Final Fantasy IV PC Route (Oct. '14)

General Guidelines
- You want to be on Battle Speed 6 for all random battles. This ensures you will run away from the battle with no damage 90% of the time (that's a made up percentage). It seems as though the time it takes to run away is independent from the battle speed, but I can't say for sure.

- You don't want to be on Battle Speed 6 for any boss fight or scripted battle. This will simply drain time in the speedrun. Battle Speed 1 is recommended, but I admit that Battle Speed 2 or 3 may be as fast or faster for specific boss fights.

- For many boss fights, I wrote down what I refer to as a "Combat Loop." This is basically what the party member should do when there's no situational condition to handle instead. Any directions given before a combat loop are things for the party member to take care of before moving to the loop.

- Twincast is different in this version. You can ensure Palom & Porom will cast Comet, the stronger spell, by keeping them both at max HP and max MP. The game checks the HP ratio (Current HP / Max HP) and MP ratio (Current MP / Max MP) of both twincast users to determine if Comet is used. If the ratios are within 20% of each other, Comet is used... otherwise, it's Pyroblast.

********************
** Airship Battle **
********************
Cecil: AutoBattle (Attack)

Baron Castle 1F
- Chests behind the wall
-- 480 gil, Ether (middle & left chest)

Overworld Map
- Battle Speed: 6
- Set Kain's AutoBattle to Jump
- Southwest to Chocobo Forest
- Northwest with Chocobo to Mist Cave

Mist Cave
- Start 100%ing the map
- NorthWest Chest: Potion
- MidEast Chest, before Mist Dragon: Potion

Before Mist Dragon
- Battle Speed: 1

*****************
** Mist Dragon **
*****************
Cecil: AutoBattle (Attack)
Kain: AutoBattle (Jump)
Cecil: AutoBattle (Attack)
Cecil: AutoBattle (Attack)

- Kain Lands -

Kain: Fight
Cecil: Fight

- Mist Form -

Kain: Potion Cecil
Cecil: Darkness
Kain: Jump (immediate)

- Dragon Form -

-- Repeat from Beginning --

*****************

After Mist Dragon
- Battle Speed: 6
- Remove Kain's Equipment

Mist Cave
- Finish 100%ing the map: 5 Potions

Before Kaipo
- Battle Speed: 1

************************
** General & Soldiers **
************************
Cecil: Darkness
(Optional) Cecil: Attack General
(Optional) Cecil: Attack General
Cecil: AutoBattle (Attack) until battle is over

Killing General adds 300xp

************************

Kaipo
- Battle Speed: 6
- Talk to Rosa, Receive AutoPotion Augment

Waterway Entrance, South - B1
- Talk to Tellah

Underground Waterway, South - B2
- Save Point Cutscene
- NorthEast Chest: Ice Rod

Underground Waterway, North - B1
- South of Exit Chest: Shadowblade
- Further South of Exit Chest: Bronze Hourglass

Underground Lake - B2
- 100% Map for 5 Potions
- South Chests: Hades Helm, Hades Gloves

Underground Lake - B1
- 100% Map for 3 Zues's Wraths
- South Chest: Hermes Sandals
- North Chest: Hades Shield

Before Octomammoth
- Equip Cecil Optimize
- Equip Tellah Optimize

*****************
** Octomammoth **
*****************
Cecil: Hermes Sandals
Tellah: Poison

- Three or Four Tentacles Left -
Tellah: Blink Rydia, Cecil, and Tellah in that order.

~ Combat Loop ~
Cecil: Attack or Darkness (if not already Darkness'd)
Tellah: Thunder (or Cura)
Rydia: Defend

*****************

Damcyan
- Remove Tellah's Equipment
- Optimize Rydia
- Walk around the East side of the castle

Damcyan Castle Dungeons
- SouthWest part of room has a hidden staircase

Damcyan Castle Dungeons - B1
- Chest configuration below. Open chests labeled as "O"
X X X
O X X
Ether
- SouthWest part of room has a hidden Elixir
- Backtrack to continue storyline

Anna's Room
- Left-side Pot: HP heal

Before Antlion's Den
- Battle Speed: 6

Antlion's Den B1
- NorthWest Chest: Spider Silk

Before Antlion
- Battle Speed: 1
- Optimize Rydia
- Set Rydia's top ability to Item > Ice Rod

*************
** Antlion **
*************
Edward: Spider Silk
Cecil: Darkness
Rydia: Poison
Rydia: Ice Rod

~ Combat Loop ~
Edward: Potions

~ Combat Loop (Red Eyes) ~
Cecil: Attack 4x
Rydia: Defend

~ Combat Loop (White Eyes) ~
Cecil: Defend
Rydia: Ice Rod 4x
Cecil: Darkness

*************

After Antlion
- Battle Speed: 6

Antlion's Den - B2
- NorthWest Chest: Spider Silk

Antlion's Den Save Room
- NorthEast Chest: Ether
- NorthWest Chest: Emergency Exit
- Emergency Exit out of Antlion's Den

Before Kaipo
- Battle Speed: 1

Kaipo
- Sand Pearl to Rosa

**************
** Waterhag **
**************
Edward: AutoBattle (Attack)

Kaipo
- North of Inn: Item Lore Augment

Before Mount Hobs
- Battle Speed: 6
- Rosa to back row

Before Mom Bomb
- Battle Speed: 1

*************
** Goblins **
*************
Yang: Kick


**************
** Mom Bomb **
**************
Rosa: Protect All
Cecil: Darkness

~ Combat Loop ~
Rosa: Defend
Edward: Defend
Cecil: Attack
Yang: Attack
Rydia: Blizzard
---------------

-- After ~1400 damage, Explosion Form Begins --
Yang: Brace
Everyone Else: Defend

-- After Explosion --
Yang: Kick until battle is over

**************

After Mom Bomb
- Battle Speed: 6

Fabul Castle Weapons & Armor
- Buy 2 Fire Claws
- Buy Thunder & Ice Claws
- Remove Rydia, Rosa, and Edward's Equipment
- Optimize Yang

****************
** Fabul Rush **
****************
-- General & Soldiers --
Cecil: Attack General
Yang: Kick

-- Leshy, Goblin & Waterhag --
Cecil: Attack Leshy
Yang: Kick

-- Gargoyle --
Yang: Attack

~ Make sure Cecil is low health or dead after the last General & Soldiers fight ~

****************

Fabul King's Room (After Dialog)
- Remove Yang & Edward's Equipment

Dock Cutscene
- Collect Counter augment from Yang's wife

Mysidia Armorer
- Sell all equipment except
-- All Claws & Ice Rod
-- Sage's Surplice, Kenpo Gi & Gaia Gear
-- Iron Gloves & Silver Armlet
- Buy Equipment
-- Silver Armlet
-- Lustrous Shield
-- Gauntlets

Mysidia Sundries
- Buy Items
-- 10 Echo Herbs
-- 20 Phoenix Downs
-- 30 Hi-Potions

After Twins Join
- Battle Speed: 6

After Tellah Joins
- Give one twin 2 augments, and the other twin 1 augment.
- Optimize Tellah
- Remove Cecil's Equipment

Before Scarmigilione
- Battle Speed: 1

*******************
** Scarmigilione **
*******************
Cecil: Spider Silk
Palom/Porom: Twincast
Tellah: Cura on Scarmigilione

*******************

**********************
** Scarmigilione 2  **
**********************
Anyone: Elixir Scarmiglione

*****************
** Dark Knight **
*****************
Cecil: Don't do anything (of course!)

After becoming a Paladin
- Battle Speed: 6
- Optimize Cecil

Mount Ordeals - Crossing
- East of second stairway: Curse Augment

Mysidia
- Head to Baron

Baron
- Confront Yang

Before Confronting Yang
- Battle Speed: 1

**************
** Generals **
**************
Cecil/Palom/Porom: Defend
Tellah: Blizzaga All (Or Break one at a time)

**********
** Yang **
**********
Everyone: Defend

-- After Yang's 2nd Kick --

Cecil: Attack

**********

Baron Weapons & Armor
- SouthEast of store has a hidden passage to get the stores chests.
-- Zues's Wrath & 2000 gil
- Sell Dark Equipment
- Buy Equipment
-- 4 Headbands
-- 2 Kenpo

After Shopping
- Optimize Yang, Tellah & Cecil

Ancient Waterway - B3
- Chest elevated out of the water: Hermes Sandals

Ancient Water - B2
- 100% Map for 3 Remedies
- Only Chest: Ether

Before Baigan
- Battle Speed: 1

************
** Baigan **
************
Palom: Bluff
Porom: Cry
Tellah: Blizzaga Baigan
Cecil/Yang: Defend/Heal

Palom/Porom: Twincast

************

Before Cagnazzo
- Hi-Potion All
- Remove Porom's Equipment

**************
** Cagnazzo **
**************
Cagnazzo casts slow a LOT, so be ready with Tellah to Haste Yang. He may counter physical damage with hold, which can be remedied, but to avoid tons of counters we'll do most of our damage in bursts with Yang.
When Cagnazzo gathers water, he's going for Tusnami. If you don't hit him with Thunder or a Zues's Wrath before he casts it, the part will be wiped.

Palom: Bluff
Porom: Slow
Tellah: Haste Yang
Cecil: Protect All

Porom: Cry
Palom: Blizzara Cagnazzo
Tellah: Wait in case Cagnazzo gathers water or Haste Yang if slowed
Cecil: Wait in case Cagnazzo gathers water or Attack

~ Combat Loop ~
Yang: Focus 3x & Attack
Cecil: Wait in case Cagnazzo gathers water or Attack
Tellah: Wait in case Cagnazzo gathers water or Haste Yang if slowed
Palom: Bluff & Blizarra Cagnazzo
---------------

-- Cagnazzo gathers water --
Tellah: Thunder or Thundara
Everyone Else: Zues's Wrath (If Tellah isn't ready)

-- Cagnazzo withdrew into shell --
Yang: Focus 3x & Attack
Tellah: Blizzaga
Cecil: Wait in case Cagnazzo gathers water
Palom: Bluff & Blizarra Cagnazzo

**************

Mysidia
- Talk to Elder to receive 5 augments
-- Dualcast, Bluff, Cry, and 2x Twincast

Mist Northern House
- Empty Fireplace hidden chests
-- Polymorph Rod & Golden Hairpin

Troia Castle
- Talk with Edward
- Battle Speed: 6

Chocobo Forest
- Black Chocobo to fly to Lodestone Cavern

Lodestone Cavern - B3
- Southern room on map
-- Middle Chest: Spider Silk
- 100% Map for 3 Silent Bells

Before Dark Elf
- Optimize Cid
- Equip Tellah with Poly Rod
- Equip Yang with 2x Fire Claws
- Augment Cecil: Cry
- Augment Tellah: Curse/Twincast
- Replace Empty Slot with Cry in Cecil's Abilities
- Battle Speed: 1

**************
** Dark Elf **
**************
- Before anything else, SILENCE DARK ELF! -
Everyone but Tellah: Silent Bell
Tellah: Silence

Tellah: Haste Yang
Yang: Focus
Cecil: Cry
Cid: Defend/Heal

Tellah: Firaga 2x
Cecil: Protect All

Tellah: Osmose
Cecil: Attack

Yang should hold on to his 3x Focus until Dragon form

- Dragon Form Begins -
Tellah: Firaga
Cecil: Cry/Heal
Yang: Attack

**************

After Dark Elf
- Grab Dark Crystal
- Exit Crystal Room
- Battle Speed: 6
- Tellah: Teleport (Or grab Emergency Exit on the left)

Troia Castle
- Dark Crystal cutscene

Troia Castle Eastern Entrance
- Western staircase

Troia Castle - B1
- Talk to guard for entry to B2

Troia Castle - B2
- Chest configuration below. Open chests labeled as "O"
X O O O O X X X O
X O O O X X X O X
2x Remedy, 2x Ether, 2x Dry Ether, Elixir, 50000 gil, 5000 gil

Troia Castle Western Entrance
- Talk to Edward to receive Bardsong augment

(Optional) Troia Item Shop
- Max Hi-Potions
- Buy 31 Phoenix Downs
- Stay at the Inn next door

Tower of Zot - 4F
- 100% Map for Elixir
- Middle Door to 5F

Tower of Zot - 5F
- East of entrance chest: Hell Claws

Before Magus Sisters
- Heal up
- Battle Speed: 1
- Optimize Yang

*******************
** Magus Sisters **
*******************
The goal in this fight is to silence Sandy and dispel any reflects on Cindy. The sisters will keep trying to do the delta attack, but the result will simply be Mindy casting level 2 elemental spells on Cindy over and over.

If you have Silent Bells, use them.
Otherwise, Silence Sandy with Tellah

Tellah: Dispel Cindy's Reflect
Cecil: Cry

Tellah: Esuna Mindy's Silence
Cecil: Protect All

~ Combat Loop ~
Yang: Focus 3x
Cecil: Attack Mindy
Cid: Attack Mindy
Tellah: High Level Magic Sandy

Yang: Attack Cindy

*******************

After Magus Sisters
- Remove Tellah's Equipment

After Tellah dies
- Receive Fast Talking, Last Stand, and Recall Augments

Before Barbariccia
- Augment Rosa: Dualcast/Fast Talker
- Augment Cid: Last Stand/Recall
- Remove Cid's Headband/Kenpo
- Equip Kain with Headband/Kenpo
- Optimize Rosa/Cecil
- Replace Attack with Dualcasting in Rosa's Abilities
- Replace Aim with Fast Talker in Rosa's Abilities
- Switch Kain and Cecil's positions

*****************
** Barbariccia **
*****************
Barbariccia will counter most spells with Maelstorm (criticals entire party) and most physical attacks with Lightning to the whole party. Because of this, we want to do as much damage possible with a single attack, so Yang is the primary damage dealer.

Rosa: Slow/Shell All
Cecil: Cry
Yang: Hermes Sandals

Rosa: Blink Self & Yang
Cecil: Protect All

~ Combat Loop (No tornado) ~
Yang: Focus 3x
Everyone else: Defend/Heal
Yang: Attack

~ Combat Loop (Tornado) ~
Kain: Jump
Everyone else: Defend/Heal

*****************

Go Underground

****************
** Calcabrena **
****************
Kain: Jump Top-Left Blue Doll
Cecil: Cry
Yang: Spider Silk
Rosa: Protect All / Blink self

Kain: Jump Bottom-Left Blue Doll
Cecil: Attack Middle-Left Blue Doll
Yang: Attack Middle-Left Blue Doll
Rosa: Blink Yang/Cecil

- After Kain's second jump completes -
Cecil: Red Fang
Yang: Red Fang (Kick if only 1 Fang)

****************

************
** Golbez **
************
Rosa: Slow Golbez / Shell Cecil

- After Golbez's next spell -
Cecil: Phoenix Down Rosa
Rydia: Hi-Potion Rosa
Rosa: Shell All

Rosa/Cecil: Heal/Libra
Rydia: Equip Poly Rod
Rydia: Summon based on Golbez's weakness

************

Dwarf Castle, East Tower - 3F
- South Chest: Elixir
- West Chest: Power Armlet
- North Chest: Ether
- Equip Kain with Power Armlet
- Equip Rydia Poly Rod
- Augment Cecil: Draw Attacks
- Augment Rydia: Bardsong
- Augment Rydia: Bluff
- Replace Cover with Draw Attacks in Cecil's Abilities
- Replace Attack with Bluff in Rydia's Abilities

Dwarf Castle, Inn
- Buy Items
-- 30 Remedies
-- 1 Cottage

Head to Tower of Babil

Tower of Babil - B12
- Chest West of entrance: Green Beret

Tower of Babil - B7
- West Chest: Dry Ether

***********************
** Doctor & Barnabas **
***********************
Cecil: Cry
Rosa: Slow / Blink Cecil

~ Combat Loop ~
Yang: Focus & Attack Doctor
Kain: Jump Barnabas
Rydia: Bluff + Ramuh
Cecil/Rosa: Defend

***********************

***************
** Dr. Lugae **
***************
Everyone: 2 Elixirs to Lugae while under Reversal Gas

After Lugae
- Remove Yang's Equipment
- Battle Speed: 6

Before Goblins
- Battle Speed: 1

*************
** Goblins **
*************
Kain: Fight
Rydia: Blizarra
Rosa/Cecil/Yang: Defend

After Goblins
- Battle Speed: 6

Eblan Weapons & Armor
- Buy 99 Shurikens

Before Edge
- Battle Speed: 1

After Edge Joins
- Battle Speed: 6

Before Edge's Parents
- Battle Speed: 1

********************
** Edge's Parents **
********************
Rosa: Cura/Shell All
Everyone: Defend

***************
** Rubicante **
***************
Stealing causes Rubicante's AI to close and open his cape. Using this, you should be able to manipulate when his cape is open and land a Shiva before Inferno.

Cecil: Cry
Rosa: Slow Rubicante / Shell Party
Rydia/Edge/Kain: Kill Kain

Rosa: Blink Rosa/Edge
Rydia/Edge/Cecil: Kill Cecil

Rosa: Blink Rydia
Rydia: Bluff & Shiva
Edge: Steal to open/close cape when necessary

***************

After Rubicante
- Battle Speed: 6

Talk to Cid to fix up Falcon
- Receive Adrenaline, Upgrade, and Analyze Augments
- Augment Kain with Adrenaline
- Replace an Empty slot with Adrenaline in Kain's Abilities

Talk to Dwarf King for Sealed Cave key

Sylph Cave
- Cabin before entering Cave (Recovers MP)
- Travel to the Avenger

Before Malboros
- Battle Speed: 1

****************
** Malboro 2x **
****************
First Person: Bronze Hourglass
Cecil: Cry

~ Combat Loop ~
Rydia: Bluff & Ifrit
Kain: Attack
Rosa/Cecil/Edge: Defend or wait

****************

After Receiving Avenger
- Battle Speed: 6
- Equip Kain with Avenger

Before Sealed Cave
- Heal up everyone except Kain (Should be low health from Sylph Cave tiles)

Before each trap door
- Battle Speed: 1

***************
** Trap Door **
***************
Cecil: Cry
Edge: Shurikens
Kain: (Berserked)

Rosa: Slow (If Kain's missing a lot)
Rydia: Defend or Wait
***************

After each trap door
- Battle Speed: 6

Collect Dark Crystal

Before Demon Wall
- Battle Speed: 1

****************
** Demon Wall **
****************
Rosa: Slow
Cecil: Cry

~ Combat Loop ~
Kain: (Berserked)
Edge: Shurikens
Rydia: Bluff & Dragon
Rosa/Cecil: Defend or Wait
****************

After Demon Wall
- Battle Speed: 6
- Remove Kain's Equipment

Receive Lunar Whale

Moon, Hummingway Abode
- Level Lust Augment

Moon, Crystal Palace - 1F
- Fusoya Joins

Back to Earth!

Giant's Chest
- North Chest: Fuma Shuriken

Giant Inner Passage
- Chest: Elixir
- 100% Map for another Elixir

Before Four Fiends
- Battle Speed: 1
- Remove Fusoya's Equipment
- Optimize Rosa
- Optimize Fusoya
- Augment Fusoya with Upgrade & Analyze
- Augment Cecil with Level Lust
- Replace Attack with Level Lust in Cecil's Abilities

*****************
** Four Fiends **
*****************
- Scarmigilione -
Rosa: Protect/Shell Party
Fusoya: Bless
Cecil/Edge/Rydia: Elixir Scarmiglione

- Cagnazzo -
Rosa: Haste
Cecil: Cry

~ Combat Loop ~
Cecil: Heal
Rosa: Heal, keep everyone Hasted, keep everyone Blinked
Edge: Shuriken
Fusoya: Blizzaga / Thundaga
Rydia: Bluff & Shiva / Ramauh

- Barbariccia -
Rosa: Slow / Cura
Edge: Shuriken
Cecil: Cry

~ Combat Loop ~
Rosa/Cecil: Heal
Fusoya: Holy
Rydia: Bluff & Dragon
Edge: Defend or wait

- Rubicante -
Rosa: Slow
Everyone: Kill Cecil

~ Combat Loop ~
Rydia: Bluff & Shiva
Fusoya: Blizzaga
Edge: Steal to open cape (When spells are almost ready)

Edge: Steal to close cape (After spells)

*****************

After Four Fiends
- Battle Speed: 6

Before CPU
- Battle Speed: 1

Auto Battle Prep
Rydia: Spider Silk
Fusoya: Meteor
Edge: Defend
Cecil: Cry
Rosa: Shell

*********
** CPU **
*********
~ Auto-Battle ~

- After Laser Barrage or Meteor -
Edge: Fuma Shuriken Attack Node

- After Attack Node dies -
Rydia: Bluff Ramuh
FuSoYa: Kill Cecil/Fusoya
Edge: Shuriken CPU

- After CPU dies -
Edge: Shuriken Heal Node

*********

Flashback
- Talk to Dad, east of house
- Talk to Mom, NorthWest most room

Back to the moon!
- Battle Speed: 6

Before Lunar Subterrane
- Receive Omnicasting, Phoenix, and Bless augments
- Augment Kain with Phoenix
- Augment Rosa with Omnicasting
- Augment Edge with Bless

- Replace empty space with Phoenix in Kain's Abilities
- Replace empty space with Adrenaline in Kain's Abilities
- Replace Pray with Omnicasting in Rosa's Abilities
- Replace Ninjutsu with Bless in Edge's Abilities
- Replace Bluff with Hastemarch in Rydia's Abilities

- Equip Edge with Kenpo Gi
- Equip Kain
-- Green Beret
-- Black Belt Gi
-- Power Armlet

Travel to Zeromus (Save if you so desire)

Before Zeromus
- Battle Speed: 1

*************
** Zeromus **
*************
The key to this fight is a simple crazy realization. Haste and Hastemarch stack. Or at least they seem to... if not, then hastemarch is just THAT amazong of a bardsong. The party will be going so fast, Kain specifically, that Zeromus will only get about 3 or 4 attacks in before being taken down and because of how his AI is setup(I think), the only offensive attack he might use is Meteor.

- Before Using Crystal -
Rydia: Thundaga Kain
Rosa: Raise/Haste on Party
Edge: Bless

Rydia: Hastemarch
Cecil: Crystal

- After Crystal -
Kain: Equip Avenger
Cecil: Cry
Rosa: Slow Zeromus / Reflect on Party

- After Black Hole -
Rosa: Dispel Kain (For some reason, he isn't affect by Black Hole) / Haste on Party
Rosa: Slow Zeromus / Reflect on Party

- After Osmose -
Cecil: Dry Ether Kain

- After Meteor or Big Bang -
Rosa: Raise Kain / Haste on Party
Cecil: Dry Ether Kain
Rosa: Reflect on Party

~ Combat Loop ~
Edge: Shurikens
Kain: (Berserked)
Rydia: (Hastemarching)
Rosa/Cecil: Wait or Defend

*************

World Rekky!