Here’s a thorough guide on how to defeat what many consider the toughest boss battle in Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age.
Introduction
If you’re curious about Trial Mode, it’s quite the adventure. Across 100 stages, you’ll face various combinations of enemies, including bosses you’ve encountered before, with each stage getting progressively tougher.
Finally, you’ll reach the 100th stage, and let me tell you, it’s a real doozy. This is where the game throws everything at you, testing your skills, strategy, and readiness like never before.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to conquer this ultimate challenge and snag that sought-after Imperator trophy. Let’s dive in!
What’s Waiting on Stage 100
First things first, you gotta know who you’re up against. In this showdown, you’ll be facing five Judges simultaneously. But don’t think of them as just any old storyline bosses; these bad boys are at Level 90 or higher and come equipped with all sorts of wild mechanics that’ll spell doom if you’re not ready.
Their names? Ghis, Bergan, Drace, Gabranth, and Zargabaath. Each brings something different to the table in this epic clash, and it’s crucial to understand their roles because defeating them requires a specific approach. Let’s break it down for each one.
Judge Ghis
- HP: 123,244
- Ghis is all about debuffing your party and Dispelling your buffs, while also being a nuisance by healing his comrades with Elixirs. His Scourge attack hits like a truck.
- Vulnerable to Sap, Sleep, Slow, Stop, and Disease. Slow and Disease are crucial to inflict on Ghis to take him down swiftly. Priority target: eliminate him first.
Judge Bergan
- HP: 382,348
- Bergan is a brute, focusing on relentless physical attacks similar to his encounter on Mount Bur-Omisace.
- Vulnerable to Sap, Sleep, Slow, and Stop. Once Ghis is dealt with, turn your attention to Bergan.
Judge Drace
- HP: 194,543
- Drace buffs the other Judges with Haste, Protect, and Shell, so regular Dispelga usage is necessary. She can be Diseased and Immobilized, with Disease being the priority.
- Take her out after dealing with Bergan.
Judge Gabranth
- HP: 343,243
- Gabranth is a formidable opponent, hitting hard and fast, and frustratingly healing himself and Zargabaath with Elixirs.
- Immune to most debuffs, making him a tough nut to crack. Target him next after Drace.
Judge Zargabaath
- HP: 224,843
- Zargabaath buffs Gabranth and heals him with Elixirs. He’s vulnerable to Sleep, so keep him snoozing until Gabranth is down.
- Save him for last once the rest of the Judges are defeated.
Remember, coordination and strategy are key to overcoming this formidable challenge. Take down each Judge methodically, and victory will be yours.
Preparing for Battle
When you start, your team might be tired from facing Omega Mark XII on stage 99. Use a Megalixir right away to refill your party’s HP and MP if needed. Then, equip a Nihopalaoa on 1-2 characters and swiftly throw Remedies to the Judges. Target Ghis first, then Bergan, then Drace, and lastly Zargabaath. Gabranth is immune, so don’t bother. After debuffing them, switch back to Bubble Belts to keep Bubble in case of KO or Dispel.
Remember, act fast. You only have about 20 seconds to control this fight. If the Judges gain the advantage, you’re in trouble. And avoid using Reverse at all costs.
You won’t succeed by relying on Reverse spamming because the Judges will counter with Elixirs and Potions on reversed characters, effectively sidelining them.
Once prepared, defeat the Judges in the precise order I listed. You can use Zodiark’s Final Eclipse repeatedly to hasten this process, but be ready with an Elixir for the summoner after each use. Also, monitor the debuffs on each Judge and reapply them as needed. It’s crucial to put Sleep on Zargabaath because eliminating Gabranth depends on it.
For gambits, set up each character with Ally: any / Phoenix Down first, then Ally: HP < 60% / Curaja. After that, add two different attack gambits tailored to each Judge:
- Foe: lowest max HP / Attack (for Ghis & Drace)
- Foe: highest max HP / Attack (for Bergan & Gabranth)
It’s important to note that you only need one of these attack gambits active at a time. When switching targets, ensure you activate the required attack gambit and deactivate the other one.
For everything else, you’ll need to handle it manually. Zargabaath must remain asleep throughout, as failing to do so means no chance of defeating Gabranth. When it’s just Gabranth and Zargabaath left, have a character equipped with Nihopalaoa spam Prince’s Kiss on Zargabaath every 8-10 seconds.
Once Gabranth is defeated, you can either maintain Zargabaath’s sleep and have your Black Mage safely cast Scathe, or simply defeat him with regular attacks without worrying about his actions. Whichever approach you choose, when Zargabaath falls and you hear the victory fanfare, congratulate yourself and enjoy your hard-earned Imperator trophy! And remember to check out New Game Minus if you’re interested.
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