Final Fantasy XIII offers players a complex and strategic combat system, richly detailed environments, and a variety of powerful enemies to test their party’s strength. One of the notable optional encounters is Mithridates the Lone, a formidable Cie’th enemy located in Gran Pulse. While not part of the main story, facing Mithridates is a memorable experience for completionists and trophy hunters alike. The battle demands a mix of strategy, preparation, and a clear understanding of the game’s mechanics. Whether you’re farming for rare drops or aiming to complete all Cie’th Stone missions, Mithridates is an adversary that requires both skill and patience.
Who is Mithridates the Lone?
Background and Lore
Mithridates the Lone is a Cie’th a once-human creature cursed to wander Gran Pulse due to failing its Focus. Unlike many other Cie’th that appear in groups or with other enemies, Mithridates stands alone, hence the name. Its title, ‘the Lone,’ is symbolic of its isolated nature and immense strength. Though it doesn’t directly tie into the core narrative, its presence helps reinforce the theme of tragedy and transformation that runs deep in the Final Fantasy XIII universe.
Location and Access
Mithridates the Lone can be found through one of the Cie’th Stone missions specifically Mission 50. Players will need to progress far enough into the game to unlock this mission, which is available in the Archylte Steppe area of Gran Pulse. Before initiating this hunt, ensure your party is well-equipped, and that you’ve completed earlier missions to unlock access. The mark itself is located in the Faultwarrens, an area known for hosting high-level challenges and intricate battle mechanics.
Preparing to Face Mithridates
Optimal Party Composition
Before engaging Mithridates the Lone, your party should be sufficiently leveled up. Roles such as Commando, Ravager, and Medic will be essential in maintaining both offensive and defensive capabilities. Some ideal setups include:
- Lightning: As a Commando or Ravager, she brings strong physical and magical damage.
- Fang: Best used as a Commando or Saboteur to debuff Mithridates and deal sustained damage.
- Hope: As a Ravager or Medic, Hope provides healing, buffs, and elemental magic attacks.
Paradigm shifts should be used strategically. Include combinations such as Relentless Assault (COM/RAV/RAV) for attacking, Diversity (COM/RAV/MED) for healing under pressure, and Smart Bomb (SAB/RAV/RAV) to apply quick debuffs.
Equipment and Upgrades
Gear plays a major role in surviving against Mithridates. Equip accessories that boost your resistance to status ailments, such as Pain and Curse, which Mithridates can inflict. Consider the following:
- Pain Dampener: Reduces the risk of being afflicted with Pain.
- Witch’s Bracelet: Increases Magic resistance.
- Sprint Shoes: Auto-Haste to speed up your actions from the beginning.
Weapons should be fully upgraded or at least level 2 to ensure you’re dealing enough damage. Focus on improving your primary damage dealers’ weapons to increase efficiency during stagger phases.
The Battle Mechanics
Strengths and Weaknesses
Mithridates the Lone is a resilient opponent with high HP and strong magical attacks. The enemy does not have significant elemental weaknesses, which makes standard stagger tactics more viable than elemental exploitations. Here’s a breakdown of its attributes:
- HP: ~3.8 million (depending on difficulty)
- Stagger Point: 999.0%
- Status Effects: Can inflict Pain and Curse
- Immunities: Immune to certain debuffs like Deprotect and Deshell
Combat Strategy
The battle against Mithridates revolves around managing damage, maintaining buffs, and building the stagger gauge efficiently. Open the fight with a Paradigm like Combat Clinic (SEN/MED/MED) if you’re unsure about survivability. Shift quickly to offensive paradigms once buffs are up.
Use Saboteur abilities to apply slow, poison, or any debuffs that stick. Though Mithridates resists many status effects, persistence can lead to stacking helpful debuffs that tip the balance in your favor.
Once staggered, shift to aggressive paradigms like Relentless Assault to maximize damage output. Time your Limit Breaks, Summons, or special attacks to coincide with the stagger phase for peak effectiveness. Mithridates can recover quickly, so optimize the damage window as much as possible.
Rewards and Completion Benefits
Item Drops and CP
Defeating Mithridates yields a valuable set of rewards. You can expect the following:
- Drop: Trapezohedron (rare), Scarletite, or other upgrade components
- CP Gain: High Crystarium Points, essential for late-game development
- Trophy/Achievement: Contributes toward completing all Cie’th missions
Trapezohedrons are especially important for upgrading weapons to their ultimate forms. This makes Mithridates a valuable farming target if you’re aiming for the best end-game gear.
Unlocking Faultwarrens Completion
Mission 50 involving Mithridates is part of the Faultwarrens’ trial series. Completing it progresses your total mission count and is required to unlock the Master’s Seal trophy/achievement. This can be crucial for players aiming for 100% game completion or a Platinum Trophy on PlayStation.
Tips and Additional Insights
Use the Environment
Some players find it helpful to lure Mithridates into an area that gives them better visual or camera control. While this doesn’t directly affect the mechanics, a better view helps with timing paradigm shifts and monitoring HP more closely.
Retry Strategically
If you fail on your first try, use the retry option to experiment with different paradigm setups. Some players also use a Summon (like Odin) as a free revive tool if the battle goes sideways. Summoning resets your party and provides a short invulnerability period.
Don’t Underestimate Buffs
Shell, Protect, and Haste are essential in reducing incoming damage and speeding up the battle. Hope is especially useful as a Synergist to apply these quickly. If your AI-controlled characters are inconsistent with buffs, consider opening with a Paradigm where your main character is the Synergist.
Facing Mithridates the Lone in Final Fantasy XIII is both a challenge and a testament to a player’s mastery of the game’s battle system. With careful preparation, the right strategy, and a deep understanding of paradigms and roles, you can emerge victorious against this formidable foe. The battle is not just about brute strength but also about knowing when to switch roles, how to manage buffs and debuffs, and making the most out of stagger opportunities. Whether you’re seeking powerful loot, progressing through Cie’th Stone missions, or simply taking on every optional challenge the game offers, Mithridates the Lone stands as a worthy adversary in the heart of Gran Pulse.