Abyssea - In-Depth Guide


 * this is currently an incomplete work in progress (started 5/1/2012)

How to access Abyssea
This is a topic of some slight confusion with people who have not visited Abyssea before. in order to enter any Abyssea zones, you will need to have Visions of Abyssea registered (the game can be currently bought as the "Abyssea Collection", including all three expansions, or the expansions can be bought separately on the Square Enix store website.
 * to check if you have an expansion registered and installed, look at the title screen of the game (where you are given the option to quit, select a character, ect). any expansions you have will be shown, ones you do not, greyed out.
 * Enter Port Jeuno with a level 30 or higher job after registering the expansions. you will see a cutscene with Joachim, for the quest A Journey Begins. after this scene ends, go to H-8 and speak to Joachim to receive a Traverser stone and flag the quest The Truth Beckons.

The "How"?
if you have completed the steps above, travel to one of the floating Cavernous Maws and check it for an option to enter, and a possible cutscene.

your time in abyssea is limited to 5 minutes when you enter. talk to a Conflux Surveyor located near the place you entered to exchange Staverser Stones for time within abyssea. each stone is worth 30 minutes, and you can carry three originaly.

you can obtain up to 120 minutes of time to start, from expending stones, or using leftover time from a previous visit. your remaining time carries over to any Abyssea zone you enter. you can increase your time with traverser stone fragments sometimes found in Blue Sturdy Pixides, a type of treasure coffer dropped by Abyssean monsters. each time extension, or "TE" is worth 10 minutes of extra time, there is no upper limit to how much time you can have, but only 210 minutes is saved if you leave and re-enter Abyssea.


 * Note that the smaller maws attached to the ground do not lead to Abyssea, and are related to the Wings of the Goddess expansion.


 * you will require a traverser stone to enter abyssea for the first time, and you must have at least one to flag a quest in each zone, involving defeating a powerful notorious monster for part of the storyline. if you have time left over from your previous visit, you can use that instead of a stone.

The "Why"?
you may wonder what the point of all this is, anyway. Abyssea is a great place to gain EXP, skills, crour (the currency of Abyssea, usable to buy items from a Cruor Prospector located in the basecamp of each zone, and treasure that can be used or sold for gil. Abyssea is also great fun when playing in a party, and has many challenges and quests for those interested in them.


 * although you can enter any Abyssea zone with a job of level lv30 to 99, the zones are intended for players of lv75 or higher - you will be unable to make much progress by yourself when of a low level.

Oh, and the "Where", we cant forget that
a total of 9 Cavernous Maws lead to various parts of abyssea, and a portal to Abyssea - Empyreal Paradox exists on Qufim Island. after entering Abyssea for the first time, then returning to jeuno and speaking to Joachim, you will receive a cutscene upon examining each maw, you will then be able to teleport directly to it by talking to to Horst, standing next to joachim, or several other NPCs located in the port zone of each city, near the mog houses.

Abyssea expansions and zones
Vision of Abyssea: La Theine, Konschtat and Tahrongi

Abyssea - La Theine
Once an idyllic plateau, this area has been twisted into a hellish nightmare of its former self by the unrelenting Abyssean hordes. What San d'Orian survivors there are now hide in the various alcoves scattered throughout the plateau. Accessible from La Theine Plateau through the Cavernous Maw located at E-4, just south of the forests of Ronfaure.

These are the original three abyssea zones, available with the installation of the Vision of Abyssea expansion. the maximum job level was raised to 80 with the release of this expansion.

Scars of Abyssea: Vunkerl, Misareaux and Attowah

These are the second set of abyssea zones, available with the installation of the Scars of Abyssea expansion. the maximum job level was raised to 85 with the release of this expansion.

Heroes of Abyssea: Altepa, Uleguerand and Grauberg and Abyssea - Empyreal Paradox

These are the final set of abyssea zones, available with the installation of the Heroes of Abyssea expansion. the maximum job level was raised to 90 with the release of this expansion.