One of the most iconic monsters in the history of the Final Fantasy franchise is back. The Cactuar, literally just a dancing Cactus, can also be found in Final Fantasy XV. Aside from providing us entertainment and a few giggles, hunting them down is a way to earn massive amounts of EXP easily. Throw in its brother Slactuar, too.
Where To Find Cactuars And Slactuars In Final Fantasy XV
Both Cactuars and Slactuars generally appear in the same areas. The most reliable place to look for the couple is in Leide, noted VG247. In the map, you will see it north of Longwythe and north-west of Hammerhead. You can also spot them in Duscae. They are especially abundant in the enemy base area of Perpetouss Keep.
Note that going to these places does not mean you will immediately encounter one or even both. Some players have low luck of finding a Cactuar or a Slactuar. To help you with that, consider getting the whistle that summons monsters first. You will get the Beast Whistle during Final Fantasy XV Chapter 4. Afterwards, head to the areas mentioned above and use it until you find what you're looking for.
It has also been noted that you have more chances of finding Cactuars or Slactuars in Final Fantasy XV just as the sun is starting to rise, which is around 5 a.m. You can happily roam the lands searching for the dancing cacti until the afternoon. By then, the chances of encountering one is greatly lowered. Also, be quick in attacking them. They like fleeing than fight you head on.
Why Cactuars And Slactuars Are Benefical Early-Game
Slaying Cactuars and Slactuars in Final Fantasy XV nets you 3,333 EXP each. That's a whole lot if you're still in the early stages of the game. These monsters are not that hard to kill, either, so you definitely want to hunt them down and kill every single one of them (which is impossible, by the way).
Apart from that, you can get nice loot from carcasses. Winning battles with them will get you Oracle Ascensions Coins. This is a currency that you can use at that one vendor in Altissia. You would want to collect as much of these in Final Fantasy XV as possible since you can trade rare and powerful items for them.
The most expensive item you can buy is a Ribbon worth 40 of such coins. The Final Fantasy XV accessory can protect against any status ailment. Other items you can buy using Oracle Ascension Coins are magic crests, Might Guard and Stone Wall. A Megalixir is also available for 1 coin each, which replenishes your entire gang's max HP and MP.
You can also get the Cactuar Needle from the Slactuar. You need this item for upgrading machine-type weapons. Specifically, you need it for Cid's "A Better Crossbow" mission that upgrades the auto crossbow (obviously).
It took me 20+ hours into Final Fantasy XV before I encountered my first Cactuar. I kept it alive because it looked hilarious, so it eventually ran away. Don't make the same mistake as I did and make sure to kill it on sight. If you want more of these adorable(??) creatures, though, watch the video below. Check out also our FFXV guide to farming AP while AFK.
