Final Fantasy/White magic

The most obvious, and useful, white magic is the cure and heal families. These and the Life spells will probably be used more than all other spells combined. Not only are white mages/wizards fantastic curers, they are very effective against the undead. In addition to the Dia family of spells, the white wizard is the only character than can use holy, a white spell that is one of the most powerful spells in the game, against the living and undead.

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

• White mages: Uses any level 1 - 6 spell (except Warp 2) and Null Magic
• White wizards: Uses any spell
• Red mages: Uses select level 1 - 4 spells, and Cure3
• Red wizards: Uses most level 1 - 6 spells and Null Magic, but not Heal or Dia spells, Cure 4, and a few others.
• Knights: Uses level 1 - 3 spells that are not in the Heal or Dia families.

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.

• Cure family: Restores a [relatively] large amount of HP to one character
• Heal family: Restores small amounts of HP to the entire party at once
• Life family: Revives a dead character
• Dia family: Damages the undead, ineffective against the living/inanimate
• Null family: Reduces damage by one type of element, death spells, or all elements
• Protect family: Raises defense and evasion

There are several other spells that do not belong in a specific family, but tend to be focused on boosting the party's stats or removing status ailments. The exception is Holy, which is a powerful offensive spell.

White Magic

• Level 1: Cure 1, Dia 1, Shield 1, Blink
• Level 2: Lamp, Silence, Null Bolt, Invisible 1
• Level 3: Cure 2, Dia 2, Null Fire, Heal 1
• Level 4: Esuna, Fear, Null Ice, Vox
• Level 5: Cure3, Life 1, Dia3, Heal 2
• Level 6: Stona, Warp 2, Shield 2, Invsible 2
• Level 7: Null Magic, Heal 3, Cure 4, Dia 4
• Level 8: Holy, Null All, Dispel, Life 2

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.

Level 1

Cure1

Original Name: Cure

DoS Name: Cure

DoS MP: 3

Cost: 100 (50)

Effect: Restores 16-32 HP

Range: One character

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Mage
Red Wizard
Knight

Location: Cornelia

Dia1

Original Name: Harm

DoS Name: Dia

DoS MP: 5

Cost: 100 (50)

Effect: Inflicts 20-80 damage to "undead"-type enemies

Range: All enemies

Users: White Mage
White Wizard

Location: Cornelia

Shld1

Original Name: Fog

DoS Name: Protect

DoS MP: 3

Cost: 100 (50)

Effect: Raises Defence by 8 points

Range: One character

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Mage
Red Wizard
Knight

Location: Cornelia

Blink

Original Name: Ruse

DoS Name: Blink

DoS MP: 3

Cost: 100 (50)

Effect: Raises Evade by 80 points

Range: Self

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Wizard
Knight

Location: Cornelia

Level 2

Lamp

Original Name: Lamp

DoS Name: Blindna

DoS MP: 3

Cost: 400 (250)

Effect: Cures Darkness

Range: One character

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Mage
Red Wizard
Knight

Location: Pravoca

Silence

Original Name: Mute

DoS Name: Silence

DoS MP: 5

Cost: 400 (250)

Effect: Prevents enemies from casting spells

Range: All enemies

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Mage
Red Wizard
Knight

Location: Pravoca

NulBolt

Original Name: Alit (Anti-Lightning)

DoS Name: Nulshock

DoS MP: 8

Cost: 400 (250)

Effect: Reduces lightning-based damage by 50%

Range: Entire party

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Mage
Red Wizard
Knight

Location: Pravoca

Invs1

Original Name: Invs1

DoS Name: Invis

DoS MP: 3

Cost: 400 (250)

Effect: Raises evade of one ally by 40 points

Range: One ally

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Mage
Red Wizard
Knight

Location: Pravoca

Level 3

Cure2

Original Name: Cur2 (Cure2)

DoS Name: Cura

DoS MP: 10

Cost: 1500 (1000)

Effect: Restores 33-66 HP

Range: One character

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Mage
Red Wizard
Knight

Location: Elfheim

Dia2

Original Name: Hrm2 (Harm 2)

DoS Name: Diara

DoS MP: 8

Cost: 1500 (1000)

Effect: Inflicts 40-160 damage to "undead"-type enemies

Range: One character

Users: White Mage
White Wizard

Location: Elfheim

NulFire

Original Name: AFir (Anti-Fire)

DoS Name: Nulblaze

DoS MP: 8

Cost: 1500 (1000)

Effect: Reduces fire-based attacks by 50%

Range: Entire party

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Mage
Red Wizard
Knight

Location: Elfheim

Heal1

Original Name: Heal

DoS Name: Heal

DoS MP: 10

Cost: 1500 (1000)

Effect: Restores 12-24 HP to Entire party

Range: Entire party

Users: White Mage
White Wizard

Location: Elfheim

Level 4

Esuna

Original Name: Pure

DoS Name: Poisona

DoS MP: 3

Cost: 4000 (2500)

Effect: Cures Poison

Range: One character

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Mage
Red Wizard

Location: Elfheim

Fear

Original Name: Fear

DoS Name: Fear

DoS MP: 10

Cost: 4000 (2500)

Effect: Causes all enemies to run away from battle

Range: All enemies

Users: White Mage
White Wizard

Location: Elfheim

NulIce

Original Name: AIce (Anti-Ice)

DoS Name: Nulfrost

DoS MP: 8

Cost: 4000 (2500)

Effect: Reduces ice-based attacks by 50%

Range: Entire party

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Mage
Red Wizard

Location: Elfheim

Vox

Original Name: AMut (Anti-Mute)

DoS Name: Vox

DoS MP: 3

Cost: 4000 (2500)

Effect: Cures Mute

Range: One character

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Wizard

Location: Elfheim

Level 5

Cure3

Original Name: Cur3 (Cure 3)

DoS Name: Curaga

DoS MP: 20

Cost: 8000 (4000)

Effect: Restores 66-132 HP to One character

Range: One character

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Mage
Red Wizard

Location: Melmond

Life1

Original Name: Life

DoS Name: Life

DoS MP: 20

Cost: 8000 (4000)

Effect: Revives One character. Can only be used outside of battle

Range: One character

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Wizard

Location: Melmond

Dia3

Original Name: Hrm3 (Harm 3)

DoS Name: Diaga

DoS MP: 25

Cost: 8000 (4000)

Effect: Inflicts 60-240 damage to "undead"-type enemies

Range: All enemies

Users: White Mage
White Wizard

Location: Melmond

Heal2

Original Name: Hel2 (Heal 2)

DoS Name: Healara

DoS MP: 25

Cost: 8000 (4000)

Effect: Restores 24-48 HP to Entire party

Range: Entire party

Users: White Mage
White Wizard

Location: Melmond

Level 6

Stona

Original Name: Soft

DoS Name: Stona

DoS MP: 10

Cost: 20,000 (13,000)

Effect: Cures Stone

Range: One character

Users: White Mage
White Wizard

Location: Crescent Lake

Warp2

Original Name: Exit

DoS Name: Exit

DoS MP: 20

Cost: 20,000 (13,000)

Effect: Warps entire party outside of caverns/dungeon

Range: Entire party

Users: White Wizard
Red Wizard

Location: Crescent Lake

Shld2

Original Name: Fog2

DoS Name: Protera

DoS MP: 20

Cost: 20,000 (13,000)

Effect: Raises Defence by 12 points

Range: Entire party

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Wizard

Location: Crescent Lake

Invs2

Original Name: Inv2 (Invisible 2)

DoS Name: Invisira

DoS MP: 25

Cost: 20,000 (13,000)

Effect: Raises Entire party Evade by 40 points

Range: Entire party

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Wizard

Location: Crescent Lake

Level 7

Cure4

Original Name: Cur4 (Cure 4)

DoS Name: Curaja

DoS MP: 35

Cost: 45,000 (30,000)

Effect: Fully restores all HP of One character

Range: One character

Users: White Wizard

Location: Gaia

Dia4

Original Name: Hrm4 (Harm 4)

DoS Name: Diaja

DoS MP: 35

Cost: 45,000 (30,000)

Effect: Inflicts 80-320 damage to "undead"-type enemies

Range: All enemies

Users: White Wizard

Location: Gaia

NulMgc

Original Name: ARub (Anti-Rub)

DoS Name: NulDeath

DoS MP: 28

Cost: 45,000 (30,000)

Effect: Protects Entire party from auto-kill attacks/spells

Range: Entire party

Users: White Mage
White Wizard
Red Wizard

Location: Onlak

Heal3

Original Name: Hel3 (Heal 3)

DoS Name: Healaga

DoS MP: 38

Cost: 45,000 (30,000)

Effect: Restores 48-96 HP to Entire party

Range: Entire party

Users: White Mage
White Wizard

Location: Gaia

Level 8

Holy

Original Name: Fade

DoS Name: Holy

DoS MP: 50

Cost: 60,000 (40,000)

Effect: Does lots of damage...

Range: All enemies

Users: White Wizard

Location: Gaia

NulAll

Original Name: Wall

DoS Name: Nulall

DoS MP: 40

Cost: 60,000 (40,000)

Effect: Reduces all spell damage by 50%

Range: One character

Users: White Wizard

Location: Gaia

Dispel

Original Name: Xfer

DoS Name: Dispel

DoS MP: 35

Cost: 60,000 (40,000)

Effect: Removes an enemy's positive/protective defences

Range: One enemy

Users: White Wizard

Location: Gaia

Life2

Original Name: Lif2 (Life 2)

DoS Name: Full-life

DoS MP: 50

Cost: 60,000 (40,000)

Effect: Revives and fully restores One character

Range: One character

Users: White Wizard

Location: Lufenia

Recommendations

* denotes the bare minimum spells to get

White Mages/Wizards

White magic is, for the most part, very useful - even more so than black magic. Your White Mage/Wizard will be your biggest assest since even though a Knight may only lose 1HP per hit, it adds up quickly if you don't have any way of healing, and there are plenty of enemies that can do 100+ damage to even a high level Knight. The Cures, Dias, Nuls, and Lifes are useful for both regular fights and boss fights. Poison and Stone are very, very common status aliments and using spells will save you money on items. For the stronger bosses, you'll find yourself casting Invs2 and Shld2 almost as much as Cure spells.

• Level 1: Cure1*, Dia1*, Blink

Shld1 isn't worth buying because it only raises your defense by 8 points. Blink only works on the caster, but it is powerful and there are a lot of times when you need your healer alive more than any other character. Cure1's use is obvious and Dia1 is good to have since you will be fighting a lot of undead for quite a while.

• Level 2: Invs1, Silence, NulBolt*

Lamp is a waste of money because the effect wears off after the end of a battle, few enemies cause Dark, and the aliment doesn't actually do much to stop your attacks. Silence doesn't work against too many enemies, but is still preferable over Lamp. Invs1 is good, but only works on one character, so it should generally be saved for boss fights. NulBolt is a must have, and you'll be using it throughout the game.

• Level 3: Cure2*, Dia2*, NulFire*

By the time you get to Elfheim, Cure1 will do very little, so you'll want to upgrade ASAP. Get Dia2 as well, since the number of undead monsters that you encounter is only going to increase. Like NulBolt, NulFire is a must have that will be useful throughout the game. Heal1 restores very little HP and it is not worth sacrificing one of the other spells. If you really want it, give up Dia2 and just use Fire2 against the undead (assuming you have a Black Magic caster).

• Level 4: Esuna, Vox, NulIce*

Most will want Esuna eventually for the convenience of dealing with poisoning, but since it costs more than 50 pure potions would it's not really cost-effective early on. As with the other Nuls, NulIce is a necessary spell to have. Fear is pretty useless since it only works on really weak enemies which you wouldn't waste spells on anyway. Vox is only useful in a very few battles throughout the game, but it is better than Fear.

• Level 5: Cure3*, Heal2/|Life1*, Dia3*

As with Level 3, get the Dia3 spell. There are a lot of powerful undead monsters throughout the game, including Lich, so it will come in handy. Cure3 is obviously going to be a great asset. In the Dawn of Souls version, Life1 is greatly diminished in worth because you can get Phoneix Downs; however, if playing the original it is a necessity. Heal2 is a passable spell but rarely superior to Cure3.

• Level 6: Warp2*, Shld2*, Invs2*

The spells on this level are all somewhat useful so which you choose may depend on your playing style and which version you play. Stona(soft) is a convenient spell but as with the anti-poision spell above it is not really cost-effective as opposed to buying 25 soft potions with the same money. Shld2 and Invs2 are both useful since they boost the stats of the entire party at once, which makes a world of difference against the Fiends and Chaos. Warp2 (Exit in the NES version) is a must-have; the Black magic Warp is almost as good and cheaper to cast but in the late game you will want to have multiple exit-dungeon options available to you, and the white magic version is the only one that can be truly relied on.

• Level 7: Cure4*, NulMgc, Heal3

Cure4 restores 100% of a characters HP and is really the only spell you need from this level; as the HP of your characters rise it becomes more and more potent. Dia4 is good, but not necessary since by this point in the game all of the undead you face can get torn apart by Fire spells and physical attacks from fighters. Heal3 is useful at times, as unlike the other heal spells it restores a significant amount of HP, and many of the later enemies can hit all four characters at once. NulMgc may be useful in one or two places; although Protect Rings may protect against instant death, they only provide protection, not full immunity.

• Level 8: Holy, NulAll, Life2*

Surprisingly enough only Life2 is really necessary; like Cure4 it becomes stronger the higher the HP of your party members and eventually you will find yourself saving all your level8 casts for it. Holy is a fairly strong attack that works against everything. NulAll casts all five of the previous Nul spells, but since it only targets one character it is rarely or never superior to casting the lower-level Nul spells. Dispel is surprisingly useless since so few enemies use status enhancements (Chaos uses Haste but he uses physical attacks pretty rarely) so it isn't really worth bothering with.

Red Mages/Wizards

main article: Red magic

Since a Red Mage can only equip three spells of each level, on many levels the Red will have to forego some useful spells; fortunately there are not many instances where there are more than three "must have" spells that the Red Wizard can learn. Additionally, there are a lot of white spells that are very useful that the Red Wizard cannot cast; Cure4 and Life2 in particular are irreplaceable. For these reasons it is not recommended that you replace a White Wizard with a Red Wizard unless you know what you're doing.

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

Knights

The Knight can only learn the first three levels of white magic, and most of them are fairly useless by the time you get the class change. The Knight can't learn Dia or Heal spells either, further limiting his usefulness as a magic user. The Nul spells are good to have throughout the game, and Cure1 can be used before boss fights so your characters are at full health and you don't use up the Wizards' magic. However, during battles, the Knight should almost always be fighting so you will spend very little time actually casting spells.

• Level 1: Cure1*, Shld1, Blink

These are the only three level1 spells you can get and they're practically free, so grab them. Cure1 is the only one you'll really use though, outside of combat to heal your characters. Blink might appear to be useful as an extra 80 points of evasion on one of your front-line characters can save some damage, but the knight should never be taking a round off from attacking to cast it.

• Level 2: Invs1, Lamp, NulBolt*

NulBolt will come in handy against Chaos, where you want to cast all three protection spells in the first round. You aren't likely to use any of the other three spells in this level.

• Level 3: Cure2*, NulFire*

A knight can only use two of the four level 3 spells, but both are useful, even towards the end of the game. In long dungeons remember to use your Cure and Cure2 spells and conserve healing potions. NulFire, like NulBolt, is likely to be used against late-game bosses where you want to get as many protective spells out in the first round as possible.

Tips

• Nul spells are defensive white magic, three of which (NulFire, NulIce, and NulBolt) reduce elemental damage by 50% for the entire party. These three spells are absolutely essential and should be learned by at least one, and preferably two or three characters; against Chaos for instance you will want to cast all three in the first round. NulMgc protects the whole party against instant-death spells, which are fairly uncommon but may come in handy in one or two battles. NulAll protects against all four type of magic, but can only be cast on one person at a time so is not likely ever to be chosen over the other four defensive spells.
• The Heal family of spells is, in general, inferior to the Cure family. In most fights the goal is to keep each character alive, for which the hp recovery from heal spells is not sufficient. Soon enough you'll get a Heal Staff/Heal Helms which casts Heal on your party for free.
• Shield and Invisible spells can be stacked, so repeated castings continually raise your stats. During boss fights, if the Mage/Wizard isn't healing, they should be casting Shld2 or Invs2.
• Esuna and Stona are nice to have, but not cost-effective until you have excess money to purchase them. At this point you should carry Antidotes and Golden Needles/Soft potions anyway, in case you run out of spell uses or your white caster is disabled.
• Dia spells are very useful early on, especially when going through the Terra Cave. Just keep in mind that every Dia spell cast is one less Cure spell that you can use. After the Cave the number of undead decreases significantly and eventually you get items that can cast Dia2.