Tiamat (Final Fantasy IX)

Tiamat is a boss from Final Fantasy IX. It was created by Kuja from the crystal's memory of the Wind Guardian, seen when Vivi and Steiner visited the Wind Shrine. The two defeated the Wind Guardian off-screen.
Tiamat is the second of the guardians of Terra fought in Memoria, and appears in the room with a representation of the Invincible where the player can pick up the Rune Claws, a powerful weapon for Amarant. A crystal version of Tiamat is fought in the Crystal World as a random encounter.
==Stats==
== Battle ==
Tiamat is slightly stronger than Maliris. Its Twister attack deals random Wind-elemental damage. It will drain MP and lower the party's magic and strength stats, so an extended fight puts the party at a disadvantage. Tiamat's Jet Fire attack will put everyone in Heat status. If a character with the Float status attacks Tiamat physically, it will be countered with Snort, which will remove the character from the battlefield. Tiamat is vulnerable to Sleep and Silence.
Defeating it in the Remastered version yields the Gone with the Winds achievement.
=== Strategy ===
Equipping items with protection from Wind is useful, such as Coronet, as well as Body Temp and MP Attack. Oddly enough, Tiamat's MP Absorb ability is Wind-elemental, and thus can also be protected against with proper equipment. Protection against the Heat status via Body Temp is ideal, but waiting for the status to lift will work.
Quina can cast Night every turn to put Tiamat to sleep and the other party members can attack (while equipped with the Insomniac ability). Quina's LV3 Def-less and LV4 Holy also work against the boss version of Tiamat. It is also possible to throw a Tent at Tiamat which has a 50% chance of inflicting Silence, or simply use Silence.
=== Crystal World incarnation ===
This crystalline dragon is weaker than its flesh-and-bone cousin. Perhaps the greatest boon to the party is the absence of the Float and Snort spells. This Tiamat is vulnerable to a myriad of status ailments. The player should equip the Dragon Killer ability on Freya and cast Ice magic. Quina can learn Twister by eating the crystal Tiamat.
== AI script ==
=== Boss ===
=== Crystal World incarnation ===
==Other appearances==
====Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia====
===Pictlogica Final Fantasy===
===Final Fantasy Record Keeper===
==Behind the scenes==
Tiamat alludes to the boss of the same name from the original Final Fantasy, one of the Four Fiends the guardians of Terra of Final Fantasy IX are based on.
Data hacking shows that there are many gaps in the numerical sequence of battle formations and monster IDs, showing that many battle formations and monsters were deleted prior to the final version. In addition to many more, three missing monster IDs appear around the "Earth Guardian", making one suspect that in the original version the player was to fight all four of the guardians instead of only one (in the final game, the other three are defeated via cut-scenes, including Wind Guardian/Tiamat). Design artwork for these other three guardians is known, as well as for deleted locations, which would probably have been where they were fought.
Tiamat and the Stellazzio sidequest are the only sources for the Blood Sword weapon for Steiner.
== Gallery ==
Tiamat FFIX Art.jpg|Concept artwork.
WindGuard-ffix.png|Model of the Wind Guard.
Wind-Guardian-FFIX.png|Tiamat as Wind Guardian.
Tiamat battle from FFIX Remastered.png|Tiamat in battle.
FFIX Absorb Magic.jpg|Absorb Magic.
FFIX Silent Claw.png|Silent Claw.
== Etymology ==
== Related enemies ==
* Lich
* Kraken
* Maliris
Category:Bosses in Final Fantasy IX
Category:Final Fantasy IX Edible Enemies