Slow is a status in Final Fantasy VII that makes a target's ATB gauge fill out half the normal speed, but the pace of all timed effects, such as Barrier and Slow-numb, is halved as well. The afflicted's idle animation in battle is in slow-motion. Linking Added Effect with Time in a character's armor makes them immune to Slow (but also immune to Haste, though the game does not show this in the Status menu). Slow is the one status ailment that sometimes works on bosses, and is not healed by Esuna. Slow does not lapse once inflicted, and instead needs to be removed with Haste or DeSpell.
If Tifa has Slow when she wields the Master Fist weapon, her attack power is doubled. The status multipliers all stack as well when she is afflicted with multiple ailments.
Abilities[]
The Slow spell.
| Items | Spider Web |
|---|---|
| Materia | Added Effect + Time in a linked slot in a weapon[note 1] |
| Spell | Slow |
| Summon | Hades[note 1] |
Enemy abilities[]
| Ability | Description | Enemy |
|---|---|---|
| Abnormal Shell | Inflicts non-elemental physical damage and Darkness/Slow to one enemy. | Gun Carrier |
| Dance | Inflicts non-elemental physical damage and Darkness/Slow to all enemies. | Malldancer |
| Eyesight | Inflicts Darkness/Slow to one enemy. | 8 eye |
| Silk | Inflicts Slow to one enemy. | Grashtrike, Jayjujayme |
| Slow | Inflicts Slow to one enemy. | Bahba Velamyu, Bizarro∙Sephiroth, Killbin, Lifeform-Hojo N |
| Slow Dance | Inflicts non-elemental physical damage and Slow to one enemy. | Mandragora |
| Spider Web | Inflicts Slow to one enemy. | Mystery Ninja |
| Stigma | Inflicts non-elemental magic damage dealing 1 34 times more damage and Poison/Slow to all enemies. | Bizarro∙Sephiroth |
| Stigma | Inflicts non-elemental magic damage dealing 1 12 times more damage and Poison/Slow to all enemies. Never used. | Bizarro∙Sephiroth |
| Super Nova | Inflicts damage equal to 93.75% current HP and Confuse/Silence/Slow to all enemies. | Safer Sephiroth |
| Support Beam | Inflicts Slow to one enemy. | Shadow Maker |
| Toxic Barf | Inflicts Poison/Slow to one enemy. When used as a counter, is used on any target excluding user. | Zolokalter |
Protection[]
The following allows the player to protect against Slow:
| Accessory | Sprint Shoes |
|---|---|
| Materia | Added Effect + Time in a linked slot in an armor |
| Spell | Resist |
| Item | Vaccine |
Healing[]
| Spell | DeSpell, Haste, Stop, Big Guard, White Wind, Angel Whisper |
|---|---|
| Item | Speed Drink, Holy Torch |
| Limit Break | Lunatic High, Howling Moon, Breath of the Earth, Pulse of Life |
Enemies[]
The following enemies are immune to Slow (and conversely, also Haste).
- Cactuar
- Ghirofelgo
- Grosspanzer∙Big
- Grosspanzer∙Mobile
- Grosspanzer∙Small
- Guardian
- Magnade
- Manhole
- Scissors
- XCannon
- Ying/Yang
- Schizo
- Carry Armor & Left Arm (Carry Armor) & Right Arm (Carry Armor)
- Helletic Hojo & Left Arm (Helletic Hojo) & Right Arm (Helletic Hojo)
- Hojo
- Proud Clod & Jamar Armor
- Jenova∙SYNTHESIS
- Bizarro∙Sephiroth
Use[]
Slow is an exceptionally powerful status, as it does not wear off over time. In addition, very few bosses are immune to Slow, including the superbosses and the final boss. The player can use Slow as early as the Sector 4 Plate by winning Spider Webs from Grashtrikes, giving the player a huge advantage over bosses early on. The player can obtain the Time Materia from Gongaga, but they can also farm more Spider Webs from the Kimara Bug, which is highly recommended as Spider Webs do not miss unlike the spell.
An easy way to affect most enemies in the game is by putting Time Materia with Added Effect in a weapon, to randomly inflict Slow or Stop (even if the player has not learned Stop on the Materia yet) to enemies the player strikes.