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Final Fantasy IX Walkthrough

Written by  Shotgunnova
Contributor

2.9: Fossil Roo

Enemies: Abomination, Feather Circle, Seeker Bat, Griffin, Armodullahan, Lani, Goblin Mage, Griffin, Cactuar

Treasures: δElixir x2, δSurvival Vest, δLamia's Tiara, δFairy Earrings

Optional: Blue Magic

Enemy to Eat
Blue Magic Learned
White Wind (heals all allies, non-reflectable)
LV4 Holy (Holy dmg on foes w/ levels divisible by four)
More
There are big changes coming, so now's a good time to revisit any recent sidequests or activities you might have skipped earlier. Also, a good idea is to put Auto-Potion on Dagger and have it battle-ready.

Head inside past the suspicious looking door to find out there's a big baddie trapped behind… and it's on the loose! It will chase you through an "axe field," where getting hit will allow it to catch up and attack. The battle is optional, per se, but if you should accidentally lose ground and it catches you, you're in for a fight. Armodullahan always gets a back attack on you, even with Alert enabled. Plus, Armodullahan can't be defeated permanently, which makes it a pretty dumb fight to replay even with its delightful pun on the legendary Final Fantasy VI boss. Luckily, one powerful magic attack from Vivi can usually put it momentarily out of commission, so the 'Death' and 'LV5 Death' attacks of which it is capable shouldn't be too much of a bother.

Once clear of the axe field, it's out of the frying pan and into the fire, in the form of a bounty hunter's axe…

Lani
Lani
Boss Monster
Can't Flee
Type
Level
HP
MP
Gil
Exp
Attack
Magic Atk.
Human
19
15708
4802
0
0
30
12
Evasion
Defense
Mag. Def.
Mag. Evade
Speed
Strength
Spirit
Eaten Magic
3
10
10
4
50
12
19
None
Stolen Items
Dropped Items
Dropped Card
Slot 1: δEther
Slot 2: δGladius
Slot 3: δCoral Sword
None
None
Elemental Absorb
Elemental Immunities
None
None
Elemental Resistence
Elemental Weakness
None
None
Status Immunity
Petrify, Venom, Virus, Silence, Trouble, Zombie, Zombie, Confuse, Berserk, Stop, Auto-Life, Trance, Defend, Poison, Sleep, Regen, Float, Heat, Freeze, Vanish, Doom, Mini, Gradual Petrify
  

Slap her with Darkness (Blind/δTent trick) and Slow, and put all the mages into the back row if they aren't already. Have Dagger heal everyone when 'Water' is used, which is probably the most dangerous – Lani's really on Dagger's case the most here. What probably isn't the most evident start to use is Magic Hammer - it drains 1000+ MP from the fiend to start off! Lani can eventually run out after about ten doses, and her physical axe-slicin' suffers considerably with blindness set… giving you time to steal the two excellent weapons she's got on her person. Alternatively, you can cast Reflect on Dagger which can also take the heat off her for a while; in any case, I highly recommend stealing those weapons.

After Lani leaves, follow back towards the cavern's beginning and search where the Armodullahan (still giggling) was cooped up for an oft-forgotten δElixir. Return and head down the stairs to enter the cave system proper. Pick one of the flowers nearby and stand by the "(!)" to tame the gargant and hitch a ride down the line. Take the nearest tunnel exit to get into the real miner's paradise…

Optional: Stiltzkin's Steals

He's offering a δPhoenix Pinion, δRemedy, and δEther for 555 Gil, now. Nice! More
Mogki the moogle doesn't have any delivery packages, but does have a mogshop for you to peruse. Only items, but it's got δAnnoyntments - buy a few for later on (x10 is good). Now, there are plenty of items here but using the gargants can be a pain; thus, I will give the most roundabout ways to pick up all the items in your progression through the area.

To start off, take the path leading to a gargant right near the moogles to end up by a chest with δFairy Earrings inside. Ride back the way you came and in the main room, take the path near the human miner. Here's what you have to do for the next stretch (it's straightforward, mostly):
  1. Turn on the No. 1 Switch
  2. Ride Gargant to No. 2 Switch (There's an δEther chest along the path)
  3. Flip No. 2 Switch
  4. Ride Gargant back to No. 1 Switch
  5. Flip No. 1 Switch
  6. Ride Gargant back towards main mining room
Save/δTent at the moogles (recommended) and take the nearest gargant, getting dropped off by a miner who has a shop of his own. No doubt he makes little money, whether it's because he's in an isolated cave or because his wares are the exact same as the Dragon's Gate merchant! Climb up the stairs near him to get along.

Nearby is 'Switch No. 4', already in its best position. Turn it anyway and take the gargant to a δLamia's Tiara chest. It teaches Dagger some magic, so put it on her before the return gargant trip. Flip the #3 Switch and take the gargant again, coming to a pond of sorts. Climb across to the other side (might have to take a rejuvenating dip first), ending up at a lone miner hammering away at some rocks.

The miner here will let you dig in exchange for a measly δPotion. Agree to the proposition and hammer on the scaffolding's upper tier, near the big pile of rocks. Hit the weird wall eleven or so times to make a moogle (Kuppo) tumble out. He wants you do deliver to Kupo for him, so nod your head and do it. He's also got a mogshop that sells some medicinal items, but it's nothing special.

Exit to the southeast of the screen and look for a δSurvival Vest near a woodpile. Return to that pond from before, now.

Climb up the ivy-covered wall to the northwest corner to find the last (#4) switch. It warns that you will be shut out on the new continent once you trigger it to the exit path, so advance when ready. Fall into the water and take the lower southeastern path to the last gargant you will ever see. Walk out into the sunlight and put this hellhole behind you. The new destination is Conde Petie, the bridge city, but there are plenty of other things to dabble in before you commit to that weird place. Frog-catching at the second Qu's Marsh is one thing (23 frogs wins you a δSilver Fork). Once you're ready, it's time to head west to Conde Petie.

Optional: (Mostly) Free Madain's Rings

While this is a crapshoot entirely, it's possible to dig up a δMadain's Ring. It drains ice attacks, teaches Body Temp, Chemist, and Guardian Mog, so it's not a bad trade-off, yeah? It can take a while, however. You may get δPotions or δOre in the deal, too. Talk with the miner if y'want to end. More

Optional: Blue Magic Update

Enemy to Eat
Blue Magic Learned
Goblin Punch (non-elemental damage to one target)
1000 Needles (Ignores defense to cause 1000dmg @ 1 target)
More

Optional: Chocographs Update

Abandoned Beach is now available. More


Caves of Narshe: Final Fantasy IX
Version 6
©1997–2025 Josh Alvies (Rangers51)

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