Final Fantasy Breakdown: How Long It Takes to Meet Every Iconic Cid

Cid is one of the most iconic Final Fantasy characters and tropes. Even though he is a different character in every mainline game, it wouldn’t be a Final Fantasy game without Cid. Whether he be a mechanic or a master of magic, this character never ceases to excite fans whenever he appears. The question most players ask is “How long until Cid shows up?”. So let’s see how long it takes to meet him in every single game.

Final Fantasy II-IV: Humble Beginnings

FFI did not introduce Cid as it was the first game in the series; however, the Dawn of Souls remake on GBA did introduce a Cid into the game. FFII is where Cid was first introduced to the series. In that game, he provides the main party with an airship to traverse the world. Overall, it takes the player around an hour to meet Cid in FFII. In FFIII, once again, Cid supplies the party with an airship for travel; it usually takes the player around 2-3 hours to meet Cid in FFIII. FFIV takes a while to introduce Cid into the game. Once you pass his trial, Cid will gift the party an airship. It takes the player around 2 hours to meet Cid in FFIV.

Final Fantasy V-VII: Expanding the Roster

FFV players meet Cid after encountering the Earth Crystal. It takes around 2 hours to meet Cid in FFV. FFVI now has the record for the longest time without meeting Cid; you meet him at the World of Ruin stage of the game’s story. He is on a remote island and can potentially die depending on the player’s actions. Overall, it takes close to 16 hours to reach the World of Ruin, so that’s also the time it takes to meet Cid in FFVI. FFVII Cid is probably the most iconic variation of Cid and the one most remembered. He doesn’t appear until the mid-late game, so on average, it takes about 13 hours to meet Cid in FFVII.

Final Fantasy VIII-X: Not Just A Mechanic

In FFXIII, Cid is the headmaster of the Balamb Garden. This clocks in at the second-fastest time to meet Cid, since you meet him around 20 minutes after starting the game. In FFIX, Cid was transformed into a variety of creatures. You first encounter him while escaping the Black Waltzes. Overall, a time of 3 hours to meet Cid in FFIX. FFX usurps FFVI’s throne of longest time to meet Cid. FFX introduces Cid around the midpoint of the game. The time it takes to get to that point is around 18 hours.

FFXI-XVI: The Roster Finalizes

FFXI is an odd case, with it being an MMO with three starting areas, it is possible to meet later quicker than other players. Assuming the fastest possible route, it takes about 20 minutes to meet Cid in FFXI, a few extra hours if you take a longer route. FFXII is one of the few Cids that is antagonistic to the player. He doesn’t show until late into the game, taking the throne for the longest time to meet Cid, around 32 hours. FFXIII also has an antagonistic Cid; eventually, the party fights him, and he is one of the toughest encounters in that game. FFXIV is also an interesting case, as it is an MMO similar to FFXI. The amount of time it takes to meet Cid in FFXIV is around 4 hours of game time. FFXV has you meet Cid in the first 15 minutes of the game at a repair shop, clocking in at the fastest time to meet Cid across all mainline games. FFXVI has the player meet Cid after the prologue finishes, taking around 2-3 hours to complete.

A Final Total