Enc-Half (Final Fantasy VIII)

Enc-Half is a support ability in Final Fantasy VIII. When equipped to a member of the active party, it cuts the rate of random encounters by 75%, despite what the name and description suggest.
Enc-Half and -None can be seen as obsolete in Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, where the player can turn off random encounters at any time as a bonus feature.
==Obtained==
The Guardian Force Diablos learns Enc-Half for 30 AP, after which he can learn Enc-None. Diablos is recruited by using the Magical Lamp Headmaster Cid gives at the Timber mission briefing. If the player removes Enc-Half with Amnesia Greens, there is no way to get it back.
==Mechanics==
When Enc-Half is in effect, the game checks for random encounters only quarter of the base rate, reducing random encounters by 75%. Enc-None has no effect on fixed encounters or action encounters, such as UFO? sightings, or many of the battles at the Deep Sea Research Center: if the player moves when the blue light shines, they enter a battle regardless, and when answering the light's questions, the player must fight Ruby Dragons in between. Deeper in the ruins, if the player has Zell Dincht force a door open, the player must face unavoidable battles on their way down to the deep sea deposit.
==Use==
Enc-Half is good whenever the player wants fewer battles, or wants to avoid fighting and is waiting for Enc-None to be learned. Encounter-lowering abilities are good during any segments with time limits, such as in Centra Ruins, Esthar City during Lunatic Pandora's attack, and when awakening Omega Weapon in the final dungeon.
Enc-Half can be good in Islands Closest to Heaven and Hell to use the draw points without being bogged down by endless encounters.
The player can gil farm by simply running around. Doing this on the world map earns salary payouts faster, and the player can reduce encounters to spend more time moving and less time fighting. However, the party's SeeD rank will drop of they fight no battles between payments. While on the world map however, the player can also avoid random encounters entirely by walking on a road/railway tracks, or using vehicles.
World map sidequests are less frustrating to complete if the player lowers the encounter rate: Obel Lake, UFO sightings, looking for the Lunar Base crash site, trying to initiate battle against Jumbo Cactuar.
The player should unequip Enc-Half when they are about to enter a boss battle and use the support ability space for something that enhances battle readiness instead.
Category:Support abilities in Final Fantasy VIII