Final Fantasy IX Disc 1

Ice Cavern and Dali

In the Ice Cave

When you have control again, you’ll wanna use the ATE to learn a bunch of stuff from “Teach Me Mogster.” Soon you’ll get your Moogle’s FluteItemthis is given to you by Mogster in the Evil Forest. Allows you to call on a Moogle anywhere on the world map. and be able to head south to the Ice Cavern. First, though, open your inventory and make sure to have Vivi and the princess in the back row, Zidane and Steiner in the front row, and check that you’ve got the best equipment in place for everyone.

On the way to the cave, be sure to wander around the little forest area just to the right of the cave. This is your first opportunity to meet Ragtime! Be sure to check out Ragtime for more information about how to interact with this guy.

If you really want to buy PotionsItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise) or if you need another Eye DropsItemRemove Status Effect: Darkness, you can head to North Gate’s Melda Arch. I don’t ever need those at this time, but if you do, follow the left mountain edge (you’ll be heading west, and slightly north) until you come to a weird arch with a ”?” over it. The chest here (kinda hidden, on the right) has an Eye DropsItemRemove Status Effect: Darkness. Slightly further along is another one, more hidden, with a PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise). If you listen at the gate, you can buy PotionsItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise) from the lady there. Unfortunately you cannot SELL some of the ones you’ve picked up, which would actually be helpful.

When you’re ready to leave this valley, you can continue on toward the cave. If you don’t already have a stock of OreJewelJewel used in battle for healing, as a Friendly Monster handout, and in synthesis. Keep a healthy stockpile., be sure to have Zidane steal both from them. You’ll want a few OreJewelJewel used in battle for healing, as a Friendly Monster handout, and in synthesis. Keep a healthy stockpile. in the battles ahead if you want to do the Friendly Monsters side quest. Steal a TentItemIf used in battle, inflicts Silence, Darkness and Poison. If used in the field, restores HP/MP at save moogle. or two if you can. Those allow you to restore HP/MP when you’re walking along the main map or when you meet a moogle.

Just inside the Ice Cavern, you can hop up on a ledge to get a TentItemIf used in battle, inflicts Silence, Darkness and Poison. If used in the field, restores HP/MP at save moogle.. At the next screen up, you’ll be able to go to the right, around behind the obvious stairs, and get a PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise). You’ll notice two sets of stairs. Take the ones on the right and examine the wall. When Vivi breaks it down, you can get an EtherItemRestore MP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise) from behind it. Now go over to the other stair and go to the far end of the next screen to find an ElixirItemFully restores one character's HP and MP. behind another wall. At the bottom right, you’ll see a log. Be sure to go ACROSS it and get the PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise) FIRST, then come to the bottom of it and examine it, which will cause Vivi to fry it, opening up a path down to a chest containing a Mage MasherEquipmentWeapon for Zidane. If you didn’t manage to steal one during your first battle, be sure to equip this so Zidane can learn Detect (a very cool skill!) and Flee.

On to the next screen. The easy chest has a Phoenix DownItemRevive a KO'd character in it. The dead end path can be melted to provide access to the other chest, which contains a Leather WristEquipmentArm Armor for: All Except Knights. If you didn’t get the one in the Evil Forest, be sure to equip this to Zidane so he can learn Beast Killer from it (and Vivi can learn Blizzard). Exit this screen to the north. On the next screen, take the left path and fry the moogle there. You’ll get another Teach Me Mogster lesson. After that, mognet, then tentItemIf used in battle, inflicts Silence, Darkness and Poison. If used in the field, restores HP/MP at save moogle. and/or save as needed and be on your way. Head down out of that room and out the cave exit to your right. You’ll have a cut scene, then you’ll need to go RIGHT toward the bell sound. Take this opportunity to equip your best gear and heal up, if you need to, before you encounter…

I’d leveled up a bit along the way, so it took me three hits to take care of the Black Waltz, and then 5 hits for the SealionEnemyIce Cavern boss paired with Black Waltz No. 1. Weak to Fire, absorbs Ice, and is immune to Water and Earth. Steal: Ether, Mythril Dagger. Drops: Phoenix Down.. I didn’t need to use any PotionsItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise) or anything. YMMV. If you need to heal for more than 150 HP, don’t forget about your Hi-PotionItemRestores HP: 300 outside battle or 450 in battle..

When the battle is over, head back and get everyone, then move out. If you didn’t have the Bandit skill before, you should have it now that you’ve stolen the Mythril DaggerEquipmentWeapon for Zidane; be sure to enable it to set Zidane to learn it and to increase your steal rate! Wouldn’t that have been nice during the battle where you were trying to steal it…?

To Dali and Beyond

Eventually, you’ll make it out of the cave and you’ll see the town of Dali in the distance.

Before you head to Dali, veer off and go to the tower looking thing first. Head inside the house there and talk to the guy, then look at the floating ship model. You’ll learn that if you can find the three types of coffee, he’ll trade you the floating ship model for it. See Mordid’s Coffee for more information. Go outside his house and straight down to find a Hi-PotionItemRestores HP: 300 outside battle or 450 in battle. in a chest. In the far distance, you can also find 135 Gil. Don’t bother heading up the stairs, yet.

In fact, leave the area and wander back and forth between the Ice Cavern and the town of Dali, fighting random enemies until you see a Brown MuFriendly MonsterFriendly Monster near the Ice Cavern/Dali route. Requests 1 Ore; rewards AP and a Potion. (unless you found him already). See the Friendly Monsters section for more information about Brown MuFriendly MonsterFriendly Monster near the Ice Cavern/Dali route. Requests 1 Ore; rewards AP and a Potion. and other friendly guys.

If you really want to buy a few low-end items (PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise), Phoenix DownItemRevive a KO'd character, AntidoteItemRemove Status Effect: Poison, Eye DropsItemRemove Status Effect: Darkness, or TentItemIf used in battle, inflicts Silence, Darkness and Poison. If used in the field, restores HP/MP at save moogle.) you can head south to South Gate (left from the Ice Cavern if you are facing Dali) and wait for Shop-Keep Mary. You can also sell her stuff like, oh, an extra PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise) or fifty (I like to keep 25-50 of any item on hand, but I’m an item hoarder.) You may be tempted when you see you’ll get 250 Gil for EACH OreJewelJewel used in battle for healing, as a Friendly Monster handout, and in synthesis. Keep a healthy stockpile. you sell her, but be aware that you will need large numbers of them eventually. I usually keep around 70 and sell the rest when I need the money for something.

When you’re ready to advance the story, head into the Town of Dali. Your party will figure out what they want to do next and split up. Watch your ATEs to see what’s going on, then take a look around the inn room. You can get your fortune read at the machine on the far left. You’ll get one of these:

• Good Omen: Today will be a day filled with Deja Vu. You will see familiar sights and eat foods that you tasted long ago. You may find a long-lost friend. Take a moment to recall good memories.
• Good Omen: A good day filled with many of life’s simple pleasures. A nice breeze will greet you as you step out. You will make new friends and replace a lost item with a new one. Be yourself and let good fortune come to you.
• Good Omen: A nice day to relax and put your mind at ease. Lost things will be returned to you, and you will eat foods that are gentle to your body. A good day to spend indoors or out!
• Very Good Omen: An auspicious day for you to go out and have fun! You’ll find lost money and lost items. You’ll also eat lots of yummy food, and meet interesting people. Go out and share your luck with the ones you love!
• Bad Omen: There are good days, and there are bad days. You may be prone to injury and sickness today. Be careful of losing items and meeting strangers. You are better off staying home today.

You’ll get a lucky color of either blue, red, yellow, green, or white. Then it tells you you can buy gems in the Lindblum Theater district by the air cab station. Just look for the big clock. Just below the machine is a chest with a PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise). Across the room from that is a chest with an AntidoteItemRemove Status Effect: Poison. Up in the top right is a library with odd books.

Leave the room to get access to a few ATEs. There are a total of six in this village and you have to watch them in a specific order to see them all:

1. Watch “Vivi, Confused”
2. “Dagger Tries”

Just outside your door is Gumo the moogle. You have a letter for him. Pet the cat on the fireplace if you want and/or save your game.

3. Leave the inn and watch “Cat’s Eye”
4. Continue down the path a bit and watch “Cat’s Eye 2”
5. Head back into the inn and watch “Dagger Tries Harder”
6. Go to the Weapon Shop and talk to Dagger (don’t mention RubyJewelJewel that teaches Carbuncle.). Watch “Queen Brahne’s Steiner”

Purchase 5x Feather HatEquipmentHead Armor for: Zidane, Vivi, Eiko, Quina and Dagger (you’ll be able to synth these), and make sure you have TWO Leather WristEquipmentArm Armor for: All Except Knights (you’ll get another Leather WristEquipmentArm Armor for: All Except Knights before more battles, so you only need two at this time.) Zidane can learn stuff from it, but they are also the best defense for Vivi and Dagger at this point.

When you’re done buying armor, look through the window just across the little bridge. You may be able to watch Dagger practice her new language skills here. Straight across the street from that is a stash of 120 Gil on the ground. If you need items, follow the path and go through the door on your right to find the item shop (PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise), Phoenix DownItemRevive a KO'd character, AntidoteItemRemove Status Effect: Poison, Eye DropsItemRemove Status Effect: Darkness and TentItemIf used in battle, inflicts Silence, Darkness and Poison. If used in the field, restores HP/MP at save moogle.). You’ll see Vivi there, but don’t talk to him yet. Go past him and enter the windmill via the door to the left of him.

At the back left is the AriesStellazio CoinOne of 12 Stellazio Coins. Give to Queen Stella. See 'Stellazio Section' for more information. coin. See the Stellazio Coins section for more information about these. There are chests up the ladder, but you can’t get to them yet. Talk to the guy sitting in the main room and then head out and go talk to Vivi. Watch a brief cut scene and then go look through the window across the bridge if you didn’t see Dagger there before. Return to the Inn (or find her elsewhere if she’s not there.) After a few cut scenes, you’ll be in control of Dagger and Zidane. Be sure to equip the Feather HatEquipmentHead Armor for: Zidane, Vivi, Eiko, Quina and Dagger for each of them.

Technically you can leave the village and level up as just these two, but I don’t see much point in that at this time. Anyway, go over where Vivi was listening to the chocobo and have a short cut scene. Head back into the windmill and search where the young boy was “standing guard” before, then select “Go Down.”

In a Cavern; In a Windmill

At the bottom of the stairs, past the mini-elevator is a chest with 156 Gil. Grab that and head down the tunnel. Watch for a bit and then search around where Vivi was in the gazebo. Come to think of it, why does a gazebo (complete with roof) exist down in a cellar…?

(OOH! me: I TAUNT the gazebo! DM: It doesn’t do anything. It’s a GAZEBO! Me: Can I fire an arrow at it? roll for it DM: OK. Now the gazebo has an arrow sticking out of it. My apologies if that whole exchange went past you.)

Anyway… There’s a PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise) inside it and an Eye DropsItemRemove Status Effect: Darkness across the path.

On the next screen, examine the barrel twice to summon Kumop the moogle. Get a letter from him, save and head to the far left corner of the room. Examine the ledge to jump up and get an EtherItemRestore MP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise) out of one of the chests. Hop down and kick the winch for a PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise) out of the other chest.

Head further down the path to get to the next room. There are two chests here. Equip the Leather WristEquipmentArm Armor for: All Except Knights here to Dagger if she doesn’t already have one, and store the Iron HelmEquipmentHead Armor for: Knights Only for Rusty. Head to the next room and rescue Vivi (automagically).

Equip Vivi and make sure he’s set to learn Add Status from the Feather HatEquipmentHead Armor for: Zidane, Vivi, Eiko, Quina and Dagger. Examine the chest next to the door for 95 Gil then look at the weird machine. Now go back and save your game then go open the door with the mist coming out from under it. You’ll have to fight some ghosts here. Have Vivi use the black magic Fire on them and Zidane can steal a Phoenix PinionItemRevive a KO'd character (Can only be used in battle), Hi-PotionItemRestores HP: 300 outside battle or 450 in battle., PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise) and OreJewelJewel used in battle for healing, as a Friendly Monster handout, and in synthesis. Keep a healthy stockpile. from them. Dagger can just heal them (they’re ghosts; healing deals MAJOR damage). Wait… Isn’t a ghostEnemyDali underground enemy. Aerial/undead; Earth has no effect, Holy does half damage, and Wind/Shadow are weak points. Steal: Potion, Ore, Hi-Potion, Phoenix Pinion. Drops: Echo Screen. Quina can later eat it to learn Roulette. with a PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise) like Zidane carrying, say, arsenic? Oh, sorry; I got distracted by reality.

When you walk into the room Zidane will look around, then you can open those chests. The front one has a Phoenix DownItemRevive a KO'd character, and the one behind the machine has a PotionItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise). Totally hidden by the machine is a third one with a Phoenix PinionItemRevive a KO'd character (Can only be used in battle) in it. Head back into the previous room and run along the gang-plank near where the eggs are coming out. You’ll be able to go to the next room and observe some stuff.

Walk down toward the end and observe, then try to go to the next room. Heal up (that’s what the little delay here is about; hint: equip a Mage MasherEquipmentWeapon for Zidane and Add Status - you’ll want to silence something soon), then try to go to the next room again. Watch a cut scene or two then you’ll become Steiner. If you didn’t get the Iron HelmEquipmentHead Armor for: Knights Only from Plant BrainEnemyEvil Forest boss. Weak to Fire. Steal: Eye Drops, Iron Helm. Reward: 5 AP, 468 Gil. Drops: Phoenix Down, Potion. Pollen can inflict Darkness on everyone. and equip it already, equip the one you just found under the windmill, then follow Mordid down the stairs and into his house. Look around, then talk to him until you hear the cargo ship is here. Leave this area to end up as Steiner looking at some barrels. It doesn’t matter which thing you do, though poking it is kind of funny.

I hope you’re rested up and have your stuff equipped. Try to steal what you need before killing him off. Have Vivi and Dagger heal people up, and have Zidane steal while Rusty smacks him. If you have a Mage MasherEquipmentWeapon for Zidane with Add Status equipped here, you can silence him. Merry Christmas.

You’ll be given an opportunity to head back to the village and rest or to get on the airship immediately. I head back to the Inn for a little Deja Vu and saving action. If you managed to steal it, equip the Leather PlateEquipmentArmor for: Zidane, Amarant to Zidane and the Steepled HatEquipmentHead Armor for: Zidane, Vivi, Eiko, Quina and Dagger to Dagger. When you are ready to move on, board the ship by walking to the farm patch and then trying to exit the village that way.

When you have control of Zidane again, head down the hall and up the ladder at the top of your screen. When you get on deck, you can go about 5 feet before Rusty wakes up. Once you have control again, head to the bridge (the only open door you can go in). After more cut scenes, you’ll have the chance to equip Zidane, Rusty and Vivi before fighting the next Black Waltz.

Vivi will go tranceSystemFF9 limit-break-like state that temporarily enhances character commands. as soon as the battle begins, so if you’re trying to steal be careful not to kill him off too fast. On the other hand, you’ll be able to BUY everything you can steal from this guy before you have another major battle, so it may not be worth your time. I mean, unless you really like to steal, or really hate to buy. Zidane should use physical attacks and tranceSystemFF9 limit-break-like state that temporarily enhances character commands., Vivi should 2x cast magic, and Steiner can heal folks with potionsItemRestore HP (150 if in battle, 100 otherwise)/hi-potionsItemRestores HP: 300 outside battle or 450 in battle..

After the battle, watch some cut scenes then head to Lindblum. (No; you can’t actually fly the airship.)