Ashley Riot initiating a Chain Ability.
Battle Abilities are a major part of the battle mechanics in Vagrant Story and are assigned to the 
, 
and 
buttons. Whenever Ashley attacks an enemy or vice versa, an exclamation point appears above his head. If a Battle Ability is activated just as the exclamation point appears, Ashley will use a Chain Ability if attacking or a Defense Ability if defending. Successive uses of Battle Abilities will drive Ashley's Risk status up, increasing the chance of critical hits at the cost of accuracy.
List of Battle Abilities[]
Chain Abilities[]
| Ability | Description | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy Shot | Inflicts an amount of additional damage equal to 70% of damage dealt. | 1 |
| Gain Life | Regenerates an amount of Ashley's HP equal to 30% of damage dealt. | 2 |
| Mind Assault | Reduces foe's MP by an amount equal to 30% of damage dealt. | 1 |
| Gain Magic | Regenerates an amount of Ashley's MP equal to 30% of damage dealt. | 2 |
| Raging Ache | Inflicts an amount of additional damage equal to 10% of the damage Ashley has sustained. | 1 |
| Mind Ache | Reduces foe's MP by an amount equal to 20% of the MP Ashley has used. | 1 |
| Temper | Inflicts an additional 40% of damage on foe and repairs a small amount of weapon DP. | 2 |
| Crimson Pain | Inflicts an additional 100% of damage on foe and deals 30% of base damage to Ashley. | 2 |
| Instill | Inflicts additional damage equal to 10% of damage dealt and adds that amount to PP. | 1 |
| Phantom Pain | Inflicts additional damage equal to the total accumulated Phantom Points in Ashley's weapon. | 3 |
| Paralysis Pulse | Adds Paralysis to attack. | 3 |
| Numbing Claw | Adds Numbness to attack. | 3 |
| Dulling Impact | Adds Silent to attack. | 3 |
| Snake Venom | Adds Poison to attack. | 3 |
Defense Abilities[]
| Ability | Description | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Ward | Successful use of this Ability prevents Paralysis and Numbness. | 1 |
| Siphon Soul | Adds 50% of the MP used in foe's magical attack to Ashley's MP. Effective vs. magical attacks. | 6 |
| Reflect Magic | Reflects 40% of damage. Does not reduce damage received. Effective vs. magical attacks. | 2 |
| Reflect Damage | Reflects 40% of damage. Does not reduce damage received. Effective vs. non-magical attacks. | 2 |
| Absorb Magic | Reduces damage received by 20%. Effective vs. magical attacks. | 4 |
| Absorb Damage | Reduces damage received by 20%. Effective vs. non-magical attacks. | 4 |
| Impact Guard | Reduces physical damage by 50%. | 4 |
| Windbreak | Reduces air-affinity damage by 50%. | 4 |
| Fireproof | Reduces fire-affinity damage by 50%. | 4 |
| Terra Guard | Reduces earth-affinity damage by 50%. | 4 |
| Aqua Guard | Reduces water-affinity damage by 50%. | 4 |
| Shadow Guard | Reduces light-affinity damage by 50%. | 4 |
| Demonscale | Reduces dark-affinity damage by 50%. | 4 |
| Phantom Shield | Uses the accumulated Phantom Points in Ashley's shield to counter an equal amount of damage. | 6 |