Diablos (Final Fantasy VIII)

Diablos is an optional boss who becomes a Guardian Force upon defeat in Final Fantasy VIII. Diablos is the fifth available Guardian Force, but listed as the sixth GF in the menu. It is a demonic Gravity-based Guardian Force who deals fractional damage to opponents depending on its level.
Diablos learns HP-J, Mag-J and Hit-J junctions, being among the few GFs to learn the latter. It learns HP and Magic boosting support abilities and Mug, which lets one steal items from opponents with the Attack command. Its unique abilities reduce the frequency of random encounters and refine time/space and status magic from items. Because Diablos's attack power is determined differently from most GFs', it doesn't learn SumMag+ abilities or Boost. However teaching him SumMag boosts his damage to max against high level enemies, even at lower levels. 
==Profile==
Diablos is a red-and-black Guardian Force that resembles depictions of the devil. It has bat wings and a long devil's tail. It is muscular, and has horns and claws. It always hovers using its wings for flight.
==Obtained==
Diablos resides within the Magical Lamp, an item received from Headmaster Cid when the party first sets upon their mission for Timber. Upon using the lamp in the menu the screen will dissolve and the player will fight Diablos. Should the player lose, the game ends in a Game Over; the item's description advises the player to save their game before using the lamp. It is advisable to defeat Diablos just after receiving the lamp. If careless, the player can lose the chance to obtain the Diablos GF by selling the Magical Lamp, or by missing the scene where Cid gives the Magical Lamp to Squall in the first place (possible if the player heads back to the Garden rather than toward the gate after the mission briefing without talking to Cid).
Obtaining Diablos in the Steam version earns the player the achievement Diablos.
==Battle==
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Diablos's summon attack is Dark Messenger that deals damage in relation to the enemies' maximum HP via a percentage equal to Diablos's level range {e.g. 10-19, 30-39} (with a set damage limit at 9,999).
:Damage = TargetMaxHP \times Level / 100
Diablos can kill the opponent in contrast with other Gravity-based attacks, meaning, at level 100, Dark Messenger will kill any foe with 9,999 HP or less. If Diablos is below level 10, Dark Messenger will deal 9% of enemies' maximum health in damage. Diablos is especially useful against enemies with high defense, such as Tonberries and Adamantoises.
Dark Messenger will not work on most bosses, as most are immune to Gravity. Because Diablos's damage is calculated differently from all other Guardian Forces', he cannot be boosted, and though he can learn SumMag+% abilities via items, they have no effect on his attack power.
===Compatibility===
The charge time for summoning depends on the compatibility between the character and the GF and the Battle Speed. The greater the compatibility, the less time it takes to summon. Compatibility can be boosted with compatibility boosting items, by casting magic that is the same element as the Guardian Force (or in Diablos's case, gravity and forbidden magic), and by summoning the GF during battle. Compatibility is reduced by using "opposing" magic to the GF's element and other summons. Diablos is unique in not having an "opposite" Guardian Force whose summoning would deplete its compatibility the most.
Compatibility Chart	Compatibility Chart 	Compatibility Chart
Summon Effect 	Diablos +20, Every other GF -1.6 	
Compatibility Items	Steel Orb +3.2, LuvLuv G +20.2 	
Casting Magic 	Demi +2, Apocalypse +0.2, Flare +0.2, Meteor +0.2, Ultima +0.2, Esuna -0.2, Protect -0.2, Dispel -0.4, Shell -0.4, Reflect -0.6	
The below values are the base compatibility values with all playable characters at the start of the game. Although Seifer cannot junction Diablos in a normal playthrough, a default compatibility value still exists for him.
Party member	Compatibility
Squall 	660
Quistis 	600
Zell 	580
Selphie 	610
Rinoa 	620
Irvine 	610
Seifer 	380
Edea 	690
===Stats===
The following table represents the base stats:
Level	HP 	Attack Power
9 	730 	9% of targets' max HP.
10 	784 	10% of targets' max HP.
20 	1,326	20% of targets' max HP.
30 	1,876	30% of targets' max HP.
40 	2,434	40% of targets' max HP.
50 	3,000	50% of targets' max HP.
60 	3,574	60% of targets' max HP.
70 	4,156	70% of targets' max HP.
80 	4,746	80% of targets' max HP.
90 	5,334	90% of targets' max HP.
100 	5,950	100% of target's max HP.
==Abilities==
Abilities learned naturally by Diablos are listed below:
Ability 	AP 	Prerequisite
HP-J 	50 	None
Mag-J 	(Already learned)	(Already learned)
Hit-J 	120 	None
Ability x3	(Already learned)	(Already learned)
Magic 	(Already learned)	(Already learned)
GF 	(Already learned)	(Already learned)
Draw 	(Already learned)	(Already learned)
Item 	(Already learned)	(Already learned)
Darkside 	100 	None
Ability 	AP 	Prerequisite
Mag+20% 	60 	None
Mag+40% 	120	Mag+20%
Mug 	200	None
Enc-Half 	30 	None
Enc-None 	100	Enc-Half
GFHP+10% 	40 	None
GFHP+20% 	70 	GF HP+10%
GFHP+30% 	140	GF HP+20%
HP+20% 	60 	HP-J
HP+40% 	120	HP+20%
HP+80% 	240	HP+40%
ST Mag-RF 	30 	None
Time Mag-RF	30 	None
Diablos's ST Mag-RF skill is an integral part of the more casual of low level challenges, as it is the earliest possible source of the Break magic that allows GFs to gain AP while keeping characters low level.
==Boss==
Diablos is an optional boss summoned into battle by using the Magical Lamp. Upon using the lamp in the inventory, the current party is transported to an alternate dimension where Diablos is fought. Diablos can be fought with either Squall's or Laguna's party, as the Magical Lamp may be used at any point in the game. Though Diablos is a Gravity-based enemy, he himself is vulnerable to Gravity. It mainly attacks with Gravity-based attacks, and while they do a high damage, they cannot kill the party. If the party fights Diablos when it is LV30+, they can draw good magic from it.
==Triple Triad==
Diablos is a Level 9 GF Card in Triple Triad card used for playing the minigame and for turning into 100 Black Holes. It drops from Diablos when it is fought as a boss inside the magic lamp.
==Gallery==
Diablos FFVIII Art.png|Artwork by Tetsuya Nomura.
Diablos8.jpg|Diablos.
Darkmessenger ffviii.png|Dark Messenger.
Diablos Dark Messenger from FFVIII Remastered.png|Dark Messenger.
FFVIII Dark Messenger.png|Dark Messenger.
8b-symbols.jpg|Various symbols used during Diablos's summon animation.
TranscendentArtistsCollectionFinalFantasyVIII6.jpg|Transcendent Artists Collection statue.
Diablos-statue-FFVIII.jpg|Statue by Kotobukiya.
==Etymology==
Category:Guardian Forces in Final Fantasy VIII
de:Diabolos (FFVIII)