Barthunder is a defensive status effect in Final Fantasy XIII that halves incoming lightning damage for its duration. The effect stacks with existent Protect/Protectra and/or Shell/Shellra, as well as damage-mitigating synthesis abilities or Sentinel's abilities and role bonus, but only one bar-effect can exist on the same party member at any one time; if a new bar-effect is bestowed, it will override the previous one.
Barthunder is the only bar-effect that an enemy can use; all others are player-exclusive.
Bar-effects can be active while a party member is afflicted with Imperil, which weakens them to elemental damage, thus mitigating the effect (though it is always best to heal Imperil).
Hope is the party's main defensive Synergist in the early game and learns Barthunder the earliest.
Abilities[]
| Game Element | Type | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Barthunder | Synergist ability for Sazh, Vanille, and Hope | Bestows Barthunder to the target for 90 seconds (base duration). |
| Auto-Barthunder | Passive ability from Sparkshield Earring. | Casts Barthunder at the start of battle for 60 seconds. |
| Critical: Barthunder | Passive ability from Sparkbane Brooch. | Casts Barthunder when HP is low for 120 seconds. Functions once per battle. |
Status duration for effects earned from spells cast in battle can be lengthened with high level Synergist role level, many Synergists in the same paradigm, the target's high chain level, the caster's high Magic stat (base stat + any boons such as from Faith), the Boon ability, the Positive Effect synthesized ability, and Defense Maintenance and Defense Maintenance II weapon skills from Hope's Vidofnir and Hresvelgr, respectively.
Enemy abilities[]
Corps Gunner uses Manadrive Barthunder to bestow the status.
Removal[]
Barthunder can be removed with any ability that inflicts Dispel, and is overridden by Barfire, Barfrost, or Barwater.