FF WalkthroughSaronia is the largest region you've encountered so far. It's a massive kingdom divided into multiple districts, each with its own secrets and treasures. Flying in on the Enterprise, you'll be shot down by Garuda's forces and crash-land near the city. This chapter covers all of Saronia's districts, the Dragon Spire dungeon, and the fight against Garuda.
Duster
Before reaching Saronia proper, you may pass through the small settlement of Duster. This tiny village has two hidden items worth grabbing.
- 2 Earthen Drums - Hidden in the grass patches around the village. Search carefully to find both.
Earthen Drums are consumable items that cast Quake on all enemies. Save them for tough encounters or boss fights where you need burst damage.
Replito
Replito is another small village with hidden treasures scattered throughout.
Treasure Chest
There's also a chest accessible via a secret passage containing an Elixir. Look for suspicious walls or paths that seem to lead nowhere. The secret passage is nearby.
Southwest Saronia
The southwestern district is where your adventure in Saronia truly begins. After crash-landing, you'll find yourself near this area. Head into town and look for Prince Alus - a young boy who's been separated from his father, King Saronia.
Speak to Alus and he'll join your party as a guest. Having Alus with you is crucial for accessing certain areas and obtaining missable items.
11 Gysahl Greens
Southwest Saronia has 11 chests scattered throughout, and every single one contains Gysahl Greens. While not exciting loot, you'll want the greens for summoning Fat Chocobo to store items later.
Missable Items (Alus Required): While Alus is in your party, visit the old men in Southwest Saronia to receive special items. These are permanently missable if you don't get them before Alus leaves.
- • Dragon Mail - Speak to the old man on the central island
- • Wind Spear - Speak to the old man in the bottom left area
The Dragon Mail is excellent armor for Dragoons, and the Wind Spear is a solid weapon. Don't miss these - talk to both old men while Alus is still with you.
Dragon Spire (Southeast Saronia)
The Dragon Spire in Southeast Saronia is a dungeon tower with valuable Dragon-themed equipment. This is the best place to gear up your Dragoons before the upcoming boss fight.
Bestiary
Enemies in the Dragon Spire:
- Hellgaroo Mage - Casts offensive magic, prioritize killing
- Needle Monkey - Fast attacker with moderate damage
- Catoblepas - Can petrify party members, have Gold Needles ready
- Sorcerer - Another magic user, dangerous in groups
- Sand Worm - High HP, burrows underground to avoid attacks
Dragon Spire Treasures
The Dragon Spire is packed with Dragon equipment. Across the four floors, you'll find:
- 3 Dragon Mails - Excellent body armor for Dragoons and heavy fighters
- 4 Dragon Helms - Head protection to match the armor
- 3 Thunder Spears - Lightning-elemental spears, perfect for Jump attacks
- 2 Phoenix Downs - Always useful for emergencies
Equip your Dragoons with full Dragon gear and Thunder Spears. You'll need them for the boss ahead.
Northeast Saronia
The northeastern district has one hidden item worth finding.
- Elixir - Hidden in the pine tree in the upper right area of the district
This brings your Saronia hidden item count to 7 total across all districts.
Castle Saronia
Castle Saronia is where the story reaches its peak. King Saronia has been possessed by Garuda, causing him to attack his own son. The tragic events here lead to a showdown with the demon bird itself.
Castle Exploration
Before facing Garuda, explore the castle thoroughly. The main floors contain 12 chests with various equipment:
- 4 Rusty Mails - Can be restored to useful armor later
- 2 Hi-Potions - Standard healing items
- Rune Bow - Magical bow for Rangers
- Main Gauche - Dagger with evasion bonus
- Thorian Hammer - Strong hammer weapon
- Ice Staff - Ice-elemental staff for mages
- Golem Staff - Earth-elemental staff
- Scholar Hat - Headgear for the Scholar job
Secret Paths
The castle has hidden passages with additional treasure. Look for walls that can be walked through, particularly in the west and east wings. The secret paths contain 6 more chests:
- Rusty Mail
- Earthen Bell - Geomancer weapon
- Gaia Vest - Body armor for light classes
- Viking Helm - Head protection for Vikings
- Dragon Helm - Another helm for your Dragoons
- Viking Mail - Body armor for Vikings
Mage Quarters
The mage quarters in the castle contain 2 additional Phoenix Downs. Make sure to grab these before proceeding to the boss.
Boss: Garuda
Garuda awaits at the top of Castle Saronia. This demon bird has been terrorizing the kingdom and controlling King Saronia through possession. The only way to defeat Garuda is with the power of the Dragoons.
Weakness: Wind (but use Dragoons) | Resists: Most magic
Garuda is designed to be fought with Dragoons using Jump. When a Dragoon jumps, they become untargetable and deal massive damage upon landing. This is the intended strategy and makes the fight manageable. Without Dragoons, Garuda is significantly harder.
- • Use 3-4 Dragoons - This fight was designed for the Jump command
- • Equip Thunder Spears from Dragon Spire for bonus damage
- • Have Dragoons Jump continuously - they're invulnerable while airborne
- • Keep one White Mage or healer for emergency Curaga
- • Garuda's Lightning attack hits hard, but Jump timing makes you avoid it
If you collected the Dragon equipment from the Dragon Spire and got the missable items from the old men, your Dragoons should be well-equipped. Keep everyone jumping and healing, and Garuda will fall.
After the Battle
Defeating Garuda frees King Saronia from possession, but the victory is bittersweet. Prince Alus must stay behind to help rebuild his kingdom. He leaves your party. Make sure you got the missable Dragon Mail and Wind Spear before this point.
As thanks for saving Saronia, you receive the Nautilus - a more advanced airship that can dive underwater. This opens up the entire underwater world for exploration.
Treasure Chests
This chapter has 47 chests plus 7 hidden items. Make sure to collect the missable items while Alus is in your party.
Southwest Saronia (11 chests)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Gysahl Greens | Southwest Saronia, scattered throughout (x11) |
Dragon Spire (12 chests)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Dragon Mail | Dragon Spire 1F |
Dragon Mail | Dragon Spire 2F |
Dragon Mail | Dragon Spire 3F |
Dragon Helm | Dragon Spire 1F |
Dragon Helm | Dragon Spire 2F |
Dragon Helm | Dragon Spire 3F |
Dragon Helm | Dragon Spire 4F |
Thunder Spear | Dragon Spire 2F |
Thunder Spear | Dragon Spire 3F |
Thunder Spear | Dragon Spire 4F |
Phoenix Down | Dragon Spire 2F |
Phoenix Down | Dragon Spire 4F |
Castle Saronia - Main (12 chests)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Rusty Mail | Castle Saronia, west wing 1F |
Rusty Mail | Castle Saronia, west wing 2F |
Rusty Mail | Castle Saronia, east wing 1F |
Rusty Mail | Castle Saronia, east wing 2F |
Hi-Potion | Castle Saronia, basement |
Hi-Potion | Castle Saronia, tower |
Rune Bow | Castle Saronia, armory |
Main Gauche | Castle Saronia, storage room |
Thorian Hammer | Castle Saronia, treasury |
Ice Staff | Castle Saronia, mage quarters |
Golem Staff | Castle Saronia, mage quarters |
Scholar Hat | Castle Saronia, library |
Castle Saronia - Secret Paths (6 chests)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Rusty Mail | Secret path, first room |
Earthen Bell | Secret path, second room |
Gaia Vest | Secret path, central area |
Viking Helm | Secret path, near exit |
Dragon Helm | Secret path, hidden alcove |
Viking Mail | Secret path, final room |
Castle Saronia - Mage Quarters (2 chests)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Phoenix Down | Mage quarters, left room |
Phoenix Down | Mage quarters, right room |