Hilgigars' Siren Flute

[ReloadPsi]

So yeah, the boss Hilgigars (Meant to be Hill Gigas but the translators messed up) carries a Siren's Flute, and after two hours of trying to keep the party alive I never did manage to steal it, eventually giving up and finishing him. Sure enough, that's one of Eiko's better weapons which teaches Dispel, Esuna and Full-Life and would cause a bit of unbalance so early on in the game.

Is a bug making it impossible to steal? Or is it just a bug that Detect even makes it show up in the first place, and in fact he hasn't got it at all but the game thinks he's still carrying something, so it doesn't bother to tell you he has nothing?

Discuss...

[cloud21zidane16]

it is possible to steal, i actually got it just the other week there is no bug its just one of those really rare items 1/250 chance i think, the other rare ones like that are the mythril sword from beatrix and the demons mail from tantarion. ;)
To get the fairy flute i lowered his HP down to about 30 but im not sure if that makes a difference:confused:
you just have to keep going at it, have vivi cast slow every now and then and dagger and eiko heal, Youll see trance about 10 damn times:mad: but eventually you will get it

i got less fed up by doin it in steps, steal for 30 mins, put it on pause, come back later and keep trying:)

[SeeDRankLou]

Ok, to understand why the Fairy Flute is so difficult to steal, you must first understand how the stealing system works in FFIX.

First, every enemy has four slots from which to steal. They don't necessarily have to have four items to steal though. Each item to steal is placed in one of these four slots. Sometimes, even when there are not four items to steal, an item is placed in the fourth slot. When Zidane goes to steal, there is a chance that Zidane will successfully steal. This is based on several things, but a higher Spirit stat will up the chances of a successful steal. This, however, is only the first step. After the games says Zidane can steal, the game then tries to steal from each slot.

You can always steal from slot 1.
You have a 1/4 chance to steal from slot 2.
You have a 1/16 chance to steal from slot 3.
You have a 1/256 chance to steal from slot 4.

The game starts with the 4th slot and tries to steal from it. If the steal is successful then you get the item. If not then it tries from the 3rd slot, and if it is successful then you get the item....etc etc. If you get to the first slot then you will steal from the first slot no matter what. You can successfully steal from a slot that is empty also, which nets you no item (obviously). The Fairy Flute has been placed in Hilgigars' fourth slot for stealing. This means, that when Zidanes steals, and steals successfully, that there is only a 0.39% chance that you will be able to steal from slot 4.

There are three things to do about this.

1. Up the Spirit stat, this will raise Zidane's chance for a successful steal, so that you have more of a chance to actually steal, but this becomes irrelevant when you.....
2. Equip the Bandit ability. This makes it so that when Zidane steals, he always successfully steals, which means you skip the whole process of seeing if he can steal and go straight to trying to steal from each slot.
3. Equip the Master Thief ability. This is what actually helps. This gives slots 3 and 4 a 1/8 chance for a successful steal, and ignores the empty slots in this process, which makes stealing much more efficient.

Unfortunately, option 3 is not an option at this point in the game. So you are stuck with just having to keep trying. I am unaware if a higher Spirit stat also raises the chance for each slot to be picked, but it might. In my experience, having a high Spirit stat has allowed me to steal the Fairy Flute from Hilgigars in about 35 minutes of trying as opposed to an hour of trying and giving up with a lower Spirit stat. But that could be just the luck of the situation, I'm not sure.

So, long story short, definately equip the Bandit ability, and making Zidane's Spirit as high as possible with equipment doesn't really seem to hurt. Just keep your party in Float status and keep trying. Hope that helps.

Edit: And as far as I know, Detect has no impact on stealing anything.

[PuPu]

Actually Hilgigars has Fairy Flute, not Siren Flute. Siren Flute isn't available until Disc 4. Fairy Flute teaches Esuna, Haste, and Regen.

Actually, you should just forget about the Fairy Flute. After all, the chance is of stealing is incredibly low and it's not even that great of a weapon.

Besides, the only other times when you would actually want to try to get something ridiculously hard to steal are the Demon's Mail from Tantarian, (absorbs Shadow-Elemental damage) Holy Lance from Ark, (3rd best Lance in the game) Orichalcon from Taharka (Most powerful dagger in the game), and Grand Armor from Nova Dragon (the best armor in the game for Freya and Steiner, not counting Tin Armor)

[MustangCobraSVT]

Can't you steal Ultima weapon from Maliris? I have always wondered because i was never able to get the one from the Choco game, is it the same sword? If not what is the difference??

[SeeDRankLou]

Actually Hilgigars has Fairy Flute, not Siren Flute. Siren Flute isn't available until Disc 4. Fairy Flute teaches Esuna, Haste, and Regen.

Actually, you should just forget about the Fairy Flute. After all, the chance is of stealing is incredibly low and it's not even that great of a weapon.

Besides, the only other times when you would actually want to try to get something ridiculously hard to steal are the Demon's Mail from Tantarian, (absorbs Shadow-Elemental damage) Holy Lance from Ark, (3rd best Lance in the game) Orichalcon from Taharka (Most powerful dagger in the game), and Grand Armor from Nova Dragon (the best armor in the game for Freya and Steiner, not counting Tin Armor)
Ok, so the Fairy Flute is a rather powerful weapon for Eiko for that point in the game (since you just got her). You don't have another chance to get it for a disc and a half. This is probably the only hard steal that is worth doing.

Demon's Mail: You don't have the resources or time to get it on disc 2. You can get it in several places rather shortly after the Tanitarian fight, and you don't really even need it until you fight Ozma. And it only gives the High Tide ability, meh.

Holy Lance, Orichalcon, Grand Armor: By this point in the game, you have access to the Master Thief ability, which makes these no longer difficult to steal. You can get the Holy Lance from a moogle not long after you fight Ark. You can get Orichalcon in Daguerreo shortly your chance to steal it. And you can synthesize a Grand Armor before the fight with Nova Dragon.


Can't you steal Ultima weapon from Maliris? I have always wondered because i was never able to get the one from the Choco game, is it the same sword? If not what is the difference??
No that's the Ultima Sword that you can steal from Maliris. That's for Steiner, not the same as the Ultima Weapon for Zidane.

[farplaner]

I tried during my current playthrough to steal the Fairy Flute, but did eventually give up...However, I didn't really miss it. The spells are very useful, but you can live without them. I'm not willing to spend hours on end trying to steal something that I can get later...

So spirit helps steal rate. What else does it do, exactly? Point being: is it worth keeping those rebirth rings and pearl rouges equipped during
level-up?


[quote=Pupu]And you can synthesize a Grand Armor before the fight with Nova Dragon.

Huh?? How is this? The only time I've seen Grand Armor available is after returning from Terra at Black Cat Synthesis.

That's where I'm at right now in the game.

[PuPu]

Ok, so the Fairy Flute is a rather powerful weapon for Eiko for that point in the game (since you just got her). You don't have another chance to get it for a disc and a half. This is probably the only hard steal that is worth doing.
By that time, Eiko most likely has better weapons. In fact, the only things Eiko's weapons are good for are abilities. But fine, if you think Esuna, Haste, and Regen are so important that you absolutely must get it before Oeilvert, fine.


Demon's Mail: You don't have the resources or time to get it on disc 2. You can get it in several places rather shortly after the Tanitarian fight, and you don't really even need it until you fight Ozma. And it only gives the High Tide ability, meh.
You can find one on Mount Gulug. That's almost as long as waiting to get Fairy Flute in Oeilvert. You can also get it at Daguerreo for 59000 gil. Is stealing it from Tantarion longer than getting 59000 gil?


Holy Lance, Orichalcon, Grand Armor: By this point in the game, you have access to the Master Thief ability, which makes these no longer difficult to steal. You can get the Holy Lance from a moogle not long after you fight Ark. You can get Orichalcon in Daguerreo shortly your chance to steal it. And you can synthesize a Grand Armor before the fight with Nova Dragon.

The next place you get Holy Lance is Terra. Again, that's almost as long as waiting for Demon Mail or Fairy Flute. And Kain's Lance isn't until Memoria. You said that the Fairy Flute was worth stealing because it was a good weapon. 3rd best Lance in the game isn't good enough?

The Orichalcon, fine. It's not that important to steal if you don't mind spending 17000 gil.

Yes, you can synthesize Grand Armor before Nova Dragon. However, the only problem is, if you didn't save a Mythril sword from Disc 1 all the way until Disc 4, there is no other way to get it other than Nova Dragon.

[farplaner]

Yes, you can synthesize Grand Armor before Nova Dragon. However, the only problem is, if you didn't save a Mythril sword from Disc 1 all the way until Disc 4, there is no other way to get it other than Nova Dragon.

OK, where?

And I made it a point to buy tons of extra equipment (as needed) throughout the game in order to synth. everything... just 'cause I'm all "OCD" about it.

So it's not a problem, but I am curious.

[SeeDRankLou]

Ok, so the Fairy Flute is a rather powerful weapon for Eiko for that point in the game (since you just got her). You don't have another chance to get it for a disc and a half. This is probably the only hard steal that is worth doing.
By that time, Eiko most likely has better weapons. In fact, the only things Eiko's weapons are good for are abilities. But fine, if you think Esuna, Haste, and Regen are so important that you absolutely must get it before Oeilvert, fine.
No she doesn't. The only flute available at this point is the one Eiko starts with. Unless you equip her with a racket, but I save the Multina Racket for Garnet, since she's usually stronger at that point. The abilities are pretty good for that point in the game, and if you didn't hash out the money for the Fairy Earrings earlier and gave up trying to find a pair in Fossil Roo, then this is your first access to Regen (other than Freya's Rei's Wind, but she's not always in your party). Since Eiko is forced in your party several times from this point until 3/4 through disc 3, I'd say the abilities are quite worth it.



Demon's Mail: You don't have the resources or time to get it on disc 2. You can get it in several places rather shortly after the Tanitarian fight, and you don't really even need it until you fight Ozma. And it only gives the High Tide ability, meh.
You can find one on Mount Gulug. That's almost as long as waiting to get Fairy Flute in Oeilvert. You can also get it at Daguerreo for 59000 gil. Is stealing it from Tantarion longer than getting 59000 gil?
Yes, you wait about about 1/8 disc less for this than for the Fairy Flute. But, this armor sucks. Why would you go through the hassle of stealing this? It absorbs shadow damage, which is really only useful in one fight in this game, Ozma. You don't fight Ozma until long after you can buy this armor. And it has High Tide...:mad: But fine, if you think High Tide, 27 defense and absorbing shadow damage--an ability you won't be using until much later in the game--is so important you absolutely must get it when you fight Tantarian, fine. And 59,000 gil in late disc 3 is not difficult to obtain.



Holy Lance, Orichalcon, Grand Armor: By this point in the game, you have access to the Master Thief ability, which makes these no longer difficult to steal. You can get the Holy Lance from a moogle not long after you fight Ark. You can get Orichalcon in Daguerreo shortly your chance to steal it. And you can synthesize a Grand Armor before the fight with Nova Dragon.

The next place you get Holy Lance is Terra. Again, that's almost as long as waiting for Demon Mail or Fairy Flute. And Kain's Lance isn't until Memoria. You said that the Fairy Flute was worth stealing because it was a good weapon. 3rd best Lance in the game isn't good enough?

The Orichalcon, fine. It's not that important to steal if you don't mind spending 17000 gil.
Since they are no longer difficult to steal, the whole point of this arguement for these three items is moot.

And farplaner, you can go to the Black Mage Village in disc 4 before you go to Memoria (in fact, isn't that part of the story). The synthesis shop should be updated to make a Grand Armor at this point.

[PuPu]

Holy Lance, Orichalcon, Grand Armor: By this point in the game, you have access to the Master Thief ability, which makes these no longer difficult to steal.
I guess you must have used the Golden Chocobo then, since I don't remember it being possible to get to Daguerreo before Ark.

Then again, it's quite pointless since you go right past Ark anyways because the game glitches. :rolleyes2


And farplaner, you can go to the Black Mage Village in disc 4 before you go to Memoria (in fact, isn't that part of the story). The synthesis shop should be updated to make a Grand Armor at this point.

That's if you have a Mythril Sword from Disc 1. Otherwise, go for the easy steal from Nova Dragon.

[SeeDRankLou]

I guess you must have used the Golden Chocobo then, since I don't remember it being possible to get to Daguerreo before Ark.
Can't get Thief Gloves that way, you can however auction for them in Treno after the card tournament is over (maybe during, I'm not sure). This is also the cheap way, you'll save about 30,000 gil.


Then again, it's quite pointless since you go right past Ark anyways because the game glitches.
What? I always fight Ark. Isn't Ark guarding the Gulug Stone?


So spirit helps steal rate. What else does it do, exactly? Point being: is it worth keeping those rebirth rings and pearl rouges equipped during level-up?
The Spirit stat lengthens the amount of time good status effects last, shortens the amount of time bad status effects last, increases the chance for a bad status to miss you, and decreases the chance for a bad status to miss the enemy. It makes your Trance gauge fill up faster. It also makes the gauge deplete faster when you enter Trance, but you get Trance more often so it kind of evens out. It increases the amount of HP you receive when you are revived with Pheonix, Revive, Auto-Life, Life and Full-Life (not a Phoenix Down or Phoenix Pinion). And it increases damage done by Spare Change.

[PuPu]

Lou, according to a guide on GameFAQs, it says that if you get a Gold Chocobo before going through the Desert Palace part with Kuja, the game will glitch, skips all the parts of Oeilvert and Desert Palace, including Ark and Valia Pira, the Blue Narciss turns into the Hilda Garde III, and Garnet/Dagger is permanently stuck in the form where her commands fail a lot.

Here's the link:

Gold Chocobo Bug FAQ (http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/final_fantasy_ix_gold_chocobo_bug.txt)



So spirit helps steal rate. What else does it do, exactly? Point being: is it worth keeping those rebirth rings and pearl rouges equipped during level-up?
The Spirit stat lengthens the amount of time good status effects last, shortens the amount of time bad status effects last, increases the chance for a bad status to miss you, and decreases the chance for a bad status to miss the enemy. It makes your Trance gauge fill up faster. It also makes the gauge deplete faster when you enter Trance, but you get Trance more often so it kind of evens out. It increases the amount of HP you receive when you are revived with Pheonix, Revive, Auto-Life, Life and Full-Life (not a Phoenix Down or Phoenix Pinion). And it increases damage done by Spare Change.

Spirit also decreases the damage done by magical attacks such as Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, and certain enemy magical attacks like Tidal Wave, Neutron Ring, etc.

[SeeDRankLou]

Gold Chocobo Bug FAQ (http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/final_fantasy_ix_gold_chocobo_bug.txt)
That's......what? The little moogle always tells me that he's out of chocographs when I have found four of the six pieces of chocograph 20.....always. I can only get the last two after I get the Hilda Garde 3. That's weird, oh well.

[farplaner]

And farplaner, you can go to the Black Mage Village in disc 4 before you go to Memoria (in fact, isn't that part of the story). The synthesis shop should be updated to make a Grand Armor at this point.

Wow... I'm an idiot. I was thinking of the Silver Dragon (Kuja's) that you fight at the end of disk 3. That's why I was confused.

Thanks for the info on Spirit.

You can get a mythril sword after disk 1. I know you can get pretty much all of the mythril gear at Esto Gaza, if you go there early (like when you get the Blue Narciss).

[SeeDRankLou]

Yeah, but if you don't get the Mythril Sword(s) you need before you go to the Desert Palace you are out of luck for Grand Armors, except for the one that Nova Dragon gives.

[farplaner]

Yeah, but if you don't get the Mythril Sword(s) you need before you go to the Desert Palace you are out of luck for Grand Armors, except for the one that Nova Dragon gives.

Yeah, I was just clarifying since Pupu says:
That's if you have a Mythril Sword from Disc 1. Otherwise, go for the easy steal from Nova Dragon.

So folks won't think they're SOL if they don't get a mythril sword in disc 1.