Actions
Move
These are basic movement actions. Use them in accordance with the situation.
Walk/Run
Move in the direction you tilt the left stick. Tilting it slightly will cause you to walk, while tilting it fully will cause you to run.
Dash
Holding while tilting the left stick will cause you to dash, which is faster than running. Your stamina will be consumed while dashing.
Dodge
Pressing the button will make you dodge backwards. If you press
while tilting the left stick, you will dodge in the direction the stick is tilted.
Guard
Pressing the button will cause you to guard. Damage received from the front will be reduced while guarding. You can also hold
while tilting the left sick to guard while moving.
Lock On
You can lock on to a nearby enemy on the screen by pressing the button. Tilting the right stick left or right while locked on will change the target you are locked on to. You can cancel the lock-on by pressing
while locked on to a target.
Attack
Perform a basic attack with your weapon.
Weak Attack
Pressing the button will make you perform a quick, weak attack. You can perform a combo by repeatedly pressing
.
Strong Attack/Charged Attack
Pressing the button will cause you to perform a stronger attack. Holding
will let you perform a charged attack.
Switch Weapon
You can switch your equipped weapon by pressing the up directional button.
Use Item
Pressing the down directional button will let you use the item set as your shortcut item.
You can also open the quick item menu by pressing the touch pad button and select an item you wish to use from the menu. It is best to set items you wish to use quickly as shortcut items and items you use less frequently in the quick item menu.
Switch Item
Pressing the left and right directional buttons will let you change your shortcut item. To change items on the quick item menu, you can use the left and right directional buttons or the and
buttons.
Communicate
You can communicate through gestures, stamps, and voice. Pressing the button twice will open the quick gesture menu. Use the
and
buttons or the left and right directional buttons to select the gesture you wish to use, then press the
button to use it.
Drain
Holding the button will prepare your Blood Veil, and releasing it will unleash a drain attack. Successfully draining from foes can provide ichor required for using Gifts as well as increase the maximum amount of ichor you can hold.
Note: Maximum ichor depends on the blood code you have equipped.
Note: When using an Ivy Blood Veil, holding the button and tilting the left stick will create a marker that can be moved, and releasing
will unleash an attack around the location of the marker.
Combo Drain
While attacking, if you hold the button and press the
button, you will perform a combo drain. This is quicker than an ordinary drain, but also weaker and provides less ichor.
Special Drain
Under certain conditions, you can perform special drain attacks. In addition to providing more ichor than an ordinary drain, they also deal a devastating amount of damage.
Special Drain Triggers
-Successful parry -Successful back attack -Successful launch
Gifts
Holding the button and pressing one of the directional buttons or one of the
,
,
, and
buttons will use ichor to activate the Gift assigned to that Gift Quickslot. The Gift Quickslot icon for an activated Gift will turn red.
Note: Some Gifts reduce one’s maximum ichor.
Communal Gifts
There are some Gifts that can only be used with certain partners. These are called Communal Gifts.
Communal Gifts have extraordinarily powerful effects not seen in other Gifts, but have drawbacks such as reducing maximum ichor when used.
Focus
When you are struck by an enemy attack or dodge just before you are hit, your Focus Gauge will increase. When it is full, you will enter a focused state and your stamina will be fully restored. While in this state, enemy attacks will cause less stagger and the properties of some attacks will change.
Attack Changes While in a Focused State
While in a focused state, you can hold the R1 button and press the button to perform a launch attack that will send enemies into the air and allow you to perform a special drain. In addition, while in a focused state, holding the
button and pressing the
button will perform a special attack that is guaranteed to knock back enemies.