Final Fantasy XV Ascension Guide: Complete Combat And Ability Trees

Studying development trees will contribute greatly to improving your combat performance in Final Fantasy XV. The Ascension grid system is broken up into “trees”, each of which cover specific areas of combat and ability. The different themes are:

• Magic
• Recovery
• Technique
• Armiger
• Combat
• Teamwork
• Stats
• Exploration

You can cycle through each of these themes using L1/LB and R1/RB, with each tree grid broken down into a series of additional nodes, which are called “nexus”. Once you unlock one nexus, it becomes active for the specific character and can be used immediately.

There is a specific way to unlock a nexus. You will need to eventually build up the AP cost, which increases the further into a tree your attempt to climb and unlock. AP can be easily obtained by simply levelling up, completing quests, and selecting very specific dialogue options that reward certain AP grants. Even defeating some enemies will grant additional AP.

Once you have the required amount of AP for a certain nexus, go to the Ascension menu and select which one you would like to purchase. Ensuring you create a balanced character with prioritised features and skills is imperative to ensuring your character is always at an advantage during combat and other interactions. In this guide, we’ll steer you down the right path.

Magic

Magic skills have the power to make Noctis obsorb magical elements from the environment, as well as craft specific spells.

Elemental Absorption and Magic Power

• Elementalism – Absorb 20% more elemental energy from deposits (24 AP)
  • Elementality – Absorb 50% more elemental energy from deposits (72 AP)
  • Enhanced Elementality – Absorb 80% more elemental energy from deposits (99 AP)
  • Elemagnetism – Increase chance of draining energy from enemies with element-abosrbing weapons by 50% (48 AP)
  • Magic – Enhance Magic for each character by that character’s level (48 AP)
  • Magic Level II – Add level x3 to that party’s Magic total. (99 AP)

Spell Potency and Crafting Perks

• Powercraft – Add 10 to the power of spells that you craft (20 AP)
  • Extra Powercraft – Add 30 to the power of spells that you craft (99 AP)
  • Super Powercraft – Add 50 to the power of spells that you craft (555 AP)
  • Ultimate Powercraft – Add 100 to the power of spells that you craft (999 AP)
  • Magic Action – Gain 1 AP every time you cast a spell. (24 AP)
  • Bonuspell – Receive an extra spell when crafting. (333 AP)
  • Bonuspell II – Receive two extra spells when crafting. (999 AP)

 

Recovery

Noctis’ and the party’s ability to recover HP, MP and Stamina are upgraded.

Noctis Recovery Perks

• Hang In – Increase HP recovery rate while hanging from a point-warp position (12 AP)
  • Sprinter – Add 5 seconds of Stamina (24 AP)
  • Distance Runner – Add 10 seconds of Stamina (99 AP)

Prompto/Gladiolus/Ignis Recovery Perks

• Rapid Regen – Raise HP and MP recovery rate by 10% while in cover. (10 AP)
  • First Aid – Enhance HP by 10% while in cover. (24 AP)
  • Advanced First Aid – Recover 50% of HP, boost vitality by 200 for 15 seconds (99 AP)
  • Expert First Aid – Recover 60% of HP, boost Vitality and Sprint for 15 seconds (333 AP)

Party Recovery Perks

• Savior’s Fortitude – Boost an ally’s vitality by 200 for 30 seconds once removed from danger (20 AP)
  • Savior’s Force – Boost an ally’s strength by 200 for 30 seconds once removed from danger (48 AP)
  • Comeback – Fully restore an ally’s HP once removed from danger (99 AP)
  • Savior’s Vengeance – Boost an ally’s critical hit rate by 20% for 30 seconds once removed from danger (48 AP)

 

Technique

Noctis and his party can upgrade special attacks and enhancements for battle.

Noctis Techniques

• Tech Strike – Add to the tech bar when Noctis lands an attack (48 AP)
  • Tech Damage – When Noctis suffers damage, add 500 to the tech bar (99 AP)
  • Quick Tech – Tech bar replinish rate is increased by 10% (333 AP)

Prompto Techniques

• Starsshell – Draw enemy attention with a light-elemental firearm attack that weakens Daemons and provokes for 20 seconds (8 AP)
  • Gravisphere – Draw enemies from an area in closer together with machinery (18 AP)
  • Trigger-Happy –  Unleash a barrage of bullets upon multiple enemies (72 AP)
  • Limit Break – Damage caused from Prompto’s techniques can move beyond 9,999 cap (999 AP)
  • Recoil – Deal heavy damage to a single enemy with machinery. (18 AP)

Ignis Techniques

• Regroup – Bring all allies together in stalwart defense. Rescues from Danger and restores HP quickly (8 AP)
  • Enhancement – Imbues Noctis’ weapon with the element that is the weakness of the current target for 60 seconds, while also boosting inherent damage of that element from weapons and spells (18 AP)
  • Sagefire – Unleash devastating Fire attack with daggers. (72 AP)
  • Limit Break – Damage from Ignis’ technique can break the usual 9,999 cap (999 AP)
  • Overwhelm – Concentrate Noctis’ and Ignis’ attacks on a single foe at once (18 AP)

Gladiolus Techniques

• Dawnhammer – Deal heavy damage to a single enemy with greatsword. (8 AP)
  • Royal Guard – Move to quickly guard Noctis with a shield (18 AP)
  • Impulse – Unleash a frontal sweeping greatsword attack (72 AP)
  • Limit Break – Damage from Gladio’s techniques can break the usual 9,999 cap (999 AP)
  • Cyclone – Deal damage to nearby enemies with a shield microwave (18 AP)

 

Armiger

The Armiger ability is a special state in which Noctis can trigger a flurry of devastating attacks.

Armiger Perks

• Iron Armiger – Reduce Armiger bar deplition during Armiger by 30% (24 AP)
  • Armiger Action – Gain 1 AP everytime Armiger is used (48 AP)
  • Armiger Harvester – Boost Armiger bar gain from attacks by 30% (24 AP)

 

Armiger Chain Perks

• Armiger Warchain – Boost Armiger Chain damage by 50% (24 AP)
  • Armiger Chain Reaction – Gain 1AP every time you unleash Armiger chain (48 AP)
  • Armiger Freechain – Gain unlimited MP for 60 seconds after executing Armiger Chain (72 AP)
  • Armiger Sagechain – Boost experience gained from Armiger Chain kills by 100% (99 AP)

Combat

Focuses on Noctis’ offensive and defensive skills, attributes and abilities.

Aerial Maneuvers

• Airstep – Use the attack button and the left stick tom take a step in mid-air after attacking (6 AP)
  • Airsplip – Dodge enemy attacks in mid air by pressing the gaurd button (16 AP)
  • Airstride – Perform up to 2 Airsteps during aerial combos (52 AP)
  • Airdance – Perform unlimited number of Airsteps (333 AP)
  • Death Drop – From afar press attack button in midair to warp into range and strike down from above (28 AP)
  • Osmostrike – Recover MP when an aerial attack connects (52 AP)

Phasing Cost

• Light Phase – Reduce MP cost of phasing by 30% (8 AP)
  • Ultralight Phase – Further reduce the MP cost of phasing by 51% (32 AP)
  • Experimagic – Increase Noctis’s MP by the number of levels he has gained (99 AP)

Warpstrike and Blindside Strike

• Chained Fury – Boost damage dealt when performing uninterrupted combos. (10 AP)
  • Warp Factor – Warp-strike damage increased by 25% (24 AP)
  • Warp Factor Level II – Warp-strike damage increased by 50%
  • Point-Blank Warp-Strike – Eliminates damage modify penalty for short-range warp strikes (333 AP)
  • Stalker – Boost blindside damage increased by 25% (28 AP)
  • Super Stalker – Further boost blindside damage by 50% (64 AP)

Evasive Maneuvers

• Blink – Phase through enemy’s attack without using MP (16 AP)
  • Blink Boost – Recover 5 MP by blocking attacks at the last second (32 AP)
  • Impervious – Negate damage by pressing the guard button immediately after being hit. (333 AP)
  • Warp Decoy – Leave a hologram to divert enemies after a point-warp. (99 AP)
  • Static Edge – Significantly increase damage dealt after entering stasis. (34 AP)

 

Teamwork

These skills will enhance Noctis’ party.

Prompto Cooperative Perks

• First Shot – Gain first strike with a firearm and adds one segment o the tech bar (6 AP)
  • Shock Drop – Inflict damage and Shocked for 3 seconds on an enemy that Noctis is attacking mid-air (24 AP)
  • Sharp Shock – Boost Shock Drop damage by 100% (99 AP)
  • Scintilla – Make an enemy flinch for 3 seconds with a fiearm attack after dodging (18 AP)
  • Ballistic – Unleash critical damage on an area using a firearm when HP is high (64 AP)

Gladiolus Cooperative Perks

• Reflex – Perform a constructive counterattack using a greatsword (6 AP)
  • Engage – Perform a powerful preemeptive strike (18 AP)
  • Intercept – Guard Noctis with a shield when HP is high (64 AP)
  • Antagonize (Gladiolus) – Perform a distruptive kick when Noctis is defending (24 AP)
  • Acute Antagonism – Boost Antagonize damage by 100% (99 AP)

Ignis Cooperative Perks

• Analyze – Automatically scan enemy with Libra for 2 minutes
  • Lancet – Drain enemy’s HP using a polearm while dodging (18 AP)
  • Regenerate – Heal an enemy with a hidden item when HP is high (99 AP)
  • Vemon Fang – When Noctis is performing a combo against an enemy, poison it for one minutes with a dagger (24 AP)
  • Virulent Venom – Boost Venom fang damage by 50% (64 AP)

Party Cooperative Perks

• Link Up – Boost link-strike damage (8 AP)
  • Super Link Up – Further boost link-strike damage (32 AP)
  • Critical Link – Link-strikes always inflict critical damage (333 AP)
  • Limitless Link – Damage from link-strikes can break the usual 9,999 cap (999 AP)
  • Deathblow (All except Noctis) – Perform powerful attacks against enemies in Vulnuerable status (16 AP)
  • Ultimate Deathblow (All except Noctis) – Increase the damage dealth by Deathblow (99 AP)

 

Stats

Noctis and his party’s health, spirit vitality and accessory slots are upgrades.

Base Stats

• Health Level I – Add level x2 to the party’s HP totals (10 AP)
  • Health Level II – Add level x5 to the party’s HP totals (99 AP)
  • Health Level III – Add level x10 to the party’s HP totals (333 AP)
  • Spirit Level – Enhance Spirit for each character by that character’s current level (99 AP)
  • Vitality Level – Enhance Vitality for each character by that character’s current level (99 AP)

Accessory Slots

• Accessory Slot (Noctis) – Noctis can equip two accessories (16 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Noctis) – Equip three accessories. (333 AP)
  • Accessory slot (Gladiolus) – Gladiolus can equip two accessories (16 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Gladiolus) – Gladiolus can equip three accessories (333 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Ignis) – Ignis can equip two accessories. (16 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Ignis) – Ignis can equip three accessories. (333 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Prompto) – Prompto can equip two accessories. (16 AP)
  • Accessory Slot (Prompto) – Prompto can equip three accessories. (333 AP)

 

Exploration

Enhances the special talents of Noctis and his party.

Survival Skills (Gladiolus)

• Happy Camping – Gain 1 extra AP every time you make camp at a haven different from the previous campsite (20 AP)
  • Happier Camping – Gain 2 extra AP every time you make camp at a haven different from your previous campsite (48 AP)
  • Fitter Survival – 25$ chance to receive two items instead of one every time Gladdio finds one in his survival kit (99 AP)
  • Fittest Survival – 50% chance to receive two items instead of one every time Gladio finds one through his Survival kit (999 AP)
  • Roadrunning – Gain 1 AP for every 1.25 miles driven in the Regalia in any mode (32 AP)
  • Roadlife – Gain 10 EXP for every 0.54 miles driven in the Regalia in any mode (99 AP)

Fishing Skills (Noctis)

• Angler Action – Gain 1 AP every time you catch a fish (18 AP)
  • Item Angler – Double the items gained from fishing (84 AP)
  • Sportfishing – Gain extra AP for catching fish (99 AP)
  • Expert Item Angler – Triple the items gained from fishing (Angler 555 AP)
  • Reel Experience – Gain experience for catching fish (333 AP)

Photography Skills (Prompto)

• Snapshot – Take photos in battle, up to five can be saved (12 AP)
  • Aperture – Receive 1 AP for every snapshot that features Noctis in the photograph (333 AP)

Cooking Skills (Ignis)

• Aftertaste – Food effects last until sunrise the following day (18 AP)
  • Lingering Aftertaste – Food effects last until nightfall on the following day (99 AP)
  • Persistent Aftertaste – Food effects last until sunrise on the day after next (333 AP)
  • Appetize – Gain 1 AP every time you cook a party member’s favourite food (20 AP)

Chocobo Riding

• Chocojockey – Gain 1 AP every time you win a chocobo race (32 AP)
  • Chocoracer – Gain 50 EXP every time you win a chocobo race (99 AP)
• Chocobump – Gain 1 AP for every 0.875 miles travelled while riding a chocobo (32 AP)
  • Chocobonus – Gain 10 EXP for every 0.35 miles travelled while riding a chocobo (99 AP)