Battle

The Battle Screen

Your Character’s Stats
Health (HP)
Your character’s health. If you are in a party when your character’s health reaches zero, you will automatically start controlling another character.
Skill Points (SP)
Skill Points are consumed when using Sword Skills. You won’t be able to use Sword Skills if you don’t have enough SP.
Enemy (Target)
Push the right stick to lock on to targets and have your camera automatically follow them.
Risk
The amount of Risk will cause fluctuations in damage.
Buff Status
Stat buffs and debuffs are displayed here.
Party Stats

Attack Indicators

A red line will indicate the enemy’s target.
Enemies will glow yellow when they are about to unleash a powerful Hazard Attack. They will glow blue when they are using a Guard Break Attack capable of weakening your guard. Hazard Attacks can be stopped with launch attacks.

Hazard Mode

The enemy’s Hazard Gauge will fill each time you attack them. The enemy will enter Hazard Mode when the gauge is full. They will stop moving, and you will have an opportunity to unleash a launch attack that deals huge damage. Normal attacks will increase the Hazard Gauge slightly, while an Exact Guard or a Sword Skill will increase it greatly.

Risk

Risk increases when you attack an enemy, and it will change the amount of damage you deal and are dealt. Risk is a multiplier that can increase damage by up to 1.20. It will reset if you don’t attack or get attacked for a certain amount of time. You can exceed the maximum Risk value if the enemy is downed or if a Chain Burst combo attack is activated.

Basic Battle Controls

Drawing / Sheathing Weapons

Pressing the down D-pad will draw your sword and initiate battle.
You can’t jump while in battle mode.
The mode will end if you defeat all enemies or press down D-pad again to sheathe your weapon.

Normal Attacks

Use the button to perform a normal attack.
Skill Points (SP) will recover over time automatically and when you land normal attacks.

Guarding

Use the button to guard and reduce damage received.
If you time it just right, you will perform an Exact Guard that completely nullifies the damage from the enemy’s attack and greatly increases their Hazard Gauge.

Moving / Dashing

Use the left stick to move during battle. You can dash only when your weapon is sheathed.

Launching

Use the button to perform a launch attack (special attack).
You can deal lots of damage if you use this when the enemy is in Hazard Mode and the word “Break” appears.

Parrying

While guarding, tilt the left stick with the correct timing to parry the enemy’s attack. If your parry succeeds, time slows down and you become invincible against enemy attacks.

Duel Mode

In Duel Mode, you will lock on to a specific target during battle. Your weapon cannot be sheathed until the battle finishes. You will be able to move left and right while remaining locked on to your target. Paying attention to when you guard or parry enemy attacks is vital in Duel Mode.

Locking Weapons

You will lock weapons with the enemy if your attacks happen at the same time.
Press the button as indicated by the prompts on the screen. If you time it right, your enemy will falter, and their Hazard Gauge will increase greatly.

Learning Skills

You can use Skill Points to learn skills on the Skill Map, accessible from the menu. Some skills have prerequisites that must be met before they can be learned.

Sword Skills
Battle Skills
Passive Skills
EX Skills

Sword Skills

These are powerful attacks that consume Skill Points (SP). They deal high damage and have various effects. You can set up to four different types of Sword Skills and trigger them using the + buttons.Each Sword Skill has a “connect window.” Using another Sword Skill during this window of time will trigger Skill Connect EX. Subsequent Sword Skills in the combo will use less SP and deal more damage. You can use up to two Skills in the base form of Skill Connect EX. This amount can be increased. Also, if you land consecutive normal attacks, the Sword Skill you set as the Combo Finish won’t cost any SP.

Setting Sword Skills

Allocate Sword Skills to the buttons and set the Combo Finish by using the Skill Palette, accessible from the menu.You can also go to the Skill Map in the menu to use up the Skill Points you earned in battle and learn new Sword Skills.

Weapon Types

There are nine broad categories of weapons, each with their own quirks and compatible Sword Skills. Each character can also only use certain weapon types. Using the same weapon continuously over time will increase proficiency, which gives benefits like boosted attack.

Whips

Main User: Eldrie

Ideal for mid-range attacks. Capable of special moves that can draw enemies closer or pull you toward them. You can use the Sword Skill “Catch Move” to travel long distances in certain parts of the field.

Katanas

Main Users: Bercouli and Medina

Each slice is ferociously sharp, but slow. Ideal for single, decisive strikes. Has lots of moves that apply status ailments to enemies. Ideal for baiting your enemy with forward and backward movements.

One-Handed Swords

Main Users: Kirito, Eugeo, Alice, Ronie, and Tiese

Ideal for counter attacks and combos. Its broad range of basic moves makes it useful against all kinds of enemies. Normal attacks have a quick response time, making it easy to transition into guarding, parrying, and larger attacks. Adapting to the enemy’s actions is simple with this weapon.

Rapiers

Main User: Asuna

A speedy weapon. Ideal for lunging and pinpoint attacks. Its wind-up time is short, and its reach is long, making it capable of dealing huge damage in the right hands.

Two-Handed Swords

Main User: Sortiliena

This weapon has lots of Sword Skills that deal major damage, but it also leaves you vulnerable, making it a double-edged sword if you don’t effectively deal with enemy attacks.

Bows

Main Users: Sinon and Deusolbert

Ideal for long-range attacks. Works well in a supporting role. You will need to keep an eye on your surroundings and monitor your distance from your enemies.

Daggers

Main Users: Linel and Fizel

Capable of a variety of mid-air Sword Skill attacks. Highly maneuverable. Run rings around enemies and leave them dazed.

Maces

Main User: Lisbeth

Unleash weighty attacks that ignore enemies’ statuses. Works best in a defensive role.

Special Weapons

Main User: Renri

Ideal for mid-range attacks. This weapon is held in both hands and is thrown at enemies. You can perform a barrage of attacks from a distance.

Dual Swords

Main User: Kirito

Use a one-handed sword in each hand to perform continuous attacks that don’t give your opponent room to breathe. The extra blade and added strength give you the advantage in 1-on-1 fights.

Battle Skills

Skills that grant different temporary effects, like an attack boost that activates under certain conditions. Use the + D-pad buttons to set up to 4 types of Battle Skills. There are many too choose from, so select the most effective skill for the battle and enemies you’ll be facing. Each skill has an effect, an effect time, and a recast time.

Setting Battle Skills

Just like Sword Skills, you can edit Battle Skills from the Skill Palette in the menu. You can also go to the Skill Map in the menu to use up the Skill Points you earned in battle and learn new Battle Skills.

Setting Items

You can also set items to use as Battle Skills. Setting items you use frequently will ensure you have what you need to easily heal or support yourself in battle.

Passive Skills

Once set, Passive Skills are perpetually effective, granting you stat buffs and other effects. You can set up to four Passive Skills.

Setting Passive Skills

Just like Sword Skills, you can edit Passive Skills from the Skill Palette in the menu. You can also go to the Skill Map in the menu to use up the Skill Points you earned in battle and learn new Passive Skills.

Sacred Arts

Sacred Arts have eight different elements with various effects.
Hold the to bring up the Palette, then tilt and hold the left stick in the direction of the desired element to charge it.
Release when charging is complete, and press the once again to activate the Sacred Art.
There are three levels for each Sacred Art type, with a longer charge time for each level.

Learning Sacred Arts

Proceed through the story to learn Level 1 Sacred Arts. You will then be able to learn higher level Sacred Arts by earning Sacred Arts EXP in battle. Information on Sacred Arts effects is available in the Sacred Arts Details section under Status in the menu.

Sacred Art Types

Thermal
Ideal for long-range attacks against enemies in front of you. Some will deal continuous damage to enemies.
Cryogenic
Includes Arts that attack the enemy in front of you or those around you, and attacks that freeze your opponent in place temporarily.
Aqueous
Some Aqueous Arts are offensive, while others grant buffs like damage reduction. Some will also knock enemies back, which is useful when fighting groups.
Aerial
This Art element grants buffs to you and your allies. It can create a wind barrier to defend your party from attacks.
Metallic
This Art element buffs your physical abilities. Some can spawn boulders, creating obstacles for your enemies and terrain advantages for you.
Crystal
These Arts are designed for offense. They include homing attacks, moves that reflect enemy attacks, and more.
Luminous
These Arts are designed for support roles. They can heal your party and apply debuffs like those that lower attack accuracy.
Umbra
Ideal for debuffs that weaken or obstruct enemies. Some of these Arts can inflict confusion.

Party Battles

Party Selection

Friend List

Displays characters you are friendly with. You can check their stats and make adjustments to your party. Locking a character will prevent you from switching player avatars.

Recruit

Host a room and begin online Multiplayer Mode. You can select a quest to play, leave a description, and set a password.

Search

Look for rooms that are recruiting, and join one to participate in online Multiplayer Mode as a guest. You can use Quick Match to join a random room without setting conditions. You can also search for rooms by Quest, Friends and by Gamertag. Only rooms hosted by players who have made less progress in the game than you will appear.

Technical Recording System

The AI stores instructions given to party members, such as Arts Code settings, skill commands, and general commands. Its accuracy will increase through battles, and your party members’ actions will become more suited to your play style.

Ally Settings (Arts Code)

Party members act differently depending on their Arts Code settings. There are two kinds of Arts Codes: Persona, which requires special conditions to activate, and Anima, which relates to general actions. You can set the Arts Codes you’ve obtained from Record in the menu. Affinity levels influence the accuracy of these actions. You can also set detailed actions for special conditions and share Arts Codes online from Record.

Commanding Allies

During battle, you can give allies commands by holding the to slow down time with Soul Linkage Mode.
Using the left and right D-pad buttons to switch between allies, you can choose from the Arts Code list with the left stick or the up and down D-pad buttons. Give the Arts Code command by pressing the left stick on your selection.
During Soul Linkage Mode, you can also press the buttons to use the Sword Skill assigned to an ally’s Skill Palette.
Time the party members’ Sword Skills well, and you can activate the Chain Burst combo attack.

Gather
Press the to display the Skill Palette, followed by the to have the party members gather around your character.

Synced Attack
Press the to display the Skill Palette, followed by the to have party members attack together.

Switching Characters

Press the when you are in a party to switch the character you control. Switching can be beneficial for matching the flow of battle, whether you are coordinating precise movements or taking on multiple enemies.

Ally’s Health Reaches Zero

If an ally’s health (HP) reaches zero during battle, they will be unable to move from their current spot for a certain amount of time. A countdown for their revival will be displayed above them. It is impossible to switch to a character that is unable to move. If the HP of the character you are controlling reaches zero, you will automatically switch to an available ally.

Arts Gauge

Throughout battle, you can increase your Arts Gauge with various actions. Once it fills up, you can perform an Arts Skill. Press the button in battle to display the Arts Gauge during battle. From there, press the button again to perform Super Arts, the button to perform Finish Arts, or the button when you’re in a party to perform an Allied Skill. The Arts Gauge will increase throughout the battle as time passes, and also with moves like parry and evade.

Super Arts

When activating Super Arts, time slows down for all characters except the one you are controlling. You will be able to perform Sword Skills without using Skill Points (SP) for a certain amount of time. However, the Risk for each Sword Skill will increase at its normal rate.

Finish Arts

When Finish Arts activate, a special attack animation plays. It deals tons of damage and massively increases the Hazard Gauge. Some characters will activate Enhance Armament or Release Recollection instead of Finish Arts.

Allied Skill

Allied Skill is a team attack that cuts in with all party members’ images and inflicts massive damage. When Allied Skill is activated, all party members except for the character you are controlling will appear in the palette. Use the buttons and time your attacks to connect them.