******************************************************************************* Final Fantasy VII: Complete Game Walkthrough Copyright 2003-2004, Apathetic Aardvark Email: Jason@lelando.net All rights reserved Version Chocobo 03/19/2004 ******************************************************************************* Index/Table of Contents ******************************************************************************* Walkthrough........................................................i Subquests, Characters, Other.......................................ii Limit Breaks & Ultimate Weapons....................................iii Items..............................................................iv Accessories........................................................v Armor..............................................................vi Weapons............................................................vii Materia & Magic....................................................viii Enemies............................................................ix Frequently asked questions.........................................x Disclaimer.........................................................xi Version History....................................................xii Credits............................................................xiii ******************************************************************************* i) Walkthrough ******************************************************************************* Section i - Table of contents use control-f for fast searching using the hotkey system. ^XXX^ 1. Midgar Reactor #1 ^001^ 2. Sector 7 ^002^ 3. Midgar Reactor #5 ^003^ 4. Meeting Aeris ^004^ 5. Sector 5 Slums ^005^ 6. Sector 6 ^006^ 7. Wall Market ^007^ 8. Sewers / Train Graveyard/ Pillar ^008^ 9. Searching for Aeris ^009^ 10. Shinra Building / The Escape ^010^ 11. World Map / Kalm ^011^ 12. Chocobo Farm/Mythril Mines ^012^ 13. Parading Along ^013^ 14. Boat Ride / Costa Del Sol ^014^ 15. Corel ^015^ 16. Gold Saucer / Desert Prison ^016^ 17. [optional] getting things in the buggy ^017^ 18. Gongaga ^018^ 19. Cosmo Canyon / Cave of Gi ^019^ 20. Nibelheim ^020^ 21. Nibel Mountains ^021^ 22. Rocket Town ^022^ 23. Key stone 24. [optional] going around in tiny bronco ^024^ 25. The Temple of the Ancients ^025^ 26. Forgotten Capital ^026^ 27. Corral Valley /Icicle ^027^ 28. Snowfields ^028^ 29. Gaea's Cliff ^029^ 30. Whirlwind Maze ^030^ 31. Escape from the Shinra ^031^ 32. [optional] going around in the Highwind ^032^ 33. Mideel ^033^ 34. Huge Materia 1 & 2 ^034^ 35. Cloud's Past ^035^ 36. More Fun in the Highwind ^036^ 37. Junon Reactor Raid ^037^ 38. Fun in the Sub ^038^ 39. Journey to the Stars ^039^ 40. A plan ^040^ 41. Weapon Attack! ^041^ 42. [optional] Ultimate Weapon ^042^ 43. [optional] Ancient Forest ^043^ 44. Down with the Shinra ^044^ 45. Northern Crater, Part I ^045^ 46. [optional] Final Optional Areas ^046^ 47. Northern Crater, Part II ^047^ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^001^ Midgar Reactor #1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this area: Potion, Potion, Phoenix Down, Potion, Restore Materia, Potion Items won from Bosses in the area: Assault Gun. Bosses: Guard Scorpion Tips in this area: Many of the enemies here are mechanical. They are in most cases weak to lighting attacks. Cloud is equipped with a bolt materia, be sure to use it against stronger enemies. After selecting 'new game' you will view an FMV which will end with a train pulling up to some buildings. After a short sequence ex-soldier will jump off of the train. The first thing you'll want to do is hit the select button to bring up the 'finger' and give you arrows to where you're going. This will help with many navigational details of the game. Search the body of the dead guard and for a potion. Start by walking towards the door to your north. You will be attacked by two MP A's. Just hold down circle to attack without losing any time, as you will not be in any danger of dieing. After the battle search this guard for another potion. Continue to the door and walk in. On the new screen, approach the three characters there. Their names are Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie. After a short dialogue you will be prompted to enter a name. Pick whatever name you like and proceed [I will call him Cloud]. More dialogue will appear after. You will now be prompted to choose a name for the avalanche leader [I will call him Barret]. Once you've picked his name, Cloud will look up and run forward a few steps. Go right your first chance and follow that path around and out the door. You may wish to put Barret in the back row at this point as most of his weapons have long range. You'll now be on a catwalk with has a T shaped intersection. Head up and go into the reactor. Run up the stairs and Barret will have a short word with Cloud. When you get control of Cloud, talk to Biggs, he will open the door. Jessie will open the next door when you talk to her. Now, don't follow her just yet, instead, take the path to the lower right. Inside a chest you will find a Phoenix Down. Go back to Jessie and talk to her again. She will open the door to an elevator. Push the button in the elevator and you will see yet another conversation. When you regain control of Cloud, exit the elevator to your left. Just a bit down and to the left there is a giant staircase which leads to an even larger staircase. Take them all the way to the bottom and exit into the door. You will see Jessie just across a slight jump. Don't fret, you need not do anything other than walk a few steps to the right. Cloud will cross the jump and you will now have to talk to Jessie. She will tell you how to get onto a ladder. Walk [or hold x and run] to the ladder and hit circle to climb down. Run straight down. You will see a blue thing in front of Jessie. It is a potion, get it. Now head right down the stairs and run to the long ladder. Climb down the ladder. Head to your lower right to exit the screen. You will now see Cloud on a pipe in a small tangle of pipes. Simply run down the pipe to yet another long ladder. Climb down this ladder. At the bottom you will see an odd shaped, heavily colored object. That is a save point. If you don't know how to use one, read the instruction manual. Save your game then continue walking down the catwalk. You will enter a new screen. Grab the green object which is blocking your path. It is a restore materia. Don't try to equip it yet, you can't. Continue going up. Barret will pop out and another talk will take place. Before you can do anything you will be attacked by the Guard Scorpion. ***** Guard Scorpion ***** Level: 12 HP: 800 MP: 0 EXP: 100 AP: 10 GIL: 100 Win: Assault Gun Weakness: Lightning This battle is very easy. As you might expect being the first boss of the game. Have Cloud cast bolt while Barret attacks. Use Limit breaks if you get them during the battle. The Guard Scorpion will use his first turns search scoping your characters and attacking them with his rifle or his tail. After awhile his tail will raise. Do *NOT* attack while the tail is up. You will trigger a counter attack which will do about 75 damage to both Cloud and Barret. Just sit back and wait. After awhile it will go back down. Go back to beating him down again. He will eventually die leaving an assault gun for Barret. Equip it fast. A timer will now appear on your screen. You now have ten minutes go get out of this reactor. Go back the way you came in. When you get to Jessie, talk to her. You'll have to free her ankle from the impending doom of it getting stuck in a catwalk. Proceed back to the elevator and press the button. Exit the elevator. Have Jessie open the first door. Biggs will open the second one. Now, exit the reactor and some story line will take place. When you regain Control of Cloud, run up the same set of stairs Barret did. You will bump into a flower girl. At this point, you will be asked some questions by her. Your choices will effect what character will participate in a certain event with Cloud later. If you wish to know the results of all choices made for this event, please refer to section ii, subsection 19. This new screen contains a potion on the left side, just below the center of the screen. After getting it, just exit the screen to the bottom. Walk down a few steps and you'll be yelled at. Soldiers are after you! You will get chased by several different groups. You can choose not to fight any of them, but the battles are easy so you may as well get the free experience. After a while Cloud will get backed up over a tunnel. Another storyline event will take place. After all of the story, you will regain control of Cloud. Exit the screen from the bottom and watch a few more events. When you get control again, run down and talk to Jessie. A short event will take place, when it ends, you'll be asked another question. This is the first variable in a very special event which will happen later in the game. If you want information on this, please scroll down to Section ii, sub section 19. If you don't want the game to be spoiled, don't do what I just said. Pick whatever you want and walk towards Barret. He'll talk some as well. After a bit you'll get off the train and enter.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^002^ Sector 7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this area: 1500 Gil, Ether, All Materia Tips in this area: Many guides will prompt you to get a bunch of materia. In all honesty, you won't need to. It does you no good until then anyway. You already have an Ice, lightning and a restore. If you feel the urge to get another restore, feel free to, but you might as well save your supply of gil. Ascii Map: _______________________________________________ | | [ 1 ] | [ House ] | [ ] | | [ 2 ] | [7th Heaven] | [ ] | | | | [ 3 ] [ 4 ] | [Materia] [ Weapon ] | [ Shop ] [ Item ] | ______________________________________________| Walk down to Barret, he'll tell you all to go to the hideout. Since you most likely have very little money at this point, do as he says. Walk to the left and exit. You may go up and save your game if you'd like. If not, keep going left. You'll see a short event. When you gain control of Cloud, run to and talk to Barret. Enter the Bar. Some more talk will take place. Choose whatever you want to her questions. You can now name her [I will call her Tifa]. Do whatever you want with the flower as well. When you regain control again, try to leave the bar. You won't be able to, more story will occur. When you again regain control, take hit circle on the pinball machine and you will be taken into the basement. Walk towards Barret for another chat. When you get Cloud back again, walk up about three steps and Tifa will come down starting another talk [arg!] Use the circle button to take the Pinball machine back up. Walk towards the door to exit the building. You will be stopped again by Tifa. Answer whatever you want to her questions. Continue one with the long story sequence. Eventually Barret will enter the screen. He'll get start talking too. He'll give you 1500 Gil. You will now take a mandatory nap. When you wake up, take the pinball machine upstairs. If you talk to Tifa, you will be given a few humorous choices. When you're ready, talk to Barret. He will ask you about Materia. If you choose the first choice you'll be shown how the materia system works. If you choose the bottom choice the game will just proceed. Either way, you'll now be able to equip and remove materia from your party. Once all the talk ends, exit the bar. It is now time to explore. Now that you have some money, go to the materia shop and purchase materia if you need too. I personally wouldn't, as you have all of them except for fire, which you'll be getting soon with a decent amount of AP already on it. You can get some curative items here as well. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Phoenix Down | 300 Antidote | 80 Fire | 600 Ice | 600 Lightning | 600 Restore | 750 Continue on to the Item Shop. There are two clerks on the first floor. The one to the top sells Weapons. You'll want to upgrade to Iron Bangles now. A few grenades also come in handy, though they are not by any means necessary. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Iron Bangle | 160 Assault Gun | 350 Grenade | 80 The other clerk is just walking around in the middle area. He owns an 'inn' for lack of a better term. You will get three choices of what to pay, but unless you pay ten gil, you won't get to sleep in his 'inn' which is on the third floor of this building. Since you just rested in the bar, there is no reason to again. Walk up the stairs to the second floor. Enter the door here. This room is the beginners hall. Its occupants will tell you various things about the game and simple strategies. You don't have to talk to them if you do not want to. Walk a step to the lower right a few steps. See the little blue ball. Get it. It is an all materia. After getting it a chest will fall from the sky, open it and get an Ether. As you may have noticed upon entering, a save point will be in the room as well. Anyway, when you're done in there, exit the room. If you choose to sleep at the 'inn', climb the ladder and enter the room. Cloud will take a nap. If not, or when you wake up, exit this building and make your way back to the train which you came to sector seven on. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^003^ Midgar Reactor #5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this area: Phoenix Down, Hi-Potion Ether, Potion, Ether Items won from Bosses in the area: Titan Bangle Bosses: Air Buster When you get control of Cloud, walk down to Tifa, an alarm will go off. You need to avoid the security sweep the alarm signifies. To do so, just make your way car to car. You'll have fifteen seconds to do the first car. In the back right corner of this car a man will give you a phoenix down. Fifteen more seconds for the second car, the last guy on the left of this car will give you a hi-potion if you talk to him and choose 'yeah'. In the third car, as you run one way, a man will run by and steal 100 gil. You can let him take it and continue or go get it back. To get it back, run up to the man and talk to him a few times. When you get the chance choose 'busted' and he will return your money. Hurry though there are only eighteen seconds to do this car. The fourth car is a straight run as well giving you twenty seconds. Finally you will reach a car that is safe. Talk to Tifa a few times and when everyone stops talking, talk to her again. Your party will now jump off of the train. You'll land in a subway tunnel. If you run down, you can run down for a very long time before finally being told you're going the wrong way. You will also come to a door with a seemingly endless stream of enemies which you'll never make it through. You may want to avoid doing this, instead, run to the next screen up. You'll come to a laser fence. Obviously you're not going to go through this. Just to the left of the fence though, against the way, there's a 'damn tiny hole'. Tell your party to 'go down'. Grab the ether in this area and climb down the ladder. Climb down the ladder on the next screen as well. You will be taken to a screen with three large ladders and Wedge sitting at a table. Take the ladder closest to Wedge [even though the other one near him leads to the same room]. In the next room you'll see Jessie. A few steps to her right will be a potion [again]. Exit the screen in the lower left side ladder. As you climb down you may notice a save point. Go towards it, get the tent on your way to it. Save if you want to and climb the ladder by Biggs. Take a few steps to the right and enjoy the slide down a pipe into another reactor. This has almost the exact same layout as the previous one. From where you land after falling off of the pipe, go down and then left through the door way. From here, it is identical to the previous reactor. Go down towards the reactor core and set the bomb. There will not be a timer this time. Make your way back up to the room you slid down the pipes in. Take the long staircases up this time. Enter the elevator, push the button, go up, exit the elevator. Hey, a new looking room! Grab the Ether from the chest just a few steps up from the rooms entrance. Enter the alcove to the left. There are three terminals here. Your goal is to get Cloud to hit his terminal when Tifa & Barret hit theirs. Use the confirm [circle] button to do so. The timing is always the same, just under 1.5 seconds after the dialogue box leaves your screen. Once all three have hit the terminal together, a door to the right will open. There is a save point where the white striped lines meet up. Use it. When you're done, go to the left along the white stripe and then up and out of the room. Walk up until the intersection. Another event will take place and then you will have to fight... ***** Air Buster ***** Level: 15 HP: 1200 MP: 0 EXP: 180 AP: 16 GIL: 150 Win: Titan Bangle Weakness: Lightning Air Buster packs more of a punch than the Guard Scorpion did. You will have one considerable advantage though, you'll attack him from both sides. If you are fortunate enough to have a few limit breaks ready and hit him from the back you'll be able to do considerable damage, even more if it scores a critical blow. His main attack, Big Bomber, will do about 100 damage to one character. While this attack is powerful, he will run out of ammo and go to Energy Ball as a main attack. It's a lot weaker, only doing about 30 damage. At first if you attack him, he will counter attack for nearly 80 damage as well, even if attack from the rear. After awhile though, his turn function will break and he will counter with his rear gun for only 40 damage. When you defeat him another scene will happen. There will be a question or two on what Cloud should reply with, again, answer whatever you want. Another scene will happen ending with Cloud waking in a church next to the flower girl. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^004^ Meeting Aeris ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- She'll ask a lot of questions too, pick whatever you want, as usual. After a long while you'll get to name her [I will call her Aeris]. You will see a man enter the church. Walk towards him. Aeris will scream for you to come back. More talking will continue. When it's all over, Cloud and Aeris will run to the back of the church and start climbing stairs. You will be pursued. Eventually poor Aeris will lose her footing and fall to the ground, Cloud will have to protect her, from way up in the rafters. At this point, you can stop every attack by pushing one of the four barrels on your screen down on top of the soldiers. Alternatively, you can just have Aeris fight them all. If you care, the order of barrels in terms of a clock's face are; 9 o'clock, 12 o'clock, and finally 3 o'clock. Afterwards, just exit the church on the only diagonal beam. Aeris will talk with you for a moment. Make you way over the piles of trash until you exit out onto what appears to be a road. Head left and save at the save point. After saving, proceed left through the 'door'. On the new screen, a few steps left, you'll come across a fork in the road. Take the upper path and you'll enter the.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^005^ Sector 5 Slums ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this area: Cover Materia, Ether, Potion, Phoenix Down Turtles Paradise Flyer No.1 Ascii Map: _______________________________________________ | | | [Weapons Shop: 6] | | [exit: 7]| | | [Pipe: 2] | [House: 5] | [entrance: 1] | [Item Shop: 4] | [Materia Shop: 3] | | | ______________________________________________| First things first. Run from the entrance of this area to the exit. In this area there is a lone house. In these 'slums' you may want to think of this as a mansion. This is Aeris's House. Run right beyond her house into the Garden. In the lower circle of the garden you will find a Cover Materia and an Ether. Now return and enter Aeris's house. A lengthy talk will ensue. Once you get control of Cloud, talk to Elmyra and then run upstairs. Aeris will have a few more words with you and then it is off to bed! When you wake up, check between the Desk and the Bed for a Potion and a Phoenix Down. Your goal is to sneak out without Aeris noticing. A few important notes. Do NOT run. Also try to avoid walking too close to her room, the floor will creek and you will be busted. Once you make it down the stairs, you can re-start running. Go back into the town itself. The Weapon shop [6] is the only building above you, go there first. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Titan Bangle | 280 Grenade | 80 When you've gotten everything you need from there, Head out and down to the House [5] Go up the stairs in the back off the room. On the next floor, you will see a few papers taped to the wall. Look at them, you'll find a Turtles Paradise flyer [1 of 6]. You will also see a dresser in the room. You may open the top and bottom drawers, but they're both empty. If you talk to the kid sleeping on the bed in this room, he'll murmur a hint to you. Return to the dresser and select the new option. You'll now have the option of taking 5 gil if you'd like. If you don't take it, much later in the game you can search this very same drawer for a turbo ether, which will be about as common as gil by that point in the game. Exit the House and take a short few step jog to the item shop [4]. Buy what ever supplies you need. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Phoenix Down | 300 Antidote | 80 Tent | 500 When you're done there you can head to the materia shop [3]. However, there are not any new items here. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Fire | 600 Ice | 600 Lightning | 600 Restore | 750 Finally, you can go look at the guy in the pipe [2]. This serves no purpose nor does it help you understand the game at this point. But later on, much later on, this will be meaningful to you. When you're done with all of this, exit at the entrance [1] and head back to the fork in the road, taking the path which you did not take last time [Since the game pushes you out a bit you essentially go left]. Low and behold, while you've been out shopping Aeris got in front of you! Actually, she would have been waiting anyway. Talk to her and continue to the left. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^006^ Sector 6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this area: None! You'll see a very messed up whatever it is supposed to be when you enter. Go up the boarded bridge and across the next long straight bridge. You'll now see a crumbled red object heading to a lower level. Go down it. [Note: you need to go down it from the south side of it]. Continue south through a pipe, and then left. You'll now see a narrow thin board heading back up to another elevated part of the road, walk up it. Walk down another wooden ramp and exit upward to the next screen. You've arrived at Six Flags: Great Slum America. Aeris will talk to you upon entering. She'll then walk up and stare at a slide, talk to her so you can go play on the slide too! After some more talking, a large double door will open from behind and you will see a familiar face going for a ride on a carriage. Aeris will run off to follow it, go follow her. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^007^ Wall Market ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items In This Area: Ether, Phoenix Down, Hyper. Several Key items for a 'date' scene. Ascii Map: [Note: This map is flipped 90 degrees] [1] is where you enter and [2] is to your left, [3] is to your right. _______________________________________________________________________________ [2] [7] | [13] | [1] [9]|[11] | [5] [6] | [16] | [4] | | [8] | | | [12] [14] | [S] | | [3] | [15] | -------------------------------------------|----------------------------------| | | | | NOTHING | NOTHING | [10] | | | | | | ______________|____________________________|__________________________________| Sorry for the odd map, but the size of this sector makes it difficult to make one. First, a shop listing since you won't be able to buy things at all times while in this town. The item shop [5] is actually not labeled 'item', the one next to it is. They sell. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Phoenix Down | 300 Antidote | 80 Echo Screen | 100 Eye Drop | 50 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 Hi-Potion | 300 Tent | 500 The Materia shop [8] will not sell anything to you this time through here. The Weapon Shop [14] sells: --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Mythril Rod | 370 Metal Knuckle | 320 Assault Gun | 350 Titan Bangle | 280 Mythril Armlet | 350 Let's get to business. Head to the screen on the right [3] and talk to the fattest guy there. When given the choice, ask about Tifa. He'll tell you the Don wants to see her. Head back to the main part of town and head all the way up exiting the screen at [9]. On the next screen, head all the way up again exiting into [16]. Talk to the man at the top of this screen. Cloud & Aeris will think of a way to get around their problem. As much as I hate to spoil any part of a game, I'm going to have to here. Later in this town, The Don is going to pick one of Cloud, Tifa, or Aeris for his date. Since the methods of getting each are different, I'll explain them all. Tifa: If you just want to do this as quickly as possible, you'll get Tifa. Exit the screen you're on and head back down to the first screen. Enter the clothing store on this screen [7]. Talk to the person behind the counter. You will be told the clothing maker is basically a drunk. You'll need to get him from the bar. Exit the screen up [9] and head to the bar [13]. The clothing maker is sitting closest to the door. After a while he'll ask what kind of a dress you want. If you choose; Something that feels clean, you will get a cotton dress. Something that feels soft and is shiny, you will get a satin dress. Something that feels soft and shimmers, you will get the silk dress. Just choose the options for the silk dress, you can still get all three of the characters. Exit the bar and head back to the clothing store [7]. Cloud will now try it on. Alas, Cloud has no wig! You'll have to go to the gym [12] to get a wig. If you just want Tifa to get picked, go on and do this now. If you want someone else, do not go here yet. Aeris: In addition to the Dress you have a wig you'll get later, you'll need two other special items. Let's Start with some Cologne. Head to the restaurant [6]. Order the today's special (this will cost 70 gil). When you have sampled it, say 'it was alright' you will be given a pharmacy coupon. Leave the restaurant and head to the pharmacy [5]. Use the coupon to buy a digestive. Leave here and return to the bar. Against the far wall is a rest room. A person in there will need the digestive. In exchange you will receive Sexy Cologne. Alternatively, you can get just 'cologne' or 'flower cologne' for the other two types of 'medicine'. Now, you'll need one more good item to have Aeris picked, so let's make it a fun one eh? Head back to the main screen and talk to the man pacing from [3] towards [5]. He'll give you a membership to the Honey Bee Inn. Now, go to the next screen to the right [3] and enter the Honey Bee Inn [10]. There are six doors in this place. The on you came from, one straight above you, which leads to a 'prep room' for the girls. The two to your right are mostly just for plot, the Queens Room and the Lovers Room. If you peek into the lovers room, you can see a mini-stuffed animal jumping. He may look familiar, if not, he sure will later. The Queens room has an event which I will not spoil. Anyway, you're going to want to get the item from either the Lower-left or upper-left rooms. The gift from the lower left is 'bikini briefs'. The gift from the upper-left is 'lingerie'. The events in the lower-left room are more humorous though, so I suggest that one [you can only do one]. You can also have the girls in the top room put some make-up on you [if you want Cloud to be picked]. Also, to get the lingerie, you must choose the BOTTOM option when Mukki asks you. After that, head to the Gym [12] and get the blonde wig. Cloud: The only additional thing you'll need is a Tiara, the best one of course. Head to the Materia Shop [8] and talk to the guy. He'll ask you to get something from a vending machine in the Inn. When he's done talking, head to the Inn [2] and pay the 10 gil to sleep for the night. In the middle of the night Cloud will go to the machine. Buy the 200 gil one. Return to the materia shop and trade it for a Diamond Tiara. Alternatively, if you had bought the one for 100 gil you'd get a Ruby Tiara and if you had bought the one for 50 gil you would have gotten a Glass Tiara. At any rate, you're ready to go to the Gym [12] as well. At the Gym: I strongly recommend you Save your game [S] before going in if you are trying to get Aeris or Cloud to be picked. When you get to the gym, Big Bro will challenge you to squats. The outcome determines what Wig you'll get: If you lose, you get 'wig' If you tie, you get 'brown wig' If you win, you get 'blonde wig' Big Bro has no set number, but often does about 15-17 squats. You'll want the blonde wig for Aeris or Cloud to be picked. Once you have a wig, head back to the clothing shop and get dressed. Aeris will also get some temporary attire. When you're all done, head back to the Don's place [16]. You'll be permitted to enter this time. Once the man behind the counter tells you not to wander around, go ahead up the stairs and into the room on the left. Run down the large staircase and approach Tifa. Your party will start to talk. When you get a chance to move Cloud, grab the ether behind Tifa and then talk to her. Eventually you'll all be summoned upstairs. Enter the middle room and attempt to walk around the desk on either side. You'll line up, it's time to see who Don picked! If Don picks Cloud, you'll be prompted to answer a bunch of questions. Your choices will only effect a scene later in the game which almost all multiple choice questions do. Other than that, there is a hyper behind the headboard of the Don's bed. If he doesn't pick Cloud, you'll be placed as only Cloud into a separate room. There is a Phoenix down to the far right in this room. The creeps will all follow you around telling you how hot you are. Talk to Scotch [he's in green] after talking to everyone else. Cloud will reveal his true secret, he's a man! You'll get attacked twice, both fights are very easy though. Once you beat them, exit this room and run towards the left room. If he picked Aeris to date Tifa will meet you and you'll go to the main room. If he picked Tifa, then you will have to run down the steps to watch Aeris evade the lackeys. Either way return to the middle room and exit it from the back and you'll be in Don's bedroom. Your party will extort some information from Don. When you get control of Cloud, go behind Don's headboard for a 'hyper' Then try to leave the room. Before long, you'll find yourself in the... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^008^ Sewers/Train Graveyard/Pillar ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this area: Potion, Hi-Potion, Hi-Potion, Echo Screen, Potion, Potion, Potion, Ether, Hi-Potion Items won from Bosses in the area: Phoenix Down Tips for this area: remember to equip Tifa with new weapons, armor, and materia if you have them. In the Train Graveyard section you can steal Ethers from the 'Deenglows'. This is a great way to fatten your wallet next chance you shop. Also, in the second screen of the Train Graveyard, you can encounter Eligors, you can steal Striking Staffs from them. This weapon won't be sold in stores for a VERY long time. Bosses: Aps, Reno You'll wake up in the sewers. Which ever one of Aeris or Tifa you talk to first will give them affection points [for the event later]. Also, before you talk to the second of the two, head up the small stairs near the bottom of the screen and follow them around for a potion. Go back and talk to the other Party member and get ready for: ***** Aps ***** Level: 18 HP: 1800 MP: 0 EXP: 240 AP: 22 GIL: 253 Win: Phoenix Down Weakness: None While Aps does have a damaging attack, it hurts him to use it. In fact, if you do nothing but heal, you'll win the battle. His waves will come from behind him twice, then will hit you from behind [twice as strong]. He will repeat this wave pattern. In addition, he has a lick attack which will cause sadness, but it almost always targets Aeris. He also has a tail attack which will do medium damage to one target. This area is quite linear, just climb up the ladder and walk around to the next ladder. Climb down, walk a few steps to the stairs and walk up. Get the steal materia. Equip it right away on the person who has the most dexterity [Cloud]. Continue straight towards the open vent. Choose 'let's jump down'. This next screen is linear as well, run right, down the stairs, left, up the ladder, then right and up the ladder. You'll come out of a man hole in a train graveyard. Save at the save point and use a tent there if needed. When you're done with that, enter the train car and run through it until you can exit to the left. Go to the tan barrel and get a Hi-Potion. Work your way back to the save point. Climb up the ladder attached to the back of the first train. Grab the Hi-Potion. Continue straight to the next car. Run down the bent metal to the ground level. Run to the tan barrel above you and receive an echo screen. Run around the train you were on top of before and enter the train to its right. Get the Potion there and exit this train from the right side. Climb up the ladder to the right, run up to the next ladder and then back down to the main floor. Enter the train on your right, run up to the next car and exit it on the left. Grab the potion and exit upwards to the next screen. On this screen, run around the train to your left and all the way down for a potion. Run around the train which is on your left again [different train]. Inside there barrel is an ether [thank god it's not a potion]. Head back up and go all the way to the right. There are three trains which are different colors than the others. They're positioned: ______________________________ | ========= | // | // | // | // ======== | | _____________________________| Jump in the lower one first, it will push the diagonal one out of the way. Then run up to the upper train, it will move against a catwalk. Cloud will hop out of the train, climb the ladder to the train on your right. Keep going right and get the Hi-Potion. Go left a few steps and hop over to the top of the train you most recently moved. Run left until you come to a ladder, climb down and then head left off of the screen. This screen should look familiar to you. Head left back towards sector seven. What's this?!? The battle music?! Some short story will happen. When you get to move Cloud again, save your game at the save point and then start your long ascent to the top of the pillar. Oh, you may wish to give Aeris's Materia to someone else since she won't be joining you for a long while now. When you get to the top, talk to Barret, a short event will ensue and you will fight... ***** Reno ***** Level: [19?] HP: 1000 MP: 0 EXP: 290 AP: 22 GIL: 500 Win: Ether Weakness: None Half: Lightning This may be the toughest boss battle you've fought yet, but that isn't saying much. Reno has a pyramid attack which will prevent one character from doing anything while in it. To remove it, simply attack that character and the pyramid will suffer damage and go away. His other attacks consist of an Electro-Mag rod which does around sixty damage and occasionally uses [paralyze] on a party member. Otherwise he'll just slap you with his rod doing about fifty damage. Just beat on him, his low hp makes this a quick battle. A quick event will happen, before long, you'll find yourself in... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^009^ Searching for Aeris ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this area: Sense Materia ...The playground! Barret will whine for a bit, eventually Cloud will walk off on his own into sector six. Take a few steps, Barret and Tifa will rejoin you. Go back into the playground and get the Sense materia. Now, head back to Aeris's house. A large chunk of story will take place. When it is over, head back to the wall market [yes, yes, traversing sector six in the process] When you return to the wall market you'll have a few new options. For one, the materia shop now sells stuff! You may want to get things from the item shop, this is the last time you'll be able to buy things in a LONG while. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Fire | 600 Ice | 600 Lightning | 600 Restore | 750 Cover | 1000 When you are ready, head to the weapon shop. Talk to the vendor way to the left. He will sell you some batteries. Leave the shop and exit this screen from the TOP RIGHT, as you'll recall this was a dead end before, but now you will be able to climb a wire. Talk to the little kid at the bottom of it and up you go. Since climbing ladders, wires, etc takes forever in this game, you might want something funny to read so... "Who's the most liked guy at a nudist camp?" Give up? Ok, "The Guy who can carry two coffees and a dozen donuts!" If you don't get the joke, you're not thinking right. Anyway, by now you will have exited the screen. Head up a bit more, then left, now down a bit and over to the right. There is a thing which looks like a giant plug. Run up to it and use a battery. The propeller above will start to spin. When it stops you will be able to cross it. Cross it and head to the bent tracks. Climb up them to what looks like a toll booth, put the battery inside and it will go up. Walk up the toll booth. Climb up the wire and you will see a swinging wire. You need to jump at the right time to get to it. It's hard to explain, but it does make a 'squeak' sound. Just after the sound begins, jump, you should make it. If not, Cloud will say if you were too early or too late. When you get to the other side, climb up this wire off of the screen. The big wire will split with the little wire. If you elect to take the little wire, you will go up for a moment and then back down, being dropped off at another place where you can use a battery. If you do use it, you'll get an ether. You will need to go DOWN the left wire and you'll be back to the swinging bar. Do what you did before and this time take the thin wire which goes up instead of the thin wire which goes down. You will now find yourself in front of... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^010^ Shinra Building / The Escape ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this Area: Elixir, Turtles Paradise Flyer No. 2, Elemental Materia, All Materia, Star Pendant, Four Slots, Phoenix Down, Ether, Poison Materia, Enemy Skill Materia, Potion, Potion Items won from Bosses in the area: Talisman, Mythril Armlet, Protect Vest, Guard Source, Star Pendant. Tips in this Area: After beating the Sample: HO512, run around on the 67th floor and steal Carbon Bangles from 'Moth Slashers' and Hardedges from 'Soldier: 3rd'. It has been noted this can be done before fighting the sample and also on the 68th and 69th floors. Bosses: Sample: HO512, Hundred Gunner, Heli Gunner, Rufus, Motor Ball ...The Dreaded 70 floor Shinra building. You will have the option to bust in or sneak in around back. Sneaking in will result in no battles, an Elixir, and about fifteen minutes of your dying thumbs time. Breaking in takes less time, and you can get something special too. Whichever you choose, save your game just outside of the front doors. Since there's no need to tell someone how to walk up the stairs, I'll focus on the breaking in of the building. When you walk in, you'll be attacked. After the battle run straight to the back of this room. Make sure to look at the Second Turtles Paradise Flyer on the wall and then enter the elevator. As you ride up the elevator, it will stop now and then allowing you to get attacked. After a while you'll make it to the 59th floor of the building. If you took the stairs, you'll meet at this point as well. Run to the lower right side of the room and you will be attacked. Once you win the battle, you will get a keycard to the 60th floor. From this point onward, you will need a key card to access every floor. Go into the elevator and select the 60th floor. This floor is easy. All you need to is slip past the four guards who march in sequence. Run into the room on your left and Barret will explain this to you. If you fail to slip by them, you'll have to battle them. If you fail four times, and win the battles, Barret will just tell you how dumb you are and you'll be free to continue. You're now on the 61st floor, with no keycard! As dumb luck would have it, the door is broken so you can just walk in. Head to the left and find a man walking toward he right in a grey suit. Talk to him and choose '.....' He will give you the keycard to floor 62. Head up to floor 62. You'll notice the libraries of books on your way in. Talk to Hart, the man standing in the hallway. Then just walk into the mayors office and talk to mayor Domino. You need to get his password for the Keycard 65. While you can just choose all the choices straight down the list, you're not likely to get it on the first try for a special prize [Elemental Materia]. There are two good methods to getting this password. The first is simple, go back outside and save your game AFTER telling him you need more time. Now you can just find out what the password is and load your game again guessing that one. The other option is to play the mini game. Normally you would have to spend a fortune having Hart give you clues, instead, I'll just tell you how to play. There are four library rooms. Each one is marked on the outside of what type of books are inside. Inside each room, one book which does not belong there is in fact there. Each book has a number with it. When you find the out of place book, take note of the number. Now, count that many letters into the books name. For example, if the book name is 'Cloud Rules' and the number is '04' the letter would be 'u'. Spaces do NOT count. When you do this for every room, you will have four letters. Arrange them in an order which make a word which is on Domino's choice list. The choices are: BEST, KING, ORBS, BOMB, MAKO, and HOJO. Return to him and choose the correct word and get your prize. It is now time to go to the 63rd floor. Keep in mind B's and O's are very common in multiple words, but some letters like E or J only appear in one. Run to the room with the computer terminal [one room under the stairs]. You will be allowed to open three doors to get all the prizes which you want. Head to the back right corner of this floor. Run left and open the first door that you come too. Head left again until you come to another door. Do NOT unlock this one, instead, open the other door at this intersection [it is below you]. You'll now be able to run into a normal room and grab the prize [coupon A]. In this small room, head into the ventilation shaft. Inside of the shaft, head down, right and then up at the first chance you get. When you get out of the shaft, grab the prize [coupon B]. Exit this room by heading down and make a left. Use your final door key too unlock the door in front of the very middle room. Grab the prize in there [coupon C] and head back the way you came to the computer terminal. Exchange your coupons for an: all materia, star pendant, and four slots. Now take the stairs to the 64th floor. This floor has a bunch of lockers which you can open which hold an ether and a phoenix down. There are also some vending machines in the gym area, choose to bang on them as they can be somewhat beneficial later. You can rest and save your game in the lower left room of thisfloor too. When you're ready, walk up the stairs to the 65th floor. This Floor is a bit weird. When you place one of the 'Midgar parts' into the model of Midgar, one of the other chests in the room will open. There are two chests in the bottom left room, two in the middle left room, and one in the top right room. There's also one in the middle right room, but we will ignore it for now. The first chest you'll want to open is the bottom chest in the middle left room. When you have the Midgar Parts, run to the room with the model. There are five pieces which need Midgar Parts placed. Put this set of parts in the place which is at about 10 O'clock on a clock face. You'll hear another chest open. Go to the lower left room, open the lower chest there and return to the model room placing these parts in the opening near 11 O'clock on a clock face. Now head to the top right room, get the Midgar Parts and return to the model yet again. Place them in the hole at 2 O'clock in the model. Open the chest which remains in the middle left room, place them in the model at 4 O'clock and get the final parts and place them at 5 O'clock. The chest by the stairwell will now open giving you a Key Card 66. Walk up the stairs to the 66th floor. Run all the way to the top left room. Yes, it is a bathroom. Head into the toilet stall. Walk up to the toilet and elect to climb up into the vents. Press the DOWN arrow to crawl towards the front of the screen. You will now get to see a conference with the Shinra executives. Once it is over, press the UP arrow to head back to the toilet. Run back towards the stairs. You will see Hojo drifting alone, behind everyone. Follow him up the stairs to the 67th floor. The doors he passes through will remain open. Run all the way to the left side of this screen and approach Hojo. Another event will take place. When you get control of Cloud again, exit using the top of this screen. Head right towards the Save point. Open the treasure chest, it has a Poison Materia. Now save your game. Head left a few steps and go up the elevator. Approach the position where Hojo is standing and you will see some more story events. Name the new character whatever you want too. Also, send oFf either one of Tifa and Barret. I tend to keep Tifa with me. Eventually, you will be attacked. ***** Sample: HO512 ***** Level: 19 HP: 1000 MP: 120 EXP: 300 AP: 30 GIL: 250 Win: Talisman Weakness: None ***** Sample: HO512 opt [There are three of them] ***** Level: 7 HP: 300 MP: 48 Don't bother killing the little opts, he can just revive them. While they may be annoying, the only do about 60 damage with their spells. The main boss is in the back row, just pound him with spells [NOT Poison]. He will poison your party as well. Use the Star Pendant you got earlier to protect one of your members. This fight is rather easy, you shouldn't have any problems. Your party will have another nice talk, cute eh? After the talk make sure to get the Enemy Skill Materia, there is no sense in equipping it yet though, as you can't get any enemy skills until you reach the world map. Exit the Screen towards the bottom and run up the ramp towards the assistant of Hojo. He will give you another key card. Run back down and get the 2 potions. Also, remember to steal some Carbon Bangles and a Hardedge from this floor. Run down the ramp and through the door on the right and collect two more potions. Head over to the stairs and walk down to the 66th floor. Head to the elevators on this floor. Go into it and use the controls to travel to a different floor. A long bit of story will occur. When you get control of Cloud, answer Tifa with either choice. Walk up to the door and talk to whom ever you want. Aeris is the only person you MUST talk to. Once you're done, get some rest. When you awaken, the door will be open, run out and check the guard. Return to Tifa and wake her. Follow her and talk to her. Then head into Barret and Red XIII's cell. They will run to the downed guard as well. Go talk to Tifa now. Red XIII will run off ahead. Run left towards Red XIII. Now we have a very easy task. Follow the blood! When you get to floor 69, save your game. Continue up to floor 70. An event will take place, several in fact. Run out to the balcony when the time is right for another event. Everyone but Cloud will run back down. Tifa will stop on the 69th floor. Equip the others well. You will be fighting an enemy who can not be reached by attacks other than Barrets and Red XIII's Limit breaks. Make sure to have magic on so you can deal damage. Run to the nearest elevator and try to use the control panel. Time to fight... ***** Hundred Gunner ***** Level: 18 HP: 1600 MP: 0 Weakness: Lightning Pound Hundred Gunner with everything you have. His attacks are very weak for the first several rounds. Try to kill him before he uses the sensor cannon. If you can, have Barrets weapon have elemental and lightning paired together. Have Aeris and Red XIII toss grenades or cast spells at him. IF Red gets a limit break, use it. When he dies, you will get no break before... ***** Heli Gunner ***** Level: 19 HP: 1000 MP: 0 EXP: 250 AP: 25 GIL: 200 Win: Mythril Armlet Weakness: Lightning, Wind [you know, for all of those wind attacks you can have at this point in the game] This part of the fight is a bit tougher. Heli has less HP, but attacks for more damage and more often. His C cannon often tosses on a status effect like sleep or poison. You still shouldn't have much of a problem using the same strategy as you did for Hundred Gunner. The scene will be shifted back to Cloud, you will be given the opportunity to remove everyone else’s gear [materia and accessories]. This next battle is also easy. I tend to set Cloud up with: Poison=elemental Restore ***** Rufus ***** Level: 21 HP: 500 MP: 0 EXP: ?? AP: ?? GIL: ?? Win: Protect Vest, Guard Source Weakness: None ***** Dark Nation ***** Level: 18 HP: 140 MP: 80 Weakness: none Dark Nation will put a Barrier and MBarrier on Rufus and itself for the first four turns. If you can kill it before the second turn, it will make your life a bunch easier. Once it is out of the way, just beat on Rufus with poison or your weapon which will do poison damage with the materia set up I use. After the battle, run Cloud down to Tifa. You may want to save your game at this point, but I always forget too. They will talk shortly and a nifty bunch of events will take place. Eventually you will get instructions for a mini game. Before you do that, select your party. I use Cloud, Aeris, and Tifa for this fight. Whomever you choose, put people who are normally in the back row in the FRONT row. Also, use elemental=lightning in a weapon OR elemental=fire in an armor. Get your party ready and start the mini game. Use Square and Circle to swing Cloud's sword in the concurrent directions. Any damage you take will be taken from your HP at the start of the next battle, try not to get too banged up. At the end of the road you'll get to fight... ***** Motor Ball ***** Level: 19 HP: 2600 MP: 120 EXP: 440 AP: 45 GIL: 350 Win: Star Pendant Weakness: Lightning Half: Fire At the start of this battle, tap both r1 and l1 together, this will negate the extra damage from the back attack as you'll turn around before he hits you. His Twin Burner attack will do close to 90 damage to your whole party. After a few of those he will unleash rolling fire which will do close to two hundred damage to your party! Be sure to heal with either healing wind or just cure. While he has a lot of HP, he does take damage rather quickly so don't fret over that. Again, this boss shouldn't be a real threat. Once the battle is over your party will talk. Once they're done, attempt to leave Midgar. You'll be asked to make a party, pick whomever you wish. Walk out and you will be on the... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^011^ World Map / Kalm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this Area: Ether, Ether, Peacemaker, Guard Source, Ether, Megalixir Bosses: None ...World Map. A few notes on the world map. You can save your game and use tents at any point on the map. Anyway, run around and get in a few random battles. You can learn an enemy skill, Matra Magic, from the Custom Sweepers. Also, you can steal Atomic Scissors for Barret from them. When you're ready, go northeast to Kalm, it looks like two houses on cobblestone from the world map. Ascii Map: ______________________________________________ | | [4] [5] [8] | [3] | [9] | | [6] [10]| [2] | | | [7] | [1] | | | | ______________________________________________| Upon entering, your active party will run into the Inn. Don't follow them for the time being. Here's a low down of what the buildings in this town have. [1] - Exit of town, you can't use this! [2] - Inn, ignore until everywhere else is explored. [3] - Ether [4] - Ether, Second floor in cabinet next to the left bed. [5] - Peacemaker, back of house up the winding staircase. Guard Source, Second floor in cabinet to the left of the little girl. [6] - nothing [7] - Ether, Hidden compartment which is under the stair case [8] - Item Shop: --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Phoenix Down | 300 Antidote | 80 Eye Drop | 50 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 Tent | 500 [9] [10] - These Buildings are connected. [9] is a materia shop which sells --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Earth | 1500 Poison | 1500 Steal | 1200 Sense | 1000 Heal | 1500 [10] is a weapon shops which sells: --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Mythril Saber | 1000 Cannon Ball | 950 Mythril Claw | 750 Full Metal Staff | 800 Mythril Armlet | 350 When you're done getting all of this, head back to the Inn [2]. Go to the second floor. Aeris will yell at you. Carefully walk forward and to the left to go behind the stairs where you can see a cabinet. Examine the cabinet a few times and Cloud will get pissed and kick it. You’ll receive a Megalixir for your troubles. Get near everyone else and get prepared for a VERY long sequence. The Grey haired man is Sephiroth. You will talk for what seems like ever, you'll eventually get in a battle. No matter what you do, Sephiroth will kick the monsters ass. This will be the case for any battles you get in during this section of the game. You will not arrive in a town named Nibelheim. I'm not going to draw a map for it at this time since there are only three buildings of interest. Run straight into the town as Cloud. When Sephiroth goes into the Inn, head into Tifa's house. It is the largest building on the right side of the town. Walk up the stairs and into her room [it has the piano]. Check her cabinet and get the item there. Walk to the piano. Elect to play it, or jam on it. Say you remember and play the following buttons: x, square, triangle, r1+triangle, r1+square, x, square, triangle, r1+x, circle, x, square, x Cloud will make a comment. You may also read a letter on her desk. You may now exit into the inn. In case you forgot it is the building nearest the entrance of town. Talk to Sephiroth, when he asks, go to sleep. When you wake up, talk to Sephiroth again. Some events will take place. When you get control of Cloud you'll be at the base of a wooden bridge, run across the bridge. More events will happen. When you get control again, head right/up. This path is very linear. Enter the cave when you get there. This screen is also linear, just head up along the right hand side. Exit to the next screen and you will be greeted with another event. On the next screen, walk into the reactor. Follow Sephiroth to the reactor core. Run up and talk to him. He'll ask you to hit a valve, run down to where he was standing and hit the confirm button there. Then head over and talk to Sephiroth, again. He'll move back a step, talk to him again, then look inside of the glass. Some long events will happen now. Eventually it will break back to the inn room. You will be able to save at this point if you desire. Don't bother unless you fear the power in your house is going to go out, just keep talking. When you leave the Inn [Nibelheim], you will head into the Shinra Mansion. Go up the stairs to your right and exit to the room to the right. There is a hidden stair case [not really as you can see it with select] behind some brick in this area. Go through it and head down the winding staircase. Run through the halls down here until you come across Sephiroth in some sort of library. He'll mumble on about stuff and tell you he needs time to thing about things. Leave the room. More events will take place. You'll wake up in the left side of the mansion. Run downstairs to the library again. Head towards the back of the room. A talk will ensue. Sephiroth will leave the room! Run all the way outside back into town. Something big will happen. Run towards the center of town. Zangan will have you check out the house most left on the RIGHT side of the town. Some more story will happen. Eventually, you will find yourself back in the reactor. Head towards the core [labeled JENOVA]. On your way a few small events will happen. Once inside some major events will happen. You'll now be back in Kalm. With your story done, you may now continue on your journey. Before you leave the Inn, you will be given a PHS, it will allow you to switch your members anywhere you can save [some exceptions]. Leave the town and head southeast to the... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^012^ Chocobo Farm / Mythril Mines ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this Area: Choco/Mog Materia, Ether, Tent, Long Range Materia, Mind Source, Elixir, Hi-Potion. Tips: You can pick up enemy skill L4 suicide from Muu's outside of the farm, Chocobuckle from chocobos, Beta from the Midgar Zolom [highly unlikely at this stage in the game] and flamethrower from Arc Dragons in the Mythril Mines. Also, you can steal Grand Glove [for Tifa] from Madouges in the left rooms of the Mythril Mines. Bosses: Midgar Zolom [though he's not really a boss] Once you get to the Chocobo Farm, and it is a LONG walk, head on inside. You will see four chocobos inside of a pen. Talk to the one on the left side of the pen. Reply with 'wark'. An event will take place and you will be given the Choco/Mog materia. Walk into the house. You can sleep in the bedroom here for a small price if you so desire. Talk to Choco Bill, say yes to his first question. He'll ramble on for a little while. He'll tell you to talk to Billy. Billy is in the barn building. Talk to Billy and say you want a chocobo. If you want to learn how to get chocobos, choose the top three choices of his next question, if you just want to get the Chocobo Lure Materia, choose not interested. You may buy some greens now if you need too. Personally, I would just buy two mimett greens. These will get you everything you'll ever need later in the game. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Mimett Greens | 1500 Curiel Greens | 1000 Pahsana Greens | 800 Tantal Greens | 400 Krakka Greens | 250 Gysahl Greens | 100 You may now leave the chocobo farm. Now, this next party can be very tricky. You'll need to cross the marsh without getting attacked by the Midgar Zolom. I suppose you COULD let him attack you. If you some how manage to kill it at this point in the game [yes it can be done] then you'll be able to just run across if you do it quickly. Instead, we have three options, try whichever one you want. 1. Do what the game intended for people to do, catch a chocobo and ride it across the marsh. [takes a long time :( ] 2. Run Across the Marsh. Save after a few steps. Reload your game, repeat until you get across [safe yet time consuming] 3. Stand on the grass area which jags out and faces the cave on the other end. Wait until the Zolom is WELL to your left in the corner down there. Run as straight as you can. If done perfectly, you'll beat him by about two steps. [not so safe but can be the fastest] Which ever way you choose is up to you [I always use 3]. When you get across you'll see something somewhat disturbing. Exit that screen down and now enter the cave. You'll be in the Mythril Mines. Head right onto the next screen. Head up the 'stairs' and get the ether sitting in the middle. Continue up and get the chest containing a tent. Head back down the stairs and climb up the vine on the left side of the screen. Get the Long Range Materia and head back down the vine and left to the screen you came in on. Head left a bit and then down. Get the Mind Source from the lower right alcove. Head left, up, and then exit the screen from the left. You'll encounter a short event. After the event, head into the room above you. Get the Elixir from the chest and the Hi-Potion from the north end of the room. Leave this room and climb the vine in the next room. Exit to your left and you'll be back on the world map. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^013^ Parading Along ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this Area: Yuffie*, Shiva Materia, one of [grenade, 6 potions, 6 ether and 5000gil], Enemy Skill Materia, Luck Source, Mind Source, 1/35 soldier, Guard Source, Power Source, Speed Source, 1/35 soldier. One of [silver glasses hp plus materia, force stealer] Items won from Bosses in the area: Power Wrist Tips: Get Yuffie! Also, the forests here are one of the best place to learn limit breaks in the entire game. Large enemy groups, decent damage. Bosses: Bottomswell First head to Fort Condor. In case you failed to guess, it is the large rock with a BIRD on the top. Go inside and talk to the man, choose 'we'll help you' and follow him inside. Talk to the old at the table. Choose 'alright' and now you may use Fort Condor as your home. There are seventeen battles here during the game, you only need to do the last one. Other ones will get you some good prizes though. Anyway, if you want to do the battles, head upstairs to the left and talk to the guy by the window, and read how to play. I'll write up the details on this later. Anyway, you can use the beds downstairs as a free inn. You can shop from the two vendors on the upper right as well. They sell: --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Phoenix Down | 300 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 Tent | 500 --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Fire | 600 Ice | 600 Lightning | 600 Restore | 750 When you're done here, exit out to the world map and fight in the forests. You'll sometimes encounter a Ninja. When you beat her, an event will take place. Do EXACTLY what I say now or you're going to have some serious money stolen from you. First, do NOT bring up the menu at ANY point during this. Walk to the ninja and talk to her. Choose "Not interested" Walk to her again, Choose "......petrified" Choose "Wait a second!" Choose "......That's right." Choose "......Let's hurry on." Here's exactly what she'll take and when [Thanks Feu Feu!] 1st question : the only thing you can do after that is enter the menu. When you quit the menu, Yuffie is gone and has stolen 200 gil from you. Whenever you enter the menu, this will happen. 2nd question : Yuffie goes away and bumps into one character. 500 gil is stolen. 3rd and 4th question : if you make a mistake, Yuffie leaves but steals nothing 5th question : she runs away and steals 700 gil from you. By the way, you can talk to your party safely. And you can also leave the screen without talking to Yuffie. You'll now be prompted to name her [I will call her Yuffie]. She has a throw materia on her if you care to remove it right away. Anyway, you can level in this forest if you'd like or start getting to Junon. To reach Junon, head west north west. There are only five places to go, so I'm not going to make a map. The first house on the right is an item shop. They sell: --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Mythril Armlet | 350 Potion | 50 Phoenix Down | 300 Grenade | 80 Tent | 500 Anyway, the main path forks, head down and down the stairs. You'll be on the shore of the ocean. I little girl will be playing with a dolphin. A scene will follow and you will be attacked. ***** Bottomswell ***** Level: 23 HP: 2500 MP: 100 EXP: 550 AP: 52 GIL: 1000 Win: Power Wrist Weakness: Wind Bottomswell has a few notable attacks. One attack will put a party member into a bubble which will subtract 1/32 of that characters max hp per unit of time. This is very bad since that character also can not perform actions at that time. You'll need to hit the bubble with a spell to remove it. His tail attack is rather weak, it shouldn't be a problem. When he dies, he'll use a Tidal wave which can do around 110 damage to members in the front row, half to members in the back row. Once the boss is beaten you'll need to perform CPR. Just walk up to her, hit square. You'll hear Cloud breathe. On the 9th breath, hit square again and you'll release. Repeat this four times. On the fifth time you'll have put enough air into the girl to revive her. You'll be allowed to use the house on the left side of town as a free inn. Do so. You'll wake up after some events to a new theme. Run to the largest house in the entire town for a short event. You'll get the Shiva materia. Follow the girl back out to the shoreline. You will get a whistle. It's time to go up top. Use the whistle [press square]. Now, this is very important. Do NOT move once you can blow the whistle. You'll miss the platform the first time, but on the second time you will land right on it! Walk left and climb up. There will be a short cut scene and you'll see something awesome. Run down, on the next screen, you'll see a tiny square on an elevated platform run towards it and press it. A large elevator will go down, run inside of the door at the bottom of the screen. You'll be dragged into a locker room. Run to the half open locker and put on the Shinra Uniform. They'll show you how to look pretty, choose 'all clear'. Exit the room, you'll see a cut scene, now run down and save your game. Exit this screen by using the lower left door and watch the small cut scene and follow the rest of the soldiers. Now this part of the parade is really annoying. Your Live TV Ratings will give you a prize once you’re done. You can get either a grenade, 6 potions, 6 ethers, and 5000 gil. As near as I can tell, when you get in formation, hit circle to raise your 'point'. You'll be out of sync with everyone else, but you'll still get the increased %'s. At some suggestions, just hammer the circle button and you will rack up the %'s whether you are in sync with everyone else or not. Another cut scene will occur and you will be back in the locker room. The trusty Shinra troops will now teach you how to do a special dance for the president. You'll get to show them your victory pose though. Finally you'll be allowed to exit this room and roam the city free. Due to the linear layout of this city we're going to refer to everything by door number since my map would look like a straight line ^_^. You may save your game at the same save point as you did before, then exit the lower left door again and you'll see the town. First Building [there is a fat man standing in the door way, talk to him and he will move] --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Sense | 1000 Seal | 3000 Restore | 750 Heal | 1500 Revive | 3000 The next building is actually a hallway. The man on the main floor sells: --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Hardedge | 1500 Grand Glove | 1200 Atomic Scissors | 1400 Striking Staff | 1300 Diamond Pin | 1300 Boomerang | 1400 You can go to the basement of this building, you'll see Rude the Turk, but he won't know who you are in that stylish Shinra Uniform. The Third door --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Hi-Potion | 300 Phoenix Down | 300 Antidote | 80 Eye Drop | 50 Echo Screen | 100 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 Tent | 500 Finally the fourth door on this screen. Head into the main room and talk to the Shinra Guard. Follow him to the basement. This is the intermediate training hall. More importantly, in the lower right, another enemy skill materia is sitting. Grab that and head back up to the main floor. Take the large stairs up to the second floor. The small room on the left holds a 1/35 soldier, Mind Source, and Luck Source. Go up to the third floor. In the right room, you can get a Guard source. A power source is sitting in the left room. Head back down the streets and continue left to the next screen. Head up and left to the next screen. This screen currently has no value, just head up and left. At several points later in the game, there is stuff to do here. Head left on the next screen. You'll finally come to a second screen of buildings. The first door has Elena and Reno sitting at the bar, nothing useful. The second door is an inn. It also has a save point. If you head up the stairs, the second floor is also a materia shop, they sell [Thanks Defcon999 and Feu Feu]: --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Fire | 600 Ice | 600 Lightning | 600 Earth | 1500 Poison | 1500 The top floor is the accessory shop. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Silver Glasses | 3000 Headband | 3000 Exit and enter the next building. Head on the right path and follow it around to a Speed Source. Head down a bit and up the stairs. There’s another 1/35 soldier here. Leave this building and head into the final building. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Mythril Saber | 1000 Cannon Ball | 950 Mythril Claw | 750 Full Metal Staff | 800 Mythril Clip | 800 Finally head up and left and you will be in position to dance for the president of Shinra! Cool huh? You get ten points for every completed move if in sync with the other soldiers. Turning does not give you points, but you must be in the proper turn position to get credit. The final move will land you thirty points. Make certain you turn with them before that. The Prizes are 0-50 points: Silver Glasses 60-90 points: HP Plus Materia 100-??? points: Force Stealer Get the points for whatever you need and then following the event, run onto the Shinra boat. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^014^ Shinra Boat / Costa Del Sol ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this area: Ether, All Materia, Wind Slash , Ifrit Materia, Fire Ring, Motor Drive, Power Source. Items won from Bosses in the area: White Cape Tips: Steal Shinra Betas from Marines. Bosses: Jenova-Birth You'll see the sleek boat leave the port. Eventually the camera will pan in and you will be on the boat. If you've gotten Yuffie, you'll not be able to get the all materia right away, don't worry though, you'll be able to later. Get the chest to your left for an ether. Talk to everyone you see, since most of them are in your party. Once you've chatted with Aeris and Yuffie head up the stairs. On the main deck, talk to the soldier on top of the look out platform [Tifa] and then head left and talk to the soldier who is having trouble walking [Red] Go back down the stairs, talk to Aeris. Head back up the stairs and head all the way to the left. You'll see Rufus and Heidegger talking. Talk to Barret. After some time an event will happen, your party will converge on the main deck. At this point you get to select who you want to use. Also, the one ship member remaining will sell items and you can rest at him. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Phoenix Down | 300 You can save your game where Red XIII was hiding out before. When you're ready, head down the stairs. Get the All Materia which Yuffie was in front of before and head through the door to the engine room of the ship. Climb the ladder to your left, run around to the right of the top platform and get the Wind Slash.Head back down the ladder and talk to the man at the controls. An event will happen and you will be confronted by: ***** Jenova Birth ***** Level: 25 HP: 4000 MP: 110 EXP: 680 AP: 64 GIL: 800 Win: White Cape Weakness: none Absorbs: Poison Get ready for a fun one. Jenova has a tail laser. She also attacks with W-laser and casts stop which you can't really protect against at this point. Just unload with physical attacks and limit breaks. Most magic, other than poison, does alright as well. When you've beaten her, some story will occur, make sure to get the Ifrit materia BEFORE leaving this room. The ship will now dock at Costa Del Sol. Get off of the boat and play along with the sequence of events. Eventually you will be able to leave the screen to the right. An event will happen, after the event you'll be able to run around Costa Del Sol! Once again I'll avoid making a map since there are almost no buildings here. Run over the bridge and into the building labeled 'Costa del sol'. Make your way into the basement and get the Fire Ring, Motor Drive and Power Source. Leave this building and head down the stairs. Oh, as a side note, you can buy this building for 300,000 gil from the man sleeping on the bed. Head into the bar, talk to the man in the lower left corner, he'll sell you armor. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Platinum Bangle | 1800 Carbon Bangle | 800 Four Slots | 1300 Molotov | 840 Head out of here. There is a small door by Red XIII who's against the wall, you can go in there and see a very odd scene. You can also kick Red XIII with the soccer ball. If Yuffie is not in your party, you can buy materia from her! If she is in it, you just buy it from an old man. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Heal | 1500 Revive | 3000 Restore | 750 Seal | 3000 Fire | 600 Ice | 600 Lightning | 600 If you head into the inn, you can see Barret on the phone with Marlene. To the right of the inn there is an item shop tent. You can get: --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Hi-Potion | 300 Phoenix Down | 300 Soft | 150 Antidote | 80 Eye Drop | 50 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 Tent | 500 You can now head right and down to the beach. You'll see Hojo there, he has recently left the Shinra. Anyway, when you're all done, head back to the bridge you walked over earlier and head under it, you'll be back on the world map. As Hojo said, you'll want to head west, do so until you reach a cave and enter it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^015^ Corel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this Area: Wizard Staff, W-Machine Gun, Star Pendant, Turbo Ether, Transform Materia, 10 phoenix downs, Power Source, Tent, Mind Source Tips: Steal from Bombs! Bosses: None Well this first screen is easy, just run in the straight line to the next one. Once again, run in a straight line. Now you'll see a reactor, head down the stairs and then exit this screen from the bottom. Head right across this screen to the next one. Run and save your game at the save point if you so desire. Continue to your right. There are some weak spots in the track in which you will fall through. DO NOT do what Cloud says and try to jump them, instead, fall in. Hold either the left or right arrow and hit circle as fast as you can. If done fast enough, when you climb back up you'll get an item. Do it for both the left and right side and you'll get a Wizard Staff and a Star Pendant. Once you've gotten them both you can do what Cloud says on future falls. Anyway, head up when the tracks first split and get the W Machine Gun in the chest. Head back down to the split and take the lower tracks. You'll soon arrive at a 4 direction split. Head up and left to get a Turbo Ether and a Transform Materia. Now head back and take the upper right path. Run all the way along this path until you come to a shed. Run inside and flip the switch. Run out of the shed and down until you hear some birds, climb up the wall. You can take the items in the nest. You'll have to fight an easy battle and you will get 10 Phoenix downs. Once you've done this, head back to the 4 way split and head on the lower right path. Run all the way across this screen as well. Follow the track which curves down and around to the lower left. Inside of the room it contains are a Power Source, Tent, Mind Source. Head back out and back to the main track. Head right until you reach a huge bridge. Walk across it and you'll be in the town of North Corel. Walk into town and some story will happen. Feel free to shop around here, but there isn't much to get. You'll want to have a MINIMUM of THREE THOUSAND gil for the next area of the game. The three vendors are all behind counters on the main stretch. They sell: --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Phoenix Down | 300 Tent | 500 --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Transform | 5000 Maiden's Kiss | 150 Cornucopia | 150 Soft | 150 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Carbon Bangle | 800 Force Stealer | 2200 Molotov | 400 When you're ready, go to the far left and you'll see an air tram. Get in the tram and you'll go to your next location. First you'll have to view some long story sequences though. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^016^ Gold Saucer / Desert Prison ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this Area: Ramuh Materia, Turtles Paradise Flyer No. 3 Items won from Bosses in the area: Silver Armlet Tips: Make sure to get Laser and Matra-magic one your way to Dyne. You can shop a the Ghost Square, but it is just an item shop so I won't list the items. The Turtles Paradise flyer No. 3 is here as well. Steal x-potions from Bull Motors. Also, the man in the prison pub will sell you potions, phoenix downs, and tents for their usual prices [Thanks Defcon!] Bosses: Dyne Try to enter the Gold Saucer, you won't be able to, you need to get a ticket. If you can afford the life time pass, go ahead and get it. You'll be here a lot throughout the game. If not, just get the one time pass. Enter now, your party will have another talk with Barret, he'll run off. The Gold Saucer has its own form of transportation. Just jump in the tunnel with the label which matches your destination and you will be there. To advance, Head to the Wonder Square area. You'll get a new party member now. I will call him Cait Sith. There are a lot of games and goodies to get in the Gold Saucer, but they aren't going to be listed in this section, please see section ii for a Gold Saucer fun guide. Go to the battle square now. An event will take place. Before long you will be in the Desert Prison. By the way, if you remove Cait Sith from your party, be sure to take his Transform [with 7000 ap already] and manipulate materias off of him. There's a hole in this screen which you can climb down to a chest which can not be opened. Leave this screen down instead and run into the first house on the right. You can save your game before this if you want. Barret will come in and another story sequence will happen. Barret is now going to be in your party for a while. Leave the house and exit this screen heading up. Go into the fence entrance on the left which was blocked previously. Exit the screen. Head right on this next screen. On a screen which looks like a mound of trash head towards the top but DO NOT exit yet. Put the following materia on Barret he is going to have to fight a boss battle alone. Restore, elemental paired to fire in his armor. Now head up, a short event will transpire and now the boss fight. ***** Dyne ***** Level: 23 HP: 1200 MP: 20 EXP: 600 AP: 55 GIL: 750 Win: Silver Armlet Weakness: none Dyne has three attacks, Needle Gun, S-Mine, and Molotov. The latter two are both fire attacks, which you'll be partially if not completely protected from. Just pound him with limits or use poison attacks on him. He doesn't have much life and should go down easily. He sometimes does a Molotov cocktail as his final attack as well. Be wary of it. After the battle there will be several scenes going on. Eventually you'll be in an elevator. Learn how to race chocobos and you'll end up in the Jockey room. In this room is the Ramuh Materia. This is your ONLY CHANCE to get the materia in the entire game. Be certain you do so. After a while you'll be called out to race your chocobo. Here's a quick tip, hold down r1, r2, l1, l2 while you race, your chocobo will lose stamina at about 1/6th the regular rate making it a whole lot easier to sprint large portions of the course and win the race with ease. When you win you'll be a free man, if not you'll just have to try again with a better chocobo. You'll be placed on the world map in a new form of transportation when you win. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^017^ Optional Things which you can do in the Buggy around the World ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you don't want to do any of this, you don't have to. Simply cross the river to the south and head to Gongaga. Items in this Area: Mythril, Bolt Ring Enemy Skills in this area: Aqualung, Big Guard, Beta, White Wind Bosses: Midgar Zolom if you didn't already get Beta. First drive the buggy across the southwestern river and run up and down that beach. You'll encounter Beach Plugs. Manipulate them for Big guard. Now drive the buggy into the Desert by the Gold Saucer, drive around in here and you'll get into a fight with Harpy. He will use Aqualung on you. Now drive across the northeast river, and drive the buggy into Costa Del Sol. Run to the dock area and get on the boat to Junon. When you get to Junon, talk to the man directing the air traffic and ask for a ride outside. You will now be in your buggy on the world map. Ride along and get into a battle with Zemzelett. Manipulate it and learn White wind. Ride back to the Mythril mines and fight the Midgar Zolom. You should be able to beat him now. The exp, ap, and gil bite, but Beta is one of the best enemy skills in the game. Now head back through the Mythril mines and cross the river to the north. There is a cave there. Inside is a sleeping man. He'll tell you various things like how many battles you have fought. If the last two numbers of battles fought are the same, you will get a prize. If the numbers are even, you get a Bolt Ring, if they are odd, you get Mythril. Get one of each and now drive the buggy back to Junon. Talk to the Shinra guard in front of the elevator. Pay to go up. Save your game. You can head back to the boat now or you may go to the narrow screen which I said would come into use later. There is an alarm in this area. If you turn it on you can fight random battles in here. The battles are somewhat hard but give great EXP, AP, and Gil for this point in the game. The alarm is flashing red and will make a siren noise while pulled. You can gain several levels here very quickly if you need to. Here's what you can fight here. ***** Slalom ***** Level: 37 HP: 1600 MP: 30 EXP: 700 AP: 70 GIL: 1500 ***** Death Machine ***** Level: 35 HP: 2500 MP: 150 EXP: 900 AP: 80 GIL: 1200 Anyway, once you're satisfied head to the boat and sail back to Costa Del Sol and leave town to your buggy. Remember the coasts where you got big guard? Go back that way and then head south west a few seconds and you'll be able to see the ruined reactor of... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^018^ Gongaga ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this Area: Titan Materia, Death Blow Materia, X-Potion, White M-Phone, Items won from Bosses in the area: Fairy tale, X-potion Bosses: Reno & Rude Walk into Gongaga and you will over hear Reno and Rude talking. It's mildly amusing too. Eventually they'll notice you and you'll be attacked. ***** Reno ***** Level: 22 HP: 2000 MP: 80 Weakness: none ***** Rude ***** Level: 23 HP: 2000 MP: 135 Weakness: none EXP: 1380 AP: 130 GIL: 3500 Win: Fairy Tale, X-Potion [this X-Potion is NOT always dropped, the Fairy Tale is] Oddly Reno isn't resistant to lightning this time. Anyway, they're both pretty damn weak. In fact, once you beat one of them, the other will just stand there and do nothing. You'll be standing at a fork, run up. On the next screen, run up. You'll now be near a ruined reactor. Run up and trigger the event. When the Shinra leave walk to the reactor and reach inside. You'll get the Titan Materia. Head back down and out to the fork in the paths. Take the fork left this time. On the next screen there will be another fork. Head left and get the deathblow materia. Go back to the fork and head up. You will now enter the town. This town has only five enterable buildings. So again I won't bother to make a map. Go in the one to the lower right first. A scene will take place. This scene seems rather unimportant now, but trust me, you'll be glad you saw this a bit later. Talk to Aeris and Tifa if you want [this will give a great deal of points to them for a future scene] So whomever you like best, maybe just talk to that one. Anyway. The house on the right just above the one you were in is an item shop. He man sells --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Hi-Potion | 300 Phoenix Down | 300 Tent | 500 Maiden's Kiss | 150 Cornucopia | 150 Soft | 150 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 The House in the top right corner has a chest with a White M-Phone. The one on the top left has an X-potion in the chest. It is also the local in. The only remaining house sells both Weapon and Accessories. The bottom floor sells the accessories and materia. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Headband | 3000 Silver Glasses | 3000 Star Pendant | 4000 Talisman | 4000 White Cape | 5000 Fury Ring | 5000 Mystify | 6000 Time | 6000 Heal | 1500 Transform | 5000 Climb up the pole in the this room to reach the weapons shop. He sells nothing very good. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Hardedge | 1500 Grand Glove | 1200 Atomic Scissors | 1400 Striking Staff | 1300 Diamond Pin | 1300 Boomerang | 1400 Impaler | 600 Shrivel | 500 Molotov | 400 When you're all done here, back to the world map. Follow the river until you can cross. Then go through the mountain path. Eventually you will reach a town, if you attempt to go past it your buggy will break. Since you're stuck here, it's time to enter... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^019^ Cosmo Canyon / Cave of Gi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this Area: Turtles Paradise Flyers No. 4 and 5, Elixir Added Affect Materia, Black M-Phone, Ether, X-Potion, Fairy Ring, Turbo Ether, Gravity Materia Items won from Bosses in the area: Wizer Staff Bosses: Gi Nattak Enter the gate and Red XIII will jump out in front. Walk up and follow him, you will be asked a question, pick 'no'. Now, run all the way to the top right we're going shopping. Climb the ladder and you'll be in an item shop. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Hi-Potion | 300 Phoenix Down | 300 Ether | 1500 Tent | 500 Maiden's Kiss | 150 Cornucopia | 150 Soft | 150 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 Go back down and enter the building below you and a bit to the left. Go up the stairs and left a bit. There's a flyer on the wall, it is Turtles Paradise No. 5. You can also rest at the inn up here. In the room with many beds you can get an elixir from the object which looks like a couch. Leave this building, ignore the next ladder and head up the steps to the far left. Talk to Red XIII. He'll run upstairs more. Enter the door to our right. This is the Weapons Shop. There is a save point here, as well as the Turtles Paradise No. 4 flyer. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Butterfly Edge | 2800 Tiger Fang | 2500 Heavy Vulcan | 2700 Prism Staff | 2600 Silver Barrette | 2500 Pinwheel | 2600 Green M-Phone | 2400 Silver Armlet | 1300 Buy what you need and go up the stairs and go left. Walk around to the next floor up and enter the door. Enter the first door on your right, this is the materia shop. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- MP Plus | 8000 HP Plus | 8000 Mystify | 6000 Transform | 5000 Now leave this room and climb the large ladder to the left. Enter the only building up here. There will be a lengthy chat. You'll now need to get some other party members. If you find any one member you can make your whole party. The nearest member is Cait Sith. Climb down the ladder and enter the room on the far right. Talk to him, make a party, then return up to Bugenhagens House. A very long event is going to happen now, but it's pretty cool so no complaints from me. Leave the house and head down to the camp fire on the ground level. Talk to: Barret, Aeris, Tifa and finally Red XIII. Lots of events will happen here. Eventually, head up towards the materia store. There is a barricaded door that Bugenhagen will open. Enter it, climb down a whole lot of ropes and head right. Run into the first hole and choose 'break it loose'. Run right to the second hole and do the same. Run up and left into a third hole. Break this one open as well. I really don't think this next party matters, but you may as well break open ever other hole in here. When you're done, exit up to the next screen. Head up until the fork and go left. When you get to the off colored ground, WALK. Head down. Grab the Added Affect Materia. Head back up. Go right and when you reach the initial fork in the road, head up. When you reach another fork. Go right. You'll hit another fork, go down the stairs. Run down the left path and get the Black M-Phone. Run back to the bottom of the stairs and go right. Head up when you can. Get the ether. Run back to the stairs again, up them and continue straight up to the next screen. This screen has five tunnels you can enter into. We'll call the one farthest to the left A and the one closest to you and the right side E. Enter D. Run up and you'll get attacked by a stinger. Continue up hanging to the right and get the X-potion. Go all the way back to the five tunnel entrances again. This time take B. After you get attacked by the Stinger head up two steps and go left. Head down. The Pointer finger may help now. There is a chest to the right over here, but you need to control yourself well enough to get it. Inside is a Fairy Ring. Run back up to where you fought the previous stinger and head up more. You'll get to fight, another stinger! Walk up a few steps, don't exit this screen yet. There is a secret walk way to your left. Find it, open the chest, and get the turbo ether inside. Now exit to the top. A small event will occur and it's now time to fight... ***** Gi Nattak ***** Level: 29 HP: 5500 MP: 200 EXP: 1400 AP: 150 GIL: 3000 Win: Wizer Staff Weakness: Curative and Holy This boss is just a long fight. His physical attacks can hurt you for a good deal as well. Protection from fire would be nice too. Hell, if you don’t want to bother, use an x-potion on him and he'll die ^_^ After the battle, get the Gravity Materia then head up for a sad event. You will all be around the campfire again, except for Red XIII. It's time to leave Cosmo Canyon. A short and happy event will happen. Head out to the world map and get back in your buggy. Head north across the river and to the town of... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^020^ Nibelheim ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this area: Luck Source, Elixir, Turbo Ether, Platinum First, Luck Source, Silver M-Phone, Twin Viper, Enemy Launcher, Cosmo Memory*, Odin Materia, Key to the Basement, Magic Source, Destruct Materia * = Victory prize Bosses: Lost Number Didn't this place burn down? More on this later in the game! Being as there are only six buildings in this town, and you know what three of them are, I'll cheap my way out of another ASCII map. Enter the inn, go to the back room and talk to the man with the black cape, he'll give you a Luck Source. Leave the inn and head into the item shop which is right next door. In the back right of this building is another man with a black cape, talk to him and get an Elixir. The items you can buy here are: --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Hi-Potion | 300 Phoenix Down | 300 Tent | 500 Now go into Tifa's house. Head to the back of the first floor and talk to the black caped man, you'll get a turbo ether. Head upstairs and to the bedroom which is straight ahead. The black caped man there will give you a Platinum Fist. Leave Tifas House and go to the house in the lower right corner. Head up to the second floor. Talk to the smaller black caped man and get a Luck Source. Finally, head to the Shinra Mansion. There's plenty of stuff in here too. Exit to the right and follow the hall around to get a Silver M=Phone. Go back into the main lobby and head up, go right and then above one room to get the Twin Viper. Head back to the lobby again and go up the stairs. Take a left when you get up them. Head left again and get the treasure chest. Inside is an Enemy Launcher. Now, go back into the hallway and into the room above. There is a safe. I warn you now, if you haven't saved in a while, you may want to, there is a boss inside and he can really give a beating. You will have twenty seconds to open the safe. The combination is Right - 36 Left - 10 Right - 59 Right - 97 If you overshoot a number, your combination will fail. Upon opening it you are going to be attacked by... ***** Lost Number ***** Level: 35 HP: 7000 MP: 300 EXP: 2000 AP: 80 GIL: 2000 Win: Cosmo Memory Weakness: none He hits hard and often. The best strategy is to get the 'stop' status on him using any method you can. Cross Slash, Choco/mog, added effect=time. Any of these will make the battle a lot easier. When he is stopped, just blast away at him. If you elect not to do this, about half way through the battle he will rip one of his two colors left. The Red one will be a caster and will be very resistant to magic. The Purple one will attack like you won't believe and even your best attacks will do little damage. Once you've beaten him, grab the Odin Materia on the ground. Also, reach INTO the safe to get the key to the basement. Once you have all of this leave the room and head right. Keep heading right until you can't. Head up and get the chest in the room for a Magic Source. Head down and enter the hidden stair well. Go down the stairs. Run down and exit this screen. On the next screen rather than going left and into the lab area again, head up and use the key you just got on the door. Open the casket in the middle of the room. Tell him about Sephiroth. He'll close his casket, open it again and ask who he is. Once the chatting is done, exit this room and head to the right. Run towards the back by all of the books and you will encounter Sephiroth. He'll deliver a quick message and toss the Destruct Materia at you, please remember to get it. Once you have gotten it, try to leave the basement, Vincent will now join you. Leave the mansion and head out to the world map using the BACK exit of Nibelheim. Once on the world map there is only one possible place to go and it is... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^021^ Nibel Mountains ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this area: Rune Blade, Plus Barrette, Powersoul, All Materia, Elixir, Elemental Materia, Sniper CR, Counter Attack Materia Items won from Bosses in the area: Jem Ring Tips: Steal Gold Armlets from Dragons Bosses: Materia Keeper The path is linear when you enter. At the first fork, head up and follow it around for a Rune Blade. Then go back to the fork and head left. Just before you reach the bridge you can go up. Now, this gets almost impossible to navigate, but after a while you'll be able to go down and be on the other path that I'm sure you can see. Eventually, you'll come to another path switch, you should be able to see something glowing on the top of the mountain, that is the item you're going for, it is a Plus Barrette. Make your way back to the bridge [just figure it out because the directions to get back there are about as vague as the ones getting up this mountain were] and cross it. In this next room, run to the ladder which is half down and Kick the rest of it down. You may wish to save your game after that plus barrette fiasco. At any rate, head back up to the top of this room and enter pipe number 2. You'll fall down and get a Powersoul. Head back up to the top of this room and enter pipe to the LEFT of number 4. You'll get an all materia. Head a few steps right and you'll jump back to the main level. No need to fight the boss yet, take the exit right next to him. You'll be on a ledge on the outside, walk up to it and you'll jump off. Enter the cave right next to you now [going left will lead to a dead end after a very long time]. Walk up and keep hanging left. You will eventually hit a secret passage and be in the middle of the room. Head up into the 'cave' and run more to your left and then down. You'll come out by a chest which contains an Elixir. Get back on the original path of this cave and head up and out of the door. This screen ought to look familiar. The mako did condense into an elemental materia which you could [and should] get. Continue up and you'll be in another cave. Go right first, when that dead ends make a left and get the Sniper CR from the chest. Now head as far as you can to the right and curve down, exit to the outside. Go left and wind your way around until you come to the reactor. There's nothing inside, so just loop around back until you come back to the room with all of the pipes. Climb down to the main floor, save your game. I can't stress this enough now, make sure to put on your enemy skill materias! Walk up to the monster and hit confirm [circle]. You will start a battle with the legendary... ***** Materia Keeper ***** Level: 38 HP: 8400 MP: 300 EXP: 3000 AP: 200 GIL: 2400 Win: Jem Ring Weakness: none Absorbs: Fire Do NOT leave this battle without getting Trine. You will regret it for quite a long while. Trine will hit your party for about 550 points of damage. His horn attack will do a couple hundred damage. The hell combo is the nasty one, capable of doing over 1000 points of damage if you're in the front row. Just pound away on him. As he nears death he'll start using cure2 for about 1,000hp back. If you need the extra damage, use Odin. Limit breaks rule against him and you should be getting plenty of them. Bolt rings or elemental=lightning on the armor will help too. After you defeat him, get the counter attack materia which lies where he used to be. Run past where he was standing and walk around the ledge. You'll be on the world map now. Follow the mountains around and soon you'll see your next destination... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^022^ Rocket Town ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this area: Yoshiyuki, Power Source, Drill Arm Items won from Bosses in the area: Edincoat Bosses: Palmer When you enter your party will gaze up and look at the rocket. Enter the building on your left. It is a weapon/accessory shop. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Shotgun | 3100 Gold Armlet | 2000 Power Wrist | 7500 Protect Vest | 3500 Earring | 7500 Talisman | 4000 Leave this shop. The building on your right is an inn. The building to the far left is of no interest. However, the building with an old man outside is. First, talk to the old man and look at the rocket with him, you'll receive Yoshiyuki. Now, enter the building he's in front of. This is the item shop and they sell: --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Hi-Potion | 300 Phoenix Down | 300 Ether | 1500 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 Tent | 500 Barrier | 10000 Exit | 10000 Time | 6000 Now head to the house to the far right. In the side room is a Power Source. Exit and go to the only house you haven't been in yet. One of the room has a Drill Arm. Exit the back door of the house. An event will occur. Now head to the rocket and meet the Captain, you can name him whatever you want [I will call him Cid] Ask him about the rocket. Once he's done, head back to his home [it is the one which had the plane in the back yard] and talk to Shera. Cid will barge in and a long event will follow. A few more small events will happen as well. Once Cid leaves the front door, follow him and watch the event. Shera will come get you saying that Palmer is trying to steal Tiny Bronco, you'll have to run back there and fight him. ***** Palmer ***** Level: 38 HP: 6000 MP: 240 EXP: 1800 AP: 98 GIL: 5000 Win: Edincoat Weakness: none Just beat him around, his mako gun does about 450 damage. This is a really easy fight. Once it's over a damn good cut scene with some catchy music will happen. Before long you'll have a new vehicle sitting out on the ocean for you. Tiny Bronco can move in shallow water only though. If you don't mind having Aeris in your party during some optional areas, just keep reading ahead. If you do not want her in your party, go to section ^024^ and then come back to section ^023^. If you don't want any optional stuff just keep reading and skip ^024^ when you get to it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^023^ Key Stone ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this Area: Gold Armlet, Great Gospel, Key Stone, [possibly a prize from Dio depending on how well you do in the battle arena], Elixir Bosses: None You'll need to learn the routes Tiny Bronco can take, but get to the river between Cosmo Canyon and Nibelheim. Follow it to the shores near a house. Enter the house, the man will talk about the key to the Temple of the Ancients saying he just sold it to a man. He sold it to Dio, the owner of the Gold Saucer. If you have Mythril, you can trade it to this man as well. Choose the Large Box if you want a Gold armlet. If you want the better choice, Great Gospel, choose the small box which is on the second floor built into a wall. Now, head to North Corel and take the tram into the Gold Saucer. Go straight to the battle square and enter the showroom to the right. Walk up to the green object, which is the keystone. Dio will give you a chance to get it. You will have to fight for him. There are eight battles, even if you run right away, he'll give you the key stone [what a sucker]. The better you do though, the better prize you'll get. At this point it is unlikely you'll win every battle, but should you, you will get a protect vest and a choco feather. Once you have the keystone head back towards the tram. There's a problem though, the tram is out of order. Cait Sith Will hook you up with a Hotel room in the Ghost Square. Your party will talk for a while and then you will go to bed. It is now time for a bonding scene. Whoever you get, well, just watch the story which will go on all by itself for quite some time. Once you get done with a ride, you'll come out and see Cait Sith, he has taken something! Follow him, he'll go to the Battle Square, then the speed square, then to the Wonder Square and finally to the Chocobo Square. He'll toss the item to the Shinra, there will be another short scene. Eventually you will awaken as Cloud in your hotel room. Check the cabinet for an elixir. If you didn't get Turtle's Paradise No. 3, now is a really good time to do so. Head back to Tiny Bronco now. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^024^ [Optional] Going around in Tiny Bronco ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this Area: Kjata Materia, Magic Shuriken, Hairpin, MP Absorb Materia, Turtles Paradise Flyer No. 6, Swift Bolt, Elixir, Dragoon Lance, HP Absorb Materia, 1 of every source, Megalixir, Leviathan Materia Items won from Bosses in the area: Peace Ring, X-Potion, Turbo Ether, Ice Ring, Elixir, All Creation Bosses: Rapps, Gorkii, Shake, Chekhov, Staniv, Godo First you'll want to get Tiny Bronco to the North Continent and get off at the only beach you can. Run up to the Bone Village. You can buy some supplies from the man in the 'house' while you're here. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Diamond Bangle | 3200 Rune Armlet | 3700 Potion | 50 Hi-Potion | 300 Phoenix Down | 300 Ether | 1500 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 Tent | 500 Head right and climb up the ladder. Exit this screen and then head north and exit the following one. One this screen you'll notice a red dot moving along. It is the Kjata Materia, grab it and head back to Tiny Bronco, you can't go any farther in this area right now. Now head to the western most continent [the skinny one] Get off at the only available beach and head up the mountain. An event will happen if you have gotten Yuffie. I suggest you save before you do this since you can not return from this area until it is completed and the boss you will eventually fight can be insanely difficult. Anyway, the event will happen and you'll be on the south end of the continent, without materia. You'll need to head to the town on the north end of this island. Once there, enter the town. Head left across the first two bridges and then up across a third. Head to the upper left and exit the screen. Go into the building on your right. Go up and enter the room on your left. Use the secret passage to the left side of this room to take you to a chest which holds a Magic Shuriken. Head back to the main hall and go right. Enter the room on the right of the next screen and use the passageway on the right side of this room to take you to a chest holding a Hairpin. Head back to the hall and go up to the next room. Speak with the man laying there and eventually Yuffie will pop out. She will run off, head back to the first screen, cross the first bridge and go to the only building on this little island. You'll meet up with some old 'friends'. After the scene, head up the bridge you most recently crossed into the building straight across from it. This is an item shop, they sell: but this isn't why you're here... --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Hi-Potion | 300 Phoenix Down | 300 Ether | 1500 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 Tent | 500 Fire Veil | 800 Swift Bolt | 800 Choco Feather | 10000 Now you'll be able to open the chest, an MP Absorb materia is inside, but Yuffie will steal it from you! She'll run off, head to the building closest to the entrance of town. She is behind the wall thingy which people go behind to change clothes. She'll run off again. Cross the first two bridges heading left again and you'll see a pot move. Your party will scatter to block the bridges. Strike the pot a few times with Cloud, finally, you will catch Yuffie. A short scene will happen. Yuffie will take you to her house and tell you how to get the materia back after a long sob story. Press the lever as instructed.... ...Your party will become trapped in a cage! You were fooled! Hit the lever again to pull the cage back up, before leaving this basement, head right a few steps and examine the final Turtles Paradise Flyer on the wall. Head out of her house and go to across all three bridges to the screen way off to the upper left again. This time, enter the gates to the left, ring the bell, and enter the door it makes. You'll run into yet another old friend. This one has Yuffie and Elena being held hostage. You'll need to follow him. You'll get attacked as well, which may be bad since you have no materia still :P. Also, get the two chests in this room which hold a Swift Bolt and an Elixir. Head up the stairs. After a short event you'll get attacked. Leave this building by backtracking or just going forward. When you try to head off of the screen you'll run into Reno and Rude, they will assist you for now. Head to the big statues in the back of town. Go right at the first split. Go straight in the second area. Head up now. You will enter a room with a lot of flames. The only thing you can get right now is a Dragoon Lance. Exit this room after that and head straight down. Some story will occur, It is time for a really bad ass boss fight. ***** Rapps ***** Level: 39 HP: 6000 MP: 300 EXP: 3200 AP: 33 [for all that materia you're holding....] GIL: 20000 Win: Peace Ring This fight is just nasty. If you have Barret in your party, make sure to use mind blow to eliminate all of the MP on Rapps, which will stop him from casting Aero3 which does around 1300 damage to a character. His physical attack is no joke either, but it won't kill you as fast. Multiple hitting limit breaks are your best offense against him too. When you win you'll get loads of stuff. There will be some more story line, Yuffie will give your materia back for real this time. It will almost always be put on the wrong person though, so you'll have to sort it all over again. Once you get it on, run around the Wutai area and the beaches to get the enemy skills Magic Hammer and Death Force. Once you have magic hammer at least, re-enter Wutai. First head to the door which is located somewhat below Yuffie's house. Go in the room and walk up the steps. Head towards the front of the house [press down]. Open the chest for an HP Absorb materia. Head back out to town and go across the first bridge and into the building there. It is the weapons shop and they finally have some things in stock! --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Murasame | 6500 Diamond Knuckle | 5800 Chainsaw | 6300 Aurora Rod | 5800 Gold Barrette | 6000 Slash Lance | 6500 Blue M-Phone | 5500 Razor Ring | 6000 Shortbarrel | 6400 Head out and cross the next bridge. Read the sign outside of Turtle's Paradise and then go in and talk to the bartender. You should get one of every source and a Megalixir if you've seen them all. Now, head up across the next bridge. You have a big decision to make. There is a second quest only Yuffie can do here. She can do this one at any point during the game. If she does it now you will get a lot of money, some good items, and a decent summon. The catch is, if you do it now, you will NEVER get all the enemy skills on the fourth eventual enemy skill materia. You will still get them all on up to three materias, but not the fourth. Since you can't have four people in your party anyway, I tend to go on with it now, but if you don't want to skip to section ^025^ and come back later. If you elected to, head to the upper left exit of this screen and head to the tall building. Yuffie must be in your party. Equip her with the best items you have because she is going to have to do five solo fights. Floor One: ***** Gorkii ***** Level: 30 HP: 3000 MP: 150 EXP: 1500 AP: 50 GIL: 0 Win: X-Potion Weakness: Wind Nullifies: Gravity He will use Barrier and Regen so his HP will seem a lot more than 3000, one of the Harder Pagoda fights. Floor Two: ***** Shake ***** Level: 32 HP: 4000 MP: 180 EXP: 2200 AP: 50 GIL: 0 Win: Turbo Ether Weakness: none Easiest battle of them all. His attacks do little damage. Just watch out for rage bomber. Floor Three: ***** Chekhov ***** Level: 34 HP: 5000 MP: 210 EXP: 2900 AP: 50 GIL: 0 Win: Ice Ring Weakness: none Nullifies: Gravity Another easy one, I'm not even sure if he has an offensive attack other than absorb which takes very little life. Floor Four: ***** Staniv ***** Level: 36 HP: 6000 MP: 240 EXP: 3600 AP: 50 GIL: 0 Win: Elixir Weakness: None Nullifies: Gravity This one is easy, he'll just use his normal attack a lot. Floor Five: ***** Godo ***** Level: 41 HP: 10000 MP: 1000 EXP: 5000 AP: 60 GIL: 40000 Win: All Creation Weakness: none Gravity DOES work on him. When you get him low on life, he will use cure2 which will give him a ton of life back. Use magic hammer to deplete his MP so this is not an issue. His offensive combos are quite weak and he will often heal you if you're injured badly [not always] Once all of this is done, you will also get the Leviathan Materia. You will now need to walk all the way back to Tiny Bronco. Sail it along the southern shallow waters back towards the first continent. Eventually, not too far from Fort Condor and Junon, run into an island holding... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ^025^ The Temple of the Ancients ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Items in this Area: Trident, Mind Source, Silver Rifle, Turbo Ether, Rocket Punch, Luck Plus Materia, Morph Materia, Nail Bat, Megalixir, Trumpet Shell, Ribbon, Princess Guard, Work Glove, Bahamut Materia Items won from Bosses in the area: Dragon Armlet, Gigas Armlet Bosses: Red Dragon, Demons Gate As you walk into the Temple Aeris will stop a few times to pray towards it. As you make your way in, there will be a story event. Eventually, you'll be given the choice to put the keystone in the altar, do it. You'll be transported down into the temple itself. This area is essentially a maze. Of course they would have to build it three dimensional to negate any use a two dimensional map could have, thus, I will be giving directions here. Run right, then up, pass the stairs going up as they lead to a dead end. Make a right at the next turn and head down these stairs. Enter the little door to the right which comes out to another little door about two steps away. Climb down the vines which are right there. Walk under the large staircase from the floors above and open the chest for a Trident. Head down the stairs below you and climb up the vines at the end of this path. You'll note a door you can not enter at the top of this area. This door is of importance as you will be back here later. Run past the door and up the stairs. Climb the vines right above the stairs. Get the Mind Source at the top of the vines and head down the small staircase and enter the door to the left side of this area. There is a chest with a silver rifle in here. You can talk to the sage here as well. He will allow you to save your game, rest and buy supplies. --------------------------------- Item | Cost | --------------------------------- Potion | 50 Hi-Potion | 300 Phoenix Down | 300 Ether | 1500 Hyper | 100 Tranquilizer | 100 Maiden's Kiss | 150 Tent | 500 When you're done, leave this room and head up the stairs on the right. Climb back down the vines you went up before. Now, head left [sorta down too] and to through a really tiny tunnel picking up the Turbo Ether at the end of it. Head down [slightly right] for a few steps and go down the very long staircase. Jog up and to the left and head down another staircase. See the vines just a bit farther down [and of course left], climb down those and open the nearby chest. It has a rocket punch inside. Go down the stairs below you, head right and climb the vines. The sage will go into another door, do not follow him at this time. Instead, go up the stairs to your right and through the tunnel. Once you see that you're not moving any more, head right down the small stair case and climb up the vines on the nearest wall. At the top left corner of this roof, you'll see a purple materia, it is the Luck Plus materia. Once you have gotten it, go back to the room you just saw the sage go in. There will be a lot of rock like objects rolling down the path. You'll notice that Cloud will be able to fit himself in an opening on each rock. Make your way heading right ducking into these little openings. If you mess up, you'll be rolled back to the start of this room. Once you make it to the half way point, the screen will flash, if you get hit now you'll only be rolled this far backwards. Also, grab the yellow materia here. It is the morph materia. Now resume your run to the right. When you get to the end the rocks will stop and your party will go witness and event back in the middle area of this room. Once the event ends, run to the right again. The sage will be here now, you can rest or save here. Exit to the bottom and enter a room that is a giant clock. Always use 'move it myself' the spinning is rather annoying. Anyway, if you walk across a hand while the second hand comes over near you, Cloud will fall a long way and you will be attacked by some quite tough enemies. Do this right away [trust me]. After the fight, get the chest for a Nail Bat. You will come out of that door I pointed out earlier, which means, yes, you need to talk all the way back to the clock room. Just scroll up for directions I'm not going to repeat them. When you make it back, Move the Clock again by yourself, here's what is at each of the numbers. I - battle II - dead end III - battle IIII - Princess Guard V - Ribbon VI - This is your eventual goal, but do this after you get all of the items you want to get VII - Trumpet Shell VIII- Megalixir IX - Dead end X - This is where you came in from XI - dead end XII - Ignore this room for now, you'll see it more later Once you're ready, move into door VI. You will see the Sage lock a door. He will run off. Run left until you get the option to jump down. Jump down to the bottom floor and open the chest for a Work Glove. There are nine