The party arrives at Pandæmonium.
Cid's Crucible.
Ahhh, could this be fate? Our paths have never crossed, but I know who you are. You're the pawns of that woman—the one who has crossed the White Tiger. Very well. I shall be the one to pass Judgment on you.
Marshal Cid Aulstyne
The Invasion of the Rursus (ルルサス軍の侵攻, Rurusasu-gun no Shinkō?) is the final mission of Final Fantasy Type-0 that starts after entering Pandæmonium. Most of Chapter 8 comprises this mission, which takes place on Cae. VII. Its mission level adapts to the original twelve cadets of Class Zero, always being ten levels fewer than the average level of the party (on Cadet and Officer difficulty). Machina and Rem are absent. Like The Akademeia Liberation, this mission cannot be repeated via the Missions option on the title screen.
During this mission, a variant of special orders—called "Cid's Crucible"—are compulsory, and thus even appear when this feature is initially turned off. Cid's Crucibles cannot be refused and need to be completed to proceed. Failing a Cid's Crucible results in instant death of the active leader and a reset to both the crucible and the enemies being involved in it.
The mission[]
S-rank requirements[]
- Time: 45:00
- Phantoma: 80
- Casualties: 24
Rewards[]
- The Rubicus Entry "Chapter of Truth"
- 3x Auric Hourglass
Strategy[]
The cadets must split into two groups. There should be at least one ranged cadet in the group that heads right, as it is helpful for the Cloister of Revelation trials. There should be cadets equipped with magic as there will be targets against whom physical attacks are ineffective.
- Hall of Transgression (Left)
The crucible is to defeat a Rursan Reaver in 10 minutes. It is slow and will become invisible, during which attacks won't connect. It only uses an overhead attack with a sword that doesn't do much damage, but if hit, the cadet will be briefly afflicted with Killsight, meaning if hit during it they die in one hit. The cadets must bring the Reaver's health down to almost nothing, score a Killsight, and harvest its phantoma to get rid of it. The cadets can now head to the exit to switch to the second group.
Killsight on a Rursan Reaver.
- Hall of Transgression (Right)
After going through the right gateway the second crucible starts. The cadets must survive against three Rursan Reavers that will continually spawn for 2 minutes and 13 seconds. To lessen the chance of having to fight more Reavers the player can down all three and hold the lock-on button as if harvesting their phantoma without actually doing it. After surviving the timer the cadets can head for the exit to switch to the first group.
- Cloister of Adumbration (Left)
There is some Cinnabar Phantoma glimmering on the floor the cadets can pick up. There is nothing else in the area, except for the phantom voices of Class Zero's past lives that ring around the room.
- Cloister of Revelation (Left)
Cloister of Revelation.
The goal is to make it through two rooms without the party leader getting hit. The rooms have Cubes on the sides that fire pellets whenever the cadets get into their line of sight. In the second room Hundleg-type enemies are rolling around. If the leader is hit they must start again from the beginning. The best strategy is to ignore everything and dodgeroll through the rooms.
After getting through the crucible, the hallway in the Chamber of Fate has a window to Ingram. It leads into a big empty room, Cloister of Inspiration. Approaching the door on the side switches to the other team.
- Cloister of Adumbration (Right)
There is a Cinnabar Phantoma glimmering on the floor, but nothing else but the phantom voices.
- Cloister of Revelation (Right)
The Rursus only takes damage when the candles are lit.
The crucible is to defeat all enemies in 10 minutes. A ranged cadet is useful here, as without one, one needs to use magic. The cadets face a single Reaver that takes no damage, and Cubes that shoot projectiles. The cadets need to hit the candles in the room until their health is depleted, lighting them up. After all five candles are lit the cadets can defeat the Reaver, harvest its phantoma, and move on. The Reaver can only be damaged while the candles are lit and if they go out, the cadets must light them again. The default is to target the Reaver but the player can change targets with the controller's shoulder buttons.
In the Chamber of Fate there is a view to a burning Dominion of Rubrum. It leads to the Cloister of Inspiration that has an Iron Giant that buffs itself when low on health, and the only way to kill it is to wait for the Killsight opportunity. Heading to the side door rendezvouses with the other party.
- Chamber of All
The choices.
The teams join and there is a cutscene where the cadets must choose to become l'Cie or remain mortal. Choosing the former sets the player on the bad ending route where the cadets face off against a horde of Rursan Reavers, each wave five levels higher than the previous wave, eventually resulting in a game over.
Remaining mortal allows the player to complete the story. In the following rest area the player can save the game and choose their next team.
- Cloister of Premonition
The cadets battle a Tonberry.
The crucible in this area is to harvest seven phantoma while heading to the exit. The doorways have a portal the cadets can step through to get to another similar area. Reavers and Tonberries spawn here, and the latter throw objects at the cadets that act like grenades. There are also treasures: Mega Ether and a Megalixir.
As there aren't too many branching paths, the cadets should keep going until arriving in a room with a circular platform in the middle. If the cadets come upon this area without having harvested enough phantoma, they can't continue. With enough phantoma there is a beam of light in the middle and stepping into it whisks the cadets to the next area.
The cadets must split into two groups again. Cadets with magic should be sent to the left. The left group also benefits from a ranged cadet.
- Cloister of Manifestation (Left)
Magic-use is required for this crucible, as physical attacks cannot hit the enemies. The cadets must fight two Rursan Reavers who spawn alongside Dark Eyes and Wingverns. There is a treasure here that contains Violet Phantoma. After vanquishing the enemies, the cadets can head to the exit to switch to the other group.
Cloister of Exhibition.
- Cloister of Exhibition (Right)
The cadets must eliminate the enemies: Reavers and some Ice Flan and Zabaiones. Periodically the floor lights up at random spots with red squares and stepping on them deals damage. The squares do a set amount of damage, around 200 or so. The flan have high physical resistance, and it is best to bait them into attacking to reveal their Breaksights. Defeating the enemies and heading to the door switches to the other group.
- Amphitheater (Left)
Amphitheater.
The amphitheater is a round area with moving platforms and many Rursan Reavers and Thunder Bombs. The goal is to defeat the enemies without using magic. It is useful to have a ranged cadet, although not necessary. The central section is broken up into smaller platforms that rotate and then stop at certain points. There are barriers that won't let the cadets pass so they have to wait for the platforms to stop to cross. The Bombs' Self-Destruct can be deadly in a confined space. The crucible timer doesn't stop after finishing the enemies, so the cadets should head to the exit on the opposite side. There is a treasure here for Ivory Phantoma.
In the hallway of the Chamber of Fate, there is a view to Lorica. The cadets must approach the doorway on the side of the next room, the Cloister of Inspiration, to switch to the other group.
- Cloister of Revelation (Right)
There is a Cinnabar Phantoma on the floor and more phantom voices.
- Amphitheater (Right)
The symbol between two fires.
The round room spins with the cadets facing off against Rursan Reavers with Cubes showing up afterwards. There are four Pillars of Monad that are a key to the room's puzzle. The player must follow the red smoke emerging from this doorway (right). While fighting the enemies the player can notice the sun-like symbol of Etro's gate appear on the outside ring of the room. The cadets must destroy the four pillars at the right moment. Besides the symbol, the player must keep track of the flames that move around the area.
The cadets must destroy the last pillar the moment the flames line up at the same spot as the symbol. If done correctly, the room will stop in front of the door and the cadets can continue. If not, it will stop and release a Diceratops.
The Chamber of Fate shows a view of Concordia. In the Cloister of Inspiration the party will face a Behemoth. In the Chamber of Light, upon the next relic terminal, will have all the cadets back in the party. From here on out, the party will remain together.
- Cloister of Instruction
Cloister of Instruction is an elevator, and doesn't have a crucible, only an enemy: a Rursan Reaver that transforms into a stronger version. While it acts similar to the previous version, its attack will now sweep the ground in front of it, so the cadets must dodge away to avoid getting hit.
- Portal of Destruction
Portal of Destruction.
This area has four gates with symbols that correspond with the four nations of Orience that lead to areas where the cadets must complete more crucibles. After finishing the four areas, the cadets can head to the ending scenes. The areas can be done in any order.
- Chapel of Destruction (Vermilion Bird; Red)
The cadets fight a Golem.
There are two students and two evolved Rursan Reavers. The goal is to ensure the students aren't killed.
The next room has bodies on the ground that come to life to start attacking. These are dominion legionaries who use melee attacks and some magic. Soon a Golem pops in. After defeating the enemies the cadets return to the main room.
- Chapel of Destruction (Black Tortoise; Purple)
The cadets face Gilgamesh.
The cadets must win against Gilgamesh. The fight is the same as the one during The Clash on Big Bridge, except there is artillery fire into the area. Gilgamesh doesn't take much damage from normal attacks, so the cadets should exploit the Breaksight opportunities that trigger when he charges to try and grab/punch, and when he does his sword combo. After he is hit once, the cadets should cease their attack and wait for him to kneel, triggering more Breaksights. Cater or Ace might be a good choice of a leader for attacking constantly while dodging attacks, as her bullets and his cards home in.
The cadets must fight their way through while poisoned.
- Chapel of Destruction (Azure Dragon; Blue)
The area's crucible is to eliminate the four evolved Rursan Reavers without dying. The cadets will be poisoned. The cadets don't have to fight all of the Reavers at once. Before going through the exit, there's a treasure with a Pearl Phantoma in a dead end. Going through the door, the cadets face six Dracobaltians and are no longer poisoned. Defeating them returns the party to the hub.
- Chapel of Destruction (White Tiger; White)
The crucible here will have the cadets fight three evolved Rursan Reavers who are invisible. The cadets can still lock on to them and their health bar appears above their heads whenever they take damage. After defeating them, the cadets can move to the next room where the cadets face two Unidentified MAs, which are models of Gabriel. They are still fast but have less health.
Cadets battling Cubes.
- Spiral of Rebirth
This is the last crucible that involves the cadets having to climb to the top of the area without falling in while red liquid rises from the bottom. The only enemies here are the Cubes set before the stairs leading upwards on each level. The cadets can just dodge past them and keep rolling round the edges of the path to avoid fire. At the top the party dies, yet the game will continue.
Sanctuary of Descension.
- Sanctuary of Descension
The cadets are now severely injured and move slowly (dodging still works). Approaching the crystal triggers a cutscene, and approaching the items on the ground triggers another one. After picking up the items (l'Cie Rem's Crystal and l'Cie Machina's Crystal) the player can head through the nearby doorway, then down the path to a large gateway, with the final relic terminal and the final boss at Consecrated Ground.
- Final Boss
- The Rursan Arbiter
The player must have The Rursan Arbiter bring down all of the cadets after which a cutscene plays and the cadets will be refreshed with Haste and Invincibility. The player should now go for the Breaksight and harvest a phantoma from the boss, then repeat this for all cadets to finish the game.
The player controls one cadet at a time. While they cannot die, the player still needs a Breaksight to complete the battle. The Arbiter has three main attacks it will use from the beginning, one being an overheard attack with its weapon. The player should dodge to either side to trigger a Breaksight opportunity. Sometimes it brings its arm in a sweeping motion to try and grab the cadet. To avoid it, the player can dodge by staying on the outer edge. When the Arbiter starts summoning bolts of lightning, the Breaksight chance is right before it begins the attack.
After harvesting a piece of phantoma, the player must switch to another cadet. On the last cadet the player must keep hitting Breaksights until a Killsight appears to harvest the final phantoma to complete the mission and the game.
After the credits roll the player can to save and begin a New Game Plus from that save.
Rubicus[]
- Cae. VII – Invasion of the Rursus
Although the dominion succeeded in overthrowing the empire and gaining hegemony over all of Orience, its glory proved short-lived. Bleak darkness enveloped the world, and warriors of shadow crept forth across the land, annihilating all the dominion legions in their way until only Akademeia remained.
With its chain of command shattered and the entire school in disarray, all seemed lost for Akademeia. However, a group of twelve cadets refused to surrender. Joining forces with one of the kingdom's powerful wyverns, the cadet task force stormed Pandæmonium off to the southwest, slayed the army of soul-reaving Rursus, and heroically restored peace to Orience.