Star Ocean: The Second Story R - Maze of Tribulations Optional Dungeon

Maze of Tribulations is unlocked after you beat the game with either Claude or Rene. If you load your clear save game slot, you will be back before fighting the last boss. You can now visit the Fun City and go into the arena, then through the north doors to reach the audience area. On the north side you can find a grandpa NPC "Strange Geezer) that can take you back to the first planet where you started the game. You will be in Arlia and a NPC will approach you to tell you about the Maze.

Exit the city and fly towards the southwestern corner of the map where you can find an unique spot and a pyramid-type of dungeon which is the Maze of Tribulations. Good luck, do not think about entering this if you're under level 100 - even that is low. You need to reach the bottom floor and defeat the boss there.

0:00 - How to unlock post-game stuff
0:30 - Reaching Expel and unlocking Maze of Tribulations
2:33 - Claude Setup - Getting Deadly Edge
4:17 - Claude Setup - Customizing Blade of Minos
4:30 - Claude Setup - Customizing Aeterna
4:50 - Opera's Setup - Customizing Pulse Clip
5:12 - Ernest's Setup - Customizing Dark Whip
5:55 - Bowman's Setup - Customizing Fists of the Moon
6:20 - Celine's Setup - Customizing Dragonstaff
6:35 - Rena's Setup - Customizing Knuckles of Hope
6:50 - Getting 3 Rings of Lightspeed
7:35 - Crafting at least 3 Berserker Rings
7:52 - Maze of Tribulatons Location
8:50 - Maze of Tribulatons Setup
10:29 - Leveling Up
11:15 - Maze 1st Floor Boss
13:12 - Maze 2nd Floor Puzzle Solution
14:15 - Maze 2nd Floor Boss
15:35 - Maze 3rd Floor Puzzle & Chest
15:45 - Maze 3rd Floor Boss
16:32 - Maze 4th Floor Preparation (Music and Talents)
16:48 - Maze 4th Floor Extinction Spell for Leon
17:30 - Maze 4th Floor Welch's Gutsy Handy Stick
17:52 - Maze 4th Floor Lever to open doors
18:06 - Maze 4th Floor "Mystical Shamisen" instrument
18:57 - Maze 4th Floor Boss
19:53 - Maze 5th Floor Puffy #1
21:30 - Maze 5th Floor Puffy #2
23:00 - Maze 5th Floor Boss
23:44 - Maze 6th Floor Secret Santa Shop
24:05 - Maze 6th Floor Puzzle
25:00 - Maze 6th Floor Boss
26:05 - Maze 6th Floor Shortcut #1
26:20 - Maze 7th Floor Puzzle
27:35 - Maze 7th Floor Boss
28:32 - Maze 8th Floor Puzzle
30:13 - Maze 8th Floor Boss
31:22 - Maze 10th Floor Celine's Meteor Swarm Spell
32:12 - Maze 10th Floor Secret Treasure Room
33:23 - Maze 10th Floor Boss
34:57 - Maze 11th Floor Boss
36:41 - Maze 12th Floor Puzzle
38:45 - Maze 12th Floor Boss
41:15 - Maze 13th Floor Puzzle
42:12 - Maze 13th Floor Puzzle Boss
43:45 - Maze 13th Floor Teleport, 2 Levers, Fishing Spot
44:22 - Gabriella Celesta Preparation Setup
45:10 - Gabriella Celesta (Silver Trumphet Instrument)

Preparation/Strategy for Maze of Tribulations

Make sure to raise Customize IC to level 10 with all party members you will use in this dungeon. My party was Claude, Rena, Opera, and Ernest. Bowman is maybe a better choice than some of the members, but it's on you. The best weapons at this point can be customized, and for the rest - I will not some, the rest (like armors, boots and shields) are to be found in the Maze itself.

I had 3 Ring of Lightspeed accessories on my team. 1 can be found if you participate in PA with Mariana in Fun City before you beat the game (talk to her when she ends up in bed), 1 can be found on the 3rd floor of Maze, 1 can be found on the 5th floor of Maze.

Ring of Might doubles your ATK power, but also leaves you vulnerable to spells. You can find one in the Field of Power dungeon. Better ring is the Berserker Ring, which can crafted using Crafting and Ruby (you can buy them in shop in Armlock). I had lv10 crafting and made like 2-3 when trying to craft 10 Rubies at once. This ring puts you in enraged state, and it doubles your attack, but without lowering your elementat resistances. This makes this ring the best one in the game.

Cloude

Weapon - Aeterna
You can fuse Deadly Edge sword (reward after losing to Dias in the arena in Lacuer) with Mithril at lv6 Customization to get Blade of Minos. Fuse Blade of Minos with Mithril at lv10 Customization to get Aeterna. It's one of the best swords that has additional damage. You will get better sword in the Maze.

Accesories Setup #1- Ring of Lightspeed (+2 attack hits), Foot Insignia (ATK + 10%, HIT + 30%)
Accesories Setup #2- Ring of Might (Doubles ATK!), Foot Insignia (ATK + 10%, HIT + 30%)
Accesories Setup #3- Berserker Ring (Doubles ATK because it puts you in enraged state), Ring of Lightspeed (+2 attack hits)

Rena

Weapon - Knuckles of Hope
You will get these during story events before the Phynal; the final game dungeon. It's a great weapon that reduces MP costs by 50%.

Accessories Setup #1 - Leaf Pendant (DEF +30%), Faerie Ring (MP cost -50%)

Celine

Weapon - Dragonstaff
Customize Holy Rod (found in chest in Fields of Love) and Star Ruby to get it.

Accessories Setup #1 - Leaf Pendant (DEF +30%), Faerie Ring (MP cost -50%)

Opera

Weapon - Pulse Clip
You can Customize Beta Clip (You can find one in chest in Phynal or Customize X Clip + Mithril) with Orichalcum when you have lv10 with the IC.

Accessories Setup #1 - Chain of Might (ATK+30%), Ring of Lightspeed (+2 attack hits)
Accesories Setup #2 - Berserker Ring (Doubles ATK because it puts you in enraged state), Ring of Lightspeed (+2 attack hits) 

Ernest

Weapon - Dark Whip
Customize Spark Whip (buy from shop in Armlock) with Meteorite to get the Light Whip. Light Whip and Mithril gives Invisible Whip. Invisible Whip and Damascus gives Hi-Tech Whip. Hi-Tech Whip and Damascus gives Dark Whip.

Accessories Setup #1 - Chain of Might (ATK+30%), Ring of Lightspeed (+2 attack hits)
Accesories Setup #2 - Berserker Ring (Doubles ATK because it puts you in enraged state), Ring of Lightspeed (+2 attack hits) 

Bowman

Weapon - Fists of the Moon
Customize Knuckles of the Moon (buy from shop in Armlock) and Diamond to get them.

Accessories Setup #1 - Chain of Might (ATK+30%), Ring of Lightspeed (+2 attack hits)
Accesories Setup #2 - Berserker Ring (Doubles ATK because it puts you in enraged state), Ring of Lightspeed (+2 attack hits) 

Maze of Tribulations Floor #1

This is where you can level up a bit. If you reach level 100 it will be enough to proceed, even beat couple of floors. If you level up around level 110, you can enable Bodyguard IC and just let your team get rid of green enemies. This is the fastest way to level up, alongside with chaining couple of enemies and then beating them. The best location to level up is the last floor, where you can chain 2 enemies and raise 2-3 levels per that fight. You can easily reach level 180 in this dungeon.

Make sure to collect all chests on this floor, and then it's time to kill the boss. The boss has really high agility, so your best bet is leveling up Combat Skill "Faint" and "Guardbreak" to level 10 and keep your fingers crossed. For me, this was the hardest fight. This and the last one.

Maze of Tribulations Floor #2

The puzzle on this floor can be a bit tricky. Read the tablet to learn who is in love with who - usually that is the key of rotating the statues. Lloyd needs to go west to look towards the little girl, and that little girl north. South from Lloyd is a girl with ribbon, she is mentioned as lover so she needs to go north to look towards Lloyd. First girl west from the previous one looks west, and the next girl (Milena) north. The boy north (Luke) from girl looks south (towards Milena). Sharon on the western hallway needs to look east (thx Guest667776 for the correction). This opens the doors to the boss and the next floor. 

There is a Star Guard+ shield between Luka and Milena, check on the floor after you do the puzzle.

The boss is not that hard, make sure to kill the slimes and do not rush, they can obliterate you. Use skills that damage all enemies if you have some, and use your melee fighters to reduce the numbers fast.

Maze of Tribulations Floor #3

To open boss doors you need to go through each room once. Returning back to rooms deactivate them. You can go up and down the floors to reset the flow. It's really easy to go through them all once. Make sure to get Ring of Lightspeed from the chest here.

The boss can be a pain. It freezes time, but having assault actions helps. Spam what you have and try to be fast. Not really that hard.

Maze of Tribulations Floor #4

For this floor you will need Rhythm Sense and possibly Acoustic Sense Talents. Raise Music for that member to level 10.

If you open the right chest just above the entrance, and if you have Leon, he will learn Extinction spell. Set it to Assault action, it's awesome.

Opening a bunch of chests will give you weapons for appraisal. I got Gutsy Handy Stick for Welch that gives +3000 ATK if you have 3 male members in your party. Awesome weapon.

To open the boss doors you need to find a lever and pull it. Before you beat the boss and go down, find the Lady of the Dance north from the entrance. Use your Level 10 Music member with music talents to play the song and you will get "Mystical Shamisen" instrument.

The boss is extra fast! Bunny Shoes can help, but I did it without them. Use your assault skills and try to be fast as well. 

Maze of Tribulations Floor #5

Directly north from the entrance you will find Puffy. Answer with "Puffy" and "Beasts", and then escape the fight. Answering differently doens't change the outcome. Find Puffy in need of help on the eastern side of the dungeon, help her out and win the fight. You will get Phantom Slayer which 1-hit kills all enemies with "Phantom" in their name.

Make sure to collect all chests on this floor - one chest comes with Ring of Lightspeed, and there are also Seraphic armor here. 

To kill the boss equip Phantom Slayer on some character, and during the boss fight use that character to 1-hit kill the boss. Easy.

Maze of Tribulations Floor #6

There is a chance you will encounter Santa NPC here, just west from the first area going north (middle of the area that leads south). He doesn't spawn every time. Buy rare Philosopher's Stones, tri-Embled, and Jewel of the Frog (teleports you out).

Near the Santa you can see a bunch of "?" signs on the map. Inspect all statues until you find the one with the button (lower-right one). Push the button to open boss doors.

The boss can be either easy or medium-hard. If you have the Scumbag Slayer sword, you can 1-hit kill all bandit types of enemies. If you don't, kill them regularly and watch out for your health.

NOTE - there is a shortcut here. It teleports you up near the save point, neat! Make sure to use it.

Maze of Tribulations Floor #7

Find chest with Flawed Orb inside (the one below the angel statue), Craft that orb to get Orb of Fire and place that on the pedastal near the stairs that leads down. 

The boss is anoying. He can 1-hit kill all of you, so make sure to break his defense asap, use assault skills and whatever you have on your disposal.

Maze of Tribulations Floor #8

This is a weird floor. You need to feed the giant face with food. I just cooked a lot of food with ingredients I had, and I just fed him until he choked and spit out the well-known NPC from before. Since I never ever use food, just start from the bottom of the list of start giving the food to him.

The boss is easy, but these slimes can slurp you. If they slurp all your members it's over. Just keep running around and use your strongest arsenal. Not a hard fight.

Maze of Tribulations Floor #9

This floor has no boss fights. There is a teleport that will bring you back to 1st floor and the save point. Activate it so you can easily go up and down, we are getting closer towards the end.

Maze of Tribulations Floor #10

In the starting room you can stand on 5 tiles and the doors above will open. Form a path to reach upper-left room where the spell for Celine is. 

Go up one floor and down again to reset the tiles. Form 2 right, and 3 north and cross them to open the secret room treasure. There is a Battle Suit inside, it has high defense.

If you want a poison-free combination, try to connect tiles with the upper-right, and activate only the green ones.

The boss hits hard, but he is not that hard. Just don't run and watch out for your health.

Maze of Tribulations Floor #11

Pick up the chests and fight the boss just to the north. Use EXP card if you have any, this boss give a lot of EXP. And he is easy.

Maze of Tribulations Floor #12

To enter 12th floor you need to go back to the entrance where you can leave your party members. You can bring only 2 - I choose Claude and Rena. Make your way back with only the two of you and fight the boss.

The boss is really easy, it has low HP and you should be just fine. For defeating the boss you will get Holy Sword Farewell, equip with Claude.

Maze of Tribulations Floor #13

To open doors on the 12th floor, make your way to the 1st and enter the eastern teleport to teleport you to 9th floor. Inspect the coffin that level to fight another boss.

This feels like a regular fight. Not much to say. Winning will get you Demon Sword Levantine, the strongest sword in the game. Equip it and enjoy.

You can now enter the last floor. In there you will find a teleport (use it and save), 2 Levers (open them to open the main boss doors), Fishing Spot (this was my last fish, you can return to Reel to exchange for rewards). Prepare for the boss fight, lower the difficulty if it's too hard and let's go. 

My setup for Gabriella Celeste are armor sets from this dungeon, and weapons+accessories I showed you at start of the video. Use Berserker Rings instead of ATK+ ones. It's all about the luck and healing. If you get lucky, you will win. You retry in this version, so this shouldn't be that hard. 

For winning you will get the Silver Trumphet instrument and Archangel's Bracelest, one of the best accessories you can use. Good luck! Next stop is the sister of Gabrielle, and for that we need to Perform music to get Devil's Aria. More in the Music topic!