Ancient Cave Master Battle

Actions

• The Master does not attack you
• It restores your whole party's HP on turn 1 and MP on turn 2, does nothing on turn 3, and leaves on turn 4
• The Master always acts before you, so you get only 3 turns

How to Beat

• The Master has 9,980 HP, too much to wear down in 3 turns with normal attacks alone
• So take a big chunk with IP skills that cut a fraction of the enemy's remaining HP, then finish it off with attacks that deal normal damage
• The fraction-cutting IP skills are Fatal blow on the Dekar blade (about 1/2), Battle fury on the Myth blade (about 1/4), and Battlecry on the Old sword (about 1/6)
• Fraction damage is based on current HP, not max HP, so using these skills on turn 1 is recommended

Notes

• The Master does not attack, so IP does not build up during the battle
• The Master has only 1 DFP
• Dread, which lowers DFP, has no effect because the base DFP is already too low, and casting it just costs you an attack

To Do

• Get the Gades blade, essential for beating the Master, from a blue chest (you can also get it in the main story by winning the battle you are meant to lose against Gades at Gordovan West Tower)
• Keep diving and retrying until you have Trick and the essential weapons
• Once your equipment is ready, level up as you dive so you reach a beatable level
• Before reaching B99, fill the IP of the party members who will use IP skills
• Beat the Master on B99

Notes

• The Master does not attack, so ignore armor and defense. Only weapons and ATP matter.
• Defeat enemies down to B70 and flee from B71 on, where dangerous enemies are common, and you will reach B99 at around Lv64
• Only dragons and Dark Sum'ners appear on B88 to B98, so build up IP by B87 or in battles with Dark Sum'ners

Ideal Equipment

Simulation (Ideal Equipment, Lv43)

• Numbers in parentheses are average damage at Lv43, rounded to the nearest 10

Minimum Equipment

Simulation (Minimum Equipment, Lv62)

• Numbers in parentheses are average damage at Lv62, rounded to the nearest 10

Beatable Level

• ATP-raising equipment applies to all 8 hits of Octo-strike, so it works best on Guy
• Just adding the Gold eye (blue, ATP +40) on Guy to the minimum equipment wins 95%+ of the time at Lv57 and always at Lv79
• If Maxim holds the Old sword instead of the Myth blade, even ideal equipment needs Lv56, or Lv76 to always win

Ideal Equipment

Simulation (Ideal Equipment, Lv1)

• Numbers in parentheses are average damage at Lv1, rounded to the nearest 10

Minimum Equipment

Simulation (Minimum Equipment, Lv60)

• Numbers in parentheses are average damage at Lv60, rounded to the nearest 10

Beatable Level

• ATP-raising equipment applies to all 8 hits of Octo-strike, so it works best on Guy
• Give Maxim and Selan weapons with about 320–360 ATP found along the way, and even minimum equipment wins 95%+ of the time at Lv45 and always at Lv56

The Elusive Trick ring

• On B7 to B9 only, you may find the elusive Trick ring
• When its wearer casts Trick, the effect is 2x
• Each cast of Trick adds +40%, +20%, then +10%, for a total of +70% on the 3rd cast
• Just having the Trick ring sharply lowers the level you need, so count yourself lucky if you find one!

Victory by Wipeout

• Even without beating the Master, if your party attacks each other and is wiped out within 3 turns, the game for some reason counts it as beating the Master
• A last resort when you just cannot beat the Master

Two Gades Blades

• Guy and Dekar can both equip the Gades blade, and since it is a blue chest item, you can collect 2 and bring them in
• In a party with Dekar, give Guy and Dekar 1 each, and even with no red chest weapons you win 95%+ of the time at Lv79 and always at Lv90
• If Maxim also holds the Myth blade, you win 95%+ of the time at Lv44 and always at Lv55
• Stack Trick on all party members 3 times, then have 2 party members use Octo-strike on turn 3

Strong Multiplier IP Skills

• ATP × 3 IP skills benefit from Trick, and elements make no difference against the Master
• These 6 weapons have high base ATP and an ATP × 3 IP skill, and all of them come from red chests in the Ancient Cave
• Red saber (ATP 282): Maxim can equip it (B21+)
• Crystal wand (ATP 280): Selan and Arty can equip it (B24+)
• Mist rapier (ATP 283): Maxim, Selan, and Arty can equip it (B25+)
• Silver sword (ATP 314): Maxim can equip it (B29+)
• Super sword (ATP 320): Selan can equip it (B30+)
• Lizard blow (ATP 360): Maxim, Guy, Selan, Arty, and Dekar can equip it (B50+)

ATP-Raising IP Skills

• Beserker (all) and Battle lust (1 ally) raise ATP as much as Trick cast with the Trick ring
• In the Ancient Cave, they can be used only with these shields from red chests
• Anger brace (Battle lust): everyone can equip it (B4 to B9)
• Mini shield (Battle lust): Selan, Arty, Tia, and Lexis can equip it (B1 to B9)
• Slash shield (Battle lust): Selan, Arty, Tia, and Lexis can equip it (B7 to B9)
• Tall shield (Beserker): Dekar can equip it (B6 to B9)
• The more Trick is stacked before you use them, the more they raise ATP, reaching +55% after 2 casts of Trick
• Used first, they give +40%, and casting Trick afterward does not raise it
• IP caps at 255, so a party member using an ATP × 3 IP skill (164) can also use Battle lust (32)