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Alphen is the first character players will control in Tales of Arise, and given his wide array of powerful skills, it is likely that many players will keep him in their party right until the final boss. Although he has little memory of his past, Alphen is incapable of feeling pain which is reflected by the way some of his most powerful attacks reduce his own health as well as that of his enemies.
As with all the other party members in Tales of Arise, Alphen has access to a number of skill panels offering a range of different stat buffs. These 'titles' are accessed after completing specific chapters, and upon unlocking them players will receive the first skill for free with the option to purchase more skills or artes with SP. Alphen has 18 different titles he can upgrade to unlock a wide range of useful artes and buffs in Tales of Arise.
18 Beach Hero
Unfortunately, the three DLC skill panels that players can unlock in Tales Of Arise are some of the least useful. In general, it is worth saving SP for skills from the main game as they will help far more with improving Alphen's combat ability.
It is a grand tradition in anime for there to be an episode where all of the characters spend a day at the beach, and Tales of Arise continues this tradition with the Beach Time Costume Pack. The skill tree that is unlocked for free upon adding this DLC, is as superficial as the costumes it unlocks as it is one of the only skill panels with only three skills. The new arte, Howling Azure Storm can be useful, but otherwise, the most useful aspect of this panel is the third level which allows players to inflict more damage to enemies with physical ailments.
17 Straight Laced Schoolboy
Many of the titles are designed to reflect an aspect of each character's personality. Often they will be earned after crucial story moments or side quests and be named after the events that unlocked them. As such the Straight-Laced Schoolboy panel might seem somewhat incongruous next to Alphen's other skill titles.
This panel has 5 skills but two of them are exactly the same, offering to increase boost gauge upon defeating an enemy for 1000 SP. Players will receive the arte Plasma Shock for free upon unlocking this title which is done automatically upon purchasing the School Life Costume Pack DLC. This attack will paralyze enemies, while all the other skills in this tree focus on improving Alphen's boost gauge.
16 Blazing Blow
Every party member in Tales of Arise has special moves called artes that they can activate during combat. The player's AG, or artes gauge, determines how many of these attacks can be executed in a given amount of time. As such, skills that boost AG are incredibly useful for all party members, especially Alphen.
The Blazing Blow panel has some useful skills however many of them are very situational. The first skill increases Alphens boost gauge upon downing an enemy, while the second enhances both defense and elemental defense when the player is near death. As both of these buffs indicate, many of the skills in this title are only effective under certain conditions, making them less useful than many of the more consistent skills that are available.
15 Undefeated Swordsman
Of all the skill titles that Alphen can choose from, Undefeated Swordsman has one of the most accurate names. No matter which sword he is using, Alphen's prowess in melee combat is second only to Laws.
Despite its aggressive name, this panel doesn't have many exceptional combat buffs except the last skill which costs 1320 SP for faster AG recovery. This title is unlocked by Alphen clearing the novice solo training ground mission. The special arte from this panel is Void Blast, this ability costs 440 SP and will cause all enemies within a given radius to helplessly levitate while the entire party gets an opportunity to attack.
14 Infernal Tongue
According to the description for this skill panel, even though Alphen can't feel pain, he does still possess a sense of taste. Indeed his taste buds may work better than ever since he lost his ability to feel other sensations.
The Infernal Tongue title is unlocked by making Alphen roast a chicken. Upon doing so the player will get the free skill Recover, which will allow them to use the evade button to avoid being knocked prone when sent flying by strong enemies. Although many of the skills in this panel are somewhat situational, with the attack boost only activating when near death, they can be useful for improving Alphens counterattacks.
13 Power Of A Sovereign
Some titles are unlocked by completing main quests, meaning the player will definitely unlock at least their first skill as they progress through the game. Power of a Sovereign grants the player an increase to their boost damage when they complete the Unliberated quest.
The best ability in this panel is also the most expensive. Flaming Edge Burst allows the player to charge Alphens innate perk, this makes his strongest attacks even more powerful, although at the cost of more health. The arte offered by this panel is called Vacuum Blades and causes Alphen to execute a rapid string of one-two slashes, which can be very effective against large numbers of enemies.
12 Veteran Samurai
Unlocked as part of the Warring States Costume Pack, the veteran samurai title is the only DLC panel that offers the full complement of five, different, skills. Unfortunately, many of these skills are powerful but highly situational with three of them only activating under specific conditions.
As well as the free arte Orochi's Galeforce Fury, this panel contains three skills that buff the player's attack and elemental attack when they are low on health, at full health, or surrounded by enemies. If players can afford all three of these skills they may have consistently higher damage output, and the final skill is great for preventing Alphen from being knocked prone by powerful attacks.
11 Comrades Of Freedom
Tales of Arise has several references to previous games, and although the combat has significantly evolved over the years some aspects, such as Over Limit, have remained the same. As players take damage and perform perfect evades and dodges, they will start to accumulate a blue aura. Once the character is fully glowing blue they will have entered Over Limit meaning their artes temporarily no longer cost AG to activate.
The free skill in the Comrades of Freedom panel increases Alphen's max AG which is a common but useful perk to have. This title is unlocked upon completing the mission Kisara's Ideals. The third skill is worth the 560 SP it costs as it increases the duration of Alphen's Over Limit, which when combined with the first skill allows the player to cast more artes during a battle without running out of AG.
10 Vanquisher Of The Four Lights
Alphen has access to a number of different swords, some of which have considerable penetration power. The more penetration an attack has the more chance it has to knock enemies prone.
As well as boosting Alphen's max AG with the first skill the Vanquisher of The Four Lights title has several skills that make it easier to down enemies and deal more damage to those that have been downed. As the name suggests this panel is unlocked by killing all of the four lights; Efreet Malum, Grand Gnome, Procella Sylph, and Luo Undine.
9 Arms Sommelier
This panel can be unlocked by forging the sword Atonement Edge. While many of the skills in this title are very useful, they are also extremely expensive.
The free skill from this title increases the number of attacks Alphen can perform. If players have enough SP, it is worth getting all five skills from this panel, especially the one that makes evading easier, and the final buff that speeds up AG recovery in exchange for 2040 SP. There isn't an arte that can be unlocked from this panel, but maxing it out will increase Alphens damage output as well as granting the completion bonus of +40 penetration to any weapon.
8 Unrelenting Blaze
This is another title that is unlocked after completing a main quest and offers an increase to Alphen's max AG with the first skill, making it very worth accessing as soon as possible. This panel requires the player to complete the Impact Site quest.
Many of the skills in this title are very expensive but extremely powerful. The arte Incineration Wave is a devastating attack that costs 1520 SP to access. Despite the high price, all of the skills in this title are worth getting eventually and once the player does so they will gain the additional completion perk of +50 resistance.
7 Emissary Of Liberation
Many of Alphens best titles include skills that boost his maximum AG. By the end of the game, Alphen will be able to execute long strings of attacks and devastate most enemies with his powerful artes.
The Emissary of Liberation title increases AG recovery with its free skill. Furthermore, the final two skills allow the player to regenerate AG from perfect evades or guards and increase max AG. The completion bonus for this panel isn't the best offering only +20 elemental defense but it is still worth maxing out for the skills alone.
6 Iron Mask
As well as boosting Max AG, any skills that offer to improve Alphens evade are worth getting. Since many of his attacks drain his own health avoiding enemy damage is crucial to keep Alphen alive.
Iron mask is one of the first titles players will unlock and the free skill it grants is the ever-useful boost to Alphens max AG. It is worth getting the completion bonus for this panel of +10 attack, as all the skills it has are cheap and useful. The 4th skill only costs 300 SP and gives Alphen a larger window of opportunity for performing perfect evades and guards.
5 Rebellious Spark
Like Iron Mask, this is one of the panels that is unlocked early on by completing the main quest Battle Preparations. Both of the artes from this title are almost essential in the early game, with Severing Wind knocking enemies into the air for easy strikes and Stardust causing Alphen to carry out a furious sequence of thrusts followed by a final slash attack.
The free skill for the Rebellious Spark title is called Counter Edge. This ability allows Alphen to perform an immediate counterattack by triggering any skill after a perfect evade or guard. Since it is unlocked so early in the game, all of the skills in this panel are very cheap with the most expensive being 360 SP for another increase to Alphens max AG.
4 Arms Collector
As the name suggests, this title is unlocked by forging ten different weapon types. As well as the free boost to Alphen's max AG, players are going to want to amass a collection of weapons anyway meaning this panel is one most players will complete throughout the course of their playthrough.
The devastation arte is a powerful attack that can be very useful in boss fights, while the skills are useful for boosting attack and elemental attack damage, increasing critical damage and causing AG to regenerate faster. This title is relatively cheap to fully unlock and if players do they will gain the completion bonus of +40 elemental defense.
3 Enlightening Bond
Alphen's up-close melee-oriented fighting style is perfectly complemented by his first party member Shionne. As players progress through Tales of Arise they have the choice of building relationships between their 6 characters and discovering new aspects of their personalities in the process.
If players can develop maximum affinity between Alphen and another party member they will unlock the Enlightening Bond title. This is another title that is worth unlocking just to get the free skill of increased max AG, although all the other buffs are worth their SP as well.
This panel has many of the best skills for Alphen including extended Over Limit, Increase Boost Strike Damage, and KO Prevention. Only the last of these skills is significantly expensive, costing 2240 however if players can afford this they will also get a +40 elemental defense completion bonus.
2 Another Day Another Wall
The name of this title refers to Alphen's diplomatic skills at breaking down barriers between the six members of the group. Players will unlock Another Day Another Wall after completing the main quest Pursuing Zephyr.
The free skill for this title improves the counter-edge ability granted by Rebellious Spark, by making it trigger upon defeating an enemy as well as after a perfect dodge or block. As well as a devastating arte called Rising Falcon, the rest of the skills for this panel, except for the final one, increase the player's damage, as does the completion bonus.
1 Blazing Sword
Alphen's innate perk reflects his inability to feel pain by allowing him to execute extremely powerful attacks in exchange for health. Provided Shionne and Rinwell keep healing him, Alphen can use this ability to destroy even the toughest enemies with brutal fiery attacks.
The Blazing Sword title makes Alphen's innate perk even better with two skills that make his Flaming Edge attack stronger or capable of being charged for even higher damage. While all of the skills and artes from this panel will reduce Alphens health, they will also greatly increase his damage. Blazing Sword is unlocked by completing the main quest Taking Down Blaseph and offers +10 defense as its completion bonus.
Tales of Arise was released on September 9, 2021, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.