This is a guide for the two combat modes in Final Fantasy XV. Read on to learn more about these modes and which of them fits your playstyle!

Combat Modes

There are 2 combat modes in this game, Wait Mode and Active Mode. You can toggle between these modes by opening the Pause Menu > Options > Combat.

Wait Mode

Wait Mode triggers when you stand still in battle. In this mode, everything will be frozen and you will get to think of a strategy and prepare before doing anything.

While in Wait Mode, you can freely scan enemies with Libra by holding R1 for a certain amount of time. After a while, you will see the level, name, HP, and the resistances of the enemy that you scanned.

Lines will appear while this mode is activated. The blue lines show which enemy you and your allies are targeting while red lines show which of your party members are being targeted by the enemy at the other end of the line.

You can also use the right stick to cycle between the enemies and locate warp-points to recover on, look for safe places, or find a strategic location.

Take note that there is a wait timer while in this mode that disables Wait Mode for the current battle once it runs out. You can bypass this, however, by unlocking the Time-Freeze ability in the Wait Mode Astralsphere.

Active Mode

Using Active Mode will let you play the game normally like any other Action RPGs. Choose this mode if you always move around the battlefield and does not want to be interfered with sudden time freeze. This mode is also recommende for players who want a fast paced playthrough.

You will have to rely on Ignis's Analyze ability (unlocked through Ascension) to scan the enemies with Libra since manual scan is not available in Active Mode.

Recommendation

On top of all that, we would recommend using Wait Mode especially during difficult battles as you can always switch to a "Pseudo-active mode" by always moving around the battlefield or attacking enemies.

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