Final Fantasy XII - 25 - Tchita Uplands

Overview: The Malboros return! And, with the welcome development of being able to buy Remedies from shops now, you should enter the Tchita Uplands with a healthy supply, and Esuna at the ready. Aside from status effects, the biggest problem is how big the place is. Keep a close eye on your map, and sadly you won't find any map urn here. Your overall goal is Archades, to the northeast, but there are a good number of areas to the southeast that are worth exploring, and I'll talk about them after talking about reaching the exit. A secondary problem are Elementals. They only come out during cloudy weather, and not on all maps, but you probably won't see many your first time through, as the game keeps the weather sunny for your first visit.

Treasure: Tchita Uplands is an interesting place for treasure. There's only one chest on a map, and that one chest only has a 10% chance of showing up. Then, even if it shows up, you have a 50% chance of getting gil or an item rather than equipment. And to be honest, none of the equipment is that wonderful, with the exception of the Diamond Armlet, an accessory that modifies what items a chest might contain when it's equipped. Very useful. In the Realm of the Elder Dreamer a chest might contain a Maduin Gear, due north from the southern-most exit of the area. In the Oliphzak Rise, a chest might contain a Battle Harness, found along the southwestern edge of the map. In the Garden of Life's Circle, a chest might contain a Diamond Armlet, found along the southern border, near the middle. In the Lost Way, a chest might contain an Armguard, found near the exit to Garden of Life's Circle. In the Uazcuff Hills, a chest might contain a Dark Matter, found near the southern border. In the Sundered Earth, a chest might contain a Perseus Bow, found near the exit to the Uazcuff Hills. In the Highlands, a chest might contain a Shell Shield, found south of some ruins on the eastern end of the map. In the Fields of Eternity, a chest might contain a Fransisca, found in the southeast corner of the area.

Tchita Uplands/ Realm of the Elder Dreamer
Enemies: Malboro Overking, Serpent, Coeurl, Bellwyvern
Guide: The first of many massive areas. The Overkings concentrate on the high ridge in the northeast of this area, so they can be avoided if you wish. Head through the northern of the two eastern exits.

Tchita Uplands/ The Skytrail
Enemies: Coeurl, Serpent, Lizard, Bellwyvern
Guide: The northeastern section of this map is full, packed full of Serpents, the rest is split up by a stream, and you can find Lizards here. Exit to the east when you're done.

Tchita Uplands/ The Chosen Path
Guide: There's a Teleport Crystal, and a petulant little boy here. As soon as you talk to him he'll request that you perform a Hunt(?) of sorts, an unofficial one. Accept, and he'll give you some vague details, mainly just a location: Sochen Cave Palace. You'll have to travel through it to reach Archades anyway, so The Hunt Begins! Head east.

Tchita Uplands/ The Highlands
Enemies: Malboro Overking, Serpent, Coeurl, Kris (Trophy Game)
Guide: Another Malboro heavy map, especially the areas around the ruins. The north is mostly Coeurls and Serpents, and that's the way you want to go. Take the northern exit to the next area.

Tchita Uplands/ Fields of Eternity
Enemies: Coeurl, Serpent, Malboro Overking
Guide: The initial area is packed with Serpents, and the area up the ridge on the western edge of the map has a number of Malboro Overkings, your goal is due north from the ruins, the large cavern in the northern rock wall. Your 'Mark' and the Sochen Cave Palace are within.

Sochen Cave Palace/ Doubt Abandoned

Enemies: Imp, Gorgimera, Zombie Knight, Iguion

Guide: Head north through these twisting tunnels, but keep an eye out for chests, there are a lot of hidden niches holding treasure. When you reach the far northern door, heal up and enter.

Sochen Cave Palace/ Hall of Lambent Darkness

Enemies: Alraune King, Mandragora Prince, Onion Queen, Pumpkin Star, Topstalk

Guide: So... this is a boss battle. It starts after the little cutscene.

Strategy: There's little to worry about here, they're all rather weak, and the only worrisome tactic they have is inflicting status effects. If you start off with killing the Pumpkin Star first, the one who inflicts Confuse, you'll be a leg up. Focus on one at a time and it should be a matter of seconds before you kill it. Or, if you can get them to attack in a group, you can use a Quickening Chain to destroy them all at once.

Guide: Once you have defeated this horrible threat to civilization, you should head back to the boy to report the hunt successful. If you wish, you can go one room further in to save then head back out, but beware, the Save Crystal here is a Crystalbug. After returning to The Chosen Path, you'll see that his father has arrived. After being insulted by a child, you'll get a small sum of money and three remedies. Charming. The real benefit to reporting the hunt is that it gets your name in good with the Shady Hunters in the Phon Coast camp, and after your visit to Archades, they'll allow you to begin Trophy Game hunting.

You can now head back to Sochen Cave Palace and continue on to Archades, or explore the rest of the areas around the Tchita Uplands, which are described below.

Tchita Uplands/ Oliphzak Rise

Enemies: Coeurl, Serpent, Lizard, Feral Croc, Malboro Overking

Guide: Southeast of the Realm of the Elder Dreamer, this map has a lot more traps than most other maps on the Uplands, and a lake with Lizards and Feral Crocs who, on rare occasion, you can steal a high powered Dagger from, the Orichcalcum Dirk. The southern end of this map has a ruin, an as usual it's surrounded by Malboro Overkings.

Tchita Uplands/ The Nameless Spring

Guide: A small rest area, with a Save Crystal for your enjoyment. If you reach this area before going to The Chosen Path, you'll meet the Archadian Boy's Father, and he'll petition you to hunt down the Mandragoras within Sochen Cave Palace.

Tchita Uplands/ Garden of Life's Circle

Enemies: Lizard, Serpent, Tarasque (Rare Game)

Guide: That's a hell of a name. Stay off the path that runs through this place, it's littered with traps. You can head up the hill and reach The Highlands from here, or head east to the Lost Way. If you do head east, I recommend casting Float before you exit the Garden, as there are a number of traps on the other side.

Tchita Uplands/ The Lost Way

Enemies: Serpent, Coeurl, Lizard, Bellwyvern

Guide: The river that runs through the middle of this map has a higher concentration of Lizards than any other area in the Uplands. There's also usually a Bellwyvern hanging around the southeastern end of the map. Heading east you can enter the Uazcuff Hills.

Tchita Uplands/ Uazcuff Hills

Enemies: Serpent, Bellwyvern, Coeurl, Grimalkin (Trophy Game)

Guide: The area here is broken up into a number of different elevations, and if you enter from The Lost Way, you might find yourself ambushed by a Bellwyvern and a pack of Serpents. In the northwest you can reach the Sundered Earth, and heading east you can reach The Shaded Path.

Tchita Uplands/ Sundered Earth

Enemies: Coeurl, Serpent, Bellwyvern

Guide: This map connects between the Uazcuff Hills and The Highlands. It's got a lot of Serpents in the northern area, and more Bellwyverns that usual.

Tchita Uplands/ The Shaded Path

Guide: Landslides, clever move Square. This area would connect to the Cerobi Steppe, but it's inaccessible at the moment thanks to landslides. There is a Save Crystal at least.