Boss Bosses are a classification of enemy or battle in gaming terminology . In the " Final Fantasy " series , bosses are usually identified by the traits of not being encountered by normal means ( relevant to random encounter - based games ) and featuring unique enemies not fought earlier in the game . Boss enemies are often identified in game ' s bestiaries or guides ; enemies identified as bosses are usually fought only , first , or primarily in a boss battle . In addition to being encountered in specific scenarios , boss enemies will typically have higher stats , stronger and unique abilities , more immunities , and more complex AI ; many possess a unique death sequence when defeated . Typically the game ' s boss theme plays during the battle ; some bosses will utilize a different theme , including one relatively unique to them . Though dialogue often occurs in boss battles , they follow no strict structure , though they often have more variety than regular battles and require employing certain strategies to beat . Battles in phases or battles with optional targets are common structures used . Common immunities held by by bosses are often managed by a flag , commonly known as the boss flag or the Heavy flag . This flag often protects against instant death attacks , and belong to boss enemies , special enemies , and often other enemies designed to be difficult . Bosses battles typically have some relevance to the story or otherwise be an obstacle . Some storyline boss battles are meant to be lost to progress . Other boss battles are part of sidequest s . Superboss es are optional bosses made to be exceptionally difficult , and require high stats and / or specific strategies to defeat . Appearances . " Final Fantasy VII " . Boss battles are inescapable . This can result in the Inescapable battles glitch in an area where a boss is battled . Regular bosses are fought to the battle music of " Fight On ! " , but some recurring bosses have their own boss themes , like the pieces of Jenova fought to the " Jenova " theme . Some boss battles are mainly cinematic rather than an intended challenge , like the last boss battle of disc 1 that uses " Aerith ' s Theme " , and the battle fought after the final boss . Boss battles yield both AP and EXP . " Final Fantasy VIII " . Most boss battles are accompanied by the " Force Your Way " theme , although battles against sorceresses use different battle music . Boss battles cannot be escaped from , with one exception , the X - ATM092 . The first time X - ATM092 is battled the party must flee , and afterward it begins to chase the party under time limit . Every subsequent encounter can be avoided by correctly evading the spider mech , but if the player engages the boss again , they can now destroy it if they keep attacking it even if they are prompted to flee . If the player destroys the X - ATM092 they get plenty of AP and a good item as well as a bonus the SeeD exam score , but if they escape / evade the boss all the way to the Dollet beach , they get a scene where Quistis Trepe destroys the boss with a mounted machine gun . Most enemies in " Final Fantasy VIII " have their level determined by the party ' s average level . Their level determines which attacks they use and what magic they have for drawing . Bosses sometimes have rare magic to draw that is not obtained from normal enemies . Bosses usually have level caps , so if the party level grinds they can exceed the boss ' s level . Some bosses have Guardian Force s to draw . If missed , they cannot be reclaimed until the final dungeon whose bosses carry GFs the party missed earlier . Bosses yield AP but no EXP , making no - level - up runs possible . Bosses cannot be carded with the Card command , but GF bosses often drop their Triple Triad card . Regular bosses usually don ' t drop their card , but regular enemies have a small chance of being carded to a boss card . There are no boss battles for the battles played as Laguna Loire , although some battles are set up in a way that resembles boss battles , in that they are inescapable , even if the enemies fought are the same that are fought in random encounters . The only exception is Diablos , as the player can use the Magic Lamp to battle it even as Laguna . The randomly appearing GF Odin never appears against a boss , with one exception , the final confrontation against Seifer . If the party has acquired Odin before this battle , Odin is replaced by Gilgamesh that can appear during boss battles . " Final Fantasy IX " . Boss battles are usually fought to the normal boss theme , although some bosses , like Beatrix and Kuja , have their own boss themes . Boss battles yield AP but no EXP making low level playthroughs possible . Bosses usually don ' t drop anything special , but have good items that can be stolen from them . Bosses can have up to four items for steal , and the best items are the hardest to obtain as the steal success chance can be very low . Often the best steal items from bosses are equipment that are not available from shops for some time yet , giving the player incentive to steal them to get the equipment early , as equipment teaches abilities . Usually bosses appear on the field and the entry into battle is a story scene . However , in Memoria the battles against the shrine guardians of Terra appear as if by random encounter , although they are actually fixed encounters triggered when the party steps on a specific spot on the field . This is to mimic the way the Four Fiends were battled in the original " Final Fantasy " . In Crystal World the shrine guardians appear as regular encounters in crystalline forms . Even if similar to their boss encounters , the crystalline versions can be eaten by Quina Quen , something that does not work against regular bosses . Unlike in " Final Fantasy VIII " , bosses never drop rare cards . " Final Fantasy X " . The bosses use the regular boss music apart from the battles against Seymour Guado ' s field forms that have unique themes , and the final battles . Boss battles are inescapable and yield normal sphere levels . Like other enemies , bosses can be defeated with an Overkill to double their item drops . Some bosses Overdrives . Some boss battles have Trigger Command s available with various effects , depending on the battle . The International and PAL versions of the original " Final Fantasy X " had many new optional bosses added in the form of Dark Aeon s and Penance . The " HD Remaster " versions include these new optional bosses for all regions . " Final Fantasy XII " . Optional bosses : Optional espers :