Garethe

“An enormous worm that conceals itself below the sand. It seldom rises to the surface, but it will periodically traverse the desert in search of prey to devour. Its body is an adamantine carapace, with precious stones rich in elemental power dotting the surface.”
—Bestiary entry

Garethe (named Gerus in the original Japanese) is the new Benevodon of Earth, serving as a boss in Visions of Mana. It is a titanic Sand Worm made of various kind of rocks, replacing the more golem-like Land Umber.

Role in the Story

Garethe is the first Benevodon to be awakened by Daelophos. It immediately starts rampaging in the Zawhak Desert, causing a tremendous sandstorm and threatening the Earth Village of Gudju. The heroes head to the desert, but the beast is so gigantic and swims through the sand so fast, diving and jumping, that they need to board the ancient Dyluck Sand Ship to keep up with it and use its cannons to wound it.

Battle

Garethe gets angry.

Garethe is at level 24. It summons endless waves of monsters and fires several boulders crashing down the deck, while the heroes must target the yellow cores all over its body, while minding the sand surrounding it that complicates targeting. The farther it is, the higher the heroes must aim.

It is vulnerable to Wind, and the cannons can be infused with that element like normal weapons. When wounded enough, it starts firing bigger, meteor-like boulders, before gathering energy to breathe a gigantic and devastating energy beam. The heroes must fire in its gaping mouth before it can attack until it is destroyed.