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Sunday, March 13, 2011

Final Fantasy XII - 35 - The Pharos at Ridorana - First Ascent

Overview: The coming area is massive. Massive doesn't really cover it actually, but it gets close. I mean... think the ascent of the Shinra building in FF 7, except you don't skip floors 1 through 65. Anyway, you'll want to tackle this place with a heavy supply of Remedies and X-Potions, and probably some MP healing items (or Syphon). Have three of any accessory the blocks a status effect is wise, and you can gain serious levels (or LP) with three Embroidered Tippets (or Golden Amulets if you haven't finished the License Board yet) Good Luck.

Pharos - First Ascent/ They Who Thirst Not
Enemies: Hydro
Guide: As you approach the western end of the area, Hydro attacks.

Strategy: Hydro likes to inflict a few different status effects, but Sap is his favorite. Also, he likes to use Fear to drain the party's MP, sometimes. I've gone through whole battles where he's never cast Fearga, other times he casts it constantly, you'll just have to wait and see. If you purchased the Holy Lance, equip it to take advantage of his weakness to Holy-element. Keep a Remedy Gambit on hand to deal with the rest of the side effects he inflicts. Also, despite his obvious undead... ness, he's not susceptible to the trick of damaging with healing items or spells. If you don't have a Holy Lance, you can inflict Oil on him and get your mage casting Firaga, and he can be Slowed and Confused which can buy you some time to rebuff and heal if you need to.

Guide: After the battle you can head back and save, or mount the stairs and watch the cutscene. I like the implication that Vaan can't read.

Pharos - First Ascent/ The Wellspring
Guide: Okay, there's a lot to take in at first. The giant pillar of water is... exciting to say the least. Also, you may notice the floor counter that appears below your minimap. Yup, starting at the bottom. There's a Way Stone in the middle of this area, but it's inactive. There's a Teleport Crystal to your left from the entrance, and due east from the entrance is a little word of warning to any unwelcome guests. If you follow the path around the central void you'll find an Altar of the Night, and it tells you to bring it the black orbs that are sometimes dropped by enemies. A lot to take in, yeah? If you feel you didn't come quite item prepared, use the Teleport Crystal to head back to civilization and grab some Remedies and X-Potions. Ready? Let's start small. Head south into the next area.

Pharos - First Ascent/ Wellspring Labyrinth
Enemies: Chimera Brain, Mimeo, Mistmare
Treasure: In the western end of this area you may find two chests that might have a White Mask and a Crystal Shield.
Guide: So, lots of new enemies, and as you fight them, you might notice that they leave behind little black-blue orbs floating in the air where they were defeated. Make sure to collect these. The paths here can be confusing, but your first goal is to reach the southern hallway that's separated from the two level room by a colonnade. You'll have to head through the rooms at the southeastern end of the map, then swing around. here, you'll find the location map for this area. Take a look. Pretty big? And this is the First Ascent. There's three in all. Head north and pass through all the areas here, collecting Black Orbs. There's a doorway in the southeastern corner that allows you to get into a portion of the Wellspring you can't access from the main area. Head in and use one of your Black Orbs at the Altar of the Night. It will tell you the first seal has been broken. Head back into the Labyrinth and head north. You'll pass a door called Threshold of the Night that you can't open. Don't worry about it just yet. In the northeastern area there's another door back into the Wellspring. Head in, and use another Black Orb at the Altar of the Night, then head back into the Labyrinth and head east until you've come full circle and can exit back into the Wellspring proper. Head to the south and give a final Black Orb to the Altar of the Night and it will tell you the seal is broken. Head back to the Threshold of the night and enter.

Pharos - First Ascent/ Dunes of Profaning Wind
Enemies: Pandaemonium
Guide: Bet you weren't expecting that, eh? You appear in a place that looks a lot like the Sandsea. There are a lot of weird rock formations around, but if you approach them, you get warped back to the start of the area. Hmm. You should head to the right, towards the slightly lighter rock formation. When you near, it stirs!

Strategy: Three things will get you through this battle with ease: Three Argyle Armlets, Three Fuzzy Miters, and Aeroga. Your mage should be on Foe: wind-weak - Aeroga, and you should keep an eye on his spell warnings. When he prepares Flash, equip everyone with Argyle Armlets, when he readies Stonegaze, switch to Fuzzy Miters. Also, casting Berserk on Reddas will turn him into a monster damage dealer.
At about 40% HP he'll bring up a Perfect Defense, immune to phsyical and magical damage, so re-buff, heal, and wait. When it drops, finish him off.

Guide: After defeating Pandaemonium, you'll be returned to the room you thought you were entering, and told the magicks binding the Way Stone have faded. Head back to the main part of The Wellspring and Save, then take the Way Stone to the next area.

Pharos - First Ascent/ Wellspring Ravel - 1st Flight
Enemies: Chimera Brain, Brainpan, Aeronite
Guide: You appear on the 10th Floor. Head out of the initial room and read the pillar. Essentially what it's trying to tell you is that Brainpans = Bridges, so whenever you see some, kill them and they create new paths. Head north from the starting point and approach the wall. You'll notice it's a Fool's Facade that you can go through and get a chest. Next, head east from the starting point and kill the two Brainpans sitting before the first span. When you walk over it, it becomes a solid platform. Continue down the path as it heads east. As you climb the stairs you'll encounter a Brainpan, and at the top, on the 14th Floor, another, sitting in front of a partial bridge. It won't be enough to reach the next area, so head up the stairs to the right. Kill the two Brainpans on the 15th Floor, then head back down and across the new bridge to reach a long flight of stairs. Climb these to reach the next area.

Pharos - First Ascent/ Wellspring Ravel - 2nd Flight
Enemies: Chimera Brain, Brainpan, Aeronite
Treasure: Beyond the Deidar bridge in this area you can find a Holy Rod.
Guide: Climb the stairs until you reach the 20th Floor, where you'll find a Brainpan. There's another in the small rooms behind him, so don't over look the second. Then, climb the stairs heading west to take out a third Brainpan. As you climb further, you might notice a wall to your left. If you approach, it will turn out to be another facade you can pass through, useful to remember for later. Keep heading up the stairs. At the 25th Floor, you'll run into three more Brainpans, and killing them will complete the bridge to the next section. You may notice, on the other side of the bridge, a gap, and a chest you can't reach. You'll have to get that later. Keep climbing, and at the 27th Floor, you'll reach the exit to the next area.

Pharos - First Ascent/ Wellspring Ravel - 3rd Flight
Enemies: Brainpan, Aeronite, Deidar, Chimera Brain
Treasure: Beyond the first Deidar bridge is a Dueling Mask, then beyond another Deidar bridge is a chest that with a Diamond Armlet, will be a Murasama, and without will be a Zeus Mace.
Guide: Head up the stairs to the 29th Floor and kill two Brainpans, then continue up. At the crossroad, head north to the Fool's Facade at the top of the stairs. Behind it is a chest. Then head south and go through the Ancient Door and kill the Brainpan behind it, then head to the end of the southern hall and kill a fourth Brainpan. Now head up the eastern path. At the top is a Diedar and two Brainpans. I recommend turning off your Gambits and killing the Brainpans. If you kill the Diedar, one of the portions of the bridge you're making disappears. In this case, there's an extra Brainpan so it doesn't matter, it's mostly there to teach you that Deidars destroy the paths you're making. On the 32nd Floor, there's a Brainpan and Deidar, just avoid the Deidar end of the platform and it hopefully won't wake up. At the 34th Floor you'll run into another set of Brainpans. Head north up the stairs and you'll see the large gap you're trying to fill in. Travel around the square area here killing all the Brainpans. You'll notice a new Brainpan when you come back to the start of the square. Keep moving around the square until you have the bridge built, then head across. There will be a small platform just before the exit to the next area, and a gap that looks like it needs a bridge. Head back and you'll find a Deidar at the square area. Once all the bridges in an area becomes solid, you can kill Deidars to reach new areas with treasure. But don't kill Brainpans while you're working on Deidar bridges. Kill three Deidars then head across the through the Fool's Facade. Here you'll find a treasure chest and another gap that needs a bridge. You might have to leave the map and return to get more Deidars to appear, but usually the Brainpans stop attacking once all of their bridges are completed. Once you're done with the two Deidar bridges, you could head back to the 2nd Flight and complete that Deidar bridge, then head back up.

Pharos - First Ascent/ Wellspring Ravel - 4th Flight
Enemies: Brainpan, Deidar, Chimera Brain
Guide: Head up the stairs, completely avoiding the Deidars here, there are no Deidar bridges you want to make. If Reddas becomes too much of a problem, attacking Deidars, kill him and turn off your Phoenix Down Gambits. At the 40th Floor you'll reach a series of chambers, head inside and kill the Brainpans but avoid another dastardly Deidar. After you're finished there head west and upwards, more Brainpans and Deidars to deal with. Don't miss the Brainpan on the 46th Floor, in the first chambers. On the 47th Floor you'll come across the first the bridge you've been making. They put plenty of extra Brainpans here just in case you killed all the Deidars as well. Head up the stairs from the bridge and into the next area.

Pharos - First Ascent/ Horizon's Break
Guide: Ah, a quiet Save area. After saving, head south and enter the side area to reach the exit.

Pharos - First Ascent/ Horizon's Cusp
Enemies: Slyt
Guide: Head up the stairs and you'll reach an Ancient Door. Second guardian eh? Set up some Foe: fire-weak - Firaga Gambits, and the usual Haste/Protect/Bravery/Bubble. When you enter, you're transported to a marsh area. There's only one path, follow it and the battle begins.

Strategy: The most important thing to do in this battle is fight Slyt over the ground in the middle of the area. Over the water he has damage resistance, and can hit more frequently. Over the land this boss can be killed very quickly, but over water he halves damage and has Regen. Get him to target a party member, then hit flee and bring your whole party to the edge of the island opposite him. He'll float to the middle of the island to come attack you, then let go of R2 and start attacking.
While it's not needed, you can Oil him, and take advantage of his already Water-element weakness and do massive damage that way too. Either way, not the hardest boss.

Guide: When you're done with the fishies, head on east to the Way Stone and warp to the next area.

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