Defensive spells (Deban/Warla/Blessing/Barrier)

There are four defensive spells in the game: Deban (Rika), Warla (Kyra), Blessing (Raja) and Energy Barrier (Demi/Wren).

Are they identical? It both reduces damages from both physical and magical attacks but I always have the feeling that the android Barrier gives more against magic than the others and Deban/Warla/Blessing (which I think are identical) give slightly more protection against normal attacks. Or is that just me seeing things and are they identical?

Maybe each does something different depending on who uses it. I've never really tried but Wrens could be stronger against mechanical units, while Kyra and Raja against magic, and Rika against regular attacks. That makes the most sense to me. No clue...

It always seemed to be that the barrier the androids put up was to defend specifically against magic, which makes sense when you consider that Demi and Wren take a lot of damage from magic. The other three seemed to defend against more...physical oriented attacks, for lack of better term.

Some techniques were based on magic (esper skills), like "Foi" (tech) was based on "Flaeli" (skill). The same could have happened with "Deban" (technique) and "Warla" (esper skill)... which relates even more Rika with the espers.

Energy barrier is what cagedwolf said. Blessing... blessing is also "magic", isn't it? What's the difference between espers and dezo magic? Were espers originally palmans who learned 'magic' from dezolians? I mean, Elsydeon (an "esper" sword) also performs dezolian's "Holyword", dezolian's "Miracle" is the "sar" version of esper's "Medice" and dezolian's "Saint Fire" is just the opposite of DF corrosion.

I think what was said here is correct because, until the end we only have these possible combinations of characters:

Rika
Rika, Demi
Rika, Wren
Rika, Wren, Raja
Rika, Wren, Kyra

Notice that like demi and wren never met (their defense protection is the same), raja and kyra also never met (we can conclude their defense spells have the same effect as well). Rika on the other hand needs TP to perform it, so having kyra/raja can spare the precious TP. (in short, no redudancies)

Don't forget we can have Rika, Wren, Demi at the end of the game.

But anyway, I also thought Barrier was for protection from techs/skills and Deban was protection from physical attacks. I never really paid much attention to Warla or Blessing because I couldn't remember what they were supposed to do. Jubily's explanation on those sounds good to me, though.

Thank you for the spoilers.
I'm kidding. I meant to say 'until the story can be predestined'. After that it's our non canonical choice.

Well, it seems most of you think what I think, android barrier helps more against magic while the others help more against physical attacks. When I I have Kyra or Raja, I always use their skill to put a barrier, otherwise Rika will have to wait two turns before she can attack (having to cast Saner and Deban).

If Raja or Kyra are in the party, I never have Rika use Deban. Raja's Blessing and Kyra's Warla provide better protection, since their mental stat is higher and that determines how much the defense is raised.

Barrier, however, I have always assumed that it protects against magic damage.

I never used Rika's Deban simply because Kyra or Raja can use it in the same turn as Rika uses Saner, so it saves me a turn. I never contemplated the fact that their higher mental status provided a more effective barrier.

Whenever I go out to look for sandworms, I do it when I have Kyra--that way, I can have her and Rune perform Blizzard, leaving Chaz to freely do Crosscut. That leaves me with Rika to do Deban on the first round. (I don't use Saner with sandworms, because they're slow anyway. ._.)

I'm not sure if I recall correctly, but one time, I decided to have Rika use Doubleslash instead. The sandworm casted Earthquake, and the damage was around the 100's! That was without Deban. With it, it's about 10's, I think. But as I said, I'm not sure. ^^;