Final Fantasy: Worlds Apart - Final Fantasy 8 Magic


With past Final Fantasy series titles, magic was something you could buy at shops, learn from enemies, or as in the case of Final Fantasy 7, learn from Materia crystals. Final Fantasy 8 breaks the tradition.
Magic can be learned from enemy characters by using the new "Draw" command or by concocting them with the Magic Refine Ability of Guardian Force beasts. There is also an ability that upgrades weak spells into more powerful spells. When you get a Guardian Force with Magic refining abilities, you should assign them to the GFs so they're learned fast. When you access the Draw menu during battle, you will be given a choice of which enemy to draw from, if there are multiple enemies, and then will be given a choice of what magic to draw, if there are multiple magics. Also, a "????" will appear on the enemy menu, especially with bosses. This indicates a magic that the characters do not have at this point. Sometimes, BOSSES have Guardian Forces that you can aquire with Draw command. That's why it would be important to keep Draw in every boss battle at least for one person. MAGIC status affects the draw rate. The higher the status, the better you draw. The higher level magic you try to draw, the more difficult it is. If your magic status is too low for the magic you try to get, the draw will fail. NOTE: A character can carry 100 spells of one type of magic, and 32 different types of spells at once. HINT: You should get rid of LV1 magics such as Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, once you get better ones because they take room from their spell list. Thanks to Scott Ong and alhana.

FIRE, FIRA, FIRAGA
Fire	Weak fire-based damage against one opponent. Just a spark of fire surrounds one foe.
Fira	Medium fire-based damage against one opponent. A blast of a cloud of fire from the ground.
Firaga	Strong fire-based damage against one opponent. A beam of light appears from the opponents' body and is followed by a thermal explosion!
Draw Anacondaur, Bite Bug, Bomb, Buel, Eshtar soldier (human), Eshtar soldier (cyborg), G-Soldier, Grendel, Hexadragon, Jelleye, Ruby Dragon, T-Rexaur.
Facts Good against cold/water-based monsters. Do not use it on fire-based monsters, as fire based monsters could nulifies fire or inflicit no damage. It is also pretty useless against BOSS such as the Ifrit.

BLIZZARD, BLIZZARA, BLIZZAGA
Blizzard	Weak cold-based damage against one opponent. A gathering of icicles at the opponents, followed by a fall.
Blizzara	Medium cold-based damage against one opponent. A huge icicle appears from the ground.
Blizzaga	Strong cold-based damage against one opponent. A huge iceberg arises from the ground.
Draw Adamantoise, Buel, Eshtar soldier (human), Eshtar soldier (cyborg), G-soldier, Glacial Eye, Grendel, Fastitocalon-F, Jelleye, Snow Lion, Thrustaevis.
Facts Good against fire-based monsters. Do not use it on cold-based monsters as cold based monsters as these could nulifies cold or inflicit no damage.

THUNDER, THUNDARA, THUNDAGA
Thunder	Weak lightning-based damage against one opponent. A strand of bolt appears from the surrounding.
Thundara	Medium lightning-based damage against one opponent. Three swift strands of lightning struck at one foe.
Thundaga	Strong lightning-based damage against one opponent. A gigantic explosion and thus charging the foe with electric bolts.
Draw Belhelmel, Blitz, Buel, Caterchipillar, Chimera, Cockatrice, Creeps, Eshtar soldier (human), Eshtar soldier (cyborg), G-Soldier, Gayla, Geezard, Jelleye, Red Bat, T-Rexaur.
Facts Good against mechnical monsters. Use it to give them an electric shock! It does not work against lightning-based monsters such as Raijin.

SCAN
Scan	Allows you to scan data and information on the targeted foe such as their attributes for strength [STR], vitality [VIT], spirit [SPR] and evasion [EVA]. It also gives information on it's weakness and vulunerability and a short description of the foe. A sonar appears from the character's body and thus focus on the monster with the words "TARGET". This is followed by detailed information on the stats of the targeted monster.
Draw Bite Bug, Fastiticalon, Fastitocalon-F (high level), Funguar, Glacial Eye, Red Bat, Thrustaevis.
Facts You will get the description during your first attempt to sense an opponent's data and weakness. However in the second attempt, you will NOT received the description and the sense will just automatically end by itself. If you want to receive the description every time, you need to set it from the options. Press X to exit from information screen during the first attempt. NOTE: Scan cannot be refined from any items.

CURE, CURA, CURAGA, REGEN
Cure	Weak healing magic against one ally. A refreshing spin of blue light surrounds your character.
Cura	Medium healing magic against one ally. A refreshing circles of blue light started to enclose your character.
Curaga	Strong healing magic against one ally. A beam of blue light appears from the character's body.
Regen	Regenarate HP slowly over time. White strands of energy curls and pink spots surrounds the lower portion of the character's body.
Draw (Cure/a/aga) Anacondaur, Blobra, Caterchipillar, Eshtar soldier (human), Eshtar soldier (cyborg), G-Soldier, Geezard, Glacial Eye, Mesmerize, Turtapod, Elvoret (boss, disk 1), Fake President (boss, disk 1), NORG before his chamber opens (boss, disk 2), Tonberry King (boss, disk 2-4), Propagator (boss, disk 3), Bahamut (boss, disk 3-4). Draw (Regen) Lefty, Behemoth, Biggs (boss, disk 2), Rinoa (boss, disk 4), Ultima Weapon (boss, disk 3-4).
Facts This magic allows you to restore lost HP. The more powerful the healing magic is, the more lost HP will be restored. This magic can be used to attack undead creatures, like BOSS Abadon. This spell is gradually weakened on a person whom has Shell status. That's the side effect. NOTE: Can be used on the field, apart from Regen.

ESUNA
Esuna	Average curing magic against one ally. A blue beam of light appears from the ground and thus removing all status ailments [those negatives ones].
Draw Chimera, Grand Mantis, Mesmerize, Turtapod, Vysage, Biggs (boss, disk 1), Gerogero (boss, disk 1).
Facts The magic allows you to cure status ailments such as Blind, Silent, etc. This is equivalent of the Remedy. This spell cannot be used when the character is being silenced. Sometimes Remedy or Trearment command is much preferred over Esuna. NOTE: Can be used on the field.

LIFE, FULL-LIFE
Life	Works like a Phoenix Down. Restores Life to one ally. Pink dots surrounds and followed by green light. Only a small portion of HP is recovered.
Full-Life	Restores Life and refill the MAX HP to one ally. The screen darkens and followed by a couple of reviving feathers fall on the dead member.
Draw (Life) Creeps, Grand Mantis, Mesmerize, Torama, Turtapod (high level), Sacred (boss, disk 1-4), Seifer (boss, disk 1), Edea (boss, disk 1). Draw (Full-Life) Tonberry King (boss, disk 3-4), Bahamut (boss, disk 3-4), Fujin (boss, disk 3).
Facts Life restores one deadly ally and restore a portion of HP. Full-Life restores one deadly ally and restore fully of HP. This spell works well against undead, resulting in an instant death! NOTE: Can be used on the field.

REFLECT
Reflect	This magic causes magic that is being cast on your party to be reflect onto your opponent. A green barrier made of green beams covers up your character.
Draw Adamantoise, Blobra (high level), Death Claw, Ruby Dragon, Wedge (boss, disk 2), Gargantua (boss, disk 4).
Facts This magic allows you to force magic spells to bounce back onto your foes. This magic is pretty useful. Do not cast healing magic on yourself or it will be bounced onto your opponents. I myself does not quite like this spell as it sometimes provide troublesome as certain spells can't be reflect and they are the damaging ones such as Tornado and Flare. Use Medicine to heal lost HP. Spells that cannot be Reflected Ultima, Aero, Meteor, Tornado, Demi, Dispel, Apocalypse and Quake.

PROTECT
Protect	Reduces physical damage into half. This spell also causes VIT status of a party member to increase. Averge physical defensive barrier on one ally. An imaginary barrier surrounds the character.
Draw Adamantoise, Armadodo, Blobra, Gesper, Hexadragon, Iron Giant, Raldo, Righty, Wendigo, X-ATM092 (boss, disk 1), Minotaur (boss, disk 1-4), Biggs (boss, disk 2), NORG Pod (boss, disk 2).
Facts This magic allows you to reduce damage that are caused by physical damage. The magic is pretty useful against enemies that depends mostly on physical damage. This magic works well as it could reduce damage done by physical attacks by half. Serves well as a layer of protection.

SHELL
Shell	This spell applies to same purposes as the MBarrier in FF7. This spell reduces magic attacks by half. Magical defensive barrier for one ally. A pink coloured shield surrounds the character.
Draw Adamantoise, Armadodo, Blobra, Gesper, Hexadragon, Iron Giant, Raldo, Righty, Sacred (boss, disk 1-4).
Facts This spell is pretty effective against BOSS that solemnly depends on magic. For example, the final BOSS of Disc 1, Edea. Note that this gradually weakens all the healing spells [Heal 1 ~ 3] as it reduces "damage" done by magic. To avoid that make full use of Leviathan's Recovery ability and Potions.

DOUBLE, TRIPLE
Double	Allows you to cast a Magic twice on one ally. Diamonds [pink] appears at four corners on the character and the word "DOUBLE" is seen.
Triple	Allows you to cast a Magic triple on one ally. Diamonds [yellow-green] appears at the four corners of the character and the word "TRIPLE" is seen.
Draw (Double) Elnoyle, Grendel, Elvoret (boss, disk 1), Gerogero (boss, disk 1), Minotaur (boss, disk 1-4), Edea (boss, disk 1), Odin (boss, disk 2-4), Cerberus (boss, disk 2). Draw (Triple) Odin (boss, disk 2-4), Cerberus (boss, disk 2).
Facts A very useful spell. Double allows you to cast a spell twice in a row. Think about the damage caused if you use Ultima. Triple is even much better as it will cause you to cast a spell thrice in a row. It works better if you have acquired Expend x3-1 or x2-1.

DEMI
Demi	Reduces a foe's present HP to 3/4. A black cloud with blue strands gathers at the body of the opponent and thus "magnify" the image of the monster. Works well against high HP enemies.
Draw Lefty, Malboro, Ruby Dragon (mid level), Torama, Diablos (boss, disk 1-4), Edea (boss, disk 2), Jumbo Cactuar (boss, disk 3-4), UFO (disk 3-4), Red Giant (boss, disk 4).
Facts Demi may does low damage due to different opponent's maximum HP capacity. But they can do tons of reducing a strong foe to weak one. Use it advisely. This spell could also cause an headache too for BOSSES too as it simply does 9999 HP damage against high-HP foes!

AERO, TORNADO
Aero	Averge wind-based damage against one foe. A cloud of wind appears from the ground.
Tornado	Powerful wind-based damage against all foes. A huge cloud of powerful wind attacks appear from the ground, raising your characters in mid-air and followed by a thud!
Draw (Aero) Abyss Worm, Death Claw, Ruby Dragon, Thurstaevis, Fujin (boss, disk 2). Draw (Tornado) Abyss Worm (high level), Behemoth, Thrustaevis (high level), Fujin (boss, disk 2 and 3), Jumbo Cactuar (boss, disk 3-4), Tri-Point (boss, disk 4).
Facts Aero is basically the killer weapon against flying, swooping creatures. Aero is pretty effective against most enemies except for Fujin in Disc 2. Tornado works well as it effects all opponents in the area.

WATER
Water	Average water-based damage against one foe. A bubble of water gathers at the opponent and force the opponent into mid-air and thus followed by as splash!
Draw Fastitocalon-F, Fastitocalon, Grand Mantis, Chimera.
Facts Water is basically a good elemental against Fire-based monsters. Water-based monsters receive no damage from this elemental. Water works well against most monsters in the desert.

FLOAT
Float	Allows your character to float in mid-air with the aid of a pair of giant wings [like an Angel ^_^] Your character will float in mid-air, but will be back on the ground once you have selected a command.
Draw Blood Soul, Gesper, Thustaevis.
Facts This spell applies to temporarily usage same as Regen. The flight spell is used to protect your characters from Earth-based attacks! There is another method. This spell is very good against the Brothers [this stop them from regenarating their HP, remember that they are earth- powered G.Fs!]. But remember, using Float makes your characters weak against wind-elemental attacks. NOTE: Float cannot be refined from any items.

DISPEL
Dispel	Removes positive status [Aura, Regen, Haste, Double, Triple, Reflect, Shell, Protect, Float]. A blue-blue cloud appears and followed by a breaking sound.
Draw Blood Soul (high level), Death Claw, Elastoid, Gesper (high level), Hexadragon, Mesmerize (high level), Turtapod, Edea (boss, disk 1), Bahamut (boss, disk 3-4).
Facts Another effective spell against Iron Giants at the Deep Sea Research Centre and Cerberus (BOSS, disk 2). This removes the spells such as Double, Triple, Regen, Aura, Haste, Reflect, Shell, Protect and Float. This spell works well if you are tired of your spells being reflected off.

[ Magic Page 2 | Draw and Save Points ]