Leia: The Nurse

Leia Rolando, once a spirited childhood friend of Jude and aspiring journalist, has found her calling as a dedicated nurse in Tales of Xillia 2. While her combat style retains elements of her staff-wielding agility from the first game, her focus has shifted, making her an invaluable support character. This guide will help you maximize Leia's potential as your party's primary healer and item-user.

Combat Role and Strategy

Leia excels at keeping the party alive and well-stocked. Her unique "Item Steal" ability, combined with her healing Artes, makes her a versatile asset. Prioritize her in your party composition when facing tough bosses or extended dungeon crawls where resource management is key.

Key Artes and Usage:

Healing Circle: Leia's bread-and-butter healing Arte. Use this frequently to maintain party health. Upgrade its effectiveness through the Lilium Orb as soon as possible.
Spirit Surge: A decent offensive Arte that also recovers TP for Leia. Use it to chip away at enemies while conserving her own TP for healing.
Pow Hammer: A quick, single-target physical attack. Useful for interrupting enemy casts or finishing off weakened foes.
Binding Strike: A powerful physical Arte that can bind enemies, leaving them vulnerable. Link with Ludger or Alvin for increased damage during this window.

Linking Strategies:

Leia benefits greatly from being linked with characters who can draw aggro or deal high damage, allowing her to safely cast her healing Artes. Consider linking her with:

Jude Mathis: Jude's high defense and ability to draw aggro make him an excellent partner. His "Snap Pivot" skill can also help Leia avoid incoming attacks.
Ludger Kresnik: Ludger's versatility allows him to adapt to the situation, providing cover for Leia while she heals.
Alvin: Alvin's "Breaker" skill can help Leia land critical hits more often, especially useful when she's using Pow Hammer or Binding Strike.

Item Management and "Item Steal"

Leia's "Item Steal" ability is her most unique and powerful asset. It allows her to steal items from enemies mid-battle, including rare materials and valuable consumables. Mastering this skill is crucial for efficient gameplay and debt repayment.

Maximizing Item Steal:

Targeting: Pay attention to enemy weaknesses and resistances. Enemies with lower physical defense are generally easier to steal from.
Timing: The success rate of "Item Steal" increases when an enemy is stunned or downed. Link with characters like Jude (Snap Pivot) or Alvin (Breaker) to create these opportunities.
Upgrades: Invest in Leia's "Item Steal" skills in the Lilium Orb to increase its success rate and the quality of items stolen. Look for skills like "Improved Steal" and "Rare Item Steal".
Accessories: Equip accessories that boost Leia's Dexterity (DEX) or Luck (LUK) to further improve her stealing capabilities. The Thief's Symbol is an excellent early-game accessory for this purpose, often found in chests in the Trigleph Port area or dropped by certain humanoid enemies.
Farm Specific Items: Consult your Monster Book to identify which enemies drop desired items. For example, if you need Quality Fur, target the various Feline enemies found in the Sapstrath Highroad.

Equipment and Customization

Focus on equipment that enhances Leia's healing power, TP regeneration, and survivability. Since she'll be in the thick of battle to use her staff, some defensive stats are also beneficial.

Recommended Equipment:

Weapons (Staves): Prioritize staves with high Physical Attack and, if possible, bonuses to Arte Attack or TP. Early game, look for the Iron Staff from shops in Drellin. Later, the Mythril Staff (craftable or found in the Xagut Floodmeadow) is a strong choice.
Armor: Choose armor that provides good Physical Defense and Elemental Defense. The Leather Vest is a solid early option, while the Chain Mail (available in Drellin shops) offers better protection.
Accessories:
- Thief's Symbol: Essential for boosting Item Steal success.
- Spirit Ring: Increases TP regeneration, allowing for more frequent healing. Can be found in Hamil or crafted.
- Resist Ring: Provides elemental resistance, useful against magic-heavy enemies.
- Heal Bracelet: Boosts healing Arte effectiveness. Often found in later dungeons or as a rare drop.

Character Episodes and Affinity

Completing Leia's Character Episodes is vital for unlocking powerful new Artes, skills, and increasing her affinity with Ludger. These episodes often involve her nursing duties and personal struggles, providing valuable insight into her character.

Episode 1 (Chapter 3): "A Nurse's Duty" - Triggers in Drellin after a certain point in the main story. Focuses on Leia assisting patients. Reward: New Arte (e.g., Charge) and affinity boost.
Episode 2 (Chapter 6): "The Weight of Responsibility" - Triggers in Hamil. Leia faces a difficult medical decision. Reward: New Skill (e.g., Item Master) and affinity boost.
Subsequent Episodes: Continue to check the world map for star icons indicating available character episodes. Prioritize these to fully develop Leia's potential.

Increasing Leia's affinity with Ludger through choices in skits and character episodes will unlock powerful linked Artes and improve her overall performance when paired with him.