In Breath of Fire III each party member can sign up for a master. To sign up with a master, you should approach him and ask to join. Most teachers, however, will ask you to perform a task or fulfill certain requirements to take you as a student. Masters can teach you many useful skills. When a character visits his master, if he has grown a sufficient number of levels from the previous time, he will be taught a new skill. Masters also expand certain traits and diminish others (for instance, a master may provide better magic training by increasing maximum AP each time a character levels up but physical attack strength and HP might not increase as fast). This is very useful for maximizing the qualities of a character or to heal any weak points.
Each character can only be an apprentice to one master at a time. Leaving a master is possible either by signing up with a new master or asking the master to quit. It is advisable not to change masters too frequently, as they only teach their best skills after a long apprenticeship.
You can see a list of all the masters you have met and/or signed up with in the Masters' List which can be viewed in Camp. There will be a star next to their name if you have learned all the skills and abilities that a particular master can teach. You can use an item called Skill Ink in order to move abilities from one character to another.
Bunyan[edit]
Bunyan is located outside his house in Cedar Woods in the Yrall Region. You can sign up with Bunyan after the battle with Balio and Sunder in the Cedar Woods. Bunyan is mainly a physical strength-oriented master. There are no requirements to become his pupils, so it is advisable to have Ryu study under him immediately, unless he is already a disciple of Mygas.
Effects:
- Power: +2
- Defense: +1
- Intelligence: -3
- HP: +2
- AP: -2
Skills:
- After 2 levels: Risky Blow
- After 5 levels: Focus
- After 8 levels: Super Combo
- After 10 levels: Disembowel
Mygas[edit]
Mygas is located at the stump of the Yggdrasil Tree near McNeil Village in the Yrall Region. To become your master, Mygas will ask you for all your money, regardless of the amount you have. It is therefore best to spend all you can before talking to him, as he will take you as students even if you have 0 zenny. Mygas is a wizard and increases magical ability.
Effects:
- Power: -1
- Defense: -1
- Intelligence: +2
- AP: +1
Skills:
- After 1 level: Frost
- After 4 levels: Meditation
- After 6 levels: Magic Ball
- After 8 levels: Typhoon
Durandal[edit]
Durandal can be found in the house behind Wyndia, accessible using the path at the side on the World Map. There are no requirements to become his pupils. Durandal only teaches a few practically useless moves (except maybe Backhand) and doesn't introduce changes to your status improvements as you level up. He is certainly not a good master; however it is necessary to learn all the skills he has to teach you if you want to have a better master later in the game.
Effects: none
Skills:
- After 1 level: Unmotivate
- After 2 levels: Feign Swing
- After 3 levels: Backhand
D'lonzo[edit]
You can find this master on the hill behind the coffee shop in Eastern Windia. D'lonzo can teach you a useful move to steal items from enemies and will increase the accuracy of your attacks. To take you as an apprentice she will ask you to have 15 different unequipped weapons in your inventory. It is therefore advisable not to sell any weapon that you no longer need from the start of the game, to achieve the goal. In fact, it is better to become her apprentice as soon as possible and have Momo study with her, to correct the high inaccuracy of her bazooka.
Effects:
- Power: +1
- Agility: +1
- HP: -1
- AP: -2
Skills:
- After 2 levels: Monopolize
- After 3 levels: Intimidate
- After 4 levels: Steal
Yggdrasil[edit]
You can find the Yggdrasil Tree in a clearing in Eastern Windia. In order to talk to the tree, you need to have Peco in your party. Yggdrasil will ask you to bring him a Wisdom Fruit. Bring it to him and he will become your Master. Yggdrasil is a good master for characters who use magic. During the apprenticeship however, they will be penalized by a great weakness to the fire element attacks.
Effects:
- Power: -2
- Defense: +1
- Intelligence: +2
- HP: -1
- AP: +1
Skills:
- After 2 levels: Sanctuary
- After 5 levels: Recall
- After 8 levels: Shield
Giotto[edit]
This half man half fish master is on a beach in the Raphala Region, west of the city. To take you as an apprentice, he will ask you to be fishermen at least of the rank of Rodmaster. Giotto is a perfect master for characters who need to increase their HP and AP. Nina can certainly be an excellent student.
Effects:
- Power: -1
- Defense: -1
- Intelligence: -1
- Agility: -1
- HP: +4
- AP: +3
Skills:
- After 2 levels: Trump
- After 5 levels: Berserk
- After 8 levels: Sudden Death
Fahl[edit]
This drunken master is in a tent in the city of Arena in Central Windia. He was previously assigned to watch over you. To take you as an apprentice he will ask you to fight 30 times without ever resting in an inn or in a camp (if necessary, face many easy battles in the Cedar Woods to reach the goal). The skills Fahl teaches and the effects of him give the greatest benefit to characters who use brute force, such as Peco and Garr.
Effects:
- Power: +1
- Defense: +3
- Intelligence: -3
- Agility: -3
- HP: +4
Skills:
- After 2 levels: Charge
- After 4 levels: Counter
- After 6 levels: Resist
Meryleep[edit]
This fairy master is found in a forest in Eastern Windia. After visiting the faerie village you can meet her. Go there bringing Peco in the party. Cut the bushes with Ryu's sword and have Peco violently kick a stone in the pond. Meryleep will appear and ask you to bring back her Flower Jewel. Near Maekyss Gorge you will find a hut where some bandits live. Have Peco hit the tree next to the hut to find the Flower Jewel. You can sell this item for 10,000 zenny, but DON'T! Bring it back to Meryleep by making her appear the same way. At this point, she will agree to become your master. Maryleep is one of the best masters in the game. She is in fact one of the few who will increase your agility. Also, she can teach you Shadowwalk, the most useful technique in the game. Powerful, precise and with a not excessive AP cost. It is highly recommended that Ryu study under her and learn this skill.
Effects:
- Power: -1
- Defense: -1
- Agility: +2
- HP: -1
Skills:
- After 2 levels: Charm
- After 5 levels: Shadowwalk
- After 8 levels: War Shout
Hondara[edit]
You will find this teacher intent on preaching to the citizens of Urkan Tapa in the Urkan region. To become his apprentice, you must have already learned the Backhand skill from Durandal. As you are apprenticed to him your holy powers will increase. The best skill this master teaches is definitely Kyrie, an attack that allows you to eliminate all undead enemies in one fell swoop, including bosses.
Effects:
- Power: -2
- Intelligence: +1
- AP: +1
Skills:
- After 2 levels: Purify
- After 5 levels: Kyrie
- After 8 levels: Benediction
Emitai[edit]
Shortly after waking up in the mine, during your adolescence, you can find this master in a hut in the Dauna Hills region. You had already met Emitai in the Contest of Champions and, apparently, he still has financial problems. He will offer to become your master in exchange for 10,000 zenny. Being a wizard, Emitai is a master suited primarily to characters who use magic.
Effects:
- Power: -2
- Defense: -2
- Intelligence: +4
- AP: +4
Skills:
- After 2 levels: Barrier
- After 4 levels: Mind Sword
- After 6 levels: Enlighten
Hachio[edit]
After escaping from Windia Castle, you can still enter the kitchens via the portal. Talk to the cook Hachio, who will ask you to bring him a Beef Jerky, a Swallow Eye, an Angler, and a Martian Squid. Bring him everything and Hachio will become your master. The effects and abilities that Hachio teaches primarily concern characters using physical strength.
Effects:
- Power: +2
- Defense: +1
- Intelligence: -1
- Agility: -1
- HP: +2
- AP: -2
Skills:
- After 2 levels: Mighty Chop
- After 4 levels: Demonbane
Bais[edit]
During your teens you can play hide and seek again with the boys who are in the square of Windia. Having found them all, they will offer to become your masters. Bais hides on the platform in front of the huge moss-covered dragon-shaped rock in the Dauna Mines. Bains does not teach skills, but the Chain formation, which allows you to have the same agility of the leader to the whole group during the battles.
Effects:
- Power: +1
Skills:
- After 3 levels: Chain Formation
Lang[edit]
After finding all the boys in the Windia square, you can ask Lang to take you as an apprentice. Lang hides behind a headstone in the catacombs below Windia Castle. This master does not teach you skills, but he will give you a very useful Cupid's Lyre, an accessory that allows you to recover HP while walking.
Effects:
- Defense: +1
Skills:
- After 3 levels: Cupid’d Lyre (Item)
Lee[edit]
After finding all the boys in the Windia square, Lee will offer to become your master. Lee hides behind a wall in Check Point, between Eastern Windia and the Raphala Region. This master does not teach you skills, but the Magic Formation (magical power is increased to the last member of the group).
Effects:
- Intelligence: +1
Skills:
- After 3 levels: Magic Formation
Wynn[edit]
After you find all the boys in the Windia square, you can ask Wynn to become her students. Wynn hides near a garbage heap in Junk Town. This master does not teach you skills, but the Refuge Formation (almost the same as normal and pratically useless).
Effects:
- HP: +1
Skills:
- After 3 levels: Refuge Formation
Deis[edit]
After freeing her, Deis will settle in the Cave of Ages, at the base of Mt. Zublo. You can meet her again just before boarding the Black Ship. To become her apprentices, when you meet her for the first time, you will have to answer her: "I like you this way" and then agree to call her "Ma'am". Despite her obvious dislike, Deis is an excellent master and teaches the most powerful attack spells in the game.
Effects:
- Power: +1
- Defense: -3
- Intelligence: +3
- Agility: +1
- HP: -3
- AP: +3
Skills:
- After 2 levels: Inferno
- After 5 levels: Blizzard
- After 8 levels: Myollnir
- After 11 levels: Sirocco
- After 15 levels: Celerity
Ladon[edit]
After arriving in the distant city of Dragnier in the Lost Shore, you can talk to the effigy of a dragon on the wall just above the teleportation room. Ladon will only take you as an apprentice if you already have all 18 dragon genes, so you must have already defeated the Elder. Ladon can teach you some very useful skills, but it will dramatically decrease the HP and AP you will receive as you level up. That’s a very heavy downside.
Effects:
- Power: +2
- Defense: +2
- Intelligence: +2
- Agility: +1
- HP: -6
- AP: -6
Skills:
- After 3 levels: Mind’s Eye
- After 5 levels: Holy Strike
- After 7 levels: Ward Of Light
- After 9 levels: Aura