Area of Effect

How It Works

An AoE ability hits everything in its zone: players, enemies and bosses. Hitting multiple targets is fine, but the real advantage of these abilities is often their superior range. Most AoE abilities have Destructible Physics (they break the environment) and many break Instinct.

Watch your counting: some abilities can technically hit two targets stuck together. Only those with a hitbox large enough to hit multiple targets in normal gameplay truly count as AoE.

The Five Types of AoE

• Explosion / Beam: a blast that expands quickly then vanishes, coming from a projectile or the player's body. Among the largest rays in the game with quick activation, but very short duration - you need to aim. Nearly all break the environment and Instinct, some have knockback; generally, the harder the attack is to land, the more damage it does. Beams (a ray that lengthens or widens gradually) share this short lifespan, with more range and sometimes a stun, but rarely environment destruction or Instinct break.
• Puddles and trails: a dangerous substance covers the ground and deals tick damage to anyone in it. Usually the aftereffect of another attack: Venom, Magma and Kitsune are typical examples, and on the sword side all Rengoku abilities do the job. They generally don't break Instinct, but their ticks can wear down dodges.
• Energy fields: a zone of energy released, usually from the player's body rather than a separate attack. Longer lifespan and better stun than other types, but harder to land and slower to activate. Examples: the X of Skull Guitar and the second part of Control's V.
• Barrages: a barrage of quick hits that strikes everything in range. Starts from the player or very close by, so short range, but good stuns and good damage; you often need to hold the button. Very common on Fighting Styles (Dark Step's C Barrage), and on the fruit side: Dough's V Restless Dough Barrage / Dough Fist Fusillade, or Light and its rapid attacks.
• Hybrids: some attacks combine multiple types, like Cursed Dual Katana's Z (energy field + explosion), or don't fit any category.

Fruits: which moves have AoE

Fruit	Moves AoE	Notes
Rocket	Z, X, C	Everything is based on explosions; the flight move doesn't deal damage
Spin	Z, X, C	Like Rocket without flight, but barrages instead of explosions
Blade	X	Other moves have large hitboxes but only hit one player
Spring	C	This move breaks Instinct
Bomb	Z, C, V, F	The X has great combo potential but only hits one target
Smoke	Z, X, C, F	All moves have AoE
Spike	Z, X, C, V	Fairly small hitboxes, but multi-hit anyway
Flame (Unawakened)	Z, X, C, V	The entire kit is AoE except flight
Flame (Awakened)	Z, X, C, V	Same minus flight; the Z's projectiles hit one target or explode based on your aim
Ice (Unawakened)	Z, X, C, V	All moves explode to some extent and multi-hit up close
Ice (Awakened)	Z, X, C, V	Like the unawakened version, but the Z becomes a continuous hitbox that drags along the ground
Eagle	Z, X, V, F	Decent explosive AoE across all these moves, nothing more
Light (Unawakened)	Z, X, C, V	All moves multi-hit in explosions
Light (Awakened)	Z, X, V	Despite its big explosion visuals, Awakened C is a single-target grab
Rubber	Z, X, C, F	-
Ghost	Z, X, C	-
Magma (Unawakened)	Z, X, C, V, F	Almost everything creates puddles; F is entirely based on puddles with damage over time
Magma (Awakened)	Z, C, V, F	Larger and taller puddles; some are too small to deal damage
Quake (Unawakened)	Z, X, C, V	Everything is AoE; the V is one of the largest zones in the game
Quake (Awakened)	X, C, V	The V is THE largest AoE in the game, with a 1.5 second stun as a bonus
Buddha (Unawakened)	X, C, V	Also transforms your sword and fighting style M1s into medium AoE
Buddha (Awakened)	Z, X, C, V	Everything except F's grab; the V is among the largest in the game; M1s into large AoE
Love	Z, X, C, V	The X has very long range; the V and its Besto Friendo only hit multiple targets if they're grouped
Creation	C, V	Large AoE and stun on both: excellent for PvP and farming
Spider (Unawakened)	X, C, V	-
Spider (Awakened)	Z, X, C, V	The C hits enemies incredibly far away: one of the longest range moves in the game
Sound	Z, X, C, V	The Z can be used up to three times
Phoenix (Unawakened)	Z (base and transformed)	-
Phoenix (Awakened)	Base: TAP, Z, C, F. Transformed: TAP, Z, C	The C's slam and its fire pit deal AoE damage; F (base) does a small AoE tick when stopped in flight
Portal	Z, V, F	The Z's slam deals AoE damage
Lightning	Z, X, C, V	The Z and V grow the more you hold (based on the number of orbs)
Pain	Z, X, C, V, F	The V's AoE grows while holding; X and F only have AoE in held version, not tap
Blizzard	Z, X, C, V, F	Everything is AoE; the V is the laggiest move of the bunch
Gravity	TAP, Z, X, C, V, F	Every move, M1 and variants included, has AoE and breaks Instinct: top for PvP and farming
Mammoth (base)	Z, C, V, F	-
Mammoth (transformed)	TAP, Z, C, V, F	-
T-Rex (base)	TAP, Z, X, C, V, F	-
T-Rex (transformed)	TAP, Z, X, C, F	-
Dough (Unawakened)	Z, C, V	-
Dough (Awakened)	TAP, Z, X, C, V, F	-
Shadow	X, V, F	The fuller your Umbra gauge, the larger the V's AoE
Venom (base)	Z, X, C, F	-
Venom (transformed)	Z, X, C	-
Gas (transformed)	TAP, Z, X	Massive AoE that also breaks Instinct
Control	Z, X, C, V	The Z only attacks if the opponent is close; applies to all modes (no domain, domain and dagger)
Spirit	Z, X, C, V	Every move has an AoE hitbox and creates explosions
Tiger (base)	Z, X, C, V, F	The Z has lots of AoE despite its appearance
Tiger (transformed)	TAP, Z, X, C, F	The fourth M1 also has AoE, almost as much as the base form's V
Yeti (base)	Z, X, F	Good AoE and good spam potential on most moves
Yeti (transformed)	TAP, Z, X, F	Like Tiger, the fourth M1 has AoE, and all other moves are improved
Kitsune (base)	Z, X, C, V, F	The Z and V's AoE isn't top-tier but is still decent
Kitsune (transformed)	Z, C	The non-targeted Z variant has decent AoE and C becomes much larger
Dragon (base)	Z, X, C	Good AoE and good damage across the board; C extends very far
Dragon East (transformed)	TAP, Z, X, C, F	Absurd AoE, damage and range: some of the largest zones in the game
Dragon West (transformed)	TAP, Z, X, C, F	Like the East variant, with a few differences

Fighting Styles: which moves have AoE

Style	Moves AoE	Notes
Combat	X	The Z only hurts one target, but can push stacked opponents in front of it
Dark Step	Z, X, C	Everything multi-hits, including V despite its long startup
Electric	Z, X, C	-
Water Kung Fu	Z, X, C	-
Dragon Breath	Z, X, C	Moves with long startup
Superhuman	X	Its only multi-hit move
Death Step	Z, X, C	The Z has AoE if you aim at the ground and don't hit anyone before impact
Sharkman Karate	Z, X, C	-
Electric Claw	Z, X, C	-
Dragon Talon	X, C	The C has strong knockback, similar to Magma Awakened's V Volcanic Storm
Godhuman	X, C	The X only works in held version; C requires you to be close
Sanguine Art	X, C	-

Swords: which moves have AoE

Sword	Moves AoE	Notes
Cutlass	Z, X	-
Dual Katana	Z, X	-
Katana	X	-
Iron Mace	Z, X	The third M1 also has AoE
Shark Saw	Z, X	The fourth M1 also has AoE
Twin Hooks	Z, X	The X only grabs one target, but the hit has AoE
Dragon Trident	Z, X	-
Dual-Headed Blade	Z, X	-
Gravity Blade	Z, X	-
Flail	X	-
Longsword	Z, X	-
Pipe	X	-
Soul Cane	Z, X	-
Trident	X	-
Wardens Sword	Z, X	-
Bisento (V1)	Z, X	-
Bisento (V2)	Z, X	-
Saber	Z, X	-
Rengoku	X	-
Shark Anchor	Z	-
Cursed Dual Katana	Z	The Z's windup also has AoE

Guns: which moves have AoE

Gun	Moves AoE	Notes
Slingshot	Z, X	-
Flintlock	X	-
Musket	Z, X	-
Acidum Rifle	Z, X	-
Skull Guitar	X	Good stun, very useful for starting combos

Did you know?

• As a general rule, the later you obtain an item in the game, the more AoE it has: you need to keep up with the mobility and speed of the later seas.
• The largest AoE ability in the entire game, across all fruits, is Quake Awakened's V.
• Among other very large zones: Quake Unawakened's V, Bomb's V, Buddha Awakened's V, Blizzard's V, Lightning's V, Venom Transformed's C, and Dragon Transformed's C.