Ward ( ability ) Ward are a series of Elemental and Status abilities throughout the series , in which there is a 50 % chance of preventing a status , or in an elements case , halves the damage done from a particular element . These were not named until " Final Fantasy X " , but has existed since the original " Final Fantasy " within pieces of equipment . The following list are all of the Ward abilities encountered throughout the series : The following are not named in - game , but are named so to keep in line with the current abilities : Appearances . " Final Fantasy " . The Elemental Wards make their first appearance here , and only with the elements Fire , Ice , and Lightning . There are no Status Wards to be found in this game . " Final Fantasy III " . Status Wards make their first appearance here in the form of Shields , while there are no Elemental Wards to be found in the game . " Final Fantasy IV " . Elemental Wards return in this game , while Status Wards all but disappear in this game in favor of Status Proofs instead . Protect Ring is the best piece of equipment in the game for Elemental Ward , as it possesses all three Elemental Wards . The Wards do not reappear until " Final Fantasy X " . " Final Fantasy V " . Elemental Wards return just as same as " Final Fantasy IV " , mostly found on armor and shields . " Final Fantasy VI " . Earth , Wind , and Water are now added to Elemental Wards , and in the GBA version , Holy as well , all in the shield Force Shield . Fire , Ice , and Lightning Wards can be found amongst various pieces of equipment still . " Final Fantasy VII " . Elemental Ward can only be put into use through either the armors Minerva Band , Dragon Armlet , and Ziedrich , or by equipping a Level 1 Elemental materia with any elemental materia in a character ' s armor . " Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - " . Status Ward is a Support Materia that grants Zack protection from status ailments when equipped with the corresponding Materia , for example Poison Ward when equipped with a Poison Materia . Elemental Ward functions the same way with elemental Materia . The level of elemental resistance granted depends on the level of the Elemental Ward Materia , granting 25 % resistance at Level 1 , 50 % at Level 2 , 100 % at Level 3 , 50 % absorption at Level 4 and 100 % absorption at Level 5 . The Status Ward Materia provides equal protection regardless of level . Various specific ward - type abilities for elemental damage and status ailments are attached to accessories . " Final Fantasy IX " . All sorts of equipment grants Elemental Wards , and Dark finally joins as an Elemental Ward . " Final Fantasy X " . An elemental ward for each of the four key elements appear in this game . Elemental wards decrease the damage done by the respective element by 50 % . An upgrade of the elemental wards , are the elemental " proof " abilities which prevent the respective element from inflicting any damage . A step - up from that , the " Eater " abilities do not decrease the damage inflicted by the element , but instead reverse its effect and heal the character . The Fire Ward auto - ability halves the damage inflicted by Fire elemental attacks , and can be customized to an armor with four Bomb Fragment items . The Lightning Ward auto - ability halves the damage inflicted by Lightning elemental attacks , and can be customized to an armor with four Electro Marble items . The Water Ward auto - ability halves the damage inflicted by Water elemental attacks , and can be customized to an armor with four Fish Scale items . The Ice Ward auto - ability halves the damage inflicted by Ice elemental attacks , and can be customized to an armor with four Antarctic Wind items . There are no auto - abilities related to the Holy , and can therefore only be protected against with the increase of Magic Defense . A number of status wards exists . They decrease the chance of a status being inflicted by 50 % . An upgrade of the status ward abilities have a " proof " suffix , and remove all chance of being inflicted with the status . There are some abilities which can always inflict statuses , regardless of ward or proof however . The Dark Ward auto - ability halves the chance of receiving the Darkness status , and can be customized to an armor with 40 Eye Drops items . The Silence Ward auto - ability halves the chance of receiving the Silence status , and can be customized to an armor with 30 Echo Screen items . The Sleep Ward auto - ability halves the chance of receiving the Sleep status , and can be customized to an armor with six Sleeping Powder items . The Poison Ward auto - ability halves the chance of receiving the Poison status , and can be customized to an armor with 40 Antidote items . The Stone Ward auto - ability halves the chance of receiving the Petrify status , and can be customized to an armor with 30 Soft items . The Death Ward auto - ability halves the chance of succumbing to instant death attacks , and can be customized to an armor with 15 Farplane Shadow items . The Zombie Ward auto - ability halves the chance of receiving the Zombie status , and can be customized to an armor with 30 Holy Water items . The Slow Ward auto - ability halves the chance of receiving the Slow status , and can be customized to an armor with ten Silver Hourglass items . The Confuse Ward auto - ability halves the chance of receiving the Confuse status , and can be customized to an armor with 16 Musk items . The Berserk Ward auto - ability halves the chance of receiving the Berserk status , and can be customized to an armor with eight Hypello Potion items . " Final Fantasy X - 2 " . Fire , Ice , Lightning , and Water Ward return with the inclusion of Tetra Ward , all of which can only be utilized on Red Ring , White Ring , Yellow Ring , Blue Ring , and Tetra Band respectively . " Final Fantasy XIII " . Deathward is a Sentinel ability that increases resistance to physical and magical damage as long as the character ' s HP is in HP Critical . " Vagrant Story " . Ward is an ability which , when used successfully , prevents Paralysis and Numbness . It has a risk of 1 . " Bravely Default " . Elemental wards begin with " Abate " and reduce damage from their respective elemental attacks . They are support abilities that require one slot to equip and will not stack with items or accessories that give similar effects . If a character has received nullification from a specific element , the nullification effect takes precedence over damage reduction .