A lot of RPGs these days like to throw a plethora of numbers and stats at you without properly taking the time to explain what anything actually does. While it’s tempting to just gloss over your characters’ stats, without properly understanding them, it will help you a lot more if you did.

Thankfully, if you poke around with your stylus on the Equipment or Status menus, you can learn exactly what each stat does. Obviously, there are a lot of stats, but you don’t need to keep track of all the nitty-gritty details all the time–instead, try to focus on the most important stats for your playstyle.

Page 1: Stat Values¶

The first page details the stats that primarily influence the flow of battles. Most of the time, you’ll only need to check this page to judge how your character will fare.

By the way, if you’re viewing this page from the Status menu, the game will also display the character’s innate values in brackets (unaffected by job and equipment).

The most complicated part here is the varying Physical Attack values your character can have depending on the weapons they have equipped in their hands. One-handed weapons such as swords, lances and axes will be equipped in the character’s right hand by default.

However, you may also choose to equip another one-handed weapon in the character’s left hand . Doing so will halve the attack power of each weapon, so don’t think you can double your damage by wielding two weapons. But if you have the Ninja’s Dual Wield ability, this penalty is negated.

Furthermore, two-handed weapons such as bows, pistols and knuckles must be equipped in both hands . Two-handed weapons are considerably stronger than one-handed weapons and do not incur a penalty, but you’ll be unable to equip a shield.

Finally, the Knight’s Two-Handed ability also allows for certain one-handed weapons (basically the long ones) to be equipped in both hands. Doing so will double the weapon’s attack power, effectively making them comparable to standard two-handed weapons.

Page 2: Base Values¶

The second page details the underlying stats that influence the Stat Values and more. Slightly annoyingly, some of the terms here aren’t very well explained–if explained at all. But we’ve got you covered!

There are a couple of key points here that we should mention, since the game neglected to do so.

Firstly, the character’s hit count affects the number of hits during conventional attacks (when you choose the “Attack” command in battle). The higher the hit count, the more number of hits and thus the higher the damage inflicted.

What’s not immediately obvious is that Aim has a factor in the number of hits. Sometimes you’ll notice your character dealing less hits to the same enemy–this is because the enemy has evaded some hits. If your character has high Aim, you’ll find their number of hits more consistent.

Last, but not least, speed is very important and the game makes little mention of this. Characters with higher speed will act earlier in battle–and often it can be crucial to get your moves in before the enemy does. As such, always keep in mind your characters’ speed and try to boost it if possible.

Be aware that there’s a random factor , which can cause characters with slightly lower speed to occasionally move before characters with higher speed. This factor can be reduced or even negated if the speed gap is high enough–otherwise, you’ll just have to live with it.

Page 3 and 4: Immunities and Resistances¶

The third page lists what status ailments your character is immune to, because of equipment or abilities, etc. If any immunities are present, that’s wonderful as you won’t be inflicted by those ailments!

Likewise, the final page lists your character’s resistance against the game’s seven elements: Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind, Earth, Light and Dark. If you resist an element, you will take half damage from it; if you nullify an element, you take zero damage!