Traysia/Battles

When you are drawn into a battle, you'll start with your party at the bottom of the field and the enemies at the top. You then input each character's commands and the round of battle begins. Fans of Shining Force or the older Ultimas will recognize the type of battle engine being used. The commands are simple enough, use to confirm a choice and  to cancel and back up. The sword icon is attack, the staff icon is magic, the helmet icon is move/defend, and the boot icon is run. Those familiar with RPGs probably know what these mean and how to use them, but you may still want to read the following explanation because it contains valuable info about the battle system that is unique to Traysia.

Sword Icon - Attack
Select this icon, then place the cursor over the enemy you want to attack.
 * You must have a weapon equipped to be able to use this command. If a character doesn't have an equipped weapon, they won't be able to choose the attack icon.
 * Each character has a limit to the ground he/she can cover when approaching an enemy for an attack (except for Bellenue; she can't move during an attack). Roy and Banegie can move four squares per turn, Magellan can move five, and Floyd can move three. If the targeted enemy isn't within striking distance after moving as far as possible, the attacking character's turn will end and they'll be left vulnerable. To avoid this, know the limit of each character's range, and remember that just because the game lets you select a specific enemy to attack, it doesn't mean that you'll be able to reach that enemy.
 * If a character targets an enemy for attack and the enemy dies before the character's turn to fight (this usually happens when another character kills the enemy first), the character will just walk (unguarded) to the spot where they would have attacked from. Try not to let this happen often.
 * If one of your characters somehow ends up in the line of fire of another character, remember that your characters can't be harmed by each others' attacks.

Staff Icon - Magic
Select the magic icon if your character has learned spells and choose the name of the spell you want to use.
 * Most offensive magic spells are projectiles, so instead of choosing a specific enemy to attack, you just have to aim the spell in the proper direction. The spell will hit only the first enemy it comes to, not all enemies in its path.
 * Projectile spells have an infinite range; they can go all the way across the screen.
 * The spell caster cannot move - they must cast from where they stand. Always get in the proper position before using magic.
 * Just in case you're not familiar with RPGs or the concept of magic points (MP) in video games, note that each spell will use up a certain amount of MP. Don't waste MP by casting when you don't need to, and make sure to use restoratives or visit a doctor/inn if your MP get too low.
 * As with regular attacks, your characters cannot be hurt by each others' magic spells.

Helmet Icon - Move/Defend
Choose this icon to move your character to a different place on the field while defending - or just leave him/her where he/she is and defend.

This command makes battles easy almost to the point of being unfair. First off, as long as the defending character has a shield and decent armor, they will almost never take damage from enemy attacks while moving/defending. Also, it has an unlimited range: as long as there are no obstacles in the way, a defending character can move all the way to the other side of the field in a single turn! There are countless ways you can use the move/defend icon to your advantage during battles.

Boot Icon - Run
Having a character choose Run will use their turn as an attempt to escape the battle. If successful, all members will flee and the battle will be over. If unsuccessful, nothing will happen, and that character's turn will simply be over.
 * As you may suspect from reading that description, having all four characters choosing run will quadruple your chances of escaping. All it takes is for one character to be successful and the battle's over for everybody. As far as RPGs go, escaping from battle doesn't get much easier than this.
 * Also, unlike some RPGs (most notably Square ones), there is no penalty for running from battle.

General Battle Tips
The mechanics of Traysia's battle system are very simple and formulaic. If you keep the following rules in mind, you'll be able to fight much more efficiently.
 * Perhaps most importantly, you should remember that if Roy dies, it's game over! Unlike most RPGs that end when you lose all members of your party, Traysia ends as soon as Roy goes down. So, make sure his protection and safety is your first priority in battle. If he's low on HP, don't hesitate to send him across the screen to defend while the other three party members duke it out.
 * When a character moves (either while defending or attacking; it's the same for both), he/she always uses the Y axis (up and down) first, then the X axis (left and right). So, if you want a character to move to a spot that's up two spaces and over three, they'll always start by moving those two spaces upwards.
 * There is absolutely no AI involved in character movement. If an obstacle is in the path of a character, that character won't make any attempt to move around it; they'll just stop and their turn will be over. The same thing happens if another character is in the way. So, be sure to read the previous tip as well as the next so you'll know how to ensure that no one and nothing is blocking your character's path.
 * The way characters' turns are determined by their speed points (SP). Check your characters' stats from time to time so you'll know when each fighter's turn will come in battle. Remember, you can count on your party members to act in the order of the highest SP to the lowest. Enemies have their own SP values, and if you're fighting strong enemies, they will most likely get the first chance to attack in battle.