Mastering Combos in Final Fantasy 16

Navi.

With an arsenal spanning dozens of melee weapons, magic spells, and legendary summons, the path to combat domination in Final Fantasy 16 lies in mastery of its flexible combo system.

In this guide, I‘ll be sharing hard-earned wisdom from over 100 hours exploring the depths of FF16‘s combat mechanics to help you craft game-changing combos tailored to every battle scenario.

Combo Fundamentals

Before diving into specific abilities, understanding the core foundations of combo creation will streamline your development as a combo master:

Mix Up Attack Types

The most devastating combos feature chained attacks spanning all three primary damage types:

Physical attacks via melee weapons and armor abilities
Magic attacks from black, white, and green battle spells
Summon attacks granting access to elemental and spiritual attacks

This variability keeps opponents off-balance and magnifies damage by exploiting weakness.

For example, efficiently alternating physical, ice-based magic, and fire-based summon attacks against an ochu enemy softens defenses and inflicts over 50% more damage than any single attack type alone.

Utilize Crowd Control

Abilities that can group enemies together, stun them, or knock them back set the stage for devastating follow-up attacks.

Key crowd control skills include:

Shiva‘s Diamond Dust: Temporarily encases nearby enemies in ice, immobilizing them
Titan‘s Upheaval: Sends all nearby airborne enemies crashing to the ground
Ramuh‘s Judgment Bolt: Strikes a single target with paralyzing lightning

Immobilized or paralyzed enemies take substantially more damage from incoming attacks. Furthermore, grouping scattered monsters together allows high-damage area attacks to quickly defeat entire crowds.

Skilled use of crowd manipulation is key to managing large battles.

Maximize Post-Stagger Assault

When you successfully stagger an enemy, quickly unleashing additional attacks during their defenseless state results in drastically amplified damage.

For example, immediately following a stagger:

Base melee combos deal +100% more damage
Fire spells inflict +250% additional pain
Summons like Shiva reach +300% bonus potency

You must act swiftly before the stagger wears off to fully capitalize on this offensive opportunity. Plan combo extensions in advance for smooth transitions into your highest damage abilities the moment an enemy staggers.

For example, leading with Garuda‘s Wicked Wheel to launch opponents, then following with Ifrit‘s Hellfire as they helplessly fall inflicts massive damage.

Time your attacks to capitalize on vulnerable staggered enemies.

Optimize Attack Rhythms

The timing between actions significantly sways resulting damage. Entering commands too quickly reduces subsequent attacks‘ potency. But pausing too long also forfeits potential DPS.

Identifying each ability‘s optimal attack rhythm through practice is essential for maximizing combos. Generally:

Faster attack sequences for melee combos
Half-second delay between magic spells
1-second spacing for summons

For instance, chaining 5 quick sword slashes then briskly summoning Ramuh deals less damage than incorporating a one-half second pause before calling down lightning.

Master rhythm and pace to amplify your attacks. An expert combo master harnesses perfect timing.

With those core foundations covered, let‘s examine tailored combos for all stages of gameplay.

Dominating Early Game Combos

INITIAL COMBOS	DAMAGE VALUES
Rush → Fire → Rush	300 → 200 → 300
Evade → Thunder → Lunge	N/A → 180 → 280
Rush → Garuda → Magic Burst	320 → 250 → 400

Opening combos may seem simple, but proper execution still swiftly erodes enemy integrity.

The Rush → Fire → Rush combination pressures enemies with repeated melee strikes interspersed with combustive flames. At early stages, two 300-damage rushes plus a 200-point fire spell can fully deplete basic enemies‘ 600 health bars.

Against shielded foes, bait attacks with Evade then capitalize on the 3-second defenseless window by unloading a paralyzing Thunder. Close in with Lunge before paralysis wears off for maximal damage.

Lastly, Rush → Garuda → Magic Burst demonstrates weaving physical, summon, and magic attacks. Garuda‘s slicing tornado winds adds 250 injury. Magic Burst then converts any remaining MP into 400 pure magical damage.

While basic, these combos form the foundation for advanced techniques later on. Now let‘s examine some additional early game combo sequences to round out your starting repertoire:

Rush → Aero → Cross Slash → Magic Burst
Counter → Payback → Garuda Assault → Lunge
Parry → Gouge → Inferno → Magic Burst

Practice predicting enemy movements and retaliate accordingly. Reflect on each battle to hone ability timing and coordination.

Record your observations to accelerate mastery.

Now let‘s explore more advanced combos as your journey progresses.

Mid Game Combo Mastery

After joining forces with additional party members and summons, combat options expand drastically. New equipment and spells offer enhanced versatility as well – but also greater complexity.

Review these powerful examples below, but don‘t afraid to get creative with your own ability combinations using the fundamentals covered earlier.

MID GAME COMBOS	DAMAGE VALUES
Titan → Launch → Aerial Slam	240 → 300 → 520
Group Cast → Ultima	200-600 → 1800
Parry → Riposte → Flameburst	N/A → 520 → 780

The battlefield manipulation potential of summons like Titan and Shiva enables combos that strike with geometric efficiency.

For example, use Titan‘s Upheaval to launch grouping enemies skyward. Then perform an 300 damage Aerial Slam to continue the assault. Targets crash down with your slam for a punishing 520 damage landing.

Freezing nearby enemies together with Shiva‘s Group Cast creates a perfect setup for Ultima – concentrating all its scattered damage into a 1800-point magical nuke at the focal point.

Riskier but equally devastating is the Parry → Riposte → Flameburst combo. Precisely timed parries against hard-hitting attacks allow instant 520 retaliation ripostes. Chaining flameburst before the enemy recovers then unleashes 780 magical damage.

Adding new Dimensions like time magic and ally coordination opens even more creative avenues for combo innovation. Don‘t be afraid to get creative with the tools available!

Dominating Late Game Combos

In the climactic end game with full access to weapons, materia, summons and limit breaks, the true ceiling of combo creativity emerges. Building on fundamentals and mid-game experience, construct signature sequences to define your legacy.

END GAME COMBOS	DAMAGE VALUES
Armiger → Holy → Zantetsuken → Megaflare	5000 → 4200 → ?? → 3750-5000
Diamond Dust → Thunderstorm → Judgment Bolt	1200 → 750/tick → 1600-2400
Titan → Aerial Slam → Omnislash → Knights	350 → 475 → 4400 → 4000-7000

The first combo demonstrates integrating ultimate abilities with magic and summon attacks for commanding offense.

Unleash Armiger – Noctis‘s meteoric melee limit break conferring 5000 raw damage. Follow with long-range 4200 Holy for additional wide area pain. Zantetsuken‘s randomized damage then selectively executes weakened enemies. Finally, eradicate survivors with sweeping non-elemental Megaflare magic.

Our next sequence capitalizes on ice-based crowd control for amplified elemental attacks:

Diamond Dust temporarily freezes victims for double ice/thunder damage. So blanket the area with Ramuh‘s pulsing Thunderstorm field for up to 5000 magical hurt. Lastly, direct an concentrated 1600+ Judgment Bolt on the frozen center mass for catastrophic effect.

The final combo displays gravity and crowd manipulation to extend a sustained aerial juggle:

Launch grouping enemies with Titan‘s seismic Upheaval. Continue the air assault with a 475 Aerial Slam. Transport between targets with Cloud‘s climactic 4400 Omnislash melee limit break. Finally, end with a 6000+ HP barrage from squire Knights of the Round cooperatively blasting airborne enemies. This brutal coordination continuously traps flying foes while you mercilessly whittle their health.

With limitless possibilities, what legacy will you craft? How will tales of your combos echo through history? Fear not the unknown – lean into mastery!