Final Fantasy: All Spells RANKED!

There are TONS of spells in the original Final Fantasy game, so ranking them is a rather daunting task. As I will be doing for all Final Fantasy rankings on this site, this will be based off of the PSP version of this game, which I feel is the definitive version of the game. In this ranking, I will be taking into consideration the usefulness of each spell throughout the entire game, not just during the endgame. Without further ado, I present to you... Final Fantasy: All Spells RANKED!

64. Fear

Fear is complete garbage. It hits all enemies and causes them to run away from battle, which in theory is not terrible. But first of all, it misses essentially every time. Second of all, instant death spells are trash in this game because you can one-shot most enemies anyway. Third of all, even if you kill an enemy with this spell, you don't reap the rewards of the battle, making it pointless. Literally use any other spell to kill your enemies over this terrible spell.

63. Focus

Why would you spend time lowering the evasion of an enemy in this game? There's no point! You can just attack them and kill them instead of casting this spell! And if you really, really want to lower evasion, at least use Focara! Don't waste one of your limited Level 1 spell slots on this worthless spell.

62. Dispel

This spell erases all beneficial buffs from the target. However, even though this would be very useful in theory (like it is in some other Final Fantasy games), no enemies really buff themselves in this game, so this spell has essentially no use. A tragedy indeed.

61. Blindna

Theoretically, Blindna is not a bad spell. It fulfills its role of curing the Blind status ailment perfectly! However, the issue is that the Blind status ailment is incredibly rare to be afflicted with in this game, so this spell simply can't rank any higher.

60. Dark

This spell casts Blind on all enemies with a very low success rate. But like Fear... why use this when you can just blast them all with an elemental spell and kill them? This is a flawed spell for sure.

59. Focara

Just like Focus, don't waste your time with this spell. At least it hits all enemies this time...

58. Slow

I wish this spell could have as cracked as it was in the 3D remake of Final Fantasy IV. But sadly, that is not the case. Like so many spells in this game, there's no use for this spell.

57. Confuse

This spell is only useful if you can successfully make use of it at the Peninsula of Power. Otherwise, just use damaging spells.

56. Thunder

The odd thing about this game is that essentially no enemies are weak to or resistant to Thunder spells, yet tons of enemies are weak to Fire. And Blizzard has a lot of enemies that resist it, but it also does more damage. So they all have their own use! However, since there are a lot of enemies weak to Fire at the beginning of the game, this spell is just inferior in every way.

55. Blind

Unlike Dark, you might actually hit somebody with this one! But since it only hits one enemy, it is still pretty garbage.

54. Scourge

This spell can actually one-shot Tiamat! So that is a good use for it! But Scourge is still less reliable than just using elemental spells in most cases, so there is really no point in this spell. Besides, soon after having access to this spell, you obtain the Razor Blade, which casts it for no MP, so this spell as a whole is just obsolete.

53. Death

This spell only hits one target, but with a higher success rate than Scourge. So I think it's just a little bit better overall.

52. Sleep

This spell has one good use: to easily kill the Pirates you fight in Provoka since you don't have access to tier 2 elemental spells yet. That's it. Otherwise, it sucks. However, due to that, it is still better than the other spells lower on this list.

51. Quake

This spell is better than Scourge because it is earth elemental. Less enemies resist earth. So this spell is not too bad!

50. Fire

This spell is much better than Thunder because a couple of enemies are weak to it at the beginning of the game! Not a bad spell for the opening hour of the game.

49. Hold

Paralysis is one of the best status ailments to inflict on an enemy, so this spell is alright. However, in the end, status ailments are status ailments, so this spell is just average.

48. Stun

This spell is more reliable than Hold, because it is guaranteed to work on non-resistant enemies with 300 or less health. But like I said: status ailments are just status ailments.

47. Kill

Like Stun, but instead of paralyzing them, it kills them. An alright spell.

46. Break

Break has a much higher chance of working than Death, with almost double the success rate! This spell can also kill Tiamat, which is nice! However... physical attacks are still more useful.

45. Blizzard

For the opening hour of the game, this is the best Black Magic spell. That more than justifies its placement here.

44. Invis

This spell is amazing. It allows you to evade attacks that enemies send your way, and it can be stacked to make you untouchable. However, it is outclassed by Invisira so it ranks as fourty-fourth on this list.

43. NulDeath

NulDeath allows you to avoid instant death attacks to the entire party, which is amazing if you think about it. However, by the point you get this spell, you can either easily revive people with Full-Life, prevent death with NulAll, or equip Ribbons! Also, above all that, only a few enemies can even instantly kill you, making it a little average. This spell is amazing in select situations, so it's still worth picking up!

42. Vox

This spell is quite helpful: silence is a terrible status ailment to be afflicted with, and this spell lets you cure it! However, not THAT many enemies silence you, therefore it can't go higher on this list.

41. Silence

Silence has a high hit rate, coupled with being able to hit all enemies. Because of this, this spell makes Astos and Dark Wizards a pushover! However, using a damaging spell would likely still be more beneficial in the majority of cases, so this ranks relatively low on this list.

40. Warp  

This is better than the Quake and Scourge spells because it is Death element, and better than Death because it hits more enemies. Overall, my favorite instant death spell.

39. Teleport

This is a really weird spell to rank on this list. This spell allows you to go to the previous floor if you missed any chests, or allows you to still be able to warp out of a dungeon even if the team's White Wizard is dead! But overall, the Exit spell is still better.

38. Protect

This spell boosts your defense, which is a lifesaver for the battles against Astos, the Piscodemons, and other powerful Marsh Cave enemies. Though it becomes obsolete after you get Protera, it is still a fantastic spell!

37. Cure

This spell is the first healing spell, which makes it crucial for the first bit of the game. It costs just a bit more than a Potion, yet it offers so much more. An amazing spell overall.

36. Blink

This is like Invis, but can only be used on the caster. However, it has double the effectiveness of Invis, making it not quite as obsolete. A pretty good spell overall!

35. Stop

Stop is a Time elemental spell that stops all enemies from taking actions. The great thing about this spell is that so few enemies resist the Time element that this ends up being pretty dang useful. If your enemies have really high HP and aren't resistant to the element, this spell can be pretty useful. However, like most other Black Magic spells, there are spells that can do the job better in the majority of cases.

34. Exit

Exit allows you to teleport out of a dungeon on a whim, which is a godsend if you are revisiting a dungeon! However, most dungeons have some sort of teleporter at the end of the dungeon, so this spell is obsolete in some cases.

33. Saber

This spell is like Temper, but much better. However, it can only be used on the caster... and only Black Wizards can cast this spell. I'm sure you can see the problem there. However, if you fit a Black Mage with Masamune or Ultima Weapon, they can make good use of this spell. Overall, this would easily be the best spell in the game if it could be casted by characters other than the Black Wizard, but alas, that isn't the case.

32. Dia

This is a great spell for the beginning of the game that allows the White Mage to decimate the undead enemies at the Chaos Shrine. Unlike all other Tier 1 elemental spells, this spell hits all enemies on the screen, which is good for clearing a screen of Skeletons when searching for treasures at the beginning of the game. It also gives the White Mage an option for doing damage, which is great. However, even though it is really good for a small portion of the game, it becomes outclassed very early.

31. Stona

Okay. Of all the ailments in Final Fantasy, Petrification is one of the most common! This makes this spell super useful. This spell is especially good in the Cavern of Earth where Cockatrice petrify you like every three hits! Overall, a decent spell that can save your skins in some ailment-heavy dungeons!

30. Heal

Heal is a KEY spell to have in Final Fantasy. It allows you to restore the health of all party members! This spell carries the party through the Marsh Cave and other dungeons you have to pass through before you obtain Healara. Overall, a really good White Magic spell.

29. Diara

Like the Heal spell, Diara is extremely useful in dungeons like the Marsh Cave and Western Keep. However, while Cure can stand in for Heal, Diara is irreplaceable. This spell allows the White Mage to join in on the action as well! Overall, a great spell to have.

28. Blizzara

This spell is best for clearing out enemies on the overworld that do not have a weakness or resistance because Ice magic does slightly more damage than Fire and Thunder magic. However, since many enemies are not weak to Ice magic during the point of the game where Blizzara is useful, it falls behind its elemental counterparts. Still a great spell for those without weaknesses and resistances though.

26. Thundara

This spell is really good for killing off pesky encounters fought in either the boat or the canoe. However, since more enemies are weak to Fire, this spell ranks below Fira.

26. Fira

This spell is fantastic for the Marsh Cave and the Western Keep because many enemies there are weak to Fire. This makes it the best of the level 2 elemental spells because more enemies are weak to it than both Blizzara and Thundara.

25. Cura

This spell is amazing when you get it! Cura also is useful in the endgame because it is the most efficient MP-wise for healing out of battle! However, it tapers off significantly and becomes useless during battle due to the Healara and Healaga spells, so even though it is great out of battle, it can not rank higher on this list.

24. Diaga

This spell is great against undead enemies fought in the Cavern of Earth and other subsequent dungeons you visit. Although Diaja outclasses it during the endgame, Diaga is still a worthy spell to add to your collection.

23. Poisona

I would argue that this is the first spell that is useful all the way until the endgame. This is because the Poison status ailment is by far the most common to be afflicted with in Final Fantasy. This ailment is so annoying, especially in the Marsh Cave. This spell helps so much throughout the game, as it is very cheap to cost and very useful to have. Overall, a necessity for any Final Fantasy player.

22. Diaja

This spell is the definitive spell for killing undead enemies, and it really isn't close. That's good enough to put it above most of the spells on this list. Overall, a spectacular spell.

21. NulShock

This halves thunder damage dealt to the player party. This is an amazing spell across the board! However, Thunder spells are the least common to be hit with, so this goes in twenty-first place.

20. NulFrost

This halves ice damage dealt to the player party. Still not as good as NulBlaze, but still an amazing spell!

19. NulBlaze

As usual, the Fire type spell is the best. This is an amazing spell, and the second best of the "Nul" series spells.

18. Thundaga

This is the definitive spell for killing enemies weak to Thunder. However, Firaga is the most accessible and Blizzaga is the most damaging, so they both rank higher than Thundaga on this list.

17. Blizzaga

This is the definitive spell for killing enemies weak to Ice. Enough said.

16. Firaga

The best of the tier 3 elemental spells, this spell is the most useful as well as the most accessible. However, it still pales in comparison to many other spells, so it can't rank higher than the sixteenth spot on this list.

15. Flare

Flare is one of the most damaging spells in Final Fantasy. Blizzaga and Holy are the only spells that can compare in terms of damage. Even if an enemy is weak to Fire or Thunder, Flare will still do more damage than Firaga or Thundaga. Blizzaga is still more useful for enemies who are weak to Ice due to the increased damage of said spell, but in general, Flare is much more reliable. Overall, Flare is the most reliable spell for dealing high amounts of damage, but personally, it is still not my favorite of the offensive spells.

14. Curaga

This is a really good healing spell to have for the mid-portion of the game, as it is purchasable in Melmond. However, Healara still tends to outclass this spell in quite a few cases, so even though it is amazing, it falls behind the top 10 spells in the game.

13. Slowra

This will definitely surprise some people, but Slowra is one of the best spells in the game. What most people do not realize is that Slowra is a non-elemental spell. This means that with a high enough Intelligence stat, the Slowra spell can work on bosses! What Slowra does is it causes enemies to have less hits with their physical attacks. Using this spell, you can make some of the hardest bosses in the game do very little amounts of damage with their physical attacks. Overall, this spell is highly underrated and a must-have for any boss fight.

12. Sleepra

Just like Slowra, but instead of causing enemies to hit you with much weaker attacks, it causes enemies to be immobilized. And this literally works on bosses—I think you can see from this why this is one of the best spells in the game.

11. Life

Life is amazing. It revives one of your party members without having to use Phoenix Downs. Though outclassed by Full-Life, Life carries the party through the second act of the game. A truly fantastic spell.

10. Healara

This spell is an absolute necessity during the portion of the game where you visit the Cavern of Earth, Mount Gulg, and the Cavern of Ice. This is a top three spell for the second act of the game, and due to that, this ranks in the eleventh position on this list.

9. Holy

In my opinion, Holy is the best damaging spell in Final Fantasy. And to me... it isn't even close. There are two reasons I believe this. First of all, your White Wizard can cast this. Whereas Black and Red Wizards have a whole arsenal of great damaging spells under their belt, the White Wizard only gets this one. That makes this spell that much more useful to have. Second of all, if your White Wizard has a Sage's Staff equipped, the damage of Holy is DOUBLED. What the heck. That makes this spell able to deal upwards of 1,000 damage to all enemies on the battlefield. These reasons alone make this the best damaging spell in Final Fantasy.

8. Protera

Protera allows you to essentially nullify all physical damage from enemies and bosses. This is due to the fact that Protect and Protera can stack in Final Fantasy, unlike in most FF games. Casting Protera a few times allows the party to essentially tank all physical attacks from bosses. Overall, easily the most reliable defense-boosting spell in the game.

7. Invisira

It was a toss up between Protera and Invisira, as they are both equally good at protecting against physical attacks. Which spell to use is all up to personal preference, and for me, that is Invisira. Invisira increases evasion instead of defense, which, once stacked enough times, allows the party to dodge all physical attacks even from the toughest foes. However, during the time Invisira is being set up, your party is a whole lot more vulnerable than they would be if you were using Protera instead. Overall, this spell is a high-risk, high-reward spell in contrast to the more reliable, less-rewarding Protera.  

6. NulAll

There is no discreetly better choice between Protera and Invisira for building defenses against physical attacks—but no spell compares to NulAll when it comes to tanking magical attacks. This spell not only protects the party from Fire, Thunder, and Ice, but also Earth, Status, Time, Poison, and Death! Some argue that this spell is obsolete due to the Ribbon, but why would you ever want to equip the Ribbon in this version of the game? There are options that grant much better stats then the measly 1 defense of the Ribbon. Overall, this spell is one of the three insanely good defensive spells, and therefore, it places sixth on this list.

5. Full-Life

This spell is a direct upgrade to one of the best spells in the game: for just 40 MP, you can revive a party member with full HP! This is one of the best spells to use when facing the final boss or one of the game's many superbosses, and it simply removes all risk of a character being one-shotted upon being revived. Overall, an amazing spell.

4. Curaja

This spell is the best single-target healing spell in the game, healing the target to full HP for 35 MP. This spell, like Full-Life, is absolutely amazing in superboss fights and it can be the difference between a victory and a defeat. Overall, a top five spell for sure.

3. Haste

This spell is completely overpowered against boss fights: it lets you hit twice as many times when you physically attack! Combine this spell with the Monk's or Master's physical attack, and you have the most overpowered boss killer in the game. Easily one of the best spells in the entire game.

2. Healaga

This spell is the best healing spell in the game! You can heal your entire party for a huge sum of health, and for just 38 MP, you have access to the spell that allows you to survive every single boss fight in the endgame. There isn't much else to say except that Healaga completely deserves its spot on this list.

1. Temper

This spell increases the attack power of the target... and it can stack. This allows you to hit like a tank against boss fights. Without this spell, boss fights in Final Fantasy would simply not be the same. This spell is available in Pravoka, the second town in the game, and has a very low MP cost. Using this spell in tandem with the Haste spell allows you to kill the final boss and many other superbosses in a single physical attack. Overall, this is the best spell in Final Fantasy.

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