Gamer Corner Guides

Cure1 is the staple healing Spell, restoring as much hp as a Potion without costing 60 gil. Early in the game this is your primary source of healing, but as time wears on, the Spell becomes a lot less useful. With a maximum of 9 level 1 Spell slots, you're talking about a little over 200 hp worth of healing, which is unimpressive (especially when you can carry 11 times as many Potions). Still, it is free healing, so if you don't like to use your other level 1 Spell slots, Cure1 still has its uses late into the game.

Once again you're faced with a Spell level full of good Spells and likely have to decide between Cure and Heal. Both Spells are identical to their predecessors, but with double the healing potential. Just to add to the decision-making fun, they also share a Spell level with Life1. Now on the one hand, Cure3's healing is finally getting significant, and can turn the tide in a tough battle. On the other hand, Spells and Special Attacks that damage the entire party are becoming more common, making Heal Spells more useful. In this case I'd favor Cure3, but not by much. (And of course for Red Mages it's a no-brainer.)

Cure4 is the granddaddy of the cure Spells. Instead of the pitiful curing of its predecessors, Cure4 will heal any living warrior to full hp, and will cure all Status ailments other than Stone and KO to boot. This secondary effect can be useful, as it's the only way to cure Paralysis without waiting for it to wear off. Don't miss this Spell!

Heal1 is a good Spell for recovery from attacks that hit everyone, or just gaining back some HP after some time in a dungeon. It has the effect of a little more than half a Sleeping Bag, which isn't much, but it's still more on average (72 HP divided among 4 characters) than Cure2 (50 HP to one character). With level 3 white magic being such a loaded level, you may have to decide between Cure2 and Heal1. Cure2 is better at saving a life in the middle of combat, while Heal1 is a better general recovery Spell. Of course, by the end of the game you will have collected three Items that cast Heal1 for free, so there is that to consider.

The choice between Cure and Heal Spells continues to be a problem at Spell level 5. Even though Heal2 still does more overall healing than Cure3, the raw numbers involved are not very spectacular, and you're probably not going to want to waste a potential Life1 healing the party for a moderate amount of HP. It's not a bad Spell by any means, but Cure3 edges it out narrowly.

In the continual struggle between Cure and Heal Spells, Cure4 beats Heal3 hands down. Cure4 simply restores a character to full HP (and removes Status Ailments), while Heal3 restores a moderate amount of HP to the party. Fortunately, Dia4 and NulMgc aren't the best Spells you'll ever see, so you may still be able to fit Heal3 into your Spell list.