Shell is a status in Final Fantasy IX that halves received magic attack damage, hit chance of statuses from magical effects, and accuracy of spells that can miss. It is removed by Dispel and inflicted by the Shell, Pearl Light, and Mighty Guard spells. Shell does not hinder curative spells. Targets under the effect of Shell glow blue. Its physical counterpart is Protect.
Mechanics[]
Shell mitigates damage from magic-based abilities by halving the "Bonus" during damage calculation phase, and halving accuracy for many spells that can miss.
- Status duration = Spirit * 360
The status duration takes into account Battle Speed as set in the Config, as well as the unit's speed status (Stop, Slow, Normal, Haste). The duration is determined by the target's Spirit stat rather than the caster's.
Abilities[]
| Spell | Mighty Guard (Blu Mag), Shell (Wht Mag) |
|---|---|
| Summon | Carbuncle (Pearl Light) |
Enemy abilities[]
| Ability | Description | Enemy |
|---|---|---|
| Mighty Guard | Grants Protect and Shell to all allies. | Gigan Octopus |
| Shell | Grants Shell to one ally. | Necron, Serpion |
Enemies[]
The following enemies are immune to Shell:
- Abadon (boss)
- Bomb (boss)
- Core
- Ragtime Mouse & True & False
- Mover
- Tonberry
- Amdusias (boss)
- Left & Right tentacle
- Prison Cage
Use[]
Pearl Light.
Shell mitigates magic damage effectively and does not hinder curative spells, unlike in some other games in the series. Its main downside is that it lapses and there is no "Auto-Shell" ability in Final Fantasy IX. The best way to bestow it is likely with Carbuncle when Eiko equips a Moonstone as an add-on to protect the whole party at once.
Another way to mitigate magic damage is with Reflect, which avoids damage altogether but not all magic attacks are reflectable.