Triangle Strategyis finally out on Nintendo Switch, here’s our guide to help out beginner players enjoy the game, most notably regarding the tactical RPG battles and the Convictions system.
Triangle Strategy tips for tactical RPG beginners
Don’t be afraid to play on Easy Mode
Triangle Strategyis really difficult in Hard Mode and can be pretty challenging on Normal too if you haven’t grasped all of the gameplay mechanics. So don’t be ashamed to play the game on Easy Mode if it’s your first tactical RPG.
Triangle Strategyhas no penalties or hidden story routes only unlockable on Hard, so you won’t miss anything storywise. You can also change the difficulty anytime in the Settings options.
Stay on higher ground and don’t turn your back to the enemy
If you’ve playedFire Emblem: Three Houses, know thatTriangle Strategyhas a very different battle system. Both games are Tactical RPGs, butTriangle Strategyis inspired by something completely different fromFire Emblem: Tactics Ogre.
InTriangle Strategy, unlikeFire Emblem, you’ll be a much easier target if you get hit from the sides or from the back. You’ll also be at a disadvantage on the lower ground. You should always try to use these systems in your favor, and avoid turning your back to the enemy.
There are no penalties for loosing battles in Triangle Strategy
Triangle Strategyhas no permadeath, and if you get a game over during battle, you may restart while keeping all the experience you’ve earned. The items you’ve used will get reinitialized too.
Farm and grind by restarting battles and with Mock Battles
If you can’t manage to win a certain battle, you can always grind by restarting it. This is also possible on Hard Mode. You can try out the Imaginary Mock Battles too.
Always check the map for sub-events
Before delving into the next main event or battle, be sure to check if there are any sub-events available. This is more often than not how you will recruit new characters, some of which might be a great help in the next battle.
Promote your units as soon as you can
Every character inTriangle Strategyhas a class divided into three ranks: recruit, veteran, and elite. Going up by one rank will greatly increase that character’s stats and increase their maximum TP. Moreover, they will learn new Abilities. Serenoa most notably can learn a really useful Circular Attack skill.
Use AoE (attacks hitting multiple spots) as much as possible
UnlikeTactics Ogre, the game it’s inspired by,Triangle Strategyhas no friendly fire. If you’re casting a spell with Frederica and there are allies near your target, they won’t get hit.
Follow-up Attacks also trigger with ranged attacks
When attacking an enemy with a bow from a distance, if an ally is stationed behind that enemy, they will trigger a Follow-up Attack. It works with both close-ranged and long-ranged attacks.
Triangle Strategy tips guide for the Convictions system
Don’t ignore the Exploration parts
Triangle Strategyis one of the rare tactical RPGs where you can freely move your character during Exploration phases. There are helpful items you can get during these which will make future battles easier.
Increase Serenoa’s Convictions stats during Exploration
There are always several choices you’ll be able to pick when speaking with various NPCs during Exploration parts. This is a must to increase Serenoa’s Conviction levels, and it’ll help you convince characters when selecting a certain route or choice.
Make different save slots
If you manage to convince the characters in your party to go through a certain route, and the route ends up leading to certain story elements you disliked, you’ll always have a save to restart your choices.
Don’t try to make the “perfect run” in your first playthough
This might seem like I’m contradicting myself, but I believe worrying too much about the Convictions system, and making several saves to experience everything in your first playthrough, is a bad idea. It’ll be much easier to try out the other routes starting your second playthrough.
The fact that Serenoa’s Convictions points are hidden isn’t a flaw, it’s a mechanic. It’s directly inspired by theChaos Frame system inTactics Ogre, which was hidden as well. The aim of the developers is to make the story and your choices more immersive.
It’s in the same vein asSakura Warsgames, where most of the time you can’t even save before dialogues choices. It makes things more immersive and forces players to really think things through rather than acting carelessly.
What are your thoughts onTriangle Strategyso far? Tell me in the comments section below, and on Twitter@A_iyane07.
