Final Fantasy XIII/Combat

The battle system in Final Fantasy XIII is a new one, but not that much of a departure unless the last game by Square Enix you played was Kingdom Hearts or The World Ends With You. If you're having trouble with what's what in battle, read on. If you're not, skip this.

Stagger
The stagger bar is the bar at the corner of the screen. You'll notice that when members work together and make chains, attacking the enemy non-stop, the bar will start to fill with orange. If the bar fills up orange all the way, your enemy will go into Stagger mode. Stagger can sometimes be considered a life-saver in battle, and, when versing stronger bosses, may be your only hope to getting the enemy's health bar down. This is a big opening for you and your team because now, every time you attack your enemy, your attacks do much more damage to the enemy. The enemy may also be weaker in stagger--they may freeze or their attacks might just be weaker. While in Stagger mode, the orange bar starts to go down. This is a countdown to how long the enemy will be in Stagger mode. Take note that, when an enemy is just about to perform an attack that may be life-threatening to your team, when entering Stagger mode, the enemy's attack is always stopped. Stagger is a very important factor in battle. Also take note that Ravagers increase the stagger bar the fastest and Commandos stop the bar from decaying too quickly. A combination of a Commando and one or more Ravagers is always the best way to get your stagger bar up. Not the only way, but the best way.

Paradigm Shift
There's a Paradigm system in Final Fantasy XIII that can only be used when your characters have already turned l'Cie. Basically, these are just like roles for your characters, and each have different strategies behind them. You absolutely have to know the paradigms inside and out for the tougher battles, as it's impossible to make it past a battle with no strategy. If you're doing a battle with three people (which is the maximum all the time for one party) you might want to try the paradigm "Relentless Assault", which consists of one Commando and two Ravagers. If you're in a situation where everyone in your party needs healing, you might want to try "Discretion", which consists of one Commando and two Medics. On the other hand, there's a chance your party will have two people. "Slash & Burn" (one Commando, one Ravager) or "Dualcasting" (two Ravagers) would be fit if there isn't a high risk of a party member dying. "Yin & Yang" (one Ravager, one Medic) or "War & Peace" (one Commando, one Medic) would be fit options for you when your party is in danger. Paradigm shifting is crucial to battle outcomes, and also something the game doesn't let you forget. It may seem a little complex at first but, after a few battles, you should get used to it. Through the main menu, you can also customize your own paradigms and add them to the Paradigm Deck. There are many possibilities, and a paradigm perfect for every occasion.

Below is a table of roles to help you with what options to make when paradigm shifting. When paradigm shifting, there may be a better choice or worse choice, but there's never a right or wrong choice. How you fight and your battle style are entirely up to you. Choose a couple you're comfortable with, add them to the Paradigm Deck, and you're ready for battle.