Xenoblade Chronicles Guide- Walkthrough Part 84: There’s Something in the Mine

The tunnels in the first section of the Ether Mine already boast a wealth of interesting things to kill, some of which will try to kill you also.  A few of them can even manage it, especially when their friends help.  While you don’t need to be too cautious of things lurking around corners, don’t just run blithely onwards down long passages.  Additionally, most of the creatures here are highly durable Krabble, so expect your fights to be long, and plan your Art usage accordingly.  Chain Attacks are your friend, I would also like to note.

Area: Ether Mine Drainage Channel and Tunnels
Monster Level: 18-25 and 29

Upa- As with outside in the rain, there are Upa here in the drainage channel.  They’re considerably less terrifying when you can’t fall, and really their glowing lights are quite pretty.  As before, outside the knockdown attack and the fact that they have a glowing lure, there’s not much to see here.

Types: Colony Upa

Vang- Probably the most unfortunately-named enemies you’ve yet seen, the Vang here are startlingly less pitiful than their relatives who you’ve already divested of their teeth.  While their levels are standard for the area, each of them is capable of Winged Awakening, which will power them up to make them much more noticeable threats, in addition to their usual Ether Defence reducing tack.  Still, for all that, they’re still just big bats.

Types: Drunk Vang

Mechon- You’re going to see two kinds of Mechon patrolling the tunnels, and sparsely at that.  I can only imagine they had some run-ins with the local denizens.  The M32X Mechon are as curiously shaped as ever, and the M42 Scout Mechon would be more noteworthy if it weren’t for the fact there are only about three Mechon in this sub-area at any given moment to begin with.

Types: M32X, M42 Scout

Krabble- These are the primary monsters in the area, and as Krabble always are, they’re ridiculously tough.  Some of the Krabble here even have a dangerous short-range attack- they can spew bubbles that not only deal damage but stun whoever they hit briefly.  This is especially noteworthy when some of the Krabble have pack-attack mentality and will dogpile you while others stun you.  Still, they’re not much for the most part thanks to their low damage- except for Elegant Marin, a sight-aggro, named level 29 Krabble that lurks in Moss Lake.  If you want to get it out of the way so you can get into Moss Lake for the Collectable item, you’re going to need to lure it away- otherwise, you’re going to be utterly destroyed by a cluster of five highly-durable Krabble pounding at you with their damage boosted from Elegant Marin’s ability to use Ether Break II and a strong bubble attack against you and destroy your special-offense while locking you down.  I recommend running into the Lake area and running back out to lure Elegant Marin- otherwise the Pack Attack nature of the other Krabble will kick in and then you’re just screwed.

Types: Rock Krabble, Junk Krabble, Materia Krabble, Elegant Marin (Level 29)