Skill System

As with other games, skills exist to provide additional effects for a cost. Unlike other games, in order for the skills to be ready to use again, they must be charged up.

Skill Charge System

In order to ensure skills can be chained more readily while still making them distinct in their place, multiple methods have been created to charge them up. I chose the charge up method (like a super) over time based cooldowns as a means of encouraging active combat.

Performing standard or heavy attacks will fill up the energy of all the skills of the active character and a small portion to allies off field. This is the primary method. A secondary method is using skills where a portion of the energy spent goes to the other skills.

Skills will have varying energy requirements which means they can be categorized into certain categories like support, extenders (for combos), finishers (high damage, high energy cost), debuffers, etc.

Skill Combo System

Allies in your party that are not KO'd can also be summoned to use a skill assigned to their switch key, allowing you to use their abilities with lowered risk and being able to easily combo into attacks that would normally have high endlag.

Allies summoned this way have similar invincibility to that of dodging meaning attacks that ignore dodging can put them at risk of damage.

Skill Traits

Each skill, both player and enemy, have various traits that differ one another but interact with the combat system in unique ways keeping both sides on edge.

Traits include:

If hit sequences can bypass dodging, blocking, or both
How much poise and stun damage the hit sequence can do
Can the attack be interrupted by a parry
How resistant is the caster to being staggered while using the skill
How likely the skill can be casted even when under Silence

These traits help on the design end to determine what is the expected player response and counter to these skills? Would it be easier to parry or silence the move to disable it?