General Guidelines - You want to be on Battle Speed 6 for all random battles. This ensures you will run away from the battle with no damage 90% of the time (that's a made up percentage). It seems as though the time it takes to run away is independent from the battle speed, but I can't say for sure. - You don't want to be on Battle Speed 6 for any boss fight or scripted battle. This will simply drain time in the speedrun. Battle Speed 1 is recommended, but I admit that Battle Speed 2 or 3 may be as fast or faster for specific boss fights. - For many boss fights, I wrote down what I refer to as a "Combat Loop." This is basically what the party member should do when there's no situational condition to handle instead. Any directions given before a combat loop are things for the party member to take care of before moving to the loop. - Twincast is different in this version. You can ensure Palom & Porom will cast Comet, the stronger spell, by keeping them both at max HP and max MP. The game checks the HP ratio (Current HP / Max HP) and MP ratio (Current MP / Max MP) of both twincast users to determine if Comet is used. If the ratios are within 20% of each other, Comet is used... otherwise, it's Pyroblast. ******************** ** Airship Battle ** ******************** Cecil: AutoBattle (Attack) Baron Castle - Battle Speed: 6 - Movement: Run Baron Castle 1F - Chests behind the wall -- 480 gil, Ether, Tent Overworld Map - Set Kain's AutoBattle to Jump - Southwest to Chocobo Forest - Northwest with Chocobo to Mist Cave Mist Cave - Start 100%ing the map - NorthWest Chest: Potion - MidEast Chest, before Mist Dragon: Potion Before Mist Dragon - Battle Speed: 1 ***************** ** Mist Dragon ** ***************** Cecil: AutoBattle (Attack) Kain: AutoBattle (Jump) Cecil: AutoBattle (Attack) Cecil: AutoBattle (Attack) - Kain Lands - Kain: Fight - Mist Form - Kain: Potion Cecil Cecil: Darkness Kain: Jump (immediate) - Dragon Form - -- Repeat from Beginning -- ***************** After Mist Dragon - Battle Speed: 6 - Remove Kain's Equipment Mist Cave - Finish 100%ing the map: 5 Potions Before Kaipo - Battle Speed: 1 ************************ ** General & Soldiers ** ************************ Cecil: Darkness (Optional) Cecil: Attack General (Optional) Cecil: Attack General Cecil: AutoBattle (Attack) until battle is over Killing General adds 300xp ************************ Kaipo - Battle Speed: 6 - Talk to Rosa, Receive AutoPotion Augment Waterway Entrance, South - B1 - (Optional) NorthWest Chest: Maiden's Kiss - Talk to Tellah Underground Waterway, South - B2 - Save Point Cutscene - NorthEast Chest: Ice Rod Underground Waterway - B3 - SouthEast Chest: 580 gil Underground Waterway, North - B1 - Battle Speed: 1 - Start fighting battles from here on, nuking enemies with Tellah's magic. Final goal is to get Rydia to level 10. - South of Exit Chest: Shadowblade - Further South of Exit Chest: Bronze Hourglass Overworld Map - Tent before Underground Falls (Refill Tellah's MP) Underground Lake - B2 - 100% Map for 5 Potions - South Chests: Hades Helm, Hades Gloves Underground Lake - B1 - 100% Map for 3 Zues's Wraths - South Chest: Hermes Sandals - North Chest: Hades Shield Before Octomammoth - Equip Cecil Optimize - Equip Rydia Optimize - Rydia should be level 10, minumum - (Optional) Ether Tellah ***************** ** Octomammoth ** ***************** Cecil: Hermes Sandals Rydia: Poison - Three or Four Tentacles Left - Tellah: Blink Rydia, Cecil, and Tellah in that order. ~ Combat Loop ~ Cecil: Attack or Darkness (if not already Darkness'd) Tellah: Thunder Rydia: Potions or Defend ***************** Damcyan - Remove Tellah's Equipment - Optimize Rydia - Walk around the East side of the castle Damcyan Castle Dungeons - SouthWest part of room has a hidden staircase Damcyan Castle Dungeons - B1 - Chest configuration below. Open chests labeled as "O" X X X O O X Ether, Phoenix Down - SouthWest part of room has a hidden Elixir - Backtrack to continue storyline Damcyan Castle - 2F - (Optional) Chest East of stairs: Tent Before Antlion's Den - (Optional) Tent - Battle Speed: 6 Antlion's Den B1 - NorthWest Chest: Spider Silk Before Antlion - Battle Speed: 1 ************* ** Antlion ** ************* Edward: Spider Silk Cecil: Darkness Rydia: Poison Rydia: Thunder ~ Combat Loop ~ Edward: Potions ~ Combat Loop (Red Eyes) ~ Cecil: Attack 4x Rydia: Defend 3x ~ Combat Loop (White Eyes) ~ Cecil: Defend 3x Rydia: Thunder 3x Cecil: Darkness ************* After Antlion - Battle Speed: 6 Antlion's Den - B2 - NorthWest Chest: Spider Silk Antlion's Den Save Room - Chest East of stairs: Phoenix Down - NorthEast Chest: Ether - NorthWest Chest: Emergency Exit - Emergency Exit out of Antlion's Den Before Kaipo - Battle Speed: 1 Kaipo - Sand Pearl to Rosa ************** ** Waterhag ** ************** Edward: AutoBattle (Attack) Kaipo - North of Inn: Item Lore Augment Before Mount Hobs - Battle Speed: 6 - Rosa to back row Before Mom Bomb - Battle Speed: 1 ************* ** Goblins ** ************* Yang: Kick ************** ** Mom Bomb ** ************** Rosa: Protect All Cecil: Darkness ~ Combat Loop ~ Rosa: Defend Edward: Defend Cecil: Attack Yang: Attack Rydia: Blizzard --------------- -- After ~1400 damage, Explosion Form Begins -- Yang: Brace Everyone Else: Defend -- After Explosion -- Yang: Kick until battle is over ************** After Mom Bomb - Battle Speed: 6 Fabul Castle Weapons & Armor - Buy Thunder & Ice Claws - Remove Rydia & Rosa's Equipment - Optimize Yang **************** ** Fabul Rush ** **************** Yang/Cecil: Kill Edward in the first fight for more XP. -- General & Soldiers -- Cecil: Attack General Yang: Kick -- Leshy, Goblin & Waterhag -- Cecil: Attack Leshy Yang: Kick -- Gargoyle -- Yang: Attack **************** Fabul Throne Room - NorthEast Chest: Spider Silk Fabul King's Room (After Dialog) - Optimize Cecil - Remove Yang & Edward's Equipment Dock Cutscene - Collect Counter augment from Yang's wife Mysidia Armorer - Sell all equipment except -- Thunder/Ice Claws -- Sage's Surplice, Kenpo Gi & Gaia Gear -- Iron Gloves & Silver Armlet - Buy Equipment -- Silver Armlet -- Lustrous Shield -- Gauntlets Mysidia Weapons - Buy Flame Rode Mysidia Sundries - Buy Items -- 11 Echo Herbs -- 21 Phoenix Downs -- 31 Hi-Potions After Twins Join - Battle Speed: 6 - Give one twin 2 augments, and the other twin 1 augment. After Tellah Joins - Optimize Tellah Mount Ordeals - Summit - (Optional) 100% Map: Red Fang Before Scarmigilione - Battle Speed: 1 ******************* ** Scarmigilione ** ******************* Cecil: Spider Silk Palom/Porom: Twincast Tellah Silence Porom: Cry ~ Combat Loop ~ Cecil: Attack or Darkness (if not Darkness'd) Palom/Porom/Tellah: Defend ******************* ********************** ** Scarmigilione 2 ** ********************** Anyone: Elixir Scarmiglione After Scarmiglione - Remove Cecil's Equipment ***************** ** Dark Knight ** ***************** Cecil: Don't do anything (of course!) After becoming a Paladin - Battle Speed: 6 - Optimize Cecil Mount Ordeals - Crossing - East of second stairway: Curse Augment Mysidia - Head to Baron Baron - Confront Yang Before Confronting Yang - Battle Speed: 1 ************** ** Generals ** ************** Cecil/Palom/Porom: Defend Tellah: Blizzaga All ********** ** Yang ** ********** Everyone: Defend -- After Yang's 2nd Kick -- Cecil: Attack ********** Baron Weapons & Armor - SouthEast of store has a hidden passage to get the stores chests. -- Zues's Wrath & 2000 gil - Sell Dark Equipment - Buy Equipment -- 4 Headbands -- 2 Kenpo (You may only be able to afford one) After Shopping - Optimize Yang, Tellah & Cecil Before Sewers - East wall has a hidden passage leading to a chest -- 1000 gil Early Sewers - Use Kick & Tellah's Magic to get Cecil to level 10 before castle. After Cecil's level 10 - Battle Speed: 6 Ancient Waterway - B3 - Chest elevated out of the water: Hermes Sandals Ancient Water - B2 - 100% Map for 3 Remedies - Only Chest: Ether Before Baigan - Battle Speed: 1 ************ ** Baigan ** ************ Palom/Porom: Twincast Cecil: Protect All Yang: Focus Tellah: Slow Palom: Poison Porom: Cry Cecil: Cover Porom Yang: Focus Tellah: Blizzaga Left Arm Palom/Porom: Twincast Cecil: Fight Body Yang: Focus Tellah: Heal ~ Combat Loop ~ Yang: Attack Cecil: Attack Tellah/Palom: Blizz magic on a reflected party member Porom: Defend or Heal ************ Before Cagnazzo - Hi-Potion All - Remove Palom & Porom's Equipment ************** ** Cagnazzo ** ************** Cagnazzo casts slow a LOT, so be ready with Tellah to Haste Yang. He may counter physical damage with hold, which can be remedied, but to avoid tons of counters we'll do most of our damage in bursts with Yang. When Cagnazzo gathers water, he's going for Tusnami. If you don't hit him with Thunder or a Zues's Wrath before he casts it, the part will be wiped. Palom: Poison Porom: Slow Tellah: Haste Yang Cecil: Protect All Porom: Cry Palom: Blizzara Porom Tellah: Wait in case Cagnazzo gathers water or Haste Yang if slowed Cecil: Wait in case Cagnazzo gathers water or Attack Palom: Blizzara Palom ~ Combat Loop ~ Yang: Focus 3x Cecil: Wait in case Cagnazzo gathers water or Attack Tellah: Wait in case Cagnazzo gathers water or Haste Yang if slowed Yang: Attack --------------- -- Cagnazzo gathers water -- Tellah: Thunder or Thundara Everyone Else: Zues's Wrath (If Tellah isn't ready) -- Cagnazzo withdrew into shell -- Yang: Fight Tellah: Blizzaga Cecil: Wait in case Cagnazzo gathers water ************** Baron - Battle Speed: 6 - Buy extra Kenpo if you only got one Kenpo before Mysidia - Talk to Elder to receive 5 augments -- Dualcast, Bluff, Cry, and 2x Twincast Mist Northern House - Empty Fireplace hidden chests -- Polymorph Rod & Golden Hairpin Troia Castle - Talk with Edward Chocobo Forest - Black Chocobo to fly to Lodestone Cavern Lodestone Cavern - B3 - Southern room on map -- Middle Chest: Spider Silk - 100% Map for 3 Silent Bells Before Dark Elf - Optimize Cid - Equip Tellah with Poly Rod - Augment Cecil: Cry - Augment Cid: Curse/Twincast - Augment Tellah: Bluff/Twincast - Replace Empty Slot with Cry in Cecil's Abilities - Battle Speed: 1 ************** ** Dark Elf ** ************** - Before anything else, SILENCE DARK ELF! - Everyone but Tellah: Silent Bell Tellah: Silence Tellah: Haste Yang Yang: Focus Cecil: Cry Cid: Attack Tellah: Berserk Yang Cecil: Protect All Cid: Attack Tellah: Cura or Shell All Cecil/Cid: Attack - Dragon Form Begins - Tellah: Slow Cecil: Cry Tellah: Blink Yang then Cecil Tellah: Osmose (if alive) ~ Combat Loop (Dragon formed or used Dark Breath) ~ Cecil: Attack Yang: Attack ~ Combat Loop (Dragon physicially attacked) ~ Cecil: Defend Yang: Brace ************** After Dark Elf - Grab Dark Crystal - Exit Crystal Room - Battle Speed: 6 - Tellah: Teleport (may need to use Ether) Troia Castle - Dark Crystal cutscene Troia Castle Eastern Entrance - Western staircase Troia Castle - B1 - Talk to guard for entry to B2 Troia Castle - B2 - Chest configuration below. Open chests labeled as "O" X O O O O X X X O X O O O X X X O X 2x Remedy, 2x Ether, 2x Dry Ether, Elixir, 50000 gil, 5000 gil Troia Castle Western Entrance - Talk to Edward to receive Bardsong augment (Optional) Troia Item Shop - Max Hi-Potions - Buy 31 Phoenix Downs Tower of Zot - 4F - 100% Map for Elixir - Middle Door to 5F Tower of Zot - 5F - East of entrance chest: Hell Claws Before Magus Sisters - Heal up - Battle Speed: 1 - Equip Hell Claw to Yang ******************* ** Magus Sisters ** ******************* The goal in this fight is to silence Sandy and dispel any reflects on Cindy. The sisters will keep trying to do the delta attack, but the result will simply be Mindy casting level 2 elemental spells on Cindy over and over. If you have Silent Bells, use them. Otherwise, Silence Sandy with Tellah Tellah: Dispel Cindy's Reflect Cecil: Cry Tellah: Esuna Mindy's Silence Cecil: Protect All ~ Combat Loop ~ Yang: Focus 3x Cecil: Attack Mindy Cid: Attack Mindy Tellah: High Level Magic Sandy Yang: Attack Cindy ******************* After Magus Sisters - Remove Tellah's Equipment After Tellah dies - Receive Fast Talking, Last Stand, and Recall Augments Before Barbariccia - Augment Rosa: Dualcast/Fast Talker - Remove Cid's Headband/Kenpo - Equip Kain with Headband/Kenpo - Optimize Rosa/Cecil - Replace Attack with Dualcasting in Rosa's Abilities - Replace Aim with Fast Talker in Rosa's Abilities - Switch Kain and Cecil's positions ***************** ** Barbariccia ** ***************** Barbariccia will counter most spells with Maelstorm (criticals entire party) and most physical attacks with Lightning to the whole party. Because of this, we want to do as much damage possible with a single attack, so Yang is the primary damage dealer. Rosa: Slow/Shell All Cecil: Cry Yang: Hermes Sandals Rosa: Blink Self & Yang Cecil: Protect All ~ Combat Loop (No tornado) ~ Yang: Focus 3x Everyone else: Defend/Heal Yang: Attack ~ Combat Loop (Tornado) ~ Kain: Jump Everyone else: Defend/Heal ***************** Go Underground Before Dwarf Castle - Remove Cid's Equipment **************** ** Calcabrena ** **************** Kain: Jump Top-Left Blue Doll Cecil: Cry Yang: Spider Silk Rosa: Protect All / Blink self Kain: Jump Bottom-Left Blue Doll Cecil: Attack Middle-Left Blue Doll Yang: Attack Middle-Left Blue Doll Rosa: Blink Yang/Cecil - After Kain's second jump completes - Cecil: Red Fang Yang: Red Fang (Kick if only 1 Fang) **************** ************ ** Golbez ** ************ Rosa: Slow Golbez / Shell Cecil - After Rydia Appears - Cecil: Phoenix Down Rosa Rydia: Hi-Potion Rosa Rosa: Shell All Rosa/Cecil: Heal/Libra Rydia: Summon based on Golbez's weakness ************ Dwarf Castle, East Tower - 1F - Chest: Dwarven Axe Dwarf Castle, East Tower - 3F - South Chest: Elixir - West Chest: Power Armlet - North Chest: Ether - Equip Kain with Dwarven Axe & Power Armlet - Augment Cecil: Draw Attacks - Augment Rydia: Bardsong - Equip Rydia Poly Rod Dwarf Castle, Inn - Buy Items -- Max Hi-Potions -- (Optional) 41 Phoenix Downs -- 31 Remedies -- 4 Cottages Head to Tower of Babil Tower of Babil - B12 - Chest West of entrance: Green Beret Tower of Babil - B7 - West Chest: Dry Ether *********************** ** Doctor & Barnabas ** *********************** Cecil: Cry Rosa: Slow / Blink Cecil ~ Combat Loop ~ Yang: Focus 2x Kain: Jump Barnabas Rydia: Ramuh Cecil/Rosa: Defend *********************** *************** ** Dr. Lugae ** *************** Everyone: 2 Elixirs to Lugae while under Reversal Gas After Lugae - Remove Yang's Equipment - Battle Speed: 6 Before Goblins - Battle Speed: 1 ************* ** Goblins ** ************* Kain: Fight Rydia: Blizarra Rosa/Cecil/Yang: Defend After Goblins - Battle Speed: 6 Eblan Weapons & Armor - Buy Ice Shield & Ice Armor - Spend all money on Shurikens Before Edge - Battle Speed: 1 After Edge Joins - Equip Kain Ice Shield - Equip Cecil Ice Armor - Battle Speed: 6 Tower of Babil - B5 - Chest West of the Rubicante/Edge's Parent fight: 10,000 gil Before Edge's Parents - Battle Speed: 1 ******************** ** Edge's Parents ** ******************** Rosa: Cura/Shell All *************** ** Rubicante ** *************** Rubicante will counter almost all physical damage with Fira to the entire party, so be prepared to heal. When he opens his cape, you should be able to summon Shiva and Steal from him before he casts Inferno. Stealing causes Rubicante's AI to close his cape. If Rubicante casts Inferno, which he only casts while his cape is open, then the party will be wiped. Rubicante counters Shiva with Blizzara... on himself. So as long as you don't steal before the summon goes off, he'll deal extra damage to himself. Cecil: Cry Rosa: Slow Rubicante / Shell Party Rosa: Blink Cecil ~ Combat Loop (Closed Cape) ~ Kain: Jump Rosa: Heal (After Fira) Cecil: Defend Rydia/Edge: Wait ~ Combat Loop (Opened Cape) ~ Rydia: Shiva Edge: Steal immediately after Shiva Rosa/Kain/Cecil: Defend or Wait *************** After Rubicante - Battle Speed: 6 Talk to Cid to fix up Falcon - Receive Adrenaline, Upgrade, and Analyze Augments Talk to Dwarf King for Sealed Cave key Sylph Cave - Travel to the Avenger Before Malboros - Battle Speed: 1 **************** ** Malboro 2x ** **************** First Person: Bronze Hourglass Cecil: Cry ~ Combat Loop ~ Rydia: Ifrit Kain: Jump Edge: Flame Rosa/Cecil: Defend or wait **************** After Receiving Avenger - Battle Speed: 6 - Equip Kain with Avenger - Augment Kain with Adrenaline - Replace an Empty slot with Adrenaline in Kain's Abilities Before Sealed Cave - Heal up everyone except Kain (Should be low health from Sylph Cave tiles) Before each trap door - Battle Speed: 1 *************** ** Trap Door ** *************** Cecil: Cry Edge: Shurikens Kain: (Berserked) Rosa: Slow (If Kain's missing a lot) Rydia: Defend or Wait *************** After each trap door - Battle Speed: 6 Collect Dark Crystal Before Demon Wall - Battle Speed: 1 **************** ** Demon Wall ** **************** Rosa: Slow Cecil: Cry ~ Combat Loop ~ Kain: (Berserked) Edge: Shurikens Rydia: Dragon Rosa/Cecil: Defend or Wait **************** After Demon Wall - Battle Speed: 6 - Remove Kain's Equipment Receive Lunar Whale Moon, Hummingway Abode - Level Lust Augment Moon, Crystal Palace - 1F - Fusoya Joins Back to Earth! Giant's Chest - North Chest: Fuma Shuriken Giant Inner Passage - Chest: Elixir - 100% Map for another Elixir - Cottage at save point to regain magic power - Buy Shurikens from Namingway Before Four Fiends - Battle Speed: 1 - Remove Fusoya's Equipment - Optimize Rosa - Optimize Fusoya - Augment Fusoya with Recall & Last Stand - Augment Cecil with Level Lust - Replace Attack with Level Lust in Cecil's Abilities ***************** ** Four Fiends ** ***************** - Scarmigilione - Rosa: Protect/Shell Party Fusoya: Bless Cecil/Edge/Rydia: Elixir Scarmiglione - Cagnazzo - Rosa: Blink Cecil / Haste Edge Cecil: Cry ~ Combat Loop ~ Cecil: Heal Rosa: Heal & Keep Edge and a magic user hasted Edge: Shurikens Fusoya/Rydia: Blizzaga / Thundaga - Barbariccia - Rosa: Slow / Cura Edge: Shuriken Cecil: Cry ~ Combat Loop ~ Rosa/Cecil: Heal Fusoya: Holy Rydia: Dragon Edge: Defend or wait - Rubicante - Rosa: Slow / Blink Cecil ~ Combat Loop (Cape Closed) ~ Everyone: Wait or Defend/Heal ~ Combat Loop (Cape Open) ~ Rydia: Shiva Fusoya: Blizzaga Edge: Steal Rosa/Cecil: Defend or Wait ***************** After Four Fiends - Battle Speed: 6 - GO BACK AND SAVE, TRUST ME! Before CPU - Battle Speed: 1 ********* ** CPU ** ********* Oh boy... Good luck. If the Attack Node gets a turn, it will cast Laser Barrage and I never found a way to reliably survive it. Cecil can live if he's defending, but by the time he revives anyone the node is usually barraging again. This fight is, unfortunately, more luck than skill right now. Rydia: Ramuh Fusoya: Meteor Edge: Fuma Shuriken Attack Node Cecil: Spider Silk Rosa: Haste Edge & Fusoya If Attack Orb doesn't die and you're still alive Edge: Shuriken Attack Node - After Attack Node dies - Rydia: Ramuh FuSoYa: Meteor Edge: Shuriken CPU - After CPU dies - Rydia: Blizzaga Fusoya Edge: Shuriken Heal Node ********* Flashback - Talk to Dad, east of house - Talk to Mom, NorthWest most room Back to the moon! - Battle Speed: 6 Before Lunar Subterrane - Receive Omnicasting, Phoenix, and Bless augments - Augment Kain with Phoenix - Augment Rosa with Omnicasting - Augment Edge with Bless - Replace empty space with Phoenix in Kain's Abilities - Replace empty space with Adrenaline in Kain's Abilities - Replace Pray with omnicasting in Rosa's Abilities - Replace Ninjutsu with Bless in Edge's Abilities Travel to Zeromus (Save if you so desire) Before Zeromus - Battle Speed: 1 - Equip Edge with Kenpo Gi - Equip Kain -- Avenger -- Green Beret -- Black Belt Gi -- Power Armlet Final Levels - Rydia lvl41 (40 minimum) - Kain lvl53 - Cecil lvl40 - Edge lvl43 - Rosa lvl40 (40 minimum) ************* ** Zeromus ** ************* The key to this fight is a simple crazy realization. Haste and Hastemarch stack. Or at least they seem to... if not, then hastemarch is just THAT amazong of a bardsong. The party will be going so fast, Kain specifically, that Zeromus will only get about 3 or 4 attacks in before being taken down and because of how his AI is setup(I think), the only offensive attack he might use is Meteor. - Before Using Crystal - Rydia: Thundaga Kain Rosa: Raise/Haste on Party Edge: Bless Rydia: Hastemarch Cecil: Crystal - After Crystal - Cecil: Cry Rosa: Slow Zeromus / Reflect on Party - After Black Hole - Rosa: Dispel Kain (For some reason, he isn't affect by Black Hole) / Haste on Party Rosa: Slow Zeromus / Reflect on Party - After Osmose - Cecil: Dry Ether Kain - After Meteor - Rosa: Raise Kain / Haste on Party Cecil: Dry Ether Kain Rosa: Reflect on Party - After Big Bang - Cry... to yourself. Big Bang shouldn't ever happen and that's probably a wipe. ~ Combat Loop ~ Edge: Shurikens Kain: (Berserked) Rydia: (Hastemarching) Rosa/Cecil: Wait or Defend ************* CELEBRATE!