Final Fantasy I/II Advance - Final Fantasy I Magic FAQ
by: transience
written: 8/12/2004
version: 2.01
Introduction:
Final Fantasy I for the GBA has a different magic system from past
incarnations. While the old magic system was governed by uses per spell
level, this version introduces an "MP" system that has dominated the FF
series in recent years. This FAQ explains the magic system, how it works,
and what else has changed.
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Copyright Information:
I wrote this. You didn't. It should stay that way. Do not alter this
document in any way - if you want permission to post this elsewhere,
send me an email.
[email protected]. Nice and simple.
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Version History:
1.0 - 30/7/04 - wrote this up.
1.1 - 1/8/4 - fixed a bunch of stupid mistakes.
1.2 - 2/9/4 - fixed a bunch more stupid mistakes.
2.0 - 4/12/4 - two words: American release. Edited names, changed a
couple descriptions, fixed a mistake or two.
2.01 - 8/12/4 - added some info about Knights/Ninjas and how they
learn magic.
Table of Contents:
I.) Spell Level Information
II.) White Magic
III.) Black Magic
IV.) Miscellaneous
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I.) Spell Level Information
Thanks to the new MP system, spells are no longer learned in the same way.
However, this doesn't mean you can cast level 8 spells the second you have
enough MP. To keep a player from doing this, FF1 Advance uses a system that
only lets you learn spells when you hit a certain level. For example, a
white mage needs to be level 4 before s/he can learn level 2 spells.
Once you reach this level, you can use as many of the spells as you want as
long as you have the prerequisite MP. Here's a list of the level you need to
be at:
White Mage / Black Mage
Spell Level Level Needed
1 1
2 3
3 8
4 13
5 19
6 26
7 33
8 39
Red Mage
Spell Level Level Needed
1 1
2 4
3 9
4 15
5 22
6 29
7 37
8 --
The Red Mage / Red Wizard cannot learn Level 8 spells, so accessing that
Spell Level is pretty futile. Therefore, you cannot unlock it.
Knights / Ninjas work differently. If you're above Level 15 (likely,
unless you're doing a Level 11 challenge or just like the word "flee"),
you'll know all your spell levels. Knights have Spell Levels 1-3,
Ninjas 1-4. If you're below, you'll learn all your Spell Levels on
the wonderful Level 15. Thanks to "The Mattinator" for this info.
FYI: You can view what levels you can learn spells at by choosing your
magic menu - the words "LV X" (with X meaning any spell level) will
either be white or grey. If it's white, you can learn spells. If not,
sucks to be you.
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(note: the GBA version of FF1 takes intelligence into account when casting
spells. Therefore, pinning a number on how much the spell does is
difficult to do. This goes for usable items as well (gauntlets, black
robe, heal staff, etc)
II.) White Magic Spells
Level 1:
Cure (kearu)
MP: 3
Where: Cornelia
Price: 50
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Knight, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Get this - it cures. Cure does slightly more in the GBA
version (maybe 40 HP?) than in prior versions. As always, a must have.
--
Dia / Harm (dia)
MP: 5
Where: Cornelia
Price: 50
Class: White Mage, White Wizard
Description: Does minimal damage to undead monsters - skeletons,
zombies, etc. Also hurts Lich. Will miss living monsters. Attacks
the entire group and not just one monster. Not a bad spell.
--
Protect (purotesu)
MP: 3
Where: Cornelia
Price: 50
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Knight, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Increases defence. Don't confuse it with the modern
definition of protect, though - this doesn't double physical defence,
just increases it a little on one character. Not really that useful,
though you might think differently.
--
Blink (burinku)
MP: 3
Where: Cornelia
Price: 50
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Knight, Red Wizard
Description: Increases the caster's evade. Terribly useful if you're
doing a solo game since you can stack it four times to make your
character essentially immune to physical attacks.
--
Level 2:
Blindna (burana)
MP: 3
Where: Provoka
Price: 250
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Knight, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Cures darkness. I suppose Kraken and Ultros can
blind you, but still, this is totally useless.
--
Silence (sairesu)
MP: 5
Where: Provoka
Price: 250
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Knight, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Silences an enemy. The only people this would
actually be useful for are likely immune to silence, like bosses.
--
Nulshock (basanda)
MP: 8
Where: Provoka
Price: 250
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Knight, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: This spell usually sucks, but if there's a boss that's
gonna hit you with thunder, this is a cool spell. This spell cuts
lightning damage by 50%. And yeah, at least one boss uses thunder.
--
Invis (inbiji)
MP: 3
Where: Provoka
Price: 250
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Knight, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Increases evade by a lot of points. The difference
between this and Blink is that you can cast this on others and
that it isn't as good. Still, it's probably the best spell on
level 2.
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Level 3:
Cura (kearura)
MP: 10
Where: Elfheim
Price: 1000
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Knight, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Cures for more than cure. Go figure! Another spell
you don't get by without early in the game.
---
Diara / Harm2 (adia)
MP: 8
Where: Elfheim
Price: 1000
Class: White Mage, White Wizard
Description: Stronger undead spell. I'd call it useful, especially
for fighting those huge parties of undead things you find around here.
---
Nulblaze (bafai)
MP: 8
Where: Elfheim
Price: 1000
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Knight, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Like nulbolt, halves fire damage.
--
Heal (hi-ru)
MP: 10
Where: Elfheim
Price: 1000
Class: White Mage, White Wizard
Description: Like cure, heal does more as well, making it infinitely more
useful. This one isn't as useful, but ones after it are.
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Level 4:
Poisona (poizona)
MP: 3
Where: Elfheim
Price: 2500
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Cures poison. I like it and use it regularly, while others
may find it too expensive. Up to you. Its low MP cost makes it much cooler,
for sure.
---
Fear (fia-)
MP: 10
Where: Elfheim
Price: 2500
Class: White Mage, White Wizard
Description: Makes enemies run away, lowers their spirit. I've heard that you
can make Kary / Malirith run away if you cast this enough. I myself never use
this, but if you want to make weaker bad guys run, this is how.
--
Nulfrost (bakorudo)
MP: 8
Where: Elfheim
Price: 2500
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Halves ice damage.
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Vox (bokyaru)
MP: 3
Where: Elfheim
Price: 2500
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Red Wizard
Description: Heals mute. Once upon a time, a friend of mine went hunting to
find a use for this spell. He spent hours, but he found it! I can't think of
a single enemy that mutes you, and if you did get muted, it would probably
be your white mage. Don't get this.
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Level 5:
Curaga (kearuda)
MP: 20
Where: Melmond
Price: 4000
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Heals quite a lot of HP. Great for bosses and when you don't
feel like using 600 potions.
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Life (reizu)
MP: 20
Where: Melmond
Price: 4000
Class: White Mage, White Wizard, Red Wizard
Description: Brings a character back to life with 1 HP. Not as useful now
as before since you now can buy phoenix downs, but still cool.
---
Diaga / Harm3 (dadia)
MP: 25
Where: Melmond
Price: 4000
Class: White Mage, White Wizard
Description: Stronger undead spell. Very useful, and huge packs of undead
monsters can really start to wear you down.
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Healara (hi-ra)
MP: 25
Where: Melmond
Price: 4000
Class: White Mage, White Wizard
Description: Stronger all heal - like doing cure2 to everyone. Sexy spell
for bosses who use all attacks. Grab it, as it's probably the best spell
on Level 5.
---
Level 6:
Stona (sutona)
MP: 10
Where: Crescent Lake
Price: 13000
Class: White Mage, White Wizard
Description: Cures stone. Being out of golden needles sucks terribly, so
this can be used as insurance. However, for that price, is it worth it?
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Exit (datelepo)
MP: 25
Where: Crescent Lake
Price: 13000
Class: Red Wizard, White Wizard
Description: Exits you out of a dungeon. For some dungeons, it's the only
way out. You can't use this out of the Soul of Chaos dungeons, though.
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Protera (purotea)
MP: 20
Where: Crescent Lake
Price: 13000
Class: White Mage, Red Wizard, White Wizard
Description: Casts Protect on the whole party. I never use this, but I can
see where this would come in handy: some of the soul of chaos bosses. I'm
not sure how effective it is, though.
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Invisira (inbia)
MP: 25
Where: Crescent Lake
Price: 13000
Class: White Mage, Red Wizard, White Wizard
Description: Casts invis on the whole party. Useful, though you get
an item with the same ability. Great for Soul of Chaos bosses.
---
Level 7:
Curaja (kearuga)
MP: 35
Where: Gaia
Price: 30000
Class: White Wizard
Description: Cures for 9999. Incredible spell, the one reason you want to
have a White Wizard in the party. This saves your life repeatedly.
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Diaja / Harm4 (gadia)
MP: 35
Where: Gaia
Price: 30000
Class: White Wizard
Description: This spell isn't really as good as the others; by now, not
much is hurt by harm (sans Lich) that's really worth a 35 MP spell. It's
better than some spells, but don't break the bank.
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NulDeath (bamajiku)
MP: 28
Where: Onrak
Price: 30000
Class: White Mage, Red Wizard, White Wizard
Description: I guess this protects against instant death. Protect rings
don't seem to offer 100% resistance to instant death, so I cast this on
SOC bosses like Atomos for good measure. I'm not sure if it helps, but
it never hurts in a long boss fight. Otherwise, this spell is very
useless.
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Healaga (rahi-ru)
MP: 38
Where: Onrak
Price: 30000
Class: White Mage, White Wizard
Description: This is a must-have in this version; I've had heal3 heal for
over 300 to all. It's like casting curaga on everyone. Against bosses with
nasty all spells, this is the way to go. Also it's a nice and quick way
to heal up your party after battle. Just a great spell.
---
Level 8:
Holy (ho-ri-)
MP: 50
Where: Gaia
Price: 40000
Class: White Wizard
Description: Costs a lot of MP, but makes up for it with incredible damage.
This spell rules because a White Wizard can become a killing machine. A
must-have.
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Nulall (baoru)
MP: 40
Where: Gaia
Price: 40000
Class: White Wizard
Description: Reduces all spell damage by 1/2 on one character. Theoretically
cool, but in practice it isn't. It was much cooler before the whole phoenix
down thing, and even then it wasn't that cool. However, for certain SOC
bosses (read: Shinryu) that cast more than one elemental spell, it's
helpful. Light Curtains cast the same spell, though, and you can buy them
at a certain point, so you may want to hold off.
---
Dispel (desuperu)
MP: 35
Where: Gaia
Price: 40000
Class: White Wizard
Description: Removes a foe's elemental defence, making them susceptible to
spells. This spell is pretty much garbage. Chances are you don't need to
do this.
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Full-life (areizu)
MP: 40
Where: Lufenia
Price: 40000
Class: White Wizard
Description: Revives a character and gives them full HP. Uh, yeah, buy it.
---
III.) Black Magic Spells
Level 1:
Fire (faia)
MP: 5
Where: Cornelia
Price: 50
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Attacks one enemy with fire elemental damage. Great
for the beginning, useless past level 10 or so.
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Sleep (suripuru)
MP: 3
Where: Cornelia
Price: 50
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Attempts to put all enemies to sleep. I think I last
used sleep in 1993 or so, but it's got some uses with more unique
classes.
--
Focus (sheipu)
MP: 3
Where: Cornelia
Price: 50
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Apparently it lowers foes' evasion. This might be the
most useless spell anyone ever thought up. I don't know of too many
enemies that evade like mad, but if there is, try this, I guess.
--
Thunder (sanda)
MP: 5
Where: Cornelia
Price: 50
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Same as fire, but with a different element. This spell
is useful for sea monsters.
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Level 2:
Blizzard (burizado)
MP: 8
Where: Provoka
Price: 250
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Ice elemental damage. a must have.
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Dark (dakunesu)
MP: 5
Where: Provoka
Price: 250
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Inflicts darkness on an enemy. Yuck.
---
Temper (sutorai)
MP: 8
Where: Provoka
Price: 250
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Believe it or not, this might be the single most
important spell in the game. Steel increases your attack by
like 14 points and can be stacked over and over. I've taken
a knight and made him hit for over 4,000 damage using this.
Then I got curious and got a Red Mage over 10,000. Absolutely
essential for fighting soul of chaos bosses.
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Slow (surou)
MP: 5
Where: Provoka
Price: 250
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Slows all enemies. Don't see how this would really
be useful; if it was ATB, I might change my mind, but it's not.
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Level 3:
Fira (faira)
MP: 15
Where: Elfheim
Price: 1000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Hits all enemies with fire damage. Essential.
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Hold (ho-rudo)
MP: 10
Where: Elfheim
Price: 1000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Paralyzes an enemy. Not many uses you're gonna
find for this spell.
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Thundara (sandara)
MP: 15
Where: Elfheim
Price: 1000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Hits all enemies with thunder damage. Really
helpful, especially against pisco demons and water enemies.
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Focara (sheira)
MP: 10
Where: Elfheim
Price: 1000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Same as the level 1 spell Focus, except it hits
all enemies.
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Level 4:
Sleepra (suripura)
MP: 15
Where: Elfheim
Price: 2500
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: A more powerful version of sleep, but it only
hits one enemy. Meh. If you've got a boss weak to sleep, go
for it.
Haste (heisuto)
MP: 15
Where: Elfheim
Price: 2500
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Doubles the hits of the character you cast it on.
Basically, it doubles your physical attack. Very important spell.
Confuse (confu)
MP: 15
Where: Elfheim
Price: 2500
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Confuses all enemies. Makes enemies attack themselves.
Cool spell, kind of, but I never find a good use for it.
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Blizzara (burizara)
MP: 18
Where: Elfheim
Price: 2500
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Yum. Ice damage to all. Use this, as it does more
damage than fira and thundara on average.
---
Level 5:
Firaga (faiga)
MP: 30
Where: Melmond
Price: 4000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Strongest fire spell - necessity.
---
Scourge (kuraudo)
MP: 28
Where: Melmond
Price: 4000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Red Wizard
Description: ..Scourge? Hits all enemies with deadly gas, killing them
instantly. Cool for large packs of average enemies, but not cool
enough to justify spending money on it. Tiamat can be killed by
Scourge (also known as bane), though the chances of hitting are
incredibly low. You get a sword later on that lets you cast it
without wasting the large MP cost, so I'd wait for that.
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Teleport (telepo)
MP: 5
Where: Melmond
Price: 4000
Class: Black Wizard, Red Wizard
Description: Takes you to the previous floor of a dungeon. Cool
for backtracking. Also, takes you from the inside of a spell
shop to the outside of a spell shop, as I just found out. Now
that's what I call a useful spell. Anyway, a cool spell, though
exit is better. Can't use this in the Soul of Chaos, for obvious
reasons.
---
Slowra (rasurou)
MP: 18
Where: Melmond
Price: 4000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard, Red Mage, Red Wizard
Description: Similar to sleepra, slowra only hits one guy but hits
it much better. Works wonders on some early Soul of Chaos bosses.
If you're trying to take them on on low levels, pick it up.
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Level 6:
Thundaga (sandaga)
MP: 35
Where: Crescent Lake
Price: 13000
Class: Black Mage, Red Wizard, Black Wizard
Description: Strongest thunder spell. Great against Kraken and
others.
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Death (desu)
MP: 30
Where: Crescent Lake
Price: 13000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard
Description: Instant death to an enemy. The problem here, of course,
is that anything you'd want to kill in one hit won't be killed in one
hit. Pass on this.
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Quake (kueiku)
MP: 32
Where: Crescent Lake
Price: 13000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard
Description: Same thing as Scourge, but with a different resistance. Some
stuff is weak to Quake and thus makes this a better spell. But I don't
use either.
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Stun (sutan)
MP: 20
Where: Crescent Lake
Price: 13000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard
Description: Paralyzes an enemy. Useful, if you're really depressed and
like stunning enemies for no reason. Thinking about it, being able to
stun people would be really neat in real life. Unfortunately, it's a
pretty freaking useless spell.
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Level 7:
Blizzaga (burizaga)
MP: 40
Where: Gaia
Price: 30000
Class: Black Mage, Red Wizard, Black Wizard
Description: Destroys stuff, especially stuff weak against ice. Does
the most damage of the elemental spells.
---
Break (bureiku)
MP: 30
Where: Gaia
Price: 30000
Class: Black Wizard
Description: Same as death, really. Less things are resistant to Break,
though. It can also kill Tiamat, much like Cloud can. I don't think much
of it myself, but it's not the worst spell in the world.
---
Saber (se-ba)
MP: 25
Where: Onrac
Price: 30000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard
Description: Like Temper, only better; problem is, you can only cast it on
yourself, and only a black mage can learn it. Thus, it's pretty useless
unless you want to equip them with the masamune. Oh, and you don't.
However, the giant's gauntlet (located in the sea shrine) lets you cast
this spell, making it the greatest thing ever. Be sure to pick that up.
---
Blind (burain)
MP: 25
Where: Onrac
Price: 30000
Class: Black Mage, Black Wizard
Description: Honestly, why would you want to blind an enemy for that much
MP? Talk about a crappy spell. I assume that, like slowra, this will hit
low-level SOC bosses, but by the time you're at magic level 7 it should be
obsolete.
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Level 8:
Stop (sutoppu)
MP: 30
Where: Gaia
Price: 40000
Class: Black Wizard
Description: Stops all enemies. Don't know why you'd need this on normal
enemies, and it won't work on bosses, so skip it.
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Warp (dejon)
MP: 30
Where: Gaia
Price: 40000
Class: Black Wizard
Description: Again, like Quake and Cloud; instantly kills stuff. I'm not a
fan of instant death stuff because it doesn't always work.
---
Kill (kiru)
MP: 40
Where: Gaia
Price: 40000
Class: Black Wizard
Description: Basically, it's like Death, but more deadly. If there's an enemy
you want dead, use kill. But for one enemy, crappy.
---
Flare (furea-)
MP: 50
Where: Lufenia
Price: 40000
Class: Black Wizard
Description: Like Holy, this is a non-elemental spell that totally destroys
everything. This is the only level 8 spell I ever buy; does wonderful damage.
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IV.) Miscellaneous
Thanks:
- AgriasOaks, for letting me know the levels a Red Mage gains spell levels.
- Bladegash, for getting a ton of monster data for me.
- AnimalSpawn, for correcting my mistakes, and for trying to convince me that
slowra is the best spell ever.
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Contacting:
[email protected] - ask away.
