Corel Protorelic: Part 1
The quest for the protorelic can start at the start of chapter 9, in the Corel desert, after recovering the buggy. On the other hand, you will only be able to complete it from the end of chapter 12. The plot begins from the moment you come across a sand giant, near the first mako mini-reactor located south of the Gold Saucer.
Investigation report 1: mini-reactor no. 1
- For this report, level 30 is recommended.
Upon arriving at the mini-reactor, the door is sealed by a strange system. To open the door, Cloud must collect the statuette next to it and brandish it in the air. A ray of light then points in the direction of the cactus rock which must be activated to unlock the door.
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For this first door, the cactus rock is located to the east high up, near Hunting Report No. 5. Hold the statuette just in front of the rock to activate it. Four orange Pampas then appear. To defeat them, try physical skills like Barret's Maximum Anger to make sure you can hit them. They will then be in Fragility, which will allow them to be eliminated easily.
After the fight, press the cactus rock to unlock the door to mini-reactor #1. Then go back there to see what's inside. Inside, go down the ladder to reach Gob the Kid. To prove your worth and recover the region's protorelic, the goblin will make you play Dégomme-pampas.
The principle is clear: eliminate as many pampas as possible within a given time to recover enough points and thus validate the test. To spice things up and throughout the events, there will be different types of pampas whose way of being eliminated varies. Also, the more points they offer, the more resistant they are. For this first challenge, you are entitled to physicopampas, who fight with physical attacks, and magicopampas, who are eliminated with magic.
And here, it is Yuffie who must stick to it by having to achieve a minimum score of 1000 in 1 minute 30. Use normal attacks, throwing shuriken or physical skills like Furinkazan or Whirlwind for the physicopampa, and ninjutsu for magicopampas. As soon as you see rainbow pampas, eliminate them to add 10 seconds to the timer.
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Be careful during the test because the pampas can touch you. If this happens, you lose some points. Once the score is 1000 and the timer is at zero, Gob the Kid gives you a fragment α of the desert treasure.
Investigation report 2: mini-reactor no. 2
- For this report, level 31 is recommended.
This second report is located west of the Secret Report where we fight the Tombstone King. Collect the statuette and go to transmission tower n°5. From there, go east, grapple and climb the wall until you reach cactus rock #2.
Brandish the statuette and get ready to fight against golden Pampas. Unlike the orange ones, the gold ones must be hit with spells to enter Fragility. After the fight, press the rock then return to the mini-reactor.
You find Gob the Kid and, this time, it is Aerith who will have to tackle the mini-game by having to achieve a minimum score of 1000, still in 1 minute 30. The jumbo pampas appear, worth 500 points. Also, Aerith will have to face lumipampas and tenebropampas. With L2 for the former, and R2 for the latter, you create a seal that makes them vulnerable. So remember to change seals regularly depending on the threat.
Aerith makes magical attacks with her staff by default, so you have to bring her closer to the physicopampas so that she hits directly with the staff. The Force of Innocence skill is a good way to neutralize magicopampas quickly. Watch out for the jumbo pampas with their different attacks like Jumbo Earthquake or the Flattening, which crushes you.
At the end of the test and with a score of at least 1000 points, you leave with the fragment β of the desert treasure. The quest is now on hold until the end of chapter 12.
Corel Protorelic: Part 2
As said during the first part, this report is only accessible at the end of chapter 12. Chadley will notify you when this second part can start.
Investigation report 3: mini-reactor no. 3
- For this report, level 45 is recommended.
Go southwest of Transmission Tower #3 to find the third mini-reactor. Collect the statuette and go east of the dump where you confronted Dyne at the end of chapter 8. You will have to enter a cave by going around the void separating you from it. To do this, climb onto the rocks next to it.
In the cave, go down to the bottom and brandish the pampas statuette in front of the cactus rock. This time, it's a jumbo Pampa that appears. To weaken him, wait until he casts Rain of Thorns. There, cast skills with Shock potential to inflict Shock on him. Watch out for his 1000 thorns attack which does damage. After beating the pampas, return to mini-reactor #3 to find Gob the Kid. Surprise, Cornéo and his men are there.
After the little scene with them, Gob challenges Yuffie again. This time, 2000 points must be collected, in 2 minutes this time. New, golden pampas are here. Lively, they are worth 100 points, so prioritize their elimination. For the rest, keep the same technique as for the previous tests, except that the physicopampas and magicopampas of the Don have replaced the traditional ones. A jumbo physicopampa appears after a while with 500 precious points to win.
At the end of the test, and with 2000 points in your pocket, you recover a fragment γ of the treasure of the desert.
Investigation report 4: mini-reactor no. 4
- For this report, level 46 is recommended.
The last report is to the east of the passage that connects the Corel Desert. Collect the statuette and go to the far east of the region, along the coast. You will then spot a climbing wall. Go through it, continue climbing, grab on to three successive hanging points and you will come across the last cactus rock.
Brandish the statuette and this time you will face a jumbo Pompa. The technique to overcome it is the same technique as for the Pampa jumbo. After the fight, touch the rock and return to mini-reactor #4. Back in front of Gob, he tells you about the legendary swordsman, whom you have already encountered in a sort of dream.
Aerith will take charge of this last test, which contains all the possible types of pampas encountered so far, with the addition of the giant version of the golden pampas, the most powerful variant of these creatures. With the Cétra you must do 2000 points in 2 minutes. Check that your active team is at full HP and MP level before starting the test.
Don't forget the seals for the lumipampas or tenebropampas, and get closer to the physicopampas to hit them directly. So watch out for the jumbo golden pampas, the numerous VPs and the possibility of also carrying out the Pamplating. With 2000 points at the end of the count, Gob the Kid recognizes your legitimacy and reforms the protorelic for you.
Alas, Cornéo comes to play spoilsport. At least, not for very long since the sand giant demands his treasure. But as is often the case, it is the pampas who win by peppering the giant with thorns. Cornéo then flees cowardly. Before you leave, Gob the Kid wants to confront you, which the team accepts.
And the little guy defends himself more than well. As is often the case, weakening your enemy and aiming to trigger Shock is your priority to make the fight a little less tense. His Goblin Uppercut skill will weaken him if you dodge it. Same with the other way, consisting of “counteracting his response after a precise guard”. Putting him in Shock will also serve to prevent him from launching his hard-hitting All-Out attack.
Gob has other attacks, such as Special Combination where he chains you and sends you flying, like Goblin Uppercut finally. Club blow causes him to violently bring his fist down on the ground. Remember to heal yourself regularly if the fight lasts because Gob does heavy damage in the long run.
In the event of victory, Gob the Kid no longer has any doubt: you deserve to leave with the protorelic of Gob the Kid, which is what Cloud does. Yet another “dimensional journey” brings you back to the mysterious warrior, who tells you about the pieces of Genji equipment and a duel he wants to throw at you on his island.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is available on PS5. Do not hesitate to consult our complete guide to find out more.