The main objective to play this Mini-Game is Lu Shang's Badge, which is named Taikou/Lu Shang's Badge on the Japanese version. It's one of the three treasures for Wyrmhero Blade (US)/Tolo Sword (JP) trading.
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After you get the Barheim Key (side quest above), and the story reached to Port At Balfonheim,
- Back to Dalmasca Estersand Gate Crystal section, talk to Ruksel who's looking at the river, knowing he wants to fishing.
- Return to Port At Balfonheim, the South-East section which is the road to Airship Terminal/Aerodrome.
- Find the fishing old man around the crates area and talk to him twice, then choose the first option.
- Now go further from the old man, but don't leave this section. After awhile back to the same place, and the old man is gone, examine the fishing rod there to obtain Muramata.
- Move back to Dalmasca Estersand and pass the Muramata to Ruksel to start this Mini-Game.
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If you've completed Mysterious Man/Gilgamesh rank H Mob Hunt mission, you will get Blue, Green, Red, Yellow and Black Bottle during the fishing one by one. With the hints from the Bottles, find five letters from the locations below:
Blue Bottle
- Nabreus Deadlands, section South section from the Gate Crsytal. Reference the picture below if you don't want to find yourself.
Green Bottle
- Salikawood, section before to Nabreus Deadlands. Find the shack by the middle trunk.
Red Bottle
- Mosphoran Highwaste, Gate Crystal section. Find the Wind Shrine at North-West area, check it to get the letter.
Yellow Bottle
- Cerobi Steppe, Go turn on the windmill No.1, 2, 5, 7, 9, turn off 3, 4, 6, 8, 10. If you do so, you will get the letter automatically, make sure double check to confirm all of them have been fixed right.
Black Bottle
- Garamsythe Waterway, central control section where the Save Crystal by. Go South-East abit, where you can see some mouses running round.
After you got all five letters, move on to Barheim Passage to find Gilgamesh. Go to the longest railway in the middle known as Zeviah Span, you can see a small area at the South of this section, and you can only reach there from South. Enter that small area to watch a scene with Gilgamesh and Enkidou.
Here is the location:
After all, you will obtain Matamune demon rod. Now return and pass this rod to Ruksel in Dalmasca Estersand, continue fishing until you get Upstream. At the beginning, you can only fish in the Downstream, get 5 or more perfect fishing (no mistake) to unlock the Midstream. 5 more perfect fishing in the Midstream to unlock the Upstream.
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Getting the Lu Shang's Badge
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Now with the Matamune, you can obtain Saboten Bond/Cactoid Compact in the Upstream. Continue fishing in the new fishing spot, Hidden Shoals. You will eventually get the Saboten Crest/Cactoid Commendation. Now fish in the last fishing spot, named Den of the River Lord (name Master Den for JP version). Try your best to get 9 successfully command input for the King Of Nebra, then lastly obtain the Lu Shang's Badge, which is the trading treasure for Wyrmhero Blade/Tolo Sword.
Note/Tips:
I've heard the Saboten Crest/Cactoid Commendation in Hidden Shoals is random, not too sure, but I got it at my fifth perfect fishing.
For the last fishing spot, Den of the River Lord, you just need to get 9 sucessfully fishing to get the Lu Shang's Badge/Taikou Chest. And it's simple since you don't need to get perfect fishing exaclty, as long as you got 9 times, the loot is yours.
Try to memorize the buttons like this:
.-----------------------------.
| R 1 L 2 ^ [ ] |
| R 2 L 1 X -> |
'-----------------------------'
Nothing other than practice, keep your cool during the process. Relax and chew a chewing-gum seems work for me lol
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Unlockable Fishing Spots
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The data of original Japanese version, which are translated by myself:
==================================================================
| Fishing Spot | How to unlock |
==================================================================
| Middle Reaches | Get 5 perfect fishing in the Lower Reaches |
|-------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| Upper Reaches | Get 5 perfect fishing in the Middle Reaches |
|-------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| Secret Reaches | Fish up Saboten Bond in the Upper Reaches |
| | with Matamune |
|-------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| Master Den | Fish up Saboten Crest in the Secret Reaches |
|-------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| Taikou Chest | Get 9 perfect fishing in the Master Den |
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*All these unlockable informations table above has already posted on Final Fantasy XII at www.gamefaqs.com under Cheat Codes & Secret page BEFORE the US version released. That was submitted by myself and based on the Japanese version, I need to clarify this although it has little mistake, because there's a stupid magazine publisher stole this info and publish under their contributor's credit.
Ok, here comes the data of US/English version:
=================================================================
| Fishing Spot | How to unlock |
=================================================================
| Midstream | Get 5 perfect fishing in the Downstream |
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Upstream | Get 5 perfect fishing in the Midstream |
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Hidden Shoals | Fish up Cactoid Compact in the Upstream |
| | with Matamune given by Gilgamesh |
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Den of the | Fish up Cactoid Commendation in the |
| River Lord | Hidden Shoals |
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Lu Shang's Badge | Successfully input the right command x9 |
| | in the Den of the River Lord |
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