Tales of Arise is the latest installment in Bandai Namco’s acclaimed JRPG series, but that doesn’t mean the game offers nothing new. One of the biggest changes can be found in the game’s fast-paced combat system. As compared to previous games, each character in Tales of Arise plays differently from one another. It’s all thanks to their unique Perks and Boost Attacks.
Perks are essentially passive abilities that a character has. You can take advantage of their Perks when you play them. Remember that you’re free to use more than just Alphen during combat. You can also use Shionne, Rimwell, Law, Kisara, and Dohalim.
On the other hand, Boost Attacks are active abilities that you can use to down opponents. Once down, you can deal more damage to them. Boost Attacks can also stop enemies on their track if they get too rowdy. A perfectly timed Boost Attack can save your party from trouble. Here’s a quick guide on the Perks and Boost Attack of each character in the game.
Alphen
Alphen’s Perk is his ability to use the Blazing Sword. You can activate the Blazing Sword in combat but initiate an Arte, but instead of letting go of the button assigned to that Arte, you have to hold it for a few seconds. This will create a secondary Arte that deals massive damage. The problem, though, is that Alphen’s life is greatly damaged along the way when you use the Blazing Sword. Make sure your healer is prepared to give Alphen support.
Alphen’s Blazing Sword abilities are unlocked via the Skill Tree, except for the first one. Get these Artes first; they can help you during those tough enemies.
As for his Boost Attack, Alphen serves as a jack-of-all-trades. He can swing his sword hard enough for all enemies to be downed. Using his Boost Attack as a last resort is best because it can help your party members out of a sticky situation.
Shionne
Shionne isn’t just a master healer; she’s also an excellent marksman in Tales of Arise. Her special Perk is that she can throw grenades at enemies – different from her Artes and spells. You can shoot these grenades in the air by pressing the button you used to throw the grenade. This results in a stronger explosion that can decimate groups of enemies.
Of the six party members, only Shionne and Rimwell are ranged fighters. Shionne is better at taking down aerial foes because her Boost Attack can help you down these enemies almost instantly. Her Boost Attack is one of the most important ones in the game, as it allows her to take down flying enemies.
Rimwell
Rimwell is the party’s local mage. With the right elemental Artes at her disposal, she can easily deal damage to foes. Her special Perk allows her to charge and ready her spells for use at a later time. This is a useful ability, as Rimwell’s spellcasting gets canceled if she is staggered. By delaying your spell, Rimwell can avoid wasting her action gauge.
As for her Boost Attack, Rimwell serves as the main counter to enemies with elemental shields. These are enemies that are commonly mage users as well. While these can be taken out with regular attacks, Rimwell’s magic makes it much quicker. As you use Rimwell’s Boost Attack, she can quickly down any foe with those tough magical shields.
Law
Law benefits from aggressiveness, fitting as his skillset sees him chaining Artes and basic attacks easily. If you can successfully attack enemies without getting staggered, Law’s physical and elemental damage will increase consistently. However, the damage boost does stop at a certain point. The buff will disappear immediately if Law gets staggered while his damage boost is active.
He has one of the most crucial Boost Attacks in the game. Law counters enemies with shields or enemies that have sturdy shells. This is a good thing as it will allow you to easily defeat those pesky Renan soldiers who are mostly equipped with a large shield that’s typically hard to get through.
Kisara
True to her personality, Kisara is the best defender in the game. Her special Perk allows her to block incoming damage with her shield. Kisara can’t dodge like the others, but her shield can be very helpful for stopping foes in their tracks. What’s good is that Kisara can also use certain Artes while her shield is up, so it doesn’t necessarily mean she’s pure defense.
Some enemies in the game will be charging at your party relentlessly. While you can dodge these attacks if you time them properly, Kisara’s Boost Attack is usually the better solution as it can instantly down foes. Charging foes can knock back all of your party members and ruin your formation, but Kisara’s Boost Attack can prevent that from happening.
Dohalim
While Kisara is good at blocking, Dohalim is good at dodging. Out of all the characters, only Dohalim benefits from a perfect dodge. If you time your evasion properly, Dohalim’s staff will lengthen, and his range will increase. Additionally, he can land more critical hits during this stage, which is why it’s very important to master dodging. A perfect dodge is initiated if you can avoid getting hit at the last minute.
Dohalim’s Boost Attack is used against enemies who are nimble and agile. Typically, these enemies can be hard to attack as they can hop in and out of your range. However, if you use Dohalim’s Boost Attack, they’ll be immobilized immediately, thus allowing you to go all-out with your attack.
How To Use A Boost Attack
The Boost Attack is one of the most important abilities in Tales of Arise. It can help you take out even overpowered foes compared to your party. Each character has a Boost Attack gauge visible at the bottom left side of the screen. This gauge will fill up over time, but it can also move faster if you attack enemies.
Characters on your reserved line cannot increase their Boost Attack by attacking. However, their gauge replenishes at a faster rate.
Boost Attacks aren’t meant to be spammed as you would the Artes of characters. Instead, you should hold on to your Boost Attacks and only use them when necessary. This means only using the Boost Attack when there’s a moment to counter the enemy. If you use Boost Attacks properly, you can inflict the Break status on enemies, where they’ll be immobilized and begin taking extra damage.
Mastering the Perks and Boost Attacks of the characters in Tales of Arise will be your key to mastering the game’s complex combat system. Hopefully, this short guide helps you fully utilize Alphen and the gang’s unique abilities in combat.
