Fate/Grand Order is one of the oldest and most popular games to ever grace the mobile market. This turn-based RPG has a cult fan following of over 10 million players. While the developers at Aniplex continuously push out new updates and content, it gets progressively harder for new players to indulge themselves in the world of FGO fully. This beginner’s guide aims to solve this problem by explaining the core mechanics such as gameplay, combat mechanics, characters, and much more! 

Understanding the Combat Mechanics of Fate/Grand Order

The core gameplay system deployed for all battles in Fate/Grand Order is that of a standard turn-based game. Each character, be it enemy or ally, can do their attacks/use their abilities only when it’s their turn. The turn order is decided by the speed of the units. Further, there are some more mechanics that you should be aware about. 

Command Cards – During conflicts, players are given a variety of Command Cards that represent various attacks and skills, which are classified into three categories: Quick (green), Arts (blue), and Buster (red). 

Quick (Green) – Ability to generate more stars so that you can land more critical hits.

Arts (Blue) – Ability to generate more NP for more ultimate skill usage.

Buster (Red) – Ability to do more damage.

Noble Phantasms (NP) – Noble Phantasms are powerful special abilities unique to each Servant. Players can unleash these powerful strikes during battles by charging the NP gauge with Command Cards and receiving damage. Furthermore, Noble Phantasms cards generally appear above regular hit command cards, as shown in the image above.

Critical Hit Damage – In addition to NPs, there is critical damage. After selecting a command card, the servant performs a regular attack. This attack occasionally causes Critical Damage, which deals much more damage than usual, but it does not always do so. A percentage value, shown in red on the card, indicates the possibility of causing critical damage when utilizing that card. 

For example, if it says 10%, that means there’s a 10% chance of landing a critical hit when you use that card. This proportion is determined by the number of Stars you have, as seen on the bottom of the marked card in the image. Typically, the maximum number of stars is 99. A maximum of 10 stars can be held by each command card on your deck. Hence, if you possess 50 stars, then you will be guaranteed to land crits on the next 5 command cards.

Skills – Skills amplify both NPs and Crits. Servants have both active and passive skills that can empower allies, debuff opponents, heal, and provide strategic advantages. It is critical for players to employ these abilities effectively in battle. These skills have levels ranging from 1 to 10. Upgrade all skills to Level 10 to improve their efficacy on the battlefield.

Should you Reroll in Fate/Grand Order?

There is no doubt that rerolling is a good idea as a general rule in social games, but because the servants you want to obtain even if you have to reroll are all restricted, it is impossible to set a target for regular rerolling. Any 5-star servant is acceptable, so if you absolutely want to reroll, do it with the intention of receiving a 5-star servant.

Main Story Progression

Progressing through the main story is quite beneficial to you. In fact, I would say it is even greater than simply learning the game mechanics. You will get a ton of rewards as you clear the stages for the first time. Clearing the storyline is also a necessity as it allows you to further level up your servants to Level 90 and promote their skills to Level 10. There are multiple segments to the main storyline that the player can follow through and clear. They are as follows:

FGO Part 1: Fuyuki, Orleans, Septem, Okeanos, London, E Pluribus Unum, Camelot, Babylonia, Solomon

FGO Part 1.5: Shinjuku, Agartha, Shimousa, Salem

FGO Part 2: Anastasia, Gotterdamerung, SIN, Yuga Kshetra, Atlantis, Olympus, Avalon Le Fae, Nahui Mitclan

Fate/Grand Order Tips and Tricks for Efficient Progression

Lastly, we would like to include some personalized tips and tricks to assist you in your adventures. These tips are specifically crafted for new players to help them level up their servants effectively, and clear the hard mode content. Check them out:

• Farming Effectively: In the beginning, you should only farm with your core set team of 5 servants. This will provide them with ample experience to help you progress farther in the storyline, as well as take part in limited-time events.
• Avoid Building Low Rarity Servants: Although FGO is a game where you may frequently win the current quests with low rarity servants, good low rarity servants require high degrees of Noble Phantasms. Because it is difficult to raise the level of low rarity servants when you first start playing the game, it is recommended that you do not train low rarity servants until you have gathered a particular number of servants.
• Get Zhuge Kongming: Players can get a free copy of Zhuge Kongming in the shop’s 5 star servant swap. There are other wonderful servants, but if you’re just starting off and want to go through the game quickly, Kongming is your only viable option.
• Using the Follow Feature: The Follow option enables you to employ a support servant without becoming friends with the user. Approval from the user to whom you are applying is not required, thus there is no reason to go through the effort of applying and waiting for approval. Once you’ve applied, you can employ the assistance of a user at a substantially higher level without experiencing lag.

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