Final Fantasy: 25 Greatest Summons

25. Carbuncle

Carbuncle is certainly one of the most-awkwardly christened summons, given that its name is a medical term for a cluster of pus-filled boils (don’t Google it). More archaically it can also be used to define a red gemstone, however, and given the presence of a ruby in the middle of the forehead of the Final Fantasy version its name becomes just about excusable.

Although cute, Carbuncle is fairly useless given that the Reflect status it usually bestows upon the player’s party is as much of a hinderance as it is a help, preventing the casting of healing spells and buffs whilst still being breakable by the more powerful attacks of most bosses.

IX included an interesting idea, where the status conferred by Carbuncle would differ if Eiko had a specific accessory equipped. The likes of Haste, Protect and Shell are far more useful than Reflect, but most players likely neglected to use the mechanic given the wealth of better accessories available. Frustratingly, it’s never been re-explored.

Present in some form in all but three games (VII, X and XII) since debuting in V, Carbuncle, who seems to have shifted from a rabbit-like creature into a dog-like one in its two most recent appearances, is clearly a developer favourite even if its legacy is chequered at best.