Final Fantasy VI（Super Famicom）
Boss guide
Overcome key bosses by checking counterattacks, elemental absorption and recruitment events. Organizes the eight legendary dragons' locations and consecutive battles from Kefka's Tower to Kefka.
Scope: Japanese Super Famicom release (April 2, 1994) / GBA additions and Pixel Remaster changes noted separately / Content checked: October 2, 2026
Key pre-ruin battles: check counters and absorption first
| Boss / location | Battle actions | Cautions |
|---|---|---|
| Ymir / Narshe | Attack only while the head is exposed | Attacking the shell triggers a 10000 Volt counterattack. |
| Vargas / Mount Kolts | Use Mash's Exploding Fist | Press A after ←→←. The procedure differs before and after Mash appears. |
| Ultros / Lethe River | Attack with fire/lightning and heal with Banon's Pray | Banon being knocked out causes a game over. |
| Tunnel Armor / cave | Celes's Runic and Locke's attacks | Use healing items while Runic is active. |
| Phantom Train | Using a Phoenix Down on the enemy is an option | Undead. Also check status-recovery supplies. |
| Kefka / defending Narshe | Use Runic in a party including Celes | Divide strength among 3 groups and also retain a rear guard. |
| Dadaluma / Zozo | Attack with unique abilities such as Drill or Blitz | Prepare for thrown counterattacks in response to normal attacks. |
| Ultros / opera | Prepare a healer other than Celes | Celes does not join this battle. |
| Ifrit and Shiva | Ice against the fire opponent; fire against the ice opponent | They absorb their own element. Check which opponent has switched in. |
| Number 024 | Check its weakness after Barrier Change | Watch the response before continuing with the same element. |
| Number 128 | Focus attacks on the main body | Do not exhaust healing items in the mine-cart battles. |
| Left and right cranes | Distinguish lightning against the right crane from each crane's elemental absorption | The left absorbs lightning, so avoid group lightning attacks. |
| Flame Eater | Ice attacks; Aqua Breath against summoned Balloons | Absorbs fire. Also watch ordinary spell reflection after Reflect. |
| Ultros / Espers' Gathering Place | Use Sketch when Relm appears | Do not overlook the required event action by focusing only on attacks. |
| Air Force | Attack according to the state of its parts and Bit | Beware magic absorption while Bit is present. |
| Ultima Weapon / Floating Continent | Keep a healer available after group attacks | Do not mix an HP-damage approach with an MP-depletion approach partway through. |
| Nelapa / Floating Continent escape | Avoid reflected spells and use item attacks or similar options | Watch the remaining escape time and move immediately after victory. |
HP and MP for 47 cross-checked bosses and parts
Even enemies with the same name can have different values by appearance or form. Compare them with their location and form. HP and MP are guidance for approaches, not a complete boss list or damage formula.
| Enemy / part | Timing / location | HP | MP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dullahan | Airship unlock / Narshe | 23450 | 1721 |
| Valigarmanda | Airship unlock / Narshe | 30000 | 50000 |
| Yeti | Airship unlock / Narshe | 17200 | 6990 |
| Behemoth King (first battle) | Post-ruin recruitment | 19000 | 1600 |
| Behemoth King (undead) | Post-ruin recruitment | 19000 | 9999 |
| Magic Master | Post-ruin recruitment | 50000 | 50000 |
| Hidon | Post-ruin recruitment | 25000 | 12500 |
| Wrexsoul | Post-ruin recruitment | 23066 | 5066 |
| Soul Saver | Post-ruin recruitment | 3066 | 566 |
| Tunnel Armor | Locke's scenario | 1300 | 900 |
| Kefka | Defense of Narshe | 3000 | 3000 |
| Dadaluma | Defense of Narshe / opera | 3270 | 1005 |
| Ultros | Opera House | 2550 | 500 |
| Ifrit | Empire through Floating Continent | 3300 | 600 |
| Shiva | Empire through Floating Continent | 3000 | 500 |
| Number 024 | Empire through Floating Continent | 4777 | 777 |
| Number 128 | Empire through Floating Continent | 3276 | 810 |
| Right Blade | Empire through Floating Continent | 400 | 150 |
| Left Blade | Empire through Floating Continent | 700 | 470 |
| Crane (left) | Empire through Floating Continent | 1800 | 447 |
| Crane (right) | Empire through Floating Continent | 2300 | 447 |
| Flame Eater | Empire through Floating Continent | 8400 | 480 |
| Ultros | Espers' Gathering Place | 22000 | 750 |
| Ultros | Above the Floating Continent | 17000 | 8000 |
| Typhon | Empire through Floating Continent | 10000 | 40000 |
| Air Force | Empire through Floating Continent | 8000 | 750 |
| Laser Cannon | Empire through Floating Continent | 3300 | 335 |
| Missile Bay | Empire through Floating Continent | 3000 | 7000 |
| Bit | Empire through Floating Continent | 420 | 285 |
| Ultima Weapon | Empire through Floating Continent | 24000 | 5000 |
| Nelapa | Empire through Floating Continent | 2800 | 280 |
| Ultima Buster | Kefka's Tower | 55000 | 19000 |
| Inferno | Kefka's Tower | 30800 | 9700 |
| Fiend | Kefka's Tower | 63000 | 4800 |
| Guardian | Kefka's Tower | 60000 | 5200 |
| Demon | Kefka's Tower | 58000 | 18900 |
| Goddess | Kefka's Tower | 44000 | 19000 |
| Ymir (shell) | Opening visit to Narshe | 50000 | 120 |
| Ice Dragon | Eight legendary dragons | 24400 | 9000 |
| Storm Dragon | Eight legendary dragons | 42000 | 1250 |
| Earth Dragon | Eight legendary dragons | 28500 | 16500 |
| Blue Dragon | Eight legendary dragons | 26900 | 3800 |
| Red Dragon | Eight legendary dragons | 30000 | 1780 |
| Holy Dragon | Eight legendary dragons | 18500 | 12000 |
| Skull Dragon | Eight legendary dragons | 32800 | 1999 |
| Gold Dragon | Eight legendary dragons | 32400 | 4000 |
| Kefka | Final battle | 62000 | 38000 |
- Ymir's shell is the source of its counterattack. Depleting the shell's HP is not the normal progression requirement.
- Entries with unresolved display-name differences, left/right labels or numerical discrepancies are not included in this table.
Key post-ruin battles: connect bosses with recruitment conditions
| Boss | Attacks and preparation | Action after battle |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Tentacles | Each absorbs different elements. Also consider Vacuum Wave, Tools and other attacks. | Recruit Edgar and speak to the castle's old man to surface. |
| Dullahan | Avoid ice and attack with fire. Prepare Shell and healing. | Advance through the opened passage to the Falcon. |
| Humbaba | Avoid lightning and consider poison. Watch the party change partway through the rematch. | Fenrir on the first encounter; Tina in the rematch after obtaining the airship. |
| Behemoth King | 2 consecutive battles: the first enemy, then an undead one from behind. Use Holy Water on the latter. | After the cave rescue, go from Thamasa to the Coliseum. |
| Chadarnook | Attack its demon form. Consider fire/holy and prepare lightning protection. | Take Lakshmi from the bookcase and confirm Relm's recruitment. |
| Valigarmanda | Protect against ice and use fire spells. | Collect the magicite and enter the Yeti's Cave from the cliff. |
| Yeti | Consider fire/poison and keep healing after it powers up. | Bring Mog and speak again. |
| Hidon | Defeat all Erebus enemies and watch Grand Trine. | Confirm Stragos learned it. |
| Wrexsoul | End its possession of an ally and attack the main body when it appears. | Alexander on Doma's throne. |
| Magic Master | Use non-elemental magic and prepare Reraise for the final Ultima. | Check it is learned before taking Soul of Thamasa. |
| Deathgaze | Encountered while flying. Consider fire/holy; if it escapes, wait to encounter it again. | Bahamut aboard the airship after defeating it. |
The 8 legendary dragons: locations and weaknesses
| Dragon | Location | Weakness | Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Dragon | Valley of the esper in Narshe | Fire | Protect against ice. Use fire to thaw frozen allies. |
| Storm Dragon | Press the switch on Mount Zozo | Lightning | Leave an action available to heal after powerful group wind attacks. |
| Earth Dragon | Opera House stage | Wind / water | Float. Reapply it if dispelled. |
| Blue Dragon | Beyond the Ancient Castle's hidden stairs | Lightning | Prepare for water and status exchanges. |
| Red Dragon | Phoenix Cave | Ice / water | Protect against fire and check who is affected by Level 4 Flare. |
| Holy Dragon | Chest room in the Cultists' Tower | No specific weakness | Inflict silence with Silence. Also check the tower's magic restrictions. |
| Gold Dragon | Party 2's route in Kefka's Tower | Water | Block lightning with equipment such as the Thunder Shield. |
| Skull Dragon | Party 3's route in Kefka's Tower | Fire / holy | Ribbon or instant-death protection. |
- Defeat all 8 to obtain Jihad magicite. The original SFC reward does not include "Wrath of the Gods" or unlocking the Dragons' Den.
- Do not focus only on weaknesses and mix in group spells of an element the enemy absorbs.
Kefka's Tower minibosses and the Warring Triad
| Boss | Route | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Ultima Buster | Party 2, optional battle | You can ignore it and continue. If fighting, prepare ice protection and healing. |
| Inferno | Party 3 | Delta Attack while both arms remain. Prepare petrification protection and defeat the main body. |
| Guardian | Later central route | Weak to lightning/water. Its action program changes in a long battle. |
| Fiend | Later left route | Weak to holy. Bring Stragos if collecting Force Field. |
| Demon | Later central route | Weak to poison. Prepare recovery for Stop and other ailments, plus instant-death protection. |
| Goddess | Later right route | Absorbs lightning/holy. Beware the state caused by Love's Declaration, which makes a character protect it from attacks. |
From the gods' statue to Kefka: prepare for 4 stages
| Stage | Actions to check | Your preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: face and arms | Earth attacks and multiple parts | Float and group healing. Reduce the number of parts to reduce incoming hits. |
| Stage 2: 4 parts | Magic, machinery and physical attacks arrive together | Use effective status effects, such as Silence on Magic and instant death on Machine. |
| Stage 3: 2 parts | A healing part and Rest on defeat | Defeat the healer first with non-elemental attacks. Prepare Reraise or summons that avoid physical attacks. |
| Kefka | Heartless Angel reduces everyone's HP to 1 | Retain group healing, then resume attacking after recovery. |
- The statue parts do not display unique names on the SFC screen. Do not confuse Pixel Remaster's letter names with the original game's displayed names.
- At transitions in the consecutive battles, knocked-out characters are replaced by reserves. Revive healers before the transition if you want to keep them.