Dark (Final Fantasy XII)

Dark is an Arcane Magicks spell in both the original PlayStation 2 version of Final Fantasy XII and the Zodiac re-releases. It is a multi-target spell that deals dark-elemental damage to all foes in range. It is the lowest tier dark spell, below Darkra and Darkga. Some enemies use the spell against the player. Dark is a "lower mid tier" offensive spell, stronger than Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder, but weaker than Fira, Blizzara, and Thundara.
The enemies that use Dark against the player are Specter [a], Skeleton, Skull Defender, Lost Soul, Skull Warrior, Lich, Nightmare, Dark Skeleton, Skull Knight, Darkmare, Facer, Miriam Guardian, Crystalbug (green), Clay Golem, Wraith, Ixtab, Rocktoise, Barmuu, Dustia, Cultsworn Lich, Fideliant, Judge Bergan (original Japanese version only), and Helm-Rook.
Though darkness has appeared as an element in the Final Fantasy series since early on, it did not appear in tiered elemental spells for the player's use until the Dark-line of spells in Final Fantasy XII. 
==Obtained==
Dark's license costs 40 License Points in the Zodiac versions, where the spell is bought for 500 gil after the events in Giza Plains where Vaan obtains the Shadestone, from Rabanastre, Giza nomad village, Nalbina Fortress, as well as later on from Barheim Passage, Bhujerba, Dreadnought Leviathan, and Dalmasca Westersand after the events in Ondore's Estate. It is also found in a treasure in Trial Mode Stage 13 with the Diamond Armlet equipped.
In the original version, Dark's license costs 25 LP and the spell is bought for 500 gil from Rabanastre after fighting the Mimic Queen in Barheim Passage, Bhujerba, Dreadnought Leviathan, Dalmasca Westersand (after Ondore's Estate), and from the traveling merchant Dyce in the sandseas and outside the Tomb of Raithwall.
In the Zodiac versions, Dark is used by the Red Battlemage, a job class thar specializes in Arcane Magicks.
==Mechanics==
Dark deals moderate dark-elemental damage to all foes in range. It deals damage based on the caster's level and Magick Power, mitigated by the target's Magick Resist.
The formula for damage calculation:
:[46 \times RANDOM(1 \sim 1.125) - Magick~Resist] \times [2 + {Magick~Power \times (Level+Magick~Power) \over 256}]
With the Serenity license or the Magick Gloves accessory, the damage is inflated to 120% (original) or 150% (Zodiac) when the caster is in full health. With the Spellbreaker license or the Leather Gorget accessory, the damage is doubled when the caster is in HP Critical. If the caster has Faith, Dark will damage for 30% more. As an elemental spell, it will do double damage to targets weak to dark, and 150% damage with dark-potency gear: Zeus Mace and Black Robes (wearing both does not stack the effect further). The boosts stack multiplicatively.
Enemies who resist dark take half damage. Those who nullify dark take no damage and those who absorb dark are healed by it. Shell halves damage from Dark.
Weather and terrain do not affect dark damage. 
Dark bounces from Reflect unless the caster equips the Opal Ring. Casting Dark on the player's own party with Reflect will reflect the spell multiple times onto the enemy. Damaging enemies with Dark gains MP to the caster if they have the Warmage license. A target can sometimes avoid Dark via their Magick Evade stat; for the player, this means wearing shields.
Dark costs 10 MP to cast without Channeling licenses.
==Use==
Dark is a good early to mid game damaging spell for a Red Battlemage in the Zodiac versions; in the original where everyone has the same License Board, Dark is less relevant, though it is a good spell for how enemies typically do not resist it bar the undead (though, conversely, very few are weak to it), and how it is unaffected by terrain and weather, and is a multi-targeting spell that is quick to cast. The player can use it as their main offensive spell in the beginning of the game. In the Zodiac versions, it is a good spell to use in Garamsythe waterway and Barheim Passage early on, against all enemies that are not undead.
Undead enemies typically absorb dark, but the Red Battlemage can use their curative spells on them instead. The player can set the spell up via the gambit system (such as with Foe:dark-vulnerable→Dark or Foe:foes present 2+→Dark, and have a Foe:Undead gambit above it, or the caster will use Dark on undead enemies as well).
As the spell is multi-targeting, the player can cast it on their own reflected party to bounce it multiple times onto the enemy.
Category:Arcane Magicks in Final Fantasy XII