Welcome to this speedrun guide for Sword of Vermilion, Any% Glitchless category. Let’s get going!

General overview

Your game plan is surprisingly similar to the Any% Glitched run plan. Here are the main differences: 1- You obviously skip the Dark Sword and the Old Nick Armor glitches. 2- You have to buy two swords throughout the run. You must grind a little to get the necessary kims. 3- Before you buy the Inaudios spell, you are prone to getting hit a bit more often. That means you might have to use the inns to restore your MP a bit more. 4- In the late game, you can run from regular monsters easily, even without a glitched Armor Class. 5- The two Blue Demon aren’t really harder without the Dark Sword glitch. All the bosses afterwards are much, much harder and require practice, as well as a specific strategy. 6- Deaths do happen and losing half of your money does make a huge difference. There are some places where the money loss is just too much to keep the run going. 7- Instead of rewriting everything from the Any% Glitched speedrun guide, we will only focus on the aspects specific to the Any% Glitchless speedrun.

Part 1 – Wyclif and the beginning

• Go to the weapon shop and buy only a Bronze Sword. You don’t need any more protection than usual.
• When you enter the city of Parma, go see the king immediately.

Part 1 – Monster Strategy

• Don’t waste time killing Slimes or Kobolds. You do want to kill bats to rise your EXP a level or two.

Part 2 – The Treasure of Troy

• Leave Parma and head east to the Cave of Troy. In the dungeon, kill all the Skeletons you encounter, as well as the Eyeballs. Your goal is to get to 600 kims. The Skeletons provide 16 kims. The Eyeballs, for 15 kims apiece, are also a nice target. If needed, the Bats, worth 9 kims, can cover the difference.
• You might want to think twice before taking voluntary damage to Eyeballs, as dying is a real risk. Then again, so close to the beginning of the game, at worse, you just reset the run.
• This time, we want to pick up the Scale Armor. The AC difference it provides is worth the few seconds lost.
• Take the 300 kims treasure, even if you already have your 600 kims. Although you will lose half of it in the intentional death, it is still worth the time.
• In this run, we also want to buy the Sangua spell in Parma’s magic shop.

Part 2 – Boss Fight – Blue Dragon

• This one is a bit harder than before. The quickest strategy is to go right immediately until you are right next to the 2nd gargoyle. Swing your sword only once, then retreat to the middle of the column. When the dragon start raising its head, move closer and swing twice, then retreat to the column again. When the head starts lowering, do that again. The dragon should die in a couple of cycles.

Part 3 – The Road to Deepdale

• Get the Gem Shield as usual.
• Before entering Deepdale, go west and grab the 700 kims as well as the 500 kims waiting in treasure chests. You will still probably need to grind as little bit, as we need 3,700 kims to buy the Silver Sword.

Part 3 – Monster Strategy

• On the way to Deepdale, take the time to kill all those monsters: o Cave bats (the yellow ones) o Coyote Kobolds (the pink ones) o Rattlers o Creepers (with the bouncing ball)

Part 4 – The Sanguios Cave

• On the 2nd floor, pick up the Skeleton Armor and equip it.
• Ideally, you want to reach Stow with 2,830 kims. If you can’t, grind until you have at least 2,020 kims.
• We want to buy the same items as in the glitched run. Here’s the list again: o Gnome Stone o Griffin Wing o Gnome Stone o Gnome Stone o Griffin Wing (if you have enough money) o Poison Balm

Part 4 – Boss Fight – Blue Demon

• The strategy is the same as in the glitched run.
• Once you are in reach of the Demon, Keep pressing down and swing your sword frantically. You should repel most of the low fireballs. If you die here, it’s not the end of the world.
• It is highly recommended to practice this battle often by using an emulator and saving just before. To make sure the patterns are different each practice, encounter a random enemy, then save again before entering the fight.

Part 4 – Monster Strategy

• Here are the monsters you should kill: o Red Glunk o Gray Ooze o Rattler o Python (blue Rattler)
• You should run from everything else, except if you feel you will not reach the kim requirements.
• At some point, you should start encountering 2x Flamers. They are slower to kill than in the glitched run, so don’t waste time on them if possible.

Part 5 – Boss Fight – Blue Demon

• This fight is almost identical to the last one, except the demon has more health.
• It is more problematic if you die here, as money will be more sparse in the glitchless run.
• It is also highly recommended to practice this battle.

Part 5 – Monster Strategy

• The monster strategy is the same as in part 4.

Part 6 – The Doctor, the King and the Dungeon Key

• Same as in the glitched run.

Part 7 – To Swaffham

• After the cave, enter Malaga and go talk to the minister. You probably want to stay at the inn to refresh your MP.
• Buy the Golden Sword for 8,200 kims. Sell all your unequipped weapons and armor. We will need the kims later. Keep in mind that we still need 23,900 for all the spells once we reach Helwig.
• Walk to Helwig and enter the Magic Shop. If you have only 21,900 kims, go to the item shop and sell the Dungeon Key and the Alarm Clock for 1,000 kims each.
• Start by selling your two spellbooks, then buy the following 4 spells in that specific order: o Inaudios o Aries o Sanguia o Extrios
• If you don't have enough kims, you can skip on buying Extrios and come back later after the road to Excalabria.

Part 7 – Monster Strategy

• The Cobras provide 105 kims and 234 EXP. They are by far the most efficient way to bump your kims and EXP. Close to Helwig, the Wolf Kobold (109 kims and 284 EXP) and Killer Bats (131 kims and 212 EXP) are also very good.

Part 8 – To Excalabria

• No difference.

Part 8 – Monster Strategy

• Don’t forget that it is a good idea to reach 62,000 EXP if possible.

Part 9 – Hastings and Old Nick Armor

• Obviously, we don't go to the Whisby Cave for the armor.
• The decision changes a bit accordingly: o 79 MP or more: Aries to Wyclif (part 13), then Aries back to Excalabria, then walk to Hastings. o 32 to 78 MP: Go to Hastings. o 31 or fewer MP: Aries to Deepdale (part 12), go to the inn and take the time to complete the Truffles quest. Then go to back to Excalabria with at least 32 MP, then go to Hastings.

Part 9 – To Hastings

• Go to Hastings as usual. On arrival leave and die. As you respawn, don’t forget to talk to the priest on the left.

Part 10a – Swaffham – Ivory Cave

• In this part, we will fight 3 bosses that will each provide us enough EXP to maybe level up, so we want to keep a close eye on the amount left before the next level.
• Whenever we die in a boss fight, since MP gets replenished, we want to take the time to complete one of the remaining quests before heading back to the Ivory Cave (either Deepdale or Wyclif sidequests. The Malaga sidequest needs 76 MP, so it’s out of reach unless the next boss also levels you up).
• If you have 62,000 EXP or more, first go to part 12 – Deepdale Revisited.
• Get to the Ivory Cave as usual.
• IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to pick up the White Crystal!
• Right after getting the White Crystal, Extrios out. Now, take a decision: o If you have 76,999 or fewer EXP, Aries back to Swaffham and go to part 10b. o If you have between 77,000 and 79,999 EXP, that means you finished part 12 – Deepdale Revisited. Also go to part 10b. o If you have 80,000 EXP or more, the next boss will level you up, so you want to get to part 11 – Malaga Revisited, part 12 – Deepdale Revisited or part 13 – Wyclif Revisited first to maximize the use of your MP.

Part 10a – Boss Fight – Dark Demon

• This fight is perhaps the hardest in the game. Luckily, if we die, we neither lose a lot of time nor a lot of kims.
• There is a whole new strategy now. The main idea is to make the demon fly over you to the left. You can then get very close to it and swing your sword. Even though you swing your sword on the right, you are so close to the demon that it gets hit, perhaps even up to 4 times. It then flies back to the other side. We can get 2 hits on the way: one when it lowers itself a bit and one just before the fire breath.
• The one pattern we want to avoid is that if the demon is completely to the left or to the right, there is a chance that it will sweep to the other side without getting in the air. That is an unavoidable death. More testing is required, but I think that to prevent this, you must simply give the demon some space when it lands, so that it is closer to the middle of the screen.
• As soon as the battle starts, head right, but take a one second pause. That will allow a pattern where the demon flies towards you. Use the 2nd gargoyle as a reference: when your neck is just after the 2nd eye, that means you are at the exact place to hit without getting hit.
• This battle takes a lot of practice. It is the hardest of the three demon battles.

Part 10b – Swaffham – Ruby Cave

• Same as usual.
• Extrios out. As always, a decision tree: o If you have 100,000 or more EXP, do whichever among part 11, 12, or 13 that isn’t done yet. Keep in mind that you will need 68 MP to get back to Swaffham, finish the cave, warp back to Swaffham and again to the final preparations (55 if you buy the Pass to Carthahena before returning to Swaffham). o If you have fewer than 100,000 EXP, you will level up in the coming part. Go do those sidequests depending on your current MP:  92 or more MP: Part 11 – Malaga Revisited (92-99 MP means you cast one less Inaudios).  79 or more MP: Part 12 – Deepdale Revisited.  71 to 78 MP: part 13 – Wyclif Revisited.  70 or fewer MP: go to part 10c.

Part 10b – Boss Fight – Dark Demon

• This fight is identical to the last one.

Part 10c – Swaffham – Sapphire Cave

• Same as usual, except we now want to pick up the Critical Sword near the end of the cave.
• You should aim to finish this cave with 30,148 kims. Kill monsters accordingly.
• If you die fighting the boss, you can still salvage the run by picking up some chests on the world map (14,999 kims) and by selling the Golden Sword (7,000 kims).
• IMPORTANT: Once the battle is over, don’t forget to grab the Blue Crystal.

Part 10b – Boss Fight – Dark Demon

• This fight is quicker than the last two. Use the same strategy.

Part 11 – Malaga Revisited

• As usual

Part 12 – Deepdale Revisited

• As usual.

Part 13 – Wyclif Revisited

• As usual.

Part 14 – Endgame Preparations

• If you don’t have 50,000 kims, you have 3 options: o Sell the Golden Sword for 7,000 kims (quickest) o Pick up the 9,999 kims chest near Hastings (2nd quickest). o Pick up the 5,000 kims chest also near Hastings (slowest).

• The rest is as usual.

Part 14 – Boss Fight – Gold Dragon

• Use the same strategy as for the Blue Dragon at the beginning of the game. Here’s a reminder for your convenience:
• The quickest strategy is to go right immediately until you are right next to the 2nd gargoyle. Swing your sword only once, then retreat to the middle of the column. When the dragon start raising its head, move closer and swing twice, then retreat to the column again. When the head starts lowering, do that again. The dragon should die in a couple of cycles.

Part 15 – The Thule Cave

• As usual, except that we want to pick up the Secret Armor a bit before the 2nd boss.

Part 15 – Boss Fight – Red Cyclops

• Still an easy kill. Walk to it and swing but retreat when it charges its lightning.

Part 15 – Boss Fight – Red Demon

• Same strategy as before.

Part 15 – Boss Fight – Red Dragon

• Same strategy before.

Part 15 – Boss Fight – Tsarkon, the Necromancer

• The first part is easy and straightforward, but you want to avoid being hit, as every HP will count in the 2nd part. When the necromancer charges its spell, keep swinging at the skeletons, but always press down to prevent getting hit by the beam.
• There is a little technique to master in order to hit the skeleton at the right time, so they don’t hit you. Practice as needed.

Part 15 – Boss Fight – Weird Hydra

• The fight is the most difficult to master. You can no longer force your way through.
• Let’s name the heads. The one in front of the other is the front head (FH). The one closest to the background is the back head (BH).
• The two heads act differently. o When FH starts shooting, it won’t stop unless you get far away or unless BH starts shooting too. o When BH shoots, it will do so once, then both heads will stop shooting. o To make BH shoot, simply walk towards it when it’s moving up. If FH is shooting, time your movements so that you get nearer between two fires, at the right time for BH to see you, then retreat.
• When the necks are the same length for both heads, here’s how we can manage to land a blow without getting hurt: o Make BH shoot once. Place your character just next to the fire, then wait. o When the heads begin to align, wait for BH to be lagging a fraction of seconds behind its cousin. Then walk towards the head. This way, no head should see you before you have a chance to land a swing. You even sometimes have the time to land 2.  If BH sees you, you have just enough time to get one swing at FH and retreat, but it is very close (and risky, watch your health).  If FH sees you, restart the process.
• When FH’s neck is shorter, we sometimes have the opportunity to hit BH between two of the continuous fire blasts. It requires timing though. We can also simply repeat the procedure above.
• When BH’s neck is shorter, we can apply the usual procedure, but it will be easier to hit FH.
• As always, practice this fight often. You should not attempt a run unless you can kill the Weird Hydra three times in a row without dying in practice.

Finishing this game quickly without the glitches seemed impossible at first, but when trying, I realized it was much easier than I thought. I hope this guide will give you the courage to give it a try!