Dark Law: Meaning of Death/Abilities

KEY: M indicates that a skill is used through the menu: select the "skills" tab of the character submenu of the "status" tab, then select the required skill to  use it.
 * indicates that only one character needs to learn the skill.
 * 1) is the same, but the character must also be in the lead position to use it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Critical       "Hit rate up" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cross Attack   "Sword skill knowledge level 2" Once you have this skill it will kick in randomly when you attack normally (i.e. not using Swordmaster or Hit & Way). A Cross Attack is more powerful than any of the Swordmaster attacks, but may not occur as often. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Discount #     "Sometimes buy items at discounted prices." You can do this anyway, but the skill may make it easier. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dispel *M      "Release items from ancient curses." You can have items released for free at the temple, but this might be of use in the middle of the Sealed Labyrinth. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hit & Way      "Attack and simultaneously evade." To use this skill, hold down the direction opposite to that in which you are facing while making a melee attack. Sometimes you will then jump a long way back after striking. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Judgement *M   "Identify unidentified items." Much cheaper and more convenient than the shops, but be careful - from time to time you'll make mistakes, which can result in your getting cursed. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jump *         "You can jump over things to a certain extent." There aren't many places where this skill is useful, but they do exist. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Magic Barrier  "Protects against magic damage." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mental Barrier "Protects against magic status attacks." Appears to make a character immune to poison and numbing. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Overpower      "Attacks sometimes thrust enemies away." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Restore Lute *M "Play music that restores HP in the middle of dungeons." I have a feeling this doesn't work outside the Sealed Cave/Labyrinth, but I haven't tested this thoroughly. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Scroll         "Memorise spells in order to use magic." Required to buy, research, or use magic. This is probably a priority; attack magic isn't very useful, as most of the stronger enemies have high magic defense, but healing spells are cheaper than potions. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Shoot          "Hitting the enemy with a projectile weapon becomes easier." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Slash! "Certain kill sword skill" I believe this works the same way as Cross Attack. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Swimming *     "You can cross over streams, lakes, etc." I don't know of any places where this skill is useful, although it does have an effect. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Swordmaster    "Sword skill knowledge level 1" As with Hit & Way, Swordmaster is used by holding down a direction while attacking. Hold forwards to use a horizontal slash that works well with swords; hold left to use an overarm smash that works well with blunt weapons; hold right to use an underarm swipe that works well against armoured enemies. These directions are relative to your character, so if, for example, you are facing right, you would press the "up" direction to use the overarm smash. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Trick Guard    "Ability to ward off enemy attacks skillfully." Causes enemy attacks sometimes to damage the enemy instead of the player character. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Unlock #       "Investigate the shape of the key that opens a door's lock." Essential in the Sealed Cave/Labyrinth. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Abilities are learned when you level up, but rather than being attached to your level they seem to be learned according to the number of enemies a character has killed. There also seems to be a random element. The remarks about random elements in the section above on stat changes probably also apply here.

There are values in the ROM which seem to be related to the learning of abilities. More investigation is needed to work out precisely what they mean, though! Here are a few examples: Traveller: [Scroll] 6 Hunter: [Shoot]  7 [Jump]         8 Thief: [Hit&Way] 6 Guardian: [Shoot]  7 [Swordmaster]  5 Poet: [Scroll] 7 [Restore Lute] 6 It looks as though, for example, a Traveller will learn 'Scroll' sooner than a Poet (which surmise has been strengthened, but not proven, by experiment).