Final Fantasy VIII Disc 3
Finding Esthar
Finding Esthar City
Once you have found out that Ellone’s in Esthar, go talk to Rinoa in the infirmary. Squall will now magically teleport to Fisherman’s Horizon and attempt to walk all the way to Esthar with Rinoa on his back. When you have control, walk right until the screen goes black and then appears again. Keep walking and eventually he’ll talk to Rinoa, and then walk some more. All your friends are, of course, waiting for you at the Esthar continent. Apparently they left before you and wanted to give you alone time?
Optional: low-level grind with Edea
If you are trying to keep your party as low a level as possible, technically you can put Edea in your party, KO the other two characters, and have her level up the other GF. If you wait a bit, though, you can also level up a very powerful SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities. you haven’t acquired yet.
Enter the continent, head east into the funny looking blurry pit area, then head straight into the icy wilderness. At the next screen, if you want Meteor or Thundaga, scale the head of the dinosaur skeleton on the right and climb up his back to access the ridge off to the right. The draw point on your right is Meteor, and if you cross the little skeleton bridge over the path, you can get to Thundaga. When finished there, climb back down and head straight along the path.
Head right at the next screen, and under the two skeleton bridges. Go straight one screen to arrive at the T. Head right one screen if you wish to save your game, otherwise take the left fork.
Boss Fight Prep
On the next screen you will be fighting an Abadon, so let’s prep a bit. Junction Holy or Fire to Elem-Atk, make sure whoever has Guardian ForceHoly-element Guardian Force drawn from Edea in Galbadia Garden. Alexander brings Revive, Med Data, Med LV Up, and high magic refinement. junctioned can call a SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities., and/or make sure your team can use Holy magic. He can inflict Curse with Lick, so make sure you’ve junctioned it to Status-Def if you can. If you’re level 30 or higher, he has Flare to draw, so consider transferring the Flare from your three party members to other characters.
GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut. a ItemGF learns Str+40% ability if you are either super lucky or super patient, then call Guardian ForceHoly-element Guardian Force drawn from Edea in Galbadia Garden. Alexander brings Revive, Med Data, Med LV Up, and high magic refinement., cast Holy or Curaga, and he should be quickly gone. If he’s at a high level, he may have Curaga, so you can draw-cast that at him for fun and profit. ;) After defeating him, use the exit in the top right to head to the next screen.
Welcome to Esthar City
The next screen is the entrance to Esthar City. The right path is a useless dead-end, so go to the middle of the screen where the flashing ladder is and press the inspect button. Marvel at the game physics and how Rinoa doesn’t fall off when Squall starts climbing the ladder. Her arms must be pretty heavy.
Climb the ladder, and head straight along the catwalk you appear on. At the next screen, you may play with the control panel if you would like to learn something about the whole camouflage thing, or just go straight to activate the elevator. Watch the non-pre-rendered scenes and then eventually arrive at the elevator stop. Head straight again and watch the decently cool pre-rendered sequence.
When the moving hexagon stops (suddenly becomes a trapezoid…?), head right. You know, for an amazingly advanced civilization, it seems odd that they haven’t invented handrails. Anyway, head right and you’ll hear that irritating sound, and if you are really unlucky your computer will freeze in the middle of it and make it go ON and ON and ON until you reboot and download the new drivers for your sound card. Some geeks have all the luck
Laguna at the Worst Possible Moment
You will be transported back to the land of Laguna.
When Ward and Kiros leave, go over to the elevator. Laguna will complain (big surprise there) about being hungry. To advance, follow this conversation sequence:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Talk to the Esthar Soldier on the right. |
| 2 | Talk to the Esthar Soldier on the left. |
| 3 | Talk to the Moomba twice. |
| 4 | Talk to the other worker. |
| 5 | Talk to the Moomba once more to trigger the battle. |
Battle Prep
When Kiros and Ward join you, the game transfers magic, but not SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities.. Pause before the battle and make sure they’re junctioned the way you want. Don’t forget to set all your abilities and junction magic as well.
Optimizing GF Distribution as Laguna
Laguna: Siren, Leviathan, Quetz, Ifrit, Alexander, Tonberry
Kiros: Shiva, Diablos, Pandemona
Ward: Brothers, Carbuncle, Cerberus
Strategy: This is a temporary Laguna-dream layout. It keeps Abilityx3 characters separated, gives Laguna Tonberry for LV Down, and keeps Alexander available for holy support while the game is busy helpfully unjunctioning everything.
After a few battles, head up the elevator and walk over by the weirdly dressed folks to learn some stuff. Keep walking toward them until Laguna makes a break for it. Talk to folks outside, and when you have control again, use the Death draw point and/or save if you want, then head back into Lunatic Pandora.
When you get inside, pick up MagazineWeapons Monthly issue: Disc 3; for Squall; found at Lunatic Pandora as Laguna; can be bought at Esthar Book Store (requires Familiar); unlocks Lion Heart, Shooting Star, Exeter, Strange Vision. on the floor, then head down the elevator. Talk to Odine, fight a battle, and then go up the elevator. You’ll get in the car and end up at Odine’s Lab. Fight another battle, use the double draw point and/or save your game, then sit on the little chair in the center of the room.
When this elevator stops, use the Flare draw point if you want, then head through the door. Fight again, and head over to the control panel on the right. Inspect it a few times to unlock the door downstairs, then go to the glass window on the far end of the room. When Laguna finishes yelling, go back down the elevator you came up in, and head through the door at the far end of the room. It was locked before.