Mandra-smurfing-goras!

[Aphrodite.]

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh! Does anyone know a good way to kill those freakin' heifers in the Sochen Cave Palace?

I'm pretty underleveled(like 29-33 as opposed to the recommended 38), but I've gotten very close quite a number of times. It always seems that I have to use up all my elixirs and ethers because of Quickening chains.

Strategies much appreciated.

[qwertysaur]

Dispel the buffs, and try to get them all in a long quickening chain. Then switch to your reserves, and knock them down one by one. If you are getting killed too quickly, then level up a bit.

[Snap Jumper]

I had a lot of trouble with them, too. With levels in the low 40's, I had Penelo spam Fira or Thundara when they got together, and Ashe and Balthier attacked whichever had the lowest HP. Everyone revived when needed. It took a few tries. Just be careful not to waste too much MP or items before the battle. Run from everything after the Tchita Crystal, and make sure your defensive equipment is the best you can have.

[Imperfectionist]

If you're characters are low levelled then go level them up first cause otherwise it'll just lead to more frustration...
I had a bit of trouble with these guys too cause they kept giving me ailments... but the way I did it was to make sure I was stocked up with loads of smelling salts, alarm clocks etc... and then I just targeted them one by one... I think they don't have that much HP anyway so if you level up your characters and get some good weapons you can take 'em out easy that way.

[Bolivar]

Gambits are always the key. I would recommend having the proper ailments to the status effects and the proper gambits as a must. That alone would make it considerably less difficult.

[joesteel64]

I started off the fight with a massive quickening chain, then ran around while I waited for my characters MP to recharge. I had Penelo come out to spam Esuna if all three of my primary were hit with ailments. once you get one or two of the mandragoras down, attack the weakest one until it dies. I didn't really have much advanced equipment, and there were a few times, were I was spamming phoenix downs, but it payed off.


Gambits are an amazing bit of help in this fight (I actually just finished it about forty-five minutes ago). The only gambits I had activiated were (in this order).

Vaan:
Ally: HP < 50% Cura
Foe: Party Leader's Target - Attack

Fran:
Ally: HP< 40% Curaga
Foe: Party Leader's Target - Attack

Ashe:
Ally: HP < 30% Curaga
Foe: Party Leader's Target - Attack

This way all characters play a role in healing, based on their role in combat. Fran was my ranged attacker, so I had her attack from a distance but throw out a curaga whenever needed. Vaan is my primary White mage, so he used cura whenever necessary. Ashe was the primary melee fighter so she healed only in dire circumstances.

My Levels were 33-36.
This is just what I did, hope this helps

[Quindiana Jones]

I just hit them till they died. :D Worked first time.

But I think my levels were at least 38 then. Maybe higher.

[Renmiri]

use horology, bone crusher, first aid and 1,000 needles if you have it already. With techniques the battle is a cinch

[No.78]

Level.

Up.

[gudkid]

spam spam and spam anything you can spam... :D
most especially AoE spells that would hurt them the most and let the others knock them down...

[sub zero]

set up 2 ranged and on melee disable auto attack on you leader and have the other 2 attack party leaders target. cast haste protect and shell on everyone and pick them off one at a time casting slow or stop might work keep you hp above 70%. a better method is level enough to run to the zodiark spear in the necrohal of nabudis return and poke em with it.