Ultima(アルテマ,Arutema?) ("Artema" in Spanish translation) is a recurring spell in the Final Fantasy series. It is almost always the most powerful spell in the game, hitting all enemies for non-elemental damage, often ignoring defense, Reflect and any other protection. In addition, with the exception of its debut appearance in Final Fantasy II, Ultima is considered to be Black Magic. Ultima usually manifests as an explosive sphere of blue or green energy consuming opponents.
Found at the Mysidian Tower, this is the first game where Ultima appears and the only game where it is an important plot point. Ultima's offensive power is dependent on its current level, as well as the current level of all the other spells the caster knows. Ultima is considered a White Magic spell in this game, a contrast to other games where it is Black Magic. Ultima draws its power from the Intelligence stat and an algorithm based on how high the player's spell levels are.
The spell is bugged in the NES version; it was originally meant to increase in power relative to the level of the other spells the caster has, but will not even if all of their spells are at level 16. This in turn causes Ultima to do a measly 500 damage at maximum (level 16) to a single target.
Ultima is one of the spells that can be accessed using the Twincast command through the Augment Ability system in the Nintendo DS version. Ultima can only be used through Twincast when used by Cecil and Rosa. With a base attack of 999, its power is superior to that of Meteor, but it costs 99 MP and takes twice as long to cast.
Cecil and Golbez can use a Band ability called Ultima Spark. It costs 50 MP to cast and does non-elemental damage to all enemies, and has the potential to break the damage limit.
Ultima can be learned at a x1 Learning Rate from the RagnarokEsper or the Paladin Shield. Terra Branford learns the spell naturally at level 99. Ultima has a Spell Power of 150, costs 80 MP to cast and does non-elemental damage to all enemies, ignoring Magic Defense and any status buffs. However, it is vulnerable to Runic.
The UltimaMateria can be obtained in North Corel. If the player successfully stops the coal train during the Huge Materia mission on Disc 2, one of the villagers gives it to the party as thanks. If the player fails to stop the train, they must buy the Materia for 50,000 gil. If the player fails to even catch up to the train during the mission, they can't get the Materia at all. The spell can only be cast once the player has leveled up the Materia once. It costs 130 MP to cast and has a spell power equal to 6.5625x the base magic damage.
The bosses Jenova∙SYNTHESIS and Ruby Weapon and the enemy Dark Dragon use the spell against the party. Dark Dragon freely counters once per battle with the spell when attacked by magic, while Ruby Weapon always counterattacks with the spell when hit by Knights of the Round, but can also use the spell freely. Jenova∙SYNTHESIS can only use the spell after reaching 0 on its countdown.
If paired with Quadra Magic and HP or MP Absorb Materia, the game may freeze when used against bosses with multiple limbs.
Ultima is the strongest spell in the game. It lights up the screen in an explosion of green and blue light, dealing heavy damage to all enemies. Ultima cannot be doublecast and requires Zack to charge for several seconds before unleashing the spell. It costs 99 MP to cast.
The Materia can be stolen as a rare steal from Tycoon and obtained through missions 2-5-2, 3-5-4, 6-6-3, 6-6-5, 9-6-2 and 9-6-5. Ultima can also be made with Materia Fusion by fusing a mastered Energy Materia with a Libra Materia, or fusing any DMW Materia with an Ultimate Materia (Tri-Fire, Tri-Thundaga, Electrocute, Flare, Energy).
Ultima is one of the most powerful offensive spells in the game, second only to Apocalypse. It is almost universally the best spell for junctioning to stats, with only Triple being more effective when junctioned to Hit Rate or Speed. The spell can be drawn from draw points around the world, but the one most easily accessible is in Shumi Village (the player has to pay a nearby Shumi to use the draw point, however). The Islands Closest to Heaven and Hell are also good places for obtaining the spell, given that the player can find numerous hidden draw points with the game's most powerful magic, Ultima being among them.
In battle, Ultima is used by Omega Weapon, Krysta, Adel, Sorceress, Ultimecia's Griever form, and Ultimecia's final form. Krysta casts Ultima upon its death, while Adel and Sorceress must charge to use it, and Ultimecia's Griever form needs a Helix to use it. Ultimecia's final form and Omega Weapon can cast Ultima freely.
Forbid Mag-RF: 1 Ultima Stone refines into 1 Ultima, 1 Energy Crystal refines into 3 Ultimas, 5 Pulse Ammos refine into 1 Ultima, 1 Dark Matter refines into 100 Ultimas
Ultima is not a spell available to the player, unless by using cheat devices and hacking. Kuja uses Ultima on the party when defeated in battle both as himself and as Trance Kuja, both times signifying the end of the battle with the party's defeat for story purposes by instantly killing them without displaying any damage taken. Kuja also utilizes Ultima to destroy Terra in a cutscene. If Ultima is obtained through cheating, it will instantly crash the game upon finishing the casting animation.
Ultima is one of the most powerful Black Magic spells. It is located in Kimahri's section of the Sphere Grid, at the very center of the grid surrounded by four Level 4 locks, though only three need to be unlocked to learn the ability. On the Expert Sphere Grid it can be found in the top right corner beside Doublecast. Ultima can be Doublecast, as well as used with Lulu's Fury Overdrive. It costs 90 MP to cast.
The Ultima spell can only used by equipping the Megiddo Garment Grid and spherechanging through each colored gate. The spell will then appear in the Black Magic skillset. Alternatively, it can be used by a character wearing the Lady Luck dressphere by achieving three 7s in a row with Magic Reels. Ultima can also be used through Yuna's Festival-Goer ability Ultima Geta. Also, the Black Elemental uses it at the near beginning of the battle. Trema also can use Ultima once per battle.
Although Final Fantasy XII does not have a spell version of Ultima, the EsperUltima's ultimate attack, Eschaton, was called Complete Ultima(完全アルテマ,Kanzen Arutema?) in the Japanese version of the game. This is the same Japanese used for Ultima's Divine Ultima attack in Final Fantasy Tactics.
Ultima is a spell used by Barthandelus during the third battle with him inside Orphan's Cradle. It is also used by Long Gui and Shaolong Gui. It is the most powerful spell in the game, and can wipe out a high level party in full health if they are not using Sentinel roles.
Ultima is a non-elemental magic attack that hits all party members. Caius is able to use Ultima in the third phase of the final battle against him, and in the battle against him in the "Requiem of the Goddess" downloadable episode. Proto fal'Cie Adam, Long Gui and Valfodr Lv. 99 are also capable of casting Ultima.
Since Alma's weapon, Healing Staff, can only heal its target when using the "Attack" command, the Ultima spell she can learn from her allies or Ultima Demons is her only means of offense during the final battle. The final boss Ultima possess two more Ultima spells, one per each form. In her first form, the spell is still called Ultima but its animation is grander than the one used by others. The second version of the spell is Divine Ultima (All-Ultima in the original version), which is stronger than the normal spell and very extravagant in its animation, literally obliterating the very battlefield the party is on.
All three Ultima spells deliver non-elemental damage on all targets within its effect area. The Ultima usable by most units has the radius of two grids, which is that of a normal magic spell. The Ultima and Divine Ultima used by the final boss has radius of three and four respectively. Although the Ultima spells used by the final boss are reasonably powerful, the spells' charging speed is low, usually buying the player time to engulf the boss in their own magic.
While Ultima does not appear directly as a spell, each race has a key Job where they can learn a weapon skill that channels Ultima's magic in to the caster's weapon for an extremely deadly attack, doing three times the damage of the caster's normal physical attack. They are Ultima Shot for humans (the Hunters), Ultima Sword for bangaa (the Gladiators), Ultima Charge for moogles (the Mog Knights), Ultima Masher for viera (the Assassins), and Ultima Blow for nu mou (the Sages).
The five races' Ultimas all cost 999 AP to learn, and all are learned from rare but weak weapons, making mastering of the Ultima abilities difficult. The game also includes what are dubbed Ultima's "family spells", including Omega and their "father spell" Alpha, which is the most powerful offensive skill in the game. These spells are not usable by the player and appear only as skills exclusive to enemies.
The strength, element, and range of each Ultima ability is based on the weapon the user is using. Each ability costs 60 MP to use, and all cannot be reflected. However, it is important to note that Return Magic will still work, and MP can be absorbed from any of the Ultima abilities by Absorb MP.
As was the case in the original, the Ultima abilities are the highest-powered ability available to most races, although they are now extremely powerful single-target magic attacks rather than physical attacks (they still use the equipped weapon's range, however). All of them require 990 AP to learn, but the weapons that teach the skills are stronger. No new Ultima abilities were added, but gria can acquire Ultima Shot.
Seeq, notably, do not have an equivalent of Ultima. All Ultima abilities cost 32 MP, and thus the user must wait four turns before using any of them, however by using the Clan Privileges MP Channeling or MP Efficiency that number can be taken down to being used every second turn, if also combining that with the Halve MP ability, Ultima abilities could be used every turn.
The actual spell Ultima is cast from the summoning of the Scion, Ultima. It fully heals all party members and deals moderate holy-elemental damage to all foes.
Kefka has Ultima as a Bravery attack. He fires a small magical orb that explodes in a flash of blue energy a moment later. Kefka can cast the spell while on the ground or in the air and learns both versions at Level 28. It costs 30 CP to equip and 180 AP to master.
"O perfect light, I want to end this!"
—Terra Branford
"Just go away!"
—Kuja
Ultima is an HP attack for Terra and Kuja. Terra's version chains from Holy Combo, and creates a violet sphere of energy around the opponent that explodes. It costs 40 CP to equip and 300 AP to master. Kuja's version of Ultima summons many magical orbs to fall on the opponent, stunning them if they are hit. Kuja learns to cast Ultima on the ground at Level 38 and in the air at Level 44. It costs 40 CP to equip and 300 AP to master.
Ultima returns as an attack usable by Kefka, Terra and Kuja.
Kefka's Ultima now has Ranged Mid Damage Priority on explosion, causing opponents to stagger when they block it. It costs 30 CP to equip and 100 AP to master.
Kuja's Ultima and Terra's Ultima now both cost 30 CP to equip and 130 AP to master. Terra's Ultima causes downwards Wall Rush instead of backwards.
In Kingdom Hearts II, one of Donald's magic during the Trinity Limit is called Ultima. It's a magic that draws the enemies and hit them to increase the amount of combos. Also in Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, one of the main characters named Terra can use his version of Ultima called Ultima Cannon, this attack begins with Terra transforms his Keyblade into massive cannon and fires a gigantic sphere of energy from its base, dealing massive damage in area.
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Ultima1 in Final Fantasy II (PS).
Ultima1 cast on the enemy party in Final Fantasy II (PS).
Ultima3 in Final Fantasy II (PS).
Ultima3 cast on the enemy party in Final Fantasy II (PS).
Ultima6 in Final Fantasy II (PS).
Ultima6 cast on the enemy party in Final Fantasy II (PS).
Ultima10 in Final Fantasy II (PS).
Ultima10 cast on the enemy party in Final Fantasy II (PS).
Ultima1 in Final Fantasy II (GBA).
Ultima1 cast on all enemies in Final Fantasy II (GBA).
Ultima3 in Final Fantasy II (GBA).
Ultima3 cast on all enemies in Final Fantasy II (GBA).
Ultima6 in Final Fantasy II (GBA).
Ultima6 cast on the party in Final Fantasy II (GBA).
Ultima10 in Final Fantasy II (GBA).
Ultima10 cast on all enemies in Final Fantasy II (GBA).
Final Fantasy IV (DS).
Final Fantasy IV (iOS, front-view).
Divine Ultima in Final Fantasy Tactics.
Omega in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.
Ultima from the Scion Ultima in Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift.
Ultima used by Kefka in Dissidia Final Fantasy.
Ultima used by Kuja in Dissidia Final Fantasy.
Ultima in Kuja's EX Burst in Dissidia Final Fantasy.
Ultima used by Terra in Dissidia Final Fantasy.
Ultima in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade.
Jenova-SYNTHESIS using Ultima in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade.
Adel using Ultima in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade.
