Area of Effect

Description[edit]

Area of Effect (often abbreviated AoE) is a term used to describe spells or abilities which affect multiple targets within a certain area instead of a single target. The area which the spell is capable of affecting targets is referred to as the spell's (or the ability's) "area of effect", hence the label.

AoE spells/abilities in FFXI that are selectable by the user require a center for the effect to sweep out its radius from. The most basic example of this is casting an area of effect spell (such as Firaga). Even though it affects more than one target, a single target has to be selected. The target selected acts as the spell's center. Once the spell is finished casting, the other targets which the spell affects are determined based on the position of the selected center target and the radius of the spell.

The effects provided by AoE spells are not exclusively damaging (see Curaga, Moonlight), though the vast majority are.

Players must be very cautious when using AoE spells, as their mutli-targeting nature can often lead to unwanted or unanticipated links.

It should also be noted that the White Mage job trait Divine Veil, when used in conjunction with the Divine Seal ability, is capable of taking a normally single-target restoration spell (such as Erase) and altering it to act as an area of effect spell instead. This can often be useful for clearing unwanted statuses of an entire party instead of the generally time-consuming process of counter-acting negative statuses one person at a time.

Area of Effect Ability Types[edit]

There are multiple types of AoE spells and abilities in FFXI beyond the basic radius of effect type. These types each carry their own peculiarities and necessary precautions.

  • Cone - Cone area of effect spells and abilities affect targets within a "cone" of space, originating from a certain point on the user and expanding outward to a specific distance away from the origin. Prime examples of this are breath attacks, such as those used by wyrms. Generally this type of AoE can be avoided by standing to the side of the point of origin, though since the area of effect is conic in shape, the amount to the side can be more substantial than expected.
  • Linear - Linear area of effect spells and abilities could be considered a special case of the cone variety, wherein the cone is very narrow. In the case of linear AoE, the ability affects only those in a line directly in front of some originating point, out to a certain distance. Again, this can be avoided by standing to the side of the origin of the attack.
  • Radius - Radius AoE is the most commonly occurring of the AoE types. With radius AoE, a center point is specified and all targets within a certain radius of that point are affected by the spell. A common example of this would be the Black Mage -ga spells, such as Stonega, Waterga, Aeroga, etc. Radius AoE is more difficult to avoid. Generally the only way to avoid radius AoE is to be outside the stretch of the radius, which can often inhibit you from being able to use certain abilities (such as magic) on the target.

Monster Area of Effect Abilities[edit]

Ability Name Distance Used By (Family or NM name) Area(if applicable) Type* BLU Spell
1000 Needles Unknown Sabotenders R CheckCheck.gif
Actinic Burst Unknown Ghrah R CheckCheck.gif
Bad Breath Unknown Morbols C CheckCheck.gif
Battle Dance Unknown Orc R CheckCheck.gif
Belly Dance Unknown Lamiae R XEks.gif
Blastbomb Unknown Warmachines R CheckCheck.gif
Blood Saber Unknown Skeleton R CheckCheck.gif
Body Slam Unknown Dragons R CheckCheck.gif
Bomb Toss 8' Goblins R CheckCheck.gif
Bubble Shower Unknown Crab R XEks.gif
Claw Cyclone Unknown Tiger C CheckCheck.gif
Cold Stare >25' Dhalmel C XEks.gif
Cold Wave Unknown Snolls Uleguerand Range, Pso'Xja R CheckCheck.gif
Corrosive Ooze Unknown Slugs R CheckCheck.gif
Cursed Sphere Unknown Fly R CheckCheck.gif
Diamondhide Unknown Trolls R CheckCheck.gif
Earthbreaker 40' Serket Garlaige Citadel U XEks.gif
Enervation Unknown Trolls R CheckCheck.gif
Frightful Roar Unknown Tauri R CheckCheck.gif
Filamented Hold Unknown Diremite C CheckCheck.gif
Frost Breath Unknown Nival Raptor Uleguerand Range C CheckCheck.gif
Frypan Unknown Moblins R CheckCheck.gif
Grand Slam Unknown Gigas R CheckCheck.gif
Healing Breeze Unknown Dhalmel R CheckCheck.gif
Heat Breath Unknown Manticores C CheckCheck.gif
Hecatomb Wave Unknown Demons C CheckCheck.gif
Horrid Roar Unknown Tiamat Attohwa Chasm U XEks.gif
Ice Break Unknown Golem R CheckCheck.gif
Infrasonics Unknown Lizards C CheckCheck.gif
Jettatura Unknown Hippogryph C CheckCheck.gif
Lowing Unknown Buffalo R CheckCheck.gif
Maelstrom Unknown Sea Monks R CheckCheck.gif
Magnetite Cloud Unknown Antica R CheckCheck.gif
Mysterious Light Unknown Magic Pots R CheckCheck.gif
Poison Breath Unknown Crawlers C XEks.gif
Poison Breath Unknown Hound C CheckCheck.gif
Radiant Breath Unknown Wyverns C CheckCheck.gif
Riddle Unknown Manticores R XEks.gif
Sandspin Unknown Worm R CheckCheck.gif
Sandspray Unknown Qiqirns C CheckCheck.gif
Sheep Song Unknown Sheep R CheckCheck.gif
Slumber Powder Unknown Sapling R XEks.gif
Self-Destruct Unknown Bombs R CheckCheck.gif
Soporific Unknown Flytrap Carpenters' Landing R CheckCheck.gif
Sound Blast Unknown Cockatrice R CheckCheck.gif
Sprout Spin Unknown Sapling R XEks.gif
Spider Web Unknown Spider R XEks.gif
Sticky Thread Unknown Crawler C XEks.gif
Stinking Gas Unknown Doomed R CheckCheck.gif
Tail Slap Unknown Lamiae R CheckCheck.gif
Tebbad Wing Unknown Tiamat Attohwa Chasm U XEks.gif
Temporal Shift Unknown Hpemde Al'Taieu R CheckCheck.gif
Venom Storm 40' Serket Garlaige Citadel U XEks.gif
Whirl Claws Unknown Rarab R XEks.gif
Yawn Unknown Apkallu R CheckCheck.gif

*Radius, Cone, and Linear are all abbreviated by the first letter in type. U will be used for unknown types.

Monster Area of Effect Spells[edit]

Spell Name Used By (Family or NM name) Area (if applicable)
Bindga Serket Garlaige Citadel
Meteor King Behemoth Behemoth's Dominion
Horde Lullaby Simurgh Rolanberry Fields
Waterga IV King Arthro Jugner Forest
Poisonga II King Arthro Jugner Forest

Player Area of Effect Weapon Skills[edit]

Weapon Skill Name Jobs That Can Use It Weapon Type
Cyclone THF, RDM, RNG, BRD, NIN Dagger
Earth Crusher PLD, WAR, MNK, WHM Staff
Spinning Scythe DRK, BST, WAR, BLM Scythe
Spinning Attack MNK, PUP, WAR, THF, NIN Hand-to-Hand
Shockwave PLD, DRK, WAR Great Sword
Circle Blade PLD, BLU, WAR, THF, RDM, COR, DRK, SAM RNG, BRD, NIN, DRG, BST Sword
Moonlight PLD, BLU, WAR, DRK, WHM Club
Fell Cleave WAR, DRK Great Axe

Player Area of Effect Spells[edit]

Player Spell Name (defensive/Party) Jobs That Can Use It
Aerial Armor SMN(Garuda)
Baraera WHM
Barblindra WHM
Barblizzara WHM
Barfira WHM
Barparalyzra WHM
Barpetra WHM
Barpoisonra WHM
Barsilencera WHM
Barsleepra WHM
Barstonra WHM
Barthundra WHM
Barvira WHM
Barwatera WHM
Crimson Howl SMN(Ifrit)
Curaga WHM
Curaga II WHM
Curaga III WHM
Curaga IV WHM
Dream Shroud SMN(Diabolos)
Earthen Ward SMN(Titan)
Ecliptic Howl SMN(Fenrir)
Frost Armor SMN(Shiva)
Glittering Ruby SMN(Carbuncle)
Hastega SMN(Garuda)
Lightning Armor SMN(Ramuh)
Noctoshield SMN(Diabolos)
Protectra WHM
Protectra II WHM
Protectra III WHM
Protectra IV WHM
Protectra V WHM
Rolling Thunder SMN(Ramuh)
Shellra WHM
Shellra II WHM
Shellra III WHM
Shellra IV WHM
Shellra V WHM
Shining Ruby SMN(Carbuncle)
Spring Water SMN(Leviathan)
Whispering Wind SMN(Garuda)
Player Spell Name (offensive) Jobs That Can Use It
Aerial Blast SMN(Garuda)
Aeroga BLM
Aeroga II BLM
Aeroga III BLM
Banishga WHM
Banishga II WHM
Blizzaga BLM
Blizzaga II BLM
Blizzaga III BLM
Diaga WHM, RDM
Diamond Dust SMN(Shiva)
Earthen Fury SMN(Titan)
Firaga BLM
Firaga II BLM
Firaga III BLM
Howling Moon SMN(Fenrir)
Inferno SMN(Ifrit)
Judgment Bolt SMN(Ramuh)
Lunar Roar SMN(Fenrir)
Nightmare SMN(Diabolos)
Poisonga BLM, DRK
Ruinous Omen SMN(Diabolos)
Searing Light SMN(Carbuncle)
Sleepga BLM, SMN(Shiva)
Sleepga II BLM
Stonega BLM
Stonega II BLM
Stonega III BLM
Slowga SMN(Leviathan)
Thundaga BLM
Thundaga II BLM
Thundaga III BLM
Thunderspark SMN(Ramuh)
Tidal Wave SMN(Leviathan)
Ultimate Terror SMN(Diabolos)
Waterga BLM
Waterga II BLM
Waterga III BLM

Player Area of Effect Job Abilities[edit]

Job Ability Jobs That Can Use It
Ancient Circle DRG
Arcane Circle DRK
Benediction WHM
Diffusion
Makes any enhancing Blue Magic AoE
BLU
Divine Seal + Divine Veil
Makes any status cure spell AoE
WHM
Divine Waltz DNC
Double-Up COR
Holy Circle PLD
Killer Instinct BST
Mantra MNK
Phantom Roll COR
Rampart PLD
Random Deal COR
Warcry WAR
Warding Circle SAM
This article uses material from the "Area_of_Effect" article on FFXIclopedia and is licensed under the CC-BY-SA License.