- "Don't worry, it's solar powered! Minimal radiation and damage to the environment, but still lethal. I'm quite proud of that!"
- ―Lance, Epic Battle Fantasy 3
Ion Cannon (named simply Ion prior to EBF4) is a recurring skill in the Epic Battle Fantasy series. It was introduced in Epic Battle Fantasy 2 as one of Natalie's summons before becoming a Limit Break in subsequent games; it is mainly associated with Lance, being one of his natural Limit Breaks in Epic Battle Fantasy 3, but it can also be learned by Matt (from Epic Battle Fantasy 4 onward) or NoLegs (in Epic Battle Fantasy 5).
Description[]
The Ion Cannon is mounted on an artificial satellite orbiting around the planet, and it can be remotely called to strike the battlefield at any time. It was presumably created by Lance as part of his plans to take over the world.
The animation consists of the camera zooming out so the player can see the whole planet. A giant cannon appears from the top of the screen, along with four batteries. The batteries then charge the cannon with bolts of energy; once it's successfully powered up, the batteries are retracted and the cannon deploys before firing down a giant beam that sweeps across the surface of the planet before reaching the battlefield with enough force to destroy the ground in the process. The color of the energy used in the skill is either red (EBF2 and 3) or yellow (EBF4 and 5).
Ion Cannon deals a huge amount of magical damage, usually having an additional effect to hamper surviving foes.
Epic Battle Fantasy 2[]
Natalie learns Ion after defeating the Guardian boss. It deals massive, accurate non-elemental magic damage to all enemies, with some recoil damage to the players. As with all Summons, it uses Natalie's base Magic Attack, thus ignoring any buffs and debuffs to the stat, and also ignores her Accuracy.
The "Max Radiation" medal is awarded for using Ion for the first time.
| Ion | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hits all foes for extreme non-elemental magic damage. Damages the party too. | |||||||
| Target | Type | Element | Status Effect | MP | Acc | RdF | |
| All Allies |
|
---- | -- | 200 | 150% | 10% | |
| Power | Status Chance | Status Strength | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25000 2500 [4000] |
-- | -- | |
Note: Forces the players to jump off the screen, curing  Freeze.Stats in brackets (below/right from actual) are for its pre-EBF Collection update version. Ignores Natalie's Magic Attack (de)buffs and Accuracy. | |||
| Skill Bonuses | |
|---|---|
| Name | Effect |
| Ions! | 1.4x damage multiplier (All) [1.2x damage multiplier (All), 1.3x damage multiplier (Allies)] |
| Doomsday! | 1.8x damage multiplier (All) |
Epic Battle Fantasy 3[]
Ion is one of Lance's Limit Breaks in this game. It no longer damages the user's team, and now debuffs the targets' Attack; its Accuracy has also increased from EBF2.
 |
Ion | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limit Break! Powerful non-elemental magic. High accuracy. Lowers foes' attack. | ||||||
| Target | Type | Element | Status Effect | Acc | Crit | RdF |
| All |
|
---- | 
|
200% | 10% | 10% |
| Level | Power | Status Chance | Status Strength | MP | AP Cost | |
| 1 | 120 | 100% | 10% | -- | 300 | |
| 2 | 160 | 100% | 20% | -- | 900 | |
| 3 | 200 | 100% | 30% | -- | 2000 | |
| 4 | 250 | 100% | 40% | -- | 4000 | |
| 5 | 300 | 100% | 50% | -- | 8000 | |
Epic Battle Fantasy 4[]
Ion Cannon returns as a Special Limit Break available to Lance and Matt. It is now strongly Thunder-based instead of non-elemental, and has a decent chance to Stun targets instead of debuffing their Attack; to reflect the element change, the energy used in its animation was changed from red to yellow.
The Ion Cannon skill is found in the Waste Disposal Plant, in the 5 Battery slots screen, in the right chest, blocked by a Steel Block. Initially, it's weaker than its EBF3 incarnation, but its power increases significantly with each upgrade until it's significantly more powerful than it was in EBF3; however, its final level costs more AP than it did in the last game.
The Praetorian and Dark Lance can also cast Ion Cannon; Dark Lance uses it as a Limit Break like the players, while the Praetorian telegraphs its use by gaining the Charge status. When either of these foes use Ion Cannon, the animation shows the beam moving in the opposite direction as the player-cast version.
 |
Ion Cannon | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limit Break! Targets all foes. May stun targets. | ||||||
| Target | Type | Element | Status Effect | Acc | Crit | RdF |
| All |
|
75% 
|
|
200% | 10% | 10% |
| Level | Power | Status Chance | Status Strength | MP | AP Cost | |
| 1 | 80 | 50% | 2x | -- | 300 | |
| 2 | 150 | 50% | 2x | -- | 900 | |
| 3 | 240 | 55% | 2x | -- | 2000 | |
| 4 | 320 | 60% | 2x | -- | 4000 | |
| 5 | 400 | 60% | 2x | -- | 12000 | |
| Requirement(s) (one) |
 
| |||||
| Note: Forces the players to jump off the screen, curing Freeze.
| ||||||
Epic Battle Fantasy 5[]
Ion Cannon is largely the same as it was in EBF4, but it now hits multiple times with higher Accuracy, a better Stun chance, and slightly more power at higher levels. It also gains the additional effect of granting Lance several stacks of Charge status (this occurs regardless of which character uses the limit, or whether Lance is at the front or the back), giving him the option to fire off a Hyper Beam right afterwards.
Lance comes with the skill already learned at Level 1 when he joins the party; he'll also use it against them when fought as a solo miniboss in the Iron Fortress on Epic. Additionally, Lancelot can use Ion Cannon as one of his Limit Breaks; following the v2 update, the Praetorian can also cast the skill after giving itself Charge status.
 |
Ion Cannon | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Limit Break! Deals massive magical thunder damage to all foes, and may stun them.
| ||||||
| Target | Type | Element | Status Effect | Acc | Crit | RdF |
| All |
|
100% 
|
|
300% | 10% | 10% |
| Level | Power | Status Chance | Status Strength | AP Cost | ||
| 1 | 80/8 | 50% [30%] | 2x | N/A | ||
| 2 | 150/8 | 70% [35%] | 2x | 300 | ||
| 3 | 240/8 | 80% [40%] | 2x | 1000 | ||
| 4 | 330/8 | 90% [45%] | 2x | 3000 | ||
| 5 | 420/8 | 100% [50%] | 2x | 10000 | ||
| Note: Stats in brackets (below/right from actual) are for its pre-v2 update version. Forces the players to jump off the screen, curing  Freeze. Gives 5x  Charge to Lance.Before the v2 update, only gave 2x Charge.
| ||||||
Trivia[]
- The lens flare in Ion Cannon's intro animation has the same animation as Flare, except with a different background.
- In EBF3, Lance says Ion Cannon deals "minimal radiation and damage to the environment", which doesn't fit with the name of the EBF2 medal, "Max Radiation". This could mean Lance has upgraded it between the games to be less radioactive and to focus its power on the targets instead of harming both the players and the foes, giving a lore reason for the gameplay change.
- So far, Anna is the only playable character who has never been able to learn how to use the Ion Cannon. This ties into the fact that she hates technology.
- The Ion Cannon was inspired by the super weapon of the same name from the Command and Conquer series as the GDI’s primary super weapon.