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The Empire - Enemies
Welcome to the southern continent on the world map! The home of the Empire is probably the largest unbroken landmass that you can explore, and you’ll have to do it largely on foot. The monsters here tend towards physical endurance, and are weak against the magic you’ve slowly been learning since Zozo. Take advantage of this as you explore.
The monsters on this continent are a blend of surprising and straightforward. Here are some of the more notable creatures:
- Wyverns have a fair amount more health than other enemies, and can inflict Sap status. Special single-target attacks, such as Edgar's Drill or Chainsaw, are recommended.
- Jokers can use Thundara, and though it doesn't come up often this spell can OHKO characters. Try to wipe them out first.
- Litwor Chickens are generally weak, but if you cut their numbers down to one they can use Quake, a powerful Earth-elemental spell. Either cast Float to avoid this spell, or use AOE attacks to wipe out all of the Litwor Chickens at once. They only appear in forests, so you can just avoid the trees if you find these things too annoying.
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These monsters have some decent things to Steal, if you care to put Locke to work. You'll need to Steal a bunch to get these items, which may not be worth your time.
- Dons have Tiger Masks
- Jokers have Green Berets
- Wyverns have Dragoon Boots
First thing's first, though: Reequip Celes. The visit to the Opera House strips Celes of all of her equipment, including any Magicite she may have been holding. She'll be in for a nasty shock if she gets into a battle and takes hits without any armor.
In reality the only place you have to visit on the continent is the Imperial capital of Vector, found, predictably, right in the middle of the landmass. There’s plenty else to see, though, and we’ll begin with...
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The Blackjack - Vendor
… the Blackjack! Yep, you can reenter Setzer’s ship after leaving. There are two things you can do in the Blackjack at this point:
- The man on the left side of the entrance fully refreshes your party for free. This makes the Blackjack a good place to do some leveling, if you found the battle in the Opera House a bit difficult.
- The man on the right side of the entrance is a merchant with a selection of basic restorative items. Nothing fancy, but this is a good first pitstop before you explore the continent.
You can speak to Setzer on the Blackjack any time you like, but regardless of the number of characters in your party he won't join you. (Yet.) Hopefully you brought along the full four.
Albrook - Weapon Shop
Albrook - Armor Shop
Albrook - Item Shop
Albrook - Relic Shop
A short walk from the Blackjack is the Imperial town of Albrook. Although it's patrolled by Imperial soldiers, Albrook is your standard town, and you won't get into any battles here. Albrook offers a decent array of items and equipment, but you may want to hold off until you check the other two towns on the continent.
There are a few quick things to pick up in Albrook:
- You’ll find an Ether in the weapon shop, and two empty chests in the armor shop. Why they're empty is anyone's guess.
- There's no point using the inn, since you can stay at the Blackjack for free. You’ll find a Hi-Potion in a barrel outside the inn, however.
- Albrook's pub contains a ton of off-duty Imperial soldiers. Head east through here to find the quieter relic shop, which has a clock containing an Elixir.
Tzen - Weapon Shop
Tzen - Armor Shop
Tzen - Item Shop
Tzen - Relic Shop
Head far to the north of Albrook, past Vector (it’s the central location, and difficult to miss), and up to the northern tip of the continent. Here you’ll find the small town of Tzen. There’s admittedly not a ton to do here right now besides look for new equipment and chat with people. There are two relics you may want to buy:
- Hermes Sandals, which bestow Haste status to the user
- Black Belts, which trigger counterattacks whenever the user is physically attacked
Both are quite useful, if you have the money to spend.
Maranda - Weapon Shop
Maranda - Armor Shop
The longest trip you'll make is to Maranda. It's on the southwestern edge of the continent, and you'll find a reliable path to this town by sticking to the western seaboard as you travel south.
Maranda is a slightly larger town than Tzen, but still not that notable. It has the best selection of equipment you’ll find on the continent, so if you’re going to upgrade your party, this is the place to do it. There are some items to pick up here, as well:
- Check the boxes to the left of the entrance of Maranda for Holy Water
- Check the crates on the east side of town for a Remedy. Nothing terribly special.
Check the eastern-most house in Maranda. It’s owned by the girlfriend of the soldier who’s currently injured in Mobliz. Her dialogue will change whenever you arrange a delivery between the two. She’ll also be part of a side quest in the second half of the game, so keep this house in mind.
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All done? Check the forests to the southeast of Maranda if you don’t feel like walking back east. There’s a hidden Chocobo Stable down here. Rent a bird to zip back to the center of the continent, skipping all random battles in the process.
There’s another location on the eastern side of the continent, a small Imperial base with ridiculous defenses, and attempting to go through will get you kicked out. You'll be coming through here in a short while, but for now this place is impenetrable. Ignore it for the moment, and head to your destination: Vector itself.