Area of Effect

From HorizonXI Wiki

Description

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

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

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

*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
Fell Cleave WAR, DRK Great Axe
Sonic Thrust WAR, PLD, DRG Polearm

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
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

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