Simply put, what strategy do you use in battles?
A favourite character that you stick to, a character you never use? Do you tend to stick to one character or do you change around often. A combo or unison attack that you find pays off everytime? Or even as straight forward as a favourite move that you like just because of the graphics!
You never know what might sound like the simplest of suggestions to you may end up to be a key insight for someone else, so please share your experiences.

Personally at the moment i'm sticking with the Rending Thrust/Rending Blast combo with Luke, decent number of hits that sends the enemy flying so you can lay into them again before they get back on they're feet. If i've got an overlimit stored up them i swap to Rending Thrust with either Rending Havoc or Guardian Field depending on the speed of the enemy.

I've found myself using more of the characters in TotA than previous installments, using everyone on frequent basis except for Jade. Whereas with ToS i stuck to 3 character and ToE just the two.

Favourtie battle character would probably have to go to Reid, a decent mix between Lloyd and Luke, with a good move set, many that are missing from Luke's inventory like Tempest and Sword Rain, which is why I swap over to Guy so often.

My vote for worst character in battle has got to go with Max out of ToE, his attacks were powerful but he was just so damn slow, though Genis would take this spot had it not been for his arsenal of spells, did anyone actually manage to get a decent physical attack out of the guy?

Anyway those were just a few opinions on my part, obviously i've not played as many installments of the series others have and would like to see how you faired in the likes of ToD and ToR so look forward to your replies.

I'll just list some of my strategies for each game I've played..

ToD: I can't remember anything from this game. xD

ToE: Meredy is the primary healer and secondary offensive magic(casts only meteor swarm after healing) and vice is the situation for Keele(spamming Ray), while I control Reid and just spam any of his sacred skills. Farah will just do her thing. xD

ToL: I control Chloe and while Senel backs me up with the AI and just deliver all the multi hit eres. While I have Norma and Will for spell casters with Norma spamming Revive and Will just going all offensive. On some situations I replace Will with Grune if I really want good offensive spells, while I use Moses to switch with Senel if the enemy likes to keep on blocking or is pretty difficult to stagger. Shirley.... I really need to use her sometimes. >___<;;

TotA: I always control Guy, while the AI has Luke, Jade and Tear. I never used Anise, while I would switch Natalia with Jade if I need more healing.

ToD2: I would control Kyle and it would usually start with Chirihazan and then connect to pretty much half of the Tier 2 skills and if things get messy then just block, while Harold, Reala and Nanaly would just spam all of their available spells. I use Judas sometimes replacing Nanaly since the two of them are similar in terms of being in between spell casters and melee characters.


As for worst and best characters I'd say

ToE: Best- Reid and Meredy. Worst- Max
ToL: Best- Chloe and Norma. Worst- Jay
TotA: Best- Guy and Tear. Worst- Anise
ToD2: Best- Kyle and Harold. Worst- Loni

ToS: I commandeered Lloyd since I’m best with sword-wielders. The other people in my party were usually Raine, Collete, and Sheena. Those three did the most healing and it helped me out a lot while I dealed out the damage.

TotA: Again, I was Luke because he used a sword. I had to use Guy a few times, but his methods were too different for me to get used to. Luke is basically the same as Lloyd, which is probably why I was easily comfotable using him. The others in my party were Tear, Guy, and Jade. Occassionaly Natalia would be in instead of Jade, or Anise instead of Guy.

The worst battle characters in my opinion were Genis because he casts so slow, and Anise.

With the two player Tales games like Symphonia and Abyss I would never get to play with the main character since my brother would control the game and I had to watch. The characters I tend to pick are the other strong fighers, or ones that can be manipulated well and have good skills.

Phantasia = Cless, if you didn't control him, everyone would die easily.
Destiny = Stahn of course
Eternia = Reid
Legendia = A flip between Chloe and Senel, I changed them alot
Symphonia = Presea, she kicks some serious arse. But during the beginning part of the game I used Kratos.
Abyss = Natalia, I love range and making the AI heal is very difficult so I'll do it myself.

I have more but I haven't played them enough to know.

Good to see another Presea fan Myra, she was my second most used character in ToS, if memory serves she was my hardest hitter by the end and some of her moves were the best in the game.

It's partially because of Presea that i think i like Anise so much (as she's a mix between her and Regal, though with few of his bad traits), i'm surprised so many people find her so bad, powerful and great for getting those high combos and the best Mystic Arte in the game, but everyone to their own i guess!

No special techniques really. I just run up to the enemy, press X a few times, and then circle.
Thats for both Tales of Eternia and Tales of the Abyss.

ToS: Genis/Sheena I played 2 players, so I always was Genis because I didn't trust the computer to spot elemental weaknesses and like casting to keep combos going. TotA I used Luke(Badly) for a while, till I got Natalia, then used her for a pretty long time. Then switched to Guy and used him the rest of the way.

This is what I did for Tales of eternia for bosses : Reid as My main user, Farah (AI), Meredy(AI), Keele(AI)

Pause(Set Meredy to use holy Lance, Set Keele to use Cyclone, Farah to use diving eagle)--> Reid Sonic Chaos --> Omega Demon Chaos blasts enemy to corner --> Cyclone unleashes(blast enemy in air)--> Pause(set keele to use cyclone)---> Reid tempest strike-> Pause(Farah, Eagle strike) ---> Reid demon spiral--> Holy Lance unleashes(enemy still trapped in air), Pause(set meredy to use holy lance) ---> Reid Omega demon chaos ---> Farah Eagle Dive --> reid demon spiral --> Cyclone unleashes... etc etc, follow this sequence.

Farah should be used as a back up item user incase TP is close to finishing.

Try not to let your enemy fall and breaks the combo. When Enemy Falls do this, Farah(eagle dive, hit high) + Reid's sonic chaos(hit low) This breaks guard using little TP

If enemy crowds in the center, Pause(Keele -->bloody howl, Meredy-->Shooting star) Reid omega tempest strike(flys to center), demon spiral(sucks enemy like a votex together) -->Farah(Eagle Dive) ---> Bloody howl unleashes --> pause(set keele-->air trust) --> Reid demon spiral --> Pause(Farah -->Eagle dive) --> Meteor swamp unleashes --> Air thrust unleashes.

When Enemy approaches death --> Destiny

The above combo don't work for final boss and the greater craymels like maxwell and the time craymel, its stuck to the ground.

This is what I usually do.

Lance.

I have only played ToP and ToL (a friend borrowed my his chip PS2 and a burned copy of ToR, only to realise, he knew japanese... I didn't!!! but the game looked awesome!!!)

in ToL I change (fighters)-characters all the time, so everyone learns they're techniques, with that said I have to change my strategy depending whom I play!
But I favored Senel, because of his ability to punch down and throw the enemies (dealing good damage and stunning them), with Chloe as back up and distraction, Norma and shirley for the damage and healing respectively!