Beginner's Guide: Tips and Tricks for Final Fantasy Resonance

FF Resonance is a turn-based RPG where every character equips Visions of classic heroes to learn new skills. Here is the short version of what to do from day one.

1. Pick a difficulty you enjoy, you can change it later
2. Save at every save point before a dungeon or boss
3. Check the shops for better gear in each new town
4. Take every sub quest you come across
5. Follow side paths to find hidden chests
6. Read the turn order timeline before you act
7. Keep MP in reserve for bosses
8. Hit weaknesses to stagger enemies
9. Learn a Vision's skills, then move on to a new one
10. Check sparkly spots on the world map
11. Pick up every Tablet Shard
12. Awaken your Visions with Magicite
13. Call an Esper when a fight needs a push

Choose the Right Difficulty

There are three difficulty levels. You can swap between them in the Options menu whenever you like, so your first pick is never final.

Save Often

Use every save point you pass, and always save before a new dungeon or a big fight. If a battle goes badly, you lose minutes instead of a whole area.

Upgrade Your Gear in Every Town

New towns usually sell better weapons and armor than what you carry. Compare the numbers before buying, and spend your Gil on the party members who need it most.

You can browse every piece in the weapons and armor lists.

Do Sub Quests as They Appear

NPCs with a blue exclamation mark over their heads hand out sub quests. They reward weapons, armor and items, and several later ones give you a brand new Vision.

Every quest and its reward is on the side quests page.

Look for Hidden Paths to Chests

Towns and dungeons tuck chests down narrow paths that are easy to miss from the main route. If a corner looks like a dead end, check it anyway.

Use the chest list if you want to be sure you got them all.

Check Sparkly Spots on the World Map

Sparkles on the overworld mark spots you can examine for items and gear. They are also one of the ways to find Magicite, so take the small detour.

Collect Tablet Shards

Glowing Tablet Shards are scattered through towns and dungeons. Hand them in at the Oblivion Palace, where the Enigmatic Princess trades them for treasure chests.

Read the Turn Order Timeline

In battle, the turn order timeline up top shows who acts next, friend and foe. Use it to pick your target and to time heals and guards.

Keep MP for Hard Fights

Spells and heals win tough battles, but they drain MP quickly. Use regular attacks on weak enemies and keep your MP for bosses and long dungeons.

Hit Weaknesses to Stagger Enemies

Hitting an enemy's elemental weakness fills its Stagger Gauge much faster than plain attacks. Once staggered, it loses its next action and takes extra damage.

Bring Visions that cover several elements so you always have an answer. The stagger guide has the details.

Use Resonance Skills in the Extra Phase

Stagger every enemy in the same turn to trigger a Sweeping Stagger. That starts an Extra Phase, and in it you can fire a Resonance skill tied to your Vision.

The Resonance skill guide explains the setup.

Summon Espers at the Right Moment

You get Espers through the story and through quests. A summoned Esper fights for a set number of turns, ends with a finishing attack and then leaves.

Since the help is short, call one when those turns matter, not in a fight you are already winning. All of them are on the Espers page.

Learn Skills, Then Switch Visions

Win battles with a Vision equipped to raise its Mastery Rank and learn its abilities. What you learn stays with the character after you swap to a different Vision.

So do not marry one Vision for the whole game. Rotate through several to build a bigger pool of skills.

Watch Your AP Limit

Every ability costs AP to equip, and each character has a cap. Pick the skills that fit the role, like elemental attacks for damage dealers and heals for your Medic.

Our AP guide shows how to raise the cap.

Awaken Visions With Magicite

Visit the Moogle of Light in Grandport Harbor to awaken Visions. Each Vision has three stars, and each star needs a different Magicite.

Read the awakening guide and check the Magicite sources to plan your upgrades.