Launch an enemy high into the air with a Zangan-style swift kick.
Description
Somersault is Tifa Lockhart's level 1 limit break in Final Fantasy VII Remake. It is a physical attack that hits an enemy for significant damage, and as a limit break, it requires no ATB to use.
When using Somersault, Tifa slides towards an enemy before leaping up with one leg to perform a somersault kick, hitting them twice. Both hits deal similar damage. The ability's flavor text describes it as an ability taught by Zangan, her martial arts teacher.
Somersault was Tifa's second level 1 limit break in the original Final Fantasy VII. In the original game, her limit breaks are performed in a combo, in which Somersault is the second. Her first level 1 limit break, Beat Rush, is named Rise and Fall and is one of her Unbridled Strength techniques in Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Mechanics[]
Somersault comprises two hits of equal damage each (at 850 attack power each, totaling 1,700). The effect also has a launch effect. Somersault's damage is on par with Cross-Slash and Fire in the Hole.
Use[]
Somersault deals heavy physical damage to a single target. Because it requires no ATB to use and has a quick animation, there is no penalty to using it at any time except for the fact that some enemies can become immune to physical damage when under Shield. Though a few enemies can dodge it, Somersault is easy to time to hit before they leap out of the way. Because it deals physical damage, its damage is based on Tifa's Attack Power.
Somersault will deal more damage to an enemy that is staggered and takes bonus damage, especially if Tifa has used her Unbridled Strength and True Strike abilities beforehand to deal more damage. However, this is a less efficient use of Tifa's skillset, because even though Somersault's animation is short, Tifa is better off spending the short time an enemy is staggered to use True Strike and Unbridled Strength to increase stagger bonus damage so that she and other characters can deal more damage to the enemy overall than from Tifa's Somersault.
Tifa benefits greatly from equipping the Transference Module accessories, which increases the limit gauge when Tifa consumes ATB charges. Due to Tifa's high Speed and her playstyle being based around using abilities in quick succession in a combo, Tifa consumes ATB charges rapidly, thus building her limit gauge and allowing her to use Somersault rapidly. This can greatly increase her damage output. Furthermore, Tifa is one of the better beneficiaries of Gotterdammerung; though it allows her to use Somersault at the start of battle, this maybe be is better saved for Refocus.
After obtaining Legacy: Dolphin Flurry, Tifa unlocks her second limit break, Dolphin Flurry, which deals significantly more damage than Somersault and has the added bonus of greatly increasing an enemy's stagger gauge, but also means the limit gauge takes longer to fill. Whether the player chooses to equip this depends on how often they wish to use Tifa's limit breaks, and if she has Refocus Materia equipped, as equipping Dolphin Flurry will also mean a longer time before Refocus can be used. Ultimately, Dolphin Flurry deals greater damage to an enemy and the stagger bonus is greatly appreciated, making it worth the trade overall.