Bravely Default is now available in North America and I will be your guide through this wonderful game. Expect many guides and updates often over the coming weeks.
This guide covers the prologue of the game including:
- AR image bonus: How to see it.
- Norende Ravine: Getting through it.
- Barras and Holly Boss Fight: What they do and how to beat them.
- Job tips: Which Jobs are best suited for each character.
Starting your Adventure
AR Image Bonus Scene
When you start a new game it will activate the camera and ask if you want to use the AR image or skip. The AR image is on the back of the instruction booklet. Place that on a flat surface then aim the 3DS camera at. A special scene will activate before the main game starts.
Prologue – On the Precipice of Despair
After the beginning scenes you will be in control of Tiz. When you leave the inn, you will find that you are in the Kingdom of Caldisla. The exclamation points on the map show where you need to go for your objectives or get new quests.
After the palace scenes, head south and leave Caldisla. After reading about tutorial quests, head back into caldisla and go to the inn. Doing the tutorial quests is a good way to get acquainted with the game.
Norende Ravine
- After going back to the world map, go north to a cave to reach Norende Ravine – Trail. Your first fight of the game will teach the Brave and Default battle system to you.
- On the Trail, take the lower path to the left to reach a chest with a Potion. Go back and take the upper path to the left to Norende Ravine – Climb. Go south to grab the chest for 200 pg, the game’s currency, then follow the path left to Norende Ravine –Vista.
- Speak to the merchant to save and get the Strange Hourglass. When you do this, Sleep Points and Bravely Second gets explained. Continue north to watch a cut scene.
- Agnes joins you after. Follow the cave back to the entrance. Periodic cut scenes appear as you make your way out.
Rebuilding the village has certain advantages.
Caldisla
- When you exit the ravine, head south to Caldisla. Rest at the inn to progress to daytime. After that, talk to the king at the palace.
- Exit town, then head west to the point on your map.
- [Cut Scene] – A battle begins after the cut scene.
Barras and Holly Boss Fight
Holly is a White Mage and uses support skills mostly. Barras is a Monk and uses physical attacks.
Holly Whyte
- HP: 250
- Weakness: None
- Family: Human
- Skills: Aero, Protect, Cure
- Holly casts Protect often and Cure when either of their health is low. Protect increases physical defense and cure restores HP. She occasionally casts Aero.
Barras Lehr
- HP: 300
- Weakness: None
- Family: Human
- Skills: Invigorate
- Barras will use Invigorate to raise his physical attack, then attack. He cannot act the next turn when he does this.
- Attack each evenly, but defeat Holly first. If you focus on one, Holly will keep using Cure to stop your progress.
- After Holly is gone, just keep attacking Barras. There was an explosion that finished him off when I played.
When the fight is over, you get the Monk and White Mage asterisks. These allow you to change to the Monk and White Mage jobs.
- [Cut Scene] – I recommend changing jobs immediately after the cut scene.
- Tiz is better suited for Monk because he has higher base STR, which increases physical damage.
- Agnes has higher base MND, which increases healing, magic defense, and avoiding status ailments.
Caldisla
- You must buy spells before you can use them, so return to town to buy Cure. You can also buy Poisona and Blindna if you can afford to. They cure poison and blind.
- Go to the palace to continue the story, then to the inn.
- [Cut Scene] – Ringabel joins your party after the cut scene and you receive D’s journal. This lets you look at all kinds of information ranging from job descriptions to enemy information.
- Leave town, then head north to the point on your map.
That’s it for the Part One Prologue guide. Check out my Part 2 Prologue Guide for the conclusion.
