From Final Fantasy Wiki

Ward are a series of Elemental and Status abilities throughout the series, in which there is a 50% chance of preventing a status, or in an elements case, halves the damage done from a particular element. These were not named until Final Fantasy X, but has existed since the original Final Fantasy within pieces of equipment. The following list are all of the Ward abilities encountered throughout the series:

Elemental Ward:

• Fire Ward - Fire-elemental damage reduced by 50%.
• Ice Ward - Ice-elemental damage reduced by 50%.
• Lightning Ward - Lightning-elemental damage reduced by 50%.
• Water Ward - Water-elemental damage reduced by 50%.
• Tetra Ward - Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Water-elemental damage reduced by 50%. Only appears in Final Fantasy X-2.

The following are not named but are named so to keep in line with the current abilities:

• Earth Ward - Earth-elemental damage reduced by 50%.
• Wind Ward - Wind-elemental damage reduced by 50%.
• Shadow Ward - Dark-elemental damage reduced by 50%.
• Holy Ward - Holy-elemental damage reduced by 50%.

Status Ward:

• Dark Ward - 50% chance of preventing Blind.
• Death Ward - 50% chance of preventing Instant Death.
• Stone Ward - 50% chance of preventing Petrify and Gradual Petrify.
• Silence Ward - 50% chance of preventing Silence.
• Sleep Ward - 50% chance of preventing Sleep.
• Zombie Ward - 50% chance of preventing Zombie. Only appears in Final Fantasy X.
• Poison Ward - 50% chance of preventing Poison.
• Slow Ward - 50% chance of preventing Slow.
• Berserk Ward - 50% chance of preventing Berserk.
• Confuse Ward - 50% chance of preventing Confusion.

Appearances

Final Fantasy

The Elemental Wards make their first appearance here, and only with the elements Fire, Ice, and Lightning. There are no Status Wards to be found in this game.

Final Fantasy II

Final Fantasy III

Status Wards make their first appearance here in the form of Shields, while there are no Elemental Wards to be found in the game.

Final Fantasy IV

Elemental Wards return in this game, while Status Wards all but disappear in this game in favor of Status Proofs instead. Protect Ring is the best piece of equipment in the game for Elemental Ward, as it possesses all 3 Elemental Wards. The Wards do not reappear until Final Fantasy X.

Final Fantasy V

Elemental Wards return just as same as Final Fantasy IV, mostly found on armor and shields.

Final Fantasy VI

Earth, Wind, and Water are now added to Elemental Wards, and in the GBA version, Holy as well, all in the shield Force Shield. Fire, Ice, and Lightning Wards can be found amongst various pieces of equipment still.

Final Fantasy VII

Elemental Ward can only be put into use through either the armors Minerva Band, Dragon Armlet, and Ziedrich, or by equipping a Level 1 Elemental materia with any elemental materia in a character's armor.

Final Fantasy IX

All sorts of equipment grants Elemental Wards, and Dark finally joins as an Elemental Ward.

Final Fantasy X

Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Water Ward are first named here, and are found on various dropped equipment, or can be customized onto armor by using 4 Bomb Fragments, 4 Antarctic Winds, 4 Electro Marbles, and 4 Fish Scales respectively.

Final Fantasy X-2

Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Water Ward return with the inclusion of Tetra Ward, all of which can only be utilized on Red Ring, White Ring, Yellow Ring, Blue Ring, and Tetra Band respectively.