Final Fantasy Resonance Grandshelt Castle Walkthrough (Fire Route, Hell’s Rider and Black Garb)

Burning Grandshelt Castle in Chapter 1 begins with the fire at the foot of the grand staircase, which you get past by taking the carpeted stairs at the west end of the main corridor and the hidden path onto the gallery. From there you reach the save point in the second lounge and the wooden ladder in that lounge that leads on. Beyond the ladder are a Mist Potion from a soldier in a side room, the boss Hell’s Rider at the grand staircase, and the Black Garb chest in the banquet hall after the boss.

Quick answer: Head to the west end of the corridor, go up the carpeted stairs and along the gallery to the second lounge, then climb the ladder right of the lounge’s right-hand pillar. Follow the upper walkway west to the grand staircase for Hell’s Rider. After the fight, take the left upper flight west to the banquet hall for the Black Garb.

Before you go in

The Earth Shrine walkthrough covers the journey to the capital and finishes at the starting point of this guide. On arrival, the screen displays “Grandshelt, the Royal Capital” and “Recommended Level 5”.

Fire spreads across the castle courtyard. Find the pink-glowing save point at the bottom of the castle steps on their west (left) side. Stand in the middle of it, press F, then select Save progress. There is no Save row in the capital’s System Menu, so use this save point before you go up the steps. For more detail, read how saving works.

Rain at the foot of the burning Grandshelt Castle steps with the pink save point glow on the left — The save point at the foot of the castle steps, on the left.

The castle door closes behind you once you’re inside, so you can’t walk back out to this save point.

Inside the castle: Charlotte joins

Head north up the castle steps into the entrance hall, the room with the big chandelier, and press F at the far door. In the scene that follows, an Injured Soldier says “Then there was this man in black armor…”, and Rain answers “It’s him… The one responsible for shattering the Earth Crystal.” Then Charlotte joins you, and the popup reads “Charlotte temporarily joined the party!”

Your new objective is “Save the King of Grandshelt”. The castle’s main corridor runs east to west, with the grand staircase branching north from its midpoint. Flames block the staircase’s base, but that isn’t your way forward; don’t spend time trying to get past them.

Fire burning at the foot of the grand staircase in the main corridor of Grandshelt Castle — Fire blocks the foot of the grand staircase.

West corridor: Skeletons and Phoenix Downs

Walk west along the corridor. A woman screams “AHHHHHH!” and Skeletons attack. Once you win, an Old Woman tells Rain that the attackers are undead, adding “I say this because the potions and phoenix downs we threw at them seemed to cause them great anguish.” Lasswell then talks about wraiths and undead.

Old Woman saying the potions and phoenix downs thrown at the attackers caused them great anguish — The Old Woman’s hint about potions and phoenix downs.

You obtain Phoenix Down x3. The game autosaves after Charlotte instructs the people to evacuate.

Dimmed hall background with a pop-up reading You obtained the following: Phoenix Down x3 and an OK button. — A reward window shows that three Phoenix Down were obtained in the burning marble hall.

Using Potions on Skeletons

The Old Woman’s advice about Potions is correct. During a fight against Skeletons, choose Items, then select Potion.

Battle Items menu with Potion highlighted during a fight in Grandshelt Castle — Picking Potion from the battle Items list to use it on a Skeleton.

You can aim a Potion at an enemy as well as at your party, so move the target arrow onto a Skeleton.

Potion target arrow on Skeleton A in a battle in Grandshelt Castle — A Potion can target an enemy.

A Potion hurts a Skeleton, which then displays “STAGGERED”. This makes Potions a cheap way to break the castle’s undead foes; see how stagger works. The Old Woman’s hint also mentions Phoenix Downs.

Potion hitting a Skeleton with STAGGERED shown — The Potion staggers the Skeleton.

The Old Woman’s hint about Phoenix Downs is right too. In the Hell’s Rider fight, using a Phoenix Down from Items on a Dark Skeleton defeats it outright, and the Dark Skeleton either vanishes or shows a “Death” popup over it.

Phoenix Down used on a Dark Skeleton in the Hell's Rider fight — A Phoenix Down used on a Dark Skeleton.

East wing chest: Flame Scroll I

Before you take the route past the fire, grab the chest in the east wing. From the corridor, head east around the fire at the foot of the staircase, passing on its south side, and go between the statues. The room in the east wing sits north of the corridor.

Item reward window listing Flame Scroll I x3 from the east wing chest — The left chest in the east wing room gives three Flame Scroll I.

A second chest sits further east in the same room, but a fallen, burning bookcase cuts it off. Leave it.

How to get past the fire in Grandshelt Castle

The camera looks down from the south, so “north” means up the screen and “west” means left, which matches the mini-map in the top-right corner.

Find the broad carpeted stairs at the western end of the main corridor; they go north. Rubble blocks both sides of their base. First move south, then head west to the carpet’s centre, and climb north.

Rain at the west end of the main corridor below the wide carpeted staircase with rubble at its foot — Climb the carpeted stairs from the middle of the carpet.

The stairs bring you to an upper landing featuring a pair of tall windows and rubble in the north-east corner. Though it appears to stop there, the route continues.

Upper landing room with two tall windows at the top of the carpeted staircase — The upper landing looks like a dead end.

Follow the landing’s east side south. Although a foreground wall obscures the way, it opens onto the gallery over the main corridor, where a railing stands ahead.

Rain on the gallery above the main corridor with the railing in front and a fire ahead — The hidden path opens onto the gallery above the corridor.

Go east along the railing, passing a fire. Wraith Soldiers and a fire wisp attack on the gallery.

Rain walking east along the gallery railing past a fire — Head east along the railing past the fire.

Continue east until you reach the double door beside a pillar on the gallery’s north wall, then press F. The door leads to a lounge containing tables, bookcases, and a round carpet.

Rain entering the first lounge off the gallery while the Save the King of Grandshelt objective is active — The first lounge off the gallery, with tables, bookcases and a round carpet.

The chest just to the right of the lounge entrance gives Flame Scroll I x2. The rest of the lounge is closed.

Item window reading You obtained the following: Flame Scroll I x2 in the first lounge — The chest by the lounge entrance gives two Flame Scroll I.

Leave the lounge through the opening at the bottom centre, taking care to walk exactly between the pots. Back on the gallery, proceed to the east end, then turn north into the small carpeted corner. A burning beam blocks the direct way east.

At the corner’s top, move east to the walkway on the railing’s north side. Its western end has rubble and a fire; proceed east along it.

Rain on the walkway along the north side of the gallery railing with rubble and fire at its west end — The walkway behind the railing runs east.

When you reach the walkway’s eastern tip, turn north and enter the hall containing rubble and a fallen bookcase.

Rain entering the hall north of the walkway with a fallen bookcase and rubble — Turn north into the hall with the fallen bookcase.

Head east through the hall past the fires. Fire wisps attack here.

Rain heading east through the hall past the fires — Go east through the hall past the fires.

Go south of the large wall lined with pillars, then pass east through the space between that wall and the fire.

Rain passing below the big pillared wall with fire beside the path — Pass below the pillared wall, between the wall and the fire.

Look for the exit icon on the mini-map: it marks the double door in the north wall. Press F at the door to pass through.

Rain walking up to the ornate double door on the north wall that leads to the second lounge — The double door on the north wall leads into the second lounge.

Second lounge: the save point before the boss

Inside, a soldier is backing away from Skeletons, crying “S-stay away, stay away!” Rain steps in with “Stand back, I’ll deal with them!” Win the fight. The soldier then tells you “Yes, he broke through to the throne room. A whole company of soldiers tried to hold him back there…”

Rain asking the soldier Are you hurt? in the second lounge — The soldier in the second lounge after the Skeleton fight.

Lasswell suggests tending to injuries first, and Charlotte replies “But we shall move immediately once we are battle-ready.” A save point appears with a pink glow, left of the room’s centre, and the game autosaves.

Pink save point glowing in the second lounge with Autosaving shown — The save point before the boss appears in the second lounge.

Touch the save point and you’ll see “You can now return to the save point at the entrance.” That message confirms the two save points are linked, so you can travel between this one and the one at the castle steps. While you stand on it, the System Menu also has a Save row.

Message reading You can now return to the save point at the entrance — The two save points are linked.

Save your progress at the save point in the second lounge. The way forward is not a door but the tall wooden ladder on the lounge’s back (north) wall, which climbs to the floor above and on toward the boss.

Climb the ladder in the second lounge

The second lounge’s back (north) wall has two pillars with paintings beside them, and the wooden ladder sits just right of the right-hand pillar, between that pillar and the right painting. Stand exactly under the ladder and hold up (W on a keyboard) to climb. Even half a step off to the side, your character just walks into the wall and the ladder appears not to work, so tap left or right in small nudges until you are lined up, then hold up again.

Rain standing under the wooden ladder right of the right-hand pillar in the second lounge — The ladder sits between the right-hand pillar and the right painting.

At the top, you come out in a small upper room above the lounge, with two tall arched windows and a trapdoor set into its checkered floor.

Small upper room with two arched windows and a trapdoor in the checkered floor — The upper room at the top of the ladder.

Side room: Mist Potion from a soldier

Exit the upper room through its south doorway. It opens onto the upper railed balcony overlooking the castle.

Rain on the upper railed balcony outside the upper room doorway — The upper railed balcony.

Follow the balcony west, then head north across the inner walkway to an ornate double door. Press F to pass through into a side room with a desk and two arched windows.

Rain at the ornate double door that leads into the side room — The ornate double door to the side room.

A soldier waits in the side room. Rain asks “You all right?”, and the soldier answers “I am, sir. I was just looking for medical supplies for our wounded.” and then “I managed to scrounge up a bunch. Here, let me give you some.”

Soldier saying I managed to scrounge up a bunch. Here, let me give you some. — The soldier in the side room hands over supplies.

A popup confirms “You obtained the following: Mist Potion x1”. Before you leave, the soldier adds “I saw a huge monster heading towards the throne room. Please, Commander, get His Majesty out safely!”

West along the walkway to the grand staircase

Step back out through the side-room door, turn west (left on the screen), and follow the railed walkway past a fallen soldier. Skip the east end of the balcony, which is a dead-end corner.

Just before a burning, overturned bookcase blocks the walkway, the grand staircase leads down to the left. Stepping onto it starts the boss scene, so save first if you can. The last save point is the one in the second lounge, and the castle’s save points are linked.

The grand staircase leading down to the left past a burning overturned bookcase — The grand staircase, just before the burning bookcase.

Boss: Hell’s Rider at the grand staircase

A huge mounted monster stands at the foot of the grand staircase, blocking the way to the throne room. A wounded soldier groans, Rain says “Dammit, we’re so close to the throne room!”, and Lasswell replies “It appears there’s no other way but through that monster.” The “Status Ailments” tutorial appears, and then the battle opens against “Lv.6 Hell’s Rider” and three “Lv.5 Dark Skeleton” enemies, with Charlotte fighting alongside the party as a guest.

Hell's Rider at the foot of the grand staircase in Grandshelt Castle — Hell’s Rider blocks the way to the throne room.

In short: , use a Phoenix Down from Items on each Dark Skeleton first, since one Phoenix Down defeats a Dark Skeleton outright. Do not throw Potions at Hell’s Rider, because a Potion heals it, and hit it with ice and light attacks, its weaknesses, to stagger it. The full strategy, its attacks and the rewards are in the Hell’s Rider boss guide.

After the boss: Black Garb in the banquet hall

Once the fight ends, Rain tells Charlotte: “Charlotte, you help the surviving soldiers out of the castle. We’ll continue looking for His Majesty.” The popup “Charlotte left the party.” appears, and the game autosaves on the stair landing.

From the stair landing, climb the left upper flight of the grand staircase.

Rain at the top of the left upper flight of the grand staircase — Top of the left upper flight.

At the top, follow the upper walkway west, past a double door on the north wall and a fire, to the archway at the walkway’s west end.

Rain heading west along the upper walkway past a fire toward the archway — West along the upper walkway to the archway.

The archway leads into the banquet hall, with long tables, chandeliers and a large patterned carpet.

Grandshelt Castle banquet hall with long tables, chandeliers and a patterned carpet — The banquet hall.

The chest sits at the far north end of the hall, in the centre.

Rain at the chest at the far north end of the banquet hall with the Open prompt — The chest at the far north end of the hall.

Press F to open it, and the popup reads “You obtained the following: Black Garb x1”.

Black Garb occupies the body-armor slot. On the Equipment & Abilities screen, its bonuses are Phys. Def. +26, Mag. Def. +23 and Speed +8. Rain begins with Leather Armor; at Lv.7, Black Garb takes his Phys. Def. from 72 to 93, his Mag. Def. from 52 to 72 and his Speed from 33 to 41. Open Main Menu > Equipment & Abilities, choose a character, enter the armor slot and select Black Garb.

Equipment and Abilities screen with Black Garb selected for Rain showing Phys. Def. 26, Mag. Def. 23 and Speed 8 — Black Garb on Rain: Phys. Def. 72 to 93, Mag. Def. 52 to 72, Speed 33 to 41.

Two more chests after the boss: Phoenix Downs

Return to the upper walkway and use the double door in the north wall, just east of the banquet hall archway. It leads to a bedroom furnished with four beds and armchairs.

Rain at the chest between the beds in a Grandshelt Castle bedroom off the upper walkway — The bedroom chest, centre of the north wall.

Between the beds, at the centre of the north wall, is a chest containing “Phoenix Down x1”.

Descend to the ground floor by the central stairs, then pass the statues heading east until you reach the far end.

Rain at the chest by the east wall at the ground floor east end of Grandshelt Castle — The ground-floor chest behind the last pillar on the east side.

Behind the last pillar, beside the east wall, a chest contains “Phoenix Down x2”.

Enemies in Grandshelt Castle

Random battles keep happening in the castle after the boss as well as before it. The table below lists what Leah’s Libra skill (MP 1, “[White Magic] Analyze an enemy for information.”) shows for each enemy type you meet in the castle on NORMAL, covering level, HP, type, weaknesses, resistances, trait and dropped items. The Wraith Soldier, Soul, Skeleton and Sergeant are all weak to Fire, while the Fire Wisp resists Fire and is weak to Ice and Water instead.

Enemy	Lv.	HP	Type	Weak to	Resists	Trait	Drops
Wraith Soldier	5	240	Reaper	Light, Fire	Dark	Easily staggered.	Knife of Poison
Soul	5	200	Reaper	Fire	Ice	Easily staggered.	Knife of Blind (rare: Ether)
Fire Wisp	4	200	Fairy	Ice, Water	Fire	Easily staggered.	Ether
Skeleton	4	200	Reaper	Light, Fire	Dark	Easily staggered.	Knife of Poison
Sergeant	6	900	Reaper	Light, Fire	–	Uses Paralysis attacks.	Mist Potion (rare: Ether)
Hell’s Rider (boss)	6	4000	Demon	Light, Ice	5 status effects	Uses a special skill when alone in battle.	Mist Potion

Libra on a Lv.6 Sergeant showing 900 HP, type Reaper, the trait Uses Paralysis attacks and drops Mist Potion and Ether — Libra on a Sergeant, the toughest regular enemy in the castle.