Riot Blade (ability)

Riot Blade is a recurring attack in the Final Fantasy series, originally Terra Branford's trademark Desperation Attack. When performed, the user fires four crescent-shaped blades of energy at opponents.

Final Fantasy VI
Riot Blade is Terra's Desperation Attack, and as such she has a 1/16 chance to use it automatically when performing the Attack command when critical. Riot Blade attacks one enemy to deal magic damage, and has 142 power.

Final Fantasy XIV
Riot Blade appeared as an ability in the original Final Fantasy XIV. At the initial release, Riot Blade was an ability learned by Gladiators at rank 30. The ability delivered a ranged attack with a chance to decrease defense when executed from behind the target. In addition, a second variant of Riot Blade appeared and could be learned by Gladiators at rank 50. The ability unleashed a shockwave, increasing enemy enmity and dealing ranged slashing damage. The ability also had the side effect of leaving the user under the Pacification status effect for a short time.

Riot Blade appears in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn as a Gladiator ability available at level 12. The ability deals damage to a single enemy with a potency of 100 and costs 80 TP to use. When combo linked from Fast Blade, Riot Blade deals damage with a potency of 230 and restores some MP of the user.

Final Fantasy Tactics S
Riot Blade is Terra's Special Ability.

Dissidia Final Fantasy
Riot Blade appears as Terra's EX Burst and receives a 3D animation. Terra attacks the opponent with Blizzara, then charges energy into her arms. The player must then rapidly tap and  to fill two power gauges within an unspecified time limit. Filling the gauges means as much power concentrated as possible, which Terra releases by spinning and firing four blades at the opponent. Failure to fill the gauges will result in Terra firing fewer blades with a less dramatic execution.

Riot Blade is notably one of the most powerful EX Bursts in the game, outclassed only by Cloud's Omnislash and Tidus's Blitz Ace in Dissidia.

Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
Riot Blade returns as Terra's EX Burst with unchanged effects. In Dissidia 012, the newcomers' EX Bursts, mainly Gilgamesh's Strongest Sword and Tifa's Final Heaven, outclass Terra's EX Burst. However, Cloud, Tidus, Gilgamesh and Tifa only have full power for their EX Bursts under certain conditions, while Riot Blade's power is fixed.

Dissidia Final Fantasy (2015)
Due to the absence of EX Bursts, Riot Blade now functions as an HP Attack, learned by Terra at Level 5. It now functions as a counter move. An blue oval shield will appear in front of Terra and if an enemy manages to hit the shield, they will stagger and then a blue, Cross shaped projectile will hit the opponent, dealing HP Damage.

Riot Blade is one of four 'counter' HP Attacks introduced in the game, the others being Firion's Revenge of Arms, Bartz's Knight and Vaan's Ground Zero.

Final Fantasy All the Bravest
Riot Blade is the ability that is used by Terra during battle.

Final Fantasy Explorers
Riot Blade appears as a Trance Surge ability when the Terra Mageicite is equipped.

Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Riot Blade is an ability usable by one of Terra's cards, depicting her Amano artwork. For the discard of another Terra card, Dulling Terra and paying two Ice CP, Riot Blade does 6000 damage to a Forward of the player's choice, then search their deck for an Eidolon card and place it in their hand.