The Skills aspect of Final Fantasy XV is pretty unique in that you get Ability Points/Ascension Points (AP) to upgrade your skills. There’s the Ascension tab in the main menu where you get the desired skills but there are nine categories each made for a separate style of playthrough i.e. if you want to for a Magic build, Exploration build, Strength/Combat based build etc.
So, you’ve got some AP and want to decide where should you spend it? Well, fret not. This list here is going to list some of the best skills available here in the game that’ll give you a jump start at the start of the game and maybe make your gameplay experience all the better, just the way you like it!
10. Happy Camping
The Happy Camping Node under the Exploration Tab.
This is one of the initial nodes that you get the opportunity to spend early on in the game. In this node, you get 2 AP every time you make camp and trust me, there’ll be a lot of times when you’ll get to go on camp. They’re gonna be before boss fights, during a dungeon exploring session and escaping from higher-level Daemons at night.
It’s also the perfect way to keep farming some AP so that you can get to unlock the advanced version of this skill known as “Happier Camping” where you can get 4 AP whenever camp is made instead of 2. I mean, who wouldn’t want more AP?
Why Happy Camping is great:
- Makes great for AP farming, allowing it to unlock more skills and nodes.
- Allows for the opportunity to unlock “Happier Camping” giving ability to gain 4 AP during camps.
- Provides opportunity to make more camp, giving players time to plan their next battle to get the upper hand.
Happy Camping full details:
- Increases AP gained from camping to 2.
9. Roadrunning
Nothing like a good ol’ drive around Eos. With Specs behind the wheel, you’re bound for a smooth ride.
Another one of the initial nodes that you get to spend initially. More specifically, once you get the opportunity to drive the Regalia. In this one, you’ll gain 1 AP for every 1.25 miles or 2 kilometres travelled on the road via the Regalia! (Flying does not count, by the way since that’s an end-game thing.) Timing doesn’t matter in this case either! Day or Night, as long as you travel via the Regalia, you’re gonna do just great!
As I mentioned before in the previous point, it’ll surely help you in AP farming. You just gotta sit back, let Iggy drive the wheel (or let Noct drive, hence giving you control of the car) and catch up on some fine tunes from the first Final Fantasy all the way till the latest in-game tracks!
Why Roadrunning is great:
- Another method of farming AP getting you to unlock more nodes and skills.
- Getting the chance to unlock “Roadlife” where you get 10 EXP every 0.54 miles or 0.87 kilometres travelled in the Regalia.
- A perfect way to crank up those tunes from the old Final Fantasy games while sitting back and enjoying the landscape in Eos.
Roadrunning full details:
- Gain 1 AP every 1.25 miles travelled by car (does not apply to flying).
8. Magic Action
Nothing to see here. Just Noct trying his own method of Bar-be-Que.
For all of you Magic-Build players, this node’s for you. And for everyone, if they want to have a smooth gameplay. What this does is that every time you make a spell, you get 1 AP for it. Meaning as long as you have many Elemancy slots stored in the initial playthrough and want to test out your magic skills, this is the perfect way to do so.
It’s free AP on every spellcast. What else do you want? Keep in mind to use it VERY carefully as the spell can sometimes affect the whole environment and in turn, can affect the whole team as well. So, there’s that.
Why Magic Action is great:
- 1 AP on every spell cast. That’s almost free AP if you’re a Magic-Build user. Perfect for farming.
- Great opportunity to test out some Magic Spells and get your practice on it.
- Gives chance to try out a mixture of spells such as Expericast, Unicast etc.
Magic Action full details:
- Gain 1 AP every time you cast a spell.
7. Airstep
6 AP!? Just for this node!?
What is so unique about this node that it causes just 6 AP!? Well, it’s the classic airstep move. Ever since Final Fantasy XV decided to go the action route, the combat was revamped and this was a major addition. Call it a rite of passage for all action games.
In this node, you get to jump or dodge mid-combo and continue your combo similarly to how it’s done in the Devil May Cry or Kingdom Hearts series. Ramp up your style and slay those enemies in a quick fashion! Keep in mind, MP is also used when doing this so be very wary of when and how frequently you use air-combos. If you get the chance to have more AP, you can unlock Airslip, Airstride and Airdance as well but they cost 16, 52 and 333 AP respectively.
Why Airstep is great:
- Costs 6 AP. One of the lowest costs for any ascension node!
- Great way to show off those sick aerial combo skills. Prompto might find some great aerial shots of Noct fighting as well.
- Refinement of combat and more combo varieties unlocked.
Airstep full details:
- Use the left stick and attack button to step once in midair after attacking with a sword or polearm. Costs MP. However, all weapons with an aerial combo of more than one attack airstep by swapping to a sword/polearm mid-combo before swapping back.
6. Light Phase
One great thing about Prince Charming is his ability to perform dodge while making projections of himself. That’s called Phasing.
There’s another thing great about the combat of Final Fantasy XV. It’s that Noctis has this really cool ability to dodge while leaving after-images! It’s called Phasing. Just press the dodge button the moment you are about to get hit and voila, you’re Phasing. Thing is, it costs A LOT of MP.
To help reduce the MP cost, this Ascension node here will help you reduce it by 30%. Hey, it’s not much but you know what they say, something’s better than nothing. And if you’re lucky enough to farm as much AP as you can (I know you will), you can get Ultralight Phase at the cost of 32 AP which reduces the MP cost of Blinking by 51%.
Why Light Phase is great:
- Costs only 8 AP! Another must-have for the initial playthrough of the game.
- Saves up more HP and MP for Warp Strikes and other MP-related combat abilities.
- Provides a platform to practice dodging in combat and unlock Ultralight Phasing once enough AP is gathered.
Light Phase full details:
- Reduce MP cost of phasing by 30%.
5. Hang In
Hang in there, Noct.
Well, this is one of my favourite nodes so far. Especially at the beginning of the game. The Warp Point ability unique to Noct is the fact that Noctis throws his sword at a higher ground and “hangs” from there. (Pun intended.) While he’s contemplating life over there mid-combat, his HP and MP recover.
What this node does, however, is that it increases the HP and MP recovery speed. A much-needed skill in mid-combat. That way, Noct’s arm can hurt less though.
Why Hang In is great:
- Increases HP and MP recovery rate drastically, making for less cover time.
- Provides an opportunity to land deadly Warp-Strikes from Warp Points hence quicker battle times.
- Less dependency on Potions and Elixirs for HP and MP recovery hence inventory is unaffected.
Hang in full details:
- Increase HP recovery rate while hanging from a warp-point position.
4. Change to Gladiolus/Prompto/Ignis
WOO-HOO! CHARACTER CHANGE!
I’ll be really honest with you. While Noct’s gameplay is fun and dashing, trust me, nothing would beat the thrilling experience of having the chance to play all characters in your team. Especially, Specs, Blondie and Gladdy. Added in patch 1.19, this node is pretty self-explanatory. You get the chance to swap out characters!
If you wanna go full berserker mode, Gladio’s the way to go. Or if you want to play ranged and guns blazing, Prompto’s the man. And if you want to be quick and strategic, Iggy’s the right guy for the job. Thing is, unlocking each character requires 20 AP, making it a total of 60 AP but trust me when I say that they’re so worth it! That’s probably why I unlocked them initially as well.
Why Change to Gladiolus/Prompto/Ignis is great:
- Provides the chance to take a break from Noct’s playstyle letting you try out new varieties of combat.
- Provides ample amount of practice before playing the DLCs of respective characters (provided you have the Season Pass or Royal Edition for that.)
- Constant switching between characters can improve immersion in gameplay making you feel more attached to the characters as well.
Change to Gladiolus/Prompto/Ignis full details:
- Take control of Gladiolus mid-battle. His playstyle is identical to how he is controlled in Final Fantasy XV: Episode Gladiolus.
- Take control of Ignis mid-battle. His playstyle is identical to how he is controlled in Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis.
- Take control of Prompto mid-battle. His playstyle is identical to how he is controlled in Final Fantasy XV: Episode Prompto, albeit without his baton and sniper rifle.
3. Aftertaste / Lingering Aftertaste / Persistent Aftertaste
"THAT'S IT! I'VE COME UP WITH A NEW RECIPEH!" One of the most memorable lines of the game ever.
Iggy’s camp cooking is a class apart, you can bet on it. But what makes it so worthwhile is that the effects Iggy’s cooking give a buff in-game for a limited time! (And making us hungry in real life at the same time. Trust me. Happened many times.)
But what if you wanted those buffs to continue for a LONG time? Well, the Aftertaste nodes will help you out here! They continue the buffs/effects of the meals to the following sunrise. This one is Aftertaste. Lingering Aftertaste takes it a step above and continues till the sunrise of the next day whereas Persistent takes it till sunrise AFTER the next day. Pretty neat, right?
They cost 18, 99 and 333 AP respectively, perfect for dividing it into early, mid and late-game stats.
Why is Aftertaste/ Lingering Aftertaste / Persistent Aftertaste great:
- Takes the buff/effects to the following day making your gameplay experience all the more smoother.
- Adequately divides into early, mid and late-game stats for easier improvisation.
- Perfect to try out Iggy’s cooking’s at Camps for different buffs/effects for different stratagem.
Aftertaste/ Lingering Aftertaste/ Persistent Aftertaste full details:
- Extends the effects of camp meals to the following sunrise. (Aftertaste)
- Extends food effects from camp to the sunset of the next day. (Lingering Aftertaste)
- Extends food effects from camp to the sunrise after the next day. (Persistent Aftertaste)
2. Accessory Slot
Trust me, getting those 3 accessory slots are not easy.
Do I really need an explanation for this one? The more the accessories, the better you’re equipped with and the better your gameplay experience will go. Although, the quicker to unlock them, the easier your gameplay experience will be. Or should I say smooth.
The first accessory unlock is pretty easy. It costs only 16 AP for just one character. The real test comes in when you have to unlock the second accessory which costs 333 AP. And if you factor in the AP cost for all four of the chocobros, that makes it 1396 AP. Sounds a lot but by mid-game you’d have done so many side-quests, hunts and story missions that this will seem like a breeze!
Why Accessory Slots are great:
- Grants the ability to get another accessory slot allowing to boost defence/attack/luck etc.
- Allows for a smoother gameplay experience by having permanent buffs/effects
- Opportunity for smooth teamwork by raising stats of fellow teammates such as Gladiolus, Prompto and Ignis for pummeling tougher enemies in-game.
Accessory Slots full details:
- Grants a character an additional accessory slot. Nodes are listed above prefixed with whom they are for. The first one to unlock is cheap, but the second is one of the most expensive nodes to unlock.
1. Limit Break
Noct using the Limit Break ability with Freeze Magic.
This node is a no-brainer. A must-have for all players newbies and veterans alike. Limit Break is basically the ability to hit more than 9999 damage (which is the limit one can offer damage, hence the term limit break.) and unlike in other Final Fantasy games, this one here is used with Elemancy (AKA Magic).
Magic in the world of Eos is quite potent and strong. Only those of the Royal Lucian bloodline can use magic, hence only Noct gets to have these perks. It also applies to the ¾ of Chocobros as well with all three of them using their “Techniques” to break the damage limit. Really, REALLY helpful in the long run. One downside to this is that each node for each chocobros costs 999 AP making it 2997 AP in total. (No need for Noctis. His Elemancy Limit Break is a hit-or-miss sometimes.) Tough to gather, yes. But VERY worth it.
Why Limit Break is great:
- Provides ability to one-shot enemies ending the battle all the more quicker.
- Classic Final Fantasy ability which is a must-have for newbies and veteran players alike.
- Gameplay experience becomes all the more smoother providing for more immersion.
Limit Break full details:
- Allow character's techniques to break the damage limit. They are prefixed above with who they belong to. All are simply called "Limit Break."
And there you have it! The best skill list to have in the game! I really hope this list helped you in finding the perfect skills to unlock via the Ascension Menu. Hope you’re gonna have an amazing experience with this one!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got this new series called Yakuza to try out. Heard A LOT of praises for the series. That’s about it. See you later!
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