The Best Finishing Moves In RPGs

Summary

RPGs deliver memorable moments through climactic, over-the-top abilities like Zettaflare and Knights of the Round.
Characters in RPGs acquire new abilities and techniques, showcasing their growth and mastery over skills.
Signature moves like Origin Pulse and Ars Nova represent elemental dominance, reshaping the outcome of battles.

RPGs are celebrated for their immersive storytelling, expansive world-building, and the depth of their characters. As the characters progress through the narrative, facing challenges and growing stronger, they acquire new abilities and techniques. These abilities range from simple attacks to complex, high-powered finishing moves that can turn the tide of battle in an instant.

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These finishing moves are the culmination of a character’s growth and mastery over their skills. They are usually reserved for the most critical moments, requiring time to charge or a specific condition to be met before they can be unleashed. It’s through these climactic, over-the-top abilities that RPGs deliver some of the most memorable and exciting moments in gaming.

9

Zettaflare

Kingdom Hearts 3

Released: January 25, 2019

In Kingdom Hearts, Sora embarks on a quest to dispel darkness, reunite with his friends, and save the universe. Alongside him is Donald Duck, the loyal court mage to King Mickey. Throughout the series, Donald supports Sora with a repertoire of healing and offensive spells… though his healing has a lot to be desired.

In Final Fantasy 16, Bahamut uses Zettaflare.

One of Donald’s most memorable moments occurs in Kingdom Hearts 3. In a climactic battle, Sora and Kairi find themselves cornered by the formidable Terra-Xehanort. Fueled by desperation and anger, Donald casts his ultimate spell: Zettaflare. The spell unleashes a massive, fiery beam of destruction, obliterating their foe but at a great cost. The sheer power of the attack overwhelms Donald, rendering him unconscious.

8

Dark Aether Breath

The Legend Of Spyro: The Eternal Night

The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night

Systems

Released: October 2, 2007
Developer: Krome Studios, Amaze Entertainment, The Mighty Troglodytes
Publisher(s): Sierra Entertainment

Also known as Fury Breath, Aether is the iconic and most powerful breath ability wielded by Purple Dragons in The Legend of Spyro series. Representing the spiritual essence of the Universe, Aether is the foundation of all existence and surpasses the strength of the four elemental pillars, Fire, Electricity, Ice, and Earth, which Purple Dragons must master to access this legendary power.

During a cutscene, Spyro uses his Dark Aether Breath to partially turn Gaul to stone, though this ability is not available for use in regular battle.

However, Aether has a darker side. When corrupted, it transforms into Dark Aether, a volatile and destructive force capable of corrupting its wielder. Despite its dangers, Dark Aether offers a massive power boost to Aether Breath attacks. During the climactic second half of the Gaul boss fight, Spyro unlocks the ability to wield Dark Aether Breath, unleashing devastating laser-like beams for precision strikes.

Completing the Dragon Challenges quest allows you to permanently retain this ability, making Spyro an even more formidable force in battle.

7

Origin Pulse And Precipice Blades

Pokemon Omega Ruby And Alpha Sapphire

Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

Systems

Released: November 21, 2014

Kyogre and Groudon are the Legendary Pokemon at the heart of the elemental conflict in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. Representing the primal forces of water and land, these titans wield the power to reshape the world, expanding the seas and continents with their abilities.

Their signature moves, Origin Pulse for Kyogre and Precipice Blades for Groudon, perfectly embody their dominion over water and earth. Both moves boast immense power, differing primarily in their elemental typing but equally devastating in battle.

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These already formidable moves reach unparalleled heights when Kyogre and Groudon undergo Primal Reversion, a transformation similar to Mega Evolution. This state restores their ancient powers from millennia past, as they draw directly from the planet’s primal energy.

In their Primal forms, Kyogre and Groudon gain enhanced stats and abilities that further amplify their signature moves, turning the tide of battle into a display of elemental dominance.

6

O Tides, I Have Returned

Genshin Impact

RPG

Action

Adventure

Gacha

Open-World

Released: September 28, 2020

As Fontaine’s esteemed Iudex and the leader of the Marechaussee Phantom, Neuvillette wields immense power not just as a Hydro Vision bearer but also as the Hydro Dragon Sovereign. His commanding presence extends beyond his titles, manifesting in his devastating combat prowess.

When Neuvillette activates his Elemental Burst, the battlefield is consumed by surging waves of Hydro energy, dealing massive damage scaled to his Max HP. As the tide settles, two majestic waterfalls descend from the heavens, crashing into the enemy ranks and delivering additional Hydro damage in concentrated areas. When the water resides, it leaves behind six Sourcewater droplets.

With these droplets, Neuvillette can instantly execute his Charged Attack: Equitable Judgement. This devastating ability releases a massive, continuous jet of water, dealing relentless Hydro damage along a straight path. Skilled players can rotate Neuvillette during the attack, significantly extending its reach and maximizing his battlefield dominance.

Neuvillette’s Charged Attack initially sparked controversy among players for being considered overpowered. When Version 4.0 launched, HoYoverse introduced a “fix” that reduced Neuvillette’s rotation speed during his Charged Attack, aiming to balance his performance. However, this adjustment faced significant backlash from the player base, who argued that it unfairly weakened Neuvillette’s effectiveness in battle. Responding to the outcry, HoYoverse ultimately reversed the change, restoring his original rotation speed and ensuring his combat prowess remained intact.

5

The Rebirth – Devil’s Verdict

.Hack//G.U. Last Recode

.hack//G.U. Last Recode

Platform(s): PS4, PC, Switch
Released: November 3, 2017
Developer(s): CyberConnect2
Publisher(s): Namco Bandai

In The World, players can unleash powerful Rengeki attacks after wearing down an enemy’s defenses with combos. These special moves become increasingly devastating as players level up, adding depth and strategy to battles.

By Volume Four of The World, Haseo unlocks his final Job Extension: Ultimate Steel, granting him access to the mighty Gate of Ouroboros, an Eight Phase Blade. This weapon embodies the power of the eight Avatars Haseo has absorbed throughout his journey, with each new skill paying homage to their unique abilities.

Haseo’s ultimate technique, The Rebirth – Devil’s Verdict, transforms the Gate of Ouroboros into a massive energy cannon. The attack unleashes a devastating beam that deals immense damage to all enemies in a straight line, making it a perfect choice for clearing large areas while showcasing Haseo’s incredible power.

4

Ars Nova

Fairy Tail 2

Tactical

RPG

Hack and Slash

Released: December 11, 2024

Fairy Tail 2 transports you back to Fiore, placing you at the forefront of a fierce struggle to save the country from an invasion. As you progress, your Guild members grow not only in strength but also in their mastery of magical abilities.

Beyond individual techniques, players unlock the awe-inspiring Extreme Magic, cooperative attacks that showcase the combined power of allies. By increasing your Fairy Rank, you can summon progressively stronger Extreme Magic to decimate foes.

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The ultimate Extreme Magic, Ars Nova, is a spectacle of destruction, summoning Irene Belserion and August, two of the most powerful mages, whose loyalties to Zeref are set aside in this instance.

This devastating attack unleashes catastrophic power, dealing a massive 10,000 damage to all enemies and boasting a high break stat to shatter their defenses. Irene and August channel their unparalleled magical prowess through their staffs, culminating in a breathtaking explosion that leaves the battlefield in ruins.

3

Knights Of The Round

Final Fantasy 7

Released: January 31, 1997

Knights of the Round is the ultimate Summon Materia in Final Fantasy VII, a legendary ability that brings forth 13 knights inspired by Arthurian mythology. Together, they unleash Ultimate End, a devastating attack that delivers 13 powerful hits, each ignoring Magic defense.

This summon is capable of dealing catastrophic damage, making it an invaluable asset in battles against the game’s toughest foes, including Emerald and Ruby Weapon.

You can find the Knights of the Round Materia on Round Island, a hidden island in the northeast that you access using a Gold Chocobo.

Beyond its sheer power, the summon is a showcase of impressive detail. Each knight is equipped with their own unique weapon and spells, culminating in the appearance of King Arthur, wielding the legendary Excalibur.

2

Purge Of Light

Wuthering Waves

Released: May 22, 2024
Developer(s): Kuro Games
Publisher(s): Kuro Games

Jinhsi serves as the Magistrate of Jinzhou, a role bestowed upon her by none other than Jue, the Sentinel Dragon herself. Jinhsi wields the powers of a resonator, individuals capable of unleashing devastating Resonance Liberations, their most powerful abilities. Jinhsi’s Resonance Liberation allows her to summon a dragon to fight by her side, raining destruction on her enemies with awe-inspiring force.

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While her dragon summon is powerful on its own, its effectiveness can be pushed even further. To maximize its potential, focus on buffing Jinhsi’s critical hit rate through carefully selected weapons and equipped echoes. By optimizing her build, players can transform her Resonance Liberation into an unstoppable force, devastating even the most challenging foes.

1

Indignation

Tales Of The Abyss

Tales of the Abyss

Systems

Released: October 10, 2006
Developer(s): Namco Tales Studio
Publisher(s): Namco Bandai

The Tales of series is renowned for its powerful and flashy Mystic Artes, special moves that can turn the tide of battle. Once learned, Mystic Artes are activated as extensions of normal combos, not only dealing massive damage but also temporarily boosting the user’s stats. These moves often serve as iconic highlights of the series, showcasing each character’s unique style and strength.

In Tales of Arise, Indignation is not given to a playable character, but to the villain, Ganabelt.

Among these legendary moves, Indignation stands out as one of the most iconic. First appearing as an event spell in Tales of Phantasia, it was later promoted to Mystic Arte status in subsequent titles after a brief stint as an Arcane Arte, cementing its place as a fan favorite.

In Tales of the Abyss, Jade Curtiss wields Indignation to devastating effect, both in battle and dramatic cutscenes, using its immense power to clear the field of enemies with a flourish.