Magic Master (Final Fantasy VI)

The Magic Master is a boss in Final Fantasy VI fought at the top of the Cultists' Tower as the party reaches the Soul of Thamasa treasure.
The Cult of Kefka, apparently having deduced the party's attempts at stealing the treasure, rush up to the top and surround them, demanding in a monotone voice to return the treasure belonging to Lord Kefka. The Magic Master arrives, floating around the roof before landing at the party's spot. Unlike the other bosses, Magic Master does not have the boss death animation within his AI script, he will just die like a regular enemy. The character's overworld sprite is reused from that of Ghost.
== Stats ==
== Battle ==
Magic Master attacks with Fira, Blizzara, Thundara, Firaga, Blizzaga, Thundaga, Bio, Silence, and Death, and can do massive damage with his high magic power. His attacks can be reflected. Whenever the Magic Master is attacked, he uses Barrier Change to change its weakness and immunities. When defeated, the Magic Master always uses Ultima.
=== Strategy ===
Reflect Rings make the party virtually invincible. Equipping armor that absorbs , , and/or -elemental damage negates most of Magic Master's offense as well. The player should ignore his elemental immunities and use non-elemental spells, such as Flare and Ultima. Quake (when combined with wearing Gaia Gears on the party) is useful for healing characters under reflect status.
The player must either cast Reraise on the party, be at an absurdly high level, or jump out of range using a well-timed Quetzalli summon to survive Magic Master's Ultima. Casting Libra periodically to assess when he will die and cast Ultima is advised.
A simple and safe way to defeat the Magic Master is to cast Berserk on him to stop him from changing weaknesses and forcing him to use physical attacks, which hit a single party member for about 500 HP of damage. This allows the player to whittle down his HP and prepare Reraise to survive Ultima. After Reraise is cast on the party, if a party member knows Vanish, they can use said spell to nullify the boss's physical attacks making the battle virtually impossible to lose.
A passive strategy in versions prior to Pixel Remaster of defeating Magic Master is to equip the party with Reflect Rings, enter the battle, and cast Reraise. Magic Master should attack with a magic spell that will be reflected and will not use Barrier Change, because the Magic Master forgoes casting it unless the player has attacked at least once. The player should defend while the Magic Master brings upon his own doom before casting Ultima. This strategy no longer works in the Pixel Remaster version, because Magic Master casts Barrier Change even without the player attacking.
Another way to stop Magic Master from casting Ultima is to damage his MP with Rasp and Osmose, which will kill him when his MP reaches 0. Considering Magic Master's high MP, this would take at least half an hour.
The player can steal from Magic Master with a berserked party member equipped with a Thief's Knife.
== Formations ==
Number	Enemies 	Encounter flags	Encounter flags	Encounter flags	Encounter flags	Introduction flag	Musical theme 	Magic AP
Number	Enemies 	Normal 	Back 	Surrounded 	Side 	Introduction flag	Musical theme 	Magic AP
 	Magic Master	 	 	 	 	Sides, individual	The Decisive Battle	10
== AI script ==
Attack Turns:
1st Turn: Fira (33%) or Blizzara (33%) or Thundara (33%)
2nd Turn: Firaga (33%) or Blizzaga (33%) or Thundaga (33%)
3rd Turn: Firaga (33%) or Blizzaga (33%) or Thundaga (33%)
:Firaga (33%) or Blizzaga (33%) or Thundaga (33%)
4th Turn: Firaga (33%) or Blizzaga (33%) or Thundaga (33%)
:Firaga (33%) or Blizzaga (33%) or Thundaga (33%)
5th Turn: Firaga (33%) or Blizzaga (33%) or Thundaga (33%)
6th Turn: Death (33%) or Silence (33%) or Bio (33%)
:Death (33%) or Silence (33%) or Bio (33%)
If any Monster has Reflect status:
:Target: All Monsters
:Firaga (33%) or Blizzaga (33%) or Thundaga (33%)
If killed: Ultima (100%)
If attacked by anything:
:Target: Self
:Barrier Change
==Glitch==
There is a known bug that can make the Magic Master not to appear. If the player recruits Gogo and/or Umaro, and does not change their party (or enter the Form a Party screen) at least once afterward, after being surrounded by the cultists at the top of the tower, the Magic Master will never appear and the player will get stuck there, unable to do anything else (like entering the menu screen or reentering the room). The only option available at this point is to reset the game and load a previous save. Reportedly, this bug is present since the Super NES version. It is also present on the Steam version (and likely on the Game Boy Advance and iOS/Android versions as well, which the Steam version is based on).
==Other appearances==
===Pictlogica Final Fantasy===
=== Final Fantasy Record Keeper ===
=== War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius ===
The Magic Master appears as the Boss of the Final Fantasy VI Reissue Collaboration Event, being battled atop the Cultists' Tower. Like in the original game, the Magic Master will employ a plethora of different high level spells, and is capable of poisoning targets with his Normal Attack. Although Physical Attacks are not forbidden, the Magic Master will employ a Reraise buff that also increases his DEF to tremendous levels, making it virtually impossible to hurt him physically. His Barrier Shift activates upon being damaged by any hit, and will cast Ultima after his Reraise is activated, mirroring his desperation move.
== Gallery ==
MagicMasterArt.jpg|Yoshitaka Amano concept art.
== Etymology ==
== Related enemies ==
* Number 024
de:Magiemeister
it:Cavalier occulto
ru:Мастер магии (Final Fantasy VI)
Category:Bosses in Final Fantasy VI
Category:Bugs in Final Fantasy VI