SMN Disease based spells

[Mholito]

For some reason, Flare uses the non-elemental aura when you cast it.

[Dualblade]

For some reason, Flare uses the non-elemental aura when you cast it.

Flare has usually been Non-elemental in Final Fantasy. VII, XI (I think), and XIII are the only main-game exceptions if I remember right.

[Enkidoh]

Come to think of it...are there ANY Dark based spells players can cast?

Gameplay wise (as far as I am aware)? No, there are not. In fact, even in 1.0 elemental wheel specifically [ilacked[/i] light and darkness elements specifically. Instead, it seems light and darkness, as far as being classed as 'elements' (as they are in FFXI), are instead stated as being a different concept in Eorzea, an aspect rather than an element. Light and darkness seem to be referred to in both gameplay functions and the game's lore within the context of 'astral' (light) and 'umbral' (darkness). This can be seen throughout concepts as diverse and obtuse as the very calendar (where the months are stated as being of the 'Umbral Moon' or 'Astral Moon') and the very eras being aligned to Umbral (a time of strife and Calamity) or Astral (of relative peace and prosperity).

Even the elemental alignments of the Twelve are connected to this light/darkness affinity, where pairs of the Twelve share an element but differentiate it by having one as 'Umbral' and the other 'Astral' (for instance, the element of fire is shared between Azeyma and Nald'thal - Azeyma being Astral Fire, fitting for the Goddess of the Sun, and Nald'thal being Umbral Fire as His place as God of the Underworld. Hence the aligning of THM's spell system as Umbral and Astral - the mechanic restricts Fire to being light aspected and Ice to darkness, because fire is a source of light and heat, a beginning in a sense, where as ice is a source of destruction/entropy - an ending. But I'm just rambling again.

[WyrahFhurrst]

Gameplay wise (as far as I am aware)? No, there are not. In fact, even in 1.0 elemental wheel specifically [ilacked[/i] light and darkness elements specifically. Instead, it seems light and darkness, as far as being classed as 'elements' (as they are in FFXI), are instead stated as being a different concept in Eorzea, an aspect rather than an element. Light and darkness seem to be referred to in both gameplay functions and the game's lore within the context of 'astral' (light) and 'umbral' (darkness). This can be seen throughout concepts as diverse and obtuse as the very calendar (where the months are stated as being of the 'Umbral Moon' or 'Astral Moon') and the very eras being aligned to Umbral (a time of strife and Calamity) or Astral (of relative peace and prosperity).

I have a fundamental disagreement with your explanation on Umbral and Astral. While yes, the words themselves mean darkness and light, respectively, they do not necessarily mean such. Take your example of the Eras, for instance. During an Astral Era, there is great growth and vibrancy to life. This heavy emphasis on growth and action is the essence of the phrase Astral.This culminates in a Calamity, which causes the realm to be in need of recovery and rest. That state of rest is the essence to Umral. Most of the great wars we know of were fought in Astral Eras, not Umbral (the War of the Magi, specifically, was fought in the Fifth Astral Era and led to the Water Calamity and the Seventh Umbral Era). These are reflected in Astral Fire and Umbral Ice, where one is incapable of recovering mana, but can wield incredibly devastating power and can proc an even greater spell (Fire III) in their state of great activity, but in the other they recover their mana in greater amounts.

[Sovi]

I started this thread asking about SMN spells and came away with, not only a better understanding of SMN lore, but also a new appreciation of the balance between light/dark and action/rest built into the BLM spells.
I really do appreciate everyone that has responded. I love this community.

[Jonnycbad]

FF has always been about balance. Compared to other lore systems where "LIGHT IZ GUD DARK IZ BAD". In FF history it's always been about balance. FFXIV draws heavily from FF3 where you were the Warrior(s) of Light stopping the flood of darkness from destroying your world. But you later learn that generations ago, there was a flood of light destroying the world--which was stopped by an intrepid band of Warriors of Dark(ness).

FFXI's final expansion expounds upon this concept as well, where we learn that there is a THIRD force, the Void which 99% of the universe is made of and threatens to consume all--and only through light and dark battling eachother can the 'winds of time' blow away the clouds of void that make up space surrounding the planet. The void is an overarching theme between all FF games (started in FF3, later in FF5 but it was retconned sort of in Dissidia, which may or may not be canonm that the Void connects ALL FF universes). Then Void/CoD was brought up again in FFXIV in Crystal Tower series, and again in FFXI's final expansion.

At the end of the day, light/dark are necessary and don't necessarily mean bad or evil or good. Those are arbitrary concepts which most FF games try to dispel. M FF games final bosses are aligned with light as a form of poetic irony actually. In FF2's remake, the true final boss was the 'good emperor' whom ascended to heaven,FF4's Zeromus was aligned with light--making Cecil's Ragnarok and Kain's Holy Lance ineffective weapons against him. Kefka in FF6 ascended to an Angel, Sephiroth became a Seraph, Altima from FFT was the Jesus of the FFT world, FFX and FFXIII the final boss was the pope of their respective worlds, FFXI you fight Alexander, the celestial avatar of Light, the goddess of light fused with a time traveler as a boss in one expansion, and a mothercrystal in another. FFXIV HW final boss was heavily aligned with Light

[Jonnycbad]

Flare has usually been Non-elemental in Final Fantasy. VII, XI (I think), and XIII are the only main-game exceptions if I remember right.

I think he knows this. The confusion comes into play because he's saying it shows a non-elemental aura--but the tooltip says:

Deals fire damage with a potency of 260. Nearby enemies take an additive 10% less damage after each target hit up to 50% reduced.

[Enkidoh]

FFXIV HW final boss was heavily aligned with Light

That is rather arguable though - given the fact

during the cutscene when you enter the Singularity Reactor battle Thordan actually says to the player he will destroy all those who stand against him, even those aligned to the Light (as in, the player). He might have 'holy' powers, but in this case, 'Holy' definitely does not equal 'light':

King Thordan: "Fight me if you will, Warrior of Light."
King Thordan: "I care not. All who stand against me will be destroyed-be they servants of the Darkness, or the Light."

So that basically shows that Thordan's Primal form actually was not Light aligned - the only 'holy' aspect was more a delusion based on how 'righteous' he felt he was, believing himself to be some herald of Halone.

In fact, from this you can see the ambigious nature of the very concept of following the 'Light' - exactly what it means is open to differing interpretations.

[Exodus-E]

snip

Well, it did say (at the beginning) that:

Your feeble light shall fade before my brilliance!

So...kinda, I guess (assuming Light =/= "Divine")?

[Enkidoh]

Well, it did say (at the beginning) that:

Your feeble light shall fade before my brilliance!

So...kinda, I guess (assuming Light =/= "Divine")?

Ah yes,

but also right at the very end as you land your final blow on him during the battle, he squeals this:

"This is the power of Light?!"

Which just shows further it's not the literal Light that he is aligned with (as in, Hydaelyn, the source of life on the planet), but, just the idea of 'holiness' of himself as a 'god'.

But I digress...