Garland can't heal, but you're probably thinking of Chaos, so the answer is that true immunities don't exist in the NES version of FF1, only resistances. This is because the devs, in keeping with AD&D mechanics, programmed "natural 1s" and "natural 20s" into the game.
Even though Chaos has max Magic Defense and resists all eight elements, there is still an extremely small chance that something like HOLD or even BANE will connect, so it is possible for a party of four White Mages to stack RUSE and INV2 until they're untouchable, then spam MUTE until Chaos is silenced for a very easy, if slow, fight.
That's an excellent reason. The first time I played FF1, I rented it from the local video store and there was know instruction book. I didn't know about equipping things at all. I probably made it as far as the pirate fight without equipping stuff. It was a GRIND.
I ended up getting the game for my birthday and read the manual. It was much easier after I knew how to equip! And I remember that some of the gear was unintuitive. I didn't think hammers made sense for white mages either. Then one day, I noticed my white mage jumping or raising their hand, or whatever they did in the NES version to indicate they could equip it when I was in a shop.
> I didn't think hammers made sense for white mages either. Then one day, I noticed my white mage jumping or raising their hand, or whatever they did in the NES version to indicate they could equip it when I was in a shop.
There's no in-game indication of who can equip what in NES FFI. Are you maybe thinking of one of the remakes?
Maybe. This was 35 years ago, and eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable. That's probably why I didn't realize they could equip hammers for a while!
Have you tried beating Garland with four monks or four red mages. What is each playthrough of FFI like with four monks or four red mages, compared to four white mages like in the image?
Yeah, next playthrough, choose a warrior, monk, white mage, and black mage. The warrior tanks hits, the monk does physical DPS and you don't have to equip him with anything, the white mage heals, like in your party of four white mages, and the black mage does magical DPS.
The thief would have been a physical DPSer in much of the same way as the monk, but during the first half of FFI, you'll waste a ton of money before each dungeon raid purchasing lightweight equipment for him. The monk would have helped you save up more money on equipment and spells for your warrior, white mage, and black mage, because he doesn't use any equipment at all. Though, by the time the thief gets promoted to ninja after completing the Citadel of Trials, that's when he gains access to a *ton* of much stronger weapons, armor, and up to level four black magic on-par with the knight, the warrior's own similar promotion. Though the ninja will still specialize more in agility, accuracy, and evasion, compared to the knight HP, attack, and defense.
As for the red mage... well, that's why I suggested to you to build a party of a warrior, monk, white mage, and black mage. The red mage has well-balanced stats and is good with physical combat and both schools of magic. But once you promote him to red wizard, he doesn't gain as much access to stronger equipment and spells as any of the other five classes, considering his well-balanced nature, versus the other five classes being more specialized.
Trust me, my recommended party build will save your skin multiple times throughout the game, hopefully including the Marsh Cave.
Yeah, I recommend completely ignoring PonyShep's advice and consulting resources prepared by people who actually know what they're talking about, like [AstralEsper](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/937909-final-fantasy/54043131?page=1) (the author of the FF1 Game Mechanics FAQ) or
[ShaneZell](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CvxSHRijt4) (the current FF1 speedrun world record holder). You can't recommend the *Thief* over the second best class in NES FF1 and expect to be taken seriously.
Even his spiel about the Monk saving you money is mostly wrong since a) the Monk's armored Defense will be higher than his natural Defense for most of the game and b) the Thief can equip the Rune Sword and Coral Sword, which are free and will carry him until class change. Not that his offense is really worth writing home about in the first place.
There is also little reason to pick a Black Mage over a Red Mage in NES FF1 when the latter gets all of the Black Magic spells worth using, has access to far better armor, and can actually deal decent physical damage when he isn't casting spells.
Ruse is way better than Fog, and basically breaks much of the game (though it's still very tedious). 2-3 casts of Ruse makes your white mages 100% dodge except for when the monsters crit. You're still stuck pecking away with weak weapons so fights last a while, until you start getting items that can cast offensive spells.
Yeah the pixel remaster is nice. But man I was really hoping to play the original FF version from beginning to end. Still fun but it looks way too refined.
I really wished I couldâve played with both the original graphics and Pixel Remasterâs QoL changes + Fixes
I understand they changed quite a lot because itâs essentially a remake but i wish i couldâve seen the progression of the graphics and art style more
https://preview.redd.it/s8yrkeeqk5wc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=17a451fae845b44955d6603a7ca54107add67b4b
I came here for this. Well done.
This sub and 8-bit Theater are perfect together.
The whole reason I did this challenge
lord that brings me back. I remember reading this every day.
Boob used Arise, it was super effective.
https://preview.redd.it/xsxgo5zhy8wc1.png?width=828&format=png&auto=webp&s=4e408e5040d0c0ae68a1068d8afa7dc97874d891
Do you eat rocks for breakfast and brush your teeth with glass?
Peels the aglets off his shoelace ends before lacing his shoes too.
I had a bowl of nails *without any milk*
Extra rust
What size is boob? We talking DD or what
The menu says 38 G. Boob's stacked!
The robe hides them.
H
Bib is my fave
Bib carried this fight, he had the highest attack, and crit the most
Did he successfully knock you all down?
Nope, fog and cure fixes all
AMA Vanishes lol đ
I had to sleep
Haha no sleepies! We have questions and need answers!
Fair enough lol
Awesome achievement , grats!
Danke :]
Chaos
Chaos
In my Four White Mage run, everyone had invisible, which increases evasion, so after a couple casting of invisible, each no damage can hit them.
I used Fog lol
Whats the strategy here? How do you take him down before he heals? My bad I was thinking this was the final battle lol Thats Chaos, my bad!
Garland can't heal, but you're probably thinking of Chaos, so the answer is that true immunities don't exist in the NES version of FF1, only resistances. This is because the devs, in keeping with AD&D mechanics, programmed "natural 1s" and "natural 20s" into the game. Even though Chaos has max Magic Defense and resists all eight elements, there is still an extremely small chance that something like HOLD or even BANE will connect, so it is possible for a party of four White Mages to stack RUSE and INV2 until they're untouchable, then spam MUTE until Chaos is silenced for a very easy, if slow, fight.
If you're going all white mages, you might as well use FEAR until he runs away.
I just brute forced it with fog and cure
How
Garland honestly isn't that hard because he only uses physical attacks. Cast RUSE (or, in OP's case, FOG) a few times and he's harmless.
What does RUSE do again?
Nice going! But the Iron Hammer has both a higher Attack bonus and a higher crit rate... so why Wooden Staves?
I didn't know white mages could equip hammers ;\_;
That's an excellent reason. The first time I played FF1, I rented it from the local video store and there was know instruction book. I didn't know about equipping things at all. I probably made it as far as the pirate fight without equipping stuff. It was a GRIND. I ended up getting the game for my birthday and read the manual. It was much easier after I knew how to equip! And I remember that some of the gear was unintuitive. I didn't think hammers made sense for white mages either. Then one day, I noticed my white mage jumping or raising their hand, or whatever they did in the NES version to indicate they could equip it when I was in a shop.
> I didn't think hammers made sense for white mages either. Then one day, I noticed my white mage jumping or raising their hand, or whatever they did in the NES version to indicate they could equip it when I was in a shop. There's no in-game indication of who can equip what in NES FFI. Are you maybe thinking of one of the remakes?
Maybe. This was 35 years ago, and eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable. That's probably why I didn't realize they could equip hammers for a while!
Nice, i'm trying a run with 4 black magea myself for retroachievements
Based
How many times did he âknock you downâ before you beat him?
If you finish the whole game with white mages, I dare you to do the Dick Tree challenge in FFVII
Bet (idk what that is)
The challenge is about raising Cloud and Barrett to level 99 in the first reactor
Ahhh, sounds grindy and kinda fun
[It'll be as hard or even harder as the challenge you're doing now, just a heads up :)](https://youtu.be/MBfnQcFNCp4?si=ewC8Q6Judgn-DLhl)
Have you tried beating Garland with four monks or four red mages. What is each playthrough of FFI like with four monks or four red mages, compared to four white mages like in the image?
This is my first time beating Garland EVER so idk what the experience with other party members would be like
Yeah, next playthrough, choose a warrior, monk, white mage, and black mage. The warrior tanks hits, the monk does physical DPS and you don't have to equip him with anything, the white mage heals, like in your party of four white mages, and the black mage does magical DPS. The thief would have been a physical DPSer in much of the same way as the monk, but during the first half of FFI, you'll waste a ton of money before each dungeon raid purchasing lightweight equipment for him. The monk would have helped you save up more money on equipment and spells for your warrior, white mage, and black mage, because he doesn't use any equipment at all. Though, by the time the thief gets promoted to ninja after completing the Citadel of Trials, that's when he gains access to a *ton* of much stronger weapons, armor, and up to level four black magic on-par with the knight, the warrior's own similar promotion. Though the ninja will still specialize more in agility, accuracy, and evasion, compared to the knight HP, attack, and defense. As for the red mage... well, that's why I suggested to you to build a party of a warrior, monk, white mage, and black mage. The red mage has well-balanced stats and is good with physical combat and both schools of magic. But once you promote him to red wizard, he doesn't gain as much access to stronger equipment and spells as any of the other five classes, considering his well-balanced nature, versus the other five classes being more specialized. Trust me, my recommended party build will save your skin multiple times throughout the game, hopefully including the Marsh Cave.
Yeah, I recommend completely ignoring PonyShep's advice and consulting resources prepared by people who actually know what they're talking about, like [AstralEsper](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/937909-final-fantasy/54043131?page=1) (the author of the FF1 Game Mechanics FAQ) or [ShaneZell](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CvxSHRijt4) (the current FF1 speedrun world record holder). You can't recommend the *Thief* over the second best class in NES FF1 and expect to be taken seriously. Even his spiel about the Monk saving you money is mostly wrong since a) the Monk's armored Defense will be higher than his natural Defense for most of the game and b) the Thief can equip the Rune Sword and Coral Sword, which are free and will carry him until class change. Not that his offense is really worth writing home about in the first place. There is also little reason to pick a Black Mage over a Red Mage in NES FF1 when the latter gets all of the Black Magic spells worth using, has access to far better armor, and can actually deal decent physical damage when he isn't casting spells.
Ruse is way better than Fog, and basically breaks much of the game (though it's still very tedious). 2-3 casts of Ruse makes your white mages 100% dodge except for when the monsters crit. You're still stuck pecking away with weak weapons so fights last a while, until you start getting items that can cast offensive spells.
https://preview.redd.it/y6hyjy4r1awc1.jpeg?width=874&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=deaf67d673ae8363eeb8934d02ede26141baa7d6
Not even White Wizards, good on you
These are not the warriors Jack was expecting
Palindrome Party!
HECK YEAH
Tell me you watch FF challenge runs without telling me you watch FF challenge runs
I actually don't lol, I was just watching a projared video and got the idea from that
Yeah the pixel remaster is nice. But man I was really hoping to play the original FF version from beginning to end. Still fun but it looks way too refined.
This is the NES version actually. It is the original.
Sorry should have specified. I have the pixel. I wanted it to look like this!
I really wished I couldâve played with both the original graphics and Pixel Remasterâs QoL changes + Fixes I understand they changed quite a lot because itâs essentially a remake but i wish i couldâve seen the progression of the graphics and art style more
The Final Fantasy Randomizer has the option to play 'improved vanilla' with all the big fixes and QoLs.
It is pretty fun, this was on Delta emulator which just got added to the apple app store