Tales of Arise offers players the chance to dive into a visually stimulating world where each denizen has a gripping tale to tell! One of the characters that you are introduced at the game’s beginning is Alphen! In this guide, we’ll teach you how to play as Alphen optimally so that you can make the most out of Tales of Arise’s Protagonist!
How to Play as Alphen in Tales of Arise
There are a few key tips you need to keep in mind when learning how to play as Alphen in Tales of Arise. We’ve covered all that you’ll need down below to get you started. So, let’s dive right in!
Rely on Alphen’s Basic Attacks
Pretty underwhelming right? But trust Alphen to keep the enemy occupied in a flurry of attacks and combos enough for them to have difficulty in breaking out of it.
You can extend the basic attack of Alphen’s through the skill menu as well as to cause maximum damage output even when you are contributing to the Boost Attack meter through your Artes.
You can also take advantage of aerial attacks that Alphen can cause wreaking absolute havoc and if you are imaginative enough, you could combine Mirage’s Arte then smash them back into the ground to restart the assault once more.
Dodge to Survive
If you have experienced any soul’s inspired game then you know how vital dodging is for your survival plus, who doesn’t like to dodge every second to finally arrive at the back of your enemy and stab them there like any clever tactician?
Furthermore, everyone’s dodging animation is different and Alphen’s is arguably cooler but on a technical field, dodging in the nick of time will cause Alphen to spin backwards in order to create more ground between him and the enemy.
Once you attain Counter Edge, you will find it easier to time your dodges than most characters whilst increasing the damage output as well, so you don’t waste time in continuing your attacks. Learning on the time will do wonders for you and to be honest, you need it since Alphen will reach critical health a lot so you need to avoid damage as much as you can.
Blazing Sword
Like with any powerful artifact or power, it comes with a catch. Once you progress the story a weapon by the name of Blazing Sword will be unlocked for you. Although it deals massive amounts of damage, it also drains Alphen’s health in response making it easier for his health to reach critical levels if you are not being careful.
This may alarm some people but if you progress through the skill tree then you will be able to charge your Blazing Sword attacks effectively turning Alphen into a Glass Cannon! Following Arte attacks, you can really get creative with the variety Blazing Sword attacks offer and the trick here is to understand which Arte corresponds with a specific Blazing Sword attack. The first one you get is Infernal Torrent which comes after Arte Swallow Blade. See the pattern?
When the skill is unlocked, you can charge it even further to allow for more damage output. Be wary, once your HP reaches 1, you can’t use these attacks anymore so the gist of his kit is to trade off health in order to deal damage. So, it’s either you use these charged attacks as a final resort or as a tactical decision, it’s up to you but be mindful when using it.
Arte Combos
How high can this damage roller coaster go? By chaining your Arte Combos with your Boost Attacks or Mystic Artes of course! It takes practice since, at first, it’s pretty awkward to chain your Artes together so what you can do is to find combos that complement each other for example, some combos work well to juggle enemies on the ground while some launch enemies into the air and hold them there.
There are plenty of Artes to discover but it’s best to experiment with the few you have been given in the early hours of the game especially since all you need to focus on is dishing out damage and surviving to tell the tale.
One of the most effective combos you could count on is Swallow blade following up with a Rising Phoenix only to finalize it with a Mirage.
It’s a simple Arte Combo that you can add, onto the length, through your Soul Meter. It will basically start with a quick attack, launch the enemy into the air only to unleash a basic attack midair before smashing them onto the earth with Mirage. Even though your aerial attacks may not launch heavier enemies into the air, you will jump up regardless of those aerial flurries.
Boost Attack
Now that you have some knowledge of Alphen’s move set you will be delighted to know that he has a Boost Attack that can be triggered. He is quite a powerhouse as you may have noticed, his Boost Attack is crucial because it causes Break on enemies and it’s important when it comes to attacking gargantuan enemies.
With all Blazing Sword Attacks, Alphen’s Boost Attack will drain a bit of health but it’s worth the risk as to cause the Break status to catch the enemy off-guard allowing you to unleash hell on the enemy
Kill or be killed should be the motto of any Alphen expert.
