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Versatile mages, versed in both black and white magic.

Description

The Red Mage is a job in Final Fantasy V obtained after the Water Crystal shatters. It is a versatile job that is capable of casting a limited range of both White and Black Magic, while having mixed stats and the ability to equip both swords, or weapons like rods or staves, giving them more offense in both physical and magical attacks.

Red Mages spend most of the game in a utility role, never excelling at a specific area, but being capable of filling multiple roles at once. The biggest prize of the Red Mage job is the Dualcast ability, which requires considerable investment to unlock (needing 999 AP), but can be extremely beneficial to mages when combined with other skillsets. While Red Mages early in the game can provide versatility to the party, later on, they are primarily used to unlock this ability.

Mastering Red Mage for all four characters in the mobile and Steam versions earns the achievement "Ebony and Ivory".

Characteristics[]

Red Mages wear red clothes, red capes, and a red hat with a feather, just like in the other Final Fantasy games. Krile's outfit has a slightly pink tint to it. Galuf's, Krile's, and Lenna's hats are right-sided, Bartz's and Faris's are at the classic left position.

Gameplay[]

Stats[]

Stat Modifier
Strength +8
Agility +5
Stamina -6
Magic +8

Red Mages have moderate bonuses to their Strength and Magic, making them decent physical attackers and spellcasters, while falling behind jobs dedicated to one or the other. They also have an Agility bonus that is small but puts them ahead of other party members. Their main drawback is their Stamina penalty, meaning their HP will be lower than the base.

Equipping the Red Magic ability on other jobs also grants the Magic modifier, depending on the level:

  • Red Magic Level 1 = Magic +6
  • Red Magic Level 2 = Magic +7
  • Red Magic Level 3 = Magic +8

This will apply assuming the character does not already have a higher Magic modifier.

Upon mastery, Freelancers and Mimes gain the Red Mage's base Strength, Agility, and Magic unless they already have a higher base from another mastered job. Given that Red Mage's bonuses in these regards are small, it will likely be surpassed by another job first.

Equipment[]

Unlike other mage jobs, Red Mages have access to a variety of equipment. In addition to usual mage equipment (knives, rods, staves, magic hats, robes, and armlets), they also have access to swords, combat hats, and light armor. This, as well as their small Strength bonus, makes them somewhat more capable fighters than other mages, but still less effective than dedicated fighters.

Red Mages can boost the power of any element as they can equip rods (for Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Poison), staves (Holy), and knives (Wind).

Abilities[]

Ability Job level AP required Type Innate Description Spells
Red Magic (1) 1 20 Command Yes Perform white or black spells. Cure, Libra, Poisona, Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder
Red Magic (2) 2 40 Command Yes Perform white or black spells. Silence, Protect, Mini, Poison, Sleep, and Toad
Red Magic (3) 3 100 Command Yes Perform white or black spells. Cura, Raise, Confuse, Fira, Blizzara and Thundara
Dualcast 4 999 Command No Cast two spells back-to-back. Red Magic, other equipped skillsets
Dualcast Cura from FFV Pixel Remaster
Dualcast Fira from FFV Pixel Remaster

Lenna using Dualcast to perform the Cura (top) and Fira (bottom) Red Magics consecutively.

The Red Magic skillset allows the use of White Magic and Black Magic up to level 3. This means that Red Mages can remain relevant and effective up until later spells are available, at which point the job becomes mostly obsolete as Red Mages will be incapable of keeping pace with stronger enemies. As such, Red Mages later on are typically used solely to learn Dualcast.

Dualcast includes Red Magic by default (cast two level 3 Black or White Magic at once), but can work with any other equipped magic skillset. For example, given to a Summoner, they will be able to summon twice for in one turn, and given to a Time Mage, they can cast two Time Magic spells at once. Giving a Red Mage White Magic 6 or Black Magic 6 will enable them to dualcast spells up to level 6 of that particular school of magic. A Mime with Dualcast and two other magic skillsets can therefore be very effective.

After leveling up the Red Mage job, a character can have the Red Magic ability equipped on any other job and use any Red Magic spell whose associated level they have been attained. To be able to use all Red Magic spells as a non-Red Mage, a character must level their Red Mage job up to level 3. Red Magic is the primary ability for Red Mages, who can use all Red Magic spells without the need to attain a spell's associated level first.

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