Now that you’ve got the characters you want to start with, here’s a quick breakdown of the game’s combat system and the Idola system.
▍Idola Combat Explained
Like every game, Idola has a rock paper scissors system. Fire (Red) > Wind (Green) > Water (Blue) > Fire (Red). The fourth element Earth (Yellow) is not affected by other elements but will receive and deal more damage to other Earth element units.
■ Basics
The actual combat system, despite having a UI that is incredibly similar to FGO, is more of a typical JRPG command-based system. Each turn, players will be able to set commands for individual units. Commands will include using basic skills, using active skills, and activating Elemental Blast (Blast). Basic Skills has no cost requirements, meaning at the beginning of each stage, players will most likely be using basic skills. As more turns are played, players will receive Elemental Charges. Each time a unit attacks, a charge is gained. Additional charges will be gained if the unit attacks a unit it has an elemental advantage over e.g. a Fire unit attacking a Wind unit.
■ Active Skills
As charges are gained, Active Skills will become available to use. So you can think of Charges as Mana. Requirements for active skills varies depending on the individual skill, some skill will require more elemental charges some will require less. Once the requirement is met, players will be able to use them. Active skills do not use any elemental charges but will have a cooldown depending on the individual skill.
■ Elemental Blasts
Finally, Elemental Blast. Like active skills, Blasts will also have an Elemental Charge requirement. Again, the requirement will vary depending on the individual skill. The only difference between Blasts and active skills is that Blasts will use up Charges. Blasts do not have cooldowns but will require players to collect enough Charges before being used. Multiple Blasts can be used in one turn, given the player has enough Charges to activate them.
■ Law & Chaos Reverse
Nearing the end of the tutorial you’ll unlock the reverse feature. What Reverse does is simply swap between your Law Team and your Chaos Team. In addition to dealing damage, swapping between teams will have different effects. Swapping to Law will raise the defense of your team, whilst swapping to Chaos will lower the defense of your enemy, making you deal more damage.
To swap between teams, you will first have to have enough points. You gain one point per turn and can gain a maximum of three points. Reversing with more points will deal more damage, and the respective reverse effect will also be stronger with more points.
■ Additional Notes
Active skill requirements only need to be fulfilled at the beginning of the turn, meaning you can use a Blast and an active skill of the same element from different characters in the same turn despite the Blast using up Charges. The same cannot be done with Blasts.
▍Idola
At Chapter 1-7, you’ll summon your first Idola. Idola are massive constructs created based on the leader of your party. Depending on the individual unit and their element, the Idola will take different forms. Currently, only the natural 5★ characters have unique Idola forms. The stats of your Idola depends on the overall strength of your party.
■ Idola Battle
Idola Battles are like raids. You will face off against Idola summoned by other players. Each battle will only last for a limited amount of turns. Players will have to deal as much damage as they can in the available turns. In addition to attacking, players can also summon their own Idola. The summoned Idola will be summoned for five hours. During the five hour duration, other players will attack your Idola, you will gain points for every successful wave your idola defends against.
Occasionally when summoning your Idola, a Rare Idola will be summoned. Rare Idola looks exactly the same as normal Idola but will deal additional damage.
■ Idola Battle Combat Breakdown
When participating in Idola Battles, players will be working together to take down player summoned Idola. Players will fight the Idola individually but will contribute to the overall progress.
During the battle, there are a few things to take note of. Asides from the obvious element, there will also be a marker on the HP bar of each part of the Idola. Dealing enough damage to reach these parts will result in exposing the Idola Core. The core takes extra damage, so saving up your Blasts for the core may be a good option.
