===============================================================================
| Final Fantasy Anniversary Edition: Labyrinth of Time Guide |
| Version 1.0 |
| by Necrolesian |
===============================================================================
=================
Table of Contents
=================
I. Introduction..........................[INTR]
II. Legal Crap............................[LEGA]
III. Contact Information...................[CONT]
IV. Version History.......................[VERS]
V. General Information...................[GENE]
VI. Structure of the Labyrinth............[STRU]
- Entrance............................[ENTR]
- Floor Types.........................[FLOO]
- The Light of Time...................[LIG1]
- The Timer...........................[TIME]
- The Hooded Figure and His Presents..[HOOD]
- The Light of Time, Part II..........[LIG2]
- The Tablet..........................[TABL]
- The Puzzle..........................[PUZZ]
- Chests..............................[CHES]
- The Miasma..........................[MIAS]
- The Exit............................[EXIT]
- The Inner Sanctum...................[INNE]
- Space in Time.......................[SPAC]
VII. Tips..................................[TIPS]
VIII. Challenge Details.....................[CHAL]
1. Faeries' Frolic...................[01FF]
2. Faeries' Farce....................[02FF]
3. Neat and Tidy.....................[03NT]
4. The Guardian......................[04TG]
5. Path of Light.....................[05PL]
6. Labyrinth of Darkness.............[06LD]
7. Scavenger Hunt....................[07SH]
8. March of Souls....................[08MS]
9. The Bat Cave......................[09BC]
10. Bat-a-bing!.......................[10BB]
11. Trial by Fire.....................[11TF]
12. Fire Drill........................[12FD]
13. Specter Inspector.................[13SI]
14. Beat the Heat.....................[14BH]
15. Thunder Alley.....................[15TA]
16. Mechanical Madness................[16MM]
17. Stone Trap........................[17ST]
18. Flower Sale.......................[18FS]
19. Breakout..........................[19BO]
20. Mirror-image......................[20MI]
21. Marching Orders...................[21MO]
22. Twin Statues......................[22TS]
23. Note for Note.....................[23NN]
24. The Path to Peace.................[24PP]
25. Slay or Be Slain..................[25SS]
26. Labyrinth of Trials...............[26LT]
27. Labyrinth of Disasters............[27LD]
28. Step by Step......................[28SS]
29. Trick Statues.....................[29TS]
30. Traveling Salesman................[30TS]
IX. Chronodia.............................[CHRO]
- Paths to Chronodia..................[PATH]
- Chronodia's Stats and Attacks.......[STAT]
- Preparation.........................[PREP]
- Battle Strategy.....................[BATT]
X. Equipment.............................[EQUI]
XI. Time Chamber..........................[TCHA]
XII. Closing...............................[CLOS]
XIII. Credits...............................[CRED]
==========================
I. Introduction [INTR]
==========================
In this guide you will find hopefully all the information you need to know to
fully master the Labyrinth of Time, the bonus dungeon added to the Anniversary
Edition version of Final Fantasy, for the PSP. I was inspired to write this
guide by KaonNemesis' Labyrinth of Time guide on GameFAQs which, while
providing useful information, contains several omissions that I thought
necessary to rectify. Any errors should be assumed to be mine.
If you want to skip ahead to a particular section, find the code to the right
of that section's name in the Table of Contents. Press CTRL+F and type or copy
and paste the code, including the square brackets. Search for it to be taken to
that particular section of the guide.
=========================
II. Legal Crap [LEGA]
=========================
Basically, this guide is mine. I used information from other people (who are
credited below) in this one, but I verified this information myself. Feel free
to use any information in my guide for your own guide, as long as you let me
know about it and credit me. If you want to post this guide on your site, email
me first and ask me. Don't use this guide to make money.
===================================
III. Contact Information [CONT]
===================================
You may email me with contributions or corrections at [email protected].
Put "Labyrinth of Time," or something similar, in the subject line so I know
what the email is about. Emails with ambiguous subject lines, or that are
obviously spam, will be deleted without being read. Please let me know if I got
anything wrong, left anything out, or if you have any additional tips or ideas.
==============================
IV. Version History [VERS]
==============================
Version 1.0 - 28 Nov 2010
Initial release.
=================================
V. General Information [GENE]
=================================
The Labyrinth of Time consists of a total of 30 floors, or challenges, though
you will only encounter a fraction of these (at least seven, but possibly more)
in any one time through the Labyrinth. Which challenges you encounter during
any runthrough, and the order in which you encounter them, is semi-random.
In order to unlock the Labyrinth of Time, you must have defeated all four
fiends. Go to Cornelia, and speak to the hooded figure by the fountain. Then go
to the Chaos Shrine and follow the figure to the back of the area. Press X at
the same spot where the figure opened a door to make the door appear. This is
the entrance.
Like the Soul of Chaos dungeons, inside the Labyrinth you cannot cast Exit or
Teleport, nor can you use an Emergency Exit item. However, unlike the Soul of
Chaos dungeons, if you die in the Labyrinth, you will get game over instead of
being transported outside. The only ways to leave the Labyrinth once inside are
by defeating its final boss or via one of two random events that may happen
(but don't count on them) during the runthrough.
In addition, you cannot save your game at all anywhere inside the Labyrinth, so
be sure you're prepared to complete it before you go in.
Each challenge has a time limit. Before each challenge, you will be given the
opportunity to sacrifice various abilities (such as Magic, Item, Flee, etc.) in
exchange for time to complete the challenge. You must solve the puzzle in each
challenge in order to proceed to the next floor. Whether you solve the puzzle
before or after time expires has various effects.
If you solve the puzzle before time expires you will open the blue seal, which,
in addition to allowing you to proceed to the next floor, will unlock that
challenge for you to play through again whenever you like in the Time Chamber
(see below). If you solve the puzzle after time expires you will open the red
seal, which, like the blue seal, will allow you to proceed to the next floor
but will not unlock the challenge for the Time Chamber.
At the end of the Labyrinth you will face Chronodia, the new superboss added to
this version of the game. There are actually eight different versions of
Chronodia (#196-#203 in the bestiary) you can fight, depending upon the number
of blue and red seals you opened and in which order you opened them. Each
version of Chronodia drops a unique piece of equipment as a reward.
Each time you complete the Labyrinth, you will be told how long it took you to
clear it and the number of battles you fought. You will also be given a
"title," which is meaningless. You can clear the Labyrinth as many times as you
like, and fight each version of Chronodia as many times as you like.
Once you have cleared the Labyrinth and defeated Chronodia for the first time
(and saved your game afterwards), you will unlock the Time Chamber, which you
can select from the game's main menu (see below for an explanation of this
extra feature).
=========================================
VI. Structure of the Labyrinth [STRU]
=========================================
-------------------
Entrance [ENTR]
-------------------
The first room upon stepping through the entrance door contains a portal to the
first floor of the Labyrinth proper. You will also find the hooded figure here
for some dialogue the first time through; on subsequent runthroughs he will not
be here. You will notice that you cannot save your game here, or anywhere else
in the Labyrinth. However, at this point you can still backtrack through the
door into the Chaos Shrine in order to save or otherwise prepare. Once you step
through the portal deeper into the Labyrinth, you are committed.
----------------------
Floor Types [FLOO]
----------------------
The location name (e.g. Modern Maze) that appears as soon as you enter a floor
is the floor type. There are six different types of floors in the Labyrinth,
and each floor type has between three and seven possible challenges. The first
floor you encounter will always be a Modern Maze floor. Which subsequent floor
types you encounter depends on whether you open blue or red seals and the order
in which you do so. For example, if you open the blue seal on the first (Modern
Maze) floor, the second floor will be a Medieval Dungeon floor, while if you
open the red seal instead, the second floor will be another Modern Maze floor.
The six floor types, and general tips on how to most easily encounter them:
- Modern Maze: The first floor is always a Modern Maze floor. If you open the
red seal on the first floor, the second floor will be another Modern Maze
floor, and if you open the red seal on that floor, the third floor will be the
third Modern Maze floor. There are only three Modern Maze floors, so you can be
guaranteed to see all three of them on a single runthrough.
- Medieval Dungeon: Open the blue seal on the first challenge to encounter
Medieval Dungeon. Open more blue seals to encounter more Medieval Dungeon
floors (up to three of them).
- Ancient Catacomb: Open red seals on the first three floors to encounter
Ancient Catacomb. Open the red seal on the first Ancient Catacomb challenge to
encounter a second one on the next floor. Other combinations on the first 2-3
floors, such as blue then red, also work.
- Primeval Pit: Open red seals on the first few challenges to encounter
Primeval Pit. Opening red seals on Primeval Pit levels will often lead to
another Primeval Pit. You don't have to open only red seals at first to get
Primeval Pit levels later, but open mostly red seals.
- Original Chaos: Open a few blue seals on your way through the Labyrinth and
you'll see Original Chaos towards the end.
- Netherworld Crypt: Open all or mostly blue seals on your way through the
Labyrinth and the final floor(s) you encounter before Chronodia will be
Netherworld Crypt floors.
----------------------------
The Light of Time [LIG1]
----------------------------
The beginning section of each floor contains nothing of interest but a pink orb
called the Light of Time. Upon speaking to the orb, you will be given the
opportunity to sacrifice various abilities (for example, Magic, Item, Flee,
etc.) in exchange for time to complete this floor's puzzle. For each challenge,
there is a maximum number of abilities that you can sacrifice. This maximum
number, the list of particular abilities that you can sacrifice and the amount
of time that you gain for sacrificing each ability vary from challenge to
challenge.
The amount of time that you gain for sacrificing each ability also varies based
upon your level. The higher your average level, the less time you gain for each
ability. With all four characters at level 99 you'll gain relatively little
time per ability (though it's still enough for you to open the blue seal on
every challenge).
One neat thing to do is to go through the Labyrinth on a solo playthrough of
the game (one character at level 99, the others at level 1). With an average
level of about 25, you'll gain much more time per ability, 2-3 times as much.
It's possible to get over an hour to complete some challenges. This guide is
written assuming you're getting the minimum amount of time (i.e. all characters
at level 99).
You are not required to sacrifice the maximum number of abilities for the
floor. You can sacrifice anywhere between one ability and the maximum (note
that for some challenges the maximum number of abilities to sacrifice is one).
The remaining number of abilities that you can sacrifice for this floor is
listed at the bottom right corner of the sacrifice screen. Also displayed there
is the total amount of time you will have for the challenge, based upon the
abilities you have sacrificed. This time starts at 0:00 and increases for each
ability you sacrifice.
When you highlight each ability, you will see the amount of time sacrificing
that ability will give you in the lower left corner of the screen. To sacrifice
an ability, press X. The time for that ability will be added to your total time
in the lower right corner and the ability will become grayed out, indicating
that you have sacrificed it. It will also be added to a list, on the right side
of the screen, of abilities you have sacrificed. You can reclaim an ability on
this screen by highlighting it and pressing O. The time for that ability will
be subtracted from your total time.
Note that if Magic, White Magic and Black Magic are listed, you can only
sacrifice one of these three. Also, if Items, recovery items and attack items
are listed, you can only sacrifice one of them. Sacrificing Magic will remove
your ability to cast both white and black magic, and will grant you more time
than sacrificing White or Black Magic alone. Likewise, sacrificing Items means
you will not be able to use curative or attack items, or any other items, and
will grant you more time than sacrificing either one alone.
Also note that sacrificing recovery items prevents you from using items like
Potions, Ethers, etc., either in battle or from the menu, but you can still use
Rune Staff, Rune Axe and other equipment that heals you in battle. Likewise,
sacrificing attack items prevents you from using items like Red Fang, etc., in
battle, but you can still use Judgment Staff and other equipment that casts
offensive spells.
The effects of sacrificing the other abilities are self-explanatory. You'll
never see the full list on any challenge, but the abilities that can be
sacrificed include: Fight, Magic, White Magic, Black Magic, Item, recovery
items, attack items, Flee, Dash, Attack halved, Defense halved, Accuracy
halved, Evasion halved and Intelligence halved.
Once you are satisfied with the abilities you have sacrificed, select Confirm.
The orb will transform into a portal leading to the challenge proper. Once the
orb transforms into a portal, you cannot change which abilities you have
sacrificed.
Note that before you speak to the orb, any abilities sacrificed in the previous
level are unlocked, so you can take this opportunity to heal.
--------------------
The Timer [TIME]
--------------------
Once you step into the portal, you will be transported to the challenge proper
and the timer will appear in the bottom right corner of the screen. The amount
of time you begin with depends on the abilities you sacrificed to the Light of
Time.
The timer will begin counting down immediately and will continue to do so
throughout the challenge, either until you exit the floor or until time
expires. The timer will count down during the puzzle itself, while the menu is
open and during all battles. The only way to stop the timer is to put your PSP
in sleep mode.
When time expires, whether before or after you have solved the puzzle, the
miasma will appear (see below for an explanation of this). You can solve the
puzzle either before or after time expires. If before, you will open the blue
seal, and if after, you will open the red seal.
---------------------------------------------
The Hooded Figure and His Presents [HOOD]
---------------------------------------------
Occasionally upon entering the challenge proper, the hooded figure will appear
and offer you a present. The present can be one of four things:
1. An item such as a Potion.
2. An additional 2:00 or 3:00 on the timer.
3. The removal of all random encounters from the floor. This even removes
encounters after the miasma has appeared. You will still fight any forced
encounters on a floor, however.
4. The opportunity to leave the Labyrinth. This is one of only two ways that
you can leave the Labyrinth without defeating Chronodia. Note that you do
not have to leave here; you can continue on.
-------------------------------------
The Light of Time, Part II [LIG2]
-------------------------------------
Next to where you appear will be the Light of Time. It will do nothing for you
as long as there is still time on the timer. However, once time has expired,
you can speak to the orb to be granted the opportunity to sacrifice an
additional ability for more time. Doing so makes the miasma disappear, at least
until time expires again.
Note that you will be able to sacrifice only one additional ability to this
incarnation of the Light of Time, no matter how many abilities you sacrificed
at the beginning of the level. Once you have done so, the orb will vanish. This
means that you can only extend the time limit once; if time runs out again,
there's nothing you can do about it.
Also, if you run out of time, sacrifice an additional ability to gain more
time, then solve the puzzle before time runs out again, the blue seal is
opened, not the red seal.
---------------------
The Tablet [TABL]
---------------------
The first task in each challenge is to find the tablet, a white slab that you
can talk to. While you usually won't have to fight random battles in the puzzle
area itself (at least until the miasma appears), you will encounter random
battles on your way to the tablet (unless you were lucky enough for the hooded
figure to remove them), so you want to find the tablet as quickly as possible.
On some challenges the tablet itself can be difficult to find, and you can
waste much time wandering around looking for it while fighting random
encounters.
Speaking to the tablet activates the puzzle for this floor. The tablet will
give you a basic explanation of the puzzle and what you must do to solve it.
You will not fight random encounters as long as you stay in the general area of
the puzzle (with one challenge being an exception), until time expires and the
miasma appears. Moving too far away from the puzzle area will reset the puzzle,
forcing you to speak to the tablet again to reactivate it.
---------------------
The Puzzle [PUZZ]
---------------------
Each challenge has a unique puzzle, activated by speaking to the tablet, that
you must solve before you can proceed to the next floor. The nature and
difficulty of these puzzles vary widely.
Upon solving the puzzle, the exit will be opened. If you solve the puzzle
before time expires, you will open the blue seal, which will unlock this
challenge in the Time Chamber. If you solve the puzzle after time expires, you
will open the red seal, which will not unlock the challenge for the Time
Chamber but will still allow you to exit the floor.
Note that if time does expire, you can return to the Light of Time orb and
sacrifice another ability to gain more time (only once). Solving the puzzle
within the new time limit will open the blue seal.
Some puzzles cannot be failed; you simply keep trying until you succeed.
However, it is possible to fail some puzzles (by answering a question
incorrectly, for example). If you fail, you usually face a penalty, such as
having the remaining time reduced, being forced into a battle or being sent
back to the beginning of the puzzle.
Before time expires, you will not fight random encounters while solving the
puzzle (with one challenge being an exception). However, if you stray too far
from the puzzle area you will encounter random battles again.
If time expires before you solve the puzzle, the miasma will appear, and you
will have to fight random battles even during the puzzle.
-----------------
Chests [CHES]
-----------------
A few challenges have chests that contain various items, from stat plus items
to healing items. The chests are generally in out of the way locations. They
are also one time only, meaning that if you return to this challenge on another
runthrough of the Labyrinth, any chests that you have already opened will be
empty.
Note that this does not include certain chests that are part of the challenges
themselves, such as in Faeries' Farce. These do not contain items and are
always closed when you begin the challenge.
Besides the stat plus items, there isn't anything remarkable in the chests. For
your information, though, here are the challenges that you can find chests in
and the contents of the chests:
4. The Guardian: Mind Plus
16. Mechanical Madness: Speed Plus
17. Stone Trap: Power Plus, X-Potion, Dry Ether, Speed Plus, Mind Plus, Elixir,
Cottage, Staff
24. The Path to Peace: Speed Plus, Elixir, Golden Apple
---------------------
The Miasma [MIAS]
---------------------
When time expires (whether you have solved the puzzle or not), the miasma will
appear. The miasma is a thick swirling fog that reduces your visibility. In
addition, whenever the miasma is present you will continually lose one HP and
one MP every second or so. This will not kill you, but it can lower you to one
HP. The miasma will not cause you to lose HP or MP during battle, while the
menu is open or during dialogue.
In addition, when the miasma is present, you must fight random encounters, even
while solving the puzzle. This makes some puzzles more frustrating or
difficult. Note that if the hooded figure removed random encounters from the
floor, there will be no random battles even while the miasma is present, though
you will still lose HP and MP.
You can speak to the Light of Time (see above) to sacrifice additional
abilities for more time, removing the miasma temporarily.
-------------------
The Exit [EXIT]
-------------------
Each floor has an exit to the next floor, consisting of a blue and red portal.
Opening the blue seal activates the blue portal, and opening the red seal
activates the red portal. Step through either portal to proceed to the next
floor.
It is possible to find the exit before you have completed the puzzle, but
neither portal will be activated and you will not be able to exit until the
puzzle is solved.
The exit is often in an out-of-the-way location, and can be difficult to find.
If time expires while on your way to the exit, the miasma will still appear.
----------------------------
The Inner Sanctum [INNE]
----------------------------
Occasionally upon exiting a floor, you will not be sent to the next floor
immediately. Instead, you will be transported to a special level called the
Inner Sanctum. There are no encounters here. The only things of interest are a
pot and two portals, one red and one blue.
The pot will revive any dead party members, heal the party's HP and MP to full
and cure all status ailments. The red portal will transport you outside the
Labyrinth (this is one of only two ways that you can leave the Labyrinth
without defeating Chronodia). The blue portal will transport you to the next
floor.
------------------------
Space in Time [SPAC]
------------------------
After completing the last challenge in any runthrough and exiting the floor,
you will be transported to the Space in Time level where Chronodia awaits. On
this level are two pots, either of which will revive any dead party members,
heal the party's HP and MP to full and cure all status ailments.
Beyond the pots you will find Chronodia. Make sure to heal using one of the
pots and equip yourself for the battle before proceeding. The first time you
reach this level, there will be some dialogue with the hooded figure here. He
will not be here on additional runthroughs of the Labyrinth.
After you defeat Chronodia, you can use one of the pots again to heal. Beyond
where you fought Chronodia, there will be a portal that will transport you
outside the Labyrinth.
====================
VII. Tips [TIPS]
====================
- Save before you enter the Labyrinth. Once inside, you cannot save at all, and
you don't want an unlucky turn of events to make you lose more time than you
have to.
- Being at level 99 makes the Labyrinth, and Chronodia, easier, but it is by no
means necessary. It is quite possible to clear the Labyrinth and defeat
Chronodia at a much lower level. One big advantage of being level 99, though,
is that you no longer need any experience, and so can simply run from all
battles, saving much time. If you want to level to 99, the fastest place
outside the Labyrinth itself is the Cavern of Ice, where you can fight Evil
Eye repeatedly for 3225 experience per battle.
- There is also a disadvantage to being level 99. The higher your party's
average level, the less time you will gain for sacrificing abilities. It's
still quite possible to open the blue seal for all 30 challenges though even
if your entire party is level 99 and you're getting the least amount of time
possible for your sacrifices; you'll have more than enough time for most
challenges.
- I strongly recommend that you fully complete all of the Soul of Chaos
dungeons before attempting the Labyrinth. Not only will this bring you to a
more appropriate level, but you will gain a lot of very useful equipment.
- Recommended equipment:
Ultima Weapon/Ragnarok/Murasame/Lightbringer/Masamune. Powerful weapons that
will do a lot of damage against both random encounters and Chronodia. In
addition, the Lightbringer also casts Holy and the Ragnarok casts Flare.
White Robe (casts Invisira). Invisira is a practical necessity against
Chronodia; it makes the battle much easier. I strongly suggest you have four
of these. You can find the first on the Flying Fortress. The remaining three
can be bought on the "Mysidia" level of Whisperwind Cove. One of the many
mages on that level will sell them.
Ribbon. Provides immunity to all status effects and reduces damage from all
elements. Extremely useful against Chronodia, not to mention throughout the
entire game. You can find one each in Waterfall Cavern, Sunken Shrine and the
Flying Fortress. The fourth can be found in Hellfire Chasm after you defeat
Rubicante. However, if you have a Knight or Ninja they can equip the Hero's
Shield, so you'll only need three Ribbons.
Hero's Shield. Like the Ribbon, provides immunity to all status effects and
reduces damage from all elements. Only equippable by a Knight or Ninja.
There's only one of them in the game, in a chest in Lifespring Grotto after
you defeat Shinryu.
Protect Ring. Protects against instant death attacks. Chronodia has multiple
instant death attacks, and many random encounter enemies in the Labyrinth can
use them as well. Buy four of them in Gaia and equip one on everyone.
Rune Staff (casts Healara). Full-party item healing is very useful against
Chronodia. Rune Staff is dropped by Orthros in Whisperwind Cove. You can get
four of these, though two or three should be enough.
Giant's Gloves (casts Saber). Useful for bulking up your main physical damage
dealer against Chronodia, providing a greater attack boost than Temper and
increasing accuracy as well. Found in the Sunken Shrine. Unfortunately,
there's only one of them in the game.
Judgment Staff (casts Flare). Very useful for random encounters if you're not
running from them, and also useful for Chronodia when your attack command is
sealed or a character has nothing better to do. Dropped by Atomos in
Lifespring Grotto. You can get four of them, but again two or three should be
enough.
Defender (casts Blink). Useful in case one of your characters is killed
before you're able to get your Invisira barriers up and you need to increase
evasion for that one character. Found in the Waterfall Cavern.
Rune Axe (casts Curaga). Useful for when only one person needs healing and
Chronodia has sealed your Magic command. Found in the 10th chest on B34 of
Whisperwind Cove (8/128 chance of getting per runthrough of that dungeon; see
TFergusson's Soul of Chaos guide for the GBA version for specifics). Also a
1% drop from the enemy Prototype, which can be found on floors B31-B39 of
Whisperwind Cove, on the Flying Fortress levels. This one can be somewhat of
a pain to get, and it's not the end of the world if you don't have it.
Sage's Staff (casts Life). Alternative to magic for reviving a character,
although it's only really necessary if you run out of Phoenix Downs, or if
you've sacrificed both White Magic and recovery items. It's a 1% drop from
the enemy Squidraken, which can be found in Whisperwind Cove. Again, this
one's somewhat of a pain and not completely vital.
Genji Armor/Diamond Armlet/Light Robe/Gaia Gear/Elven Cloak/etc. Any decent
armor and shield for your characters will do.
- Bring 99 Hi-Potions, Phoenix Downs and Ethers. You never know when you'll
need them, especially with the miasma sapping your HP and MP.
- Unless you're trying to break the red seal for a challenge, in general
sacrifice as many abilities as you safely can to give yourself as much time
as possible.
- If you intend to fight random encounters for experience, sacrifice Flee, as
that usually gives you the most time. If you intend to run from random
encounters, you can pretty much sacrifice everything except Flee because you
won't need it.
- In general, don't sacrifice Dash. It's almost always useful for getting
through a challenge more quickly. There is one notable exception where
sacrificing Dash can give you much-needed time, though.
- Be careful when sacrificing both Magic (or White Magic) and Items. Being
stuck in the miasma and fighting random encounters when you have no way of
healing can be very dangerous.
- Also be careful about sacrificing abilities like Attack halved, Defense
halved, etc., if your level is low. The random encounter enemies in the
Labyrinth are among the toughest in the game, and on a couple challenges
Warmechs can be encountered.
- If you're trying to break the red seal, sacrifice fewer abilities than the
maximum to reduce the length of time that you'll have to wait for time to
expire before solving the puzzle.
- On some challenges, it can be useful to have a pencil and paper to write
things down so you'll remember them. Alternatively, if you're near a
computer, you can use Notepad or a similar program. If you do this, be sure
to put your PSP in sleep mode while you're writing to minimize the loss of
time.
- Also remember to put your PSP in sleep mode whenever you need to pause the
timer (taking a break, going to the restroom, etc). Just opening the menu
won't cut it.
- When putting your PSP in sleep mode and bringing it back out of sleep mode,
you'll lose a couple seconds waiting for the screen to come back on. Keep
that in mind.
- It can take one to two hours or more to clear the Labyrinth once, so only
attempt it when you have plenty of time, since you can't save inside.
- If you care about unlocking all 30 challenges, always open the blue seal the
first time you encounter a challenge, if you can. You never know when you'll
encounter that challenge again. Expect to have to play through the Labyrinth
several times at least to see all 30 challenges.
- Have patience. Some of the challenges are difficult, but none are impossibly
so.
==================================
VIII. Challenge Details [CHAL]
==================================
This section will provide specific information about all 30 challenges. For
reference, here is a table listing the challenges, adapted from a similar table
in KaonNemesis' Labyrinth of Time guide:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Challenge Name |Floor Type |Max Sacrifices|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|1. Faeries' Frolic.........|Modern Maze........|.............1|
|2. Faeries' Farce..........|Modern Maze........|.............1|
|3. Neat and Tidy...........|Modern Maze........|.............7|
|4. The Guardian............|Medieval Dungeon...|.............1|
|5. Path of Light...........|Medieval Dungeon...|.............2|
|6. Labyrinth of Darkness...|Medieval Dungeon...|.............2|
|7. Scavenger Hunt..........|Medieval Dungeon...|.............3|
|8. March of Souls..........|Medieval Dungeon...|.............3|
|9. The Bat Cave............|Medieval Dungeon...|.............7|
|10. Bat-a-bing!.............|Ancient Catacomb...|.............2|
|11. Trial by Fire...........|Ancient Catacomb...|.............3|
|12. Fire Drill..............|Ancient Catacomb...|.............5|
|13. Specter Inspector.......|Ancient Catacomb...|.............5|
|14. Beat the Heat...........|Primeval Pit.......|.............5|
|15. Thunder Alley...........|Primeval Pit.......|.............6|
|16. Mechanical Madness......|Primeval Pit.......|.............6|
|17. Stone Trap..............|Primeval Pit.......|.............6|
|18. Flower Sale.............|Primeval Pit.......|.............7|
|19. Breakout................|Primeval Pit.......|.............6|
|20. Mirror-image............|Primeval Pit.......|.............8|
|21. Marching Orders.........|Original Chaos.....|.............4|
|22. Twin Statues............|Original Chaos.....|.............3|
|23. Note for Note...........|Original Chaos.....|.............4|
|24. The Path to Peace.......|Original Chaos.....|.............4|
|25. Slay or Be Slain........|Original Chaos.....|.............5|
|26. Labyrinth of Trials.....|Original Chaos.....|.............8|
|27. Labyrinth of Disasters..|Netherworld Crypt..|.............7|
|28. Step by Step............|Netherworld Crypt..|.............7|
|29. Trick Statues...........|Netherworld Crypt..|.............7|
|30. Traveling Salesman......|Netherworld Crypt..|.............8|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this section will be in the following format:
-----------------------------
##. Challenge Name [CODE]
-----------------------------
Floor Type: Which of the six floor types the challenge can be found on.
Maximum Sacrifices: The maximum number of abilities that can be sacrificed.
Ability List: A list of all the abilities that can be sacrificed and the amount
of time you'll gain for each. This list, in combination with the floor type and
maximum number of sacrifices, can be used to easily determine which challenge
you'll face before sacrificing abilities. Note that the amount of time listed
here that you'll gain for sacrificing each ability assumes that your party's
average level is 99. If your levels are lower, you'll get more time.
Difficulty: My own subjective opinion on the challenge's difficulty level, with
1/10 being very easy and 10/10 being very difficult.
- Tablet: Directions for finding the tablet from the entrance.
- Puzzle: Specific information, directions or tips about the puzzle.
- Exit: Directions for finding the exit after solving the puzzle.
-----------------------------
1. Faeries' Frolic [01FF]
-----------------------------
Floor Type: Modern Maze
Maximum Sacrifices: 1
Ability List:
Magic..1:54
Item...2:33
Flee...3:11
Difficulty: 2/10
- Tablet: Go southwest at the first intersection, and you'll quickly find the
tablet.
- Puzzle: A faerie will appear on the screen and dance for you by quickly
turning in five different directions (up/down/left/right). The challenge is to
remember this faerie's dance. After she's done dancing, she'll leave the screen
and five faeries will appear, each doing a different dance. One of the faeries
is doing the same dance as the original one, and you must talk to that faerie.
Pick the right one and you solve the puzzle. Pick the wrong one and you have to
do it again. Note that, in this case, the dance that you have to pick out will
be the same, but the correct faerie's position when they come down again will
be different.
This is among the easiest of the challenges. The original faerie will continue
her dance for you as long as you don't press the X button to close the dialogue
box, so take some time to study which directions she faces and the order in
which she does so. If you need to, you can write down the directions so you'll
remember.
Then just press X and talk to the faerie that moves in the same way. Even
though you can only sacrifice one ability, you'll have plenty of time as long
as you find the tablet quickly.
- Exit: Go east from the puzzle area, then circle to the north to reach the
exit.
----------------------------
2. Faeries' Farce [02FF]
----------------------------
Floor Type: Modern Maze
Maximum Sacrifices: 1
Ability List:
Fight..3:11
Magic..1:54
Flee...3:11
Dash...3:11
Difficulty: 1/10 (3/10 if you do it the hard way)
- Tablet: Go northwest at the first intersection to reach the tablet.
- Puzzle: There is a 3x3 grid of treasure chests in this area. You must open
the correct chest to solve the puzzle. Opening the wrong chest halves your
remaining time and forces you to start over.
There are seven faeries in the area who will give you hints as to which chest
is the correct one. Six faeries tell the truth and one lies. The challenge is
to figure out which faerie is lying in order to determine which chest is the
correct one.
There are only a few different possible configurations for this puzzle, and
they're not difficult to solve. It helps to write down what the faeries tell
you, then put your PSP in sleep mode while you think about it. You can make a
grid representing the chests, and mark the chests that each fairie says may be
the correct one. That should make it clear which is lying.
Alternatively, you can actually know which chest is the correct one by talking
to the faerie that starts to the northwest of the tablet. Just look up what she
says on my list below, and you'll find the correct chest next to it.
NW faerie says |Correct chest
----------------------------------------------
Upper-left or lower-right.......|top-left
Second from the left............|bottom-center
Not center chest of bottom row..|center-left
Not in top or bottom row........|center-right
If she says something other than one of the possibilities above, then you've
found a configuration that I haven't encountered yet, and you'll have to solve
it on your own, but it's honestly not that difficult (I've done this one about
20 times though, so most likely these are the only possible configurations).
The only thing difficult about this challenge is the lack of time, being able
to sacrifice only one ability.
- Exit: Go south from the chests then southeast and you'll run into the exit.
---------------------------
3. Neat and Tidy [03NT]
---------------------------
Floor Type: Modern Maze
Maximum Sacrifices: 7
Ability List:
Magic................3:11
White Magic..........1:54
Black Magic..........2:33
Item.................3:49
recovery items.......1:16
attack items.........2:33
Flee.................4:27
Dash.................5:06
Attack halved........1:54
Defense halved.......1:54
Accuracy halved......2:33
Evasion halved.......2:33
Intelligence halved..1:16
Difficulty: 4/10
- Tablet: Go east at the first intersection then south to reach the tablet.
- Puzzle: This one can be slightly frustrating, but you have more than enough
time with all the abilities you can sacrifice. There are eight white blocks
scattered throughout the room, and there are eight squares on the north end of
the room that you must push the blocks onto. There are obstacles in your way
preventing you from pushing the blocks directly to the squares.
In addition, there are several robots roaming around the room. Before you move
a block from its original position, the robots are no threat. However, once
you've moved a block even one square, any robot that touches the block will
make that particular block disappear.
Once you've pushed a block into a square, it's locked in place and no robot can
make it disappear. You can talk to any robot to make all the blocks (except the
ones you've already pushed into squares) reappear at or move to their original
positions. The challenge is to push all eight blocks into the squares while
avoiding the robots.
The main skill that you need here is patience. Just wait for the robots to move
out of the way, or work on a different block until they do. If the robots make
blocks disappear, it's no big deal. Just get as many blocks as you can into the
squares, and once all the blocks are either in squares or have disappeared,
talk to a robot to reset the remaining blocks and try again for those. You have
more than enough time.
- Exit: Go north from the tablet. At the first intersection go east, then east
again at the next intersection to reach the exit.
--------------------------
4. The Guardian [04TG]
--------------------------
Floor Type: Medieval Dungeon
Maximum Sacrifices: 1
Ability List:
Fight...........4:15
Magic...........2:33
White Magic.....0:51
Black Magic.....1:42
Item............3:24
recovery items..0:51
attack items....1:42
Dash............4:15
Difficulty: 5/10 (depends on which chest is the correct one)
- Tablet: Go south at the intersection and you'll quickly see the tablet.
- Puzzle: This puzzle is a small maze with three treasure chests. One of the
chests (which one is random) is the correct one and opening it will solve the
puzzle. Opening the other two chests does nothing.
Complicating the puzzle are dragons that patrol the maze. If they see you (come
within three steps of you while facing you), they will force you back to the
beginning of the maze. It's possible to slip closer than three steps behind
them though as long as they don't turn to face you.
The layout of the maze remains the same each time, so it's primarily a matter
of practice and of watching their patrols, which seem to be random. Also, some
passageways in the maze have very small side passages in which you can hide
until dragons pass. The most difficult part of this challenge is the short time
you have to find the correct chest. Just try each chest in turn and hopefully
it'll be the first one.
Fortunately, if you're caught, any chests you've already opened remain open,
reducing the number of chests you may have to check next time.
To get to the first chest, head north at the first intersection, then south at
the next one. At the next intersection, you want to head east, but there may be
a dragon in the way, In that case, wait until it heads to the west and is
looking away before you head to the east. Then you'll want to head further
east, passing paths to the south and the north, but there could be a couple
dragons in the way, so just wait until they're looking away to make a dash for
it. Then head north at the next intersection to reach the chest.
To reach the second chest from the first, head east at the first intersection.
You want to head north at the next intersection, but you may have to wait for
a dragon to get out of the way before you do so.
To reach the third chest from the second, head west, then south at the next
intersection then north at the third. There are likely to be 2-3 dragons in
your way along this route.
You can also reach the third chest directly from the tablet (say, if the first
chest has already been opened) by heading south at the first intersection,
then east and then north. There are likely to be several dragons in your way,
though, and you'll have to wait for them to move out of your way.
To reach the second chest from the third, head east at the first intersection,
then east again and then north, keeping out of sight of the dragons.
- Exit: Before you head to the exit, there's a one time only treasure chest in
this challenge that you can get. From the tablet, go west a little and then
south. You'll quickly see a path to the east leading to the chest, which
contains a Mind Plus. Once you've gotten the chest, you won't be able to get it
again on future times through this challenge.
To actually reach the exit, go north from the chest, then north again (if
proceeding directly from the tablet, just go a little west then north). Then go
east (the path you skipped over on your way to the tablet) and you'll
eventually reach the exit.
---------------------------
5. Path of Light [05PL]
---------------------------
Floor Type: Medieval Dungeon
Maximum Sacrifices: 2
Ability List:
Magic..2:33
Item...3:24
Flee...4:15
Dash...4:15
Difficulty: 2/10
- Tablet: Go east, and continue to head east at each intersection to reach the
tablet.
- Puzzle: This challenge consists of a small maze; you must traverse it to the
exit to solve the puzzle.
However, you must follow a very particular path through the maze in order to
reach the exit. You will see a light follow a winding path through the area.
Your task is to copy the light, following the exact same path it took. If you
make a misstep, you will be sent back to the beginning of the maze and must
watch the light's path again.
The path the light takes through the maze is random, but if you're sent back to
the beginning, it will take the same path, so it's easy to memorize the path
after a few attempts. As long as you find the tablet quickly, you'll have more
than enough time to solve the puzzle.
- Exit: From the southern exit from the puzzle area, head west, and keep
heading west when you can, and you'll run across the exit.
-----------------------------------
6. Labyrinth of Darkness [06LD]
-----------------------------------
Floor Type: Medieval Dungeon
Maximum Sacrifices: 2
Ability List:
Fight..4:15
Magic..2:33
Flee...4:15
Dash...4:15
Difficulty: 2/10
- Tablet: Just head east from the entrance and the tablet is right in front of
you.
- Puzzle: This puzzle seems difficult, but it's really not. It's a maze, with a
chest in the center. Opening the chest solves the puzzle. The problem is that
most of the screen is dark; you start out able to see a circle with a radius of
only one square around your character.
Throughout the maze are candles. Lighting the candles will temporarily extend
the radius of the circle of light, expanding your view. Light enough candles,
and you'll be able to see a good distance around you. However, after a short
time, each candle that you light will be extinguished and the circle of light
around you will get smaller.
The trick to this challenge is to simply follow the left wall. Upon entering
the maze, pretend that your character has his left hand sticking out touching
the wall to his left. Walk forward, being sure to keep your left hand against
the wall. You are guaranteed to eventually encounter the chest. You don't even
have to light any candles.
Even with only two abilities to sacrifice here, there's plenty of time to find
the chest this way. Once you've opened the chest, the puzzle is solved and the
whole area is lit up again.
- Exit: If you leave the maze the way you came in (by the tablet), you'll have
a very long walk all the way around the area to reach the exit. However,
there's another way out of the maze that puts you practically right next to the
exit of the challenge.
From the chest, head east at the first intersection, then at each following
intersection (ignoring places with obvious dead ends where you can only go one
direction), go: north, north, north, west, south, west, south, north, then
west. Once you're in the wider corridor, head north a short distance then west
at the intersection to reach the exit.
----------------------------
7. Scavenger Hunt [07SH]
----------------------------
Floor Type: Medieval Dungeon
Maximum Sacrifices: 3
Ability List:
White Magic..........0:51
Item.................3:24
recovery items.......0:51
Dash.................4:15
Attack halved........1:16
Defense halved.......1:16
Accuracy halved......1:42
Intelligence halved..1:42
Difficulty: 2/10
- Tablet: Go south at the first intersection, then southwest, then east, then
north to reach the tablet.
- Puzzle: Somewhere in the room is buried a light. Digging it up solves the
puzzle. The tablet will tell you how many steps away from your current position
the light is buried.
For example, if the tablet tells you the light is eight steps away from you, it
could be eight steps to the right, or it could be four to the right and four
down, or it could be seven to the right and one up, or any such combination.
Guess where the light is based on this information and press X to dig. If you
guessed wrongly, you'll be given the number of steps the light is from your new
location. The location of the light remains the same. Sometimes, when you guess
wrongly, you'll be forced to fight a battle, though you can flee from it.
All told this is an easy challenge. One tip, if you guess wrongly the first
time, is to compare the number of steps from your new position with the number
of steps from your old position. For example, if the tablet told you the light
was eight steps from your initial position, and the second clue told you the
light was three steps from your new position, the light must be in one of the
places where a circle three steps from your new position intersects with a
circle eight steps from your old position. This can help you get a mental
picture of what area it must be in. Then just dig and count steps until you
find it.
- Exit: From the tablet, go west, and keep going west when able until you find
the exit (you'll have passed by the exit on the way to the tablet).
----------------------------
8. March of Souls [08MS]
----------------------------
Floor Type: Medieval Dungeon
Maximum Sacrifices: 3
Ability List:
White Magic.....0:51
Item............3:24
recovery items..0:51
Flee............4:15
Dash............4:15
Attack halved...1:16
Defense halved..1:16
Difficulty: 6/10
- Tablet: Go south and east from the entrance and you'll find yourself in an
east-west corridor with six southern paths. Take the fourth path south, then go
west at the intersection to reach the tablet.
- Puzzle: After you talk to the hooded figure, a column of about nine
characters will walk from one end of the screen to the other quite quickly. You
will then be asked three questions about the order that they appeared in, and
you must answer all three questions correctly to solve the puzzle.
If you answer a question incorrectly, a new lineup will walk past and you'll
have three new questions to answer. The questions may ask things like which
type of character was fifth in line, or in which place in the line was the
pirate.
The possible characters are: bat, beaver, broom, dancer, dragon, dwarf, elf,
faerie, mermaid and pirate.
What makes this challenge difficult is that the characters walk by so fast. It
helps to try to write down their order as they walk by. Make up abbreviations
or symbols for them, and quickly jot them down as they walk by. You can refer
to your written list when answering the questions. Even doing this, it may take
a few tries to get it right.
There is a special consideration in this challenge if you are intentionally
trying to open the red seal instead of the blue seal. If the dialogue box that
asks you the questions is open when the time expires, the timer will not
actually reach 0:00 but will instead be stuck on 0:01 until the dialogue box is
gone. Time doesn't actually expire until the time reaches 0:00. Therefore, if
you let the timer drop as far as it can (0:01) with the dialogue box open, then
answer the questions correctly, the blue seal will be opened instead of the red
seal, because you answered the questions correctly with 0:01 left, no matter
how long the timer remained on 0:01 before you did so. If you want the red seal
for this challenge, don't even talk to the hooded figure until time has
expired.
- Exit: From the tablet, go north to the east-west corridor, then west. Go
south down the second southern path, then west then south to reach the exit.
--------------------------
9. The Bat Cave [09BC]
--------------------------
Floor Type: Medieval Dungeon
Maximum Sacrifices: 7
Ability List:
Fight................5:06
White Magic..........1:54
Item.................3:49
recovery items.......1:16
attack items.........2:33
Dash.................5:06
Attack halved........1:54
Defense halved.......1:54
Accuracy halved......2:33
Evasion halved.......2:33
Intelligence halved..1:16
Difficulty: 1/10
- Tablet: Go east at the first intersection and north at the second
intersection to find the tablet quickly.
- Puzzle: You must walk from the left end of the area to the right end. Along
the way there will be a number of bats, some of them moving and some of them
still. You must remember how many bats were moving, how many bats were still
and how many bats there were in total.
When you get to the right side, the hooded figure will ask you one question
about the bats. He will ask how many were moving, still, or total. Answering
the question correctly solves the puzzle. Answering incorrectly transports you
over to the left side and you must count again (and the number of each type of
bat will be different).
It's very easy to count in your head the number of moving and still bats as you
walk. Just keep a running total, then add the two numbers together at the end
for the total number of bats. You can make marks on a piece of paper for each
bat if you have trouble doing it in your head.
Considering how much time you have for this challenge (depending on which
abilities you sacrificed, possibly over 20:00!), it's practically impossible to
fail it, unless you're intentionally trying to get the red seal.
- Exit: From the eastern exit from the puzzle area, go south at the
intersection then follow the path to the exit.
--------------------------
10. Bat-a-bing! [10BB]
--------------------------
Floor Type: Ancient Catacomb
Maximum Sacrifices: 2
Ability List:
Fight..3:11
Magic..1:54
Flee...3:11
Dash...3:11
Difficulty: 5/10
- Tablet: Go north at the first intersection to reach the tablet.
- Puzzle: This challenge can be either easy or quite difficult, depending on
the placement of rocks you get.
The puzzle area is a large square room. A number of bats are traveling in a
clockwise circle along the outer edge of the room. Whenever the bats hit any
obstacle, including you, they will do an immediate 90 degree right turn and
continue flying in the new direction. There are no obstacles along the outer
edge of the room, except the other edges, so the bats will continue flying in a
clockwise circle until you step into their path, forcing them to divert.
In the middle of the room is a small rock enclosure with a gap in one side.
Your goal is to get the bats to fly through this gap and into the enclosure,
where they will just fly around in circles. Once you've done this, the puzzle
is solved.
Whenever you stand in the bats' way on the outer edge of the room and they run
into you, they'll turn 90 degrees to the right and keep flying. If they run
into any rocks in the room, they'll turn 90 degrees to the right again. This
will repeat until eventually they're either in the enclosure or they're back on
the outer edge of the room. The placement of the rocks throughout the room is
random, so the correct route to send the bats on will be different each time.
What you must do is start at the gap in the enclosure, and work out the route
of the bats backwards until you reach the outer edge. Unfortunately, when
you're working backwards there are many possible routes and you must figure out
which is the correct one, as some will just circle in on themselves.
Walking straight out of the gap, any rock or other obstacle immediately to your
right (your character's right, not the right of the screen) is something that
the bats could bounce off of on their way to the enclosure. Turn left (because
you're working backwards) and follow the route either until you reach the outer
edge or you run into an obstacle yourself, which means that the bats must turn
again somewhere along the current straight path.
Keep working out the path backwards and eventually you'll reach the outer wall.
Divert the bats at that point (remember to take one step clockwise along the
outer wall so the bats will be diverted along the correct path).
Once you've diverted the bats, don't follow after them. If you accidentally get
in their way, you could send them somewhere you don't want them to be and
you'll have to divert them again. Just stand there until you get the message
that the seal has been opened.
This explanation is somewhat wordy and awkward, but it's difficult to describe.
You'll get the hang of it after some practice, but it may take a few attempts.
One interesting thing to do: once you've solved the puzzle and the bats are
flying in circles in the enclosure, you can enter the enclosure yourself and
watch as the bats actually fly right through you.
- Exit: Leave the big room via the passageway close to the southwest corner and
follow the path to the exit.
----------------------------
11. Trial by Fire [11TF]
----------------------------
Floor Type: Ancient Catacomb
Maximum Sacrifices: 3
Ability List:
Fight..3:11
Magic..1:54
Item...2:33
Dash...3:11
Difficulty: 1/10 (9/10 if you do it the hard way)
- Tablet: Go northeast at the first intersection, then south at the end of that
path and you'll run right into the tablet.
- Puzzle: There are 20 candles, in four rows of five. Some of the candles are
initially lit. The goal of the puzzle is to light all 20 candles. Whenever you
speak to a candle, not only is the status of that candle toggled (lit if
currently unlit, and vice versa), but the status of any candle immediately
above, below, to the left and to the right of it is toggled as well.
For this explanation, candle X-Y is in the Xth row from the top, the Yth candle
from the left in that row (e.g. candle 1-4 is in the top row, fourth candle
from the left, and candle 4-1 is in the fourth row from the top, furthest to
the left).
This seems very difficult, but there is a trick to make it quite easy. There
are only a few possible initial configurations of the candles, and walking only
a couple steps from the tablet, in the direction from which you came, resets
the puzzle. Therefore, if you don't like the initial configuration of candles,
just walk a few steps away, choose to reset the puzzle when prompted, then talk
to the tablet again to get a new configuration.
What you want is for only candles 1-4, 1-5, 2-3 and 2-4 to be lit. Reset the
puzzle repeatedly if needed until you get that configuration. Once you've
gotten it, light the following candles: 1-2, 3-1, 4-3 and 3-5. The puzzle will
be solved. This is the easiest configuration to solve.
Of course, if you'd like to try to solve one of the other configurations on
your own, feel free. However, there is one configuration that cannot be solved.
If only candles 1-1 and 3-1 are lit, you must reset the puzzle to get a
different configuration.
- Exit: Leave the puzzle area to the south, then go east then south to reach
the exit.
-------------------------
12. Fire Drill [12FD]
-------------------------
Floor Type: Ancient Catacomb
Maximum Sacrifices: 5
Ability List:
Fight................4:15
Magic................2:33
White Magic..........0:51
Black Magic..........1:42
Flee.................4:15
Dash.................4:15
Attack halved........1:16
Defense halved.......1:16
Accuracy halved......1:42
Evasion halved.......1:42
Intelligence halved..1:42
Difficulty: 3/10
- Tablet: Go west, then east at the next intersection, then north to reach the
tablet.
- Puzzle: There are 16 candles in the room, four rows and four columns. Above
each column is a tablet that says how many candles in that column should be
lit. To the left of each row is a tablet that says how many candles in that row
should be lit. To solve the puzzle, light the candles in the correct
combination such that the correct number of candles are lit in each column and
row, as specified in the tablets. Light or unlight a candle by speaking to it.
This is a pretty easy challenge, much easier than Trial by Fire if you were
solving that challenge on your own. Often, one or more of the tablets will say
that either none or all of the candles in that column or row should be lit,
giving you an easy starting point.
Also, often a tablet will give you more information that simply the number of
candles that should be lit. For example, it will say that alternating candles
should be lit, or that two or three candles in a row should be lit.
Further, you can infer additional information from what the tablets don't say.
For example, if a tablet says that three candles should be lit, but doesn't say
that three consecutive candles should be lit, then the three candles that
should be lit are not consecutive (because if they were the tablet would say
so).
It's usually quite simple to determine the correct combination by logical
deduction, one row or column at a time. Even if some trial and error is
necessary, you have plenty of time. However, if you don't like the particular
configuration you've been given, you can reset the puzzle by walking a few
steps north of the tablet then talk to the tablet again to get a different
configuration.
- Exit: From the tablet, go west, then west again, then south and follow the
path to the exit.
--------------------------------
13. Specter Inspector [13SI]
--------------------------------
Floor Type: Ancient Catacomb
Maximum Sacrifices: 5
Ability List:
Fight................4:15
Magic................2:33
Item.................3:24
Dash.................4:15
Attack halved........1:16
Defense halved.......1:16
Accuracy halved......1:42
Evasion halved.......1:42
Intelligence halved..1:42
Difficulty: 4/10
- Tablet: From the entrance, take the north path twice, then follow the obvious
path to reach the tablet.
- Puzzle: This puzzle consists of five "rounds." In each round, a number of
characters will appear on the screen for a couple seconds, then walk off the
screen. Then they'll come back, but one of them will be either a completely
different character or facing a different direction. You must speak to the one
that changed to pass the round. Pass all five rounds and the puzzle is solved.
If you talk to the wrong character, you must fight a battle and then do that
round again. Thankfully, you don't have to start over from the first round.
Also, each time you attempt the round the one that changes will be the same, so
if you're not able to tell you can eventually get the right one by process of
elimination.
First round: Five characters, one will change to a different kind.
Second round: Ten characters, one will change to a different kind.
Third round: Three characters, one will be facing a different direction.
Fourth round: Five characters, one will be facing a different direction.
Fifth round: Ten characters, one will either change to a different kind or be
facing a different direction.
The first three rounds are easy; the last two can be more of a challenge, but
you have plenty of time. There really isn't enough time to write down the types
of characters or their directions before they walk off the screen. For the last
round, try focusing on either the top or bottom row while trying to memorize
their types and directions instead of trying to take in all ten characters.
It's easier to tell if one of them changed, and if not you'll know at least
that it's one of the characters in the other row.
- Exit: Leave the puzzle area to the south, then head east at the intersection
and you'll find the exit.
----------------------------
14. Beat the Heat [14BH]
----------------------------
Floor Type: Primeval Pit
Maximum Sacrifices: 5
Ability List:
Magic................2:33
White Magic..........0:51
Item.................3:24
recovery items.......0:51
Dash.................4:15
Attack halved........1:16
Defense halved.......1:16
Accuracy halved......1:42
Evasion halved.......1:42
Intelligence halved..1:42
Difficulty: 3/10
- Tablet: Go north at the first intersection and follow the obvious path to the
tablet.
- Puzzle: For this puzzle you must cross a bridge to the other side. Very
shortly after you step on any square on the bridge, that square will disappear.
If you're still standing on it at the time, you will drop into the lava and
have to start over, so you must keep constantly moving.
In addition, there are multiple points of light on the bridge, and you must
step through each of them on your way to the other side. The quickly
disappearing floor means that you can only step on each square once on your
way.
Study the positions of the lights and plan out your route before you start.
It's not too difficult. It helps me to dash and to tap (quickly) the
directional buttons for each step instead of holding them down.
Interestingly, this is the only challenge in a fire-type environment (it looks
like the Sunken Shrine but with a red glow, and the battle background is the
same as Mount Gulg).
- Exit: The exit is right down the path.
----------------------------
15. Thunder Alley [15TA]
----------------------------
Floor Type: Primeval Pit
Maximum Sacrifices: 6
Ability List:
Fight................4:15
Magic................2:33
White Magic..........0:51
Black Magic..........1:42
Item.................3:24
recovery items.......0:51
attack items.........1:42
Dash.................4:15
Attack halved........1:16
Defense halved.......1:16
Accuracy halved......1:42
Evasion halved.......1:42
Intelligence halved..1:42
Difficulty: 2/10
- Tablet: Go south at the first intersection and you'll see the tablet to the
east.
- Puzzle: This puzzle is a maze with a chest inside it. Opening the chest
solves the puzzle. However, every once in a while the screen will flash white.
When it does, after a few steps you will be struck by lightning. If you're
struck by lightning, you will be sent back to the beginning of the maze.
Scattered throughout the maze are lightning towers. If you're standing within
one square of a lightning tower when lightning strikes, it will not hit you.
As you're making your way through the maze, pay close attention for the flash.
Whenever you see the screen flash, head immediately to the nearest lightning
tower and walk back and forth next to it until the lightning strikes it, then
continue on.
It won't take too long for you to reach the chest, and you have lots of time.
Take the east path from the tablet. When you come to a larger area, head south
first to the lightning tower and walk back and forth there until lightning
strikes it, then go east to the next tower, then north to two more towers. The
chest is just north of these two towers.
- Exit: From the tablet, head further south down the western corridor, then all
the way east to reach the exit.
---------------------------------
16. Mechanical Madness [16MM]
---------------------------------
Floor Type: Primeval Pit
Maximum Sacrifices: 6
Ability List:
Fight................4:15
Magic................2:33
White Magic..........0:51
Black Magic..........1:42
recovery items.......0:51
attack items.........1:42
Dash.................4:15
Attack halved........1:16
Defense halved.......1:16
Accuracy halved......1:42
Evasion halved.......1:42
Intelligence halved..1:42
Difficulty: 4/10
- Tablet: Go south then east to reach the tablet. However, there's a one time
only chest you can get by going west a little instead of east. The chest
contains a Speed Plus.
- Puzzle: The goal here is simply to make your way to the exit from the room on
the right hand side. There are a large number of robots blocking your path.
Talking to a robot will push it one square forward in the direction you're
facing. However, the robot will not move at all if there's an obstacle,
including another robot, in the square you're trying to push it to.
If you find it impossible to proceed, talk to the red robot and the positions
of all the robots will be reset. The configuration of the robots is different
each time you encounter this challenge.
This isn't too difficult, but it may take some trial and error. Be careful to
not push a robot into a position where it will block your path. You have plenty
of time for this one.
- Exit: Head east from the exit of the puzzle area, then east again at the
four-way intersection to quickly find the exit.
-------------------------
17. Stone Trap [17ST]
-------------------------
Floor Type: Primeval Pit
Maximum Sacrifices: 6
Ability List:
Fight................6:48
Magic................4:15
Black Magic..........3:24
Item.................5:06
attack items.........3:24
Attack halved........1:16
Defense halved.......1:16
Accuracy halved......1:42
Evasion halved.......1:42
Intelligence halved..1:42
Difficulty: 3/10
- Tablet: Go west at the intersection and follow the path to the tablet.
- Puzzle: This puzzle is a maze through which your path is blocked by rocks.
There are numerous wall switches, each of which will make one or more rocks
temporarily disappear. The rocks will reappear after you have taken ten steps,
so be sure to not take any wasteful steps after you've hit a switch.
Also, there are several chests scattered throughout the maze, containing stat
plus items and other items. The chests are one time only; any chest you open
will remain opened if you encounter this challenge in the future.
It is possible to get stuck in an area with no wall switches that will allow
you to get out. This most often happens when you've gotten one of the chests.
If you're stuck, there will be a robot to talk to that will transport you back
to the beginning of the maze.
To get all the chests here, follow these directions:
Hit the right wall switch, then the left switch and head to the left. Hit the
wall switch that you can see, then go through the gap to the north where the
rock disappeared. Get the chest (Power Plus). Talk to the robot to reset.
Hit the right then left switch again, then the third switch you hit before,
then head south through the gap before the rock reappears. Hit the switch you
can access and head south again through another gap, then hit another switch
then east through another gap.
Hit the switch you can see here, then go east. You'll have a choice of north
or south here. Go north and open the chest (X-Potion) then west for the next
chest (Dry Ether). Then hit the wall switch and go north through the gap to
get back to the beginning of the maze.
Follow the directions from the beginning again (right switch, left switch, go
left, hit the next wall switch, south, switch, south, switch, east). Now hit
this switch again, go east, and then go south (where you went north before).
Open the chest (Speed Plus). Hit the switch and go west and open the next
chest (Mind Plus). Talk to the robot to reset the maze again.
Then again follow the directions to where you were before (right switch, left
switch, go left, hit the next wall switch, south, switch, south, switch,
east, switch, east then south). Then hit the switch and go west through the
gap again, right below the chest you opened before, and go south through the
next gap before the rock reappears.
Hit the right switch, then the left switch, then go east then south through
the gap to the next chest (Elixir). Talk to the robot to reset the maze
again.
Now head back to where you were before (right switch, left switch, go left,
hit the next wall switch, south, switch, south, switch, east, switch, east
then south, switch, west then south). Hit the right switch, then the left
switch, then go west through the gap. Hit the north switch in this area, then
go north through the gap and open the chest (Cottage). Hit the switch, go
north again and talk to the robot to reset the maze.
Once again head back to where you were (right switch, left switch, go left,
hit the next wall switch, south, switch, south, switch, east, switch, east
then south, switch, west then south, right switch, left switch, go west). Hit
the north switch here again, but then go south and west through the gap to
the next area.
Hit the southern switch here, then go east and then north and open the chest
(Staff - seriously, it's just a staff; you can skip this one if you want by
just going further east instead of north for this chest). Talk to the robot
here to reset the maze.
One more time head all the way through the maze back to where you were (right
switch, left switch, go left, hit the next wall switch, south, switch, south,
switch, east, switch, east then south, switch, west then south, right switch,
left switch, go west, hit the north switch, south and west through the gap).
Hit the southern switch again, then go east past where both rocks were. The
exit from the maze is to the south.
Note that it's quite possible to get all the chests here and reach the exit
before time expires, as you can have a lot of time for this one.
To just head straight for the exit without getting any chests, follow these
much shorter directions:
Hit the right wall switch, then the left switch and head to the left. Hit the
wall switch that you can see, then head south through the gap before the rock
reappears. Hit the switch you can access and head south again through another
gap, then hit another switch then east through another gap.
Hit the switch you can see here, then go east. You'll have a choice of north
or south here. Go south. Hit the next switch to the south, go west through
the gap, then quickly south through the next gap before the rock reappears.
Hit the right switch, then the left switch, then go west through the gap. Hit
the north switch in this area, then go south and west through the gap to the
next area. Hit the southern switch here, then go east past where both rocks
were. The exit from the maze is to the south.
- Exit: Go straight south from the maze to find the exit.
--------------------------
18. Flower Sale [18FS]
--------------------------
Floor Type: Primeval Pit
Maximum Sacrifices: 7
Ability List:
Magic................4:15
Black Magic..........3:24
Item.................5:06
recovery items.......1:42
Flee.................5:57
Attack halved........2:33
Defense halved.......2:33
Accuracy halved......3:24
Evasion halved.......3:24
Intelligence halved..1:42
Difficulty: 5/10
- Tablet: This level is symmetrical from east to west. Go either west or east,
south when you can, then either east or west (back to the center), then south
to reach the tablet.
- Puzzle: The hooded figure will give you a certain amount of gil. Multiple
characters walk around the room, each selling flowers for different prices.
Your goal is to spend the exact amount of gil that the hooded figure gave you,
no more and no less, on flowers and then speak to the hooded figure again to
solve the puzzle.
Write down the amount of gil the hooded figure gives you. Talk to each
character, writing down the type of character and the amount of gil they're
selling for. Once you've done this, put your PSP in sleep mode and figure out
which combination will result in spending the exact amount of gil the hooded
figure gave you.
There are usually multiple combinations of purchases that will result in the
desired amount. Start adding up numbers, using a calculator if you're not good
at mental arithmetic. If you exceed the total, take away one of the characters
in your calculation and add others, by trial and error, until you find a
correct combination. Then bring your PSP out of sleep mode and buy from only
the characters you determined will result in spending the exact amount of gil
you were given. Talk to the hooded figure again to solve the puzzle.
If you fail, you must start over, but the amount of gil the hooded figure gives
you and the amounts that each of the characters are selling for will be
different. There is no other penalty for failure.
- Exit: Go north from the tablet, then either west or east, then south when you
can and follow the path. Go south again in the center of the area to reach the
exit.
-----------------------
19. Breakout [19BO]
-----------------------
Floor Type: Primeval Pit
Maximum Sacrifices: 6
Ability List:
Fight................5:06
Magic................3:11
Black Magic..........2:33
Item.................3:49
attack items.........2:33
Dash.................5:06
Attack halved........1:54
Defense halved.......1:54
Accuracy halved......2:33
Evasion halved.......2:33
Intelligence halved..1:16
Difficulty: 1/10 (9/10 if you're figuring it out on your own)
- Tablet: Head east at the first intersection, then east again at the second.
Go north and east past the dead ends, then south to the tablet.
- Puzzle: This puzzle is a maze-like grid of 30 small rooms, five rows and six
columns. The tablet is directly above the room in the upper right corner. Most
of the rooms are separated by rocks, preventing your passage between them. Your
goal is to make your way to the exit from the maze in the south.
Each of the 30 rooms, except the room just north of the exit, has a floor
switch in the center; each of these switches will make some of the rocks in the
maze disappear or reappear. Some switches will make rocks in a different part
of the maze, off the screen, disappear, while some rocks are toggled by more
than one switch.
The correct route through the maze is best explained with a map, so here's a
map of the maze that I made:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5004/5215001795_f72e3da152_z.jpg
This map is based on a map that appears in the BradyGames guide.
In case you're not able to see the image, here's a textual description. Follow
each step from 1-39. Travel in the direction (up/down/left/right) indicated,
then either do or do not step on the floor switch in the room you come to,
depending on whether that step says YES or NO. For example, down-YES means to
walk down one room, then step on the floor switch of the room you come to.
The first "down" is to move down from the tablet to the first room you come to,
the room in the upper right corner of the maze.
1. down-YES 14. right-YES 27. down-YES
2. left-YES 15. up-YES 28. right-YES
3. down-YES 16. left-YES 29. up-NO
4. right-YES 17. down-NO 30. up-NO
5. up-YES 18. down-YES 31. right-YES
6. left-NO 19. right-YES 32. right-YES
7. left-YES 20. left-NO 33. right-YES
8. left-YES 21. down-YES 34. left-YES
9. right-NO 22. down-YES 35. down-YES
10. down-YES 23. up-NO 36. right-YES
11. left-YES 24. right-YES 37. down-YES
12. left-YES 25. right-YES 38. left-Y/N
13. left-YES 26. left-NO 39. left-N/A
Then just head south out of the maze, and the puzzle is solved.
Note that for step 38, it doesn't matter whether you step on the floor switch
or not. This is actually also true of a couple other steps that say YES, but
you may as well go ahead and step on the floor switches on each step unless it
says NO above. Also, for step 39 there is no floor switch.
- Exit: After solving the puzzle just follow the obvious path to the exit.
---------------------------
20. Mirror-image [20MI]
---------------------------
Floor Type: Primeval Pit
Maximum Sacrifices: 8
Ability List:
Magic................4:15
White Magic..........2:33
Black Magic..........3:24
Item.................5:06
recovery items.......1:42
attack items.........3:24
Flee.................5:57
Dash.................6:48
Attack halved........2:33
Defense halved.......2:33
Accuracy halved......3:24
Evasion halved.......3:24
Intelligence halved..3:24
Difficulty: 4/10
- Tablet: Take the second path south that you come to, then go south again to
find the tablet.
- Puzzle: The puzzle area is split into two sides. On the right side, a robot
will walk a set path around a square, changing direction frequently. On the
left side, you must mirror the robot's movements around your own square.
There are four rounds, each one longer than the last. When you complete a round
successfully, you move on to the next round. If you fail a round, you must
start that particular round (not the whole challenge) over. Complete all four
rounds to solve the puzzle.
Remember that it's a mirror image, so if the robot moves left, towards the
center, you must move right, towards the center, and vice versa. Move up/down
with the robot as well. You must stay within 1-2 steps of the robot's position
on the other side, so there is a bit of room for error, but if you get too far
away from mirroring the robot's position, you'll fail the round.
Turn auto-dash off if you have it on; it's too easy to get ahead of the robot
while dashing. Move slightly after he moves, so you'll have time to react to
his movements. You may fail a couple rounds, but it's easy with some practice.
You have lots and lots of time here.
- Exit: Go south from the puzzle area, then south again and you'll run into the
exit.
------------------------------
21. Marching Orders [21MO]
------------------------------
Floor Type: Original Chaos
Maximum Sacrifices: 4
Ability List:
Magic................1:54
White Magic..........0:38
Item.................2:33
recovery items.......0:38
Dash.................3:11
Accuracy halved......1:16
Intelligence halved..1:16
Difficulty: 7/10
- Tablet: From the entrance, go east through the first room. Continue east
along the north wall until you reach a room on the northeast side. Take the
left path southwards, then go west and north, then west and south, and follow
the path to the tablet.
- Puzzle: This puzzle involves marching in a formation of soldiers. Get into
position (the empty spot in the formation) and move along with the soldiers,
stopping when they do. The formation will move to the right of the room, then
all the way to the left. If you make it all the way to the left without
failing, the puzzle is solved.
If you touch the soldier in front of you or behind you, you fail and must start
over. The formation occasionally stops and starts again, and it's easy to take
a step after they stop, running into the soldier in front of you and therefore
failing. You can also fail by falling too far behind such that the soldier
behind you runs into you.
Each time the formation starts moving, the leader will blow a whistle, giving
you an auditory indication to start moving. However, there is no sound at all
when the soldiers stop; they just suddenly stop moving. Therefore, you must
take each step a fraction of a second after the soldiers do. Be sure the
soldiers are moving another step before you take yours, but once they do you
must be quick, lest the soldier behind you run into you. There's very little
room for error on this one.
This puzzle is challenging, but it gets easier with practice. I find it easier
to have auto-dash turned on for this challenge. This means you shouldn't
sacrifice Dash (you shouldn't usually sacrifice it anyway), so you'll have 6:59
for this one if your average level is 99 and you sacrifice the best abilities
other than Dash.
- Exit: Take the northwest passage from the puzzle room and follow the path.
---------------------------
22. Twin Statues [22TS]
---------------------------
Floor Type: Original Chaos
Maximum Sacrifices: 3
Ability List:
Fight..3:11
Magic..1:54
Flee...3:11
Dash...3:11
Difficulty: 6/10 (average, depends on configuration of statues)
- Tablet: Go north at the first intersection then south at the second to reach
the tablet.
- Puzzle: There are eight statues, two of each type, in the room. You can
manipulate the statues by either pushing them one square forward in the
direction you're facing or by turning them 90 degrees. Your goal is to get each
pair of identical statues next to each other and facing each other.
The initial locations of the statues are different each time you encounter this
challenge. When you get a pair of statues facing each other, both will
disappear. When you've made all four pairs of statues disappear this way, the
puzzle is solved. If you get stuck (if you've gotten statues pushed to places
that you can't push them out of), talk to a robot who will reset the statues to
their original positions.
Note that talking to a robot will reset all of the statues to their original
positions, even those pairs of statues that you had previously made disappear,
so you'll have to start all over again. Also, unlike with many other
challenges, it seems that you can't get a different configuration just by
walking a few steps away from the tablet, resetting the challenge then talking
to the tablet again. You can reset it this way, but the configuration seems to
be the same every time (until you encounter this challenge again on a different
runthrough, anyway). So if you don't like the configuration you get, you're
stuck with it.
What makes this challenge difficult is the relative lack of time you have to
complete it, and the obstacles in the room preventing you from pushing the
statues where you want them to go. In some initial configurations, the statues
are mostly in the corners, but not paired up, which means you must move them
all to different corners. One configuration in particular, in which all the
statues start out close to the center of the room, in the middle of the
obstacles, is particularly tricky, requiring that you do everything right or
you'll have to reset.
The best tip I can give you is to plan out where and how you'll move the
statues before you start moving them. Don't push one against a wall unless
you'll be able to move around from another direction to keep pushing it. It's
usually easiest to push each pair into a corner of the room, where you have
lots of space.
If you want you can even map out the room on paper, write down the locations of
the statues then put your PSP in sleep mode to give yourself time to figure out
where and how to move them, but that shouldn't be necessary.
- Exit: Go slightly north from the tablet then east, and follow the path.
----------------------------
23. Note for Note [23NN]
----------------------------
Floor Type: Original Chaos
Maximum Sacrifices: 4
Ability List:
Fight...........4:15
Magic...........2:33
Item............3:24
Dash............4:15
Attack halved...1:16
Defense halved..1:16
Difficulty: 1/10
- Tablet: Shortly after leaving the entrance area you'll find colored squares
on the floor (not the same ones you'll use in the puzzle). Just follow these to
the tablet.
- Puzzle: There is a line of eight colored squares, each of which plays a
different musical note when you step on it. When you speak to the hooded
figure, he will cause a melody to play, with each square lighting up as that
note is played. Your task is to step on the squares in the same order as they
lit up, then speak to the hooded figure again.
There are three rounds, the melody becoming longer in each round (five notes in
the first round, seven notes in the second round and 12 notes in the third
round). If you fail a round, you must repeat that round only, not start from
the beginning, and the melody stays the same.
This is a very easy puzzle. It might help to number the squares 1-8 and write
down the order in which they light up each round. You should have no problem
completing it the first time through.
- Exit: Retrace your steps to where the first colored square on the floor
(before the puzzle area) is, and go east. Proceed through two semi-circular
areas, then go south through two more semi-circular areas, then west. Then just
follow the path to the exit.
--------------------------------
24. The Path to Peace [24PP]
--------------------------------
Floor Type: Original Chaos
Maximum Sacrifices: 4
Ability List:
Item.................3:24
Flee.................4:15
Attack halved........1:16
Accuracy halved......1:42
Intelligence halved..1:42
Difficulty: 4/10
- Tablet: Head east at the first intersection. You could head east at the
second intersection to get to the tablet quickly, but there are three one time
only chests in the eastern part of this area that you can get now.
If you want them, go north at the second intersection instead, then go east
when you have the choice. The first chest (Speed Plus) is at the end of a short
passage to the northeast. The second chest (Elixir) is just south of this, and
the third chest (Golden Apple) is a little bit further along the path. Then
just retrace your steps to where you diverted from the path to the tablet, and
head east to find it.
- Puzzle: In this puzzle, a robot will attempt to make its way slowly through a
small maze. The path that the robot takes is different each time you encounter
this challenge. Once the robot reaches the end of the maze, the puzzle is
solved.
There are obstacles in the robot's way that you must take care of. Some of
these are white blocks that you must push out of the way, and some are dragons
which you must fight (though you can run from them and they'll still
disappear). Sometimes you must loop around an obstacle in order to push it out
of the robot's way, and, even though the robot is very slow, you must be quick
in doing this. If you push a block into a corner, you won't be able to move it.
If the robot runs into an obstacle, the maze will reset, though the robot's
path and obstacles will be the same as before.
Since you won't know the robot's path at first, and by the time it makes a turn
it's often too late to clear obstacles out of its path, expect it to have to
reset the maze a couple of times before you manage to clear all of the
obstacles.
- Exit: From the exit of the maze, head west a little then south to the exit.
-------------------------------
25. Slay or Be Slain [25SS]
-------------------------------
Floor Type: Original Chaos
Maximum Sacrifices: 5
Ability List:
Magic...........2:33
White Magic.....0:51
Black Magic.....1:42
Item............3:24
recovery items..0:51
attack items....1:42
Dash............4:15
Attack halved...1:16
Defense halved..1:16
Difficulty: 10/10
- Tablet: Head east and then south and the tablet is right there.
- Puzzle: This was by far the most difficult puzzle for me, but even so I only
had to encounter this challenge three times before I opened the blue seal, so
it's definitely doable.
In this room are several dragons. All of the dragons are Red Dragons in battle,
but their map sprites look different and there are 12 different "types." The
dragons differ in three ways: number of horns, length of wings and length of
tail. A dragon can have zero, two or four horns, short or long wings and a
short or long tail.
When you speak to the hooded figure, he will tell you to slay a random number
of one particular dragon type (for example, to slay five dragons with four
horns, long tails and short wings). He will only tell you which type of dragon
to slay, and how many of them must be slain, once.
Your task is to slay that number of that particular type of dragon, and to not
slay any other type of dragon. After you slay a dragon, it will reappear
elsewhere in the puzzle area. Once you've slain the required number of the
required type of dragon, speak to the hooded figure again. Note that you must
actually slay the dragon; running from it will make it disappear from the map
(and reappear elsewhere), but it will not count towards the number slain and if
you talk to the hooded figure after only running from them you will fail.
There are three rounds to this challenge. In the first, you must slay a random
number of one dragon type. In the second round, you must slay random numbers of
two different dragon types (for example, four hornless, long-tailed, short-
winged dragons and six dual-horned, short-tailed, short-winged dragons). In the
third round, you must slay random numbers of three different dragon types.
Completing all three rounds successfully solves the puzzle. If you fail any
round, you must start over from the first round (and the dragon types and
number of dragons you must slay will be different). If you slay any dragons of
a type that you weren't supposed to, or if you slay more or fewer dragons of
the required type, you will fail the round when you talk to the hooded figure.
Note that if you enter battle with a dragon of the "wrong" type, then flee from
that battle, it will (against all logic, since fleeing doesn't count if it's
the correct dragon type) count as if you had slain that dragon, and you will
fail the round.
All three characteristics can be differentiated by carefully examining their
sprites on the map. Dragons with no horns can be easily differentiated from
those with two or four horns. It is easy to differentiate between two-horned
and four-horned dragons when looking at them from the side: you will only see
one horn from the side on two-horned dragons, and you will see two horns from
the side on four-horned dragons. Two-horned and four-horned dragons are also
relatively easy to differentiate from the front, but from the back they look
very similar, so I recommend waiting until they turn so you'll know for sure.
Long wings and short wings can be differentiated from any angle. Long wings
reach almost to the ground, near the dragon's feet, while the bottoms of short
wings are closer to the top of the dragon's legs.
Long tails and short tails can also be differentiated from any angle. Long
tails touch the ground and stick out to the side, while short tails do not
reach the ground. Long tails are also thicker. You can even differentiate
between them from the front: long tails will visibly stick out on one side,
while you will not be able to see short tails from the front at all.
Before you speak to a dragon to initiate battle, carefully examine it to ensure
that it is of a type that you need to kill. If you mess up by speaking to the
wrong dragon, and realize it, just talk to the hooded figure to fail the round
and start over from the first round to save time.
As the hooded figure will only tell you once which types of dragons to slay and
how many, it is very important to write this information down when he tells
you. One helpful tip that originally appeared in KaonNemesis' Labyrinth of Time
guide: when writing down the dragon type(s) that you must slay, write the
characteristics down in the order of horns-wings-tail, instead of the horns-
tail-wings order that the hooded figure gives you. This makes it easier to
remember, being a top-to-bottom progression.
Also, use abbreviations to write it down faster. For example, if he tells you
to slay five dual-horned, long-tailed, short-winged dragons, write down "2-sw-
lt 5." Do this for each type of dragon he tells you to slay. In addition, keep
a running tally of how many dragons of each type you have slain. Just make a
mark next to each type for each dragon of that type slain. On rounds two and
three, cross off each type as you slay the last required dragon for that type,
so you'll remember to not slay any more.
One trick that may save you a little time is intentionally resetting the puzzle
on the first round. If the hooded figure tells you to slay a large number of
dragons (say, seven) on the first round, just walk a few steps away from the
tablet, in the direction from which you came, and choose to reset the puzzle,
then speak to the tablet and the hooded figure again, and he'll tell you to
slay a different number of a different dragon type. You can do this until you
get a more favorable number for the first round (say, two, or even one).
You won't have as much time as you'd like for this challenge, so you'll have to
hurry, while at the same time being very careful to only speak to dragons that
you need to slay. This is the only challenge for which I recommend sacrificing
the Dash ability. It gives you a significant amount of time, and you really
need more time for this challenge. For the maximum possible time, you'll want
to sacrifice Magic, Item, Dash, Attack halved and Defense halved (remember that
you can only make one magic-related sacrifice and one item-related sacrifice,
and Magic and Item give the most time).
- Exit: From the tablet, go north then west. Go south at the next intersection
then south again, then southwest then southwest again. Go southeast at the next
intersection, then east and then finally south to reach the exit. (Basically,
the whole level is one big loop around the puzzle area, with the exit in the
far south.)
----------------------------------
26. Labyrinth of Trials [26LT]
----------------------------------
Floor Type: Original Chaos
Maximum Sacrifices: 8
Ability List:
Magic................4:15
White Magic..........2:33
Black Magic..........3:24
Item.................5:06
recovery items.......1:42
Flee.................5:57
Dash.................6:48
Attack halved........2:33
Defense halved.......2:33
Accuracy halved......3:24
Evasion halved.......3:24
Intelligence halved..3:24
Difficulty: 3/10
- Tablet: Go west at the first intersection and west again at the second to
find the tablet.
- Puzzle: This puzzle is a long maze, and the puzzle is solved when you make it
to the end. Robots are in your way in multiple places, and you must push them
out of the way by talking to them. You can push them forward in the direction
you're facing. Towards the end of the maze there are also rocks in your way.
There are wall switches that make the rocks disappear temporarily; the rocks
will reappear after you've taken ten steps. There's also a force field in your
way that you must make disappear by pressing a button.
This is the only challenge in which you encounter random battles during the
puzzle, even before time expires. The random encounters are the only thing
that's particularly difficult about this challenge. I recommend keeping your
Flee command so you can run from them. Fortunately, you have lots of time.
You can talk to the red robot at the beginning to reset the puzzle. Likewise,
if you get stuck, talk to a robot that you can't push any further in order to
reset and start from the beginning. Note that if you have to reset after you've
made the force field disappear, it will still be gone and you will not have to
make it disappear again.
Push the first robot one step down, then push the robot at the top of the
diamond formation one step right or left. Push either one of the robots on the
right or left side of the formation one step right or left, then push the
bottom robot one step right or left.
In the next area, push the right robot one step up or down (this isn't actually
necessary; it just makes things faster later on). Do not push the robot in the
gap yet. Go north and west, and push the right robot down two steps and the
left robot left two steps. Push the far left robot down all the way, then go
down and push the right robot right two steps.
Proceed around and step on the floor switch to remove the force field. Now push
the robot in the gap right two steps to get it out of your way and go through
the gap to where you were before (this is why you pushed the other robot up or
down earlier, to get it out of the way; alternatively, you can just walk all
the way back around).
Go south past where the force field was and then west, and follow the path.
Push the north robot up one step, and walk around the others. Push the robot in
the south passage to the right then proceed to the north.
Head north at the intersection (the right path is blocked by a rock). Push the
wall switch that you see, then go south through the gap where the rock was.
You'll see three wall switches in the immediate area. Push all three of them in
order from south to north, being careful to not waste any steps. Then head east
through the gap that used to be blocked by a rock.
Press the wall switch here and go southeast and around to the southern area. Go
west (do not go south to where the robot is; leave the robot alone) and push
the wall switch that you can access (the southern one). Immediately go north
via the most efficient route (a couple of steps east then north) and press the
wall switch just to the north. Then go back south and down the narrow corridor
that was blocked before.
Assuming you didn't push the robot that I told you to not push, you'll be able
to reach the exit to the maze just ahead.
- Exit: From the maze exit, head east and follow the path.
-------------------------------------
27. Labyrinth of Disasters [27LD]
-------------------------------------
Floor Type: Netherworld Crypt
Maximum Sacrifices: 7
Ability List:
Fight................6:48
White Magic..........2:33
attack items.........3:24
Flee.................5:57
Dash.................6:48
Attack halved........2:33
Defense halved.......2:33
Accuracy halved......3:24
Evasion halved.......3:24
Intelligence halved..3:24
Difficulty: 4/10
- Tablet: Go east at the first intersection, then north and then north again
through a couple of small loops. Head east from the last loop and follow the
path to the tablet.
- Puzzle: You must make your way to the end of another maze in order to solve
this puzzle. Like in the Labyrinth of Darkness challenge, you can initially see
only a circle with a radius of one square around you. There are candles
throughout the maze that you can light to extend the radius of the visible
circle by one square; the candles are extinguished after a certain period of
time, reducing your area of visibility. However, you don't actually need to
light any of the candles to exit the maze.
Also, like the Thunder Alley challenge, the screen will occasionally flash
white. When it does, you will be struck by lightning after a few steps, sending
you back to the beginning of the maze. There are lightning towers scattered
around the maze. If you're within one square of a tower when lightning strikes,
it will not hit you.
One other complication is the multiple robots wandering around the maze. If you
touch one, you will be forced into a battle with a Warmech, which you can fight
or flee from. The robots move one step for every step you take. You can see the
lightning towers, the candles and the robots even in the black areas, though
you cannot see any walls or other obstacles between you and them.
As you proceed through the maze, pay close attention for the white flash. When
you see it, immediately move to the nearest lightning tower (you may need to
backtrack). Walk back and forth next to the tower until the lightning strikes,
then continue on.
This maze is practically symmetrical from east to west. Head south and light
the candle, then south and west to a lightning tower. Hang around the tower
until lightning strikes, then go north, west, south, west, then south through a
gap to another tower. Go east then south to another tower, then south then east
to yet another tower. Hang around here until lightning strikes again, then head
straight south for the exit.
- Exit: The exit is practically right in front of you past the end of the maze.
---------------------------
28. Step by Step [28SS]
---------------------------
Floor Type: Netherworld Crypt
Maximum Sacrifices: 7
Ability List:
Fight................6:48
White Magic..........2:33
recovery items.......1:42
Flee.................5:57
Attack halved........2:33
Defense halved.......2:33
Accuracy halved......3:24
Evasion halved.......3:24
Intelligence halved..1:42
Difficulty: 3/10 (only due to the Warmech battles)
- Tablet: Go south to a large room and take the southwestern exit from that
room. Go south when you can then east to find the tablet.
- Puzzle: The only thing you must do to solve this puzzle is to move from the
left side of the room to the right side. However, there are a large number of
robots in the room, which take one step for each step you take. If you touch
one, you will be forced into battle with a Warmech. You can fight or flee from
these battles.
Unless you have trouble with the Warmechs, this challenge is very easy, and you
have much more time than necessary to complete it in. If you're not at level 99
and can handle the Warmechs without too much difficulty, you might want to
consider intentionally fighting them to level up. They give you 32,000 exp per
battle, making this the fastest place in the game to level up.
- Exit: From the right side of the puzzle room, follow the path, head west at
the intersection then west again to the exit.
----------------------------
29. Trick Statues [29TS]
----------------------------
Floor Type: Netherworld Crypt
Maximum Sacrifices: 7
Ability List:
Fight................6:48
White Magic..........2:33
recovery items.......1:42
attack items.........3:24
Dash.................6:48
Attack halved........2:33
Defense halved.......2:33
Accuracy halved......3:24
Evasion halved.......3:24
Intelligence halved..3:24
Difficulty: 3/10
- Tablet: Go east at the first intersection and south at the second, then
follow the long path.
- Puzzle: Like the Twin Statues challenge, there are multiple pairs of statues
(three pairs this time instead of four) that you must move next to each other
and make face each other.
Unlike the Twin Statues challenge, there are also three kinds of monsters,
corresponding to the three pairs of statues, roaming around the area that take
one step for each step you take. If you touch one, you'll be forced into
battle, after which the monster will reappear somewhere else in the area
instead of disappearing.
You can move each statue one square at a time forward in the direction you're
facing, and you can turn them 90 degrees per turn. When you get a pair next to
each other and facing each other, these statues and the monsters corresponding
to them will disappear from the area. The puzzle is solved when you've done
this with all three pairs of statues.
If you get stuck, you can reset the puzzle by talking to the robot. All
statues, including any that you had already paired off and made disappear, will
be reset to their original positions, and any monsters that you had made
disappear will reappear.
This time, one of each pair is in a niche along the outer wall and cannot be
moved, and you must push the other statues to the unmovable ones. There are
fewer obstacles, fewer pairs of statues and more time than in the Twin Statues
challenge, so this challenge is considerably easier.
- Exit: Retrace your steps from the tablet back to the intersection, then head
west and then south. Go south at the next intersection and follow the path to
the exit.
---------------------------------
30. Traveling Salesman [30TS]
---------------------------------
Floor Type: Netherworld Crypt
Maximum Sacrifices: 8
Ability List:
Magic................4:15
White Magic..........2:33
Black Magic..........3:24
Item.................5:06
recovery items.......1:42
attack items.........3:24
Flee.................5:57
Dash.................6:48
Attack halved........2:33
Defense halved.......2:33
Accuracy halved......3:24
Evasion halved.......3:24
Intelligence halved..3:24
Difficulty: 3/10
- Tablet: Go south at the first intersection, then east and then east again to
find the tablet.
- Puzzle: Like the Flower Sale challenge, the hooded figure will give you a
certain amount of gil to spend on flowers, and you must spend exactly that
amount, no more and no less, and speak to the hooded figure again to solve the
puzzle.
This time, however, a line of eight characters will walk by beforehand, and
these characters are the only ones that you can buy flowers from. The eight
characters are:
a black mage in black clothes
a dancer with blonde hair and a red dress
an elf with a white hat
a man with a blue mohawk and purple clothes
an old man with a blue hat
a red mage in purple clothes
a white mage with red hair
a woman with green hair and an orange dress
After the procession, talk to the hooded figure to receive your gil. The eight
characters who walked by will be selling flowers for different amounts of gil.
You must buy flowers from seven of the above eight characters. This will cost
the exact amount of gil that the hooded figure gives you. One of the eight
characters you should not buy from, or you will fail.
There are a large number of characters other than the ones listed above walking
around that do not sell flowers. If you talk to them, you will be forced into
battle with a Revenant. Each "fake" character that you talk to will disappear
after the battle, whether you kill them or flee.
Write down the amount of gil the hooded figure gives you. Talk to all eight of
the characters listed above, write down the amount of gil that they're selling
for and add all eight prices together. The difference between the amount of gil
you were given and the amount of gil it would cost to buy flowers from all
eight characters will be exactly the amount that one of the characters is
charging; that character is the one from whom you should not buy flowers.
Buy from the other seven characters and talk to the hooded figure to solve the
puzzle. If you talk to the hooded figure having spent the wrong amount of gil,
you'll fail; the puzzle will be reset with a different configuration, though
there will be no other penalty.
- Exit: Go west from the tablet, then south and south again. At the end of the
long, winding path, go east and then east again to reach the exit.
========================
IX. Chronodia [CHRO]
========================
Chronodia is the boss of the Labyrinth of Time, the new superboss added to this
version of Final Fantasy and the most powerful enemy in the game. After making
your way past at least seven (though possibly more) challenges, you will reach
the Space in Time level, where Chronodia awaits.
-----------------------------
Paths to Chronodia [PATH]
-----------------------------
There are eight different versions of Chronodia (#196-#203 in the bestiary),
with #196 being the least powerful and #203 the most powerful. Which version
you face at the end of the Labyrinth depends on how many blue and red seals you
opened along the way. In general, opening more blue seals leads to more
powerful versions of Chronodia, while opening more red seals leads to weaker
versions.
There are multiple ways to reach each version of Chronodia, but the following
paths (taken from KaonNemesis' Labyrinth of Time guide but confirmed by me)
will lead you to each version, with R meaning a red seal and B meaning a blue
seal:
#196: R, R, R, R, R, R, R
#197: B, R, R, R, R, R, R
#198: B, B, R, R, R, R, R
#199: B, R, R, R, R, R, B, B, R
#200: B, B, B, R, R, R, R, R
#201: B, R, B, B, R, R, R, R, B, R
#202: B, B, B, B, B, B, R
#203: B, B, B, B, B, B, B
If you're trying to reach a particular version of Chronodia, keep track of
where you are in the Labyrinth and make certain to open the seals in the order
listed. Opening a blue seal when you meant to open a red seal, or vice versa,
can cause you to encounter a different version.
----------------------------------------
Chronodia's Stats and Attacks [STAT]
----------------------------------------
Here are the stats for each version of Chronodia:
Chronodia #196 |Chronodia #197 |Chronodia #198 |Chronodia #199
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
HP: 30000 |HP: 33000 |HP: 33000 |HP: 33000
Attack: 130 |Attack: 120 |Attack: 120 |Attack: 120
Defense: 150 |Defense: 160 |Defense: 160 |Defense: 160
Evasion: 100 |Evasion: 110 |Evasion: 110 |Evasion: 110
Win: Maximillian |Win: Lust Dagger |Win: Golden Staff |Win: Master Shield
Base form |with Lich |with Marilith |with Kraken
Chronodia #200 |Chronodia #201 |Chronodia #202 |Chronodia #203
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HP: 33000 |HP: 36000 |HP: 36000 |HP: 42000
Attack: 120 |Attack: 130 |Attack: 130 |Attack: 120
Defense: 160 |Defense: 170 |Defense: 170 |Defense: 190
Evasion: 110 |Evasion: 120 |Evasion: 120 |Evasion: 140
Win: Shadow Mask |Win: Lordly Robes |Win: Survival Vest |Win: Barbarian's Sword
with Tiamat |with Lich/Marilith|with Kraken/Tiamat |with 4 Fiends/Chaos
All versions have 200 accuracy, 120 agility, 70 intelligence and 200 magic
defense, and award 1 exp and 1 gil. In addition, all versions are weak to
nothing and resist everything, so don't bother with status ailments or
elemental spells. All drop rates are 100%.
The last line of each entry above describes Chronodia's appearance. Chronodia
#196 is its base form. Every version after that has one or more of the four
fiends "attached" to its base form. Chronodia #203 has all four fiends
attached, plus the head of Chaos and several weapons. You can use this
information to differentiate visually between the versions so you'll know which
version you're fighting.
All versions also have the same attacks:
- Physical Attack: a strong, multi-hit attack that can kill a weak character in
one hit. Against a very strong character with no Invis, will likely still do
about 500 damage. If Chronodia is hasted, a physical attack will almost
certainly kill any character with no Invis. Can be protected against with
Invis/Invisira/Blink.
- Seal: An attack completely unique to Chronodia that temporarily disables one
of the commands (Fight, Magic or Items) of the entire party. The seal is
lifted and the attack sealed becomes available again after a few turns. It
does no damage. Note that Seal prevents the command that is disabled from
being selected by you at the beginning of a round, but it does not prevent
your characters from using that command if they selected it at the beginning
of the round in which Chronodia casts Seal.
- Haste: Doubles Chronodia's number of hits, therefore doubling the damage of
its physical attacks.
- Ink: Attempts to inflict the entire party with Darkness. Protected against
with Ribbon/Hero's Shield.
- Slow: Attempts to inflict the entire party with Slow. Protected against with
Ribbon/Hero's Shield.
- Stop: Attempts to inflict the entire party with Stop. Protected against with
Ribbon/Hero's Shield.
- Kill: Attempts to inflict a single character with instant death. Protected
against with Protect Ring.
- Warp: Attempts to inflict the entire party with instant death. Protected
against with Protect Ring.
- Firaga: Full-party fire damage.
- Thundaga: Full-party lightning damage.
- Blizzaga: Full-party ice damage.
- Thunderbolt: Full-party lightning damage.
- Ice Storm: Full-party ice damage.
- Poison Gas: Low-damage full-party attack.
- Comet: Low-damage full-party attack.
- Flare: High-damage full-party attack.
----------------------
Preparation [PREP]
----------------------
First off, be sure to use one of the two pots on this level to revive any dead
party members, fully heal the party and cure any negative statuses before the
battle.
Everyone, especially your main damage dealers, should be equipped with the most
powerful weapons you have, including Ultima Weapon, Ragnarok, Murasame,
Lightbringer and Masamune.
Equip everyone with a Ribbon. If you have a Knight or Ninja, that character can
equip the Hero's Shield instead, allowing them to equip a more defense-boosting
piece of headgear. Everyone should have either Ribbon or Hero's Shield.
Equip everyone with Protect Rings.
In the remaining slots equip the strongest armor you have for all characters.
Hopefully you have four White Robes (for Invisira), at least two Rune Staves
(for Healara) and at least two Judgment Staves (for Flare).
You don't have to be level 99 (it's quite possible to defeat Chronodia at a
much lower level), but the higher the better.
You should also have plenty of Phoenix Downs, as well as several full cures
like X-Potions, Elixirs and Megalixirs in case you need them (though you
shouldn't unless things go wrong).
--------------------------
Battle Strategy [BATT]
--------------------------
Chronodia follows a definite pattern in its attacks. It will spend the first
several rounds using a random attack other than Seal. Then it will cast Seal,
disabling one of your commands. For the few rounds that Seal is in effect,
Chronodia will use random non-Seal attacks (there will only ever be one command
Sealed at any time).
The first round after Seal wears off, Chronodia will use a random non-Seal
attack, allowing your party to use all their commands. The second round after
Seal wears off, Chronodia will cast Seal again. You will be able to use all
your commands during this round too, in addition to being assured that
Chronodia will do no damage to you this round. Take advantage of this.
This pattern will then repeat throughout the battle.
Your very first task in this battle is to get seven castings of Invisira on
everyone. Seven castings of Invisira will give everyone a 255-point boost to
their evasion on top of what it was at the beginning of battle, which will make
you practically invulnerable to Chronodia's physical attacks.
The first round all four characters should use White Robe to cast Invisira
(this is why I told you to get four of them). Alternatively, any White or Red
Wizards can cast Invisira if you don't have enough White Robes. Unfortunately,
Chronodia will almost certainly get its turn before any of your characters
every round, so it will get its first attack before you get any Invisira
castings up. (A character with 99 Agility may get his turn before Chronodia's,
but don't count on it.) Hopefully if its first move was a physical attack it
won't kill anyone.
The second round, three people should again use White Robe to get your seven
castings of Invisira, and the fourth character (probably a White or Red wizard)
should repair the damage from whatever Chronodia did the first round (Healaga
or Rune Staff in the case of a full-party damage attack, Curaga or Rune Axe in
the case of a physical attack).
If someone was killed by a physical attack in the first round, cast Full Life
on them if possible, and then you'll have to have them use the Defender or cast
Blink on themselves three times or so to get their evasion up.
Once everyone has seven castings of Invisira on them, you're prepared for the
rest of the battle. Chronodia's status attacks (Ink, Slow, Stop, Kill and Warp)
are useless because of your equipment, and it will now almost always miss with
its physical attacks because of your super-high evasion (and any physical that
does hit will do relatively little damage). Its haste will also be useless,
because its physicals will miss anyway.
Besides Seal, that leaves its full-party damage attacks to worry about. Your
Ribbon/Hero's Shield will reduce the damage of its elemental attacks. The main
damage will come from Flare, which can still easily do 300+ damage even if
you're at level 99.
A casting of Healaga should repair the damage from Flare, or you could have two
characters use Rune Staves. I generally use Healaga/Rune Staff whenever my HP
drops below 800 regardless. You can also heal with Curaga if one character is
damaged and the others are not (say, by a lucky physical hit). Be especially
vigilant about healing if your level is low.
The only thing left to really worry about is Seal, but since only one command
can be disabled at a time, you'll pretty much always have options. If your
Fight command is disabled, have anyone who would normally attack physically use
the Giant's Gloves (to further boost their damage output once Fight becomes
available again) or Judgment Staff (to get in an immediate whack).
If your Magic command is disabled, heal with Rune Staff (or Rune Axe if you
have it and you need Curaga) instead of Healaga. You can also revive anyone if
needed with Phoenix Downs, but after you get your seven castings of Invisira on
everyone no one should die unless something goes very wrong.
If your Item command is sealed, heal with Healaga (if you have a White Wizard)
or Curaga (if you only have a Red). Having your Item command disabled if you
don't have a White Wizard can potentially be dangerous, as you will have to go
for several rounds without full-party healing. Any Red Wizards you have should
cast Curaga, and you can even have a Knight heal with Cura if you're desperate.
Once you have your seven castings of Invisira on everyone, cast Haste (or use
Hermes' Shoes if you have them) on your main damage dealers. Once that's done,
have your primary physical attacker use the Giant's Gloves for 2-3 rounds (if
your Item command is disabled, do it when you can), and have any Black Wizards,
Red Wizards or Ninjas cast Temper a few times on your main attackers.
Once this is done, have your damage dealers attack physically. With
sufficiently powerful weapons, Haste, Saber (via Giant's Gloves) 2-3 times and
a few Tempers, you should be doing 2000+ damage to Chronodia per attack.
Those who aren't physical damage dealers, like a Black Wizard, can use Judgment
Staff for decent damage, or can even Haste/Giant's Gloves/Temper themselves and
attack physically if you'd like. Keep the White/Red Wizards healing as needed,
attacking with Judgment Staff or physically (especially if equipped with Ultima
Weapon or Masamune) when able.
Once you get into your pattern, it won't be long before Chronodia falls. Just
remember that, whichever command is disabled by Seal, you have other options
for both healing and attacking.
In all honesty, if you use the right strategy and have the right equipment,
Chronodia isn't all that difficult, even if your level is relatively low.
It is even quite possible, by the way, to defeat Chronodia using a solo
character. If you want to try it, I recommend a Red Wizard, due to their
flexibility: decent physical damage, good spells and can heal with either Magic
or Items (I suggest having Rune Axe).
=======================
X. Equipment [EQUI]
=======================
Each of the eight versions of Chronodia drops a unique piece of equipment upon
being defeated, which either is the most powerful piece of equipment of its
type or has other advantages. Here are the stats for all eight items:
#196: Maximillian (armor), equipped by Warrior, Knight, Red Mage and Red Wizard
+5 strength, +10 stamina, +55 defense, -10 evasion
#197: Lust Dagger, equipped by Thief, Ninja, Black Mage and Black Wizard
+20 agility, +50 attack, +90 accuracy, 20 critical rate
#198: Golden Staff, equipped by White Mage and White Wizard
+20 intelligence, +30 attack, +30 accuracy, ? critical rate
#199: Master Shield, equipped by Warrior, Knight, Red Mage and Red Wizard
+1 agility, +1 intelligence, +19 defense, +30 evasion
#200: Shadow Mask, equipped by Thief and Ninja
+30 agility, +3 defense, +4 evasion
#201: Lordly Robes, equipped by White Mage and White Wizard
+20 intelligence, +37 defense, +4 evasion, regen effect
#202: Survival Vest, equipped by Thief, Ninja, Monk and Master
+15 agility, +15 stamina, +45 defense, -1 evasion
#203: Barbarian's Sword, equipped by Warrior, Knight, Red Mage and Red Wizard
+18 strength, +13 stamina, +125 attack, +20 accuracy, 6? critial rate
Note that several pieces of equipment (Lust Dagger, Master Shield, Shadow Mask
and Survival Vest) will actually increase your evasion in addition to the other
effects listed here, or more than listed here. This is due to the agility
increase.
For example, the Lust Dagger does not increase your base evasion at all, but
your evasion will usually increase by 20 when equipping it, because it
increases your agility by 20 and your evasion is your base evasion (which Lust
Dagger does not increase) plus your agility. If you equip the Lust Dagger when
your agility is already 99, it will not increase your evasion at all (because
your agility is not increasing).
Likewise, equipping the Survival Vest will usually increase your evasion by 14
instead of decreasing it by 1, because the Survival Vest lowers your evasion by
1 but increases your agility by 15. Equipping the Survival Vest when your
agility is already at 99 will result in your evasion decreasing by 1.
In addition, the Barbarian's Sword will actually increase your attack by 134
instead of 125, due to the strength increase. The weapon actually has an attack
boost of +125, but it increases your strength by 18. Your attack stat is half
your strength (rounded down) plus the attack boost of your weapon, so the
Barbarian Sword's +18 boost to strength also increases your attack by 9 points.
If you equip the Barbarian's Sword when your strength is already 99, your
attack will increase by only 125.
The Lordly Robes bestows a regen effect upon the wearer. Whenever a character
has this armor equipped, his HP will be restored by an amount equal to 10% of
his max HP at the end of every round of battle, similar to the way Werewolves
and some other enemies heal HP at the end of every round. With 999 max HP,
you'll get 99 HP free healing at the end of every round.
Finally, a note about critical rates. I have been unable to find any
information about the Golden Staff's critical rate. I also do not know for
certain the critical rate of the Barbarian's Sword. Bellum_Sacrum, from the
boards, says that the critical rate of the Barbarian's Sword is the same as
that of a Broadsword, which would make it 6. This seems about accurate to me,
as I've noticed that I get critical hits with a Barbarian's Sword much less
frequently than with many other weapons. If anyone has specific information
about the critical rate for either weapon, please email me.
Now, an analysis:
Maximilian is clearly the best armor for Knight and Red Wizard, superior to
anything else (Genji Armor, Dragon Mail, Diamond Armlet) that they may have.
Lust Dagger is inferior to Murasame for a Ninja, but is the best weapon for a
Black Wizard, unless you want to give him Ultima Weapon or Masamune.
The Golden Staff's +20 intelligence makes a lot of sense for a White Wizard. If
you don't equip him with Ultima Weapon or Masamune (which I usually do), you'll
want to go with Golden Staff.
The Master Shield is far superior to anything else the Red Wizard can equip in
that slot. For the Knight, though, I usually go with Hero's Shield instead.
Hero's Shield does have slightly lower defense than Master Shield, but it has a
higher evasion boost. Not only that, Hero's Shield protects against all status
ailments and resists all elements, like the Ribbon. That means the Knight can
unequip his Ribbon and put something more defensive in that slot, while
retaining immunity to statuses and lower damage from elemental attacks.
Whether the Shadow Mask or Black Cowl is better for your Ninja depends on your
evasion. The Shadow Mask provides a huge boost to agility, and thus to evasion.
The Black Cowl provides a much lower boost to agility, but has higher defense
and also boosts strength, raising your attack. If your evasion is already 255,
go with the Black Cowl. Otherwise, I suggest the Shadow Mask for the huge
agility/evasion boost.
Lordly Robes is the best piece of armor for the White Wizard, even without the
regen effect. With it, your White Wizard is godly.
Survival Vest is the best armor for your Ninja. It provides better defense than
anything else, has better stat boosts and also provides an evasion boost
because of its +15 agility. Genji Armor does provide a strength boost, giving
2-3 additional points of attack over the Survival Vest, but such a small attack
increase isn't worth sacrificing all of the Survival Vest's other advantages.
You can also equip the Survival Vest on your Master. Normally, due to the
mechanics of the Master's stats, you'd want to remain unequipped in that slot.
However, unless you have very high stamina, close to the max, the Survival Vest
will actually increase your defense due to its +15 stamina boost. That stamina
boost will also increase your unarmed attack, more than the Power Vest would.
In addition, the Survival Vest will increase your evasion due to its +15
agility, unless your agility is already max or close to it. Unless your stamina
and agility are both nearly max, I recommend equipping the Survival Vest on
your Master.
The Barbarian's Sword will provide a great improvement to damage output over
Ragnarok, Lightbringer or Masamune, despite the lower critical rate. The
difference in damage output between the Barbarian's Sword and Ultima Weapon is
less dramatic. The Barbarian's Sword has a higher attack boost than Ultima
Weapon, but the Ultima Weapon has a much higher critical rate. In my
experience, the Barbarian's Sword does slightly more (but not much more) damage
on average than Ultima Weapon at 999 HP. In addition, as your HP drops below
999 your attack power will drop with the Ultima Weapon, but the Barbarian's
Sword provides consistently high damage output regardless of HP. This really
makes the case for the Barbarian's Sword over Ultima Weapon, in my opinion.
Not to mention that giving both your Knight and Red Wizard Barbarian's Swords
will free up your Ultima Weapon for a weaker character like a White or Black
Wizard. The Barbarian's Sword's low boost to accuracy compared to other weapons
most likely won't be noticed, as your accuracy is probably 255 regardless.
===========================
XI. Time Chamber [TCHA]
===========================
The time chamber is an extra feature that is unlocked by clearing the Labyrinth
and defeating Chronodia for the first time. It allows you to replay any of the
30 challenges that you have previously unlocked with the blue seal.
Once you've unlocked it, you can select the Time Chamber from the game's main
menu. You'll then be asked to select a save game to load data from, so you must
save your game after unlocking all the challenges with the blue seal in order
to be able to replay them all in the Time Chamber. If you select your game
clear data here, you'll begin each challenge in the same state you were in at
the end of the battle with Chaos.
Unlike in the actual Labyrinth, you will have 10:00 to complete each challenge
in the Time Chamber; you will not be asked to sacrifice any abilities. If you
wish to give up on a challenge, press O and Select at the same time (just like
bringing up the world map in the main game) to quit.
The Orb of Time is present though, and if you run out of time you can use it -
once - to sacrifice one ability in order to gain more time. The list of
abilities that you can sacrifice and the time that you receive for sacrificing
each is the same as it is when going through the Labyrinth in the regular game.
I don't believe the hooded figure will ever appear to offer you a present in
the Time Chamber; I've never had that happen.
You cannot save your game after replaying a challenge in the Time Chamber; the
Time Chamber has no effect on your saved game at all. Therefore, any
experience, gil or items you acquire from monsters, anything you find in
chests, any stat gains obtained from stat plus items and any bestiary entries
acquired in the Time Chamber will not be permanent.
Note that you can open treasure chests in the Time Chamber, on the few
challenges that contain treasure chests, and plunder their contents. However,
since you can't save, there's no point. If you had already plundered a chest on
the savegame you selected, the chest will already be opened when you encounter
it in the Time Chamber. Likewise, if you haven't opened that chest in your
savegame, since opening a chest in the Time Chamber will not affect your
savegame, you'll still be able to open that chest later if you run across it in
the regular Labyrinth in-game.
=======================
XII. Closing [CLOS]
=======================
I hope my guide has been useful. I might update it in the future, if I can be
assed. If you have contributions or corrections, please email me (my contact
info is at the top).
========================
XIII. Credits [CRED]
========================
Square, for making yet another version of this great game.
GameFAQs, for being a great place to find just about anything you want to know
about a game.
Bellum_Sacrum, from the boards, for information about the Barbarian's Sword's
critical rate.
blacksniper, for his Monk/Master guide (in Action's walkthrough for the GBA
version). I got some information about the mechanics of the Master's stats,
useful for evaluating the impact of the Survival Vest on the Master, from
there.
BradyGames, for their guide to the game. The solution to the Breakout challenge
is from their guide.
eloDB, from the boards, for posting a tip about the easy solution to the Trial
by Fire challenge.
KaonNemesis, for his Labyrinth of Time guide, which, while having a few
omissions, still has a good amount of useful knowledge and is what inspired me
to write this guide. Specifically I stole the paths to Chronodia from his
guide. He also had some useful strategies for some of the puzzles that worked
for me as well.
MardukKurios001, from the boards, for posting a tip about auto-dash on the
Marching Orders challenge.
Red Scarlet, for her Monster Book guide for the GBA version. I found the
locations of a couple enemies that dropped useful equipment from that guide.
StormDragon27, from the boards, for posting the BradyGames map with the
solution to the Breakout challenge.
TFergusson, for his Soul of Chaos guide, which is great and gives item
locations for many items useful in the Labyrinth.
The Final Fantasy Wiki, http://finalfantasy.wikia.com , for the critical rate
of the Lust Dagger, which I could not find anywhere else.
You, of course, for reading this guide.
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