Make these decisions first
- Choose Cai, Dietrich, Theodora or Leda. Compare their paths by opening story rather than assuming one is universally best.
- Normal/Hard controls battle challenge; Casual/Classic controls whether defeated allies are lost. Review difficulty before leaving the prologue.
- Inspect dated quests and support opportunities before advancing a chapter. Some optional battles have short windows.
- Combat Arts consume weapon durability; Blaze Arts draw on a separate gauge. Blessings give you a way to recover from a tactical mistake.
A daily routine
Open the quest list, check the next mandatory battle, then decide whether travel, a side objective or recruitment is worth a turn. A day has four six-hour turns, but some city activities do not spend one. The Free Time guide explains the cost distinction. Before a long battle, inspect equipment, train units who need it and check whether a class certification is available at the temple.
When to explore another route
Completing one Part I path unlocks Replay. Starting another path from chapter one can import selected global progress, including explored map and completed subquests. Mid-path snapshots behave differently; see Replay and carryover.