Combine Skill (similar to FF9 Magic Sword)

[Kawers]

Hi all,

I am fairly new to RPG Maker VX Ace (I've been working on my first project for around 18 months, but am very much a hobbyist with no other programming experience). I usually manage to find tutorials or scripts I can use or modify to achieve an effect, but I've become really stuck with this one! I've made very few changes to the default combat/skills system so far.

I have a character in my project who I would like to be able to "combine" with other characters in battle. The effect I want to achieve is similar to how Steiner's "Magic Sword" skill works in FF9. What I would like to do is:-

- Character A selects "Combine".
- The player can then select from a menu which character in the party they wish to combine with (ie. Character B ).
- The player can then select from a further menu which combining skill they wish to use (ie. if Character B is a healer, a super-mega heal unique to the "Combine" skill).
- The combining skill is used and draws on Character A's TP.

Further effects I'd like to include:-

- I would like Character A to start off with one skill for each of the characters in the party, and then be able to learn additional combine skills as they level up.
- The selection for using the skill should only show members of the active party (ie. reserve party members should not be included).
- If Character A is the only active party member (ie. all other characters are dead), the "Combine" skill is unavailable.

I'd appreciate any guidance. Thanks in advance!

 

[Sauteed_Onion]

That would be neat. Other games you may want to take inspiration from could be like Suikoden or even Chrono Cross/Trigger. In a way it's the same thing, but just appears different, taking up both characters to do something extra cool. I just started back in December so it is all kinds of wonky to me yet.

 

[A-Moonless-Night]

Simple eventing solution:

• Set the Combine skill so that it calls a common event. The scope for the skill should be The User. Damage should be None.
• In the Common Event, make a Choice branch with the names of the other characters.
• Inside the branch for each one, have a Conditional Branch that checks if they're in the party (or use the script call $game_party.battle_members.include?($game_actors[x]) where x is the ID of that actor). If so, then make another Conditional Branch with the skill choices.
• Inside the branch for each skill choice, do Force Action > Actor > then choose the appropriate skill and target.
• In the Else branch, put your 'unavailable' message.

You can also have Conditional Branches that check if that actor is dead (State > 1. Death inflicted).

Of course, with a few scripts, you could make this a bit more elegant, but this is a good place to start. A few useful ones would be Modern Algebra's ATS Choice Options (which would make it so that certain choices could be disabled or unavailable if the actor wasn't in the party)

OR you could look into something like Victor Sant's Cooperation Skills script.

 

[Kawers]

This is fantastic, thank you. I had a feeling it would be something that could be done with a Common Event, but I really needed to be pointed in the right direction.

I'll definitely give it a try. I really appreciate the help!

 

[Kawers]

I've had a little play around with the eventing solution suggested, which seems to work well, save one issue; I have a pool of 10 playable characters to fill out a battle party of 4, so I'm trying to find the most efficient way to tell the game which actors are in the party and are eligible for the Combine skill.

I can see me ending up with some pretty elaborate conditional branches, but hopefully, I'll still be able to get it working.