5 Tactics Ogre: Reborn tips I wish I knew when starting out

Let a seasoned veteran clue you in a bit

Tactics Ogre: Reborn is out, bringing the tactics classic to modern platforms for new and old players alike. Being an older game though, there are a few tips and tricks that Tactics Ogre players picked up over the years leading to Reborn that you might not know.

I’ve been spending the last few weeks diving deep into the world of Tactics Ogre: Reborn. Through castle walls, war-torn fields, and even a pirate hideout, I’ve discovered a few things that the game doesn’t exactly make clear up front, or that I’ve had to figure out for myself.

While I won’t give away any major spoilers or twists, here are a few tips I wish I had known getting into the crunchy strategy of Tactics Ogre: Reborn.

Tip #1: Distance matters for recruitment

Getting new units is huge in Tactics Ogre: Reborn. You can only hire so many from the tavern, and while special units have their own requirements to meet, you might run into some troops that catch your eye in the field. Mid-battle recruitment is also crucial for adding non-human allies, like griffons or dragons, to your forces.

So learn from my mistakes here: just because the Recruit, Tame, and other abilities are global, does not mean you should throw out from across the map. Distance matters just as much as damage. The closer you can get to your desired recruit before talking to them, the higher chance you’ll have to win them over. My formula is to get them to 20% or lower, then move in a Cleric or Beast Master and go for the recruit. It doesn’t always work, but it’s better than lobbing 0% chances from five miles out.

Tip #2: Magic can critically strike now

Something new in Tactics Ogre: Reborn is that magic can critically strike. This might seem like a small thing, but that’s only until you get slammed by an Avalanche II crit.

It’s especially important because of the blue buff cards that fill the fields of Reborn. Normally, you might overlook a critical-up buff in favor of skill, MP, or magic up. But after some time putting some critical buffs on my magic-wielding classes, it became surprisingly effective.

That’s doubly-so when you look at a class like the Rune Fencer, one of the more popular jobs in Tactics Ogre: Reborn. These units can wield a ton of arms and magic alike, and also instill their weapons with elemental properties. A Rune Fencer with one or two critical buffs is a fearsome foe.

Tip #3: Items are key

Look, I get it. I’m the person who finishes an RPG and has 99 potions in their bag. But items are game-changers in Tactics Ogre: Reborn. They are beneficial in the least, and absolutely crucial for some fights.

Added healing is one factor, as is resurrection. But status effects from items, number boosts, debuff removal, and more are all crucial. Beast Tamers and other classes that can lob items are especially helpful too, removing the smaller range restrictions. And cash is plentiful enough that I’ve never had an issue staying stocked for fights. Oh, and speaking of status effects…

Tip #4: Status effects! Use them!

Please, do yourself a favor, and get acquainted with the status effects in Tactics Ogre: Reborn. I admit, when I play Pokemon, I go for all-damage kits. I like to do the damage.

But fights in Reborn are often prolonged engagements, with blow exchanged for blow. Effects like Fear, Stun, Poison, and more can make for big swings that pay off dividends. Items can proc these, as can certain abilities.

Weapons can also have a chance to proc certain effects, if you upgrade them. Head over to the shop and browse through the +1 crafting options, and you’ll be surprised how much better that basic sword can be after you tinker a bit.

Tip #5: Archers can outrange their squares

I discovered this thanks to an old post from the Let Us Cling Together boards, and it’s still true today. Archers may have a set range of squares that the game says they can attack in, but those are often guidelines rather than rules.

Bows can reach further than you’d expect, especially from elevation. Just move your cursor outside  the squares when you’re planning an attack and, if the trajectory is blue and landing on the enemy, you’re golden. Let loose.

This makes archers fantastic on maps where you are holding a high position, especially to snipe weaker enemies like mages or healers in the backlines. Considering Archers are a little tuned-down from previous versions, this is one way they still stay very, very relevant.