| “ | FFVIII x Mobius FF Recall the special promise that you made, hidden deep in the recesses of your heart. Journey with the Seed-in-training, Squall, and help him overcome the trials he and his fellow students face. |
„ |
| ~ In-game description |
The Sleeping Lion Episode 1, Part 1 is the first story chapter for the Final Fantasy VIII Collaboration Event. It features Squall from Final Fantasy VIII going through his SeeD Candidate exams.
Event Details
- Event type: Collaboration story region.
- First appearance: August 1 -
November 1, 2019November 15, 2019.
- The game service suffered a large-scale network outage in October 2019, preventing many players from logging into the game at all. In compensation, the event was extended an extra two weeks.
- Second appearance: March 27 - June 30, 2020 (end of service)
How to Participate
- Select "FFVIII: The Sleeping Lion Episode 1, Part 1" from the Act 2 world map -- its own red spot.
Upon entering this region for the first time, you are awarded the Squall job card. You MUST equip and use this job at all times while playing in this region. (you can also use the Squall Leonhart Ultimate Hero if you obtain it.)
Gameplay
Play in this section introduces a new mechanic: the Draw System. Once this skill is learned, you can draw extra abilities out of your enemies, and use those abilities against them! Most spells are relatively common, but some are rare and quite powerful. See the separate page for details.
As you progress through the story, you'll gradually increase your SeeD rank. Each rank comes with a "stipend": a set of extra rewards. Your current SeeD Rank is shown by an icon in the top corner of your map screen.
- The maximum Seed Rank for this region is 6, which you can earn by repeatedly defeating foes in the ending practice areas.
Story
Squall awakes in front of Balamb Garden, a bit unsure of where he is... or who he is. As he's waking, a girl greets him, worried about their coming exams. It takes a minute, but it all locks in. It's Selphie... er, Sophie, and they're classmates. Graff is nearby as well. Everyone is getting prepared for the SeeD exams.
Squall talks with Instructor Meia, who tells him that the Pandora simulator has been updated with newer foes, as practice for the exam. She recruits Sophie, and the three of them participate in a few simulated battles. Squall makes quick work of the simulated foes, and is pretty bored with it all, but Meia points out it's better to build skills without the risk. Still, if he wants a challenge... how about a fight against Ifrit? Not that much of a challenge, apparently.
After Ifrit is down, Squall finds a small crystal on the ground. It's a Rune... inside a simulator? Squall picks it up and gazes into it...
Wol is hiking up a hillside, while an Echo is explaining that Palamecia is getting weird. It's all the fault of that new Sorceress. So Wol needs to... whoops, vision over!
To be continued
Event Map
| “ | Final Fantasy VIII: The Sleeping Lion Episode 1, Part 1: Balamb Garden Beyond the boundaries of time and space lies Balamb Garden, a place where SeeDs train to one day vanquish a sorceress. Here, the Lion sleeps, unaware of the trials about to take place. |
„ |
| ~ World Map description |
There are 37 areas in total, with 14 treasure chests.
You must equip either Squall (Job) or Squall Leonhart (Job) as your main job, although you can select any 
Warrior job under that for your choice of skills and elements. You can set a Sub-Job, but it will not be used in this region -- Job Change Recast is locked out -- but your first ability there can be used for sub-attacks, and the Sub-Job's Ultimate Ability can be used during a Mobius Zone double-Ultimate attack.
Areas
The First Trial
Concentration in these early areas is on learning the new Draw System. Normal abilities are locked out -- you must use either normal attacks or Drawn abilities to win. Also, enemies are extraordinarily slow, so they're unlikely to ever get a chance to attack before you kill them.
| Area | Stamina | Battles | Description | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infirmary | - | - | (Starting point. No fight. Inaccessible after you start.) | - |
| Graff | 1 | 0 | Set Squall in your main deck... and talk to students in Balamb Garden! |
- |
| Balamb Garden | 1 | 0 | - | |
| Pandora Rune | 2 | 1 | This is a tutorial for the FFVIII Collaboration battle system. Try drawing from your foe! |
- |
| Practicum 1: Start | - | - | (Starting point. No fight. Inaccessible after you start.) | - |
| To the Burning Caverns | 2 | 1 | This is a tutorial for the FFVIII Collaboration battle system. Learn how to check what abilities your foes have. |
- |
| Decimated Woodland | 2 | 2 | ![[FIRE]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mobius_gamepedia_en/images/c/c8/Fire_Icon.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/20?cb=20171028114727 "[FIRE]"){kind=icon} Fire and ![[WATER]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mobius_gamepedia_en/images/7/70/Water_Icon.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/20?cb=20171028114850 "[WATER]"){kind=icon} water swarm sighted.Try Drawing from different foes. |
 Metal Cactuar ★4  Fire x200,000
|
| Cavern Entrance | 2 | 1 | This is a tutorial for the FFVIII Collaboration battle system. Learn how to check the effects of Drawn abilities. |
 Gold Cactuar ★4  Water x200,000
|
| Soot-caked Crags | 2 | 2 | Fire and water swarm sighted. Check what your Drawn abilities do before using them. |
- |
| Magma-laden Path | 2 | 2 | This is a tutorial for the FFVIII Collaboration battle system. Use the Draw & Cast button. |
 Gigantuar Bulb★3  Wind x200,000
|
| Unstable Lava Flow | 2 | 2 | Fire and water swarm sighted. Utilize Draw & Cast to claim victory. |
 Extranger★4  Earth x200,000
|
| Soaring Walls | 2 | 2 | This is a tutorial for the FFVIII Collaboration battle system. Use what you have learned to emerge victorious. |
 SeeD Rank 1:  Gil x100,000  Mystic Tablet x3
|
| Sweltering Outcrop | 3 | 3 | Red Dragon sighted. Think about the best time to use Drawn abilities. |
 Light x200,000  Elixir x3
|
| Rumbling Volcano | 3 | 4 | Fire and water swarm sighted. Use the Draw ability to seize victory. |
 Dark x200,000  Phoenix Down x3
|
| Ifrit's Cauldron | 4 | 5 |  Ifrit awaits.Use the Draw ability to seize victory. |
SeeD Rank 2: Gil x120,000  Magicite x100
|
The Second Trial
The enemies here are a normal bunch as far as damage, but they are suprisingly tough. Your normal abilities will not do nearly as much damage as you expect. Rely instead on Drawn abilities to finish them off... but do stock some Draws for the last round of each battle.
In this section, you work your way through the town of Dollet and up to the antenna... and then back again with enemies in pursuit!
| Area | Stamina | Battles | Description | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pandora Rune | 2 | 2 | The time for field training is upon you. Use the Draw ability to seize the day. |
- |
| Practicum 2: Start | 4 | 2 | ![[WIND]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mobius_gamepedia_en/images/0/04/Wind_Icon.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/20?cb=20171028114857 "[WIND]"){kind=icon} Wind, ![[LIGHT]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mobius_gamepedia_en/images/9/95/Light_Icon.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/20?cb=20171028114841 "[LIGHT]"){kind=icon} light, and ![[DARK]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mobius_gamepedia_en/images/e/e9/Dark_Icon.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/20?cb=20171028114712 "[DARK]"){kind=icon} dark swarm sighted.
|
- |
| Road to Dollet | 4 | 3 | Wind and ![[EARTH]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mobius_gamepedia_en/images/0/02/Earth_Icon.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/20?cb=20171028114544 "[EARTH]"){kind=icon} earth swarm sighted. Combine slotted and Drawn abilities for best results. |
 Ether x10
|
| Overlook | 4 | 3 | Mindflayer sighted.
|
- |
| Dollet Gates | 4 | 3 | Wind and earth swarm sighted.
|
Phoenix Down x3
|
| Dollet Streets | 4 | 3 | Wind and earth swarm sighted.
|
- |
| Dollet Hall | 4 | 4 | Mighty Golem sighted.
|
Extranger★4
|
| Dollet Plaza | 4 | 3 | Wind and earth swarm sighted.
|
 Crystal x10
|
| Dollet Outskirts | 4 | 3 | Wind and earth swarm sighted.
|
- |
| Tower Path | 4 | 4 | Mindflayer and Mighty Golem sighted.
|
 Warp Shard x3
|
| Communications Tower | 4 | 4 | A telecommunications tower rises high into the sky. You hear an ominous rumbling in the distance. |
SeeD Rank 3: Gil x140,000 Fire x500,000 Water x500,000
|
| Tower Path | 3 | 1 | Omega is chasing you down! Draw Thundara and cast it to halt Omega's advance. |
- |
| Dollet Outskirts | 3 | 3 | Omega is chasing you down!Wind and earth foes stand in your way.
|
- |
| Dollet Plaza | 3 | 3 | Omega is chasing you down!Light and dark foes stand in your way.
|
- |
| Dollet Hall | 3 | 3 | Omega is chasing you down!Multiple-elemental foes stand in your way.
|
- |
| Dollet Streets | 3 | 3 | Omega is chasing you down!Light foes stand in your way.
|
- |
| Dollet Gates | 3 | 4 | Omega is chasing you down!Light and ![[NONE]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mobius_gamepedia_en/images/2/23/None_Icon.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/20?cb=20180103151237 "[NONE]"){kind=icon} non-elemental foes stand in your way.
|
- |
| Overlook | 3 | 4 | Omega is chasing you down!Multiple-elemental foes stand in your way.
|
- |
| Road to Dollet | 3 | 4 | Omega is chasing you down!Light and dark foes stand in your way.
|
- |
| Escape Route | 3 | 4 | Omega is chasing you down!Multiple-elemental foes stand in your way.
|
- |
| Practicum 2: Start | 4 | 1 | Put an end to  Omega! The crackling of lightning magic assaults your eyes. |
SeeD Rank 4: Growing Egg ★4 Gil x160,000 Summon Ticket x1
|
The Third Trial
| Area | Stamina | Battles | Description | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pandora Rune | 2 | 1 | This is a tutorial for the FFVIII Collaboration battle system. Beware foes that absorb same-element attacks. |
- |
| Practicum 3: Start | 4 | 2 | Follow the mysterious feather through the woods. Draw rare abilities from powerful foes. |
- |
| Draw Point: Earth | 4 | 1 | This is a tutorial on draw points. Draw an ability from an earth foe.
|
 Stone Shard x1 SeeD Rank 5: Gil x180,000 Elixir x5
|
| Bewitching Grove | 4 | 3 | Follow the mysterious feather through the woods. Lock: Stone Shard x1
|
Fire x400,000Water x400,000
|
| The Sorceress Beckons | 4 | 3 | Follow the mysterious feather through the woods. | - |
| Strigine Weald | 5 | 4 | Demon Wall sighted.
|
Light x400,000Dark x400,000
|
| Etheral Barrier | 3 | 3 | Follow the mysterious feather through the woods. | Light x400,000Dark x400,000
|
| Draw Point: Water | 2 | 1 | This is a water draw point. Draw an ability from a water foe.
|
 Blizzard Shard x1
|
| Draw Point: Fire | 2 | 1 | This is a fire draw point. Draw an ability from a fire foe. Lock: Blizzard Shard x1
|
 Fire Shard x1
|
| Draw Point: Dark | 2 | 1 | This is a dark draw point. Draw an ability from a dark foe. Lock: Fire Shard x1
|
 Pain Shard x1
|
| Draw Point: Light | 2 | 1 | This is a light draw point. Draw an ability from a light foe. Lock: Pain Shard x1
|
 Shine Shard x1
|
| A Reunion | 6 | 5 |  Shiva awaits.Lock: Shine Shard x1
|
SeeD Rank 6: Revolver+ Gil x200,000 Summon Ticket x2
|
Key Items
SeeD Rank -- increases as the story progresses.- Stone Shard
- Blizzard Shard
- Fire Shard
- Shine Shard
- Pain Shard
SeeD Rank -- increases as the story progresses.
Stone Shard
Blizzard Shard
Fire Shard
Shine Shard
Pain ShardSpecial Fiends
- Galbadia Soldier -- comes in any element.
- Ifrit (Sicarius) in its new "Extreme Ifrit" form.
- Shiva (Sicarius) in its new "Extreme Shiva" form.
- Omega (Dark)
![[PRISMATIC]](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mobius_gamepedia_en/images/3/35/Prismatic_Icon.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/20?cb=20160922040538 "[PRISMATIC]"){kind=icon}
Reference
- Mobius News page
- Cinematics from BuffMeister on YouTube
- [ Reddit superthread]
Trivia
- Music is from Final Fantasy VIII soundtrack.
| Area | FFVIII track name |
|---|---|
| opening movie | Liberi Fatali |
| first areas | Balamb Garden |
| going to the Pandora | SeeD |
| inside Pandora | Blue Fields |
| Battles | Don't be Afraid |
| Battle victory | The Winner |
| Boss Fight | Force Your Way |
| Second Trial | The Mission |
| The Chase | Never Look Back |