Tales of Xillia 2 Guide 1 Game System Game System
Use Links to Team Up With Allies
Use the left, right, or down directional buttons to choose a link partner. Likewise, press the up directional button to sever links. Linking with characters allows Ludger to build affinity with that partner. Non-linked partners will auto-link with each other; you can turn this on and off in the Strategy menu. For example, if you want one character to be the link boss who receives the benefit of things like support abilities, set them to Link Often and their potential partner to Do Not Link.
Benefits of Linking
Linking provides the following benefits.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Support | Player character receives benefits of partner’s support ability. |
| Critical AC Bonus | When either character scores a critical hit, both receive an AC bonus. |
| Normal Attack Changes | When playing as Jude or Milla and attacking a surrounded foe, certain normal attacks change to become more powerful and make scoring knockdowns easier. |
| Linked Artes Gauge | When linked, you fill up your Linked Artes Gauge. When your Linked Artes Gauge fills to a certain point, you’ll be able to use Linked Artes and Over Limit. |
| Link Skills | Skills that have a green-colored icon share their effect among both characters in a linked pair. If both characters have the skill set, the effects will stack. |
| Ailment Sharing | When a character acquires an ailment, whether beneficial or negative (except for KO and stun), it will affect both characters. |
| Recovery Sharing | When an arte or item refills a character’s HP or TP, 25% of that recovery is shared with their partner. Effects that cure ailments cure them for both characters. |
| TP Sharing | When a character chains a normal attack into an arte, each partner will pay half the TP cost of the arte. This is only true for the first arte in a combo. |
| TP Recovery Sharing | When an arte is chained into a normal attack, each partner will receive the TP recovery of using a normal attack. This is only true for the first normal attack in the combo. |
| HP and TP Sharing | When a character with 50% or more HP is linked to a character with less than 25% HP, the one with more HP gives an amount of HP equal to 15% of their Max HP to the one with less HP. The same is true with TP. |
| Damage Sharing | When a character is damaged, their linked partner loses HP equal to 25% of the damage. |
| Affinity Gain | After a battle, Ludger and his linked partner gain affinity. |
Instructing Your Linked Partner
Generally, the linked partner attacks the same target as your character, but if you press the directional button of your linked partner, you can change their AI pattern.
- Up to You: Attacks independently or with partner based on AI
- Act Together: Attacks alongside AI partner
- Act Freely: Acts according to AI set in Strategy menu
Basic Partner Actions
Unless set to Act Freely, your partner will perform the following actions:
Follow: Partner will follow you around battlefield.
Pincer Attack: Partner will attack your target from behind.
Cover Your Back: If there’s an enemy within a distance of about a single quick-step in the 180-degree span behind your character, your partner will switch to that target to protect you.
Spell Support: If you begin casting a spell, your partner will attempt to protect you from enemies who would attempt to interfere.
Block: If your partner is near you, and not under attack, and you’ve taken three or more hits from a foe targeting you, your partner will move in front of you and attempt to block the enemy’s attacks.
Stun Recovery: If you become stunned, your partner will attack you to clear the stun. This attack deals no damage.
Long-Term Linkage Bonuses
If you’ve spent a lot of time linked with a certain character (it does not need to be consecutively) certain link bonuses will power up. You can view the amount of time you’ve linked with each character in the Library menu.
| Benefit | Linked for 15+ minutes | Linked for 60+ minutes | Linked for 2+ hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recovery Sharing | Share 30% HP or TP | Share 35% HP or TP | Share 40% HP or TP |
| Damage Sharing | Reduced to 20% of damage | Reduced to 15% of damage | Reduced to 10% of damage |
| Ailment Sharing | Partner’s ailment duration reduced by 10% | Partner’s ailment duration reduced by 20% | Partner’s ailment duration reduced by 30% |
| Over Limit | Over Limit time increased by 1 second | Over Limit time increased by 2 seconds | Over Limit time increased by 3 seconds |