Magic (Final Fantasy VIII)

Squall casts magic in battle.

Magic is a junction ability every Guardian Force has already mastered in Final Fantasy VIII. It may be removed using the item Amnesia Greens, and later re-added using the Magic Scroll item bought from Pet Shops in Timber or Esthar City.

Mechanics

The party member must equip a Guardian Force that knows the Magic command and set it in the character menu. The player must acquire some spells by drawing them from enemies and draw points, or by refining them from items. Each character has a magic spell inventory that can store 32 different spells, each as high as 100 units.

Spells are stocked and used up individually, and each party member has an individual stock of spells that can be divided between the party in the menu. The player can discard spells from a character's spell list by pressing / and then confirming.

The command is sealed if the user is silenced, or in Ultimecia Castle until the party unlocks it by defeating a boss.

Base damage calculation for magic spells is:

$Damage = Magic~Stat + Spell~Power$

$Damage = Damage \times (265 - Target's~Spirit) / 4$

$Damage = Damage \times Spell~Power / 256$

Each spell has its own spell power, apart from Demi that works by draining a quarter of the target's current health.

Spell	Spell Power	Spell	Spell Power
Fire, Blizzard, Thunder	18	Meteor	20
Aero	22	Fira, Blizzara, Thundara	24
Water, Drain	26	Bio	30
Meltdown	32	Firaga, Blizzaga, Thundaga	35
Tornado	38	Quake	40
Holy, Flare	48	Ultima	80
Apocalypse	120

The healing spells' healing amount (or damage to undead targets) is determined by the following formula:

$(Spell~Power + Magic~Stat) \times Spell~Power / 2$

Spell	Spell Power	Spell	Spell Power
Cure	18	Cura	36
Curaga	60

Shell reduces both offensive and curative spells' effectiveness.

Status ailment spells have no spell power, but their effectiveness is calculated by the following formula:

If (Status Defense >= 200) Target does not get the status

else: Infliction% = Magic Stat/4 - Target's Spirit/4

Infliction% = Infliction% - Status Defense + 200

Status Defense starts at 100 (0%) and the cap is 200 (100%).

Casting magic can affect compatibility with the Guardian Forces currently junctioned to the caster. GFs of the same element as the spell tend to gain compatibility, where as GFs of opposite element tend to lose it. However, the effect is minor.

Some spells can be cast via other means than the Magic command, including Selphie's Slot and Rinoa's Angel Wing Limit Breaks (the spells are not used from the spell inventory), or via Stone-type items. Spells can also be cast via the Draw command by choosing Draw → Cast, but these will have very high damage variance:

$Damage = Damage /times ([0..255] + 10) / 150$

List of spells

Click on individual spells for more info.

Name	Effect	Refinement Ability	Image
Fire	Inflicts minor Fire-elemental damage on one target.	F Mag-RF
	Fire magic damage/one enemy
Fira	Inflicts moderate Fire-elemental damage on one target.	F Mag-RF, Mid Mag-RF
	Fire magic damage/one enemy
Firaga	Inflicts major Fire-elemental damage on one target.	F Mag-RF, High Mag-RF
	Fire magic damage/one enemy
Blizzard	Inflicts minor Ice-elemental damage on one target.	I Mag-RF
	Ice magic damage/one enemy
Blizzara	Inflicts moderate Ice-elemental damage on one target.	I Mag-RF, Mid Mag-RF
	Ice magic damage/one enemy
Blizzaga	Inflicts major Ice-elemental damage on one target.	I Mag-RF, High Mag-RF
	Ice magic damage/one enemy
Thunder	Inflicts minor Thunder-elemental damage on one target.	T Mag-RF
	Thunder magic damage/one enemy
Thundara	Inflicts moderate Thunder-elemental damage on one target.	T Mag-RF, Mid Mag-RF
	Thunder magic damage/one enemy
Thundaga	Inflicts major Thunder-elemental damage on one target.	T Mag-RF, High Mag-RF
	Thunder magic damage/one enemy
Water	Inflicts moderate Water-elemental damage on one target.	I Mag-RF
	Water magic damage/one enemy
Aero	Inflicts moderate Wind-elemental damage on one target.	T Mag-RF
	Wind magic damage/one enemy
Bio	Inflicts moderate Poison-elemental damage and inflicts the Poison status ailment, causing them to take damage after they take a turn.	ST Mag-RF
	Poison damage + status change/one enemy
Demi	Inflicts damage equal to 25% of the target's current HP on one target. Percentage varies if drawn-cast.	Time Mag-RF
	Magic to reduce one enemy's HP by 1/4
Quake	Inflicts major Earth-elemental damage on all units in the targeted party.	Time Mag-RF
	Earth magic damage/all enemies
Tornado	Inflicts major Wind-elemental damage on all units in the targeted party.	T Mag-RF, High Mag-RF
	Wind magic damage/all enemies
Holy	Inflicts extreme Holy-elemental damage on one target.	L Mag-RF
	Holy magic damage/one enemy
Flare	Inflicts extreme non-elemental damage on one target.	F Mag-RF
	Non-elemental magic damage/one enemy
Meteor	Hits ten random units in the targeted party for random damage.	Forbid Mag-RF
	Non-elemental magic damage/all enemies
Ultima	Inflicts extreme non-elemental damage on all units in the targeted party.	Forbid Mag-RF
	Non-elemental magic damage/all enemies
Cure	Restores a minor amount of HP on one target. Deals damage on Undead enemies.	L Mag-RF
	Restore HP
Cura	Restores a moderate amount of HP on one target. Deals damage on Undead enemies.	L Mag-RF, Mid Mag-RF
	Restore HP
Curaga	Restores a major amount of HP on one target. Deals damage on undead enemies.	L Mag-RF, High Mag-RF
	Restore HP
Life	Revives a target from Knocked Out status and restores 12.5% of their HP.	L Mag-RF
	Revive from KO
Full-life	Revives a target from Knocked Out status and restores 100% of their HP.	L Mag-RF
	Restore HP fully, revive from KO
Regen	Bestows Regen on one target, allowing them to gradually recover HP over time.	L Mag-RF
	Restore HP at regular interval
Esuna	Removes all negative status ailments from one target except Doom.	Supt Mag-RF
	Remove abnormal status
Scan	Reveals Level, HP, elemental affinities and detailed information on strategy and/or personality on the target.	N/A
	Scan enemy's HP and weakness
Sleep	Inflicts Sleep on the target, preventing them from taking action until they are physically struck or otherwise wake up.	ST Mag-RF
	Cause Sleep
Blind	Inflicts Darkness on the target, causing their physical attacks to miss more often.	ST Mag-RF
	Cause Darkness
Silence	Inflicts Silence on the target, preventing them from casting spells.	ST Mag-RF
	Cause Silence
Confuse	Inflicts Confuse on the target, causing them to choose random abilities and target random units.	ST Mag-RF
	Cause Confuse
Berserk	Inflicts Berserk on the target, increasing their physical strength but causing them to attack enemies indiscriminately and uncontrollably.	ST Mag-RF
	Cause Berserk
Break	Inflicts Petrify on the target, turning them into stone until cured. Counts as defeated.	ST Mag-RF
	Cause Petrify
Zombie	Inflicts Zombie on one target, forcing them to take damage from curative abilities.	L Mag-RF
	Cause Zombie
Death	Attempts to instantly kill one target.	L Mag-RF
	Cause Death
Double	Allows target to cast two spells in a single turn.	Time Mag-RF
	Use magic successively
Triple	Allows target to cast three spells in a single turn.	Time Mag-RF, High Mag-RF
	Able to use magic 3 times
Dispel	Removes all positive status ailments from one target.	Supt Mag-RF
	Remove magic effect
Protect	Bestows Protect on one target, reducing damage suffered from physical attacks by half.	Supt Mag-RF
	Reduce physical damage temporarily
Shell	Bestows Shell on one target, reducing damage suffered from magic attacks by half.	Supt Mag-RF
	Reduce magic damage temporarily
Reflect	Bestows Reflect on one target, reflecting all single-target spells from the target onto a unit on the opposing party.	Supt Mag-RF
	Reflect magic temporarily
Float	Bestows Float on the target, granting them immunity from Earth-elemental attacks.	N/A
	Floats
Drain	Inflicts non-elemental damage on the target and heals the spellcaster by the same amount or less, depending on status resistance. Damages the user when either side is Undead or afflicted with Zombie.	Supt Mag-RF
	Absorb HP
Haste	Bestows Haste on one target, increasing the speed at which their ATB gauge increases.	Time Mag-RF
	Increases speed temporarily
Slow	Inflicts Slow on one target, reducing the speed at which their ATB gauge increases.	Time Mag-RF
	Reduces speed temporarily
Stop	Inflicts Stop on one target, freezing their ATB gauge for a short time.	Time Mag-RF
	Stops temporarily
Meltdown	Inflicts Vit 0 on the target, forcing them to receive more damage from physical and magical attacks.	ST Mag-RF
	Non-elemental damage + make enemy Vit 0
Pain	Inflicts Darkness, Silence and Poison on the target.	ST Mag-RF
	Cause Poison, Darkness, and Silence
Aura	Bestows Aura on the target, allowing them access to Limit Breaks regardless of HP for allied units, or increases the strength for enemy units.	Supt Mag-RF
	Able to use Limit Breaks more often
Apocalypse	Inflicts extreme non-elemental damage on all units in the targeted party. Stronger than Ultima.	N/A

Other appearances

Dissidia Final Fantasy NT

Apocalypse (Rinoa).

Apocalypse (Ultimecia).

Blizzaga.

Firaga.

Flare.

Holy.

Meltdown.

Meteor.

Thundaga.

Tornado.

Ultima.

Water.

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

Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia

Apocalypse.

Drain.

This gallery is incomplete and requires Aura added. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by uploading images.

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

Pictlogica Final Fantasy

Apocalypse.

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

Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade

Some of the magic spells appear.

Ability Cards

Drain (SR).

Fira (SR).

Thundara (SR).

Thunder (SR).

Drain (SR+).

Fira (SR+).

Thundara (SR+).

Thunder (SR+).

Bio (SSR).

Blizzaga (SSR).

Blizzara (SSR).

Demi (SSR).

Drain (SSR).

Fira (SSR).

Meltdown (SSR).

Meteor (SSR)

Pain (SSR).

Thundaga (SSR).

Thundara (SSR).

Tornado (SSR).

Triple (SSR).

Water (SSR).

Bio (SSR+).

Blizzaga (SSR+).

Blizzara (SSR+).

Demi (SSR+).

Drain (SSR+).

Fira (SSR+).

Meltdown (SSR+).

Meteor (SSR+)

Pain (SSR+).

Thundaga (SSR+).

Thundara (SSR+).

Tornado (SSR+).

Triple (SSR+).

Water (SSR+).

Meltdown (UR).

Meltdown (UR+).

Water (UR).

Quake (UR+).

Meteor (UUR).

Legend Cards

Firaga (Summon).

Blizzara (SR).

Blizzard (SR).

Demi (SR).

Double (SR).

Drain (SR).

Fira (SR).

Gravity (SR).

Quake (SR).

Thundara (SR).

Thunder (SR).

Thunder (SR).

Blizzara (SR+).

Blizzard (SR+).

Demi (SR+).

Double (SR+).

Drain (SR+).

Fira (SR+).

Gravity (SR+).

Quake (SR+).

Thundara (SR+).

Thunder (SR+).

Thunder (SR+).

Bio (SSR).

Blizzara (SSR).

Drain (SSR).

Fira (SSR).

Firaga (SSR).

Quake (SSR).

Quake (SSR).

Quake (SSR).

Thundaga (SSR).

Thundara (SSR).

Thunder (SSR).

Tornado (SSR).

Triple (SSR).

Triple (SSR).

Water (SSR).

Bio (SSR+).

Blizzara (SSR+).

Drain (SSR+).

Fira (SSR+).

Firaga (SSR+).

Quake (SSR+).

Quake (SSR+).

Quake (SSR+).

Thundaga (SSR+).

Thundara (SSR+).

Thunder (SSR+).

Tornado (SSR+).

Triple (SSR+).

Triple (SSR+).

Water (SSR+).

Quake (UR).

Water (UR).

Flare (UR+).

Meltdown (UR+).

Quake (UR+).

Meteor (UUR).

Ultima (UUR).

Meteor (UUR+).

Final Fantasy Record Keeper

Apocalypse.

This gallery is incomplete and requires Aero and Tornado added. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by uploading images.

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

Final Fantasy Brave Exvius

Apocalypse.

Aura.

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.

Mobius Final Fantasy

Apocalypse (start-up).

Apocalypse.

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

Gallery

Irvine casting magic.

Quistis casting magic.

Rinoa casting magic.

Selphie casting magic.

Zell casting magic.

This gallery is incomplete and requires Edea casting magic, Laguna casting magic, Kiros casting magic, Seifer casting magic and Ward casting magic added. You can help the Final Fantasy Wiki by uploading images.