Guarding Guide

As many might have noticed, you are able to shift turns to other people in your party if their AP (Action Points, the Green Number by their feet) is over 100. Due to how the multi-mercenary system works in this game, you're allowed to have a total of 9 mercenaries at any given point (supposing you're over level 50). In this game, your first turn you can control 1 mercenary. The following turn, 3. The next turn, and for every turn thereafter, you can control a random 5 people. These conditions aside, allow me to remain on topic and explain how guarding is just an effective strategy as playing the right moves.

As you may have noticed, some mercenaries are "Greyed" out, meaning they weren't randomly selected the turn to do anything. Just because they are "Greyed" out does not mean you can't use them - this is a common misconception. If their AP is on/over 100, you can effectively "Guard" out of a "Green" mercenaries turn to turn another Mercenary from "Grey" to "Green," enabling you to use them. From what I've noticed and from personal experience Guarding not only benefits because you switch to another mercenary you want to use, but the other mercenary is in a "Guarded" stance, allowing extra defense and making them take less damage from direct hits.

Allow me to give a visual of what I have stated:

Merc A (98 ap)----Merc B (120 AP)----Merc C (101 AP)
Merc D (159 AP)----Merc E (88 AP)----Merc F (115 AP)
Merc G (-28 AP)----Merc H (133 AP)----Merc I (180 AP)

Taking into consideration the "5 Mercenaries" a turn rule, let us assume they gave us control of B, C, D, F, and H. However, since Mercenary I has the AP needed to move and/or use magic, you could guard on any one of the aforemention mercenaries to shift their turn to Mercenary I. For the sake of Arguement, let us say we guarded on Merc F. It transfered his turn (not his AP mind you, people get confused on this part) to Mercenary I because he had the needed AP to act, in effect "Greying" out Merc F, and "Greening" Merc I.

This can be applied to any mercenary over 100 AP, like I stated. So lets assume Merc I, who we'll say is a healer, needs to heal Merc A because he is damaged, but he didn't get randomly selected this time (even though his AP is over 100) - this does't mean Merc A has to die. Oh no! Not at all. Simply guard on either B, C, D, F, or H -thus "Greening" Merc I and allowing you to use the heal spell on poor Merc A.

Also, please keep in mind you cannot re-guard a turn back to a guarded character - Unless after guarding they still have 100 or more AP. Guarding itself takes 50 AP!

In my opinion, guarding right, and using the [D] key to move your guys around in battle is as important as your formation and how you attack the other person. This tends to be more true in PVP, because you're fighting another human element who also knows these tricks of the trade - and they will use them, a lot.

I hope this helps out the few still curious about how this all happens. Happy Hunting, and remember - Being Smart in battle is key to victory.

*Edit - Even I'm human, and make mistakes. Cynic is correct in saying the highest 5 AP mercs get selected every turn, and that you will always "Green" down the line of Ap. If two mercs have 200 each, and you guard on one, it'll go to the other 200 AP merc before it goes to a 190 merc. Keep this in mind!

**Edit: E-sildur was nice enough to contribute that you cannot re-guard back to a "willed" character, be it Brutal Will or Seth's will. The willed characters need to be selected at the beginning of the turn to be usable. Trying to guard to them will only end in failure. Thanks for this addition! Nice to know information.

Credits: Shimus_Darkraven from Atlantica Online Forum