The battle to defend the esper

[Erdrick Holmes]

I seem to keep getting wailed on in this battle and I think it's because I made my three party formations suck. What should I put in my three parties?

[Levian]

I usually had a 4-2-2 party combination. Then not relying at all on the party with only two members. So I just used one of the parties to wipe out most of the enemies. This also makes the boss battle easier. I think I had Terra, Celes/Gau, Edgar and Sabin in the strongest party. Don't use Gau in the strongest party if he doesn't have the Templar rage, though.

[Zora]

Considering the fact you have 8 members, 4-2-2 party combination is the best. There are three spots that you can block so that way you don't need to move anyone to defend Banon, and one spot gets A LOT of traffic (there is where your party of 4 should go). Celes/Gau, Terra, Edgar, and Sabin are the best without doubt. Anyways wait until everyone is gone and then defeat Kefka.

[ljkkjlcm9]

My party of 4 was locke, edgar, sabin, cyan... because those are my favorite 4 lol

People don't realize how easy this battle really is. You have to protect Banon...
Here's a little Map: W= Wall S = space X = where your other 2 parties go
W S W
W B X
S X S

that's just a small block of it, but if you put the two pairs there, as long as they don't die, nothing to worry about. Other than that, just go all the way with the party of 4, who ever it is you choose. Like I said, I always use Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Cyan as my 4... Then Terra and Celes stand in front of him, Gau alone, to his side. Because I'm quite sure you only have 7 at this point...

THE JACKEL

[Necronopticous]

Do everything with one master party, don't even worry about the other two, rush straight for Kefka and take him out. You should be avoiding excess exp at this point in the game anyway.

[Siegfried]

This gareenteed works..i just did it...(you do only have 7 by the way)

Party 1: Celes, Terra, Cyan, Sabin
Party 2: Gau
Party 3: Edgar, Locke

Just send out party three by itself, leaving Party 1 at a good crosspoint...
Spam Noiseblaster with Edgar and Steal/Attack with Locke
The guys will kill each other and eventually you can take them all out with just this...
Then send in Party 1 to kill Keffka, using Celes Runic, Terra attack, Sabin Aura Cannon/Bolt, and Cyan Attacking with Genji Glove...
It works really well...

P.S: If you are wondering what i do with Gau, it starts with an S and ends with an e and has a uicid in the middle

[Shadowdust]

Do everything with one master party, don't even worry about the other two, rush straight for Kefka and take him out. You should be avoiding excess exp at this point in the game anyway.

Agreed. I always do a four person party and they're the only ones ever used. I personally have had much success using Terra, Sabin, Cyan, and Gau. Edgar would be the alternative to Gau, but Gau is much more powerful if you leaped into a Stray Cat back on the Veldt. The Stray Cat's special attack is a massive physical attack that puts Edgar's AutoCrossbow to shame.

[Flying Mullet]

We helped soimeone else out with the same problem a couple of months ago. If you're still having problems, check out this thread: http://forums.eyesonff.com/showthread.php?t=101023

[LoKuS]

I actually beat all the soldiers and kefka with only Sabin and Gau.

[Takara]

I'm weird. I usually send Edgar all alone with his bioblaster. One hit kills all human enemies. The other two parties are made of Celes and two other characters (this is usually the party I send after Kefka due to her Runic) and Terra with the two others.

[Zeromus_X]

I use Edgar (Bio Blaster), Gau (Stray Cat), Locke (Stealing, Genji Glove), and Celes (Runic for Kefka's dangerous spells).