Magic tier system

The magic tier system is used throughout the Final Fantasy series, adding suffixes to the name of a spell to denote its position on the hierarchy of power. The most common tiering of spells is the three-tier line of power, seen in almost every game with the Fire, Blizzard and Thunder spells. The three-tier system usually denotes its levels with the suffixes -ra and -ga , for example Fire, Fira, Firaga.
==Overview==
Traditionally, the system features only three tiers, though occasionally a fourth tier using the -ja suffix is featured, in this case Firaja, but spells with four tiers of power are rare, usually confined to the three basic elemental spells and the Cure family. Some other spells use a two-tier system. The suffix used for the second tier spell in these cases varies.
Spell prefixes and suffixes and their relative power levels are detailed in the following chart.
Tier 	Suffix 	Prefix	Notes
First 	none 	none 	No suffixes or prefixes are applied to base-tier spell names.
Second	 	 	
A- 	The -A suffix is recurrently used by status-related spells, such as Poisona and Silena. In the original Final Fantasy, all White Magics use the -A suffix for Cure spell's second upgrade, which would later be translated as -Sa in the Final Fantasy XIII series. As a prefix, A- is recurrently used for the spells Arise and Diara, being Araise and Adia .	 	
Third 	 	 	
Ra- 	The Ra- prefix is used exclusively by Healaga, which combines it with the -a suffix in the same spell name rather than using one of the higher-tiered suffixes alone. 	 	
Fourth	 	 	
Da- 	 	 	
Fifth 	 	 	
Ga- 	— 	 	
Final 	 	 	
— 	— 	 	
In earlier titles, Cure was split into four spells: The second stage being -ra, the third being -da , and the fourth being -ga. -da is also used in the Japanese version of Final Fantasy IX for a damageless spell. The suffix -da is also sometimes added for an upgraded form of a single-target Esuna.
Some of the spells have slightly different names in Japanese. The Japanese system always either replaces the last mora, or adds it to the end for each type of spell. In the case of Fire (pronounced in Japanese as ), only the last sound is changed so the next spells are Fira () and the third-tier (Firaga) which would most accurately be transliterated as Figa (). The official translation likely names the third-tier Firaga to keep the "r" sound needed to recognize the root word in English. In the case of spells where the Japanese name is only three morae long, the suffix is simply appended, as in Cura, which is most accurately transliterated as Cure-ra: . Similarly, the tier-2 version of the Aero spell, called in Japanese, is sometimes collapsed to Aera but at other times rendered fully as Aerora.
In translations of older games, rather than the suffix system a numerical value was assigned to spells to denote their power, for example Fire 1, Fire 2, and Fire 3. Beginning with Final Fantasy VIII, all games have used the suffix system. Remakes of older games have replaced the numerical system with the suffix system as well. Some spells have different tiers but do not use the suffix system, for example Raise, Arise, and Reraise.
All Japanese releases have used the suffix system with the exception of the Easy Type release of Final Fantasy IV which used numbers for the tiers.
Occasionally, there have been inconsistencies when changing the numerical system to the suffix systems. For example, the second tier spell of Haste was originally called Haste 2. When the change to the suffix system occurred, in most games Haste 2 became known as Hastega, but in Final Fantasy Tactics Haste 2 was renamed Hasteja. Similarly, Demi and Demi 2 became Gravity and Graviga, skipping the -ra tier. In the Gravity family of spells, Graviga is considered the second tier spell, and Gravija is the third tier. Only Final Fantasy VII and its spin-offs have contained the Gravira spell (though it also appears in Kingdom Hearts).
This page describes the tiering of spells in the series by game, using several examples.
==Appearances==
===Final Fantasy===
In terms of power levels, spells may have two, three or four tiers, when it applies. In the NES and PS versions, the numerical tier system was used, while in the GBA and PSP versions, the suffix system was used.
An alternative hierarchy also appeared, used for some but not all white magic, consisted of prefixes rather than suffixes: (no prefix), a- , da- , and ga- . This hierarchy was used for Dia and higher spells, the Raise spells (Raise and Araise), and the white magic Teleport spell Dateleport (which was stronger than the unprefixed black magic Teleport). While all of these usages were grandfathered in to successive games in the series, no new spells were created that used this prefix hierarchy. Indeed, it seems to have faded from the knowledge of translators (witness the common mistranslation of Araise as Arise). The Advance and PSP translations of the Dia spells renamed the spells to use the standard hierarchy, Dateleport was called Exit, and Araise was called Full-Life. Previous to this, the alternative hierarchy was translated to use numbers just like the standard hierarchy.
===Final Fantasy II===
All spells have 16 levels of power, which are marked by the corresponding number. Roman numerals are used for tiering enemy abilities and item effects. A spell's MP cost is equal to its level. Spells gain levels with usage, and are maxed out with 10000 uses. The following spells have their animations changed at level 3, 6 and 10: Fire, Thunder, Blizzard, Scourge, Flare, Cure, Holy and Ultima.
===Final Fantasy III===
Along with the job system, the original suffix tier system returns. However, only six spell families have power levels: Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Aero, Cure and Raise.
===Final Fantasy IV===
A numerical tier system was used in the original North American Super NES release and reverted to the suffix system for the Game Boy Advance and later releases. Power levels continue exclusive to the Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Cure and Raise families.
====Final Fantasy IV -Interlude-====
The suffix system did not change at all and the spells have the same names as its processor.
====Final Fantasy IV: The After Years====
The suffix system returns and the returning spells all have the same names as its two processors.
===Final Fantasy V===
The new Time Magic school brought new spells into the tier system: Haste, Slow and Demi. Their upgraded versions were given the numerical value 2, and in the GBA remake were assigned the -ga suffix.
===Final Fantasy VI===
Final Fantasy VI does not add many changes to the tiering system of the series, other than adding a third level to the Raise spell, known as Reraise. Other than this, the same as Final Fantasy V applies here.
===Final Fantasy VII===
Magic Materia either feature two or three-tiered spell families, or a multitude of different spells similar in nature. This game also adds the Quake, Bio and Comet families to the power level system. Quake and Bio use a three-tier system while Comet uses a two-tier system. The higher levels of these three spells are mostly exclusive to the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.
===Final Fantasy VII remake project===
The curative and elemental magic materia level up. The elemental materia contain three tiers of spells when maxed. is new and did not appear in the original Final Fantasy VII.
 has four spells: , , and . has two: and .
===Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-===
There is a short magic list which is basically composed of a hand-full of three-tiered spell families. The game used a different naming system for Comet's second tier spell, calling it Cometeo, a conjunction of Comet and Meteor.
===Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-===
Tiering is present in the Cure, Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Drain and Osmose families alone. A subset of the Fire, Blizzard and Thunder spells is the "Dark" spells, like Dark Fira, Dark Blizzara, etc. These spells have the chance to inflict status ailments on enemies. In addition, there are the "Hell" spells Hell Firaga, Hell Blizzaga and Hell Thundaga, which inflict more status ailments than the "Dark" spells.
===Final Fantasy VIII===
The localization revolutionized the series's magic spells by introducing the suffix tiering system for the first time. Only the Cure, Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder spells featured more than a single power level: the player can upgrade these spells with Mid Mag-RF (Quezacotl) and High Mag-RF (Alexander).
The spell Gravija is first seen here as well, however, the basic Gravity spell was instead translated as "Demi".
The Slots spell Rapture would be more accurately translated as Levitaga , while the Float would be Levitate . These spells are visually similar, conjuring a pair of angelic wings on the target, but otherwise have entirely dissimilar effects; Float confers a beneficial status effect, while Rapture ejects all enemies from battle.
===Final Fantasy IX===
The suffix system is used for the Fire, Blizzard, Thunder and Cure spells. The Blk Mag ability Water (which has a spell power between the other -ra and -ga elemental spells) has two -ga variants named Waterga. They are used by the two versions of Kraken, having slightly different spell powers, both being more powerful than the other elemental -ga spells.
The SFX ability Pyro is named in the Japanese version of the game, "Firada" if it were localized like the other Fire spells. -da has been used as a suffix for Cure spells in other Japanese versions of games, however this spell is unrelated to them.
===Final Fantasy X===
Haste and Slow's second tier spells are called Hastega and Slowga, skipping the -ra tier. In these cases the -ga variants' improvement over the original is that it targets an entire party rather than a single target.
Otherwise the suffix system is used normally for Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Water and Cure.
====Final Fantasy X-2====
The suffix system did not change at all and the returning spells have the same names as its processor.
===Final Fantasy XI===
A different hierarchy for spells' power levels is featured. A spell is added a roman numeral ranking its strength (from I to VI, much like the suffixes' power levels), so for example Fire V is stronger than Fire II. The -na, -ga, -ja, and -ra suffixes broadly indicate the different effects and area of effects (AoE) of spells. This allows for players to quickly ascertain a spells general effect by it's name, and is used in tandem with the roman numeral power system—allowing players to instantly know a spells effect and power at a glance.
Suffixes include:
*The -na suffix applies to spells that remove a negative effect from a player, such as Blindna, which removes Blind from the target (while the spell Blind would inflict the effect).
*The -ra suffix indicates the spell affects targets within an area of effect, centered upon the caster. For example, Protectra grants the Protect status effect within an AoE of whomever cast the spell, with Protect as its single-target equivalent. The enhancing spells of the "Bar" line show the -ra suffix for multi-target spells, while the basic forms are single target. Black Magic -ra spells were introduced with the Seekers of Adoulin expansion and the Geomancer job, and deal damage to enemies within a certain distance of the caster.
*The -ga suffix indicates the spell affects targets within an AoE instantaneously. For example Curaga and Stonega II effect an area, while Cure and Stone II are single-target.
*Similar to -ga, the -ja suffix indicates the spell affects targets within an AoE instantaneously, however in addition, -ja spells increase in potency with each sequential use on a target. For instance, when Firaja is cast three times in a row on a monster, the spell will inflict more damage each time.
===Final Fantasy XII===
Suffixes are used and may denote if a spell can affect multiple targets. The basic Fire, Blizzard and Thunder spells only hit one enemy, but their upgraded forms using the -ra and -ga suffixes hit multiple targets. The exception to this is the Cure line, where both Cura and Curaja heal multiple targets, but Cure and Curaga heal single targets. Aero and its upgraded form, Aeroga, both hit multiple targets. Dark and its upgraded forms Darkra and Darkga also hit multiple targets at all levels of power. Fourth-tier versions of elemental spells exist, but are only used by Espers during fights with them. They use the "-ja" suffix, and have animations identical to Concurrences of the corresponding elements, but with the Esper shown casting the spell.
Several two-tier spells, all of which use the -ga suffix to denote their strong forms hit multiple targets. These spells are Esuna, Dispel, Haste, Slow, Reflect, Protect, Shell, Blind, Silence, Sleep, Gravity and Vanish.
===Final Fantasy XIII===
Spell tiering can be divided by Roles:
*The Commando role's only spell, Ruin, has only a second tier: its area-of-effect version, Ruinga.
*Ravager spells use the standard tiering system of -ra and -ga. Both power levels include area of effect, but distinct effectiveness. Their effects on staggered enemies is distinct as well: -ra spells deal more base damage on staggered enemies, and -ga spells have a small launch effect. Aerora also has a small launch effect to staggered enemies.
*The Medic's Cure line is quite distinct. Cura heals multiple targets, while Curaga is exclusive to Eidolons, being a massively powerful healing spell. It's spiritual replacement is Curasa, which heals a percentage of the difference between the max and the current HP. Curaja works as an area-of-effect Curasa.
*Synergist's spells use a two-tier power system, which applies to Faith, Bravery, Protect and Shell. Their second-level versions are marked by the -ra suffix and consist of a status increase of 50%, instead of 33%, but have a shorter duration.
*Saboteur's spells again use a two-tier power system, which applies to all the spells but Death. Their second-level versions are marked by the -ga suffix and add an area of effect.
====Final Fantasy XIII-2====
Final Fantasy XIII-2 reuses the entirety of its predecessor's magic system, and adds a new tier to Synergist spells. The new -ga-suffixed Synergist abilities affect the entire party at the expense of shorter duration. The suffix -da is used for a stronger variant of the spell Esuna.
====Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII====
===Final Fantasy XIV===
Upon its initial release, Final Fantasy XIV 1.0 featured few classic tiered spells, and the few that were tiered simply used roman numerals to denote effect rather than potency, similar to Final Fantasy XI. Upon the rework of version 1.20, spells followed the standard -ra, -ga system, though at least one spell used -ga to denote the second tier.
Starting with A Realm Reborn, Final Fantasy XIV 2.0 features differing tier systems depending on the script language. The Japanese spells use the standard -ra, -ga system, with the addition of -ja as the fourth tier while the English script simplifies these to numbered tiers, using roman numerals. For example, the White Magic spell Cure has variations named Cure II, Cure III and Cure IV, while in Japanese these are Cura, Curaga, and Curaja. This is lampshaded in the English script within a small aside in a book found in the Great Gubal Library that states that the Amdapori Council of Magi once voted to change the tiering system from the more traditional system featured in the Japanese version to one using roman numerals due to debate on what the fourth tier of Cure would be called, with proposed names featuring -go, -za, -ja and -gura suffixes.
This change, paired with the ever changing balance changes that result in the removal and reworking of class abilities and weapon skills result in certain spells skipping tiers that once were in the game. As consequence of this, certain spells can jump numerals tiers in the English script.
The tiering in this version does not necessarily correlate with a direct increase in power, with different lines of spells having different throughlines of variations. Tiered spells can alternate between single target and area of effect of increasing potency and MP cost, have additional combo effects with each other such as reducing MP cost and casting time when cast in sequence or outright replace earlier versions of the spell in form and function with increases in potency and effectiveness.
Some Black Mage spells from Endwalker onwards have exceeded the amount of classic spell tiers available. Instead of creating new tier suffixes, these new tiers take the name of a previous tier and add "High" to the name, e.g. High Fire II .
Additionally, some enemy spells, such as Ancient Quaga, still feature classic tier suffixes.
=== Final Fantasy XV===
Elemancy spells have different names depending on their potency, the elements involved and whether or not a Limit Break catalyst was used to craft them. If a Limit Break catalyst was not used, the spell has a first-, second- or third-tier name depending on its potency. Two different tier naming conventions are used, with suffixes for spells with a dominant element (fire, ice or lightning) and Roman numerals for spells without a dominant element.
Potency 	Fire	Ice	Lightning	Triple Element
0-99 	 	 	 	
100-199 	 	 	 	
200+ 	 	 	 	
Limit Break	 	 	 	
===Final Fantasy XVI===
The player can cast magic by pressing , resulting in a first-tier spell. Holding down a charges the shot, which is more powerful and uses a second-tier spell name. For example, if Clive's current Eikon is Shiva, the basic magic he casts is Blizzard and the charged magic is Blizzara.
Enemies have access to spells of various tiers, including third-tier spells not available to the player (e.g. Blizzaga).
Various enemies can use the first-tier Cure. Joshua, for the brief time he is playable, has access to Curaga.
===Final Fantasy Tactics===
In The War of the Lions remake, the spells Fire, Blizzard, Thunder and Cure have the four typical tiers, while some status-adding spells from the White and Time Magick schools (for example, Protect and Haste) have a second tier, designated with the -ja suffix, and the Time Magick Gravity, which progresses to Graviga. However, in the PlayStation version, spells use the numerical system.
This game marks the first appearance in the series of the -ja suffix, which here indicates a number of things:
*An increase in horizontal effect by 1 over the next highest tier spell for most spells.
*Vertical effect of 3, which is an increase over the next highest tier for most spells.
* The spell ignores Reflect.
*The spell cannot be used with Arithmeticks.
*The spell's target has a chance of learning it, provided that they have a suitable job unlocked, in the same way that Summon magic can be learned.
Some enemies also have exclusive access to other tiers of some spells. Examples are Zalera, who has the -ja-rank for Flare, Blind, Confuse, Sleep, Gravity and Toad; Cúchulainn and Dycedarg, who have the rank three spell Bioga; and Ultima, who has the -ja-rank Dispel.
===Final Fantasy Tactics Advance===
Tiers are used in the Black and White Mage jobs for the spells Fire, Blizzard, Thunder and Cure. Each has their -ra and -ga version.
====Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift====
The Black and White Mage jobs have tiers for their respective spells. The Time Mage's Haste and the Arcanist's Gravity are given -ga versions.
===Final Fantasy Type-0===
Offensive elemental spells have three tiers, signified by the standard -ra and -ga suffixes. Higher tiers are accessed by charging the spell; for instance, Fire RF becomes Fira RF, which can then turn into Firaga RF. Among defensive abilities, the Cure, Protect, Invisible, and Esuna spells all have the same three tiers, the higher ones able to target additional party members.
The temporary SP spells Boost, Reraise, Full Magic, and Full Cure have two tiers, with the second forms featuring roman numerals. Ultima also has two tiers, but because it already exists as a regular spell, the SP version instead starts at II and turns into III.
===Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles===
A character can use Magicite to cast spells in an area. By stacking multiple spells at an area, more powerful versions of basic spells can be used, as well as new spells with effects distinct from the stacked ones'.
All spells but Stop have at least a second tier, but their suffixes may vary. The traditional Fire, Blizzard, Thunder and Cure have a third tier marked by the traditional -ga suffix.
==== Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates====
More spells and tiers appear. The stacking method was further developed, allowing for new spells based on the accuracy of the stacking.
Fire, Blizzard, Thunder, Cure and Clear gained a fourth tier; while every other spell family has a second tier, marked by the -ga suffix, with the exception of Raise and Barrier, whose second-tier version are Arise and Barriera.
====Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King====
Only Fire, Frost, Lightning and Restoration spells have more powerful versions, up to three tiers.
=== Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light===
All Black Magic spells but Desolator and the White Magic Cure have three tiers. Tiering uses the -ra and -ga suffixes.
===Final Fantasy Record Keeper===
Black and White Magic spells are divided into four tiers and synchronize with the rarity ranking system. Tiering uses the -ra, -ga, and -ja suffixes in order through rarity rank 4. If an elemental or healing spell occupies rarity rank 5 or 6, it will often carry a supportive attribute along with its effect. Examples include the Chain series of Black Magic spells, which are quad-casting tier 3 spells; and Curada, a rank 6 White Magic ability that heals for major HP and grants an HP-recovery countermove up to a set HP amount (typically 2,000).
===Final Fantasy Brave Exvius===
Although Black and White Magic abilities follow the tiered format using -ra, -ga, and -ja suffixes, not all units will have access to all tiers of the spells they are assigned to learn. As in Final Fantasy XII, the four tiers alternate between single-target and group-target skills. Thus, spells such as Fira and Cura target all foes/allies, while Firaga and Curaga target one foe/ally exclusively.
==Non-Final Fantasy guest appearances==
===Kingdom Hearts series===
The Kingdom Hearts series utilizes the tier system used from the Final Fantasy series to denote its levels of power with the same suffixes -ra and -ga for its spells. 
Kingdom Hearts Final Mix introduced the concept for a fourth tier with the -gun tier of accessories, which were eventually introduced as an ability tier in Kingdom Hearts II with the Firagun and Blizzagun reaction commands. However since the release of the localization of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, the -gun tier was renamed to the -za tier. In Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-, the -gun tier would be renamed once more to follow the traditional Final Fantasy naming conventions, using the -ja suffix for all fourth tier variants of Aqua's spells. However this change was not kept for the localization of Kingdom Hearts III, where both Sora and Aqua's fourth spell tiers use the -za suffix instead.
===Bravely series===
Many White, Black, and Time Magic spells use the tiering system. The usual suffixes -ra and ga are used. The suffixes -na, -ja, and -da are also used for a few spells.
===Chrono Trigger===
The Japanese version of Chrono Trigger uses the -ga suffix for the second and last tier of its spells. The English version used the number 2 for the SNES version while the Nintendo DS version used the roman numeral II.
Category:Final Fantasy series