TROUBLESHOOTER: Abandoned Children

TROUBLESHOOTER: Abandoned Children

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Several Tips for Advanced players
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This guide aims to explain several mechanism that lacks in-game explanation.
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Abilities that allows limited actions are wasted if you recover action points.
Abilities that allows limited actions("Serial Fire", "Hit and Run") will be wasted if you recover any action point.

For example, suppose Ray with "Hit and Run" activated kills an enemy and triggered "One Shot One Kill". Then, the effect of "Hit and Run" would be just overwritten by "One Shot One Kill".
Ability priority of certain reactionary attacks that aren't limited to one ability
Some reactionary attacks, like those from bond, aren't limited to one ability.

In this case, they are determined by hidden priority that is assigned to each ability. While it is currently hidden, it generally follows ability order that is shown in class change menu(from left to right).

This is similar to ability order shown in mission, but there are some exception when it comes to abilities that are added by items or masteries. They are assigned low priority compared to innate class abilities. For example, Ray's basic spray attacks is given by her weapon, so it has lower priority than Spray Shoot which is one of class abilities.

However, abilities that are currently unavailable to use are also unable to be used for reactionary attacks. You can use this to avoid unwanted abilities being used on reactionary attacks. For example, if you don't have enough vigor to use her class abilities in above example(Ray), she will use her basic spray attack for reactionary attacks.
Block Chance and Crit Chance
Block Chance reduces Crit Chance in this game.

For example, if the defendant has 40% block rate, it lowers Crit Chance of incoming attack by 40%

Supposing Original Crit Chance of the attack was 100%

- In game calculation will show you target having 40% Block Chance and 60% Crit Chance(100-40%)

- To score a critical hit, the attack shouldn't be blocked first.

Meaning there is only 36%(60% x 60%) chance of actually scoring Critical hit. 40% chance for
Block, and 24% chance of neither(just normal hit).

However, do note that conditions that check whether a critical hit is scored will ignore Block Chance(but not its penalty to Crit Chance). For example, chance of activating Magic Absorption in above case is 60%, not 36%.
Buffs that have maximum stack limit won't be renewed after they are capped
For example, 'Magic Duplication'(which doubles 'Concentrated Magic Power' at the start of the character's turn) won't be activated when 'Concentrated Magic Power' is at 25 stack(maximum cap). This means its duration won't be extended, and other effects that happen when gathering 'Concentrate Magic Power' or activating 'Magic Duplication' won't be triggered.

This seems to be changed.
Conditions mentioning 'before/after'
Conditions like 'after you move'/'the target whom you hit before'/etc would only take a place if other actions/attacks are not taken in between. For example, 'Wanderer'(which gives +15% Hit Chance after moving) only work once right after you attack. If you perform some other actions(even including those without consuming action points like 'Wind Walk') after moving, you need to move again to get the bonus. Similarly, 'Identical Target' works only on targets that got most recent hit from the attacker.
Cooldown of each ability doesn't reset when the character revives
When the character revives with Second Heart, Cheat Death, etc, cooldown of each ability doesn't reset. This means the mastery set 'You can't do anything' from Ranger is effective way to counter ESP-main bosses with Second Heart since they won't be able to do use ESP attacks when they revived because they have cooldown of each ESP attack ability increased.
Countering 'Berserk' of Machines
First, machines that got 'Shutdown' won't activate 'Berserk' even when the condition is met

Also, 'Berserk' of Machines would only ignore damage after the triggering ability is completely resolved

This means 'consecutive attacks' are effective counter for taking machines with 'Overdrive'.

For example, if 'Attack protocol' of Kylie would kill the enemy by the second hit, the remaining 4 hits will bypass 'Berserk' and kill it normally.

Damage from 'Bolt' mastery is considered to be activating during the ability process as well. In other words, 100 damage coming from 'Lightning Bolt' will bypass 'Berserk' triggered by the original ability, killing it.
Dashing Attacks and Position-related effects
Most position-related effects are based on position before the character perform dashing attacks. For example, 'Melee Combatant' mastery does not activate if attacker wasn't close to enemies prior to dashing attack.

However, Cover is one notable exception for this, meaning the target does not get advantage of any prior cover against Dashing Attacks.
Elevated Positions are mutually exclusive between an attacker and the target
An attacker and the target can not simultaneously share benefit of Elevated Position.

For example, Drakis with Flight(which always gives Elevation Position) will strip enemies' Elevate Position even they are on higher ground - meaning there would be no -10% Hit Rate penalty for attacking enemies on buildings.
Explanation of Magic Variety
Basically, you can count the number of different icon types from your masteries - like 'Black Mage', or 'Human'. This include those automatically equipped without being shown in mastery board - like individual mastery you pick when hiring or default class mastery. However, company mastery is exception - since it doesn't have category in contrast to each individual mastery having category like 'training', 'bloodline', etc.

Edit : Individual mastery is no longer calculated toward counts. Other default masteries(like Black Magic Circuit) still apply as normal.
Heavily armed adversaries and Criminal Organization
At the moment, only 'Heavily armed adversaries' are those wearing bullet-proof vests, like VHPDs.

Also, 'Criminal organization' mentioned in Sacred Sword(and other related masteries) actually includes Wanted Man and Spoonists as well as Criminals. In other words, this works on all listed human troublemakers. Of course, those unlisted in Troublemaker list(for example, VHPDs) might not be be included in this category.
Hidden feature of Massiveness(Countering Abduction from Yasha)
Yasha can't use Prey Fishing on those with massiveness. Thus, if you hate those pesky spiders abducting your characters, you should consider equipping massiveness on your characters.
Hit Chance / Dodge
There are several hidden factors for calculating Hit rate aside from usual distance penalty

1. Hit Chance Penalty for enemies is different from Dodge Chance Bonus

-20% Hit Chance for enemies are usually better than +20% Dodge Chance

Things that reduce Dodge Chance of enemies(like Prior Planning) doesn't work on former, and Dodge Chance can't be lowered below 0%.

Thus, don't be surprised when HIt Chance for enemies those on webs(-50% Dodge Chance) seems still lower - the actual Dodge Chance penatly of webs would be minimal to those who already had minimal Dodge Chance.

2. Cover

Cover actually gives Hit Chance Penalty rather Dodge Chance Bonus, thus they can not be lowered by masteries like Prior Planning.

Also, the penalty is halved if the attack type is Throwing, and becomes zero if the attack type is Fall.

This mean fall type attack abilities like Sion's Thunderbolt are particular useful to those in cover.

3. Smokescreen

The Hit Chance penalty does not apply to Throwing/Fall type attacks.

This mean fall type attack abilities like Sion's Thunderbolt are good counters for those hiding in Smokescreen.
Interaction among 'Always' Dodge/Hit/Block/etc
Currently, 'Always Hit' property has priority over 'Always Dodge". This means Cover Move or Lightening Reflexes does not work on 'unavoidable' attacks like grenades, and Lightening Reflexes will cease to function if the character is frozen or stunned(Cover Move still function in such state for an unknown reason)

However, 'Always Block' property has priority over 'Unblockable', meaning even 'Unblockable' abilities like 'Red Panda Formula 6 - Front Breakthrough' is useless against those who activated 'Final Resistance'.

Do note that 'Luck' is a special case - they ignore above properties except for 'Final Resistance' and Luck(If both the attacker and the target has 'Luck', the attacker got upper hand and both 'Luck' ends)
'Legendary' flag of a tamed beast is unchanged via evolution
For example, 'Big Rainbow Dorori' is a legendary beast. if you capture one from the mission, it'll get 'legendary' flag which restrict its summon only via hunter with 'Monster Taming'. However, if you capture 'Rainbow Dorori' and evolve it to 'Big Rainbow Dorori', it wouldn't have such restriction since it wasn't a legendary beast when it was captured.
Minimum Action time limit and "End of the turn" effects
Currently, the minimum action time you could achieve in one's turn is 36.

However, effects that specifically activates end of the turn(like "Best Condition") could bypass this limit since they are considered to activate after the turn has ended.
Most stats couldn't be lowered below zero
For example, 'The Curse of Wind' says it will decrease Wind Resistance by 666, but the one with Wind Resistance less than 666 to begin with will just have Wind Resistance at 0 after it was cursed.

Do note there might be additional restriction for some stats, but "Can't become lower than 0' is still applied in general.
Moving by effects are not considered as 'move' unless specifically noted otherwise.
Let's use 'Wanderer' as an example. This mastery gives +15% chances for attacks after moving.

This will be triggered if you move normally without using any abilities.

However, it won't be triggered by Dashing attacks or 'Wind Walk'-like abilities that move users to the selected area.
Overcharge only happens during the character's turn.
For example, 'Awakening Spray' fills one's SP 100%, but that doesn't mean the target get instantly overcharged. The character can still spend SP for some effects and thus lack SP to become overcharged when its turn starts.

Also, do note that SP-consuming effects that happens at the start of the turn(like 'Cauterize') could reduce SP beforehand, so the character might not be able to get overcharged even if it started the turn with 100%
Physical ability and ESP ability
Physical ability is an ability that has Damage Type as (Pierce/Slashing/Blunt).

ESP ability is an ability that has Damage Type as (Fire/Ice/Lightening/Earth/Water/Wind).

If Damage Type is somehow changed from physical to ESP, the ability is also changed to be ESP ability rather than Physical Ability. This means abilities like 'Calling on the Wind' can be used to counter Silence.

Do note that ability that does not attack can also have Damage type. For example, 'Constricting Root' does not leave target with any damage, but still considered as Earth ability(and ESP ability as well).

Similar effects stack additively unless noted otherwise.
For example, if both mastery A and B give +50% bleed chance, equipping all two gives +100% bleed chance.

The same goes for negative stacks. If mastery C and D give -50% cast delay each, equipping both would give -100% cast delay. Do note though there might be a cap for this. Equipping another mastery E that give -25% cast delay on top of this does not make cast delay -125%.
Starlight Prison doesn't make the character invincible
Starlight Prison doesn't protect damage from debuffs, so it won't make target invulnerable if target had debuff to begin with, however there are also ways to get debuffs after sentenced even if the target was perfectly healthy when you imprisoned it.

As per description, Starlight Prison only protects one from being directly affected from an ability(including attacks). This means aura ability like Raging Flame can still affect them(granting one burn debuff), and masteries like 'Frosty Wind'(give everyone frostbite near character when one ends its turn). Even ground effects can also affect the one in prison - like Electric field giving electric shock.

Therefore, be careful when you are using Starlight Prison to assist Giselle to tame a beast. Those kinds of effect can ruin your attempt, so check if any of these hazard factor exist before you use the ability.
"Status Effect" and "Debuff" are only ones that are explicitly mentioning the term in their description


Notice the difference between Sleep and Confusion, the former says it is "Mental Debuff" in description, while the latter doesn't mention such term.

Thus, Confusion is not one of "Mental Debuffs", meaning abilities like "Calling on the Stars" can not remove Confusion since the ability only remove "Debuffs".



Similarly, since 'Air Blast' here doesn't say it is "Status Effect" unlike 'Wind Veil', it won't be affected by 'Witch's Jealousy' which only removes 'Status Effect's
Summoning beast/drone will trigger Overwatch on summoned one
Summoning beast/drone will trigger Overwatch on summoned one. Basically, it is treated as the one being summoned moved to the target square.
Special Thanks for this guide
From a fan-made discord channel[discord.gg],

TargetPractice who inspired me to write this guide

Rappy, Left-Hand Rule , and Volandum who gave me an idea for some sections.
9 Comments
Nonsensei 1 Jan, 2022 @ 1:53pm 
Good guide, sussed out most of these mechanics myself but it's good to see confirmation on them. Especially the block pushing crit off the table and dodge reduction being borderline useless.
Fail Tank 8 Mar, 2021 @ 10:28am 
Ugh, that was it. Thanks!
Ordering  [author] 7 Mar, 2021 @ 8:28pm 
@Fail Tank

I think you equipped 'Magic Explosion' mastery set which doesn't discriminate between physical or ESP attack.
Fail Tank 7 Mar, 2021 @ 12:17pm 
This may be a dumb question, but are you sure physical and ESP attacks are tagged based on their damage type? I ask because Red Panda Kick does blunt damage only, but scales off both ATK and ESP, and it consumes Concentrated Magic Power stacks even though its damage type is strictly physical, and CMP is "removed when you use ESP attack ability".
Towerdepths 21 Jul, 2020 @ 9:24pm 
@Lawlman Griff

It may be possible that you were using a multihit attack such as Spray Rain, which only displays the damage for one of its multiple hits. This can mean that blocked damage is still higher than predicted damage values.
Ordering  [author] 7 May, 2020 @ 6:11am 
@Lawiman Griff

Could you post that character build(like mastery, equipment) somewhere? Some masteries can affect damage after calculation, so I would want to check first.

Edit : I have an experiment with Darius who activates Final Resistance with Witch Anne. Her "Starlight Arrow" had 100% Crit Chance / 0% Block Chance on him, and dealt just normal blocked damage despite having 100% Crit Chance. I suspect there were other factor which doesn't come into damage calculation(like 'Headshot')
Lawlman Griff 6 May, 2020 @ 2:25pm 
I believe I have noticed instances where the 'Blocked' message popped up but I still exceeded projected damage for a normal hit, leading me to believe you actually can crit and block in the same attack, do you have access to the calculation showing this isn't the case?
Ordering  [author] 2 May, 2020 @ 9:35am 
@ PISTOLA DE ASSIS

Final Hit Chance is just (Attacker's HIt Chance) - (Target's Dodge Chance) after all modifiers are applied. However, Mercenary Sniper has many masteries that give them Hit Chance Bonus or the target Dodge Chance penalty.
braggi 2 May, 2020 @ 9:18am 
Any chance to know a given formula to the final dodge chance? e.g., Leton 110% dodge still being penetrated frequently by Skull's.