Games

The Hardest Regular Enemies In Final Fantasy

Published

1 month ago

November 26, 2024

Christoph Rediske

mixcollage 24 nov 2024 07 57 pm 1230 scaled

Key Takeaways

Table of Contents

Regular enemies in Final Fantasy games can be tougher than bosses, requiring unique strategies.
Enemies like T-Rexaur and Master Tonberry can deal significant damage if not approached carefully.
Yan and Behemoth pose challenges with speed, powerful abilities, and high HP, making battles intense.

Final Fantasy is a series known for its many recurring elements, including the enemies that fans of the series are quite familiar with. From lowly goblins to the imposing Behemoth, there’s no shortage of memorable foes that fans will become familiar with after playing a few games in the series.

8 Most Useless Jobs In Final Fantasy Games, Ranked

These are some of the most useless jobs in the Final Fantasy franchise of games.

Some of these regular enemies are such a huge pain to deal with that they can potentially be stronger than bosses in their respective games. Players must respect the strength of these foes and bring out every trick in their arsenal to ensure that these Final Fantasy enemies can be taken out for good.

8 Great Malboro

An Annoying Enemy That Barrages Players With Status Effects

Systems

Released: December 17, 2001
OpenCritic Rating: Strong

The Malboro is one of the most iconic and dreaded enemies in the series, using status effects to irritate players who must figure out a way to kill this dreaded foe before it causes too many problems for them. Final Fantasy 10 features a tougher version of this foe who can end a player’s run in no time.

Players who discover the Omega Ruins will find it full of tough enemies who can be beaten with some effort. However, the Great Malboro’s Bad Breath can end their run prematurely, especially since this is always the first move in a battle with this foe. Players must be ready for this tough attack and adjust their strategy accordingly to beat the Great Malboro in a fierce battle.

7 T-Rexaur

A Hard-As-Nails Enemy Who Is A Pain To Deal With

Released: February 11, 1999
OpenCritic Rating: Strong

The fact that the game tells players to fight the T-Rexaur early on in the game is a ridiculous challenge, even if players can use sleep to exploit its weakness. However, players who try and brute force this enemy will be in for a rude awakening when a single chomp shaves off a ton of the target’s bar.

Players must use status effects and unleash their most powerful attacks to ensure that the T-Rexaur doesn’t inflict too much damage. It can take a while, but people willing to take on this challenge will love facing off against the T-Rexaur, no matter what their level may be at a given time.

6 Yan

A Swift Enemy That Can Decimate The Party With Comet

Released: July 7, 2000
OpenCritic Rating: Strong

The regular Yan that players encounter near the end of the game is no joke. It’s a ridiculously fast foe that can carry out multiple moves by the time a party member’s ATB bar fills up, and it doesn’t help that some of its abilities can end a player’s run in no time.

8 Final Fantasy Games With The Best Post-Launch Content, Ranked

Thanks to ongoing support from developers, these Final Fantasy games had more to offer even after their initial release.

Comet’s random damage means that players must cross their fingers and hope this doesn’t one-shot a party member. Yan also uses counter moves, with Snort permanently ejecting a character from battle and leading to a game over if every character is ejected from this battle.

5 Master Tonberry

His Knife Attacks And Powerful Counters Make Him A Pain To Deal With

Released: January 31, 1997
OpenCritic Rating: Strong

The Tonberry doesn’t look all that intimidating until players realize that this menacing enemy is creeping toward their party members for a reason. His knife is deadly and kills a character in a single hit, and this is what the Master Tonberry whips out in battle too.

To make things worse, players must be wary of the Everyone’s Grudge counterattack used by this enemy against anyone who attacks it, punishing them based on how many enemies they’ve killed in Final Fantasy 7. If the character in question is an offensive powerhouse, then this move will easily kill them.

4 Archaeoaevis

Buffed In The Zodiac Age To Become One Of The Game’s Hardest Enemies

Released: October 31, 2006

In the original version of Final Fantasy 12, Archaeoaevis can be tough but doable as long as players have managed their levels, equipment, and the Gambits they have access to. However, in The Zodiac Age, this regular enemy becomes one of the toughest foes players can encounter in battle.

This enemy enjoys the benefit of buffed stats along with the Safety passive ability that prevents them from being affected by instant death skills and other abilities that deal fractional HP damage. Players should be ready for a tough fight if they want to take on this imposing foe in battle.

3 Brachiosaur

A Ridiculously Hard Regular Enemy That Can Use Ultima To Wipe Out The Entire Party

The Brachiosaur enemy from Final Fantasy VI

Final Fantasy 6

Released: October 11, 1994
Developer(s): Square Enix , Square
OpenCritic Rating: Mighty

Final Fantasy 6 is one of the easier games in the series, and players were glad that the Pixel Remaster increased the chance for enemies to use special attacks that hit for major damage. However, in both the original and updated release, one enemy that players must fear all the time is the Brachiosaur.

8 Best Coming Of Age Stories In Final Fantasy

After going on a thrilling adventure with their party, these Final Fantasy characters grew and matured on a personal level.

This rare encounter can only be found at a certain area of the World Map and should never be underestimated. Along with a massive HP pool, the Brachiosaur can cast Ultima to wipe out a party that didn’t use Reraise, turning it into a dreaded encounter that most players would prefer to avoid altogether.

2 Iron Giant

A Rare Enemy That Hits Like A Truck

The Iron Giant enemy from Final Fantasy II

Final Fantasy 2

Released: December 17, 1988
Developer(s): Square

The Iron Giant appears as a boss at times in the series, but the first appearance of this iconic foe was as a rare enemy who could smash the party to pieces. Some players will have no idea of this boss’ toughness that mandates buffs to make his physical attacks more manageable.

The fact that this regular enemy comes equipped with a boss theme when it’s encountered shows just how tough this foe can be. Players must be wary, take care of the Poison stat, and try to finish off the Iron Giant as soon as possible before he flees the battle.

1 Behemoth

In The 3D Remake, The Behemoth Is A Nightmare To Face Off In Battle

Final Fantasy 4 (3D Remake)

Released: July 22, 2008
Developer: Matrix Software

The 3D remake of Final Fantasy 4 is one of the hardest JRPGs ever made, and it’s only a given that one of the most iconic enemies in the series would receive a buff too. The high HP of the Behemoth coupled with an ability to wipe out parties in a few hits make it a nightmare to deal with.

Players must be ready to deal with its physical and magical counters while trying to deplete this enemy’s health. It can be a major challenge, but most people will be familiar with the best way to tackle this foe in Final Fantasy 4 by the time they reach the Lair of the Father.