Fatal Strikes

Learn how to perform Fatal Strikes in Tales of Vesperia! Discover how to trigger them, the bonuses they provide, and enemy resistances for maximum Grade, EXP, LP, and item drops.

Hey there! So, you've probably noticed those special attack prompts popping up during fights in Tales of Vesperia. Those are called 'Fatal Strikes,' and they're super important for getting the most out of your battles. Not only can they instantly take down regular baddies, but they also dish out serious damage to bosses. Plus, landing them boosts the Grade you earn, and using the right type can even bump up your EXP, LP (that's your weapon skill experience!), and your chances of getting sweet item drops.

Here's the deal: every enemy has three gauges in addition to their HP – red, green, and blue. You'll see these colors correspond to the 'Artes' (your special moves) each character has. By using Artes that match an enemy's gauge color, you chip away at that specific gauge. Once a gauge is completely depleted, a colored glyph will appear over the enemy. Hit the 'Fatal Strike' button then, and BAM! You've pulled off a Fatal Strike.

The color of the Fatal Strike you land can give you some neat bonuses after the fight. Want more items from a human enemy? Go for a green Fatal Strike. Need more experience? Aim for a blue one. The table below breaks down which color gives which bonus for different enemy types:

It's also worth noting that enemies have different resistances and weaknesses to these Fatal Strikes. This doesn't affect the damage or bonuses, but it can make it easier or harder to actually trigger the Fatal Strike in the first place. For instance, bird enemies are tougher to hit with blue Fatal Strikes (they resist them), but they're easier to hit with red ones (they're weak to them). This next table shows you those resistances:

Keep an eye on those gauges and try to chain Fatal Strikes during combos – the more you chain, the bigger the bonus you'll get. Mastering these will make a huge difference in your playthrough!