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| Final Fantasy VI copyright Square Enix. Images used for educational purposes only. |
Narshe
- You begin the game with three characters: Biggs, Wedge, and a mystery girl. All three pilot Magitek suits. Biggs and Wedge can use elemental attacks and heal each other, while the girl has more attack options… as well as magic. Three guesses as to which character is more important.
- Make your way north through the town. You’ll get attacked by a slew of weak enemies. They’ll be utterly incapable of stopping your team. Use whatever attacks you like to plow your way through.
- Soon enough you’ll be inside the Narshe Mines. Just inside the entrance and on your left is a save point. Use it now, because you’re going to be hitting a boss in just a moment.
- Approach the gate in the north. After bashing through you’ll get into your first big fight.
Ymir
The chat before the fight says it all. Ymir is a tough beast, but it’s only really bad if you try to attack its shell. Doing so will trigger a painful counterattack. Barring that, Ymir can only inflict small amounts of damage and slow your characters down. Use your strongest attacks on its head (including the girl’s Magitek Missile), heal whenever it slips into its shell, and pick up the offensive when it appears again. It’ll be dead in no time.
- Head north once Ymir bites the dust. You’ll find the Frozen Esper, target of the Imperials, and a lot will happen. Biggs and Wedge are gone…
- … and the girl gets a name. By default, she’s Terra.
- Unfriendly dudes will take exception to Terra’s presence. Check the clock in the front hall of the house where Terra wakes up for an Elixir, then run out the rear of the house and into the mines. There’s a save point nearby, and you’ll want to use it since Terra is now on her own - and lacking her Magitek armour. Her physical attacks are good enough in most cases, though you can use her Fire spell to take out squads of enemies.
- Head north through the Mines. Across the bridge from the save point and on the right you’ll find a chest. Inside is a Phoenix Down. West of here is a Sleeping Bag. These items are moderately handy now, but you can leave them in their chests and come back later for better items. More on that in another article.
- There’s a cut scene ahead, and for a short time Terra will be removed from your party. Once the cut scene is over a new guy will be in charge, default name of Locke…
- … and you’ll have a new mission: protecting Terra. She’s unconscious, and the guards of Narshe want to take her captive. To defend her you must swap between three parties of Moogles, one of which contains Locke, and kill off the creatures that advance to the north. Watch the tutorial to determine how to swap from party to party.
- This part is fairly easy, as the Moogles can more than wipe up each group of foes. The main problem here is attrition: though they’re fairly weak, the Megalodoths in this area will always get an all-hitting attack off before you can do anything. Consequently, you’re never going to escape battle without at least a bit of damage. Use Locke’s group, as well as a group headed by a Moogle named Mog, to sweep through the enemies until there are none left. Mog will join your party much later in the game, and he’ll learn a Dance that can ravage your foes quite nicely if you have him battle at least once.
- Don’t let Mog’s group battle too much, though, as they’re the best candidates for beating the boss in the south. (Consider unequipping Mog’s stuff before fighting the guy - you can give his Mythril Spear and Mythril Shield to another upcoming character for a significant damage boost early on.)
Guard Leader
Accompanied by two Lobos, the Guard Leader is tougher than he looks. He can do a fair amount of damage per attack, and he attacks quite often. Wipe out the Lobos, then gang up on the Guard Leader. Mog’s Dance will make this part a great deal easier, especially if you luck out and he uses an instant-killing move.
- Defeating the Guard Leader will end this mini game, and Terra and Locke will be put together in one party. Their next destination: Figaro.