Archylte Steppe



The Archylte Steppe (アルカキルティ大平原) is a location on Gran Pulse in Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII-2. It is a massive open area where most of Pulse's wildlife roam.

In Final Fantasy XIII, it is the only place in the game where the player can ride wild chocobos. The area links the Vallis Media, Faultwarrens, and Mah'habara Subterra. In Final Fantasy XIII-2, another part of the Steppe is explored, possibly the western side, where it is now the home of a hunters' settlement in possession of a weather changing device.

Final Fantasy XIII
These great plains cover a vast expanse of Gran Pulse.

''With an unobstructed view clear to the horizon, creatures can easily spot intruders into their territory. Perhaps this explains why so many beasts of the steppe are merciless predators—victors of the unending struggle for survival.''

Final Fantasy XIII
After departing the Vallis Media, the party finds themselves in the Archylte Steppe and come across a Cie'th Stone. Vanille explains the purpose, and the party accepts their first mission. After completing another mission, they head for the Mah'habara Subterra in hopes of reaching Oerba, Vanille and Fang's home.

An optional cutscene involving Sazh and Fang talking about Dajh can be accessed in the Font of Namva.

Final Fantasy XIII-2
Serah, Mog, and Noel travel here to fix an anomaly affecting the Sunleth Waterscape -300 AF-, and find themselves in a sandstorm-filled field. They come across a hunter's settlement that possesses a weather-changing device that Serah and Noel can access after completing several missions for them.

After earning the hunters' trust, by defeating a pack of Goblins and retrieving wool, they are taught how to use the weather machine. By using it, they uncover the Faeryl, a monster which is sucking up Miniflan. However, the path to the Faeryl is blocked by a Long Gui making Serah and Noel use the device again to remove the Long Gui. They fight the Faeryl and upon defeating it discover that it accidentally ate an artefact which meant whatever Miniflan it would swallow would be transported to the Sunleth Waterscape. With artefact in hand and paradox seemingly solved, the two return to the Sunleth Waterscape.

Final Fantasy XIII
The Archylte Steppe has a good grinding spot on the northern expanse near the passage to Mah'habara Subterra. A Behemoth King and Megistotherian are constantly fighting down the path from the Save Station, and all the player needs to do to get the pair to respawn is to backtrack a little and come back.

The pair gives an automatic preemptive strike every time, and rewards the player with 6,600 CP after each battle, 13,200 with the Growth Egg accessory. An easy strategy is to instantly stagger the Behemoth King and then juggle it with a Commando's Launch skill, so it will not be able to replenish its HP.

Areas
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Final Fantasy XIII

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Final Fantasy XIII-2

 * Western Benchland
 * Central Expanse
 * Northern Antrepass
 * Eastern Tors
 * Northern Highplain
 * Arid Strath
 * Southern Funnelway
 * The Font of Namva
 * Aggra's Trough
 * Aggra's Pasture
 * The Haerii Oldroad
 * The Haerii Archaeopolis
 * Way of the Ancients
 * Plains of Eternity
 * Sanctorium
 * Nomad Camp
 * Grave Ridge
 * Stonestump Wastelands
 * Clearwater Marshes
 * }
 * Stonestump Wastelands
 * Clearwater Marshes
 * }

Central Expanse

 * Behemoth King
 * Gorgonopsid
 * Behemoth King, Gorgonopsid x3
 * Gorgonopsid x2
 * Gorgonopsid x4
 * Gorgonopsid x3
 * Flan x4
 * Flan x2
 * Flan x3
 * Dire Flan, Flan x2
 * Adamantoise
 * Adamanchelid
 * Navidon, Gorgonopsid x2
 * Rangda x4
 * Goblin x3
 * Gorgonopsid x2, Goblin x2
 * Cactuar
 * Shaolong Gui (after missions 56-62)
 * Long Gui (after missions 56-62)

Eastern Tors

 * Navidon
 * Navidon x2
 * Navidon, Rangda x3
 * Navidon x2, Rangda x3
 * Megistotherian, Gorgonopsid x3
 * Adamantortoise, Gorgonopsid x2
 * Amphisbaena
 * Adamantortoise
 * Adamanchelid
 * Cactuar
 * Shaolong Gui (after missions 56-62)
 * Long Gui (after missions 56-62)

Northern Highplain

 * Amphisbaena
 * Adamanchelid
 * Gorgonopsid x4
 * Megistotherian, Gorgonopsid x4
 * Behemoth King, Gorgonopsid x4
 * Behemoth King
 * Behemoth King x2
 * Behemoth King, Megistotherian
 * Cactuar

Western Benchlands

 * Amphisbaena
 * Gorgonopsid x4
 * Megistotherian, Gorgonopsid x3
 * Rangda x3
 * Leyak
 * Rangda x2, Leyak
 * Rangda, Leyak x4
 * Rangda x3, Leyak x2
 * Goblin x4
 * Cactuar

Arid Strath

 * Dire Flan
 * Dire Flan x2

The Font of Namva

 * Sahagin x2
 * Sahagin x3, Orobon
 * Sahagin x3
 * Sahagin x5
 * Orobon

Aggra's Pasture

 * Ochu, Microchu x5
 * Triffid
 * Triffid x2
 * Triffid x3
 * Cactuar

The Haerii Oldroad

 * Goblin x4

The Haerii Archaeopolis

 * Goblin Chieftain, Goblin x3
 * Goblin x4
 * Strigoi, Pijavica x2
 * Pijavica
 * Strigoi
 * Strigoi x3
 * Pijavica x2
 * Seeker x4
 * Strigoi, Seeker x3
 * Cactuar

Final Fantasy XIII-2
The appearance of enemies depends on the area's weather. Defeating the Ochu during rainy weather, Long Gui during sunny weather, Immortal during cloudy weather, and Yomi during stormy weather, earns the player the "Big Game Hunter" achievement/trophy.

Final Fantasy XIII
Archylte Steppe has its eponymous theme as a background theme. "Pulse de Chocobo" also plays exclusively in this area, since chocobos can only be ridden here.

This theme plays in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy in Story Mode when playing in Lightning's story.

Final Fantasy XIII-2
The Archylte Steppe has multiple themes, with each playing depending on the type of weather. During sunny weather, the two electronic themes "Plains of Eternity" composed by Naoshi Mizuta and with vocals performed by Joelle, serves as the background theme, while its non-lyrical counterpart, "Plains of Eternity -Aggressive Mix-" plays whenever enemies appear. For rainy weather, the "Gapra Whitewood" theme plays. During cloudy weather, the "Vile Peaks" theme plays, and for stormy weather, "Will to Fight" is the background theme.

"Plains of Eternity" Lyrics

 * Our prayers meet no matter where we're going
 * In unison, they beat, the sky is glowing
 * Above our thoughts, we'll find a key together
 * To fill the day with all the things we treasure
 * A crystal view, I'll follow you
 * An open gate invites me through


 * Our prayers meet no matter where we're going
 * In unison, they sing with love
 * Above our thoughts, we'll find a key together
 * To fill the day with all the things we treasure
 * All we treasure


 * A crystal view, I sing to you
 * And in my sleep, you softly speak
 * In stormy seas, or sunny blue
 * I'll remember to trust in you

Trivia

 * The Archylte Steppe is a single-loading map, this means it only loads once per visit, or only when the player leaves the map or saves then loads that file.
 * The Archylte Steppe bears a resemblance to the Calm Lands from Final Fantasy X - both have vast plains and are surrounded by valleys and mountains.
 * This resemblance is also strengthened by the fact that the Gate Seal that enables the player to reverse the events in the Archylte Steppe is called "The Calm", which can relate to the Calm Lands.