MDEF

Magic Defense is the total magical defense that is factored upon magic damage, which is generally based on MATK as whole or partially. However, there are exceptions.

The descriptions used here refer to Hard and Soft MDEF. These names are used for clarity. The vast majority of players do not use these terms in general conversation, and instead refer Armor Mdef (hard) and INT Mdef (soft). Hard MDEF works as a relative reduction, whereas Soft MDEF is a subtractive reduction.

Hard MDEF

Effects of Hard MDEF on incoming damage

Hard m. defense, also known as "armor" or "equipment" m. defense reduces, incoming magic damage multiplicatively.

• Damage after Hard MDEF = Damage × [(1000 + HardMDEF) ÷ (1000 + HardMDEF × 10)]

For example, a player with a Hard MDEF of 60 will have incoming m. damage reduced by about ⅓, and a player with a Hard MDEF of 125 will have incoming damage reduced by half.

Hard m. defense has a base value of 0, and is increased by equipment, some skills, and items.

Additive Bonuses

Item/Skill	Max Modifier	Additional notes
Arclouze Card	+3	Shield. Only if refined to +5 or lower.
Cat O' Nine Tails Card	+3	Footgear. May reflect magic back to the caster.
Detardeurus Card	+1	Armor. Gives immunity to Frozen.
Frus Card	+3	Armor. Mage class only. May reflect magic back to the caster.
Gibbet Card	+5	Headgear. Only if refined to +5 or lower.
Goat Card	+5	Armor. Only if refined to +5 or lower.
Kapha Card	+8	Garment. Only if refined to +5 or lower.
La'cryma Stick	Var	+UpgradeLv
Megalith Card	+7	Footgear. Only if refined to +5 or lower.
Mental Destroyer	+20
Rideword Card	+1	Headgear. Acolyte class only.
Seeker Card	+10	Shield.
Solider Card	+2	Armor.
Sting Card	+5	Shield. Only if refined to +9 or higher.
Tao Gunka Card	-50	Armor. Doubles Max HP.
Vocal Card	+3	Garment.
Warlock Kathryne Card	+80	Garment. If used by Warlock.

Multiplicative Bonuses

Item/Skill	Max Modifier	Additional notes
Assumptio	+100%

Soft MDEF

Soft magic defense, also known as "INT" magic defense, reduces incoming magic damage directly.

SoftMDEF      = INT + VIT ÷ 5 + DEX ÷ 5 + BaseLv ÷ 4
TotalSoftMDEF = [(SoftMDEF + BonusA) × (1 + BonusB ÷ 100)]

• BonusA is the sum of additive bonuses.
• BonusB is the sum of multiplicative bonuses.

Monsters use a different SoftMDEF formula.

SoftMDEF      = floor(Lvl ÷ 4) + floor (VIT ÷ 10) + floor(INT ÷ 5)

Bypassing MDEF

The equipment below are known to bypass MDEF.

Weapons

Weapon	Notes
Piercing Staff [2]	Bypass 10% of hard magic defense of normal monsters and boss monsters when performing a magical attack. Bypass an additional 1% of hard magic defense of normal monsters and boss monsters when performing a magical attack per upgrade level of the item.
Thorn Staff of Darkness	Bypass 1% of Mdef of Normal, Boss, Player targets when performing a magical attack per upgrade level of the item.

Armor

Weapon	Notes
King of Spirit Circlet	If upgrade level is +10 or higher, bypass 100% of hard magic defense of All race targets when performing a magical attack.
Magician's Gloves [1]	Bypass 50% of hard magic defense of All Races when performing a magical attack.
Ordinary Black Magician Hat [1]	Bypass 10% of hard magic defense of normal monsters when performing a magical attack. Bypass an additional 4% of hard magic defense of normal monsters when performing a magical attack per upgrade level of the item, where the effect caps out at 30%.
Armor of White Thread [1]	Bypass 10% of hard magic defense of all race targets when performing a magical attack. If upgrade level is +7 or higher, bypass an additional 20% of hard magic defense of all race targets when performing a magical attack. If upgrade level is +8 or higher, bypass an additional 20% of hard magic defense of all race targets when performing a magical attack. If upgrade level is +9 or higher, bypass an additional 20% of hard magic defense of all race targets when performing a magical attack.
Wickebine's Black Cat Ears	Adds a 5% chance to bypass 25% of hard magic defense on normal monsters and players for 5 seconds when performing a magical attack.
Perverse Demon Mask [1]	Bypass 15% of hard magic defense of normal monsters, Boss monsters and players when performing a magical attack for every 18 base STR.
La'cryma Stick & Pororoca Shoes Set	Bypass 5% of hard magic defense of normal monsters and boss monsters when performing a magical attack per level of Frost Nova known.
Survivor's Shoes & Survivor's Rod Set	Bypass 50% of hard magic defense of normal monsters and boss monsters when performing a magical attack.

Cards

Card	Notes
High Wizard Card	Bypass 100% of hard magic defense of normal monsters when performing a magical attack.
Necromancer Card	When compounded to a Rod, Int +1 and ignores 2% of the MDEF of enemies.
Vesper Card	Bypass 30% of hard magic defense of Boss monsters when performing a magical attack.
Neo Punk Card & Big Ben Card Set	Bypass 50% of hard magic defense of Formless and Demon race targets when performing a magical attack.
Nightmare Arclouse Card & Nightmare Mimic Card Set	Bypass 50% of hard magic defense of Brute and Undead race targets when performing a magical attack.

See Also

• DEF