A few things you should always do in Lindblum:

  • Synthesise the Butterfly Sword and the Ogre for Zidane in the Business District over from Dragoose's weapon shop.
  • Let Freya win the Festival (the Coral Ring is more useful than 5000 Gill)
  • Get Add-ons


If you don't get the upgrades before you enter Gizmalukes Grotto for the first time you'll need to wait until Treno on Disc 2 before you can access another Synthesis Shop as Lindblum recalls all trolley's and stops all access to the castle (the Guard tells you this).

I also seriously recommend you go to Chocobo's Forest and get the Healing Shore Chocograph, then the Small Island - the latter one gives you an Oak Staff with Drain, Bio and Stop in it - when you can't buy it in the shops until Condie Piete on the Outer Continent so it gives you a massive one-up if you manage to steal the Ice-Staff and Magus Hat from Gizmaluke before you arrive in Burmecia.

Regarding the Guarda and Grand Dragons:

Not impossible to beat, just very hard and it needs a lot of luck, a coral ring and the Ice staff. I first beat one at level 9, and I got very lucky - then it gets easier.