Combat basics: weapons, abilities and instruments

What changes during combat

1. Entering a screen containing enemies starts combat and restricts your movement area. Defeat the remaining enemies and confirm that the battle has ended.
2. Use fast quick attacks and strong power attacks as appropriate. Watch for openings left after your attacks.
3. Collect experience crystals and lucre before victory. When developing NPCs or pets, also check how the crystals they actually collect are handled.

11 weapon categories

• The weapon used when leveling up also affects stat growth. Before changing weapons, check the weapon type for the special technique you currently want to learn.
• This article does not adopt a complete table of growth rates or a leveling distribution guaranteed to maximize stats.

Setting abilities

1. Open SKILL in the menu and select the two ability slots.
2. Use the table below to check prerequisites for the derived ability you want, then equip the necessary abilities.
3. Finish battles with those abilities equipped and check whether a new action has been added. Do not determine learning from button presses alone.

• The proficiency used for learning is not displayed numerically. This guide does not assert required victory or input counts.

Prerequisites for all 26 abilities

Example preparation for jump-derived abilities

1. To work toward High Jump, prepare Jump and Crouch.
2. Use Jump and Retreat for Back Flip.
3. Once both are available, use Back Flip and High Jump to work toward Back Somersault. Do not try to equip Back Somersault before learning it.

Preparing special techniques

1. Set a special technique compatible with your current weapon in SKILL.
2. Land normal attacks to fill the on-screen special-technique gauge.
3. Use the assigned technique once the gauge is full. Recheck the technique slots after changing equipment.

• Learning special techniques depends on weapon-and-ability combinations. A complete table of technique power and required points has not yet been independently cross-checked.

Offensive magic with instruments

1. Assign an instrument you own to a special-technique/magic SKILL slot. Equipping a weapon alone does not let you cast magic.
2. Hold the assigned button to display the target area and release it to cast. Check that the enemy is within range.
3. Switch instruments according to their element and attack area. Prepare them as tools for area attacks.

• This guide does not base boss strategies on healing or support magic from instruments. Also watch for incoming attacks while casting.

Checking HP and companions

Check the protagonist's condition and the companion's Synchro rather than searching for a healing spell that does not exist.

1. Watch natural HP recovery and status ailments during battle. If poison is preventing recovery, take that condition into account as you move.
2. You can use Synchro effects near a companion. Check the effect in the status/equipment display before acting.
3. When in trouble, avoid continuing a long normal-attack combo. Reconsider attack range and your ability settings.