If one thing defines Cabal Online, it is the combo. In most MMORPGs you press skills whenever they come off cooldown; in Cabal, if you chain them with the right rhythm, your character attacks faster, deals more damage and cannot be interrupted. Mastering it is the difference between surviving a dungeon and clearing it. This guide explains how the combo system works, how to practice it and what the Battle Modes and Aura Mode that take it to the next level are.
How the combo works
- Activate combo mode. It is one more skill on your bar (learned in the first ranks). When you use it, a bar appears with a marker moving from side to side.
- Cast the next skill when the marker passes through the highlighted zone. If you hit it, the skill fires instantly, the combo counter goes up and the bar restarts.
- Repeat. Every hit chains the next skill faster than outside the combo. If you miss the rhythm or run out of MP, the combo breaks and you return to normal mode.
The trick is not to stare at the bar all the time: every skill has a fixed duration, so the right moment is always the same. With practice the rhythm gets memorized by your fingers and you can focus on the map.
How to practice without dying
- Use the training dummies in your starting town: they do not hit back and you can repeat the chain a hundred times.
- Start with two or three skills of similar duration and add more when the rhythm comes naturally.
- Arrange the skill bar in the real order of the combo (1, 2, 3, 4…) so your hand moves left to right.
- Watch your MP. The combo burns mana non-stop; carry MP potions or alternate a cheap skill.
- Skills with long animations are the easiest to chain; very fast ones demand precision.
Battle Mode 1, 2 and 3
Battle Modes are temporary transformations unlocked with the class rank quests as you progress. Each one changes the way your class fights for a limited time and has a long cooldown, so they are used at the decisive moment:
- Battle Mode 1: the first transformation, available in the low ranks. It increases damage and changes the basic attack (for example, the Warrior hits in an area and the Wizard fires multiple projectiles).
- Battle Mode 2: arrives halfway through. More damage, more range and, for several classes, attacks that hit several enemies at once.
- Battle Mode 3: the ultimate high-level transformation, with its own aura, armor and exclusive skills. It is the most spectacular moment in the game and the one that decides many fights in Nation War.
Battle Modes can be combined with the combo: activate the transformation and chain inside it to multiply the damage.
Aura Mode
Aura Mode is another, elemental transformation that raises your stats and gives a bonus to nearby party members while it lasts. It is used the same way: on the boss assault or in the clash of a war. A party that synchronizes auras and Battle Modes melts whole rooms.
Common mistakes
- Pressing the next skill too early: wait for the marker to enter the zone.
- Putting support skills or buffs inside the combo: they break the rhythm; use them before you start.
- Spending the Battle Mode on the first monster you see instead of saving it for the boss.
- Forgetting the rank quests: without them you unlock neither new skills nor the Battle Modes.
Still starting out? The beginner's guide tells you when to activate the combo for the first time and which skills to raise.
Aura Mode: the 6 auras
In the game data, Aura Mode is not a single skill but six, one per element, and all nine classes have them in their skill list with class rank 1. In the Spanish client they all share the same official description, “Enchanted with the Aethral aura of…”, changing only the element:
| Aura (in-game name) | Spanish name | Official description (Spanish client) |
|---|---|---|
| Earth Aura | Aura de Batalla | Enchanted with the Aethral aura of earth |
| Aqua Aura | Aura de agua | Enchanted with the Aethral aura of water |
| Wind Aura | Aura de viento | Enchanted with the Aethral aura of wind |
| Flame Aura | Aura de llama | Enchanted with the Aethral aura of flame |
| Ice Aura | Aura de hielo | Enchanted with the Aethral aura of ice |
| Lightning Aura | Aura de rayo | Enchanted with the Aethral aura of lightning |
Watch the name: the earth aura shows up as Aura de Batalla (“Battle Aura”) in the Spanish client, even though in English it is Earth Aura. The game data carries no stats per aura, so you will not find here which one “hits harder”: each linked card shows the official description and the classes that use it.
How to combo: the Combo Start skill
The skill that activates combo mode is called Combo Start (the same name, in English, in the Spanish client too). Its official description in the Spanish client is: “Use skills one after another to attack in Combo Mode”. It is in the skill list of all nine classes, from the Warrior to the Dark Mage, with class rank 1, the first one: you learn it in the first ranks and, once learned, it goes on the bar like any other skill. From there the steps above apply: marker, highlighted zone and next skill at the right moment.
You can chain on a mount as well. Every class has Board Chain Attack (Ataque en Cadena-Deslizador Astral), described as a combo skill for the Astral Board using the skills that fit the situation, and Bike Chain Attack (Ataque en Cadena-Moto Astral), its equivalent for the Astral Bike. If you do not have a mount yet, see the mounts and Astral Bike guide.
FAQ
How do you activate combo mode in Cabal Online?
With the Combo Start skill, which all 9 classes have with class rank 1: when you use it, the bar with the marker appears and you cast the next skill as it passes through the highlighted zone. If you miss the rhythm or run out of MP, the combo breaks and you return to normal mode.
What is Aura Mode in Cabal Online?
It is an elemental transformation that raises your stats and gives a bonus to nearby party members while it lasts. In the game data it is six skills: Earth Aura (Aura de Batalla in the Spanish client), Aqua Aura, Wind Aura, Flame Aura, Ice Aura and Lightning Aura, each one “enchanted with the Aethral aura” of its element.
What is Battle Mode in Cabal Online?
They are temporary transformations (Battle Mode 1, 2 and 3) unlocked with the class rank quests that change the way your class fights for a limited time, with a long cooldown. They combine with the combo: you activate the transformation and chain inside it. In the game data, for example, the Force Gunner has four skills called “Gunner Battle Mode 2 Attack #1” to “#4”.