GLOSSARY / Battle Basics

Defense Skill Offset

Battle Basics

Related names and search terms: Offset, Defense Offset, Offset Guard, Offset Evade

At a Glance

Pairing ordinary Guard or Evade skills so neither receives the attack needed to activate. It is not a contest of Power.

GUIDEHow It Works

Ordinary Guard and Evade generally activate when the selected enemy slot attacks. If that slot is also a defense skill, no attack comes and neither ordinary defense activates.

To offset an enemy's ordinary Evade in a Focused Encounter, aim an ally's Guard or Evade at it. Redirecting a defense aimed at someone else also requires meeting the Speed condition.

An attack assigned afterward by another ally can change its target again. Once all selections are complete, check which slot the enemy defense actually faces.

Offset does not erase every effect on a skill. Combat Start effects still activate independently.

NOTESCommon Misunderstandings

Ordinary Counter cannot be offset: it responds to the first attack actually received regardless of its selected target, so another ally's hit can still trigger it.
Do not assume Clashable Guard and Clashable Counter follow ordinary Guard/Evade rules. Read their descriptions.
Your defense also does not activate, so do not rely on its Shield or On Use effects.

EXAMPLEWorked Example

Pair an enemy's ordinary Evade with an ally's ordinary Guard

EnemyOrdinary Evade

⇄

Ally Ordinary Guard

Neither receives an attack from its targetNeither Evade rolls nor Guard Shield activate

Ordinary Counter cannot be offset. Combat Start effects also resolve separately.

Enemy ordinary Evade ⇄ allied ordinary Guard / Neither receives an attack from its selected slot / Neither ordinary defense activates

Assumes valid redirection with no later reassignment. This is not an attack Clash or an ordinary Counter. Combat Start effects are handled separately.