The Final Fantasy franchise is heavily influenced by the fantasy genre and thus features some of the most otherworldly attacks to appear throughout video game history. Each entry features a unique combat system that utilizes aspects from previous games, making it incredibly accessible for fans of what made the original entries so good.
Each entry in the Final Fantasy franchise tends to experiment with its combat system. The thought that goes into its combat design is evident through how fluid each battle usually is, but not all elements of the combat system will benefit the player. Some attacks provide little help in combat depending on how they are used, begging the question of why they were even implemented in the first place.
10 Death Strike
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While progressing through a Final Fantasy story, the player will likely happen upon an array of useful weapons. Some will prioritize power, while others will allow the player to inflict their enemies with certain abnormalities that can quickly bring the battle to a close.
These weapons can be extremely helpful during random encounters, but certain bosses' immunities will render them completely useless. Countless bosses are susceptible to effects like Slow or Poison, but the Death Strike attack will be ineffective while facing most high-level bosses.
9 Kimahri's Ronso Rage
Each playable character in Final Fantasy 10 has an ability unique only to them. Each of these abilities serves a different purpose in combat, forcing the player to make use of each of these attacks while in battle if they hope to come out on top. Kimahri's Ronso Rage ability, however, is not necessary at all.
Kimahri can use Ronso Rage to copy the attacks of certain enemies. By using Lancet on Nemesis or Omega Weapon, he can learn Nova, one of the most powerful attacks in the game. This sounds great on paper, but the party will likely have much stronger attacks unlocked by the time Kimahri can learn this ability, rendering Ronso Rage essentially useless.
8 The Dragoon's Jump Attack
Noctis' first encounter with Aranea will require him to defy gravity and meet the Dragoon's attacks in midair. The evolution of Final Fantasy has permitted the series to discard the need for turn-based combat, making certain battles much more spectacular.
Aranea is a fine example of how powerful a Dragoon should be, but Kain from Final Fantasy 4 is arguably one of the worst to grace the series. The jump attack associated with Dragoons will usually excuse them from the battle for one turn and, as a reward, allow them to do slightly more damage to an enemy. Though certain buffs can be administered to increase the jump attack's damage output, it is usually more efficient to perform a normal attack.
7 Setzer's Slots
As a proud gambler, Setzer places a great deal of faith on luck during his battles. Not many video game characters can roll a set of dice and inflict damage on their opponents, but Setzer is a fascinating exception to whom most rules don't apply.
Though his Slot ability can quickly end certain fights if three corresponding symbols are chosen, it is difficult to rely solely on this attack during the game's more difficult battles. It's unpredictable and will often fail depending on the player's timing, making it too unreliable to be considered a useful attack.
6 Dancing Dagger Attacks
Bartz and his companions will stumble upon their first Dancing Dagger while exploring the Moogle Village during the events of Final Fantasy 5. The initial inspection of this blade will paint it as a godly artifact due to the power it holds, but the chance it has of unleashing its full strength isn't always in the player's favor.
Wielding the Dancing Dagger during a challenging boss fight will either quickly bring the enemy to their knees, or force the player to restart the battle after wasting all of their attacks. There is a 50% chance the weapon will use its Sword Dance ability, an attack that deals tremendous damage, but there is also a chance it will use a much weaker attack and essentially waste a valuable turn.
5 Zombie Strike
Final Fantasy 10 allowed Tidus to utilize some abilities reserved only for his enemies with the Zombie Strike ability being one of the most unique. When the ailment is successfully inflicted, the enemy exposed to its effects will begin taking damage from healing items and spells.
This ability can be quite effective if the player has an abundance of restorative items at their disposal, but certain bosses are immune to it. Though it can be a great help during the final battle with Yu Yevon, there isn't much point in using it anywhere else in the game's story.
4 The Ring Of The Lucii's Banish Attack
There is no denying how necessary the Ring of the Lucii is in Final Fantasy 15's Chapter 13, but it holds little benefit elsewhere unless the player is truly dedicated. Unlike the royal arms, all attacks made by this ring have a chance to instantly KO all enemies it is aimed at, making it one of the strongest pieces of jewelry in the whole franchise.
That said, there is no guarantee it will always oblige Noctis' command. Certain bosses will not yield to the Ring of Lucii's attacks, rendering the item completely useless in certain situations. Though it can be great for disposing of large enemy groups, it will often take multiple attempts to defeat some of the game's high-level bosses.
3 Barret's Base Attack
To say Barret's primary means of inflicting damage is completely useless would be inaccurate, but it is difficult to ignore how limited it is. The tutorial segment of Final Fantasy 7 Remake forces Cloud and Barret to reluctantly team up to take down the Guard Scorpion, a surprisingly challenging tutorial boss.
Cloud can attack the mech while it is stationed on the ground, but Barret is the primary party member able to deal damage to it while it is out of reach. Though it is necessary to bring the machine back down to the battle arena to progress the battle, the damage Barret deals from his firearm is too low to be deemed useful. By the time Aerith joins the party, the player will likely discard Barret in favor of the mage's more powerful projectiles.
2 Darkness
Darkness, not to be confused with the blinding spell, is arguably one of the most unreliable attacks in all of Final Fantasy. It is used primarily by Dark Knights, warriors who have embraced the power of darkness and use these questionable powers in combat.
It can be a wondrously helpful attack during the earlier portion of a game, but will quickly become irrelevant upon encountering more challenging bosses. Darkness can deal some devastating damage, but it comes at a price. Using the attack will significantly decrease the user's HP as a punishment, leaving the party member open to being felled in one hit.
1 Self-Destruct
The Self-Destruct attack, as its name would imply, will completely drain a character's HP to inflict damage on an opponent. It can be a helpful attack depending on the entry it appears in, but the way it functions in Final Fantasy 8 and Final Fantasy 10 renders it completely impractical.
Once used in either of these installments, the party member who delivered the attack will be ejected from the battle, leaving only two characters left to control. It can be a very handy attack if the boss' HP is low, but using it during a more arduous encounter will often lead to more problems than solutions.