Combat - lov_english @ ウィキ

The information below pertains to combat within LoV. Given that combat is the only thing you really do in LoV it's pretty important.

How to Win

• Bring the enemy's Arcana Guage to 0 by gaining control of all three of the enemy's Arcana Stones.
• At the end of time limit, have a larger Arcana Gauge than your enemy (note: victory in this fashion will lower your grade and mean less XP)

How to Play

• Move your whole party with the control lever (left side)
• Change the positioning of individual characters by moving their cards on the playing field
• Attack enemy units by positioning your cards so that their attack ranges overlap

Unit Information

• On the screen, the unit's level, attack attribute, and two gauges are displayed. On top is the Special Technique gauge, below that is the HP Gauge.
• When enemy units are on-screen, their weak attribute and HP are displayed.
• When the unit's Technique gauge is full, a yellow attack range indicator will appear on top of their normal (blue) attack range. Hitting the Technique (red) button when a unit is highlighted will activate the technique.

Main Display

Arcana Gauge

• The Arcana Gauge will reduce when Arcana Stones are controlled or destroyed

Arcana Stone

• The number of remaining Arcana Stones is indicated under each player's Arcana Gauge

Sacrifice Gauge

• When the indicator is lit, press the blue button (left or right side) to merge your main character with a familiar. For more information see Sacrifice

Enemy Information

• The following information about the enemy's familiars will be displayed: name, HP, attack type, weak point.

Minimap

• The minimap displays your familiars' attack ranges and etc.

Battlefield Map

• See below.

Battlefield Map

Gates

• When a gate glows green on the map, you can push down towards it with the joystick. After a few seconds your team will return ot the stock area.
• When in the stock place, you can relaunch your team any gate you choose.
• Standard battles have three gates. Some scenarios in story mode have one gate.

Stock Area

• In the stock place you can substitute familiars and recharge HP and special technique gauges.
• However, when all of the player's team are in the stock place, the special technique gauge will fall over time.

Arcana Stones

• The locations of arcana stones are noted on the battlefield map - blue for your stones and red for your enemys'.

Arcana Stone Shield

• As long as the Arcana Stone Shield is present, it reduces damage dealt to the Arcana Stones.

Search Eye

• When the Search Eye is present, it reports on the enemy's location, HP, and other information.

Life Monument

• Present during Boss fights in Story Mode. When sealed during such a battle, it changes the boss's weak points.

Capturing and Sealing Information

Arcana Stone Capture

• When your team enters into the circle surrounding an Arcana Stone, capturing begins automatically. When the Capture Guage makes one full rotation, the opponent's Stone Gauge and Arcana Gauge are both reduced.
• If several of your characters are within the circle, the Capture Gauge spins faster. The gauge is further accelerated when your familiars have the Arcana skill.
• When the enemy's army is completely defeated, all of his Stone Gauges and his Arcana Gauge are reduced slightly.
• If you enter the circle of one of your own Arcana Stones, the Capture Gauge will slowly be repaired. The more of your characters you place within the circle, the faster the repairs go. Additionally, over time the Capture Gauges will naturally repair themselves little by little.
• However, these repairs only apply to the Capture Gauges - any existing damage to the Stone Gauge or Arcana Gauge will not be repaired.
• If your enemy's characters enter the circle, the capture gauge will be stopped.
• If the opponent's three Arcana Stones are captured, the opponent's Arcana Gauge is reduced to zero and the player wins.

Gate Sealing

• When a gate is sealed, the player cannot use that gate to enter the battle for 20 seconds.
• The more other gates are used, the longer the disabled gate is sealed.
• To seal an enemy's gate, the player must try to enter it. Sealing is completed when the seal gauge rotates once.
• Like with Arcana Stones and other captureable/sealable points in the game, more characters hastens the sealing speed. The gauge will accelerate even faster if familiars with the Gate skill are present.
• If your team enters a captured gate it will begin repairs. Repairs will also take place over time.

Arcana Stone Shield Sealing

• When the Arcana Stone Shield is sealed, damage to Arcana Stones increases.
• Sealing begins automatically when the player enters the area of his opponent's shield.
• Like with Arcana Stones and other captureable/sealable points in the game, more characters hastens the sealing speed. The gauge will accelerate even faster if familiars with the Arcana Stone Shield skill are present.
• If your team approaches the area of a damaged Arcana Stone Shield it will begin repairs. Repairs will also take place over time.

Search Eye Sealing

• If your Search Eye is sealed, vital infomration (such as HP, weak points, etc) is not displayed on the minimap or on the main map.
• Sealing begins automatically when the player enters the area of his opponent's Search Eye.
• Like with Arcana Stones and other captureable/sealable points in the game, more characters hastens the sealing speed. The gauge will accelerate even faster if familiars with the Search Eye skill are present.
• Some cards (like Albion) can use their Technique to repair a captured Search Eye.

Life Stone Sealing

• These are only available in boss fights in Story Mode.
• When a Life Stone is sealed, the displayed element is affixed to the boss as a weak point for a certain period of time.

Sacrifice

A Sacrifice is when the player's main character is united with one of the player's familiars. Sacrifice has a few effects.

• The united familiar receives the main character's attack and defense abilities (on top of its default stats).
• The united familiar's HP recovers.
• The united familiar grows in size. Its attack range (both normal and technique) are magnified, but it also receives more damage.
• Sacrifices cannot take place when the main character is out of play.
• Sacrifices can take place when the "Sacrificer OK" mark is displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.
• Sacrifices can only take place once per battle.
• After a fixed amount of time, the Sacrifice ends and both main character and familiar are returned to their original state.

The amount of time the Sacrifice is valid is based on the cost of the familiar:

Cost	Time
10	10c
15	8c
20
25
30	4c

(note: the C is as denoted on the Japanese wiki and probably stands for the in-game Counter)

Smash

Because the Smash feature was quickly added to the game following location tests, it is not referenced in the printed manuals.

• When consecutive hits are made on an opponent, the number of hits is displayed on screen. As the number of hits increases, so does the damage given.
• Smash hits are counted among the entire party. When a common attack is made, the counter is reset.

Single Smash

• When a familiar is surrounded by a blue circle, Smash activation is possible.

1. Stop the familiar card's motion (I believe you're supposed to make it so that the card isn't attacking anyone)
2. The Smash effect begins to charge.
3. Rotate the card to a certain angle (so that the enemy is caught in the attack range) to activate the smash.

Multiple Smash

1. Start moving your cards.
2. The Smash effect will begin.
3. The Smash will continue as long as you keep moving the cards.