Final Fantasy IX Disc 1

Quina, Chocobo, and Gizamaluke

Leaving Lindblum

There’s nothing new you can do here in Lindblum, but feel free to head back to the business district and buy/synth stuff you couldn’t afford earlier. When you’re ready to move on, just return to Lindblum Castle and head down to the lowest level using the lift. The left trolley takes you to the Dragon Gate, but before you go there, head to the Serpent’s Gate via the trolley on the right and get the Wyerd Card at the top of the screen near the end of the train ride. Hop back on the trolley and this time head to the Dragon’s Gate. Buy stuff from the merchant if you need to.

Moonte (the moogle) is sitting at the bottom left of the screen. Read a letter from Stiltzkin, then save/mognet/ and search around the spot up from the stairs (hidden from view) on the right for a . You probably have new equipment, so be sure to equip everything you want on your characters. When ready, head out the door at the top of the screen.

Heading to Burmecia - Let’s Get Quina

Immediately after leaving the area, you’ll see a swamp looking thing straight out the front door (that’s north and slightly east; don’t forget you can use the ‘select’ button to bring up the mini-map and ). Head north until you see the raised area. When you see the question mark, you can enter Qu’s Marsh and pick up Quina.

Head forward a few screens to see the Mogster and Moggy. Go straight a few more screens (one through the brush until you meet Quina, and another through frogs to get to the Marsh/Master’s House. Go inside the house and talk to Qu Clan Member a couple of times, then leave. Go back down to the screen where Quina is and catch a frog. Just talk to it while it’s on the ground (not in the water) in order to catch it, then go talk to Quina. You’ll be treated to a few cut scenes.

You might as well add Quina to your party now, since you’ll be forced to accept them later, and it’ll make this next section a little bit easier. After Vivi’s interlude, be sure to equip Quina with a and enable the Millionaire ability to allow him to earn a ton of cash.

Head down one screen and you’ll notice that Quina wants to catch frogs. This is a mini-game. It’s the only way to get certain Quina equipment. See the Frog Catching section for more information. After catching some frogs (or not), head down and leave the marsh. Be sure to have Quina eat stuff as you go along.

Quina and Blue Magic

Unlike other characters who learn various magic by equipping items, Quina learns Blue Magic by eating things. As you are leaving Qu’s Marsh and heading toward Gizamaluke’s Grotto, there are some enemies that Quina can eat to learn new spells. I’ll alert you to these kinds of spells in the future like this:

Area Enemies & Blue Magic: Qu’s Marsh

Enemy	Eat to learn

	Frog Drop

See Blue Magic for the full reference.

Area Enemies & Blue Magic: Lindblum Plateau

Enemy	Eat to learn

See Blue Magic for the full reference.

Now that you have Quina, there are several Blue Magic skills you can learn before heading to Burmecia.

Note: Obtaining Blue Magic from the enemies back up the lift near Lindblum’s Business District must be done BEFORE you get to Gizamaluke’s Grotto. If you attempt to re-enter Lindblum after visiting the grotto, the soldier just inside the gate will tell you “Lindblum is on high alert. We’ve stopped all trolleys and closed off all entrances to the castle.” In other words, you can’t board the trolley and get back to the lift gate to fight these enemies. You can learn from a and from an . is probably worth learning, since the other option is learning it from a , which may be a little tricky, depending on your level at this point.

My First Chocobo

Area Enemies & Blue Magic: Dragon Gate and Chocobo’s Forest Area

Enemy	Eat to learn

See Blue Magic for the full reference.

When you leave the marsh, head due east along the mountains until you come to a river with a bridge. Cross the river and enter the tiny circular forest just ahead. Save (to retain Quina) and enter the forest. Welcome to Chocobo’s Forest. Be sure to see the Chocobos section for more information. There’s not much point in duplicating it here, after all.

Once you have your Chocobo (and all its glorious booty) you can head to Gizamaluke’s Grotto. Be sure to equip your party with the and you just found if you went searching for treasure on Choco. The chocobo detour took me one hour and 38 seconds (according to my save game times). It’s worth it! As long as you’re here, visit South Gate just north of Chocobo’s Forest for some . See Mordid’s Coffee for more information.

Gizamaluke’s Grotto

Area Enemies & Blue Magic: Gizamaluke’s Grotto

Enemy	Eat to learn



	—

— means this enemy does not teach Quina Blue Magic.

See Blue Magic for the full reference.

When you first enter the Grotto, head right and talk to the Burmecian Soldier there. Once you have the , go up to the door and ring it. You’ll open the door, but lose your bell. On to the next screen. You’ll fight a few black mages, then another few (they carry a and a , if you need them.) You’ll get another bell from beating these guys. Head up the stairs, but go to the tiny little door on the LEFT - not the big, obvious one at the top of the staircase.

You’ll be able to head around the bend to the walkway under which you came in. In the far left burned-out tower is a on the ground. Head over the bridge and go talk to the wounded guard and get his bell. Head back to the platform and ring the bell in the center (not the little bell that’s down the stairs and off to the far right). Give away a to the poor Mogmi by the large bell. In the chest under the bell you’ll get another . There are two exits at the top of the screen. Go to the one on the right and ring the bell. When it breaks, open the door and head inside.

You’ll find Mogmi in the back corner. Talk to her (mognet//save/etc). See that vine ahead? That leads to one of the most dangerous areas around. SAVE if you are going to try going up there, though there isn’t much up there for you right now. Remember this place, though. It’s the BEST place in the game to level-up. On your way out (the way you came in) Moguta will get you the , and tell you he’s “Kupo for Kupo Nuts.” (For those of you who didn’t leave through that era - early video games often had these little anachronisms.)

Fun Fact: Throughout the game you will occasionally receive a . Bring them to Moguta and exchange them for various items. Note that you can only hold one at a time, so be sure to come back here as soon as you receive them.

Warning: If you run into a , be careful. They are dangerous and can cause status abnormality Confuse on your guys, making them attack their comrades. Use thunder magic and try to kill it off (or have Quina eat it) quickly.

Head down past the bell to the lower right exit. It leads under the other path. Search under the path for a which you can equip to Vivi so he can learn Slow. A little further down that path are (just above and slightly right of the door to the right of the fallen wedding bell.) Now go back past the fallen bell and up to the door on the upper left.

Boss Fight Pre: Before you go through this final door, be ready. Equip everyone with a to reduce water damage. Set Bird Killer on anyone that has it. Otherwise, equip your best equipment and make sure Zidane can steal. Go through the door to meet:

Boss Fight: Master Gizamaluke

Steal	, ,
Weak / Absorbs	Weak to Thunder and Wind; Water is reduced, Earth has no effect
Reward	5 AP, 800 Gil
Drops
Strategy	Steal before attacking. Vulnerable to Slow, Darkness, and Silence.

Since I want Zidane to steal from him, I had Vivi cast slow and Quina use . It’s possible to hit him with Darkness and Silence by throwing a at him, but it’s inconsistent. His level must not be a multiple of 3, because I was unable to connect with Quina’s Blue Magic . After you’ve stolen what you want, start with the offense. This enemy is near water, so let loose with Thunder attacks. Zidane and Freya can attack while Quina plays healer. Zidane’s Scoop Art Dyne was very useful.

When the battle with is over, the scene switches and become…

Back to Dagger and Rusty

Don’t bother equipping them - they’re not going to fight anyone. Welcome to Grand Citadel South Gate. Walk up to the guards and talk to them, then watch a bit of a scene. When you end up inside the gate, look immediately to your left. There’s a chest hidden behind a barrel with a in it. To get folks moved so you can get through the alley:

Talk to the lady at the edge of the alley, and “console her”
Talk to the young man who is to the right of the gate you entered from (Chief Engineer).
Talk to the worker at the other gate.
Talk to the Chief Engineer again.

Now run down into the alley way. When the guard comes up and stops you, head over to where he is for your . Now duck back into the alley and try to be on lookout. (If you have a fast enough reaction time, you can make Steiner go to the other side of the alley, but he won’t notice that Dagger is changing.) When you are Dagger again, head left and open the chest, then talk to the moogle (Grimo). Mognet//save if you want, then head up the ramp to the car and “board” the tram. Head to the back right seats.