Final Fantasy XII Walkthrough

Balfonheim and Ridorana Cataract

Back to Balfonheim

It’s time to head back to Balfonheim. If you’d like, take a side trip through Rabanastre and pick up the new Gambits. There are no new hunts yet, but Montblanc will give you 1,900 gil for killing Daedalus and another 1,900 gil for Tyrant. If Shemhazai was your eighth Esper, Eurek will give you a Nugget of GemsteelLootRequired for The Sunflower (3 sold) in the Bazaar. and two Teleport Stones. You might also want to complete the optional Earth Tyrant sidequest, if you haven’t already.

Bazaar Checkpoint: After Giruvegan

Sell ordinary repeatable Loot if you need gil, but keep deliberate late-game ingredients until their complete recipes are ready. In particular, do not casually sell or consume GemsteelLootRequired for The Sunflower (3 sold) in the Bazaar., High ArcanaLootRare Loot used in several top-tier Bazaar recipes; it can also be produced by the repeatable Life Crystal recipe., SerpentariusLootRare Loot used in the Tournesol recipe and produced by the repeatable Jewel of the Serpent Bazaar recipe., Empyreal SoulLootRequired for The Sunflower (3 sold) in the Bazaar., ScarletiteLootRequired for Matchless Steel (1 sold) in the Bazaar., Damascus SteelLootRequired for Matchless Steel (2 sold) in the Bazaar., Hell-Gate’s FlameLootRequired for Matchless Steel (2 sold) in the Bazaar., LifewickLootRequired for Well-forged Blade (3 sold) in the Bazaar., Emperor ScaleLootRequired for Well-forged Blade (2 sold) in the Bazaar., or one-time hunt Loot. The Bazaar planning table shows the complete batches and shared ingredients.

If you want a few more Espers under your belt, this is a useful time to go after ExodusEsperThe optional Mosphoran Highwaste Esper; items are sealed, Reflect complicates Magick, and a low-HP Paling forces the party to switch from weapons to non-elemental spells., CúchulainnEsperThe optional Garamsythe Waterway Esper; the battlefield continuously drains HP, so use Black Belts, keep Curaja and status recovery above attacks, and control the respawning Foobars., ZaleraEsperThe optional Barheim Passage Esper fought under a five-minute timer; block Disable and Sleep, remove Dead Bones, and use neutral damage or Cure-family Magick against the undead boss., ZeromusEsperThe optional Stilshrine Esper reached with the Stone of the Condemner; Magicks are sealed, so equip Pheasant Netsuke, build item-only recovery Gambits, and enter with full Mist Charges., ChaosEsperThe optional Necrohol Esper behind the three-medallion quest; Attack is sealed, so prepare Telekinesis, Gil Toss, Technicks, or non-elemental Magick and remove the four Chaosjets first., UltimaEsperThe optional Esper at the Great Crystal's Crystal Peak; absorb Holyja with White Masks or Sage's Rings, clear Reverse before healing, and adapt as the battlefield seals command categories in sequence., and ZodiarkEsperThe eastern Henne Mines Esper unlocked after The Mine Flayer and ten Espers; survive Darkja, avoid repeatedly using Dispel, use Holy early, and switch damage types with its barriers and affinity change., in that order. ;) You’re probably not strong enough to go after Zodiark yet, I would guess. Geomancer Yugelu opens the route only after the party has at least ten Espers, and the fight is reasonable to defer. The Espers page keeps the acquisition routes and setup together.

When you’ve had your fill, head back to Balfonheim. Go to the far west, talk to the Manse Watch, enter the Manse, and watch the cut scenes. Reddas joins again as a guest. Better than nothing.

The Strahl can now fly through Jagd. Congratulations, you’ve got an airship. I was able to start the Balfonheim Footrace by talking to Rikken a few times here. If he does not offer it yet, return after completing the Pharos. You must attempt that race to accept the Pylraster hunt, but you do not have to win.

Six New Hunts

On your way out of town, check the notice board in The Whitecap. Reddas joining opens six new hunts: Deathgaze, Diabolos, Piscodaemon, Wild Malboro, Catoblepas, and Fafnir.

Now that we have a bunch of hunts, and a new dude, let’s go use them all, shall we? You do not actually have to finish every one now. Fafnir is a major late-game endurance fight, and the hunt page identifies other sensible deferrals. Reddas is VERY powerful indeed, though, so this is an excellent time for the comfortable targets, the Hell Wyrm, or a Ribbon attempt in Cerobi Steppe.

Board the Strahl

Head to the Aerodrome and find the counter marked Private Airships. Board the Strahl and choose Ridorana Cataract in the Jagd Naldoa region. It’s on the far right of the world map. Pretty much no matter WHERE you are, just hold right and you’ll find it.

After the cut scene, use the Save Crystal ahead.

Ridorana Cataract

Take the east exit from Footfalls of the Past, then take the southern path into the Colosseum. Follow the left wall before the northern exit to find the urn. Congrats on your new map. ;) There are several treasure checks here, including a possible Cloud StaffWeapon: StaffA Magick-oriented staff that boosts Water, Wind, and Lightning damage. Use it on a caster exploiting those elements rather than treating its weapon Attack as the reason to equip it., but do not turn the first crossing into a mandatory reload project.

Leave the Colosseum by the northern path into City of Other Days. If you want Pallicant, clear every ordinary enemy here, leave, and return. Otherwise, continue east through Echoes From Time’s Garden. Abelisk may be waiting here if the Hunt Club is active, so check the enemy button before committing to the fight.

Continue east, stay floated, and save at the crystal along the Path of Hidden Blessing.

Save here before entering the next room. Hydro blocks the Pharos entrance, and you cannot flee that battle.