A Cheater Can Prosper at the Coming of Age Festival

One could spend a lifetime exploring the various nuances of every Harvest Moon and Rune Factory game, tracing Events to their inspirations in prior games, following characters and their families from generation to generation and village to village.

Even a single Festival or Event can have many different variations, however. One of the most delightful experiences I had in playing Harvest Moon was in Island of Happiness, when my character actually choked on a rice cake in one variation. It was the fifth time I had reloaded the Festival Event when I experienced that...

After all the characters who warned about the dangers of choking on Rice Cakes in various Harvest Moon games in the past, it was wonderful to discover the little Event in IoH. It is random and one could attend the Festival year after year without ever experiencing it...

The creators of these games are amazing. A player like myself, after playing any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game begins to ask: 'What if...?' and then one tries the unexpected.

The Cheating Events at the Coming of Age Festival offer an ordinary player years of enjoyment as he/she participates and perhaps is able to experience a different Event each year. By reloading without saving, I tried to experience all of them for this video, but an entire day in real time later, I had to move on without ever being able to catch Erik's Event. Another year, perhaps...

Another result came from my question to myself of 'What if...one tried to cheat Stella?'

Here are the various Events that can occur at the Coming of Age Festival in the 2nd Year. The real difference between the 1st Year Contest and those in subsequent years is your own character's ability to cheat.


By the way, I made another video some time ago about the 1st Year Contest. It shows the traditional result if your character wins honestly, among other things.



The philosophical implications of this Contest are extremely interesting. Many characters will muse about the Coming of Age Festival and ask why it involves a Treasure Hunt. Other characters will speak of the significance of the Festival in the past, when historically it DID represent a true 'coming of age' ritual.

In Trampoli, in Rune Factory Frontier, however, it is as though the 'Lord of Misrule' had taken control of this ritual, turning it on its head. Instead of being a Festival where children can prove themselves to be adults, it is a Contest where adults vie for the privilege of showing themselves to be children in their behaviour.

Stella, when giving the rules warns:
Stella: Also… listen. Today is the Coming of Age Day. Which means I won’t allow any childish behaviour such as cheating, all right? If you’ve found Golden Turnip, bring it here to me before the sun sets. Don’t be late.

In the first year, I failed to recognise the extent of the mischief in the design of this Festival. In fact, the entire Contest is centred on cheating. Some one ALWAYS cheats! At first, a player may think that the cheating Event is random. As you will see in the video, however, it occurs every time your character participates in the hunt for the Golden Turnip.

Both Rune Factory 2 and Rune Factory Frontier are very sly at times. This is one example of the type of humour that makes both Harvest Moon and Rune Factory great.

At the same time, serious philosophical statements always are a part of the tapestry of existence in these games.

Kross' dialogue on the occasion of the Coming of Age Day fills this role.

Kross: I just can’t learn to like the Adventure Contest… Heh… You should never let children carry weapons. You will ruin them if you do.
Freyr: The Adventure Contest is where they go treasure hunting.
Kross: …

Kross' dialogue appears to refer to the Adventure Contest in Rune Factory 2. There is no danger, nor any chance of combat in the Coming of Age Day Contest in Rune Factory Frontier, but the Adventure Contest at the start of Autumn in Rune Factory 2 required exploration of the Caves.

From RF2:

Yue: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. It’s dangerous! You should make sure you’re stocked up on items from my shop to keep you safe!
Me: You’re a good saleswoman as always, Yue. If I need anything, I’ll buy it from you.

Tanya: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. You need to be thoroughly prepared before you head out! Now might be a good time to restock your weapons.

Julia: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. A weak girl like me has no place participating in something like that. But you can count on me to cheer you on!
Freyr: I must say, I’m pretty excited for the Adventure Contest.
Julia: I’ll be cheering for you while I’m relaxing in the bath.
Freyr: Doesn’t really sound like you’ll be cheering me on at all…

Douglas: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. ‘Adventure’… Now there’s a word that gets my heart racin’!

Mana: The Adventure Contest is really quite exciting, isn’t it? Maybe I should sign up too!

Dorothy: The Adventure Contest is tomorrow…
Freyr: Adventure Contest? Sounds exciting!
Dorothy: Freyr, if you do enter the contest, please don’t go anywhere dangerous, okay?
Freyr: Well, I don’t take any unnecessary risks, but if I’m going to compete, I have to give it my best shot.

Natalie: Are you competing in the Adventure Contest, Freyr? Be careful not to get hurt.

A Personal Note about Bianca in Rune Factory Frontier

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One of the most appealing aspects of any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game must be the dialogues, whether vital to progress or completely incidental, whether they are sly references to other games or 'red herrings' designed to make the player believe he/she is about to uncover a secret...

When a player made a comment about one of my Rune Factory videos on YouTube to the effect that he/she did not care for the game because it had 'too much dialogue', I was tempted to respond that any player who does not appreciate the dialogue in Harvest Moon or Rune Factory possesses the wrong frame of mind for ANY game in the series.

When my character spoke to Bianca and she mentioned a patterned sword she had purchased, my heart quickened momentarily. She then crushed my incipient hopes but her final statement was so much like my own experience in life that I had to share it here.

Here is the dialogue:

Bianca: I found a decorated sword the other day.
Freyr: I didn’t know you collected swords, Bianca.
Bianca: I don’t collect swords. I just bought it on a whim. But I can’t remember where I put that sword. I haven’t seen it since I had it sent home.

There are few correspondences in reality between my life and Bianca's life. I do not live in a mansion, nor can I afford expensive items 'on a whim' and I actually DO collect swords... We do have one thing in common, however: 'I can't remember where I put that sword. I haven't seen it since i had it sent home.'

I laughed when I experienced that final bit of dialogue. It sums up my domestic life, although my motivations and Bianca's lack of motivation are worlds apart. I tend to put my most valuable or prized possessions 'somewhere safe' which inevitably means 'someplace hidden'. I then forget where that safe location was. As some one who is too clever for her own good, I sometimes NEVER find the prized possession until many moons have passed and the reason for the search no longer is valid.

Ah well... perhaps that patterned sword Bianca purchased will be found and given to my character in Rune Factory Frontier. What do you think? After all, Ganesha gave me a beautiful blade in the form of Tyrfing.

Priorities in Upgrading Crops in Rune Factory Frontier

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When you first begin to play any Rune Factory game, you probably will be a little overwhelmed with the necessity of making money. You will buy seeds that are inexpensive and grow them simply for shipping as well as those crops that may be 'Most Favourite Gifts' for an Eligible Girl or Bachelor (RF2, 2nd Generation allows you to play a girl).

It is only when you have all upgrades and have made some significant progress in the game that you can spare funds for rare seeds and farm aids that will boost the level of Crops.

In Rune Factory Frontier, you can buy both Greenifier and Formula C from the Clinic. Formula C speeds the growth of a crop by 3 days. Greenifier boosts the Crop by a single level. There are less potent Formulae in the form of Formulae A and B that speed growth by 1 and 2 days respectively, but by the time you can afford to buy rare seeds, you probably will have the option of buying Formula C as well as the skill level necessary to make it in your own Laboratory.

I may have written about the effects of Farm Aids in a previous post, but I will go through it again here quickly:

1. Greenifier can be used only once on any given Crop, and only when it is still seed. Once it sprouts, it will have NO effect.

2. Formula C can be used daily on any Crop at ANY stage of growth. You cannot use two Farm Aids in a single day, however. You should use Greenifier the day you plant the seed and then begin to use Formula C the next day.

Incidentally, the game description of Greenifier is misleading if not outright erroneous. Whether this was an editing error or deliberate is unknown.

The description is:

Greenifier: 1840G
Makes your crops grow faster. Only good for once a harvest and you'll need seed, too, of course.

This description would imply that Greenifier has effects similar to the three Formulae. In fact, what it does is boost the level of your seed by a single level. In other words, plant Level 1 Cherry Grass, dump Greenifier on it and you will be able to harvest Level 2 Cherry Grass.

Note that both the three Formulae and Greenifier work on a single square. You will not obtain 9 upgraded plants from a 3 x 3 plot. You only will obtain an upgraded plant from the square on which the Greenifier was placed. It is not worth the effort nor the expense to upgrade 9 squares in any case. It is far better to upgrade one, harvest it, then convert it into seed to plant again.

It is a long process to upgrade any Crop from Level 1 to Level 10 but with the aid of Greenifier and Formula C, it can be done much more quickly than Nature intended.

Rune Factory 2 and Rune Factory Frontier are the same in this respect, except for one additional aid in Rune Factory 2. There is a Magnifying Glass in RF2 that allows you to scrutinise any square where seed has been planted. The Magnifying Glass is found on the upper floor of your Farmhouse and is used as a Tool. Unfortunately, it will show only the CURRENT use of any Farm Aid on a Crop. In other words, it will identify the farm aid used on the square on THAT DAY. You will not be able to use it to discover the level of the Crop or to discover whether or not Greenifier or any Formulae were used on the previous day...

In both games, a square on which any farm aid has been used will turn green for the day. The next day, however, it will look like every other square where seed has been planted. You therefore need to remember where you have planted specific seeds and remember which square you are upgrading. I always choose the centre square in any 3 x 3 plot for my upgrades.

Having described the process in some detail, it now only remains to identify priorities in terms of upgrades.

Your first priority should be an upgrade to all ordinary Flowers: Moondrop, Toy Herb, Pink Cat and Charm Blue. These are ingredients in some of the best Accessories.

Your first priority in terms of 'rare' Crops should be the Four-Leaf Clover. You will receive one from the 'Young Girl', Stella's younger aspect, when you experience her sequence of Events. You may wish to purchase one bag of seeds from the Materia Shop as well.

The reason I would consider it the first priority is because it is used in so many Accessories. I now believe this is the reason both Tabatha and Stella speak of it as bringing 'good luck'. Carrying it in my Rucksack does not appear to change the probabilities in terms of obtaining rare items in the Dungeons, but there is no doubt that the Four-Leaf Clover is one of the most vital ingredients at the Crafts Bench. The other is the Emery Flower which is an ingredient in THREE of the very best Accessories.

Moondrop: Headdress, Wind Cape
Toy Herb: Stylish Hat, Fluffy Hat, Furry Belt, Earth Cape, Poison Ring
Pink Cat: Fire Cape, Cat's Tail, Silence Ring
Charm Blue: Headdress, Water Cape, Corsage, Para Ring

Four-Leaf Clover: Elephant Mask, Critical 7, Black Robe
Emery Flower: Tiara, Corsage, Diamond Ring
Lamp Grass: Whale Hat, Rosario
Cherry Grass: Corsage

Fireflower: Magic Ring

Ironleaf: Gold Hairpin

N.B. There are two separate Recipes for the Corsage, but the more difficult uses the three 'Crystal' Flowers and a Moondrop. The easier one uses Charm Blue, Cherry Grass and Emery Flower

There are 'Toys' that use various FLowers as well, such as the Turnip Lamp and Pumpkin Lamp that require Lamp Grass... but these are not priorities.

There is one other priority if you intend to marry. The Wedding Bouquet requires Blue Rose, Moon Drop, Toy Herb and Pink Cat.

It is in making Accessories that the bulk of the Flowers will be used but there are a few Weapons that require a Flower as well:

Moondrop: Lunar Eclipse, Crescent Axe
Pink Cat: Heaven's Tear
Charm Blue: Heaven's Tear
Ironleaf: Steel Sushir

In my opinion, these particular Weapons are NOT a priority to create, although you will wish to ship one of each to complete your Shipping List ultimately.


A couple of Farm Tools require 'rare' Flowers:

Fireflower: The Hammer
Noel Grass: Miracle Axe, Sacred Pole
Ironleaf: Legend Sickle
Four-Leaf Clover: Joy Can
Cherry Grass: Blessed Hoe

Where your Farm Tool upgrades are concerned, however, there is absolutely NO POINT WHATSOEVER in creating anything above Level 1 initially. Your Level 1 Little Crystals and Level 1 rare Flowers should be used here to create the initial Tool upgrade.

The reason why you should not waste your higher level ingredients on any Tool upgrade is because you can use Scrap Iron instead to upgrade any Level 1 Tool to Level 10!

In conclusion, it is important to put some Four-Leaf Clover Seeds as well as some Emery Seeds in the ground of a Dungeon plot as early in the game as possible in order to be able to craft some vital Accessories. You would not benefit even if you could harvest these two Crops in the first season, however, as the creation of the Accessories in question require very high Skill Levels... By the time you obtain your first Harvest, you should be able to create them. If you can upgrade TWO flowers of that first harvest, so much the better. One upgraded Crop ALWAYS needs to be converted into seed instantly and planted. That is why I suggest upgrading two.

One final note beyond the conclusion: Irony is active in any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game. By the time you have been able to harvest upgraded Crops, their usefulness will have decreased somewhat as your character's levels of experience and Skill should be high enough to make any upgrade in Weapons or Accessories less significant than it would have been earlier in the game! Remember that the best Weapons require more RP to wield. It is only when your character's Skill and Experience Levels are high that the RP needed decreases. In a way, this is logical but it means that patience and work are required in any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game as all of the best items take time and energy to obtain...

In Rune Factory 2, there is a trading option that allows a player to obtain items from another player. If you have two DS systems and two cartridges, in theory you could pass the best items from a character with maximum experience and skill levels to one who was just beginning his game. The problem here initially is that those weapons may destroy the character who attempts to wield them! The RP requirements are too stiff for a character at Level 1 Experience.

Uzuki and the Rainbow

Every Eligible Girl in Rune Factory Frontier has her own Story. Some are linked to the main plot and the defeat of Gelwein, for example, is an intrinsic part both of Mist's story and of that of Iris.

Uzuki's tale is not connected at all to the main plot. Her quest in Trampoli is a search for her missing Elder Brother. It is only in completing her Quest that she discovers the importance of Trampoli in her own life.

For me, it is the character of Tsubute that makes Uzuki's character and 'Story' appealing. I almost would marry Uzuki simply in order to bring the faithful retainer into my household, although the implication in the Congratulations he makes on the occasion of my character's wedding to any other Eligible Girl is that he considers me to be nothing better than a 'ruffian'.

In any case, here is the conclusion to Uzuki's Quest:

Surpringly Humble Selphy...

Selphy may be a princess in disguise but when you court her seriously, taking her out on a Date or actually marrying her, she will exhibit a rather surprising humility and a real desire to please. Conscious of her keen individualistic personality, she will assure you that she wishes to be a good wife, giving the same consideration to your character as yours does when he vows to be the best husband possible after the marriage ceremony. Here is Part I of the courtship of Selphy:



Part II shows the Wedding and start of married life:

Dates in Rune Factory Frontier

Having organised Dates with almost every Eligible Girl for Autumn, reloading afterwards in each case, I have discovered a few useful rules about Dates in general:

1. You can wait until the day prior to the actual set Date to ask any Girl for a Date, but on the actual Date day set by the game, you will not obtain the Date option from ANY Eligible Girl. In other words, your 'last chance' to ask any Girl for a Date is the day prior to the Date;

2. There are two different Date Events: If the Eligible Girl is at 8-9 Hearts when you meet her for a Date, you will experience the 'short form' Event that will end BEFORE the picnic and you therefore will not have the option to propose to the Girl. If, however, the Eligible Girl is at 10 Hearts, she will bring food for a picnic and, after consuming the food noisily, you will have the option to propose to her. Whether she accepts or refuses depends on whether you have met all Marriage Requirements, both general and specific. In other words, you need to have completed the Girl's Story as well as the Double Bed and so on.

3. If you make a Date with one Girl and then ask a second Girl for a Date, you will lose almost a full Heart with the second Girl but the Girl you attempted to 'two-time' will remain oblivious of your dishonourable conduct. Your original Date will stand and her heart level will remain constant.

4. If you make a Date with an Eligible Girl and then 'stand her up', there are NO consequences whatsoever. Her Heart Level remains constant and she will not even scold you for not appearing!

5. If you tell the Girl after eating her food that it was NOT delicious, there will be no negative consequences in terms of Heart Level. In fact, in most cases, althouggh she will burst into tears, she will tell you rather docilely that she will try better in future!

6. Whether you meet the Girl 'early' or 'late' is irrelevant in terms of changing her Heart Level. There usually is a different dialogue depending on the time when you meet her. For a noon Date, you can meet the Girl ordinarily as early as 11.30 a.m. and as late as 1.00 p.m. but she will leave the screen shortly after 1.00 p.m.
As a matter of fact, if you are NOT at Lake Poli at 11.30 a.m., the Eligible Girl will walk into the screen at approximately 11.40 a.m. but if you enter the screen at 11.30 a.m., you will find her there and be able to initiate the Date Event immediately.

7. A very minor point, but one that I tested. Once you initiate the Date Event, you must see it through to the end, whether or not it is the 'short' or 'long' form of the Event. After walking to the centre of the bridge for the Autumn Date, you cannot leave without experiencing the next part of the Event. If you attempt to run away, the Girl will stop you again and again until you speak to her voluntarily to share your enjoyment of the view!

I am making a video about all of this... I have footage of poor Selphy standing at the entrance to the bridge humming the Song of Trust while my character stands there without engaging her in dialogue. After 1.00 p.m., she sadly leaves the area...

A Study of Brodik, Man of Mystery and Many Parts

Every one appears to love Kross and he is one of the most fascinating characters in any Rune Factory or Harvest Moon game, but I personally find Brodik equally intriguing. I refused to trigger the dialogue that would cause him to disappear from his usual locations in the South District until I had wrung every ounce of dialogue from him at 10 Friendship. The results were satisfying to me, as I was able to trigger all of the dialogues that occur at each Friendship Level.

It is not only in dialogue with Brodik or in his actual Events that one uncovers new information about him, however. This video is an attempt to share some of the interesting facts about Brodik's history and his life in Trampoli.

Obtaining White Rose Seeds in Rune Factory Frontier

This post is prompted by a gamer's plight. Her character accidentally cut down his White Roses with a sickle, leading the player to fear an eternal state of celibacy without the capacity to create the Blue Rose that is a vital ingredient in teh Wedding Bouquet, Rune Factory Frontier's equivalent of the traditional Blue Feather in Harvest Moon.

Oddly enough, I had thought of making a video about this after Ganesha gave me ANOTHER White Rose about a season after she gave me the first one. Each season now, I experience the little dialogue with Ganesha wherein she informs me once again that having used a Rose as a model for a sketch for a customer's order, she no longer requires it and wishes to give it to me. It is interesting that Rune Factory Frontier allows your character to obtain unique items such as the Tide Cluster and the White Rose again and again, giving you the option to make errors such as the player who destroyed her crop of Roses or to create Wedding Bouquets as a cottage industry to ship regularly. Obviously, once you have harvested a crop of White or Blue Roses, you should have the means by which to create your own regular supply of seeds but in a case such as the one the player described, it is nice to know that Ganesha will continue to supply you with the occasional White Rose.

In my game, she is at 10 Friendship... I do not know if the Event will be repeated at a lower Friendship Level or not.

In any event, there is hope for the player who lost her original White Rose.

Iris' Illness and Recovery

This two-part video deals with the Illness that Iris contracts when both Iris Blanche and Iris Noire reach maximum 10 Hearts in Trampoli.

It shows a date with Iris Blanche and the result of a marriage proposal, even at maximum Heart Level before the Events involved in her 'illness' and 'recovery' have transpired:





Incidentally, I did not 'choose' Iris Blanche on a permanent basis and in fact, reloaded after experiencing the Event... A video of a date with Noire and the result of choosing the second option at the Square will be made as well.

Quick Video Guide to Ores, Little Crystals and Fish

Having made a very trivial video about Mist's costume dream in Rune Factory Frontier, I attempted to expiate this by creating a video tutorial on what may be some of most useful information possible, at least for any one interested in forging Tools, Weapons and making Accessories.

Here is my 'Quick Guide to Ores and Little Crystals'. I regret to admit that it was NOT quick to make... I began with stills but realised that the quality was poor and that it might be difficult for players to recognise the locations. Not having a tripod or any device that woiuld allow me to point the camera while I continued to play the game, I captured a lot of rather shaky footage with Freyr embarking upon virtual suicide every time I had to use a control. This was not satisfactory either. I finally rigged up a very precarious 'tower' of boxes and tins upon which I was able to perch the camera for very brief intervals until the entire structure came crashing to the ground.

Too much raw footage meanwhile brought my laptop almost to a standstill... Finally, YouTube's time limitations forced me to jettison the little film about the Tower of Rebirth. Much to my surprise, however, the video uploaded successfully on the first try. So here it is:



(The cost in AA Batteries was ENORMOUS, by the way, between those used for the Wii controls and the camera. After all this, I hope it IS useful.)

Mist's Prophetic Dreams... or not?

The following video is completely trivial and deals with one of Mist's many dreams. This one featured your character in Rabbit's Ears and a 'long scarf' working in the fields. I dressed my character in those Accessories, then confronted Mist to see what would occur:



The next video will have more substance to it! As a player had asked me about this particular dream sequence, however, I made the little video.

Selphy and the 'Tapir'

Selphy is one of my favourite characters in Rune Factory Frontier. With her extraordinary dramatic sense of high fashion, an aristocratic background poorly disguised and, above all, her obsession with books, she is a woman after my own heart. Her elastic sense of morality may be slightly disturbing at times, but after all, aristocrats ALWAYS have demonstrated colossal indifference where creditors are concerned and in this respect, Selphy only follows an old tradition. Finally, it is only for the sake of BOOKS and more BOOKS that Selphy goes into debt or shows a less than perfect regard for ownership considerations with respect to the 'Library books' of Trampoli. If one is to place one's eternal soul in jeapardy, surely there can be no nobler cause than that of education and reading...?



This video was extremely difficult to make. I ordinarily capture EVERY bit of trivial dialogue in screenshots and clips but the pivotal dialogue with Selphy occurred when I was preoccupied with a different quest. Unknowing, I saved my game without capturing it on film, assuming it would occur again and again, as most ordinary dialogues do and NEVER again experienced it.

I would like to thank both Mars-Frog and ILuvHM for their determined attempts to obtain the little dialogue for me. I recalled the gist of it, but being a perfectionist, felt that I could not rest content until I had the actual text! In the end, ILuvHM was able to send me the screenshots.

The Effects of the Gift of a 'Mask' in Rune Factory Frontier

A player named Kevin posted a comment, asking for a solution to his problem with Eunice. Apparently, he had given her a 'Mask' in all innocence, assuming that, if he gave her another item of Head Equipment, she would remove the Mask and wear that instead.

Well... that is NOT how it works in Rune Factory Frontier, at least where the Mask is concerned.

Here is a little 'Warning' about the Mask for players of Rune Factory Frontier:

Miscellaneous Facts for Rune Factory Frontier players

'Back in the day', when I wrote a single General Guide for a game, updating was not a big chore. Now, when I may write ten different mini-guides for Harvest Moon or Rune Factory games as well as the General Guide, updating properly and modifying information as I discover nuances in the game is far more onerous a task.

The following bits of information I have discovered in playing the game extensively need to be added to my Guides but I decided to post them here as some details are rather useful:

Tame Monster Gifts: At first, I thought that the little 'Gifts' a tame Monster left randomly when you returned him or her to the First Forest were based on your Friendship Level with the Monster. I then thought the items ALWAYS were Level 1 items when a Monster at 5 Hearts left a Level 1 item as a parting gift. I now realise that the items left randomly will be of the same Levels as the War Trophies the Monster would 'drop' if you defeated him/her in battle. That should have been obvious to me, but one sometimes overcomplicates matters. Thus, if a tame Monster at 1 Heart is 'freed' and the War Trophies it drops in battle are all Level 10 items, any item it leaves as a parting gift will be a Level 10 item. If the tame Monster is at 10 Hearts but the items it ordinarily drops in battle are all Level 1 items, any parting gift will be Level 1 as well... It is as simple as that. Remember that, like War Trophies, you have only a chance of obtaining an item when a Tame Monster is returned to the First Forest. There is no guarantee that he/she will leave you ANYTHING. Furthermore, the probabilities are the same as they would be in battle. If there is a 20% chance that one War Trophy will be dropped and a 10%chance for another, your parting gift is more likely to be the one with the 20% chance.

Higher Levels of Beverages:

The amount of RP restored will be greater at higher levels and the duration of any temporary effect will increase with level increase.

It is easier to create high level Drinks that require a single ingredient than any requiring multiple ingredients as the level of the item you create will be that of the ingredient with the LOWEST level. Fruits knocked down with your Hammer from the Cornucopia Trees are best made into juices or jams, as those items require only one ingredient.

A quick example of the difference that levels make:

Orange Juice, Lv. 1: HP 0, RP 75, FX 90 sec. Attack +25, Defence +20
Orange Juice, Lv. 8: HP 0, RP 250, FX 300 sec. Attack +25, Defence +20

Although Juices ordinarily have no HP recovery value, a special effect that raises total HP temporarily can keep your character alive longer in a pinch. Again, any special effects will be of longer duration at higher levels.

Special Effects of Food and Drinks:

Players sometimes forget that the temporary special effect of a specific dish or drink can be as effective during battle as a Weapon endowed with a special effect.
One of the most annoying attacks in any Rune Factory game is a Status Attack that afflicts your character with a Status Ailment. In fact, I find it so annoying that I usually choose a Weapon that protects against Status Attacks over other, more powerful Weapons. For this reason, the Luck Blade and Smash Blade are personal fasvourites.

The Luck Blade and Smash Blade both offer defence against Poison and Seal. Seal is one of the most disruptive status attacks as it will prevent your character from using either Magic or any Special Attack. Formuade, a medicine you can make in your Laboratory, cures Status Ailments, but often it is more useful simply to equip a Weapon that offers defence against these Attacks when you plan to confront Monsters with the power to inflict them.

There are Cooked Dishes that provide the same defence, however.

Popcorn, a simple dish that requires only one ear of Corn to make, gives Defence from Seal Attacks.

Grass Juice gives both Status Attack and Status Defence. Relax Tea likewise gives Status Defence.

One more point should be made where Recovery items are concerned. In the heat of battle, Cooked Dishes for the most part take time to consume. You must be very careful if you wish to have your own private picnic while confronting a Boss Monster as any attack by the Monster while you are biting into your meal will interrupt it, forcing you to try again.

One reason that Energy Drinks are to be preferred in battle is because they take almost no time to drink. In fact, any Drink can be consumed faster than any solid food. Make certain, therefore, that you find a protected little alcove somewhere if you need to eat a Cooked Dish during battle.

Treasure Chests, Urns and Crates

You may have noticed that the same items tend to appear again and again when you open a specific Treasure Chest or smash a crate or white urn in a dungeon. There appears to be a 'short list' of items for every Crate, White Urn and Treasure Chest. Noting the position of a Treasure Chest, Crate or White Urn that yields a particularly useful item, therefore, is of benefit. Ultimately, Cooking Ingredients tend to be the most useful items...

The Pernicious 'Mask'

Players may note that many of the Accessories one can create at the Crafts Bench are feminine in nature. Those that give superior defence often are chosen for that reason for personal use. The actual reason why they exist, however, may be as potential gifts for an Eligible Girl, even though specific gifts are included in a separate Recipe Book.

Kevin posted a comment here asking what to do about the Mask he gave Eunice over a year ago. When an item of Head Gear is given to an Eligible Girl, you will see her wearing it afterwards. As it is a token of your love or esteem for her, it should delight you to see your handiwork on the Girl of your dreams. In most cases, you can change the Headgear she sports by giving her another item. For example, by giving her a Tiara, you will displace any current headgear you previously gave.

Incidentally, each Eligible Girl has different preferences where Accessories are concerned. Some will wear an 'Elephant Mask' while others, such as Mist will reject it. Tabatha will not wear a 'Hand-Knit Hat' but other Girls such as Mist will.

An exception to the rule, however, is the plain 'Mask' that is worn over the mouth. If you have maintained balanced Runey distribution throughout the map, the air of Trampoli should be very clean and healthy. With any dead zone on the map, it may be polluted, I suppose, but the Mask takes no account of the actual state of the environment. It remains on the face of the Girl to whom it has been given and even if you give her another item of Head Gear, the new item only will be ADDED. This is true even of the Pumpkin Head. I have tested it on more than one Eligible Girl. The question remains then: how does one RID a Girl of the plain masque once given???

Note: I have made a video about this which I will post here shortly.

Lara's 'Story' in Rune Factory Frontier

Here is a little video that explores the sequence of Events that comprises Lara's Story. Completing these Events is one of the Requirements of marriage to Lara. Note that, even if you have no interest in marrying her, you should complete the Events nonetheless, as they result in the acquisition of a Recipe Book and recipe for an item that is needed to complete your own shipping list:

Magic Crystals in Rune Factory Frontier

I have a theory about the Levels of Magic Crystals in Rune Factory Frontier, but I need confirmation from other players.

It appears that the three Monsters who drop them all drop the SAME Level of item: the Ignis, the Glace and the Soul.

At the start of the game, they dropped Level 1 Magic Crystals. Later, I was a little surprised to find that they ALL had begun to drop Level 3 Magic Crystals.
The description of a Magic Crystal, however, is:

Magic Crystal: A crystal made from magic. Time is needed to make it big.

'Time is needed to make it big.' Perhaps the Level increases according to the amount of time your character has lived in Trampoli, translated to the number of years you have played the game...

I would love to hear from players with higher levels of Magic Crystals and the year in which they were able to obtain these.

Another little puzzle to be solved: the level of the Items received from a Boss Monster in RFF. I, and other players, have received a Level 10 Giant Cockscomb and a Level 4 Giant Cockscomb on various occasions from the Giant Clucky. What determines the level of the 'special' item such as the Giant Cockscomb, the Red Core and so on?

Would you like to become a Guide Writer?

Players often fancy the idea of writing a guide. Writing a series of quick tips may not be difficult or particularly time-consuming and players therefore often opt to post on message boards and forums instead of creating a comprehensive guide.

Some games are less time-consuming than others in terms of guide-writing. Harvest Moon games always require comprehensive guides that can take months to complete properly because of variables that affect events but Rune Factory is even more time-consuming.

The addition of dungeons and a wide range of Monsters who drop a multitude of useful items means that any Comprehensive guide for Rune Factory requires detailed information about combat and Monsters and a very detailed map of all the Dungeons.

The dungeons in Rune Factory and Rune Factory 2 were large but they were not half as complex as those in Rune Factory Frontier. The creators of the Rune Factory Frontier Dungeons made a series of mazes with puzzles and the addition of sliding doors that must be unlocked from the other side initially added yet another challenge.

After unlocking all those sliding doors, the ordinary player can go merrily on his/her own way, exploring the dungeons as much or as little as he/she pleases. The guide writer, on the other hand, is left with the colossal task of creating directions to every nook and cranny in every dungeon.

This may sound simple as well, but there is another factor that interferes with the smooth completion of such a project. Time, in Rune Factory Frontier, continues to run as usual in any dungeon. In writing a screen-by-screen walkthrough, attempting to note the position of every Treasure Chest, Crate, Urn, tillable field and Monster Generator, one spends more time than usual in each chamber or area.

What this means in practical terms, is that, in writing a screen-by-screen walkthorugh for the Lava Ruins during the past few days, I was required to reload the game again and again and thread my way again and again to the same positions, simply because my character would be sent home at 4.59 a.m. in the middle of writing the description of a chamber.

So, do you wish to write comprehensive guides for games like Harvest Moon or Rune Factory? I actually ask myself that question. With the prospect of four new Harvest Moon and Rune Factory games to be released later this year, there was a moment or two when I doubted I ever wished to cover another game comprehensively...

That kind of feeling does pass, though. I am incapable by nature of playing any game casually. If I like a game, I tend to wish to explore every detail. If I do not like the game enough to do that, I usually do not wish to waste even one hour on it even to play it.

Furthermore, when my Rune Factory Frontier guides are completed properly, I will experience a small sense of satisfaction that is an uncommon feeling that seldom can be experienced in daily life, where most actions are open-ended and most accomplishments nothing more than transient.

5th and 6th Floor Lava Ruins Walkthrough

5th and 6th Floor Walkthroughs for the Lava Ruins

Path to the Shortcut Stairway

When you first arrive at the 5th floor from the isolated stairway, you will be in a large chamber with a huge round boulder held in place by sand at its northern end. No Monsters threaten you at this point and it should be an easy matter to use your Hoe on the sand to send the giant ball rolling. You need not even move out of the way if you are careful.

As you follow the rolling boulder west down the stairs, you will encounter two Weagles spawned by a single Generator.

Two white urns stand against the northern wall of the next chamber. South of the position of the urns is a narrow stairway leading south, but it is blocked by fallen rubble.

Further west, two Slimes are generated by a single Generator. Near the Slimes is a swiveling catapult. You may believe at first glance that you need not use it to clear the stairway directly to the south as it will be open to you initially. Unfortunately, a pile of fallen masonry at the bottom of this stairway will prevent you from moving further south at this point, so aim the swiveling catapult towards the south and hit the lever to destroy the rubble at the bottom of these stairs.
In many situations in dungeons in Rune Factory Frontier, it is possible to race through an area by simply avoiding the Monsters who inhabit it. Where you need to use a swiveling catapult, however, it is best to clear the area of all Monsters first.

To turn a swiveling catapult, simply press the ‘A’ Button.

Before you move down the stairway here, aim the swiveling catapult towards the west so that it creates a gap in the western wall, allowing you access to another stairway that descends to the west.

The catapult’s aim is insufficient to destroy the rubble at the top of the first stairway that is farthest east, so do not bother to try.

First go through the gap you created in the western wall and descend the stairway there to a small peaceful chamber containing two tillable fields, a water source and a Treasure Chest that often contains Garlic. Each of the tillable fields consists of two plots.

The exit from this chamber is a descending stairway in the south. When you go south down the stairs, however, you will find a pile of fallen masonry at the bottom, preventing further progress.

Return therefore to the chamber with the two Slimes and the swiveling catapult and descend the stairway directly to the south of the catapult.

You will find yourself at a crossroads with stairways leading in ALL directions. If you attempt to continue south, you will find a huge round boulder held in place by sand at the foot of the stairs. The pile of sand is on the other side, which means that the ball bars further progress south at this point.

If you take the stairway that ascends to the east, you will find yourself in a small chamber with tillable fields, but this one is far from peaceful, crowded with two Monster Generators that spawn two Weagles and a Miinotaurs and a slime. In this little chamber are two tillable fields with two plots each, a water source and a stairway that ascends to the north.

If you ascend the stairway that leads north, however, you will find a pile of fallen masonry at the top. In fact, this is the first stairway that you encountered on the 5th floor…

As often is the case in the Lava Ruins, despite the wealth of apparent choices, all but one are illusory at this point. From this 'crossroads' area, you must descend the stairway that leads west.

You will find yourself in a rather large chamber with a single Monster Generator and four Monsters. The Monster Generator in the north spawns two Minotaurs. The Generator that spawns the two Weagles that inhabit this chamber actually is located on an ascending stairway in the southeast. There are two white urns against the western wall. If you look along the eastern wall, you will see a Bomb. Detonating it may clear the chamber of some of its pesky Monsters.

This is another chamber with a number of exits in various directions but most are illusory at this point. Access to a stairway that leads north is blocked by fallen masonry. The stairway in the southeast that leads east and is the position of the Monster Generator that spawns the Weagles has fallen masonry at the top.

Your only true direction at this point is to descend a stairway in the south
to find yourself on a platform with a single Monster Generator that spawns two Minotaurs.

East of this chamber is an ascending stairway. At the top is a large round boulder held in place with sand. Use your hoe to remove the sand but move very quickly down the stairs and to one side as the boulder will ‘chase’ you down the stairway.
Note that the greatest danger from these huge rolling balls may be to any Monster Ally as they tend to be rather unobservant and may stand stupidly in the path of the rolling ball or even move into its path. If you have a transport monster with you, mount it and ride out of harm’s way if you can.

Having removed the huge boulder from your path, you can ascend the stairway again and go east into a large chamber containing three tillable fields, a water source and a cluster of three Rocks that can be smashed for Ores/Gems. It is not a peaceful chamber, however, as there is a Monster Generator in the north that spawns two Slimes. Each of the tillable fields contains two plots. One of these Rocks, when smashed, often contains Silver.

There are exits in all directions here, but the stairways both in the north and the south are blocked at this point by fallen masonry.

Again, there is but one ‘true’ path and that lies to the east. Ascend the short stairway in the east to a long rectangular platform with a single Monster Generator that spawns two Slimes.

A swiveling catapult is at the northern end of the chamber but before you use it, you need to go south to unlock the shortcut stairway.

There are exits from this platform in every direction and all are viable, thanks to the swiveling catapult. To the south is a sliding door. Go through it to unlock it as this is the door to the shortcut stairway.

As the door to the 6th Floor has not been unlocked yet, however, go north again up the stairway to the previous chamber.


Path to the Isolated Stairway to the 6th Floor

From the rectangular platform with exits in all directions, you can descend a short stairway now that leads east. At the foot of the stairs are two boulders. Destroy them with a special attack from your Hammer to enter a small dead-end chamber containing two Treasure Chests and a Monster Box. One of the Treasure Chests often contains Silver.

Return to the rectangular platform once again to use the swiveling catapult now. It will be facing north, so you needn’t turn it to use it to destroy the fallen masonry at the top of the short northern stairway.

Note, however, that the chamber in the north is one that you previously explored from another direction. It contains two Monster Generators that spawn a Minotaur, a slime and two Weagles, as well as two tillable fields containing two plots each.
To explore new areas, therefore, you need to turn the catapult. First turn it to create a gap in the eastern wall of the chamber, as behind this wall is a little alcove that contains a single Treasure Chest that often contains Rice.

After this, you simply need to take the path directly west of the catapult in the northwest corner of this rectangular platform. You will find yourself in a narrow corridor that leads west to a small chamber.

Here you will see paths in all directions but the paths to the west and south are blocked by fallen masonry. In the north, a huge boulder held in place by sand blocks the path but when you use your Hoe on the sand, it will roll to the south, freeing both the entrance to the stairway in the north and one in the south formerly blocked by masonry.

This huge rolling ball is the most effective of all. It will roll south all the way to the entrance to the Isolated Stairway to the 6th floor.

On its way, it will destroy the rubble at the top of the first stairway, roll through a large chamber you explored earlier containing three tillable fields, each with 2 plots, destroy the fallen masonry at the top of another stairway to the south, opening access to the antechamber where you will find the Isolated stairway to the 6th and lowest floor of the Lava Ruins.

6th Floor Walkthrough

When you take the isolated stairway from the 5th floor to the 6th and lowest floor of the Lava Ruins, you will find yourself on the western wall of a large chamber. To the east is a cluster of three Rocks that can be smashed for Ores/Gems as well as two tillable fields and an ornamental pond. The field closest to you consists of two plots. The other field, near the eastern wall of the chamber consists of four plots. The cluster of Rocks usually has at least one Rock that contains Gold. This may be the first Gold Ore that you find in Rune Factory Frontier.
In the centre of the northern wall is a door that leads to the ‘Boss’ Chamber.. To the right of the door are two white urns that often contain Tomato Ketchup and Copper. At the northern end of the eastern wall is a sliding door. Go through it to unlock the entrance to the shortcut stairway, giving you easy access in future to the 6th floor.

This single large chamber is the full extent of the 6th floor. The ornamental pond here will prove an excellent fishing location, offering Lamp Squid, Fall Fish and Lobster, among others.

When you access the door in the northern wall, your character will muse:
Freyr: There’s something behind the door…
Your choices:
I should turn back…
Let’s go!
Note that, should you enter the 6th floor in future initially from the shortcut stairway, you will have no access to the 5th floor via the isolated stairway as you will find fallen masonry at the top of the first stairway. In future, if you wish to visit the 5th floor, you either need to use the shortcut stairway or take the isolated stairway down from the 4th floor.

Walkthrough for the 4th Floor of the Lava Ruins

Please note that this is the revised version of the 4th Floor Walkthrough. The existing version in the Bestiary and Caves Guide contains a fundamental error for first-time visitors to the 4th floor. I wrote it initially to help a player who had beaten the Boss previously find the Locked Door. It therefore is NOT suitable for a player who is entering the 4th floor for the first time in order to unlock the doors. The following walkthrough IS correct for the player who wishes to unlock the shortcut stairway.


From the Isolated Stairway from the 3rd Floor


Path to the 5th Floor

When you descend from the 3rd Floor, you will see a long wide staircase that descends to the west. It leads to a peaceful chamber containing a single large tillable field containing four plots, a water source, one real Treasure Chest and one Monster Box. An exit in the southwest is blocked by a huge round stone boulder. This is a new device first found on the 4th floor of the Lava Ruins. There is no way to move it from this side, however, so retrace your steps to the isolated stairway.
Now go east to find a stationary catapult. Hit the lever with a Hammer and it will destroy fallen masonry to the south that barred the entrance to a narrow staircase leading downward. Do not explore the stairway yet.
Instead, move east of the catapult to find three smooth small square boulders that act as a barrier to the east. You need a Silver Hammer or better to destroy boulders of this sort. Do so and move east to find a Treasure Chest that usually contains Copper.
From here, you will enter an area with two narrow twin staircases to the south and a large round boulder in the north held in place by sand. A Monster Generator in the northeast corner spawns two Trolls. Against the eastern wall are two white urns. This is the northeast limit of the 4th floor.
Use your hoe on the pile of sand to release the large round boulder. Follow it as it rolls down the narrow stairway and then down a narrow path to destroy a pile of fallen masonry. You will find a Monster Generator that spawns three Buffaloo as well as the isolated stairs that lead to the 5th floor.

Path to the Shortcut Stairway

Note that, if you used the catapult initially, you now have three separate narrow staircases side by side that lead south. The one farthest east leads to the isolated stairway to the 5th floor.
The other narrow stairway west of the one leading to the isolated stairway will take you down a narrow path to a Monster Generator that spawns two Summers. If you continue south, you will find a pile of fallen masonry blocking your accesso to a large chamber that contains tillable fields and a Monster Generator spawning two Trolls.
Ignore this path for now, therefore, as you must destroy the fallen masonry from the other side.
Return to the first stairway that was unblocked by the action of the catapult. This stairway is the one furthest to the west and closest to the isolated stairway leading from the 3rd floor. At the foot of the stairs, you will encounter two Trolls immediately. The monster generator that spawns them is to the west.
This effectively constitutes a crossroads, with exits in all directions. You can go west into a large chamber containing tillable fields or east to a large almost empty chamber that contains a single Monster Geneartor that spawns two little Fluffys.
You can go south up another flight of stairs as well.
Go east first, into the chamber with a single Monster Generator that spawns two Fluffys. You will see an exit in the southwest. If you take it, you will find yourself in a large area with two tillable fields, a water source and two crates. Each of the fields contains two plots. In the northeast corner, fallen masonry effectively imprisons two Trolls who are spawned by a single Generator. To the north of the trolls is the middle narrow pathway patrolled by the two Summers.
At the moment, this large chamber is a dead end, although there is a wide stairway to the west, as your access is blocked by fallen masonry.
Return then to the crossroads and take the stairway that ascends to the south. You will find that this is a dead end to you at the moment as well, as fallen masonry at the top blocks your passage.
Your only real path, therefore is to the west past the Monster Generator that spawns the two Trolls that guard the crossroads.
You will find yourself in a very large peaceful chamber with four tillable fields, each of which consists of two plots. There is a single crate in the northwest with a water source next to it.
The exit from this chamber is in the southwest down a narrow causeway that leads south to a platform guarded by two Summers spawned by a Monster Generator.
The position of this Monster Generator marks a crossroads as well. There is a wide stairway that ascends to the east. To the west, another parallel causeway leads north and south and directly south, the causeway on which you travel continues.
If you continue south along the causeway, you will find your passage barred by fallen masonry.
Ascend the wide stairway east first, therefore, to a large platform with a single Monster Generator that spawns two Trolls and two Minotaurs. A cluster of two rocks can be smashed for Ores/Gems. In the southeast, you will find a swiveling catapult.
This can be turned in any direction. Turn it to destroy the fallen masonry at the foot of the wide stairway in the east. There is a pile of fallen masonry in the south as well but the catapult will not serve for this. You will be forced to detonate a bomb from the other side instead.
Return to the crossroads now, going back down the wide staircase in the west and continue west to the causeway that runs parallel to it. This is the western limit of the 4th floor.
To the north is a Monster Generator that spawns a Buffaloo. If you continue north, you will find a large round boulder held in place by sand at the end of the path. Use your hoe on the sand and run south quickly to avoid being crushed.
This is the round boulder that blocked the exit from the first chamber you explored on the 4th floor. If you wished now, you could continue north back to that chamber.
If you continue south along the causeway, you will find three Rocks that can be smashed for Ores/Gems barring your path. Smash them and continue south to a Monster Generator that spawns two Trolls. To the left of the Generator is a catapult.
Hit the lever to destroy the fallen masonry on the causeway to your right. You now can return to the eastern causeway and go all the way south to gain access to two white Urns and a Treasure Chest. It is a dead end, however.
Go south from the catapult, then east to find a locked door in the south. If you attempt to access this door, you will see:
Freyr: It won’t open… Huh? There’s a hole in the door. Is it a keyhole? But it has such a strange shape… I can’t go in now anyway. I’ll try again later.
Continue east and you will see a narrow stairway leading north. If you ascend it, you will find a bomb at the top and beyond that, fallen masonry. Beyond that is the large platform where you encountered two Trolls and two Minotaurs. If you wish to return to that platform, detonate the Bomb to clear the path.
Otherwise, continue east instead. You will encounter two Buffaloo that are spawned by a single Generator. The Generator is on a little island and therefore can be destroyed only by a long distance weapon such as a spear or a magical rod. Continue east and you will find a Catapult at the end of the path. If you hit the lever, it will destroy the rubble that imprisoned the two Trolls in the chamber to the north.
From the position of the catapult, a narrow path leads south. Go through a sliding door to unlock it, gaining access to the shortcut stairway.
You will not be able to use this stairway yet to go to the 5th floor as that door has not been unlocked. Instead, return to the isolated stairway that leads to the 5th floor.

From the Shortcut Stairway to the Locked Door

From the shortcut stairway, you first will encounter a catapult platform. Hit the lever with a hammer to send the missile flying north to destroy a pile of fallen masonry. It will not affect the path you are on at the moment, however.
Go west from the catapult to encounter two Buffaloo spawned by a single Generator that can be reached only with a long range weapon such as a spear.
West of this is another Monster Generator that spawns two Summers. You have a choice of destination here.
You can climb a stairway to the north or continue west.
Continue West first to find a monster Generator that spawns two Trolls.
Past the Monster Generator that spawned the Trolls is the western end of the dungeon. To the north, you will find a stationary catapult. If you hit it with a Hammer, it will destroy a pile of masonry that blocks access to two white urns and a treasure chest on the parallel path to the east.
North of the catapult are three Rocks that can be smashed for Ores/Gems. They act as a barrier so you must destroy them before you can go north. One of the rocks often contains Silver.
If you continue north along the narrow path with the Rocks, you will encounter a Monster Generator that spawns two Buffaloo.
Continue north along a narrow pathway that skirts a lava river and you will come to a huge round Boulder held in place by sand. It will not destroy anything when it rolls but with it out of the way, you will have access to a huge peaceful chamber with a large tillable field containing six plots. There is a single treasure chest here and a Monster Box as well as a stairway to the east.
If you climb the wide staircase to the East of the tillable field, you will find yourself at the entrance to the isolated stairway that leads back to the 3rd floor.
Use the Walkthrough from the Isolated Stairway from the 4th Floor if you wish to find the Isolated Stairway to the 5th floor.

3rd Floor Walkthrough for the Lava Ruins

3rd Floor Walkthrough

From the Isolated Stairway from the 2nd Floor:
You will find yourself on a long large platform. Directly to the west is a crate and a white urn, where you sometimes will find Orange Juice. You have two choices of direction. You can go either north along the platform or west down a long flight of stairs.
There is a causeway as well that leads south but from here it is blocked with fallen masonry.
Go north first to the northern end of the platform. In the northeast corner is a single Monster Generator that spawns two Scorpions, a cluster of three/four Rocks that can be smashed for Ores/Gems and a Bomb. One of the three Rocks here usually contains Silver Ore.
Now go down the long stairway that leads west. At the bottom of the stairs is a single Monster Generator that spawns a Mini-Golem and an Ignis as well as two Crates that often contain a Hot Rice Ball and Orange Juice. (Note that you will find much Orange Juice throughout the Lava Ruins.)
Behind the Generator, to the north, fallen masonry blocks your path, so you must go south instead.
You need to veer a little southwest to another platform. Here you will find a sliding door to the west and a bomb in the southeast.
If you go west through the sliding door, you will find yourself in a contained chamber with four Summers spawned by two Monster Generators and two Treasure Chests. The Treasure Chests may contain an Orange and E.Drink X.
Detonate the bomb to create a gap in a low wall that will allow you to go east again.
Here you will find a Monster Generator that spawns two Mini-Golems. East of their position is a sliding door that leads to a peaceful chamber containing two tillable fields, each with two plots and a water source in the northeast corner. This chamber is a dead end.
South of the Golems are two White Urns. East of the Urns is a long stairway that leads upwards. Go east up the stairs and you will be forced to pass a Monster Generator at the top of the stairs that spawns a Mini-Golem and two Ignis.
Above the stairway is a long platform. To the north, separated by fallen masonry, you will be able to see the isolated stairway from the 2nd floor.
A Monster Generator in the northeast corner of this part of the platform spawns a Little Emperor. Next to the Generator is a bomb. If you detonate it, you can clear the masonry from the path, allowing access to the stairway that leads back to the 2nd floor if you wish to use it.
At the moment, however, you wish to go south instead. Near the southern end of this platform is a Monster Generator that spawns an Ignis and a Little Emperor and a bomb.
If you detonate the bomb, you will create a gap in the western wall that will allow you to descend antoher long stairway.
If you continue south, you will see two staircases, one leading back up to the 2nd floor and one leading down to the 4th floor. This is the shortcut stairway in fact. It is open here, rather than enclosed in a little chamber as you usually have found it previously.
You now can use it to return to the 2nd or 1st floor but you cannot use it to descend to the 4th floor yet, as the sliding door there remains locked. Simply note its position for future reference.
Instead, detonate the bomb and descend the long stairway. At the bottom of the stairway is a chamber containing 2 Mini-Golems and 2 Scorpions spawned by two Generators. There is a bomb in the centre of the chamber that can be detonated for Monster damage.
Use the sliding door to go west. You will find yourself in a chamber divided by a partial wall. Go round the little wall to find a Little Emperor and a Mini-Golem spawned by a single Generator. A sliding door in the west leads to a large peaceful chamber where you will find two tillable fields, one containing 4 plots and the other containing 2 plots. A water source is in the southwest corner and a Bomb is in the northeast corner of this chamber.
Detonate the Bomb to create a new exit in the northeast then go through it. Here you will find a Bomb in the centre of the path, a pile of fallen masonry in the east and a stairway in the northwest.
Detonate the bomb to clear the fallen masonry from the east. Do not go east now, however, as the path simply leads to one of the long stairways that leads back to the platform where you will find the shortcut stairway in the south.
Instead, ascend the long stairway that leads upwards to the west. At the top of the stairs is a single Monster Generator that spawns to Little Emperors.
Now you will find yourself on a wide platform that runs along the western wall of the 3rd floor of the Lava Ruins. If you go south here, you will find a single Generator that spawns two Mini-Golems and a Little Wizard. In the southwest corner of this platform is a single Treasure Chest that often contains an Orange. There are two Bombs nearby that can be used for Monster Damage.
North of the Generator is a cluster of three Rocks that can be smashed for Ores/Gems. You can detonate one of the bombs to smash the Rocks as well. One of these Rocks often contains Silver.
When you continue north along the platform, you will encounter another Monster Generator that spawns two Little Emperors. A little to the north of this is a new device consisting of a catapult. Some of these swivel but this one points only in one direction. Hit the lever with a hammer and a rock will be thrown towards another Rock cluster in the north.
A little northeast of the catapult is a long stairway that leads downward to the central area of the 3rd floor. At the top of this stairway is a single Monster Genearator that spawns a single Troll.
First, however, continue north to the end of the platform where you will find a single Monster Generator that spawns two Mini-Golems and a Little Wizard. To the east is a sliding door that leads to a peaceful chamber where you will find two tillable fields, a water source and a Treasure Chest. One field contains four plots and the other contains two. The Treasure Chest often contains Cooking Oil.
Return to the platform and descend the long stairway that leads east past the Monster Generator spawning a single Troll.
From the foot of the stairs, the only path leads north past a Monster Generator that spawns a single Troll. A bomb near the Generator can be detonated to destroy the fallen masonry that bars your access to a path in the south. Go there only if you wish to return to the initial long platform in the east with the shortcut stairway.
Instead, if you wish to find the isolated stairway to the south, continue to the northern end of this platform. Before you reach it, however, you will encounter another stationary Catapult. Hit the lever and it will create a gap in the wall to the east, allowing you access to a dead-end chamber that contains a single Generator spawning two Trolls and two Treasure Chests.
Having explored the entire third floor, you now can descend to the 4th via the isolated stairway.

Walkthrough of 2nd Floor of Lava Ruins

2nd Floor

When you go down the isolated stairway to the 2nd floor, you will find that lava bars your path to the east. You must go west across a little causeway to a chamber tenanted by two Furpys, cousins of the Chitter, spawned by a single Generator.
The single exit from this area is a short stairway in the south. When you descend the stairway, you will find yourself in a huge open area. Two Ducks spawned by a single Generator will confront you immediately. To the east is a tillable field consisting of 4 plots. Beyond that is a short causeway over a river, blocked by two boulders. Smash them with a special attack by a Hammer to move further east where you will see a tillable field containing 2 plots. South of this field is a cluster of 4 rocks that can be smashed for Ores/Gems. Moving further south, you will find a small tillable field consisting of 2 plots and beyond that, in the far south, a large tillable field containing 4 plots. There are no Monsters in this eastern half of the large area.
In fact, the entire southern half of the large area is a peaceful area, but you will see that a pile of fallen masonry blocks you from the southern half that lies to the west. Detonate the bomb near the fallen masonry and move west to find two tillable fields, each consisting of two plots as well as two white urns.
A river divides this half of the area from the northwest section that held the Monster Generator and Ducks.
There are many exits in this large area of the dungeon. In the eastern half, you will find a short stairway that leads upwards in the northeast as well as another short stairway leading upwards in the southeast corner.


Path to the Shortcut Stairway


Path to the Shortcut Stairway
Explore the stairway in the southeast corner first to find the shortcut stairway. When you reach the top of the little stairway, you will have a choice of paths. You can go east or south along a narrow path above flowing lava. Go east and almost immediately, you will find that you have to choose again either to go east or south. Go south here to find a sliding door that leads directly to the shortcut stairway. Go through the sliding door to unlock it, then retrace your steps to the narrow path.


Path to Isolated Stairway to 3rd Floor


If you go east now, you will come to a sliding door that leads to a chamber containing two Monster Generators, each of which spawns an Ignis and a Mini-Golem. The Ignis is the first creature who may drop a Magic Crystal for you. To the east of this chamber is lava. The only exit is a sliding door in the north.
Go through the sliding door to find yourself in a fairly large antechamber with the isolated stairway to the 3rd floor in the northeast corner. To the left of the stairway are two crates that sometimes contain Orange Juice and Curry Powder.
There is a bomb in the southwest corner. If you detonate the bomb, you will be able to move west through the gap to the southern half of a chamber bisected by a crack in the floor. Two Mini-Golems spawned by a single Generator are in the northern half of this chamber, but you will not be able to reach them from here.
Go west instead through the sliding door to find yourself on a short stairway that descends to a little island containing a single Treasure Chest. To the west, you will see the huge open area with all the fields but you will not be able to cross the little stream that borders the ‘island’ in the west.
This is a virtual dead end.
Retrace your steps to the foyer with the stairs to the 3rd floor, then go south thorugh the sliding door and west through the sliding door on the western wall to return to the original narrow path that had access to the shortcut stairway.
This Walkthrough has taken you as directly as possible from the isolated stairway from the 2nd floor to the shortcut stairway and the isolated stairway to the 3rd floor.


Exploring all Chambers


To explore the remainder of the 2nd Floor, you can continue west along the narrow pathway past the sliding door that leads to the shortcut stairway to the end of the narrow path. From here, turn south to find yourself in a little alcove with two Ignis spawned by a single Generator. West of the Ignis are three Rocks that can be smashed for Ores/Gems and west of the Rocks, you will find another Monster Generator that spawns two Furpys.
From here, you either can go north to a short stairway that descends back into the huge area that occupies the centre of the 2nd floor or you can detonate a bomb to clear a pile of fallen masonry, allowing you to move further west along the southern edge of the 2nd floor.
Detonate the bomb first and move west to find yourself in a peaceful area with two Rocks that can be smashed for Ores/Gems in the far west and two boulders that create a barrier on a little causeway leading north.
If you smash the boulders and proceed north, you will find a sliding door that leads to a rectangular chamber. A crack in the floor cuts this chamber in half. You will be on the southern half, where you will find two Treasure Chests. They often contain Flour and Garlic respectively.
The southern half of the chamber is a dead end, however and you will be forced to retrace your steps south. Cross the little causeway and move east again across the causeway there then descend the little stairway in the north to find yourself in the southwest section of the huge central area of the 2nd floor.
The only unexplored path is the little ascending stairway in the west. Go up the stairs to find yourself in a small chamber occupied by two Mini-Golems spawned by a single Generator.
From here you must go north along a causeway into an area with a number of exits. If you go down the little stairway in the southeast, you will find yourself in the initial northwest corner of the huge central area. (This is where you encountered the 2 Ducks spawned by a single Generator.)
Instead, skirt the large hole in the floor to move west, then south across a little causeway to enter the northern half of the chamber where you found the two Treasure Chests. Here you will find two crates and a veritable nest of Furpys. There are four Furpys here spawned by a single Generator.
This is a dead end. Retrace your steps to go north across the causeway and then north again into a chamber dominated by four Ignis spawned by two Monster Generators and a Treasure Chest that often contains Cooking Oil. This is a dead end as well but it represents the northwestern limit of the 2nd Floor.
Retrace your steps south to the chamber with the big hole in the floor, then go through the sliding door in the east to descend the short stairway back to the huge central area. There is only one more area to explore on the 2nd floor.
To do so, go all the way east past the large tillable field, across the little causeway and past the small tillable field to the short stairway in the northeast that leads upwards. You will find yourself in a rectangular chamber with two Mini-Golems spawned by a single Generator.
Cross the little causeway to the north to find yourself on an open platform. Three rocks here can be smashed for Ores/Gems. (One sometimes contains Silver.) The single Generator in the northeast corner spawns one Ignis and one Duck. There is a bomb near the Rocks that can be detonated to damage some Monsters and/or Rocks.
This is a dead end as well but you now have explored the entire 2nd Floor.

Screen-by-Screen Walkthrough for the Lava Ruins

I did not have sufficient opportunity to complete the Walkthrough of the Lava Ruins in time for IGN's last upload so I will post it here and you will find it in the Bestiary and Caves Guide probably on Monday.


1st Floor

From the entrance, you must go north into a large rectangular chamber. There is an exit at the northern end that is blocked with rubble. In the southeast, there are steps leading downward to the east.
Note the white urn to the left of the rubble at the far north first. This is your first bomb. Hit it with any weapon or charge towards it with a Monster Ally to trigger a detonator. You will have a few seconds to move out of the way. When it explodes, the rubble will be gone.
Each time you re-enter the Ruins, you will be forced to clear rubble again. Like any Monster Generators, blockages will re-appear at each new visit.
A single Monster Generator in the northeast corner spawns three Killer Ants and one Ant.
If you continue north after the bomb explodes, you will find yourself in a smaller area containing a single Monster Generator that spawns two Ants and two Killer Ants. If you walk to the northwest corner, past the Monster Generator, you will see a stairway that ascends back towards the south. Take it to find yourself on a narrow corridor that leads south to a small chamber containing two Elefuns spawned by a single Monster Generator.
This is your first encounter with the Elefun, a Monster who can be used for Transport and/or to water your Crops.
In the southwest corner of this little area is a sliding door. Go west through the sliding door into a small peaceful area with two crates and a tillable field containing two plots and a water source. You can grow any Summer Crops in the Lava Ruins.
This area is bisected by a crack in the floor through which lava can be seen. On the other side of the crack, you will see two Treasure Chests, but you will not be able to reach them here.
Retrace your steps thorugh the chamber with the Elefuns and north along the narrow corridor, then down the stairway.
You will find yourself once again in the area that held 2 Killer Ants and 2 Ants initially. Now go through the open exit in the northern wall.
As soon as you go through the exit, you will find a crate on the right that often contains Curry Powder. A crack in the floor to the north must be circumvented. The only Monster Generator is in the east and spawns two Ghosts. Go as far west as possible, then north to another ascending staircase that leads south again.
At the top of these stairs, you will find a bomb. Detonate it, then go west through the gap to another peaceful chamber. Here you will find another single tillable field with two plots and a water source as well as two white urns against the northern wall. White urns, like crates, can be smashed for items.
Look for a sliding door in the southwest and go through it. You will find yourself in a long rectangular chamber containing two Elefuns spawned by a single Generator. In the southwest is a sliding door. Go west through it to find a small chamber with three Rocks that can be smashed for Ores and a bomb. Incidentally, the most plentiful ore in the Lava Ruins, apart from the usual Scrap Iron, is Copper.
Activate the bomb, then go through the gap created in the southern wall. You now will find yourself on the northern end of the area you explored earlier that was bisected by a crack in the floor. Find and open the two Treasure Chests, then retrace your steps, as this is nothing more than a dead end. (Cooking Oil often is found in one of these Chests.)
When you return down the stairs, you will be in the area that had two Ghosts spawned by a single Generator. There is a gap that acts as an exit in the northern wall. Behind the Generator in the southeast corner of this chamber is a bomb.
When detonated, it will blast a hole in the wall. Go east through the gap to a small dead end chamber containing two real Treasure Chests and a Monster Box that resembles a Treasure Chest.
Retrace your steps to the chamber that had the Ghosts in it and go through the gap in the northern wall. You will find yourself in a small chamber with a single Generator that spawns two Ants and a Ghost. The chamber contains three Rocks that can be smashed for Ores/Gems.
There are two sliding door exits, one in the northeast and one in the southwest. Go northeast first into a long narrow peaceful chamber with two tillable fields, each with two plots. There is a water source here and two white urns as well but it is a dead end so return to the previous chamber and go through the other sliding door in the southwest.
You will find yourself in a very small room crowded with four Ghosts waving scythes, spawned by a single Generator. There is a sliding door in the north with a bomb next to it. Detonating the bomb may clear the room of a couple of Ghosts.
Go through the sliding door in the northern wall to find the isolated stairway to the second floor.
Path to the Shortcut Stairway:
From the entrance, instead of going north to detonate the first bomb, descend the stairs in the east to a narrow L-shaped corridor guarded by two Ants spawned by a single Generator.
A sliding door in the south leads directly to the shortcut stairway but you will be obliged to unlock the door on the 2nd floor from the other side before it can be used.
From here, you can go north as well past the Monster Generator to another sliding door that leads to a chamber with two Ghosts spawned by a single Generator. A short stairway in the southwest leads upward to a small peaceful area with two tillable fields and a water source. Each field contains two plots. Another stairway in the southwest leads upward to the chamber with two Ants and two Killer Ants that you would reach if you detonated the first bomb and went north through the gap.
In other words, both paths ultimately lead to this destination. From here, you can go north to the isolated stairway to the 2nd Floor.

Memories and Song of Trust Tribute

This is another video that was created as a vehicle for the music, which I love. This one is my favourite version of the Song of Trust:



It was created as a tribute as well to all Harvest Moon and Rune Factory fans and friends.

Rescue of Mist and Song of Trust

My favourite moment in Rune Factory Frontier occurs during the confrontation with Gelwein in the Era of Disconnect. I haven't been able to capture it the way I would have liked. Nonetheless, I promised myself that I would create the video and I have:

Bizarre Events at the 2nd Year Pumpkin Festival

The following video has very little educational value but simply shows some of the more amusing aspects of the Pumpkin Festival in the 2nd Year:




An alternate form of Tabatha's Abdication sequence is included.