Shell ( ability ) Shell is a recurring spell generally classified as White Magic . It appears in various games in the " Final Fantasy " series and bestows the status effect of the same name , which halves all magic damage dealt to the target , often including both offensive and curative spells . Some games include the more effective Shellga spell . Appearances . " Final Fantasy II " . Shell is a White Magic spell which increases the Magic Evade of one or all allies , which reduces the success rate of spells and enemy attacks . As the spell ' s level grows , the spell ' s effectiveness and success rate increases . The effect can stack , but repeated use on the same unit ( s ) increases the chance the spell will miss . Any character can learn Shell by having them use the Shell Tome ( called the Shell Scroll in the " Origins " release ) . " Final Fantasy IV " . Shell is a White Magic spell . It has a casting time of 0 , costs 10 MP with a 66 % Accuracy . Shell is learned by Rosa at level 20 and Porom at level 29 . Tellah learns it after completing Mount Ordeals ; Fusoya joins the party with it . Cecil learns it as a Paladin at level 33 in the Nintendo DS version . Shell can be cast on either a single target or an entire party ; this has no impact on its effectiveness . This spell can fail frequently when cast by a character with a low Spirit stat . The spell is not learnable on on the SNES North American and " Easy Type " version of the game . This spell is still used by Zemus ' s Malice , but the white magic icon has been removed from its name . The spell functions differently in the 3D releases . In the 2D releases , Shell boosts its target ' s Magic Defense stat by 3 points , to a maximum of 255 , for the duration of the battle . The spell will automatically fail if its target ' s Magic Defense is at 255 , and during the final battle with Zeromus it is programmed not to work at all . In the DS release , Shell bestows the status of the same name as in most other games , halving Magic Damage that the party receives , and works properly in the final battle . It can also only be cast once . Its MP cost has been boosted to 15 . " Final Fantasy IV - Interlude - " . Shell returns as a White Magic spell in the sequel of " Final Fantasy IV " . Rosa and Porom already known the spell . It increase the Magic Defense of all targets at the cost of 10 MP . Shell appears as a spell that all the White Magic casters can use , it is also an used by Boss Gobby , Lord Dragon , and Ultima Weapon . It can be used to target all allies at once . " Final Fantasy V " . Shell is a spell that can be used only by the White Mage Job . It is a White Magic Level 4 spell and it can be bought for 3 , 000 gil at Regole , Castle of Bal , Quelb , and Castle Surgate . It costs 5 MP to cast . It is one of the spells that can be cast from the Wonder Wand for free . Shell can be cast by Calofisteri , Carbuncle , Gilgamesh at the Big Bridge , Halicarnassus , Harvester , Hades , Necromancer , Zephyrus , and Tiny Mage . " Final Fantasy VI " . Shell is an Effect spell the espers Alexander , Zona Seeker , Carbuncle , and Unicorn can teach to characters . It costs 15 MP to cast and is vulnerable to Runic . Shell can be cast by Level 70 Magic , Cherry , Moebius , Gilgamesh , and Kaiser Dragon . " Final Fantasy VIII " . Shell is a Support Magic spell that can be refine d from items using GF Diablos ' s Support Magic Refinement ability , as well as drawn from enemies . Casting Shell in battle increases compatibility with Carbuncle by 1 , and with Cerberus by 0 . 2 , but lowers compatibility with Diablos and Eden by 0 . 2 as well . " Final Fantasy IX " . Dagger and Eiko can use the White Magic spell Shell for 6 MP . It can be reflected and works with Return Magic . It is learned for 35 AP from Multina Racket , Mythril Racket , Mythril Rod , Wizard Rod , Cotton Robe , Gold Choker , and Moonstone . Shell can be cast by Serpion and Necron . " Final Fantasy X " . Shell is a White Magic spell located on Yuna ' s section of the Sphere Grid although all characters can learn this spell . This spell halves magical damage , and costs 10 MP to cast . Shell can be cast by Cindy , Guado Guardian ( B ) , Seymour , and Th ' uban . " Final Fantasy X - 2 " . Shell is a White Magic spell learned by the White Mage dressphere for 30 AP that costs 10 MP to cast . It can be used without the White Mage dressphere when equipped with Selene Guard Garment Grid . Shell can be cast by Garik Ronso , Node A , Node B , Node C , Right Bulwark , Seymour ( Fiend Arena ) , and Unum . " Final Fantasy XI " . Shell is a spell that can be learned by Red Mages , White Mages , Scholars , and Paladins , though because it is such a low - level spell it can be used by many characters with any of these Jobs as a Support Job . It is the earliest in a line of spells that go up to Shell V . Shell applies approximately 10 % reduction of magical damage . " Final Fantasy XII " . Shell is not a White Magick , but a Green Magick spell . It can be used when its license , Green Magick 2 is learned for 30 LP and can be bought in Rabanastre , and Bhujerba for 300 gil . Shellga can also be learned , which casts Shells effect on the nearby party members as well . It requires the license Green Magic 7 for 105 LP ; it can be bought at Balfonheim for 9 , 900 gil . In the " International Zodiac Job System " version , Shell is listed as White Magick 3 License , along with Protect . It can be used by the Job classes White Mage and Red Battlemage . Shellga is White Magick 12 License , and can only be obtained from a chest in the Great Crystal . " Final Fantasy XIII " . Shell is a Synergist ability that increases the magic resistance of any ally by 33 % . It is learned by four characters by advancing in the Synergist role in the Crystarium system at varying levels : Hope ( Lv2 ) , Snow ( Lv7 ) , Lightning ( Lv8 ) , and Sazh ( Lv9 ) . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . Though Lightning cannot use Shell as a spell , it can be used by Angel of Valhalla after he ' s at bond level 2 . It can also be used by some enemies . " Final Fantasy XIV " . This spell was featured as a conjurer ability but after the 1 . 31 patch it was removed as an ability along with many other spells . The Conjurer trait Proshell adds a resistance to magic effect to Protect , similar to Shell . " Final Fantasy Tactics " . Shell can be used through the White Mage Job it cost 70 JP to learn it . It costs 6 MP to use and has a speed of 25 . It casts Shell in a standard cross - shaped area . " Final Fantasy Tactics Advance " . Shell can be used through the White Mage . It costs 100 AP to master it , 6 MP to cast , and has a range of 4 with a vertical reach of 2 . It casts Shell in standard cross - shaped area . It can be stolen through the ability Steal : Ability . Shell can be taught to a Green Mage by the War Hammer for 150 AP , and costs 8 MP to cast . Red Mages can also learn Shell through the Mage Masher . White Mages , however , cannot cast shell as in the previous game . " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " . " Final Fantasy Agito " . Shell is a level 10 Protection spell , exclusive to the White Mage class , and caps at level 100 . It increases allies ' Magic Defense , can be used once per battle , and up to three times a day . " Final Fantasy Legend III " . Despite being called Shell , the spell actually works like the Protect spell . The spell raises one character ' s Defence level by 10 during battle . It cost 8 MP to use , and it can be bought for 400 GP in Dharm ( Present ) . Shell is a White Magic spell and costs 2 AP to cast . When the spell is used it increases a characters magic defense by 50 % . Shell can be given to any character by having a Shell Tome in the character ' s inventory . The spell can be purchased for 1 , 000 gil in Guera and Urbeth at night , and in Horne after the player defeats Satan . " Bravely Default " . Shell is a level 2 White Magic . It raises one target ' s magical defense by 25 % for five turns . It costs 5 MP . " Final Fantasy Dimensions " . This spell requires White Magic Level 5 and 10 MP to use . It can be bought for 6 , 000 gil in Magic Shops in Chapters 3 - 5 , and it can be cast on either one or all party members . " Final Fantasy Record Keeper " . Shell is a White Magic ability with a Rarity of ☆ . It can be cast on one target , doubling Resistance , it can initially be used four times and it can be honed to Rank 5 . It can be created by using Minor White Orb x3 , Minor Earth Orb x3 , Minor Holy Orb x3 and 1000 gil . " World of Final Fantasy " . MBarrier is a Lv . 4 spell that costs 3 SP to cast and protects Chocobo temporarily from magic damage . " Final Fantasy Trading Card Game " . Ovelia ' s card can use M . Barrier . For the discard of another Ovelia card and Dulling Ovelia , M . Barrier grants the Haste and Brave effects to all the player ' s other Forwards , and allows them to attack an additional time that turn .