Though time-consuming, the necessary ingredients and GF Abilities can be amassed before the final confrontation of Disc 1. Once obtained, the Lion Heart can be made in any Junk Shop regardless of whether one has read Weapons Monthly, 1st Issue:
GF Quetzalcoatl must learn the Card command, which will allow it to then learn the Card Mod ability, thus granting item synthesis from Triple Triad cards.
GF Ifrit must also be at least Level 10, allowing it to learn the Ammo-RF ability.
Players must collect 20 Elnoyle cards, a Level 5 Monster card used rarely by such early NPCs as Ma Dincht and Dr. Kadowaki.
Use Card-Mod to turn 10 Elnoyle Cards into 1 Energy Crystal.
Use Ammo-RF to turn 1 Energy Crystal into 10 rounds of Pulse Ammo.
After the party collapses in the forest near Galbadia Garden and experiences the second Laguna Dream sequence, perspective returns to the world map. Hug the north cliff-face in the forest to find Grendel monsters for 100% of encounters.
To obtain 4 Dragon Fangs, players must keep their party's average level below 20, as they will drop fangs with much less frequency at higher levels.
An easy means of defeating these enemies is to obtain a Black Hole during the Dream Sequence, to teach Quistis the Degenerator Blue Magic spell, dispatching them instantly.