Filling the Chain Gauge and increasing the Chain Bonus percentage in order to Stagger enemies are the main ways to cause maximum damage.
Chaining
The Chain Gauge is accompanied by two percentages:
Chain Bonus and Stagger Point
The Chain Bonus indicates the current damage multiplier that is applied to all attacks. The Chain Bonus has a baseline at 100%, where all attacks will do regular damage with a x1 multiplier. At 200%, a x2 multiplier is applied, doing double damage. The maximum bonus possible is 999.9%, which is just under x10 damage.
This is formula that calculates the Chain Bonus:
Chain Bonus = (Ability Value + Role Bonus) x (100 - Chain Resistance) + Hidden Bonus
As the Chain Gauge is being filled, it is also constantly decreasing. If it depletes completely, the Chain Bonus is reset to its default value of 100%.
All attacks can have one of two effects on the Chain Gauge:
- how much they increase the Chain Bonus total
- the effect on Chain Duration Value
Staggering
The Stagger Point is the Chain Bonus percentage that must be achieved in order for an enemy to successfully be Staggered.
As you come closer to the Stagger Point, the numbers below the Chain Gauge that show the Chain Bonus percentage, will flash red. Once Staggered, the Chain Gauge will turn yellow and start to deplete at a steady rate. You can also tell that an enemy is Staggered when the values that show how much damage they are taking are yellow as well instead of the regular grey.
Once the Chain Gauge begins to empty itself, it cannot be stopped or slowed. However, the speed at which this happens is determined by the hidden Chain Duration Value at the point of Stagger.
The formula for Chain Duration Value:
Stagger Duration = Actual Chain Duration x 2 + 8 (seconds)
All enemies have a Chain Resistance attribute. The higher this value, the slower the Chain Bonus will increase. Therefore, enemies with high Chain Resistance can be difficult to Stagger, especially if they also have a high Stagger Point.
Once an enemy is Staggered, you have these advantages;
- immediate +100% Chain Bonus resistance
- the Chain Resistance drops to 0, allowing you to increase the Chain Bonus further
Effects on the Chain Gauge and Chain Bonus in Paradigm Roles:
Ravagers
- fill the Gauge and increase the Chain Bonus quickly, but lower the Chain Duration Value significantly.
This is way a Stagger achieved only with Ravagers is very short.
Commandos
- their attacks greatly increase the Chain Duration Value but don't do much for the Chain Bonus alone.
It's almost impossible for Commandos to achieve a Stagger on their own.
Saboteurs
- they're better at building Chain Bonuses than Commandos (but not as much as Ravagers) and better than Ravagers at maintaining the Chain Duration Value (but not as much as Commandos); they are a sort of middle ground.
Sentinels
- their Provoke and counterattack abilities extend the Chain Duration Value but aren't reliable for gauge stabilization.
Medics and Synergists do not affect the Chain Gauge or Chain Duration Value.
Hidden Factors on Chaining
There are no single factors that make a significant difference on their own, but combined with more explicit bonuses such as Ravager boots and auto-abilities, they can greatly affect overall chaining efficiency. They also affect underlying patterns in AI behavior.
It isn't immediately obvious, but there are positive chains that occur when allies in the Synergist and Medic roles use a sequence of abilities on themselves or other party members. This can increase the effects of their abilities.
For example, the amount of HP restored by a Medic's Cure spell will gradually increase the more they use it consecutively in a single, uninterrupted command queue.
Hidden Chaining Factors
Commando
Condition Chain Bonus
Using non-identical abilities consecutively +0.2%
COM's target has yellow HP +0.2%
COM's target is Staggered and has yellow HP +0.3%
COM's target is Staggered and has red HP +0.3%
COM's target is Staggered +0.3%
COM's target is Launched +0.1%
COM has a status enhancement +0.3%
COM is the only one attacking its target +0.5%
Ravager
Condition Chain Bonus
RAV's HP is full +0.3%
RAV has no status ailments +0.1%
RAV's target has no status enhancements +0.1%
RAV's target has 1 status enhancement +0.2%
RAV's target has 2 status enhancements +0.3%
RAV's target has 3 status enhancements +0.4%
RAV's target has 4 status enhancements +0.5%
RAV's target has 5 status enhancements +0.7%
RAV's target has 6 status enhancements +0.8%
RAV's target has 7 status enhancements +0.9%
RAV's target has 8 status enhancements +1.0%
RAV's target has 1 status ailment +0.3%
RAV's target has 2 status ailments +0.4%
RAV's target has 3 status ailments +0.5%
RAV's target has 4 status ailments +0.6%
RAV's target has 5 status ailments +0.7%
RAV's target has 6 status ailments +0.8%
RAV's target has 7 status ailments +0.9%
RAV's target has 8 status ailments +1.0%
Sentinel
Condition Chain Bonus
SEN's HP is full +0.5%
SEN's HP is yellow +1.0%
SEN's HP is red +1.5%
SEN has a status enhancement +0.5%
Synergists
Condition Chain Bonus
No party member has a status enhancement +0.5%
One status enhancement on any party member +0.6%
2 status enhancements on the party +0.7%
3 status enhancements on the party +0.8%
4 status enhancements on the party +1.0%
5 status enhancements on the party +1.5%
6 status enhancements on the party +2.0%
7 status enhancements on the party +2.5%
8 status enhancements on the party +2.8%
Saboteurs
Condition Chain Bonus
No enemy has a status ailment +0.2%
1 status ailment on the enemy group +0.3%
2 status ailments on the enemy group +0.4%
3 status ailments on the enemy group +0.5%
4 status ailments on the enemy group +0.8%
5 status ailments on the enemy group +1.0%
6 status ailments on the enemy group +1.5%
7 status ailments on the enemy group +2.0%
8 status ailments on the enemy group +2.5%
Medics
Condition Chain Bonus
Healed target's HP is yellow +0.5%
Healed target's HP is red +1.0%
Healed target has a status ailment +2.0%
Healed target has a status enhancement +0.2%
