Tales of Arisehas two types of things that one could refer to as skills – one is specifically calledSkillsand the other is calledArtes. Artes are what this series regards as magical spells. There is literal magic in the game such as drawing up gusts of wind but there are more elemental assisted attacks such as wind being imbued in a sword attack. If someone has watched anime, which theTalesseries is very much influenced by, then this should make sense.
RELATED:The Best And Worst Things About Tales Of Arise
Artes can be unlocked in battle or through a grid with Skill Points. Like experience points, Skill Points are gained through battle and especially side quests. Players can unlock new Artes or passive boosts such asAAA, which makes it so players can survive a death blow. There are a lot of good Artes to unlock in the grid but let’s focus instead on these passive Skills in theworld of RenainTales of Arise.
Updated July 14, 2025, by Tom Bowen:For anyone who’s actually played it, Tales of Arise winning Best RPG at The Game Awards 2021, probably didn’t come as too much of a surprise. With its fantastic story, well-realized combat, and beautiful visuals, many consider it to be the best Tales game to date and a great entry point for those unfamiliar with the series. The combat can take a little bit of getting used to, however, as too can the process of unlocking skills. This guide will therefore focus onthe best early-game skills in Tales of Arisein an atempt to help ease new players into things.
12Increased Down Damage
Before anything else, players should focus on improving Alphen’s evasion, but once that’s all taken care of they’ll be able to begin improving his attack. Increasing his Max AG and Weakpoint Damage is a good start, but players will likely find thatIncreased Down Damagehas the biggest impact on the hero’s potential DPS.
Players can purchase the skill for 340 SP afterbeating Balseph at Glanymede Castleand unlockingAlphen’s Blazing Sword title. As its name suggests, the skill drastically increases the amount of damage dealt to enemies that have been downed and will come in incredibly useful in Cyslodia and the underground tunnels that lead the party there.
1110-Hit Boost Gauge Increase
Law is a lot like Alphen when it comes to combat; typically relying on speed and strength rather than the use of magic. With that in mind, his10-hit Boost Gauge Increaseskill can come in pretty handy, particularly for those who opt to control Law directly in battles rather than relying on computer AI.
At 640 SP, it’s a little pricey to unlock, though is definitely worth it in the long run. In fact, several of the skills unlocked throughLaw’s Prince of Iron Fists title(which itself is unlocked by using three Boost Attacks in battle) are useful, particularlyIncreased BG at Battle StartandAG Restored Upon Enemy Defeat.
10Increased Max AG
This skill allows charactersto use Artesmore in battle. Normal attacks don’t cost much but Artes cost magic points, or CP, along with AG dictated by a diamond-shaped meter. The more AG a character has, the more devastating Artes they can unleash.
RELATED:Tales of Arise: Every Weapon Crafting Material (& Where To Find Them)
Another good skill to tack onto this isFaster AG Recoverywhich naturally recharges the meter faster.Tales of Ariseis less about executing that one strong attack and more about managing resources to unleash as many powerful Artes in close succession as possible.
9Increased Weak Point Damage
Normal enemies don’t have weak points but mostbosses, and bigger enemies, have glowing orange crystals attached to them. These are the weak points that sometimes take some effort to expose but are worth doing so.
Any damage done to this area is greater, obviously, but there is also a chance striking it will stun enemies. Having the skillIncreased Weak Point Damageequipped makes it so damage will be even more devastating, which comes in handy for some of the moredifficult side encountersand bosses.
8KO Prevention
If a character falls during a battle inTales of Arise, that is not the end for them. The party fight on even if the protagonists are knocked out, as the death of a character simply causes players to switch over to another fighter.
While that provides a nice option, what’s even better is theKO Preventionskill which allows characters to withstand death blows and heal for 1 HP. That may be enough to turn the tide of battle in desperate situations.
7Faster Magic Charge
InTales of Arise, players canswitch between characterson the fly in battle, and each party member offers a new type of gameplay experience. However, controlling mages like Rinwell does come with some problems.
RELATED:Things We Wish We Knew Before Starting Tales Of Arise
Casting magic is her main Arte attack, and Rinwell takes a while to charge.Faster Magic Chargethen allows players to cast magic faster. TackArte Casting Mobilityonto this so that players can run around while casting and suddenly mages become a whole lot easier to manage.
6Easier Over Limit
TheOver Limitis likeTales of Arise’sown version of the Limit Break fromFinal Fantasy 7. Characters can boost this meter in battle by doing various tasks and performing powerful attacks on enemies. Some of these attacks may be even greater than a combo Boost attack.
That’s why it is essential that players unlockEasier Over Limitas a skill as early as possible so that this meter charges up faster. It makes a significant difference in combat scenarios.
5Increased Ailment Rate
Inflicting status ailments is not to be taken lightly in battle. Acharacter like Shionne, for example, can help deplete enemy HP through Poison-type attacks or stun them to make it easier for the party to land hits.
Increased Ailment Ratemakes it so that these status effects strike enemies more frequently. Players should also think about addingIncreased Ailment Bonus Damageonto this skill to make sure attacks like poison will hit even harder.
4Increased BG At Battle Start
BG stands forBoost Gaugeand is a new addition toTales of Arisefor the series. Characters can perform special attacks, executed by hitting theD-Pad on the controller. Law, for example, can break through defense while Rinwell can cancel enemy magic attacks. These Boosts are a huge plus for battle.
RELATED:Tales Of Arise: The Biggest Fixes The Game Needs
Increased GB At Battle Starthas the potential to grant players access to these attacks at the beginning of battles, which could make encounters go by quicker.
3Increased Normal Attack Limit
This may sound like a boring suggestion but every opportunity counts in battle. WhatIncreased Normal Attack Limitdoes is increase the combo rate ofnormal weapon attacks.
Normal strikes from Alphen’s sword are not going to be as strong as his Artes. However, as the Artes meter, the AG, needs to charge, players will need to buy time. Increasing these combo skills is a great way to keep nailing on the pain for enemies.
