Defend (ability)

Defend , also known as Guard and Def., is a recurring ability in the Final Fantasy series. The user takes a defensive stance to mitigate the damage they take. Depending on the game, sometimes a status of the same name is applied when using the ability.
== Appearances ==
=== Final Fantasy ===
The Defend command reduces damage taken for the turn in which it is used. It does not appear in releases prior to the 20th Anniversary version and ports. It is retained in the Pixel Remaster.
=== Final Fantasy II ===
The Defend command reduces damage taken for the turn in which it is used. It only appears in the 20th Anniversary version and ports.
=== Final Fantasy III ===
Many jobs have access to the Guard command, which defends against incoming physical attacks.
=== Final Fantasy IV ===
Defend (Parry in the early English version) is a command. Whenever a character uses the Defend command, they gain the Defend status, which lasts until the character's input window is displayed. While in this status, the character's Defense is doubled.
==== Final Fantasy IV -Interlude- ====
Defend is a command that doubles the user's defense.
==== Final Fantasy IV: The After Years ====
Defend is a command that doubles the character's defense until the character's input window is displayed again.
=== Final Fantasy V ===
Defend (Def. in the older translation) is also a regular command everybody can access by pressing the cursor to the right while in battle, in which the character takes a defensive position that lasts until their next move, taking less damage for its duration.
=== Final Fantasy VI ===
Every character except Umaro can access the Defend command by pressing in that character's battle command window. Defending halves damage from physical attacks.
=== Final Fantasy VII ===
Every character has a Defend command accessed by pressing in the character's battle menu. The character takes a defensive stance, gaining a status that causes them to halve damage from physical attacks until their next turn.
==== Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- ====
Zack can guard with . If timed right, Zack will take much less damage from attacks. Zack can also defend against magical attacks in this manner.
===Final Fantasy VII Remake===
The player can defend with to mitigate damage by 40% (60% for Cloud in Punisher Mode) and avoid being knocked back by enemy attacks. Guarding against attacks fills the user's ATB gauge, and the effect is magnified with the equipped (it also boosts the damage reduction, up to 65% at level 3). When Cloud defends against an opponent's attack in Punisher Mode, he will also immediately retaliate if the enemy is close enough, though some attacks cannot be defended against and only break Cloud's defensive stance. The player can switch between Operator and Punisher Mode to switch between defending and countering on-the-fly. AI-controlled party members tend to guard a lot.
Cloud Operator Mode Defend from FFVII Remake.jpg|Cloud defending in Operator Mode.
Cloud Punisher Mode Defend from FFVII Remake.jpg|Cloud defending in Punisher Mode.
Tifa Defend from FFVII Remake.jpg|Tifa defending.
Aerith Defend from FFVII Remake.jpg|Aerith defending.
Toad Defend from FFVII Remake.jpg|Defending as a toad.
=== Final Fantasy VIII ===
The Guardian Forces Brothers and Cactuar learn Defend command for 100 AP. It grants the user immunity to physical attacks and halves magical damage. If the user is attacked by a physical attack that would cause a status effect, the status ailment will never be applied. Defend status lasts until the character picks their next move. Counter and Cover and other reaction abilities still activate while defending.
=== Final Fantasy IX ===
Every character has access to the Defend command by holding in the command window. A defending character takes halved physical damage and their evasion is also increased. The latter effect stacks with the ability Distract or by having the attacker under the Confuse or Darkness status effects.
Defending 50 times earns the The Best Offense achievement/trophy in the versions that support an achievements system.
FFIX Amarant Defend.png|Amarant defending.
FFIX Eiko Defend.png|Eiko defending.
FFIX Freya Defend.png|Freya defending.
FFIX Garnet Defend.png|Garnet defending.
FFIX Quina Defend.png|Quina defending.
FFIX Steiner Defend.png|Steiner defending.
FFIX Vivi Defend.png|Vivi defending.
FFIX Zidane Dagger Defend.png|Zidane defending while equipped with a dagger.
FFIX Zidane Dual Sword Defend.png|Zidane defending while equipped with a dual sword.
=== Final Fantasy X ===
A character will defend against physical attacks when their turn is skipped through . When defending, damage from physical attacks is halved. This, again, causes the status Defend. It is a Rank 2 ability, which means it takes less time to recover than from a regular Attack.
The Sentinel ability causes the user to shield their allies from physical attacks while defending at the same time.
The main bodies of the enemies Sinspawn Gui and Ultima Buster automatically get the Defend status, as well as Armored and boosted Defense, if they are attacked physically while having at least one arm. Killing the arms first is necessary for the player to damage them effectively with physical attacks.
FFX Auron Guard.png|Auron defending.
FFX Kimahri Guard.png|Kimahri defending.
FFX Lulu Guard.png|Lulu defending.
FFX Rikku Guard.png|Rikku defending.
FFX Seymour Guard.png|Seymour defending.
FFX Tidus Guard.png|[[Tidus (Final Fantasy X party member)|Tidus defending.
FFX Wakka Guard.png|Wakka defending.
FFX Yuna Guard.png|Yuna defending.
=== Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII ===
Guard is a basic ability that increases Physical and Magic Resistance by 40% for as long as it is held. It has an ATB cost of 10 and drains 3 ATB per second.
Defensive abilities drain ATB at varied rates: Light Guard drains 1 ATB per second, while Heroic Guard drains 60. Lightning can perform a Perfect Guard with defensive abilities by timing them precisely, further reducing damage taken (or restoring 20 ATB with Evade). Perfect Guarding the first time earns the Perfect Timing achievement.
=== Final Fantasy XIV ===
Guard is a common action available to all disciplines in content. It massively reduces damage taken and grants immunity to common status effects at the cost of drastically lowering movement speed for its duration. The limit break Primal Scream prevents enemies from using Guard, while the limit break Meteodrive removes it from their target. The 's Mineuchi and Zantetsuken limit break ignore the damage reduction from Guard, as does the 's Drill.
===Final Fantasy XV===
The player can take cover behind specific objects on the battlefield by assuming a defensive stance.
The player can use equipped shields to defend; Noctis does not phase when he has a shield, and can still defend in Stasis. Blocking with a shield costs only 3 MP, and can block some weaker projectiles for free. Blocking can potentially stagger attackers or push Noctis backwards. It is more MP-efficient to swap to shields and defend, and then swap out again to attack.
Unlike regular shields, holding the phase button with the Shield of the Just enters an immobile defensive stance where Noctis rapidly consumes MP while rapidly recovering HP, similar to taking cover. The Shield of the Just can also brace against normally unblockable attacks, mitigating their damage by roughly 80%.
When character-swapped to, and in his DLC episode, Gladiolus blocks attacks with his shield, and can still do so without having one equipped. There are only a handful of attacks that cannot be blocked with Gladiolus's shield, which are typically the same attacks Noctis cannot phase through (often AOE attacks); attempting to block them will stagger him briefly and may inflict damage.
By blocking enemy attacks, taking damage, or blocking attacks at the last second, Gladiolus can build up his "rage" meter to increase his damage output with a maximum potential of quadruple damage. Blocking attacks at the last second will also leave the enemy vulnerable and bring up a visual counterattack prompt, which unleashes a strong sword swing. The rage meter drains slightly after every attack Gladiolus performs, and will automatically begin to drain during battles.
===Final Fantasy XVI===
Clive can assume a defensive stance with Titanic Block, available once he has access to Titan's abilities. It can nullify damage from almost any enemy attack, and when timed just right, allows for counter-attacking opportunities.
=== Final Fantasy Tactics ===
Defend is a support ability the Squire job learns for 50 JP. Equipping Defend in the support ability slot will add a Defend command in the unit menu. This ability doubles the character's chance of evading an attack until his next turn. Thief's reaction ability, Vigilance, can trigger the defending stance when the user is being attacked.
=== Final Fantasy Type-0 ===
=== Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King ===
Guard is a Warrior Battle Skill ability, which starts at level 1 and can be leveled up to 100. It has a chance of reducing physical damage by half, and the chances of this happening increases the higher the ability's level is.
=== Final Fantasy Mystic Quest ===
Defense is a command that guards from an enemy's attack and reduces some of the damage taken. By defending an ally, the character will do nothing for one turn while waiting for an attack.
=== Final Fantasy Adventure ===
When walking on the world screen or in dungeons, the player will encounter enemies. If they touch an enemy, they will receive damage at once. The only way to prevent damage is to either avoid the enemy, or touch him with their shield. The shield will only work if it is equipped, they have the appropriate type of shield, and Sumo's level is higher than that of the enemy. If they have met all these requirements, the player will be able to push the enemy from the path using the shield.
=== Final Fantasy Legend II ===
Defense only has 30 uses, and increases a Robot's HP by 9 when equipped on them. It blocks melee attacks with a 50% chance of success and taking no damage if successful.
=== Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light ===
The Boost command is equipped to every playable character by default, and lets the user conserve their Action Points without taking a turn. They take less damage from enemy attacks on their Boost turn, making the Boost command comparable to the Defend command in other Final Fantasy titles.
=== Final Fantasy Dimensions ===
=== Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008) ===
Characters can guard against attacks with the Ground Block and Midair Block abilities, which all characters know innately. Depending on the Damage Priority of attacks, the character can block the attack successfully and stagger their opponent, leaving them open to counterattack, they may fail to block and stagger themselves, or their block may be pierced and the attack do full damage. Some attacks have built-in Block effects, such as Firion's Shield Bash or Sephiroth's Scintilla.
==== Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy ====
The Block command returns with the same function as in Dissidia, though various moves have different damage priorities determining if they can be blocked or not. The Precision Block ability allows a character to block all blockable attacks regardless of damage priority, but they will stagger if they block an attack that would normally stagger or pierce a normal block.
=== Final Fantasy Record Keeper ===
The Defend command is available to all characters, has no limit of uses, and has no Charge Time. A defending character takes halved damage from most attacks, physical or magical, until the next time the player inputs an action for the character.
The Defend command is unavailable when a character is in Burst Mode.
=== World of Final Fantasy ===
== Gallery ==
FFIII NES Defend.png|Final Fantasy III (NES).
FFIIIDS_Guard.png|The Guard command in Final Fantasy III (DS).
FFIV GBA Defend.png|Final Fantasy IV (GBA).
Defend from FFV Advance.png|Final Fantasy V (GBA).
FFVI Defend.png|Final Fantasy VI.
VIICC Guard.jpg|Zack guards in Crisis Core.
FFX Defend.png|Final Fantasy X.
Guard from LRFFXIII.jpg|Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII.
FFT Defend.png|A Chemist using Defend in Final Fantasy Tactics.
Block-Type-0-HD.png|Final Fantasy Type-0.
FFMQ Defend.png|Final Fantasy Mystic Quest.
FFLII Defense.png|Final Fantasy Legend II.
Vaanvsgabranth.jpg|Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy.
FFRK Defend.png|Final Fantasy Record Keeper.
WoFF Defend.png|World of Final Fantasy.
ru:Защита (способность)
Category:Recurring command abilities
Category:Recurring support abilities