Veldt

The Veldt is a seemingly endless plain which attracts monsters in Final Fantasy VI. Gau lives on the Veldt, and learns his various Rages here. The Veldt lies to the south of Baren Falls; the town of Mobliz lies on its eastern coast, while Crescent Mountain is near the southern tip of the plains. In the World of Ruin the Cave on the Veldt is found here.
== Story ==
Sabin and Cyan wash onto the Veldt and are saved by Gau, who runs away after the two come to. After purchasing some Dried Meat in Mobliz, Sabin and Cyan give it to Gau to have him join them. As his thanks for the food, Gau tells Sabin and Cyan about a "shiny, shiny treasure" he has kept in the Crescent Mountain Cave to the south. The treasure turns out to be a diving helmet, and the three use it to dive into the Serpent Trench to swim to Nikeah.
One year later during the events of the World of Ruin, Gau decided to return to the Veldt in hopes of becoming stronger to help defeat Kefka. If the party has at most three characters, Gau will rejoin the group after defeating normal encounters on the Veldt. A new cave has appeared on a mountain in the Veldt, where some outlaws are camped out and the Returners can find Shadow or Relm, depending on if Shadow was able to escape the Floating Continent.
==Gameplay==
===Encounters===
Once an enemy formation is encountered (it does not have to be defeated), it will show up on the Veldt. The Veldt is thus useful for fighting enemies found in places the player cannot revisit, especially in the World of Ruin when most of the monsters from the World of Balance vanish. All enemy formations yield the same amount of gil and Magic Points they did elsewhere, but yield no EXP, making it a good place to train to learn magic if the player wishes to keep their level low.
Some enemies will not appear on the Veldt. Bosses never appear, with the exception of the Guard Leader, the Behemoth King, and the Holy Dragon, which can even be acquired as Rages for Gau. Some unique or special enemies will also not appear. The following is a list of monsters that cannot be encountered on the Veldt:
* Merchant
* Cadet (accordingly, Birthday Suit also does not appear)
* Captain
* Soldier
* Officer
* Apparition
* Opinicus Fish
*Rhizopas
* Mega Armor
* Naude
* Prometheus
* Zone Eater
* All "Magic"-type enemies in the Cultists' Tower
* All enemies exclusive to the Advance, Android, iOS and Steam versions of the game.
The Death Warden does not appear in the SNES and PS versions due to a glitch—it can only be encountered once, and this occurs in a formation that does not appear on the Veldt, but there is an identical formation it appears in that can appear on the Veldt. In the GBA and subsequent versions, this has been fixed, and the Death Warden will appear and can be acquired as a Rage. 
Tonberries can be encountered on the Veldt and have a Rage, but since they are the 256th monster, the game does not allow them to be learned as the 256th slot in the Rage menu is overwritten with an empty slot.
====Missable encounters====
Some enemy formations can never appear on the Veldt if the player never encounters them and plays past the point they are able to encounter them. In the Super NES and PlayStation versions, this is applicable to all enemies in the World of Balance—any enemies not encountered before the transition to the World of Ruin cannot be encountered elsewhere. The Game Boy Advance, mobile, and Steam versions have some exceptions to this due to the Soul Shrine, where some enemy formations from the World of Balance are used and fighting them in the Soul Shrine will allow them to appear on the Veldt. However, not all World of Balance enemies can be encountered this way.
The following is a list of monsters that the player can miss, either because they are exclusive to the World of Balance and do not reappear in the Soul Shrine; because they are encountered in a location that cannot be revisited; or because there is a limited window to encounter them.
Enemy 	Location 	Notes
Wererat 	Narshe Mines (North Passage) 	
Leaf Bunny 	Narshe plains, Triangle Island 	
Darkwind 	Narshe plains, Triangle Island 	
Sand Ray 	Figaro Castle desert 	
Alacran 	Figaro Castle desert 	
Foper 	South Figaro Cave 	Only appears during first trek through the cave
Hornet 	South Figaro Cave 	Only appears during first trek through the cave
Urok 	South Figaro Cave 	Only appears during first trek through the cave
Belmodar 	South Figaro, Mt. Kolts, Sabre Mountains 	
Unseelie 	South Figaro, Nikeah, Sabre Mountains 	
Mu 	South Figaro, Nikeah, Sabre Mountains 	
Cirpius 	Mt. Kolts 	
Cartagra 	South Figaro Cave 	Only appears during second trek through the cave
Acrophies 	South Figaro Cave 	Only appears during second trek through the cave
Gold Bear 	South Figaro Cave 	Only appears during second trek through the cave
Valeor 	Narshe Mines (South Passage) 	
Darkside 	Narshe Mines (South Passage) security point 	Can only be encountered during Terra's scenario
Specter 	Narshe Mines (South Passage) security point 	Can only be encountered during Terra's scenario
Eukaryote 	Narshe Mines (South Passage) security point 	Can only be encountered during Terra's scenario
Wild Rat 	Narshe Mines (South Passage) 	
Nettlehopper 	Doma region 	
Stray Cat 	Doma region 	
Aepyornis 	Doma region 	
Doberman 	Imperial Camp 	Encountered by kicking the locked chest; location cannot be revisited
Satellite 	Imperial Camp 	Encountered inside a chest; location cannot be revisited
Ghost 	Phantom Forest, Phantom Train 	
Poplium 	Phantom Forest, Phantom Train 	
Anguiform 	Serpent Trench 	
Aspiran 	Serpent Trench 	
Actinian 	Serpent Trench 	
Fidor 	Narshe Cliffs 	Only encountered during the Battle for the Frozen Esper
Hunting Hound 	Narshe Cliffs 	Only encountered during the Battle for the Frozen Esper
Bloodfang 	Western plains in World of Balance 	
Rock Wasp 	Western forests in World of Balance 	
Litwor Chicken 	Forest on the southern continent in World of Balance 	
Joker 	Southern continent in World of Balance 	
Don 	Southern continent in World of Balance 	
Wyvern 	Southern continent in World of Balance 	
Grasswyrm 	Southern continent in World of Balance 	
Sergeant 	Vector, Magitek Research Facility, Imperial Observation Post	
Belzecue 	Vector, Magitek Research Facility, Imperial Observation Post	
Flan 	Trash chute room in Magitek Research Facility 	Location cannot be revisited
Magna Roader (red)	Escape from the Magitek Research Facility 	Encounters during the sequence depend on lead party member; will not spawn if Locke, Edgar, or Gau are in the lead.Appears in the Soul Shrine
Grenade 	Forest south of the Phantom Forest 	Location can only be reached by airship
Intangir 	Triangle Island 	Location can only be reached by airship
Provoker 	Cave to the Sealed Gate 	
Antares 	Cave to the Sealed Gate 	
Lich 	Cave to the Sealed Gate 	
Imperial Elite 	Imperial Palace 	Can only be fought during the banquet; choose to take a break and speak to Gestahl's bodyguards
Briareus 	Thamasa region 	
Devourer 	Thamasa region 	
Chimera 	Thamasa region 	Also appears in Dragons' Den, but the formations it appears in cannot appear on the Veldt
Land Grillon 	Esper Caves 	
Mandrake 	Esper Caves 	
Venobennu 	Esper Caves 	
Sky Armor 	Imperial Air Force sequence 	Location cannot be revisited
Spitfire 	Imperial Air Force sequence 	Location cannot be revisited
Dragon 	Floating Continent 	Location cannot be revisited
Zokka 	Crumbling House 	Location cannot be revisited
Nightwalker 	Crumbling House 	Location cannot be revisited
Scorpion 	Crumbling House 	Location cannot be revisited
Rafflesia 	Owzer's Mansion 	Fought by inspecting the painting of flowers; cannot be fought after Chadarnook is defeated.Appears in the Soul Shrine
Al Jabr 	Dreamscape 	Location cannot be revisited
====Formations====
The monsters the player can encounter on the Veldt are not completely random. The player can encounter one formation from a group, and then, on the next encounter, they will enter a battle from the next group. When the player starts a new game, the first group they will run into is a formation from group 1. To determine which formation in the group the player encounters, the game picks a random number from 0 to 7.
The player can only run into a formation they have seen prior, but they do not need to have won the battle; if they escaped, they can still encounter the formation on the Veldt. If the game picks a formation the player has not encountered yet, they will get the next formation in the group instead. The game keeps picking the next formation until it finds one the player has encountered. If they are on formation 7 of a group, and have not encountered that formation, it will start over at formation 0 from the group.
Some formations cannot be encountered on the Veldt, but these are mostly special and boss formations. These are marked as None in the list below. If a formation does not contain a monster, it will be treated the same as if the player had never encountered it. After the player fights a formation, they will face a formation from the next group the next time they battle on the Veldt, or if they are on group 64, the next fight will be from group 1. If a group is entirely empty and/or the player has not encountered any formation from it, the game skips that group and advances to the next group until it finds one that has one or more formations the player has encountered. In the SNES and PS versions, when the player reloads a game, it adds 13 to the group number that they will encounter next. In the GBA and Steam/mobile versions, reloading a game will randomly set a group number as the first enemy group. 
There are two Behemoth King formations in groups 54 and 57. The player can face them on the Veldt after defeating the Behemoth King (Living) inside the Cave on the Veldt. It is advised not to cast Vanish and Banish on it (SNES and PS versions), because this makes the game turn on a flag that causes the Behemoth King (Undead) formation to be loaded whenever an encounter on the Veldt tries to load the Behemoth King (Living) formation. When the player defeats the Behemoth King (Undead) inside the Cave on the Veldt, the game marks the Behemoth King (Living) formation as encounterable on the Veldt. This works because one variable still holds the first formation number, but all the enemies in the current formation have a value lower than 255. The player will then encounter the Behemoth King (Undead) formation in group 57 on the Veldt, in place of the Behemoth King (Living). Once they have fought it, they will also be able to encounter the Behemoth King (Undead) battle in group 54.
Group	0 	1 	2 	3 	4 	5 	6 	7
1 	Silver Lobo 	Silver Lobo x2 	Guard x2 	Foper x2, Urok 	Silver Lobo x2, Guard Leader 	Hornet x2, Foper x3 	Leaf Bunny 	Leaf Bunny x2, Darkwind
2 	Leaf Bunny x2, Darkwind x2 	Sand Ray, Alacran x3 	Sand Ray x2 	Alacran x3 	Sand Ray, Alacran x2 	Hornet x2 	Wererat x3 	Hornet, Urok x2
3 	Gorgias x2 	Megalodoth, Silver Lobo 	Urok x3 	Belmodar 	Belmodar, Mu x2 	Mu x2, Unseelie 	Belmodar, Unseelie, Mu x2 	Unseelie x2
4 	Mu x4 	Imperial Soldier x2, Magitek Armor 	Bandit, Spritzer 	Magitek Armor 	Trillium, Gorgias, Cirpius x2 	Cirpius x3 	Trillium x2 	Gorgias, Cirpius x3
5 	Zaghrem x2 	Zaghrem, Trillium, Spritzer x2 	Magitek Armor x2 	Lesser Lopros x2 	Zombie Dragon x2 	Nautiloid, Exocite, Lesser Lopros 	Nautiloid, Exocite 	Lesser Lopros, Exocite x2
6 	None 	Silver Lobo, Guard x2 	None 	None 	Wererat, Bandit 	Wererat x2 	Doberman x2 	Actinian x3
7 	None 	Stray Cat x3 	Nettlehopper x2, Stray Cat x2 	Nettlehopper x3 	Chippirabbit x5 	Aepyornis 	Aepyornis x2, Stray Cat 	Aepyornis, Chippirabbit x2
8 	Chippirabbit x3 	Aepyornis, Stray Cat, Nettlehopper x2 	None 	None 	None 	Satellite, Imperial Soldier x4 	Doberman x3 	None
9 	Heavy Armor 	Ghost 	Ghost x3 	Actinian x3, Aspiran x2 	Ghost, Poplium x2 	Ghost x2, Poplium x3 	Angel Whisper x2, Cloud 	Spritzer x2
10 	Bomb x2, Cloud x2 	Provoker x2, Lich x2 	Angel Whisper x4 	Oversoul x2 	Bomb x3 	Bomb 	Oversoul, Living Dead x2 	None
11 	Angel Whisper, Living Dead, Cloud x2 	Angel Whisper, Cloud x3 	Anguiform 	Anguiform x2 	Megalodoth x2, Guard x2 	Living Dead x3 	Anguiform, Actinian, Aspiran 	Hell's Rider
12 	Heavy Armor, Corporal x2 	Fidor, Corporal 	Angel Whisper 	Corporal x4 	Hunting Hound, Corporal x2 	Fossil Dragon 	Bloodfang x2 	Paraladia, Vulture, Iron Fist
13 	Iron Fist x2, Rock Wasp x2 	Bloodfang x2, Vulture 	Paraladia x2, Rock Wasp x3 	Vulture x2 	Vulture, Iron Fist 	Rock Wasp x4 	Hill Gigas 	Crawler
14 	Gobbledygook x4 	Veil Dancer 	Veil Dancer, Gobbledygook x3 	Harvester 	Veil Dancer, Harvester x2 	Harvester, Gobbledygook x2 	Hill Gigas, Harvester 	Magna Roader (Purple)
15 	Goetia, Stunner x2 	Stunner x3, Goetia x2 	Crawler x4 	Belzecue x2, Sergeant x2 	Belzecue x2, Sergeant 	Magna Roader (Purple), Magna Roader (Red)	Trapper x3 	General x2
16 	General, Onion Knight x2 	Onion Knight x4 	Chaser, Trapper x3 	Chaser, Onion Knight x3 	Lenergia 	Commander x3 	Death Warden 	None
17 	Lukhavi x2 	None 	None 	None 	Murussu, Baalzephon 	None 	Desert Hare x3 	Bomb
18 	Bomb x6 	Io 	Cancer x3 	Fossil Dragon x2 	Fossil Dragon, Bug x3 	Bug x3 	Bug x6 	Don x2
19 	Don, Wyvern x2 	Don, Wyvern, Litwor Chicken x2 	Grasswyrm x3 	Don, Joker 	Joker x3 	Litwor Chicken x5 	Zombie Dragon 	Zombie Dragon, Outcast x2
20 	Outcast x3 	Provoker x2 	Antares x3 	Lich, Provoker, Antares 	Lich x3 	Imperial Elite x3 	Balloon x3 	Balloon x6
21 	Briareus 	Chimera 	Devourer, Briareus 	Devourer x3 	Adamankary, Bonnacon x2 	Adamankary x2 	Bonnacon x5 	Mandrake x3
22 	Mandrake, Land Grillon x2 	Venobennu x2 	Gigantos 	None 	None 	None 	Gigantos x2 	Sky Armor x2, Spitfire
23 	Sky Armor, Spitfire 	Behemoth 	Apocrypha, Misfit x2 	Apocrypha 	Ninja x2 	Platinum Dragon x3 	Apocrypha x3 	Brainpan x2, Misfit, Apocrypha
24 	Brainpan x3 	Dragon 	Behemoth, Misfit x2 	Behemoth x2 	Ninja x2, Platinum Dragon 	Grenade 	Chimera, Devourer x2 	Briareus x2
25 	Peeper x2 	Peeper x3 	Land Ray, Peeper x2 	Black Dragon 	Daedalus, Ahriman 	Fafnir x2 	Fafnir x4 	Killer Mantis, Fafnir
26 	Killer Mantis x2, Fafnir 	Murussu, Gigantoad x2 	Luna Wolf, Rukh 	Luna Wolf x2 	Rukh, Murussu, Gigantoad 	Cherry, Ahriman x2 	Ahriman x3 	Zokka x2, Nightwalker
27 	None 	Scorpion x3 	Intangir 	Nightwalker x4 	Vector Chimera x2 	Devoahan 	Devoahan, Delta Beetle x2 	Vampire Thorn x2, Lizard
28 	Vampire Thorn x2 	Delta Beetle x4 	Vampire Thorn x2, Delta Beetle 	Devoahan, Lizard 	Cancer x2, Desert Hare x2 	Cactuar 	Sandhorse x2 	Sandhorse, Cancer x2
29 	Oceanus 	Oceanus, Desert Hare x3 	Fiend Dragon x2 	Landworm 	Humpty x3 	Cruller, Humpty x2 	Humpty x4 	Neck Hunter x2
30 	Neck Hunter, Cruller, Humpty x2 	Dante 	Dropper x3 	Tonberries x3 	Marchosias 	Slagworm 	Marchosias, Deepeye x2 	Bogy x2
31 	Deepeye x6 	Deepeye x2, Mousse x2 	Mousse x3 	Mousse 	Borghese x2 	Borghese, Cloudwraith x2 	Skeletal Horror 	Cloudwraith
32 	Cloudwraith, Exoray x2 	Exoray x3 	Malboro, Exoray 	Malboro 	None 	Tonberry 	Knotty x4 	Tzakmaqiel, Illuyankas
33 	Tzakmaqiel, Knotty x3 	Illuyankas x3 	Anemone x2, Onion Dasher 	Anemone x4 	Illuyankas, Onion Dasher x2 	Luridan x3 	Punisher x2, Devil Fist 	Glasya Labolas
34 	Glasya Labolas, Mugbear, Devil Fist 	Mugbear 	Luridan x6 	Mugbear, Punisher 	Twinscythe 	Twinscythe x2 	Gorgimera 	Vector Lythos x4
35 	Primeval Dragon, Great Malboro 	Garm x3 	Test Rider 	Lukhavi, Garm x2 	Wizard x3 	Wizard x2, Psychos x3 	Garm x2, Psychos x2 	Psychos x6
36 	Magna Roader x2 (Yellow), Magna Roader (Brown)	Magna Roader (Yellow), Magna Roader x2 (Brown)	Primeval Dragon x2 	None 	Blade Dancer x2, Crusher x2 	Caladrius x2, Coeurl Cat, Crusher x2 	Caladrius x2 	Blade Dancer, Coeurl Cat x4
37 	Misty x2 	Rafflesia x3 	Still Life 	Aspidochelon x2 	Mahadeva 	Aspidochelon, Moonform, Creature 	Moonform x3 	Moonform, Medusa Chicken x3
38 	Sorath, Warlock, Creature 	Sorath x2 	Warlock, Medusa Chicken x2, Creature x2	Great Behemoth, Vector Lythos x2 	Fiend Dragon 	Devil x2 	Devil, Figaro Lizard x2 	Lunatys x2, Figaro Lizard x2
39 	Lunatys 	Armored Weapon 	Enuo x2 	Enuo, Devil, Figaro Lizard 	Lunatys x4 	Al Jabr x2 	Samurai, Al Jabr x2 	Pluto Armor x2
40 	Coco, Alluring Rider 	Pluto Armor, Schmidt 	Weredragon, Parasite x3 	Alluring Rider, Pandora x3 	Weredragon 	Coco, Samurai, Suriander 	Suriander, Pandora, Parasite x2 	Crawler x3
41 	Tyrannosaur x2 	Tyrannosaur 	Brachiosaur 	Greater Mantis, Sprinter, Lycaon x2	Leap Frog x4 	Greater Mantis x2 	Basilisk x2, Leap Frog 	Tumbleweed x4
42 	Sprinter x2, Lycaon x2 	Great Behemoth, Great Malboro, Vector Lythos 	Great Malboro x3 	Vasegiatta 	Vasegiatta, Purusa 	Purusa, Gloomwind 	Gloomwind x3 	None
43 	Face x2 	Clymenus x3 	Face, Zeveak, Necromancer x2 	Clymenus x2, Necromancer 	Seaflower x5 	Ouroboros, Seaflower x2 	Chaos Dragon, Ouroboros, Seaflower x2	Galypdes, Chaos Dragon x2
44 	None 	None 	Kamui x2 	Covert, Kamui 	Wartpuck x2 	Shambling Corpse x2 	Amduscias, Covert x2 	Amduscias, Baalzephon
45 	Baalzephon x2, Shambling Corpse x2 	Wartpuck, Kamui 	None 	Magic Urn x2 	Flan x6 	Flan x4 	None 	None
46 	Destroyer x2 	Lenergia x2, Destroyer 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
47 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	Vector Hound x2, Commander 	Vector Hound x2 	Cartagra, Acrophies x2
48 	Gold Bear, Acrophies 	Cartagra x3 	Acrophies x2 	Darkside x2 	Darkside, Specter, Eukaryote x3	Valeor, Wild Rat 	Valeor x3 	Valeor x2, Wild Rat x3
49 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
50 	None 	None 	None 	InnoSent, Fortis 	Fortis x2 	None 	Duel Armor x2, Death Machine 	Gamma
51 	InnoSent x3 	Junk x3 	None 	None 	Proto Armor, Onion Knight x2 	Onion Knight x5 	Magna Roader x2 (Purple) 	Magna Roader x4 (Red)
52 	None 	None 	Templar x2, Imperial Soldier x2 	Balloon x4 	Imperial Soldier x2 	Death Machine, Metal Hitman x4 	Metal Hitman x3 	Duel Armor, Fortis
53 	Sergeant x4 	None 	Sergeant 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
54 	Behemoth King (Undead) 	Dark Force x2 	Yojimbo x2, Dark Force 	Demon Knight, Yojimbo 	Outsider x2, Cherry 	Mover x3 	Muud Suud 	Daedalus x2
55 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
56 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
57 	None 	None 	None 	None 	Behemoth King (Living) 	None 	None 	None
58 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
59 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
60 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
61 	None 	Holy Dragon 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
62 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
63 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
64 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None 	None
===Quests===
====Recruiting Gau====
Gau appears on the Veldt when Sabin and Cyan first arrive there. He will call out that he is hungry, but nothing can be done with him but to attack him to make him run away. By purchasing Dried Meat at Mobliz and using it on him begins a cutscene, after which Gau joins the party.
On all subsequent occasions where Gau reappears at the end of battle due to using the Leap command previously, he will call out to the party and rejoin them after a short period of waiting. When Gau appears, any commands issued to the party are cancelled. If he is attacked, he will flee again, but when he next appears he will attempt to rejoin again. This can be manipulated to influence what Rages Gau learns by forcing him to flee from encounters the player does not want him to learn Rages for, and then letting him return when they do.
In the World of Ruin, wandering the Veldt in a party of fewer than four people will cause Gau to appear and rejoin the party. He will not appear if the party is full.
== Musical themes ==
"Wild West" is the background and battle theme for the Veldt.
==Other appearances==
===Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade===
== Gallery ==
Veldt WOB.PNG|The Veldt in the World of Balance (SNES).
Veldt WOR.PNG|The Veldt in the World of Ruin (SNES).
FFVI Veldt WoB.png|The Veldt in the World of Balance (GBA).
FFVI The Veldt WoR.png|The Veldt in the World of Ruin (GBA).
Gau-on-the-Veldt-GBA.png|thumb|Gau given Dried Meat (GBA).
FFVIA Veldt BG.PNG|Battle background (grasslands) (GBA).
FFVIA World of Ruin BG.png|Battle background (wastelands) (GBA).
FFVI PC Veldt WoB.png|The Veldt in the World of Balance (2014 mobile/Steam).
FFVI Veldt WoR WM iOS.png|The Veldt in the World of Ruin (2014 mobile/Steam).
FFVI Gau Sabin Veldt.png|Gau finds Sabin (2014 mobile/Steam).
Battleback veldt a.png|Battle background (grasslands) (2014 mobile/Steam).
Battleback wasteland.png|Battle background (wastelands) (2014 mobile/Steam).
Veldt background.png|Battle background (Pixel Remaster).
== Etymology ==
de:Bestienfeld
ru:Вельд
Category:Locations in Final Fantasy VI