Element ( term ) Elements are special properties based on energy that are present in many attacks in almost every " Final Fantasy " game . Characters and monsters may be weak to , resistant to , immune to , or absorb these special properties . Elements play an important role during battle . They hold sway the survival of player characters against certain enemies . Manipulating elements often times mean life or death . Most games in the series have eight ; which are usually Fire , Ice , Lightning , Wind , Earth , Water , Holy , and Dark . Many of these elements have a recurring summon based around them . Most games feature Fire , Ice , and Lightning being in a trinity of sorts , as there are three or four levels of magic usually associated with them , although some games may have three or four levels of magic of another element . Some games , notably " Final Fantasy IV " and " Final Fantasy X " , have fewer than eight elements . " Final Fantasy IV " does not feature a Water element , although several spells , such as Flood and Tsunami , have water - based graphics , these spells are Ice - elemental or non - elemental . " Final Fantasy X " does not feature Earth or Wind . Elements . Recurring . Fire . One of the three standard elements . Most plant or undead enemies are weak against it , as well as beasts . Fire is its standard elemental magic . Fire - based attacks are usually shown to be effective against Ice - based enemies , most notably in " Final Fantasy X " where Fire and Ice are opposed . Ifrit is the main summon of the Fire element . In Ivalice , the recurring summon of fire is Belias . Ice . Ice is one of the three standard elements , and is easily defeated with Fire , and vice versa . Blizzard is its standard spell . Ice spells are typically effective against Fire - based enemies , particularly in " Final Fantasy X " , in which the Ice and Fire elements are diametrically opposed , while in " Final Fantasy XII " , Ice - based attacks are effective against enemies with Lightning affinities . In " Final Fantasy IV " , Ice spells are effective against reptiles and amphibians . Shiva is a recurring summon representing this element . In Ivalice , the recurring summon of ice is Mateus . Lightning . Lightning is also one of the three standard elements . Thunder is Lightning ' s most basic spell . Machines are known to be damaged greatly when struck with Lightning - based attacks , but depending on the game they could sometimes greatly absorb it . Lightning is often effective against Water - based monsters , as is the case in " Final Fantasy X " . In " Final Fantasy XII " , Lightning - based attacks are effective against Ice - based enemies . While Lightning is typically effective against aquatic enemies , many games have a few lightning - using aquatic enemies which absorb the element instead . Ramuh is usually the summon for this element . In Ivalice , the recurring summon of lightning is Adrammelech . Earth . Manipulates the ground , and will usually not work with airborne enemies , and those imbued with Float are normally immune to this element . Most plant enemies absorb the earth element . Quake is the standard magic carrying this element . While most games of the series have only one Earth spell , " Final Fantasy VII " has introduced three levels of Earth - elemental spells , while " Final Fantasy X " neglects Earth and " Final Fantasy XII " has no normal Earth - based attack or spell for the player ' s use until late in the game after the party obtains the Esper Hashmal . Titan is usually the summon for this element . In Ivalice the recurring summon of earth is Hashmal . Wind . Wind - elemental attacks are often effective against aerial enemies , though in some games , aerial enemies may absorb them . Earth - based enemies are usually weak against this element . Aero and Tornado are some of the spells that belong to this element . The ( mostly ) usual summon for this element is Sylph , but only in some games like " Chocobo ' s Dungeon 2 " . In many games in the series , it doesn ' t affiliate with any elements ( non - elemental ) , although it does wind attacks . In Ivalice , the recurring summon of wind is Chaos . Water . All Water - based enemies will absorb this element . Water is the basic elemental spell for this element . Fire - based enemies are greatly affected by this element . In " Final Fantasy X " , wherein Water - based attacks are very effective against Lightning - based enemies , three levels of Water - elemental spells appear . Leviathan is usually the summon for this element . In Ivalice , the recurring summon of water is Famfrit . Holy . A higher level element , Holy is also known as Light . All healing spells such as Cure are affiliated with it , with exception of the first " Final Fantasy " , in which the Dia spell line is used . The spell Holy is the only recurring offensive spell of this element unless healing spells are used on undead targets , in which case they also cause damage . Greatly inflicts damage to undead and Dark - based enemies . In " Final Fantasy IV " , several weapons , including most of Cecil ' s Paladin swords and Kain ' s Holy Lance , are holy - elemental . Alexander is usually the summon for this element . In Ivalice , the recurring summon of holy is Ultima . Dark . A higher - level element , Dark is also known as Shadow . Dark is most prominent in " Final Fantasy XII " as it features three levels of dark - elemental spells — Dark , Darkra , and Darkga — all of which are very effective against Holy - based enemies . In " Final Fantasy III " and " Final Fantasy Dimensions " , dark - elemental weapons ( Katanas in " III " and Dark Blades in " Dimensions " ) are effective against dividing enemies ( which otherwise split in response to physical attacks ) , furthermore , " Dimensions " includes numerous dark - elemental abilities . In " Final Fantasy IV " , all of Dark Knight Cecil ' s Dark Blade weapons are darkness - elemental , and most undead monsters are resistant to the Darkness element , causing his attacks to inflict minimum damage . " Final Fantasy III " , " Final Fantasy IV " , " Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - " , " Final Fantasy IX " , " Final Fantasy XI " , " Final Fantasy XII " , and " Final Fantasy XIV " are the only main - series titles and spin - offs to include it . It is , however , a common staple of the Ivalice Alliance . The only recurring summon of the Dark element is Zodiark , who has appeared in several titles set in the world of Ivalice ( although the recurring summon Diabolos is darkness - elemental in " Dimensions " ) . Poison . An element present in " Final Fantasy II " , " Final Fantasy V " , " Final Fantasy VI " , " Final Fantasy VII " , and " Final Fantasy VIII " . When inflicted with the status ailment Poison , a poison - elemental enemy will heal itself with an effect similar to Regen ; poison is sometimes absorbed by undead enemies . The most common poison - elemental spells are Bio and Poison . " Final Fantasy VII " featured three levels of Poison - elemental spells , while " Final Fantasy XII " featured an Esper with the affinity of Poison , Cúchulainn , despite not being a recognized element of the game . " Final Fantasy VIII " featured the summon Doomtrain as the elemental summon for this element , which also inflicts all the negative status in the game . Restorative . Restorative is also sometimes considered an element , and usually associated with either healing or reviving abilities . Other times they are classified as Holy - elemental in some games despite the Holy spell damaging enemies which Cure would heal . Shoot . Shoot , also known as Throw , Projectile or Projec , is an element that is possessed by weapons , usually Bows but also throwing weapons such as shuriken . They are effective against aerial enemies . Gravity . Gravity appears as an element in " Final Fantasy VII " , " Before Crisis - Final Fantasy VII - " , and " Final Fantasy X - 2 " , it is related to the spell Gravity , also known as Demi . These spells deal damage based on the target ' s current or maximum HP . The recurring summon Diabolos usually uses gravity - based attacks , although gravity doesn ' t always function as an element . In the Ivalice Alliance games , Zeromus is the Scion associated with the element of Gravity . Physical . Physical is an element that appears in " Final Fantasy XIII " , " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " , " " , " Final Fantasy Mystic Quest " and " The Final Fantasy Legend " subseries for the Game Boy and it was known as both Weapon and Damage . It is one of two basic elements in " Final Fantasy XIII " , the other being Magic . In the games that this element appears , all physical attacks fall under this element including all damage caused by weapons and special physical attack skills . Usually , the spell Protect can reduce the damage received from physical attacks . Magic . An element exclusive to " Final Fantasy XIII " , " Final Fantasy XIII - 2 " , and " Lightning Returns : Final Fantasy XIII " , it is one of two basic elements along side of Physical . The Magic element applies to all spells which fall into categories such as Medic ' s restoration magic spells and Ravager ' s offensive magic spells . The spell that can reduce the damage received , as well as also reduces potency of received healing through magic , is Shell . Game - specific . Dia . In the original Famicom / NES versions , Dia does not function as an element . Instead , the spell is scripted to check whether the target has the Undead type . If so , it deals non - elemental damage to the target , otherwise , it has no effect . Dia is , however , listed as an elemental weakness in the Bestiary in some remakes , including . Status . This element seems to be used by status - inflicting spells which don ' t fit into any other category , including the Sleep , Blind , Slow , Hold , Confuse , Sleepra , Slowra , Stun , Blind , Mute and Fear spells and various enemy abilities . Resistance is provided by the NulDeath and NulAll spells and Ribbons . Poison / Stone . This element is used by abilities associated with poison and / or petrification , including the Scourge and Break spells and various enemy abilities . Resistance is provided by the NulAll spell , the Aegis Shield and Ribbons . Time . This element is used by abilities associated with space and / or time , including the Stop and Warp spells and various enemy abilities . Resistance is provided by the NulAll spell , the Black Robe and Ribbons . Body . An element exclusive to " Final Fantasy II " , and the rarest of the status elements . It involves movement of a character , and the spells Blind , Silence , Slow , and Stun all fall under this element . Matter . An element exclusive to " Final Fantasy II " . It is primarily the element of instant death attacks , with the exception of the Death spell itself . Besides Death , abilities that KO or change a character ' s form fall under this element such as Warp , Teleport , Mini , Toad , Break as well as Swap and Stop . All Undead enemies are immune to this element . Mind . An element exclusive to " Final Fantasy II " which involves manipulation of the mind , includes Sap , Sleep , Fear , Fog , Confuse , and Curse . Many status abilities in the game fall under this element . Death . An element exclusive to " Final Fantasy " and " Final Fantasy II " . It contains only one spell , Death . This limits the spell ' s effectiveness in battle , as enemies will often be immune to the Death element . Comet . Comet appears as an element in " Before Crisis - Final Fantasy VII - " . The eponymous spell is usually a non - elemental attack in the " Final Fantasy " series , but the damage dealt to certain enemies through Comet and Cometeo in " Before Crisis " is unrelated to the damage dealt by other non - elemental attacks . Notably , the Typhon summon is Comet - elemental . Hidden . Hidden is an element exclusive to " Final Fantasy VII " . It does not have much of an explanation , and only applies to a handful of Enemy Attacks and Aeris ' s Limit Breaks . By junctioning an Elemental Materia with a regular Materia ( one that does not have a normal Elemental property ) , Hidden elemental attacks can be absorbed . Drain . An element exclusive to " Final Fantasy Mystic Quest " , there are only three enemy abilities possessing this element . There is also an unused special protection related to drain , called Reverse Drain . Axe . An element exclusive to " Final Fantasy Mystic Quest " . Benjamin and Kaeli ' s axes have this element , so does Reuben ' s Morning Star . Useful against the tree - type , crab - type , turtle - type and worm - type monsters . Bomb . An element exclusive to " Final Fantasy Mystic Quest " . Benjamin ' s Bombs have this element . Only two types of enemies have this weakness : Gather - type and slime - type monsters . Spacetime . An element exclusive to " Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles : Echoes of Time " . The spells Slow and Gravity possess this element . It can be boosted by equipping the Violet Essence bonus on a piece of equipment . Stun . An element exclusive to " Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles : Echoes of Time " . The spell Quake and a Lilty ' s Hammer / Spoon attack possess this element . It can be boosted by equipping the Siver Essence bonus on a piece of equipment . This will increase the chance of stunning an enemy .