Ys X: Nordics eschews the party-based system of previous games in the series in favor of dual protagonists. Series mainstay Adol, of course, is still the driving force behind the plot. However, newcomer Karja is just as important to the plot. A pirate princess wielding an axe, Karja is part of the Balta Seaforce, who pull double duty as lawless brigands and maritime police.
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Early in the game, Adol and Karja are magically shackled together, forcing them to work in tandem. Adol is a good strength-based character; however, to use Karja to full effect, you need to maximize your use of the following skills.
8
Crush
SP Cost: 30
Crush is available to Karja by default, but its early-game status doesn’t mean it’s weak. True to its name, this skill delivers a crushing blow to enemies, with Karja driving her axe into the ground, similar to Adol’s Falling Edge. Crush is more powerful than Adol’s starting skill, Raid Slash.
Like most of Karja’s skill set, Crush is best used for breaking through boss armor and enemy defenses before switching to Adol for some heavy damage. With its low SP cost, Crush perpetually maintains a useful presence.
7
Shield Bash
SP Cost: 35
Shield Bash is essentially a stronger version of Adol’s Raid Slash. This quick body check allows you to dart forward and collide with an enemy using your shield. It serves as a quick attack that closes the distance between you and enemies with ease.
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The most important facet of Shield Bash is its Perfect Guard effect, which means that Karja is invincible for the duration of this skill’s activation. Well, it makes sense: she does have her shield held in front of her, after all.
6
Howl
SP Cost: 30
The most dangerous thing that can happen to you in Ys X: Nordics, particularly as a beginner, is being surrounded by enemies. The game’s combat can be particularly unforgiving on Nightmare difficulty, where enemies don’t take turns to hit you. Thus, an attack like Howl is essential as a desperate escape.
Howl allows Karja to channel her inner Viking and stun enemies with a loud yell. This manifests as an AoE attack with the Knockback effect. You can use it to turn the tables on smaller enemies.
5
Water Bolt
SP Cost: 20
Similar to Adol’s Mana Shot, Water Bolt is ostensibly an extremely weak attack that has great potential for growth. In Ys X: Nordics, the more you use a skill, the better you get at it. Thus, although Water Bolt starts off as a weak, low-cost maneuver, with enough investment, it becomes a high-impact skill.
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Through repeated use, Water Bolt morphs into Hail Shot, which morphs into Aqua Burst, which morphs into Cerulean Blast. Each progressive upgrade adds on more power and additional status effects, such as Frostbite.
4
Boomerang Axe
SP Cost: 16
Very few skills in Ys X: Nordics are good for ranged combat. Contrary to what you’d expect from its name, Boomerang Axe isn’t all that good for ranger combat, either. However, it is good as an AoE attack when you’re surrounded by enemies. It is decently powerful and carries the Vacuum effect.
Boomerang Axe also has a very low SP cost (oddly 16, where most costs are multiples of five). This allows it to be used repeatedly and easily to overwhelm smaller enemies.
3
Frost Impact
SP Cost: 40
Combat in Ys X: Nordics depends quite a bit on status ailments. Enemies inflict status ailments on you, and you, in turn, inflict them on enemies. Adol’s status effect is primarily Burn, due to his flame-based attacks. Karja is the opposite: her special attacks chill her enemies to the bone.
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Frost Impact is a colder, heavier version of Crush. On extended use, it can unlock Ice Age Hammer, which has a slam effect and completely overwhelms enemies. Frost Impact doesn’t cost much in terms of SP but has very useful effects.
2
Wall Tide
SP Cost: 45
This skill creates a whirlpool that sucks in enemies. Wall Tide is an extremely useful skill because it stays effective for a short while, even after Karja is done using it. Thus, it can be used to compound skills, keep combos going or group enemies together with its Vacuum effect.
With enough use, Wall Tide can be mastered and advanced to Cyclone Tide, which is a much more powerful version of the same attack. A useful strategy in group combat is to have Karja end with Wall Tide before switching to Adol to continue the combo.
1
Pirate’s Knuckle
SP Cost: 20
Pirate’s Knuckle is neither the most costly nor the most powerful. However, it’s the ultimate Karja skill in Ys X: Nordics due to its zippy animation, powerful effects, and low SP demand. This skill can be used repeatedly to take down heavy enemies and maximize Karja’s combat potential quickly.
Not only does Pirate’s Knuckle have a knockback effect that can stun enemies and cancel their attacks, it gives Karja invincibility frames for its duration. That makes it the ideal skill to spam for an easy win.
JRPG
Action RPG
Hack and Slash
- Released
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October 25, 2024
- Developer(s)
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Nihon Falcom, PH3 GmbH
- Publisher(s)
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NIS America, Clouded Leopard Entertainment
- Engine
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Proprietary
- ESRB
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T For Teen // Blood, Language, Violence
- How Long To Beat
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25.5 hours
- Number of Players
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1
- Steam Deck Compatibility
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Unknown
- How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs)
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72 hours
- OpenCritic Rating
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Strong