Interlude 2: Targeting for Fun and Profit
All right, before I get around to offing the next Accursed, there's something I've been neglecting for far too long that I feel I should adress. As I believe I mentioned earlier, targeting in Riviera is automatic, based on what weapon type you use.
Now, as you'll notice, my skill lists have been ignoring the actual range of various attacks.
...yeah. So, I'm dedicating this update to explaining attack range for various types of items. After all, I honestly have been ignoring it for too long.
Note that trying to use an item with a character who has no skill with it will result in a generic "throw" command that hits a random target (except with Ledah, who doesn't even get that).
- As I believe I've already mentioned, Einherjar does an attack against the entire front rank when Ein uses it. Double Slash used the same target, but Disaresta instead just hits the closest enemy.
- Most characters use normal swords to attack the closest target, with the exception of Cierra who instead chooses a random target. The same goes for sword Over Skills, though Serene does a beam attack that also hits enemies behind the primary target.
- Rapiers are used to perform an attack on he nearest target as well, unless their in Ein's hands. Ein instead hits random targets, choosing his targets for each attack independent of the other ones ("Random Enemy B" instead of "Random Enemy A"). Rapier Over Skills target the closest enemy and every enemy behind it, except for Fia's which just target the one.
- Bows target the farthest enemy from the user, unless the user is Cierra, who hits a random target. Bow Over Skills differ a fair bit in their targeting: Lina and Cierra hit random targets, Ein shoots the closest enemy and everything behind it, and Fia snipes whichever enemy has the lowest HP.
- Regular scythe attacks hit the enemy's front rank. Scythe Over Skills are similar, except for Ein's. Those ones just hit the closest enemy.
- Staves are unusual. Ein does an attack against the closest enemy, Fia heals whichever character has the lowest HP, and Cierra hits the farthest enemy from her. Over skills are similarly bizarre: Ein targets a single random enemy, Fia aims at the back rank, and Cierra burns multiple random targets.
- For spears, Fia and Serene strike the front rank. Lina hits the farthest enemy from her, and Ein goes after everyone. With Over Skills, it's a bit different: Fia and Cierra still target the front rank, Lina hits the enemy with the lowest HP, and Ein just maims the closest enemy (again).
- Whips have three users and three different targeting schemes: Lina targets random enemies in the front rank (I believe this chooses targets independently for each hit), Serene hits every enemy in the front rank, and Cierra hits the closest enemy. With Over Skills, things are completely different: Lina targets a single random enemy, Serene whips the closest target, and Cierra goes after the whole front rank.
- Claws are only usable by Lina and Serene, who both go after the closest target with both normal attacks and Over Skills. Rather boring, but whatever.
- Books, as mentioned, are another oddball case: Fia heals everyone, Lina throws the book at a random target, and Cierra casts at the back rank. Book Over Skills are more rigid: Lina goes after multiple random targets, while Fia and Cierra just nuke every enemy.
- The elemental orbs are a special case: most characters use them to raise their resistance to the orb's element (the Holy Orb raises darkness resistance instead), but Lina instead does a throwing attack against a random target. The generic percentage-based Over Skills Cierra/Ein get with them target the front rank, further increasing their uselessness because that's where most of the damage was probably dealt.
- Lina's multiple percentage-based Over Skills invariably target either the back rank or the closest enemy and whatever's behind it.
- I'll also mention that the bats all target whichever enemy has the least HP, though they're strong enough that they're better saved for boss fights. Seriously, these things are Serene's best weapons.
All right, I hope that cleared things up a bit. I'll try to get the actual end of chapter 3 up tomorrow.
