Breath Of Fire IV

• Combos are really, really great. Valid combos are really easy to figure out, but they may not always chain. That's simply the nature of it for a good while. It's been a long time, but I remember using it most often to spread buffs around the entire party or add a bit of healing to moves like Focus.

• Ryu's dragon forms tend to have awesome things for ending combos. Breath attacks in particular. As for the dragon forms themselves, the elemental forms get upgrades at certain Game Point breakpoints. I don't remember the values, but the first eligible dragon form you use after reaching a breakpoint is automatically upgraded. I don't think it's possible to waste upgrades.

• BoF3's Observe command has been combined with defending in BoF4. So any move in blue text has a chance to be learned by any active party members guarding at the time. This includes select abilities from Ryu's dragon forms.

• Finally, remember that your party acts in the order you issue commands. Pretty much only important for making combos simpler and allowing you to drop a party heal or something at the end of a round.

• There's a lot of useless monster skills that serve no purpose. This is especially true in the beginning of the game.

• During the water well dream sequence you can learn some decent monster skills earlier than usual.

• Monsters skills that you learn are also buffs, your character just needs to be defending when they do these.

• If you miss a monster skill they will typically be back in a dungeon or two.

• It will be a long time before you unlock your second Master.

• Most of the hidden paths on the map are for fishing spots.

• Fishing isn't too necessary, but the fish sell for good money and can replenish your SP.