Favorite RPG enemy?

Yea, I honestly think Mimics are always a fun encounter if they are put in the game more as random false treasure chests (Kid Icarus or Dark Souls) and less random encountery (sorry Dragon Quest, I love you but random encountering Mimics defeat the point).

 

Metal slimes (and their equivalents across various series, such as the Wonder Birds) top the list for me. I like the option for a quick level-up to be present and available should I need it, and if I think I'm lacking in strength, I will take that chance.

After that would be the enemies that tend to be rare in an area but offer great reward once found. Sometimes that can overlap with the first one, though usually the reward is something like equipment, an item, or an item that can be made into equipment. Or it can be a common enemy with a rare drop rate of an item (as above) that's just really really good.

For me, those are the kinds of encounters I find most fulfilling, enough so that the payoff I receive from hunting them make it worth all the time I spent.

 

Mimics? I've never enjoyed them. It's like "Oh, hey, something good for me!" "NOPE! Get ready to do a mindless fight instead!"

Speaking of mindless fights, I enjoy any enemy that isn't a mindless fight. If it's an enemy that I have to do more than just button mash the regular attack option or "opposite element magic" option, then I enjoy that enemy to some degree. This is the entire reason I haven't played a Final Fantasy since IV Complete on PSP. Every single enemy other than 40% or so of bosses are that basic kind.

What I'm saying is whether it's a dragon, goblin, bird, elf, soldier, slime, squid, or bug; if I can dispatch it with a mindless regular attack or opposite element magic then they're all the same old mook to me.

But I haven't answered the question yet. My favorite type is probably the rotating weakness type. You throw a fire magic at it, then it rearranges to absorb fire and is weak to thunder or something. Then just as you launch a thunder attack it's already weak to darkness instead and absorbs your attack! It keeps you on your toes and paying attention. Mashing the same magic attack will just make it stronger and make you lose.

 

I'd have to say one of my favorite enemies in an RPG is Saïx from Kingdom Hearts. I feel like he really is a close match to who I am as a person, and I found him incredibly difficult to beat in KH2. In fact, I'd say he was one of the only difficult bosses.