Final Fantasy 16: The Best Abilities to Unlock When Starting Out

Some of Final Fantasy 16’s best abilities are the ones that you’ll unlock early on in the game, and they’re the ones you’ll be using the most in the long run. These abilities can be unlocked and mastered through Clive’s skill tree in the game using Ability Points.

If you’re new to the game, you might be overwhelmed by the number of abilities that can be unlocked. Remember that not all of them are useful, and some are much better than others, so you should unlock the ones that will not only help you early on but later too.

Here are the best abilities that should be unlocked early on in Final Fantasy 16:

6. Flames of Rebirth

5. Downthrust

4. Stomp

3. Charged Magic

2. Burning Blade

1. Swift Recovery[1] 

Barring Flames of Rebirth, the other abilities don’t require much Ability Points to unlock as they’re relatively cheaper. With that being said, let’s get into the details of what these abilities offer and why they’re worth unlocking.

6. Flames of Rebirth (1695 AP)

Flames of Rebirth is one of the best abilities that can be unlocked early in the game. It creates a huge wave of fire around Clive, which not only inflicts massive damage on enemies but also partially heals him in the process.

The reason it ranks last on the list is because it’s very expensive and its cooldown time is significantly long. But when it’s available for unlocking, it’s absolutely worth purchasing, as it’s one of the only skills that can both damage enemies in great range and heal Clive.

5. Downthrust (30 AP)

Downthrust is another useful aerial ability that can be used to slice down enemies from the air by pressing X and square together.

It’s a high-damage aerial attack and combining it with Stomp can be a killer combo dealing even more damage from a higher aerial distance. If timed perfectly, you can also parry enemies on the ground by using Downthrust in the air.

4. Stomp (15 AP)

Stomp allows Clive to kick and jump off enemies using X in the air, making them vulnerable to aerial attacks and combos. This ability has great combo potential for players to use to their advantage.

The primary aim of this ability is to jump away from enemies, increasing the strength and height of the jump, and then performing aerial combos. Even if you prefer staying on the ground during combat for the most part, it’s still a great combo starter.

3. Charged Magic (20 AP)

Charged Magic is basically an upgraded version of the Magic Burst skill but much more powerful. By holding triangle, players will be able to shoot a charged magic blast.

If you don’t want to use the close quarter Burning Blade ability and instead prefer to use something ranged, then this is a great alternative. It’s powerful, doesn’t take much time to charge up, and it can be used from a long distance.

2. Burning Blade (25 AP)

Burning Blade is a useful ability that enables Clive to charge up his blade and unleash a powerful fire attack, dealing a large amount of damage to enemies. The blade can be charged up by holding down square.

This attack is balanced as it takes some time to charge up the blade. But you can use this ability to your advantage by using it as a combat opener. Charge your blade up before entering combat holding square, and then demolish your enemies as soon as the battle begins.

1. Swift Recovery (10 AP)

Swift Recovery is the best and most useful skill when starting out in the game. It allows Clive to get back into the fight after getting knocked down by an enemy as quickly as possible by simply pressing R1.

It’s very cheap, which is why you should unlock it first. When Clive gets knocked down, he takes some time to get up, leaving him vulnerable to attacks. This ability will allow him to instantly get back on his feet and join the fight, avoiding damage.

These are the abilities that you should unlock early in the game. The combat system is super in-depth, and as you keep progressing, newer and more powerful abilities will unlock. But for now, focus on unlocking the above-mentioned ones to have an edge in combat from the beginning of the game.

About Final Fantasy XVI

Final Fantasy XVI is an upcoming action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. The sixteenth main instalment in the Final Fantasy series is scheduled for release on June 22, 2023 for the PlayStation 5 as a timed exclusive. The game will feature segmented open environments and an action-based combat system involving melee and magic-based attacks. There are also recurring series features, including Chocobos, and summoned monsters called Eikons, fought as bosses and used through channelling their power in combat.