-Ultimatum-
Maou's Final Fantasy VI Perfect Guide
Version 2.0

Welcome to my guidebook for Square's Final Fantasy VI, widely regarded as one
of the greatest RPG's ever made.  This Perfect Guide is designed to be just
that: the perfect companion for your travels through Final Fantasy VI.  With
this is mind, I'm proud to say that there is not a single spoiler in this
guide, a problem that has long plagued other strategy books.  Each event is
separated into its own chapter with a list of treasure to be found and places
to explore, as well as advanced tactics on fighting any major enemies.  Also
included are complete, alphabetized lists of items that can be won at the
Colosseum, as well as a perfect list of Strago's Lores.  Finally, there is a
full list of name changes for the U.S. edition, as well as some additional
information.  This version has been very much expanded from the original, with
a great deal of new and rewritten information and strategies.  Please send
any comments or corrections to maoujacky@hotmail.com.

Table of Contents

   I. The Cast
  II. Useful Techniques
 III. Perfect Guide Part I (44 Chapters)
  IV. Perfect Guide Part II (39 Chapters)
   V. Complete Dance Chart
  VI. Complete Lore Chart
 VII. Colosseum Trading Charts
VIII. Useful Metamorphosis
  IX. Oddities
   X. Name Changes
  XI. Additional References
 XII. Author's Comments

I. The Cast

*Terra Branford
Job: Magic Soldier     Age: 18     Height: 160 cm     Weight: 48 kg
Equips: Swords, Helmets, Armor
Skill: Morph--Once Terra learns how to transform, all of her normal attributes
are doubled, but only as long as her Transform Meter still has energy.  After
that, she'll have to charge the bar up again by fighting.

*Locke Cole
Job: Treasure Hunter     Age: 25     Height: 175 cm     Weight: 67 kg
Equips: Daggers, Swords, Helmets, Light Armor
Skill: Steal--Locke is able to steal from enemies with this command, which
often yields some excellent items.  With the Thief's Glove Relic equipped,
Steal becomes Capture, enabling Locke to attack and steal at the same time.

*Edgar Roni Figaro
Job: Mechanic     Age: 27     Height: 183 cm     Weight: 77 kg
Equips: Spears, Swords, Helmets, Armor
Skill: Tools--Once acquired, Edgar's powerful Tools can perform special
effects and attacks against enemies.

*Sabin Rene Figaro
Job: Monk     Age: 27     Height: 190 cm     Weight: 106 kg
Equips: Claws, Knuckles, Hats, Light Armor
Skill: Blitz--By first choosing Blitz, then entering in a series of button
patterns in a manner similar to that of a fighting game, Sabin is able to pull
of some spectacular moves, both offensive and defensive.  He learns more as
his Level increases.

*Shadow
Job: Assassin     Age: Unknown     Height: 178 cm     Weight: 66 kg
Equips: Ninja Blades, Hats, Light Armor
Skill: Throw--Using the Throw command, Shadow can heave any weapon or projec
tile at the enemy, doing massive damage at the cost of losing the item.
Swords and other blades can be used, but there are specific throwing weapons
for Shadow, including assorted Stars and Skeans.

*Cyan Garamonde
Job: Samurai     Age: 50     Height: 178 cm     Weight: 72 kg
Equips: Katanas, Helmets, Armor
Skill: Swordtech--Swordtech enables Cyan to spend time preparing a special
technique that often does extra damage or causes special effects.  The better
the Swordtech, the longer charge time it takes.  Cyan will learn Swordtechs
through both Level-gaining and events.

*Gau
Job: Wild Lostboy     Age: 13     Height: 163 cm     Weight: 50 kg
Equips: Hats, Light Armor
Skill: Leap/Rage--Gau is able to learn attack patterns from enemies by using
the Leap command to run off with them.  Leap is only available in the Veldt,
Gau's homeland.  When Gau returns in a later fight, he'll have learned Rages
not only from the monsters he ran off with, but from all monsters the party
has fought in the meantime.  Once Rage is chosen, Gau can choose which
monster's attacks he wants to imitate, and will act on his own for the rest of
battle.

*Celes Chere
Job: Rune Knight     Age: 18     Height: 172 cm     Weight: 58 kg
Equips: Swords, Helmets, Armor
Skill: Runic--Celes' Runic ability, available only when she has an actual
sword equipped, absorbs the next magic spell that is cast after she uses this
ability, nullifying its effects and absorbing them as HP.

*Setzer Gabbiani
Job: Gambler     Age: 27     Height: 175 cm     Weight: 62 kg
Equips: Cards, Dice, Helmets, Armor
Skill: Slot--Setzer's Slot Machine technique produces some fantastic effects
if three of the same image are lined up.  If unsuccessful, however, the
Lagomorph result still cures the party's status problems and heals a little
HP.  With the Coin Toss Relic equipped, Slot becomes GP Rain, in which Setzer
throws money from the party's GP total at enemies for massive (if expensive)
damage.

*Mog
Job: Moogle     Age: 11     Height: 122 cm     Weight: 43 kg
Equips: Spears, Hats, Light Armor
Skill: Dance--Mog learns one of eight Dances from each land type.  Once Mog
successfully starts a Dance, he'll continue for the rest of battle.  Each
Dance has its own unique spells and attacks, some more effective than others.

*Strago Magus
Job: Blue Mage     Age: 70     Height: 151 cm     Weight: 43 kg
Equips: Rods, Hats, Suits
Skill: Lore--As a Blue Mage, Strago is able to learn 24 specific attacks from
the enemies he encounters.  By observing the spell in battle or having it cast
upon himself, Strago will learn this new magic after the battle is won.

*Relm Arrowny
Job: Pictomancer     Age: 10     Height: 153 cm     Weight: 40 kg
Equips: Brushes, Rods, Hats, Suits
Skill: Sketch--With her artistic skills, Relm can paint an image of an enemy
that turns on it, using its own attacks.  With the Fake Mustache Relic
equipped, Sketch changes to Control, which allows Relm to control the move
ments of her enemies.

*Umaro
Job: Snow Man     Age: 4    Height: 209 cm     Weight: 198 kg
Equips: Bone Club, Snow Muffler
Skill: Rage--Umaro demonstrates his beast power in battle, constantly assail
ing the enemy with a volley of attacks.  In addition, using Green Cherries
will increase Umaro's strength.

*Gogo
Job: Mimic     Age: ???   Height: 166 cm     Weight: 60 kg
Equips: Daggers, Rods, Hats, Light Armor
Skill: Mimic--Gogo is able to imitate exactly the moves of whatever character
went before him, free of cost.  Also, under his Status menu, Gogo's other
battle options can be changed.  In addition to Mimic, Gogo can choose to
possess any three of the other job skills at one time.

II. Useful Techniques

*Beyond the basic principles that the Beginner's Hall and the instruction book
describe, there are many other attributes to Final Fantasy VI's world that can
serve you well once you understand them.  From magic types and properties to
equipment combos, there is much to experiment with in this game.

-Elements: There are ten elemental magic types that can be used to your
advantage: Fire, Ice, Lightning, Water, Wind, Earth, Death, Holy, Gravity, and
Poison.  Each tends to work opposite to another in a logical sense: Fire vs.
Ice, Lightning vs. Water, Wind vs. Earth, and Death vs. Holy (Gravity and
Poison function independently from other elementals).  Thus, targeting
monsters of one type of magic with its opposite often maximizes damage.
Certain equipment also contains elemental attributes, with defensive equipment
halving, nullifying, or absorbing their magic type (see their stats under the
item screen).  Similarly, elemental weapons can do massive damage, but avoid
using them against enemies of the same type.

-Machinery: Mechanical enemies and Magitek Armor are generally damaged most by
Lightning-based attacks.

-The Undead: As mentioned above, the undead suffer greatly under the effects
of Holy magic, meaning an undead monster can be destroyed in one hit with a
Fenix Down, Revivify, or X-Potion.  On the other hand, they'll be completely
healed by Death spells.  When wearing the Relic Ring, however, one of your own
party members can be healed by Death spells, a cheap way of fully curing them.

-Freeze Attacks: Several monsters are able to physically freeze party members
in blocks of ice.  Counter by melting the ice with low-level Fire spells.

-Magic Enemies: It is also worth noting that certain magic-based enemies rely
on their MP for survival.  Thus, these enemies can be defeated simply by
draining all of their MP.

-Near-Fatal Attacks: When a party member who has the Fight command is in
critical condition, there's a chance that they will be able to perform a
special, devastating attack instead of their normal one.  Some spell instant
death for their target, while others do massive damage.

-Imps: While being turned into an Imp is normally a problem (as it limits you
to weak attacks and the Imp spell), the results are quite different when a
party member uses the special Imp equipment.  When an Imp wears all of the Imp
Armor (Imp Halberd, Tortoise Shield, Titanium, and Imp's Armor), it becomes a
fierce fighter with excellent defensive power.

-Vanish Combos: The Vanish status, normally only useful for avoiding physical
attacks, also has an important effect: it renders the Vanished character
vulnerable to instant death attacks, like Doom, X-Zone, and Mog's Antlion and
Snare moves (part of the Desert Aria and Dusk Requiem Dances).  With this
combo, any enemy (even bosses) can be destroyed, but be warned: as these
victims will be dissolved into nothingness, they won't drop any GP or items.

-Level Magic: Several magics (all of them learnable as Lore) will affect only
characters whose Experience Levels are multiples of the said number.  So,
Level 5 Doom will only hit characters whose Levels are multiples of 5.  One
magic, however, does not give its Level: Level ? Pearl.  This Holy attack's
Level is the last digit of your current GP total.

-Experience: Keep in mind that Experience is divided equally among all party
members present, while Magic Experience Points are the same no matter how many
people are present.  Thus, the smaller the party, the more Experience Points
those in the party get.  Also note that those not in your current party still
receive half of the Experience that the main party gets, keeping them from
lagging behind too much.

-Curses: Cursed items (namely, the Cursed Shield) can be uncursed by wearing
them for 255 battles, after which, the Cursed Shield will become the mighty
Paladin Shield.  Supposedly, the Cursed Ring can also be uncursed in a similar
manner, but the results are uncertain (see the Oddities section).

-Relics: Keep in mind that Relics' properties go into effect immediately after
they're equipped.  This means that equipping an anti-Poison Relic on a
poisoned fighter will remedy their bad condition, for example, an easy way to
save MP or items.

-In-Battle Equipping: It's easy to forget that a party member's equipped sword
and shield can be easily changed in the middle of battle.  To do this, go to
the top of the item screen, highlight the desired item to be switched, and
swap it with another sword or shield from the item list.

-Save Points: When you're working with multiple parties, it's good to know
that only one member need be on a Save Point for the others to save or use
Tents.  So, as long as one party is still on the Save Point, the other can
continue on, stopping to save by switching to the other party.

-Searching: The clever treasure hunter will quickly discover that there are
many items to be found by examining barrels, mounds, crates, clocks, and other
seemingly-inconspicuous objects.  In particular, Elixirs can often be found
inside clocks.

III. Perfect Guide Part I

I. Colliery Narshe
-The story begins as two Imperial Soldiers and a mysterious girl raid the
small mining town of Narshe with Magitek Armor.  The girl, possessing magic
powers of her own, is able to cast additional spells to aid her companions.
The party's target is the upper mine where their mission's objective lies.  Be
sure to stop at the first Save Point before going too far into the mines.

*Decisive Battle: Whelk
-The Whelk stores energy in its shell, ready to release it if anyone targets
it.  Instead, target its head, and heal or defend when it withdraws into its
shell.  Avoid using attacks such as Bio Blast that will hit both the head and
shell.  The girl's TekMissile is the most effective.

II. Moogles to the Rescue!
-After Terra awakes, she will meet Locke, a valiant treasure hunter.  She
should be sure to search the house's clock for an Elixir before leaving.
Soon, a great battle takes place.  Luckily, the Moogle tribe comes to help!
Switching between parties, the Moogles should be more than a match for the
Marshal's army.  Be sure to fight with Mog's party at least once so that he
can learn his first dance, Dusk Requiem.

-Find: Elixir, Fenix Down, Sleeping Bag

*Decisive Battle: Marshal
-The best choice for attacking the enemy leader is Locke's Party, as Locke
will gain experience as a major character, but if Mog's party is in better
shape, his Dusk Requiem Dance will put a major dent in the leader, as well.
Eliminate his Lobos as quickly as possible, and use similar speed in attacking
the Marshal himself, whose strong attacks can overpower the party fairly
quickly.

-With the Empire driven off temporarily, the party should make sure to explore
the area fully, and also stop by the Beginner's Hall to learn some tactics and
collect information.

-Find: Tincture, Sleeping Bag, Tonic

III. Figaro Castle
-Home of the dashing King Edgar Figaro, this is the lone haven in the sandy
badlands.  The all-purpose castle stocks numerous items the party can buy,
including Tools, which only Edgar can use.  Free lodging can also be used to
restore health and magic, and several items are lying around.  Once Kefka
returns, the group will leave the castle, so be sure to explore fully,
stopping in particular in the western section to learn about Sabin.

-Find: Soft, Tonic, Antidote, Fenix Down

*Decisive Battle: Majitek Armor
-Battling these mechanical knights is not a very difficult task, but be sure
to have Terra use her magic.  Not only does this make the fight easier, it
also invokes an interesting response from the other party members, so be sure
to try it.

IV. To South Figaro!
-East of Figaro Castle lies a cave to South Figaro.  Very few things will
present much of a problem.  The recovery spring at the start prepares the
party for any real dangers, and with appropriate use of Edgar's Tools and
Terra's Magic, the group should make it through quite easily.

-Find: Tincture (x2), Fenix Down

V. South Figaro
-This town offers the first opportunity to buy Relics, including the valuable
Sprint Shoes, great for avoiding battles and speeding the game up in general.
A mysterious ninja sits in the cafe.  This won't be the first time the party
crosses paths with him.  South Figaro also has a number of secret items, which
can be found in barrels and crates.

-Find: Green Cherry, Tonic, Fenix Down, Eyedrop, Antidote, Soft, Warp Stone

VI. Mt. Kolts
-On your way to the mountain, be sure to stop by the house to the northeast of
South Figaro: there's free beds and a bit of information, as well.  Also make
sure to stock up on Antidotes and Softs before heading to this beautiful
ridge, as enemies will give you the painful Poison and Stone statuses.  Don't
miss the Save Point, as the boss here will be the adventurers' first real
test.  Follow the moving shadow to find your way.

-Find: Guardian, Atlas Armlet, Tent (x2)

*Decisive Battle: Vargas
-Try to keep everyone in the party alive against this difficult martial
artist, and kill off his helpers early on.  Avoid attacking too far ahead in
the Active Time Battle, instead leaving one party member ready to heal while
others are poised to attack.  When Vargas has been suitably weakened, Sabin's
Blitz techniques (Left, Right, Left for Pummel) will help deliver the final
blow.

VII. Returners
-The rebels' hideout is well-hidden in the mountains, and contains several
items to find.  When Bannon asks Terra for help, your prize will be a Gauntlet
if she agrees immediately, but if she refuses every time, she'll also get a
Genji Glove.  However, you'll miss out on an important conference if you do.
Are guilt and ignorance worth the glove?  You decide.

-Find: Fenix Down (x2), Green Cherry, Air Lancet, True Knight, Antidote,
Tincture, Potion, White Cape

VIII. Lete River
-An dangerous raft ride awaits the group as they sail down the Lete.  Be sure
to keep Bannon at full health at all times.  Luckily, his Health technique is
very effective (and free!).  The party should go straight, then left, to reach
the river's end.

*Decisive Battle: Ultros
-This strange octopus dislikes the heros as soon as he sees them, and sets off
a fierce attack against the party.  Use Bannon's Health to keep everyone
alive, and Terra's Fire spell and Edgar's Auto Crossbow for effective attacks.
Try not to get too far ahead of yourself, as Ultros' Tentacle attack will be
very damaging to an unhealed party.  Healing and attacking quickly is the key
here.

**The Great Triple Scenario**
-As the party is separated, there are now three separate adventures to choose
from.  Sabin's is by far the longest, and it is recommended that you do his
first to ensure he has enough supplies to survive.

IX. The House on the Veldt
-Sabin finds himself washed ashore in the wild badlands known as the Veldt.
Just a little ways to the east of the river's mouth lies the house of a
strange old man.  Here, Sabin should stock up on goods from the Chocobo
merchant (especially Potions, Tinctures, and Tents), as a long journey awaits
him.  He will also run into the wandering ninja, Shadow, who will be of great
help on Sabin's quest.  Be sure to buy a few throwing items.

X. Troops March On
-The party's first objective is to make it through the Imperial Camp, where a
siege on Doma Castle is taking place.  Here, the group will meet the noble
swordsman, Cyan, observe the honorable (!) General Leo of the Empire, and run
afoul of Kefka once again.
-Find: (Camp) Star Pendant, Mithril Glove, Green Beret; (Doma) Remedy

*Battle: Kefka
-The sinister Imperial officer is here at Doma, and you will repeatedly chase
him.  He presents no real difficulty, being as cowardly as he is evil.

XI. The Phantom Forest
-This beautiful forest has a mysterious air about it, which is proven correct
through its wrong way paths and recovery spring.  A unique adventure awaits.

XII. Phantom Train
-One of the highlights of the game, the Phantom Train ride is a original and
challenging experience.  Friendly ghosts can be recruited in the caboose and
in most passenger cars.  Their Possess skill can eliminate any enemy, yet will
cause the ghost to leave your party, as well.  Other friendly ghosts will sell
you items or allow you to rest, but beware of the numerous evil spirits.
Instructions for navigating through the cars can be found in several places,
so examine all notes and books.  (The train is stopped by using the first and
third levers in engine room, right before the locomotive.  There's a switch to
be pressed on top of the locomotive, as well.)

-Find: Earrings, Fenix Down (x2), Sniper Sight, Hyper Wrist

*Battle: Siegfried
-This "master swordsman" should present little or no threat, though he has a
surprise attack.  He'll be gone in no time at all.

*Decisive Battle: Ghost Train
-The train's locomotive will chase you down the tracks, letting you go only if
you can defeat it.  The key is to hit the train as quickly as possible, taking
advantage of its low HP.  Its powerful Acid Rain can be cast repeatedly,
making it difficult for defensive players to succeed.  Constantly using
Shurikens, Dispatches, and AuraBolt Blitzes is the way to go.

XIII. Baren Falls
-North-east of the Phantom Forest lies Baren Falls.  Killer fish will attack
the group relentlessly as they plunge down the waterfall.

*Decisive Battle: Rizopas
-The largest fish in the falls will present quite a problem if the party isn't
fully healed.  Be prepared for his strong El Nino attack, and heal immediately
afterwards.

XIV. Molbiz and Gau
-The shy Gau won't come near you after battle until you can convince him that
you're friendly.  Head into Molbiz and restock the party, as there is still a
little ways to go.  In order to gain Gau's help, you will need to buy some
Dried Meat to give him when he appears after a battle.  The party can also
mail letters for a wounded soldier, paying 500 GP for him each time.  While
this may sound expensive, he will gratefully give you a Titinabar after all
his letters are sent.

-Find: Elixir, Titinibar

XV. Mt. Crescent
-One of Gau's treasures should help you through the Serpent Trench, but first
you'll have to find it.  It should be a rather simple task, however.  Avoid
the northwest grounds, where you'll lose GP, and instead head east over the
northern bridge to find Gau's handy item.

-Find: Elixir

XVI. The Serpent Trench
-With the help of the diving helmet, the group can swim through the rapid
currents of the Serpent Trench.  Heading left when given the choice will take
the party directly to Nikeah, while heading right both times will give the
party access to a few underwater item caves.

-Find: X-Potion, Green Beret

XVII. Nikeah
-Sabin's last destination before his scenario ends, Nikeah offers him a chance
to shop and recover.  When finished, board the ship to South Figaro.

-Find: Elixir

XVIII. South Figaro
-Locke's scenario involves far less fighting, yet is a puzzle in its own way.
The occupied city of South Figaro is swarming with people and Imperial
Soldiers, as well as merchants.  To get around, Locke should steal merchant
and soldier clothes, finally fighting a merchant for his cider to give to the
old man.  The old man will tell you how to get the rich man's house.
"Courage" is the password to let Locke past the kid.  Locke should find the
beautiful general Celes in the basement.  Together, they will flee from the
city after winding a clock to reveal a secret passageway.

-Find: 500 GP, 1000 GP, 1500 GP, Hyper Wrist, Running Shoes, Iron Armor,
Earrings, Regal Cutlass, Heavy Shield, Ether, X-Potion, Ribbon, Eyedrop,
Antidote, Soft

XIX. Return to South Figaro Caves
-Celes and Locke now must go back through the South Figaro Caves, towards
Narshe.  While little has changed, be sure to use the recovery spring before
leaving, for an unseen enemy blocks the way.

*Decisive Battle: Tunnel Armor
-This surprise boss will attack Celes and Locke just before leaving, but if
you've healed at the recovery spring, it shouldn't be too bad.  It is
important that Celes use her Runic ability to absorb the Tunnel Armor's
powerful spells.

XX. To Narshe!
-Terra and Edgar ride the rapids up to Narshe, and must slip in through a
secret door in the mountain to get inside.  The party will trek through the
caves to get into town.  Follow the guiding light to make it through the
strange maze, and stop to say hi to Moogles on the way.

-Find: Fenix Down, Sleeping Bag, Rune Edge

XXI. Save Them!~Narshe and the Snowfields
-Another multiparty battle takes place, this time for the frozen Esper.  Try
to make three well-balanced parties so no one will be taken off guard.  Taking
the offensive is the key to minimizing the attacks.  Beware of the patrolling
soldier guarding Kefka, whose attacks are by far the most brutal of all the
soldiers you've fought.

*Decisive Battle: Kefka
-The Imperial officer is far less difficult than the soldiers he commands, so
just pummel Kefka and heal up every so often.  He does, however, know some
mid-level magic, so Celes' Runic skill is helpful in this fight.

-Once the battling is done, be sure to explore Narshe well, especially the
treasure-rich warehouse to the far east.

-Find: 5000 GP, Earrings, Thief's Knife, Wall Ring, Sneak Ring,
Hyper Wrist

XXII. Return to Figaro Castle
-To continue after Terra, the party will need to head back to Figaro Castle
for transportation.  For event purposes, the party should be sure to include
Edgar, Sabin, Locke, and Celes.  However, you may want to leave one person
behind, as Shadow can be hired again, west of the mountains.  You'll defi
nitely want to take both Edgar and Sabin to Figaro, for much will be learned
about their past if they go together (you'll also get a discount on items at
Figaro Castle if Edgar is with you).  However, you'll also want to take Locke,
to learn about his past when you reach Kohlingen, as well as Celes, with whom
Locke already has a bond.  Thus, the best choice is to take all four of them
to Figaro, then to head back and leave Edgar or Sabin behind.  This enables
all possible reactions and flashbacks, while still letting you hire Shadow.

XXIII. Kohlingen Area
-Here you'll have the chance to enlist Shadow for 3000 GP, and you'll also
find out about Locke's sad past if he's in your party.   North of the town
lives a man who dreams of building a great fighting arena.  Will he succeed?
Time will tell...

-Find: (Kohlingen) Elixir, Greet Beret; (Old Man's House) Hero Ring

XXIV. Zozo
-Residents in the nearby town of Jidoor will hint that Terra can be found at
the top of a tower in this sleazy city of cutthroats and thieves.  In the
northern part of town, you'll find a building with a broken clock that
requires you to reset the time.  A number of people mumble vague clues, and
the correct time is 6 hours, 10 minutes, and 50 seconds.  Doing this correctly
will give Edgar access to the strong Chainsaw tool.  By way of jumping between
towers, the party should reach the top of the buildings, where Terra can be
found, but not before fighting a boss along the way.

-Find: Tincture (x2), Thief Glove, Fire Knuckle

*Decisive Battle: Dadaluma
-Zozo's toughest resident will assault you outside on one of the balconies, so
be prepared.  Edgar's newfound Chainsaw should prove helpful against the
villain, who protects himself with potions and is joined by some henchmen
later in the fight.  Furthermore, Dadaluma can both cast Shell on himself and
throw a barrage of devastating weapons at you given time, so defeating him as
early as possible is the way to go.  If Shadow is with you, Shurikens will
take Dadaluma down quickly before he can get the upper hand in this
confrontation.

XXV. Jidoor
-You'll find quite a bit of information and assistance here, especially in the
mansion to the far north.  Setzer's on his way...

XXVI. The Opera House
-Circumstance leads the party to the Opera House, where they hope to gain the
help of the famous Setzer, owner of a magnificent airship.  An entertaining
and memorable night awaits.  Be sure to memorize Celes' parts well in order to
sing successfully.

XXVII. Aria di Mezzo Carattere
-A great moment in Final Fantasy VI, the beautiful piece is sung by Celes in
an interactive opera.  If you've memorized her lines, all should go
smoothly...until Ultros decides to interfere, that is.  Within five minutes,
the party must save Celes and foil Ultros' plot.  Be sure to push the far
right lever in the left wing to reach the rafters, or else you'll fall back to
the entrance.  Avoid the rats if possible, and try to take out the stronger
yellow ones first, as they can recall more grey rats if all the initial ones
are destroyed.

*Decisive Battle: Ultros
-In a bizarre situation, the party must battle Ultros on stage.  Weak to Fire
and Lightning, his Imp spell is perhaps his greatest strength, so counter with
Green Cherries or by wearing a White Cape.  Aside from his Acid Rain attack,
he has nothing else going for him.

XXVIII. Onward to Vector!
-Now that Setzer has joined you, you have the Airship Blackjack at your
disposal!  Become familiar with the rooms, especially the merchant and the
healer at the door.

XXIX. Under Martial Law~Albrook, Tzen, and Maranda
-These towns are occupied by the Empire.  Talk to everyone to gain
information, and stock up on items; there is a big adventure ahead.

-Find: (Albrook) Tincture, Elixir, Potion, Warp Stone; (Maranda) Revivify,
Remedy

XXX. Vector, the Imperial City
-A great adventure awaits the group once they enter the Imperial City.  The
hostile villagers will rob you if you stay at the inn overnight, but the old
lady in the small, narrow house will recover your HP if you can defeat the
Imperial Guards nearby, an easy task.  Make sure to go to the cafe to learn
more about Kefka.  The real adventure begins once you find the Returner
sympathizer in the northern part of town, who helps you enter the Magitek
Factory.

XXXI. Devil's Lab~Majitek Factory
-The fiendish Majitek Factory has a number of items hidden within its walls.
The party will use cranes, conveyer belts, and tunnels to make their way
through the factory.  Upon entering, head left first through a pipe to find
the Flame Sabre, then ride the crane to get across the gap.  Once the party
enters the second room by conveyor belt, head to the left of where the
conveyor dropped you, up the stairs next to the Dragoon Boots.  You'll find
yourself back in the first room, where you'll have access to the Gold Shield.
Through a hidden passage in the north-east part of the second room filled with
crates, you'll find some treasure.  Heading southward (but to the right of the
Dragoon Boots) leads to the southmost part of the area, where stairs connect
lower and upper levels.  The lower-level walls in this area contain doors to
the Gold Armor and the Gold Helmet.  Finally, head down the conveyor belt
carrying Majitek Armor to reach the end.  However, as long as the party
doesn't go down the conveyor belt where Kefka is sighted, rising platforms can
always allow for backtracking.

-Find: Tincture, Flame Sabre, X-Potion, Thunder Blade, Remedy, Gold Shield,
Dragoon Boots, Zephyr Cape, Blizzard, Tent, Gold Helmet, Gold Armor

*Decisive Battle: Ifrit and Shiva
-Ifrit and Shiva alternate attacking you, one at a time.  Use opposite spell
types for each Esper, meaning Ice against the fiery Ifrit and Fire against
Shiva.

XXXII. Magitek Research Facility
-Make sure to head through the left door in the room where you fought the
Espers to save.  Should the party need to return to the Majitek Factory for
further exploration, the crane can be used to rise to the upper levels.  Head
into the inner factory to fight a real enemy, but not before examining the
lower-left wall in the room filled with glass chambers for an item.

-Find: Break Blade

*Decisive Battle: Number 024
-The barrier-changing 024 can be a problem, but the Scan command can help find
his current weak points.  However, given the speed with which he changes his
magic barrier, physical attacks are a better option.  The interesting (though
rather weak) Drainer sword can be stolen from this enemy.  Oddly enough,
Number 024 is susceptible to the Imp spell: once transformed, his magic
barriers and attacks are no longer troubling--he'll have nothing left but
System Errors to heal him.

XXXIII. Rail Cart Escape!
-As the party attempts to escape from Vector, they'll be attacked several
times on their way by various Magna-Roaders, and finally, by a boss.  Try not
to win a battle with low HP, as the inability to heal between battles can give
the boss the advantage.

*Decisive Battle: Number 128
-This boss has the upper hand, as the party has had no time to heal up for
this encounter.  He has no particular weakpoints, so just hammer away at him,
making sure to focus on its main body and not on its regrowable arms.
However, avoid Blizzard spells, which will only heal him.

*Decisive Battle: Cranes
-The Empire makes one last attempt to keep the party from escaping with some
huge cranes to hold the airship.  Luckily, Setzer will give you a hand with
his Slot Machine technique.  Lightning attacks will devastate the right-side
crane, while the Lightning-absorbing left crane is better destroyed with
simple attacks.

XXXIV. Narshe: Lone Wolf and Mog~Dance Hunt
-After rejoining with Terra at Zozo, the party has free control of the airship
Blackjack.  The first place they should go is Narshe.  Upon examining the
warehouse on the east side of Narshe, the party will run into Lone Wolf, a
bandit.  Once you pick up any treasures you didn't get on your last visit,
follow him into the mines and through a new passage.  Head through the
snowfield where the Esper battle took place, and finally to a cliff where
you'll find Wolf and a captive Moogle, Mog.  Let the two struggle for a
moment, then approach them.  Make sure to go to Mog and not to Wolf if you
want Mog in your party (and you do!).  If you talk to him, Wolf escapes, while
talking to Wolf only grants you a Gold Hairpin, which you can easily get later
in the game.  Now you've got an awesome Moogle on your side!  Be sure to take
Mog to all land types NOW, so he can learn his dances.  It is particularly
important that you take Mog through the Serpent Trench or the Lete River to
learn Water Rondo, because both will be inaccessible later in the game.  This
task requires a good deal of passing through familiar ground.  The best way to
learn the Water Rondo is by parking the Blackjack near the house of the old
man on the Veldt, and trekking through the Phantom Forest and the Veldt to Mt.
Crescent.  There, the party can swim through the Serpent Trench, learning the
Rondo, and washing up in Nikeah.  The road out of Nikeah is now clear, which
means the party can easily march back to the old man's house and reboard the
Blackjack.  For those looking to learn many Dances in one journey (and easy
Magic Experience Points from now-weak monsters to boot), there are more
involved routes, the best of which starts at Mt. Crescent.  From there, they
can swim through the Serpent Trench, learning Water Rondo, ending up in
Nikeah.  The group should then take the ship to South Figaro.  On the way to
Mt. Kolts, you should learn the Wind Dance in the grasslands, and then Earth
Blues once you reach Mt. Kolts.  Head down the Lete, then walk through the
land Sabin covered, passing through the Phantom Forest to learn Forest Suite.
The party will then jump down Barren Falls (no monsters are there anymore,
luckily), and should finally reach Mt. Crescent and the airship again.  After
either route, Love Sonata can be learned in city areas, so Zozo's streets are
a perfect place, and Desert Aria is learned in any desert area.  If Mog hasn't
learned it already, Dusk Requiem is acquired by fighting in caves.  His final
Dance is not learned till later in the game.

XXXV. The Imperial Base
-Not much is going on here right now, as all the doors are locked.  Just head
to the right to get to the entrance to the Cave to the Sealed Gate.

XXXVI. Passage to the Sealed Gate
-This cave is filled with molten lava and dangerous traps, as well as some
priceless treasures.  Make sure to explore this area completely, as it will
not always be reachable.  A switch in the middle of a bridge will fill the gap
to the isolated island treasure, containing the Genji Glove.  Setzer's
interesting but GP-consuming Coin Toss relic is found here, as well.  In the
southeastern part of the cave, a switch found on top of a small mound opens a
door which leads to a huge treasure trove.  The incredible Atma Weapon is
found inside, which can evolve into the most powerful sword in the game over
time.

-Find: Assassin, Tempest, Coin Toss, X-Potion, Ether (x3), Genji Glove, Tent,
Elixir, Magicite (x2), Atma Weapon

XXXVII. The Imperial Palace and Banquet
-This peace banquet offers the party the interesting task of exploring the
Imperial Fortress and encountering many soldiers.  Before the banquet begins,
the party should zip around the castle, talking to as many soldiers as
possible.  Some will try to fight, while others will merely talk.  In order to
score as high as possible, don't forget to go outside the main entrance to
find a few guards, and keep in mind that while the northernmost doors on each
side both lead outside, there are soldiers in the corridors, as well.  If you
have time, stop by the prison and see what Kefka's up to.

-Find: Hairpin, Revivify, Tincture, Back Guard, X-Potion

-Banquet: Gestahl will reward the party with some excellent things, depending
on how you respond in the banquet and how many soldiers you talked to before
the banquet.  Below is a chart of how to rack up the most points, and what
you'll be rewarded.  A little-known fact is that when the party takes a break,
they can test themselves against Gestahl's guards by talking to them.

*Peace Talks
-Each guard talked to......24x1 points each
-Each guard fought..........5x4 points each
-Make a toast to?
   To the Returners...........1 point
   To the Empire..............2 points
   To our hometowns...........5 points
-What about Kefka?
   Let him go.................1 point
   Execute him................3 points
   Leave him in jail..........5 points
-What about Doma?
   What's done is done........1 point
   Apologize again............3 points
   It was inexcusable.........5 points
-What about Celes?
   She was a spy..............1 point
   We trust Celes.............3 points
   She's one of us............5 points
-Any questions?
   If you ask questions.....3x2 points each
   (-10 points if you repeat yourself)
-What about the Espers?
   You unleashed their power..2 points
   They've gone too far.......5 points
-Which question was asked first?
   If correct.................5 points
-Need a break?
   If you rest................5 points
-Anything else I should say?
   I'm sorry..................1 point
   All I want is peace........3 points
   The war is over............5 points
-Will you grant a favor?
   If yes the first time......3 points

*Results (each progressive level includes all previous rewards)
1.  0-49 points: South Figaro liberated
2. 50-66 points: Doma liberated
3. 67-76 points: Imperial Base Weapon Room open
4. 77-89 points: Receive Titinabar
5. 90-93 points: Receive Charm Bangle

XXXVIII. Albrook to Thamasa
-The next destination is Albrook, where you'll go with General Leo and Shadow
to Thamasa.

XXXIX. Thamasa
-This strange village is the home of Strago and Relm.  After talking to them,
examine the town further, making sure to grab the Memento Ring behind the
table in the second floor of Strago's house.  Nothing much seems to be going
on, so the party should just go to bed.

-Find: Eyedrop, Soft, Echo Screen, Memento Ring

XL. Fire!!!
-At night, a fire breaks out and Relm is caught in a blazing house with no
escape.  Strago wakes the party up, and together they head into the burning
house to rescue Relm.  Strago can learn the Exploder Lore from the enemies he
encounters.  Note that the moving flames are actually enemies.  If Terra and
Locke equip the Blizzard sword and Strago finds the Ice Rod, enemies have no
chance for survival.  Strago's Aqua Rake Lore is also very effective against
the fiery beasts inside, especially the boss.

-Find: Fire Rod, Ice Rod

*Decisive Battle: Flame Eater
-Strago's Aqua Rake crushes this flaming enemy.  Naturally, his newfound Ice
Rod does also wastes the fiery monsters, along with Ice attacks in general.
However, try to target just the Flame Eater, as he brings back more, and
eventually, tougher, companions each time you kill them.  Thus, try to use
Strago's Aqua Rake mainly when Flame Eater is in the middle of bringing in
more Balloons.  This spell is especially nice in that it breaks through the
boss's Reflect spell.

XLI. The Espers' Mountain
-This dungeon is one of the better places to learn spells.  On the way, the
party will encounter models of the legendary Goddess Statues, which should be
examined for backstory details.  Past the Save Point, there are three differ
ent holes the party can jump down.  Avoid the one closest to the save point,
and hop down the top and right holes first to find more treasure before
jumping the bottom left hole to exit the dungeon.

-Find: Heal Rod, Chocobo Suit, Tabby Suit, X-Potion

*Decisive Battle: Ultros
-The group encounters that crazy octopus, Ultros, again, in front of the
Goddess monuments.  Straight-forward attacks and Fire and Lightning magics are
fine for defeating the odd villain.  Be sure to use Relm's Sketch command
when she arrives.

XLII. Odds and Ends
-If the party scored enough points during the banquet, they can now enter the
Imperial Base for some great treasure: Cherub Down, Flame Sabre, 8000 GP,
Ether, Wall Ring, 13000 GP, Sprint Shoes, Elixir, 2000 GP, Cure Ring, and Back
Guard.  Not a bad prize for being a smooth-talker!
-If you haven't already done so, the party can go to Tzen to buy the Seraphim
Esper from the man in the woods.  If the party has enough money, you can go to
the Jidoor Auction House to buy the Zone Seek and Golem Espers.  These two
Espers are extremely expensive, however, and given that the spells they teach
aren't as immediately important as learning basic offensive and defensive
spells, you may just want to buy them later.
-The Jidoor Auction House also has Cure Rings for sale for 20000 GP, and
Cherub Down for 10000 GP.  These rare and expensive treasures are nice if the
party has the money, but they may be simply too expensive at the time.
-To the far-northeast, there is a small triangular island where a lone enemy
called Intangir resides.  He starts out invisible, then counters with Meteo
when awakened by magic.  However, a few spells will destroy him instantly, and
reward you with an incredible 10 Magic Experience Points.  Mog's Dances are
some of the best ways to kill Intangirs.  His Snare and Antlion moves from his
Dusk Requiem and Desert Aria Dances will dispatch Intangir easily.  Doom will
also make short work of him when invisible, as is true with any enemy.  Just
make sure that whoever casts one of these spells on Intangir is at full
health, as the monster always retaliates with Meteo before dying.
-Another interesting place to visit is the forest of Bombs, south of the
Phantom Forest, over the mountains.  This isolated part of the continent
sports a large forest full of Bombs, and the occasional (and fierce) Grenade.
They provide adequate experience and 2 magic points per battle, making this an
easy place to learn spells, especially with Edgar's Auto Crossbow, powerful
enough to dispatch all of them instantly.

XLIII. Find the Floating Island!
-On the way to the Floating Island, the party will be attacked by the Imperial
Air Force, composed of flying mechs.  It is suggested that you take Mog with
you, as his super-high HP and powerful dances will be of great assistance.

*Decisive Battle: Ultros and Chupon
-Ultros returns yet again, and this time, he's brought a friend, Mr. Chupon.
Take out Ultros first, as his attacks can be an irritating distraction when
fighting Chupon--this time, he's weak to Poison and Fire.  Note that Chupon
absorbs Fire attacks, but falls prey to Ice and Water.

*Decisive Battle: Air Force
-The head mech of the IAF attacks the party on the way down, but shouldn't be
much of a problem, if the party uses its strongest magic spells, Water- and
Lightning-based in particular.  NEVER attack anything but the main body,
however, or the Air Force will release some Bits which make the battle much
harder.  Once the countdown begins, the party has a limited time before the
mech releases a devastating blast.

XLIV. New Continent
-This major dungeon is filled with mazes, treasure, and fearsome monsters.
The incredibly powerful Behemoths are particularly difficult, and should be
slain quickly.  The Dragons here have Genji Gloves to steal, if Locke is in
the party.  At the beginning, help Shadow to his feet, and he'll fill out your
party.  Small blue globes house treasures, and the party can dive into holes
and come out on other parts of the island.  Examine all possible routes, and
use the switches and holes to get around.  Make sure to jump down the last
hole you see before getting to the center of the island, as it contains a save
point.

-Find: Murasame, Beret, Elixir

*Fierce Battle: Atma Weapon
-The super-powerful monster form of Atma will block the party on its way to
the statues, and should prove a very difficult enemy.  It uses powerful Flare
spells and attacks fiercely, then uses Quake when weakened.  Prepare for this
by wearing Cherub Down.  With no weaknesses or strengths, Atma Weapon is best
assailed with a mixture of magic and physical attacks.  Heal after its Flare
spell to avoid vulnerability to future attacks.  Given time, Atma Weapon
starts glowing, harvesting energy, and casts the monstrous Flare Star spell,
which the party has little chance of surviving unless they're fully healed.

-After the events unfold at the center of the island, the party will have a
very short amount of time to escape.  You can't run away from battles, so just
attack as fast as you possibly can.  Rather then going straight towards the
treasure chest on the hill, go around, as the ground will crumble beneath you
the other way, making the chest unobtainable.  A particularly strong monster
guards the end of the isle.

-Find: Elixir

*Battle: Nerapa
-The devilish Nerapa bars the party's way at the end of the island.  Adding to
the escape time is the tension of his Condemned spell, which Strago can learn.
With only a short period to live, the only way for the party to survive is
through a rapidfire combination of nonstop attacking and healing.  Nerapa also
has Reflect cast on him, so avoid using magic against the demon.

-Once you reach the end, MAKE SURE TO WAIT FOR SHADOW!!!  When the game gives
you the option of jumping or waiting, choose wait or Shadow will die!  Walk to
the end again, and the option, "Gotta wait for Shadow," appears.  He'll come
just in time.

End of Part One

IV. Perfect Guide Part II

I. Dark World
-Awaking on a solitary island, Celes finds the world very different from the
way it was before.  The kind Cid has kept Celes alive, and now it is Celes'
turn to return the favor.  Feed him yummy, fast-moving fish to restore his
health.  Normal or slow, rotten fish will make his condition worse (you can
check what kind of fish you've caught under the Rare Items menu).  It is
recommended that you save, and view what happens when you let Cid die, then
load the game again and do it right.  A little-known fact on getting more
yummy fish to appear is that if Celes shows the seagull the yummy fish she
caught (the bird will chirp), the bird will often round up more when she comes
back to the beach again.

II. Albrook
-This town is very different than it once was.  While no major events happen
here, news of the world, your friends, and Espers can be found.  Pay close
attention to everyone, especially the scholars that mention Doom Gaze and the
Legendary Dragons.

III. Tzen
-Heading north, past a gigantic tower, Celes should find Tzen.  There, she
finds Sabin supporting a collapsing house.  Celes must tear through the
crumbling building, grabbing treasures and fighting along the way.  Keep in
mind that Celes must leave time to escape, too.  With this done, Sabin will
rejoin Celes, and the two should head across the bridge outside of Tzen, to
the east.

-Find: Heal Rod, Pearl Rod, Tincture, Hyper Wrist, Magicite, Drainer

IV. Molbiz
-The party will find a weakened Terra residing with children in the ruined
town of Molbiz, in the basement of the largest house.  When the ancient demon
Phunbaba attacks, Sabin and Celes will fight him off, but Terra is not ready
to help fight Kefka as of yet.

*Decisive Battle: Phunbaba
-Sabin's Suplex is useful against Phunbaba, and both he and Celes should use
Poison against the beast if possible.  After a short battle, Phunbaba will run
away.

V. Nikeah to South Figaro
-A mysterious thief resembling Edgar travels across the sea, and the party
follows close behind.  Be sure to restock on items in both towns, and gather
more information about the state of the world.  Duncan's wife offers a
particularly surprising bit of info in South Figaro.

VI. South Figaro Cave
-The party passes through this cave again, by way of a secret passage.  Make
sure to save before going in, as a very powerful boss awaits you in Figaro
Castle.  That oddball Siegfried helps trail the thieves, although it's never
clear why...

VII. Figaro Castle Basement
-The basement of Figaro Castle holds some very nice items, and is very easy to
navigate.  Make sure to heal up before entering the center door, however, and
try to equip everyone with anti-poison Relics if possible.  Edgar will be
there to help.  After the battle, make sure to search the statue for the Soul
Sabre.

-Find: Crystal Helmet, Gravity Rod, X-Potion, Ether, Regal Crown, Soul Sabre

*Decisive Battle: Tentacles
-These madly-difficult sand worms will put up an extremely difficult fight
against the party, even with Edgar to help.  All of the Tentacles but one are
vulnerable to Fire.  Make sure to focus on one Tentacle at a time, and heal
the Poison condition they like to cause as soon as possible.

VIII. To Kohlingen!
-With Figaro Castle safe again, the party can travel to Kohlingen, across the
sea.  There, they'll find Setzer in the cafe, and he'll show you how to get to
Darill's Tomb.  Purchase some strong armor and weapons before going, however,
as well as some Revivifies.  Many people have information on your friends, as
well.

IX. Darill's Tomb
-The puzzle-filled tomb of Darill presents many hazards, as well as some great
treasure.  After reading the four tombstones in the lower basement, the party
should head back to the tombstone near the entrance, and carve them onto the
grave in a different order.  If read backwards, they should spell out, "The
World is Square," and give you a hint as to the location of the super-valuable
Experience Egg.  It's found through a secret passage on the right in the third
basement.  Flip switches and ride the turtle to find your way through the
tomb.
</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
-Find: Genji Helmet, Crystal Mail, Czarina Gown, Experience Egg, Man Eater

*Decisive Battle: Presenter
-Hiding in a treasure chest, Presenter holds Sabin's powerful Dragon Claw
weapon.  The battle shouldn't be too tough, but use the nearby Save Point just
in case.  Be sure to watch for its dangerous Earth-based Magnitude 8, as well
as the Thunder spell Giga Volt that results from hitting the shell.  Fire
attacks to Presenter's head are a good plan.  Both Presenter's head and shell,
however, can be destroyed by the instant-death variation of Edgar's Chain Saw
attack.

*Decisive Battle: Dullahan
-The evil spirit Dullahan puts up a much tougher fight than Presenter, so make
sure to save and use a tent before fighting him.  He is weak against Fire, but
is capable of devastating the party with Ice 3.  Celes' Runic ability can
greatly reduce the danger of Dullahan's magic.

**Searching Friends**
-With the Airship Falcon in your control, it's time to find all of your lost
comrades and set things right in assorted parts of the world.  This is a
great, non-linear time of exploration and optional storyline, which can be
done in any order you want.  In truth, it is possible to raid Kefka's Ruin
Tower as soon as you get the Falcon, although you won't last long inside.  In
addition, the game can be beaten with just Celes, Edgar, and Setzer.  (Their
endings, along with Relm's, if you find her, change if Locke, Sabin, and
Strago are not found.)  However, doing this would cause you to miss out on a
truly great arc of the game.  The following is a suggested sequence, but aside
from the rather difficult final adventures, they can really be done in any
order.  Beware of Doom Gaze of the sky, however, because your party will
likely be unfit to defeat him (just tick away at him until he--or you--
retreats).  Now, begin anew your quest for allies!

X. Maranda
-The flying birds suggest that your first journey be to Maranda.  Gather
information, and be sure to stop by Lola's house (the wounded Molbiz soldier's
girlfriend).  After talking with her, agree to help mail a letter, then
examine the carrier pigeon outside.  Signs point to Zozo.

XI. Zozo
-A man in Maranda hinted that the only honest man in Zozo would help you out.
Found in the northern part of town, this man will sell you some Rust-Rid,
which will help you open the rusted door to Mt. Zozo, atop the cafe.

XII. Mt. Zozo
-Make sure to kill the GP-stealing Ursus bears before they run off with your
money.  These annoying enemies abound in Mt. Zozo.  Grab the treasure to the
north before heading south past another chest, and upon reaching higher
ground, make sure to head out the smaller entrance fist to find a Gold Hairpin
on an outdoor cliff.  Later on, make sure to use the Save Point before hitting
the nearby switch.

-Find: Red Cap, Ice Shield, Thunder Shield, Aegis Shield, Gold Hairpin

*Decisive Battle: Storm Dragon
-Upon hitting the switch next to the Save Point, the first of the 8 Legendary
Dragons will be released from a chest.  Be forewarned, however, that the Storm
Dragon is VERY challenging to defeat, so prepare yourself for this ultra-
difficult fight by wearing your powerful new shields.  Sabin nearly requires
the Thunder Shield to survive, given his low Magic Defense.  Try to attack
very quickly, minimizing the amount of attacks the dragon can get in, and nail
him with some powerful Lightning spells right off.  Make sure never to get too
far ahead of yourself without healing, however, as the dragon can land several
very powerful attacks in a row.

-After the insanely difficult Storm Dragon, the enemies on the way to the top
of Mt. Zozo should be very easy.  Upon reaching the top, the party will find a
lonely Cyan!  Make sure to revisit the overlook where Cyan was after you talk
to him, as the key to the locked chest in his room will be found there.  This
chest contains a neat little item that'll clear some things up for Cyan.

XIII. Return to the Island
-If the party hasn't done so already, check back on the solitary island, say
hello to Cid if Celes saved him, and be sure to grab the Palidor Esper which
has washed up on the beach.

XIV. The Cave on the Veldt
-A previously unseen cave is now accessible on the Veldt.  Follow the familiar
dog at the entrance--it's clear something's amiss.  In the room behind the men
huddled around a fire, be sure to walk all the way to the left when entering
the cave passage to find a hidden treasure.  A wall switch will open the
passage to a room where Shadow can be found (or Relm, if the party did not
wait for Shadow on the Floating Continent)...as well as fierce monster.

-Find: Rage Ring, Tiger Fangs, Striker

*Decisive Battle: SrBehemoth
-A mighty beast, the SrBehemoth is strong against Pearl and Ice attacks, but
can be weakened by Fire and Poison spells.  Celes' Runic ability can also be
effective in defending against the beast's spells.  Furthermore, the beast can
be turned into an Imp via the Imp spell, rendering him nearly impotent.  After
the Behemoth is defeated, the battle seems to be won.  However, the Behemoth's
angry spirit will attack the party from behind in a second fight.  It can
still be harmed by fire, but no longer by poison.  If the party is weak, it
can take the easy way out and destroy the ghost with the Revivify item, or
even destroy it with Edgar's sure-killing variation of the Chainsaw tool's
attack.

XV. Thamasa
-Upon Shadow's (or Relm's) awakening, the party will travel back to Thamasa,
where some interesting information can be gathered on Doma Castle, and later,
the mysterious Triangle Island, as well as news on the locations of other
party members.  Leave, and you'll find Shadow's departed, but townspeople can
give you a clue as to his whereabouts.

XVI. The Veldt
-Earlier villagers hinted that Gau was seen on the Veldt.  And, as the men
inside the cave said, Gau is indeed roaming the plains.  He will only approach
you if the party has three or fewer people.  Once he encounters you after a
battle, he will rejoin the party again.

XVII. The Colosseum
-To the far north of the western continent near Kohlingen, the isolated old
man's dreams have come true, as a great fighting arena has been built.  All
kinds of contestants fight here, where items can be wagered in hopes of
winning great treasures from others.  Some men mention that a man clad in
black is searching for a weapon called the Striker--which you should have
found in the Cave on the Veldt.  Wager it, and you'll fight Shadow.  Once
defeated, the enigmatic ninja will rejoin the party.

XVIII. Jidoor
-Upon revisiting the cultured town of Jidoor, the party will hear news of art
being done for the art collector, Owzer, who lives in the northern mansion.
Could it be...?  Be sure to visit the Auction House to obtain the Zoneseek and
Golem Espers if you haven't already, then head to the north.

XIX. The Magic House
-Read the diary in the darkened house, which reveals how to make it upstairs.
Once there, search all the paintings, some of which will attack the party.
Examine the painting of Emperor Gestahl twice to receive a letter hinting at
the whereabouts of a special treasure, in the Phoenix Cave.  Examine the
picture in the southwest corner of the room, and it will come alive.  Defeat
the monsters, and head through the room behind the painting.  The gallery is
filled with odd paintings and strange activity.  Stand in the shadows of the
levitating chests and the party will have to fight some simple enemies for
treasure.  Be sure to try all possible routes, and see where the paintings
take you.  Past the save point, the party will find Relm and Owzer, as well as
a possessed painting of a lovely lady.

-Find: Moogle Suit, Relic Ring, Potion, Ether, Remedy, Magicite

*Decisive Battle: Chadarnook
-This boss has two forms, the lady and the demon.  The party should target the
demon form primarily, as only it need be defeated to win the battle.  Try to
time attacks so that they hit the demon, and think ahead.  The lady form's
charm magic may cause problems, however, when a character is forced to take
all blows the boss would normally take.  Aside from waiting, only wounding the
charmed party member, then reviving him, will break this spell.  The demon is
especially weak to Fire.  Frequent sleep spells are also a thing to look out
for, and counter the lady's draining Phantasm spell by casting Regen on those
afflicted.

XX. Strago Returns
-With Relm in the party, the party should now visit briefly the Fanatics'
Tower, a tall spire south of Nikeah where a cult mindlessly worships Kefka,
Strago among them.  Relm should be able to snap Strago out of his trance.
Don't attempt to scale the tower now, however, as the monsters are far too
strong.

XXI. Thamasa~Ebot's Rock
-With both Strago and Relm in your band, why not take them to their home town,
Thamasa?  Once there, they'll embark on a quest to slay the beast of Ebot's
Rock, located on an island just north of Thamasa.  Inside, darkness surrounds
the party, with only a glimmer of torchlight to guide them.  The cave is
filled with switches, all of which reveal paths to more or less random
locations around the cave.  Keep in mind that hitting the switch you came from
may not necessarily take you back to where you were.  The goal of the dungeon
is to collect enough Coral pieces to satisfy the odd, talking treasure chest
that bars your way.  Roam about the cave, collecting as much Coral as you can
stand (20 or so pieces should satisfy the chest), then find the save point and
heal up.  Find your way to the chest, give him the Coral, and proceed.  Make
sure to equip as many anti-Poison Relics as available to combat the sheer
number of Poison attacks the cave monster uses.

*Decisive Battle: Hidon
-The legendary beast of Ebot's Rock is quite a pain if the party is not
prepared for Poison and Zombie attacks.  Hidon and his surrounding Hidonites
won't put up as good a fight if the negative conditions they cause are guarded
against, however.  Though the Hidonites may fall quickly to Earth attacks,
they are really not worth the effort, as they regenerate in very little time.
Furthermore, the bottom-left Hidonite has a Reflect barrier.  Hidon himself
can be slain quickly with Earth, Fire, and Holy attacks.  Be sure to leave him
alive long enough to teach Strago the invaluable Grand Train Lore.  Luckily,
he can be found again even after the party wins and the event is over.

XXII. Molbiz
-By now, it is time for the party to check up on Terra in Molbiz.  Upon
finding both Katarin and Terra missing, the party should search around town,
and will find a hidden passage behind the bookcase in the house next door,
leading to Terra and Katarin.  However, Phunbaba will also return, and a
fierce battle awaits.

*Decisive Battle: Phunbaba
-Phunbaba uses very strong physical attacks, but is still weak against Poison
magic.  When a party member is wounded or thrown out of battle by Phunbaba,
Terra will take their place, now in her fierce Esper form, and the party
should triumph over the beast.

XXIII. Narshe
-The old mining town is deserted and dangerous, inhabited only by wild wolves.
The Beginner's Hall is still safe and occupied, however, and the party should
be sure to heal there before exploring the mines.  There are several shops
that are currently locked...be sure to return later once a certain treasure
hunter is found.  Before heading in, be sure to leave an extra spot in the
party for Mog, as you will need him to convince the yeti within the caves to
join you.  In the Moogle cave, the party should find their old friend, Mog!
He'll gladly join you, and also mentions the mysterious sasquatch deep in the
mountains.  Be sure to examine the ground behind Mog to dig up the invaluable
Moogle Charm, useful for avoiding attacks in areas densely populated with
monsters.  Head into the mines, through a newly opened passage to the right,
near the entrance, and you'll reach the snowfields, where a dragon roams.  Try
to avoid the dragon long enough to save your game at the Save Point to the
north.  After fighting the beast, save again, and prepare for another fight
farther north.

*Decisive Battle: Ice Dragon
-The Ice Dragon is naturally strong against Ice elementals, and very weak to
Fire.  It also has the ability to freeze party members, but this can be
combated by casting Fire on your ally to melt the ice away.  Strong Fire
attacks should put an end to the dragon.

*Battle: Tritoch
-The mysterious frozen Esper remains frozen, yet battles the party.  Fire
spells work well to unfreeze the mythical beast.  After a bit of fighting, it
will awaken, and give its powers to the party in the form of the Tritoch
Magicite.

XXIV. Umaro's Cave
-If the party walks past the place where Tritoch once stood, they will find
the entrance to a mysterious cave, filled with monsters and treasure.  Beware
the powerful cloaked lizard, Pug, who can prove to be a major enemy with his
vicious attacks.  If the party falls into a hole, they'll end up in a differ
ent part of the cave.  In the first room, the party can head to the north-
west, maneuvering around holes, to find a room containing a treasure chest.
Be warned, however, that this contains a gang of three Pugs armed with
daggers.  Only the strongest will survive, so unless the party is very
powerful or saved at the snowfield, stay away from this chest until later.
Explore the cave thoroughly before hitting the switch found at the end of a
narrow corridor, which will lead the party to a new room.  Upon examining the
stone carving to find the Terrato Esper, the party will encounter the yeti.

-Find: X-Ether, Gauntlet

*Battle: Pugs
-Should the party examine the chest found in a passage north-west of the
entrance, they will encounter an extremely strong group of bosses, Pugs.
These dagger-wielding monsters may not know the powerful Step Mine spell that
normal Pugs use, but they will cut down the party with their daggers in very
little time.  The only way a normal party can feasibly defeat these monsters
is by the sneaky combo of Vanish followed by X-Zone or Doom, which will
destroy these Pugs instantly.  Be extremely fast while doing this; every
second counts.  The main incentive for fighting these monsters is the fact
that they frequently drop Minerva armor, easily the best armor in the game for
female fighters.  There doesn't seem to be any particular way to ensure they
drop it, so it may be worth your while to keep resetting until they drop at
least one piece of the incredible equipment.

*Decisive Battle: Umaro
-Umaro shouldn't be too much of a problem with his low HP.  However, his
attack strength increases when he eats Green Cherries, so try to defeat him
early on.  With Mog's help, the mighty sasquatch joins the party after he is
defeated.

XXV. Phoenix Cave
-The Emperor's letter hinted at a great treasure found in a star-shaped
mountain range.  Search north of Tzen, and you'll find the Phoenix Cave,
clearly the area Gestahl meant.  The party must jump into the cave and split
into two groups, so make sure to take strong fighters.  It is recommended that
you take Mog to cut down on the amount of monsters you'll encounter by
equipping his Moogle Charm.  Also, bring Strago, as he will learn a powerful
Lore from a monster within the cave.  Switch between groups, so that each
moves as far as it can, then waits for the other to remove obstacles.  The
unreachable treasure chest surrounded by weak ground can be accessed through
the south-west corner of the lava-filled cavern, via a floor switch.  While
the party can walk across spikes, they do substantial damage with each step,
so it pays to be patient and let the other party switch them off.  When one
party finds the switch to drain the lava from the crater, the other party may
progress, and will be able to reach the previously-inaccessible treasure on a
small island in the crater's center.  Note that as long as one party stands on
the Save Point, the other can save anywhere they want by switching to the
party on the Save Point then switching back, useful when travelling long
distances.  Try to have Strago's party attack the dragon you'll find roaming
the cave.  Past the Red Dragon, the party will finally find the great treasure
hunter, Locke!

-Find: Wing Edge, Warp Stone, Dragon Horn, Ribbon

*Decisive Battle: Red Dragon
-The Red Dragon is capable of some fierce attacks, including Flare Star and
Fireball, and will also teach Strago Level 4 Flare, a useful Lore.  The Force
equipment and Aegis Shield are essential in order to survive the brutal
Southern Cross, which hits all party members.  Ice and Water spells work well
against this beast.  The Red Dragon is stronger than most enemies the party
has faced, so make sure the party isn't caught off-guard in the narrow
corridor where the monster lurks.

XXVI. Return to Narshe
-With Locke in the party, the party should return to Narshe.  Locke will have
no problem picking the locks on the doors.  In the house to the north, to the
left of the road to the mines, the party will find the Cursed Shield, whose
disastrous effects make it dangerous to wear without a Ribbon.  However,
wearing it for 255 battles will break the curse, turning it into the Paladin
Shield, which teaches the Ultima spell.  In the weapons shop, a man offers you
the Esper, Ragnarok, and a terrible choice: the party can leave it as an
Esper, which will teach the user Ultima and can transform monsters into items,
or they can choose to have it forged into an extremely powerful sword.  It's a
difficult choice, but knowing that the Paladin Shield can also teach you
Ultima may be reason enough to change the Esper into a sword.

XXVII. Doma Castle~Haunted Dreams
-With Cyan in your party, head back to the ruins of the once-proud Doma Castle
and have a look around.  After picking up any treasure the party missed the
first time, prepare for a long adventure, then head to the second floor.  When
offered the prospect of sleeping a night in the ruined castle, accept.  A long
journey through Cyan's subconscious awaits.

-Find: X-Potion, Fenix Down, Beads, Ether, Elixir

-One of your party members will find himself, minus Cyan, in a strange area of
floating platforms and doors.  Gather up your other two members who are on
nearby platforms, then head through the isolated door sitting on a diamond-
shaped platform.  The party will encounter three strange demons who bar their
way.

*Decisive Battle:  Larry, Curly, and Moe (!)
-Take on the three ghost stooges in a tactical manner, and they'll be no
problem.  The biggest problem in Curly (the one at the top of the screen who's
flying), who can revive his fallen comrades.  Defeat him first, preferably
with Water or Ice spells.  Once he's taken care of, Larry (on the left,
farthest from your party) can be eliminated quickly with Fire spells, while
Moe (the one closest to you) is better handled with physical attacks.

-Moving on, the adventures again find themselves on the Phantom Train.  This
time, however, there are many more puzzles barring your path.  In the second
car, the wall switch should be hit twice to move the crate blocking your way
to the treasure chest.  Nearby, a moving chest blocks your way to a treasure.
Head to the east of the train car, grab the Lump of Metal item found in the
chest by the door, and place it in the moving chest to get by.  Moving
forward, the party will find two rows of chests and an open book on a desk.
Read the book, then hit the switch on the wall.  Memorize which chests were
closed (the first 2 on the left on the bottom row, and the top right); this
will help you later.  Proceed into the next car, the party will find a good
deal of furniture in their way.  Use the three wall switches to move the
furniture out of your way.  (Hit them in this order, 1 meaning the first one
you come to, 2 meaning the middle one, and 3 meaning the leftmost one:  1, 3,
1, 2, 1, 3.)  Finally, you'll put the chest formation you observed to good use
by closing the appropriate chests that match the earlier pattern, then hitting
the wallswitch to open a path.  Be sure to save in the next car, then stop the
train and follow Cyan through some tunnels in Magitek armor.  You'll encounter
a fierce machine called Io in these caverns, who is best fought with the Bolt
Beam.  Note that some of the tunnels are one-way, while some connect you to
new places.  You've found your way once you reach a bridge, which leads back
to Doma.

-Find: Genji Glove, Flame Shield, Ice Shield

-The party should prepare themselves for an extremely tough fight once in Doma
again, making sure to save and heal.  Head into the throne room and prepare
for a very difficult fight.

*Decisive Battle: Wrexsoul
-This evil spirit presents one of the greatest challenges in the game.
Wrexsoul will vanish and leave you to fight his Soul Savers until one of your
party members is wounded or near-fatal.  Don't bother with the Soul Savers,
who revive, but instead let them help you wound one of your characters.  Try
to do it in appropriate increments so the character is not in danger of dying
when Wrexsoul reappears.  Being attracted to death, Wrexsoul will then show up
to take their souls.  Once he reappears, heal as fast as you can, then hit him
with the best Ice spells you have until he vanishes again, and repeat the
process.  Luckily, Wrexsoul overlooks one key element in his tactics:  by
constantly vanishing, he leaves himself wide open to the dreaded Vanish/X-Zone
combo!  If you're having trouble and have the spell, cast X-Zone on Wrexsoul
when he vanishes, and you'll destroy him and his helpers instantly!

-Once Wrexsoul is defeated, Cyan will finally master the rest of his
Swordtechs.  Be sure to return to the throne room, where the vanquished
Wrexsoul has dropped the Alexander Magicite.

XXVIII. Thamasa~Triangle Island
-The same man in Thamasa who mentioned the demons of Doma, now slain, can now
tell you about a strange island in the far north-eastern sea.  There, an odd
monster called Zone Eater roams, who is able to engulf the party one by one.
Rather than resist, the party should try letting the monster swallow them.
The party will then find themselves deposited in an underground cave.

XXIX. Triangle Island Cavern
-Underneath the surface lies a strange set of caverns, guarded by fierce
monsters and filled with treasure, including Relm's invaluable Fake Mustache.
At the start, head south (the northern light is an exit).  The next cavern
contains a passage to a blocked room full of treasure, and a series of bridges
the party can jump across.  The bridges' patrollers will knock the party into
the aforementioned treasure room.  Past the save point is a tunnel of falling
rocks.  Watch the rocks fall and look for a gap where you can safely stand, as
it's impossible to make it all the way without getting crushed.  Farther on,
hop across open chests and off of bridges to reach switches and treasure.
Inside the next room waits a mysterious mimic, a valuable addition to the
party.

-Find: Red Jacket, Ether, Genji Armor, Magical Brush, Fake Mustache, Zephyr
Cape, Hero Ring, Tack Star, Thunder Shield

XXX. Fanatics
-Preparation:  The Fanatics' Tower looms ominously over the area that was once
the undersea Serpent Trench.  For one million GP, an adventurer at the bottom
of the tower will tell you a rumor about an ancient castle beneath the sea.
This tower of magic users requires extremely powerful magic users, as the
option to attack is not available.  Given the huge amount of magic attacks
you'll face, it is essential that all party members wear Wall Rings.  With
these, the party can avoid many of the magic spells they'll face, though
they'll have to reflect offensive spells off of themselves to hit enemies for
half damage, and vice-versa for healing.  Be absolutely sure that one of your
members knows Life 3, as well, or all your efforts will be in vain.  Given the
height of the tower and taking into account that you'll have to hike all the
way back down, too, you may want to take Mog so that you can use the Moogle
Charm.  You won't want to over-use it, though, as the monsters here offer
great Magic Experience Points.

-Scaling the tower:  The path up the tower is long indeed, as each screen
holds increasingly tougher enemies, the "Level" in their name indicating their
skill (although the Level 50 Magics offer almost no threat at all).  Be on the
lookout for rooms off the right sides of balconies, but be forewarned that
almost any Level Magic can attack inside, including Level 90.  More common,
however, are the healing Magic Pots.  The first treasure room you find
contains a Safety Bit.  However, examine the wall behind and to the right of
the chest to find a hidden switch.  Press it, and head down a layer of steps
to find a hidden passage containing Edgar's Air Anchor tool!  In the third
room, you'll find not only treasure, but the White Dragon.

*Decisive Battle: White Dragon
-This beast offers almost nothing to worry about, as all of his spells should
reflect back at him.  Though he has no actual weaknesses, his low HP should
render him easily beatable, and he'll drop the Pearl Lance when defeated.

-Continuing up, there's more of the same.  Once you reach the screen where the
highest monsters are Level 70 Magics, be sure to equip the Moogle Charm!  The
last floor sports level 80 and 90 Magics, which will make short work of the
party.  Though Level 80 Magics are mostly harmless, healing you a good deal of
the time, the fiendish Level 90 Magics have a habit of casting Merton, which
does massive damage to you while healing himself!  Once at the top, grab the
treasure and attempt to head back down.  The leader of the spellcasters blocks
your way.

-Find: Safety Bit, Air Anchor, Genji Shield, Stunner, Force Armor, Gem Box

*Decisive Battle: Magimaster
-The Magimaster offers a good challenge with his varying weakpoints, akin to
Number 128 back in Vector, but his real trump card is his ability to cast
Ultima as a retaliation attack when he dies!  At the outset of the battle,
cast Life 3 on all members of your party that you wish to survive the battle,
which will bring them back to life after the Magimaster's final attack.
Casting Berserk on the wizard will fix his weakpoint.  Once this is done,
clobber him all-out and win your final victory in the Fanatics' Tower!

XXXI. Opera House
-Upon returning to the opera house, the party will find that one of the eight
legendary dragons is disturbing the show.  Head to the second floor, then to
the upper-right room.  Hit the second switch from the right, and you'll fall
to the stage for battle.

*Decisive Battle: Dirt Dragon
-The Dirt Dragon's use of Quake can be quite damaging to the party, so heal
often or get your characters to levitate with Float or the Cherub Down relic.
Water and Wind spells are the most effective against the dragon.

XXXII. Doom Gaze
-The flying Doom Gaze has plagued your airship travels since the beginning of
the second half of the game, and now is the time to make the skies safe again.
Take Strago with you, because, as the name suggests, Doom Gaze often casts the
Level 5 Doom Lore, in addition to the Aero Lore.  Once you run into the demon,
attack with as much force as possible.  Though he may run away, remember that
he cannot heal the damage you have dealt him from a pervious battle.  Use Fire
or Holy spells to most effectively crush Doom Gaze.  The fallen monster will
drop the Bahamut Esper.

XXXIII. The Ancient Castle
-Scholars around the world give hints that an ancient castle may be found
somewhere under the sea.  With this in mind, head to Figaro Castle, the only
means of travelling underwater.  Along the way, the castle will hit something,
and the party will be given the option of getting out and exploring.  Head to
Figaro's prison, and walk through the rightmost cell.  You'll find yourself in
an undersea cavern.  The monsters here can teach Strago Clean Sweep, so be
sure to take him with you.  Explore the area thoroughly before finding the way
out, and if the party is in top shape, head through the southeast passage in
the first room.  You'll find yourself in front of a treasure chest.  Open it,
and you'll have a very difficult fight against the Master Pug.

-Find: Wing Edge, Ether, Doom Darts, Magicite, X-Potion

*Decisive Battle: Master Pug
-Stronger and meaner than a normal Pug, the Master Pug puts up a very
difficult fight.  Prepare for his formidable Quake magic with Float or Cherub
Down.  Compounding the monster's constantly changing weak point is the
everpresent threat of his knifing a party member upon approaching.  Thus,
Haste 2 and rapid attacks will be the most effective battle plan, along with
Ninja Stars if Shadow is in your party.  If Strago hasn't learned them
already, he can learn Step Mine and Clean Sweep from the Master Pug.  When
defeated, the monster drops the Graedus sword.

-Upon passing the save point, the party should arrive in the courtyard of a
ruined castle.  Head through the passage to the right of the main entrance to
find a treasure.  Explore the passage on the left and you'll find a chest
containing a hidden, but weak, boss.

-Find: Punisher

*Decisive Battle: Katana Soul
-This hidden samurai spirit presents very few problems at this stage of the
game.  To speed up the battle, use Poison spells against him.  The defeated
Katana Soul drops the invaluable Offering, which enables multiple attacks when
equipped.

-Inside the main doors, you'll find a more treasure, as well as a statue of
Odin.  From it, you'll obtain the Odin Magicite, which teaches the strong
Meteor spell.  At this point, you may want to leave for lack of knowledge of
what to do, and also to learn Meteor now (the Odin Magicite does not stay in
your possession for long).

-Find: Blizzard Orb, Gold Hairpin, X-Ether

-A man in Figaro Castle's library offers helpful information on what to do,
hinting at taking 5 steps from "where the queen sits."  Head back to the
Ancient Castle, and stand directly in front of the throne on the right, the
queen's.  Take five steps forward, and examine the floor.  There, you'll find
a hidden switch.  Go into the passage to the right of the thrones, and you'll
find a new passage has opened.  In addition, be sure to examine the bookshelf
for more information on the castle's tragic past.  Walk downstairs, and you'll
find another dragon.

*Decisive Battle: Blue Dragon
-This slow-moving dragon shouldn't be too much of a problem if the party is
prepared.  This dragon is weak to Lightning, so use the highest level
Lightning magic you have to put an end to one of the last dragons.

-With the Blue Dragon vanquished, the party can head forward to examine the
statue of the queen.  The Odin Magicite will then become Raiden, which teaches
the useful Quick spell.  With this done, bid the castle and its sad history
farewell.

XXXIV. The Colosseum Revisited
-Now that the party is strong and has the Offering (from the Ancient Castle)
and some strong weapons, head back to the Colosseum to participate in the
tournaments.  Keep in mind that the computer will have control of your
fighter, so the best way to win is to equip strong weapons.  In addition,
wagering anything insignificant pits you against Chupon, who will invariably
knock you out of the match.  However, many great trades can be made.  The best
technique is to choose one of your strongest physical fighters, equip them
with both a Genji Glove and the Offering (which allows an 8-hit attack!).
Wagering Ragnarok will pit you against Didalos, and if you're victorious,
Illumina, the strongest sword in the game, will be obtained.  In addition,
wagering an Imp Halberd (Tyrannosaurs drop them) and trading the results lead
to some great items, from Merit Awards all the way to Experience Eggs and
Tintinabars (see the Colosseum chart).

XXXV. Lore Hunt
-There are 24 Lores which Strago can learn, many of which are very difficult
of find.  Trying to learn them all may lead you to enter the Ruin Tower (the
last dungeon) briefly.  Assign Strago to the center group, and make sure Relm
is in his party, equipped with her Fake Mustache to control enemies.  Evil
Oscars found in the mountain areas teach Sour Mouth.  Head through the
dungeon, passing through a room made of the remains of Vector's prison.  Pass
by the boss monster in the leftmost cell, and head into the next room.  Rooms
with this Majitek Factory architecture are the only places to fight the rare
Movers, who can be controlled to teach Strago the very useful Big Guard.
Following that room, the pipe rooms contain the Junk and Iron Hitman enemies,
who teach Exploder, Pep Up, and Discord.  Heading on, you'll eventually reach
the room of the Gold Dragon, where Veterans teach Condemned and Roulette.  In
the room after, the Dark Force enemy is found, who can teach Strago a plethora
of Lores he may or may not know: Roulette, Clean Sweep, Big Guard, Revenge,
Pearl Wind, Level 5 Doom, Level 3 Muddle, Reflect???, Level ? Pearl, Rippler,
and Quasar.  Quasar in particular is extremely difficult to learn, as your
party must be affected by it.  Since Quasar destroys defensive spells like
Reflect, Shell, and Safe, cast these on a party member every so often, and
hope Quasar works.

XXXVI. The Veldt~Rages
-The party has the option of taking Gau to the Veldt to learn more Rages.
Nearly every enemy ever fought will have migrated to the Veldt, including a
few boss creatures, the Sr. Behemoth's ghost and the White Dragon being the
most common.  Revivifying the SrBehemoth is a great way to win easy Behemoth
Suits, which can also be traded at the Colosseum for the rare Snow Muffler for
Gau, Mog, or Umaro.  Dahlings also show up, and have Moogle Suits to be
stolen, which can be wagered at the Colosseum to eventually net you some Genji
Armor!

XXXVII. Odds and Ends
-Gau and Sabin have always had a funny relationship ("Mr. Thou!"), so why not
take them to the house of the old man of the Veldt?  There, you'll see quite a
few funny scenes, and also learn a bit more about Gau.
-The Jidoor Auction House now has different items on sale, in addition to the
Zoneseek and Golem Espers.  Hero Rings can be bought for 50,000 GP, and Zephyr
Capes for 10,000 GP.
-To learn more about Shadow's mysterious past, put him in your party and sleep
at any pay inn.  Every so often, he'll dream of his past.  Through the five
dreams Shadow has had (4 by sleeping and one when he's found in the Cave on
the Veldt), you may be able to piece together the history of the ninja.
Supposedly, Shadow can have seven dreams, and if you see all of them, Shadow's
ending will change.  However, this has never been proven and most people only
see four.
-You may recall Duncan's wife mentioning that Duncan is still alive.  Head
north of Narshe to a small, diamond-shaped forest.  There, you'll find Duncan
and if Sabin is with you, he'll learn the Bum Rush, the ultimate Blitz.
-If the party avoided the Pugs in the chest in Umaro's cave, be sure to go
back and defeat them to try to obtain some Minerva armor.
-In the desert to the south of Maranda, the party can fight a strange cactus-
like creature called Cactrot.  Only certain attacks work against him, mostly
special or out-of-the-ordinary attacks and magics.  Edgar's Chain Saw and
Drill Tools work well against Cactrot, as will a single strike from the
Illumina.  In addition to teaching Strago the Blow Fish Lore, Cactrot also
gives the party a whopping 10 Magic Experience Points and 10,000 GP.  Beware
of Hoover, however, who also roams the desert and grants only 5 Magic Points.
His extremely high attack power make him a very difficult opponent unless the
party uses the Vanish/Doom combo.
-The men inside the Veldt Cave mentioned that a terrible dragon roams the
forest to the north.  Head to the northern forest on the Veldt, and you'll
encounter Tyrannosaurs and Brachiosaurs, very difficult enemies who grant
excellent Experience Points.  The Tyrannosaurs are weak to Blizzard, cast
Meteor frequently, can destroy party members with their incredible Bite
attack, and often drop Imp Halberds.  Brachiosaurs are much more rare, and are
very dangerous, as they can cast Ultima.  Blizzard spells work well against
them, and you can also steal Ribbons from them.  Every so often, they drop the
super-valuable Economizer, as well.
-The Imp condition is generally a negative one, but if the party member-turned
Imp wears all the Imp armor, they'll become extremely powerful.  Most of it
can be obtained from monsters around Narshe, and the Imp Halberd can also be
stolen from Tyrannosaurs.  Some parts can also be traded for others at the
Colosseum.

XXXVIII. The Fateful Battle Approaches
-As the party prepares to enter the last dungeon, make sure everyone is in
good condition and hopefully skilled in most magics.  You may want to dash
into the last dungeon a few times before actually exploring it fully and
fighting the last battle.  In addition to the many Lores that can be learned
inside, the party can also fight the last two Dragons to obtain the Crusader
Esper, which teaches Meteor and Merton.  To kill these Dragons and then escape
with a minimum of fuss, put Mog in your second party and equip the Moogle
Charm.  You'll reach the Gold Dragon with little difficulty.  The Veterans and
Didaloses in this room supposedly have Cursed Rings, as well.  You may then
want to escape, then reenter with Mog in your third party.  You'll have to
fight Inferno on your way to the Skull Dragon.

XXXIX. Ruin Tower~Last Dungeon
-Preparation: The party is now ready to assault the Ruin Tower and defeat
Kefka once and for all.  A long, complicated road leads to the final battle,
and every party member will be put to the test.  Kefka's Tower consists of the
ruins of all the lands devastated by the moving of the Goddess Statues,
including a good deal of Vector.  Thus, there is extremely diverse terrain,
with specific monsters inhabiting each area.  Upon assaulting the tower by
air, the party will divide into three groups of four.  If you want Strago to
learn his final Lore, Force Field, place him in party one or three.  Make sure
all three parties are well-equipped and well-balanced, and be sure to have
three pairs of Sprint Shoes, one for each party.  While exploring the tower,
be on the lookout for hidden passages and treasure chests covered with rubble.
In addition, note that some conveyor belts only go one way.

1.) Party One: The first party should trek as far as they can through the
dungeon.  Their route is relatively straightforward.  Once they reach a room
that is nearly symmetrical, with a treasure chest across a huge gap, party one
can go no further.

-Find: Coronet, Fixed Dice

2.) Party Two: Once the second party makes it through the first mountain area,
inside, there will be two doors to take.  The top one leads to a small dead-
end room with treasure, and the bottom leads onward.  After taking the lower
room, the party will arrive in the remains of Vector's prison.  In the
leftmost cell, a fierce monster guards the save point.

-Find: Minerva, Tack Star

*Fierce Battle: Atma
-The ancient demon returns for one last fight.  This time, however, Atma is
far stronger.  Cherub Down and Float magic are useful, as he still knows
Quake.  Atma has no magic weakpoints, but is healed by Holy magic.  Physical
attacks are probably the best bet.  When Atma is surrounded by "Unknown
Light," prepare by healing all your party, as he will cast Ultima in a few
moments.  When Atma is vanquished, a Save Point appears in his place.

3.) Party Two, continued: After defeating Atma, the second party should
continue onward.  Soon, they'll reach a room where there are two different
pipes to crawl through.  Avoid the right one, as it will drop you back in the
first treasure room, and instead take the pipe on the left.  Once outside, the
party should be sure to enter the side passage next to the large door. They'll
find themselves on the other side of the room that party one cannot pass.  Hit
the switch, which will open the way for the first party (party one's path
continues at step 8), then head back out to the mountain and through the large
door.  Walk through some corridors, then stop to fight one of the last Dragons.

-Find: Force Shield, Force Armor, Ribbon

*Decisive Battle: Gold Dragon
-The Gold Dragon will not be much of a threat at this stage of the game if
you're well-equipped.  The Dragon uses mostly Lightning spells, so counter
with Water attacks, his weak point.  This Dragon keels over without too much
work.

4.) Party Two, continued: The second party should continue onward until
finding a large room with three passages.  The party should stand on the
switch to the north, and wait for the other parties.

5.) Party Three: Heading down the right side of the Ruin Tower, the third
party will first find a dead-end passage on the left, leading to treasure, and
further down, a passage leading deeper inside.  The party will soon find
themselves in a large mechanical room.  In the southernmost part lies a secret
passage to a hidden treasure chest.  Either the pipe or the conveyer belt can
be used to proceed.  Upon reaching the next open-raftered room,  be sure to
use the Save Point, and prepare for battle.

-Find: Nutkin Suit, Gauntlet, Red Cap, Hero Ring, Aegis Shield

*Decisive Battle: Inferno
-Attacking from the top, Inferno possesses strong Fire spells, but is greatly
affected by Lightning.  Don't bother attacking his regenerable arms, and focus
on Inferno's main body with the best Thunder spells the party has.

6.) Party Three, continued: Heading on, the third party will soon find itself
outside again.  To the left of the large door is a small light, which will
destroy some rubble currently blocking the first party's path.  Inside again,
party three will encounter the last of the Legendary Dragons.

-Find: Megalixer, Rainbow Brush

*Decisive Battle: Skull Dragon
-This undead dragon has several spells and status problems at its disposal,
but this is easily combatted with Ribbons.  Holy and curative magic work best
against this wraith.  Upon defeating this final Dragon, the party should
receive the Crusader Esper.

7.) Party Three, continued: With the Skull Dragon slain, party three can
proceed into the same room that party two reached, and should stand on the
switch until the others arrive.

8.) Party One: Once the second party has bridged the gap for party one, the
group can proceed.  Once the party reaches a path outside blocked by rubble,
they'll have to wait until party three clears the way (step 6).  With that
completed, party one will reach the large room where the others await.

-Find: Tack Star

-Choosing paths: Once party one arrives in the large room they'll have an open
path once the other two parties stand on their switches.  Once inside, party
one will have to decide which direction it will take.  If party one goes
right, then: party one fights Goddess, party two fights Guardian and
Poltergeist, and party three fights Doom.  If party one goes left, then: party
one fights Doom, party two fights Goddess, and party three fights Guardian and
Poltergeist.  Keep in mind that Doom is easily the most difficult of the three
Goddess Statues, and will teach Strago Force Field if he is in the party.

-Forging ahead: Once party one chooses its path, the group will reach a
balcony where a weight must be pushed, requiring the party below to move out
of the way.  Once this is done, the party below will be able to move on, and
mirror this process for the remaining group.  Continue on, hitting switches to
open paths for other parties.  It may desirable for the center party to fight
Guardian first, as he guards a Save Point.

*Decisive Battle: Guardian
-Sporting high HP and offensive power, Vector's Guardian weapon is a fierce
opponent.  As a machine, Guardian is most weak to Water and Lightning
elements, so those should be the party's focus.  With quick attacks and
powerful magic, the party should be able to blast Guardian to pieces.

*Fierce Battle: Doom
-The mighty Goddess Statue Doom is one of the mightiest enemies in all of
Final Fantasy VI.  With strong Blizzard spells and brutal attacks, Doom
warrants ample preparation.  The protection that the Golem Esper provides when
summoned is useful, as is the Lore Big Guard.  Pearl attacks work the best
against him.  Doom sports massive HP, so constant attacks are a must if you're
to outlive him.  When the fiend freezes one of the party members, thaw them as
quickly as possible with a weak Fire spell.  Strago can also learn Doom's
Force Field if he's in the party.  When conquered, Doom drops the mighty Sky
Render for Cyan.

*Fierce Battle: Goddess
-Goddess uses magic more than most enemies, but at least she won't be able to
target everyone at once.  On the other hand, neither will you.  It's important
not to forget about one side of your party or the other, lest two of your
fighters be left unhealed.  Goddess has no particular weak points, so a steady
barrage of attacks and magic are your main option.  Particularly distressing,
especially if your characters are not particularly strong, is the curse
Goddess will cast after you've been fighting for a while.  She casts a Zombie
countdown on everyone, which no Relic will prevent.  The party can either
frantically try to defeat her before they're all made undead, or the character
who has the most time left on his countdown will have to be ready with
Revivify in hand, targeted at the person who will die first.  The SECOND this
target turns into a Zombie, they must Revivified, and the others will probably
be Zombied in the meantime.  This leaves that one person to heal the rest.
Very frantic business.  The defeated Goddess yields the legendary Excalibur.

*Fierce Battle: Poltergeist
-This Statue tends to focus on physical attacks, gashing away at the party and
casting the occasional spell.  Luckily, the demon sports a weakness, Poison-
based attacks, so repeated Bio and Poison spells will wear him down, while his
poisoned state will eat away at his HP at the same time.  Under Poison and
attacks, Poltergeist will quickly perish, dropping the Aura Lance.

-Stand Strong: With the Goddess Statues out of the way, the path for each of
the parties is clear.  Make sure that everyone is equipped and healed, as all
of the party members will be put to the test.  Once all three parties are
positioned on the final switches, it's time for the final battle.  The battle
order list presented indicates who will fight first, and who will substitute
for fallen comrades.

XL. Dancing Mad
-The blistering last battle pits the party against three emanations of Kefka,
and then the villain himself.  After each of the first three battles, any
wounded party members will be replaced by whoever is next on the battle order
list.

*Alpha: First Tier
-The first apparition focuses on powerful attacks, also using Reverse Polarity
to throw everyone into/out of the back row.  Those who are focusing on
attacking should select Row right away to get back in front.  Focus first on
its arms, which do not regenerate, then attack its center, but not before
stealing Elixirs from the devil if Locke is in your party.

*Beta: Second Tier
-The party's second opponent uses many strong magic attacks, with many
troublesome results.  The one advantage in fighting this menace is that its
many parts each contain curative items to be stolen.  More parts equate to a
weaker foe as more and more of its elements are destroyed, and multi-target
attacks will be the most economical way of fighting.  Keep the party strong to
the very end, though, as the fallen enemy will use the brutal 10 Hits
retaliation attack before the party can progress.

*Gamma: Third Tier
-The last of the evil apparitions, the third angel poses a threat unsurpassed
by any enemy in the game.  This diabolical foe has a mighty array of spells at
its disposal, the worst of them a super-powerful form of Merton.  This
destructive spell does no damage to the angel, while crippling your party to
the point of death.  Also a problem is its Train spell, which casts a volley
of status problems on a character, leaving them with little to do but attack.
Remedies should be used instantly on affected characters.  One little-known
fact is that this demon carries two mighty swords to be stolen, the Ragnarok
and the Atma Weapon!  Immediately equip these on any party members who can use
them (from the item screen's top).  Frantic speed is needed to crush the angel
before it can obliterate the party, but be sure not to get so far ahead of
yourself that you leave no one prepared to heal the party from the fiend's
merciless onslaughts.

*Omega: Kefka
-The final battle against the great evil one awaits after the party survives
all of the emanations of Kefka's empowered form.  He'll waste no time in
casting Fallen One, an attack whereby a Heartless Angel blasts everyone's HP
down to one.  This requires immediate attention, as it leaves everyone
extremely susceptible to any attack Kefka might use, especially some which
target everyone.  The Wing attack is strong enough to kill a fighter in a
single blow, so be sure to follow up with Life spells in case he does it
again.  Fire 3 is one of Kefka's less dangerous spells, which can be easily
countered by those using Flame Shields or Minerva armor.  Once he's been
weakened to some extent, Kefka will perform a bizarre incantation that shakes
the whole sky, rapidly attacking you in the process.  He'll also use Goner,
which wounds the whole party in a Merton-like manner.  Steady magic and
physical attacks and quick reactions to Wing and Fallen One are critical to
staying alive.  Shell and Big Guard will serve you well, as most of Kefka's
attacks are magic.  Pull out all the stops and fight furiously for the fate of
the world.  Good luck!

V. Complete Dance Chart

Dance               Learning Location

Wind Song           Grassy plains, open fields
Forest Suite        Forests
Desert Aria         Desert badlands</pre><pre id="faqspan-3">
Love Sonata         City areas (Narshe, Opera House, Zozo)
Earth Blues         Mountains (Mt. Kolts, Esper Mtn., Mt. Zozo)
Water Rondo         Water areas (Lete River, Serpent Trench)
Dusk Requiem        Caverns, caves
Snowman Jazz        Snowy areas (Narshe snowfields)

VI. Complete Lore List

Lore            Learn From

Condemned       Critic, Dark Force, Nerapa, Still Life, Veteran
Roulette        Critic, Dark Force, Pipsqueak, Veteran
Clean Sweep     Atma, Blue Dragon, Dark Force, Euno
Aqua Rake       Actaneon, Blue Dragon, Chimera, Rhyos, Suriander,
                Vectagoyle
Aero            Dark Force, Doom Gaze, Poltergeist, Harpy, Rhyos,
                Sprinter, Storm Dragon, Tyrannosaur
Blow Fish       Brain Pan, Cactrot, Dark Force, Katana Soul,
                Mover, Phase, Phunbaba, Presenter
Big Guard       Dark Force, Earth Guard, Guardian, Mover
Revenge         Borras, Dark Force, Dragon, Gigantos, Pan Dora
Pearl Wind      Abolisher, Curly, Dark Force, Ogor, Peepers,
                Sprinter, Storm Dragon, Vectaur
Level 5 Doom    Dark Force, Didalos, Dueller, Goblin, Sky Base,
                Trapper
Level 4 Flare   Apokryphos, Dark Force, Dueller, Goblin, Trapper
Level 3 Muddle  Apokryphos, Dante, Dark Force, Goblin
Reflect???      Dark Force
Level ? Pearl   Critic, Dark Force, Dullahan, Innoc
Step Mine       Brachosaur, Crawler, Grease Monk, Master Pug,
                Mesosaur, Pug, Tomb Thumb
Force Field     Dark Force, Doom
Discord         Chaser, Crawler, Dark Force, Figaliz,
                Iron Hitman, Pipsqueak, Scullion
Sour Mouth      Dark Force, Evil Oscar, Mad Oscar
Pep Up          Dark Force, Flan, Intangir, Junk, Muus
Rippler         Blue Dragon, Dark Force, Reach Frog
Stone           Brawler, Dark Force, First Class, Guardian,
                Iron Fist, Poppers
Quasar          Dark Force, Goddess
Grand Train     Hidon
Exploder        Balloon, Bomb, Dark Force, Grenade, Junk,
                Pipsqueak, Scullion

VII. Colosseum Trading Charts

Wager                    Fight                    Receive

Aegis Shield             Borras                   Tortoise Shield
Air Anchor               Brontaur                 Zephyr Cape
Assassin                 Test Rider               Sword Breaker
Atma Weapon              GtBehemoth               Graedus
Aura                     Rhyos                    Strato
Aura Lance               Land Worm                Sky Render
Behemoth Suit            Outsider                 Snow Muffler
Blizzard                 Scullion                 Ogre Nix
Blizzard Orb             Allosaurus               Rage Ring
Bone Club                Test Rider               Red Jacket
Break Blade              Lethal Weapon            Break Blade
Cat Hood                 Hoover                   Merit Award
Charm Bangle             Retainer                 Dragon Horn
Chocobo Suit             Veteran                  Moogle Suit
Coronet                  Evil Oscar               Regal Crown
Crystal                  Borras                   Enhancer
Crystal Helm             Dueller                  Diamond Helm
Crystal Mail             Covert                   Ice Shield
Crystal Orb              Borras                   Gold Hairpin
Cursed Ring              Steroidite               Air Anchor
Cursed Shield            Didalos                  Cursed Ring
Czarina Gown             Sky Base                 Minerva
Doom Darts               Opinicus                 Bone Club
Dragon Claw              Test Rider               Sniper
Dragon Horn              Rhyos                    Gold Hairpin
Drainer                  Enuo                     Drainer
Economizer               Vectagoyle               Dragon Horn
Elixir                   Cactrot                  Rename Card
Experience Egg           Steroidite               Tintinabar
Falchion                 Outsider                 Flame Shield
Fenix Down               Cactrot                  Magicite
Fire Knuckle             Tumbleweed               Fire Knuckle
Fixed Dice               Trixter                  Fire Knuckle
Flame Sabre              Evil Oscar               Ogre Nix
Flame Shield             Iron Hitman              Ice Shield
Force Armor              Sr Behemoth              Force Armor
Force Shield             Dark Force               Thornlet
Gauntlet                 Vectagoyle               Thunder Shield
Gem Box                  SrBehemoth               Economizer
Genji Armor              Borras                   Air Anchor
Genji Glove              Hemophyte                Thunder Shield
Genji Helmet             Fortis                   Crystal Helm
Genji Shield             Retainer                 Thunder Shield
Gold Hairpin             Evil Oscar               Dragon Horn
Graedus                  Karkass                  Dirk
Hardened                 Phase                    Murasame
Heal Rod                 Pug                      Magus Rod
Hero Ring                Rhyos                    Pod Bracelet
Ice Shield               Innoc                    Flame Shield
Illumina                 Scullion                 Scimitar
Imp Halberd              Allosaurus               Cat Hood
Imp's Armor              Rhyos                    Tortoise Shield
Magus Rod                Allosaurus               Strato
Marvel Shoes             Tyrannosaur              Tintinabar
Megalixir                Siegfried                Tintinabar
Memento Ring             Chupon                   Memento Ring
Merit Award              Covert                   Rename Card
Minerva                  Pug                      Czarina Gown
Moogle Charm             Outsider                 Charm Bangle
Moogle Suit              Madam                    Nutkin Suit
Mirage Vest              Vectagoyle               Red Jacket
Murasame                 Borras                   Aura
Muscle Belt              Allosaurus               Crystal Orb
Ninja Star               Chaos Dragon             Tack Star
Nutkin Suit              Opinicus                 Genji Armor
Ogre Nix                 SrBehemoth               Soul Sabre
Paladin Shield           Hemophyte                Force Shield
Pearl Lance              Sky Base                 Strato
Pod Bracelet             Hemophyte                Hero Ring
Punisher                 Opinicus                 Gravity Rod
Rage Ring                Allosaurus               Blizzard Orb
Ragnarok                 Didalos                  Illumina
Rainbow Brush            Test Rider               Gravity Rod
Red Cap                  Rhyos                    Coronet
Red Jacket               Vectagoyle               Red Jacket
Regal Crown              Opinicus                 Genji Glove
Relic Ring               Sky Base                 Charm Bangle
Rename Card              Doom Dragon              Marvel Shoes
Ribbon                   Dark Force               Gold Hairpin
Rising Sun               Allosaurus               Bone Club
Regal Crown              Opinicus                 Genji Helmet
Safety Bit               Pug                      Dragon Horn
Scimitar                 Covert                   Ogre Nix
Sky Render               Scullion                 Aura Lance
Sneak Ring               Tap Dancer               Thief's Glove
Sniper                   Borras                   Bone Club
Snow Muffler             Retainer                 Charm Bangle
Soul Sabre               Opinicus                 Falchion
Strato                   Aquila                   Pearl Lance
Striker                  Chupon                   Striker
Stunner                  Test Rider               Strato
Tabby Suit               Vectaur                  Chocobo Suit
Tack Star                Opinicus                 Rising Sun
Tao Robe                 Test Rider               Tao Robe
Thief's Glove            Harpy                    Dirk
Thief's Knife            Wart Puck                Thief's Glove
Thornlet                 Opinicus                 Mirage Vest
Thunder Blade            Steroidite               Ogre Nix
Thunder Shield           Outsider                 Genji Shield
Tiger Fangs              Mantodea                 Fire Knuckle
Tintinabar               Dark Force               Experience Egg
Titanium                 Brachosaur               Cat Hood
Tortoise Shield          Steroidite               Titanium
Trump                    Allosaurus               Trump
Valiant Knife            Woolly                   Assassin
Wing Edge                Rhyos                    Sniper

VIII. Useful Metamorphosis

*Although, by and large, the Ragnarok sword is more useful than the Esper,
there are things to be gained by using the Esper's Metamorphosis attack in
battle.  This command transforms enemies into items.  More often than not,
useless items, especially Dried Meat, turn up, but certain enemies turn up
better results.  Below are the best transformations.  Keep in mind that
Metamorphosis' success rate is far from perfect.

Balloon = Flame Shield
Barb-e = Ribbon
Bomb = Flame Shield
Borras = Ogre Nix
Chaser = Mithril Mail
Covert = Trump
Cruller = Elixir
Dahling = Ribbon
Hades Gigas = Ogre Nix
Harpy = Experience Egg
Heavy Armor = Heavy Shield, Mithril Blade
Intangir = Megalixir
Level 80 Magic = Ribbon
Level 90 Magic = Ribbon
Magitek Armor = Heavy Shield, Mithril Blade, Mithril Helm,
                Mithril Shield
MagRoader (brown small type) = Mithril Mail
MagRoader (yellow large type) = Gold Lance, Gold Shield
Ninja = Assassin, Striker
Pipsqueak = Mithril Blade, Mithril Helm
Proto Armor = Crystal Mail, Crystal Shield
Rhyos = Ice Shield
Rider = Gold Helmet, Gold Lance
Spek-Tor = Tintinabar
Spit Fire = Gold Helmet
SrBehemoth = Cursed Ring, Relic Ring, Thornlet
Tap Dancer = Marvel Shoes
Woolly = Safety Bit

IX. Oddities

*Final Fantasy VI certainly possesses its share of mysteries, rumors, and the
like.  A major source of rumor and confusion has been that the first American
releases of Final Fantasy VI contained glitches and odd items that were not
present in any later (post-November 1994) shipments.  Naturally, the game has
its share of groundless rumors like any RPG (finding Leo in the Veldt
Tyrannosaur forest, "Gamma Swords" obtained by flying around the Ruin Tower
forever, and other nonsense), but there are a few legitimate mysteries and
oddities, as well.

-One of the most prevailing questions is that of the number of items in the
game.  Some have questioned why there are some extra spaces at the bottom of
the item list, even when every item is obtained, attributing it to potential
dummying-out of items like in the US Final Fantasy IV.  Inspecting the
Japanese strategy guide's item list reveals that there are indeed 255 items in
the game.  What tends not to be taken into account is that Cursed Shields and
Cursed Rings become Paladin Shields and (supposedly) Paladin Rings, all of
which are possible to have at once through Ragnarok's Metamorphosis, which,
along with one empty space for reorganizing, accounts for the rumored "3 empty
spaces."

-What is still up for consideration, however, is the Rare Item list.  Stray,
glitchy, or potentially-deleted Rare Items have been mentioned, including
Dull/Odd Pictures, Opera Record, Eerie Stone, Manicure, Magnifying Glass, and
also some mumblings about a Colossus Dragon's item.  While these may be
without basis or mere glitches, they are still intriguing.

-Cursed items remain popular objects for speculation.  While it's well-known
that a Cursed Shield will become uncursed after 255 battles and return to
being a Paladin Shield, just what happens to a Cursed Ring?  Some reports
claim that in early releases of the game, the Cursed Ring becomes a Paladin
Ring after 255 fights, teaching Pearl instead of Ultima like the Cursed
Shield.  Most, however, describe that it becomes a simple Hero Ring, hardly
worth the trouble.  The third proposition is that the ring cannot become
uncursed.  Reports of Paladin Rings seem to be directly related to the early
November 1994 releases, implying existence through glitches, if nothing else.
Only those brave enough to try to uncurse one can know for sure...

-Some glitches in Final Fantasy VI are quite well-known.  Relm's Sketch
command creates quite a few of them--when sketching invisible, large, or
certain odd monsters, the game has a tendency to freeze, sometimes even
resulting in losses of saved games.  Sketching in the Ruin Tower is notorious
for causing this.  Through experimentation with Sketch, more odd glitches can
be caused, some "generating" items and others confusing the character sprites.
Strange indeed.

-Just what are the three angels that the party battles before Kefka?
Nintendo's old American guide started the widespread misinformation that they
were the three Goddess Statues again, but their utter lack of resemblance (and
the fact that they are nameless on the battle screen) shows otherwise.  The
only basis for this claim is that the second angel uses 10 Hits, like Goddess,
before it is destroyed.  Scott Zdankiewicz has noted something far more
interesting: "This is actually a modification of a painting done by an artist
whose name escapes me.  What is important is that the subject of the painting
is Dante's Inferno, which is a portion of the epic "The Divine Comedy," where
a man, in essence, takes a tour through the three portions of the afterlife,
starting with Hell, continuing through Purgatory, and on to Paradise.  Anyway,
the bottom tier (Alpha) is a representation of Lucifer himself, forever frozen
in ice, only his upper body is able to move freely.  The second tier (Beta) is
most probably the Carnal, the second level of Hell, where all those who died
and committed crimes of a sexual nature are condemned to sail around on this
wind or something, thus the jumble of bodies in the tier.  The third tier is a
bit of a wild card, from my analysis.  It could represent the entrance to
Hell, with Kefka instead of Charon bidding them welcome.  It might also
represent Purgatory, as Kefka's figure seems to be waiting for something, and
the angelic head behind him could be the Final Justice.  The final battle with
Kefka is not involved with the painting, but of course there are religious
undertones when considering the fact that Kefka has one wing of an angel and
the other of a devil."

X. Name Changes

*Although the U.S. version of Final Fantasy VI contains a well-written script,
certain story elements have been changed, and a staggering number of names
have been altered.  All towns featured more elaborate name descriptions in the
original, as well.  For those who place import on the correct terms, or are
merely curious, below is a list of name changes for every single item,
technique, location, and character, along with name changes for memorable,
recurring, or myth-based monsters.  Some changes resulted from letter space
limitations that the more concise Japanese alphabet had no problem with.
Finally, a little-known fact is that Square Japan (and indeed, most companies)
always designs the English names of its characters first.  This, however, has
resulted in some confusion: for example, the original name of the game's
villain, Cefca, was converted to the Japanese Katakana symbols that are
romanized as "ke-fu-ka," and then written as Kefka.

US Version          Original Version

A. Characters

Main Characters
Arvis               Jun
Banon               Bannon
Baram               Billy
Cyan                Cayenne
Duane               Dean
Elaine              Mina
Gerad               Jeff
Gestahl             Ghastra
Kamog               Zumomogu
Katarin             Katarina
Kefka               Cefca
Kuku                Moruru
Kumama              Mogucchi
Kupan               Moguuru
Kupek               Mogulin
Kupop               Mogupuu
Kurin               Mogupon
Kuru                Mogumugu
Kushu               Mogushin
Kutan               Mogutan
Locke               Lock Cole
Madonna             Madeline
Owain               Shun
Sabin               Mash
Strago              Stragus
Terra               Tina
Vicks               Bicks (miswritten; "Biggs" intended)

Enemies
All Over            Death Penalty
Borras              Grasharaboras
Brontaur            Old Dragon
Brachosaur          Bracheoleidos
Cactrot             Sabotendaa (pun: almost "It's a Cactus!")
Cluck               Chicken Medusa
Covert              Invisible
Dark Force          Black Force
Doom Dragon         Devil Dragon
Evil Oscar          Molbor Great
Flan                Pudding
Fossil Fang         Dragon Fossil
Geckorex            Basilisk
GtBehomoth          Grand Behemoth
Hades Gigas         Hell Gigas
Hazer               Cloud
Hemophyte           Demon's Soldier
Hoover              Slug Crawler
Intangir            Sleeping Lion
Iron Fist           Motor Drive
Madam               Virginity
Mad Oscar           Molbor
Magic Urn           Magic Pot
Majitek Armor       Madou Armor
Pterodon            Lesser Ropuros
Pug                 Tonberi
Retainer            Youjinbou (or "Yojimbo")
Rhyos               Go Chimera
Rider               Hell's Harley
Scullion            Gamma
Sky Base            Death Machine
Vectagoyle          Vector Chimera
Veteran             Ahriman
Wirey Dragon        Platinum Dragon
Zombone             Dragon Zombie

Enemy Bosses
Atma                Ultima Buster
Atma Weapon         Ultima Weapon
Chupon              Typhon
Curley              Reve ("Dream" in French)
Dirt Dragon         Earth Dragon
Doom                Majin ("Evil God")
Doom Gaze           Death Gaze
Goddess             Megami ("Goddess")
Hidon               Hidun
Hidonite            Erebos
Ice Dragon          Freeze Dragon
Katana Soul         Samurai Soul
MagiMaster          Magic Master
Marshal             Guard Leader
Master Pug          Tonberi Master
Larry               Sogno ("Dream" in Italian)
Moe                 Sueno ("Dream" in Spanish)
Phunbaba            Humbaba
Poltergeist         Kishin ("Fierce God")
SrBehemoth          King Behemoth
Tunnel Armor        Dig Armor
Ultros              Orthros
Whelk               Ymir
White Dragon        Holy Dragon
Wrexoul             Alexoul

Espers              Genjuu ("Mythical Beasts")
Carbunkl            Carbuncle
Crusader            Jihad
Maduin              Madin
Palidor             Quetzalli
Ramuh               Lahmu
Shoat               Catoblepas
Sraphmim            Seraphim
Starlet             Laksmi
Stray               Cait Sith
Terrato             Midgardsorm
Tritoch             Valigarmanda
Zone Seek           Zone Seeker

B. Game and Story Elements

Esper               Genjuu ("Mythical Beast")
GP                  Gil
Imp                 Kappa
Magicite            Maseki ("Magic Stone")
Magitek             Madou ("Magic-Conducting," "Magic-Power")
Moogle              Moglie/Mohguri
Three Goddesses     Three Toushin (Three "War Gods")
War of the Magi     Great Magic War

C. Items

Armor
Czarina Gown        Princess Dress
Dark Gear           Black Costume
Diamond Vest        Diamond Breastplate
Gaea Gear           Clothes of the Earth
Imp Armor           Armor Kappa
Kung Fu Suit        Kenpo Gi
Minerva             Minerva Bische
Mithril Vest        Mythril Plate
Ninja Gear          Shinobi Clothes
Power Sash          Power-Unleashing Gi
Tabby Suit          Goroneko Suit ("Purring/Lazy Cat" Suit)
Tao Robe            Magician's Robe

Helmets
Bard's Hat          Priest's Hat
Beret               Beret Hat
Cat Hood            Cat Ear Hood
Coronet             Hypno Crown
Dark Hood           Black Hood
Regal Crown         Royal Crown

Items
Echo Screen         Mountain-Echo Smokescreen
Ether               Ether Turbo
Fenix Down          Phoenix Tail
Green Cherry        Yellow Cherry
Magicite            Maseki Shard ("Magic Stone" Shard)
Megalixir           Last Elixir
Potion              High Potion
Remedy              Panacea
Revivify            Holy Water
Smoke Bomb          Smoke Ball
Soft                Gold Needle
Tincture            Ether
Tonic               Potion
Warp Stone          Teleport Stone
X-Ether             Ether Super
X-Potion            Ex Potion

Key Items
Cider               Sake
Book of Secrets     Slightly Risque Book

Relics              Accessories
Atlas Armlet        Giant's Glove
Back Guard          Alarm Piece
Beads               Abandonment Rosary (Buddhist)
Charm Bangle        Taima Bangle ("Shintou Offering" Bangle)
Cherub Down         Angel Wing
Coin Toss           Heiji's Jitte (Heiji's "Sword-Catcher")
Czarina Ring        Princess Ring
Cure Ring           Angel Ring
Dragoon Boots       Dragon Knight's Boots
Dragon Horn         Hiryuu Horn ("Flying Dragon" Horn)
Earrings            Earring
Economizer          Three Stars
Experience Egg      Grow Egg
Fake Moustache      Impresario's Moustache
Gale Hairpin        Gale Ornamental Hairpin
Gem Box             Soul of Thamasa
Goggles             Silver-Rim Glasses
Gold Hairpin        Gold Hair Decoration
Guard Ring          Protect Ring
Hero Ring           Brave Ring
Marvel Shoes        Miracle Shoes
Merit Award         Medal
Mithril Glove       Mythril Glove
Moogle Charm        Moruru's Charm
Offering            Kaiden No Akashi ("Proof of Martial Arts
                                       Mastery")
Pod Bracelet        Protection Bangle
Relic Ring          Deceased's Ring
Running Shoes       Hermes' Shoes
Sneak Ring          Thief's Bangle
Sniper Sight        Sniper Eye
Sprint Shoes        Dash Shoes
Thief Ring          Thief's Ring
Thornlet            Crown of Thorns
Tintinabar          Round Bell
True Knight         Knight's Code
Wall Ring           Reflect Ring
Zephyr Cape         Breeze Cape

Shields
Cursed Shield       Blood-Smeared Shield
Heavy Shield        Large Shield
Paladin Shield      Hero's Shield
Titanium            Plate
Thunder Shield      Raijin Shield ("Lightning God" Shield)
Tortoise Shield     Carapace Shield

Skeans              Scrolls
Bolt Edge           Raijin ("Lightning God")
Fire Skean          Katon (fire-use technique)
Inviz Edge          Konohagakure ("Foliage Concealment")
Shadow Edge         Shadow Bunshin (illusory body technique)
Water Edge          Suiton (water-use technique)

Tools               Machines
Autocrossbow        Auto Bow Gun
Bio Blaster         Bio Blast
Chain Saw           Spinning Saw
Dehibilitator       Weak-Maker
Flash               Sunbeam
Noise Blaster       Blast Voice

Weapons
Air Lancet          Air Dagger
Assassin            Assassin Dagger
Aura Lance          Grow Lance
Aura                Masamune
Blizzard            Ice Brand
Blossom             Sakura Fubuki ("Cherry Blossom Blizzard")
Crystal             Crystal Sword
Doom Darts          Death God's Darts
Dirk                Dagger
Drainer             Blood Sword
Enhancer            Enhance Sword
Epee                Bastard Sword
Fire Knuckle        Burning Knuckle
Fire Rod            Flame Rod
Fixed Dice          Deception Dice
Flail               Chain Flail
Flame Sabre         Flame-Tan
Forged              Kiku Ichimonji ("Crysthansemum")
Full Moon           Full Moon Wheel
Gold Lance          Golden Spear
Guardian            Main Gauche
Hardened            Sasuke's Katana
Illumina            Light Bringer
Imperial            Kunai
Imp Halberd         Sagojou's Spear
Kaiser              Kaiser Knuckle
Kodachi             Kodachi ("Short Katana")
Magus Rod           Wizard Rod
Mithril Blade       Mythril Sword
Mithril Pike        Mythril Spear
Ninja Star          Fuuma Shurkiken ("Wind Demon" Shuriken)
Pearl Lance         Holy Lance
Pearl Rod           Holy Rod
Poison Claw         Dark Claw
Regal Cutlass       Great Sword
Rune Edge           Rune Blade
Scimitar            Zantetsuken ("Iron-Cutting Sword")
Sky Render          Mutsnokami
Strato              Ame No Murakumo ("Heaven's Storm-Cloud")
Stout Spear         Heavy Lance
Striker             Ichigeki No Yaiba ("Strike Blade")
Stunner             Kagenui ("Shadow Sew"-a paralyze technique)
Tack Star           Wind Wheel/Pinwheel
Tempest             Kazekiri No Yaiba ("Wind-Slicing Blade")
Tiger Fangs         Tiger Fang
Trump               Strike Darts

D. Locations

Narshe              Coal-Mine City Narche
South Figaro        Town of South Figaro
Mt. Kolts           Mt. Coltz
Returners' Hideout  Returner Headquarters
Lete River          Lethe River
House on the Veldt  Lone House on the Plains
Phantom Forest      Misleading Forest
Phantom Train       Magic Train/Demon Train
Veldt               Plain of Beasts
Mobliz              Village of Mobliz
Mt. Crescent        Crescent Moon Mountain
Serpent Trench      Snake's Road
Nikeah              Port Town Nikea
Kohlingen           Village of Kohlingen
Jidoor              Town of Jidoor
Albrook             Town of Alburg
Tzen                Town of Tsen
Maranda             Town of Maranda
Vector              Imperial Capital Vector
Magitek Factory     Madou Factory
Magitek Research
        Facility    Madou Research Facility
Sealed Gate         Sealed Magic Barrier
Imperial Base       Sealed Magic Barrier Surveillance Post
Thamasa             Village of Thamasa
Floating Island     Magic Continent
Colosseum           Dragon's Neck Colosseum
Ebot's Rock         Eboshi Rock

E. Techniques

Blitz               Hissatsuwaza ("Sure-Killing Techniques")
Pummel              Bakuretsuken ("Exploding Fist")
Aura Bolt           Aura Cannon
Suplex              Meteor Strike
Fire Dance          Houou No Mai ("Dance of the Chinese Phoenix")
Mantra              Chakra
Air Blade           Shinkuuha ("Vacuum Blade")
Spiraler            Spiral Soul
Bum Rush            Mugen Toubu ("Fighting Dance of Dreams")

Capture             Loot/Snatch/Plunder

Dance
Desert Aria         Desert Lullaby
Dusk Requiem        Darkness Requiem
Earth Blues         Plateau Blues
Forest Suite        Forest Nocturne
Love Sonata         Love Serenade
Snowman Jazz        Snowman Rondo
Water Rondo         Water Harmony
Wind Song           Wind Rhapsody

Dance Magic
Elf Fire            Will-O'-the-Wisp
Ice Rabbit          Snow Rabbit
Kitty               Merecat
Rage                Foliage Wild Dance
Snare               Pitfall, Hole Trap
Specter             Ghost
Sunbath             Sunbathing
Surge               Avalanche
Whump               Urinko [meaning unknown]
Wild Bear (Forest)  Forestbathing
Wild Bear (Water)   Badger
Wind Slash          Whirlwind Cut/Kamaitachi (fast demon)

Espers' Magic
Atom Edge           Zantetsuken ("Iron-Cutting Sword")
Bolt Fist           Lightning of Judgement
Chaos Wing          Chaos Wave
Earth Aura          Earth Surround
Fader               Vanishing Body
Gem Dust            Diamond Dust
Group Hug           Seductive Embrace
Hope Song           Lunatic Voice
Inferno             Flames of Hell
Justice             Holy Judgement
Life Guard          Holy Brighten
Metamorph           Metamorphos
Moon Song           Howling Moon
Purifier            Destruction of Heaven and Earth
Rebirth             Flame of Rebirth
Reviver             Angelic Feather
Sea Song            Bubble Blow
Sun Flare           Mega Flare
Tri-Dazer           Tri-Disaster
True Edge           Shin Zantetsuken ("True Iron-Cutting Sword")
Wall                Magic Shield

GP Rain             Coin Throw

Heal                Pray

Lore                Learned Technique
Aqua Rake           Aqua Breath
Aero                Aeroga
Big Guard           Mighty Guard
Blow Fish           1000 Needles
Clean Sweep         Large Tidal Wave
Condemned           Death Sentence
Exploder            Suicide Blast
Pearl Wind          White Wind
Revenge             Revenge Blast
Roulette            Death Roulette

Magic
Antidote            Poisona
Bolt                Thunder
Bolt 2              Thundara
Bolt 3              Thundaga
Cure 2              Curera
Cure 3              Curega
Demi                Gravity
Doom                Death
Fire 2              Fira
Fire 3              Figa
Float               Levitate
Haste 2             Hastega
Ice                 Blizzard
Ice 2               Blizzara
Ice 3               Blizzaga
Imp                 Kappaa
Life                Raise
Life 2              Araise
Life 3              Reraise
Merton              Meltdown
Muddle              Confuse
Pearl               Holy
Quarter             Graviga
Remedy              Esuna
Safe                Protect
Scan                Label
Slow 2              Slowga
Warp                Teleport
W.Wind              Tornado
X-Zone              Degen
[Fallen One         Heartless Angel]

Magitek             Madou ("Magic-Conducting, Magic-Power")
Bio Blast           Bio Blaster
Bolt Beam           Thunder Beam
Ice Beam            Blizzard Beam
Tek Missile         Madou Missile
X-fer               Degenerator

Morph               Transform

Near-Fatal Attacks
Black Blade         Tsubamegaeshi ("Swallow Counter")
Mirager             Mirage Dive
Moogle Rush         Moogle Wild Dance
Red Card            Bloody Card
Riot Blade          Riot Sword
Spin Edge           Spinning Edge
X-Meteor            Punishing Meteor

Runic               Mafuuken ("Magic-Sealing Sword")

Slot
Chocobop            Chocobo Rush
Flush               Seven Flush
H-Bomb              Diving Bomb
Joker Doom          7 7 Bar
Lagomorph           Mysidia Rabbit
Magicite            Random Summon
Mega Flare          Bahamut
7-Flush             7 7 7

Swordtech           Hissatsuken ("Sure-Killing Sword")
Dispatch            Kiba ("Fang")
Retort              Sora ("Sky")
Slash               Tora ("Tiger")
Quadra Slam         Mai ("Dance")
Empower             Ryuu ("Dragon")
Stunner             Tsuki ("Moon")
Quadra Slice        Retsu ("Fierce," "Violent," "Ardent")
Cleaver             Dan ("Sever," "Judgement")

Tools               Machines [see Items, above]

X-Magic             Continuous Magic

XI. Additional References

*For the true Final Fantasy fan, there are many pieces of merchandise for
sale, from art books to numerous CD soundtracks.  Listed below are their
prices, along with their publishing information.

*Final Fantasy VI Original Sound Version by Nobuo Uematsu
-3 CD's; NTT Publishing; ~3800 Yen; catalogue: PSCN 5001~5003
-It's impossible not to love Final Fantasy VI's mesmerizing soundtrack.
Nearly every song is superb, and every piece from the game is included in its
entirety.  Included is a 14-page full-color booklet with sketches by Yoshitaka
Amano, interviews with Final Fantasy director Hironobo Sakaguchi and composer
Nobuo Uematsu, and track titles in both Japanese and English.  An outstanding
purchase.

*Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale by Nobuo Uematsu
-1 CD; NTT Publishing; ~2800 Yen; catalogue: PSCN 5004
-Final Fantasy VI's arranged album is excellent, featuring orchestrated
variations of selected songs, including the beautiful Mystic Forest and Aria
di Mezzo Carattere.  Different, but wholly worth listening to.

*Final Fantasy VI Piano Collections
-1 CD; NTT Publishing; ~3800 Yen; catalogue: PSCN 5005
-A very special and very rare set consisting of a CD of selected Final Fantasy
VI songs played beautifully on piano as well as a hardcover book of sheet
music for the songs.  Pianists will definitely enjoy playing these
compositions, while the novice can still enjoy the wonderful CD.

*Japan~Final Fantasy by Yoshitaka Amano
-114 full-color pages; NTT Publishing; 3000 Yen; catalogue: ISBN 4-87188-338-8
C0071
-A high-quality, oversize hardback book, Final Fantasy~Japan is an astounding
collection of master artist Yoshitaka Amano's myriad sketches from Final
Fantasy V and VI.  It includes a prelude with some original artwork, beautiful
collages for every character in both games, many panoramic scenes,
lithographs, fold-out designs, interviews with Yoshitaka Amano and Final
Fantasy director Hironobu Sakaguchi, and more.

*Final Fantasy VI: Setteishiryouhan
-96 full-color pages; NTT Publishing; 570 Yen; catalogue: ISBN 4-87188-299-3
CO276
-This is a small paperback book included with preorders of Final Fantasy VI.
It contains much of Amano's art that is not seen in Japan~Final Fantasy, and
also includes story information, timelines, item sketches, maps, and
conceptual art for many towns and major locations.  This book provides a
wealth of contents for its low price.

XII. Author's Comments

*The original version of Ultimatum was a monument to the author's love for
Final Fantasy VI, and evolved in size and depth before completion in a year's
time in 1999.  This revised edition is considerably larger than the original,
and has been greatly improved with the help of many fantastic people.  Thanks
goes out to Square Japan for creating this masterpiece, and to my friends for
their help in uncovering the many subtle elements of Final Fantasy VI.  Thanks
go to Scott Zdankiewicz for his enlightening e-mails regarding the basis for
the final bosses, to Cidolfas at the Final Fantasy Compendium for his valuable
information on names, and to the other kind readers who sent words of praise,
wisdom, and corrections!  Finally, thank you, reader, for taking the time to
read up on a game that, though now many years old, has captured the hearts of
so many.

Final Fantasy VI and all related names and likenesses are the property of
Square.  This work is copyrighted 2006 by the author and shall not be altered
or reproduced without express permission.