Turn order
The following are notes about the order in which chain effects will activate.
We will sort effects into timing tiers. The game will start by using effects according to the timing tier. All effects in a timing tier are resolved before moving to the next timing tier.
Within a tier, several tie-breakers will be used to determine the order of chain effects:
- For clarity, let's say team 1 is the faster one, while team 2 is the slower one.
- Within a tier, team 1's effects will activate first. Team 2's effects will activate after all of team 1's effects are done.
- Within a team, chains will progress according to the team's action order. By default, action order is based on the agility stat, however this order can be changed by using Lead or Trail brands.
Let's say demon 1 is the first acting demon in a team, demon 2 is the second, etc.
- Normally, all of demon 1's effects resolve, then all of demon 2's effects resolve, and so on.
- If demon 1's chain effect causes another chain effect to activate, then that new chain will resolve before moving on to demon 1's other chain effects, and before moving on to demon 2.
- For example: suppose team 1 is an archangels team with Raphael in the first spot, while team 2 has a Black Rider. Team 1's turn starts, and Raphael's chain effect heal from God's Blessing activates. This heal triggers Black Rider's Soul Divide, which will immediately execute. Afterwards, Raphael's remaining chain effects (if any) will execute, and then Raphael's teammates will trigger their chain effects.
Timing tiers
An effect's timing tier can usually be determined by the way the effect is phrased. Example phrases will be listed in quotes below:
- Timing tier 0 - before battle
Effects in this timing tier:
- Brands (ward, embattle)
- "this demon starts the battle with" (example: Golden Apple)
- Timing tier DC - Devil Connector
This tier exclusively holds the effects of Devil Connectors.
Note that Devil Connectors cannot trigger other chain effects, so this tier is effectively just team 1's DC executing, followed by team 2's DC executing.
- Timing tier 1 - start of a battle
Effects in this timing tier:
- "start of battle"
- "start of the first turn"
- "when attacking first"
- "when attacking second"
- "when the enemy attacks first"
- Timing tier 2 - start of a turn
Effects in this timing tier:
- "start of own turn"
- "start of the enemy's turn"
- Timing tier 3 - Demon action start
Effects in this timing tier:
- "when a demon is about to act"
- Timing tier 4 - Demon action has ended
Effects in this timing tier:
- "when a demon has completed an action"
- Timing tier 5 - End of a turn
Effects in this timing tier:
- "end of own turn"
- "end of the enemy's turn"
Example combat flow
- At the start of a battle, tier 0 effects will execute, then tier DC, then tier 1.
- Team 1's turn:
- Team 1's turn starts. Tier 2 executes.
- Tier 3 executes, and then demon 1 in team 1 can act.
- Demon 1 picks an action, it executes, and then tier 4 effects execute.
- The flow of tier 3 -> pick an action -> tier 4 continues to Demon 2, then Demon 3, etc until team 1's turn has ended.
- Team 1's turn ends. Tier 5 executes.
- Team 2's turn:
- Control moves to team 2. Tier 2 executes. (Tiers 0, DC, and 1 will not happen anymore, because it is no longer the start of the battle)
- Tier 3 -> pick an action -> tier 4. Flow continues until team 2's turn has ended.
- Team 2's turn ends. Tier 5 executes.