Final Fantasy VII

Disc 1: Keystone and Temple of the Ancients

The Keystone

Once you are back on the Tiny Bronco, use the river south of Rocket Town to cut through that continent. Land just outside the lone house at the end of the river.

Talk to the weapon seller inside. He explains that the KeystoneKey ItemsKey Item: Use to enter Temple of Ancients opens the Temple of the Ancients, and that Dio bought it for his collection at Gold Saucer. Keep talking until you have learned about the KeystoneKey ItemsKey Item: Use to enter Temple of Ancients, the Temple, and the Black MateriaKey ItemsKey Item: Don't worry, you won't have it long enough to care what it does. ;).

If you have MythrilKey ItemsKey Item: Get from Sleeping man and give to weaponsmith, change the subject and trade it in. The big box downstairs has a Gold ArmletArmorArmor: 4 Connected Slots, 0 Unconnected Slots. The small box upstairs, around the corner on the wall, has Great GospelFinal Limit BreaksAeris' Level 4 Limit Break. Acquire on Disc 1 by trading mythrial.. At this point a Gold ArmletArmorArmor: 4 Connected Slots, 0 Unconnected Slots is kind of a joke, so take the Great GospelFinal Limit BreaksAeris' Level 4 Limit Break. Acquire on Disc 1 by trading mythrial..

Before heading to Gold Saucer, consider any remaining tasks you may want to complete:

• If you’re doing the Fort Condor side quest and you skipped Battle 08 earlier, you’ll need to do it now before you obtain the KeystoneKey ItemsKey Item: Use to enter Temple of Ancients.
• If you still need Beta, White Wind, Big Guard, Death Force, or Magic Hammer on your Enemy Skill Materia, this is a good time to do it.
• If you skipped Bone Village earlier, you have another chance here to both buy a Rune ArmletArmorArmor: 0 Connected Slots, 4 Unconnected Slots; Growth: x2 for each character and pick up the Kjata Materia. If you opt to do that, note that you can steal a Bird WingMagic and Casting ItemsTarget: All, Cast Wind on all enemies from Tornadu enemies and a Carob NutChocobo ItemsChocobo Breeding Item from a Vlakorados.
• On the continent south of Fort Condor, Sea Worm can be stolen from for Dragon ScalesMagic and Casting ItemsTarget: All, Cast Water on all enemies.

Gold Saucer

Head to North Corel. Along the way let cloud get a limit break, but don’t use it. Once at North Corel prepare Cloud for solo fighting, then take the tram to Gold Saucer. A strong setup is MurasameCloud's WeaponsCloud's Weapon. Attack: 51; Attack %: 100; Connected Slots: 4; Unconnected Slots: 1, EdincoatArmorArmor: 0 Connected Slots, 8 Unconnected Slots, Jem RingAccessoriesAccessory: Protects against Status Abnormalities: Petrify, Slow-Numb and Paralyze, Enemy Skill Materia, Counter Attack Materia, Long Range Materia, Restore Materia, Time Materia linked to Added Effect Materia, Kjata Materia, HP Plus Materia, and MP Plus Materia.

Buy a ticket if needed, then go to Battle Square. Talk to the woman near the stairs, go upstairs, and head right to Dio’s Show Room. Examine the KeystoneKey ItemsKey Item: Use to enter Temple of Ancients on the pillar only after Cloud is ready.

You do not have to win every round, but if you do, you get the KeystoneKey ItemsKey Item: Use to enter Temple of Ancients, Protect VestAccessoriesAccessory: Vitality+10, and Choco FeatherAccessoriesAccessory: Dexterity+10. If you’ve prepared as suggested, Trine, Beta, Big Guard, Magic Hammer, Cure 2, and saved limit breaks can carry a lot of the fight.

Afterward, return to the station and try to leave. The tram is broken, so the party stays at the hotel. After some fight scenes, you’ll get a visitor. I’ve managed to get most of the girls to come visit, but this time it’s Tifa. You’re told that everything is free, but you’re not allowed to go play the good stuff. GRRRRR.

Anyway, it’s time to head to the event, and you’ll be chosen to be in the show. Now you’ll head up on the gondola. Eventually, nothing will happen (of significance anyway, if you know what I mean) and you’ll regain control with Cait Sith running away from you - carrying the KeystoneKey ItemsKey Item: Use to enter Temple of Ancients. Chase him around the Gold Saucer.

When you regain control in the hotel room, open the cabinet for an ElixirRestoration ItemsTarget: 1, Restores ALL HP/MP. Leave the room, talk to everyone, then go to the entrance and take the tram back down.

Optional: Fort Condor

Fort Condor Battle 09 is available after obtaining the KeystoneKey ItemsKey Item: Use to enter Temple of Ancients but only until you enter the Temple. If you’re doing this side quest, follow the shallow water south-east from the Gold Saucer. It will eventually curve north to a beach between Junon and Fort Condor.

Temple of the Ancients

If you want as smooth a Temple run as possible, the key Enemy Skills are Magic Hammer, Trine, and Beta.

Take the Tiny Bronco south and slightly east from Gold Saucer. You should see the pyramid on land nearby.

When you are ready, land near the pyramid and enter. Talk to the figure at the top of the stairs, go inside, talk a bit, and place the KeystoneKey ItemsKey Item: Use to enter Temple of Ancients on the altar.

Follow the little wizard-looking guy through the maze:

1. Follow the path forward, curve left, go up a short flight of stairs, pass another upward stairway, turn right, and go down the stairs.
2. Go through the arch and down the short vine.
3. Go under the long stairway and open the chest for Cid’s weapon: TridentCid's WeaponsCid's Weapon. Attack: 60; Attack %: 105; Connected Slots: 0; Unconnected Slots: 6.
4. Skip the dead-end stairs past the chest. Go down the stairs to the right and up the vine.
5. The nearby cave is sealed, so continue past it, around the corner, and up the stairs to the left.
6. At the top, detour up the vine and grab Mind SourceStat-Up ItemsTarget: 1, Permanently raise Spirit by 1.
7. Head down the stairs and into the cave.
8. Open the chest for Vincent’s weapon: Silver RifleVincent's WeaponsVincient's Weapon. Attack: 62; Attack %: 120; Connected Slots: 0; Unconnected Slots: 0; Growth: NO GROWTH!.
9. If you talk to the wizard twice, he’ll allow you to buy items, rest, and save your game.
10. Leave the cave and backtrack down the vine and under the arch for a Turbo EtherRestoration ItemsTarget: 1, Restores ALL MP.
11. Head down the long staircase, through an arch, and down the smaller stairs.
12. Go through another arch and down the tiny vine at the lower-left of the landing.
13. Open the chest for Barret’s weapon: Rocket PunchBarret's WeaponsBarret's Weapon. Attack: 62; Attack %: 110; Connected Slots: 0; Unconnected Slots: 0; Growth: NO GROWTH!.
14. Head down more stairs, then go left and up the vine.
15. Go through the cave-looking arch, down one set of stairs, and up the long vine.
16. Grab the Luck Plus Materia at the far left under the staircase.
17. Backtrack down the vine, up the small staircase, through the cave-arch, and down the next stairs.
18. Take the hard-to-see arch on the left and enter the cave at the end of the path.

Rolling Pillars and Clock

This section is a bit frustrating. The rolling pillars have a small opening that your character must crouch in. And you have to time it exactly right.

Be sure to take the upper detour and grab the Morph Materia. It’s arguably one of the most OP materia in the game.

When you finally get through the gauntlet of rolling pillars, watch the scene, rest/save, then take the lower-right exit.

The next room is a bit of a puzzle. Read the instructions to learn how to manipulate the clock hands so you can get to the various exits.

Note: Be careful as you’re walking across. If the clock’s second hand knocks you off, you will fall to a room with Ancient Dragons (nothing to steal; can’t be morphed) and a chest containing Cid’s weapon: Nail BatCloud's WeaponsCloud's Weapon. Attack: 70; Attack %: 100; Connected Slots: 0; Unconnected Slots: 0; Growth: NO GROWTH!. If you WANT that weapon, you can just wait and the hands will knock you off so you can get it. After doing that once, you probably want to avoid crossing when the second hand is close to one of the other hands. Exit that room to return to the sealed-barrier area.

Manipulate the clock’s hands to navigate this puzzle and collect treasure from the useful rooms:

Hour	Result
1	Chest with enemies.
2	Dead end. Skip it.
3	Chest with enemies.
4	Aeris’ weapon: Princess GuardAeris's WeaponsAeris's Weapon. Attack: 52; Attack %: 111; Connected Slots: 6; Unconnected Slots: 1. Equip it to her now.
5	RibbonAccessoriesAccessory: Protects against *ALL* Status Abnormalities. Equip it on Cloud now.
6	Story route. Save this until after treasure cleanup.
7	Trumpet ShellCait Sith's WeaponsCait Sith's Weapon. Attack: 68; Attack %: 118; Connected Slots: 0; Unconnected Slots: 0; Growth: NO GROWTH!.
8	MegalixirRestoration ItemsTarget: All, Restores ALL HP/MP.
9	Dead end. Skip it.
10	Starting point.
11	Dead end. Skip it.
12	Skip it for now.

When you are done collecting treasure, go to 6.

Unlocking the Mural Room

In the next room, catch the wizard to unlock the mural room. There’s a pattern to how this puzzle works. The caves are connected like this:

Cave	Exit
L1-1	L2-3
L1-2	L3-4
L2-1	L3-2
L2-2	L3-4
L2-3	L2-1
L2-4	L3-1
L3-1	L2-2
L3-2	L3-3
L3-3	L2-4
L3-4	L1-1

For example, if he goes into Cave 1 on Level 1, he will come out of Cave 3 on Level 2. To catch him, you need to go into whatever cave he’s going to come out of.

At the far left of each level you can jump down to the next level.

Start this area by jumpping down to level 3 and open the chest for Tina’s weapon: Work GloveTifa's WeaponsTifa's Weapon. Attack: 68; Attack %: 114; Connected Slots: 0; Unconnected Slots: 0; Growth: NO GROWTH!. After that, go through the far-right cave to return to the top.

Watch to see which cave he enters. Use the table above to figure out where he’s going to come out, and go into that cave. Since you’re at the top, you can jump down to any level you need.

Once you catch him, rest and save, then prepare for a boss battle (you’ll want the Enemy Skill Magic Hammer, but don’t bother with Steal Materia or Manipulate Materia) and enter the mural room.

Boss: Red Dragon

Walk right after the cut scene and prepare for Red Dragon. Haste your party, Slow or Stop him if you can, and use strong attacks. Magic Hammer can drain enough MP to limit his magic. He has nothing to steal and cannot be manipulated or morphed.

After the battle you should receive a Dragon ArmletArmorArmor: 6 Connected Slots, 0 Unconnected Slots; Absorbs Half of Fire, Ice and Lightning Based Attacks.. Be sure to pick up the Bahamut Materia near where you wake up, then walk right and examine the Black MateriaKey ItemsKey Item: Don't worry, you won't have it long enough to care what it does. ;). Agree to let Cait Sith handle it.

Rest and save at the wizard, then leave through L1-2. Cross the bridge and prepare for another boss battle.

Boss: Demon Gate

Demon Gate has 10,000 HP and 400 MP. It has nothing to steal, cannot be manipulated, and is not undead. Demi is not useful here, and throwing healing items at it will not help.

Use Big Guard, strong physical attacks, limit breaks, Bahamut, and your most powerful Enemy Skills (e.g., Beta, Trine, etc). Magic Hammer can reduce its MP, but it can still attack. A saved limit break can make the fight much shorter.

You will receive a Gigas ArmletArmorArmor: 0 Connected Slots, 1 Unconnected Slots; Growth: NO GROWTH! after the fight. Eventually, you’ll be back in control (or whatever passes for control where Cloud is concerned). Since you now have Morph Materia, this is a reasonable time to visit the Leveling Up section to learn about how to farm stat sources.

Optional: Fort Condor

Fort Condor Battle 10 is available now, and you will miss it once you use the Lunar HarpKey ItemsFind in Bone Village. Used to open the path to City of the Ancients.. Like Battle 09, it is a convenient Tiny Bronco ride north to a beach near Junon and Fort Condor.