Final Fantasy VIII Written By: KatanaSoul Version: North American (Final) Date Started: October 24, 2001 Date Completed: March 6, 2003 Email: Katanasoul@hotmail.com Website: www.geocities.com/bushidosoul Other Guides/FAQs by me: www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/23119.html Disclaimer: This Guide is Copyrighted 2001-2003 to me Dale Ray (KatanaSoul) and cannot be reproduced in any way, shape, or form and cannot be sold, distributed, or used in any way to make money or for any promotinal purposes. This guide is for private use only and any violation of these terms is a violation of copyright. I write guides to help all the gamers out there, not to benefit myself with money or anything else so respect that. If you wish to place this guide onto your site, drop me a line at my email above, it is very doubtful that I would refuse. However any future revisions of this guide or my contact info can be found at my website listed above along with any other of my guides. As always all trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders. Email Policy: I do answer game questions via email, so if you have questions, comments, suggestions, or anything of that nature send them on in and I'll reply as soon as I see them, please make sure that you title the email something like "Final Fantasy VIII Question, Help, or something like that so I don't delete it. I welcome response to my work and I enjoy answering questions so its no problem to me at all. Although I do urge you to search my guide to see if your question is already answered. Searching is easily done by pushing Ctrl+F and then putting in what you are searching for into the box to go exactly to what you are looking for. If that doesn't help feel free to contact me. Table of Contents 1: Introduction 2: Game Basics 3: Characters 4: Tips and Gameplay Advice 5: Walkthough 5.1: Balamb Garden 5.2: The Fire Cavern 5.3: Dollet Field Exam 5.4: After the Exam, Back to the Garden 5.5: The Train Ride 5.6: Timber 5.7: The Forest Dream and Galbadia Garden 5.8: Deling City and the Tomb of the Unknown King 5.9: Caraway and the Battle with Edea 5.10: Winhill and the D-District Prison 5.11: The Missile Base and the Return to Balamb Garden 5.12: Fisherman's Horizon and the Invasion of Balamb Town 5.13: Trabia Garden, Winhill, and the Centra Ruins 5.14: Galbadia Garden and the Showdown with Edea 5.15: The White SeeD Ship and the Great Salt Lake 5.16: Esthar and the Lunar Gate 5.17: The Lunar Base and the Ragnarok 5.18: The Sorceress Memorial and the Meeting with Laguna 5.19: The CC Group and Dollet 5.20: Jumbo Cactaur and Shumi Village 5.21: Obel Lake and the Card Queen 5.22: Lunatic Pandora and the Beginning of the End 5.23: The Final Battle, Ultimecia Castle 5.24: Back to the Ragnarok, Finding the Card Queen and Tonberry King 5.25: PuPu and the Chocobo Sanctuary 5.26: The Deep Sea Research Center and Omega Weapon 6: Guardian Forces 7: Guardian Force Abilities 8: Weapons 9: Items 10: Magic 11: Cards 12: Monster Locations 13: Location of Timber Maniacs Magazines 14: SeeD Test Answers 15: FAQ 16: Credits ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1: Introduction This is the first guide I've written for a game. It took me several playthroughs and over a year of off and on working in order to compile all of the information contained within this guide, but it was my pleasure to have my first opportunity to help others with this great game. Unfortunatly my skills at giving directions to things on the world map in this game tend to be terrible, so if my directions are not good enough email me and I will try to explain a little better how to reach your location, and once again I aplogize for my terrible directions. During each section of the walkthough and at every boss I will list my current party I was using and there level, do not feel you have to try to keep up with my level or use whomever I was using in my party. As long as you draw alot of spells and junction well you could afford to be at a very low level and finish the game with ease. Have fun with your exprience with this game and experiment with all of the characters to get a feel of which ones suit your taste, this in my opinion is the best part of an RPG. Feel free to contact me via email at my email listed above, I love to hear from you the reader, Comments, Questions, and Suggestions are always welcome. If you are looking for a certain item, ability ect you can always search the document using Ctrl+F. I think thats enough of my rambling, enjoy the Guide :) My Review: Characters: 7/10 Story: 9/10 Script/Translation: 9/10 Music/Sound: 10/10 Gameplay: 4/10 Battle System: 5/10 Character Development: 8/10 Look/Feel: 7/10 Fun Factor: 6/10 Originality: 7/10 Replay Value: 6/10 Side Areas: 5/10 Length: 7/10 Difficulty: 5/10 Intro: 8/10 Final Boss: 7/10 Ending: 8/10 Overall: 7/10 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2: Game Basics The Main Menu: At any time during the game when you are not involved in a scene you can bring up the main menu by pressing the default button which is O. The entire game revolves around this menu and you should learn to navigate it well. When you open the menu at the top left of the screen is your active party, you can keep three party members with you at all times. The 2nd character that is listed here will be at the front of battle and will be attacked the most so make sure that you choose who to put here carefully. The party members at the bottom of the screen (With red lines under there HP) is your sub party and are not currently with you. On the right side of the screen is a list of commands. I will explain the use of these commands as they are listed on screen below: Junction Use: Used to junction magic, GFs, and abilitys to your characters. Item Use: Views the items you have in your inventory currently. You can use them to heal your characters as well as sort them to your liking. There is also a command to organize how the items are placed in the item menu in battle. Magic Use: Views the magic you have stocked by drawing. You can sort the spells here as well as use them to cure your party, give them to other party members, and you can also discard them with the square button. Status Use: Views the status of your party members. In this menu you can view your characters limit breaks, stats, current weapon, and compatibility with there GFs. GF Use: Views the GFs that have joined you. You can also view there level, abilities, and also select which ability you want them to learn. Ability Use: Views the menu abilitys that your GFs have learned. These are used to refine items as well as perform other various tasks. Switch Use: Used to switch junctions between party members as well as change your active party with members from your sub party, the leader of the party (most commonly Squall) can never be removed. You can only change your active party on the world map or at a save point. Card Use: Views the cards that you have gathered throughout the game. Config Use: Changes various aspects of the game such as turning on and off the analog vibration, controller settings, initial or memory cursor (memory remembers your last command and automatically puts the cursor on it for you, initial automatically puts the cursor at the top of the command list), changing the sound between stereo and mono, whether the ATB gauge is active or wait (with active selected the battle will progress even when you are selecting commands in your menus, wait will stop the progress until you have selected a command), whether the scan spell works once or always (with it set to once the 2nd time you use the scan spell on an enemy it will display there data quickly then dissappear, with always it displays there data as if you never have cast it on them before), Camera Movement (The higher the percentage the more the camera moves during battle), battle speed (how fast the battle progresses, affecting how fast player characters and enemies get there turns), battle message (effects how fast the message the attack characters/enemies uses dissappears), and field message (effects how fast messages in the field are read). Tutorial Use: An overview of just about everything in Final Fantasy VIII. However in the information section there are various things that will not appear until you get certain items, the items and information it displays are listed below: Battle Report Use: Shows how many battles won, ran from, and escaped along with how many steps your characters have taken Location: Given to Squall by Cid after you get your SeeD score Character Report Use: Shows how many Kills and KOs your characters have had Location: D-District Prison GF Report Use: Shows how many Kills and KOs your GFs have had Location: From Joker during the CC Group Side Quest Proof of Omega Use: Proof you have defeated Omega Weapon Location: Received after defeating Omega Weapon Save Use: Allows you to save your game to a memory card (one block needed). Can only save on the world map or at a save point. Save points are a yellow and black star looking thing that are surrounded by several rings that are spinning around. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Junctioning GFs: Final Fantasy VIII's battle system revolves around the Guardian Force, often refered to as the GF in this guide and in game. Guardian Forces are junctioned to characters via the junction menu that is in the main menu. Junctioning can be very complicated but hopefully I can shed some light on the subject for you. First you will need to junction the Guardian Force to a character. This is easily done by opening your main menu (the default setting is the O button) and then selecting junction followed by which character you want to junction a GF to. In this menu select junction followed by selecting GF. A list of GFs that have joined you will come up, simply select which ones you wish to junction to the character, all abilitys that the GF has learned will be added to the character that you have just junctioned the GF to. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Learning GF abilites: Guardian Forces all have innate abilitys that they come with, all of them come with the basic abilities which are Draw, Magic, and Item. Some of these abilities will be avaiable for you to junction to your characters, while others will not. In order to use these abilities you must gather enough AP to use them. Each skill that isn't learned has a set amount of AP that must be gathered in order for you to be able to use it. For example Shiva's Vit+20% ability must gather 60 AP before it can be used. The only way to gather AP is to select the ability that you want the GF to learn in the GF section of your main menu, and fight battles. Each enemy you defeat yields a specific amount of AP for defeating them and after you win the current battle it is added up out of all the monsters you have defeated and then added to your current AP count of all your junctioned GFs selected abilitys of any character that participated in the battle, however, if a GF died in battle no AP will be awarded to that GF. After you have gathered enough AP to learn the ability it will be available to you to equip to your character and you can select another ability to learn. Sometimes when you learn a certain ability such as Vit+20% with Shiva, a new ability to learn will become available, in Shiva's case, Vit+40% will become avialable. You can also teach your GFs abilitys using items, for example, the item Circlet will teach any GF you want the Mag+20% ability as long as there is room to learn it in your GFs ability menu. If both pages of abilities is full then you cannot teach a GF a new ability, nor will they be able to learn any advanced abilities by learning others. You can delete any GF ability by using an Amnesia Green on the ability that you want the GF to forget, this makes room for more abilities to be taught to the GF. There are three types of GF abilitys that can be learned: Command Ability Support Ability Junction Ability It is in your best interest to learn all of the abilities that a GF has. The next section go into detail about these three types of abilitys. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Junctioning Command and Support Abilitys to a Character: Now that you know how to learn abilitys you need to know how to equip them to a character. In the main menu select junction followed by which character you want to junction. In the next menu select ability. Here you can set two types of abilitys, command, and support. Command abilitys are used as actions in battle, for example, if you set the item command ability that character can use items that you have in your inventory in battle, if you were to set the GF ability then you can summon your Guardian Forces in battle. You can set up to 3 command abilitys, the attack command can never be exchanged with another command ability. Support abilitys are a bit diffrent, they are used to support your characters in battle in various ways, for example, the GF Ifrit has the Str+20% support ability. Equiping this to your characters support ability list will give them a 20% boost to there Str stat. There are other Support Abilitys that change certain commands, such as equiping the ability mug that the GF Diablos' has will change your characters attack command to mug. Think long and hard about which abilitys you want to equip to your characters, it is one of the keys to success in Final Fantasy VIII. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Drawing and Junctioning Magic via Junction Abilities: Drawing magic is the most important aspect of the junction system. Each enemy that you encounter has a set list of spells that you can draw from them if you have the draw command ability equiped to your character. As the enemies grow in level with your characters the spells that they have to draw will often change to become more powerful, for example, the Buel enemies at a low level start with the spells Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder. As they grow in levels with your characters these spells will change to a higher class, Fira, Blizzara, and Thundara, then when they reach there highest level you can draw the Firaga, Blizzaga, and Thundaga spells from them. You can also draw magic from draw points that are found in various areas of the game, some are invisible and can only been seen with the Siren GFs Move Find support ability, however the ones on the world map will always remain invisible even with move find equiped. You can also use your menu abilitys to refine items into spells. You should keep in mind that you can only stock 32 diffrent types of spells, but can discard magic you don't need by using the square button. These spells that you draw are used in various ways. One is that they can be used outside of battle to restore HP or status effects. You can do this by accessing the main menu, then selecting the magic command, followed by the character that you wish to cast the spell with. In this menu you can also give stocked magic to other party members by selecting Exchang in the menu, followed by how many of the stocked spell you wish to give and then selecting the character you wish to give the magic to. Another way the spells are used is to use them in battle, but only if you have the magic command ability equiped to your character. These spells do many things ranging from dealing damage to the enemy, to causing bad status effects, to curing and reviving your characters. Keep in mind though that every time you cast a spell that it will delete your stock of the particular spell by 1. You can also rearrange the order your magic is in by going back into your magic menu in the main menu of the game and selecting rearrange, you can either do it manually or rearrange it via the type of magic. I personally prefer Restore-Attack-Indirect but you should rearrange to suit your preference. Now to the main purpose of drawing magic, and that is to junction it to your stats, however before you can junction magic to your stats you will first need to learn a junction ability for each of the specific stats. For example in order to junction magic to the Str stat you will first need to learn the Str-J ability. To junction magic to your stats first open your main menu and select junction. In this menu select junction and then magic to junction magic to your stats. You can also use the auto command in this menu to have the system junction magic to your prefered style. There are three styles to choose from: Atk: Junctions magic to focus on increasing your Str and attacks. Mag: Junctions magic to focus on increasing your magic attacks. Def: Junctions magic to focus on increasing your defenses. If your prefer to do it manually, which is often the best course of action, please keep in mind how each stat effects the character. Each stats meaning is listed below: HP: How much damage your character can take in battle, max is 9999. Str: The power of your attack command and limit breaks, max is 255. Vit: Your defense against physical attacks, max is 255. Mag: The power of your magic spells and guardian forces, max is 255. Spr: Your defense against magical attacks, max is 255. Spd: Determines how fast your ATB gauge fills in battle, max is 255. Eva: Determines how often you evade physical attacks. * Hit: Determines how often you hit with physical attacks, max is 255% Luck: Determines how often you get critical hits, also effects how often you get a chance for a first strike against enemies. * *: Now sure what the max is. To junction manually move the cursor to the stat you wish to junction and select it. A list of your stocked magic that you have drawn will appear. You can now scroll through your list and select which spell is the best to choose to junction to each stat. If the spell increases the stat there will be a yellow arrow point up followed by the finish result of the junction, if there is a red arrow pointing down the stat is decreased followed by the finish result of the junction. It is always in your best interest to find which spells junction best to which stat. Keep in mind that the more of a spell that you have stocked, the more the stat will be increased by the spell when it is junctioned, also remember that if you cast a spell in battle that is junctioned (when you select the magic command in battle there will be an icon next to the spells that are junctioned) that the stat it is junctioned to will go down slightly because you are depleting the number of it you have stocked when you cast it. Besides your stats you can also junction magic to your elemental and status defense, as well as add elements and status effects to your normal attack. To junction magic to your elemental attack and defense you'll first need to learn an elemental junction ability such as Elem-Atk-J to junction to elemental attack and Elem-Def- J to junction to elemental defense. Then enter the menu to junction magic to your stats and press left on the control pad. This will bring up the screen to junction magic to your elemental attack and elemental defense, the first slot on the screen is for elemental attack and the remaining ones are for elemental defense. Before you junction keep in mind the meaning of each icon that is on the screen, below are the list of elements as they are listed on the screen: Fire Example: Fire, Fira, Firaga Ice Example: Blizzard, Blizzara, Blizzaga Thunder Example: Thunder, Thundara, Thundaga Earth Example: Quake Poison Example: Bio Wind Example: Aero, Tornado Water Example: Water Holy Example: Holy Junctioning to your elemental attack and defense is almost identical to junctioning to your stats except that you deal with a percentage instead of a number when you select a spell to junction. In elemental attack the percentage means what percent of your attack command deals that type of elemental damage, for example, if you have 40% thunder element in your attack only 40% of your attack would be Thunder elemental, which would result in more damage to an enemy weak against thunder, it would heal an enemy that can absorb thunder, and an enemy that is normal against it would do normal damage. So in a way elemental attack can be a double edged sword, think carefully about what you junction to it. Elemental defense works slightly diffrent. Lets say that you are fighting a enemy that uses fire attacks on you and you have a 50% elemental defense against fire. If he uses a fire attack you will only receive 50% of the damage, so if you had 100% fire defense then the attack would do 0 damage. Also you can go over 100% elemental defense, the percentage will start over at 1% however this time it will have a green star next to it. This represents that now any time you are hit with the element it will heal you instead of taking it as damage. How much the spell heals you is determined by the percentage, for example if you have the spell at 60% you would be healed by 60% of the damage that the attack would have inflicted upon you. To access the menu to junction to your status attack and defense simple press left from the elemental attack and defense screen, the first slot on the screen is for status attack junctioning and the remaining are for status defense. This works exactly like elemental attack and defense except it deals in what percent of a chance you have to avoid the status effect or inflict the effect on the enemy when you strike them with your attack command. Before you start junctioning you should know what each status effect does. They are all listed below in the order you see them on the screen: KO Effect: Targest dies instantly Poison Effect: Target slowly loses HP Petrify Effect: Target is frozen and cannot act Darkness Effect: Targest's hit rate is decreased Silence Effect: Target cannot use GFs, Magic, or Draw commands Berserk Effect: Lose control of target and can only use attack command Zombie Effect: Target is hurt by any curative magic Sleep Effect: Target cannot act until physically struck Slow Effect: Targest's ATB gauge fills slowly Stop Effect: Targest's ATB doesn't fill at all and cannot select commands Curse Effect: Target cannot use limit breaks * Confuse Effect: Lose control of target and they use random commands Drain Effect: Drains HP from target and heals character with it *: Curse cannot be added to your status attack. Only status defense. Status attack and status defense works like this. Lets say you have a 20% poison status attack, when you use your attack command you will have a 20% chance of causing the poison status effect on an enemy, unless of course the enemy is immune to the effect completly. If you have a 20% poison status defense then you will have a 20% chance of avoiding being afflicted with the status effect. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Battle Basics: As in all Final Fantasies before (with the exception of Mystic Quest) Final Fantasy VIII's battles are random and involve the ATB gauge which starts to fill up as soon as the battle begins and your characters can select a command once it fills to max, the same works for the enemy characters. When you get into a battle sometimes you will enter the battle under certain conditions. They are First Attack (Your party gets to act first before the enemies do), Struck First (The enemy gets to act first before your party does), Back Attack (Either the enemies or party has a chance to attack the enemies back which will result in double the normal damage). The commands you can select during battle depend on what command abilitys that your GF have learned and you have equiped in the junction menu. When selecting an attack all you have to do is place the cursor on the target you want to use the command on and the action will take place immediatly unless the enemy's turn has come before yours. If you preass L1 while selecting an enemy to attack a window will appear that lists all enemies that are available to attack. When using the draw command a small menu you will appear with two commands that you can choose from, stock and cast, if you select stock the character will draw the magic and stock it for future use, if you select cast the character will draw and then immediatly cast the spell, which sometimes proves to lessen the damage the spell does. Also if your characters level is low they may fail to draw the spell. If you have learned the GF command Boost that every GF has when you select a GF to summon (one that causes damage anyway) immediatly press select when there attack animation begins and repededly press the square button to increase the damage of the GFs attack, stop pressing the square button however if an x appears over the square at the button right hand side of the screen. Pressing square during this will result in your boost returning to its original level. In battle you only have one stat to watch, and thats your HP. Enemies will attempt to damage you until your entire party's HP reaches 0, if this happens the game is over, also if your entire party becomes petrified the game is over as well. If a characters HP reaches critical (the numbers will be displayed in yellow) the character can now use there limit break. If the limit break becomes available there will be a blinking arrow beside the attack command, simply press and hold the right arrow and select the limit break you want to use to preform it. You can also keep trying to get the character limit break to come up by switching between character's turns repededly by using the Square button. There are two colors of numbers you need to look for, if the numbers are white, damage has been dealt, if the number is green, then the attack has healed the character/enemy's HP. You can run away from battle by holding down the L2 and R2 buttons and your character turn around and try to run from the enemy (this may take a little while) keep in mind though that if the characters are hit from behind they will take double the damage. After you defeat all of the enemies you will be rewarded with a set amount of experience that is added up out of all the enemies you defeated and it is added to your characters exprience (often shown as EXP) points. If your characters have performed any action in battle or received damage they will receive a small amount of experience even if they run away from the battle. However if a character died died and was not brought back to life or was petrified when the battle ended they will receive no exprience at all. Once this amount reaches 1000 the character will level up and some of there stats will slightly increase. The GFs your characters have equiped also gain a little bit of the exprience you receive after battle and level up, however, if a GF died during battle they will receive no experience at all. Also the enemy may leave behind an item, that will be added to your character inventory, most of these items are very rare. You also get AP after battle which is used to learn GF abilitys, there is more about AP in the learning GF ability section. Each enemy that you encounter will grow in level as Squall's level grows, as does the experience and AP they leave after battle, they may also start to leave even more rare items as there level grows. If you place the cursor on a monster, command or ability and pause the game (start button) it will display either the monster name or a short description of what the command/item/spell/GF does, this can be extremely useful to a first time player of this game. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Acquring Money and Remodeling Weapons: Unlike the other Final Fantasies, you do not acquire money from winning battles. You only receive money, known as Gil, by Squall's SeeD rank, you can also sell items to get gil. After the Dollet field exam, Squall will be given a SeeD rank, this rank will determine how much the Garden pays Squall for his services. Squall will be payed at random intervales during the game and the amount he gets paid is determined by his current SeeD rank which you can view from the main menu. You can raise Squall's SeeD rank by taking tests in the tutorial menu of the main menu, keep in mind that Squall can only take a number test that is equal to his current level. For example if his level is 26 he can only take up to SeeD test 26. There are also other parts of the game where Squall will have a chance to raise his SeeD level by performing tasks well. Also keep in mind that Squall's SeeD rank is not perminate and it may go up or down randomly depending on Squall's actions throughout the game. If this happens its not that big of a deal just take the tests to regain your level back. The following is how much Squall gets paid via each SeeD level: Level 1: 500 Gil Level 2: 1000 Gil Level 3: 1500 Gil Level 4: 2000 Gil Level 5: 3000 Gil Level 6: 4000 Gil Level 7: 5000 Gil Level 8: 6000 Gil Level 9: 7000 Gil Level 10: 8000 Gil Level 11: 9000 Gil Level 12: 10,000 Gil Level 13: 11,000 Gil Level 14: 12,000 Gil Level 15: 12,500 Gil Level 16: 13,000 Gil Level 17: 13,500 Gil Level 18: 14,000 Gil Level 19: 14,500 Gil Level 20: 15,000 Gil Level 21: 15,500 Gil Level 22: 16,000 Gil Level 23: 16,500 Gil Level 24: 17,000 Gil Level 25: 17,500 Gil Level 26: 18,000 Gil Level 27: 18,500 Gil Level 28: 19,000 Gil Level 29: 19,500 Gil Level 30: 20,000 Gil Gil is not very important in Final Fantasy VIII. You only really need it to buy items and to remodel your weapons, as well as a few other things. Remodeling your character's weapon is easy. In just about every town (and on board the Ragnarok on Disk 4), there is a remodeling shop. If you have read any Weapons Monthly Magazines then the weapons that were featured in them will be listed in the remodel list along with the items and gil needed. Also if you have enough items to remodel a weapon you don't need to have read about it in Weapons Monthly, it will automatically be listed in the remodeling shops list. After selecting to remodel your weapon you pay the shop owner a certain amount of gil and give up the items needed to make it. With each remodeling to a new make of a weapon there is a slight increase in attack power and hit percentage, unless of course you remodel to a weaker weapon. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Playing the Card Game: The Triple Triad card game may look confusing at first but in fact its actually quite simple to learn how to play. First you need to know how to challenge someone to a game of cards, simply talk to them using the square button and if they are a player they will accept your challenge. You can get your first set of cards by talking to one of the guys outside of the elevator on the 2nd floor of Balamb Garden during the beginning of the game, you can also turn monsters into cards by using Quenzacotl's Card command ability. During the beginning of the game once you get some rare cards by beating bosses, such as Ifrit and Diablos you will easily be able to defeat your opponents in cards. Basically the idea behind the card game is that each player gets to select five cards (if the random rule is not in effect) and you place them on a board that is similar to a tic tac toe board with 6 areas to place cards. Every card has 4 numbers. One on the top, bottom, right, and left sides of the cards. The idea is to "flip" the other person's card by placing a higher number card next to theres. That may sound a little confusing but let me try to explain a little better. Say that the opponent places a card in the upper left corner that has these numbers on it: 9 6 8 3 Because the 9 and 6 are facing against the edge of the board you cannot attempt to overpower those numbers so that leaves you to try to best a 8 or 3. Lets say that you have a card that reads: 4 2 A 5 Now since you have an A on the top (which is the equivilant of 10) you can flip there card because an A beats a 3. Each person starts with five points so when you flip there card that will earn you one point and deplete there points by one. So you would be in the lead with 6 to there 4. Now they would try to place a card that they have to try to flip the card you just placed and it goes back and forth until all of the spaces on the board are filled and the player with the most points at the end will be the winner and will be able to choose a card they want from there opponents deck which will be added to your card inventory, however, there are some rules in certain lands you will visit that play by rules that will affect how many cards you can get from winning a card game and some will affect a few aspects of the way you play cards, but in all the cards game the aspect that I just explained will always remain the same. Cards are very important to getting some of the rare items in the game so its in your best interest to play cards with as many people as possible because you never know who has a rare card. There are several rules that each town you visit will inforce you to play with and as you countinue past this town other players may ask you to play with these rules that you have picked up. As long as you save before you play a card game you should do just fine with the card game despite any rules they may throw at you. Below are some tips to help you with the card game: Always save before playing a card game. This way if you lose a rare card you can always reset and try again. Use what I like to call a blocker. This is basically a card that has two As on its corners. An example is the Edea card, other cards that have high corner numbers can also be used. If you get the chance to play first and you place this card with the two As facing outward there is no chance that the other player can flip your card for that turn. Ignore the Card Queen and her attempts to spread rules throughout the regions, especially the random rule. Unless you are really huge into the card game you'll probably only end up hurting yourself. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 3: Characters Squall Weapon: Gunblade Limit Break: Renzokuken Method of Learning Limit: Wielding Different Weapons Squall is without a doubt the best character in the game. He will probably be several levels above the rest of your party for most of the game, and with his Lion Heart limit break he can deal tens of thousands of damage to the enemy. With his gunblade Squall has the chance for a critical hit with every attack command by pressing the R1 button right before Squall strikes the enemy, after a couple of battles this will become second nature to you. Renzokuken: Renzokuken is Squall's Limit Break. He charges at an enemy and proceeds to slash them many times, how many times depends on the enemy. The amount of damage Squall deals each time he strikes the enemy is determined by pushing the R1 button when the Renzokuken gauge reaches the small box near the end of the gauge, you can also turn off the gauge in Squall's status menu so that you can try to time the strikes without the gauge. Squall will randomly use a finishing technique after using Renzokuken, what technique he can use depends on what weapon he is wielding, the four possible finishing techniques are listed below. Rough Divide: Squall drives a cut into the enemy and rises up high causing a shockwave to follow that deals damage: Can be used with all of Squall's weapons. Fated Circle: Squall leaps into the air and spins his gunblade which releases a shock wave at all enemies: Can be used with the Shear Trigger and all weapons above it. Blasting Zone: Squall forms a large column of light from his gunblade that pierces the atmosphere and he proceeds to drop it on all enemies: Can be used with the Flame Saber and all weapons above it. Lionheart: This is what I like to call a mass kill move, Squall knocks an enemy into the air and slashes them many many times dealing an insane amount of damage: Can be used with and only by the Lion Heart. My Personal Squall: GFs: Shiva, Siren, Diablos, Alexander, Eden Commands: Attack, Magic, GF, Item Skills: HP+80%, Strength+60%, Mag+60%, Spr+60% Junction Info: HP: Quake Str: Meteor Spd: Haste Vit: Meltdown Mag: Triple Eva: Tornado Hit: Firaga Luck: Aero Spr: Curaga Elem Attack: Water Status Attack: Pain Elem Defense: Full-Life, Ultima, Flare, Shell Status Defense: Esuna, Holy, Bio, Aura ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Quistis Weapon: Whip Limit Break: Blue Magic Method of Learing Limit: Items Quistis is probably one of them most overlooked characters in RPG history. I'd say she is the 4th best character in the game once you acquire all her Blue Magic skills, not only can she protect and shell the entire party, but she can restore HP to them, cause multiple status effects to enemies, and cause five digit damage to all enemies with Shockwave Pulsar. Keep Quistis in mind any time you are having difficulty with a boss. Blue Magic: If you have played other Final Fantasies you know how all about the Blue Magic system. It works a little diffrent in Final Fantasy VIII though, but the basic idea remains the same, you use enemy skills. Quistis learns Blue Magic by using items that are found in various ways on her that perminatly teachs her the ability. Laser Eye: Quistis fires an Eye Beam at an enemy: Already Learned Ultra Waves: Sonic waves rush around the field and hit all enemies: Learned from Spider Web Electrocute: Bolts of Lighting rush around Quistis' body then strike an enemy dealing thunder damage: Learned from Coral Fragment LV? Death: Casts death on random enemies: Learned from Curse Spike Degenerator: Eliminates an enemy from battle: Learned from Black Hole Aqua Breath: Quistis Fires a water wave at all enemies dealing water damage: Learned from Water Crystal Micro Missiles: Quistis fires several missiles at an enemy that cuts its HP down depending on there level (Similiar to the Demi Spell): Learned from Missile Acid: Quistis hits enemy with poison, dealing poison damage and sometimes causing the poison status effect: Learned from Mystery Fluid Gatling Gun: Quistis fires a wave of bullets at enemy: Learned from Running Fire Fire Breath: Quistis fires a wave of fire at all enemies dealing fire damage: Learned from Inferno Fang Bad Breath: Inflicts just about every status effect in the book on all enemies: Learned from Marlboro Tentacle White Wind: Restores the HP of all Party Members: Learned from Whisper Homing Laser: Quistis fires a laser at an enemy: Learned from Laser Cannon Mighty Guard: Quistis casts Shell and Protect on the party: Learned from Barrier Ray Bomb: Quistis sweeps a laser across the battle field that blows all enemies into the air: Learned from Power Generator Shockwave Pulsar: Greivers special attack and one of the best attacks in the game, with a decent magic stat deals five digit damage. Quistis sucks all enemies up in a ball that carries them up into the sky and they are blasted with a ball of energy: Learned from Dark Matter ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Zell Weapon: Glove Limit Break: Duel Method of Learning Limit: Reading Combat Kings Magazines Zell is a pretty good character, but not as useful as some of the other characters. In the beginning of the game his Limit Break does rather low damage, but toward the end of the game with a high strength rating and if your good at using Duel, he can do pretty good damage. To get more out of Zell's Duel limit break cast meltdown or summon doomtrain to lower an enemies Vit to 0. Duel: If you have played Final Fantasy VI, take Sabin's Blitz technique and add the ability to chain them together and you have Zell's Duel Limit Break. Although not as good as Sabin's blitz techniques Zell can do some pretty good damage with them. The idea behind Duel is to input a combination of attacks which are shown at the bottom of the screen when you choose duel. When you choose duel a timer starts, how much time you have to input techniques is random, and basically you just put in a combination of attacks, depending on which ones you chain together you'll have the option to use a finishing techique, which you can choose to use or you can continue with other attacks. Usually chaining attacks and ignoring the finishing techniques does more damage, considering finishing techniques end the timer, although some of them look pretty cool. You can also set Zell's duel to auto in his status menu whichs makes the computer chain techniques instead of you doing it. Zell learns new Duel Skills by reading Combat King Magazines which are located in various places. Below are the techniques Zell can chain together and what chains to put together to use the finishing techniques. Normal Techniques: O+X Punch Rush: Zell performs a double punch on an enemy: Already Learned Left+Right Booya: Zell deleivers a blow with his knee to an enemy: Already Learned Up+Down Heel Drop: Zell drops a forceful heel drop on an enemy: Already Learned Left+Left+O Mach Kick: Performs a powerful kick to an enemy: Already Learned L1+R1+L1+R1 Dolphin Blow: Zell Perfoms a water uppercut on an enemy: Combat King 001 Down+O+Down+O Meteor Strike: Zell graps an enemy, leaps into air and slams them back down to the ground, seems to miss alot though: Combat King 002 Finishing Techniques: PunchRush+MachKick+PunchRush+HeelDrop+Down+Down+Down+Down+O Burning Rave: Zell punches the ground sending a wave of aura that engulfs all enemies: Already Learned PunchRush+Booya+HeelDrop+MachKick+HeelDrop+Booya+PunchRush+MachKick+Up+X +Down+Triange+O Meteor Barret: Zell leaps into air, powers up, then flys through and enemy causing them to explode: Combat King 003 PunchRush+HeelDrop+MachKick+HealDrop+Booya+Triangle+Square+X+O+Up Different Beat: Zell knocks an enemy into the air and repededly kicks them before stomping them back to the ground: Combat King 004 PunchRush+Booya+HeelDrop+MachKick+PunchRush+Up+Right+Down+Left+Triangle My Final Heaven: Zell runs around the planet, building power, then runs over all enemies burning them with aura (I liked Tifa's better): Combat King 005 My Personal Zell: GFs: Quenzacotl, Brothers, Pandemonia, Cerberus, Bahamut Commands: Attack, Magic, GF, Item Skills: HP+80%, Str+60%, Mag+60%, Spd+40% Junction Info: HP: Quake Str: Meteor Spd: Haste Vit: Meltdown Mag: Triple Eva: Tornado Hit: Flare Luck: Aero Spr: Curaga Elem Attack: Water Status Attack: Pain Elem Defense: Full-Life, Ultima, Protect, Shell Status Defense: Esuna, Holy, Bio, Aura ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Seifer Weapon: Gunblade Limit Break: Fire Cross Method of Learning Limit: None Not much to say about Seifer he joins the party for a short time during the SeeD field exam, then he becomes your enemy shortly there after. Fire Cross is pretty useful for the time you do have him though and his gunblade works just like Squall's, pressing R1 before Seifer strikes the enemy for a critical hit. Fire Cross: Seifer casts fire on an enemy then fires a ball of aura at them from his gunblade. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Selphie Weapon: Nunchaku Limit Break: Slot Method of Learning Limit: Randomly found when using Slot In battle Selphie is probably the weakest of all the characters. Early in the game she will be of great help with her Full Cure Slot Limit Break, but later in the game once you start getting Curaga and Triple spells this becomes not as useful. Her other slot magics also become quite overshadowed by the ability to cast double and triple on your party, although if you have the patience to try to bring up her The End Limit Break, she could quite possibly be the most poweful character but you'll probably be better off with more powerful characters. Slot: Selphie's Limit Break is quite simple, she brings up a menu which will randomly select a spell and how many times it is cast, you can choose to do the slot over again to try to get better spell or if your lucky you may stumble upon one of Selphie's four Limit Breaks. How often these Limit Breaks appear in her slots is determined by her level, so the higher it is, the more likely it is that one of her Limit Breaks will come up. Below are the four possible Slot Limit Breaks. Full Cure: Selphie fully restores the entire party's HP. Wall: Casts Shell and Protect on the entire party. Rapture: Eliminates an enemy from a battle. The End: Eliminates all enemies from a battle, this move, although very rare, can kill any enemy in the game, that includes bosses. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Laguna Weapon: Machine Gun Limit Break: Desperado Method of Learning Limit: None You will take control of Laguna multiple times during Squall's "dream" sequences along with Kiros and Ward. As a Character Laguna is not all that great, his limit break only hits once but for pretty decent damage nothing else about him really sticks out though. Desperado: Laguna tosses a grenade into the enemy ranks, then proceeds to fire his machine gun repededly into the enemies. Bailing out just in time for the grenade to explode damaging all enemies. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Kiros Weapon: Katal Limit Break: Blood Pain Method of Learning Limit: None Unlike his counterparts, Laguna and Ward, Kiros is a great character when given a decent strength stat. His Blood Pain Limit Break does really good damage and is extremely useful during the sequences in which you control Laguna. Blood Pain: Kiros goes into a frenzy and attacks an enemy multiple times. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ward Weapon: Harpoon Limit Break: Massive Anchor Method of Learning Limit: None Ward is basically just like Laguna. Massive Anchor hits all enemies for a little bit more damage than Laguna's Desperado. Its funny to watch him run outside of battle though. Massive Anchor: Ward launches his harpoon high into the air and then rides it back to the ground causing a shockwave which strikes all enemies. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Rinoa Weapon: Pinwheel Limit Break: Combine, Angel Wing Method of Learning Limit: Reading Pet Pals Magazines Rinoa is a great character, and the 2nd best in the game behind Squall. Although her Combine limit break is random all of them are great and you can't really lose with any of them. Grom an high damaging attack with Wishing Star, to making your party invincible with Invincible Moon, as well as random events that will happen from time to time that assist the party in various ways, she is almost invaluable in battle. Combine: Rinoa's Combine limit break is very simple, choose combine in battle and depending on which of her limit breaks you have learned, Angelo will rush out and do various things. Rinoa learns her limit breaks by reading Pet Pals Magazines which are bought and found throughout the game, once you have read the magazine you can choose which limit break to start learning by going to Rinoa's status menu and selecting the limit break you wish to learn. After walking around with Rinoa in your party for a while, the bar will begin to fill and when it fills up Rinoa perminatly learns the limit break, you'll hear a ping once the limit break has been learned. Rinoa also has various limit breaks that cannot be used with Combine but rather happen at random intervals during battle. Rinoa's Combine limit breaks and random limit breaks are listed below. Angelo Rush: Angelo charges through an enemy: Already Learned Angelo Cannon: Rinoa fires Angelo into the enemy ranks causing an explosion which damages all enemies: Already Learned Angelo Strike: Angelo performs a body slam on an enemy: Pet Pals 1 Invincible Moon: Angelo runs out onto the battle field and howls to the moon making the party completely invincible for a short period of time: Pet Pals 3 Wishing Star: Angelo and Rinoa repededly charge into random enemies causing a massive amount of damage: Pet Pals 6 Random Events: Angelo Recover: Restores the HP of a party member with HP in the critical: Pet Pals 2 Angelo Reverse: Revives a dead party member: Pet Pals 4 Angelo Search: Angelo comes to battle and gives an item to the party: Pet Pals 5 Angel Wing: Toward the end of Disk 3 Rinoa will have a new limit break option other than Combine, which is called Angel Wing. Using it in battle will make Rinoa go into a Berserk like state, but instead of using physical attacks, she will attack with magic, all of which will be tripled in power. None of the magic she uses comes from your stocked magic either. Also once Rinoa uses Angel Wing it will last until the battle ends, even if she dies and gets revived. My Personal Rinoa: GFs: Ifrit, Carbuncle, Leviathan, Doomtrain, Cactuar, Tonberry Commands: Attack, Magic, GF,I tem Skills: HP+80%, Str+60%, Mag+60%, Vit+60% Junction Info: HP: Quake Str: Meteor Spd: Haste Vit: Meltdown Mag: Triple Eva: Tornado Hit: None Luck: Aero Spr: Curaga Elem Attack: Water Status Attack: Pain Elem Defense: Full-Life, Ultima, Flare, Shell Status Defense: Esuna, Holy, Bio, Aura ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Irvine Weapon: Shotgun Limit Break: Shot Method of Learing Limit: Acquiring Different Ammo Irvine is a great character and is easily the third strongest character in the game. When you first get him, he won't seem so powerful, but once you get ahold of some of his powerful ammo, such as AP, Fast, and Pulse Ammo, he will start outclassing all the other characters in damage with his Shot limit break. With the exception of Squall of course. Shot: Using shot is simple, just select Shot when Irvine gets his limit break and choose the ammo you wish to use, then press R1 rapidly to fire off shots at the enemies. You can press left or right to switch between enemeis to fire at, and your ammo count is at the bottom right hand corner of the screen along with the time left to use shot. Keep in mind if your ammo starts doing 0 damage to the enemies they are already dead and you should switch to another target or stop firing. Each Ammo has a diffrent attack power and firing time, and all of Irvine's possible shots are listed below. Normal Shot: Fires bullets an an enemy: Normal Ammo Scatter Shot: Fires bullets at all enemies: Shotgun Ammo Dark Shot: Fires Dark Aura at an enemy and causes various status effects: Dark Ammo Flame Shot: Fires Flames at all enemies: Fire Ammo Canister Shot: Fires a slow but powerful blast at an enemy: Demolition Ammo Quick Shot: Fires a VERY quick and painful blast at all enemies: Fast Ammo Armor Shot: Fires an armor piercing shot at an enemy, pretty quick too: AP Ammo Hyper Shot: Fires a powerful laser quickly for maximum damage or close to it: Pulse Ammo ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Edea Weapon: None Limit Break: Ice Strike Method of Learning Limit: None Edea joins for a short while during your trip to Esthar and leaves shortly there after. She really has nothing about her that sticks out and her Ice Strike limit break is rather pathetic. Ice Strike: Edea forms a large magic ice shard and fires it at the enemy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4: Tips and Gameplay Advice DRAW, DRAW, DRAW, AND DRAW SOME MORE! I can't emphasize how important it is to draw as much magic as you can. As soon as you encounter a new enemy draw a large amount of each magic as they have. Especially if it is curative magic such as Cure, Cura, Curaga, Life, Full-Life, and Esuna, these spells are essential to surviving in this game. After you draw a new spell compare it with other spells you have junctioned to your stats so that you will always be up to date as to which spell should be junctioned to which stat. The Spell Meltdown and the GF Doomtrain are your best friends in Final Fantasy VIII. Both will almost always inflict the Vit 0 status effect on an enemy which will make your attack command and limit breaks do a ton of damage. You'll know if Vit 0 is inflicted on the enemy because they will become discolored. Know your characters and know there limit breaks. Experiment with all of them and decide for yourself which ones work toward your preference. You can find success with any party you choose, as long as you know there strengths and weaknesses. Fight every battle you encounter unless your party is on the verge of death. Although leveling up is not very important in this game, gaining AP to learn GF abilitys is. Also alot of enemies you will encounter carry very rare items you will not be able to find anywhere else, its in your best interest to fight as many battles as possible. If at any time you need to reset your game you can preform a soft reset. Pressing L1+L2+R1+R2+Select+Start will reset the current game and return it to the title screen. This has become a common theme in many games. Raise your characters compatibility with there GFs as high as possible. This will allow your characters to call there GFs quickly in battle before the enemy gets a chance to possibly kill them. There are items that raise compatibility with certain GFs but above all the best method is to summon your GFs often so that your compatibility will raise. Start to learn the Diablos GFs mug ability as soon as he joins you. This support ability is important to gaining alot of the rare items in the games needed to refine and remodel your weapons. Remodel your weapons often, especially Squall's. Although the small attack and hit percentage boost you get for remodeling doesn't mean much, Squall's weapon determines what limit breaks he can use with his Renzokuken skill. These are important to winning some of the harder boss fights in the game. Play alot of cards. Once you get the starter deck at the beginning of the game from the guys outside of the elevator on the 2nd floor of Balamb Garden start playing cards immediatly. Even if you don't always get a rare card by playing you can always refine the cards into useful items using Quenzacotl's card mod menu ability. Also make sure that you save before playing any of your rare cards in a card game. In case you lose them you'll want to reload your game and try again. If you have a large amount of low level spells such as Blizzard, Fire, Cure ect. Use GF menu abilitys to refine them into more powerful magic. For example the menu ability I Mag-RF the GF shiva has refines low level Blizzard magic into the more powerful Blizzara spell. Also you can use it to turn Blizzara spells into Blizzaga spells. There is a refine menu ability for each type of magic, use them to your advantage. The same can be done for items such as Potions. Learn the boost ability with each of your GFs that can learn it. Using boost (holding select and repededly pressing the square button as soon as the GF's attack animation begins) increases the GF's attack considerably. However stop pressing the square button if an X appears over the icon in the bottom right hand side of the screen. If you press square while the X is there the boost gauge will reset itself. The max that you can boost a GF's attack to is 250, however, under most circumstances only certain GFs can reach this mark. Don't worry to much about how much Gil you have. Gil is of very little importance in this game. You will mainly only be using it to remodel your weapons and buying magazines in stores, both of which come at a very low price especially if you have a high SeeD rank. Buying items is not important unless you are planning to use your item command in battle, which you will probably find yourself avoiding once you get powerful healing magic. Later in the game once you gain the Tonberry GF's familiar ability you will be able to buy rare items at a very hefty price so its best if you stockpile your money till late in the game. Get your SeeD rank as high as possible. It is one of the only ways to gain Gil. Squall can take tests in the tutorial of the main menu up to the number equal to his level. So whenever Squall gains a level make it a habit to go into the menu and take the next test. The tests go all the way up to 30. If you use your item command in battle and play the game until Active battle mode its best if you rearrange your battle items so that you can get to your more important ones quickly. Think carefully before junctioning magic to your elemental attack. You certainly don't want to have a fire elemental attack in an area full of fire elemental monsters. All towns become sealed off on disk 4 so make sure that you do any side quests that involve towns, and the Obel lake quest before disk 4 (they are all listed in the walkthough before entering Lunatic Pandora). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5: Walkthough After watching the magnificent intro to the game, the main character of the game awakens in a doctors office, respond to her question and you'll get the chance to name him. Quistis comes to get Squall and he follows her to their classroom. After hearing from Quistis in the class room, check Squall's desk under the Tutorial menu to receive your first two GFs Quenzacotl and Shiva. I suggest giving Shiva to Squall to start out. If your not familiar with how to junction yet, there will be a tutorial about it coming up in the game soon, or it is explained in the game basics section of this guide. Proceed to the front and speak with Quistis. Your first destination is to go to the Fire Cavern, but first you'll have a chance to explore Balamb Garden. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.1: Balamb Garden Party: Squall (Level 7) Items: M-Stone Piece, Spider Web, Occult Fan I Cards: Quistis, Mini Mog, Starter Deck Draw Points: Curex2, Esunax2, Blizzardx2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- From the classroom head toward the elevator to the south, and you'll run into another student that wants Squall to take her on a tour of the garden. I suggest doing it so you will get to know Balamb Garden a little better. After agreeing or disagreeing to take her speak with the guy near the elevator for a starter set of cards and proceed down the elevator. From the Directory head east into the library, search the bookcases for an Occult Fan I Magazine and there is an Esuna Draw Point to hit in here as well, which will be useful to junction. Leave the library and take the next east into the Training area, I suggest you hit the Blizzard Draw Point here and perhaps gain a level or two the monsters aren't too strong, If you get in trouble just call Shiva in and she will take care of the enemies. There are a few rare cards to pick up in the Garden, head to the Cafeteria which is to the left of the dormitory which is west of the Training Area. Inside you'll run into Seifer, after the scene head to the right, the Trepe Fan in the back has the Quistis Card you can win, he also has some boss cards that are pretty good cards as well but make sure to pick up the Quistis card now, it will be a powerful card for a while. The other Card is the Mini Mog Card, there is a kid jogging around the garden whom you will see from time to time, he has the card, its not as good as the Quistis one but this is the only place to pick it up, although I should note you will have other chances in the game to win these two cards, but I suggest doing it now. When you are finished proceed to the main gate south of the directory, making sure to hit the Cure Draw Point towards the exit. Quistis will teach you how to junction GFs and will give you your first two GFs, Quenzacotl and Shiva, if you have not already gotten them out of Squall's study panel. Then you will set out to the world map toward the Fire Cavern. When out on the world map proceed towards the mountain behind the garden and search for a Cure Draw Point, then head towards the town of balamb to the west to the tracks behind it to hit the Esuna Draw Point, a good spell to junction early in the game. There is one last draw point on the cliff behind the Fire Cavern to the east its a blizzard draw point. Now its time to start gathering items and learning GF abilities, the first items you should concern yourself with getting are the M-Stone Pieces which are dropped by the Bite Bugs, Glacial Eyes, and Caterpillars around the area, also take note that the caterpillars are mostly found in the forest and drop a Spider Web which will teach the blue magic Ultra Waves to Quistis. Get a couple of these because they are used to remodel weapons as well. Beward of the T-Rexaur enemy in the forest though he is quite the enemy, best to run away for now if you see one. As for GF Abilities I suggest learning Boost before you even go into the cavern on Shiva and Quenzacotl, after that focus on learning juction abilites, like HP-J and Str-J. Card for Quenzacotl is also not a bad idea to start adding monster cards to your collection with Quenzacotl's Card Ability, the Bomb in the Fire Cavern is pretty good to turn into a card. The best place to earn AP here on the plains is on the beach, the Fastitocalons there give good amounts of AP. Also make sure you fight alot of battles to draw magic from the enemies, I suggest stocking up alot on Cure and Blizzard Spells for the Cavern. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.2: The Fire Cavern Party: Squall (Level 10), Quistis (Level 10) Items: G-Returner Cards: Ifrit Draw Points: Fire ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Enter the cavern and Quistis will explain how to junction magic as well as tell how to use the gunblade properly again. Talk to the two guards toward at the entrance and choose a time, I suggest 20 Minutes, because the lower the time left when you defeat the boss of the cavern, the higher your SeeD rank will be when you get ranked. Proceed into the cavern, nothing really to mark here except there is a Fire Draw Point to hit and the enemies here are very weak to blizzard magic so I suggest hitting them with blizzard and countinuing through the cave. Quistis will make comments as you proceed, none which matter much just continue on to the boss. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Ifrit Party: Squall (Level 10), Quistis (Level 10) This is a simple boss, whomever has Shiva junctioned should summon her repededly, while the other character casts Blizzard Magic or summons Quenzacotl. Use Scan on Ifrit every once in a while until he has enough HP left that you can kill him in one more hit, then wait for the counter to get down to about 10 seconds left then finish him off. You get a G- Returner and Ifrit's Card for winning. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After the fight, the timer is gone and you gain Ifrit as a GF, make your way back outside the Cavern. If you run into a Buel make sure to stock up on all three elements it carries. Before you head back to Balamb Garden though I suggest learning some abilities with Ifrit. When your done head back to the Garden, at the gate Quistis will explain how to teach GFs abilities. After this go to the Dormatory which is directly east and all the way north of the directory, or you may want to try and win the Quistis or Mini Mog cards now if you got a bomb card this will be alot easier. Search the bed in Squall's dorm room to change into his uniform, now proceed to the directory to prepare for the SeeD test. You'll meet your team members for the Test Zell and Seifer, when you are in the car on the World Map proceed east to the town of Balamb. Proceed to the dock and board the ship, there will be some conversation explaining the mission in Dollet so pay attention to what is said. After Seifer tells you to go outside, head out to the east exit and the exam will start. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.3: Dollet Field Exam Party: Zell (Level 8), Squall (Level 12), Seifer (Level 9) Items: Elixerx2, Cottagex2, G-Returnerx3, Weapons Mon Mar Cards: None Draw Points: Blind ----------------------------------------------------------------------- As soon as the boat lands make sure to give each party member a GF and junction your magic then proceed up the stairs and you will be attacked by some soldiers. Use this battle to draw plenty of fire, thunder, cure, and blizzard magic. This area is not complicated at all and is very straight forward just follow Seifer through the streets and take care of the soliders that attack. Note that your actions here determine your grade so make sure to do the following, except in that first battle to stock magic, finish all the soldiers off as quick as possible, also don't talk to anybody unless you have to, and follow all of Seifer's orders and you will be graded well. When you reach the center square, Seifer will order you to look for more soliders, check up behind the fountain and you will engage in another battle finish them and keep speaking with Seifer. When he heads off north follow him, now you will engage in random battles in the areas, take this time to draw more magic and gain some levels before proceeding. When you reach the area where a Dollet soldier is attacked by a monster make sure that Seifer finished it with his Fire Cross Limit Break which will become available when it is almost dead if you do not, your SeeD score will go down some, plus you get more exp if he kills it. Keep proceeding north, after overhearing some converstation between some Galbadian Soldiers, Selphie will appear and Seifer will run off towards the tower. Do not follow Selphie by jumping down the cliff or your SeeD score will be lowered instead take the path to the right, at the bottom Selphie will take Seifer's place in the party so make sure to junction Seifer's GF and Magic to her. Also run around the area and build some levels and draw magic. Head inside the tower, making sure to get the Blind Draw point to the left and saving your game on the right once inside. Take the elevator up and prepare for a boss. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Wedge, Biggs, Elvoret Party: Selphie (Level 9), Squall (Level 14), Zell (Level 10) The battle will start out with you against Biggs. He has Esuna magic which is a great help you should draw as much of it from him as you can, don't worry much about his attacks they don't do much damage. After you do enough damage to him Wedge will appear, defeat them both and they will be blown away by the real boss Elvoret. Immediatly draw a new GF from him, Siren, and stock up on the Double spell he has, it junctions well. I strongly suggest drawing and casting Double on all three party members and have them double cast cure if need be to cure your characters. Elvoret's breath attack is the attack to watch out for it does around 150 damage to all three party members and you will probably need to heal after it. Other than that use normal attacks and your GFs on him and he will fall in no time if you can keep your party healthy. For winning you receive two elixers, two cottages, three G-Returners, and a Weapons Mon Mar Magazine. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After the fight you are ordered to return to the shore to return to Balamb. You have 30:00 to do it and the counter starts as soon as the conversation ends, head down the elevator and save your game. After leaving the tower yet another boss fight starts, although this one is quite diffrent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: X-ATM092 Party: Selphie (Level 9), Squall (Level 14), Zell (Level 10) This battle is timed of course and it really isn't a battle you can win, the point is to every battle you get into with the monster you must deplete some of its hp and run away before it fully restores itself. The first battle is unavoidable but all of the others you will not have to fight if you can avoid X-ATM092. When the first battle begins have whomever has Quenzactol junctioned summon him repededly and have the other two cast double and then double thunder spells on him, when his HP is depleted (he will fall over and Zell will yell "lets get the hell out of here") run away from the battle. Proceed to the right trail and he will follow you again, in the area where Selphie jumped off the cliff make sure to stay as far away from the cliff as possible and hug the corner of the left path to the next area and you will avoid another fight with X-ATM092. In the next area DO NOT RUN down the path, walk, other wise his footsteps will stun you as you run and you will have to fight him again. The next area, the bridge, it becomes very difficult to avoid him. Run to the right until he jumps over your party, then proceed back to the left, this is where you have to be quick. Keep running and he will jump over your party a second time, this time immediatly turn back to the right and run towards the exit, if you don't do it fast enough you will have to fight him. Now there is a way to get a ton of AP from the times you can fight him, if you manage to deplete all of his HP in every battle, you will be rewarded with 400 AP. My suggestion if you are going to try this is to learn Boost, SummonMag 10,20,and 30% with Quenzacotl, this will do a ton of damage to him, and should be enough to deplete his HP in a couple of castings. Note that if you do this, your SeeD rank will go down. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After this Squall jumps onboard the ship and Quistis blows X-ATM092 away with a machine gun and you return to Balamb. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.4: After the Exam, Back to the Garden Party: Selphie (Level 9), Squall (Level 14), Zell (Level 10) Items: Timber Maniacs Magazine, Battle Report, Weapons Mon Apr, Magical Lamp Cards: Zell, Seifer, Diablos Draw Points: Thunder ----------------------------------------------------------------------- When you return to Balamb Quistis says you have some time off and can do whatever you want but to return to the Garden soon. Take this time to explore the town of Balamb although there is not really much going on here. You can pick up your first Timber Maniacs Magazine either at the Train Station on the floor or on the 2nd floor of the Inn, you cannot pick up them both seeing as once you pick up one of the magazine's the other vanishes. I'm pretty sure that they are both the same magazine so just pick one. You can buy some items from the vendor near the train station and you should try to win the Zell card from Zell's Mother at his house. If you can get that card playing cards will be quite simple for a while to come, it is one of the best in the game. Also make sure to hit the Thunder Draw Point outside of the Junk Shop and make your way back to Balamb Garden. Although you might want to learn some abilities with Siren, your new GF, before you continue. When you return to the Garden you will see Xu, Quistis, and Headmaster Cid speaking after there conversation finished look outside of the library for Seifer and speak with him. After some move conversation there will be an announcement, follow the instructions. There you will find out you passed the SeeD exam and you will be taken to Cid's office to receive your scores. From now on you'll get paid at random intervales as you walk around, fight battles ect, how much your paid depends on your SeeD level you can open up the menu and go to into the Tutorial section and take SeeD tests up to what Squall's level is to raise your SeeD level. After Cid gives you your score speak with him to receive the Battle Report, this will allow you to view your party info such as battles fought, how many times you've run away from battles ect in your Tutorial menu. When in Squall's dorm change into his SeeD uniform which is on the bed and speak to Selphie to go to the party that is being held. After a little bit of conversation and some bad dancing, Quistis will want Squall to meet her at the secret area in the Training Center. Return to Squall's dorm and change into his normal clothes and head towards the training area. Enter the training area and Quistis will join your party and you will head into the training area toward the secret area in the back. Nothing really special about this place, Make sure to give Quistis either Zell or Selphie's junctions. Also make sure to hit the blizzard draw point on the path to the right. Watch out for the T-Rexaur enemies in here because they can pose a big threat, not so much one if you cast blind on them and then use GFs on them but there attack power is really high. Nothing else really to note, you might want to gain a level or two with Squall and Quistis, then proceed to the very back toward the secret area. Squall and Quistis will have a conversation at the area then decide to return. Make sure to save at the save point outside the secret area and then proceed back to the entrance, you will come across some monsters attacking a girl. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Granaldo, Raldosx2 Party: Squall (Level 17), Quistis (Level 14) This battle is extremely easy to win. Simply draw and cast sleep from Granaldo on him and his buddies the Raldos won't even attack you with there master asleep. Take this time to stock up on Shell and Protect spells they have, these are great spells and will be needed for the entire game and they junction extremely well. When you have enough spells for your liking simply finish them with GFs. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- When the battle is finished the men take the girl off. Return to your dorm and speak to Zell who tells you that you have a new room. Go to sleep in Squall's new room and you will be woken up in the morning by Selphie for your first mission. Pick up the Weapons Mon Apr Magazine on the desk in Squall's Room and head toward the garden entrance. At the entrance Cid will give you your first assignment as a SeeD. Squall, Selphie, and Zell are to go to Timber and help the resistance there. Speak to Cid before you leave to receive the Magical Lamp item. I suggest going back into the garden and hitting all the Draw Points and gaining a few levels for Zell and Selphie in the Training Area, and also head up to Cid's Room by way of the elevator and challenge him to a game of cards. He has the very powerful Seifer card you should try to win it from him before leaving the garden, as well as you should try to get the Quistis and Minimog cards if you haven't yet because once you head off to Timber you won't have a chance to get them for a long time. When you finish in the garden head out to the world map and hit the Esuna Draw Point in the tunnel behind Balamb, make sure your fully healed, replace your characters ability to cast magic with using Items, save, and use the Magical Lamp to call forth the GF Diablos. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Diablos Party: Selphie (Level 9), Squall (Level 17), Zell (Level 11) This battle at this point in the game can be really difficult but can be made easy by doing the following. Diablos' Favorite Attack is Gravija which reduces your partys HP into the critical. When this happens keep hitting the button to change between your party member's turns til Selphie's Limit Break comes up and hit do over until Full Cure comes up, it shouldn't take long, that will restore your characters HP back to Max so you can continue the fight. Have all your characters attempt to draw and cast Demi onto Diablos, this will fail alot especially if your characters levels are really low, but keep trying it will eventually work. Use Demi on him several times until it starts doing really low amounts of damage, say in the low 100s, then Summon GFs and use Squall and Zell's limits when he uses Gravija. Note that Diablos does have a very powerful physical attack which if your characters are not fully healed will most likely kill the character. If this happens use a Phoenix Down and continue the fight. Using the above strategy it shouldn't be too hard if you can just get the draws to work. You receive a Diablos Card for winning. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- When you defeat Diablos immediatly junction him and start learning the HP junction ability and then focus on learning mug. Learning mug early in the game will help you acquire alot of items that will be needed later in remodeling your weapons. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.5: The Train Ride Party: Selphie (Level 11), Squall (Level 19), Zell (Level 12) Items: Pet Pals Vol. 1, Pet Pals Vol. 2 Cards: Angelo Draw Points: Curex2, Water ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Make your way to Balamb, there is nothing else really to do here, might want to buy a few items at the shops, hit the Thunder Draw Point and the Cure Draw Point which is where the boat you took to Dollet once was, or try to win Zell's card from his mom. When your finished head toward the train station and pay the 3000 Gil Fee for the train ride. When on the train, save at the save point and follow your party members into the cabin. Once inside Zell will get all excited and notice they have magazines which gives you Pet Pals Vol. 1. Selphie will come in feeling sick and your party will pass out suddenly. You will be in control of 3 new characters, Laguna, Kiros, and Ward. As them proceed through the forest hitting the Cure Draw Point on the way, nothing special about the enemies here nor any interesting draws, might want to build a level or two, considering these three characters levels and junctions are connected to Selphie, Squall, and Zell's. When you reach the area with the vehicle make sure to hit the water draw point and board the vehicle to Deling City. When the three step out of the car head east and into the Galbadia Hotel and down into the bar on the right. Speak to the person in the blue and ask for your usual table. After some conversation as Laguna walk toward Julia at the piano but Laguna's leg will cramp up and he limps off back toward Ward and Kiros in shame. After more conversation head back toward the inn and ask for Julia's room at the front desk. After speaking with Julia the scene will switch back to Squall's party whom is waking up just in time to arrive at Timber. When you gain control of your party again, you'll have to rejunction your party's GFs. When you step off the train reply "But the owls are still here" to the man's question to be taken to the resistance's train. You'll meet Zone and Watts inside and they'll ask you to go get the Princess at the back of the Train. Take this time to challenge Watts to a game of cards to get the Angelo card this will be your only chance for a long time to get it so don't miss this opportunity. Head toward the back room, after speaking with Rinoa she will teach you how her Limit Break works and you will head back to the others. In the meeting room they will explain your mission. Make sure to pay close attention to what to do because if you can do it all correctly your SeeD level will rise. After the meeting head back to Rinoa's Room and check the bed for a Pet Pals Vol. 2 Magazine. Make sure to save your game and talk to Watts to begin the mission. When the mission begins jump across to the other car and run toward Rinoa once you are across on the other car. Enter the Codes correctly that Rinoa reads to you and make sure to go back up if one of the guards starts heading your way, do this in both areas and you will succeed in your mission. After the mission the party will head in to confront Vinzer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Fake President, Gerogero Party: Selphie (Level 12), Squall (Level 20), Zell (Level 13) This boss will start out as a fake form known as the Fake President, you can draw some cure magic from him if you like, then finish him with a GF or a couple of physical attacks. He will transform himself into Gerogero. The main threat with this guy is status effects, he can induce many of them to one party member at a time with effects such as Blind, Silence, and Berserk. This is easily taken care of by the ability to draw Esuna Magic from him, so take care of status effects as soon as you can because if your whole party gets effected by them you'll be in alot of trouble. Now you can kill Gerogero by using a Phoenix Down on him but if you didn't equip the item ability just summon Ifrit and cast Fire and Cure on him. Note that you can Draw Double and Esuna from him which you should take full advantage of cause these will be great spells throughout the entire game. He also has Berserk and Zombie which are not as great but worth getting a couple of. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After beating Gerogero and some more conversation it seems Vinzer is on his way to Timber to broadcast a message to the world, so it looks like the party is heading for Timber. Choose whether you want to take Selphie or Zell with you to Timber along with Squall and Rinoa. Take this time to try to win the Angelo card from Watts and get the Pet Pals Vol. 2 Magazine if you have not done so yet. Speak to Watts when your ready to head to Timber. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.6: Timber Party: Rinoa (Level 11), Squall (Level 20), Zell (Level 13) Items: Potion, Girl Next Door, Timber Maniacs Magazine Cards: Buel, Tonberry Draw Points: Blizzaga, Cure, Scan ----------------------------------------------------------------------- When you step off the train head toward the left and check out the Pet Shop on the left side of the screen. Here you can buy two new copies of Pet Pals for Rinoa, as well as GF Hi-Potions which could come in handy. The enemies around the area are nothing new, you've fought them before just some Galbadian Soldiers and Elite Soldiers which if you are near my levels have nothing new to draw. Once you finish at the item store head off to the right where you got off of the train, Rinoa will notice the trains have stop running, continue to the right. There is a weapon remodeling shop here but its doubtful you have the needed items to upgrade yet, there is also an inn with a save point but you cannot stay in the inn at the moment. Continuing to the right you'll run into some elite soldiers threatening the Timber Guards. Rinoa will rush in to save them and you'll fight a battle with some Elite Soldiers. After the battle head back toward where you got off the train, at the area overlooking the train tracks talk to the boy there to receive a potion. Everytime you enter Timber if you have Rinoa or Quistis in your party he will give you a potion. Heading north from the arrival area, go into the Timber Maniacs office. Check the piles of magazines for the Girl Next Door Magazine, it has no use yet but will later in the game. The room on the left contains a Blizzaga draw point, make sure to hit it. The office to the north has a Timber Maniacs Magazine laying on the floor, make sure to pick it up, and if you talk to the editor and ask about Timber Maniacs you'll get quite a story (notice how Squall really gets into his story). Back outside the office head all the way to the left to the train tracks and enter the house up the stairs. Talk to the old man and tell him you like to drink and then search the faucet and it will heal your party. These are the Owls Tears you have probably been hearing about. After healing check the cupboard several times until the girl tells you to bang on it, once it opens take the 500 gil out, after you take it you cannot get any more owls tears from the old man but who really cares when you can draw cure magic from the soldiers outside? Go back down the stairs and take the staircase down to the pub in the area you came from. Outside the pub you run into some Galbadia Soliders who fight you, after beating them they drop a Buel card. There is a shop on the left which sells the usual items, you might want to buy some of the ammo that is for sell for the character that will be joining soon. Hit the cure draw point on the right and head into the pub. Tell the drifter inside about the card and he'll give you a Tonberry card and let you keep the Buel card, when he moves take the door to the back alley. Hit the Scan draw point, save at the save point and head toward the TV Station up the stairs. After some conversation on the stairs and watching Seifer and Quistis storm Deling's announcment continue up the stairs and into the conference room. Follow Seifer outside the room and he will dissapear with the Sorceress. Follow Quistis and Rinoa down the stairs and into the house beside the Timber Maniacs building. Talk to Quistis when you go upstairs, then head toward the door and Quistis will tell you that they should head toward Galbadia Garden and that you need to take the train from east academy to get there. So form your party and you'll receive some items from the Chief. Outside you'll meet Watts, he'll head off to gather more info. Head to the right toward east station and you'll run into Zone whom will give you some train tickets, head right across the bridge and down to board the train toward Galbadia Garden. On the train talk to your party members a couple of times and you'll arrive at the station. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.7: The Forest Dream and Galbadia Garden Party: Rinoa (Level 15), Squall (Level 24), Zell (Level 17) Items: Shear Feather, Cockatrice Pinion, Magic Stone, Screw, Saw Blade, Ochu Tentacle, Black Hole, Dragon Fin, Steel Pipe Cards: All Level 6 Boss Cards Draw Points: Fire, Sleep, Confuse, Cure, Haste, Double, Shell, Life ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Once you are off the train now is the time to start acquiring items to remodel your weapons, and alot of items that the enemies have in this area can be used for remodeling. First off the Thrustavis enemies can be Mugged and also drop Shear Feathers, they also have the spells Aero and Float for you to draw if you are high enough level so make sure to draw alot of those spells. Try to get several shear feathers. Cockatrice Pinions are mugged and dropped by the Cockatrice enemies within the forest areas on the world map around the area so try to get a couple of those as well. Screws are another item that are a must, and they are stolen and dropped from the Geezard enemies in the area, make sure to pick up alot of these, 30+ of them, you'll be needing alot of them. The next item is a Dragon Fin. You can mug a Grendel for it in the forest areas, they also drop Dragon Fins. Be careful though because Grendels are really powerful. One last enemy to look out for is the Wendigo enemy, they can be mugged for Steel Pipes as well as drops them, be sure to pick up several of those as well. After you have done all of this return to the Station where you got off and hit the invisible fire draw point on the right bridge next to the station and proceed to the forested area between the two mountains. Note that you can return to Dollet right now and get some items but if you do the quests there later on Disk 3 the rewards will be alot better. Once inside the forest the party has a conversation and then Squall, Quistis, and Selphie drop into Sleep again and you take control of Laguna, Kiros, and Ward who appear to be lost. Laguna has Squall's junction but if you didn't have anything junctioned to Quistis and Selphie give Kiros and Ward some GFs now and then proceed down the cliff. Hit the Sleep Draw Point at the bottom of the cliff and proceed across the bridge and the party gets attacked by two groups of Esthar Soldiers. Take note of the draws the Esthar Soldiers have in this battle, with a decent level party they should have Cura, Fira, Blizzara, and Thundara. Take full advantage to draw these spells they are great to use in battle and junction really well for this time of the game. Head straight and hit the Confuse Draw Point on the left, take the ladder down, search the area to the left and you'll find the first old key, Laguna of course will lose it like an idiot. Note the Gesper enemies that will appear in this area, they can be mugged for an drop an item called Black Hole, which will teach Quistis Degenerator which will instantly eliminate an enemy from battle so be sure to pick it up. They also have Shell and Protect to draw from so if you didn't get plenty from the Granaldo boss fight this is a good time to stock up. The Elastoid enemies have Dispel to draw from so pick some up of this because you'll be needing this spell in some future boss fights. In the next area have Laguna tamper with the middle panel so that the Esthar soldiers will fall through, also make sure to tamper with the other two panels after tampering with the middle one, you'll have to go all the way around to reach the other one (notice when you leave the area an Esthar Soldier falls for it, Laguna is a genius after all!). Continue to the right and pick up the second old key in the debris near the bottom of the screen, and yet again Laguna loses another key. The path to the right leads back toward the beginning so head up. Continue up until you come across a switch on the ground, hit the red switch, then the blue one, then continue up across the bridge type platform. In the next area examine the boulder to push it away and reveal a Cure Draw Point, hit it and continue up. Save at the save point in the next area, and continue up again. Note that this is the end of the area and if you have not gotten the Black Hole item you should try to get it before heading up. On the cliff you'll fight a battle with some Esthar Soldiers and they will hit Kiros and Ward with an attack called Soul Crush. Laguna, Kiros, and Ward jump off the cliff into the river below and the scene switches back to Squall's Party. Make sure to heal Selphie and Quistis because they will only have 1 HP left. Outside the forest Galbadia Garden is right around the corner but there are a few more items to get from enemies in this area. The Ochu enemies in the forest you came out of carry Ochu Tentacles. You can mug them for some or they can drop them, they are also a great source of Exp and AP for your party. I suggest right now learning Mug because mugging enemies for items will become crucial for getting some of the items later in the game. Another item to get is the Saw Blade, which will be needed for some of Rinoa's weapons, they are mugged from the Belhelmel enemies outside of Galbadia Garden. They also drop Magic Stones which will be used alot in remodeling later so be sure to pick a bunch of those up as well. After you have picked up the things I listed above and learned Mug head into Galbadia Garden. Proceed through the front gates after Quistis and into Galbadia Garden and hit the Haste draw point that is hidden in the center platform of the garden. Despite the small part of the garden that you are free to explore there are a couple of things to do. From the center of the garden head to the right and through the door on the right. The girl student in this room has all of the Level 6 Boss Cards which are all listed in the card section of the Guide. You should take full advantage of getting these cards right now because this is your only chance to play cards with the girl and it will save you alot of trouble getting those boss cards later in the game. The door on the left leads into the hockey arena, take the door to the left of the one you came through to go into the locker room. Hit the Life draw point and head back to the center. Head up from here and all the way to the track area, hit the Shell draw point and proceed up the stairs that you passed on the way there. When up the stairs take a right and all the way to the auditorium. Hit the invisible Double draw point in here and then head through the door straight from the stairs. Speak to your party members until Squall runs out of the room. Head back down the stairs and toward the center and you'll run into Fujin and Raijin. Heading back outside the gate, Headmaster Martine will explain your mission to assassinate the Sorceress and Irvine will join your party. Squall will teach how to switch out party members and you will need to board the train outside to Deling city. So choose your party and head outside, you might want to take the chance to get those boss cards now, get some of the dropped or mugged items, or gain some levels for Irvine. When finished board the train to Deling City. Follow Irvine when he leaves the room and listen at his failed attempts to charm Selphie. Return to the other room and listen at another failed attempt this time at Rinoa. Quistis tells him to behave himself and Irvine rants on about being a loner. After Zell damages the train a little with a punch due to Irvine's rants, the party arrives in Deling City. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.8: Deling City and the Tomb of the Unknown King Party: Rinoa (Level 22), Squall (Level 34), Zell (Level 23) Items: Rinoa's Valkrye and Rising Sun, Squall's Shear Trigger, Zell's Maverick, Timber Maniacs Magazine, Turtle Shell Cards: Sacred, Minotaur Draw Points: Thundara, Esuna, Protect, Float, Cura ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After you get off the train head up the stair type device and into the city. Head toward the right into the bussiness section and into the inn. Stay in the inn and pick up the Timber Maniacs Magazine on the floor next to the bed and continue down outside. On the right side of the street you will find a item shop which sells the basic items, and a weapon remodeling shop, if you have been picking up a couple of the items I've been mentioning in this guide you should be able to make Squall's Shear Trigger, Zell's Maverick, and Rinoa's Valkerye and Rising Sun. Remodel your weapons and continue down and all the way to the right, in this area you'll hear somebody talking about Caraway, this is Caraway's Mansion. First take the bridge to the left side and hit the Thundara draw point, then return and speak to the guard that is across the street. He'll send you off to the Tomb of the Unknown King to find a ID code of a student that was lost there. Speak to him again and ask him to escort you out of town that will be quicker than walking out. Out on the world map check the train tunnel below Deling city to hit an Esuna draw point. Outside you won't find any new enemies, you have encountered most of them already, depending on your level the Thrustaevis enemies outside may have Blizzaga and Tornado to draw from them, I strongly suggest picking these spells up, especially Tornado it is one of the best spells in the game. From Deling City head Northeast to the peninsula to the Tomb of the Unknown King. After watching some students flee, hit the protect draw point to the left, save at the save point and proceed into the Tomb. The enemies in here are nothing to worry about, the Armadodo enemies can be Mugged for Turtle Shells which you should pick up several of, the Blobra enemies are very strong against physical attacks so use magic against them. Toward the entrance you'll run into a blue sword on the ground, it has the ID code your looking for on it. The ID code is random for every play through so remember to write the code down. If you want you can return and give the code to the guard but there is a GF inside the tomb I strongly suggest getting. From that point keep heading right til you come to a statue, examine it to fight a boss. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Sacred Party: Rinoa (Level 24), Squall (Level 36), Zell (Level 26) First off take notice of the boss's draws. He has Life which you should draw alot of, this is one of the best spells to junction and you shouldn't need your item ability much after stocking alot of this spell, other than that draw and cast protect on your entire party, cast Float on Sacred to prevent him from healing each turn, and just pound away with your GFs and Magic such as Aero and Tornado. He only attacks physically so he shouldn't be much of a problem. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- From the 4 way section you came from, head right until you come to an area with a draw point and a switch. Hit the Float draw point on the left and hit the switch on the right. Continue heading right till you reach an area with a water wheel, hit the invisible Cura draw point on the right and the switch on the left. Once again continue heading right until you are taken outside of the tomb. Save and heal at the save point and then head back inside, this time heading up until you reach a bridge over water, when you are ready step inside for a boss. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Sacred and Minotaur Party: Rinoa (Level 25), Squall (Level 37), Zell (Level 27) This Boss can be difficult but not to difficult if you do things right. Begin the battle by drawing and casting protect on your party, as well as casting float on your party and the two bosses, this way the mad cow special will not effect your party and they cannot heal some of there HP each turn. Use Diablos to take a big chunk out of there HP repededly and if you have stocked alot of Tornado spells draw and cast double on your party and double Tornado or Aero spells onto them. They won't last too long if you keep casting float on them and using Diablos and Aero and Tornado Spells. For winning you receive a Sacred Card, and then a Minotaur Card shortly after the battle. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After the battle you receive the Brothers as a GF. Junction them immediatly and have them start learning abilities. To exit just walk down until your outside, head back to Deling City and speak with Caraway's Guard, give him the correct code and he will let you inside. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.9: Caraway and the Battle with Edea Party: Rinoa (Level 26), Squall (Level 38), Zell (Level 27) Items: Sharp Spike, Weapons Mon May, Curse Spike, Coral Fragment, Elixer Cards: None Draw Points: Esuna, Zombie, Bio ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Once inside Caraway's Mansion speak to your party members until General Caraway enters the room. Follow Caraway as he explains the plan to assassinate Edea. After he briefs you, return to his mansion when you are ready to start the operation. After Squall forms the partys and leaves the room, try to leave as Quistis and Rinoa will barge into the room. After some conversation as Squall follow Caraway out of the mansion to the waiting spot. Switching back to Quistis she wants to go and apologize to Rinoa, so head back to Caraway's Mansion. Quistis and the party gets locked in the room by Caraway on accident and the scene switches to Rinoa. Save at the save point and proceed past the boxes over to an open manhole, enter it and proceed to the left to pick up a Weapons Mon May magazine, head back to the ladder and back up the manhole and climb the boxes up to the Sorceress' room. After listening to Edea's speech, you'll take control of Quistis' party again. Take one of the glasses from beside the door and place it in the statues hand to reveal a passage down to the sewer. Make sure to junction your characters with GFs and magic before proceeding because there are enemies down here. There are two enemies down here you should watch for, one is the creeps enemy, you can steal coral fragments from them which will teach Quistis the Electrocute limit break and they also drop Curse Spikes, which teach Quistis LV ? Death make sure to pick up some of those. The other enemy is called Grand Mantis, they can be mugged for Sharp Spikes which will be needed to remodel some of the weapons so make sure to get some of those as well. Search the wheel to the left to climb over to the other side, open the door and as you move to the next area the parade starts. As Squall follow Irvine into the mansion. Climb up the boxes just like you did as Rinoa, Make sure Squall and Irvine are healed and have some GFs equiped because at the top you fight a boss. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Iguionsx2 Party: Squall (Level 38), Irvine (Level 13) Once the fight begins make sure to draw the Carbuncle GF from them. This boss if very simple, they have an attack that can cause gradual petrify on you which is easily taken care of by casting Esuna on the affected character. The boss is immune to fire magic, so stick with using spells like Quake and Tornado and calling GFs such as Shiva and Brothers. Note that they do have the spell break to draw which junctions pretty well, you might want to draw some if you have the battle under control. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After the battle equip your new GF and open the hatch in the area you came from and proceed down into it. Examine the rifle on the ground and after some conversation the scene switches back to Quistis' party. Proceed up and into the next area. Head left and down and knock the ladder down into the water, procceed across it and to the left to hit an esuna draw point. Head back across the ladder and to the left again. Head up and through the stretch there taking a right. In the next area proceed to the right, don't use the water wheel in this next area instead head down, not across the wheel in the area but there is a hidden Bio draw point you should hit here, Proceed back to the area you came from with the water wheel and head directly left from the down entrance a little to a Zombie draw point. Now head across the wheel and then across the wheel to the right, proceed down and across the water wheel here, head down once more and across the water wheel in the area. Once again head down and to the right making sure to knock the ladder into the water. Use the water wheel in the next area and proceed up, this is the last area, make sure that you have gotten some Sharp Spikes, save at the save point and head up the later to the 2nd floor. As Quistis hit the switch to trap Edea, Irvine misses his shot so Squall rushes in to attack Edea but he must deal with Seifer first. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Seifer Party: Squall (Level 38) This boss is pitifully easy, if Squall has Carbuncle call it and reflect Seifer's Fira spell back at him. Seifer has very little HP so a GF or two will finish him off. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After Seifer is knocked off Edea steps in. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Edea Party: Irvine (Level 13), Squall (Level 38), Rinoa (Level 26) This battle is not so difficult. Summon carbuncle as soon as the battle begins to send Edea's magic back at her, she will often cast Dispel on one of your characters at a time to remove the reflect but simply resummon carbuncle when this happens and you shouldn't get hit with anything besides Edea's Astral Punch. While she is casting Dispel have the character with mug try to steal an elixer from her while the others draw dispel and double magic from her. After that a few GFs should put her down, note that you can still lose this battle and continue the game, but you'll miss out on some AP. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- When the battle is over Edea sends a giant ice shard toward Squall knocking him off the float to the ground below bringing an end to the first disk. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.10: Winhill and the D-District Prison Party: Laguna (Level 38) Items: Str Up, Pet Nametag, Tent, Pet House, Combat King 001, Character Report, Steel Orb, Missile, Regen Ring, Strength Love, Cottage, Rename Card Cards: None Draw Points: Curaga, Dispel, Drain, Reflect, Berserk, Thundaga, Aero ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Disk 2 Begins with Laguna being told there is somebody waiting for him in the pub. Check the cabinet in Laguna's room for a hidden Curaga draw point and head downstairs. Downstairs speak to Ellone and then head next door to the pub and speak with Kiros. Speak with him about all the subjects and then head outside. The enemies around the area are nothing new, bite bugs and caterchipillars, if you are high enough level the caterchipillars may be carrying Curaga and Thundaga magic which you should draw alot of because Thundaga is the best thunder magic and curaga is the best curative magic in the game. From outside the pub head all the way to the right and down to hit the dispel draw point then head down into the next area. Proceeding down hit the Drain Draw Point on the right and continue right, in this area search near the truck for a hidden reflect draw point, hit it and continue down into the next area. Continue all the way down until Laguna tells Kiros that the patrol of the area is finished. Before heading back check out the item shop at near the end of the village, Laguna has 3000 Gil on him so spend it all here on items so it will be added to Squall's item list. Proceed back up to the pub and speak with Raine. After speaking with her head back to Laguna's house and rest in his room and the scene will switch back to Squall's party. Seems Zell and the gang have been thrown in jail after attacking Edea. Speak with your party members and after a scene with Squall, some guards come in and take Rinoa away after kicking Zell several times. The scene switches back to Squall once again, Seifer questions him and tortures him several times and the scene once again switches back to Zell's party. A Moomba enters and drops a plate of food and a guard comes in to scorn him, choose the option to stand up for the moomba and Zell will chase the guard away. Seifer tortures Squall some more but when given the option don't lie to the warder about SeeD. As Zell they devise a plan to escape and Zell knocks the guard out when he steps into the room. As Zell head up the stairs to the left to retreive the party's weapons. On the next floor engage the soldiers with Zell, aftwards he will pick up the weapons. The moombas will free Squall and Zell will return the weapons (notice how cheesy the scene is when Zell gives the weapons back to Selphie and Quistis). After this it seems Biggs and Wedge from earlier are back for round two. This really isn't a boss fight and it is extremley easy to win. Make sure to steal from the two to get a Regen Ring and a Strength Love, also making sure to draw some Regen and Haste spells from Biggs then finish them off with a GF or two. Stepping outside the cell, Biggs sets off an alarm that sets enemies out onto the floors. There are a few enemies to look out for here, one is the GIM52A which can be mugged for a Missile items which teachs Quistis Micro Misslie and the other enemie is called GIM47N which can be mugged for Steel Orbs which are need to remodel some weapons. Instead of heading up the stairs, head down the stairs because there are plenty of items to pick up on the bottom levels. There is nothing on the first floor down so pass it up and head down again. The man in the room on this next floor will play cards with you for 500 Gil per play but will give you an item if you win. He is really easy to beat but the items you can win are really not worth it. I was able to win some HP Up and Gysahl Greens from him as well as some potions but that was about it. Continue down to the next floor. On this floor you can pick up a tent, continue down to the next level. This floor has a Pet House to pick up so continue down to the next floor, this level has a Pet Nametag and a Strength Up to pick up, so pick them up and continue down. This Floor has a Combat King 001 Magazine to pick up which teaches Zell the Dolphin Blow Limit Break. Now head all the way back up to the floor where you escaped from and head up the stairs. This floor has an item shop that sells the normal items, you might want to stock up on some potions and tents. Head up to the next floor, this one has a berserk draw point so hit it and continue up to the next floor. On this floor is another man that will play card with you for 300 Gil, you'll definatly want to win this match though because when you win he'll give you the Character Report which will show your character data in your information section of the tutorial. Proceed up the stairs to the next level. On this level is an invisible Thundaga draw point so hit it and there is also another card player who will give you items if you play, this time for 200 gil, once again the items he give you are not worth your time so continue up to the next level. Nothing in this area so just follow the moombas up the stairs and to Squall. When you take control of Squall, speak to the moombas and have them create some shortcuts. Walk outside and Zell will operate the crain to send Squall's party to the bottom floor, hit the red button when Zell tells you and you get sent to the bottom. Head to the right and open the door to find nothing but sand. You hear gunfire and the party runs back outside to rescue Zell. As Zell head along to the right and you'll probably run into a fight with a few guards, finish them and Squall will come down and rescue Zell (notice how grateful Zell is that Squall saved his life and how Squall reacts heh). Irvine casually walks in and fires his gun off (Notice how Rinoa kicks his ass down the stairs for trying to act so cool). Choose your party and head up the stairs while Irvine holds them off. As Squall continue up the stairs and the scene will switch back to Irvine's party. Proceed down the stairs. This is your last chance to get the Missile item and some Steel Orbs from enemies so take advantage and get some before proceeding to the bottom floors. Once at the bottom the scene switchs back to Squall. Speak to the Moomba's there to receive a Rename Card and Cottage and continue into the next area. Head up the stairs and up the stairs in the next room. Make sure you are fully healed then head right into a boss fight. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Elite Solider, GIM52Ax2 Party: Rinoa (Level 26), Squall (Level 42), Zell (Level 34) This boss is not so difficult. Draw and cast haste on your party from the GIM52A's. The elite soldier will cast support spells such as Aura and Protect on the two machines which is easily countered by drawing and casting dispel from and on the GIM52A's. Summon a GF early to get rid of the Elite Soldier then just have your way with the two machines. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After the battle head back into the other room and you'll raise the arm for Irvine and the rest of the party to come to the top of the prison. Return outside and across the platform, it will start to give way and Squall will be holding on. Make sure to hold the right directional button the entire time to move Squall to the right because its game over if Squall doesn't make it. At the bottom your party takes vehicles outside the prison and they stop to discuss what to do next. As Squall hit the Aero draw point and speak with your party members some more. Have Squall decide the partys and then the team will head off. As Squall board the train to Balamb and the scene will switch back to Selphie's party. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.11: The Missile Base and the Return to Balamb Garden Party: Selphie (Level 22), Quistis (Level 24), Irvine (Level 17) Items: Mega-Potion, X-Potion, Gysahl Greens, Tent, Mega Phoenix/Remedy, Remedy, Dino Bone, Bomb Fragment, Selphie's Morning Star, Quistis' Slaying Tail, Mag Up, Spr Up, Circlet, Weapons Mon Jun Cards: Rinoa Draw Points: Full-Lifex2, Blind, Blizzara, Bio, Demi ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Head back to Deling City with Selphie and to Caraway's Mansion. Speak with Caraway about his cards and he says he'll use Rinoa's card if you give him your Ifrit Card. Play cards with him and make sure that the Ifrit card is your best card in your hand and lose to him, he will take it, challenge him again and he will play Rinoa's card, win it from him. You won't be able to get your Ifrit card back just yet but you will later. Next you should head to the Weapon Remodeling Shop and you should be able to make Quistis' Slaying Tail and Selphie's Morning Star. Once finished in Deling City take the vehicle into the Missile Base. Once inside head to the left and through the door. The doors are locked so check beside the door for an ID Card slot. One of your party members mentions to have found one in the truck and you use it to get inside. In the next area try to act casual and blend in to whats going on around the area. If you can get through this area without getting caught your SeeD rank will go up. Take the path to the right and continue right and down the stairs. In this next area you should notice an arrow pointing down, follow that path outside and hit the blind draw point and speak to the soldiers to the right. They want you to deliver a message to the missile room so go back inside and through the door to the north. Hit the invisible Full-Life draw point on the left and speak to the soldier by the control panel and tell him to go on ahead. Go back outside and speak to the soldiers again. Head back inside and to the door on the left you passed when you came into the base and speak to the guard there. Head inside and hit the Blizzara draw point inside. Choose whatever to mess around with the controls in the Circuit room until the lights go out. Back outside you run into some soldiers whom question you, I strongly suggest talking it out this time because if you choose to fight you'll have to deal with random encounters and a timer inside. Choose to talk it out and Selphie will go inside with the crew and beat the crap out of them. Next head back to the missile control room, choose to help out the soldiers inside, push the square button to help them push the launcher into position. Back outside check the control panel, go to target and to error ratio and hold the right directional button to increase it to max. Then go to data upload and select yes to confirm your decision. Speak to the guard beside the stairs to be let upstairs. Up the stairs you run into the base leader and some soldiers, they discover your an intruder and engage you into a fight, this fight isn't much at all just finish them off with a GF or two. After the fight search the controls on the left, then check the control panel on the right in the room to the north to set the self destruction device for the base. Set the timer and head back outside the base. Make sure your healed because outside is a boss fight. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: BGH251F2 Party: Selphie (Level 25), Quistis (Level 27), Irvine (Level 19) The only thing really difficult about this boss is beating it before the timer runs out if you set the timer low. As soon as the battle begins draw and cast Protect on your party members. Then I suggest casting double on the two party members that aren't junctioned with Quenzacotl and then have them double Thundara and Water Spells onto it and have the other character summon Quenzacotl. After BGH251F2 is defeated the soldiers come out to take its place, finish them with a GF. For winning you receive a Weapons Mon Jun Magazine. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After the battle Selphie's party is locked inside and the base explodes. The Scene then switches to Squall's party outside the gates of Balamb Garden. Junction your characters and proceed inside. Head past the guy shoating orders and proceed up the stairs. You are stopped and questioned, swear allegiance and you won't have to fight an enemy or say the other and fight a normal battle, proceed into the next area. Speak the the guy outside the gates and he'll give you a Mega-Potion. Inside speak to Fujin and Raijin and head to the right and into the Library. The enemies inside Balamb Garden can be dangerous especially the Grendel and T-Rexaur enemies, but there are a few good items to pick up, first Bombs can be mugged for Bomb Fragments and the T-Rexaurs can be mugged for Dino Bones, make sure to pick up several of those. In the library defeat the monsters that the garden faculty sends at the you and speak to the girl in the Library and she will give you a mega phoenix if Zell is in your party, if not you'll just get a Remedy. Head back outside and up to the Training Area. Save the kids inside and speak to the SeeD to receive a Remedy, also the man from garden is in the Training Center and he will sell your party items. Head back out and up to the Parking Lot area. The SeeD here will give you a Tent for beating the monsters, head back out and up into the Dormitory. Defeat the monsters here and you can use Squall's room to rest and save from now on, head back out and to the left into the Cafeteria. Defeat the monsters here and speak to the SeeDs (Notice how excited Zell gets about there being hotdogs only to find out the SeeDs already finished them all heh) they will give you some Gysahl Greens make sure to hit the invisible Demi draw point by the tree here then head back out and down to the Quad. Defeat the monsters here and tell the SeeDs your with the Headmaster and one of the SeeDs will give you an X-Potion, proceed back outside and down into the Infirmary. The Granaldo enemy you fight here is probably carrying the Pain Spell to draw. I strongly suggest drawing alot of this spell, junction it to your status attack and you can inflict multiple status effects on an enemy with each strike. Speak with the doctor after beating the monsters to receive an Elixer, now head up to the Elevator and speak to Xu, Follow her up to Headmaster Cid's office and speak with him. Squall volunteers to search the underground levels for controls for the once was shelter at the Garden and he gives Squall a key card to the lower levels. Head back to the elevator and down into the MD Level. When the elevator stops running search the floor for a trap door and proceed down the ladder into the open crawl space below, open the hatch at the end of the crawl space and crawl drop down into the next area. Squall tells the party to junction fire to there elemental attack which can be helpful in this area. proceed down the ladder and into the next area. The enemies here are nothing really to worry about, the Tri-Faces will probably give you the most trouble although you don't run into them very often. Head through the door at the bottom and turn the valve by repededly hitting the square button until you finally do it, then head back outside the door. Head down the ladder and the stairs and hit the Full-Life draw point on the right, as Squall head up the ladder. It will give way and send Squall flying through a window into a control room. Search the controls to open the floor then use the ladder to head back down to your party members. You'll notice a flashing green light near the botton, examine it and head down the ladder there. Save at the save point and hit the switch to the right, head across the bridge and two Oilboyles engage you into a fight. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: Oilboylex2 Party: Rinoa (Level 31), Squall (Level 47), Zell (Level 39) These guys can present a problem, they have an attack called Oil Shot that does alot of damage and causes status effects. You can draw and cast Esuna from the bosses to get rid of the effects but also make sure to heal the hit character if need be because they will probably be close to critical condition after the attack. The good thing though is that the Oilboyles are extremely weak against fire, so hit them with Diablos to cut there HP then finish them off with an Ifrit or two. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After the fight proceed across the bridge and into the control room. Have Squall mess with the controls until it activates and the Garden raises up from the ground and moves just as the missile connect with where the garden once was. Speak with Cid then head down to the second floor and outside the door past the class room. Head back to Cid's office and speak with Cid. Squall manages to stear the Garden out of the way of Balamb and into the sea. Later Squall wakes up in his room, head to the directory and one of the Garden Faculty members tells you the Garden Master wants to see Squall, so head to the elevator and down to B1. Speak with Cid and then proceed to the left to speak with the Garden Master. He wants to turn over the SeeDs that were involved in the assassination of the sorceress, after some more conversation NORG gets furious and attacks the party. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Boss: NORG Party: Rinoa (Level 32), Squall (Level 48), Zell (Level 40) Start the battle by casting Shell and Double on the entire party and mugging the two orbs for a Mag Up and a Spr Up. After that use GFs and Double Attack Magic onto the NORG pod, stopping to attack the orbs if they change to red to prevent them from using magic on the party. You might even want to Summon Carbuncle to reflect NORG's magic back at him. Once you have done enough damage to the Pod it will open and you can attack NORG. Once the NORG pod is open immediatly draw Leviathan a new GF from him and make sure your Shell spells are still on your party members and mug NORG for a Circlet. After this Double Aero and Tornado spells onto NORG and use GFs to finish him off. Note that the Left Orb has the Bio spell to draw so be sure to stock up on it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After the battle search NORG's pod for a hidden Bio Draw point then head to the Infirmary to speak with Cid. Speak with him about all the subjects then head to the directory and speak with Xu who says a ship has approached. Head up the elevator to the outside deck by the classroom and speak with the White SeeDs whom are looking for a girl named Ellone. She is in the Library so proceed there and speak with her. After some conversation, Squall will wake up in his room, proceed outside the dorm and the garden will crash into Fisherman's Horizon. Speak with Cid and he will want you to go out and apologize to the Mayor of the town. So head down to the outside deck by the classroom to Fisherman's Horizon. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.12: Fisherman's Horizon and the Invasion of Balamb Town Party: Rinoa (Level 32), Squall (Level 48), Zell (Level 40) Items: Timber Maniacs Magazinex2, Occult Fan III, Megalixerx2, Running Fire, Adamantine, Str Upx4, Irvine's Ulysses, Combat King 002 Cards: Quenzacotl, Ifrit, All Level 7 Boss Cards, Pandemona Draw Points: Full-Life, Ultima, Haste, Shell, Regen ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Outside the Garden Squall runs into somecCitizens which tell them to go see the Mayor, so head to the right and proceed down the stairs. Keep proceeding right and you'll see some stairs leading down, head down them and then all the way to the left to speak to the Master Fisherman. Tell him what are you talking about and he'll give you an Occult Fan III Magazine. Speak with him again and he'll want you to talk to his Pupil down at the docks, head back to where you went down the ladder before and continue to the right. Speak with the man operating the elevator to proceed down. From the elevator head to the right, in the next area continue right and hit the Regen draw point you pass by. In the next area take another right to the docks, hit the shell draw point on the far right and speak with the old man there, its a junk shop, you should be able to make Irvine's Ulysses Weapon now. Speak with t