Part 46: Collecting Things

Chapter 43: Collecting Things
Today, our mission is collecting various odds and ends from around the world.


I don't give a damn about how I'm supposed to find this town. I know it's here, and it has everything I want.


While walking around in this forest, sometimes this happens. It has the random encounter sound, but the graphical effect is different.


It's the Phantom Village!


I guess that explains the name?


Yes! More importantly, your shops are in the real world!


The Phoenix Tower is a huge tower in the northern desert. This is how you scale it. I'll get to the damn thing eventually.


You are the worst bartender.


Hey! It's the black chocobo!


...I'm just wanting to buy things, really!


And I'm fairly certain you're a - wait, a piano?


The armor shop sells Crystal stuff, Black and White Robes, Circlets (which increase magic even more than the Sage's Miter), and Black Garbs, which improve agility and strength, and Black Cowls, which are just pretty strong.


Checking this tile of the counter opens up a secret path! You see, every shop in the Phantom Village has two salesmen. It's obvious with the item ship, as item shops have had two dudes since Rigole, but the rest are hidden.


The second armor shop sells Hermes Sandals (Auto-Haste is brutally awesome), elemental rings, and some other gimmicky stuff.


The magic store sells stuff that Exdeath destroying towns removed from existence.


The second shopkeeper is accessed from behind the store.


Level 6 magic is awesome. Even without Holy, Flare, or Meteor (which are from tablet dungeons and such), the supply here is sweet. Arise revives an ally with full HP; Dispel gets rid of beneficial effects which some trouble enemies use to great effect; Death just kills something; Osmose drains MP, removing all MP troubles forever...


Banish also kills something by throwing it into the Rift (even when one is in the Rift).

Quick is in a league all its own. It allows the caster to act twice with no interruptions. Two whole turns. Quick alone makes !Time worth it. Quick is obscene. Quick is the best spell in the game.


The weapon shop sells some strong weapons. Those without legendary weapons might find them handy.


Most of the other secrets in the Phantom Village are found this way, from the bar's back entrance.


In the bottom-most barrel you can reach is the Thief Knife. It sometimes replaces regular attacks with !Mug.


First, ya gotta...hmm... ...ya gotta ride around the world on a yellow chocobo! Howzat!?

This man's task may seem impossible, but Exdeath's rampant unmaking has made it simple.


Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit ain't goin' in that door.


The second weapon store is along this way. Fuma Shirukens are extremely powerful shirukens. Besides the weapons on sale, it's ninja supplies.


There are some hidden paths in that room with the blue door. This one item hidden is the piano.


There's also a staircase leading up to the black chocobo. He's the only way to get to North Mountain and the Phoenix Tower.


Moore has a shiny new toy for us.


This shed is unlocked.


There's a maze here, but you can't see for the trees. When you get to the end...


...Or just very lucky. How's this: I'll let you decide. Think you're brave? Take what's in the crate on the left. If you're a coward, take what's in the one on the right.


Bravery? Cowardice? Let the historians decide which I am Tomorrow. Today, I'm taking what's better.


So he turns into a skeleton and leaves you to navigate out of the forest maze.



FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK


Now, it may seem that never running and taking the Brave Blade is the better idea. It looks that way; The Brave Blade has 150 power with no escapes, and the Chicken Knife sometimes makes the party run from battle!

However:
1) Not escaping sometimes may end up fatal, especially in end-game dungeons.
2) The Brave Blade is a knightsword (greatly limiting its use), while the Chicken Knife is a... knife.
3) !Rapidfire ignores the run effect.
4) The Chicken Knife, when maxed, deals more damage.

That's right. Despite capping at 127 power, the Chicken Knife's unique damage formula has it deal more damage.

The brave blade has a lame
Attack = Weapon Attack - # times escaped from battle
Minimum Attack = 0
M = (Level*Strength)/128 + 2
Defense = Defense

While the chicken knife has
Attack = (# times escaped from battle)/2
Maximum Attack = 127
M = (Level*Strength)/128 + (Level*Agility)/128 + 2
Defense = Defense

Rather than just the Strength modifier, it has Strength and Agility modifiers. The bonuses from two stats puts it above the Brave Blade. What's supposed to punish your cowardice is actually the second strongest weapon in the game.


Fuck you, old man, I'm awesome now.


Let's ride Boco around the world!


run south of Karnak towards Surgate...


South of the hole where the Library used to be; it's obliteration clears a path through the mountains.


Quelb now inhabits a two-tile wide valley.


Hole in the mountains south of Bal.


Finally, the circular land bridge!


Nothing happens when the two chocobos finally meet. Huh.


Fork Tower's sitting where Cid and Mid stay.


Up north some...


And you're back at the Tycoon area. It's a simple stroll back to Ghido's cave.


For completion's sake, I park Boco at the exact same panel as before.


He hands over a Mirage Vest.


It gives only a single image, but negating one physical attack for free is much better than you think. For the most part Krile keeps it.


I don't know how you find out, but once returning to the Pirate Cove...




The image of Syldra flickers to show that's its just her spirit.

Faris... do you see something?
Don't you? Syldra's right there...
Syldra's your name? Oh, you're such a good girl...
Krile! You can see her?
Syldra's spirit says she wants to help Faris.
Eh?!
Such a kind soul...


Syldra, when summoned, uses Thunderbolt. Despite the name, it's Wind-element. Syldra is a huge jump up from Titan-~1600 to ~3200-and the Wind element is both resisted less and is easier boosted by the Air Knife. Syldra should see constant use on World 3 random encounters and is extremely viable even on bosses. Best of all, it costs 16 MP with the Gold Hairpin.


Sometimes these things happen. Tycoon's hole is nondescript, looks exactly the same as the other 5 holes, and is very close laterally to the Phantom Village and the desert I use for grinding.


Piano hunt! I'm short some, and KCwerurwin's is one I missed.


Jackhole is such a boring town I missed the piano in it.


The penultimate piano for me, sitting in Moore. Before playing the final one, bug the bard in Crescent with your new talents.


Sinewy Etude increases Strength. A hell of a lot more practical than Mana's Paean.


This girl in Regole hands over her Ribbon now. It's the third one I've gotten.


The hidden path in Regole's bar leads to the best hidden piano in the game...


Behold the evolution of a master





Hero's Rime increase level. This affects both physical and magical attacks, yet still stacks with the Paean and Etude. A routine of Bards singing about magic, tendons, and cool guys translates to someone playing the Apollo Harp for 9999 damage.

Play for him again and...





Head north from Tule on Boco...


You can get behind Istory Falls!


The magic lamp uses summons whenever used, starting with the strongest(Bahamut) and going down until you hit Chocobo. Come back to this spot to set it back to Bahamut.


Anyway, after farming some escapes...


The Chicken Knife has full 127 power, ready to break 10K with a !Rapid Fire. That's about everything I can do without winning a fight.

NEXT TIME:
Grinding and the Island Shrine!