Before your departure, you should stock up on your consumable items such as status removal items, Ether, and Cottage.
Upgrade your equipment if you feel the need to, and also buy more scrolls if you use Ninja a lot.
On 4F (#2), you need to walk in and out of the hall area to trigger a scene.
Bestiary Checklist (Illusion Castle):
Item Checklist:
- C-118: Ether
- C-119: Diamond Shield
Follow the map below:
Bestiary Checklist (Real Castle):
Unique Item:
- Power Staff (Rare Drop), a unique item that can be dropped by Black Warlock.
- Judgment Staff (Rare Steal), a unique item that can be stolen from Black Warlock or Istory Lythos. However, Istory Lythos is a rare encounter in the next world. It's probably better to steal it from Black Warlock.
Item Checklist:
- C-120: Ice Shield
- C-121: Ether
On 7F, you need to step on the switch tile to make the bridge move. Step away to stop the bridge.
The trick is to step away 2 tiles before the bridge hits the target.
If the bridge hits one of the pillars, you'll encounter one of the following monsters:
- Abductor
- Oiseaurare
- Jackanapes
- Imp
Item Checklist:
- C-122: Hayate Bow
- C-123: Elixir
- C-124: Icebrand
- C-125: Kotetsu
- C-126: Elixir
- C-127: 9900 gil
Another puzzle floor, so I'll walk you through step by step.
Boss: Carbuncle
This boss uses magic spells on itself to reflect them back to your allies. So your black magic is mostly useless unless you do the same by reflecting it back. Also, this boss has 2 forms: offensive and healing. However, you cannot distinguish between the two visually.
During its healing form, it's vulnerable to many things like Bio and Break. These 2 spells can instantly kill the boss if they hit.
To bypass Reflect, you can use Mystic Knight and charge with either Bio or Break.
Keep attacking it; eventually it'll hit the boss during its healing form, instantly killing it. Or you can time your attack just before it uses Cura.
Another way to defeat the boss is to use charged Spellblade with Silence. If it hits, the boss becomes a useless punching bag. But it eventually wears off, so you'll have to keep attacking it with Silence.
Item Checklist:
- C-128: 8000 gil
- C-129: Twin Lance
On 11F (#18), there is a chest in the middle and it has nothing inside. But this counts toward the number of chests and it triggers a fight with Gilgamesh when you are about to exit. Make sure you have 1 Thief (or Steal ability) in your team to steal another unique equipment from him.
Exdeath has a Blue Magic spell, Doom. He usually starts the battle with it, but there is a small chance he doesn't. If this is the case, you need to reload the game from your Quicksave.
Item Checklist:
- C-130: Fuma Shuriken
- C-131: Partisan
Boss: Gilgamesh (4th encounter)
Steal: Hi-Potion (1st form, common steal), Gauntlets (1st form, rare steal), Genji Helm (2nd form)
Guaranteed Drop: Excalipoor
This is a standard fight, no gimmick. All you need to do is give it your all.
- Firaga, Blizzaga, and Thundaga are great, probably your main source of damage.
- Spellblade charged with tier-3 elemental spells is great too.
- Slow and Haste are very useful in this fight.
- Golem also helps prevent physical damage.
- He tends to use status ailments a lot during the battle, targeting a single ally. Use Esuna or status-removal items immediately.
- Your Black Mage should equip an elemental rod to boost elemental spell damage. For example, if you equip Flame Rod, you should only cast Firaga.
- Equip Gold Hairpin to reduce MP cost. Firaga costs 25 MP, reduced to 12 MP.
- Finally, don't forget to steal Genji Helm from him when he transforms.
Unlikely scenario: It is possible to kill him before and after he transforms. Doing so will prevent you from getting Excalipoor and future encounters with him.
Boss: Exdeath
Blue Magic (27/30): Doom
Another standard battle. Make a Quicksave before entering the battle. Reload the game from the Quicksave if he doesn't use Doom on his first turn.
Strategy 1:
- One Time Mage, three Blue Mages. Time Mage should set Learn ability. This way you have a 100% chance of getting Doom when he uses it.
- Start with Time Mage casting Hastega, then Comet for the rest.
- All Blue Mages keep spamming Level 3 Flare (this spell deals the highest damage).
- If you receive damage, quickly use White Wind to heal. Note that White Wind heals an exact amount equal to the caster's current HP.
Strategy 2:
- One White Mage, three Black Mages. All mages should set Learn ability.
- Equip Flame Rod on the 3 Black Mages, or whatever element you prefer.
- All Black Mages keep spamming Firaga or whatever element matches your rod.
- White Mage heals when receiving damage.