Final Fantasy Wiki
Advertisement

In basic program mode, uses Tek Laser to attack. After switching to battle mode, uses the attack patterns of Ultros, Air Force, and Dadaluma.

Bestiary entry (PS)

The Guardian is a boss in Final Fantasy VI. It is the most powerful Magitek warmachine, created to defend the Imperial Palace in Vector.

When encountered the first three times, it is indestructible, and the player must flee or have their party killed. The player can first encounter the Guardian if they attempt to enter the Imperial Palace on their first visit to Vector. After the events in the Magitek Research Facility, a Guardian prevents the party from entering the city. Three Guardians accompany Kefka to Thamasa and prevent the player from leaving the village while controlling General Leo, burn down the village and defeat the party. Kefka later absorbs them to turn the espers into magicite. During their appearance in Thamasa, the Guardians' overworld sprite reuses the Magitek Armor sprite with the Magitek soldiers piloting them.

In the final dungeon, the Guardian reappears as a boss guarding Kefka’s Tower. It blocks the player’s path to the Warring Triad at the tower's summit, and this time it is vulnerable to damage. Once approached, the screen flashes red, and the Guardian activates, triggering the battle.

Stats[]

#352

Invincible Guardian

Battle[]

The Guardian cannot be defeated until it is fought in the final dungeon; the player needs to flee if they engage it before that.

The Guardian can be a difficult boss. It runs several "Battle Programs" that allow it to mimic former bosses from the World of Balance. Between each program, it resets to its weak default mode. Its Programs run in this order: Ultros, Dadaluma, Air Force, Ultima Weapon. Dadaluma's program can be dangerous because it throws weapons at the party for unblockable damage ignoring Defense. Ultima Weapon's program is also dangerous because it uses Flare Star and Mind Blast. It can also use the Wave Cannon after finishing its countdown. Guardian is weak to Lightning Lightning.

If Locke is in the party, he can steal the valuable and limited Force Armor.

Strategy[]

The player can exploit the Guardian's weakness with Thundaga. Spells like Flare and Ultima can also ensure an easy win.

Formations[]

Number Enemies Encounter flags Introduction flag Musical theme Magic AP
Normal Back Surrounded Side
445 Guardian Y N N N Sides, individual The Decisive Battle 0
Hide start messages. Prevent triple 7 for Joker's Death.
446 Guardian Y N N N Sides, individual The Decisive Battle 7
Hide start messages.
526 Guardian x4 Y Y Y Y Sides, individual Battle

AI script[]

Invincible Guardian[]

At beginning of battle (and only once per battle):

Self becomes invincible
Display message: You will go no farther!

If attacked by "Attack":

If Var1 >= 2:
Set Var1 = 0
Display message: No effect!
Increase Var1 by 1
Display message: No effect!
Attack (100%)

Kefka's Tower[]

Attack Turns:
1st Turn:

Display message: ACTIVATING DEFAULT BATTLE PROGRAM
Attack (33%) or Magitek Laser (33%) or Missile (33%)

2nd Turn: Atomic Rays (33%) or Missile (33%) or Magitek Laser (33%)

Turn Bit0 of Var0 on

If Bit0 of Var0 is on:

If Var3 = 0:
Increase Var3 by 1
Activate Ultros Battle Program
If Var3 = 1:
Increase Var3 by 1
Activate Dadaluma Battle Program
If Var3 = 2:
Increase Var3 by 1
Activate Air Force Battle Program
If Var3 = 3:
Set Var3 = 0
Activate Ultima Battle Program

If Ultros Battle Program is activated:

Display Message: LOADING BATTLE PROGRAM...
Display Message: ACTIVATING ULTROS BATTLE PROGRAM
1st Turn: Attack (33%) or Tentacle (66%)
2nd Turn: Attack (33%) or Entwine (33%) or Ink (33%)
3rd Turn: Attack (33%) or Stone (33%) or Ink (33%)
4th Turn: Entwine (100%)
Turn Bit0 of Var0 off (in other words: Go back to Default Battle Program)

If Dadaluma Battle Program is activated:

Display Message: LOADING BATTLE PROGRAM...
Display Message: ACTIVATING DADALUMA BATTLE PROGRAM
1st Turn: Attack (33%) or Shockwave (66%)
2nd Turn: Attack (33%) or Shockwave (66%)
3rd Turn: Throw: Mythril Knife or Ashura
Use: Potion or Hi-Potion
Use: Potion or Hi-Potion
Use: Potion or Hi-Potion
Target: Self
Magitek Barrier (100%)
Turn Bit0 of Var0 off (in other words: Go back to Default Battle Program)

If Air Force Battle Program is activated:

Display Message: LOADING BATTLE PROGRAM...
Display Message: ACTIVATING AIR FORCE BATTLE PROGRAM
1st Turn: Magitek Laser (33%) or Diffractive Laser (66%)
2nd Turn: Magitek Laser (33%) or Diffractive Laser (66%)
3rd Turn: Magitek Laser (33%) or Launcher (66%)
4th Turn:
Display Message: INITIALIZING WAVE CANNON COUNTDOWN COUNT: 3
Display Message: COUNT: 2
Display Message: Count: 1
Wave Cannon (100%)

If Ultima Battle Program is activated:

Display Message: LOADING BATTLE PROGRAM...
Display Message: ACTIVATING ULTIMA BATTLE PROGRAM
1st Turn: Flare (33%) or Meteor (66%)
2nd Turn: Attack (33%) or Flare (66%)
3rd Turn: Attack (66%) or Meteor (33%)
4th Turn:
Display Message: Focusing energy.
Flare Star (100%)

If attacked by anything: Attack (33%)

Behind the scenes[]

The nature of the Guardian throughout Final Fantasy VI is inconsistent. When the party encounters it guarding the Imperial Palace, it is operated by two Imperial troopers and seems to be part of the castle's structure, with no visible sprite on-screen. Later when it is guarding Vector, the Guardian uses its field sprite and is mobile, and seems to be autonomous. During Kefka's attack on Thamasa, three Guardians aid him in the attack, and they are represented in the field by Imperial troopers riding Magitek Armor and using a unique color palette. When it makes its final appearance guarding Kefka’s Tower, it once more seems autonomous, controlled by an artificial intelligence of some kind. The discrepancies could be chalked up to the Empire upgrading the capabilities of the Guardian; it began as an immobile defender of the castle that was modified to be mobile and then entered mass production, and is able to operate autonomously or be controlled by a pilot.

Other appearances[]

Final Fantasy XIV[]

The Guardian appears in Sigmascape V3.0 as part of the Omega raids in Stormblood. The Guardian's attack pattern is very similar to how it is in Kefka's Tower, mimicking the attacks of Ultros, Air Force, and Dadaluma. Everliving Bibliotaph takes the place of the Ultima Weapon program.

Baknamy FFTA2This section about an enemy in Final Fantasy XIV is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.

Final Fantasy Record Keeper[]

FFRK Guardian FFVI
Baknamy FFTA2This section about an enemy in Final Fantasy Record Keeper is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.


Gallery[]

Advertisement