Learn about the mechanics of combat in Alchemy: Battle for Ankhos.

🔍 Quick Navigation

• 🔍 Quick Navigation
• 1. How Combat Works
• Battlefield Layout
• Taking Turns
• Battle Text and Videos
• 2. Status Effects
• 3. Combat and Core Stats
• Combat Stats
• Core Stats

1. How Combat Works

In Alchemy: Battle for Ankhos, up to 3 Descendants and/or monsters can team up in each turn-based battle. Once one team has no surviving members, battle ends and the surviving team takes the victory.

Combat can be player-versus-player (PVP) or player-versus-environment (PVE). In the case of PVE, you will be battling an AI opponent.

Battlefield Layout

In PVE battles, your team will always appear on the left half of the battlefield.

In PVP battles, your team may appear on either half of the battlefield.

A: Hit Points meter. This meter shows the remaining Hit Points (HP) of the linked team member. The top Hit Points meter shows the HP of your frontline team member, the middle; your midline, and the bottom; your backline.

B: Energy meter. Energy is used to perform more powerful skills and is charged after each turn or by using certain skills. Every member of your team shares the same Energy meter. 1 full meter of Energy is equivalent to 100 Energy.

C: Count of Full Energy meters. If you exceed a full meter of Energy, this number will increase to show the total count of full Energy meters you’ve charged. In this example, “1” means the left team has charged 1 full meter of Energy, or 100 Energy, plus the additional ~35 Energy shown in red for a total of ~135 Energy.

D: Frontline. Your frontline team member stands closest to the enemy team and can use all 3 of their skills. Most enemy attacks damage your frontline team member unless otherwise stated. Energy is charged for your team at a rate determined by the Intellect (INT) of your frontline.

E: Midline. Your midline team member stands behind your frontline and can use their first 2 skills.

F: Backline. Your backline team member stands behind your midline and cannot use any skills.

G: Status Effects. There are a variety of status effects that may help or hinder your team members throughout combat. While active, the symbol for each status effect will appear on top of the effected team member. In this example, the right team’s midline has been poisoned.

Taking Turns

In most battles, both teams declare turn actions simultaneously. The team member with the greatest Speed will act first.

During a turn, players may choose 1 of 4 options:

Use a Skill

Skills are the most powerful types of attacks, but they must be used strategically as all skills may be interrupted. Some skills require a minimum amount of Energy to be used while others do not.

While skill damage types may vary, Fighters typically deal Physical damage based on their Strength (STR) and Casters typically deal Magical damage based on their Intellect (INT).

Skill damage = Skill Base Damage * [1 + (LVL - 1) / 4] * [((STR or INT) + 20) / 20]

After using a skill, that skill goes on cooldown and cannot be used until 2 turns later.

Your frontline team member can access all 3 of their skills.

Your midline team member can access their first 2 skills.

Skills, interrupted or not, are always followed by standard attacks by frontline team members. Standard attacks - often called “auto-attacks” - deal damage based on a Descendant’s or monster’s Damage (DMG).

Fighter DMG is calculated as class base damage + STR

Caster DMG is calculated as class base damage + INT * 2 / 3

It’s worth noting your opponents will resist the total damage of your skills and standard attacks based on their Defense (DEF) and Magic Resist (MR). Which resistance is used depends on the attack type (Physical or Magical).

Net damage = Ability damage * [20 / (20 + (DEF or MR))]

Fierce Attack

Fierce Attacks boost standard attacks.

While using a Fierce Attack, your frontline team member’s Speed and Attack Damage are increased by 50%.

If your opponent also uses a Fierce Attack in the same turn, you both charge extra Energy.

Fierce Attacks cannot be interrupted.

Swap

Swapping two of your team members swaps their positions on the battlefield. For example, if you swap your frontline with your backline, your frontline team member will move to the backline and your backline team member will move to the frontline.

Some opponent skills can disable your ability to perform a swap, but swaps cannot be interrupted.

After swapping, your new frontline team member will perform a standard attack.

Interrupt

Interrupts attempt to interrupt your opponent’s use of a skill. In order to interrupt successfully, you must interrupt the opposing team member who is attempting to use a skill the same turn.

If your interruption is successful, your opponent’s skill use is canceled and you charge an additional 100 Energy. Your opponent still loses the Energy they spent on the attempted skill and that skill still goes on cooldown.

After your interruption is successful (or not), your frontline team member will perform a standard attack.

There is no penalty for unsuccessfully interrupting.

Battle Text and Videos

After the completion of each turn, you will be able to read and/or watch the results of the turn. Videos will show each action taken by both you and your opponent in order of events. You may rewatch or pause the videos to analyze the turn more closely, or, you can read the lines of text above the video.

By default, battle text is hidden from view and must be clicked to be visible.

2. Status Effects

Some skills may inflict status effects on team members, friendly or opposed. Status effects may harm or help the effected team member and are indicated by the status effect’s icon.

Burning

When a team member is burned, at the end of each turn, they lose 5% of their max HP as damage.

Silenced

While silenced, a team member cannot use any of their skills.

Poisoned

When a team member is poisoned, they lose an additional 10 HP per poison stacked whenever their HP changes. For example, if a team member has 2 stacks of poison, all turn actions that affect their HP are modified by -20 (2 stacks * 10) HP:

Take Skill Damage -100 HP → -120 HP

Receive Friendly Heal +60 HP → +40 HP

Take Attack Damage -80 HP → -100 HP

Empowered

Gives all status effects +1 turn duration and +1 stack. Certain skills will also be granted additional bonuses.

3. Combat and Core Stats

Combat Stats

Every Descendant and monster has three combat stats that affect their proficiency in battle. These combat stats are influenced by core stats. Each class has its own base combat stats. Combat stats can only be modified by changing core stats or switching classes.

Hit Points (HP)

Hit Points represent the total health of a Descendant or monster. A team member dies when their HP reaches 0. HP is influenced by Vitality (VIT).

HP = (VIT * 20) + Class Base Health

Damage (DMG)

Damage determines how much base damage will be dealt in a standard attack by the Descendant or monster. The type of damage dealt is dependent on class type [Fighter (STR) or Caster (INT)]. Damage is not influenced by core stats.

Fighter DMG is calculated as Class Base Damage + STR

Caster DMG is calculated as Class Base Damage + INT * 2 / 3

Charge (CHG)

Charge determines the value of Energy gained after each turn while in the frontline (50%) or midline (50%) position. Charge is influenced by Intellect (INT).

CHG = INT / 10

Core Stats

Every Descendant and monster has six core stats that influence their combat stats, action priority, and resistances. Combat stats can be modified with each level up.

Strength (STR)

Strength increases the damage a Fighter Descendant or monster will deal in a physical attack.

DMG = (Class Base Damage + STR / 2) * [1 + (LVL - 1) / 4]

Skill damage = Skill Base Damage * [1 + (LVL - 1) / 4] * [(STR + 20) / 20]

Intellect (INT)

Intellect increases the damage a Caster Descendant or monster will deal in a magical attack.

DMG = [Class Base Damage + (INT / 4)] * [1 + (LVL - 1) / 4]

Skill damage = Skill Base Damage * [1 + (LVL - 1) / 4] * [(INT + 20) / 20]

Defense (DEF)

Defense increases a Descendant’s or monster’s resistance to incoming physical damage.

Net physical damage = Ability damage * [20 / (20 + DEF)]

Magic Resist (MR)

Magic Resist increases a Descendant’s or monster’s resistance to incoming magical damage.

Net magical damage = Ability damage * [20 / (20 + MR)]

Speed (SPD)

Speed determines how fast a Descendant or monster will act. If their Speed is higher than their acting opponent(s)’, they will act first.

Vitality (VIT)

Vitality increases the maximum Hit Points of a Descendant or monster. The higher the VIT, the more Hit Points.

HP = (VIT * 20) + 100