The Sea Hulk stands as one of Crisis Core‘s most infamous and formidable foes. This amphibious leviathan sinks countless players attempting to sully its aquatic territory. Boasting equal parts brawn and brains, the Sea Hulk flummoxes with its self-healing capabilities, hard-hitting physical attacks, and relentless magical barrage.
Only with the proper preparations and battle tested tactics can Zack Fair stand a chance at surfacing from this trial alive. This guide serves as your life raft, providing everything you need to identify the Sea Hulk‘s strengths and weaknesses to ultimately claim victory.
Origins: The Sea Hulk Mythos
While the Sea Hulk‘s backstory remains shrouded in mystery, informed speculation suggests a connection to Crisis Core‘s primary antagonists. The Sea Hulk bares an uncanny resemblance regarding both appearance and supernatural abilities to the Behemoth type enemy classification.
This implicates Shinra corporation‘s genetic engineering and Mako mutation experiments as the likely genesis responsible for the Behemoth specimen‘s aquatic evolution into the Sea Hulk.
Supporting this theory, Crisis Core‘s director has hinted we may not have seen the last of this category of creatures in future Final Fantasy VII installments. This means uncovering the Sea Hulk‘s secrets holds high relevance when anticipating battles yet to come!
Sea Hulk Cheat Sheet
Before diving headfirst into battle, smart preparation separates the winners from those sleeping with the fishes. Familiarizing yourself with the Sea Hulk‘s full repertoire of strengths and weaknesses prevents unwanted surprises.
Stats:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Level | 36 |
| HP | 52,800 |
| MP | 187 |
| Attack | 44 |
| Magic | 31 |
| Vitality | 22 |
| Spirit | 23 |
| Luck | 33 |
| Gil | 78 |
Abilities:
- Double Claw Swipe: Basic 2-hit melee attack
- Double Tail Swipe: Hits a wide area
- Gyro Tail: High damage spinning tail attack + knockback
- Heave: Grabs/damages + tosses Zack
- Meteorite: Extremely damaging limit break
- 10 Million Volts: Lightning magic AOE
- Self Heal: Gradually restores HP
Attack Patterns:
- Prioritizes stronger attacks as HP decreases
- Uses Self Heal when weak
- Unlocks Meteorite limit break at ~70% HP
- Casts more magic like 10 Million Volts under 50% HP
With this knowledge in hand, let‘s navigate the tides of battle step-by-step.
Gearing Up: Weapons, Materia & Items
Choosing equipment best suited to counter the Sea Hulk‘s offenses bolsters survival odds enormously.
Weapons:
- Buster Sword – Excellent blocking & damage
- Mythril Saber – Lightweight & speedy
- Jade Armlet – Absorbs lightning damage
Materia:
- Hell Thundaga – Heavy magic DMG from range
- Costly Punch – Extreme physical DMG up close
- MP Absorb – Restores MP helping sustain attacks
- Deadly Dodge – Damage boost after evading
Items:
- HI-Potions – Heal mid-battle
- Phoenix Down – Revive from KO
- Fish Scales – Temporarily reduces physical DMG taken
Gearing Zack to cover all bases makes surviving the onslaught feasible. Now let‘s break down conquering this boss phase-by-phase.
Walkthrough: Surmounting All 3 Phases
While simple in theory – defend against attacks while damaging the Sea Hulk – perfect execution eludes most. Knowing precisely how to react as the fight evolves gives you an edge.
Phase 1: 50-70% HP
Sea Hulk Abilities:
- StandardAttacks: Claw Swipes, Tail Swipes, Heave
- Self Heal
The Sea Hulk slowly unleashes its arsenal, testing your defense. Evade standard attacks while blocking unavoidable ones to mitigate damage. Endure Gravity attacks like Heave by first shielding against the initial grab then recovering mid-air to avoid the ground impact damage.
Carefully counterattack with Costly Punch or Hell Thundaga when openings appear. Replenish lost HP using HI-Potions whenever your health dips below half to stay vigilant.
By the 70% mark the Sea Hulk unseals Meteorite devasting Zack if unprotected. Luckily there is time to shield raising damage mitigation Ludicrously high. Surviving Meteorite allows progress steady into phase 2.
Phase 2: 30-50% HP
Additional Abilities:
- 10 Million Volts
- Meteorite
The Sea Hulk quickens its attacks while amplifying its ferocity by integrating both physical and magical moves. Keep Wall/Protect active while precisely dodging and guarding. Look to absorb lightning strikes using the Jade Armlet when possible.
Seize any window exposing the Sea Hulk‘s back to unload Hell Thundaga and Costly Punch wombo combos. Don‘t let MP fully deplete, using ethers if needed. With HP under 50% its Self Heal ability poses the largest threat. Out damage it using your strongest attacks without mercy.
Phase 3: <30% HP
Abilities:
- All attacks amplified 2X
- Self Heal delay reduced
Teetering on the edge between victory and defeat. The Sea Hulk pummels relentlessly chipping away at HP. Dig deep to avoid attrition annihilation. Dodge effectively first then counterattack during every presented opportunity without hesitation.
Unload ultimate attacks like Costly Punch when the Sea Hulk charges Meteorite to interrupt it. With patience and perfect execution, the beast eventually collapses defeated.
Post-Match Analysis
Now let‘s examine advanced strategies and busted character builds guaranteeing Sea Hulk supremacy:
Pro Tips for Advanced Players
- Cast Reflect on self then bounce the Sea Hulk‘s Magic back
- Exploit weakness to Delay attacks stopping Self Heal
- Unload summoned Ifrit‘s Hellfire during openings
- Use Costly Punch invincibility frames to dodge attacks
Overpowered Build
statusIMGmythrilSaber.jpg
Equip:
- Celestial Gloves – Adds paralysis to attacks
- Sneak Attack + Double Cut – Multi hit combo
- Added Effect + Fire/Ice/Bolt – Element + status infliction
This build overwhelms applying constant pressure through damage + paralysis while retaliating counters interrupt the Sea Hulk‘s rhythm preventing it ever gaining the upper hand.
Claiming victory over Crisis Core’s Sea Hulk demonstrates one’s mastery of action RPG combat. Memorize its move set patterns, gear appropriately to counter them, then implement advanced techniques flawlessly. Do so and delightedly flaunt your Achilles armor won from the titan’s corpse!
Let me know if this definitive guide helps you conquer Crisis Core’s notorious Sea Hulk once and for all!
