Refine Time/Space Magic from an item
Description
Time Mag-RF (time magic refiner) is a menu ability in Final Fantasy VIII that allows the player to make time and space related magic spells from certain items. Making spells from items is generally much more convenient than drawing from enemies, and can net high tier spells earlier than enemies would offer them, such as Quake and Triple for Time Mag-RF.
Obtained[]
The Guardian Force Diablos learns Time Mag-RF for 30 AP. Diablos is recruited by using the Magical Lamp Headmaster Cid gives at the Timber mission briefing. If the player removes Time Mag-RF with Amnesia Greens, there is no way to get it back.
Mechanics[]
Using Time Mag-RF in the Ability menu enables the player to make spells from items currently in their possession and allocate the resultant spells to a party member who has space in their Magic inventory. Each party member has 32 slots for Magic, and can hold 100 spells of each type.
| Item | Refine Into |
|---|---|
| Accelerator | 1 = 100 Haste |
| Black Hole | 1 = 30 Demi |
| Dino Bone | 1 = 20 Quake |
| Dragon Fin | 1 = 20 Double |
| Lightweight | 1 = 20 Haste |
| Magic Stone | 1 = 5 Haste |
| M-Stone Piece | 1 = 5 Slow |
| Rocket Engine | 1 = 50 Triple |
| Samantha Soul | 1 = 60 Triple |
| Spider Web | 1 = 20 Slow |
| Steel Orb | 1 = 15 Demi |
| Three Stars | 1 = 100 Triple |
| Wizard Stone | 1 = 5 Stop |
Use[]
Time Mag-RF is a great refiner ability to make various useful spells, such as Quake, a much stronger spell than what is available from enemies and draw points at the point Diablos can first be recruited. Quake is made from Dino Bones, obtained from T-Rexaurs, a tough enemy to take on early on, but also made from its and Armadodo's cards.
Making Magic Stones into Haste is a good use of these stones as they become various different spells with refiner abilities, and so the player is best checking which spell they want before using them up.
Other good early game uses are collecting Gesper cards for Black Holes made with Quezacotl's Card Mod, which become Demi spells with Time Mag-RF; Grendel cards to make their Dragon Fin offerings into Doubles; and making any Spider Webs obtained from Caterchipillars and their cards into Slow spells.
Triple is a rare spell to find both on enemies' draw lists and in draw points, and there are only few high grade items that refine into it. The Three Stars obtained from the Obel Lake quest may be best used by making it into 100 Triples with Time Mag-RF, as the ability it teaches is not particularly notable.