For those who have not completed games in the Xenoblade Chronicles series, this page contains spoilers regarding the plot. Discretion is advised. |
Battle Arts are battle mechanics in Xenoblade Chronicles. They are techniques that behave differently from an Auto-Attack and must be activated manually. Usage of Battle Arts is restricted by the cooldown mechanic; once a Battle Art has been used, it cannot be used again until a certain length of time has passed or a specific condition is met.
Each Battle Art has a unique set of properties that may include dealing higher damage, granting status buffs to allies or status debuffs to enemies, healing party members, or drawing aggro. Their effects can be executed upon activation or be context sensitive (such as Arts that require specific positioning). In a Chain Attack, all normal Battle Arts are usable regardless of cooldown status.
All characters and enemies have Battle Arts. When an enemy uses an Art, a charging animation plays before activation. Even without a vision this animation can be recognised by the player, allowing them to parry or manage the imminent attack.
Battle Palette[]
Battle Arts are displayed on the bottom of the game screen on a menu known as the Battle Palette. It consists of a series of circular icons for each Battle Art available. The Battle Palette is displayed when a player targets an enemy or is in active combat. The arrangement of Battle Arts on the Battle Palette is customisable aside from the special Arts in the center slot. Characters are limited to eight normal Battle Arts on their Palette and may remove any Arts they do not wish to use. Normal Battle Arts have icons with a white background and a coloured symbol.
Five special Arts occupy the center slot, but only three are accessible at a given time. None of these special Arts utilise the standard Battle Art cooldown mechanic. The Talent Art is always present on the Battle Palette. Two other Arts are available when a player has not yet engaged in combat:
- Attack: A red Battle Art with a white symbol. This allows the player to begin using Auto Attacks on a targeted enemy.
- Lure: A purple Battle Art with a white symbol. This allows the player to draw enemy aggro from afar.
The other two special Arts are only available when the player is engaged in battle:
- Chain Attack: A blue Battle Art with a white symbol. This launches the Chain Attack mechanic on an enemy.
- Flee: A green Battle Art with a white symbol. This allows the party to disengage from combat and run from battle.
Talent Arts[]
Each character and enemy has a Talent Art, represented by a large icon with a dull grey background in the center of the Battle Palette when the Art is inaccessible. Talent Arts are more powerful than normal Battle Arts, can not be upgraded, and may only be used when the Talent Gauge is full. The Talent Gauge is typically filled by executing Auto-Attacks, but other conditions such as using specific Battle Arts increase the gauge as well. Once the Talent Gauge is full, the Talent Art's icon background will change to a white colour to signify its availability.
Not all player Talent Arts inflict damage, but all of them barring Sharla's Cool Off serve as neutral colour multipliers for Chain Attacks. Shulk's Monado Arts are accessed through his Talent Art and are able to be upgraded despite functioning like Talent Arts. Enemy Talent Arts can be completely blocked through the use of Monado Shield.
Talent Arts by character[]
Character | Art |
---|---|
Shulk | Turn Strike |
Activate Monado | |
Reyn | Mad Taunt |
Fiora | Butterfly Step |
Dunban | Blossom Dance |
Sharla | Cool Off |
Melia | Elemental Discharge |
Riki | Yoink! |
Kino | Doze Off |
Nene | Glad Taunt |
Art Type and Colour[]
Battle Arts come in multiple types, indicated by the colour of the symbol on the Art's icon and the colour associated with enemy attack names/charge animations. Only Talent (white), Physical (red) and Ether (blue/purple) Art types are designated for enemy Arts while both these and more specific types are depicted for the party's Arts. Talent Arts can fill the role of any normal Battle Art type and can even overlap with multiple at once. Shulk's Monado Arts, for example, can fill the role of Blue, Red, Orange, Purple, and Green Arts. The following normal Battle Art types are found in the game:
- Red: Physical Arts that make contact with the enemy. Some of these will have symbols with blood or an arc in them. The blood represents a Bleed Debuff, while an arc shows that the attack has a wide range. The Debuff is an extra effect that happens when a character uses the attack. For example, Dunban's Gale Slash also inflicts Bleed Debuff. When used by enemies, these Arts may be evaded by using Monado Speed and can be mitigated by Monado Armour.
- Blue: These Ether Arts provide healing, shielding, or stat-boosting and may apply Buffs or Auras. Although they inflict no damage, they are still very useful if used correctly. Ether Arts that affect the whole area have symbols with a flat circle, such as Sharla's Heal Round.
- Purple: These Ether Arts launch attacks or offensive status effects. Most have a requirements to be used. For example, Reyn's Aura Burst applies the Strength Down Debuff to all enemies in range and can only be used when an Aura is active. Enemy Ether Arts can be mitigated by Monado Armour.
- Pink: Arts that can inflict Break status. Sometimes, a Chain Attack should be used to get the enemy inflicted with Break. Shulk's Turn Strike, although it is a Talent Art, acts as a Pink Art and inflicts Break when used.
- Green: Arts that can inflict Topple status. They tend to require an enemy be inflicted with Break, with the exception of Melia's Starlight Kick (which requires Spear Break as its condition), Riki's Roly-Poly (which inflicts Topple randomly), Dunban's Demon Slayer (which inflicts Topple on nearby enemies when used as a finishing move), and Fiora's Final Cross (which requires the highest tension phase to activate).
- Yellow: Arts that can inflict Daze. These Arts require a toppled enemy to activate, with the exception of Dunban's Thunder, which requires him to have an aura active as its condition instead.
- Orange: Arts that grant auras to the character which may or may not have effects on allies or enemies.
Colour and Chain Attacks[]
The colour of Arts is not just for type identification. When Arts of the same colour are used consecutively in a chain attack, the effect or damage can be multiplied (look for the multiplier on the right of the screen). For example, if Shulk uses Back Slash, followed by Dunban's Gale Slash, the damage of Gale Slash will double. At 5x, the multiplier reaches the CHAIN MAX status and will not rise further. If a different colour Art is cast during the colour chain, the multiplier will return back to one. If a Talent Art is cast, it will act as a neutral colour and continue the chain. The next Art cast will increase the chain no matter what colour it is, with subsequent Arts needing to match its colour to raise the multiplier further unless they are also Talent Arts.
Levelling Battle Arts[]
- Main article: Levelling Battle Arts
Arts can be levelled up by spending Art Points (AP). At the beginning of the game, Arts can be levelled to a maximum of four levels. Obtaining Art Books through shops, enemy drops, or story progression will increase this amount up to ten levels. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition further raises this number to twelve. In the extra story Future Connected, all arts are known at the start of the game.
Character Arts[]
Each character starts with a limited number of Arts. As the Level increases, new Arts can be learnt.
Battle Art | Level Learned |
---|---|
Back Slash | Initial |
Light Heal | Initial |
Slit Edge | Level 3 |
Stream Edge | Level 5 |
Shadow Eye | Level 10 |
Air Slash | Level 14 |
Shaker Edge | Level 23 |
Battle Soul | Level 32 |
Monado Enchant | Initial (Unavailable in Future Connected) |
Monado Buster | Initial |
Monado Shield | Start of the Arachno Queen fight |
Monado Speed | Start of the Mechon M71 fight |
Monado Purge | Start of the Puera Telethia fight |
Monado Cyclone | After the Apocrypha Generator fight |
Monado Eater | Mystery of Makna Ruins 4, Initial (in Future Connected) |
Monado Armour | Stop the Mechon Rampage!, Initial (in Future Connected) |
Battle Art | Level Learned |
---|---|
Hammer Beat | Initial |
Wild Down | Initial |
Bone Upper | Initial |
Rage | Level 3 |
Aura Burst | Level 5 |
War Swing | Level 7 |
Guard Shift | Level 9 |
Engage | Level 11 |
Sword Drive | Level 16 |
Berserker | Level 19 |
Last Stand | Level 23 |
Shield Bash | Level 27 |
Dive Sobat | Level 31 |
Magnum Charge | Level 35 |
Anchor Chain | Level 39 |
Lariat | Level 43 |
Battle Art | Level Learned |
---|---|
Power Smash | Initial |
Screw Edge | Initial |
Hidden Thorn | 5 |
Lacerate | 8 |
For those who have not completed games in the Xenoblade Chronicles series, this page contains spoilers regarding the plot. Discretion is advised. |
- Chapter 12
Battle Art | Level Learned |
---|---|
Double Blade | Initial |
Air Fang | Initial |
Healing Energy | Initial |
Spear Blade | Initial |
Cross Impact | Initial |
Zero Gravity | Initial |
Ether Drain | Initial |
Double Wind | Level 42 |
Second Gear | Level 43 |
Lock-On | Level 46 |
Mag Storm | Level 49 |
Shutdown | Level 52 |
Guard Shift | Level 55 |
Power Drain | Level 58 |
Speed Shift | Level 61 |
Final Cross | After Gadolt fight in Agniratha |
Battle Art | Level Learned |
---|---|
Heal Bullet | Initial |
Thunder Bullet | Initial |
Shield Bullet | Initial |
Cure Bullet | Initial |
Tranquilliser | Level 12 |
Heal Blast | Level 14 |
Metal Blast | Level 16 |
Heal Round | Level 18 |
Heat Bullet | Level 22 |
Covert Stance | Level 26 |
Head Shaker | Level 30 |
Aura Bullet | Level 34 |
Heal Counter | Level 38 |
Head Shot | Level 42 |
Cure Round | Level 46 |
Drive Boost | Level 50 |
Battle Art | Level Learned |
---|---|
Gale Slash | Initial |
Electric Gutbuster | Initial |
Peerless | Initial |
Worldly Slash | Initial |
Battle Eye | Initial |
Steel Strike | Initial |
Spirit Breath | Level 22 |
Blinding Blossom | Level 24 |
Serene Heart | Level 28 |
Tempest Kick | Level 32 |
Heat Haze | Level 36 |
Thunder | Level 40 |
Soaring Tempest | Level 44 |
Jaws of Death | Level 48 |
Final Flicker | Level 52 |
Demon Slayer | Level 56 |
Battle Art | Level Learned |
---|---|
Summon Bolt | Initial |
Summon Flare | Initial |
Hypnotise | Initial |
Spear Break | Initial |
Burst End | Initial |
Shadow Stitch | Level 29 |
Summon Aqua | Level 32 |
Healing Gift | Level 35 |
Summon Copy | Level 38 |
Summon Wind | Level 41 |
Starlight Kick | Level 44 |
Summon Earth | Level 47 |
Reflection | Level 50 |
Power Effect | Level 53 |
Summon Ice | Level 56 |
Mind Blast | Start of Leone Telethia fight |
Battle Art | Level Learned |
---|---|
Happy Happy | Initial |
Bitey Bitey | Initial |
Sneaky | Initial |
Play Dead | Initial |
Lurgy | Initial |
Hero Time | Initial |
Roly-Poly | Initial |
Behave | Initial |
You Can Do It | Level 27 |
Freezinate | Level 31 |
Bedtime | Level 35 |
Tantrum | Level 40 |
Burninate | Level 43 |
Riki is Angry | Level 47 |
Peekaboo | Level 51 |
Say Sorry | Level 55 |
Battle Art | Level Learned |
---|---|
Healy Bullet | Initial |
Crackle Bullet | Initial |
Shield Kaclang | Initial |
Cure Thingamie | Initial |
Tranquilsnooze | Initial |
Heal Kaboom | Initial |
'Ittle Blast | Initial |
Heal Round-a-Round | Initial |
Toasty-Hot Bullet | Initial |
Yoghurt Stance | Initial |
Egg Shaker | Initial |
Aurorora Bullet | Initial |
Healy Counter | Initial |
Noggin Shot | Initial |
Curedy-Pure Round | Initial |
B-B-B-Boost | Initial |
Battle Art | Level Learned |
---|---|
Hammer Beat | Initial |
Mild Down | Initial |
Bone Upper | Initial |
Hangry | Initial |
Aura Toast | Initial |
Feather Swing | Initial |
Guard Sift | Initial |
Engage | Initial |
Sword Drive | Initial |
Berserker | Initial |
Last Stand | Initial |
Shield Kersmash | Initial |
Chive Sobat | Initial |
Magnum Starch | Initial |
Anchor Chain | Initial |
Lariat | Initial |