Black cloth belt from a distant land. Wearer will sometimes counter physical attacks.
Description
Black Belt is a relic in Final Fantasy VI. It grants a chance to automatically counterattack a targeted physical attack against the wearer. The relic is a great way to improve a character's physical damage, and can be useful in the Dragon's Neck Coliseum.
Obtained[]
Black Belt can drop from Captain, and be bought in Tzen, Narshe (after acquiring the Blackjack, and Thamasa for 5,000 gil.
Mechanics[]
The wearer has a 1/4 chance of immediately responding to being attacked, by attacking their attacker with their equipped weapon without using up a turn. The wearer cannot counterattack if they have the KO petrify, Magitek, zombie, sleep, confuse, Dance, stop, or frozen effects.
Use[]
Black Belt is a great way to improve a character's damage output. As it gives them a chance to instantly counterattack without expending a turn, Black Belt allows a party member to attack more times per turn. Black Belt's use will therefore depend on the user's damage from normal physical attacks, determined by their weapon and stats. The wearer should also be prepared to sustain physical attacks, meaning their natural HP and armor should be protective.
Among party members well-suited to equip Black Belt are those with naturally high Strength, and/or a wide weapon selection. Sabin, despite most damage coming from his Blitz command, is an excellent choice due to his naturally high Strength, while Locke, Edgar, and Umaro also make strong choices. When Umaro counterattacks, he may counter with any of the attacks he can currently perform (including his Throw Ally ability from Berserker Ring).
Black Belt combines very well with Knight's Code, which allows party members to automatically cover critical party members. This means that a party member can cover and then respond with a counterattack, making Black Belt more valuable. Sabin's naturally high HP and Stamina makes him well-suited to this, while Locke, Edgar, and Celes are also strong choices due to their armor and weapon selection. Umaro can also be a good choice, although doing this will not allow him to use Berserker Ring. Black Belt also combines well with relics that improve physical damage, such as Genji Glove, Gauntlet, and Hyper Wrist.
Black Belt remains useful, but is somewhat less valuable later in the game due to other relics that can improve physical damage further, such as Genji Glove, Dragoon Boots, and Master's Scroll. However, Black Belt can be a great pairing with the Master's Scroll, especially in the Dragon's Neck Coliseum, giving the party member a chance to counter with four attacks against the enemy. When equipping a weapon that targets the enemy's weakness, this can be very effective.
Etymology[]
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though frequently not the highest grade or the "expert" of public perception.