Final Fantasy 16 shares quite a few similarities with Devil May Cry games in terms of combat, and this means there’s a lot of freedom when it comes to how you execute your combos. In particular, Final Fantasy 16’s aerial combo system offers a lot of flexibility, with many ways to keep you (and your target) airborne.

Whether you’re looking to improve your score in Arcade Mode or simply want to add more style to your gameplay, these aerial combo tips and tricks will give you the inspiration you need to form your own deadly maneuvers.

Final Fantasy 16 Aerial Combo Tips and Tricks

Jump + Charged Blade

Charged Blade, the ability which lets you hold down your melee attack to unleash an empowered swing, is very useful at keeping you in the air. It launches you up slightly when cast, allowing you to continue your combo. You can actually prepare Charged Blade while midair after jumping or using Garuda’s Eikonic Feat on a larger enemy. Note that Jump + Charged Blade requires precise timing and is a lot more difficult to pull off than with Garuda’s Eikonic Feat.

While it is possible to charge your melee attack, then jump, then release, it’s slightly less efficient. Clive swings his sword with a normal melee attack before charging, so it’s better to use that first hit while you’re already in the air instead of doing so before jumping.

Evade Reset With Stomp

Stomping not only allows you to jump higher up, but it also resets your Evade action. Evade can only be used once while in midair, but with the help of Stomp, you’re able to evade up to three times before landing on the ground again.  This lets you dodge attacks and reposition without landing, though the timing requires considerable skill and knowledge of the enemy’s attacks in order to use this move effectively.

Prolong Air Combo With Abilities

All of Garuda’s abilities can be used mid-air, and they allow you to stay mid-air for longer than usual. Gouge, in particular, will keep you in the air as long as you cast it, and using Garuda’s abilities between your melee combos will allow you to further extend your total airtime.

Prolong Air Combo With Magic Burst

The Magic Burst combo (melee attack + magic attack) can be performed mid-air, and you’ll want to use it often while doing aerial combos. It’s worth noting that the final Magic Burst will cause Clive to launch himself away from the target, which may not be ideal if you’re trying to stick to the enemy. As such, consider using an ability or Stomp instead of the third Magic Burst to keep on the pressure.

Charged Blade + Magic Burst

You can prepare Charged Blade while also using Magic Burst at the same time for a stylish aerial combo. During your second melee attack, hold it down instead of simply tapping it. After the second attack connects, follow it up with a Magic Burst while still holding down your melee attack button. Once your sword starts burning, release the button to perform a Charged Blade attack. You’ll find that preparing your Charged Blade like this is extremely efficient, especially for aerial combos.

It’s also worth noting that you can perform this trick with Charged Magic by holding your magic button, then using a melee attack, then releasing the button. However, using Charged Magic while airborne also causes Clive to push himself away from the target, so keep that in mind.

While these tips are by no means advanced or in-depth, they should give you the foundations on setting up clean aerial combos. With precise timing and enough practice, you can defeat any opponent using aerial combos without breaking a sweat.

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