Ultimate Guide to Defeating Riovanes Castle Keep in Final Fantasy Tactics

The confrontation at Riovanes Castle Keep stands out as the most formidable battle in Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. This encounter, similar to its predecessors in both the original PlayStation release and the War of the Lions version, presents a notable jump in difficulty, necessitating thorough preparation for success.

Preparatory Steps

Customizing Ramza’s Configuration

Game character screen showing Ramza with Ame-no-Murakumo equipped, highlighting Auto-Potion ability in Chemist description box. — My Ramza setup from the first playthrough of *Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles* for triumphing at Riovanes Castle Keep.

In the late stages of Chapter 3, players must navigate Ramza to Riovanes Castle, where he is required to win three consecutive battles. The second battle is a duel against the formidable Wiegraf, a challenge that can become insurmountable without a solid strategy revolving around self-healing and delivering a decisive blow to Wiegraf.

Category	Options	Notes / Requirements
Primary Job	1. Ninja Or 2. Monk Or 3. Samurai Or 4. Squire	Any physical class works well, but Ninja is preferred for its speed and the Dual Wield ability.
Secondary Command	1. Mettle (Squire Command) Or 2. Martial Arts (Monk Command) Or 3. Items	Unlock Focus (Mettle) and Chakra (Martial Arts) for enhanced strategies.
Reaction Ability	Auto-Potion (Chemist)	CRUCIAL! Ensure you only carry X-Potions before the battle, requiring Bravery 80+.
Support Ability	1. Dual Wield (Ninja) Or 2. Doublehand (Samurai)	Note: Doublehand does not synergize with Monk as a main job.
Movement Ability	1. Movement +3 (Bard) Or 2. Teleport (Time Mage) Or 3. Movement +2 (Thief) Or 4. Movement +1 (Squire)	Vital for maintaining distance during combat.

Choosing Your Battle Team

As you assemble your battle team, selecting your strongest physical damage dealers is essential. It’s advisable to include a Chemist for rapid healing support, while Mustadio with his Aimed Shot skill proves advantageous as well.

Phase One of the Riovanes Castle Keep Battle

Final Fantasy Tactics game screen with character Ramza using the ability Tailwind in a castle setting. — Strategically maintaining distance and boosting stats is crucial for succeeding in one of the toughest encounters within *Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles*.

The initial phase pits Ramza head-to-head with Wiegraf, who wields the Holy Sword’s Hallowed Bolt attack. Wiegraf also possesses a high likelihood of countering physical assaults through his Counter Reaction ability. Thus, it’s imperative to prepare Ramza’s strike power to eliminate Wiegraf in a single blow while relying on Auto-Potion for healing.

Strategic Turn-by-Turn Approach

Maximize distance from Wiegraf on each turn.
Employ Mettle’s Focus to amplify attack strength or Steel if Bravery isn’t high enough for consistent Auto-Potion activation, or use Tailwind if Wiegraf gains multiple turns due to speed advantages.
If Wiegraf’s damage overshoots the healing provided by X-Potions, utilize Iaido’s Murasame, Martial Arts’ Chakra, or an X-Potion via the Items command for recovery.
Once poised to defeat Wiegraf in one hit, strike with precision, ideally attacking from behind to maximize the chance of landing a successful blow.

Phase Two of the Riovanes Castle Keep Battle

Video game battle screen with character Leavold preparing to Attack an Objective enemy labeled Belias in a tactical view. — The second phase of the Riovanes Castle Keep battle may be less daunting than the first, yet it still tests your mastery of *Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles* mechanics.

During the second and concluding phase, Wiegraf transforms into the Lucavi Belias, summoning three Archaeodaemons. Ramza, alongside the party members selected before the duel, makes this phase less of a solitary challenge.

Belias’s capability to cast Cyclops can inflict extensive area damage, capable of defeating most units in Tactician mode at a moment’s notice. Additionally, he can silence and petrify characters, rendering magic-wielding units ineffective. Prioritize swift termination of the battle through the use of physical attacks.

Channel attacks primarily toward Belias, particularly when he is in the process of summoning Cyclops for an opportunity to inflict maximal damage.
Since you’ve already enhanced Ramza’s physical capabilities, safeguarding him during this segment is critical, as he is likely your most effective combat asset.
Should you have Mustadio on your team, leverage Arm Shot to disable the Archaeodaemons temporarily, affording your party additional time to concentrate on overcoming Belias.

Upon Belias’s defeat, the battle concludes, marking a significant triumph in one of the game’s most arduous encounters. However, remain vigilant; further challenges lie ahead. For insight into how the remaster refines even the most intricate aspects of the original, explore my comprehensive review of Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles.

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