How to Use Items in Battle in Ni no Kuni 2: A Comprehensive Guide

In Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom, effectively managing your resources during combat is crucial for survival. One of the most important aspects of this is knowing how to use items in battle. The game provides a straightforward yet efficient system for accessing and utilizing a wide variety of items to keep your party in fighting shape. To use items during battle in Ni no Kuni 2, you must press the START button (or the equivalent button on your platform). This action will pause the combat and bring up the item menu, allowing you to select and use consumables such as healing potions, status ailment cures, and other helpful aids.

Accessing and Using the Item Menu

When you press the START button during a battle, time stops, and the game transitions to the item menu. This pause is a crucial feature, giving you time to assess the situation, make strategic decisions, and avoid using items hastily. In the item menu, you will see a list of all the usable items currently in your inventory. You can navigate through your items using the directional buttons or left analog stick. To use a specific item, select it and press the confirm button.

Types of Items Available

Ni no Kuni 2 offers a broad range of consumable items, each with specific effects. Here’s a breakdown of the primary categories:

• Healing Items: These restore HP to your characters. There are various potency levels, from small healing potions to potent elixirs that restore large amounts of health.
• Status Ailment Cures: Status ailments can seriously hinder your progress in battle. Items like antidotes, panaceas, and waking bells cure conditions such as poison, paralysis, and sleep.
• Offensive Items: These items can inflict damage or status effects on enemies, although their usage is less common compared to healing items.
• Buffing Items: Some items provide temporary buffs to your party, increasing stats like attack or defense. These can be incredibly useful in tougher battles.
• Special Items: Various other special items can assist you during exploration or crafting. However, these typically do not have battle related effects.

Strategic Item Usage

Using items strategically is essential to survive challenging fights. Here are a few tips:

• Prioritize Healing: Keep a watchful eye on your party’s health bars. Always heal characters when they are low on health to prevent knockouts.
• Status Ailments: Quickly cure any status ailments that are inflicted on your party. A paralyzed or poisoned character is less effective in battle.
• Plan Ahead: Anticipate enemy attacks and proactively use buffing items before a significant wave of damage. This might give you that extra needed defense to survive.
• Don’t Waste Items: Conserve your more potent items for boss fights or other challenging encounters. Smaller healing potions can be used in more common battles.
• Item Capacity: Remember, there’s no practical limit to the amount of materials you can carry, so don’t hesitate to stock up whenever possible!

15 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Item Usage in Ni no Kuni 2

1. Can I use items outside of battle?
   No, items are primarily used during combat. Outside of battle, you can rely on inns or fast travel points to heal your characters.
2. Is there a limit to how many items I can carry?
   No, there is no functional limit to the number of materials and items you can carry in Ni no Kuni 2.
3. How do I restock my items?
   Items can be restocked by purchasing them from shops found in towns and cities. You will also acquire items as loot from defeated enemies and through completing quests.
4. Are certain items more effective on certain enemies?
   Generally, items do not have specific effectiveness against particular enemy types. However, using offensive items to inflict ailments that an enemy is weak to could give you an advantage.
5. Can items be crafted?
   Yes, many items in Ni no Kuni 2 can be crafted by utilizing the materials you collect during your journey. Crafting recipes can be found in various locations throughout the world, and you may unlock more in your kingdom.
6. What does the color of an item name indicate?
   The color of an equipment’s name signifies its quality. White is for common items, followed by blue, red, and purple for the highest tier of equipment.
7. Can I use items on party members who are not currently on the battlefield?
   Yes, even if a character is not currently active on the battlefield, you can still use items to heal them or cure ailments.
8. Is it worth selling items?
   Generally, it is not recommended to sell materials since they are needed for crafting and side quests. Selling specific items might be worth doing once you have large stocks, but prioritize using them.
9. Can I assign hotkeys to items for easier access?
   Unfortunately, the game does not allow you to assign hotkeys for items. You must access the item menu every time you wish to use an item.
10. How do I know when to use certain items in battle?
    Experience is key here. After a few encounters, you will quickly learn which enemies are more challenging and require extra care with item usage. Keeping an eye on health bars and being proactive in curing status ailments are the core aspects of item usage.
11. Are there any items that can revive fallen party members?
    Yes, there are items that can revive fallen party members. These should be used quickly on party members that get knocked out.
12. How does item usage affect the overall battle strategy?
    Using items at the right time can significantly affect your battle strategy. Using healing items will keep you alive, and utilizing items like attack and defense buffs can change the tide of battle.
13. Can consumable items be used during the Zing effect?
    Yes, the Zing effect does not prevent you from using the item menu to heal or buff your party.
14. Do any items have a “limited time” effect?
    Yes, some items that are meant to buff your characters have time limits, and will expire if a certain amount of time has passed. Be mindful to keep an eye on the timer.
15. Does the game’s difficulty affect item usage or drop rates?
    The selected difficulty will mainly change the enemy’s stats such as HP and attack damage, it has no effect on the item drop rates. While higher difficulty settings mean you’ll need to use items more frequently, it doesn’t change how you use them.

Conclusion

Mastering the use of items in battle in Ni no Kuni 2 is vital for success. By knowing how to access the item menu and understanding the various types of items, you can effectively heal your party, cure status ailments, and gain an edge in combat. Strategic item usage will greatly enhance your overall gameplay experience. Remember to restock often, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations to find what works best for your playstyle.