Big, Stupid, Pointless List of Errors in the Final Fantasy 1 Strategy Guide
Copyright 2003-2005 The Collector (collector@fforigins.com)
Version 1.1, September 12, 2005

Best viewed with an evenly spaced font, 78 characters to a line.

Thanks to Kyle Chapman (FreshFeeling) for finding a couple of errors in my list
 of errors.

Intro:
As you may know, the Final Fantasy 1 (NES) strategy guide is loaded with
 errors, typos, and misinformation. Why would I need to compile a list of
 these errors? Just for fun really. I hope there aren't any mistakes in my
 list, because of the nature of it, it would leave me open to looking like a
 total jackass. Oh well.


General errors/notes:
Undead creatures all claim to be weak to HARM, which is not technically true,
 but I'll let that slide.
Two enemy categories are never mentioned, but I don't bother since they don't
 matter for gameplay.
Some weapons are supposed to be effective against more monsters than the guide
 actually tells you, but since they don't work anyway I don't mention it.
The guide never explains that the amount of experience earned from monsters is
 divided by the number of party members alive at the end of the battle.
It also never explains that the number for Evade% on armor is actually how
 much your Evade% goes DOWN.

Page 4:
Chapter 2 & 3 titles switched.

6:
Ghoul is missing some ineffective spells.
Were Sword claims to be stronger against certain monsters.

10:
LOCK doesn't work.

11:
Cap does not have BB or Ma in the equip list.
Bone, Zombie & Ghoul are missing some ineffective spells.
Were Sword & Rune Sword claim to be stronger against certain monsters.
Claims that some weapons are stronger against certain monsters.

14:
ICE claims to effect all enemies.
TMPR doesn't work.

16:
Claims Sun Sword, Light Axe & Coral Sword are stronger against certain
 monsters.
Implies that the Zeus Gauntlet protects against sea enemies.

20:
LOK2 doesn't work as described.

21:
Says OddEye is in the Water category.

22:
Drawing of the Crystal is not a ball, when the item description claims
 otherwise.
Power Staff's buy price is listed for its sell price.

23:
Red Bone, Scum, Muck & Shadow are missing some ineffective spells.
Cobra is missing from the monster list.
Claims LIT2 is the best offense against Scum, Ooze, and Slime when they're
 resistant to it.

24:
Several chests are marked as empty, makes no mention of the contents being
 shared.
Mentions MUTE as a useful spell against Wizards.

25:
Dragon Sword claims to be stronger against certain monsters.

29:
Claims BM can learn WARP.
Ooze & Mummy are missing some ineffective spells.

30:
Bull, Giant, Earth, Ooze & Troll are listed for Chapter 3 outer world enemies,
 Green Ogre, Hyena, Imp, Muck, Scorpion, Scum & Spider are not.

31:
Image, Geist, Earth & Wizard are missing some ineffective spells.
Grey Imp, Hyena, Iguana, Muck, Scum & Wizard Ogre are missing from the enemy
 list. 
Claims that "Fighting Giants is easiest with the Giant Sword".

32:
Vampire is missing some ineffective spells.

33:
Says Lich can use STOP, ZAP! & NUKE.
Neglects to mention that Lich is undead, and that Harm will work.
Lich is missing some ineffective spells.
Doesn't say that Lich's attack can stun you.
Claims Coral Sword is stronger against certain monsters.

34:
Claims Giant Sword, Rune Sword & Dragon Sword are stronger against certain
 monsters.

37:
Silver Gauntlet's equip list says RM instead of RW.

38:
Says Lukahn gives you the Canoe, but the guy next to him does.

39:
Red Giant's picture is upside-down.
Cerebus is missing the line between AP & EXP.
Fire is missing some ineffective spells.

41:
It says the Ice Sword is the best weapon by far for the Fighter for the
 Volcano, which is technically true, but their reasoning is faulty.
 (God, I'm being picky.)
A chest is marked as empty, makes no mention of the contents being shared.

42:
Several chests are marked as empty, makes no mention of the contents being
 shared.
Kary is missing some weaknesses.
Claims Ice Sword & Giant Sword are stronger against certain monsters.
Flame Armor's sell price is listed as 1500 instead of 15000.

43:
Specter & Wraith are missing some ineffective spells.
Says Specter is resistant to BABE.
Says Coctrice is weak to ICE.
Trance is missing from Sorcerer's spell list, but its effect (in parenthesis)
 is still there.
MUTE, GLANCE, SQUINT, GAZE, and STARE are missing from Eye's spell list.
Mummy, Red Bone, Image, and Geist are missing from the enemy list. 
Tells you to equip the Flame Sword immediately, and urges you to use it
 against Frost Dragons to avoid big Blizzard damage.
Says Coctrice uses the Glance spell to turn you to stone.

44:
Tells you to give the Rune Sword to your best fighter for the battle with the
 Eye.
Claims Flame Sword is stronger against certain monsters.

45:
Says Caribe, Gator, and Ocho are in the Water category.
Giant is missing from the enemy list. 
Okay, probably the pickiest thing in this entire list: Ocho's resistance box
 is only partially colored in.

46:
Again claims that you get the Canoe from Lukahn.
Says to use Fire and Ice weapons against monsters of the opposite type.
Okay, somebody yell at me if "Medusans" is actually the plural form of
 "Medusa", but I'm pretty sure it isn't.
The description of what the Ribbon does is misleading.

49:
Soft Potion is referenced to the wrong page.

50:
Doesn't say that Mancat is in the Magic category.
Mancat, Wizard Mummy, and Zombie Dragon are missing some ineffective spells.
The letters showing which transporters to take range from vague to downright
 wrong.

51:
Says you have to fight the Zombie Dragons before getting the Tail.
Ice Sword is referenced to the wrong page.
A chest is marked as empty, makes no mention of the contents being shared.
Gold Bracelet's Absorb is mixed up with the Opal Bracelet (page 62).
Says Zeus Gauntlet can be equipped by RM, instead of RW. Also says it protects
 against lightning instead of casting LIT2.
Says Sand Worm casts QAKE instead of CRACK.
Ocho, Hydra, Wyvern, Ankylo, Tyro, and T Rex are missing from the enemy list.

52:
Mentions the Castle of Ordeal's "three deadly floors", only 2 are deadly. :-)
Says the BB becomes your best pure fighting warrior after the class change,
 when the class change actually does nothing beneficial for the BB. (It actually
 makes him slightly worse.) Also, the Master is technically the ONLY pure
 fighting warrior after the class change.
Says the Black and White Mages gain strength with the class change.

55:
Says the ProRing protects against RUB "when used in battle".

56:
The description of FADE is misleading.

57:
Description of ARUB is missing some of its effects.
SABR doesn't work.
Says Frost Gator is in the Water category, and its HP is wrong.
Red Ankylo, Tyro, T Rex, Sand Worm, and Imp are missing from the enemy list,
 while Iguana is on it.

60:
Doesn't mention that Ghosts can Stun.
Big Eye's spells are listed as STUN & DARK instead of GAZE & FLASH.
Ghost, Wizard Sahag, Water, and Rock Gol are missing some ineffective spells.
The stairs on Floor 3-C are swapped.
Says the Zeus Gauntlet protects against lightning.

62:
Has LIT2 on Kraken's spell list, and doesn't mention that he's in the Water
 category.
Power Gauntlet's equip list says RM instead of RW, and it says it protects
 against SABR instead of casting it.
Doesn't mention that the Opal Armor and Shield protect against lightning.
Opal Bracelet's Absorb is mixed up with the Gold Bracelet (page 51).

63:
Tiny little minor thing, Gas Dragon's spell list says POISON GAS instead of
 POISON.
Nitemare & Mud Gol are missing some ineffective spells.
WW is missing from the Ribbon's equip list, the description of what it does is
 misleading, especially that it says, "when used in battle".

64:
List of weapons with special properties includes Flame, Ice, Dragon, Giant,
 Sun, Coral, Were and Rune Swords.

67:
NUKE is identified as a Fire spell.

68:
ZomBull is missing some ineffective spells.
Imp is missing from the enemy list, while Sphinx, Catman, Tiger, Saber Tooth
 Tiger, Sauria, Wyrm, Great Pede, Frost Giant, and Ocho are on it.

69:
Doesn't mention that Guard is weak to Lightning, and some ineffective spells
 are missing.
Wyrm & Wyvern are missing from the enemy list.

70:
Sun Sword claims to be stronger against certain monsters.
Says Dragon Armor protects against dragon attacks, when it actually protects
 against Fire+Ice+Lightning.

71:
Another instance of the tiny little minor thing, Jimera's spell list says
 POISON GAS instead of POISON.
MUTE and DAZZLE are missing from the Wizard Vampire's spell list, but LAMP is
 on it.
MUTE is missing from the Grey Naga's spell list, but LAMP is on it.
Air, Slime, Sentry, Wizard Vampire, Evilman, and WarMech are missing some
 ineffective spells.
Jimera is on the enemy list.
ProRing is referenced to the wrong page.

73:
The map of Floor 4 is missing one column and one row. Consequently, the
 description of where to walk is incorrect.
It says the chances of encountering WarMech are 1 in 64. This is both incorrect
 and misleading. While it is 1 in 64 in the Japanese version (and all remakes),
 it was changed to 3 in 64 in the American NES version. That isn't the whole
 story though, as it is 3 in 64 for each individual encounter. You're bound to
 face at least 4 encounters, so it's more like 3 in 16, or 1 in 5.333~. Even
 that isn't all, because it's not actually random. That goes a little beyond the
 scope of this guide, though.
It says to use AFIR and Ice Armor to defend against WarMech, when WarMech has no
 fire-based attacks. (Nuclear is non-elemental.)
The final occurrence of the tiny little minor thing, Tiamat's spell list says
 POISON GAS instead of POISON.
Tiamat's spell list is also missing BLAZE.
Black Shirt's equip list says Kn instead of BW.
White & Black Shirts descriptions are missing their elemental resistances.

74:
MUTE is missing from the Phantom's spell list, and LAMP is on it.
Iron Gol's spell list says POISON GAS instead of TOXIC. Its description is
 wrong too.
Phantom & Iron Gol are missing some ineffective spells.
Frost Wolf, Sauria, Fire, Red Dragon, Naga, Nitemare, and Evilman are missing
 from the enemy list.
The maps of Floor 1 and Floor 3 (page 75) are mixed up.

75:
Claims INV2 can protect you from the Gas Dragon's poisonous breath.
The maps of Floor 3 and Floor 1 (page 74) are mixed up.

77:
The map of Floor B5 is upside-down.
Doesn't mention that Chaos' attack can Stun.
Some spells are missing from Chaos' spell list.
Chaos is missing some ineffective spells.

84 (Back Cover):
(Okay, most of these aren't so much mistakes as me just being a jerk. Enjoy.)
"The only official Strategy Guide available with 84 power-packed pages of
 inside information straight from the pros at Nintendo"
Come on! They're counting the front and back covers and a Nintendo Power
 advertisement in that 84 pages. Being generous, there are only 80 pages that
 are actually power-packed. I could argue fewer.

"Where to find all the items including what's inside every treasure chest"
Well, except for the ones in the last dungeon.

The only real error on this page, they claim the Giant Sword makes it easier
 to fight Giants.

"New time-saving index helps you go straight to the information you want"
New? I'm no literary historian, but I'm sure the "index" is not a new
 invention. It's at least hundreds and probably thousands of years old. I'm
 surprised they're not touting the printed word as an amazing new innovation
 that helps you get your hands on all the power-packed info more efficiently
 than primitive spoken language.

"NES Four Score or NES Satellite" ... "launches you into four times the fun!"
I'll grant that playing with 3 other players is probably at least 4 times as
 fun, but you must divide the total fun by 4.
T = (F x D) / 4 where T is the total amount fun for you, F is the original fun
 value, and D is the 4-player fun multiplier (which is probably at least 4,
 but doesn't have to be). So you can see, the net gain of fun is not as high
 as they'd like you to believe.

-end-