Bar-Spell

Bar-Spells are recurring sets of defensive buffs in Final Fantasy series.

Final Fantasy XI
Bar-Spells are defensive White Magic enchantments in Final Fantasy XI. Each is prefixed by "bar-", draws from the Enhancing Magic skill of its caster, and offers protection against either an element or a status effect. White Mages wield bar spells that affect entire parties while Red Mages learn incantations that target only themselves. This does not indicate that Red Mages are entirely inferior in this regard, however, as their naturally higher enhancing skill offers them stronger and longer-lasting barriers at lower levels.

White Mages may strengthen their bar spells by spending Merit Points on the appropriately named "Bar Spell Effect" merit. As with other self-buffing magics, the duration of bar spells can be tripled by a Red Mage's Composure.

Elemental Bar Spells
These bar spells increase resistance to a particular element. Higher resistance improves the chance that incoming magic will be avoided and reduces the impact of elemental attacks to a half, quarter, eighth, or sixteenth of their original power. White Mages may further boost the magical defense these spells offer by using Afflatus Solace or equipping a variety of class-specific items. Only one elemental bar spell may be active on a character at a time.

Status Effect Bar Spells
These bar spells reduce the durations of the associated status effects. They do not increase the chance of avoiding the attack that inflicts the ailment, however. Only one status effect bar spell may be active on a character at a time.

Final Fantasy XIII
In Final Fantasy XIII, there exist only four elemental Bar-Spells despite the fact that game uses six elements. All of them cost 2 ATB gauge segments.