Timeline Counters

Combat is a command-battle system built around a center Timeline. Stack skills in the flow of time, match Counter Skill colors to enemy skills, and drain Down Gauges into Secret Arts.

1. Read the Timeline

1. Enemy and player skills appear on the Timeline at the center of the screen, showing activation timing and type.
2. The Timeline extends symmetrically left and right.
3. A skill activates the moment its bar reaches the center.
4. Enemy and player attacks register in multiple layers on the same Timeline — plan overlaps before bars hit center.

2. Pause or slow the fight

1. Slow motion or pause is available at any time during combat.
2. Use pause / slow to read incoming attack forecasts and check skill recharge / cooldown status.
3. Official gameplay trailer HUD shows a Stop Time control while planning skills.

3. Counter Skills (Red / Blue / Yellow)

Rule	Detail
Color set	Counter Skills are sorted into Red, Blue, and Yellow
Trigger	Overlay a skill of the same color onto an enemy skill on the Timeline
Fail condition	Wrong color does not trigger a counter
Per-skill color map	Not published as a full roster — read colors from the skill icons / Timeline bars in battle

4. Cooldown vs counter window

Attack-skill cooldown	Damage	Counter window
Recovered	Full	Full
Not yet recovered	Reduced	Narrower

Rotate Counter Skills so recovered skills cover upcoming enemy bars.

5. Switch protagonists & support skills

1. At low difficulty, matching counters is enough to clear fights.
2. At higher difficulty, enemies use multi-layered attacks that simple counters cannot fully answer.
3. Switch between Rena Hizuki and Soma Hoshigami and use support skills (examples cited officially: attack-speed up, recovery).
4. Skills unlock from the Relationship Chart as the investigation progresses.

6. Buddy Counter

Rule	Detail
Requirement	Some enemy techniques must be countered by both protagonists at once
Cooldown gate	Some Buddy Counters only occur when countered with attack skills whose cooldowns have recovered
Succession effects	Some produce special effects when the two protagonists use them in succession
Exact order / skill list	Not published — observe per enemy technique in battle

7. Aerial launch & follow-ups

1. A successful counter can launch lesser enemies into the air.
2. Follow-up attacks can each be performed by either protagonist once the enemy has fallen.
3. Switch between Rena and Soma immediately to continue the follow-up chain.

8. Down Gauge → critical window → Secret Art

1. Successful counters drain the Down Gauge on enemies that have one.
2. When the Down Gauge downs an enemy, that enemy always takes critical hits.
3. Stack critical damage during the down window until the enemy rises.
4. Finish with a Secret Art for maximum damage.
5. Critical damage can be increased through passive skills and support battle skills.
6. At game start, only Rena can unleash a Secret Art; Soma gains one as the story progresses.

9. Related systems (unlock / progression)

System	Confirmed role
Relationship Chart	Compiles investigation state; unlocks skills as the story progresses
Mystic Pass	Password locks on some skills; found via in-game SNS or rarely on the battle results screen; meant to be shared
Tokyo map	Story advances by choosing locations; events change by location and time

Characters: Rena Hizuki · Soma Hoshigami · Characters hub