Nighthound

About classes | Class list | Skill list | Extended Mastery

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Class Data
Class line	Ranger ⇢ Archer ⇢ Sidewinder ⇢ Nighthound
Description	Use keen senses combined with tactical ingenuity to intercept and neutralize the enemy.
Style		Specialty
Prerequisites	CP ×2,500 Sharpshooter Distinction ×20 Superior ArcherRewards Crystal ×50
Level BonusesLevel bonuses are earned with levels 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20.	Lvl 1 ATK +600   Total: ATK +1800 Skill DMG +20% Lvl 5 Skill DMG +10% Lvl 10  ATK +600 Lvl 15 Skill DMG +10% Lvl 20 ATK +600
Master Bonuses	Skill DMG +1% and Dodge +1%
Class Weapon	Maverick
Support Skills
Night Hunter	Immunity to BlindedAttacks have a slight chance to miss . 5% boost to ATKUnique modifier against debuffed enemies.
Target	200% boost to  Bullseye Run(100% + 100% per target's debuff) elemental damage to one enemy. (Damage cap: ~580,000.)'s damage.  Bullseye Run(100% + 100% per target's debuff) elemental damage to one enemy. (Damage cap: ~580,000.)'s cooldown reduced by 1 turn.
Base Multiattack Rates
Base DA RateIncluding Support Skills/Level Bonuses	4%	Base TA RateIncluding Support Skills/Level Bonuses	1%
Recommended Extended Mastery Perks
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Recommended Subskills
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Skills

Icon	Skill Name	Effect	C/DCooldown in Turns	DurDuration in Turns or Seconds	SubSubskill usable on other classes	LVLClass level required	Notes
	Evasive Maneuvers	Deal 800% elemental damage to one foe and gain 100% ATK UpATK is boosted Strength: 100%Duration: 1 turn , Other SelfTakes no DMG or debuffs while in effect Duration: 1 turn , and Bonus Effect on DodgeBlind foes upon dodging Duration: 1 turn Will deal large damage and inflict blind on all foes..	5T	1T	No	1	Bonus Effect on DodgeBlind foes upon dodging Duration: 1 turn Will deal large damage and inflict blind on all foes. will deal elemental damage and inflict BlindedAttacks have a slight chance to miss Duration: 180 seconds on all foes. Even if you dodge multiple times it only triggers once.

Extended Mastery Skills

Icon	Skill Name	Effect	C/DCooldown	DurDuration	EMPCost in EMP	Notes
	Tactical Relocation	Switch positions of any two allies of your choice.	20T		30
	Frequency Jam	All allies gain ~35% Dodge Rate BoostedImmune to DMG and debuffs for a fixed amount while in effect Strength: ~35%Duration: 2 turns and 40% / 40% Critical Hit Rate UpDMG is slightly boosted for critical hits Strength: 40% chance of dealing 40% more damage.Duration: 2 turns.	7T	2T	20
	Twilight Zone	Deploy the Twilight ZoneWhen superior element, DMG is boosted for fire, water, earth and wind attacks Field effect field effect.	16T	180s	30	When superior element: 30% Elem ATK Up for Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind attacks.
	Judicious Shot	300% elemental damage to all foes. (Damage cap: ~660,000.) Inflict 25% Element DEF DownElement DEF Down debuff based on weapon element Strength: 25%Duration: 180 seconds.	5T	180s	25
	Time On Target	300% elemental DMG to a foe (Damage cap: ~440,000). Inflict a random debuff. (Number of hits and debuffs increased based on number of bow and gun-specialty allies)	15T	-	50	See Gameplay Notes.

Assessment

Nighthound is a support class which offers some unique utilities, but is generally a very low priority Row IV class due to being outperformed by most other classes in most fights.

•  Evasive ManeuversDeal 800% elemental damage to one foe and gain 100% ATK UpATK is boosted
  Strength: 100%Duration: 1 turn , Other SelfTakes no DMG or debuffs while in effect
  Duration: 1 turn , and Bonus Effect on DodgeBlind foes upon dodging
  Duration: 1 turn Will deal large damage and inflict blind on all foes.. is a respectable nuke and useful for protecting the main character, but the Bonus Effect on DodgeBlind foes upon dodging
  can be unreliable. Combined with  SubstituteGain SubstituteReceives foe attack in place of an ally
  (Excludes all-foe all-ally attacks)
  Duration: 1 turn ., however, it becomes a powerful defensive tool for the entire team, as well as guaranteeing the BlindedAttacks have a slight chance to miss
  and secondary nuke activation
•  Tactical RelocationSwitch positions of any two allies of your choice. (and Change) are Nighthound's most unique utilities, allowing the front-line to be changed mid-battle. This can enable some extremely niche and creative strategies, especially when turn-efficiency is important, but is generally not worth the real-time involved compared to playing/racing normally, especially given the prohibitively long cool-down of Tactical Relocation. That said, it does see moderate use for one-turn-kill strategies, especially in conjunction with Zooey (Grand) or 3★ Qilin
•  Frequency JamAll allies gain ~35% Dodge Rate BoostedImmune to DMG and debuffs for a fixed amount while in effect
  Strength: ~35%Duration: 2 turns and 40% / 40% Critical Hit Rate UpDMG is slightly boosted for critical hits
  Strength: 40% chance of dealing 40% more damage.Duration: 2 turns. is moderately powerful, especially against multi-hit attacks or when stacked with other forms of Dodge Rate BoostedImmune to DMG and debuffs for a fixed amount while in effect
  , but the fairly weak Critical Hit Rate UpDMG is slightly boosted for critical hits
  and extremely low uptime make it much weaker than the EX skills of most other Row IV classes.
•  Twilight ZoneDeploy the Twilight ZoneWhen superior element, DMG is boosted for fire, water, earth and wind attacks
  Field effect field effect. is the main reason for taking Nighthound, often providing 30% Elemental ATK to an entire raid for 3 minutes with one button press. Unfortunately, it does not affect Light and Dark or work against Non-Elemental enemies such as Ultimate Bahamut due to requiring elemental advantage.

Fortunately, Nighthound becomes much more competitive when equipped with its class weapon, Maverick. The passive effect of Maverick applies SubstituteReceives foe attack in place of an ally
(Excludes all-foe all-ally attacks)
on Evasive Maneuvers without sacrificing a sub-skill, the Critical Hit Rate UpDMG is slightly boosted for critical hits
on the charge attack compensate for the lack of an offensive Weapon Skill, and the Emblem of Devilry adds a modest team-wide multi-attack boost to Twilight Zone, something Nighthound previously lacked. Altogether this makes Nighthound much more consistent and allows it to offer value comparable to the more popular Row IVs. That said, 5★ Class Weapon are a significant investment and only improve one element at a time.

Gameplay Notes

Time On Target

• The amount of hits and debuffs equal the total number of Bow- and Gun-specialty allies in the party, including sub allies.
• The following debuffs can be inflicted:
  • 25% ATK DownATK is lowered
    Strength: 25%Duration: 180 secondsStacking: Single
  • 25% DEF DownDEF is lowered
    Strength: 25%Duration: 180 secondsStacking: Single
  • BurnedHP is lowered on every turn
    Strength: 10,000Duration: 180 seconds
  • PoisonedHP is lowered on every turn
    Strength: 10,000Duration: 180 seconds
  • PutrefiedHP is lowered on every turn
    Strength: 10,000Duration: 180 seconds
  • BlindedAttacks have a slight chance to miss
    Duration: 3 turnsLocal status effect
  • DA DownDouble attack rate is lowered
    Duration: 3 turnsLocal status effect
  • TA DownTriple attack rate is lowered
    Duration: 3 turnsLocal status effect
  • Accuracy LoweredAttacks and special attacks have a chance to miss
    Duration: 2 turnsLocal status effect
  • ParalyzedCan't attack
    Duration: 2 turnsLocal status effect
  • ParalyzedCan't attack
    Duration: 1 turn Local status effect
• ParalyzedCan't attack
  Duration: 1 turn Local status effect can overwrite ParalyzedCan't attack
  Duration: 2 turnsLocal status effect even though its duration is shorter.

Resources

• Reddit Class Discussion (2019-10-18)