Dramatic Finishers (& How to Activate Them)

The action-packed matches of Dragon Ball FighterZ can end spectacularly, but the most hype comes from activating a Dramatic Finisher to end a game. When you get a K.O. on your opponent and meet certain conditions, you can trigger a cutscene to play referencing an iconic moment from the anime series. From Goku’s first defeat of Frieza on Namek to Yamcha’s unfortunate demise, there are many Finishers to see.

The gorgeous 3v3 team battles in this fighting game are complemented by incredibly detailed stages that can change throughout a fight. For example, finishing off a character’s health with a super move can trigger a Destructive Finish, ravaging the battlefield for the rest of the brawl. Even beginners to Dragon Ball FighterZ can also use a smashing attack on their opponent to send them flying to another stage.

How to Trigger Destructive Finishes

Annihilate Your Battleground With Certain Moves

One type of finisher you don’t want to confuse with a Dramatic Finish is the more common Destructive Finish, which is activated differently. While a Dramatic Finish plays a choreographed sequence almost like a cutscene, a Destructive Finish simply displays how explosive your battle was. Destructive Finishes are activated when you K.O. an opponent using character-specific moves that trigger such devastation.

You may activate a Destructive Finish without realizing it, such as when you take out the rest of a character’s health bar with a Level 1 Super move. A good example of this is Fused Zamasu’s Level 1 super, which releases an orb with Goku Black that causes a Destructive Finish. However, not every character has access to a Super move that causes this type of finisher, even if they use their strongest Level 3 move.

There are three different types of Destructive Finishers, including an Explosive, Environmental, and Kamehameha finisher. The Explosive finish is the one previously discussed with character-specific moves, but the Environmental ones work differently. These finishers in Dragon Ball FighterZ trigger when you launch an enemy horizontally into either corner of a stage with a strong move that knocks them back.

Some attacks that can activate an Environmental Destructive Finish are Vanish moves, standing Heavy attacks, or any super or special move that launches an enemy toward the corner you want to break them through.

Kamehameha finishes are relatively straightforward; all you need is a character who can perform a super move resembling a beam of energy similar to the iconic attack. Every version of Goku in Dragon Ball FighterZ has some form of Kamehameha, but others can perform this as well. Some characters even shoot a beam of energy straight up into the air, such as the Level 3 super move for Base Vegeta or Trunks.

How to Trigger Dramatic Finishes

Meet the Right Conditions To Activate

Dramatic Finishers also rely on character choice, stage choice, and the attacks you use to defeat an opponent when they are at the end of their health bar. These cinematic endings to a fight can only be triggered against the final member of an enemy’s team when they are the last person standing. The character and stage limitations must be met at this point in a battle for you to have a chance to activate a Dramatic Finish.

As you continue to battle an opponent’s team, make sure you don’t accidentally knock out the character you need for the Dramatic Finish requirement. For example, if you need SS4 Gogeta in Dragon Ball FighterZ to be the last character you defeat, don’t take him down before getting a K.O. on his other two team members. Try to find ways to enforce this situation whenever you have the opportunity throughout the fight.

An easy way to ensure the character you want remains toward the end of a battle is to snap back an opponent’s character by pressing forward and the Assist button during a Throw animation.

Some stages need to be destroyed with Destructive Finishes to set up the Dramatic Finish. Explosive Destructive finishers are sometimes needed to change the stage before you knock out the character needed for the cutscene. When you have everything prepared, use a Vanish or standing Heavy Attack as the last hit to trigger a Dramatic Finish at long last in Dragon Ball FighterZ.

Every Available Dramatic Finish

Not Every Character Has One

With the inclusion of new characters in various Fighter Passes in Dragon Ball FighterZ, there are around 20 Dramatic Finishes in the game. Certain teams you build may have a better chance at activating these than others, so take some time to put together a squad best suited for activating a cinematic. With three team members to choose from, you can have plenty of opportunities if you have a plan.

According to the above video by YouTube creator OtakuVerse92, the time of day on some stages also acts as one of the requirements for triggering a Dramatic Finish. Not every stage fluctuates between times, but pay attention to those that can. The parameters for every Dramatic Finish in Dragon Ball FighterZ are:

With so many references to popular moments in the series, it’s clear how much love and attention went into making these cinematic recreations. Those who manage to activate any of the Dramatic Finishers in Dragon Ball FighterZ are in for a visual feast that lets them relive some of the best scenes from this franchise’s storied history.

Source: OtakuVerse92/YouTube