Lightning

Character Notes & Recommendations

Summon Board Passive selections: 

• Ramuh choose 3 / 4 / 5

• Odin choose 3 / 6 / 7

• Bahamut choose 4 / 5 / 6

• Usuals: 

  • Ifrit, Shiva, Brothers 4 / 5 / 7

  • Leviathan, Diabolos, Pandemonium, Alexander 4 / 5 / 6

• For more details and help with summons, check Summon Hub!

Additional Weapons

• Manikin Weapon: Adds S1 & S2 BRV DMG +10%

  • Acquire by finishing Act 2, Chapter 5 and going to Chapter 5.8

  • Acquire through Item Exchange > Power Token Exchange

Sphere Recommendations

• A Spheres: Focus ATK & BRV DMG primarily! If you can boost ATK & mBRV simultaneously, that's great, since it will boost both her BRV gains & her self battery from her regen. King, Ardyn (any of the ATK/mBRV that aren't Rinoa are good), Gau (any BRV DMG spheres are great just check their condition!) are all solid. 

• D sphere: Focus ATK & mBRV again. Cissnei and Hope’s are truly excellent for her, otherwise opt for one of the ATK or mBRV spheres.

How-To-Play Notes

• Tl;dr - Lightning's power comes form her EX which her BT rework can grant her. If she breaks, she can EX (which can pull enemies out of Break status) making for a powerful BT phase of "Oops all EX". A common strategy is using her FR to start Force Time, using FR echo and BT phase (use one of her free turns to use BT+ finisher if it wasn't up before the FR use) and end the fight with big Echo attacks from allies.

• If you're a big Lightning fan and want to Solo a couple fights that have no teeth, rely on her free skills from EX uses, LD uses (time them for her overhead too) and from having 2 stacks of either stance (each skill promotes a stance).

• Sparkstrike (S1) puts her in Ravager stance.

  • With 2 stacks of Commando (S2 and another S2 or HP++ Commando) her S1 will upgrade and deal 3 HP attacks with a splash and apply Thunder Resist Down on all enemies

• Flourish of Steel (S2) puts her in Commando stance.

  • With 2 stacks of Ravager (S1 and another S1 or HP++ Ravager) her S2 upgrades and also deals 3 HP attacks with splash; it also ignores defense.

• Army of One (EX, "upgraded" in Ravager stance) deals serious damage to a single target and delays the target 1 or 2 turns depending on the stance she's in. Ravager stance offers the 2 turn delay.

• Crushing Blow (LD) pulls enemies out of their break state and focuses the bulk of the damage on the targeted enemy while splashing the other. Using LD will grant her 2 free turns and skill uses so use this opportunity to set up an EX in Ravager stance if possible. Using it for some extra turns to use her upgraded versions for slightly more power is fine too.

• Gestalt Drive (BT) grants her the BT effect which helps the party, especially vs broken enemies. With her BT rework, she provides the party with HP DMG Limit (more for herself), more HP DMG vs broken enemies and refills Lightning's EX after she breaks an enemy.