Defenders of Oasis for Sega Game Gear - speedrun notes by barnyFF

Defenders of Oasis for Sega Game Gear - speedrun notes
By barnyFF
Initial route created (March-April 2018) by barnyFF



Chapter 1

(Start timer as soon as you select “New Game”)

Notes: Run from all fights unless noted.  When the Genie joins, if Prince doesn’t get the first turn in a fight, power off, then reload game.  Also, many bosses use poison attacks.  If poisoned, you don’t have to use snake act or Haoma spell to heal poison until a character gets the message “feels the effects of poison strongly”.  Give ALL speed potions to Prince, as he is slowest and it helps him get first turn (and a possible run from battles).  Mashing the cancel button during battle speeds up text.  Canceling in shops speeds up item-buying in shops.

Mash through opening text.  Upon character control, talk to gray-robe NPC on right, then head to shop in SW corner of town and buy 7 herbs (this can be cut if only 2 herbs are needed for Kohle fight).  Head east of town to ship and talk to blue NPC.  Exit and talk to white NPC in front of canal, then south over bridge to tavern.  Fight until ruffians are dead, then mash through cutscene.
Follow tutor to the waterway and follow waterway running from Spiders and only fighting single-enemy encounters in outside canal.  At docks, walk up to Kohle and initiate fight.  After fainting and waking, talk to NPC at top of bed, then NPC by exit for Holy Herb, then leave.
Go back to castle through the waterway (canal at east end of town).  At this point, fight single-enemy encounters and run from double.  In the castle, go to the fountain at the center and talk to tutor for S key.  Head all the way left, then up and follow to treasury, getting the 6 chests (top right room first, then top left room).  Go to bottom room and get the lamp and Genie.  Equip sword and cape on Prince, use Hemp and Plating on Genie, then head back to waterway and to dock.  Be lvl 3 (or preferrably 4) before Kohle.
Fight Kohle (80hp).  First Genie uses Varyu, then fight the 2 guards (2 hits each), then have Genie attack Kohle while Prince uses herbs to keep party healed.  Keep both above 35 hp at all times; Prince MUST be alive at the end of fight, and Genie is the only one who can damage Kohle (at 6hp per turn).  If either dies, it is a reset/retry.  After Kohle dies, mash through cutscenes.

Chapter 2

Upon control, talk to the two deckhands and the lookout last, then head below the deck, talk to the captain and then Saleem to advance story.  Exit the boat to the south and follow path to the village and fight all fights until low on hp, (need 1620 gold and Prince needs to be lvl 8 and Saleem 7 or close to, Saleem can be 6 and Prince 7 and you can barely scrape by when you head back back to the ship).  At village, talk to elder in first house, then buy Sabers for P & S at the shop on the left (if not enough money grind outside of town by temple until at 1620 gold, sell extra equips).
Head back to ship once P & S are equipped with Sabers, fighting single-enemy encounters on the way.  Before reaching ship, heal up using Alma.  Fight 3 Assassins (81hp), and afterwards 2 Crocottas (200hp) using Genie to Alma whoever needs healing.  After fight, mash through cutscene.
Head back to the village, fighting all fights on the way back, and talk to the elder and sleep.  Next, talk to the other guy in the house.  Then talk to the elder again and select “No”.  Talk again to the guy in the house, then the guy directly outside, then the guy in the field.  At this point the guy in the field should mention something about loose boards.  Head to the temple and enter, reading the first word wall you see.  Fight a few fights in the temple to boost money and exp before heading back to the village.  Talk to the elder and sleep again.  Talk to the other guy in the house, then talk to the elder once more.  Now, use any extra money to buy as many barrels as possible and Snake Acts with whatever is left.  Head to the temple.  (At this point, run or reset from all regular encounters unless noted.  Resets are going to very likely be faster if Prince doesn’t get first turn.)
By now, Saleem and Prince should be at level 9 for the next boss.  In the temple, go up and read the first wall, then back to the village elder to get the mirror.  Then head back to the temple, up, and then left (note you can go under certain walls) and read the wall (learn “Dagon” keyword).  Then back at entrance, circle to the upper right room for the Urus spell.  Cross left to the center room, take stairs for Barbado (puts enemies to sleep).  Cross left and read wall in upper left room for Almaty spell.  Head to upper center room for boss.
Have Genie use Barbado on Dagon (197hp) while P and S fight.  Genie then uses Urus on S first and P second, Barbado if Dagon wakes up.
In next section, go right to stairs, get the 4 chests to the left (wait on using items on Genie until next chapter to save a menu) and go back to original stairs (skip north stairs).  Head back and take left stair down (skip center stair), then stair up, then right and follow path to Raag spell.  Mash through cutscene.

Chapter 3

Upon control, exit house, cross bridge, go left and up to Mahamood Castle.  Head to left side and talk to Magician.  Exit castle and warp to Gylan.  Head north and talk to a guard, then warp back to Mahamood.  Talk to magician again, then talk to NPC in SW corner of town for passport.  Warp to Gylan, talk to guard and enter castle.
Go left and follow path for a crystal.  Go back to intersection and head right, then down-left-up and around for a silk and herb.  Use crystals and silks on Genie, then back to bypassed path at intersection on right, and head up to next part of castle.
Go right and follow up to find Princess and fall through floor.  Read the wall first, then talk to Agmar.
Kohle appears (388hp).  Have Genie cast Varyu on Kohle first, then Urus on Saleem 3 times to buff attack.  Use barrels and Almaty when needed and attack.  Keep healed!  Make sure P and S end this fight alive for the exp.  Agmar joins after fight.  Heal and get key from Kohle’s body.  Get Asma spell (attack all for 40hp) from room in upper right, then grind Agmar to level 8 and P and S to 10-11 using Asma and healing at the wall when needed.  When done grinding circle up, to the left and down.  Get Wofmanaf spell (def up for all) in first room on bottom, skip first stair on bottom, read the next wall right of the stair for Amultart (life) spell, go to the far right for a Jambiya sword (for Agmar), then take stairs directly left.
Back on first floor, head south to room on right for a worm act and power potion.  (Use all power potions on Agmar), then head out of the room, left and up into next small room and take stairs for F. Stone (to sell).  Back out of room, continue left to small room with switch.  Try to hit it, then exit room and continue left, up and into next stair for a silk and holy herb.  Continue on to jail cell, fall through floor, and circle all the way back to the button on the wall and hit it, then back to jail cell/princess.
Follow path on right back to the beginning of the castle, unlocking the 5 doors on the way back to the entrance for 7 total chests.  Use items on Genie at this point, then use speed potion on Prince and equip the Turban on Agmar.  Then HEAL before exiting castle.
Fight 3 Elites (206hp each).  Have Genie use Wofmanaf over and over (4-5 times), healing if needed.  Attack with others when safe to do so (keep hp up with herbs and if needed barrels).  Genie should focus on healing after defense is sufficiently buffed.

Chapter 4

Upon control, get the amulet from the princess in room on the right.
Talk to magician in lower left of castle and get him to talk about his cousin in Ulk.
Warp to Ulk, fight bandits in south of village.
Go to basement of building in south, talk to the magician.  Exit to the right, and circle around town talking to everyone, sheep herder at top of town last.  Stop in weapon shop on the way, sell F. Stone and all old equips EXCEPT for Shamshir and buy a Kris for Agmar and give his Jambiya to Saleem (Jambiya swords for P and S if not enough money for a Kris, although you should have enough).  At sheep herder, talk to him so he mentions to hide behind tree at thieves cave, then heal by talking to the sheep 3 times.  Exit town to the north.
Head left and up through trees and follow path to thieves cave, then hide behind tree and mash through scene.  Enter cave and follow path skipping chests for now.  Circle to back of cave and enter back room.  Get first chest (silk), use on Genie, read word wall on right to heal if needed.
Trifid grind - Grind on Trifids until you have 80K gold (or a little more if you want to be safe), using Genie’s Asma spell (40hp damage all) and healing outside of battle if needed, and use word wall to heal when low on hp/mp.  At this point, just over 80K gold is needed (takes about an hour or just over to grind, and it will also give you enough levels to deal with most of the rest of the game).
Get final chests in back of cave (required to at least get hammer), and head for exit, collecting 3 chests on the way.  Equip Agmar with Mask and exit cave for fight.
For thieves (200hp) and Ali Baba (320hp), keep healed if needed.  Should be easy at level 22.
Warp to Mahamood, go to weapon shop in upper left and buy a Chakram for Saleem.  Next go to Mahamood item shop and stock up fully on Talismans.  If plenty of money, get the Helm from the Mahamood Armor shop for Prince.  Warp to Ulk, go to weapon shop and buy a Kris for Agmar if you didn’t have one already (should have one).  Equip S and A.  Go to item shop and get 3 gildings for Genie (DON’T USE YET!) and Holy Herbs (a few at least).  Heal at sheep, and exit town to north and head right to tomb.


Tomb: (Note - skip all non-spell word walls)
Go left and take stairs, then left and up to spell.  Back up stairs, cast Kshasla, get spells in upper left and upper right, then top center chest (crystal - don’t use yet) and down stairs.
Go down next set of stairs, then line up with 2nd tile on right upper portion and slide up to chest (crystal - don’t use yet) then slide left to Ashawan spell (heavy damage to 1 enemy).  Head back up 1 set of stairs.
Get power potion on far left first, then line up on the left so that you slide past the pit on its left side (pit will be on your right), and slide up.  First chest is H.Herb (get if not maxed), slide right (skip chest), slide down (life potion), slide left (speed potion), slide up (plating - don’t use yet), then left down the stairs.  Take the next stairs.  Use speed potion on Prince.
Go all the way right, then up, skip the up path and go left instead, then skip the next up path and go right instead.
Fight Gargoyles (333hp each).  Use Ashawan spell and use Saleem to heal.
Exit cave and warp to Ulk:
Go down well and talk to magician, then talk to soldier in middle of room
Back up the well, stock up on Holy Herbs, Herbs and Worm Acts (full)
Heal at sheep if needed, then head back to Tomb and take ship to Shanadar
Go to castle throne room and fight King (400hp) and Genie (whatever he had), healing with Saleem if needed

Chapter 5

Before Jiklart Tower: (chapter begins in Shanadar)
Go to weapon shot in upper left, by Falchion for P.  Next, go to item shop in SW corner and stock up on all items, then buy enough silks to get Genie up to 155ish mp.  Equip P with Falchion, then sell equips.  At this point, it is safe to use all items on Genie.
Warp to Island and load up on barrels.
Warp to Gylan and fight Al Karria (420hp) to get key of E.
In Gylan, make way back to prison cell and head to the room left of it.  Cast Kshasla to remove the barrier and head up.
Go right first and get crystal then back and to the left and up (get speed potion on right as soon as you start heading up, then keep going up).
At the top head down through all the doors, and at bottom head right and grab silk in lower right room.  Use silk, heal fully, then head up to boss.
Skylla (720hp) - Have genie Ashawan and everyone else attack, healing when needed.  When Skylla dies, go to back room, mash through cutscene, then exit Gylan and back to Mahamood Castle.  Talk to magician until he says to get the rings back.  Warp back to Gylan and go all the way back to boss room to get Ring Ash from urn in back.  Back to Mahamood Castle and magician, then south out of castle over bridge and talk to first NPC.  Now warp to Jiklart if fully stocked and healed.  If not fully healed, warp to Ulk and talk to sheep, then warp to Jiklart.

Jiklart Tower:
Grind at the enterance of Jiklart until Prince is level 21 (the others should be close).  Use Genie’s Hawltart spell to replenish mp and heal in between fights when needed.  If absolutely needed, warp back to Ulk and heal then come back.
Go up past teleport, then left and take left stairs, get south chest, then back past teleport and head right.  Make way to upper right and take stairs, then right/down.  Skip the sign, go left, get silk and then head down and take stairs to Poison Sword, then back down stairs and keep heading east.  Take stairs.
Down/left then up past stair to Asman (heavy damage all) spell, then up staircase you just passed to get Meialma spell (heal all), then back down a level.
Head to left side and take stairs up.  Head up first and get chests (Talisman, H. Stone - can sell H. Stone).  Head back down past stairs to next stair up.
Check first chest you see, and parry until you warp.  Take stairs on right side of this room, then take lower left path to next set of stairs.  Get chest (T key), then head up and follow path to a door.  Here, get the chest if needed (H. Herb), then head left to Talwar sword, then hit the door (opens path below) and head south past the first stair and take the next set of stairs.  Check chest to the north.
Go up the next set of stairs, then left/down to next stairs and take them.  Get the pillow, heal up, and fight Roc (825hp).  Have Genie use Woframaf 2-3 times then heal if still alive.  Have Agmar hide/assault, Prince attack and Saleem heal when needed.
Use bird to head into Other World.  Here, stick to the left side of every statue while heading north and getting the four chests in this section (Equip Prince right away with Talwar sword and Sp. Cape).  Fight statue Zariche (500hp) at the end of this section using Saleem to heal when needed and then take stairs.
Head up to second floor (using left side of all statues).  On 2nd floor, head right/down for a Crown (equip on Prince), then back to stairs and this time left/down keep going down and around to right side and get Sp. Cape (equip on Agmar for now, will switch in a bit).  Fully heal party, then head back to the left and exit this area to left if you have enough Talismans and healing items and the party is roughly level 
Go left and fight 4 Salwa statues in a row (606hp per statue).  Use Urus on Agmar (or Saleem possibly?) to buff attack, and use Saleem to heal with barrels/herbs/snake acts.  For statues 2-4, use a Talisman at the very beginning of the fight to heal fully. 
Head all the way back down and out of Other World by talking to Roc.  Head all the way down Jiklart Tower and out.  Warp to Island first for barrels.  Then warp to Mahamood and head to item shop, stock up on Talismans (8 needed) and all other items.  Warp to Ulk, go to item shop, sell all excess equipment and pillow and stock up on Worm Acts if needed (should be at full) and use whatever money is left to buy Guildings for Genie.  At this point Genie should have 170mp and well over 200hp.  Heal at sheep, then warp back to Jiklart Tower and head up into teleport.  Head north, unlock door, and head north to Roc, warping back to Other World.

Other World:
Head back up to 4 statues room and take warp.
In this area, the first passage is to the far left and the fifth passage is to the far right.  Go up and left to first passage, then down and get Evil Eye and life potion.  Then head to fourth passage, read the sign, and then check the statue in the fifth passage for a fight (700hp).  Have Genie use Urus on Agmar and heal when needed.
Go to second passage and get chests, read the wall, then check the statue below.  Go to the third passage, read the wall, then check the statue for second statue fight (700hp).  Same as above.  After beating statue, take teleporter.
Check the wall first, then check the chest for a fight.  Have Genie use Hwaltart to refill mp since these enemies are relatively easy.  After warping, head down, far left (you can sneak past the two chests next to each other - ALSO, if you didn’t buy a Helm for the Prince, get the Crown in the passageway leading up just past the double chests and equip on Prince), then all the way up to chest at top for another fight.  Have Genie Hwaltart again.  After this warp head south, then left, then up for final chest fight (same as the first two).  After this final warp, head south to the teleporter.
Read the center wall, then head to lower right corner for the Sp. Cloak (Equip on Agmar, then give Saleem the Sp. Cape) and check statue on bottom of room for a fight with fake Dolge (777hp).  There will be 4 Dolge fights on this floor.  Have Genie cast Urus on Agmar every turn he possibly can, and have Saleem heal while P and A do the attacking.  After bottom statue is dead, head to right side of room for the next statue, then the lower left side for a speed potion, then the left side for the third statue, then the upper left corner for a power potion, then finally the top statue.  Keep 4-5 Talismans for the final two bosses if possible.  After the last statue is defeated, a teleporter opens directly south of the top statue.
In this section, go right and up, step on the switch, then head left to the next switch and step on it.  Head back to the teleporter and past it going left to the final switch.  Now head up top for the final teleporter.
At this point, Prince and Saleem should be at least level 24, Agmar level 23, Genie with over 300hp and at least 60mp.  You should have 4-5 Talismans left, a few worm acts, a few snake acts, and hopefully some Holy Herbs.  Use any potions left on Agmar, and heal up as best as possible.
Penultimate boss is Akmanaf (888hp).  Have Genie use Wofmanaf if mp is at least at 40 (if less, use Urus on Agmar until only 20mp left) until he dies, while Saleem heals and Agmar hides/assaults.  Extremely difficult fight.  If death happens, reload and retry; he’ll go down with a little luck.  Save at least 3 Talismans for final boss.
Final boss time - Ahriman (999hp).  Not as difficult as the previous boss.  Before the fight you will walk through his room and take damage on every step.  Before hitting the confirmation button on him, menu and have Genie heal everyone with Almaty if enough mp left.  You will want at least 20mp left for this fight.  For the fight, have Genie use Wofmanaf as many times as possible while Saleem heals and P and A attack.  Time stops when the boss “screams” upon last hit (just after last meaningful input).