Final Fantasy 12 - Orthros location, requirements and strategies for the Rank V Crime and Punishment
How to take on Orthros in Final Fantasy 12.
Here on this page of our Final Fantasy 12 Elite Hunts and Marks guide, we'll be taking you through everything you need to know in order to defeat Orthros - a Rank V Elite Mark for the Crime and Punishment Hunt - including the Petitioner and Mark's locations, the Hunt requirements, and strategies for the battle itself.
If you're looking for one of the other Marks however, you can head back to our Final Fantasy 12 Hunts and Marks locations, requirements and strategies hub. For other tips and explainers meanwhile, head to our Final Fantasy 12 The Zodiac Age guide and walkthrough, where we cover plenty more.
Orthros and the Crime and Punishment Hunt location and requirements
Before you get to the actual battle, here's everything you need to know about Orthros and the Crime and Punishment Hunt:
- Prerequisites: complete Raithwalls' Tomb, complete Lost in the Pudding hunt, cannot be done with a guest character in tow unless you kill them.
- Recommended level: 35+
- Petitioner location: Warehouse #5, Lowtown (Garamsythe Waterway entrance)
- Mark location: Southern Sluiceway, Garamsythe Waterway
- Reward: 3800 Gil, Horakhty's Flame, Unpurified Ether, Blackened Fragment
One of the items you gain for completing this is required to unlock an optional Esper - see Chaos, Walker of the Wheel.
Head for the entrance for Garamsythe Waterway and you'll be greeted by a rather strange sight. Talk to the rather eccentric petitioner then make your way back into the sewers through the door to the east - thankfully there are no giant rats any more, but it's still an unsavoury place to be running around.
Head into the Central Waterway Control and make sure that Gate 10 is closed (i.e. the light is on) - if it isn't you'll need the Sluice Gate Key from Lost in the Pudding to shut it. Head to the Southern Sluiceway via the paths to the west, and look out for an assortment of Marlboros and toads as you go.
Orthros won't spawn if you enter the area with anyone other than Fran, Ashe, or Penelo in your party, so if you've taken a beating on the way or want to save your game first make sure you've got someone else active and head through to the save crystal in the area to the east. When you're ready assemble your ladies-only squad and enter the arena - you're free to switch party once the fight has started so don't worry if any of those three aren't part of your A-Team.
Orthros strategies and how to defeat it
Orthros likes to throw Confuse, Sap, Slowga, and Break around, so high magic resistance or curative spells/items are essential. Most of his damage is dealt through physical attacks and blasts of Darkra so Bone armour is invaluable.
For more help with? Final Fantasy 12? Our Final Fantasy 12 The Zodiac Age guide, walkthrough, Switch and Xbox differences gives an overview of the game to get you started. Elsewhere, there's our hidden Espers strategy and locations and Elite Hunts and Marks pages, how to get the best Zodiac Jobs for each character, advice on farming LP from Jellies and even how to get the Zodiac Spear.
He's weak to fire, so liberal use of magic or fire-infused weapons helps speed things along, and summoning Belias can finish half the fight for you - summon him then cast Decoy on him and you can retreat to a safe distance and pretty much leave him to it.
When Orthros' HP reaches 15% or so he will unleash streams of bubbles which can deal around 1000HP of pain to anyone caught in them, so if you're handy with Quickening chains you may want to try and finish the fight with one rather than risking death.
Head back to the petitioner for your reward; Horakhty's Flame can be sold along with Deimos Clay and Phobos Glazze to unlock the Canopic Jar in the bazaar, but the best part of the reward is the Blackened Fragment which is a requirement if you want to collect all the Espers.
Be sure to cycle back to our main Final Fantasy 12 Marks and Hunts strategy guide for more on those, otherwise head to our primary Final Fantasy 12 The Zodiac Age guide and walkthrough hub for plenty more on the game in general!