Sneak Attack (ability)

Sneak Attack is a recurring support ability in the series, allowing the equipped character to surprise an opponent in some way.

Final Fantasy VII
The Sneak Attack Materia allows the user to use up an ability from the paired Materia as soon as the battle begins even if it is an ambush. The likelihood of attacking with the paired Materia increases with each level up, with a maximum chance of 80%. The PlayStation version's battle message has a spelling error, which was later fixed for the PC-release.

Sneak Attack can only be won from the Chocobo races at the Gold Saucer in A and S classes. It can be linked with all Magic and Summon Materia, Steal, Sense, Throw, Morph, Deathblow, Manipulate, Mime, and Master Command.

When paired with a Command Materia the ability highlighted in the menu is used. With Magic Materia, Sneak Attack uses the highest level spell the Materia has learned. When paired with Master Magic/Summon/Command a random ability/spell from the Materia is used.

Sneak Attack picks a target at random, based on the default target (allies or enemies) for the used ability. The effect can be stacked by equipping multiple Sneak Attack Materia, but Final Attack, Sneak Attack, Counter, Magic Counter, and Counter Attack all share the same command space, and there is only room for eight such attacks. Only the first eight counter effects placed chronologically onto a character will be used.

If Sneak Attack is used to revive fallen party members their ATB bars will never fill up.

Final Fantasy XI
Sneak Attack is an ability available to the Thief Job starting at level 15 in Final Fantasy XI. Sneak Attack is usable once every minute. When used, it will create a status effect that signifies the next attack the Thief makes will be a sneak attack. A sneak attack is performed with a melee weapon while the Thief is directly behind an enemy. It allows the Thief to deal critical damage.

This damage is modified slightly by the player's Strength, but it is also modified by the player's Dexterity, but only while the player has Thief as his main Job. Dexterity is not part of the equation when Thief is used as a Support Job.

Sneak attack can be, and is quite often, used with the level 30 Thief Job Ability Trick Attack. This attack is generally abbreviated SATA by players and the strategy for using this in a party can be referenced by reading about under First Provoke.

Final Fantasy XIV
Sneak Attack is a Rogue ability learned at level 22. It damages enemy with potency of 100, or 300 when attack the enemy from the front. It can only be executed after the effects of Hide and shares its recast timer with Trick Strike. It performs instantly, has a recast time of 60 seconds, and range of 3 yards. It can only be performed by Rogue and Ninja.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Sneak Attack is an ability exclusive to the Ravager class, learned for 300 AP from the Dagriohm. The ability deals damage depending on the direction the target is facing.

Dissidia Final Fantasy
Sneak Attack is a special ability any character of level 43 or higher can use, and increases critical hit rate by 50% when attacking an opponent from behind. Its base CP cost is 50 and requires 360 AP to master.

Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
Sneak Attack returns as a support skill, now requiring 40 CP to equip and 200 AP to master.

On the world map players can perform sneak attacks on Manikins. When approaching a manikin they will attack the player to initiate battle, but if the player can strike the manikin first this will trigger a sneak attack, draining the manikin's Bravery to 0 at the start of the fight.

Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade
Final Fantasy XI's Sneak Attack skill appears also in Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade.