Photon Arts

Photon Arts, commonly referred to as PAs, are the special offensive and defensive abilities of Phantasy Star Universe. They are learned from Photon Art Disks, then are linked to Weapons, and come in three forms, each associated with a weapon type:

• Skills: Photon Arts linked to Melee Weapons, are powerful melee attacks that often exhibit multiple combos.
• Bullets: Photon Arts linked to Ranged Weapons, changing the element of the weapon and imbuing it with a Status Effect.
• TECHNICs: Photon Arts linked to Casting Weapons, are essentially magic in Phantasy Star Universe. They exhibit powerful elemental effects, as well as being able to support allies with healing or enhancements.

Information

When first learned, all photon arts start at level 1. A successful use of a photon art awards an increase in your knowledge of that photon art. Your knowledge is measured in a percentage and when 100% is reached, the photon art increases in level by 1 and the percentage is reset to 0%.

A successful use of a Photon Art is as follows:

• Damaging Art: The art hits 1 or more enemies successfully (i.e. not a "miss"). The art will increase for each enemy hit.
• Healing Art: The art heals 1 or more allies for at least 1 HP. The art will increase for each ally healed.
• Buff Art: The art will apply a fresh buff to each ally in range. The art will increase for each ally buffed.
• Debuff Art: The art will apply a fresh debuff to each enemy in range. The art will increase for each enemy debuffed.
• Refreshing Art: The art will remove Status Effects from each ally in range. The art will increase for each ally who has a status removed.

A Photon Art's potency is directly related to the art's level. Damaging arts will increase in damage, healing will restore more HP, and status effects will have their level increased.

Also, at level 11, 21, 31, and 41, most arts will receive a significant increase in its effect (and visuals for TECHNICs and Skills):

• Skills usually gain another attack in their combo sequence. As with normal melee attacks, you are able to execute a second attack immediately after the first by correctly timing a second press of the attack button.
  • Note that skills for single-handed weapons will only gain a second hit in their combo at level 11. At level 21 and 31, these skills will gain no additional effects.
• Bullets gain additional elemental percentage bonuses to the weapon they are equipped and will inflict more severe Status Effects.
• TECHNICs will gain a longer range, increase in size and will inflict more severe Status Effects.
• All PP costs listed on the wiki are the base, unadjusted costs. Many Types have PP consumption benefits or penalties; as a result in-game PP use may appear different to values stated on the wiki. See bonuses and penalties for more information.