Transfer HP from one foe to the caster.
Description
Drain is a Green Magicks spell in the Zodiac versions of Final Fantasy XII, and an Arcane Magicks spell in the original PlayStation 2 version. It is a single-target spell that transfers a small amount of HP from a target to the caster, unless the target is an undead in which case the reverse happens.
Obtained[]
Drain's license costs 50 License Points in the Zodiac versions, where the spell is bought for 3000 gil from the Clan Provisioner in Rabanastre's Muthru Bazaar after the player has attained the rank of Vanguard in Clan Centurio by felling 8 marks and amassing 20,000 clan points by defeating enemies.
In the original version, Drain is bought for 3200 gil from Eruyt Village, Mt Bur-Omisace, and Rabanastre after defeating Judge Bergan.
In the Zodiac versions, Drain can be used by the job classes White Mage, Red Battlemage, Time Battlemage, and Black Mage.
Mechanics[]
Drain takes HP from the target and gives it to the caster. If the target is undead, then the caster is hurt and the target is replenished.
The formula for the amount of HP that is transferred is:
- [62 x RANDOM(1~1.125) - Target's Magick Resist] x [2 + Magick Power x (Level + Magick Power)/256)]
With the Serenity license or the Magick Gloves accessory, the damage is inflated to 120% (original) or 150% (Zodiac) when the caster is in full health. With the Spellbreaker license or the Leather Gorget accessory, the damage is doubled when the caster is in HP Critical. If the caster has Faith, Drain will also damage for 30% more. The boosts stack multiplicatively.
Drain ignores Reverse and Reflect.
Drain costs 18 MP to cast without Channeling licenses. If the caster damages the enemy and has the Warmage license, they gain some MP. The target's magickal evasion stat may block a damaging spell.
Use[]
Drain is an HP-stealing spell the player can set up via the gambit system (such as with Foe:Any→Drain, but the player should have a Foe:Undead gambit above it or they will use Drain on undead enemies as well). However, rather than relying on gambits, the player may find it better to use Drain manually whenever they specifically need both damage and healing. Drain can be used to heal when the party has Reflect, as otherwise healing magicks would bounce unless the caster had the Opal Ring equipped.
Drain's downsides are that it is weak both as an offensive spell and as a curative spell; if the player wanted to do damage, they likely have a stronger spell for that, and if they wanted to replenish health, White Magicks are far better. However, for a single-job run in the Zodiac versions, the White Mage job does not get many damage-dealing spells, and Drain would still allow a Black Mage to heal themselves with magick, if desired.
The enemies that use Drain are Pit Fiend, Mindflayer, Rafflesia, and Rook.