I would like to attempt to get the zodiac spear but i'm afraid I will not be successful in getting it and returning back to the entrance. I've made sure to leave all the correct treasure chests alone so it should be there.

When I tried entering the Nabreus deadlands, I had trouble with these three baknamy's at the entrance and i'm almost positive the monsters in the necrohol are harder. below are the levels of my characters.

Vaan- 50
Balthier- 50 < 1st party
Fran- 50

I usually alternate parties every level up so the two parties levels are close.

Basch- 49
Ashe- 49 < 2nd party
Penelo- 49

I have some useful magic like bubble and vanish which might help me get by, but is there any way to sneak by all the enemies easily without getting into fights?


Also, today I got my clan rank up to high guardion, not really relevant to the question but I haven't played FF XII for a couple weeks until yesterday and I decided to do some uncompleted hunts.

Simple as this, if you find the enemies too tough, level up.......
plain and simple. but it is well worth getting, I got it at the same stage as you and believe me it makes the rest of the game sooooooooo much simpler.
And also there is a shop in one of the rooms ( it will be one of the smallish rooms with nothing in there. Check all the pillars and one of the them contains the merchant) he sells some great stuff, including the scathe magic and great armour.....

The Gambit setup of:

foe weak: ice --> Blizzaga
foe weak: wind --> Aeroga

...should make quick work of most of the enemies in there. You should also get a decent amount of mana back while you're at it as long as you have bought the licences for lore, inquisitor, martyr etc. The next problem is getting the Oversoul off your back. At the time when I attempted to get the Zodiac Spear, fleeing to another area seemed like the sensible solution. It might've been without the Excalibur, but I'm not so sure myself...

I probably should level up before attempting the whole area but I did get the zodiac spear, all I did was keep out one character to be seen less and put bubble, protect, shell, libra, and vanish on him. I made it there and back without him dying, but when I come back I definately will be higher leveled, maybe like twenty levels higher, by then I should have better stuff also.

It does kinda seem that the zodiac spear does mixed damage sometimes. 3000 to one enemy but 7000 to the next.

Spears do consistent damage. You've got to be attacking different types of enemies or losing Bravery or something.

If you're trying to get the Zodiac Spear at really low levels, here's what you do: Run through with one guy out like you did, but before you even enter the Necrohol have Protect, Shell, Float and Bubble cast on everyone, not just the lead guy. (Float is optional if you're wearing steel polemnys or have Libra up and are confident about your ability to weave through the mines). That way, when he or she gets creamed you just bring out the next person on the list and continue your mad dash. When you get to a new area raise, heal and buff as needed. Oh, and in case you didn't know buffs CAN be cast on members of your reserve party, so they'll have them immediately when you bring them in. You'll probably want to do this at the Salikawood Gate Crystal because it is pretty Mist-intensive. Less so if you have Protectga, Shellga and six Bubble Belts.

Fair play, you got your zodiac spear, as regards to consistant damage, spears are definitely consistant damage dealers, you must just be fluctuating with bravery or the critical hp augments that make you super powerful.
Or maybe its just the different enemies have different defence stats, but that doesnt matter because towards the end of the game it should be dealing 9999 to almost everybody..

It is possible to get the spear around level 30, maybe even a bit sooner if you're underleveled.

I know, because I did. You can get it fairly easily when you are able to enter The SalikaWood. I didn't bother defeating as much as one enemy. I had Bubble on everyone + Protect + Shell (I think I had Protectga and Shellga, not sure though), it also helps to have everyone on regen. Then just make a run for it. Get the spear and run back out. That's how I did it.

Sounds like a plan,

flee through it all

flee through it all

Can't you also find the Zodiac Spear in Site 2 of the Henne Mines???

You can, but you won't.

darklander44, you just brought up a thread that hasn't been posted in for months. Why? Just to say something that's already been said!

Well, let's make some good use of it anyway. Yes, you can find it in the Henne Mines, but the odds against it are astronomical. It's essentially not worth bothering with.


Anyway, my main team on my Speed Run is all around Level 30 now, so I may just give it a go. I just defeated the King Bomb earlier. I'd need to do some more LP farm though to license someone for it. I may not try it, I dunno if it's worth it...

I heard you're supposed to stay away from certain treasures earlier on (which I did). For some reason, I'm scared the game'll cheat me and make it seem as though I did open the wrong chests, previously

The game will not cheat you. As long as you avoid those chests, you're absolutely fine. No need for paranoia about it. In fact, the first time I played through the game, I was only vaguely aware of the existence of the Zodiac Spear and managed to get it from the Necrohol anyway, without knowing to specifically avoid certain chests.

It is possible to get it from Nabudis even if you open one of the forbidden chests. But it's only like a 1.7% chance.

I've always heard before that if you opened any "forbidden" chest, you're completely screwed. Where does this info come from? Also, is it a preset thing, or if you don't get it, can you reset and try again? And what if you opened more than one of those chests?

I've always heard before that if you opened any "forbidden" chest, you're completely screwed. Where does this info come from? Also, is it a preset thing, or if you don't get it, can you reset and try again? And what if you opened more than one of those chests?


Actually, I think the 5 chests are somehow linked. My latest game, I played get everything at the earliest possible chance. So, I went through Lowtown a lot obviously always passing the chest next to Dalan, not once opening it... and of course avoided the ones in the Palace/dungeon. So, I did the run through the Necrohol and got the Zodiac Spear before I even set foot in Phon Coast. But here's the interesting part: When I got to the sixteen chests on the coast, there was one missing from the square! I assume that's the one you're not supposed to get. First of all, it was the second from the left in the row furthest away from the water if you're facing the water, which is exactly the same position the Zodiac Spear from the 16 chests in the Necrohol was. To add to that, the next time I entered Lowtown via Southgate, I noticed the chest next to Dalan was gone!

So... as far as I'm aware, you can only open one of the five chests, and the rest disappear. So you can't really get more than one.

Ah, that makes sense. Well, that's good to know, and should help those that are still struggling with this quest. I'd still be interested to see a source on this 1.7% chance. I'd also like to know if anyone knows the odds of getting Deathbringer from the chest in the Barheim Passage.

The 1.7% chance came from the Piggyback Interactive game guide.

And also, what chest in the Barheim? My guide says you can only get the Deathbringer for free in the Feywood - Edge Of Reason and the Pharos Subterra - Abyssal. You can also get it from Balfonheim Port (after Pharos) and the Bazaar, in exchange for 4 Solid Horns, 7 Demon Tails and 10 Dark Crystals

I guess I'm referring to this here -- Thread 33638 -- which I found after Googling.

Which apparently isn't a chest...

I read something about that too...but now it doesn't really matter since all my weapons are more powerful than it now anyways...