Instant Death

Instant Death , also called Sudden Death, Death, Fatal, Swoon, Dead, KO, Fell, Dispatch, and Stun, refers to an attack that immediately kills its victim regardless of what HP they have remaining. Instant death attacks are recurrent throughout the Final Fantasy series; several bosses, including final bosses, are known to use instant death moves, and some summons, such as Odin and Yojimbo, can also kill instantly. Instant death spells generally do not work on bosses, however, exceptions do exist.
In most games, attacks that inflict instant death do not display damage points when hit, even if the attack would have inflicted normal damage if instant death had not taken effect. In some games, indicators such as the word "Death" or the abbreviation "KO" may appear instead of damage points.
As with the use of curative and resurrection spells, such as Raise, instant death's effect is often reversed for the undead. In some games, using an instant death ability on the undead will fully heal it in the same way that using Raise would kill it, though there are some exceptions, such as the undead in Final Fantasy XII.
== Appearances ==
=== Final Fantasy ===
Game Element 	Type 	Effect
Scourge 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death upon all vulnerable opposing combatants, with a low rate of success.
Death 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death upon vulnerable opposing combatants.
Quake 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death upon all opposing combatants.
Break 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death upon one opposing combatant via petrification.
Kill 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death upon one opposing combatant.
Warp 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death upon all opposing combatants when cast during combat.
Earthquake 	Enemy Ability	Inflicts Death upon all opposing combatants.
Razer 	Weapon 	Casts Scourge when used as an item in battle.
Deathbringer 	Weapon 	Casts Death when used as an item in battle.
Assassin Dagger	Weapon 	Casts Kill when used as an item in battle.
Mindflayer 	Enemy 	Can inflict Death via physical attacks.
=== Final Fantasy II ===
Game Element	Type 	Effect
Death 	Black Magic	Inflicts Death.
Warp 	Black Magic	Inflicts Death when used in battle.
Teleport 	White Magic	Inflicts Death when used in battle.
Toad 	Black Magic	Inflicts Death on enemies, and turns party members into Toads.
Break 	Black Magic	Inflicts Death on enemies, and petrifies party members.
Mini 	White Magic	Inflicts Death on enemies, and inflicts Mini on party members.
Hecteyes 	Enemy 	Can inflict Death via physical attacks.
Coeurl 	Enemy 	Can inflict Death via physical attacks.
Orukat 	Enemy 	Can inflict Death via physical attacks.
Cait Sith 	Enemy 	Can inflict Death via physical attacks.
=== Final Fantasy III ===
Game Element	Type 	Effect
Mini 	White Magic 	Low chance of instantly defeat one enemy.
Toad 	White Magic 	Low chance of instantly defeat one enemy.
Raze 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death to weaker enemies.
Death 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death.
Lilith Rod 	Item Magic 	Casts Death when used as an item.
Black Musk 	Item 	Casts Death
Devils' Sigh	Item 	Casts Raze
Black Hole 	Item 	Casts Warp
Zantetsuken 	Summon Odin 	Chance of causing Instant Death on all enemies.
Rend 	Summon Bahamut	Chance of causing Instant Death on one enemy.
=== Final Fantasy IV ===
Game Element 	Type 	Effect
Deathbringer 	Weapon 	May inflict Death.
Death 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death to Weaker Enemies.
Odin 	Summon Magic	Inflicts Death 50% of the time.
Black Fang 	Enemy Attack	Inflicts Death.
Blaster 	Enemy Attack	50% chance to inflict either Death or Paralyze.
Ninth Dimension 	Enemy Attack	Inflicts Death. Is Reflectable.
Assassin's Dagger	Weapon 	May inflict Death.
Coeurl Whisker 	Item 	Casts Death
Dark Bahamut (3D)	Boss 	Physical attacks may inflict Death.
==== Final Fantasy IV -Interlude- ====
Game Element 	Type 	Effect
Death 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death to Weaker Enemies.
Odin 	Summon Magic	Inflicts Death 50% of the time.
Ninth Dimension	Enemy Attack	Inflicts Death. Is Reflectable.
==== Final Fantasy IV: The After Years ====
Game Element 	Type 	Effect
Death 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death to Weaker Enemies.
Odin 	Summon Magic	Inflicts Death 50% of the time.
Black Fang 	Enemy Attack	Inflicts Death.
Ninth Dimension 	Enemy Attack	Inflicts Death. Is Reflectable.
Assassin's Dagger	Weapon 	May inflict Death.
=== Final Fantasy V ===
Heavy status on an enemy nullifies a number of instant death effects; this is a separate factor from standard status immunity: some abilities will be blocked by either immunity or Heavy, while some abilities are only blocked by one or the other. The Angel Ring makes the player character equipping it immune to Instant Death.
=== Final Fantasy VI ===
Death instantly kills the target regardless of the current amount of HP they have remaining. Some instant death moves work on the undead, whereas others restore undead to full health.
=== Final Fantasy VII ===
Party members and enemies enter the Death status when their HP reaches 0, or when struck by an ability that induces the Death status instantly. If all characters' HP falls to 0, the game is over, and if all enemies' HP falls to 0, the battle is won. The player can immunize against instant death with certain equipment or the Death Force E.Skill. Dead party members can be recovered in and out of battle with resurrection items and spells, like Phoenix Down and Life. Enemies in Death status simply disappear as they are defeated. Death is distinct from being ejected; in the latter, the unit is removed from battle but not defeated. Death and Petrify are similar in that the afflicted is flagged as defeated for Game Over purposes. Instant Death and Restorative have their effects swapped on undead enemies.
====Final Fantasy VII Remake====
====Final Fantasy VII Rebirth====
Tonberry-type enemies use instant death.
=== Final Fantasy VIII ===
Each player character has a brief and unique death animation. When allies are KO, they lay on the ground until revived and their ATB bar is emptied. Enemies fade out and are removed from the battlefield after their death animation is finished. The effect remains indefinitely until the party member is resurrected, even outside of battle.
Sudden Death is when a character is instantly killed, whereas normal Death occurs when HP reaches 0. Enemies struck by Sudden Death will skip their normal death animation and simply fade out red after being struck. Guardian Forces will also die if they run out of HP. Phoenix Downs and Life magic revive fallen allies, but may cause sudden death to undead, including targets that have the Zombie status. On the flip side, using Death spells or attacks against the undead may fully replenish their HP.
=== Final Fantasy IX ===
The player can inflict instant KO with Iai Strike (Swd Art), Death (Blk Mag), LV5 Death (Blu Mag), Odin (Zantetsuken), and Avenger 5% with Add Status. Instant Death cannot be protected against with immunity abilities.
=== Final Fantasy X ===
The player can inflict instant KO with some abilities, such as Deathstrike, and protect against instant KO with Deathproof.
==== Final Fantasy X-2 ====
Game Element 	Type 	Effect
Death 	Arcana 	Inflicts Death.
Carrier Flurry 	Flurry 	Inflicts Death.
Death Flurry 	Flurry 	Inflicts non-elemental damage and Death.
Zantetsu 	Bushido 	Inflicts Death.
Shin-Zantetsu 	Bushido 	Inflicts Death to all enemies.
PuPu Platter 	Wildcat 	Inflicts Instant Death to all enemies.
Arsenic Knife 	Cutlery 	Inflicts Instant Death.
Death Petals 	Fallalery 	Inflicts Death.
Death Missile 	Machinations 	Inflicts Death.
Death 	Full Throttle	Inflicts Death.
Death Blast 	Enemy Attack 	Inflicts damage equal to remaining HP and Death.
Gun Payback 	Enemy Attack 	Inflicts physical damage and Death to a Gunner, Gun Mage, or Alchemist.
Killer Fang 	Enemy Attack 	Inflicts physical damage and Death.
Mage Payback 	Enemy Attack 	Inflicts physical damage and Death to a White or Black Mage.
Russian Roulette	Enemy Attack 	1st version. Inflicts physical damage and Death.
Sword Payback 	Enemy Attack 	Inflicts physical damage and Death to a Warrior, Samurai, or Dark Knight.
Deathproof 	Auto Ability 	Prevents Death.
=== Final Fantasy XI ===
Game Element 	Type 	Effect
Atma of Cloak and Dagger	Atma 	Bestows "minor" Resist Death.
Atma of the Einherjar 	Atma 	Bestows "superior" Resist Death.
Atma of the Winged Gloom	Atma 	Bestows "major" Resist Death.
Dark Sun 	NM Skill 	Inflicts Death on anyone in range.
Death 	Dark Magic 	Inflicts Death.
Deathly Glare 	NM Skill 	Inflicts Death as a gaze attack within a conal area.
Death Prophet 	Enemy Skill 	Inflicts Death on anyone in a conal area.
Eihwaz Ring 	Equipment (Ring) 	Has a small chance to resist Death attacks.
Extremely Bad Breath 	NM Skill 	Inflicts Death on players in range.
Heimdall's Doom 	Weapon (One-handed Sword)	Has a small chance to inflict Death.
Mortal Blast 	NM Skill 	Inflicts Death as a gaze attack within a conal area.
Pavor Nocturnus 	Diabolos Skill 	Inflicts Dispel and has a small chance of inflicting Death; success rate increases if target is asleep.
Perdition 	Enemy Skill 	Inflicts Death.
Shadow Ring 	Equipment (Ring) 	Has a small chance to resist Death attacks.
Svaha 	Notorious Monster 	Melee attacks have a very low chance of inflicting Death.
Tera Slash 	NM Skill 	When used by Arch Dynamis Lord, has a chance to inflict Death on those hit by it.
Thar She Blows 	Enemy Skill 	Inflicts Death on those within a frontal area.
Twilight Scythe 	Weapon (Scythe) 	Has a small chance to inflict Death on normal hits or physical weapon skills.
Tyrant Tusk 	NM Skill 	Deals Dark elemental damage and inflicts Bio status, but if the target would fall to less than half HP as a result of this damage, the damage is negated and victim simply dies instead. Apparently unaffected by Resist Death effects.
Zantetsuken 	Odin Skill 	Inflicts Death on anyone in range. Will simply deal damage to Notorious Monsters and others immune to Death.
=== Final Fantasy XII ===
Game Element 	Type 	Effect
Death 	Arcane Magick 	Inflict KO on target.
Warp 	Time Magick 	Inflict KO on targets over an area.
Raise 	White Magick 	Inflict KO on undead target.
Arise 	White Magick 	Inflict KO on undead target.
Bonecrusher 	Technick 	Sacrifice HP to inflict KO on target.
Warp Mote 	Item 	Inflict KO on targets over an area.
Phoenix Down 	Item 	Inflict KO on undead target or when used with Nihopalaoa.
Deathbringer 	Weapon 	Deal damage and may inflict KO on a target.
Assassin's Arrows	Weapon 	Deal damage and may inflict KO on a target.
Assassin's Dagger	Weapon 	Deal damage and may inflict KO on a target.
Kill 	Esper Ability, Enemy Ability	Inflict KO on target.
Death Strike 	Enemy Ability 	Inflict KO on target.
Sonic Fangs 	Enemy Ability 	Deal damage and may inflict KO on a target.
Crushing Fangs 	Enemy Ability 	Deal damage and may inflict KO on a target.
Prime Level Death	Enemy Ability 	Inflict KO on party members whose levels are a prime number.
Dimensional Rift 	Enemy Ability 	Inflict KO on target and user.
Darkja 	Enemy Ability 	Deal Dark-elemental damage to party members and many inflict Blind and/or KO.
Hell Wyrm and Yiazmat's physical and Rake attacks have a chance of inflicting KO. This also applies to Archaeoaevis in the Zodiac versions.
Shell will halve the chances of KO from landing.
=== Final Fantasy XIII ===
Game Element 	Type 	Effect
Death 	Full ATB skill, Enemy Ability	Inflicts Instant Death with a low rate of success, inflicts non-elemental damage when it fails.
Zantetsuken 	Gestalt Ability 	Inflicts Instant Death on all enemies with low HP, inflicts non-elemental damage otherwise.
Progenitorial Wrath	Enemy Ability 	Inflicts Instant Death with a 50% rate of success, inflicts non-elemental damage when it fails.
=== Final Fantasy XIV ===
Various enemies and certain player spells can inflict instant death, which will trigger the message "[target] has been sentenced to death!" in the battle log. For instance, Level 5 Death is a spell cast by Page 64 enemies in and can be learned by the Blue Mage class, which can inflict instant death on most enemies, provided their level is a multiple of 5 and not higher than the player's.
Most boss encounters have enrage mechanics that will deal unavoidable, lethal damage to all players in the encounter, usually to punish poor performance or failing mechanics. While not an instant death in the conventional sense of the series, these attacks will always ignore defense and will even be repeated should the player bypass the enrage through resurrection.
=== Final Fantasy XV ===
Instant death can be inflicted on enemies with the Death Penalty gun, as well as Killcast magic. Death and Alterna are spells used with the Ring of the Lucii that can defeat opponents without depleting their health to 0 first. Death fills an invisible gauge that enemies have variable resistance to while also dealing damage; if the instant death effect takes effect before the target runs out of HP, they will die. Alterna can remove enemies from the battle and thus instantly defeat them. Though it works on almost every opponent, even superbosses, the effect is random and some enemies resist it more than others.
Headshots against imperial troopers with the Cerberus rifle defeat them in one hit.
Some enemies, such as coeurls, can inflict Instant Death on the party. The player can protect against Instant Death with the Safety Bit and Ribbon accessories, the Assassin's Creed attires and the Deathproof food buff.
===Final Fantasy XVI===
Clive's Zantetsuken Level 5 culminates in a cut that deals no damage but the animation slices enemies without a will gauge in half and defeats them instantly.
Certain bosses defeat player characters instantly if not enough damage is dealt in time. The Eikon of Fire can defeat the Phoenix instantly, although if the player dealt enough damage, Phoenix will restore his HP soon after using Flames of Rebirth. Omega Aionios is capable of instantly defeating the entire party with Omega Protocol, which triggers a Game Over after a cinematic cutscene depicting the dimension being compressed. Leviathan is capable of killing Ifrit with Tsunami if the player is unable to pass the DPS check, Leviathan will flood Mysidia and drowning the player, triggering a Game Over as well.
=== Final Fantasy Type-0 ===
Killsights cause instant death to enemies when in battle with them. To initiate a killsight, the cursor has to be red when the player attacks.
Instant Death also has a 10% chance to be inflicted through certain weapons.
=== Final Fantasy Tactics ===
Game Element 	Type 	Effect
Death 	Black Magic 	Inflicts Death.
Magma Surge 	Geomancy 	Deals fire-elemental damage with a chance of inflicting Death.
Northswain's Strike	Holy Sword, Swordplay	Deals non-elemental physical damage with a chance of inflicting Death.
Finishing Touch 	Limit 	Deals non-elemental physical damage with a chance of inflicting Death.
Suffocate 	Subdual Arts 	Inflicts Death, 100% hit rate.
Bioga 	Befoul, Bio, Magicks 	Deals non-elemental magick damage with a chance of inflicting Death.
Dark Whisper 	Enemy Ability 	Deals dark-elemental magick damage with a chance of inflicting Death.
Heave 	Enemy Ability 	Deals non-elemental physical damage with a chance of inflicting Death.
Valhalla 	Weapon 	May inflict Death on the enemy it hits.
=== Final Fantasy Tactics Advance ===
Game Element	Type 	Effect
Death 	Alchemy Skill	Instantly KOs one target.
Roulette 	Blue Magic 	Instantly KOs a unit chosen at random on the battlefield.
Last Breath 	Corner 	Instantly KOs one target.
LV5 Death 	Enemy Attack 	Instantly KOs any target in range with a level divisible by 5.
==== Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift ====
Game Element	Type 	Effect
Death 	Arcane Magick	Instantly KOs one target.
Last Breath 	Assassination	Instantly KOs one target.
Roulette 	Blue Magick 	Instantly KOs a unit chosen at random on the battlefield.
Mirror Items	Survivalism 	Instantly KOs one target when used with a Phoenix Down.
=== Final Fantasy Mystic Quest ===
Game Element	Type 	Effect
Life 	White Magic 	Inflict Fatal on single enemy target.
Doom Dance 	Enemy Ability	Inflicts Fatal.
Doom Gaze 	Enemy Ability	Inflicts Fatal.
Doom Powder 	Enemy Ability	Inflicts Fatal.
Corrode Gas 	Enemy Ability	Inflicts Fatal.
=== The Final Fantasy Legend ===
Enemies that are Dead are permanently removed from battle. Ally units in Dead status can be revived according to the number of hearts they carry. Add hearts with the Heart item. Revive at a House of Life or with the Revive item.
Game Element	Type 	Effect
 	Cannon 	Inflicts Dead to all enemies.
 	Magic Book 	Inflicts Dead to one enemy.
 	Assorted Others	Inflicts Dead to an enemy if it hits.
 	Armor 	Grants resistance to Fire, Ice, Elec, Poison, Stone, Para, Weapon, and Quake.
 	Armor 	Grants resistance to Stone and Para.
 	Helmet 	Grants resistance to Stone, Para, Weapon, and Quake.
 	Helmet 	Grants resistance to Fire, Ice, Elec, Poison, Stone, Para, Weapon, and Quake.
 	Shield 	Grants the party Stone, Para, Weapon, and Quake resistance with 100% success.
 	Shield 	Grants the party Ice, Stone, Para resistance with 255% success.
 	Enemy Ability 	Inflicts Dead to an enemy group.
 	Enemy Ability 	Inflicts Dead to an enemy group.
 	Enemy Ability 	Inflicts Dead to an enemy group.
 	Enemy Ability 	Inflicts Dead to an enemy group.
 	Enemy Ability 	Resists Fire, Ice, Elec, Pois, Ston, Para, Weapon, and Quake.
 	Enemy Ability 	Resists Ston, Para, and Weapon.
 	Enemy Ability 	Resists Para and Weapon.
 	Enemy Ability 	Resists Dead, Blin, Slep, Conf, Curs, and Para.
=== Final Fantasy Legend II ===
Game Element	Type 	Effect
 	Staff 	Inflicts Stun to all enemies.
 	Assorted Others	Inflicts Stun; cannot cut if Str < Def - 9; or against Weapon if Str < 2 x(Def - 4).
 	Magic Book 	Inflicts Stun on non-undead (Skelton, Zombie, O-Bake).
 	Enemy Ability 	Inflicts Stun; one group.
 	Enemy Ability 	Inflicts Stun; one group.
 	Enemy Ability 	Inflicts Stun; one group.
=== Final Fantasy Legend III ===
The target is instantly killed and becomes Fell.
Game Element	Type 	Effect
 	Can inflict Fatal	Kills one enemy.
 	Can inflict Fatal	Kills one enemy.
 	Can inflict Fatal	Attacks one enemy.
 	Can inflict Fatal	Attacks one enemy.
 	Can inflict Fatal	Kills one enemy.
 	Can inflict Fatal	Kills one enemy.
 	Can inflict Fatal	Kills one enemy.
 	Can inflict Fatal	Kills one enemy.
=== Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light ===
The player gains access to sudden death moves with the Death spell, the Ranger's Smashing Blow (25% chance), Monk's Ghost Army and the Bandit's Deadly Blow attack. The Party Host's Pot Luck command has a random chance of executing Sudden Death that kills all opponents instantly.
Some of the tougher bosses use sudden death attacks against the party, such as the Leviathan, that has a chance of instantly defeating a party member with its physical attacks.
=== Final Fantasy Dimensions ===
=== Pictlogica Final Fantasy ===
=== Final Fantasy Record Keeper ===
== Gallery ==
FFIV Deathbringer KO GBA.png|Final Fantasy IV (GBA).
FFV Death Status.png|Final Fantasy V.
FFVI Death Status.png|Final Fantasy VI.
Instant-Death-FFIX.png|Final Fantasy IX.
PFF Instant Death.png|Pictlogica Final Fantasy.
it:Morte istantanea
pt-br:Morte Instantânea
Category:Negative status effects