Here's some quick tips, tricks, and battle strategy guide for the action RPG mobile game Sword Art Online: Memory Defrag, now available to download from the App Store and Google Play!
Adjusting the Camera
- You can adjust the camera's zoom by going to Menu > Settings > Battle Settings.The Battle Controller
- You can toggle the battle controller position to suit your favored hand from Menu > Settings > Battle Settings.
- Basic Controls and Battle Tips -
Offensive Maneuvers
Movement Assistance
- Go to Menu > Settings > Battle Settings and switch movement assistance to "ON" to approach enemies automatically.- This will also help ranged weapon wielders to target enemies much easier.
Targeting Enemies
- If movement assistance is "ON", your character will automatically target and attack the closest enemy. Tap a different enemy to target them instead.Focus Attacks
- With ranged weapons, "Tap+Hold" to charge up for a powerful focused attack.Combo Hits Count
- Landing consecutive blows to an enemy increases your Combo count.- Combos will break if you didn't land an attack within a certain amount of time. If you get hit, or if you switch between characters (this can be remedied with combo window Skill Slot), that character's combo count will also end.
- Note: Damage dealt increases by 5% for every 10 Combo Hits.
- Fore more in-depth guide, refer here: How to Maintain and Avoid Breaking Combos
Combo Hits Count (Co-Op Battles)
- All three of you will share one Combo Hits count, so if one gets hit, the Combo will end.When an Enemy Guards...
- When faced with a guarding enemy, try to attack from the rear!How To Knock Down Enemies?
Stagger Using Head Splitters!
- Flick up to jump, then flick down to perform a head splitter!
- Note: The stronger the enemy, the less likely they will be taken down.
Perform Sword Skills
- Some characters can do massive attacks (usually their Sword Skill 3) that can knock down the enemy (aka "Take Down"), or at least disrupt their movement for a period of time (aka "Lock Down").- Focused critical attacks can also knock down lesser enemies.
- Note: The stronger the enemy, the less likely they will be taken down.
When an Enemy Glows Red!
- Enemies that glow red cannot be staggered or knocked down. They still receive damage as normal, but they can counter-attack, so be careful.
- Example #1: While doing normal attacks, quickly use "Block" to cancel (best right before they perform their first attack animation), then proceed to parry or dodge. Repeat as needed to sink in hits and regain some extra MP while avoiding damages.
- Example #2: While attacking, simply swipe to any direction to cancel.
- Alternatively, you can simply swipe to any direction to cancel your normal attacks and dodge incoming attacks.
What is Attack Cancel?
Attack Cancel (Melee Characters)
- Attack cancel is used to cancel the normal attacks of your characters, allowing them to quickly switch from offensive to a defensive stance.- Example #1: While doing normal attacks, quickly use "Block" to cancel (best right before they perform their first attack animation), then proceed to parry or dodge. Repeat as needed to sink in hits and regain some extra MP while avoiding damages.
- Example #2: While attacking, simply swipe to any direction to cancel.
Attack Cancel (Range Characters)
- With the new update, range units can now parry parriable attacks! Use the Practice Mode under "Others" menu to learn how to parry well.- Alternatively, you can simply swipe to any direction to cancel your normal attacks and dodge incoming attacks.
Defensive Maneuvers
Guarding
- If you are carrying a close-range weapon or weapons, "Tap+Hold" to guard.- Guarding reduces damage received from enemy attacks.
Guard Breaks
- Continuously guarding an enemy's attack will lower your guard gauge, eventually resulting in a guard break, which will stun your character.Parrying and Switching
- "When the enemy's eyes glow red, that's your chance!" Well, not always though because sometimes you won't have time to check their eyes, observe their attack patterns as well, then learn when to parry.
- Switching characters the moment the parry succeeds will cause a sword skill to be unleashed, dealing major critical damage.
How To Dodge Enemy Attacks?
- This is ok if the enemies are shorter than you and if their attacks are way low.
- Jumping horizontally is way better, but it's a little tricky to execute. (flick upwards but a bit leaning to the right or left).
Quick Steps (Sideways)
- Flick sideways to perform a quick-step and dodge enemy attacks.- This is effective against melee enemies, but not that great against ranged or AoE attackers.
Quick Step (Downwards)
- Now this is what I highly recommend, flick downwards to do a quickstep below the enemy's line of sight. This is also an effective maneuver against most ranged or AoE attackers, just time it well (take note of their telltale motion before attacking).Quick Step (Diagonal)
- Highly recommended, especially for ranged characters. Flick diagonally downwards or upwards to avoid enemy attacks, this will give you a better position to cast your spells or skills.
- You can also use these techniques to quickly attack from the rear of your target.
How To Avoid Getting Knocked Down?
- Aside from Blocking, Parrying, and Dodging, you can also avoid getting knocked down from enemy attacks (including lesser enemies) by "Switching Characters".- Once you are about to get hit by an attack, quickly switch to perform a Sword Skill against it. This will make your character immune from knock down attacks, but will still get some damage.
- Simply using a Sword Skill right away will also work, but not always.
Elemental Affinities
- There are six types of elements. Elements at an advantage deal large amounts of damage; elements at a disadvantage take great damage.Elements
- FIRE > WIND > EARTH > WATER > FIRE- HOLY < > DARK (deals great damage to each other)
- NEUTRAL (Non-Elementals are unaffected by elements, therefore they don't have any weakness).
Checking Elements
- Your character's Element is the background color of their "Weapon Type" icon.- Your character's Sword Skills will also get their own set of Element.
- Equipment icons will also get their own Element, match them to your Character to get bonus stats.
Weapon Characteristics
- Each weapon has 1 of 4 different characteristics, each having their own strengths and weaknesses.- You may also use this as a guide while creating parties. Example: 1 Slasher, 1 Striker, and 1 Piercer, then switch as needed.
Slash
- Swords and Dual Blades.- Effective against soft-bodied enemies such as Mantises, Slimes and Gerberas (plant monsters).
- Not effective against tough-skinned enemies such as Lizardmen.
- Also Not effective against Elementals.
Strike/Hit
- Single-Handed Clubs/Mace and Guns.- Effective against hard-bodied enemies such as Elementals and Skeletons.
- Not effective against soft-bodied enemies such as Mantises, Slimes and Gerberas (plant monsters).
- Guns (SS1): Usually have a high number of hits, useful for generating combos for Multiplayer Modes.
Thrust/Pierce/Stab
- Rapiers, Lances, Daggers, and Bows.- Effective against tough-skinned enemies such as Lizardmen.
- Not effective against hard-bodied enemies such as Elementals and Skeletons.
- Rapiers/Lances (SS1): Usually thrusts a long forward attack, useful for escaping, moving behind enemy, and for clearing mobs.
- Daggers (SS1): Quick 2 hits from front then back, useful for hitting enemies that are weak when attacked from their back.
- Bows (Normal Attacks): useful for hitting flying enemies.
Magic
- Rods- Deals more damage to a certain element than the usual elemental affinity bonus damage.
- Rods (Normal Attacks): useful for hitting flying enemies.
Other Weapon Perks
Lancer's New Perks
- Lance wielders can also do parries by simply dashing forward (aka Step Parry).- Can also be used when sliding diagonally upward or downward.
- Switching to a Lancer that doesn't have enough MP to use any skills, will also execute a Step Parry. This is very useful for ranged units that can't parry at all, just time it well.
Dual Wield's New Perks
- Default attack's speed and hits increased.
- Attack and Movement Speed increases per 10 combos, until 50x combo.
- SS3 animation duration also decreases around 5% per 10 combos. So their DPS potential is at MAX when you have 50+ Combos. However, we will only consider their average DPS and Speed for comparison.
Ranged Units New Parry Perks
- We can now be able to parry parriable attacks while charging (Guns and Rods) or dodging (Bows) enemy attacks.
- Hand Grenade (Gun Character): As you flick the screen while charging attacks, you get to lob a grenade and parry an enemy's attack.
- Just Dodge (Bow Character): With a bow character, as you take steps back and dodge an enemy's parry attack, you get to shoot down an enemy's attack.
- Reflector (Rod Character): With a rod character, while charging attacks, a barrier activates. It goes off as you let your finger go and allows you to parry an enemy's attack. Also, you get to parry while charging attacks by flicking the screen!
- Focus Attacks won’t activate by flicking while charging attacks.
Shieldblade's New Perks
- Just Guard: You can parry as you guard against parriable attacks at the right timing! If you guard against non-parriable attacks at the right timing, you won't get any damage.
- Shieldblade characters becomes "defense mode" with their shield during the motion.
- Note: There are times that the characters can't hold their shields. When the characters are in the defense mode during the motion, Just Guard doesn't happen. You are able to do regular parry as well.
Mace's New Perks NEW!
- A mace character will be in this state "Protect Body" where they can reduce their damage and doesn't bend backward easily for 3 seconds after they keep guarding themselves for a certain period of time.
- During the state “Protect Body”, normal attacks don’t cut in a combo!
- Please note that even when “Protect Body” is activated, still, due to some special attacks or unusual status, a character could bend backward and a combo could be cut off.
Related Sword Art Online: MD Tips & Guides:
- Sword Art Online: Memory Defrag - FAQs, Tips and Re-Roll Guide
- Sword Art Online: MD - How Weapon Speed Affects Your Playing Style
- Sword Art Online: MD - Terminologies and Team Building Guide
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