Final Fantasy Part 9: The Crescent Lake and the Volcano

Unsure of where to go next, I travel west until I hit the east side of the map (Thank you, Christopher Columbus!) and find a port to land on (those ports really do give away where I should be going while on the ship). There I find a lake in the shape of a crescent with a town in the middle. Hoping I can find some new magic for when I start to gain level 6 MP charges, I enter the town.

Neat.

I walk right to the armor shop where I give Arek the full silver treatment (I gave the other members the same treatment with silver bracelets while in Melmond.). At the weapon shop, I decide I don’t need to buy anything else. Everything is for Arek since Jule uses a power rod and Vic already owns a silver knife. Besides, I have so many weapons for Arek that I have him covered!

I’m very excited to find EXIT in the white magic shop, but I can’t purchase it yet! Magic is even more ridiculously expensive here, too. Everything now costs 20,000G. Thankfully I don’t have to buy much equipment anymore. I see SOFT, and I have trouble deciding whether to have INV2 (higher evade for the party) or FOG2 (higher absorb for the party). While considering my options, I move to see the black magic shop and decide I want to buy LIT3 (strike down all who oppose me), QAKE (quake; kill all enemies), and STUN (Why also get RUB? Isn’t one level 6 kill enemy spell enough?). I buy LIT3, QAKE, and FOG2 right off the bat and will come back later to purchase the rest of my spells. I also decide that I will skip the SOFT spell because for its cost, I can also buy 25 soft items, which can be used by anybody. For what it’s worth, what happens if an enemy turns the white mage into stone?

To the right of the magic shops, I find a clearing in the woods where a gang of old men are hanging out. I learn several things from the sages, mainly that the world has been losing its powers since 400 years ago. Why didn’t the LIGHT WARRIORS come earlier then? For destroying LICH, one of the sages gives me a CANOE (Let me make some room between the house and the cabin to hold this.) to travel to the VOLCANO and destroy the fire fiend.

Darn it! Why can't you just tell me everything now? I am writing all this town anyway!

Maybe if Jule changes his/her outfit, he/she too can join the Knowledgeable Old People’s Club one day!

Why thank you! Always nice to meet a fan!

With my new canoe, I jump right into the crescent lake and travel upstream to explore my new surroundings (The world has been in trouble for hundreds of years, so what’s wrong with having a little fun first?). Unfortunately, like in the ship, there are random encounters in the river. As I travel farther west, I run into Elf Land again (I thought I parted ways with this town!), so I purchase all the soft and healing potions I can handle and then head back to the crescent lake. I learn some very valuable information, though.

Giggle! Why is everyone so hooked on this FLOATER?

After leaving Elf Land (for good a second time!), I travel back east to rest and save at the town on the crescent lake. Then I row my canoe through the maze of rivers, fighting several fish and an odd green beast called an Ocho (So they’ve been in Final Fantasy since the first one?) that poisons me each time it strikes. The most remarkable part of my trip is when Vic strikes at a fish and does 56 damage, killing it! He really has moved up in the world. I pull out a tent and the party sleeps outside of the volcano, home of fiend number two!

Inside A Volcano. Hope You Brought Your Fire Extinguisher!

When I enter, I try to navigate around, but I can’t get to certain areas without stepping into lava that takes 1 HP off per step…youch! That doesn’t sound like much, but in a game with limited inventory and MP charges, that adds up. If only there was a float spell.

After walking around the firey first floor, I go downstairs to find a series of doors. Suspecting more surprise encounters, I heal a little. This time I am more prepared with 40 healing potions! When I walk inside, I find a maze scattered with treasure chests. Like in the Earth Cave where I fought Earth spirits, in the volcano, I fight fire spirits. Thank goodness for being cliché! Hopefully I find some elemental gear to harm them. As I try to navigate my way through the labyrinth, red gargoyles attack me and tear me apart with FIR2. Two of my members die, and I run for it. Clearly I will have to take advantage of the AFIR spell and see if it really works. After healing up, I try to make my way out to use my other house and recover my MP and save my current progress, but then I am ambushed by two more red gargoyles who fry up Jule. I change my plans and run back to Crescent Lake, where two hydras kill my remaining party members.

My first game over!

After two more tries, I finally make it back to Crescent Lake, where I bring my party to full strength and buy 99 healing potions (Fun fact: In Final Fantasy, 99 healing potions will cost you 5940G.). I’m serious about success this time!

In the Volcano, Take Two!

When I enter the volcano a second time, I cut corners and take the 12HP punishment so I don’t have to put up with the extra encounters. Then I reach the maze for a second time. It’s plunderin’ time! Where Arek has become a tank for the party, Lee has become the monster truck as he rolls over enemies and scores critical hits left and right. Now if only Lee could get some better armor, we’d be in business!

Hot mama, look at all those chests!!

Proud of my massive haul, I step outside since I am still close to the entrance to heal and save with a cabin (This is one of those times when I look forward to learning WARP and EXIT). I am satisfied with my progress as I have not used many spells.

When I get down to the third level of the volcano, the screen is a darker red. Evil must be close by! There are hot spots everywhere, scattered in no particular order. I move left first and reach a dead end, so I hoof it to the right side, laying fake mythological creatures to waste!

Doesn't look like Cerberus to me! Also, that's not how you spell it!

Now this is just a pain. Hot spots everywhere!

On the fourth level of the volcano, things become even more ridiculous. Remember that 1HP you lose every step? How “not bad” does that sound now?

Remember next time you request something from your local LIGHT WARRIOR: He swam through LAVA for you!

On the other hand, while I am in lava, I do not seem to fight any random battles. Which is the better trade-off? More so, I wonder if there was an item or spell I missed out on that would prevent this foolishness from happening.

Once I finish my lovely swim through the fires of the fourth level, I climb up a different staircase and find those hot spots that seemed worse just a bit earlier. I’m relieved and heal up before continuing. I have already used 50 of my healing potions! I start with the left side again, hoping to find some treasure. 

Unfortunately I find nothing, only more lava (I wonder if there is anything I could find in the lava? But I have better sense than that in this title.), so I circle back and head to the south side of the screen, where I find another staircase heading down. I get a bad feeling I’m about to be swimming again! On the bright side, I have made more than enough money to replace every last healing potion I have consumed.

Below, I find some more treasure and head counterclockwise. I then head to the northwest corner of the floor to find a stash of more treasure, including an ice sword. Now there are two things wrong with this picture. First off, how has this sword not lost its edge being at the bottom of a volcano for hundreds of years? Second off, why would the fiend of fire be okay with having this sword? It would be like Mega Man getting the boss’s weakness weapon right before stepping through the gate!

Arek: "Hey guys, can you hold my stuff for me while I fight? Thanks!"

I then enter a treasure room where a monster pops up and attacks me right as I’m about to open it, but I get the drop on it and get to attack first. Wait, how does that work? So much for an ambush, you red iguana! My guys are smarter than that! Once I hit the bottom of the screen, I am greeted with yet another set of stairs. It’s darker than ever, and I’m praying this is the boss so I can use up my healing potions without worry. Unable to wait any longer, I heal up and run to the top of the screen where I find an empty room! Ugh! I then run to the bottom of the screen. Where do I go?!

Then the worst imaginable happens: When I reach a treasure chest, I encounter a red dragon that burns me to death. I have to start over again! But at least I had that first treasure room cleared and can move right on down.

I was so close!

I decide to try again, but this time, after clearing each floor, make my way back up to heal up and save. Hopefully this process will save me some grief and give me the extra experience I need to make it through the volcano alive.

Volcano Excursion: Third Time's the Charm!

After taking a fifteen minute break to stretch and play with the dog, I get back to it and enact my plan. Once I hit the third level, though, I decide to go for it again. After all, my characters are tough, and as long as I am careful with my healing items and magic, I can make it. So I get down to the bottom floor again and take out the dragon before it gets a chance to burn me to a crisp! I am rewarded with flame armor. I move to the room on the right and there is an empty chest, so now I make my way to the bottom of the floor to where I will hopefully find the fiend. Vic saves me a couple times with his ability to run away (Are you sure you’re not really a thief?). When I open the door at the bottom of the floor, there is nothing there either! Is there something in one of the diagonal corners? This just got a lot more frustrating! By luck, I find what I am looking for in the bottom left corner. Is there anything else here? If so, it’s just going to have to wait for my second trip down after I beat this boss fight.

Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen: Team Arek vs. Kary, The Fiend of Fire!

As you can see, I rip her to shreds before she can do any significant damage. I attribute my quick win to casting FAST to power up Arek and Lee’s attack strength and AFIR to reduce the damage caused by her FIR2 (Good thing the fiend of fire doesn’t know FIR3!). My successive plan is to cast ICE2 with my remaining level 4 charges, but she drops dead long before that happens. After lighting the orb of fire and seeing that I have plenty of health left, I check the remaining corners for treasure. Why not since I’m here, right? Although in the back of my mind, I know I am playing with fire (snicker). At this point, I know to play it safe and that I should run if I encounter more than 2 enemies.

As if Square knew I was going to explore the rest of the floor after Kary, all the chests in the corners of the bottom floor are empty! I finally exit the volcano and use a cabin to save right away (Let’s not take ANY more chances!).

The volcano was a very profitable place for my adventurers! They found a silver helmet, 1520G, 4150G, giant sword, silver gauntlets, silver helmet, healing potion, cabin, 1975G, pure, 1455G, 1520G, 1760G, silver shield, silver axe, heal, 795G, 750G, soft, 2750G, 1760G, pure, 880G, ice sword, 7340G, flame shield, 10G, 155G, house (The shock has worn off. I believe my heroes can hold whatever they want!), 2000G, wooden staff, 1250G, and flame armor! 

Once I make it to Crescent Lake, I sell off all the weapons and armor Arek’s companions are kindly holding for him and then buy STUN and INV2 for Vic and Jule. I also replenish all of my healing potions and buy some more cabins and houses because I’m still rolling in the money. Following my shopping trip, I visit the Knowledgeable Old People’s Club to see what’s new and what I will get for killing Kary. They tell me the same old information, leading me to believe they’re not really sages but old men who browse Wikipedia once a week. Maybe I completed the volcano too quickly before they could get new information for me.

Disappointed for not getting any more prizes (besides the feeling of accomplishment for kicking Kary’s butt in less than a minute!), I rest at the inn to save, and then I head north of the volcano to find this mystical FLOATER I keep hearing about.

…giggle.

Before entering the volcano.

After my third visit to the volcano and making my purchases. Two down, two to go!

Coming next time! Searching for a Way North!

Thanks for reading, and leave your comments below!

Final Fantasy Part 8: Adventures in the West Episode 2--The True Cause of the Blight

I forgot to mention in the previous entry that in the upper floors of the Earth Cave, I found 1975G, 795G, PURE (antidote), 880G, HEAL, 575G, wooden shield, 5000G, Coral Sword, 3400G, and 1020G.

Titan's Tunnel

After healing and buying even more potions (I keep the item store in business. Why am I the only customer?), I head to the west and re-enter Titan’s Tunnel. I hand over my precious RUBY to pass. Then he mysteriously disappears. Is he in cahoots with Old Nerrick? He didn’t ask for what I had either. The plot thickens!

Are you sure you don't want to buy it from me instead?

I explore the tunnel to and find a great axe, 620G, 450G, and a silver helmet. I should also mention that I either bought or found a silver armor, but I forgot which.

Once I step out of the other side of Titan’s Tunnel, I find the sage Sarda (If he’s not afraid of evil, why is he out here by himself, on the other side of the continent, guarded by a titan?). He hands me the ROD which should allow me to unseal the bottom of the Earth Cave. Then on my way back to the Earth Cave, I have to walk through Titan's Tunnel. It's a good thing the titan isn't still there. If he wanted another RUBY, I would have had to either swim around the peninsula to get to the Earth Cave or ask Sarda if he wants four new roommates (Maybe this is what happened to Sarda and he can't move back home!).

SHADOWS, you've been...THUNDERSTRUCK!!!

What is Really Causing the Earth's Decay?

Since I forgot to discuss this earlier in the game, here is how MP works in Final Fantasy: There are 8 levels of magic. For each level of magic, you have a number of “charges” you can consume. Each time you cast a spell in a particular magic level, the number of charges drops. Once it hits 0, the only way (I know of right now) to restore those charges is to sleep at the inn (I wonder if the house restores MP, but I am saving those for a rainy day).

With that in mind, and the knowledge I am heading down into an area of the Earth Cave that is filled with evil energy, I am trying to watch my MP as much as possible. This means that every character is whacking enemies with their weapons, even poor Vic, so that I have as much MP as possible to take out the real Earth-sucking culprit.

When I reach the stone tablet, I investigate it again, this time with the ROD in hand. The plate shatters, and I see the stairway that I already saw thanks to the way the sprites were layered when I hit the pause menu or fought a random battle!

Stone tablet in the way.

Quick! While you're pausing! Who needs the ROD anyway?

On the next floor of the cave, I head north to find a treasure room. Even though there is a boss coming up, I want to get the treasures first, and as expected, I fight several difficult battles to get the chests! Even though I use several of my healing potions, I find 3400G, wooden staff, 1520G, 5450G, and 1455!

Things become more difficult as I go down yet another set of stairs. I hope it doesn’t go much farther. I have to use my soft once a band of COCATRICES ambush me and turn Vic to stone with one hit. Once again, I am running low on healing potions. Not wanting to use up any more potions, I head toward the center of the labyrinth (if there is something else to find, we’ll see after the boss battle.) to find an odd sight. Check it out below

The battle against LICH, the fiend of Earth, was not long, but it was scary. When he hit me with ICE2, I had the horrible feeling that he was going to take me out! Thankfully, I hit him very hard in the beginning with a couple critical hits and FIR3 to wipe him out before he can do serious damage.

After bringing light back to the first ORB, I find a quick exit out of the cave, where I use one of my houses. The house restores HP (though not all for Arek) and MP, and it allows me to save outside! After reading in another FAQ that there were no more treasures at the bottom of the Earth Cave, I go fight in the Hall of Giants* on the top floor of the Earth Cave to collect some easy money!

Look at the top left! One ORB lit, three to go!

Coming next time! To the East Side!

Thanks for reading, and leave your comments below!

*I also learned from the FAQ by Brian Sulpher that the only place where the giants appear are right as you move left from the entrance in what’s called the “Hall of Giants”. Thank you for having a great guide! Check out his walkthrough at http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/522595-final-fantasy/faqs/25809.

Final Fantasy Part 7: Adventures in the West Episode 1--The Earth Cave

Time to explore my surroundings! There are a lot of marshlands on the continent as I head west. Nothing at the northwest tip, I head south and find a cave. Thinking it’s the Earth Cave, I step inside to find someone blocking my path.

Are you that titan I heard about? This must NOT be the Earth Cave but Titan's Tunnel. Unless you are visiting too?

Unable to proceed, I head back and head toward the southern part of the continent. I find what I suspect is the Earth Cave in front of even more marsh (And why is this continent full of ogres and undead?) and walk inside. I’m overwhelmed-where do I go first? I start by walking up and to the left and make my way around. GIANTS attack me, and even though they beat the crap out of me, they also drop 1758G! I can afford those spells in no time. One more step, and another GIANT attacks me. I get the bright idea to have Vic cast SLEP, and it actually works! After clearing him out, I take a third step and out comes another pair of GIANTS! I think this may have been a mistake without healing items. My fears are confirmed as another GIANT critical hits Arek and kills him on the spot. Now once again I run for my life! Thankfully it’s a lot less suspenseful, and I make it out alright. I run right to the white magic shop and purchase LIFE. Time to try out one of the most valuable spells of the game! I also buy FIR3 while I’m at it. Might as well pack a punch too, right? 

With my party recovered and progress saved once again, I backtrack to buy healing items in Coneria and grind in the Earth Cave.

A Spelunking We Will Go

Excuse me, GIANTS? Please speak with the GrOGRES and decide who is the real Jolly Green Giant. There can only be one. Thanks in advance.

Oddly enough, the second trip into the Earth Cave is filled with battles with Earth spirits, asps, and cobras, but no giants. Since I am leveling up, getting money, and have a bag full of healing potions, I explore deeper to find treasure when I encounter another cameo:

Ganon? Is that you? Put your cape and pants back on!

As I explore the depths of the Earth Cave, I accidentally backtrack to the same area and I encounter a problem with the game: the developers did not include a graphic for chests I already opened! In an area with such confusing paths, I wish they had redrawn opened chests for the player's sake!

After grinding for a little while and risking death a few times, I return with lots of money to buy BANE (for some reason, I can't also get WARP. Something is amiss, so I better leave this spot blank for him to learn that spell later.) for Vic and CUR3 and HRM3 for Jule. Now that I have gotten all the spells I want and replenished my healing items in Coneria yet again (sure wish that pesky vampire hadn't taken out the item store), it's time to fight in the Earth Cave for real!

Difficulties abound as enemies slap around and kill Arek early on. Thankfully, Jule saves the day by reviving him with LIFE (For the record, you cannot cast LIFE in battle, ouch!) Once I heal him back up, I run into our villain. Boss time!

Nothing about vanting to suck my blood. Is he really a Vampire?

After taking out the sorry excuse for a vampire (seriously, even Edward of Twilight fame is probably manlier than him), I go for the chest to the left and encounter four wizards who put up more of a fight than the vampire!

A RUBY! If only I could sell it, but I know that titan wants to eat it. If you're wondering why Jule is on point, the wizards I just mentioned killed Arek!

At the very bottom of the cave, I find an odd stone tablet. When I investigate it, I get an evil feeling emanating from it. Should this still be happening considering I just killed the vampire? Unfortunately, this is as far as I can go now, but with my prize in hand, I can move westward. Something tells me I will be back here soon, though. Then the surprise is ruined when I get into a random battle, but I'm not showing you until I come back legit!

Before entering Earth Cave.

After visiting Earth Cave. I'm rich!

Coming next time! Adventures in the West Episode 2!

Thanks for reading, and leave your comments below!

Final Fantasy Part 6: More Mystic Key Items and the Journey to Melmond

Finishing What We Started

With my extra money from the marsh cave, I buy ICE2 and CONF (confuses enemies) and then turn back to Astos's castle to find the Falchon (falchion? Guarded by 3 IMAGES easily killed with HRM2, power staff (guarded by 2 mummies), and iron gauntlets (also guarded by 2 mummies). Here I learn that I can continually run in front of the same chest and fight the same enemies, so I grind for money!

Then I go with my extra money to buy PURE (antidote), AICE (protect from ice), and AMUT (cures mute/silence). Finally finished with Elf Land, I say goodbye for good and sail to the Chaos Temple to open up some chests I couldn't get to earlier.

Didn't you hear that I woke him up? This is old news!

In the Chaos Temple's locked rooms, I find Rune Sword, Were Sword (only becomes a sword during a full moon?), and soft (cures stone, costs 800G!!). Next, I return to Coneria Castle to find iron staff, saber, silver knife, iron armor, iron shield, and TNT! (and they want me to take this off their hands?)

If you're wondering why I am allowed to waltz in and take Coneria's national treasure, refer to the Finder's Keepers Law of Coneria.

Unsure of where I need to go next, I take my safe new treasure to Matoya to see if she has anything new to say.

Well that was rude! Let me have that CRYSTAL back!

While I was in Pravoka, I remember an old man mentioning that Melmond to the west is in trouble , so I sail as far to the west as I can. The map (thanks to the "spell" the brooms taught me) indicates I can't go very far west, though. I can't go any further west once I hit port, but I do find a cave.

Curious, I enter to find...DWARVES!!!

And a Lali Ho...oh wait, wrong Final Fantasy!

After hearing their happy greetings, I raid the dwarves' cave to find 575G, 450G, cabin, iron helmet, dragon sword (I am getting way too many swords, but Arek doesn't mind. Since Lee doesn't use any weapons, I make Lee hold onto them.), silver knife, wooden helmet, silver armor, 575G, and another house! Holding equipment isn't so bad, but another house?! Lee better be built like the Hulk by the end of this game!

NOT AGAIN!!

One thing about finding treasure in Final Fantasy: if you have only one fighter and no red mage, finding lots of equipment is great because you can sell it off to make extra money. After all, once the fighter is finished with it and nobody else can use it, why take up the extra space?

I really enjoy my time with the dwarves. I learn plenty of useful info such as: Matoya can only see with the CRYSTAL (old news!), bracelets work like armor (already knew that since I played this game before), dwarves can see in the dark, there is a blacksmith named Smith, who needs ADAMANT to make a sword for us (so you KNOW we're coming back here!), the earth is rotting slowly from the west (hmmm...Melmond again?), Nerrick is working on a canal, and...

*Giggle*

Quick, somebody call Wolverine to help us out here!

As I walk to the south of town, I run into Nerrick, who doesn't even introduce himself and takes my TNT without asking (I wonder if I could have come here earlier before Elf Land.) and disappears. Since there is nowhere else to go, I head back to my ship to find that my way is no longer blocked. I am free to go anywhere I like! But since I know that Final Fantasy games are merciless when traveling where I am not supposed to go, I continue west.

Whoa, wait!! Do you know what you're doing with that?!

Hmph, says you. He never even thanked me...

YOU'RE WELCOME!! I was going to drag my ship over the land mass and use the TNT to blow up monsters before Old Respectable Nerrick took it off my hands!

Journey West, Young Man


I enter a town that looks absolutely dreadful. There are gravestones everywhere (none of which belong to old RPG heroes), and there are many patches of dead grass (and yet that same peaceful town music). I learn that the Vampire (before he became Count Dracula?) cursed the town by absorbing the Earth's power and took out the Clinic (no!!), a sage named Sarda does not fear evil caves (I bet he doesn't afraid of anything!), the land will recover if I bring light back to the Earth ORB, and if I pass through the Titan's Tunnel to the south I can meet Sarda. I meet a dwarf named Jim (no foolin') who is investigating the town but does not offer to help me, and another man tells me that to the north, there was a prosperous civilization which is now in ruins. I also learn that the Earth Cave is on a peninsula southwest to the town and that Titans love RUBIES!

Is this what I think it's going to be? This is probably a spoiler once you've played the later entries in the series!

Well no, I haven't heard of you. What does Dr. Unne do?

Having enough of the sadness in this town, I administer retail therapy! Everything is really expensive, so I sell some of my found items that Lee was lugging. In the weapon shop, I don't get anything new since the only character who really uses new weapons now, Arek, has several new ones already! In the white magic shop, I see CUR3, LIFE (finally!), and HRM3 (great for slaughtering undead, though I'm sure I'll use more of my level 5 MP/charges to cure and revive). For the uninitiated, in Final Fantasy, you can only buy 3 spells for each magic level, so I always have to leave one spell behind. In this case, when I can afford it, I will leave behind HEL2 (heal all a little bit more). Staking out what I want there, I check out the black magic shop, where I find that I want FIR3, WARP (lets me backtrack a previous floor), and BANE (chance to kill all enemies on the screen). Since I can't afford anything, it's time to buy some healing potions and explore the new playground around me before continuing...except I can't find the item shop anywhere! So I heal up, save, and leave ready to fight!

Coming next time! Arek and the Gang's Adventures in the West!

Thanks for reading, and leave your comments below!

Final Fantasy Part 5: The Sleeping Prince and the Confusing Fetch Quest Part 2

Astos Battle, Take Two!


It goes just as horribly the second time! It seems that each time I try to fight him, Astos takes out Arek with RUB (instant kill) before I get a chance to take him out! Determined to finish the fight with most of my characters live, I get a horrible idea seeing as I can't seem to prevent the RUB spell from happening during the first round.

Lee, it's nothing personal, but Vic can cast powerful magic, Arek is a tank, and Jule can heal us. I'll make it up to you if my theory is true!

My theory is that Astos will always cast RUB on the character in the first slot during the first round. With my reasoning in the captions above, I change my formation and challenge him to a THIRD attempt to defeat Astos without losing a character! Below is the video replay of this unusual fight:




You'll find that my clever member swap backfires and angers Astos as he takes out Vic, my most powerful ally in this battle, with RUB. I even cast ALIT (defends against lightning attacks) in vain as Astos only uses physical attacks in this particular fight (no fair; he used LIT2 last time!)! In the end, though, after three tries, I finally prevail with three characters alive. For those keeping track, no official game overs yet; just resets when it would be too inconvenient to bring the party back to life (tomato, tomahto?)

Chores to Help Others

With CRYSTAL in hand, I know it's time to return to the blind witch Matoya's cave. Before I go, though, it's time to bring poor Vic back to life (He missed out on some good experience points!), sell my surplus goods from the marsh cave, and buy some spells which I couldn't afford before. With 9,353G, STILL not enough to buy all the spells I want in Elf Land, I purchase FIR2 and HOLD (paralyzes one enemy) for Vic, and I purchase HRM2 (kills undead deader!) and AFIR (helps defend against fire spells) for Jule. I had a hard time choosing those spells over HEAL (heals all allies), but I read that HEAL only heals about 12-24 HP for each member of the party*. I decided that it would not be as useful in the long run. Disappointed that I couldn't afford any level 4 magic, I sleep at the inn (so Vic doesn't die on me) and head to my destination.

I love backtracking. Not so tough now are you shark?!

After beating the stuffing out of old random encounters, I make my way to visit Matoya, and I realize my job isn't quite over yet.

But I JUST came from over there. Back to the ship! By the way, who is HERB and how will he help the Prince?

My annoyance for getting right back onto the ship melts away as I rip apart some more defenseless sharks (would you ever say that in real life?) and head back to Elf Land (how long does this all take anyway in real time?). When I get to the castle, I try to administer the herb to the Prince. When he refuses to wake up, I try some myself, and it tastes very bitter. I talk to the elf next to him, and he does it for me. The Prince wakes up to give me a great prize!

Finally, that key I was wondering about! Time to backtrack and hit up those old dungeons a second time! Thank goodness I wrote down where I couldn't get into.

Backtracking for Goods!


With the Mystic Key in hand, I turn the corner and rob the castle treasury of a silver hammer, 730G over two chests, and a pair of copper gauntlets. Thanks for my tip, Prince! Afraid of the amazing knights from Oblivion coming to chase me down, I quickly run out of the castle and return to the marsh cave since it's the closest to me (and I can hit up Astos's castle on my way back).

Expecting an easy run down to the bottom, I encounter four scorpions which immediately poison my entire party. Since I have no worries about getting poisoned now, I charge into battle when Lee gets creamed by three of them. Since I am close to the bottom, I heal, detoxify, and continue to the bottom. It's at this point when I wonder why there is no defense option for my squishy mages to cower behind the tank I call Arek! As if the game heard my thoughts, I run into two gargoyles which kill Jule, leaving Arek alone with Vic (I wonder who has to hold the dead party members. Do they go in the house that's inside the bag?). It's getting worse and worse, but at least with each passing battle, my survivors are collecting more experience.

For awhile, Vic wins the MVP Award of Cowardliness by helping me run from every battle, and then it gets worse: he dies and leaves Arek by himself, hobbling out of the cave with 21 HP and no healing items left! Below is the video of the exciting escape. I know I have a house in my bag, but I figured it was so valuable (I saw it for 3000G in the shop) that if I died, I could just re-load and try again instead of using it up.I won't spoil the ending, so watch and enjoy!

Coming next time! Getting more goodies from the Mystic Key!
Thanks for reading, and leave your comments below!

P.S. After all that excitement, Astos's castle will have to wait for another night along with the rest of my backtracking!

*http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/522595-final-fantasy/faqs/7215  Check out Dan Simpson's magic guide on GameFAQs for an easy-to-use magic reference document

Final Fantasy Part 4: The Sleeping Prince and the Confusing Fetch Quest

After stocking up on several healing potions and antidotes, I bring my party to an odd castle northwest of Elf Land, where I find a king who is by himself. Hermit king tells me that Astos the Dark Elf also ransacked his castle and stole his CROWN, and I should go get the crown as soon as possible. He is quite demanding and tells me I must go to the marsh caves south of the castle. I guess if I go south I can confront Astos and get the crown back for our odd green hermit king. Seriously, can I trust him? He keeps bats for friends.

No no, Arek, turn around. The hermit king is behind you!

For general information purposes, here is my general fighting strategy in Final Fantasy: Arek and Lee take on their own enemies, while Vic and Jule gang up on an enemy when I don't use crowd control spells (such as SLEP or DARK or attack magic. When there are only two enemies left, I usually have Vic help out Arek and Jule help out Lee since he has a higher attack power than Vic. My goal is to get as few "air whiffs" as possible!

The Marsh Cave

Off to the marsh cave, also known as the hole in the ground. As I lower myself into the hole, I am greeted with horrible music that will likely get on my nerves. This song still grates in my mind as I have bad memories of constantly dying in this cave. I have to remember that I am more prepared this time than I was the last time. I actually leveled up. Doesn't that account for something?

Looks safe.

After turning down the music to prevent headaches, I head towards the north side of the cave, where I go down some stairs. I fight several undead enemies, and Jule becomes more useful than just a healer. With the handy HARM spell, I clear several groups of undead ZOMBIES and GHOULS. Do I smell the remnants of a Dungeons and Dragons cleric in the original Final Fantasy white mage?

Once I collect the treasures waiting for me below, I choose to turn back and return to Elf Land to restore my HP and MP without consuming any more items. When I reach the town, I browse the shops hoping to find EXIT. Although I don't find what I was looking for, I am excited to purchase FAST, which according to a FAQ, allows me to speed up a character to score multiple hits (not exactly as advertised, but sounds great nonetheless since more hits tends to equal more damage.)/

While I scour the depths of the marsh cave, one of the major differences in Final Fantasy from later console RPGs sticks out in my mind: I DON'T want to fight every single random encounter! The encounter rate is very high, which is great for grinding outside of towns, but inside of dungeons, is a dangerous liability for my party. MP is limited, and one mistake in a random fight can cripple my party before I learn my coveted EXIT spell. For instance, I constantly run into enemies called SCUM. They are only weak to critical hits and magic, so I am forced to run or waste my MP. Oddly enough, though, SCUM's cousin MUCK is weak to physical attacks!

And then my worst fight begins against 3 ZOMBIES and 3 GHOULS. I go for my normal fighting strategy and decide not to use HARM to conserve MP. This becomes a mistake as every member becomes paralyzed from normal hits. When Jule becomes cured, I attempt to cast HARM, but it's too late, as two more ghouls hit and paralyze him again. I just watch in awe as the enemy team rips my characters apart. Even though Arek and Lee will survive, it would be a waste of money to bring the other characters back, so I reset and reload. Thankfully I used a cabin outside the cave and can try again without consequence! As if to test me again, I get in the same exact fight in the same exact spot. I cast HARM, and like a good movie ending, I leave the battle satisfied!

As I make my way deeper and deeper into the third level of the marsh cave, I come across an area full of little rooms. Many of them are empty, while some of them have treasure chests. Among them I notice that I get many of the same pieces of equipment as they had at the store. While it feels like a waste of money, I have to say that I prefer having the equipment going into the cave than what I originally had. At least I can sell them back in town. Then I find the most unusual item of all...

WHAT?! How am I going to fit THAT into my bag? The cabin was difficult enough!!

After ordering Lee to carry the house on his back to prepare him for remedial black belt training, I enter a room with several suspicious looking statues. I run right into them without saving and encounter 2 wizards. I rip them to shreds before they can put up a fight and get the crown! What will happen when I return it to the hermit king?

Darn it! This door is locked! That means I have to trek all the way down here to get whatever is inside!

Don't worry. I checked the other door to make sure it wasn't unlocked!

Without EXIT, I fight my way through to the top of the cave, and things get tense as I run out of healing potions and MP. Vic almost dies in battle but survives with 3 HP as we exit. Not wanting to risk any foul play with the hermit king, I decide to return to Elf Land to heal and save. By a miracle, in each encounter, Vic takes no hits and survives the return trip!

Goodies List: large knife, 680G, 620G, short sword, iron armor, 295G, copper bracelet, crown,

house (?!), 385G, and a whole bunch of empty chests!

When I make it to the hermit king, I tell him I have the crown, and he blurts out his whole agenda. Oh no! Apparently he was Astos, the Dark Elf! How did I not see this coming? Was it the bats? The empty castle? The green hair? The bad attitude? And what made him get so angry at me? Was it because I didn't bring him the crown until after I slept overnight in Elf Land? In any case, it's boss time! After Arek gets erased and dies from the RUB spell, the fight goes completely haywire, and Astos strikes down Jule and Lee with LIT2 then FIR2. Somehow, Vic makes it, becoming king of the world with critical health for the second time this evening! Unfortunately, after seeing how much EXP he earned, I decided I would give it another go and reset....

Don't you just love when bad guys give away their plot without you even asking? He even told me he had Matoya's CRYSTAL! Things should wrap up quite well after this.

Coming next time! The Sleeping Prince and the Confusing Fetch Quest...Part 2!

Thanks for reading, and leave your comments below!

Final Fantasy Part 3: Journey to Elf Land!

The Grind: Day 1


Based on my memories of the game, I know that once I pass up Elf Land, the difficulty spikes up (as if random battles aren't already hard enough). After getting my magic in Pravoka, I sail to Elf Land, where I learn that I have to deal with random encounters at SEA too!

Arek isn't going to just LET those monsters hop on board! Ships are for landlubbers only. No oddeyes allowed!

Finally. Some REAL pirates. The ones that take more than one hit to kill!

There is one benefit to fighting at sea for a little bit, though. I make a ton of money! Excited about my new bank roll of about 1,300, I journey south to Elf Land, where I visit the shops. So much for a ton of money, so I decide to sleep the night and fight to get a little more money to purchase the powerful spell LIT2 (LIT was so good, it deserved a sequel!) On my way out of town to earn some more money, I stop by the local graveyard to find an amusing reference.

How odd. And right after that Dragon Quest comment earlier. So the two  series ARE related! For the uninitiated, Erdrick (aka Loto) was the legendary hero of the Dragon Quest/Warrior series from I through III.

My first string of random battles does not go well. It's as if one day, one character drops the ball, and then the next day, another one screws up while the first guy picks up the slack! Just yesterday, I was whining at Vic because he was messing up left and right. Suddenly, my black belt Lee sucks to high Hell! He keeps missing the easiest enemies, and next thing I know, he's dead! I thought black belts could hit enemies. That's why they are called black belts, right?

To rub it in, if Lee had survived this battle, I would have been able to afford LIT 2!

Let me tell you something about health care in the world of Final Fantasy. Everybody has a two word insurance policy here: DON'T DIE! Unlike later entries in the series, there is no Phoenix Down, and people can't return from the dead by getting a good night's sleep. Heck, you don't even get LIFE until you hit a higher magic level! The only way you can bring your fallen friends back to life is to visit a building with a heart on it.

Aw yeah! Love Shack!

OH! A clinic? That was false advertising! Word on the street is that in the Japanese version, it's a church. You can thank Nintendo of America for making Square change that.

And WHEN you finally decide to bring your downed companion back to life, it costs a hefty amount of money per character level. By the way, make sure you visit the inn on your way out. Although the "doctor" brings your warrior back to life, he does not heal him. I have already made the mistake of bringing my revived partner outside to fight with only 1 HP!

The Change


As I continue to grind, I lose my patience with Lee. I begin to wonder why he keeps missing all the time. Was his black belt a false claim? Then I remembered from an old walkthrough I had read that black belts eventually fight with just their fists. Wondering if this is true, I unequip Lee's wooden nunchucks to find that he hits harder with his fists than with a weapon! Apparently 8 is the magical level where his fists become more powerful than wood...on paper, anyway. I step outside again to test this.

Oh Lee! You can actually hit enemies and hurt them? Why didn't you tell me you just sucked with nunchucks? Now I know why future black belts only use claws! 

 Success! Lee consistently hits enemies, and he even occasionally hits more than once per attack. Not to mention that fighter Arek is slicing up enemies left and right with a shiny new silver sword occasionally at two hits per attack. Jule is still bashing up enemies with his (OK, man or woman? Until further notice, man!) wooden hammer, and Vic is striking down enemies with his amazing LIT2 spell. I even gave my characters real armor and bracelets (wait, how do bracelets grant defense?)! Once I get CUR2 and a whole bunch of potions, antidotes, and cabins, I'll be ready to journey onward (the remaining spells will have to wait; they are way too expensive to grind for without getting any progress!). Things are looking up for the gang.

I now leave you with a cameo: Team Arek versus Team Ogre and the Jolly Green Giant! Taste the wrath of my silver sword!

Coming next time! The Sleeping Prince and the Confusing Fetch Quest!

Thanks for reading, and leave your comments below!