Final Fantasy IV PS1 Walkthrough
Water Cavern
Head northeast from Kaipo and enter Water Cavern-South. Keep Cecil in front, Rydia in back, and your recovery items handy. This is a longer trip than Mist Cave, but at least there’s a place to rest along the way, and you’ll get a new party member along the way to make things easier, so don’t freak out when they start getting tough.
Use MagicA spell Rydia learns upon reaching Level 5; its list, icon, and MP cost remain to be captured. against Pike and EvilShel, and MagicA spell Rydia learns on her first level-up after joining, announced beside an ice icon. against the toads and Gator. WaterBug is the exception: use Cecil’s sword or Rydia’s Rod, since Bolt can provoke its healing Arise response. Tellah’s MagicA 5-MP Black Magic spell on Tellah's starting list that Rydia learns while melting the ice at Mt. Hobs-West. handles Jelly and Zombie once he joins. Early Zombie groups can be costly; don’t exhaust Rydia’s MP trying to force weak group spells to work.
Rydia can use her equipped Rod through Item: press up, choose the weapon, and select a target. Once you find EquipmentEquippable by Rydia (both forms), Palom, Tellah, FuSoYa. Power 5; Acc 45%. Attack element: Ice. Effective against Reptile enemies. Reusable Item spell: Ice1., the same trick casts MagicA spell Rydia learns on her first level-up after joining, announced beside an ice icon. without using MP. It isn’t a bug. Enjoy the free spell.
Cecil’s AbilityCecil's starting ability; its menu description says it sacrifices some of his HP to damage all enemies. can damage a group, but it costs HP. Keep that in mind when he’s also the person taking most of the hits. If an early Zombie group leaves you in bad shape, there’s nothing wrong with going outside to use a ItemField/save-point recovery, restoring up to 1,000 HP and 100 MP. At higher levels, check your remaining deficits before continuing..
Water Cavern-South
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cross the northern bridge. The left chest contains Potion and the right contains MaidKiss. |
| 2 | Return toward the entrance, go west across the bridges, then south for a ItemField/save-point recovery, restoring up to 1,000 HP and 100 MP. At higher levels, check your remaining deficits before continuing.. |
| 3 | Head north to the old man blocking the route. |
Meet Tellah. He’s a sage looking for his daughter, and he has some fairly strong opinions about the bard she left with. Conveniently, we’re going the same way.
Once he joins, put him in the back row with Rydia. His Cure2 and elemental spells are useful immediately. Especially Fire - use that on those pesky Zombies! His full spell list is on Tellah’s magic and levels if you want a reference.
Before taking the northern exit, finish the treasure sweep.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cross the bridge beyond Tellah’s meeting point and open the chest just up and right for Bomb. |
| 2 | Continue north and east through the water to the chest containing EquipmentEquippable by Edge, Rydia (both forms), Rosa, Yang, Palom, Porom, Edward, Tellah, FuSoYa. Def 2; Eva 0; Mag Def 2; Mag Eva 1%.. Give it to Tellah. |
| 3 | Walk through the waterfall to enter Secret Area. Yes, through it. Waterfalls have been suspicious in these games for a long time. |
| 4 | Open the lower-left chest for Ether2, upper-left for X-Potion, and rightmost for ItemRevives a KO'd ally. Can appear as loot from a FloatEye and Eagle formation southwest of Baron.. |
| 5 | Return to the meeting point and take the northern exit to B2F. |
B2F and a Place to Rest
Collect Potion and Ether1, then continue to the save-point room. Tellah explains that something with eight arms is waiting farther ahead and uses a ItemField/save-point recovery, restoring up to 1,000 HP and 100 MP. At higher levels, check your remaining deficits before continuing.. This restores the party for the next stretch.
Step onto the save field and save your game. If you get low on HP/MP around here (or if you want to grind a bit), you can use a ItemField/save-point recovery, restoring up to 1,000 HP and 100 MP. At higher levels, check your remaining deficits before continuing. here when you need one.
The next screen is also labeled B2F. Pick up EquipmentEquippable by Rydia (both forms), Palom, Tellah, FuSoYa. Power 5; Acc 45%. Attack element: Ice. Effective against Reptile enemies. Reusable Item spell: Ice1. and equip it on Rydia. Give her old Rod to Tellah if you’d like him to have a reusable attack as well; it lowers his displayed Attack slightly compared with Staff, but that’s not why we’re handing it over.
Continue to B3F.
B3F and the Hidden Passage
Take the eastern path first for 580 Gil and Bomb. Return to the fork, take the western route, and continue north through the door.
You’re back on a screen labeled B2F. From the entrance, there’s a hidden path at the far left. Follow it left, up, right, and down to emerge near the exit and a Potion chest. Go back into the hidden area and work up and right through the winding passage to find EquipmentEquippable by Everyone except Cecil (Dark Knight). Def 2; Eva −4%; Mag Def 3; Mag Eva 3%.. Put that on Tellah; it improves both his physical and magical defense.
Take the northern exit into Water Cavern-North.
Water Cavern-North
Follow the western ladder route for Ether1 and Notus. Return, cross the bridge, then head south for HrGlass1 and the EquipmentEquippable by Cecil (Dark Knight). Power 20; Acc 85%. Attack element: Darkness.. Have Cecil equip that sword immediately and watch his attack jump from 18 to 28.
The toads here can turn your characters into frogs. MaidKiss or Tellah’s MagicA 20-MP White Magic spell on Tellah's starting list. will deal with that, as will using a ItemField/save-point recovery, restoring up to 1,000 HP and 100 MP. At higher levels, check your remaining deficits before continuing. outside. Don’t permit (Kermit?) your characters to wander around being a little greener than usual.
Leave the cavern at the north and recover outside before entering Waterfall.
Waterfall and Lake
Stepping into the water immediately washes you down the falls. It doesn’t start the boss fight, but it is a one-way trip down.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Let the waterfall carry you down. |
| 2 | Explore the ladder route to the right for two chests: Hades helmet on the left and Equipment: Hand armor and ringsEquippable by Cecil (Dark Knight). Def 3; Eva −10%; Mag Def 0; Mag Eva 0. on the right. Equip both on Cecil. |
| 3 | Continue toward the northwest doorway into Lake. |
| 4 | Cross the bridge east and head down to the two chests. The lower-right one contains Hermes (not an armor); the chest to its right contains Hades body armor. |
| 5 | Equip the armor, then go north toward the water. Heal before approaching the visible tentacles. |
Don’t count on one group MagicA 5-MP Black Magic spell on Tellah's starting list that Rydia learns while melting the ice at Mt. Hobs-West. to remove every Zombie in a large formation. Two casts left survivors in my six-Zombie battle; EquipmentEquippable by Rydia (both forms), Palom, Tellah, FuSoYa. Power 5; Acc 45%. Attack element: Ice. Effective against Reptile enemies. Reusable Item spell: Ice1. finished them. The important part is to arrive at the boss with resources left, not to make every random encounter look elegant.
Boss Fight Prep
Cecil should have Dark and his new Equipment: Body armorEquippable by Cecil (Dark Knight). Def 7; Eva −10%; Mag Def 2; Mag Eva 0. equipped. Keep Tellah and Rydia in back and restore everyone’s HP and MP before advancing.
The PS1 guides agree on 2,350 HP, and my approximate damage log fits that figure. As you hurt it, arms disappear and the fight becomes easier. Eventually it even announces that it’s weakening, though the spelling has an adventure of its own.
Keep attacking and healing until it’s gone, then follow Tellah north out of the cave.
Toward Damcyan
On the world map, head west and then north. You’ll see airships bomb the castle you’re approaching. Save outside before entering.
If an Imp drops an item also called Imp, don’t sell it. Use it to teach Rydia the Imp summon, which costs just 1 MP. (I got one while exploring this region, but it’s a lucky extra, not something you need before proceeding.)
For detailed enemy formations and rewards, see Enemy Records. Otherwise, continue into Damcyan Castle.