With combat taking the spotlight in Final Fantasy 16, it can be hard to imagine just what else can top the high-octane action and intensity provided by the team over at Square Enix. Of course, knowing the ins and outs of a system allows the developers to top themselves repeatedly, which is where the impressive battles between Dominants and Eikons come onto the playing field.
While Clive Rosfield is a capable swordsman that can take down many a foe, facing off with a Dominant or an Eikon is a whole other matter. With power coursing through every vein, players will have to depend on all their skills and wits to emerge victorious in Final Fantasy 16. In the battle against the Dominant of Garuda, Benedikta, this principle has never been more true.
How to Beat Benedikta in Final Fantasy 16
Chasing down Benedikta and her gang of soldiers, it would initially appear that Clive and Torgal have overstepped their limits in facing off against the Dominant of Garuda. But as Clive begins to find his feet as an individual of immense power, a titanic battle will ensue.
First Phase
As one of the most feared people in Valisthea, Benedikta brings masterful swordplay and dangerous wind magic to the arena, all of which can easily spell death for the unprepared player. Her attacks include:
- Benedikta always starts things off with wind projectiles; sidestep them or use dodge to gain a counterattacking opportunity.
- At range, she is also capable of casting Wind Blade, which sees her firing off three sets of three vertical magical blades. Time those dodges or maneuver Clive between the blades to stay safe. Keep firing off Charged Magic shots to deal damage at the same time.
- Her melee combos are also dangerous and come in bunches. Once the first attack is avoided, prepare to back away further or take a risk by dodging or parrying for a chance to do some damage.
The battle will carry on in this fashion until Benedikta's Will is reduced, and she is Staggered. Use those Eikonic Abilities to amplify Clive's damage output and a cutscene will play.
Second Phase
Now that Benedikta knows that Clive is not playing around, she begins to take things much more seriously. Sprouting wings thanks to the Blessing of Garuda, this version of Benedikta grows more aggressive and utilizes the same moves with added vigor and strength. Prepare to be more defensive to avoid her extended combos. In addition, she adds a few more moves to her repertoire as well.
- Aero Rain sees Benedikta take to a pillar before circling the arena and firing off clusters of magical projectiles at Clive. To avoid damage, keep backtracking using R1 to dodge out of the way. She will end things off with a dive toward Clive, so get ready.
- More magical blades come in the form of Aerial Slash, where the boss fires off a set of three large slashes toward the player. The different heights make it a pain, so dodge out of the way for both the high and middling slashes and jump to avoid the low one.
- Benedikta will also use Nosedive, where she disappears from sight and lands for an AoE attack. Avoid the targeted area and Phoenix Shift in for some quick damage.
As usual, it is a battle of attrition to lower the Will of Benedikta and taking advantage of the Staggered condition. Once she loses about a third of her health, another cutscene will play out, with Benedikta using the impressive-looking Rammelfall ability.
Following this, she resumes the offensive with even more moves:
- The Tornado spell will target a pinpointed area with swirling wind, acting as both damage dealer and obscuring vision. Move out of the way and keep firing off spells.
- Benedikta uses Gathering Clouds for a large-scale AoE attack. This is an attack that will require Clive to quickly move back to avoid its range. Do not get caught by this damaging move.
- Rammelfall also returns, with dodging at the right time as the best way to avoid debris hitting Clive in the face.
Once Benedikta is down to about a third of her life left, the stakes are brought even harder as she fights even harder to preserve her control. Attacks are much swifter and more common, and her spells are more powerful. Tornado now hits several points, Nosedive comes in multiples, and the various slashes are more frequent.
Lastly, she adds the Eikonic Feat, Deadly Embrace, into the mix, sending Garuda's claw to try to trap Clive. Avoiding her first grasp is not the end, as she follows up with two more melee smashes that can be equally dangerous.
As evident in many of the tough fights in Final Fantasy 16, learning the pattern of the enemy is an integral skill if players want to stay alive. Time those dodges well, look for windows to unleash Rising Flames and other Eikonic Abilities, and keep hammering away at Benedikta.
With time, grit, and tenacity, the Dominant of Garuda will eventually fall. Players will then be rewarded with 60 XP, 150 Ability Points, 2200 Gil, and crafting materials. The Will of Fire accessory is also great for increasing the damage of Rising Flames. Next up, an Eikon lies in wait for Clive.
Final Fantasy 16 is exclusively available for PlayStation 5.
