The Outlying Church marks one of the standout missions in Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. In Chapter 4, Ramza briefly reunites with Delita to confront Zalmour, a Celebrant of the church. While this fight is not the toughest of the chapter, it’s deceptively tricky if you underestimate Zalmour’s allies. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect and how to secure victory.
Battle Overview
- Chapter: 4 (In the Name of Love)
- Mission Goal: Defeat Zalmour
- Recommended Level: ~35+ (Level 43+ is ideal)
- Main Enemy: Zalmour (Celebrant)
- Supporting Enemies:
- 3 Knights
- 2 Mystics
The battle ends the moment Zalmour is knocked out, so you don’t need to wipe the entire enemy squad. However, his supporting Knights and Mystics can stall your progress if ignored, making positioning and speed crucial.
Enemy Breakdown
- Zalmour (Celebrant): Uses Magicks and support skills. Vulnerable if Silenced.
- Knights x3: Standard melee threats. Capable of Rend Weapon and strong physical damage.
- Mystics x2: Will cast Cura for healing and Invigoration to drain HP for MP restoration.
Zalmour tends to reposition himself toward the rear of the church, forcing you to push through his guards.
Recommended Party Formation
A balanced lineup will make this fight much smoother. A strong suggestion is:
- Ramza – Dragoon (with Squire secondary)
- Delita – Guest Holy Knight (cannot change job)
- Agrias – Holy Knight (with Chemist secondary for support)
- Ninja – Fast, dual-wield DPS (with Thief secondary optional)
- Monk – Close-range damage with utility buffs/heals
- Bard – Speed support with Rousing Melody
Why this works:
- Ramza’s Jump punishes stationary casters.
- Delita and Agrias’ Hallowed Bolt can deal heavy damage and potentially Silence Zalmour.
- Ninja and Monk provide flexible offense.
- The Bard accelerates your turn economy, giving your team repeated early actions.
Deployment and Opening Moves
- Positioning
- Place your Bard in the top-left to safely provide buffs.
- Put Ramza at the front with Ninja and Monk close behind.
- Agrias should deploy slightly offset to flank the Knights.
- First Actions
- Move the Ninja forward but avoid overextending.
- Use Ramza’s Tailwind to boost Speed.
- The Bard should immediately start Rousing Melody.
- Delita and Agrias should target Zalmour early with Hallowed Bolt. A lucky Silence can trivialize the fight.
Enemy Response
- Zalmour will often reposition onto the church rooftop or back stairs, opening with a Wait.
- Mystics will focus on healing Zalmour, but their spells are slow.
- Knights will advance aggressively, sometimes using Rend Weapon. Be ready to lose gear if unlucky.
Mid-Battle Flow
- Use the Ninja to chip down Knights with Shuriken or melee flanks.
- Have the Monk cast Protect or Pummel for burst damage.
- Ramza can leap over obstacles with Jump to punish Mystics.
- Keep the Bard safe and playing buffs—this is what allows you to act multiple times in succession.
- Focus down one Knight at a time to reduce incoming pressure.
Closing the Fight
Once Zalmour reaches the lower stairs, he becomes exposed. At this point:
- Use Ramza’s Jump or a Ninja’s dual attacks to shred his HP.
- Delita and Agrias can keep chaining Judgment Blade and Divine Ruination.
- If he’s Silenced, he’s a sitting target.
- Push him into Critical HP and he will be forced to retreat, ending the battle.
See also: Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Review (4.5/5)
Battle Rewards and Loot
Defeating Zalmour grants:
- 19,800 Gil
- Angel Ring (blocks Blind and Instant Death)
- Additional loot from crystals or treasure chests (possible items include Magick Ring, White Robe, Japa Mala, Assassin’s Dagger, and consumables)
Quick Tips for Beating Zalmour
- Ignore Elevation: If you have the Lancer’s Ignore Elevation equipped, you can scale the church tower immediately and pressure Zalmour before his allies matter.
- Force Self-Healing: Dealing consistent chip damage often makes Zalmour waste turns on self-healing instead of attacking.
- Spread Out: Keep units apart to avoid Mystic AoE spells.
- Optional Grinding: At this stage of the chapter, fighting at Level 43+ makes the Knights far less threatening.
The Outlying Church battle is less about raw difficulty and more about managing turn order, positioning, and Zalmour’s tricks. If you Silence him early, the fight becomes straightforward. If not, methodical elimination of his guards followed by concentrated damage will seal the win.
This encounter perfectly showcases how speed manipulation and clever unit choice can turn a tricky fight into a decisive victory in The Ivalice Chronicles. Play Now!
