Trials of Mana: Secret Post-Game Boss Fight Tips & Tricks

The recent remake of Trials of Mana is by no means a brief affair. The polished-and-shined redesign of the 1995 Japanese original clocks in at an estimated 25-30 hours, keeping it on par with the lengths of modern-made RPGs (though somewhat shorter than the monstrous length now standard for Square Enix titles). It is no surprise where this length comes from – with a system that offers clear rewards for grinding, a host of characters with their own diverse, unique classes to choose and modify, and a swath of unlockable hidden abilities, Trials lends itself to thorough playthroughs that require a solid time investment. For the completionist, ending the main game with the full gamut of party members and collectibles marks a substantial achievement.

Just getting through the storyline, however, does not constitute a game over. One of the selling points of Trials of Mana is its robust post-game playability. Many features only present themselves after the key questlines have been wrapped up; there are more Goddess Scales to respec characters, the opening of 4th tier character classes, and, notably, the return of a villain whose shadow hangs over the Mana world as a whole: the evil witch Anise. The primary antagonist of the previous two titles in the series returns as a menacing boss, testing players’ abilities and the parties they have built up to this final point in the game. This guide gives players the tips and tricks needed to tackle the wicked witch, covering recommended preparations and strategies for the phases of the fight. It’s time to gather up some Rainbow Seeds and jump into the fight.

Trials of Mana: Preparing for the Post-Game Boss

Anise is never going to be an easy fight, but there are some key bits of planning that players can do to help even the field a bit. First, level is a consideration. Anise is a level 75-76 enemy – players will want to make sure their party is brought up to at least this point. Anise’s Stockade, the area leading up to the boss, is a great area to grind up to this point if it is not already reached. Take time facing down the slightly lower-leveled hordes here to bring up experience and gather what loot can be found from the minions. Additionally, on top of the requisite healing items, it is wise to stock up on a varied array of stat boosts, elemental buffs, and, perhaps most importantly, gear that provides status effect protection or immunity. Anise wields an imposing range of debilitating status attacks that are hard to avoid, so mitigation of lasting problems is really the name of the game.

Additionally, it is preferable to unlock the final tier for character classes before confronting Anise. The 4th tier allows that last little bit of specialization that can make characters truly dangerous, and danger is what is needed for this confrontation. Players should choose the party members they intend to bring to the final fight and follow up on the Sphere quests given upon completion of the main game to obtain the item required to unlock the final tier of their respective character class arcs. This can eat both time and healing items (most of these sub-missions ends in a boss battle), but the risk is worth the reward. Don’t be afraid to respec at this point – the Goddess Scales found in Anise’s Stockade means an opportunity to make exactly the party desired for the challenge ahead. Get ready, then head to the end of Anise’s Stockade and on through to her boss room.

The Witch: Anise Phase One in Trials of Mana

The first form you will face Anise in is a human-like witch form. While not physically imposing, this form is incredibly quick with a versatile range of attacks – she will take full advantage of a teleportation ability to bounce around the arena while dropping some devastating area of effect spells that can deal serious damage to the entire party. A lot of this stage is going to be about getting damage out quickly and selectively.

The first focus in this fight should be the elemental crystals scattered around the arena. These crystals do double duty for Anise, both giving her access to a suite of upper-level elemental spells and increasing her defensive attributes, reducing the amount of damage the player can deal with the already evasive target. Break down the crystals first, making sure all four are shattered before rushing in after Anise herself to take full advantage of the slightly weakened state. She will re-summon the crystals throughout the fight – be sure the smack them back down quickly when they show up to keep an edge over the witch. Capitalize on the long wind-ups to her attacks and whittle down her health bar until the second phase kicks off.

The Dragon: Anise’s Second Phase in Trials of Mana

The second phase of the fight is where things begin to get tricky. Anise transforms into a massive dragon with some massive improvements – the dragon form is substantially faster and hits a lot harder, including some vicious new attacks that require quick and careful dodging to avoid. It is at this point of transformation that players should break out the boosts and buffs brought along for the battle. While the witch was tough, the dragon is a lot more dangerous – getting her out quickly can save a lot of grief that comes along with a protracted battle with something as challenging as this latter form.

By far the deadliest attack in the dragon’s arsenal is Scarlet Dust. The attack is telegraphed by Anise summoning Dark Crystals around herself. When the player sees this, it is imperative that they focus all efforts on getting the crystals destroyed. If successful, Anise will be temporarily stunned, giving players an opportunity to unleash some massive hits on this even more elusive version of the boss as well as allowing some breathing room for healing and recovery. If unsuccessful, the only option is to max out party health as fast as possible – the massive explosion that follows is nigh impossible to dodge and can be fatal to already injured characters.

Beyond this, the dragon section will rely heavily on avoidance. Anise has several attacks that cause her to disappear from the arena. When this happens, keep an eye out for red markers appearing in the room – a red line indicates the path of a charge attack to get away from, while a single mark indicates the center of an Annihilate blast to dodge. If neither of these appears, keep an eye out for an incoming beam attack – while fairly easy to dodge over, it can do harm if left unchecked. Generally, just keep an eye on the ground – when red circles appear, get back to avoid getting slammed with attacks that can freeze, petrify, or poison party members. As long as players stay on their toes and keep capitalizing on broken crystal stuns, the dragon can be subdued, closing the book on a deadly enemy.

The two forms of Anise are an iconic part of the Mana series and a great close to a lengthy game experience. Even this is not the end, however; defeating Anise opens up the New Game + option, allowing players to restart with a whole horde of new challenges, and, for many, there is still a particularly vicious bunny to be dealt with. Even this end is just another trial to be faced, beaten, and learned from.

Trials of Mana is available now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC.

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