FF WalkthroughCastle Palamecia is a one-time location. The castle is destroyed after the story events and you can NEVER return. All 17 treasure chests inside are permanently missable. Additionally, 5 enemy types are exclusive to this dungeon: Black Knight, Eyemoeba, General, Skull, and Stone Golem. Encounter them all before leaving!
The war reaches its dramatic climax at Castle Palamecia, the Empire's fortress. After learning that the Dark Knight Leon has declared himself the new Emperor, you must infiltrate the castle to confront him. This massive dungeon contains 17 treasure chests, 16 enemy types (5 of which are exclusive to this location), and leads to one of the most shocking twists in the game.
Preparing for Castle Palamecia
Return to Castle Fynn and speak with Princess Hilda. She has devastating news - the Dark Knight Leon, your childhood friend and Maria's brother, has declared himself the new Emperor of Palamecia! After the previous Emperor's death, Leon seized power for himself. Hilda teaches you the password Palamecia - the name of the Imperial fortress. This is your 14th password, and you'll need it to access the castle.
The only way to reach Castle Palamecia is by air - the fortress is completely inaccessible by land or sea. Speak with Leila and Gordon to learn about Paul, the master thief who might know a way. Visit Cid to discuss your plan. The old engineer has been working on his Airship and agrees to lend it to you for the assault on Castle Palamecia.
Head to Poft where the Airship is docked. Before taking off, speak with Paul. The thief confirms what you suspected - the only way into Castle Palamecia is via the air.
Before entering Castle Palamecia, Ricard the Dragoon will leave your party. Make sure to unequip all valuable gear from him before this happens! Any equipment he's wearing will be lost.
On your way to Castle Palamecia, you'll fly over desert regions. Before landing at the castle, make sure to encounter the new desert enemies in this area: Sand Worm (massive desert creature, weak to Ice) and Scissorjaws (dangerous pincer attacks, high defense).
The Sand Worm and Scissorjaws can only be encountered in this desert area. If you're completing the bestiary, defeat at least one of each before entering Castle Palamecia!
Castle Palamecia
Land the Airship at Castle Palamecia and enter the fortress. The interior is massive, spanning 7 floors of Imperial architecture filled with deadly enemies and valuable treasure. You must collect all 17 chests before confronting Leon - once the story events trigger, you cannot return.
New enemies exclusive to Castle Palamecia include:
- Black Knight - Heavily armored elite soldiers, high attack and defense
- Eyemoeba - Strange floating creatures, can inflict status ailments
- General - Imperial commanders, powerful physical attacks
- Skull - Undead enemies, weak to Fire and Cure magic
- Stone Golem - Extremely high defense, weak to magic
Black Knight, Eyemoeba, General, Skull, and Stone Golem are ONLY found in Castle Palamecia. Once the castle is destroyed, you can NEVER encounter them again. If you're completing the bestiary, make sure to defeat at least one of each!
Floors 1-2: Diamond Equipment
On the first floor, explore the left wing to find the room containing chest 1 (Diamond Shield). Then head to the right wing for chest 2 (Diamond Helm). These Diamond equipment pieces are excellent defensive upgrades. After collecting both chests, find the stairs leading up to 2F in the center of the floor.
The second floor continues the gauntlet of Imperial soldiers and dangerous creatures. Head to the west chamber first to find chest 3 (Diamond Cuirass) - an excellent body armor. Then navigate to the east chamber for chest 4 (Diamond Gloves). Equip these pieces immediately to help survive the tougher battles ahead.
Diamond equipment collected on floors 1-2:
- Diamond Shield - 1F, left wing room
- Diamond Helm - 1F, right wing room
- Diamond Cuirass - 2F, west chamber
- Diamond Gloves - 2F, east chamber
Floors 3-4: Attack Items and Consumables
On 3F, the layout becomes more complex with winding corridors and hidden alcoves. Navigate to the south corridor to find chest 5 (Hellfire) - a powerful attack item. Check the north alcove for chest 6 (Acid Bottle). The Hellfire item deals massive fire damage to all enemies - save it for tough encounters.
The fourth floor has three treasure chests spread across its chambers. Search for the hidden passage to find chest 7 (Elixir) - always valuable for boss fights. The west room contains chest 8 (Ether) and the east room has chest 9 (Hi-Potion).
Castle Palamecia has several hidden passages through walls. Check suspicious-looking dead ends by walking into them - some contain valuable treasures like the Elixir on 4F.
Floors 5-6: Stat Boosts and Spell Tomes
Floor 5 contains three more chests. The south chamber has chest 10 (Mace) - a weapon with decent magic power. Check the west alcove for chest 11 (Gaia Drum), an attack item that deals earth damage. The east alcove contains chest 12 (Sage's Wisdom), which permanently increases Intelligence. Use the Sage's Wisdom on your primary spellcaster to boost their magic effectiveness permanently.
The sixth floor is near the top of the castle. Search for the hidden room to find chest 13 (Saint's Spirit), which permanently increases Spirit. The west corridor contains chest 14 (Stun Tome) and the east corridor has chest 15 (Stop Tome). The Stun and Stop tomes teach powerful time magic spells. Use the Saint's Spirit on Maria or another white magic user to boost their healing effectiveness.
Floor 7: Throne Room Approach
The seventh and final floor leads to the Emperor's throne room. Before the confrontation, collect the last two chests. The pre-throne chamber contains chest 16 (Sun Blade) - an excellent sword that deals extra damage to undead. The balcony room has chest 17 (Healing Staff). The Sun Blade is one of the best weapons available at this point - equip it on Firion or another sword user. The Healing Staff casts Cure when used as an item, providing free healing in battle.
Once you enter the throne room and confront Leon, story events will trigger and Castle Palamecia will be destroyed. Make absolutely certain you have collected all 17 treasure chests and encountered all 5 exclusive enemy types before proceeding!
Confronting Leon
Enter the throne room to find Leon seated upon the Emperor's throne. He has fully embraced his role as the new ruler of the Empire. Maria pleads with her brother to return, but Leon's ambition has consumed him.
Before any resolution can be reached, an impossible event occurs - a dark portal opens and the Emperor himself returns from Hell! He has conquered the underworld and returned more powerful than ever. The resurrected Emperor announces his triumph - death itself could not hold him. He has become the ruler of Hell and returns to claim the mortal world as well. Castle Palamecia begins to crumble as his dark power overwhelms it.
As Castle Palamecia crumbles, the last Wyvern appears to rescue you. This noble dragon, the final survivor of Deist, carries your party to safety as the Emperor's fortress is destroyed behind you. Watch as Castle Palamecia is utterly destroyed. But from its ruins, something far worse rises - Castle Pandaemonium, the fortress of Hell itself, emerges in its place.
Leon Joins
The Wyvern carries you back to Castle Fynn. Speak with Princess Hilda to discuss the catastrophic turn of events. The Emperor has returned from Hell itself, and his power is greater than ever before.
Leon finally realizes the magnitude of his folly. The Emperor's return proves that mere ambition is meaningless against true evil. He agrees to join your party permanently as the fourth member, seeking redemption for his betrayal.
Leon joins permanently! Unlike previous fourth party members, Leon will stay with you for the rest of the game. Equip him with your best spare gear.
Hilda teaches you the final password: Jade Passage. This is the 15th and final password in the game - the path to Castle Pandaemonium and the final confrontation with the Emperor.
With Jade Passage, you have now learned all 15 passwords in Final Fantasy 2. The game tracks your keyword discoveries, and this marks the complete collection.
Obtaining Excalibur
Before heading to the Jade Passage, return to Castle Deist. With the death of the last Wyvern's heroic sacrifice, the dragons' legacy lives on through you.
Speak to Elina (the woman with the child) and ask her about Dragoons. In recognition of your alliance with the Dragoons and Ricard's sacrifice, she gives you the legendary Excalibur - the most powerful sword in the game! This holy blade deals massive damage and is particularly effective against undead and demonic enemies.
Equip Excalibur on Firion immediately. This sword hits hard against the demons ahead.
The path to the final confrontation lies before you. The Jade Passage is the gateway to Castle Pandaemonium, where the Emperor awaits.
Before proceeding to Jade Passage, ensure you have:
- Leon fully equipped with your best spare gear
- Excalibur equipped on your strongest physical attacker
- Maximum stock of Elixirs, Hi-Potions, Ethers, and Phoenix Downs
- Cure, Esuna, Life, and Teleport leveled up
Treasure Chests
Castle Palamecia contains 17 treasure chests. ALL chests are permanently missable - the castle is destroyed after the story events and cannot be revisited. Collect everything before confronting Leon in the throne room!
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Diamond Shield | 1F, left wing room |
Diamond Helm | 1F, right wing room |
Diamond Cuirass | 2F, west chamber |
Diamond Gloves | 2F, east chamber |
Hellfire | 3F, south corridor |
Acid Bottle | 3F, north alcove |
Elixir | 4F, hidden passage |
Ether | 4F, west room |
Hi-Potion | 4F, east room |
Mace | 5F, south chamber |
Gaia Drum | 5F, west alcove |
Sage's Wisdom | 5F, east alcove |
Saint's Spirit | 6F, hidden room |
Stun Tome | 6F, west corridor |
Stop Tome | 6F, east corridor |
Sun Blade | 7F, pre-throne chamber |
Healing Staff | 7F, balcony room |