Shifta or shift (Japanese: シフタ, "Shifta" or "Shifter") is a support technique common to Phantasy Star games.
Etymology[]
Although the English word "shifter" is often written as シフター (shifutaa) with the longer "a" sound, it is also sometimes written as シフタ (shifuta), but usually only in certain specific situations.[1] However, in the context of the Phantasy Star games, it's not fully clear whether シフタ was intended to be "Shifta" or "Shifter," especially considering the game's looseness with the katakana used to represent many foreign words (see Hinaus, Feuer, Rueckkehr, etc.).
Phantasy Star series[]
Phantasy Star II[]
Anna casting shift in Phantasy Star II.
In Phantasy Star II, shift costs 5 TP to cast. It increases the user's attack stat by 20 for the duration of the battle.
Repeated uses of shift stack.
Anna is the only player character who can use shift. She learns shift at level 8.
Phantasy Star IV[]
In Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium, shift costs 7 TP to cast. It increases a selected party member's strength stat by an amount equal to the user's mental stat for the duration of the battle.
Alys and Rika are the only player characters who can use shift. Alys already knows shift when she joins the party. Rika learns shift at level 19.
Phantasy Star Online series[]
Phantasy Star Online[]
When cast, shifta grants the caster with the shifta effect, which provides a bonus to ATP. The bonus is dependent on the base ATP level (as shifta boosts according to a set percent per technique level, rather than a set amount) and shifta's technique level. Starting at level 3, shifta will also provide the boost to anyone within its range; this range increases with technique level.
Shifta will wear off over time, requiring re-casting. At higher levels, shifta's effect will last longer.
Shifta is the direct opposite of jellen. A higher level shifta will override a lower-level jellen, whereas a lower level shifta will be canceled out in the face of a higher-leveled jellen.
One of the special effects available to mags is the ability to cast shifta and deband on their owners.
In the Dreamcast versions, shifta is available to all classes except androids. In newer versions, HUmars are also unable to use shifta, but FOmars and FOmarls get doubled range.
Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution[]
- See also: Action Cards in PSO Episode III
Shifta has an obtainable card in Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution. It can be obtained from card booster packs. The rate of obtaining it will depend on the player's card level when opening the packs, with higher levels having a higher chance of obtaining rarer cards.
Some ability descriptions may have been modified from their listing in-game in order to clarify their usage.
| Card # | Picture | Resistance color | Combo color left Cost Combo color right |
Rarity | HP | AP | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | TP | MV | |||||
| #365 | 
|
Shifta | ▬▬▬▬ ◌◌◌◌◌●● |
R1 | — | +1 | 
|
| — | — | ||||||
|
———————————Multiple target attack
| |||||||
Phantasy Star Online 2[]
- Main article: Shifta (Phantasy Star Online 2)
Shifta is an attack buffing support technique in Phantasy Star Online 2. Only characters with force or techter as their current class or sub-class can use techniques.
| Character Classes | HUmar - HUnewearl - HUcast - HUcaseal - RAmar - RAmarl - RAcast - RAcaseal - FOmar - FOmarl - FOnewm - FOnewearl |
|---|---|
| Important Characters | Alicia Baz - Ash - Bernie - Calus - Elenor Camuel - Elly Person - Heathcliff Flowen - Kireek - Montague - Red Ring Rico - Rupika - Sue - Ult |
| Locations | Pioneer II - Forest - Caves - Mines - Ruins The Lab - VR Temple - VR Spaceship - Central Control Area - Seabed Crater - Subterranean Desert |
| Weapons | Sabers - Swords - Daggers - Partisans - Slicers - Handguns - Rifles - Mechguns - Shots - Canes - Wands - Rods Katanas - Claws - Double Sabers - Twin Swords - Fists - Launchers - Cards |
| Items | Weapons - Frames & Armour - Units - Barriers & Shields - Mags - Support Items |
| Techniques | Foie - Zonde - Barta - Gifoie - Gizonde - Gibarta - Rafoie - Razonde - Rabarta - Grants - Megid Resta - Anti - Reverser - Shifta - Deband - Jellen - Zalure - Ryuker |