Maria
Character Notes & Recommendations
Have updates or suggestions? Contact us via Reddit or Discord, find our info Behind the Scenes!Summon Board Passive selections:
Numbers listed below refer to the 7 passives to select for each Ultimate Summon Board for the character. Top is 1, bottom is 7.Pandemonium choose 3 / 4 / 6
Odin choose 3 / 6 / 7
Bahamut choose 4 / 5 / 6
Usuals:
Ifrit, Shiva, Ramuh, Brothers 4 / 5 / 7
Leviathan, Alexander, Diabolos 4 / 5 / 6
For more details and help with summons, check Summon Hub!
Sphere Recommendations
NOTE: The sphere letters below are hyperlinked to our Sphere Hub which lists all available spheres sorted by effect!A Sphere - BRV DMG or ATK boosts
C Sphere - Her own, Llyud or Alphinaud's
D Sphere - Focus on any ATK sphere, Wakka would require another buff on her but risky against enemies that debuff more than 2 slots
How-To-Play Notes
Open with Targeted Serial Fire (LD) to apply her debuff to all enemies; the skill also provides a useful heal.
If it’s a trash wave, consider opening with S2 to buff your party’s attack. Basically, you want to upkeep buffs on the party, and upkeep your debuffs on the enemy. You’ll use your LD again to refresh Hitote, generally when it’s at 1, so you don’t lose the HP DMG up that it provides after the enemy’s next turn.
Hitote is an incredible debuff, which uniquely shaves the enemy down to 0 BRV BEFORE their turn. There's nothing else like it in the game. On most enemies, the other part of her trap will break sending their turn back (similar to Cor's linked attack going before an enemy if you're familiar).
Proper Shot (S1) is for a big battery effect, splashing damage onto non targets.
Arrow Rain (S2) has more utility, smaller battery, shaving AoE, but the damage is split. It will heal your party which is very helpful, and also buff your party’s ATK. Note that if they already have a better ATK up buff, Maria’s buff won’t be applied to them.
Explosive Bow (EX) recharges in 2 skill uses, providing convenient gravity after an enemy turn, while more importantly providing battery.
Free skill use can go to AA to maintain the buffs or a skill for longevity
Twin Bowplay (FR) heals the party, places down her LD trap and asks for:
Healing the party. It will gain 2% FR Bonus per ally with any healing from trap or counter skills (unless the heal only came from a character passive or sphere)
If you heal during your turn/action, you will gain an additional 5% per ally healed (with similar restrictions as stated above) totaling 7% per ally healed on turn
Enemy turn ends and is broken nets you 20% meaning she likes enemy turns where trap can shine.
Team Synergy and Notes
Lore appropriate teammates like Minwu, Firion and Leon are great partners that compliment Maria's FR really well with traps that heal
Other Units with utility that heals the party off-turn are: Celes and Gau
Auron's counter can heal himself for 2% instead of 6% if additional safety is needed
Freya while providing heals to her allies, cannot be healed herself while in the air. Kain similarly avoids healing.
For non healing counter/traps give them Llyud's base call for 2% gains!
Unlike most FRs, Maria's is a rare exception that CAN WORK with LDCA healing traps to our knowledge.