Dwarven Castle
Rally-ho! The castle is open for exploration now, and we’ve acquired a considerably more capable summoner. Let’s get her dressed before sending her out to test that capability.
There are free items upstairs, useful shops, storage downstairs, and a free recovery pot on the way out. Resist the urge to buy one of everything before checking what we already own.
Rydia and the Shops
Put Rydia and Rosa in the back row. If you kept EquipmentEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Kain, Edge, Rydia (both forms), Palom, Edward. Power 28; Acc 94%. Reusable Item attack with no MP cost., equip it on Rydia; its reusable battle Item effect gives her something useful to do without spending MP. EquipmentEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Rydia (both forms), Rosa, Palom, Porom, Tellah, FuSoYa. Def 3; Eva −3%; Mag Def 5; Mag Eva 5%; Wisdom +3, Will +3. is a good retained headpiece. Compared with EquipmentEquippable by Everyone except Cecil (Dark Knight). Def 2; Eva −4%; Mag Def 3; Mag Eva 3%., it improves her casting stats as well as protection.
These are the most useful modest purchases for the party coming out of Zot:
| Purchase | Price | Who and why |
|---|---|---|
| Rune arms | 2,000 Gil | Rydia: replace Silver with better caster protection and stat bonuses. |
| Wizard body armor | 1,200 Gil | Rydia: an inexpensive defensive upgrade over EquipmentEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Rydia (both forms), Rosa, Palom, Porom, Tellah, FuSoYa. Def 3; Eva 0; Mag Def 3; Mag Eva 3%. Protects against Petrify.. |
| Equipment: ShieldsEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Kain, Cid. Def 3; Eva +28%; Mag Def 2; Mag Eva 2%. Resists Ice. | 1,250 Gil | Kain: compare with his Equipment: ShieldsEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Kain, Cid. Def 3; Eva +26%; Mag Def 2; Mag Eva 2%.. |
All three cost 4,450 Gil. Count anything already in your inventory before buying. Rosa can keep EquipmentEquippable by Rydia (both forms), Rosa, Porom. Def 7; Eva 0; Mag Def 10; Mag Eva 9%; Wisdom +10. Resists Lightning., Equipment: Body armorEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Rydia (both forms), Rosa, Palom, Porom, Tellah, FuSoYa. Def 5; Eva 0; Mag Def 5; Mag Eva 5%; Will +5., and Equipment: Hand armor and ringsEquippable by Edge, Rydia (both forms), Rosa, Yang, Palom, Porom, Edward, Tellah, FuSoYa. Def 5; Eva 0; Mag Def 8; Mag Eva 8%; Wisdom +3, Will +3. Protects against Silence. if you followed the Zot outfit plan.
Try Cid’s retained Flame body armor on Kain instead of buying another expensive suit. His spear goes in LHnd and shield in RHnd. The Equipment: AxesEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Kain, Cid. Power 62; Acc 69%; Strength +5, Agility −5, Vitality +5, Wisdom −5, Will −5. is available free in the east tower, so don’t buy its 15,000-Gil shop copy first. It can fit Cecil or Kain, but trades agility, casting stats, and accuracy for strength and vitality. Compare the full Status screen; a larger Attack number doesn’t make it a universal improvement.
Keep a non-Fire weapon available for the next dungeon. Equipment: SwordsEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Kain. Power 65; Acc 80%. Attack element: Fire. was useful in Zot, but fire-themed enemies are a good reason to change weapons again.
Tower Treasure Sweep
Start with the west tower, reached from the inn’s lower-left stairs. Check the southern pots on 4F for Bacchus, then work around the walls on the top floor to collect its four chests. Repeat the sweep in the east tower, including the Dwarf axe on 3F and another Bacchus in the 4F pots.
The rooftop treasure positions are:
| Position | West tower 5F | East tower 5F |
|---|---|---|
| North | Elixir | Strength arms |
| West | HiPotion | Ether1 |
| South | Equipment: Body armorEquippable by Everyone except Cecil (Dark Knight). Def 10; Eva +20%; Mag Def 3; Mag Eva 2%; Strength +5, Vitality +5. body armor | Elixir |
| East | Ether1 | HrGlass2 |
The walls make these rooms look more divided than they really are. Walk into the apparent dead ends and around the edges to reach the isolated chests.
Give Equipment: Body armorEquippable by Everyone except Cecil (Dark Knight). Def 10; Eva +20%; Mag Def 3; Mag Eva 2%; Strength +5, Vitality +5. to Yang in place of EquipmentEquippable by Everyone except Cecil (Dark Knight). Def 5; Eva +10%; Mag Def 2; Mag Eva 1%; Strength +3.. Strength arms are also worth trying, but that swap is a trade: more strength and offense, less defense and magic defense than Silver. Keep the outfit that suits how he is doing in your battles.
Optional: The Developers’ Rooms
Walk between the weapon and armor shop counters to reach the Rally-ho Pub. Its southeastern wall conceals the passage to the developers’ rooms. Talk to people and look around; this is a novelty detour, not another required dungeon.
The bookshelf in the Nap Room contains Smut. Yes, really. It’s a consumable joke item, not a key to a future quest. Using it produces its little effect and removes it from inventory. If you’d rather keep the souvenir, Fat Chocobo will accept it. Apparently the bird has no editorial standards.
Fat Chocobo and the Basement
From the inn and item-shop room, take the right-side stairs down to B1F. Search the pots near the Fat Chocobo alcove for three Gysahl. At the north end of the red-carpeted alcove between the pots, use Gysahl to call him.
This is a good time to store Cid’s unused hammer, spare armor, and the Eblan weapons you aren’t using. After the new outfits are settled, displaced EquipmentEquippable by Everyone except Cecil (Dark Knight). Def 5; Eva +10%; Mag Def 2; Mag Eva 1%; Strength +3., Silver, and Mythril pieces are candidates too. Keep EquipmentEquippable by Cecil (Paladin), Kain, Edge, Rydia (both forms), Palom, Edward. Power 28; Acc 94%. Reusable Item attack with no MP cost., your working weapons and arrows, useful casting gear, and recovery supplies. WeaponEquippable by Cecil (Paladin). Power 40; Acc 99%; Will +3. Attack element: Holy. Keep for the forging quest; it cannot be stored with Fat Chocobo. still isn’t eligible for storage.
Leave room for more equipment. A bag with one empty slot is technically not full, but it is also one chest away from another argument with the inventory screen.
Talk to the dwarf who acknowledges the king’s permission and opens the onward route through the bookshelf. That passage is the way to the base outside, not an unexplored castle wing.
Three Cabins and a Free Recovery
Follow the underground passage and check the eastern dead-end cluster for three Cabins. There are three separate pickups. After collecting them, continue toward the western stairs into Dwarven Base.
Don’t spend ages investigating every open container in the base. Near its western exit stairs, a dwarf identifies the adjacent pot as Water of Life. Use it to restore HP and MP before leaving. Remember this spot if you need to come back for recovery; it saves both money and supplies.
Outside, save your game. The next destination is the Tower of Babil, west and a little north along the available land route. The dwarves’ attack provides the story’s distraction; you don’t need to manufacture one by grinding for an hour first. Of course, if you want to invest a little time in the party, I’m not going to pretend I don’t understand.
Ice is useful against BlackLiz and Tortoise. Watch BlackLiz’s Petrify and clear dangerous targets promptly. Rydia can use MagicBlack Magic in Tellah's post-trial menu, costing 15 MP. Its effect has not yet been tested on this run. or Shiva for appropriate groups, but a simple fight doesn’t need an expensive summon. Keep enough MP and recovery for the tower itself.