Final Fantasy Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Template:Sideicon

The Preying Mantis is an insect/mantis-type enemy from Final Fantasy XII. It can be found in the Feywood. This enemy has two out of the three items needed to sell to the bazaar in order to synthesize the Orochi: the second strongest ninja sword.

Bestiary entry

Page 1: Observations

Being a strain of killer mantis bearing four pairs of large wings upon its back. Though the wings have atrophied, a flight membrane spanning the legs suggests that these creatures were once able to fly. They are carnivorous by nature, and very aggressive, attacking with their blood red sickles held high. Many villagers call them demons, hungry for blood, and tell tales of them to scare children at night.

Page 2: A Curious Treasure

One popular theory goes that the wind carries within its gossamer folds invisible sickles, apt to swirl and cut men's flesh. When these sickles are bared, the sound of slicing wind is heard in the air, and the body is suddenly ripped and torn. As no blood comes from the cuts, and there is no pain, many are they who have died without knowing aught was wrong. People call these unseen threats the sickle-blades.

Stats

Gallery

Etymology

Mantises is an order of insects that contains over 2,400 species and about 430 genera in 15 families worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. Most are in the family Mantidae. A common name, often applied to any species in the order, is "praying mantis" due to the typical "prayer-like" posture with folded fore-limbs, although the eggcorn "preying mantis" is sometimes used in reference to their predatory habits. In Europe and other regions, however, the name "praying mantis" refers to only a single species, Mantis religiosa.

Related enemies

Advertisement