Halpha Environmental Testing Zone Survey/Strategy/Buffs

This page is about specifics regarding ability buffs. To return to the Strategy index, see Strategy.

General

All maps will be generated with a set of buff effects for the player and the boss.
This determines how the map for the day will be played, and the sectors you prioritize change depending on these effects.
The center starting sector will always be a safe zone with 8 Restasigne, leaving 24 sectors to clear for buffs.
One level of the Star buff will be placed on the map, and the other level is obtained by clearing the Trial that occurs.

Detailed information about enemy buffs is sourced from the NGS Verification Sheet. (EN) (JP)

Type 1: Normal Attack boost

Player ability buffs

Number	Ability buff	Max level	Effect
1	Normal Attack Potency up	5	Increases damage dealt by normal attacks. Effect increases by 15% per level, up to 75%. Applies to the additional attack granted by the Star buff, but does not apply to sidestep attacks nor sidestep counters.
2	Max HP up	5	Increases maximum HP. Effect increases by roughly 20% per level, up to roughly 100%.
3	Status Ailment Duration Reduction	5	Reduces the effective time of status effects such as Poison and Burn. Effect grants 20% per level, up to a maximum of 90%. Does not effect Potency/Damage Resistance down effects.
4	Damage Resistance Up	4	Reduces damage taken by 10% per level, up to 40%.
5	HP Recovery on Normal Attack Hit	4	Recovers HP when dealing damage with normal attacks. Healed amount is 1% of your maximum HP per level, up to 4%. Applied to the additional attack granted by the Star buff as well for up to two heals, but does not apply to sidestep attacks nor sidestep counters.
Star	Additional Attack on Normal Attack	1 + 1	Fires an additional attack each time a normal attack is activated, including sidestep attacks and sidestep counters. This attack is boosted by 1 buff, and grows in power when used from a distance. This attack only activates once per attack, so Rifle players need to press the normal attack button repeatedly to continue firing it. Close range power: 40 (Lv1) / 80 (Lv2) Long range power: 120 (Lv1) / 240 (Lv2)

Enemy ability buffs

Aberrant enemies
Player Potency/Damage Resistance Decrease on Attack Hit	Reduces damage dealt and increases damage taken by 5% for 15 seconds. If attacked again before the effect ends, another stack of the debuff is applied and effect duration resets. Maximum effect: Player Potency -90% / Player Damage Resistance -100%
End boss enemy
Player Potency/Damage Resistance Decrease on Attack Hit	Reduces damage dealt and increases damage taken by 5% for 15 seconds. If attacked again before the effect ends, another stack of the debuff is applied and effect duration resets. Maximum effect: Player Potency -90% / Player Damage Resistance -100%
Dark Added to Attacks: Poison Accumulation: Large	Enemy attacks can inflict Poison. Infliction rate is based on 31% of enemy attack Potency, so an attack with a notation of 200 will deal 62 Poison Value. See Status Effects for more information.
Status Ailment Efficacy +300%	Multiplies the amount of Status Value accumulated per hit. For the listed 62 Poison Value, this will be quadrupled, bringing it to 248.
Max HP -75% on HP Decrease	Reduces player maximum HP by 75% upon boss transitioning to enrage state. This effect cannot be healed.

Type 1 Strategy

Maximize 1 and Star, get at least one level in 5, and then collect 2/4 if time permits. 3 is mostly optional as it only affects Poison.

As tempting as it is to try and stand in front of the boss holding normal attack in melee range, repeated hits will make your DPS floor very quickly and the maximum HP cut caused by the enrage will make nearly every attack lethal.