10 Best Multi-Phase JRPG Bosses, Ranked

JRPG fans all know the trope of a party of teenagers who leave home to help their mom and, by the end of the adventure, are slaying gods or some other deity.

The thing is, many of these mystical creatures seem harmless at first, whether they take on human form or appear on a smaller scale, similar to our party members.

However, after we take down their first form, that’s when they reveal their second—or even third—form, transforming into something grotesquely massive or strangely epic and beautiful.

In this list, I’ll highlight some of the best multi-phase JRPG bosses we’ve faced in our epic adventures. Some are simply hard, while others are memorable, but all are a treat to defeat.

Spoilers ahead. Caution is advised.

10. Infini

Breath of Fire IV

In the ultimate showdown against Fou-Lu within Breath of Fire IV, Ryu finds himself squaring off in a solitary duel with his counterpart, aiming to demonstrate his growth and development throughout his human encounters.

Unconvinced, Fou-Lu gives the young dragon a choice: join him or perish alongside humanity. If the player refuses to unite, we face Tyrant, Fou-Lu’s strongest form, leading to the good ending.

But I included Breath of Fire IV because of what happens if the player chooses to join Fou-Lu. In this case, Ryu is absorbed, and together, they become Infini, the supreme dragon.

The most challenging (beneficial) aspect of Infini is that we have power over it and engage in a one-sided conflict against our comrades from our own group. Regardless of how hard Nina and her team strive, they can’t prevail, and ultimately, we are compelled to eliminate everyone we know. I deeply regret adding this entry now.

9. Wiegraf

Final Fantasy Tactics

Wiegraf from Final Fantasy Tactics is one of the most rage-inducing multi-phase bosses of all time because he’s responsible for the most softlocks in JRPG history. I know. I’ve been there. Stupid younger me. Who puts Ramza as a White Mage?

For those unaware, some Final Fantasy Tactics battles have Chain Battles, meaning you can only leave after finishing all encounters. In the case of Riovanes Castle, there are three battles, with the last one being against Wiegraf.

If you only use one save slot, reach the final battle, and, for whatever reason, you’re underpowered to beat either Wiegraf in his human form or as Belias, I’ve got some terrible news. You can’t go back and grind. You either play with the cards you’ve been dealt, or start over.

The problem is that the first fight is a one-on-one duel between Ramza and Wiegraf, who abuses Monk’s skills to hit from afar with high damage. Veteran players can cheese the fight and win easily, but newcomers? They either have to hope Ramza has an evolved offensive Job to beat Wiegraf’s face in or pray they had a backup save.

8. Nyx Avatar

Persona 3 Reload

Do you want multi-phase fights? How about fourteen phases? That’s how many variations Nyx Avatar has in Persona 3, whether in the Portable version or the Reload remake.

Honestly, design-wise, the battle against Nyx is amazing and ties in perfectly with the game’s narrative. The antagonist takes on all fourteen Arcana, consistently delivering a philosophical line related to each one.

But in terms of gameplay, unfortunately, Nyx Avatar doesn’t change appearance as it shifts Arcana, and it isn’t even that challenging. In the end, the fight feels more dragged out than anything. Luckily, we get to hear a remix of the Velvet Room theme during it.

In a fitting placement, the boss battle deserves recognition. It’s significantly poignant that Nyx concludes with the Death Arcana just as the main character approaches their end.

7. Luca Blight

Suikoden II

Luca Blight stands out as one of the most despicable antagonists in the annals of JRPGs, contributing significantly to the acclaim that Suikoden II has garnered not just during the PS1 era but also in modern times following its re-release.

The insane prince is evil incarnate. He wasn’t shaped by tragic life circumstances or a heartbreaking backstory that twisted his heart toward destruction and slaughter. Luca kills because he enjoys it.

In the game, we engage in combat with Luca on four separate occasions, each time using a different team, culminating in a final one-on-one confrontation between him and our main character, showcasing his immense power and threat level.

As the fight progresses, Lucas gets battered more and more. Worse of all, he’s not even the final boss of Suikoden II. The actual last boss is a nobody that no one remembers, further cementing how unforgettable Luca Blight is as an antagonist.

6. Jas The Absolute

Fantasian

The first time I played Fantasian was on Apple Arcade, and I called it the Soulslike of turn-based JRPGs. That’s because the game is brutally difficult, but it becomes more manageable once you learn the enemy patterns.

That didn’t stop me from spending almost five hours challenging Jas, the final boss. The antagonist has three final forms, and the last one is among the hardest final bosses I’ve ever faced in a JRPG. But that’s because I was playing Fantasian like any turn-based game.

The final battle requires you to apply everything you’ve learned from your training, utilizing all of your abilities. In the game Fantasian, you have the flexibility to switch party members whenever you want, and it is recommended that you take advantage of this feature.

Buffs, debuffs, healing, items—everything in your arsenal must be used here. Despite struggling like a total noob, I consider Jas one of the best final bosses in turn-based JRPGs, the kind you feel proud to have beaten.

5. Louis Guiabern (Destroyer Charadrius)

Metaphor: ReFantazio

I really enjoy the climactic battles in Persona, but because the villain often doesn’t appear until the very end, the confrontation loses some of its punch.

In this rephrased version, let me say: The character named ReFantazio always acts contrary to expectations. Right from the start of the game, we are made aware of the villain, so when we encounter Louis in his various shapes—one of which is as strange as you’d anticipate from a JRPG final boss—it feels rewarding.

The first phase is against Archdemon Louis, a version of the general as if he were fused with an archetype. In the second phase, he takes up the whole screen and transforms into Destroyer Charadrius, with three masks, each representing an emotion.

After destroying his masks, Louis reveals his final and hardest form ever, the Destroyer Charadrius. The boss attacks at least five times per turn, inflicts debuffs and negative status effects, and hits like a truck. He’s still not as hard as Metaphor: ReFantazio’s secret boss, but it’s pretty formidable.

4. Xemnas

Kingdom Hearts 2

Xemnas represents one of the most extended, multistage boss battles found in Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs). Initially, you encounter him alongside your fellow adventurers, Donald and Goofy. Together, you fight off his minions and gradually weaken him while he sits on his throne.

In the second phase, in his draconic form, Riku and Sora chase him in an aircraft while trying to reach his avatar, protected within the gigantic creature.

But it’s in the final phase that Kingdom Hearts 2 goes all out. Sora and Riku fight side by side against Xemnas and his double Jedi sabers. It’s a highly frenetic battle—sometimes a bit convoluted—but with an undeniable epic delivery.

The scene where Sora and Riku have to deflect thousands of laser attacks would make Master Yoda proud. It’s a button spam fest, but it’s incredible nonetheless. Seeing the two Keyblade-wielding friends finally teaming up to take down the leader of Organization 13 is sublime and the perfect ending for Kingdom Hearts 2.

3. Sephiroth

Final Fantasy VII

I could have included almost every Final Fantasy in this list, but I went with the most iconic one, featuring one of the most memorable soundtracks in gaming history.

In the game ‘Final Fantasy VII’, our pursuit is directed at Sephiroth. However, it turns out that he isn’t truly who we thought; instead, what we’ve been chasing is actually Jenova disguising herself as Sephiroth – although there are hints that Sephiroth might be manipulating her from behind the scenes.

However, at the end of the game, we finally face Sephiroth’s true body, having evolved almost into godhood. Bizarro first and Safer Sephiroth last can be either extremely easy or difficult, depending on your party and level.

The most striking part of these battles, undoubtedly, is the soundtrack, One-Winged Angel. It became one of the franchise’s most famous themes, living beyond Final Fantasy VII, and even featured in fashion shows. Other tracks might be more epic, but hardly any are as memorable as Sephiroth’s theme.

2. Lavos

Chrono Trigger

I can’t recall exactly how many times my teenage self battled against Lavos, but boy, it seemed almost impossible at the time to defeat the final alien and preserve Chrono Trigger’s future.

That’s because this sneaky jerk has three phases, and in the final one, it hides inside one of its seemingly harmless minions. While I kept repeatedly taking down its humanoid version, it returned indefinitely, and I had no clue what was happening.

Still, it’s a marvelous fight. The first version is easier, which makes me question how Crono even died to it once. The second is way more menacing but manageable if one abuses Luminaire.

But the final form, Lavos Core, looks like a final villain straight out of Dragon Ball. The soundtrack turns menacing as we travel through different eras throughout the fight.

Every time the main antagonist perished yet the fight persisted, a profound sense of despair swept through me as a child, confirming that Chrono Trigger had truly mastered the game’s ultimate test.

1. Bahamut

Final Fantasy XVI

I’d gladly pay full price for Final Fantasy XVI if it only featured Eikon battles. I know that, in terms of gameplay, there are better ones. But the spectacle here is so grand that it left a lasting impression on me.

1. The battle against Bahamut consists of approximately five parts.
2. The struggle against Bahamut is divided into roughly five segments.
3. The confrontation with Bahamut involves around five distinct phases.
4. The clash with Bahamut is structured in about five sections.
5. The fight involving Bahamut unfolds through approximately five stages.
6. The encounter with Bahamut proceeds through nearly five steps.
7. The contest against Bahamut takes place over around five distinct periods.
8. The tussle against Bahamut transpires in around five phases.
9. The duel against Bahamut unfolds over approximately five stages.
10. The conflict with Bahamut is split into about five parts.

I get that the Phoenix section is a bit dragged, especially if you’re playing on hard while hunting for the platinum. But hearing both Away and Bahamut’s Ascension theme in the same fight is good enough for me.

This battle has all the tropes I love in a story. It’s got sibling power, fusion, a space battle, a dragon trying to destroy the world, and, best of all, an actual narrative reason for it to happen. It’s not just a gameplay feature but a consequence of Final Fantasy XVI’s story.

Again, in terms of gameplay, Bahamut’s fight might not be the best here. But in execution, visual presentation, and soundtrack—oof, it’s going to take a long time before another JRPG boss fight meets my expectations and steals the Dragon King’s crown.

2025-03-15 16:17