Item Hunter

Now this is a guide to getting the more hidden, awkward, difficult (etc..) items of the game. You know the ones that you don't know about to begin with, and you have to know about to get them. This section wont fully be completed as I don't plan on covering every single item in the game, it's way too much hard work (lol), ruins the fun out of looking yourself and well.. clutters up an already big page with lots more pictures and text.

Anyway first things first, the Shinra HQ.

SHINRA HQ

Now for me Shinra HQ is an early gold mine, or rather an excellent place to train while getting everything. You can steal useful stat items (saves you buying so many later), great armours for this point in the game, a new weapon for Cloud. Plus there are a few good items to get your hands on. For the stolen goods go to the appropriate section.

First things first, on the first floor.. go right to the back of the room where the group of people were cowering from you (I always chase them hehe). You'll see a notice board, press OK to look at a Turtles Paradise poster. If you haven't spotted another one like that already in Aeris' home sector, you'll be leaving the prize a little late. You can't go back to that house with the poster until late disc 2 I believe, and you don't even have to go back to that area. Of course if you were like me you'd assume that's what you had to do, and get very confused when nothing happens. Meh you'll see. Anyway if you did see the poster in the right hand house in that sector, upstairs.. have a look at the poster. There are four more to look at it, if you find them all you get a few stat-up items for your trouble.

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On the 62nd floor is the Mayor's office. He'll ask you to guess his secret password. If you get it on the first try you'll receive an Elemental materia, which is quite useful. In this area it's handy to have a weapon that has two linked slots, with Elemental and Lightning attached.. any machine enemy is going to get picked on with that weapon. Anyway there are two ways you can get this on the first try.

One is the cheaty way. Once he asks you to find his password, leave for the lift. Go down to the first floor, and out to save. Go all the way back up via the first glass lifts you see (the ones you came down in). Then just keep answering until you get it right. Remember it, reset your game.. go back up again and give him the right answer on the first try.

Two is the way you're supposed to lol. There are four library rooms, each with it's own subject. What you have to do is read the sign outside the room, or at the back of the room.. then look at the books (two per bookcase) to spot the odd one out. Once you do, note the number next to the book name, then count the letters. If the number is 4 and the book is called Midgar Rural Development (no I don't remember the book names lol), the letter you're after is G. Do the same for each of the rooms, note down these letters. I sometimes find two books that seem odd, but then again I'm a dumby lol.

The choices are: Best, King, Orbs, Bomb, Mako, Hojo.

Note that there is no certain order, the first room does not contain the first letter. It's random. It also changes per save file, that obviously doesn't effect the first method I mentioned. So if you have the letters K, O, M and A like I did on my last save, the answer is Mako. Yey.. of course it's still best to save before you do it if you're really after the materia. You do get another one later in the game. Anyway have fun, and remember books are your friend.

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Now lets go to the first little hunt. This is on Level 63. It is full of doors, but you can't open them all.. you can only open three. There are three coupons (these are the white bags you'll see in the rooms), each give you access to Star Pendant (protects from poison), an All materia, and the Four Slots armour. First I'll point the machine you use to get the items after you collect the coupons. Go there first south from the stairs. If you come up here from the lift just go right, then up into the door with a red light above it.

Now if you think you'll mess it up it's best to go to the next floor (64) and use the save point before using the machine.

Now after peeking at the machine, follow the pink line up to the top of the screen. (click the pictures to enlarge them in a new window). Once there, go left for a bit until you reach a door that is circled in my picture. Open that one.

Continue on leftwards until reach another door. DO NOT open that one, open the south door circled above.

Now the fun part. After that door, go left again to a door that has the red light above it. It opens normally. Pick up the bag for your first coupon. There's a shaft just right of it, ignore it's warnings and climb into it. You'll appear in the shaft, follow it until you reach a junction, go up.

You'll find yourself in a small room with the next coupon. Pick it up and leave the room via the door, again that's a safe one. Go left immediately and open the door circled. That's your third one. Then go straight up through the blue lit door, which is already open for you. Pick up the last coupon. Then go back the way you came, into the shaft. Once inside go back down, then right. You'll be back where you started.

Use the machine to exchange the coupons for your items, and voila! You'll have your Star Pendant, All materia and Four Slots. Now you can move on to Level 64.

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This room is nice and handy as it has a save point, a rest area and a few ickle items. You'll find a Phoenix Down and an Ether I think in two of the lockers. You'll also find something odd in the third row, which Cloud'll refuse to take (yet). When you come back to Midgar in late Disc 2, you can go back to the HQ (you don't have to come back at all, it's up to you) and get it.. it's Cait Sith's ultimate/final weapon.

Anyway, here's the room.
A = Phoenix Down
B = Ether
C = Cait Sith's Weapon (come back later for)

D is a vending machine which you pay 250gil for something. It will not give you it, no matter how many times you kick the machine. If you decide to come back to the HQ at Disc 2 to get Cait's weapon, check the machine again. I honestly cannot remember what the item is you get from it, but still it's worth a small detour.. mainly cos I get a good laugh tormenting the lady who works in there, when I keep hitting it.

That's all the HQ, with the exception of the Enemy Skill materia which is in the right section.

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MYTHRIL CAVE

Now this is a one I'm putting on this page as I completely missed it on my first run through, and went back for a long way through the game (disc 2 I think) once I was told about it. It is the Long Range materia, which I find very useful in lots of different situations. It allows any back row character to do normal damage like they're in the front row (long range fighters excluded obviously). It also lets you hit flying enemies (very useful against Weapon), and do full damage to the back row enemies. I put Counter Attack, Cover and Long Range on any character I'm limit training, and well the battle is over before you know it lol. It does throw your stealing off though, lol.

Directions. It's very easy, but it's also very easy to miss. When you get to the Mythril Caves, go right into the next room. Keep going up until you reach the bit in the screenshot below, and press OK to climb the vines. You'll see the pink/purple materia lying on the ledge (not on pic you don't, I already collected it).