Final Fantasy XVI is the first full-on action-RPG in the long-running series, with the core of the game’s combat being the Eikons — elementally-themed sets of spells, which you can switch between on the fly. If you’d like to know more about how battles in Final Fantasy XVI work, you can check out our full combat guide here, but in this article, we’re going to focus on the Eikonic Abilities you absolutely need to unlock.
Final Fantasy XVI gives you a good amount of freedom to unlock and upgrade Eikonic Abilities as you see fit. Different abilities will suit different playstyles and tastes. That said, there are certain Eikonic Abilities you really need to unlock as early as you can if you want to take full advantage of the game’s combat and mechanics. Here are five Eikonic Abilities you really can’t do without…
Limit Break (Ifrit) – Limit Break is one of Final Fantasy XVI’s key mechanics and crucial to coming out on top in tough fights. Once your Limit Break meter has filled a set amount, you can activate it by pressing the left and right analog sticks together, boosting your damage, speed, and healing you for a limited amount of time. Upgrading Limit Break will add extra blocks to your meter, allowing you to use Limit Break for longer (you can eventually get up to four blocks). Needless to say, upgrading Limit Break is something you’re going to want to do as soon as you’re able.
Ignition (Ifrit) – Mobility is an important aspect of Final Fantasy XVI’s combat, and while there are several ways to close the gap between you and the enemy, one of the best methods is Ignition. This ability turns you into a fiery projectile that can charge around the arena, doing damage to everything in your way. Best of all, you have full control of your movement while using Ignition (unlike Phoenix Shift, which automatically zaps you toward the nearest enemy).
Deadly Embrace (Garuda) – Deadly Embrace is one of the most versatile abilities in the game, allowing you grapple onto smaller enemies and pull them in close for combos, yank flying enemies out of the sky, and topple bosses once you’ve reduced their Will Gauge by half. Upgrade this one early to maximize your grappling range.
Precision Dodge – Precision Dodge is crucial to your success in Final Fantasy XVI, allowing you to evade pretty much anything then follow up with a counter-attack if you timed things properly. Upgrading Precision Dodge increases the timing window for pulling off successful Precision Dodges.
Flames of Rebirth (Phoenix) – This is the most expensive of the Phoenix’s abilities, but it’s definitely worth unlocking and adding to your regular roster of Abilities. All the Eikons have one particularly powerful ability, and most of them just do a bunch of screen-clearing damage. Flames of Rebirth does this, but it also refills some of your health (the only ability other than Limit Break to do this) so it can be a real difference-maker.
There you have it – a few Eikonic Abilities you really need to invest in. That said, don’t worry, Final Fantasy XVI allows you to revert any ability you’ve unlocked and get a full refund on your Ability Points. So, you can mix, match, and experiment as you see fit. Maybe you’ll find your own “can’t do without” abilities!
Final Fantasy XVI is out now on PS5. You can check out Wccftech’s other Final Fantasy XVI guides here.
