Final Fantasy 16: Best Abilities to Unlock First

Having the best Final Fantasy 16 abilities can turn your character, Clive Rosfield, into an absolute powerhouse. From vicious lunging strikes to aerial juggles, you’ll be able to go toe to toe with many opponents. Our FF16 best abilities guide focuses on what you’ll want to pick for the early-game experience.

The Best Early-Game Abilities to Unlock in Final Fantasy 16

When it comes to the best early-game abilities in Final Fantasy 16, we have to look into those that aren’t unlocked by default. While a select few are already good in their own right, there are those that require you to spend a few skill points. Don’t worry, though, because the game has a fairly simple respec mechanic.

With that in mind, these are the best early-game FF16 abilities to unlock at a glance. I go into further detail about each of them below:

• Swift Recovery
• Stomp
• Downthrust
• Heatwave

Swift Recovery

Swift Recovery tops the list of the best early-game FF16 abilities to unlock because of how necessary it is. It allows Clive to quickly stand back up whenever he’s knocked down. Make no mistake, this will happen quite often when you’re battling large or hard-hitting foes. As such, being able to recover quickly so you can evade and attack your opponent’s next moves is rather beneficial.

Stomp

I consider Stomp to be one of the best Final Fantasy 16 abilities to unlock early on. This move lets you press X when facing a foe, which then causes Clive to jump straight up. For one thing, it can sometimes help if you want to avoid ground-based attacks. Likewise, it’s worth using if you want another means of starting an air juggle.

Downthrust

Speaking of Stomp, there’s also Downthrust. This is a similar mechanic done by pressing the X and Square buttons simultaneously while you’re in mid-air. You can try something, such as Stomp, followed by aerial slashes, then Downthrust, creating your own neat combo.

Heatwave

Lastly, I should note that it’s going to take a few hours until you get your other Eikon abilities. At the start of the game, you’ve only got Phoenix-based skills. While Phoenix Shift, Rising Flames, and Scarlet Cyclone are available by default, you can also grab Heatwave and assign it to an action slot. This causes a flame that flies outward in an arc, often covering a wide area. It’s ideal for battles where most enemies are arrayed against you in one location.

And that’s it. That’s everything you need to know about the best abilities to unlock early in Final Fantasy 16. For more tips and strategies, you can visit our FF16 guides hub.