Junction system

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Squall's Junction screen.

Junction system (ジャンクションシステム, Jankushon Shisutemu?) is a character development system designed by Hiroyuki Ito for Final Fantasy VIII. By collecting magic from items, draw points and enemies, the player can junction their magic stocks to their attributes via Guardian Forces to grow stronger. Using the junction system is the superior method of growth to leveling up or weapon-upgrading.

Lore-wise, junctioning allows the user to replicate the powers of a sorceress via the storage and control of magical powers and Guardian Forces. The system can store 32 different forms of Para-Magic with a stock of 100 units of each. Users filter out magic (known as drawing) from various entities and store it ready to be used or junctioned, coming to possess near superhuman abilities, such as increased speed and strength, and being able to use magic. Various junction systems are used in the military forces.

The game's original Japanese version has a junction glitch that lets the player junction magic to more than one stat. The glitch was fixed to western localizations.

See also: Guardian Force

Mechanics

Junctioning magic to attributes

The junction system isn't based on the traditional specialization of weapons and armor in a typical Final Fantasy game, and because in general enemies' scale to the player party's level, simple leveling up does not help gain an advantage. Without utilizing the junction system, characters cannot use abilities other than Attack during battle.

The player can customize their party by junctioning Guardian Forces (GF) to them and grant them stat upgrades, ability commands that can be used in battle, and elemental and status ailment attack/resistances. What precisely can be upgraded depends on the GFs the player has junctioned, and what the GFs have learned.

The player can upgrade stats and/or attack/resistances by attaching magic to the attributes provided a GF junctioned to the character has learned the corresponding junction ability. The more magic junctioned, the better the effect. Different types of magic have different effects when junctioned. To upgrade basic stats, for example HP and Strength (Str), any magic can be used, but some magic will have a greater effect on certain stats; for example, junctioning the Haste spell to the character's Speed stat gives a bigger boost than junctioning Scan or Fire.

Upgrading elemental attacks/resistances (Elem-Atk/Elem-Def) (if the GF has learned the abilities) generally requires elemental magic. Junctioning Fire to an Elem-Def stat will increase a character's resistance to fire-elemental attacks; the more Fire magic junctioned, the better the resistance. Some other magic will provide multiple resistances, notably Ultima that provides resistance for all elements. Junctioning elemental magic to the Elem-Atk stat will cause the character's normal attack to posses an elemental property, giving advantage against some enemies.

Similarly, upgrading status ailment attacks/resistances (ST-Atk/ST-Def) (if the GF has learned the abilities) generally requires magic that causes or cures status ailments. Junctioning Death to ST-Def will make a character resistant to instant death attacks, while Junctioning Death to ST-Atk will allow a character to cause instant death when executing a normal attack.

Players can choose to auto assign magic to stats, Elem-Atk/Def and ST-Atk/Def by using the Auto command in the junctioning menu. The player can auto assign magic giving priority to Strength, Magic or Defense; despite the name of the last one, choosing Defense in fact prioritizes HP.

Ability junctioning

Ability junction menu.

See also: Final Fantasy VIII command abilities or Final Fantasy VIII support abilities

To use command abilities in battle (and in the case of Draw, in the field), characters require them to be junctioned. The abilities available depend on the GFs junctioned, but do not require magic. In the same way, the Character/Party support abilities also require junctioning, but do not require magic. A character starts out with two support ability slots, but can gain three or four. For example, if a GF has learned the ability HP+20%, it must be junctioned to one of the slots to be activated.

Junction values

Spell	HP	Str	Vit	Mag	Spr	Spd	Eva	Hit	Luck
Ultima	60	1.00	0.82	1.00	0.95	0.60	0.24	0.60	0.60
Full-life	48	0.20	0.80	0.20	0.85	0.08	0.04	0.08	0.20
Water	3	0.20	0.14	0.18	0.14	0.12	0.04	0.18	0.13
Aero	3	0.17	0.10	0.16	0.10	0.20	0.08	0.22	0.15
Esuna	5	0.06	0.36	0.12	0.36	0.03	0.02	0.03	0.10
Aura	34	0.70	0.22	0.24	0.24	0.10	0.02	0.50	0.40
Quake	26	0.40	0.20	0.40	0.20	0.07	0.03	0.30	0.12
Demi	16	0.34	0.18	0.36	0.18	0.12	0.04	0.14	0.10
Cure	2	0.04	0.15	0.04	0.15	0.03	0.02	0.02	0.02
Cura	5	0.08	0.28	0.08	0.28	0.04	0.02	0.03	0.03
Curaga	22	0.20	0.65	0.20	0.65	0.10	0.04	0.10	0.10
Confuse	7	0.22	0.18	0.28	0.18	0.18	0.04	0.08	0.08
Silence	1	0.06	0.05	0.12	0.10	0.04	0.02	0.03	0.02
Thunder	1	0.10	0.04	0.10	0.04	0.08	0.03	0.10	0.08
Thundara	2	0.15	0.08	0.15	0.08	0.12	0.04	0.16	0.12
Thundaga	14	0.30	0.16	0.30	0.16	0.14	0.04	0.20	0.14
Shell	4	0.06	0.18	0.10	0.40	0.03	0.02	0.03	0.14
Stop	8	0.18	0.20	0.30	0.24	0.48	0.10	0.20	0.10
Sleep	1	0.06	0.05	0.12	0.10	0.04	0.04	0.03	0.02
Slow	5	0.12	0.16	0.20	0.20	0.40	0.08	0.10	0.10
Zombie	8	0.15	0.24	0.15	0.12	0.02	0.01	0.02	0.02
Double	2	0.15	0.06	0.18	0.06	0.10	0.03	0.40	0.02
Death	18	0.22	0.22	0.38	0.58	0.10	0.04	0.10	0.38
Dispel	10	0.12	0.38	0.16	0.60	0.08	0.04	0.08	0.14
Triple	24	0.70	0.10	0.70	0.10	0.70	0.16	1.50	0.30
Tornado	30	0.48	0.24	0.42	0.24	0.33	0.13	0.38	0.14
Drain	4	0.13	0.30	0.20	0.24	0.06	0.02	0.05	0.04
Berserk	3	0.13	0.08	0.14	0.08	0.05	0.02	0.04	0.03
Bio	7	0.24	0.15	0.24	0.15	0.05	0.02	0.04	0.04
Fire	1	0.10	0.04	0.10	0.04	0.08	0.03	0.10	0.08
Fira	2	0.15	0.08	0.15	0.08	0.12	0.04	0.16	0.12
Firaga	14	0.30	0.16	0.30	0.16	0.14	0.04	0.20	0.14
Blind	1	0.06	0.05	0.12	0.10	0.03	0.02	0.30	0.02
Blizzard	1	0.10	0.04	0.10	0.04	0.08	0.03	0.10	0.08
Blizzara	2	0.15	0.08	0.15	0.08	0.12	0.04	0.16	0.12
Blizzaga	14	0.30	0.16	0.30	0.16	0.14	0.04	0.20	0.14
Flare	32	0.56	0.26	0.44	0.26	0.12	0.03	0.26	0.12
Break	10	0.20	0.20	0.34	0.35	0.10	0.04	0.10	0.12
Protect	4	0.06	0.40	0.10	0.18	0.03	0.02	0.03	0.14
Haste	5	0.12	0.16	0.20	0.20	0.50	0.08	0.10	0.10
Pain	28	0.42	0.38	0.60	0.45	0.04	0.01	0.04	0.40
Holy	38	0.55	0.28	0.45	0.48	0.10	0.07	0.24	0.14
Meteor	46	0.75	0.34	0.52	0.34	0.30	0.12	0.40	0.22
Meltdown	15	0.24	0.80	0.20	0.20	0.03	0.02	0.12	0.08
Scan	1	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.03	0.02	0.03	0.03
Regen	26	0.18	0.70	0.18	0.60	0.08	0.04	0.08	0.08
Reflect	20	0.14	0.46	0.20	0.72	0.10	0.04	0.08	0.16
Life	12	0.08	0.50	0.10	0.50	0.04	0.02	0.03	0.04
Float	2	0.08	0.15	0.08	0.15	0.16	0.04	0.12	0.20
Apocalypse*(Cannot be obtained before the final battle, meaning this option is dummied. Only through hacking can the player obtain it before the battle and be able to junction it.)	42	0.80	0.80	0.80	0.90	0.30	0.12	0.30	0.30

Elemental

Attack

Spell	Elemental	Value (%)
Water	Water	1.0
Aero	Wind	0.8
Quake	Earth	1.0
Thunder	Thunder	0.5
Thundara	Thunder	0.8
Thundaga	Thunder	1.0
Tornado	Wind	1.0
Bio	Poison	1.0
Fire	Fire	0.5
Fira	Fire	0.8
Firaga	Fire	1.0
Blizzard	Ice	0.5
Blizzara	Ice	0.8
Blizzaga	Ice	1.0
Holy	Holy	1.0

Defense

Spell	Elemental	Value (%)
Ultima	All	1.0
Full-life	All	0.4
Water	Water	1.5
Aero	Wind	0.8
Quake	Earth	2.0
Thunder	Thunder	0.5
Thundara	Thunder	0.8
Thundaga	Thunder	1.5
Shell	All	0.2
Tornado	Wind	2.0
Bio	Poison	1.5
Fire	Fire	0.5
Fira	Fire	0.8
Firaga	Fire	1.5
Blizzard	Ice	0.5
Blizzara	Ice	0.8
Blizzaga	Ice	1.5
Flare	Thunder, Fire, Ice	0.8
Protect	Thunder, Fire, Ice	0.2
Holy	Holy	2.0
Meteor	Earth, Wind	1.5
Life	All	0.3
Float	Earth	0.5

Status

Attack

Spell	Status	Value (%)
Confuse	Confusion	1.00
Silence	Silence	1.00
Stop	Stop	1.00
Sleep	Sleep	1.00
Slow	Slow	1.00
Zombie	Zombie	1.00
Death	Death	1.00
Drain	Drain	1.00
Berserk	Berserk	1.00
Bio	Poison	1.00
Blind	Darkness	1.00
Break	Petrify	1.00
Pain	Poison, Darkness, Silence	1.00

Defense

Spell	Status	Value (%)
Full-life	Death	0.40
Esuna	Berserk, Confusion, Curse, Darkness, Petrify, Poison, Silence, Sleep, Slow, Stop	0.20
Aura	Curse	2.00
Confuse	Confusion	1.00
Silence	Silence	1.00
Stop	Stop	1.00
Sleep	Sleep	1.00
Slow	Slow	1.00
Zombie	Zombie	1.00
Death	Death	1.00
Dispel	Drain	0.50
Drain	Drain	1.00
Berserk	Berserk	1.00
Bio	Poison	1.00
Blind	Darkness	1.00
Break	Petrify	1.00
Pain	Poison, Darkness, Silence, Curse	1.00
Holy	Death, Drain, Confusion, Zombie, Sleep, Curse, Berserk, Poison	0.40
Reflect	Poison, Petrify, Darkness, Confusion, Silence, Berserk, Slow, Stop, Sleep	0.25
Life	Death	0.20

Other appearances

Dissidia Final Fantasy and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy

Ultimecia's EX Mode is to junction Griever. In her EX Mode, in addition to the standard Regen status and increased probability for critical hits, Ultimecia gains the special attack Time Crush, which stuns opponents for several seconds upon a successful execution.

Ultimecia's EX Mode remains Junction Griever in Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy.

Final Fantasy Brave Exvius

This section about an ability in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius is empty or needs to be expanded. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by expanding it.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game

Junction is a game mechanic possessed by Final Fantasy VIII character cards. When a Forward uses Junction, they pay the Summon cost for an Eidolon card in their hand (as well as the cost to use the Forward's Junction ability, if applicable) and remove that Eidolon from the game. As long as that card is removed from the game, the Forward is now considered "Junctioned" and gains various abilities that differ for each card.

Other media

Dead Fantasy

Rinoa casts Holy.

In Dead Fantasy II, Rinoa Heartilly junctions Holy and Tornado from her fan-made Blaster Edge, Silenced Tear, and uses both in her battle against the Dead or Alive girls.

Trivia

• Squall and Seifer use gunblades that have native perfect hit rate and their critical hits are manually triggered. Thus, the Hit-J and Luck-J junction abilities are largely pointless on them.