Breath Damage
Breath Damage is a form of magic damage usually applied in a fan-shaped Area of Effect originating from the caster and usually applies an Additional Effect to the target, such as Silence or Paralysis. It is used primarily by enemies of the Lizard, Aquan, Dragon, and Vermin families, but can also be used by members of the Undead and Plantoid family to a devastating effect. In particular, Notorious Monsters of the Morbol sub-family may use Extremely Bad Breath, which will instantly K.O. any player within its Area of Effect.
Blue Mages have direct access to Breath Damage via the following spells:
- Poison Breath
- Magnetite Cloud
- Hecatomb Wave
- Radiant Breath
- Flying Hip Press^
- Bad Breath
- Frost Breath
- Heat Breath
^Note that unlike the other Breath spells, Flying Hip Press is actually radial around the caster, rather than fan-shaped originating from the caster.
Dragoons access Elemental Breath damage via their pet Wyvern when certain conditions, such as the Dragoon's support job, are met. At level 90, The wyvern gets the abilities of Restoring Breath and Smiting Breath allowing the conditions of Elemental Breaths to be met with out the need of sub jobs.
Beastmaster can access Breath Damage via Charmed pets of the above families, including Funguars, Scorpions, Lizards, and Raptors.
Damage from all breath attacks are based on the user's current HP and, for certain spells, the user's Blue Mage level as well. The one exception is a pet Wyvern's Healing Breath, which is based on the Wyvern's current TP, maximum HP, and current exp. Breath Damage is always elemental, and thus can be reduced by applying appropriate Barspells, Carols, and/or equipping elemental resistance equipment. Armors such as the Dragon Harness Set or the Dragon Mail Set decrease Breath Damage taken from enemies by fixed percentages. Equipment or native traits that enhance Magic Damage Taken (such as Jelly Ring or the Flan sub-family magic damage trait respectively) will also increase Breath Damage taken, in spite of the fact that it is HP-based.
Breath Damage may be enhanced when it is applied against a monster of the opposing family. E.g. when Frost Breath is used against Plantoids, it experiences a 25% increase in damage. When used against Beasts it experiences a 25% reduction in damage. The Artifact Armor headgear, Magus Keffiyeh, will boost this increase by an additional 2%, but will not reduce damage by a further 2% when used against the wrong monster family. The Dragoon Artifact Armor headgear, Drachen Armet, will not enhance the pet Wyvern's breaths, but will rather improve its behavior regarding what types of breaths to use and under what conditions.
The job-specific attribute, Magic Attack, directly augments Breath Damage by fixed percentages. Blue Mages may access this attribute from the Merit Job Ability, Convergence. The semi-equivalent Merit Job Ability for Dragoon is Deep Breathing, which augments the pet Wyvern's Healing Breath by 60% and Elemental Breaths by nearly twofold.
Equipment that Enhances this Effect[edit]
- Magus Keffiyeh (+2% when Monster Correlation is in effect)
- Magus Keffiyeh +1 (+2% when Monster Correlation is in effect)
- Mirage Keffiyeh (+10%)
- Mirage Keffiyeh +1 (+10%)
- Wyrm Armet (+10%)
- Wyrm Armet +1 (+10%)
- Saurian Helm (+10%)
- Ardor Pendant (+5%)
- Mavi Tathlum (+5%)