Counter (status)

Counter is a status effect that allows characters to counter attacks whether physical or magical.

Final Fantasy VIII
Return Damage is a support ability learned by using the item Hundred Needles that allows the user to return a quarter of the damage they took at the enemy that dealt the damage. Hundred Needles can be refined from 100 Cactus Thorns.

Some enemies and bosses counter every move besides GFs and Limit Breaks, such as Elnoyle and Sorceress.

Final Fantasy Record Keeper
Many enemies, especially bosses, have some form of counter.

Snow's Dogged Hero grants Revenge Counter, which counters both physical and black magic attacks.

Cloud's SOLDIER Counter Record Materia allows counterattacks vs. melee.

Galuf's Martial Master Record Materia has a chance of a 2-hit counter vs. melee.

Strago's Blue Mage Defiance has a small chance of countering magic with Stone.

Counter Mend is granted by Vanille's Innocence and Paladin Cecil's Paladin's Devotion.

Samurai's Blade of the East counters with Blade Bash.

Monk's Blemished Insight counters with Chakra.

Emperor's Emperor's Stratagem counters with wind damage and Hellforged Might has a chance of countering black magic by lowering earth resistance.

Kimahri's Hornless Pride counters by lowering water resistance.

Gaffgarion's Fell Blademaster and Masterful Mercenary counter with a HP-absorbing attack.

Rubicante's Avatar of Fire burst command grants him Fire Cloak, which has a chance of countering physical attacks with AOE fire and non-elemental damage.

Angeal's Heroic Stride, Steiner's Knight's Pride, and Gogo (VI)'s Defensive Instinct use Guard to grant Protect in response to physical damage.

Curilla's Faith in the Dawn legend materia has a chance of granting her Magic Blink when attacked.

Final Fantasy Brave Exvius
Duane's Magic Counter and Snow's Fighting Spirit counter magical attacks with a physical attack.

White Knight Noel's Winter Palisade counters magic with one of several ice-elemental attacks: Ice Blitz, Ice Wave, Glacial Wave or Sub Zero. Awakening increases the counter rate and potency of each attack.

Kuja's Flare Counter counters either magic or physical attacks.

Cupid Luna's Eldritch Air allows her to counter magical attacks with Dark Reverie.

Minfilia's Protection of the Twelve ability materia heals all allies. Fina's Honest Wish heals all allies. Beach Time Fina's Instant Cure heals all allies; awakening to +2 increases the amount healed and and also temporarily boosts her Spirit.

Lotus Mage Fina's Sexy Pose may charm in response to physical attacks, Honest Wish heals all allies, and Holy Retaliation does light damage to all enemies.

Zargabaath's Warden lets him counter physical or magical attacks with a physical attack. Cloud's Fighting Instinct lets him counter physical or magical attacks. Chloe's Objection lets her counter physical or magic attacks.

Cupid Artemios's Brilliance Aura lets him counter with Blinding Bolt.

Illusionist Nichol's Phantasmal Wards has a chance to counter with Phantasmal Wards when an ally is attacked.

Ring of the Lucii's Holy has a chance to negate physical damage and counter with a light-based attack that also restores MP.

When awakened to +2 Tidus' Tackle Slip can counter physical attacks.

Rubicante's Face Me! counters physical attacks with Firaga and magic with Blizzaga. Cagnazzo's Counter:Hold uses Hold vs. physical attacks and Counter:Silence uses Silence vs. magical attack. Barbiriccia's Charged uses Zap vs. physical attacks.

Santa Roselia's Blessed Heart casts Resilience and her Divine Grace uses Heal Back, which may cast Self Heal on her or Mass Heal to the entire party.

Iris' Daughter of Amicitia heals all allies.

Ray Jack's Helping Hand restores a small amount of HP and MP to all allies.

Noctis's Damage Warp and Cor's the Immortal self-heal.

Terra's Lifesaver+2 has a chance of healing all allies in response to physical attacks.

Charming Kitty Ariana's Graceful Counter heals with Graceful Heal in response to magical attacks, while Sportive Ariana's Song of Counter heals her with Pop Heart.

Aiden's Mind Shield recovers a small amount of MP. Silvia's Magic Field recovers MP for all allies. Luxurious Feather Boa trust mastery reward may counter with Sweet Sorrow, which restores MP and raises the limit burst gauge.

21O's Mechanical Heart trust mastery reward may heal in response to physical or magic attacks.

Xon's Patches trust mastery reward has Bear Charm that may counter with Teddy's Blessing which in turn may use one of three abilities:
 * Snack - heal a small amount of HP and MP.
 * Reckless - Attack Up, Defense Down for 2 turns.
 * Vengeful - gain use of Avenging Blow attack for 45 MP.

Regenerator materia grants a small amount of healing in response to physical attacks. Reactive Defense materia lowers damage taken by 20% for 2 turns in response to physical attacks.

Warrior of Light's Warrior's Pride heals HP and MP when he is targeted by magic.

Basch's Spirit of the Fighter has a chance to heal him in response to physical attacks and Undying Fighter restores MP vs. magic attacks.

Officer Nichol's 8-fold Palm raises all allies' elemental resistance for 2 turns.

Marie's Punishment lowers foes' elemental resistances and Your Guardian raises allies' elemental resistances.

Maiden Sakura's Spring Haze uses Vivace to lower resistance to lighting, dark, and light.

Fohlen's Speedster lowers wind resistance.

Blossom Sage Sakura's Shocking Revenge lowers lightning resistance in response to magic, while Energy Change recovers MP for all allies.

Kefka's Roar of Laughter lowers enemy stats by 30%. Mage of Destruction+2 allows him to counter with Hyperdrive.

Lulu's Standby-Water lowers enemy water resistance.

Christine's Snowbear Fury lowers enemy ice resistance.

Veritas of the Flame's Fiery Retribution lowers fire resistance in response to magical attacks. Veritas of the Dark's Dark Retribution lowers dark resistance in response to physical attacks. Veritas of the Light's Light Retribution lowers light resistance in response to physical attacks. Bran's Noble Elf+2 can lower lightning and light resistance.

Lasswell and Pyro Glacial Lasswell's Mirror of Retribution allows them to counter with Mirror of Equity.

Revenging Edge is learned by Knight Delita. When awakened its counter rate is slightly increased and it lowers enemy Defense.

Sephiroth can counter with Scintilla.

Veritas of the Flame's Uplift lets him use Full Charge Stomp after being attacked.

Toby can counter with Jump Shot.

After the most recent update Noctis' Parry allows him to counter as well as evade.

Aranea's Polearm Combo counters with Spear Combo.

Gladiolus's Antagonize grants allies the ability to counter for several turns, while Reflex can counter physical or magic; his Zeidrich trust mastery counters physicals by raising the wielder's Attack.

Prompto's Scintilla counters with Flash.

Desch's Awakening Wisdom lowers Defense.

Glauca's Unhesitating Counter is a multi-hit counter that lowers Defense.

Vaan's Counter Break lowers enemies' stats by 40% in response to magical attacks.

Loren's Gap Closer counters with Full Break+, lowering all stats.

Elfreeda's Falling Snow lowers ice resistance, Absolute Stillness damages all enemies, and Ice Prism counters with a 100% critical chance.

Ulrica's skillset is almost completely counterattacking:
 * Revenge - a strong physical counter
 * Magic Revenge - counters magic with a strong physical counter
 * Full Revenge - hits all enemies
 * Magic Full Revenge - hit all enemies
 * Counter Heal - regain a small amount of HP
 * Ragefire - fire-based, ignores a portion of defense
 * Magic Ragefire - fire-based, ignores a portion of defense

Ohga is heavy on drawing attacks and countering:
 * Beastly Habit- 2 hit counter vs. physical
 * Black Arts Protest- 2 hit counter vs. magic
 * Fortifying Wail- lower foe's Attack and Magic
 * Multislash- AOE vs physical
 * Fruitless Quarrel-AOE vs magic
 * Militant- 2-turn buff Attack, Magic, Defense and Spirit 100%
 * Sole Desire- heals Ohga
 * Surging Wave-counters physical with partial unmitigated damage and lowers Attack
 * Free and Easy- counters magic with partial unmitigated damage and lowers Magic

Conrad's Booby Trap has a chance to inflict Blind, Poison, Paralyze or Petrify when triggered.

2B's Avoid gives her a chance to evade and counter physical attacks for 2 turns. If it triggers, it also temporarily enables her Avoid Attack ability. 9S's Perfect Evade gives him a chance to evade and counter physical attacks for 2 turns. If it triggers it temporarily enables Counter Attack.

Adam and Eve have Human Imitation which for 5 MP grants them a 50% chance to counter for 1 turn.

Balthier's Mark enables him to use Finishing Blow.

Cedona's Proceed Forth and Courage buff her Defense and Spirit, while My Turn and Find Resolve raise her Attack. Before the End lets her use One Cut Kill, which has a high chance of instant KO.

Chow's Loyal Heart removes several status effects and is triggered by physical attacks. Loyal Heart increases Defense and Spirit for three turns as well as removing break debuffs to either stat. Lucky Ingot TMR has a chance of Fortune Smiles, which may heal, increase Defense and Spirit, or increase the Limit Burst Gauge.

Divine Soleil's Goddess of the Moon counters with Wheel of Life, dealing magic damage based on her Spirit and also healing allies.

Explorer Aileen
 * Acrobatic Maneuvering grants the chance for a 3-hit physical counter, nulls the first 2 hits she takes for 2 turns, and also increases the LB gauge
 * Quick Reflexes counters physicals
 * Engineer's Reflexes counter physical with Shock Absorption Field, buffing her Defense and Spirit for 3 turns as well as recovering a small amount of MP.
 * Hyper Dodge increases evasion as well as countering with Energy Rush, increasing her LB gauge and temporarily nullifying damage for 2 turns.
 * Point-Blank Impact grants Killing Blow, a strong automatic critical that also boosts her LB gain and Attack for 3 turns.

Emilia's Shadow Assist costs 18 MP, it enables her Throwing Fall skill and gives her a 30% chance of countering when allies are damaged.

Nameless Gunner Jake's ABS Ring TMR grants Absorber, restoring MP vs. magic attacks and increasing the LB gauge vs physical.

Eye for an Eye and Undefeated double the activation rate of Counter. Demon's Revenge boosts counter chances by 250%. Meliadoul's Righteousness increases her Attack and chance to counter. Cedona's Gladiatoress' Resolution doubles counter rate and increases her HP when wielding light shields. Chloe's Proof of Talent trust mastery reward increases Magic and counter rate. Explorer Aileen's Tomb Raider increases counter rate 25% as well as boosting HP, Doublehand, and increasing LB gauge each turn.

Snow can increase the activation rate of Counter and Fighting Spirit via ability awakening. Demon Rain can increase the damage and critical rate of Counter via ability awakening.