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Post by UnheardPhantasm on Feb 13, 2015 23:34:02 GMT -5
Introductions and Overview
Hello, UnheardPhantasm here. I figured I'd throw together a little guide on my favorite character in Tales of Xillia 2: the main man, Ludger Will Kresnik. This guide will be handled in a similar manner to the character guides seen on Gamefaqs (Magnus' Asbel Guide and Clip's Xillia 1 guides come to mind).
Since this is my first time ever making a guide, I am very open to suggestions. Just as well, I will be making a lot of tweaks (hence the WIP) since I am still discovering new things with this character. For now at least, I just intend to cover the artes, their general uses, and perhaps enlighten you on some properties you may not be aware of. This guide was made with the concept of Solo play in mind, however, the information here can be applied to just about anything involving Ludger, so party play and Linking isn't out of the question. Now then, let's jump right in.
Some basic info you may want to see before diving in though. General Arte Info for Ludger can be found here: aselia.wikia.com/wiki/ToX2_-_Ludger_Will_Kresnik:_Artes
Universal Arte Usage effects: Lv.1/100: Critical Hit Chance +3%, additionally, the arte will be aerial enabled at this point if it is able to. Lv.2/200: Damage +5% Lv.3/400: Linked Artes Guage Fill Rate Increase +20%, this is the point in which most artes gain all their unique effects. Lv.4/1000: TP cost reduced by 1/3rd the original cost. Stacks with Emerald/Fairy Ring. Lv.5/2000: Damage Increased changed from +5% to +20%. Lv.6/4000: 25% chance to not consume AC while linked. Lv.7/9999: Chance of no AC being used while linked is raised from 25% to 50%. *Credits to Clip's guides on gamefaqs for this info.
Terminology used in the guide: KD: Knockdown. Artes with this property will force an enemy to the ground in a helpless state until they recover or are hit with an OTG. OTG: Off the Ground. Artes with this property will force an enemy to stand up if they are knocked down. Aerial: Artes with this property can be used in the air. AoE: Area of Effect. This refers to the range of an Arte and how much space the attack covers.
Now, one last thing. Each character in the Xillia duology has a unique trait (ie; Snap Pivot, or Spirit Shift) and Ludger is no exception. In fact, he has 2. The main one which will be covering the meat of this guide will be his most notable one, Weapon Swapping.
Actually a trait taken from Tales of Graces (building off the concept of having multiple fighting styles, Hubert shows this best in comparison to Ludger imo), built on and implemented here, Ludger can switch between 3 weapons by simply pressing L1+R1/R2. 2 unique things t note about this is that it can halt time for a split second, and while it really may not seem like much, it could give you the time you need to asses the field or what have you, and the second is a little bit more obscure, but it carries over aerial momentum. I will cover the second part in more detail another time.
Because he can swap between 3 weapons, he has 3 artelists. Therefore I will be covering each in detail. *points downward.*
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Post by UnheardPhantasm on Feb 13, 2015 23:34:44 GMT -5
The Fundamentals: Twin Swords Known for their speed, mobility, and ease of use.Azure Edge Arte will deal 2 hits instead of one, when in melee range. Lv1: Aerial This is 1 of 2 artes you start the game with, and frankly, its not that bad of an arte. Its definitely easily overshadowed but it does have the nice perk of keeping an opponent off the ground if you have them in the air. Then there's its more well known older brother. (Double) Demon Fang
Arte will deal 2 hits instead of one, when in melee range. Lv1: Speed Increased Lv2: OTG Well, he wouldn't be a Tales of Protagonist without DEMON FANG. And with the way he looks, he needs it to pass as one. What do you mean Yuri didn't have that arte? Ok lame jokes aside, since the beginning of series, this little shockwave has been used from beginning to endgame. And its not hard to see why. It travels far and fast, it doubles in hits if used up close, effectively doubling DPS, and since Symphonia, it acquires the coveted Wake-up effect. Considering the speed and and added utility of wake-up and zoning, I can say its one of Ludger's better artes in this part of the weapon triangle. Double Demon Fang is completely free, but at certain distances, it may be preferable to opt for 1 Demon Fang instead, due to recovery and all that, plus it can change the way certain combos work (Falling Thunder comes to mind). Tiger Blade/Rage
Arte will lift enemies if used in the air. Hold O while using Tiger Blade on the ground to use Tiger Rage (Requirement: Second Artes) Lv1: Aerial At first, I didn't think much about Ludger's variant of this move, as he has alternatives that work in a wider range, plus his Extention does not work in the air, which is odd, since Gaius and Alvin can do it just fine. But by chance, I did catch that Ludger's variant will force non-heavy enemies off the ground if used in the air. My favorite way to confirm into this is to go: Front Step (Assault Step) > jump cancel > Tiger Blade If you can get it just off the ground, Ludger will be at the perfect height for a Air/Ground "Option Select" combo, as I like to call it. Essentially, you get to choose multiple routes based off your position alone. (Double) Swift Strike
100% Critical hit chance when attacking a stunned enemy. Also has OTG properties from the start (Ground only). Lv1: Aerial Lv2: Speed Increase I quite like this Arte, it feels like a faster, but overall less nimble version of Alvin's Sonic Thrust. Both the Air and Ground versions can serve as a nice tech chase, or as a way to position yourself to the enemy. The air version is a good positioning tool, but does not have the OTG properties that its grounded version prides itself on. Double Swift Strike can only be used on the Ground version, and adds another hit, closing the distance. Its strong, but its hitstun is rather iffy... Falling Thunder
OTG & 100% Crit chance on Downed enemies Lv1: Aerial Lv2: Jump Distance Increase This Arte is the first one you'll get that has a little bit of start-up on it, and I like it this way. To counteract that, it does home in on the enemy if used within a set distance. It has good Synergy with the Dual Pistol Artes. Note from Vik: This Arte in general takes the same amount of time to reach the enemy regardless of distance. That said, you do not have to factor in distance into your timing of this move. A useful note if you need to calculate the timing of this to OTG an opponent before they get up or something. Other notes: You can fool the auto-targeting of this Arte to attack behind the enemy if you can manipulate their position with Artes like Migrating Sparrows or Zero Divide before hand. Lunar Reflection
Has a Vacuum Effect, pulling enemies toward Ludger. Lv1: Aerial This is the Aerial tech chase I use, its also a reliable starter on bosses, due to the spin backwards, letting you dodge if you baited a counter. The vacuum effect is nice overall, I like dragging enemies out of the corner to prevent combo drops or brainfarts. Personal Tip: If you have an enemy locked in the corner and you want to get them out, Lunar Reflection > Falling Snow is a very reliable method to forcing them out of their comfort zone. Note from Vik: You're most often gonna use this for the vacuum effect, but it is possible to push enemies away with it depending on which "part" of the arte you hit them with (around Ludger's feet if above the enemy, around Ludger's head if below) This can lead to some fun setups, most notably with gun artes such as Zero Divide or Meteoric Waltz. Time Disintegration
Lv2: Adds an extra hit Other notes: The kick at the end can groundbounce a downed opponent if they get hit by it at the same time they attempt to recover (timing specific) The other Arte you start with when you begin the game, this arte is pretty good due to the quick knockdown, but do keep in mind that bosses have a tendency to tech quickly out of non-hard knockdowns. Also the one of the hits can whiff on small enemies like the Chirpee, so keep that in the back of your head when in the lab. Armour Crusher
Increased chance to Guard Break the enemy. Lv1: Adds an extra hit Lv2: Jump Distance Increase I like the fact that this Arte has such a far reaching jump arc, but this isn't made for tech chasing, unless from midrange. Take advantage of the first hit right when he jumps, and you should connect it smoothly. As for the Guard Break, I'd say stick to the hammer or Power Charging; I don't see Armour Crusher doing much work on bosses, as far as its name goes anyways. Note from Vik: This arte can be jump cancelled fairly early after the slashing part, which can open up some neat low-altitude aerial combos. Energy Shackles
Lv1: Explosion AoE Increase This Arte's primary purpose is for pushing the opponent into a favorable position for a setup. The fact that its 2 weaknesses makes you have to plan out when to use this, for optimal power combo time. Its a solid Arte overall, it doesn't chain after everything though (Its got a little bit of start-up.) Crimson Fury/Master Chef
Replaces Crimson Fury with Master Chef if Ludger is wearing the Chef's Uniform & has the Cookware Dual Blades equipped. Lv1: Aerial Lv2: Adds an extra hit Good overall launcher, and a good alternative to the little Tiger Blade launch I wrote about above. Its also a good easy way to stack fire onto your power combos. Experimental Note: It appears that at a certain distance in the air, the last two hits can be delayed, causing the opponent to stay in the air for longer. This has to be tested some more before I state it as a concrete feature. Master Chef on the other hand, can be used in the air, but it will force Ludger to the ground on use. Its a strange arte, used primarily for juggling small enemies, but will make human bosses tech very easily. Note from Vik: For those of you that want to mess around with Quick Drop, Crimson Fury is the go-to launcher. You can drop down while Ludger is doing the slashes which keeps the enemy in the air for a little while, giving you some extra time to either switch weapons or use an arte with a long windup. Hunting Phoenix
Lv1: Adds a projectile (shot upwards at 45 degrees) at the end of the Arte. As it's name implies, this Arte was primarily designed to be an anti-air move, considering the projectile added to the arte is shot upwards. Aside from flying enemies like Aska, I gotta say that i haven't found much anti-air usage out of it, since Ludger needs to do the 2 kicks before the projectile, so its main use is really just adding Dark to a combo easily. Whirling Assault
Requirement: Affinity Lv.5 (Milla) Lv1: Speed Increase If you need to kill some time in your combo, or just want to get more hits, this is never a bad choice. it has some pushback, so that's notable if you're trying to position an enemy without compromising your combo. Really, this move is on the same level of Sword Rain/Shining Fang in other games, that signature multi-hit move that keeps combos going. Its also pretty position dependent, as it moves in a linear path, if you aren't facing the enemy directly, you can easily run off axis and drop the combo. (Reverse) Falling Snow
Hold down O to Extend into Reverse Falling Snow (Requires "Second Artes") Lv1: Aerial Lv2: OTG This thing, this arte here is just plain crazy. Have you seen the usefulness of Ghost Wolf in Tales of Vesperia? Or perhaps the sheer positioning and utility of Radiant Rondo right here in the Xillias? This move just does all that stuff, and more. The general gist of the move is simply a long ranged lunge that pierces through enemies, and initially that's all it needs to do to be useful. Already, without upgrading it, it shows its usefulness through being a reliable tech chaser with decent hitstun. At the right distance, you can get Falling Snow to connect without having to pierce the enemy, if you want to stay in front of them. Just as well, using Lunar Reflection > Falling Snow can drag an enemy out of the corner, and is quite useful if you want to make full use of the battlefield. Reverse Falling Snow is a second attack that changes if you used it on the ground or in the air. On the ground, you dash back to your original position, perfect for evasion or baiting moves. The aerial version is similar to Air Divide from Tales of Vesperia, or Milla's Radiant Rondo (SP) in that you dash upwards diagonally, and end on a higher plane than your target. Note from Rem: This move has just enough hitstun to where you can guard for a second, get your AC back, and keep your combo going (preferably with an Assault Step) if used on the ground. I will refer to this technique as AC resets, for the sake of brevity. Thousand Swords
Lv1: Adds a 2 hits when you hold down the Artes button Lv2: Adds another set of 2 hits when the extension is used Lv3: Adds another set of 2 hits when the extension is used Another move to easily add hits to the counter, this one really doesn't have many properties outside of more hits, as the info above makes it very clear that's what its main intention was, and really its very good at that. It has a very high base damage output per slash, so if you ever have DPS issues, just slap one of these near the end of a combo and watch the HP go down. Oh, it also inflicts poison due to the updated Dark Attribute, have fun. Note from Vik: This arte has a very slight vacuum effect, so it can be used to pull enemies toward you. Lunar Reflection outshines it in this regard though, so it's not something to write home about. Twin Lotus
Requirement: Save Editing (There should be a guide for it in the Xillia 2 section of this site) Lv.1: Adds an extra hit. Lv.2: Adds an extra 2-3 hits when you hold down the Artes button. Other notes: Can cancel the 3rd hit into a back/sidestep, Jump or Weapon Swap. Its timing specific, but if cancelled properly, the 4th hit (provided the Arte is at 100+ uses for the extra hit) will still come out, allowing you to combo into some more interesting options such as Mine Collapse, Rolling Thunder, or Deadeye for example. This Arte, personally, is very welcome to Ludger's arsenal due to how...surprisingly versatile it is with the possible cancels out of it. Originally it appeared to look like a slightly better Whirling Assault, but the utility of hitting all around Ludger is effective when you consider mobility, traps and the like. Its also a safe approach option when you consider that you can not only cancel it, but have a disjointed hitbox still come out. Personally, I replaced Whirling Assault with this move as I felt this did everything WA did but better. Moonlight Assault
Lv1: Aerial Lv2: OTG (All hits) A very versatile move overall, good for getting yourself out of a bind, and keeping the pressure on the enemy whilst being safe if used from the right distance. Its also a very safe hitconfirm in the air, if you need a good air-to-ground arte, this might be one to consider if you think your air chain will fail at the end. If used at the right trajectory/distance (varies from enemy to enemy), you can kick over their heads while still hitting them. From my experiences the range is pretty specific, so test around. Endless Waltz
Lv1: Speed Increase Lv2: OTG (1st hit) This move was made with one thing in mind, making sure the finishing a combo with style. This is well known to be the general combo ender for Ludger if he doesn't have other characters or his Chromatus to back him up. This move does knock down, but because some enemies like Chronos have a long recovery time, you can keep a combo going after it. It also knocks them really far as well, and I've had cases of pushing them into a Meteoric Waltz trap I set, petrifying them, and comboing afterwards. Its a very reliable ender, especially with the amount of damage the last hit in particular does.
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Post by UnheardPhantasm on Feb 13, 2015 23:35:23 GMT -5
The Foundation: Sledgehammer Known for its damage, hitstun, and support abilities.
Psychic Restoration (Plus)
Heals 15% of Max HP for all allies standing within the circle Can be used as a Counter Arte (Psychic Restoration Plus) with the "Counter Artes" Skill equipped Lv.2: Knockback increases Lv.3: Healing amount doubled to 30% Max HP Lv.4: Recovery time significantly decreased Pretty much an expy of Guardian Field by nature, except for the fact that it knocks enemies away from the healing circle. Its main intention is to keep enemies away from you, and to support that, it also boasts a decent chance to stun. This Arte is also one that Ludger will be stuck in for quite a while, so don't expect to use it in most combo routes unless you have it at 1000+ uses, and even then, Ludger is still immobile for a little bit. However, its knockback is very useful when combined with the likes of Mine Collapse and other traps. Pow Hammer
Requirement: Lv.5 Affinity (Elize) Nope, not even an increased chance to stun on higher usage counts. Kinda a shame really, considering the stun monster this Arte was back in Xillia 1 & Vesperia. This Arte has an above average Stun chance, but realistically, you're better off using Stun Blitz as your main stun move. It does have kinda a delayed hitbox with all the small Hammers that come out of the initial impact, so if you're feeling gutsy, you could use it to bait the enemy's offense and possibly go for a stun punish. Admittedly this is an Arte I dont use all to often, so the notes here may change if I learn more about it. Note from Vik: The tiny hammers that pop out of this arte are kinda fun to experiment with, but other than that you're better off with Stun Blitz as UP said. Sanctuary
Grants Iron Stance Property to all allies standing within the field. Can be extended by Holding down O with the "Defense Artes" Skill equipped Field's range increased with Arte usage Ludger stands in place and spins his Hammer like Nick Cannon from Drumline, creating a field of light that grants the party Iron Stance (think Super Armour in a way). Like PR, this Arte is made for support, however unlike PR, it has no offensive abilities whatsoever. For a Solo setting, feel free to ignore this arte, unless you're styling or something. For a Party setting, I could see this being useful to allow riskier play from your teammates without much repercussion. Just remember that this arte doesn't reduce damage taken. Xillia 2 bosses tend to kill characters in 1-2 hits on Unknown Mode, so that fact alone hinders its main use greatly. Note from Vik: Number one arte in terms of style and disrespect. Other than that, it's pointless. Crushing Blow
OTG 100% Crit chance on Downed enemies Lv.1: Aerial A simple arte, hop forward and smash the ground with your Hammer. If used in the air, Ludger will fall straight down instantly instead. Ludger's main method of OTG in the early game, as this is one the 3 Artes you start with upon getting the Hammer. After obtaining more Artes, this move may fall off in usage due to the sheer size of Ludger's moveset, but this is still a very reliable Arte in itself. Also, its hitbox is a bit larger than it appears, hitting a good character space in front of the hammer as well. Note from Vik: This arte has stupid amounts of hitstun. You can use it, wait for like a year, then use something with a fast startup like Magical Destruction to continue the combo. Assault Step works too. Outlander (Plus)
OTG 100% Crit chance on Stunned enemies Hold O to extend into Outlander Plus (Requirement: "Second Artes") A simple 1-2 hit side swings with your hammer. To me, this Arte feels more like a normal attack than anything, so it doesn't really stand out to me. I suppose it would be a good source of damage on a Stunned target after you've set a trap or two, considering its bonus damage and the Hammer's general high damage output overall. Like Pow Hammer, I can't say much about due to not using it very much, so this info is subject to change. Power Swing
KD Startup reduced with higher usage count One of the 3 Artes you start with when you first obtain the Hammer. This one is your main launcher if you need things high into the air, with you on the ground. It has a large amount of startup and recovery though, so its hard to make work for combos, however, maxing out its usage count makes things a bit easier. Has great Synergy with Migrating Sparrows & Heatwave from my personal experience. Hungry Hunter
OTG Lv.1: Adds an extra hit The last of the 3 Artes you start with when you first obtain the Hammer. This is your main form of Guard & Iron Stance Breaking. A good 1-2 hits from this on any most bosses not resistant to Light will fall over and be open for a Power Combo. Very reliable if you're having problems with bosses that just wont stop blocking, however it can trigger counters due to it hitting twice after 100 uses. Just keep that in mind whenever you go in with this move. Personally, I find Elemental Weapons and Artes that only hit once to be better Combo starters, but this Arte is still amazing for breaking Guards at the very least. Hammer Flail
OTG Hits behind Ludger A simple OTG, its main use is for picking up enemies behind you. A very specific purpose, so I find other Artes to fit the bill better. Plus for Strike Attribute OTGs, we already have Crushing Blow, which is a reliable Aerial tool, and Outlander, which has good damage and a free extention. It's not a bad arte by any means, however. Note from Vik: This arte perplexes me. It's one of my favorites due to its aesthetic and OTG properties, but other than that it's not very special. Swallow Flight
Requirement: Lv.5 Affinity (Leia) Aerial Lv.2: OTG Swing twice upwards, taking enemies to the air with you. Unlike Leia's version, this arte isn't Fire Element. A great launcher, and good starter if you have an enemy weak to Strike. If you trigger their counter, most of the time, they'll be on the ground and you're in the air, so you can just take those. Combine this arte with jumps and factor in the enemy's weight, and you can end with you above or below the enemy, for specific positioning purposes. The opposite can happen if you're not careful though, and you could whiff the 2nd hit easily. I like combining it with Squall Shot, due to the fact that SS will drag them down to the ground while you can still get 2 hits in and keep up a combo from above your target. Hammer Toss
Hold down O to charge it for double damage at maximum charge Thrown your hammer like a boomerang and drag enemies a short distance away closer to you. This Arte is okay, its more of a damage move though since Zero Divide & Lunar Reflection fill the suction bill better. Luckily, the charge isn't too long, so its even feasibly usable outside of combos, in some instances. Airborne enemies that are hit by this may be dragged on top of the hammer as opposed to inside of it, which could change trajectories. Mine Collapse
KD (Bomb) Hold down O to detonate the Bomb in front of Ludger (will not set trap) Ludger hits a fireball a ways in front of him. Upon contact with the ground, said fireball turns into a Flaming Rune that stays on the ground for x seconds. Upon contact with the Rune, it will explode and deal significant damage and knockback, as well as heavy damage to Guard/Iron Stance. Holding O will turn this Arte into a Fire Element Hungry Hunter, which is pretty good too, albeit not as unique imo. My favourite trap. The fun thing about this arte is that enemies dont care about this move, so they will just run straight into it if its in their way. Because of this, you can get free combos or setups by baiting them. Its knockback is also appreciated, meaning a free combo if this hits and breaks their guard. However its somewhat hard to predict which direction they will get blasted in. Note from Vik: Might seem pointless mid-combo at first glance, but it's possible to Assault Step and continue the combo, though the timing is tricky. Wave Smasher
OTG (last hit) Ludger rushes forward, dragging his hammer along the ground, and then swings it in a wave forward that OTGs. A somewhat strange OTG, as the arte only picks them up with the last hit. That said, I find it to be best used when you know the enemy's gonna be down for a while. Using it on a non KD'd enemy will drag them a considerable distance, I find this version to be best used with Mine Collapse, as a Mine > Assault Step > Wave Smasher usually puts them close to the mine itself. Lastly, as an Earth Element Arte, this move can Petrify, allowing more combo options depending on your INT, the enemies' PSY, and how many Earth Element attacks they've been hit with. Considering its high hit-count, its Petrify rate on average is notable. Not a bad move at all. Flame Tunnel (Plus)
Hold down O to move faster Can be used as a Counter with the "Counter Artes" Skill equipped. KD (last hit) Ludger's Multi-hit Fire move, its another arte that really is just for damage, though it drag them a considerable distance, and does KD, so possibilities are there. As a side-note, it can hit enemies behind Ludger, but it will not drag them forward with him. Note from Vik: Good for triggering Fire in a pinch. Its long duration gives you some time to think about what to do next. Earth Spike
KD (last hit) Spin your hammer in a small circle around you, and detonate the earth, knocking everyone away. Pretty much Jiao's "Devil's Maw", but with a smaller range. Perhaps the most powerful arte in the Hammer list, its use as a combo ender is akin to Endless Waltz. Typically, don't expect to combo after this move. It also has a long recovery time, so if you're fighting say, Julius, and you expect him to tech into Falling Snow, I suggest not using this on him unless you know it will kill. Regardless, its a very cool ender, and thanks to traps, you can even cover its recovery with Bubble Blast or something. Magical Destruction
1st hit hits behind Ludger as well OTG (1st hit) Lv.2: Adds extra hits An Arcane Arte that pushes enemies forward while Ludger swings wildly (which means enemies outside of its general hitbox can still be knocked back), and deals heavy hitstun with the ending part of this move. Without its 200+ uses bonus, its hard to combo after, but that extra attack at the end has enough hitstun to allow the likes of Rolling Thunder & Deadeye to be used without much trouble. Generally, this Arte is a more reliable Wave Smasher, dealing hitstun at the start and having better hitstun overall at the cost of being able to Petrify. Its worth using both for the same purposes though. Freezing Eruption
OTG (all hits except the last)/KD (last hit) Lv.2: AoE increase Ludger creates a giant Ice Wave in front of himself, dealing multihits and having a very high rate of Skillsealing & Petrifying. This arte's utility is close to Falling Snow's in my opinion. Its Arcane Arte status as well as the amount of hits it deals puts it on par with Hungry Hunter in terms of Guard/Iron Stance breaking abilities, also having the range to stay safe while doing so. Its also an OTG tool, and wont KD anything that gets Petrified. It essentially allows you to OTG from half a screen away & have enough time to setup traps or whatever you please. To top it all off, this Arte is faster than it sounds, the Ice Wave coming out instantly, and can even trade in many situations (in your favour too, considering its Petrify rate). Its only draw is its massive TP cost of 64 (without any TP modifiers), which is frankly a fair price for such a powerful tool. Always keep this Arte in your mind when thinking of long range OTGs, Petrify setups or Guard Breaking.
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Post by UnheardPhantasm on Feb 13, 2015 23:35:58 GMT -5
The Reinforcement: Twin Pistols Known for their range, and ability to stack many elements, as well as access to traps.
I present to you, the Twin Pistols, you can obtain these by going to Helioborg post-chapter 3, after fighting Ivar. These weapons are my personal favorite of the 3, due to the ability to utilize traps, or in this context, artes that have a lingering effect when used, allowing for setups or the ability to act independent of the Arte just used. In other words, you can fight while the trap lays there or does its thing. Anther thing, which is more apparent about these weapons is the sheer range. If you ever have an issue with knocking an enemy too far? Look no further, these weapons are your lifeline in situations like these. Now onto these Artes:
Bubble Blast
Hold the button to cause the summoned bubble to move at a slower pace Aerial This is one of your 3 starting Artes upon receiving these weapons, and its by far one of his most versatile ones. By introducing yourself to the pistols, you get introduced to Ludger's traps, and this is the first. At first glance, you simply shoot a bubble that slowly travels a path before popping if it hits a target or it travels too far. Seems simple in design, sure, but note that this is the first Arte you'll get that acts as its own entity, and depending on your usage and positioning, you'll find this thing has endless applications. While you can use it close-range at first to easily stack a Water Weakness onto your Power combo, you might find that underwhelming, and as such, It might be daunting to find a way to apply it long-range, as intended. This is honestly up to the player's discernment in practice to figure out, as the sheer possibilities of this Arte, but I can leave a couple of pointers. 1. It's best to use this after an opponent has been knocked down, stunned/petrified, or if you're in the air. for this reason, the Sledgehammer is your best friend for making an opening to use this in. 2. The Arte itself only stays active for X amount of seconds (Held version: X seconds), so its preferable to calculate the time it takes fore your chain after the summon to execute, so you can delay the bubble as much as possible. 3. The Bubble slightly lifts non-heavy enemies if they were in the air to begin with. This is useful if you need to get an arte like Earth Spike to work, or you want to easily convert into an air chain. Note from Vik: Learn how to use this arte well and you will be awarded infinite style points. Overshadowed by Arc Fire as long as just triggering Water is concerned, but definitely worth using if you can set it up. Stun Blitz
Requirement: Lv.5 Affinity (Muzet) I really love this Arte, its effect is simple, you shoot while doing a 180 Degree spin, causing your shots to hit in a circular radius. As its name implies, it has a high chance to stun, like, Higher than Pow Hammer it seems (Y'know, that Arte that was infamous for having a high stun rate in some other games?) SO it is quite reliable from that standpoint. Not only does it hit a good 360 degrees, but it hits farther than it appears too, by nature of being a Gun Arte. Also, since its right below Bubble Blast, I figure I should point out that this is one of the best ways to get an opening to use BB or Squall mid-combo. Zero Divide
Has a vacuum effect, dragging enemies to Ludger when used Range Increased with Usage count (Unsure if this applies past Lv2) OTG Lv1: Aerial Ahh, this Arte, you know how I said that Guns are a godsend if you pushed an enemy back too far? Well this guy here is the prime reason why. Yet again, its a simple move that has so much use in its simplicity. Ludger quickly shoots a dark orb which spreads and converges behind his target, pulling them in. As opposed to its brothers, Lunar Reflect (Swords) and Hammer Toss (Hammer) this Move has the range and speed those two lack, respectively. This thing literally can hit fullscreen in less than a second. Also Vik's note applies here too, this move will always take the same amount of time to execute, regardless of position. Something to note, is that if you use it while an enemy's falling out of the air, you may whiff this Arte completely. Speaking of his notes... Note from Vik: Great range and projectile speed, OTG, pull effect, fantastic hitstun... this arte is among Ludger's best and when you've learned to use it well, it will be infinitely useful. Meteoric Waltz
Requirement: Lv.5 Affinity (Rowen) Lv1: Aerial Out of Ludger's 4 traps available to him, this is definitely the most lenient one. Ludger steps back and shoots a Glyph in the general area below him, or when used in the air, it follows a 45 degree angle diagonally below him. The Glyph summon, and the rocks itself are both seperate hits, each with heavy hitstun. It even has enough hitstun to use the likes of Squall Shot with relative ease. Crossfire
100% Crit chance on Downed enemies Has a slight vacuum effect, dragging enemies towards Ludger when used Can cancel it into Wings of Destruction without any startup Lv1: OTG This is a good option if you just need an OTG in general. It's Earth Attribute, so it can inflict petrify, but even outside of that, it has heavy hitstun, enough to use Squall Shot right afterwards and still keep the combo going. Its very reliable for its simplicity, however, it does have a fair bit of startup on it, so it cannot be added to combos so easily outside of KD'd enemies. Note from Vik: The vacuum effect centers around the area where the projectiles hit the ground, so it's also possible to push enemies with larger hurtboxes (lizards with long tails, for example) away from you with this arte if you stand close. Scatter Bolt
Backstep upon use Another rather slept on arte, primarily because what this arte's strong suit is, isn't necessarily combos (though the use for it is still there, for positioning and weakness purposes), but rather as a combo starter and general tool for harassing enemies. Its a 1 hit Fire & Wind Arte, that alone makes it very useful against bosses weak to either of those elements, as it can seal a Power Combo easily with minimal chance of counterattack. Speaking of counters, it makes Ludger backstep during the animation, and while he doesn't have invincibility frames during it, it is very useful for staying safe, should the target go on the offensive, considering the arte's overall range. (Ultra) Rapid Burst
Can extend the Arte for 20TP by holding down O (Requires "Second Artes") Like a few artes on this list, this one's primarily good at dealing a lot of hits, and is its main focus. I will say that this arte is great for starting combos on enemies weak to Fire or Wind, due to the fact that it's 2 elements at once, it wont trigger counters if it starts a Power Combo (most of the time). Just be careful in situations with multiple enemies or something, as the animation is slightly on the longer side. It doesn't hold a candle to Blaze Bloom though in that regard... Squall Shot
Requirement: Lv.5 Affinity (Alfredo Alvin) Increases number of shots with usage count (Unsure if this applies past Lv2) Lv1: AoE increase Lv2: Attack Speed increases X seconds after using this arte, a stream of raining bullets will fall from the sky to hit wherever the enemy's location was at the time of activating the arte. It has a fair bit of startup, but its surprisingly not that hard to combo into, as there's at least 3 artes listed in this section alone that make up for its startup. Just make sure you dont knock the enemy out of the "marked area". Unlike Alvin's version which is suited to juggling things in the air, this one causes airborne enemies to be pelted down to the ground, which may screw up some aerial combos. Rolling Thunder & Deadeye
100% chance of a Critical Hit on stunned targets (Deadeye) Lv1: Enables Invincibility while Rolling Ludger sidesteps to the Left, and shoots twice afterward. Just like with Scatter Bolt, this Arte has a Movement option as a part of it. However, this Arte has invincibility frames in the animation, making it even more reliable for the neutral game. However, like with most I-frame moves, this move is easily punishable, specifically during the shots. Still, its a very good arte in & outside of combos, as it is a good way of maintaining an offensive presence while still staying on your toes. This is the "faster" of the 2 sidestep Artes. Not in recovery, but the 2 shots seem to come out slightly faster than its brother Deadeye, which only hits once, and moves right, but otherwise is a carbon copy of Rolling Thunder. Arc Fire
OTG & 100% Crit chance on Downed enemies Lv1: Hit count increases Lv2: Hit count increases Hits in a cross shape in front of Ludger for around a 7 or so hit OTG. Water is a rare attribute for Ludger, as most of his other options for this attribute have long startup and/or are traps. This arte pretty much serves the same purpose that Crossfire has, without the shaky startup time. Its multihits also amount to a great deal of hitstun, as, while it doesn't negate the startup of Wings of Destruction like Crossfire does, it can still chain into it, and even Mine Collapse, with relative ease. Migrating Sparrows
KD (3rd Sparrow) Lv1: Aerial Enabled Lv2: Sparrows now pierce targets upon collision Shoots 3 Sparrows that track the enemy and launch them upwards. This arte is great for keeping things airborne, though the fact that it KDs may be a slight detriment to its juggling abilities... which can in turn, be circumvented with artes like Zero Divide, which this arte can chain into reliably. Outside of that, its great for its pushing ability, allowing for interesting trap setups and the works. Heatwave
Distance increases with usage count (Unsure if this applies past Lv2) Has a bounce effect on those hit, including KD'd targets that are in the air. Can cancel it into Wings of Destruction without any startup Blaze Bloom
The last hit wont trigger unless this move connects In the same vein of Thousand Swords or Endless Waltz, this Arte is primarily used as a way of getting more hits in late-combo, or as a finisher (the last hit looks especially good as one imo). It is worth noting that this Arte can bait backsteps due to its enourmous range, but outside of that, I would advise against using this arte outside of combos or punishing certain moves, due to the amount of time Ludger is stuck in the animation. Note from Vik: This arte has great hitstun on the last hit, so you can chain it with the likes of Rolling Thunder and Crossfire with ease. Interesting to note is that you can use another arte or switch to a different weapon really quickly after the final hit, but you can't jump or step in any direction. Weird. Wings of Destruction
OTG The startup can be negated if used after Crossfire or Heatwave Lv2 Number of Tornadoes increases by 2 (1 on each side) Has a considerable amount of startup if using this arte by itself, but aside from that, this arte is great overall for keeping things held down. The 6 slow moving tornadoes give you a good length of time to add traps to a combo or just get more hits in in general. Its worth noting that Larger enemies will take more hits from the tornadoes due to being in range of more of them, while Lighter enemies will float inside the tornado, keeping them airborne. I prefer to use this one on Elite Monsters, due to their sheer size, I can realistically get them caught in 3-4 tornadoes for more damage. Requiem
OTG Lv1 Aerial (splash effect is removed) Lv2 Adds another hit A great ground to air conversion Arte, this one's more for juggling purposes. A lot of the artes listed under this Weapon are good at hitting things airborne, but this arte is perhaps the best at keeping things airborne, with Sparrows being a close 2nd imo. It also has a fair bit of pushback too, so you can get enemies knocked into traps and stuff as well, in a few cases. As far as the Arcane Artes go, this one is probably tied with Moonlight Assault for its ease of use in combos.
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Post by UnheardPhantasm on Feb 13, 2015 23:36:27 GMT -5
Links & Support
Despite the fact that Ludger & Xillia 2 as a whole are rather Solo-friendly by nature, this game is built off of Tales of Xillia. As such, I feel it'd be a shame if I didn't cover the utility of Linked partners should you decide to use them. First off, let's cover the basics of linking, as well as the generic Linked Artes that Ludger will always have access to.
All you have to do to Link is press the D-Pad in the direction of the character you want to Link with, and to disable it, simply press the D-pad in the direction of your character (usually Player 1). If you are playing with multiple people, the character you link with will become a CPU while you are linked with them, so keep this in mind (personally, I think it was a missed opportunity to do that, but that's just me). Attacking the enemy will raise the Linked Artes gauge at the left side of the screen, while Support Abilities will increase it even faster. After a section of the Gauge is filled, you will see a glyph on your character after using any Arte. This signals that you can use a Linked Arte by pressing R2. A Silver Glyph is a Generic Linked Arte, while a Gold Glyph is a unique Linked Arte exclusive to the combination of those 2 characters. Once the Gauge is filled, triggering a Linked Arte will activate Overlimit, and enable you to use Mystic Artes after a Linked or Arcane Arte, by holding X (or alternatively, R2+X to activate a Linked Mystic Arte...more on those later).
Now let's talk about the meat of Linking, the characters and their skills:
Ludger Will Kresnik (General Link Stuff)
Linked Skills+15% to the partner's main 2 Stats +15% resistance to the partner's main element +1 AC Anything not listed is due to it either being a skill that Ludger learns too and doesn't stack with his version of the skill, or is incompatible with Ludger (usually Magic-based skills). Linked ArtesLink Charge: A charging attack that dashes through the enemy, dealing about 3 hits on average, usually gives Ludger enough time to follow up with the combo, unless he charged off the battlefield. Link Pillar: KD. Ludger slams the earth, causing a Pillar of energy to erupt under him, launching & KDing upon landing. Can be teched easily, but makes a good ender. Link Cannon: KD. Ludger shoots a charged shot forward, hits fullscreen and does a decent bit of damage. Preferable as a combo finisher more than anything else. Link Edge: KD. A spin attack with a large radius, KD'ing anyone hit. Hard to combo after due to techs and knockback. Ludger cannot initiate this arte, and must be used by another character that is Linked to Ludger. Ritual of Destruction: Ludger's Mystic Arte, and one that you'll always have availible to you in every Link. Can be combo'd after if it stuns or you Chromatus Cancel after the animation. Does good damage for what it is, and is a flashy finisher, but is overshadowed by Linked Mystic Artes late-game.
Jude Mathis
Support SkillRestore (Has a 50% chance of healing you if you get KD'd. He can also revive you at a low 20% (70% with "Restore Plus") chance)Support Shift (Restore heals TP instead of HP, and will not revive you if you get KO'd)Linked SkillsVitality & Agility III (+15% Vitality & Agility increase) Wind Guard (+15% Wind resistance) Dash (+25% movement speed) Down Burst/Rush (Increases damage dealt to a KD'd enemy by 10-20%)Feign Death (Hold down while downed to recover 3% HP & TP per second, and delay your recovery) Quick Recover (Recover from being KD'd much faster)Adrenaline Rush (Increases movement speed greatly after a successful backstep dodge)Overview Jude's a solid Partner in general, considering he's posterboy for Linking, this makes sense. In a party setting, more healing is always viable, especially the free Revives he grants due to how strong this game's bosses are. His Linked skills boost your grounded mobility, which isn't necessarily something Ludger's in demand for, but it is appreciated nonetheless. Outside of that, his Linked Artes are very solid and varied, covering all avenues. Plus he's a total bro. Who wouldn't want this kid as their sidekick? Linked ArtesSwallow Rage: Twin Lance: Dual Conquest: Dragon Deluge: Beastial Cry: Ludger & Jude emit a shockwave that emits throughout the entire battlefield, dealing 5 hits and stunning everything hit. Perhaps the most interesting of his Linked Artes, and the most useful. Its range is the whole battlefield itself, even hitting airborne targets, and it will always Stun (unless it triggers a Boss' counter attack). Not only that, but I believe that its stun lasts longer than normal stuns. Its long enough to activate Chromatus, Taunt, and then use something like Zero Divide afterwards. Pretty crazy utility move overall. Wrath/Judgement of the Heavens:
Milla Maxwell
Support SkillBind (Restrains an enemy if you and her are surrounding said target)Support Shift (Bind duration is halved, but inflicts a status ailment depending on the target's weakness)Linked Skills
Intelligence & Psyche III (+15% Intelligence & Psyche increase) Light Guard (+15% Light resistance) Aerial Jump (Enables the ability to Double Jump, increasing mobility) A very welcome ability for fundamental and combo extension purposes. Aerial Force (+10% damage to airborne enemies. Stacks with "Sky Soldier" for a total of +35%)Aerial Bind (Airborne enemies stagger 25% longer from your attacks)Safe Landing (Halves landing recovery)Temporary Stability (Prevents staggering for 5 seconds after a successful backstep dodge)Elemental Armour (Using elemental Artes will grant you a 30% resistance to that element for 8 seconds)Overview Milla is, by nature, an incredibly versatile and reliable character, and this extends to her being a partner as well. She's the postergirl for Linked Artes - the game, after all. Double Jumping, while not a nessecary thing to have, is still a boon for any character as far as movement options go. For Ludger, he really appreciates any cancels he can get, and having 2 Jump Cancels is a very sweet deal. Her Linked Artes are also really good too, to nobody's surprise. Consisting of Petrify, AoE's, and creative setups, you can never go wrong with her. Linked ArtesFrost Edge: Shining Stinger: Luminary Revolver: Shining Vortex: Gleaming Cage: Heavenly Crusader:
Alfredo Vint Svent
Support SkillBreaker (Breaks an enemy's guard and stuns them) Support Shift (Replaces stun with a decrease to the enemy's defenses) Linked SkillsStrength & Stamina III (+15% Strength & max HP increase) Fire Guard (+15% Fire resistance) Blunt Force (+5% Stun chance) Critical (+3% Crit chance. Stackable) Critical Damage (+50% damage increase from Crits) Natural Recovery (Standing still for 2 seconds will recover any status ailment) Medicinal Meditation (Slowly recover HP while standing still) OverviewMortar Fire: Cross Buster: Frost Field: Bullet Fiesta: Blaze Gate: Bullet Crucifiction:
Elize Lutus & Teepo
Support SkillTeepo Drain (Drains an airborne enemy's HP & TP and heals both you and herself) Support Shift (can now drain downed enemies' HP & TP as well) Linked SkillsPsyche & Spirit III (+15% Psyche & max TP increase) Dark Guard (+15% Dark resistance) Heal Guard (Slowly recover HP while guarding) Pow Hammer Revenge (10% chance to throw a Pow Hammer when attacked. Does not consume TP) Renewed Confidence (No TP cost for the next Arte after a successful backstep dodge) Reflective Guard (Reflect 20% of damage taken while guarding. Stops reflecting damage after 3 seconds of consistent guarding) Auto Medicine (15% chance to recover 30% max HP when taking damage) Auto Medicine II (30% chance of immediately curing a status ailment when afflicted) OverviewLinked ArtesDark Projection: Shining Darkness: Erratic Element: Element is chosen at random. Teepo Launcher: Lucky Cat: Has 2 different variants, supposedly being based off RNG. One slams down a Golden Cat Statue that inflicts Stun. The other slams down Rolllo and deals multi-hits as well as a high chance to inflict Petrify. Infernal Crescendo/Blessed Arte the Pink:
Rowen J. Ilbert
Support SkillAuto Magic Guard (Automatically casts Magic Guard on both you and himself against any spell) Support Shift (Converts damage taken from using Magic Guard into TP Damage) Linked SkillsIntelligence & Dexterity III (+15% Intelligence & Dexterity increase) Water Guard (+15% Water resistance) Charismatic Stance (Prevents staggering after a Taunt for 4 seconds) Opportune Moment (Stops time with a successful backstep dodge) Any character would love this skill, an amazing defensive option, and as its name implies, tips the scales in your favour. Jude & Muzét appreciate this the most. OverviewRowen is...kinda funny as far as Linking goes. If you are a magic user (which is half the cast), he is a godsend, and his Linked Skills are even more OP than Muzét's. If you aren't...he's alright. Auto Magic Guard is always welcome, even though both Ludger & Rowen have Anti-Magic as abilities if you're having issues with magic. Regardless, both characters benefit equally, as the geezer really appreciates Assault Step for any extra combo options, while Ludger gets Opportune Moment, which is still a fantastic ability overall. His Linked Artes are quite well-rounded, and Fatal Circle is another trap to play with too. His Linked Artes apply to Twin Swords & Dual Pistols. Linked ArtesVictory Dance: Delicate Cross: Voltaic Line: Fury Storm: Fatal Circle: Apocalyptic Sforzando:
Leia Rolando
Support SkillItem Thief (Steals items from KD'd targets) Support Shift (Gald is stolen instead) Linked SkillsAgility & Stamina III (+15% Agility & max HP increase) Earth Guard (+15% Earth resistance) Aerial Jump (Enables the ability to Double Jump, increasing mobility) Sky Soldier (+25% damage & -25% TP consumption while attacking airborne targets) Mobile Armour (Prevents staggering while in Free Run) Health & Mental Jog (slowly recover HP & TP while in Free Run) Immediate Consumption (Can move while using items) Chain Consumption (Can use 2 items in a row before triggering item cooldown) Item Knowledge (Increased potency of items) Lucky Item (10% chance to recover an item last used) OverviewLinked Artes 6-Pointed Fang: Falling Star: Phoenix Javelin: Fall From Grace: Heavenly Proclamation: Earthcracker/The Ludgernaut:
Gaius Uncle Erston
Support SkillChivalry (If Gaius guards an attack for you, your next attack will have various buffs applied to it) The wording for this skill is VERY vague, I'll need to test it more to see what it does exactly. Support Shift (Only lowers TP consumption on your next attack, but will not consume AC) Linked SkillsStrength & Vitality III (+15% Strength & Vitality increase) Light Guard (+15% Light resistance) Endurance (-20% Stagger duration when taking damage) Status Guard (Halves the duration of status ailments) Guard Plus (restore +1% TP every time you guard an attack) Sharp Edge (Slash attacks have a higher ailment infliction rate) Keen Edge (+50% Crit damage from Slash attacks) OverviewLinked ArtesDemonic Chaos: Phalanx: Evil Spirit: Star of Oblivion: Rising Gale: Shining Torrent/Sound & Fury:
Muzét
Support SkillSupport Warp (Can warp up to the enemy by quick-stepping forward. Can also warp-jump by inputting a jump in the middle of a warp. Can also warp-backstep by quick-stepping back) Support Shift Linked SkillsDexterity & Spirit III (+15% Dexterity & max TP increase) Dark Guard (+15% Dark resistance) Aerial Jump (Enables the ability to Double Jump, increasing mobility) Aerial Force (+10% damage to airborne enemies. Stacks with "Sky Soldier" for a total of +35%) Aerial Bind (Airborne enemies stagger 25% longer from your attacks) Resolution (+1% max TP restored for each enemy defeated with artes) OverviewFor Ludger, or any Physical character at all, I think Muzét is the best partner, by far. Her Linked Artes are mostly hit or miss, but the Warp more than makes up for it. Not to mention she gives Ludger the same mobility options that Milla gives him (barring "Safe Landing"), on top of all that. Linked ArtesDistortion Blade: Meteor Raid: Sniper Barrel: Hard Chain Reaction: Tempest: Malignant Gravity:
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Post by UnheardPhantasm on Feb 13, 2015 23:37:03 GMT -5
Ludger's Ultimate Form: The Chromatus Activated by Pressing L3+R3 with at least 1 stock of the "Chromatus Gauge"
After a certain point in the story, Ludger acquires the ability to transform into the fearsome Chromatus, making him far more dangerous, and nigh-invincible to his enemies for a brief period of time. You can think of this as an advanced Overlimit or "Super Mode" for Ludger. Though there are some key differences and skills to elaborate here, to avoid confusion and help those struggling what to do with this mighty form, I will list them below.
Just like Overlimit, there are 4 stages of this form that are unlocked as the story progresses, each one more powerful than the last. As per usual customs, he acquires new abilities each form, as follows. Level 1. Initial abilities: Ludger materializes a "Chromatus Dimension" leaving him to fight solo against enemies, in this state he has infinite HP/TP/AC. Getting hit in this state takes time off his "Chromatus Gauge" instead, shortening the amount of time he can stay in this state. Level 2. Ludger's attack power increases, and can now his Mystic Arte, Form Destroyer (using Grand Cleaver as the Arcane Arte). This is the ideal form, as your attack power can justify the loss of Ludger's versatility a bit more, and using your Mystic Arte doubles as an "off-switch" if you want to end Chromatus early. Dual Waltz gets slightly improved in this state, supposedly having less recovery time. (I will test this at a later date) Level 3. Ludger's X attacks deal twice the amount of hits, and his Artes as a whole now have the same upgrade as Dual Waltz, allowing Ludger to chain his Artes way more easily than he could before. Level 4. All attacks have their recovery time reduced and stagger time increased even further, as well as an obvious attack power increase. Transforms Dual Waltz and Form Destroyer into Endless Waltz and Eternal Waltz, respectively. By taunting, you can double the amount of time he stays in this mode, once per transformation.
Now one last thing before I get into the Artes. You'll notice that a lot of familiar names here. This was the game's idea of consolidating his 3 weapons under one form, something I feel wasn't very well implemented. Also, half of these Artes are activated through a combo command instead of the more conventional means we are used to. An interesting idea, but one that only further limits this form. The biggest thing that keeps this form viable imo, would be the fact that it freezes the Power Combo gauge, allowing you to keep the combo going longer if you know how to combo with this form. Also the fact that you can transform after anything, even Mystic Artes or you getting hit. This form also does not factor in your equipment into its stats, nor does it have any attributes, so its really lacking outside of a Power Combo. For that reason, I'd advise always having one up before you transform, if you can help it. Now to get into the Artes.
Azure Edge (Input: O)
This variant of Azure Edge is a lot more enforced than its sword counterpart, dealing multiple hits and pushing back, wile knocking down if used in the air. That said, its the first of two aerial-enabled skills he has. This move also has a pretty large blast radius when he uses it in the air, it can hit some enemies behind him as well as blow back any enemies that aren't heavy or knocked down. Dark Projection (Input: ^+O)
The second of the two aerial-enabled artes the has in this state, and oddly, this move is taken from a Linked Arte between him and Elize, as opposed to an Arte he can do on his own. This move is a great starter once you transform, as he warps to the enemy and dives down, all in quick succession. This move can even catch them after Mystic Artes > Chromatus Cancel, allowing for some really long chains. Upon use, Ludger bounces the enemy as he dives back a bit, you can easily catch off of this with an air >X, Azure Edge, or simply landing, dash cancel, and doing an X Chain. Falling Snow (Input: </>+O)
I'm saddened that it's not aerial-enabled here, nor does it have its Reverse Variants, but its still Falling Snow to its core, and therefore its still an amazing Arte. Everything I said on Regular Falling Snow in the Twin Swords section applies here. Zero Divide (Input: v+O)
Another Attack that stays true to its form, however this variant suffers from really long Startup outside of Lv3/4, and you may find a hard time fitting this into your combos in those cases. This version has the added effect of spreading into multiple shots to hit all enemies, while still dragging them to you like it normally would.You can use this in conjunction with Falling Snow, or sidesteps to get your target out of the corner or into a more favorable position. Yet again, this Arte suffers from not being Air-enabled. Heatwave (Input: L1+</>+O)
Just like its Pistol version, or Zero Divide above it, this move has a very long range, and receives an upgrade in this form. Instead of being one burst of fire damge, it stays as a pillar for a second, lifting enemies in the air, allowing for some interesting versatility in his movelist. Unlike Zero Divide, this move doesn't suffer from bad start-up time, coming out at around the same speed as its Pistol equivalent. Power Swing (Input: XO)
This Arte is noteworthy for being Jump Cancelable (with strict timing) in the later stages. Outside of that, using this, or most of the autocombo Artes will cause your combo to end. Fun Fact: You can loop this on some bosses to safely stall out the Chromatus time, only really noteworthy in Lv1, where you cant use an MA to manually shut it off. Hexentia (Input XXO)
This is the more prefered of the two jump-cancelable autocombo Artes. This once can actually be combo'd after, outside of Lv3/4. Unless they tech out after it, you can catch with a Falling Snow or Zero Divide and keep the combo going. It also has an AoE, so it can keep mooks off of you who'd wish to disturb or shorten your combo. This move's animation resembles Sanctuary. Edge Crusher (Input: XXXO)
One of my favorite non-MA finishers in this game, Ludger steps back after coiling the enemy in with his spear. It knocks the enemy back a fair bit, but you can keep the combo going with an Azure Edge or Falling Snow. Its an example of a good finisher and combo part, while being simple and doing what it needs to do. This move's animation resembles Lunar Reflection. Apocolyptica (Input: XXXXO)
Ludger Strikes the ground, emitting a shockwave that staggers and knocks down everything on the field. The AoE king. No one can escape its wrath. It does good damage, and if you want to end your combo while making sure you at least tag the other enemies, this move is what you'll want. Now outside of Level 4, do not expect to combo after this thing. Enemies have a large tendency to recover right after getting hit with this, not to mention the recovery time. In Level 4, you can keep a presence on all enemies by using Zero Divide right afterwards, provided they don't tech out. This move closely resembles Beastial Cry, and if so, makes it the second Arte based off a Linked Arte in this list. Dual/Endless Waltz (Input: XXXXX; Lv1-3=Dual Waltz, Lv4=Endless Waltz)
This move, well its pretty self-explanatory. You strike the enemy multiple times while advancing forward, with the last hit knocking down. You can combo after this with relative ease, and it can serve as a nice ender of sorts. You can actually manipulate your movement during this move by moving the analog stick during the animation, causing Ludger to go off axis a bit in the direction you're influencing. That said, I haven't found a way to make this useful as it usually just drops your combo. Grand Cleaver (Input: L1+X)
Ludger hurls the Lance of Will, causing it to pierce through all foes and retract to him after a brief period. This is Ludger's only Arcane Arte in the Chromatus' Arsenal, and it does an ok job at what its supposed to do, really its just there for activating your MA, and its fast enough to do that without worry of dropping your combo. Outside of that, you can use it if you want to add damage on from a distance, but you have skills and other artes more suited for that type of stuff. Form Destroyer/Eternal Waltz (Hold X after Grand Cleaver; Lv2-3=Form Destroyer, Lv4=Eternal Waltz)
These are essentially the same Arte with different animations and damage multipliers. This serves as the penultimate finisher, and in most cases, if you've done this arte after a successful Power Combo, whatever you hit will be decimated. IMO Form Destroyer looks cooler, but has the downside of less combo potential for not using the superior Lv4. But really, the move will destroy anything it touches regardless. One last thing I want to cover before I close the Chromatus Section is something people may not know about, skills. Because the Chromatus separates itself from Ludger's 3 weapons, and limitations of the game system, it could be assumed that most skills don't apply to him in this state. I mean, Equipment doesn't, so its easy to think this way. Not all skills affect him though, since many (like the Second Artes skills) cater to a specific weapon, like the Hammer. I'll briefly go over some skills that may change or further enhance your Chromatus playstyle below. Note: There are more skills, but the rest are just general stuff like increased drop rates for items, etc.
Chromatus-usable skills Break-In (Increases Transformation Time by 10 seconds, assuming you don't get hit), self-explanatory for making the absolute most out of your combos and such. More time = More hits, damage, and time to be flashy. Chromatus Drive (Chromatus Gauge fills twice as fast when you have less than 30% HP) Not actually a Chromatus skill as it only applies outside of Chromatus, but it still affects the Chromatus itself, so its worth noting. Kresnik 1 (Increases Transformation Time by 5 seconds) Same reason as Break-In. Kresnik 2 (Chromatus Gauge depletes half as fast when you are in mid-air) Kresnik 3 (Turns your Front Steps into warps to the nearest enemy) Its like Muzet's Support Warp, but only for Front Steps. Maybe counterproductive in some positioning purposes, but its overall a good skill that closes the gap and creates new combo possibilities. Overdrive (Taunting causes the Chromatus to deplete half as fast, just like Lv4. However, you can get staggered from attacks) Same reason as Break-In/Kresnik. Jump Cancel (Can cancel attacks by jumping) Chromatus has varied air normals to make up for his linear ground normals and limited aerial game, so this skill is esseintial to get them to chain. Quick Drop (Can transition instantly to the ground by holding v while in midair) While I am still testing the waters with this skill (s/o to Vik for showing me the versatility it provides) I can say that this skill works in Chromatus as well. Despite having limited aerial capabilities, his few moves do have just enough hitstun, even in the lower levels, to at least use successfully. Assault Step (Front Steps deal damage with slight hitstun) Stacks wonderfully with Kresnik 3, allowing your Front-Steps to reinforce your combos with a healthy stagger rate, while offering great mobility. Long Step (Increases Front/Backstep distance) Only noteworthy if you don't wanna use Kresnik 3, as it overrides Long Step's effect. Reconnaissance (Scan an Elite Monster's weak points when you hold R1) Good in those cases where you're fighting said enemy and you wanna dig in even more damage. And that's about all I wanted to cover here. Hopefully if you got something out of this, you can use the Chromatus a little bit better than you could before (with the appropriate amount of practice, of course). I know that its a little daunting, seeing Ludger in such a limited state, but there is still potential to be found here, and that is what I wanted to convey. I suggest getting Chromatus Lv4 from the Grade Shop so you can practice with Ludger at his best. And with that, I'm ready to close up this guide.
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Post by UnheardPhantasm on Feb 13, 2015 23:37:45 GMT -5
Conclusion & Special Thanks Conclusion: Will be written when I can say that i'm done with the guide (for the most part).
Special Thanks to: You for reading this, especially anyone who gives/gave me feedback to improve the guide Frubam for helping me obtain Twin Lotus Just_Samu for providing the Attribute renders and quality tips Neyla on Tumblr for the skit faces (http://neylakiiroisenkou.tumblr.com/) Abyssal Chronicles for letting me post this guide here Julius Will Kresnik for being free Uncle Erston for not killing me Tiger Blade
Homura & Vik for being butts
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Post by Viktor Forslund on Feb 14, 2015 12:27:02 GMT -5
Nice work. Other than a few spelling derps here and there which I assume will be corrected in due time, I can't really think of anything important to add. Maybe add a little note under Falling Thunder that it always takes the same amount of time for Ludger to travel, no matter high up/far away he is from the target?
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Post by UnheardPhantasm on Feb 14, 2015 20:41:52 GMT -5
Thank you. I will add that to the Falling Thunder Notes when I can put the full thing up.
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Homura
Half-Elf
I am a witch now.
Posts: 19
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Post by Homura on May 27, 2015 0:38:22 GMT -5
This is kinda making me want to play as Ludger now.
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Post by UnheardPhantasm on May 27, 2015 1:10:22 GMT -5
Haha...my plan is working! I will make an army of my fractured selves, and then Trigleph will be safe from the evil Chronos!
lol I kid. Hopefully this info serves some substantial use to you.
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Homura
Half-Elf
I am a witch now.
Posts: 19
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Post by Homura on May 27, 2015 1:37:05 GMT -5
Haha, well, it'd have to wait til I get a new cable for my controller, though :P I have some ideas for combos with Luds, but I don't have the memory to learn all my moveset and use said combos xD
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