Magic (command)

Magic (まほう, Mahō) is a recurring command in the series that usually appears in every battle event. When selected, a menu will appear, listing all usable magic spells.

When a player character is inflicted with the Silence status, the Magic command will be inaccessible. Certain titles in the series also disable the Magic command when a player enters certain boss battles.

Final Fantasy
Magic has two categories; White and Black. Low level White Magic is usable by Knight, and Red Mage/Wizard, the higher levels being restricted to White Mage/Wizard. Low level Black Magic is usable by Ninja and Red Mage, the higher levels being restricted to Black Mage/Wizard. Magic must be bought in shops before it can be used.

Final Fantasy III
Magic is split into three categories; Summon Magic, Black Magic, and White Magic. Summon magic is usable by Evoker, Summoner, and Sage jobs. Black Magic is usable by Freelancer, Black Mage, Red Mage, Magus, Sage, and Onion Knight. White Magic is usable by Freelancer, White Mage, Red Mage, Knight, Devout, Sage, and Onion Knight jobs.

Final Fantasy IV
Magic is divided into four different categories, which include White Magic, Black Magic, Summon Magic ("Call" in the SNES version), and a special type of offensive and support magic used exclusively by Edge known as Ninjutsu ("Ninja" in the SNES version). Eight of the twelve playable characters that can use magic (Kain, Edward, Yang, and Cid cannot use magic) gain magic spells at pre-programmed experience levels or fixed story events.

Final Fantasy VI
The Magic command is initially only available to Terra and Celes, Terra have been born with the ability due to her Esper heritage, and Celes who has undergone Magitek experiments. After the party acquires their first Espers, every playable character, except for Umaro and Gogo, may learn magic by equipping Espers. Gogo can still use Magic command by mimicking other party members. Magic is divided in three categories: Healing (identified with the white sphere next to the spell's name), which consists in spells that heal the target like Cure, Raise and Esuna, attack or offensive magic (identified with the black sphere next to the spell's name), which consists in spells that focus in causing damage to the target like Fire, Blizzard and Flare, and effect spells (identified with the gray sphere next to the spell's name), which consist of spells that focus in buffing and debuffing the target like Shell, Protect and Haste.

Final Fantasy VII
The Magic command is available to anyone equipped with Magic Materia, and enough MP to cast at least one of the spells they know - for example, if a character knows a spell using 30 MP, and only has 20 MP, the Magic command is disabled. The Magic command can be changed to W-Magic with the Command Materia of same name. By linking Magic Materia with Support Materia the player can get different results when using the command, such as using a spell that is linked to an All Materia will result in the spell hitting all targets.

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-
The command works similarly as in Final Fantasy VII; Zack can use magic in battle by equipping Magic Materia by expending MP.

Final Fantasy VIII
Magic is a junction ability that every Guardian Force has already mastered. It may be removed using the item Amnesia Greens, and later re-added using the Magic Scroll item bought from Pet Shops in Timber or Esthar. To use the command, the player must acquire some spells by drawing them from enemies and draw points, or by refining from items. The game uses no MP and instead spells are stocked and uses up individually.

Final Fantasy IX
Magic command is divided in three, Black Magic, White Magic and Blue Magic. Vivi is the only one to have Black Magic, and Garnet and Eiko, as well as the temporary character Beatrix, have White Magic, whereas Quina learns Blue Magic. When Steiner and Vivi are in the active party they can combine their powers in Magic Sword techniques. Magic is usually learned from equipment, but Quina learns Blue Magic by eating enemies. During Trance, Vivi's Black Magic becomes Dbl Black Magic, and Eiko's White Magic becomes Dbl White Magic.

Final Fantasy X
In Final Fantasy X anyone who has learned magic has the command to use it in battle. Magic is divided in Black and White Magic and is learned as a character advances the Sphere Grid. Black Magic is located on Lulu's path on the Sphere Grid, and White Magic is located on Yuna's path.

The formula for determining how much damage a Magic spell will do is as follows:


 * $$[DmCon * ([Stat ^ 2 ÷ 6] + DmCon) ÷ 4]$$

The formula for determining how much a spell will heal for is as follows:


 * $$HlCon * [(Stat + HlCon) ÷ 2]$$

Final Fantasy X-2
What commands a character has depends on which dressphere she is wearing and which Garment Grid she is equipping. Black Mage and White Mage learn the Black and White Magic commands, respectively, and learn more spells by levelling up their individual dressphere. Certain spells, such as Holy, can only be acquired through Garment Grids.

Final Fantasy XI
Magic is categorized under the colored Magic, Summoning, and Ninjutsu. The Magic Skill menu under status is only visible if the player's job has an innate magic skill or has one "merited".

Final Fantasy XII
Magicks and Technicks command opens a submenu listing the types of magick spells or technicks the player has already obtained on the License Board. Individual spells must be purchased in shops before they can be used. Anyone can use any spell after acquiring its license, but in the Zodiac Job System version, only certain jobs learn magic, such as Black Mage and White Mage.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
Magic isn't a separate command, but more like every individual spell is its own command. New magic is unlocked by reaching pre-programmed level caps. Kytes learns offensive magic such as Thundaga and Flare, and Penelo learns healing magic such as Curaga and Esuna, and the one special spell, Holy.

Final Fantasy XIII
The characters in Final Fantasy XIII don't have a separate Magic command, but all abilities are listed under the same command, called Abilities. What magic a character can cast in battle depends on their current role and how far they have developed in their Crystarium. Everybody's Crystarium development is unique, and one character never learns every skill. Commando learns only the non-elemental magic spells Ruin and Ruinga, Ravager learns elemental magic such as Fire and Blizzard, Medic learns healing magic such as Cure and Esuna, Synergist learns enhancing magic such as Protect and Haste, and Saboteur learns debilitating magic such as Slow and Poison. The only role that has no magic is Sentinel.