Deathblow (command)

Deathblow, also called Deadly, D.blow, Finisher, Smashing Blow, and Death Strike, is a recurring ability in the series. Deathblow boosts the damage a character deals, and in some games has a chance to inflict Instant Death on the target.

Final Fantasy XIII debuted a support ability also called Deathblow that has a similar effect.

Final Fantasy IV
Known as Deadly, this ability is exclusive to Yang, and only available in the Advance and PSP versions. Deadly has a Charge Time of 8. When equipped with the Discipline Armband, his Focus ability is replaced with Deadly.

Deadly is a stronger version of Focus, dealing triple damage after a turn skipped to charge up power. This command is most effective against Flan, even though it isn't a targeted weakness, but a complementary command to Kick.

Final Fantasy V


Finisher is a ability learned from the Gladiator class, exclusive to the Advance and smartphone remakes, and requires 70 ABP to master. It allows the user to strike a powerful attack on a enemy's weak point for massive damage.

The Finisher command can do one of three things:
 * 1) Elemental Attack - Elemental attack that does max damage (9,999).
 * 2) Critical Hit - Perform a regular Critical Hit.
 * 3) Nothing - The attempt failed.

The ratio between failure, elemental attack and critical hit varies by job level, which is shown as follows:
 * Job Level 0: 37.5% chance to fail, 37.5% chance for Critical Hit, 25% chance for Elemental Attack.
 * Job Level 1: 31.25% chance to fail, 37.5% chance for Critical Hit, 31.25% chance for Elemental Attack.
 * Job Level 2: 31.25% chance to fail, 31.25% chance for Critical Hit, 37.5% chance for Elemental Attack.
 * Job Level 3: 31.25% chance to fail, 25% chance for Critical Hit, 43.75% chance for Elemental Attack.
 * Job Level 4: 25% chance to fail, 25% chance for Critical Hit, 50% chance for Elemental Attack.

The element used depends on the character's crystal element. Bartz's elemental attack is Wind, Lenna's is Water, Faris's is Fire and Krile's is Earth. Galuf is given the innate element of Earth, and therefore his Finisher ability will take this element, although the player will not be able to see this unless they hack the game so Galuf can use this job.

Elemental Attack will always inflict 9,999 damage unless the enemy is immune to or absorbs the element, in the latter case the enemy will get healed for 9,999 instead. A non-boss enemy weak to the character's element will get killed instantly if the Elemental Attack lands. In spite of a slash "animation", Krile and Galuf's Elemental Attack will miss flying foes, making their version of this ability less useful than the others.

Final Fantasy VII
Deathblow is a Command Materia found at the Gongaga mako reactor. When equipped, it raises Luck by 1, and gives the character access to the Deathblow ability. The Accuracy of Deathblow is 1/3 that of a normal attack, but if it connects the attack will always deal critical damage.

Players can greatly increase the chances of delivering a critical hit every time by giving Deathblow materia to Vincent when equipped with the Sniper CR or Long Barrel R as both these weapons have 255 accuracy. Tifa's weapon, God's Hand, also benefits from this attribute.

Final Fantasy VIII
Death Blow is one of the attacks available to Squall when wrestling control over a glider from a Galbadia Soldier. It is not always available but when used it will instantly defeat the soldier.

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light
Smashing Blow is a Ranger that deals a critical attack to an enemy. It has a 25% chance of inflicting Instant Death an enemy.

Ehrgeiz: God Bless the Ring
Deathblow is an ability used by Cloud and Zack.