The Magic Burst combo in Final Fantasy FFXVI is one of the most simple and most effective attack combos that you can use in the game, and you have access to it right from the beginning of the story. We’ll show you how to master the timing for this combo so that you can inflict decent damage with little effort.

How the Magic Burst Attack Combo Works in FFXVI¶

The Magic Burst combo can be used against almost any enemy that you’ll come across in Final Fantasy XVI, but it’s perhaps most useful against small groups of enemies that are bunched closely together, rather than a large boss-like enemy. This is because although you need to execute the whole attack combo against one enemy to pull it off, the effects can reach enemies in an arc in front of you as well, so you can hit multiple enemies at once with a combination of melee and magic attacks. The end of the attack results in a more powerful burst of magic damage, which will knock most weaker enemies to the ground.

Magic Burst Torgal Finisher - Precision Sic and Ravage¶

At the end of a Magic Burst combo, you can command Torgal to attack the enemy to extend the combo with a Sic or Ravage attack. You need to get the timing right to pull this off, and you’ll know you’ve succeeded when you see him glowing in red, or when you see Precision Sic or Precision Ravage pop up in the battle performance log. Try to execute the attack immediately after the last Magic Burst occurs.

How to Time a Magic Burst Attack in FF16¶

To execute a Magic Burst combo, you need to alternate between melee and ranged attacks in the following order, pressing the square and circle buttons four times each:

> > > > > > >

This may sound easy enough, and it is when you get the knack, but it will take some practice to get the timing right. The easiest way to think of it is that you should be pressing almost as soon as you’ve executed the melee attack with , and each attack should follow the next seamlessly. However, note that once you’ve upgraded the skill the trigger window will be extended, at which point it’s possible to press the buttons too quickly after each other, so you need to incorporate a slight delay after each hit, but only one that lasts less than half a second or so.

Practice Magic Bursts at the Hall of Virtue¶

It may take some time before you can pull this off consistently, but if you find that you’re having trouble you can always visit the Hall of Virtue, which can be accessed via the Arete Stone in the Hidden Hideaway.

At the Hall of Virtue you can pit yourself against enemies under conditions that you control, even spawning enemies with infinite health, but which won’t attack you, making it a perfect place to repeatedly practice specific techniques. You won’t experience the same chaos as you do in the battlefield, and it’s likely that some attempts to execute a Magic Burst combo will be thwarted by enemies that interrupt you at times, but you’ll give yourself the best chances of pulling it off successfully if you practice your timing in a controlled environment first.

Aerial Burst vs Magic Burst¶

As you practice the Magic Burst combo, whether in the Hall of Virtue or during a regular playthrough, it’s a good idea to test it both on the ground and in the air. If you execute the combo while you’re in the air it will show up in the battle performance log as an Aerial Burst instead. The effects of the attack combo are exactly the same, but you can finish this combo with a Downthrust while you’re in the air for even more damage before you hit the ground again. It can be tricky to stay in the air while you execute the full combo however, so it’ll take some practice to get this right in the chaos of battle.

Upgrade the Magic Burst Skill to Mastery¶

One of the best ways to make executing the Magic Burst combo easier is to first upgrade it from the Abilities menu. If you master the skill, it will extend the trigger window for each hit in the combo, making it slightly easier to pull off since the time between hits is more forgiving. It’s best to do this earlier on in your playthrough, before you get used to the timing for the combo in its default state. With that said, it’s actually possible that some players will prefer the slightly faster execution of the combo required in its default state, so you may want to play around a bit with the timing in the Hall of Virtue to see which suits you best first.

In general, it’s much easier to pull off Magic Burst x3 combos than Magic Burst x4 combos, and this is partly because many enemies will already be knocked down by the time you reach the fourth iteration. The melee attack that comes after the third Magic Burst is more powerful than those which precede it, so it’ll knock most weaker enemies down before you get the chance to use Magic Burst x4. For this reason it’s a good idea to focus on executing the Magic Burst combo on an enemy which has the most health in any given group, and preferably one which is larger, since it’s more likely to resist being knocked over before you get the chance to finish the combo.

More FF16 Combat Guides¶

If you want to learn more about the combat system in Final Fantasy XVI, check the pages below:

• How to Parry Attacks in Final Fantasy XVI
• How to Counterattack in Final Fantasy XVI
• Best Phoenix Eikon Abilities in FFXVI
• Best Garuda Eikon Abilities in FFXVI