Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy Combat Guide

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy features a very interesting battle system that is quite different from anything that has been seen in the series or other JRPGs in general. Those accustomed to traditional turn-based combat systems may have some difficulty understanding the new combat mechanics, so this is why we have put together this Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy combat guide to help you understand them to the fullest and start having fun right from the get-go.

Turn-Based, But Not Quite

While the Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy combat system is not a turn-based system, there’s still some waiting to be done before characters can perfom their attacks and use skills and items. The waiting time is determined by the Wait Gauge, located right above the character’s HP bar. Once the gauge is full, you can perform the desired action. Increasing the SPD stat will speed up your Wait Gauge while using items multiple times will force you to wait much longer than usual.

Gather Your Action Points

The most basic form of offense in the game is with the basic attack, which deals a small amount of physical damage and charges Action Points, or AP for short. APs are needed to unleash a character’s special skills, which deal way more damage and are generally more useful. APs can also be used to use items even if it is not your turn, so make sure to store them up for when you need them the most, especially during boss battles.

Polish Your Crystal Cores

Using items in Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy works differently than in most other Atelier games. In this game, items are equipped to Crystal Cores, and you need points to use them in battle. Each item has a different cost, so you should always keep it in mind when planning your strategy.

Master Tactician

Tactics is another new mechanic in Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy that can make a huge difference, especially in boss battles. The Tactics Level, which starts at 1 or 2, if you manage to initiate battle yourself by streaking the enemy icon on the field, increases your AP cap by 5 for each level, allowing you to store more APs and unleash more skills. At Tactics Level 5, you can also unleash Fatal Drive, a destructive Ultimate Attack. The downside is that it will reset your Tactics Level back to 1, so use it with care.

Perfect Guard

Guarding in Atelier Ryza 2 is much more involving than in your typical JRPG. You can press X to defend against any enemy attack, which will reduce damage, but time it right with an enemy attack and you can perform Perfect Guard which not only further reduces damage, but also awards AP. Timings can be tricky, so you will need a little bit of practice to be able to use Perfect Guard consistently.

Break Them

Breaking mechanics are extremely important during boss battles. Every character and enemy has a Break Gauge that increases as damage is taken. Once full, the character is stunned, and takes more damage for a short amount of time. Breaking enemies is the only way to prevent them from unleashing their special attacks: as later bosses have some rather devastating special attacks, you definitely want to break them to prevent them from killing your party in one fell swoop.

Cooperation Is The Key To Success

Follow-up Attacks are a great way to deal a lot of damage and fill an enemy’s Break Gauge quickly. These attacks are called Action Orders, and they are performed if you perform the suggested action from a party member, such as dealing physical or elemental damage. These opportunities pop-up rather often, so always make sure to keep your attention up to not miss the chance to deal additional damage.