Introduction
Astos is the fourth boss in Final Fantasy 1 Pixel Remaster, a deceptive dark elf who's been masquerading as the King of Western Keep. He's the one responsible for cursing the Elf Prince into an endless sleep. After you retrieve the Crown from the bottom of Marsh Cave and hand it over, the fake king drops his disguise and attacks. A party around level 10-12 is recommended for this fight. Victory rewards the Crystal Eye, which kicks off a chain of trades that eventually wakes the Elf Prince and earns you the Mystic Key.
Boss Stats
Strategy
To beat Astos in FF1 Pixel Remaster, focus entirely on physical damage. His 170 Magic Defense makes offensive spells nearly useless, so buff your fighters with Haste and Temper instead. Bring Phoenix Downs to counter his instant-kill Death spell, and you'll take him down in a few rounds.
Astos has 420 HP, no elemental weakness, and a dangerous spell rotation that includes Fira, Thundara, Slowra, and the instant-kill Death spell. His high Magic Defense (170) shuts down offensive magic almost completely; even Fira barely scratches him. Physical attacks are the way to go. Stack Haste and Temper on your Warrior (or Monk) to maximize damage output per turn. Your Black Mage is better off casting buffs than trying to deal direct damage here. And keep your White Mage on Cura every single turn, because Astos's spell rotation can chip your party down fast if healing falls behind.
Battle Plan
- Warrior / Monk - Attack every turn; they're your primary damage source since magic won't cut it
- Black Mage - Cast Haste on your Warrior first, then stack Temper on the same target each turn
- White Mage - Cast Cura every turn to keep the party above 40 HP; revive immediately with Phoenix Down if Death lands
- Red Mage / Thief - Attack normally; a Red Mage can cast Haste on a second physical attacker if you don't need backup healing
Quick Tips
- Bring Phoenix Downs - Death can instantly kill anyone in your party; having 2-3 Phoenix Downs on hand ensures you won't get stuck if it hits your healer.
- Skip offensive magic entirely - With 170 Magic Defense, even your strongest spells deal negligible damage. Buff spells are the only worthwhile casts.
- End it fast - The longer the fight drags, the more chances Death has to land. Haste plus Temper stacking on one fighter is the fastest route to victory.
- Heal preemptively - Astos's Fira and Thundara can soften the party before a Death cast finishes someone off, so don't wait until HP gets low.
Rewards
After the Battle
Astos drops the Crystal Eye along with a Mythril Sword and 2,000 Gil. The Crystal Eye is the key item that matters here. Sail north to Matoya's Cave (near the bridge north of Cornelia) and trade it for the Jolt Tonic. Bring the tonic back to the Elven Castle attendant, and the Elf Prince finally wakes up. He rewards you with the Mystic Key, which opens every locked door you've been walking past since Cornelia.
But don't leave Western Keep without checking the locked room to the left of the throne. It holds a Power Staff, Falchion, and Steel Gloves behind a door that requires the Mystic Key. You'll need to come back for those after waking the Prince. The Mystic Key run also unlocks chests in Cornelia Castle, the Chaos Shrine, and Marsh Cave; the Rune Blade from the Chaos Shrine is particularly worth grabbing. Your next boss fight after Astos is the Vampire in the Cavern of Earth near Melmond.