Darkness (Dark Knight ability)

250px|right|thumb|Darkness
Darkness , also localized as Soul Eater, Shadow Blade, Dark Wave, Darkside, Dark Bane or Dark, is an ability where a character sacrifices a small amount of HP to deliver a strong (often Dark-elemental) attack, usually on all enemies. It is usually associated with the Dark Knight and Warmage jobs in the Final Fantasy series.
A separate ability called Souleater also appears in Final Fantasy XIV and the Dissidia Final Fantasy subseries of games, taking its name from localization of the Souleater ability from Final Fantasy XI.
A couple of games also have a whole skillset called Darkness associated with the Dark Knight job.
== Appearances ==
=== Final Fantasy III ===
Souleater is a job command exclusive to the 3D version of the Dark Knight. It damages all enemies at the cost of 20% of the user's max HP. This is part of the reason (the other being their weaponry) that Dark Knights are good against enemies that multiply.
The damage formula is:
:Damage = Weapon~Attack \times 5 + JobLv \times 10 + CurrentHP \times 0.9
=== Final Fantasy IV ===
Darkness (also called Dark or Dark Wave) is used by Dark Knight Cecil. Darkness has a Charge Time of 2. It deals non-elemental damage to all enemies by consuming his HP.
In the 3D remake, Darkness is a completely different ability that empowers physical attacks at the cost of the user's HP.
==== Final Fantasy IV: The After Years ====
Darkness is an enemy ability used by the Dark Knight in the Final Tale, located in the Depths.
=== Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- ===
Zack can use Darkness by equipping the Darkness Materia. By sacrificing 12.5% of his HP, the player may damage all enemies within a radius around Zack, ignoring Vitality. The ability costs no AP to use. The Darkness Materia is obtained as a reward for missions 4-4-2 and 8-4-6, drops from Demon and Horned Devil, and is stolen from Land Malboro.
===Final Fantasy VII Rebirth===
Darkside costs one ATB charge and grants the darkside effect to the user (or removes it if it is already active). This increases the potency of their physical abilities, both weapon abilities and those from equipment, but drains 5% of HP on each use. Leveling the materia up makes the damage boost stronger without changing the amount of HP that is drained upon use. Darkside is bought from Chadley for 40 Nibel Region data points.
=== Final Fantasy VIII ===
The Guardian Forces Diablos, Doomtrain, and Eden learn the Darkside command ability for 100 AP. It deals thrice the damage of a normal attack, but the user will take damage equal to 1/10th of their max HP even if the user has Invincible. The HP loss can be offset by junctioning Drains to the character's ST-Atk-J.
=== Final Fantasy X-2 ===
Darkness in Final Fantasy X-2.|thumb
Darkness is a command ability for Dark Knights that takes 12.5% of the user's max HP to deal special damage all enemies.
If the user has the Spellspring effect, Darkness will cost no HP to use.
=== Final Fantasy XI ===
Soul Eater is a job ability for the Dark Knight. It adds 10% of the player's HP to their next physical attack, making multi-hit weapon skills and certain weapons very formidable when used with Souleater.
=== Final Fantasy XII ===
The Souleater technick is unlocked for 35 LP on the License Board. It deals non-elemental damage to a ground-based opponent by damaging the user for 20% of their HP. Souleater heals the undead. In the original PlayStation 2 version, Souleater is 1.4 times more powerful than a regular physical attack. In the Zodiac versions, Souleater is 1.7 times more powerful than a regular physical attack and heals undead enemies by 2.0 times.
In the original version, Souleater can be bought in Rabanastre and Nalbina Fortress for 6,400 gil. In the Zodiac versions, it is available after the events in Mt Bur-Omisace and is also a treasure in Stage 42 of the Trial Mode with the Diamond Armlet equipped. It is available for the White Mage, Red Battlemage, Knight, Monk, Bushi, and Uhlan job classes, although the Bushi must obtain the Esper Adrammelech, and Monk must obtain the Esper Exodus license first. In the Zodiac versions, Vossler also has Souleater when he joins the party as a guest.
==== Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings ====
Souleater is learned by Ba'Gamnan at level 24 and consumes 25% of his HP.
=== Final Fantasy XIV ===
Souleater is a level 26 Dark Knight weaponskill. It delivers an attack with a 100 potency normally, but combos with Syphon Strike to instead deal 400 potency damage. It also heals with a cure potency of 200 and increases the Blood Gauge by 20.
Darkside is a buff granted to the player after using either Flood of Shadows or Edge of Shadows, granting 10% damage dealt.
=== Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift ===
Souleater is a Lanista ability that consumes 10% of the user's max HP to inflict Dark-elemental damage. Unless the target is weak to the Dark element, it usually deals the same amount of damage as a normal attack.
=== Final Fantasy Type-0 ===
Dark Side is an ability for Machina that requires 5 AP and is available after learning Siphon Sword: AG ↓. Machina pierces multiple enemies in succession to drain HP and potentially inflict Stun.
Dark Side: Crit ↑ increases the critical hit rate of Dark Side. It requires 8 AP and is available after learning the ability. Dark Side: Targets ↑, available after learning Dark Side: Crit ↑, increases the number of targets for Dark Side. 
==== Final Fantasy Agito ====
=== Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light ===
Darkside is an ability in the Dark Fencer crown, which also learns enhanced variations of this skill. Dark Fencer's abilities can attack one or multiple enemies, but sacrifice HP in the process.
=== Final Fantasy Dimensions ===
Darkness is the default ability of the Dark Knight class. At the cost of 1 MP and 1/4 of the user's Max HP, the user will inflict heavy non-elemental damage to one target.
=== Final Fantasy Dimensions II ===
=== Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008)===
Soul Eater is an HP attack available to Cecil and Bartz. They stab forward with their sword, then slam an orb of dark energy into the opponent. Cecil's version costs 40 CP to equip and 360 AP to master, while Bartz's Soul Eater costs 45 CP to equip and 180 AP to master.
Cecil's Bravery attack, Dark Cannon, resembles the Dark Wave attack from Final Fantasy IV, and has Cecil charge and fire a swarm of dark energy orbs forward that swirl back towards him, dragging opponents closer. The attack costs 20 CP to equip and 180 AP to master. If the player fails to input Cecil's EX Burst perfectly, he ends the burst with Darkness, which has a similar appearance to Dark Wave.
==== Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy ====
Soul Eater and Dark Cannon are attacks for Cecil. However, Bartz can no longer use Soul Eater, instead gaining the Dark Flame ability from Cecil.
==== Dissidia Final Fantasy NT ====
==== Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia ====
Darkness is a Bravery ability for Cecil (Dark Knight). It is a group ranged dark BRV attack that slightly consumes HP upon use.
=== Theatrhythm Final Fantasy ===
Dark comes in three levels of power, granting boosts to Strength but increasing the damage the party takes. Dark Lv1 increases Strength by 25 but increases taken damage by 10%, Dark Lv2 increase these figures to +45 Strength and 20% damage, and Dark Lv3 grants +75 Strength at a cost of 30% more damage. Cecil learns the three levels of Dark at Levels 25, 50 and 80, and Sephiroth begins knowing Dark Lv1 at Level 1, and learns Lv2 and then Lv3 at Level 25 and Level 55.
==== Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call ====
Dark (Lv1) is a passive ability that costs 2 CP to equip. It is active for the entire length of the stage. It increases Strength by 50, but increases the damage taken by whole party and has very low strength. It is learned by Cecil (default), Sephiroth (default), Seifer (level 10), Auron (level 15), Fran (level 5), Paine (default), and Machina (level 20).
Dark (Lv2) is a passive ability that costs 4 to equip. It is active for the entire length of the stage. It increases Strength by 90, but increases the damage taken by whole party and has low strength. It is learned by Cecil (level 45), Sephiroth (level 25), Seifer (level 45), Auron (level 55), Fran (level 75), Paine (level 35), and Machina (level 65).
Dark (Lv3) is a passive ability that costs 6 CP to equip. It is active for the entire length of the stage. Increases Strength by 150, but increases the damage taken by whole party and has medium strength. It is learned by Cecil (level 75), Sephiroth (level 65), Seifer (level 80), Auron (level 85), Paine (level 80), and Machina (level 95).
==== Theatrhythm Final Fantasy All-Star Carnival ====
=== Pictlogica Final Fantasy ===
=== Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade ===
=== Final Fantasy Artniks ===
=== Final Fantasy All the Bravest ===
Souleater is the ability that is used by Dark Knight Cecil during battle.
=== Final Fantasy Record Keeper ===
=== Final Fantasy Explorers ===
=== Final Fantasy Brave Exvius ===
Darkside is a special ability that allows the user to inflict dark physical damage (1.5x) to all enemies while sacrificing 30% HP instead of spending MP. While all units can access this skill by equipping Diabolos (2★), who learns Darkside after spending 30 SP, the only units who naturally learn this skill are Duane (level 38, 5★), Gaffgarion (level 60, 4★), Garland (level 60, 4★) and Dark Knight Cecil (level 10, 5★).
Dark Knight Cecil also has access to Soul Eater , which he learns at Level 100 (6★). Soul Eater costs 12 MP to cast and enables Cecil to deal dark physical damage (3.2x) with HP sacrifice (49%) to a single target.
===Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin===
=== Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon ===
=== Final Fantasy Trading Card Game ===
Various Dark Knight cards have effects based on Souleater, increasing their power depending on the player's damage, or enabling them to damage all enemies while also damaging themselves.
A card featuring the female Dark Knight of Final Fantasy Tactics gains +1000 Power for each damage the player has taken, while a card featuring the male Dark Knight allows the player to choose one of their Forward when it is played, and it receives +1000 Power for each damage the player has taken, until the end of the turn.
A card featuring Cecil's Dissidia artwork inflicts 1000 damage to Cecil and to all the opponent's Forwards when he attacks. A card depicting Refia's Dark Knight artwork allows the player to deal 1000 damage to all the opponent's Forwards and 2000 damage to the Dark Knight for a cost of one Lightning CP.
Ingus's Dark Knight card allows the player to inflict 1000 damage to all the opponent's Forwards for a cost of two Ice CP.
== Other appearances ==
=== Bravely series ===
In , Dark Bane is a Dark Arts ability learned by at job level 1. The user sacrifices 20% of their maximum HP to unleash a dark physical attack on one target that deals 1.25 times the damage of a conventional attack.
In , Dark Bane is the level 1 command ability for the . It allows the user to sacrifice 20% of their maximum HP to unleash a dark-based physical attack.
== Gallery ==
FFIIIDS Souleater.png|Final Fantasy III (DS).
FFIV_Darkness_PSX.jpg|Final Fantasy IV (PS).
FFIV Souleater.png|Final Fantasy IV (GBA).
FFIV Dark Wave PSP.png|Final Fantasy IV (PSP).
Darkness_FFIV_IOS.PNG|Final Fantasy IV (iOS).
Darkness_command_FFIV_iOS.PNG|Final Fantasy IV (iOS, in-battle).
Cecil using Darkness from FFIV Pixel Remaster.jpg|Final Fantasy IV (Pixel Remaster).
TAY Wii Darkness.jpg|Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (Wii).
FF4PSP TAY Enemy Ability Darkness.png|Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (PSP).
FFVIII Darkside.png|Final Fantasy VIII.
FFXIV DRK Souleater.png|Souleater in Final Fantasy XIV.
FFXIV Darkside.png|Darkside in Final Fantasy XIV.
FFTA2 Souleater.png|Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift.
FF4HoL_Darkside.png|Darkside in Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light.
FFD Darkness.PNG|Final Fantasy Dimensions.
Dissidia Cecil SoulEater.jpeg|Dissidia Final Fantasy and Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy.
D012 EX - Darkness.jpeg|Darkness EX Burst.
D012 EX - Darkness2.jpeg|Darkness EX Burst.
DFF2015 Darkness.png|Darkness in Dissidia Final Fantasy NT.
DFF2015 Soul Eater.png|Dissidia Final Fantasy NT.
DFFOO Souleater.png|Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia.
FFAB Souleater - Dark Knight (M) AGI SR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SR AGI).
FFAB Souleater - Dark Knight (M) STR SR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SR STR).
FFAB Darkness - Basch SR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SR) [FFXII].
FFAB Souleater - Dark Knight (M) AGI SR+.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SR+ AGI).
FFAB Souleater - Dark Knight (M) STR SR+.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SR+ STR).
FFAB Darkness - Basch SR+.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SR+) [FFXII].
FFAB Dark Side - Machina SSR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SSR) [Type-0].
FFAB Dark Side - Machina SSR+.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SSR+) [Type-0].
FFAB Darkside - Rinoa UR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (UR) [FFVIII].
FFAB Darkside - Rinoa UR+.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (UR+) [FFVIII].
FFAB Dark Side - Machina UUR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (UUR) [Type-0].
FFAB Dark - Dark Knight (F) Legend SR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SR Legend).
FFAB Dark - Dark Knight (M) Legend SR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SR Legend).
FFAB Dark - Dark Knight (F) Legend SR+.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SR+ Legend).
FFAB Dark - Dark Knight (M) Legend SR+.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SR+ Legend).
FFAB Dark Side - Machina Legend SSR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SSR Legend) [Type-0].
FFAB Dark Side - Machina Legend SSR+.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SSR+ Legend) [Type-0].
FFATB Souleater.png|Final Fantasy All the Bravest.
FFRK Souleater SB Icon.png|Soul Break icon in Final Fantasy Record Keeper [FFIV].
FFRK Souleater FFXI Icon.png|Soul Break icon in Final Fantasy Record Keeper [FFXI].
FFRK Souleater SB.png|Soul Break in Final Fantasy Record Keeper.
FFBE Souleater.png|Souleater in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius.
FFBE Darkside.png|Darkside in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius.
FFBE Dark Side.png|Dark Side in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius.
== Etymology ==
it:Atroh
Category:Recurring command abilities
Category:Recurring Limit Breaks
Category:Positive status effects