Don’t Button Mash
Absolver Tips and Tricks for Beginners
One of the most important things to remember while playing Absolver is to not button mash. Combat in this action RPG is an intricate dance that requires looking for openings and punishing opponents for overreaching. If you button mash, you will leave yourself open to counters which can result in defeat at an enemy’s hands, or you throwing yourself off a cliff (yes, this does happen).
Instead, get a feel for your opponent, and fight conservatively. Get in, see how their reaction times are, figure out what combos work best, and bait your enemy in for an easy kill. Remember, enemies have the same abilities that you do, so they’ll be trying to do the same. Don’t become a statistic in Absolver’s world. Be patient, be victorious.
Manage That Stamina Bar
Absolver Tips and Tricks for Beginners
As you fight in Absolver, you’ll notice a white bar at the bottom of the screen. This is your stamina. If it drains, you’ll then be left defenseless which often leads to defeat. Make sure to time your attacks so you input button presses to line up with the white arrows on the top and bottom of the bar. This will lead to Perfect Attacks, which use less stamina and do more damage.
Other things to keep in mind when trying to manage your stamina in Absolver is that blocking consumes the resource, as does dodging with Circle. Quick evasive maneuvers with the right stick require more precise timing (can only be done while locked on), but can really help avoid damage while preserving stamina.
Feint! Feint! Feint!
Absolver Tips and Tricks for Beginners
To pull off a feint in absolver, simply press the block button (L2 is the default) right after pressing an attack. This will cause you to do a quick shadow move which doesn’t do anything other than bait an opponent. It’s a good way to force an enemy to use one of their defense techniques, after which they’ll be left completely vulnerable and open to punishment.
Do note that you have to be pretty fast to both pull off and capitalize on a successful feint. This is where that no button mashing comes back into play. Plan out your combo. When you use a feint, be ready for signs of an opening and jump right into your best combo. Also, be wary of opponents using the same technique. You’ll know an attack is a feint because there will be a black shadow to it. You’ll need quick reflexes in battle, so when you see that, back away rather than guard.
Build Flowing Combos
Absolver Tips and Tricks for Beginners
When you go into Absolver’s Combat Deck, you can build and customize your very own combos. At the beginning, you’ll only have access to a limited pool of skills, but you can unlock more as you progress through the game. Still, even with just that limited pool, you can build a flowing combo that makes you look like a true martial artist.
When choosing skills, you can see what stance they start in, and what stance they end in. Use this bit of information to create a combo that seamlessly flows into a cycle so you end up with a never-ending combination. Keep your alternative attacks in mind as well, so you can use them to quickly jump into specific parts of your combo, allowing you to really mix it up. For example, above you’ll see that I have a top right into top left combo, but my alternate attack takes me bottom left instead, setting me up for a surprise sweep kick rather than a high kick. It takes some time to get into the full swing of things, but sooner or later you’ll find yourself building impressive strings of attacks in Absolver that keep opponents on their toes.
You Learn New Skills By Defending Against Them, So Don’t Be Afraid to Fight
Absolver Tips and Tricks for Beginners
Every now and then while fighting in Absolver you may notice these black circles appear that have a white silhouette within them. These are a good thing that means you’re learning something new. When those circles fill up, you’ll learn a skill associated with them and a new stance at times.
To fill the circles up, you must defend against the attacks you’re trying to learn. That can mean blocking, dodging, or using your special ability against them. Your ability gains the most experience while blocking gains the lowest amount. Still, with enough defending, you’ll find your skill selection growing.
The skill learning system in Absolver is yet another reason why you should take your time when entering the fray. You’ll obtain minimal experience by just beating everything into a pulp on sight. Instead, hang back, get a feel for what your opponent is doing and pick up what they put down. Then, when you feel it’s time, go in for the kill and move on to the next opponent.
Change Up Your Equipment
Absolver Tips and Tricks for Beginners
You start off Absolver with some pretty basic gear (rags, essentially). Don’t worry though, you actually start obtaining equipment fairly early on as long as you find yourself winning fights. When you do get a new piece of gear, make sure to immediately go and check it out. Pause the game, go into Equipment, then check out your Protections (what Absolver calls armor).
Note that all pieces have stats assigned to them. You’ll often lose one thing in favor of something else, so check out what you’re losing and see if it’s worth it or if you can balance it out to take advantage of a different perk (such as increased cut resistance, or faster movement). In time, you’ll amass a decently-sized wardrobe. Use that to build an outfit that perfectly accentuates your play style.
Don’t Forget to Level Up
Absolver Tips and Tricks for Beginners
As you win fights in Absolver you’ll earn XP. Reach certain XP thresholds and your character will level up and earn Attribute Points. While leveling up is cool and all, it means absolutely nothing if you’re not spending those hard-earned points. These can be poured into six different attributes:
- Strenght – Increases damage of strength-based attacks.
- Dexterity – Raises damage output of dexterity-based attacks.
- Vitality – Increases your maximum health.
- Endurance – Increases your maximum stamina.
- Will – Helps you recharge Shards faster.
- Mobility – Increases movement, mobility-based attack damage, and stamina recovery.
You can pour your points into whatever stat you please, just make sure it fits your playstyle. Don’t spend all of your points on Dexterity if you use mostly strength attacks and so forth. Eventually, you’ll have a fine-tuned warrior ready to take on the world.
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