Wild Arms 2nd Ignition Battle System and Stuck Point Mini-Faq

                               V  1.9 -10/30/99

Welcome to my Wild Arms 2nd Ignition battle system and stuck point mini-faq.
I must start off by saying that this faq is not to be copied, sold, or freely
distributed anywhere without my permission.  People who ask permission to post
this faq will be granted so and it is limited to that.  Now on to the faq.

Updates:10/30/99;added info on defeating the boss "Ghost", also added info on 
Marianbel and the side quests that are tied in with her
10/29/99;clarified what you receive from the Lucied place,info added
on force abilities for Tim, Riruka, and Brad,added info on uses of
Marianbel,also clarified my unanswered question on the tower in the
upper-right section of map, added info on optional tower
10/28/99;added info on how to get Marianbel to join, how to Lucied as
a guardian, how to get Ashley's final good, a trick to avoid getting into
battles entirely, added more to the unanswered questions section,made some
logical corrections/removals to various parts of this faq,added info on the
boss Ghost,added info on Ashley's 3rd force ability(thanks to JL for this)

10/28/99; corrected spelling of Ashley's level 4 Force Ability, added
info on a few stuck points, added a list of unanswered questions within the
game, and finally an editor's note

10/27/99; battle system and gameplay information through the middle
of disk 2, potentially major stuck point solutions included as well.

There is only one other faq/walkthrough on this game to be found so some of
you may find this to be quite helpful.

The game play systems in WA2 are not all that much different than the first
game's, but they have been expanded upon.  First off, there are 8 playable
characters, 5 of which are with you for a good portion of the game.  They
include Ashley(The main character- yes, that's a blue haired guy named
Ashely), Brad, Riruka, Tim, Kanon, and Marianbel.  The goods system is back
for puzzle solving in the dungeons.  Each character above has 3 goods during
the course of the game(except for Marianbel)

Ashley- Throw Knife, Treasure Core(this is the only one that basically isn't
used to solve puzzles.  It makes a sound when there is an unopened treasure in
a room), and a staff that serves as a light flare(this is found in the end
dungeon

Brad- Kick Boots, Bomb, I don't know the exact translation of this one, but
when used, Brad whacks the ground making block fall down so as to create a
walkable path.

Riruka- Fire Rod, Freeze Rod, Change Rod

Tim- Pooka(Tim's little pet who is mainly used to fetch out of reach
treasures.  You must be at the same height on the screen as the treasure),
This next one I can't translate, but it is a leaf that shoots towards and
moves blocks, Mist Cloak

Kanon- Wire Hook, Roller Dash, Jump Boots

Generally, Usage of the different goods will usually get you unstuck in a
dungeon, but not in all cases as will be explained later.

The battle system is very similar to the first game's, but with a few
additions.  Only 3 characters can be used in battle, but there is a total of 6
that you have the option of working with.  In the first set of options when a
battle begins, you can choose the one with the arrows to sub in any of the
other characters whenever you want.
Summoning beasts are back, but things are a little different this time.
Everyone, except for Kanon and Marianbel has the ability to use summons.  The
summons represent the character's level 2 force ability which is called
"combine" You first acquire this shortly after Tim joins the party.  There is
but one condition to using summons- Tim must be in the party. This causes for
a
lot of battle strategy as Tim is easily the worst character in the game, but
if
you want others to use summons...
These summons are equipped as accessories, and each one brings forth a new
command during battle.  These include analyze(like ff's scan),
pickpocket(steal items from the enemy), and defend.  In addition to Combine,
your characters will have the opportunity to get other force abilities, some
of which come automatically.

Ashley-Accelerate(gives him the first turn in a battle),Combine,full blast
which uses all ammo in an ARM for inc. damage  You can get this one from some
person in the throne room of the town that is located on the most northwestern
continent of the map in disk 2),Access(It turns Ashley into a super hero sort
of character that has all-new powers).  Thanks to JL for the correct spelling
of this ability.

Brad-Lock on Blast(ensures accuracy with his guns and does increased damage),
Combine, Double Arm(allows him to fire guns twice in a turn), Blast Attack
which fires a gun with 3 times the power as his lock-on ability(thanks to Matt
for this info).

Riruka-Mystic(allows use of an item to spread for all characters), Combine,
Extension which can be found in the same island where you can first learn
level 2 magic- thanks again to Matt for this info, Dual Cast- Allows 2 spells
to be
cast per turn.

Tim- Force Shift(gives FP pts. to other characters-thanks to Rudi for this
info), Combine, Power divide which halves the level of the target(thanks to
Matt for this info), High Combine(A higher powered version of combine-thanks
to Matt, but I have not been able to actually use it yet,although its on my
list.

Kanon-Gatling levels 1-4(each gets stronger and is used as a supplemental
attack to one of her specials.

To use force abilities the given character must have the required amount of
FP's which will decrease upon use.  FP's increase during battle by using a
physical attack or by getting oneself attacked.  Max FP's are equivalent to a
character's level.  This system is different from the character's other
specials or "Original Power".  For example, Ashley and Brad can use guns or
ARMS such as: Phantom Fang or Dead on Arrival.  Riruka can use spells which
are broken down into level 1 or level 2 magic.  Magic is acquired the same way
as in the first game: get a crest graph and trade it in at a shop for a spell
of your choice.  However, level 2 magic is not accessed automatically.  You
must use the teleport orb(not the same as the gems which can be bought) which
you get from the dog in Brad's hometown, and you will randomly be warped to a
small island where you can search for a house.  In there you get an orb which
can be given to someone in Riruka's home town on the snow continent.  When you
return to the guy in the house, you can give him crests for level 2 magic.
Also, select other towns offer level 2 magic as well.  There is one change
worth noting in regards to the ARMS: each has the usual beginning amount of
ATP(attack power), bullets and hit percentage.  These can be increased at the
shops, but only to level ten.  No matter what attribute you decide to
increase, the max is level is 10.  Remember, one level per stat increase.

The guns and magic spells require having a certain amount of FP, but this time
the FP does not decrease when the tech is used.

If you die in battle in most RPG's, the game is over and its back to the last
save.  However, in WA2, there are continues which bring you right back to the
battle you died in when used.  The game starts you out with 3 and that number
can increase by finding the corresponding coins throughout the game.

Another added feature of WA2 is the point skills system.  When a level is
gained, the character gains a skill point that can be used at the shop to
increase a stat or make an action more likely.  Most skills take 2-4 points to
go up one level and all have 3 levels.  Examples are: Magic Defense Up,
Critical Hit rate up, counter attack chance up, HP increase larger upon level
gained and so on.

Potentially major stuck points:

1)To go forward in the cave inside the town of Horust(spelling?), you must
find Brad's good: Bombs - these are found by a bed on the second floor of the
inn.  You won't actually see them-you must search.  Use you can use Ashley's
Treasure Core to find their exact location.

2)The solution to this second problem can be credited with huge thanks to
"Nusakan".  At one of Odessa's(the terrorist group you are fighting) hideouts,
in the desert on the western part of the map, there is a door which requires a
password for entry.  That would be "toromu" entered in katakana.  Again, thank
nusakan for this one.

3)This next stuck point comes essentially right after the previous.  You can
wander around, without much to do on any of the screens.  You need the voice
recorder which is found inside one of the locked doors with a guy in it.  It
is precisely in a locker in the room.  You must listen in on the phone
conversation there(one of the options on your menu) and then go back a few
screens to another room and do the same thing.  When you return, the door will
be open, the guy gone, and you can get the voice recorder.

4)This next stuck point involves what to do once you have the voice recorder.
A very special thanks goes out to my girlfriend Shann for solving this one.
You must go to the room(this is after the password door)where there is a phone
conversation involving one of Odessa's female flunkies(don't remember her
name-I think it starts with "A")and in that room go right up to the door(this
is essential because you can't just be in the room) and use the voice
recorder.  Then go to the sealed door by the save point and use the voice
recorder.  Thank Shann for this one, players.

5)This stuck point can be found at the Raypoint-Wing location in Disk 2(one of
the four elemental places you must go to get the life energy of the element to
battle Odessa) in which there are 4 blocks with an opening at the top of each.
 A item piece must be placed in each.  Each of the 4 items can be found
through puzzles just before this room.  The pieces look to represent a planet
or rock(this is what is looks like on the item list), sun, moon, star.  There
is a certain order in which the blocks must be placed.  Once again, thanks to
Shann for working on the combinations here(24 of em).  From the top block(the
one nearest the sealed door)place the planet one in,then going downward, the
order is:moon, sun, star.

6)This stuck point refers to how to access the water elemental
location:Raypoint-Muse in Disk 2
The only way to get here is by hovercraft, but your denied moving towards it
by the big bridge that goes into the snow continent.  In the Raypoint-Wing
location, you will get Tim's mistcloak.  Once you have this, you can go to the
final room of the bridge from the map and get inside the fence.  There you can
pick up one of Ashley's last guns and use the computer to raise the drawbridge
so your hovercraft can go through.

7)This stuck point involves what to do once you defeat the boss in
Raypoint-Muse and acquire the jump-boots shortly thereafter.  You must use the
jumpboots to leap to the room just above the boss room(you have already been
here before) where there is only one statue.  From the statue, walk around the
corner towards the treasure chest and look for a faded tile.  This is where
you must use the jump boots 2-3 times to continue on.  Thanks to many people
including Tom Chan who was first to come forward w/this info.

8) This stuck point refers to puzzle in Raypoint-Muse that has several
statues, 3 of which can't be turned.  The idea is that each statue must
directly face another.  First work with the 3 that can't be moved by having
the corresponding statue face them.  From there, there is only one way each
statue can face to have all of them facing each other in pairs. Thanks to
Shann(hec8ie@hotmail.com) for this one.

9) This stuck point is the one w/ seven tiles in the apparent final location.
The tiles must be removed in a certain order to open the door.  The order is
moon,fire,water,tree,gold,earth,sun.  Big-time thanks to Rudi for this answer.

Miscellaneous

1)Tim is actually useful afterall with this avoiding enemies trick!!!:
This doesn't work on the overhead map, but inside dungeons, if you use Tim's
mistcloak for every step you take, you won't get into any battles whatsoever.
It's slow, but it works.  When applied to the end dungeon, I didn't get into
any random battles.

2)You can get Luceid as a guardian.  Once you have Ashley's final good, go to
a location on the western side of the map that is primarily dark and only
shows a certain radius of distance.  Use Ashley's good to light up the room
and continue forward(this isn't necessary, but makes things considerably
easier).  Thanks to Dhira(dhira@bigfoot.com)for this info
Note: When you complete this area, an ability is added on to Ashley' super
hero ability list.  Lucied is not actually a call spell.

3)You can get the vamp girl from the opening of disk 2 to join your party.  Go
to the place that is called "something blue red" on the western part of the
map.  She'll join and come with the electrical good which can be used in the
end dungeon to get Ashley and Brad's best weapons. Thanks again to Dhira for
this information.

4) In the dungeon after Raypoint-Muse there is a sword that when touched,
brings about a boss battle with the ghost of Vinsfeld.  He is extrememly tough
and can do 6,000 damage spread per hit.  Obviously you want more max HP than
that.  You also want to have Riruka use her Mystic ability every turn with the
max heal item to keep up everyone's HP's.  Other than that, use Ashley's
access and use the 97 ability from it for over 9,500 of damage.  You don't
seem to get anything special from this unless something is set off elsewhere.
It appears that winning this is just for the pride of victory. Oh yeah and a
carrot item as well.
Note: There is a quick and dirty way to defeat this boss.  Use Tim's turn 
undead ability on him for the win.  It's as simple as that.  This kind of 
reminds me of all the cheap ways you defeat some bosses in ff5 and ff6. Thanks 
to JL for this tip.

5) Marianbell can summon monsters as well-take her to all of the dungeon's
with the pyramids.  Her electricity ability is the key to many of the optional
stuff as well. Thanks to Matt for this info. It turns out that Marianbel has 3 
goods as well.  You have the first and can get the 2nd in a dungeon on the SW 
island.  First, to make it possible to search for this place, you must have 
her read from the eastern shelf of the library in the castle section of 
Townmaria(Ashley's hometown).  Then, you can use that good in the Lost Garden 
dungeon(this is old and not the end dungeon,btw) to get her 3rd good which 
activates the various pyramids you  have seen in dungeons.  There are 8 of 
them corresponding with 8 tough-ass bosses that help Marianbel get guardians.  
Note: Marinbel can get original power skills by randomly learning them from 
enemies who use them on her(this is similar to blue magic from ff).  Thanks to 
JL for this extra info on Marianbel.

6) Towards the end of disk one, you must go to three towers(the ones where you
fight Odessa bosses).  There is actually a fourth which is optional and you
fight Judecca.  To get to it you must go to the snow continent on the western
half of the map(the name of the place is Arc...I don't remember the rest of
it)and get to an additional transporter.  From there you will have access to
the tower on the upper right-hand continent on the map.

All help or contributions on anything in this game is greatly and appreciated.

You will be credited in the following version of this faq.

Editor's Note:  I would like to thank everyone who has offered help on this
game.  It has allowed my girlfriend and I to continue forward with this quest.
 It has also helped a lot towards making this faq the growing metropolis that
it is soon becoming.  You guys are all great. When there is an import
walkthrough museum, you shall all have finely crafted statues for those on
tours to view.  Look for future versions of this faq and also an Arc the Lad
III faq/walkthrough coming soon.

We have arrived to the end of this faq.  I will update it when more info is
available and may do a complete walkthrough when time is free, and many other
future rpg's are finished.

My girlfriend and I are simulataneously going through separate quests and we
can be reached at rob@gwu.edu(me) and hec8ie@hotmail.com(her). We thank
you for all help in advance.

This document is protected by copyright laws, 1999