There’s a reluctance on the part of the authorship of this strategy guide to put together and publish an ability tier ranking. On the one hand, there’s no doubt that some abilities are stronger than others, but on the other hand, these lists are highly subjective and don’t adequately factor in a player’s preferred playstyle and their strengths.

In other words, there will always be disagreements about an ability tier list, and some players will always disagree with the placement of certain abilities. In no way is this guide meant to be exhaustive, but this is included to provide some general guidance on which abilities tend to be considered the strongest overall.

Sources used for this information include research on the Final Fantasy XVI Subreddit, including this post by u/loox71: https://www.reddit.com/r/FFXVI/comments/15eyl9g/ability_tier_list/

Tier Level	Abilities
S	Cold Snap Lightning Rod Arm of Darkness Diamond Dust Gigaflare Judgment Bolt Dancing Steel Rift Slip
A	Will-o’-the-Wykes Heatwave Deadly Embrace Phoenix Shift Titanic Block Rook’s Gambit Pile Drive Rising Flames Serpent’s Cry Cross Swell Tsunami
B	Impulse Ignition Satellite Mesmerize Ice Age Windup Flames of Rebirth Scarlet Cyclone Earthen Fury Flare Breath Abyssal Tear
C	Wings of Light Raging Fists Thunderstorm Heaven’s Cloud Upheaval Wicked Wheel Aerial Blast Rime Deluge
D	Gungnir Blind Justice

Tier explanations:

• S Tier: The most powerful abilities in the game. These are widely considered essential picks and will carry you through almost any encounter. If you’re unsure what to equip, start here—these abilities often feel “game-breaking.”
• A Tier: Strong and reliable abilities that perform well in most situations. They’re often interchangeable with one another, and while they may not be as dominant as S Tier, they’re still excellent choices for your Eikonic Ability Set.
• B Tier: Good abilities that hold their own but come with notable trade-offs. They may shine only in specific scenarios, require precise timing, or be slightly overshadowed by higher-tier options.
• C Tier: Situational abilities that can be useful but are generally limited by drawbacks such as long cooldowns, awkward aiming, or inconsistent payoff. Best suited for specialized builds or personal preference.
• D Tier: Abilities that are generally not worth using. They tend to be outclassed by nearly every alternative and often have drawbacks that outweigh their utility (i.e., you’re likely to get hit while performing it).