Final Fantasy VIII Disc 2
Attacking Galbadia Garden
Prep Work
This is a long section, but you’ll be able to save at regular intervals. If the guide mentions a save or draw point that you don’t see, the assumption is that you have the GF AbilityReveals hidden save points and draw points. Learned by Siren. ability equipped. Heal up your party and head toward Galbadia Garden - it’s floating over a bunch of trees near Edea’s House. After seeing Galbadia in binoculars with lenses that seem to be made of wax paper, Squall will be asked to make announcements.
Pick the useful announcements, then press “no orders/end.” I chose:
- prepare for attack
- prepare for defense
- take care of lower classmen
- and call my comrades.
If you jabber on about meaningless stuff everyone gets confused and it’s kinda comical but your comrades won’t be impressed. When the announcement is finished, head down the elevator. Squall tells you not to bother junctioning yet, and he isn’t kidding.
Head down the elevator and watch the CG of a deer with bad tendonitis. Talk to everyone you meet (so that Squall looks important?) When you get control again, head for the L2 classroom. Talk to the people there, then head back to the elevator and go to the Quad on the first floor. You can save by the trash can in front of Strategist the guy in the wheel-chair. At the Quad, talk to everyone, then try to leave. Nida comes on the air and requests you come to the bridge now, so go. Cool CG scenes.
Isn’t she Expendable?!?
You are now Zell, et al. JUNCTION, then head left to the main area. After the ring switch, head farther left and watch Rinoa fall. Head for the front gate to enlist Squall’s help. The team will divide again; junction (you may have to wait until you leave the turnstile screen before you can), then head to the elevator and select 2nd Floor.
Go left and enter the classroom. Beat the twerps here and talk to all the survivors. After sending the female student away, you will be summoned to the bridge. Head up and talk to the doctor, and after a lot of time, head for the classroom! (I know, it’s not obvious.) Talk to the guy that was supposed to be taking the students to the infirmary:
- Go help Mark
- Choose “Look around for another option.”
- Choose “Press the button for the emergency escape.”
Fight Strategy
If you get KO’d in the fight, don’t feel too bad. Before I figured out how to beat him, he knocked Squall off despite Squall’s 9999 health and 255 Str. Here’s a strategy that’s worked well for me:
- Hold the Square button to block attacks. Wait for him to pull back for a punch.
- Quickly choose Kick to stun him, then press triangle to punch while he’s stunned.
- Repeat until you can choose a new option: Deathblow.
If he knocks you off enough times, you might find you can just hold triangle and beat him. YMMV.
Enter the Garden
Land and listen to the dialogue, and eventually you can enter Galbadia Garden. There is an Aura draw point in the distance past the entrance. Head in, choose a party, junction and save your game. Check out the draw list:
Area Enemies: Galbadia Garden
| Enemy | Location | Card / Rare Card | Useful Draws |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blitz | Galbadia Garden | Blitz Card / Propagator Card | Lv 1-19: Thunder; Lv 20-29: Thunder, Thundara; Lv 30+: Thunder, Thundara, Thundaga |
| Creeps | Galbadia Garden | Creeps Card / Sphinxara Card | Lv 1-29: Thunder, Life; Lv 30+: Thundara, Life, Drain |
| Death Claw | Galbadia Garden | Death Claw Card / Granaldo Card | Lv 1-19: Aero; Lv 20-29: Aero, Dispel; Lv 30+: Aero, Dispel, Reflect |
| Elite Soldier | Galbadia Garden | - / - | Lv 1-19: Fire, Thunder, Blizzard, Scan; Lv 20-29: Fira, Thundara, Blizzara, Scan; Lv 30+: Firaga, Thundaga, Blizzaga, Dispel |
| G-Soldier | Galbadia Garden | - / - | Lv 1-19: Fire, Thunder, Blizzard, Cure; Lv 20-29: Fira, Thundara, Blizzara, Cura; Lv 30+: Firaga, Thundaga, Blizzaga, Curaga |
| GIM52A | Galbadia Garden | - / - | Lv 1-19: Haste, Slow; Lv 20-29: Haste, Slow, Dispel; Lv 30+: Haste, Slow, Esuna, Dispel |
| Jelleye | Galbadia Garden | Jelleye Card / Fujin, Raijin Card | Lv 1-19: Fire, Thunder, Blizzard; Lv 20-29: Fira, Thundara, Blizzara; Lv 30+: Firaga, Thundaga, Blizzaga |
| SAM08G | Galbadia Garden | SAM08G Card / X-ATM092 Card | Lv 1-19: Shell, Protect; Lv 20-29: Shell, Protect, Life; Lv 30+: Shell, Protect, Reflect, Life |
| Slapper | Galbadia Garden | - / - | Lv 1-19: Blizzard; Lv 20-29: Blizzard, Blizzara, Water; Lv 30+: Blizzard, Blizzara, Blizzaga, Water |
| Tri-Face | Galbadia Garden | Tri-Face Card / - | Lv 30+: Pain, Bio, Flare, Stop |
If an enemy is too high a level above you, don’t forget that you can use Guardian ForceGuardian Force earned by defeating enough Tonberries in the Centra Ruins. Tonberry brings LV Up, LV Down, shop abilities, and useful economy tricks. LV-Up ability to increase the level, draw the high-level spells, then LV-Down if it’s overpowering you.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Head right, then right again at the next hallway. |
| 2 | Go up the stairs to the 2nd floor and talk to some old friends. |
| 3 | Go left, past Raijin, and take the first door on your right. |
| 4 | Talk to the guy there for the first Key Card. |
| 5 | Go back the way you came and save at the save point. |
| 6 | Head left this time and use the key card to go through the door on the left. |
| 7 | Go forward. Draw Protect at the far goal and Life in the locker room. |
| 8 | Head out the door on the far right to access the hallway. |
| 9 | Head through the door on the right. |
| 10 | Talk to the guy there for Key Card 2. |
| 11 | Leave the room and go down twice to the save point. |
| 12 | Go right twice to return to the stairway and go past your friends to the third level. |
| 13 | Go up the stairs, then use Key Card 2 to go through the door. |
| 14 | Go left, jump off the ledge, continue left, draw Shell if you want, and enter Garden. |
| 15 | You should be on a screen with chandeliers. Go down three screens. |
Boss Fight Prep
Don’t immediately fight the obvious enemy. Head around Guardian ForceGuardian Force earned during the Galbadia Garden battle. Cerberus specializes in speed, status defense, and triple/double spell economy. and save your game. Make sure you can mug and that at least one person can Draw if you need Triple (and your party level is high enough; remember, you cannot use LV-Up on boss fights.) If you are keeping your team low level, junction Wind magic to Elem-Def. If they are higher level, junction Quake magic to your defense. Approach and “talk” to start the battle.
GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut. a ItemGF learns Spd-J ability from him, use Dispel to undo his buffs, then attack as normal.
Optimizing GF Distribution with Cerberus
Group 1: Siren, Carbuncle, Leviathan
Group 2: Quetz, Ifrit, Brothers, Tonberry, Cerberus
Group 3: Shiva, Diablos, Pandemona
Strategy: Adds speed and status defense to the group that may need Abilityx3.
Ability Priority: Spd-J, Spr-J, St-Def-J, St-Def-Jx2, St-Def-Jx4, Mag-J. Full list.
Save when finished, draw Haste from the draw point here if you want, then head left one screen.
- Go through the door on your left and talk to the girl there for Key Card 3.
- Back all the way back (past Guardian ForceGuardian Force earned during the Galbadia Garden battle. Cerberus specializes in speed, status defense, and triple/double spell economy.) to the stairs you passed leading up.
- At the top, go left and go up the elevator. There’s a save point to the right.
- Save if you want, then jump into battle.
Boss Fight Prep
This shouldn’t really be too tough at this point. The next battle is the tougher one.
Try to GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut. the Mega Phoenixes if you can. Then take him out. When he disappears, you’ll have to follow him. Go take the elevator to the bottom, then head down one screen and right past the stairs. Circle around the bottom of the screen and save your game at the save point.
Boss Fight Prep
You’ll get 50 AP from the upcoming battle, so set your SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities. to learn accordingly. Make sure you can mug, and make sure at least one character can draw or you’ll miss a SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities.. If you have Dispel magic you can keep the enemy occupied.
When you’re ready to fight, head into the auditorium to the right of the save point. Beat Seifer again, then DRAW Guardian ForceHoly-element Guardian Force drawn from Edea in Galbadia Garden. Alexander brings Revive, Med Data, Med LV Up, and high magic refinement. from Edea and GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut. the ItemGF learns Mag+60% ability before taking her out. If she hits your characters with status attacks, just draw-cast Esuna from her. Her Maelstrom attack can cause Curse - be sure to draw-cast Esuna to cure it (assuming you want to use limit breaks). Fun fact: She is reflected; if you cast Dispel at her she’ll waste time recasting Reflect instead. If you’re having trouble with killing them off before drawing/mugging what you want, don’t forget you can cast cure magic on enemies, too!
After the fireworks and dialogue you’ll be asked where you want to save the game. You know what that means! End of Disc Two! In the immortal words of Jon Bon Jovi, “Ooooooooooh We’re half-way there!”