Permanently missable content

Permanently missable content refers to an item, character, sidequest, ability, or spell, that can be obtained at one point of the game, but can be missed permanently if the player does not acquire it before reaching a certain part of the game, or before its location becomes unrevisitable.

Rare items are often harder to obtain once the game is played past a particular point and in some cases missable content is also rare to begin with, but rarity in itself has no bearing on whether an item can be missed.

Final Fantasy
Although nothing in the game ever becomes inaccessible, the limited inventory system in the NES version requires the player to discard or sell some rare equipment along the way. The player can knowingly leave certain treasure chests unopened so that all unique items remain available.

Final Fantasy II

 * Any treasure chests found inside the Dreadnought and Cyclone are missable, as after exiting them the party will never be able to enter them again.
 * Some bosses have a random chance of dropping rare equipment of which there is a limited quantity available, such as the White Robe (dropped by Astaroth).
 * Paul's stash in his house in Fynn, including the unique Blood Sword, can be permanently missed if the player doesn't go there after learning the key term "Cyclone" from Princess Hilda.
 * In the Dawn of Souls and subsequent releases, Minwu, Gordon, Josef and Ricard retain whatever spells and equipment they possessed when they left the party in the Soul of Rebirth mode. Some items and spells cannot be found by any means during this mode, meaning that, unless given these items and spells before they leave the party, they are inaccessible in Soul of Rebirth.

Final Fantasy III

 * Phoenix Downs cannot be purchased from any shops in the Famicom version. Any that are used by the party are gone forever, and can never be replenished. In the 3D remake versions this is no longer the case, as Phoenix Downs are now dropped by or stolen from Rust Birds, which can be accessed any time before the point of no return.
 * Many missable Bestiary entries exist in the 3D remake versions.
 * The player will not be able to fight |Firefly, Helldiver, Rust Bird and Rukh after leaving Bahamut's nest, as the player cannot return to Dragon's Peak after meeting Desch there.
 * Technically speaking, it should be impossible to enter the tunnels of the Nepto Temple once the Nepto Dragon's eye is replaced, blocking access to its monster den. However, it is possible to re-enter the area by casting Mini on the party and heading towards the statue's maw. Whether or not this is a bug is not known.
 * The player will not be able to fight Killer Fish, Hermit, Sea Elemental, Tangie, Sahagin, Anet, Mermaid, Seahorse, Sea Serpent and Sea Dragon once the Enterprise is destroyed.
 * Once Hein is defeated, the player can never return to Hein's Castle. The following enemies will no longer be fightable: Pharaoh, Lemur, Lamia, Demon, and Dullahan.
 * Plancti, Sea Lion, and Remora will no longer be available once the party defeats Leviathan and leaves Lake Dohr.
 * Once Doga and Unei are defeated and the player exits Doga's Grotto; Nemesis, Cyclops, Humbaba, and Ogre cannot be encountered.

Final Fantasy IV

 * Because characters frequently leave and join the party, it's suggested that these characters be unequipped shortly before certain story events are triggered; otherwise, they may run off with rare items never to be seen again.
 * General's Bestiary entry can be missed in the Kaipo inn by defeating the three Baron Soldiers he appears with first, triggering his retreat.
 * Treasure chests found in the Tower of Zot, the Tower of Babil (both visits), and Giant of Babil can be missed, as these areas can't be revisited later on. Bestiary entries from these locations are also missable if not playing the Advance or The Complete Collection versions, as in those some of these enemies appear in the Lunar Ruins, while others are missable on all versions.
 * The Illusion item can be stolen only from Evil Dolls, which can be encountered only in the lower floors of the Tower of Babil. The tower becomes inaccessible after the party completes the Sealed Cave.
 * The Siren item can be stolen from Security Eyes, which stop appearing after the Giant of Babil sequence. As there is no other way to get this item, it's suggested that players stock up on them while they're available. The item is useful to start otherwise extremely rare battles with Flan Princesses in the Lunar Subterrane, which can drop the rare Pink Tail item. In the 3D remakes, it can be bought for 3,000 gil at the Namingway Abode, making it no longer missable.
 * Sheila's sidequest must be completed before the party travels to the moon for the first time, otherwise the party will never receive the Kitchen Knife.
 * There are several bugged treasures hidden in mundane places, some in areas that can't be revisited later.
 * Barnabas-Z's Bestiary entry can be missed by defeating Dr. Lugae before defeating Barnabas.
 * Calcabrina's Bestiary entry can be missed by defeating all three Calcas and Brinas before they use Combine.
 * The following Augments are missable:
 * Bluff - The player must have given either one Augment Ability to Palom or two to Porom before they leave the party.
 * Cry - The player must have given either one Augment Ability to Porom or two to Palom before they leave the party.
 * Dualcast - The player must have given three total Augments to Palom and Porom before they leave the party.
 * Salve - Edward must have been given at least one Augment before leaving the party.
 * Hide - Edward must have been given at least two Augments before leaving the party.
 * Recall - If the player doesn't pick it up before leaving the Tower of Zot, it will be missed.
 * Last Stand - Tellah must have been given at least one Augment before leaving the party. If the player doesn't pick it up before leaving the Tower of Zot, it will be missed.
 * Fast Talker - Tellah must have been given at least two Augments before leaving the party. If the player doesn't pick it up before leaving the Tower of Zot, it will be missed.
 * Upgrade - Cid must have been given at least one Augment before leaving the party.
 * Adrenaline - Cid must have been given at least two Augments before leaving the party.
 * Darkness - Can be stolen from the boss Odin.
 * Kick - Yang must have been given one Augment before leaving the party in the Underworld.
 * Brace - Yang must have been given two Augments before leaving the party in the Underworld.
 * Omnicasting - Fusoya must have been given at least one Augment before leaving the party.
 * Phoenix - Fusoya must have been given at least two Augments before leaving the party.
 * Treasure Hunter - Automatically received after gaining 100% completion of every map in the game. If the player doesn't complete the maps for the Tower of Zot, the Tower of Babil, and the Giant of Babil, this Augment will be missed as these areas cannot be revisited.

Final Fantasy IV -Interlude-

 * If the player does not pick up both Twin Stars inside the Cave of Eblan during Edge's portion of the story, a location only visited by Edge, they will be missed.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years

 * The Kingsword can be permanently missed if its not unequipped from Cecil during the invasion of Baron (Ceodore's Tale).
 * If the player fails on Izayoi, Zangetsu, Tsukinowa or Gekkou's missions in Edge's Tale, they will die, making them inaccessible in The Crystals. Bands with any of them are also permanently missable because of this. This can also happen if Gekkou decides to fight the Mysterious Girl.
 * In the flashback sequence of Golbez, if the player does not unequip the Ebony Blade during the Lunarian's Tale, it will be missed.
 * The Eidolon Chocobo can be missed if the player does not pick it up inside the Chocobo Forest during the Gathering's Tale: The Moon's Gravity. It is located on the island in the middle of the ocean between the Troia and Kaipo.
 * Near the end of the game, Golbez can be permanently recruited or missed. If the player brings Golbez, Cecil, Ceodore, and Rosa in their party when they fight the Dark Knight, Golbez will be playable permanently. Otherwise, he'll be removed from the party.
 * Many Eidolons can be permanently missed if killed during battle.
 * If Rydia has recovered Leviathan and Asura as summons, Bahamut will turn on the Mysterious Girl and destroy her before returning to Rydia, but if not, Bahamut must be slain and will not be available to be summoned.
 * Several items are only obtainable in Challenge Dungeons; once the final section of the game is started, anything that isn't imported from those is permanently lost.

Final Fantasy V

 * The Iron Shield and Kenpo-Gi that can be bought in Bartz's World are lost if the player does not buy them before moving onto Galuf's World.
 * The ice summon Shiva must be fought and defeated on Bartz's World, or she becomes unavailable in the Merged World.
 * The songs Romeo's Ballad and Alluring Air can be learned in Istory and Lix in Bartz's World only.
 * The Genji equipment set can be stolen from Gilgamesh each time he is encountered; if the party fails to do this by the final encounter, the set will be missed.
 * The random boss Catoblepas must be fought and defeated on Galuf's World to become usable as a summon, or it becomes unavailable by the Merged World.
 * The Power Staff can be earned from the Black Warlock, which can only be encountered in Castle Exdeath on Galuf's World. Beyond that point, only a single chest in the Pyramid of Moore in the Merged World has a 50% chance of spawning a Black Warlock as a monster-in-a-box.
 * The Spear can only be stolen from Shell Bear in Castle Exdeath before it permanently transforms.
 * The summon Carbuncle must be fought and defeated in Galuf's World to become usable, or it becomes unavailable by the Merged World.
 * The Excalipoor sword will be missed if the players ignores its treasure chest in Castle Exdeath, or kills Gilgamesh before he transforms into his final form.
 * The song Mana's Paean must be learned from the Library of the Ancients's terrace in the Merged World before obtaining the first tablet within the Pyramid.
 * The Thief's Gloves can be found in Fire-Powered Ship (which is always available), but extra copies of this item can only be stolen from Sekhmet in the Pyramid of Moore or Necrophobe in the Interdimensional Rift. Necrophobe can only be fought once, while Sekhmet can be encountered multiple times but will never reappear if the players kill him instead of running away or catching him.
 * The Brave Blade and Chicken Knife are mutually exclusive; by choosing one, the other is permanently lost.
 * The accessory Kornago Gourd is a reward for the sidequest in Quelb (which is always available and completable), but the second copy can only be stolen from Omniscient in the Fork Tower, who can only be fought once.
 * The Blitz Whip can only be obtained in Jachol Cave if Lone Wolf the Pickpocket isn't released. Extra copies can be stolen from Flaremancers in the Fork Tower, but only before the tower's destruction.
 * The Titan's Gloves can only be stolen from Azulmagia in the Interdimensional Rift.
 * The Tinklebell can only be obtained as a rare drop from the normal form of Twintania in the castle in the Interdimensional Rift. If defeated without this item drop, it cannot be obtained. Additionally, a second copy of the Titan's Axe (the first can always be found in Istory Falls) can only be obtained as a steal from Twintania's charging form.
 * A scene with Gilgamesh will occur if Necrophobe has less than 10,000 HP left. This scene doesn't play if the player kills Necrophobe very quickly.
 * Some Bestiary entries can be missed: The entries for the enemies in Karnak Castle after fighting Liquid Flame; when exiting the castle, if one defeats the Sergeant first in battle, it will not transform into the Iron Claw; the flying Ronka Ruins are the last place on Bartz's World where one can miss enemies and not find them later; in Galuf's World one can miss encounters on the Big Bridge if one walks in a straight line; in the Barrier Tower some enemies are missable. Some world map encounters are also missable.

Final Fantasy VI

 * The scene with Locke and Edgar freaking out over Terra casting magic is missable. The player must use magic in battle as Terra before entering Mt. Kolts.
 * The Bandana equipment can be bought in various towns of the World of Balance. It also can be stolen from Zaghrems, which are only available in the World of Balance. Bandana is only missable in the North American and European SNES/PS1 versions, because the Japanese version has Setzer joining the party with a Bandana equipped and Zaghrems appear in the Soul Shrine.
 * The esper Ifrit can be missed if the player doesn't pick up its magicite after the battle with him and Shiva. If missed, the player cannot learn Drain, as he is the only esper to teach it.
 * The Ultima Weapon can be found in the Cave to the Sealed Gate. It will become missable after the Floating Continent appears (SNES only). Ultima Weapon can be stolen from Rest and can be permanently kept after the completion of the game (GBA, mobile and Steam versions).
 * If the player doesn't wait for Shadow at the end of the Floating Continent, he cannot be recruited in the World of Ruin. Also, if the player sells or throws the Ichigeki, and getting the Ragnarok weapon instead of the esper, they also cannot recruit Shadow.
 * As a result of that in the mobile versions the player can permanently miss an album entry dedicated to his retrieval.
 * If the player doesn't save Cid on the Solitary Island, there's no way to make the fish reset because Cid needs to be talked to to do that. So the player will not be able to collect all four fish under the Rare Items inside the Items menu.
 * Either Ragnarok (sword) or Ragnarok (esper) is missed by choosing the other when the old man in Narshe offers them to the party. The sword Lightbringer will be missed if the party chooses the esper Ragnarok (SNES only). Ragnarok (sword) can be stolen from Lady and can be permanently kept after the completion of the game (GBA and mobile only).
 * If the player turns Odin into Raiden by examining the petrified Queen of the Ancient Castle, the player will lose Odin's magicite which is the only magicite in the SNES/PS version that has Speed +1 bonus. This should not be an issue in the GBA and later versions, since Cactuar magicite gives Speed +2 bonus.
 * The Water Harmony dance is permanently missable. Prior to the Game Boy Advance version, it must be obtained by fighting in the Serpent Trench or Lethe River in the World of Balance with Mog in the party, and once the story proceeds to the World of Ruin, it is lost forever. In the GBA and mobile versions, an optional underwater battle with Leviathan in the World of Ruin is added, giving the party one more chance to learn the dance; if not done so, it is lost.
 * Doberman, Valeor, Wild Rat, Darkside, Specter and Eukaryote are easily missable rages. Once the player reaches the World of Ruin, they can never be fought again. Grenade and Intangir fall into this category, but only on the Super Nintendo and PlayStation versions.
 * Contrary to popular belief, the magicite Bahamut is not missable. In versions older than the GBA release, defeating Deathgaze with the combination of the Vanish and Banish spells will yield no rewards (the Vanish-Doom bug), but it will also keep the game from marking Deathgaze as defeated, meaning he will continue to appear and will eventually drop the magicite when beaten by other means.
 * The Lore ForceField can only be learned from Fiend, and if Strago does not go on the path that has Fiend in Kefka's Tower, the Lore will be permanently missed (SNES/PS only).

Final Fantasy VII

 * The items obtained as part of Cloud's crossdressing sidequest will be missed if the player does not obtain them during the quest. As there are different versions of each piece of apparel, and the player can only get one, all items can never be retrieved in a single playthrough. The Silk Dress, Blonde Wig, Sexy Cologne, and Diamond Tiara is the best combination, and therefore seen as the required combination for a perfect game. The optional Lingerie and Bikini Brief items obtained from the Honey Bee Inn are missed if the player didn't acquire either of them.
 * The achievements pertaining to Aeris in the 2012 PC re-release of Final Fantasy VII are missable if not obtained before she leaves the party at the end of the Temple of the Ancients.
 * The Turtle Paradise flyer in Shinra Headquarters can be missed as the player can't return there after certain story events have transpired. If missed, the player will no longer be able to obtain one of each Source from the pub in Wutai Village (Sources can be obtained in unlimited supply by morphing enemies in the Gelnika, however). The final flyer in Yuffie's house is also missed if the player misses their chance on doing the "lost Materia" sidequest (see below).
 * There is a woman standing next to the long stairs in the Battle Square on the player's return there. After talking to her, if one chooses "That's the idea", and wins a round of eight consecutive battles in Battle Square, she'll give the Sprint Shoes accessory and will stay there. If one chooses "Not interested", even after winning eight consecutive battles, she'll disappear, and the player won't get the accessory. There are other ways to obtain Sprint Shoes however.
 * Some items can only be obtained from one enemy in the game, and once that enemy becomes unavailable to fight, the items can never be retrieved. The Ghost Hand is obtained only from the Ghosts in Train Graveyard. The Vagyrisk Claw can only be stolen from the Bagrisk, but due to the way the game's steal mechanism works, it will eventually become impossible to steal the Vagyrisk Claw if the player advances too far in character levels. The Earth Mallet can be missed, as the only opponent holding it is the Gigas in the Whirlwind Maze. The Gigas appears later in the Battle Square, but items cannot be won from monsters there. The complete list of missable items is: Ghost Hand, Vagyrisk Claw, Graviball, 8-inch Cannon, and Earth Mallet.
 * Some weapons can be missed. The Enhance Sword and Javelin can only be found in Gaea's Cliff, which is an unrevisitable location. The Yoshiyuki can only be obtained before Shinra No. 26 takes off in Rocket Town. The Pile Banger, the HP Shout, Master Fist, Grow Lance and Behemoth Horn can only be found in the Shinra Headquarters during the Raid on Midgar. The Max Ray and Missing Score can only be found in Midgar in Part 2 (Missing Score only when Barret is in the party). The Umbrella can only be obtained from the Speed Square in Gold Saucer before the party gains the Highwind. The Princess Guard can only be found in the Temple of the Ancients. The Rising Sun can only be stolen from the Diamond Weapon. The Battle Trumpet and Scimitar can only be found in the Junon Underwater Reactor submarine docks. The Starlight M-Phone can only be found in Midgar Underground. The complete list of weapons is: Yoshiyuki, Princess Guard, Javelin, Battle Trumpet, Scimitar, Rising Sun, Starlight M-Phone, Max Ray, Grow Lance, HP Shout, Missing Score, Umbrella, Shotgun, Oritsuru, Behemoth Horn, Pile Banger, Master Fist, Mythril Clip and God's Hand.
 * Some armor can only be obtained one way, and if missed, can never be obtained after. The Aegis Armlet can only be obtained from the Midgar Underground in Part 2. The Iron Bangle can only be bought in Sector 7. The Shinra Alpha and Shinra Beta can only be stolen from certain Shinra troops that are not recurring random encounters. The Warrior Bangle can only be stolen from Eagle Gun. The Ziedrich can only be stolen from Turks:Rude. The complete list of armor is: Aegis Armlet, Warrior Bangle, Shinra Alpha, Shinra Beta, Ziedrich, Iron Bangle, Four Slots, Minerva Band, Imperial Guard, Gigas Armlet and Mystile.
 * Some accessories only be obtained one way, and if missed, can never be obtained after. The complete list of accessories is: Poison Ring, Curse Ring, Tough Ring, and Reflect Ring.
 * Some Materia only be obtained one way, and if missed, can never be obtained after. The complete list of Materia is: Comet, Ultima, Morph, Enemy Skill Materia (Shinra HQ), Trine (Enemy Skill), Pandora's Box (Enemy Skill), Added Effect, MP Turbo, Steal as Well, MP Absorb, Elemental, Ifrit, Ramuh, Bahamut, Neo Bahamut, and Luck Plus. Phoenix and Bahamut ZERO can be dug up in Bone Village if missed.
 * Some items found only in unrevisitable locations can never be obtained if missed, such as the Leviathan Scales. Without the Leviathan Scales it is impossible to obtain the Oritsuru weapon and Steal as Well Materia. The complete list of key items are: Huge Materia (x4), Leviathan Scales, Guide Book, Battery, and three Coupons (A, B, and C).
 * The Huge Materia can be missed if the player fails the quests on which to retrieve them. If the player loses the Fort Condor quest for Huge Materia by losing the boss fight, they lose both the Huge Materia and the Phoenix Materia, although Phoenix can be dug up from Bone Village. If the player fails to catch up with the train in Mt. Corel they lose the Huge Materia, and if they fail to destroy the red submarine during the submarine minigame, this Huge Materia is lost as well. If the player fails to solve the password in the Shinra No. 26 rocket, they cannot retrieve the Huge Materia. Even if the Huge Materia were lost, Bahamut ZERO can still be obtained by digging at Bone Village.
 * The "lost Materia" sidequest in Wutai is missed if left too late; after returning to Midgar at the end of Part 2, the quest is no longer triggered when the player visits the island, but they can still do the Pagoda quest with Yuffie and thus obtain Leviathan. The player misses out on HP Absorb and MP Absorb Materia, as the former is in a house where the cats never move aside unless the player does the quest, and the latter in a treasure chest blocked by an NPC. The player also cannot complete the Turtle's Paradise quest as they can't read the final flyer in Yuffie's house, which can never be visited.
 * The battle against Turks:Rude and Turks:Reno only occurs in the Gelnika right after the player obtains the submarine.
 * The event with Aeris's ghost at the Sector 5 Church can never occur if the player talks to the Innkeeper during the Kalm flashback and selects the option "Let me know the situation of the town." after talking to him a second time. It is unknown why this stops the event from occurring since it is unrelated to Aeris and the church. That the event can be prevented by talking to the Innkeeper is likely a programming error.

Final Fantasy VIII

 * Mugging an item from an enemy prevents it from dropping an item after battle, thus something is always missed in battles that do not recur, namely the boss battles. The player must decide which item they want, the drop item or the mug item. Furthermore, in the game data, every enemy has four item "slots" that contain all the possible steal and item drop combinations, meaning it may be impossible to ever get all drop/mug items a boss has to offer, as the results can be random. However, there are no unique items from bosses that can never be obtained some other route, although the alternative methods may be cumbersome.
 * Only two Pet Nametags are available in the game, from D-District Prison and from a person in Timber (only if the player encourages the man outside Timber Maniacs building). If these two chances are missed, Pet Nametag cannot be obtained.
 * The Battle Meter that keeps track of the number of battles the player has fought is missed if the player does not talk to Cid right after graduating into a SeeD. The Character Report, which keeps track of characters' individual battle statistics, is missed if the player does not have Battle Meter first, and if they miss it in D-District Prison by talking to the inmate in floor 10. Lastly, the GF Report is missed if the player missed out on the Battle Meter, and fails to obtain it from CC Joker in Balamb Garden training center before the end of disc 3.
 * The Occult Fan volumes III and IV never appear in shops even late in game, so if the player misses the chances of getting them, they will be missed forever.
 * Balamb Town has two Timber Maniacs issues, but only one of them can be picked up, as the other vanishes once one has been taken. One magazine is found in Balamb hotel, and another at the train station. If the player picks up the magazine at the hotel before the first Laguna Loire dream sequence, the event is altered and Laguna will fall asleep in Julia's room.
 * There is a missable FMV that shows a Lunar Base camera drone destroyed by a monster during the beginning stages of the Lunar Cry. To view it the player must follow Ellone into the lift room that leads to the escape pods, and then return to the Lunar Base control room, go to the control panel and press.
 * If the player fails to board the Lunatic Pandora as Zell by missing the contact points within Esthar City, the player misses the chance to visit the Pandora with Zell as party leader and misses out on the scene where Zell's party is ejected by Mobile Type 8. The player won't miss out on items however, as the same present-day Lunatic Pandora is later visited as Squall as party leader.
 * The items available in Lunatic Pandora as Zell/Squall as party leader depend on the actions the player took as Laguna in Centra Excavation Site. If the player fails to trigger all the events in Centra Excavation Site, some of the items and draw points will not appear later.
 * If the player has the Chocobo World minigame, no items are technically missable, as any items can be obtained from the Chocobo World, even items that are normally one-time-only items, like the Magical Lamp. Some items are Chocobo World exclusive, namely the Chocobo's Tag, Friendship, Ribbon and Mog's Amulet. Boko's upgraded moves are only available from Chocobo World, and as such, the visit of Chubby Chocobo who only appears during Chocobocle.
 * The Gilgamesh Guardian Force is missable if the player has not obtained Odin by the last battle against Seifer in Lunatic Pandora.
 * In the original Japanese versions Guardian Forces drawable from bosses and Cerberus could be missed permanently. Thus Doomtrain was also missable, if the player failed to draw Alexander from Edea in Galbadia Garden, as its Med Level Plus ability is needed to make the items for obtaining Doomtrain. In subsequent releases missed Guardian Forces can be drawn from the bosses in Ultimecia Castle.
 * Towns become permanently inaccessible in endgame, and thus many side quests must be completed before fighting Seifer at Lunatic Pandora to not miss them. Even if Obel Lake is on the world map, the shadow that commissions it does not appear in endgame.
 * PuPu card is the only permanently missable Triple Triad card in the game. The player must give PuPu five Elixirs to obtain it.
 * Many Triple Triad cards that may seem missable, actually aren't. If the player loses a rare card in Galbadia Garden during the visit there on the first disc, Martine will have them and he can be played in Fishermans Horizon. If the player lets the boy in a blue shirt be killed by a T-Rexaur during the Garden Riot without having won the MiniMog card off him, a little girl in a red shirt will inherit the boy's deck and play it instead. The cards requested by Queen of Cards, and thus lost to her, can be won back from the boy in the artist's house in Dollet. Any rare cards lost in Lunar Base are played by Piet in the secret escape pod crash site. All LV9 or LV10 cards, even modified cards, can be won back from Card Club members and Queen of Cards on disc 4.

Final Fantasy IX

 * At the beginning of the game, the player can hear rumors of an "Alleyway Jack" who knows a lot about Tetra Master. The player can meet him in the alley west of the town square, but if the player lets Alleyway Jack walk across the screen and leave the area, they miss the chance of talking to him. After meeting him, the player can talk to him in the tavern, and he will explain he rules of Tetra Master.
 * The key items Autograph and Moogle Suit can be missed. They cannot be found after leaving Lindblum for the first time.
 * There are a total of four monsters in Treno's weapon shop that change at various times. If the player fails to defeat a monster before the next one appears, the old one can't be fought again.
 * Fighting the Tantarian optional boss is missable. It can be found in Alexandria Castle's library, but there are only two chances to fight it: during the time the party is rescuing Garnet who is being held in the castle basement, and later when the party arrives to save Garnet and Eiko during the Battle of Alexandria. If the player misses out on these two opportunities, Tantarian cannot be encountered.
 * The Namingway card can be missed. The first is in Treno, during the Tetra Master tournament. During an ATE with Vivi the player given the option of "pass by home," or staying in Treno. Choosing the latter will give Zidane a different opponent in the card tournament's second round, who holds the Namingway card. The other can be picked up in Kuja's sanctum in the Desert Palace (near the teleporter, only after Eiko has been kidnapped).
 * Leaving Treno during the card tournament and traveling to Dali is the only time the player can get the Mayor's Key, the Burman Coffee and the Mini-Brahne items. Completing the Morrid's Coffee sidequest lets the player get the mini Prima Vista in the Tantalus hideout in Lindblum, which can likewise be missed if the player fails to get all the different coffee beans. Additionally, as the Observatory Mountain is sealed in endgame, the player can no longer turn in the coffee items to Morrid.
 * Hippaul can be raced in Alexandria after the party returns from the Outer Continent for a short time only; after the player agrees to see Ruby's play the chance to play the racing minigame ends, meaning the player misses out on the Athlete Queen key item.
 * The Nero Brothers briefly host a gambling minigame in Alexandria's weapon shop when the party returns to Alexandria from the Outer Continent. The minigame is only available when the player controls Zidane.
 * At the beginning of disc 3, when Vivi reunites with Zidane, the player can leave Alexandria and see it from the world map, before it is destroyed. This is the only time in the game the player can do this.
 * The Rune Blade can only be bought at Daguerreo for a limited time. If the weapon is not purchased before the player goes to Terra, it cannot be acquired and Steiner can never learn Iai Strike. Similarly, the Hamelin for Eiko can be bought in both Daguerreo or Esto Gaza for a limited time; if the player has not bought it before going to Terra, Eiko will never learn Jewel.
 * Scissor Fangs and Obelisk are two other weapons that can be permanently missed if the player leaves for Terra before buying them.
 * Zorlin Shape becomes missable and is last obtainable from the mog shop at Bran Bal, making it impossible to synthesize Masamune (though it may still be stolen from Maliris).
 * The lost family sidequest can be permanently missed by advancing in Memoria without continuing the sidequest enough times, which means the player will miss the reward of a Protect Ring (although Protect Rings can be acquired in other ways).
 * Excalibur II, Steiner's ultimate weapon, is obtained if the player reaches an area in Memoria in under 12 hours playtime. This item is usually always missed, unless the player specifically attempts a speed playthrough. Since the PAL version runs slightly slower than the NTSC version, it is even harder to get. It is also harder on the PSN version, as the player cannot skip cutscenes by opening the disc tray. However, despite these handicaps, it is not impossible to get in any version of the game with enough skilled playing and luck manipulation. The player has more than one opportunity if they let the game clock overflow. However, this requires over two years of game time.
 * Throughout the game, several locations become unrevisitable. While some NPCs will move to other locations, any treasures available in the unrevisitable areas are lost, which may pose a difficulty to the player if they are attempting to earn the highest Treasure Hunter Rank, but have missed those treasures. Locations on Cleyra and Terra become unrevisitable, as do some locations in Lindblum and Alexandria and all of Alexandria Castle. The roots of the Iifa Tree seal off a number of locations in endgame. Any treasures found in those locations are no longer available, nor most NPCs that the player might wish to talk to or play Tetra Master with. These locations are the North and South Gates, Observatory Mountain, Ice Cavern, Pinnacle Rocks, Fossil Roo, Conde Petie, Conde Petie Mountain Path, the Desert Palace, Oeilvert, and Esto Gaza. In the Steam version, this also means that the achievement The One Ring can be missed, as it requires the player obtain a Madain's Ring item via mining.
 * Some items may look missable but are not. If the player finds cards from the world map treasure chests with Choco while their card quota is full, the cards are discarded. However, these cards can still be obtained from Fat Chocobo in Chocobo's Paradise at the end of the quest.

Final Fantasy X

 * The player can donate gil to O'aka only before the Operation Mi'ihen event.
 * The pieces of equipment with abilities that cannot be found on (or customized to) equipment of that type are:
 * Magic Counter armor for Tidus: A man appears on his hover during the player's first visit to the Calm Lands. He sells a special Buckler for Tidus that has Magic Counter—an ability otherwise exclusive to weapons. He will leave the area after the party moves on, making the Buckler unobtainable after that.
 * No Encounters weapon: Geosgaeno has a 50% chance to drop a weapon with the No Encounters ability, which is otherwise exclusive to armor. It may be two or three slots.
 * Weapon with +10% Critical Bonus (International, PAL and HD Remaster versions only): In addition to Break Damage Limit, weapons dropped by Penance have a bonus chance to critically hit. This ability cannot be found on or customized to any equipment. As with Geosgaeno, Penance is a one-time-only boss who has a 50% chance to drop the weapon.
 * Other unique weapons:
 * 0-slotted Longsword for Tidus: It is the only weapon with no slots and can be purchased at Lake Macalania Travel Agency for a short period of time. It becomes lost after visiting Macalania Temple.
 * Snakehead for Kimahri is unique as it lacks the Piercing property, where his normal weapons always have it. It can be purchased of O'aka at Moonflow for a short period of time.
 * 2- and 1-slotted weapon for Kimahri and Auron: Bat Eye in the Via Purifico drops weapons for the duo without Piercing, whereas their normal weapons always have it.
 * There are some permanently missable Al Bhed Primers in Home, and before the Cloister of Trials in Bevelle. If these are not picked up while in these one-time-only zones, they cannot be obtained without using a Compilation Sphere.
 * The appearance of Wantz on Mt. Gagazet is missable, and if the player does not speak to him on their first visit, he will not appear in Macalania Woods to sell the four-slotted equipment.
 * Durren is the only missable blitzball player: selecting the "Sin" option on Fahrenheit menu for first time causes him to disappear. His tech Anti-Drain may be missable, so the only way to learn it is to release him and let the A.I teach him automatically.

Final Fantasy X-2

 * Not all movie spheres, accessories, and scenes can be obtained in one playthrough. In New Game Plus the player can try other options to get different results. Not all areas are mandatory visits during a chapter, and if the player progresses to the next chapter without having done all the missions and quests in every area, these are missed until New Game Plus.
 * In the beginning of the game, the player can miss finding a costumed Yuna hiding at the harbor. Not talking to her loses some % from the game completion.
 * If the player doesn't visit every area in Chapter 3, Shinra won't install CommSpheres to these places, resulting in missed scenes.
 * At the end of Chapter 3 Yuna falls into the Farplane where the player can miss pressing to whistle, meaning the player will miss out on an ending scene.
 * In Chapter 4 the player can view scenes via the CommSphere system, but many of the scenes can be missed if the player leaves too early, or doesn't choose to view all the scenes. Viewing many of the scenes is required for 100% game completion.
 * During Mi'ihen Highroad Mystery sidequest, the only way to get Gippal's Sphere is to pin Rin as the culprit. However, this won't give Episode Complete for the area.
 * If the player fails to get Episode Complete in every area in Chapter 5, they miss out on the Mascot dressphere. It is also possible to miss it via the Episode Complete bug. However, in the International and HD Remaster versions, it can still be obtained via the Youth League Tournament in the Fiend Arena.
 * In the International and HD Remaster versions, if Tidus is released from the player's Creature Creator roster, he can never be reobtained. Also, once Omega Weapon has been released, he can never be reobtained. However, this is required to unlock many features, including Almighty Shinra, and Paragon can be recruited as a substitute for Omega Weapon.
 * Several of the Crimson Sphere items required to unlock the Den of Woe are missable if not obtained before specific story events. For example, not attending to Leblanc in the Engine Room of the Celsius at the end of Chapter 4 results in the loss of Crimson Sphere 5.
 * As a general rule, content missed in an initial playthrough can be obtained on a New Game Plus. However, a New Game Plus will reset most key items among other things, meaning that in the case of things like Crimson Spheres, the player must obtain them all within a single playthrough for them to achieve their intended purpose. Things such as % completion however, carry through to the next playthrough, and combined with scene skipping, can be a fast way to access things such as the Perfect Ending, providing the player otherwise meets the particular requirements within a specific playthrough.

Final Fantasy XI

 * Once "A Pose by Any Other Name" is completed successfully there is no way to repeat the quest for the title "Lower than the Lowest Tunnel Worm", earned during the quest by arriving too late or refusing to model.
 * Once the Frontier Stations are constructed on a particular server, players can no longer accept or complete the "Provide" series of Coalition Assignments. If the player currently has one accepted, he or she must cancel it with the Courier Coalition's Task Delegator.
 * Certain content is available only for a limited time, although it is usually just "vanity" items with minimum stats, and most seasonal content is made available again in the future.

Final Fantasy XII

 * Vaan's and Basch's starting weapons, Mythril Sword and Mythril Blade, are not available in shops, although the Mythril Sword is re-obtainable as a rare drop from Omega Mark XII. There is no second copy of the Mythril Blade.
 * When the player sets out to hunt Rogue Tomato, there is a bangaa in Southern Plaza of Rabanastre who will ask Vaan to deliver something to his friend outside East Gate. If the player agrees to help, they get a Small Package, which can be either sold for 150 gil, or be taken to the bangaa's friend for no reward. The player can never get another Small Package if sold or given away.
 * The July sidequest at Nalbina Fortress is missable. It becomes available after obtaining the Dawn Shard, and the player should complete the first events in Nalbina before reaching Mosphoran Highwaste. If the player doesn't complete the first events in Nalbina, the quest is lost after the party defeats the boss of Mt Bur-Omisace.
 * The Genji equipment from the elite mark Gilgamesh is missed if the player doesn't steal them during the battles with him.
 * The Zodiac Spear in the Necrohol of Nabudis will disappear if the player opens any of the forbidden treasure chests in the game, or opens the chest that holds the Zodiac Spear while equipped with the Diamond Armlet. Another chest in the Henne Mines has a chance of holding the weapon, but it is extremely rare (0.1% chance per visit) without RNG manipulation.
 * Certain treasures never respawn, and thus their contents can be permanently lost, such as the ultimate light armor hat, Dueling Mask, and the ultimate mystic armor hat, Circlet.
 * If the player fails to pick up Omega Badge loot from Omega Mark XII they can never get another one. If the player didn't get the Omega Badge they can't get the Wyrmhero Blade.
 * If the player sells the Centurio Hero's Badge they can never get another one.
 * The Royal Palace of Rabanastre is an unrevisitable location, so any unclaimed treasures cannot be come back for (although one of them is a forbidden chest that must be left unclaimed to get the Zodiac Spear from Necrohol of Nabudis). If the player doesn't take the urn for the area map, it can be purchased from Old Archades.
 * Although not entirely missable, the obtaining of Slime Oil was made more difficult than intended, likely due to a programming oversight. Infinite copies may only be obtained through stealing from the Elite Mark Orthros; once defeated, the only remaining Slime Oil is a single copy from the footrace minigame in Balfonheim Port.

Final Fantasy XIII

 * Spark Rings can be found in Chapters 3 and 4, but can be missed due to the storyline advancing once the player defeats Odin, as trying to backtrack initiates the end of Chapter 4.
 * One Doctor's Code can be missed in the Sunleth Waterscape in Chapter 6.
 * One Elixir can be missed by not backtracking after the second preliminary boss fight of Orphan's Cradle in Chapter 13.
 * The upgraded versions of many accessories are permanently missable if the player sells the base versions. For example, there are a limited number of Clay Rings in the game; if the player sells them, the Siltstone Ring and Gaian Ring can never be obtained.

Final Fantasy XIII-2

 * There is a Live Trigger bug concerning the Live Trigger events in the Archylte Steppe in the Year Unknown. If the player doesn't select the comedic responses for both Live Trigger scenes in their first playthrough, the Dragon Hide Backpack adornment cannot be obtained, even if the player repeats the events at the Archylte Steppe through Gate Seal mechanism.
 * Still related to the Live Trigger bug in the Archylte Steppe, all treasures, and Moogle Throw items will be missable in the Void Beyond if the player did not choose Sunleth Waterscape to be the first waypoint on their first visit to this place (the other option is Yaschas Massif 01X AF).

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

 * Every quest and its prizes can be permanently lost if the player does not achieve them in time. Furthermore some, like "Free Will" or "Buried Passion", require more than a day for them to be completed, which can be permanently lost if the player does not have enough time to spare.
 * The secret fourteenth day and the Ultimate Lair are lost if the player does not complete enough quests to unlock them.
 * The player can either complete the quest "Avid Reader" or "To Save the Sinless", but cannot do both. "To Save the Sinless" has a better reward.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King
If the player does not land on Floor 50 of the Infinity Spire exactly (the number of floors the player advances depends on the number of days passed), they will miss the chance to battle Omega and obtain the Omega Symbol accessory. The same is true for the Wyrm on floor 99, which drops the sword Ragnarok Prime, although the latter is much less likely to happen.

Final Fantasy Tactics

 * Ladd and Boco are semi-unique characters who are lost forever if they're allowed to crystallize or be dismissed from the character roster. Ladd is one of the default characters present in Ramza's party after progressing to a certain chapter, and Boco is a chocobo who can be rescued during a mission. Although Boco doesn't have any special abilities, he produces a unique dialog when examined in the menu screen.
 * If the player refuses the unique characters when they ask to join the party, they'll be missed.
 * Dismissed characters will be permanently lost.
 * Characters that became a crystal in battle will be gone forever.
 * Cloud and Worker 8 can be missed if the player doesn't have Mustadio in his/her party (including the case that Mustadio has been dismissed or became a crystal in battle before getting both characters).
 * If the player doesn't purchase a flower from Aerith in Sal Ghidos, Cloud will be missed.
 * The Ultima ability can be missed if Ramza, Alma, and Luso didn't learned it from Celia, Lettie, or Ultima Demons in specific battles.
 * The summon Zodiark can be missed if the player doesn't learn it from Elidibus before killing him. In the PSP remake, the summon can later be obtained in multiplayer battles.
 * The Escutcheon (II) is the second most powerful shield obtained as a treasure in Nelveska Temple, and if missed, can never be obtained again. It requires a character with Treasure Hunter and a low Bravery to obtain it and not the regular Escutcheon, and also requires a character that can be used as a footstool to get to the spot it is at, as well as a job or accessory that increases the Jump stat.

Vagrant Story

 * The leather Jerkin armor and the Rood Necklace that Ashley begins the game with can't be recovered if they're discarded. Even if the player begins a New Game+ playthrough the items won't reappear on Ashley's body. Nothing else is missable since any other item can be created through the combination system, and any Grimoires that teach Ashley rare spells can be dropped by random encounters.

Final Fantasy Type-0

 * If the player completes Carla, Mutsuki, Quon, and Ryid's sidequests to recruit them into Class Zero, they will no longer be present during the final chapter where cutscenes involving them can be viewed. Because this sidequest completion is carried over into New Game Plus playthroughs, these cutscenes can become permanently missable unless the player does not take on the quests in their first playthrough, for the cutscenes can only be viewed when their respective characters remain unrecruited. In the HD version, these scenes are available regardless of their respective characters' recruitment status on the first playthrough only. If they are not watched by then, they can be missed permanently.
 * The Expert Trials and the tasks given by the denizens of Akademeia are available for a limited time; if the player doesn't do them while they are available, they must wait until New Game Plus. Free Time Events change every chapter, so if the player doesn't do all of them they will be missed. There are not enough hours available for the player to do everything in their first playthrough.

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light
Anything for sale after the encounter with Rolan inside Rolan's Soul remains available for purchase. Except for the items found inside Pirate's Hideout, chests will not change their contents. Multiplayer Shop's items never change. However, the following items have a small window of opportunity to obtain them. There is an achievement related to possessing all items, and if those below are not obtained, this achievement is missed.


 * The Inherited Ring from Kuore in Horne.
 * Apollo's Talisman from Apollo in Liberte.
 * Mythril Hammer from the Weapon Shop vendor in Invidia.
 * Elementalist Robe bought before defeating Rolan in Invidia or Spelvia.
 * Ranger Outfit bought before defeating Rolan in Invidia or Spelvia.
 * Traveler's Garb bought before defeating Rolan in Horne or Guera.
 * Black Ring bought before defeating Rolan in Spelvia.
 * Silence Cape bought before defeating Rolan in Arbor.
 * Flame Dagger bought before defeating Rolan in Liberte or Invidia.
 * Earth Sword dropped from Sand Devil.
 * Lightbringer either stolen from Rolan or Lucifer.
 * Claustrum stolen from Mammon.
 * Darkbringer stolen from both versions of Satan.
 * Adventure's Garb either dropped or stolen from Adventurer.

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest

 * The Heal spell located in Falls Basin is missed once the Crystal of Water is restored, making the location inaccessible.

Final Fantasy Adventure

 * If the player completes the Dime Tower, all items, weapons, and armor up to this point will become missable. The second point of no return makes all the items and armor inside the Temple of Mana missable when the player completes the temple.

The Final Fantasy Legend

 * During the jailbreak sequence in World of Sky, the Revenge sword can be found by searching behind the bars of one of the empty cells. The sword can't be found nor purchased anywhere else, and this area becomes inaccessible once the party leaves.
 * Before completing the Atomic Power Plant in World of Ruins, So-Cho will give the party a Band helmet, but this item can be missed if the player doesn't manually speak to him before leaving the area. This is a unique piece of armor that can't be found nor purchased anywhere else.

Final Fantasy Legend II

 * Due to the way the Dragon Race segment is coded, the dragon the player rides changes the MAGI they receive. The player is guaranteed to receive 1 [[File:FFLII MAGI Icon.png]]Defense, [[File:FFLII MAGI Icon.png]]Speed and [[File:FFLII MAGI Icon.png]]Mana, and will receive 1 additional [[File:FFLII MAGI Icon.png]]Defense with the fastest and slowest dragons, 1 additional [[File:FFLII MAGI Icon.png]]Speed with the second-fastest, and 1 additional [[File:FFLII MAGI Icon.png]]Mana with the second-slowest. The "alternate" MAGI are lost.

Final Fantasy Legend III

 * If the Flushex and Berth units are not picked up before going to Pureland, they will be permanently missed.
 * The SandMan helmet is among the treasures found in one of the shipwrecks on the seafloor. It can't be purchased anywhere, and the player can't return to this area after going to Pureland.
 * Most low-level spells cannot be purchased after going to Pureland. Magic shops found in later areas sell only higher-level spells, such as Cure3. If the player didn't stock each character's inventories with low level spells, such as Cure1 and Fire1, when they had the chance, they'll never have access to them again.
 * There's a few elemental stones that can be found within the Shipwrecks that can be permanently missed before the player warps to Pureland. These stones are needed in creating Lost Magic; missing these stones will mean to the player having a couple of missing Lost Magic spells. The number of magic stones is also finite, and so must be spent carefully, especially Fire stones, as there is only just enough Fire stones (5) to create all the Lost spells that require them.

Final Fantasy Dimensions

 * When in the last part of Chapter 4 (World of Nil/The Void), the party must fight a boss to restore Castle Burtgang. When coming back from the boss, the party must talk to the ghost of the King of Burtgang sitting in the throne room twice to activate the cutscene that will convert Galantine to Excalibur. If the party leaves the room without doing this, the castle's ghosts disappear and the party can never get Excalibur.

Chocobo's Dungeon 2

 * Many level 1 and 2 enemies won't always appear during the early dungeon floors, and the player can't return to these floors later. This may cause the player to miss some of the enemy statues found in the laboratory basement. Technically, any of these enemies can be encountered by kicking Polish and Rust cards at enemies found later in the game, but this process can be grueling.
 * There will always be an empty statue basin in the last room of the basement. This is commonly believed to be reserved for a dummied Phoenix statue that never appears since there's no feather corresponding to the Phoenix summon.
 * The game keeps track of how many times Chocobo has died, how much the player has stolen, and various other statistics. It's never necessary to die, so some players may consider this a negative mark on their save file.
 * Contrary to misconception, it is not necessary for Chocobo to die at least once to get the Sylph feather from the beach. After finishing the main quest, Chocobo can venture into an optional dungeon; completing it rewards him with a random feather. Sylph—or any other summon, for that matter—can be obtained this way.
 * If the player wants to obtain all the statues in the laboratory basement, it is necessary to steal at least once to prompt the Doom Keeper / Life Keeper to appear and attack Chocobo. The bosses have ridiculously high HP, but they can be defeated with any claw that bears the Blood Suck ability, which reduces any enemy to 1 HP.