Line #187 VideoGame/BreathOfFireIV


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/breathivart.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:One, two, three, four, five, s- hey! Where's our hero?]]
3
4	The fourth game in the long-running JRPG series ''Franchise/BreathOfFire'', released on the Platform/PlayStation in April 2000 in Japan and November 2000 for North America.
5
6	Nina, princess of Wyndia, departs with her childhood friend Cray to search for her missing sister Elina, who's also Cray's fiance. Along the way, they stumble upon Ryu, who [[EasyAmnesia doesn't remember a thing]] besides his name: Not who he is, or why he's stranded and [[NakedFirstImpression stark naked]] in the middle of the desert.
7
8	Running parallel to Ryu's story is that of Fou-Lu, an [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld ancient]] [[GodEmperor emperor]] who awakens in his burial tomb halfway across the world in the Fou Empire to reclaim the throne that he left behind 600 years ago. Unfortunately for him, those involved no longer want to give the power up to anyone, not even to an ancient god-emperor and founder of the empire.
9
10	As the story progresses and our heroes travel all over the world, it becomes clear that Ryu and Fou-Lu's destinies are intricately entwined and key to Ryu's memories.
11
12	There exists a [[Characters/BreathOfFire character sheet]] for the series. Place any character-related tropes there.
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14	Re-released as "[=PSOne=] Classic" in August 2011.
15	----
16
17	!! Provides Examples Of:
18
19	* AbsurdlyHighLevelCap: Just like III, the level cap is 99, even though the game can be finished in the 30s-40s range.
20	* AchievementSystem: The later Masters have final tasks that requires extensive knowledge of the game's mechanics to fulfill. These range from a high combo count (Kyrik; 70+ hits), mastery of the FishingMinigame (Gyosil; 9,500 points) and especially one about inflicting massive damage in a single[[note]]non-combo[[/note]] hit (Bunyan; '''12,000''' damage).
21	* AdaptationDistillation: The manga adaptation, mainly because it averts the HeroicMime. Arguably still, something is missing in IV when it doesn't go with the [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic soundtracks]].
22	* AdaptationDyeJob: The GrandFinale in the manga, when Ryu [[spoiler: fuses with Fou-Lu, but like in the game's Good Ending he is the dominant persona; Nina remarks that his hair is now the same (color) as Fou-Lu's white, while in the game he became blond]].
23	* AdaptationExpansion: The manga adaptation of ''IV'', again. Arguably a case of AdaptationExpansion resulting from a double-dose of AdaptationDistillation, in fact (from both the original ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIV'' and ExpandedUniverse material from its official artbook).
24	* AlasPoorVillain: Assuming Fou-Lu in ''IV'' is considered a villain (as opposed to Yuna), he'd qualify in the "good ending". [[spoiler: He recognizes he was blind to the importance of humanity, and Ryu realizes all Fou-Lu wanted was to separate mortals from the gods, and always felt guilt for Mami's death.]]
25	* AllInARow: This is how the party runs on the field map. In battle, they're in a triangle formation.
26	* AllThereInTheManual: This is pretty extensive; huge amounts of background info only appear in the artbook. [[note]] The bits not yet incorporated into other media involve who summoned Fou-Lu, clan origins, and the fact there have been literally four World Wars with no permanent armistice. [[/note]]
27	* AntiFrustrationFeatures:
28	** Masters in comparison to the previous game are a mixed bag: you don't need LevelGrinding to learn their skills anymore (meaning you can shuffle between Masters for their stat bonuses without resetting the Master's level requirement), but the new varied requirements are very daunting for everyone except the most invested players. For that matter, you can remotely change Masters any time the player sets up camp, allowing for faster MinMaxing adjustments. However, you still need to personally visit them to learn their skills.
29	** In the previous game you have to either consult a Master or check the list in camp to remember their stat bonuses and penalties. Here you can actually see them in a character's status screen.
30	** Another point to the Master learning system is that in the previous game, they don't personally tell you if you have finally learned all their skills (you have to consult your Master list in the camp for that). Here the Masters will actually commend you as soon as you finish their final task.
31	** For skill learning in general, the Skill List is now an actual checklist that tells you how many more skills you need to find whether from monsters or from the Masters.
32	** Unlike III, where the Fairy Village is only visited through certain portals on the overworld, the Village portal, like the Master list, is available in camp.
33	** AP-restoring items in previous games are extremely rare and cannot be bought from regular shops. Here you can actually buy Wisdom Seeds (restores 30 AP) once you unlock the shop in Fairy Village.
34	** Concentration Points, introduced in this game, allows characters to recover their AP while in the back row. While the recovered AP doesn't carry over between battles, this is a godsend for longer boss battles.
35	** The [[DefendCommand Guard command]], aside from the obvious, now takes over for the previous game's Examine command in learning enemy skills. Meanwhile, Examine itself (now working as an EnemyScan) doesn't use up a turn. Also, Examine actually has a short blurb showing if that enemy has a learnable skill (highlighted in blue).
36	** Meryleep, the Fairy Master of III, will only appear when you throw a rock into her pond, which is a tedious process especially because you have to visit her multiple times. Njomo, Meryleep's counterpart in this game, doesn't have such requirements, and you can talk to her as soon as you find her.
37	** Ammonia revives a KO'd character to a critical (yellow) status depending on their max HP, which is a massive improvement over the Ammonia's effect in ''III''.
38	** In Chapter 2, you’re locked out of Chapter 1’s area, meaning you can’t learn Burn from the Mage Goo enemies. Ryu has a solo portion where he’ll face off against Nut enemies, who have sky-high physical evasion. To prevent a situation where you can’t progress, there are enemies in the area that teach the learnable Eddy spell.
39	* AncientTomb: The Emperor's Tomb, a.k.a. the resting place of Fou-Lu for over 400 years.
40	* AssistCharacter
41	** Both Nina and Ershin have an ability that has a chance to trigger when they're in the back row, supporting the front line characters: Nina will heal the front party, while Ershin can independently attack in anyone's (even an enemy's) turn. Those with the Finale passive will also attack even when they're in the back row.
42	** All of the Fairy Magics involve summoning the troops from your Fairy Village to aid your party in various ways.
43	* BagOfSharing:
44	** Part of the North Chamba dungeon has Ryu and Nina split up from Ershin, staying on the rooftops while she explores the miasma-infested lower levels, respectively. Later, both Nina and Ershin have a rather brief scenario apiece where she is separated from the main party. In all these cases they manage to share inventory.
45	** Averted with Fou-Lu's segments, where he has his own inventory. Which makes things a bit harder, since he can't buy anything and healing items are incredibly rare in his areas.
46	* BattleThemeMusic: Two each (normal and boss) for the Eastern and Western continents, respectively; plus accompanying victory fanfares for those continents. The Eastern continent's music utilizes traditional high-fantasy orchestral instrumentation, while the Western one utilizes Chinese-influenced drum-n-bass pieces, complete with chants.
47	* {{BFS}}: Myrmidon is big already, but his sword dwarfs him. And it grows ''even bigger'' when he attacks!
48	* BigBad: The man responsible for almost everything behind the scenes, including Elina's abduction, is actually Lord Yuna.
49	* BigDamnFireExit: Fou-Lu's escape from the burning forest.
50	* BigNo: [[spoiler: Cray, after seeing just what Yuna did to Elina.]]
51	* BilingualBonus: Names rendered in kanji were renamed to their Korean hanja readings for international versions. The puns still stay intact. Also, both the original Japanese name Master and the DubNameChange to Ershin count (in fact, the reason for the DubNameChange was to preserve the BilingualBonus -- in another language; the original BilingualBonus was in English).
52	* BleakLevel:
53	** North Chamba, the first major dungeon of the game, is a Hex-infested town. Miasma pollutes the ground that the party has to travel on the rooftops, and all the RandomEncounters are either ghosts or undead (including the Boss, Skulfish).
54	** Chedo, the Imperial Capital and the second-to-last dungeon of the game, right outside TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon. By the time Ryu and company make it there, the city has been ravaged by A-Tur's monsters on Fou-lu's command, leaving most of it in ruin.
55	* BloodFromTheMouth: Fou-Lu has this in an overt bloody VomitIndiscretionShot after [[spoiler:getting hit by the Hex Cannon.]] It's implied this may be actually a bit of [[FantasticNuke Fantastic Radiation Poisoning]].
56	* BlockPuzzle: All of which would obviously require Cray.
57	** The player must place barrels in a certain position in order to block a passageway and capture Stoll the thief.
58	** The first task you are given in Marlok's Wharf involves moving barrels and vases in specific squares.
59	** Ice Peak sees the party guiding some snowballs to make a shapeshift bridge to the exit as well as some items.
60	** The first puzzle you encounter in Fou-lu's Tomb, where you have to remotely guide three colored blocks leading to a bead (which act like keys in this dungeon); a second set of colored blocks are needed to reach Ursula's [[InfinityPlusOneSword Electrifier]].
61	* BodyHorror: [[spoiler: Elina is kidnapped, turned into an artificial Endless by Yuna, and used as the engine for the Hex Cannon.]]
62	* BonusDungeon
63	** En Jhou Ruins, where you find the Flawed Gene that grants Ryu's Mutant transformation. You can skip this dungeon altogether if you have gathered ingredients for shisu or had an NPC from Koshka craft a special urn.
64	** Mukto is an optional area just outside the exit to the Ancient Tomb. It only has a few rooms, but the things of note here is the rare Dragon Tear accessory in the final room, and the Rider, the game's most infamous BossInMookClothing.
65	* BossInMookClothing:
66	** Trunked and Trean, RandomEncounters in the Abandoned Village. They don't actually attack, but are rather [[DamageSpongeBoss damage sponges]] where you can practice combos. They drop [[ExperienceBooster Ivory Dice]] and Cray's best weapon, the Nunchaku, respectively.
67	** A very UniqueEnemy in the Ancient Tomb, the Chopam, has 10k HP, invincible in the first two turns, and flees after the fourth. If you actually manage to defeat it, it will drop Ershin's best weapon and armor, the Mass Driver and Chopam Plate, respectively.
68	** Rider, the most powerful enemy in the game, which is a bane for low-level runners due to its powerful attacks and absurd HealingFactor. Fortunately, it is only found in an optional location.
69	* {{Bowdlerize}}: The game is known for taking out a number of violence/profanity references in the Western versions among the others, some of which ''Breath of Fire II'' had got away with back in the SNES days. This may have been done to avoid getting higher than a "Teen" rating in the ERSB.
70	** Several scenes were removed from the North American version: one where Ursula drops her pants to prove she's a woman, a scene in which [[spoiler: Fou-Lu decapitates Soniel -- which itself was only shown in Japan via a GoryDiscretionShot/black-on-red ShadowDiscretionShot]], a filler scene where Ryu [[AccidentalPervert spies on the girls while they bathe]], and another where he accidentally grabs Ursula's breast.
71	** Scias is a literal DrunkenMaster in the original Japanese game, which was changed to having a severe stuttering problem in the English localization.
72	** Nearly every spell, weapon or ability with the words "Death" or "Hell" or making reference to demon names was changed in the international localization. For example, Fou-Lu's Serpent dragon form from "Hellblizzard" (Japanese) was changed to "Waterspout" (international).
73	* BrokenBridge: The crater that stops you from heading back to Cray and the wrecked Sandflier, the Dam and many other things. They end up becoming unbroken later though.
74	* TheCameo:
75	** Momo and Bunyan from ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireIII'' show up as masters.
76	** Rei and Teepo (also from ''III'') appear as store owners in EndgamePlus.
77	* CantDropTheHero: Subverted. While Ryu ''does'' have to remain in your party while outside of battle, you're not required to have him in the front row once you've obtained than 3 characters in your party.
78	* CastFromHitPoints: The "Blitz" skill consumes 25% of the user's current HP to inflict damage. The "Disembowel" and "Deathbringer" skills cost 10% of the user's ''maximum'' HP, even [[UselessUsefulSpell when they fail to work]]. (Maximum HP can be restored, but only at a ''genuine'' TraumaInn; resting at camp or Fairy Village won't do.)
79	* ChekhovsGunman: Some of the [=NPCs=] in the game have prominent roles before becoming Masters: Lyta, Marlok, Khan, Stoll, Bunyan, and the Abbess. In the Ludian region there's a sign pointing to a fishing spot, written by another Master that you won't meet until MUCH later, Gyosil.
80	* ChainOfDeals: Various characters will exchange "Ball" items (Lead Ball, Copper Ball, etc.) throughout the game. This becomes useful when apprenticing under Marlok, who rewards the player with new skills depending on which ball the player has acquired.
81	* ComicBookAdaptation: Of note, the sole Franchise/BreathOfFire-related ComicBookAdaptation ever licensed outside of Japan (in Cantonese, French, and Italian though not yet in English).
82	* CombinationAttack: Combining certain elements together when using combos creates a combo-only spell depending on the level of the spells used.
83	* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: The player party has to do combos to use certain high level magics, while the enemy never has to and can use it from the get-go.
84	* ConLang: The [[http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/196818/15263 PabPab language]] in ''IV'' (which is also used as a CypherLanguage in a sub-plot).
85	** Per [[WordOfGod Word of Capcom]] the [=PabPab=] language is largely comprised of combinations of English prefixes and Japanese suffixes -- thus counting as a potential BilingualBonus for speakers of both English and Japanese.
86	* ConvectionSchmonvection: You explore the inner cave network of a volcano named Mt. Glom, and there's magma seeping through the walls and floor, but your party isn't affected at all.
87	* CooldownHug:
88	** Nina to [[spoiler: Ryu during his UnstoppableRage.]]
89	** A straight (if mild) example earlier with Fou-Lu and Mami in the same game, a bit more explicitly in the manga. [[spoiler: Fou-Lu tells of his past and starts to go into a rant on how meeting the wishes of mortals is impossible -- and Mami tells him she's clueless about this but can't stand to see him sad. Cue CooldownHug and FadeToBlack in the game, CooldownHug and scene change in the manga.]]
90	* CrapsackWorld: Thanks to the Forever War that's currently in a truce, everyone's pretty miserable, the Empire hexed quite a few locations with the Carronade which are still being fixed or only just finished being fixed and almost every town you go to has a lot of visible wear and tear on it. In short, there isn't anywhere that's really all that happy.
91	* CriticalHitClass: The Master Njomo's passive, Pique, will ensure that all reprisals are criticals.
92	* CreepyCockroach: Giant roaches appear as enemies in the early and middle game. The fact that they are drawn more realistically than in the previous games make them a little bit unsettling.
93	* {{Cthulhumanoid}}: The octopus-headed wizards Bollor and its PaletteSwap Rollob (or is it the other way around?) in Fane of the Sea God.
94	* CurbStompBattle:
95	** One mid-game boss, "Ight", is a SeeminglyHopelessBossFight, unleashing powerful attacks that can [[TotalPartyKill wipe the floor]] with you in a single turn. But the moment Ryu is knocked out, he instead transforms into the Kaiser dragon, and kills the boss in two turns flat. In other words, both sides took a curb-stomping in the '''same fight'''.
96	** Any monster that comes up against Fou-Lu in a random battle will most likely experience this. Even giant dinosaurs are a very minor inconvenience.
97	* DeadHatShot: [[spoiler: How Fou-Lu discovered that Mami was the [[HumanResources human ammo]] in the [[FantasticNuke Carronade]] -- specifically by seeing her hair-bells fall out of the sky shortly after he himself had been Hex Nuked. Quite possibly one of the most tragic DeadHatShot moments depicted, in fact, because it's ''also'' the point Fou-Lu goes WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds and decides HumansAreTheRealMonsters.]] And yes, the manga turns it up to a ''major'' TearJerker that involves ''Ryu'' as well.
98	* DerelictGraveyard: Sandflier Valley is obviously filled with wrecks of Sandfliers. The Cove in the Salt Sea is a ship version.
99	* DespairEventHorizon:
100	** [[spoiler: Mami's death is the DespairEventHorizon that throws Fou-Lu to being a full-blown WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds; the death of the Chek summoners is the DespairEventHorizon that throws Ryu into a HeroicBSOD that unleashes the Kaiser Dragon.]]
101	** In the manga adaptation [[spoiler: this is ''especially'' brought home; Mami's death ends up a DespairEventHorizon twice for Fou-Lu, and after Ryu's [[UnstoppableRage Kaiser Dragon RAGE]] he literally breaks down sobbing in Nina's arms asking why [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters Humans Are Cruel to Each Other]]. Elina's MercyKilling is especially'portrayed as a DespairEventHorizon for Cray and Nina as well (the latter being shellshocked, the former nearly suffering a HeroicBSOD himself).]]
102	* DevelopersForesight: Early on you have the option to let Nina go on with her business by herself. There are a few opportunities to get her to rejoin you, but if you keep going until you get the information to access Sarai's black market there will be a special cutscene[[note]](Nina got conned out of her money and will be at Sarai's entrance looking dejected)[[/note]] and have Nina join your party again.
103	* DividedDeity: Ryu and Fou-Lu form a FireIceDuo, with Ryu having [[PlayingWithFire fire-themed abilities]] while Fou-Lu's abilities are themed around [[MakingASplash water]] and [[AnIcePerson ice]]. They are also two halves of an entity known as the Yorae Dragon, an immensely powerful god who was split into two beings by the summoning ritual that brought it into the world.
104	* DownTheDrain: The party infiltrates an Imperial base via an aqueduct, which the Empire normally uses to keep the Carronade from overheating when fired.
105	* DragonsAreDivine: The dragons are essentially immortal gods, which were summoned by mortals to act as the world's protectors.
106	* DragonsUpTheYinYang: Dragons ''are'' the [=YinYang=]. Literally.
107	** This is not counting the "Static Heaven" ''Bagua'' in the final stage, nor is this counting designs in Fou-Lu's clothing. Suffice it to say that ''IV'' is about as subtle as a brick.
108	* DramaticWind: Various characters' battle sprites, including their victory animations.
109	* DreamLand: Fairy Village resides here. Also Deis' dream levels.
110	* DubNameChange:
111	** From Master to Ershin (to preserve a BilingualBonus).
112	** Literally ''all'' of the [=NPC=] dragons [[spoiler: with the exception of Deis]] also suffer this (in an unusual variation in which the DubNameChange consisted of changing their names to Koreanisations of what type of dragon they were).
113	* DuelBoss:
114	** Nina vs. Joh, the first boss in the game.
115	** Every boss fight which Fou-Lu faces.
116	** And the short battle between Ryu and Fou-Lu during the game's climax.
117	* ElementalEmbodiment: Two bosses in the game are elemental creatures that came to life when they absorbed the power of a god. One is a golem that lives by the sea, another dwells in a volcano.
118	* TheEmpire: The Fou Empire, created by the God Emperor Fou-Lu some 400 years ago, which has been in a ForeverWar with the eastern continent which has multiple nations on it.
119	* EvilWeapon: The Hex Cannon/Carronade. Even as it annihilates the souls of the unfortunate persons used as ammo (who are, of note, literally ''tortured to insanity'' first) and corrupts the targeted land and persons, it empowers and simultaneously corrupts those who use it. It's also a literal FantasticNuke.
120	* ExactWords: Scias was told to merely "watch over Ryu and friends"; his employer never said anything about stopping them with whatever scheme they cooked up.
121	* ExpositionCut: Pretty much constant in the first section. Nina explains the situation established in the opening cutscene to Ryu when they seek shelter in a cave for the night using this trope, then they explain things in the same way to Cray when they return to the crash site, then they explain things to the Woren elders when [[spoiler: Cray is arrested.]]
122	* FantasticNuke: The Empire's Hex Cannon, or Carronade. It is [[WordOfGod explicitly]] powered by a "sacrifice", using [[spoiler: all the nightmares, terrors, and fears of a person ''tortured to insanity'']] as ammunition.
123	** The city of Synesta is said to be (mostly) purified of the magical radiation by the time the game begins, being seen as a rebuilt town with only a few monsters still lurking underground.
124	** The town of Chamba was not so lucky; a team of Purifiers (who must wear full suits of magical armor to protect them from its effects) estimate that the majority of the town will remain utterly uninhabitable for "at least a year". In other words, the player never gets to see Chamba in its proper glory.
125	** And then there's General Yohm's order to use the Carronade against Fou-Lu himself: The revelation that they used [[spoiler: Mami]] to power it was TheLastStraw that pushed Fou-Lu over the edge.
126	* FightWoosh: Normally a blue circular swirl, but also [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience color-coded]] to indicate when one side gets a free turn at the start of battle.
127	* FireWaterJuxtaposition: With Fou-Lu representing water and Ryu representing fire.
128	* FlyingSeaFoodSpecial: Skulfish, the first boss in the game. Flyfish are also seen above the clouds when the party visits the Wind Dragon.
129	* {{Foreshadowing}}: In Wychwood, some faeries attempt to play tricks on the party, resulting in one fairy receiving a headbutt from Ershin. This surprises the fairies, who claim mortals shouldn't be able to see them. [[spoiler: Ershin, we eventually learn, is indeed no mortal, but rather an Endless named Deis]].
130	* ForeverWar: The conflict between the Fou Empire and the Alliance in ''IV''. The two continents have been in a Cold War that has lasted 600 years, punctuated by ''four'' world wars and the incipient threat of a fifth.
131	* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: The Endless have vaguely humanoid avatars that they use to properly speak to Ryu.
132	* FullBoarAction: Bilbao and its ilk are huge electric boars.
133	* GaidenGame:
134	** Two separate sidestory games in ''IV'''s universe exist (''Breath of Fire IV - The Sword of Flame & the Magic of Wind'' and ''Breath of Fire IV: Faeries Light Key'') along with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_games_of_the_Breath_of_Fire_series two other Gaiden Games]]: A SpinOff of the fishing game from ''IV'' (''Breath of Fire: Dragon Fisherman'') and a "Great Dalmuti"/"Millionaire"/"President"/"Asshole" game featuring characters from ''IV'' (''Breath of Daifugo'').
135	** Unfortunately, due to the platform and carrier these were released for (Japanese smartphones using Qualcomm's BREW OS, and most of ''these'' being an exclusive to [=NTT's DoCoMo mobile phone network=]) these are, to a one, NoExportForYou and likely to remain so permanently.
136	** Of note, ''Breath of Daifugo'' and ''Breath Of Fire: Dragon Fisherman'' were co-releases with a ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' GaidenGame (a Solitaire port) and the BREW-phone version of ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'' respectively, whilst the sidestory games were released at the same time as the ComicBookAdaptation; adverts within Comic Blade Avarus and the volumes published by Mag Garden included adverts for the Gaiden Games.
137	* GameplayAndStorySegregation:
138	** PlayedForLaughs early in the game. Right from when you first control her, Nina can use her wings in her field ability. Ryu is somehow not aware of this until Nina falls from a cliff and he jumps in to rescue her, and learns she didn't need saving at all.
139	** Despite being able to transform since shortly after being introduced (specifically, the same time Fou-lu wakes up), Ryu's Dragon transformations go unnoticed for a long while. This includes the battle against Ymechaf at the top of Kyoin Tower, where Rasso was the one who realizes the truth. For that matter, he also notices this even if you ''didn't'' use Meditate in that battle. The fairies even call him a Dragon and give him the nickname of Dragon Boy.
140	** It ''is'' possible to win against SeeminglyHopelessBossFight Ight without the Kaiser Dragon, like in an extreme low-level run. The Kaiser Breath attack will be weak, but it will still be automatically used upon transforming, so Ight's shield will be destroyed, leaving Ight vulnerable to the rest of the party. Once the battle is over, however, the scene where Kaiser goes on a rampage still plays out.
141	* GiantEnemyCrab: You primarily face them on the Western Continent during a part where you're trapped on an island while the tide's in and you can't get past.
142	* AGodAmI: Several minor bosses get empowered by the Endless, it results in them thinking that they're gods themselves. Ryu's party and Fou-lu each face one over their respective scenarios (golem-like monsters that were transformed by the Sea and Mountain Dragons, respectively).
143	* GlobalCurrencyException: Like the previous game, you barter with some of the Manillo merchants using fish instead of the universal Zenny. Those Manillo further have a point card system which can also be used to trade a different set of rare items.
144	* GoldenSnitch: In the chicken-herding minigame, you can corral multiple chickens for points, but the player's main target to progress in the story is the brown-colored rooster Tak, who awards you a bigger point yield. Once Tak is captured the game ends.
145	* GoryDiscretionShot:
146	** General Yohm's suicide after finally conceding to Fou-lu. The camera swerves around in just the right angle to obscure his body, and there was no trace left either.
147	** The Japanese PSP's depiction of [[spoiler:Fou-Lu's decapitation of [[TheEmperor Soniel]], specifically via a "washi screen" variant showing a black-on-red silhouette.]] However, this ended up getting removed in the international version.
148	*** [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in BloodierAndGorier fashion in the manga adaptation. (In comparison, [[spoiler: Elina's death scene]] was actually depicted ''less'' graphically in the manga.)
149	** [[spoiler:Cray killing Elina.]]
150	* GreenHillZone: The green forested areas around Ludia, Worent and Wyndia.
151	* GuideDangIt
152	** ALL but one of the [[SummonMagic Evocations]] (that one exception being the Wind Dragon which is obtained as part of the plot) have obscure hiding locations. This is especially true for the Sea Dragon.
153	** Naturally, to use Njomo's Fairy Magic, you need to have one or more Troop houses in the Fairy Village. What the game didn't tell you, is that one Fairy Magic, War Shout, ''also requires a Music Shop'' to even use. Once you see the animation for this attack it would make a lot of sense, but again, this is something that you still need to look up.
154	** Four of the characters have SecretArt melee skills that they can use at the end of a combo.
155	* GustyGlade: The caves beneath Wyndia have strong gusts of wind pushing you around.
156	* HeadlessHorseman: There are two of them in this game. One's called "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Horseman]]", the other's called "[[BossInMookClothing Rider]]".
157	* HealingFactor
158	** An enemy called Trunked regenerates 15,000 HP ''per turn'', but is (quite fortunately) harmless, existing solely to practice combo attacks on. There's an even "stronger" variant, Trean, that regenerates ''30,000 HP per turn''.
159	** The Rider regenerates 20,000 HP per turn. It is the [[BossInMookClothing most powerful enemy in the game]].
160	** The Dragonne boss cannot be killed until it stops regenerating its HP.
161	** Characters apprenticed under Momo will recover 10% of both HP and AP if they're in the back row.
162	* HeroicMime: Averted in the manga and novelization for purposes of character development.
163	* HiddenElfVillage: Fairy Village. It can only be found by people who the Fairies take there personally.
164	* HopelessBossFight: A grim variation. [[spoiler: [[WeCanRuleTogether If you take Fou-Lu's offer to merge with him]], Ryu becomes absorbed and then the Infinity Dragon is summoned to battle the rest of your party. Only here, ''you're controlling the Infinity Dragon'', leaving you with maxed stats and overpowered moves to waste your former allies with. After you're finished with them, the bad ending plays. Also subverted in that it's possible to let them defeat you via hacks, but that immediately leads to a standard GameOver, turning this whole thing into a lose-lose situation.]]
165	* HotBlooded: The Woren tribe. Cray tries to suppress his urges, as his position as leader requires a cool head.
166	* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: The various atrocities that Fou-Lu witnesses gives him this viewpoint.
167	* ImmortalBreaker: The Dragonslayer is the only weapon that can kill the nigh-immortal dragons. It gets used twice: once to kill Fou-Lu, and once to kill [[spoiler: Elina]].
168	* InterfaceSpoiler: Talking to your party in the camp can help give you some idea of what to do next. Doing so at one particular point, however, can spoil a major plot point: [[spoiler: Ershin's usual way of ending her statements ("...says Ershin.") instead comes out "...says Deis.")]] ''Oops.''
169	* InterspeciesRomance: Between Cray, a Woren (a tigerman) and Elina, a Wyndian (a winged woman). Njomo, a Fairy, had a human husband.
170	* IronButtMonkey: Kahn is a good example. He is defeated multiple times by the party, shot off of the mast of a ship by Ursula, and his lack of fighting skill is pointed out by Una and Zig's crew. He recovers quickly from each defeat, though, and can even become a master to the party later in the game. Appropriately, his special ability gives his apprentices a chance to survive fatal blows in battle.
171	* ItemCrafting: The blacksmith in Mt. Glom will forge various armors for Ershin from various combinations of scrap.
172	* ItsAllUpstairsFromHere: The tower of Pung'tap. And if that wasn't enough, the party learns that they have to catapult a gondola even higher up in the sky to meet Wind Dragon Puh Ryong.
173	* JungleJapes: The jungle around the Pabpab village.
174	* KarmaHoudini: One of the game's most infamous aspects is that the villain who was to blame for nearly everything bad that happened, apparently was never punished. There is a bit of background behind this, which can be read in the main entry. [[note]] The long and short of it being that the game was rushed out before the ending was fully completed and the comeuppance was never shown (but was planned). However, the manga wasn't under the same constraint, and yet it still played this trope straight...[[/note]]
175	* KeepItForeign: The DubNameChange of Master to Ershin. [[note]] The original name was too much of a spoiler in English, so the character was renamed Ershin -- Chinese for "Two Souls" -- to preserve the PropheticName.[[/note]]
176	* KillTheCutie: [[spoiler: Mami. Even worse, she is captured, broken by ColdBloodedTorture, and ultimately killed by being used as HumanResources in a FantasticNuke that is PoweredByAForsakenChild (with connections to the target).]]
177	* KingInTheMountain: Subverted to the point of deconstruction. In essence, Fou-Lu would have been the Fou Empire's prototypical King in the Mountain if TheEmpire had kept up its end of the bargain. Instead, Fou-Lu's entire storyline in the game can be best described as "What Happens When a Country's Government Sees the Return of Its King as an UnwantedRevival". [[TimeForPlanB It goes poorly for all involved]].
178	* LeakedExperience: It is actually split evenly between the characters after battle.
179	* LiteralSplitPersonality: Ryu and Fou-Lu [[spoiler: thanks to a botched summoning by the Fou Empire's predecessor, and resulting in the god they called forth not only being split in two but the half that became Ryu being temporally displaced six hundred years in the future.]]
180	* LowLevelAdvantage: You'll get better stat bonuses from later Masters if you keep your levels down early in the game.
181	* LoveHurts:
182	** This is pretty much what the Hex Cannon relies on in order to inflict damage -- the closer the sacrifice that was loaded into the cannon is to the intended victim, the greater the damage it causes.
183	** Cray [[spoiler: spends most of the game searching for Nina's sister and his love interest, only to kill her to end her misery as she's literally one with the building the Hex Cannon is in.]]
184	* MagicalEye: Though not technically ''evil'' in this case, the Dragon Eyes are depicted as actual non-human, draconic eyes and the people who possess them are fated for either great good or great evil. Ryu is depicted as having PsychicPowers as a result.
185	** Depicted ''much'' more blatantly in the ComicBookAdaptation of ''IV'' [[spoiler: where the Dragon Eyes are explicitly depicted as HellishPupils; Fou-Lu and Deis have them constantly, and Ryu gets them when his Dragon Eye activate. This even goes to the extent of ''Rhem'' having HellishPupils when she is "ridden"/possessed by Deis, as well as an AffectionateParody in the "behind the cover" 4-koma comics included in the manga.]]
186	* MagikarpPower:
187	** Try to have Ershin buff her Int. and AP quickly (through RareCandy or Masters like Rwolf and/or Njomo). After a certain point, she will get access to all level 4 elemental spells, which would make her one of the best spellcasters in the game. (Recovering AP, meanwhile, is no problem for her, since from the start she has a steady CP growth.)
188	** Coward's Way (Stoll's final skill) is like the Chicken Knife of ''Final Fantasy'' fame, whose power increases depending on the number of times you escaped from battle. The Fairy Magics also grow in power every time you use them, because it also levels up their barracks.
189	** The Rusted Sword from the EndgamePlus turns into the Slayer once you kill 1,000 enemies with it.
190	* MaximumHPReduction: If someone was downed in battle and didn't get revived, they would be brought back with 1 and have their max health reduced. Also, there's a move called Disembowel which inflicts HPToOne at the cost of reducing the ''user's'' maximum HP until the next time they rest at an inn.
191	* MeaningfulName: Ryu is constantly referred to as the "Yorae Dragon" by the other Endless. Following with the localization convention of transliterating Japanese kanji into Korean hanja, 如來 (''yŏrae'' in earlier romanizations, ''yeorae'' using the Revised Romanization method) is the Korean translation of a Pali word, Tathagata. It is a word used by Gautama Buddha to describe himself and other buddhas in lieu of personal pronouns. It roughly translates to "One Who Has Thus Come/Gone," describing how the Buddha has broken from the endless cycle of samsara (or impermanence) to attain nirvana. [[spoiler: This relates to Ryu's final act in the story after he absorbs Fou-Lu: He breaks the power of the Endless (save Deis), rendering them into mortals and freeing them from an endless life of passive observation.]]
192	* MementoMacGuffin: [[spoiler: Mami's bells she wore in her hair. In fact, the very incident that causes Fou-Lu to GoMadFromTheRevelation was seeing Mami's bells fall from the sky after he was at ground zero of a Hex Cannoning.]]
193	** In the manga adaptation, [[spoiler: Mami's bells are a MementoMacGuffin a second time during the BattleInTheCenterOfTheMind between Fou-Lu and Ryu (leading from the BadEnding to the GoodEnding). Fou-Lu literally breaks down sobbing upon being confronted by Ryu...whilst Ryu holds Mami's bells in his hand.]]
194	* MercyKill: [[spoiler: Elina pleads to Cray to end her miserable existence, and he has no choice but to comply]].
195	* MetalDetectorPuzzle: An early mini-game where you had to find buried parts to repair your sand-ship with. The mini-game could later be revisited to dig up various materials with which you could craft special pieces of armor for Ershin, and abusing this can lead to a DiscOneNuke for her.
196	* MixAndMatchCritters: Pretty much ''all'' the NPC dragons/Endless fall into this category; [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in that each dragon is the PhysicalGod of a specific element or force.
197	* MookCommander: The platypus-like Wakwak enemies would sometimes space out and do nothing, but another type of Wakwak could command the grunts to attack you, with the "Command" skill. Even with it, Wakwaks are basically still Goombas. The skill itself could also be used to counter "confused" status.
198	* MyGreatestFailure:
199	** Cray: [[spoiler: Being unable to return Elina to Wyndia, and in fact being forced to [[MercyKill euthanise her]] after she is turned into an artificial Endless.]] This would also apply to Nina as well.
200	** Ryu: [[spoiler: Being unable to stop the Chek massacre. This causes a HeroicBSOD which unleashes the Kaiser Dragon.]]
201	** Fou-Lu three times over: The first in realising the purpose for which he was summoned was impossible due to the [[InYourNatureToDestroyYourselves intrinsic nature of humanity]], the second being the fact that the empire he founded has become [[TheEmpire irredeemably corrupt and overtly evil]], and the third being [[spoiler: the inability to save Mami and the knowledge [[ItsAllMyFault she was tortured and used as Fantastic Nuke Ammo because she loved him]].]] The combination is enough to make him GoMadFromTheRevelation.
202	* NeverGrewUp: [[spoiler: The entire town of Chek, with the possible exception of the Abbess.]]
203	* NonMaliciousMonster: In the beginning of the game, during a surprise encounter with the Sand Dragon, Nina comments that dragons don't usually attack people, but Cray interjects that even if it doesn't mean any harm, they mustn't let the Dragon hit them.
204	* NoRomanticResolution: The manga, for all its worth in giving Ryu an actual character and [[CharacterDevelopment eventual development]], it severely tones down the one thing that it was clear in him as a HeroicMime: His interest in Nina as the game progressed. [[spoiler: The Good Ending in the game made him come back after sending The Endless back to their world solely for his love for Nina, the manga however, doesn't touch upon this subject and Ryu comes back for friendship, in fact, Nina wasn't directly mentioned by him during the sequence]].
205	* NominalImportance: Important characters to the plot are recognizable from their in-game portraits when you talk to them.
206	* NoNameGiven: The last [[SummonMagic evocation]] you find in the game comes from the Rock Dragon, literally "the Nameless One".
207	* NowWhereWasIGoingAgain: Your party members will remind you where to go when you talk to them in a camp.
208	* OneSteveLimit: Deis specifically asks Ershin to call her by her real name, instead of calling her "Ershin".
209	* PeninsulaOfPowerLeveling:
210	** Entering the Great Plains forces you to use only Ryu. In the Great Plains, there's a Temple where a lot of Nut enemies are found. Nut Enemies are weak, incredibly hard to hit, but are weak against Fire Spells. The Burn spell costs 1 AP and is capable of killing most of them with 1 shot. Since Ryu is by himself, he gains far more XP per battle than is possible for a very long time with a full party since XP is split by the number of people traveling with you normally. Sadly, only Ryu can be leveled this way.
211	** In S. Sinchon you can battle the Bot enemy, which its XP increases each time it is hit with a combo attack while its body is in its default state. While it assumes a damaged form, it takes 3 rounds to return from its broken state, the process can be repeated for a maximum of 65535 XP per bot. Since it can appear in a group of 3 bots, you can score 196605 XP in a single battle. And if you wish to power level a single character, you either use Marlok's Monopoly skill or kill all [=PCs=] safe for the one you wish to level. Don't forget to heal the bots though.
212	** Orochi in the final dungeon would grow stronger (and have a higher experience yield) each time it is hit with a physical attack. Wail on it with weak melees and heal when necessary to eventually reach the experience cap.
213	* PermanentlyMissableContent: In Chiqua late in the game, the Merchant Fu Chuman will ask you to fetch one of three rare items in order to get directions. One of these "items" is the Flawed Gem; if you give that to him instead of the other two (a Koshka urn or the ingredients for shisu), you'll have to say goodbye to Ryu's Mutant transformation.
214	* PhysicalGod: Fou-Lu, [[spoiler: the other dragons, and Ryu]].
215	* PleasePutSomeClothesOn: Nina first finds Ryu NakedOnArrival unconscious inside a crater after a dragon attack. When he awakens he stands up and gives her a full frontal NakedFirstImpression and Nina [[EatingTheEyeCandy stares]] at a loss for words until [[LuminescentBlush she blushes]] and gives him clothes from the nearby ruined caravan, looking away while asking him to please put them on.
216	* PowerCopying: How you learn most of the customizable skills that you can't learn from Masters. Party members defend and once the enemy uses it and a party member gets an ! above their head, they learn the skill.
217	* PowerfulButInaccurate:
218	** Ershin's Risky Shot guarantees a critical hit if it connects, but only has 40% accuracy.
219	** The Master Una grants this as a passive trait thanks to her Will ability ''Wild''; anyone apprenticed to her will hit harder but less often.
220	* PreAssKickingOneLiner: Scias if his health gets dropped to critical and he actives his GlassCannon mode.
221	-->'''Scias''': You will feel my blade...
222	* RecurringElement: Regarding the Masters. Like the previous game, the first Master is a WalkingTheEarth spellcaster (Mygas and Rwolf), a thief who required the total number of items in your inventory in some way (D'lonzo[[note]]asks you to have 15 different weapons[[/note]] and Stoll[[note]]tasks you with gathering 80 and 120 total items for his skills[[/note]]), a Fairy (Meryleep and Njomo), AmbiguouslyEvil (Fahl[[note]]a cohort of Balio and Sunder tasked with keeping watch on a kidnapped Ryu and Nina, but didn't do anything else[[/note]] and Marlok[[note]]notoriously greedy merchant who trades with both the East and the Empire, and [[spoiler:also helped the Empire kidnap Elina]][[/note]]), someone who asks you to have a high score in the FishingMinigame (Giotto and Gyosil), a LaughablyEvil Boss (Emitai and Khan), someone who subtly hints that you obtain another Master (Hondara[[note]]learn Durandal's final skill Backhand[[/note]] and Sister Lyta[[note]]have a character apprenticed under Gyosil so he/she can have his Ward passive[[/note]]), and lastly, one with a GottaCatchThemAll requirement (Ladon[[note]]find all 18 Dragon Genes[[/note]] and Bunyan[[note]]obtain all the other Masters[[/note]]).
223	* RedOniBlueOni: Played ''very'' straight with Ryu (red, and your typical HotBlooded hero) and Fou-Lu (a calm, calculating AntiVillain).
224	* RingOut: One minigame where Nina fights one of the Shikk sailors by pushing each other over the mast of a ship.
225	* RoleReversalBoss: In the BadEnding [[spoiler: Ryu and Fou Lu (both of whom the player's controlled at various points) fuse into a dragon, with the final boss fight being against the rest of the player's own party.]]
226	* RoyalWe: Used by the Emperor Soniel of Hesperia, as appropriate. Also by Fou-Lu, though for him it's partially justified in that [[spoiler: his soul is split in two, the other half being Ryu, so he's sort of two people at once.]]
227	* SandBridgeAtLowTide: Done backwards, our heroes walk onto Saldine island, then find themselves stranded at high tide.
228	* SaveThePrincess: Deconstructed, rather harshly. [[spoiler: When you finally find the princess, she's far beyond saving...]]
229	* ScaryScorpions: Scorpions are early game monsters encountered in the desert around Sarai and they're huge.
230	* SecretArt: Four of the playable characters (the only holdouts being Ryu and Ershin) use a special attack exclusive to them if they use a melee skill at the end of certain combos.
231	* SealedGoodInACan: [[spoiler: Deis trapped in Ershin's armor.]]
232	* ShamefulShrinking: Ursula and Scias try to hijack a sandflier (long story). The merchant who owned it is Marlok, who gave the party a dressing down (before deciding to lend them the money to buy their own), causing the members of the party who did it to shrink.
233	* ShiftingSandLand: Your starting point.
234	* ShipTease: The manga adaptation has this in spades (not surprisingly, seeing as it was in a manga magazine geared towards young adult women), particularly regarding Fou-Lu x Mami.
235	* SlidingScaleOfAnthropomorphism: Plenty of the game's population.
236	** Wyndians (like Nina) are {{Winged Humanoid}}s.
237	** Manillo are FishPeople.
238	** Scias, as well as several canine [=NPCs=] (like Rwolf), are {{Wolf M\|an}}en.
239	** Ursula, Lord Yuna, and the Woren are a LittleBitBeastly.
240	* SlippySlideyIceWorld: Ice Peak and its surroundings.
241	* SplitPersonalityMerge: Happens no matter [[MultipleEndings which end-game you pick]]; it's just a matter of whether you decide that HumansAreTheRealMonsters.
242	* SpritePolygonMix: Most enemies are sprite-based, but some of the bosses use 3D models.
243	* StoneWall:
244	** Two types of enemies found at the Abandoned Village, the Trunked and the Trean, have a TON of HP and defenses and HP regeneration, but will not attack the party. The perfect punching bags for practicing Combos.
245	** Chopam in the Ancient Tomb is invincible in its first two turns.
246	* SwirlingDust: A dust cloud is blasted whenever Ryu or Fou-Lu shapeshift into their [[ScaledUp dragon forms]].
247	* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: The Dragonslayer. A certain part near the end of Act 3 required the group to find and use it.
248	* ThirdOptionAdaptation: The manga's rendition of the good and bad endings.
249	* ThirdPersonPerson: Ershin. This becomes [[JustifiedTrope justified]] once it is [[TheReveal revealed]] who "Ershin" really is. [[spoiler: "Ershin" is what the suit of armor calls Deis.]]
250	* TitleDrop: The manga's long ''Utsurowazarumono - Breath of Fire IV'' title, Utsurowazarumono can be translated as ''The Endless'' or ''The Unfading Ones'', so anytime Ryu, Fou-Lu and the other Endless are mentioned in story it also doubles as this.
251	* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: [[spoiler: Princess Elina, who pretty much devoted her life to finding a way to end the war and promote peaceful coexistence between the continents, and consequently, was well loved by the people in the east. She was chosen by Yuna as a sacrifice ''because of this.'']]
252	* TragicKeepsake: [[spoiler: Mami's bells]] in both the game and the ComicBookAdaptation.
253	** The ComicBookAdaptation actually manages to elevate them to a frank CradleOfLoneliness. [[spoiler: In Chapter 19, Fou-Lu is depicted cradling Mami's bells whilst [[TechnicallyASmile giving a very feral smile]]; in Chapter 25, Ryu even points out that Mami's bells have become Fou-Lu's "most treasured possession", which begins the progression from the Bad Ending to the Good Ending.]]
254	* TrappedInAnotherWorld: Occurs in spades and is arguably a major theme of the game with the Endless, who were [[spoiler: summoned to this world against their will. The dragon gods have accepted their lot in life, the others are not that pleased.]]
255	* TraumaCongaLine: Poor Fou-Lu. First, the Empire doesn't want him to reclaim his throne, so they send General Yohm to pursue and kill him. Repeatedly. A cute boar he befriends makes a sacrifice of itself to open an escape path for him, while the only person in the world he may have had any love for is taken prisoner by Imperial forces, [[spoiler: then tortured and used as living ammunition for the Carronade]], before Fou takes a ''direct hit'' from the Empire's magical superweapon.
256	* TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening: Ryu gains the ability to transform into a dragon early on in the game, but it takes him seeing Captain Rasso massacre a village full of innocents (and forcing him to duel with a monster shortly afterwards) for him to unlock the more powerful transformation.
257	* TreeTopTown: The Pabpab village resides in trees, since it's in the middle of a swamp.
258	* TwinTelepathy: Ryu and Fou-Lu are implied to have this to a limited extent in ''IV'' (though for the most part this is only explicitly noted at the game's end).
259	** ''Very explicitly depicted'' in the ComicBookAdaptation of ''IV''; in fact, it's actually a major plot-driving force in the manga.
260	* UndergroundLevel: There are heaps of these.
261	* TheUnreveal: Instead of giving the party actual money to buy a sandflier, Marlok gives them a cash bond. How much the bond is worth is never actually stated in-game (all the sandflier merchant says about it is that it has "many zeroes"). This is possibly because the game doesn't want the player to think they can grind enough Zenny to buy the craft without Marlok's help.
262	* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: Both played straight and subverted:
263	** Fou-Lu in Sonne, who is portrayed by Mami as her brain-injured cousin Ryong. No matter her cousin has horns in one of the few towns in the game not comprised of {{Beast M\|an}}en. The landlord is in fact the only one who mentions something amiss.
264	** Played straight and subverting the prior occurrence at the same time when Ryu returns to Sonne later in the game, where Ryu is greeted as if he were the missing "Ryong", despite the fact Ryu has blue hair and no horns and a definite lack of YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe. Either Sonne is a village full of psychic farmers, or they possess ridiculously strong facial recognition abilities (in the artwork Ryu and Fou-Lu share the same face, but this is hard to see since they have vastly different expressions and features).
265	* UnwantedRevival: Fou-Lu. Though technically he never died (he's immortal), [[TheDragon General Yohm]] explicitly states upon first meeting him that the Empire finds his resurrection "inconvenient" and that they'd rather him "rest a little longer" in his tomb.
266	* UselessUsefulSpell: Quite a few of them, not counting the ones that are ''literally'' useless to begin with (like "Bad Back", "Distract" or "Feign Swing").
267	* WhenTreesAttack: There's monster trees as a random encounter and if you attack them with fire, they become even more dangerous to fight.
268	* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Ursula in a particularly hilarious scene wherein she and Nina [[WhatDoTheyFearEpisode are discussing phobias]]. It turns out Ursula is ''extremely'' phobic of bugs...Even sea lice, which are completely ''harmless''. Merely seeing one is enough to cause Ursula, normally quite the Type A {{Tsundere}}, to [[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl scream like a cheerleader]].
269	* WombLevel: The path leading to [[spoiler: Princess Elina]].
270	* TheWorfBarrage: The first Dragon Summon you obtain is ineffectual against the first BossBattle you have to face shortly after this.
271	* {{Wutai}}: The continent of Hesperia is based on Asian cultures.
272	* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: Fou-Lu constantly speaks in this manner in conjunction with the RoyalWe.
273	** In a backhanded salute to this, the manga adaptation of ''IV'' apparently has Fou-Lu speaking in what amounts to Ye Olde Butcherede Japanese, as opposed to the original keigo.

Context VideoGame / BreathOfFireIV