Final Fantasy X Side Quests

Thunder Plains Challenges

When you leave Guadosalam, you’ll be wandering out onto the Thunder Plains. If you time it right, you can jump out of the way of lightning bolts. This is considered a “minigame,” so you may want to practice it for a bit. Depending on how many bolts you can jump from, you can get cool prizes later.

There is another sidequest here involving the glowing QactuarFiendThunder Plains fiend tied to the glowing-stone sidequest; distinct from Bikanel Cactuars. Stones. You can begin both activities on the first visit, but the full lightning run is much easier after you have No EncountersEquipment AbilityPrevents random encounters while the relevant equipment is worn., and the Spirit Lance chest cannot be opened until you have the Celestial Mirror.

Lightning dodging

Optional: dodge lightning strikes minigame. If you have fast enough reflexes and enough patience, you can get some cool prizes here. If you are able to dodge 200 strikes in a row, you can get the Venus SigilKey ItemCelestial token used by Lulu's Onion Knight in the North American English PS2 release and by Rikku's Godhand under the alternate planet-name set., which is required for Lulu’s Onion Knight. Releases using the alternate planet-name set call it the Mars SigilKey ItemAuron's sigil for the final Masamune upgrade in the North American English PS2 release. instead.

The basic rule is simple: when the screen flashes white, press the normal confirm button once. Do not mash it; repeated presses make the dodge fail. Getting smooshed resets the consecutive counter to zero, though the game does remember your best completed streak for prizes.

Emulator: slow the timing window

If you’re emulating and the flash-to-input window is too fast, reduce the emulator’s execution speed before starting the run. A normal speed control keeps the game’s timing in emulated frames while making those frames pass more slowly in real time, giving you longer to react. Restore normal speed afterward. Exact controls and behavior vary by emulator, so test the setting on a few practice bolts before committing to your count. For a stronger assist, the Emulator Notes also explain the existing state-after-each-dodge option.

The reliable crater route

The original route simply ran around the southern area dodging random strikes. That works, but there is a much less hateful place to do it: in Thunder Plains - South, find the crater just south of the Travel Agency, beside the lightning tower between the two long crevices. Approaching the crater from the tower forces a lightning strike, so you can control when the flash happens instead of waiting for the weather to develop a sense of humor.

The record book inside the Travel Agency shows your best consecutive run and total hits, but entering that screen ends the current attempt. Check it before you begin or after you are finished, not somewhere around dodge 173.

Consecutive-dodge prizes

The chest outside the Travel Agency holds cumulative, one-time rewards. A 200-dodge run earns every unclaimed tier below:

Qactuar Stones and Spirit Lance

Remember the book on the Travel Agency counter that talks about High Summoner Gandof and the Qactuars? Read it first. After that, QactuarFiendThunder Plains fiend tied to the glowing-stone sidequest; distinct from Bikanel Cactuars. Stones around the Plains periodically glow blue. While one is glowing, “pray” to it with the same button used to recruit BlitzballMinigameSpira's underwater team sport and recurring minigame; successful actions earn player EXP, and later prizes include Wakka's Overdrives and Celestial Weapon components. players (not the normal confirm button.)

The first one kinda roams; after that, you have to go looking for the active one. There are two stones in the southern area and six in the northern area, including one hidden in a small eastern alcove in South. You only need three different glowing stones. When I played, I prayed to one in the upper-right of the northern area, then one in the southern-right area, then one in the southern-left area by the Save SphereField SystemField sphere used to save and restore the party's HP and MP; later spheres also connect to the airship.. The exact active stones can vary, so wait for the blue glow instead of trying to force that order.

Each prayer changes ordinary QactuarFiendThunder Plains fiend tied to the glowing-stone sidequest; distinct from Bikanel Cactuars. encounters from one QactuarFiendThunder Plains fiend tied to the glowing-stone sidequest; distinct from Bikanel Cactuars. to two, then three. That makes this quest useful for the Monster Arena tracker, but also a little pointier. Kill some Qactuars if you can. Lots o’ AP! But be SURE to steal a Chocobo FeatherItemUse item that grants Haste to one character for the battle. from one; ten of these let you teach an aeonBattle SystemA summoned ally that replaces the active party until it is dismissed, defeated, or wins the battle. Haste. I usually use a GrenadeItemUse item that deals physical damage to all enemies. to weaken the Qactuars and then kill them off with Wakka or Tidus’s special attack.

After the third prayer, look for the ghostly QactuarFiendThunder Plains fiend tied to the glowing-stone sidequest; distinct from Bikanel Cactuars. in the southern area and follow him to a leaning, broken lightning tower along the eastern wall toward the bottom-right corner. It’s not totally obvious when you get there, just FYI. Pray at the broken tower with the same recruit button.

A box will appear that you can’t open unless you happen to have the Celestial Mirror already. If you’ve been following along, you probably did the Remiem Temple quest first, so you should have it by now. Use the Celestial Mirror route if not, then return and open the chest for the Spirit Lance. Take this to the place where you charged the Celestial Mirror and have Kimahri present it after you find the proper crest and sigil. The Celestial Weapons page has those two parts without making this page pretend butterflies live in the Thunder Plains.

Later versions: avoid Dark IxionAeonLightning-aligned aeon acquired at Djose Temple; it absorbs Lightning and can cast Thundara when first obtained.

Dark IxionAeonLightning-aligned aeon acquired at Djose Temple; it absorbs Lightning and can cast Thundara when first obtained. does not exist in the original North American PlayStation 2 release. In International, PAL, HD Remaster, and derived versions, a Yevon soldier standing beneath a tower in Thunder Plains - North can summon him after the Calm Lands arrival scene. Do not speak to that soldier during ordinary cleanup. If you start Dark Ixion’sAeonLightning-aligned aeon acquired at Djose Temple; it absorbs Lightning and can cast Thundara when first obtained. first battle, northern lightning flashes and glowing QactuarFiendThunder Plains fiend tied to the glowing-stone sidequest; distinct from Bikanel Cactuars. Stones can stop until both encounters are finished.