Prevent one foe from casting magicks.
Description
Silence is a Black Magick spell in the Zodiac versions of Final Fantasy XII, and a Green Magick spell in the original PlayStation 2 version. It is a single-target status ailment spell that makes the affected unable to use magicks. Its upgrade is the multi-targeting Silencega spell.
It is also an enemy ability used by Storm Elemental, Gespenst, Water Elemental, Water Chaosjet, Gargoyle, Ice Elemental, Zombie Warrior, Oiling, Fire Elemental, Fire Chaosjet, Pumpkin Head, Air Elemental, Air Chaosjet, Coeurl, Earth Elemental, Earth Chaosjet, Zombie Knight, Pumpkin Star, Forbidden, Bandercoeurl, Demon Wall (Outer, Inner), Elder Wyrm, Melt, Cubus, Urutan-Yensa (Bow), Garif Adventurer, Baknamy (Sword), Imperial Pilot [b], Spinner-Rook, and Supinelu (Trial Mode Stage 53).
Obtained[]
In the Zodiac versions, Silence's license costs 25 License Points. The spell is found in Dalmasca Estersand's Yardang Labyrinth or Lhusu Mines' Shaft Entry. Once the player loots one of these treasures, the other one disappears. Both spawn 100% of the time and always contain Silence.
Silence location in Zodiac.
The Estersand treasure is available earlier, potentially as early as when the player can first leave Rabanastre as Vaan, though a natural time to pick it up would be after the party leaves Barheim Passage. The treasure is found near the entrance to Nalbina Fortress.
The Lhusu Mines treasure is at the entrance before the player needs to fight any enemies, behind a partition on the mine cart tracks, at the right end of the area.
In the original version, Silence is a Green Magick whose license costs 35 LP. It is bought for 400 gil from Bhujerba onwards.
In the Zodiac versions, Silence can be used by the Black Mage and the Red Battlemage.
Mechanics[]
Silence inflicts the status of the same name that makes the afflicted unable to use magicks. It is a permanent ailment until cured.
The base success rate of the spell against an enemy that is not immune is 60% in the original version, updated to 75% 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, Silence 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.
Silence status is removed with Echo Herbs, Vox, Esuna, and Remedy.
Silence costs 8 MP to cast without Channeling licenses. The spell will bounce from Reflect unless the caster wears the Opal Ring.
Use[]
Silence is a status affliction spell the player can easily set up via the gambit system (such as with Foe:Any→Silence). However, it is best used situationally and with the Indigo Pendant equipped whenever possible. As alternatives, the player can also use an Echo Herbs with the Nihopalaoa equipped, the weapon Mage Masher, or a gun loaded with the Silent Shot.
Silence can be good against enemies that use spells, but most magick-focused enemies, like elementals and entites, are immune to it. Silence's upside is that it is available early, whereas the best ailment spells are available later on when the player has many methods of dealing extreme damage and may not bother with ailments much anymore. Silence can be good against the King Bomb optional boss and the marks Braegh, Ixtab, and Vyraal.