Trial Mode Treasures

Learn how to obtain powerful early-game loot like the Diamond Armlet and Karkata weapon in Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age through Trial Mode.

The Zodiac Age version of Final Fantasy XII features many changes, with the job system being a significant one. Trial Mode, however, is another major addition, pitting your party against multiple rounds of enemies. Clearing ten stages rewards you, and there are one hundred stages in total. You likely won't be able to progress far in Trial Mode early on, but you can still obtain fantastic loot. This guide focuses on opportunistically visiting Trial Mode to grab choice items, not on completing it entirely.

Items obtained in Trial Mode can be carried over into the main game after clearing a stage.

To participate, load any saved game (preferably a hard save) by selecting Trial Mode from the main menu. Each stage cleared in Trial Mode creates an auto save of your progress, which does not affect your original hard save. Items used and gained, LP earned, and HP/MP status are recorded in this auto save. If you wish to keep an item obtained in Trial Mode, complete the stage, quit to the title screen (via the Pause Menu), and load the auto save. This reloads your story save with the Trial Mode changes applied. You can then make a new hard save to preserve these gains.

Diamond Armlet

This is an easy item to obtain as a proof of concept. Make a hard save, quit to the main menu, and load it via the Trial Mode option. You'll start in the Garamsythe Waterway, facing six Dire Rats. Turn left and head upstairs to find a lootable that will always yield a Diamond Armlet (Accessories 3). This is the earliest, easiest, and cheapest way to acquire this item. Equipping this item changes the lootable treasure selection to often higher quality items.

To keep the Diamond Armlet, kill the Dire Rats. The stage will end automatically. Upon reaching stage two, return to the main menu and load the Trial Mode auto save via the Load option. This will return you to your story save. Save your game properly (a hard save), then return to the main menu and load this save to restart Trial Mode and collect more Diamond Armlets.

Karkata

More significant loot requires more effort. Make a hard save, load it in Trial Mode, and advance to stage three. This stage features a Flowering Cactoid, four Cactites, two Cactoids, and a Ripe Rampager. The Flowering Cactoid is the target, from which you can steal a Longsword (55%), Mythril Blade (10%), or a Karkata (3%).

The Karkata is the prize, but its rarity may require multiple attempts. To avoid replaying the first two stages, steal what you can. If you don't get the Karkata, quit to the main menu and use the Trial Mode option to load the auto save from the beginning of stage three. This resets the fight with the Flowering Cactoid, allowing another steal attempt. To speed this up, set Gambits to "Foe: status = Haste -> Steal" to focus on the Hasted Flowering Cactoid. Vaan, Fran, and Balthier are ideal for this, and Speed Mode can further accelerate the process.

Once you obtain the Karkata, revert your Gambits to normal fighting setups and defeat the Cactoids. Upon victory, you'll proceed to stage four against Razorfin and Ichthons. You don't need to fight them; simply let the stage load and auto save, then quit to the main menu and use the Load option to load the Stage 4 auto save.