Guard

Guard
Info
Type	Active
Element	Physical
Target	Party
Data
Strike Count	1
Power Scaling	0%
Cooldown	5
Target Buff
Name	Guard
Icon
Polarity	Positive
VFX	BlueHex
Pop-Up	+ Defense 150%
Condition	Turn End
Charges	3
Animation
Cast VFX	Shock
Hit VFX	Guard
Hit SFX	Guard
Strain Data
Strain	Physical Strain
Upgrade Type	Not Upgradable
Maximum Level	1

Guard is an Active Ability in Sonny (2017). It's available for Sonny from the Physical Strain.

In-Game Description

Gain Guard (150% defense increase, 50% stun and Focus drain resist) for 3 turns.

Details

Strikes a party member 1 time, applying the buff Guard to the target. After this ability has been used, it enters a cooldown of 5 turns.

The description is somewhat incorrect about the buff's duration. Guard actually lasts for 4 turns. However, if applied on the caster, the buff will immediately consume a charge, and will last 3 turns instead.

Target Buff

Guard: Defense increased by 150%. Also grants 50% stun and Focus drain resistance. (+ Defense 150%)

The +150% Defense and +50% Stun and Focus resist is continuous while the buff is active. When the target of this buff ends their turn, a charge is consumed. This buff starts with 3 charges, and gains an extra charge when the target doesn't already have this buff, of the same element. It's also considered to be a positive buff.

Tactics

The Defense increase not only heavily reduces damage taken, it manipulates the enemy A.I. to not targeting party members with this buff, assuming they don't have access to attacks that deal piercing damage.

Against enemies with Black Mirror (Enemy Variant), Guard can be used to reduce the damage taken from the passive.

Evolutions

As this ability has zero Power scaling, many evolutions are locked for this ability. As such, evolutions that apply buffs are more common on this ability.

Trivia

• Killing a Zealot will grant the same buff to the whole party.
• Due to how the game was programmed, the duration becomes 3 turns if Sonny uses the skill on himself. This is because buff is applied before the turn ends, and when the turn end comes the duration immediately ticks down 1 turn.
  • On the Steam version of the game, if you cast this skill on Sonny and quickly move your mouse over the icon, a tooltip appears which states that the duration is 4 turns. When the turn ends immediately after using the skill (the zoom out effect), the tooltip now displays 3 turns on the duration.
• This ability is one of two abilities with zero Power scaling, the other one being Stone Form from the Nature Strain.
• Despite the fact that this ability has no Power scaling, it can score a critical hit. Normally this is invisible unless the player has Phoenix Soul equipped.
• This is one of two abilities in Sonny (2017) that cannot be upgraded, the other one being Nightmare.