Introduction
Garland is the first boss in Final Fantasy 1 Pixel Remaster, waiting at the center of the Chaos Shrine north of Cornelia. A fallen knight who kidnapped Princess Sarah, he's standing at the altar on the shrine's main floor. You'll fight him after clearing the side rooms for treasure. Level 3 is the recommended minimum, though a Black Mage benefits from pushing to 4 for the HP bump.
The stakes are simple but important. Beating Garland rescues Princess Sarah and opens the bridge north of Cornelia, which is the only path forward to Pravoka and the rest of the game. He's designed as a tutorial boss; no elemental weakness to exploit, no special attacks to dodge. But if your party walked in underleveled or without spells, his 15-25 damage per hit can still catch you off guard.
Boss Stats
Strategy
To beat Garland in FF1, have your physical attackers hit him every turn while your Black Mage casts Fire or Thunder for 25-35 damage per cast. Keep your White Mage on healing duty when anyone drops below 30 HP. With only 212 HP, the fight won't last more than 3-4 rounds at level 3.
Garland is a straightforward physical attacker with no magic of his own. His hits deal 15-25 damage per turn, targeting one party member at a time. That's enough to two-shot a Black Mage who skipped armor upgrades in Cornelia, so don't neglect your shopping. With only 212 HP and low defenses on both sides, this battle won't last long if your party is properly geared.
Fire is the best spell to open with. It deals 25-35 damage per cast, and you should have saved at least two charges from the Chaos Shrine's undead encounters. Thunder works just as well if you're out of Fire. And if your party has two casters (a common Red Mage plus Black Mage setup), they can end this fight in two rounds flat without your melee fighters landing a single blow.
Battle Plan
- Warriors/Monks - Attack every turn for consistent damage. A level 3 Warrior with a Broadsword deals 20-30 damage per swing.
- Black Mage - Open with Fire or Thunder for 25-35 damage per cast. Save one charge if possible; the walk back to Cornelia has random encounters.
- White Mage - Heal when anyone drops below 30 HP. Cast Dia if the party is healthy, since it still deals a small amount to Garland (he isn't undead, but the base damage still applies).
- Thieves - Attack normally. There's nothing to steal from Garland.
Quick Tips
- Magic hits hard - Garland's Magic Defense is only 64, so Fire and Thunder deal nearly full damage. Two mages can end this fight in 2-3 turns.
- Bring Potions - Pack 5-10 Potions as backup healing in case your White Mage gets targeted early.
Rewards
After the Battle
Defeating Garland rescues Princess Sarah, who teleports your party back to Cornelia Castle. The King orders the bridge north of town rebuilt, and Sarah gives you the Lute. It has no obvious use right now, but hold onto it; the Lute is required to access the final dungeon much later in the game. The "A Hero's Journey" trophy also unlocks automatically after the rescue.
Sarah's teleport doesn't restore HP or MP, so rest at the Inn before doing anything else. Stock up on Potions and grab a couple of Antidotes, since the enemies past the bridge can poison your party. If you skipped any spells during your first visit to Cornelia's shops, now is the time to fill those gaps.
Cross the newly rebuilt bridge for a cutscene, then follow the coast east toward Pravoka. Captain Bikke and his 9 Pirates are waiting there, and beating them earns you the ship that opens up the rest of the world map.