Pilot Stats and Abilities
Data on Kantaisen will be covered in several pages for ease of reference. This page will cover basic concepts in Kantaisen, while others will cover more detailed elements such as unit abilities, pilot abilities, and attack attributes.
Kantaisen Basics: Covers the introductory elements and terminology of Kantaisen.
Pilot Stats and Abilities: Covers pilot stats, abilities, spirit commands, and proficiencies. You are here!
Unit Stats and Abilities: Covers non-weapon elements that live on a unit, such as its base stats and abilities.
Weapons and Attacks: Covers units' attacks, including the construction of weapons in the system and attack attributes.
Kantaisen Flow: Covers how attacks are exchanged in the system, including relevant elements such as Engagement and Fields.
Inspirations and Differences: Covers the major inspirations for Kantaisen's various structures, and how things may differ for players used to one system or another.
Pilot Parameters
A pilot has a Tier, which determines their base stat total. A PC's stat total increases by 25 for each Tier. Stats can be further modified by abilities, including the "Depth of Experience" ability that increases base stat total outright. Tiers are as follows:
| Tier Name | Base Stat Total |
|---|---|
| Capable | 500 |
| Expert | 525 |
| Ace | 550 |
| Great Ace | 575 |
| Extreme | 600 |
Each pilot has the following stats:
| Stat Name | Effects |
|---|---|
| Targeting | The Targeting stat represents a pilot's ability to quickly track enemy movements and position. Targeting is most useful for defending against close combat attacks while engaged and accurately shooting, especially at long distances. |
| Piloting | The Piloting stat represents a pilot's ability to make tight, effective maneuvers with their unit. Piloting is most useful offensively in melee, and to react to people attempting to close to melee with you. |
| Intuition | The Intuition stat represents a pilot's overall judgment and ability to predict opponents. Intuition affects a wide range of reactions at all ranges, especially the common 'React' action. |
| Skill | The Skill stat represents a pilot's ability to precisely apply force in a variety of situations. Skill affects damage calculations and increases the severity of a successful strike, but not your ability to land a blow or react to one in the first place. |
Note that a pilot must have at least 100 in each stat.
Non-Stat Pilot Properties
Pilots also have other properties.
Proficiency - Proficiency indicates how effective a pilot is with a given type of unit, and is ranked as follows:
| Level | Effective Hitrate Stats | Damage Boost | EN Regen Boost | Reaction Discount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | -50 | - | - | - |
| F | -10 | - | - | - |
| D | -5 | - | - | - |
| C | - | - | - | - |
| B | +5 | - | - | - |
| A | +10 | - | - | - |
| S | +15 | - | - | - |
| Ability-Exclusive Proficiency Levels | ||||
| SS | +20 | 400 | - | - |
| SSS | +20 | 400 | - | 5 |
| SSSS | +20 | 400 | 5 | 5 |
| SSSSS | +25 | 600 | 5 | 5 |
For completion's sake, information on control schemes has been mirrored here from the Units data.
| Control Scheme | Description | Example Unit Types |
|---|---|---|
| Autobalanced | Autobalanced units use a control scheme similar to a mobile suit; maneuvers perform a significant amount of automatic adjustment and modification of the unit's orientation and limbs to retain orientation. Autobalanced units tend to perform better in space than one might expect from their class, though this is by no means a hard and fast rule. | Mobile Suits; Knightmare Frames; EXAMACs |
| Manual | Manual units control similarly to modern tanks, planes, cars, and other vehicles. | Variable Fighters; Wanzers; tanks; planes; Mazinger-series units; Evangelion units |
| Crewed | Crewed units operate through the effort of multiple people taking on dedicated roles. Not all combiner robots or multi-seaters necessarily operate as Crewed units, though we're pretty flexible on that point. Note that monsters that you do not drive, but instead simply demand things of, are also treated as Crewed units, since the paradigm remains one of giving orders and direction. | Battleships; crewed tanks; kaiju (if you direct them by barking orders) |
| Kinesthetic | Kinesthetic units operate by having the user perform bodily movements themselves. Some such units perform mild correction, and others do not; we do not make much distinction here. Note that characters who personally become large and fight will generally have their "units" covered by Kinesthetic proficiency, though there are a couple of cases where this might instead be Cybernetic. | Arm Slaves; Mobile Fighters; Ultramen |
| Mental | Mental units operate through the use of psychic commands from a Newtype, Psychodriver, or other Awakened human. Note that this covers units controlled exclusively by this means; units that simply mount remote weapons are Autobalanced, but gain effectiveness from Mental proficiency through the Attuned attack attribute. | A handful of Mobile Suits; a handful of kaiju |
| Cybernetic | Cybernetic units operate through some sort of interface with the pilot through a mechanical medium, such as nanomachines or a conventional cybernetic plug. Characters who are themselves AIs can also choose to use this to represent their facility with moving themselves, especially if the AI can be transferred to other housings without incident. | Aestivalis; Super AIs |
Modes - Sometimes a pilot has multiple modes. (more data when i remember how our data structures work)
Personalities - Pilots have Personalities which determine the circumstances under which they gain Morale.
| Personality Name | Description | Pilot
Hits |
Pilot
Misses |
Pilot
Is Hit |
Pilot
Defends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active | This is a stable Morale gain type that gains more Morale on the offense. | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| Berserk | This Morale gain type gets more Morale from being hit or successfully hitting. | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Cautious | This Morale type gets more Morale from successfully defending or missing. | 2 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| Default | This is a placeholder type used for staff NPC fights and cases where staff forgot to set any type.
Please contact staff if you see this type somewhere it shouldn't be. |
3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Defiant | This Morale gain type gets more Morale from missing or being hit. This encourages comebacks. | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| Focused | This is a stable Morale gain type that gains more Morale on the defense. | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Triumphant | This Morale gain type gets more Morale from hitting or being missed. This encourages pressing the advantage. | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
Spirit Commands
Pilots have Spirit Commands, which are active-use commands that can be spent at will as a free action. They increase a pilot's stats temporarily or allow for additional effects.
Note that unlike the Super Robot Wars games, the same Spirit Command can be used multiple times consecutively. However, as stats have a lower value the higher they climb, the value of each successive use will reduce accordingly.
| Name | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Alert | 15 | Adds 30 to Piloting for one round. |
| Focus | 15 | Adds 30 to Intuition for one round. |
| Strike | 15 | Adds 30 to Targeting for one round. |
| Valor | 15 | Adds 30 to Skill for one round. |
| Wall | 15 | Adds 30 to Armor for one round. |
| Name | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Detonate | 25 | Your Morale increases to its maximum potential value. Reduces your own HP to 1. |
| Spirit | 25 | Your Morale increases by 10. |
| Trick | 15 | Restores 8 EN. |
| Name | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Accel | 15 | Raises your Terrains to a floor of C for your next action. Alternatively, if not Engaged with a target, you can target someone with this SC. You then have a chance to Engage them before your attack. This is used during your turn, not while reacting to attacks. |
| Assail | 15 | Raises your Terrains to a floor of C for your next action. Your next attack is treated as if it had All-Range; a melee attack used in this manner will make you change Fields. |
| Dash | 15 | If Engaged, you can use this on yourself to attempt to disengage from all other units. If you are already disengaged, raises your control proficiencies by 2 for this turn. This is used during your turn, not while reacting to attacks. |
| Name | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Attune | 25 | Give someone (yourself or someone else) 30 to Targeting for one round. |
| Daunt | 40 | Reduce someone's Morale by 10. |
| Enable | 25 | Give someone (yourself or someone else) 30 to Skill for one round. |
| Foresee | 25 | Give someone (yourself or someone else) 30 to Piloting for one round. |
| Prospect | 50 | Give someone else 40 SP. |
| Resupply | 25 | Restores 8 EN to someone (yourself or someone else). |
| Rouse | 40 | Give someone (yourself or someone else) 10 Morale. |
| Trust | 25 | Give someone (yourself or someone else) 30 to Armor for one round. |
Pilot Abilities
Pilot abilities represent the ways in which a pilot excels in Kantaisen. All pilots have, at game launch, 8 pilot ability slots. Some abilities cost more than one slot.
The number of ability slots available to pilots does not change with tier in Kantaisen 1.1. This may be adjusted depending on feedback, but is unlikely to receive adjustment at this time. See Advancement for more information on how pilots gain new ability slots.
Base Parameter Abilities
These abilities increase a pilot's base parameters beyond those normally expected for their tier.
Depth of Experience - This increases the pilot's stat total by 20. This can be bought multiple times for one slot each, noted as "Depth of Experience LX".
Breadth of Experience - This increases the pilot's spendable proficiency ranks by 5. This can be bought multiple times for one slot each, noted as "Breadth of Experience LX".
Command Abilities
These abilities offer new "commands" to players. These special actions route through the attack system, and are treated as weapons with a Weapon Space cost of 0 internally. Note that as weapons, you my not target yourself, even with (MAP) multi-target effects.
Command (Lv2) - The pilot's Attune, Enable, Forsee, and Trust SCs have their costs reduced by 5. In addition, gain:
- Allout - Improves Skill by 40 for 2 turns (MAP)
- Caution - Improves Intuition by 40 for 2 turns (MAP)
- Coordinate - Improves Piloting by 40 for 2 turns (MAP)
Charisma (Lv2) - The pilot's Rouse and Prospect SCs have their costs reduced by 5. In addition, gain:
- Shock - Decreases Morale by 25 (MAP)
- Awe - Improves Morale by 25 (MAP)
- Prospect - Improves SP by 50
Pressure (Lv2) - The pilot's Daunt SC has its cost reduced by 5, and has their SP recovery improved by 5. In addition, gain:
- Goad - Reduces Intuition by 65 for 2 turns
- Demoralize - Reduces Morale by 40
- Despirit - Reduces SP by 65
Morale Abilities
These abilities primarily orient in some way around the pilot's Morale.
Break Morale Limit - The upper bound of your Morale increases by 30, and your starting morale increases by 10. This is a Level 1 ability.
Spirit Endurance - Whenever affected by an effect that would reduce your SP or Morale, you have a chance to halve the effect that increases with Morale. In addition, the core Morale gains you accrue from trading blows are increased by 2. This is a Level 1 ability.
Range-Focused Abilities
These abilities offer benefits primarily to ranged or melee combat.
Charger - The success rate of Disengaging from you is reduced by 30%. This is a Level 1 ability.
Gunfight - While making a Ranged attack or defending against a Ranged attack, the pilot's relevant stats increase by 15. This ability can be bought incrementally, up to three Levels.
In addition, having this ability at any level makes any attempt you make to Disengage 15% easier.
In-Fight - While making a Melee attack or defending against a Melee attack, the pilot's relevant stats increase by 15. This ability can be bought incrementally, up to three Levels.
In addition, having this ability at any level makes it 15% more difficult to Disengage from the pilot's unit.
Slippery - The success rate of Disengaging is improved by 30%. This is a Level 1 ability.
Scaling Abilities
Scaling abilities increase in power over the course of a fight, often tied to Morale or some other value.
Clarity - The pilot's Piloting, Targeting, Intuition, and Skill increase at certain Morale thresholds.
- Clarity Lv2: At 135 Morale, gain 20 PIL/TAR/INT/SKL.
- Clarity Lv3: At 130 Morale, gain 30 PIL/TAR/INT/SKL.
Predict - The pilot's Intuition increases as Morale increases, at an equal rate. This is a Level 2 ability.
Potential - The pilot's Piloting increases as Morale increases, at an equal rate. This is a Level 2 ability.
Prowess - The pilot's Targeting increases as Morale increases, at an equal rate. This is a Level 2 ability.
Prevail - As the pilot's unit takes damage, the pilot's Skill increases. This begins to work only after taking at least 50% damage. This ability can be bought incrementally, up to three Levels.
Dynamic Hits
If your attack deals critical damage, Dynamic Hit abilities add an effect that lingers after the attack resolves. All of the below are are Level 1 abilities.
- Precision Attacker: The enemy is afflicted by Nullify, which negates the effects of Barriers and Mirage, and the pilot regains 5 SP.
- Analyst: The enemy is afflicted with Designate Lv1, a 15% decrease to the success rate of defenses for 2 turns.
- Disruptor: The enemy is afflicted with Jam Lv1, a 30% decrease to the success rate of attacks made for 2 turns.
- Enervator: The enemy is afflicted with Shock, reducing Morale by 25.
- Defiance: The pilot's unit is afflicted with Sparkle, reducing incoming hits by two effective steps for two turns.
- Ace Attacker: The pilot is afflicted with Insight Lv1, a 30% increase to the success rate of attacks for 2 turns.
- Outmaneuver: The pilot receives a two-turn increase of their control proficiencies by 2.
Other Abilities
The following abilities do not fit neatly into any of the above categories.
Apply Terrain - In terrains your Unit has B or better in, you gain 10 effective hitrate stats attacking and defending and increase base Morale gains by 1.
Otherwise, in terrains your Unit can enter (F or better), your terrain rating is increased to C. This is a Level 1 ability.
Blocking - A successful Parry causes half of the reduced damage; you can use Intercept to defend against Missile attacks even in melee; Blocking reduces incoming damage by one effective step (including potentially turning critical hits into non-critical hits). This is a Level 2 ability.
Instant Hero - At Level 1, your Intuition and Skill increase by 30 if your unit is Obsolete, Surplus, or Unremarkable. At Level 2, benefit increases to 45 to each stat, and applies up to Standard.
Lucky - You have a 15% chance to automatically hit or take 0 damage from what would be a successful hit, regardless of anything else. This is a Level 2 ability.
SP Regen - You gain 8 more SP per turn, making the use of Spirit Commands a more central element of your playstyle. This ability can be bought incrementally, up to two Levels.
Transformation Specialist - Transforming your unit costs 0 EN. This is a Level 1 ability.
Special Technique
This ability has been given its own category, and its own detailed notes for each level of that ability, due to its complexity.
Special Technique gives you a "weapon" that costs 0 Weapon Space and follows you from unit to unit.
Special Technique L1
Special Technique L1 allows you to buy up to three attacks with one attribute each and up to 4500 Attack Power.
A good example of a Special Technique L1 is Char Aznable's Char Kick (4500 Melee Physical Finisher) - Char can do this in most everything he bothers to drive, but it's not a huge footprint on his piloting style or his arsenal.
Alternatively, you can use Special Technique L1 to buy one of the effects from Jammer, EWAC, Sabotage, or Sound Force.
Special Technique L2
Special Technique L2 allows you to buy up to five attacks with up to two attributes each and up to 5400 Attack Power. You can spend two attack slots each to buy the Parry, Shield Block, or Intercept capabilities, provided they make sense for you to be carrying from unit to unit.
Alternatively, you can use Special Technique L2 to buy three of the effects from Jammer, EWAC, Sabotage, or Sound Force, in any configuration you like (such as "Sound Spirit, Insight, and Warn" or "Jam, Designate, and Nullify").
An example of the former type would be Cucuruz Doan's Mobile Suit Martial Arts, featuring Improvised Weapon (3700 Melee Physical Initiation), Mobile Suit Martial Arts (5100 Melee Physical Penetrating), Thrown Debris (4100 Ranged Physical), and the Parry capability (representing unusually high effectiveness at interrupting melee techniques with ambient objects, sword grasps, etc). It's starting to be a legitimately impressive and reliable part of Doan's arsenal, but not something to use to the exclusion of all other weapons.
An example of the latter type, meanwhile, would be Tiffa Adill's Newtype talents, featuring the Insight capability from EWAC L2, the Designate capability from Jam L2, and the Warn capability from EWAC L2. It's a significant part of her arsenal, and gives her distinctive capability as a support character that isn't quite offered by any other support ability.
Special Technique L3
Special Technique L3 allows you to buy up to six attacks with any number of attributes and up to 7500 Attack Power. You can spend two attack slots each to buy the Parry, Shield Block, or Intercept capabilities, provided they make sense for you to be carrying from unit to unit.
A good example of a Special Technique L3 is Domon Kasshu's School of Master Asia, featuring Bakunetsu Sekiha Tenkyoken (7200 Ranged Magic Barrier Breaker Finisher), Chokyuu Haoh Den'ei-dan (5500 Melee Magic Ram), Bakunetsu Shuffle Doumei Ken (6000 Melee Magic Penetrating), and Sekiha Tenkyoken (6100 Ranged Magic Finisher). This represents some of the marquee tricks of Domon's arsenal and he can carry them from unit to unit however he likes.