This is targeted toward people on normal or easy that just want to get through the game.
Reducing Aura
The primary gimmick of the game is the aura that enemies throw at you. To check the aura weakness, target an enemy with an attack and you should be able to check the enemy's status screen from there. If you don't have an aura's weakness available, your best bet is status ailments and debuffs. Skills, items, and even talismans come with a variety of stuff to help you with this.
Rule of thumb for aura damage:
- Weakness: 3
- Ailment: 2 per ailment (yes, this gets really good)
- Other damage types: 1
It is helpful to cover for character's offensive holes using items; for instance, Ramizel doesn't have good magic damage options, so giving her a Lightning Bomb would help her out. Also bear in mind that a lot of bosses have ailment resistances, so not everything you try will work. But enough does work that you can expect to see them take ailment aura damage consistently.
First Boss
I'm not gonna suggest much synthesis for this. All you need to do is make Lightning Bombs; you do not need to make 'em special, but if you can get Inflict Paralysis and Slows Movement, you're gonna be better off. Ailments are powerful in this game. For equips, store bought and chest found junk will do. If you want healing, use Healing Elixir.
The rest of the game
First, these are the traits I recommend. To get these, you will want to visit Illusion Vale and gather a bunch of flowers. If you have not found Illusion Vale (it is optional), you go to Near Forest > Misty Garden and take the west exit.
It has way better traits than anything else you can gather at that point, and you should find a lot of the traits you need easily. It is especially useful to get traits on White Flowers, as they go directly into White Neutralizer, and you can put three at a time in.
- Weapon
- Sharpen the Edge (or similar trait that boosts damage or skill damage)
- All Stats Supercharge (ATK-DEF Supercharge x DEF-SPD Supercharge)
- All Stats Boost (ATK-DEF Boost x DEF-SPD Boost)
- Armor
- All Stats Supercharge (ATK-DEF Supercharge x DEF-SPD Supercharge)
- All Stats Boost (ATK-DEF Boost x DEF-SPD Boost)
- Life Force (Swelling Power x Overflowing Life)
- Accessories / Talismans
- All Stats Supercharge (ATK-DEF Supercharge x DEF-SPD Supercharge)
- All Stats Boost (ATK-DEF Boost x DEF-SPD Boost)
- Life Force (Swelling Power x Overflowing Life)
Overall, I recommend starting with armor and adding pieces as you go through the game as needed, with weapon being the least important piece. As duplication is expensive, it's up to you whether to duplicate ingots/cloths and redo synths, or to grind out the money and duplicate your end result.
Making Cloths and Ingots
You've noticed that I basically recommend stacking stats, but your cloths and ingots are part of that process. I recommend making equipment no earlier than the Moffcloth and Silvalia tiers. If you do it at this point or later, the equipment should last the rest of the game. For any ingot or cloth, you will want to try to max the first two effects. These will be "Gear Synth" effects, and using them during the synthesis of any equipment will increase their stats. And yes, using multiple does in fact stack, so use as many of these materials as you can. The components that you will see on the bottom two effect lines -- they're nice to have too, but not as important.
Do not worry about quality. You will be fine whether your equipment is 30 or 999.
You're going to want to put your traits on these materials, and you will likely need to fuse a trait or two during the process. So here are some helpful synth loops and tips:
- Any Neutralizer -> Refresh Oil -> Alchemic Coal -> Red Neutralizer
- Refresh Oil -> Multicolor Dye -> Yellow Neutralizer
- Red Neutralizer (add Fuel) -> Pure Water
- Refresh Oil -> Pure Water
- Green Neutralizer (add Gases) -> Alchemic Coal -> Red Neutralizer
- Yellow Neutralizer (add Stone) -> Silvalia
- Neutralizer -> Leather -> Moffcloth
- Red Neutralizer (add Fuel) -> Ingot
The Add (Category) effects are very useful, as they allow you to use your items in more recipes.
Recommended Equipment
- Armor: Yarn Coat, Scrap Armor, or better
- Weapons: Literally whatever takes silvalia or better
- Accessory: Gnade Ring. Don't worry about maxing effects; the first of each line is completely fine.
- Talisman: Lustrous Talisman (early game) or Destructive Talisman (late game). Both of these reward blocking attacks with aura reductions.
I do not generally recommend going for too many effects. Typically, go for the first row effect, any HP, DEF, or Skill Damage you see, and the rest is just "nice to have".
Healing
- Breezy Aroma
- Tremendous Healing (Ample x Terrific Healing)
- Multi Bonus
- Awakening Heal (from Horns)
This item is made significantly later than the others.
This is an item that will hit either the front row or the back row. Awakening Heal turns it into a revive item as well. Further, you want Activate Split or higher (third row, second effect) and at least Soothing Aroma (first row). This means using the restricted panel during synthesis (the holes in the board). Be sure to have a catalyst of at least size 6x6 with Components Divided (fourth row). Activate Split makes Breezy Aroma into a useful timecard, giving a free second heal.