Statistics Breakdown

Understanding the ways in which your characters' stats interact is vital to mastering Final Fantasy III. This page will explain what each stat means and how it interacts with other stats to determine the outcome of actions you take. It's actually a pretty simple system, but there's a lot going on, which makes it seem more complicated than it is.

How Damage Works

While physical and magic attacks are calculated differently, for the most part every attack has its damage calculated in the same way. Both the attacker and the target use three numbers: a raw power number, a multiplier, and a success rate. The success rates for attacks are referred to as accuracy, while physical defense's success rate is evasion and magical defense's is magic resistance.

Once you have those numbers, the first step is to determine how many "hits" take place. The attacker effectively has a number of attacks equal to the multiplier, and each has a chance to hit equal to the attack's accuracy. Likewise, the defender has a number of blocks equal to the multiplier, and each has a chance to negate a hit equal to his evasion/magic resistance. If the attacker gets 3 hits and the defender gets 2 blocks, the outcome of the attack is one hit. If the defender has as many or more blocks as the attacker has hits, there are no hits at all and the attack misses. While physical attacks explicitly state how many hits there are, the same general idea applies to magic attacks.

The actual damage done by the attack is based on the power of the attack times the number of hits. Two hits will always deal just about double the damage of one, and so on. Most of the adjustments to an attack change the attack's power in some way. What is key to remember is that the base power of an attack is decreased by the base defense (of the appropriate type) of the defender. A very high defense can negate a large number of attacks regardless of the defender's defense modifier.

The final damage or healing caused by a spell is evenly distributed among the targets of the spell, unless that spell always targets all allies or enemies (in which case each target receives the full effect). If a target is weak against any of the elements of the attack or spell being used, the final damage is doubled. If a target is not weak, but does resist any of the elements of the attack or spell being used, the final damage is halved. If a target absorbs rather than resists elements, they instead gain the normal damage as HP. If an attack hits but would deal less than 1 damage, it instead deals exactly 1 damage.

With all that in mind, it comes down to determining the base stats involved, as well as any modifiers that apply to the attack. The notes below do not go over specific spell or ability modifiers, which are instead mentioned in the notes for the particular spell or ability that grants them. Note that all fractions are rounded down immediately (so 7/8 + 7/8 = 0). Also note that level and job level are internally stored as one lower than they are, so when the game says you are at level 1, you are actually at level 0. Thus, when an ability says it is increased by 1 "for every 4 levels gained," it means you get a +1 at level 5, a +2 at level 9, etc.

  • Level
    • All characters begin at level 1
    • A character's level increases as he earns experience
    • The combination of level and job selection determines most base character stats (though not HP)
    • Every 16 levels gained adds +1 to a character's Attack and Magic Multipliers
    • Every 16 levels gained adds +1 to a character's Defense Multiplier, or half that if he is not using a shield
    • A Thief's level influences the success rate of his Steal ability
    • The probability of a monster running from the party is based on the difference between its level and the characters'
    • The probability of being ambushed or achieving a preemptive strike is based on the characters' levels
    • The Raze spell has no effect on monsters whose level is more than 3/4 of the caster's
    • The Bard's Scare command reduces the levels of all enemies by 3
  • Job Level
    • All characters begin at job level 1 for each new job he earns
    • Each time a character executes a battle command, he will earn skill points (as indicated on individual job pages). These skill points only apply if the battle is won, meaning that use of the Run or Flee command will only earn skill points if the command fails and the party goes on to defeat its enemies. Once 100 skill points are earned, the character gains a job level and his skill points are reset to 0 after the battle. A character can only gain one job level per battle.
    • Every 16 job levels gained adds +1 to a character's Magic Multiplier
    • Every 4 job levels gained adds +1% to a character's Accuracy
    • A Thief's job level influences the success rate of his Steal ability
    • Every job level gained reduces the CP cost to change into that job from any other job by 1
  • Hit Points (HP)
    • All characters begin with 32 maximum HP
    • HP represents how much punishment a character can take. If a character's HP falls to 0, his status becomes KO
    • When a character gains a level, his maximum HP increases based on his current Vitality, which is in turn based on his current job. Thus, characters who spend a lot of time as high-Vitality jobs will tend to have higher max HP.
  • Magic Points (MP)
    • A character's maximum MP is based on their current level and job
    • MP is divided into 8 levels, and a character must have at least 1 MP of a given level to cast a spell of that level. Each time they do, their current MP for that level is decreased by 1. Characters cannot use higher-level MP to cast a lower-level spell once they run out of MP for a particular level.
  • Strength – Compare Jobs
    • A character's Strength is based on their current level and job
    • A character gains a bonus to Attack Power equal to 1/4 of his Strength
  • Agility – Compare Jobs
    • A character's Agility is based on their current level and job
    • A character gains a bonus to Accuracy equal to 1/4 of his Agility
    • A character gains a bonus to Attack Multiplier equal to 1/16 of his Agility
    • A character gains a bonus to Defense Multiplier equal to 1/16 of his Agility, or half that if he is not using a shield
    • A character gains a bonus to Evasion equal to 1/2 of his Agility
    • A character gains a bonus to Magic Defense Multiplier equal to 1/32 of his Agility
  • Vitality – Compare Jobs
    • A character's Vitality is based on their current level and job
    • Vitality influences how much maximum HP a character gains when he gains a level
    • A character gains a bonus to Defense equal to 1/2 of his Vitality
  • Intelligence – Compare Jobs
    • A character's Intelligence is based on their current level and job
    • A character gains a bonus to Black Magic Power equal to 1/2 of his Intelligence
    • A character gains a bonus to Black Magic Multiplier equal to 1/16 of his Intelligence
    • A character gains a bonus to Black Magic Accuracy equal to 1/2 of his Intelligence
    • A character gains a bonus to Magic Defense Multiplier equal to 1/32 of his Intelligence
    • A character gains a bonus to Magic Resistance equal to 1/2 of his Intelligence
  • Mind – Compare Jobs
    • A character's Mind is based on their current level and job
    • A character gains a bonus to White Magic Power for non-healing spells equal to 1/2 of his Mind
    • A character gains a bonus to White Magic Multiplier equal to 1/16 of his Mind
    • A character gains a bonus to White Magic Accuracy equal to 1/2 of his Mind
    • A character gains a bonus to Magic Defense Multiplier equal to 1/32 of his Mind
    • A character gains a bonus to Magic Resistance equal to 1/2 of his Mind
  • Attack Power
    • Attack Power is equal to the Power of the weapon used plus 1/4 of the character's Strength
    • When using two weapons, each weapon has independent attack statistics, though combined Attack Power is shown on the status screen
    • The Haste spell increases the Attack Power of the target based on the spell's own Magic Power
    • The Bard's Cheer command increases the Attack Power of all allies by 10 until the end of combat (this effect is cumulative)
    • Characters that are afflicted with Mini or Toad have their Attack Power reduced to 0
    • Monsters have a preset Attack Power independent of other statistics
  • Attack Multiplier
    • All characters begin with an Attack Multiplier of ×1
    • When using two weapons, the status screen will show the combined Attack Multipliers, though each attack is calculated separately with the standard Attack Multiplier
    • A character gains +1 to Attack Multiplier for each 16 levels gained
    • A character gains a bonus to his Attack Multiplier equal to 1/16 of his Agility
    • The Haste spell increases the Attack Multiplier of the target based on the number of "hits" the spell achieves
    • Monsters have a preset Attack Multiplier independent of other statistics
  • Accuracy
    • Accuracy is equal to the Accuracy of the weapon used plus 1/4 of the character's Agility, with a +1% bonus for each 4 job levels gained
    • When using a bow and arrows, Accuracy is based on that of the bow
    • When using two weapons, each weapon has independent attack statistics
    • Blind targets have their Accuracy reduced by half
    • The Accuracy of attacks made by or against characters in the back row is reduced by half, unless the character is using a long range weapon
    • Monsters have a preset Accuracy independent of other statistics
  • Magic Power (not shown)
    • Magic Power is equal to the Power of the spell cast plus 1/2 of the character's Intelligence (for Black Magic) or Mind (for White Magic)
    • The Magic Power of healing magic does not gain any bonus from Intelligence or Mind, even if used to harm undead
  • Magic Multiplier (not shown)
    • All characters begin with a Magic Multiplier of ×1
    • A character gains +1 to Magic Multiplier for each 16 levels gained
    • A character gains +1 to Magic Multiplier for each 32 job levels gained
    • A character gains a bonus to Magic Multiplier equal to 1/16 of his Intelligence (for Black Magic) or his Mind (for White Magic)
    • The spells cast by items and weapons in combat have a preset Magic Multiplier independent of the character's statistics
  • Magic Accuracy (not shown)
    • Magic Accuracy is equal to the Accuracy of the spell cast plus 1/2 of the character's Intelligence (for Black Magic) or Mind (for White Magic)
    • Spells that polymorph creatures or revive them from KO have 100% Magic Accuracy when cast on allies
    • Blind targets have their Magic Accuracy reduced by half
    • The spells cast by items and weapons in combat have 100% Magic Accuracy
  • Defense
    • Defense is equal to the sum of the Defense from all pieces of armor worn plus 1/2 of the character's Vitality
    • Using the Defend command doubles a character's Defense until the end of the round
    • The Protect spell can be used to increase a character's Defense
    • Defenseless characters have a Defense of 0
    • Monsters have a preset Defense independent of other statistics
  • Defense Multiplier
    • A character's base Defense Multiplier is equal to the number of shields he is wielding
    • A character gains ×1 Defense Multiplier for each 16 levels gained, or half that if he is not using a shield
    • A character gains a bonus to his Defense Multiplier equal to 1/16 of his Agility, or half that if he is not using a shield
    • Defenseless characters have a Defense Multiplier of 0
    • Monsters have a preset Defense Multiplier independent of other statistics
  • Evasion
    • Evasion is equal to the sum of the Evasion from all pieces of armor worn plus 1/4 of the character's Agility
    • Monsters have a preset Evasion independent of other statistics
  • Magic Defense
    • Magic Defense is equal to the sum of the Magic Defense from all pieces of armor worn
    • The Protect spell can be used to increase a character's Magic Defense
    • Monsters have a preset Magic Defense independent of other statistics
  • Magic Defense Multiplier (not shown)
    • A character's Magic Defense Multiplier is equal to 1/32 of his Agility plus 1/32 of his Intelligence plus 1/32 of his Mind
    • Monsters have a preset Magic Defense Multiplier independent of other statistics
  • Magic Resistance
    • Magic Resistance is equal to 1/2 of the character's Intelligence plus 1/2 of his Mind
    • Monsters have a preset Magic Resistance independent of other statistics