*Final Fantasy XIII: FAQ/Walkthrough* by PowercalledIam Version 1.26, Last Updated 2010-07-21 View/Download Original File Hosted by GameFAQs Return to *Final Fantasy XIII (PS3) FAQs & Guides* Liked this FAQ? Click here to recommend this item to other users. =============================================================================== Final Fantasy XIII Walkthrough and Guide Copyright Brian Perry (PowercalledIam) 2010 =============================================================================== =============================================================================== Introduction: {Int} =============================================================================== Hello, my name is Brian and this is a walkthrough of the US Xbox 360 release of Final Fantasy XIII. This is my first walkthrough, although with your support more will be on the way! A NOTE ABOUT SPOILERS: While this guide does not explicitly state the content of cutscenes (i.e. "AERIS DIES!"), it does include names, new mechanics, and other things that could lead to the ability to infer information about the story. If you wish to avoid learning more about the game than you want to, then it's up to you not to read ahead. Let's get started! =============================================================================== Updates {Udt} =============================================================================== 4/1/2010 - v.1.00: First edition of the guide. Includes full walkthrough and most mission marks. 4/7/2010 - v.1.10: Sidequests section complete. Added first portion of items and enemies sections. New achievements. 4/12/2010 - v.1.11: Achievements sections complete. Added Paradigms section. 5/11/2010 - v.1.20: Updated enemy list. Added THANK YOUS!!!!!!!!!! 5/16/2010 - v.1.21: Updated items list. 5/24/2010 - v.1.22: More items. 6/2/2010 - v.1.23: Weapons section complete. 6/29/2010 - v.1.24: Accessories section complete. 7/11/2010 - v.1.25: Items and components sections complete. Weapons and accessories sections updated. 7/21/2010 - v.1.26: Weapons section final. Upgrade system guide added.

=============================================================================== Table of Contents: {ToC} =============================================================================== -Introduction -Updates -Table of Contents -Walkthrough -Disc 1 -Chapter 1 -Chapter 2 -Chapter 3 -Chapter 4 -Disc 2 -Chapter 5 -Chapter 6 -Chapter 7 -Chapter 8 -Chapter 9 -Disc 3 -Chapter 10 -Chapter 11 -Chapter 12 -Chapter 13 -The Archylte Steppe -The Yaschas Massif -Sidequests -Paradigms -Items -Achievements -Enemy List -Thanks -Contact Info -Copyright {Int} {Udt} {ToC} {Wal} {Ch1} {Ch2} {Ch3} {Ch4} {Ch5} {Ch6} {Ch7} {Ch8} {Ch9} {Ch10} {Ch11} {Ch12} {Ch13} {TAS} {TYM} {Sq0} {Pdm} {Itm} {Amt} {Emy} {tnx} {CoI} {Cop}

=============================================================================== Walkthrough {Wal} =============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 1: Hanging Edge {Ch1} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------The game doesn't waste any time, starting you off in battle after the initial cutscene. There is a tutorial about the Active Time Battle system, which is covered in the Controls section of the walkthrough. In any case, once the battle proper starts, select auto-battle until the Warmech dies. Phase 2 uses the Wave Cannon move, which damages both party members for about 50 damage, but just keep auto-battling it until it's dead. You shouldn't need to (as the item usage tutorial hasn't even come up yet), but drop a potion if your health gets low. You are now in control of Lightning. Navigating the environment and minimap should be fairly self-explanatory, but check the Controls section if you need help. For now (and most of the game), head toward the yellow arrow on the minimap.

Straight ahead is first save/shop point. A note about shops: everything in the game is expensive, and gil is relatively hard to come by for a much of the game. However, most--if not all--of what you need is provided by enemy drops and treasures. The only things that are really worth buying are components, which don't become truly useful until partway through Chapter 11. This also means that there's no real point to selling things you're not using, as you're likely not going to be using the gil you get. Just keep them around. Anyway, save and continue forward. You will run into a couple soldiers and an enemy encounter tutorial. Just auto-battle them to death. Continue forward until you see a small blue ring in front of a pile of rubble. These rings are jump points. Just continue forward through the ring to jump over the rubble. Fight some more wardens, jump some more rubble, and then you will see a small floating ball on the left side of the road. This is a treasure chest, which contains a potion. Continue forward. You'll fight a new enemy: Pantherons, but just auto-battle to death. On the stairs to the right is a chest containing two potions. Continue down the road, save, jump over the rubble and into another new enemy to auto-battle: Arial Recon. There's a chest on stairs to the left with an Iron Bangle. Equip it on Lightning to boost her HP. Back on the road, continue ahead. Continue on, and when you jump off the next set of stairs back onto the road, check right for a treasure chest and 50 gil. Continue forward until you reach a battle with an item usage tutorial. After the battle, backtrack to the stairs on the left, then save and jump onto the platform. The red ring on the platform signals something to be interacted with. Stand in the ring and press A to activate the platform. Move on to activate a battle with the Attack Chain tutorial. Location: The Resistance Front After the cutscene, you'll be playing as Snow. Check behind you for a chest with 50 gil. Move forward, save, then jump into the next screen. In battle, Snow begs a fundamental question regarding fighting in a Final Fantasy universe: why use weapons when you can beat people to death? Anyway, keep moving forward, beating and blowing people up until you see a cutscene where Snow asks for volunteers. After the scene, check the chest to the left for an Iron Bangle and give it to Snow. Save at the save point ahead, keep moving and beating, then punch out the Behemoth, and save after the cutscene. Back with Lightning, you'll fight a Myrmidon. Actually pay attention with this battle, you'll need to drop a couple potions when Lightning's health gets low. After several cutscenes, you're back with Snow, who survived a multi-story fall due to the protective properties of his bandanna. Grab the chest with a Power Circle, and equip it on Snow, then save on the left. After the first set of stairs, check right for a chest with 100 gil. At the end of the road, examine the machine to fly off. After the cutscene, you control Hope. Save at the save point, and then examine the airship. Chapter 1 complete! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2: The Pulse Vestige {Ch2} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Start off with an easy scripted fight, and then backtrack to where the airship crashed to find a chest with 30 gil. Save at the save point, and then go up the stairs to the right. Head left toward the treasure sphere and defeat all the enemies to unlock the chest with 4 Potions. Back down the other side of the stairs, you'll see a tutorial on pre-emptive strikes. Defeat the Scandroids and grab the Iron Bangle in the chest. Give it to Vanille. Jump over the rubble via the blue ring by a second crashed ship and head to the upper-right area to trigger a cutscene. You've switched back to Snow. Backtrack behind you for a chest with 2 Potions. Save at the save point and activate the green pillar dead ahead. You're back with Lightning again. After the cutscene, you'll see a Shroud tutorial. Save, and head straight ahead until you reach a large round platform, where you should defeat the Scandroids for a Phoenix Down. Before you fight the Myrmidon, you can make life easier by using a Shroud, or you can pop potions like last time. In either case, head up the stairs, grab the chest with the Gladius, equip it to Lightning, and keep going up. There's another Myrmidon with a Pantheron, so prepare with a Shroud or have some potions ready. Head forward to trigger a cutscene, then you're back with Snow. Backtrack again to find 2 potions, then head forward and activate another green pillar and hop on the elevator platform. Hope you had fun with Snow, because now you're back to Vanille! Head up the stairs and to the right for a Fortisol, then head through the hall behind you. You've already been through everything else. Save in the new screen, and keep going, taking the chest with 100 gil on the way. After the cutscene, Snow joins your battle as party leader against the Cie'th. However, after the battle you're back with Lightning! Head to the platform to nowhere with the Power Wristband, which increases Strength by 20. Give this to Sazh. Keep the Iron Bangle on Lightning to keep her HP up. Head up the stairs until you see a big Cie'th in an archway. It's not as scary as it looks, but Fortisol can help if you have trouble. Save, then head into the next area. Hack through the Ghouls until you reach two more Ghasts. Pop a Fortisol, but still keep an eye on HP. During the cutscene, everybody meets up, and your party is left with Lightning, Snow, and Sazh. Switch Snow's Iron Bangle with Sazh's Power Wristband to make Snow a juggernaut, and then head up. On the horizontal platform there's a chest with 5 potions and a save point, then head forward until a cutscene triggers. After a series of very bad decisions, you're fighting a Fal'Cie! /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Anima Strategy: Take out both the manipulators, and then hit Anima while it's regenerating them. Do not attack Anima with the manipulators alive, as they will rock your socks for it! It will take a few rounds of regeneration to bring down Anima, and a couple potions, even with the manipulators down. Reward: Doctor's Code \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Chapter 2 complete!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 3: Lake Bresha {Ch3} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------After several cutscenes, you'll be forced into a battle with the paradigm system tutorial. Then, after another cutscene, you get yet another tutorial, this time about the Crystarium (aka Sphere Grid, for you FFX players out there). Jump over the gap, and head off to the left to grab a chest with a Pearlwing Staff. It's a new weapon for Vanille, and it may not seem as good, but keep in mind that Vanille has no physical attacks since becoming a l'Cie. Backtrack, save, and head up the other branch. Make sure to jump up on the platform with the chest with 7 chipped fangs. After the series of impressive jumps, go right for a chest with 200 gil, then approach Snow for a cutscene that lands you in a battle with...another tutorial! Continue on, getting the 5 Cie'th Tears on the right on the way. Once you first encounter Breshan Bass, head to the left for a Silver Bangle. Give it to Lightning. Careful, the bass are a little tougher than enemies you've fought so far. If you see character dipping in to the yellow, switch paradigms to Solidarity to heal. Backtrack, head up the other branch, and save at the save point ahead. Continuing on, past the cutscene and the Pantherons (which you should absolutely wreck with your new Crystarium powers), there's a chest with a Phoenix Down. Before going through the archway, there's another chest with 50 gil on the right. A little further up is a chest with 8 vials of strange fluid, then a Magician's Mark past the PSICOM guys on the left. Equip it on Vanille. Continue up, make some more impressive jumps, and save. After the cutscene, you'll be in a battle with...another tutorial! Slash boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Manasyin Warmech Like the tutorial says, the warmech can mess you up if you let it. As soon as your party is in the yellow, switch to Solidarity to heal. What this really means is, when it uses its laser sweep move, switch to Solidarity, because soon it will follow up with Crystal Rain, which does a whole lot of damage. Once you're healed, you can continue ruining its day with Relentless Assault. Remember: better safe than dead. Reward: Digital circuit \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Your party changes up after the fight, and Solidarity turns into Diversity, but operates much the same way, if not better. Remember to use your CP, then continue on. When the path branches again, go right for 6 more vials of strange fluid. Jump down to the tube on the left for Deneb Duelers and 240 gil. Equip the duelers on Sazh, then go back and take the right tube. Once across, take the tube on the right to get 6 vials of enigmatic fluid. Turn around and press forward. When you see the bridge, go right for 7 wicked fangs. Cross the bridge, then go back after the dialogue and activate the machine to open the way. Save once across the bridge again, and then get into battle with...another tutorial! Wail on the behemoth, switch to Diversity if necessary, then backtrack and grab the chest on the ledge after the battle for a Librascope.

Move forward into another cutscene, then onward until the path splits again. On the right are two digital circuits. After the bridge, make a series of impressive jumps, then take the upper path for 2 flasks of paraffin oil. Continue down through a semi-hidden ice cave for 50 gil, which reconnects with the main path. Once you get up to a larger platform, head right for 3 lengths on insulated cable. Save at the save point before you run into the cutscene and continue on. On the path there's a chest with 30 gil, then another chest in a slightly larger room with 6 begrimed claws. Location: Gates of Antiquity Once you reach the gates there is a save point on the right, then at the top of the stairs is a chest with 600 gil on the right. In the back of the room on the right is a chest with 2 digital circuits. Afterwards, jump on the bridge on the left side of the room. Once across the bridge, if you take the stairs down instead of jumping, there's a chest with 7 begrimed claws. In the back of this room on the left is a chest with a Spark Ring, then continue up the stairs and straight ahead of you on the path is a chest with 3 potions. Save at the save point ahead, then travel on through a few long hallways until you find a chest with a nugget of millerite. Once you get to the large room with pillars, you can jump over the doorway rubble to get back to the save point. If you take the path on the right of the large room, you reach a chest with a strip of ferroelectric film. Up the stairs is another save point, as well as a couple chests with a phoenix down and two Librascopes, then head up for a scene and a boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Garuda Interceptor Use Libra on the Garuda Interceptor first thing, and then after that standard tactics apply. Relentless Assault until you're hurt, then switch to Diversity to heal. After the cutscene, Libra again, and continue pounding on it. Your priority is to stagger it so you can actually do damage. Reward: Silver Bangle \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ After the battle, Sazh will be able to use the Synergist role, and Vanille can be a Saboteur. But none of that matters, because you're back with Snow! Pop some potions during the battle to keep your health up, but otherwise it's not too hard. Then you are immediately plunged into battle with...another tutorial! Slash Eidolon battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Eidolon Battle: Shiva The important thing to remember here is the last part of the tutorial, saying that the Shiva sisters appreciate defensive roles. Just switch to Sentinel, and time your steelguards for when you see Shiva move. When you see her go into "ATB Charge," wait for it to end, and then activate your guard. She'll start doing them consistently toward the end of the doom counter. Guard against a few of those, and you'll see a prompt to push the X button on the right side of the screen. Do so to end the battle. The

other important thing to note is that only one of the sisters actually attacks you. The other one heals you, so just concentrate on guarding. \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Chapter 3 complete! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 4: The Vile Peaks {Ch4} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------After the cutscene you'll fight some Pantherons. When's the last time you remember playing a game that had the same enemies at a several hours through as on the first level? Anyway, go down the path until you trigger another scene. Now you're using the other half of the team, Lightning and Hope. For this team, set the Supersoldier Paradigm as your default, then switch to Slash & Burn once Hope has fully buffed the party (Protect/Shell on both characters). Use War & Peace if you need a heal. Save at the save point, then hop up to the right to grab a chest with a Librascope. After several series of impressive jumps, a cutscene triggers. Back with Sazh and Vanille, similar tactics apply. Buff/debuff with Syn/Sab, Dualcasting for damage, Rav/Med to heal. Save at the save point, then continue on. Up ahead, a bunch of robots are fighting. Stagger the Pulsework Soldier first, as it is difficult to stagger enemies without a commando, and it has lots of HP. Then buff, then switch back to damage. After dealing with the robots, activate the machine to open the way. Up ahead you will find a chest with a Black Belt. Activate the panel to continue, then just keep going until you find Hope. Now tactics can change up a bit. You can basically have any Paradigms you want, as long as you have damage, heal, and buff/debuff. I had three combos: Rav/Rav/Rav, Syn/Sab/Rav, and Rav/Med/Syn. Start with casting Faith on everyone and debuffing enemies, then follow with full attack. Heal when necessary (which also has hope casting Protect/Shell). Of course, you can always use a Fortisol to skip straight to hurting things, too... Also, Now that you have three party members, you can force staggers just by throwing enough spells at enemies, and maybe throwing one spell at a time with Y to keep the chain gauge up. Once you get to the top of the cliff, there is a chest with a Ninurta, which I did not equip. Save up ahead and continue on until you reach a cutscene. Keep going until you find a save point on the left with treasure spheres containing phoenix down and a Metal Armband. Then it's just forward march until you reach another save point. Lightning joins up ahead. Keep Lightning as a Commando no matter what. Other than that keep Bully as the default Paradigm, followed by Relentless Assault. Diversity heals. Full steam ahead until you reach a machine at the end of the path. Activate it to open the way. Save and continue. Inside an open crate to the right is a chest with a Librascope. Up ahead on the right is another chest with an Ember Ring. Keep going to another save point, then a cutscene triggers ahead for a boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Dreadnought Buff yourself, Deprotect the Dreadnought, and then go for the stagger. Pretty standard battle. Just remember to recast Deprotect when it finishes Steam Cleaning itself. The second phase is the exact same thing, except you

need to keep an even closer eye on HP. Reward: Omni-kit \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ After the battle Sazh can become a Commando, and Lightning can become a Medic. Also, you will FINALLY be able to upgrade weapons and accessories with all those until-now useless components you've been collecting. Upgrades are completely inefficient at this point, but the basics are as follows: organic components give experience bonus multipliers, digital components are worth more Exp, but reduce the multiplier. The maximum multiplier is x3. There's a save point up ahead where you can experiment with upgrades if you want. After that is a scene, which ends in Lightning and Hope fighting some PSICOM guys. After more cutscenes, it's Lightning and Hope off again. Tactics are easy. Lightning Commandos, Hope does whatever else you need. Another save point ahead. Keep moving, then off to the left is a treasure sphere with 3 fiber-optic cables. The next time the path splits, there's a chest with a Librascope to the right. Another save point, then another cutscene, leading to a battle, then another cutscene. Now you're riding a battlemech, which kind of operates like a super-chocobo. A button attacks, running through fences regains power. You can always just run enemies over, too. After your mini-rampage, check the spheres for a Spark Ring and 300 gil. In the tunnel is a chest with 2 electrolytic capacitors, then a save point up ahead. At the split in the road, go right for a chest with a Spark Ring. The next split has a chest with a phoenix down on the right. Keep going to another save point, and the inevitable cutscene ahead of it. Time for another Eidolon battle! /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Eidolon Battle: Odin This battle is a bit different than the Shiva battle. Set up a paradigm for two Medics, medic and Synergist, Medic and Ravager, and two Ravagers. Start with the Medic/Synergist combo to buff Shell and Protect. Then switch to Medic and Ravager until Odin starts wrecking one of your party members even harder than usual, and switch to double Medic. When he uses his shield move, make sure you're totally healed, then switch to double Ravager. It takes a lot of switching paradigms, and a lot of healing, but it can be done. \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Don't forget to change your paradigms back to normal. cutscene and battle with...another tutorial! Beat on under Lightning's health is mostly full and/or Odin's then press X. Use the left joystick and the A button with Y before Odin disappears. Continue on to the enemies until the gauge gauge is mostly empty, to attack. Finish off

After the battle, you're in control of Sazh and Vanille. Backtrack all the way to a chest with a phoenix down, then head back up to the save point. Slash and Burn should be fine as a default paradigm. You shouldn't need to buff too much. However, you may want to debuff the Pulsework Soldiers so you can actually do damage to them. Press forward until you find a machine to activate. Do so to open the way. When the path splits, go right for an Auric Amulet. Save at the save point and

keep on trucking. Up ahead on the path is a chest with an Ember Ring. When the path opens up, there is a save point in the center, and the lower right path has a tuft of phoenix down. After that, work your way around and start activating the four machines on the catwalk around the central machine. Once the machine is fully active, you can backtrack to the previous section. There are some new walkways you can get some swag: 8 iron shells and 6 vials of vibrant ooze. On the new inner catwalk you opened up, on the right there is a Fortisol. Grab it and move on up. The battle with two bombs and two clockwork soldiers can be tough, so you might want to drop a shroud before the battle. Up ahead on the trail is a chest with 300 gil, then a cutscene and the option to save after that. When you gain control of Snow, head into the shop in the center of the beach and talk to Snow's friends, then find Serah on the dock. Chapter 4 complete! Disc 1 complete! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 5: The Gapra Whitewood {Ch5} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------After changing discs, saving, and watching a cutscene, you're in control of Hope and Lightning. Since Hope is the leader, give him Lightning's Silver Bangle, and give her the Black Belt. You should also have enough CP to get Hope an additional accessory slot, if you leveled up his Synergist enough. When you're ready, follow the path until you find another cutscene, then activate the elevator. Another save point, then keep moving. When the path finally splits, wreck the behemoth on the left and grab the chest for 3 antidotes. Go on ahead for another cutscene, then take the elevator down and save. At the second light pillar, there is a chest with a Hawkeye on the right. Keep on keeping on until you get to another cutscene, then save, get on another elevator, watch another cutscene. Now you're in a large pit area. The message that pops up basically means "kill everything you see to proceed." If the Silver Lobos poison you, don't worry too much, just heal if your health gets low. In the third pen area, there is a chest with 6 antidotes immediately on the right. After the fourth pen, there is a short cutscene and you're forced into battle with a Feral Behemoth. Use Libra to find its weakness (water), then cast Protect on both party members and keep your health up, but otherwise just Commando/Ravager to stagger it, and then stomp it into the ground. Or air, should Lightning have the Launch ability. After the battle, proceed forward, and then climb up the giant crystal leaf thing. At the top there will be another cutscene. After the scene, Lightning will be in charge, so give her back the Silver Bangle. Otherwise everything stays the same. Head forward and climb down the giant crystal leaf thing. Save at the bottom. The top path has a chest with a Star Pendant. I equipped it on Hope. Take the middle path afterwards. Climb another giant crystal leaf thing, and follow the path to another cutscene. A couple light pillars later, there is a chest on the left with an Edged Carbine. After you fight another

Feral Behemoth, climb down the giant crystal leaf thing and save. If you go behind the electric fence on the left, there is a treasure sphere with 1500 gil. When the path splits, go right for a chest with 8 vials of fragrant oil. Before jumping up the next giant crystal leaf thing, head to the next pen area for a chest with a Watchman's Amulet. Once on the upper path, take the elevator up to the next area and save. Up ahead is a cutscene, then keep moving. Right on the path is a chest with an Ethersol, and a save point. Activate the panel at the other end of the platform to trigger a boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Aster Protoflorian This boss battle is pretty standard. Libra, buff, stagger, own. It changes its vulnerabilities, but Libra keeps up with it, so auto-battle will still be effective. Reward: Tungsten Bangle \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ After the battle, march on to a save point, then onward to a cutscene. Chapter 5 Complete! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 6: Sunleth Waterscape {Ch6} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Location: Sunleth Waterscape Man, they keep teasing you with letting you use Snow again, don't they? Anyway, Sazh and Vanille off again. Make sure to level them up; it's impressive. Save and move on. When the path branches, go left for a chest with 8 vials of mysterious fluid. Going on ahead, there's a chest next to a save point with a Belladonna Wand. When the path opens up, there's a chest on the right side with a set of Procyons. When the path splits again, go left for a chest with a Doctor's Code. After that, there's a cutscene ahead. The Scalebeast the message warns you about isn't a death sentence. Just stagger it like anyone else. It takes time and a couple staggers, but it gives a good amount of CP, so it may be worth it. Pre-emptive strikes help, as does Faith. Jump down to the left and defeat the Scalebeast for a chest with 15 iron shells. On the main path there's another chest with a Librascope. Down a bit further there's another chest with 10 scaled wings. At the waterfall you'll run smack into a cutscene. After the scene, Sazh is gone, so set off to the left to find him. After the next scene, hop across the rocks to the save point and move on to another cutscene! On the right path, there's a chest with a Metal Armband. Basically, the idea of the next section is to change the weather to suit the enemies you want to fight. If you turn off the rain, there are Wyverns around. If you choose to take one on, pop a shroud, debuff and stagger. There is a Metal Armband after the second weather orb, and an Aqua Ring on the left after the fourth orb. Also note that enemies will respawn when you change the

weather, so this is a good place to level for a bit, especially since the upcoming boss battle is relatively difficult. When you reach the save point, there is a cutscene and boss battle afterwards. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Enki and Enlil Toss a Librascope at the bosses, and then the fun begins. You'll have to switch constantly between all your paradigms. Try and buff yourselves while debuffing them. I also highly recommended that you level up Vanille until she has Esuna, because they can cast Deprotect/Deshell on you. Watch out for "Enrage," because it means they're going to do a lightning- or waterbased attack very soon. Keep your HP up and try and take one out. The second one will be much easier. Reward: Fulmen Ring and Riptide Ring \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Head up the ramp until you reach the electric fence. Head through the fence for a cutscene and save option. End of Chapter 6! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 7: Palumpolum {Ch7} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Make sure to level your characters, but otherwise you should be good to go. At the end of the areas you're in, hook around to the left to find 3 lengths of fiber-optic cable, and then drop down into the sewer on the top-left side of the map. There's a semi-hidden left turn a short walk up with a chest containing 3 holy waters. Hop out of the sewer, and then head up the hill. You should really do everything in your power to avoid the flying motorcycle enemy. Its Gatling Gun attack WILL kill Lightning, even with protect and both character spamming Cure. Just wait until it flies by and run to the next sewer entrance. If you're dead set on killing it, Libra, Protect, and summon Odin. Don't worry about your bestiary, plenty more of these show up later. Once you're in the sewer and jump down to the main duct, there's a chest on the right with a Librascope. Jump down, save, and continue to a cutscene. Activate the machine to summon the elevator platform, and head across the gap. Once across, activate another machine and get back on the same elevator to get to a platform with a phoenix down and 4 holy waters. Down the path a bit, approach Hope to examine the Fal'Cie. At the elevator platform, activate the left machine to get to a platform with 2 Mobius coils and an Aqua Ring. Then head back, and just get back on the elevator to continue. A bit down the path, there is another cutscene, after which just keep going. On the path there is a chest with a Warding Talisman. Down the path, after another cutscene, get on the elevator and cross the gap, and then save and continue to another cutscene leading to a battle. Snow is finally back, riding his lesbian someone's day! Shiva works the same way of a direction and the A button (or just almost out of time, then ruin everyone's twin motorcycle straight into as Odin. Press various combinations press A to auto-battle) until you're day by pressing Y.

As the ensuing tutorial says, Snow's best suit is tanking. Set him as Sentinel until Hope can whittle down the enemies, and then finish them off with Slash & Burn. Obviously you should focus on weak enemies first, so you can bring the full wrath of your party down on stronger enemies. An important thing to note is that Provoked enemies are easier to stagger, though another party member would be necessary to take full advantage of that. LEVEL UP SNOW OR YOU WILL REGRET IT. When you're done setting up your party's CP, Paradigms, and equipment, save and continue. After hopping up the ice cave, before jumping on the next ice track, go all the way to the end of the path you're on for a chest with a Fortisol. After the ice track, go up the ramp to a platform with a Paladin. I kept Snow with the Power Circle because he's already blocking bazooka shots; he doesn't need another defense boost. When you hop down into the outer rim, head left for a chest with 4 lengths of insulated cabling. Save and continue until you reach a cutscene. When you regain control, Fang is leading your party. Lightning is a better Commando, but you need her as a Ravager for chain bonuses. You don't need Fang as a Sentinel unless you're healing. So I had Fang as Commando and Lightning as Ravager, then Sab/Com and Sen/Med. Fang casts Slow as a Saboteur. When you've set up your party (CP, equip, Paradigm), save and continue until you reach a cutscene. Upon regaining control, you're playing as Snow and Hope again. Turn around for a chest with 4 holy waters, then save and go kick some butt. At the first intersection, you can jump up to an upper path at the left corner, and then continue to the end for 2 incentive chips. Farther up, you'll find a treasure sphere with a Guardian Armlet and a save point. There's a cutscene after the path takes a turn into an alley. The following battle will take forever if you wait for Hope to kill a couple of them, so Protect yourself, then switch between Slash and Burn and Lifeguard for healing. After a couple of the air soldier battles, there's another cutscene. Save up ahead, and forward march into yet another cutscene. Once you drop down to the lower road, backtrack for a Shaman's Mark, which is amazing for Hope. And with Snow's Sentinel, you can actually beat the Falco Velocycle that shows up without summoning Shiva! When you get to the end of the section you're on, take the narrower upper path for 3 thrust bearings, then to the right for a Vidofnir. Upon getting across the bridge and up the ramp, there's a chest to the right with a Deceptisol. After hopping up the scaffolding, hook around to the right for 2000 gil. A few battles and some jumps later, you're at a save point, past which is a cutscene and boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Ushumgal Subjugator Let Hope buff the party, and apply Libra. Slash & Burn for damage, Lifeguard for healing. As long as Barfire stays active, neither of your characters should have much to worry about. Just watch out for his launch move. Reward: Abominable Wing \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Scene, save, scene, back with Fang and Lightning.

Backtrack for 10 bestial claws. Save point on top of the scaffolding. There's a Gae Bolg on the lower path a bit ahead. It has Improved Counter for Fang. Which would be great...if she had any counter moves. Since she doesn't, stick with the Bladed Lance. When you come up against the Lodestar Behemoth, the phrase "Exceptionally high HP" appears in the notes. It also has an exceptionally high stagger point. In addition, when its health gets lower, it stands up and starts using a giant sword. Still, slow it, beat on it, and heal yourself, and you'll be fine. If you want to use a Deceptisol to get the drop on it, that works fine too. Up ahead on the path is another cutscene, then continue on. In the upper right corner before the path narrows on the left, there's a chest with an Axis Blade. Go on for another cutscene. Save at the save point afterwards. In the upperleft corner of the first large room, there's a Tungsten Bangle. Follow the hallway to the right. Take the staircase on the left down for a treasure sphere with a Black Belt. Down the next set of stairs is a save point, then down the next hallway for a scene leading into a battle. Using Hope. By himself. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Ushumgal Subjugator It's actually not that bad. Buff yourself, Libra, and Ravage it to death. Medic to heal, obviously. Eventually Fang and Lightning will join, and Fang will lead. Get everyone Protected and the boss slowed, then beat on it with Relentless Assault. Diversity to heal. When it gets staggered, Fang will launch it, making it useless and doing phenomenal amounts of damage (I maxed out at 999.99% chain gauge). Rinse and repeat. Reward: Shield Talisman \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ When you regain control of Fang, there's a treasure on the left with a phoenix down, then approach Hope for a scene. Afterwards, save at the save point, and activate the television by the red ring. At the end of the scene, you're in a battle with Lightning leading. Same tactics. Evened Odds, Relentless Assault, Diversity. When the battle's over, adjust your party. The Shield Talisman you won from the Subjugator is great for your party leader (Lightning). Then level everyone, and set up your Paradigms to include a Com/Com/Rav, so you can finally use Lightning as the Commando she was born to be. Near where you start is a chest with an Ethersol, and in the very back of the house is a Brawler's Wristband. You need to defeat all the enemies to be able to open them. Head into room by the red ring when you're ready. The end result is a boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Havoc Skytank This thing is a monster. It has 3.8 metric asstons of HP, is immune to all status ailments, cannot be staggered, and hits like a nuclear rhinoceros. First goal is to Protect yourself. After that, keep a Medic on hand and use the other two to attack. Ruin works just as well as any Ravager spell; the only downside to two Commandos is that the second Commando will attack a different target. Fang's Sentinel is useless because the Skytank cannot be Provoked. Attack the turrets and hulls first to reduce its firepower. Then it will open up its main cannon, but if you keep up Protect and your HP, this isn't anywhere near as bad as having two turrets, two missile bays, and a pulse cannon raining bad day on your heads.

Reward: Uraninite \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Chapter 7 Complete! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 8: Nautilus {Ch8} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Now you're in control of Sazh and Vanille, who have a lot of CP to spend. Make sure Sazh gets Haste! It is (in my opinion) the most effective buff in the game. Save at the save point nearby, then head toward the map marker. After the scene, go to the next map marker for another scene. And after THAT scene, head to the map marker for ANOTHER scene. Despite all the people and the visual activity, there's not a lot to do here. Guess what steps in. at the end facing the you do next? That's right, elevator at the map marker, scene a few There's a save point near the lift, too. There's a treasure sphere of the uppermost branch of this area. That's third to the left when elevator. The chest contains a phoenix down.

Down the main path is a scene. Surprised? Me too. Examine the gaggle of overly-adorable midget sheep at the far end of the path, followed by the souvenir cart, followed by the fountain, followed by the group of chocobos on the right side of the area. This drops a treasure sphere with a Star Pendant. There's a save point down the path, then another scene, which puts you next to a save point with lots of angry soldiers ahead of you. A bit down the path there's a pair of Spica Defenders. When the path splits, go right. When it splits again, go straight for a Guardian Armlet. When it splits yet again, save at the save point, then go straight to receive a Healer's Staff, which boosts Vanille's Cure spell. There's a boss battle past the save point in the other direction. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Midlight Reaper You'll want to make sure Sazh has learned Haste, because it makes a hundred thousand HP go by a lot faster. It's a pretty long battle anyway. Make sure Sazh keeps the party Hasted and Faithed, and have Vanille Imperil it. After that, Libra, Slash and Burn, stagger, repeat. When it readies its main cannon, make sure the person it's targeting is fully healed. If you're unsure, just heal both characters. As long as you stay faster than it, you'll come out on top in the end. Reward: The Motherload \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ After the scene, walk forward into a scene, which ends in an Eidolon battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Eidolon Battle: Brynhilder Vanille is back in the party, so you won't die immediately. Brynhilder likes people who buff party members, so just spam buffs until you're just repeating yourself, and then switch to a damage Paradigm. Heal when necessary, and spam more buffs if they run out. \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/

Chapter 8 complete! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 9: The Palamecia {Ch9} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Location: The Lindblum When you're ready to leave (CP, equip, etc.), talk to the man at the map marker to proceed. Location: The Palamecia When you land, you're forced into a battle. Your party is Fang, Hope, and Lightning leading. The Paradigms you start with are fine, with the exception of making Lightning [one of] your medic[s] once she learns Raise. Defeat the enemies in the first room, after which you'll make a series of impressive jumps, and activate the panel by the red ring. Hop on the elevator, make more impressive jumps, and turn right for 4 digital circuits. At the end of the path, there's a short scene. Backtrack once it's done for some millerite. Once you hop across a parked ship, turn right for 3 incentive chips. After the next ship you jump over, there's a chest to the left with 4 flasks of silicone oil. Head inside the main ship for a scene. When you're back in control, save and go kick some butt. At the intersection, you can go straight to reach a save point in the next area, or you can turn right to continue. The first turn after going right has a treasure sphere with a Lifesaber. A bit further up is an Ember Ring, and a save point ahead of that. Toward the end of the hallway on the right is a chest with a Pandoran Spear, and ahead of that is a cutscene. You're back in charge of Sazh and Vanille, so do all the normal party-change stuff, save, and head out. Use the panel on the left of the first bulkhead you run into to proceed. When the path splits, turn right twice, then use the panel to open up a room with a Royal Armlet. At the top of the path, grab the 12 vials of murky ooze in the chest, then open the bulkhead and proceed into a cutscene. Back with Lightning and crew, run up to a save point then head right. About a quarter of the way around, there's a treasure on the right containing a White Cape. On the other side of the room you can find a Pain Dampener. The bottom portion of the innermost ring has some rhodochrosite, and the top has a perfect conductor. Approach the door at the top for a scene, which leaves you back with Sazh and Vanille. Save at the save point, and then go around to one side. The middle path is entirely too difficult. When you get around to the top, backtrack up to the middle and grab the chest with a phoenix down. After the next scene, a battle ensues. This is moderately difficult for these characters, but take out the wasps first, then turn your attention to the Thermadon. Buff/debuff as always, then Slash and Burn until staggered. Back with Lightning again, save at the save point and backtrack to find a Whistlewind Scarf. After the section with the airbrakes, take the rightmost path to find a perfect conductor. Fight through the next section until you reach a save point, then run down the raised path to find 13 barbed tails. In the next section, take one of the moving platforms down to the lower path. There is a treasure sphere by the third moving platform containing 300 gil.

After that, traverse to the far upper-right corner to obtain a Spark Ring. As you walk through the next path, a boss battle will trigger at the map marker. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Kalavinka Striker This boss is much easier than some of the previous ones. Libra, buff/debuff, Relentless Assault, dead. I never even healed, and still only got 3 stars. It's a little tougher when it comes by the second time, but only because of its new high-power single-character laser. Still not a big deal. Reward: Soulfont Talisman \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ After the scene, your full party is together for the first time. And you can FINALLY change who's in it! I ended up with Lightning (who you still have to have as your leader), Sazh, and Fang. The Paradigms I set were Com/Syn/Sab, Rav/Rav/Com, Med/Com/Sen, Med/Rav/Com, and Com/Rav/Sen. Save when you have your party set up, activate the panel opposite the save point. Activate the panel on the left side of the platform you just got to, and you'll find a treasure sphere with a Librascope. Activate the left panel on that platform to get a Pain Dampener. Repeat on the other side of the room for 2 Rune Bracers. Continue down the right side of the room and you'll find an Umbra on the next platform. The next platform down on the other side of the room has 3600 gil. Once you get down to the next level, extend the platforms on either side to get a perfect conductor and a Gold Bangle. When you're ready, head down the middle to the final platform, which has an Ethersol and a save point. Go to the door to trigger a scene and boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Barthandelus First order of business: Librascope. This is almost exactly like the Skytank battle. Buff yourself, and then destroy Barthandelus's various armor pieces. Once you've done that, you can apply some debuffs to make life easier. Keep your buffs/debuffs and HP up, and you'll eventually work your way though that 400k HP. Reward: Entite Ring \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Chapter 9 complete! Disc 2 complete! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 10: The Fifth Ark {Ch10} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------When you regain control, save and head up the tunnel. There's another save point after the scene, then continue up to another cutscene and battle. After the battle, you can change your party leader, and give all characters all roles. Be warned, however, it is horrendously expensive to train a character in a role they are not naturals in. There's a Hero's Amulet down the path to the right once the cutscene is done. Once you get to the open area, hang a left to nab 8 bomb shells. After that,

just advance until you reach another save point. At the bottom of the stairs, hop onto the far track and head left for a Saint's Amulet. Then head the other way on the same track, hop up the rubble to the right at the intersection to grab a chest containing 10 vials of medicinal oil. When the path reaches another junction, turn right and nab the chest with a Rainbow Anklet, then turn around for a save point. Once through the door, turn left and follow the narrow ledge, then jump off the far side. Turn right for 600 gil, then turn around and go the other way. Jump down the far side again, and then turn left through the door. Save at the save point and continue forward into a cutscene. The Beserkers look big and tough and scary, but they stagger and die like everything else. To the right of the exit is a sphere with a pair of Rigels, which do not stagger enemies. Aka suck. Once through the door, activate the panel on the left by the red ring. There's a save point at the bottom, then turn right to nab a chest with an Auric Amulet. Go down the other way on the other track until the track turns around and you run into a Greater Behemoth, which is best if you sneak up on, but isn't unbeatable by other means by any stretch. When the track ends, hop down to the right for a chest with an Alicanto. Same deal as the Regels. If you jump up to the platform with all the Noctilucales (slugs) and then jump across to the platform with the slugs and behemoth, you can find a chest with 7 gargantuan claws. Continue down the path until you reach the next station. There's a treasure sphere on the right side of the far wall with a Metal Armband and another one right of the save point with an Ethersol. Down the path a bit more you'll run into a cutscene and boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Cid Raines Raines has this annoying little habit of changing what he's doing depending on what you're doing. If you're buffing, he'll attack the buffer. If you're attacking, he'll heal (including his debuffs). But if you keep up the pressure, his HP will start to drop. When he sprouts wings at about two-thirds health, that's when the fun starts. He'll start to buff himself, debuff your party/remove your buffs, and damage your entire party at once. You may want to keep a Sentinel on hand at all times, and switch the other two between buff/debuff, healing, and damage. When he guards, that's your chance to breathe. You can heal, re-apply buffs/debuffs, or go all out attacking him to drive up his chain gauge. Reward: Tetradic Crown \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ After the battle and scene, head in the direction of the map marker to save, then activate the elevator. Once you get to the main area, work your way down. It doesn't matter which way you go. The inner path has battles, the outer path doesn't. Save once you enter the door at the bottom and enter the door. Kick ass, take names, go to the other door. Same deal in the next room. There's a chest in the next corridor, open it for a Feymark. In the next area, proceed until you reach a jump, jump down the far side, and enter the door. Another fight room. Take it or leave it. In the second fight room, hang a left to find a third fight room. You'll be forced to fight a Berserker, but you'll be rewarded with 3 electrodes in the chest. Head to the map marker for a save point and another elevator.

Proceed through the next room to find another save point. When you cross the bridge, there are 2 otherworldly bones on the left side of the next hallway. Enter the door, fight the Berserkers, save, and activate the door by the red ring to trigger a scene and an Eidolon battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Eidolon Battle: Bahamut Bahamut likes people who weaken him, and can survive him. Start off by throwing every debuff you have at him, and then switch Fang to Sentinel. Heal when necessary, and have the other two attack. Bahamut's Gestalt Gauge builds up a lot faster than previous Eidolons, so as long as he doesn't mow you down, you should come out on top quickly. \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ After the battle, re-adjust your party if you want, then head down the new path for another cutscene. Chapter 10 complete! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 11: Gran Pulse {Ch11} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------There's a save point behind you if you care to use it, then adjust your party and head toward the map marker. There's a chest by the Dire Flan that contains a Partisan. Much further up you run into a cutscene and another Eidolon battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Eidolon Battle: Alexander Alexander likes buffs and heals, so have Hope buff your party to all hell, heal when necessary, and do damage otherwise. \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ With the Cie'th Stone tutorial comes YOUR FIRST SIDEQUEST AND THE DEATH OF LINEAR GAMEPLAY! Sidequests will be handled in the sidequests section, however. You can check that section for more details. The Archylte Steppe and connecting areas are ENORMOUS, and not directly related to the main quest. So right here I'm going to continue with the main story. However, I highly recommend that you check out the Archylte Steppe, Yaschas Massif, and Sidequests sections. You can get some cool items and level up significantly before you continue. When you're ready, follow the map marker until you reach a small path that leads to a cave. You'll see a brief scene to let you know you're going the right way. Location: The Mah'habara Subterra Shortly inside the cave you'll find a Hauteclaire. When the path splits, go straight and you'll come across a Boxed Phalanx. Defeat him first, or he'll just keep summoning more Hoplites. Of course, if you feel like fighting an infinite battle, go ahead. Just be warned that the Hoplites do a ton of damage, especially when the Phalanx buffs them to all hell. If you go right instead, you'll come across an optional boss: the Juggernaut.

If you decide to take him on, have a Syn/Sab/Sab, and a Com/Sab/Med in addition to Relentless Assault and Diversity. Start the battle off by giving yourself Haste and Barfire, and spamming Juggernaut with every debuff you have. He'll start using his Steam Cleaning move, during which you should use Diversity to heal and Relentless Assault to attack. When it's done, either switch back to Espionage or Scouting Party if you still need to heal. That way he'll spend a lot of his time Steam Cleaning and much less of his time wiping the floor with you. If you beat him there's a chest with a Platinum Bangle behind the door. Up ahead is a scene and save point. After the scene, Lenora's Garage will sell perfect conductors, which makes it feasible to upgrade your weapons. Use natural components (such as chipped fang, etc) until you have exp x3. Then buy all the perfect conductors you can afford, and use them all at once on the x3 weapon. Sell all your other digital components (unless they're better than perfect conductors) and put them toward perfect conductors, because digital components reduce your exp bonus. You may also want to play around with exactly how many conductors you need to max out a given weapon. No use wasting exp! Continue forward until you reach two hangars to your left with 4 electrodes and 4 lengths of chobham armor. Go on ahead for a cutscene. Head around to the right and hop across a couple broken platforms to find 4 tesla turbines. A bit further down the path is a sphere with 2 Saint's Amulets. When you hit sunlight again, save and prepare for an Eidolon battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Eidolon Battle: Hecatonchires Hecatonchires likes Medics and Saboteurs, so go ahead and do that. Use Divide & Conquer to debuff him, Lifeguard when you need a heal, and Slash & Burn any other time. The Doom counter was EXTRAORDINARILY LOW when I beat him, so it might take a few tries. \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Further down the path you'll find an Ice Charm. Save when the path opens up, then head to the right to find a particle accelerator. There's another Juggernaut on top, and no reason to take it on, so head left. There's a chest with 3 crystal oscillators on the right. Further down the path is a chest between two ramps. Nail it for 3 perfect conductors. When you get to the platform with the map marker, stand in the middle and examine the crates on the far side, and then go to the other platform and board Atomos. Location: The Sulyya Springs When you get off, save and continue until you see another scene. Upon regaining control, head right for 13 vials of strange fluid, then grab the 10 vials of enigmatic fluid on the next platform. Head right and you can score an Aquabane Brooch, 6 moistened scales, and 5 seapetal scales. Follow the path until you come upon 7 abyssal scales, and continue into another cutscene. There's a save point behind you, and then continue on. Just before the load door is a treasure sphere with a Cie'th tear. Location: Taejin's Tower Another save point, and keep moving. It's comforting to be following a straight line again, isn't it? Another scene further up.

To the left, before the doors to the tower, is a chest with 20 sinister fangs. There's a cutscene shortly inside the big circular room. Before getting on the lift, explore the room for 4721 gil, 12 chipped fangs, and a Sparkbane Brooch. When you're ready, save and get on the elevator. Once you get to the second tier, head out past the save point and into a cutscene. The pop-up tutorial says you need to go on missions for three Menhirrim, so let's get to that. Activate the statue by the red ring to receive mission mark 21. Accept the mission, then head up the stairs left of the statue. The mark is at the map marker. Haste, stagger, kill like anything else. Watch for Imperilga. You'll get a Speed Sash for killing it. Activate the statue in this room to go on mark mission 22. Follow the path around until you run straight into it. It's the one that looks like a blue Boxed Phalanx. Popping a Deceptisol makes this battle much easier. Buff/debuff, take out the Bellows, then destroy the minions. You'll get three particle accelerators. Examine the final statue and take on the final mission. The mark is in the room with the first statue. Just sneak up on it and it doesn't stand a chance. You'll pick up a Warrior's Wristband from it. Head back to the inner path for another cutscene, and then follow the path all the way around to find 5 spark plugs. Go up the stairs inside the room you passed, grabbing the Simurgh on the way. Activate the statue in the last room to continue. Go right once back on the inner path for 2 Metal Armbands, then head to the elevator and go to the fourth tier. Go forward, past the save point, and grab the 2 Glass Orbs, then head into the room and take the elevator to the fifth tier. In this room there are 9 ancient bones near the elevator. Obtain them, then activate the statue and start mission 24. The mark is in the same room. Kill it to obtain 6 moonblossom seeds. Go back down to the fourth tier. Take the exit on the other side of the original elevator and grab the Gale Ring, and the 2 Rainbow Anklets in the next room. Then take the elevator in that room up to the sixth tier. Activate the statue in this room and take on the Vetala hunt. Activate the statue in the next room to open up ANOTHER room, which contains 4 tears of woe and an Unsetting Sun. Go down the stairs, save, and the Vetala is at the bottom. Libra it, then cast at it until it staggers, then switch to physical attacks. Be prepared to heal. You'll get a cobaltite for killing it. In the same room as the Vetala is a chest with a Librascope, and then activate the statue in the next room for mission 26. Approach the statue outside for a cutscene. Backtrack to the last room of tier 6 to fight the mark. It's not a hard battle, but keep an eye on your HP. You get a Diamond Bangle from it. The ice around the last statue on the fifth tier has disappeared, so go back there, saving on the way. After the cutscene, activate the statue to open the way. Take the elevator down, then take the central elevator up to the sixth tier. Going forward, the first room on the left has a Clay Ring and 8 tears of remorse. In the next room, take the elevator to the apex. In this room you can find 2 Frostbane Brooches and an Ethersol. Once you're ready, go to the central platform for a boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Dahaka Libra, buff/debuff, and stagger. Once he recovers from the first stagger,

he'll inflict pretty much every status effect there is on your entire party, so you may want to use Dispelga. Later, he'll use a powerful full-party fire spell. His vulnerabilities change up, too, but keep hacking away with Relentless Assault until he's staggered again, and his vulnerabilities will return to normal, so go for the kill. Reward: Tetradic Tiara. \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ If you activate the statue on this floor, take the elevator down to the seventh tier, and activate the statue in that room, you can find a Collector's Catalog on the path. The central elevator will also go to all floors. When you're ready, go toward the map marker on the apex and take the elevator down. Location: Oerba Save, then walk down the path until you reach a road with another save point. Head left down a short side road for some perovskite. Down the road a bit further is a cutscene. On the upper floor of the house in front of you, examine the small robot on the floor for a scene. Outside, examine the small vehicle, then the bookshelf in the building to the left. Next, follow the path down, nabbing the Heavenly Axis on the way. Fight the Vampire at the bottom for the next part. Go up the small staircase on the left to grab a Librascope. Inside the building on the right a little further down is the next part by the blackboard. The roof of this building has a moogle puppet and some Pliades Hi-Powers. At the top of the path, save and head into the building. Once you get to the tracks at the top, examine the scrap heap directly ahead for the final part. Look left for a chest with a Flamebane Brooch. Backtrack to the little robot for a short scene, then talk to it for 10 Deceptisols, 2 ultracompact reactors, a gold nugget, 5 vials of perfume, 3 platinum ingots, and an achievement. Anyway, once you've sold the gold, platinum, and perfume and proceeded max out a couple weapons, continue on the path you were on top of before. There's a sphere with a Taming Pole not too far down. Next to the save point ahead is a chest containing an Ethersol. Shortly ahead is a cutscene and boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Barthandelus Haste yourself, then switch to Diversity for the rest of the battle. He attacks a lot, but none of them are particularly damaging, so you just need to stay on top of your HP. He inflicts some debuffs, but nothing Esuna can't fix. After two or three staggers, he'll be down. Again. Reward: Goddess's Favor \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Explore your newly-expanded Chrystarium, and then examine the Cie'th Stone for a cutscene. Board the ship when you're ready. Chapter 11 Complete! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 12: Eden {Ch12} -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the awesome cutscene, you're landed in battle with Lightning and Odin. I'm pretty sure the battle is just meant to be awesome, as the warmech never even attacked. Sanctum Labs opens up after the battle. Down the way a bit, there's a chest with a Lionheart behind an orange ring thing. After the next circular platform, you can wrap around to the right for 9240 gil. When you get to the semicircular platform, another cutscene. Save and go knock some heads. Another scene, more heads to knock. Activate the red pods at the end of the path. The scene puts you in battle with a Behemoth King. A few battles forward is a chest with a Rebel Heart. Further up, by the Proto-Behemoth (which is frankly easier than a Behemoth King) is a sphere with an Otshivani. Save and hop the rubble into a boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: The Proudclad This throwback is immune to all status effects and halves all elements, so just buff yourself and hack away at it. Relentless Assault/Diversity to stagger, then switch to Com/Com/Med for damage. After it recovers from the first stagger is when it lets loose, buffs itself, and starts counterattacking, so focus on healing for that portion. Eventually it'll let up, and you can start doing some damage again. Reward: Particle accelerator. \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Hop across the gap and onto the elevator. Yay more cutscenes! You know how at the beginning of Chapter 11 I told you not to go up against the giant turtles? Yeah, that's still true. Have a Medic handy at all times, buff your party like it's going out of style, and then do your best to stagger it. After the battle, save and Jump off the rubble at the turtle, loop around to the are 5 perfect conductors. press forward. There's a Punisher a bit further up. end of the road. When you see the next giant right to find 15000 gil. On the sidewalk near there Open the door at the bottom of the stairs.

Use the save point and keep going. When the path splits, going straight will net you 6 particle accelerators once you get to the circular section. Going straight instead of turning right from there allows you to procure a Librascope. The next circular section has 2 Blaze Rings on the right hand side. After that, take the path with the Tyrant on it toward the other circular section. Take the stairs shortly on the right and you'll come across a Champion's Badge. Go left from the stairs until you reach the map marker and a cutscene. Save at the save point, and grab the chest in sight of it for a pair of Antares Deluxes. Make your way through the minefield of Humbabas and Juggernauts until you reach another cutscene. Save, then nab one of the two chests directly ahead for a plush chocobo on the right OR 6 particle accelerators on the left. The even-gianter turtle will then break the glass, taking the chest with it. I recommend the particle accelerators. If you're worried about the Treasure Hunter achievement, don't worry, it specifically says "weapons and accessories." I suppose you could try to kill it, but it definitely one-shot my whole party... Once past that, in an alcove to the right are 17 hellish talons, and opposite that are another 12 hellish talons. Then open the door at the map marker. Save and continue up to the chest with a Mistileteinn. Further up is a

cutscene. Go right and follow the path until you see another cutscene. Save and grab the chest near the save point with a Power Glove. Make sure to grab the Ethersol at the end of the path, then prepare for a boss battle! /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: The Proudclad Once again, immune to all status ailments, so buff your party and start hurting it. It doesn't do a lot of damage at once, but it does steady damage, so keep a Medic on tap. Once again, the trouble comes when it "Deactivates Limiters." Make sure to keep your HP topped off, or it can get the drop on you pretty fast. This is a very long battle, mostly because its stagger gauge resets every time it switches modes. Really the best thing you can do is stagger it, launch it, and do everything in your power to make sure it doesn't touch ground again. Reward: Royal Armlet and Eden Pharmaceuticals \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Save and get onto the elevator. Chapter 12 complete! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 13: Orphan's Cradle {Ch13} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------At the top of the stairs is a scene and another save point. Hop over to the map marker for another scene. At this point you can choose to return to Gran Pulse or Edenhall for any unfinished business (sidequests, leveling, treasures, etc.). If you take the path opposite the map marker, you can find a Librascope, a Cherub's Crown, and some millerite. When you're ready, go to the map marker and examine the flying statue thing to activate two moving platforms. Taking the one on the left, then going to the end of the right path gets you 4 superchargers. Taking the left path, then dropping down to the right gets you 4 perfect conductors. Taking the ramp down from there lets you find a chest with 5 turboprops. Back on the main path, the ends of the opposite side have 2 particle accelerators and some uranite. Taking the right moving platform has 20 seaking's beards right there. Take the ramp up and you'll find 2 Ageisols immediately on the right. Before the next ramp up are 9 tears of woe on the left, and at the top of the ramp is a Gale Ring. Backtrack all the way to the bottom and loop right before the map marker to find a Shamanistic Spear. Go down the ramp, save, and examine the flying statue thing. After activating the statue, hop up to the right, then back down left a little bit up and continue to the end of the path for a sphere containing a Tetradic Crown. After that, backtrack, jump down to the right, and get on the moving platform there. Save at the save point and go all the way down the right path for 6 starblossom seeds. On the left path, turn left the first time you can to find a chest with 8 mats of black myoclium. At the end of the path, turn left again to nail a chest with some rhodochrosite. NOTE: Before you examine the next statue, you might want to farm this area some. Sacrifices drop perfume, which sells for 12,500 gil, making them the best gil-farming enemy until you feel like taking on Adamantoises. As you may

have noticed, this area changes as you go through it, and this may be the best point to run around killing things and looting their corpses. However, even post-game, you can still fight some Sacrifices in Orphan's Cradle and Eden, just not as many. When you're ready, save and go ahead and examine the flying statue thing. This puts you into a battle with a Bandersnatch and a Jabberwocky. They can be tough, but just use Libra, buff/debuff, and focus-fire on one until it's dead and switch to the other. The Bandersnatch takes magic damage, and the Jabberwocky takes physical, so you might want to have a Paradigm with two Commandos set up. After the battle and following cutscene, save and press forward. You can choose to go back to the entrance at this point, if you want. Don't worry, you can come back easily. If you take on the Immortal in front of you, you can warp to the upper level, which has two chests containing an Adamant Bangle and a Weirding Glyph. Warp back down and procure the Elixer and Scarletite in the chests. Warp again to return to where you were. From here you can either choose to go left or right. Left has fewer strong enemies and right has more weak enemies. I prefer left, but it's up to you. Anyway, continue toward the map marker once you make your way around. Save and examine the flying statue thing, which puts you into battle again. Just buff/debuff and beat the hell out of it, really. You once again have the option to go back, and another save point. Ahead is a short cutscene, after which you should take the ramp up. On the way are 3000 gil and 5000 gil. Fight your way toward the map marker, save, and examine the flying statue thing for a boss battle. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Tiamat Eliminator This thing is annoying as hell. It is immune to status ailments, negates your buffs, and has a titanic amount of HP. It fights a lot like the Proudclad. Buff and stagger it when it's in the air, focus on healing when it's on the ground. Reward: Imperial Armlet \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ After the battle, warp to the next area. Save and continue until you reach a treasure sphere with an Ethersol. THIS IS THE POINT OF NO RETURN. Ahead are a couple cutscenes and a series of boss battles. /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Barthandelus You know the score by now. Buff/debuff, murder. \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ /-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Orphan This one starts off with an attack that brings your entire party's HP down to critical, so be prepared to heal first thing. After that, it's the same old story. Buff/debuff and rail on it. Be wary of its instant KO attack. Get your party members back on their feet ASAP. \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/

/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------\ Boss Battle: Orphan Ok, Square, seriously? This is ridiculously easy. Orphan can only be damaged when it's staggered, so Haste, Relentless Assault until it is, and then slice through it like a woodchopper eating puppies. Never even healed. \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/ Chapter 13 complete! Disc 3 complete! Final Fantasy XIII complete! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Archylte Steppe {TAS} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------NOTE: These directions may not be perfectly clear, but the Steppe is a large place. Use this more as a checklist than a step-by-step guide. From the first Cie'th Stone and save point you come across, follow the wall to the left. You'll eventually come across a chest with a Lightning Charm. Continue following the wall to the right to find a Wind Charm. Keep going around to the wall and you'll come upon an Earth Charm. Eventually you will come across an Oretoise (the titanic turtles). Do not fight them. You will die. That is all. This is in fact very telling of a lot of monsters around here. If it's big, don't fight it until you're stronger. North of a save point to the north by northwest of where you started is a chest with 11 Monstrous Fangs. Follow the wall by the save point around to the left and you'll eventually come across some Millerite. The plateau the Millerite chest overlooks has three chests with 8 Smooth Hides, a Fire Charm, and an Ice Charm. Follow the wall of that plateau left and you'll find a crevice with 5 Librascopes. The hill with all the wyverns flying around it has a chest with 5 severed wings. There's another chest you would find if you followed the wall to the right from the start with a Zephyr Ring. Straight ahead of the first Cie'th Stone is a Rod of Thorns. Ahead and to the left from the pond is a chasm with a chest next to it containing a Speed Sash. On top of the cliff overlooking all the oretoises is a chest with a cactuar doll. To the right of that is a scene, then another chest with a Clay Ring. After viewing this scene, Cactuars start to appear on the Steppe. They do a good bit of damage at this point, but they can be handled. Haste, Protect, and Enfire your party, and then use Com/Rav/Med or Com/Com/Med for damage. Its stagger point is too high to worry about. They're worth 5000 CP and occasionally drop Cactuar dolls. By the pond across from the entrance to the Subterra, there's a chest with 2615 gil. Near there is a chest guarded by an Adamanchelid with a gold nugget. Across from that is another Adamanchelid with a chest containing another gold nugget. In the corner of the behemoth plain you can find a chest with 2 Platinum

Bangles. AFTER YOU GET THE GYSAHL REINS: Ok, here's how chocobos work. You run into three enemies, they buck you off. You run into one Oretoise, they buck you off. You try to enter another area, they buck you off. However, you don't get thrown into battle, you can get around a lot faster, and you can find some new stuff/places. When you see the "!" mark over your chocobo's head, it means it's found a buried treasure. I was dumb at first, but now I'm here to prevent you from being dumb as well. Digging with chocobos is NOT some sort of sadistic hot-orcold game based on an enigmatic bouncing balloon. The chocobo actually LOOKS TOWARD THE TREASURE. If you see the "!" mark, check which way your chocobo is facing, then start examining dirt patches (THEY'RE ALWAYS IN DIRT PATCHES) in that direction. You'll eventually see a target and a prompt to dig. As far as I can tell, the treasures are random, but the ultimate prize is a Ribbon, which also bestows an achievement. There is a chest with a gold nugget on a cliff by the oretoise area. The hill over the first pond has a nugget of scarletite. Use a chocobo to jump up to a new path by all the scalebeasts and you'll run into a line of tadpole things that spawn an Ochu. On the way are 7 diabolic tails. In this area you can find 6 gloomstalks. Examine the big sheep for some wool. Sheep will now appear periodically around the Steppe like Cactuars did, granting fuzzy components to all. Probably the smartest thing to do about the Ochu is to use the chocobo to go around the Microchus to grab the treasure. If you don't do that, you'll have to come back later when you can handle them. The chest contains a Platinum Bangle. After mark 30, a new area is opened up by the Ochu meadow. This area has 9 fractured horns, a Collector's Catalog, and a Witch's Bracelet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Location: The Yaschas Massif {TYM} ------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you backtrack to where you fought Alexander, there's a chest with a Rune Bracelet. Proceed to the right once the path opens up for a scene. Backtrack to where the scene was for 9 diabolic tails. Follow the map marker until you see a chest on the right containing a Rune Bracelet. Just before the next save point, you can jump to an upper path which has 1827 gil. If you go up past the save point without turning, you can reach 2 nuggets of millerite. When the path splits, take the right side to find a Mythril Bangle. Up ahead there is a scene and save point, then jump down and to the right for some rhodochrosite. Up ahead on the left you can find 3 spined horns. Ahead of that on the right is a Whistlewind Scarf. Backtrack a ways until you trigger another scene. Instead of jumping up the big log, take the ledge to find 8 vials of esoteric oil. Taking the path away from the map marker, you can find a Watchman's Amulet further up on the left. Across the area near the Watchman's Amulet is a small

path with a chest of Millerite. At the very end of this path is a Glass Orb. =============================================================================== Sidequests {Sq0} =============================================================================== The majority of the sidequests in Final Fantasy XIII are mission marks, similar to the ones found in Final Fantasy XII. They first become available early in Chapter 11. The strategies I have listed are those I used to get 5 stars in the mark battle. If you're having trouble finding a mark by my description, just go to the general area and check your map. The star is the mark battle. In addition, your map will tell you where stones you've already checked are, the details of the mark, and your rating if you've already completed it once. Just press X. You can search with Ctrl + F and {Sq[Mark #]} or by the mission name. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 1: Pond Scum {Sq1} Stone Location: Archylte Steppe Rank: D Mark: Ectopudding Mark Location: Travel straight ahead of the Cie'th Stone until you reach a pond. On the left side there is a save point, and ahead of the save point is the Ectopudding. Strategy: Get behind it, stagger, kill. Really simple. Reward: Energy Sash Rank: Good Samaritan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 2: Goodwill Hunting {Sq2} Stone Location: Archylte Steppe, Central Expanse, by the Ectopudding pond Rank: D Mark: Uridimmu Mark Location: You'll find Uridimmu pretty much straight ahead across the expanse, going from the pond to the Cie'th Stone and onward. In any case, you can always look on your map for the marker. Strategy: This battle is significantly more difficult than the last one, but basic principles apply. Buff yourself, then set up a Sentinel to soak damage while your other party members pick off the minions. Then focus on Uridimmu itself. Additional note: It can be hard to get the 5 stars right now, so just reattempt it when you're stronger.

Reward: Cobaltite ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 3: Massif Contamination {Sq3} Stone Location: Archylte Steppe, near Uridimmu fight Rank: D Mark: Ugallu Mark Location: The Yaschas Massif is located past where you fought Alexander. The Ugallu is located in the first open area you come across. Strategy: If you lure it out, then run back outside its range, you can get behind it while it's walking back into place. If that's not working, Deceptisol always does. Once you get it into battle, buff/debuff, stagger, kill. Just don't give it time to attack and you'll get your 5 stars. Reward: Platinum Bangle Rank: Mercifex ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 4: A Hero's Charge {Sq4} Stone Location: Yaschas Massif, near Ugallu fight Rank: D Mark: Adroa Mark Location: Head down the log near the Cie'th Stone until you reach the second save point. Save, and go straight instead of left. The Adroa clan is shortly ahead. Strategy: There are a couple issues with this fight. 1) There are lots of them. 2) They are all highly resistant to magic. So you're going to want three paradigms: 2 Commandos with a Synergist, a Ravager, or another Commando. If you're fast enough you shouldn't need to worry about healing. Sneak up on them, buff, and wreck them all very fast, particularly the two Verdelets in the back. Why? The Verdelets can summon Ugallus, which ends in a bad day had by all. If you manage to kill them before they can finish summoning, the day is yours. Alternate strategy: After you sneak up on them, cast Fogga until there isn't a single one of them that can do a damn thing. Reward: Pearl Necklace ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 5: Joyless Reunion {Sq5} Stone Location: Yaschas Massif, on the way to Adroa fight Rank: D Mark: Edimmu Mark Location: The Edimmu is located in the same section of the Massif as the

Ugallu. Just check your map for the mission marker. Strategy: This battle is much simpler than the last one. Haste, Relentless Assault, heal when necessary. If you're having trouble, use another Commando (or two) instead of two Ravagers, as it's pretty resistant to magic. Reward: Sorcerer's Mark ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 6: No Place Like Home {Sq6} Stone Location: Yaschas Massif, by the save point before the area with all the Cie'th. Rank: C Mark: Munchkin Maestro Mark Location: On the way back from the Cie'th Stone, hang a left at the split and you'll run into the Maestro. Strategy: This battle is insano-easy. You don't even need to preemptively strike to nail the 5-stars. Just Haste and Relentless Assault until everything's pushing up daisies. Reward: Fulmen Ring ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 7: Bituitus, the Pillager {Sq7} Stone Location: Yaschas Massif, Paddraean Archaeopolis Rank: C Mark: Bituitus Mark Location: The mark is more or less right next to the stone. Pretty hard to miss, what with the cutscene upon trying to leave and all. Strategy: You know that Fulmen Ring you got after the last mark? Yeah, might want to equip that on your party leader. Besides that, you're going to want to cast Haste, punch it full of debuffs, then switch to Diversity (Com/Rav/Med). It will cast all sorts of debuffs on your party, so you need someone with Esuna. If someone falls (hopefully not your leader, with the lightning resistance), don't wait for a Medic, just use a phoenix down or Renew. It's also resistant to most magic, but that's what Imperil is for, right? Reward: R&D Depot Rank: Archaeopolitain Idol ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 8: The Eleventh Hour {Sq8} Stone Location: Vallis Merdia, by the camp where you started Chapter 11 Mark: Rakshasa Rank: C

Mark Location: The mark where you fought Alexander. Strategy: Getting 5 stars on this is really much easier if you drop a Deceptisol, but it is by no means undoable otherwise. Just buff, kill the Flans, and then focus on the Rakshasa. Reward: Collector's Catalog ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 9: Heave-ho {Sq9} Stone Location: Archylte Steppe, near the first Cie'th Stone. Rank: C Mark: Kaiser Behemoth Mark Location: The Kaiser Behemoth is by the pond where you fought the Ectopudding. Strategy: As always, much easier if you sneak up on it. Then just buff, stagger, and keep it in the air until it's dead. Reward: Rhodochrosite ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 10: Hollow Hope {Sq10} Stone Location: Archylte Steppe, near the pond. Rank: C Mark: Ambling Bellows Mark Location: It's located in the Archylte Steppe by the entrance to the Mah'habara Subterra. Strategy: Preemptively strike it, Haste, Relentless Assault. Reward: Superconductor x 4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 11: Pride Before a Fall {Sq11} Stone Location: Archylte Steppe, far to the north, in the foggy area with all the behemoths. Rank: C Mark: Adroa Strategy: This is actually easier than the last Adroa battle. Sneak up on them, Haste, Fogga, and then use two or three Commandos to rifle through them. The only complication is if one of the Adroas conjures a Verdelet, which are more resistant to magic and can summon even more powerful creatures. Reward: Frost Ring x 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 12: Geiseric, the Profane {Sq12}

Stone Location: Archylte Steppe, at the end of the path near the Mark 11 battle. Rank: C Mark: Geiseric Mark Location: From the Cie'th Stone, follow the left wall until you find a cutscene and the Geiseric. Strategy: Haste yourself, then Deshell and Slow the Geiseric. Com/Rav/Med to heal, then Relentless Assault when it's staggered. Reward: Royal Armlet Rank: Baneslayer Additional note: After completing this mission, go down the path you opened up until you reach a cutscene. There is a chest to the left with 6 seapetal scales. On the opposite side is a Water Charm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 13: Eternity Unpromised {Sq13} Stone Location: Archylte Steppe, to the right as you exit the path from the last mission. Rank: C Mark: Goblin Chieftain Mark Location: The Chieftain and his clan are located by the entrance to the Mah'habara Subterra. Strategy: Standard deal. Preemptive strike, Haste/debuff, kill the minions, kill the Chieftain. Reward: Cobaltite ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 14: Defender of the Flock {Sq14} Stone Location: Archylte Steppe, by the pond near the mark 13 fight. Rank: C Mark: Sahagin Mark Location: Go to the chocobo pond (by the Mark 12 Stone) and you'll see a cutscene that puts you into battle. Strategy: This is another basic battle with the standard strategy: Haste, Relentless Attack, and Diversity to heal. Reward: Gysahl Reins Rank: Feathered Friend Additional Note: You can ride chocobos now, giving you access to additional

treasures and locations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mark 15: Tribal Warfare {Sq15} Stone Location: Archylte Steppe, on the hill by the Ectopudding pond. Rank: C Mark: Goblin Chieftain Mark Location: The battle is right next to the Mark 11 Cie'th Stone. Strategy: Exactly the same as the last Chieftain battle, just with more goblins. Haste, take out the