Etrian Odyssey Nexus

Controls:

• Analog Stick: Observe surrounding field; Navigate while drawing maps.
• D-Pad: Move on the field; Navigate while opening the menu.
• A Button: Confirm; Various controls while checking inventory/navigating at shop.
• B Button: Cancel.
• Y Button: Open main menu; Show buffs/debuffs in battles; Various controls while checking inventory/navigating at shop.
• X Button: Zoom/unzoom the map; Various controls while checking inventory/navigating at shop.
• L & R Buttons: Move sideways left/right on the field; Switch characters while checking equipment/navigating at shop.
• Start Button: Read the Back Log; Create a temporary save point (only works inside the labyrinth).
• Select Button: Read the Back Log.

Status:

• HP (Hit Points): Character is incapacitated when it reaches zero.
• TP (Talent Points): Required for performing skills and casting spells.
• STR (Strength): Increases physical-based damage.
• INT (Intelligence): Increases magical-based damage.
• VIT (Vitality): Increases physical-based defense skills.
• WIS (Wisdom): Increases magical-based defense and/or healing skills.
• AGI (Agility): Increases speed, accuracy, and/or evasion rate.
• LUC (Luck): Increases critical hits rate, and/or evasion, and/or status ailments rate, and/or binds rate.
• ATK (Attack): Base physical attack.
• MAT (Magic Attack): Base magical attack.
• DEF (Defense): Base physical defense.
• MDF (Magic Defense): Base magical defense.

Battle Screen Commands:

• ATTACK: Inflict physical damage based on ATK and STR stats.
• SKILLS: Perform skills whose damage/effect depends on their STR/INT/VIT/WIS/AGI/LUC icons.
• DEFEND: Reduce all physical and magical damage taken.
• ITEMS: Use any consumable items.
• MOVE: Switch character's position to front or back row.
• FORCE: Activate Force Skills.
• ESCAPE: Flee from battle. May require several times before succeeding.

Force Skills: A returning system from Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold. There are two options under this menu.

• Force Boost: Requires 100% Force Gauge to activate. Enables a 3-turn passive buff that doesn't consume buff slots and thus can't be dispelled. Afterwards, the gauge goes back to zero. Every command will recharge the gauge until it reaches 100%.
• Force Break: A powerful limit break that can only be activated during Force Boost state. It has a devastating effect, but using this will completely destroy the Force Gauge, meaning you won't be able to recharge the gauge until you return to town. Every class has its own Force Boost/Break ability.

Ailments and Binds:

Status ailments can mitigate or turn the tide of battle. There are 9 types of ailments with their own effects. Binds may be new for players unfamiliar with the Etrian Odyssey (EO) games. Most skills require a body part (Head, Arms, or Legs) to be performed. Disabling the right body part can prevent targets from unleashing deadly moves.

• Stun: Any action is cancelled for one turn.
• Instant Death: Instantly kills target. Incapacitated members won't receive EXP from battle and Adventure Result, can't activate any Gathering skills, and can't be selected to deal with certain events.
• Petrification: Unable to move, perform attack, and also evade incoming attack, but all received physical damage is decreased by 40%.
• Curse: Receives damage equal to half of the inflicted damage to the enemy, but only if the enemy isn't killed.
• Sleep: Unable to move, perform attack, and also evade incoming attack. Any attack will remove this ailment, but any waking up physical-based attack gets 1.5 bonus multiplier.
• Panic: Randomly attack one enemy, one ally, or self. Unable to evade incoming attack.
• Paralysis: Has a chance to cancel the inputted action, and if cancelled, unable to evade incoming attack.
• Poison: Receives constant damage at the end of the turn. Poison damage can't be mitigated by any means.
• Blind: Decreases accuracy and becomes harder to evade incoming attack.
• Head Bind: Decreases INT-based damage; can't perform any skills that use the head.
• Arm Bind: Decreases STR-based damage; can't perform any skills that use the arms.
• Leg Bind: Decreases AGI, unable to evade incoming attack, unable to escape from random encounters, and can't perform any skills that use the legs.

The Hero class in Etrian Odyssey Nexus excels at creating Afterimages, which act as additional attackers. For solo or smaller parties, the Hero can quickly fill the team with Afterimages using skills like Mirage Sword. To amplify damage, rely on Brave Heart or Heroic Bonds. Brave Heart, when activated, makes an army of Afterimages particularly effective with counterattack skills like Shogun’s Front Command, as their damage is amplified. The Hero also benefits greatly from Shogun’s Great Warrior buff, which enhances all of the Hero’s attack skills. The Hero's tankiness allows them to be a primary target for enemy aggression. To consistently meet the HP requirement for Heroic Bonds, consider party healers like Medic or War Magus, or party-healing skills such as Sovereign’s Royal Veil, Arcanist’s Circle Boon, or Harbinger’s Atonement.

For an early build, prioritize learning Afterimage and Mirage Sword as soon as possible. Unless you have other skills to speed up Wide Bravery’s all-enemy targeting, it’s not recommended to invest in it early on. Before facing the first boss, learning Clear Mind is beneficial for removing ailments and binds. Afterwards, focus on Heroic Bonds and Mirage Sword to maximize the Hero’s benefits.

Hero skills are generally front-loaded. They are versatile, so it's important to decide the role you want the Hero to play. Investing in Afterimage is always beneficial. Start with at least 1 point in Afterimage and perhaps 1 or 2 in Mirage Sword, especially if the front row is already filled with melee characters, as Mirage Sword is a ranged attack. For random battles, 1 point in Wide Bravery is recommended. Also, invest 1 point in Encourage and Heroic Bonds for light healing and speed/damage boosts. Level up Encourage and Heroic Bonds as you progress. Any spare points can be put into Afterimage. Note that maxing Afterimage and Brave Heart guarantees Afterimage creation. Frigid Slash 2 can be useful as it’s a prerequisite for the next tier and offers good value. If the Hero is playing a more defensive role, Physical Shield should be prioritized over attack skills.

A recommended starting build includes 1 point in Mirage Sword, 1 point in Physical Shield, and 1 point in Encourage. Physical Shield can be ignored if you do not plan to use a shield.

Hero Skills

Force Boost

• Brave Heart: Increases Afterimage creation chance by 50% and amplifies their damage by 2.35 for three turns. Bonus damage only applies to self-created Afterimages and does not stack for Afterimages created by other Afterimages.

Force Break

• Miracle Edge: Deals cut damage and recovers HP. May over-heal up to 1.75 of maximum HP until the end of the turn.

Passive Skills

• Afterimage: Has a 50% chance to create an Afterimage with 100% HP when any attack skill is performed. Requires an empty slot. Afterimages disappear on the next turn after creation, when the user dies, or if they are moved to the back line (though they still deal damage without penalty). Does not activate for follow-ups or counters.
• Encourage: Recovers HP if any attack skill is performed. Does not activate for Links, follow-ups, or counters. Triggered by skills performed by Afterimages.
• Heroic Bonds: Increases user’s attack by 20% and action speed by 1.35 if the party’s average HP is above 75%. Works well with Wide Bravery due to its low action speed.

Attack Skills

• Mirage Sword: Deals cut damage and has a 65% chance to create an Afterimage by 65% after use. Requires equipping a sword.
• Wide Bravery: Deals cut damage. Targets all enemies if the target does not act before this skill. Requires equipping a sword.
• Frigid Slash: Deals splashed cut and ice damage. Requires equipping a sword.
• Physical Shield: Deals bash damage using the shield’s DEF stat multiplied by 3 instead of the user’s ATK. All party members gain 30% physical damage reduction until this skill is used. Requires equipping a shield.

Heal Skills

• Clear Mind: Cures all ailments and up to 3 binds if the user is suffering from any. Also recovers some TP. Cannot be used if the user is not suffering from ailments or binds, and TP recovery is negated if the ailment or bind is cured before activation.

Field Skills

• Chop: Has a chance to obtain rare materials at any chopping point.

Stat Growth

• HP: A
• TP: B
• STR: B
• VIT: A
• WIS: A
• AGI: B
• LUC: E

Possible Equipment

• Sword
• Heavy Armor
• Light Armor
• Shield

The story of Etrian Odyssey Nexus kicks off inside the Flying City of Maginia. A woman, later identified as Persephone, the princess of Maginia, commands the airship to find the Lost Islands of Lemuria, a lost archipelago since eons ago. After fighting off against the storm, finally the aforementioned region is discovered, along with the Yggdrasil Tree as the main target of the expedition. Maginia has invited many brave adventurers who want to participate in this dangerous exploration, and you are one of those guilds who responded the call.