Limit Breaks

Limit Breaks are a special kind of "last-ditch" attack that characters can do that are very powerful and very helpful against powerful enemies. Usually, a limit break can inflict lots more damage than normal, but some breaks are able to provide certain effects such as full recovery.

All but two of the characters (Cait Sith and Vincent) have seven different Limit Breaks divided into four levels. Each of the first three levels contain two breaks, with the last break in the fourth level. Cait Sith has only two limit breaks, one in the first level and one in the second. Vincent has only four limit breaks, one per level.

You must use the Limit option in the game menu to set the character's limit level. Only one level may be used at one time. That means for most characters, only two limit breaks can be used in a battle unless you set it to a different level. Note that when you switch levels, the Limit Bar resets.

The Limit Bar, and How to Fill It Up
In the battle window, the pink bar beside your MP indicator is known as the Limit Bar. The bar has the same amount of points as your Maximum HP amount. Each time a character takes damage, this bar fills up a point for each point of damage taken, so when the character has taken damage equal or greater than his Max HP, the Limit Bar is filled. Once that happens, the character can use his Limit. The Limit Bar does carry over from battle to battle, but will be reset if you change the limit level from within the game menu.

The Limit bar can fill up slower or faster, based on two status effects called Fury and Sadness. Sadness makes the Limit bar fill twice as slowly, while Fury fills the bar twice as fast. Sadness isn't a good thing, so it can be cured by Hyper. You can also use an additional Hyper to give a character Fury.

A character with a high-level Cover materia will take enough damage to fill the bar very quickly. Just don't forget to cure him periodically.

Using the Limit
Upon filling a limit bar, the character's next turn occurs very quickly, before an enemy has a chance to deal any more damage. When a limit command is given, it is top-priority -- in other words, limit breaks are always executed immediately. Hence they are very useful as last-ditch attacks.

Note that only the limits of a single level, whichever is the one set within the game menu, is available to you at any one time.

Gaining Limits

Each character starts with only one Limit Break - the first one in the first level. This section will explain how to obtain each of the other limit breaks.

Levels 1-3 Limit Breaks
This may be a little confusing at first, but learning the first and second limit breaks of a level are calculated in different ways. This is why sometimes you may gain the first limit of the next level before learning the second limit of the current level.

Gaining the first limit of any level requires that you use that character to kill a certain number of enemies. For example, Cloud's first Level 2 limit, Blade Beam, is gained after killing 120 enemies. After the battle where Cloud makes his 120th kill, when the EXP is being divided up, a notice will appear stating that Cloud has learned Blade Beam.

Gaining the second limit of any level requires that you use that character's first limit (of the same level) a certain number of times. For example, Cloud's second Level 1 limit, Cross-Slash, is received after using Braver 8 times.

But here's the problem. If you killed 120 enemies without ever using Braver enough times, then you'd get Blade Beam -- skipping right over the Cross-Slash limit. And if you then immediately changed the limit level to Level 2 just so you can use Blade Beam, then you won't be able to use Braver enough times to ever gain Cross-Slash. This could pose a problem later on for your Level 4 Limit Break (see below). We will provide limit learning requirements in the lists below so that you will be able to complete your limit break list.

Level 4 Limits
The fourth, and last limit level, is reserved for what is potentially the best limit break for each character, usually doing high amounts of damage multiple times. Every character has one except for Cait Sith. You cannot learn this limit in the same way as the ones in the first three levels; rather, you must find them as items, hidden throughout the game. Then, once the character has all its previous six limits (except for Vincent, who has three) then you can use the Level 4 Limit item to learn it.

Remember: You must have all six previous limits to use the Level 4 Limit.

Listed below are all the limits for each of the characters, their learning requirements, as well as the location of their Level 4 Limit Break.

Cloud Strife

Lvl Name Description Required to Learn

1 Braver Attacks one opponent (initially learned)

Cross-Slash Attacks and paralyzes one opponent Use Braver 8x

2 Blade Beam Diffuses after hitting one opponent Kill 120 enemies

Climhazzard Attacks one opponent Use Blade Beam 7x

3 Meteorain Attacks all opponents Kill 320 enemies

Finishing Touch Blows away all opponents Use Meteorain 6x

4 Omnislash Slices up all opponents (requires item)

Level 4 Limit: Omnislash
Cloud's Omnislash limit is one of those that are "hidden in plain sight" yet extremely hard to get. This is because you might be able to figure out where and how to get it, but the actual getting is the hard part.

For those of you who haven't found it, the Omnislash is one of the prizes you can receive when you get enough Battle Points at the Battle Square in the Gold Saucer. However, it costs a lot of battle points -- about 32,000 points!

Now, all you need to do is win enough Battles. Be sure you have tons of GP available (I would suggest at least 1000 -- you probably won't even use half of it, but better to be safe than sorry) and tons of time on your hands (don't plan anything for a day and you should be OK). Luckily, GP and Time would be the only things you can possibly lose. You cannot really die in these fights. But since you cannot exit the Square without losing all your points, you cannot save, and this would be an extremely risky endeavor anyway because a sudden power outage could suddenly erase 20,000 hard-earned points. Be aware.

And that's really all there is to know about getting the Omnislash. To get more information on the Battle Square, click here.

Barret Wallace

Lvl Name Description Required to Learn

1 Big Shot Attacks one opponent (initially learned)

Mindblow Reduces one opponent's MP Use Big Shot 8x

2 Grenade Bomb Attacks all opponents Kill 80 enemies

Hammerblow Blows away one opponent Use Grenade Bomb 8x

3 Satellite Beam Attacks all opponents Kill 160 enemies

Ungermax Attacks all opponents Use Satellite Beam 6x

4 Catastrophe Damages all opponents (requires item)

Level 4 Limit: Catastrophe
The Catastrophe can be found in North Corel only after the train segment is completed (so it should be available within any part of Disc 3 and the later part of Disc 2). Go to the house on the very left and talk to the lady and she will give you the limit break.

Tifa Lockheart

Lvl Name Description Required to Learn

1 Beat Rush Attack an opponent (initially learned)

Somersault Attack an opponent Use Beat Rush 10x

2 Waterkick Attack an opponent Kill 95 enemies

Meteodive Attack an opponent Use Waterkick 7x

3 Dolphin Blow Attack an opponent Kill 190 enemies

Meteor Strike Attack an opponent Use Dolphin Blow 6x

4 Final Heaven Attack an opponent (requires item)

Level 4 Limit: Final Heaven
There's a piano in Tifa's old room back at her house in Nibelheim. Her limit is hidden among the pages of the music book on the piano, hidden by her former mentor, Zangan. You won't find it, though, unless you play a specific but familiar tune on the piano. It's played during Cloud's flashback in Kalm all the way back in Disc 1, but chances are, you're not going to write it down or remember it all the way until when you return to Nibel. This tune has to be played by pressing the following buttons: X, Square, Triangle, L1+Triangle, L1+Square, X, Square, Triangle, L1+X, O, X, Square, and X. The earliest time you can possibly do this and have it work is at the start of Disc 2, and you can always come back at any time after that if you missed it.

You should also have Tifa in your party when you play the tune. You can receive 1 gil from the piano if Tifa's not in your party and you play the tune right. If she is in the party, you will also receive 1 gil for playing the tune slightly wrong (i.e. playing the first five notes and stopping). You only get the break if: Tifa's in your party, the tune is played correctly, and it is played at any time in Disc 2 or beyond.

Aeris Gainsborough

Lvl Name Description Required to Learn

1 Healing Wind Restores HP of all allies (initially learned)

Seal Evil Constrains and stops magic of all opponents Use Healing Wind 7x

2 Breath of the Earth Cures all status ailments of all allies Kill 80 enemies

Fury Brand (Fills up rest of party's limit gauge) Use Breath of the Earth 5x

3 Planet Protector Makes all allies invincible for one time Kill 160 enemies

Pulse of Life Fully restores all allies Use Planet Protector 5x

4 Great Gospel (Planet Protector and Pulse of Life combined) (requires item)

Level 4 Limit: Great Gospel
Aeris's Level 4 Limit is one of the hardest to find, yet ultimately useless for most people because by the time they find it, Aeris is already dead. If not, then she dies before she is raised to a sufficient level to use it. And no, contrary to the belief of some players out there, you can get the limit before Aeris dies.

The first thing you have to do is enter the Sleeping Man's Cave, which is found in the mountains on the first continent in the Junon/Condor Area. However, it appears to be blocked by a river, which you cannot cross the first time you go through the area. But here is where most people give up: they assume that you can only get there via the airship or a Gold Chocobo, by which time Aeris would already be dead! However, you can cross it with the Buggy. Here's how. After getting the Buggy (right after the long Gold Saucer segment) ride it to Costa Del Sol. Don't get off the Buggy. You will enter the town normally. Then just board the Ferry to Junon. Exit the town, and you will be on the first continent still riding the Buggy! Now simply just drive it to the river and find the shallow point to cross it. Get off, and enter the cave.

You'll find the Sleeping Man lying on a bed in there. Talk to him. He'll tell you how many wins you've got in the battles. By this time you should have well over a hundred wins. You need to get the last two digits of the number to match (i.e. 433, 622, or even 111) and he will give you the Key Item Mythril. (Note: If you run away too much, he'll tell you that instead of telling you the wins. However, he'll still give you the Mythril when you have the correct number of wins, but you'll just have to guess how much you've got.)

Leave the cave and return to the second continent. When you reach the Gongaga area you may notice a small house on a peninsula. If you've been here before, Cloud may have told you that whoever owns the place isn't home. It won't open till later in the game, although I'm not sure when. If not now, try again later. I'm certain it should be open by the time you get past the Temple of the Ancients segment. Whenever you do get in, talk to the man inside (he's known as the Weapons Maker) and give him the Mythril. He will then reward you with one of two items placed inside his house -- one will be the Great Gospel, the other is the Gold Armlet. Don't get the armor; you will be able to get those later on.

Red XIII

Lvl Name Description Required to Learn

1 Sled Fang Attacks one opponent (initially learned)

Lunatic High Casts [Haste] and raises "Defense %" for all allies Use Sled Fang 8x

2 Blood Fang Attacks and drains the HP/MP from one opponent Kill 75 enemies

Stardust Ray Attacks all opponents Use Blood Fang 6x

3 Howling Moon Begins fighting wildly Kill 145 enemies

Earth Rave Attacks all opponents Use Howling Moon 6x

4 Cosmo Memory Attacks all opponents (requires item)

Level 4 Limit: Cosmo Memory
The Cosmo Memory is the reward you get after defeating Lost Number at the Shinra Mansion.

Cait Sith

Lvl Name Description Required to Learn

1 Dice Rolls the dice, damage (initially learned)

2 Slots What'll come out next... ? Kill 45 enemies

3 (none)

4 (none)

Cid Highwind

Lvl Name Description Required to Learn

1 Boost Jump Attack an opponent (initially learned)

Dynamite Attacks all opponents Use Boost Jump 7x

2 Hyper Jump Attacks all opponents, sometimes dealing [Death] Kill 60 enemies

Dragon Attacks and drains the HP/MP from one opponent Use Hyper Jump 6x

3 Dragon Dive Continuously attacks, sometimes dealing [Death] Kill 135 enemies

Big Brawl Attacks all opponents Use Dragon Dive 5x

4 Highwind Causes big damage to all opponents (requires item)

Level 4 Limit: Highwind
The Highwind can be found in Gelnika, in a chest in the back of the larger cargo room (the one all the way on the left).

Yuffie Kisaragi

Lvl Name Description Required to Learn

1 Greased Lightning Attacks opponent with weapon after cutting them (initially learned)

Clear Tranquil Restores HP of all allies Use Greased Lightning 8x

2 Landscaper Attacks all opponents Kill 65 enemies

Bloodfest Continuously attacks all opponents Use Landscaper 7x

3 Gauntlet Attacks all opponents Kill 130 enemies

Doom of the Living Continuously attacks opponents Use Gauntlet 6x

4 All Creation Attacks all opponents (requires item)

Level 4 Limit: All Creation
Yuffie gets this as a prize after defeating her father, Godo, in her sub-quest at Wutai. You can do this at any point in the game as long as you have Yuffie and you could get to Wutai (the soonest is with the Tiny Bronco). It'll be harder to do this early on, but presents more of a challenge than if you came here in Disc 3, although you could if you wanted.

Vincent Valentine

Lvl Name Description Required to Learn

1 Galian Beast Turns into Galian Beast! (initially learned)

2 Death Gigas Turns into Death Gigas! Kill 40 enemies

3 Hellmasker Turns into Hellmasker! Kill 95 enemies

4 Chaos Turns into Chaos! (requires item)