Bravely Default 2 successfully evokes that old classic JRPG feeling, stirring up nostalgia for early Final Fantasy titles with its turn-based battles, job system and crystal-centric plot. However, if you want to earn its best conclusion you’ve got your work cut out. The path to reach it is not immediately obvious, and comes with a sizeable challenge.
With NO SIGNIFICANT SPOILERS here is how to ensure you get the Bravely Default 2 true ending. The only spoiler-ish things I’ll mention are some place, quest and job names, which won’t give anything meaningful away.
How many endings are in Bravely Default 2?
There are three main endings, with widely varying conclusions. There is a bad (default) ending, a secret ending and the all-important true ending.
Technically, there is an additional conclusion known as the early ending, but this doesn’t really count.
How do you get the early ending?
For completeness, the early ending is earned by beating the seemingly unwinnable battle in the prologue. Realistically this is only achievable in a New Game+ run and there is only a short scene with no reward other than satisfaction. You’ll be told to basically start the battle again, and that you cannot continue without losing.
How do you get the bad (default) ending?
Bear in mind that you have to get the bad ending first. There is no way of unlocking the secret ending or the true ending without first viewing the bad ending.
This has its upsides, as you at least won’t miss out on any content. On the other hand, there’s still a long way to go, and the bad ending is very much a bad ending. That’s all I’ll say.
To get the bad ending, simply beat the boss at the end of chapter 5. You can’t miss this. The credits will roll and you’ll have the option to save your game. You need to do this – when prompted, save over your file as completed save data.
How do you get the secret ending?
As before, you have to get the secret ending before reaching the true ending.
Load up your completed save file that you just saved over, and you’ll appear at the save point just prior to the boss you just defeated.
Instead of proceeding to the top of the screen to fight the boss, turn back and leave down the bottom of the screen. This will trigger a cut-scene where the characters discuss another possible way to conclude the story. It’s time for chapter 6.
Again, no spoilers here except for some place names – travel into the Wayward Woods (north of Wiswald) and follow the marker on the map to open the new location, Mag Mell.
There are a bunch of new quests and treasures to find here, but in terms of getting the next ending you’ll need to talk to Esmeralda in the northeast part of the map, who’ll direct you to a nearby dungeon called the Fount of Knowledge. At the bottom, there is another tricky boss to beat.
Once you have beaten them, you’ll see the secret ending. Now you need to do the same thing as before – save over your file as completed save data.
How do you get the Bravely Default 2 true ending?
Now you’ve seen the other two endings, it’s time to finish things once and for all – but this still isn’t a walk in the park.
Reload your previous save and you’ll again start back where you were, with some brief dialogue hinting of a secret Asterisk.
Put simply, you will now have to unlock all Asterisks. Most of these will have been automatically unlocked during the course of game, but there are three optional ones.
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How do you unlock the optional Asterisks?
Bravebearer
The new Asterisk is the Bravebearer – go to the Vale of Sighs and visit the grave. There’s another boss fight to win, which will unlock this powerful job.
There are two other optional jobs to obtain – the Gambler and Salve-Maker. You may already have these as they are available far earlier in the game.
Gambler
Gambler is available as early as Chapter 1 by completing the quest Taking A Gamble. This involves a lot of cards. Visit the gambling hall in Savalon and talk to the extravagantly-dressed lady named Shirley (pictured above). This unlocks the Bind and Divide card game and you’ll be told to build up your experience before facing her.
Talk to Orpheus in the corner and get his free card, before challenging and beating the man at the table in the bottom right and the old woman standing in the bottom left of the hall. They both have card icons above their heads.
After this you should be able to challenge Shirley again, but you are probably encouraged to play plenty of other games first to build up your hand. You need to beat her at cards and then beat her in a battle – save your game before you take her on. Winning both will reward you with the Gambler Asterisk.
Sidenote: Gambler relies heavily on pure luck – I really don’t like using this job!
Salve-Maker
Salve-Maker is available from Chapter 3 onwards. You must complete the Mayor’s Brother quest to earn this Asterisk. Head to Ederno (in between Rimedahl and Wiswald, so you can find it on the way to Rimedahl) and talk to Glenn, who is marked with a blue side quest icon on the map.
Glenn will ask you to find a Luneclover which can be found at Crystalcap Mountain, just north of Ederno. It’s not very far up the mountain so it won’t take long to acquire. Head back and you’ll be able to enter the dream of Glynn, who is the Mayor’s brother (Alundra vibes, anyone?).
In the dreamworld, head to the top of the mountain and fight the boss. This is a pretty tricky encounter if you are taking it on in chapter 3. The boss hits hard on the counter and can inflict status ailments as well. Your best bet is to ensure you have healers at the ready and try to attack as little as possible – focus on powerful moves rather than chipping away with weaker ones.
Anyway, once you have beaten him you will be rewarded with the Salve-Maker Asterisk.
What do you do after unlocking all optional jobs?
The next step is easy to miss. Open the menu and save your game – but at the bottom of the list of save files is a picture of a purple book. This was always there before, but not coloured in purple. Scroll all the way down to it, below the save slots – and you’ll find this is actually a secret slot. Save over this and you’ll trigger Chapter 7.
Now go and visit the ship owner at any location and select ‘Talk’, the third option down. Following this chat, speak to her again and a new option will be available in its place – ‘Visit the Outer Oceans’. You’ll now be able to proceed to the Isle of Nothingness, which is the final dungeon.
Proceed to the end of the dungeon, where the final, final boss is waiting. This is a colossal challenge. The final boss is incredibly difficult, with a multitude of ridiculously powerful moves. But it is possible, especially now you’ll have all Asterisks at your disposal.
Once they are beaten, you can finally put your feet up and enjoy the Bravely Default 2 true ending – you’ve earned it!
Is the true ending missable?
As long as you don’t start a new game and save over your file, then no. Since these endings follow on from one another, it’s just a case of picking up where you left off by reloading your completed save, and then completing the relevant requirements.
Is the true ending worth it?
Since there’s a lot of graft required, this is a valid question – but the answer is definitely yes. After viewing the default ending, it’s fair to say you’ll be eager to pursue an alternative conclusion. The true ending is the best, most wholesome ending by far. You won’t want to miss out on this after coming such a long way with the characters.
How many chapters are in Bravely Default 2?
If you are wondering how close you are to the issues above, then simply be aware that Bravely Default has seven chapters plus the prologue.
The sixth chapter is available after seeing the bad ending, and the seventh chapter is available after seeing the secret ending and obtaining all Asterisks.
Conclusion
There you have it. That’s everything you need to know, or at least everything I can say without spoilers.
To recap as simply as possible:
- Clear the default ending (chapter 5), save over your file and reload it
- Clear the secret ending (chapter 6), save over your file and reload it
- Unlock all Asterisks
- Save over the purple book slot at the bottom of the save menu to reach Chapter 7
- Talk to the ship owner to open up the Outer Oceans
- Head to the Outer Oceans, clear the dungeon and beat the difficult boss
- Finally enjoy the Bravely Default 2 true ending!
