Garula (Final Fantasy V)

Garula is both an enemy and boss in Final Fantasy V. As a standard foe, Garulas do not attack and are considered docile creatures. This version can be found near Walse Tower in the First World and in a forest in the Third World. Three turns will pass before it flees the fight. A stronger Garula is fought as a boss within Walse Tower after it has started to attack people (presumably because it was possessed, given one of the knight's comments). The party try to stop it from breaking the Water Crystal.

Strategy
The randomly encountered Garula is impossible to lose against. After three turns of doing nothing, Garula will escape.

However, when encountered as a boss at the top of Walse Tower Garula is much more dangerous. Garula likes to throw its weight around and can be a difficult fight for a lower-level team. All of its attacks are physical, and can nearly (if not outright) KO any mage characters. Garula also counterattacks an attack with a combination of attacks and Charge (a physical attack which causes continuous damage over time afterwards), often several times in one turn. The amount of time Garula counters seems to increase as its health decreases, making the fight more difficult as time goes on.

One option is to make all party members Knights and have them constantly attack. With this setup, it is beneficial to consider changing one Knight into a White Mage or giving two Knights White Magic as their secondary ability to facilitate healing.

Another strategy is to use a party composed entirely of Monks and to have them use Chakra every turn which will keep the party members healthy. Garula will attack them which will cause the party member to Counter. This prevents Garula from countering with multiple attacks on the same turn as the counterattack does not register as a regular attack.

Garula is susceptible to Toad and Paralyze. Both statuses will halt and reduce Garula's damage output. Toad can be inflicted by casting the Blue Magic spell Pond's Chorus, but Garula will cast Toad on its next turn, reverting the status. Paralyze can be inflicted by the whip earned from Magissa. Level 9 Blue Mages using Goblin Punch from the back row will inflict increased damage.

Additionally, the player can use the Ice Rod obtained in Carwen to kill Garula instantly with Blizzaga.

Enemy
Nothing Nothing Nothing Escape

Related Enemies

 * Neo Garula

Garula Garula