Heatwave (Final Fantasy XVI)

Heatwave is one of Clive's default abilities in Final Fantasy XVI (though the player still needs to spend AP to unlock it) that the player can assign to his loadout. When used to dispel an enemy's projectile attack, the attack has more homing follow-up aerial shockwaves and the cooldown is greatly shortened. Shockwave direction can be adjusted.
Executing Heatwave Counter twice in one battle (excluding battles in the Hall of Virtue) earns the Packing Heat trophy.
==Obtained==
Clive has Heatwave available since the start of the game, as it is the result of Joshua Rosfield granting him the Blessing of the Phoenix. It costs 120 AP to unlock in the Abilities menu. The player can refund skills to get their AP cost back and re-buy them at will. Once known, the player needs to equip the ability in the Gears & Eikons tab to be able to use it in battle.
==Mechanics==
Clive can use Heatwave in battle whenever it is equipped to his current loadout. Clive can have two Eikonic Abilities alongside his Eikonic Feat.
Heatwave sends out a projectile fire slash toward an enemy.
Heatwave can chain into one battle technique, , which triggers when used against an enemy's projectile attack (does not work against close range attacks): the enemy's projectile is blocked and Clive strikes the enemy with the same Heatwave. Whenever an enemy sends a ranged spell Clive's way, performing Heatwave to intercept the enemy's projectile will execute a special version of the Eikonic Ability with more shockwaves that home in on the enemy; two initially, four when the ability is upgraded. Heatwave Counter also greatly reduces the enemy's will gauge, should they have one. The window for countering is long and performing the battle technique is fairly easy, but the accessibility tool Ring of Timely Focus can also be used to slow down time when Clive is about to be hit.
After being used, the ability has a cooldown period before being able to be used again. The default cooldown is 25 seconds, but it can be shortened to mere 9 seconds with using Heatwave to perform Heatwave Counter.
AP cost 	Effect
120 (Base) 	Able to equip Heatwave to Clive's fire loadout.
620 (Upgrade)	A small shockwave emanates around Clive that knocks small enemies further away. Heatwave Counter has four follow-up waves instead of two.
1000 (Master)	Able to equip Heatwave to any loadout.
Because the only reward for mastering the Eikonic Ability is the chance to use it on a different Eikon's loadout, there is no point doing it until Clive acquires Titan and the player has to choose between four Eikons, the maximum kept on hand being three, and so the player may opt to stop using the fire loadout.
==Use==
Heatwave is worth learning and upgrading at the earliest opportunity. Heatwave is best when used against bosses' projectiles and remains excellent for this use throughout the entire game, for blocking the enemy's projectile attack, along with dealing both normal damage and damage to the boss's will gauge. The window of opportunity is lengthy and Heatwave Counter is fairly easy to perform. It is great against the Akashic Dragon boss's fireballs, or the Atlas hunt's sword shockwave, for example.
Heatwave is less useful against regular enemies that do not use projectiles, as Clive has other skills that are stronger. However, the upgraded version adds a shockwave around Clive, which can be used to damage multiple enemies that swarm him at once.
During the chronolith trial with the Phoenix's abilities, triggering Heatwave Counter gains a +12s time bonus.
==Etymology==
==Notes==
category:Eikonic Abilities in Final Fantasy XVI