Gau (Final Fantasy)

Gau is a feral child character appearing in Final Fantasy VI. He is a young man who was abandoned on the Veldt, a wild, untamed area, at a very young age and has since lived amongst the monsters. He speaks in a broken, animalistic language and knows very little about human civilization.

Gau joins the player's party after being given dried meat. He is a unique character with the ability to "Rage," which allows him to mimic the attacks of monsters he has learned by leaping onto them during battle on the Veldt. Once Gau leaps, the player must fight random encounters on the Veldt. When the battle is over, Gau will learn the Rage of one of the monsters fought.

Gau's Rage abilities are learned passively and require exploration and patience on the Veldt. Each Rage provides a different set of commands and stats to Gau, making him a highly versatile character capable of fulfilling various roles in combat. His effectiveness relies heavily on the player's diligence in finding and mastering different monster Rages.

His background is revealed as the game progresses, uncovering a tragic tale of misunderstanding and prejudice. He is the son of a man named Patrick, who abandoned him on the Veldt due to Gau's perceived "deformity" and inability to speak normally as a baby. The player can eventually reconcile Gau with his father.

Gau provides a unique gameplay experience in Final Fantasy VI due to his Rage mechanic and contributes to the game's themes of abandonment, acceptance, and the importance of understanding.