New Game+
While Final Fantasy Tactics doesn't feature a traditional "New Game+" mode that carries over all your units and items into a fresh story playthrough, there are several ways to experience a similar sense of progression and tackle new challenges after completing the main campaign. This guide focuses on maximizing your post-game experience, acquiring powerful equipment, and conquering the game's toughest optional content.
Post-Game Objectives & Preparation
Before diving into the deepest challenges, ensure your primary party is well-equipped and has mastered key job abilities. Aim for a balanced team with strong physical attackers, magic users, and support units. Consider these preparatory steps:
- Job Mastery: Focus on mastering essential jobs like Squire (Gained JP Up, Accumulate), Chemist (Auto-Potion), Knight (Equip Armor/Shield/Sword), Monk (Chakra, Revive), and various magic jobs for their powerful spells.
- Level Grinding: Utilize random battles in locations like Mandalia Plains or Dorter Slums to gain experience and job points efficiently. The "Accumulate" ability is invaluable for this.
- Rare Item Acquisition: Many powerful items are only available through specific side quests or by poaching rare monsters. Prioritize these before attempting the hardest content.
Unlocking Deep Dungeon & Rare Items
The Deep Dungeon (also known as Midlight's Deep) is the ultimate post-game challenge, offering incredibly powerful equipment and unique encounters. Accessing it requires specific steps:
- Complete the Main Story: You must have finished the game and saved your clear data.
- Recruit Cloud Strife: This is a prerequisite for a later event.
- Travel to Goug Machine City after Chapter 4.
- Visit the Trade City of Sal Ghidos to trigger a scene.
- Return to Goug Machine City and speak with Besrodio to find the "Celestial Globe."
- Travel to Zarghidas Trade City and purchase a "Flower" from the flower girl.
- Return to Goug Machine City. Cloud will join your party after a battle.
- Trigger the Deep Dungeon Event:
- After recruiting Cloud, visit Zeltennia Castle.
- A rumor about the "Deep Dungeon" will appear in the tavern.
- Travel to Warjilis Trade City, and a new battle location, "Midlight's Deep," will appear on the world map.
Deep Dungeon Navigation & Loot
The Deep Dungeon consists of 10 floors, each with unique enemies and hidden treasures. Equipping the "Move-Find Item" reaction ability is crucial for obtaining the best loot.
- Floor 1: NOGIAS
- Enemies: Ghosts, Skeletons, Ghouls.
- Rare Item: Materia Blade (requires Move-Find Item on a specific tile).
- Floor 2: TERMINATE
- Enemies: Hydras, Tiamats.
- Rare Item: Chaos Blade (requires Move-Find Item).
- Floor 3: DETHRONE
- Enemies: Behemoths, Dragons.
- Rare Item: Excalibur (requires Move-Find Item).
- Floor 4: MURAMASA
- Enemies: Ninjas, Samurais.
- Rare Item: Kaiser Plate (requires Move-Find Item).
- Floor 5: BRIDGE
- Enemies: Squires, Knights, Chemists.
- Rare Item: Genji Armor (requires Move-Find Item).
- Floor 6: VOYAGE
- Enemies: Wizards, Priests, Oracles.
- Rare Item: Ragnarok (requires Move-Find Item).
- Floor 7: HORROR
- Enemies: Mindflayers, Vampires.
- Rare Item: Faith Rod (requires Move-Find Item).
- Floor 8: DANTE
- Enemies: Apandas, Plague.
- Rare Item: Save the Queen (requires Move-Find Item).
- Floor 9: VALKYRIES
- Enemies: Ultima Demons, Archaic Demons.
- Rare Item: Holy Lance (requires Move-Find Item).
- Floor 10: END
- Enemies: Elmdore, Celia, Lede (boss battle).
- Reward: After defeating them, you gain access to the "Cloud's Materia" event and can find the Zodiac Spear (requires Move-Find Item on a specific tile after the battle).
Optional Battles & Unique Characters
Beyond the Deep Dungeon, several other optional battles and character recruitment opportunities await, offering further challenges and powerful additions to your roster.
- Beowulf and Reis: These unique characters can be recruited through a series of side quests starting in Lesalia Imperial Capital after Chapter 4. Their questline involves battling dragons and unraveling a conspiracy.
- Key Locations: Lesalia Imperial Capital, Golgorand Execution Site, Lionel Castle, Riovanes Castle.
- Rewards: Beowulf (Templar), Reis (Dragoner/Holy Dragon).
- Worker 8: This mechanical unit can be recruited after completing the Beowulf and Reis questline.
- Key Locations: Goug Machine City.
- Reward: Worker 8 (Steel Giant).
- Red Chocobo Hunting: Encountering and poaching Red Chocobos in random battles (e.g., Zirekile Falls) can yield the rare Chocobo Mounter accessory, which grants permanent Haste.
- Nelveska Temple: This optional battle, accessible after the main story, is notoriously difficult but offers the powerful Javelin II and Escutcheon II as rewards. Be prepared for a tough fight against powerful monsters and unique enemies.
By systematically tackling these post-game challenges, you'll uncover the true depth of Final Fantasy Tactics, acquire the most legendary equipment, and push your strategic prowess to its absolute limit.