Missables & secrets
- Shadow — the #1 permanent miss (wait for the Floating Continent timer). If saved, find him sleeping at the Veldt inn area in the WoR — don't leave the Veldt before he appears.
- Cursed Shield → Paladin's Shield — equip the Cursed Shield and survive ~255 battles to lift the curse, turning it into one of the best shields in the game (huge elemental absorb/null).
- Ragnarok — in Narshe you choose between the Ragnarok Esper (teaches Ultima) and the Ragnarok sword. Most players take the Esper; weigh it for your run.
- Gogo & Umaro — both are easy to walk past: Gogo hides inside the Zone Eater on the Triangle Island; Umaro is in the Narshe cave (you need Mog along).
- Steal early and often — Locke with the Thief's/Brigand's Glove can Capture rare drops from bosses you can't get otherwise.
- The Veldt & Rages — Gau learns from monsters there; a few Rages (and the Stray Cat trick) carry whole stretches of the game.
Durable tips
- Plan your Esper-per-character before you grind. Magic for casters; Speed/Strength for dedicated physicals. Consistency beats raw levels.
- Soul of Thamasa + Celestriad is the win button. Build at least one character around it.
- Genji Glove + Master's Scroll for your physicals; Fixed Dice if you have it.
- Keep a Runic Celes on standby for magic bosses, and a Mighty Guard Strago for party buffs.
- Ribbons and Reflect answer the late-game status/magic spikes — especially in Kefka's Tower.
- Use Mog's Moogle Charm when exploring long dungeons; it removes random encounters entirely.
- Spread your party for Kefka's Tower — three viable teams, not one stacked team and two weak ones.