Reaction abilities (リアクションアビリティ, Riakushon Abiritei?) in Final Fantasy Tactics are learned via Job Points. Each character can equip one reaction ability.
Overview[]
Except for Parry, Archer's Bane, and Reflexes, which provide passive boosts to evasion, reaction abilities only activate when their trigger condition is met, and the chance for activating depends on the user's Bravery stat in percentage: the braver the unit, the higher the chance. However, Shirahadori also enhances evasion with high Bravery. Characters cannot react to their own actions to trigger these abilities (e.g. Cup of Life would need someone else to heal to react to it).
The reactions that activate when being reduced to critical health (and Bonecrusher, though it is limited by weapon range) trigger more frequently for characters with higher HP because they can survive the attack while having more HP to enter critical status or do maximum HP damage in the case of Bonecrusher.
Equip Heavy Armor on a Monk or Dragonkin would be the best support ability for using critical reactions, as this adds even more HP to classes with innately high HP despite being unable to equip headgear outside female hair adornments. This also could trigger after being attacked when resurrected at ½ HP with Raise.
Critical: Recover MP should be avoided as it does not stall nor give an immediate turn unlike the others. As a reaction ability it cannot be used in conjunction with Mana Shield to refill MP.
Reaction abilities usually provide counterattacks (Nature's Wrath and Soulbind damage from anywhere when triggered) or grant beneficial status effects without needing to learn other abilities (such as Geomancy for Nature's Wrath, or X-Potion for Auto-Potion to work on its own, with Auto-Potion only needing the weakest potion in inventory to activate).
Reaction abilities that involve casting certain status effect spells on the users neither consume MP nor require Charge Time. The status effect is not permanent and can be dispelled.
Reaction abilities[]
| Name | Description | Trigger | JP Cost | Job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counter Tackle | Counterattack with a tackle. | Physical Attack | 180 | Squire |
| Auto-Potion | Use a Potion to restore HP. | HP Loss | 400 | Chemist |
| Parry | Block physical attacks with the equipped weapon. | Physical Attack | 200 | Knight |
| Adrenaline Rush | Increase Speed. | HP Loss | 900 | Archer |
| Archer's Bane | Dodge arrow and bolt attacks. | Bow/Crossbow Attack. | 450 | Archer |
| Regenerator | Receive the blessing of HP regeneration. | HP Loss | 400 | White Mage |
| Magick Counter | Counterattack using the same magick with which the user was attacked. | Magick | 800 | Black Mage |
| Critical: Recover HP | Recover HP when critically wounded. | Critical | 500 | Monk |
| Counter | Counterattack with a physical strike. | Physical Attack | 300 | Monk |
| First Strike | Attack preemptively before being attacked. | Physical Attack | 1300 | Monk |
| Vigilance | Assume a defensive stance. | HP Loss | 200 | Thief |
| Gil Snapper | Receive gil equal to the amount of damage taken. | HP Loss | 200 | Thief |
| Sticky Fingers | Catch thrown items and add them to the party inventory. | Throw | 200 | Thief |
| Absorb MP | Recover MP equal to the amount used by the opponent. | Magick | 250 | Mystic |
| Critical: Quick | Receive an immediate turn when critically wounded. | Critical | 700 | Time Mage |
| Mana Shield | Damage is dealt to MP rather than HP. | HP Loss | 400 | Time Mage |
| Nature's Wrath | Counterattack with a geomancy skill. | Physical Attack, Geomancy | 300 | Geomancer |
| Dragonheart | Recover from KO status. Effect: Reraise. |
Physical Attack | 600 | Dragoon |
| Earplug | Avoid the effects of Speechcraft. | Speechcraft | 300 | Orator |
| Critical: Recover MP | Recover MP when critically wounded. | Critical | 400 | Summoner |
| Bonecrusher | Deal damage equal to own maximum HP when critically wounded. | Critical | 200 | Samurai |
| Shirahadori | Evade non-ranged physical attacks. | Physical Attack (bow and crossbow attacks excluded). Bugged: Bow and crossbow attacks NOT excluded | 700 | Samurai |
| Vanish | Become transparent. | Physical Attack | 1000 | Ninja |
| Reflexes | Block attacks with greater ease. | Physical Attack, Some Magicks | 400 | Ninja |
| Cup of Life | When HP is restored, distribute any excess among one's allies. | HP Restored | 200 | Arithmetician |
| Soulbind | Split any damage taken with the opponent who inflicted it. | HP Loss | 300 | Arithmetician |
| Fury | Increase physical attack power. | HP Loss | 550 | Dancer |
| Bravery Boost | Increase Bravery. | Physical Attack | 500 | Dancer |
| Magick Boost | Increase magickal attack power. | HP Loss | 450 | Bard |
| Faith Boost | Increase Faith. | Magick | 500 | Bard |
Dummied content[]
There is a dummied reaction ability found in the game data that has no effect. Its name and description suggest it would have granted the Reflect status to the unit if it was hit by magick.
| Name | Description | Trigger | JP Cost | Job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reflect | Conjure a magick-reflecting wall. Effect: Reflect |
Magick | 200 | Dummied |