Card Mod

Refine items from cards

Description

Card Mod is a menu ability in Final Fantasy VIII that allows the player to create items from Triple Triad cards. Every card can be refined and has its specific item it can become. Card Mod is the best way to get some of the very rare items in the game, such as Hero and Holy War, and is excellent for menu grinding high-powered spells at the beginning of the game before they become available from enemies.

Obtained[]

The Guardian Force Quezacotl learns Card Mod for 80 AP after mastering Card. Quezacotl is Squall Leonhart's starter GF, obtained by inspecting the Study Panel at the classroom. If Quezacotl's ability list is full when Card is mastered, the player needs to make space for Card Mod to appear by deleting some other ability with Amnesia Greens. If the player removes Card Mod, there is no way to get it back.

Mechanics[]

Using Card Mod to a card currently in the player's possession turns into into items, up to 100 units of a single type of item.

Level 1 - Monster Card[]

Level 2 - Monster Card[]

Level 3 - Monster Card[]

Level 4 - Monster Card[]

Level 5 - Monster Card[]

Level 6 - Boss Card[]

Level 7 - Boss Card[]

Level 8 - GF Card[]

Level 9 - GF Card[]

Level 10 - Player Card[]

Use[]

Card Mod is an excellent ability worth learning even if the player opts to not partake in Triple Triad, as enemies will still drop cards and the player can even get some rare cards without needing to play the minigame, such as GF cards from bosses. It is worth setting Card as one of the first abilities for Quezacotl to learn and then master Card Mod in its wake.

Card Mod can turn one-of-a-kind GF and character cards into various excellent rare items that are hard to come by otherwise. Notable cards include Heros from Laguna's card, Holy Wars from Gilgamesh's card, Megalixirs from Bahamut's card, Hyper Wrists (Str+60%) from Zell's card (which is also available early), Royal Crowns (Mag+60%) from Edea's card, Accelerators (Auto-Haste) from Kiros's card, and Adamantines (Vit+60%) from Minotaur's card, among other great conversions. If the player modifies one-of-a-kind card, it will be gone for good unless the player completes the Card Club quest before the point of no return at the boss atop Lunatic Pandora, and finds the club members inside the Ragnarok in the endgame where they will play every card the player does not currently hold, no matter if they missed it, lost it, or modded it. This is also a great time to prepare for the final dungeon and final battles by modifying the rare cards for great items and then winning the cards back from the club members.

Card Mod is great in the beginning of the game for consuming basic cards won from NPCs who use them in their hands for making items that teach Quistis Blue Magic, are used for Irvine's Shot, for weapon remodeling, for recruiting Doomtrain, and/or refine into spells:

• Gayla cards become Mystery Fluids that teach Acid to Quistis and become Meltdown spells with ST Mag-RF
• Gesper cards become Black Holes that teach Degenerator to Quistis and become Demi spells with Time Mag-RF
• Fastitocalon-F cards become Water Crystals that teach Aqua Breath to Quistis and become Water spells with I Mag-RF
• Blood Soul cards become Zombie Powder that become Zombie spells with L Mag-RF
• Caterchipillar cards become Spider Webs that teach Quistis Ultra Waves and become Slow spells with Time Mag-RF
• Cockatrice cards become Cockatrice Pinions that become Break spells with ST Mag-RF
• Mesmerize cards become Mesmerize Blades that become both Mega-Potions with Recov Med-RF and Regen spells with L Mag-RF
• Grendel cards become Dragon Fins that become Doubles with Time Mag-RF
• Forbidden cards become Betrayal Swords that become Confuse spells with ST Mag-RF
• Armadodo and T-Rexaur cards become Dino Bones that become Quake spells with Time Mag-RF
• Tri-Face cards become Curse Spikes used to teach Quistis LV?Death, are used for remodeling Selphie's ultimate weapon, and are used for making Pain spells with ST Mag-RF and into Dark Matters with Tool-RF (though the conversion ratio is 100:1)
• Snow Lion cards become North Winds that become Blizzaga spells with I Mag-RF
• Ochu cards become Ochu Tentacles that become Blind spells with ST Mag-RF
• SAM08G cards become Running Fires that teach Quistis Gatling Gun and become Demolition Ammo for Irvine with Ammo-RF
• Cactuar cards become Cactus Thorns that become Demolition Ammo with Ammo-RF
• Tonberry cards become Chef's Knives that become both AP Ammo for Irvine with Ammo-RF and Death spells with L Mag-RF
• Abyss Worm cards become Windmills that become Tornados with T Mag-RF
• Blitz cards become Dynamo Stones that become Thundaga spells with T Mag-RF
• Torama cards become Life Rings made into Life spells with L Mag-RF
• Blue Dragon cards become Fury Fragments, used to make weapons Gauntlet and Ehrgeiz for Zell and into Aura spells with Supt Mag-RF
• Adamantoise cards become Turtle Shells that become Protect spells with Supt Mag-RF
• Hexadragon cards become Red Fangs that become Firaga with F Mag-RF and are needed for Twin Lance for Squall
• Iron Giant cards become Star Fragments needed to remodel high tier weapons for Squall (Punishment), Selphie (Strange Vision), and Irvine (Exeter), and become Meteor spells with Forbid Mag-RF
• Behemoth cards become a Barrier that teaches Quistis Mighty Guard
• Elastoid cards become Steel Pipes needed for recruiting Doomtrain
• Malboro cards become Malboro Tentacles used to teach Quistis Bad Breath and are needed for her ultimate weapon, are needed for recruiting Doomtrain, and become Bio spells with ST Mag-RF
• Ruby Dragon cards become an Inferno Fang that teaches Quistis Fire Breath and become Flares with F Mag-RF
• Elnoyle cards become Energy Crystals needed for ultimate weapon remodeling for Rinoa and Quistis, become Pulse Ammo with Ammo-RF for Squall's ultimate weapon and for Irvine's Shot, and become Ultima spells with Forbid Mag-RF
• Krysta cards become Holy Stones that can be used as-is or made into Holy spells with L Mag-RF
• Tiamat cards become Flare Stones that can be used as-is or made into Flares with F Mag-RF
• Red Giant cards become Meteor Stones that can be used as-is or made into Meteor spells with Forbid Mag-RF
• Ultima Weapon cards become Ultima Stones that can be used as-is or made into Ultima spells with Forbid Mag-RF