Xenosaga Episode I Reference

Skills

Skills turn eligible equipment effects into permanent character options. Each character extracts a Skill separately with S.Pts and can Set only three at a time, so the useful question is not merely what you know, but which three solve the next area.

Extract, advance, and Set

These stages overlap as new equipment and S.Pts become available. You will keep extracting, passing equipment, and changing the active set throughout the game.

First: Unequip an eligible armor, hat, or accessory and inspect it in the Skills menu. Spend that character's S.Pts on useful effects they can currently extract. The character's S.Level must meet or exceed the equipment's Skill Level.

Second: Keep extracting useful Skills to raise that character's S.Level and open higher-level equipment effects. Pass one-off equipment to the next character who needs its Skill, and do not sell it until every intended user has extracted it.

Third: Use Set to choose the three Skills that solve the next area. Extracted Skills are not active automatically, so change the set as your needs change. Wearing equipment and setting its extracted Skill can stack when both effects allow it. Cross plus the extracted Damage-10 Skill, for example, reduces damage twice.

First priorities

Need	Equipment and Skill
See enemy HP	Extract Search Eyes from Scope first. It makes point-slot finishers, stealing, and boss timing much less guessy.
Gain another AP each turn	Commander's Crest provides AP +1. This changes which attack strings and support actions fit into a turn.
Use two Tech Attacks	Double Buster provides W-Special. With 6 AP, Square, Circle, Circle and Triangle, Circle, Circle both work.
Protect against every status	Shield Armor provides All Guard. It costs 500 S.Pts to extract, but replaces several fight-specific Guard Skills.
Reduce all incoming damage	Cross provides Damage-10. Wearing Cross while setting Damage-10 stacks the two reductions.
Cut Ether costs	Angel Ring provides EP Half. This is especially useful for expensive healing, support, and endgame Ether.
Double recovery	Life Stone provides Recovery Double for HP and EP recovery effects.
Earn more points	Craft Apron, Star Hat, and Swimsuit provide Skill P+25, Ether P+25, and Tech P+25. Set the one matching the points you are farming.
Improve item results	Thief Ring provides Rare+10. It improves the chance of receiving the better enemy item.

Battle flow and offense

Name	Effect
AGL +1	Raises Agility by 1.
AP +1	Adds 1 AP each turn.
Battle BC+1	Starts battle with one Boost level.
CB On	Automatically Boosts when attacked; requires Counter+10.
Counter+10	Raises counterattack rate by 10 percent.
CRTC+5	Raises critical-hit rate by 5 percent.
Damage UD	Changes damage received according to current HP.
DEX +2	Raises Dexterity by 2.
EATK +2	Raises Ether Attack by 2.
EVA +2	Raises Evasion by 2.
HP Strong	Raises Strength as HP falls.
Lonely EDUP	Raises Ether Defense as allies are KO'd.
Lonely PDUP	Raises physical defense as allies are KO'd.
PATK +2	Raises physical attack by 2.
Speed +25	Raises speed by 25 percent.
ST Double	Doubles status-effect duration.
Tech Attack AC	Raises Tech Attack critical-hit rate.
W-Special	Allows two Tech Attacks in sequence when the character has 6 AP.

Survival and recovery

Name	Effect
Damage-10	Reduces all damage received by 10 percent.
EDEF +2	Raises Ether Defense by 2.
EDEF +4	Raises Ether Defense by 4.
EPMAX +15	Raises maximum EP by 15 percent.
HPMAX +15	Raises maximum HP by 15 percent.
PDEF +2	Raises physical defense by 2.
PDEF +4	Raises physical defense by 4.
Recovery Double	Doubles HP recovery.
EP Half	Halves EP consumption; also the status name for halved EP recovery.

Information, points, and rewards

Name	Effect
Ether P+25	Raises Ether Points earned by 25 percent.
Experience P+25	Raises Experience earned by 25 percent.
Rare+10	Raises the chance of receiving a rare item by 10 percent.
Search Eyes	Displays enemy HP information.
Skill P+25	Raises Skill Points earned by 25 percent.
Tech P+25	Raises Tech Points earned by 25 percent.

Damage and Ether-effect protection

Name	Protection
Beam-20	Reduces Beam damage by 20 percent.
Ether Power D	Applies Veil support.
Ether Power U	Applies Anti-Veil support.
Fire-20	Reduces Fire damage by 20 percent.
Ice-20	Reduces Ice damage by 20 percent.
Lightning-20	Reduces Lightning damage by 20 percent.
Sword-20	Reduces slash and pierce damage by 20 percent.

Status guards

Match the exact Guard to the next enemy set when All Guard is unavailable or when its extraction cost is still out of reach.

Name	Status prevented
A-Poison Guard	Prevents Attack Poison.
All Guard	Prevents all status effects.
Bind Guard	Prevents Bind.
Confusion Guard	Prevents Confusion.
CRTC Guard	Prevents enemy critical hits.
DEX Guard	Prevents Dexterity Down.
EATK Guard	Prevents Ether Attack Down.
EP Double Guard	Prevents EP Over.
EP Guard	Prevents EP damage.
KO Guard	Prevents Instant KO.
Lost Guard	Prevents Lost.
PATK Guard	Prevents Physical Attack Down.
PDEF Guard	Prevents Physical Defense Down.
Poison Guard	Prevents Poison.
Sleep Guard	Prevents Sleep.
Slow Guard	Prevents Slow.
Special Guard	Prevents Attack Disable.
Stop Guard	Prevents Stop.

See Character Equipment for the equipment loop and Status Effects when you need to match a Guard to an enemy mechanic.