Shell (status)

Shell, also known as MBarrier, is a positive status effect usually granted through the use of the White Magic spell Shell, the Blue Magic spell Mighty Guard, the item Lunar Curtain, or the auto-ability Auto-Shell. It appears in various games in the Final Fantasy series and reduces magic damage dealt to the target.

In the earlier series' games Shell would halve magic spells' effectiveness affecting both offensive spells as well as curative spells. In the more recent installments Shell cuts the damage from offensive spells by a third, and does not affect curative spells.

Final Fantasy II
Shell can only be achieved through the use of the spell Shell and the item Conch Shell. It increases the Magic Defense of a character.

Final Fantasy III
Shell can be acquired from Bard's Elegy song in the 3D remake version. It boosts the recipient's Magic Defense in a following fashion:


 * Recipient's Magic Defense + (20 + Recipient's JobLv / 11)%

Final Fantasy IV
Shell is granted by the Shell spell cast by Rosa and Fusoya. In the GBA and PSP versions, Edward's Sing command changes to Chant while equipped with the Harmony Ring, granting Protect and Shell to the entire party.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
Shell can be achieved through the spell Shell and by using the Elfin Bow as an item. Edward's Guardian's Ballad song grants Protect and Shell to the whole party.

Final Fantasy V
Shell is only obtainable through the White Magic spell Shell, the Blue Magic spell Mighty Guard, and the ability Magic Shell. Shell will reduce all magic damage by 50% as well as reducing the hit rate of all non-unblockable magic attacks by half.

Final Fantasy VI
Shell status can be achieved by having a party member cast the spell Shell, Strago use Mighty Guard Lore, or by equipping relics that bestow the Shell status, Barrier Ring, Princess Ring, Miracle Shoes, or Guard Bracelet. The Force Shield also grants the Shell status. Due to a bug, if the Force Shield is equipped mid-battle, instead of granting Shell, it will instead give immunity to Shell.

Shell reduces damage done from magical attacks by 170/256.

Final Fantasy VII
The spells MBarrier, Big Guard, and Wall grant MBarrier status to a party member, while the Protect Ring grants MBarrier at the start of the battle. On the barrier gauge to the right, it appears as the lower barrier.

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-
Known as MBarrier, the status can be acquired using the MBarrier Materia, Wall, and multiple accessories. It can be also granted through the DMW Courage Boost!. It halves magic damage taken.

Final Fantasy VIII
Shell can only be acquired by casting Shell, using a Shell Stone, using Mighty Guard or Wall, or through the auto-ability Auto-Shell. It halves all magical damage and curative spells and lasts for 32 seconds.

Final Fantasy IX
Shell reduces magic damage and can be applied through the White Magic spell Shell, the Blue Magic spell Mighty Guard, or through the Auto-Shell ability. It is also bestowed by Carbuncle when Eiko has equips the Moonstone.

Final Fantasy X
Shell, Mighty Guard, and Auto-Shell can bestow Shell upon a character to reduces halves magical damage. SOS Shell can bestow Shell as long as the character is in HP Critical status. Some of Rikku's Mixes can inflict Shell to the entire party as well, including Mighty G, Super Mighty G, Hyper Mighty G, and Mighty Wall.

Final Fantasy XI
The White Magic Shell enhances a single person's magic resistance, while Shellra increases magic resistance for all party members within range of effect.

Final Fantasy XII


Shell can be granted by casting the Shell or Shellga spells, or by equipping the Shell Shield. An enemy exclusive ability, Greater Barrier, grants Shell along with Protect. Shell reduces magic damage taken by 33%. It also reduces the success chance of bad status aliments by half, making it useful around undead enemies due to their common use of magick and status effect spells.

In the Japanese version, the icon for the Shell status is a green seashell. This is changed to a green hexagon in the overseas version.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
Shell reduces magickal damage, and unlike in Final Fantasy XII, does not halve the chance of receiving debuffs. Shell will override Protect and vice versa.

Basch can grant multiple allies the Shell effect by casting Shellga. The White Mage sky pirates also know the Shellga spell.

Rank III Esper Tiamat knows the Mighty Guard spell that bestows both Protect and Shell buff on all allies in range. Mighty Guard is the only ability in Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, which lets both Protect and Shell co-exist on a unit.

Final Fantasy XIII
Shell is achieved via the Synergist spell or shrouds used before battle. Accessories can also grant it automatically. Shell increases resistance to magical damage and healing by 33% and its base duration is 150 seconds, but the overall duration is affected by caster's Synergist level, chain and passive abilities. Shell stats are removed by Dispel, Dispelga and Deshell, and Deshellga. There also exists a stronger variant, called Shellra, that wears off faster but halves magic damage to the user.

Final Fantasy XIII-2
Shell reduces received magical damage by 25% and can be bestowed by Shell and Shellga. It can be countered with Dispel, Dispelga, Deshell, and Deshellga.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Shell cuts magical damage. It can be bestowed via Shell Potion, Crusader's Potion, Holy Water, Phoenix Down, and Elixir.

Lightning can steal the status from enemies with Protect Thief and get automatic Shell when being ambushed with Tithed Shell.

Angel of Valhalla can bestow Shell on Lightning with either the Shell spell or his Inspire ability. He can gains them at bond level 2.

Final Fantasy Tactics
Shell can be achieved through the accessories Sortilége and Tynar Rouge, the command abilities Shell, Shellja, Wall, Kiyomori and Spirit Nymph, the armor Onion Armor and Lordly Robe, and through the weapons Durandal and Ragnarok.

Similar to Protect, Shell reduces the caster's magickal power by 1/3 in the formulas, so it not only reduces the power or hit-rate of spells, but also reduces the weapon damage done by a staff or rod because they both apply the wearer's magickal power rather than physical power to calculate the damage amount.

Shell does not affect damage from spells that subtract a certain percentage of the target's HP (such as Demi and Lich), though it does affect the success rate of these spells. Shell lasts for 32 ticks.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Shell can be granted by the abilities: Shell, Barrier, 100% Wool, and Yellow Spring. It reduces magical damage taken.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Shell can be achieved through the use of the Green Mage spell Shell, the Tinker ability Gold Moogletron, or the Chocobo Knight ability Choco Barrier.

Bravely Default
In Bravely Default, Shell is not a status. Instead, the spell adds a flat 25% to the current Magic Defense modifier, to a maximum of 150%. This modifier will last for four turns before reverting to normal.

Gallery
Shell (Zustand)