-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 M a k o P i t
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
ITEMS IN THIS AREA: Limited Moon, Save Crystal, Guard Source x3, Mind
Source x2, Magic Source x2, Elixir x2, Power
Source x2, HP Absorb materia, Megalixir x4, Hero
Drink x3, Mystile, Speed Source x2, Tetra Elemental,
Almighty Medicine x2, Vaccine x2, Shield materia,
Imperial Guard, W-Magic materia, Counter Attack
materia, X Potion x2, Turbo Ether x2, Everything
All materia, Luck Source
You'll start off on the deck of the Highwind. If you'd rather explore
the World Map instead, just go back to the cockpit, talk to the engineer
next to Cid, and choose the top option. If you haven't noticed it yet,
the Highwind is now rocket-powered.
Before descending into the crater and exploring the Makou Pit, you may
want to pick up Red 13's Ultimate Weapon. Return to Cosmo Canyon and
climb up to the second floor of the observatory, making sure that Red 13
is in your group beforehand (you can switch characters at the Save Point
near the Tiger Lily Arms Shop if you need to). Buugen Haagen is lying
on his couch, and he is about to pass away. He chats with Red 13 for a
while, then dies. Back at the bonfire, Red 13 rejoins his companions,
and now has the Limited Moon in his inventory. Also, if you haven't
gotten either of the 'optional' characters yet (Yuffie or Vincent), then
now would be a good time to add them to your party.
When you're ready to explore the Mako Pit, land the Highwind and go
out to the deck. You can talk to the man out here to change party
members (he'll automatically ask you every time you return to the
Highwind). Climb down the rope ladder to reach a new area, then head
southwest. In the next screen you'll be given an option: pick the
bottom one to turn back or the top one to descend into the pit. After
hopping down the steps, you'll see a cavern entrance. If you go inside
it, it merely returns you to the last area, in which you can climb up
the stone column and make your way back to the Highwind. Otherwise,
simply follow the path as it winds it's way down into the ground. Don't
worry should the ground crumble away since you can jump over the gaps.
The first chest you find contains a Save Crystal. It can be used once
while in the Mako Pit to create a Save Point. Considering that there
are no Save Points at all in this level, the Save Crystal is a handy
item to have. The next chest you find has a Guard Source in it.
In the next area, you can climb the silver parts of the ledges by
pressing O when you are standing near them (a message appears prompting
you to do this). Go to the right and hop down the 'steps'. The first
chest you find has a Guard Source inside of it. Be sure to make your way
to the next chest and not explore the edge of the ledge below the chest
you just opened or you'll jump down to the bottom and will have to
climb all the way back up again (although you'll be doing that at some
point anyway, so it's no big deal). In the second chest is a Mind Source.
You can now either climb back up and get the rest of the chests, or
continue searching the Makou Pit and get the chests when you are coming
back out (assuming you want to make more than one journey into the Pit).
To get the chests, climb up the ledge to your left (you're at the
bottom of the screen, remember?) Go all the way to the left and climb
up two ledges, then walk to the right to find another chest containing
a Magic Source. Go left again, go up to the next ledge, then go to the
right and climb up again. Walk all the way to the right, climb up the
tall ledge, then head left to find a chest holding an Elixir. From
there, walk up to the next ledge, go to the left, and climb up the
silver part to arrive at a chest that has a Power Source in it. If you go
to the right, you'll find an HP Absorb materia just past a large rock.
Finally, jump back down, go to the right, and climb up the ledge to
reach the top again (you can jump to the top ledge from here and exit
the Pit by going back up the spiraling passage).
If you head south from the bottom of the screen, you'll arrive at a large
chamber pocked with holes. Walk to the right until you fall down a
level, then go left to uncover a chest (inside is a Mind Source). Go to
the edge of this ledge, turn around, and press O to juMP Plus to the upper
ledge (just like in the last area, you'll be prompted to jump whenever
you are near a ledge ending). Head left until you fall down, then go to
the right and step into the hole by pressing up. Beyond the opening is a
treasure chest containing a Megalixir. Go back out again and walk all
the way to the left and you will fall down to a new level (since you
can't see Cloud, move left or right until he falls). Run to the right in
order to find a chest, which has an Hero Drink inside of it. Walk
to the left and enter the hole. As you walk along the adjoining path,
stop to open a treasure chest to your left which holds a Guard Source, and
go through the hole that's a little farther up to reach a chest with a
Power Source inside it. Go back out the hole and keep climbing to reach
an opening that deposits you back at the top of the screen. To get back
down to the bottom, run to the right until you drop down, press right
again to fall a second time, and enter the hole. The passage beyond it
leads to another hole; press left to fall down it (if you want to get
back up, just climb the ledges to your left). Then walk to the left
until you fall, and walk right to fall again.
Here, climb down the two stalactites in order to reach the ground where
your friends are waiting. Each one asks you which path they should take,
the left one (top option), or the right one (bottom option).
Furthermore, you may have certain characters join you, or you may be
asked to make a new group (and you may not have many characters to pick
from). Unfortunately, I really have no clue as to how this part of the
game works even after playing through it numerous times.
Take whatever path is available to you (you'll get a message if you can't
go in that direction). Refer to the LEFT PATH or RIGHT PATH sections
depending on which one is available to you. Note that once you reach the
PLACE OF GATHERING, you can go back and explore all the areas freely
(remember that because you may be approaching an area from a different
location, you may have to do it in a different order. For instance, you
can tackle the LEFT PATH: LOWER ROUTE area from either the top or bottom,
so take note while playing (and no, I'm not going to write out the
section backwards and forwards, just figure it out yourself depending on
where you're going!)
RIGHT PATH
You'll find yourself on a column of stone. Follow the winding path that
leads along the column. Eventually, you'll reach a gap in the path.
Pick the top option to jump down to the area below, or the bottom option
to turn back. When you land on the ground, look to your right for a
chest containing a Mystile. To your left is a green Elixir. Take it
and continue along the path until you reach a broad, gray area. Here,
there is a treasure chest to the north containing a Speed Source. If you
look to the south, wedged between several broken structures is another
chest that has a Tetra Elemental inside it. Go back to the main path
and head east, then north. Here, the path splits to the north or the
west.
Take the west branch and it'll lead to a dead-end where there is a chest.
Inside it is a Megalixir. Retrace your steps and keep going north;
just to your right will be a chest that also has a Megalixir inside of
it. If you keep going north, you'll arrive at a bridge made of curving
bones. Work your way down it and you'll arrive at the PLACE OF GATHERING
(see below).
LEFT PATH
In this room, your teammates will each ask if you should take the upper
(top option) or lower (bottom option) route. Pick accordingly, and refer
to the UPPER ROUTE and LOWER ROUTE sub-sections depending on what you
chose. You may be prompted to make a new party yet again after you have
decided on the route you will take.
LEFT PATH: UPPER ROUTE
Hop down onto the branch-like structure, run to the right, and when you
can't go any further, press Up to jump to another branch. From here, go
right to reach a chest containing a Magic Source. Now, hop back to the
first branch and go left, then north. When you reach the edge, Cloud
will jump onto the nearby rocks. Walk north along the path and Cloud
will dive in the water and jump out on the other side of the screen. If
you walk to the left, then go north, you'll arrive at a chest which has
an Remedy within it. Head right, but take the upper branch
(go east, then north) in order to arrive at a new area.
Here, head to the far right to find a chest which contains an Ei x no
Kusuri. Then take the upper path and run all he way to the left. If
you go a little ways to the north, you'll see a chest; it has a Vaccine
in it. To the right of the chest is a large rock; walk in front of it
and you'll see a path that leads up to the top of the rock, where a
green materia is lying on the ground (Shield). Take it and walk to
the left, then press Down to descend the rock face. Cloud will jump
into the water and pop out again near a treasure chest (Imperial Guard).
After opening the chest, keep pressing Down and Cloud will dive into the
water again and end up on the other side of the screen. From here, run
south and then east to reach yet another unexplored area.
This area is full of green shrubbery and stone tiers. Walk to the left
in order to work your way down the tiers, but then go to the center of
the screen and walk north until you're right beneath the shrubbery.
There is a small dot here; press O to examine it and you'll find that
it's the W-Magic materia. From here, work your way down to the
shining light (go south, then east). There is a patch of darkness in
the light--examine it and you'll get the Counter Attack materia. Now,
walk west and then north to find a cave entrance. It leads to the
PLACE OF GATHERING (see below).
LEFT PATH: LOWER ROUTE
Hop down the stone columns and investigate the chest to your left to
find an Remedy. Head to the right and hop up the stone
columns to arrive at a chest that has an Elixir inside of it. Then
go back to the first treasure chest and press against the bottom of
the ledge. You'll hop down to a column where there is a chest
containing an X Potion. Make your way to the southeast. In the next
screen, hop down the stone columns and then go to the left to find a
chest with an Turbo Ether in it. Then follow the path east and north.
There's another chest here and a Vaccine is inside it. Walk to the
west, then follow the path south and hop across the columns. When you
reach the bottom of the screen, run to the south.
In this area, go to the right and press down to hop down to a small
ledge. Below is a larger ledge and a green chest (X Potion). Walk to
the left across the thin stone bridge, drop down a level, then keep
going right until you see some stone 'steps'. Go down them; to the
left is a green chest containing a Turbo Ether. If you walk to the
left, you'll jump down to a low ledge. Nearby, there is a ball
floating in the air. Hold Up in order to jump from a small ledge to a
larger ledge, and when you get near the ball, tap O repeatedly. If you
timed it right, you'll be able to take the ball, which is actually the
Mega All materia. If you missed it, just press left to
jump back down to the lower ledge and then try again. You can only get
the materia while jumping to the small ledge, not while jumping from
the large western ledge.
Once you've gotten the materia and are on the large ledge, walk to the
other end of it. There's a chest here (Speed Plus Source). Now walk to
the south and press against the edge to jump down to a lower area. Keep
walking south and you'll reach the PLACE OF GATHERING.
PLACE OF GATHERING
On the right side of this chamber is a chest containing a Luck Source.
Follow the path as it curves around until you reach a set of stone
steps. Your friends will show up here. Depending on where you told
them to go earlier, they may or may not have items to give you. Talk
to each one of them to get an item (or not), then approach the stone
steps. Pick the top option to go down them or the bottom option to
stay where you are. Once you pick the top option, you can't go back,
so feel free to choose the bottom option and then leave this area from
the upper ledge (walk to the left) if you have more exploring to do.
Once you've chosen the top option, assemble a new group. You'll leap
down the steps and arrive at the lowest levels of the Makou Pit (home
not only to Jenova and Sephiroth but also to massive slowdown). Simply
jump from floating ledge to floating ledge, working your way towards
the bottom of the screen. In the second screen, make your way to the
central island of rock, where the final form of Jenova will appear and
attack you.
_________________________________________________________________________
BOSS TIPS: Jenova Synthesis (can't see her stats.)
Jenova S. B LV: 61 HP: 10000 MP: 600
Jenova S. C LV: 61 HP: 8000 MP: 600
Start the round by using Haste and Barrier on yourselves, then use Enemy
Skills and Summon Materia to dish out damage. The tentacle-like arms
will droop and become useless after you've attacked them long enough,
but they regenerate with some HP if you don't kill the boss quickly, so
use high-level spells (Ultima or Inseki) to take them out and injure
Jenova at the same time. When she is about to die, a message appears
and starts counting down the rounds from 5; if you don't kill her by the
time it reaches zero, Jenova Synthesis will cast Ultima. For the second-
to-last boss, this is an easy battle. She has very weak physical attacks
(500-800 damage), and not much else. If you want to conserve MP, you can
take out the boss using physical attacks with little injury to yourself.
If she does cast Ultima, the battle ends, but you get no EXP, GP, or AP,
so try to kill her as quickly as possible.
_________________________________________________________________________
After the death of Jenova Synthesis, the ground will break up and Cloud
and his friends will awaken to find themselves floating in space.
Sephiroth makes his final appearance here, floating next to the core of
the Mako Pit. You'll get to make a new party*, then the battle with
Sephiroth will commence.
* Apparently, the number of teams you can make is determined randomly.
The first time I played this game, I was able to make two parties,
but since then I've been able to make just one party or three parties
(the third had only two members, since you only have 8 characters).
For a time, I thought this was based on the paths you took when you
talked to your friends at various locations in the Mako Pit, but I
guess it is simply a random occurrence after all.
_________________________________________________________________________
BOSS TIPS: Reverse Sephiroth (can't see it's stats)
Reverse Sephiroth B LV: 61 HP: 2000 MP: 400
Reverse Sephiroth C LV: 61 HP: 10000 MP: 400
Reverse Sephiroth D LV: 61 HP: 4000 MP: 400
Reverse Sephiroth E LV: 61 HP: 4000 MP: 400
Use Wall and Haste on yourselves (maybe even Regen), then use your best
attacks against Sephiroth, like Coin Toss, Ultima, and summon spells.
Every time you kill a few of of it's body parts, you'll be asked if you
want to switch to another team (left option to switch, right option to
keep using the current party). In this case (if you have more than one
team), you'll find that only one team can damage the yellow orb (part C)
of Sephiroth's body. Once part C is sufficiently damaged, you'll get a
message stating that Cloud can now attack part C as well, so switch back
to him and attack Sephiroth. Once part C is destroyed, kill off the
rest of the body parts. If you only have one team, all you can do is
attack. The number of teams you have will affect the strategy used
against this boss, so keep that in mind when attacking*. I'm not exactly
sure about this, but: Sephiroth will gain more HP and MP in proportion
to Cloud's experience level, and using the Knights of Round materia
will _usually_ kill Sephiroth. If you more than one team, keep in mind
that the battle will end if even one team is killed. And interestingly
enough, the number of times you've used a summon materia resets when you
switch to a team and back.
Sephiroth can heal himself using a technique called Reverse Energy, and
he can use it to bring defeat body parts back to life. Among his attacks
are Graviga, an explosion attack that causes 1500+ points of damage, a
fire ray emitted from his chest that inflicts 1700+ damage, and a 'Fallen
Angel'-type attack that reduces all party members' HP to one point.
* I'm saying this because one time I was able to kill Reverse Sephiroth
before receiving the message to attack part C.
_________________________________________________________________________
Once Reverse Sephiroth has been defeated, Sephiroth shows up in a new
form. You always fight him using the team that Cloud is a part of.
_________________________________________________________________________
BOSS TIPS: Seraph Sephiroth (can't see his stats.)
Looks like Square couldn't bother creating a new end boss, could they?
Seraph Sephiroth can cast Slow, Flare, Break, Doom, and Dispel (Dispel
will affect all members). Other attacks include Supernova (a 'summon'
style spell that inflicts 1100-2200 damage to all allies; it causes
confusion and silence), Pyro Holes (a laser attack causing 3700-3800
damage), and Dein (ring-shaped flares break apart the ground and cause
1200-1300 damage to all members. His sole physical attack is a wing
slash that causes upwards of 5000 damage points. Sephiroth can fly
around, too, preventing some characters from using certain skills or
attacks against him.
Use Wall on yourself, and then heal, revive, and fix status ailments
with the Angel's Whisper Enemy Skill. Haste yourselves and use physical
attacks, your best summon materia, and Ultima. You can even use Coin
Toss or Throw if you want. Seraph Sephiroth isn't easy to kill, but
he's certainly no challenge, even if you have low levels. There's only
one thing to watch out for: if Cloud's level is at 98-99, then Sephiroth
becomes monstrously powerful and much harder to kill.
_________________________________________________________________________
After a brief automated sequence, Cloud fights Sephiroth one last time.
I'll leave this up to you...I doubt you'll lose! My time was 6:20 the
first time around, and 1:30 for the rewrite.
=========================================================================
6 . B O N U S A R E A S
=========================================================================
You can only go to these areas in Disc 2 or 3. There's some information
on these bonus areas in the 'Secrets and Strategies' section, too.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 O l d F o r e s t ( C o s m o A r e a )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Location: On a cliff near Cosmo Canyon on the Western Continent.
How to get there: Use a Green, Black, or Gold Chocobo. Or, climb past
the crater that's left behind when you kill the
Ultima Weapon in Disc 3--it destroys part of the
cliff.
Items to get: Supershot ST, Spring Gun Clip, Slice Everybody
materia, Summon Typoon materia, Apocalypse sword,
Elixir.
You can grab items (frogs, big frogs, wasp nests, etc.) by pressing the
O button. When you grab a frog for the first time, you get a message
informing you that if you press the S button, the _entire_ area will
reset, returning all the items to their proper place. However, it also
returns you to the very start of the area, no matter how many screens
you've worked your way through. If you mess up on an area (you run
out of frogs to use for transportation), you can cheat by leaving the
area and returning (if it's possible to leave given your current
location). But if you're really stuck, you have no choice but to reset
the whole level by pressing S. You will keep all items and materia orbs
you've collected so far, though. Also, when you hear a frog croaking,
look for a place where you can let go of a small frog you might be
carrying as it'll be replaced with a big frog.
In the first area, pick up three frogs and go beneath the earth bridge.
Put them near the three bags hanging from the trees. Now, quickly take
the frogs and press the O button to make them hop into the bags; repeat
this until all three bags are full by standing on a bag and pressing O
to put a frog into the next bag. When they're all full, hop to the
other side of the gap. Once on the other side, go down the slope and
_carefully_ inch towards the center of the large snapping plant. Press
O to grab the bag (which contains the Supershot ST gun). If you get too
close, the plant will close and you'll lose almost all your HP. You can
make as many attempts as you want, but it's best to try and not touch
the center of the plant in the first place. Continue to the right when
you're finished here and Cloud will automatically use the pink vine to
reach the other side. Go past the tree and nab the item bag on the hill
(there's a Spring Gun Clip inside), and head right to reach the next part
of the forest.
In the second area, pick up one frog and approach the pink vine. Choose
the top option to leap to the ledge. If you leave the frog on the ledge,
it'll be switched with a big frog (or you can just use your small frog).
From here, you can put the frog in the bag and leap across to the second
(already-full) bag. You'll automatically use the pink vine to jump to
the ground. Now, pick up a frog and climb on top of the green ledge to
your right; let it go and it will leap into the left bag. If you wait
long enough, you'll be sent flying to the ledge above when the frog
escapes (you have to use a big one). Once on the ledge, take the wasp
nest. Jump back down. Stand near the small snapping plant and press O
to release the nest; if you're at the right distance, the nest will fly
backward and land in the plant, which will snap it up. Take the yellow
materia (Slice Everybody). Pick up the big frog again. Climb to the
green ledge one more time and let the frog jump into the right bag. Jump
atop it and wait until you are thrust onto the opposite side of the huge
snapping plant. Run to the right to reach the next zone.
In the third area, pick up two frogs, toss them into the bags, and leap
across to the pink vine. You'll be lifted into the treetops. Go left,
then down the trunk to reach the big bag you saw back in the second area.
A Minerva Band is inside. If you go too far down the trunk, you'll jump
down to the ground, so return to the treetops after grabbing the bag. If
for some reason you can't, just hop back down repeat the last few steps
to get across the plant, get into the next screen, and return to the
treetops.
Once you're back in the trees, climb to the upmost branch and head right,
then make your way towards the broken branch; Cloud will vault across
three of the pink vines and land on another branch. Go south to get yet
another item bag holding a red materia (Summon Typoon). Now, go back
across the vines, and take the lower branch that leads behind the leaves
to the ground level (look for a path leading right). Once on the ground,
grab a frog. There are two bags to your right; look for a high ledge
beneath them, stand on it, and toss the frog into the bag. Then, hop
onto it and make your way over to the second bag, then to the ledge with
the wasp's nest. Take it and drop to the ground, then approach the
snapping plant and press O to release the nest. If you are positioned
correctly, you'll toss the nest into the plant, which will close up.
Pick up a small frog and move past the plant. Stand on the left ledge,
and let go of the frog; it will jump into the nearby bag. Hop across
the bag and onto the ground. Run to the left and grab a frog. Put it
in the hollow in the tree next to you and a big frog will jump out.
Take it and go back the way you came (put the big frog in the bag, jump
to the other side, and wait for it to land by your feet). Grab it
again, go to the far right ledge, and release it into the bag. Now,
stand on the bag and wait for the frog to escape. Doing this sends you
flying across the gap to a cave entrance.
In the cave, walk to the right to find a chest with the Apocalypse sword
lying within. Head to the north, then go east to find another chest
(there's an Elixir in it). Finally, exit through the opening to your
left. You're back outside! Yup, there are no bosses to fight in this
area (which is a good thing in case you had a hard time dealing with the
snapping plants).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 V i n c e n t ' s W a t e r f a l l
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Location: Waterfall in the center of the Western Continent.
How to get there: Use a Green, Black, or Gold Chocobo to go to the
west side of the waterfall by the lake. Dismount
and touch the waterfall to enter it. Alternately,
you can go there in submarine--you can dock on
the dark-colored western side of the shore.
Items to get: Death Penalty, Chaos Manual (in Disc 3, see below).
Beyond the waterfall is a room made of white stone. If Vincent isn't
in your party, then you'll get a message stating his name when you
step past the threshold of the room. So, return with Vincent. This
time, there's a woman there (Rukuressia), and you'll get to see a
flashback of Vincent's past. While you don't get anything out of this
if you visit during the third disc, you can get Vincent's best weapon
and his Level 4 Limit Break Manual if you come here with him in your
party during the second disc and then visit the waterfall again in the
third disc. Refer to the 'Ultimate Weapons' section in part two of the
FAQ for more information on this area.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 B o n u s M a t e r i a L o c a t i o n s
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
_________________________________________________________________________
WESTERNMOST CAVE (Wutai Area)
Location: Cave lying to the east of a mountain in the bridge-
covered region of the Westernmost Continent.
How to get there: Use a Green, Black, or Gold Chocobo to climb over
the mountain. Dismount and enter the cave.
Items to get: Mime materia.
There's nothing in here but a glowing yellow light. Try to touch it,
and you'll get a yellow materia (Mime). Notice how there's still
a glow after you've taken the Materia? :)
_________________________________________________________________________
WESTERN CAVE (North Corel Area)
Location: Cave next to a mountain lying on a square of brown
land. There's a river running nearby. It's
beyond the mountain footpath by the shallow part
of the river near the Gold Saucer, on the Western
Continent--there's another cave entrance by the
river you need to cross.
How to get there: Use a Blue, Black, or Gold Chocobo to cross the
river to the patch of land where the cave is.
Items to get: HP<->MP materia.
Inside this icy blue cave is a twinkling purple materia (HP<->MP).
_________________________________________________________________________
SOUTHERNMOST CAVE (Mideel Area)
Location: Cave lying at the end of a penninsula on the north
stretch of land on the Southernmost Continent.
How to get there: If you have a Blue Chocobo, land the Highwind on the
patch of grass on the thin island near Mideel. Then
use the shallows connecting the peninsulas to reach
the area where the cave is. If you have a Black or
Gold Chocobo, simply land on the grassy area near the
cave and keep walking down the cliff and out to where
the cave entrance is. If you have the Gold Chocobo,
you can just walk southeast from the Chocobo Farm
across the water to the penninsula where the cave is.
Items to get: Quadra Magic materia.
This sandy cave is empty, save for a blue pyramid-shaped object. If you
examine it, you'll get a blue materia (Quadra Magic).
_________________________________________________________________________
NORTHWEST ISLAND (Round Island)
Location: Oval-shaped island surrounded by mountains and trees
that is in the northwestern part of the world. It
is one of the Uncharted Isles (it doesn't show up on
the map).
How to get there: Use a Gold Chocobo to fly to the island and climb
over the mountains. Dismount and enter the cave
mouth that's at the edge of the forest.
Items to get: Summon Knights of Round materia.
This may be another empty area, but the red pyramid lying by the tree
trunks is none other than the Knights of Round summon materia--the
most damaging summon spell in the entire game. Simply examine it to
pick it up.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Y u f f i e ' s S u b - Q u e s t
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Location: Town of Wutai. You can go here in Disc 1 after
you get the Tiny Bronco, or you can do this in Disc 2,
once you have the Highwind or a colored Chocobo. You
CANNOT do this in Disc 3, however.
How to get there: Go to the southern end of the Westernmost Continent
using the Tiny Bronco, Highwind, a Chocobo, or a
Chocobo + the Highwind. You MUST have gotten Yuffie
(though she doesn't have to be in the current party)
in order to perform this sub-quest.
Items to get: Hairpin, Fuuma Shuriken, MP Absorb materia, Fast
Lightning, Elixir x2, Peace Ring, HP Absorb materia,
X Potion, Turbo Ether, Ice Ring, Universe Manual,
'Summon Leviathan' materia.
After arriving at the southern tip of the Westernmost Continent, head
north. There is a curving path that leads up to a high plateau. As
you go along the curve (even if you are riding a Chocobo) you will be
interrupted by Yuffie. The screen switches to that of a plain, and
Yuffie runs up, steals your Materia*, and escapes, but not before
leaving you with two Shinra guards to contend with! The guards are
easily beaten, though. If Yuffie was in your party when she tricked
you, you'll have to fight the guards only using two people (in which
case Barret will join the party afterwards, and if he's already in
your party, then whoever isn't being used will join. Keep in mind that
you can rearrange the party in whatever way you'd like afterwards).
* She can take 48-50 Materia (the number varies), and will steal them
in this order of preference: Master Materia, Summon Materia,
Independent Materia, Command Materia, Combination Materia and then
Magic Materia. This means that it is possible to be left with a few
materia after she has escaped. Note that if you're using the Materia
Select Game Shark code and you have disabled Materia equipped/in your
inventory, she'll steal them and you _won't_ get them back.
At this point, your characters will refuse to board the vehicle you
used to get here (Highwind, Tiny Bronco, or Chocobo), insisting that
they find Yuffie instead. If you were on a Chocobo when Yuffie stole
your Materia, then you'll still be on it when the sequence ends, but
you won't be able to board the Highwind, and if you get off the Chocobo,
you can't get back on. If you use the 'Start with Gold Chocobo' code,
then you can leave the island, but I don't know what happens if you do
this sub-quest while riding a real Gold Chocobo. In any case, you can
use the Chocobo to cheat and simply ride all the way to Wutai, Yuffie's
hometown. If you're not on a Chocobo, you'll have to walk.
From the curving path, head north until you cross a bridge, then go west
across a second bridge. Head southeast once you reach the other side;
this leads to a north-bound path that runs under the bridge. Follow it
and it will lead up to another bridge. Past the bridge, the land
becomes flat and grassy. Keep heading north and you'll arrive at Wutai.
When you enter the town, Yuffie will see you and run away. Head to the
upper-left corner of town. There's a path here that leads to a large
courtyard and a pagoda. Enter the building to your right and walk along
the hall until you arrive at a room with a man sleeping inside. Enter
it and talk to the man. He is Godoo, Yuffie's father. Keep talking to
him until he stands up, at which point Yuffie will appear and then be
chased away by her father. If you follow Yuffie, you'll find that she
has disappeared. Before leaving this area, enter the room next to
Godoo's and examine the right wall. There is a hidden panel here that
will open, revealing a passage. At the end of the passage is a chest
containing the Hairpin (a weapon for Red 13). On your way out, go into
the room to the left of the entrance. You can come here and spend the
night for free, but if you examine the scroll on the left wall, it will
lift up, revealing another passage. The chest at the end of this
passage has a Fuuma Shuriken (Wind Demon Throwing Star) inside it.
Return to town and go into the eatery in the southwest corner of town.
The Turks are her! Talk to them all (Elena, Rude, and Reno). When
you are finished, go to the Item Shop. Normally, there is a woman
standing in front of a treasure chest (preventing you from getting at
it) but now she will have moved away. Open the chest and you'll get
a MP Absorb materia, but Yuffie will drop down from the ceiling and
swipe it from your hands! Leave the shop and go to the southeast
edge of town. There's a building here near the entrace. Go inside
and examine the folding panel to the left. Hiding behind it is Yuffie,
who dashes away as soon as she is discovered. Chase her outside and
go to the eatery. If you look at the jar standing outside the eatery,
you'll see that it is moving. Approach it and press O to make your
friends block all the exits. Then press O three times to make your
main character hit the jar until Yuffie jumps out. Seeing that she
can't escape, she'll lead your characters to her house.
Meanwhile, two Shinra soldiers run into the eatery to meet with the
Turks. After Elena leaves, you'll find your characters in Yuffie's
house. When she goes downstairs, follow her. I was sure that I
found an item in this room once, but I guess I was mistaken...anyway,
don't miss the Kamedouraku Flyer that's on the far wall when you go
downstairs. Talk to Yuffie. When you can move again, examine the
levers in the back room; you can pull the right lever or the left one.
It doesn't matter which one you choose, since either one will make
a cage drop on top of your allies! Yes, Yuffie has tricked you again.
Examine either lever a second time to free your friends, then leave
the house.
Return to the courtyard area where the pagoda is and you'll see that
you can now enter the building to your left. Climb up the steps and
examine the bell to ring it; this will reveal a hidden door. Beyond
the door, you'll find Yuffie, who has been taken hostage by none other
than Don Corneo, the mohawked pervert that tricked you back in the
Wall Market. He has captured Elena as well. Before chasing after
him, open the chest to your right to find a Swift Bolt, and open
the chest to your left to get an Elixir. Go up the stairs and you'll
find yourselves in the altar room back in Godoo's house. Three Shinra
soldiers appear and attack you, allowing Corneo to escape. Kill the
guards (they're the same as the ones that attacked you back on the
curving path), then go outside.
Here, you'll run into Rude and Reno. Talk to them, then return to town
and head to the northeastern corner of Wutai. There's a path here that
leads up into the mountains, where huge Dachao statues have been carved
into the rock. Talk to the Turks again as you follow the path, and keep
going along the path until it splits. Take the path that goes north.
It leads past a huge head to a crossroads. Rude is standing here,
blocking the entrace to a cave. If you talk to him, he'll enter the
cave. Go inside and open the chest in here to get a weapon for Cid.
You can't get across the fire-pits yet unless you've gotten the Suishin
x no Uroko from the submarine docks (see section 4i for more information
on the Suishin x no Uroko, and section 4j to find out what treasure you
can get from the fire-pits). There's a chest here that has a weapon for
Cid in it, but I got it back in Disc 1 so I forgot (I think it's the
Grow Lance or the Mop). ^_^; Talk to Rude again and then exit the cave
and head south to find Corneo, who's tied Elena and Yuffie to the face
of a Dachao statue. When you confront him, he summons a boss to attack
you.
_________________________________________________________________________
BOSS TIPS: RAPUSU LV: 39 HP: 6000 MP: 300
This winged beast isn't that tough, but unless you were able to hold onto
some Materia, all you can do is attack. Use Phoenix Downs and Hi-Potions
or other restorative items to heal your party, and you may want to use
'attack' items like the Deadly Waste or Swift Bolt in order to
inflict damage along with your normal attacks. Because of their high
attack power, Red 13 and Vincent make the best allies to have in this
fight. If you think you can make it without Vincent assisting you, then
use his breaks to inflict lots of damage on the boss. You'll recieve a
Peace Ring when the battle is finished.
_________________________________________________________________________
After the battle, Don Corneo will ask you a question and you have three
answers to choose from. Pick any one you like. Corneo threatens to
kill Yuffie and Elena, but then Reno and Rude show up and send Corneo
to his well-deserved demise. Back at her house, Yuffie will give all
the materia she stole back to your characters (including the MP Absorb
materia).
You'll find yourself back in the World Map again, but I wouldn't leave
just yet if I were you. Return to Wutai and enter the building near
Yuffie's house. It's full of cats. Normally, there's nothing you can
do here, but now you can climb up the steps in the back to find a
secret passage. Walk north (towards the screen), to find a cat and a
chest. Inside the chest is a HP Absorb materia. Take it and go back
outside.
Now, head back to the courtyard. Enter the pagoda and talk to the man
there, Goorikii. He'll inform you that if she wishes, Yuffie can
fight by herself against the five guardians of the Pagoda of Five Strong.
Choose the top option to accept and the bottom option to decline. After
each battle, go up the stairs and talk to the person there, picking the
top option to fight them and the bottom option to not fight them. You
don't have to kill all the guardians in one go, and if Yuffie is killed
in battle, the game won't end, although she'll have zero HP and will
need to be revived before she can fight again. Your enemies are:
First Floor: Goorikii, a winged creature.
_________________________________________________________________________
BOSS TIPS: GOORIKII LV: 30 HP: 3000 MP: 150
(weak vs. Wind)
Use Haste on yourself, then use the Deathblow materia repeatedly in
order to inflict lots of damage. Don't forget to heal yourself when
your life gets low. The boss can use Barrier, but he's still easy to
defeat. Yuffie gets an X Potion once she's won the battle.
_________________________________________________________________________
Second Floor: Sheiku, a penguin-like monster.
_________________________________________________________________________
BOSS TIPS: SHEIKU LV: 32 HP: 4000 MP: 180
Use the same strategy that you used against Goorikii. You might try
the Barrier spell to reduce physical damage. His 'Furious Bomber' attack
causes a lot of damage, but it will fill up your Limit Break bar very
quickly. Yuffie will recieve an Turbo Ether when the fight ends.
_________________________________________________________________________
Third Floor: Chehofu, a four-armed foe.
_________________________________________________________________________
BOSS TIPS: CHEHOFU LV: 34 HP: 5000 MP: 210
Keep your HPs up in case you get paralyzed. Once again, using Haste,
Barrier, and then attacking with the Deathblow materia should do the
trick if your attack power is low. Yuffie's prize for winning this
battle is an Ice Ring.
_________________________________________________________________________
Fourth Floor: Sutanifu, a creature swinging and iron ball.
_________________________________________________________________________
BOSS TIPS: SUTANIFU LV: 36 HP: 6000 MP: 240
Fight him the same way you fought Sheiku. Without a doubt, the easiest
boss of the Pagoda of Five Strong. If you win, Yuffie will get an
Elixir from him.
_________________________________________________________________________
Fifth Floor: Godoo, a three-headed monster. Note that he will
automatically attack you win you talk to him.
_________________________________________________________________________
BOSS TIPS: GODOO LV: 41 HP: 10000 MP: 1000
Godoo's attack style changes depending on which head is facing you. He
has many attacks, including the Tryne Enemy Skill and the ability to
drain your HP. He will also use his supply of MP to heal himself for
around 1200+ points per use. To beat him, deplete him MP supply by using
the Ghost Hand item or Magic Hammer Enemy Skill (you can learn it from
the Ashigirisous that live north of Wutai; they look like bunches of
grass). The other way to beat him is simply Berserk yourself, assuming
you have enough HP and your attacks do over 1200 points of damage. Your
only other tactic is to stay alive until he runs out of HP and then
attack him. You'll get Yuffie's Level 4 Limit Break Manual (Universe)
once Godoo is defeated.
_________________________________________________________________________
After Yuffie defeats Godoo, he'll give you the 'Summon Leviathan'
materia.