The Unknown Element

[Masamune·1600]

According to the start-up manual that accompanies Final Fantasy VII, as well as the listings under Status in the menu, the game contains nine elemental properties. These elements are, of course, Fire, Ice, Lightning, Earth, Wind, Water, Poison, Gravity, and Holy. They occur in a number of attack forms, and can be halved, nullified, or absorbed by means of linking an Elemental materia to another materia of the desired elemental property in a character's armor. However, it can be argued, based on in-battle evidence, that there is a hidden 'tenth' element. It seems to correspond to non-elemental properties, but only in certain situations.

The specific scenario that brought this thread about is, of course, the relatively well-known fact that Ultima Beam (used by Ultimate Weapon) can be halved, nullified, or absorbed by linking an Elemental materia to any non-specific materia (Neo Bahamut and Ultima are working examples) in one's armor. Ignoring the seeming contradiction inherent in a "non-elemental element," this flies in the face of FF tradition. The only comparable situation I can think of offhand would be Vivi's Mag Elem Null ability in FFIX, which could be considered almost the opposite of what is seen here.

In any case, absorption of Ultima Beam by this method would seem to suggest all non-elemental spells are of a hidden elemental property, but this is not true. An (Ultima)-(Elemental) link will not, for example, absorb or otherwise defend against Ultima. It would seem, then, that the Ultima Beam alone constitutes an unknown element. I would simply attribute this to a glitch, but it nevertheless raises an interesting question. I also recall reading that the same set-up could allow one to absorb the spell Star, used by Death Dealers, but can no longer find this information online, have not tested it myself, and doubt its veracity. I'll be checking it soon.

This information regarding the "unknown element" of Ultima Beam may be new information to some, a long-known fact for others. I would ask, however, that anyone with further information on the phenomenon contribute to this thread, and that anyone interested in doing so attempt to devise an in-battle and/or storyline explanation outside of being a beneficial glitch (similar to the W-Item trick or the third Mystile). Thanks in advance for your thoughts, opinions, and conjecture on the subject.

[Squall of SeeD]

This matter is certainly an irregularity. The only other Element that exists from a storyline perspective is the combination of all of them (Ultima). The mechanics of the Junction System of VIII shed a lot of light on what Holy and Ultima are from an elemental standpoint (as does Crystal Chronicles in regard to Holy, it essentially being a combination of Fire, Earth, Water, and Wind, as well as those Elements most closely associated with these).

Ultima is as powerful as it is for a reason, as it is raw Spirit Energy (refer to the Ultima section of this document), which may be what any such non-Elemental attack utilizes. Neo Bahamut's attack may be Spirit Energy fired in a raw form, rather than diluted or broken down into one of its seperate properties (as Shiva or Ifrit's attacks would be).

Assuming that Ultima Beam is likewise a blast of Ultima, perhaps in linking an Elemental Materia to one of these Materia that utilize raw Spirit Energy/Ultima/the combination of all Elements, that specific property of the Ultima attack is nullified, absorbed, or diluted. Granted, according to this theory, some of the Spell's Elemental properties should roll on and still cause damage to the character no matter what, and even in VIII, Ultima itself could not be absorbed, but perhaps those incidents in which it was totally absorbed involved more than one such link of Ultima-type Materia with Elemental Materia?

What think you, masamune?

[Ultima Shadow]

I've never even thought about this before... but I agree with Squall of SeeD (since I don't have anything intelligent to say, myself. )

[Fire_Emblem776]

I've never even thought about this before... but I agree with Squall of SeeD (since I don't have anything intelligent to say, myself. )

same here

[Masamune·1600]

It's certainly a difficult question. As to the specific instance(s) of halving/nullifying/absorbing Ultima Beam, it seems that only a link between an Elemental materia and any materia without a specific elemental property (for example, HP Plus and Transform would also be suitable) is actually necessary. I'd like to think of this, actually, as some sort of a "WEAPON element," but there is no obvious documentation refarding the materia set-up being effective against any other WEAPON-unique attacks (Emerald Shoot, Diamond Flash, etc.). I'll be sure to test this at some point, but until then I'll have to assume that the phenomenon is unique to the Ultima Beam attack.

In any case, I would certainly agree with the assessment of Ultima as an assault utilizing raw Spirit Energy. I think, however, that Ultima Beam is more descriptive of the WEAPON using it rather than a variant of the Ultima spell. Perhaps, though, the view of certain magicks being some sort of combination of elements applies most effectively in this situation. While the spell Ultima is simply a raw blast, Ultima Beam, used by a creation of the planet, may be more refined. Here, the characteristics of materia of no specific property can be applied in a focused attack. This would allow the attack, however, to be guarded in the same manner as elemental techniques.

[DMKA]

I never knew this. Does it work for other "non-elemental" stuff, or just the Ultima Beam?

[Masamune·1600]

So far as I know, the trick only works with Ultima Beam. I just checked the set-up against the spell Ultima, as well as Carry Armor's Lapis Laser (which serves here as a good example of a generic non-elemental attack), and in both cases the attacks were unreduced.

[boys from the dwarf]

the last element may be special as in bahamut does special damage instead of none elemental.(thats what it said onn a website i found.)this is almost identical to the raw spirit theorie though.can you actually use holy attacks though.also ultima could be the tenth element because what this thread said previously about raw spirit energy changee the name to ultima and ultimas an element.