This section will contain hints, tips, and techniques that can be used when taking on Short Adventure's many bosses. The bosses will be listed in order of story progression. Note that this section may contain some spoilers in regards to the content of the game so, please, read with caution if you do not want to be spoiled about anything. If you are looking for side quest bosses, they will be covered in the side boss section of the wiki.
Aldoria Forest:
Boss: Treant
Recommended level: 3
Once its HP gets low, the Treant will be joined by two Goblins and a Crow, monsters that you have already faced before. While the Goblins and Crow won't do anything special, and can be beaten in a single turn, the Treant has a triple attack that can add up the damage if you're not careful. It also can heal once its HP gets to a certain point. Fire and Wind moves work well on it and can possibly burn and poison the Treant. If Mishiru is level 3, Sonic Slash is a great move to use, as it will do additional damage if poison is inflicted. The Foie and Zan spells also work well.
Aldoria Forest:
Boss: Ghost Treant
Recommended level: 5
The Ghost Treant is similar to the Treant that you previously faced. The biggest difference is that it's stronger, has a double attack instead of triple, starts healing at a higher HP threshold, and it has an additional darkness weakness. It is joined by two Lake Crab enemies that you have not seen up to this point. At level 5, Amara learns Ghost Cutter, which is one of the more effective moves for this fight as it will do major damage to the Ghost Treant. Otherwise, use Sharp Slash. Amara can also take down the Lake Crabs quickly with her Lightning Attack. Mishiru can continue to use Sonic Slash, Zan and Foie on the Ghost Treant and, if she is level 6, Zonde on the Lake Crabs. Risa's Earthen Chop is resisted by the Ghost Treant, but it can still inflict stun on it, buying you a few turns.
Aldo-Rald Woods:
Hidden Boss: Knight Commander
Recommended level: 6
This fight is optional and missable but, the treasure chest rewards can be obtained later. The Knight Commander is joined by two Knight Scouts and a standard melee Knight. The Scouts and Knight can be finished off quickly by Mishiru with her Foie spell and Amara's Ghost Cutter. The Knight can be especially dangerous with his ability to heal with Recharge and inflict damage with Thrust. The Scout only attacks with Shot and it may not damage Mishiru at all depending on your level. The Knight Commander attacks with the earth element and can do nasty damage to Mishiru and Amara with his attack or the even more dangerous triple attack. He can also heal with Recharge and will occasionally attempt to blind the party by using Sandstorm. The Knight Commander is very vulnerable to wind and ice, and can be poisoned, so Zan and Sonic Slash should be used for wind damage, and Barta, learned at Mishiru level 6, for ice damage and possible stun. He is immune to lightning and resistant to fire and physical attacks, so Amara should be using Ghost Cutter whenever available. Note that the strategy listed for this fight also works on the boss that you face later in the Woods.
Aldo-Rald Woods:
Boss: Knight Elite --> Rabid Panda
Recommended level: 9
If you have fought the hidden boss listed above, the same strategies will apply here as the boss is nearly identical. If you haven't, the strategy listed above will help you fight this boss. The Knight is the same from the hidden boss, while the Knight Gunners are the same as the Knight Scouts. The Knight Elite is a stronger version of the Knight Commander and the major change in this fight is to watch for the triple attack - he will first use it on turn 3, and then use it every 4 turns after that. Also, there is an additional Knight Gunner, brining the total enemies in this fight to 5 versus the 4 you faced if you fought the hidden boss.
The Rabid Panda will appear after you have gotten the Knight Elite's HP low enough. It will kill off any remaining knights that are also left, too. It attacks quickly and frequently with Maul, while occasionally doing a double attack or bodyslam - the latter of which can inflict stun. Amara is highly effective in this fight with Ghost Cutter and should be used frequently. Despite the Rabid Panda resisting fire and wind, Mishiru can inflict burn and poison on it. Her best damaging attacks, however, are her Diga and Barta spells. You have to act quickly here as the Rabid Panda is rather mobile when compared to your level - if you're around 9 - and will also begin to heal itself for a huge amount once its HP drops below a certain point.
Raldin Cave:
Boss: Waves of Goblins ---> Goblin Chief
Recommended level: 13
You will face a few waves of enemies before seeing the chief, but they are made up of enemies you faced already up to this point. One you may not have seen is the rare enemy, the Dark Goblin. This stronger- than-usual goblin has very strong attacks - especially its spells. It is also resistant to all elements. It is very likely that the Dark Goblin will be the last goblin standing before you move on to the next part of the boss fight. After the goblins are defeated, you will begin a one-on-one against the Goblin Chief. You will also be healed before this fight. The Goblin Chief attacks with the earth element and can tear through Mishiru's HP quickly, so you will have to make sure that the Warm Winds spell or healing items are ready. Other than its dangerous double attack, the Goblin Chief will occasionally attack with Blind Club and Silence Club, inflicting the Blind and Silence status effects, respectively. Once its HP reaches a certain point, it will begin to heal itself on occasion. Wind is the best way to go, so Sonic Slash and Zan are your best moves. If you are able to inflict poison with these moves, you will stop the Goblin Chief's gradual healing and deal more damage with subsequent wind attacks. Barta is effective to deal damage, also. While the Goblin Chief resists fire, it is possible to inflict burn with Foie and reduce the damage from its attacks temporarily while also dealing damage over time.
Aldo-Rald Woods:
Boss: Wild Bear
Recommended level: 17
The Wild Bear has the exact same moveset as the Rabid Panda. The weaknesses, however, are totally different. Its weaknesses are earth, wind and light while it also resists physical damage by half. The Forest Wolves that join the Wild Bear can inflict status effects but are otherwise not too threatening. Shara's Sonic Slash will do good damage and potentially inflict poison, while Dashell should be using Poison Blow to do just that before switching over to his spear techniques. Risa's Earthen Chop is a better option than Multithrust, as it will do great damage. If you leveled to 17 before this fight, Shara will have access to the Might and Protect spells to help with increasing damage dealt and reducing damage taken.
Aldoria Forest Trail:
Boss: Mountain Wolf x 4
Recommended level: 17
This is not so much a boss as it is a preview of what will be encountered once the next area is reached. The wolves have speed but are frail. Physical attacks are the best way to go as it resists the elements the party currently has at their disposal. Be mindful that the wolves can inflict silence and darkness.
Great Aldoria Mountains:
Boss: Snow Wolf
Recommended level: 20
The Snow Wolf, and 3 mountain wolves, will likely be faster than the party, but it is vulnerable to strong physical attacks. Starting on turn 3, and every fourth turn after that, it will Howl, boosting the attack and speed of itself and allies. It frequently attacks with Fang and Maul, two standard attacks. Its element is ice, so Risa will be at a slight risk if she is targeted a lot. It will also attack with Ice Breath (AoE Ice damage), Ice Fangs, as well and Silence and Darkness Fangs. Once its HP drops below half, it may start healing itself with Wolf Cry. The Snow Wolf, while resistant, can be poisoned and stunned. If Shara is at least level 19, she can use Strength and Defense Break to lower the enemy attack and defense, respectively. Otherwise, she can support/heal and use Rapid Slash for damage and Sonic Slash if the boss is poisoned. If Risa is level 20, Battle Shout is a great way to self buff and raise her speed. Multithrust is a great way to deal damage to the Snow Wolf, otherwise use Earthen Chop. Travis should be using Speed Slash regularly and Shara buffing him with Might is suggested. Dashell should be using Poison Blow until the enemies are poisoned and then switching to spear techniques.
Great Aldoria Mountains:
Boss: Gryphon
Recommended level: 20
The Gryphon strikes hard and fast. It will normally attack with Peck, Wing Attack, and Gust (Wind magical damage to a single target). It can also buff its speed with Tailwind and its defenses with Mighty Wall. It will occasionally use Roost, a healing technique that lowers its stats temporarily. Twister, a magical wind attack that hits the whole party, does heavy damage - especially to Risa - and will get used on turn 3 and every eighth turn after that. Drill Peck, a physical heavy damaging single target move, will get used on turn 5 and every fourth turn after that. With this pattern, you can plan accordingly for a damaging move that the party will have to deal with. Shara is on healing and support duty as she will need to keep herself and the party upright with her abilities. When she has a free turn, she should be lowering the Gryphon's attack and defense (if she is level 19), otherwise, Sonic Slash and Ice attacks are the way to go. Travis should be using Speed Slash frequently. Risa can stun with Earthen Chop but, it will not do much damage as the Gryphon resists Earth. However, if stun is inflicted, the Gryphon will skip its turns on Twister and Drill Peck if they arrive while the Gryphon is stunned. Otherwise, her physical attacks are the way to go. She can also use Stoneskin on herself to lessen the damage taken from Drill Peck if she takes the hit. The boss is highly resistant to poison, but Dashell can poison the Gryphon with Poison Blow. Otherwise, he should be using his spear techniques.
Cocoran Bridge:
Boss: Bridge Bully
Recommended level: 18
You will face the Bridge Bully several times and will also have an encounter where you will face two of them at once. They are not anything special and weak to fire. Double Fire will make short work of them. If you don't have the TP, use Foie or the Fire Attack.
Cocoran Bridge:
Boss: Bridge Bully Leader & Bandit Panther
Recommended level: 18
These two will be joined by two Bandit Crabs and a Knight. The Knight is the same standard knight that you have seen several times before. The Bandit Crabs only attack, but attack with the water element, posing a threat to Mishiru. Zonde from Mishiru and Bolt Shock from Jessie will easily dispatch them. The Bridge Bully Leader will typically not attack unless he is attacked first or the last one standing, so it's best to leave him be until the other enemies are dealt with. He is a stronger version of the Bridge Bullies and only has a Triple Attack that is easy to deal with. Fire attacks take him out quickly. The most dangerous enemy is the Bandit Panther. It only has one attack where it counts down from 5 to do a heavy damaging non elemental magic attack to the party. If it gets this off, quickly use Mishiru's Nature's Blessing to heal the party. It resists all elements and is immune to poison and silence but is weak to physical attacks. Rapid Slash from Mishiru and Double Shot or Power Shot (learned at level 16) from Jessie are the ways to go. If you are fast enough, the Bandit Panther can be defeated before it casts the spell once. This will require you to ignore the other enemies to do so.
Raldin Shaft:
Boss: Cracked Stone x 4
Recommended level: 20
They do not have any special attacks but they will occasionally attack twice. They use the earth element so keep an eye on Mishiru's HP if she is being targeted. They are highly resistant to physical attacks and immune to lightning so, Alexander's water abilities, Jessie's wind abilities, and Mishiru's wind or ice abilities are the best way to go.
Raldin Shaft:
Boss: Earth Eye
Recommended level: 20
It will be joined by two Cracked Stone enemies from the previous fight. The Earth Eye also attacks with the earth element and shares the same weaknesses as the Cracked Stone, but is more resistant to other elements and status effects. If you are using elemental attacks with Mishiru and Alexander, Jessie can use traps, learned at level 19, to make the fight easier. The Earth Eye can be burned, blinded, poisoned, and paralyzed. It may take several attempts to do so, however. For its attacks, the Earth Eye's standard attack is Bonk, which is the same as the Cracked Stone's. It has Big Club which does heavy damage to a character and, if you're not careful, may one shot Mishiru. Quake does damage to the entire party. Once its HP gets to around half, it may attempt to heal itself using Crunchy Rocks.
Raldin Shaft:
Boss: Cave Dragon
Recommended level: 24
The Cave Dragon has the same elemental weaknesses and status resistances as the Earth Eye. With that said, Jessie can use the same techniques from the fight against the Earth Eye. Kasai can use her ice, water, or wind spells - does even more damage if the boss is poisoned. Mishiru can buff herself and Kasai to improve their damage output. All three party members have access to healing so everyone can monitor HP. The Cave Dragon's standard attack is Tail but it will also use Tail Whip with the same amount of frequency. Breath is a fire attack that hits the whole party and can burn. Earth Power is similar to the Earth Eye's Quake, as it will hit the entire party. It will occasionally use Dragon Dance to buff its overall attack and raise its speed. Once its HP gets low, it may use Rest for a massive heal but also a massive stat reduction. If it does Rest, you will be able to take advantage of the lowered stats to inflict more damage quickly.
Muria Lake:
Boss: Wolfman Warrior & Wolfman Mage
Recommended level: 26
These two are very high speed and you may find yourself taking multiple attacks before getting a turn. They have the same HP and comparable power, however, the Mage is faster than the Warrior. It is suggested that you take out the Wolfman Mage first since Esmeralda and Varis do not have the best magic defense. The Wolfman Mage is resistant to all elements, so physical attacks work best. It attacks with a variety of elemental and non elemental magic - some single target, some party wide. On turn 4, and every fourth turn afterwards, it will Howl, increasing its magical damage and speed. Once its HP gets to about half, if will occasionally start using healing magic. The Wolfman Warrior is resistant to physical damage, so elemental attacks are better to use against it. It has a standard attack but it will also use Double Stab and Triple Stab on a single target. Unlike the Wolfman Mage, the Wolfman Warrior's Howl is done at random, but the effect is the same, boosting physical attack and speed. Its most dangerous attack is Multithrust, which will hit the party three times. Varis has the healing and support spell and will have to monitor the party's HP and otherwise use his attack techniques when he's not doing any healing or support. Esmeralda will be on the offensive, dealing damage as fast as she can before the enemy party takes its toll on her party. She can use Driven* to buff her attack and speed to keep up with the frequency of the enemy attacks. Her Alpha Rapid Slash works well on the Wolfman Mage while her elemental attacks, Sonic Slash Alpha, Aqua Blade, Sigma Tempest Bolt, work well on the Wolfman Warrior.
*Developer Note: Driven was added in the 2.0 update. If you have already played the game to its current stopping point, you will see Driven added to Esmeralda's abilities when she joins your party again.
Muria-Raldin Checkpoint:
Boss: Royal Knights & Raldin Militia
Recommended level: 26
The Royal Knight Commander is similar to the Knight Commander and Knight Elite that you previously faced in the Aldo-Rald Woods. Despite the advantage he has against Varis, Esmeralda can make quick work of him with her wind and water techniques. The Knight Officer is also similar to the Knight you previously faced in the Aldo-Rald Woods. The same rules apply for him. This will be your first time facing the Raldin Militia, and he does not have anything especially noteworthy outside of his Speed Slash attack. He does occasionally attack twice, too. Using Fire Punch from Varis is a good way to hit his weakness as well as the Knight Officer's.
Raldin Shaft:
Boss: Earth Eye
Recommended level: 26
This is the exact same boss that you have faced already. While Varis will need to have caution, Esmeralda does not have to worry as much as she is resistant to the Earth Eye's and Cracked Stone's attacks. Her wind and water attacks will make short work of the Earth Eye and the Cracked Stones.
Raldin Shaft:
Boss: Cave Dragon
Recommended level: 26
Just like the previous fight, this is the exact same boss that you have faced already. Again, Varis will need to have caution while Esmeralda does not have to worry. The Cave Dragon will fall quickly to Esmeralda's wind and water attacks.
Tashir Arena:
Boss: Arena Employees
Recommended level: 30
Escarlata and Melrose will outspeed the Arena Guard and Arena Warriors, but they can damage well with their Speed Slash attack. They have no weaknesses, so using any of your techniques and magic is fine. I suggest using Escarlata's Bullet Punch technique after using her Focus technique or Melrose's Cheerful Dance magic. As for Melrose, her dagger techniques are the way to go.
Security Hall:
Boss: Bray
Recommended level: 30
Bray will be accompanied by three Arena Armor enemies. The Arena Armor can use Speed Slash and heal themselves with Recharge. While being resistant to wind and physical attacks, they are vulnerable to fire and lightning. Escarlata can damage them well with Blaze Kick and Lightning Kicks as will Melrose's Hot Dagger and Lightning Dagger. Bray is resistant to physical attacks, as well, but his only weakness is fire. He also regens HP each turn so, it may be a good idea to try and burn him with fire moves or poison him with Melrose's Breeze Dagger. He can also be stunned and paralyzed at a lower success rate. Amy can continue using her Blast or Burst magic when she is not healing. Lisa will constantly be using her thrust techniques. Bray's standard attack is a double attack. He also uses Bodyslam in an attempt to stun a party member. Dust Devil is a wind attack that hits the entire party. Shock is very dangerous, not for its damage, but for the paralysis that it can inflict. Remember, paralysis lasts 10 turns. He will occasionally use Shout, which will buff all his stats. Earthquake will deal earth damage to the entire party. Toxic Fog will deal no damage but is an attempt to poison the entire party while Sandstorm also deals no damage but will be an attempt to blind the entire party. If any party member is afflicted with a negative status effect, Amy's Cheer or Melrose's Refreshing Dance can cure it. When Bray's HP gets low, he may occasionally start casting Recover, which will heal a significant portion of his HP and remove some negative status effects - including poison and burn. If that becomes a problem, you can try and silence him with Melrose's Earth Dagger.
Alhest Alley:
Optional Boss: Shadow Brigand
Recommended level: 30
The Shadow Brigand can be skipped altogether if you wish but, if you talk to him, you will engage in battle. He only has a double attack but it can be damaging. He attacks with the dark element and is immune to dark elemental damage while being extremely weak to light. Amy will be at risk but Melrose can make short work of him with her Light Dagger.
Alhest Alley:
Optional Boss: Alley Thief
Recommended level: 30
Like the Shadow Brigand, this fight is optional and able to be skipped but you will fight him if you talk to him. He is purely physical and only has a double attack. He attacks a bit faster than the Shadow Brigand but, he is frail and vulnerable to fire.
Alhest Alley:
Optional Boss: Dark Armor
Recommended level: 30
Optional like the other two, the Dark Armor has the same resistances and weakness as the Shadow Brigand. Additionally, he is also weak to lightning while resisting physical attacks. He also does not attack with the dark element, despite his name. He is a physical attacker but, with his high strength, his Triple Attack is very dangerous.
Alhest Alley:
Optional Boss: Slasher
Recommended level: 30
Also optional, Slasher has the lowest attack, HP, and defense of the optional fights but, she is by far the fastest. She may outspeed the party depending on your level when you see her. She, like the Dark Armor, has a Triple Attack, and is purely physical. She shares the same fire weakness as the Alley Thief.
Alhest Highway:
Boss: Snyder
Recommended level: 35
Snyder is accompanied by a Knight Elite and a Knight, two enemies that you have faced several times before to this point. They have the same moves and weaknesses from before. Snyder you have also seen before, but you were meant to lose to him. ...Unless you managed to win back in Raldin. Snyder's standard attack is Rush, an attack that strikes three times but at random. He attacks with the earth element, so keep in mind that Escarlata and Melrose could take anywhere from 0 to 3 hits when he uses Rush. He otherwise uses moves that you've seen: Speed Slash, Sandstorm, Earthquake, Dust Devil, and Bodyslam. Snyder is immune to earth and lightning while being resistant to physical and fire attacks. He is vulnerable to wind, water, and ice. A good strategy is to take advantage of the boost Escarlata receives before the match and either cast Focus twice or Focus once and then have Melrose cast Cheerful Dance on Escarlata once. Afterwards, Bullet Punch is your best move while under those buffs due to the sheer damage it can deal. Melrose can attack with Breeze, Ice, or Aqua Dagger on Snyder. If you run in to trouble, Melrose can heal with Soothing Dance, Revitalizing Dance, or Regeneration Dance. Rally Dance can also bolster your defenses if you need it.
Raldin Shaft:
Boss: Feralizard
Recommended level: 24
The Feralizard has decent speed and good power so you will have to act quickly if you are underleveled/geared. Starting on turn 4, and repeating every sixth turn after that, it will Howl, boosting its attack and speed. Starting on turn 5, and repeating every sixth turn, it will heal itself slightly to supplement its natural gradual healing. Dashell can stop this gradual healing by poisoning it with Poison Blow. It also has a variety of attacks that you have seen before, but the most dangerous is the ever lethal Bull Charge. This could potentially one-shot Shara, if you aren't careful, while Dashell will take major damage from this. The Feralizard can be stunned, and it is also weak to earth, making Risa great in this fight with Earthen Chop and Double Chop (learned at level 24). Any of Shara's water, ice, and wind attacks work well (ice and water are best) on the boss.
Iystan Stronghold:
Boss: Feralizard
Recommended level: 24
The same strategies apply from the previous fight with the Feralizard, just now, you will have Clarke in this battle with you. Any of his techniques are effective against the boss, but his Aqua Saber will do the most damage. Buffing him with Might from Shara beforehand will optimize his output.
Rolando:
Boss: Theodore + Bandits
Recommended level: 26
It is a large group for just Shara and Risa to handle but, fortunately for you, they are all rather weak in strength. Theodore and all the bandits have the same moveset - Attack, Speed Slash, Bodyslam, Venom - and can be dealt with with ease. Risa's Cleave (learned at level 28 - Greatsword and Axe only) is a great move to use here while Shara can stick with Sonic Slash while keeping an eye on the party's health. If you are using a spear with Risa, Multithrust is your best bet.
Rolando:
Boss: Theodore & Jerrick + Bandits
Recommended level: 26
Jerrick will join Theodore with the bandits in this fight but, you will have Dashell and Clarke to aid Shara and Risa. Just like before, Jerrick also fights identically to Theodore and all the bandits - Attack, Speed Slash, Bodyslam, Venom - and can be dealt with easily. The same tactics apply to Risa and Shara while Clarke can use any of his sword techniques - except for Aqua Saber. Dashell is as usual with poison and spear techniques.
Rolando:
Boss: Theodore & Jerrick
Recommended level: 26
Shara and Risa will be on their own as they face Jerrick and Theodore. Neither of them have any new moves or abilities. The same strategies that were used in the previous two fights apply here.
Iysta Castle Laboratory:
Boss: Emergency Node
Recommended level: 30
The Emergency Node is a tough, fast moving mechanical entity that has you on a timer - by turn 30, if its HP is not depleted, it will instantly kill the party with Execute. Shara and Esmeralda will have to work quickly and not waste too many turns. It only has three attacks in addition to Execute:
Beam - hits one person for resistance ignoring damage
Duo Beam - hits one person twice for resistance ignoring damage
Hyper Beam - hits the entire party for resistance ignoring damage
You have an idea of what turn you are on when it does the following actions:
Turn 7 - Attack Module, permanently boosts attack power
Turn 14 - Defense Module, permanently boosts defense power
Turn 21 - Speed Module, permanently boosts speed
Turn 25 - Destruction Imminent, five turn warning before Execute
Turn 30 - Execute, multi-hit instant death explosion
The Emergency Node is resistant to standard physical attacks and all elemental attacks except water and lightning. It also cannot be debuffed, nor can it be afflicted with any sort of status effect. Shara should quickly buff herself with Smart Shell and use Aqua Laser frequently. Esmeralda should use Driven* to buff herself and use her Water Attack, Aqua Blade, and Sigma Tempest Bolt. Shara can also watch over the duo's healing if necessary in lieu of using items.
*Developer Note: Driven was not included in the original release of the game and was added in the 2.0 patch. This fight will be released in the 2.0 patch and all players will have access to Driven when playing as Esmeralda, by this point. If you are already playing before this patch, when you reach this fight in the patch, the skill will be added to her list of abilities before this fight.
Ashen Chasms:
Boss: Ashen Protector
Recommended level: 35
Escarlata will be facing this entity on her own in a duel. Fire and earth attacks are the most effective against the Ashen Protector, and it is also vulnerable to being burned and stunned. The Ashen Protector attacks with a variety of physical and magic attacks that are of the water and lightning element. Its most dangerous attack is Aqua Saber, a water slash that can hit Escarlata for slightly over half of her HP, so it is imperative to keep her HP over half at all times. As for offense, Escarlata can use her Fire Attack and Earth Attack as a standard form of offense instead of a normal attack. The Ashen Protector has decent speed, so using Focus to keep Escarlata ahead of it is advised, in addition to boosting her attack power and critical hit rate. Lightning Kicks, despite doing resisted damage, has a good stun rate to buy a few turns and prevent the Ashen Protector from doing anything. Bullet Punch is another good way to inflict stun, as well. Blaze Kick can inflict burn, and will do additional damage if the boss is already burned. Earth Render is a great way to inflict damage, even though it has no additional effects. If needed, Chakra can be used to heal and it will heal more than Drain Punch.
Raldin Shaft:
Boss: Feralizard
Recommended level: 24
This pesky mutated fiend refuses to leave the party be! This time Mishiru, Jessie, Kasai, and Alexander will be tasked in taking it down. While your party composition is different, the strategy remains the same. Alexander can stun with Sacred Sword: Ice, and Sacred Sword: Water will do just as much damage. The boss can be burned, blinded and poisoned, so Jessie's traps (learned at level 19) are very useful here. If you do poison it, the wind abilities of Kasai, Mishiru, and Jessie will all do additional damage. When it comes to its move set, Bull Charge is still the deadliest as it may (and probably will) one shot Jessie and Kasai. Mishiru and Alexander are resistant to it. If healing is needed, all three of the ladies in the party are capable of using some sort of healing magic if you are low on items.
Forest Path:
Boss: Forested Golem
Recommended level: 26
The construct has a lot of HP, and hits very hard, but it slow moving, and, as such, you'll be able to get a few turns in with your speedy party members (Mishiru, Kasai, Jessie) before it attacks, while Alexander will likely trade turns with it. It has a variety of attacks, mostly of the single target variety. A few attacks to watch out for, however, are Fear Roar, which it will use every seven turns to lower the defenses of the party, Bull Charge, which will likely one-shot Jessie, and possibly Kasai, Quake, which is an earth aoe, and Hammer Claw, which is a devastating single target attack that could one-shot anyone but Alexander. It will most commonly use Tackle, which is a standard attack that targets one person, but does not hit as hard as Hammer Claw. It may also use Dual Attack, which will hit a party member twice. It can also, cause poison, blind, and stun with its attacks. Since it is physically tough, fire and ice magic are most effective against it, with the former even more so because of its vulnerability to burn. Unlike other bosses you may have faced, it will not retaliate with healing if it is burned, making it a useful tactic to tack on extra damage with follow up fire moves, as well as lower its high attack power. Mishiru and Kasai, with their abilities to boost magical attack power, are vital to making this fight short. It can also be blinded, making Jessie's Smoke Trap a key strategy to use to keep the party healthy by having the boss miss more frequently.
Bentalli Marsh:
Boss: Spirit of the Marsh
Recommended level: 27
While this boss shares the same HP as the Forested Golem, that's where the similarities end. The Spirit of the Marsh has a wide variety of attacks: some single target, some party wide, most of them being some sort of element. If you have an Elemental Guard accessory, it is likely a good idea to equip it on a character prior to the fight, as it will halve elemental damage taken. The Spirit will buff itself on the seventh and eighth turn, and will repeat this pattern every seven turns. She counters being burned with Recover, so it is not advised to use burning techniques on her (ie: Jessie's Smoke Trap). She is weak to lightning and darkness, which Mishiru, Kasai, and Jessie all have lightning, and Kasai (level 31) does access a darkness spell. A high risk, high reward strategy that can be tried is to attempt to silence her so that she loses access to her strong spellcasting and healing when burned. The best way to do this is to cast Stone with Kasai, Diga/Gidiga with Mishiru, and Ground Shot with Jessie. Despite dealing resisted damage, if successful, and able to reapply silence afterwards, you will be able to burn her without fear of a counter heal or taking any of her devastating magical spells. Burn will also reduce her gradual healing and attack power. If you use Jessie's Smoke Trap to burn the boss, you may also blind the boss, making her miss her strong sword attacks a bit more frequently - which is vital since she can possibly one-shot any of the group of four you have in this battle. It is highly advised to keep the party's HP as high as possible at all times.
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