diff --git a/src/dusk/rpg/battle/battleability.h b/src/dusk/rpg/battle/battleability.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b2297e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dusk/rpg/battle/battleability.h
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 Dominic Masters
+ *
+ * This software is released under the MIT License.
+ * https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+#include "error/error.h"
+
+typedef enum {
+  BATTLE_ABILITY_NULL,
+
+  BATTLE_ABILITY_FIRE,
+
+  BATTLE_ABILITY_COUNT
+} battleability_t;
diff --git a/src/dusk/rpg/battle/battlefighter.h b/src/dusk/rpg/battle/battlefighter.h
index af032331..1b3674b1 100644
--- a/src/dusk/rpg/battle/battlefighter.h
+++ b/src/dusk/rpg/battle/battlefighter.h
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 
 #pragma once
 #include "error/error.h"
+#include "battleability.h"
+
+#define BATTLE_FIGHTER_ABILITY_COUNT_MAX 8
 
 // An empty status means the slot in BATTLE.fighters is unused.
 typedef enum {
@@ -55,6 +58,7 @@ typedef struct {
   uint16_t mpMax;
 
   battlefighterstats_t stats;
+  battleability_t abilities[BATTLE_FIGHTER_ABILITY_COUNT_MAX];
 } battlefighter_t;
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/battle/cutscenestartbattle.c b/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/battle/cutscenestartbattle.c
index 338fd62d..73ee5843 100644
--- a/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/battle/cutscenestartbattle.c
+++ b/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/battle/cutscenestartbattle.c
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
 #include "scene/scene.h"
 #include "save/save.h"
 #include "rpg/cutscene/item/json/cutscenejsonbattleencounter.h"
+#include "rpg/cutscene/item/json/cutscenejsonbattleability.h"
 #include "rpg/cutscene/item/json/cutscenejsonfield.h"
+#include "util/memory.h"
 
 void cutsceneStartBattleStart(
   const cutsceneitem_t *item,
@@ -34,14 +36,18 @@ void cutsceneStartBattleStart(
     fighter->health = member->health;
     fighter->mp = member->mp;
     fighter->status = member->status;
+    memoryCopy(fighter->abilities, member->abilities, sizeof(fighter->abilities));
   }
 
   for(uint8_t i = 0; i < config->enemyCount; i++) {
     const cutscenestartbattleenemy_t *enemy = &config->enemies[i];
-    battleAddFighter(
+    battlefighter_t *fighter = battleAddFighter(
       BATTLE_FIGHTER_TEAM_ENEMY, BATTLE_FIGHTER_CONTROLLER_AI,
       enemy->stats, enemy->healthMax, enemy->mpMax
     );
+    if(fighter == NULL) continue;
+
+    memoryCopy(fighter->abilities, enemy->abilities, sizeof(fighter->abilities));
   }
 
   battleStart(config->encounterType, config->fleeAvailable);
@@ -162,6 +168,37 @@ errorret_t cutsceneStartBattleLoad(
       (uint16_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_obj_get(enemyVal, "healthMax"));
     enemy->mpMax =
       (uint16_t)yyjson_get_int(yyjson_obj_get(enemyVal, "mpMax"));
+
+    yyjson_val *abilities = yyjson_obj_get(enemyVal, "abilities");
+    if(abilities != NULL) {
+      size_t abilityCount = yyjson_arr_size(abilities);
+      if(!yyjson_is_arr(abilities) ||
+         abilityCount > BATTLE_FIGHTER_ABILITY_COUNT_MAX) {
+        errorThrow(
+          "Cutscene item (START_BATTLE): enemies[%u].abilities must have "
+          "0-%u entries",
+          (uint32_t)e, (uint32_t)BATTLE_FIGHTER_ABILITY_COUNT_MAX
+        );
+      }
+
+      yyjson_arr_iter abilityIter = yyjson_arr_iter_with(abilities);
+      yyjson_val *abilityVal;
+      size_t a = 0;
+      while((abilityVal = yyjson_arr_iter_next(&abilityIter)) != NULL) {
+        battleability_t ability;
+        if(!cutsceneJsonLookupBattleAbility(
+          yyjson_get_str(abilityVal), &ability
+        )) {
+          errorThrow(
+            "Cutscene item (START_BATTLE): enemies[%u].abilities[%u] is "
+            "invalid",
+            (uint32_t)e, (uint32_t)a
+          );
+        }
+        enemy->abilities[a] = ability;
+        a++;
+      }
+    }
     e++;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/battle/cutscenestartbattle.h b/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/battle/cutscenestartbattle.h
index 8bf740f3..007f16d3 100644
--- a/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/battle/cutscenestartbattle.h
+++ b/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/battle/cutscenestartbattle.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ typedef struct {
   battlefighterstats_t stats;
   uint16_t healthMax;
   uint16_t mpMax;
+  battleability_t abilities[BATTLE_FIGHTER_ABILITY_COUNT_MAX];
 } cutscenestartbattleenemy_t;
 
 typedef struct {
diff --git a/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/json/CMakeLists.txt b/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/json/CMakeLists.txt
index d15a1d9e..2afa3112 100644
--- a/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/json/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/json/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ target_sources(${DUSK_LIBRARY_TARGET_NAME}
     cutscenejsonentitytype.c
     cutscenejsonentitydir.c
     cutscenejsonbattleencounter.c
+    cutscenejsonbattleability.c
     cutscenejsonbattlestate.c
     cutscenejsonscenetype.c
     cutscenejsonuiscreentype.c
diff --git a/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/json/cutscenejsonbattleability.c b/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/json/cutscenejsonbattleability.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..adb9dc39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/json/cutscenejsonbattleability.c
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 Dominic Masters
+ *
+ * This software is released under the MIT License.
+ * https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+ */
+
+#include "cutscenejsonbattleability.h"
+#include "cutscenejsonenum.h"
+
+static const cutscenejsonenumentry_t CUTSCENE_JSON_BATTLE_ABILITY_TABLE[] = {
+  { "FIRE", BATTLE_ABILITY_FIRE },
+};
+#define CUTSCENE_JSON_BATTLE_ABILITY_TABLE_COUNT \
+  (sizeof(CUTSCENE_JSON_BATTLE_ABILITY_TABLE) / \
+    sizeof(cutscenejsonenumentry_t))
+
+bool_t cutsceneJsonLookupBattleAbility(
+  const char_t *name,
+  battleability_t *out
+) {
+  int32_t value;
+  if(!cutsceneJsonLookupEnumInsensitive(
+    CUTSCENE_JSON_BATTLE_ABILITY_TABLE,
+    CUTSCENE_JSON_BATTLE_ABILITY_TABLE_COUNT, name, &value
+  )) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  *out = (battleability_t)value;
+  return true;
+}
diff --git a/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/json/cutscenejsonbattleability.h b/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/json/cutscenejsonbattleability.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bc6abd95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dusk/rpg/cutscene/item/json/cutscenejsonbattleability.h
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2026 Dominic Masters
+ *
+ * This software is released under the MIT License.
+ * https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+#include "dusk.h"
+#include "rpg/battle/battleability.h"
+
+/**
+ * Looks up name (case-insensitively) against the battle ability table.
+ *
+ * @param name Name to search for.
+ * @param out Set to the matching ability on success.
+ * @return true if a matching entry was found, false otherwise.
+ */
+bool_t cutsceneJsonLookupBattleAbility(
+  const char_t *name,
+  battleability_t *out
+);