Giza Plains (Final Fantasy XII)



The Giza Plains is a location in Ivalice in Final Fantasy XII. It is an area of large open plains with a unique weather cycle close to Rabanastre.

Story
Vaan needs a Sunstone to open the secret entrance to the Royal Palace of Rabanastre. Old Dalan guides him to the nomads in Giza Plains where he meets with Penelo, who helps Vaan with his quest. They help find a nomad boy left behind in the hot wilderness, and with his help they successfully charge a Sunstone.

Later, when they need to travel to Jahara, the party travels to Giza during the Rains to find the nomads have gone to the mountains. New paths are opened during the Rains while certain paths are closed.

The monster Gil Snapper periodically escapes its urn held by the Giza Plains nomads as the magick symbols grow old and weak. A new urn must then be used to catch the Gil Snapper. The reason for the tribe wanting the Gil Snapper is that it has the power to calm the beasts of the land, meaning that the tribe is protected from them as long as they have the urn.

Location
The Giza Plains are located just to the south of Rabanastre, in the Dalmasca region. Further south is the Ozmone Plain, while access to the Dalmasca Westersand and Estersand can be found as well.

Throne Road
The area connects Rabanastre to the Giza Plains. It serves as the intersection for Rabanastre South Gate and the Nomad Village.

Nomad Village
The Nomad Village is a small settlement in the middle of the Giza Plains. As such, it is a location bustling with villagers. True to its name of being a nomad village, the houses in the area are of makeshift material. It features a Save Crystal and a Cockatrice pen. During the dry, it connects the Toam Hills, North Bank, and the Throne Road. During the rains, the path connecting the village to the North Bank can not be traversed as it is submerged in water.

Starfall Field
The Starfall Field serves as the intersection for the Dalmasca Westersand and the Ozmone Plain. It has a small bridge and it features one Dark Crystal.

Crystal Glade
It is a small area connecting that serves as the intersection for the Starfall Field and the South Bank of Giza Plains. It has a Save Crystal.

Gizas South Bank
The area features two bridges perpendicular to each other. The other bridge leads to the Dalmasca Estersand.

Gizas North Bank
The North Bank can be accessed from the Nomad Village, The Throne Road, and South Bank.

Throne Road
The area connects Rabanastre to the Giza Plains. It serves as the intersection for Rabanastre South Gate and the Nomad Village. During the rains, most of the area is submerged in water.

Nomad Village
During the rains, the path connecting the village to the North Bank can not be traversed as it is submerged in water. As the inhabitants of the village are nomads, they leave their village during the rains.

Starfall Field
The Starfall Field serves as thee intersection for the Dalmasca Westersand and the Ozmone Plain. It has a small bridge and it features one Dark Crystal.

Crystal Glade
It is a small area connecting that serves as the intersection for the Starfall Field and the South Bank of Giza Plains. It has a Save Crystal. After accepting the Gil Snapper hunt, Nanau and Roaklo can be found here until it has been defeated.

Gizas South Bank
The area features two bridges perpendicular to each other. The other bridge leads to the Dalmasca Estersand.

Gizas North Bank
During the rains, the area can only be accessed from the Throne Road, as the path connecting it to the Nomad Village is submerged in water.

Tracks of the Beast
Access to this large-puddled area is granted by striking several withered trees in the Giza Plains. These trees will make up a makeshift bridge, allowing access to the area. It is only accessible during the rains. The Gil Snapper can be found in the area.

Weather cycle
The Giza Plains have a unique weather cycle that affects the area's geography. The weather begins cycling when the player enters Eruyt Village and is tasked to find the lost viera, Mjrn, in Henne Mines. The weather cycles are based on the in-game clock: 1 hour of rain followed by 2 hours of dry.

Dry season (aka "the Dry")
While it's dry, the weather is always sunny, most of the plains are exposed, and weaker monsters come out. Because the area is of desert terrain, all Earth attacks are 20% more powerful than normal.

The nomads come down from the mountains, and set up a camp while it's dry where they raise cockatrice and make sunstones. (See the Quests section of this article.)

Wet season (aka "the Rains")
During the wet season Giza Plains has three weather conditions:
 * Cloudy
 * Rain
 * Heavy rain (lightning bolts seen in the horizon)

While it's wet, most of the plains are covered in water, and stronger monsters come out, especially during heavy rain and thunderstorms (Storm Elementals and Mardu Entites respectively). New areas open up, since bridges can be built of driftwood. Because the plains during the Rains is of water terrain, Water and Lightning attacks deal 20% more damage than normal, and Earth damage is halved. During rainy weather Fire damage is halved and Lightning damage is boosted, and during heavy rain, Water and Fire damage are both halved and Wind and Lightning attacks are both boosted.

"Withered trees" are found all over the Giza Plains in the wet season. When interacted with, the party leader will strike the tree with their weapon and the tree will plunge into the river behind it.

The trees are found in most areas of the Giza Plains and after being chopped will flow down the river and come to a stop on some jagged rocks in the river. Once each tree has been chopped down, they will form a bridge leading to an area called the Tracks of the Beast, where the player can find several Silicon Tortoises, the Gil Snapper mark and an urn containing the "Feather of the Flock", an item that lets Vaan speak the language of cockatrices.

Weather Eye
At Rabanastre's Southgate, there is a seeq who knows when the weather is about to change on the plains. This is the only character who knows the weather cycle. Since the seasons only change after finishing a certain story event, he will not be able to predict the weather until that time.

The Dry
The plains have different treasures depending if it is the Dry or the Rains. During the Dry the items are nothing special, common items and low level equipment. While the Diamond Armlet is equipped the common item treasure is Knot of Rust and the "rare" treasure is Ether or Hi-Potion.

The player can find the Cotton Shirt in the Warrior's Wash area, the Escutcheon shield under the bridge in the Starfall Field area and a Broadsword in the southeastern corner of the Giza South Bank area.

Throne Road

 * FFXII
 *  - Chest does not respawn.
 * IZJS

Gizas North Bank

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Gizas South Bank

 * FFXII
 *  - Chest does not respawn.
 * IZJS

Warrior's Wash

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Toam Hills

 * FFXII
 * IZJS
 *  - Chest does not respawn.

Starfall Field

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

The Rains
The plains have better treasures during the rain. The treasure that spawns right near the exit to Rabanastre can contain a Longbow. The treasure in the easternmost bit of Warrior's Wash can have a Bronze Mace. The treasure nearest to the exit to the Nomad Village in the Toam Hills area can have the Main Gauche dagger.

The treasure nearest to the exit to Westersand can contain a Heavy Coat and the treasure in the southwestern dead-end bit can have a Rose Corsage. The dead-end on the other side of the area can contain a Chainmail.

In the Giza North Bank area, a treasure that spawns down and left when entering from the entrance nearest to Rabanastre can contain a Battle Bamboo. The northernmost treasure in the Giza South Bank can have a Rose Corsage and the treasure in the southern deadend bit can have a Jade Collar.

The Tracks of the Beast area is only explorable during the Rains and all treasures contain either a Knot of Rust or a gambit or an accessory when they have items instead of gil. The player can obtain the Black Belt, Jackboots, Foe: Status = Disable and Foe: Thunder-Weak here. There is also an urn in the area that contains the Feather of the Flock, a key item that lets the player converse with Cockatrices.

If the Diamond Armlet is equipped, all treasures during the Rains contain Knot of Rust as the common item and a Mote as the rare item, unless the treasure is gil.

Throne Road

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Nomad Village
This chest only appears in International Zodiac Job System version, and only in the Rains.


 *  - Chest does not respawn.
 *  - Opening this chest causes Chest #75 in the Tchita Uplands to disappear forever. However, both chests contain the same treasure. Inversely, if Tchita Uplands Chest #75 has been opened, this chest will disappear forever as well.

Gizas North Bank

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Gizas South Bank

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Warrior's Wash

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Toam Hills

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Starfall Field

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Tracks of the Beast

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Sunstone
The dark crystals scattered over the plains absorb sunlight during the Dry, which can then be drawn out to make sunstones. Vaan visits Giza to find a sunstone. He receives a Shadestone from a boy named Jinn in the Crystal Glade and charges it up transforming it into a sunstone. To do this, the player must walk up to a shining crystal on the plains and take its energy to the Shadestone. The player will need to visit multiple crystals to fully power up the stone.

The player can come back later and do it multiple times for 200 gil, two Potions, and a Holy Stone.

In the International Zodiac Job System, the reward received for repeating the quest depends on the amount of time it takes the player to fully charge the Shadestone. The player receives 200 gil, two Potions, and a Holy Stone for returning within seven minutes, 150 gil and a Holy Stone for returning within fifteen minutes, 100 gil for returning within 35 minutes, and 50 gil for taking more than 35 minutes.

Hunts
The Croakadile is a Rank II Mark that becomes available after the weather turns rainy, after the party has obtained the Dawn Shard in the story. It is found on the Starfall Field area of the Giza Plains during the Rains near a bridge. It is likely to be the only enemy in the area. It is petitioned by Sadeen who is found on the plains during the Rains. After completing the hunt the player receives Ring of the Toad that can be given to the nomad elder during the Dry, who will tell the story of Sadeen. Encountering Sadeen during the Rains again will reveal the truth. Doing this won't get the player any additional rewards, however.

The Cluckatrice is an Elite Mark whose hunt becomes available after the party has returned to Rabanastre after escaping from Barheim Passage, and is the first Elite Hunt given by Montblanc. It is located in the Giza Plains during the dry season on Giza's North Bank. It can only be encountered after the player has defeated all other enemies, left, and reentered the area. It is petitioned by Dania in the nomad village during the dry.

The Gil Snapper is a Rank III Elite Mark. The earliest the hunt can be accepted is after returning to Rabanastre after the events in the Tomb of Raithwall. The petitioner for the bill is Nanau, found in the Crystal Glade-part of the Giza Plains during the Rains. The player will be given a special urn to capture the Gil Snapper's spirit, who is called the Lord of Rain by Nanau's tribe. Gil Snapper is found in the Tracks of the Beast in the bottom east corner of Giza Plains. To reach this section the player needs to cut down withered trees. There is one tree in every area save for the north-westernmost part and the south-easternmost part where the party cross the path of trees. The trees are by the water and are white.

Upon arrival, the seeq Bansat, who had talked to the player in the Clan Building, will arrive to help. The weather must be raining heavily for the Gil Snapper to appear (the sky flashes with lightning bolts). If it is not raining heavily, the player can exit the Tracks and return until this requirement has been fulfilled (the seeq will say that the mark has appeared). The report that Gil Snapper has been vanquished can only be made during the Dry, as Nanau will have left the Plains to join her tribe members.

Rare Game
Rain Dancer has a 20% chance of appearing in any of three areas of the Giza Plains during the Rains. It may appear in the Gizas South Bank, Warrior's Wash, or Toam Hills.

To find Nazarnir the player must have spoken to the "Huntmaster" in Phon Coast and defeated Thalassinon, which will trigger the start of the Rare Game quest. The Nazarnir then has a 40% chance of replacing the Sleipnir in the southeastern corner of the Starfall Field area during the Dry. The player can easily differentiate Nazarnir from a Sleipnir due to the Nazarnir having Shell status.

Great cockatrice escape quest
When the domesticated cockatrice from the Nomad Village run away to explore Ivalice, the party must find them and return them to the village. Finding the birds yields weapons as rewards. To start the quest the player must kill the Cluckatrice (mark) and acquire Feather of the Flock (found in an urn in the Tracks of the Beast area of the Giza Plains during the Rains where the mark Gil Snapper is fought), and proceed past Draklor Laboratory in the story.

Friendly NPCs

 * Bangaa Hunter (Dry)
 * Garif Hunter (Rains)

Arjie's Shop
Arjie only appears during the dry season.

Weapons

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Armor

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Accessories

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Magicks

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Ammunition

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Technicks

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Items

 * FFXII
 * IZJS

Nutsy
A moogle named Nutsy, across from Arjie, will sell a map of Giza Plains for 30 gil during the Dry.

The Dry
The path to the Ozmone Plain is inaccessible until after the Tomb of Raithwall and the first Rains have come and gone.

The Rains
Notice the lack of some of the paths as well as the appearance of "Tracks of the Beast" to the southeast.

Musical themes
The music that plays in Giza Plains is the eponymous theme "Giza Plains". This theme is also found in Theatrhythm Final Fantasy as a Field Music Sequence.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings


The Giza Plains are a location from mainland Ivalice. It is revisited by the party, as Ashe asks them to help out with the attacks of Sky Pirates and Yarhi occurring on Ivalice.

Mission 35: The Secluded
The player must seek out and talk to the Dalmascan Soldier that holds information about the Judge of Wings. Many soldiers wander the plains, and if any are felled by the roaming monsters, the battle ends in defeat. The correct soldier is in the northeast part of the map, and the player must reach this informant quickly as the Yarhi Titan will spawn very close to him.

Monsters

 * Quetzalcoatl
 * Infernal Wolf
 * Atomos
 * Great Tortoise
 * Titan

Guests

 * Dalmascan Soldier
 * White Hare

Monsters

 * Quetzalcoatl
 * Infernal Wolf
 * Storm Wolf
 * Minotaur
 * Golem

Rewards

 * Hammer of Lightning
 * Rune Bracelet
 * Auracite

Goblin Pouch

 * Destrier Mane/Dragon Whisker

Monsters

 * Quetzalcoatl
 * White Hare
 * Minotaur
 * Atomos
 * Earth Drake

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
The Giza Plains appears as the Field Music Sequence for it's eponymous theme.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call
The Giza Plains return as the FMS for its eponymous theme.

Trivia

 * Jinn, from Giza Plains, can be found in Rabanastre's Southern Plaza once the Rains starts after the player proceeds far enough in the storyline. He disappears once the weather starts cycling.
 * Again, once the Rains start, travelers are to be found in the Nomad Village. They disappear once the weather starts cycling.

Giza-Ebene