Meo Twister is a Dyne ability in Final Fantasy IX used by Zidane while in Trance. It deals physical damage to all enemies for a cost of 32 MP.
Obtained[]
Meo Twister is available when Zidane has access to Sacrifice. Sacrifice is learned for 55 AP from Exploda and later on from the Masamune. Exploda is synthesized for a cost of 1000 gil from a Mythril Dagger and a Mage Masher in Lindblum, Black Mage Village, Alexandria, and Treno (after returning from the Outer Continent). It is also found in Madain Sari.
Mechanics[]
Meo Twister deals 250% the damage of Zidane's normal attack to all enemies; his power is already enhanced by being in Trance. Despite the animation, the damage is non-elemental and physical.
Damage is calculated as follows:
- Base = [(Attack * 25) / 10] - Enemy Defense
- Bonus = Strength + A random number 0 ... [(Level + Str) / 8]
- Damage = Base * [Bonus * 1.5]
Bonus is halved by target's Protect, and is reduced to 1 while Zidane has Mini.
Use[]
Meo Twister is great against groups of enemies; against enemies that appear alone, the preceding Stellar Circle 5 is preferable for matching the attack power for less MP consumed. When Zidane uses Meo Twister, the enemies are struck from above by multiple blasts of energy. Solution 9 (against single targets) and Grand Lethal (against all enemies) eclipse Meo Twister in power, but as the damage caps at 9999, by the time Zidane has Solution 9 and Grand Lethal he will likely hit 9999 or close with Meo Twister anyway, especially since there are no boss groups in the game, only random encounter groups. The only tough group is against Yans.
The downside of all Trance abilities is that timing them for a battle where Trance would be most beneficial, like a boss battle or against Yans, is difficult/impossible, as a Trance state cannot be saved up, and its building does not depend on the amount of damage sustained from enemy attacks, only the number of enemy attacks taken. The only ways to expedite Trance are to use High Tide and Protect Girls for Zidane to intercept attacks directed toward some of his allies. As Zidane may enter Trance in practically any battle, it is the luck of the draw whether his improved physical prowess is a bonus for that particular encounter or not.
Etymology[]
The ability's Japanese name may be a reference to the series's Maelstrom, known as "Mealstorm" (ミールストーム, Mīrusutōmu?) in Japanese.