Battle Book - Tales of Vesperia

Movement 1 Use to move during battles. Use and to move forward or backward. In Manual mode, use to jump. In Semi-Auto mode, tap while holding down to jump. The speed at which the character moves depends on how strongly you push or .

Movement 2 In addition to moving forward and backward, you can also move the character freely to any part of the battlefield by holding down while using to move. This is known as Free Run. This move can be used to evade enemy attacks or approach enemies from behind.

Regular Attack Perform a regular attack with the button. You can also perform various other attacks by pressing the button while using any of at the same time. In Semi-Auto mode, the character will automatically approach the targeted enemy when they attack. Press the button while holding to perform a Free Run attack.

Artes Press the button to use Artes. Artes can be assigned to combinations of and in the Artes menu. You can also assign Artes to any of , or use them as shortcuts for commanding other party members to use Artes. Try out different combinations!

Guard Guard against attacks with the button. If you continue to guard many attacks in a row, your guard will eventually be broken. This is called a Guard Break. When your guard has been broken once, it will take less attacks to be broken again for a while.

Using Items Use items by opening the Battle Menu with . Select Items, then select the item you want to use and the target you wish to use it on. Note that you cannot use items in quick succession.

Escape Run from a battle by opening the Battle Menu with and selecting Escape. An Escape gauge will appear and fill over time. You'll run away from the battle once the gauge is full. Selecting Escape again before you've escaped will cancel the action.

Changing Targets Tap the button to target the closest enemy. Hold down and use to manually select which enemy to target. Additionally, your target will automatically switch to any enemy you hit during Free Run.

Combo 1 Press the button multiple times in a row to attack several times without interruption. This is known as a Combo. Try a number of possible combos by pushing in different directions while attacking.

Combo 2 Follow up a series of regular attacks with an Arte by pushing the button at the end. Use combos to your advantage by combining regular attacks and Arte attacks. Consider the nature of each combo to find one that works best for you!

Combo 3 You can follow a Base Arte with an Arcane Arte to further extend your combo. Regular attack → Base Arte → Arcane Arte This type of combo allows for stronger attacks and increases the variety of possible combos.

Manual Cancel When in Manual mode, it is possible to cancel attacks by using Free Run. Near the end of an attack, move forward in Free Run to cancel it. Mastering Manual Cancel will let you cancel Artes with long recovery times and in some cases chain more attacks together. Make sure to experiment!

Encounters Touching an enemy in a dungeon or on the Field Map will cause a battle to begin. These enemies are referred to as enemy symbols. The enemy symbol will disappear after winning the battle. However, it remains if the party escapes.

Surprise Encounters If an enemy symbol touches you from behind, the characters that take part in the battle will be chosen at random. The enemies will also be positioned behind your party. Be careful not to get caught by enemy symbols from behind!

Advantage Encounters Using to shoot an enemy symbol with the Sorcerer's Ring will occasionally stun the enemy. If you touch the enemy symbol in this state, the enemy will be stunned and unable to act at the beginning of battle. Try this often, as it gives you a great advantage in battle.

Encounter Links Other enemies that are part of enemy symbols close to the enemy symbol you come into contact with may also appear in the battle. Beware, because you could be faced with a large number of enemies at once. Just like with Surprise Encounters, the position of enemy symbols is important.

Skills 1 Weapons possess various skills for characters to use and learn. Once equipped, the character gains the effects of the skills on that weapon. The character will eventually learn the skills on the weapon, so they can be used without having the weapon equipped.

Skills 2 Once a skill is learned, it can be set to the character without having to equip the weapon at the cost of some SP. Skills are divided into four categories: Attack Defense Movement Support

Skills 3 Depending on how many skills from each category are set to a character, a symbol may appear in the Skill menu. This is known as a Skill Symbol. These symbols grant various extra effects while a character is in Over Limit. Try using different combinations!

Status Effects Characters can receive Status Effects as a result of spells or attacks during battle. Physical Ailments will stay even after a battle has ended. They are all harmful. Magical effects are cleared after a battle. Some of them are harmful and others are helpful.

Recovering from Status Effects Failing to cure Physical or Magical Ailments can be fatal. Be sure to cure ill Status Effects with items or spells. Items or spells necessary to cure a Physical or Magical Ailment may differ depending on the type of Status Effect. Check the item or spell description before using it.

Physical Ailments 1 Poison HP is lost as time passes. Contamination TP is lost as time passes. Paralysis Randomly prevents attacking. Weak Maximum HP is halved.

Physical Ailments 2 Sealed Artes Cannot use Artes. Sealed Skills Cannot use Skills and their effects are canceled. Petrification No actions are possible.

Magical Ailments 1 Physical Attack Changes Physical attack power is increased or decreased. Physical Defense Changes Physical defense power is increased or decreased. Magic Attack Changes Magic attack power is increased or decreased. Magic Defense Changes Magic defense power is increased or decreased.

Magical Ailments 2 Sleep No actions are possible. You can recover from Sleep if attacked by an enemy. Auto-recover Automatically recover from KO.

Magical Ailments 3 Charm Effects differ depending on control mode. For Semi-Auto and Manual: Your button configuration will be shuffled. For Auto: The character will attack randomly, regardless of strategy.

Strategy Settings Specify a character's actions in battle with the Strategy Menu. To do so, select Strategy from the Battle Menu. There, you can select or modify strategy sets, assign a set to be used by default, as well as two other ones to quickly switch to. You can also change each character's position on the battlefield with Formation.

Changing Strategies During Battle Open the Battle Menu with , then hold down and push to change strategy sets. Hold down and push to return to the default strategy set you had at the start of the battle. The strategy will always be reset to the default set at the start of a battle.

Personal Call Open the Battle Menu with , then hold down and push to give specific instructions to the rest of your party. This is known as Personal Call. The command given depends on the character you control, so try different ones!

Attributes Some Artes and pieces of equipment have elemental attributes. Attacks that have an attribute will do far more damage to characters and enemies that have a weakness to the associated element. Knowing your enemies' weakness and resistances will allow you to use Artes and equipment to your advantage.

Types of Attributes There are six attributes: Fire Earth Wind Water Light Darkness You can check an enemy's resistances and weaknesses by using a Magic Lens.

Opposing Attributes Each of the six elemental attributes has an opposing attribute. Fire opposes Water. Earth opposes Wind. Light opposes Darkness. In many cases, enemies weak against fire are resistant to water and vice versa. Take opposing elemental attributes into consideration!

Fatal Strikes 1 A magic formula glowing red, blue or green will appear when you continuously attack an enemy during battle. If timed correctly, you can execute a Fatal Strike when they appear by pressing . This will defeat regular enemies instantly.

Fatal Strikes 2 You can receive a bonus at the end of a battle when you finish an enemy off with a Fatal Strike. There are 3 types of bonuses: ・ EXP bonus ・ LP bonus ・ Item drop rate bonus The type of bonus depends on the color of the formula and the enemy type.

Fatal Strikes 3 The color of the formula depends on the Artes used to trigger it. The color each Arte corresponds to is represented by an icon in the Artes menu. Red Fatal Strike Blue Fatal Strike Green Fatal Strike

Fatal Strike Chain Triggering Fatal Strike formulas over and over without actually executing the Fatal Strike is known as a Fatal Strike Chain. By then executing the Fatal Strike, you can gain various effects. Effects differ depending on the color of the formula at the time the chain ends. The strength of the effect also increases with the length of the Fatal Strike Chain.

Fatal Strikes on Bosses Unlike regular enemies, boss enemies cannot be defeated in a single blow by using a Fatal Strike. It will inflict a large amount of damage instead. Consider using Fatal Strike Chains in boss battles instead.

FS and Enemy Types The difficulty of triggering certain colors of formulas and the bonuses received from them change depending on the enemy type. Use a Magic Lens or the Monster Book to confirm each enemy's type.

FS: Human Enemies Against Human type enemies, all three types of Fatal Strike formulas are equally easy to trigger. Fatal Strike bonuses: Blue: Increased EXP Red: Increased LP Green: Increased drop rate

FS: Beast and Magic Types Against Beast type and Magic type enemies, it's easier to trigger Green formulas, and harder to trigger Red formulas. Fatal Strike bonuses: Blue: Increased EXP Red: Increased LP Green: Increased drop rate

FS: Bird and Insect Types Against Insect type and Bird type enemies, it's easier to trigger Red formulas and harder to trigger Blue formulas. Fatal Strike bonuses: Blue: Increased LP Red: Increased drop rate Green: Increased EXP

FS: Plant and Aquatic Types Against Plant type and Aquatic type enemies, it's easier to trigger Blue formulas and harder to trigger Green formulas. Fatal Strike bonuses: Blue: Increased drop rate Red: Increased EXP Green: Increased LP

FS: Inorganic and Scale Types Against Inorganic type and Scale type enemies, all types of formulas are hard to trigger. However, Fatal Strike bonuses are higher. Fatal Strike bonuses: Blue: Increased EXP Red: Increased LP Green: Increased drop rate

Over Limit Over Limit can be activated with when the gauge on the left side of the screen is filled up. Once a character is in Over Limit, they will be able to use attacks and Artes continuously. Combos can be executed easily during this time, so use this to your advantage.

Over Limit Lv. 2 You can trigger a Over Limit Lv. 2 when the Over Limit gauge has two filled bars. Press to use one bar. Press any of to use two bars of the gauge at once. In addition to Lv. 1 effects, attacks from characters in Lv. 2 cause enemies that have been knocked down to stand back up.

Over Limit and Skill Symbols When multiple characters go into Over Limit at the same time, all characters gain the effects of the others' Skill Symbols on top of their own. For instance, if one has the Skill Symbol Fleck and the other Strihm, both characters' attack power and speed will increase when they go into Over Limit at the same time.

Over Limit Lv. 3 You can trigger a Over Limit Lv. 3 when the Over Limit gauge has three filled bars. Press to use one bar. Press to use two bars. Press or to use three bars at once. In addition to Lv. 2 effects, characters in Over Limit Lv. 3 can use Artes without using TP.

Over Limit Lv. 4 (1) You can trigger a Over Limit Lv. 4 when the Over Limit gauge has four filled bars. Press to use one bar. Press to use two bars. Press to use three bars. Press to use four bars.

Over Limit Lv. 4 (2) In addition to all previous Over Limit effects, characters in Over Limit Lv. 4 become completely invulnerable to enemy attacks. It takes time to stock four bars in the Over Limit gauge, but the outcome can be rewarding.

Burst Artes Right after using an Arcane Arte or Altered Arte during Over Limit, hold down to use a powerful type of Arte known as a Burst Arte. The higher the Over Limit level, the stronger the Burst Arte.

Altered Artes 1 Some skills will cause certain Artes to change. For instance, Yuri's Base Arte “Azure Edge” changes into “Azure Storm” when the skill “Chain” is set. This is called an Altered Arte. Some Artes will only change when multiple skills are set. Try various combinations.

Altered Artes 2 The scope of an Altered Arte is further increased when the skills “Super Chain 4” and “Super Chain 5” are set. With both of those, it is possible extend your combos by linking Artes like this: Base Arte → Altered Arte → Arcane Arte

Altered Artes 3 You can learn an Altered Arte by using it repeatedly. Once learned, it can be set just like other Artes.

Patty's Combat Style 1 Whenever Patty enters battle or uses the “Form Change” Arte, she will randomly switch between four different battle styles. Each form has its own unique characteristics, so by adapting to each form you can use a variety of battle styles.

Patty's Combat Style 2 When Patty is staggered and knocked down, she will revert to Normal Form. To keep your current Form, make sure she doesn't get knocked down. In some cases, the “Recover” Skill can prevent her from getting knocked down.

Patty's Combat Style 3 Normal Form A form of average ability. You can fight safely, but it has no specialization like the other forms. Advance Form A form specialized for close-range combat. The attack speed and number of hits of Artes will be increased.

Patty's Combat Style 4 Brainiac Form A form adept at fighting enemies from a distance. Attack range will be increased, and you can heal with Artes like “Risky Spell”. Critical Form A special form that is adept in all areas. There is a low probability of this form activating.

Patty's Combat Style 5 When you use “Form Change”, you will perform a characteristic action for each battle form. This action can be used as part of a combo or canceled. However, each action has its own additional effect. Canceling the action will cancel the effect. Changing to Normal Form, for example, fills the Over Limit gauge slightly.

Patty's Combat Style 6 When Patty changes forms, her regular attacks will change. In Critical Form, you can press to use the same basic attacks as in Advance Form, or hold and press to use the same basic attacks as in Brainiac Form. You can fight more effectively using each type of regular attack depending on the situation.

Battle Camera Open the Battle Menu via , then hold the button to adjust the camera. Change the angle with , Zoom with . Holding the button and pressing will return the camera to default.

Secret Mission In some boss battles, you can perform specific actions to gain a bonus. This is known as a Secret Mission. You can obtain rare items after a battle by completing a Secret Mission. Look out for these missions during a boss battle next time.

Giganto Monsters Sometimes you may find monsters that are a lot bigger in size than the regular monsters roaming in the world. These monsters are called Giganto Monsters. They are much stronger than regular monsters and are very dangerous. Beware! They cannot be defeated easily!

Artes Sphere The Artes Sphere increases the number of Artes you can set in the Artes menu. All regular Arte slots gain an additional one that can be accessed by holding while doing the regular input. The Artes Sphere thus widens the range of options available to you during battle.

Cooking 1 With recipes and ingredients, you can cook various dishes. Ingredients will be used up when they're used for cooking. Cooking can have a variety of effects, such as healing HP or increasing attack power. After cooking, your party will be full and can't cook again until after the next battle.

Cooking 2 If a character is not successful at making the selected recipe, you won't gain its effects. You can also select the character who will be cooking. Different characters are better or worse at cooking different recipes.

Cooking Level and New Recipes A character's cooking level increases as they cook the same recipe repeatedly. The higher a character's cooking level, the more likely they are to succeed cooking that recipe. They can also sometimes invent new recipes. Experiment with characters to discover new recipes!

Cooking Shortcuts If you have cooking shortcuts set to any of before a battle, you can cook immediately after a battle by holding a direction and pressing on the results screen. This helps to quickly recover after a battle.

Icon Test Poison Paralysis Petrify Weak Sealed Artes Sealed Skills Contamination P. ATKP. DEFM. ATKM. DEF SleepAuto-recoverCharm FireEarthWindWater LightDarknessPhysical

Button Test Attack Artes Guard Menu Taunt Free Run Select Target Fatal Strike FS1FS2FS3