Action combos are used to replace actions in a sequence of actions.
Action Combos #
Action combos are set up in Battles > Action Combos.
An action combo consists of stages – each stage is part of the overall action sequence that make up the combo. If a combatant selects an action, the combatant’s action combos will automatically check and progress the stages based on the used action, and optionally replace the selected action with another action.
E.g.: An action combo has 3 stages: Attack > Attack > Attack
The 3rd stage replaces the used action with an Ability, a special attack.
When the player uses 3 base attacks in a row, the 3rd base attack will automatically be replaced by the defined special attack ability.
Action combos are used automatically without the player having to do anything beside using actions that are part of action combos.
Stages #
A stage defines at least one required action and an optional replacement action. Multiple stages make an action sequence.
An action combo always starts with stage 0, i.e. it’ll only enter the action sequence when one of the required actions of stage 0 is used. A combo’s action sequence progresses automatically by using one of the required actions of a stage.
Stages can optionally only be available for a defined amount of time. If the combatant doesn’t use a required action within that time, the action combo’s progress is reset. How the available time decreases is defined by the Decrease Time setting in the action combo’s Base Settings.
- Always
Always during a combatant’s turn. - While Choosing
While the combatant is selecting an action. - While In Action
While the combatant is performing an action.
Required Actions #
Required actions are required to enter the stage. One of the defined required actions has to be used to to enter the stage, and the action combo has to be in the previous stage in order to enter the next stage.
If the combatant uses an action that is not defined by the required actions or the available time runs out, the action combo’s progress is reset.
Replacement Action #
The replacement action is optional for a stage, but it’s the core of the action combo system. Whenever one of the required actions is used and triggers the stage, the replacement action will be used instead of the required action.
E.g.: A stage has the required action Attack (being triggered by the combatant’s base attack) and an Ability replacement action (the ability Strong Attack).
When the stage is triggered by the combatant selecting the base attack as the next action, it’ll automatically be replaced by the replacement action Strong Attack.
Replacement actions will only be used if the combatant is able to use it, e.g. knows the ability and meets the use conditions (use costs, etc.).
It doesn’t matter how the required action is selected – battle menu, control maps or battle AI – when a combatant selects an action to be performed, the action combos will check their stages and replace the action if needed.
Adding Action Combos #
Action combos can only be used when they’re added to a combatant.
Combatants #
You can set up default action combos that are available for all combatants in Combatants > Combatants > General Settings in the Attack & Abilities settings.
Each individual combatant can add to the default action combos or replace them completely.
Schematics #
Schematics can be used to add, remove and check action combos of a combatant.
Additionally, schematics can reset the stage of all action combos of a combatant.
Tip: Shortcut Slots #
You can also use Shortcut actions, i.e. use any action that’s stored in shortcut slots of a combatant/group. This allows the player to change action combos by simply changing assigned shortcuts.
Shortcut actions define which shortcut slot will be used as required actions or replacement action of a stage. When the player changes the action placed in the shortcut slot, the combo’s required/replacement actions also changes.
Learn more about shortcut slots in this documentation.