Enemy Abilities (GBA)

Monster Skills are various abilities available only to Monsters in the Golden Sun games, which have a variety of effects. Monster skills range from the relatively weak "Rumble", to the incredibly dangerous "Djinn Storm" and "Formina Sage".

Monster Skills do not cause the monster the loss of PP, and therefore are available to the monster at any time other than when it is asleep or stunned. In addition, like Psynergy, they will generally not miss.

The Monster Skills in the Golden Sun games are as follows in alphabetical order, with a list of the monsters that can use them underneath:

Acid Bite
A pair of red jaws slowly chomp on a targeted Adept three times for Mars damage, with a chance of lower their Defense.
 * Acid Maggot

Ally Search
The monster summons another monster of the same species into the enemy party.
 * Calamar
 * Cannibal Ghoul
 * Drone Bee monster line (Fighter Bee or higher)
 * Undead

Battle Cry
Same as Ally Search, but might summon a monster of a different species.
 * Worm

Mystic Call
Only usable if user has fewer than four allies; summons a random member of the Ball monster line to appear at the user's side.
 * Star Magician

Speed Surge
The monster divides into two separate monsters, effectively creating a new monster in-battle.
 * Slime monster line (Ooze or higher)

Angle Spike
The monster shooting out a red energy spike, striking a single Adept for Mars damage.
 * Angle Worm monster line

Angry Mine
User self-destructs to cause moderate damage to the opposing party. The attack removes the user from the battle in a way that it is not counted as "felled" (you don't get its EXP and coins).
 * Anger Ball

Armor Crush
User attacks, causing a massive explosion that does strong damage and will likely lower Defense.
 * Sentinel

Bacteria Rush
Attacks a single Adept with glowing green claw swipes for moderate Venus damage and a chance of inflicting poison.
 * Fiendish Ghouls

Bear Claw
The monster attacks a single Adept with several glowing red claw swipes in rapid succession for enhanced damage.
 * Mauler monster line

Beat Dance
Increases the user's Attack power.
 * Chestbeater monster line

Berserk
Increases the user's Attack power.
 * Brutal Troll
 * Grisly

Black Ice
Adepts are hit by a barrage of black dust. Resembles the Dark Blessing monster skill. Since the damage is Venus-based, it is likely that the name is actually supposed to be "Black Earth".
 * Serpent

Bone Charge
User suffuses itself with an aura of blue energy and charges a target to inflict moderate Venus damage.
 * Skeleton and Skull Warrior

Breath/Blessing series
Blessing, in this case, is actually a mistranslation of katakana for "breath"; the mistake was corrected in The Lost Age.

Acid Blessing/Acid Breath
Causes a pink blast of poisonous gases to come from the monster and damage up to three targets for Venus damage and potentially lower their defences.
 * Earth Lizard
 * Toadonpa (Called Dark Blessing in first game)
 * Poison Toad and Devil Frog

Blast Breath
A stream of fire that causes Mars damage and lowers the target's defence.
 * Doom Dragon (first head)

Bosca Hit
This monster skill resembles the user jumping forward and striking a single foe, with a small explosion appearing at the end.
 * Moapa

Chill Breath
Generates a mass of air filled with chunks of ice at up to three targets, dealing strong Mercury damage.
 * Ocean Dragon

Claw Attack
The user jumps forward and strikes a single foe with a single orange claw swipe, which deals non-elemental damage.
 * Chestbeater

Dark Blessing (Dark Breath)
Causes a wave of sepia to come from the monster and damage the targets for Venus damage and potentially inflict delusion upon them.
 * Kraken

Evil Blessing (Evil Breath)
Causes a huge swarm of evil spirits to come from the monster to damage the targets for high Mars damage, and may cause them to become Haunted.
 * Fusion Dragon

Fire Blessing/Fire Breath
Causes a blast of fiery air to come from the monster and damage up to three targets for Mars damage.
 * Dread Hound
 * Fire Dragon
 * Fire Worm
 * Pyrodra
 * Salamander
 * Wyvern Chick and Winged Lizard
 * Wyvern

Flame Breath
Generates a mass of fire at the party for strong Mars damage.
 * Flame Dragon monster line

Ice Blessing/Ice Breath
Causes a blast of ice to come from the monster and damage two targets for Mercury damage.
 * Blue Dragon monster line
 * Dire Wolf
 * Dread Hound monster line (Fenrir or higher)
 * Ice Gargoyle
 * Lizard King
 * Pteranodon

Sand Breath
Causes a blast of sand to come from the monster and damage up to three targets for Venus damage.
 * Scorpion monster line

Storm Blessing/Storm Breath
Causes a stream of purple lightning to come from the monster and damage the targets for Jupiter damage and potentially inflict stun upon them.
 * Sky Dragon
 * Thunder Lizard

Toxic Breath
Causes a cloud of yellow and green gas to come from the monster and damage up to three Adepts, possibly inflicting poison on each one.
 * Serpent

Water Blessing/Water Breath
Causes a blast of water to come from the monster and damage up to three targets with Mercury damage.
 * Kraken
 * Lizard Man and Lizard Fighter
 * Sea Dragon monster line
 * Statue Monster Line

Poisonous Bite
Bites a single Adept with holographic green jaws. Causes Venus damage with a chance of inflicting poison.
 * Cuttle and Aqua Jelly
 * Mad Plant

Electric Bite
Bites a single Adept with holographic purple jaws several times. Causes Jupiter damage with a chance of inflicting stun.
 * Calamar and Aqua Jelly

Brute Force
User suffuses itself with an aura of gold energy and charges the target to inflict moderate Venus damage.
 * Troll monster line

Cage
If successful, stuns a single target for one turn.
 * Agatio
 * Flame Dragon (large)

Counterstrike
Inflicts Venus damage to a single Adept.
 * Plated Rat

Crazy Voice
Causes a single Adept to lose some PP.
 * Harridan

Crucible
Selects a random Summon that can be performed using the party's available Standby Djinn, apparently weighted towards Summons that require more Djinn, and performs it with the hapless party as the targets (except with Coatlicue, in which case Valukar will be the one receiving regeneration).
 * Valukar

Cruel Ruin
An ability that lets the user fly to the heavens and from there, breathe down lashing beams of Venus energy that engulf all targets in a blazing light. In terms of animation, it's similar to a Summon sequence.
 * Doom Dragon (second and third heads)

Crusher Grip
User attacks with a glowing red claw swipe which lets loose an electricity-crackling vapor impact, dealing Venus damage a chance of inflicting stun on the affected target.
 * Foul Mummy and Grave Wight

Darksol Gasp
Strong Venus damage to multiple targets, with the possibility of haunting each one.
 * Doom Dragon (third head)

Deadly Gas
User breathes a white-hot cloud of red gas that strikes multiple targets and may inflict each one with deadly poison.
 * Fusion Dragon

Death Size/Death Scythe
User attacks with a huge slash that causes strong damage and may instantly down the target.
 * Menardi
 * Karst

Demon Eye
May affect all Adepts currently battling with the effects of Haunt.
 * Aka Manah monster line

Desert Gasp
Strong Venus damage and lowers defense.
 * Scorpion monster line
 * Doom Dragon (second and third heads)

Djinn Blast
Completely drains (puts in Recovery) all the Djinn of one member of your currently battling party.
 * Doom Dragon (first head)

Djinnfest
Forces one random Djinn of each member of the currently battling party to enter Recovery.
 * Karst
 * Flame Dragon (Small)

Djinn Storm
A powerful ability that puts all Djinn in Recovery for the currently battling party (front row).
 * Doom Dragon (third/last head)
 * Dullahan

Djinn Stun
Places one of each Adept's Djinn on Standby. It is often used in conjunction with Crucible to use your party's summons against them.
 * Valukar

Double Step
Strikes a single target for enhanced damage.
 * Wargold

Dragon Driver
Causes high Mars Damage to a wide range of targets by scattering several persistent dark flames around, then breathing a great plume of dark fire onto the victims. This is essentially the Fusion Dragon acting like Tiamat.
 * Fusion Dragon

Dynamite
User leaps towards the opposing party and self-destructs in mid-air, generating a powerful explosion causing heavy Venus damage to up to three Adepts. The attack removes the user from the battle in a way that it is not counted as "felled" (you don't get its EXP and coins).
 * Stone Soldier monster line

Earth Force
A sphere of gravitic energy that renders one adept unable to move for the turn.
 * Doom Dragon

Echo Cut
Inflicts enhanced damage on a single target.
 * Briggs
 * Sea Fighter

Element Swap
Has no in-battle effect, but is always used before Dullahan summons Charon.
 * Dullahan

Cannibal Fang
User bites the target repeatedly, absorbing the damage dealt to recover its own HP.
 * Ghoul monster line

Double Fang
Ethereal blue jaws bite the target twice, doing enhanced damage.
 * Dread Hound monster line

Drain Fang
A pair of ethereal red jaws bites the foe and siphons red energy orbs out of it. If successful, it heals the user by the amount of damage done.
 * Fusion Dragon

Poison Fang
Ethereal green jaws chomp at one target, going damage and possibly inflicting them with standard poison.
 * Tarantula

Rabid Fang
Etheral red jaws chomp at one target, doing damage and possibly inflicting them with deadly poison.
 * Recluse
 * Chimera monster line

Vampiric Fang
User bites the foe and siphons red energy orbs out of it, and restoring its own HP by the amount of damage done.
 * Rabid Bat

Fire Dance
The user projects a billowing plume of fire at a single target for Mars damage. This skill uses the same visual as the Salamander Rod’s Unleash effect, but with a different damage output.
 * Phoenix monster line

Flash Punch
The user performs a physical attack on a single Adept ending with a blue burst. Deals Jupiter damage with a chance of inflicting Delusion.
 * Punch Ant monster line (Flash Ant or higher)

Formic Acid
Lobs a mound of slimy purple water onto an Adept's feet, inflicting Mars damage with a chance of inflicting Stun.
 * Numb Ant

Formina Sage
A large purple lightning-sword smashes into the the target, doing damage so high that the target is often downed outright. It is probably supposed to be called Fulminous (i.e. lightning) Edge.
 * Dullahan

Freebite Rush
Deals Venus damage to a single Adept, with a chance of lowering their Attack rating.
 * Dirty Ape

Bone Chiller
A lob of blue slimy water thrown onto targets feet. Causes Mercury damage.
 * Slime (Overworld)

Decompose
A lob of yellowish goo thrown onto the target's feet. Lowers each target's Attack power.
 * Cannibal Ghoul
 * Zombie monster line (Undead or higher)

Poison Ink
A lob of red goo thrown at a targeted Adept that evaporates into a red mist, dealing Venus damage with a chance of inflicting Deadly Poison
 * Man o' War

Rising Venom
Identical to Sticky Poison.
 * Aqua Hydra

Rotten Blood
A lob of pinkish slime thrown onto the target's feet. Causes low damage and may lower the target's Defense.
 * Zombie monster line (Undead or higher)
 * Toadonpa

Sticky Goo
A lob of brown slimy water thrown onto the targets feet. Causes Mercury damage with a chance of lowering the target's defense.
 * Ooze

Sticky Poison
A lob of green slime or water thrown onto the target's feet. Causes Mercury damage and may poison the target.
 * Slime Beast

Gravel Blow
Moderate Venus damage.
 * Doom Dragon (first head)

Guard Aura
Negates almost all damage done to the most powerful ally of the user.
 * Guardian Ball
 * Doom Dragon

Haunting
User attempts to inflict one target with the Haunt status condition. Its effect is pretty much identical to the Haunt Psynergy.
 * Willowisp
 * Horned Ghost

Heartrender
Lowers a single Adept's Attack rating.
 * Siren monster line

Heat Flash
The user leaps into the air and slashes at a single target, causing a burst of fire. Inflicts moderate Mars damage and may delude the target.
 * Saturos

Heat Kiss
The user releases a large, quick array of glowing valentine-shaped symbols, debuffing up to three targets by temporarily lowering their Attack values by 25%.
 * Karst
 * Flame Dragon (small)

Heat Stun
The user the monster shoots a glowing red energy projectile at a single Adept, dealing Mars damage with a chance of inflicting stun.
 * Avimander monster line

Human Hunt
May either do one to three points of damage to an Adept or instantly down them.
 * Aka Manah monster line

Hydro Slash
Strong Mercury damage to one target, resembles many bubbles shooting through the target, coming from off screen.
 * Merman monster line

Lucid Prophecy
Inflicts one target with a Death Curse.
 * Manticore King

Mad Dash
User lunges forward and slashes the target repeatedly, causing enhanced damage. Its visual effect is identical to that of Ransack.
 * Chimera monster line

Maneater
User chomps a single target, siphoning red energy orbs back to itself, restoring the user's HP by the amount of damage done.
 * Mad Plant

Mine Ball
User hurls a ball of light blue energy at the party, which then explodes to do moderate damage to three or four targets.
 * Star Magician

Mortal Blow
The user leaps into a single Adept while a red projectile shoots into the target, creating a red explosion, dealing enhanced Venus damage. The attack removes the user from the battle in a way that it is not counted as "felled" (you don't get its EXP and coins).
 * Warrior Bee

Mystic Flame
A cluster of fiery wisps converge on the target, inflicting moderate Mars damage.
 * Will Head

Beast Needle
Long purple shots fire at one adept causing Mercury damage.
 * Urchin Beast

Poison Sting
Long green shots fire at one adept, causing Mercury damage and having a chance to poison the adept.
 * Needle Egg

Stun Sting
Long blue needles fire at one adept, causing Mercury damage and having a chance to Stun the target.
 * Sea Hedgehog

Numbing Sting
Deals Jupiter damage to a single Adept with a chance of stunning the target.
 * Drone Bee monster line

Ocean Fist
Moderate non-elemental damage to one target, which may reduce their HP to 1.
 * Poseidon

Onslaught
User surrounds itself with an aura of yellow energy and rams the target, inflicting moderate Venus damage.
 * Mad Vermin

Outer Space
The user leaps into orbit before plummeting back down to earth on top of its enemies in a blinding explosion of purple fire. Causes high Mars damage to a wide range of targets. This is the Fusion Dragon's version of the Meteor Summoning, and its animation is a purple palette swap of the Meteor summon's animation.
 * Fusion Dragon

Paralytail
The user strikes a single target with a purple dart which expels lightning upon impact. Deals Venus damage and may stun the victim.
 * King Scorpion

Pike Assault
The user strike a single Adept with a blue cylindrical burst of energy upon impact, inflicting heavy Jupiter damage, with a chance of ignoring 50% of the target's defense.
 * Ghost Army monster line

Poison Beat
User slaps a single target with a poisonous tentacle, causing moderate damage and possibly inflicting poison.
 * Kraken

Poison Tail
The user strikes a single target with a green dart, letting off a green gas upon impact. Deals Venus damage and may inflict Venom.
 * Manticore monster line
 * Scorpion monster line

Power Crush Series
All of these monster skills have a chance of reducing the targeted Adept's HP to 1.

Power Crush
The user rams a single Adept while cloaked in a large yellow orb of energy, dealing Venus damage.
 * Living Armor monster line
 * Minotaurus monster line

Mighty Press
The user crushes a single target, inflicting heavy damage.
 * Serpent

Severe Blow
The user charges into a single target, causing a massive explosion, inflicting heavy damage.
 * Fusion Dragon

Thrash
Leaps up and lands on one foe, crushing them, it inflictsMercury damage.
 * Toad monster line

Truncheon Fist
The monster launches a powerful punch straight into one target, causing Venus damage.
 * Golem monster line (Earth Golem or higher)

Vital Moon
The user charges forward to tackle a single target, letting loose a large amount of glowing red energy on impact, causing Venus damage.
 * Demon monster line

Psy Boost
User recoves some PP.
 * Doom Dragon (First head)

Quick Slash
The user attacks a single Adept, producing a burst of purple energy in a large X-shape, dealing Jupiter damage.
 * Momonga monster line

Raging Flood
Does strong Mercury damage to all enemies.
 * Aqua Hydra

Ransack
User charges the target at high speed and rapidly slashes them with its claws, inflicting strong Venus damage.
 * Ape and Killer Ape
 * Wild Gorilla

Recovery
User recovers at least 150 HP.
 * Chimera monster line (Chimera Mage or higher)

Regen Dance
User scatters some mystic feathers, completely restoring one felled ally; only usable if an ally has been felled. The name is short for Regeneration Dance.
 * Phoenix monster line

Rolling Flame
Fires a blast of flame which creates several rings of fire on impact
 * Agatio
 * Flame Dragon (Large)

Rumble
Several evil spirits come from the monster and inflict moderate Venus damage.
 * Amaze and Creeper
 * Ghost

Sack
Increases the user's attack by 25%.
 * Minotaurus monster line (Minos Warrior or higher)

Slaver
Lowers the defense of the monster's enemy.
 * Hydra and Aqua Hydra

Sleep Star
Scatters violet dust to attempt to inflict sleep on two or three targets.
 * Tret
 * Death Cap

Slice
Does enhanced damage to one target.
 * Thief monster line

Soothing Star
Scatters gold spores to regenerate a small amount of HP to self or one ally.
 * Wild Mushroom

Banshee Howl
Damage to a single target, may stun them.
 * Harpy monster line (Virago onwards)

Sonic Wave
Launches rings of orange energy through a single Adept, dealing Jupiter damage.
 * Bat monster line
 * Ant Lion monster line
 * Clay Gargoyle

War Cry
Launches rings of light blue energy through a single Adept, dealing Jupiter damage with a chance of stunning them for one turn.
 * Ape monster line (Killer Ape or higher)

Wicked Howl
Launches rings of dark red energy through a single Adept, dealing Jupiter damage with a chance of stunning them for one turn.
 * Dread Hound monster line

Spasm
User recovers roughly 40 HP.
 * Orc monster line

Spider Web
Lowers a the Defense of a single target.
 * Spider monster line

Spinning Beat
The user strike a single Adept with spinning tentacles, inflicting Mercury damage, with a chance of ignoring 50% of the target's defense.
 * Kraken

Stand Ready
The user defends for one turn.
 * Thief

Star Mine
Summon like attack that inflicts Mars damage on all targets.
 * Avimander

Strong Hit
The users flings one large hatchet at a single enemy.
 * Knight (the enemies who accompany Maopa)

Stun Jip
Inflicts strong damage to a single target, possibly stunning them.
 * Valukar

Stun Muscle
Damages one target, may stun them.
 * Agatio
 * Flame Dragon (large)

Threaten
The user does nothing for a turn.
 * Thief monster line

Total Defense
Reduces the amount of damage the user takes on that turn by 90%.
 * Rat monster line (Armored Rat or higher)

Tremble
The user does nothing for a turn.
 * Thief

Triple Chomp
Causes Moderate Mercury damage.
 * Hydra monster line

True Collide
The user siphons large masses of dark energy from up to three targets, inflicting moderate damage and likely restoring the user's health by the same amount.
 * Dullahan

Twin Beaks
Deals Jupiter damage to a single adept. There is a chance that the resulting damage will be doubled.
 * Gryphon monster line
 * Raptor

Twin Shear
Deals Venus damage to a single adept worth 1.8 times the monster's base attack.
 * Scorpion monster line

Typhoon Blow
Strong Mercury damage to multiple targets.
 * Poseidon

Undead Sword
A large, jagged sword comes out of the ground and impales one target, dealing Venus damage.
 * Bone Fighter

Ur Flash
User leaps forward to perform a fast, powerful claw slash for Jupiter damage.
 * Wolfkin monster line

Vanish Claw
User attacks with a glowing red claw swipe which let looses a vaporous red-white cloud on impact, dealing Venus damage with a chance of inflicting delusion on the affected target.
 * Mummy

Watery Grave
Does strong non-elemental damage to multiple targets, and has a small chance of instantly downing them.
 * Poseidon

Wing Beat
Moderate Jupiter damage to a single target.
 * Vile Dirge

Wing Flutter
Moderate Jupiter damage to three targets.
 * Tornado Lizard
 * Gryphon

Wing Stroke
Strong Jupiter damage to three targets.
 * Tornado Lizard monster line (Storm Lizard or higher)
 * Gryphon monster line (Wild Gryphon or higher)

Worms
User recovers roughly 50 HP.
 * Mole monster line (Mad Mole or higher)