Everyone reading this has beaten Kefka at Narshe in Final Fantasy 6 at some point in their life. But have you done it while taking the fewest steps possible?

Steps will be measured by the step counter seen in the menu. Various auto-walks, cutscenes, and chocobo rides do not add to this counter. However, manual walks in side scenes like flashbacks and the scenario select screen do add to your step total. By my count, without using major glitches like Celes skip, the fewest steps necessary to beat Kefka at Narshe is 3,255. But if you can do better, this is your chance to let everyone know!

Game resets are allowed. Even better, emulator timing tools like save states, fast forwards, slow downs, pauses, and frame advances are ALLOWED. (These definitely help with getting Edgar's dialogue at Returner HQ!) Even if you choose to play this on console for added swag, segmented runs are also allowed. But everything counting toward your final run must be fully recorded per TGSAP rules.

IMPORTANT - All unlimited sources of experience are BANNED from this bounty, because they would make the challenge trivial. Since the game allows you to retain experience after a party wipe, this means that if all your characters die, you MUST reset the game to your latest save (or revert to a save state). Extra loops on the Lete River are also banned; you may choose any selection at the first intersection, but at the second intersection (the one with only two options), you must choose "Left".

While I don't want to spoil the fun for anyone who wishes to strategize this run for themselves, I have assembled a short Twitter thread listing a few notable pitfalls to watch out for:

https://twitter.com/ersatz_cats/status/1602534459756392448

Also, here's my step counter, detailed down to each point-to-point sequence, to help you confirm that you're still on track for minimum steps. This also gives you additive totals for the scenarios, allowing you to play them in whatever order you wish:

https://perfectpacman.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Bounty-FF6-step-count.txt

This bounty is for the Super Nintendo version of FF6 (originally known as "Final Fantasy 3" in the English-speaking world), or emulation of it, including things like Virtual Console. I have not tallied step counts for the Final Fantasy 6 Advance remake for GBA, but preliminary research says the step totals are different. (The black scenario select screen is one example.)

If you want to get swag points for slipping Locke past the guard to skip Celes (and thus fighting TunnelArmr with Locke alone), you are allowed to do so, and such swag will be noted in the eventual write-up. By my count, this would reduce your step total by 499. But this exploit is not required for this bounty, and the provided step count numbers do not reflect this. Any submissions using Celes skip must still minimize their step count in all other locations.

Other PPMDC bounty rules:

- All performances must be fully recorded, and must adhere to general TGSAP rules and community expectations, including those particular to the platform and emulation being used. Specific to this bounty: Since resets and segmented runs are allowed, only the portions contributing to your final run must be submitted.

- The date (or approximate date) of this achievement must be stated. It is requested, but not required, that submissions for this bounty be achieved on or after the date this bounty is posted. No proof is required for date of achievement, and submitted runs for this bounty will not be disqualified on that basis. (In other words, it's safe to vote on submissions that lack proof of date but appear otherwise genuine.) However, submitting old runs, or misrepresenting dates, may disqualify the submitter from recognition for future PPMDC bounties.

- No major glitches aside from any specified in the bounty description.

- Swag strats are encouraged, and will be featured in the eventual write-up.

For global PPMDC bounty rules, see the PPMDC bounty page.

Complete the 2nd run of the game with 1,000,000 or higher.