Action encounter Action encounters are a method of entering battles . Primarily used for boss battles , action encounters are engaged in when a player uses the action button to trigger a battle , or to trigger script that leads to a battle . Due to the greater amount of forewarning given before the player enters the battle , it leaves time for the player to menu grind . While most action encounters are one - time events , there are a number of exceptions to the rule in the series . Action encounters are used more in the earlier games , particularly the sprite - based games , as the model - based games allow for cutscenes where the characters can move around more . Action encounters are similar to script encounters in the way they lead up to boss battles or other forms of special battle , the difference is the more forced nature of a script encounter as the player loses control when moving past a certain point , while an action encounter can be entirely ignored until the player is ready since the player can see the boss and choose when to engage with it . A common form of non - boss action encounters are monster - in - a - box encounters that serve as a form of trap since the player freely chooses to engage with the Treasure Chest . Monster - in - a - box encounters are a programmer ' s alternative to placing fixed encounter s around chests . Appearances . " Final Fantasy " . In the Chaos Shrine , the player can face Garland by talking to him . In Pravoka , the player can face a battle with nine Pirate enemies by talking to Bikke . In the Western Keep , if the player talks to the King , he will reveal himself to be Astos and a battle will ensue . On floor B3 of the Cavern of Earth , the player can fight the Vampire by talking to him . On floor B5 , the player can fight Lich by pressing the action button on the yellow orb . In Mount Gulg , the player can fight Marilith by pressing the action button on the red orb . In the Sunken Shrine , the player can fight Kraken by pressing the action button on the blue orb . In the Flying Fortress , the player can fight Tiamat by pressing the action button on the green orb . In the Chaos Shrine from the past , the player can fight Chaos after talking to Garland and witnessing a change . " Final Fantasy II " . On the player ' s first entry to Fynn , and later on the " Dreadnought " , the player can talk to the Palamecian soldiers to result in a battle against Captain enemies , a difficult battle to win at early stages of the game though they have a chance to drop good equipment early in the game . The first soldier on the " Dreadnought " will not immediately attack the party , allowing them the option of presenting the Pass to enter without fighting the Captain or using the " Wild Rose " Key Term to initiate a fight with the Captain . Several bosses in the game require the player to speak to them in order to initiate battle against them , namely the Sergeant , Adamantoise , Red Soul , Roundworm , Fire Gigas , Ice Gigas , Thunder Gigas , Chimera , Gottos , and Big Horn . " Final Fantasy IV " . In the Sealed Cave , pressing the action button on doors will result in a battle against Trap Door enemies . In the Lodestone Cavern , the player must press the action button to initiate battle against the Dark Elf , and in the Feymarch , the player must speak to both Asura and Leviathan to initiate battle with them . In the Lair of the Father , if the player has obtained Leviathan , the player must press the action button to initiate battle with Bahamut . In the Lunar Subterrane , if the player presses the action button on the Murasame , Masamune , Holy Lance , or Ragnarok , the player will be forced to fight a boss . " Final Fantasy V " . On the top floor of the Library of the Ancients , three books are present . The book on the right of the player will result in a battle against a number of the Page enemies . Inside the Library of the Ancients , the player must speak to a book to fight and defeat Ifrit . In the Wind Shrine , the player must press the action button to fight the Wing Raptor , and in Castle Exdeath , the player must do the same if they wish to fight Carbuncle . In Castle of Bal in World 3 , the player may speak to Odin and fight him if they wish to obtain him . In Istory Falls , the player can speak to Leviathan and fight him to obtain him , and in a secret area of Walse Castle , the player can speak to Shiva and defeat her to obtain her . In the Great Sea Trench and Island Shrine , pressing the action button on the Tablets will initiate a boss fight . In the Fork Tower , pressing the action button on the spells initiates a boss fight with Minotaur and Omniscient . " Final Fantasy VI " . At two points in the game , the player must command three parties against enemies moving on the field and enter battle with them when they meet . The objective is to fight their way through the enemies to defeat a boss enemy on the other side of the field , before the moving enemies reach a leader figure on the player ' s side of the field . At the end of Mt . Kolts , the player fights Vargas upon approaching and speaking to him . In many places occupied by the Gestahlian Empire , speaking to the Imperial Soldiers or being caught by one of them triggers a battle . This occurs in the Imperial Camp , Doma Castle , Imperial Observation Post , and Vector . In the Imperial Palace , the player can speak to soldiers to fight them during the banquet preparations . In South Figaro during the town ' s occupation , Cadets and Merchant can be fought by speaking to them . Other Imperial Troops will attack the player unless they are disguised as a Cadet when spoken to . Aboard the Phantom Train , many Ghosts will attack the party if spoken to . The Phantom Train itself attacks the party when they attempt to disable it . In Zozo , Dadaluma attacks the party when spoken to atop the town ' s highest building . In the Magitek Research Facility , speaking to both Ifrit and Shiva begins a boss battle against the two of them . Speaking to Number 024 triggers a battle with it later in the facility . In the Burning Home , Balloons appear in the field as flames that move , and when approached by the party engage them . On the Floating Continent , the Ultima Weapon attacks the party when spoken to . At the end of the Floating Continent , the Nelapa attacks in the same manner . In Darill ' s Tomb , Dullahan attacks the party when Darill ' s casket is examined . In Owzer ' s Mansion , the party triggers a scene when speaking to Owzer that leads to a fight with the Chadarnook . In Ebot ' s Rock , Hidon attacks when spoken to . In Cyan ' s Soul , the Dream Stooges appear and attack when the player attempts to leave the first region after gathering their fallen party members . Throughout the World of Ruin , members of the Eight legendary dragons only fight when spoken to . In Kefka ' s Tower , Ultima Buster attacks when spoken to . " Final Fantasy VII " . The Materia Keeper is fought in Mt . Nibel this way . In the Pagoda in Wutai , the player must talk to the guardians on each floor before battling them . The first floor is Gorkii , the second floor is Shake , the third floor is Chekov , the fourth floor is Staniv , and the final floor is Godo . " Final Fantasy VIII " . In the Deep Sea Research Center , the party can interact with the glowing blue light in the center of the room . Answering the questions correctly leads to a series of up to three consecutive battles , the first two against Ruby Dragon s , and the third against the GF Bahamut . In Galbadia Garden , the player can talk to Cerberus to initiate battle with it to obtain , and can talk to Odin in the Centra Ruins to do the same . During a flashback sequence with Laguna , if the player chooses to not fight the Ruby Dragon immediately , the player must press the action button on it to initiate battle . After the Lunar Cry , talking to a man in Esthar just north of Dr . Odine ' s Lab initiates a battle with an Elnoyle . Leaving the screen and returning causes the man to reappear , so the player can fight this battle as many times as necessary to farm Moon Stones and Energy Crystals or draw Holy . " Final Fantasy IX " . In Treno , the player may fight up to four action encounters in the Weapon Shop using a single party member . If they win , they are awarded with an item , but if they lose , they do not get a Game Over ; rather , the party member ' s HP drops to 1 . Depending on when they are fought in the game , the encounters are a Griffin , Catoblepas , Behemoth , and an Amdusias . " Final Fantasy Mystic Quest " . Nearly all enemies outside of Battlefields in " Mystic Quest " appear as in the environment , as the game lacks random encounters , but combat with them can be triggered both by the Action Button and by attempting to move into their space : this is critical as invisible enemies appear in the Ice Pyramid and the Volcano . All bosses are true action encounters , up to and including the Dark King , with the only major exception being the Behemoth that appears in the game ' s opening . A scripted encounter with a Mummy also occurs on the Rope Bridge . " Final Fantasy Legend III " . Most boss encounters in " Final Fantasy Legend III " are action encounters , with the exception of Guhu , Jorgandr , Agron and Sol / Xagor . Talking to WaterHags in Muu in the Future , or Dwelgs in any location , will result in a battle unless the party is Morphed . Unusually , the game also features an action encounter on the World Map , against the mandatory WaterHag boss .