The Zodiac Spear is a loot drop that can be found within a chest – but it’s exceedingly rare, with the chest appearing only 1% of the time. I understand how horrible that sounds.
It will drop from a rare chest in a hidden region of the Henne Mines zone, near the Zodiark. Because of its new position, it’s now a very late-game item – you can’t get there early. Even then, it’s a late-game drop with a one percent chance of appearing!
Of course, there’s a catch: you can return to this location in the hopes of finding the chest. It has a possibility to appear every time you enter the region (you only have to move one screen away). Take a deep breath and open it when it appears: the Zodiac Spear will be within. Thanks to FFWorld, whose map from the PS2 FF12 we utilized as a base, you can see an example of where in the Henne Mines this chest has a chance to emerge on a simple map below.
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Zodiac Spear location 2 – from the Rare Hunt Club Collection Sidequest
This method is far more certain, but it takes a lengthy, tough road to get to the Zodiac Spear, forcing you to forego other possibilities in favor of it. First, visit the Hunters’ Camp on the Phon Coast – you’ll know when this is available in-game (after your interaction with Cid at the Draklor lab) – and then, when the time is right, attend the Hunt Club.
Speak with the Huntsmaster who is stationed at the Hunt Board. If you tell him you’re a bird of prey, he’ll assign you a hunt to complete. Go ahead and complete the side mission to kill a Thalassinon, then return to the Hunters’ Camp to report your victory. To be fully admitted, you’ll need to speak with a few different hunter types.
You’ll have access to a total of 80 rare species from this point on, all of which must be viciously hunted down. Thirty of these monsters are brand new, courtesy to your Hunt Club membership, and have only appeared now that you’ve started this quest line. These 30 monsters are unique in that, unlike typical hunts, they only spawn once and are extremely difficult. These are labeled “Trophy Rare Monster” in the game, whereas routine hunts are just labeled “Rare Monster.”
These 30 extra battles are also difficult because completing these hunts earns you trophies, but you can only get 30 trophies owing to the quantity of creatures. Here’s where things get complicated: the vendors Atak, Blok, and Stok all have a variety of unique stuff in their inventory, but you only have 30 trophies to spend once you’ve completed the hunts. The awards you can obtain will differ depending on who you give your 30 trophies to. One of the many possible awards is the Zodiac Spear.
There are two combinations that will work to obtain The Zodiac Spear from the Hunter Club sidequest. You must either offer 10 trophies to each of the three bangaas or give Atak at least 16 trophies. By obtaining it, you may be foregoing other top-tier items such as the Genji Gloves, Grand Helm, Ultima Blade, Masamune, and others. Consider this carefully – the Zodiac Spear is available to you if you desire it, but it is dependent on the classes you use.
Is it possible to obtain Zodiac Spear when in Zodiac age?
The Zodiac Spear is legendary for a reason: obtaining it was always a nightmare.
The Zodiac Age, the new PC and PS4 HD remaster release of Final Fantasy 12 that in many ways is a complete do-over with huge structural changes to the game and its gameplay elements, made it a point to swap up its position because collecting this, the strongest weapon in the game, was such a nightmare. We enjoyed this version of the game because of the adjustments made, but that doesn’t make obtaining the Zodiac Spear any simpler. No way.
The entire game is the polar opposite: it’s a challenging and complex undertaking for which we’ve already compiled a comprehensive collection of The Zodiac Age hints.
The Zodiac Spear is more reliably accessible in The Zodiac Age, but due to changes to the gameplay systems in Final Fantasy 12, it’s a little less overpowered and ridiculous than before – and it can no longer be obtained relatively early in the game, instead being strictly reserved as a late-game item. Despite this, it is still worth a look because it is without a doubt the best weapon in the game.
Here’s what you need to know about the changes, especially if you’re a fan of Final Fantasy 12 who remembers how tough and convoluted it was to get the Zodiac Spear before:
The Zodiac Spear can only be equipped by the Uhlan job.
Because of the more rigid way in which the International Zodiac Job System handles guns and other equipment in The Zodiac Age, when anybody could use it before, you’ll need to be the suitable class to utilize it. There’s no use in trying to earn this weapon if you don’t have a character with the Uhlan as their first or second employment choice.
There are two methods of getting the Zodiac Spear.
One is really laborious, while the other will shut you out of other things in exchange. We’ll go over both of these below, but think twice about doing the latter.
The Zodiac Spear requires the Strongest Halberd License to use.
You’ll need a specific license to equip your Uhlan job character with the spear, which is part of the universal job system modifications to The Zodiac Age. Make sure you have it.
FF12 veterans will remember the Zodiac Spear chests.
This stuff has vanished. You are free to open whichever chests you like; it will not affect your chances of obtaining the Zodiac Spear.
When will Zodiac Spear FF12 be released?
Because the concept of banned chests has been removed, the player no longer needs to be cautious when opening them. The Zodiac Spear is no longer available at Necrohol of Nabudis, but it can still be obtained through other means. It can be found in the Henne Mines as a treasure (Special Charter Shaft). The chest only spawns 1% of the time, but once it does, the spear is always inside. The chest respawns as well.
It can be found in the Hunt Club sidequest. If the player offers each bangaa brother 10 trophies (obtained through defeating Rare Game), they can purchase Zodiac Spear and Zodiac Escutcheon for 999,999 gil from the Shifty-Eyed Merchant’s neighboring store. The spear can also be obtained for free if the player awards Atak 16 trophies.
How do you go to Henne Mines’ Zodiac Spear?
At the end of the game, you can unlock a secret location in the Henne Mines, but it will take a lot of effort. If you want a Zodiac Spear and don’t want to have to distribute Hunt Club trophies in the manner described above, or if you just want two of them, it’s worth the effort.
The Henne mines’ Special Charter Shaft will not open until you fulfill the following tasks:
- Finish the Mindflayer search.
- I collected a total of ten Espers.
- In Jahara, speak with the Garif Geomancer.
The Geomancer will send someone to open the gate in the Ore Separation part of Henne Mines if you’ve fulfilled all of these requirements, and you can advance.
The Henne Mines are not a nice place deep underground, but if you continue forward to the Special Charter Shaft, you have a 1 percent chance of getting the Zodiac Spear.
The chest of the Zodiac Spear has a 1% chance of spawning, but it will never contain anything else. You may simply dash in and out of the door to the north (at 2x or 4x speed, of course) until the chest appears.
If you liked this, you might be interested in some of my other Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age guides.
Where can I find Vrsabha?
The Vrsabha possesses a large evasion boost over the Zodiac Spear, is far more likely to create combinations, and is far more likely to inflict Disable on-hit. However, its attack power disadvantage of 33 makes it the weaker of the two weapons.
Its license costs 100 LP and the Uhlan can utilize it. Evil Spirit occasionally spawns in Great Crystal, where Forbiddens are fought, and drops this uncommon item. The possibility of Vrsabha falling is considerably increased by leveling up the chain with the Forbiddens. It’s also an uncommon steal from Diabolos in Trial Mode Stage 72.
How do you go about defeating Zodiark?
It is recommended that the party has a level of at least 70. Bubble Belts, powerful weapons, and equipment that absorbs Dark-elemental damage, as well as Brave Suit for those attacking with their weapon, will be useful. Black Masks are useful for this, but it’s best to leave at least one active party member exposed to Dark element, else Zodiark will cast Darkja twice as often. Darkja will not spare a character who absorbs Dark-elemental damage from an automatic KO, and there is no equipment that can guard against it. Most shields are useless in battle because Zodiark’s attacks respect evasion, however the Shell Shield for the Auto-Shell and the Demon Shield for absorbing Dark might be useful.
Tournesol, Zodiac Spear, Masamune and Kumbha, Mesa, Holy Lance, Excalibur, or even the Wyrmhero Blade are all good weapons to equip, with the latter three being Holy-elemental, which is the element Zodiark is originally weak to. Bubble Belts, Hermes Sandals, and Genji Gloves are all excellent accessories.
The group should cast Protect, Shell, and Haste before approaching the map where Zodiark lives. Regen, Bravery, and Faith can also be beneficial. It is possible to utilize Berserk, however for this combat, sober characters may be preferable. Because Zodiark’s HP isn’t particularly high, the player can rush through the battle with berserk characters before they have a chance to react. However, there is no save point before the battle, and the auto-save in The Zodiac Age version doesn’t return the player to the room where Zodiark is, as it is impossible to leave once the battle begins.
Because Zodiark casts Darkja immediately away and there is no reason for the entire party to be subjected to it, the player should join the battle with only a weak character who is not a member of the main party. The player can now bring in the main party after Darkja has been defeated. As a first move, this character can cast a Dispel Mote on Zodiark. This can be done if the player is looking for a quick win, as dispelling Zodiark causes him to put up a paling when he’s low on health, so it’s best not to dispel him unless the player intends to kill Zodiark so quickly that he won’t have time to put up the palings, which is more likely in the Zodiac versions where the damage cap has been removed.
Excalibur can inflict 25,000 damage every hit, and Zodiark only has 336,000 HP, therefore three characters hitting at once depletes his HP before he can do anything. If the character has Adrenaline and is in critical health, they will be able to perform long combos and do increased damage.
If the party isn’t looking for the quick win with maximally powerful characters, they shouldn’t dispel Zodiark’s buffs because doing so will cause him to utilize Magick Wall when his health drops below half. To avoid Zodiark’s Reflect state, spellcasters need equip Opal Ring. Once Zodiark starts utilizing Shift, non-elemental spells like Scourge are suggested.
When the main party is defeated by Darkja, the player should bring in the reserve party and heal with Arise or Phoenix Downs (preferably the character would be equipped with Pheasant Netsuke to mimic Arise). The reserved party may be able to battle for a short while, but they are unlikely to be as powerful as the main party. It may be necessary to switch in the main party to heal the reserved party at times. This strategy is crucial as the battle progresses and Darkja is no longer the main concern. It’s a good idea to split out the party so that area attacks like Scathe don’t hit everyone.
The first phase of the combat is straightforward. Casting Berserk and Bravery on the toughest physical adversary is one strategy. If the player has Holy-elemental weapons, it is recommended that they be equipped because this is Zodiark’s current weakness.
When Zodiark’s HP reaches a quarter, he will begin to change his elemental weakness, requiring the player to switch to non-elemental weaponry. This is the time for the player to start using Quickenings. With a long enough Quickening chain, the battle may be won instantly. If that doesn’t work, Zodiark will become impervious to physical strikes and recast the paling as soon as it wears off. It is recommended that you use Scourge or Scathe on a regular basis. Because magick can be performed just as well without a weapon, the player can take away the party’s weapons and don Demon Shields to absorb Dark damage. Although staves can raise Magick Power, magick can be cast just as well without them.
The player must defeat Zodiark by using magick that is not elemental. Scathe is the most powerful, however it takes a long time to cast, therefore Shock or Scourge may be preferable.
How do I obtain dragon whisker in Final Fantasy 12?
The Dragon’s Whisker is a spear that has 138 ATK, +50% physical damage against Dragons, and +50% Jump damage. By beating Alhena in the Chamber of Arms, you can obtain it.
In Final Fantasy 12, how do you get Ultima?
Here’s everything you need to know about Ultima, the High Seraph, before you start fighting:
- Giruvegan must be completed first.
- Location: The Great Crystal’s Crystal Peak area
- Darkness is a flaw.
- You’ll need the following items: Sages Rings are useful, but they aren’t required.
- 60+ is the recommended level.
- Virgo jewel, Megalixir, and High Arcana are all stolen.
If you recall your previous excursion to Giruvegan and the Great Crystal, you’ll be relieved to learn that getting lost is even easier this time. To get to the Great Crystal, go via the Steps and Fire Gate, and then follow these instructions:
- A Prama Vikaari – Take the right exit when facing Gate Scorpio.
- Touch the stone, then return down the slope, Sthaana Scorpio.
- A Prama Vikaari – Take the right fork and pass through what was once Gate Scorpio.
- Use the Way Stone, a Vikaari Dhebon.
- Take the sole available exit, Dha Vikaari Kabonii.
- A Vikaari Kanhru Ra – This is where it becomes all too simple to become hopelessly lost! Take one of the two open exits; they will both lead to the same location.
- Dhebon Hilaam Praa’di or Dhebon Jilaam Pratii’dii – Dhebon Hilaam Praa’di or Dhebon Jilaam Pratii’dii – Take the only available exit in either direction, but beware of the bombs!
- Use the Gate Stone to start a 72-second timer, Sthaana Sagittarius. You’ll have to do it again if you don’t make it to the gate in time, therefore we recommend Fleeing – retrace your steps to A Vikaari Kanhru Ra and touch Gate Sagittarius I.
- Touch the Way Stone swiftly to prevent being blown up by the bombs, A Vikaari Serhu Praa.
- Dha Vikaari Dhebon Praa – The paths are opposite one other, so step on one of them to avoid any left/right misunderstanding. If it goes up, keep going; if it goes down, turn around and take the other.
- Sthaana Gemini – The Necrophobes will revive at random intervals, so don’t waste your time fighting them; instead, simply touch the Gate Stone. Another 144-second timer has been set. Exit the building through the opposite door.
- Take the only available exit, Sirhru Jilaam Praa’dii.
- Take the non-gated exit at Sirhu Jilaam Praa. (There’s some stuff behind the gate, but you’ll have to go back and touch the previous Gate Stone if you open it.)
- Take the single possible exit, Sirhu Pis Praa.
- Avaa Sirhu Pis – Touch the gate. You can now either fight the Ash Wyrm or simply run through one of the several exits, which both go to the same place.
- Take the sole available exit, Sirhru Jilaam Avaapraa or Sirhru Jilaam Avaapratii.
- Touch the Way Stone with a Vikaari Uldobi.
- Take the middle way, Dha Vikaari Sirhu.
- Libra – Sthaana Return the way you came by touching the gate stone for another 72-second timer.
- Take the Dha Vikaari Sirhu exit on the right.
- Touch the gate and pass through it, Uldobi Jilaam Praa’dii.
- Take the Uldobi Jilaam Praa exit on the left.
- Sthaana Capricorn – Touch the gate stone for a 180-second countdown, then sprint back to your starting point (Dha Vikaari Sirhu – double back, turn right, and keep going straight).
- Dha Vikaari Sirhu – Take the exit directly across from you.
- Sthaana Virgo – Double back after touching the gate and activating the gate stone for a 180 second timer.
- Take the rightmost way, Daa Vikaari Sirhu.
- Touch the rightmost gate, Sthaana Libra.
- Take the single possible exit, Uldobi Jilaam Pratt’vaa.
- Take the rightmost exit, Uldobi Jilaam Avaa.
- Touch the Way Stone with a Vikaari Kanhbru. We’re almost there…
- Dha Vikaari Uldoni – There is just one way out.
- Kanbhru Pis – Look! It’s a saving crystal! When you’re ready, proceed to the only alternative path to confront Ultima.
Who may use Excalibur in Final Fantasy 12?
In Final Fantasy XII, the Excalibur is a greatsword whose attacks deal Holy damage. Its license costs 160 LP in the original version. Its license costs 135 LP in the Zodiac editions, and it can only be used by the Knight.
How can I exit the Great Crystal in Final Fantasy 12?
Return to Kanbhru Pis and then ascend to Dha Vikaari Dhebon Ra to depart the Crystal. You’ll be able to teleport to Way Stone XX at A Vikaari Kanbhru Ra after interacting with Way Stone XIX.