Set up to 3/4 abilities
Description
Ability x (Ability x3 and Ability x4) are junction abilities in Final Fantasy VIII. While a Guardian Force has them learned, the party member junctioning the GF can equip one or two additional passive abilities.
Obtained[]
Ability x3 comes with the GFs Diablos, Carbuncle, Cerberus, and Alexander. If removed with Amnesia Greens, there is no way to get it back. Ability x4 comes with the GF Bahamut, and can be taught to any GF by using a Rosetta Stone item on them.
Diablos is obtained from the Magical Lamp given by Headmaster Cid at the Timber mission briefing at the Balamb Garden gates. Carbuncle is drawn from Iguions at the Deling City parade. Cerberus and Alexander are obtained during Battle of the Gardens. Bahamut is recruited from the hidden island on the corner of the world map, reached with the Ragnarok.
Rosetta Stone is a rare and valuable item. It is a very rare reward for playing the prisoner who charges 200 gil per game of Triple Triad in D-District Prison. One can be obtained by repeatedly accessing Cheryl's Shop in Esthar City; the shop is closed, but eventually gives out a Rosetta Stone. Finally, there is one Rosetta Stone in Ultimecia Castle: the player must open the gate right from the fountain area by pressing all the keys of the organ simultaneously to rid of the bars barring the entry to the sewers, then drain the sewers of water with the Floodgate key found using the elevator found elsewhere in the castle. Placing a lighter party to the left side of the elevator and switching to the heavier party allows the party access a room with the Floodgate Key, used in the lever in the prison. The player can also refine a Rosetta Stone from a Shaman Stone with Eden's GFAbl Med-RF ability. Shaman Stones can be refined from Dark Matter with Siren's Tool-RF.
Use[]
Being able to equip three or four passive abilities at once is a great benefit that the player should aim to have on as many party members as possible. The number of passives a character can equip without any Ability x ability in effect is two. Good passives to use include stat increases, like Str+40% and Luck+50%, auto-status abilities like Auto-Protect and Auto-Haste, and battle abilities like Mug, Counter, and Cover.
Having both Ability x3 and x4 on the same GF or character is pointless. If the player decided to teach Ability x4 to a GF who already has Ability x3, they can remove x3 with Amnesia Greens without ill effect.