Summary
Over its 35-plus years of existence,Final Fantasyhas done a remarkable job of re-inventing itself and its systems. When it comes to customizing what party members can do and the types of creatures they can summon,Final Fantasy 8featured one of the most inventive ways of doing it.With the Junction System,FF8offered a new type of summon in the form of Guardian Forces.
Guardian Forces, known as GFs, were traditional summons but could be customized and used in clever ways that the franchise still hasn’t returned to. They were classic summons, including fan favorites like Shiva and Ifrit, which could be imbued with unique abilities thanks to the Junction System. It was one ofFF8’s most innovative systems and included some outstanding monsters for the player to call on in battle.
7Cerberus
Three-Headed Demon Dog From Greek Mythology Casts Triple And Double
Cerberus can be obtained during the Battle of the Gardens, an epic confrontation between Balamb and Galbadia.He is an optional bossthat, once defeated, will join the team as a Guardian Force. If the player happens to miss Cerberus, it’s also possible to obtain him from a draw point from Gargantua in Ultimecia Castle.
This three-headed canine is loosely inspired by the creature of the same name from Greek mythology and learns several abilities on his own without the need to junction. He is a powerful GF to have, and comes in handy during the final run-up to Ultimecia in the game’s final hours, as his Counter Rockets ability grants Double and Triple to the entire party.
6Carbuncle
Cute GF Casts Powerful Magic Reflection Spell
Carbuncle is drawn from Iguion enemies at the Deiling City parade during disc 1, and also from Krysta at Ultimecia Castle if the player misses them the first time. He previously appeared inFinal Fantasy 5and6, continuing his presence in the franchise with the 8th entry, and is one of the most adorable GFs one can find.
When called upon, Carbuncle uses Ruby Light, which casts Reflect on the party. It’s rather useful, as it can deflect some of the game’smost damaging magic spells. Carbuncle is perfect for players using a lot of status effects, as he learns spells like Auto-Reflect and a unique ability called Recov Med-RF, which allows the refinement of recovery items.
5Cactuar
Deceptively Dangerous GF Casts Powerful 1000 Needles
In order to obtain this GF, the player must find and defeat Jumbo Cactuar on an island located in the southeast region ofFinal Fantasy 8’sworld map. Jumbo Cactuar pops his head up from the sand at random locations, and tracking him down is one ofFF8’smost fun excursions, as it’s only available once theplayer obtains the Ragnarok.
Cactuar is a late-game GF and an extremely powerful one at that. Its 1000 Needles ability uses the first number in Cactuar’s level, then multiplies it by 100, which means at max level it will do 10,000 damage and actually break the damage limit of the game. It is a GF that is absolutely worth getting and is only available on a specific part of land, which makes grinding for it rather easy.
4Diablos
Demonic Dragon Uses Gravity For Huge Damage
When the party is getting ready to venture off to Timber, Balamb Garden headmaster Cid Kramer gives Squall a magic lamp. This unique item triggersan optional boss fightwith Diablos, a powerful GF. If the party wins, Diablos will join them, but not talking to Cid before leaving means the player will not get the lamp and completely miss it.
Diablos uses the Dark Messenger ability, which is a gravity-based attack dealing damage based on the percentage of its level and enemy HP. At level 100, Dark Messenger will deal 9,999 damage, and he also learns abilities such as Mug. He is one of the game’s more unique GFs and can be missed entirely during an initial playthrough, as the game doesn’t stop the player from selling the lamp.
3Shiva
Classic Final Fantasy Summon Returns As Powerful GF
Shiva is obtained at the start ofFinal Fantasy 8, either by accessing Squall’s desk or given to him by Quistis before entering the Fire Cavern.This classic summon has appearedin numerousFinal Fantasytitles, debuting all the way back in the third entry.
InFinal Fantasy 8, Shiva is the player’s introduction to Guardian Forces and remains one of the most useful all the way up to the final battle with Ultimecia. Her summon ability, the beautifully animated Diamond Dust, can be boosted as high as 180 percent and deals massive ice-based damage.
2Alexander
Enormous GF Dwards Enemies In Epic Summon
Alexander is obtained by drawing him from Sorceress Edea at the Battle of Galbadia Garden, or from Catoblepas in Ultimecia Castle. It is one of the most powerful GFs in the game, and is a must-have for the harrowing trip through Ultimecia Castle, as he comes in handy for battling the numerous creatures leadingup to the final confrontation.
His summon ability, Holy, unleashes devastating damage that can easily wipe out undead enemies, and also learns the ability to refine magic. Additionally, Alexander learns important abilities, as Revive can bring a KO’d character back to life with 100 percent of their health, and can instantly kill an undead enemy.
1Eden
Most Powerful Guardian Force In Final Fantasy 8
The Deep Sea Research Center is an optional location inFinal Fantasy 8that can only beentered with the Ragnarokand is one location where players can obtain the most powerful GF in the game. Eden can be drawn from Ultima Weapon, or Tiamat in Ultimecia Castle if missed at the Research Center.
Eden lives up to its reputation, as the summon ability Eternal Breath is a fully-involved, epic animation that can break the 9,999 damage limit. At its highest boosted level, Eternal Breath can deal upwards of 60,000 damage and is easily the most powerful GF one can find in the game. Eden is worth searching for as soon as the Deep Sea Research Center becomes available, as it easily eclipses other GFs in terms of raw damage and customization.
