Shadow (Final Fantasy VI)/Gameplay

Party member
Any time after being recruited in Gau's father's House, but not within the Imperial Camp, and before the Floating Continent, and not while on the Phantom Train, if Shadow is in the player's party, he has 1/16 chance of leaving at the end of every battle. If he's the only character alive, then he won't leave. If the combat is a pincer, side, or back attack he won't leave. Shadow also won't leave the party if he's KO'd, petrified, or has the Zombie status.

His ability is Throw, which lets Shadow throw a variety of weapons which includes; daggers, swords (except Ultima Weapon), spears, ninja daggers, katanas, rods (except for the Flame Rod, Ice Rod, and Thunder Rod), throwing weapons (including boomerangs and chakrams), Gambler's Items (except for the Dice and Fixed Dice), shurikens, and scrolls at his opponent. Shadow's Desperation Attack is Shadow Fang that deals magical damage to one enemy and inflicts Sap.

If Shadow is hit with a physical attack, there is a chance Interceptor will block it. When this happens, Shadow will take little to no damage. There is a chance Interceptor will counterattack using either "Wild Fang" or "Takedown", both of which deal non-elemental magic damage to one opponent so long as it is not floating. Interceptor will not aid Shadow on the Floating Continent since his dog is in Thamasa. In the case of the Rippler bug, the player may permanently lose Interceptor's use in battles.

Stats
Shadow is an Assassin, and thus has high Speed and Strength, as well as average Defense and magic stats. None of his stats are lacking, making him an all around useful character.

When equipped with a Thief Knife, Priest's Miter, and two White Capes, he has 49% Magic Evasion, the highest possible value in the World of Balance (for more information on this, see Evade bug).

Equipment
His weapons draw is limited to daggers, but he can use almost all of them, and for armor equips hats, vests, and universal shields. Shadow begins with a Kunai and Ninja Gear.

Boss
Shadow is fought in Dragon's Neck Coliseum as a boss in the World of Ruin, if he survived the Floating Continent.

Dreams
If the party stays at any inn while Shadow is a party member, there is a 50% chance to view a dream. There are four dreams, which, when viewed in sequence, tell the story of Shadow's past. The player can stay at an inn over and over again until all dreams have been viewed. Each dream plays once. A fifth dream is shown while rescuing Shadow in the Cave on the Veldt in the World of Ruin, and a sixth dream belonging to Relm is only viewable if the player allows Shadow to perish on the Floating Continent.

The only place the player cannot view Shadow's dreams is at the inn in Thamasa after the owner reduced the service fee to 1 gil. The first four dreams can be triggered in either the World of Balance or the World of Ruin.