The action-combat-system in CrossCode is fast-paced and diverse.
Aspects of Combat[]
Combat Actions[]
There are four basic actions that are used in combat:
- Balls for ranged attacks
- Melee to bash nearby enemies
- Dashing to quickly dodge attacks
- Guarding to block attacks that are too fast to dodge
Any one of these can be augmented through the use of Combat Arts, which are powerful special abilities cast using Special Points.
Element Modes[]
Switching Element Modes gives the player a number of Stat and resistance modifiers and elemental attacks, as well as granting access to the Circuits and Combat Arts unlocked on that element's Circuit Tree, often providing a substantial advantage in combat.
Combat Rank[]
The maximum Combat Rank
Defeating enemies fills the Combat Rank bar at the upper right of the screen. When this is filled, your Combat Rank increases by one, beginning at D and progressing to C, B, A, and finally S. When there are no aggressive enemies left in the area, there is a period of approximately five seconds before combat ends, during which time attacking another enemy will allow you to maintain your Combat Rank. Trying to open the Menu will skip this period and immediately end combat, and you won't be able to look at the map while in combat, either.
The main effect of Combat Rank is increasing the chance of enemy drops, with some drops only able to be found at all when at high combat rank. S Rank causes the music to change and for particle effects to appear onscreen for the duration, and for enemies to respawn dramatically faster, allowing players to maintain their rank much more easily.
The drop rate of all items from enemies is modified by Combat Rank as follows:
- C: +10%
- B: +25%
- A: +50%
- S: +100%
For example, a Hedgehag normally has a 12% chance to drop Metal Needles when killed. At Rank C that becomes 13.2%, Rank B makes it 16%, Rank A makes it 18%, and Rank S fully doubles it to 24%. The drop rate displayed in the Monster Fibula assumes that the enemy dies at Rank D, so an item that only drops at Rank S will always have double the listed drop rate.
Combat Rank is disabled for certain fights, including bosses and all enemies inside dungeons. If no Combat Rank is displayed, enemies will drop items as though it's Combat Rank D.
Healing[]
A standard health pickup
While Lea quickly regenerates health outside of combat, regaining health during combat is more difficult. The primary method is by eating Sandwiches using the Quickmenu. It is also possible to equip Circuits and Equipment that offer HP regeneration. In addition, enemies may drop health pickups. Large waves of enemies commonly drop health pickups after a certain number have been defeated, and Bosses always drop health when reaching certain HP thresholds.
In some cases, such as certain temple fights with several waves of enemies, combat will be permanently active even without any aggressive enemies being present, which is to stop the player from quickly recovering health. Recovering health slowly with natural regeneration and such is still possible, however.
Trivia[]
During early access, making high Combat Rank cause enemies to become more difficult was considered, as was Combat Rank decreasing slowly over time to discourage continually avoiding enemies in order to regenerate health. These ideas did not end up being implemented.