Thornblade

Thornblade forms, elements and habitats

Use the form name as well as the species name when comparing companions. The four forms share the listed base attributes below, so a second element is not automatically a higher ATK stat.

A habitat is a region to search, not a guaranteed spawn point or a complete acquisition recipe for every form. The Basic evolution steps below apply to that branch; inspect another form’s own requirements before spending materials.

Evolve Budsquire into Basic Form Thornblade

1. Choose the Budsquire you intend to evolve and raise it to level 27.
2. Prepare one Sprout Stone. Its item source category is Defeat Alphas; check your inventory before planning the evolution.
3. Set your Aniimo party to contain only that Budsquire. Twining with Budsquire while other party members remain does not meet the solo-party condition.
4. Defeat a Thornblade with that party, then return to the Basic Form Thornblade evolution panel.
5. Confirm that the level, encounter condition and material requirement are satisfied before evolving. If the encounter condition is incomplete, check both the defeated target and the party composition.

Sword Dance: alternate skills and basic attacks

Start by using a skill that suits the opening, then follow with a basic attack while a Sword Dance stack is available. Repeat when the enemy allows it. You do not have to wait for four stacks before using the trait.

At the stack cap, consider spending a stack instead of using another skill only to build the trait. A defensive or positioning skill can still be worthwhile for its own effect. The goal is useful actions with stack consumption, not blindly alternating buttons while under attack.

Combat skill effects and listed costs

All five listed entries are Physical skills. Check the moves available on your own Thornblade when making the loadout; a species skill reference is not a five-skill equipped rotation.

The basic defensive stance and the precisely timed bonus are separate conditions. Casting early can put you in the stance without earning the bonus that requires the incoming attack at activation. A 20% reduction is not immunity.

Thorny Impact and Lightning Impact need to hit for their critical-rate effect. Do not add every listed critical bonus together as a permanent build statistic: each has its own trigger and duration. Skill power is also not a prediction of final damage.

A practical Sword Dance combat loop

Choose teammates around the encounter. A recovery option can support a DPS-focused Thornblade, while a breaking specialist addresses a different problem. Changing a teammate should solve the problem you observed rather than simply increase the number of damage dealers.

1. Check the selected form and equipped skills before engaging. Start with a manageable enemy while learning defensive timing.
2. Use an Impact move when a forward attack can connect, or a Defense move when an incoming hit provides the opening you want to practice.
3. Confirm the hit or defensive result, then use a basic attack while a Sword Dance stack is available. Keep the target visible instead of attacking into an empty space.
4. Use another skill for its actual purpose, then spend another stack. Watch the four-stack cap and 15-second duration when pausing or moving between targets.
5. If the enemy interrupts your approach, reset your position before continuing. Do not use the defense move as if it made every attack harmless.
6. After the encounter, identify the failure: missed skill, missed defensive timing, unused stacks or lack of recovery. Change that part of the setup before investing in another form.

Listed base attributes

These are the same listed base attributes across Basic, Thunderstorm, Prismana and Towerwood forms. They are not your final character-sheet values after leveling and training.

Later Resonance training requirements

Resonance training and evolution are separate investments. The Sprout Stone recipe unlocks Basic Thornblade; it does not pay these later Resonance requirements. Check the selected training level before spending the crystals.