STRONGEST BLACK MAGES IN FINAL FANTASY GAMES

When gamers think of Final Fantasy, chances are they're either thinking of chocobos, moogles, or the wide-brimmed-hat-wearing, fireball-casting black mage. While the archetype has shifted visually over the years, the bright-eyed caster remains a powerful mainstay in the series as it continues to capture the imagination of fans worldwide.

But which black mage is the most powerful in the series? Which caster is always in their element as they wield fire, ice, and air? Direct comparisons between each Final Fantasy would be unproductive given the differences between systems, but most gamers can agree that some black mages simply stand above the others in terms of a pure show of power (and that they know it when they see it).

RELATED: Every Final Fantasy Protagonist, Ranked

Black Mage – Final Fantasy

The Original, But Not The Ultimate

• Can be upgraded to the more powerful "Black Sorcerer"
• Cast offensive magic and party buffs

The original four warriors are a hand-picked band of adventurers, one of which is the original black mage. This formidable magic user has the ability to cast all the offensive spells the BLM (short for Black Mage) is known for today, as well as a party buffs, haste, and some enemy conditions, such as slow and blind.

Although Final Fantasy's black mage kick-started the job (and the trope, too), they aren't all that potent. Of the 37 black magic spells in the game, the black mage can only learn 24 of them. In order to learn the rest, the black mage needs to "unrobe" and take the mantle of Final Fantasy 1's more powerful magic class, the black wizard.

Lalai Lai – Final Fantasy 14

A Powerful Black Mage Apprentice

• The key apprentice to Ququruka Tataruka, the foremost scholar of black magic
• Seeks black magic lore and guides black mage players

Although her master, the legendary thaumaturge Ququruka Tataruka, unleashed a terrible curse while delving deeper into the mysteries of the black arts, Lalai Lai firmly believes that her style of magic can be used to do good. Originally a priestess, she encountered the thaumaturge while visiting to hear another prisoner's confessions.

RELATED: Final Fantasy 14: The Best Exquisite Weapons, Ranked

In secret, she learned powerful arcane practices from the self-imprisoned Ququruka Tataruka and herself became a powerful wielder of the elements. Throughout Final Fantasy 14, she guides the Warrior of Light in their quest to uncover their potential as a black mage while pursuing lost forgotten lore.

Palom – Final Fantasy 4

The Self-Proclaimed Black Magic Genius

• Uses "bluff" to empower magical attacks
• Deals more powerful magical attacks when paired with his sister

This stripped-green-and-white prodigy of magic likes to refer to himself as "the Mysiden genius" on account of his mastery of spells, a habit he took up with his sister, Porom, since they were small children. While his sister is well on her way to becoming a master white magic user, Palom prefers the path of the black mage.

But arrogance isn't just a part of Palom's personality, it's actually one of his skills, which he uses to enhance his magical abilities for a short while. When paired with his sister, they have the "twincast" ability, which allows them to cast more powerful versions of their spells. However, in the Final Fantasy 4 follow-up, The After Years, Palom seems to have grown a touch more modest.

Golbez – Final Fantasy 4: The After Years

The Armor Clad Master Of Magic

• User of advanced magic, armor, and deadly weapons
• His powers were enhanced by the influence of Final Fantasy 4's big bad

Golbez originally appeared in Final Fantasy 4 as "the man in black." This powerful figure is a master of both magic and martial arts. Golbez, tragically manipulated by Zemus (the previous game's main antagonist) wrought destruction throughout the world in his quest to collect the four crystals.

RELATED: Video Game Villains Whose Hearts Were in the Right Place

Throughout the events of FF4, Golbez proves himself a formidable elemental mage and master of the black arts. Not only is he a skilled welder of the thunder spell, he also has strong resistance against elemental magic. Golbez's story was followed up and further explained in The After Years, where he attempts to repent for his crimes, even though he was not fully in control of himself while they happened.

Lulu – Final Fantasy 10

A Potent Mage And Resistant To Anything The World Throws At Her

• Becomes one of the toughest party members by the end of the game
• Endures hours of walking in a tangled mess of belts

Life in Spira is tough, even more so for those who pledge themselves to protect the pilgrim summoner who will eventually go on to confront Sin, the monsterious mega-entity responsible for holding most of civilization back from growing beyond a few scattered towns and villages. In Lulu's case, her charge is Yuna, and knowing what will become of her at the end of her pilgrimage undoubtadly hardens her heart and sharpens her skill as a black mage.

Lulu isn't just the main damage dealer of the party. By progressing through her own section of the sphere grid, Final Fantasy 10's flexible progression map, Lulu naturally ends up with one of the best physical damage defense stats in the game, not only making her a magical powerhouse but a tough lady to beat, which perfectly compliments her personality as a no-nonsense, protective older sister type.

Vivi – Final Fantasy 9

The Most Iconic Take On Final Fantasy's Black Mage

• Uses an innate "focus" ability to buff magic potency
• Can team up with a melee party member for killer combos

Not only does this little guy perfectly embody the look of Final Fantasy's most iconic magic user, he is also an incredibly powerful black mage as well. In FF9, black mages aren't jobs but a race of synthetic (and disposable) creatures built as part of Alexandria's army. Vivi happens to be the first sentient black mage, being a prototype of the program.

Although he is often shy and clumbsy, Vivi was built for power and is able to master pretty much all black magic (besides Wateraga). He also has the ability to synchronize with Steiner, the knight, to deliver some truly impressive blows to elementally-vulnarable enemies, creating one of the best duo combos in the series as a result. His trance state also allows him to double cast spells for a devastating result.

MORE: Final Fantasy 9: 10 Crazy Things You Never Knew About Black Mages

2023-11-28T11:33:34Z dg43tfdfdgfd