As you progress through the game you’ll uncover Espers, and sometimes even Items, that unlock magical abilities for your characters over time. There’s a huge amount of Espers to choose from, and even more spells! And for this ranking we’ll be focused exclusively on the spells. So I’ve compiled a list of some FF6 must-haves for your spell roster!
15. Libra
Libra is a classic staple of the Final Fantasy series. Revealing crucial information about your enemies, it’s often the go-to spell for a first turn. While it doesn’t work on most bosses (hey, that’s what guides are for right?) there are some enemies that are nonetheless troublesome. And knowing their weaknesses is a massive help. Obtained from: Kirin at a rate of x5
14. Esuna
An easily forgotten spell, but also the spell you’re the most grateful to have when you need it. It removes a heck of a lot of status ailments. Specifically: Blind, Poison, Petrify, Silence, Confuse, Sap, Sleep, Slow, and Stop. Most of these are quite common and difficult to deal with. Really, the only thing that could make this better – meaning it could’ve gotten a top 5 ranking – is if Esuna also removed the Zombie status. Obtained from: Unicorn at a rate of x3, Seraph at x4, Lakshmi at x20, and Alexander at x15
13. Vanish
Some of you may know this spell because of the infamous Vanish – Death bug. I honestly hesitated to mention this, as it has never really been fixed in later editions, and I feel it spoils the game somewhat. But this is a top spell list, and even without the bug I’d say this is still a great spell. Vanish can be used on allies and enemies, and makes them impervious to physical attacks. Additionally it ensures that magic attacks will hit, but fades afterwards. It’s a spell that’s good both offensively and defensively. Obtained From: Phantom at a rate of x3, and Cactuar at a rate of x10
12. Flare
Here’s another iconic spell from the FF series, and you may be wondering why it’s so low on this list… The reason is because it’s just so difficult to obtain in FF6. You have to find a boss that’s hidden on a random tile in the World of Ruin, and you may have to fight it quite a few times if it flees. By the time you defeat it, you could well have obtained far more powerful magic. Otherwise, it’s a brilliant spell, and does tasty damage for a relatively low MP cost! Obtained from: Bahamut at a rate of x2
11. Slowga
Slowga is the more powerful version of Slow, and is considered the key to defeating some enemies and bosses. It has a relatively low casting cost for what it does, and high accuracy. Plus it’s even better since it affects all enemies! Whip this spell out when you need a bit of extra breathing room. Obtained from: Quetzalli at a rate of x2
10. Meteor
Now this spell actually deals physical damage. And its damage output may not seem very high, but it does ignore defense, split damage, and Runic and Reflect! So while there are certainly more powerful spells available, if you’re facing a tough nut to crack, this may be just what you need to even the odds in your favor. Obtained from: Crusader at a rate of x10, and Odin at a rate of x1
9. Hastega
As the upgraded form of Haste, this spell can be an absolute god-send in many battles! After granting the whole party the Haste status, you’ll be hitting the enemy twice as often as they’ll be hitting you. This allows for crucial set-up turns, and then maximum damage being dealt out. Although the Haste ability can be granted by certain Relics, adding Hastega into your spell list allows you to free up your Relic slots for more beneficial features. Obtained from: Quetzalli at a rate of x2 and Cactuar at x5
8. Osmose
While this spell does create a bit of a disagreement in the fandom compared to the similar spell Rasp, I’d say Osmose is the superior choice. Rasp deals damage to MP directly, which is pretty clear cut. Osmose, instead, absorbs MP, replenishing the caster’s MP and stealing from the enemy’s MP reserves. And it has a much lower cost. Although, if the caster has close to max MP, it won’t be as effective. Since it seeks to top up you MP, and not overfill it. You learn both Osmose and Rasp from the same Magicite, so you’ll get access to both and can decide for yourself which is the better choice. Obtained from: Shiva at a rate of x4, and Zona Seeker at a rate of x15
7. Reraise
So I know Reraise doesn’t revive a character to full HP. But this takes away the need for a single cast of Arise at potentially crucial times. Having this set up early on in battle can let your characters recover, and then you can give the whole party a Curaga to top them up. A lot of being effective in Final Fantasy 6 is action economy, and Reraise fits into that domain perfectly. In fact, it’s one of the few ways to defeat a certain Boss who likes to cast powerful spells upon its demise… Obtained from: Phoenix at a rate of x1
6. Firaga, Blizzaga, Thundaga
All of these three spells deserve a spot on this list, but there was no way I could place any above the others! Each is a very powerful spell in its own right, and useful against enemies that take on specific elemental weaknesses. If you haven’t been able to obtain some of the more powerful spells, these will serve you well enough in a pinch. Obtained from: Phoenix (Firaga only) at a rate of x3, and Valigarmanda (for all three) at a rate of x1
5. Death
Kicking into our top five of this list, we have the Death spell. This does not have the greatest accuracy out of all these spells, since if it did, it would be even more overused than it already is! Death has a low MP cost and the potential to lay waste to many of your foes. It also forms part of that blasted Vanish – Death exploit, which does make the game very easy to cheese. But all in all, Death is a fantastic spell, so don’t leave home without it! Obtained from: Catoblepas at a rate of x2
4. Curaga
Curaga, in any Final Fantasy or related game, is an absolute must have. Always. It can be costly, but it will definitely pick your entire team up from death’s door when you need it. And this isn’t just for healing. You can use this against enemies with the Zombie status to dish out damage equal to the amount of HP it would have healed. Obtained from: Lakshmi at a rate of x1, and Phoenix at a rate of x3
3. Reflect
I’ll say this: as soon as you obtain the Carbuncle Magicite, grind until your entire party has this spell. You’ll need this at many stages of the game. Being able to bounce back 85% of spells that are launched at you is just invaluable. The only downside with Reflect is that this will also bounce your own healing spells to your foes, so always make sure you have healing Items for when you need them. Obtained from: Carbuncle at a rate of x5
2. Holy
The Holy spell alone can lay waste to most of your enemies, and may well be your main damage-dealing spell once you learn it. With low magic cost and high damage output, along with the fact it’s Holy Elemental damage, all make this one of the most awe-inspiring spells for the game. However, even with all of that said, it still pales in comparison to our number one entry… Obtained from: Alexander at a rate of x2
1. Ultima
The most powerful and destructive spell you can get in the game easily tops off this list. Ultima ignores defense as well as Reflect. And with the mighty non-elemental attribute, it makes the 80MP cost completely worthwhile. But gaining this spell can be a bit tricky… You either have to give up on the Ragnarok sword (which can become Lightbringer, the most powerful weapon in the game) in order to get the Magicite instead; or you’d have to complete the Cursed shield side-quest. Whichever way you choose to go about it, this spell is worth it. In fact, every forum thread on FF6 that I have ever visited, and every fan I have spoken to, simply assumes that you’ll be getting this spell. It’s just that much of a must-have! Protip: want to make yourself an unstoppable mage? Equip the Soul of Thamasa and the Celestriad to make Ultima a dual cast spell, and it’ll cost a single MP point! Obtained from: Ragnarok at a rate of x1, and the Paladin’s Shield at the same rate of x1
