Cave Eblan and Edge

Leave the settlement by its northern exit. There is quite a bit of treasure between here and the tower, including a few wall passages that are easier to miss than the monsters. Make room before leaving the shops. Rydia and Rosa stay in the back row, and everyone should be healthy enough to survive a surprise attack.

Enemies in the Passages

Use Ice against BlackLiz and Staleman, and Fire or Holy against the skeletons. In mixed bat groups, GiantBat is weak to Fire; Cave Bat is weak to Holy; both are vulnerable to arrows. Avoid Bolt against either bat. Fire2MagicBlack Magic in Tellah's post-trial menu, costing 15 MP. Its effect has not yet been tested on this run. helps with the GiantBats, but don’t assume it will do the same job against their smaller companions.

Rosa’s bow and Rydia’s reusable DancingEquipmentEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Kain, Edge, Rydia (both forms), Palom, Edward. Power 28; Acc 94%. Reusable Item attack with no MP cost. effect give you ways to finish ordinary fights without spending MP on every survivor. You don’t need to return to storage for a Fire weapon just for the bats. Keep healing between fights; a cheap victory followed by a back attack can become an expensive one.

First Passage and Northern Detour

The cave alternates between two maps. Returning to a familiar floor label doesn’t mean you’ve gone the wrong way; the passages reach different sections of the same floor.

Collect Ether1 beside the entrance, then head north for the TentItemField/save-point recovery, restoring up to 1,000 HP and 100 MP. At higher levels, check your remaining deficits before continuing. near the stairs. Before taking those stairs, enter the indented wall just south of them to reach a hidden HiPotion.

In the next section, take the northeastern branch for Kamikaze. The northwestern branch has no treasure on this pass. Then head south, going through the thin central wall for ShurikenEquipment: ThrowablesEquippable by Edge (Throw only). Power 40; Acc 99%. Attack element: Projectile. Consumed by Edge’s Throw; not an equippable hand weapon., and continue to the stairs back into the previous map.

The Large Treasure Sweep

In this new section, collect the three nearby chests: Cabin and two HiPotions. Push east through the wall by the stairs you just used to find two Elixirs. These are separate chests, not a single double-quantity pickup.

Continue south for the remaining cluster: HrGlass2, two LifeItemRevives a KO'd ally. Can appear as loot from a FloatEye and Eagle formation southwest of Baron., and Silk Web. Sweep the southern paths before circling around to the onward stairs. Between the two visits, this map has twelve chests: the first three, these three near the return stairs, two hidden Elixirs, and the four farther south.

The next section begins near a save room. Rest and save here before investigating its hidden treasure. A TentItemField/save-point recovery, restoring up to 1,000 HP and 100 MP. At higher levels, check your remaining deficits before continuing. only restores a limited amount of MP; use a Cabin if the casters need a proper refill.

BloodSwd and the Save Room

The save room’s northeastern corner conceals a path to a guarded chest. Heal before opening it: two Stalemen are waiting inside. Use Ice magic and strong physical attacks, with Rosa ready to heal, then collect BloodSwdEquipment: SwordsEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Kain. Power 45; Acc 50%; Strength −5, Agility −5, Vitality −5, Wisdom −5, Will −5. Effective against Giant, Pudding, Undead enemies. Drains HP; undead can reverse the benefit..

Don’t automatically replace Cecil’s IceBrandEquipment: SwordsEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Kain. Power 75; Acc 80%. Attack element: Ice. with it. BloodSwdEquipment: SwordsEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Kain. Power 45; Acc 50%; Strength −5, Agility −5, Vitality −5, Wisdom −5, Will −5. Effective against Giant, Pudding, Undead enemies. Drains HP; undead can reverse the benefit. drains HP from living targets, but has poor accuracy and lowers the five primary stats. Like BloodSprEquipment: Lances and spearsEquippable by Kain. Power 88; Acc 22%; Strength −10, Agility −10, Vitality −10, Wisdom −10, Will −10. Effective against Giant, Pudding, Undead enemies. Drains HP; undead can reverse the benefit., this is a special-purpose weapon, not a straightforward upgrade because it came from a guarded chest. Collect it, keep your reliable travel weapon equipped, and store it later if you want to retain the collection.

Meet Edge

Outside the save room, check west for Soft, then head north to the confrontation. The duel is scripted; you aren’t being asked to win Rubicant’s real boss battle with one unfamiliar character.

After the scenes, Edge joins the party. He arrives with two KunaiEquipment: Ninja swordsEquippable by Edge. Power 25; Acc 90%., BandannaEquipment: HeadgearEquippable by Everyone except Cecil (Dark Knight). Def 3; Eva +2%; Mag Def 1; Mag Eva 1%; Strength +5, Vitality +5., BlkBeltEquipment: Body armorEquippable by Everyone except Cecil (Dark Knight). Def 10; Eva +20%; Mag Def 3; Mag Eva 2%; Strength +5, Vitality +5., and Mythril arms. That is a usable outfit. You don’t need to turn around and buy his own starting weapons for him.

Edge is ambidextrous and can equip a weapon in each hand. Keep the two KunaiEquipment: Ninja swordsEquippable by Edge. Power 25; Acc 90%. for now, leave DancingEquipmentEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Kain, Edge, Rydia (both forms), Palom, Edward. Power 28; Acc 94%. Reusable Item attack with no MP cost. with Rydia, and save your ShurikenEquipment: ThrowablesEquippable by Edge (Throw only). Power 40; Acc 99%. Attack element: Projectile. Consumed by Edge’s Throw; not an equippable hand weapon. for fights that deserve a consumable. His Throw command spends the item you select; it isn’t another reusable rod trick. His NinjaAbilityOpens Edge's Ninja abilities, including elemental attacks and support techniques. Each selected ability has its own MP cost; Flame is available when he joins and costs 15 MP. menu starts with Flame, costing 15 MP. For the longer command and equipment reference, see Edge’s abilities.

Keep an eye on his HP. Being enthusiastic about fighting doesn’t make him as sturdy as Cecil. If he needs help surviving, have him use recovery items or Parry while the others finish a dangerous formation.

Before entering the tower, take the hidden wall passage near the exit to the chest in the western room for Ether2. Return to the save room if needed, heal the new party, and save. Then follow the northern route beyond the duel site into Babil.