Final Fantasy XVI Guide | Best Eikonic Abilities For Garuda

Here's everything you need to know about the Best Eikonic Abilities For Garuda in Final Fantasy XVI.

Game Guide by Sabi on Jan 12, 2025

Garuda is one of the first Eikons Clive acquires in Final Fantasy XVI, with powers that provide distinct focal locations for wind-based attacks, crowd control, and stagger damage. This makes Garuda ideal for warriors who wish to decimate their opponents with accurate strikes and calculated control over the battlefield. In this post, we'll look at the top Eikonic abilities for Garuda, how to use them, and how to incorporate these skills into your fighting plan.

Gouge

Final Fantasy XVI Guide, Gouge

Gouge: A devastating melee attack that unleashes a barrage of strikes on a single victim. This ability specializes in generating stagger damage, allowing you to take advantage of opposing weaknesses.

Gouge is one of those essential skills that can help you defeat tough opponents. The high stagger damage makes it extremely helpful in boss encounters or against elites. The repeated strikes ensure that you can swiftly empty an enemy's stagger bar, allowing for powerful follow-up attacks.

How to Use a Gouge

Use Gouge immediately after landing a Precision Dodge to take advantage of the enemy's stagger. To maximize the effect of Gouge, pair it with abilities from other Eikons that deal heavy Stagger damage. Save Gouge for foes with large stagger bars to fully utilize its abilities.

Rook's Gambit

Final Fantasy XVI Guide, Rook's Gambit

Rook's Gambit is a defensive counter ability that allows Clive to avoid an enemy's attack while delivering his own wind-infused punch.

This skill not only allows you to avoid damage, but it also punishes foes for being aggressive. The counterattack increases stagger and preserves the flow of combat in your favor, making it an indispensable tool for defensive play.

How to Use the Rook's Gambit

Rook's Gambit should be timed precisely to avoid high-damage strikes and retaliate efficiently. Use this ability to create gaps in boss fights or against adversaries who have predictable attack patterns. Practice your timing so you can launch the counterattack every time.

Wicked Wheel

Final Fantasy XVI Guide, Wicked Wheel

Wicked Wheel forces Clive to spin upwards in a cyclone-like manner, hitting all foes in his path and blowing smaller adversaries off the ground.

Wicked Wheel is useful for splitting up enemy groups and juggling lighter foes. The skill's upward movement also makes it useful for dodging grounded strikes while doing damage.

How to Use Wicked Wheel

To maximize the AOE damage, place the Wicked Wheel in the center of the opponent groupings. Combining it with ranged skills or aerial assaults allows you to lengthen combinations after launching foes. Use the Wicked Wheel to evade opponent strikes while maintaining aggressive pressure. Aerial Blast Aerial Blast is Garuda's ultimate ability, which summons a massive whirlwind that constantly destroys any foes caught within.

This skill is crucial while fighting several foes or bosses. Aerial Blast not only provides massive damage over time, but it also disrupts opposing placement, allowing you to take control of the battlefield.

How To Use Ariel Blast

Final Fantasy XVI Guide, How to use Ariel Blast

To enhance the efficacy of Aerial Blast, activate it while foes are clustered together. Combining it with other abilities allows you to hold adversaries within the whirlwind's radius for as long as feasible. Save this skill for high-stakes engagements or when you need to change the tide of combat.

Deadly Embrace

Clive's utility ability, Deadly Embrace, draws adversaries toward him, halting their actions and preparing them for follow-up assaults.

This is effective for crowd control and disrupts foes attempting to launch powerful assaults. Deadly Embrace can also be used to bring ranged adversaries into melee range, making it simpler to defeat them.

Use Deadly Embrace to stop opposing spellcasters or archers.

Combining it with Gouge or Wicked Wheel allows you to sequence strong combos after drawing adversaries closer.

Use it to separate foes from their groupings, making them easier to kill.

Combine Garuda's Abilities

The goal of using Garuda's skills is to chain them together to increase their effectiveness. Here's an example combination:

Begin the combo with Deadly Embrace: draw an enemy closer and interrupt their assault.
Continue the combo with Gouge to increase stagger damage. - Use Wicked Wheel to juggle the opponent and deal area damage to grouped adversaries.
Finally, for maximum damage, use Aerial Blast near the end of a stagger or against a gathered adversary.
Upgrade Garuda's abilities.

Upgrading Garuda's abilities boosts their damage, cooldown, and utility. Here's what to prioritize.

Upgrade Gouge to improve stagger damage and duration.
Improve Rook's Gambit to increase counterattack damage and make it more forgiving of time.
Boost Wicked Wheel to expand its area of impact and increase its damage.
Upgrade Aerial Blast to improve its duration and damage over time.
When to use Garuda's abilities?

Garuda's skills are many, but time and planning are essential:

Crowd control: Use Wicked Wheel and Aerial Blast to take down groupings.
Single-target damage: Combine Deadly Embrace and Gouge to boost stagger buildup.
Defensive play: The Rook's Gambit allows for improved avoiding and counterattacking.

Final Thoughts

Garuda's Eikonic powers provide a potent mix of assault and defense, making her one of the most adaptable Eikons in Final Fantasy XVI. Mastering her skills and knowing when to use them will allow you to control the battlefield, exploit enemy weaknesses, and deliver devastating combos. Put points into upgrades, improve your timing, and experiment with new combos to fully utilize Garuda's power and crush the opponents in the game.

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