Shell (ability)



Shell (シェル), also known as MBarrier, is a recurring spell generally classified as White Magic. It appears in various games in the Final Fantasy series and bestows the status effect of the same name, which halves all magic damage dealt to the target, often including both offensive and curative spells. Some games include the more effective Shellga spell.

Final Fantasy II
Shell is a White Magic spell which increases the Magic Defense of one or all allies, which reduces magic damage from enemy attacks. As the spell's level grows, the spell's effectiveness and success rate increases. The effect can stack, but repeated use on the same unit(s) increases the chance the spell will miss. Any character can learn Shell by having them use the Shell Tome (called the Shell Scroll in the Origins release).

Final Fantasy IV
Shell is a White Magic spell. It costs 10 MP, has 66% Accuracy, and takes one turn to cast. Shell is learned by Rosa at level 20 and Porom at level 29. Tellah learns it after completing Mount Ordeals; Fusoya joins the party with it. Cecil learns it as a Paladin at level 33 in the Nintendo DS version. Dispel has no effect on this spell's Magic Defense increase. Shell can be cast on either a single target or an entire party; this has no impact on its effectiveness. This spell can fail frequently when cast by a character with a low Spirit stat.

The spell cannot be learned in the North American and Easy Type versions of the game, although the Zemus's Malice enemy still casts it as a part of its attack script, along with Protect. The White Magic icon has been replaced with a blank space, making it appear as if it is an enemy skill.

The spell functions differently in the DS release. In the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance and PlayStation Portable releases, Shell boosts its target's Magic Defense stat by 3 points, to a maximum of 255, for the duration of the battle. The spell will automatically fail if its target's Magic Defense is at 255, and during the final battle with Zeromus it is programmed not to work at all. In the DS release, Shell bestows the status of the same name as in most other games, halving Magic Damage that the party receives, and works properly in the final battle.

The behavior of this spell has changed for the DS version. It sets Shell status on its targets, and can only be applied once. Its MP cost has been boosted to 15.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
Shell appears as a spell that all the White Magic casters can use, it is also an enemy ability used by Boss Gobby, Lord Dragon, and Ultima Weapon. It can be used to target all allies at once.

Final Fantasy V
Shell is a spell that can be used only by the White Mage Job. It is a White Magic Level 4 spell and it can be bought for 3,000 gil at Regole, Castle of Bal, Quelb, and Castle Surgate. It costs 5 MP to cast.

Shell can be cast by Calofisteri, Carbuncle, Gilgamesh at the Big Bridge, Halicarnassus, Harvester, Hades, Necromancer, Zephyrus, and Tiny Mage.

Final Fantasy VI
Shell is a spell that the espers Alexander, Zona Seeker, Carbuncle, and Unicorn can teach to characters. It costs 15 MP to cast and is vulnerable to Runic. Shell can be cast by Level 70 Magic, Cherry, Moebius, Gilgamesh, and Kaiser Dragon.

Final Fantasy VII
Called MBarrier in this game, the spell can be learned through the Barrier Materia. It costs 24 MP to cast. The enemies Dark Nation, Adamantaimai, Death Claw, and Valron, as well as the boss Rude, can all use the spell. Rude will only use the spell during the fight at Rocket Town.

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-
MBarrier can be used when Zack is equipped with the Materia of the same name. It grants MBarrier status. The spell costs 16 MP to cast and can be obtained from completing mission 8-4-1, stolen from Genesis, dropped from Chive, found from missions 3-3-3, 9-1-2, and 9-1-5 and bought from The Happy Turtle.

Final Fantasy VIII
Shell is a Support Magic spell that can be refined from items using GF Diablos's Support Magic Refinement ability, as well as drawn from enemies. Casting Shell in battle increases compatibility with Carbuncle by 1, and with Cerberus by 0.2, but lowers compatibility with Diablos and Eden by 0.2 as well.

Final Fantasy IX
Garnet and Eiko are the only characters that can use this spell in the game, and can cast it for 6 MP. There are several different weapons, armor, or Add-ons that will teach the ability for 35 AP. Shell can be cast by Serpion and Necron.

Final Fantasy X
Shell is a White Magic spell located on Yuna's side of the Sphere Grid although all characters can learn this spell. It costs 10 MP to cast. Shell can be cast by Cindy, Guado Guardian (B), Seymour, and Th'uban.

Final Fantasy X-2
Shell can be used through the White Mage dressphere and costs 30 AP to learn and 10 MP to cast. It can be used without the White Mage dressphere when equipped with Selene Guard Garment Grid. Shell can be cast by Garik Ronso, Node A, Node B, Node C, Right Bulwark, Seymour (Colosseum), and Unum.

Final Fantasy XI
Shell is a spell that can be learned by Red Mages, White Mages, Scholars, and Paladins, though because it is such a low-level spell it can be used by many characters with any of these Jobs as a Support Job. It is the earliest in a line of spells that go up to Shell V. Shell applies approximately 10% reduction of magical damage.

Final Fantasy XII

 * "The character is enveloped in a magick field, increasing magick resist and reducing magick damage taken. The effect is temporary."

Shell is not a White Magick, but a Green Magick spell. It can be used when its license, Green Magick 2 is learned for 30 LP and can be bought in Rabanastre, and Bhujerba for 300 gil. Shellga can also be learned, which casts Shells effect on the nearby party members as well. It requires the license Green Magic 7 for 105 LP; it can be bought at Balfonheim Port for 9,900 gil.

In the International Zodiac Job System version, Shell is listed as White Magick 3 License, along with Protect. It can be used by the Job classes White Mage and Red Mage. Shellga is White Magick 12 License, and can only be obtained from a chest in the Great Crystal.

Final Fantasy XIII
Shell is a Synergist ability that increases the magic resistance of any ally by 33%, It is learned by four characters by advancing in the Synergist role in the Crystarium System at varying levels; Hope (Lv2), Snow (Lv7), Lightning (Lv8), and Sazh (Lv9).

Final Fantasy Tactics
Shell can be used through the White Mage Job it cost 70 JP to learn it. It costs 6 MP to use and has a speed of 25. It casts Shell in standard cross-shaped area. In the PS version, there is a chance that the caster will say, upon using this spell: "Silent light, shield from evil! Shell!"

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Shell can be used through the White Mage. It costs 100 AP to master it, 6 MP to cast, and has a range of 4 with a vertical reach of 2. It casts Shell in standard cross-shaped area. It is stealable through the ability Steal: Ability.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Shell can be taught to a Green Mage by the War Hammer for 150 AP, and costs 8 MP to cast.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King
Shell is a level 10 Protection Spell, exclusive to the White Mage class, and caps at level 100. It increases allies' Magic Defense, can be used once per battle, and up to three times a day.

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light
Shell is a White Magic spell and costs 2 AP to cast. When the spell is used it increases a characters magic defense by 50%. Shell can be given to any character by having a Shell Tome in the character's inventory. The spell can be purchased for 1,000 gil in Guera and Urbeth at night, and in Horne after the player defeats Satan.

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon
MBarrier is a Lvl. 4 spell that costs 3 SP to cast and protects Chocobo temporarily from magic damage.