Tales of Arise has two types of things that one could refer to as skills – one is specifically called Skills and the other is called Artes. Artes are what this series regards as magical spells. There is literal magic in the game such as drawing up gusts of wind but there are more elemental assisted attacks such as wind being imbued in a sword attack. If someone has watched anime, which the Tales series is very much influenced by, then this should make sense.
Artes can be unlocked in battle or through a grid with Skill Points. Like experience points, Skill Points are gained through battle and especially side quests. Players can unlock new Artes or passive boosts such as AAA, which makes it so players can survive a death blow. There are a lot of good Artes to unlock in the grid but let’s focus instead on these passive Skills in the world of Rena in Tales of Arise.
Updated January 6, 2022, by Tom Bowen: For anyone who's actually played it, Tales of Arise winning Best RPG at The Game Awards 2021, probably didn't come as too much of a surprise. With its fantastic story, well-realized combat, and beautiful visuals, many consider it to be the best Tales game to date and a great entry point for those unfamiliar with the series. The combat can take a little bit of getting used to, however, as too can the process of unlocking skills. This guide will therefore focus on the best early-game skills in Tales of Arise in an atempt to help ease new players into things.
12 Increased Down Damage
Before anything else, players should focus on improving Alphen's evasion, but once that's all taken care of they'll be able to begin improving his attack. Increasing his Max AG and Weakpoint Damage is a good start, but players will likely find that Increased Down Damage has the biggest impact on the hero's potential DPS.
Players can purchase the skill for 340 SP after beating Balseph at Glanymede Castle and unlocking Alphen's Blazing Sword title. As its name suggests, the skill drastically increases the amount of damage dealt to enemies that have been downed and will come in incredibly useful in Cyslodia and the underground tunnels that lead the party there.
11 10-Hit Boost Gauge Increase
Law is a lot like Alphen when it comes to combat; typically relying on speed and strength rather than the use of magic. With that in mind, his 10-hit Boost Gauge Increase skill can come in pretty handy, particularly for those who opt to control Law directly in battles rather than relying on computer AI.
At 640 SP, it's a little pricey to unlock, though is definitely worth it in the long run. In fact, several of the skills unlocked through Law's Prince of Iron Fists title (which itself is unlocked by using three Boost Attacks in battle) are useful, particularly Increased BG at Battle Start and AG Restored Upon Enemy Defeat.
10 Increased Max AG
This skill allows characters to use Artes more in battle. Normal attacks don’t cost much but Artes cost magic points, or CP, along with AG dictated by a diamond-shaped meter. The more AG a character has, the more devastating Artes they can unleash.
Another good skill to tack onto this is Faster AG Recovery which naturally recharges the meter faster. Tales of Arise is less about executing that one strong attack and more about managing resources to unleash as many powerful Artes in close succession as possible.
9 Increased Weak Point Damage
Normal enemies don’t have weak points but most bosses, and bigger enemies, have glowing orange crystals attached to them. These are the weak points that sometimes take some effort to expose but are worth doing so.
Any damage done to this area is greater, obviously, but there is also a chance striking it will stun enemies. Having the skill Increased Weak Point Damage equipped makes it so damage will be even more devastating, which comes in handy for some of the more difficult side encounters and bosses.
8 KO Prevention
If a character falls during a battle in Tales of Arise, that is not the end for them. The party fight on even if the protagonists are knocked out, as the death of a character simply causes players to switch over to another fighter.
While that provides a nice option, what’s even better is the KO Prevention skill which allows characters to withstand death blows and heal for 1 HP. That may be enough to turn the tide of battle in desperate situations.
7 Faster Magic Charge
In Tales of Arise, players can switch between characters on the fly in battle, and each party member offers a new type of gameplay experience. However, controlling mages like Rinwell does come with some problems.
Casting magic is her main Arte attack, and Rinwell takes a while to charge. Faster Magic Charge then allows players to cast magic faster. Tack Arte Casting Mobility onto this so that players can run around while casting and suddenly mages become a whole lot easier to manage.
6 Easier Over Limit
The Over Limit is like Tales of Arise’s own version of the Limit Break from Final Fantasy 7. Characters can boost this meter in battle by doing various tasks and performing powerful attacks on enemies. Some of these attacks may be even greater than a combo Boost attack.
That’s why it is essential that players unlock Easier Over Limit as a skill as early as possible so that this meter charges up faster. It makes a significant difference in combat scenarios.
5 Increased Ailment Rate
Inflicting status ailments is not to be taken lightly in battle. A character like Shionne, for example, can help deplete enemy HP through Poison-type attacks or stun them to make it easier for the party to land hits.
Increased Ailment Rate makes it so that these status effects strike enemies more frequently. Players should also think about adding Increased Ailment Bonus Damage onto this skill to make sure attacks like poison will hit even harder.
4 Increased BG At Battle Start
BG stands for Boost Gauge and is a new addition to Tales of Arise for the series. Characters can perform special attacks, executed by hitting the D-Pad on the controller. Law, for example, can break through defense while Rinwell can cancel enemy magic attacks. These Boosts are a huge plus for battle.
Increased GB At Battle Start has the potential to grant players access to these attacks at the beginning of battles, which could make encounters go by quicker.
3 Increased Normal Attack Limit
This may sound like a boring suggestion but every opportunity counts in battle. What Increased Normal Attack Limit does is increase the combo rate of normal weapon attacks.
Normal strikes from Alphen’s sword are not going to be as strong as his Artes. However, as the Artes meter, the AG, needs to charge, players will need to buy time. Increasing these combo skills is a great way to keep nailing on the pain for enemies.
2 Recover
Recover is a simple skill that allows characters to recover after being knocked down by an enemy. Players just have to hit the R2 button and they will land gracefully as opposed to being treated to a dirt sandwich.
There is nothing worse in battle than being knocked down repeatedly and having to suffer through multiple recovery animations from the ground. Another skill in this same vein is Mid-Air Evasion which allows characters to evade while in the air.
1 Easier Perfect Evading/Guarding
If a player character dodges an attack at just the right time, they will gain a slowed attack of opportunity. It’s like how Witch Time operates in Bayonetta. Players can also perform blocks to gain this same effect.
The Easier Perfect Evading/Guarding skill widens the window of opportunity so that players don’t have to be exact on the draw in terms of timing. Evading and guarding might eventually become second nature, but this skill makes the learning curve a bit less steep while people are still coming to grips with the system.