FF16 combat mechanics are some of the most fluid and fun that we’ve seen in this generation of gaming, but to get the most out of it, mastering the best abilities is a must.
When you Master an ability in Final Fantasy 16, you reach its full potential and most powerful state. It’s a great way to improve some of your fundamental fighting skills with Clive.
Thankfully, mastering an ability isn’t too difficult and will only require players to earn Ability Points through battles to level up their skills.
Best Abilities You Should Master in Final Fantasy 16
To fully dominate combat, these are the best abilities players should Master early in FF16:
Each of these abilities is powerful and helps the player expand the range of their combos with Clive. It’s important to know what these powers do and why players should Master them.
Lunge
- Ability Point Cost:
- Learn: 25 AP
- Master: 200 AP
The Lunge is an ability that players should look to Master quickly because it extends the distance that you cover with this power.
It also increases the power output of your lunge based on the distance traveled. It is one of the best abilities to use in battle since it helps you get to an enemy quickly and jump straight into a combo.
If you want to use this ability to its best potential, press O (circle) just after you Lunge to do a Magic Burst and deal extra damage before starting a combo.
Precision Dodge
- Ability Point Cost:
- Master: 500 AP
When you Master Precision Dodge, it increases the window in which a player can trigger it. It helps you dodge attacks while also giving you a large window to counterattack.
This is one of the most beneficial abilities in FF16 because you’ll use it constantly in battle. This is why it should be one of the best abilities that you should Master in FF16.

Magic Burst
- Ability Point Cost:
- Master: 300 AP
Right after mastering the Magic Burst in FF16, it extends the window you have to trigger it. This means that it’ll help you chain large combos together more frequently.
Magic Burst is perhaps one of the abilities you’ll use the most. It allows players to fire off a bit of magic after every basic attack.
Players can chain this to every hit of their combo without breaking its momentum.
Phoenix Shift
- Ability Point Cost:
- Master: 375
As soon as you Master the Phoenix Shift, you’ll be able to shift toward enemies at a greater distance. This is fantastic in some of the more large-scale battles that you’ll encounter in FF16.
As you progress through the game, you’ll fight some large enemies, and with Phoenix Shift, you can easily phase straight into their weak points.
This is why it’s important to Master it so that you can shift the largest amount of distance possible.
How to Master an Ability
Mastering an ability in FF16 is an effortless process that only requires gathering up Ability Points and upgrading from the Abilities menu once the Mastered title is reached.
- Pause your game.
- Press R2 and navigate to the Abilities menu.
- Here you will see a list of all your available abilities and Ability Points.
- Highlight the ability you wish to Master.
- Hold X and use the required amount of Ability Points to Upgrade or Master your ability.
- Some abilities only require you to upgrade them once to become Mastered.
- Your Eikon Abilities will usually require you to Upgrade them first and then Master them.

You earn Ability Points after every encounter and fight in Final Fantasy 16. Some items will allow you to earn experience more quickly.
When you choose to play the game in Story Mode, these items are automatically equipped.
But Ability Points aren’t easy to come by when you first start your adventure, so you need to know which abilities to Master first to prepare you for the battles ahead.
Is it Worth Mastering Abilities?
Yes, it is worth mastering abilities in FF16 because it allows you to improve some of their qualities and become easier to use in the heat of battle.
Once players obtain the blessings of a different Eikon, mastering an ability will also open up a wide range of options.
When you Master an Eikon ability, you’ll have the opportunity to assign this power to any of the Eikons you currently have equipped.