The Marauder waits inside Marauder Cave, a cliff cave right beside Grandport Harbor whose card recommends Level 15. It reads Lv.15 with 48,000 HP on one info card, and both result screens we checked paid 500 EXP, 750 gil, 45 MRP and a Turbo Ether. The Antlion fight starts at a sandy hollow in the desert, by a sign that reads 'BEWARE THE ANTLION! Cross by chocobo only!'; walking onto the sand on foot starts it. Libra showed it as Lv.20 when we met it, and creators warn that it counters physical attacks. Its result screens paid 300 EXP and a Mist Potion, with 2,400 or 3,120 gil depending on bonuses.
Open marked sections to reveal solutions or story details.
Before you start
From creator videos of the public demo uploaded September 5 to October 16, 2026 (Community-reported (video)), several of them on Expert with parties at Lv.14–15, the demo's level cap. Kingy walked into the Antlion in the full game (1.0.1.0) on October 24, 2026, with the party at Lv.10-12, and fled; we haven't fought the Marauder. HP and rewards can differ by difficulty and in the full game.
1
The two optional bosses at a glance
Reveal solution / story details
Creators label both of these optional bosses. Everything here comes from their videos of the public demo, most of them on Expert, apart from the Antlion's level, the earlier objective and our own run-in described below, from our play of the full game.
The Marauder is also the first of 15 Cave Masters; the Cave Masters page lists the rest (later-region spoilers).
The post-game superboss Ultima Weapon has its own page (endgame spoilers).
Spoiler clip · The Marauder's Battle Result · reveal
“Marauder Optional Boss Expert Difficulty - Final Fantasy Resonance” by vanijelli · Sep 5, 2026 · Public demo on Expert per the title, uploaded Sept 5, 2026; demo version not shown
Marauder Cave is a cave in the sandstone cliffs on the coast, with a huge carved stone face beside its entrance. In Zack Siva's video the Kingdom of Grandshelt map puts it right beside Grandport Harbor, and the card at the entrance reads 'Marauder Cave, Recommended Level 15' with a Proceed prompt. The objective there still reads 'Visit Siren', so the cave can be entered while that objective is active; we can't say whether Siren's Tower comes before or after. vanijelli's and Sol Invictus's runs came back later, with 'Ride the ship out of Grandport' showing.
Inside, the Marauder stands in plain view on the cave floor before the battle. Sol Invictus's info card for it reads Lv.15, 48,000 HP and type Humanoid, with no traits, a Turbo Ether as its drop, nothing to steal, an Affinities row with one icon and a Resistances row of five icons, none of which we've matched to names. That video doesn't show its difficulty.
Both result screens we checked paid the same: 500 EXP, 750 gil, 45 MRP and a Turbo Ether. vanijelli's Expert party was Lv.15, 15 and 14, and a 'Magicite Shard x1' box followed back in the cave. Tolkatore, who beat it on Normal, calls it essentially the demo's final boss and advises having everyone at the level-15 cap with Visions at level 5.
“FF RESONANCE Defeat Ogre in Marauder Cave easily on Expert difficulty with this strategy FFR” by Zack Siva · Sep 7, 2026 · Public demo on Expert per the title, Nintendo-style button prompts (Y, +, -, L, R), uploaded Sep 7, 2026; demo version not shown
The Antlion fight starts at a sandy hollow in the desert, near the water, marked by a signpost that reads 'BEWARE THE ANTLION! Cross by chocobo only!' In Zutch Korr's and Sinzar's videos Rain rides up on a chocobo, gets off and walks to the hollow on foot, and the battle starts. Rain's first line calls it 'far stronger than the other monsters around here', and in Zutch Korr's run Lasswell adds that they may not be strong enough yet and that fleeing is an option. The three runs that show the objective all had 'Ride the ship out of Grandport'. In our game it could be fought earlier, while the objective still read 'Find a ship in Grandport'.
None of the creator frames we checked shows the Antlion's level, but in our game Libra read 'Antlion Lv.20', as creators' titles and Zutch Korr's description say. On its turns the videos show moves named Quicksand and Digestive Fluid.
Three creators warn that it punishes physical attacks. vanijelli's description says counter abilities on Rain and Lasswell are the only way to deal physical damage without being countered, Zutch Korr's says it counterattacks physical attacks, and Buso Krenix's advises Heal, Protect and Water damage with no physical attacks. We haven't seen its weakness panel, so treat the Water tip as one creator's advice. vanijelli's on-screen note also says not to attack it while it's sleeping, and to heal and buff instead.
Both result screens we checked paid 300 EXP and a Mist Potion. vanijelli's Expert run got 2,400 gil and 45 MRP; Sol Invictus's got 3,120 gil with an Overkill Bonus and 59 MRP with a Stagger Finish Bonus.
We walked into it by accident in the full game on October 24, on foot, in a sandy hollow on the low ground south-west of the desert's central mesa, near a small inlet; we didn't see the sign on that approach. Rain and Lasswell were Lv.12 and Fina Lv.10, and Libra showed one affinity, hidden behind a question mark. Our first Escape, on Lasswell's turn, didn't get us out, and the Antlion's next hit took him from 716 to 195 HP. Escape was greyed out on Rain's turn that round. The Antlion's following move knocked out Lasswell and Fina and cut Rain from 1,007 to 680 HP. On Rain's next turn Escape was available again and worked, so we have no result screen. Lasswell and Fina stayed KO'd after the battle until we used Phoenix Downs.
“FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE | Antlion Expert Mode [Level 20 Optional Boss]” by Zutch Korr · Sep 7, 2026 · Public demo on Expert per the title, PlayStation button prompts, uploaded Sep 7, 2026; demo version not shown
Sources · 12Reported · Walkthrough · checked 26 Oct 2026 · Research checked 24 Oct 2026
Kingy play test: Final Fantasy Resonance full game, demo save transfer to Felicitas ↗First-hand play of the full game on Steam (app 3259780, Steam build 24250053, title screen 1.0.1.0) on the same Windows 11 PC and Steam account as the October 21 and 22 demo tests, keyboard, Normal difficulty, October 24, 2026. Covers the first launch of the full game with demo saves on the PC (automatic transfer), loading the demo autosave after Hell's Rider, the rest of the capital (shops and pickups), the sub-quest Dream of an Idealist from start to reward, Fina joining, the desert crossing to the Village of Kol and its chocobos, and the road to the Town of Felicitas and its equipment shop, with the party at Lv.9-11 and Fina at Lv.6-10. Screenshots of the game window, other windows masked; story cutscenes were skipped with the skip key. Play then went on that afternoon and evening through the Kolobos Ruins and its boss, The Hunger (party Lv.11, Fina Lv.9), back to Felicitas, its item shop and the start of the sub-quest Secrets Unearthed. Later that evening: Secrets Unearthed through to its reward, the desert crossing to Grandport Harbor (party Lv.12, Fina Lv.10-11), an optional Antlion battle we fled, Grandport's shops and notice board, the ship's captain who sets 'Visit Siren', and the sub-quest The Weight of Mercy from start to reward; Tronn's and Leah's Vision Details screens were read again. Play then reached the Grandport inn and the first floors of Siren's Tower (party Lv.11-13), where Leah reached Mastery Rank 6. Late that night: the rest of Siren's Tower, Gilgamesh (party Lv.13/13/12), Siren (Lv.14/14/13), the Moogle of Light in Grandport, the end of Chapter 1 and the start of Chapter 2 on Dirnado (Lv.15); from Siren's Tower onward, cutscene dialogue was read on screen. Later still: The Weight of Mercy completed in Felicitas, and its reward, the Iwakirimaru, inspected in Lasswell's weapon list; the tooltips of the weapons the party was wearing (Crimson Saber, Shiden, Reincarnation; likely their starting weapons, not confirmed) were read on the Equipment & Abilities screen. Fina on joining (Lv.6): Role Medic, skills Shining Arrow, Cure and Esuna, Limit Burst Holy Ray (Light magic damage to all enemies, scaling with sanctity). Played October 24-25, 2026: Chapter 2 on Dirnado from the landing pier to Dilmagia (shops, the Gather information leads, the shipyard), Lid joining at Lv.11, and Mt. Thunderclap (Recommended Level 13) through its paid 'easy route' to the boss Liquid Thunder (Lv.13); party Lv.15, Lid Lv.11-12, Fina Lv.14-15. The normal (unpaid) route over the mountain was explored for about 25 minutes without finding the way up, so it is not mapped. We used Shiney's video to find the boss's spot after not finding it ourselves. Played October 25, 2026: the Dwarven Forge (Borin, its layout, shops, inn, Moogle of Light, chest and back exit), the Mom Bomb fight (Lv.14) with our first Esper summon (Siren), the two Dirnado Sanctums of Light for the Zidane and Noctis Visions, Zidane's first awakening, and the world-map road to the Mobliz Shipyard (card Recommended Level 16) as far as its entrance scene and the Security Eye fight; party Lv.16-17, Lid Lv.13-14. We used Shiney's video for the Mom Bomb trigger spot and the Forge's back exit after not finding them ourselves, and to see the approach to the second sanctum. Played October 25, 2026: the rest of the Mobliz Shipyard (entrance hall, portrait hall save point, the offline centre elevator, the west lift, the generator-room power switch, the floor numbers 5, 3 and 8, Borin on the roof, the lever room and lever 16, the blocked portrait hall, the Epimetheus event fight, the cargo-train tunnel with Evan and Mechabo, and the Adrastea boss fight, Lv.16), ending at the Dwarven Forge tunnel and the objective 'Go to the Wind Shrine'; party Lv.16-18 and Lid Lv.14-16. The power switch was found and used in game. Later on October 25, 2026 (party Lv.18): the Forge corridor scene with Verun and the Chapter 2 sub-quests Arise, Mechabo! (completed), Lyrical Riddles (completed, including the Mobliz Shipyard portraits and the old man in Dilmagia) and the start of Mechabo Evolved (accepted, no hunt done), plus Quick Heal, field Phoenix Down use and the Dwarven Forge inn. Played October 25, 2026: the world-map road from the Mobliz Shipyard to the Wind Shrine (area card Recommended Level 18), the shrine's entrance scene, its lamps, lifts and floating pads, the route from the entrance to the save balcony (walked three times), the Tsukiyo no Tachi chest, the shrine's enemies, both save points and their menu, the Dwarven Forge restock, the Wind Crystal scene, Aether (Lv.18; lost twice, won on the third attempt) and the scene after him, then (October 26) Dilmagia, the rooftop scene with Lid, the Chapter 2 complete card and the airship deck up to Lid's Strength +3 box; party Lv.18-20 and Lid Lv.18-19. We never saw an HP number for Aether, and we did not test Wind against him or what Sylph's Tiara does. We used Shiney's video only as a cross-check for one staircase and to see a route we could not make connect. Played October 26, 2026 (same Steam install, Normal difficulty, keyboard; party Lv.19-22): the end of Chapter 2 in Dilmagia, the crash and the start of Chapter 3 on the Olderion Federation world map, Olderion (arrival, inn and save point, The Drofox Gazette Vol. 3, the leads, the jump-rope girl, Nichol on the canal pier), the road to the Cave of Waters (Recommended Level 20), Nichol joining and his two tutorials, the cave's boat rooms (Magicite Shard, Shuriken x3, Ice Scroll I x2 and Ninja Gear chests, two Tablet Shards, the pre-boss save point), Nichol's Lv.20 level-up screen, Fina's Lv.21 level-up screen and Noctis's Mastery Rank 5 screen, and five attempts at the Cave of Waters boss, Wave Lopros (four lost, the fifth won at party Lv.22 with Lasswell, Fina, Nichol and Rain; the result screen, rewards and level-ups were read in game). Later that day: the way out of the cave, Lid's Level Up screen at Lv.22, then Olderion again after the boss: the scene with Nichol and Luka, the Moogle of Light's Vision Enhancement screen, the three purification spots, the Olderion Tablet Shard, the scene with El, the point-of-no-return warning for Old Town and, after it, the first forced fight in Old Town against a Ribosome and two small monsters (the Old Town card reads Recommended Level 21). Then, still on October 26 (party Lv.22-24): the rest of Old Town with the party split (Rain, Fina and Lid), four more street fights including the Ogre Mage, an Ether chest, the Old Town save point and the soldier beside it, and the Water Dragon (two lost attempts and a win on the third; the defeat screen, the result screen and the growth screen were read in game), the story scenes after it and the objective 'Go to Lake Dorr'; plus Lid's Level Up screen at Lv.23, the Equipment & Abilities screens and Vision pickers for Rain, Fina and Lid, and the skill texts of Lid and Fina. Then, still on October 26 (party Lv.23-24): the Lake Dorr route (the Cave of Waters crystal chamber scene, the ladder shaft and its Tablet Shard, the world-map walk to Lake Dorr and its area card, Recommended Level 23), Leviathan (Lv.23; lost once with it near 30% HP, won on the second attempt after Retry; the result screen was read in game), the scenes after it and the growth screen, then Olderion again (Lid's scene, the quest-log summary and the inn) and the long Archwitch Fina story sequence. We skipped most of that sequence's text and rely on the quest-log summary for the twist, and we saw no playable battle in it. Last came the new goal 'Go to Waterfall Way', Archwitch Fina's Party screen at Lv.24 and the in-game texts of eight of her skills. We then played Waterfall Way to the Altar on October 26: the route and its two Tablet Shards, the Altar scene, the entrance link, four fights including Destroyer (Lv.24), Olderion's item and weapon prices, the Level 2 Limit Burst tutorial and more of Archwitch Fina's skill texts. We stopped before Warden's Cape. The Olderion inn price, its save point and the gondola Sailor's destinations were also noted. For the route we also glanced at text guides (RPG Site, Game8) that agree with the chest contents; they are not our evidence.Reported ·
FF RESONANCE Defeat Ogre in Marauder Cave easily on Expert difficulty with this strategy FFR ↗Community-reported (video), not a Kingy play test. Video Mo8S8y9L30o, uploaded September 7, 2026 (US Pacific date): the public demo on Expert per the title, with Nintendo-style button prompts (Y, +, -, L, R); demo version not shown. Frames checked October 24 at 0:00–0:03 (Rain at a cliff cave beside a huge carved face, objective 'Visit Siren', card 'Marauder Cave, Recommended Level 15' with a Proceed prompt), 0:05–0:07 (Kingdom of Grandshelt map, the cursor beside 'Grandport Harbor') and 0:32–0:33 (the Marauder standing on the cave floor, objective 'Visit Siren').Walkthrough ·
Marauder Full Fight! | Final Fantasy Resonance ↗Community-reported (video), not a Kingy play test. Video st6fnSqrSD4, uploaded September 6, 2026: the public demo with Xbox button prompts and a facecam overlay; difficulty and demo version not shown. Frames checked October 24 at 0:08 (the Marauder on a cave floor, objective 'Ride the ship out of Grandport'), 1:00 (info card: Marauder Lv.15, HP 48000/48000, type Humanoid, a Resistances row of five icons, no traits, Items Dropped 'Turbo Ether', nothing stealable) and 21:10 (Battle Result: 500 EXP, 750 gil, 45 MRP, Turbo Ether x1).Walkthrough ·
Marauder Optional Boss Expert Difficulty - Final Fantasy Resonance ↗Community-reported (video), not a Kingy play test. Video CGYrK_lCWZI, uploaded September 5, 2026: the public demo on Expert per the title, with keyboard prompts; demo version not shown. Frames checked October 24 at 0:05 (Rain Lv.15 on the equipment screen), 1:15 (the cave, objective 'Ride the ship out of Grandport'), 13:06 (Battle Result: 500 EXP, 750 gil, 45 MRP, Turbo Ether x1), 13:08 (Growth: Rain and Lasswell Lv.15, Fina Lv.14) and 13:15 ('Magicite Shard x1' box over the cave).Walkthrough ·
Final Fantasy Resonance - How to Defeat the Marauder in the Marauder Cave ↗Community-reported (video), not a Kingy play test. Video EaMcJBuoLnE, uploaded October 16, 2026. Its description, read October 24, says the run was on Normal, calls the Marauder essentially the demo's final boss and advises every character at level 15 with Visions at level 5. Frame checked October 24 at 1:00 (save list: slot 03 reads Chapter 1, 'Kingdom of Grandshelt', Lv.15, Normal; slots 01 and 02 read Grandport Harbor, Lv.14).Walkthrough ·
FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE | Antlion Expert Mode [Level 20 Optional Boss] ↗Community-reported (video), not a Kingy play test. Video loWb1cVXlfw, uploaded September 7, 2026: the public demo on Expert per the title, with PlayStation button prompts; demo version not shown. Its description, read October 24, says the Antlion is level 20 and counterattacks physical attacks. Frames checked October 24 at 0:02 (Kingdom of Grandshelt map), 0:05–0:17 (Rain on a chocobo in the desert by a sandy hollow near the water, objective 'Ride the ship out of Grandport'), 0:20 (sign: 'BEWARE THE ANTLION! Cross by chocobo only!'), 0:21 (Examine prompt), 0:23 (Rain on foot on the sand), 0:24 (battle transition), 0:27 (Rain: 'This thing's far stronger than the other monsters around here...') and 0:30 (Lasswell: they may not have the strength yet, and fleeing is an option).Walkthrough ·
Antlion the Non-Boss? | Final Fantasy Resonance DEMO ↗Community-reported (video), not a Kingy play test. Video zm7P5XjWDHM, uploaded September 10, 2026: the public demo; difficulty and demo version not shown. Frames checked October 24 at 0:10 (Rain on a chocobo in the desert by the same sandy hollow, objective 'Ride the ship out of Grandport'), 0:25–0:40 (on foot, walking to the hollow), 1:15 (battle against the Antlion) and 1:40 ('Quicksand' banner on the Antlion's turn).Walkthrough ·
Antlion Optional Level 20 Boss Expert Difficulty - Final Fantasy Resonance ↗Community-reported (video), not a Kingy play test. Video er0jBrehDew, uploaded September 6, 2026: the public demo on Expert per the title, with keyboard prompts; demo version not shown. Its description, read October 24, says Rain and Lasswell need counter abilities, the only way to deal physical damage to the Antlion without being countered. Frames checked October 24 at 1:34 (Rain: 'far stronger than the other monsters around here'), 5:00 (the uploader's on-screen note: don't attack it while it's sleeping, heal or buff instead), 6:00 ('Digestive Fluid' banner) and 13:34 (Battle Result: 300 EXP, 2,400 gil, 45 MRP, Mist Potion x1).Walkthrough ·
Antlion Full Fight! | Final Fantasy Resonance ↗Community-reported (video), not a Kingy play test. Video OMfoajOwdBA, uploaded September 6, 2026: the public demo with Xbox button prompts and a facecam overlay; difficulty and demo version not shown. Frames checked October 24 at 0:20 (desert, objective 'Ride the ship out of Grandport') and 21:30 (Battle Result: 300 EXP, 3,120 gil with an Overkill Bonus, 59 MRP with a Stagger Finish Bonus, Mist Potion x1).Walkthrough ·
Ant Lion Lvl 20 Boss Fight | Expert | Final Fantasy Resonance Demo ↗Community-reported (video), not a Kingy play test. Video dqWpFRVd9kM, uploaded September 5, 2026. Used only for its description, read October 24: use Heal, Protect and Water damage and avoid physical attacks. No frames used.Walkthrough ·
Final Fantasy Resonance - All 15 Cave Master Locations (The Harder They Fall Trophy) ↗Community-reported (video), not a Kingy play test. Video rL-ycHxfEFM, uploaded October 22, 2026, recorded mostly on a Chapter 8 save (HUD 'Chapter 8 - Beyond Hope'; the Marauder segment shows 'Chapter 1 - Tailing the Truth'), with the uploader's numbered card for each boss; its description says all 15 are needed for the trophy 'The Harder They Fall'. Frames checked October 24 for each boss's world-map region and the fast-travel entry or area card with its recommended level: Marauder 0:00 (Kingdom of Grandshelt, 15; 'Magicite Shard x1' after the fight at 0:36), Shoggoth 0:40 (Dirnado, the Continent of Wind, 25), Rukh 1:15 (Olderion Federation, 26; 'Magicite Shard x1' at 1:46), Mindflayer 1:52 (Olderion Federation, 28; Growth screen at 2:26 with the party at Lv.64), Gogmagog 2:35 (Zoldaad Empire Territory, 34), Pyroviper 3:09 (Zoldaad Empire Territory, 37), Salome 3:48 (Mysidia, the Uncharted Land, 39), Jotunn 4:26 (Mysidia, the Uncharted Land, 42), Malboro Varietas 5:02 (Olderion Federation, 45; Battle Result at 5:30 with a Stagger Finish Bonus on MRP and 'Mist X-Ether', then 'Magicite x1' at 5:34), Tartarosaurus 5:38 (Kingdom of Pharm, 50; 'Magicite Cryst x1' at 6:12), Catacumba 6:16 (Gronoa, the Shuttered Land, 54), Necromonarch 6:56 (Gronoa, the Shuttered Land, 55), Humbaba 7:38 (Gronoa, the Shuttered Land, 55; Mastery Rank Up at 8:28), Titanoraidos 8:36 (Kingdom of Pharm, 60) and Malboro Menace 9:26 (Kingdom of Pharm, 60; Growth screen at 10:06 with the party at Lv.65).Walkthrough ·
Final Fantasy Resonance All Cave Master Locations (The Harder They Fall Trophy Guide) ↗Community-reported (video), not a Kingy play test. Video o3BDkMJhb9s, uploaded October 21, 2026, which its description says is sponsored by Square Enix; its description also says defeating all 15 earns the trophy 'The Harder They Fall'. Frames checked October 24 for the region map, the fast-travel entry with its level and the area card 'Recommended Level': Marauder 0:12 (Marauder Cave card, 15), Shoggoth 0:21–0:30 (Dirnado, the Continent of Wind, 25), Rukh 0:42 (Olderion Federation, 26), Mindflayer 1:06 (Olderion Federation, 28), Gogmagog 1:28–1:40 (Zoldaad Empire Territory, 34), Pyroviper 1:52 (37), Salome 2:14 (Mysidia, 39), Jotunn 2:38 (Mysidia), Malboro Varietas 2:56–3:16 (Olderion Federation, 45; the target label reads 'Malboro Varietas' with 'Lv.45' beside it), Catacumba 3:19–3:28 (Gronoa, 54), Tartarosaurus 3:42–3:52 (Kingdom of Pharm, 50), Necromonarch 4:08–4:18 (Gronoa, 55), Humbaba 4:28 (Gronoa, 55), Titanoraidos 4:50–5:02 (Kingdom of Pharm, 60) and Malboro Menace 5:12–5:22 (Kingdom of Pharm, 60).Walkthrough ·
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13:03–13:17 · 14 sThe Marauder's Battle Result
0:00–0:07 · 7 sMarauder Cave: the card and its spot beside Grandport Harbor
0:17–0:27 · 10 sAntlion: the 'BEWARE THE ANTLION!' sign, then on foot onto the sand