Uploaded June 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
I call this video proof of life.
Difficulty: 9/10*
Now if you're playing efficiently you can mop the floor with this boss with my stats but I wanted to nerf myself a bit since you're not supposed to have post pit levels by this point in the game.
Cortez has 3 or 4 phases depending on how you look at it.
Phase 1 is the easiest of them as he'll only use one weapon per turn but his swords can be used in a mildly dangerous combo attack. Due to his more 3d motions I find this boss one of the trickiest to time the guards of and basically impossible to superguard.
Phase 2 is a burn phase because it only has 20 HP but he'll spend a turn increasing his attack by insane levels before letting off a powerful attack. Be careful or he'll send your ass to the bone zone.
Phase 3 is the easiest of them if you use Flurrie because for once gale force is useful in a boss fight permanently removing his weapons from play but I'm avoiding that in the interest of fairness. The Sword is by far the most annoying because you can't jump on it or use frontal assaults like hammers. The others can all be jumped on and if you take out their health bars they'll be out of play for two turns which is important because otherwise Cortez can attack up to five times.
For me this fight is harder than bonetail when you're not overleveled and if you don't know about the Flurrie trick it may be the toughest boss in the entire game.
Either way the sapphire star is obtained but we're not done with the chapter quite yet.
I call this video proof of life.
Difficulty: 9/10*
Now if you're playing efficiently you can mop the floor with this boss with my stats but I wanted to nerf myself a bit since you're not supposed to have post pit levels by this point in the game.
Cortez has 3 or 4 phases depending on how you look at it.
Phase 1 is the easiest of them as he'll only use one weapon per turn but his swords can be used in a mildly dangerous combo attack. Due to his more 3d motions I find this boss one of the trickiest to time the guards of and basically impossible to superguard.
Phase 2 is a burn phase because it only has 20 HP but he'll spend a turn increasing his attack by insane levels before letting off a powerful attack. Be careful or he'll send your ass to the bone zone.
Phase 3 is the easiest of them if you use Flurrie because for once gale force is useful in a boss fight permanently removing his weapons from play but I'm avoiding that in the interest of fairness. The Sword is by far the most annoying because you can't jump on it or use frontal assaults like hammers. The others can all be jumped on and if you take out their health bars they'll be out of play for two turns which is important because otherwise Cortez can attack up to five times.
For me this fight is harder than bonetail when you're not overleveled and if you don't know about the Flurrie trick it may be the toughest boss in the entire game.
Either way the sapphire star is obtained but we're not done with the chapter quite yet.
