Tranquility

Gaberada, the Undertown

The town has an inn and three chests: a Phoenix Pinion, three Fuma Shuriken and a Remedy. A Tablet Shard lies near the north-west house. The village elder, in that house, gives the next main objective: find out about the miasma that closes off most of the continent. A silver-haired woman starts the side quest "Reunion" (section 6). The notice board talks of a merchant ship; merchant ships roam the seas and sell rare items, starting with an Adamantite for 35,000 gil.

Radar, Adamantite and Aileen

Take the hidden passage behind the inn and talk to the person there for the Magi-tenna, then give it to Lid on the airship to upgrade its radar. The radar now shows items out on the world map; among them are an Adamantite in the water north of Olderion, the Ancient Garment in the water just west of the way into Gronoa, a Magicite north of Zoldaad's big volcano, a Berserker Ring on the north side of Pharm and a Spell Jacket on the south side of Mysidia. Once her side quest is done, Aileen, on the airship deck, crafts each party member's special weapon from one Adamantite apiece; these are among the best weapons in the game. The airship shop has new stock, including the Adept's Armlet, which doubles the battle EXP of whoever wears it.

The east of Gronoa

For now only the eastern part of the continent is open; the miasma closes the rest. It holds three Mist Hi-Potions and the Deafening Bow, and the way to the Research Center Ruins.

Level 1 and Level 2

Pick up the Level 1 Lab Key Card in the first room and leave by the west. In the westernmost room is a Tablet Shard and a teleporter. Past it are a Lightning Scroll II, two Mist Turbo Ethers, a Tablet Shard and the Arcane Long Rifle; press the three switches to open the warp. Take it, collect the Level 2 Lab Key Card, and head for the east room.

The teleporter split and Level 3

The teleporter there leads to three Unicorn Horns. At the split, the teleporters right, left, right lead to Fortress Gear, an optional chest; then go back and take the left teleporter to the ladder. On the upper level are a Tablet Shard, a Magicite and a Violet Pot that wants an X-Ether rather than a fight. Take the Level 3 Lab Key Card, warp back, and go into the north room near the entrance for the White Jade Stone. Nothing marks which stone is the right one: take the one on the table in the middle of the room.

Fina's choice

With the stone comes a dialogue choice that raises one of Fina's stats: "Yeah, you look sad." gives +10 MP, "Of course I'm worrying about you. Why wouldn't I?" +3 Magic, and "I-I mean…sort of." +3 Spirit.

Holy

Back in Gaberada, take the stone to the elder. During the scenes that follow, Fina learns Holy. Holy clears the miasma, and with it the whole of Gronoa opens up. The newly open land holds a Remedy, an X-Potion and a Wind Scroll II east of the ruins, Brigand's Gloves and two Knives of Sleep west of Gaberada, and Humbaba's cave and Bladerain Stele, where the side quest Iron Splitter starts (section 6).

The Rugged Mountain Path

A mostly linear climb with two Tablet Shards, an Adamantite and a Flame Scroll II. A hidden path on the right leads to Kumobashiri, an optional weapon.

Boss: Lux

Lux waits midway up the path. It is weak to Dark and drops a Halo Ring.

• Weak to: Dark.
• Bring: Dark skills.
• Watch for: it can dispel buffs, so turns spent buffing are mostly wasted.

A scene plays on the world map shortly after you leave, and the party wakes up in the Town of Duggle.

The Town of Duggle and the south

Duggle has a Tablet Shard to the north, two Fuma Shuriken in the centre and two X-Potions hidden to the left. The southern part of Gronoa is now open: two Earth Scroll IIs, three Healing Springs, Anatomy of Magic near the shrine, a Mist X-Potion, a Mist X-Ether, and the Shadowstep Garb across the bridge east of the ravine. Necromonarch's cave is here too.

Inside the shrine

A Tablet Shard a few steps from the entrance; a Mist X-Ether down the right-hand stairs. At the next fork, west for a Magicite Cryst, east for a Tablet Shard. The north-east path, down one ladder and up another, leads to the Rod of Focus and a Tablet Shard. At the next fork, east for Hermes Sandals, then take the elevator to the boss.

Boss: Elfdrit

Elfdrit is weak to Light and Fire.

• Weak to: Light and Fire.
• Bring: Light and Fire skills, plus Multi-Cover and a Ribbon against its many status ailments.

Afterwards the objective points east, to Sanctissimus Shrine.

The first three: Archaeoaevis, Dad Bomb, Test Rider

After the opening scene, move on to the next room for another one, and then the fights begin.

• Archaeoaevis: RPG Site and Game8 say its weakness changes during the fight, and Game8 suggests plain non-elemental attacks; the FF Resonance Wiki lists it as weak to Wind. RPG Site spells it Archaroaevis.
• Dad Bomb: weak to Fire. It explodes at low HP and can wipe the party; Reraise, or passives that leave a character on 1 HP, see you through.
• Test Rider: weak to Light and Earth. It switches between moods; play defensively while it is enraged.

Yakhanati, the Arch Gargoyles and the Dragon

• Yakhanati: weak to Dark and Wind. It switches between shrugging off physical and magic attacks; change your attack type with it.
• Arch Gargoyle ×2: weak to Light and Wind. Bring them down together, or finish the second before it acts: the survivor revives the other.
• Dragon: weak to Lightning. Defeat it before its countdown reaches zero. Drops a Magicite Cryst.

Yakhanati's room has a hidden path to the north, to a Violet Pot (give it an X-Ether), a Tablet Shard and the Whip of Affliction. In the elevator room a Tablet Shard sits on the linear path, and just before the last elevator a hidden exit to the west leads to the Hero's Blade.

An event battle, and Gelidus

The next fight is closer to an event than a boss. The objective is to fight Lasswell. Passives that strengthen Rain, or extra skills for him, help here. Afterwards Rain learns The Power Within. Then comes Gelidus, in the crystal room, the chapter's last fight. It drops the Snow Spirit's Scarf.

• Weak to: Fire, say RPG Site and the FF Resonance Wiki; MeowDB's enemy data, which it marks as unconfirmed, lists it as weak to Ice and resisting Fire. Game8 gives no weakness and spells it Geldius.
• Watch for: it hits mostly with physical attacks and grows much stronger when Deprotect lands on the whole party, so keep that off.

The side quests

• "Reunion" — the silver-haired woman in Gaberada. Search the clearing east of the item shop in Sunioo, then the marked tree on Mt. Thunderclap, then talk to Silvia in the Dwarven Forge. Reward: a Magicite and 2,500 gil.
• Iron Splitter — Bladerain Stele, once Holy has cleared the miasma. It ends with Odin (below).
• Errand's End — earns the Vision Amelia. PowerPyx places it in chapter 6, starting in Zoldaad, the Imperial Capital; Game8 in chapter 6, starting in Mysidia; IGN lists it with chapter 5, starting in Zoldaad.

Odin

Interact with the grave at Bladerain Stele for the Broken Sword Hilt; that starts Iron Splitter. Then head south into the ravine: examining the grave there starts a fight with Odin's Shadow, weak to Lightning, which drops the Broken Sword Blade. Take the sword to the Nameless Ruins and Odin joins as an Esper. PowerPyx, IGN, RPG Site and the FF Resonance Wiki give Odin for Iron Splitter; Game8 gives Odin for Nichol's Duty instead. The Esper tracker has all nine.

Optional fights

• Humbaba — level 55, weak to Wind, in its cave east of the Research Center Ruins. Mostly physical attacks with ailments attached; guard against Paralysis.
• Necromonarch — level 55, weak to Light and Fire, in its cave in the south of Gronoa.

Both are Cave Masters, well above the story's level here; the Cave Masters tracker has all fifteen.

The trophy of chapter 6

Clearing the chapter earns And the Winner Is…. Nothing in the chapter can lock you out of a trophy; the trophy tracker has the full list, and the Vision tracker every Vision.