Skill Abilities
A complete list of the Skill Abilities that your characters can learn through the Sphere Grid.
These Abilities are different from the Auto-Abilities that characters can add to their Weapons and Armor. Head to the Abilities section to find those listings.
The Abilities are listed in the same order as they are within the game. Use the “Alphabetical” tab to view them in alphabetical order instead.
Sleep Attack
- Description:
- “Puts an enemy to sleep for 3 turns.”
- Effect:
-
Has a chance to put an enemy to sleep for 3 turns. Not as likely to connect as
Sleep Buster, but lasts longer if it does connect.
- Cost:
- 5 MP to use
Silence Attack
- Description:
- “Silences an enemy for 3 turns.”
- Effect:
-
Has a chance to silence an enemy for 3 turns. Not as likely to connect as Silence Buster, but lasts longer if it does connect.
- Cost:
- 5 MP to use
Dark Attack
- Description:
- “Inflicts darkness on an enemy for 3 turns.”
- Effect:
- Has a chance to inflict Darkness (Blind) on an enemy for 3 turns. You can use it to greatly reduce an enemy’s attack effectiveness if they are not immune to Blind.
- Cost:
- 5 MP to use
Sleep Buster
- Description:
- “Almost always puts an enemy to sleep for 1 turn.”
- Effect:
-
Has a very high chance of putting an enemy to sleep for one turn. The alternative is to use Sleep Attack, but it can be more difficult to connect with it.
- Cost:
- 10 MP to use
Silence Buster
- Description:
- “Almost always silences an enemy for 1 turn.”
- Effect:
-
Has a very high chance of inflicting the silence status effect on an enemy for one turn. The alternative is to use Silence Attack, but it can be more difficult to connect with it.
- Cost:
- 10 MP to use
Dark Buster
- Description:
- “Almost always inflicts darkness on an enemy for 1 turn.”
- Effect:
-
Has a very high chance of inflicting the Darkness (Blind) status effect on an enemy for one turn. The alternative is to use Dark Attack, but it can be more difficult to connect with it.
- Cost:
- 10 MP to use
Zombie Attack
- Description:
- “Inflicts an enemy with zombie status.”
- Effect:
- Has a chance to inflict the Zombie status on an enemy. This skill has very few uses during a playthrough of the game.
- Cost:
- 10 MP to use
Triple Foul
- Description:
- “Sleep, silence, and darkness on an enemy for 3 turns.”
- Effect:
- Has a chance of inflicting all three statuses on an enemy: Sleep, Silence, and Darkness. By the time you gain access to this skill, most enemies in the game will be immune to its effects.
- Cost:
- 24 MP to use
Delay Attack
- Description:
- “Delays action of an enemy.”
- Effect:
- It can cause a delay before an enemy is given a turn. Has limited applications during a standard playthrough.
- Cost:
- 8 MP to use
Delay Buster
- Description:
- “Greatly delays action of an enemy.”
- Effect:
- It can cause a large delay before an enemy is given a turn. Has limited applications during a standard playthrough.
- Cost:
- 18 MP to use
Extract Power
- Description:
- “Makes one enemy drop Power Spheres.”
- Effect:
-
Will cause an enemy to drop
Power Spheres at the end of the battle. It can be useful if you have run out of them in your inventory and are unable to progress your characters through the Sphere Grid.
- Cost:
- 1 MP to use
Extract Mana
- Description:
- “Makes one enemy drop Mana Spheres.”
- Effect:
-
Will cause an enemy to drop Mana Spheres at the end of the battle. It can be useful if you have run out of them in your inventory and are unable to progress your characters through the Sphere Grid.
- Cost:
- 1 MP to use
Extract Speed
- Description:
- “Makes one enemy drop Speed Spheres.”
- Effect:
-
Will cause an enemy to drop Speed Spheres at the end of the battle. It can be useful if you have run out of them in your inventory and are unable to progress your characters through the Sphere Grid.
- Cost:
- 1 MP to use
Extract Ability
- Description:
- “Makes one enemy drop Ability Spheres.”
- Effect:
-
Will cause an enemy to drop Ability Spheres at the end of the battle. It can be useful if you have run out of them in your inventory and are unable to progress your characters through the Sphere Grid.
- Cost:
- 1 MP to use
Power Break
- Description:
- “Lowers an enemy’s Strength.”
- Effect:
- Reduces an opponent’s Strength stat, which will cause their regular attacks to do less damage if it is successful. You may need to use this Skill a few times before it connects. It can be highly effective in reducing the amount of damage done to your team.
- Cost:
- 8 MP to use
Magic Break
- Description:
- “Lowers an enemy’s Magic.”
- Effect:
- Reduces an opponent’s Magic stat, which will cause their magic-based attacks to do less damage if it is successful. You may need to use this Skill a few times before it connects. It can be highly effective in reducing the damage done to your team.
- Cost:
- 8 MP to use
Armor Break
- Description:
- “Lowers an enemy’s Defense and nullifies armored.”
- Effect:
- Reduces an opponent’s Defense stat to 0 and removes any “armored” status that they may have. You may need to use this Skill a few times before it connects. It can be very effective at increasing the amount of damage that your regular attacks will do.
- Cost:
- 12 MP to use
Mental Break
- Description:
- “Lowers an enemy’s Magic Defense.”
- Effect:
- Reduces an opponent’s Magic Defense stat to 0 if it is successful. You may need to use this Skill a few times before it connects. It can be very effective at increasing the amount of damage that your magic attacks will do.
- Cost:
- 12 MP to use
Full Break
- Description:
- “Inflicts Power, Magic, Armor, and Mental Break.”
- Effect:
-
Reduces an opponent’s Strength, Magic, Defense, and Magic Defense stats to 0. You may need to use this Skill a few times before it connects. It can have all the same impacts on the battle noted for the Power Break, Armor Break, Magic Break, and Mental Break Skills.
It takes a lot of MP to use, though, so make sure to use the other moves (noted above) if possible. - Cost:
- 99 MP to use
Mug
- Description:
- “Steals items and damages one enemy.”
- Effect:
- Mug is a useful means of both stealing items and damaging an enemy. It can be helpful if you need gil or if you just need to stock up on items.
- Cost:
- 10 MP to use
Nab Gil
- Description:
- “Attack and steal gil at the same time.”
- Effect:
- Combines the Attack motion and the Steal motion into the same attack.
- Cost:
- 30 MP to use
Quick Hit
- Description:
- “Strike quickly and reduced recovery time.”
- Effect:
- A very effective and quick attack. It was extremely powerful in the PlayStation 2 version of the game, but its power was somewhat reduced in the HD Remastered versions. It remains a highly effective tactic for late-game battles.
- Cost:
- 36 MP to use
Armor Break
- Description:
- “Lowers an enemy’s Defense and nullifies armored.”
- Effect:
- Reduces an opponent’s Defense stat to 0 and removes any “armored” status that they may have. You may need to use this Skill a few times before it connects. It can be very effective at increasing the amount of damage that your regular attacks will do.
- Cost:
- 12 MP to use
Dark Attack
- Description:
- “Inflicts darkness on an enemy for 3 turns.”
- Effect:
- Has a chance to inflict Darkness (Blind) on an enemy for 3 turns. You can use it to greatly reduce an enemy’s attack effectiveness if they are not immune to Blind.
- Cost:
- 5 MP to use
Dark Buster
- Description:
- “Almost always inflicts darkness on an enemy for 1 turn.”
- Effect:
-
Has a very high chance of inflicting the Darkness (Blind) status effect on an enemy for one turn. The alternative is to use Dark Attack, but it can be more difficult to connect with it.
- Cost:
- 10 MP to use
Delay Attack
- Description:
- “Delays action of an enemy.”
- Effect:
- It can cause a delay before an enemy is given a turn. Has limited applications during a standard playthrough.
- Cost:
- 8 MP to use
Delay Buster
- Description:
- “Greatly delays action of an enemy.”
- Effect:
- It can cause a large delay before an enemy is given a turn. Has limited applications during a standard playthrough.
- Cost:
- 18 MP to use
Extract Ability
- Description:
- “Makes one enemy drop Ability Spheres.”
- Effect:
-
Will cause an enemy to drop Ability Spheres at the end of the battle. It can be useful if you have run out of them in your inventory and are unable to progress your characters through the Sphere Grid.
- Cost:
- 1 MP to use
Extract Mana
- Description:
- “Makes one enemy drop Mana Spheres.”
- Effect:
-
Will cause an enemy to drop Mana Spheres at the end of the battle. It can be useful if you have run out of them in your inventory and are unable to progress your characters through the Sphere Grid.
- Cost:
- 1 MP to use
Extract Power
- Description:
- “Makes one enemy drop Power Spheres.”
- Effect:
-
Will cause an enemy to drop Power Spheres at the end of the battle. It can be useful if you have run out of them in your inventory and are unable to progress your characters through the Sphere Grid.
- Cost:
- 1 MP to use
Extract Speed
- Description:
- “Makes one enemy drop Speed Spheres.”
- Effect:
-
Will cause an enemy to drop Speed Spheres at the end of the battle. It can be useful if you have run out of them in your inventory and are unable to progress your characters through the Sphere Grid.
- Cost:
- 1 MP to use
Full Break
- Description:
- “Inflicts Power, Magic, Armor, and Mental Break.”
- Effect:
-
Reduces an opponent’s Strength, Magic, Defense, and Magic Defense stats to 0. This Skill may need to be used a few times before it connects. It can have all the same impacts on the battle noted for the Power Break, Armor Break, Magic Break, and Mental Break Skills.
It takes a lot of MP to use, though, so make sure to use the other moves (noted above) if possible. - Cost:
- 99 MP to use
Magic Break
- Description:
- “Lowers an enemy’s Magic.”
- Effect:
- RReduces an opponent’s Magic stat, which will cause their magic-based attacks to do less damage if it is successful. You may need to use this Skill a few times before it connects. It can be highly effective in reducing the damage done to your team.
- Cost:
- 8 MP to use
Mug
- Description:
- “Steals items and damages one enemy.”
- Effect:
- Mug is a useful means of both stealing items and damaging an enemy. It can be helpful if you need gil or if you just need to stock up on items.
- Cost:
- 10 MP to use
Mental Break
- Description:
- “Lowers an enemy’s Magic Defense.”
- Effect:
- Reduces an opponent’s Magic Defense stat to 0 if it is successful. You may need to use this Skill a few times before it connects. It can be very effective at increasing the amount of damage that your magic attacks will do.
- Cost:
- 12 MP to use
Nab Gil
- Description:
- “Attack and steal gil at the same time.”
- Effect:
- Combines the Attack motion and the Steal motion into the same attack.
- Cost:
- 30 MP to use
Power Break
- Description:
- “Lowers an enemy’s Strength.”
- Effect:
- Reduces an opponent’s Strength stat, which will cause their regular attacks to do less damage if it is successful. You may need to use this Skill a few times before it connects. It can be highly effective in reducing the amount of damage done to your team.
- Cost:
- 8 MP to use
Quick Hit
- Description:
- “Strike quickly and reduced recovery time.”
- Effect:
- A very effective and quick attack. It was extremely powerful in the PlayStation 2 version of the game, but its power was somewhat reduced in the HD Remastered versions. It remains a highly effective tactic for late-game battles.
- Cost:
- 36 MP to use
Silence Attack
- Description:
- “Silences an enemy for 3 turns.”
- Effect:
-
Has a chance to silence an enemy for 3 turns. Not as likely to connect as Silence Buster, but lasts longer if it does connect.
- Cost:
- 5 MP to use
Silence Buster
- Description:
- “Almost always silences an enemy for 1 turn.”
- Effect:
-
Has a very high chance of inflicting the silence status effect on an enemy for one turn. The alternative is to use Silence Attack, but it can be more difficult to connect with it.
- Cost:
- 10 MP to use
Sleep Attack
- Description:
- “Puts an enemy to sleep for 3 turns.”
- Effect:
-
Has a chance to put an enemy to sleep for 3 turns. Not as likely to connect as Sleep Buster, but lasts longer if it does connect.
- Cost:
- 5 MP to use
Sleep Buster
- Description:
- “Almost always puts an enemy to sleep for 1 turn.”
- Effect:
-
Has a very high chance of putting an enemy to sleep for one turn. The alternative is to use Sleep Attack, but it can be more difficult to connect with it.
- Cost:
- 10 MP to use
Triple Foul
- Description:
- “Sleep, silence, and darkness on an enemy for 3 turns.”
- Effect:
- Has a chance of inflicting all three statuses on an enemy: Sleep, Silence, and Darkness. By the time you gain access to this skill, most enemies in the game will be immune to its effects.
- Cost:
- 24 MP to use
Zombie Attack
- Description:
- “Inflicts an enemy with zombie status.”
- Effect:
- Has a chance to inflict the Zombie status on an enemy. This skill has very few uses during a playthrough of the game.
- Cost:
- 10 MP to use