Breath of Fire III Pete Karsanow's comments on other people's FAQs, and some stuff that I think is my own p.karsanow[AT}sbcglobal{DOT)net http://www.geocities.com/hentaihelper/p_rpgame.htm History: v1.2.4 changed the email again: 23 March 2004 v1.2.3 changed the email and website again: 14 May 2002 v1.2.2 changed email and website addresses, some text re-wrapping v1.2.1 OOPS! somehow lost new info and only kept the history, fixed! v1.2 added Thunder gene info, training Beyd : 04 October 1999 v1.1 many updates since, first website posting 02 July 1999 v1.0 started 06 August 1998 Table of Contents - Learning Skills from Monsters - Learning Skills from Masters - Dragon Genes - Things I wish they hadn't done (complaints) - Comments on Other Walkthroughs Learning Skills from Monsters 1. By "skills" I mean both spells and abilities. You don't get items from monsters with the Examine command. (Since you don't find out their HP, AP, or weaknesses using Examine, this should have been "Learn" instead.) 2. Only a character doing an Examine command during combat, before that particular monster uses an unknown (not learned yet by any character) has a chance of learning it. It is impossible to learn skills from a really fast monster that goes before all the characters do, e.g. Boss Goblin doing an Escape. Unfortunately, you can't easily tell exactly when a character is starting their Examine. Some actions take longer than others, so characters and monsters may act in a different order during a particular combat turn depending on what they do. 3. Only one of your characters can learn a particular skill, including both Masters and monsters as sources, e.g. if Rei learns Frost from Master Mygas, nobody else can learn Frost from the Amalgam monster, and vice versa. 4. Assuming that an "invisible roll against the character's chance to learn a skill" is done by the game at the time that a monster used a "new" skill after (at least one) character was doing an Examine, there are 3 possible results: a. failed the roll, nothing visible happens, you get no feedback as to if the skill can ever be learned by that character. Try again... b. roll succeeded, but this character can't learn this particular skill, so a "?" appears above the character, and you get a "You can't learn this ability" message. Pay attention to these, and avoid having this same character Examine any more in this combat if there is only that same one enemy skill that could possibly be learned. c. roll succeeded, a "!" appears above the character, you get a message, and that character learns that skill. What we've been waiting for! 5. Monsters do have finite AP, so skills with a non-zero AP cost can cause them to run out during combat! You can't learn a skill that the monster doesn't actually do, so once this starts to happen, you will want to go ahead and kill it if that skill was the only reason you were letting it live. I've had this happen to me with the Man Trap doing Dream Breath (which can't be learned?). 6. A skill and a spell (learned by a character at a level up, or known when they start) with the same name ARE different, e.g. Frost. They appear in different sections of Abilities, e.g. Attack and Skills. 7. A "?" appears in the HP bar for monsters, including bosses, the first time you encounter that type. Subsequent encounters will show an HP bar so you can see relative damage taken. I suggest killing a "new" monster as fast as possible, then trying to learn skills once you have an idea how quickly they can be killed. Unfortunately, with bosses there is only the first time... 8. Bosses (I call any unique monster a boss, even Pooch) will always have the "?" in the HP bar, so you have very little knowledge of how close you are to killing them. This is important because some monsters have a "desperation" skill they use only when they are close to dying, e.g. Nue's Jolt. So far, I have resorted to taking it very slowly against bosses, doing things like Pilfer and Blind at the start of combat, and then Examine or Defend by all the characters until I'm sure I've taken care of all the boss' skills. This takes a long time, you may not have my patience. Learning Skills from Masters 1. Read the stuff above regarding skills from monsters. 2. So, knowing that a "duplication" of a spell by a skill from a Master will occur if a particular character is aligned with a particular Master doesn't mean that you should not apprentice, or align another character instead. It just means that you'll have to use a Skill Ink sometime to move the "duplicate" skill to another character that can make use of it. 3. There is practically only one reason to have more than one character aligned with the same master. I think this is a good idea ONLY if you know you will be losing one character soon (through plot or plans to stop using them), the second character will go up a level AFTER the first one does until that time, AND you just must have the stuff you get from that Master as fast as possible. 4. By the way, characters not in use (or separated from the party by the plot) don't gain experience like those in use. This makes a difference to Masters only because you have to advance in levels to get things from them. 5. A source on the Net states that Master Durandal will prevent any apprentice from being able to use acquired skills while aligned. I haven't tested this. 6. I have collected a few sets of "level up" stats for Nina while aligned with Durandal, or not aligned to anyone. It just bugged me that Durandal had "???" listed... My current guess is that Durandal gives AP+1, Pwr+1, HP-2, Int-2, Agl-2 BUT I COULD BE VERY WRONG! In any event, Durandal gives such useless skills, and you learn them all in only 3 levels, that I would unalign from him as soon as you get Backhand (the only useful one). If somebody has done a really good study of how aligning with Durandal affects a character's stats, please notify me or the other BOF3 FAQ authors. 7. One source on the Net states that Teepo can learn Lightning from Sunder, which would be cool but practically useless if true. 8. Useless skills: Unmotivate - this has no apparent effect, EVER Feign Swing - just wastes time yes, these are both from Durandal... Dragon Genes 1. Yes, there is at least one dedicated FAQ for this, and HLP and FF cover it pretty well, EXCEPT for one thing: the HP of the dragon form. Turns out this is a fixed multiplier of Ryu's current maximum HP (NOT the current HP). So the following attempts to detail that one thing. 2. Based on having only the genes Flame, Frost, Defender, and Thorn, and Reverse, this is what I have so far: dragon form's starting HP after Accession is Ryu's current maximum HP times a multiplier, fractions dropped a. wimpy Whelp: HP*1.0 Defender + Reverse b. elemental Whelp: HP*1.2 Flame, Frost, Thunder, Thorn, Reverse Flame + Reverse, Frost + Reverse, Thunder + Reverse, Thorn + Reverse c. wimpy defensive Dragon: HP*1.3 Defender + Thorn + Reverse d. defensive Whelp: HP*1.5 Defender e. weak elemental Dragon: HP*1.6 Flame + Defender + Reverse, Frost + Defender + Reverse, Thunder + Defender + Reverse f. elemental Dragon: HP*1.8 Flame + Thorn, Frost + Thorn, Flame + Frost, Flame + Thunder, Frost + Thunder, Flame + Thorn + Reverse, Frost + Thorn + Reverse, Flame + Thunder + Thorn, Frost + Thunder + Thorn, Thunder + Thorn + Reverse g. defensive Dragon: HP*2.1 Flame + Defender, Frost + Defender Flame + Frost + Defender, Flame + Frost + Thorn, Flame + Frost + Reverse, Flame + Thunder + Defender, Frost + Thunder + Defender h. triple elemental Dragon [Trygon]: HP*2.2 (all 3 elemental breath weapons and no other attacks) Flame + Frost + Thunder i. tougher defensive Dragon: HP*2.4 Defender + Thorn, Flame + Defender + Thorn, Thunder + Defender + Thorn j. elemental defensive Dragon: HP*2.9 Frost + Defender + Thorn The adjective "elemental" doesn't always apply in the above, i.e. the dragon doesn't always have an elemental breath weapon and claw attack - this is just used because most of the results with the same HP multiplier ARE elementals. Same for "defensive". The "Whelp" and "Dragon" do always apply to the form though. 3. Note that the dragon form's HPs are always set to full when an Accession occurs, but the human form's HPs are remembered, so a Restore Form or involuntary change due to running out of AP or HP in dragon form will cause Ryu to change back to human form with the same number of HP as before the Accession. 4. Some FAQs say that you have the Flame gene "at start", or even "when facing Sunder and Bailo the first time". WRONG! You don't get the Flame gene until you meet Sunder and Bailo on Mt. Myrneg, which is the SECOND time you see them, and you can't use it until you fight them for the second time, under the Wyndia Royal Dungeon. Things I wish they hadn't done (complaints) 1. You can't see your current inventory of fish while fishing, unless you catch Manillo - which is too late, and not possible at many locations. You have to exit fishing, and call up inventory, then go back in. So if you lose track of how many Trout you need to buy something from Manillo... 2. The voice for the fishing screen sounds like Rocky Balboa with his mouth stuffed with cotton! 3. Some of the messages you get if you lose a lure or a fish gets away are unclear. It's best to check your gear to see if you still have a lure (don't know if a rod can break) if a fish ever gets away from you. I always save before I start fishing, restore if a unique lure (like my Coin and Heavy Caro near the start of the game) is ever lost, and save again each time I have to exit the fishing screen to check what I've caught lately. If you do lose a lure but you have more in inventory, it looks like the game automatically equips a replacement from inventory. 4. Moving around on the maps in the directions you want to go will often involve pressing two adjacent direction buttons. Why this wasn't changed so just one button was needed to walk in one of the 4 "cardinal" directions is beyond me. This is VERY annoying when trying to solve the timed puzzle with Nina at Momo's Tower, as it can be very difficult to get Nina lined up with the crystals to "shoot" them quickly. UPDATE: I didn't mention that I'm using the original PSX controller or a 1-hand one, but they both use 4 buttons for the direction controls. Just got a Mad Catz controller that should avoid this problem, we'll see... [nope, not much help; maybe I should have done the Momo's Tower puzzle BEFORE Momo joins] 5. Trying to learn a skill from a monster can be very difficult. I estimate that it took me about 30 tries to get Last Resort from an Orc - Ryu gained over 1100 experience and Nina went up at least one level. Some times, the Orc (or the one left if I killed half of a pair) just wouldn't do a Last Resort, and I got fed up after 6 or 7 rounds of just Ryu Defend, Nina Examine. But most times, the Orc would Last Resort in the first round, and nothing at all would appear over Nina, or the edge of the screen or a tree would be in the way, so I couldn't see if anything did. When she did learn Last Resort, I did NOT see anything appear over the characters, until the popup text message. Nina had at least a 75 Intelligence at the time. Verifying that nobody can learn a skill like Giant Growth took me over 2 hours, Ryu took the most time, even with all skills removed to Notes. 6. "Examine" should have been called "Learn". Comments on Other Walkthroughs 1. I've got two rather complete walkthroughs for BOF3 already, but they didn't answer all of my questions, or include things that I thought were important about play. The versions I had were: a. H. LaPierre's Version 2, June 4 1998 [called HLP] b. Fritz Fraundorf's Version 4.5, 30 July 1998 [called FF] From now on, I'll refer to HLP or FF as my source or target. 2. HLP general - I wish he would fix his line spacing, line length, and use of parentheses. The document opens in Word or WordPad with words dangling all over the place, and annoying things like(this). I also think he's got things completely backwards by putting the walkthrough at the end of the file, after all the stuff about specific game systems like genes and fishing. That's generic stuff. Specific criticisms are separate items below. Respecting his wishes, I'm not modifying his document, but I will be sending him this collection of comments when I have gone through the entire game once. 3. HLP Camp / Look at Skill Notes - A single Skill Ink can be used to move multiple skills around, from any characters to/from the Skill Notes. Consider it a large supply of quick-drying ink that lets you work as much as you want, but only for one session. 4. HLP & FF Masters - For HLP, I crunched the two sections about Masters into one, and rearranged the data for each one so I get name, where found, any requirement to align or contact, then statistic changes, and finally things gained at levels. Then I realized it would be bad to rearrange your walkthrough and post it on my site, so I started writing this document instead. BTW, you CAN get D'lonzo right after Momo's Tower, if you got all the weapons you could up to that point, including a Silver Knife from Manillo earlier, and switch unique weapons being used by the characters out to inventory just for D'lonzo's check. I WAS going to complain about the order that Masters were listed, but then I realized you're using the same order that the game does, instead of the order in which you first could align with them. In case you're interested, that would be: Mygas, Bunyan, Durandal, D'lonzo, Yggdrasil, ... 5. I know you can change the name of the main character at the start of a new game, and there are ways to change other names later in the game, but I'll use "Ryu" as the name of the main character. 6. HLP Abilities - It's important to note that some character abilities are present when the character starts (or resumes play in the case of Rei), and others are gained. I marked some as "(at start)" or "(at return)". Game designers should notice that some players (like me) will have too much time on their hands, and hang back beating up cheap monsters so they have too high a level for where they are in the game - I suggest granting powers for progressing through the plot, not just gaining levels. 7. There's a difference between monsters you fight on the "real" area maps and those you encounter on the "!" area map. The "!" area is deliberately for fighting, and the monsters there are usually easier. The "real" areas are unique. You are also always guaranteed a sack with an item on the "!" map, you just have to look for it. 8. HLP Skills - The list of abilities gained through learning isn't very useful unless you can relate it to progress through the plot. Here's my version so far: Skills learned from enemies or Masters: [in order of earliest expected acquisition] SKILL AP COST DESCRIPTION / HOW Burn 1 Flame attack vs one target Mage Eye monster in Cedar Valley & nearby ! areas Influence 0 Bait enemy [designate gullible monsters' target] Boss Goblin in Cedar Valley & nearby ! areas [only need to do this once, unless target dies, an enemy does another Influence, or Ryu does an Accession] Unmotivate 0 Target loses the will to fight [this doesn't seem to do anything!] Goblin in Cedar Valley & nearby ! areas Blind 0 Attack, induces blindness Ripper monster in Cedar Valley, Mt. Myrneg Jump 0 Jump attack (random damage) Rocky boss or Roach monster in McNeil Mansion Snap 0 Attack vs one target, lowers defense Pooch boss in McNeil Mansion Charge 0 Damage altered based on defense Volt monster in McNeil Mansion, Mt. Myrneg Frost 2 Frost attack vs one target Master Mygas or Amalgam boss in McNeil Mansion Double Blow 2 Double attack vs one target Nut Troop in Mt. Myrneg & vicinity Meditation 0 Raises intelligence when used, maximum x2 Master Mygas [I haven't seen this affect Int or anything else] Magic Ball 2 Attack using solid ball of magic Master Mygas [now only if you hang around Mt. Myrneg a while] Typhoon 7 Wind attack vs all targets Master Mygas [now only if you hang around Mt. Myrneg a while] Bone Dart 3 Bone attack, causes confusion Ghoul in Wyndia Family Crypt & earlier cemetery Feign Swing 0 Take a practice swing [no effect] Master Durandal Backhand 0 Attack vs one target, non lethal Master Durandal [useful for leaving a monster alive but easy to kill] Last Resort 0 Raises power by lowering defense to zero Orc in Mt. Boumore (east) & vicinity Blitz 0 Attack vs all, user's HP halved Hyper Bot in Momo's Tower Rest 0 Restores a few HP and AP Eye Bulb in Disposal Area *** THIS IS A NEW SKILL NOT LISTED PREVIOUSLY IN HLP *** [+5 HP, +1 AP] Air Raid 3 Attack, cancels next move Bomber in Disposal Area Monopolize 0 Steals all experience Master D'lonzo Intimidate 0 Cancels one target's movement Master D'lonzo Steal 0 Steals item from enemy Master D'lonzo Resist 2 Invulnerability for one turn Stallion Focus 0 Raise power when used, maximum x2 Master Bunyan Risky Blow 0 Critical damage if enemy is hit Master Bunyan *** this is as far as I've gotten *** Aura 20 Holy attack vs one target, power x2 Bad Back 0 Your enemy throws it's back out [no effect] Barrier 4 Raise one target's magic defense Benediction 20 Restores all dead members...? Berserk 2 Raises power for three turns, then death Blizzard 10 Frost attack vs all targets Celerity 0 Abilities up, usable at fixed time Charm 0 Increases chance of finding an item Chill 7 Frost attack, lowers agility Counter 0 Auto counter, attack when in use Cure 18 ?Heals and recovers status for one? [in FF] Draks in the desert, unparalyze them Demonbane 1 Attack, extra damage to devils Disembowel 0 Fatal blow, maximum HP down Douse 1 Weaken one target vs flame attacks Ebonfire 5 Non-elemental attack / single [in FF] Codger, occasionally cast by his Magic Shuffle Enlighten 2 Raises user's intelligence Evil Eye 7 Paralyze single target Flame Strike 1 Flame attack vs one target Flying Kick 0 Damage altered based on agility Frost Strike 4 Frost attack, induces sleep Gloom 1 Turns single target into undead Holy Strike 2 Holy attack vs one target Inferno 10 Flame attack vs all targets Kyrie 5 Destroy undead Lava Burst 7 Flame attack vs all targets Vulcans at Mt. Zublo, cast a fire spell on them Mighty Chop 0 Attack vs one target, ignores defense Mind Flay 0 Attack, lowers intelligence Mind Sword 2 Attack target with magic sword Mind's Eye 0 Raises to-hit percentage temporarily Multistrike 0 One - three attacks, half damage Myollnir 10 Electric attack vs one target Purify 4 Cures poison Recall 2 Cast random magic spell Sacrifice 1 Target = fatal wound, user = death Sanctuary 5 Dispells all support magic Shadow Walk 8 Warp attack, critical blow Shield 4 Raise all target's defense Sirocco 12 Flame + wind attack vs all targets Snooze 0 Restores a few HP and AP ? Spirit Blast 0 Attack vs one target, ignores defense ?Golem in Arena? Sudden Death 1 Casts death on random target Super Combo 12 Attack (one target), must press buttons in given sequence Target 0 Raises to-hit percentage, damage halved Thunderclap 4 Electric attack vs one target Thunderstrike 4 Electric attack, paralyzes Timed Blow 0 Damage = HP, user fatally wounded Tornado 4 Fatally wounds random target Transfer 10 Share AP with one target Trump 0 Usable at 0AP, casts random spell Tsunami 8 Reduces all targets' HP by half Wall of Fire 4 Flame attack vs one target War Shout 6 Raise all targets' power Ward of Light 5 Raises defense and counter attack percentage Wind Strike 1 Wind attack vs one target I've verified to my own satisfaction that Lucky Strike, at least as done by the Nut Archer, isn't a skill in the normal sense. In over 50 chances with Ryu, Nina, and Garr all doing Examine, I got no "?" or "!" or text messages about the skill. Apparently none of the other BOF3 FAQ authors got it either. I'll put in a list of skills that I've verified (with all the characters) CAN'T be learned. So far, those are: Astral Warp - from Amalgam Chlorine - from Curr, Nue Giant Growth - from Gonghead (check Rei & Teepo though) Lucky Strike - from Nut Archer, Vig (no "?" though) Nue Stomp - from Nue (try Sample 1 at end of game) Ovum - from Rocky Sleep - from Amalgam (try with other 4 characters on Ghost) 9. Looks like the game has each monster worth a fixed amount of XP, and divides that by the number of characters in the party, then rounds up. So a 2 XP Goblin is worth 1 XP to either 2 or 3 people, but an 8 XP Bat is worth 4 XP to 2 characters, or 3 XP to 3 characters. 10. HLP Enemies - I don't know how you could steal anything from the first 4 ghosts in McNeil Mansion, I guess these entries in "Stolen Item" are just what you can (rarely) get at the end of combat. Also, I've never seen Doksen do a Flare, and I let it try for about 20 rounds twice. 11. HLP Fishing - Press the L1 button before casting to get a scrolling view of where the fish are. I think the white lines are 10 meters. 12. The Jellyfish is useful only to get a single HP back, otherwise sell them, or catch them to try to remove them from the water. The fishing spots WILL run out of fish if you keep catching them, until fish either move in from deeper water, or they are replenished by the game. Exit the fishing screen and return later to get a new set of fish. 13. HLP Ch. 1 - When you are wandering around the Dauna Mine as a Whelp, be sure to inspect the first two dead miners to get a Melted Blade. Ryu can use it later. There's nothing on any other bodies or elsewhere in the mine, so other combats except the last one are optional. Also, I don't see how Ryu figures he has dragon blood based on those dreams. There are no dragons, or references to them. Maybe if you recognized a character from a previous BOF game, but this is the first one I've ever played. To me, these were just strange dreams or partial telepathic communication. 14. HLP Ch. 2 - In the first area outside of the house, you should talk to the two visible monsters (the Goblin and Eye Goo) to get some tutorial or help info, and also search the areas thoroughly for items now (while there are no monster attacks). Second, after meeting Rei and Teepo in McNeil, you can follow the plot or go beat up monsters instead. I suggest you go fight for at least a few levels, so you aren't so wimpy and don't get trashed when the plot forces you to go to Mt. Glaus later. Third, after Bunyan walks off, go get the sack that appeared behind the bushes where you were hiding earlier. Fourth, to win the firewood game with Bunyan, press Triangle just when the wood starts to tilt. 16 pieces should be enough. Fifth, the pond near Bunyan's has infinite Croc Tear items, but you must be standing between the two people, facing the water, and very close to the edge. As with all other BOF3 items, maximum you can carry is 99 of a particular type. Sixth, at the Mt. Glaus area there is a steep slope with green spots - these are clues that there are platforms (some with items) below, if you walk off the edge right there. To get off the platforms on the steep slope, go to the lower edge, sometimes the corners are best, and try a special move to jump off. You may also want to move through this area as quickly as possible when its just Teepo and Ryu, so you can get Rei back ASAP. Seventh, completely explore the cave before you jump in the water. There are a few good items on those skeletons and near the pile of stuff that looks like a dragon. Walk back out and rest/save at the house if you're having trouble with the monsters in the cave. The Currs can be really annoying if they poison you often. Eighth, the important thing about the dead Nue and her cubs is that the cubs died a while ago (unknown reason), and she was too stupid to do anything but keep bringing them food. Meaning that all the misery in the area was caused by a dumb monster, not just a nasty one. True, it had cubs, but they died, and the 3 heroes had nothing to do with that. But one question they never ask is, where's Daddy? Ninth, after killing Nue and seeing the dead cubs, you will not be able to enter the stream any more after you leave it at the end of this scene. Finally (!), this an awfully long chapter! 15. Standard adventuring protocol demands that you take everything that isn't nailed down, so empty any chests you see, take all visible sacks, inspect furniture like beds and bookcases and wardrobes... A unique feature of BOF3 is that Teepo can kick people (sometimes they give you a few zenny) and trees (those with visible fruit drop either a Berries or Teepo gets a "caterpillar sting" (?)(1 HP damage)) and rocks (they roll away possibly revealing a hole with possible goodies inside or cause something else to happen). Ryu can slash people (sometimes they give you a few zenny) and bushes (ditto) too. 16. If you're like me, and beat up monsters for a while before getting back on track with the plot, you'll find that you couldn't get to the Mt. Glaus area until after you successfully chop wood for Bunyan. It's just not there until then. 17. HLP Ch. 3 - When the game resumes, it is now spring, and the graphics for the areas are different! Cool! Did you see the rabbits? Any items you took earlier weren't replenished though. The cage that Ryu escaped is now gone. Now is a good time to build up your characters, before you get stuck somewhere that you can't leave (hint). Besides random encounters in many outdoor areas, you can deliberately enter "!" areas on the world map which have lots of random combats. In the "!" areas, there is always one sack somewhere. If you have searched thoroughly, you will have a Coin and Heavy Caro for fishing. Since Mygas takes all your money, you may want to go to the town first, buy things, then come back. 18. HLP Ch. 4 & FF Springtime - Before you go talk to Loki in the shack in the Farm area, go visit the McNeil Mansion and cow pasture area first. You should also go fishing for Trout and Rainbow Trout, and get enough to equip the party with a Silver Knife or 3, and buy Skill Ink with what you have left. The small house near the mansion wasn't there in the fall (yes, you can go to the Mansion from the Farm at the beginning of the game). You don't even need to be in the circle of light from a lantern to be caught. Walking near some of the "active" guards is enough. Just stay away from the stationary ones, and carefully and quickly run past the turning one (after the Wallet guard), the only one that you MUST pass. You are apparently stuck with those Eggs for the rest of the game. Before you go too far in the Mansion, Ryu and Teepo should also go to the left side of the entrance hall, and enter the dining room through a doorway that just isn't visible no matter how you twist and turn with R1. Not much in there, but it bothered me that you don't realize it's there when it's easy to get to. After you rejoin Rei, you can go back across the rope and rest and save again. Also, the ladder just past the smoking chimney just leads to a relatively empty pool or steam room area. There are a Broad Sword and Swallow Eye (FF: NOT Sparrow) on the roof too. And this chapter is also too long! 19. HLP Ch. 5 - SPOILER: Before you go back to the area with Rei's house, camp and move all skills from Rei and Teepo to Ryu or the Skill Notes. Also remove all equipment from Rei and Teepo, which will end the upcoming combat even quicker... I know the equipment is lost otherwise, the skills too? 20. HLP Ch. 6 - Bailo and Sunder actually haven't come for Teepo in particular, they just taunt him more than the others. Influence will work on Sunder (target Bailo), but not Bailo. Silence doesn't affect Bailo's Lightning. I could never Pilfer any items. You can use up all your AP in this combat, because Ryu will get a rest by the next time you see him. I tried to fight this out and got nowhere, the combat will basically last as long as you have HP restoring items, or are willing to use AP or items for healing. 21. HLP Ch. 7 & FF "Bailo and Sunder" - Gee, if I were Ryu I'd go back into the Mansion and KILL that McNeil! Bunyan says to come back if you're having trouble, but I guess that won't help, because by the time you think you're really in trouble, its too late! Actually, if you do go back to Bunyan after visiting Mt. Myrneg (but not finishing), you can align with him, but you're better off finishing Mygas first. Travelling alone through Mt. Myrneg and vicinity is a great way to build up Ryu's level, if you are careful. You can also learn Double Blow. The strange monster next to the chest at the beginning of Mt. Myrneg is another teacher, the two good hints it gives you are to use fire on Nut monsters, and ice on the Tarmen (which look like it). You should have Frost already, which will paralyze a Tarman - even then it may take several rounds more to kill it! You get cut off from prior territory once Ryu is captured. If you try to beat Bailo and Sunder, which FF says is possible, you have to build up Ryu at Mt. Myrneg first. Personally, I wasn't able to kill either Bailo (my preferred target) or Sunder before Nina woke up and they all ran away, either in Fire Whelp form (using Fire Claw or Fire Breath) or not. Attack just Nina, or use a healing item on her, to wake her up, or just ignore her for about 5 rounds and she wakes up anyway. Either way, she will do minor damage to Sunder then Escape. This causes both Bailo and Sunder to Escape on the next 2 rounds, and the combat ends. Ryu only has to do one Influence to Bailo for Sunder to keep attacking Bailo instead, unless Ryu does an Accession, which causes Sunder to attack the dragon instead from then on. 22. HLP Ch. 8 & FF "Bailo and Sunder" - There is an bag with a Life Shard on one of the lower trails on the east side of Mt. Boumore, so completely explore near the locked gates before you head up the steep slope - you won't ever get back to this area again. ??. FF "Enemy Skills" - Can get Charge from Volt. Can get Rest from Eye Bulb. ??. You may want to spend some time going after the timed puzzle at Momo's Tower BEFORE you get Momo, so you have only 2 characters running around instead of 3. It shouldn't slow down the PSX very much, but I need all the help I can get. Because of the skewed movement - you need to press 2 movement keys to move in one of the 4 cardinal directions on the screen - the standard controllers don't work too well; get one with 8-way movement instead of just 4 arrow buttons. ??. Momo starts (when she joins at the Tower) with: Level 10, 52 HP, 40 AP, Pwr 88, Def 40, Int 50, Agl 10; knows Heals Heal (4), Purify (4), and Assists Identify (0), Foretell (0), Protect (2), and Silence (2). Momo is the only character with Identify or Foretell, although you can ignore them if you rely on FAQ info. Identify may tell you what the monster's items are, or it may just return "?". I don't know what affects this, although I haven't seen it change during a battle, even if you kill several of that monster type. Momo's Foretell is rather strange. First, the "luck" part of what it tells you is apparently random, so ignore it. Second, the color part isn't explained anywhere, so FF and his contributors and I have figured out that the colors are the enemy's weaknesses, Gray if nothing else: Gray = normal weapons, Red = Fire, Blue = Ice, Yellow = Electricity, White = Holy, Green = ?, Orange = ?. For best results, do this when there is only one monster type left in the battle. Sorry, I forgot to write down Momo's starting equipment, except that she has Ammo at the start, and can get Flame Chrysm and Ice Chrysm very soon after. Her biggest problem when starting is low Defense and low Agility compared to Nina and Ryu (if you've been working on their levels), so Momo will be going last and taking lots of damage for a while. I suggest aligning her with D'lonzo when you can, as raising Momo's Agility and Accuracy are more important than HP or AP at first, and the skills are very useful. You might consider moving around Monopolize to the character you want to raise levels the most, at the expense of the others. ??. For an unknown reason, Momo couldn't use Intimidate in the Null Magic Hall at the Arena, even though it has a 0 AP cost. ??. Garr starts (when he joins you at Mykaess Gorge) with: Level 13, 99 HP, 7 AP, Pwr 84, Def 65, Int 21, Agl 9; Spear, Scale Mail, Titan Belt; knows Attacks Pyrokinesis (1), Flare (2). Pyrokinesis works much better than Flare against Stallion, but normal attack is as good or better. Garr has a high Reprisal rate (at least vs. Stallion). Too bad he doesn't have the "Lucky Strike" he used against Ryu in the Arena! At this time, Garr also can't lead the party. ??. Beyd only gains defense if your party does a "Miss" while Beyd is defending, and he does this only if you damage him a lot. He may stay defending for a while after you heal him too; just don't kill him or that training session ends. I wasn't able to find a nice way to change Beyd's equipment without doing more training. ??. Emphasize that the equipment you give Beyd for training is returned to you improved by one step. A Moon Sword became a Claymore, a Claymore became a Flare Sword, etc.