A strict person with good intentions at heart, Auron is a former monk of Yevon. He was a guardian for Lord Braska before becoming a guardian for Yuna. Amongst the characters in Final Fantasy X, Auron is more reserved than most, seldom speaking but making profound statements when he does.
With his many Breaks, akin to the Samurai job class seen in many Final Fantasy games, Auron is a dependable member of the party. His abilities range from support-based skills that focus on protection, to attacks that lower enemies' stats. Looking at all of Auron's abilities, here's how they all stack up.
10 Extract Power
An ability exclusive to the International, PAL, and HD Remaster versions, Extract Power causes the target to drop Power Spheres after the battle's conclusion. It costs 1 MP to use and simultaneously deals physical damage.
The issue with Extract Power is that using it replaces items that the target would have dropped instead. This could be detrimental if the player is attempting to farm certain items. Additionally, Extract Power only guarantees one Power Sphere to be dropped. Players should also consider that Power Spheres are not too difficult to come by, so using Extract Power seems fairly useless after a certain point.
9 Entrust
True to its name, Entrust is a Special ability that transfers the user's Overdrive gauge to a fellow party member. The transferred Overdrive either fills the target's gauge entirely or provides the needed amount to fill the gauge, removing any left over.
There are many reasons why Entrust is a waste of 8 MP. For starters, Overdrive gauges are not incredibly difficult to fill in the first place. What's more, the skill prevents Auron from prioritizing his own Overdrive gauge, when he has incredibly powerful Overdrives at his disposal (including one that, when input correctly, enables a 100% guaranteed Full Break).
8 Guard
This action differs from Defend, which characters perform when not acting. Instead, Guard allows Auron to take damage for one of his party members. While this ability would be wasted on a weaker character, Auron has the perfect build for this. His High HP and Defense are considerably higher compared to many others.
Using Guard is helpful when Auron is paired with weaker party members whose turns would be wasted on spamming Defend. It also keeps players from having to waste turns on reviving and healing the weaker characters. What keeps this ability low on this list, though, is another ability of Auron's that's similar, but better.
7 Zombie Attack
Zombie Attack, as its name suggests, induces the Zombie status condition while also inflicting physical damage. Costing 10 MP to enact, it leaves targets who are afflicted with Zombie unable to be healed, instead taking damage from restorative items and spells.
Afflicting Zombie on enemies can be helpful when used properly. One strategy would involve setting up a combination between Auron and Yuna. Auron would start by inflicting the status effect on multiple enemies, and Yuna, as the quintessential White Mage, could auto-kill enemies by casting Full-Life on them. The only downside is that this condition does not affect all enemies. Many of them (particularly those fought in boss battles) would be immune.
6 Threaten
With a mysterious demeanor and intimidating presence, Threaten is an ability perfect for Auron. Mechanically, Threaten inflicts the status effect of the same name for 12 MP. The effect renders targets immobile until the user's next turn, frozen in fear from whatever Auron says.
When the player needs to reconfigure their defenses by either healing or changing their formation, Threaten can stall for life-saving time. It's also great for ushering tremendous damage back-to-back against an enemy who cannot counter — they can, however, still evade.
5 Magic Break
The first of many Breaks on this list, Magic Break deals damage and has a chance of lowering the enemy's Magic stat. Breaks are reminiscent of the Samurai job class. Though Auron is never referred to outright as a Samurai, the game alludes to this through his aesthetic, weapon choice, and skills.
Magic Break, as one would imagine, is best used against magic-heavy opponents such as Seymour Guado or the Dark Aeons. While opponents with high Magic are far less frequent than Strength-based opponents, this skill is still helpful in its situational usage. A major problem with all Breaks, however, is that they are not guaranteed to inflict their respective status effect.
4 Power Break
Contrasting Magic Break, Power Break aspires to lower the Strength stat by half while still ushering damage. Auron has this skill by default, and thus the player does not need to acquire it on his Sphere Grid.
Power Break and Mental Break are oriented towards defense-oriented players, who seek to hinder their opponents rather than buffing their party. There isn't a clear distinction between which strategy is more effective. With that said, though, playing the offensive increases the chances of speeding up combat, while prioritizing defenses can prolong it and ultimately not save the party entirely from damage.
3 Mental Break
For targeting Magic Defenses, Mental Break is the best Break Auron has to offer. This ability lowers the target's Magic Defenses to 0; however, like all Breaks, the effect is not promised. As opposed to Power Break and Magic Break, Mental Break replicates a buff for the party without actually buffing them. It helps them do more damage, without bolstering their own offenses.
Using Mental Break with a party containing Lulu would be a devious strategy. Lulu's devastating arsenal of spells would benefit from the additional boost gained by the target's weakened Magic Defense.
2 Armor Break
Armor Break is perhaps the Break that pairs best with Auron's build. Costing 12 MP (like all Breaks), Armor Break reduces the target's Defense to 0. It also eliminates the target's Armored status, which reduces physical damage taken by 1/3. While party members like Auron and Kimahri already bypass the Armored status with their Piercing weapons, this status can hinder other physical attackers.
Armor Break is obviously helpful against enemies with the Armored status, like Adamantoise and Iron Giants. It is undeniably the Break with the greatest overall benefit to Auron, as the player can rely on his incredible damage output to swiftly overcome all targets.
1 Sentinel
Sentinel further players on Auron's role as the party's greatest defensive force. An upgraded version of Guard, Sentinel enables Auron to protect both party members instead of just one. After all, none of the other characters are as capable of taking hits as Auron.
Additionally, Sentinel lessens the amount of damage Auron receives. This means the ability has double the protection, both in damage received and ground covered. It is objectively the easiest way to sustain a formation built on two damage-focused members, with Auron as their tank. Lastly, this skill ultimately allows Auron to do even more damage. His Celestial Weapon, Masamune, does greater damage the lower Auron's HP is.