Bravely Default 2 rare monster locations and tips

There are over a dozen Bravely Default 2 rare monsters to find, and compared to the optional bosses in most JRPGs, they're relatively forgiving. You always get to initiate fights with them, they respawn regularly so you can farm them for items and experience, and most of them are just idling out in the open on the world map. That said, some of them are tucked away in obscure corners of the world, so we've prepared a veritable Bravely Default 2 rare monsters tour guide to help you find them. 

We're still picking through this world for ourselves, so it's possible we've missed one or two rare monsters, but these are all the rare monsters we've found thus far. We've listed them in the order that they become available, and this generally lines up with how strong they are. That said, different players will find different monsters more difficult based on their team comps, so you'll have to determine for yourself when you're ready to fight them. Don't let a red glow put you off; you can absolutely defeat the rare monsters in Bravely Default 2 when you're a low level. Just remember to save before fighting them, give it a go, and come back later if you feel hopelessly underpowered. 

Leannan Sith - North of Halyconia by the river 

This is the easiest rare monster in the game. The only real danger here is the abundance of Charm, but a few consumables (or a few friendly whacks) will take care of that. You can defeat this one very early for a nice experience boost. 

Treant - Northeast of Halyconia, east of Leannan Sith

Treant may be right next to Leannan Sith, but it's on another level of difficulty. It has nearly 300,000 health and packs a wallop, so don't try to take it on until much later in the game. Pack your party with earth defense and dread resistance to simplify the fight.

Coral Emperor - Southeast of Halyconia on the beach 

You may notice this blue salamander at the start of the game, but he's actually one of the tougher rare monsters for the early stages. He's far, far stronger than Leannan Sith, the other rare in Halyconia. Don't use elemental magic against this guy, and crank your magic and water defense as high as you can. 

Mushussu - Through Savalon underground

Mushussu is actually the subject of a side quest, but you can fight it whenever you want once you reach and clear the underground section of Savalon in the main story. It's flanked by other aquatic monsters, but once they're dealt with, this is a pretty normal fight.

Nightmare - Southeast of Savalon

This undead horse was featured in the Bravely Default 2 demo, so it's earned a fearsome reputation. The good news is that you can absolutely melt it with healing magic since it's weak to light, so prepare to turn your healers into damage dealers.

Skullcap - East of Wiswald, hidden under a tree

This is one of the more hidden rare monsters in Bravely Default 2. Skullcap is in the thickly wooded area east of Wiswald, and it's easy to miss – or bump into by accident. Like other mushroom monsters, it can summon allies when attacked, so try to whittle it down with infrequent big hits rather than lots of little attacks. 

Baal - Northeast of Wiswald on a small plateau

Baal is low-key one of the strongest and most annoying rare monsters around. It's got a truckload of health, hard-hitting AoE, and it can steal weapons if you hit it with melee attacks. Monk is a star here since it doesn't need weapons, and you'll also want some heavy healing. 

Orc King - West of Wiswald

You'll defeat plenty of orcs before reaching this rare monster, and this is one of those "killed one, killed them all" situations. There's a lot of great loot around the Orc King too, and don't miss the secret area just east of it – look for the purple smoke. 

Astaroth - East of Rimedahl on floating ice 

Astaroth hits like a truck and has lots of potential counters, so your best bet is to boost your defensive stats, roll with the punches, and prioritize your strategy without playing around counters too heavily.

Baba Yaga - North of Rimedahl along the shore 

Once you've cleared out this rare monster's minions, you can trivialize it by defending against Charm and lightning attacks. It won't use anything else, so if you're looking for a rare monster that can be farmed easily, they don't get much easier than Baba Yaga. 

Jormungandr - Rimedahl cemetery, accessed via the top-right corner of town

Like Mushussu, this monster is found in an area connected to a main town. Rimedahl cemetery can be accessed through an exit in the upper side of town – zoom out on the main map and look for a staircase in the top-right. You can start the fight by attacking the sand pit by the bushes on the left. 

Cyclops - South of Holograd around a looping path 

As you'd expect of a big cyclops with a giant mace, this thing hurts. The rare monsters around Holograd are proper boss fights, so pull your socks up. 

Susanoo - West of Holograd

If you're feeling brave after defeating the Cyclops, mozy on over to the west and challenge Susanoo for a humbling fight. The best tip is the most obvious one: boost your fire defense.

Zeus - North of Holograd

This is the last rare monster on this list and the third and final one in Holograd. Same deal here: boost your lightning defense and pray.