Desert Palace

FINAL FANTASY IX guide · The trap set by Kuja

Regent Cid must successfully complete a minigame against a guarding hedgehog pie to retrieve the hourglass key and free Zidane's captured party members. The party then explores the palace by lighting a series of bloodstones and braziers to solve puzzles and unlock sealed pathways. The dungeon culminates in a confrontation with Kuja's defense mechanism, the Valia Pira.

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Promist Ring: Found inside the bloodstone located directly on the main staircase in the entrance hallFairy Earrings: Obtained from a bloodstone on the upper platform in the library after lighting the left brazierAnklet: Found in the bloodstone on the far right balcony overlooking the sandpitShield Armor: Obtained from a bloodstone on the left path with the gargoyle statuesN-Kai Armlet: Retrieved from the bloodstone in the central courtyard after activating the nearby candlesBlack Hood: Found in the bloodstone located in the east corridor near the staircasesVenetia Shield: Obtained from the final bloodstone just before the teleporter to the boss chamber

Secrets

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Lighting all bloodstones and braziers throughout the palace weakens the boss Valia Pira by stripping it of various elemental and status buffs.

Enemies

Valia Pira

Weak to Water, Wind

Boss encounter that becomes significantly harder if bloodstones are skipped.

Grimlock

Weak to Wind (when physical defense is active)Steal / drop Magic Tag, Hi-Potion

Shifts between opening its body to physical attacks or magic attacks.

Torama

Weak to IceSteal / drop Soft, Hi-Potion

Inflicts Petrify and casts Blaster to instantly KO party members.

Drakan

Weak to WindSteal / drop Tent, Hi-Potion

Flying creature that attacks with status ailments and physical swipes.

Shops and people

Desert Palace Moogle (Mogrika): Stiltzkin stops by to sell a bundle containing a Magic Tag, Tent, and Ether for 777 Gil

Tips

During Cid's key-retrieval minigame, only tap the button when the monster's back is turned, and stop completely the instant it begins to swivel around.
Since physical equipment and party members were split prior to Oeilvert, equip this magic-heavy team with reflect rings or Auto-Reflect to turn the enemies' offensive magic against them.

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Lindblum (Disc 3)

Oeilvert

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