Gravity (ability)

Gravity (グラビデ, Gurabide), also known as Demi, is a recurring spell from the series. It cuts an enemy's HP by a specific amount, usually by 50% or 25%, although this depends on the game. The number of targets it affects is also game dependent.

The upgrade of Gravity is called Graviga, Quarter, or Demi 2. The most powerful Gravity spell is called Gravija.

Gravity is notable for being a fairly high-level spell in each game it appears in but being comparatively weak next to more generic elemental spells like Fire, its power dulled by factors of ten against bosses--against whom a 25% reduction of health would actually be much stronger than straightforward damage--and lacking general killing power against opponents who would otherwise die against single shots of other spells and physical attacks. It is, however, usually cheaper than its elemental counterparts in terms of MP cost. Unfortunately, many enemies are resistant or completely immune to gravity.

Final Fantasy V
Time Mages can cast Gravity, also known as Demi, as a Level 3 Time spell. There is also a Blue Magic spell called Level 4 Graviga, also known as Level 4 Quarter.

Final Fantasy VI
Named as Demi in the SNES and Gravity in the Advance version, it is a Grey Magic spell taught by Phantom. Quartr/Graviga is the higher-level counterpart taught by Terrato/Midgardsormr,

Diablos, who only appears in the Advance remake, also teaches the spell Gravija.

Final Fantasy VII
Demi is the first spell available through the Gravity Magic Materia. It costs 14 MP to cast. Barret can use this spell in the 1996 Demo release, and for the cost of only 5 MP.

Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-
Gravity and Gravira are two Materias from Before Crisis.

Gravity:
 * MP Cost: N/A
 * Target Type: Range
 * Materia Generation System: Pink, Purple
 * Level 1 - Default - Base Damage: N/A

Gravira:
 * MP Cost: N/A
 * Target Type: Range
 * Materia Generation System: Pink, Purple
 * Level 1 - Default - Base Damage: N/A

Final Fantasy VIII
Demi is a Gravity based spell. Diablos uses Gravija and both Edea and Ultimecia use a much more powerful gravity spell called Maelstrom (also inflicts Slow and Curse statuses).

Final Fantasy IX
Vivi can learn the Black Magic Demi. Also, Amarant can learn an attack called Demi Shock which has the same effect.

In the first encounter with Kuja he is able to cast Demi frequently.

Final Fantasy X
Demi is a Black Magic spell found in Lulu's section of the Sphere Grid. Sin also casts Gravija.

Mega Graviton is used by the Dark Magus Sisters whenever they have their Overdrive full separately, and also used by Dark Anima as a normal attack. It removes 7/16 of a character's total HP, and inflicts Darkness, Silence, Sleep, and Doom. Giga Graviton is only used by Sin when attacking its head. The spell can decimate the player's party, but can only be cast when sixteen of Sin's turns have passed. Tera Graviton is used by the Left Arm of Penance. It removes 3/4 of a character's total HP, and inflicts Darkness, Silence, Sleep, and Doom.

Final Fantasy XI
There is a spell in Final Fantasy XI known as Gravity; however, it is completely different than the traditional understanding of the spell from the series perspective. It is a Black Magic spell which can only be cast by Red Mages. It decreases the physical movement speed of its target by inflicting weight, a status effect, and also decreases evasion by 10 points.

Final Fantasy XII
Gravity is included in the Arcane Magick 2 License on the License Board. The spell itself is first available for purchase after the events at the Tomb of Raithwall. It causes HP damage equal to 25% of the enemy's max HP and hits all targets in range. In the International Zodiac Job System version, Gravity is a Time Magick 4 License.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
Gravity is used by the Esper Atomos. It deals damage equal to 25% of the enemy's max HP.

Final Fantasy Tactics
Gravity, also known as Demi, is a spell learned by Time Mages. It is very effective against many of the Lucavi bosses due in part to their having a couple thousand HP and having no resistance to Gravity. It costs 24 MP. It has a speed of 17 and costs 250 JP to learn.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Demi is a spell that reduces HP by 1/2 for 24 MP. Quarter, in a change from the norm, is weaker than Demi and reduces HP by 1/4 for 10 MP. Time Mages can learn Demi from the Stardust Rod and Quarter from the Force Rod, while Babus knows the spells as the Runeseeker.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Gravity is casted by fusing any two Element Magicite (Fire + Blizzard, Blizzard + Thunder, or Fire + Thunder.) It can take down flying enemies onto the ground.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
Gravity is casted by piling Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder. If casted on a player, they won't be able to jump for a short amount of time.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
Gravity is casted by stacking Blizzard and Raise target rings. It prevents the target from jumping.

Dissidia Final Fantasy
Cecil has a variation of Gravity called "Gravity Ball" as a Brave attack. It fires an orb of dark energy that slowly arcs towards the ground. Golbez has two attacks involving Gravity: "Gravity Force", in which he fires an orb of dark energy and teleports and fires a second orb to knock the opponent into the first, and "Gravity System", in which he summons CPU to fire a laser at the opponent before blasting them with an orb of dark energy.

Etymology

 * "Demi" is the French word for "half", though this is sometimes a misnomer as the spell of that name does not necessarily reduce a foe's remaining health by half.
 * A probable reason for gravity being a percentage attack is that the greater the target's HP is, the more damage is dealt. This is roughly analogous to the fact that the larger a mass is, the greater the gravitational force it experiences.