Topic: Status Attribute Peculiarities

[Deathlike2]

Charm - Arguably the most evil of status attributes.. inflicting this status has some caveats.

Occasionally, the targeted enemy will still make a final attack before doing their special "charmed attack". Unfortunately, sometimes they are even more evil (see Tinymage).

When used against you, you completely "stop what you are doing"... unless you are the Avenger Sword wielder or have Beserk status (FF2/4 only)... and you will get a final last attack on the enemy before retargeting occurs.

Charm counteracts Berserk status...

Magic casting time is ignored while under Charm status (enemies never worry about this to begin with, only your own characters). Only valid spells being cast are White or Black (Summon/Call spells or Ninja spells are never cast).

Special character commands are never used under this instance either.

HP Leak - Frequently, if the attack that inflicts HP Leak doesn't visually hit its target, the status is still inflicted.

Under no circumstance where Stop, Paralysis, and Sleep can be inflicted at the same time. All three provide the same effect, except that Stop cannot be counteracted and there's no protection against it.

Status afflicting weapons tend to not work as well when another status is afflicted on an enemy. Weapons that inflict death status tend to not work that well when a status such as Sleep has been previously inflicted.

[Entroper]

Can Dispel or Black Hole get rid of Stop?

HP leak is often a "second try" effect.  I believe the "Blaster" attack used by Coeurls (Black Panthers?) in the magnetic cave, and those Breath/Mind enemies in the Lunar Subterrane, tries to inflict death first.  If this misses, it tries to inflict paralysis; if paralysis misses, you get HP leak.  I haven't seen HP leak inflicted when something like Bio (Virus) or Vampire misses, but I don't really think I've seen these attacks miss much.

Charm is really weird.  I've never seen a charmed enemy or ally pull a "final attack", but what I do usually see is a charmed ally making one final "charmed action" after they've been cured of charmed status.  Like if Cecil is charmed, and Rydia bonks him with a rod, Cecil will then walk back over to your side, and then attack your party one more time before you regain control of him.

I'm sure a lot of this stuff works differently depending on the version of the game.  FF4A in particular has some pretty bizzare behavior during battles.

[Deathlike2]

Can Dispel or Black Hole get rid of Stop?

Nope, that's why I said that this is uncounterable, other than waiting the status effect out.

The other attribute is that this status effect can have its timer reset when casting Stop over a Stopped enemy (which is partially why there is a FF2 v1.1).

HP leak is often a "second try" effect.  I believe the "Blaster" attack used by Coeurls (Black Panthers?) in the magnetic cave, and those Breath/Mind enemies in the Lunar Subterrane, tries to inflict death first.  If this misses, it tries to inflict paralysis; if paralysis misses, you get HP leak.  I haven't seen HP leak inflicted when something like Bio (Virus) or Vampire misses, but I don't really think I've seen these attacks miss much.

The Panther type monsters only inflict paralysis or death via their Bluster attack (both attributes can be blocked by equipment late game). You are thinking of the Mage monsters (squid-monsters) in the same area (Magnetic Cave) who also happen to drop their summon spell. Thier Mind Blast attack is paralysis and HP leak on the side. That attack doesn't always work, but the HP leak does continue. Vampire never misses IIRC. Enemy Bio/Virus can miss (see the Ghost Knights (FF4A monsters) in the Eblan side of the Tower of Babil). The Zemus Breath does the same attack as a counter to a magic attack.

Charm is really weird.  I've never seen a charmed enemy or ally pull a "final attack", but what I do usually see is a charmed ally making one final "charmed action" after they've been cured of charmed status.  Like if Cecil is charmed, and Rydia bonks him with a rod, Cecil will then walk back over to your side, and then attack your party one more time before you regain control of him.

The final "charmed" action is most likely the result of a final command being executed while under that status.. this doesn't happen if the ally recently attacked and then just got whacked out of charm status. I'm pretty sure it happens mostly on your character's end... less so on the enemy's end.

I'm sure a lot of this stuff works differently depending on the version of the game.  FF4A in particular has some pretty bizzare behavior during battles.

I don't remember doing too much with FF4A in regards to Charm, but the behavior is less odd as getting in/out of Charm properly resets the ATB bar and character stored command option.

[Entroper]

You're right, it is the mage guys with mind blast.  The visual effect is the same, yes?  I thought they were the same spell, but I guess not.

[Deathlike2]

You're right, it is the mage guys with mind blast.  The visual effect is the same, yes?  I thought they were the same spell, but I guess not.

Yes, the Paralysis effect is effectively the same.. including Hold.

[Deathlike2]

Charmed targets usually cast spells on single targets only...

Also, an FF4A specific bug...

When a charmed Rydia (Palom as well?) casts Quake, she targets the enemy for some strange reason.

One thing regarding Stop. BSiron's document had a nice tidbit on "removing" Stop. Charm apparently has precedence over it (but you can't do anything if you have Charm immunity).

Stop can only be blocked by "Heavy" status, or whatever that status bosses have by default for status protection...

[Deathlike2]

Reflect/Wall - This status obviously allows for bouncable spells to retarget. One thing about this status is that it turns elemental spells into a "generic magic" type attack. For instance, Behemoths and Zeromus react to Holy elemental spells differently than anything else. If you were to bounce Holy off Reflect, it is completely treated/reacted differently by the enemy target.

[odditude]

That explains why I used to see Maelstrom all of the time way back... I had figured out that Zeromus countered Holy with Meteo, though.

Rydia at level 60+ charmed is a nightmare.  If she lives long enough, Meteo WILL wipe out the entire party.  (I experimented once to see what she would do... her first action hit everyone for 9999 and taught me to respect Charm!)

[Deathlike2]

Charm protection is given to a small number of armor in the game.

Headband, Adamant Armor, Crystal Ring, Ribbon (FF4A only)

There is a reason why the Behemoth hordes them for a steal option.

Plus, the spell itself for Rosa/Porom AFAIK works 100% of the time, barring Charm immunity.

[Cleteromagos]

So can the party-targeted Quake also be used under the influence of Confu? That Meteo can be cast strikes me as an oversight in design, but then again, there aren’t any Cunfusing enemies late-game, right? Or did those Selene Guardians cast it?

(Also: can anyone say “Mindflayer”? FF1 names can go right ahead and die, kthx. )

[odditude]

Bottom floor of Lunar Subterrain.  Can't remember if it's Breath or Mind that use it, but yeah - Rydia getting Charmed past L60 means kill or Esuna her immediately.

[Deathlike2]

As far as I can tell, Meteor and Holy are prevented from be selected while under Charm status in FF4A.

Quake targeting under Charm is a major screwup by the FF4A devs.

[Cleteromagos]

How so?

I always assumed that the party-targeted versions of Quake and Meteo were distinct spells, since their targeting is forced for the player.

[Deathlike2]

How so?

I always assumed that the party-targeted versions of Quake and Meteo were distinct spells, since their targeting is forced for the player.

All targeting is supposed to be reversed, if their default targeting is the enemy, it targets the characters and vice versa.

For Quake, it works as intended in the SNES versions. A charmed Rydia/Palom's Quake (and Meteor) targets your guys. FF4A doesn't retarget Quake.