Heaven's Cloud (Final Fantasy XVI)

Heaven's Cloud is one of Odin's default Eikonic Abilities in Final Fantasy XVI that the player can assign to Clive's loadout. Clive will strike an enemy while charging Zantetsuken. Heaven's Cloud can be executed repeatedly as long as each strike continues to land for further damage and Zantetsuken-gain. The ability was improved in version 1.31.
==Obtained==
Clive gains access to Odin's powers as part of the story, during "The Last King", usable in his loadout after the events at the top of Reverie. Heaven's Cloud is already known when Clive receives Odin's skillset.
==Mechanics==
Clive can use Heaven's Cloud in battle whenever it is equipped to his current loadout. He can have two Eikonic Abilities alongside his Eikonic Feat, which for the dark loadout is Arm of Darkness. All of Odin's Eikonic Abilities have synergy with his Eikonic Feat, in that they all charge up Zantetsuken while forgoing Limit Break build up.
Heaven's Cloud has Clive lunge forward to damage an enemy, and can be used again by tapping the execute button again (even though the tooltip says to use , it depends on where the ability is on Clive's loadout) if the strike succeeds to build up Zantetsuken faster. There is a certain rhythm to the tapping, and it is best to not button-mash. The combo chain is lengthened by upgrading the ability. If the first enemy struck died to Heaven's Cloud, the follow up can be performed onto a nearby enemy instead. Version 1.31 made Heaven's Cloud's chained follow-up attacks able to be focused on a single enemy by locking on to one, and improved its will damage.
If Clive uses Heaven's Cloud to attack a Lightning Rod alongside any enemies, the Zantetsuken charge is boosted further. 
Heaven's Cloud activates the battle technique, , when damaging multiple enemies with one use of Heaven's Cloud.
After being used, the ability initially had a 25-second cooldown before being able to be used again, but version 1.31 shortened it. Upgrading/mastering the ability has no effect on its cooldown. 
AP cost 	Effect
Already learned	Able to equip Heaven's Cloud to Clive's dark loadout.
575 (Upgrade) 	The ability can combo more times.
1000 (Master) 	Able to equip Heaven's Cloud to any loadout.
==Use==
Heaven's Cloud is worth upgrading to increase the amount of times the ability can be chained if the player is using it in their loadout. Heaven's Cloud is best used to charge Zantetsuken when the player lacks Dancing Steel, either because it is cooling down or because it is not learned or in the loadout. Performing Heaven's Cloud into Lightning Rod from Ramuh improves its Zantetsuken-gain, and if there are multiple enemies in the mix, Clive may be able to max out Zantetsuken from one use of Heaven's Cloud + Lightning Rod.
Heaven's Cloud is best used when Clive is around numerous enemies, and to continue the combo for as long as possible.
All of Odin's abilities, bar Rift Slip, are more useful for charging up Zantetsuken than for pure damage, and so Heaven's Cloud is still worth using even if it deals less damage than other Eikonic Abilities, as Zantetsuken's raw power makes up for it. When Zantetsuken is maxed out, the player should use it over Heaven's Cloud. The player can hold the melee attack button ( by default) during Heaven's Cloud's animation to immediately follow up with Zantetsuken.
Heaven's Cloud's downside is that it is inferior to Dancing Steel, and the player may want to run a dark loadout with Rift Slip and Dancing Steel, leaving no room for Heaven's Cloud (or Gungnir).
During the chronolith trial with the Odin's abilities, triggering by chaining the ability the most possible times earns a 12-second time bonus.
==Etymology==
category:Eikonic Abilities in Final Fantasy XVI