Increase fire damage dealt to all foes in range.
Description
Oil is a Green Magicks spell in both the original PlayStation 2 version of Final Fantasy XII as well as the Zodiac re-releases. Oil is the only spell that remains a Green Magicks spell in all versions, all other Green Magicks spells having been changed for the Zodiac versions. It is a multi-target status ailment spell that makes the affected take triple damage from Fire-elemental attacks.
Oil can be cast by Bomb, [c], Lich, Cubus, and Cultsworn Lich.
The Oil status originates from Final Fantasy Tactics, but debuts as a spell in Final Fantasy XII.
Obtained[]
Oil's license costs 40 License Points. In the Zodiac versions, the spell is bought for 800 gil in the Clan Provisioner in Muthru Bazaar in Rabanastre when the player has reached the rank of Hedge Knight in Clan Centurio after felling two marks and amassing 700 clan points by fighting enemies.
In the original version, Oil is bought for 600 gil from Rabanastre and Bhujerba after the events in Ondore's Estate, as well as from Dyce, a traveling merchant met at the sandseas and outside the Tomb of Raithwall.
In the Zodiac versions, Oil can be used by the job classes White Mage, Red Battlemage, Time Battlemage, Black Mage, and Machinist, though the latter requires the Esper Exodus's license to bridge to it.
Mechanics[]
Oil inflicts the status of the same name to enemies in range that triples the damage the affected take from fire-based abilities, stacking with an enemy's weakness to fire. If the enemy resists fire (halves damage), using Oil on them would make them take 150% damage from fire attacks.
Oil status can only be removed by using a Handkerchief or a Remedy. On the player's own party, Oil persists after KO. The range of the spell is better in the Zodiac versions, able to infect more enemies in one casting.
The base success rate of the spell against an enemy that is not immune is 80% in the original version, updated to 90% in the Zodiac versions.
The hit rate is improved by further 50% with the caster having Faith status, or doubled with Serenity license/Magick Gloves when on full health, or Spellbreaker license/Leather Gorget when in critical health. Target's Shell halves the accuracy of the spell. If the caster is wearing the Indigo Pendant, Oil will succeed unless the enemy is immune to the status.
The accuracy underflow bug is a glitch in some versions of Final Fantasy XII where a low level character with extremely low Magick Power stat attempts to use a status move on a target with very high Vitality, and the accuracy of the spell becomes less than zero. In this case the accuracy will underflow to 100%, allowing certain status spells to always succeed.
Oil costs 8 MP to cast without Channeling licenses. The spell will bounce from Reflect unless the caster wears the Opal Ring.
Use[]
Oil is a status affliction spell the player can easily set up via the gambit system (such as with Foe:Any→Oil or Foe:fire-weak→Oil). However, it is best used situationally, when the player is already geared for dealing fire damage. The gambit system also does not differentiate between enemies that are susceptible to Oil and those who are immune to it, meaning they may get stuck casting Oil on targets against whom it will never work. Oil already has a high base success rate, and so does not benefit from the Indigo Pendant as much as some other ailment spells. As an alternative, the player can also use a Handkerchief with the Nihopalaoa.
Oil is good for increasing the player's damage output, as it will stack with other boosts, such as Faith and Bravery and Berserk, augments, and especially Fire-potency equipment. It also works against some enemies that resist most other ailments, like Hell Wyrm or Disma. It also works against Silicon Tortoise, Enkidu, Slyt, Phoenix, and Famfrit. However, most bosses and marks are immune to Oil and the normal enemies that would be vulnerable do not need the damage boost to be defeated quickly, making casting Oil in practice a niche use.
The best fire attacks to use against oiled enemies are multi-cast Firaga with the Flame Staff off the player's own party when they have Reflect, Ardor, the fire-elemental shot with the Mithuna (best gun in Zodiac) or Fomalhaut (best gun in the original), and the fire arrows with the Seitengrat (Easter egg best weapon in the Zodiac) or Burning Bow (fire potency bow). The player can also summon Belias after inflicting Oil.
Oil can be more useful in a New Game Minus playthrough to increase damage.