Final Fantasy II Part 14: Finale 1: Exploring the Jade Passage

Well, it was a very rude awakening! In fact, I got creamed just a few rounds into Jade Passage. Something tells me that I will not be doing all of this in one sitting, so I will be doing the first parts of the Finale in blog format. Once I know I'm ready, then I'll bring the crew in for the video Finale!

Preparing for the Expedition

Before I start, I take the party to Semite Cave to build up a little bit. I do this by using the Change trick as mentioned in the last blog entry. When it works, everybody's HP, MP, magic power, and vitality increases! Suddenly, my characters are a little stronger.

Where's the challenge then, you ask? Ambushes by the Great Malboros!

Great Malboro has the capability to inflict Mini, Poison, Silence, Paralyze, Sleep, and Confuse with a successful attack! Bad Breath can eat its heart out. It's thanks to this B.A.M.F. that I can't immediately make it through Jade Passage on my first try.

Instead, I take the wimpy route and take treasures as I encounter them, occasionally leaving to save my progress. I hope that as I continue my strategy that my characters will become powerful enough to handle it. Ladies and Gentlemen, I have sunk to a new low.

I head carefully down into the second level. Firion sits in the back with Maria since he has the best chance to run away.

This game sucks!

Doing My Research!

I take about a week away from FF2 as I rack my brain as to how I am going to get through this area to beat the game. For a long time, I scour the Internet for resources I can use to figure out how to make my way through.

The fights against Great Malboros are not well documented for the NES version. I take an alternate route and start to read about how to increase Agility and Evade, and thanks to a FAQ I read*, I decide that everybody needs a shield, except for Maria who sits in the back and casts anyway. Apparently, shields raise your Evade, and with each increasing shield level, your Evade bonus increases. According to the guide I read, Evade has a huge influence on how many hits you dodge, your likeliness to escape from battle, and even turn order. Having no other shields around, I buy some Ice Shields for Guy and Leon. And fun fact? I give Firion the Quartz Armor and unequip Guy's armor to raise their Evades.

After spending a couple hours doing some old-fashioned RPG grinding outside of Jade Passage, I get bored, save my game, and step back inside. In an amazing turn of events, some Great Malboros gang up on Firion, but when he's hit, he does not take as much damage and even dodges the status effects! Isn't it amazing that in a game with no traditional level-up system, you can still get stronger by grinding to level up weapons, shields, and magic?

Let's Continue, Shall We? :)

On the second level down, I find the Cat Claws knife, which brings me to my first boss battle of Jade Passage. Does anybody notice that a lot of the later boss fights in this game are optional? But how would you know? Would you willingly dodge a potential treasure? Here's the fight.



I realize after a turn that Leon has the Defense Sword equipped to increase his Evade, so I swap it out for the Sun Sword. The Blue Dragon hits hard, but to the peril of single-enemy boss fights, he doesn't stand a chance to my party. He's down and out!

After struggling for so long to get down those two floors, I finally make it down to the third level, where I see a waterfall.

This waterfall is not moving, and it's not because it's a screenshot!

After heading down a flight of stairs, I find the only way through is to walk through the waterfall, and like you would imagine, it hurts!

Ack! Game Boy mode again! It hurts! It hurts!

As I make my way through Jade Passage, I get that sense of security that makes me feel afraid, very afraid. But at the very least, it feels good right now.

HAHAHA! RUN AWAY, YOU SPHINX!

Yep; that's what I was afraid of. Grrr...This isn't over, Great Malboros!

Pulling Through?

In subsequent attempts, I fight the Blue Dragon again, and this time, I get the Dragon Shield, which raises Firion's Evade. I make my way down the waterfall again, this time clearing several of the Great Malboros which gave me trouble before. I find a treasure chest holding the Rune Axe, when I have a re-match with the Behemoth. Check it out below.



As with many of the FF2 bosses, Behemoth is strong, but he just doesn't stand a chance to a four person assault. Maria's Flare has become more impressive, and while Leon dies towards the end, the remaining three make it out safely.

I finally reach the bottom of the waterfall, and I notice that I can walk behind it. I'm surprised by what I find.

A magic shop!

Does anybody else think that this is the worst place for a magic shop? After all, this is Jade Passage. It only opens up once in a blue moon, but I digress. Maria buys Haste, and we move onward.

This gag really has haunted me through to the end.

Yay!

In a room deeper in Jade Passage, I find the Aegis Shield. It's worth knowing that as shield level increases, Evade goes up with it. If I had known that, I would have focused on that throughout this playthrough. Oh well. I'll know more next time. So Firion keeps the Dragon Shield because he already has an Evade of 91%, so Guy equips the Aegis Shield. Look at his stats now.

Strong? Yep. Stupid? Check. Evade? Wow!

On the other side of the floor, I find another Yoichi Bow, guarded by the Red Dragon. Anybody noticing that these treasures are useless to me because I own most of them already? Let's do this!



The Red Dragon proves to be a tough customer, as Leon can't even damage him with his sword. I don't think to try the Defense Sword in his inventory, and he casts Haste on the party instead. The dragon does a large amount of damage, but, thankfully, one large monster just doesn't stand a chance. It's outnumbered!

That's comforting.

Now you're just teasing me.

Is this it?

At long last, an entire summer's worth of Final Fantasy gaming, I've made it to...

Pandemonium! Even the game agrees with my mentality!

HAHAHA! Did you think I was really going to risk losing all of my progress? I'd rather cast Exit to save and then hoof it back.

It's time to save my game, rest, and refresh my items. Then I'm coming for you, Emperor. Oh yes...It's time!

Jade Passage Treasure Haul: 2 Hellfires, Diamond Staff, Ice Wind, Cat Claws Dagger, Rune Axe, Fang, Aegis Shield, Dragon Armor, Holy Lance, Yoichi Bow, 2 X-Potions, and Defense Gauntlets 

Coming next time! Final Fantasy II Finale Part 2: The Demonic Castle!

Thanks for reading, and leave your comments below!

*Many thanks to sco412's FF2 walkthrough. It provided some interesting ways to raise Evade that have ultimately helped me. You can find his FAQ at http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/563414-final-fantasy-ii/faqs/41133.