Squall (Final Fantasy VIII party member)

Squall
スコール (Sukōru?)
Portraits
Gameplay details
Type	Party member
Limit Break	Renzokuken
Ultimate Limit Break	Lion Heart
Weapon	Gunblades
Ultimate weapon	Lion Heart

Squall is the main playable character in Final Fantasy VIII. He is the most powerful party member due to his Renzokuken Limit Break's sheer strength and his gunblades, which can manually be triggered to deal a critical hit every time, and have a 255% accuracy and thus never miss. Like other playable characters, there is also a Triple Triad card based on Squall. He is also playable in demos for Final Fantasy VIII.

Party member

Squall is the default party member the player starts with, and will be the player character for most of the game. He is powerful and versatile. During dream world sequences, Squall always inhabits Laguna, his junctions transferring over.

In his intro pose Squall stands with his gunblade resting on his shoulder before slashing the air. In his victory pose he will slash the air twice, then turn his back on the camera with his gunblade resting on his shoulder.

Weapons

Squall's gunblade in its case.

Main article: Squall's gunblades

Squall uses the hybrid weapon known as the gunblade in battle. Through upgrades via junk shops he can come to wield variant models, although in cutscenes he always wields the Revolver. The player should prioritize upgrading Squall's weapons as he gains new Limit Break finishers from them as well as improved attack power. The upgrades are described in Weapons Monthly magazines, but having the corresponding magazine for an upgrade is not needed if the player only has the materials.

Gunblades provide 255% accuracy, making Squall the most proficient melee fighter as he never misses, even when afflicted by the Darkness status. When pressing the trigger immediately as the weapon hits an enemy, he can boost the damage dealt by 50%.

Squall's own model gunblade is unique, featuring a stenciled Griever on both sides of the blade, as well as having a chained pendant of Griever's head attached to the handle's base. The gunblade's casing is also custom, featuring an enlarged image of Squall's Griever pendant on the lid.

There are seven gunblade models available for Squall to use:

• Revolver – Initial model. Described in Weapons Monthly, March Issue.
• Shear Trigger – Described in Weapons Monthly, April Issue.
• Cutting Trigger – Described in Weapons Monthly, May Issue.
• Flame Saber – Described in Weapons Monthly, June Issue.
• Twin Lance – Described in Weapons Monthly, July Issue.
• Punishment – Described in Weapons Monthly, August Issue.
• Lion Heart – Described in Weapons Monthly, 1st Issue.

Limit Break

Main article: Renzokuken

Squall performing the Lion Heart.

Squall's Limit Break is Renzokuken. The player is prompted to tap the trigger button at the correct time, indicated by a moving bar on the bottom of the screen. Some bosses have unique Renzokuken sequences. Squall will slash the targeted enemy four to eight times before possibly beginning one of his four finishing moves.

The finishing move is chosen randomly, but Squall learns finishing moves in accordance to his acquiring of new gunblade models, and can only do a certain finishing move if he is wielding the gunblade model necessary to perform that technique. For instance, Squall cannot use the Lion Heart finisher if he is not equipped with the Lion Heart gunblade.

Finishers

• Rough Divide - Obtain Revolver or higher to execute.
• Fated Circle - Obtain Shear Trigger or higher to execute.
• Blasting Zone - Obtain Flame Saber or higher to execute.
• Lion Heart - Obtain Lion Heart to execute.

Stats

Squall starts at level 7 with his EXP bar half-way filled, similar to how Cloud always levels up in his first battle in Final Fantasy VII. Squall's first level up being from level 7 to level 8 alludes to the number 8. Natural stat growth is a minor influence in Final Fantasy VIII because of the junction system, but Squall has generally high stats compared to other party members. His Hit% is always 255% because of his weapon. Because he already has perfect hit rate, and his critical hits are manually triggered, the player may be better off prioritizing the other party members with Luck junctions.

LV	HP	Str	Vit	Mag	Spr	Spd	Luck
1	223	1	1	2	1	20	15
2	267	2	2	2	2	20	15
3	311	2	3	3	3	20	15
4	355	3	3	4	3	20	15
5	399	4	4	5	4	21	15
6	442	5	5	5	5	21	15
7	486	6	6	6	5	21	16
8	529	6	6	7	6	21	16
9	572	7	7	8	6	21	16
10	616	8	8	8	7	22	16
11	659	9	8	9	8	22	16
12	702	9	9	10	8	22	16
13	745	10	9	10	9	22	16
14	788	11	10	11	9	22	16
15	831	12	11	12	10	23	16
16	873	12	11	12	10	23	16
17	916	13	12	13	11	23	16
18	959	13	12	14	12	23	16
19	1001	14	13	14	12	23	16
20	1044	15	14	15	13	24	16
21	1086	16	14	16	13	24	17
22	1129	16	15	16	14	24	17
23	1171	17	15	17	14	24	17
24	1213	17	16	18	14	24	17
25	1255	18	17	18	15	25	17
26	1297	19	17	19	16	25	17
27	1339	19	18	19	16	25	17
28	1381	20	18	20	17	25	17
29	1423	20	18	21	17	25	17
30	1464	21	19	21	18	25	17
31	1506	22	20	21	18	25	17
32	1547	22	20	22	18	25	17
33	1589	23	20	23	19	25	17
34	1630	23	21	23	19	25	17
35	1671	24	22	24	20	26	18
36	1713	25	22	24	20	26	18
37	1754	25	23	25	21	26	18
38	1795	26	23	25	21	26	18
39	1836	26	23	26	21	26	18
40	1877	27	24	27	22	27	18
41	1918	27	24	27	22	27	18
42	1958	28	25	27	23	27	18
43	1999	28	25	28	23	27	18
44	2040	29	26	29	23	27	18
45	2080	30	26	29	24	28	18
46	2121	30	27	29	24	28	18
47	2161	30	27	30	25	28	18
48	2201	31	27	30	25	28	18
49	2241	31	28	31	25	28	19
50	2281	32	28	31	26	29	19
51	2321	32	29	31	26	29	19
52	2361	33	29	32	26	29	19
53	2401	33	29	32	27	29	19
54	2441	34	30	33	27	29	19
55	2481	34	30	33	28	30	19
56	2521	35	30	34	28	30	19
57	2560	35	31	34	28	30	19
58	2600	35	31	34	28	30	19
59	2639	36	31	35	28	30	19
60	2678	36	32	35	29	30	19
61	2718	37	32	36	29	30	19
62	2757	37	33	36	29	30	19
63	2796	37	33	36	30	30	20
64	2835	38	33	37	30	30	20
65	2874	38	34	37	30	31	20
66	2913	39	34	37	30	31	20
67	2951	39	34	38	31	31	20
68	2990	39	34	38	31	31	20
69	3029	40	34	38	31	31	20
70	3067	40	35	39	32	32	20
71	3106	40	35	39	32	32	20
72	3144	41	35	39	32	32	20
73	3183	41	36	40	32	32	20
74	3221	41	36	40	32	32	20
75	3259	42	36	40	33	33	20
76	3297	42	36	40	33	33	20
77	3335	42	37	41	33	33	21
78	3373	42	37	41	33	33	21
79	3411	43	37	41	33	33	21
80	3449	43	37	42	33	34	21
81	3486	43	37	42	33	34	21
82	3524	44	38	42	33	34	21
83	3561	44	38	42	34	34	21
84	3599	44	38	43	34	34	21
85	3636	44	38	43	34	35	21
86	3673	45	38	43	34	35	21
87	3711	45	39	43	34	35	21
88	3748	45	39	43	34	35	21
89	3785	45	39	44	34	35	21
90	3822	46	39	44	35	35	21
91	3859	46	39	44	35	35	22
92	3896	46	39	44	35	35	22
93	3932	46	39	44	35	35	22
94	3969	46	40	44	35	35	22
95	4006	47	40	45	35	36	22
96	4042	47	40	45	35	36	22
97	4079	47	40	45	35	36	22
98	4115	47	40	45	35	36	22
99	4151	47	40	45	35	36	22
100	4187	47	41	45	36	37	22

Guardian Forces

Squall summons.

Compatibility with Guardian Forces determines how long the Charge Time is when summoning them. The below values are the base compatibility values at the start of the game, but changes as Squall acts in battle, as some actions boost compatibility whereas others lower it. Using compatibility items on him in the menu can also be used to boost compatibility. However, it is a minor mechanic in the game and can be ignored.

Squall is better off junctioning GFs that give Str-J to capitalize on his excellent physical capabilities. Out of the starter GFs, Shiva, can learn it initially, and Ifrit joins with it already learned. Ifrit also has Str+% abilities to further boost Squall's physical attack, making him a good GF for Squall for a good portion of the game. However, the GFs' abilities are highly customizable later on.

GF	Compatibility
Quezacotl	580
Shiva	570
Ifrit	600
Siren	560
Brothers	576
Diablos	660
Carbuncle	580
Leviathan	620
Pandemona	570
Cerberus	640
Alexander	580
Doomtrain	540
Bahamut	520
Cactuar	580
Tonberry	540
Eden	480

Optional interactions

The player can log into Squall's Study Panel in the 2F classroom in Balamb Garden when playing as him. The information viewable there changes as different points in the game.

Irvine in Squall's room while he is asleep.

The player can't usually interact with Squall as an "NPC" because he stays as the controlled character so much of the game. After Balamb Garden becomes mobile, when the party members are not assigned as player characters, they can be seen wandering the Garden on their own. During the short time he is not in the party (during the scene the party is choosing the instruments to play at the FH concert), Squall can be found sleeping in his dorm. The player can interact with him as Irvine, but only "..." appears.

Squall breaking school rules.

There are couple events in the Garden the player can do as Squall, but if the player follows through, their SeeD rank will go down. After completing the Fire Cavern and obtaining Ifrit, two students will be sitting outside the 2F classroom. They will ask if Squall can show them his gunblade. If he does, Instructor Aki will arrive to give demerit points towards Squall's future SeeD rank. After the encounter with NORG, a student on 2F of the Garden will request a display of magic power. If Squall obliges, Instructor Aki will arrive to deduct a SeeD rank as punishment.

Triple Triad

Main article: Squall (Final Fantasy VIII card)

Squall is a Level 10 Player Card in Triple Triad used for playing the minigame and for turning into 3 Three Stars with Quezacotl's Card Mod. The card is won off Laguna in Esthar City palace or on the Ragnarok. Squall's card is the final card of the inventory and also the final card of the game were the player to get every card as early as they can.