Publisher Atlus and developer Vanillaware shared new info and media for Unicorn Overlord introducing battle stages and tactics, plus more allies and enemies.
Here’s a rundown on the new info and media:
Characters
Yunifi (Protagonist’s Ally)
Japanese VA = Hisako Kanemoto
“Wherever you go, the Frostblooms will always be there to stop you!”
A member of a Bastorias based resistance group known as the Frostblooms. She is a preeminent archer central to the fight against Zenoira. Though born to humans, she was taken in and raised by Ramona.
Ramona (Protagonist’s Ally)
Japanese VA = Nanako Mori
“We must weather any storm, no matter how fierce!”
The leader of the Bastorias-based resistance group know as the Frostblooms and Yunifi’s adoptive mother. Though chieftess of the owl bloodline, she is well-respected by members of all bestral races.
Morard (Protagonist’s Ally)
Japanese VA = Tomoyuki Shimura”
But I’d rather see you rot in a cell than burn in the underworld.”
A lion bestral and member of a Bastorias resistance group known as the Frostblooms. He boasts immense physickal strength, and together with Yunifi, forms the core of the Frostblooms’ ranks.
Nigel (Protagonist’s Ally)
Japanese VA = Takayuki Ashii
“While the breath of life still flows through me, you’ll not cross this point.”
Leader of the Knights of the Sacred Heart, he attained reverend-knighthood at a young age, then claimed the role of captain after playing an influential role in Albion’s defense against Zenoira.
Dinah (Protagonist’s Ally)
Japanese VA = Sayaka Senbongi
“I’m after your boss’s life, not yours. Out of the way.”
A fox bestral and captain of the Snowpetals. Though quick to anger, she cares deeply for her soldiers, who respect her greatly in turn.
Sanatio (Protagonist’s Ally)
Japanese VA = Mutsumi Tamura
“I shall see it through, even if I must suffer eternal damnation as a result.”
Angelic attendant to the pontifex and leader of the Heavenswing Knights. As a winged reverend knight, he was identified as a future leader of the Orthodoxy at a young age.
Elgor (Protagonist’s Enemy)
Japanese VA = Shigeru Chiba”
Now the time has come to set sail. And I’ll be paying the fare with your life.”
A knight of Reimann, high commander of the northern Zenoiran Army. Granted a set of ancient Zenoiran Armor by Galerius. It’s said that none have seen his face and lived to tell the tale.
Battlefield (Battle Stages)
Battle stages are the fields of combat where allied and enemy units wage war in real-time. Each battle stage has victory conditions that must be fulfilled in order to complete it.
Deploying Units & Unit Mobility
Allied units can be deployed from any base flying a blue flag. Select an allied unit with the cursor to order them to move toward a target destination. Valor points can be replenished by defeating enemies and liberating towns.
Encounters
When encountering enemy units, select “battle” from the battle menu to enter enter the fray.
Swapping Positions
When two allied units are in close proximity, one can swap for the other. Swap and do battle depending on the condition of your allies and compatibility with the enemy unit.
Waiting and First Strike
Upon losing a battle, the defeated unit is knocked back and enters a waiting state. Engaging a waiting unit will grant the attacking unit a First Strike opportunity.
Stamina & Resting
Engaging in battle consumes stamina. Units with 0 stamina will be unable to move. Resting allows a unit to enter a waiting state and recover a set amount of stamina. However a resting unit is defenseless against enemy attacks and unable to make use of skills.
Hallowed Corne Ash
Hallowed Corne Ash can be used to avert a Game Over when the time limit expires, your command post is claimed by the enemy, or your army is defeated.
Valor Skills
Valor Skills are usable during a battle stage. Different classes have access to different Valor Skills. Valor is also depleted when deploying units, so be sure to spend it wisely.
Each battle stage includes various facilities allowing you to turn the tides of battle; Divine Effigies for summoning cyclones, encampments for healing your units, and more.
Battle
Battles play out automatically according to various predetermined rules.
Combatants take turn using Active Skills according to their Initiatives. The battle will end when all combatants have run out of Active Points (AP) or one side is defeated.
Active Skills
When a combatant’s turn arrives, they will use one of their Active Skills. AP are required to use Active Skills.
AP is represented by a red gem. The battle ends when both sides exhaust their AP.
Passive Skills
Passive Skills consume Passive Points (PP) and are activated automatically when reacting to certain conditions, such as being attacked. Activation conditions vary depending on the passive skill.
PP is represented by a blue gem. Passive skills cannot be activated without PP.
Tactics & Priority
The tactics you set determine when a character will use what skill and who they will target. Tactics allow you to assign the priority of each skill and up to two conditions for their use.
Without setting tactics, characters will simply attack the enemy directly in front of them. In order to fight efficiently, it is important to set tactics before entering battle.
Tactics Example
Alain’s Lean Edge skill recovers HP if he defeats an enemy while using the skill. Hence, targeting the enemy with the Lowest HP makes it more likely he will defeat his foe and trigger the healing effect.
Tactics & Priority
Tactics can be prioritized, with the highest priority coming first. Urgent skills such as recovery skills or others you wish to activate first, can be prioritized first.
For example, if the above tactics are assigned, the character will attack with Slice no matter what. This means they will never use Heal to aid their allies.
By adjusting the priority of their tactics as shown above, they will use heal if an ally has less than 50% HP. Otherwise they will attack with slice instead.  The trick is to give higher priority to skills with narrower activation conditions.
Optimize
Tactics and equipment can also be automated by using the Optimize function. If you are having difficulty making decisions, try out the Optimize function.
Unicorn Overlord is set to launch on March 8th, 2024 for Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5.
