Gradual Petrify (status)

Gradual Petrify, also known as Slow Numb, is a recurring status effect in the Final Fantasy series that causes the character to slowly turn into stone. It can be cured in the same way as Petrify.

Final Fantasy III
Called Petr, also known as Partial Petrification, in battle, after a few turns the affected character is turned to stone and is unable to act. It can be removed with the Soft item. The weapons Break Blade, Medusa Arrow, and Omnirod inflict this status, as well as the spell Break, and the enemies Helldiver, Stalagmite, Myrmecoleon, Chimera, Cockatrice, Rock Gargoyle, Kum Kum, Medusa, and Cerberus. Gradual Petrify is accumulative and unique, in that it does nothing on its own, but will inflict Full Petrification once it fully stacks. For example, a character is first 1/3 petrified, then 2/3 petrified, then fully petrified. Full Petrification differs from Petrify in that it requires resistance to Partial Petrification and not Petrify in order to protect against it.

Final Fantasy IV
Progresses to Petrify status within time, or after any attack that successfully inflicts any Gradual Petrify effect three times. Higher Stamina or high maximum HP (for monsters only) slows down the timer's progression. Slow also delays worsening, while Haste speeds it.

In the Super Nintendo and PlayStation version, Gradual Petrify 1/3 has the character's legs in stone and Gradual Petrify 2/3 goes up to the character's head. The Gameboy Advance version change the visual effect to that of greyish silver rings surrounding the character that is similar to the paralysis visual status effect.

Final Fantasy IV -Interlude-
The Gradual Petrify status returns as a status effect in the sequel of Final Fantasy IV, and it functions the same way as its predecessor.

Final Fantasy VII
Called Slow-numb, characters with this condition are petrified after 60 seconds.

Final Fantasy VIII
Called Petrifying, characters with this condition are petrified when the counter reaches 0, roughly after 13.3 seconds.

Final Fantasy IX
Gradual Petrify, when inflicted on a character, causes a countdown meter of 10 to appear above the character's head. When the meter reaches zero, the unit is petrified. Gradual Petrify can be healed by using the Soft item on the afflicted unit, or it can be prevented altogether by equipping the Jelly ability.

Final Fantasy XI
Gradual Petrification appears as an effect of the "Calcifying Mist" ability used by Notorious Monster Peistes in the Wings of the Goddess expansion. Afflicted players have their movement speed slowed down during the countdown until fully petrified.

Final Fantasy XII
Petrify slowly turns a character to stone in 10 counts, similar to how Doom slowly kills them. Doom and Petrify can't co-exist on the same character; which ever status the character has first, they are immune to the other. The only exception is using Remedy with Nihopalaoa, which inflicts both Doom and Petrify.

As the timer runs down, the afflicted unit's resistance to physical attacks gradually increases, rendering them almost immune to such attacks when the countdown reaches 1. It can be cured with Esuna, but once the timer runs out and the character turns to Stone, they can only be cured by Stona, a Gold Needle, or a Remedy (once a character has acquired the appropriate Remedy Lore license). This trick can be used to survive against foes with powerful physical attacks, though one must be careful with timing the recovery, lest they fully petrify,

The player can inflict Petrify by casting the Break spell, requiring the Time Magic 3 license, costing the player 30 LP, or with the Ancient Sword or the Stone Shot.

The Petrify status can be exploited to trigger the Dead Character Glitch.

Zalera's and Gilgamesh's ability, Level 4 Break, can inflict Petrify if the target's level is a multiple of 4.