Control (ability)

Control, also known as Manipulate, is an ability that appears in various games in the Final Fantasy series. It allows a character to take control of an opponent via the Control status in most instances. In many games, this ability is required to learn certain Blue Magic spells.

Final Fantasy V
Control is the Level 2 ability in the Beastmaster class that inflicts the Control status, learned for 50 ABP. This is required to learn the Blue Magic spells White Wind, Mighty Guard, and Transfusion. The ability has a 40% chance of working without the Coronet equipped, and a 75% chance of working with the Coronet equipped.

Final Fantasy VI
Relm Arrowny and the hidden character Gogo can use Control if they equip the Fake Moustache. It allows for Strago to learn some Lores at an easier rate by having Relm or Gogo inflict Control to specific enemies, such as Dark Force, and have them cast their Lore on Strago. The chance for the user to successfully Control a monster is as follows.


 * If (Controller's level * 256) / Target's level > [0..255] then successfully control the enemy, otherwise miss.

If the Beret is equipped, the formula is modified as follows.


 * If (Controller's level * 256) / (Target's level * 170 / 256) > [0..255] then successfully control the enemy, otherwise miss.

If the target has either Clear, Zombie, Sleep, Confusion, Rage, Morph, or Hide status, then Control will automatically fail. If the player makes a controlled enemy use Snort on itself, it results in a glitch.

Final Fantasy VII
The Manip. command can be used with the Manipulate Materia, found on Cait Sith when he joins. If successful, it inflicts the Manipulate status, which is required to learn the Enemy Skills Big Guard, White Wind, Death Force, Angel Whisper, and Dragon Force.

The success rate for most vulnerable enemies uses two steps. The first step is adding 50 to the user's level, and taking the target's level from the total.
 * $$Hit\% = 50 + User's Level - Target's Level$$

So a user at level 50, against an enemy at level 35 would result in 65.

If multiple enemies are being targeted through Mega All, there is an additional step. There is less chance per enemy, as the Hit% is multiplied by four, then divided by 5, and is then truncated to reach a whole number.
 * $$Hit\% = [(Hit\% * 4) / 5]$$

Using the first example, 65 multiplied by four is 260, divided by five is 53, a whole number.

The second step adds the random element into the math. It randomly selects a number between zero and 99, and if that number is smaller than the Hit%, the target is manipulated.
 * $$Rnd(0..99) < Hit\%$$

If a Hit% adds up to 100 or more, it is certain to hit. In the example used further up, if the result is any number from zero to 64, it will hit. If it is any number from 65 to 99 it will not hit. This means that there is a 65% chance it will succeed, and a 35% chance it will not. If the command is trying to target multiple enemies, the example of 53 would have a 53% chance of hitting and a 47% change of missing.

If the target is not immune to Manipulate, does not have it already inflicted, and does not have any of the statuses that Manipulate cannot be inflicted over, there are two other ways of guaranteeing a success. If the target is weak to the element or status used, it will be inflicted, and if the Hypnocrown is equipped, it will be inflicted.

Manipulate will not work if the target is under Paralyze, Death, Stop, or Petrify, or is already being Manipulated.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
The Control command, which can inflict the Control status which can give Control over many species of monsters, can be exercised by a Beastmaster.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
The Beastmaster class returns in Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, however the mechanics for controlling a monster have changed, simply causing the monster to use one of its attacks during the Beastmaster's turn rather than flat out controlling its turns. Although this means Control can never fail, the ability to move the monster is lost.