Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth/Battles

Battles are turn based and are initiated in the labyrinth either randomly, during an event, or by running into a FOE. The proximity gauge in the bottom right corner of the top screen indicates when you will encounter a shadow. It gradually changes color from blue to red.

Formation
Your party and the shadows are arranged in a back line and front line. When a front line is eliminated, the back line automatically moves forward. The damage from melee attacks to the back row is reduced. Melee attacks from a back row cannot reach the other back row. Ranged attacks do not have a penalty.

Commands
At the start of each turn you can pick from the following commands for each character.
 * Attack
 * Normal attack with character's weapon.


 * Skill
 * Use a persona's skill.


 * Leader Skill (leader only)
 * Use a navi skill that costs a certain amount of the party gauge.


 * Orgia (Aigis only)
 * Deal double damage with Aigis, but suffer cool down after a few turns.


 * Item
 * Use an item.


 * Defend
 * Reduce damage and cannot be knocked down.


 * Move
 * Change position in formation.


 * Escape
 * Chance to flee battle.

Boost
If a character exploits a shadow's weakness or performs a critical hit, they will go into a boosted state. The next action will not cost any HP or SP while in a boosted state. When a character is hit or after one turn, they lose their boosted state. The more characters in a boosted state at the end of a turn, the greater chance they may perform an all-out attack. All characters in the party will attack all shadows. Rarely, a character may also perform a follow-up attack.

Affinities

 * Physical
 * Cut
 * Bash
 * Stab
 * Elemental
 * Fire
 * Ice
 * Elec
 * Wind
 * Instant Kill
 * Light
 * Darkness
 * Other
 * Almighty

Status Ailments
Characters may suffer various status ailments during battle. The following are temporary and will end after battle.
 * Sleep
 * Cannot act and takes increased damage. Once hit will wake up.


 * Panic
 * Will not follow commands. May attack allies.


 * Paralysis
 * Chance of not acting. Cannot dodge attacks.


 * Poison
 * Take damage at end of turn.


 * Curse
 * Take damage whenever attack.

The following persist after battle.
 * KO
 * State when character health is 0.


 * Petrification
 * Cannot move or act. Will take decreased damage.

Binds
Binds are similar to status ailments. Characters may also suffer from them during battle. These effects are temporary and end after battle.
 * Agility Bind
 * Unable to escape battle or dodge attacks. Reduces hit rate.


 * Magic Bind
 * Reduces magic and prevents magic skills.


 * Strength Bind
 * Reduces normal attack damage and prevents physical skills.

Rewards
At the end of battle, experience is rewarded to non-KO and non-petrified characters and their equipped personas and any items dropped from shadows is claimed. Depending on your performance in battle, you may also receive a persona.