Gameplay[]
The Combo Map is an aspect of attacking on the top screen with Neku's Partner. Attacking is controlled by either the Control Pad or the A, B, X, and Y buttons and the combo map will appear whenever a character is performing a ground or aerial combo.
The map consists of Combo Panels, which represent basic attacks, Branch Panels, which move you onto a Combo Branch, and Finishing Cards which are linked to combo finishers. The finishing cards have different effects that tie into each partner's Fusion mechanic, but all will trigger a combo finished if successfully selected.
Reading The Combo Map[]
Once a character begins a combo, the combo map will show the key presses required to continue attacking on the top screen. It consists of a number of arrow panels and different types of cards. Each panel contains an arrow in one of three directions: direction of the original attack, up, and down.
Below is an example of a typical combo map consisting of a 4-panel trunk with 1-panel branches branching off of the 2nd panel.
Arrows panels tell you which direction presses will continue the combo. The panel you're currently on is marked by orange background and will always point in the direction you are attacking. Continuing to press in that direction will allow you to continue until the finisher is played. It is always possible to complete a combo by repeatedly attacking in the same direction as the initial attack.
If a panel above the currently selected one has a yellow up or down arrow, it means you can press the corresponding direction to move onto the corresponding combo branch, which will be visible above or below your current branch. Pressing the vertical direction will also automatically play the first left/right arrow in the branch and the branch panels themselves do not add extra attacks to the combo, though they can extend or shorten a combo by moving you onto a branch with fewer combo panels. You are never forced to select a branching panel to complete a combo. Branch panels will flash slightly when they are valid inputs and pressing up or down at any other point will cancel the combo. Pressing in the opposite direction of the attack will also cancel the combo, though each character also has a special technique they can unlock which triggers by canceling a ground combo in this manner.
Displaying The Combo Map[]
The combo map is not displayed when the battle starts. It appears immediately after your partner attempts to attack by pressing either the left or right arrow, or the A or Y buttons. If the attack is impossible because there are no monsters in that direction, the combo map will only display for a fraction of a second before disappearing again. Otherwise, the combo map will remain visible as long as your partner continues to progress along the map. The combo map will disappear once the attack is completed, or if the partner attack sequence is interrupted (e.g., due to a noise attack, or a mistake in following arrows, or taking too long to move to the next panel).
Combo Map Varieties[]
Combo maps have a number of distinct shapes for each character's ground and air combos. These maps can also be substituted using character combo map abilities to change the overall shape and grant the map different properties. These properties can be further modified by threads through their various map-related effects. These effects can be grouped into three main types: Combo Panel abilities, which affect the number combo panels per branch; Combo Branch abilities, which add extra branching panels; and Combo Map Upgrade abilities, which combine the effects of the prior two types.
Combo map designs can be described based on the following four features: the default length of the initial "trunk"; the default branch length; initial number of maximum branches; and branch panel location.
Abilities that affect panel numbers do so for each branch in the map, so Combo Panel +1 will add one panel to both the trunk and all derived branches. Depending on the design, this could allow 2 or more extra hits per combo, not 1.
Abilities that add combo branches allow for players to select additional branch panels after the initial one. Each extra "branch" added allows for two choices of branches, one above and one below the previous branch. Extra branches always behave following the branch parameters, which typically differ from the "trunk".
Design Classifications[]
There are nine map designs available in the game, some being available by default and others obtainable only via thread abilities. A total of six items per character will set either their ground or aerial combo to a specific shape. Shiki has four ground maps and two aerial maps, Joshua has three of each, while Beat has two ground maps and four aerial maps. Notably, across the eighteen item abilities, each of the nine patterns appears for one ground and one air combo. The following is a list of the nine patterns, a brief description of each, and a representation of the design.
(Note: In the graphical representations, long right arrows represent the minimum length, short right arrows indicate that the length can randomly extend. Vertical arrows represent fixed branching locations, diagonals are used if the branch may connect to one of two panels or more panels. If two diagonals emerge from different points on the same branch, the branching point is random.)
Club[]
The Club design is granted by Shiki: Ground Combo A (Spiked Choker) and Beat: Air Combo A (Darkness). It features no additional branches by default and its trunk is either 4 or 5 panels long. Adding branches with additional abilities will have the branches always being off of the very first panel, with the default length of additional branches being 1. It's similar in many ways to the Staff and Dagger designs.
As a side note, it is possible to stack Beat: Air Combo A with all of Beat's other abilities. In the event that Beat has 2 air combo abilities equipped, the Club design takes precedence.
The design is of minimal practical use to Shiki, whose default Saber map (see below) already has the same trunk length. Other than the branching location and Saber starting off with a pair of branches, there is no other difference of consequence. For Beat it does provide a reliably longer trunk than his default Cactus map, but otherwise is not especially noteworthy.
Lance[]
The Lance design is granted by Shiki: Ground Combo B (Cloud Nine Scarf) and Beat: Air Combo B (Tree Leaf Serenade). It features a trunk of 7 to 8 panels, a single pair of branches by default, and a starting branch length of 1 to 2 panels. Extra branches are always off of the last panel in the parent branch.
This is one of the longer combo maps available and the branch location helps to ensure that the combo can be extended even further, especially if extra panels are added to it. Its main weakness is that the longer combo makes it easier to interrupt the combo before the finisher.
Saber[]
The Saber design is granted by Shiki: Ground Combo C (Canvas Tote) and Beat: Air Combo C (Hey Girl). By default, it consists of a 4 or 5-panel long main combo branch, 2 branching panels both branching off the 2nd panel, with the branches themselves being 1 panel. All addition branches will be 1 panel long by default and will branch from the 2nd panel of the parent branch unless said branch is also only 1 panel long (which by default it will be), in which case it will branch off of the first and only panel.
Shiki and Beat both use this layout for their default ground combo maps as well, which has the curious effect of rendering Shiki: Ground Combo C a redundant ability. The map is a fairly standard one in length and branches, with the noteworthy advantage of allowing for the selection of a shorter or longer combo.
Folding Fan[]
The Folding Fan design is granted by Shiki: Ground Combo D (Heart Nails) and Joshua: Air Combo C (Asymmetric Jersey). It is one of the more unique designs due to possessing a default of 3 pairs of branching panels compared to the standard of only 1. All branches have a starting length of 2 panels and seemingly random branching points.
The Folding Fan is one of the more versatile maps due to the number of branches, allowing for more deliberate selection of finish panels. Its combos are generally short though the high number of branches does allow for some extension.
Staff[]
The Staff design is granted by Shiki: Air Combo A (Happy Necklace) and Beat: Ground Combo A (Hey Boy). It's similar to Club and Dagger in that it features no extra branches by default but has a trunk length of 7 or 8 panels. Like both of them, adding extra branches with additional abilities produces branches of 1 panel long that branch from the first panel.
The Staff contrasts with the Lance above in that, while being of the same trunk length, the Staff lacks branches. One potential advantage of the Staff over the Lance is that, if additional branches are added, they will branch from the first panel, allowing for fast combo finishers in a pinch.
Cactus[]
The Cactus design is granted by Shiki: Air Combo B (Blue Nails) and Joshua: Ground Combo B (Autumn Dragon). Both main and additional branches are 2 to 3 panels by default, it starts with a single pair of branches, and the branching locations are randomized.
This is also the default map used by all characters for their air combos and is also used by Joshua for his ground combo. This effectively renders both thread abilities for this map redundant.
The Cactus does little to stand out on its own but is very adaptable with the addition of more panels and branches. Combo Map Upgrade II in particular can be used to generate combos that range from moderately long to absurdly long.
Dagger[]
The Dagger design is granted by Joshua: Ground Combo A (White Dragon) and Joshua: Air Combo A (Pink Gauze Shirt). By default, it consists of 1 to 3 combo panels and no additional branches. Similar to Club and Staff, extra branches added with other abilities start at 1 panel in length and always branch from the first panel in the parent branch.
The Dagger is clearly built around fast combos with rapid finishers with little emphasis on earning Fusion stars. Ironically though, Joshua's finishers are the only ones that grow stronger from longer combos, which makes using these maps a less appealing choice. This is less true for the Air Combo due to the reliably powerful finisher, even if there is a stronger variant, but the Ground Combo suffers substantially.
Trident[]
The Trident design is granted by Joshua: Ground Combo C (Light and Shadow) and Beat: Air Combo D (Tartan Coat). Its trunk is 6 panels long by default, branches are 1 to 2 panels and always branch from the final panel in the parent branch, and its starting number of branch pairs is 2. It's similar to Lance, but with extra branches and a shorter trunk.
Similar to the Lance, the Trident is built towards longer combos that can be extended even further. The length and branches work well together with Joshua's ground combo for powering up finishers and attaining Stars. For Beat, there is little to distinguish this map from Lance other than the extra branches, which isn't as relevant for Air Combos.
Lightning Bolt[]
The Lightning Bolt is granted by Joshua: Air Combo B (Vernal Equinox) and Beat: Ground Combo B (Hey Everybody). It is one of the more random layouts available, with trunk and branches both ranging from 2 to 5 panels, a single pair of starting branches, and random branching locations.
This map is very much similar to the Cactus map, being a more random variety that has perhaps the greatest range of possible combo lengths, from very short to very long.