Beginner's Hall
[MDS7_W2: Beginner's Hall] This is located on the second floor of the weapon shop in Midgar Sector 7. It is accessible after waking up the second morning, before leaving for the No. 5 Reactor.
Check the materia on the floor
Received "All" Materia!
Hey!! You got one right off!
That was Materia. Next, take this [treasure chest]!
Check the chest
Received "Ether"!
Check the chest again
Now listen, Hidden in these treasure chests, are a lot of items
There are box types and bag types, so make sure you don't overlook any.
Talk to the woman
This is the fabled [Save Point]!!
At a [Save Point] you can use a [tent] and/or select "SAVE".
There's more, too. Look for something called secret.
Even if you are wiped out, if you save you can restart from that same point.
That way you don't have to worry when you've been wiped out.
This is jumping ahead a little but, when you leave Midgar...
Once you get the world map, you can save anywhere you like. Remember that.
That should be all you need to know about the Save Point.
I'll probably see you again somewhere on the road.
Take care!
I'm a [treasure chest]!! Beginners make sure and keep an eye out for me!!
Talk to the kids
......smack......knock......!!
Help!
Cloud:
You've got to hang in there. You're limit gauge is just starting to build.
Waaaah!!
Cloud:
Ok! Now your limit gauge is full, go ahead and use it! Fight with your limit technique.
Cloud:
Great!
Talk to the kids again
Magic!! Magic!!
Help!
Cloud:
Calm down! When your enemy uses magic counter with [Magic Barrier] or [reflect].
[Magic Barrier] reduces the damage received from magic by half.
[reflect] bounces the attacks off you. But the number of times you can use it is limited so be careful.
Cloud:
Great!
Talk to the kids again
Wow! You sure are strong! I'm going to be strong, too !
Me too!
Cloud:
If you want to get as strong as me you need to use Materia.
And you have to find the best combinations of them.
The type of Materia you put in your weapons and armor will determine how quickly your Materia grows.
Put Materia into the open slots in your weapons and armor. The possible combinations are limitless.
That's about all I can tell you. If you want to be like me, you have to have some natural talent.
I still don't get it!
I still don't get it!
Cloud:
Listen kid, don't piss me off!
That's all right. Just give it a try. Little by little, you'll get used to it.
Talk to the body builders
If this is the first time you talk to them
Hey SOLDIER!! Tell us about battles! We'll even pay you!
Cloud:
I'm not hard up enough to take money from guys like you. But I'll rap with you for a while.
Cloud:
What do you want to know?
About ATB
Cloud:
ATB or Active Time Battle is a system that is always in operation during battle.
Select [Wait] from ATB on the Config Menu and time will stop when you select magic or items during battle.
This gives you time to pick out your commands. This is especially helpful to beginners.
Selecting [Recommended] ATB in the config menu can stop time while the effects of spells and items are taking place during battle.
This lets you take your time looking over the progression of the battle. When you don't want to rush in battle, this is for you!
Personally, I always use [Active], but you can use whichever you like.
The numbers on the screen
Cloud:
White numbers appearing on the screen in battle are damage points. Green numbers show restorative points.
You better watch these if you don't want to get wiped out.
About [change] and [defend]
Cloud:
The [change] command can move characters to and from the front and back rows.
In the back row, the damage received is less, but the attacking power is less.
You can make a [change] by pressing the Directional button in battle.
Pushing the Directional button the other direction during battle accesses [defend].
Selecting [defend] reduces the damage you receive by half until the next command.
If you're up against a strong enemy, Don't hesitate to use this one. Of course, I never need it.
About [Escape]
Cloud:
I don't really remember ever having to use the [escape] command... but you'll probably need it.
Push the L1 and R1 buttons at the same time, holding them down, and you can escape.
About the gauges
Cloud:
During battle, there are several [gauges] displayed. You can't check them now, so just remember what I tell you.
[time gauge] displays the time remaining until your next turn while in battle.
When the gauge is full, you can make your command.
If you don't want to make one, push the [Triangle]button and you can move to the next character.
It's convenient when you wanna make Barret work.
The [limit gauge] increases every time you sustain damage. When it is full, you can use the [limit technique].
This gauge is not cleared after each battle, but gradually builds up over time.
It takes a while for it to build up, so you have to think about which times are the best to use it.
You probably don't know about it, but there are conditions of [status], [fury], and [sadness].
When you have [fury], your limit gauge builds up sooner, but your attacking accuracy is lower.
Keep in mind that [sadness] makes your limit gauge build up slower, but the damage you receive is also lessened.
[barrier gauge] is for specialized magic.
The top gauge displays [barrier] or magic defense against attacks. The bottom gauge displays [magic barrier] or defenses against magic attacks.
Both will cut the damage you receive in half. However, over time they will disappear.
Whenever you use [barrier] or [magic barrier] make sure to pay attention to the [barrier gauge].
That's it. Remember that for the next battle.
About [status]
Cloud:
[status] means just that. The status of each character.
I'll probably wind up repeating myself, but let me go over a few basic points.
Sleep You cannot put in a command until you get up.
Poison Steals your HP in battle.
Fury Damage is increased, attack accuracy decreased. Tranquilizers will remedy it.
Sadness Damage is decreased. Hyper will remedy it.
Petrify Will petrify and become immobilized. Every member will be wiped out.
Confuse Will attack enemy and ally alike.
Silence Will be unable to cast magic.
Paralyze Stops time gauges, commands.
Darkness Accuracy of hitting attacks decreases.
Frog Become a frog. I hate this one!
Cloud:
Hoo...I'm beat.
[status change], since this can be changed with magic and items, you should check it whenever you buy things.
About [elementals]
Cloud:
[elemental] is the special effect that comes with certain weapons and magic.
It's necessary to move ahead effectively. If you pay attention to the types of elementals you use you'll become intermediate in no time.
I put together this list, but remember, it's just a partial list don't take it too literally.
Fire Fire effect. Works best on animals and water monsters.
Ice Ice effect. Works best on fire monsters and things that hate the cold.
Lightning Lightning effect. Works best on mechanical things.
Earth Attacks using the earth's power. Doesn't work on flying enemies.
Poison Poisons enemies. Doesn't work on any poison based enemies.
Gravity Gravity based attack. These hurt if they hit.
Water Calls on the earth's water. Works well on fire monsters.
Wind Calls up the winds. Works well on flying enemies.
Holy Calls up the Planet's power. Works well on dark monsters.
Cloud:
If you use reciprocal elementals in your attacks, the effect is huge!
Also, if you use the same elemental, your defenses are raised. But, you have to be careful because the opposite is also true.
To see what elementals an enemy has, you need [Sense] Materia. If you get that Materia, you should try using it.
About [help]
Cloud:
Looks like you didn't get it the last time I told you. What's wrong with you? You touched in the head?
Well, don't worry. You just need to push the [SELECT] button in battle.
Do that, and the [help message] will walk you through the commands.
It also shows you the name of your enemy, so even I use it once in a while. Make good use of it.
That's all the time I have for you!
Talk to the dog
How to use the buttons.
L1/R1 button: To turn quickly.
[Directional button] [Button] up [Triangle]: menu left right : walk [Square] [O]: speak/execute down [X]: run
[How to reset] L1&L2&R1&R2&SELECT&START button. Push any of those buttons together to reset the game. (only works on the field.)
Cloud:
Huh? Finger!? What the hell?
I'm the position cursor!! Call me whenever you're walking around confused!
Push the [SELECT] button and I'll appear over your shiny little head.
Cloud:
Geez, you stand out even more than I do...
Am I in the way? If so, just push the [SELECT] button one more time.
I'm pretty busy myself, and can't always come when you need me. If I don't show up sometimes, don't get mad.
Later!
[Position Cursor] Push the [SELECT] button when you're lost in the field. Usually, the [Position Cursor] will appear on the screen.
But wait!! [Red triangles] mark the exits and [Green triangles] mark ladders. These will help you safely make it through even the darkest streets or dangerous mountains!
But, there are times when it won't appear, so be careful.
Talk to the guy next to the dog
If this is the first time you talk to him
This is the Beginner's Hall.
You say you're a beginner? But your eyes say you're not.
Cloud:
Don't mess with me. I used to be in SOLDIER. I'll tell you how much I know... an' for free too!
Cloud:
What do you want to know?
How to save?
Now I'll tell you about saving.
You know what'll happen if you don't save?
That's right.
Everything you worked so hard to do will be lost!
You never know when there might be a power outage.
And you've got a long battle ahead of you.
It pays to save often
and take breaks when you need them.
Anyway you'll need a Memory card to save your games.
But, uh, none of the stores around here sell any.
You'll have to get some at a (real) store.
I guess you already have a Memory card.
Put the Card firmly into the slot.
Put it in either the right or left side.
Then when you're ready, access the menu.
Select [Save].
Remember you can't just save wherever you want.
You can only save at places marked [Save Point].
When you find one, a message will appear.
Whenever you reach a [Save Point],
you'll want to save your game.
Slot 1 is on the left,
slot 2 on the right. Choose either one.
Next, choose your file and save it.
Each Memory card can hold up to 15 files.
If you have files from other games on it,
there will be less room to save.
The screen only shows 3 files at a time so,
press the directional buttons to scroll down the list,
and you can see the rest.
Remember, the more files you have,
the longer it will take to load.
One last thing.
The Memory card is a delicate device.
Be careful when handling it.
Never remove it while saving or loading.
Don't get mad even if you lose.
If that happens, just chill out,
and let your head, and your console, cool down.
That's all.
Remember to save often so you don't lose your games.
How to heal your allies?
If you don't have any Potions
Cloud:
First, you need Potions.
If you haven't received a Potion this way
You're a stingy one. Here, I'll give you ONE Potion.
Get Potion
If you've already received a Potion this way
I don't have any extra Potions on me. Why don't you go buy some?
If you now have at least 1 Potion
You probably already know this but...
HP is your life force.
If HP is lost in battle, you're out of commission.
MP is the source of your magic power.
If your MP's lost, you'll be unable to cast spells.
So, what should we do to cure a damaged ally?
There are three ways.
First, you can rest at an inn at a nearby town.
Second, you can use items to help them recover.
Third, you can use curative magic.
I'll explain about Magic later,
but here we'll talk about items.
Select [Item] from the menu.
Potion restores HP.
If you can't find where Potion is,
access the menu and select [Arrange]
to change the order of items.
You can arrange them however you like.
Order items you'll use in the field.
Order items you'll use in battle.
Prioritize items you can throw in battle.
Order weapons and armor separately.
Order by name
Order by most items held
Order by least items held
By the way,
[Key Item]'s are just that,
items that unlock problems just like a key.
They're very important items to have.
Keep that in mind.
Ok, now select [Use],
Then select [Potion].
Select the person you want to use it on.
If they're already maxed out,
you won't be able to use it on them.
We can restore MP with [Ether].
You use this the same way you did for [Potion].
Just pick a member and use it!
The number appearing next to the item name
tells you how many are available.
Of course, the more you use, the less you'll have.
Some enemies will drop Potions or Ethers,
but you'll want to stock up whenever you're at a store.
One last thing, if someone in your party gets wiped out,
either rest at an inn or use [Phoenix Down].
That's all!
Curative Magic?
Now I'll tell you how to use curative magic.
First, access the menu and select [Magic].
Next, select who'll cast the spell.
Pick an ally equipped with [Restore] Materia.
You can select another party member
by using the L1 and R1 buttons.
The function also work in other sub menus.
Better remember that.
This is magic you can use,
monsters you can summon,
and enemy techniques you've learned.
Whenever [Magic] is selected...
the available magic appears on the screen...
So, if you wanted to use [Cure]...
you would select it from the menu...
then select who you want to use it on.
I think Potion is pretty expensive, so...
when you're near an inn and you can restore MP,
it's better to use curative magic rather than Potion.
That's all.
Weapons and armor?
Equipping weapons & armor is basic to battle.
Let me show you how it's done.
Just finding or buying new weapons or armor,
isn't enough.
You have to access the menu and select [Equip].
Then, select who you want to equip.
You can change weapons,
armor
and accessories.
Accessories have special effects.
Just select what you want to change.
On the right side of the screen,
here's a list of what can be equipped.
You can see the item's effect here.
Change your weapon with the OK button.
Make sure it'll increase attack/defense levels.
Pay special attention to Materia slots.
The slots that are linked are effective.
Also check the growth rates of Materia.
Now when you want to remove an accessory...
press the triangle button here.
You should never remove weapons or armor.
Because you never know when you'll be attacked.
After you're finished equipping,
you should re-equip your Materia.
That's it!
How to apply Materia?
Materia can unleash hidden power in humans.
So let's see how Materia is used.
First, access the menu.
Then select [Materia].
Select who you want to use it.
Pay close attention to my weapon here.
Each weapon and armor has slots in them.
Choose which slot you want to put Materia in.
Now select the Materia you want to use.
This is curative Materia.
If you want to know what its effect is,
line the cursor up with [Check],
and push the OK button.
It's just like selecting battle commands.
Just line the cursor up to [magic],
you can see that the available magic has increased.
Now you can use new magic [Cure].
And that's all there is to equipping Materia.
See? It wasn't that tough!
When you want to remove Materia,
it's as easy as pointing to the materia slot,
and pushing the triangle button.
There's only one thing you have to watch out for.
When you equip Materia, your condition changes.
Parts of you will become stronger...
while others get weaker.
Normally, when you equip [Magic] Materia,
your magic power will get stronger.
But your physical strength weakens.
So, Materia's kind of a double-edged sword.
The left side of the screen,
shows the effect of the Materia.
Try out everything.
And that's all.
I'll tell you about some of the finer points next.
Effective ways to use Materia?
Access the menu if you find Materia.
There's a lot of different Materia around.
This is one of them. It's [All] Materia.
If you equip this alone, nothing will happen.
It's a little tricky, but I'll tell you anyway.
Now look at my weapon.
Look closely at those two slots.
They're joined together as linked slots.
You've got to remember to put it into linked slots.
Different Materia will affect each other.
But only if the slots are linked.
Just to show you,
let's put some [All] into one of the slots,
and [Lightning] in the other.
Now we can use [Bolt] on [All] the enemies.
But it's limited to once per battle.
Combine different things
and you'll come up with different results.
Combining [Restore] and [All],
will let you use [Cure] for your entire party.
There are also many useless combinations.
For example, [Restore] and [Lightning]
[Bolt] and [Cure] can be used normally, but
there won't be any compound effect.
Specialized Materia like [All] is called [Support Materia].
You can tell the difference
just by looking at the Materia's color.
This may sound weird, but
did you know Materia grows on its own?
Even if one of your allies uses it,
it will continue to grow with each battle.
As its level increases,
so will the effects of the magic you can use.
I told you [All] works once per battle.
But it can work twice or more as it grows.
When you get it to the master level,
Materia will divide itself, looking like it's giving birth.
But that master Materia won't grow anymore.
When you can't take Materia on anymore,
you'd better sell it or dump it somewhere.
You can see the useful functions here.
You can [Arrange] Materia,
[Remove all] Materia from your weapon.
You can throw Materia into the [Trash].
Oops, relax! I wasn't gonna dump it.
Let's see. This is a special menu for you.
You can exchange all Materia you have between allies,
even if they're not in your party.
Now about Materia's growth.
The growth rate depends on
what weapon or armor it's put into.
Some will double in growth, while others won't grow at all.
In most cases, the Materia's effect won't change
whether you put it into a weapon or armor.
But [Elemental] and [Added Effect]
are completely different depending on whether
they're put into weapons or armor.
You've got to think about
what weapon or armor to use, or
what Materia combinations will be the strongest.
I remember hearing once...
about extraordinary Materia somewhere in the world.
I think I've told you just about everything I can.
How to form your battle party?
I'll explain your party's order in battle.
First, access the menu and select [Order].
Next, select who you want to switch.
Now, select the position you want.
This will change their position in battle.
In this case
there isn't any advantage/disadvantage.
But when you select the same person twice,
it will place them
in either the front/back row in a battle.
When they're on the left side of the screen,
that'll be the front row...
When they're on the right,
that'll be the back row.
When you're in the front row
and you select [Attack]
you inflict major damage on your enemy.
But you will also receive greater damage.
While in the back row,
although you do less damage to the enemy,
you also receive less damage.
For magic attacks,
there's no difference in damage
between the front & back rows.
There is also no difference
when you use long range weapons.
It's better to keep weaker members...
in the back row.
And that's it. Of course,
I'm better off in the front row!
How to check your status?
You must know your current status.
That's one of the basics of battle.
Access the menu and select [Status].
Next, select the member you want to check.
Were you surprised at the amount of information?
I'll explain the order.
First,
these are your experience points and your level.
The more experience you get in battle,
the stronger you become.
This gauge tells you
how many points you need to get to the next level.
If you can't beat stronger enemies,
raise your level by fighting weaker ones.
You'll improve your physical and magical skills.
Next is HP and MP.
HP is your life force.
When it reaches zero, you won't be able to fight.
MP is the source of your magic power.
Every time you cast magic, you use MP.
and when you run out of MP,
you won't be able to cast spells.
This is called the Limit gauge.
It shows your anger level.
When the gauge is full, you can use a "Limit Technique".
I'll tell you about "Limit Techniques" later.
You know the battle commands
are classified roughly into two groups.
[Attack] is for regular physical attacks.
[Magic] and [Summon] cast magic attacks.
Each has attacking power, defense power,
and escape probabilities.
The value depends on your equipment,
and experience level.
The total effect is on the chart below.
These are commands you can use in battle.
And your presently equipped weapons, armor,
and accessories.
Press the OK button here one more time.
There are all types of attacks...
Some monsters are weak against fire,
others are weak against ice or lightning.
The Materia or items you have
can add these [Elemental]s to your attacks
or protect yourself from them in an enemy attack.
This chart shows your current attributes.
Press the OK button here one more time.
The chart below means [Added Effect]s.
Some enemies will use sneaky attacks on you.
These attacks change your condition,
such as...
sleep, confuse, poison, darkness, petrify,
silence, small, frog, and so on.
These conditions disappear after each battle,
except fury and sadness which will remain.
To cure these conditions quickly,
use items or magic.
There are specific medicines for each condition.
I know I'm repeating myself but,...
when you're taken out in battle,
I mean, when you're almost dead,
use [Life] magic or the item [Phoenix down].
When you change Materia or equipment
it's best to look here to check on them.
Mastering Elementals and Added Effects...
will make your battles safer.
That's all.
About Limit status?
Here are a few hints on limit techniques.
When an enemy has pushed your anger to the limits,
you can unleash unimaginable power.
You know what I mean, right?
The trick is how to use it.
Access the menu and select [Limit].
Now select a member.
Now decide what your limit will be.
Lower limits have less power,
but you can use them more often.
If you set your limit higher,
you can inflict great damage,
but you'll have to wait longer.
After using this technique for awhile,
you'll improve your technique.
Your development will change
depending on how you fight.
I can't tell you how it will change.
That's something you'll have to find out by yourself.
I've heard a rumor about secret items
that inspire ultimate techniques.
I don't know whether or not those items really exist.
That's it! Try everything out and use what's best for you!
Other things to watch for?
Cloud:
You probably know all this. But just in case, I'll go over it.
Until you get instructions, don't open or take discs out of the PlayStation.
After you open up the Disc Cover I can't guarantee what'll happen. That's all.
That's all
Cloud:
[wiped out]. This is one I've never personally used. But I heard from someone what it was about.
When you are wiped out, you start back from the last save point.
Even a weakling like you, can make it out of the roughest places as long as you hang in there and fight. You should be glad!
Cloud:
Sorry. I'll have to go get my money.