Final Fantasy/Black magic

Black magic is simply great to have, even if you have strong attackers capable of killing most things in one hit. You will often be facing large groups of enemies, and a physical attack (no matter how strong) can only kill on enemy at a time. A mid or high level spells can hit every thing at once, and once you start finding items capable of casting spells, you don't even need physical attacks for many fights. Black magic can also be used to augment your attackers, letting them deal hundreds of points in damage to even the strongest bosses.

While in the original version each character could cast each level of magic a certain number of times, in Dawn of Souls (DoS), spells cost a varying amount of points taken from a single pool of magic points.

Users

 * See also: spell recommendations


 * Black mages: Uses any level 1 - 6 spell (except Warp) and Ice3
 * Black wizards: Uses any spell
 * Red mages: Uses level 1 - 5 spells, and Fire3
 * Red wizards: Uses most level 1 - 5 spells, Bolt3, and Ice3
 * Ninjas: Uses level 1 - 4 spells

Spells
Many mid and high levels spells are not unique, but are improved versions of low levels spells. Each "family" of spells usually contains three versions, though some have two or four.


 * Elemental families: Casts Ice, Fire, or Lightning spells, 2nd and 3rd levels can hit all enemies.
 * Death family: Kills enemies instantly. Low chance of success, some target all enemies.
 * Sleep family: Put enemies to sleep until they are hit or wake up
 * Slow family: Reduces the number of hits per attack

There are several other spells that do not belong in a specific family, but tend to be focused on causing status ailments, such as darkness, stone, or stop. Black magic also includes the spell Temper, which raises the targets strength and Haste, which increases the number of hits per attack.

Black Magic

 * Level 1: Fire1, Bolt1, Focus1, Sleep1
 * Level 2: Ice1, Slow, Fog, Steel
 * Level 3: Fire2, Bolt2, Bind, Focus2
 * Level 4: Haste, Ice2, Sleep2, Muddle
 * Level 5: Fire3, Warp1, Poison, Slow2
 * Level 6: Bolt3, Reaper, Quake, Stun
 * Level 7: Ice3, Break, Saber, Blind
 * Level 8: Flare, Doom, Stop, Warp

Spells are listed under the Origins name. Original Name refers to the NES name. DoS Name and DoS MP are the Dawn of Souls name and MP cost, respectively. Spells in DoS and Origins Easy Mode cost are listed in parenthesis next to the original cost.

Fire1
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Fire
 * DoS Name: Fire
 * Cost: 100 (50)
 * Effect:: Causes a small amount of fire elemental damage to one enemy.
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Cornelia

Bolt1
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Lit (Lightning)
 * DoS Name: Thunder
 * Cost: 100 (50)
 * Effect:: Causes a small amount of bolt elemental damage to one enemy.
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Cornelia

Focus1
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Lock
 * DoS Name: Focus
 * Cost: 100 (50)
 * Effect:: Increases one character's hit rate.
 * Range:: One character
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Cornelia

Sleep1
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Sleep
 * DoS Name: Sleep
 * Cost: 100 (50)
 * Effect:: Puts one enemy to sleep, disabling their commands.
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Cornelia

Ice1
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Ice
 * DoS Name: Blizzard
 * Cost: 400 (250)
 * Effect:: Causes ice elemental damage to one enemy.
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Pravoca

Slow
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Slow
 * DoS Name: Slow
 * Cost: 400 (250)
 * Effect:: Decreases one enemy's hit rate.
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Pravoca

Fog
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Dark
 * DoS Name: Dark
 * Cost: 400 (250)
 * Effect:: Causes blind status to enemies.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Pravoca

Steel
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Tmpr (Temper)
 * DoS Name: Temper
 * Cost: 400 (250)
 * Effect:: Increases one character's attack power.
 * Range:: One character
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Pravoca

Fire2
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Fir2 (Fire 2)
 * DoS Name: Fira
 * Cost: 1500 (1000)
 * Effect:: Causes a medium amount of fire elemental damage to all enemies.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Elfheim

Bolt2
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Lit2 (Lightning 2)
 * DoS Name: Thundara
 * Cost: 1500 (1000)
 * Effect:: Causes a medium amount of bolt elemental damage to all enemies.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Elfheim

Bind
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Hold
 * DoS Name: Hold
 * Cost: 1500 (1000)
 * Effect:: Stuns one enemy, disabling all commands.
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Elfheim

Focus2
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Lok2 (Lock 2)
 * DoS Name: Focara
 * Cost: 1500 (1000)
 * Effect:: Decreases all enemies' evade.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Elfheim

Ice2
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Ice 2
 * DoS Name: Blizzara
 * Cost: 4000 (2500)
 * Effect:: Causes a medium amount of ice elemental damage.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Elfheim

Haste
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Fast
 * DoS Name: Haste
 * Cost: 4000 (2500)
 * Effect:: Increases one character's hits.
 * Range:: One character
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Elfheim

Sleep2
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Slp2 (Sleep 2)
 * DoS Name: Sleepara
 * Cost: 4000 (2500)
 * Effect:: Puts one enemy into a deep sleep, disabling their commands.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Elfheim

Muddle
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard Ninja
 * Original Name: Conf (Confuse)
 * DoS Name: Confuse
 * Cost: 4000 (2500)
 * Effect:: Causes enemies to attack other enemies.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Elfheim

Fire3
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard
 * Original Name: Fir3 (Fire 3)
 * DoS Name: Firaga
 * Cost: 8000 (5000)
 * Effect:: Causes a large amount of fire elemental damage to all enemies.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Melmond

Warp1
Red Wizard
 * Original Name: Warp
 * DoS Name: Teleport
 * Cost: 8000 (5000)
 * Effect:: Teleports party back one floor in dungeons.
 * Range:: Entire party
 * Users: Black Wizard
 * Location: Melmond

Poison
Black Wizard Red Wizard
 * Original Name: Bane
 * DoS Name: Scourge
 * Cost: 8000 (5000)
 * Effect:: Kills all enemies.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Melmond

Slow2
Black Wizard Red Mage Red Wizard
 * Original Name: Slo2 (Slow 2)
 * DoS Name: Slowara
 * Cost: 8000 (5000)
 * Effect:: Decreases one enemies' hit rate
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Melmond

Bolt3
Black Wizard Red Wizard
 * Original Name: Lit3 (Lightning 3)
 * DoS Name: Thundaga
 * Cost: 20000 (13000)
 * Effect:: Causes a large amount of bolt elemental damage to all enemies.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Crescent Lake

Reaper
Black Wizard
 * Original Name: Rub
 * DoS Name: Death
 * Cost: 20000 (13000)
 * Effect:: Kills one enemy.
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Crescent Lake

Quake
Black Wizard
 * Original Name: Qake (Quake)
 * DoS Name: Quake
 * Cost: 20000 (13000)
 * Effect:: Kills all enemies.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Crescent Lake

Stun
Black Wizard
 * Original Name: Stun
 * DoS Name: Stun
 * Cost: 20000 (13000)
 * Effect:: Stuns one enemy, disabling all commands.
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Crescent Lake

Ice3
Black Wizard Red Wizard
 * Original Name: Ice3
 * DoS Name: Blizzaga
 * Cost: 45000 (30000)
 * Effect:: Causes a large amount of ice elemental damage to all enemies.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Gaia

Break

 * Original Name: Brak (Break)
 * DoS Name: Break
 * Cost: 45000 (30000)
 * Effect:: Turns one enemy into stone.
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Wizard
 * Location: Gaia

Saber

 * Original Name: Sabr (Saber)
 * DoS Name: Saber
 * Cost: 45000 (30000)
 * Effect:: Increases caster's attack power.
 * Range:: Caster
 * Users: Black Wizard
 * Location: Onlak

Blind
Black Wizard
 * Original Name: Blnd (Blind)
 * DoS Name: Blind
 * Cost: 45000 (30000)
 * Effect:: Causes blind status to one enemy.
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Mage
 * Location: Onlak

Flare

 * Original Name: Nuke
 * DoS Name: Flare
 * Cost: 60000 (40000)
 * Effect:: Causes a very large amount of damage to all enemies.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Wizard
 * Location: Lufenia

Doom

 * Original Name: XXXX
 * DoS Name: Kill
 * Cost: 60000 (40000)
 * Effect:: Kills one enemy.
 * Range:: One enemy
 * Users: Black Wizard
 * Location: Gaia

Stop

 * Original Name: Stop
 * DoS Name: Stop
 * Cost: 60000 (40000)
 * Effect:: Stuns all enemies, disabling their commands.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Wizard
 * Location: Gaia

Warp

 * Original Name: Zap!
 * DoS Name: Warp
 * Cost: 60000 (40000)
 * Effect:: Kills all enemies.
 * Range:: All enemies
 * Users: Black Wizard
 * Location: Gaia

Black Mages/Wizards
Black Wizards can be incredibly powerful, especially later in the game. They can cast spells that do elemental damage (great against the Fiends), cause status aliments, and enhance your characters’ physical power. They can also learn a number of instant-death spells. However, these are not particularly useful since they only work a small percentage of the time. The elemental spells, Haste, Temper, and Flare are very useful throughout the game.
 *  * denotes the bare minimum spells to get


 * Level 1: Fire1*, Bolt1*, Focus1
 * Fire and bolt are very powerful in the beginning of the game, though they only work against one enemy at a time. Neither Focus1 nor Sleep1 are very useful, however Focus tends to work more often than Sleep.


 * Level 2: Ice1*, Slow, Steel*
 * Ice1 will do more damage against non-elemental enemies than Fire1 or Bolt1, and ever little bit helps. Steel raises the attack power of a character in your party, which makes it a spell that you should use against every boss you encounter. It is also stackable, so the character's attack can go higher and higher. Neither Slow nor Fog work very well or very often, but Slow tends to be a little less worthless.


 * Level 3: Fire2*, Bolt2*, Focus2
 * Fire2 and Bolt2 are fantastic spells since they hit every enemy on the screen at once. These spells (and Ice2) are useful throughout the game since you will often be large groups of enemies at once. Bind rarely works, but Focus2 decreases the number of hits your enemy can get in per attack, when it works.


 * Level 4: Ice2*, Haste*, Sleep2
 * Ice2 works well against almost anything, and is especially helpful in the Volcano, which is a relatively hard dungeon. Haste doubles the number of hits your character can do per attack, so it is a spell that is useful for every boss fight. Muddle works a surprising amount of the time, but there is an item that can cast the spell for free, so get Sleep2 instead.


 * Level 5: Fire3*, Warp1*, Slow2
 * For obvious reasons you want Fire3 before going into the Ice Cavern, and you should also have it going into the Terra Cave, where you will fight wave after wave of the undead. Warp1 is very useful as it can pull you out of a dungeon instantly. Like all instant-death spells, Poison rarely works and shouldn't be bothered with.


 * Level 6: Bolt3*, Quake, Stun
 * You'll have noticed by now that the elemental spells are the most useful offensive black magic there is, so get Bolt3. Reaper and Stun only target one enemy at a time and barely work, though Reaper works more often than Poison. Quake is an instant-death spell that works surprisingly often, though flying enemies are immune.


 * Level 7: Ice3*, Break, Saber
 * As with every other elemental spell, get Ice3. Break works often, and technically isn't an instant-death spell, so more enemies are vulnerable to it. Blind works against almost nothing by the time you get it. Saber would be very useful, except you can only use it on the caster. Once you get the Cat Claws, the Black Wizard can do a reasonable amount of damage, so Saber can be useful every once in a while.


 * Level 8: Flare*, Stop, Warp
 * Flare is the strongest spell in the game, and especially useful against foes like Chaos and WarMech. Stop works often enough, just not against bosses. Doom and Warp are both instant-death spells, Warp just works against all enemies, while Doom only works on one at a time.

Red Mages/Wizards
Since a Red Mage can only equip three spells of each level you have to pick three of eight (well, of six or seven in many cases) spells. This is why it is not recommended that you replace both a Black and White Wizard with a single Red Wizard. There are a lot of white spells that are very useful that the Red Wizard cannot cast (Dias, Heals, Cure4, Life2 specifically). However the black magic spells that the Red Wizard can't cast are not especially useful (mostly instant death spells, which rarely work). Fortunately there aren't too many instances where there are more than three "must have" spells that the Red Wizard can learn.

Generally the white (and black) magic that the Red Wizard should learn is the same as the other Wizards, however a lot of it depends on if there is another Black, Red, or White Wizard in the party, or if the Red Wizard is the only magic user.

Please see the Red Magicians' magic page for recommendations based on party configuration.

Ninjas
The Ninja can learn any level 1 - 4 spell, however by the time you get the class change, the vast majority of them will be useless. They will be too weak to bother with, or it would be better to use your Ninja, which can do reasonable damage, as a physical fighter rather than casting spells. The exceptions are the Level 2 spell, Steel, which can be used to raise a character's attack and the level 4 spell, Haste, which doubles the number of hits per attack a character gets.


 * Level 1: Fire1, Bolt1, Focus1
 * None of them are really worth getting as the Ninja will almost always do more damage than the elemental spells, and enemies aren't very vulnerable to Focus or Sleep later in the game.


 * Level 2: Ice1, Slow, Steel*
 * Get Steel, especially if nobody else knows it. If it is cast on a reasonably powerful Knight, you can double or triple their attack with a few rounds of Steel. Combined with Haste you can take out a boss in two hits.


 * Level 3: Fire2*, Bolt2*, Focus2
 * Fire2 and Bolt2 might be useful since you can clear out multiple weak enemies at once. However, by the time you get a Ninja you will have the Gauntlets, which can cast Bolt2 for free.


 * Level 4: Haste*, Ice2*, Sleep2
 * As mentioned above, Haste is a must have. Haste and Steel will soon be the two black magic spells you use the most. Ice2 is also good to have for minor enemies, since the Ninja is usually faster than the Black and Red Wizards.

Dark
Dark attempts to blind a caster's enemies, lowering the chances that they will be able to make accurate attacks upon the caster or his allies. It is an extremely unreliable spell and often fizzles. However, when it is successful it is very helpful in reducing the combat abilities of foes and keeping adventurers alive.

Temper
The Black Magic spell Temper magically hardens the weapon of one of the caster's allies, increasing the amount of damage that the ally can do. The strengthening effect is not as powerful as that of the spell Saber, but the benefit of Temper is that Temper can be cast upon any ally rather than only upon the caster.

Slow
Slow is a Black Magic spell that attempts to manipulate time itself, slowing down the enemies of the caster. When successful, Slow reduces the number of attacks each enemy is able to make each turn, allowing the caster and his allies to pound upon the foe in relative safety. There is a stronger variant, Slow2. Slow can be countered by its opposite, Haste.

Sleep
Sleep is a low power black enchantment that attempts to force enemies' consciousnesses to shut down, causing the status effect Sleep. Though it has a very useful effect, there are a number of drawbacks to the use of Sleep. It is exceedingly difficult to control, and though any or all foes might be affected, more often the spell is unable to shut down any minds (the advanced version, Sleep2, is an attempt to remedy this). The sleep is not a deep one; attacks or a good shaking after a battle often wake up afflicted foes. Finally, Sleep does not directly damage foes.

Sleep2
Sleep2 is a Black Magic enchantment that attempts to force a single enemy's consciousnesses to shut down, causing the status effect sleep. Though it has a very useful effect, there are a number of drawbacks to the use of Sleep2. Unlike the lower-powered version, Sleep, Sleep2 is targeted at a single foe rather than the entire group. It is more likely to succeed than the weaker spell, however, the induced sleep is still not a deep one; attacks or a good shaking after a battle often wake up afflicted foes. Sleep2 does not directly damage foes.

Fast
Fast is an extremely useful Black Magic spell that causes an ally of the caster to defy the normal course of time. The affected warrior is able to make twice as many attacks each round as he would normally be able to make. This effect only assists each hero once in each battle, and the extra speed does not last after the fight is over.

Fast is one of the most powerful spells in the game, especially during the later battles.

Haste
Haste doubles the attacks of the person it is cast on. It can be used to counter its opposite, Slow.

Ice
Ice is an elemental attack spell, similar to Lightning and Fire. Ice summons into being shards of ice that fling themselves at a single foe. These shards are able to cause damage through their intense coldness as well as their physical damage. There are upgraded forms of the Ice spell, known as Ice2 and Ice3.

Ice2
Ice2 is an elemental attack spell, similar to Lightning2 and Fire2. Ice2 summons into being a solid sheet of ice that shatters into many shards, striking nearby enemies. These shards are able to cause damage through their intense coldness as well as their physical damage. Ice2 is an upgraded form of the Ice spell, with a further upgrade being available and known as Ice3.

Fire
Fire is a destructive spell that is often regarded as the epitome of black magic. Its casting conjures magical flames that burn a foe of the caster. Weak creatures are often consumed entirely by the flames, while stronger enemies take only slight damage. Fire belongs to the elemental sphere of black magic, along with the Lightning and Ice spells. There are two stronger versions of the Fire spell, Fire2 and Fire3. The Fire spell can be protected against through the use of AntiFire.

Under normal conditions, Fire does 10-40 points of damage to a single enemy. It works better against ice-based and undead monsters and worse against fire-based and reptilian monsters.

Fire2
Fire2 is a destructive spell that is often regarded as the epitome of black magic. Its casting summons a small meteorite that hits enemies for moderate damage. Weak and mid-level creatures are often consumed entirely by the flames, while stronger enemies take some damage. Fire2 belongs to the elemental sphere of Black Magic, along with its equivalents Lightning2 and Ice2 spells. It is a stronger version of the Fire spell, but is still weaker than Fire3. The Fire2 spell can be protected against through the use of AntiFire.

Confuse
The Black Magic spell Confuse attempts to alter the mental status of the caster's foes. When the spell works, the enemies become unable to tell their own kind apart from the caster and his allies, and often turn on each other. Unfortunately, Confuse is a spell that is likely to fail and have no effect.

Harm
Hold is Black Magic spell that attempts to paralyze a single enemy and prevent that foe from attacking the caster or his allies. Like all other forms of paralysis, the Hold spell's effect is only temporary and wears off in a short time. Hold is a powerful spell when it takes effect, though it often fizzles.

Lightning
Lightning, like Fire and Ice, is one of the three basic elemental spells used by sorcerers to attack their foes. The Lightning spell summons a thunderbolt from the heavens to strike a single enemy, blasting that creature with pure electrical energy and often slaying those who have no resistance to such magic. Lightning2 and Lightning3 are stronger versions of Lightning, though AntiLit negates most of the potential of any lightning-based spell.

Lightning2
Lightning2, like Fire2 and Ice2, is one of the three intermediate elemental spells used by sorcerers to attack their foes. The Lightning2 spell summons a wave of lightning strikes that dance around a large pillar of electrical energy, blasting all unfortunate creatures within close proximity with pure electrical energy and often slaying those who have no resistance to such magic. Lightning is the basic variant of this spell, and Lightning3 is a stronger variant. AntiLit negates most of the potential of any lightning-based spell.

Lock
The Lock spell is a rare dweomer that attempts to hold an enemy in one place long enough for it to be attacked with greater accuracy. However, its effect is often difficult to perceive and Lock has often been ridiculed as one of the spells most likely to fizzle. Even Lock2, the stronger version, is subject to these complaints. Lock does not affect the ability of the enemy to attack the caster or his allies.

According to many experienced Final Fantasy players, Lock has no actual effect on gameplay.

Lock2
The Lock2 spell is a rare dweomer that attempts to hold all enemies motionless in their places long enough for them to be attacked with greater accuracy. However, like Lock2's weaker variant, Lock, this spell's effect is often difficult to perceive and Lock2 has often been ridiculed as one of the spells most likely to fizzle. Lock2 does not affect the abilities of enemies to attack the caster or his allies.