First Strike, also known as Initiative, Preemptive Strike or Hamedo, is a recurring passive ability in the Final Fantasy series. Most often it either increases the chance of a preemptive battle, letting the party attack before the enemies, or lets the equipped character always get the first turn in battle.
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Appearances
Final Fantasy V
First Strike is the level 3 Ninja class ability, learned for 50 ABP and known by them innately. It boosts the chance for a preemptive strike from 32/256 to 64/256.
Final Fantasy VII
The Pre-Emptive Independent Materia grants a bonus to First Strike. At level 1, it grants a +5% bonus, with a +8% bonus at level 2, +10% bonus at level 3, +15% bonus at level 4, and +20% bonus at level 5. There is a base chance of 16/256 of getting a pre-emptive battle, but a mastered Pre-Emptive Materia boosts this up to 64/256. The maximum is 85/256, roughly a 1/3 chance.
Final Fantasy VIII
Guardian Forces Pandemona, Cactuar, and Tonberry learn the Initiative ability for 160 AP. Junctioning the ability to a character will allow them to start battles with a full ATB gauge, regardless of situation.
Final Fantasy IX
Only Freya can learn the Initiative ability by equipping either Obelisk or Battle Boots. It takes 95 AP and takes 5 Magic Stones to equip. It boosts the party's chance to get a preemptive strike.
Final Fantasy X
Initiative can be customized to any weapon to raise the chance of a preemptive strike and to eliminate ambushes. Initiative can be customized to a weapon by use of six Chocobo Wing items.
Without Initiative, there is a 12.5% chance of being ambushed, a 12.5% chance of the player getting a preemptive strike. With Initiative, there is a 25% chance of pre-emptive strike and 0% of being ambushed (unless it is a fixed encounter).
First Strike can be customized to any weapon, if it does not start with it, by the use of a Return Sphere. Auron's Celestial Weapon, the Masamune, has First Strike when fully upgraded. With the use of a turn-based battle system, having First Strike guarantees the character will have the first turn; even if the battle is an ambush.
Certain enemies have a First Strike type-ability, where they will always have the first turn, regardless of ambush, pre-emptive, or a player's character's First Strike. Varuna will always open the battle with Haste, and Kottos will always open the battle by switching into its Counter status, signified by the raising of its fists. Similarly, Great Malboro enemies fought in the Omega Ruins will always ambush the player using Bad Breath on their first turn, however, a player's First Strike ability precedes this and doesn't function in the same way as the aforementioned enemies.
Final Fantasy X-2
The Thief's Initiative ability costs 60 AP to learn and increases the chance of pre-emptive battle.
The accessory Sprint Shoes, the Garment Grids Mounted Assault and Highwind Roads, and the Thief dressphere grant the First Strike ability, which allows the user to start the battle with full ATB.
Final Fantasy XIII
The passive ability First Strike fully charges the ATB gauge prior to battle. This is obtained by equipping the Aurora Scarf.
Final Fantasy Tactics
First Strike is a reaction ability. The Monk class learns it for 1,200 JP. It functions like Counter; however, rather than attacking after being hit, the unit using First Strike attacks the enemy preemptively and cancels the enemy's hit. The ability's success rate is affected by the character's Brave level and will work against all uses of the Attack command by units in the character's attack range. Unfortunately, this means that monster abilities will not trigger First Strike unless they are under Frog status, but ranged strikes will, if the character is equipped with a similar weapon.
Dissidia Final Fantasy
First Strike is an ability for level 67 or higher characters that increases the critical rate of the first landed Bravery combo in battle. Its base CP cost is 40 and requires 360 AP to master.
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