Team up with your partner in time with an enemy's ranged attack to unleash a counterstrike.
Description
Counterfire is a synergy skill in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, used by Cloud Strife with any party member, including Zack. The skill, if timed correctly, causes Cloud to absorb a ranged attack or spell or area attack, or almost any attack that Punisher Mode cannot counter (such as Titan's stomp), and return with a counterattack from himself and the partner. It will not counter spells that do no damage and only attempt to inflict an ailment, nor enemies' grab attacks, melee attacks, nor enemies' "cinematic attacks" where control is taken from the player during the animation.
The skill will interrupt the synergy partner, but will cause them to counterattack, if timed properly. The skill is unlocked from Cloud's folio.
In the ability's animation, Cloud enters a defensive stance, and after countering, his partner leaps to the attacking enemy to hit them. Cloud is immune to damage during the counter animation. Successfully countering builds ATB for both Cloud and his partner. The ability's success window is fairly generous: the player can aim to trigger it when the enemy's attack name appears on red on-screen.
Counterfire is Cloud's only defensive synergy skill.
Obtained[]
Counterfire is learned from Cloud's folio, and costs 10 SP. It is available at party level 2.
Use[]
Counterfire is Cloud's means of counterattacking against ranged attacks and spells, as his Punisher Mode enables him to counterattack melee attacks. Guarding and countering with Punisher Mode is still easier, as it does not require the precise timing that Counterfire does, and does not interrupt a party member. However, Counterfire is nonetheless an incredibly effective skill that, if a player masters its timing, can use to avoid damage and deal effective damage of their own.
Counterfire is helpful against enemies that are only susceptible during certain actions, like jellyfish enemies.