Doesn't appear to be a thread on this yet and since I'm obsessed with collecting all the rare game for my bestiary I figured I might slap together a compendium of the ones I've gotten to show up so far and get some advance info on the ones that I haven't seen yet (currently having a hell of a time trying to get Midgardsormr to show up). Conveniently, the Brady Games guide seems to have left out the pop conditions for all the rare games not included in the Hunt Club side quest.
Update 11-13: ~27 entries so far, though the thread contains info on a few others I have yet to list I will add them as I encounter them in game. I'm just at the point in the game where I can join the Hunt Club now also, but have yet to start hunting those rare game; that'll add another 30 to the list as I hunt 'em though. As per request, I'll be adding drop, steal, and poach information from the BradyGames guide as well.
* - Denotes monsters available only during the Hunt Club side quest. Once defeated, they will not pop again. They each drop a special "Hunt Trophy" used in the Hunt Club side quest. They will only pop when the side quest is active.
All listed information on dropped, stolen, or poached items is attributed to the official BradyGames guide unless otherwise noted. Drops listed in parenthesis were drops that I've noted getting that aren't listed in the BradyGames guide.
If there is no poach listed, I assume it is because the mob is immune to it (as several high level mobs tend to be).
Barheim Passage
Ithuno, Level 41-42, Special Op Sector 5
-Found it on my first time exploring the higher level section of Barheim Passage, so I'm not sure if there's any special conditions for popping it. Found it close to the west end of the zone. Supposedly it's a random pop. It's a mimic, so it appears as a chest and then attacks when you examine it.
-Drop: Iron Scraps, Iron Ore
-Steal: Deathbringer
*Ishteen, Level 43-44, East-West Bypass/The Zeviah Span
Appears in either the middle of East-West Bypass or the first side path (from the north) on the east side of The Zeviah Span. It's worth stealing a few Souls of Thamasa if you're interested in completing a Tournesol, as farming Overlords can be a pain in the ass.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Bony Trophy
-Steal: Soul of Thamasa
Minibug, Level 46-47, East-West Bypass
-Appears randomly at the east end near where there's a bunch of Mimeos (mimics).
-Drop: Mace of Zeus
-Steal: Wrath of Gods
Cerobi Steppe
*Aspidochelon, Level 42-43, Feddik River
Pops on the west end of the middle "island". If it doesn't appear, zone to The Terraced Bank through North Liavell Hills.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Adamantine Trophy.
-Steal: Scarletite
*Bluesang, Level 42-43, Crossfield
It appears between the two windmills on the western end of the zone. Use Float while fighting it to avoid the myriad of traps in the area where it spawns, or just pull it elsewhere. If it doesnt' appear, go back and forth between Crossfield and The Terraced Bank through Journey's Rest.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Cruel Trophy
-Steal: Damascus Steel
Etherian, Level 42-43, The Northsward
-Kill all the enemies in the zone and it should plop right down on top of you.
-Drop: Green Liquid, Silver Liquid, (Arcana)
-Steal: Ame-no-Murakumo
-Poach: Pebble, Unpurified Ether
Dalmasca Estersand
Ripe Rampager, Level 4-5, Yardang Labyrinth
-Keep killing cactoids and it should show up near the entrance to Outpost.
-Drop: Pebble, Calot Hat
-Steal: Screamroot
-Poach: Pebble, Four-leaf Clover
Nekhbet, Level 5-6, Sand-swept Naze
-Popped pretty randomly for me, may need to kill cockatrices to get it to show up. Popped in the far west; near the entrance to Banks of the Nebra.
-Drop: Small Feather, Wizard's Hat
-Steal: Rainbow Egg
-Poach: Pebble, Small Feather
Greeden, Level 31-32, Banks of the Nebra
-Got it to show up after not very long just by killing everything but the cactoids. It pops along the shores.
-Drop: Braid Wool, Blood Wool
-Steal: Wind Crystal
-Poach: Pebble, Blood Wool
*Terror Tyrant, Level 50-51, Broken Sands
Unless it means that you can have killed the Wild Saurians in The Yoma at any time in the game, it's evidently just a random pop, since I came straight here from Mosphoran Highwastes after killing Gray Molter and it was waiting for me.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Hide-covered Trophy
-Steal: Scathe Mote
Dalmasca Westersand
Lindbur Wolf, Level 16-17, Shimmering Horizons
-Contrary to what the guide indicates, the Lindbur Wolf does not pop in Galtea Downs, but rather in the secluded section of Shimmering Horizons accessed from Galtea Downs. Build up a chain on wolves and it should pop (alternately/also may have to kill the wolves that pop there normally).
Addendum: Confirmed that it appears as soon as you've killed 20 Wolves. Haven't checked whether or not they need to be chained though (when I tested the number I did it as a chain and it popped as soon as I hit 20-Chain right in it's pop area).
-Drop: Wolf Pelt, Prime Pelt
-Steal: Gladius
-Poach: Pebble, Libra Gem
Dustia, Level 17-18, Corridor of Sand
-Pops if one of your characters drops to critical HP within it's pop area, which I think is close to the zone to Wyrm's Nest but I've heard it'll pop anywhere in the zone. I've only seen it during sandstorms, but I doubt that's a condition for it to pop.
-Drop: Book of Ordain, Flame Staff
-Steal: Book of Ordain-Mille
-Poach: Pebble, Capricorn Gem
Fideliant, Level 18-19, The Midfault
-Pops randomly around the middle of the zone. It popped in clear weather for me, so sandstorms are not a prerequisite.
-Drop: Bone Fragment, Heavy Lance
-Steal: Capricorn Gem
-Poach: Pebble, Broken Spear
*Kaiser Wolf, Level 41-42, Corridor of Sand
I'm pretty sure this means you have to kill Lindbur Wolf (regardless of whether or not you have in the past) and then it has a 40% chance of spawning, as I went back and forth between it's pop area and Rabanastre several times without seeing it and it only showed up immediately after killing Lindbur Wolf. I'm unsure if you can kill Lindbur Wolf and then do the 2-zone trick to get it to appear if it doesn't on the first try or if you need to kill Lindbur Wolf for each "40% chance" (for me it appeared first time I checked after killing Lindbur Wolf).Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Fanged Trophy
-Steal: Throat Wolf Blood
Feywood
Crypt Bunny, Level 45-46, Walk of Stolen Truths
-Kill everything in the zone and it should pop up somewhere.
Addendum: On repeat tries at popping it, I have seen it pop while mobs are still up. Evidently it seems to just show up after having killed a certain amount of mobs.
-Drop: Drab Wool, Muramasa, (Arcana)
-Steal: Holy Mote
*Dreadguard, Level 46-47, Walk of Dancing Shadow
There's one of those save point zones in the southeast of Walk of Dancing Shadow, so 2 zones away isn't far if it doesn't appear.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Feathered Trophy
-Steal: Mirror Scale
Juggernaut, Level 46-47, White Magick's Embrace
-Appears randomly. I found him not very far in, along the east wall from the north zone.
-Drop: Lumber, White Mask, (Arcana)
-Steal: Mystletainn
Garamsythe Waterway
Razorfin, Level 4-5, North Spur Sluiceway
-Ran into it while exploring the old areas to get kills for bestiary completion. Was killing everything on the way towards the Royal Palace and didn't have much of a chain. Was waiting right where the path westward turns north towards the Royal Palace. It's likely a random pop.
-Drop: Fish Scale, Iron Sword
-Steal: Water Crystal
-Poach: Pebble, Icthon Scale
Drowned, Level 40-41, No. 4 Cloaca Spur
-Found this one while working on opening the path to Cuchulainn. My guess would be that it's another random one, but it's hard to say for sure.
-Drop: Foul Flesh, Scathe Mote
-Steal: Forbidden Flesh
*Gavial, Level 46-47, No. 10 Channel
May need to run back and forth between the east and west end a few times. Eventually, it'll come charging at you while you're in the west room.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Fur-scaled Trophy
-Steal: Antarctic Wind
Giza Plains
Rain Dancer, Level 23-24, Gizas South Bank (The Rains)
-Pops randomly kinda in the middle on the north half of the zone. However, I've read some things that suggest it's pop area might not be limitted to just that zone.
-Drop: Fish Scale, Icthon Scale
-Steal: Miter
-Poach: Pebble, Dorsal Fin
*Nazarnir, Level 45-46, Starfall Field (The Dry)
It's in the southeast corner.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Maned Trophy
-Steal: Destrier Mane
Golmore Jungle
Grave Lord, Level 24-25, The Rusting Chapel
-Kill everything in the zone and Dark Skeletons will start popping. Eventually Grave Lord will appear in the middle platform (may or may not need chain, just wander around killing Dark Skeletons and checking on the middle platform every so often).
-Drop: Bone Fragment, Diamond Helm
-Steal: Death's Head
-Poach: Pebble, Blood-darkened Bone
Phyllo, Level 24-25, The Branchway
-Pops randomly on that little piece of walkway that juts out about halfway down the southern path (not too far from the stairs).
-Drop: Bat Fang, Spiral Incisor
-Steal: Taurus Gem
-Poach: Pebble, Ras Algethi
Henne Mines
*Melt, Level 48-49, Pithead Junction B
-Drop: Slimy TrophyOriginally Posted by BradyGames
-Steal: Hastega Mote
Lhusu Mines
Aerieel, Level 12-13, Oltam Span
-Seems to show up randomly in that zone. Pops usually at the east end of the bridge.
-Drop: Bat Fang, Golden Armor
-Steal: Bat Wing
-Poach: Pebble, Taurus Gem
Gemhorn, Level 45-46, Site 11
-Kill every mob in the zone (including the mimics, which can be kinda hard to spot) and it will appear in the far west of the un-constructed mine tunnel area (just southwest of where it turns back into ruins). You may need to zone after killing everything to get it to appear.
-Drop: Tanned Hide, Great Axe, (Arcana)
-Steal: Slaven Harness
Disma, Level 59-60, Site 5/Site 6 South
The "marked spots" are basically anywhere Dark Lords spawn.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Accursed Trophy
-Steal: Mirage Vest
Bombshell, Level 60-61, Lasche Span
-Randomly appears in this zone.
-Drop: Yagyu Darkblade, Bomb Ashes
-Steal: Mallet
Mosphoran Highwaste
Grey Molter, Level 34-35, Empyrean Way
-Appears randomly just a little ways up the path beyond where you need floatweed to access.
-Drop: Snake Skin, Prime Tanned Hide
-Steal: Aries Gem
-Poach: Pebble, Serpent Eye
Wary Wolf, Level 34-35, Summit Path
-I found him on literally my first few steps into Summit Path. My guess is he either pops randomly or in a Worgen chain. Found him in the east near the zone to Southern Skirts.
-Drop: Wolf Pelt, Power Armlet
-Steal: Prime Pelt
-Poach: Pebble, Hell-Gate's Flame
*Dheed, Level 49-50, Skyreach Bridge
-Drop: Leathern TrophyOriginally Posted by BradyGames
-Steal: Mirage Vest
Naberus Deadlands
Velulu, Level 46-47, The Fog Mutters
I've confirmed to some satisfaction that this is indeed true. You can manually whack one of your characters till he's in the red and/or dead, heal 'em up, and it should be waiting for you. I've always found him waiting near the zone to Overlooking Eternity. To get to The Fog Mutters, there is a hidden path from the northwest corner of The Slumbermead.Originally Posted by Ziegus
-Drop: Foul Flesh, Save the Queen
-Steal: Capricorn Gem
*Arioch, Level 47-48, The Slumbermead
It's in the southeast corner.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Vengeful Trophy
-Steal: Sage's Ring
Nam-Yensa Sandsea
Imdugud, Level 17-18, Withering Shores
-It's on the secluded section of Withering Shores that must be accessed through Zertinan Caverns (the southwestern entrance to Zertinan Caverns in Ogir-Yensa Sandsea). Wait on the circular platform at the west end for a little while and it'll show up.
-Drop: Large Feather, Windslicer Pinion
-Steal: Shield Armor
-Poach: Pebble, White Incense
Megabomb, Level 18-19, Demesne of the Sandqueen
-Work up a chain on the Urutan-Yensa, for me it popped just west of the northern side of the west bridge going to the small north island in that zone.
-Drop: Bomb Ashes, Bomb Shell
-Steal: Bomb Fragment
-Poach: Pebble, Scorpio Gem
*Victanir, Level 46-47, Yellow Sands
There are three positions it can appear at, near the zone to Zertinan Caverns.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Maverick Trophy
-Steal: Wargod's Band
Necrohol of Nabudis
Helvinek, Level 48-49, Cloister of the Highborn
-It popped on top of me while I was in the midle of getting my ass kicked (was in the middle of fighting an Elvoret when an Oversoul warped in and proceeded to kill all of my party's MP -_-) in about the middle of Cloister of the Highborn. For some odd reason I could actually see it's HP (I didn't even think it was rare game at first), and contrary to what the guide says, it had 99999. Supposedly, it pops after killing a certain amount of Oversouls.
Addendum: The magic number seems to be six. Fought it a number of times now (all in the Cloister of the Highborn, but I wouldn't be surprised if it pops anywhere) and the last few times it has popped right on time after the sixth.
-Drop: Grimoire Togail, Grand Armor, (Arcana)
-Steal: Magick Lamp
*Vorres, Level 49-50, Hall of the Ivory Covenant
If one doesn't show up, you only need to move one zone away to refresh the zone's dark "weather".Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Gravesoil Trophy
-Steal: Soul Powder
Ogir-Yensa Sandsea
Pineapple, Level 16-18, Platform 1 - Refinery
-Pops randomly in that zone. This one took me freaking forever to pop and it's not made any easier by the fact that 2 zones away is a long ways. I ended up just saving in the Westersands entrance to Ogir-Yensa and reloading every time I got there and it wasn't there. It pops near/on the looping section right about in the middle of that zone.
-Drop: Bomb Ashes, Storm Staff
-Steal: Bomb Shell
-Poach: Pebble, Bomb Fragment
Urutan Exile, Level 17-18, Platform 2 - Refinery
This is quite likely correct. It pops on the machine section just before the entrance to Nam-Yensa.Originally Posted by Correction
-Drop: Earth Stone, Osafune
-Steal: Hi-Potion
-Poach: Pebble
*Bull Chocobo, Level 47-48, South Tank Approach
It's down in the sandy area along the south-middle of the zone.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Beaked Trophy
-Steal: Hi-Ether
Ozmone Plain
Aeros, Level 23-24, The Shred
-Appears after killing enemies there, and possibly after having killed the Bull Croc. I did end up popping it right after killing Bull Croc.
-Drop: Crooked Fang, Wyvern Fang
-Steal: Wyvern Wing
-Poach: Pebble, Ashura
Bull Croc, Level 23-24, The Shred
-Pops randomly in the northern section of that zone.
-Drop: Braid Wool, Demon Mail
-Steal: Blood Wool
-Poach: Pebble, Broken Sword
*Killbug, Level 44-45, The Switchback
It's a mimic; appears as a coffer at first.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Metallic Trophy
-Steal: Knot of Rust
Paramina Rift
*Ancbolder, Level 29-30, Karydine Glacier
When I went for Ancbolder, both indeed popped.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Mind Trophy
-Steal: Forbidden Flesh
Anchag, Level 29-30, Karydine Glacier
-Kill everything in the zone and it should pop around the south-middle area. The guide implies it has the same pop conditions as Ancbolder (see above).
-Drop: Festering Flesh, Obelisk
-Steal: Damascus Steel
-Poach: Pebble, Forbidden Flesh
Phon Coast
Apsara, Level 37-38, The Mauleia Strand
-It's either random or you need a 10+ chain on Piranhas. It showed up for me while I had a Piranha chain, but it was a little exhausting as there are none in the zone.
-Drop: Fish Scale, Pisces Gem
-Steal: Empyrean Rod
-Poach: Pebble, Dorsal Fin
*Skullash, Level 37-38, Cape Tialan
It's in the southeast corner.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Clawed Trophy
-Steal: Charger Barding
*Thalassinon, Level 38-39, The Vaddu Strand
From the far edge of the raised area on the east side you'll be able to see it below when it pops.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Shelled Trophy
-Steal: Adamantite
Salikawood
Wood Toad, Level 35-36, Corridor of Ages
-Appeared suddenly about halfway down the off-path near the northern zone to Piebald Path (not the short one just next to the zone). It's invisible and seems to appear if you attack the Malboro King there. Whether or not it appears at all seems to be random.
-Drop: Horn, Platinum Helm
-Steal: Solid Horn
-Poach: Pebble, Frogspawn
*Rageclaw, Level 36-37, Piebald Path
Actually, it'll appear at whichever entrance you're not closest to. I entered from the south, waited at the west exit for a while, then went back to the south exit and there it was.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Sickle Trophy
-Steal: Sickle-Blade
Spee, Level 36-37, Sun-dappled Path
-Kill all the Wyrdhare in the zone and it'll pop at one of the short, dead-end paths.
-Drop: Drab Wool, Blood Wool
-Steal: Stardust
-Poach: Pebble, Claymore
Sochen Cave Palace
Cubus, Level 37-38, Temptation Eluded
-Kill all the enemies in the zone and it should plop right down on top of you. If it doesn't appear, try again.
-Drop: Green Liquid, Holy Mote
-Steal: Silver Liquid
*Anubys, Level 38-39, Mirror of the Soul
If you've gone through the secret room before, you can access it again without having to repeat the process. If you do this, you may need to go back to Falls of Time and then zone back into the secret room in Mirror of the Soul to get it to actually show up.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Ensanguined Trophy
-Steal: Vampyr Fang
*Wendice, Level 38-39, Destiny's March
-Drop: Frigid TrophyOriginally Posted by BradyGames
-Steal: Gemini Gem
Stilshrine of Miriam
Matriarch Bomb, Level 31-32, Ward of the Sword-King (kinda)
-This one is easy to pop and an absolute bitch to deal with if you're trying to steal from it or poach it. As far as I can tell it pops 100% of the time when you enter the last area of the hidden stairway off to the west before the giant sword statue in Ward of the Sword-King. The catch is as soon as you enter your characters trigger a Berserk trap. A shitload of Oiling pop there and on the way back too.
Addendum: Equipping your characters with Steel Poleyns or casting Float before entering the room will save you a lot of pain.
-Drop: Bomb Ashes, Bomb Shell
-Steal: Scorpio Gem
-Poach: Pebble, Bomb Fragment
Negalmuur, Level 31-32, Ward of the Sword-King
-Seems to pop as long as you have a sizeable chain of any type (I ended up popping it on my way to the save point from Matriarch Bomb and I had built up a large chain on Oilings on the way). Pops at the intersection.
-Drop: Book of Ordain, Vanishga Mote
-Steal: Capricorn Gem
-Poach: Pebble, Book of Ordain-Mille
*Myath, Level 42-43, Ward of Velitation
-Drop: Eternal TrophyOriginally Posted by BradyGames
-Steal: Leo Gem
Tchita Uplands
Tarasque, Level 37-38, Garden of Life's Circle
-Hopped out of the river after I hit chain level 3 (58-Chain) on the Serpents in the area. Not sure if it was the chain or if it was random, but it wasn't a random pop in place of the lone Lizard as I suspected at first. I kept repopping the area by heading to the other side of The Nameless Spring.
-Drop: Horn, Solid Horn
-Steal: Hunting Crossbow
-Poach: Pebble, Frog Oil
*Grimalkin, Level 38-39, Uazcuff Hills
This one's a good old fashioned lottery pop.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Whiskered Trophy
-Steal: Coeurl Whisker
*Kris, Level 38-39, The Highlands
Sounds like it might be lottery pop also (and it easily could be), but when I found it was waiting without having killed any Malboro Overkings on that particular zone refresh.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Odiferous Trophy
-Steal: Putrid Liquid
The Great Crystal
*Crystal Knight, Level 61-62, A Vikaari Kanbhru Ra
Pretty sure I didn't run a loop when it showed up for me, and I definetly wasn't headed clockwise. Glimmering Robes can be bought in the shop in the far back of Barheim Passage (where you first enter it near the beginning of the game) if you don't want to mess around with stealing Glimmering Robes from Crystal Knight.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Skull Trophy
-Steal: Glimmering Robes
Evil Spirit, Level 61-62, Sthaana Aquarius/Dha Vikaari Dhebon Ra
-It showed up right after I hit the Aquarius switch in Sthaana Aquarius (the left path in the save room just before Ultima facing towards Ultima's path) and was about to run back to look for one of the gates, and then again immediately after entering Dha Vikaari Dhebon Ra (the right path from the aforementioned room). Doesn't look like it was due to any chain, it's probably just random.
Gungir is also available from a traveling merchant in Dalmasca Westersands at least after the Pharos if you really want one (though I'm not really sure why you would if you're not a collector).
-Drop: Glass Jewel, Gungnir
-Steal: Lifewick
Tomb of Raithwall
Barmuu, Level 19-20, Royal Passage
-Work up a chain on the bats near the entrance and it'll eventually pop near the teleporters.
-Drop: Solid Stone, Betelgeuse
-Steal: Lamia's Tiara
-Poach: Pebble, Quality Stone
Cultsworn Lich, Level 20-21, Southfall Passage
-Randomly splits off from a normal Lich when it uses Divide. It seems to use it automatically if it drops down to critical HP and only once per Lich. My strategy was to turn off everyone's gambits then have my weakest character knock it down to critical then canceled their commands and wait for it to Divide. Didn't take me too terribly long to pop.
-Drop: Glass Jewel, Sky Jewel
-Steal: Loxley Bow
-Poach: Pebble, Death Powder
*Zombie Lord, Level 38-39, Northfall Passage
Keep going back and forth between the entrances without leaving and it will eventually appear. Curiously, when it popped for me it did not appear in one of the spots indicated in the guide.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Soulless Trophy
-Steal: Close Helmet
Zertinan Caverns
Molen, Level 38-39, Hourglass Basin
-Go to the hidden area past the save crystal in The Undershore and go all the way to the dead end (where there may be a coffer). Wait there until you see Molen appear accross the chasm. You'll need to go back around through The Undershore to get to it.
-Drop: Iron Ore, Gigas Chestplate
-Steal: Mythril
*Alteci, Level 41-42, The Undershore
I wasn't paying enough attention at the time to count if I had killed 11 Mallicants in the room, but I did have 11-Chain by the time I entered it and it wasn't up. Anywho, keep killing them there and zoning and it should appear eventually.Originally Posted by BradyGames
-Drop: Fell Trophy
-Steal: Behemoth Steak