Defend ( ability ) Defend , also known as Guard , Parry and Def . , is a recurring ability in the " Final Fantasy " series . When used , the character will take a defensive stance and reduce the damage they take . Depending on the game , sometimes a status of the same name is applied when using the ability . Appearances . " Final Fantasy " . The Defend command reduces damage taken for the turn in which it is used . It only appears in the " 20th Anniversary " version and ports . " Final Fantasy III " . Guard . Many jobs have access to the Guard command , which defends against incoming physical attacks . Defend . Defend is a command ability exclusive to the Knight class , which replaces Guard , reduces incoming damage against the user and intercepts attacks against allies with critically low HP . The damage taken is equal to the following in the DS version : If the user ' s Job Level is 99 , the damage is reduced by around 60 % . The formula is different in the NES version , which is as follows : " Final Fantasy IV " . Originally called Parry in the early English version of the game . Whenever a character uses the Defend command , they gain the Defend status , which lasts until the character ' s input window is displayed . While in this status , the character ' s Defense is doubled . " Final Fantasy IV - Interlude - " . Defend returns as a command in the sequel of " Final Fantasy IV " , and it functions the same way as its predecessor . Defend is a command that doubles the character ' s defense until the character ' s input window is displayed again . " Final Fantasy V " . Guard is a command ability learned by the Knight job at level 2 for 30 ABP . It reduces all physical damage done to the user to 0 , and is useful in conjunction with the Cover ability . Defend was called Def . in the older translation , is also a regular command everybody can access by pressing the cursor to the right while in battle , in which the character takes a defensive position that lasts until their next move , taking less damage for its duration . " Final Fantasy VI " . Every character except Umaro can access the Defend command by pressing right in that character ' s battle command window . Defending halves damage from physical attacks . " Final Fantasy VII " . Every character has a Defend command accessed by pressing right of the character ' s battle menu . The character takes a defensive stance , gaining a status that causes them to take half damage from physical attacks until their next turn . " Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - " . Zack can guard with the button . If timed right , Zack will take much less damage from attacks , and , different from most other games , Zack can also defend against magical attacks in this manner . " Final Fantasy VIII " . The Guardian Force s Brothers and Cactuar can learn Defend as a command for 100 AP . It grants the character immunity to physical attacks and halves magical damage . If the user is attacked by a physical attack that would cause a status effect , the status effect will never be applied . The status lasts until the character picks their next move . This way , it is especially useful for Selphie when fighting enemies that only use physical attacks , such as T - Rexaur : a HP Critical health Selphie can put up the Defend command and on her next move safely shuffle through her Slots Limit Break menu while being immune to damage . " Final Fantasy IX " . Once again , every character has access to the Defend command , by holding right in the command window . Any physical attack on the defending character will be reduced by 50 % , and can also stack together with the ability Distract or by having the attacker under the Confuse or Darkness status effects . Additionally , Defend raises the defending character ' s evasion . " Final Fantasy X " . A character will automatically defend against physical attacks when their turn is skipped through . When defending , damage from physical attacks is halved . This , again , causes the status Defend . It is a Rank 2 ability , which means it takes less time to recover than from a regular Attack . " Final Fantasy XIII " . " Final Fantasy XIII " has numerous defend abilities all available to the Sentinel role and not all characters can learn all abilities . Lightning , who is an agile and fast character , learns the evasive defend commands that have her take a defensive stance and then evade when an enemy attacks . Snow , who has Sentinel as a primary role , learns Steelguard , which reduces damage the more the character is hit while defending . The Mediguard skill lets the player take a defensive stance while regenerating HP , akin to the Regen status . The more traditional ability , Guard is an enemy ability used by Cid Raines , PSICOM Raider , and Sanctum Archangel . This support ability reduces the damage taken while guarding . " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " . The defend abilities return in " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " , again attributed to the Sentinel role . This time , the player can also recruit monsters who act as Sentinels in battle . " " . In addition to an entire classification of abilities devoted to defending against attacks and reducing the damage dealt from them , Guard is a basic ability of the same type . At level 1 , it has an ATB cost of 10 to initialize , and it increases Physical and Magic Resistance by 40 % for as long as it is held . Holding Guard gradually saps ATB , however , requiring precise timing to minimize ATB loss . Lightning can perform a Perfect Guard by timing the guard precisely and doing so the first time earns the achievement . " Final Fantasy XIV " . Though not explicitly called Guard or Defend , several tanking skills such as Foresight and Rampart impose a temporary defense boost when used for a short time . " Final Fantasy Tactics " . Defend is a support ability that the Squire job learns it for 50 JP . Equipping Defend in the support ability slot will add a Defend command in the unit menu . This ability doubles the character ' s chance of evading an attack until his next turn and starts the character CT from 20 rather than 0 , meaning earlier action in the next turn . Thief ' s reaction ability , Vigilance , can trigger the defending stance when the user is being attacked . " Final Fantasy Tactics Advance " . Defend is the Action command of the Defender , a bangaa job class . It concentrates on making the user nearly impervious to enemy attacks , especially physical strikes , and includes moves like Expert Guard , which neutralizes all damage done for one turn , and Tremor , which pushes away all nearby units while dealing damage . The Paladin , a hume job class , can also use the ability Defense , which increases the units ' weapon and magic resistance until the unit next moves . Defend is now an ability of hume Paladins and bangaa Defenders . It increases the unit ' s Defense and Resistance until the next turn . The Moogle Knight class has an ability with the same effect called Moogle Guard . There is also a stronger version of it , called Bulwark , available to bangaa Defenders and gria Raptors , which nullifies all damage dealt to the unit by one turn . Defend can be learned from the Lion Heart for 200 AP . " Final Fantasy Type - 0 " . Guard is a Warrior Battle Skill ability , which starts at level 1 and can be leveled up to 100 . It has a chance of reducing physical damage by half , and the chances of this happening increases the higher the ability ' s level is . " Final Fantasy Mystic Quest " . The command is called Defense in the game , it guards from an enemy ' s attack and reduces some of the damage taken . By defending an ally , the character will do nothing for one turn while waiting for an attack . " Final Fantasy Adventure " . When walking on the world screen or in dungeons , the player will encounter enemies . If they touch an enemy , they will receive damage at once . The only way to prevent damage is to either avoid the enemy , or touch him with their shield . The shield will only work if it is equipped , they have the appropriate type of shield , and Sumo ' s level is higher than that of the enemy . If they have met all these requirements , the player will be able to push the enemy from the path using the shield . " Final Fantasy Legend II " . Defense only has 30 uses , and increases a Robot ' s HP by 9 when equipped on them . It blocks melee attacks with a 50 % chance of success and taking no damage if successful . " Final Fantasy Legend III " . Parry halves all damage for one round , allies and monsters alike can use this command . The Boost command is equipped to every playable character by default , and lets the user conserve their Action Points without taking a turn . They take less damage from enemy attacks on their Boost turn , making the Boost command comparable to the Defend command in other " Final Fantasy " titles . " Bravely Default " . The defend command is called Default . In addition to defending , the user will accumulate a BP ( Brave Point ) that can be used in the next turn . " Final Fantasy Dimensions " . Guard is the level 9 ability for the Paladin class , requiring 250 AP to learn . At the cost of 10 MP , the user will nullify all physical attacks used on them until their next turn . " Dissidia Final Fantasy " . Characters can guard against attacks with the Ground Block and Midair Block abilities , which all characters know innately . Depending on the Damage Priority of attacks , the character can block the attack successfully and stagger their opponent , leaving them open to counterattack , they may fail to block and stagger themselves , or their block may be pierced and the attack do full damage . Some attacks have built - in Block effects , such as Firion ' s Shield Bash or Sephiroth ' s Scintilla . " Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy " . The Block command returns with the same function as in " Dissidia " , though various moves have different damage priorities determining if they can be blocked or not . The new Precision Block ability allows a character to block all blockable attacks regardless of damage priority , but they will stagger if they block an attack that would normally stagger or pierce a normal block . " Final Fantasy Record Keeper " . The Defend command is available to all characters , has no limit of uses , and has no Charge Time . A defending character takes halved damage from most attacks , physical or magical , until the next time the player inputs an action for the character . The Defend command is unavailable when a character is in Burst Mode . " Final Fantasy Brave Exvius " . Defend is an special ability that allows the user to reduce physical damage by 50 % during one turn . It costs 8 MP and is naturally leant by Cinque at Level 23 ( ★3 ) , Charlotte at Level 6 ( ★3 ) , Clyne at Level 47 ( 4★ ) , Garland at Level 46 ( 4★ ) , and Rain at Level 52 ( 4★ ) along with his Halloween limited form " Demon Rain , " who learns Defend at Level 30 ( 5★ ) .