Vigilance (ability)

Vigilance , also known as Caution and Alert, is a recurring ability in the Final Fantasy series, associated with the Thief job class. It generally prevents back attacks.
==Appearances==
===Final Fantasy V===
Vigilance (also known as Caution) is a support ability for the Thief job class, costing 75 ABP. It reduces the chance of a back attack on the party from 1/16 to 0.
===Final Fantasy VI===
Vigilance is found on the relic Alarm Earring which protects against Back Attacks and Pincer Attacks. Because some enemies only attack in certain formations, this eliminates some random encounter groups.
===Final Fantasy VII===
Although not mentioned in the Materia's description, the Preemptive Materia, when mastered and placed on the last character on the party, gives an "Ambush Alert Bonus", which halves the chance of back and pincer attacks.
Each area has a set number of battle formations that are possible to occur during a random encounter. When a random encounter is about to start the game performs a check to see if any of the "special attack formations" apply. If the area has any special formation battles (Back Attack, Side Attack and Pincer Attack) the chance of getting them is calculated first. These battles have the player at a disadvantage, but a mastered Preemptive Materia helps protect against these battles by halving the chances of the disadvantageous ones.
The game uses two types of check in order to detect whether of not a party member has a mastered Preemptive Materia equipped: a single character check and a global check. The single character check is made whenever the player changes Materia or Equipment. If the character does not have a mastered Preemptive Materia the game will remove the Ambush Alert Bonus, which halves the chance of Back and Pincer Attacks, and it does not matter if another character does actually have a mastered Preemptive equipped.
The global check is used when entering the menu or exiting the PHS screen by running the single character check on each character in the party in turn, starting from the top. What this means is that only the bottommost character in the party counts for whether they have a mastered Preemptive Materia equipped.
===Final Fantasy VIII===
Alert is available from the Guardian Force Cerberus for 200 AP. It prevents preemptive strikes and back attacks from occurring against the party and increases the chances of them occurring against random encounters. It does not protect against the fixed back attack in the Deep Sea Research Center against a Ruby Dragon while answering Bahamut's questions.
===Final Fantasy IX===
The Alert support ability costs four Magic Stones to equip and prevents back attacks. It is learned from the Barbut, Ninja Gear, and Germinas Boots. Alert can be learned by Zidane (40 AP), Steiner (60 AP), and Amarant (30 AP).
===Final Fantasy XI===
Alertness is a job trait for the Ranger at level 5. Its description says that it "Lowers the chance of being detected by enemies." Nothing about how this works is known with any certainty.
===Final Fantasy Tactics===
Vigilance (also called Caution) is a reaction ability. The Thief class learns it for 200 JP. Receiving an enemy's attack causes the character to take up a defensive position that doubles the unit's evasion rate (but not reduce damage received). It lasts until the character's next AT.
===Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift===
Vigilance is a support ability exclusive to the Sky Pirate class, belonging solely to Vaan. It allows the user to not take extra damage from side or back attacks.
===Final Fantasy Dimensions===
Vigilance is the level 12 ability of the Thief class, requiring 230 AP to learn. It requires 1 slot in order to equip and use. The ability prevents sneak attacks and back attacks.
===Theatrhythm Final Fantasy===
Vigilance is a special ability learned by Onion Knight, Bartz, Faris and Locke. Vigilance activates once per stage during Field Music Sequence, and prevents the character from being replaced if they fall.
====Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call====
Vigilance is a reactive ability that costs 4 CP to equip. It is activated just once in Field Music Sequences (FMS) when a character is hurt. The character will not be switched out for the next party member like usual. It is learned by Onion Knight (level 5), Bartz (level 5), Galuf (level 10), Sephiroth (level 5), Vincent (initially), Tidus (initially), Vaan (initially), Balthier (level 5), Rikku (level 15), and Zack (level 5).
===Final Fantasy Explorers===
===Final Fantasy Brave Exvius===
===World of Final Fantasy===
Vigilance is a passive ability that prevents enemy ambushes. It can be used by Black Nakk, Magic Pot, Magna Roader (Red), and Security Eye.
===Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon===
Alert is a level 3 Thief ability that costs 3 SP to use and requires 260 JP to learn. It finds enemies, traps, and items on the floor.
Category:Recurring support abilities
Category:Reaction abilities