Combat

Combat involves turn-based competition in the 2v2 format. Battles against untamed Temtem can occur in grass, on water, and in caves. Combat can also be initiated against NPC tamers and other players. Casual battles including most of the ones in the story campaign make use of the regular squad composed of at least one and up to six Temtem. It is visible in the bottom left of the overworld interface and can be accessed via the menu. The first two Temtem in the squad are the first to be sent out in combat. Competitive battles however use the competitive squad, containing eight Temtem. Squads can be changed via the TemDeck.

Performance
Various factors affect the performance of Temtem in combat. These include types, stats, techniques, traits and the use of gear items.

Types
There are twelve types Temtem and their techniques can have. Temtem can have one or two types, which determine whether they take more or less damage from techniques of specific types. An effective matchup multiplies the damage by 2, whereas an ineffective matchup has a multiplier of 0.5. The multiplications stack for Temtem with two types. In some cases an effective and ineffective matchup will cancel each other out for a neutral hit with a multiplication of 1, while in other cases a very effective or very ineffective hit with a multiplication of 4 respectively 0.25 can occur. Determining which Temtem to use against opponents is thus an important strategic element during combat.

Stats
Stats heavily influence the performance of Temtem in combat. They determine health or hit points (HP), stamina (STA), damage dealt (ATK and SPATK), damage received (DEF and SPDEF), and the turn order (SPD). The stat totals of a Temtem are determined by their level, base stats, single values and training values.

Health
The health bar is based on the HP stat. It is the green top bar displayed on the interface of each Temtem in combat. Damage taken by techniques will reduce the remaining HP. Once the health bar reaches zero, the Temtem is knocked out. Healing items including the Temessence Vial can be used to restore HP during combat with untamed Temtem and tamer NPCs. HP does not regenerate after combat and can only be restored with such items, at a Temporium or by some NPCs.

Stamina
The stamina bar is based on the STA stat. It is the cyan bottom bar displayed on the interface of each Temtem in combat. Each technique consumes a certain amount of stamina. When insufficient stamina remains for a technique, the Temtem overexerts. Depending on the excess stamina cost, twice as much HP will be lost and the Temtem obtains a turn penalty. If more HP was lost than the Temtem had remaining, it will be knocked out. Untamed Temtem account for this by not using techniques if overexertion would lead to getting knocked out. Similarly, they would refrain from using self-damaging techniques. At the end of each turn, Temtem regain 5% + 1 of their stat total, including Temtem that swapped out. An additional 15% is recovered for Temtem ordered to Rest. The stamina bar will fully replenish after combat.

Techniques
Techniques are the attacks Temtem can use. They each have their own type, with higher or lower effectiveness depending on the type of the target Temtem as explained above. Techniques of the Physical category apply damage based on the user's ATK and target's DEF stats, whereas  Special techniques use the SPATK and SPDEF stats. They may also alter Stats or apply Status Conditions. These modifications are primarily done by Status techniques however. Asides from type, category and damage values, techniques differentiate themselves with varying stamina costs, hold, priority, synergy and targeting properties.

Traits
Each Temtem species has one of two possible Traits, which act as passive effects in combat. They are activated under various circumstances and their effects vary likewise, like affecting damage, applying status conditions or modifying stats. Most traits have an exclusively positive effect, though in some cases the effects may have both advantages and disadvantages, and in few cases traits are entirely negative.

Gear
Temtem can be equipped with Gear items for various effects. There are distinctions between types of gear, of which PvP gear are relevant for combat. Like traits, their effects are passive and activated under specific conditions. These effects include altering damage of techniques of certain types, restoring HP, affecting stat changes, preventing specific status conditions and several other effects.

Casual Combat
Casual combat makes use of the regular squad of up to six Temtem. Battles occur in a 2v2 format, with players and opponents having one or two Temtem present on the field depending on the remaining viable Temtem. Each turn one of four techniques can be selected per Temtem, which are acted out in order of the total speed stats (after accounting for priority) of all Temtem present on the field. Alternatively, Temtem can be swapped out for other Temtem in the player's squad, items can be used and untamed Temtem can be ran away from. When all opponents have been knocked out, the battle has been won. Conversely, when the player's Temtem are all knocked out, they will be transported to the most recently visited Temporium and lose 250 Pansun for each untamed Temtem, or the same amount once for each NPC tamer.

Untamed Temtem
Wild Temtem can be found around the Airborne Archipelago. They are usually found in grass, on water or in caves and similar landmarks. During battles, medicine and capture items can be used. Untamed Temtem can be tamed using TemCards, with catch rates affected by level, HP, species, status conditions, kind of TemCard and use of the Four-Leaf Clover. Capturing or defeating untamed Temtem will reward experience as well as TVs depending on their levels and species. Unlike other battles, untamed Temtem can be ran away from, with a chance of success depending on the speed of the player's Temtem compared to the encountered ones. Use of the Decoy gear will ensure successfully running away.

Tamer Battles
NPC tamers will challenge the player to fights, which in most cases can not be refused. While medicine items can be used, TemCards will fail on opponent Temtem. It is also not possible to run away from tamer battles, and as such they can only be concluded by defeating them. If a battle has been lost by the player, the NPC tamer will rechallenge them in most cases. Asides from experience and TVs, defeating NPC tamers will reward the player with Pansun. This does not apply during Co-op for the player that already defeated specific tamers.

Casual PvP
Players can initiate casual battles against each other via the player interact menu. The selected opponent will receive a notification and can accept or deny the request. These battles function in the same way as combat against NPC tamers, but without any rewards. Additionally, Temtem are healed up prior to the battle and return to their previous state afterwards.

Dojo Wars
Clubs will, in a future update, be able to engage in a weekly event to conquer special club Dojos by challenging the club that currently manages them. Each island houses one of these Dojos for a total of six. It is not yet clear whether this feature utilizes the rules for casual PvP or competitive PvP.

Battle Frontier (placeholder name)
A future update will provide an endgame island where the player can engage in combat against NPCs and win rewards based on their performance. Several buildings will each have their own mechanics related to combat. This concept is inspired by the namesake of the Pokémon franchise, though the official name of this feature has not yet been revealed.

Competitive Combat
Competitive battles don't use the regular squad of six Temtem, but a competitive squad of eight, with a clausule of all Temtem being different species. Up to three competitive squads can be arranged in the TemDeck. One of these squads is selected for each competitive battle, after which the pick-and-ban phase ensues. During this phase, depending on the blue or orange color players got assigned, they will take turns picking their own Temtem and banning those of the opponent. Two Temtem get banned on each side and five get picked for the match. The player on the blue side will start with the speed arrow, which determines the Temtem to move first in cases of speed ties. After a speed tie happened, the speed arrow switches to the other player.

Competitive matches can be spectated from the player interaction menu. They last for a maximum of 30 turns. Each turn has a limit of 45 seconds for the player to make their strategic decision, with extended time provided by a total reserve timer of 3 minutes throughout the match. If the reserve timer reaches zero, the turn timer reduces to 20 seconds. The winner is the first player to knock out all Temtem of the opponent. If at the end of the 30th turn both players still have viable Temtem remaining, the following criteria are used to determine the winner, in order:
 * 1) The highest amount of Temtem remaining in the squad.
 * 2) The highest sum of HP% of all Temtem in the squad.
 * 3) The highest sum of STA% of all Temtem in the squad.
 * 4) The player holding the speed arrow.

Competitive PvP
Basic competitive matches between players can be initiated via the player interaction menu, in the same way as casual battles. Similarly, Temtem are healed prior to each battle and return to their previous state afterwards, and there are no rewards.

Ranked Matchmaking
Ranked Matchmaking uses the competitive ruleset. Players are assigned a ranking based on their performances against each other and will be rewarded Pansun for each win, depending on their ranking value. Contrary to all other forms of combat, Ranked Matchmaking makes use of autoscaling, maximizing levels to the level cap and SVs to 50.

Tournaments
Tournaments will be added to the game, but details remain scarce. It is suspected they will make use of the competitive ruleset.

Trivia

 * In the old days of Temtem lore, a battle used to be called Temtebout.