Conquer the Spectral Keeper boss and uncover hidden treasures in the Zanarkand Cloister of Trials with this Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster guide. Learn strategies and find the Magistral Rod!
Alright, let's tackle the Cloister of Trials in Zanarkand. This section has two main parts: a boss fight and a puzzle to get some sweet loot. Don't worry, I'll walk you through it!
Walkthrough: Spectral Keeper Boss Fight
-
Where: The boss arena in the Cloister of Trials.
What: You'll be on glyphs, and the boss, Spectral Keeper, is in front of you. There's a 'Move' Trigger Command to switch glyphs.
What to do: Immediately use the 'Move' command to spread your three party members out, leaving one empty glyph between each. This is crucial because the boss counters attacks by hitting the three spots directly in front of it. If all your characters are bunched up, they'll all take damage.
Why this way: Attacking when bunched up means all three characters get hit by the counter. Spacing them out ensures only one character takes the hit.
-
Where: Same arena.
What: The Spectral Keeper's main attack is 'Berserk Tail,' which hits a random character, dealing physical damage and potentially inflicting Berserk. It also plants 'Glyph Mines' after a few turns.
What to do: Keep an eye on your health. If you have armor with 'Berserk Ward,' it seems to prevent the Berserk status from 'Berserk Tail.' When Glyph Mines appear, move any character standing on them immediately. These mines explode on their turn order and will instantly KO anyone on them.
Why this way: Berserked characters are uncontrollable, which is dangerous. Glyph Mines are instant death, so avoiding them is paramount. Healing Berserk with a Remedy or Esuna is possible if it happens.
-
Where: Same arena.
What: The boss isn't weak to any element, but it is susceptible to 'Mental Break' and 'Provoke.' You'll be taking constant counterattacks.
What to do: Use 'Mental Break' to lower its magic defense. While 'Provoke' doesn't do anything special, it's an option. Definitely cast 'Protect' on your party to boost their survivability and 'Haste' to get more turns.
Why this way: These buffs and debuffs make the fight much easier and help you survive the constant damage.
-
Where: The arena after defeating the boss.
What: An elevator appears.
What to do: Use the elevator to proceed deeper into the Zanarkand Dome.
Why this way: This is the only way forward.
Walkthrough: Destruction Sphere Treasure Puzzle
Important: You can only do this part after you've obtained the airship. Make sure you've got it before returning!
-
Where: Back in the Cloister of Trials area in Zanarkand. Be careful not to go too far into the area where you fought Dark Bahamut previously.
What: The goal is to highlight all the white squares on the floor.
What to do: In the first room, there are three white squares to reveal. In the second room, there are four. Step on the spots that reveal these white squares.
Why this way: You need to activate all seven white squares to make the Destruction Sphere appear.
-
Where: The first room of the Cloister of Trials.
What: The Destruction Sphere is now visible.
What to do: Go back to the first room and pick up the Destruction Sphere.
Why this way: You need the sphere to open the treasure chest.
-
Where: The second room of the Cloister of Trials.
What: A spot to the right of the screen where the Destruction Sphere can be placed.
What to do: Return to the second room and place the Destruction Sphere in the designated spot (to the right of the screen).
Why this way: Placing the sphere reveals the treasure chest.
-
Where: The second room, after placing the Destruction Sphere.
What: A treasure chest is now revealed.
What to do: Open the treasure chest to obtain the Magistral Rod.
Why this way: This is the reward for completing the puzzle!
And that's it for the Zanarkand Cloister of Trials! You've beaten the boss and snagged a nice piece of equipment.
100% Human-Written. AI Fact-Checked. Community Verified. Learn how AntMag verifies content