Garuda (Final Fantasy IX)

The Garuda is a bird type enemy from Final Fantasy IX found in Oeilvert and Esto Gaza, and early in the game in Popos Heights where the player can exit from Gizamaluke's Grotto. A single Garuda attacks in the "bridge" area of Oeilvert containing the first unlockable hologram generator. In Esto Gaza, they appear in pairs in the front plaza, and on the path to Mount Gulug. At Popos Heights, they appear in the forested areas on the world map either alone or in pairs; this is also where the friendly Garuda can spawn.
==Stats==
== Battle ==
Garuda's Maelstrom reduces a targeted party member's health to a single digit without fail and ignores Reflect. It uses the Stop spell. Its Firaga can target one or multiple party members. Aerial Slash will target all party members, but occasionally misses. Garuda is weak against Wind and Shadow attacks.
=== Strategy ===
The Garuda at Popos Heights can be encountered early, during passage through Gizamaluke's Grotto. Compared to what players have faced thus far, the 3,521 HP of these level 35 Garuda eclipses any boss yet encountered, including Gizamaluke in the next chamber of the grotto. It is likely too tough for the party to be able to defeat without specific Blu Mag spells from Quina.
The real trophy from this fight is the Blue Magic spell White Wind. Garuda is the first enemy Quina could eat to learn the spell until the climb up Cleyra's Trunk.
This early in the game, Zidane and Freya are the only party members who can access Locomotion, albeit at the cost of an extreme grind. Zidane learns it from the Ninja Gear stolen from Quale if the player has caught 99 frogs in Qu's Marsh, and Freya learning it from an Anklet, an extremely rare treasure from the Chocobo Hot and Cold minigame in Chocobo's Forest (a 1 in 1,024 or ~0.1% chance). Locomotion negates Stop. Garuda are weak to the Wind and Shadow elements, but the party cannot exploit these weaknesses yet. The party also cannot mitigate the Fire-elemental damage from its Firaga.
The easiest ways to kill the Garuda when first encountered is by using Limit Glove with Quina at 1 HP (learned from the Mandragoras in the forest north of Chocobo's Forest), or via Mustard Bomb (learned from Bombs on Lindblum Plateau, accessed by returning to Lindblum's Business District and heading down to the town gate). Just like the strategy with the Grand Dragons that can also be fought in the area, Limit Glove will deal 9999 fixed damage, and Garuda's HP is below that. However, by killing the Garuda with Limit Glove or Heat, Quina cannot then eat it.
Maelstrom leaves party members near death so they may be easily picked-off by Aerial Slash or Firaga on Garuda's next turn. Players will have to rely on Potions for healing. Garuda is susceptible to Sleep, but Vivi will not yet have the spell the first time through Gizamaluke's Grotto. Vivi could have Slow (learned from the Magus Hat, found in Gizamaluke's Grotto). Other statuses would need to be inflicted via Add Status, learned from the Feather Hat purchased from Dali and Glass Buckle synthesized in Lindblum. The weapons with statuses available (that the Garuda is not immune to) would only be Needle Fork's Petrify (steal from Zaghnol during Festival of the Hunt), but Quina then again cannot eat the Garuda (and defeating it this way yields no EXP or gil). If the player got The Ogre from Lindblum synthesis shop, they could also use its Soul Blade to blind the Garuda.
It is advised to equip the Bird Killer support ability to Zidane and Freya, who can learn it from Yellow Scarf or Bronze Armor, respectively. Yellow Scarves can be synthesized in Lindblum and Bronze Armor can be purchased in the Dali weapon shop or taken from Steiner, who begins the game wearing one. If Quina will eat to end the fight, Garuda's HP only needs to be reduced to 880. If Quina Trances, Garuda can be Cooked with 1,760 HP remaining.
Later on in the game, the player will have many more abilities to use against the birds and the battle is much easier.
== Friendly Garuda ==
A friendly Garuda can be found in Popo's Heights on the Mist Continent as part of a sidequest. It requests a Lapis Lazuli and will reward the party with 40 AP if obliged.
== AI script ==
=== Usual random encounters ===
=== Encounters in Oeilvert ===
== Tetra Master ==
== Gallery ==
FFIX Aerial Slash.png|Aerial Slash.
FFIX Maelstrom.png|Maelstrom.
Friendly-Garuda-FFIX.png|Friendly Garuda.
== Etymology ==
de:Garuda (FFIX)
it:Garuda (Final Fantasy IX)
Category:Enemies in Final Fantasy IX
Category:Final Fantasy IX Edible Enemies