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 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 right stick. 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 the right stick 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 up on the directional pad.

Use Item

Pressing down on the directional pad will let you use the item set as your shortcut item.
You can also open the quick item menu by pressing the View 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 left and right on the directional pad will let you change your shortcut item. To change items on the quick item menu, you can use left and right on the directional pad or and .

Communicate

You can communicate through gestures, stamps, and voice. Pressing the left stick twice will open the quick gesture menu. Use and or left and right on the directional pad to select the gesture you wish to use, then press the A button to use it.

Drain

Holding the A 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 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 and pressing a direction on the directional pad 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 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 and pressing the button will perform a special attack that is guaranteed to knock back enemies.