Ray-Bomb (Final Fantasy VIII)

Ray-Bomb is a mid- to lategame Limit Break for Quistis in Final Fantasy VIII that deals non-elemental magic damage to all enemies depending on her Magic stat and the current Crisis Level, a hidden stat in the game. It is learned from a Power Generator. Blue Magic is available randomly when Quistis is on low health or under Aura.
X-ATM092 uses this ability against the player party during the Siege of Dollet.
==Obtained==
The player teaches Ray-Bomb to Quistis by using a Power Generator in the inventory. Power Generators are a rare mug from a level 30+ Blitz, an enemy fought on the Centra region world map, reachable after the story events in Fishermans Horizon. A Power Generator can also be found in Lunatic Pandora if the player completed the Laguna's second dream scenario by opening all trap doors.
Power Generator is one of the tougher items in the game to procure in large numbers, and when the player gets one, they may want to instead use it to make Pulse Ammo for Squall's ultimate weapon and Limit Break finisher. If the player is not aiming to get every Blue Magic spell for completionist purposes, Ray-Bomb might be the one worth missing, as Quistis has other Limit Breaks that also target all enemies for damage.
==Mechanics==
Ray-Bomb deals non-elemental magic damage to all enemies as per the following formula:
:Damage = Magic + Power
:Damage = Damage \times (265 - Target's~Spirit) / 4
:Damage = Damage \times Power / 256
Where "Magic" is Quistis's Magic stat, "Spirit" is the target's Spirit stat, and "Power" is one of the following values depending on the current Crisis Level:
:Crisis Lv 1: 80
:Crisis Lv 2: 90
:Crisis Lv 3: 100
:Crisis Lv 4: 110
This makes Ray-Bomb about as strong as casting Ultima at the lowest, and about as strong as casting Apocalypse at the highest, a spell only usable in the final battle in a normal playthrough.
Crisis Level is a hidden stat calculated based on how low the party's current HP is compared to their maximum, the number of dead allies, and the number of ailments the party members are afflicted with. The worse off the party is, the better Limit Break outcomes the player can expect. Crisis Level is also raised with the Aura status.
All damage is randomized slightly:
:Damage = Damage \times ([0..32] + 240) / 256
If the target has Shell, damage is halved. Limit Breaks never miss and are unaffected by Elem-Atk junctions.
==Use==
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Ray-Bomb is a Limit Break for Quistis that she likely gets in the mid-to-late-game; the player needs to go out of their way to procure it if they want it earlier than the lategame Lunatic Pandora dungeon, contingent they did all events as Laguna at the Centra Excavation Site before. The male party members already have strong multi-hit Limit Breaks from the onset, and Quistis's strength lies in her versatility rather than raw damage potential, and she has many other Blue Magic spells she can use for damage even without going out of one's way to grind for a Power Generator from a Blitz.
Because almost all of Quistis's Limit Breaks are magical, it is worth prioritizing her Magic stat with junctions and give her a Guardian Force with Mag-J and Mag+% abilities.
If the player is investing in the card game since the start, they may get numerous Blue Magic items early, such as a Black Hole that teaches Degenerator, which is one of her most useful Blue Magic spells. Ray-Bomb is better than Degenerator against groups of enemies, and against enemies that are immune to Degenerator, such as Vysage, Lefty, and Righty, or bosses.
==Citations==
Category:Blue Magic in Final Fantasy VIII