My Final Heaven (Final Fantasy VIII)

My Final Heaven is the final Duel finishing move for Zell in Final Fantasy VIII. It deals physical damage to all enemies depending on Zell's Strength stat. When Duel initiates, the player has a variable amount of time to perform Duel moves on their chosen target. Using a finishing move ends the chain, and is best used right before Zell is about to run out of time.
My Final Heaven is strong and is performed with a input at the conclusion of a chain of Duel moves. However, as building a long chain of moves is where Zell's damage potential lies, finishing moves are usually not needed and can be detrimental in cutting Zell's Duel short. The time allotted for performing moves depends on Zell's Crisis Level, a hidden calculation in the game. Duel is randomly available when Zell is on low health or under Aura.
When Zell uses My Final Heaven, he concentrates his spirit into his fist, dashes across the globe and returns to the battlefield, unleashing an energy blast that consumes all opposition. Many of Zell's Duel moves are reminiscent of Tifa's Limit moves from Final Fantasy VII; My Final Heaven is named after Tifa's ultimate Limit Break, Final Heaven, but the animations are not similar.
==Obtained==
My Final Heaven is usable since the beginning of the game, but will be hidden in the command window until the player reads Combat King 005. The magazine is found inside Lunatic Pandora, on the path leading left from Elevator 03's basement. It can only be found if the player chose to trigger the red detonator during Laguna Loire's second dream sequence at the Centra Excavation Site. The player can pick the magazine up with either Zell or Squall's party: with Zell when his team can board the Lunatic Pandora by intercepting the moving structure at a contact point during the Siege of Esthar, or with Squall after the party infiltrates the Pandora with the Ragnarok. After fighting Adel, the magazine at the Lunatic Pandora can no longer be picked up. 
The magazine is also sold in the Esthar City book store when the player has Familiar from Tonberry GF. The player can buy the magazine before finding it in Lunatic Pandora.
==Mechanics==
My Final Heaven is performed either automatically by chance when the player sets their Duel to "Auto" in the Status menu, or by chaining from another move by inputting when it appears in the command window.
My Final Heaven deals non-elemental physical damage to all enemies calculated as per the following formula:
:Critical Determination
:Critical\% = (Luck + 1) / 256 \times 100
Where "Luck" is Zell's Luck stat. If the hit criticals, it will deal double damage.
:Base Damage Calculation
:Damage = Strength^2 / 16 + Strength
:Damage = Damage \times (265 - Target's~Vitality) / 256
:Damage = Damage \times 50 / 16
Where "Strength" is Zell's Strength stat and "Vitality" is the target's Vitality stat. My Final Heaven is around twice as powerful as his typical Duel moves, and targets all enemies, increasing the damage potential further. However, it is only marginally more powerful than the default finishing move, Burning Rave.
All damage is randomized slightly:
:Damage = Damage \times ([0..32] + 240) / 256
The time Zell has for Duel depends on his Crisis Level in the following manner:
* Crisis Level 1: 4.66 seconds (starts with Punch Rush)
* Crisis Level 2: 6.66 seconds (starts with Punch Rush)
* Crisis Level 3: 9.33 seconds (starts with Booya)
* Crisis Level 4: 12 seconds (starts with Booya)
Crisis Level is a hidden stat calculated based on how low Zell's current HP is compared to his maximum, the number of dead allies, and the number of ailments he is afflicted with. The worse off he is, the longer Duel times the player can expect. Crisis Level is also raised with the Aura status.
My Final Heaven can be used from any of the following combinations:
* Punch Rush → Booya → Heel Drop → Meteor Strike → My Final Heaven
* Punch Rush → Booya → Heel Drop → Mach Kick → Punch Rush → My Final Heaven
Because of the complexity of Duel, it is best explained and summarized by viewing the following Google docs flowchart.
If the target has Protect, damage is halved. Limit Breaks never miss and are unaffected by Elem-Atk junctions.
==Use==
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My Final Heaven is a good finishing move because it targets all enemies, which is one the only reasons the player may want to use a finisher as opposed to continuing with basic moves for the longest possible chain. It is weaker than Meteor Barret and Different Beat, but the aforementioned only target one enemy. Burning Rave and My Final Heaven target all enemies, and My Final Heaven is only slightly stronger with a Power value of 50 in comparison to Burning Rave's 48. My Final Heaven is a lategame technique, and by that point in the game, both finishers might be doing equal damage in hitting the damage cap of 9999.
Zell's Duel is already at its best potential since the start of the game and does not need enhancement and investment outside of stat-maxing the same way the other permanent characters do (besides Selphie, though she still gets better spells to her Slot when on a higher level). The player does not need My Final Heaven to get the most out of Zell's Duel, but it can be a fun addition for variety.
My Final Heaven is best used when Zell is about to run out of time, but timing it perfectly would be lucky. Other uses include 
deliberately ending the Duel (with an added flourish), and to damage enemies other than the one Zell has been targeting with his Duel, such as when this target is presumed to be dead already. Against a group of weak enemies, the player can simply aim straight for My Final Heaven. Most bosses appear alone, but the player fights Fujin and Raijin together when Squall's party infiltrates the Lunatic Pandora, and some bosses in the final dungeon and final battles summon minions. If the player additionally inflicts Vit 0 onto the enemies, My Final Heaven can be even more powerful.
Zell should be junctioned toward high Strength to make the most of his Limit Break. The Guardian Forces that have Str-J natively are Shiva, Ifrit, Brothers, Pandemona, and Cerberus. It is also worthwhile to give Zell any Str+% abilities. Because each hit has a chance of being a critical hit, Zell is also an excellent choice for Luck-J and Luck+50%; the only GF that has Luck-J natively is Cactuar, but Luck-J Scroll is available from some sidequests to give to the GFs Zell is junctioning.
==Etymology==
The name likely refers to the concept of seven heavens, the final heaven being reserved for the highest of divine beings. The ability originates from Final Fantasy VII, a game with numerous allusions to the number.
==Citations==
Category:Duels in Final Fantasy VIII