Heavily damage one foe over time.
Description
Bleed is a Time Magick spell both in the Zodiac versions of Final Fantasy XII as well as in the original PlayStation 2 version. It is a single-target status ailment spell that makes the afflicted constantly lose HP; even if the in-game description calls it "heavy damage", the amount lost is so minor the spell is effectively not worth using even in New Game Minus for other than removing an enemy's Regen.
Bleed can be cast by Hecteyes [a], Zombie Knight, Pumpkin Star, Bogey, Mallicant, Braegh, Orthros, Adrammelech, Melt, Zombie Lord, and Spinner-Rook.
Obtained[]
Bleed's license costs 60 License Points in the Zodiac versions, where the spell is available from shops for 1200 gil from Jahara onward. Bleed is also a treasure in Stage 53 of Trial Mode with the Diamond Armlet equipped.
In the original version, the spell's license costs 35 LP and is bought for 1100 gil from Rabanastre after the events that follow entering Ondore's Estate, as well as from Dyce outside the Tomb of Raithwall and from Eruyt Village.
In the Zodiac versions, Bleed is used by the Time Battlemage.
Mechanics[]
Bleed inflicts the Sap status onto a target that makes the afflicted lose HP at a fixed rate until they get to 1 HP; the afflicted unit's HP dwindles continuously at a rate of 1 per 0.1 seconds. Sap can be cured via Regen and Esuna, and the item Remedy with the Remedy Lore 1 augment. Sap is unaffected by Reverse.
The base success rate of the spell against an enemy that is not immune is 80% in the original version, updated to 100% in the Zodiac versions.
The success rate is unaffected by the target's Magick Evade stat, as the spell instead checks against the target's Vitality.
The hit rate is improved by further 50% with the caster having Faith status, or doubled with Serenity license/Magick Gloves when on full health, or Spellbreaker license/Leather Gorget when in critical health. Target's Shell halves the accuracy of the spell. If the caster is wearing the Indigo Pendant, Bleed will succeed unless the enemy is immune to the status.
The accuracy underflow bug is a glitch in some versions of Final Fantasy XII where a low level character with extremely low Magick Power stat attempts to use a status move on a target with very high Vitality, and the accuracy of the spell becomes less than zero. In this case the accuracy will underflow to 100%, allowing certain status spells to always succeed.
Bleed costs 12 MP to cast without Channeling licenses. The spell will bounce from Reflect unless the caster wears the Opal Ring.
Use[]
Bleed is a status ailment spell the player can easily set up via the gambit system (such as with Foe status:Regen→Bleed). It is not worth using for anything other than removing an enemy's Regen (for which Dispel would also suffice) as the HP lost is so minor; e.g. to match a casting of Firaga for ~5000 damage, the player would need to wait for over 8 minutes for Sap to do its work. Taking any other action to harm the enemy besides casting Bleed is more effective. Poison is the superior damage over time status. Sap is more of an ailment that annoys the player, threatening party members when brought down to critical health, rather than a method of damaging enemies.
Instead of using Bleed, the player can use the Black Magicks Bio and Scourge, which also deal damage on top of inflicting Sap. The player can also use the weapons Chopper (10%) and Blood Sword (100%), or equip a Nihopalaoa and use a Remedy (with Remedy Lore 1) onto an enemy. In the Zodiac versions, the Sap status can be inflicted upon one enemy using the offensive item Meteorite (A) and the new mace weapon, Bonebreaker (100%).