Giant bug with needle-like legs and a powerful jaw.
Description
The Antlion is a blue insect in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and unlike some previous games, a common enemy rather a boss. It makes use of its strong mandibles and affinity with sand to damage party members. It has a stronger relative called Jawbreakers.
Its LVL 3 Def-Less is learnable as a Blue Magic ability; the Blue Mage needs to be on a level that is a multiple of 3 to learn it. Since the maximum level is 50, LVL 3 Def-Less can become missable after a unit passes level 48. LVL 3 Def-Less can be useful when an enemy's level is just right, since it always works and it has an area effect.
The Antlion's other ability, Sandstorm, is usable by Morphers since they are capturable. Morphers can use Antlion abilities with Jawbreaker abilities if the player has one. Sandstorm provides damage while also blinding enemies, severely decreasing the accuracy on all of their attacks. Sandstorm's damage output can always be increased by feeding the monster.
Abilities[]
Sandstorm[]
Antlion command. Attack with swirling sand.
Description
| Ability | Effect | MP |
|---|---|---|
| LV 3 Def-Less | Lowers magic res. and weapon def. in units with levels divisible by 3. | 20 |
| Sandstorm | Dark tornado. Damages and inflicts darkness. | — |
Reaction[]
| Ability | Effect |
|---|---|
| Counter | Follows up enemy attack with a counterattack. |
Appearances[]
Missions[]
| Mission | Information |
|---|---|
| Turf Defense Mission: Mission: Help Eluut! | One Antlion is a member of the monsters that try to take over Eluut. |
| Turf Defense Mission: Mission: Help Giza! | Two Antlions appear here, along with a Jawbreaker and an Animist. |
| Mission #051: Desert Rose | Two Antlions appear here, along with a Jawbreaker. |
| Mission #037: Village Hunt | Marche stumbles across an Antlion nest while searching for the lost moogle village, and three Antlions will lead a monster charge against him. |
| Mission #055: White Flowers | Another three Antlions interrupt Marche's flower picking. |
| Mission #004: Desert Peril | One Antlion begins the battle in the southern corner of the map. |
| Mission #012: Jagd Hunt | The Antlion here is one of the two monsters that assists the bandits that stole Nono's airship. |
| Mission #034: Magewyrm | An Antlion is at the head of Magewyrm Gerland's forces. |
| Mission #107: Old Friends | An Antlion and Bomb are underlings of the viera clan in this mission. |
Clan encounters[]
| Home base | Clan | Information |
|---|---|---|
| Eluut Sands | Antlions | As expected, two Antlions are part of this mainly Bug clan. |
| Kudik Peaks | Kudik Beasts | There is one Antlion in this all-monster clan. |
Other appearances[]
Final Fantasy Trading Card Game[]
Antlion appears on an earth-elemental card.
Gallery[]
Etymology[]
Antlions are a family of insects, known by the scientific name Myrmeleontidae. "Antlion" usually refers to the larval form of the insect, and they are so named because the larva's typical food is ants, though they will eat other insects as well. Antlions will dig pits in sand inches deep and lurk in the bottom waiting for prey to come close. When the prey falls into the pit, the loose sand on the sides of the pit prevents them from escaping and causes them to fall further down towards the antlion. The antlion's jaws are hollow, and upon biting its prey it will suck out its juices rather than actually eat it. When the antlion is finished, it flicks the husk out of its sandpit and fixes any damage done to the walls, then waits for its next meal to pass by.
"Ant-lions" are also large mythical creatures with features of ants and lions.