Phantom Dust/Skill

These are the memory box entries from the video game Phantom Dust. See the Memory Box page for more info.

Skill Types: Attack
Attack skills cause damage to the target. The basic goal of battle is to use Attack skills and reduce your opponent's Health to 0. Note, however, that all Attack skills have counter Defense skills. Attack skills can be identified by their red-colored capsules.

Skill Types: Defense
To minimize damage, one must use Defense skills to repel enemy attacks. All Attack skills have a Defense skill that counters them. Based on its core effect, Defense skills can be grouped into types and are effective against an Attack-type skill. Defense skills can be identified by their blue-colored capsules.

Skill Types: Erase
Erase skills, as implied by the name, take away one or more of an opponent's skills, making them helpless. Skills are not the only things that can be erased. The opponent's Level or Status can also be erased. In a battle when an opponent is at an advantage, it is difficult to change the situation, but using Erase skills can drastically alter the situation. Erase skills can be identified by their purple-colored capsules.

Skill Types: Status
Status skills are used to increase, decrease, or change the standard status of Espers. The four basic qualities that can be changed are strength of attack, speed of movement, homing, and aura recovery speed. When these change, an icon will be displayed next to your Health bar. Some skills will prevent the opponent from restricting or locking onto you. Status skills can be identified by their green-colored capsules.

Skill Types: Special
Special skills are grouped together as skills that have unique effects that do not fit into the other skill types. Special skills can affect movement, restore status, affect button presses, or capture. Your battle strategies will greatly expand once Special skills are mastered. Special skills are identified as yellow-colored capsules.

Skill Types: Environmental
Environmental skills appear in aqua-colored capsules. Their effects are very different from those of the standard Attack and Defense skills. After using an Environmental skill, an environmental crystal appears at one's feet; it looks similar to a capsule. Only one crystal at a time is effective on the battlefield; therefore, when an environmental crystal is on the ground, if you try to use another Environmental skill its effects will not take place.

Skill: Target
The effective ranges for each skill can be categorized into short, medium, and long. Skills where the target is yourself are noted Self. Those where the target is the capsule are noted Capsule. The unusual skills that detonate or explode around you are noted Mine. Those that target everyone are noted All. For these latter skills, "all" includes the Esper who launches the skill. For skills that don't contain any of the preceding descriptions, their attacks are not defendable and cannot be dodged.

Skill: Aura Particles
The most important skill Aura Particle is captured from the Aura Particle capsule, which raises your Level. An Aura Particle is a very special skill; therefore, one needs to use caution because at times it is not included in the skills. For example, in most cases only three of the same skills can be included in an arsenal, but Aura Particles are different because they can fill up the arsenal if necessary. Also, unlike other skills, Aura Particles do not fit into any of the schools, and no other skills are similar to them.

Skill: Close-Range Attacks
Skills with short as their range are close-proximity skills. Psycho Knife (of the Psycho school) is such an example. When using these types of skills, your attack will home in on your opponent. Regardless of the target, these skills are effective against anything that is within range. That is why it is essential to make sure your partner is not within range when using these skills.

Skill: Explosion Type
Explosion-type skills, such as Photon Wave and Photon Burst (both of the Optical school), explode in a sphere centered around the attacker, causing any enemies within this sphere (aside from the attacker) to incur damage. This type of skill is most effective when you are surrounded by many enemies in close proximity, but it cannot be used defensively during close-proximity attacks.

Skill: Detonation Type
A Detonation-type skill of attack is different from the other Attack skills. Sensor Bomb (of the Psycho school) is an example of a Detonation type. Because these skills require being "set." they aren't immediately launched. The affected area, although very difficult to see, is indeed visible. One good strategy is to set these Detonation types near a target's spawn location. Erasing these skills before they are set off will erase the skill that was set. Also, attacking the area where the skill was set will also destroy the effects of that set skill.

Skill: Shell Type
Shell-type skills are the most basic of Attack skills. They are medium or long-range attacks and do not have a special icon notation that identifies them. Bullet of Fire (of the Nature school) represents a basic Shell-type skill that has a straight trajectory and is easy to follow. Although it is easy to hit a target with a Shell-type skill due to its straight trajectory, it is also easy to avoid because opponents can usually determine where it will land and either dodge it or use a Defense skill against it.

Skill: Arc Type
An example of an Arc-type skill is the Laser (of the Optical school), which has an arclike trajectory. Because the attack doesn't have a straight trajectory and bends, it can be used in place of Shell attacks in situations where the target is not in a straight line with you. Because the trajectory is arclike, it allows you to hide while still inflicting damage on the target. Due to its odd trajectory, however, it's difficult to master and, if you don't know the trajectory to your opponent, it is most difficult to hit your opponent if there are obstacles between you and your target.

Skill: Parabola Type
Within the Ki school, there are many skills of the Parabola type. The trajectory of these skills follows a parabola, and their attacks are especially effective when a wall or height differential exists between the attacker and the target. They may appear to lack in homing capability, but most are quite effective. Also, considering this quality, it can become a powerful skill.

Skill: Fall Type
Fall-type skills, such as Meteor (of the Nature school), drop from overhead onto the target. During battle, these skills are most effective when the target is at a higher elevation and is not within sight.

Skill: Crawl Type
When launched, Crawl-type skills, such as Root of Tree (of the Nature school), cause the shell to crawl on the ground to its target. If an object is in its path or if no ground is beneath it, this skill type becomes ineffective for example, if the case of the target being in the air. One benefit of this skill is that it is difficult to see the shell crawl along the ground, making it difficult for the target to detect its presence.

Skill: Attacks Objects
Skills that have the notation Object, such as Power or Psycho Kinesis (of the Psycho school) have the same trajectory as Shell types, but they use surrounding objects as shells. This makes it difficult for an opponent to predict from which direction objects will be flying. The amount of damage inflicted depends on the object, but the amount of damage outweighs the Cost to use the skill. Evaluating the battle situation prior to using these skills is critical, because not having objects around will make this skill useless.

Skill: Move Type
Tornado-type skills of attack (found only in the Nature school) have a very powerful knock-down effect. They have the same effect as the Crawl types; moving along the ground to the target unless there are objects in their way or there is no ground on their path to the target. Tornado types are not severe attacks, but when they reach the target, it is blown off the ground and then slammed back down, resulting in significant damage. To protect against Tornado types, dodge them, or use a Shelter-type skill.

Skill: Hole Type
When launched, Hole-type skills, such as Tremor (of the Nature school), show the area they will affect and then appear suddenly at the target's feet, either causing damage or affecting the target in the described way. The effects of Hole types are strong but easy to avoid. Once their timing is mastered, one should use these types in combination with other skills, or use them consecutively, to make a significant impact on the opponent.

Skill: Rain Type
Rain-type skills of attack assault the enemy over a duration of time instead of as a single assault. The area that will be affected by this attack is shown for an instant, and then the attack commences. If objects are above the target, these skills typically won't affect the target. Also, these attacks can be avoided by moving and counter attacking, but the only Defense skill that is successful against Rain types are Shelter types. Rain types are especially effective against opponents in a confined space or those ill prepared for such an attack.

Skill: Attack Cost X
A skill with Cost X means the amount of damage changes depending on how long its assigned button is pressed. An example of such a skill is Ki Cannon (of the Ki school). Although these skills can be used for the duration of the battle, it can take a long time to charge up these attacks. If this drawback can be compensated in some way by finding other means during this time, such a skill can be made very effective.

Skill: AttackSTR X
There are many skills with an attack of STR = X. To use these skills effectively, one must have a deep understanding and plenty of practice in battle. Some of these skills will change their STR depending on the status of the opponent. These skills can be used to reverse an advantage created by the opponent.

Skill: Barrier Type
The most basic Defense skills are the Barrier types. The effects of these skills can be seen in front of the Esper as they intercept attacks. Because they don't provide full body coverage, however, they are not the most secure of defenses, leaving the back unprotected if attacked from multiple angles at once. In such cases, it is essential to determine the directions from which attacks are coming to use Barrier types most effectively.

Skill: Reflection Type
Reflection-type skills of defense (found only in the Optical school) are similar to the Barrier types. This Defense type has a special quality. Attacks that are successfully defended will be reflected back to the attacker as long as the Attack strength is not more powerful than the Defense. These are only successful, however, against some attacks.

Skill: Shelter Type
Shelter-type skills of defense provide 360 degrees of protection against most attacks. Shelter types are by far the most effective of the Defense skills, but because their Cost is high these skill types should be used conservatively.

Skill: Absorb Type
Absorb-type skills of defense are similar to Barrier types, in that protection lies in front of the Esper; however, they are ineffective against close-proximity attacks. An additional benefit of Absorb-type skills is that the amount of damage inflicted on the target is converted to the defending Esper's Health or Aura or it sometimes destroys the skill used against it.

Skill: Brush Type
Brush-type skills are similar to Barrier types in that they protect against attacks in front of the Esper. When Brush types are effectively used as defense against close-proximity attacks, they will for an instant paralyze the opponent. Another difference is that when they successfully "brush" a Shell-type attack, anything in the way of the brushed skill will be destroyed.

Skill: Orbit-Change Type
Orbit Changing-type skills of defense protect an Esper by changing the trajectory of a blocked attack. Orbit-Changing types are most effective against Shell types and are ineffective against close-proximity attacks and Rain-type skills. Unlike Barrier types, Orbit-Changing types do not have a DEF rating, but they are strong and effective against any attack, with the exception of those noted above.

Skill: Orbit-Reversing Type
Orbit Reversing-type skills of defense (found only in the Psycho school) are similar to Orbit-Changing types, with the additional effect of reversing the attack back to the original attacker.

Skill: Tactics for Pierce
Defense skills that prevent the additional damage from Pierce effects have the notation Anti-Pierce. In most cases an Attack skill with Pierce of STR 8 against a DEF of 2 will break the Defense skill and add damage of 6, but when a Defense skill has Anti-Pierce it has effects similar to other Defense skills, where the Defense skill will be taken but the additional damage will not occur.

Skill: Type Erase
The most common effect of Erase-type skills is to erase the skills of the opponent. Because most Erase types are single-use skills, try to use them when they cannot be defended against. Note that erasing the opponent's skill does not lead to victory.

Skill: Erase Capsule
Among the Erase skills, those that erase capsules may appear to be useless. Although erasing the capsule might not affect your opponent, repeating this process will take away your opponent's skills, making them powerless.

Skill: Erase Level
Erasing the opponent's skills is not the only way to siphon your opponent's power. An effective way other than erasing your opponent's skill is to erase their Level. By taking away their Level, even if they have attack or defensive skills, they will not be able to use them. Even after some time they are able to recover their Level, but until then they have been at a great disadvantage.

Skill: Erase Status
There are times when an opponent uses a Status skill that decreases your attack ability, making it difficult to continue battle. When this occurs, one way to deal with the situation is to reset the status using an Erase skill. In most cases, this skill is often forgotten, but it is essential to have to close at hand.

Skill: Erase Environmental
Environmental crystals can be captured in the same way regular capsules are captured, but they cannot be captured until 15 seconds have passed since the Environmental skill was set. During this time, or if the crystal is hidden in an undisclosed location, the only way to counter this is to use a skill that erases Environmental skills.

Skill: Status Strengthen
The most basic of the Status skills are those that raise your basic attributes. For example, Heat (of the Nature school) increases the damage of your attacks by 1. With multiple uses it can be easily raised to +3. It's possible to raise the base attack strength for weaker attack skills by using Status skills.

Skill: Status Weaken
Some Status skills reduce basic attributes. It's best to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating such skills into battle because the results of lower basic attributes can have more significant effects than raising them. Such skills are usually used on opponents, but one strategy is to use them on your partner, lowering their attributes and then using a Status reverser.

Skill: Status Immobilize
Within Status skills, there are unique skills that prevent the target's movement or sets the lock-on of the target to yourself. These skills are not exciting, but by combining them with other skills, and depending on how they are used in battle, the effect can be astounding. Not fully appreciating these skills can cost you.

Skill: Special Movement
Some Special skills can change your location in an instant. This opportunity allows you to launch a surprise attack against your opponent. Such special movement skills not only change your position but can also be used to dodge attacks.

Skill: Special Restore
Within the Special skills, some skills will restore Health or raise Level. This doesn't directly damage the opponent, but it inflicts psychological damage because the opponent can't battle as previously planned.

Skill: Special Controls
Some Special skills change the opponent's button presses, making it impossible for your enemy to use his or her controller. Although only effective for a short period of time, the results are tremendous, because your opponent can't make split-second decisions or move as desired.

Skill: Special Capture
Within the Special skills, there are skills that alter how to capture, such as changing the ability to capture or changing the location of the spawn location. At first glance, these skills appear to be of minor importance, but learning to use them strategically can make a huge difference in a battle's outcome. Relearn (of the Optical school), for example, is a skill that revives a skill that has been consumed and returns it to your arsenal. By using this skill in an arsenal, other skills that can be used a maximum of 3 times can be reused multiple times due to this effect.

Skill: Special Reset
When preparing for a close-proximity attack, one needs to figure out how to get close to the opponent. Optical Camo (of the Optical school) makes it impossible for an opponent to lock onto you, making it difficult to identify your location. This hesitation provides an excellent opportunity to engage in a surprise attack.

Skill: Penalty
Self-sacrificing skills with Penalty will diminish your Health or Level regardless of whether or not the attack hits the target. This is typical of low-Cost skills. These skills are difficult to use effectively.

Skill: Requires
Skills with Requires means that the skill needs to fulfill requirements other than having enough Aura to use them. These requirements may be amount of Health or Level or number of capsules. These Requires, combined with understanding when to use these skills, make them challenging to use.

Skill: Inerasable Skills
Skills that can't be consumed are skills that can't be erased or overwritten. They are very effective because they eliminate the possibility of having that skill erased, but sacrificing the ability to capture other skills to that button can cause a huge disadvantage.

Skill: Auto-Capture Skills
Skills with automatic features are limited to Defense skills, where they automatically react and take effect based on the opponent's attacks. If there isn't enough Aura, however, to cover their Cost, such skills will not take effect. These skills are considered beginner skills because they protect against unexpected attacks; on the downside, however, if their unintentional use. If there isn't enough Aura, however, to cover their Cost, such skills will not take effect and you may become powerless.

Skill: Cost Increases
Cost-increasing skills are those skills whose Cost increases by +1 before every use. It is probably impossible to use such skills for an infinite amount of time but, rather, more feasible to use them several times and then dispose of them. Although such skills are listed as infinite-use skills, in real battle they are actually limited to several uses.

Skill: Effect Add
Not all skills are limited to inflicting damage. Skills with Add will also provide other benefits for the attacker. For instance, the Dhampir Claw skill recovers some Health for the attacker.

Skill: Effect Erase
The most common and useful additional effect of a skill is to erase the opponent's skills, Level, or Aura. Defense skills that erase any Attack skill they block are effective against attack because they are unavoidable.

Skill: Effect Freeze
An additional effect for some skills is Freeze. It invalidates the button presses on the controller of your opponent. For example, the opponent will be able to move but as long as the effects of the skill are active, the opponent will not be able to use any of his or her skills or capture any new skills.

Skill: Effect Restraint
Immobilizing movement is an additional effect that some skills possess. Paralyze Barrier (of the Optical school) is an example of such a skill. If the target doesn't have enough Aura to use a Defense skill, he or she will not be able to dodge a Restraint effect.

Skill: Effect Absorb
Successfully using an Absorb attack will increase either your Health, Aura, or Level at the expense of that of your opponent. For example, Dhampir Claw (of the Faith school) will take the amount of damage inflicted on the target and will increase your health by that same amount. Another example is before using this skill, if you increase your base attack powers, in one attack you can reverse the Health gap between you and your target. Also, if your target is defeated you will only recover the amount of damage incurred by your opponent.

Skill: Effect Poison
Poison is an additional effect that can damage your opponents when they try to use any of their skills. When Poison is in effect, each time the opponent tries to use a skill or capture a new skill they will incur damage of 1. During this time they can't effectively proceed with their plan of attack.

Skill: Retain
Even within the set of skills that have additional effects, those with Retain are unique. Regardless of whether the skill is successful or not the effect will occur. Within the Faith school, the skill Reincarnation is a single-use skill, but if you have enough Aura in your Level you can use it over and over again. Also, the regeneration of this skill is effective against an opponent's Erase skill.

Skill: Effect Pierce
In a normal attack and defense situation, when STR > DEF no damage will be incurred, but when a skill has additional effects the difference between the two numbers becomes the damage incurred. For example, when an attack without Pierce is used, if the attack is STR 8 and the Defense skill has a DEF of 2, then the Defense skill will be destroyed but no damage is incurred; however, when an attack has Pierce, the difference between the attack and defense of 6, this amount of damage is incurred by the target.

Skill: Effect Capture
There are skills with Auto-Capture effects. This is a unique effect among the additional effects; regardless of the success or failure of the skill hitting the target, when the skill is used the effect takes hold. It appears these skills have a different system than the other capture characteristics dominant in other skills.