Call upon evil forces to perform Dark Arts.
Description
Dark Arts is the Necromancer job's ability in the Advance and the now defunct iOS/Android/Steam versions of Final Fantasy V.
Obtained[]
Dark Arts is innate to the Necromancer job. After leveling up the Necromancer job, a character can have the Dark Arts ability equipped on any other job and use any Dark Arts spell whose associated level has been attained by the Necromancer. To be able to use all Dark Arts spells as a non-Necromancer, a character must level their Necromancer job up to level 6. Dark Arts is the job's innate command, Necromancer being able to use all available spells without the need to attain a spell's associated level first.
The Dark Arts ability requires 30 AP for level 1, 45 for level 2, 60 for level 3, 100 for level 4 and 200 for level 5.
Mechanics[]
Dark Arts is more powerful than the Black Magic and Summon skillsets, and can be further boosted due to the equipment choices the Necromancer has (rods for fire, ice, lightning, and poison, and Air Knife for wind). The Necromancer is similar to the Blue Mage, in that to learn any Dark Arts, they have to learn it from opponents; the Necromancer must deal the finishing blow to a specific enemy to learn a Dark Art spell. Dark Arts is disabled if the user is silenced.
The Dark Arts are divided into five levels with increasing MP cost. These abilities are among the most devastating in the game, since they deal respectable damage, often with an elemental affinity and an added status effect.
List of Dark Arts[]
| Ability | Effect | Learned from | Lv.Level | MPMP cost | Pwr.Spell power | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drain Touch | Absorbs HP, non-reflectable | Mindflayer, The Damned | 1 | 15 | 80 | 
|
| Dark Haze | Deals non-elemental damage to all enemies, inflicts Old and Confuse | Lemure, Exoray | 1 | 18 | 190 | 
|
| Deep Freeze | Deals Ice-elemental damage to one enemy, inflicts Stop | Assassin, Dark Elemental | 2 | 38 | 190 | 
|
| Evil Mist | Deals Poison-elemental damage and inflicts Poison to all enemies | Zombie Dragon, Unknown | 2 | 38 | 190 | 
|
| Meltdown | Deals Fire-elemental damage and inflicts Sap on all enemies with a searing heat | Liquid Flame, Claret Dragon | 3 | 38 | 190 | 
|
| Hellwind | Attacks all enemies with cursed winds, dealing Wind-elemental damage and inflicting Petrify | Objet d'Art, Stingray | 3 | 38 | 190 | 
|
| Chaos Drive | Deals Lightning-elemental damage and causes Paralysis to all enemies | Mini Satana | 4 | 38 | 190 | 
|
| Curse | Causes various status ailments | Ironclad | 4 | 42 | 0 | 
|
| Dark Flare | Damages all enemies with a burst of dark energy. Ignores targets' magic defenses. | Exdeath's Soul, Tonberry | 5 | 52 | 200 | 
|
| Doomsday | Forbidden Dark Art, deals incredible damage to all enemies. Non-reflectable | Hades | 5 | 66 | 254 | 
|
Gallery[]
Etymology[]
Dark arts may refer to black magic or maleficium.
