Group-cast

Group-cast refers to the ability to cast magic on multiple targets. Though many Final Fantasy games feature the ability to select multiple targets for spells, the exact mechanics of this have varied.
Generally, group-casting a spell lowers its power compared to its being cast on a single target. Some games, like Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy VI, allow certain spells to be group-cast by pressing the proper button while targeting enemies, while other games have alternative mechanics for group-casting. Exactly what spells can and cannot be group-cast varies from game to game.
Group-casting magic on enemies is not always an option. Some spells cannot be cast on multiple targets in most games, usually due to their strength. Spells that typically cannot be group-cast are Flare, Holy, Slow, Shell, Raise, and many others. Some spells are also group-cast automatically, like Meteor and Flood, which cannot be forced to target single enemies, unless there is only one to begin with. Some spells that cannot be group-cast have upgraded forms that can. For example, Haste usually cannot be group-cast, but its upgraded form, Hastega, can.
==Appearances==
===Final Fantasy===
None of the spells allow players to choose between single target and group-casting mode. Some spells, such as the first Fire, Blizzard and Thunder spells, and the entire Cure series, can only affect a single target, while others, such as the higher level Fire, Blizzard and Thunder spells, and the Heal series (multi-target counterparts to the Cure spells), are automatically cast on all valid targets.
The original Final Fantasy is one of the few games in which Holy and Flare are multi-target spells.
===Final Fantasy II===
All spells may be group-cast at the player's choosing. However, group-casting a spell lowers its rate of success (which in turn is determined by the spell's level) and for spells that deal damage, decreases the damage dealt.
In the mobile versions, the player must drag their finger from any empty space on the screen over the enemies to highlight them and then tap the enemies again to confirm the group-cast during battles. Group-cast can be done outside battles for magic spells such as Cure during target selection by quickly swiping the screen from one character to the one below it without immediately releasing the finger.
===Final Fantasy III===
Nearly all spells can be group-cast except for White Magic status spells, Holy, Flare, Tornado, and death spells.
===Final Fantasy IV===
Various spells can be group-cast. Spells that naturally hit all targets, such as Quake or most summons, ignore split damage. The ability Kick functions as a group-targeting Attack.
In the 3D releases, the Omnicast Augment allows a character to group-cast spells which are normally single target, such as Haste, Flare and Arise; group-casting these spells has no effect on their potency.
====Final Fantasy IV -Interlude-====
The same spells that could be group-cast in the original are the same ones that can be group-cast.
====Final Fantasy IV: The After Years====
===Final Fantasy V===
Spells can be group-cast simply by pressing left at the very back row of the enemy party (to select all enemies) or by pressing right on the party (to select all allies). The spells that can be group-cast are:
*Cure/Cura/Curaga
*Silence
*Mini
*Fire/Fira/Firaga
*Blizzard/Blizzara/Blizzaga
*Thunder/Thundara/Thundaga
*Sleep
*Toad
*Bio
*Mute
*Float
*Aero/Aera/Aeroga
Group-cast spells have their effectiveness halved: power for damaging/healing spells, and hit rate for status ailment inflicting spells. Float has no penalty for group-casting it. 
With the "Mix and X-Magic glitch" the player is able to group-cast spells that can't normally be group-cast, although trying to group-cast Holy with the glitch will crash the game.
Some spells like all summons, most Blue Magic, and spells like Hastega or Meteor, automatically target a whole party of either allies or enemies. These spells do not have their effect halved for being multi-targeted. Other spells such as Holy, Death, and Flare cannot be group-casted and will only target one opponent.
===Final Fantasy VI===
Magic spells can be group-cast by pressing at the back row of the enemy party (to select all enemies) or by pressing on the party (to select all allies) or, in the PlayStation version, by pressing while selecting a target. Several spells cannot be group-cast, such as Flare and Holy. Group-cast spells deal half of their regular damage.
===Final Fantasy VII===
All spells, with the exception of Comet2, Ultima, and some Enemy Skills, normally can only be cast on a single target. The All Materia allows the connected Magic Materia to be group-cast a number of times equal to the level of the All Materia, up to five times. The Mega-All Materia causes all the character's equipped spells and abilities to be able to group-cast, with the number of times group-cast can be used for each command relying on the level of the Mega-All Materia. Some Materia, such as Contain, and Enemy Skill cannot be linked to an All Materia and have no effect under Mega-All. 
Any spell cast on all enemies due to the All materia will only deal 2/3 of its regular damage.
If the Added Cut Support Materia is linked to a group-cast spell, the user will use the Added Ability to a random target among the group.
In the 1996 demo version, when an All Materia is equipped to another, selecting that Materia will give the player the option to cast it on All opponents, or just a single opponent and will also tell how many more times the player can use the All option, changing depending on the level of the Materia, although it is not possible to level Materia up in the demo.
===Final Fantasy VII Remake===
The allows spells from a paired Magic Materia to hit all allies or all enemies. When group-cast this way, the power of the spells (status duration for spells that cause status effects) is reduced by a percentage based on the magnify materia's level: by 60% at level 1, by 45% at level 2 and by 25% at level 3. Pressing causes a spell to instead be single-target like normal, avoiding the power/duration reduction. Magnify does not work with spells cast via the . 
===Final Fantasy VIII===
Spells are either single target, or target the entire group; there is no way to toggle this. Only Meteor, Ultima, Tornado, Quake, and Apocalypse affect all targets.
===Final Fantasy IX===
It is possible for Vivi, Dagger, and Eiko to group-cast several of their spells by hitting . Group-casting will halve the damage or healing done, and the status ailment infliction chance, to each target. This does not apply to magic attacks that also inflict statuses at a fixed rate, e.g. Bio, whose chance to inflict Poison is always 20%; multi-targeting Bio only lowers its power.
The following spells can be group-cast:
*Fire, Fira, Firaga
*Blizzard, Blizzara, Blizzaga
*Thunder, Thundara, Thundaga
*Bio, Poison, Sleep
*Demi
*Water
*Cure, Cura, Curaga
*Silence, Mini, Confuse, Berserk, Blind
*Float
Amarant's Flair skillset turns into Elan with group-cast properties when he is in Trance.
===Final Fantasy X===
The only spells that are group-cast are the four "Nul" spells, such as NulBlaze, as well as Ultima, Demi, Hastega, and Slowga. While Ultima and Demi cannot be reflected, the others, which are cast on each member consecutively, can be.
====Final Fantasy X-2====
Most spells from the Black Mage and White Mage dresspheres can be group-cast on either the enemy or player party, at the cost of reduced potency. Some spells, such as Shell and Protect, are unable to be cast on a single character. If the player group-casts a spell on a reflected party, the spell will bounce onto the enemy party three times, allowing the player to chain the spells.
===Final Fantasy XI===
All spells have predetermined targeting mechanics and many pairs of spells with identical effects, like Barpoison and Barpoisonra, exist solely to provide single and group-cast options. Scholars are able to selectively widen the targeting of their spells, however, employing Accession to spread healing and enhancing spells to party members and Manifestation to extend enfeebling magic to multiple enemies. White Mages using a Divine Veil-boosted Divine Seal can also group-cast spells that remove status effects.
===Final Fantasy XII===
All spells that can be group-cast have a radius of effect, indicated by a ring around the target when the player selects the spell. Spells that can be group-cast will affect all units in the affected party (allies or enemies) within this radius when cast, while units outside the radius are not affected.
The base Cure, Blizzard, Fire, and Thunder spells are not group-cast (except in the International Zodiac Job System version), nor is Curaga. However, the upgraded forms of Blizzard, Fire, and Thunder all are group-cast spells, and Cura and Curaja are group-cast as well. Group-cast spells of the normal status ailment spells also exist. They have a slightly lower chance of success than their single target versions.
====Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings====
All spells are area of effect spells and affect many player or enemy units at once.
===Final Fantasy XIII===
Individual spells are either single cast or group-cast. Basic spells have a stronger group-cast or area of effect version, except Synergist spells. Medic's have Cura and Curaja as group-cast versions of Cure and Curasa respectively, while Saboteur spells and the Sentinel's Provoke ability function similarly. Ravager spells have stronger area of effect versions that target an enemy and deal splash damage, and a Commando's Ruinga functions similarly in regards to Ruin. Not every character is able to learn certain group-cast or area of effect spells.
===Final Fantasy XIV===
In the original release abilities could be either single target or area of effect using a toggle. As of A Realm Reborn the area of effects of abilities are preset. In addition, several beneficial abilities will only work on party members; even should players be in the same alliance, they need to share a party for such abilities to function.
===Final Fantasy Mystic Quest===
Spells may be cast on all enemies by pressing the Up button while choosing a target with a spell, and spells may target all allies by pressing the Down button while choosing a target.
===The Final Fantasy Legend===
Each battle may have up to three different groups of enemies. Depending on the battle, the player may also face multiples of each type of enemy. Only a few specific weapons and spells can target all enemies on the screen regardless of the type of enemy grouping. There are also some weapons and abilities that can target all enemies from a single type.
===Final Fantasy Legend II===
Each battle may have up to three different types of enemies. Depending on the battle, the player may also face multiples of each type of enemy. If the battle has only one type of enemy, they may face up to eight of that enemy. If there are two types, then they may face up to six of each enemies. If there are three types, then they may face up to five of each enemy. Only a few specific weapons and spells can target all enemies on the screen regardless of the type of enemy grouping. There are also some weapons and abilities that can target all enemies from a single type.
===Final Fantasy Legend III===
The spells can only group-cast on identical enemies in the group by pressing the Up button while choosing a target with a spell. Only a few specific spells can target all enemies regardless of the type of enemy grouping, and those spells are the high level spells.
===Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light===
Spells are naturally either single-hit or group-hit spells, but the White Mage's Healthgiver and Lifegiver abilities let the White Mage cast single-target healing spells on all allies at once, such as Cure and Raise. The Shaman's ability, Ritual, allows the Shaman's Dark Magic spell to hit all targets as well.
Category:Recurring support abilities
Category:Battle elements