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Description[]

Area of Effect (often abbreviated AoE) is a term used to describe spells or abilities which instead of affecting a single target instead affect multiple targets. 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[]

There are multiple types of AoE spells and abilities in FFXI beyond the basic radius of effect type. These types each carry their own peculiarites 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 weapons, 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[]

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

*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[]

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[]

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

Player Area of Effect Spells[]

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[]

Job Ability Jobs That Can Use It
Ancient Circle DRG
Arcane Circle DRK
Benediction WHM
Divine Seal + Divine Veil
makes any status cure spell AoE
WHM
Double-Up COR
Holy Circle PLD
Killer Instinct BST
Mantra MNK
Phantom Roll COR
Rampart PLD
Random Deal COR
Warcry WAR
Warding Circle SAM
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