Curse (status)

Curse (のろい) is a recurring status ailment. It has various consequences, typically involving lowering stats or preventing characters from performing a Limit Break.

Final Fantasy II
Curse is a status effect which lowers all stats on the afflicted target, making them weaker and easier to defeat. Curse lasts after battle until cured. It can be cured with a Cross or Esuna at level 2 or higher.

The Ancient Swords can inflict this status on an enemy, although it has a low chance of being inflicted on enemies.

Final Fantasy IV
The Curse status cuts base strength and defense attributes on afflicted characters in half. It can be cured using a Cross, or Esuna. Players can also inflict the Curse status through the Curse Augment.

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

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-
When Zack is afflicted with Curse, the DMW will stop spinning. The Cursed Ring accessory grants a stat increase while inflicting a permanent Curse status, while The Heike Soul accessory "unleashes all kinds of powers, but with a curse". It is won after completing every mission.

Final Fantasy VIII
A cursed character is incapable of performing a Limit Break. It can be cured with a Remedy, a Remedy+, a Tent, Esuna, an Aura Stone, Aura, or the Treatment command. The status lasts around 21.3 seconds. If a character has chosen their Limit Break before Curse is in effect, the Limit Break will still be used.

Final Fantasy X
Curse prevents characters from using their Overdrives, and stops their Overdrive meter from filling. Curse is the only affliction the Aeons are not protected against. It can be cured by using Dispel or a Holy Water.

Final Fantasy X-2
Curse prohibits the party from changing their dresspheres.

Final Fantasy XI
Curse combines a general drop in abilities, a temporary reduction in maximum HP and MP, and also slowing physical movement speed notably. Different creatures have different strength of curses. Some, such as ghost types, have relatively weak curses that only reduce HP and MP by about 25%. Others, like the Rank 3 dragons fought in Burning Circle battles, can reduce players' max HP and MP by as much as 75%. Curse can be removed by Cursna or Holy Water.

Doom is also categorized as a curse in Final Fantasy XI, and while it also can be cured by Cursna or Holy Water, the likelihood of this succeeding is low.

A few rare monsters use a special, more powerful form of curse once known as "ST20" (because this was displayed instead of an actual effect name in the game's log window when the effect was first introduced) and now often referred to as "Zombie," which prevents the affected character from recovering any HP or MP by any means until the effect is removed (Officially, the status effect is still called Curse but the help text distinguishes it as a "powerful" curse.)

Final Fantasy XIII
A cursed character's attacks are interrupted more often by enemy attacks, while the affected character's own ability to interrupt an opponent's attacks is halved. It can be removed by Esuna or the Holy Water item, and can be cancelled out with the Vigilance status.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Curse causes the affected character's stats to be cut in half. It is removed by the use of the Clear Magicite or when it wears off.

Final Fantasy Legend III
A character inflicted with curse will be reduced to half defense and half magic defense. This can be removed by Heal, Pure, and Cycle. There is also another kind of curse found on the Muramas, when the equipped character attacks with it, 50% of the total damage dealt is inflicted back on the cursed character.

Final Fantasy Dimensions
Curse is a status effect in Final Fantasy Dimensions. It is cured with a Sacred Candle.