Getting combat right in a turn-based RPG is essential. There’s nothing that will turn people off a game in this sub-genre quicker than flat, lifeless battles which lack strategy, or synergies between characters.
You want to have access to devastating moves akin to Cloud’s Omnislash in Final Fantasy VII, but you also want to have access to a range of defensive moves, healing effects, and a couple of specific elemental effects that can help exploit a weakness of an otherwise formidable foe.
Well, Sea of Stars brings all of this to the table, and one of the core mechanics that allow for this, is the combo system.
This is a meter that will build up over time with successful attacks and timed blocks, and with each notch gained, you gain access to a range of combo attacks that can turn the tide and help break tough enemy locks.
However, not all of these combos are simply handed to you as you acquire new party members. Instead, you’ll have to go out into the big, bad world and find Combo scrolls that allow you to learn these helpful moves.
This means uncovering secret areas, solving puzzles, and generally remaining vigilant throughout your adventure.
It’s easy to let one or two of these Combos pass you by, but with the help of this guide, we hope to ensure that you gather all of these potential combos long before the credits roll. So without further delay, here is Indie Game Culture’s Sea of Stars Combo Locations Guide.
Understanding the Combo System
The combo system is a pretty straightforward one. To put it simply, Combos are powerful dual moves that players can use in battle, which usually deal a lot more damage than basic and magic attacks, not to mention give players the opportunity to break complex enemy locks.
The player can fill up their combo bar by simply battling, and choosing attacking options. However, the most efficient way to build up your combo bar is by completing successful timed blocks.
These combo attacks can only be used if you have built up the bar enough times to collect combo notches. One notch will allow you to do more basic combos like Solstice Strike or Arcane Moons, for example. However, for more intricate, high-damage attacks, you will need to build up the combo meter, two, or even three times.
Then you also have the Ultimate Meter, which will build independently of the Combo Meter, and when this is full, any character who has learned an ultimate attack will be able to perform it. These are essential to take down some of the harder bosses in Sea of Stars.Â
The key to using combos efficiently is holding them until you really need them to pick a lock, or using them to deal high damage to wipe out an enemy in one turn.
All Sea of Stars Combo Locations
#1 – Mending Light
- Location: Forbidden Cavern
- Effect: Restores HP to all Allies
The first combo you pick up is within the forbidden Cavern. It’s one that appears along the linear path through the area, so unless you really weren’t paying attention, you should get this through natural play.
This is a bit of a needless combo for the most part, as Garl circumvents the need to use combos to heal, and items are a fine backup option.
#2 – Solar Rain
- Location: Moorlands
- Effect: Sun Damage that hits all enemies
Next up, we have Solar Rain, a combo that you will pick up soon after you gain the ability to control the day/night cycle when on those magical purple plates shown above.
You could miss this one if you decided to ignore this rudimentary little puzzle that shows how this mechanic works, but chances are this one will also be obtained through natural play.
Solar Rain is a pretty good attack in terms of damage, and it also hits all enemies on the field, making it a great option for bigger groups.
#3 – Bash Drop
- Location: Coral Cascades
- Effect: Moderate Blunt Damage vs one enemy
Next is Bash Drop, which is realistically the first combo scroll that you could potentially miss. This one is found on the lower levels of the Coral Cascade area.
So when you descend the series of waterfalls, take the time to explore the area, and in a little cave off to the left of the map, you’ll find this combo scroll.
As a combo, Bash Drop is a little underwhelming as it’s not an effective lock breaker, and the damage is pretty poor too, but hey, better than nothing, I guess.
#4 – X-Strike
- Location: Haunted Mansion
On Wraith Island is where you’ll get your next combo, which is the first concerning Seraï. You’ll find this one by solving a puzzle in the Haunted Mansion.
To do this, you’ll need to interact with the Knights on either side of this room. I won’t give away any more than that, as the puzzle is pretty straightforward as it is. When you solve the puzzle, the scroll will pop up in the fireplace.
X-strike is one of my preferred combos as it’s an excellent lock breaker throughout the game; it does damage to all enemies, and the damage dealt is pretty respectable too. Not to mention, the animation is cool as heck.
#5 – Soonarang
- Location: Eldermist Island (Solstice Chamber)
- Effect: Solar and Lunar Damage based on timed responses (Similar to Moonarang)
When you get to a certain point in the story, you will be given the key to access the First Solstice Chamber, an area that holds a unique item well worth seeking out.
When you get this key, you’ll need to sail back to Eldermist Island and work all the way back to the area just before Mooncradle. Then you can access this area with the key. The puzzle solution is shown above, but if you want a little more detail, you can check out our Sea of Stars Solstice Chambers Guide.
Soonarang is a really helpful combo. It’s a little harder to use regularly as it’s a two-notch combo.
However, there are precious few ways in the game that you can deal both Solar and Lunar damage without using Live Mana, so this one is a good one to pick up, and probably worth the trek back across the map to get earlier rather than later.
#6 – Moon Shiv
- Location: Sacred Grove
When traveling through Sacred Grove, which is the area with the strong currents before Docarri Village, for those unaware, you will be able to access a pathway that will take you to the top right-hand corner of this area.
You’ll have to fight a group of enemies, and when you clear those guys, you’ll be able to claim your Combo Scroll containing Moon Shiv.
Moon Shiv is a good combo for dealing with tougher enemies as it’s a good combo breaker, and it deals big damage. However, I wouldn’t necessarily use this one when fighting groups of enemies, as it’s a little pricy.
#7 – Item Roulette
- Location: Glacier Peak
- Effect: Garl picks a random item for a special effect
Next, we have Item Roulette. This is found near the save point encased in ice on Glacier Peak.
You’ll gain the power to control the day/night cycle without the need for the little purple plates, and when you do, you’ll be able to use your Mistral Bracelet to move around the pillar emitting the beam of light, and melt the icicle containing this combo scroll.
Item Roulette is Sea of Stars’ answer to Pokemon’s Metronome. When you perform this attack, you essentially spin a slot machine, and it can land on an Anvil or Rubber Duck, dealing physical damage, or perhaps you may get a Picnic Basket that will heal your party.
It’s a luck-based combo, but you’d be surprised just how helpful it can be.
I just wish it was available a little sooner in the story, for reasons that will become clear as you keep playing.
#8- Arcane Moons
- Location: Autumn Hills
- Effect: Arcane and Lunar Damage to all enemies
The next combo scroll is pretty much directly on your path through Autumn Hills, but you can solve the puzzle without actually fully completing the puzzle to access the scroll.
So if you were unlucky enough to do that, you need to head back here, and use your Mistral Bracelet to move the leaf piles, then use your Day/Night Cycle magic to access this scroll.
Arcane Moons is a great low-cost combo that does relatively low damage, but serves as a great way to break locks and deal damage to an entire group. Alongside Solstice Strike, it’s probably the one that you’ll end up using the most.
#9 – Venom Bomb
- Location: Songshroom Marsh
As you navigate Mesa Island, you’ll hopefully find this next combo scroll containing Venom Bomb. I would say that this is probably the easiest one to miss of the entire bunch.
This one is obtainable as you are on the way out of the area. As you exit, you will come across a little hidden cave, so take it easy through that area and keep your eyes peeled. If you spot it, the scroll is waiting for you beyond a few big ol’ mushrooms.
Venom Bomb isn’t one I used all that much, especially when The Great Eagle ultimate became an option, as it only does Venom damage, and usually, this isn’t going to break locks and get you out of a jam, but it’s a nice luxury combo I suppose.
#10 – Conflagrate
- Location: Air Elemental Skylands
- Effect: Arcane and Solar Damage (Multiple Hits)
Then we have the last combo that you will have to manually obtain, Conflagrate. This is a combo that is given to you when the gang split up to obtain all the elemental ingredients for Garl’s massive loaf of bread.
Up to this point, you have no Arcane and Solar combo, so the game kindly offers one. You’ll need to explore the area a little and use your Graplou to traverse to this combo scroll, but it’s pretty easy to find.
As for Conflagrate itself, it’s a welcome addition during this section of the game, but after that, it really isn’t all that helpful. It can break some combos in a pinch, but because of the high cost, I reckon you’ll use this a handful of times throughout the entire game.
#11 – Arcane Barrage
- Location: Maelstrom Point (Auto-Learn)
- Effect: Venom and Arcane Damage on multiple Targets + delays turn
Much like Conflagrate, Arcane Barrage is handed to you in the section where Resh’an and Seraï are on their separate mission, offering a Venom and Arcane combo for the fight with Stormcaller. This is an auto-learn and will be handed to you right at the beginning of this section.
#12 – Moonrock + All Other B’st Combos
- Location: Lost One’s Hamlet (Auto-Learn)
- Effect: Arcane and Lunar Damage to a single target
I’ve listed Moonrock as it’s probably the best one you obtain from B’st, but in this instance, you learn a handful of combos, which will complete your set if you have followed this guide to the letter.
When you acquire B’st as a party member, you will automatically learn Moonrock, Elbow Loop, Arcane Sun, and Bottle Punch.
Two Heads are Better than One
As you can see, there are quite a few combos that can be collected throughout your adventure through Sea of Stars. While some of these are all but handed to you as you complete the main story, there are a few combos that require a little more digging to get a hold of.
We hope that this guide has allowed you to bolster your arsenal even further, and we wish you luck on your quest to take out Dwellers and become the most powerful Solstice Warriors of all. As always, thanks for reading Indie Game Culture.
Sea of Stars Combo Locations: FAQs
Question: How Many Combos are in Sea of Stars?
Answer: There are a total of twelve combos in the game. Some of which you learn automatically, whereas others will need to be sought out.
Question: What’s the Best Combo in Sea of Stars?
Answer: Arcane Moons is a great combo, because of the AoE and the low cost to perform. However, other very good options are Soonarang, Item Roulette, and X-Strike.
Question: Are Ultimates the Same as Combos?
Answer: Yes and No. They work off the same meter and can only be performed when you have filled the Rainbow Gauge. However, all ultimates are learned naturally, so they don’t count toward your combo tally.
Read More: Sea Of Stars Documentary Now Available Via The Escapist
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