Chocobo/Types

Below is a list of different types of Chocobos.

Chocobo Colors
Generally, in Final Fantasy titles, if there is any difference at all in the abilities or disposition of a chocobo, it is based upon their color and one might assume implied race. Below are a list of traditional colors for chocobos, where they appear, and what that means in terms of their abilities if anything.

Black Chocobo
Black Chocobos are rare and they are one of the two types of Chocobo that can fly, the other being Gold. They can only land in forests. They first appear in Final Fantasy IV, and they cannot fly over mountains. When mounted a second time, they automatically fly Cecil and his friends back to the forest near Troia, the only forest in which they can be found. A Chocobo farm near Troia raises Black Chocobos, however, these versions cannot fly.

In Final Fantasy V, Black Chocobos can fly over mountains as well, however, they cannot fly over tall, snow capped ranges. A Black Chocobo is found in a forest near Crescent, and has two Job Crystals stuck in it. These include the Hunter and Bard. A Black Chocobo can also be found in Mirage Village, and riding the Black Chocobo is the only way to reach the Phoenix Tower.

In Final Fantasy VII Black Chocobos can walk over mountains and across rivers, but cannot cross oceans. They are bred by mating a Blue and a Green chocobo with a Carob Nut. Joe, the professional chocobo racer at the Gold Saucer will challenge you with his Black chocobo Teioh. His statistics will always be slightly higher than yours, but is still beatable.

In Final Fantasy XII, they wander the Ozmone Plains, and will attack anyone on sight.

In Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, Black Chocobo are capable of flight and using the ranged fire attack Choco Flame.

Blue Chocobo
Blue Chocobos appear in Final Fantasy VII, in which they can cross rivers, and in Final Fantasy IX, in which light blue chocobos can traverse shallow water and dark blue chocobos can travel oceans. In Final Fantasy IX blue chocobos only appear when they are leveled up during the Chocobo Hot and Cold minigame.

Gold Chocobo
Gold Chocobos first appear in Final Fantasy VII and can cross all terrain, including oceans. They are the highest level of chocobo, available after extenesive breeding. They reappear in Final Fantasy IX and can fly, but like the Black Chocobos from Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy V, they can only land in forests. The Gold Chocobo of Final Fantasy IX can only be found after finding 20 Chocograph locations, when you are levelled up. Gold chocobos in both series are the most difficult to obtain, though through their exceptional abilites give the player strong optional items and skills.

Green Chocobo
The Green Chocobo appears in Final Fantasy VII, and can be used to cross mountains. In Final Fantasy XII they appear in the Salikawood, usually sleeping.

Red Chocobo
Red Chocobos are the fastest type of Chocobo in Final Fantasy Tactics, and are known for their powerful Choco Meteor' attack. They also appear in Final Fantasy IX, in which they can cross mountains. In Final Fantasy XII, they appear on the Ozmone Plains, and if players fulfill certain conditions, a level 99 one will appear. This special chocobo will always drop a Ribbon. Red Chocobos are mentioned, although not seen, in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, as the Gotor Sands area is "famous for its mirages and red Chocobos."

White Chocobo
In Final Fantasy IV, the White Chocobo recovers the MP of Cecil's party. In Final Fantasy VII, it is found in the small town of Mideel and is the source of the Contain materia. A white Chocobo can also appear as an opponent in Gold Saucer's Chocobo Racing. In Final Fantasy XII, the Elite Mark Trickster is a giant white chocobo.

Brown Chocobo
From Final Fantasy XII, this bull Chocobo can be found in the Salikawood, sleeping, and just generally ignoring the player party.

Chocobo Breeds
Dealing primarily with Final Fantasy XI, players gain the ability to participate in chocobo raising. There are five distinct breeds of chocobos available in the game. Their color is not necessarily indicative of their strengths or abilities in this system.

Destrier
These knightly mounts were bred in San d'Oria. They underwent training that allowed them to bear the weight of heavy armor and withstand the shock of cavalry charges. Destriers were characterized by their large, jet-black bodies and thick, powerful legs. With the decline of lance combat and improvements to ranged weaponry, destriers lost their place in battle to the faster coursers. These days, there are no remaining purebred destriers, but it is possible to see their proud bloodlines occasionally reemerge in the birth of rare, black chocobos.

Courser
The courser is a larger-than-average chocobo and is the most common breed found in the Kingdom of San d'Oria. They are characterized by their streamlined bodies, and long, graceful legs. They were originally bred for scouting duties, but their adoption into the military was accompanied by a general acceptance of the courser as an everyday mount. On extremely rare occasions, a red-colored courser will be born.

Palfrey
The mid-sized palfreys were bred to withstand the searing air and blazing heat of the desert. They are mainly raised in the Republic of Bastok and on Zepwell Island. With a relatively gentle demeanor, these chocobos are suited for those with who lack advanced riding skills. Palfreys are known to come in both blue and yellow.

Jennet
This breed of chocobo has been magically reduced in size to provide mounts for the diminutive Tarutaru. They have short legs when compared to other breeds, but like the Tarutaru themselves, jennets are capable of maintaining a rapid pace. Due to a request from the southern Mithra wishing to blend into the jungle, there are some jennets that can be found in a shade of green.

Rounsey
With its huge population of adventurers, Jeuno boasts more frequent use of chocobos than any other nation. The main type of chocobo to be found in the duchy is the mid-sized rounsey. The pride of the famous trainer Brutus and his family, the rounsey is the result of a lengthy breeding program involving wild chocobos. This program has produced a robust mount of somewhat unpredictable temperament that is suited for long, punishing treks.