Introduction
Tiamat (Past) is the fourth and final Fiend rematch in Final Fantasy 1 Pixel Remaster, fought on B4 of the Chaos Shrine's past. She's the last boss standing between your party and Chaos himself. Compared to the original Tiamat in the Flying Fortress, her HP has more than doubled from 2,400 to 5,500, her Attack has risen from 53 to 75, and her Defense has increased from 80 to 90. She still resists Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Earth, and she still has no elemental weakness.
B4 is one of the toughest floors in the game. Death Knights and Mindflayers roam the halls with no consistent weakness, and Iron Golems appear as rare spawns for the bestiary. The Masamune chest is also on this floor (far southeast room), so grab it before approaching Tiamat. Your party should be around level 45 with Ribbons equipped on everyone who can wear them.
Boss Stats
Strategy
To beat Tiamat (Past) in FF1, cast NulAll on the first turn to block her Blaze, Icestorm, and Thunderbolt breath attacks. Buff your fighters with Haste and Temper, equip the Masamune on your Ninja, and use Flare and Holy for non-elemental damage. Don't hold back on Elixirs; Chaos is the only fight left after this one.
Tiamat's breath attacks hit the entire party and cycle through fire, ice, and lightning. Without NulAll active, a single Blaze or Thunderbolt can wipe a low-HP class like the Black Wizard outright. NulAll is cast from your White Wizard's spell list and blocks all elemental damage for one hit per element. But it wears off after absorbing attacks, so your White Wizard needs to reapply it every few turns. That's the core tension of this fight: your primary healer is also your primary defense caster.
On the offensive side, elemental magic is completely wasted here. Flare and Holy are your only useful offensive spells, and both deal non-elemental damage that bypasses her resistances. Physical attackers with Haste and Temper stacked will be your main damage source. The Masamune (if you grabbed it from the chest on this floor) gives your Ninja a significant boost.
Battle Plan
- White Wizard - Cast NulAll on turn one, reapply it whenever it wears off, and heal with Curaja in between
- Black Wizard - Cast Haste on your Knight and Ninja first, then use Flare every turn
- Knight - Use Giant's Gloves (Saber) on turn one, then attack with Excalibur
- Ninja - Equip Masamune and attack every turn; this is your highest sustained damage dealer
Quick Tips
- NulAll is non-negotiable - Her breath attacks will wipe an unprotected party in two rounds.
- 5,500 HP takes time - This is a long fight; budget your spell charges and keep Elixirs ready.
- Watch your White Wizard's MP - Juggling NulAll and Curaja drains MP fast, so use Ethers or Dry Ethers early.
- Penultimate boss - Only Chaos remains after this, so spend whatever resources you need to win.
Rewards
After the Battle
All four Fiends are down for good. The stairs past Tiamat's orb lead to B5, the final floor, where Chaos waits. Before heading down, take stock of your remaining resources. Chaos has 20,000 HP and resists every element, so you'll want full MP and a good supply of Elixirs. If your White Wizard is drained from keeping NulAll active, leave the dungeon and rest. The defeated Fiends won't respawn.
B5 has the same tough random encounters as B4. Circle around the room and enter from the south to reach Garland, who has been reborn as Chaos. Equip your best armor, make sure Ribbons are on, and save before engaging. This is the last fight in the game.