Shell (status)

Shell , also known as MBarrier, is a positive status effect usually granted through the use of the White Magic spell Shell, the Blue Magic spell Mighty Guard, the item Lunar Curtain, or the auto-ability Auto-Shell. It appears in various games in the Final Fantasy series and reduces magic damage dealt to the target.
In earlier games, Shell would generally halve the effectiveness of both offensive and curative spells. In more recent installments, Shell usually cuts the effectiveness from offensive spells by a third, and does not affect curative spells.
== Appearances ==
=== Final Fantasy II ===
Shell status can only be achieved through the use of the spell Shell and the item Conch Shell. It increases the Magic Defense of a character.
=== Final Fantasy III ===
Shell can be acquired from Bard's Elegy song in the 3D versions.
It boosts the recipient's Magic Defense in a following fashion:
:Recipient's Magic Defense + (20 + Recipient's JobLv / 11)%
=== Final Fantasy IV ===
Shell is granted by the Shell spell cast by Rosa and Fusoya. In the GBA and PSP versions, Edward's Sing command changes to Chant while equipped with the Harmony Ring, granting Protect and Shell to the entire party.
==== Final Fantasy IV: The After Years ====
Shell can be achieved through the spell Shell and by using the Elfin Bow as an item. Edward's Guardian's Ballad song grants Protect and Shell to the whole party.
=== Final Fantasy V ===
Shell is obtainable through the White Magic spell Shell, the Blue Magic spell Mighty Guard, the Mixes Protect Potion and Dragon Defense, and the ability Magic Shell. Shell halves most magical damage and the hit rate of blockable magic attacks.
=== Final Fantasy VI ===
A unit with the Shell status will have magical damage reduced by approximately ⅓, except for defense-ignoring attacks. This status can be removed with Dispel spell, and it is also removed at the end of battle. The player can bestow shell with Shell spell, Mighty Guard Lore, and Zona Seeker esper, as well as with numerous equipment pieces.
Due to a bug, if the Force Shield is equipped mid-battle, instead of granting shell, it will instead give immunity to shell.
=== Final Fantasy VII ===
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MBarrier halves magical damage/healing. When hit by a magical ability, a magical barrier appears in-between the character with MBarrier and the attacker, that diminishes in size as the status wears out. The spells MBarrier, Big Guard, and Wall grant MBarrier status to a party member, while the Protect Ring grants MBarrier at the start of the battle. On the barrier gauge to the right, it appears as the lower barrier. The gauge shows for how long the status is active. Statuses that affect the character's speed also affect the rate MBarrier runs out: i.e. Haste makes it run our faster, and Slow makes it last longer.
==== Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- ====
The MBarrier status can be acquired using the MBarrier Materia, Wall, and multiple accessories. It can be also granted through the DMW Courage Boost! It halves magic damage taken.
===Final Fantasy VII Remake===
 halves magic damage taken. It can be applied by the spell from the and with Carbuncle's Nacre Light.
===Final Fantasy VII Rebirth===
Rebirth has two magic-resistant statuses: Shell and Manaward. Both can be used at the same time for the maximum effect.
Shell boosts a target's . It can be applied by the spell from the . It is opposed to Deshell, one overwriting the other.
Manaward halves magic damage taken. It can be applied by the spell from the .
=== Final Fantasy VIII ===
Any Magic-based damage or healing to the target is halved. The effect lasts approximately 32 seconds. Upon wearing off, a message will be displayed at the top of the screen. When active, a pink shield appears when an effect is halved. The player can bestow Shell with the spell of the same name, Selphie's Wall, Quistis's Mighty Guard, and the Auto-Shell support ability. Shell is removed with Dispel.
=== Final Fantasy IX ===
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Shell halves received magic attack damage, hit chance of statuses from magical effects, and accuracy of spells that can miss. Shell does not hinder curative spells. It is removed by Dispel and inflicted by the Shell, Pearl Light, and Mighty Guard spells. It lasts longer the higher the target's Spirit stat is.
=== Final Fantasy X ===
Shell halves both magic damage as well as magic healing. The White Magic spell Shell, Kimahri's Ronso Rage Mighty Guard, and the auto-ability Auto Shell can bestow Shell upon a character to halve magical damage. SOS Shell can bestow Shell as long as the character is in Critical status. Some of Rikku's Mixes can inflict Shell to the entire party as well, including Mighty G, Super Mighty G, Hyper Mighty G, and Mighty Wall. The item Lunar Curtain also gives Shell. Shell is removed with Dispel.
==== Final Fantasy X-2 ====
Game Element 	Type 	Effect
Shell 	White Magic 	Reduces magical damage.
Mighty Guard 	Blue Bullet 	Inflicts Shell and Protect to party.
Assault 	Swordplay 	Grants Berserk, Shell, Haste, and Protect to the party.
Flurry Shield 	Flurry 	Grants Shell and recovers a small amount of HP.
No Fear 	Bushido 	Grants Shell and Protect on user.
Moogle Wall 	Kupo! 	Grants Shell and Protect to one ally.
Moogle Wallja 	Kupo! 	Grants Shell and Protect to party.
Hard Leaves 	Fallalery 	Grants Shell to party.
Shellter 	Smash 	Grants Shell to party.
Auto-Shell 	Ability 	Automatically start with Shell status.
Choco-Shell 	Enemy Ability 	Grants Shell.
Not-So-Mighty Guard	Enemy Ability 	Grants Shell and Protect to party.
Defense Bracer 	Accessory 	Automatically start with Shell and Protect status.
Moon Bracer 	Accessory 	Automatically start with Shell status.
Wall Ring 	Accessory 	Automatically gain Shell and Protect when in Critical.
Lunar Curtain 	Item/Enemy Ability	Grants Shell to party.
=== Final Fantasy XI ===
The White Magic Shell enhances a single person's magic resistance, while Shellra increases magic resistance for all party members within range of effect.
=== Final Fantasy XII ===
Shell is granted via the Shell and Shellga spells, or by equipping the Shell Shield. It is also a random buff from picking up loot with the highest chain.
Shell reduces magick damage taken by 25%. It also halves the success chance of status ailments, making it useful around undead enemies due to their common use of magick and status effect spells. Shell is the only way to somewhat resist instant KO effects as there is no accessory that protects against instant death.
An enemy exclusive ability, Greater Barrier, grants Shell along with Protect. Some enemies spawn with a Shell status, like Nazarnir.
In the Japanese original version and International Zodiac Job System, the icon for the Shell status is a green seashell. This is changed to a green circle elsewhere.
==== Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings ====
Shell reduces magickal damage, but does not halve the chance of receiving debuffs. Shell will override Protect and vice versa.
Basch can grant multiple allies the Shell effect by casting Shellga. The White Mage sky pirates also know the Shellga spell.
Rank III Esper Tiamat knows the Mighty Guard spell that bestows both Protect and Shell buff on all allies in range. Mighty Guard is the only ability that lets both Protect and Shell co-exist on a unit.
=== Final Fantasy XIII ===
Shell is achieved via the Synergist spell or shrouds used before battle. Accessories can also grant it automatically. Shell increases resistance to magical damage by 33%. Its base duration is 150 seconds, but the overall duration is affected by the caster's Synergist level, chain and passive abilities. Shell is removed with Dispel, Dispelga, Deshell, and Deshellga. There also exists a stronger variant, called Shellra, that wears off faster but halves magic damage to the user.
Game Element 	Type 	Effect
Shell 	Synergist ability, Enemy ability	Bestows Shell to the target.
Auto-Shell 	Passive ability 	Bestows Shell at the start of a battle.
Critical: Shell	Passive ability 	Automatically bestows Shell once HP hits Critical status. Functions only once per battle.
Aegisol 	Shroud 	Casts Protect, Shell, Veil, and Vigilance at start of battle.
Enchanted Veil 	Enemy ability 	Bestows Protect and Shell on the caster.
Fanatical Dance	Enemy ability 	Bestows Bravery, Haste, and Shell on the user's party.
Goblinhancement	Enemy ability 	May bestow Bravery, Protect, Shell, Veil, and Vigilance on target.
Manadrive Shell	Enemy ability 	Bestows Shell on target.
Overdrive 	Enemy ability 	Heals self for 99,999 HP and buffs self with Haste, Faith, Protect, and Shell (applies in the battle against Tiamat Eliminator).
Power Spritz 	Enemy ability 	Bestows Haste, Shell, Veil and Vigilance onto the caster.
Rebirth 	Enemy ability 	Does little damage to the player party and buffs the user with Bravery, Faith, Protect and Shell. Used only after the first Stagger.
Version Upgrade	Enemy ability 	Bestows Bravery, Faith, Protect, Shell, Veil, and Vigilance on the user.
==== Final Fantasy XIII-2 ====
Shell reduces received magical damage by 25% and can be bestowed by Synergist spells Shell and Shellga and the Feral Links Bellow, Spirit Infusion, Precious Prayer, and Fanatical Dance. Auric Amulet gives Critical:Shell that activates automatically at low health, and Durable Auric Amulet also gives Auto-Shell that applies Shell since the start of the battle. It can be countered with Dispel, Dispelga, Deshell, and Deshellga.
==== Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII ====
Shell reduces magical damage received by 33% for a duration of 50 seconds. It can be bestowed via Shell Potion, Crusader's Potion, Holy Water, Phoenix Down, and Elixir.
Lightning can steal the status from enemies with Protect Thief and get automatic Shell when being ambushed with Tithed Shell.
Angel of Valhalla can bestow Shell on Lightning with either the Shell spell or his Inspire ability, which he gains at bond level 2.
=== Final Fantasy Tactics ===
Shell can be achieved through the accessories Sortilége and Tynar Rouge, the command abilities Shell, Shellja, Wall, Kiyomori, Nameless Song, Aegis, andShell Nymph, the armor Onion Armor and Lordly Robe, and through the weapons Durandal and Ragnarok.
Shell reduces the caster's magickal power by 1/3 in the formulae, so it not only reduces the power or hit-rate of spells, but also reduces the weapon damage done by a staff or rod because they apply the wearer's magickal power rather than physical power to calculate the damage.
Shell does not affect damage from spells that subtract a certain percentage of the target's HP (such as Demi and Lich), though it does affect the success rate of these spells. Shell lasts for 32 ticks.
=== Final Fantasy Tactics Advance ===
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Shell can be granted by the abilities: Shell, Barrier, 100% Wool, and Yellow Spring. It reduces magical damage taken.
==== Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift ====
Shell can be achieved through the use of the Green Mage spell Shell, the Tinker ability Gold Moogletron, or the Chocobo Knight ability Choco Barrier.
=== Final Fantasy Dimensions ===
=== Final Fantasy Record Keeper ===
Shell doubles the Resistance stat of the target and decreases magic damage taken by half. It can only be cast by the Shell ability. The upgraded version Shellga casts Shell on the whole party.
=== World of Final Fantasy ===
Shell reduces damage taken from Magical attacks by 50%.
Game Element	Type 	Effect
 	Active Ability 	Bestows Shell to a single target.
 	Active Ability 	User gains Protect/Shell.
 	Active Ability 	Bestows Protect/Shell to all targets.
 	Passive Ability	Continually bestows Shell to the user.
 	Item 	Bestows Shell to a single target.
 	Mirajewel 	Allows Lann or Reynn to use Shell.
 	Ability Seed 	Allows a Mirage to use Shell.
== Non-Final Fantasy guest appearances ==
=== ===
The Barrier status reduces magical damage by 1/3. The status is shown with a green outline on the character.
== Gallery ==
FFII Shell Status PS.png|Final Fantasy II (PS).
FFII Shell Status GBA.png|Final Fantasy II (GBA).
FFII PSP Shell Status.png|Final Fantasy II (PSP).
FFIV Shell Status DS.png|Final Fantasy IV (DS).
FFIV PSP Shell Status.png|Final Fantasy IV (PSP).
TAY Wii Shell Status.jpg|Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (Wii).
FF4PSP Status Shell.png|Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (PSP).
FFV Shell status.png|Final Fantasy V.
FFVII MBarrier Status.png|Final Fantasy VII.
Crisis-core bahamut fury.jpg|Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-.
FFVIII Shell Status.png|Final Fantasy VIII.
FFIX Shell Status.png|Final Fantasy IX.
FFX Shell Status.png|Final Fantasy X.
FFX-2 Shell Status.png|Final Fantasy X-2.
Shell-Status-FFXII.png|Final Fantasy XII.
FFT Shell Status.png|Final Fantasy Tactics.
FFD-Shell-Status.PNG|Final Fantasy Dimensions.
FFRK Shell Status.png|Rufus under Shell in Final Fantasy Record Keeper.
Category:Positive status effects
de:Shell (Zustand)