Stone Soldier enemy line

Stone Soldier, Boulder Beast, and Raging Rock are species of monsters found in Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age. These monsters, resembling a spike ball with eyes and feet, are palette swapped variants of each other that have differing levels of power and defense and are fought at different locations in the games. This is a monster line that was introduced in Golden Sun and expanded upon in The Lost Age

Stone Soldier
A Stone Soldier is a blue variant with tan feet. Statistically, this monster has 179 HP, 6 PP, 241 Attack, 105 Defense, 104 Agility, and 5 Luck. In terms of resistance, it has a Mars Resistance rating of 127, a Venus and Jupiter Resistance rating of 48 each, and a Mercury Resistance rating of 7, and in regards to its abilities it uses its available Mars-based attacks with a Mars power rating of 125 and its available Venus-based attacks with a Venus power rating of 95.

A Stone Soldier can use the following battle commands:
 * Headbutt: Used 2 out of 8 times, this is a Monster Skill where the monster charges forward shrouded in glowing red aura and rams a targeted Adept, dealing a Venus-based attack equal to its normal physical attack with an additional 60 damage points.
 * Blast: Used 2 out of 8 times, this is a Psynergy spell that creates a small explosion, dealing a Mars-based attack with a power rating of 25 and a range of 3. It consumes 5 of its user's PP. The Stone Soldier’s PP meter is only sufficient for one usage per battle.
 * Mad Blast: Used 2 out of 8 times, this is a Psynergy spell that creates a larger explosion, dealing a Mars-based attack with a power rating of 50 and a range of 3. However, this costs 9 PP… And this monster only has 6 PP. So, it can never use this skill against you; however, this won’t stop the Stone Soldier from attempting to cast it in vain.
 * Attack: Used 1 out of 8 times, this is this monster's standard physical attack.
 * Dynamite: Used 1 out of 8 times, this is a Monster Skill where the monster leaps forward into the party and disappears in a massive explosion, dealing a Venus-based attack with a power rating of 200 and a range of 3. This 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).

Felling a Stone Soldier yields 98 Experience Points and 98 Coins, and there is a 1/32 chance the monster will randomly drop an Elixir. If felled with the effect of an offensive Mercury Djinni, its rewards increase to 127 Experience Points and 127 Coins, and the chance it will randomly drop its item becomes 1/8. In Golden Sun, Stone Soldiers are battled randomly in the Suhalla Desert; two also appear in a scripted mini-boss battle alongside the Lizard King in front of the fifth dungeon floor of the optional Crossbone Isle. In The Lost Age, they are randomly battled inside Tundaria Tower and the earlier, easier portions of the optional Treasure Isle and Islet Cave dungeons.

Dynamite, rarely used as it is, is what makes the Stone Soldier surprisingly powerful and dangerous among monsters even though it is statistically weaker than the monsters it is fought alongside in both games (though it has the highest Defense rating of the monsters in each area other than Treasure Isle). It is worth taking out Stone Soldiers first in a given battle, but preferably using area of effect Mercury Psynergy.

Boulder Beast
A Boulder Beast is a violet variant with tan feet. Statistically, this monster has 211 HP, 14 PP, 327 Attack, 137 Defense, 140 Agility, and 6 Luck. In terms of resistance, it has a Mars Resistance rating of 193, a Venus and Jupiter Resistance rating of 100 each, and a Mercury Resistance rating of 25, and in regards to its abilities it uses its available Mars-based attacks with a Mars power rating of 125 and its available Venus-based attacks with a Venus power rating of 95.

A Boulder Beast can use the following battle commands:
 * Mad Blast: Used 3 out of 8 times, this is a Psynergy spell that creates a larger explosion, dealing a Mars-based attack with a power rating of 50 and a range of 3. It consumes 9 of its user's PP, meaning it can only use this once in a given battle.
 * Attack: Used 2 out of 8 times, this is this monster's standard physical attack.
 * Headbutt: Used 2 out of 8 times, this is a Monster Skill where the monster charges forward shrouded in glowing red aura and rams a targeted Adept, dealing a Venus-based attack equal to its normal physical attack with an additional 60 damage points.
 * Dynamite: Used 1 out of 8 times, this is a Monster Skill where the monster leaps forward into the party and disappears in a massive explosion, dealing a Venus-based attack with a power rating of 200 and a range of 3. This 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).

Felling a Boulder Beast yields 278 Experience Points and 164 Coins, and there is a 1/128 chance the monster will randomly drop a Water of Life. If felled by the effect of an offensive Mercury Djinni, its rewards increase to 361 EXP and 213 Coins, and the chance it will randomly drop its item becomes 1/32. In Golden Sun it is battled in the later "dungeon" portion of Venus Lighthouse as one of the "final" random monsters of the game.

The Boulder Beast continues the theme of its predecessor, but is even more dangerous, so continue dealing with groups of it with Mercury Psynergy and maybe Venus and Jupiter Psynergy if necessary.

Raging Rock
A Raging Rock is a brown variant with violet feet. Statistically, this monster has 186 HP, 20 PP, 312 Attack, 180 Defense, 173 Agility, and 6 Luck. In terms of resistance, it has a Mars Resistance rating of 193, a Venus and Jupiter Resistance rating of 100 each, and a Mercury Resistance rating of 25, and in regards to its abilities it uses its available Mars-based attacks with a Mars power rating of 125 and its available Venus-based attacks with a Venus power rating of 95.

A Raging Rock can use the following battle commands:
 * Fiery Blast: Used 4 out of 8 times, this is a Psynergy spell that creates a large lava-like explosion, dealing a Mars-based attack with a power rating of 110 and a range of 5. It consumes 19 of its user's PP, meaning it can only use this once in a given battle.
 * Headbutt: Used 2 out of 8 times, this is a Monster Skill where the monster charges forward shrouded in glowing red aura and rams a targeted Adept, dealing a Venus-based attack equal to its normal physical attack with an additional 60 damage points.
 * Attack: Used 1 out of 8 times, this is this monster's standard physical attack.
 * Dynamite: Used 1 out of 8 times, this is a Monster Skill where the monster leaps forward into the party and disappears in a massive explosion, dealing a Venus-based attack with a power rating of 200 and a range of 3. This 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).

Felling a Raging Rock yields 401 Experience Points and 209 Coins, and there is a 1/32 chance the monster will randomly drop a Vial. If it is felled by the effect of an offensive Mercury Djinni, its rewards increase to 521 EXP and 271 Coins, and the chance it will randomly drop its item becomes 1/8. In The Lost Age it is battled at Magma Rock.

The Raging Rock continues the theme of its predecessors in much the same way, though its HP is even lower. The fact that by the time you fight it you have a total of eight Adepts in your party lowers its threat value somewhat even if it uses Dynamite, and it should be very easy to dispatch before it can use Dynamite regardless.