Element (term)

Elements are special properties based on energy that are present in many attacks in almost every game. Characters and monsters may be weak to, resistant to, immune to, or absorb these special properties.

In the Final Fantasy series, elements play a very important role during battle. They hold sway the survival of player characters against certain enemies. Manipulating elements oftentimes mean life or death. Most games in the series have eight; which are usually Fire, Ice, Lightning, Wind, Earth, Water, Holy, and Shadow.

Most games feature Fire, Ice, and Lightning being in a trinity of sorts, as there are three levels of magic usually associated with them, although some games may have three levels of magic of another element. Some games, most notably Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy X, had fewer than eight elements. Final Fantasy IV didn't feature a Water element, although several spells such as Flood have water-based graphics. Final Fantasy X did not feature Earth or Wind.

The elements in Final Fantasy are listed below:

Earth
Manipulates the ground. Would not usually work with airborne enemies, or those imbued with float. Most plant enemies absorb the earth element. Quake is the standard magic carrying this element. While most games of the series have only one Earth spell, Final Fantasy VII had three levels of Earth elemental spells while Final Fantasy X neglects Earth and Final Fantasy XII had no earth-based attack or spell for the player's use.

Fire
One of the three standard elements. Most plant or undead enemies are weak with this element. Fire is its standard elemental magic. In Final Fantasy X, fire-based attacks are very effective against ice-based enemies.

Wind
Firstly recognized in Final Fantasy IV under the name of Projectiles, Wind elemental attacks are often effective against aerial enemies, though in some games, aerial enemies may absorb them. Earth-based enemies are usually weak against this element. Aero and Tornado are some of the spells that belong to this element.

Water
All water-based enemies will absorb this element. Water is the basic elemental spell for this element. Fire-based enemies are greatly affected by this element. In Final Fantasy X, where water-based attacks are very effective against lightning-based enemies, featured three levels of Water elemental spells.

Ice
One of the three standard elements, this element is easily defeated with fire, and vice versa. Blizzard is its standard spell. In Final Fantasy X, ice-based attacks are very effective against fire-based enemies, while in Final Fantasy XII, ice-based attacks are effective against enemies with thunder affinities.

Lightning
One of the three standard elements, Thunder is the basic elemental spell for this element. Machines are known to be damaged greatly when struck with lightning-based attacks, but depending on the game they could sometimes greatly absorb it. In Final Fantasy X, lightning-based attacks are very effective against water-based enemies, while in Final Fantasy XII, lightning-based attacks are effective against ice-based enemies.

Holy
A higher level element, Holy is also known as the element Light. All healing spells such as Cure are affiliated with it. The spell Holy is the only offensive spell of this element unless healing spells are used on undead targets, in which case they also cause damage. Greatly inflicts damage to undead and dark-based enemies.

Dark
A higher level element, Dark is also known as the element Shadow. The element Dark is most prominent in Final Fantasy XII as it features three levels of dark-elemental spells; Dark, Darkra & Darkga. Very effective against Holy-based enemies. Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy X do not have the Dark element.

Poison
An element present in Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy VIII. When inflicted with the status ailment Poison, a poison-elemental enemy will heal itself: the effect similar to Regen. The most common poison-elemental spells are Bio and Poison. Final Fantasy VII featured three levels of Poison elemnetal spells

Gravity
Only truly recognized in Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X-2, it is related to the spells Gravity and Graviga. It is also prominent in Final Fantasy XII as the element of the esper Zeromus.