Combat orbment

A **combat orbment** (戦術オーブメント), also called a **tactical orbment**, is a type of orbment used throughout the series to provide the ability to cast orbal arts. The combat orbment has several quartz slots allowing the customization of what arts and effects are available.

## Lines and slots

Combat orbments are adjusted to match the owner's personal aptitude. This means that the design on the face of each orbment is unique to each character. These are the layout of the **sepith lines**, which are one to four paths connecting the quartz **slots** on the face.

All orbments have a central **slot** from which the lines start at and connect to each of the other quartz slots. The central slot functions differently between games, but it always serves as a slot that counts as a "member" of every line. In most games, there is a system of counting the **sepith value** of the inserted quartz in each line, which, when sufficient, provide the user with orbal arts which have a **sepith cost** less than or equal to the amount provided.

To make use of combat orbments, users may cast magic, called orbal arts, which cost EP (energy points). EP can be recharged by resting or recharge stations or monuments in the games.

The amount of available EP is increased by opening or upgrading slots of the orbment, also allowing more or better quartz to be inserted.

## Iterations of Combat Orbments

Several iterations are seen throughout the series.

### FC Combat Orbment

In *Trails in the Sky FC*, the playable characters use this combat orbment, with a clock-wise design featuring six slots. The first slot in the center is a member of all lines. The other five slots go clockwise around the orbment from the 8 o'clock position to the 10, 12, 2, and 4. During the game, you can **open** slots using a fixed amount of Sepith based on the **distance** the slot is from the center, if you follow the line. There are often one to three **element locked** slots which only allow quartz of that element type, except for Estelle Bright, who has no elemental locks. The character pages list the layout and costs for each combat orbment.

### SC Combat Orbment

In *Trails in the Sky SC* and *the 3rd*, the playable characters use this upgraded combat orbment instead, with a clock-wise design featuring seven slots. The first slot in the center is a member of all lines. The other six slots go clockwise around the orbment from the 8 o'clock position to the 10, 12, 2, 4, and 6. While all characters' slots are already open, during the games, you can **upgrade** slots using a fixed amount of Sepith based on the **distance** the slot is from the center, the elemental locks, and the upgrade level. There are two upgrade levels, the first revealed at the start of SC and the second during Chapter 7 of SC. Both upgrade levels are available immediately in the 3rd. There are often one to three **element locked** slots which only allow quartz of that element type, except for Estelle Bright and Renne, who have no elemental locks. The character pages list the layout and costs for each combat orbment.

### Enigma II

*Trails to Azure*. Central slot is master quartz instead.

*Akatsuki no Kiseki* also uses this variant.

### ARCUS

*Trails of Cold Steel I* and *II*.

Central slot is still master quartz.

### ARCUS II

*Trails of Cold Steel III* introduces an ARCUS with two master quartz slots. Used in *IV* and *Reverie*.

## Technical summary

This is a summary of features, as seen in the games, of combat orbments.