Focus (Final Fantasy IX)

Focus is a command ability in Final Fantasy IX that lets Vivi empower his magic damage for that specific battle. Focus can be used repeatedly. Focus is Vivi's unique command that enhances his role as an offensive magic-user.
Its physical counterpart is the White Magic spell Might.
==Mechanics==
Focus simply boosts Vivi's Magic stat by 25% per use, rounded down. The effect stacks until Vivi's Magic caps at 99. The effect lasts until the end of battle even if Vivi was KO'd and revived. Higher Magic lets Vivi deal more damage with his Black Magic, and improves the chance his status ailment and Demi spells will hit. Because the command gives a stat boost rather than a status, it cannot be dispelled.
Focus has no effect of Steiner's Sword Magic, whose damage depends on Steiner's own stats.
==Use==
Focus is a good skill for Vivi that uses up a turn or many in exchange to dealing more magic damage on follow-up turns, making Vivi's MP pool go further. It is only useful in battles that last several rounds, so mainly boss battles. Focus can help Vivi reach the damage cap, especially when combined with targeting an enemy's weakness (can be supplanted with Amarant's Curse), Elem-Atk gear, and Reflect x2. If Vivi is about to enter Trance, using Focus beforehand is great to make best use of Vivi's Dbl Blk. Vivi can also focus when he is low on MP and the player is not going to replenish him to make his remaining cast go further.
Against Black Waltz 2, each spell makes him use a second tier elemental spell on everyone; with Focus, Vivi could build up his power and unleash it all later to kill him instantly. Against Tantarian, Vivi can Focus until the book is open, then unleash his strongest spell.
The downside is that Focus uses up a turn that Vivi could have used to cast a spell, meaning that overall, he did not do more damage per average round, only delayed the spellcasting. If the player is only going to be using Focus and then casting one spell, simply casting two spells on Vivi's two turns instead deals more damage overall. However, as Focus lasts the remainder of the battle, even one use of Focus will boost all of Vivi's remaining spellcasting turns. The longer the battle lasts, the more use out of the command Vivi gets. At this point, using Focus can save on MP. This can be a worthwhile trade-off, as Ethers are not sold in regular shops.
*A single Focus use results in overall increase in damage when followed by four or more casts.
*Two Focuses result in overall increase in damage when followed by five or more casts.
*Three Focuses result in overall increase in damage when followed by six or more casts
*Four or five Focuses result in overall increase in damage when followed by seven or more casts.
It is not worth using Focus over five times in one battle because of the cap. At higher levels, one Focus may already take Vivi to 99 Magic, or close, and further focusing will no longer affect the damage. In this case, Focus may no longer be worth the turn spent.
In boss battles, the player may want to idle to give Zidane time to steal everything the boss has to offer. Vivi can spend this time focusing, so after Zidane is finished, he can burst the enemy down with devastating spells.
Focus could be useful in a low level challenge run, as Vivi can become as powerful as if he was leveled up, though this would spend numerous turns.
==Origin==
Before Final Fantasy IX, Focus was a physical boost ability for Monks in Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy IV, and Final Fantasy V. In Final Fantasy IX, it becomes Vivi's Magic-boosting skill instead, whereas the physical counterpart is known as Might.
Category:Command abilities in Final Fantasy IX