Control (Final Fantasy VI)

Control is an upgraded unique character ability for Relm in Final Fantasy VI. When the Fake Moustache is equipped, Control replaces the Sketch ability. Control allows Relm to control an enemy, meaning if successful, she commands to the controlled enemy based on the enemy's set list of commands under Control.

Obtained[]

Control can be used by Relm with Fake Moustache equipped, but also by Gogo if Gogo has both the Sketch ability and Fake Moustache equipped.

Mechanics[]

The chance to successfully Control a monster is as follows:

If ${\displaystyle (Controller'sLevel*256)/Target'sLevel>[0..255]}$ then successfully control the enemy, otherwise miss.

If the Hypno Crown is equipped, the formula is modified as follows:

If ${\displaystyle (Controller'sLevel*256)/(Target'sLevel*170/256)>[0..255]}$ then successfully control the enemy, otherwise miss.

If the target has either invisible, zombie, sleep, confuse, or hidden status, then Control will fail. If the player makes a controlled enemy use Snort on itself, it results in the Snort bug.

When an enemy has been controlled, its battle menu will contain up to four abilities. The default Attack and Special will be present on a majority of the enemies, along with a mixture of magic spells, Lores, and enemy spells. Some enemies have fewer than four abilities. Using spells requires MP, and if a controlled enemy does not have enough, the spell will fail.

Monsters at the Dragon's Neck Coliseum will not use their regular AI scripts; they instead use the abilities in Relm's Control options for that monster. The Control option has a maximum of four abilities, and one of the abilities will be picked at random when their turn comes up.

All enemies and bosses have a Control menu with anywhere from one to four abilities regardless of being immune to the command or not. This is a safety measure to ensure that the game does not freeze, as if Relm were to control a target that did not have any ability in this menu, the game would freeze when her turn came up.

Use[]

When Control is successful, it forfeits Relm or Gogo's turns thereafter while the enemy is controlled, meaning its strength is solely based on that of the enemy controlled. In most circumstances, this is a waste of Relm's spellcasting potential (from her high base Magic stat and access to female-exclusive equipment) or Gogo's ability to wield other character commands. As such, Control is not a common ability to be used often offensively, but one that can be used in specific strategic circumstances.

The most common use of Control is for Strago to learn some Lores at an easier rate. This is done by having Relm or Gogo control specific enemies, such as Dark Force, and have them cast their Lore spell on Strago, causing Strago see the ability and this learn it.

The player may also use the opportunity created by controlling the last remaining enemy in a battle to use Osmose to absorb the monster's MP, as this spell will not end the controlled enemy, and control has no set time limit. Enemies under Relm or Gogo's control will have their sprites flipped horizontally, facing the same way that the controller is facing.

Control is practically necessary to fight the Brachiosaur enemy.

Gallery[]