Final Fantasy V Any% Glitchless Guide

Jason Lynch <jason@aexoden.com> (Aexoden)

Introduction

These are my notes for the Any% Glitchless Final Fantasy V speedrun, specifically run on the RPGe English translation.

General Concepts

While this guide is primarily my notes used during runs, they may be useful to others learning the run, so I'll first go over some general concepts that apply throughout the guide.

Assumptions

This guide makes the assumption that you are following along from start to finish. Menuing instructions assume that your characters are already equipped as per the guide, and won't list equipment that is staying the same. If you attempt to join in the middle, you may miss this or similar points.

This guide is primarily meant to serve as my notes for personal best attempts. As such, they generally tend to err on the side of less safety. In some cases, notes are made regarding potential safer strats for beginners, but they may not be entirely consistent throughout the document.

Conventions

This guide uses the following conventions:

• Item names are italicized.
• Each battle lists the recommended party formation. The slots are listed from top to bottom. Characters in the front row are prefixed with an asterisk (*). In addition, their level and current experience is listed (assuming you follow this guide's experience path).
• The battle strategies occasionally list multiple actions separated by slashes (/). In such cases, you should take the first option that applies to your situation. That is, don't use a Potion on your party if all your characters are fully healed.
• In contrast, occasionally multiple commands are listed on separate lines. In this case, you should execute each command in order.
• Battle summaries list the experience earned through the battle. This assumes you kill the same enemies as the guide.
• All names are directly from the RPGe translation, even when said names conflict with more recent versions of the game.

Resources

The following resources should prove invaluable to either help during a run or to help you learn the run in the first place:

• FFV Glitchless Beta (by DarkLightBoco)

Step Route

This guide is intended to be used with a step route. The step route is not technically required, but it makes things a lot safer, saves time, and makes things more consistent. I will attempt to list backups in case you are not using the step route or if you have fallen off the route, but I make no guarantees in this regard.

Walkthrough

Prologue

After choosing New Game, you will begin a new run on seed zero. Unlike FF4, this is guaranteed and there is no need to identify your seed. However, like FF4, if you have to reset at any point, your seed will change.

When the introductory sequence concludes, you will be in control of Boco near Tycoon.

Enter the Meteor at Tycoon and make your way to the cutscene.

After the scenes, optionally collect the PhenixDwn hidden in the trees to the right and then begin making your way toward the pirate cave.

During the earthquake sequence, move up, fighting battles as you go.

After the earthquake sequence, continue until just outside the entrance to the cave.

Pirate Cave

Make your way through the cave and board the ship, paying attention to the below notes.

Reject the pirate's offer to help (by simply holding B) and make your own way to the Wind Shrine.

Wind Shrine

Begin making your way through the Wind Shrine.

On the final floor, use the secret passage and enter the nearby room to collect the Broad sword. Continue on to engage Wing Raptor.

Continue to the crystal and watch the cutscene. (Remember not to hold up on the next room if you want to stay on step route.)

Afterward, begin making your way to the exit by walking back the way you came.

Continue out of the Wind Shrine and then make your way to Tule.

Tule and Torna Canal

Inside Tule, head to the tutorial house and collect the two chests and three hidden treasures.

Head to the Tule Magic Shop.

Collect the PhenixDwn behind Zokk's House and then enter the house.

After the scenes, continue on to and through Torna Canal.

Continue down to engage the boss.

Ship Graveyard

Make your way through the Ship Graveyard, collecting the 990 Gil in the skull crate and the Potion chest along the way.

Carwen

Make your way toward the town of Carwen.

In Carwen, collect the Ice Rod in the hidden chest and the 1000 gil in the Pub. Afterward, head to the item shop.

After that, leave and make your way toward the North Mountain.

North Mountain

Make your way through the mountain, paying attention to step route and battle notes below.

Continue to the top of the mountain, and after the scenes, make your way to and land in front of Worus Castle.

Worus

Inside the castle, collect the 490 gil, PhenixDwn and Tent from the room through the door on the right and down the stairs. Make your way to the throne room and watch the scene.

Afterward, exit the castle.

Board the Hiryuu and head to Worus Tower. (Fly directly north until you see mountains to the northwest, then turn west. The tower will shortly come into view.)

Inside the tower, make your way to the second floor, where there will be an encounter (if on step route).

Continue to the last floor, where you'll see a chest.

Collect the Ether in the chest and continue to the next floor, ensuring you open the menu before moving.

Move forward to begin the battle against Galura.

Collect the job crystals and then after the scenes, enter the meteor and travel to Karnak.

Karnak

Begin the walk to Karnak, keeping in mind the step route.

In Karnak, make your way to the armory.

Watch the scenes in Karnak Castle, and then make your way back to the town. Be careful when taking steps in Karnak Castle, as they affect the step route (except for the prison cells).

Once back in town, return to the armory to complete the shopping trip.

Afterward, leave the town and head to the Steamship.

Steamship

Make your way through the Steamship, paying attention to the step route.

Pick up the PhenixDwn in the chest to the right, and then continue back to the left.

Be careful while moving through the lever room. After flipping the two levers next to each other, you should get an encounter when you reach the southmost tile of the grate.

Continue on until just before the boss battle.

Continue to engage the boss.

Continue forward to the crystal room. Make your way to main prison floor, collect the 2000 gil in the chest, and then go to the next floor. From the main floor, head to 2F and collect the chest, also with 2000 gil. From here, continue to the room on the right side and get the 2000 gil there. Make your way to the exit of the castle.

Eventually, you'll meet the boss.

Ancient Library

Begin by heading up one tile, then right, and then up again to enter town. (This is to make sure to step on the event tiles where the castle once stood.) Once in town, head to the armory and then to the magic shop.

Begin the long walk to the Ancient Library, being careful to follow the step route instructions.

Inside the library, go up a floor, use the pot, and then head back down and into the dungeon.

On the first room with restricted vision, go to the right and pick up the Ether in the chest. Continue to the next room.

After leaving the room with Ifrit, continue onward. Be sure to take the diversion to the south to collect the Stealth (robe).

Collect the PhenixDwn at the bottom left of the dark room. Afterward, open the menu.

Continue through the dungeon.

Eventually, you'll reach the room with Mid. Move forward to engage Byblos.

Talk to Mid to begin the cutscenes, and then leave the library to begin the trek back to Karnak.

Enter the town and talk with Cid at the Pub.

Crescent and Grind

Once in control of the ship, make your way toward Crescent, following the below instructions if following step route:

Enter the town, watch the scene, and then proceed to the black chocobo forest.

Catch a black chocobo and then fly to Lix (fly directly south until you reach mountains, and then turn west, folowing the northern boundary of the taller peaks).

Inside Lix, you will need to shop from the top merchant on the upper floor of the armory and item shop.

After making your purchases, open the menu.

Leave town to the north and board the black chocobo. If you are exactly on step route, you can half-step onto the black chocobo. Fly to the west, going around the larger peaks to the south twice, and to the north twice. Land on the lowest forest tile directly above the light green area near Istory.

You now need to fight a series of encounters. Keep taking steps until you encounter them. The first will be on approximately the third or fourth step.

The next two fights will both be MiniDragon x5. The first will be after 36 steps and the second after another 13 steps.

The next battle will be in 8 steps, on the grass tiles, so head south to those.

Fight two more battles with MiniDragons before continuing. They will occur in the forest after 30 steps and after 10 more steps.

From here, fly east to the mountain, and then south. Once you reach the desert, you'll need to veer slightly to the east, but you've been here before. Your destination is the Ancient Library. Land in the forest directly west of the Library.

Ancient Library and Quicksand

Enter the Ancient Library, watch the scenes, and then begin your trek to the desert.

Continue to the battle with the Sandworm.

To traverse the quicksand, walk across the sandworm until the second lowest row, but exit east from that row. You'll run into an encounter.

After the battle, head south. Once on dry land, go south again.

Go west one tile, then south once more. Immediately step south back onto the quickand. Go west one tile and then south.

Hold down to leave the dungeon.

Airship Get!

From here, you need to walk to Gohn.

Walk to the tile leading to the large staircase in the middle. Afterward, head directly west until you hit a wall and head north until a scene. Then return to the main staircase and continue onward.

Continue through the scenes until the airship is flying, then open the menu.

After the battle, fly again to the ruined city for a cutscene. (Head east until the center of the mountains, then head north.) Afterward, return to the Crescent platform.

After more scenes, fly to the Tycoon Meteor. (Head north until roughly even with the peninsula to the northeast, and then head west.) Be careful not to half-step the landing, if on step route.

Head into the meteor, and collect the adamantite. Afterward, open the menu to prepare for the boss.

Move downward to engage the boss.

At this point, return to the platform at Crescent by flying east until the peninsula is visible, and then flying south. After the scenes, fly up to the ruins.

You want to engage the cannons from right to left, using the template battle plan below.

After those battles, open the menu.

After defeating the four sets of cannons, move on to fight the primary cannon.

Begin making your way through the Lonka Ruins.

Sometine on the third floor, you'll run into an encounter.

Continue through the dungeon until you reach the HiPotion chest (directly north of the stairs you come up on). Collect the chest, then continue, entering the detour area.

Walk through the detour area to the chest room. Step to the left one tile, then go north, and collect all chests. After the last one, go down to fall into the hole.

Collect the Cabin and Ether in the chest room, and then head back. Continue on to the boss.

Talk to Tycoon to engage ArchaeAvis.

After the battle, head up into the crystal room and watch the scenes.

Fly to and land next to Karnak (fly east to the water, then fly north). After the cutscene, enter the town and head to the armory and item shops.

Exit the town and board the airship.

Fly to the Tycoon meteor by flying south to the end of the bay, east until you see the canal, then turning south.

Enter the meteor and watch the scene. Afterward, fly to the Worus meteor (head straight north until the river is visible, then fly east).

After the battle, open the menu.

Fly to the Gohn meteor by flying east until a continent passes to the south, and then turning south. Land on the green tile to the left of the meteor.

Afterward, fly to the Karnak meteor by heading north to the desert and then turning east.

Fly to the teleporter which is very near to the southeast.

Galuf's World

After arriving, open the menu.

Watch the scenes, and eventually you'll be in control of Galuf.

Make your way to the second basement floor of the castle.

Continue on the next floor, and you'll get an encounter just before the trigger.

After the scenes, make your way out of the castle.

Make your way out of the castle back to the world map.

Once outside the castle, head to the Big Bridge.

In the first Big Bridge map, walk one tile left, then go up. You will have to fight a battle.

After the battle, head north until the gap in the walls by the towers, and then head to the right side and continue up to the top. Inside the room, you should menu.

Move forward to engage Gilgamesh.

After the battle, immediately open the menu.

After the battle, continue upward. On the second Big Bridge map, again head to the left side, until a tile away from the gap this time, head to the right, move up 2 tiles, then go to the center.

Grociana

Begin making your way east toward the Moogle cave, passing Rugor.

Talk to the moogle and then enter the cave.

Moogle Sequence

Enter the water, and you'll come to a fixed encounter.

Continue again into the water.

Collect the 4400 gil in the chest and then continue.

After you land on the last platform, open the menu.

Eventually, you'll come to a moogle and skeleton. Move up to engage the boss.

After the scenes, quickly open the menu.

Now, you'll need to make your way through to the Moogle Village. If not on step route, simply stay away from the desert tiles. Otherwise, follow the below instructions:

Enter the Moogle Village by entering the forest and going north until there is an open path to the west, and then going straight east.

Talk to the moogle at the upper right corner of the village. Inside the house, talk to the moogle again, and then all chests except the right upper one.

Go outside and move down one tile to wait for the moogle.

Bal and Kelb Sequence

After finally gaining control in the castle throne room, collect the Hero (potion) to the left and the Exit spell in the secret passage to the left, and then head up the stairs on the right side of the room, continuing to the roof to speak to Cara.

When you reach the main courtyard, head to the door on the left to enter the shop area.

Exit the castle and begin the walk toward Kelb. Or, at least, you would, except you get attacked.

Now, continue to Kelb, following the step route if appropriate.

Inside Kelb, enter Kelgar's house, take a single step up, then try to leave. After the scenes, leave the town to the north.

Hiryuu Valley

Enter the chest room on the first map and collect the 5000 gil. Check the step route below before continuing on.

Sometime after entering the next cave, you'll get an encounter.

Continue until reaching the map with the skeletons. Collect the Bone Mail from the skeleton, and enter the cave.

Inside the cave, go two tiles below the door and head to the right.

Immediately go to the left, enter the door, and flip the switch.

On the way back, collect the 7000 gil in the chest.

Continue onward and enter the newly opened cave.

Inside the cave, go to the left, and head downward.

Collect the Coronet from the chest on the left, and then head back.

After the encounter, collect the PhenixDwn in the chest and keep going.

Outside, make your way near the boss and then open the menu to prepare (don't go south when reaching the final leg).

Head south to fight the boss.

Big Boat and Barrier Tower

Make your way back to Kelb and head to the item shop (inside the Inn).

Continue to Castle Bal.

Inside the castle, sneak in, and make your way to to talk to Cara in bed and then the Hiryuu on the roof.

Fly north through the valley, exit to the ocean, and then fly the short distance north to Guido's cave. Land as close to the forest as possible.

After the scenes, fly to the ship armada by flying due east until you see land, south until the big bridge, east to the mountains, south until two tiles below the barrier tower, and then due east.

After the short scene on the ship, head inside and take a nap.

When you awake, open the menu.

Make your way to the top of the ship, and eventually work down to fight the single stationary enemy.

After the battle, head down to the submarine and enter the Barrier Tower. Begin heading toward the top.

On the second floor, collect the 9000 gil in the chest you walk directly by.

On 4F, you will get into an encounter.

On 6F, collect the 18000 gil in the chest.

Continue up to 9F, where you need to go to the right.

Continue the roof and before you go up the last staircase, open the menu.

After the scenes, enter the submarine and exit again, and wait for Galuf to rejoin the party.

Make your way to Guido's cave. Travel due east until you hit a wall, head north (going around the rock) until a bunch of rocks pass on the left, at which point turn west until you hit a wall, then go north. The cave should come into view.

Guido's Cave

Head south to get an encounter.

Get the rock out of the middle chest, drop it in the top left chest, and then head into the open door.

Hit the switch and then leave the room. Collect the rock and then head down to the bottom left chest. Drop the rock in the chest.

Head into the newly opened door. Simply pass through the next room.

On B3F, head to the left and go down to the hidden passage.

Hit the switch, and then make your way back toward the newly created doorway.

When emerging into the room after the tunnel, make sure to head right. Continue to visit with Guido.

From here, head to Mua. Head west to the wall, and then head north until you're one tile below the coral that appears.

Head west, shifting slightly north when you hit the wall, and continue west until you see two coral close together. Continue past those coral until you're one tile west of a third coral that appears. Head directly south until you pass the rocks, and then head east.

Surface and then enter Mua. Pick up the Guardian in the upper barrel to the left of the southwest building, and then visit the magic shop.

Now, head east to the Forest of Mua.

Open the forest, and then after the scenes, head north, jogging once to the east until you get to the chest. Pick up the 2500 gil, and then head south. You'll get an encounter after 2 steps if you're on step route.

From here, go due east to the wall, and then up to get the Ether in the chest. From here, go down once and then left to enter the tree.

On the next forest map, head north three times, east twice, and then north twice more. If you're on step route, you will get an encounter at the correct stopping place as long as you go two tiles east at some point.

From here, head right. When you reach the wall, go up until even with the alcove to the left, then go due right again.

Stop when even with the top of the last tree, and go north to collect the 9500 gil in the chest. Afterward, go south to an encounter.

From the encounter, go due west and then north to activate the tree. Go west one tile for an encounter.

After taking the steps and re-entering (if on step route), head north to the tree, east to the hedge, north to the tree, then east two tiles before going all the way north to the next tree. Go two tiles east to around the tree and head north.

Head all the way north to the chest with the MornStar. After collecting that, go south three tiles and then due west.

After the fire begins, collect the Aegis (shield) in the chest, and then wait on the tile below the bottom of the group of three flames. Once in the cave, open up the menu.

After the menu, heal up at the spring, and then wait for the moogle to vacate the premises. Exit the cave.

Head south one tile, then due west until you hit the wall. Head north to the tree, go around it to the left, and keep going north.

Go left around the bushes and continue north to open the path to the Elder Tree. After the scene, enter the tree.

Move forward to engage the boss.

Wait through the scenes, and eventually you'll gain control on the world map.

Exdeath's Castle

Fly to Exdeath's castle. From your current location, fly to the west until you pass over the last burned tree in your current row, then turn south. Turn west when you reach the water, and then turn south again to follow the peninsula. Fly until the last fully two-wide row of the peninsula, and then turn west. Land on the first green tile after you cross the brown patch in front of the castle. Enter the castle, take a couple of steps, and then open the menu.

Continue making your way through the castle, remembering to take a step right at the dead end to trigger the scene, paying attention to the step route notes.

On 4F, your main goal is to hit the switch and collect the chest with the Ice (shield). Along the way, you have some battles to take care of.

After this, continue to the switch. On the way to the chest, there will be another battle.

At this point, open the menu.

Collect the chest and continue. You now need to catch two Magic Drgns. If on step route, it'll be your next two encounters. Use the template battle below:

Pick up the Ether on 5F and then continue.

On the next floor, pick up the 9900 gil in the chest on the far left and continue. On the way, there will be an encounter.

If for whatever reason you're off step route at this point, you could grab the chest on 10F to sell for more money. (Go up one tile, all the way to the right, get the chest, then go left twice, down once, left once, and down to the switch.)

Once you reach 13F, go up a few steps and then stop to menu.

Move forward to engage Exdeath.

World 3

Walk north to enter Castle Tycoon and watch the scenes. When you gain control, go out to the balcony to talk to Cara. Exit the castle and head toward the pirate cave to collect Boco.

Once you have Boco, begin working your way around the world toward Guido's cave. When you enter the grassy map before the Antlion battle, open the menu.

Continue to fight Antion.

After the scenes, continue to Guido's cave, remembering to dismount before you enter the cave. After yet more scenes, you'll find yourself in the Ancient Library. Exit the library and begin the walk to the desert.

In the forest, take one step to the south to avoid the event tiles. Continue to the Pyramid.

Enter the Pyramid and go up the stairs down the hallway with a door. When you enter the room with the switches, several snakes will pop out. You'll very likely have to fight one of these.

After the battle, ensure you are facing up to avoid fighting the other one. Hit the first and third switches when you have a chance, and make your way to the next floor.

On the next floor, wait for the spikes to come out, walk to the middle, wait for the stairs, and then proceed to the next room.

In the next room, avoid the monsters and make your way to the platform with the mummy. If you do accidentally encounter one of the monsters, there is a backup:

Move forward to engage the mummies.

Continue through the Pyramid.

In the switch room, hit the first switch, and then continue to the chest room on the right. In the room, hit the left switch, grab the chests on the right, and leave.

Continue with the rest of the quicksand switches as normal. On the way, there is an encounter.

Continue until you reach 8F, with the changing tiles. Grab the Goldpin in the chest on the right and then go through the right door. Collect the 12000 gil in the left chest and return.

Back in the changing tiles room, get the Guard (ring) and Ribbon chests and continue to the exit.

After the scenes, leave the Pyramid and walk back to the Elder Tree.

Final Preparation

After battle, take a step to the right on the world map and then open up the menu, being careful not to half-step.

Begin making your way to the airship. On the way, there should be an encounter.

After the scenes, fly to the Mirage forest (nearly straight north) and land in the little nook on the south end of the forest. Enter the town, which can be any of the upper left 6 tiles of the forest.

Inside the town, head to the magic shop.

Next, head to the armor shop, but before doing any shopping, open the menu.

Now, shop at the armor shop, and afterward, the item shop.

Leave the town, board the airship, and fly to the entrance to the Cleft of Dimension (east the short distance to the bay, and then due north).

Cleft of Dimension

On the first part of the desert, go east whenever possible. Otherwise, go south. Once you're directly below the staircase to the next section, head north.

Be sure to move east one tile as soon as you're up the stairs, so you don't accidentally go up onto the wrong tile.

After the next quicksand ride, simply hold right until you reach the doorway. Make your way until you reach the forest section, following the step route if appropriate.

In the forest, head east, north to the tree, west, north and east to get the DrgnFang chest, and then west into the tiny gap. Veer east around the tree, and go north until you reach the hedge. Go east and you'll get an encounter.

Go east (jogging north one tile as needed) until you hit the flowers, then head south, weaving your way southeast to get the Ribbon in the chest. After collecting the Ribbon, go east, veer south around the tree, and continue east and south into the alcove.

If you're not on step route, open the menu.

Continue through the cave portion of the dungeon, paying attention to step route if appropriate.

Avoid Omega by taking a step downward and moving quickly after exiting the cave.

Before touching the book, open the menu.

Talk to the book to engage Apanda.

After the battle, open the menu.

Exit the library and make your way through the floating castle.

Inside the castle, head to the right and follow the path to get the Running (shoes).

Before engaging Catastrophe, open the menu.

If not on step route, open the menu after the battle..

Once you enter the hall, make sure you take the left path, and after your first attempt at exiting the room, open the menu.

Attempt to exit again to engage the boss.

Open the menu to prepare for the next boss.

After battle, open up the menu.

Make your way through the final part of the dungeon.

Activate the cutscene with Exdeath, and when they're over, prepare for your final menu.