Best Shiva Eikon Abilities in FF16

Discover the best Shiva Eikon abilities in Final Fantasy XVI. Learn about Diamond Dust, Rime, Cold Snap, Mesmerize, and Ice Age, their costs, upgrades, and mastery.

After completing the quest "Through The Maelstrom," you gain access to Shiva's abilities. You can test these moves in the training grounds starting with the quest "Across The Narrow." Below is a chart detailing all of Shiva's abilities, their AP cost, and descriptions.

Ability	Description	AP Cost	Upgrade Cost	Mastery Cost
Cold Snap	Slide effortlessly across the ground in any direction. Attacking with O while sliding can temporarily freeze enemies.	-	-	3,000
Ice Age	Unleash a river of icicles that greatly knocks back any enemies it strikes. Hold the button to increase potency.	-	600	1,000
Mesmerize	Launch multiple shards of ice that, upon striking lighter enemies, draw them toward Clive. Can be used in midair.	-	525	1,000
Rime	Summon a colossal ice crystal that deals continuous damage to all enemies that become trapped inside it.	100	550	1,000
Diamond Dust	Summon a winter storm that freezes enemies in place within a radius before dealing massive ice damage and knocking them back.	1,940	2,575	4,500

The following ranks Shiva's abilities from most to least useful. This ranking is subjective and may vary based on situational needs.

1. Diamond Dust
2. Rime
3. Cold Snap
4. Mesmerize
5. Ice Age

The section below provides an in-depth look at each of Shiva's five abilities and their most useful applications.

Shiva Ability Breakdown

Cold Snap

Cold Snap, Shiva's Circle button ability, is highly versatile. Pressing the button allows Clive to slide a short distance, freezing any enemies he touches for a brief period. This ability has no cooldown, making it effective for repeated use. It can freeze multiple enemies simultaneously and even bosses for a short duration, creating openings for combos. Additionally, Cold Snap can be used defensively to dodge enemy attacks in a pinch.

Cold Snap is acquired for free. It cannot be upgraded but can be mastered for 1,000 AP. Mastering Cold Snap extends the duration enemies remain frozen upon contact.

Ice Age

Ice Age is a ranged attack that launches ice pillars in front of Clive, hitting multiple enemies and knocking lighter ones back. The ability has two versions: a quick tap for a standard attack or holding the button for a more potent charged version. The choice depends on the available time before the next enemy attack.

This ability is free to acquire. Upgrading it costs 600 AP, improving the charged version's hit detection for increased damage. Mastering Ice Age costs 1,000 AP, allowing it to be used with other Eikons.

Mesmerize

Mesmerize serves a niche role by launching ice shards that pull lighter enemies towards Clive. It can be used on the ground or in mid-air, offering versatility. It functions similarly to Garuda's Deadly Embrace but can be mastered and equipped on other Eikons.

Mesmerize is a free ability. Upgrading it costs 525 AP, allowing shards to be fired behind Clive for wider coverage. Mastering Mesmerize costs 1,000 AP, enabling its use with other Eikons.

Rime

Rime summons a colossal ice crystal that deals continuous damage to enemies trapped within its radius. It costs 100 AP to acquire. Upgrading Rime costs 550 AP, and mastering it costs 1,000 AP.

Diamond Dust

Diamond Dust summons a winter storm that freezes enemies in a radius before dealing massive ice damage and knocking them back. It costs 1,940 AP to acquire. Upgrading Diamond Dust costs 2,575 AP, and mastering it costs 4,500 AP.