=====================================================================
Secret of Mana Boss Guide
Version 1.0 (Last updated 19 May 2002)
by Chris Brennan
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0. Contents:
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1. The boring but necessary stuff...
1.1 E-Mail info
1.2 Copyright stuff
1.3 Version history
1.31 Future plans
1.4 A little about the game...
1.5 A little about this boss guide...
2. Bosses
3. Strategy notes
4. Credits
5. Copyright and random info again
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1. The boring but necessary stuff...
------------------------------------
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1.1 E-Mail:
-----------
[email protected] is my e-mail address for everything to
do with my FAQs. I usually check my e-mail every other day at least,
unless I'm overly busy. During holidays though (Easter, Xmas, Summer)
I don't always have Net access, so don't be surprised if you don't get
a reply for a while at these times. Any recommendations, praise,
(constructive) criticism, and corrections to this boss guide are welcome.
--------------------
1.2 Copyright stuff:
--------------------
This work is Copyright 2001/2002 Chris Brennan
(
[email protected]). It is for personal use only, and may not be
reproduced without the author's permission (if for some warped reason
you do want to put this on your site, e-mail me with details). And
kiddies, plagiarism is baaaaad, so don't do it... ;)
--------------------
1.3 Version history:
--------------------
1.0 (19 May 2002) - Originally intended as a full FAQ/Walkthrough, this has
now become a more detailed boss guide. Added boss info to boss strategies,
which were already in place. Added some more detail to soime bosss strategies.
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1.31 Future plans:
------------------
By the next update (v1.0) I should have...
- Haven't got a clue what I'm going to add/change if anything. Any
suggestions are welcome... :)
------------------------------
1.4 A little about the game...
------------------------------
Ahhh, old school SNES RPGs... aren't they great? And Secret of Mana
(henceforth SoM) was, and indeed still is one of the best. An
action-orientated RPG along the same lines as the equally wonderful
Zelda games, SoM is one of those games that I can keep playing through
without getting bored. My play through the game while writing this
walkthrough was about my 8th time through the game (albeit spread out
over 5 years or so...), so I can vouch for its replay value. The plot
is good, if a little unoriginal, and it has a great multiplayer option,
a rarity in SNES RPGs. Whether you’re playing SoM for the first time
(where have you been?), or the tenth, this guide is here to make sure
you don’t run into trouble.
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1.5 A little about this boss guide...
-------------------------------------
The guide will obviously contain spoilers, so read ahead at your peril! I'd
advise you only to use it if you're having big troubles with a certain boss,
that way you can be sure nothing is being spoiled. I'll assume you're playing
single-player, although nothing really changes in multi-player except you will
have a (hopefully) more intelligent ally than the computer, who seems to like
trying to get killed.
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2. Bosses:
----------
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Boss: Mantis Ant
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Location: Underneath Potos
HP: 150
MP: 10
Weak against: None
Yawn... he's really easy. If you levelled up to level 3 or 4 and
equipped the bandanna you'll be able to block most of his attacks. Just
hit him a few times with your level 1 sword attack and he'll die, simple.
Even if you do somehow manage to die yourself you'll be revived anyway,
so there's no need to panic. For defeating the Ant you'll receive a Sword's
Orb, which can be used to improve your sword later on.
-----------------
Boss: Tropicallo:
-----------------
Location: Dwarf Village
HP: 315
MP: 0
Weak against: None
Easy. He pops up in one of three places, just hit him when he does and
he'll disappear again, only to pop up in one of the three places again
for more punishment. Ignore the two Bramblers, they can revive if you kill
them, and concentrate on Tropicallo. Use the time while he is buried to
charge up your level 1 sword/spear attack, then let him have it when he
reappears. The pumpkin bombs he fires out do little damage, so don't worry
too much about them. He should bite the dust after a couple of minutes.
Your reward for defeating it is a Spear's Orb.
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Boss: Spikey Tiger:
-------------------
Location: Elinee's Castle
HP: 520
MP: 21
Weak against: None
He can be surprisingly difficult for a boss at this early stage in the game.
Be careful and keep your distance whenever possible. It may be a wise idea to
equip yourself with a ranged weapon here to make things easier. His rolling
attack (whether it be the ground or air attack) can knock you unconscious,
so beware. When he jumps up, just run towards the furthest corner of the
area. Hit him, then move away, as he counters almost always after being
hit. If the girl and/or Sprite die (which is quite likely) don't bother
reviving them unless you really feel the need to. When he jumps up to one
of the higher areas, either equip the bow and continue hitting him (it's
the only weapon that you can attack him with while he's up there) or use
the time to charge your sword/spear attacks up (you should have at least
one of them at level 2 by now). Spikey can cast Fire Bouquet and use
Fire Breath (which is nasty) while he's up there. Be sure to heal once
you get reduced to 40 HP or so. He shouldn't take long to kill, and the
quicker the better as far as you're concerned. Once done, a Boomerang's
Orb is your reward.
----------------------------
Boss: Tonpole/Biting Lizard:
----------------------------
Location: Undine's Cave
HP: Tonpole 600, Biting Lizard 770, 1370 combined
MP: Tonpole 0, Biting Lizard 6
Weak against: Fire (Salamando)
The Tonpole is easy - imagine a Rabite but with a lot more HP. Just keep
attacking and soon the Tonpole will morph into a Biting Lizard. He doesn't
look all that tough, and, well he isn't really. The key here is to attack
him from a diagonal position so he can't eat you. What I mean is, get
yourself into a position where he is diagonal to you, then move in,
attack, and move out again. Using the whip or boomerang might make this
fight a little easier too. If you are unfortunate enough to get eaten,
switch characters (press Select) and hit him quickly to limit the damage
done. Once you've dealt enough damage, he'll start casting Cure Water on
himself - don't panic, just keep pummelling him and he'll give up the
ghost eventually. If the girl or sprite die there's no real need to revive
them - you can win the battle on your own easily enough. A Glove's Orb
is your reward for disposing of the Lizard.
-----------------
Boss: Fire Gigas:
-----------------
Location: Underground Palace
HP: 850
MP: 66
Weak against: Ice (Undine)
His weakness, unsurprisingly is Ice. Have the girl cast Ice Saber on the
hero, and keep the sprite busy casting Freeze. When he morphs into a lot of
small fireball-like things, that's the time to charge up your sword attack
and heal if necessary (you can't target him with melee or magic when he is
in this form). When he resumes his initial form, continue to attack him.
He casts Exploder on all party members which is nothing to fear (~30 HP of
damage each). You should be able to kill him fairly quickly, and you get an
Axe's Orb for doing so.
----------------
Boss: Evil Wall:
----------------
Location: Pandora Ruins
HP: "Face" 300, "Eyes" 300 each, 900 combined
MP: "Face" 99, "Eyes" 0
Weak against: Earth (Gnome)
This boss can be annoying if you don't keep a relentless attack going. Go
for the eyes first, the "face" keeps casting Cure Water on itself anyway.
Keep hitting them with level 2 sword attacks, and try and conserve your
magic for now. When the eyes "die", they can be revived, but with very few
HP and so a couple of level 2 sword attacks should be enough to see them
off again. The face mainly attacks with Freeze and the eyes use beam attacks
which are quite easy to dodge. Once both eyes are gone, the wall will start
to move. Errr, better kill it quickly then, don't you think? Those spikes
suddenly look a little bit threatening... This is why you've (hopefully)
been conserving your magic thus far. Cast Stone Saber on the hero, and keep
pummelling it with Gem Missile and level 1/2 sword attacks. You should kill
him with plenty of time to spare. A Bow's Orb is your reward.
-------------
Boss: Kilroy:
-------------
Location: Underneath Dwarf Village
HP: 900
MP: 18
Weak against: None
He is easy. Hit him with level 2 sword attacks and have the Sprite keep
casting either Gem Missile or Freeze, depending on which is at the higher
level. If they're both at the same level, Freeze works a little better. Let
the girl cast Ice or Stone Saber on you if you want, but it's not necessary -
the fight's easy enough without it. After a while he'll start moving a little
faster courtesy of a wheel that just seems to appear below him. Just keep
attacking him in the same way and he'll soon become scrap metal. His hammers
can turn you into Moogles (kupo!) and he can cast Lunar Boost on himself
(attack up, defense down). You get a Javelin's Orb for killing him.
------------------
Boss: Jabberwocky:
------------------
Location: Water Palace
HP: 950
MP: 90
Weak against: Earth (Gnome)
Keep moving when you're not attacking - that way it's heads can't get at you
as easily. The Sprite should be busy casting Gem Missile and/or Earth Slide,
and have the girl cast Stone Saber on the hero and heal when necessary. The
hero should be using level 3 sword attacks (charge them while the Sprite is
casting magic, then release them a few seconds after the spell hits). The
boss' melee attacks can knock you unconscious, he can use poison gas (no
great threat) and he can cast Acid Storm on your party (~55 damage each and
defense down, nasty). When one of it's heads disappears you know he's close
to death, so keep up the pressure. A Bow's Orb is your reward for killing
him.
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Boss: Spring Beak:
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Location: Upper Land
HP: 950
MP: 90
Weak against: Earth (Gnome)
Quite easy. He is hard to hit with physical attacks and very mobile, so
don't bother trying to hit him with your weapon. He can easily damage you
if you get too close too, so keep away as best as you can. Magic is your
sole damage dealer here. Have the Sprite continually casting Gem Missile,
and the boss will fall shortly. 5 castings of level 2 Gem Missile will kill
him. He can cast Thunderbolt (~50 damage each), but he shouldn't get the
chance to. You'll receive a Boomerang's Orb upon its defeat.
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Boss: Great Viper:
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Location: Cave near Matango
HP: 1330
MP: 8
Weak against: Air (Sylphid)
Use either Air Blast or Thunderbolt continually. Attack quickly with your
sword when he stays still, using Thunder Saber, but be wary that he can
pygmise you if you get too close (shrink you, meaning you do practically
no damage and take more damage when hit. Use Remedy or Med Herbs to restore
normal status if this happens). When he disappears, use the time to heal if
necessary. If you have Sylphid at level 2 this should be an easy battle.
You get a Sword's Orb, and an exit opens up to the north, so go through it.
------------------
Boss: Boreal Face:
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Location: Ice Country
HP: 1100
MP: 12
Weak against: Immune to magic
Remember Tropicallo? This guy is basically a souped-up version of him. Magic
is ineffective here, so just use charge-up attacks on him (charge up when he
disappears, hit him when he fully re-emerges). He'll emerge in one of the 4
corners of the area when he burrows underground, so just wait for him. His
attacks are pretty weak and shouldn't cause you too much bother. He can cast
burst however, which is quite nasty (you'll know its coming when he dances
about for a few seconds instead of spitting the pumpkin bomb he normally
does). As soon as he's cast it on you, get the girl to cast Cure Water on
all of you to recover. He takes a while to kill, but should pose no great
threat to your health. If the girl and/or Sprite die (it's easily possible
if you aren't careful), don't bother reviving them - you can win the battle
on your own. You get a Bow's Orb for killing Tropicallo Version 2...
---------------------------------
Boss: Tonpole/Biting Lizard (x3):
---------------------------------
Location: Ice Palace
HP: Tonpoles; 600 each, Biting Lizards; 770 each.
MP: Tonpoles; 0, Biting Lizards; 6 each.
Weak against: Fire (Salamando)
Very, very easy, depsite their deceptively high HP. Just focus standard
attacks on one at a time and when the Tonpole you're focusing on morphs into a
Biting Lizard, hit it with a couple of Fireballs and keep up your melee
attacks, but take care not to be swallowed (approach the Biting Lizard from a
diagonal direction). If any of your party are swallowed, switch character
quickly if necessary and hit the Lizard to release your character. They can
cast Cure Water, but you'll be damaging them at a far faster rate than the
rate at which they're healing themselves, and they have very little MP anyway.
Once one of them is dead, repeat this whole process for the other two, and
you'll be victorious very shortly.
------------------
Boss: Frost Gigas:
------------------
Location: Ice Palace
HP: 1140
MP: 99
Weak against: Fire (Slalmando)
Easy. Hit him with your charge-up sword attack, and have the Sprite cast
Exploder or Fireball on him continually. If he casts Ice Saber on you,
counter with Flame Saber, and keep attacking and curing when/if necessary.
When he morphs into lots of little pieces, that's the best time to cure if
you need to and charge up your sword attack. He casts Acid Rain a lot,
which does surprisingly little damage as well as his standard melee attack
and his Freeze Breath, which is his one annoying attack (it freezes you and
does decent damage, use Remedy or a Medical Herb to restore condition). He
should fall quite quickly though if you have level 1-2 Salamando for the
Sprite. You'll receive a Boomerang's Orb for defeating him.
-----------------
Boss: Mech Rider:
-----------------
Location: Near the Sandship
HP: 980
MP: 18
Weak against: None
He looks pretty cool, but that's about as good as it gets as far as he's
concerned. Use your highest level attacking magic on him (almost certainly
Gnome or Undine) as well as charge up sword attacks when you get the
chance. He'll cast Speed Up on himself, which has very little noticeable
effect, and fire missiles at you, as well as speeding into you. His attacks
are weak though, and you should get through the fight without having to
heal - it really is that easy. After you've done enough damage, he'll run
off, leaving you with a Whip's Orb as a little pressie (how kind of him!).
---------------
Boss: Minotaur:
---------------
Location: Fire Palace
HP: 1200
MP: 99
Weak against: Air (Sylphid)
His weakness is Sylphid, so cast Air Blast and/or Thunderbolt and he'll
die quickly. He's easy to beat, although he casts Earth Slide on you for
quite a lot of damage, so be ready to cure quickly if he does. He'll turn a
reddish colour and speed up a little when he's near death. You get a Javelin's
Orb for beating him.
------------------
Boss: Doom's Wall:
------------------
Location: Northtown Ruins
HP: 1180
MP: 99
Weak against: Light (Lumina)
He looks just like Evil Wall (the boss you fought in the Ruins by Pandora),
but he attacks quite differently. Your strategy however should be exactly
the same as it was before. Attack the eyes first with charge-up attacks,
and maybe a little magic if you're struggling then use your highest-level
magic on the "Face" (probably Freeze or Gem Missile). The Face can revive
the eyes, but they'll have little HP and be easy to re-kill The Wall's
attacks are generally nothing to concern you, although it can cast
mid-level Thunderbolt and Energy Absorb for decent damage. The Face also
uses a move called Cave-In which is somewhat annoying - be ready to heal.
Unlike Evil Wall, Doom's Wall doesn't move once the eyes are dead, so
there's not much of a rush to kill it. A Whip's Orb is your reward for
destroying the Wall.
--------------
Boss: Vampire:
--------------
Location: Northtown Ruins
HP: 2250
MP: 99
Weak against: Light (Lumina)
He'll jump around a lot - be sure to chip in with attacks when he's on the
ground, and keep on the move while he's airborne. Just keep casting any
high-level magic on him (his weakness is Lumina, and you don't have Lumina
yet..) and he'll soon die. If he sends the hero to sleep, just switch
characters and keep casting. He'll use some mid-level magic, mainly Undine,
but it shouldn't be anything to worry about. You get a Boomerang's Orb for
killing him.
-------------------
Boss: Metal Mantis:
-------------------
Location: Northtown Castle
HP: 1220
MP: 40
Weak against: None, but he's still a wuss ;)
Oh dear. He is pathetically easy - don't waste your magic, just hit him with
level 1-2 charge up attacks and he'll die quickly. His one relatively
damaging attack, Fire Beam, is perhaps the easiest attack to dodge in the
game. If it does hit you and you get engulfed, just use Remedy to restore
status. If you must use magic, just cast a few higher-level spells (he has
no spell weaknesses or strengths) and he'll be toast soon enough. You get a
Glove's Orb for defeating him.
--------------------
Boss: Mech Rider II:
--------------------
Location: Northtown Castle
HP: 1258
MP: 30
Weak against: None
He's quite quick and you're in a very small area, so attack quickly. Just
have the Sprite reel off a few Gem Missiles or Freezes at a time, and hit
him with your sword (don't bother charging past level 1) if you get the
chance. He'll attack you with his charging attack (which can knock you
unconscious) as well as missiles, but you should kill him quickly enough so
that you don't have to heal more than once or twice at most. Once you've
dealt enough damage he'll run off again, leaving a Javelin's Orb behind.
-----------------
Boss: Lime Slime:
-----------------
Location: Palace of Darkness
HP: 5000
MP: 99
Weak against: Dark (Shade)
A lot of people seem to make a lot of fuss about how hard this guy is, but
I really don't think he's that difficult. The main difficulty lies in the
fact that you have very little room for maneuver, and some of his attacks
are annoying. Just be ready to heal at a moment's notice and if anyone dies,
revive them immediately. Magic isn't all that useful, as the boss has no
magical weaknesses (except Shade, which you don't have yet..), so you'll be
relying heavily on charge-up attacks. You can try casting a few Gem Missiles/
Freezes at a time for moderate damage if you want, but the battle is possible
(and probably quicker) to win without magic. Having your allies set
agressively (top-left) on the action grid with charge-up attacks set to level
4 or so will help too, as will having Speed Up cast on all of you. He can cast
Dispel Magic, which is little to worry about as the Sprite's magic isn't
needed and curing can be done with items if necessary. He attacks mainly with
blobs of slime that he fires at you, but also has a few spells, albeit weak
ones at his disposal. He just attacks very relentlessly and can freeze/engulf
you when he turns blue/green, so keep an eye on your HP and use Cure
Water/Remedy as needed. He gets smaller as you damage him, so this is a good
indicator of how damaged he is (it saves you using Analyzer, anyway... :P).
-----------------
Boss: Blue Spike:
-----------------
Location: Gold Tower
HP: 1980
MP: 99
Weak against: None
Remember Spikey Tiger? This guy's just a more powerful version of him, but he's
actually easier to beat than Spikey because now you have magic and the area
you're in is less enclosed here. Just have the Sprite fire away with any
high-level magic (Freeze seems to work best for me..) and hit him with
low-level charge attacks, simple. When he goes up onto one of the ledges, just
equip the bow and keep attacking. He'll use a few different attacks but none
of them are very life-threatening, just keep one eye on your HP and be ready to
heal if the need arises. The first time you "kill" him he'll come back to life,
but with few HP, and should be easy to finish off for good. You'll receive a
Boomerang's Orb for killing him.
------------------
Boss: Gorgon Bull:
------------------
Location: Gold Tower
HP: 2470
MP: 99
Weak against: Air (Sylphid)
Incredibly easy. Cast Thunder Saber on the boy, then have the Sprite cast
Thunderbolt continually, steling a hit with your sword every now and then if
you want. He has fairly damaging spells and a nasty charge attack, but if
you act quickly you need never see them. You get a Bow's Orb for killing it.
----------------------------
Pathetic Boss: Dark Stalker:
----------------------------
Location: Tasnica
HP: 510
MP: 60
Weak against: Light (Lumina)
Just hit him a few times and he's dead. I didn't put the word pathetic there
for no reason, you know... :)
--------------------------------------
Boss: Shadow X1, Shadow X2, Shadow X3:
--------------------------------------
Location: Cave on top of the Lofty Mountains
HP: X1; 999, X2 and X3; 800 each
MP: 0
Weak against: None
As long as you're level 42 or so, this is pretty easy. Don't bother with any
offensive magic, as it is ineffective here. Instead, use Moon Enrgy on the
boy, and hit them with charge-up attacks (normal attacks seem to be
ineffective). You may want to use Lucid Barrier too for extra protection.
Concentrate your attacks on one of them at a time (use the Targeting menu),
and they should be gone before long. They don't use magic, only physical
attacks, but if you get trapped you will probably die, so keep moving at all
times. Heal if/when necessary.
-------------------
Boss: Aegagropilon:
-------------------
Location: Mana Palace
HP: 3016
MP: 99
Weak against: None
Don't be fooled by that cute name - this guy is quite nasty. He'll use
Dryad's magic often (Wall, Sleep Flower, Burst) and his physical attacks
pack a punch too. I'd suggest not using offensive magic, as if he casts Wall
at the wrong moment it can *really* screw you over. Also, don't let him trap
you in a corner, as if you do you may as well just reset. The best strategy
to use is to cast Moon Saber on everyone, then Moon Energy on the hero, and
melee away - use standard attacks, charge-ups leave you too vulnerable here.
Keep recasting them as necessary, and healing too. If he uses Sleep Flower,
counter immediately with Remedy or a Medical Herb - he has a nasty habit of
double-casting Burst on sleeping characters, and a sleeping character hinders
your mobility too - which is really important here. If the character you're
controlling is sent to sleep, press select to switch character, then cure.
Heal if any character's HP drops under 100 (it shouldn't though if you're
using Moon Saber..). He doesn't seem to have that many HP, so you should be
able to dismiss of him quite quickly. You gat a Spear's Orb as your reward.
------------
Boss: Hydra:
------------
Location: Mana Palace
HP: 3382
MP: 99
Weak against: Fire (Salamando)
Pretty easy, especially if you have the Sprite's Salamando at level 3 or
above. Cast Flame Saber on the boy, and keep casting Fireball on the Hydra
while using charge-up attacks in-between castings. His attacks are generally
weak, he mainly uses Undine but has a nasty mone called Fire Breath which can
engulf you in flames (stopping movement and spell-casting). Just use Remedy or
a medical herb to counter if this happens. You only need to heal if your HP
drops into double figures. One of the Hydra's heads keeps disappearing and
reappearing as you damage it, just ignore that (just because the head
reappears doesn't mean the Hydra is healing..). You'll get a Whip's Orb for
beating him.
-----------------
Boss: Kettle Kin:
-----------------
Location: Mana Palace
HP: 1230
MP: 33
Weak against: None
Pretty simple. If you feel daring, try casting Moon Energy on the boy, then
Lucid Barrier and meleeing him, but otherwise I'd just keep your distance and
use any of your high-level magic (Freeze and Gem Missile work well), as his
melee attack where he spins around and clobbers you all is pretty nasty and
Lucid Barrier won't last long. If he casts LucidBarrier on himself, of course
it would make sense to scrap any melee you're attempting and just use magic
to finish him off. As before, when he's near death a wheel appears below him
and he speeds up, but you should be able to kill him quickly enough from here
to make sure that isn't a threat. He has few HP, so the battle will be over
quickly, and you'll get a Bow's Orb for killing him.
------------------
Boss: Snap Dragon:
------------------
Location: Grand Palace
HP: 1215
MP: 6
Weak against: Fire (Salamando)
I don't really know why I classified him as a boss - I guess it nust have been
that groovy boss music... Anyway he's easy, just cast Fireball/Exploder a few
times in succession and he's as good as dead. I don't really know if he has
any other attacksbesides the "eat you" attack, because I didn't even let him
get a chance to try. He should die in seconds... literally, and you get a
Javelin's Orb for killing him.
------------
Boss: Hexas:
------------
Location: Grand Palace
HP: 3465
MP: 69
Weak against: None
She has a few attacks which are best described as annoying. Pygmus Glare
pygmises (shrinks) one of your characters - use the Midge Mallet immediately
if you have it - otherwise cast Remedy or use a Medical Herb. Dispel Magic
cancels one of your characters spellcasting abilities for a while. Anyway, to
beat her cast Moon Energy straight away on the Boy, and have the Sprite busy
casting Salamando (Fireball and/or Exploder), although maybe Gem Missile
would be better if you have it at a higher level. Your main source of damage
here is the Boy, keep using low-level (I recommend level 3) charge up attacks
and with Moon Energy you can do up to 600+ damage per level 3 charge-up hit.
Just keep at it, she takes a while to kill, but if you keep using the Midge
Mallet, recasting Moon Energy and healing when needed you shouldn't even come
close to dying. Like I said, she's more annoying than deadly. You'll get a
Whip's Orb for defeating her.
-----------------
Boss: Mech Rider:
-----------------
Location: Grand Palace
HP: 4327
MP: 38
Weak against: None
He can and will cast Wall on himself, so it would probably be a good idea to
use offensive magic sparingly here, although try and hit him with a few Gem
Missiles/Fireballs before he first casts Wall. You should, cast Moon Energy as
usual, thenjust attack him with standard attacks - he's too quick to make
charge-ups effective. He'll occasionally be stupid and try to cast Speed Up on
himself while his Wall is still on, thus giving you a nice little boost. If
you notice he is able to cast Speed Up on himself, then fire off a few more
spells in his direction, or alternatively you could use a low MP cost spell
like Analyzer to test to see if his Wall is still active, but I suggest you
don't bother and just keep attacking him with weapons instead. He can knock you
unconscious when he speeds across the screen, so be careful and heal quickly.
It may take a while, but he should die with little trouble. A Spear's Or is
your reward.
------------------
Boss: Dragon Worm:
------------------
Location: Pure Land
HP: 3525
MP: 99
Weak against: Air (Sylphid)
Have the Girl cast Moon energy and Thunder Saber on the hero, and have the
Sprite casting Air Blast or Thunderbolt. He mainly uses Earth spells, Earth
Slide being the most damaging, although he can petrify and pygmize you with
his attacks, so be ready to cast Remedy or use the Midge Mallet at a moment's
notice. When he disappears off the screen, that's the best time to cure and
recover status, as well as recasting Moon Energy and Thunder Saber if you wish
to or need to. Try to keep your meleeing to a minimum though, and don't use
charge-ups, as the DragonWorm can hurt if you let him get too close. Once he
is defeated you get an axe's Orb and can exit the area to the north.
------------------
Boss: Snow Dragon:
------------------
Location: Pure Land
HP: 2800
MP: 99
Weak against: Fire (Salamando)
As usual, you can use Moon Energy if you wish, along with Flame Saber, but you
may just find it easier to sit back and have the Sprite continually cast
Fireball. He of course uses Ice magic mainly, and has a pretty decent melee
tail attack. Just keep your distance and cast away, then when he disappears
from the screen is a good time to heal up if you need to. You'll get a Bow's
Orb for defeating the Snow Dragon.
---------------
Boss: Axe Beak:
---------------
Location: Pure Land
HP: 2800
MP: 99
Weak against: Ice (Undine)
You could try attacking him with the bow if you want, but I'd recommend you
throw melee out of the window altogether in this fight. He is a fire-based
boss, so of course you'll be wanting to use Undine against him, Freeze more
specifically. Stay clear of him and you'll avoid the worst of his attacks -
the fight is rather easy though. When you beat him you'll get a Javelin's Orb.
-----------------
Boss: Red Dragon:
-----------------
Location: Pure Land
HP: 3000
MP: 99
Weak against: Ice (Undine)
Basically just look above at the strategy for Axe Beak, as the same applies
here, although the Red Dragon has some nastier spells (prepare to be burned,
make sure you're ready to cast Cure Water once your HP gets under 200 or so),
and you may need to use Remedy too. If you wish you can use melee here - it's
a little more effective here than against Axe Beak, just use Moon Energy/Ice
Saber on the hero and try low-level charge-up attacks. For defeating him you
will receive a Glove's Orb.
--------------------
Boss: Thunder Gigas:
--------------------
Location: Pure Land
HP: 4462
MP: 99
Weak against: Earth (Gnome)
He's offensively quite dangerous, so you'll want to kill him quickly. Cast
Stone Saber and moon Energy on the hero and use low-level charged attacks when
you get the opportunity, and have the Sprite chain together a few Gem Missiles
at a time. You may need to cure a few times - the bast time to do so is when
he "splits" into small orbs - he can't attack you then. Defeat him and get a
Sword's Orb.
------------------
Boss: Blue Dragon:
------------------
Location: Pure Land
HP: 3200
MP: 99
Weak against: Earth (Gnome)
You need to use essentially the same strategy mentioned above for the Thunder
Gigas, although this time melee is less effective, so you may just want to
stick to reeling off a few Gem Missiles at a time and curing when necessary,
ideally when the dragon flies off screen. He is slightly weaker offensively
than the Thunder Gigas, so this fight should be relatively easy. Upon his
defeat you will recieve a Boomerang's Orb.
------------
Boss: Buffy:
------------
Location: Mana Fortress
HP: 4200
MP: 99
Weak against: Light (Lumina)
No, not the vampire slayer, but... err... a vampire, much like the one you
faced in the Northtown Ruins. Use Light Saber and Moon Energy on the hero,
coupled with low-level charged attacks, and also have the girl cast Lucent
Beam for huge damage. He will most likely use Wall at some point or other,
in which case you can use Dispel Magic if you have it at a high enough level,
you can keep casting a low-MP spell like Analyzer, where it doesn't matter if
it reflects to you until the Wall is removed, or (probably best) you can just
stick to meleeing him with Light Saber and Moon Energy. Set your allies to
offensive on the action grid and use Moon Energy on them too if you wish - it
can make this fight a little shorter, if riskier. Once he is defeated, you will
receive..... nothing. Damn. Oh well.
------------------
Boss: Dread Slime:
------------------
Location: Mana Fortress
HP: 5000
MP: 99
Weak against: Dark (Shade)
Okay, this guy is annoying. Very annoying. He will attack very quickly and
relentlessly with big blobs of slime, so be quick to cure if needed - try not
to let your HPs drop lower than 200 or you may well end up dead before you
know it. He has a few nasty spells too - the threat of which can be
neutralized by casting Wall on all characters. Melee doesn't work too well
here, although a Moon Energy/High-level charged attack combination can work
quite well if you're willing to take a risk. The best way to kill him is have
the Sprite reel off Dark Force spells - Dread Slime is weak against Shade. If
you've raised Shade to level 6 or above you should be okay. One thing to note
with Dread Slime is as he takes damage he increases in size, until he fills
the whole screen. His size is a decent indicator of how close to death he is
(well, it saves you from using Analyzer anyway... :P).
----------------
Boss: Dark Lich:
----------------
Location: Mana Fortress
HP: 6666
MP: 99
Weak against: Light (Lumina)
This is one of those "Turn the volume up!" moments, the music here is great!
Unfortunately, the boss is annoying, and will take quite a while to kill.
Don't bother with melee here, even with Moon Energy and Light Saber your
weapons do no significant damage to him. Instead, cast Wall on yourselves to
protect from some of his spells, then go on the offensive. Lucent Beam and
Fireball seem to work best, althoguh you might want to use other Sprite magic
if your Salamando is at a low level (it shouldn't be though..). His beam
attacks are easily avoidable, and his spells will be reflected by Wall,
leaving him with little in the way of offense, so just keep whittling away at
him with spells of your own. Eventually, he will bite the dust.
-----------------------
FINAL Boss: Mana Beast:
-----------------------
Location: Outside the Mana Fortress
HP: 9999
MP: 99
Weak against: Light (Lumina)
He has 2 main attacks - he will swirl around in a pretty spiral shape and
crash into you or he will just forget about the fancy stuff and charge
straight at you. At regular intervals, he will fly slowly past you, this is
when you have the girl and Sprite *both* cast Mana Magic on the Hero, and
smack the Beast into oblivion. Don't bother with any offensive spells, they do
no damage at all - even at level 8, just concentrate on hitting him with the
Mana Sword when you get the chance. Also, when he charges at you, if you cast
Cure Water or a similar spell (defensive, affecting whole party) a few seconds
before impact, you can avoid taking any damage at all! This takes some
practice to time though, and it's a little cheesy, so try not to use it... ;)
Once the Beast dies, you can sit back, relax, and watch the groovy ending.
Congratulations! You've just beaten one of the best RPGs of all time!
------------------
3. Strategy Notes:
------------------
- The Action Grid and weapon selection. If you're playing single-player,
put your non-player characters in the lower-left corner of the action grid
and equip him/her with a ranged weapon (bow, boomerang, javelin, whip).
This provides generally the best balance between offense and defense.
I normally use the following weapon setup...
Hero - Specialise in Sword and Spear
Girl - Specialise in Whip and Javelin
Sprite - Specialise in Bow and Boomerang
If you're playing with friends, then that setup is definitely changeable,
but I think it makes the best usage of your 2 computer allies in
single-player games. Finally, feel free to experiment with the level of
charge-up attack your computer allies use (select it on the action grid
screen).
- Continuous casting. With many offensive spells it is possible to
continually cast them at enemies (bosses) while not giving the enemy a
chance to respond. Cast the spell, then as soon as the spirit (Gnome,
Undine or whoever) disappears, cast the spell again. If you've done it
right, the two spells should hit one after the other, and you can repeat
the process to pull off many casts in a row. Damage done by continuous
casts can never exceed 999 though (the damage of continuous casts is
registered only after the spells have stopped hitting, so they're damage
is added up), so don't keep casting for too long! This trick loses
effectiveness later in the game, where spells damage on their own gets
close to 999 anyway...
- Levelling. If you find you're having trouble with a boss or in a certain
area and even this great guide isn't helping you, go back to a previous area
and try and gain a couple of levels. It's amazing how much easier being a
couple of levels higher can make an area (I found this to be especially
true with the Pure Land).
- You can escape taking damage from a spell cast on you by simply exiting
the area you are in before the spell hits you. Of course, this doesn't work
against bosses though... :(
-----------
4. Credits:
-----------
Thanks go out to (in no particular order...)
- Square - For making this and many other great games, of course!
- Dallas Scott and AstroBlue - For their great FAQ writing guide. Go see
it at www.dallasmac.com/faqwarp/ - it's a must for any prospective FAQ
writers who want to know how to get started.
- CJayC (www.gamefaqs.com webmaster) - For making probably the best game
resource site out there and hopefully putting this guide up.
- Entity (www,neoseeker.com webmaster) - For putting this guide up too.
- Dave J - I still remember our 30-hour SoM marathon all those years ago.. :)
------------------------------------
5. Copyright and random info again:
------------------------------------
This work is Copyright © 2001/2002 Chris Brennan
(
[email protected]). It is for personal use only, and may not be
reproduced without the author's permission, and if for some warped reason
you do want to put this on your site, you must e-mail me first and get my
permission! And everyone, plagiarism is baaaaad, so don't do it or nasty
things will happen...
The following sites have permission to use this FAQ:
www.gamefaqs.com
www.neoseeker.com
The latest version of this guide can always be found at www.gamefaqs.com.
Contact me via e-mail (
[email protected]) or AIM (Darksyde XVIII) if
you have any questions/suggestions/comments.
_,.~'End of Document'~.,_
