Potentials are buff and debuff effects associated with units in Valkyria Chronicles, being conceptualized as abilities reflecting the fighting skills and personalities of the members of Squad 7. Most units have up to four Personal Potentials and up to four Battle Potentials.
Almost all Potentials activate only 10% of the time. Even the ones with activation conditions or ground requirements. In those cases the Potential activates 10% of the time when you meet those conditions. The Awaken Potential order increases the rate at which potentials activate. It also gives your potentials the chance to randomly activate even if the conditions haven't been met (i.e. Alicia's "Maternal" activate while on solo scouting runs; Marina's "My Way" activate in the middle of a crowd). Note that this applies for both the good potentials (ex. Invincible) and the bad (ex. Humanitarian), so be careful on who to use it on and when.
A very few of the strongest Potentials are always active (i.e. the "Ultimates"); these are the good ones. There are also a few that have activation conditions that are glitchy and can be attempted to activate again and again in rapid succession (i.e. Nest Masters' climb up and climb down ladder over and over; Power Scouts' see an enemy then not see an enemy over and over); many of these are good too.
There are also a few of the 10% ones that the effect is so good that they are also among the best; these are really rare also. Most of the best Potentials don't appear on your characters until you are maximum level either so they won't be available for most of your first playthrough.
There are various conditions under which a Potential might activate; most have a chance of activating under these conditions and will deactivate if the conditions are no longer met, while a few, such as the "Ultimate" potentials, are guaranteed to activate. Each time the character meets the conditions during a Movement Phase, the game will check to see if the Potential activates. For example, Dorothy Howard's Personal Potential Stage Fright will be in its "off" state if she is sighted by four or fewer enemies: if she is sighted by a fifth, the game will perform a check to see if the Potential activates. If she moves out of sight of one of those enemies, but is then sighted by a fifth again, the game will perform a second activation check for Stage Fright. If she is sighted by a sixth, because the game only cares that the number has changed, it will run another check to see if the Potential activates. This means that Potentials related to conditions like being spotted or encountering Interception fire are markedly more likely to activate.
Potentials based on Terrain are divided by the five terrain types in the game: grass, dirt, desert, city and metal. The unit must be standing on the terrain for the effect to occur; just being near something made of metal won't trigger a metal-based potential, for example.
Most types are self-explanatory; grass is anything green, while desert is sand or blasted rock as found in the Barious missions. Dirt refers to brown ground, such as dirt trails and earthworks, while city is cobbled or paved roads. Metal is the rarest terrain type, limited to a handful of areas such as the bridges at Fouzen and the Marmota's deck.
Potentials that trigger full-screen animations also reset enemy sightlines, which can cause Potentials activated by being sighted to trigger. It cannot, however, cause those Potentials to deactivate.
Battle Potentials[]
Battle Potentials, also called Class Potentials, are earned by levelling up an infantry class through training; they are unlocked at specific levels, depending on the class in question. Their effects are always positive, and typically improve combat abilities relevant to the class in question. The following table shows the levels for each class:
Personal Potentials reflect a given character's personality, and can be good or bad. Effects can vary from extremely positive, like letting a character take two actions consecutively, to character-ruining, such as having a random chance of their not being able to attack or instantly ending their turn.
Personal Potentials not unlocked initially are called Hidden Potentials, and must be unlocked at Castlefront Street; the game invisibly awards points to characters for various accomplishments in battle, and after five such points are scored, visiting the Street will unlock their next Personal Potential, if they have one. If a potential is unlocked, Ellet will make a comment about the "new rising star of Squad 7" and the personnel tab will be updated for that character. The exception to this rule is the Leaders in Squad 7, who get their extra Personal Potentials by completing campaign missions or Reports.
In Valkyria Chronicles, there is only one way to get normal characters with no Personal Potentials: if all non-Leader recruits are permanently killed in combat during the campaign, generic recruits with randomized names will start appearing in the roster. These generics have no Personal Potentials (and also no friends list). The code that generates them is somewhat buggy and can sometimes generate units which have better stats than any of the actual characters.
Accuracy Boost - Firing accuracy is boosted a set percentage of the time. (+60% accuracy)
Acrobat - High places excite them, yielding a boost in their attack power. (+40% vsPer)
Acrophobic - High places make them uncomfortable, causing a drop in their attack power. (-40% vsPer)
Aicmophobic - Deathly afraid of pointed objects, being around lancers' weapons makes them hyperventilate, steadily losing HP.
Alicia Hater - Having Alicia around is a drag, causing a drop in evasion.
Alicia Lover - Just knowing that Alicia is nearby gives confidence and boost in evasion.
Ambush Spotter - Enemy units in hiding can be spotted from the same distance as a scout.
Ammo Refill - They have a chance of recovering all ammunition after attacking.
Ammo Worries - After the last bullet is fired, anxiety sets in, causing a drop in attack power. (-40% vsPer)
Anti-armor Boost - Their attack power against tanks is occasionally increased. (+60% vsArm)
Backup Sniping - All attack parameters enjoy a boost when shooting with no one else nearby. (+60% vsPer, +60% accuracy)
Bad Back - Bending over to crouch puts a strain on their weak back, causing a drop in defense. (-40% defense)
Big Sister - She just can't abandon her fellow shocktroopers. If any are nearby, her abilities are enhanced. (+40% vsPer, +40% accuracy)
Big-Hearted - His insurmountable spirit is enough to call him back from death, reviving him after his HP reaches zero.
Bloodthirsty - Their natural aggression gives them a chance of attacking twice in a row.
Born Leader - Having allies nearby sparks a sense of responsibility that leads to a natural boost in defensive ability. (+40% defense)
Bug in a Rug - Cozy places like trenches seem calming, and give a boost in attack power. (+40% vsPer)
Bully - Roaming around with a pack of allies makes them feel like a big shot, boosting firing accuracy. (+40% accuracy)
Calm Heart - Unshaken even when surrounded by foes, he remains calmly in command, enjoying a boost in his parameters. (+40% def, +% evasion)
Camaraderie - Having allies of the same unit class nearby puts them at ease, raising their natural evasion.
Camp Defender - Bent on protecting the camp by sheer force of will, they naturally become better at evading attacks.
Challenge Lover - Charging into the face of enemy fire creates a rush of adrenaline that enhances attack power. (+40% vsPer)
Chameleon - When hidden from view, they can remain calm, cool and collected, leading to stronger defense. (+40% defense)
Chatty Cathy - Whenever a close friend is nearby, they just can't help but chitchat, a distraction that lowers their accuracy. (-40% accuracy)
Child of Nature - Paved roads feel strange and cold, leading to discomfort and lowered defense. (-40% defense)
Chronic Fatigue - Simply moving is so tiring that they are occasionally unable to do anything afterward.
City Kid - Standing on paved roads reminds them of the city, making them feel right at home and upping their defense. (+40% defense)
Claustrophobic - Tight spaces like trenches create a suffocating feeling, leading to a drop in attack power. (-40% vsPer)
Cocky - Having full HP makes them get overconfident, leading to a decrease in evasion.
Concentration - Through intense focus, they are occasionally able to make all shots hit a single point.
Country Bred - Standing on bare dirt leads to a boost in concentration, raising accuracy. (+40% accuracy)
Coward - Having enemies nearby terrifies them, hindering accuracy when firing. (-40% accuracy)
Critical Shot - A set percentage of the time, all shots that connect deal critical damage.
Damage Boost - Attack power against human targets is boosted a set percentage of the time. (+60% vsPer)
Darcsen Bond - Having brethren close by to protect stirs enhanced defensive abilities. (+40% defense)
Darcsen Hater - Even just being around Darcsens makes them nauseous, leading to a decrease in defense. (-40% defense)
Darcsen Pride - Pride in fighting alongside his Darcsen brethren drives up his attack parameters when they're nearby. (+40% vsArm, +40% accuracy, +40% defense)
Daredevil - Innate combat instincts awaken when surrounded by several enemies, granting enhanced accuracy. (+40% accuracy)
Dbl. Tank Damage - Attacks have a chance to deal damage to both tank body and tread HP.
Defense Boost - While taking action, they occasionally enjoy heightened defense. (+60% defense)
Demolition Man - Attacks using hand grenades have a set chance of dealing more damage than normal.
Desert Allergy - An allergy to dust and sand leads to a steady drain of HP while in a sandy area.
Desert Bred - Standing on loose sand sharpens awareness, leading to improved evasion.
Double Action - They have a set probability of being able to take two actions consecutively.
Double Attack - They have a set chance of being able to attack twice consecutively.
Double Movement - They have a chance of being able to move twice consecutively. (restores all AP)
Dud Mine - Land mines have a set chance of not exploding when tripped.
Eagle Eye - Their zoom-in capability is enhanced a set percentage of time. (triples zoom-in capability)
Energetic - Having full HP leaves them full of pep and ready to go, including enhanced evasion abilities.
Engineer Killer - Confidence that they can best any engineer grants a boost in attack abilities. (+40% vsPer, +40% accuracy)
Evasion Boost - They have a set probability of enjoying enhanced evasion abilities. (+60% evasion)
Extra Shot - They can occasionally follow up an attack by loading one more round of ammunition.
Fancies Men - Having men nearby makes them happy, leading to enhanced accuracy when firing. (+40% accuracy)
Fancies Women - Having women around makes them want to look good, making them shoot with greater accuracy. (+40% accuracy)
Fatalist - When HP reaches a single digit, they dive headlong into despair causing lowered firing accuracy. (-40% accuracy)
Fearless Will - Attack power and defense increase when they enter the range of enemy interception fire. (+60% vsPer, +60% defense)
First Aid Boost - The healing powers of Ragnaid (S) are occasionally increased. (+100% HP healed with Ragnaid (S))
Frail Body - Having less than half-full AP makes them feel totally exhausted, leading to decreased defense. (-40% defense)
Full HP Recovery - They have a chance of recovering all of their HP after attacking.
Good Buddy - Being around close friends makes even the battlefield a little cheerier, boosting their attack power. (+40% vsPer, +40% vsArmor, +40% accuracy)
Hard Worker - A disciplined work ethic occasionally enables them to take a second action after attacking.
Head-Lit Deer - When faced with an enemy counterattack, sheer terror sometimes prevents them from evading. (reduces evade to 0)
Humanitarian - Unable to forgive themselves for harming another person, they cannot take any further action after attacking.
Imp Hater - Pure hatred for the Empire yields a boost in accuracy. (+40% accuracy)
Impatient - Hiding from view causes them to quickly get antsy, causing a drop in defensive abilities. (-60% defense)
Indecisive - Too many enemies in the surrounding area make for too many targets. Unable to decide, their accuracy drops. (-40% accuracy)
Intimate Company - Having only a few allies nearby gives them a strange sense of adventure that leads to improved accuracy. (+40% accuracy)
Into Macho Men - Seeing the buff bods of anti-tank Lancer units nearby is enough to get their engine firing, raising evasion.
Invincible - Enemy attacks occasionally deal no damage.
Jam Jinxed - Born under an unlucky star; they are especially susceptible to weapon jamming. (Weapon fires half its shot count)
Kamikaze - Both accuracy and evasion receive a boost when HP drops to a single digit. (+60% accuracy, +% evasion)
Klutz - Remembering to load ammo into their weapon sometimes completely slips their mind.
Lancer Hater - For whatever reason, Lancers aren't their thing. Attack power is lowered against Lancers. (-40% vsPer)
Lancer Killer - Confidence that they can best any Lancer grants a boost in attack abilities. (+40% vsPer, +40% accuracy)
Largo Hater - Having Largo around is a drag, causing a drop in attack power. (-40% vsArm)
Largo Lover - Just knowing that Largo is nearby gives confidence and boost in attack power. (+40% vsArm)
Lone Wolf - Having allies nearby is a distraction that causes a drop in evasion ability.
Lonely - Loneliness soon sets in when no allies are nearby, leading to decreased evasion ability.
Loyal Teammate - When surrounded by allies, he feels the drive and energy to work that much harder, enjoying a boost in abilities. (+40% vsArm, +40% defense)
Lucky - Pure luck is occasionally enough to narrowly avoid taking critical damage.
Maintenance Lazy - A lackluster commitment to weapons maintenance occasionally leaves them unable to attack.
Man Hater - Having men nearby triggers a constitutional loathing so powerful it lowers accuracy. (-40% accuracy)
Masochist - Having less than half-full HP makes them inexplicably happy, granting a boost in defense. (+40% defense)
Maternal - When any of her close friends are nearby, the desire to protect them drives all of her abilities up. (+% evasion)
Meadow Bred - Standing in a grassy field helps them relax, enhancing their defense. (+40% defense)
Melee Skills - Firing accuracy is improved when an enemy is in the immediate vicinity.
Metal Allergy - Proximity to metals cause an acute rejection reaction that leads to a steady drain of HP.
Metal Head - The smell of iron clears the head, leading to a boost in attack power. (+40% vsArm)
Mid-Range Skills - Firing accuracy is improved when no enemies are in the immediate vicinity. (+67% vsPer, +67% accuracy)
Misogynist - Having women nearby triggers constitutional loathing so powerful it lowers accuracy. (-40% accuracy)
Mooch - When ammo stores run out, they manage to scrounge some up from somewhere or another.
Moody - Fickle to the core, they sometimes don't feel like doing anything, even when commanded.
My Way - Having no allies nearby lets them think clearly, improving their evasive skills.
Mysterious Body - Always a fast healer for some reason, she occasionally notices that she;s completely recovered from injury.
N/A - This character has no fourth potential.
Nature Lover - Being around nature makes his heart soar, bringing about a boost in his abilities. (+40% defense)
Neat Freak - Worries about dirt stains lead to distraction and a decrease in accuracy. (-40% accuracy)
Nest Master - Shooting from a position at the top of a ladder grants increased attack power. (+60% vsPer)
Neutralize - Attacks have a set chance of preventing the enemy from counter attacking.
Never Say Die - When HP reaches a single digit, their warrior's spirit burns brightest, granting raised accuracy. (+40% accuracy)
Night Blind - Unable to see well in the dark, they're quick to panic at night, meaning a loss in accuracy when firing. (-40% accuracy)
Night Vision - Their keen sight is unimpeded by the darkness of night, letting them fire with enhanced accuracy. (+40% accuracy)
Nocturnal - Their keen eyes pierce the dark of night, allowing for visibility equal to to that in the middle of the day.
Outcast - Having allies of the same unit class nearby puts them on edge, lowering their evasion abilities.
Panicky - Charging into the face of enemy fire makes them panic, decreasing attack power. (-40% vsPer)
Penetrator - Their attacks can occasionally ignore the target's defense.
Perfect Dodge - Cat-like reflexes allow them to consistently dodge enemy counter-attacks.
Pessimist - Having less than half-full HP makes them throw away hope for the future, meaning lowered defense. (-40% defense)
Phoenix - They have a set chance of returning to life with full HP when their their HP reaches zero.
Poison Tolerance - An acquired tolerance to toxins renders them immune to status ailments.
Pollen Allergy - Heavy pollen allergies mean a steady drain of HP when standing near too much plant life.
Power of Love - Any time Alicia is at his side, he is filled with the warmth of their love, boosting his abilities. (+50% vsPer, +50% vsArm, +50% defense)
Power Scout - Sighting fire or more enemy units grants a boost in both evasion and attack power. (+60% vsPers, +% evasion)
Rear Guard - Being the very last to take action gives them a strong sense of responsibility that boosts attack power. (+40% vsPer)
Repair Boost - Repairs performed on tanks have a chance of restoring an increased amount of HP. (+50% HP healed with Engineer's Tool)
Resist Counters - Damage taken from enemy counterattacks is lessened a set percentage of the time. (halves attack value from counter-attack)
Resist Crossfire - Damage taken from enemy interception fire is lessened.
Roof Hunter - Both evasion and attack power are enhanced when firing up at an elevated target. (+60% vsPer, +% evasion)
Rosie Hater - Having Rosie around is a drag, causing a drop in attack power. (-40% vsPer)
Rosie Lover - Just knowing that Rosie is nearby gives confidence and a boost in attack power. (+40% vsPer)
Runner's High - Having less than half-full AP brings them an adrenalin rush that leads to increased defense. (+40% defense)
Sadist - Inflicting pain on others fills them with a sublime sense of pleasure, upping anti-personnel attack power. (+40% vsPer)
Scout Hater - For whatever reason, scouts aren't their thing. Attack power is lowered against scouts. (-40% vsPer)
Scout Killer - Confidence that they can best any scout grants a boost in attack abilities. (+40% vsPer, +40% accuracy)
Show-Off - Being sighted by multiple enemies makes them want to show off, upping their defense. (+40% defense)
Shut-In - When holed up in camp, they cease to pay attention to the world outside, causing a drop in defense. (-40% defense)
Sibling Ties - Whenever Darcsens are nearby, his thoughts drift to his sister, Isara, and his abilities are enhanced. (+50% defense, +50% accuracy)
Sighting - Accuracy is improved after sighting an enemy. (+60% accuracy)
Skilled Assassin - If able to successfully land an attack without being noticed first, attack power and evasion both rise. (+60% vsPers, +% evasion)
Slow Starter - Their true abilities come to the surface only after five turns have gone by. (+40% accuracy)
Sniper Hater - For whatever reason, Snipers aren't their thing. Attack power is lowered against snipers.
Sniper Killer - Confidence that they can best any Sniper grants a boost in attack abilities. (+40% vsPer, +40% accuracy)
Song of Peace - Seeing Darcsens nearby brings the song she never got to share with Isara to her lips, filling her with strength. (+40% accuracy, +% evade)
Stage Fright - Being sighted by multiple enemies puts them on the spot, making them too afraid to move. (loses all AP)
Stand Ready - Defense receives a boost when they enter the range of enemy interception fire. (+60% defense, +% evasion)
Starting Dash - Firing accuracy is boosted during the first three turns of operation. (+40% accuracy)
Stealth - Defenses are strengthened when in hiding. (+60% defense)
Stonewall - Crouching down puts them in full-on guard mode, leading to improved defensive abilities. (+40% defense)
Strong-Willed - Plowing through oncoming fire by sheer force of will, she takes lessened damage from interception fire.
Super Accuracy - Firing accuracy is greatly boosted a set percentage of time. (+80% accuracy)
Super Anti-armor - Their attack power against tanks is greatly boosted a set percentage of the time. (+80% vsArm)
Super Damage - Attack power against human targets is greatly boosted a set percentage of the time. (+80% vsPer)
Super Defense - Defensive abilities are greatly boosted a set percentage of the time. (+80% defense)
Super Evasion - Evasion skills have a chance of being greatly enhanced. (+80% evasion)
Super First Aid - The healing powers of Ragnaid (L) are occasionally increased. (+100% HP healed with Ragnaid (L))
Super Repair - Repairs performed on tanks have a chance of restoring a greatly increased amount of HP. (+100% HP healed with Engineer's Tool)
Tank Destroyer - Attacks against tanks have a chance to deal a lethal blow.
Tank Hater - They feel uncomfortable around tanks and their attack power suffers as a result when standing near one. (-40% vsArm)
Tank Killer - When near a tank, they enjoy heightened accuracy. (+60% accuracy)
Tank Lover - Standing near tanks makes them happy, driving up their attack abilities. (+40% vsArm, +40% accuracy)
Tank Slayer - When near two or more tanks, they receive a boost to attack-related parameters. (+60% vsArm, +60% accuracy)
Third Eye - Defensive instincts kick in, offering a chance to avoid any critical damage from enemy counterattacks.
Trooper Hater - For whatever reason, Shocktroopers aren't their thing. Attack power is lowered against Shocktroopers. (-40% vsPer)
Trooper Killer - Confidence that they can best any Shocktrooper grants a boost in attack abilities. (+40% vsPer, +40% accuracy)
Ult. Accuracy - Their firing accuracy is greatly enhanced on a permanent basis. (+90% accuracy)
Ult. Anti-armor - Their attack power against tanks is permanently greatly enhanced. (+90% vsArm)
Ultimate Damage - Parameter's relating to anti-personnel attacks are permanently greatly enhanced. (+90% vsPer)
Ultimate Defense - Defensive abilities are greatly enhanced on a permanent basis. (+90% defense)
Ultimate Evade - Evasion skills are greatly enhanced on a permanent basis. (+90% evasion)
Under Pressure - Being the very last to take action gives them a crushing sense of pressure that hinders accuracy. (-40% accuracy)
Undercover Fire - When crouching, their attack power is boosted. (+60% accuracy)
Undodgeable Shot - Attacks have a set probability of being impossible for enemies to evade.
Unlucky - Sometimes Lady Luck abandons them completely, leaving them unable to inflict critical damage to their target.
Valkyria - The awesome power of the Valkyrur awakens within her when her HP falls below half-full. (+40% vsPer, +40% vsArm, +40% accuracy, +% evasion, +50% defense)
Veggie-Maniac - Any time his feet touch the bountiful earth, his love of veggies drives his parameters up. (+40% vsPer, +40% vsArm)
Welkin Hater - Having Welkin around is a drag, causing a drop in firing accuracy. (-40% accuracy)
Welkin Lover - Just knowing that Welkin is nearby gives confidence and a boost in firing accuracy. (+40% accuracy)