Best Abilities to Unlock and Master First

This is a guide to the best Eikon and combat abilities you can unlock and master in Final Fantasy 16 (FF16). Check out our guide to learn about all the best abilities in FF16, including their unlock priority as well as how to learn and master abilities in-game.

Best Combat Abilities

Recommended Ability Learn Priority

Ability	Rating / Explanation
Lunge	★★★★★ ・Useful for closing distance ・Can be followed up with a Magic Burst
Swift Recovery	★★★★★ ・Cheap to learn and leaves you less vulnerable after getting knocked down
Downthrust	★★★★★ ・Can be used in combos ・Can be followed up with a Magic Burst
Charged Magic	★★★★☆ ・High damage potential
Burning Blade	★★★☆☆ ・Can break an enemy's guard ・Launches enemies when activated midair
Stomp	★★☆☆☆ ・There are only a handful of situations to use this
Taunt	★☆☆☆☆ ・Little to no situations to Taunt enemies

We recommend learning Downthrust and Lunge as they can easily chain into combos. Swift Recovery lets you recover quickly after getting knocked down.

Learn All Normal Abilities

Clive's normal abilities can be used at any time, and most of them require a small amount of ability points to learn, so you can go ahead and learn all of it! Since Stomp and Taunt are rarely used, you can opt to not learn them and use the ability points to learn or master other skills.

Don't worry about learning new skills since ability points can be refunded! Try and mix up skills to do tricks and techniques to make your combat experience a lot easier!

Abilities Recommended to Master

Ability	Rating / Explanation
Precision Dodge	★★★★★ ・Easier to execute ・Improves survivability during boss battles
Magic Burst	★★★★★ ・Becomes easier to input ・Use to defeat enemies quickly
Lunge	★★★★☆ ・Increased damage and range makes it more useful
Burning Blade	★★★★☆ ・Charge time is reduced ・Easy to use in combos
Charged Magic	★★★★☆ ・Reduced charge time makes it valuable in boss battles
Downthrust	★★★☆☆ ・Increased damage and range
Stomp	★★☆☆☆ ・Can be used with a mastered Downthrust

Upgrading Precision Dodge is highly recommended to make Clive less susceptible to damage. Improving Magic Burst makes it easier to deal plenty of damage.

Master All Eventually

Make sure to farm enough Ability Points to master all combat abilities. This allows you to deal more damage improves the abilities after each upgrade.

Mastering all abilities also rewards you with the Masterclass gold trophy.

Trophy Guide: How to Get Platinum

Best Eikon Abilities

Best Phoenix Abilities

Feat	Rating / Explanation
Phoenix Shift	★★★★★ ・Increases distance covered when mastered
Ability	Rating / Explanation
Flames of Rebirth	★★★★★ ・Increases the range the attack can reach and amount of HP restored
Rising Flames	★★★★★ ・Quick and easy to use ・Can be chained to combos ・Has a small range, and is good to use in bosses
Scarlet Cyclone	★★★★★ ・Blocks projectiles when activated ・Easy to decrease the enemy's will gauge ・Activating this while being attacked reduces the cooldown
Heatwave	★★★★☆ ・Flames penetrate and hit multiple enemies ・Skill has far reach and can be used as a ranged attack ・Blocking enemy projectiles increases damage and reduces cooldown

Prioritize Mastering Flames of Rebirth

Flames of Rebirth requires a high amount of ability points to master, and we recommend saving up ability points for this ability first.

Once you've mastered the Flames of Rebirth, switch it out between the two skills depending on the situation. Keep Rising Flames for boss battles, and keep Scarlet Cyclone for battles with multiple enemies.

Phoenix Summon Guide and How to Unlock

Best Garuda Abilities

Feat	Rating / Explanation
Deadly Embrace	★★★★☆ ・Mastering this extends the skill's reach
Ability	Rating / Explanation
Aerial Blast	★★★★★ ・Wide-ranged attack that follows enemies ・Use this to reduce enemy's will gauge faster
Gouge	★★★★★ ・Continuous attacks where number of attacks depend on button presses ・Easy to reduce an enemy's will gauge ・Useful in increasing the damage multiplier on staggered enemies
Wicked Wheel	★★★★☆ ・Launches Enemies in the air and attacks them ・Easy to chain combos with
Rook's Gambit	★★★☆☆ ・Jumps back and attacks enemies ・Evaded enemy attacks when jumped back increases the damage of the couterattack ・Ineffective when not used for evading attacks

Abilities Excel in Reducing Huge Amounts in the Enemy's Will Gauge

Garuda's abilities excel in chipping off huge chunks of an enemy's will gauge, especially Gouge and Aerial Blast, because of the amount of hits it can deal.

The best strategy to do is to use Garuda's abilities to reduce the enemy's will gauge to 0, then switch to Phoenix's abilities to deal huge amounts of damage once the enemy is staggered.

Garuda Summon Guide and How to Unlock

Best Ifrit Abilities

Ability	Rating / Explanation
Will o' the Wykes	★★★★☆ ・Summons fireballs that spin around Clive, damaging enemies that touch it ・Negates damage two times ・Better used when matched with Ramuh's Lightning Rod
Ignition	★★★☆☆ ・Rushes forward while cloaked in flames ・Can drag along multiple enemies ・The direction can be adjusted
Limit Break	★★★☆☆ ・Gauge increases to 4 ・Increases damage as gauge increases

Ifrit's Abilities can be equipped with Phoenix

Ifrit's abilities can be unlocked later on once you complete the Buried Memories main story quest. These abilities can be used alongside Phoenix's abilities to deal large amounts of damage when an enemy is staggered.

Ifrit Summon Guide and How to Unlock

Best Ramuh Abilities

Feat	Rating / Explanation
Blind Justice	★★☆☆☆ ・Increases the number of lightning bolts when mastered
Ability	Rating / Explanation
Lightning Rod	★★★★★ ・Summons a ball of lightning that discharges when attacked ・Ideal to summon near staggered enemies ・Increased discharge damage when attacked by enemies ・Cast Will o' the Wykes to continuously discharge the ball
Judgment Bolt	★★★★☆ ・Simple and powerful skill to use to staggered enemies
Pile Drive	★★★★☆ ・Deals an AoE attack near you. ・Knocks back enemies and that can be followed up with punishes
Thunderstorm	★★★★☆ ・Continuous lightning attack with a long cast time ・Can be casted while near an enemy to launch them midair with the wand, and getting damaged while casting

Recommended Moves that Deals High Damage to Staggered Enemies

Ramuh's abilities are effective against staggered enemies, especially the Lightning Rod. Summon one near a staggered enemy then hit both the enemy and the lightning rod. Hitting the lightning rod releases a chain of electricity that deals damage to nearby enemies.

Judgment Bolt is also a high-damaging skill and deals lots of damage to staggered enemies, especially when the damage multiplier is at its highest. We recommend using the two skills to dish out powerful attacks to staggered foes.

Ramuh Summon Guide and How to Unlock

Best Titan Abilities

Feat	Rating / Explanation
Titanic Block	★★☆☆☆ ・Fills up the limit break gauge higher when blocking if mastered
Ability	Rating / Explanation
Windup	★★★★★ ・High-Damaging Ability ・Hold button until the wheel reaches red for a stronger damage
Upheaval	★★★★★ ・Hold button until the wheel reaches red to increase damage output ・An AoE skill that can be casted on the ground and in midair
Raging Fists	★★★★☆ ・Continuous attacks where number of attacks depend on button presses ・Blocking an enemy attack with this skill will deal more and stronger punches
Earthen Fury	★★★☆☆ ・Has a wide-ranged attack casted forward

The Damage Greatly Depends on a Successful Charge Up

There is a wheel upon activating Windup and Upheaval, where you can hold the skill button until reaching the end of the wheel to deal more damage. You can also release the button when the wheel reaches the red part, to deal maximum damage to enemies.

Damage drops drastically when you fail to charge up the wheel so be sure to check it when using Titan's abilities that require it!

Titan Summon Guide and How to Unlock

Best Bahamut Abilities

Feat	Rating / Explanation
Wings of Light	★★★☆☆ ・Increases the Mega Flare gauge when mastered ・Recommended to use against mobs, while stunned by Impulse
Ability	Rating / Explanation
Gigaflare	★★★★★ ・Blasts a very powerful beam forward ・Can change the beam's direction to target other foes
Impulse	★★★☆☆ ・Fires bolts that continuously attacks enemies until it explodes ・Can be used to stop small enemies from doing any actions
Flare Breath	★★☆☆☆ ・Breath out multi-hitting flares useful in grouping together enemies ・You can move while this is being casted
Satellite	★★☆☆☆ ・Summons a magic ball that responds to Clive's attacks ・Additional damage works well in combos

Focus on Giga Flare's Damage Output

Giga Flare is the best ability to use from all of Bahamut's abilities. Focus in mastering other Eikon abilities to equip them to Bahamut along with its all-powerful Giga Flare.

Bahamut Summon Guide and How to Unlock

Best Shiva Abilities

Feat	Rating / Explanation
Cold Snap	★★☆☆☆ ・Increases the freeze time of enemies when mastered
Ability	Rating / Explanation
Diamond Dust	★★★★★ ・Deals an AoE attack around you ・Can chip off an enemy's will gauge effectively
Mesmerize	★★★★☆ ・Pulls small enemies in all directions to Clive ・Useful in grouping enemies near Clive for easier combo executions ・Casts quickly and has low cooldown
Ice Age	★★★★☆ ・Hold button until the wheel reaches red to increase damage output and range ・Launches enemies and has a short cooldown
Rime	★★★☆☆ ・Summons a crystal dealing continuous damage at a fixed location ・Can trap enemies

Diamond Dust for Wide-Ranged Damage

Diamond Dust is a great ability for disposing groups of enemies, and it's also very useful in reducing enemies' will gauge effectively, making it an ability useful in every situation.

When using Shiva, it is best to keep Diamond Dust as the first ability, then switch between Mesmerize when fighting groups of enemies, and Ice Age when fighting bosses.

Shiva Summon Guide and How to Unlock

Best Odin Abilities

Feat	Rating / Explanation
Arm of Darkness	★★★★☆ ・Increases the maximum limit of the Zantetsuken gauge from 3 to 5 when mastered
Ability	Rating / Explanation
Dancing Steel	★★★★★ ・Summons another sword that slashes enemies multiple times and acts like a Limit Break but it doesn't fill your limit break gauge ・Cast time is long but worth it when casted and fills the Zantetsuken gauge ・The ability will fail if the first hit doesn't connect with an ememy.
Heaven’s Cloud	★★★★★ ・Slashes through enemies continuously with button presses when the first hit connects ・Fast cast time and fills the Zantetsuken gauge
Gungnir	★★★★☆ ・Continuous attack with button presses that fills the Zantetsuken gauge
Rift Slip	★★★☆☆ ・Slows down time for a short period of time upon activation ・Acts like an action reset that recovers Clive from an ability or attack ・Useful in positioning for executing combos well

Odin's Abilities fill the Zantetsuken Gauge

Using most of Odin's abilities will fill the Zantetsuken gauge found on the left side of the screen. Hold down the Square button when using the Arm of Darkness to deal a number of slashes in a wide area in front of Clive.

Using any of Odin's abilities will not fill the limit break gauge, and will fill the Zantetsuken gauge instead!

Odin Summon Guide and How to Unlock

How to Learn and Master Abilities

Use Ability Points to Learn and Master Skills in Abilities Menu

To learn a skill, you must first open the Abilities tab in the Menu. In the left corner of this screen, you'll be able to see the amount of your Ability Points, which you acquire by defeating enemies and completing quests.

Select the skill that you want to learn, make sure that you have enough Ability Points required, then hold the Learn button to get the skill. You can then press and hold the X Button to upgrade this further until you have mastered it.

AP Farming Guide

More Skills Are Unlocked As You Progress Through the Game

The skills you can see in the Abilities screen are limited to all the Eikons you have encountered in the game. To learn the skills from certain Eikons, you need to have encountered them in the game first.
Eikons Guide: All Eikons and How to Use

Skills can be Learned Automatically

If you can't decide what skill to learn or upgrade, you can simply let the game decide!

Go to the Abilities menu and press and hold the Left Thumbstick. Wait for the circle to fill up for the game to automatically recommend the abilities for you.

Does Mastery Increase Damage?

Some Mastered Abilities Raise Damage

Ability	Mastery Effect
Downthrust	Imbues blade with fire, increasing ability potency and range.
Lunge	Increases lunge distance. Ability potency increases with distance.
Blind Justice	Increases number of lock-ons.
Stomp	Increases maximum kicks to two.
Wings of Light	Increases maximum Megaflare level to 4.
Arm of Darkness	Increases maximum Zantetsuken level to 5.

The table above shows the only abilities that increase damage when mastered. Clive's abilities and Eikonic Feats don't have options for upgrading, unlike Eikon abilities, instead going straight to mastery. This is why mastering these abilities is best for improving damage.

All Eikonic Feats and How to Use

Mastered Eikon Abilites Can be Equipped on any Eikon

For most Eikon abilities, mastering lets you put the ability in another Eikon's ability slot. This opens up new combos to potentially raise damage output, as you're free to mix and match the abilities however you like. This doesn't apply to Eikonic Feats or Clive's abilities, as they cannot be interchanged with each other when mastered.

List of All Abilities and Skill Cooldowns

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