Deal fire damage to one foe.
Description
Fire is a Black Magick spell in both the original PlayStation 2 version of Final Fantasy XII and the Zodiac re-releases. It is a single-target spell in most versions that deals fire-elemental damage. It is the lowest tier Fire spell, below Fira, Firaga, and Ardor. Instead of opposing ice, like in most Final Fantasy games, in Final Fantasy XII, fire opposes water.
As a Black Magicks spell, it is also a random outcome of the Shades of Black Technick.
The enemies that use Fire against the player are Garchimacera, Ghost, Skeleton, Specter [b], Bomb [a, c], Zombie Mage, Lich, Ragoh, Tallow, Oiling, Urutan Eater, Rocktoise, Belias, Firemane, Gijuk [a], Megabomb, Cultsworn Lich, and Imperial Magus.
Obtained[]
Fire's license costs 15 License Points and Fran always starts with it. In the original version, Fire is bought for 200 gil from Rabanastre and Nalbina Fortress from the beginning of the game. In the Zodiac versions, the spell is bought for 180 gil from shops that sell magick from the beginning of the game. It is also found in a treasure in Trial Mode Stage 2 with the Diamond Armlet equipped.
The player does not need to buy the spell as Fran will join with it.
In the Zodiac versions, Fire can be used by the Black Mage job class, and Fran no matter what job she chooses.
Mechanics[]
Fire deals small Fire-elemental damage to one target. In the Japan-exclusive International Zodiac Job System version, Fire was changed to a multi-target spell, but it was reverted to single-target spell in The Zodiac Age. Fire deals damage based on the caster's level and Magick Power, mitigated by the target's Magick Resist.
The spell power in the original version is 25, lowered to 22 in the Zodiac versions, likely due to making the spell a group-cast spell in the International Zodiac Job System version; the lower power was kept in The Zodiac Age even if Fire returned to a single-target spell. The formula for damage calculation:
![{\displaystyle [POWER\times RANDOM(1\sim 1.125)-Magick~Resist]\times [2+{Magick~Power\times (Level+Magick~Power) \over 256}]}](https://services.fandom.com/mathoid-facade/v1/media/math/render/svg/08fb0388b050f4b27ae7325a690a6892d5b00889)
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, Fire will damage for 30% more. As an elemental spell, it will do double damage to targets weak to Fire, and 150% damage with Fire-potency gear: Burning Bow and Flame Staff. Oiled targets take triple damage from Fire. The boosts stack multiplicatively.
Enemies who resist fire take half damage. Those who nullify fire take no damage and those who absorb fire are healed by it. Shell halves damage from Fire.
Certain weather conditions affect both the player characters' and the foes' fire damage. In sunny or cloudy weather with strong winds (the player characters' hair and clothes move rapidly), fire attacks deal 120% damage. Counterintuitively, as windy weather inflates fire damage, snow- and sandstorms also boost fire damage to 120%. Regular rain halves fire damage, and heavy rain with wind cuts it by 40%.
Fire bounces from Reflect unless the caster equips the Opal Ring. Damaging enemies with Fire gains MP to the caster if they have the Warmage license. A target can sometimes avoid Fire via their Magick Evade stat; for the player, this means wearing shields.
Fire costs 6 MP to cast without Channeling licenses in the Zodiac versions and 8 MP in the original version.
Use[]
Fire is a good early game damaging spell that the player can set up via the gambit system (such as with Foe:fire-vulnerable→Fire). It can be good against flying enemies for characters who lack ranged weapons. It is useful in the Flan boss battle in the Garamsythe Waterway. Water enemies are typically weak to fire damage.
Fire is best used with the Flame Staff to boost its power. Fire is a good spell to use in the beginning of the game, but it is outclassed once the party gets Fira from Jahara or Eruyt Village onwards depending on game version. MP is generally plentiful enough for the player to use the stronger versions of spells, especially with the licenses that refund MP costs.
Fire performs poorly in rain, but this effect can be canceled out with an Agate Ring. It is a good spell to use whenever the weather is windy, however.