The player leaves the harbor-side docks to chase after a Labrador Retriever.

Liberating Balamb

November 3, 2023 - 3 min read

Written by:

Reviewed by:

Reyadh is a writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction who loves to play video games full of monsters and magic. When he's not scribing unique and unrelenting speculative fiction or slaying demons in virtual worlds, he is writing strategy guides to help others reach their gaming goals.

Balamb

Items: Combat King 002
GFs: Pandemona
Bosses: Raijin, Fujin and Raijin

Infiltrating Balamb

The entrance of a harbor town blockaded by a military vehicle.

Make sure Zell is in your party and tell Nida you’re ready to go. Return to Balamb and you’ll see a now mobile Galbadia Garden hovering outside of the town.

Park the School and approach the town. When you get inside the gate, you’ll find your way blockaded. Speak with the Soldier and he’ll let you know who’s in charge here: Sorceress Edea. Walk over to where Zell is standing, and then back towards the Soldier.

Approaching the Soldier again will make him suspicious of your party. Squall will think fast and come up with a clever bluff. Once the carrot has been dangled, the Soldier has no choice but to let you into town to report on Ellone.

Now that you’re in, head straight for Zell’s house and speak with Ma Dincht for a little more information about the occupying forces, including the description of a familiar woman.

Two women and a child in a cozy room with a television, a low, round table and many plants.

Walk over to the Balamb Hotel and speak with the Galbadian Soldiers there. Since you can’t get a room here, head to Zell’s house and he’ll do the unthinkable- let you up into his room to rest and use the Save Point. Depending on who you brought into town with you, you’ll get a different scene in Zell’s room.

Soldiers block the entrance of a seaside hotel with a large cobblestone walkway that's circling it.

On the Captain’s Tail

Exit Zell’s house and proceed past the Hotel to the Docks. A man hidden behind the Galbadian vehicles on the right can offer you three clues for an incredibly high price.

The Bronze Clue for 5,000 Gil is useless: you’ve found the Captain’s former napping spot, behind the car where he’s hiding now. The Silver Clue for 15,000 Gil mentions a small blind spot in the G-Army’s security. The Gold Clue for 30,000 is an actual tip-off: the Captain was just here. You can save your salary and walk straight past the vehicles to where you boarded the ship during your exam.

Military Vehicles parked in front of a quaint dock on a calm, blue ocean.

Speak with the Soldier near the Dog. Keep in mind that when you interact with the dog, the Soldier will speak to you with a different dialogue. It may seem like you spoke with him, but it will not progress the story.

If you’ve spoken to the Soldier and not the dog, you’ll get your next clue: The Captain just caught a fish and went to fry it up. Return to Zell’s house and Ma Dincht will tell you that The Captain was just there, and he left behind a kitchen that smells like bad fish.

The player speaks with a soldier at the docks, then returns to a cozy adobe house filled with house plants.

Big Bad Escape

A young boy in overalls comforts a girl with a pink shirt and pigtails.

If you’d like to leave town before the boss fights, you have the option to bypass the blockade now. Enter the Dincht’s Living Room to speak with Big Bad Rascal. He’ll run next door to see his friend. Follow him and listen in on his plan to sneak out and check up on her parents: the Hotel Owners who are stuck out by the gate.

When you return to the gate, you’ll see Big Bad Rascal waving at the girl’s parents, hidden between the G-Army Vehicle and the trees on the left. Speak with the Soldier and don’t close the dialogue box until Big Bad Rascal gets to check on the Hotel Owners.

A young boy in overalls distracts a Soldier so the player can sneak around a military blockade.

Now that you’ve helped out Big Bad Rascal, he’ll stand outside of Zell’s house ready to distract the Soldier for you. Let him know you want to leave town and he’ll turn the guard around, allowing you to exit to the world map.

Badamb Fish

There is a double boss battle coming up shortly, so it is a good idea to save on the World Map or up in Zell’s Room. Equip your Party with both Draw and Mug and check your Elemental Attack Junctions.

It’s very important that you do not have Thunder or Wind magic Junctioned to your Elem-Atk-J, or your attacks will be absorbed and heal your foes instead of doing damage to them. As soon as you’re outfitted for battle, you can find the Captain in a few different ways.

A soldier in a covered train station lies on the ground, sick.

Head to the Docks and speak with the Dog. Once he’s got the scent, follow him to the Train Station and he’ll sniff out The Captain for you.
Go directly to the Train Station and speak with the sick soldier on the floor and he’ll crawl a little. Continue speaking to him until he moves out of the way of the door. Enter the Train.
Run back and forth off and on-screen by the Hotel. After entering the screen with the Hotel 9 times, The Captain will appear.

The Captain

The Captain is none other than our pal Raijin.

In front of a blue hotel building with a captain's wheel above the door, the player faces two soldiers and a muscled man in a vest holding a staff.

Boss: Raijin

Level Range: 9-29
HP Range: 4000-11600
Draw: Thunder, Thundara, Shell, Protect
Drops: Str Up
Mug: Str Up x2
Scan: Looking for Ellone with Fujin. Good at physical attacks. Tries to act cool around other people.
AP: 10

This battle and the next will be back-to-back without the ability to access the menu in between, so watch your health and err on the side of caution. Start by casting Blind on Raijin as he will only use physical attacks in this battle. If you’re out of Blind, Raijin has Protect to cast on the party. Avoid using Thunder Magic or summoning Quezacotl as they will heal Raijin.

The two Soldiers flanking Raijin are easy to take out, but Raijin can use Hi-Potions to keep them fighting. Take them out first, then focus on The Captain. If you brought any of the girls as your third character, you’ll have a little extra security if this fight goes south. Raijin will declare “I don’t hit girls, ya know?” and won’t attack a female character if she is the only one still standing, giving you a chance to use a Phoenix Down on the boys.

If you have Mug equipped, you can steal two Str Up from Raijin. Use them outside of battle to permanently boost one character’s Strength Stat.

The Commander

As expected, that would mean Fujin is The Commander.

In the front lobby of a hotel with large windows overlooking the sea, the player faces a muscled man in a vest and a thin woman with grey hair and an eyepatch.

Boss: Fujin and Raijin

Level Range: 9-29
HP Range: 3000-8700 (Fujin) 4000-11600 (Raijin)
Draw: Aero, Cura, Life, Pandemona (Fujin) Thunder, Thundara, Shell, Protect (Raijin)
Drops: Megalixer (Fujin) Str Up (Raijin), Combat King 002
Mug: Megalixer or Hero (Fujin) Str Up x2 (Raijin)
Scan: Looking for Ellone under Seifer’s command. Uses wind magic and attacks with Pinwheel. (Fujin) Looking for Ellone with Fujin. Good at physical attacks. Tries to act cool around other people. (Raijin)
AP: 20 (10 each)

Begin the battle by drawing the GF Pandemona from Fujin which will prevent her from using Wind magic. Cast Blind on Raijin and Sleep on Fujin, and focus on Raijin first. Raijin’s Special, aptly called “Raijin Special” can’t miss, so if he’s giving you trouble, try casting Protect as per the last battle with him. When Raijin is at half health, he will use a Hi-Potion to heal himself.

Avoid using Thunder or Aero magic as it will heal Raijin and Fujin, respectively. Skip summoning Quezacotl at least while Raijin is standing there. You can Mug 2 more Str Up from Raijin, and from Fujin, you can Mug a Megalixer or very rarely (about 10% of the time) you can Mug a Hero, an item that will make one character invincible for a short time in battle.

Fujin’s Special, “Sai”, can reduce a character’s HP to 1. Fujin uses this ability rarely when she’s at low health, so finish her off quickly with attacks and limit breaks and you’ll be listening to the victory music in no time.

After the conversation with Fujin and Raijin, you’ll be able to exit town. Return to the Garden Bridge to discuss your next destination.