Many video games include combat, but not all of combat is hitting each other with swords, arrows, bombs, and magic fire balls. Sometimes, you get poisoned while your opponent raises their attack. Other times, you boost your defenses while your enemy is paralyzed and can’t do anything. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, status effects are a core mechanic of video game combat. But do they slow combat down, or make battles more exciting and engaging? 

Nothing hurts more than combat getting slowed down to a halt due to an opponent’s defenses getting buffed to oblivion. In turn-based combat, losing tiny chunks of health each round slowly sucks away your enjoyment as you begin to lose hope. Plus, wasting your time to use a stat boosting item or attempting to paralyze an opponent usually comes with the cost of NOT attacking, prolonging the battle even longer. 

On the other hand, just hitting each other back-and-forth can get boring. Even with dodging and defending, fighting can get stale overtime, especially once you figure out the enemy’s attack pattern, or get armor or weapon upgrades. Knowing that your opponent may suddenly become way stronger, faster, or bulkier forces you to change up your strategy mid-fight. Additionally, inflicting status conditions like poison or burn give you an extra edge in battle by causing additional damage over time, or conditions like stunning or paralyzing can buy you more time to take down your enemy. 

What are your thoughts on status effects and conditions? Are you a person who meticulously plans a strategy by hindering your opponent or boosting yourself? Or do you mash the A Button until you get your victory? Let us know down below, or hop on over to the Boss Rush Discord to join the conversation!

Image Source: Final Fantasy Wiki