Rank (動作時間, dōsa jikan?, lit. action time)[1], is a mechanic in the Conditional Turn-Based Battle system used in Final Fantasy X. Each action has a rank that determines the recovery time after the ability is used. Abilities with lower ranks have a shorter recovery time, allowing the unit to act again sooner.
The upcoming order of actions persists on the HUD, and moving the cursor over commands reveals how it will change the order. This can be used tactically, where an action with a shorter recovery time may be used to get in another attack before the enemy's turn.
Mechanics[]
The standard rank most common abilities have—including Attack—is 3. Using an item and defending are rank 2 actions, while changing weapons or armor and attempting to escape are rank 1. Most enemy abilities are also rank 3.
The Quick Hit ability is identical to a normal Attack, albeit with a lower rank (1 in the original versions, 2 in the International and HD versions) and for an MP cost (12 in the original versions, 36 in the International and HD versions). Similarly, the Quick Pockets ability in the International and HD versions is a rank 1 version of the Item command with an MP cost of 70.
Rikku's Overdrive, Mix, will be shown on the CTB as being rank 5, however, all possible mixes are rank 6. This may fool the player into thinking that Rikku will get her next turn sooner than she really will. This kind of issue does not happen with Yuna's Overdrive, Grand Summon, as even though the CTB will display it as rank 5, the player must select which aeon is summoned, and when the cursor is over any aeon on the list, the CTB will display the correct rank of 3.
Doublecast has a fixed rank of 3, regardless of the Black Magic spells that are chosen. A party member that has Doublecast as well as Flare and/or Ultima can exploit this by using either spell in a Doublecast, followed by a low MP cost spell, such as Osmose or Fire, to have the extra MP cost of the other chosen spell but a much lower recovery time, since an individual Flare or Ultima spell would be rank 5 or 6, respectively. A party member with the Half MP Cost auto-ability will be able to Doublecast Flare + Flare for the MP cost of a single cast and 2/5 less of recovery time, while a Ultima + Ultima Doublecast would only have half the recovery time of a single Ultima spell. A character under the No MP cost effect would be able to exploit this even further, by using a Ultima + Ultima Doublecast twice with the same recovery time as a single Ultima cast and without any disadvantage or additional cost.
List of ranks[]
The following table lists all player commands and their ranks[2]:
Ability | Type | Rank |
---|---|---|
Attack | Main | 3 |
Summon | Main | 3 |
Item | Main | 2 |
Defend | Main | 2 |
Weapon switch | Sub | 1 |
Armor switch | Sub | 1 |
Escape | Sub | 1 |
Sleep Attack | Skill | 3 |
Silence Attack | Skill | 3 |
Dark Attack | Skill | 3 |
Sleep Buster | Skill | 3 |
Silence Buster | Skill | 3 |
Dark Buster | Skill | 3 |
Zombie Attack | Skill | 3 |
Triple Foul | Skill | 3 |
Delay Attack | Skill | 6 |
Delay Buster | Skill | 8 |
Power Break | Skill | 4 |
Magic Break | Skill | 4 |
Armor Break | Skill | 4 |
Mental Break | Skill | 4 |
Extract Power | Skill | 3 |
Extract Mana | Skill | 3 |
Extract Speed | Skill | 3 |
Extract Ability | Skill | 3 |
Full Break | Skill | 5 |
Mug | Skill | 3 |
Nab Gil | Skill | 3 |
Quick Hit (PAL/Int version) | Skill | 2 |
Quick Hit (US/original Japanese version) | Skill | 1 |
Flee | Special | 2 |
Steal | Special | 3 |
Use | Special | 2 |
Pray | Special | 3 |
Cheer | Special | 2 |
Aim | Special | 2 |
Focus | Special | 2 |
Reflex | Special | 2 |
Luck | Special | 2 |
Jinx | Special | 2 |
Lancet | Special | 2 |
Guard | Special | 3 |
Sentinel | Special | 3 |
Spare Change | Special | 3 |
Threaten | Special | 3 |
Provoke | Special | 3 |
Entrust | Special | 3 |
Copycat | Special | 3 |
Pilfer Gil | Special | 3 |
Quick Pockets | Special | 1 |
Doublecast | Special | 3 |
Bribe | Special | 3 |
Fire/Thunder/Water/Blizzard | Black Magic | 3 |
Fira/Thundara/Watera/Blizzara | Black Magic | 3 |
Firaga/Thundaga/Waterga/Blizzaga | Black Magic | 3 |
Bio | Black Magic | 3 |
Demi | Black Magic | 3 |
Death | Black Magic | 3 |
Drain | Black Magic | 2 |
Osmose | Black Magic | 2 |
Flare | Black Magic | 5 |
Ultima | Black Magic | 6 |
Cure/Cura/Curaga | White Magic | 3 |
Scan | White Magic | 3 |
NulBlaze/NulShock/NulTide/NulFrost | White Magic | 2 |
Esuna | White Magic | 3 |
Life | White Magic | 3 |
Full-Life | White Magic | 3 |
Haste | White Magic | 4 |
Hastega | White Magic | 6 |
Slow | White Magic | 3 |
Slowga | White Magic | 4 |
Shell | White Magic | 3 |
Protect | White Magic | 3 |
Reflect | White Magic | 3 |
Dispel | White Magic | 3 |
Regen | White Magic | 3 |
Holy | White Magic | 4 |
Auto-Life | White Magic | 3 |
Spiral Cut | Tidus Overdrive | 3 |
Slice & Dice | Tidus Overdrive | 4 |
Energy Rain | Tidus Overdrive | 5 |
Blitz Ace | Tidus Overdrive | 7 |
Grand Summon | Yuna Overdrive | 3[note 1] |
Dragon Fang | Auron Overdrive | 5 |
Shooting Star | Auron Overdrive | 5 |
Banishing Blade | Auron Overdrive | 6 |
Tornado | Auron Overdrive | 7 |
Jump | Kimahri Overdrive | 3 |
Fire Breath | Kimahri Overdrive | 3 |
Seed Cannon | Kimahri Overdrive | 3 |
Self-Destruct | Kimahri Overdrive | 3 |
Thrust Kick | Kimahri Overdrive | 3 |
Stone Breath | Kimahri Overdrive | 3 |
Aqua Breath | Kimahri Overdrive | 3 |
Doom | Kimahri Overdrive | 3 |
White Wind | Kimahri Overdrive | 3 |
Bad Breath | Kimahri Overdrive | 4 |
Mighty Guard | Kimahri Overdrive | 4 |
Nova | Kimahri Overdrive | 7 |
Element Reels/Attack Reels/Status Reels/Aurochs Reels | Wakka Overdrive | 4[note 2] |
Fire Fury/Thunder Fury/Water Fury/Blizzard Fury | Lulu Overdrive | 5 |
Fira Fury/Thundara Fury/Watera Fury/Blizzara Fury | Lulu Overdrive | 5 |
Firaga Fury/Thundaga Fury/Waterga Fury/Blizzaga Fury | Lulu Overdrive | 5 |
Bio Fury | Lulu Overdrive | 5 |
Demi Fury | Lulu Overdrive | 6 |
Death Fury | Lulu Overdrive | 5 |
Drain Fury | Lulu Overdrive | 4 |
Osmose Fury | Lulu Overdrive | 4 |
Flare Fury | Lulu Overdrive | 7 |
Ultima Fury | Lulu Overdrive | 10 |
Mix | Rikku Overdrive | 6[note 3] |
Attack | Aeon | 3 |
Shield | Aeon Sub | 3 |
Boost | Aeon Sub | 3 |
Sonic Wings | Valefor | 2 |
Energy Ray | Valefor Overdrive | 8 |
Energy Blast | Valefor Overdrive | 9 |
Meteor Strike | Ifrit | 4 |
Hellfire | Ifrit Overdrive | 8 |
Aerospark | Ixion | 4 |
Thor's Hammer | Ixion Overdrive | 8 |
Heavenly Strike | Shiva | 4 |
Diamond Dust | Shiva Overdrive | 8 |
Impulse | Bahamut | 6 |
Mega Flare | Bahamut Overdrive | 8 |
Pain | Anima | 6 |
Oblivion | Anima Overdrive | 8 |
Daigoro | Yojimbo | 3 |
Kozuka | Yojimbo | 3 |
Wakizashi | Yojimbo | 3 |
Zanmato | Yojimbo | 8 |
Taking a break | Magus Sisters | 3 |
Camisade | Magus Sisters Cindy | 5 |
Razzia | Magus Sisters Sandy | 5 |
Passado | Magus Sisters Mindy | 5 |
Delta Attack | Magus Sisters Overdrive | 5 |
References[]
- ↑ Final Fantasy X Ultimania Omega, p.396
- ↑ barreltheif (n.d.) . Abilities' "Rank"?. GameFAQs Boards. Archived from the original on 30 May, 2022.