It is time to storm Dhaos's Castle and defeat him once and for all.

Prepare

Make sure to equip everyone with the best gear, using the "Best" option in the Equip menu, but make sure Arche is wearing the Dark Robe. Keep the Dark Robe on Equip each of the spell casters with a Fairy Ring and a Mystical Rune. Equip Cless/Cress and Chester with a Battle Rune, and Cless/Cress with a Jade Ring.

Stock up on every healing item you can buy, including the special Gummies you get by using Rune Bottles.

Buy a lot of food. See below for a table of food that you use Rune Bottles on to improve.

The best transformation is to buy Twinkies and transform them into Butter. You can do the same with Apples and Steak. Go to the Ninja Village and buy Tuna, which gives you 3000 food units. (You can also transform Mackerel into Tuna, but it's very not cost effective).

If you have been holding on to herbs (Sage, Savory, Lavender, Verbena), they can be transformed into "Red" herbs, which boost stats even more than the normal ones. If any of your characters aren't near 9999 HP and 999 TP, wait until later to use the HP and TP herbs on them. Otherwise, use the HP and TP herbs on Cless/Cress, Mint, Arche and Klarth/Claus to get them to 9999 and 999 if they're close. After that, if you have any of the herbs left, do the same for Chester.

Use the Strength and Agility herbs on Cless/Cress.

If you have Ivory Tusks in your inventory (won from Bigfoots) go to Aegis's Workshop and talk to one of the people behind the counter to get them carved into Mah Jong Tiles. They can be used to deal damage in battle. Don't use Rune Bottles on the Tusks, because they always give you only one Mah Jong Tile, whereas there is a chance that you will get more than one from the carver.

Use Rune Bottles on all of your Hourglasses to transform them to Chrono Glasses.

You will want to have 15 Rune Bottles with you in the dungeon, so be sure to stock up before you go.

Before you go to Dhaos's castle, make sure that you got a Dedis Emblem from the soldier in the Ary pub.

You should now be ready to go to Dhaos's castle. Go to the cave northwest of Ary, up the stairs, and follow the path to be transported to the castle.

Dhaos's Castle

If you ever want to leave the castle, just head south from the point where you entered.

Otherwise go north, save if you wish, and go in. You're about to fight a miniboss who is immune to a lot of magic elements, so be sure to remove Arche from your party and add Chester. Make sure Chester is right behind Cless/Cress.

Set Klarth/Claus to cast Gremlin (or Origin if you don't have Gremlin), and set Chester to Go Berserk. For Cless/Cress's skills, Soul Forge is good for long range, and Teleport is good for short range.

Go up and check the eye to start the fight.

Dark Eye

Cast Valkyrie and Haste on Cless/Cress and Chester. Have Cless/Cress use skills constantly, and try to get Dark Eye stuck in one corner. Dark Eye can teleport away, so just keep getting it stuck in a corner.

Dhaos's Castle, part 2

Now replace Chester with Arche. If you walk north, you will see a door. Go through to get a Holy Bottle on the left a Sage on the right. Leave the room and go north, then east to find the north exit. Go through.

Go through the door to the right to find a Star Shield. Exit the room, then exit north. Flip the switch, then go back to the first room of the castle and exit right. Go through the door and up the stairs.

Second Floor

From where you enter, use the door just above you (it's a one-way door), then use the door above that to get ([spell] Meteor Storm). Exit.

Follow the passage south, open the chests (top to bottom, ?Armor = Star Cloak [you probably have enough of these already], Rune Bottle). Continue on the path, and when you see stairs to your right, go left, then keep going straight down until you get to a room with two chests (l to r Elixir, ?Armor = Gaia Armor [almost as good as Golden Armor, it actually absorbs more elements than the Golden Armor]).

Now go straight up until you go through a door. Head right, then when you can, up, then pretty soon after that, walk left through the wall, then go up the stairs.

Third Floor

In the first room, exit north.

STOP walking as soon as you're in the new screen. See that star on the floor? You have to equip Cless/Cress (and not someone else) with the Dedis Emblem for him to be able to walk over it, otherwise he gets transported with everyone else to the dungeon. So, equip Cless/Cress with that Emblem, and walk over the star, and watch everyone else get transported.

Now you have to fight around alone. First, if you're not using the Scout Orb trick, equip Cless/Cress with a Gorgon Amulet. Since Cless/Cress is alone, use as many healing items as you need; you'll have to go back near the entrance soon, where you can leave and restock. This floor has 4 Dedis Emblems, each guarded by a Hanzo. Also note that if you fight a Roam Eye, it will in rare cases drop a Dedis Emblem, so keep checking your inventory to see how many Emblems you have.

First, go right from the star, then go through the door you see and walk up to the chest to fight.

Hanzo

Soul Forge him to get close, then stay near and keep Teleporting.

Third Floor, part 2

Go back out. Now, exit south. Use the door to the right to fight another Hanzo. Exit.

If you want a Star Cap and Book of Seals (weapon for Klarth/Claus that isn't as good as the Namco Gamer), use the south exit (l to r ?Helm = Star Cap, ?Book = Book of Seals). Otherwise just exit north.

Go north again and you reach a crossroads. If you want a Star Rod (not as good as Blue Crystal Rod) and Star Gloves, exit north (l to r ?Staff = Star Rod, Star Gloves). Otherwise, in the crossroads head left.

Approach the chest to fight again and get another Dedis Emblem. Now exit left, then walk left until you see the exit south (go down it), then follow the passage left and go in the door for another fight and the last Emblem (check to make sure you have four Dedis Emblems in your inventory before moving on).

Exit this room, then go right and up and exit right. Now, to save yourself the trouble of walking to that dungeon where everyone was transported (it's on the first floor), unequip your Dedis Emblem and walk onto the star.

Dungeon

This is a dark area. Just walk down and you'll see your cell door. Check it to open it.

Now, leave the cell and walk right until you hit the wall. Then walk down, and when you can, right, and you'll see a cell door. Open the cell and get Chester. Leave the cell.

Walk right until you hit the wall, then up until you hit the wall. To the right will be another cell door, open it to get Mint. Exit that cell, then walk right to get to another cell, open it for Arche. Exit the cell.

Take the south passage, and when you can, go left. Keep going left until you see a cell above you, open it for Klarth/Claus. Exit the cell.

Now, to get out, go right, and when you can, up. Keep going up until you hit the wall, then go right and open the cell door, then go through the door and up the stairs.

Exit north. Now you can go right and exit south to get out of the castle and heal up and restock things.

Back in the Castle

In the first room of the castle exit right, go through the door and up the stairs, left and up and through the fake wall, up the stairs, and exit north.

Do not step on the star symbol! First, equip everyone, including your fifth member, with a Dedis Emblem. Make sure everyone is equipped with it before you proceed!

If you are ready and equipped, walk over the star symbol. Now exit left. (After you've passed over the star safely, you can re-equip everyone with whatever accessories they had originally).

Go left, down, and exit left, then check the door. Go through.

The chests, bottom to top, left to right, are Spy Lens/Magic Lens, Charm Bottle, Holy Bottle, Sage, ?Helm = Star Helm, ?Weapon = Spinesheath (not as good as Excalibur, has a low slice stat).

Go up the stairs and save.

Fourth Floor

There are some Sages and a Savory on this floor, as well as a Rune Bottle, and also some other stuff you don't really need, like Gummies and bottles. If you don't want any treasure (even though those Sages and Savory are worth it) skip to "Skipping the Treasure".

Getting the Treasure

Walk up and right from the save point and go through the door leading down. Go through the door to the right. (l to r) Apple Gummy/Apple Gel/Apple Gummi, Sage. Exit.

Exit right, then exit north, and then go left and exit down. In the first room above you, (l to r) Mixed Gummy/Melange Gel, Savory. Exit.

In the room to the left of where you just were is a Rune Bottle. Exit.

Now go right and exit south. From here, exit left. Walk left until you see the door above you. If you want a Holy Bottle, exit north twice to get it, then exit south and then southwest to get back to where you were.

Regardless of whether you got the Holy Bottle or not, exit south. In this hallway, exit east.

The room below is empty. The first room above you is a Holy Bottle, the second room is a Sage, and the third is (l to r) Life Bottle, Jade Ring. Now go back into the hallway and exit left. Once again, walk left and exit left. Now skip to "Seal Eye Room".

Skipping the Treasure

Go up and exit northwest. Then go left, then down and exit south. From here exit left.

Seal Eye Room

You're about to fight. Set Arche to cast only Meteor Storm, Klarth/Claus only Gremlin. Set Cless/Cress to use Soul Forge and Teleport. Walk left and up to the eye thing to start the fight.

Seal Eyes

Mint can cast Valkyrie and Haste on Cless/Cress again to make this battle move along, though you might not have time to have her cast them. Soul Forge and Teleport work best, again. There are two of these guys. One of them might teleport in between everybody right at the beginning of the battle and do a long, drawn out attack on everybody, so have Cless/Cress wait to see what the Seal Eyes do before attacking. If one teleports between everybody, have Cless/Cress attack it. You want to back one or both of them into a corner and use Teleport while standing right next to it. If there's a Seal Eye to your left, go for the one on the right, I had better luck that way.

Dhaos's Castle, part 3

Walk up to the back wall and flip the switch. Now exit this room.

To exit to the next floor, go through the door in the north wall, exit north, then go up and right, down through the door, and exit right. In this room, go all the way right until you see the wall to your right, and exit through the north door. Then go through the open door and up the stairs.

Fifth Floor

Save if you like, then walk left and exit north. The trick to this floor is to step on the switches starting with the one that's furthest away from the exit, then progressively closer ones.

So, exit left, then exit down, then left again. First head all the way left and exit left and step on that switch. Then go back out.

If you want another ?Armor = Gaia Armor, go through the door above you. Otherwise, head right a bit and exit down, the chests from top to bottom are Reverse Doll, Dragon Steak.

Now go through the door to the north and step on that switch. Go back out, exit right, and step on the switch in here. Exit north.

Go through the door above you and step on that switch. Go back out, exit right, go through the door above you and step on that switch. Exit south.

Finally, save your game, then step on the switch to the right, and go through the door that opens. Go up the stairs.

Sixth Floor

Notice how the markings on the floor lead into the wall to the right? Go through the wall there. If you exit north instead, you'll come to a dead end and a Holy Bottle and Resist Ring, which you don't really need.

While heading right through the wall, look for a room above you, and go up to reach it. Get the Lavender, use a Rune Bottle on it and make it a Red Lavender for Cless/Cress. Go back down, heading right, and when you see yourself near the right wall, go up, but not up the stairs yet. Walk through the wall to the left to get to six chests (top to bottom, r to l Hourglass, Sage, Savory, Elixir, Lavender, Magic Pouch). Use a Rune Bottle on the Hourglass and herbs.

Now exit through the wall to the right, and go up those stairs.

Seventh Floor

Go through the door on the left. (The one on the right leads to a dead end.)

Skip this paragraph if you don't want Elven Boots. If you want them (you shouldn't need them), go up, then go right, down, keep going right (skip the north door) and exit right, then up through the door for the Boots. Now go back out, and exit right, and check the mirror to be transported to the empty room near the floor entrance. Go out, then through the door on the left.

Go up, then exit left. From there go down, and if you want a Dragon Steak, go through the right hand door below. Otherwise just go through the bottom left door, and keep going down to get to the room with the stairs.

Eighth Floor

Go north, save, and exit north. Follow the path until you get to a room with flames and stop there.

At the top, there is a save point. Stand on it and get everybody ready for the big battles ahead.

First recover everyone's HP. I like to leave everyone's TP where it is, because if it's somewhat high, you'll just be wasting a Gummy if you use it now. If anyone's TP is in the red, then you should use a Gummy.

Now is the time to use the Red Sage and Red Savory.

IMPORTANT: For your formation, have Cless/Cress on the rightmost side, and everyone else on the leftmost side.

Have Cless/Cress's skills set as follows:

Klarth/Claus and Arche should be ready to cast spells all the time, but only Gremlin and Meteor Storm. Mint, of course, should Value HP over TP.

Equip everyone with their best stuff (keep Arche with the Dark Robe as before, and you MIGHT want Cless/Cress to be equipped with the Gaia Armor, since it absorbs more elements than the Golden Armor... but it has a lower defense stat). As for accessories:

Cless/Cress
1: Battle Rune
2: Gorgon Amulet

Mint
1: Mana Earring
2: Mystical Rune

Klarth/Claus
1: Diamond Ring
2: Mystical Rune

Arche
1: Fairy Ring
2: Mystical Rune

Before you go into battle, go to your items menu and organize everything so that all battle-use items are on top. All of the stuff you've been saving up to now, you'll want to use!

Here's a guide to all of the battle-use items for quick reference.

Now, save the game so you have everyone's settings saved.

Go through the door above you and watch the cutscene.

Dhaos

Your spell casters should be casting Gremlin and Meteor Storm repeatedly. Have Cless/Cress just keep using Teleport. Have Mint cast Haste and Valkyrie on Cless/Cress. Try to back Dhaos into the corner and keep using Teleport. Have Mint cast Hammer on Dhaos repeatedly.

Neo Dhaos

If your formation isn't Cless/Cress on rightmost side and everyone else on leftmost side, change it now.

Neo Dhaos will turn the screen bluish sometimes, and while it's blue, you can't hurt him, but he can hurt you. Therefore, turn off Klarth/Claus and Arche's spells, and just have them cast Gremlin and Meteor Storm manually whenever the screen isn't blue.

At the very start, have Cless/Cress use Odin's Wrath (his secondary long range skill). If Cless/Cress ends up to the right of Dhaos, press right when Cless/Cress starts running back towards the left, to make sure Cless/Cress stops where he is. That way he's out of the way of Dhaos Arm. Only thing though, when I was to the right of the arm, I wasn't able to use Gale Shield. So I had to hit Dhaos Arm with regular sword slices.

If Cless/Cress is to the right of Dhaos Arm, don't press L. If you do, your party will try to walk to the right of Cless/Cress, which will just make them get killed by Dhaos Arm.

Whenever the screen is not blue, use a Chrono Glass.

While the Chrono Glass is in effect, manually cast Gremlin and Meteor Storm as many times as you can. Also, while Neo Dhaos is vulnerable, use a Mah Jong Tile on him. Have Cless/Cress continually use Teleport on Dhaos Arm until it's gone (or regular sword slices if it won't let you use skills), and once the arm is gone, have him use Gale Shield on the head.

Ending

Congratulations! Enjoy the ending!

Hard Mode

If you want to play the game in hard mode (where the enemies have a lot more HP), go to the title screen of the game and press ABXY at the same time. If you did it correctly, you will hear "Yatta!" like they say after they win a battle.