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Archylte Steppe is a vast grassland in the world of Gran Pulse. In Final Fantasy XIII-2 it is visited in an unknown time period (??? AF), and is inhabited by a village of hunters who have a weather-controlling device. There are thus four "versions" of the steppe, as the enemies depend on the weather. There is no sign of Cocoon on the horizon.

Though the Archylte Steppe appeared in Final Fantasy XIII, none of the area is reused for Final Fantasy XIII-2, and it is thus effectively a different area.

Datalog[]

Travel Guide: Archylte Steppe
Area Information

The Archylte Steppe is a broad plain located in a remote corner of Pulse. The few explorers who reach the steppe return with reports of a tribe of fiercely independent nomadic hunters who have lived off the land here for centuries, cut off from the rest of human civilization.

The actual location has not been made public, but tourists with a bent for adventure might consider renting an airship and putting together their own expedition.

From the Editor's Desk:

Some believe that the hunters are descendants of the original inhabitants of Pulse, while others claim they are a lost tribe of Cocoon. If you could get close enough to win their trust, they might tell you their story.

Story[]

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)
FFXIII-2 Serah & Noel Archylte Steppe

Serah and Noel trying to solve the paradox.

Serah, Mog, and Noel travel to Archylte Steppe to fix an anomaly affecting the Sunleth Waterscape 300 AF, and find themselves in a sandstorm-filled field. They come across a hunters' settlement that has a weather-changing device. The chocobo breeder mentions that she and the others were previously citizens of Cocoon who had to acclimate to life on Pulse, though they were initially fearful of the transition.

FFXIII-2 Faeryl

Battle against Faeryl.

After earning the hunters' trust by defeating a pack of Goblins and retrieving wool, Serah and Noel are taught how to use the weather machine. They uncover the Faeryl, a monster sucking up Miniflan. The path to the Faeryl is blocked by a Long Gui, but Serah and Noel use the device again to remove it, as it doesn't like thunder. They defeat the Faeryl and discover that it accidentally ate a Fragment, which meant whatever Miniflan it would swallow would be transported to the Sunleth Waterscape. With fragment in hand and the paradox seemingly solved, the two return to the Sunleth Waterscape.

Spoilers end here.

Quests[]

Component farming[]

There are several notable "farming" locations for the components needed to level up the Paradigm Pack monsters.

The areas of Stonestump Wastelands and Grave Ridge (Sunny) have plentiful Buccaboos that drop the Grade 3 biological monster component Potent Orb.

In Clearwater Marsh (Rainy), the player can encounter Hedge Frogs, Mud Frogs, Swampmonks, and Caterchipillars, all of which drop Potent Essence, a Grade 4 biological monster component.

In Clearwater Marsh (Sunny), the Microchu spawn in mass numbers, allowing the player to collect many Potent Crystals, as well as the rare item component Sunpetal, making this the best location for farming Grade 5 biological monster components. It is also reasonably frequent during the rainy season, allowing the player to collect a number of Potent Crystals at the same time as collecting Potent Essences.

The Vampire Cie'th on Grave Ridge, Stonestump Wastelands, and the Clearwater Marsh (Stormy), offer a 20% chance of dropping Potent Generators, making them the only realistically farmable choice for this Grade 5 mechanical monster component.

Weather[]

FFXIII-2 Examine Device

Noel examining the weather changing device.

There is a weather-controlling device in the hunters' settlement the player can use after doing an errand for the hunters.

  • Cloudy = Both levers upright
  • Rainy = Left lever upright, right lever lowered
  • Stormy = Left lever lowered, right lever upright
  • Sunny = Both levers lowered

The player can use the golden cactuar waypoint that appears as a tornado on windy weather to teleport the party to the west side of the steppe. Sheep roam the plains in cloudy weather. Stormy weather causes only Cie'th to appear on the plains.

See the Enemies section for what enemies spawn in each weather.

The three Gigantuars[]

To unlock the Time Gate covered with chaos found on the steppe, the player must defeat three Gigantuars. These are the Cactuar statues found in the Archylte Steppe. One is found on the Stonestump Wasteland in any weather. There is another in Clearwater Marshes (northeast) behind a rock. It needs to be uncovered with Moogle Hunt in sunny weather. A third statue is found in Clearwater Marshes (Central) that needs to be uncovered with Moogle Hunt in rainy weather.

Areas[]

FFXIII-2 Archylte Steppe Map

Map of the Archylte Steppe.

In the northeastern side of the Steppe there is a nomad village where hunters live and possess a device that can change weather on the steppe.

  • Plains of Eternity
  • Sanctorium
  • Nomad Camp
  • Grave Ridge
  • Stonestump Wastelands
  • Clearwater Marshes


Treasure[]

Item Location Requirements
Remedy x2 Plains of Eternity None
Potion x3 Plains of Eternity None
Mana Droplet x8 Nomad Camp None
Grimoire Hat Nomad Camp None
600 gil Nomad Camp None
Power Sliver x8 Sanctorium Moogle Throw
Fractured Horn x2 Plains of Eternity None
Vitality Droplet x6 Stonestump Wastelands None
Mana Chip x8 Grave Ridge Moogle Throw
Phoenix Down Grave Ridge Moogle Hunt
Mana Bolt x8 Grave Ridge None
Vitality Sliver x9 Grave Ridge Moogle Hunt
Single Horn Grave Ridge Moogle Hunt
Guardian's Edge Clearwater Marshes Moogle Throw
Wild Artefact Clearwater Marshes Moogle Throw
Gysahl Greens x3 Clearwater Marshes Moogle Hunt
700 gil Clearwater Marshes None
Unicorn Horn Clearwater Marshes Moogle Hunt
Dragon Hide Backpack & Mog's Clock Sanctorium Defeat Faeryl
Chichu Plains of Eternity Improved Moogle Throw
Nanochu Clearwater Marshes Improved Moogle Throw

Enemies[]

The appearance of enemies depends on the area's weather. Defeating the Ochu during rainy weather, Long Gui during sunny weather, Immortal during cloudy weather, and Yomi during stormy weather, earns the player the "Big Game Hunter" achievement/trophy.

Weather can be changed by moving the levers on the weather machine in the hunter's camp.

Monster Area Weather Notes
Barbed Specter Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge Cloudy
Blue Chocobo Clearwater Marshes Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Buccaboo Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Buccaboo Ace Stonestump Wastelands Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Buccaboo Ace Grave Ridge Sunny, Rainy
Cactuar Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny
Cactuaroni Plains of Eternity Rainy, Cloudy
Caterchipillar Clearwater Marshes Rainy
Chelicerata Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Cloudy Stops appearing after Goblin Fragment is obtained.
Chelicerata Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny Stops appearing after Faeryl is defeated.
Chocobo Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy This is a normal yellow chocobo.
Chonchon Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Stormy
Clione Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny Stops appearing after defeating Faeryl.
Clione Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Cloudy Stops appearing after obtaining the Goblin Fragment.
Cloudburst Stonestump Wastelands Cloudy Good ravager to have in the monster pack.
Debris Grave Ridge Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Faeryl (Boss) Sanctorium Any Must first be triggered through Sunny weather and story events before it may be fought in any other weather.
Flanbanero Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny Appears after Faeryl is defeated.
Flangonzola Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny Appears after Faeryl is defeated.
Flowering Cactuar Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny
Fomoire Clearwater Marshes, Grave Ridge Stormy
Gancanagh Stonestump Wastelands, Clearwater Marshes Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Gancanagh Ace Stonestump Wastelands, Clearwater Marshes Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Ghast Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Stormy
Gigantuar (Fixed) Stonestump Wastelands, Clearwater Marshes 1st tablet - Any
2nd - Rainy
3rd - Sunny
In the Clearwater Marshes, the Cactuar tablets must be found using Moogle Hunt. All three tablets appear once Faeryl is defeated.
Goblin Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy Appears after obtaining Goblin Fragment.
Goblin Chieftain Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy Appears after obtaining Goblin Fragment.
Hedge Frog Clearwater Marshes Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Immortal (Fixed) Stonestump Wastelands Cloudy Sidequest target. Available after defeating Faeryl. Will reappear after defeat when weather is changed from and back to Cloudy.
Ispusteke Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge, Clearwater Marshes Stormy
Long Gui (Fixed) Sanctorium Sunny Appears as a fixed encounter in Sunny weather. Will reappear after defeat when weather is changed from and back to Sunny.
Major Moblin Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge, Clearwater Marshes Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Malebranche Clearwater Marshes Stormy
Metal Gigantuar Stonestump Wastelands Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy Rare monster. Appears as a spacetime distortion.
Mewmao Clearwater Marshes Rainy
Microchu Stonestump Wastelands, Clearwater Marshes Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Miniflan Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny
Moblin Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge, Clearwater Marshes Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Mud Frog Clearwater Marshes Rainy
Navidon Clearwater Marshes Rainy
Ochu (Fixed) Clearwater Marshes Rainy Sidequest target. Available after Faeryl is defeated. Will reappear after defeat when weather is switched from and back to Rainy.
Pulsework Gladiator Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge Cloudy
Reaver Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny
Red Chocobo Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Samovira Grave Ridge Sunny, Cloudy
Scutari Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Seeker Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Stormy
Silver Lobo Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Swampmonk Clearwater Marshes Rainy
Testudo Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge Cloudy
Triffid Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny
Vampire Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge, Clearwater Marshlands Stormy
Varcolaci Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge, Clearwater Marshlands Stormy
Vodianoi Grave Ridge Sunny, Cloudy
Vouivre Sanctorium, Plains of Eternity Sunny, Rainy, Cloudy
Wladislaus Stonestump Wastelands, Grave Ridge, Clearwater Marshes Stormy Previously seen in Final Fantasy XIII as a sub boss in Orphan's Cradle.
Yomi (Fixed) Grave Ridge Stormy Sidequest target. Available only after Faeryl is defeated. Will reappear after defeat when weather is switched from and back to Stormy.

Musical themes[]

The Archylte Steppe has multiple themes depending on the weather. During sunny weather, the "Plains of Eternity" plays, composed by Naoshi Mizuta and with vocals performed by Joelle, while its non-lyrical counterpart, "Plains of Eternity -Aggressive Mix-" plays whenever enemies appear. The "Gapra Whitewood" theme plays during rainy weather. The "Vile Peaks" theme plays during cloudy weather, and "Will to Fight" plays in stormy weather.

Other appearances[]

Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade[]

FFAB Stonestump Wastelands XIII-2
Castle Cornelia PSThis section about a location in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.


Behind the scenes[]

Archylte-Steppe-900AF-Artwork

Archylte Steppe 900 AF, concept art.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 Ultimania Omega has a concept art that depicts the capital of Cocoon, Eden, crashed to Archylte Steppe after the events of Final Fantasy XIII.[1] This idea was never used. Other concept artworks depict Archylte Steppe in 900 AF covered in a vast city with a building reminiscent of the government building in Eden in Final Fantasy XIII. This area would have had two versions: daytime and sunset.[1]

There were also plans to have a downloadable scenario to take place in the Archylte Steppe where Snow would have ridden his Shiva Sisters motorbike across the steppe, killing monsters, but this idea was abandoned.[1][2]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Jonttutan (n.d.) . Final Fantasy XIII-2: Cancelled Environments, Areas and DLC Plans. Square Portal. Archived from the original on 12 December 2012.
  2. Final Fantasy XIII-2 Ultimania Omega Director and Producer Interviews
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