World Map Rivers

Average Encounter 2,907 Exp., 1,458 gil
Area World Map
Other Maps Cornelia Area, North of Cornelia, Near Temple of Chaos, Pravoca Area, Southwest of Pravoca, Ocean, Elfheim Area, Near Marsh Cave, Melmond Area, Crescent Lake Area, Gaia Area, Dragon's Islands, East of Citadel of Trials, Near Citadel of Trials, Near Desert Caravan, Lufenia Area, Tower of Mirage Area
Monsters Encountered Crocodile, Hydra, Neochu, Ochu, Piranha, Red Piranha, White Croc
There are a number of powerful creatures to be found dwelling in the world's rivers. When you first get the Canoe, some of these fights can be rather difficult. Many river Monsters are weak to Lightning, but strangely none are of the Aquatic family. In the original NES game, the southern continent had easier encounters than the northern continents, but due to an apparent bug in the Playstation version, rivers everywhere use the tougher encounters. This makes River travel extremely dangerous, though it is also a very good way to earn a lot of experience quickly.

Late in the game when you're supposed to fight these encounters, they are fairly challenging. Fighting them shortly after reaching Crescent Lake for the first time can be downright deadly. Crocodiles are quite common and have vicious attacks. Hydras can do a number on lightly armored characters, but both they and Ochus are fairly weak compared to the other Monsters you'll encounter. Piranhas are little threat, but their Red cousins are hard to kill and hit pretty hard. Neochus mercifully only appear alone, but hit ridiculously hard and can nearly one-shot your mages. They are worth the fight, though, yielding little gil but a ridiculous amount of experience. White Crocs are even nastier versions of normal Crocodiles, dealing a bit more damage and soaking up hits with their nearly 300 HP. Don't be ashamed to run from these encounters early in the game, since you're not supposed to be fighting them anyway.
Compare World Map Rivers to other Maps
Random Encounters: Found in World Map Rivers – 5 shown
The monsters that can be involved in this encounter; minibosses are only found in repeatable set encounters; bosses are encountered only one time during the game; the final boss must be defeated to complete the game; superbosses are the most dangerous monsters in the game
Monsters
The probability of any given encounter being this one when you have a random battle on its map
Frequency
A modifier to the base chance of the monsters surprising the party; your party leader's agility and luck also factor into the surprise chance
Surprise
Is it possible to run from this encounter?
Run?
The average amount of total experience you can expect to earn from this encounter (this is split evenly among surviving party members)
Avg. Exp.
The average amount of gil you can expect to earn from this encounter
Avg. Gil
Red Piranha ×1–4, White Croc ×1 1.6% +0% Yes 3,255 2,115 gil
White Croc ×1–2, Red Piranha ×0–3 14.1% +0% Yes 3,654 3,069 gil
Neochu ×1 18.8% +29% Yes 3,189 500 gil
Ochu ×1, Hydra ×0–1, Crocodile ×0–2, Piranha ×0–2 28.1% +0% Yes 2,738 1,097 gil
Hydra ×1–2, Crocodile ×0–3 37.5% +23% Yes 2,597 1,575 gil
Monsters: Found in World Map Rivers – 7 shown
Minibosses are only found in repeatable set encounters; bosses are encountered only one time during the game; the final boss must be defeated to complete the game; superbosses are the most dangerous monsters in the game, but are optional
Name		 HP Gil
The total amount of experience earned for defeating this monster (this is split evently among surviving party members)
Exp
Each physical hit will deal between one and two times this amount of damage to the target, reduced by the target's defense
Att
The number of hit chances the monster gets whenever it attacks; each successful hit will deal full damage and can be a critical hit
Hits
The accuracy of the monster's attacks; the base chance to hit is approximately 84% plus half of the monster's accuracy, modified by the target's evasion
Acc
The status ailment, if any, that can be inflicted by this monster's attacks; the base chance of affliction is 50%, reduced by 1% for each two points of magic defense the target has
Status
The chance of each of this monster's attacks being a critical hit (unless the attack misses); critical hits add double the monster's attack rating to their normal damage (this extra damage ignores defense)
Crit
Each physical hit the monster takes will have its damage reduced by this amount
Abs
The monster's base chance to evade any given physical attack; each two points of evasion result in a 1% better chance to evade attacks
Eva
For each two points of magic defense, the monster has a 1% better chance of resisting any given spell
Mag. Def.
The lowest party level at which the monster may choose to run away; the chance to run is approximately 4% for each level the party leader is above this level
Run Lev.
The chance that the monster uses a magic spell on its turn; each monster that can cast spells has a specific cycle of spells that they always use in the same order (see the monster page for specifics)
Magic
The chance that the monster uses a special attack on its turn; monsters with multiple special attacks have a specific cycle of special attacks that they always use in the same order (see the monster page for specifics)
Sp. Att
The families this monster belongs to; only undead monsters are affected by Dia spells; regenerating monsters recover 5% of their maximum hp (rounded down) at the beginning of each round; some weapons gain a +4 bonus to attack and are approximately 20% more likely to hit when used against certain monster families
Family
The elements this monster is weak against; weakness against an element causes spells and special attacks of that element to be approximately 20% more likely to hit, and damaging spells or special attacks deal an additional 50% damage
Weakness
The elements this monster is resistant to; resistance to an element drops the base hit chance for spells and special attacks of that element to 0, and those attacks cause half damage
Resists
Neochu 344 500 gil 3189 35 3 126 Poison 1% 32 12 85 - - - - - -
White Croc 288 2,000 gil 1890 56 2 119 - 1% 20 24 72 31 - - Dragon Lightning Earth, Fire
Hydra 212 150 gil 915 30 3 110 - 1% 14 18 58 29 - - Dragon - -
Ochu 208 102 gil 1224 20 3 109 Poison 1% 24 12 58 48 - - - Lightning Earth, Fire
Crocodile 184 900 gil 816 42 2 106 - 1% 16 24 52 29 - - - Lightning Earth, Fire
Red Piranha 172 46 gil 546 37 1 105 - 1% 20 36 42 31 - - - - -
Piranha 92 20 gil 240 22 1 95 - 1% 0 36 34 29 - - - Lightning Earth, Fire
Crescent Lake Mt. Gulg B1

Related

Canoe

Light boat good for traversing lakes and rivers.
Found In Crescent Lake
Once you have the Canoe, you may walk on rivers freely as if they were normal land. You can also dock the ship in any river mouth. Keep in mind that rivers have different encounters than the surrounding land areas.

World Map North Rivers

Average Encounter 2,907 Exp., 1,458 G
Area World Map (Coneria Area, North of Coneria, Near Temple of Fiends, Pravoka Area, Southwest of Pravoka, Ocean, ElfLand Area, Near Marsh Cave, Melmond Area, Crescent Lake Area, South Rivers, Gaia Area, Cardian Islands, East of Castle of Ordeal, Near Castle of Ordeal, Near Caravan, Lefein Area, Mirage Tower Area)
Monsters Encountered CARIBE, FrGATOR, GATOR, HYDRA, NAOCHO, OCHO, R.CARIBE
The rivers of the north continent are much more dangerous than those in the south. The new NAOCHOS only appear alone, but hit very hard and can quickly do a number on your mages. FrGATORS are even nastier versions of normal GATORS, dealing a bit more damage and soaking up hits with their nearly 300 HP.