The Elements

The Elements and it's inter-elemental relationships are a key factor to basic aetherology. They have major influences on multiple aspects in the World of Final Fantasy XIV - e.g. Time, magicks, Crystals and more.

The relationships between the elements can be seen on the Elemental Wheel, which is also available as a wall-mounted furnishing item.

The Six Elements

Aetherial energies can be divided into six distinctive elements: fire, wind, lightning, water, ice, and earth.

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  Lightning
• 
  Fire
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  Earth
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  Ice
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  Water
• 
  Wind

These elements provide nature with “aspects” that govern how they act in the world. For example, a region where aetherial currents are aspected towards fire will generally be hotter and drier than a region featuring primarily ice-aspected currents — a region likely to be characterized by frigid climes. The same can be said for the flora and fauna that populate an area. Seedkin aspected towards wind can navigate the skies as if they were winged cloudkin. Scalekin aspected towards earth will exhibit lithified skin protecting them from sharp-fanged predators.

In addition to the six elements, there also exist two polesastral and umbral—which greatly influence the nature of the elements—an astral charge bringing more activity, while an umbral charge resulting in more passiveness. For example, when in an astral state, fire exhibits high volatility, whereas its umbral state is characterized by dryness.

This section contains spoilers for Shadowbringers.

On the First, the terms of astral and umbral are different - the active element is "darkness", while the passive one is "light".

Inter-Elemental Relationships

Scholars have long known about the relationships of the elements, these characteristics documented in the ancient tome Essences & Permutations—A Treatise of the Six Elements.

The Six Activities & Myriad Creations

The spark of Lightning ignites when it strikes, and thus Fire is born. The heat of Fire renders to ash all that it touches, and thus earth is born. The density of Earth shuns Sun and harbors cold, and thus Ice is born. The armor of Ice melts away, and thus water is born. The moistness of Water mists and rises, and thus Wind is born. The gusts and sighs of Wind gather the clouds, and thus Lightning is born.

The Three Conquests, Boundless and Unwavering

Earth grounds Lightning. Water erodes Earth. Lightning boils Water.

The Three Submissions, Timeless and Unending

Fire is extinguished by Wind. Ice is melted by Fire. Wind is obstructed by Ice.

Dynamic Opposites & the Bifurcation of Polarity

The six elements are manifest in all things great and small, and their polarity deriveth from the Astral heavens above and the Umbral depths below.

— Essences & Permutations—A Treatise of the Six Elements