Dimensional Vortex Dungeons
* Lists of the areas before each main dungeon
* Strategies for getting all the items within and navigating each main dungeon
* Boss strategies for the shadows and tough monsters
There are three forms of Dimensional Vortex. One sits just east of Truce in 1000 AD (and is sadly just out of reach without Epoch). In this vortex, I came across the teleport maze from Tyranno Lair, the stairwell room from the Ocean Palace, and a tower portion from Magus's Castle. After this was a large round area focused around a waterfall. A large bridge near the beginning sees a fight with two ogan youths. Once this area is completed, there is the main dungeon: a large lava cave using the 65,000,000 BC overworld music. A fire themed variant of the Alien enemy appears, but by this time hitting it with water didn't make much difference than just pummeling it. Anyway, the objective here is to find switches and lower the lava so you can progress. After this is a cave with Dalton, then in Leene Square, a fight with steel shade (Crono).
The second dimensional Vortex is located on the island of the last village in 12,000 BC. The lobby room is a little prettier here, but still kinda foggy. Here, I encountered the second large room of Manoria Cathedral, room 1 of the sunken desert, and the Geno dome conveyor belt (the long battle one, not the one you have to reverse so Robo can reach a door.), and an area resembling mystic mountain, but a little different, and with slate imps. the main dungeon is a snowy mountain (bgm: singing mountain!
) maze. On the back side of the mountain is a slope you must dash on to stay in place. reach the ledge on the top left of the area and enter that cave to proceed onward. There's a blue variant of Heckran called a snow beast, he'll pop up often but he wasn't too much trouble. You'll eventually reach Dalton's cave again. this time, it's Marle who will feel a calling. Then, in Marle's room in Guardia Castle, you will fight Alabaster Shade (Marle). I found her a little easier than Steel shade, but defeating her yields the same results for Marle and Steel did for Crono.
I haven't yet gone through number 3. bear with me.
Edit: going through 3 now. first off, we have first room of the Heckran cave. Then, a hallway in Magus's castle...
Now, I'm in the back room of Arris dome's basement, just before the video room. (you can hear the hum of a robot in here.) Then, the mud beast's lair in Algetty (thankfully without boss.) Next, I'm on mount Denadoro, second area. (the first large area.) ...that's it as far as old places go.
I'm carrying on with Magus, Lucca, and Frog. I'm now in the special dungeon, Temporal research lab...
a note to the north
"The Director of Research ought to have the security lock release code written down somewhere in this room. He's a strange one, though, always writing in codes and what have you. Knowing him, he probably wrote it down backwards."
The whole first area is a grid-like maze of conveyor belts and rooms, but the path looks pretty obvious so far.
another note.
There is a note written by the Director of Research. "Security lock release code: LLAB I picked it because, well... I like things that are round."
Okay, Ball, simple enough.
The only enemy around here is an occasional Searcher (giant eye). Like many vortex enemies, his defense boosts when attacked. It seems only Magus can hit him with a weapon: everyone else misses. This guy also absorbs dark magic, so either go pikachu on him or keep using that scythe.
There's two ways to go when you reach the top of the map. Go right and you find the locked door. go left to find access to map 2.
On the bottom right is a hidden passage that takes you outside, into the Northwest corner of Millinea wood (see: Lost Sanctum), but I don't see ANY enemies... treasure chests are all still here though. Checked the whole place out, there's no access to the village.
Nothing here, just go back into the lab. (there was an opening in the trees to the northwest.) There is a weapon in these woods for Robo, though called Apocalypse Arm. It brings his weapon points down to zero if equipped (attack: 132), but critical hits will net 9999 points of damage.
Map 2.
lasers block the path left for now, so explore north. All the way north is a locked door: If you get caught, you'll be tossed into a room with robots coming at you from conveyors, and you'll exit via this door. So, go west and don't let the robots see you. on the bottom left is another locked door, might be another fight cell. go upper left to map 3.
Map 3. Open the door and go up the hallway to a big terminal suspended over inky black abyss, much like the emergency generator in the Factory. Access the terminal and remove the lock on the door in Map 1. Remember, the password is "Ball".
Map 2: when you get back to the southeast corner, the system will recognize that the password was entered by an unauthorized administrator, and will lock you in the small area with two locked doors and the lasers to the west. Lucca (remember this is my party so this and what follows will vary accordingly) will bang on the door, crying for help. Marle, Robo, and Crono of all people are answering that call to save Lucca, Magus, and Frog. (again, roles will vary depending on parties) So, for now, you'll be in control of the other roughly half of your team, on map 1, looking for the release on the door. (Just for the record,
that means there are six of your characters out on the field. The only one still at the end of time is Ayla.) Take party 2 to the far top right of Map 1, and the door should of course now open.
Map 4.
There are sparkles on the floor that teleport you all around the map. first one takes you east a room, where you'll encounter three sparkles. Left takes you to another room with a magic tab, then back to the entrance. North takes you to a vertical room with nothing but another sparkle, leading to the entrance again. East takes you to a room with a sentry robot who jumps to random spots in the small room, blocking your way. time your way past him, there's two sparkles here. the first takes you to the beginning. the other goes to a room with yet again two sparkles. Take the south one. You'll reach a room with a door and two sparkles. the door leads to a terminal...
Map 5
the system will try to kill party 2, so kick some ass. first a searcher, then a prototype, followed by two searchers, then two prototypes. Use lightning to bring down their defenses. Lastly, an iron maiden. After this the system shuts down. However, Robo can easily hack into it, turn it on, and stop the lockdown, freeing Party 1.
Map 2
the lasers will turn off and you can explore west with Party 1. You'll still have to avoid the robots from before, but you can access new places, namely that door on the southwest corner.
Map 6
There are electric surges in the hallway you must time and and avoid, then a searcher and an iron maiden team up. electrify them. Watch out, this iron maiden is much stronger, and will eventually explode.
Then you get to fight two more!!! god I'm glad Magus comes with Lightning 2. They have a version of Robo tackle that cuts HP for the whole party in half. But, these two Iron Maidens are all that's left. Beat them, and you'll find the exit to the lab.
Twilight Grotto
same as usual, shelter and save at the save point. this time of course it's Lucca's turn.
In Lucca's room in her house, you'll fight Crimson shade, and her robot drone, Eggsterminator. Obviously, she'll use fire a lot so if someone has a red plate on, whoopie!! Don't be afraid to use stuff like Dark Matter or Luminaire, if you have it. Be aware that the Eggsterminator will absorb hits from that. Crimson won't. On the flipside, Fire magic won't harm Crimson, but it will do considerate damage to Eggy. Like everything in this damn vortex, they like to use Osmose a lot. it's really annoying. I don't have Robo and his new toy, but I do have Frog with me, so Red pin works well against Eggsterminator, That leaves just Crimson now. time to spam Dark Matter. After awhile, aerial strike stops working. Frog hits his head on the ceiling or something.
When you're done here and with the other two vortices, go back to the End of Time and talk to Gasper. The bucket now leads to Time's Eclipse.
Time's Eclipse
Lavos is dead. In this future you beat him.
...!!
He'll then tell you to go screw yourselves and stay out of his way. Now go ignore him.
DREAM DEVOURER
Dark Matter does 999 to the eye, and I brought a party of Ayla (valor crest equipped) and Robo (with Armageddon Arm and a Dragon Tear equipped for more 9999age) along with Magus mentioned before. After Schala casts an End to all and nothing, Magic is absorbed by the eye.
even if you win, you get blasted. Other Magus will return and plead with the one person in his life that he loves and cares about to snap out of it and please come home. She will wake up at this point, but she can't come with him. She explains that she wanted to come with Lavos. If eliminating pain and suffering from people's lives meant eliminating existance, so be it. In any case, Magus can't free her. the party will be taken home, and Other Magus will remain to talk with her.
Schala will acknowledge him as Janus and express her gratitude for his effort and concern. But again, she cannot be saved. She encourages him to move on, to live on... be strong...
once again in his life, a black gate seperates him from both Schala and Lavos. Magus takes the time to gather what Schala said and let it sink in. Since his last goal and inner character appear to have no more apparent use, Magus casts it aside and wipes his mind of it. But, should his memory ever return, to remember what she said... then, well... maybe she's wrong. Maybe there is a point behind the old Magus, and maybe he will see her again.
Magus wakes up somewhere on the Zenan mainland (can someone study the map background? There's no actual map, but there is the shading on it.), his memory wiped... almost. He knows he was looking for something, and intends to restore his memory so that he might find it.
-the end-
