Electric Impulse is an ability for Barret and Tifa in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. It is obtained from their folios, and is a Lightning-based attack with small damage and no MP cost and turns the user's Thunder spell into Thunder α. It can be used when airborne.

Alternatives for the ability for other party members are Static Shock and Rolling Thunder. Versions of Fiery Impulse for other elements are Fiery Impulse, Icy Impulse, and Gale Impulse.

Obtained

Electric Impulse is unlocked from Barret and Tifa's folios. For Barret, it is available for 5 SP, and at party level 1; for Tifa, it is available for 10 SP, and at party level 2.

Use

Electric Impulse is used to exploit an elemental weakness to lightning. This can be useful if doing so will pressure an enemy. The damage ultimately pales in comparison even to the basic Thunder spell, and anything from lighting or Lightning and Wind Materia. If these are available for use, and the party has MP to cast them, these should be preferred.

Both Tifa and Barret have relatively low MP. They also are likely to be built with different materia setups that exclude lightning materia (unless they use Elemental Materia or are built toward magic damage). In these cases, Electric Impulse is a useful alternative and a good use of an ATB charge to exploit elemental weaknesses, helped by its near-instant cast time compared to spells, but it should never be relied upon as a source of damage.

Having Electric Impulse also turns the character's Thunder spell into "Thunder α", which will bestow a lightning-elemental sphere to the spellcaster for the rest of the battle (unless the player changes the element with Fire α etc.). The sphere will supplement small magical lightning-elemental damage when defending against certain enemy attacks (perfect-blocking not needed) and when using ATB abilities. The attacks from the "lightning sphere" do build stagger and can be critical hits.