELVE: If you have any story characters without Focus, use Rend Power and
Rend Magick (or Toad) to reduce their offensive ability down to nothing.
STEP THIRTEEN: Set all the characters to AI control. You have two different
options here:
> Pick "Coward." The character will either use Focus to build up Exp and
JP, or do nothing. This is the safest option because it keeps your units
from attacking the enemies. The downside is that the characters will
waste some turns.
> Pick "Defender" and set the character to defend himself/herself. Using
this AI pattern, the character will do something on EVERY turn, so it's
a faster way to raise JP. The downside is that the character will
sometimes try to attack the monsters if they come within range, which
might end the battle too early or get your own character killed. So, this
option is best only for strong parties.
Black Mages will NEVER use Focus if set to Coward, so you MUST set them to
Defender.
13A) If Ramza or Luso is on the team, set him to the "Defender" AI pattern and
pick another character to help out. He will use Tailwind and/or Steel to
boost that character's speed or Bravery. This has the nice side effect of
helping you to raise your Bravery up too.
At this point, your AI-controlled characters should just run from the remaining
enemies while spending most (though not ALL) of their turns using Focus to
build their attack power. (They may also sometimes use other support abilities
instead.) Each ability used earns them Exp and JP. Meanwhile, the remaining
enemies are too weak to hurt you at all.
STEP FOURTEEN: If you have any story characters without Focus, set them to the
"Berserker" AI option and have them target one of the remaining monsters.
Assuming you used Rend Power/Magick, they won't do much damage to the
monsters and can still earn JP/Exp this way. The downside to this tactic is
that they WILL finish off the monsters eventually (probably before you've
finished mastering your jobs), which is why this method really works best for
generic characters.
You can now leave the game running while the characters build up Exp
and JP. Just make sure your PSP has plenty of power -- you may want to plug it
in before you leave.
STEP FIFTEEN: When you've earned enough JP to master your current jobs, press
Triangle to interrupt the battle. Select your characters and switch them
back to Manual control.
STEP SIXTEEN: Finish off the remaining enemies to end the battle. Your attack
strength will be through the roof, so this should be quite easy :)
STEP SEVENTEEN: If you sold your rare items to the Poachers' Den, don't forget
to buy them back!
That's it! This method is quite easy to do, since it really requires only
Focus. However, you may run into trouble with a few jobs:
> Jobs with long-range special abilities (e.g. Dragoon) as the AI may choose
to use range attacks. But, if you start leveling those jobs before you've
learned those long-range abilities, this method still works fine.
> Monsters, as well as story characters aside from Ramza and Luso, do not have
the Focus ability, so this strategy doesn't work for them at all.
For these characters/situations, you can use the Universal Method, below.
With this method, there's also a chance that your AI-controlled characters will
occasionally throw stones at the enemy and accidentally kill them because of
their high attack power. If you leave more than one crippled enemy in play,
this will help keep the battle from ending prematurely.
The procedure is also pretty straightforward -- you really only need the Toad
and Induration spells to do it, although having Rend Power and/or Rend Speed
and Berserk will help. The advantage of this method is that it is guaranteed
to work with ALL jobs and characters (including monsters!), but it may require a
bit more management.
STEP ONE: Make sure at least one character on your team has learned the Toad
magick (Black Mage), and also either Induration (Mystic) or Arithmeticks.
STEP TWO: In the Options list, set Battle Prompts, Display Ability Names, and
Display Effect Messages, and Display Earned Exp/JP (items 6 through 9) to
OFF, so that these messages won't interrupt the game.
STEP THREE: Designate one character as the Toad-caster. Change the remaining
characters to whatever Jobs you want to gain JP. Remove any equipment that
protects the remaining characters from Toad (Japa Mala, Ribbon, Onion Gloves,
or Cachusha).
STEP FOUR (OPTIONAL): Equip JP Boost on the characters who will be gaining JP.
This isn't strictly *necessary*, but certainly helps you gain JP faster!
STEP FIVE: Get into a battle. Random battles at the Mandalia Plain work great
because they have weak enemies and helpful terrain, but anywhere works.
STEP SIX: Defeat all but 1 or 2 of the enemies. Clear out the enemy bodies
and any chests or crystals. (Crystals will interrupt the battle with a
message you have to respond to, so you want to get rid of them.)
STEP SEVEN (OPTIONAL): Use Rend Speed (Knight) repeatedly to reduce the
remaining enemies' speed. This isn't required, but will speed up your
leveling by reducing the number of enemy turns interrupting the process.
STEP EIGHT (OPTIONAL): Use Rend Power (Knight) to reduce your own characters'
and the enemies' attack strength. This allows you to earn more JP per
battle, as your characters will have to take more turns to finish off the
enemies.
STEP NINE: Use the Toad magick to turn the remaining enemies, as well as your
allies, into toads. Having a high Faith will increase the likelihood that
the magick succeeds in turning characters into toads.
Once you have Arithmeticks, you can use it to more efficiently cast Toad on
everyone. As noted in sahkuh's YouTube video below, Mandalia Plain provides
a great opportunity to do this. Just put all the characters you want to turn
to Toads on height 2 ground (and lure the enemy up there) and position your
Toad-caster stands on the height 4 rock, then cast Height Prime Toad. If the
spell misses any characters, move the remaining ones onto the height 3 rocks
and cast Height Multiple of 3 Toad.
STEP TEN (OPTIONAL): If there any characters you don't need to level up, take
them out of the action so that they don't steal any of the Exp/JP! You can
do this in two ways:
10A) Set them to AI control and pick the Coward option. As long as they're
Toads, they'll simply run and hide in the corner.
STEP ELEVEN: Set your Toad allies to fight automatically. There are two ways
to do this:
11A) Use the Mystic's Fervor spell to give them Berserk status. (You can use
Arithmeticks to cast this on many characters at once.) If you have Fervor
available, this is the preferred method. Just make sure you don't Berserk
your human character by accident, as s/he will finish off the enemy toads too
quickly.
11B) Set the characters to AI control. Choose the "Berserker" AI pattern and
set them to attack the remaining enemies. As long as ALL your allies have
Toad or Stone status, they'll attack away. (If there is at least one non-
Toad character on your side, AI-controlled Toads will flee instead of
attacking.)
Note that method 11B will NOT work if any of the characters have the Black
Magicks command and the Toad spell, as the AI will then have the characters
cast Toad on themselves to turn back into human form. You can either drain
away their all MP beforehand, or just use method 11A.
The AI-controlled toads will sometimes also get "stuck" in a weird AI pattern
and stop attacking the enemy. If you're using this method and the AI stops
attacking, press Triangle to pause and change the AI to Coward for one turn
to make your characters run away. Then switch them back to Berserker and
they should start attacking again. Since this requires additional
babysitting of the game and isn't completely automatic, using the Fervor
magick is better. Characters with Berserk status will ALWAYS attack.
At this point, the Toad-ified characters will automatically fight the enemy
toad(s), doing minimal damage (especially if you used Rend Power beforehand)
but earning JP each time. This allows them to automatically earn a tremendous
amount of JP as they keep fighting in toad form. The only issue is what to do
with your remaining human character, who was casting Toad on everyone:
STEP TWELVE: Remove your Toad-caster from active control, so that your team
will be fully automatic. Again, you can do this in two ways:
12A) Cast the Mystic's Induration spell on yourself to turn to Stone. The
character won't get any turns at all for the rest of battle, so you won't
have to enter commands for him/her. However, since s/he won't be taking any
actions, the characters won't earn any Exp and will only get spillover JP from
other the rest of the party.
12B) Cast Toad on yourself, then set the character to AI control and choose
the "Berserker" AI pattern to start attacking the enemy. This has the
advantage of allowing all 5 characters to gain JP, but it ONLY works if you
are using Arithmeticks to cast Toad--because if you have the Black Magicks
command available, the AI will simply cast Toad on itself and turn the
character back to a human. So, if you don't have Arithmeticks yet, use
method 12A.
Once you've turned your last human character into Stone or an AI-controlled
toad, your party will be fully automatic. Your toads will battle the enemy
toad and rack up a ton of JP in the process. At this point, you can simply
leave the game running and do something else. Just make sure your PSP has
plenty of power -- you may want to plug it in before you leave.
Eventually, your party will finish off the last enemy toad and the battle will
end. Then, it's time to repeat the process with a new battle. Using Rend
Power will allow each battle to run longer since the characters will need more
turns to finish off the enemy toad.
You can level every character in the game this way except for Construct 8, who
is immune to Toad status. To build up Construct 8, you can use Rend Power to
reduce its attack strength as much as possible and then set it to AI control.
CAUTION!: Of course, it's still possible for the enemy toad(s) to KO/kill your
characters. This is bad. However, as long as you outnumber the enemy and/or
used Rend Speed on the enemy toads, you'll win easily. If you want to be
extra cautious, give your characters Reraise before you've turned everyone to
toads.
---THE BASICS---
As noted in the Exp section, the stat gains you gain at level up are partially
based on your current job -- for example, being a Knight will cause you to gain
more HP at level up than a Summoner, but vice versa for MP.
If you want to max out your stats, find a Degenerator trap on a map, or
recruit a Mindflayer and use Beastmaster to access its Level Blast ability.
(Both of these will lower a character's experience level.) Turn into your
character into a Chemist, Bard, or Dancer and activate the trap/Level Blast.
Since these three jobs have small stat gains per level, the level drop will
only decrease your stats a little. Now, change the character into a better job
and level back up. Your stat gains at level up will be based on the current
job, so by the time you get back to the same level, you'll have gained more
than you lost. This results in a net INCREASE in your stats, even though at
you're at the SAME level! If you really have nothing better to do with your
time ;), you can keep repeating this cycle over and over to keep raising your
stats.
The one in Zeklaus Desert is probably the most convenient -- if you enter the
desert from Gollund, you'll start fairly close to the tile. The one on The
Stair, the second floor the Midlight's Deep bonus dungeon, is also pretty close
to where you start on that map. Fovoham Windflats has a Degenerator pretty
close to where you start if you enter from the Lenalian Plateau, but then you
have to contend with the possible of random encounters in Lenalia as well while
trying to get into a battle at the Windflats.
---RECOMMENDED JOBS---
The table below lists the best jobs to level-up with depending on which stats
you want to grow. The jobs in the "Best" column are the optimal jobs to use;
the "Alternative" column lists other jobs you can use if you don't have the
"Best" one unlocked.
BEST ALTERNATIVE
FOR LEVEL-DOWN Bard or Dancer Chemist
GAINING HP Dragonkin [Reis] or Mime Monk
GAINING MP Summoner Black Mage
GAINING PHYS.ATK. Mime Dragoon, Knight, Dark Knight
GAINING MAG.ATK. Dragonkin [Reis] Mime
GAINING SPEED Ninja or Sky Pirate [Balthier] Thief
Gaining MP generally isn't important, so Ninja and Mime are the best jobs to
grind stats with. (Ninja will also raise your attack power somewhat.) Overall,
grinding Speed with the Ninja is probably the best stat to raise. Speed
increases are normally pretty hard to gain, while HP and attack strength are
easier to increase. And a high Speed will give your characters numerous turns
to get the jump on the enemy. But, be warned that Speed does take a while to
raise; you can really only expect a gain of a few points from each cycle of
leveling down and leveling up.
If you do want to raise magick attack, Mime and Job Level 8 Onion Knight are
the *only* normal jobs that you can use to grind magick attack. Reis's
Dragonkin job actually has the best magick attack growth rate, and some of the
other story character jobs also have moderate magick attack growth rates.
Even with the "best" jobs for this procedure, grinding stats is a relatively
slow process. You'll have to complete many cycles of leveling down and back up
in order to max out your stats.
The way stat growth works in FF Tactics, you gain (or lose) more of a stat the
more of it you already have. So, for instance, your Physical Attack will grow
slowly at first, but faster later.
---ONION KNIGHTS---
If you REALLY want to maximize your stat gains, the job with the best stats at
level-up is an Onion Knight with job level 8 (obtained by mastering 14 other
jobs). A job level 8 Onion Knight gains HP, physical attack, and magick attack
at the same rate as a Mime, but also gains speed and MP quickly (which Mime
does not).
But since Onion Knights don't gain regular experience and can't equip the Steal
Exp or Accrue Exp skills, there's only way to level them up: the Wild Boar's
Bequeath Bacon skill. First, you'll need a Swine on your team; use it to breed
some Wild Boars. (Wild Boars don't appear anywhere on their own.) During
battle, position the Wild Boar next to a character with the Squire's
Beastmaster skill (or Reis, whose Dragonkin job has an innate Beastmaster) to
make Bequeath Bacon available. Use Bequeath Bacon on your Onion Knight. This
causes the Onion Knight to gain 1 level, but turns the Wild Boar into a
crystal, killing it permanently. Then, get another Wild Boar and repeat the
process to gain another level, and so on. This obviously takes a lot of time,
but you can great stats out of it, so if you're into leveling, go hog wild :)
(pun intended ;) )
If you don't want to go to all this effort, you can just use the other jobs
recommended above. They don't quite as big stat gains as Onion Knights, but
you'll get to the same place eventually. And, unless you have a lot of roster
slots free for breeding Wild Boars, it's probably faster to use Ninja/Mime to
level up. See below for a specific strategy for this.
STEP ONE: The character(s) you want to grind with should be switched to a Bard
or Dancer. (We'll call these character the "Grinder(s).") If you don't have
Bard or Dancer available yet, you could also use Chemist.
1A (OPTIONAL): If you have any abilities or items to make the Bard or Dancer
Invisible, equip them. You can use the Ninja Gear or Septie`me perfume, or
even the Ninja's Vanish ability (use a weak attack against the character at
the start of the battle to trigger Vanish). Being Invisible will protect
him/her once s/he's been leveled down.
STEP TWO: Get into a random battle at Zeklaus Desert. Deploy the Grinder(s)
and Ramza or Luso. If you need any extra "helper" characters to finish off
the monsters, bring them and the Induration magick (Mystic) to turn them into
stone when you're done with them.
STEP THREE: Defeat all but 1 or 2 of the monsters, then use Toad or Rend Power/
Rend Speed to cripple the remaining ones. At this point, you can use
Induration to petrify any "helper" characters.
STEP FOUR: Have Ramza or Luso use Tailwind repeatedly to raise the Speed of the
Grinder(s) and net them many extra turns.
STEP FIVE: Put Ramza or Luso out of action. You can do this in two ways:
5A) Have Ramza/Luso cast Induration on himself to turn himself to Stone. If
you do this, MAKE SURE a Grinder has Items as a second command and has
learned the Gold Needle or Remedy ability, and there is at least 1 Gold
Needle or Remedy in your inventory. You need to be able to cure
Ramza/Luso at the end of battle so he can KO the last enemy. And,
having leveled down to level 1, the Grinder will most likely be too weak
to KO anything.
5B) Have Ramza/Luso step on the Hypnogas trap in Zeklaus Desert to put
himself to sleep. The Hypnogas trap is located directly adjacent to the
single cactus on side of the map. It's on the side of the cactus facing
the ravine at the center of the map.
Ramza/Luso will eventually wake up using the Hypnogas method, but you
can have him step off the trap and back on to retrigger it and put him
back to sleep. Or, have him try a very long-range Teleport, which will
almost certainly fail and land him back on the Hypnogas tile,
retriggering the trap in a single turn!
STEP SIX: Have the Grinder(s) repeatedly step on the Degenerator trap. Again,
it's in one corner of the ravine, on a tile of height 0 next to a cliff with
height 3. If you have only a single Grinder, you can just stand on the
trap tile and use failed long-range Teleports to trigger the trap every turn.
Don't have the Grinder(s) take any action, just have them move, and you can
keep them Invisible and safe.
STEP SEVEN: When the Grinder(s) hits level 1, wake up or depetrify Ramza and
finish off the enemies.
STEP EIGHT: Outside of battle, switch the Grinder(s) to the job you want to
level up with (e.g. Ninja). Give them Accrue Exp and/or Exp Boost if
available.
STEP NINE: Get into a new random battle. Again, cripple the remaining enemies
and have the Grinder(s) attack high-level allies to gain levels until they're
back at 99. You can use the general tactics above for gaining levels. A
generally quick route is to have a high-level Ramza use Tailwind to raise the
Grinder(s) while they beat him up and (if they have Accrue Exp) move around.
Use Rend Power to reduce the damage you do to Ramza, and give Ramza Critical:
Restore HP to keep him alive.
STEP TEN: Rinse, lather, and repeat all 9 steps for even higher stats!
spells.
********************************************************************************
X. EQUIPMENT AND ITEMS 00equip
********************************************************************************
---ACQUIRING ITEMS---
Many (but not all) items can be bought at the Outfitters, but most are not
available at the start of the game. As you progress through the game, the shop
inventories go through a series of revisions. In the tables below, the SHOP
column denotes which revision makes the item available:
1-A: Beginning of Game
1-B: Chapter I - After reaching Eagrose Castle
1-C: Chapter I - After Sand Rat's Sieve
1-D: Chapter I - After defeating Milleuda at Lenalian Plateau
2-A: Chapter II - Beginning of chapter
2-B: Chapter II - After Ovelia and Agrias join as guests
2-C: Chapter II - After reaching Lionel Castle
2-D: Chapter II - After reaching Goug
2-E: Chapter II - After battle at Balias Tor
3-A: Chapter III - Beginning of chapter
3-B: Chapter III - After Alma joins as guest
3-C: Chapter III - After battles at Orbonne Monastery
3-D: Chapter III - After Rapha joins as guest
4-A: Chapter IV - Beginning of chapter
4-B: Chapter IV - After Fort Besselat
4-C: Chapter IV - After battles at Limberry Castle
A "--" in the SHOP column indicates the item is NEVER available at stores --
see the Rare Item Locations list in Section XI for information on where to get
these.
Not all categories of items are available in every Outfitter on the map. Each
category of item will list the places where you can buy it. For instance,
shields can only be bought at castles, not in towns/cities.
Items acquired through the Poachers' Den are bought for 1/2 the listed price.
All items, including ones that can't be bought at the Outfitters, can be SOLD
for 1/2 the listed price. Note that any items you sell to the Poachers' Den are
added to the Den's inventory, so if you want you can later buy them back for the
same price at which you sold them.
# denotes an item that can ONLY be obtained in the game's multiplayer mode.
Note that such weapons CANNOT be Thrown using the Ninja's Throw command.
---ENEMY EQUIPMENT---
E.LV or ENEMY LEVEL determines the minimum level for generic enemies to equip
the item. For example, the Coral Sword has an Enemy Level of 15. This means
that generic enemy Knights must be at least level 15 before they'll appear with
Coral Swords. This is also the level at which an enemy Ninja must be in order
to Throw a given weapon. (There are no level requirements for YOUR Ninjas.)
If there is a "T" next to the enemy level, generic enemies will never EQUIP
the item, but enemy Ninjas will THROW it. See the Throws from Enemy Ninjas
section for more information on how you can collect rare items this way.
If the Enemy Level is "--", that means generic enemies will NEVER appear with
this item, although some special enemies may still have it.
- "Spell Effect:" - The weapon has a 25% chance of casting a particular magick
on its target after dealing its regular damage. The magick is never cast
if the regular attack misses or is blocked.
- "Always:" - The equipment gives the user a permanent status effect that
cannot be removed as long as the item is equipped.
- "Start:" - If you have the item equipped at the START of battle, it gives you
a particular status effect. Unlike "Always:", this effect CAN be removed.
And, using Reequip to equip the item later in battle will not give you the
effect either.
- "Boosts:" - While equipped, the gear increases the power of abilities of the
named element when cast by the user (e.g. "Boosts: Ice" increases the power
of ice magicks cast by the person with that item).
- "____ elemental" - The weapon does elemental damage. This may increase or
decrease the damage dealt depending on the target's elemental affinities.
%%%WEAPONS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00weap
Many weapons have special effects -- see just above for further explanation of
these.
PARRY is the evasion rate granted by the weapon when used with the Knight's
Parry reaction ability. Without Parry equipped, this statistic has no effect.
* Fell Swords are more powerful if you (the user) have LOW Faith. The Faith of
the target is irrelevant.
# Magick guns get more powerful if you (the user) have HIGH Faith, AND if the
target has high Faith.
Since guns don't take any of the user's statistics into consideration, they can
NO weapon can ever do more than 999 damage per hit. Any formula that would
result in more than 999 damage is rounded down to 999.
DUAL WIELD: This indicates whether the weapon can be used with the Ninja's Dual
Wield ability, which allows you to equip two weapons at once.
DOUBLEHAND: Indicates whether the weapon can be used with the Samurai's
Doublehand ability, which allows you to wield one weapon with both hands to
increase your attack power. "Doublehand: Only" means that the weapon type
ALWAYS requires both hands. You don't Doublehand to use these weapons, but you
also can't use Doublehand to increase their attack power.
RANGE: Each weapon type has a range. The horizontal range is how many tiles
the weapon reaches. The vertical range is the maximum allowable difference in
height between you and your target. A * here indicates an unlimited vertical
range. Note that many weapons have different vertical range when used to
attack upwards (i.e., an enemy above you) vs. when used to attack downwards.
Unlike magick, all weapons have an effect radius of 1 tile only -- they only
strike a single target.
Almost weapon types require a direct line of fire between the user and target.
The exception is regular bows (regular bows ONLY - NOT crossbows!), which can
also be fired in a vertical arc between the user and target.
THROWABLE: The Ninja's Throw abilities allow him/her to throw many kinds of
weapons at enemies. For each weapon type, "Throwable" indicates whether or not
that weapon type can be thrown. Of course, to throw a particular type of
weapon, you must first learn the corresponding Throw ability (i.e., to throw
flails, you must learn the Ninja's "Flail" ability).
Weapons that are only found in the multiplayer mode (i.e., those marked with
a #) can never be thrown, even when other weapons in the category are
available for throwing.
---Fists------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : Physical Atk. * Physical Atk. * (Bravery/100) Dual Wield : Yes
Used By : Doublehand : No
All human jobs, when no other weapon equipped Horiz. range : 1
Vert. range : 2 up,
3 down
Equipping the Brawler support ability (Monk) increases the power of barehanded
attacks.
A character fighting barehanded has a parry rate of 0% (i.e., the Parry ability
is useless when you are fighting with your fists).
---Knives-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : (Physical Atk. + Speed) / 2 * Weapon strength Dual Wield : Yes
Used By : Doublehand : No
Regular Jobs: Squire, Chemist, Thief, Orator, Ninja, Horiz. range : 1
Dancer, Onion Knight Vert. range : 2 up,
Special Jobs: Squire [Ramza], Machinist, Game Hunter, 3 down
Templar, Sky Pirate Throwable : Yes
With Ability: none
Purchased at: Castles, Towns/Cities, Gariland, Lesalia
---Ninja Blades-----------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : (Physical Atk. + Speed) / 2 * Weapon strength Dual Wield : Yes
Used By : Doublehand : Yes
Regular Jobs: Ninja, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 1
Special Jobs: Sword Saint Vert. range : 2 up,
With Ability: none 3 down
Purchased at: Trade Cities Throwable : Yes
---Swords-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : Physical Attack * Weapon strength Dual Wield : Yes
Used By : Doublehand : Yes
Regular Jobs: Squire, Knight, Geomancer, Dark Knight, Horiz. range : 1
Onion Knight Vert. range : 2 up,
Special Jobs: Squire [Ramza], Squire [Delita], 3 down
Squire [Argath], Fell Knight, Throwable : Yes
Holy Knight, Game Hunter, Templar,
Sky Pirate, Sword Saint, Divine Knight,
Soldier, Ark Knight
With Ability: Equip Swords [Knight]
Purchased at: Castles, Gariland*, Lesalia
---Knight's Swords--------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : Physical Atk. * Weapon str. * (Bravery/100) Dual Wield : Yes
Used By : Doublehand : Yes
Regular Jobs: Knight, Dark Knight, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 1
Special Jobs: Squire [Ramza] (ch.4), Fell Knight, Vert. range : 2 up,
Holy Knight, Game Hunter, Templar, 3 down
Sky Pirate, Sword Saint, Divine Knight, Throwable : Yes
Ark Knight
With Ability: none
Purchased at: Never sold at the Outfitter
---Katanas----------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : Physical Atk. * Weapon str. * (Bravery/100) Dual Wield : Yes
Used By : Doublehand : Yes
Regular Jobs: Samurai, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 1
Special Jobs: Sword Saint Vert. range : 2 up,
With Ability: Equip Katana [Samurai] 3 down
Purchased at: Trade Cities Throwable : Yes
---Axes-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : (Random number from 1 to Phys.Atk.) * Weapon str Dual Wield : No
Used By : Doublehand : Only
Regular Jobs: Squire, Geomancer, Dark Knight, Horiz. range : 1
Onion Knight Vert. range : 2 up,
Special Jobs: Squire [Argath] 3 down
With Ability: Equip Axes [Squire] Throwable : Yes
Purchased at: Castles
All axes do variable damage. The actual damage inflicted may be more or less
than the estimate you see. (The estimate is the *average* damage you'll
inflict.)
---Rods-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : Physical Attack * Weapon strength Dual Wield : Yes
Used By : Doublehand : Yes
Regular Jobs: Black Mage, Summoner, Mystic, Horiz. range : 1
Onion Knight Vert. range : 2 up,
Special Jobs: Netherseer 3 down
With Ability: none Throwable : No
Purchased at: Trade Cities, Towns/Cities, Gariland, Lesalia
---Staves-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : Magick Attack * Weapon strength Dual Wield : Yes
Used By : Doublehand : Yes
Regular Jobs: White Mage, Time Mage, Summoner, Mystic, Horiz. range : 1
Onion Knight Vert. range : 2 up,
Special Jobs: Princess, Cleric, Skyseer 3 down
With Ability: none Throwable : No
Purchased at: Trade Cities, Towns/Cities, Gariland
* The Healing Staff works just like any other weapon, except that it adds HP to
the target instead of removing it. So, you can use it to heal your allies!
Unfortunately, they will still try to evade/block the Healing Staff.
---Flails-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : (Random number from 1 to Phys.Atk.) * Weapon str Dual Wield : Yes
Used By : Doublehand : Yes
Regular Jobs: Squire, Ninja, Dark Knight, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 1
Special Jobs: Squire [Ramza], Squire [Delita], Vert. range : 2 up,
Squire [Argath], Game Hunter : 3 down
With Ability: none Throwable : Yes
Purchased at: Trade Cities, Castles
All flials do variable damage. The actual damage inflicted may be more or less
than the estimate you see. (The estimate is the *average* damage you'll
inflict.)
---Guns-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : (Weapon strength)^2 - user's stats irrelevant Dual Wield : No
Used By : Doublehand : No
Regular Jobs: Chemist, Orator, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 3-8
Special Jobs: Machinist, Sky Pirate Vert. range : * up,
With Ability: Equip Guns [Orator] * down
Purchased at: Goug Throwable : No
All guns have a 100% hit rate, although Shirahadori can still be used to block
them.
* The Stoneshooter causes you to start each battle with Stone status, unable to
act. You must have another character remove the Stone status, and then you can
act normally. (Or, if you use Re-equip to equip the Stoneshooter *during* a
battle, it will never turn you to Stone in the first place.) Gear that normally
makes you immune to Stone does NOT keep the Stoneshooter from starting you in
Stone status.
---Magick Guns------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : Weapon strength * 14 * (Faith/100) * Dual Wield : No
(Target Faith/100) Doublehand : No
Used By : Horiz. range : 3-8
Regular Jobs: Chemist, Orator, Onion Knight Vert. range : * up,
Special Jobs: Machinist, Sky Pirate * down
With Ability: Equip Guns [Orator] Throwable : No
Purchased at: Never sold at the Outfitter
The three magick guns do variable damage. Each use of the gun produces one of
three different visual effects and a different corresponding amount of damage:
60% chance: Damage as stated in preview Blizzard/Fire/Thunder visual
30% chance: Damage +28% -ra magick visual
10% chance: Damage +71% -ga magick visual
Unlike with axes, flails, and bags, the damage inflicted is never LESS than the
previewed amount :)
Like regular guns, magick guns have a 100% hit rate but can still be blocked
with Shirahadori.
---Crossbows--------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : Physical Attack * Weapon strength Dual Wield : No
Used By : Doublehand : No
Regular Jobs: Archer, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 3-4
Special Jobs: Sky Pirate, Divine Knight Vert. range : * up,
With Ability: Equip Crossbows [Archer] * down
Purchased at: Castles, Goug Throwable : No
During nighttime battles and/or storms, evade rates versus crossbows increase;
see the Weather Effects section for more information. (There is no change to
evade rates during battles in Midlight's Deep, even if it's pitch dark!)
However, any attack that would have a 100% hit rate still cannot be evaded.
Weather also has no effect on blocking from Archer's Bane or Shirahadori.
---Bows-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : (Physical Atk. + Speed ) / 2 * Weapon strength Dual Wield : No
Used By : Doublehand : Only
Regular Jobs: Archer, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 3-5*
Special Jobs: Sky Pirate Vert. range : * up,
With Ability: none * down
Purchased at: Castles, Lesalia Throwable : No
Unlike all other weapons, bows do not require a direct line of fire, since they
can also be fired in an arc over obstacles and other enemies. This is really
helpful in maps crowded with enemies or obstacles.
downwards INCREASES the maximum range by 1 tile for every 2 units difference in
height, while firing upwards decreases your range by 1 tile for every 2 units
difference in height. (So, shooting from height 3 down to height would extend
your range to 3-6 tiles, for instance.) From a high vantage point, you can
shoot extremely far!
During nighttime battles and/or storms, evade rates versus bows increase; see
the Weather Effects section for more information. (There is no change to evade
rates during battles in Midlight's Deep, even if it's pitch dark!) However, any
attack that would have a 100% hit rate still cannot be evaded. Weather also has
no effect on blocking from Archer's Bane or Shirahadori.
---Instruments------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : (Phys.Atk. + Mag.Atk.) / 2 * Weapon strength Dual Wield : No
Used By : Doublehand : No
Regular Jobs: Bard, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 3
Special Jobs: none Vert. range : * up,
With Ability: none * down
Purchased at: Trade Cities Throwable : No
* Unlike other Charm attacks, the Faerie Harp can be used on all targets: on
same- and opposite-gender humans and on monsters.
---Books------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : (Phys.Atk. + Mag.Atk.) / 2 * Weapon strength Dual Wield : No
Used By : Doublehand : No
Regular Jobs: Mystic, Arithmetician, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 3
Special Jobs: Astrologer Vert. range : * up,
With Ability: none * down
Purchased at: Trade Cities Throwable : Yes
---Polearms---------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : Physical Attack * Weapon strength Dual Wield : No
Used By : Doublehand : Yes
Regular Jobs: Dragoon, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 1-2
Special Jobs: Sky Pirate, Divine Knight Vert. range : 3 up,
With Ability: Equip Polearms [Dragoon] 3 down
Purchased at: Castles, Lesalia Throwable : Yes
---Poles------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : Magick Attack * Weapon strength Dual Wield : No
Used By : Doublehand : Yes
Regular Jobs: Mystic, Arithmetician, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 1-2
Special Jobs: Skyseer, Netherseer Vert. range : 3 up,
With Ability: none 3 down
Purchased at: Trade Cities, Towns/Cities, Gariland Throwable : Yes
---Bags-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : (Random number from 1 to Phys.Atk.) * Weapon str Dual Wield : No
Used By : Doublehand : No
Regular Jobs: Women (any job), Onion Knights (m or f!) Horiz. range : 1
Special Jobs: Women (any job) Vert. range : 2 up,
With Ability: none 3 down
Purchased at: Trade Cities, Towns/Cities, Gariland Throwable : No
All bags do variable damage. The actual damage inflicted may be more or less
than the estimate you see. (The estimate is the *average* damage you'll
inflict.)
---Cloths-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : (Phys.Atk. + Mag.Atk.) / 2 * Weapon strength Dual Wield : No
Used By : Doublehand : No
Regular Jobs: Dancer, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 1-2
Special Jobs: none Vert. range : 3 up,
With Ability: none : 3 down
Purchased at: Trade Cities Throwable : No
---Fell Swords------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage : Physical Atk. * Weapon str. * (100-Faith)/100 Dual Wield : No
Used By : Doublehand : Only
Regular Jobs: Dark Knight, Onion Knight Horiz. range : 1
%%%SHIELDS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00shield
Shields are used to increase your evade rate. The PHYS and MAG columns show
the evasion rate of the shield for physical and magickal attacks, respectively.
Note that shields are ineffective against attacks from the rear.
Used By:
Regular Jobs : Knight, Archer, Geomancer, Dragoon, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
Special Jobs : Squire [Ramza] (ch. 2+), Fell Knight, Holy Knight,
Game Hunter, Templar, Sky Pirate, Sword Saint, Divine Knight,
Ark Knight
With Ability : Equip Shields [Knight]
Purchased at: Castles, Lesalia
%%%HEADGEAR%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00head
Headgear (and body armor) increases maximum HP and MP. The HP and MP columns
show how much each piece of gear increases your HP/MP.
---Helms------------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By:
Regular Jobs : Knight, Dragoon, Samurai, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
Special Jobs : Squire [Ramza] (ch. 2+), Fell Knight, Holy Knight,
Game Hunter, Templar, Sky Pirate, Sword Saint, Divine Knight,
Ark Knight
With Ability : Equip Heavy Armor [Knight]
Purchased at: Castles, Lesalia
--Hats--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By:
Regular Jobs : Squire, Chemist, Archer, White Mage, Black Mage, Time Mage,
Summoner, Thief, Orator, Mystic, Geomancer, Ninja,
Arithmetician, Bard, Dancer, Onion Knight
Special Jobs : Squire [Ramza], Squire [Delita], Squire [Argath], Princess,
Machinist, Astrologer, Cleric, Game Hunter, Skyseer,
Netherseer, Sky Pirate, Sword Saint, Soldier
With Ability : none
Purchased at: Trade Cities, Towns/Cities, Gariland
---Hair Adornments--------------------------------------------------------------
Used By:
Regular Jobs : Women (any job), Onion Knights (of either gender)
Special Jobs : Soldier
With Ability : none
Purchased at: Never sold at the Outfitter
%%%BODY ARMOR%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00armor
Body armor (and headgear) increases maximum HP and MP. The HP and MP columns
show how much each piece of gear increases your HP/MP.
---Armor------------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By:
Regular Jobs : Knight, Dragoon, Samurai, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
Special Jobs : Squire [Ramza] (ch. 2+), Fell Knight, Holy Knight,
Game Hunter, Templar, Sky Pirate, Sword Saint, Divine Knight,
Ark Knight
With Ability : Equip Heavy Armor [Knight]
Purchased at: Castles, Lesalia
Like Chantage, the Onion Armor and Grand Armor allow for an infinite number of
Reraises per battle.
---Clothes----------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By:
Regular Jobs : All except Knight, Dragoon, Samurai, Mime
Special Jobs : All except Fell Knight, Holy Knight, Templar, Holy Dragon,
Automaton, Dragonkin, Ark Knight, Byblos
With Ability : none
Purchased at: Trade Cities, Towns/Cities, Gariland
Like Chantage, the Brave Suit allows for an infinite number of Reraises per
battle.
---Robes------------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By:
Regular Jobs : Knight, White Mage, Black Mage, Time Mage, Summoner, Orator,
Mystic, Geomancer, Dragoon, Samurai, Arithmetician,
Dark Knight, Onion Knight
Special Jobs : Squire [Ramza], Squire [Delita], Fell Knight, Holy Knight,
Princess, Cleric, Game Hunter, Skyseer, Netherseer, Templar,
Sky Pirate, Sword Saint, Divine Knight, Ark Knight
With Ability : none
Purchased at: Trade Cities, Towns/Cities, Gariland
%%%ACCESSORIES%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00acc
---Shoes------------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: All except Mime and Dragonkin
Purchased at: Any
---Gauntlets--------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: All except Mime and Dragonkin
Purchased at: Any
---Rings------------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: All except Mime
Purchased at: Any
The Angel Ring starts you with a Reraise, but, unlike the Chantage, it only
gives you one Reraise per battle, and only if you START the battle equipped with
it. If you're KOed a second time or use Reequip, you won't Reraise.
---Armlets----------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: All except Mime
Purchased at: Any
---Cloaks-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: All except Mime and Dragonkin
Purchased at: Any
Note that cloaks, unlike shields, ARE effective against attacks from the rear
(and from all other directions too, of course).
---Perfumes---------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Women, Onion Knights (of either gender)
Purchased at: Never sold at the Outfitter
(Chantage rocks, the Reraise never disappears so you can just keep coming back
to life an infinite number of times!)
---Lip Rouge--------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Women, Onion Knights (of either gender)
Purchased at: Never sold at the Outfitter
%%%ITEMS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00item
---Potions----------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Chemist (Items)
Purchased at: Any
---Bombs------------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Ninja (Throw)
Purchased at: Trade Cities, Town/Cities, Gariland, Goug
---Stars------------------------------------------------------------------------
Used By: Ninja (Throw)
Purchased at: Trade Cities, Town/Cities
********************************************************************************
XI. FINDING ITEMS
********************************************************************************
Aside from buying and stealing items, another way to collect items is to
discover them on the battle maps using the Chemist's Treasure Hunter movement
ability.
Nearly every map in the single-player game has four treasure tiles. These tiles
aren't visibly marked, but if a character with Treasure Hunter stops on the
tile, you'll receive an item. Simply moving across a treasure tile has no
effect; you must END your move on the tile to find the Treasure Hunter item.
Almost all treasure tiles have two different items you can get: a more valuable
one and a less valuable one. Your odds of getting the "poor" item are the same
as your character's Bravery, so a LOW Bravery character is better for getting
the GOOD items. Once you claim either item, BOTH disappear for good, even if
you later return to the map. You can get only one!
Some battlefield, such as Mandalia Plain, become sites for random battles after
you clear them the first time. In this case, you may either get the treasures
in the initial battle there, or come back later for them. However, each
treasure tile may be used only once, no matter how many times you visit.
All of the coordinates are given relative to a particular corner. First, use
the tile height and terrain type information to identify which of the 4 corners
on the map is the reference corner. (You can view the terrain type information
by highlighting a tile with the cursor and then pressing the Select button.)
Now, tilt the analog stick on the PSP left or right. When you do this, the
screen will change perspective and you'll be looking at the battlefield from a
different angle. Keep doing this until the reference corner is at the bottom
of the screen.
You're now all set to find the treasure tiles. Start at the reference corner.
Then, use the LEFT and UP arrows on the D-pad to move the cursor the specified
number of spaces. For example, Left: 3, Up: 2 means 3 tiles to the left and 2
tiles up. The height and terrain type information will help you confirm that
This means that most Treasure Hunter items are actually just generic items that
you can buy at the Outfitter anyway, and aren't worth going out of your way to
collect.
But, a few maps have rare Treasure Hunter items that you can't buy in stores.
In some cases, these are the ONLY places you can find the item! These maps are:
> Mount Germinas: Invisibility Cloak
> Eagrose Castle: Healing Staff and Blood Sword
> Mount Bervenia: Materia Blade *
> Nelveska Temple: Javelin II, Escutcheon II, Sasuke's Blade, Nagnarok
(Note that the "bad" items are different here as well. The Javelin II and
Escutcheon II tiles have a regular Javelin and Escutcheon, and the other
two have Elixirs.)
> Dorvauldar Marsh: 4 Elixirs
> Mullonde Cathedral (outside): 3 Elixirs
> Mullonde Cathedral Nave: 4 Elixirs
> Every map in the final sequence of battles: 4 Elixirs *
> Every map in Midlight's Deep
See the appropriate battle strategies for the exact location of these items.
* These items are always obtained, regardless of Bravery!
An interesting side note about Treasure Hunter items: Almost every piece of
non-rare equipment appears on exactly one Treasure Hunter tile in the main
quest. In other words, if you picked up every "good" Treasure Hunter item in
the main storyline, you'd basically end up collecting 1 of every piece of
equipment that you can buy at the Outfitter. The only missing items are the
Kiyomori, Mirror Mail, Black Garb, Luminous Robe, and Red Shoes (and the
Kiyomori DOES appear in Midlight's Deep).
In Melee Mode, there are no Treasure Hunter items, but there ARE traps. Unless
traps are turned off in the battle settings, each player has the chance to
place a number of traps before the battle. (Traps can be placed either
manually or automatically, depending on the battle settings.) These include a
number of new traps that only appear in Melee Mode.
Your characters cannot spring traps that you placed, but they can still be
affected if they're standing in the effect radius when an enemy springs the
trap.
---Traps------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fortunately, traps are pretty rare. In the single-player game, the only maps
that have traps are the bonus dungeon and the four optional overworld
battlefields: Zeklaus Desert, Fovoham Windflats, Mount Bervenia, and Dorvauldar
Marsh. (Zeklaus Desert isn't actually optional in the PSP version, but it was
in the original PSone version.)
Traps can be turned On or Off for Melee Mode. Traps NEVER appear in Rendezvous
Mode.
---TYPES OF TRAPS---
There are a total of seven types of traps in the game, each with a different
effect.
Many traps have a different effect radius in single-player vs. Melee Mode:
> An effect radius of 1 affects only the unit who springs the trap.
> A trap with an effect radius of 3, when triggered, also hits all tiles at a
distance of up to 2 tiles away from the trap tile. (However, the trap still
only TRIGGERS if you step on the one particular trap tile.)
EFFECT RADIUS...
SINGLE-PLAYER MELEE MODE TRAP EFFECT
Degenerator 1 Doesn't appear Lowers character's
experience level by 1
Death Trap 1 1 Inflicts Doom status
Hypnogas 1 3 Inflicts Sleep status
Sten Needle 1 3 Inflicts HP damage equal to
20% of your max HP
Mine Doesn't appear 3 Does minor damage and
inflicts Oil status
Mossfungus Doesn't appear 3 Inflicts Poison status
Cursed Stone Doesn't appear 3 Inflicts Undead status
The level-down effect from the Degenerator trap can be used to boost your stats
by leveling down as a job with crummy stat growth and then leveling back up as
a job with good stat growth. For more on this strategy, see "Level-Downs and
Stat Grinding" under the Statistics and Leveling section.
%%%POACHED ITEMS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00poach
---About Poaching---------------------------------------------------------------
The Thief's Poach ability allows you to receive items when you KO monsters with
a physical attack. (This also has the nice side effect of removing the KOed
monster from the map, preventing it from being revived.) Luso's Game Hunter
job and the Byblos monster job also have the Poach ability as innate support
abilities.
Once you Poach a monster, you must visit the Poachers' Den (see below) in
Dorter, Warjilis, or Sal Ghidos to buy the item. These Dens do not appear until
Chapter III. But, if you poach monsters before the start of Chapter III,
you'll be able to buy the items as soon as you reach Chapter III.
You will not receive items from poaching monsters in the multiplayer modes.
Each monster can give you one of two items when you poach it:
> A COMMON item - 85% chance
> A RARE item - 15% chance (1 in 6 or 7)
See below for a list of the specific items you get from each monster.
Which item you get is determined at the time you poach the monsters, so saving
and reloading outside the Poachers' Den will not help you.
To acquire the items that you poached, you must visit the Poachers' Den in
Dorter, Warjilis, or Sal Ghidos and buy it. The Poachers' Dens are not
available until the start of Chapter III.
After you purchase a poached item, it disappears from the Poachers' Den
inventory. You'll have to poach the monster again to get a second copy.
To be allowed inside the Poachers' Den, you must first poach at least one
monster. After you've poached 1 monster, you will always be allowed to enter
the Poachers' Den. However, if you've bought up every item that you've
poached, the Den will have an empty inventory and there will be nothing for you
to buy. (But, you can still sell items to the den.) So go out and get
poaching!
One benefit of the Poachers' Den is that poached items cost only half their
usual retail price. But more importantly, you can poach many rare items that
you can NEVER buy at the Outfitter!
You can also use the Poachers' Den like a pawn shop. Any of your items that you
sell to the Poachers' Den get added to the store's inventory. You can then
later buy them back at the same price for which you sold them. So, if you need
quick cash, selling items to the Poachers' Den is a good way of making money.
You won't permanently lose any rare items and generic items will be cheaper to
re-buy. (Just keep in mind that you poach at least 1 monster before you can get
even inside the Poachers' Den.)
* indicates an item that can't be bought at the Outfitter -- but can also be
found other ways besides poaching
** indicates an item that can ONLY be obtained in the single-player game by
poaching
I've also listed a location where it's relatively easy to find the monster.
Most monsters show up in a number of different locations (see the Random Battles
section), but these locations are ones where they appear fairly frequently.
In most cases, you'll have to enter the wilderness area from a certain
direction. For example, Behemoths are more common at Dugeura Pass if you enter
from the east (i.e, Bervenia) than from another dot on the map.
Since the type of monsters you encounter at each area changes between Chapter
III and Chapter IV, I've listed a location for both chapters. (Prior to Chapter
III, the Poachers' Dens are not available.)
Areas marked MD: are floors of Midlight's Deep, the bonus dungeon.
---Tips on Poaching-------------------------------------------------------------
If you've got some spare spaces on your roster, you can also breed multiple
copies of the monster. Just walk between two blue dots on the map and the
monster will keep producing eggs. Dismiss the monsters you don't want to poach
and poach the ones you do. (You can also use the "Preview Monster Eggs" trick
described in the Monsters section of Basic Mechanics & Tactics to try to get
rid of eggs you don't want.) Always keep one copy of the monster in your roster
without poaching it and you'll have no problem breeding further copies. Items
that can be particularly useful to "farm" in this way include the hair
adornments, perfumes, and Rubber Suit.
Surprisingly, Rank II monsters are actually MORE likely than Rank III monsters
to give birth to Rank III monsters. So, if you want to breed multiple copies of
a Rank III monster, keep the Rank II monster on your roster and use THAT to
breed the Rank II monsters. (See the Monsters section for more information on
monster breeding.)
Don't worry, poaching your own monsters does NOT count as a Casualty on your
Chronicle screen.
The maximum roster size of 24 is just big enough to keep all 18 story characters
plus the 6 generic characters you start Chapter I with. So, if you want space
for all of these characters on your roster, you should do your recruiting and
poaching BEFORE you obtain all the story characters. If you want to breed &
poach, you'll need at LEAST two free spots: one for the original monster, and
one or more for the eggs.
%%%SHOP CHART%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00shop
The Outfitters in towns differ in the types of items and equipment they sell.
For example, one town will have Knives but not Crossbows; another will sell
Crossbows but not Knives.
There are actually only six different "catalogs" of item types available. The
Magick City of Gariland, Clockwork City of Goug, and Royal Capital of Lesalia
have unique catalogs. All the other towns can be divided into three types:
TRADE CITY:
Merchant City of Dorter
Port City of Warjilis
Trade City of Sal Ghidos
CASTLE:
Eagrose Castle
Lionel Castle
Riovanes Castle
Zeltennia Castle
Limberry Castle
TOWN:
Castled City of Zaland
Mining Town of Gollund
Walled City of Yardrow
Free City of Bervenia
Knight's Swords, Fell Swords, Hair Adornments, Perfumes, and Lip Rouge are never
available at the Outfitter.
* In addition to the item types listed above, Gariland also sells the
Broadsword, but no other swords.
Even after an item is "unlocked," it does not appear in every shop. Instead,
shops in different towns sell different types of items. See the list above to
see which exactly which locations sell which categories of items.
Some items NEVER become available in shops and can only be obtained by stealing,
poaching, the Treasure Hunter ability, or through the multiplayer missions.
Flame Mace Flail 4000 Castl/TrCity Atk: 11, 0% Parry, fire elemental,
Spell Effect: Fira
Germinas Boots Shoes 5000 Any Move +1, Jump +1
Jade Armlet Armlet 10000 Any Immune: Stone, Stop
Elven Cloak Cloak 8000 Any Phy.Evade: 25%, Mag.Evade: 25%
This is a list of where you can find all the items that are Not Sold In Stores.
Items marked with a # can only be found in the multiplayer modes.
Items not listed here can be bought at the Outfitter. See the Shops List above
for when these items become available. There is an unlimited supply of all shop
items.
---MULTIPLAYER PRIZES---
Many rare items can be won in Rendezvous Mode and/or Melee Mode, the game's
multiplayer modes. (Some items can ONLY be found in this way!) In general,
the items you win in these modes is determined by your characters' levels. The
earlier Rendezvous Mode missions also place a cap on the quality of item you
can obtain. You can start winning rare items in Littering and all later
missions, but the best items can only be won from the four missions that open
up after you complete the game.
Some items that can be missed in the single-player mode can still be found in
the multiplayer mode.
Items that can be missed if you only play the single-player game:
WEAPONS: Iga Blade, Rod of Faith, Zeus Mace, Staff of the Magi, Ras Algethi,
Perseus Bow
SHIELDS: Kaiser Shield, Venetian Shield, Escutcheon (II)
HEADGEAR: Grand Helm
ARMOR: Genji Armor, Maximillian, Ninja Gear, Mirage Vest, Lordly Robe
ACCESSORIES: Invisibility Cloak, Cursed Ring, Tynar Rouge
ABILITIES: Ultima, Zodiark
Items that appear to be truly missable and can't be found even in multiplayer:
WEAPONS: Rod of Faith, Zeus Mace, Staff of the Magi
SHIELDS: Escutcheon (II)
HEADGEAR: Grand Helm
ARMOR: Maximillian
ACCESSORIES: Cursed Ring, Tynar Rouge
---Weapons----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nagnarok [sword]:
- Found using Treasure Hunter at Nelveska Temple. It's inside the temple, in
the little nook where Construct 7 starts, at the far back of the nook. (See
the Nelveska Temple battle strategy under Subquest Battle Strategies for
more specific details.) This can only be done during the battle with
Construct 7 here in the Nelveska Temple subquest, as there are no later
battles at the Temple.
- Rare poach from Swine. Swine appear in random battles on Midlight's Deep
floor 10, Terminus, or very rarely at the west entrance of Dorvauldar Marsh.
Alternately, recruit a Pig earlier in the game (during the story battles at
Tchigolith Fenlands, Gollund Colliery Ridge, or Finnath Creek, or random
battles at the west entrance of Dorvauldar Marsh) and wait for it to breed a
Swine.
- Catch with Sticky Fingers from Lv. 95 enemy Ninjas. Ninjas may be more likely
to throw this weapon if you first inflict Confuse status on them.
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: No, poachable, catchable, and can be won in Rendezvous Mode.
Masamune [katana]:
- Stolen from one of the enemy Samurai during the second battle of the
Lionel's New Liege Lord subquest (Lionel Castle Oratory). It is only
available during the first phase of this battle, before you KO the boss.
- Catch with Sticky Fingers from Lv. 95 enemy Ninjas.
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: No, can be caught with Sticky Fingers and won in Rendezvous.
Chirijiraden [katana]:
- Found using Treasure Hunter on Midlight's Deep floor 10, Terminus.
- Catch with Sticky Fingers from enemy Ninjas of Lv. 96 to Lv. 99.
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: No, can be caught with Sticky Fingers and won in Rendezvous.
# Francisca [axe]:
- Won after battle in Melee Mode with sufficiently high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Unlimited in multiplayer; not available in single-player
# Nirvana [staff]:
- Won after battle in Melee Mode with sufficiently high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Unlimited in multiplayer; not available in single-player
# Dreamwaker [staff]:
- Can be won as a prize from completing the Nightmares mission in Rendezvous
Mode.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Unlimited in multiplayer; not available in single-player
# Vesper [flail]:
- Won after battle in Melee Mode with sufficiently high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Unlimited in multiplayer; not available in single-player
# Fomalhaut [gun]:
- Won after battle in Melee Mode with sufficiently high-level characters.
- Can be won as a prize from completing the Guarded Temple mission in
Rendezvous Mode.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Unlimited in multiplayer; not available in single-player
Blaster [gun]:
- Found using Treasure Hunter on Midlight's Deep floor 6, The Palings.
- Stolen from (or dropped in chests by) enemy Chemists in the special battle at
Mount Germinas, which occurs at low odds when you enter the mountain from
Sal Ghidos.
- Steal from Barich in the third battle of the Knights Templar mission in
Rendezvous Mode.
- Steal from Mustadio clone in the All-Star Melee mission in Rendezvous Mode.
- Won after battle in Melee Mode with sufficiently high-level characters.
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
- Stolen from enemy boss in Story Battle 56: Lost Halidom, but this is past
the point of no return to the world map.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: No, can always be stolen/dropped in random battles, or
won/stolen in Rendezvous Mode.
Stoneshooter [gun]:
- Steal from (or dropped in chests by) enemy Chemists during the rare "special"
random battle that sometimes occurs at the north entrance to Mount Germinas.
You can tell if the Chemist is carrying the gun because he/she will begin the
battle turned to stone. Use a Gold Needle, Remedy, or other ability to cure
Omnilex [book]:
- Rare poach from Greater Malboro. Greater Malboros are pretty rare, but you
can find them on Midlight's Deep floor 4, The Catacombs, or floor 8, The
Switchback, or by obtaining an Malboro and having it breed.
- Catch with Sticky Fingers from enemy Ninjas of Lv. 95 or above.
- Steal from Orlan in the sixth battle of the Brave Story mission in Rendezvous
Mode.
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: No, can be poached, caught, or won in Rendezvous Mode.
# Gungnir [polearm]:
- Can be won as a prize from completing the Nightmares mission in Rendezvous
Mode.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Unlimited in multiplayer; not available in single-player
---Shields----------------------------------------------------------------------
Kaiser Shield:
- Steal from one of the enemy Knights during the battle in the Disorder in the
Order subquest.
- Found using Treasure Hunter on Midlight's Deep floor 4, The Catacombs.
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Yes in single-player, but can be won in Rendezvous Mode.
Venetian Shield:
- Steal from one of the enemy Knights during the battle in the Disorder in the
Order subquest.
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Yes in single-player, but can be won in Rendezvous Mode.
# Genji Shield:
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Unlimited in multiplayer; not available in single-player
# Reverie Shield:
- Won after battle in Melee Mode with sufficiently high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Unlimited in multiplayer; not available in single-player
Escutcheon (II):
- Found using Treasure Hunter atop the right pillar during the Nelveska Temple.
You need to use Construct 8, Reis, or another large monster as a stepping-
stone to climb up on top of the pillar. You must get it during the battle
with Construct 7 here in the Nelveska Temple subquest, as there are no later
battles at the Temple. This is the ONLY place to find this shield in the
game!
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Yes.
# Onion Shield:
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Unlimited in multiplayer; not available in single-player
---Headgear---------------------------------------------------------------------
---Armor------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Received as a Battle Trophy from completing the first battle of the New
Liege Lord of Lionel Castle subquest, Lionel Castle Gate. Note that you
CANNOT start this quest if Mustadio, Beowulf, or Reis is killed or departs
the team and/or if you choose not to buy the flower from Aerith when you
first arrive in Sal Ghidos ... and, so, you would not be able to get the
armor in the single-player mode.
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Yes in single-player, but can be won in Rendezvous Mode.
Maximillian [armor]:
- Found using Treasure Hunter on Midlight's Deep floor 9, The Interstice.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: Yes.
---Accessories------------------------------------------------------------------
Chantage [perfume]:
- Steal from enemy boss during Story Battle 36: Bervenia.
- Steal from the enemy Mystic on the boss's left in the second battle of the
Lionel's New Liege Lord subquest, Lionel Castle Oratory. (Only available
during the first phase of this battle, before you KO the boss.)
- Common poach from Swine. Swines appear in random battles on Midlight's Deep
floor 10, Terminus, or very rarely from the west entrance of Dorvauldar Marsh.
Alternately, recruit a Pig earlier in the game (during the story battles at
Tchigolith Fenlands, Gollund Colliery Ridge, or Finnath Creek, or random
battles at the west entrance of Dorvauldar Marsh) and wait for it to breed a
Swine.
- Steal from Valmafra in the last battle of the Brave Story mission in
Rendezvous Mode.
- Won after battle in Melee Mode with sufficiently high-level characters.
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: No, can be poached, won/stolen in Rendezvous Mode, or won in
Melee Mode.
Cherche [perfume]:
- Common poach from Behemoth King. Behemoth Kings can be found in random
battles at Lake Poescas (either entrance). You can also poach or recruit a
Behemoth King earlier in the Chapter III story battle at Zeklaus Desert
(where you meet Luso), but they do NOT appear in random battles here.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: No, can be poached.
Sortile'ge [perfume]:
- Received from Beowulf for completing the Lionel's New Liege Lord subquest.
- Steal from the enemy Mystic on the boss's right in the second battle of the
Lionel's New Liege Lord subquest, Lionel Castle Oratory. (Only available
during the first phase of this battle, before you KO the boss.)
- Rare poach from Red Dragon. Red Dragons appear in random battles at Mount
Germinas (either entrance), and in Midlight's Deep on floors 8 (The
Switchback) and 10 (Terminus). (You'll have to defeat the boss on Terminus
before you can get into random battles there.) Earlier, you can also breed a
Red Dragon from a Blue Dragon, which can be found at the northwest entrance to
Grogh Heights.
- Won as a prize for completing missions in Rendezvous Mode with sufficiently
high-level characters.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: No, can be poached and won in Rendezvous Mode.
Septie`me [perfume]:
- Common poach from Greater Hydra. Greater Hydras are best found in random
battles on Midlight's Deep floor 10, Terminus, after you defeat the boss
there. They can also be found less frequently on floor 8, The Switchback.
- Steal from Rapha, Reis, and/or Meliadoul clone in the All-Star Melee mission
in Rendezvous Mode.
- Steal from Meliadoul in the ninth battle of the Brave Story mission in
Rendezvous Mode.
LIMITED SUPPLY?: No, can be poached or stolen in Rendezvous Mode.
---Items------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elixir [item]:
- 4 found using Treasure Hunter at Dorvauldar Marsh.
- 3 found using Treasure Hunter in Story Battle 50: Mullonde Cathedral
- 4 found using Treasure Hunter in Story Battle 51: Mullonde Cathedral Nave.
- Received as a Battle Trophy for completing Story Battle 52: Mullonde
Cathedral Sanctuary.
- Received using Treasure Hunter at Nelveska Temple, as the "bad" item in place
of the Nagnarok and Sasuke's Blade (i.e., if your Bravery is high).
- 14 found using Treasure Hunter at many locations in Midlight's Deep.
- Common poach from Greater Malboro. Greater Malboros are pretty rare, but you
can find them on Midlight's Deep floor 4, The Catacombs, or floor 8, The
Switchback, or by obtaining a Malboro and having it breed.
- 4 found using Treasure Hunter in EACH of the maps in the final sequence of
battles (i.e., beginning with Story Battle 53). Unlike most Treasure Hunter
treasures, you will receive these regardless of Bravery. Of course, since
they are past the point of no return to the world map, you will not be able to
save them permanently to your file.
- Won as a prize in Melee Mode with sufficiently high-level characters.
---Abilities--------------------------------------------------------------------
Zodiark [Summoner]:
- Learned by having Elidibus cast it on a Summoner during the initial battle on
the tenth floor of Midlight's Deep (Terminus), if the Summoner survives.
Each time this happens, you have a high (but not 100%) chance of learning the
spell; you may need to have Elidibus cast it on you more than once if you
don't learn it the first time. Use Mana Shield to survive the spell, or see
the battle strategy for this battle for additional tips.
- Learned from Elidibus in the Brave Story mission in Rendezvous Mode, via the
same procedure as above. You must successfully complete the mission to keep
the spell.
- Can be taught to other characters by first casting on an enemy Summoner, then
having the enemy Summoner cast it at the character whom you want to learn the
spell. Again, the target must be a Summoner when hit by the spell. (The
Catacombs, The Switchback, and The Interstice are all good places to find
enemy Summoners.)
MISSABLE?: Yes in single-player, if you don't learn it during the battle with
Elidibus. Not missable in Rendezvous Mode.
Rare weapons like the Excalibur and Whale Whisker can't be bought at the
Outfitter ... but there's a way to get an infinite supply of them!
Many weapons are thrown by high-level (90+) enemy Ninjas. If you equip these
Thief's Sticky Fingers reaction ability, you can catch the thrown weapons and
add them to your inventory.
In the single-player game, there are two pretty good places for placing enemy
Ninjas:
> Floor 9 of Midlight's Deep, The Interstice. One of the four enemy parties
here consists of Ninjas and Samurais. Kill off all the Samurais and you're
free to catch items. (It's also a good idea to put a sturdy character, like
a female with Chantage, on the Death Trap tile. That keeps the enemy Ninjas
from accidentally killing themselves with the trap.) Since the Ninja enemy
party only appears 25% of the time on The Interstice, it's not quite as nice
as the Littering mission.
> The special random battle at Araguay Woods. When entering Araguay Woods
from Dorter in Chapter IV, there's a chance you'll get into a battle against
1 female Ninja and 0-6 male Ninjas. The female Ninja is always 10 levels
ahead of the highest-level character on your roster, which means you can
start getting rare throws from her even when your own levels are only in the
80s.
The Araguay Woods battle contains exclusively Ninjas, but it's a little less
common than the battle in The Interstice. Either one works fine.
Remember, you must have someone on your OWN roster with an experience level of
90 or so before you'll see level 90+ enemy Ninjas. The one exception is the
female Ninja at Araguay Woods, who will be level 90+ as long as you have reached
at least level 80.
You CANNOT obtain weapons thrown by another human player in the multiplayer
modes. (You can still stop the throws with Sticky Fingers, but the weapons are
not added to your permanent inventory.)
In fact, at a given level, enemy Ninjas can throw only ONE weapon from each
type. For example, when a level 95 Ninja throws a polearm, it's ALWAYS a Holy
Lance. (Of course, they might also throw other TYPES of weapons.) If you're
looking for a specific item, you can use this to figure out exactly what level
of enemy Ninjas you need.
Below, I've listed what weapons enemy Ninjas will throw at each level. A *
indicates a weapon that can't be bought at the Outfitter.
Remember, most enemy Ninjas will NOT throw ALL weapon types at you. It depends
on what abilities they've learned.
Ninjas lower than lv. 90 will never throw rare weapons. And, aside from the
Defender and Scorpion Tail, most of the rare items don't actually come until the
Ninjas hit lv. 95.
Of course, this table has NO bearing on what YOU can throw. Experience level
has no effect on what weapons your own Ninjas are able to throw.
Unfortunately, you CANNOT use this trick to get weapon types that can't be
thrown, like rods and staves. Weapons exclusive to the multiplayer mode also
can't be obtained this way since they also can't be thrown.
So, the best strategy if you want to acquire a particular weapon is to look
for a Ninja that can throws the right weapon type. Then, adjust his/her level
until it matches what you want in the table above. For example, if you want an
Excalibur, find a Ninja that sometimes throws Knight's Swords. Then level up or
level down that Ninja until it is at level 96.
To LEVEL UP the enemy ninjas, let them land successful attacks on you. Chantage
(or any Reraise/healing ability, really) can be helpful in surviving repeated
attacks.
To LEVEL DOWN the enemy ninjas, bring a Mindflayer monster and have it stand
next to someone with the Beastmaster ability. This will allow the Mindflayer
to use its Level Drain ability, which reduces an enemy's level by 1. (You'll
only need the Mindflayer if the item you want is not thrown at level 99.)
The Nagnarok may be particularly tricky to get since it has low attack power and
even level 95 Ninjas may not throw it very often. One possible solution is to
first inflict the Confuse status on a level 95 Ninja (e.g. by using the Mystic's
Delirium or Beowulf's Confuse).
Reader Piers* reports that Ninjas are more apt to throw powerful weapons when
your HP is high. When you're low on HP, the Ninjas will just try to finish you
off with a throwing star/bomb or the Nagnarok. So, keep your HP if you want to
earn powerful weapons!
This is a quick list of story events and unique items that you can "miss" over
the course of the game, and what you need to do to make sure you're able to
see every story events and collect every item in the single-player mode. This
is just a quick list of key points; for a more detailed treatment, see the
corresponding walkthrough section.
---CHAPTER I--------------------------------------------------------------------
---CHAPTER II-------------------------------------------------------------------
* ESSENTIAL: At the very beginning of this chapter, you will be able to add
Alicia and Lavian to your roster. Add them to your roster, and do NOT let them
leave until you have completed the Agrias's Birthday sidequest in Chapter IV.
This means that you must not dismiss them, must not let them get turned into
crystals/chests, and must not let them abandon the party due to having a very
low Bravery or very high Faith. It's OK if they're temporarily KOed.
* NOT IMPORTANT: At this time, you will also be able to add Ladd to your
roster. Ladd is basically just a generic male human. He doesn't have any
special abilities and isn't needed for any sidequests. So, you can take him or
leave him as you want.
* GOOD IDEA: At the start of the story battle at Araguay Woods, you'll be given
a choice whether to help Boco. Choose the second option to avoid losing
Bravery. However, your choice here does not affect anything else.
* NOT IMPORTANT: After the Araguay Woods battle, you will be able to add Boco
the chocobo to your roster. Like Ladd, Boco isn't really special; he's just a
regular yellow Chocobo. (He does have a unique message when you press Select
and choose his name, but that's all.) So, you don't have to take him along.
* ESSENTIAL: After completing the story battle at the Clockwork City of Goug,
you will be able to add Mustadio to your roster. Mustadio is a unique story
character and is also needed for most of the sidequests in Chapter IV, so add
him to your roster and don't lose him. (As with the other essential characters,
it's fine if he's temporarily KOed as long as he doesn't die permanently.)
* ESSENTIAL: After the battle at Balias Swale, you will be able to add Agrias
to your roster. Agrias is another unique story character and is needed for two
sidequests in Chapter IV, so add her to your team.
---CHAPTER III------------------------------------------------------------------
* GOOD IDEA: When Alma joins the party, it's a good idea de-equip her Healing
Staff and Barette (as well as her Red Shoes) before you go to the Orbonne
Monastery. This is not *required* as both these items can be poached later:
the Healing Staff is a rare poach from Dryads and the Barette is a rare poach
from Red Chocobos.
* NOT IMPORTANT: During a story event, you will be asked whether or not you
have read the Scriptures of Germonique. Your response here has no bearing on
anything, so don't worry about it :)
* GOOD IDEA: The story battle at Zeklaus Desert features all three types of
behemoths. All three types of behemoth yield rare items when poached. So, you
may want to poach them, or recruit one or more onto your team (with Entice or
Tame) to breed more behemoths for poaching. However, it is not necessary to
poach/recruit them here as there are plenty of behemoths in random battles
later in the game.
* ESSENTIAL: After the battle at Zeklaus Desert, you will be able to add Luso
to your roster. This is your only opportunity to get this unique character on
your team, so add him. (Luso is not needed to unlock any other events,
though.)
* ESSENTIAL: At the very end of Chapter III, you will be given a chance to add
Rapha and Marach to your roster. Both are unique story characters and each has
different abilities, so sign them up. (They are not, however, very useful :P.)
---CHAPTER IV-------------------------------------------------------------------
* GOOD IDEA: As a general note, the maximum roster size of 24 is just big enough
to keep the 18 story characters (including Boco and Ladd) plus the 6 generic
characters you start Chapter I with. So, if you want to keep all those
characters, finish breeding monsters to poach BEFORE you fill up the last two
slots on your roster. On the other hand, Boco, Ladd, and the initial 6 generics
have no special characteristics and you don't miss anything if you delete them.
---Agrias's Birthday---
* ESSENTIAL: After completing the Agrias's Birthday sidequest, you will receive
the Tynar Rouge accessory. This is a one-of-a-kind item and cannot be
replaced, so don't throw it away, or let it get broken or stolen by an enemy.
After completing the Agrias's Birthday event, Alicia and Lavian are not
strictly needed for any other events, although they will appear in Disorder in
the Order if you still have them along.
---Gollund Colliery---
* ESSENTIAL: Near the beginning of this quest (at the Tavern in Lesalia),
Beowulf will ask you to team up. Choose the second option to agree to this.
Otherwise, Beowulf will leave and the quest cannot be completed.
* GOOD IDEA: In the third battle in this quest (Gollund Colliery Ridge), you
will encounter an enemy Pig. Entice or Tame the Pig so you can start breeding
monsters from the pig family. Some rare items can only be obtained by poaching
pig-family monsters -- including those from the Wild Boar monster, which can
ONLY be obtained by breeding! If you do miss the Pig here, though, you can get
others later.
* ESSENTIAL: After completing the last battle of this quest, Beowulf and Holy
Dragon Reis will offer to join your team. Both are unique story characters and
both are needed for later quests, so sign them up.
* ESSENTIAL: Upon return to the Clockwork City of Goug, Construct 8 will also
be offered as another character. Construct 8 is another unique character, so
recruit it.
After completing the story battle at the Free City of Bervenia, the Recruiting
Balthier sidequest is now available. It does not depend on any missable
factors.
* ESSENTIAL: Balthier's initial equipment includes the Ras Algethi gun and the
Mirage Vest body armor. Both of these are unique items in single-player, so,
again, don't throw them away or let them get broken. (Note that you must sign
up Balthier to get them.) It is possible to get additional guns and vests in
the multiplayer modes.
* GOOD IDEA: In the story battle at Beddha Sandwaste, you can steal a Glacial
Gun from Barich. This is a rare item that can't be bought in stores, but it's
not unique and you can get an infinite supply from random battles later.
* NOT IMPORTANT: At Fort Besselat, you'll have a choice of attacking either the
south wall or north wall. These are different battles, but neither has any
special items and you'll end up in the same place eventually, so it doesn't
matter which you choose.
* ESSENTIAL: When you first visit the Trade City of Sal Ghidos, you will see a
cutscene in which Aerith offers you a flower. Choose the SECOND option to buy
the flower. If you do not buy the flower, you will NOT be able to complete the
Nelveska Temple & Recruiting Cloud subquests, and there is only ONE chance to
get it!!
Once you have the flower, you can complete the Nelveska Temple sidequest if you
also finished the Gollund Colliery quest and still have Beowulf and Reis on
your team.
* GOOD IDEA: The Javelin II, Sasuke's Blade, and Nagnarok weapons can also be
found with Treasure Hunter and low Bravery here. These, however, are not
unique; Sasuke's Blade and the Javelin II can be caught from enemy Ninjas and
the Nagnarok can be poached from Swine.
* ESSENTIAL: After completing the events in this quest, Reis's new version will
offer to rejoin your party. She is another unique story character and needed
for the Lionel's New Liege Lord quest, so sign her up.
* GOOD IDEA: You may encounter another Pig in the story battle at Finnath
Creek. (It's random whether or not you'll see it.) If you missed the Pig in
the Gollund Colliery, try to recruit this one. If you don't get one here, you
can still find an infinite supply in Dorvauldar Marsh or the last floor of
Midlight's Deep.
* GOOD IDEA: At Limberry, you'll face a series of four battles. In the first
three battles, you'll want to learn Ultima by having one of the Assassins or
Ultima Demons cast it on either Ramza in his Squire job, or Luso in his Game
Hunter job. It is easiest by far to learn it in the first battle (at the
gate).
* NOT IMPORTANT: You can't steal Elmdore's equipment in this version of the
game, so don't even try.
* ESSENTIAL: After winning all the battles at Limberry, Meliadoul will offer to
join you. Sign her up; she is a unique character and is needed for another
couple story events.
* GOOD IDEA: Meliadoul comes with a Save The Queen sword. Again, the supply of
these is actually unlimited (since they can be caught from enemy Ninjas), but
keeping this one as a good idea!
* GOOD IDEA: Cloud's Materia Blade is found atop Mount Bervenia using Treasure
Hunter. Bravery is NOT important. Try to hang onto it since Cloud needs it
for his Limit command, but if you lose it, you CAN get more from enemy Ninjas.
* GOOD IDEA: In the aforementioned Dorter battle, you can steal a Dragon Rod
from Cletienne. This weapon can also be found as a rare poach from Blue
Dragons, but it's easiest to steal.
* GOOD IDEA: The boss at Eagrose has a Defender sword you can steal, if you
missed the one at Bervenia or want a second one. Again, there's actually an
unlimited supply of Defenders (from poaching Elder Treants), so you don't
*have* to get this one.
* GOOD IDEA: Once you get to Mullonde, you'll face a series of three battles.
In the first battle, the enemy Summoner has another Dragon Rod if you missed
the prior one.
* ESSENTIAL: For the second battle at Mullonde, deploy Meliadoul for some
additional mid-battle dialogue. (This is not needed to unlock anything else,
however.)
* ESSENTIAL: If you have not yet learned the Ultima spell, the third battle at
Mullonde is your last chance in the single-player mode to learn and keep it.
You'll get the magick if Ultima Demons cast it on either Ramza in his Squire
job, or Luso in his Game Hunter job.
Once you complete the battles at Mullonde, you will be able to complete the
last set of sidequests, as well as the last set of story battles. You must
still have Beowulf, Reis, and Agrias to complete this final set of sidequests.
must keep a separate save from BEFORE you went into the Monastery.
* ESSENTIAL: After completing the first battle of this quest, you will receive
the Genji Armor as a battle trophy. This is a unique item, so do not let get
it stolen or broken.
* GOOD IDEA: You can steal the Masamune from one of the enemy samurai in the
second battle of this quest. The Masamune can only be otherwise obtained by
catching it from enemy Ninjas (or winning it in Rendezvous Mode), so it's good
to get here. (Be careful using the Masamune for Iaido; if it breaks, you'll
need Sticky Fingers to get a replacement!)
* GOOD IDEA: You can also steal a Cachusha and Barette from the enemy Mystics
in the same battle. These are also available from poaching.
* ESSENTIAL: You will receive a Zeus Mace as a battle trophy after the second
battle. Keep it; this is one of only two in the game.
* ESSENTIAL: If you bring Orlandeau to the battle in this quest, you can see a
little extra dialogue. But, it's not needed for anything else.
* ESSENTIAL: In the battle in this quest, you can steal Venetian and Kaiser
Shields from the two Knights, and Ninja Gear from the enemy Monk. There is
only other one copy of each of these items in the single-player mode, so be
sure to snag them. (However, you can get an infinite supply in multiplayer.)
* GOOD IDEA: You can also steal a Sasuke's Blade, Barette, Blaze Gun, and
Glacial Gun in the same battle, although none of these are strictly necessary.
---Midlight's Deep---
All the floors of Midlight's Deep have items you can find with Treasure Hunter.
Again, a lower Bravery increases your chance is needed to get these items;
otherwise, you just get a Phoenix Down. If you get the Phoenix Down, the
"good" item disappears, even if you leave the battle and re-enter.
* GOOD IDEA: Good Treasure Hunter pickups on The Crevasse: Glacial Gun and
Blaze Gun. (Both also obtainable in random battles, however.)
* GOOD IDEA: Good Treasure Hunter pickups on The Stair: Save The Queen and
Blood Sword.
* ESSENTIAL: Treasure Hunter pickup on The Hollow: Zeus Mace. There are only
two of these available in the game; the other comes from the Lionel's New Liege
Lord quest.
* GOOD IDEA: Treasure Hunter pickup on The Hollow: Yoichi Bow.
* ESSENTIAL: Treasure Hunter pickup on The Oubliette: Iga Blade (the only one
in the single-player game)
* GOOD IDEA: Treasure Hunter pickup on The Oubliette: Excalibur.
* ESSENTIAL: Treasure Hunter pickup on The Palings: Cursed Ring. This is the
only one in the game, and also pretty much essential for completing one of the
Rendezvous Mode missions.
* ESSENTIAL: Treasure Hunter pickup on The Palings: Ninja Gear (1 of 2 in the
single-player game; the other from Disorder in the Order).
* GOOD IDEA: Treasure Hunter pickup on The Palings: Blaster gun.
* ESSENTIAL: Treasure Hunter pickup on The Crossing: Staff of the Magi (only
one in the game).
* GOOD IDEA: Treasure Hunter pickup on The Crossing: Koga Blade.
* ESSENTIAL: Treasure Hunter pickups on The Switchback: Perseus Bow and Lordly
Robe (both only available here in single-player, but can be found in
Rendezvous).
* GOOD IDEA: Treasure Hunter pickup on The Switchback: Excalibur.
* ESSENTIAL: The first time you enter floor 10 (Terminus), you'll fight a story
battle. This is your only chance to obtain the Zodiark summon in the single-
player game, by having it the boss cast it on a character using the Summoner
job. Use Mana Shield to survive the spell.
* ESSENTIAL: After defeating Elidibus, you will be able to sign up the Byblos.
This is a unique monster/character, so add it.
* GOOD IDEA: Treasure Hunter pickups on Terminus: Chaos Blade and Chirijiraden.
(Be careful using the Chirijiraden for Iaido; if it breaks, you'll have to
catch a replacement!)
********************************************************************************
XII. ERRANDS
********************************************************************************
--THE BASICS--
Errands are used to earn extra JP and gil. When you accept an errand at a
Tavern, you'll pay a small fee and can send 1-3 characters away on the errand.
The characters will be gone for the number of days you chose; during this time,
they can't fight or change jobs/equipment. When the number of days of the
errand has elapsed, return to the Tavern and choose Report. (It has to be at
the same town as where the Errand started.) When you click Report, you'll hear
whether or not the Errand was successful.
If the errand is successful, you'll earn some gil and the 1-3 characters sent
on the errand will gain some JP for their current job. Some errands pay quite
well and can net you more than 20,000 gil, while others pay less than it costs
Your current job, experience level, and sometimes your Bravery/Faith values also
play a small role in determining your pay; more details are below.
Only generic human characters, not monsters or special story characters, may be
sent on errands. Ladd, Alicia, and Lavian are considered generic characters
for this purpose.
See the Artefacts and Wonders section for a complete list of these.
If you don't complete an errand during the Chapter in which it first appears,
it will still be there in future chapters and you can always come back to it!
Some errands are not available until you complete other errands first.
There are also a few errands that are only available during specific months;
these appear at the bottom of the Errands list below.
--ERRAND STATUS--
Forget what Errands your characters are going? Open the menu on the map screen
and go to Chronicle -> Feats -> Present. That shows all the errands you're
currently working on, who's working on them, what town they're in, and how many
days remain.
--ABANDONING AN ERRAND--
If you need to quickly get back your deployed characters, you can go to a
Tavern in any town (it does not have to be the one from which they embarked)
and choose Recall Units.
After you choose Recall Units, the characters will give up on the errand and
head back home. After another day has passed (i.e., one move on the world map),
go to the Tavern from which you deployed the characters (this time, it MUST be
the same town) and choose Report to get them back. The errand will have ended
in failure, but the characters will be returned to your active roster, and you
can retry the errand next month.
Of course, since it takes 1-2 days to get your characters back even after doing
a Recall, there's no sense in abandoning an errand that only has 1-2 days left
to finish!
--MONTH-SPECIFIC ERRANDS--
Four errands (the Contest errands) can only be begun during particular months
of the Ivalician calendar, in addition to the other requirements.
However, if you miss one of these errands during its month, you can wait until
the calendar cycles around to the next year and you reach that month again.
These errands are worth doing if you can catch them, since they yield high
amounts of JP and gil!
The characters you deploy on an Errand (up to 3) work together to complete the
errand.
Success is NOT affected by the number of days you deploy the characters, nor is
it affected by a character's equipment, gender, Zodiac sign, current abilities,
or stats aside from Bravery and Faith.
(Note that you never actually *see* the Work Points number; the game calculates
it invisibly.)
---OUTCOME---
The Work Points from ALL the deployed characters are then summed up to determine
whether or not you complete the errand.
---CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE---
As you can see in the above chart, FAILUREs and EPIC FAILUREs greatly reduce the
JP and gil you earn from a job. They also prevent you from earning of the
special bonuses described below.
However, if you fail an errand, let the calendar advance to the next month and
the errand should re-appear in the Tavern, and you get another chance.
Note that failures really only tend to occur if ALL of the characters you send
are totally ill-suited for the errand. As long as you have at least one decent
character on the errand, you should succeed.
Although characters can sometimes fail an errand, no harm ever comes to the
characters. You cannot lose characters or items on an errand.
Some errands have a particular job (e.g. Chemist) designated as the "Skill
Saver" job. Deploying 1 or more characters in that job will give you a random
chance to turn a FAILURE/EPIC FAILURE into a SUCCESS regardless of the Work
Points you earned. (This is where the "The skills of the Archer were a great
boon to us!"-type messages appear.)
1 character has Skill Saver job : 61.00% chance to turn failure into SUCCESS
2 characters has Skill Saver job : 76.21% chance to turn failure into SUCCESS
3 characters has Skill Saver job : 97.02% chance to turn failure into SUCCESS
EXAMPLE: The Skill Saver job for "Lake Poescas Depths" is Samurai. If you
deploy 2 Samurai on the errand, you'll have a 76% chance of achieving a SUCCESS
on the errand even if you scored fewer than 99 Work Points.
Of course, if you score 99 or more Work Points on an errand, you always have a
100% chance of SUCCESS. The Skill Saver jobs only come into play if you would
otherwise get a FAILURE or EPIC FAILURE.
Skill Saver jobs do not directly increase the JP/gil you earn. Moreover, in
many cases, they aren't the jobs that will actually maximize your JP/gil intake!
So, you probably don't need to use them as it's pretty easy to get a SUCCESS on
most errands anyway.
But, just in case, the Skill Saver job for each errand is displayed in the
Errand List below. (Not all errands have one.)
---Work Points------------------------------------------------------------------
As noted above, the Work Points scored by each character determine whether or
not you succeed at the Errand, and how much gil/JP you earn as a result.
The Errand Types section below lists the Work Points earned by each job for
every errand type.
The Tavernmaster also gives hints about a good job for each errand. Whenever
you select an Errand, there's a random chance that the Tavernmaster will tell
you a clue about which job would be good for that errand, instead of his usual
dialogue. (e.g. "You'll need intimate knowledge of Mother Nature" for the
Geomancer). If you want, you can select, cancel, and re-select the errand until
you see the hint. Or, just look at my list below :)
The specific effects of these stats on your JP/gil award are below:
NO PREFERENCE: All characters score a flat +20 Work Points just for showing up
to errands with no Bravey/Faith preference.
Equipping the Rod of Faith has NO effect on your Faith for the purposes of
running errands; the Faith status from this weapon only applies in battle.
---EXPERIENCE LEVEL---
A character's experience level also affects how many Work Points he/she
contributes.
To make things extra confusing, the effects of experience level vary between
errands that prefer high Bravery, errands that prefer high Faith, and errands
that are neutral.
Generally speaking, moderate experience levels are best -- not too high, not too
low. But, these differences are generally fairly small.
---EXAMPLE---
Alicia, Lavian, and Ladd are deployed on the errand "Lorraide Mine."
Let's start with Alicia. According to the Errand Types charts in the next
section, we can see that her Knight job scores 15 Work Points on a Mining B job.
"Lorraide Mine" also prefers high Bravery and low Faith; Alicia's Bravery of 60
earns her 10 Work Points and her Faith of 30 earns her another 15 Work Points.
Alicia's level is 21; since this is a Bravery-based errand, that earns her an
Similar calculaions are made for Lavian and Ladd, who contribute 38 and 43 Work
Points, respectively. The three characters combine for a grand total of 131
Work Points, which easily exceeds the 99 Work Points needed for a SUCCESS. So,
this job's a SUCCESS! This's the way!
---Errand Payout----------------------------------------------------------------
When you complete an errand, each participating character will receive JP, and
you'll also earn some gil for the party.
Deploying more characters will earn you more gil since gil is earned on a
per-character basis.
JP and gil payouts are NOT affected by a character's equipment, gender, Zodiac
sign, current abilities, or stats aside from Bravery and Faith. Bravery, Faith,
experience level, and current job DO affect the payout indirectly through Work
Points.
---OVERTIME MULTIPLIER---
Your JP/gil earnings increase if you deploy characters for more than the minimum
number of days. This creates an "Overtime Multiplier" that multiplies the
amount of gil or JP you get:
EXAMPLE: The errand "Miner's Tale" allows you to deploy the characters anywhere
from 8 to 11 days. Deploying them for 10 days is 2 extra days, so your JP
intake will increase by 2% and your gil intake will increase by 1%.
If you're completing errands by just moving back and forth between blue dots
(i.e., where there are no random battles), it's not really much of a burden to
send your characters for more days. So, you should definitely send characters
for the max days, as it will increase your JP and gil haul!
But, note that there is *NO* benefit at all to deploying characters for just one
extra day. That's just a waste of a day!
Having the characters wait in the Tavern for extra days after you complete the
errand does not earn them any extra JP or gil. It only matters how days they're
actually ON the errand.
---BASE PAY---
Some errands just give you more gil or JP than others. This is one of the most
important factors. Some errands pay handsomely; others are a total rip-off!
---WORK POINTS---
The Work Points that each character contributes towards successfully completing
the errand also help determine your payout. (Work Points are described above.)
For gil, the TOTAL Work Points earned by the party is used.
For JP, each character earns JP based only on the Work Points that she/he
contributed. So, characters with the "right" job and Bravery & Faith values
will earn a little extra JP.
TIP: Using the best job actually only gets you a few extra JP and gil. So, in
most cases, it isn't worth changing jobs to one you don't normally use. Stick
with jobs for which the JP rewards will actually be useful! This is
particularly true for Mimes and Onion Knights -- earning JP with these jobs is
pretty silly as they have no abilities to buy.
---BONUSES---
Achieving a SUCCESS on an errand earns your team one of several kinds of
bonuses, listed below. The kind of bonus you receive is always the SAME for a
given errand; I've listed the bonus for each errand in the Errand List section
below. Generally, it varies by the type of errand -- exploration-type errands
give you Wonders, combat-type errands usually give you Gil Bags, etc.
No bonus is awarded for a FAILURE or EPIC FAILURE, but you can always retry the
errand in that case.
Each bonus category comes in three tiers that award different amounts of JP and
gil. It's RANDOM which tier you are awarded; your stats have nothing to do with
this. A Tier 1 bonus is received 50% of the time for a SUCCESS, a Tier 2 bonus
is received 40% of the time, and Tier 3 is received 10% of the time.
This additional JP and gil is rolled into the total awarded -- you won't see it
displayed separately.
EXAMPLE: For the "Ore" bonus, you'll randomly receive either iron ore (Tier 1),
mythril ore (Tier 2), or adamantite (Tier 3, the rarest). Receiving iron ore
awards 400 extra gil to the party and 10 extra JP to each character. Mythril
ore nets you 3500 gil and 30 extra JP to each character, and so forth.
# The amount of JP and gil received for an Artefact depends on which type of
errand you got it from:
Combat/Investg. : +30 JP and +400 gil
Contests : +10 JP and +5500 gil
Mining : +40 JP and +2000 gil
Odd Jobs/Rescue : +30 JP and +3500 gil
Salvage : +40 JP and +400 gil
The four Contest jobs offer the biggest possible bonuses. Mining jobs can also
yield pretty big gil bonuses if you get mythril (Tier 2) or adamantite (Tier 3)
ore.
The specific tier of bonus you receive isn't determined until your characters
actually report the job. So, if you want, you can save right before you choose
the job report, report the job, and reload your save if you don't get a Tier 2
or Tier 3 bonus (though this is a really inefficient way to gain JP/gil).
If you earned an Overtime Multiplier (above), that DOES multiply the effect of
the Bonus on JP, but DOES NOT increase the Bonus effect on Gil.
---EXAMPLE---
Let's continue the above example, with Alicia, Lavian, and Ladd succeeding at
the "Lorraide Mine" errand. This errand yields an Ore bonus; we'll say they
were randomly awarded the Tier 2 Ore bonus (mythril ore).
"Lorraide Mine" has a base JP of 40. This is added to Alicia's 50 Work Points
and the 30 JP bonus for finding the Tier 2 Ore, for a total of 120.
Then, the Overtime Multiplier kicks in. "Lorraide Mine" can be undertaken for
10 to 14 days; we'll say Alicia's team was deployed for the maximum 14. That's
4 days above the minimum, so the Overtime Multiplier for JP is 1.08. Alicia's
120 points multiplied by 1.08 is 129 (rounded down), so Alicia earns 129 JP.
As for gil:
BASE GIL TOTAL WORK PTS | OT MULT | BONUS | GIL EARNED
------------------------------------------------------------
Team 150 131 | 1.05 | 3500 | 3795
The team scored 131 Work Points in total, and the base pay for "Lorraide Mine"
is 150. This sums to 281.
The team was deployed for 4 extra days, so the Overtime Multiplier for gil
is 1.05. 281 x 1.05 = 295.
Finally, the gil bonus for tier 2 ore is 3500. That totals to 3795 gil earned
on this errand.
---FEATS---
Completing each errand also adds a short story about the errand to your
Chronicle screen. These stories tell a little bit more information about what
happened in the errand (more than what you get in the initial report).
None of these stories contain information that's needed to complete the game.
They're just for fun.
You can view these stories under Chronicle -> Feats. The Feat title for each
errand is DIFFERENT from the name of the errand itself. But, I've listened the
Feat title that corresponds to each errand in the Errand List below.
The 96 Errands in the game can be divided into 20 errand "types." For each
errand type, different character jobs will earn more or less Work Points and
hence more JP or gil.
Below, I've listed each errand type and how all the jobs stack up for that
errand type.
---Salvage Errands--------------------------------------------------------------
--SALVAGE N--
WORK PTS JOB
30 Mime
20 Time Mage, Geomancer, Arithmetician
18 Squire, Thief
15 Chemist, Knight, Monk
12 Archer
10 White Mage, Black Mage, Summoner, Orator, Mystic,
Ninja, Bard, Dancer, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
7 Dragoon
5 Samurai
Salvage N errands are neutral with respect to Bravery and Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
Stolen Tomes [Gariland] The Dawn Queen [Lionel]
Mesa's Legacy [Goug] Salvage Work [Yardrow]
Salvage Expedition [Lesalia] Zaland Embassy Antiques [Zaland]
Lionel Emissary [Lionel]
--SALVAGE B--
WORK PTS JOB
20 Monk, Knight
18 Squire
15 Time Mage, Geomancer, Ninja, Arithmetician
13 Thief
12 Dragoon
10 Chemist, Samurai, Mime
7 Archer
5 White Mage, Black Mage, Summoner, Mystic, Bard,
Dancer, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
0 Orator
Salvage B errands prefer HIGH Bravery and LOW Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
The Durga [Goug] The Falcon [Yardrow]
Diving Expedition [Yardrow] Dredge Work [Zeltennia]
--SALVAGE F--
WORK PTS JOB
---Mining Errands---------------------------------------------------------------
--MINING N--
WORK PTS JOB
30 Mime
20 Geomancer
18 Squire, Thief
15 Chemist, Monk, White Mage, Mystic
12 Archer
10 Knight, Black Mage, Time Mage, Summoner, Orator, Samurai, Ninja,
Arithmetician, Dancer, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
7 Dragoon
Mining N errands are neutral with respect to Bravery and Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
Endless Caverns [Bervenia] Death's Gorge [Sal Ghidos]
Miner's Tale [Gariland] Himca Cliffs [Sal Ghidos]
Miner's Dream [Gollund] Ore of the Gods [Sal Ghidos]
Miner Shortage [Goug] Coal Mining Expedition [Yardrow]
Abandoned Mine [Lesalia] Second Coal Mining Expedition [Yardrow]
--MINING B--
WORK PTS JOB
20 Monk
18 Squire
15 Knight, Geomancer, Samurai, Ninja
13 Thief
12 Dragoon
10 Chemist, White Mage, Mystic, Mime
7 Archer
5 Black Mage, Time Mage, Summoner, Arithmetician,
Bard, Dancer, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
0 Orator
Mining B errands prefer HIGH Bravery and LOW Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
Past Glory [Bervenia] More Coal Miners Wanted [Gollund]
Mount Gulg Mother Lode [Eagrose] Old Toppa's Will [Gollund]
Coal Miners Wanted [Gollund] Lorraide Mine [Zaland]
---Exploration Errands----------------------------------------------------------
--EXPLORATION N--
WORK PTS JOB
25 Archer
20 Black Mage, Geomancer, Mime
18 Squire
15 Knight, Thief, Mystic, Dragoon, Arithmetician, Dancer
--EXPLORATION B--
WORK PTS JOB
20 Knight, Archer, Dragoon
18 Squire
15 Monk, Black Mage, Geomancer, Ninja
10 Thief, Mystic, Arithmetician, Dancer
7 Samurai
5 Chemist, White Mage, Time Mage, Summoner,
Bard, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
0 Mime, Orator
Exploration B errands prefer HIGH Bravery and LOW Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
Lake Poescas Depths [Limberry] Rain-Swept Slopes [Warjilis]
--EXPLORATION F--
WORK PTS JOB
25 Black Mage, Geomancer
20 Mystic, Arithmetician
18 Squire
15 Chemist, Archer, White Mage, Time Mage, Summoner
12 Samurai
10 Knight, Dragoon, Ninja, Dancer
5 Monk, Thief, Orator, Bard, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
0 Mime
Exploration F errands prefer LOW Bravery and HIGH Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
Fenland Mystery [Lionel]
---Combat Errands---------------------------------------------------------------
--COMBAT N--
WORK PTS JOB
25 Ninja
20 Knight, Monk, Dragoon, Mime
18 Squire, Thief
15 Archer, Summoner, Samurai, Bard, Dancer
10 Chemist, White Mage, Black Mage, Time Mage, Orator,
Arithmetician, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
7 Mystic
5 Geomancer
Combat N errands are neutral with respect to Bravery and Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
Count Minimas (3) [Dorter] Twilight Gustkov [Gollund]
Metamorphosed Misery [Eagrose] Fia's Wish [Riovanes]
--COMBAT B--
WORK PTS JOB
30 Ninja
--COMBAT F--
WORK PTS JOB
25 Samurai, Ninja
20 Summoner
18 Squire
15 Chemist, Knight, Monk, White Mage, Black Mage,
Time Mage, Dragoon, Arithmetician
12 Mystic
10 Geomancer, Bard, Dancer
8 Thief
5 Archer, Orator, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
0 Mime
Combat F errands prefer LOW Bravery and HIGH Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
Bandits [Dorter] Zerro's Challenge [Lionel]
Hellspawned Beast [Eagrose] In the Darkness [Warjilis]
Terror's Maw [Gollund]
---Rescue Errands---------------------------------------------------------------
--RESCUE N--
WORK PTS JOB
25 Orator
20 Thief, Bard, Dancer, Mime
18 Squire
15 Archer, Mystic
10 Chemist, White Mage, Summoner, Dragoon, Ninja,
Arithmetician, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
7 Knight, Monk, Black Mage, Time Mage
5 Geomancer, Samurai
Rescue N errands are neutral with respect to Bravery and Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
Ducal Disaster [Lesalia] My Little Carrot [Lionel]
Father's Nightmare [Lionel] Missing Boy [Zeltennia]
---Investigation Errands--------------------------------------------------------
--INVESTIGATION N--
WORK PTS JOB
25 Orator
20 White Mage, Mime
18 Squire
15 Archer, Thief, Geomancer, Arithmetician, Bard, Dancer
13 Time Mage
--INVESTIGATION B--
WORK PTS JOB
18 Squire
15 White Mage, Orator, Dragoon, Ninja
12 Knight, Monk
10 Archer, Thief, Geomancer, Samurai, Arithmetician,
Dancer, Bard
8 Time Mage
5 Chemist, Mystic, Summoner, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
2 Black Mage
0 Mime
Investigation B errands prefer HIGH Bravery and LOW Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
Secret Society [Riovanes]
---Contest Errands--------------------------------------------------------------
--CONTEST N--
WORK PTS JOB
30 Mime
20 Knight, Monk, Dragoon, Ninja
18 Squire
15 Archer, Time Mage, Thief, Orator, Samurai, Bard
10 Chemist, White Mage, Black Mage, Summoner, Mystic,
Arithmetician, Dancer, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
5 Geomancer
Contest N errands are neutral with respect to Bravery and Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
Arteficer's Contest [Goug]
--CONTEST B--
WORK PTS JOB
25 Knight, Monk, Dragoon, Ninja
20 Samurai
18 Squire
10 Archer, Time Mage, Thief, Bard, Mime
5 Chemist, Mystic, White Mage, Black Mage, Summoner, Orator,
Arithmetician, Dancer, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
0 Geomancer
Contest B errands prefer HIGH Bravery and LOW Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
The Yardrow Melee [Yardrow] The Zaland Melee [Zaland]
--CONTEST F--
WORK PTS JOB
25 Samurai
20 Time Mage, Ninja
18 Squire
15 Chemist, Knight, Monk, White Mage, Black Mage,
Summoner, Mystic, Dragoon, Arithmetician
10 Orator, Geomancer, Bard, Mime
5 Archer, Thief, Dancer, Dark Knight, Onion Knight
Contest F errands prefer LOW Bravery and HIGH Faith.
ERRANDS OF THIS TYPE:
The Gariland Magick Melee [Gariland]
%%%ERRAND LIST%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00err2
Below you'll find a complete list of all the errands in the game, sorted by when
they become available.
Most errands simply open up as you move forward through the game. A few errands
also only appear during certain months of the year, or require that you complete
another errand first.
"Errand Type:" indicates the category of errand -- such as mining, combat, etc.
This determines which jobs are good or bad for the errand. I've listed just
the best job here, and you can check the Errand Types & Preferred Jobs section
above for the complete list. (Where Mime is the best job, I've listed the next-
best job instead, since it's kinda pointless to earn JP using the Mime job ;) .)
"Bonus:" indicates the type of bonus received. See "General Information About
Errands" above for what this means.
"Bravery/Faith:" indicates whether the job has any kind of Bravery or Faith
preference. If your characters' Bravery or Faith values match the jobs'
preferences, they'll gain a little more JP and gil. See "General Information
About Errands" above for specific details.
"Approximate reward:" is a measure of ABOUT how much gil and JP you can expect
to earn from the job IF you send 3 characters for the maximum possible days.
Depending on your job/stats and the Bonus tier you get (see General Information
About Errands), your actual payout may be more or less.
---Chapter II Errands-----------------------------------------------------------
Bandits
Location : Dorter Base JP : 80 Errand Type : Combat F
Cost : 3100 gil Base Gil : 4500 Best Job : Samurai/Ninja
Days : 11-13 Bonus : Gil C Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 137 JP, 14400 gil Skill Save Job: Time Mage
Feat title : "Lilith's Libation"
Shoreline Defense
Location : Gariland Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Investigation N
Cost : 3050 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Orator
Days : 8-9 Bonus : Reward S Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 94 JP, 11114 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Message in a Bottle"
Miner's Tale
Location : Gariland Base JP : 50 Errand Type : Mining N
Cost : 600 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Geomancer
Days : 8-11 Bonus : Ore Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 108 JP, 2726 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Miner's Tears"
The Hindenburg
Location : Zaland Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Salvage F
Cost : 100 gil Base Gil : 5500 Best Job : T.Mage/Geo./Arith.
Days : 8-15 Bonus : Gil S Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 108 JP, 23029 gil Skill Save Job: Mystic
Feat title : "Raising the Hindenburg"
My Little Carrot
Location : Lionel Base JP : 20 Errand Type : Rescue N
Cost : 100 gil Base Gil : 4500 Best Job : Orator
Days : 15-16 Bonus : Reward L Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 74 JP, 14749 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Call of the Wild"
Miner Shortage
Location : Goug Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Mining N
Cost : 100 gil Base Gil : 5500 Best Job : Geomancer
Days : 7-9 Bonus : Ore Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 96 JP, 18915 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Orra Mine"
Artificers' Contest
TO UNLOCK: Month of Sagittarius
Location : Goug Base JP : 120 Errand Type : Contest N
Cost : 0 gil Base Gil : 5500 Best Job : Kni./Monk/Drag./Nin.
Days : 14-16 Bonus : Prize M. Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 250 JP, 20865 gil Skill Save Job: Squire
Feat title : "The Arteficers' Contest"
The Highwind
Location : Warjilis Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Salvage F
Cost : 1050 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : T.Mage/Geo./Arith.
Days : 5-8 Bonus : Gil S Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 98 JP, 12579 gil Skill Save Job: Mystic
Feat title : "The Salvage of the Highwind"
Frontier Marathon
Location : Dorter Base JP : 100 Errand Type : Exploration N
Cost : 0 gil Base Gil : 5500 Best Job : Archer
Days : 14-16 Bonus : Wonder Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 156 JP, 21265 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Frontier Marathon"
Stolen Tomes
Location : Gariland Base JP : 50 Errand Type : Salvage N
Cost : 11000 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : T.Mage/Geo./Arith.
Days : 12-16 Bonus : Gil S Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 112 JP, 2026 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Swallowed by the Sea"
Minstrel in Distress
Location : Eagrose Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Odd Jobs F
Cost : 50 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Chemist
Days : 13-16 Bonus : Gil O Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 98 JP, 1216 gil Skill Save Job: Thief
Feat title : "Revived Talent"
Lorraide Mine
Location : Zaland Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Mining B
Cost : 1100 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Monk
Days : 10-14 Bonus : Ore Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 102 JP, 2726 gil Skill Save Job: Dragoon
Feat title : "Ghost of the Mine"
Zerro's Challenge
Location : Lionel Base JP : 80 Errand Type : Combat B
Cost : 50 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Ninja
Days : 8-9 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 143 JP, 10999 gil Skill Save Job: Chemist
Feat title : "Left Behind"
Mesa's Legacy
Location : Goug Base JP : 20 Errand Type : Salvage N
Cost : 10000 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : T.Mage/Geo./Arith.
Days : 10-13 Bonus : nothing Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 55 JP, 576 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "The Hero-King of Legend"
Clockwork Faire
Location : Goug Base JP : 30 Errand Type : Odd Jobs N
Cost : 100 gil Base Gil : 600 Best Job : Thief/Orator
Days : 11-13 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 95 JP, 5418 gil Skill Save Job: Squire
Feat title : "The Clockwork Faire"
Merchant's Regret
Location : Warjilis Base JP : 50 Errand Type : Exploration N
Cost : 2000 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Archer
Days : 14-15 Bonus : Wonder Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 103 JP, 5049 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Merchant's Regret"
Salvage Expedition
Location : Lesalia Base JP : 10 Errand Type : Salvage N
Cost : 3000 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : T.Mage/Geo./Arith.
Days : 10-14 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 90 JP, 976 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Salvage Expedition"
Abandoned Mine
Location : Lesalia Base JP : 10 Errand Type : Mining N
Cost : 1000 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Geomancer
Days : 10-14 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 90 JP, 2576 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Abandoned Mine"
Guard Duty
Location : Eagrose Base JP : 80 Errand Type : Odd Jobs F
Cost : 2000 gil Base Gil : 4500 Best Job : Chemist
Days : 11-13 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 146 JP, 17235 gil Skill Save Job: White Mage
Fenland Mystery
Location : Lionel Base JP : 30 Errand Type : Exploration F
Cost : 1100 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Black Mage/Geom.
Days : 13-14 Bonus : Wonder Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 83 JP, 5049 gil Skill Save Job: Thief
Feat title : "Blossoming Hope"
Diving Expedition
Location : Yardrow Base JP : 10 Errand Type : Salvage B
Cost : 5000 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Knight/Monk
Days : 10-14 Bonus : Gil S Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 69 JP, 2026 gil Skill Save Job: Archer
Feat title : "Diving Expedition"
---Chapter IV Errands-----------------------------------------------------------
Gleddia Isle
Location : Riovanes Base JP : 30 Errand Type : Salvage F
Cost : 4000 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : T.Mage/Geo./Arith.
Days : 9-11 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 105 JP, 954 gil Skill Save Job: Mystic
Feat title : "Gleddia Isle Shoals"
Foundered Vessel
TO UNLOCK: Complete "Gleddia Isle"
Location : Riovanes Base JP : 50 Errand Type : Salvage F
Cost : 0 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : T.Mage/Geo./Arith.
Days : 8-13 Bonus : Gil S Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 114 JP, 13109 gil Skill Save Job: Mystic
Feat title : "Merchant Ship"
Fia's Wish
Location : Riovanes Base JP : 100 Errand Type : Combat N
Cost : 3000 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Ninja
Secret Society
Location : Riovanes Base JP : 10 Errand Type : Investigation B
Cost : 600 gil Base Gil : 2000 Best Job : Squire
Days : 2-3 Bonus : nothing Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 43 JP, 6099 gil Skill Save Job: Samurai
Feat title : "The Informant"
Lettre d'amour
Location : Riovanes Base JP : 20 Errand Type : Odd Jobs N
Cost : 0 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Thief/Orator
Days : 10-12 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 85 JP, 4054 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "The Spoony Bard"
Hellspawned Beast
Location : Eagrose Base JP : 80 Errand Type : Combat F
Cost : 1000 gil Base Gil : 2000 Best Job : Samurai/Ninja
Days : 14-15 Bonus : nothing Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 113 JP, 6099 gil Skill Save Job: Monk
Feat title : "Hilltop Estate"
Metamorphosed Misery
TO UNLOCK: Complete "Hellspawned Beast"
Location : Eagrose Base JP : 50 Errand Type : Combat N
Cost : 1100 gil Base Gil : 2000 Best Job : Ninja
Days : 15-16 Bonus : nothing Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 83 JP, 6099 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Pitiable Monster"
Father's Nightmare
Location : Lionel Base JP : 100 Errand Type : Rescue N
Cost : 1500 gil Base Gil : 5500 Best Job : Orator
Days : 15-16 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 163 JP, 20099 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Cornelia's Rescue"
The Durga
Location : Goug Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Salvage B
Cost : 100 gil Base Gil : 4500 Best Job : Knight/Monk
Days : 11-14 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 118 JP, 14679 gil Skill Save Job: Chemist
Feat title : "The Salvage of the Durga"
Rain-Swept Slopes
Location : Warjilis Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Exploration B
Cost : 600 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Knight/Arch./Drag.
Days : 13-16 Bonus : Wonder Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 97 JP, 5076 gil Skill Save Job: Samurai
Feat title : "Amidst the Mists"
True Romance
TO UNLOCK: Complete "Lettre d'amour" at Riovanes Castle
Location : Warjilis Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Odd Jobs N
Cost : 0 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Thief/Orator
Days : 8-12 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 111 JP, 4076 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Ode to Joy"
In the Darkness
Location : Warjilis Base JP : 100 Errand Type : Combat F
Cost : 1500 gil Base Gil : 4500 Best Job : Samurai/Ninja
Days : 12-14 Bonus : Gil C Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 157 JP, 14400 gil Skill Save Job: Monk
Feat title : "Whisperweed Blossom"
Frontier Expedition
Location : Lesalia Base JP : 10 Errand Type : Exploration N
Cost : 5000 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Archer
Days : 10-14 Bonus : Wonder Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 68 JP, 5076 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Frontier Expedition"
The Falcon
Location : Yardrow Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Salvage B
Cost : 3500 gil Base Gil : 600 Best Job : Knight/Monk
Days : 7-9 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 115 JP, 2318 gil Skill Save Job: Archer
Feat title : "The Foundered Falcon"
Endless Caverns
Location : Bervenia Base JP : 20 Errand Type : Mining N
Cost : 8000 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Geomancer
Days : 12-14 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 95 JP, 2554 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "There and Back Again"
Past Glory
Location : Bervenia Base JP : 80 Errand Type : Mining B
Cost : 500 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Monk
Days : 7-15 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 184 JP, 2769 gil Skill Save Job: Geomancer
Feat title : "Past Glory"
Beddha Sandwaste
Location : Bervenia Base JP : 50 Errand Type : Exploration N
Cost : 550 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Archer
Days : 11-15 Bonus : Wonder Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 111 JP, 5076 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Son of a Sandworm"
Adventurers Wanted
Location : Bervenia Base JP : 80 Errand Type : Exploration N
Cost : 100 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Archer
Days : 8-12 Bonus : Wonder Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 144 JP, 15629 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "The Vaschons"
Rhana Strait
Location : Zeltennia Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Salvage F
Cost : 3100 gil Base Gil : 400 Best Job : T.Mage/Geo./Arith.
Days : 9-13 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 122 JP, 1764 gil Skill Save Job: Black Mage
Feat title : "The Enterprise"
Zerro Strikes
TO UNLOCK: Complete "Zerro's Challenge" at Lionel Castle
Location : Zeltennia Base JP : 80 Errand Type : Combat B
Cost : 100 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Ninja
Days : 8-9 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 143 JP, 10999 gil Skill Save Job: Chemist
Feat title : "Zerro's Mark"
Nightwalker
Location : Zeltennia Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Investigation N
Cost : 3050 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Orator
Days : 8-12 Bonus : Reward S Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 102 JP, 11644 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Umbral Prison"
Zerro's Return
TO UNLOCK: Complete "Zerro Strikes" at Zeltennia Castle
Location : Lesalia Base JP : 80 Errand Type : Combat B
Cost : 500 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Ninja
Days : 8-9 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 143 JP, 10999 gil Skill Save Job: Chemist
Feat title : "Zerro's Return"
Himca Cliffs
Location : Sal Ghidos Base JP : 30 Errand Type : Mining N
Cost : 1500 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Geomancer
Days : 8-12 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 111 JP, 2576 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Beyond the Cliffs"
Cellar Dungeon
Location : Limberry Base JP : 100 Errand Type : Exploration N
Cost : 3000 gil Base Gil : 4500 Best Job : Archer
Days : 11-13 Bonus : Wonder Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 156 JP, 18235 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Ancient Labyrinth"
Uninvited Guests
Location : Limberry Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Investigation N
Cost : 3050 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Orator
Days : 8-13 Bonus : Reward S Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 103 JP, 12174 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "The Golem"
Gysahl Greens
Location : Limberry Base JP : 80 Errand Type : Odd Jobs B
Cost : 100 gil Base Gil : 2000 Best Job : Thief
Days : 2-4 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 146 JP, 9660 gil Skill Save Job: Archer
Feat title : "Gysahl Greens"
Ancient Wonder
Location : Eagrose Base JP : 100 Errand Type : Exploration N
Cost : 200 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Archer
Days : 13-14 Bonus : Wonder Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 153 JP, 15099 gil Skill Save Job: Knight
Feat title : "Upon the Plateau"
Cattedona
Location : Zaland Base JP : 20 Errand Type : Odd Jobs F
Cost : 500 gil Base Gil : 1500 Best Job : Chemist
Days : 14-15 Bonus : Gil O Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 74 JP, 5239 gil Skill Save Job: Thief
Feat title : "Chat-tedona"
Lionel Emissary
Location : Lionel Base JP : 30 Errand Type : Salvage N
Twilight Gustkov
Location : Gollund Base JP : 100 Errand Type : Combat N
Cost : 1000 gil Base Gil : 5500 Best Job : Ninja
Days : 14-15 Bonus : Gil C Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 154 JP, 17264 gil Skill Save Job: Summoner
Feat title : "The Wyverns"
Terror's Maw
Location : Gollund Base JP : 80 Errand Type : Combat F
Cost : 1500 gil Base Gil : 4500 Best Job : Samurai/Ninja
Days : 13-14 Bonus : Gil C Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 134 JP, 14264 gil Skill Save Job: White Mage
Feat title : "The Cave Mimic"
Miner's Dream
TO UNLOCK: Complete "Terror's Maw"
Location : Gollund Base JP : 30 Errand Type : Mining N
Cost : 150 gil Base Gil : 600 Best Job : Geomancer
Days : 12-14 Bonus : Ore Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 86 JP, 4068 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Obstacle to Success"
Ducal Disaster
Location : Lesalia Base JP : 50 Errand Type : Rescue N
Cost : 6000 gil Base Gil : 5500 Best Job : Orator
Days : 15-16 Bonus : Reward L Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 104 JP, 17749 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "The Rescue of Young Lord Pappal"
Salvage Work
Location : Yardrow Base JP : 20 Errand Type : Salvage N
Cost : 0 gil Base Gil : 4500 Best Job : T.Mage/Geo./Arith.
Days : 9-14 Bonus : Gil S Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 81 JP, 16409 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "False Advertising"
Historic Revolt
Location : Riovanes Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Investigation N
Cost : 3050 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Orator
Days : 8-10 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 105 JP, 11105 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Final Protest"
Tutoring
Location : Riovanes Base JP : 100 Errand Type : Odd Jobs F
Cost : 200 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Chemist
Days : 8-12 Bonus : Gil O Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 166 JP, 11769 gil Skill Save Job: White Mage
Feat title : "A Perfect Score"
The Behemoth
Location : Bervenia Base JP : 100 Errand Type : Combat B
Cost : 500 gil Base Gil : 400 Best Job : Ninja
Days : 13-15 Bonus : Gil C Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 157 JP, 1977 gil Skill Save Job: Chemist
Feat title : "Wild Kingdom"
Dredge Work
Location : Zeltennia Base JP : 20 Errand Type : Salvage B
Cost : 1000 gil Base Gil : 2000 Best Job : Knight/Monk
Days : 6-10 Bonus : Gil S Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 80 JP, 7854 gil Skill Save Job: Archer
Feat title : "Dredge Work"
Missing Boy
Location : Zeltennia Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Rescue N
Cost : 3500 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Orator
Days : 15-16 Bonus : Reward L Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 94 JP, 11749 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "Eternal Youth"
Appraisal
Location : Zeltennia Base JP : 30 Errand Type : Investigation N
Cost : 550 gil Base Gil : 3500 Best Job : Orator
Days : 8-9 Bonus : Artefact Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 93 JP, 10999 gil Skill Save Job: Squire
Feat title : "Revaluation"
Death's Gorge
Location : Sal Ghidos Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Mining N
Cost : 13000 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Geomancer
Days : 9-14 Bonus : Ore Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 103 JP, 2754 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "The Sable Swords"
The Typhoon
Location : Sal Ghidos Base JP : 120 Errand Type : Combat B
Cost : 11000 gil Base Gil : 5500 Best Job : Ninja
Days : 10-13 Bonus : Gil C Bravery/Faith : High Br., Low Fa.
Approx. reward : 181 JP, 18094 gil Skill Save Job: Chemist
Feat title : "The Typhoon"
Beastly Trail
Location : Sal Ghidos Base JP : 80 Errand Type : Odd Jobs F
Cost : 10000 gil Base Gil : 2000 Best Job : Chemist
Days : 11-13 Bonus : Gil O Bravery/Faith : High Fa., Low Br.
Approx. reward : 137 JP, 6800 gil Skill Save Job: Mystic
Feat title : "Raffleshiva"
Memories
Location : Sal Ghidos Base JP : 40 Errand Type : Odd Jobs N
Cost : 100 gil Base Gil : 150 Best Job : Thief/Orator
Days : 10-12 Bonus : Gil O Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 96 JP, 1194 gil Skill Save Job: none
Feat title : "A Mother's Love"
---Seasonal Errands-------------------------------------------------------------
I've listed them in the regular list above, but since they're so easy to miss,
I've also listed them a second time here.
Artificers' Contest
TO UNLOCK: Month of Sagittarius
Location : Goug Base JP : 120 Errand Type : Contest N
Cost : 0 gil Base Gil : 5500 Best Job : Kni./Monk/Drag./Nin.
Days : 14-16 Bonus : Prize M. Bravery/Faith : no preference
Approx. reward : 250 JP, 20865 gil Skill Save Job: Squire
Feat title : "The Arteficers' Contest"
Completing some of the errands earns you Wonders of the Ancient World and
Artefacts, which are displayed on your Chronicle screen. These are all just for
show; they have no effect on the game.
Only specific errands give you Artefacts or Wonders -- see the list above.
But, the individual Artefact/Wonder you get from each errand is random.
The total number of Artefacts and Wonders is identical to the number of errands
from which you get Artefacts and Wonders, so you're guaranteed to get all the
Artefacts and Wonders if you complete all the errands.
Collecting more Artefacts and Wonders will increase your Adventurer rank, as
reported to you by the Tavernmaster. This ranks is also purely cosmetic, though
collecting all the Artefacts or all the Wonders will earn you a star on your
Chronicle screen ;)
---List of Wonders--------------------------------------------------------------
See the Errand List above for more details on these Errands.
---List of Artefacts------------------------------------------------------------
There are 31 artefacts you can receive from errands, plus the Scriptures:
See the Errand List above for more details on these Errands.
---SCRIPTURES---
The last artefact, the Scriptures of Germonique, is not received from errands.
Instead, you'll obtain the Scriptures as you play through the main story of the
game.
Once you get the Scriptures, you can read it for some background information on
the game world. To do this, select the Scriptures in the Artefacts screen and
press Triangle when the description is displayed. If you're having a hard time
reading the text, pressing the L button on your PSP will darken the background
darker and make the text easier, while the R button makes the background
brighter. Reading the Scriptures has no direct impact on the game, but it fills
in some story information.
---BOOKS---
In the Japanese version of the game, four of the book-like Artefacts (Mesa's
Musings, the Veil of Wiyu, Nanai's Histories, and the Enavia Chronicles) could
also be used to play Choose Your Own Adventure-style "sound novel" mini-games.
These mini-games aren't available in any of the English releases. But, since
the text games also have no impact on the main game, their absence doesn't
change much. (See the Sound Novels section for more info. on these games.)
---ZODIAC STONES---
The Zodiac Stones (see below) are also displayed under Artefacts. You'll earn
these from the story as you play through the game.
You'll obtain Zodiac Stones as you play through the main storyline and some of
the sidequests. These show up in your Artefacts screen, but, again, they don't
affect gameplay at all.
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
The Leo and Virgo stones are never actually obtained during the storyline.
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
********************************************************************************
XIII. RANDOM BATTLES
********************************************************************************
In addition to the main story battles you encounter as you progress through the
game, you'll also get into random battles as you move across the map.
Random battles occur at green dots on the map. Whenever you move onto or across
a green dot, there is about a 30% (3 in 10) chance that you will get into a
random battle.
The EQUIPMENT that most generic enemies use is directly determined by their
experience level. (This is true even in story battles!) For instance, a level
generic 31 Samurai will always have a Muramasa. The piece of equipment that
corresponds to each enemy level range is listed in the Equipment section.
Enemy ABILITIES appear to be semi-random. They often have abilities that match
their jobs, but sometimes you see less useful combinations, like a Summoner
with Jump.
The direction from which you're entering also determines where your team starts
on the battle map. For instance, if you enter Finnath Creek from the west,
you'll start at the top of the river, but if you enter from the east, you'll
start at the bottom of the river.
Below, I've listed the types of monsters and human enemies that you'll find at
each location, as well as a rough estimate of how often they show up on average.
COMMON : Encountered 50% of the time or more on average
UNCOMMON : 25% - 49%
RARE : 8% - 24%
VERY RARE : < 8%
These are averages, of course, so sometimes you'll encounter 0 of a particular
enemy and sometimes you may encounter more than 1. For instance, if the Black
Chocobo is Uncommon at a particular area, on average you'll encounter 1 Black
Chocobo every 2 to 4 battles (25% to 50% of the time). But, in a given battle,
you may see 0 Black Chocobos or you might even see 2 or 3.
As you progress through the game, a wider variety of monster types will appear
in each location. Only a limited set of monsters appears in Chapter I. More
monsters are added at the start of Chapter II, and then even more at the start
of Chapter IV. I've listed the random encounters separately for Chapter I,
Chapters II & III, and Chapter IV.
Note that there are a few monsters and human jobs that are NEVER encountered in
random battles anywhere in any chapter:
Wild Boar Dancer Dark Knight
Bard Mime Onion Knight
Story characters with special jobs or enemy-only jobs also don't appear in
random battles.
---Chapter I--------------------------------------------------------------------
--MANDALIA PLAIN--
From Gariland Common : Chocobo, Goblin, Red Panther
Uncommon : None
--ZEKLAUS DESERT--
From Dorter Common : Bomb, Skeleton, Jura Aevis
Uncommon : Wisenkin
--LENALIAN PLATEAU--
From Gariland Common : Chocobo, Black Goblin, Red Panther, Dragon
Uncommon : None
--FOVOHAM WINDFLATS--
From Lenalian Plat. Common : Goblin, Piscodaemon, Floating Eye
Uncommon : Wisenkin
--MANDALIA PLAIN--
From Gariland Common : Chocobo, Goblin, Red Panther
Uncommon : Knight
Rare : None
--ZEKLAUS DESERT--
From Dorter Common : Bomb, Skeleton
Uncommon : Grenade, Jura Aevis, Wisenkin, Black Mage
Rare : Bonesnatch
--LENALIAN PLATEAU--
From Gariland Common : Chocobo, Black Goblin, Red Panther
Uncommon : Dragon, Time Mage
Rare : Piscodaemon, Squidraken
--FOVOHAM WINDFLATS--
From Lenalian Plat. Common : Piscodaemon, Squidraken, Floating Eye
Uncommon : Goblin
Rare : Jura Aevis, Wisenkin, Thief
From Ziekden Fort. Common : Red Panther, Floating Eye, Jura Aevis,
Wisenkin
Uncommon : Piscodaemon
Rare : None
--ARAGUAY WOODS--
From Dorter Common : Goblin, Black Goblin, Ghoul
Uncommon : Ghast, Archer
Rare : Coeurl, Skeleton, Bonesnatch, Jura Aevis,
Treant, Knight
--ZEIRCHELE FALLS--
From Araguay Woods Common : Chocobo, Coeurl, Squidraken, Floating Eye
Uncommon : Piscodaemon, Mystic
Rare : Bonesnatch
--BALIAS TOR--
From Zaland Common : Chocobo, Bomb
Uncommon : Jura Aevis, Steelhawk, Wisenkin
Rare : Minotaur, Archer
--TCHIGOLITH FENLANDS--
From Lionel Common : Skeleton, Bonesnatch, Ghoul
--BALIAS SWALE--
From Warjilis Common : Black Chocobo, Goblin, Coeurl, Piscodaemon,
Mindflayer
Uncommon : Red Panther, Squidraken
Rare : Chocobo, Black Goblin, Gobbledygook,
Vampire Cat, Archer
--GROGH HEIGHTS--
From Lesalia Common : Chocobo, Coeurl, Floating Eye
Uncommon : Black Chocobo, Bomb, Grenade, Red Panther,
Dryad
Rare : Red Chocobo, Ahriman, White Mage, Geomancer
--THE YUGUEWOOD--
From Yardrow Common : Skeleton, Bonesnatch, Ghast
Uncommon : Black Goblin, Dryad
Rare : Bomb, Coeurl, Treant, Black Mage, Ninja
--MANDALIA PLAIN--
From Gariland Common : Goblin, Red Panther, Coeurl, Knight
Uncommon : Chocobo, Black Chocobo
Rare : Gobbledygook, Vampire Cat, Ahriman,
Black Mage, Mystic, Red Panther (GUEST)
Very Rare: Black Goblin
* This Guest Chocobo will offer to join your roster after the battle!
--ZEKLAUS DESERT--
From Dorter Common : Grenade, Minotaur
Uncommon : Skeleton, Jura Aevis, Wisenkin
Rare : Bomb, Exploder, Steelhawk, Archer, Monk,
Black Mage, Knight (GUEST)
Very Rare: Bonesnatch
--LENALIAN PLATEAU--
From Gariland Common : Black Goblin, Squidraken
Uncommon : Chocobo, Red Panther, Piscodaemon, Ochu,
Time Mage, Arithmetician
Rare : Red Chocobo, Malboro, Dragon
Very Rare: Black Chocobo, Gobbledygook, Coeurl,
Vampire Cat, Geomancer
--FOVOHAM WINDFLATS--
From Lenalian Plat. Common : Piscodaemon, Squidraken, Mindflayer,
Floating Eye
Uncommon : None
Rare : Goblin, Steelhawk, Wisenkin, Archer, Thief
Very Rare: Vampire Cat, Ahriman, Jura Aevis, Sekhret
--ARAGUAY WOODS--
From Dorter Common : Revenant, Ninja
Uncommon : Black Goblin, Gobbledygook, Ghoul, Ghast,
Knight
Rare : Goblin, Skeleton, Bonesnatch, Treant,
Archer, Summoner
Very Rare: Coeurl, Skeletal Fiend, Jura Aevis, Dryad,
Ochu, Malboro
--ZEIRCHELE FALLS--
From Araguay Woods Common : Chocobo, Squidraken, Floating Eye
Uncommon : Black Chocobo, Coeurl
Rare : Piscodaemon, Bonesnatch, Ahriman, Archer,
Mystic
Very Rare: None
--BALIAS TOR--
From Zaland Common : Bomb, Wisenkin
Uncommon : Chocobo, Black Chocobo, Exploder, Steelhawk
--TCHIGOLITH FENLANDS--
From Lionel Common : Exploder, Bonesnatch, Ghoul, Ghast, Revenant
Uncommon : Skeleton, Ochu
Rare : Wisenkin, Malboro, Archer, Time Mage
Very Rare: Floating Eye, Summoner
--BALIAS SWALE--
From Warjilis Common : Red Chocobo, Vampire Cat, Squidraken
Uncommon : Black Chocobo, Goblin, Gobbledygook,
Coeurl, Piscodaemon, Mindflayer
Rare : Red Panther, Archer, Summoner
Very Rare: Chocobo, Black Goblin
--GROGH HEIGHTS--
From Lesalia Common : Floating Eye, Wisenkin, Monk
Uncommon : Ahriman
Rare : Chocobo, Black Chocobo, Bomb, Grenade,
Dryad, Archer, Black Mage, Summoner
Very Rare: Red Chocobo, Goblin, Black Goblin,
Red Panther, Coeurl, White Mage, Geomancer
--THE YUGUEWOOD--
From Yardrow Common : Ghast, Revenant
Uncommon : Chocobo, Coeurl, Skeleton, Ghoul, Treant,
Samurai
Rare : Black Goblin, Vampire Cat, Bonesnatch,
Dryad, Elder Treant, Monk
Very Rare: Bomb, Black Mage, Mystic, Geomancer, Ninja
--MOUNT BERVENIA--
From Riovanes Common : Skeleton, Floating Eye, Ahriman
Uncommon : Bomb, Exploder, Bonesnatch, Skeletal Fiend,
Plague Horror
Rare : Grenade, Cockatrice, Archer
Very Rare: Chocobo, Black Chocobo, Red Chocobo,
Goblin, Black Goblin, Ghoul, Ghast,
Revenant, Behemoth, Behemoth King, Mystic
--DUGEURA PASS--
From Grogh Heights Common : Chocobo, Steelhawk
Uncommon : Black Chocobo, Red Chocobo, Coeurl,
Jura Aevis, Knight, Monk, Time Mage
Rare : Grenade, Red Panther, Wisenkin, Behemoth,
Archer
Very Rare: Bomb, Exploder, Dryad
--FINNATH CREEK--
From Bervenia Common : Chocobo, Black Chocobo, Piscodaemon,
Squidraken, Mindflayer
Uncommon : Red Chocobo, Ochu, Dragon
Rare : Red Panther, Coeurl, Malboro, Blue Dragon,
Summoner, Mystic, Dragoon
Very Rare: Archer
--BEDDHA SANDWASTE--
From Bervenia Common : Grenade, Bonesnatch
Uncommon : Floating Eye, Ahriman, Dragon
Rare : Bomb, Exploder, Coeurl, Behemoth, Archer,
Black Mage, Mystic, Geomancer,
Red Dragon (GUEST)
Very Rare: Vampire Cat, Steelhawk, Wisenkin, Minotaur,
Blue Dragon, Knight, Summoner
--MOUNT GERMINAS--
From Sal Ghidos Common : Jura Aevis
Uncommon : Chocobo, Red Panther, Coeurl, Vampire Cat,
Plague Horror, Dragon, Red Dragon, Archer
Rare : Black Chocobo, Red Chocobo, Steelhawk,
Wisenkin, Behemoth, Chemist
Very Rare: Minotaur, Black Mage, Summoner, Orator
--LAKE POESCAS--
From Mount Germinas Common : Bomb, Grenade, Skeleton, Bonesnatch
Uncommon : Skeletal Fiend, Ghoul, Ghast, Cockatrice,
Behemoth King
Rare : Revenant, Steelhawk, Behemoth, Monk,
Black Mage, Summoner
Very Rare: Exploder, Red Dragon, Chemist, Archer,
White Mage, Time Mage, Mystic
--DORVAULDAR MARSH--
From Limberry Common : Goblin, Gobbledygook, Piscodaemon
Uncommon : Squidraken, Skeletal Fiend, Wisenkin,
Malboro
Rare : Mindflayer, Skeleton, Bonesnatch,
Blue Dragon, Archer
Very Rare: Minotaur, Summoner
* This Guest Swine will offer to join your roster after the battle!
Battles in the bonus dungeon, Midlight's Deep, are basically random battles,
and all the rules for random battles apply here as well. (The exception is the
story battle that occurs the first time you visit floor 10, Terminus.)
When you select a particular floor of Midlight's Deep from its menu, you will
always get into a battle. (Unlike in the overworld, there is no chance of NOT
encountering enemies.) Simply moving onto the Midlight's Deep dot on the map
will never result in a battle.
Each floor has a different map and a different set of enemies. There is only
one "entrance" to each floor (unlike with the overworld battles, where you can
encounter different enemies depending on which direction you're headed).
Midlight's Deep also has some other special rules that relate to opening exits
and lighting up the darkened maps; see the Midlight's Deep section of the
walkthrough for explanations of these changes.
--THE CREVASSE--
Common : Goblin, Black Goblin, Bomb, Wisenkin
Uncommon : Red Panther, Coeurl, Chemist, Knight, Monk
Rare : None
Very Rare: Gobbledygook, Exploder, Piscodaemon, Squire, Archer, Black Mage,
Time Mage, Summoner, Thief
--THE STAIR--
Common : Goblin, Skeleton, Bonesnatch, Archer
Uncommon : Black Goblin, Ghoul, Ghast, Floating Eye, Ahriman, Dragon
Rare : Knight, Monk, Black Mage, Time Mage, Summoner, Ninja
Very Rare: Blue Dragon
--THE HOLLOW--
Common : Piscodaemon, Squidraken, Knight, Archer, Black Mage
Uncommon : Bomb, Red Panther, Coeurl, Mindflayer, Wisenkin, Minotaur,
Behemoth
Rare : Grenade, Behemoth King
Very Rare: Skeletal Fiend, Jura Aevis, Steelhawk, Cockatrice, Elder Treant,
Squire, Thief, Orator, Mystic, Geomancer, Dragoon
--THE CATACOMBS--
Common : Jura Aevis, Malboro, Archer, Black Mage, Mystic
Uncommon : Steelhawk, Cockatrice, Ochu, Summoner
Rare : Sekhret, Greater Malboro, Monk
Very Rare: Gobbledygook, Mindflayer, Floating Eye, Minotaur, Hydra
--THE OUBLIETTE--
Common : Gobbledygook, Dryad, Treant, Elder Treant, White Mage, Black Mage
Uncommon : None
Rare : Red Panther, Ahriman, Knight, Monk, Time Mage, Summoner
--THE PALINGS--
Common : Vampire Cat, Archer, Ninja
Uncommon : Black Goblin, Squidraken, Mindflayer, Ahriman, Wisenkin, Behemoth
Rare : Goblin, Red Panther, Coeurl, Piscodaemon, Floating Eye,
Plague Horror, Minotaur, Sekhret, Dark Behemoth, Knight,
Black Mage, Samurai
Very Rare: Chocobo, Black Chocobo, Exploder, Behemoth King, Dragon
--THE CROSSING--
Common : Skeleton, Ghast, Archer, Mystic
Uncommon : Bonesnatch, Revenant, Wisenkin, Minotaur, Sekhret, Monk,
Black Mage, Thief
Rare : Skeletal Fiend, Behemoth, Behemoth King
Very Rare: Piscodaemon, Squidraken, Mindflayer, Dragon, Hydra, White Mage,
Summoner, Dragoon
--THE SWITCHBACK--
Common : Bomb, Archer
Uncommon : Red Panther, Coeurl, Dryad, Malboro, Ochu, Behemoth, Dragon,
Red Dragon, Black Mage, Summoner, Arithmetician
Rare : Grenade, Exploder, Treant, Elder Treant, Greater Malboro,
Behemoth King, Dark Behemoth, Blue Dragon, Hydra, Greater Hydra
Very Rare: None
--THE INTERSTICE--
Common : Cockatrice, Blue Dragon, Black Mage, Dragoon, Samurai, Ninja
Uncommon : Dragon, Knight, Archer, Summoner
Rare : Black Chocobo, Red Dragon, Time Mage, Mystic
Very Rare: Chocobo, Red Chocobo, Red Panther, Sekhret, Behemoth, Hydra
--TERMINUS--
Common : Chocobo, Black Chocobo, Hydra, Greater Hydra, Pig
Uncommon : Red Dragon, Tiamat, Swine, Archer, White Mage, Black Mage, Mystic
Rare : Time Mage, Summoner
Very Rare: None
Each wilderness location on the world map has a "special" random battle that
you can sometimes encounter in place of the regular enemies listed above.
These special battles often feature unusual enemy parties, and are often extra
challenging! (The infamous 11-monk melee at Grogh Heights is particularly
brutal.) But in some of them, you may have a Guest character who helps out :)
The special battles can all only trigger when you enter a location heading in a
specific direction. For example, the special battle at Araguay Woods can only
be encountered by entering Araguay Woods from Dorter, not from any other
direction. Even when you're heading the correct direction, there's still
only a random chance of triggering the special battle -- you might get no battle
or a regular random battle instead.
The special battles CANNOT be trigged until you get to Chapter IV. Once in
Chapter IV, though, they never expire, so you can complete the same battle
multiple times.
Completing any or all of the special battles does not unlock anything extra.
* Araguay Woods: If the enemy Ninjas are at least lv 90+, they throw rare
weapons you can obtain using Sticky Fingers.
* Dorvauldar Marsh: A Swine can be recruited here, allowing you to breed and
poach pig monsters for rare items. This is the only Swine that appears in
random battles outside of Terminus in Midlight's Deep.
* Grogh Heights: If one of your characters is at least level 91, clearing this
battle should net you over 100,00 gil. This is the most gil you can earn
from a single random battle. (But watch out, those Monks are tough!)
Below, I've listed all the special battles, the directions that you need to
walk in order to trigger them, and the enemies you'll face. In some cases, the
exact composition of the enemy party varies, but I've listed the different
possibilities.
I've also given a rough rating of the frequency of the battle. Some of the
special battles seem to be fairly common (about a 20% chance of them occurring)
while others are more rare (5% or less frequency).
ENEMY LEVELS: EXCEPT WHERE OTHERWISE NOTED, enemies in special random battles
have experience levels approximately EQUAL to the highest level on your roster
(regardless of whether or not that character is deployed!). A few special
enemies have levels ABOVE that -- e.g. an enemy with level HR+5 is 5 levels
above the highest on your roster. No enemy ever has a level above 99.
/ Uncommon
********************************************************************************
XIV. OTHER GAME INFORMATION
********************************************************************************
%%%ZODIAC COMPATIBILITY%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00zodiac
Finally, one optional boss has the "Serpentarius" zodiac sign. This sign has
neutral compatibility with all other Zodiac signs.
While generic units (even those in story battles) have random Zodiac signs, most
story characters have predefined Zodiac signs. Those for your party members and
enemy bosses are listed below. (parentheses) indicate temporary party members.
--PARTY MEMBERS--
Aries : Lavian, Boco
Taurus : (Ovelia)
Gemini : Marach, Construct 8
Cancer : Agrias, Luso, (Orran), (Zalbaag)
Leo : Balthier, (Alma)
Virgo : (Argath), (Gaffgarion)
Libra : Mustadio, Beowulf
Scorpio : Orlandeau
Sagittarius : (Delita)
Capricorn : Ladd, Meliadoul
Aquarius : Cloud
Pisces : Alicia, Rapha, Reis
dates.)
On the other hand, making Ramza a Capricorn ensures he has GOOD or NEUTRAL
compatibility with virtually all of the game's bosses.
Alternately, if you're using Ramza as a support character, Pisces gives him good
compatibility with Agrias, Luso, and Orlandeau; Virgo gives him good
compatibility with Ladd and Meliadoul and BEST compatibility with Alicia, Rapha,
and Reis.
Some battles are listed more than once in this chart because some battles have
more than one boss. If a number doesn't appear anywhere in the chart, that's
because there's no boss in that battle!
Aries : 8
Taurus : none
Gemini : 25, 29, 32, 34, 45, 47, 48, 51, 55, Lionel's New Liege Lord #2
Cancer : 52
Leo : 51, 57
Virgo : 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 18, 19, 26, 33, 34, 44, 45, 46, 58
Libra : none
Scorpio : 21, 49, Lionel's New Liege Lord #1
Sagittarius : 23, 34, 38, 39, 44, 45, 56
Capricorn : 36, 51, 54
Aquarius : none
Pisces : none
Serpentarius: Midlight's Deep floor 10
As you can see, Zodiac signs are NOT evenly distributed across bosses -- most
bosses are Geminis and Virgos, with a few Sagittariuses and Capricorns. So, you
might want to adjust your party line-up accordingly:
- Against Gemini bosses, Libras, Aquariuses, and especially opposite-gender
Sagittariuses are effective
- Against Virgo bosses, Tauruses, Capricorns, and especially opposite-gender
Pisces are effective
Capricorn is particularly effective since it has bad compatibility with only a
single boss (and one minor pseudo-"boss").
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
Aries : Boco
Taurus : none
Gemini : Isilud, Marach, Elmdore, Zalera, Cletienne, Bremondt
Cancer : Zalbaag
Leo : Folmarv, Hashmal
* Note: While Belias is ostensibly the Lucavi of Aries, its actual in-game
zodiac sign during the battle is Virgo, because it transforms from Wiegraf. The
same goes for Adrammelech, which is "supposed" to be a Capricorn but is actually
a Scorpio like Dycedarg.
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
But, many status conditions end after a certain number of "ticks" in the battle
clock. A more detailed explanation of the clock can be found in "Turn Order &
Charging Abilities" under Basic Mechanics. Or, just keep in mind that more
ticks = the status condition lasts longer!
Construct 8 and other Automatons are IMMUNE to ALL status conditions (good or
bad!) except Confuse and their inherent Atheist statuses. To save space, I
Many other bosses are immune to specific status changes. Check the appropriate
battle strategies to see what status ailments DO work against them.
Many status conditions end after a certain number of "ticks" in the battle
clock. A more detailed explanation of the clock can be found in "Turn Order &
Charging Abilities" under Basic Mechanics. Or, just keep in mind that more
ticks = the status condition lasts longer!
---CHARGING---
Appearance: Gold "C" icon appears over character's head
Effect : Character is charging up an ability or magick
Character cannot evade any attacks (physical or magick!)
Character receives 50% more damage from physical attacks
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Using any ability with The ability is cast n/a
"speed" listed Character is KOed or loses
ability to perform actions
---PERFORMING---
Appearance: Character is seen singing or dancing
Effect : Character uses the chosen Bardsong or Dance ability at each new turn
until a new action is chosen
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Using Dance or Sing Taking another action n/a
command Character is KOed or loses
ability to perform actions
---DEFENDING---
Appearance: Crossed arms
Effect : Physical and magickal evade rates are doubled
Granted by: Remove with: Permanently granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Defend [Squire & most Character's next turn n/a
story char. jobs] Character is KOed or loses
Vigilance [Thief] ability to perform actions
---CRITICAL---
Appearance: Critical is kneeling or crouching
Effect : Some Reaction Abilities activate only when in critical HP.
Monsters in critical HP after a physical attack can be Tamed.
Duration : Until HP is restored above 20% of max HP
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Lowering character's HP Restore character's HP n/a
below 20% of max above 20% of max
---KO---
Appearance: Character lying on the ground
Effect : Character cannot do anything; all other attacks miss character.
Counter over character's head starts at 3 decreases by 1 each turn;
when it goes past 0, the character permanently dies and turns into
a crystal or chest
If all characters KOed or turned to Stone, battle is lost
* These items only grant immunity to instant-KO attacks, not to being KOed from
losing all your HP.
---CHICKEN---
Appearance: Character becomes a chicken.
Effect : Character cannot be controlled, and simply flees towards a corner.
1 Bravery point is restored per turn.
(Bosses immune to Chicken status will still regain 1 Bravery point
per turn even though they don't turn into a Chicken.)
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Lower character's Bravery Increase character's Riding a chocobo
below 10 * Bravery to 10
* A character who begins battle with Bravery less than 10 will not start as a
Chicken, but will immediately turn into one on his/her first turn.
---Positive Status--------------------------------------------------------------
These are status changes that are beneficial for your characters. Some of
these can be granted during battle, and will last only for the duration of the
battle (or shorter). These positive status effects can also be removed by
certain other abilities -- so if you see an enemy with a positive status effect
and want to get rid of it, you can.
Some pieces of equipment will also grant a permanent positive status effect as
long as the character has the item equipped. These effects CANNOT be directly
removed by any abilities, only by stealing or rending the relevant piece of
equipment.
While the Bard's Nameless Song ability can bestow most positive status, it only
gives each ally one status change, and the particular status given is random.
If you definitely want a specific status change, you'll probably want to use a
different ability to bestow it, if possible.
---FLOAT---
Appearance: Character hovers in air
Effect : Character can move over water as if it were land.
Character can move over lava and pits. Levitate also allows you to
STOP on lava, whereas Float magicks and accessories do NOT.
Character is immune to Earth-elemental attacks.
Character's vertical position is increased by 1 over the actual
height of the panel on which he or she is standing.
* Float magick does not work on large, heavy monsters. This includes monsters
from the Treant, Minotaur, Malboro, Behemoth, Dragon, Hydra families, plus
Automatons like Construct 8. It also does not work on a character riding a
chocobo.
---RERAISE---
Appearance: Angel hovers next to character
Effect : Next time character is KOed, s/he automatically revives on his/her
next turn.
Prevents character from becoming Undead.
Granted by: Remove with: Permanently granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Reraise [White Mage] After used once Chantage [perfume] *
Dragonheart [Dragoon] Harmony [Mystic] Grand Armor [armor] *
Nameless Song [Bard] Dispel [Templar] Onion Armor [armor] *
Aegis [Princess/Cleric] Dischord [Squidraken] Brave Suit [clothes] *
Angel Ring [ring] Dispelja [Arch Seraph]
Prevented by:
-------------------------
Undead status
* Note: Reraise normally wears off after one revival, but the Reraise from these
items is PERMANENT and allows you to revive an infinite number of times
per battle. The Angel Ring only gives you Reraise per battle, and only if
already equipped at the start of battle.
---INVISIBLE---
Appearance: Character looks partially transparent
Effect : In all modes: Your attacks cannot be evaded (same as Concentration).
Has no effect on Shirahadori/Archer's Bane.
In single-player and Rendezvous Mode: Character cannot be targeted
by enemy units. This only has a benefit for player-controlled
units, not computer-controlled units!
* These items only grant Invisible if equipped at the START of a battle; using
Reequip to equip them during a battle has no effect.
% Note: For abilities that have to charge, Invisible status is lost as soon as
you start CHARGING.
# If you redirect damage to your MP with Mana Shield, the damage will NOT remove
your Invisible status since it doesn't actually reduce your HP.
---REGEN---
Appearance: Character glows blue
Effect : Restores 1/8 of character's max HP at end of each of the
character's turns
Granted by: Remove with: Permanently granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Regen [White Mage] After 36 clock ticks Chaos Blade [knight's swd]
Regenerate [White Mage] Inflicting Poison status Pantherskin Bag [bag]
Masamune [Samurai] Character is KOed Grand Armor [armor]
Nameless Song [Bard] Harmony [Mystic] Onion Armor [armor]
Aegis [Princess/Cleric] Dispel [Templar] Brave Suit [clothes]
Dischord [Squidraken] Chantage [perfume]
Dispelja [Arch Seraph]
Prevented by:
-------------------------
Some undead units*
* Skeleton- and Ghost-family monsters, and undead humans in story battles, are
immune to Regen status. This does NOT apply to other units that have been
made undead with magick or the Cursed Ring.
---PROTECT---
Appearance: Triangle icon
Effect : Decreases physical damage received by character by 1/3
Granted by: Remove with: Permanently granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Protect [White Mage] After 32 clock ticks Save the Queen [knt. sd]
Protectja [White Mage] Character is KOed Durandal [knight's sword]
Wall [White Mage] Harmony [Mystic] Onion Armor [armor]
Kiyomori [Samurai] Dispel [Templar] Lordly Robe [robe]
Nameless Song [Bard] Dischord [Squidraken] Sortile'ge [perfume]
Aegis [Princess/Cleric] Dispelja [Arch Seraph] Tynar Rouge [lip rouge]
Guardian Nymph [Dryad/
Elder Treant]
---SHELL---
Appearance: Square icon
Effect : Decreases magick damage received by character by 1/3
Granted by: Remove with: Permanently granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Shell [White Mage] After 32 clock ticks Ragnarok [knight's sword]
Shellja [White Mage] Character is KOed Durandal [knight's sword]
Wall [White Mage] Harmony [Mystic] Onion Armor [armor]
Kiyomori [Samurai] Dispel [Templar] Lordly Robe [robe]
Nameless Song [Bard] Dischord [Squidraken] Sortile'ge [perfume]
Aegis [Princess/Cleric] Dispelja [Arch Seraph] Tynar Rouge [lip rouge]
Shell Nymph [Treant/
Elder Treant]
---HASTE---
Appearance: Character animates quickly
Effect : CT gauge fills 50% more quickly.
Has no effect on ability charge time, and no effect on abilities
where the damage/success is determined by your Speed.
Granted by: Remove with: Permanently granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
---Negative Status--------------------------------------------------------------
Some abilities and weapons will inflict one of several negative status changes
on a target. As with positive status changes, there are also abilities that
can remove this bad status. In addition, some pieces of equipment render a
character immune to a particular status change -- it can't even be inflicted on
the character to begin with.
Dragon's Gift can remove many status ailments, but only works on monsters from
the dragon and hydra families.
A few abilities can inflict several different status changes. In most cases,
the ability inflicts only ONE status change per target, and this particular
status effect is random. These abilities include Forbidden Dance, Celestial
and Corporeal Void, Finishing Touch, and Nightmare. NOT included in this list
are Bad Breath, Parasite, Grand Cross, and Poisonous Frog, which can all
inflict multiple status changes per target, making them particularly vicious!
All negative status effects except Traitor are removed at the end of a battle,
and many wear off sooner.
---SLEEP---
Appearance: Character kneels, "Zzz" icon
Effect : Character cannot do anything
Character receives additional damage received from physical
attacks
Chance to steal from character increases
Character is not affected by Bardsong or Dance abilities
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Mimic Darlavon [Orator] Any HP damage Grand Helm [helm]
Repose [Mystic] After 60 clock ticks Barette [hair adornment]
Will-o'-the-Wisp [Geom.] Character is KOed Ribbon [hair adornment]
Forbidden Dance [Dancer] or turned to Stone Mirage Vest [clothes]
Celestial Void [Skyseer] Remedy [Chemist] Protect Ring [ring]
Corporeal Void [Nethersr.] Purification [Monk] Riding a chocobo
Sleep [Templar/Celebrant] Esuna [White Mage/Celebrant]
Parasite [Byblos] Dispelna [Princess/Cleric]
Zwill Straightblade [knife]Dragon's Gift [Dragonkin]
Sleep Blade [sword]
Sleep Touch [Ghoul]
Bad Breath [Malboro/
Greater Malboro]
Dark Whisper [Tiamat]
Toot [Swine]
Nightmare [The Impure/Death
Seraph]
Grand Cross [High/Arch Seraph]
Hypnogas trap
---POISON---
Appearance: Skull icon; character glows green
Effect : At the end of each turn, character suffers damage equal to 1/8 of
the character's max HP
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Poison [Black Mage] After 36 clock ticks Cachusha [hair adornment]
Forbidden Dance [Dancer] Adding Regen status Ribbon [hair adornment]
Celestial Void [Skyseer] Character is KOed Onion Gloves [gauntlets]
Corporeal Void [Nethersr.] Salve [Squire/Game Hunter] Japa Mala [armlet]
Parasite [Byblos] Antidote, Remedy [Chemist] Some undead units *
Poison Rod [rod] Purification [Monk] Riding a chocobo
Poison Bow [crossbow] Esuna [White Mage/Celebr.]
Venom Fang [Red Panther, Dispelna [Princess/Cleric]
Coeurl] Dragon's Gift [Dragonkin]
Bad Breath [Malboro, Eight-fluted Pole [pole]
Greater Malboro] Choco Esuna [Chocobo,
Bio [The Impure/Reaver] Black Chocobo]
Grand Cross [High/Arch Seraph]
Poisonous Frog [Serpentarius]
Poisonous Fen terrain tiles #
Mossfungus trap in Melee Mode
* Only Skeleton- and Ghost-family monsters, and undead humans in story battles,
are immune to Poison status. This does NOT apply to other units that have
been made undead with magick or the Cursed Ring.
# If you end your turn on a Poisonous Fen terrain tile (found only at Tchigolith
Fenlands) and you are not Floating/Levitating, there is a 100% chance the
Poison status will be inflicted on you.
---BLIND---
Appearance: Sunglasses icon
Effects : Doubles enemy evade rate when you use physical attacks. (So, this
has no effect on attacks that already had a 100% hit rate.)
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Umbra [Mystic] Salve [Squire/Game Hntr] Grand Helm [helm]
Sandstorm [Geomancer] Eye Drops [Chemist] Cachusha [hair adornment]
Blind [Templar] Remedy [Chemist] Ribbon [hair adornment]
Eye Gouge [Goblin, Purification [Monk] Onion Gloves [gauntlets]
Gobbledygook] Esuna [White Mage/Celeb.] Japa Mala [armlet]
Ink [Mindflayer family] Dragon's Gift [Dragonkin] Riding a chocobo
Blind Knife [knife] Eight-fluted Pole [pole]
Chaosbringer [fell sword] Choco Esuna [Chocobo,
Knightslayer [crossbow] Black Chocobo]
Bio [The Impure/Reaver]
Darkness [Death Seraph]
Blindja [Death Seraph]
Grand Cross [High/Arch Seraph]
---OIL---
Appearance: Character turns gray, oil drop icon
Effect : Receive double damage from next fire-elemental attack
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Parasite [Byblos] Any fire attack Riding a chocobo
Self-Destruct [Bomb family]Remedy [Chemist]
Oily Touch [Ghoul/Ghast] Dragon's Gift [Dragonkin]
Bad Breath [Malboro, Eight-fluted Pole [pole]
Greater Malboro]
Bio [The Impure/Reaver]
---STONE---
Appearance: Character turns completely gray and stops moving
Effect : Character cannot do anything or take damage
If all characters KOed and turned to Stone, battle is lost
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Induration [Mystic/Loffry] Gold Needle [Chemist] Barette [hair adornment]
Contortion [Geomancer] Remedy [Chemist] Ribbon [hair adornment]
Seal Evil* [Machinist, Purification [Monk] Mirage Vest [clothes]
Sky Pirate] Esuna [White Mage/Celeb.] Onion Gloves [gauntlets]
Break [Templar] Dispelna [Princess/Cleric] Jade Armlet [armlet]
Finishing Touch [Soldier] Choco Esuna [Chocobo, Riding a chocobo
Parasite [Byblos] Black Chocobo]
Chaos Blade [knight's sword]
Stoneshooter# [gun]
Blaster [Coeurl,
Vampire Cat]
Bewitching Gaze [Ahriman,
Plague Horror]
Beak [Steelhawk,
Cockatrice]
Bad Breath [Malboro,
Greater Malboro
Biora [The Impure/Reaver]
Bioga [The Impure/Reaver]
Petrify [Gigas/Assassin/The Wroth]
Grand Cross [High/Arch Seraph]
---SILENCE---
Appearance: "..." word balloon
Effect : Cannot use Magick, Summons, Speechcraft, or Ultima. (Arithmeticks
and Spellblade are unaffected!)
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Sylph [Summoner] Salve [Squire/Game Huntr] Brass Coronet [hat]
Quiescence [Mystic/Loffry] Echo Herbs [Chemist] Gold Hairpin [hat]
Snowstorm [Geomancer] Remedy [Chemist] Cachusha [hair adornment]
Forbidden Dance [Dancer] Purification [Monk] Ribbon [hair adornment]
Hallowed Bolt [Holy Esuna [White Mage, Magick Ring [ring]
Knight, Sword Saint, Celebrant] Riding a chocobo
White Knight, Rune Knt] Choco Esuna [Chocobo,
Celestial Void [Skyseer] Black Chocobo]
Corporeal Void [Nethersr.] Dispelna [Princess/Cleric]
Silence [Templar/Celebrant]
Parasite [Byblos]
Mage Masher [knife]
Bewitching Gaze [Ahriman,
Plague Horror]
Bad Breath [Malboro,
Greater Malboro]
Biora [The Impure/Reaver]
Aphony [Gigas/The Wroth]
Grand Cross [High/Arch Seraph]
---TOAD---
Appearance: Character is a small toad
Effect : Can't use any abilities except regular attacks and the Toad magick.
Stats down.
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Toad [Black Mage] Maiden's Kiss [Chemist] Cachusha [hair adornment]
Torrent [Geomancer] Remedy [Chemist] Ribbon [hair adornment]
Forbidden Dance [Dancer] Purification [Monk] Onion Gloves [gauntlets]
Celestial Void [Skyseer] Esuna [White Mage/Celeb.] Japa Mala [armlet]
Corporeal Void [Nethersr.] Toad [Black Mage] Riding a chocobo
Parasite [Byblos] Dragon's Gift [Dragonkin]
Nagnarok [sword] Eight-fluted Pole [pole]
Bad Breath [Malboro, Dispelna [Princess/Cleric]
Greater Malboro]
Toadja [Death Seraph]
Grand Cross [High/Arch Seraph]
Poisonous Frog [Serpentarius]
---SLOW---
Appearance: Character animates slowly
Effect : CT gauge fills 50% more slowly.
Has no effect on ability charge time, and no effect on abilities
where the damage/success is determined by your Speed.
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Slow, Slowja [Time Mage] After 24 clock ticks Cachusha [hair adornment]
Ama-no-Murakumo [Samurai] Adding Haste status Ribbon [hair adornment]
Unholy Sacrifice [Dark Kt.]Character is KOed Onion Gloves [gauntlets]
Wind Blast [Geomancer] Eight-fluted Pole [pole] Diamond Bracelet [armlet]
Forbidden Dance [Dancer] Empyreal Armband [armlet]
Celestial Void [Skyseer] Riding a chocobo
Corporeal Void [Nethersr.]
Arondight [fell sword]
Slasher [axe]
Ague [The Impure]
Biora [The Impure/Reaver]
Grand Cross [High/Arch Seraph]
---STOP---
Appearance: Character stops animating
Effect : CT gauge does not charge; character cannot do anything
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Stop [Time Mage] After 20 clock ticks Barette [hair adornment]
Tanglevine [Geomancer] Character is KOed or Ribbon [hair adornment]
Forbidden Dance [Dancer] turned to Stone Black Garb [clothes]
Crushing Blow [Dark Knt.] Dragon's Gift [Dragonkin] Onion Gloves [gauntlets]
Judgment Blade [Holy Eight-fluted Pole [pole] Jade Armlet [armlet]
Knight, Sword Saint, Dispelna [Princess/Cleric] Empyreal Armband [armlet]
White Knt., Rune Knt.] Choco Esuna [Chocobo, Riding a chocobo
Finishing Touch [Soldier] Black Chocobo]
Celestial Stasis [Astrol.]
Balmung [fell sword]
Blaster [Coeurl/Vampire Cat]
Shadowbind [Assassin]
Bind [Death Seraph, Bringer of Order]
---IMMOBILIZE---
Appearance: Gold arrow plus red X
Effect : Cannot use "Move" menu to move around the battlefield, but can
still take actions while standing in place
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Immobilize [Time Mage] After 24 clock ticks Thief's Cap [hat]
Sinkhole [Geomancer] Character is KOed Cachusha [hair adornment]
Leg Shot [Machinist, Sky Purification [Monk] Ribbon [hair adornment]
Pirate] Esuna [White Mage/Celeb.] Onion Gloves [gauntlet]
Ancient Sword [sword] Dragon's Gift [Dragonkin] Rubber Boots [shoes]
Bewitching Gaze [Ahriman, Eight-fluted Pole [pole] Guardian Bracelet [armlet]
Plague Horror] Choco Esuna [Chocobo, Empyreal Armband [armlet]
Goo [Ochu] Black Chocobo] Riding a chocobo
Celestial Stasis [Astrol.] Dispelna [Princess/Cleric]
--DISABLE---
Appearance: Hand plus red X
Effect : Cannot perform any actions under "Act" menu or use Reaction
Abilities, but can still move around battlefield
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Hesitation [Mystic] After 24 clock ticks Thief's Cap [hat]
Wind Slash [Geomancer] Character is KOed Cachusha [hair adornment]
Disable [Templar/Celebr.] Purification [Monk] Ribbon [hair adornment]
Arm Shot [Machinist, Sky Esuna [White Mage/Celeb.] Onion Gloves [gauntlet]
Pirate] Dragon's Gift [Dragonkin] Guardian Bracelet [armlet]
Spellbinder [ninja blade] Eight-fluted Pole [pole] Riding a chocobo
Bewitching Gaze [Ahriman, Choco Esuna [Chocobo,
Plague Horror] Black Chocobo]
Celestial Stasis [Astrol.] Dispelna [Princess/Cleric]
Fowlheart [The Impure,
Death Seraph, The Wroth]
---DOOM---
Appearance : Countdown over character's head
Effect : Count decreases from 3 each time the character gets a turn; when
it hits 0, the character is KOed (before s/he can act)
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Doom Fist [Monk] When character is KOed Cachusha [hair adornment]
Condemn [Orator] or turned to Stone Barette* [hair adornment]
Quicksand [Geomancer] White Staff [staff] Ribbon [hair adornment]
Muramasa [Samurai] Chameleon Robe* [robe]
Cleaning Strike [Holy Onion Gloves [gauntlets]
Knight, Sword Saint, Protect Ring [ring]
White Knt., Rune Knt.] Angel Ring* [ring]
Assassin's Dagger [knife] Riding a chocobo
Deathbringer [fell sword]
Doom [Ahriman, Plague Horror]
Nightmare [The Impure/Death Seraph]
Death Trap trap
* These items protect against instant KO, which also effectively protects you
against Doom. (The countdown still appears, but you will not be KOed when
the countdown runs out.)
---VAMPIRE---
Appearance : Bat icon
Effect : Character is undead (see below) AND confused
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
---CHARM---
Appearance: Heart icon.
Effect : Character cannot be controlled, and temporarily fights as if on the
other team.
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Steal Heart* [Thief] Any HP damage Acacia Hat [hat]
Plunder Heart* [Sky Pirate] After 32 clock ticks Barette [hair adornment]
Faerie Harp [instrument] Ribbon [hair adornment]
Snort# [Swine, Wild Boar] Onion Gloves [gloves]
Allure* [Assassin] Nu Khai Armband [armlet]
---TRAITOR---
Appearance: Character's portrait box displays "Guest" (if recruited to your
side) or "Enemy" (if recruited to enemy side)
Effect : Character has switched sides, and now fights as a Guest member of
the other team. If the character has joined your team, you will
have the option of permanently recruiting the character after the
battle.
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Entice [Orator] Inflict Traitor on target Barette [hair adornment]
Tame [Orator, Dragonkin] again before end of Ribbon [hair adornment]
Dragon's Charm* [Dragonkin] battle # Onion Gloves [gloves]
Cursed Ring [ring]
Riding a chocobo
* Dragon's Charm is only effective on dragons and hydras.
# This will get the character back on your side, but he or she will still be an
uncontrollable Guest for the remainder of the battle.
---CONFUSE---
Appearance: Weird animation patterns, "?" icon
Effect : Character performs random movements & abilities, which may include
attacking allies and/or enemies. Cannot use Reaction Abilities.
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Delirium [Mystic/Loffrey] Physical attack Acacia Hat [hat]
Tremor [Geomancer] Character is KOed Barette [hair adornment]
Muramasa [Samurai] Remedy [Chemist] Ribbon [hair adornment]
Forbidden Dance [Dancer] Purification [Monk] Onion Gloves [gloves]
Divine Ruination [Holy Esuna [White Mage/Celeb.] Nu Khai Armband [armlet]
Knight, Sword Saint, Dispelna [Princess/Cleric] Riding a chocobo
White Knt., Rune Knt.] Dragon's Gift [Dragonkin]
Celestial Void [Skyseer]
Corporeal Void [Nethersr.]
Confuse [Templar/Celebr.]
Parasite [Byblos]
Lamia's Harp [instrument]
Mind Blast [Squidraken,
Mindflayer]
Bad Breath [Malboro,
Greater Malboro]
Toot [Swine]
Befuddle [Gigas/The Wroth]
Confuseja [Death Seraph]
Grand Cross [High/Arch Seraph]
---Neutral Status---------------------------------------------------------------
These are status conditions that aren't necessarily good or necessarily bad.
---REFLECT---
Appearance: No visible change
Effect : Most magicks bounce off the character and strike another tile
instead. The new tile is in the same direction and distance from
the target as the target was from the caster (see Basic Mechanics
for a tip on how you can use this to extend the range of magicks!)
See ability lists for which magicks can be Reflected.
Reflect has no effect on Arithmeticks.
Granted by: Remove with: Permanently granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Reflect [Time Mage] After 32 clock ticks Mirror Mail [armor]
Carbuncle [Summoner] Character is KOed or Reflect Ring [ring]
Lick [Ochu, Malboro] turned to Stone Cherche [perfume]
Harmony [Mystic]
Dispel [Templar]
Dischord [Squidraken]
Dispelja [Arch Seraph]
---BERSERK---
Appearance: Character is tinted red
Effect : Character's attack strength increases, but character can only use
physical attacks and cannot be controlled. Cannot use Reaction
Abilities.
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Insult [Orator] Character is KOed or Acacia Hat [hat]
Fervor [Mystic] turned to Stone Barette [hair adornment]
Berserk [Templar] Purification [Monk] Ribbon [hair adornment]
Mind Blast [Squidraken, Esuna [White Mage/Celeb.] Onion Gloves [gloves]
Mindflayer] Dragon's Gift [Dragonkin] Magick Ring [ring]
Grand Cross [High/Arch Seraph] Riding a chocobo
---UNDEAD---
Appearance: Character is tinted purple
Effect : Most abilities that normally restore HP instead cause HP loss. This
includes magicks from the Cure and Raise families, Moogle, Faerie,
all Items, Murasame, Choco Cure, and Life Nymph. Other healing
abilities (like Chakra, Lifefont, and Chant) are unaffected.
Phoenix Down and Arise cause instant KO, and Raise does damage equal
to half of max HP. (The Monk's Revive does NOT cause KO.)
Attacks that normally drain HP from you instead restore HP to you
and cause the user to lose HP.
When an Undead character's death counter reaches 0, there is a 50%
chance that the character will return to life with a random amount
of HP. Otherwise, the character will die permanently.
Prevents the character from receiving Reraise status.
Inflicted with: Remove with: Immunity granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
---ATHEIST---
Appearance: Ankh down icon
Effect : Character temporarily has 0 Faith, preventing him/her from using
magick and also rendering him/her immune to magick.
Also causes any Nether Manta abilities used by or targeting the
character to do 0 damage, even though these normally do more
damage when Faith is low.
Granted by: Remove with: Permanently granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Disbelief [Mystic] After 32 clock ticks Automaton monster job
Doubt [Templar] Inflicting Faith status
Gokuu Pole [pole] Character is KOed
---FAITH---
Appearance: Ankh up icon
Effect : Character temporarily has 100 Faith, increasing both the damage
dealt by magick and the damage received by magick
Also causes any Nether Manta abilities used by or targeting the
character to do high damage, even though these normally do less
damage when Faith is high.
Granted by: Remove with: Permanently granted by:
------------------------- ------------------------- -------------------------
Belief [Mystic] After 32 clock ticks Rod of Faith [rod]
Faith [Templar] Inflicting Atheist status
Rod of Faith [rod] Character is KOed
Harmony [Mystic]
Dispel [Templar]
Dischord [Squidraken]
Dispelja [Arch Seraph]
%%%ELEMENTAL AFFINITIES%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00elem
Many abilities and a few weapons have one of eight elemental affinities: Fire,
Lightning, Ice, Wind, Earth, Water, Holy, or Dark. By paying attention to
these elemental affinities, you can increase the power of your attacks and
decrease the damage from enemy abilities!
Elemental affinities can increase damage in two ways. First, many monsters are
weak to a particular element. An attack of this element will do DOUBLE its
usual damage! A few pieces of equipment will also make a character weak to an
element.
Second, some equipment "boosts" one or more elements. When you have such an
item equipped, any attacks you use of that element are 25% stronger. This is
in addition to any weakness effect. For example, if Luso has the Gaia Gear
(which Boosts: Earth) equipped, any earth attack he executes does 25% more
damage. The Boost effect does NOT "stack" -- equipping more than one boost for
the same element has no additional effect. For example, equipping both a Flame
Rod and a Japa Mala (both of which boost Fire) is the same as equipping just
the Flame Rod.
Elemental effects can be defended against in three main ways. Some equipment
will HALVE the damage you taken from a given element. Other equipment grants
you IMMUNITY to a particular element, which means that you take NO damage at
all from that element. Finally, some equipment ABSORBS an element, which means
that damage from that element is converted into a HP *gain*. (So, absorbing
water means that a water attack that normally does 200 HP damage will instead
restore 200 HP!) Many monsters also have some innate elemental defenses.
For each of the eight elements, the chart below lists which attacks carry that
element, and what is weak or strong against that element.
---Fire-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boosted by : Flame Rod, Kaiser Shield, Black Robe, Sage's Ring, Japa Mala
Weakness : Skeleton family, Ghost family, Treant family, Blue Dragon, Reaver
Any unit with the Oil status change receives double damage from fire attacks.
After being struck with a fire attack, the Oil status disappears.
---Lightning--------------------------------------------------------------------
Boosted by : Thunder Rod, Kaiser Shield, Black Robe, Sage's Ring, Japa Mala
---Ice--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boosted by : Ice Rod, Kaiser Shield, Black Robe, Sage's Ring, Japa Mala
---Wind-------------------------------------------------------------------------
---Earth------------------------------------------------------------------------
---Water------------------------------------------------------------------------
---Holy-------------------------------------------------------------------------
---Dark-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weakness : nothing
The specific weather patterns that you might see depend on which map you're
fighting on.
In these areas, the weather effects can change in two ways, based on the time
of day and on whether there are any storms.
RAINSTORM Evade rate vs. bows x 1.33 Evade rate vs. bows x 1.80
(heavy rain) Fire damage down 25% Fire damage down 25%
Lightning damage up 25% Lightning damage up 25%
Movement through swamps Movement through swamps
at 1/2 rate (slower) at 1/2 rate (slower)
THUNDERSTORM Evade rate vs. bows x 1.33 Evade rate vs. bows x 1.80
(heavy rain, flashes Fire damage down 25% Fire damage down 25%
of light) Lightning damage up 25% Lightning damage up 25%
Movement through swamps Movement through swamps
at 1/3 rate (slowest) at 1/3 rate (slowest)
* You'll also sometimes see a Twilight battle where the screen is tinted gold.
In gameplay terms, this is the same as a Day battle.
# A light rain is treated the same as a Clear sky. A light rain and a
Rainstorm actually look pretty similar -- the difference is just in how quickly
and frequently the raindrops fall.
Since this effect simply multiplies an EXISTING evade rate, it has NO effect
on attacks with a 0% evade rate (i.e., a 100% hit rate). So, a bow or
crossbow that would have a 100% hit rate can never miss no matter what the
weather conditions are.
This also has no effect on the chance of blocking attacks with Shirahadori
and Archer's Bane, which depend wholly on Bravery and are separate from
evasion.
> Rainstorms and thunderstorms DECREASE the damage dealt all by FIRE-elemental
attacks by 25%, but INCREASE the damage dealt all by LIGHTNING-elemental
attacks by 25%. This effects "stacks" on top of any Boosts or elemental
strengths/weaknesses.
> Rainstorms and thunderstorms slow movement through swamp tiles. Normally,
you can move a number of tiles equal to your Move statistic. However...
> During a RAINSTORM, moving through a Swamp, Marsh, or Poisonous Fen tile
requires TWO Move "points". So, with a Move of 5, you could only move
through 2 Swamp or Poisonous Fen tiles during a rainstorm.
> During a THUNDERSTORM, the penalty is even more severe -- each Swamp,
Marsh, or Poisonous Fen tile requires THREE Move "points".
You can eliminate this movement penalty with the Mystic's Any Weather
movement ability.
Note, though, that only four battlefields have Poisonous Fen, Swamp, or
Marsh tiles: The Siedge Weald, Tchigolith Fenlands, Dorvauldar Marsh, and the
Riovanes Castle Gate. When you're not fighting on these maps, Any Weather is
useless. (Since these are the only 4 maps with swampy tiles, it's only on
these 4 maps that rainstorms and thunderstorms have different effects!)
---SNOWFIELD MAPS---
Battles that take place in a "snowy" area have a different set of possible
weather patterns.
> LIGHT SNOW (Snow is falling only vertically, with no horizontal movement):
Same as clear day -- no special effects.
> SNOWSTORM (Snow is moving from side to side, as well as vertically): The
damage from ice-elemental attacks INCREASES by 25%. Other elements are
unaffected.
There are NO random battles in snowy areas. Snowstorms can only occur in a few
(optional) story battles and in the multiplayer modes.
---INDOOR MAPS---
Note that even though it's pitch black in the bonus dungeon, the accuracy of
bows and crossbows does not actually decrease :P
---"IGNORE WEATHER"---
As stated above, movement through Swamp and Poisonous Fen tiles is slowed
during a rainstorm or thunderstorm. This penalty can be eliminated by
equipping the Mystic's Ignore Weather movement ability.
Ignore Weather does not change the accuracy penalty to bows and crossbows, nor
the effects on elemental damage.
The above section describes the POSSIBLE weather patterns. This section
describes WHEN those patterns occur.
Below, I've listed the approximate frequencies of each weather kind of pattern
during Dry Months and during Wet Months. Remember that this applies only to
RANDOM battles -- story battles always have a predetermined weather pattern!
# Also includes light rain, which has the same effects as Clear.
As you can see, thunderstorms are MUCH more common during the Wet months.
---MELEE MODE---
Weather patterns in Melee Mode are based on the map you choose. It appears
that "random battle" wilderness maps have a random weather pattern, whereas
maps that are only used in story battles have the same weather pattern as the
first story battle at that location.
DAY, RAINSTORM (evade vs. bows x 1.33, fire dmg -25%, lightning dmg +25%):
Brigands' Den
CLEAR NIGHT OR NIGHT, LIGHT RAIN (evade rate vs. bows x 1.33):
Goug Lowtown Lionel Castle Gate Riovanes Castle Gate
Riovanes Castle Roof
A few magicks can be learned from being hit during battle with the magick, in
addition to buying them with JP. In fact, this method is the ONLY way to
acquire Ultima and Zodiark -- see below for more information on these two
magicks.
In order to learn magicks this way, you must meet several requirements:
> The character learning the magick must be in the appropriate job. For
example, you can only learn Blizzaja this way if you're currently a Black
Mage.
> The character must not be KOed or otherwise incapacitated (e.g Stopped)
> The magick must not KO the character when he or she is hit with it
> For healing or offensive magicks, the character must gain or lose at least
1 HP or MP in damage/healing from the magick
> For status change magick, the relevant status change must be bestowed.
> You must be in single-player mode or Rendezvous Mode. Magicks cannot be
learned this way in Melee Mode.
If all these requirements are met, there's a random chance that the character
will learn the magick when he or she is hit by it.
When a magick is learned this way, the cursor will hover briefly over the
character's head to indicate that he or she has acquired the magick. If you
have "Battle Prompts" turned on (under Options), a text box will pop up and
ask you if you want learn the magick. This can make it easier to tell when the
learning process succeeds.
A list of the magicks learnable this way and the chance of learning them per
cast:
Magicks that are not on the above list *cannot* be learned by being hit with
them.
Only one character can learn a magick this way per cast of the magick.
Teaching your characters the -ja Black Magicks this way can be particularly
helpful if you're trying to have multiple characters master Black Mage to
unlock Dark Knight.
A trick for learning elemental damage magicks is to have the target equip gear
that absorbs the element in question. For example, you can use the Flame
Shield for Firaja, the Ice Shield for Blizzaja, and the Sage Ring's for any of
the elements. (You'll need to use Equip Shields so that the Black Mage can
equip a shield.) This ensures that the target won't be killed by the magick
when s/he is trying to learn it. In order for this trick to work, you'll need
to gain at least 1 HP from the absorbed magick, so make sure you're not at full
HP to start with. (Equipping gear that CANCELS the damage will also not work;
you need to ABSORB it in order to get any HP change!)
For non-elemental summons, it's wise to reduce your Magick Attack so that you
don't accidentally KO your target! Turn the caster into a fighting job like
Dragoon (which has low Magick Attack) and equip Summon as your secondary Action
Ability. Then, use Rend Magick on your caster during battle to lower his/her
Magick Attack even more!
Curaja is extremely easy to transfer to all your White Mages once one has
learned it. It has a 40% chance of learning and only requires that the
---LEARNING ULTIMA---
The Ultima magick is exclusive to Luso's Game Hunter job and Ramza's Chapter IV
Squire job. It can ONLY be learned by having one of these characters be hit
with Ultima while in the appropriate job.
In the main game, the best time to learn this ability is the Limberry Castle
Gate, where Celia and Lettie will cast the spell on you. You can also learn it
from them in the subsequent Limberry Castle Keep, and Luso can also learn it on
the roof of Riovanes Castle at the end of Chapter III. Ultima Demons also cast
Ultima, but more rarely; these appear in the third battle at Limberry Castle
and the third battle at Mullonde Cathedral. There are also some Ultima-casting
enemies in the Nightmares and Brave Story missions in Rendezvous Mode.
If you're trying to learn Ultima from the Ultima Demons, you need to make sure
they have at least 10 MP in order for them to cast Ultima. You can use Ethers
or Chakra to restore the demons' MP if they run short. (This isn't an issue
with Celia or Lettie since Ultima is the *only* magick they can cast.)
Ultima has a 100% learning rate, so if you meet the other conditions, you are
guaranteed to learn Ultima when hit with it.
Once you've acquired the magick, you can have Ramza and Luso cast it on the
other to learn it that way. You can even learn Ultima in Rendezvous Mode by
having one of the other player's characters cast it on you. (Note that only
the "Chapter IV" version of Ramza can learn Ultima.) This is a great way to
still get Ultima in case you miss it during the main quest. Ultima CANNOT be
learned in Melee Mode.
The guest character present in the final battle can also learn Ultima if Ramza
or Luso casts it on her, and all three can learn Ultima from the Ultima Demons
present. You won't be able to save it to your file permanently, however.
---LEARNING ZODIARK---
Zodiark is the strongest summon magick and, like Ultima, it CANNOT be learned
with JP. Any character who is a Summoner can learn Zodiark. In fact, you'll
need to learn Zodiark in order to master the Summoner job!
In the single-player game, there is only a single battle in which you can
acquire Zodiark: the battle against the boss at the end of Midlight's Deep, the
bonus dungeon.
Remember that your Summoner must survive Zodiark in order to learn it. The
easiest way to do this is to use the Mana Shield reaction ability (Time Mage).
For other possible tactics, check the Midlight's Deep walkthrough.
Zodiark only has a 90% learning rate, so there's a chance you might not learn it
even if you fulfill the other conditions.
If you miss Zodiark in the single-player game, the boss also reappears in the
Brave Story mission in Rendezvous Mode.
To avoiding killing the enemy Summoner when you cast Zodiark on him/her, you
first need to lower your Magick Attack. Before the battle, switch your Zodiark
caster to a fighting job that has low Magick Attack. (Dragoon is an especially
good choice.) Equip Summon as your secondary Action Ability. Then, during the
battle, use the Knight's Rend Magick to lower the caster's Magick Attack even
more. That way, you can cast Zodiark on the enemy Summoner without KOing
him/her. (Check the damage preview to make sure.)
Once the enemy summoner has learned Zodiark, you'll have to let them cast it
back on your Summoner so s/he can learn it. Since Zodiark costs 99 MP, you'll
need to make sure the enemy Summoner's MP stays above 99 (using Ethers or
Chakra) or s/he won't ever cast Zodiark back on you.
Alternately, if you KO the enemy Summoner after s/he has learned Zodiark and
let him turn into a crystal, you can also learn Zodiark that way. Of course,
there's no guarantee that the enemy will turn into a crystal (or that the
crystal will contain Zodiark), but this tactic can be good if you're having
trouble getting the enemy Summoner to cast Zodiark.
The Catacombs, The Switchback, and The Interstice are all good places to find
enemy Summoners for this procedure.
OR, you could skip this whole procedure and just run through the Brave Story
mission several times to have multiple characters learn Zodiark from Elidibs
there. :)
%%%ARITHMETICKS CHART%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00arith
Remember when targeting based on Height that units in water have decreased
Height; the Depth of the water is subtracted from the Height of the panel.
And, Floating units (including monsters that naturally Float) have a Height that
is 1 GREATER than the panel they're Floating over.
5 X X | 30 X X
6 X | 31 X
7 X | 32 X
8 X | 33 X
9 X | 34 ----------------------------------
10 X | 35 X
11 X | 36 X X
12 X X | 37 X
13 X | 38 ----------------------------------
14 ----------------------------------- | 39 X
15 X X | 40 X X
16 X | 41 X
17 X | 42 X
18 X | 43 X
19 X | 44 X
20 X X | 45 X X
21 X | 46 ----------------------------------
22 ----------------------------------- | 47 X
23 X | 48 X X
24 X X | 49 ----------------------------------
---UNTARGETABLE NUMBERS---
Some numbers, such as 34, can't be hit by ANY Arithmeticks multiple. (These
are numbers that are not prime but do not have 3, 4, or 5 as a factor.) These
numbers are indicated in the table by a solid horizontal line. If you expect to
face enemy Arithmeticians, you can use these numbers to help avoid their
attacks in two ways:
- As long as you stand on tiles with height of 0, 1, or any fractional number
(e.g. 2.5), you cannot be hit by Height-based Arithmeticks.
- If you have level 99 characters, you may want to level them down using a
Degenerator trap (e.g. at Zeklaus Desert) so that they can't be hit by Level
Multiple of 3.
That said, enemy Arithmeticians appear only very rarely. You'll only ever
encounter them on the eighth floor of Midlight's Deep (The Switchback), and in
the "special" random battle at the Lenalian Plateau.
---ALL 9 FEVER---
Once you max out at level 99 and 99 experience, you can easily cast healing or
defensive magicks to your whole party using Level Multiple of 3 or Exp Multiple
of 3. (Of course, you might hit a few enemies too.)
---QUICK SELF-TARGETING---
If you want to make sure Arithmeticks targets yourself (e.g. for healing),
CT Multiple of 4 and CT Multiple of 5 will *always* target the caster since you
always have 100 CT when it's your turn! Of course, they might target other
units as well.
Although Final Fantasy Tactics doesn't have too many bugs (especially in the PSP
version), there are a few of them.
---Existing Bugs----------------------------------------------------------------
* HOLY SWORD AI BUG: The computer AI erroneously believes that Holy Sword
abilities always inflict Holy-elemental damage. (In reality, the element of
Holy Sword attacks depends on the element of the weapon you have equipped.)
This means that you can stop enemies from using Holy Sword attacks on you by
equipping gear that absorbs Holy damage, like the Chameleon Robe or Excalibur.
This technique is particularly useful in the battles against Wiegraf in Chapter
III.
* ONION KNIGHT DUAL WIELD: It's possible to (sorta) Dual Wield weapons as an
Onion Knight. First, be sure "Optimize on Job Change" is set to OFF under
Options. Then, equip the Dual Wield ability (NOT the innate Dual Wield of a
Ninja or Dragonkin) and the two weapons you want to use. Switch to Onion Knight
and you will still have both weapons equipped.
You CANNOT actually swing the second weapon and hit enemies with it. But,
you DO get any buffs, like the auto-Haste from the Excalibur. (This actually
isn't super useful because the Onion gear provides most of these, and using up
your shield slot leaves an Onion Knight with no defense since they have no
Reaction Abilities.)
If you try to adjust your weapons at all, the game will unequip the second
weapon, but you can always repeat the trick.
* USING SWORD TECHNIQUES WITHOUT A SWORD: If you steal the sword from an enemy
character with sword techniques, they can still use the sword techniques even
though they no longer have a sword. This doesn't happen if you break the sword
outright, rather than steal it. And, unfortunately, it doesn't work for your
own characters if someone steals YOUR sword.
* UNOBTAINABLE ITEM: One of the Treasure Hunter items on Mount Bervenia can
never be obtained. In order to pick it up, your Treasure Hunter would have to
stop on top of a lava-filled tile. But the only abilities that actually let you
STOP on top of lava are Lavawalking and Levitate -- and neither of those can be
equipped at the same time as Treasure Hunter! Float magick or equipment like
the Winged Boots DO NOT allow you to get this treasure. That's because they
only let you move through lava on the way to another tile, and never allow you
to STOP on lava. So, there is no way to ever pick up the item.
* SWORD TECHNIQUE POWER BUG: The attack power of your sword techniques is always
determined by the weapon in your FIRST weapon slot. If you Dual Wield a non-
sword weapon (say, a flail) in the first slot and a sword in the second weapon
slot, it's actually the non-sword weapon that will determine how powerful your
"sword" techniques are!
* EXP FROM INVISIBLE JUMPS: If you use the Dragoon's Jump on a KOed character
while you're Invisible, you'll still earn JP and Exp even though the attack did
no damage.
* ONION SWORD PARRY RATE: The Onion Sword has a 15% Parry rate--higher than most
other swords'--even though it can only be used by Onion Knights, who can't equip
Parry or any other Reaction Abilities.
---Fixed Bugs-------------------------------------------------------------------
The PSP version of FF Tactics fixes several bugs that were present in the PSone
version. I've listed them below, but keep in mind that these bugs do NOT appear
in the PSP release.
* SHOP ITEM DUPLICATION: You could duplicate rare weapons by equipping Dual
Wield, and then putting the weapon in your left hand (2nd slot) and a shield in
your right hand (1st slot). Using the Optimize option in a store would then
duplicate the weapon.
* JP GAINING BUG: A bug in the ability learning menu let you instantly gain
infinite JP. This was done by holding the Square button and scrolling up & down
when you were asked to confirm an ability you were about to learn.
Again, these four glitches/tricks do NOT work in the PSP version. Don't waste
your time trying them!
********************************************************************************
XV. MISCELLANEOUS REFERENCE
********************************************************************************
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
This is a list of the FMV cutscenes (found only in the PSP release).
--Chapter I--
#4: Ramza thinks about Argath's words. Whistling with a blade of grass.
#5: Ziekden Fortress explodes; Ramza disappears in the snow.
--Chapter II--
#6: Ramza and Delita speak at Zeirchele Falls; Delita leaves Ovelia in Ramza's
care. Flashback to Tietra's demise.
#7: Ramza and Delita meet again in Warjilis Port City.
--Chapter III--
#8: At Zeltennia, Ovelia and Delita discuss their personal histories. Delita
pledges to build a new Ivalice.
#9: Luso is pursued by Behemoths across Zeklaus Desert; Ramza throws a sword
to rescue him.
--Chapter IV--
#10: Delita's reveals the Church's plans to Ramza at a church in Zeltennia.
Zalmour arrives and surrounds the church.
#11: Thieves ambush Ramza in Dorter; Balthier appears on the scene. [optional;
only seen if you complete the Recruiting Balthier subquest]
#12: Ending. Account of Arazlam discovering Orran's papers. Ramza and Alma
ride off into the sunset.
#13: End credits.
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
---Sound Test-------------------------------------------------------------------
You can listen to the game's music by starting a new file and entering your name
as PolkaPolka . This will bring you to a sound test mode where you can listen
to all the music tracks from the game.
Use the D-pad to select a track. The X button starts playing and Circle stops
playing. To return to the title screen, press Circle when no track is playing.
---Music Information------------------------------------------------------------
After the release of the original PSone version of the game, a 2-disc CD
collection of the game's music was released in Japan by DigiCube, Square's
now-defunct merchandising wing, on June 21, 1997, SSCX-10008. The soundtrack
was re-released by Square Enix on March 24, 2006, SQEX-10066-77, and is also
sold on the Japanese iTunes Media Store. The soundtrack has never been released
outside of Japan.
---Track Listing----------------------------------------------------------------
Below, I've listed all the music tracks from the game, with track names both
from the English PSP sound test and from the widely-circulated fan translation
of the Japanese OST track titles by Aaron Lau of soundtrackcentral.com .
Music from the FMV sequences cannot be listened to in the in-game player. A
few of these pieces do appear on the CDs, though (the beginning & end, which
were also used in the PSone version).
On the other hand, a few music tracks that don't appear on the CDs *DO* appear
in the in-game player! These include the Errand report theme and the music from
the Japan-only sound novels. (Two of the text adventure tracks were also used
for some of the new Beowulf story scenes in the PSP version.)
I have not been able to identify the in-game use for a few of these tracks.
They might be unused tracks.
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
Cid's Theme
73 1-14 Bitter Bear Hero's Theme HS Barbaneth's death,
Scriptures of Ger.
74 2-04 Ajora's Smile Saint Ajora's HS Glabados Church
Theme character theme
75 2-15 Ajora in Action Holy Ajora's HS Ajora's awakening
Theme - Deluxe
Edition
76 1-32 Urgent! Emergency! Tension 1 HS Story battles,
tense story scenes
77 2-11 Gold Leaf Battle on the HS Zeirchele Falls,
Bridge other story battles
78 2-14 Fugue de Soy Shock! ~ Despair HS Ovelia's birth
revealed
79 2-06 What About Me? And I Ran Away HS Unused on PSP &
80 -- Ajora's Masque -- HS Zodiac Stone theme
81 -- Let's Enjoy Fighting -- YM1 Sound novels $
82 -- Let's Enjoy Fighting -- YM1 Sound novels $
Ver. 2
83 -- A Walk in the Garden -- YM1 Sound novels $
84 -- The Wilds -- YM1 Sound novels $
85 -- Harmful Hormones -- YM1 Sound novels $
86 -- Revenge -- YM1 Sound novels $
87 -- Studio of DOOM -- YM1 Sound novels $
88 -- Happy Sheepgut -- YM1 Reis and Beowulf at
Lionel Castle
89 -- Still of the Night -- YM1 Sound novels $
90 -- Sabbath -- YM1 Rescuing Reis
91 -- Up Up and Away -- YM1 Sound novels $
92 -- To Lethe and Back -- myu Sound novels $
93 -- What Time We Have -- myu Sound novels $
94 -- Deja Entendu -- myu Sound novels $
95 -- Little Wings -- myu Sound novels $
96 -- Fear Factor -- myu Sound novels $
# On the PSone, "Benevolent Bear"/"Memories" was played when Ramza and Delita
are whistling with blades of grass on Mandalia Plain in Chapter I. On the PSP,
this scene was replaced by an FMV with orchestrated music, so the original track
is never heard. You can still listen to it in the sound test, though.
& On the PSone, "What About Me?"/"And I Ran Away" was played during the Ziekden
Fortress aftermath. Again, this scene is now an FMV on the PSP.
$ The "sound novel" mini-games only appear in the Japanese release. (See the
Sound Novels section for more information.) However, you can still listen to
their music in the English sound test.
---OST-ONLY TRACKS---
SOUND CD
TEST TRACK COMP
# # SOUND TEST TITLE CD TRANS. TITLE OSER IN-GAME USE
-- 1-01 -- Brand Logo ~ HS Title screen FMV
Title Back
-- 1-02 -- Backborn Story HS "Attract" movie *
-- 1-03 -- P.R. Movie HS "Attract" movie *
-- 1-04 -- Character MI "Attract" movie *
Introductions
-- 1-06 -- Prologue Movie HS Opening FMV
* These FMVs are not in the PSP versions, so these tracks are never heard on the
PSP. (In the PSone version, these movies would play if you left the game on the
title screen.)
---GAME-ONLY TRACKS---
There's at least one track that only appears in the game, not in the sound test
or CD soundtrack. It plays during the "Requiem" story event at Mullonde
Cathedral.
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
This is a change from the PSone version, where the roster size of 16 only
allowed you that game's 16 story characters and required you to kick out the
starting 6 generic characters.
---RAMZA'S ALIAS---
During his stint as a mercenary in Chapter II, Ramza uses his mother's last name
(Lugria) to disguise his noble background. (Remember that Ramza and Alma were
born to a common woman with whom their father Barbaneth had an affair.) If you
check the Chronicle section during Chapter II, you'll see that Ramza's name is
listed as "Ramza Lugria" instead of "Ramza Beoulve" (or whatever you changed his
first name to).
If you recruit any of these enemy characters to your own team, their colors will
change to the standard color schemes used for all of your units.
The palette changes apply to humans only; monsters are always the same color
because the color indicates the monster species!
If you find the text difficult to make out, you can use the L and R buttons on
the PSP to control the brightness of the background. The L button makes the
background darker, while the R button makes it brighter.
Of course, you don't actually want to put Ramza here. The dot isn't connected
to anything, so you won't be able to move away!
---ONMYOJI---
You might have wondered about the status magick-wielding job: in the PSP
version, it's called Mystic and uses "Mystic Arts"; in the original PSone
version, it's Oracle and uses "Yin-Yang Magic." Why such different names?
In the original Japanese version, this job is actually the Onmyoshi--a practicer
of Onmyodo, a real-life Japanese tradition of divination and mysticism based on
yin-yang, astrology, and spirits (shikigami). You can read more about Onmyodo at
its Wikipedia article:
-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onmyodo
---BALTHIER'S COSTUME---
Balthier's clothing in FF Tactics differs from the clothing he originally wears
in Final Fantasy XII and its spin-off Revenant Wings. He has a vest in FF XII,
but just a high-collared shirt in FF Tactics. Reportedly, his FF Tactics
costume is based on some early concept artwork of Balthier done for FF XII. As
of this writing, this concept art can be seen online at:
http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Image:BalthierOU.jpg
Wedge can't be found in the English version of FF Tactics. But, the Japanese
release features a number of "sound novel" mini-games you can play by reading
some of the books you get as Artefacts. One of these books, Nanai's Histories,
features appearances from both Biggs (as a bartender) and Wedge (as his
assistant). Both survive this story.
> A trap in the multiplayer Melee Mode called the "Summoning Circle," which
would activate a random summon magick when sprung.
> A movement ability called Stealth, which according to the game, allows you
to "Move while transparent and invisible to the enemy." If this ability is
assigned to a unit with a save editor, it has no apparent effect in the
game (since it was not completed). Perhaps the idea was that moving would
remove Invisible status unless you had Stealth equipped?
> The layout for an unused Rendezvous Mode battle that pits you against a lv
99 Wiegraf, a lv 99 Gaffgarion, 4 Black Mages, and 4 White Mages.
> Pictures and descriptions of the Leo and Virgo Zodiac Stones, which you can
never actually obtain during the game.
> Several Action Ability commands that recombine existing existing abilities
in new ways:
* A "Magicks" command for Tietra that only allows her to cast Cure and
Chant. In the final game, Tietra's only appearance in "battle" is when
she's dead at Ziekden Fortress; she never actually has this command.
* An "Esper" command that allows casting of the Bahamut, Odin, Leviathan,
and Salamander summons, as well as the Midgardsormr summon used by
Elidibus. The description of this command says it belongs to a "Nether
shaman," but no actual in-game character has it.
* "All Skills," which combines Celia and Lettie's abilities, Ovelia's
magicks, the Vampire attack, Orlan's Celestial Stasis, some of the
Byblos's abilities, and "Unholy Darkness." No one has this.
> On the "Brave Story" stage with Celia, Lettie, and Elmdore, there are 2
dummied-out Ultima Demons and a dummied-out Zalera. I'm guessing the idea
at one point was to have the enemies transform when KOed, just as Celia
and Lettie do in the single-player game. Similarly, there's a dummied-out
Dark Dragon on the level with Bremondt.
> Several unused music jingles. You can hear these in the sound test; see
the Music and Soundtrack section for more information.
Aerith : Chemist
# Valmafra never appeared in battle in the PSone version, so she has this other
job for her story appearances.
None of these jobs have any abilities or anything; they're just placeholders.
---ESPERS---
Different Final Fantasy games use various names for the summon creatures (e.g.
Eidolons, Espers, Aeons, and Guardian Forces). Various Select button help
messages reveal that Final Fantasy Tactics refers to the creatures as "Espers,"
the term also used in Final Fantasy VI and XII.
---KILLED IN ACTION---
The character profiles on the Chronicle screen update throughout the game as
characters change allegiances or die. In fact, if your team members are killed
or desert the squad, their profiles will change to reflect this.
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
> Scarlet, Reeve, and the alternate spelling Vyncent (as well as a variant on
his last name, "Valentyne") appear as possible generic character names.
Typhon (originally from FF VI) is a possible monster name, as well.
> Don Corneo and Chocobo Joe reappear as characters in one of the text
adventures in the Japanese version, Nanai's Histories. There's also a
chocobo named "Red Sephiroth" in this story.
---OGRE BATTLE---
Before joining (and later leaving) Square, FFT's story director Yasumi Matsuno
worked on the Ogre Battle series at Quest.
> Ogre Battle also included a set of 12 Zodiac Stones, which formed part of
a sidequest needed to get the best ending. (Serpentarius was not included.)
> Zeltennia is a town in both Ogre Battle and FF Tactics.
---TACTICS OGRE---
No direct references that I caught, but FFT's mechanics and story are heavily
based on this title, Matsuno's last at Quest before being hired by Square.
---APOCALYPSE NOW---
In the Japanese version of FF Tactics and in the original PSone English
translation, all of the floors of the bonus dungeons are references to Francis
Ford Coppola's 1979 Vietnam war film Apocalypse Now:
> NOGIAS is SAIGON spelled backwards; Saigon is where the movie begins.
> TERMINATE because the unit's mission is to "Terminate with extreme
prejudice."
> DELTA for the Mekong Delta.
> VALKYRIES after Wagner's _Ride of the Valkyries_, played during the famous
beach attack scene.
> MLAPAN is NAPALM spelled backwards, in reference to the famous line of
dialogue, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."
> TIGER after the unit's encounter with a tiger.
> BRIDGE because the unit must cross the Do Long Bridge to reach Kurtz's
compound.
> VOYAGE because the bulk of the movie is a voyage up the river, I guess?
> HORROR after the final line of dialogue, "The horror, the horror," itself
from Joseph Conrad's novel Heart of Darkness, from which Apocalypse Now was
adapted.
> END after the Doors track "The End," which plays over the beginning and end
of the film.
In the 2007 English translation of FF Tactics, the floors have been given new
names unrelated to the film.
---QUEEN---
Matsuno is a huge fan of British rock group Queen and is noted for inserting
references to the band in his games.
> In the Japanese version and in the original PSone translation, Chapter IV
IV is titled "Somebody to Love," after the track from Queen's 1976 album
_A Day at the Races_. The 2007 English translation changes this to "In the
Name of Love," perhaps making it a reference to the Supremes or U2 instead?
;)
Since the release of the original Final Fantasy Tactics on the PSone, a number
of references to it have cropped up in a subsequent Square titles. In
particular, several subsequent titles, including Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy
XII, and spin-offs of FF Tactics and FF XII, are all part of the "Ivalice
Alliance" series of games that take place in Ivalice. These games (vaguely)
share a common world and terminology ("necrohol", "lowtown", "cloudstone", etc.)
---VAGRANT STORY---
> Another Matsuno-directed title, this game includes an accessory called
"Agrias's Balm," which is said to have been used a "great knight" in "the
Zodiac Brave Story."
> There's also a quote from A. J. Durai in the opening. That's Arazlam Durai,
the narrator of FF Tactics. (His middle initial is missing from the PSP
translation but appeared in the PSone translation.)
Escutcheon, while the worst are the Javelin and Escutcheon. This mirrors
how the Javelin and Escutcheon are the weakest polearm and shield in
FF Tactics, but reappear with the same name as the strongest polearm and
shield.
> The Bravery and Faith magicks in FF XII, which increase physical and
magick attack power respectively, are named for the statistics in FF T.
> Some of the world background information makes reference to St. Ajora.
> Balthier shares the last name of Bunansa with Mustadio.
> While Ashe and Basch are conversing on the Ozmone Plain, Vaan and Penelo are
having a conversation in the background (only audible, not subtitled) in
which they say, "I got a good feeling!" and "This is the way!" This is
referencing / parodying the errand completion reports from the original 1998
PSone-era translation of Final Fantasy Tactics, an especially wonky part of
an already wonky translation.
> A number of other gameplay elements associated with FF Tactics also make a
reappearance in FF XII. For instance, different categories of weapons
depend on different statistics in calculating damage, and the Oil status
reappears.
---GENERAL FF SERIES---
> The Save the Queen weapon first appeared in Final Fantasy Tactics (as
Meliadoul's starting weapon) and has since gone to appear in a number of
FF games as a strong weapon, usually a sword and usually belonging to a
female character.
> FF Tactics is also the first appearance of the Whale Whisker pole, Scorpion
Tail flail, Mace of Zeus staff, and Zorlin Shape dagger. (The Zorlin Shape
is called the Zwill Straightblade or Zwill Crossblade in some of the English
Each character has a unique personal message. If you press the Select (help)
button on the Formation screen and select a character's name, he or she will
say a brief quote.
EVERY human character in the game has a unique quote. That's right -- not only
does each story characters have a unique quote, so does every possible name for
a generic human character! (Monsters all just say "...")
There are 256 male character names, 256 female character names, and 256 monster
names. Below, I've listed all the names and their message. Some of these
quotes reveal more about the story characters' personality. Others suggest
general battle strategies, hint at game secrets, tell jokes, reveal more about
the game world, or present miscellaneous musings.
Interestingly, humans who have been turned into Malboros by the Malboro Spores
ability retain their original human quote. (They're talking Malboros!)
A few characters function as generic characters in fighting terms but have names
assigned by the story. These include Alicia, Lavian, Ladd, Boco, Milleuda,
Syneugh, Govis, and the enemies in the opening battle at Orbonne Monastery.
Non-story characters have names assigned randomly by the game. This includes
generic human recruits (including the ones you start with), generic monsters
hatched from eggs, enemies in random battles, and almost all non-boss enemies in
story battles.
When a new human character is recruited from the Warriors' Guild, you may assign
him or her a name of your own choice, but you cannot change it afterwards.
Changing a character's name has no effect on his/her quote.
Monsters hatched from eggs are assigned a name automatically, but you can change
the names of monsters in your party at any time by visiting the Warriors' Guild
in any town.
Agrias (guest) : Our lives are as fleeting as dreams. What a somber thought.
Agrias (party) : Our lives are as fleeting as a dream. What a somber thought.
Alicia : Remember, while you may be able to attack from above, it
may not be possible from below.
Alma : To live in an age so wondrous is a blessing...but to live
in Ivalice, even more one.
Argath : "Rend" skills can destroy your opponent's equipment!
Balthier : No rest for the weary or wicked.
Beowulf : Temples? Ah, where people worship the gods. Or perhaps the
flat areas bracketing the forehead.
Boco # : (You get the feeling you've met before.) Wark!
Byblos : ...
Cloud : It is concealed at the top of the volcano!
Construct 8 : DOES NOT COMPUTE! CANNOT PROCESS COMMAND!
Delita : Should you be injured, Ramza, speak up and I shall say a
# Note that Boco has a unique quote, which is the one difference between him and
a regular Chocobo :)
The characters below never join your party, but they have quotes programmed in
anyway. Weird!
seven is...um...
Davyd : How lonely it is to be out in the desert all by oneself.
Dawson : At times I feel like blaming myself, and at times I feel
like blaming a higher power.
Deitrich : I await a fair maid who can be satisfied by a mere chemist
such as I!
Denston : "Now" means an ability requires no charge time and can be
executed immediately.
Derwin : Use Cure magick to draw out the foe.
Deryk : Using Reflexes increases a unit's evasion rate.
Donner : Rend their weapons and the battle's good as won!
Drake : It may appear as though I am not thinking a thing. And
indeed, I am not!
Drew : "Reequip" counts as an action.
Drystan : I am from Mandalia.
Eadbert : I maintain there is no better weapon than a gun.
Ealdwine : Ja-magick? Never heard of it!
Edmund : For what am I fighting?
Edwyn : A chocobo cannot be injured as long as a rider remains
astride it.
Eldred : *yawn*
Eleazar : Ha ha! Ha ha ha ha!
Emanuel : Pray do not disturb my reading.
Emerick : Is hope a blessing? Or is it a sickness?
Erasmus : It is pronounced "EAG-rose," not "Eag-ROSE."
Erik : If it is information you seek, find a tavern.
Esmond : I am sure all will be fine in the end!
Esmour : If there be a word beyond your ken, avail yourself of a
dictionary.
Esperaunce : It would appear that magick power has some connection to
the damage inflicted by a staff.
Etgar : Perhaps combat is easier if one pays attention to
compatibility.
Ethelbert : Will anyone pay out benefits if I should die in battle?
Ethelred : Would that I might be spared from battle!
Eustace : I am not craven. I am not craven. I am not craven. I am
not craven.
Fawkes : If you are drowsy, sleep.
Fiebras : I once shattered a vial of elixir. Can you even fathom my
horror?
Flambard : Be heedful of your attacks' estimated effects!
Folke : Make the most of status-inducing magicks for inevitable
victory!
Foxe : Ice-based magicks grow stronger when it snows.
Francis : Pray do not grow angry.
Frederick : One can learn much from the help system!
Frederyk : If only someone would give me a massage...
Fulke : I shall follow you to the very end.
Galfrid : Is my equipment sufficient?
Ganelon : Hic! Confound these hiccoughs!
Gared : I dreamt I was digging for treasure beneath a shady tree.
Gauwyn : Mayhap I ought sell off what we have and simply run away.
Gembert : Ooh, my feet itch!
Geoffrey : They say the apple doesn't fall far from the... Apple
cart? Orange? How does that saying go?
Gerald : One must bring boots if one is to venture into the
mountains!
Gerbold : I am doing this for our future!
Gerhardt : There are ten styles of bows.
Gerland : Have you been throwing stones?
Lodwicke : Starve a cold and feed a fever. Or was it the other way?
Lowell : I find I have been quite absent-minded of late.
Madison : I left the Royal Akademy at Gariland and eventually found
myself fighting here.
Mainfroi : Why did the apple court the fig? Because it could not find
a date!
Mansel : Chirijiraden? The name is longer than the blade itself!
Mathye : I dreamt it was raining arrows in the slums of Dorter.
Morgant : What grows larger the more you take away? A hole!
Morys : What goes up and never comes back down? Your age!
Myles : I did not do a thing, I swear it!
Nathaniel : I am deeply nervous.
Navarre : I hope I have taken up with the right side.
Neale : Master your abilities wisely!
Noes : If you cannot move behind the enemy, try employing Wait
instead.
Norman : A mage that can use Chakra? Now there is an interesting
idea!
Olyver : Ah, such pain in my poor hips! I'd wager tomorrow will
bring rain.
Orrick : Experience trumps any book!
Orwen : If a slope is too steep, you cannot stand on it.
Osric : Have you ever made a whistle of a blade of grass?
Oswyn : Who does not love the mountains?
Owyne : Espers always show up just when you forget you summoned
them.
Parnell : Assigning a Rend ability to an archer... Why did I not
think of that?
Patrick : Heal, or attack? When I cannot decide, my disposition is
such that I Wait instead.
Paul : A world without homework... could anything be more wondrous?
Percival : When optimizing equipment, the weapon with the highest
attack power is equipped first.
Peter : Be certain an item can reach your target before you throw
it.
Philippe : An enemy knocked from a high cliff will suffer great damage.
Piers : Beware the effects of poison, which are insidious indeed.
Powle : One solid strategy is to focus all attacks on a single foe.
Radcliffe : Rumor has it there are five types of fell swords.
Radolf : Use Concentration to inflict guaranteed damage!
Raffe : Be persistent in employing the Entice ability!
Randall : There are eighteen styles of shields.
Randwulf : I am the strong, silent type! ...Oops. Well, I am strong.
Rauffe : *hiccup*
Raulin : Am I now considered one of you?
Redwald : I... I am dizzy.
Reeve : There are ten types of knives.
Reginald : ? The blo-om stays not lo-ong... On the flo-ower of
li-ife... Hic! *belch*
Reinholdt : Take the bow from an archer and his attack power will
plummet!
Reynard : How may I help you?
Reyner : Despite my reservations about this war, I do so love to
fight.
Reynfred : Reaction abilities are rarely triggered when Bravery is low.
Ricard : Some abbreviate "phoenix down" as "fenix down."
Richarde : The higher one's Speed, the shorter one's charge time.
Rickeman : Blast! Time to feed the beasties.
Ridel : Yes? Whatever could it be?
Robert : I hear there are many pleasant hot springs in Zeltennia.
myself.
Nicia : I shall never forget my first love...
Nicolaa : Though I may be a girl, I am not craven!
Olyffe : Robes and boots are in fashion this season.
Ophellia : It is difficult indeed to bring myself to strike a handsome
foe.
Ottilia : One cannot hope to inflict much damage by throwing stones.
Paige : You can put KO'd units to good use as shields.
Parnella : I am deeply nervous.
Pelinne : I am looking for a boyfriend. A handsome chemist would do.
Penelope : Only girls can become dancers, you know.
Petronilla : Do be kind!
Placencia : Ooh, my back itches!
Prudence : If you have a bow equipped, attack from on high.
Pulmia : After a dry spell comes the rain.
Purnell : Wait is a command of great importance. Use it wisely!
Rebeccah : Monsters lay eggs, you know.
Rianna : I am certain we have a bright future ahead of us!
Richenda : If there be a word beyond your ken, avail yourself of a
dictionary.
Rosa : Be sure you are well stocked with potions!
Rosalind : Add 40 to your CT merely by selecting Wait.
Rosamund : Having a Jump of 5 is simply marvelous.
Rose : ...
Roysia : For what am I fighting?
Rychyld : I am always so melancholy when it rains.
Samantha : Have we not done enough for today?
Sanche : Rumor has it there are ten styles of ninja blades.
Sarra : Brrr... The frigid wind has set my teeth on edge.
Scarlet : Take the weapon from your foeman, and his Attack will
plummet!
Selphina : Won't a kind soul give me a massage?
Sence : I so love to inherit abilities from defeated enemies!
Serendipity : I was born near the Siedge Weald.
Somerhild : Buy me some comely garments!
Sreda : Ooh, my back itches!
Sybell : What is the name of that song I hear?
Sylphie : I came here expecting a clerical position! Perhaps I
misheard a call for clerics.
Syndony : There's something I've wanted to tell you for a while. No,
this is not the proper time.
Sysley : I fear I lack the courage to fight on my own.
Systeleley : One good strategy is to focus your attacks on a single foe.
Tansa : Plan ability progression wisely!
Temperance : If your Jump is 4, you may leap across a gap of 2 tiles.
Theda : Naming one's monsters is always a nice gesture.
Theresa : You can become a powerful mage with Faith of 70 or above.
Thomasine : When optimizing equipment, the helm with the highest HP
bonus is equipped first.
Thomasyn : That boyfriend of mine cannot decide between me and my
sister!
Thora : It has been so long since I tasted my favorite sweetmeat...
I cannot stand it!
Tiphina : Ice-based magicks grow stronger when it snows.
Tristana : Raise not only revives a KO'd unit, but also restores half
of their HP.
Ursula : A cloudy sky makes one imagine angels descending from the
heavens.
Vrsela : I should like to touch a cockatrice, right at its most
feathery point.
There are also 256 possible names for generic monsters. However, monsters don't
have unique quotes; they all just say "..." for their help message.
%%%DEPARTURE QUOTES%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00depart
In addition to having a unique help message (see above), each story character
also has personalized quotes for:
> When you try to Dismiss them from your roster
> After a battle, if they are in danger of quitting due to high Faith
(permanent Faith > 84)
> Quitting the roster due to high Faith (permanent Faith > 94)
> After a battle, if they are in danger of quitting due to low Bravery
(permanent Bravery < 16)
> Quitting the roster due to low Bravery (permanent Bravery < 6)
For generic humans and monsters, small sets of random quotes are used in these
situations.
Alicia, Lavian, Ladd, Boco, Construct 8, and the Byblos just use generic quotes.
Note that Guest characters never depart the party no matter their Bravery or
Faith, so they don't have quotes for this. They do have quotes that display
when you try to Dismiss them, although you cannot actually kick them out.
---Story Characters-------------------------------------------------------------
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
---RAMZA---
Dismissal (ch. 1) : I am a Beoulve. I cannot turn my back on all this.
Dismissal (ch 2/3): You seek to learn the truth, do you not? How could you do
that without me?
Dismissal (ch. 4) : I cannot dismiss myself from my own service!
---DELITA---
Dismissal attempt : I will not leave your side. We're friends, are we not?
---ARGATH---
Dismissal attempt : I will not leave you until my debt is paid! I do not like to
leave my accounts unsettled.
---GAFFGARION---
Dismissal attempt : Don't presume to tell me what to do. I'll take no orders
from you.
---AGRIAS---
Dismissal (guest) : A knight cannot turn her back on duty and leave her work
undone!
Dismissal (party) : I've sworn my sword to your cause. I would not forsake that
vow, save it were your wish.
Bravery threat : I know not why, but my blade grows heavy as of late.
Bravery desertion : I placed all of my faith in my sword, but I wonder if it was
not a mistake to do so.
Faith threat : Our strength is naught before the almighty power of the
gods.
Faith desertion : The hour is late, but I have decided to change my course. I
will trust to fate, and not fight it.
---OVELIA---
Dismissal attempt : I am an Atkascha. It is to me to decide when and where I go.
---MUSTADIO---
Dismissal (guest) : I cannot leave now! We're going to save my father, aren't
we?
Dismissal (party) : You meant that for true? I'd thought we'd become friends.
Bravery threat : I can't shake the feeling that we fight a losing battle.
Forgive me.
Bravery desertion : It's difficult to put my feelings into words, but naught I
do goes as I would like.
Faith threat : Can we truly save this world? Is such not beyond man's
doing?
Faith desertion : I am by no means a religious man. But even still, my faith
seems stronger than yours.
---ALMA---
Dismissal (ch. 3) : No, I'm going with you. You want me to stay, don't you?
Dismissal (ch. 4)#: No, I will not leave your side! I'm afraid I might never
seen [sic] you again.
# Alma never has a chance to show up on your roster screen in Chapter 4, but she
has a quote programmed in anyway.
---LUSO---
Dismissal attempt : Well, I guess if that's what you want. Take care!
Bravery threat : Lately I just don't feel like fighting. I wonder what it
is...
Bravery desertion : I'm sorry, I'm just too scared to keep fighting.
Faith threat : Would you mind if we visited a church sometime? I like to
keep up with my devotions.
Faith desertion : I'm sorry, but I have to say good-bye. I've decided to
follow the teachings of the gods.
---RAPHA---
Dismissal (guest) : No, I'm going with you! We must save your sister!
Dismissal (party) : Is there naught I can do to help? I've not yet had a chance
to properly repay you!
Bravery threat : Seeds of doubt take root in my heart. I know not what has
come over me.
Bravery desertion : Fear has numbed my mind to all else. I do not wish to die.
Faith threat : I must rely on other people no longer. It is in the Father I
now place my trust.
Faith desertion : It is not too late to seek forgiveness. The Father's love
knows no limits.
---MARACH---
Dismissal attempt : I owe you much. Will you not allow me the chance to repay my
debts?
Bravery threat : What purpose does this fighting serve? The will to continue
has abandoned me.
Bravery desertion : It matters not what I do. The fighting does not end, and I
would not waste my efforts.
Faith threat : There are limits to what mere men can do. Noble as our goal
may be, our efforts are futile.
Faith desertion : O Father, cast off my worldly chains that I might better
know your grace!
---BEOWULF---
Dismissal(Gollund): No, I will not leave alone. That Holy Dragon is my...my...
Dismissal (Lionel): I beg you! Allow me to remain with you, that I might aid
Reis!
Dismissal (party) : You'd have me to return to monster hunting?
Bravery threat : I feel empty after every battle. It was not always this way.
Bravery desertion : Forgive me. I've come to doubt the righteousness of our
deeds.
Faith threat : The hearts of men are easily confused. It is only the gods
who see with eyes unclouded.
Faith desertion : How hideous, this conflict! I can trust in the good of
humanity no longer.
---REIS (DRAGON)---
Dismissal attempt : (Her eyes show confusion at being asked to leave now, when
naught has changed.)
Bravery threat : (She seems to be pleading not to be forced to continue
fighting.)
Bravery desertion : (Her eyes are pleading. She seems terrified.)
Faith threat : (She seems torn over what she should believe in.)
Faith desertion : (She seems to have decided to trust only in the gods, and
not in other mortals.)
---BALTHIER---
Dismissal attempt : I'd thought you to have better judgment in these things.
---ORLANDEAU---
Dismissal attempt : You've no more need of the Thunder God?
Bravery threat : The years begin to catch up with me. I grow weary of battle,
in both body and in soul.
Bravery desertion : This is the end for me. I must take my leave.
Faith threat : Is this truly the right path? Not for you, but for me.
Faith desertion : I chose the wrong path. The one on which I belong is the one
that leads to the gods.
---REIS (HUMAN)----
Dismissal attempt : Must I be doomed again to solitude, when I have only just
regained my freedom?
---CLOUD---
Dismissal attempt : There's no getting off this train until we reach the
station.
Bravery threat : It's not that my head hurts ... I just don't want to fight
anymore.
Bravery desertion : I couldn't even save one girl. What do you expect from me?
Faith threat : I feel the flow of the Lifestream. It speaks of greater
powers in the world than our own.
Faith desertion : I've decided to leave. I want to learn more of the gods.
---MELIADOUL---
Dismissal attempt : I owe you my apologies for doubting you before. Have you yet
not forgiven me?
Bravery threat : I fear to sleep as of late. I worry if I close my eyes, I
may not open them again.
Bravery desertion : Please...forgive me. I can fight no more.
Faith threat : No matter what is lost, I must keep my faith in the gods.
Faith desertion : O Father, merciful and almighty, let not my faith waver, but
grow ever stronger!
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
---Generic Characters-----------------------------------------------------------
---GENERIC MALE---
Dismissal attempt : Then I shall go. I pray you do not come to regret your
decision.
Dismissal attempt : You no longer need my services? Surely you do not mean that!
Dismissal attempt : Won't you rethink this? We've come this far together.
Dismissal attempt : Are you sure? I had hoped I could continue lending my
strength to your cause.
Dismissal attempt : This is certainly sudden. Do you truly believe you can
manage without me?
Dismissal attempt : So, you've no more use for me? You'd leave me behind now
that I'm of no worth to you?
Dismissal attempt : Are you certain about this? I'd thought us faster friends.
Dismissal attempt : Would that it came not to this! Are you sure it's for the
best?
before I am unable.
Bravery desertion : All of this fighting sickens me. Would that I never glimpsed
a sword again!
---GENERIC FEMALE---
Dismissal attempt : I see. Given the choice, I'd prefer to stay, but I
understand if that is impossible.
Dismissal attempt : Surely you jest! If I leave now, what has all of this been
for?
Dismissal attempt : I thought I'd finally found my place. Are you sure you will
not have me?
Dismissal attempt : I beg you, do not say such things! I'll prove my worth to
you, I swear it!
Dismissal attempt : That...was not a jape? You wish for me to leave in earnest?
Dismissal attempt : If that is your wish, there's naught I can do. Are you sure
about this?
Dismissal attempt : Pardon me for saying this, but are you not being a bit
selfish? Will you not reconsider?
Dismissal attempt : I do not wish to say farewell. Can I not remain with you a
little longer?
Bravery threat : To slay another is a sin. Will the gods forgive what we now
do?
Bravery threat : I...I'm afraid. I do not mean to be so craven, but...I am.
Bravery threat : I am not made for this. Mayhap war is a man's game after
all.
Bravery threat : Why must people fight one another? I grow tired of this
endless conflict.
Bravery desertion : 'Tis no use. My own legs betray me. I can fight no more.
Forgive me...
Bravery desertion : I should rather die than harm another. Violence is never
justified.
Bravery desertion : I...I cannot bear to see more blood. Forgive me.
Bravery desertion : I beg you, do not come near me! I cannot bear this any
longer!
Faith threat : A world free of strife? Man cannot create such a thing. He
is the source of it!
Faith threat : I despise myself for fighting, and yet I fight on. For what?
Faith threat : I've lost all faith in humanity. Are there none I can trust
but the gods?
Faith threat : Does it not seem arrogant to think we can change the world?
Faith desertion : Prayers to the soul are as breath to the body. I need a
place to continue my enlightenment.
Faith desertion : We must be parted now. 'Tis the will of the heavens.
Faith desertion : I cannot remain on this fool's errand any longer. Good-bye.
Faith desertion : I have had my fill of death and sorrow. I go to pray for the
fallen.
---MONSTERS---
Dismissal attempt : (It seems to be saddened by the thought of leaving.)
Dismissal attempt : (It looks upset at being told to go home, mayhap because it
has no home to go to.)
Dismissal attempt : (It seems to want to stay with you.)
Dismissal attempt : (It seems to want to keep fighting with you.)
Dismissal attempt : (It seems to be protective of you, and does not wish to
leave.)
Dismissal attempt : (It seems confused when you ask it to leave.)
Dismissal attempt : (It seems excited. It may have thought you wanted to give it
a treat.)
Dismissal attempt : (Its eyes are full of sadness.)
Bravery threat : (It seems to be grateful for having been spared, but not so
for being made to fight.)
Bravery threat : (It seems to want no share in the battles of humans.)
Bravery threat : (It seems to be afraid of people, thinking them almost like
devils.)
Bravery threat : (It looks longingly into the distance, as though wishing it
did not have to fight.)
Bravery desertion : (Fear shows in its eyes. Even monsters, it would seem, can
be afraid.)
Bravery desertion : (It flinches in fear. Getting away from the fighting seems
to be all that's on its mind.)
Bravery desertion : (It seems to have lost all desire to help you to fight.)
Bravery desertion : (It seems to care only about getting away from the
battlefield as soon as possible.)
Faith desertion : (It seems to be passing judgment on the way humans live.)
Faith desertion : (It appears to be disapproving of the deeds committed by
humans.)
Faith desertion : (It appears to be doubting the morality of its actions.)
Faith desertion : (It seems to be passing judgment on the way humans live.)
Nothing special happens on birthdays and increasing the character's age has no
effect on his/her abilities. A 100-year-old Orlandeau is still just as
> Chapter I always begins on 1 Aries (March 21st), the first day of the
Ivalician calendar.
> Exactly one year elapses between Chapter I and Chapter II. Chapter II begins
on the same day of the year that Chapter I ended on, just one year later.
> 90 days pass (i.e., about 3 months) pass between Chapter II and Chapter III.
> Chapter IV picks up immediately after Chapter III with no jump in time.
---Notes------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Arazlam is narrating the game in the present day, so his age never changes
(and hence we also can't discern his birthday).
Characters with no age listed either don't appear on the Chronicle list of
characters, or only appear there after they've died.
%%%GAME CREDITS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00gamecred
In this section, I've listed some of the key members of the Final Fantasy
Tactics development staff, as well as a few of the other games they've worked
on before and after FF Tactics.
---PSP Version------------------------------------------------------------------
---Voice Cast-------------------------------------------------------------------
********************************************************************************
XVI. VERSION DIFFERENCES
********************************************************************************
This section describes the new features in the PSP version of Final Fantasy
Tactics and other regional differences.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions was originally released in 1997
(Japan) and 1998 (North America) as Final Fantasy Tactics on the PSone. The
PSone version was never released in Europe.
When the game was ported to the PSP in Japan, a number of new features were
added. Even MORE new features (like voice acting) were then added to the North
American and European releases of the PSP version.
Moreover, when the original PSone version of Final Fantasy Tactics was released
in North America, the game was made easier for U.S. audiences. The U.S. PSP
version "reverts" these changes, so that the English PSP version is now at the
same difficulty level as all the Japanese versions.
* CHARACTERS: Two new crossover characters have been added as party members in
the PSP version: Balthier, from Final Fantasy XII, and Luso, from Final Fantasy
Tactics A2.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not available Not available Can be recruited Can be recruited
* NEW QUESTS: Additional subquests and accompanying battles have been added to
Chapter IV in the PSP version. In addition to the mission to recruit Balthier,
there are also the new Agrias's Birthday, Disorder in the Order, and Lionel's
New Liege Lord quests.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not available Not available New quests New quests
* NEW JOBS: In the PSP version, two new jobs are available for all characters:
Dark Knight and Onion Knight.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not available Not available New jobs New jobs
* MULTIPLAYER: Two multiplayer modes have been added to the PSP version. One
allows you to compete against another player's team. The other has you team up
with another player to clear a variety of special missions. Both are playable
only over an "Ad Hoc" (i.e.: local) connection -- no Internet play, sadly.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 player only 1 player only Multiplayer Multiplayer
* FMV: Key story scenes are now illustrated with cel-shaded animated cutscenes,
instead of the in-game cutscenes and CG movies of the original. In the English
release, these FMV sequences also have voice acting. (In the Japanese FMVs,
the dialogue is only displayed in subtitles, with no voice-over.)
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intro & ending Intro & ending Silent FMV Voiced FMV
FMV only FMV only throughtout throughout
* STORY SCENES: There are a number of new story scenes and battles added to the
main storyline in the PSP version, including:
- Loffrey recruiting Wiegraf near the end of Chapter II.
- Delita traveling with Ovelia at Zeirchele Falls, also near the end of
Chapter II. This scene also involves a new story battle.
- Ramza's meeting with Luso in Chapter III and the battle to rescue him.
- An assasination attempt against Ovelia near the end of Chapter III.
There's a new Delita battle here as well.
- Delita demonstrating the blade-of-grass whistle to Ovelia soon after the
beginning of Chapter IV.
- A battle against Argath at Limberry Castle in Chapter IV.
- An additional battle against Cletienne in Dorter on the way back to Eagrose
in Chapter IV.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not available Not available New scenes New scenes
* TRANSLATION: The PSP release has been completely retranslated, with the
Engrish-y awkwardness from the PSone version being replaced with a "medieval"
style similar to the English version of Final Fantasy XII. If you're familiar
with the old 1998 PSone translation and want to get up to speed with the new
one, check out the name conversion guide in the next section.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- "This was the --- Actual English
darkened items
won't appear"
* ROSTER SIZE: The maximum roster size in the PSP version has been increased by
8 (from 16 to 24). This allows you to add Luso and Balthier to your crew
without having to kick out any of the other story characters, and also to keep
the initial 6 generic characters if you'd like.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* CRUSH SKILLS: The sword techniques used by Meliadoul and Orlandeau have been
upgraded in the PSP version. They can now damage enemies even if the enemies
don't have the relevant piece of equipment. This means that these abilities can
now damage monsters as well.
In fact, using these abilities against a character not equipped with the
relevant item (including monsters) now *increases* the damage dealt. The
specific amount varies by ability:
- Crush Armor - bonus is user's Physical Attack stat times 5
- Crush Helm - bonus is user's Physical Attack stat times 4
- Crush Weapon - bonus is user's Physical Attack stat times 3
- Crush Accessory - bonus is user's Physical Attack stat times 2
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not upgraded Not upgraded Upgraded skills Upgraded skills
* NEW EQUIPMENT: New pieces of equipment have been added. A few are obtainable
in the single-player game as Balthier's initial equipment and from the Agrias's
Birthday quest. The rest can only be found in the multiplayer modes.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not available Not available New items New items
* JP COSTS: JP costs for many abilities were decreased in the original English
version to make the game easier. These JP costs have been reverted back to the
originals in the English PSP version.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regular JP costs Low JP costs Regular JP costs Regular JP costs
* CHARGING SPEED: The Speed of some abilities was also different in the original
English localization. Some abilities (mostly Summons, plus a few Time Mage
abilities and the Mystic's Petrify/Induration) charged faster in the English
version. The PSP localization switches things back to the Japanese numbers.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slower charging Faster charging Slower charging Slower charging
* JOB PREREQS: The English PSone version made jobs easier to unlock. Again, the
PSP version changes things back to the Japanese original. This means that,
compared to the previous English version, some jobs now require the prerequisite
jobs to be leveled up to a higher level. Additionally, the amount of each JP to
reach each job level (except job level 2) has also been increased. In other
words, jobs require much more JP to unlock!
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
High prereqs Low prereqs High prereqs High prereqs
* STAT CHANGES: The original U.S. version was made easier by tweaking the
characters' numerical stats. Several party members--including Ramza, Delita,
Orran, and Cloud--were given better stats in the original English localization.
And, some of the bosses (Belias, Cuchulainn, and Chapter I Wiegraf) were made
weaker. The U.S. PSP version undoes all these changes so that it now has the
same difficulty level as the Japanese versions. In particular, the Cuchulainn
boss fight and the Orran rescue mission are much more difficult with the "true"
stats!
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hard Easy Hard Hard
* WIEGRAF BATTLE: On the other hand, since SO many people had trouble with the
Wiegraf battle in Riovanes Castle, all PSP versions decrease Wiegraf's Chapter
III stats a little bit to make him easier to defeat.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strong Wiegraf Strong Wiegraf Weaker Wiegraf Weaker Wiegraf
* CLOUD QUEST: In the PSP version, the quest to recruit Cloud is available
immediately after completing Fort Besselat (and the other prerequisite
subquests, of course). In the PSone version, this quest could not be done until
substantially later--after defeating Adrammelech.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Available late Available late Available early Available early
* STEALING FROM ELMDORE: The US PSone game is the only version of the game that
allows you to steal Elmdore's Masamune and Genji equipment. The US PSP release
is consistent with the Japanese versions, where you have never been able to
steal his equipment.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can't steal CAN steal Can't steal Can't steal
* MANTRAS & HOLY BREATH: Rapha and Marach's Mantra abilities (a/k/a Truth and
Un-Truth) have been upgraded in the PSP version. Each use of one of these
abilities results in 1 to 10 random "strikes" instead of 1 to 6 in the PSone
version. They also seem to be more accurate and are more likely to hit the
targeted panel/unit rather than the adjoining tiles. Similarly, Reis's Holy
Breath ability also has now 1-10 strikes instead of 1-6.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 to 6 strikes 1 to 6 strikes 1 to 10 strikes 1 to 10 strikes
* GLITCH REMOVAL: The PSP version removes several glitches/bugs that you could
use to make the PSone version easier:
- An "item duplication" bug that let you buy extra copies of some weapons
that you couldn't normally buy
- A bug that allowed you to earn infinite JP from a glitch in the ability
learning menu.
- A glitch that allowed you to repeatedly poach a single monster if it was
standing in Depth 2 water.
These tricks can no longer be used in the PSP version.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glitches present Glitches present Glitches removed Glitches removed
* BIRTHDATE ENTRY: At the very beginning of the game, when you're choosing
Ramza's birthdate, the game now displays which Zodiac sign will result from the
birthdate you currently have entered.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not displayed Not displayed Sign displayed Sign displayed
* RAPHA'S SKILLS: All of Rapha's skills are now learnable as soon as she joins
the party. In the PSone version, many did not appear until Chapter IV.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter IV only Chapter IV only Chapter III Chapter III
* OIL: The Oil status effect did not do anything in the PSone version, even
though it was supposed to. In the PSP version, it actually works -- it doubles
the damage that the next fire attack inflicts on you.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
No effect No effect Doubles damage Doubles damage
* SUMMON NAMES: In the English PSP version, when a summon spell is cast, the
name of that summon's special attack is displayed (e.g. Shiva casts "Glacial
Shards"), as in most Final Fantasy games. Similarly, each Iaido ability has a
special name when being cast, rather than simply the name of the katana. These
special attack names have always been in the Japanese releases. But, the
previous English localization simply displayed the name of the summoned
creature itself (e.g. "Shiva").
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attack names Creature name only Attack names Attack names
* ATTRACT MOVIES: In the PSone version, the game would cycle through various
"attract" movies--a trailer for the game and videos demonstrating all the
jobs-- if left on the title screen for a while. These movies do not exist in
the PSP version; the title sequence just repeats over and over if the game is
left running on the title menu.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attract movies Attract movies No movies No movies
* STATUS ICONS: The icons for some of the status conditions have been changed
in the new PSP localization. (For instance, since the "Don't Move" status is
now called "Immobilize," the old "DM" icon wouldn't make much sense.)
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Old icons Old icons Old icons New icons
* FONT SIZE: The original PSone localization had a much smaller font on the map
screen, battle titles, and victory condition screens. Perhaps to be more
readable on the small screen, the new PSP localization has a larger font that is
more like the one seen in the Japanese releases. (The font used in the menus
and word bubbles is still the same size, however.)
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Large font Small font Large font Large font
* OTHER VISUAL ELEMENTS: A few other interface elements have also been changed.
For example, the party roster screen now has more characters per row to fit the
PSP's widescreen format.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Short rows Short rows Wide rows Wide rows
* SLOWDOWN: On the bad side of things, the PSP game runs somewhat slower than
the original PSone version. This is especially bad in the Japanese PSP release,
but was improved somewhat for the North American and European releases.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
No slowdown No slowdown Major slowdown Minor slowdown
* SOUND EFFECTS: Also on the bad side, some of the sound effects (e.g. some
ability effects, and the "death screams" when characters are KOed) sound poorer
on the PSP hardware. To be honest, I have such a tin ear for these kinds of
differences that it's hard for me to tell exactly what has and hasn't changed,
but it's been widely reported that they do sound worse :)
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good sound Good sound Poor sound Poor sound
* SPELL QUOTES: In the PSone versions, using a spell or special technique would
occasionally cause the character to shout out a special quote (e.g., "Life is
short...Bury! Steady Sword!"). These quotes have been removed from the English
PSP version, though not the Japanese.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spell quotes Spell quotes Spell quotes No quotes
* CHARACTER QUOTES: Using the Select button "help" feature and then selecting a
character's name on his/her status screen gives you a short quote from the
character. In the English PSone version, only the story characters had unique
messages. Generic characters simply had one of a handful of generic quotes.
In the PSP version, each default name for a generic human now has his or her own
unique quote! (This feature has always been in the Japanese version.) Monsters
always just have a few generic quotes.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unique quotes Generic quotes Unique quotes Unique quotes
* TITLE: And, of course, the game has been retitled Final Fantasy Tactics: The
War of the Lions, given a new logo, and rebranded as part of Square Enix's new
Ivalice Alliance franchise.
PSONE JAPAN PSONE USA PSP JAPAN PSP USA/EUR
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Old logo Old logo New logo New logo
The new English translation has changed quite a few names from the much-
maligned 1998 translation seen in the PSone version, so I've provided this
chart to help FF Tactics veterans get up to speed with the new translation.
---Game Mechanics---------------------------------------------------------------
[1998 PSone translation] [2007 PSP translation]
Brave Bravery
Propositions Errands
Treasure (from Prop.s) Artefacts
Unexplored Land Wonders of the Ancient World
Strengthen: (equipment) Boosts:
Cancel: (equipment) Immune:
Always: (equipment) Equip:
Magic: (equipment) Spell Effect:
Treasure box Treasure chest
Bonus Money Bonus Coin
War Trophies Battle Trophies
Warning Desertion Threat
Parting Shot Desertion
Guarded Blocked
STATUS CONDITIONS
Transparent Invisible
Darkness Blind
Petrify Stone
Frog Toad
Don't Move Immobilize
Don't Act Disable
Blood Suck Vampire
Death Sentence Doom
Invitation Traitor
Innocent Atheist
TERRAIN TYPES
Natural Surface Soil
Canal Waterway
Sea Ocean
Thicket Underbrush
Ivy Vines
Stone Floor Flagstones
Mud Wall Earthen Wall
Tombstone Gravestone
Rocky Cliffs Stone Outcropping
Lava Rocks Basalt
Furniture Furnishings
Iron Plate Iron
Rug Carpet
Box Coffer
Deck Wooden Deck
Swamp Marsh
Marsh Swamp
Poisoned Marsh Poisonous Fen
Sand Area Sand
Salt Salt Flat
Machine Machinery
Water Plant Reed
Obstacle Barrier
---Story------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1998 PSone translation] [2007 PSP translation]
MAJOR CHARACTERS
Adramelk Adrammelech
Alazlam J.D. Arazlam Durai
Algus Sadalfas Argath Thadalfus
Alphons Draclau Alphonse Delacroix
Altima Ultima
Balbanes Beoulve Barbaneth Beoulve
Balk Fenzol Barich Fendsor
Balmafula Lanandu Valmafra Lenande
Besrodio Bunanza Besrudio Bunansa
Bestrada Larg Bestrald Larg
Beowulf Kadmus Beowulf Cadmus
Buremonda Bremondt
Cidolfas Orlandu Cidolfus Orlandeau
Delita Hyral Delita Heiral
Druksmald Goltana Druksmald Goltanna
Elidibs Elidibus
Gaff Gafgarion Goffard Gaffgarion
Gelkanis Barinten Gerrith Barrington
Golagros Levine Gragoroth Levigne
Gustav Margueriff Gustav Margriff
Hashmalum Hashmal
Izlude Tingle Isilud Tengille
Kletian Drowa Cletienne Duroi
Lede Lettie
Malak Galthana Marach Galthena
Marge Funeral Marcel Funebris
Mesdoram Elmdor Messam Elmdore
Miluda Folles Milleuda Folles
Mustadio Bunanza Mustadio Bunansa
Olan Durai Orran Durai
Omdolia Atkascha Ondoria Atkascha
Orinas Atkascha Orinus Atkascha
Professor Bordam Daravon Master Darlavon
Queklain Cuchulainn
Rad Ladd
Rafa Galthana Rapha Galthena
Ramza Ruglia [his alias in Ramza Lugria
Chapter II]
Reis Dular Reis Duelar
Rofel Wodring Loffrey Wodring
Rudvich Bart Ludovich Baert
Ruvelia Atkascha Louveria Atkascha
Simon Pen Rakshu Simon Penn-Lachish
Sinogue Syneugh
Teta Hyral Tietra Heiral
Velius Belias
Vormav Tingel Folmarv Tengille
Worker 8 Construct 8
Zalbag Beoulve Zalbaag Beoulve
Zalmo Rusnada Zalmour Lucianada
CHAPTER TITLES
The Manipulator & the The Manipulative & the
Subservient Subservient
Somebody to Love In the Name of Love
TERMS
Holy Stone Auracite
Lion's War War of the Lions
Mosfungus Mossfungus
Transmission Machine Transporter
Vaccas Liquor Bacchus Liqueur
ORGANIZATIONS
Hokuten Knights Order of the Northern Sky
Nanten Knights Order of the Southern Sky
Touten Knights Order of the Eastern Sky
Death Corps Corpse Brigade
Bart Company Baert Company
Temple Knights Knights Templar
Black Sheep Knights Blackram Knights
Knights of the Atkascha Lionsguard
Kamyuja Khamja
Gariland Academy Royal Military Akademy
Lionel Holy Knights Gryphon Knights
[Beowulf's former group]
Knights of Death Dead Men
Ryomoku Order of the Ebon Eye
BACKSTORY
Ordalia Ordallia
---Places-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[1998 PSone translation] [2007 PSP translation]
OVERWORLD
Igros Castle Eagrose Castle
Sweegy Woods The Siedge Weald
Sand Rat Cellar Sand Rat's Sietch
Thieves' Fort Brigands' Den
Lenalia Plateau Lenalian Plateau
Fovoham Plains Fovoham Windflats
Fort Zeakden Ziekden Fortress
Zirekile Falls Zeirchele Falls
Fort City Zaland Castled City of Zaland
Bariaus Hill Balias Tor
Zigolis Swamp Tchigolith Fenlands
Goug Machine City Clockwork City of Goug
Warjilis Trade City Port City of Warjilis
Bariaus Valley Balias Swale
Golgorand Execution Site Golgollada Gallows
Goland Coal City Mining Town of Gollund
Lesalia Imperial Capital Royal City of Lesalia
Grog Hill Grogh Heights
Yardow Fort City Walled City of Yardrow
Yuguo Woods The Yuguewood
Doguola Pass Dugeura Pass
Bervenia Volcano Mount Bervenia
Finath River Finnath Creek
Bed Desert Beddha Sandwaste
Bethla Garrison Fort Besselat
Zarghidas Trade City Trade City of Sal Ghidos
Germinas Peak Mount Germinas
Dolbodar Swamp Dorvauldar Marsh
Murond Holy Place Mullonde
END Terminus
BATTLEFIELDS
Sand Rat Cellar The Sand Rat's Sietch
Windmill Shed Windflat Mill
Slums of Goug Goug Lowtown
Inside of Lionel Castle Lionel Castle Oratory
Back gate of Lesalia Castle Lesalia Castle Postern
Underground Book Storage Monastery Vaults
Inside of Riovanes Castle Riovanes Castle Keep
Church outside the town Outlying Church
Inside of Limberry Castle Limberry Castle Keep
Underground cemetery of Limberry Castle Undercroft
Limberry Castle
Inside of Eagrose Castle Eagrose Castle Keep
St. Murond Temple Mullonde Cathedral
Hall of St. Murond Temple Mullonde Cathedral Nave
Chapel of St. Murond Temple Mullonde Cathedral Sanctuary
Murond Death City The Necrohol of Mullonde
Lost Sacred Precincts Lost Halidom
Colliery Underground 1-3 Gollund Colliery Floor/Slope/Ridge
Underground Passage in Gollund Coal Shaft
Gollund
---Jobs-------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1998 PSone translation] [2007 PSP translation]
Priest White Mage
Wizard Black Mage
Mediator Orator
Oracle Mystic
Lancer Dragoon
Calculator Arithmetician
ENEMY JOBS
Impure King The Impure
Holy Priest Celebrant
Warlock Gigas
Angel of Death Death Seraph
Lune Knight Rune Knight
Ghost of Fury The Wroth
Regulator Bringer of Order
Holy Angel High Seraph
Arch Angel Arch Seraph
---Monsters---------------------------------------------------------------------
[1998 PSone translation] [2007 PSP translation]
Gobbledeguk Gobbledygook
Cuar Coeurl
---Abilities--------------------------------------------------------------------
[1998 PSone translation] [2007 PSP translation]
SQUIRE
Basic Skill Fundaments
Accumulate Focus
Dash Rush
Throw Stone Stone
Heal Salve
Monster Skill Beastmaster
Gained Jp UP JP Boost
CHEMIST
Throw Item Throw Items
Maintenance Safeguard
Equip Change Reequip
Move-Find Item Treasure Hunter
KNIGHT
Battle Skill Arts of War
* Break Rend *
Magic Break Rend MP
Mind Break Rend Magick
Weapon Guard Parry
Equip Armor Equip Heavy Armor
ARCHER
Charge+x Aim +x
Speed Save Adrenaline Rush
Arrow Guard Archer's Bane
Concentrate Concentration
MONK
Punch Art Martial Arts
Spin Fist Cyclone
Repeating Fist Pummel
WHITE MAGE/PRIEST
White Magic White Magicks
Cure 2 Cura
Cure 3 Curaga
Cure 4 Curaja
Raise 2 Arise
Protect 2 Protectja
Shell 2 Shellja
Regenerator Regenerate
Magic DefendUP Arcane Defense
BLACK MAGE/WIZARD
Black Magic Black Magicks
Fire 2 Fira
Fire 3 Firaga
Fire 4 Firaja
Bolt Thunder
Bolt 2 Thundara
Bolt 3 Thundaga
Bolt 4 Thundaja
Ice Blizzard
Ice 2 Blizzara
Ice 3 Blizzaga
Ice 4 Blizzaja
Frog Toad
Magic AttackUP Arcane Strength
TIME MAGE
Time Magic Time Magicks
Haste 2 Hasteja
Slow 2 Slowja
Don't Move Immobilize
Demi Gravity
Demi 2 Graviga
MP Switch Mana Shield
Short Charge Swiftness
Float [movement ability] Levitate
SUMMONER
Summon Magic Summon
Silf Sylph
Fairy Faerie
Zodiac Zodiark
MP Restore Critical: Recover MP
Half of MP Halve MP
THIEF
Gil Taking Steal Gil
Caution Vigilance
Gilgame Heart Gil Snapper
Catch Sticky Fingers
ORATOR/MEDIATOR
Talk Skill Speechcraft
Invitation Entice
Persuade Stall
Threaten Intimidate
Solution Enlighten
Death Sentence Condemn
Negotiate Beg
Finger Guard Earplug
Train Tame
Monster Talk Beast Tongue
MYSTIC/ORACLE
Yin-Yang Magic Mystic Arts
Blind Umbra
Spell Absorb Empowerment
Life Absorb Invigoration
Pray Faith Belief
Doubt Faith Disbelief
Zombie Corruption
Silence Song Quiescence
Blind Rage Fervor
Foxbird Trepidation
Confusion Song Delirium
Dispel Magic Harmony
Paralyze Hesitation
Sleep Repose
Petrify Induration
Absorb Used MP Absorb MP
Defense UP Defense Boost
Any Weather Ignore Weather
Move-MP Up Manafont
GEOMANCER
Elemental Geomancy
Pitfall Sinkhole
Water Ball Torrent
Hell Ivy Tanglevine
Carve Model Contortion
Local Quake Tremor
Kamaitachi Wind Slash
Demon Fire Will-o'-the-Wisp
Blizzard Snowstorm
Gusty Wind Wind Blast
Lava Ball Magma Surge
Counter Flood Nature's Wrath
Attack UP Attack Boost
Any Ground Ignore Terrain
Move on Lava Lavawalking
DRAGOON/LANCER
Level Jump x Horizontal Jump x
Dragon Spirit Dragonheart
Equip Spear Equip Polearms
Ignore Height Ignore Elevation
SAMURAI
Draw Out Iaido
Asura Ashura
Koutetsu Kotetsu
Bizen Boat Osafune
Heaven's Cloud Ama-no-Murakumo
Meatbone Slash Bonecrusher
Blade Grasp Shirahadori
Two Hands Doublehand
Walk on Water Swim
NINJA
Ball Bomb
Stick Pole
Spear Polearm
Knight Sword Knight's Sword
Dictionary Book
Sunken State Vanish
Abandon Reflexes
Two Swords Dual Wield
Move in Water Waterwalking
ARITHMETICIAN/CALCULATOR
Math Skill Arithmeticks
Prime Number Prime
3 Multiple of 3
4 Multiple of 4
5 Multiple of 5
Distribute Cup of Life
Damage Split Soulbind
Gained Exp UP Exp Boost
Move-Get Exp Accrue Exp
Move-Get Jp Accrue JP
BARD
Sing Bardsong
Angel Song Seraph Song
Life Song Life's Anthem
Cheer Song Rousing Melody
Battle Song Battle Chant
Magic Song Magickal Refrain
Last Song Finale
MA Save Magick Boost
Face Up Faith Boost
DANCER
Wiznaibus Mincing Minuet
Polka Polka Polka
Disillusion Heathen Frolic
Nameless Dance Forbidden Dance
Last Dance Last Waltz
A Save Fury
Brave Up Bravery Boost
SQUIRE [Ramza]
Guts Mettle
Accumulate Focus
Dash Rush
Throw Stone Stone
Heal Salve
Yell Tailwind
Wish Chant
Cheer Up Steel
Scream Shout
Equip Axe Equip Axes
Monster Skill Beastmaster
Gained Jp UP JP Boost
HOLY KNIGHT
Stasis Sword Judgment Blade
Split Punch Cleansing Strike
Crush Punch Northswain's Strike
Lightning Stab Hallowed Bolt
Holy Explosion Divine Ruination
ENGINEER / MACHINIST
Snipe Aimed Shot
Leg Aim Leg Shot
Arm Aim Arm Shot
ASTROLOGIST / ASTROLOGER
Starry Heaven Astrology
Galaxy Stop Celestial Stasis
DIVINE KNIGHT
Mighty Sword Unyielding Blade
Shellbust Stab Crush Armor
Blastar Punch Crush Helm
Hellcry Punch Crush Weapon
Icewolf Bite Crush Accessory
DRAGONER / DRAGONKIN
* Bracelet * Breath
Dragon Tame Dragon's Charm
Dragon Care Dragon's Gift
Dragon PowerUp Dragon's Might
Dragon LevelUp Dragon's Speed
SOLDIER
Braver Brave Slash
BYBLOS
Energy Energize
Shock Vengeance
Difference Manaburn
MONSTER ABILITIES
Choco Attack Choco Beak
Choco Ball Choco Pellets
Scratch Claw
Poison Nail Venom Fang
Cat Kick Cat Scratch
Blood Suck Vampire
Small Bomb Bomblet
Turn Punch Spin Punch
Mutilate Bloodfeast
Knife Hand Chop
* Soul * Anima
Aqua Anima Water Anima
Wave Around Feral Spin
Blow Fire Breathe Fire
Mimic Titan Earthsplitter
Gather Power Beef Up
Throw Spirit Ectoplasm
Grease Touch Oily Touch
Tentacle Tentacles
Black Ink Ink
Odd Soundwave Dischord
Look of Fright Dread Gaze
Wing Attack Wing Buffet
Look of Devil Bewitching Gaze
Death Sentence Doom
Circle Beam
Scratch Up Talon Dive
Shine Lover Glitterlust
Beaking Peck
Shake Off Pickaxe
Leaf Dance Leaf Rain
Spirit of Life Life Nymph
Protect Spirit Guardian Nymph
Clam Spirit Shell Nymph
Bad Bracelet Bad Breath
Malboro Virus Malboro Spores
Stab Up Gore
Sudden Cry Heave
Dash Charge
Tail Swing Tail Sweep
Hurricane Twister
Ulmaguest Almagest
Triple * Tri-*
Straight Dash Reckless Charge
Oink Squeak
Pooh- Toot
Nose Breath Snort
Please Eat Bequeath Bacon
---Equipment--------------------------------------------------------------------
[1998 PSone translation] [2007 PSP translation]
ITEM CATEGORIES
Ninja Sword Ninja Blade
Knight Sword Knight's Sword
Hammer Flail
Dictionary Book
Spear Polearm
Stick Pole
Ribbon Hair Adornment
Mantle Cloak
Magic Ball Bomb
WEAPONS
Zorlin Shape Zwill Straightblade
Hidden Knife Ninja Blade
Ninja Knife Kunai
Short Edge Kodachi
Ninja Edge Ninja Longblade
Spell Edge Spellbinder
Sasuke Knife Sasuke's Blade
Koga/Iga Knife Koga/Iga Blade
Nagrarock Nagnarok
Sleep Sword Sleep Blade
Koutetsu Kotetsu
Bizen Boat Osafune
Heaven's Cloud Ama-no-Murakumo
Rainbow Staff Serpent Staff
Wizard Staff Mage's Staff
Sage Staff Staff of the Magi
Faith Rod Rod of Faith
Flail Iron Flail
Flame Whip Flame Mace
Romanda Gun Romandan Pistol
Blaze Gun Glacial Gun
Glacier Gun Blaze Gun
Blast Gun Blaster
Night Killer Knightslayer
Gastrafitis Gastrophetes
Ultimus Bow Artemis Bow
Bloody Strings Bloodstring Harp
Fairy Harp Faerie Harp
Battle Dict Battle Folio
Monster Dict Bestiary
Papyrus Plate Papyrus Codex
Madelgelm Omnilex
Oberisk Obelisk
H Bag Hydrascale Bag
C Bag Croakadile Bag
P Bag Pantherskin Bag
FS Bag Fallingstar Bag
Persia Damask Cloth
Ryozan Silk Wyrmweave Silk
SHIELDS
Platina Shield Platinum Shield
Kaiser Plate Kaiser Shield
HELMS
Barbuta Barbut
Cross Helm Close Helmet
Feather Cap Plumed Hat
Triangle Hat Wizard's Hat
Twist Headband Headband
Holy Miter Celebrant's Miter
Black Hood Black Cowl
Flash Hat Lambent Hat
Thief Hat Thief's Cap
ARMOR
Platina Armor Platinum Armor
Carabini Mail Carabineer Mail
Reflect Mail Mirror Mail
Leather Outfit Leather Clothing
Leather Vest Leather Plate
Chain Vest Ringmail
Adaman Vest Adamant Vest
Judo Outfit Jujitsu Gi
Power Sleeve Power Garb
Earth Clothes Gaia Gear
Black Costume Black Garb
Wizard Outfit Wizard Clothing
Secret Clothes Ninja Gear
Rubber Costume Rubber Suit
Linen Robe Hempen Robe
Silk Robe Silken Robe
Light Robe Luminous Robe
Robe of Lords Lordly Robe
ACCESSORIES
Spike Shoes Spiked Boots
Feather Boots Winged Boots
Sprint Shoes Hermes Shoes
Power Wrist Power Gauntlet
Magic Gauntlet Magepower Glove
Genji Gauntlet Genji Glove
Defense Ring Protect Ring
Magic Ring Magick Ring
N-Kai Armlet Nu Khai Armband
108 Gems Japa Mala
Defense Armlet Guardian Bracelet
Diamond Armlet Diamond Bracelet
Small Mantle Shoulder Cape
Leather Mantle Leather Cloak
Wizard Mantle Mage's Cloak
Elf Mantle Elven Cloak
Dracula Mantle Vampire Cape
Feather Mantle Featherweave Cloak
Vanish Mantle Invisibility Cloak
Salty Rage Sortile'ge
Setiemson Septie`me
ITEMS
Eye Drop Eye Drops
Echo Grass Echo Herbs
Soft Gold Needle
Magic Shuriken Fuma Shuriken
Yagyu Darkness Yagyu Darkrood
Fire Ball Flameburst Bomb
Water Ball Snowmelt Bomb
Lightning Ball Spark Bomb
---Errands----------------------------------------------------------------------
[1998 PSone translation] [2007 PSP translation]
ERRANDS
Destiny of the Company The Highwind
Sunken Salvage Tour Salvage Expedition
TREASURES/ARTEFACTS
Four Gods Set Four-Deity Plate
Statue of Lylis Statuette of Lilith
Beetle Charm Scarab Charm
Zeni-Sword Coin Blade
Malice Mask Hanya Mask
Kid's Bread Moppet Bread
Adult's Bread Goliath Bread
Yurgeivogue Lugae
M-Fiction Novel Mesa's Musings
Diary of Nanai Nanai's Histories
Wyuvle Veil of Wiyu
Book of Enavia Enavia Chronicles
Magical Gun Enchanted Pistol
M Machinegun Enchanted Machinegun
Magi-Sword Zanmato
Minu Orb Orb of Minwu
Tarot of Ben Tarot de Bennstat
Excalipar Excalipoor
Parasite Tree Yggdrasil Mistletoe
Longibunne Spear Lance of Longibunne
%%%SOUND NOVELS%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%00sound
The Japanese versions of Final Fantasy Tactics have some mini-games that do not
appear in the English version.
In the Japanese version, four of the artefacts that you can obtain from errands
can be used in your Chronicle screen to play "sound novels." These games
basically work like the old "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. You read some
screens of text, and then choose one of several options. Picking the right
options will advance you through the story to the good ending; picking bad
options results in a bad ending.
* NANAI'S HISTORIES is about a destitute gambler trying to win back his lover
by amassing a fortune at the chocobo races. Before each race, the player has
limited time to gather information and bet on the correct chocobo. This games
also features Biggs and Wedge.
In the English releases of FF Tactics, you can still collect the artefacts, but
you can't play the sound novels.
None of the sound novels has any effect on the main game, nor do they relate to
the storyline. So, their omission from the English version isn't a huge loss.
But, if you're interested in seeing them, Tuffy da Bubba has translated 3 of the
sound novels and posted them on his website:
-> http://www.geocities.com/tuffydabubba/
You can also watch complete playthroughs of the sound novels (in Japanese) on
akireyou's YouTube channel:
-> http://www.youtube.com/user/akireyou
The sound novels contain original music by Yukiko Mitsui and Yuko Miura. Even
though you can't play the games in the English version, you can still listen to
the music in the sound test. Just enter "PolkaPolka" as your name when starting
a new game. (Some of this music was also re-used to score some of the new
Beowulf scenes in the PSP version.)
********************************************************************************
XVII. POSTSCRIPT
********************************************************************************
This section lists a handful of the many great Final Fantasy Tactics resources
available online. Some provide further, more detailed information on game
strategy, while others are game tools, story references, or multimedia.
Of course, there are MANY more fantastic guides and references for the game out
there, and it's obviously not possible for me to list them all! So, this
section just collects a handful of resources that I've personally really enjoyed
-- but don't let that discourage you from looking for even more!
---Downloads--------------------------------------------------------------------
* ONLINE PLAY: FF T's multiplayer modes normally only work over a local
connection and don't include Internet play. But, with the XLink Kai software
(for Mac or Windows) software, you CAN play over the Internet if you have a
wireless Internet connection. Basically, XLink allows you to use your
computer's Internet connection to find other PSPs online and connect to them as
if they were right in the room with you.
-> http://www.teamxlink.co.uk/
* WALLPAPER: Square Enix's official site for the Japanese game hosts a number of
wallpaper images. You can find most of them here:
-> http://www.square-enix.co.jp/fft/wall/wall.html
A few other images are also available if you go to the main site here:
-> http://www.square-enix.co.jp/fft/main_fft.html
Click the "Movie & Download" button and then choose the bottom of the two
options.
* PSP SAVE EDITOR & GAME EDITOR: Joe Davidson's superb LionEditor project lets
you edit FF T save files to change your party's levels, abilities, and
equipment. It also features the FFTPatcher game editor, which lets you tweak
-- or completely change! -- all the jobs, abilities, and items in the game, and
even the individual battles and sprites! The save editor is for the PSP, while
FFTPatcher lets you modify both the PSP and PSone games. (Requires custom
PSP firmware.)
-> http://code.google.com/p/lioneditor
* PSONE SAVE EDITOR: For the original PSone version of the game, Avaj's FFTastic
offers similar save-editing abilities.
-> http://www.m-l.org/~greerga/fftnet/fftastic/
---Guides-----------------------------------------------------------------------
* JOB REQUIREMENTS: Scooty_puff has created a nice visual diagram of the PSP
job requirements that's far more intuitive than my text charts.
-> http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/psp/file/937312/50312
* BATTLE LIST: In my FAQ, I've only summarized the enemy frequency at each
random battle location. If you want more detail, Goryus has assembled a Battle
List that lists the exact configurations of enemies that you can fight in
every story battle and random battle location. (Also based on the PSone
version.)
-> http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/197339/13954
* STRATEGY GUIDE: If you want an illustrated guide you can hold in your hands,
BradyGames has released an official strategy guide by Adam Deats and Alicia
Ashby. The guide is pretty good, and has nice full-color visual aids for every
battle and hidden item. (I did spot a couple goofs here and there, but probably
not as many as there are in my FAQ!)
-> ISBN: 0-7440-0974-X
* LEVELING TUTORIAL: sahkuh on YouTube has posted a nice tutorial of how to use
the frog-based automated leveling trick (also described in the Automated
Leveling section of the FAQ).
-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3dSSDwNSFE
* PSP SCRIPT: RevenantThings has transcribed the script to the PSP version of
the game. This includes not only all the story scenes, but much of the "flavor
text" from the character, location, and Artefact/Wonder descriptions.
-> http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/psp/file/937312/50913
* PSONE SCRIPT: Tsogtsaihan Baatar has compiled the (vastly different) script
for the PSone version, again including all the story scenes plus the Brave Story
(Chronicle) screen material:
-> http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/197339/14169
* TIMELINE & FAMILY TREES: The Final Fantasy Compendium has a wealth of
information on FF Tactics's storyline, including a timeline, family trees, and
connections with the other "Ivalice Alliance" games.
-> http://www.ffcompendium.com/h/ffthub.shtml
* FMV SCENES: YouTube user VixyRPM has uploaded all of the FMV sequences from
the PSP version, as well as some in-game story scenes, into a YouTube playlist.
-> http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B4EED9BF8AF39755
* MUSIC LIST: Andrea Robinson and Black Fenril have assembled a nice guide that
lists exactly what music is played in every single scene in the game. (Based on
the PSone version.)
-> http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/197339/32355
* SOUND NOVELS: If you'd like to see what the aforementioned Japan-only sound
novels look like, YouTube user akireyou has uploaded complete videos of all 4 of
the books:
-> http://www.youtube.com/user/akireyou
---Multimedia-------------------------------------------------------------------
* MUSIC: If you enjoyed Final Fantasy Tactics's music, the soundtrack (by
Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata) has been released on a 2-disc CD set in
Japan.
-> Current product number: SQEX-10066-77
The soundtrack is also available for purchase on the Japanese iTunes Media
Store. You'll need a Japanese iTunes account to purchase it, as it is not
presently available on the iTunes store in any other region.
-> http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=255190011
(link requires iTunes)
This FAQ is copyright 1998 and 2007-2009 by Fritz Fraundorf. Feel free to
redistribute it or do whatever else you want with it.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions is copyright 1997 and 2007 by Square
Enix. This FAQ is not associated with or endorsed by Square Enix or Sony.
This FAQ is distributed by weight, not volume, and some settling of its
contents may have occurred during shipping.
---FAQ CREDITS------------------------------------------------------------------
-> www.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/197339/32355
- Andrew Lyfoung for the PSP version's removal of the infinite-JP trick.
- Andrew Pang for pointing out that the Focus-based auto-leveling strategy
doesn't seem to work for the Black Mage job.
- Andrew Schoonmaker for general corrections, how Bonus Coin is calculated, and
using Vengeance against the last boss.
- Anocruxis via the GameFAQs.com secrets page for the procedure for
recruiting Balthier.
- Anthony Cicchino for when you can get back characters who might be "trapped"
in Lionel Castle in the latter half of Chapter II.
- Aoi for correcting the number of JP needed to master Dark Knight.
- AquaMan984 for Ignore Elevation not working at Lionel Castle Gate.
- Archie Fiasco for suggestions on how to level up characters without Focus.
- The ASCgen dotNet software for producing the ASCII art logo.
-> ascgendotnet.jmsoftware.co.uk/
- Avaj's great FFTastic save editor for the PSone version for helping me collect
data on the Errands and enemy-only abilities, as well some of the PSone-to-
PSP changes.
-> www.m-l.org/~greerga/fftnet/fftastic/main.html
- azymyth for info on the new Chapter IV Argath battle and some of the info.
on how your choice on Mandalia Plain in Chapter I affects your Bravery.
- Ben Ford for improving the Shoot Enemies Close to You Trick.
- Benji Parish for noting Belias uses petrification attacks if you Silence him.
- b-rand72 for pointing out that it wasn't clear that you don't actually have to
finish the game in order to start the bonus dungeon.
- Billy Sauls for tips on the "Roof of Doom" (Riovanes Castle Roof).
- BradyGames' official guide for the game for the Brass Coronet stats, for
some Treasure Hunter item and Midlight's Deep exit locations, and for the
Seraph Song + Mana Shield party strategy.
- Brandon Ottwell for some of the properties of Stone and Rush.
- Brent Clevenger for pointing out that the Balthier quest isn't immediately
available in Chapter IV.
- Carlos Alexandre for pointing out some of the merits of Ramza's Squire job.
- Cecil Beoulve for the Mystic level-down stat raising trick.
- Chris Ng for confirming that buying Aerith's flower is a one-time
opportunity and for the bug where enemies use swordskills without a sword.
- Christianello for some of the Mime mechanics.
- Christopher Nong for a number of strategies against Wiegraf/Belias.
- Cidolfas at ffcompendium.com for the proposition report references that appear
in FF XII and FF Tactics A2.
- C.J. Showers for info on the Bloodstring Harp draining HP.
- cobblerob for the suggestion to use Teleport to light up the
Deep Dungeon.
- Cody Dixon for correcting the coordinates of the Battle Bamboo at Balias
Swale.
- Cody Hickman for suggesting the missable items list.
- Cody Wichael for correcting the height of the tile with the Excalibur.
- Cristiano Bruzzo for some of the new JP costs for abilities.
- D_Blade for pointing out that every generic character having a unique quote is
another PSone->PSP change (in the English version).
- Dan Polcari for the Chaos Blade's stats, and the Deep Dungeon / Apocalypse
Now connection.
- Dajsius for using the Circle button to exit the sound test.
- Darius Rodriguez for the info on how Bravery and Faith increases are
calculated after a battle.
- Darrel Wade for noting that monks can equip clothes, and correcting the
price of two of the guns.
- David Artman for correcting which option to choose on the battle to save
Mustadio.
- David Jamison for correcting the location of the Faerie Harp.
- David Lim for a number of battle strategies, including using polearms on the
Zeirchele Falls bridge, using Teleport/Ignore Elevation on the Riovanes Castle
Roof, and how to complete block Barich's attacks at Beddha Sandwaste.
- D. B. Brown for suggestions on the Knight job.
- Derek Kupper for pointing out that bows are unlike all other weapons in that
they don't require a direct line of fire.
- DeleteriousRx for using Chicken to pick up items in the corner of Midlight's
Deep.
- Desmond Gaban for the correct size of the roster increase in the PSP version.
- Devin Morgan's FAQ for FF Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift for many of the
FF T references in that game.
-> www.gamefaqs.com/portable/ds/file/937330/53627
- Devin Osborne for confirming all the summon & -ja magick learning rates and
Teleport failure rate in the PSP version.
- Don Jon for using elemental-absorbing equipment when learning magick from
being hit.
- Donn Hardy for correcting the location of the Chaos Blade on Terminus.
- Doug for pointing out that you can't steal a Blood Sword from Gaffgarion
until the Gallows.
- Doug Prevo for more info. on enemies using swordskills without a sword.
- Drew Seleski for correcting the amount that Intimidate and Enlighten lower
Bravery and Faith.
- Duy Nguyen Lee for pointing out that I hadn't updated all the references to
the Advanced Tactics section when I merged it with Basic Tactics, and for
prompting me to add more information on using Items to Basic Tactics.
- Edgar Hernandez for pointing out I had the coordinates for the Excalibur
reversed in the Midlight's Deep item locations.
- Emanuel Mak for learning Ultima in the multiplayer mode.
- Faruq Nashrulloh for suggesting some clarifications to the description of
Brawler.
- Felix_Omni for Dark Knight, Sky Pirate, and Game Hunter abilities.
- fftfilms on YouTube for footage of the Japanese PSone version and the use of
summon attack names in it.
-> www.youtube.com/user/fftfilms
- fftwiki.com for information on the plot of Enavia Chronicles.
-> http://fftwiki.com
- The Final Fantasy Compendium for most of the references to FF Tactics in FFT
Advance, and Viscount Minymum in FFT A2.
-> www.ffcompendium.com
- The Final Fantasy Wiki for information on Balthier's costume and his age in FF
XII, and for some of the FF series references in the generic character names.
-> finalfantasy.wikia.com
- Flaring Bahamut for when the new Cletienne battle occurs in Chapter IV, for
when Agrias's subquest actually becomes available, and for pointing out some
typos :).
- Frank for catching some errors in the Mime's stat growth ratings.
- Freaky Liar for highlighting Flails as a great weapon to throw.
- Gage Evans for the Agrias's Birthday event being available at Eagrose.
- Generic Knight for using a Chocobo to beat the Nightmares mission.
- Geomancer8 for some information on random battles changing between chapters,
for suggesting adding a note about using Beast Tongue to the FAQ about
recruiting monsters, for the complete set of Degenerator locations, for
suggesting I clarify that the special characters' innate abilities only apply
to their base job, and for using Entice to get equipment.
- g0m for pointing out that the listings of where you can learn Ultima needed to
be cleaned up.
- gunblade15 for using Balthier's Barrage to attack more than one enemy per
turn, for reminding me to note the difference between the Angel Ring and the
Chantage, for suggesting I make a more obvious warning about saving in
the final sequence of battles, for pointing out a typo in the Nagnarok's
applying even if you're undead, for raising Faith for Mystics/Beowulf with
their own magick, and for pointing out a numberof typos.
- Ladotheus for the Monk / Dual Wield suggestion.
- Leonardo Vaz for Luso learning Ultima, for being able to catch Scorpion
Tails with Sticky Fingers, and for the new names of the Great(er) Malboro
and Malboro Virus (now Malboro Spores).
- Leonardo Vidal for some more requirements on the Tynar Rouge event.
- Levi Middleton for correcting the effects of Atheist/Faith on Nether Mantra,
and using the Rod of Faith to allow Marach to use both Nether Mantra and
regular magicks.
- Logicmanhero for Dark Knight, Balthier, and Luso abilities.
- Luze for Reflexes mechanics and the Featherweave Cloak/Reflex combo.
- Manny for suggesting I add a note about the character departures due to low
Bravery/high Faith.
- Marcin Szymanski via IGNPSX for the Mincing Minuet / Vanish strategy.
- Masumo's Final Fantasy Tactics page for some info on some of the poaching
items, and stats on the Rubber Suit.
-> http://members.tripod.com/~masumo
- Matt32 for reminding me to add Gragoroth's name to the walkthrough, and for
the dismissal quotes I was missing.
- Matt Dorothy for Balthier being available as soon as you finish Bervenia.
- Matt Hobbs for the Commonly Found part of the poaching list, a lot of the
poached item stats, the JP costs for the abilities I was missing, Errand info,
and where to get Sasuke's Blade and the Nagnarok.
- Mauro Schiavo and Benedict Icton for bringing the clear-game save problem to
my attention.
- Maximilian Barrows for correcting a few growth rate of Mimes, for pointing
out a goof in the party/boss Zodiac section, and for discovering one of the
Ctrl+F jump codes in the table of contents didn't match the actual section ;)
- Michael Perdomo on Vyncent and Valentyne both being generic character names.
- Michael Wood for a number of tactics against Wiegraf/Belias, including
Silencing him.
- Miguel Colon for noting I'd omitted Vanish from the list of abilities that
can grant Invisible status and for pointing out an incomplete sentence in the
Ninja job description.
- Mike Leddick for trapping monsters using petrified allies for stat grinding.
- Mike Stucke for the Apocalypse Now references.
- Minh Vu for pointing out the Exp section was misleading about when attack
strength and speed go up, and for strategies for stat grinding.
- Miznut for the correct coordinates for the Angel Ring in Sal Ghidos.
- MobyGames for some of the information on other projects worked on by the FF
Tactics personnel.
-> www.mobygames.com
- modest1 for using Steal Gil in level-grinding.
- Mohammad Roshdy for using Black Chocobos at the Lionel Castle Gate.
- Muhammad Iqbal for the FF VII reference in one of the multiplayer missions.
- Mytherial J for the changes to Meliadoul's abilities in the PSP version
(they now work on unequipped enemies and monsters!)
- Naveen Pillai for the JP cost of Shadowblade and some Dark Knight abilities,
the correct ability that Wisenkins get with Beastmaster, pointing out that
Crushing Blow is height-limited, for sword techniques gaining the elements of
your equipped weapon, for correcting Cloud's MP stats and the vertical effect
radius of Cross Slash, for the correct parry rate of the Excalibur, for
corrections on the Allure and Toot abilities, for a second strategy for
locating the Invisibility Cloak at Mount Germinas, for gaining spillover JP
while in Stone status, for Treasure Hunter yielding gil when you already have
99 of the item, for Cat Scratch doing variable damage, for only 1 character
being able to learn a magick per hit, and for catching quite a few of my many
typos :)
- neelixbeta for the Bard / Dancer JP trick and using Don't Move with summons.
Nagnarok, for some info. on enemy abilities in random battles, and for
pointing out some typos.
- Rob Eberly for the Lordly Robe that can be stolen from Valmafra.
- Rob Mako for the procedure for recruiting Luso.
- Rob Wescott for suggesting the clarification that neither HIGH Bravery nor LOW
Faith will cause characters to desert.
- Romuald Brunet for suggesting Teleport at the Lionel Castle Gate battle.
- Rori Bryant-Raible for numerous tips and advice, plus the weather effects.
- rpgskills for the monster abilities I was missing, and some poaching info.
- Ryu for correcting a mistake in the button descriptions for the Midlight's
Deep item directions, for correcting an error in the height of one of the
tiles, and for pointing out I'd forgotten to list that Mimes can't equip
abilities.
- sage peeace for using Rubber Boots and Corruption at the Lionel Castle Gate.
- sahkuh on YouTube for the video demonstrating the Toad-based automated
leveling technique.
- Sandman ( www.playithardcore.com ) for Zodiac signs to give Ramza if you want
to use him as a support character and for using the Aegis Shield and a robe
with Beowulf.
- Sane Valios for info on the inability to steal from Elmdore in the PSP
version.
- Sean Buelow for crystallizing enemy Summoners as another strategy for
teaching Zodiark to additional characters.
- Sean Lim Wei Xiong for how enemy levels are determined in random battles.
- Seraph07 for the Ninja Gear being winnable in Rendezvous Mode.
- Seth X.H. for the correct prerequisites for the Nelveska Temple battle.
- Shadow Phoenix for using tile height as another guide to find the exits in
Midlight's Deep.
- Shaun Tang for pointing out the Chemist with the Glacial Gun in the colliery
may have Maintenance, for suggesting Inviting the Pig in the colliery, for
pointing out that Beowulf is available at the beginning of Chapter IV, for
the Disable tactic on the Riovanes Castle Roof, and confirming that Luso can
learn Ultima in Chapter III.
- shinra2 for some poached items.
- Spencer Lewis for alternate strategies at Lionel Gate and Oratory if you have
a Ninja in Chapter II.
- sp0rsk on NeoGAF ( www.neogaf.com ) for help registering for Nico Nico Douga.
- The Square Enix People Database for some of the information on other projects
worked on by the FF Tactics personnel.
-> squarehaven.com/people
- Stephen Wang for catching the omitted month from the Zaland Melee errand.
- Steven Sanders for Ramza using an alias for part of Chapter II.
- Tam Thanh Truong for pointing out that I'd written "Oracle" instead of
"Mystic" more than a few times in the FAQ.
- t.g.cid for general info, stealing a Defender and Chantage from Meliadoul, and
the unhittable ninja.
- Thanapon Teawsangsuk for pointing out it was unclear whether you needed to
collect crystals/chests to unlock Dark Knight.
- The Falcon for some info on how JP and gil is determined on errands.
- The Mighty Octopus for one FF reference and info on permanent changes in
Bravery/Faith.
- Tom Dougall for pointing out that my Learning Ultima instructions were a
little TOO opaque.
- Tony Barath for where to find Dark Behemoths.
- Tony Lawrence for using Balthier's Barrage with Poach.
- Trevor Webb for the Pig that appears in the Fenlands in Chapter II.
- Tuffy da Bubba's translations of the (Japan-only) sound novels games for plot
information and most of the FF series references in those games:
-> www.geocities.com/tuffydabubba
- Ty'ere Mosley for pointing out that Zodiark isn't learned 100% of the time