Information on Battle Result
The 3 Battle Result Screens
The Battle Results appear once the ally party has completely wiped out the enemy party, and there are 3 parts to it. The first screen shows the Battle Rank (BR), Chain, Total Number of Turns and Total Enemies Defeated. The second screen only shows up if any units have increased their stats and/or sparked any new arts. Then the final screen displays the loot obtained from the fight, including equipment and captured monsters.
BR Check Page
The BR indicates the monster's scaling and can determine when the game will start scaling their stats and art levels. (note: if you notice that the BRs on the wiki are off for when Enemy Arts upgrade, don't bother correcting them as they're extracted from the game)
Chain is the running total of all the enemies killed so far in that location. The higher the Chain, the easier it is for units to gain stats (+50% @ 220Chain, +100% @ 370Chain). It resets to 0 upon returning to the World/City Map.
The total number of turns is self-explanatory.
Total Enemies Defeated is the total number of enemies killed in that fight.
The total number of enemies killed in a fight also influences drop rates. When the enemy union is terminated, the game begins to go through the monster's drop table, and magazine/special drops if applicable. This is because if monsters can be captured, they will remain visible on the field if they're small enough. These drops are influenced by the number of monsters already killed. At the end of battle, there's another pass made on the drops depending on the number killed in that battle, adding an extra 1 if the loop is successful. Gold received is also multiplied. So if the party wipes the entire field in 1 turn, then there no passes are made for the initial drops but still goes through the passes at the end of the battle. Bonuses start at 5/8/10n monsters killed, up to 250.
Parameter Increase Check
On this screen, there are 4 things to check for: Parameters, Arts, Weapon level and Class. If any of these have changed, then the unit's name and portrait will be displayed along with what was affected. To see what exactly has changed, check up on the unit's status.
One of the most notable things on this page is the Mystic Chance. If a new MA can be learned or just one of them levelling up, a MC must have been triggered in battle first before the game will compile and select from a list. Other arts can be sparked during the battle, which will then be displayed on the results screen. If a very large number of arts was learned, then the game will shorten the list to a single line saying the unit has learned several arts of that category (Combat/Item).
Items and Seizing
The final Battle Result screen is for the various materials, components, captured monsters, equipment and gold obtained. On occasion, party members will speak up about items, reserving them for their own use. The captured monsters can also be split for even more materials.
When a party member seizes items, the items will be considered "Reserved" for them. They're used for their equipment upgrades (weapons and shields). If Rush needs the materials more urgently than the party member, then he can seize them (you will get yelled at for it). Gathering the materials for them does speed up their upgrade process a bit...
***On the PC, the material hunting should be a priority at some point since helping them upgrade their own equipment is much less expensive than keeping all the materials, then upgrading to a target, then getting them to request it. The X360 players don't really need to go material hunting because the units upgrade at certain BR if they've been active.
Captured monsters can either be kept or split. The captured monsters sell for a decent amount of money, so it can be considered another source of income. However, there are certain materials that can only be obtained through splitting the monster. Also, splits are shared amongst all the units if they need them. You only have one chance to split the monster.
Knowing the Battle Rank
The Increasing BR
As BR goes up, various things in the game will change. At the very beginning, BR starts at 1 and can go all the way up to 255. Progressing through the game will inevitably increase BR, and will then affect these things:
* increased enemy HP and stats
* enemies will use new and higher tiered arts
* units will upgrade equipment if they've been active
* units will "clone" accessories based on Request Rank
* unique leaders will ask about a new Mystic and Item Skill
* Dragons/Brynhildrs/Abelisks -> Dread Dragons/Glorious Brynhildr/Noble Abelisks
** Not too sure, but it might be BR53 for the Dragons and BR80 for the Brynhildr, not the BR45 and BR75 I've read on various forums.
What Increases BR?
Every battle won will increase BR. There's nothing you can do to stop the gains (unless you cheat). So what does influence BR gain? These things:
* winning a battle
* turn count, fewer turns = less gain
* Chain count, fewer enemies killed = less gain
** Accruing a high Chain does increase BR gain, but the increase is so small that it can be easily dismissed in the PC version. Most apparent when using the Wisdom's Echo grind -> takes quite a bit before BR goes up.
* damage dealt to both parties
* number of KOs during battle, more KOs = less gain
* a random factor
* BR difference between parties
** There is a significant difference in BR gain when the BR difference is larger. Like with the stat EXP and weapon strengthening EXP, the bigger the difference in the enemy's favour, the larger the gains.
How to Complete the Mission
The Different Missions
While in dungeons or fields, the main objective is to completely wipe out the enemy party. During story missions, the fight can be ended quickly by terminating the main target. The game will alert you of the mission, which is essentially the victory condition. The boss's name will be in a pinkish-red.
Boss HP is Hidden
While the target has an HP bar, it's completely hidden behind 「？？？」, so the only way to be sure is to keep track of the damage dealt, or look up the HP values on the wiki. The boss does still follow a critical rule: their union window will begin flashing once they're in a Pinch. If damage had been noted of, then it's possible to extrapolate how much HP the boss has left.
Most of the bosses can multi-deadlock and can mean quite a bit of trouble for the party since that's a number of times they can counter. Caution is advised if the party can't sustain damage from multiple assaults.
Reclaiming the Bases
* This seems to deal exclusively with the Six Bases segment... Actually this entire section seems to be directed at that.
For these missions, the Base Leader needs to be lured out. For this to happen, the fight happens in stages, with reinforcements coming at each advancing stage. When the Base Leader appears, taking out that union is enough to finish the fight.
Since many of the unions start off at a distance, marching towards them is necessary. However, Hex/Evo and highly developed Invo units can get a free attack in if a command allowing them to attack from a distance appears. It should be noted that if 2 unions attack the same target but the first one terminates it, the second union will not reassign their targeting.
Subjugate the Rare Monster
Rare Monsters are Rare
Rare monsters only spawn under certain conditions, and will replace certain monsters for that spawn pattern. Quite a few of them are required for Ranks within the 3 guilds, and even if they're not needed for Ranks, their rewards are often worth the trouble. On the field, they don't look that different from your usual monsters in the same family, but highlighting them with a cursor reveals that their name is in green. When engaged, their HP is hidden, much like a boss.
Since some spawn patterns don't appear until past certain story events, so will the rares associated with those patterns. As with all spawn patterns, they will be reset once the party leaves for the world map. One-time rares will be removed from the list of possible spawns if they've been defeated.
This is a key difference between the versions. Rising BR doesn't affect rares on the X360 version. Their HP and stats do not scale. This means that the monsters will only get easier to kill as the party grows stronger. This is not the case on the PC. They will continue to scale, depending on the monster. Some will begin scaling right away, while others will start at around BR30 until BR65, which they will then hit a ceiling. It's highly dependent on the area. Rares in the Ancient Ruins don't start scaling until past BR110.
Basic Knowledge of Unit Promote
During the Battle
What a unit does in battle is highly influential on their stats. For example, if a unit uses only normal attacks during battle, then it increases the chance that they'll increase STR as they continue to earn EXP towards STR. As long as the unit participates in battle and is alive at the end, they will earn EXP to all stats.
The key point to gaining stats is that they have to be alive at the end. Even if they acted frequently, if they're KO'ed at the end, all EXP they would have gained would be wasted. If the unit participates in battle but does not act, they will still gain a small amount of EXP for just being alive. Acting during battle earns extra EXP towards specific stats. If the unit is KO'ed, they will still keep the arts and Skill EXP they have earned. Also, if they were KO'ed anytime during battle, they will stop earning EXP until they're revived.
Landing a KO with arts also helps with earning extra EXP towards a stat. Also influences AP growth, so constantly using arts is one of the best ways to increase stat growth.
Influencing Stat Growth
| HP | AP |
|---|---|
| * receive damage * STR growth * alive at end of battle | * use arts * INT growth * alive at end of battle |
| STR | INT |
| * use physical attacks -> CAs * receive physical damage * alive at end of battle | * use mystic attacks -> MAs, Shards (?) * receive mystic damage * alive at end of battle |
| SPD | UP |
| * successfully completing Trigger Chances (?) * acting/moving around the field * using IAs + healing * alive at end of battle | * acting/moving in battle * reassessment chances * using IAs and healing * alive at end of battle |
The normal attack command changes depending on the relative strength of the enemies. Really not much to say about this...
Unit Growth Rates
Leader Rates
| Type | HP | AP | STR | INT | SPD | UP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance | +1.7% | +1.5% | +1.3% | +1.3% | +0.6% | +1.2% |
| Combat | +1.9% | +1.7% | +1.4% | +1.2% | +0.5% | +1.1% |
| Mystic | +1.5% | +1.9% | +1.2% | +1.4% | +0.5% | +1.1% |
Soldier Rates
| Type | HP | AP | STR | INT | SPD | UP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance | +1.7% | +1.5% | +1.1% | +1.1% | +0.6% | +1.2% |
| Combat | +1.9% | +1.7% | +1.1% | +1.1% | +0.5% | +1.1% |
| Mystic | +1.5% | +1.9% | +1.1% | +1.1% | +0.5% | +1.1% |
See here for each leader's rates, along with how much EXP is required for each unit BR. While it's incredibly hard to track the EXP gains, it gives an idea of how quickly certain stats will grow.
With their different rates, it's best to find a unit with high stats relative to their starting unit BR and with the growth rates that are suitable for the overall party's performance. On the PC, it doesn't matter as much as long as there's still BR to keep pushing stats up.
Class Change System
As the unit develops their Categories, Skills and Stats, they will become eligible for a class change that will grant effects to boost battle performance, and can even influence certain command frequencies. The class change is performed at the end of battle after going through a series of checks.
There are 5 class types: Combat, Mystic, Item, Item+Com, Mys+Com.
The Combat/Mystic/Item classes are considered to be "pure" classes, while Item+Com and Mys+Com are hybrid classes. The class type will influence the types of arts the unit will use when the option to go all-out appears.
When changing classes, the game will check the unit's stats and Skills to see if s/he qualifies for a class change. It will do so in the following order (nabbed from the wiki, and slightly "clarified"):
* Combat classes are checked. If unit qualifies and STR is significant, Combat is picked.
* Mystic classes are checked. If unit qualifies and INT is significant, Mystic is picked.
* Combat classes are checked. If unit qualifies and the Weapon Cateogry is the only significant Category, Combat Type is picked.
* Item classes are checked. If unit qualifies and the Item Category is significant, Item is picked. Doesn't require Weapon Type or Mystic not significant
* Mystic classes are checked. If unit qualifies and the Mystic Category is significant, Mystic is picked.
* Mys+Com classes are checked. If unit qualifies and has Mystic and another Category significant, Mys+Com is picked.
* Item+Com classes are checked. If unit qualifies and the Item Category is significant, Item is picked. Doesn't require Weapon Type or Mystic not significant.
* Classes of the same type are checked. If any qualify, the current type is picked.
It also checks within the class's minimum requirements, such as various levels in Mystic Skills, WT and WS. If any of those requirements are met, then the unit qualifies for that class's tier. As the class progresses through the tiers, the class bonuses increase and may even grant new effects.
It should be noted that all classes have a Rank associated with them. It's only possible to go up in Rank, meaning that it's impossible to go from Guardian to Bard or Commander to Gladiator. However, it's only possible to change classes if the tier itself allows for a class change. An example of this is from the Thaumaturge class. In order to change class from Thaumaturge, it needs to at least qualify for the Master tier. So even if the unit manages to spark all the Arcana for Warlock, that unit can't do the class change until qualifying for Master Thaumaturge. The tiers vary depending on rank:
* Rank 1 - Expert
* Rank 2~3 - Adept and higher
* Rank 4+ - Master and higher
The tier requirement can be bypassed if the unit is changing from a Mystic to Combat class, and vice versa. This can be done by gaining significance in STR if changing from a Mystic class, and gaining INT significance if changing from a Combat class. Target class requirements must also be met.
!!! There seems to be a major change to the class change system between the X360 and PC versions. Any class can be achieved (within reason) as long as the class requirements are met. For the X360 version there is a severe restriction on which classes can be reached:
* Combat <-> Mystic <-> Item <-> Combat
AND
* Hybrid -> Pure
AND
* Hybrid <-> Hybrid of same type
Hybrid classes are impossible for unique leaders to achieve on the X360 unless they've been assigned that class. The only ones that can stay in a hybrid class are Allan (Terror Knight), Aiterra (Assassin), Kurz (Hunter -> Assassin) and Yugo (Wanderer -> Assassin. Only Yugo receives full benefits from the class as he can eventually upgrade to a final Bluesteel customization. It may also be possible to change classes within the same Rank as some post have noted Wyngale going from Gladiator to Commander after training Wards extensively.
The JP guide also has an error on this page. It should read exactly what I've put here, not that Hybrid classes can't change into Pure classes.
Arts Level-up & Learning
Use Them to Improve Them
As arts are used, they will slowly improve. This includes name changes (Lv. 2, Lv. 3), reduction of AP/component costs at every odd level and increase in power/decrease in art activation speed. The highest level for any art is Lv. 5.
The actual mechanics behind this are quite simple. There are 2 places to earn art and Skill EXP: Selection and Execution. This also means that even if the unit doesn't act, they will still earn the EXP from the selection phase. The base EXP granted for each phase is 2EXP, which is then modified by BR difference (+50% @ difference > 50), Chain bonuses (+50% @ 220Chain, +100% @ 370Chain) and any growth boost equipment (+100% @ +1, +200% @ +2). Each of these bonuses are applied after each other, so the highest bonus possible is EXPx15, assuming that Rush is equipped with 2 Ragna-rocks. A more reasonable boost is EXPx10 as the EXP bonus from the BR difference is practically non-existent.
* An important note: If the unit happens to miss, that counts as an unsuccessful execution. They will still gain EXP for executing the art though.
Art Ranks
Within each Skill's arts are ranked C/B/A/S/SS within the game. By training that Skill group through using the Arts from the Skill, the unit will improve the art and learn higher ranked arts once enough EXP has been earned.
The mechanics behind this are just as simple. As the art from that Skill group is selected and executed, the Skill group will earn the EXP as well. On occasional, the amount of EXP gained differs when all the arts EXP is added up. This is because Skill EXP keeps going up even when Arts EXP stops, or when a new art is sparked. Or when concerning Mystic Skills, Skill EXP keeps going up, but Arts EXP stops when the art is ready for a Mystic Chance.
Wield Styles and Weapon Types
There's also EXP earned for WS and WT, based on what's used in battle. WS earns EXP whenever the unit is in that stance and attacks with the weapon, be it a normal attack or CA. If the unit changes style during the turn, then half the EXP will go to the WS to when the turn starts, and the other half used to use the art. Full EXP goes to the art. Then there's the WT EXP. WT EXP is only earned when selecting and executing a CA. Earning WT EXP is important for 2 reasons; to spark weapon-specific arts (Rank A and Rank SS), and to unlock a Weapon Art (also requires the right weapon customization and sufficient WS levels).
Speed/Power Modifiers
Every weapon has an art modifier on it. Those modifiers, Speed and Power, will change the art's name and properties. The EXP gained towards that modifier works the same way as earning EXP for the other arts. Modifying an art for Speed will make them faster, albeit slightly weaker. The prefixes, if they don't change the name entirely, are Nimble and Swift (光速/神速). Modifying an art for Power will make them stronger, albeit slightly slower. The prefixes, if they don't change the name entirely, are Mighty and Peerless (無双/神威).
The EXP gained is bi-directional, so the modifiers can be undone by switching to a weapon with a different modifier. The Nimble/Mighty prefix requires -/+ 85EXP, while the Swift/Peerless prefix requires -/+ 577 EXP. All arts start off with 0 modifier EXP.
The preference is completely up to the player. While Peerless arts do hit harder, it may be somewhat hard to justify the speed penalty. Swift arts come out faster, but are slightly weaker. They do have the advantage of being able to add extra hits a little more easily. Also, the sound effects and particle effects differ slightly. Blue and sharp for Speed, Red and blunt for Power.
NOTE (based on PC behaviours):
While playing normally, and by normally I mean <270 Chain and no Growth Boost equips:
* if you DW the same WT, you don't gain double the EXP.
* if you DW different WT, then it's only the main slot's WT that matters
* if the weapons are both Speed, you gain double EXP
** X360: Speed/Speed does not grant double modifier EXP
* if the weapons are both Power, you only gain 100% of the EXP
* if the modifiers are mixed, then you have 2 outcomes:
** if it's Speed/Power, you gain full Speed EXP
** if it's Power/Speed, they cancel each other out (for some odd reason...)
If you have higher than 220 or 370 Chain (+50% and +100% respectively), then this is what happens:
* if you DW the same WT, you don't gain double the EXP.
* if you DW different WT, then it's only the main slot's WT that matters
* if the weapons are both Speed, you gain double EXP
** X360: Speed/Speed does not grant double modifier EXP
* if the weapons are both Power, you only gain 100% of the EXP
* if the modifiers are mixed, then you have 2 outcomes:
** if it's Speed/Power, you gain full Speed EXP
** if it's Power/Speed, they cancel each other out (for some odd reason...)
Exactly the same, but add the multipliers.
Then comes the fun part... adding Growth Boost equips:
* Using the Ragna-rock (EXP+200%):
** for those only using 1 weapon, it's x3 EXP
** Main slot gains 12EXP while Sub slot gains 8EXP (6EXP/4EXP for selection phase) for different WT
** no effect of modifier EXP
* Using the Rubber Soul (EXP+100%):
** for those only using 1 weapon, it's x2 EXP
** Main Slot gains 4EXP/8EXP, Sub Slot gains 2EXP/4EXP
** no effect on modifier EXP
This is something to keep in mind for anyone that decides to Dual Wield. For seeing this in chart form, please visit here.
The Mystic Chance
When using MAs, sometimes there will be a strange white splash with a sound effect appearing at the unit's feet. This is the Mystic Chance. This needs to be triggered during battle in order to learn and improve MAs, and any improvements will be shown in the Battle Result. Only one MC can occur per battle, even if there were multiple triggers. Rush can choose which arts will be improved, while the other units will place priority on sparking a new art than improving what they already have.
As for when the MC appears?
* whenever the Mystic Skill gains a level (100%)
* the MA gains a level (80%)
* if a MA can be improved and a MA is selected (5%) and executed (15%)
The Extra Arts from the Story
All UAs/WAs/RWAs/Arcana/Summons are as is. They can't be levelled.
Taboo Mystic Arts
Arcana Need 3~5 Units
* The original heading says 3~4, but Crimson Flare requires 5.
Arcana are Mystic Arts that require the synergy of the entire union to use. So if there's a certain ailment on the union (unit KO, Silence, Curse), Arcana can't be used. The Arcana unleashed is dependent on the union leader's Mystic Skills and the accompanying units. There are 6 Arcana in the game (5 if playing the X360 version), and all have different requirements.
| Arcana | Description | Leader | Other units | X360 AP | PC AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackout | Substantial Thunder damage. Can Shock. | Invo | 2xInvo/Evo | 36-28 | 96-75 |
| Whiteout | Substantial Frost damage. Can Freeze. | Evo | 3xInvo/Evo | 48-40 | 115-96 |
| Animalcule | Heavy mystic damage. Paralysis/Silence/Poison/Piyo | Hex | 3xHex | 64-60 | 153-144 |
| Fatal Eclipse | Extreme Omni damage. | Psi | 1 of Invo/Evo/Hex | 64-60 | 153-135 |
| Rejuvenating Water | Restores HP and AP. | Rem | 3xRem | 64-60 | 153-144 |
| Crimson Flare | Extreme Omni damage. | Grenade Impact | 1 of Invo/Evo/Hex/Psi | n/a | 153-144 |
Using the Arcana command is quite risky if the union is slow as they have a chance to be Raidlocked. By force triggering the Arcana, the union will deadlock the target then trigger it. It's the same method used to learn the Arcana. The union must also have enough AP to use the Arcana (especially true for the PC), else the units will use their individual arts.
Each level of the Arcana has a different set of base spells used to trigger it. In general, the Lv.5 Rank C art is used for Lv.1 Arcana, moving up to the Lv.3/5 Rank S art (5 for Psi).
Method of Promoting Rush
Equipment Flexibility
Rush can use almost anything. As long as it's not character-specific or Race-specific, he can use it. This WS will also vary depending on what he equips. Since it's not possible to set WS on the X360, equipping 2 M-sized weapons will automatically set him to DW, while a L-sized Sword/Katana/Axe/Mace will set him to PG.
His Mystic and Item Arts
| Item | Skill | Obtained |
|---|---|---|
| Alizarin Orb | Invocations | Story: first visit to Ruins of Robelia Castle |
| Azure Orb | Evocations | Quest: The Broken Seal |
| Amber Orb | Hexes | Quest Chain: ___'s Witch |
| Jade Orb | Remedies | Quest: The Secret Letter |
| Amethyst Orb | Psionics | Quest: Seeker of the Ancient Path |
| Alabaster Orb | Wards | Quest: The Fallen |
| Argent Orb | Arcana | Trainer |
| Herb Formula | Herbs | Start |
| Potion Formula | Potions | Guild Task: Union of the Golden Chalice 50 (Warrior's Broadsword) |
| Lotion Formula | Lotions | Guild Task: Union of the Golden Chalice 3 (Crabx7) |
| Explosive Formula | Explosives | Guild Task: Union of the Golden Chalice 38 (3 Dragon Eggs) |
| Shard Formula | Shards | Quest: History's Boundary |
| Trap Formula | Traps | Quest: The Gates of Deceit and Sword of the Dead |
His Extra Arts
Along with his Mystic and Item Arts, he has 3 Extra Arts at his disposal at certain story events.
* Multicast after finishing the tutorial bit in Yamarn Plain. Deals heavy physical damage.
* Talisman Guard after Namul Niram. Casts Protection on the union.
* Cyclops during the Gates of Hell (forced summon). Has ~2000HP during that fight, but HP9999 for every summoning after.
For Weapon Arts, he can unlock any one of them as long as he meets the requirements.
How to Develop Rush - Combat Focused
One Handed
While the least powerful WS, it still has its merits. This WS is linked with several WAs and allows something to be equipped in the Sub Slot. So this WS is great for building a Rush that can tank/solo.
Power Grip
Deals more damage than the One Handed style. L-sized Swords/Katana/Maces/Axes force him into this stance. To further increase damage dealt, the Power modifier should be preferred. Using a M-sized weapon runs the risk of style changing during battle. If WAs aren't an option (lack of materials being a factor), then the Might Zweihander is an excellent weapon choice due to its built in [Combat Arts] +5, combined with the Power modifier.
Dual Wield
The strongest WS for non-Sovani. Each normal attack has the unit hit twice. The CAs used is dependent on the Main Slot. Both weapon effects are active when DWing, which is great for either boosting defenses or offense. DWing Axes or Maces, while heavier than Swords/Katana, leads to a Rank SS area/union art, which have a very high hit rate. Swords and Katana have more focused Rank SS arts. This WS is likely balanced out by not having a WA associated with it.
Two Handed
Staves are a decent WT. While they don't have a WA capable Epic customization, their main selling point are the Rank A and SS weapon-specific arts. They hit an area or a union, and they hit very hard for that type. Since Rush will be using both hands to hold the weapon, it will be like he was using PG. Equipping a belt to increase damage dealt from a WT will only make him hit harder. For focusing damage, Spears would be the better choice, although they're heavier.
How to Develop Rush - Mystic Focused
For the X360, one word: Arcana.
For the PC, one word: Support.
If using Rush primarily as a mystic unit, it would be best to steer his growth towards INT by using MAs as frequently as possible. Because of this, his combat growth will likely suffer. Continuing to develop his MAs means that he should try getting to the Warlock class to further increase damage from his MAs and Arcana. Since he begins with Invo, Blackout should be the first thing he should try to achieve.
How to Develop Rush - PC
He can be anything as long as he meets the requirements. Using him as a support unit is generally a good idea since many of the support arts happen to be MAs (Rem/Psi/Wards). This is not a bad thing. He has the right combination of arts and equipment available to him to pull this sort of thing off. There are still 17 other units to deal all the damage needed to win the fight.
If going for a Combat oriented Rush, anything goes. The Gladiator class grants both [Power Grip] +5 and [Combat Arts] +5, resulting in a +15~30% damage bonus while using PG, meaning that it has the highest damage potential. It does require high Wards use to achieve, but as long as WT is significant, it's very unlikely to end up as a Commander. Theoretically, the best combination would be a Demonblade customization while in the Gladiator class (Demonsblow targets a unit, while Holy Win targets a union).
For WS, it's highly dependent on the class. If going Ninja, then he should stick with DW and training OH if the Main Slot has a WA-capable weapon. For everything else, it doesn't matter. The safest combination would be a Sword/Shield combination for maximizing defensive abilities, while an Axe/Shield combination is great for having decent defense and high offensive capabilities. That's not to say that Sword/Shield is worse. Cerulean Rain doesn't hit as hard as Hawkarang, but still deals respectable damage. Going with Katana/Shield results in a slightly lower equip burden, but Katana have low EVA rates, low DEF/M.DEF and the Rank SS art is area-based. If Rush has high enough stats, then the Katana/Shield combination is a viable option.
The Companion's Equipment
How They Change - Focus
Every leader starts off Balance focused. This can be changed when the party reaches a certain BR and if the unit was active. If they meet those conditions, they will ask about how they should focus their training when exiting to the World/City Map. The player can then choose Balance/Combat/Mystic, which will affect the unit's equipment.
For generic leaders, their focus can only be changed through battle. This is done by logging and checking what the unit has done between upgrades. If >60% of the unit's actions were physical (normal attacks, CAs, physical offensive IAs), then they will be considered combat focused. If >60% of their actions were mystic (MAs, Shards), then they will be considered mystic focused. If neither of those thresholds are met, then the unit is considered balance focused. So it's highly dependent on how the player conducts their units. For unique leaders, this also affects them, but is much more controlled. Their only focus choices is dependent on what you tell them. For example, if you tell Baulson to go for Balance both times, then he will only have access to Balance focused equipment. However, if you tell him Combat, then he has the option of remaining in Combat, or shift back to balance based on his actions in battle. Mystic would not be an option as his "mystic focus" flag was not set.
On the X360, the effects may be even more pronounced. Being cautious of how certain units develop can help prevent a few rather nasty surprises. Especially if using someone like Torgal.
* X360 specific:
At specific BRs, active units will automatically upgrade their equipment based on their current equipment focus, provided that they haven't already upgraded to that point. If their upgrade lines suddenly change weapons, then they can only upgrade to a certain point until they obtain the requested weapon.
David - Bluesteel to Frostblade
Emmy - Bluesteel to Nightbloom
Jager - Glaive to Schiavona
Sibal - Pike to Daedalus
Maddox - Bladebreaker/Buckler to Ama-gi
Haruko - Vare to Malystrix
Gaou - Harpoon to Obsidian
* PC specific:
Soldier upgrades lines have changed, but they will not request any equipment from the inventory. Leaders will request equipment (weapons/shields, accessories) based on their equipment focus. They will also request items that aren't part of their original upgrade path, so it's possible to stop at a different ending weapon. Both soldiers and leaders can attempt to seize weapons dropped from fights.
Equipment Customization
As with Rush's equipment, the units also need materials for customizing theirs. They will do so by reserving whatever materials they need. For their gold reserves, it's calculated based on the selling price of materials, and how much was dropped. They will also earn gold equal to how much all the splits would sell for. This is more critical on the PC as the unit's equipment doesn't upgrade at specific BR any more. They do on occasion find what they need while in reserves.
When it comes time to upgrade their equips, it depends on a few factors: how many of each material assembled and the amount of gold required for the customization.
* All materials and enough gold -> Materials and gold required used, excess materials are sold/held if next customization needs them.
* Most of the materials and enough gold -> Same as if all materials were assembled, but costs extra to buy the missing materials.
* Not enough materials -> sell accessories for enough gold/materials to complete upgrade OR sell accessories for enough gold/materials to complete upgrade (finish with 0G).
On the PC, it seems that they will only follow the first 2 patterns as there's no BR threshold for them to cross to trigger the other 2 behaviours.
Their Accessories
As with their other equipment, units will upgrade their accessories at specific BRs by "cloning" what was in the inventory. This is also based on their current equipment focus.
* Balance - HP and AP/SPD
* Combat - STR and Physical Resist
* Mystic - INT and Mystic Resist (X360 and unmodded PC, uses Balance accessories instead)
Party Talk & Companion Talk
PT - World and City Maps
When exiting to the World/City Map, the leaders may speak up on various things. These include: requesting equipment, equipment focus, new Skills, alerting the player that they've finished upgrading something and requesting a material hunting session. The last 2, when refusing, don't seem to have any negative effect on the unit, but saying yes is probably the best answer. You don't want some of them to get snappy!
PT - Their Focuses
Each unit starts off as Balance focused and will ask about their focus twice. Like with generic leaders, their focus can be influenced through battle, but only after their first focus talk. Through careful manipulation, it's possible to achieve a mix of all 3 focuses reflected in their weapon and accessories. The selected focus will likely be reflected by their weapon(s), while any fluctuations will be seen in their accessories.
As an example:
Balance -> First focus: Balance -> stay Balance -> Second focus: Balance -> end at Balance
Balance -> First focus: Mystic -> shift to Balance (Balance/Mystic) -> Second focus: Mystic -> shift to Balance (Balance/Mystic)
Balance -> First focus: Mystic -> shift to Balance (Balance/Mystic) -> Second focus: Combat -> shift to Mystic (Mystic/Combat/Balance)
Considering how flexible the units can be, it'd be best to answer the same for both questions and to limit how they conduct themselves if their equipment is of great concern. The most recent focus is what will determine their accessories and what the main slot will be upgraded to. The sub slot will be then shifted to the old focus. This is mostly a concern for units that have different ending weapons based on their focus.
PT - New Skills
As with the equipment focuses, each unique will ask about a new Item Skill and Mystic Skill. Rush can give 3 answers: Yes, No, Up to you. The last option is a rather risky one as it will leave the decision up to the unit/game, leaving a 50/50 chance that the unit will begin learning the Skill.
For the X360, the answer if more critical as there's no way to toggle arts on/off. So to prevent a mess of possible commands, limiting each unit's arts pool is the best way to go about it. It also depends if the player needs those arts, or if it's possible to hire a soldier with that Skill group.
For the PC, go nuts. If the player doesn't like the Skill on that particular unit, there's always the option to toggle the arts off. There's also the fact that the Skills can be used to reach certain classes, then turned off when unneeded.
PT - Equipment
On occasion, the unit may see an accessory in the party inventory that catches their eye. They will request accessories that match their current equipment focus, and only if that item has a higher request rank than what they currently have equipped.
This can be extended to weapons/shields, as units can request the final customization of their upgrade paths. Some equipment will only be used by the unit if they're focused a certain way, or after the request it, they will try to continue upgrading (especially true of Superlative customizations).
X360: Units will only request equipment that corresponds to their upgrade path. They will not request anything outside of it.
PT - Materials
When trying to upgrade their equipment, the units will ask if it's possible to look for materials. This means that they have a clue of what they're looking for, and/or they've just finished upgrading something. Saying yes or no has no effect, although it would help with gathering materials and gold to quickly upgrade their equips.
PT - Battles
When a unit asks about wanting to fight a few monsters, it's an indicator that s/he has just finished upgrading their equipment and want to test it out. Saying no has no negative effect, and it's not required to go fight anything right after they upgrade.
CT - Parameter Bonuses
Talking to the various hired unique leaders will get them to open up to Rush over time, eventually leading to a Parameter Bonus. Each of them have different visit requirements, while some of them in addition to the visits require a certain quest to be completed or a special item in the inventory before the final conversation can be completed. There are 4 red bubbles for each of them, so it's best to try triggering the bubbles as efficiently as possible, especially if load times are long. Entering a town area from the World Map is considered a visit. It's not necessary to talk to them every time you enter the town, other than the very first time. It's likely to initiate the conversation chain.
There are 6 units that require quests to be finished before the final conversation: Caedmon, Loki, Nora, Rhagoh, Jager and Glenys. Sheryl (Parfumlily), Zolean (Zane's Ring) and Khrynia (Witch's Signet) require special items for their final conversation. Maddox requires Sibal hired (must complete Ghor's quest on the X360) to move the final conversation along. Leshau needs confirmation from someone in Elysion about towns without Remnants. Gaou and Sibal require a conversation with Ghor to smack some sense into them. And Leucetius requires a few... events from Blocter, Emmy and David before he finishes his conversations.
Union Leader Q&A -or- Teach me, Emma!
* I... I'm not even going to try localizing this bit.
* The Q&A section deals with the X360 version, though some of the pointers that Emma gives are also applicable to the PC version. OK, maybe not the Soldier question that David poses. Maybe.
Rush: Which Leaders should I consider?
There's so many leaders, and we can't use them all. Wonder who we should use?
E: Unique leaders are ideal, combat oriented leaders with high STR and mystic oriented leaders with high INT!
Lord David and the Four Athlum Generals are unique leaders who can easily carry the party through the entire game. However, there are other units that may be more suited for your needs. Unique leaders have the advantage of accessing Extra Arts and engage in Talks for their parameter bonus. Generic leaders come as is, though several of them have comparable parameters.
Depending on the what the unions are to do in battle, selecting certain types of leaders will greatly help. For combat oriented leaders, choosing ones with high STR and using either Power Grip or Two Handed. Baulson is a good early choice for this. For mystic oriented leaders, choosing ones with high INT and for the Arcana wanted. Pagus fits this quite well with Remedies and can easily trigger Blackout.
Baulson: My arts
I'm a mercenary. Need me for a battle? But, the arts I have are kinda different. When Rush does something, they change.
E: Concentrating on certain Skills will improve them quickly. However, when not in battle, something does help.
When leaders are in the reserves, their Skill levels will increase based on what Rush is doing in battle. Their parameters will also increase accordingly. If they're active, then they will increase parameters and Skill levels based on what they do in battle.
* This is the basis of the Rush Only Skill Grind, and is thus not applicable to the PC version.
David: Tell me about the Athlum Soldiers
The Athlum army is quite the mixed bag. Who should we bring along for our adventures?
E: Look at their parameters and abilities.
Lord David, the Athlum army are our companions. But like the leaders, it's best to choose the ones that have the Skills needed, along with focused parameters. You can always talk to the Recruitment Officer to check who you might need.
| Union Type | Advice | Key Points |
|---|---|---|
| Combat | Herbs and Potions are some of the key Skills to have, for healing and buffing. Herbs also provides easier reviving. Combat units tend to have high STR, and to further capitalize on damage, choose soldiers with PG or TH. | 1: Herbs and Potions 2: high STR 3: PG or TH 4: high HP |
| Mystic | Hexes would be the safest option to go with. They target a union, and will only do more damage as union size grows. As with mystics, this will be AP intensive. | 1: Hexes 2: high INT 3: high AP+/MaxAP |
| Arcana | The Arcana used is dependent on the union leader and the union's composition. Since the Arcana's power comes mostly from the union leader, the INT stats from the soldiers can vary. Of course, having good AP charge and STR helps with the units if they're left with attacking at close range. | 1: Arcana or arts option 2: high AP+/MaxAP 3: high STR (?) |
Pagus: How should we develop our parameters?
To increase mystic power, Intellect is the key. However, my Intellect is already quite high and has stopped improving.
E: STR for combat units, INT for mystic units. Work on what needs to be worked on.
Having high INT won't help you in close range attacks, but are a great influence on mystic commands. However, if the union leader isn't acting in those commands, there may be something else.
Usually, if the union leader uses MAs, the rest of the union will not. If the rest of the union uses MAs, then the union leader will not. To get all of them using MAs, they should be able to work together in order for everyone to improve INT.
For parameters, formations may be of some use. If the union leader's INT is already very high, then improving the MYS score on the weapon should be a priority. Keep using the appropriate arts to improve whichever parameter that needs improving.
Blocter: Tell me about unions!
My union's pretty powerful, but the units in there keep falling like flies.
E: Union size is something to consider, but all unions should be able to heal!
A union is the sum of its parts, but only having 1 union means no Side Attacks. Every union should be able to use some sort of healing art. This is because of reassessment chances when unions start flanking. A union by itself can't do much, while several unions can do a lot.
Supporting other unions involves being able to revive others. The IA revive arts only heal a certain amount of HP per unit and cost components. MA revive arts cost AP but heal all HP. So it's best to have a mix of both types in case there's not enough AP or components.
Torgal: Formations and their uses
My union is faring fairly well in battle, but I would like to prevent taking any more damage that we already do.
E: Defensive formations. Safest ones may be Battle Shield and Valour Guard.
The defense of a union can mean victory or death. Two of the easiest formations to obtain are the Battle Shield and Valour Guard, both from the Union of the Golden Chalice, tasks 26 and 29 respectively. The Battle Shield helps increase increase DEF of the front ranks and physical evasion, while the Valour Guard helps with M.DEF and mystic evasion. The Valour Guard does decrease DEF of the back ranks somewhat. Queen's Warder, a formation that can be obtained from Wisdom's Echo, is another defense oriented formation. However, it carries a fairly heavy speed penalty. It's more of a recovery formation as it grants a Rem bonus. Slowing down unions is also a technique that can be used to manipulate union movements.
Bl: I got Raidlocked trying to help another union. What should I do?
Rush's union just fell and I wanted to go revive them. But even though we chose the command, we were intercepted.
E: Deadlocking the enemy with a union will prevent them from chasing another union.
Oh dear, one of the Four Generals can't seem to do something so simple. If the enemy's union speed is high, they have a good chance of Raidlocking you. It would be safer to break deadlock to revive a union, rather than trying to revive without having engaged something first. This method is risky, so there's something safer to use. Since there are going to be multiple unions, use them to deadlock the enemies before moving in to revive the downed union. Locking up the enemy means that they will not be able to target you.
P: Other unions have been targeted
E: It's possible when the other enemy unions are close by. By using area attacks, it may even be possible to finish it in 1 turn.
Area attacks have the potential to deal massive amounts of damage. If a union has 3 units in it, the union will be hit 3 times. Since the union has shared HP, it will go down faster. If the enemy can be multi-deadlocked, then it also means more opportunities to hit other unions. Of course, multi-deadlocking does mean that the enemy will counter again.
R: Can't take out the enemy unions
They just keep coming. Linking all those enemies leaves everyone targeted and it's taking forever to finish this. What should we do?
E: You can try setting up for an Arcana by using Decoy to distract them.
An easy way to wipe out as many unions as possible is to use an Arcana. Easiest one to use is Blackout as it only needs 3 units. Pagus is a good candidate to it as his INT is quite high, so he should be able to terminate all active enemy unions.
Wards can also be used in this situation to create a Decoy union. By forcing the enemy to target that one union, it will give the rest of the ally unions to regroup and possible force an Arcana. Hopefully the Decoy will Defend to reduce the amount of damage taken. This also runs the risk of being flanked, so be sure to keep the decoy as healthy as possible
P: Not enough AP to use arts
Using mystic arts is rather AP intensive. Going in with normal attacks is not a risk we want to take. Is there something we can do so we will have enough AP for our arts?
E: An AP charge bonus is what's needed. AP Charge upon Damage is probably what you're looking for.
There are several things you can do. Choosing to go on stand by will grant an AP bonus for that turn. There is a risk of being Raidlocked, so be aware of the battle situation.
From accessories, looking for ones that have the [AP Charge] upon Damage effect will allow the unit to charge AP whenever they deal damage, no matter how little. The amount of AP gained is scaled to how much damage is dealt. Reaching a class that grants the effect will be helpful for unions that don't have a unit with speed-focused accessories.
T: Curse and Animate, what to do about them?
Seeing units KO'ed from Curse is irritating, while Animate is very dangerous. What can we do about this...
E: Curse may cause a Fumble. Animate is dangerous and should be stopped ASAP with the command!
The effects from Curse can be prevented with the Class Effect Safety, which can be found on Scholar, Alchemist and Warlock easily. Holy Order also has the effect, but can only be reached by Rush. Placing the unit with that effect as the union leader will vastly decrease the chances of seeing a Fumble.
Another way to combat Curse is to have [Debuff Duration], either from a class (Bard and Sage) or from an accessory (Premier Amulet, Idol Amulet). The ailment lasts 5 turns, so while it will take more than everything but the Idol Amulet and Wonder Bangle, decreasing how long it lasts will make it easier to recover from it.
Animate can only be cured through a command, and should be done so as quickly as possible. The only unions that will get the command are ones that have units capable of using Vivification Herb/Tincture, Hartshorn or Divine Echo in them. The entire union must be terminated in order to cure them.
* Curse can be cured through a command, and Ninja is another class that has Safety. Both were added to the PC version.
Ba: Tell me about avoiding Symbol Monsters
When I want to fight, I fight. But sometimes, I just need to get past these guys.
E: Learn their movements to move out of the way as soon as they try to catch you by surprise. Using Aim Time helps.
If an enemy is cowering, running into them will not trigger an encounter, so it's safe to run straight through. The other conditions, aggressive and vehement, are ones to look out for. Using Aim Time, it's possible to run towards your target, trigger it, and continue running even though it's been tagged. It should give enough time to get past them and hopefully into the next area. If you don't want to use Aim Time, then baiting the symbol into charging you then suddenly shifting your position is what you want to do.
R: Tell me about better weapons!
I started with the Broadsword and that worked for a little while, but now the enemies are too tough! What you think I should start using?
E: You can use what you started with, or look at the shops for other options.
Look around the shops to check if anything fits the budget, check captured monsters for any materials you might need and sell them if they don't have anything you need, and dig around the harvest points. Everything around can be used to customize and improve your equipment. Plan out what you want to use and stick with it as using the weapons repeatedly over time will eventually strengthen them.
| Wield Style | Start | End | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Handed | Rapier | Power Estoc | * relatively weak style, so [Combat Arts] +5 helps increase power |
| Power Grip | Claymore | Power Zweihander | * materials are easy to come by * if M.DEF is a concern and materials are available, Murasame ** 2 Jewel Steel needed: disassemble Sword of Seven and Idol Amulet * Sword of Seven is also an option for 25% evasion |
| Dual Wield | Francisca | Power Axe | * high ATK, [Combat Arts] +5 * Dead Spiral |
| Hammer | Power Pick | * Final Toll w/ [Combat Arts] +5 | |
| Two Handed | Halberd | Power Bardiche | * ATK165 means it's possible to reach ATK200+ (+5/+20%) |
| Greatstaff | Power Joust | * ATK145 and [Combat Arts] +5 * union/area WT-specific arts * if mainly mystics, Mystic Joust |
Sword: Superlative/Shielding/Enchanted Bluesteel/Excalibur, Superlative/Might/Runic Longsword/Estoc, Frostblade Virtutis, Lævateinn
Katana: Optimal/Parrying/Aura Tatara-ichiban, Superlative/Shielding/Enchanted Demonblade, Nightbloom Virtutis
Axe: Superlative/Shielding/Enchanted Hawkwind, Superlative/Might/Runic Axe
Mace: Superlative/Shielding/Enchanted Blackjack, Superlative/Might/Runic Pick, Optimal/Power/Orphic Konbo
Spear: Superlative/Shielding/Enchanted Glaive, Superlative/Might/Runic Javelin/Bardiche, Schiavona Virtutis, Malystrix Virtutis
Staff: Imperator's Staff, Eurytus Staff, Soulscepter, Superlative/Might/Runic Wand/Joust
Shield: Shield of the Vanquisher, Imperator's Shield, Aqueous Shield, Superlative/Shielding/Enchanted Soulshield
D: Is the money being used for everything?
Weapons and Shields, Accessories, Components and Materials... Rush really does need to buy a lot of things... Is it possible to only stick with what's necessary?
E: Due to battles always changing, it's best to be prepared, even if it means spending more money.
Spending a lot of money is inevitable. You need the components for IAs and to customize various pieces of equipment. However, each unit has their own gold stash so they can deal with their own equipment needs.
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