PvP Patch v5 Focused: Limit Level System

Version 5 introduces a new and familiar mechanic that will affect Aerith (now playable in both campaign and Tactics PvP) and Cloud – the Limit Level System from the original Final Fantasy VII.

For anyone who has played Final Fantasy VII (if you haven’t by now what are you waiting for!) this system should feel and act quite at home while making some minor adjustments to fit for Final Fantasy Tactics and PvP balance and fairness. First, Let’s review how this system works and how it will impact both Aerith and Cloud in version 5.

Limit Level System Functionality

Cloud and Aerith both have “Limit” skillsets that correspond closely to their behavior in FFVII. This also means that Cloud (who we are already familiar with) had most of his abilities adjusted to mimic his FFVII counterparts in various ways where possible while ensuring there was still a physical and magick side of him that could be explored during teambuilding. We will go into more about that later when we go over the ability changes. For now, let’s go more into detail on how this system translates over to Tactics:

  • Cloud and Aerith’s “Limit” is initially unusable at battle start. Abilities unlock based on the percentage of HP damage taken from only enemy attacks. Steps were added to ensure that team damage cannot influence your Limit Level. This does mean that Cloud and Aerith are both more reliant on their secondary skillset and weapon attacks initially as well, but their “counter” options vastly grow stronger and stronger the higher their Limit Level reaches up to a maximum of 4.
  • Limit Levels are separated by: Level 1 = 20%, Level 2 = 30%, Level 3 = 40%, Level 4 = 60% HP damage taken
  • Limit is no longer blocked by Silence status.
  • Limit no longer costs MP (since there is an HP damage requirement).
  • Damaging Limits cannot target/hit allies.
  • Recoil damage and Poison status do not increase your Limit Level.
  • Mana Shield works with incrementing Limit Level as the HP to MP conversion is still considered HP damage.
  • Reaction abilities, such as Soulbind or Counter, can increase your Limit Level.
  • Once a Limit ability is used, your Limit Level will reset to zero as it did in FFVII; you will need to make choices on whether to “save up” or use lower levels (which are still of great benefit).
  • If a Limit ability has zero targets hit/affected, it will not reset your Limit Level.
  • If Cloud or Aerith is KO’ed, your Limit Level will be reduced by 1 (instead of being reset as it did in FFVII) so that you still have the option to utilize them as long as you were at least Limit Level 2.

Cloud – Limit Abilities

As mentioned earlier, Cloud’s Limit abilities are much closer to their FFVII counterparts instead of oddly being only MA-based abilities like they were in the original FFT. With the Soldier job having innate Doublehand, this plays a bigger role and Cloud can reach further damage potential when speccing him for physical damage. For those that enjoyed a magick-based Cloud, you will find some of his abilities a bit more limited than they were in v4, but more lethal due to the buffs pertaining to Limit Level. Let’s go over his reworked skillset:

  • Braver (Lv. 1)
    • An “attack-like” ability that deals 10% more physical damage with your [weapon] to one target, can now Cast or Inflict: [weapon], evadable, and can critically strike. This ability will strike twice if dual-wielding.
  • Cross Slash (Lv. 1)
    • Deals cross-shape AoE physical damage based on your [weapon] + 1 PWR, 25% chance to Inflict: Stop, can critically strike.
  • Blade Beam (Lv. 2)
    • Deals 3-range conal AoE physical damage based on your [weapon], uses Abyssal Blade row scaling (but does not recoil), and can critically strike.
  • Climhazzard (Lv. 2)
    • Deals 70% of the target’s max. HP in single target damage, ignoring mitigation. This ability no longer triggers Magick Counter.
  • Meteorain (Lv. 3)
    • Now 18 PWR instead of 14 and is still AoE magic damage (with the same range/vert.).
  • Finishing Touch (Lv. 3)
    • Inflicts all of: KO, Stone, and Stop (in that order) instead of randomly one of the three, and is still single target.
  • Omnislash (Lv. 4)
    • An “attack-like” ability that strikes with your [weapon] at 75% of its normal damage, but Omnislash now hits 5 times randomly within the AoE (and no longer hits allies). Can now Cast or Inflict: [weapon] and can critically strike. This ability will strike 10 times if dual-wielding.
  • Cherry Blossom (Lv. 4)
    • Now 20 PWR instead of 16 and has a 25% chance to Inflict: Poison, Immobilize, or Blind per target hit (still tri-elemental).

As you have probably noticed, most Limit abilities are now influenced by your equipped weapon this time around (as most Limit abilities were enhanced “Attack” in FFVII) and Doublehand, Attack Boost, and even Brawler, affect them too so there is a plethora of ways to build Cloud and ultimately, he is even more lethal than in v4, albeit he will now need to be “pushed to his limit.”

Aerith – Limit Abilities

As Aerith is a support-type unique character, most of her skillset is centered around supporting her allies to victory, but don’t sleep on her abilities as they can quickly turn the tides of battle!

  • Healing Wind (Lv. 1)
    • Restores HP to allies in an Iaido ranged-AoE. Heals undead instead of damaging them.
  • Seal Evil (Lv. 1)
    • 3 range, single target, 100% Inflicts: Silence and Stop.
  • Breath of the Earth (Lv. 2)
    • Iaido-ranged, removes all negative effects from allies.
  • Fury Brand (Lv. 2)
    • Iaido-ranged, increases allies’ Power and Magick by 2.
  • Planet Protector (Lv. 3)
    • Single ally, Bestows: Protect, Shell, and Veil.
  • Pulse of Life (Lv. 3)
    • Iaido-ranged, ally revive at % = PA + 70. Restores 50% HP on success per target.
  • Great Gospel (Lv. 4)
    • Iaido-ranged, fully restores HP and MP, and Bestows: Protect, Shell to allies.

Though the majority of Aerith’s skillset is support-based, her stats on her Ancient job allow her to dive into either physical or magick abilities or attacks, as well as having innate Halves: All Elements, so not only is she tanky-capable, but also offensive too!

With these changes, I am hoping not only for further creativity especially for Cloud, but also your opponent will need to be cautious about how they play against either Cloud or Aerith as pushing their Limit at the wrong time could be disastrous for them!

by Tactics League Article, Mechanics, PvE, PvP