Shell activates automatically in battle.
Description
Auto-Shell is a support ability that gives a permanent Shell buff in battle, halving magic damage to the user, but also halving magic healing.
Obtained[]
Auto-Shell is learned by the Guardian Force Doomtrain for 250 AP. Doomtrain is obtained from Solomon Ring found at Tears' Point; using the ring when the player has the correct items (six each of Remedy+, Steel Pipe, and Malboro Tentacle) in their inventory adds Doomtrain to the GF roster.
Auto-Shell is taught to any GF with the Moon Curtain item, made from 20 Magic Armlets or 100 Malboro Tentacles with Eden's GFAbl Med-RF ability. Magic Armlets are upgraded with Force Armlets, eventually purchasable from Esthar City, and Malboro Tentacles can be farmed from Malboros. The easy way to get three Moon Curtains is from modding Alexander's card.
Mechanics[]
Auto-Shell gives the user permanent Shell 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 Shell in effect until they are struck by a magic attack/healing, showing a light barrier. Under Shell, both magic damage and healing spells are halved.
Use[]
Auto-Shell is a good ability to have equipped to halve damage from magic attacks, commonly used by tough bosses and enemies in the endgame, such as Bahamut's Megaflare and final bosses' Shockwave Pulsar and Apocalypse. The player can still easily heal with Recover, White Wind, and items.
Auto-Shell is available only in the endgame in a normal playthrough unless the player scores a Moon Curtain from Chocobo World.
Other ways to bestow Shell include using the Shell spell/Shell Stone, Quistis's Mighty Guard, and Selphie's Wall, but Shell from these sources expires after a time. The player can junction for high Spirit to mitigate magic damage without using Auto-Shell, though having both mitigates damage even more, and Auto-Shell helps even if a character has Vit 0 (though few enemies inflict it onto the player). Auto-Shell can be good to protect Rinoa during Angel Wing.