Final Fantasy XVI (FF16) - Best Abilities to Unlock and Master

Best abilities to unlock and master guide for Final Fantasy XVI (FF16), including recommended Clive action and combat skills to get, best Eikon Abilities and Eikonic Feats to learn and level up, each ability's effects, reason (details) for unlocking, and other useful tips.

Final Fantasy XVI (FF16) - Best Abilities

Best Abilities to Unlock and Master Guide for Final Fantasy XVI (FF16)

Best Action Abilities to Unlock (Non Eikon)

Ability Name Description Details
Swift Recovery Use R1 to recover immediately after being knocked back or down by an enemy. Allows you to quickly recover from being knocked away and prepare for the enemy’s follow-up attack.
Priority ★★★★★
Lunge Use x + □ to swiftly close in and attack a distant enemy. Useful dash attack. Can be used to quickly close the gap and begin combos at close range.
Priority ★★★★
Downthrust Use x + □ while in the air to slice down. Essential air combo ender that does increased damage (Extreme Downthrust) the higher the height you descend from.
Priority ★★★★
Charged Magic Hold △ to increase the potency of a magic spell. Release to cast. Strong ranged damage option, especially when up against bosses that hit hard at closer range. Can also lift enemies higher after they have been launched in the air. Shortened charge time when upgraded.
Priority ★★★★
Burning Blade Hold □ to imbue Clive’s blade with fire. Release to unleash a powerful attack. Useful guard break attack. Can also launch enemies in the air (when used while jumping) for extended combos. Shortened charge time when upgraded.
Priority ★★★

Best Eikon Abilities to Unlock

Recommended Phoenix Abilities

Ability Name Description Details
Phoenix Shift Use the Blessing of the Phoenix to close the gap between a target. Both melee attacks and magicked shots can be dealt while shifting. Extremely useful mobility skill. Can be used to quickly close the gap and pursue enemies on the ground or in the air (leads to air combos).
Priority ★★★★★
Rising Flames Summon a fiery wing that deals damage and can launch lighter enemies into the air. Useful launcher move against regular enemies. Relatively quick to come out and has short cooldown time.
Priority ★★★★★
Scarlet Cyclone Spin quickly, creating a ring of fire that burns all enemies in range. Useful crowd control move when surrounded. Makes it easy to accumulate Limit Break gauge when it hits multiple enemies.
Priority ★★★★★
Flames of Rebirth Summon a massive pillar of fire that burns all enemies caught within the flames, while also partially restoring Clive’s HP. Useful AoE skill with added support effects for survivability. Strong against regular enemies, allowing you to end encounters quickly.
Priority ★★★★

Recommended Garuda Abilities

Ability Name Description Details
Gouge Summon twin claws that relentlessly tear at a target. Can be used in midair Versatile multi-hit attack which can be used for extended combos on the ground or in the air. Very good for causing stagger against bosses.
Priority ★★★★★
Wicked Wheel Perform a rising attack, striking all enemies within range and lifting them from the ground. Can be used in midair. Useful launcher move against regular enemies. Relatively quick to come out and has short cooldown time.
Priority ★★★★
Deadly Embrace Send a grappling claw out to grab an enemy and pull it toward Clive. Grappling heavier enemies will launch Clive into the air. Versatile grapple move to pull in small enemies towards Clive (from the ground or in the air). Allows you to activate Deadly Takedown against bosses who are at 50% Will (stagger gauge).
Priority ★★★
Aerial Blast Summon a tornado that slowly hunts down nearby enemies and, upon ensnaring them, inflicts multiple hits. Good AoE attack that pursues enemies to deal continuous damage. Suffers from long cooldown and can somewhat obscure your view of the enemy.
Priority ★★★

Recommended Ifrit Abilities

Ability Name Description Details
Limit Break Use L3 + R3 when the Limit Break gauge is filled to semi-prime, improving battle performance for a short period of time. Extremely versatile ability for increased damage output and survivability (via HP regen). Best used when enemy is at full Takedown state.
Priority ★★★★★
Will o’ the Wykes Summon a storm of fireballs that circle about Clive, damaging nearby targets, while also absorbing damage. Extremely versatile ability that can be used both offensively and defensively.
Priority ★★★★
Ignition Attack while charging, inflicting multiple hits and forcing the enemy back. Can be used in midair. Rush attack that constantly damages targets. Direction can be controlled while activated.
Priority ★★★

Recommended Ramuh Abilities

Ability Name Description Details
Thunderstorm Call forth a powerful thunderstorm that rains multiple bolts of lightning down a target. Strong single-target damage ability with relatively short cooldown.
Priority ★★★★
Pile Drive Drive Ramuh’s staff into the ground, electrifying all enemies within a radius of the strike. Very good crowd control ability given its effect radius. Useful in random battles against regular enemies.
Priority ★★★★
Judgement Bolt Summon from the heavens a mighty levinbolt that deals massive damage to a single target. Strong single-target damage ability. Has good balance of high attack power and will damage (for staggering enemies).
Priority ★★★

Recommended Titan Abilities

Ability Name Description Details
Windup Punch forward. Hold button to wind up attack, further increasing potency. Deals very high single-target damage in the game and has short cooldown.
Priority ★★★★★
Titan Block Block enemy attacks. When a guard is timed perfectly, □ can be used to launch up to three counterattacks. Essential survivability option as it can nullify various attacks. Extremely useful on NG+ and other hard content.
Priority ★★★★★
Upheaval Slam a fist to the ground, dealing damage to all enemies within range. Hold button to increase range. Can be used in midair. Powerful ranged attack that can be used on the ground and in the air. Excellent at dealing with multiple enemies, allowing you to quickly end random encounters.
Priority ★★★★
Earthen Fury Drive both hands into the ground, causing the land to surge upwards, sending nearby enemies flying. Good multi-target attack that covers a wide area (but mostly hits enemies in front of you).
Priority ★★★

Recommended Bahamut Abilities

Ability Name Description Details
Gigaflare Fire a massive beam of overcharged light that burns any enemy it hits. Very high damage long-range beam attack. The shot is fired in a straight line that can be aimed which is not very suitable for enemies that are scattered around the area.
Priority ★★★★
Satellite Summon multiple light-aspect familiars that attack any enemy on which Clive uses magic. Good for dealing with enemies from a distance using magic.
Priority ★★★

Recommended Shiva Abilities

Ability Name Description Details
Cold Snap Slide effortlessly across the ground in any direction. Attacking with □ while sliding can temporarily freeze enemies. Extremely versatile move which can be used both offensively (freeze enemies) and evasively. Very useful on NG+ and other difficulty content.
Priority ★★★★★
Diamond Dust Summon a winter storm that freezes enemies in place within a radius before dealing massive ice damage and knocking them back. Strong AoE move with impressive attack power and Will damage (for staggering enemies).
Priority ★★★★
Ice Age Unleash a river of icicles that greatly knocks back any enemies it strikes. Hold button to increase potency. Good forward-hitting move with very good damage. Knocks away most regular enemies on hit.
Priority ★★★

Recommended Odin Abilities

Ability Name Description Details
Arm of Darkness Replace Clive’s current weapon with Odin’s blade. Landing abilities with the Arm of Darkness fills the Zantetsuken gauge. Hold □ to execute Zantetsuken. Boasts the best attack power out of all Eikonic Feats. Essential for building up Zantetsuken gauge.
Priority ★★★★★
Heaven’s Cloud Surge forward to strike an enemy. Can be executed multiple times in succession if previous hit lands. Each hit landed fills the Zantetsuken gauge Essential move for quickly filling up the Zantetsuken gauge while attacking enemies in rapid succession.
Priority ★★★★
Dancing Steel Summon a second blade and unleash a flurry of attacks. Each hit landed significantly fills the Zantetsuken gauge. Essential move for quickly filling up the Zantetsuken gauge while attacking enemies in a flurry of slashes.
Priority ★★★★
Rift Slip Use to recover immediately from any ability or action. Extremely versatile action recovery skill. Can be used to tighten your offense or stop immediately to change your approach in battle with the reduced recovery frames.
Priority ★★★★

Best Combat Abilities to Master

Ability Name Details Required AP to Master
Precision Dodge Extended active window for Precision Dodge makes it easier to time the move. 500
Magic Burst Extended active window for Magic Burst makes it easier to time the move. 300

Best Eikon Abilities to Master

Ability Name Details Required AP to Master
Limit Break (Ifrit) Extremely versatile ability for increased damage output and survivability (via HP regen). 2,000
Windup (Titan) Deals very high single-target damage in the game and has short cooldown. 1,000
Rift Slip (Odin) Extremely versatile action recovery skill. Can be used to tighten your offense or stop immediately to change your approach in battle with the reduced recovery frames. 1,000
Thunderstorm (Ramuh) Strong single-target damage ability with relatively short cooldown. 1,000
Will o’ the Wykes (Ifrit) Extremely versatile ability that can be used both offensively and defensively. 1,000

Best Eikonic Feats to Master

Ability Name Details Required AP to Master
Phoenix Shift Extremely useful mobility skill. Can be used to quickly close the gap and pursue enemies on the ground or in the air (leads to air combos). 375
Arm of Darkness Boasts the best attack power out of all Eikonic Feats. Essential for building up Zantetsuken gauge. 5,000

Other FF16 Guides

FF16 Walkthrough

▼FF16 Walkthroughs
Main Quest Walkthrough
Post-Game Unlockables

FF16 Useful Guides

▼FF16 System Settings Guides
Recommended Gameplay Settings
▼FF16 Ability Guides
Best Abilities to Unlock and Master Mastering Abilities Guide
How to Respec Ability Points Abilities List
Eikon Abilities List and Guide
▼FF16 Beginner (New Game) Guides
Permanent Events and Missable Features Early Game Guide
Tips for Combat and Recommended Combos Letting Off Steam 1: Should You Choose Otto or Gav?
Letting Off Steam III: Should You Choose Jill or Tarja? Active Lore Guide
How to Sprint What Happens If You Get a Game Over?
How to Check Total Play Time What Happens When You Buy Everyone A Round at the Tub & Crown?
Vivian's Reports Guide Arete Stone Guide
▼FF16 Combat Guides
Will Gauge and Takedown Guide How to Do Precision Dodge
How to Parry and Useful Tips Limit Break Guide
How to Switch Lock-On Target Torgal Guide
How to Jump Cancel How to Do Shift Strike
How to Do Shift Shot How to Get High Scores in Arcade Mode
How to Do Punish How to Defeat Guarding Enemies
How to Do Magic Burst How to Do Precision Sic
How to Deal 50,000 Damage During Takedown
▼FF16 Unlockable Features Guides
Post-Game Unlockables Guide New Game Plus (NG+) Guide
How to Unlock Ultimaniac Difficulty All Chronolith Trials Locations and Guide
How to Raise Level Cap to 100
▼FF16 Collectibles Guides
Letters List Signboard Curiosities List
Upgrade Curiosities List Curiosities List and Locations
Patron’s Whisper Guide and Rewards How to Get Medal of Valor
All Orchestrion Roll Locations
▼FF16 Recommended Equipment Guides
Best Weapons Best Accessories
How to Get Gotterdammerung How to Get Ultima Weapon
▼FF16 Rare Materials Guides
How to Get Orichalcum How to Get Darksteel
How to Get Primitive Battlehorn How to Use Utterance of Creation
How to Get Ragnarok How to Get Flawless Darksteel
How to Get Flawless Battlehorn
▼FF16 Side Quests and Hunts Guides
Side Quests List Hunt Board Quests List (Notorious Marks)
▼FF16 Other How-To Guides
How to Fast Travel How to Upgrade Potions
How to Get a Chocobo
▼FF16 Farming Guides
Gil (Money) Farming Guide Ability Points (AP) Farming Guide
Fast Leveling Guide

FF16 Eikon Guides

▼FF16 Eikon Guides
Eikon Summon List and Guides
Phoenix Ifrit
Garuda Shiva
Bahamut Titan
Ramuh Odin
Titan Lost Typhon

FF16 Basic Information

▼FF16 Basic Information
Main Characters List of Voice Actors
Is the Game Coming to PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch? Pre-Order Bonuses and Game Editions
PS5 Console Bundle Contents and Price Will the Game Have DLC?
Game Controls Game Difficulty Guide
How Long to Beat Does the Game Have Multiplayer?
How to Check and Increase your Stats Party System Guide
How to Adjust Screen Brightness How to Claim Pre-Order Bonuses
Does the Game Have Multiple Endings? Photo Mode Guide
What are Dominants? Visual Alerts Guide
What are Bearers? Is Leviathan in the Game?
Can You Replay Cutscenes? Can You Change Outfits?
Metacritic Score and Review Summary

FF16 Game Database

▼FF16 Game Database
Weapons List Belts List
Vambraces List Accessories List
Items List Crafting Materials List
Trophies and Achievements List Enemies List
Bosses List

FF16 Forum

▼FF16 Forum
Chat Board Question Board
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