Finally, FF16 is out on the PC, and we figured the master race players would need beginner’s tips for Final Fantasy 16. This game franchise evolves some RPG elements with each new iteration, but this time, it took a massive detour and went the character action game route, akin to games like Devil May Cry.
With such a vast divergence, players who have played the older Final Fantasies may not grasp the changes in FF16. Allow us to guide you through the early stages of this new game, and you might end up liking it.
11. Utilize Timely Accessories
When you start the game, you can choose between two difficulty modes: Story-focused or Action-focused. No matter which one you pick, you’ll have access to special items called “Timely Accessories,” which can be found under the Gear and Eikons section. These unique trinkets help adjust the combat difficulty by providing Clive with automatic effects. These include:
- Ring of Timely Strikes: You can use complex ability combinations by mashing one button.
- Ring of Timely Evasion: You will evade attacks automatically.
- Ring of Timely Focus: With this equipped, time will slow down before an attack hits you, giving you time to evade.
- Ring of Timely Healing: When your HP drops to a certain level, you will automatically heal using Potions.
- Ring of Timely Assistance: You will command pets and companions automatically.
We strongly recommend using these accessories if you’re new to action games or need help with certain combat elements.
In the beginning, it’s totally fine to equip these Timely Accessories while you get the hang of the combat. As you advance, though, it’s a good idea to keep at least one equipped and swap the others out for different, more useful accessories.
However, be aware that some of these accessories have limitations. For instance, the Ring of Timely Evasion only works as long as Clive can still dodge certain attacks. So, choose wisely!
10. Don’t Miss Out On Side Quests
Side quests are a big deal in Final Fantasy 16. Not only do they give you extra lore and rewards, but they also unlock cool features, like being able to ride a Chocobo!
As you progress through the story, you’ll start seeing side quests pop up, especially once you reach The Hideaway.
They’re marked with a green icon on your world or area map, and new ones will continue to be added as you go deeper into the story. Check your map regularly for available side quests, visit nearby notice boards, and don’t forget to check your mail in Clive’s Room for more quests.
There are two types of side quests in FF16: generic and important. Generic ones are marked with a green exclamation point and usually give you basic objectives and rewards.
You don’t want to miss the important side quests marked with the green plus sign.
Completing these unlocks permanent upgrades, like increasing the potency of consumables, riding Chocobos, or boosting your Limit Break bars. Later in the game, you’ll start earning Renown points, and by collecting a certain amount, Clive can score donations like skills, items, and Ability Points. You can grab these rewards by visiting Desiree at the Patron’s Whisper.
9. Learn To Stagger Enemies Quickly
One of the best beginner’s tips for Final Fantasy 16 combat is learning how to stagger quickly. Staggering is THE most crucial mechanic in FF16 combat, especially when dealing with large enemies and bosses. You’ll notice a target’s stagger meter as a yellow bar beneath their health bar, split into two segments.
Breaking the first segment will briefly stun the target, but when you fully deplete the second segment, the enemy will be knocked to the ground with Staggered flashing over them.
At this time, the enemy will take extra damage while providing a free window to unleash a barrage of attacks and combos before they can recover. Once they’re back on their feet, the stagger meter resets, and you’ll need to repeat the process.
Your weapon and abilities are key to staggering an enemy quickly. Weapon stats and ability ratings (shown as stars) determine how effectively you can break their stagger meter. Prioritizing stagger over raw damage is smart since keeping the enemy staggered multiple times in a row means they can barely get a chance to attack.
As for Eikon’s abilities, Scarlet Cyclone is a solid choice for staggering enemies early in the game. Later, once you unlock more Eikons, Garuda’s Gouge and Aerial Blast are must-haves, while many of Titan’s abilities deliver heavy stagger damage.
Don’t forget that certain accessories can modify your abilities by boosting their damage or reducing cooldowns, so they’re worth considering for combat optimization.
8. Chaining Combos Mastery
You’ve got two basic attacks: a four-hit combo primary attack, and a ranged magical attack. The standard combo mixes melee and magic, alternating between the two and ending with a magic blast that can knock lighter enemies off their feet. To keep the pressure on, you can use Phoenix Shift to close the distance and then hit a Mortal Blow.
Timing is critical here, you can’t just mash the buttons. After pressing Square/X, there’s a slight delay as Clive swings his sword, giving you a window to follow up with magic, switch back to melee, and repeat the combo.
You can also cancel mid-combo into an Eikon ability by quickly pressing R2/RT. If you manage to launch enemies into the air, Phoenix Shift lets you teleport to them, allowing you to continue your combo mid-air.
When it comes to chaining combos, that’s where Torgal, your trusty canine companion, steps in. He has two basic moves: Sic, a ground-based melee attack, and Ravage, which tosses enemies into the air. You can use Torgal in various ways depending on your combos.
If you complete the four-hit melee combo, press up on the D-pad just as Clive lands the fourth hit. This turns Torgal’s Sic into a spinning attack that keeps the enemy in the air for a second, allowing Clive to follow up with an aerial combo or pull them in with Garuda’s Deadly Embrace for more ground attacks.
7. Practice In The Hall of Virtue
To perfect the techniques above, head to the Hall of Virtue, which you can access using the Arete Stone in The Hideaway. This practice room unlocks naturally as you progress through the story so you can’t miss out on it.
In the Hall of Virtue, you can tweak various combat parameters and choose which enemies to fight. It’s a great way to experiment with different abilities and see what combos work best, especially when learning to make the most of Torgal’s attacks.
While in the Hall of Virtue, you can access the training customization options by pressing the Touchpad/Select button. This includes things like toggling input display, Burst timing, adjusting enemy behaviors like aggro, and selecting different enemies to spar with. This makes it a perfect spot to practice without the pressure of actual combat.
If you want to test out your skills in actual gameplay without the risk of dying in the main campaign, you can always jump into Arcade Mode or Stage Replay, where you can revisit previously cleared areas and put your techniques to the test.
6. Early Best Eikons and Abilities
Let’s dive into the best Eikons and abilities to focus on early in Final Fantasy 16. For basic abilities, unlocking the following will give you a strong edge in combat:
- Charged Magic: Hold Triangle/Y to charge Clive’s magic attack, then release for a more powerful hit.
- Swift Recovery: Helps Clive recover quickly if knocked back or down by an enemy.
- Burning Blade: Imbues Clive’s sword with flames, dealing significant knockback damage.
- Lunge and Downthrust: These add aerial and grounded attack options, which are super useful for extending combos. You can cancel into these moves mid-combo and use them as per the situation.
You’ll start off with the blessing of the Phoenix, which will unlock Rising Flames and Scarlet Cyclone abilities by default. The latter ability stands out because of its 360-degree attack, high stagger damage, enemy knockback, and short cooldown. AoE abilities like these are handy since you’ll be taking on mobs of enemies quite often.
You should save up to unlock Flames of Rebirth. It is a powerful AoE attack that continuously damages enemies while also restoring your HP. However, use it wisely, as it has a long cooldown.
As you progress, you’ll unlock Garuda, which excels at targeting a single enemy while dealing massive stagger damage. Garuda quickly becomes one of the most used Eikons early on, especially for staggering bosses.
- Make sure to equip Gouge, which deals high stagger damage and hits multiple targets if they’re lined up.
- Deadly Embrace allows you to pull enemies toward you or, if you’ve broken the first segment of the enemy’s stagger bar, yank them down for a follow-up attack.
You should strive to unlock Garuda’s Aerial Blast. It summons a tremendous tornado that lifts enemies into the air and deals significant stagger damage, ideal for large enemies and bosses.
5. Abilities Combo, Upgrading, Mastering
For combo chains, a solid strategy is to start with Scarlet Cyclone, then follow up with basic attacks to break the first segment of the stagger bar. Once broken, switch to Garuda and use Deadly Embrace.
During the animation, quickly switch back to Phoenix and use Phoenix Shift to close the distance. Then, switch back to Garuda, hit them with Gouge, and finish the combo with either Flames of Rebirth or Aerial Blast. You can even use both if their cooldowns are ready.
As you unlock more Eikons, the possibilities for mixing and matching abilities are nearly endless. Try out different combinations in the Hall of Virtue to see what works best for your playstyle.
Remember, you can upgrade and master abilities using AP. Upgrading enhances an ability’s effect, while mastering allows you to assign that ability to any Eikon. You can view the details of each upgrade by pressing Triangle/Y on the ability to see how it improves.
4. Ability Respec Is Super Easy
RPGs aren’t complete without a respec mechanic shoehorned into it. Luckily, this mechanic in Final Fantasy 16 is insanely useful since you can respec these abilities, and it’s easy to do, too.
If you want to switch things up and reallocate your AP to different abilities, all you need to do is navigate to the ability you no longer want, press and hold Square/X (Reset), and you’ll refund the AP you spent.
If you haven’t upgraded the ability, you’ll get back the initial amount of AP used to unlock it. However, you’ll receive the full AP you invested if you upgrade and master it.
There’s no penalty or downside to respeccing, so feel free to do it whenever you like and experiment as you please.
3. Where To Farm XP, GIL, AP, and Renown
Farming XP, Gil, and AP in FF16 and eventually earning Renown points revolves around fighting enemies and completing main quests. However, if you want to accumulate heftier sums of these resources, we recommend turning your attention to the side quests and the Hunt Board.
The Hunting Board becomes available as you progress through the story and offers a list of huntable elite monsters (Marks). These hunts come with hefty rewards, but they’re tough as nails. These elite enemies have a lot of health, deal serious damage, and are usually high-level, so make sure you’re well-prepared with healing items before going after them.
To find a Mark, visit the Hunting Board, read the description of where it was last seen, and travel to the nearest location to start your search.
As for side quests, make sure to begin any available quests, especially the important ones, as they offer valuable rewards and progression boosts.
With enough Renown points, you can collect different rewards from donors, which unlock later in the story. You can check for available rewards by talking to Desiree at the Patron’s Whisper in The Hideaway.
2. Conserve Materials Over Gil
Materials in Final Fantasy 16 can be tricky to find, especially the rare ones. Rare materials typically come from hunting Elite enemies or completing certain quests, while more common materials are often rewarded through side quests or found as loot.
If you aim to craft a stronger weapon or accessory, it’s a good idea to first check with merchants, like blacksmiths, in The Hideaway or other locations. They usually sell the base version of weapons or accessories, which allows you to save your rare materials for reforging and upgrading Clive’s gear.
Feel free to use rare materials, especially those used to craft unique weapons based on Eikons, as needed since these items can only be crafted once and cannot be upgraded further.
Materials are color-coded: white for common, green for uncommon, blue for rare, and purple for epic.
Managing your resources wisely in your first playthrough is essential, as consumables can be pricey. You might be tempted to splurge on non-essential items like Music Scrolls, but saving your Gil for more crucial items like healing potions is wiser.
Remember, Torgal can heal you in battle, and your Limit Break ability gradually restores HP over time. So, only consider spending Gils on healing items if necessary, and check out the best weapons and accessories before using up valuable resources at the forge.
1. Don’t Forget To Explore
One of the more forgettable beginner’s tips for Final Fantasy 16 is not to beeline toward the primary objective but to explore.
You’ll uncover new locations and biomes as you progress through the story, and each area gradually expands the space available for exploration. You’ll encounter various environments such as villages, forests, ruins, and deserts, many of which are vast expanses and can be tricky to navigate without a mini-map.
To avoid getting lost, make it a habit to open the area map by pressing the touchpad/Select button and using the marker to set pins. Doing so will show a marker on your HUD at all times that will help you track the sections of a location you haven’t explored yet
Whenever you enter a new area, always take the time to explore thoroughly. Scan every nook and cranny for hidden loot and small wooden or stone chests. These chests can be tough to spot as they often blend seamlessly with the environment, so stay alert.
Final Fantasy games are already quite complex in their mechanics, and FF16 is no exception, even though the devs have packaged it into a simpler hack-and-slash format. Hopefully, our beginner’s tips for Final Fantasy 16 will make things easier to digest and allow you to focus on Clive’s fate.