GF

Guardian Forces (GFs) in Final Fantasy VIII are a crucial part of the game, functioning both as summonable creatures and a character growth system. They can be summoned in battle and also 'junctioned' to characters to enhance their stats and skills. GFs are obtained in various ways, some are mandatory through the story, while most are hidden in the game world or obtained through side quests. Each GF has unique skill trees and stat bonuses, and players earn AP in battles to learn new abilities. Unlike previous magic systems, magic in FFVIII is obtained by 'drawing' it from enemies or draw points and can be stored and used strategically. Players can junction magic to character attributes for increased strength. GFs are core to FFVIII's mechanics, adding depth and complexity to the game. However, their intricate system can confuse new players. Additionally, there are some 'non-junctionable' GFs that appear randomly in battle and are not displayed in the menu; these GFs need specific conditions to be met to be summoned.