Poseidon

Poseidon is a mythical figure in Weyard’s past and serves as a boss in Golden Sun: The Lost Age. Among boss monsters he serves a notable influence upon plot progression. He resembles the classic image of king Triton.

As a boss

Poseidon is invulnerable to all forms of attack until the Trident is used.

Poseidon blocks the way into Lemuria and ensures that you cannot enter the place until you’ve thoroughly explored and completed the entire Great Eastern Sea. Otherwise, you’d be able to enter Lemuria as soon as you first acquire the Lemurian Ship. Poseidon achieves this not because of being too tough a boss; it’s that in battle, no attack whatsoever can damage him because of an impenetrable force field that guards him. Only using the completed Trident of Ankohl as an item can remove the force field of Poseidon, after which it becomes a normal boss battle that can be completed. The Trident can only be completed through thorough journeying and event completion around the Great Eastern Sea. On a related note, Poseidon can be encountered in the Monster Battle mode, but fortunately he does not possess this invincibility.

• HP: 4905
• PP: 162
• Attack: 302
• Defense: 100
• Agility: 185
• Luck: 47
• Turns: 2
• Mercury Power: 115
• Venus Resistance: 100
• Mars Resistance: 25
• Jupiter Resistance: 100
• Mercury Resistance: 100
• Additional Abilities: Damage Immunity (removed by using Trident)
• EXP: 2930
• Coins: 3762
• Dropped Items: Psy Crystal (guaranteed)

Arsenal

• Attack: This is this monster's standard physical attack, which is closely connected to the monster skill detailed below:
• Counter-rush: A unique monster skill that always acts first if Poseidon decides to use it in a given turn. A brief blue watery effect ensues at Poseidon's position (resembling the swirling water effect that occurs at the point of impact during the Froth Spiral Psynergy). For the rest of the turn, any time an attack attempt or Psynergy attempt is made on Poseidon by an Adept (can be anything: an Unleash, a debuff like Impair, a miss, a Summon...), Poseidon automatically attacks the Adept in question with a standard physical attack. All of this works whether Poseidon's force field is up or down. This goes a long way to making Poseidon the dangerous boss he is, since on a turn where one of his battle commands is Counter-rush, if all four Adepts attack or do anything else to him, all four of them will end up whacked physically, and that's in addition to whatever is his "normal second move" he would perform that turn. On a side-note, in battle mode, if the player uses Mold on him while he uses counter-rush, he will take damage, then attack himself due to Mold's effect.

Poseidon using the visually sophisticated Watery Grave attack against Felix's party.

• Deluge: This is a Psynergy spell that rains down an array of watery spheres on the party, dealing a Mercury-based attack with a power rating of 120 and a range of 5. This ability consumes 20 of its user's PP.
• Ice Missile: This is a Psynergy spell that shoots a prolonged mass of spiked ice into the positions of the Adepts, dealing a Mercury-based attack with a power rating of 160 and a range of 3. This ability consumes 23 of its user's PP.
• Ocean Fist: This is a monster skill where Poseidon engulfs and launches a targeted Adept within a colossal, screen-filling, bluish-white tornado-like spout of water (large enough to give the impression that it has to affect the entire party), either dealing a non-elemental attack (ironically NOT Mercury-based) equal to its normal physical attack with an additional 50 damage points or reducing the Adept's HP meter down to 1.
• Ply Well: This is a Psynergy spell that restores Poseidon's own HP by roughly 200.
• Typhoon Blow: This is a monster skill where Poseidon raises his trident to project an array of watery spheres at the Adepts, dealing a Mercury-based attack with a power rating of 150 and a range of 3 (the Adepts on either side of the targeted Adept will only take 50% of the attack's force, instead of the normal 80%, however).
• Watery Grave: This is a monster skill where the camera swivels to behind Poseidon as he summons a large wave presented as a 3D-effect to wash over the opposing party, dealing a non-elemental attack (ironically NOT Mercury-based) with a power rating of 130 and a range of All. In addition there is a good chance that each affected Adept will be instantly drowned, thus dead.

Strategies

Strategy 1 - Making Use of Combinations

Jenna learns Serpent Fume at level 26, so training the party to that level may make this battle easier. Also, if all six possible Venus Djinn have been obtained at this point in the story, Felix can use the immensely powerful Odyssey in battle, the only disadvantage being that it doesn't capitalize on Poseidon's weakness to Mars-based attacks. Other ways to take advantage of this weakness would be to utilize the Pierrot's Juggle (Mars-based) abilities, or redistributing one or two Mars Djinn to each character, which may permit some unique strategies. By this point in the game, the player can have the first twenty-four Djinn available, six of each element, meaning a variety of options are available. Most efficient may be to put one Djinn of each element On Standby, allowing for two Barbarians and two Savants - have the Brutes spam Planet Diver against Poseidon, while the Savants heal using Wish Well as necessary or attack with Plasma or their physical attacks. Another option is to use four tri-elemental classes, which allows for a more diverse strategy. Ultimately, victory in this fight is a matter of patience and care - make sure nobody's HP goes too low, and Poseidon will go down eventually.

Strategy 2 - Strategic Win

• Suggested Level: 26 (Especially Jenna)
• Suggested Pysnergy: Healing Aura, Serpent Fume, Odyssey,  High Impact, Resist
• Suggested Items: Trident
• Party: Felix, Jenna, Sheba, Piers (equipped with the Trident)
• Suggested Djinn Combination: Monoelemental Djinns each (preferrably 6 Venus Djinns for Felix)
• Strategy on Beginning Party:
  • Felix defends at first turn to let Piers use the Trident on Poseidon. Afterwards, he can focus on pummeling Poseidon with Odyssey or normal attacks. If someone needs healing, he can use Cure Well (below Level 26) or Potent Cure (Level 26 or above). If anyone dies because of a barrage of attacks from Poseidon or because of Watery Grave, he can use Revive. Make sure he does not run out of PP for he is very fundamental because he is the only one who can cast Revive.
  • Jenna should focus on casting Healing Aura if needed, otherwise, Serpent Fume. If Felix dies, she can use an available reviving Djinn. Do not use too much Serpent Fume for Jenna is essential in healing.
  • Sheba should focus on maximizing the casting of Resist and High Impact to boost the Party's resistances to Mercury attacks. She can also carry any healing items necessary. After maximizing her Psynergy, Sheba can focus on attacking normally or casting Psynergy. After the party's status returns to normal, she can either focus on casting Ward on herself and Jenna, and Impact on Felix.
  • Piers should be the one to carry the Trident for it grants 20 more Mercury Power. He should use it on Poseidon for the first turn. He can either attack Poseidon, or keep using the Trident. If the Trident deals much more damage than normal attacks, then the latter option is more preferred.
• Added Information:
  • Poseidon is a serious boss, so serious preparation is needed.
  • If your level is high enough, there's actually nothing to worry about.

Background and Story

Poseidon appears in a maelstrom before the party's ship after the ship crosses the labyrinth of whirlpools and rushing currents that surround the Sea of Time.

Poseidon is an entity that has long slumbered within the depths of the Sea of Time, near Lemuria. According to NPCs in The Lost Age, Poseidon was once the "true rightful king of the seas" far in the past (perhaps Weyard's ancient past), and is apparently the "Sea God" that the Shrine of the Sea God in Indra is dedicated to. Further details to Poseidon's apparently important role in Weyard's ancient history are not provided. By the present age he has become a mindless monster that would cause terror if he wakes up.

At the end of Golden Sun and the beginning of The Lost Age, Mercury Lighthouse and Venus Lighthouse have been lit. This is what causes Poseidon to awake, and he in turn generates the large tidal wave at the start of the second game, the one that indirectly drives Piers out of Lemuria. As The Lost Age progresses, Poseidon is the reason why Felix and Piers are not able to enter Lemuria until much later in their journey across Weyard, when they have achieved the reconstruction of the legendary weapon, the Trident of Ankohl, needed to do combat with Poseidon properly.

Poseidon is eventually defeated by Felix's party when they attempt to sail into Lemuria, with the Trident of Ankohl in tow. Using the weapon, they break apart Poseidon's aura of invulnerability, and proceed to engage in a fierce battle until Poseidon is destroyed.

Etymology

Origin: Greece

In Greek mythology, Poseidon was the King of the Sea and one of the original 6 gods and goddesses in the Greek Pantheon. He was commonly depicted as carrying a trident, which the game provides a sense of irony for, as the tool that ultimately leads to his downfall is the trident. Poseidon was the brother of Zeus and Hades in Greek mythology. Poseidon was referred to as Neptune in Roman mythology. Interestingly, Poseidon appeared as a boss in Golden Sun: The Lost Age whereas his Roman counterpart (Neptune) appeared as a summon in both games and could even be used against Poseidon.