The character is invisible, hidden from watchful eyes, and cannot be targeted by foes. The effect is temporary.
Description
Invisible is a status in Final Fantasy XII. The affected becomes transparent, unable to be targeted by enemies unless detected via means other than visually. The status wears off when the user targets something, except when countering attacks. Some enemies have the status innately and can be revealed by reflecting magicks onto them.
Mechanics[]
The formula for the duration is:
Enemies can detect characters by vision, sound, life, and magick. Vision is the only sense that can be deceived by the Vanish status. Enemies that detect characters by vision usually do not detect characters that are behind them. Sound detection is usually not as far-reaching as vision, and it can be avoided by also using the Float status to move silently. Walking on noisy terrains, like water splashing, can rouse nearby enemies. Certain types of monsters (undead, plants, and bugs) can detect characters who are low on health, usually less than 40% of max health. Finally, Elementals and Entites can detect characters when they cast magick. Therefore, Vanish is effective against birds, giants, insects (if HP > 40%), materials, imperial army, and humanoids, because of their poor sound detection radius. With both Vanish and Float, characters will be undetectable to all enemy types so long as they maintain high HP and do not cast magick. Enemies of the same type can also chain their detections; when an enemy enters battle and is within the detection area of other enemies of the same type, the other enemies will also attack the player.
Casting Vanish on certain enemies makes their AI ignore characters, as engaging in combat would mean for them to lose their Vanish status. One of the most useful ways for this trick is on the way to Zodiark, as the route to Zodiark's lair is long and swarming with reaper-type enemies. Vanish is also effective against the superboss Omega Mark XII.
Abilities[]
| Item | Baltoro Seed, Vanishga Mote |
|---|---|
| Spell | Vanish & Vanishga (Arcane [OG] / Time Magicks [Zodiac]) |
In the original PlayStation 2 version, Stamp can transfer positive statuses as well as negative to any target and thus can be used to bestow Invisible when the user has it; this was changed in the Zodiac versions so only ailments can be transferred with Stamp to enemies.
The gambits specifically for this status are "Ally: status = Invisible" and "Self: status = Invisible". In the original version, these gambits can be bought for 50 gil after the events at Draklor Laboratory. In the Zodiac versions, the gambits can be purchased for 70 gil after leaving Nalbina Dungeons.
Enemy abilities[]
No enemy has access to abilities that inflict Invisible, but some spawn with the status in place.
Removal[]
| Item | Dispel Mote |
|---|---|
| Spell | Dispel & Dispelga (White Magicks) |
| Mechanics | Being detected |
Dispel effects do not remove enemies' Invisible, because invisible foes cannot be targeted, but the player can reflect other spells from their own party to reveal the invisible enemy.
Enemies[]
Certain enemies can spawn with Invisible status in place, like Gazer and Reaper. Wood Toad always spawns with invisibility.
Some reaper-style enemies can be neutralized by casting Vanish on them as they will then never attack the player.