Protect activates automatically in battle.
Description
Auto-Protect is a support ability that gives a permanent Protect buff in battle, halving physical damage to the user.
Obtained[]
Auto-Protect is learned by the Guardian Force Bahamut for 250 AP. Bahamut is obtained from the hidden island at the corner of the world map reachable with a flying transport.
Auto-Protect is taught to any GF with the Steel Curtain item, made from 20 Adamantines with Eden's GFAbl Med-RF ability. Adamantines are obtained from high level Adamantoises, easily farmed at the Long Horn Island beaches north from Dollet.
Mechanics[]
Auto-Protect gives the user permanent Protect status that cannot be dispelled and remains in effect even if the character was KO'd and revived. There is no visual indication that the character has Protect in effect until they are struck by a physical attack, showing a light barrier. Under Protect, physical damage is halved.
Use[]
Auto-Protect is a good ability to have equipped to halve damage from physical attacks, and is great for a character who is using Cover for this reason. Some enemy abilities that may look like magic damage may still be halved by Protect, like Ruby Dragon's Breath and Omega Weapon's Terra Break.
However, the game's toughest challenges and final bosses do not use so many physical attacks, favoring special damage, fixed damage, and magic damage. Auto-Protect is available only in the endgame in a normal playthrough unless the player scores a Steel Curtain from Chocobo World.
Other ways to bestow Protect include using the Protect spell/Protect Stone, Quistis's Mighty Guard, and Selphie's Wall, but Protect from these sources expires after a time. The player can junction for high Vitality to mitigate physical damage without using Auto-Protect, though having both mitigates damage even more, and Auto-Protect helps even if a character has Vit 0 (though few enemies inflict it onto the player).
Auto-Protect can be good to protect Rinoa during Angel Wing.