Skillchain
From FFXIclopedia, the free Final Fantasy XI encyclopedia
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Abbreviation: SC Most Weapon Skills, Physical Blood Pacts, Physical Blue Magic, and Automaton Weapon Skills are associated with one or more latent Weapon Skill Attributes. When two attacks with the correct Weapon Skill Attributes successfully connect with a target in succession, a powerful surge of energy is released. This surge is called a Skillchain (Japanese: Renkei). A successful Skillchain deals extra damage to a monster, based on the monster's Resistance to the elements associated with the Skillchain. A Skillchain may also be be used to increase the potency of offensive magic by casting magic of the same elemental alignment to produce a Magic Burst. |
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Skillchain Basics
A Skillchain is created by successfully performing Weapon Skills in the correct order. The order of Weapon Skills is determined by the attributes of the Weapon Skill (see Weapon Skill Attributes below). When a Weapon Skill is performed and successfully connects with the target, the target resonates with the Weapon Skill Attributes of the used Weapon Skill for approximately 5 seconds. If the target is then hit with a Weapon Skill Attribute which chains with the resonating Weapon Skill Attributes, a Skillchain is formed.
When performing the necessary Weapon Skill there is a window of 5 seconds starting 1 second after the previous Weapon Skill in which the following Weapon Skill can be performed. If the following Weapon Skill is performed too soon or too late the Skillchain will not be formed.
If a Weapon Skill is performed which does not chain with the Weapon Skill Attributes the target is resonating with, the resonating Weapon Skill Attributes are replaced by those of the performed Weapon Skill. If the subsequent Weapon Skill has no Weapon Skill Attributes (ex. Spirits Within, Spirit Taker, Energy Steal, Energy Drain, Starlight, Moonlight) or misses entirely, the target will continue to resonate with the previous Weapon Skill's Attributes until another Weapon Skill with Attributes connects, or until time expires.
The damage performed by a Skillchain is determined by the level of the Skillchain and the damage dealt by the Weapon Skill which completed the Skillchain. For this reason, Thieves and the Sneak Attack ability are ideally suited to closing a Skillchain for large amounts of damage.
Weapon Skill Attributes
The basis of a Skillchain involves the attributes associated with each Weapon Skill performed. The correct combination of attributes produces a Skillchain.
There are 14 Weapon Skill attributes in total.
Level 1 Attributes
Transfixion
- Associated with the element Light and piercing damage.
Liquefaction
- Associated with the element Fire and heat-based damage.
Impaction
- Associated with the element Lightning and blunt damage.
Detonation
- Associated with the element Wind.
Compression
- Associated with the element Dark and darkness damage.
Scission
- Associated with the element Earth and slashing damage.
Reverberation
- Associated with the element Water.
Induration
- Associated with the element Ice.
These are the most common attributes and most Weapon Skills have one or more of these. Each attribute is associated with an element and type of attack or damage.
For example, the Weapon Skill Tachi: Enpi carries the attributes 
Transfixion and 
Scission. Observing the Weapon Skill in action, it is clear to see that the user performs a slice across the target followed by a piercing blow to the center of the target.
Level 2 Attributes
- Fusion
- Fragmentation
- Gravitation
- Distortion
Only high-level Weapon Skills carry these attributes. The attributes are not associated with any sort of damage type or weapon skill type.
Level 3 Attributes
- Light
- Darkness
These attributes are only available on the Weapon Skills unique to the Relic Weapons.
Forming Skillchains
Skillchains are formed by hitting a target with a correct sequence of Weapon Skill Attributes. The specific sequence required varies between the various Skillchains. Not all sequences produce a Skillchain.
Level 1 Skillchains
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A Level 1 Skillchain can do up to 50% of the damage of the closing Weapon Skill, depending on the target's Resistance to the Skillchain element. Level 1 Skillchains are comprised of a single element and correspond to the Level 1 Weapon Skill Attributes. Each Skillchain is the same as the closing Weapon Skill Attribute that is used to form the Skillchain. For example, hitting a target resonating with the |
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Level 2 Skill Chains
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A Level 2 Skillchain can do up to 60% of the damage of the closing Weapon Skill, depending on the target's Resistance to the Skillchain elements. Level 2 Skillchains are comprised of two elements and correspond to the Level 2 Weapon Skill Attributes. The Skillchain is not necessarily the same as the closing Weapon Skill Attribute that is used to form the Skillchain. Level 2 Skillchains can be formed by a combination of Level 1 Weapon Skill Attributes or a combination of Level 2 Weapon Skill Attributes. Primarily they are formed using the Lv.1 attributes since these are available at much lower levels than the Lv.2 attributes. For example, hitting a targeting resonating with the |
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Level 3 Skill Chains
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A Level 3 Skillchain can do up to 100% of the damage of the closing Weapon Skill, depending on the target's Resistance to the Skillchain elements. Level 3 Skillchains are comprised of four elements and correspond to Level 3 Weapon Skill Attributes. Level 3 Skillchains are formed from Level 2 and Level 3 Weapon Skill Attributes. Because of these requirements, they can only be performed on high-level characters. Lv.3 attributes are exclusive to Weapon Skills found only on Relic Weapons. This rarity means that Lv.3 Skillchains are typically produced using Lv.2 attributes. Unlike Level 2 and Level 1 Skillchains, 'Level 3 Skillchains do not require the Weapon Skill Attributes to be combined in a specific order. This leads to additional flexibility when creating Lv.3 Skillchains and makes it easier to ensure a hard-hitting job closes the chain for maximum potential damage. For example, hitting a targeting resonating with the |
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Linked Skillchains
A Skillchain in its simplest form comprises of two Weapon Skills performed one after the other to generate the required Skillchain. The first Weapon Skill causes the target to resonate with the attributes of the Weapon Skill. The second Weapon Skill's attributes interact with the ones resonating on the target to produce the Skillchain.
Beyond this basic concept, the idea of Weapon Skill attributes can be applied to the Skillchain itself. Each Skillchain causes the target to resonate with the same attributes as the Skillchain. This means that a third Weapon Skill can follow the initial two, acting on the Skillchain they produced.
For example, a Monk can use Spinning Attack to make the target resonate with 
Liquefaction and 
Impaction. A second Monk follows this attack with Howling Fist, creating a Fusion Skillchain. A Dark Knight then continues this by using Spinning Slash to create a 
Light Skillchain.
Linking Skillchains increases their potential damage. The damage potential is based off the closing Weapon Skill. Damage increases with the number of Skillchains performed in succession as follows:
| Skillchain Level | Maximum Damage Potential | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Skills | 3 Skills | 4 Skills | 5 Skills | 6 Skills | |
| Level 1 | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% |
| Level 2 | 60% | 75% | 100% | 125% | 150% |
| Level 3 | 100% | 150% | 175% | 200% | 225% |
All Weapon Skill Attributes can be used to create a Skillchain except Level 3 attributes from a Relic Weapons Weapon Skill (e.g. Scourge). These powerful Weapon Skills may be used to create a Level 3 Skillchain by immediately following a Level 3 Weapon Skill attribute (either from a Lv.2 created Skillchain or another Relic Weapon), however no further Skillchain may be created from the subsequent Skillchain.
List of Weapon Skills and Abilities With Weapon Skill Attributes
You can find this same information in a different layout on the Weapon Skill Elemental Attributes page.
You will notice that many weapon skills have 2 or more attributes associated with them. The attributes are listed by priority using "A," "B," or "C" notation, where "A" is the highest and "C" is the lowest. If a situation arises where a Skillchain can be formed using both "A" and "B" attributes, a Skillchain will be formed using the "A" attribute. The attribute with highest priority is always chosen when multiple Skillchain possibilities are presented. If "C" is not listed on the table that means there is no "C" attribute.
- Blood Pacts
The level listed for the Blood Pacts is not the same as the levels for Weapon Skills. It is the level that the Summoner job needs to be in order to use the Blood Pact. So if the level listed is 21, that means the summoner needs to be level 21 in order to use that ability.
- Blue Magic
In order to make a Skillchain using Blue Magic, the Chain Affinity ability must be used.
- Automatons
The Weapon Skills an automaton can use is dependent on the frame it is using. An automaton equipped with the Harlequin Frame or the Stormwaker Frame can only use Slapstick, Knockout and Magic Mortar. An automaton equipped with the Valoredge Frame can only use Chimera Ripper, String Clipper, Cannibal Blade and Bone Crusher. An automaton equipped with the Sharpshot Frame can only use Arcuballista, Daze and Armor Piercer.
Polearm | Scythe | Staff | Sword | G. Sword | Blue Magic | Automatons | Bloodpacts
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