how to defeat Kefka's army Part 1

[oatmealBowser]

Hello, I am currently stuck ): I'm at the part where you cannot let Kefka army get to Banon. Is there a way to stock up on item or something? I saved at the save sphere before the fight starts. I also no longer have Shadow in my army. Is there an optimal way to assign parties?

Thanks for the help

[ditt_25]

Hmmm. Names of some skills may be a bit off (more used to SNES/PS1 translation myself). Shadow auto-leaves during part of Sabin's arc (shortly after the train arc, I think), it's normal to be missing him. Sad as he IS relatively strong at this point in the game, even if just spamming cheap shuriken.

Optimal setup probably depends on what you have and have missed item wise and if you are maybe slightly overleveled.

Edgar [back row] is amazing early and midgame for FF6, doubly so if you bought the extra tools in figaro castle. And should continue to be so until at least until you actually start getting the character-based achievements. But even the starter tool is amazing damage to groups at this point. His weapon isn't too important since he'll be spamming Tools (so if locke, Terra, or Celes can benefit from his weapon, let them use it).

Sabin [back row] depending on level should do nuts numbers with fire dance (all enemy) or more likely Aura Cannon at this level. Both of these are based on his MAGIC stat, so earring x 2 for relic makes these hit insanely hard. Even if he only targets a single random enemy that enemy is probably full to dead in one hit unless a miniboss.

Celes' [back row] Runic is insanely useful on certain enemies who use devastating magic, particularly Kefka (redirect the spell at self, restore MP rather than take damage). It prevent the next spell activated by the magic command (friend or foe), but does not prevent Sabin's blitzes. She also has healing magic for use between fights. Entering an action input for her (even Runic or defend) ENDS Runic, so may want to skip her turn once she runics until the enemy casts something. there aren't a ton of points in the game at a casual/story/first timer level of play that make extensive use of Runic, but this sequence does at times.

If you got Stray Cat rage for Gau [front row], that is very powerful at this point in the game (either basic attack or i think 4x damage basic attack from catscratch) to a single random target.

Try to get one good party to run to Kefka, while the other parties hold off vital chokepoints and are passable enough to not die against the lesser enemy groups.

Cyan probably spam his tier1 move in most cases from backrow.

Terra is similar to Celes where she has heal or offensive magic (Ice vs Fire), but without the Runic skill and Runic can steal the spell and cancel itself so probably avoid putting both in same party for now.

I forget if Locke has his boomerang style weapons at this point (I think not yet). He becomes very good to have mid and especially lategame, but is vastly inferior to the Figaro twins in combat at this point in the game.

Depending on how aggressive you load up the 'kefka killing' party, you may want to have them hunt down a few of the other smaller foes as well. Or just full on haul their butts to the boss if you can't keep up with healing between fights (during fights and menu healing, the enemies on map don't move).

tl;dr 3+ member with Celes and at least one high end damager (Sabin, Edgar, or Stray Cat Gau) for the main strike force. Runic during fights against magic users, such as Kefka

Save Terra (healer, fire magic) and the others to blockade chokepoints for any foe you may miss during the run.

[Teratus]

If I remember this right you need 3 party's.

Two paths on the left leading to Banon and 2 on the right that emerge on the same square allowing one party to block both of them at the same time.

I think I had Locke and Celes on the furthest Left, Edgar and Terra on the other left one and then Sabin, Gau and Cyan blocked the two on the right.

I left them all there and waited for the soldiers to come to me and wiped them all out as they came.
Celes and Terra being in smaller groups made their healing abilities really useful while Sabin's group had all the power but had to rely on items to heal instead.

Locke I had set up duel wielding so he was able to dish out some decent damage at this point.
Celes was back row mostly healing and magic.

Edgar's tools are also very strong abilities so use them.
Terra was back row like Celes, healing and magic.

Sabin was just smashing things like the meathead he is.
Cyan pretty much the same, stabby stab.

Gau.. God this kid is overpowered, if you took the time to learn some of his Rage's when on that huge plain where you found him these can more or less carry you through much of the early game.
I used Rage Lesser Lopros (the purple dragons found on the river raft part of the game) for most of these fights as it allows Gau to randomly call down fireballs which does huge damage to whole groups of enemies, wiping most out in a single shot.

Most of the enemies for me came up on Sabin's side and got eradicated by mostly Gau.
But generally they're all pretty weak except for the magitech armour's which can be a bit threatening so keep at least one character on standby for healing when you have to fight these things.

It's not very difficult to get through this though if you play defence and let the enemy come to you, they'll run out eventually and you can go kill the last soldier near Kefka for a unique beastiary entry.