Forspoken has an interesting magic system that borrows from the major elements of life. Players begin with the power of Earth, although it is called Purple Magic in the game. Players can hurl rocks at enemies or command plants to attack, for example. Players can enhance or unlock new spells in this Purple Magic skill tree via Mana which is earned from leveling up.
Mana can also be acquired in the field. Defeating the Tantas will unlock new skill trees for players to put their hard-earned Mana points into. This guide will highlight the best spells to focus on for the first two skill trees based on Purple and Red Magic in Forspoken.
8 Upgrade Starters
The Purple Magic skill tree starts players off with a few spells, including Burst Shot. Players can fire a few small rounds of pebbles at enemies or charge it up for a more devastating attack. It’s the best attack spell in the Purple Magic starting pack that should be upgraded to level three as soon as possible.
For the Red Magic starter, focus on Arc Slice, which is a charged-up version of Slice. This creates a flaming sword which is a cool attack for an action RPG, and that too should be upgraded three times.
7 Tendril
Tendril is part of the Purple Magic list, and its application is simple. It’s a support spell that swings a massive vine at enemies. If timed correctly, players can hit a wide range of enemies coming at them. Players will recover HP based on how much damage they do. The more enemies they hit, the greater the healing power.
Unlocking Tendril is necessary for getting to several other spells as well, so make sure this gets unlocked first, even before the upgrades.
6 Implant
Implant is one of the aforementioned spells that can be unlocked once Tendril is purchased in the Purple Magic area. The spell will shoot into an enemy, burrow inside them, and start doing damage from within. It’s similar to how a spell-like Poison works in a game like Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which shares a lot with the combat system in Forspoken.
Implant is not the strongest spell in the game, but it can be useful for boss fights. Once a boss fight begins, launch Implant, and then keep launching it every time the spell recharges.
5 Drag And Drop
Drag And Drop Red Magic skill tree, and it is a unique skill that doesn’t require players to use L2 or R2 like normal to use the spell. Players activate it instead by pressing L1, R1, and Square at the same time on the PS5 controller. This will launch a fiery tendril at an enemy and then pull them toward Frey.
It’s similar to Scorpion’s hookshot in the Mortal Kombat series, except Frey doesn’t scream “Get over here” every time she uses it. That could be a fun line Square Enix could add into a patch for Frey.
4 Crucible
Crucible is a Red Magic skill that is incredibly powerful. It creates a fiery dome around Frey to protect her from outside invaders. It doesn’t trap anyone inside or outside technically, but enemies will get damaged if they pass through the flaming walls. The best benefit of this spell is that Frey’s attack power increases as long as she stays in the dome.
This is another great spell to use on bosses, even though this also confines players to a smaller area of play. It’s a risk-reward type of spell that comes with the action RPG territory.
3 Fusillade
Fusillade is another defensive spell in the Red Magic category. It will instantly summon two flaming swords that will rest on Frey’s back. They will automatically attack every time players use a skill like Arc Slice.
They are there to ensure players will not suffer damage while charging, which is incredibly useful. Once they attack, they will go back to Frey’s shoulder, so it’s not a one-time defensive spell. Eventually, they will disperse after a few uses, though.
2 Legion
Legion is the final sole spell focused on Red Magic alone. It will initially summon two fiery soldiers to aid Frey in battle. These sentient soldiers do not wait to be commanded or activated by special conditions, unlike Fusillade. They will attack until they have sustained enough damage.
The AI for these soldiers is not that great, as they aren’t as fluid in battle next to Frey. They’re more like distractions than a substitute for co-op gameplay in Forspoken, but they are useful nonetheless.
1 Upgrade Finishers
Players get one Limit Break-like attack per skill tree in Forspoken. The Purple Magic’s special is called Genesis, whereas Red Magic’s special is called Conflagration. Genesis will summon a surge of rocks to jut out of the ground, while Conflagration will summon a giant wave of fire. Both spells are incredibly powerful and take a while to charge up. They can be upgraded three times, and players should take advantage of these upgrades as soon as possible, even though they are costly. Also, it’s a good idea to equip gear like cloaks with supportive abilities to charge this meter up faster.
Forspoken was released on January 24, 2023, and is available on PC and PS5.