How to Survive No Future Mode in Trials of Mana (Patch 1.1.0)

Trials of Mana has been updated to version 1.1.0. This patch includes mostly quality of life changes such as permanently rewarding costumes even after a class reset. Another change is finally allowing parties to return back to level one. This can allow players to try out all sorts of new party combinations without losing discovered treasures and rewards from defeating post-game content.

One of the most common complaints about the base game was how easy the fights were, with characters gaining rapid experience points and most bosses unable to adjust. Square Enix has listened and added in two new difficulty settings: Expert and No Future. The former greatly increases the damage and survivability of all monsters, giving a reasonable challenge to existing parties. No Future, on the other hand not only beefs up the enemy monsters but further weakens the party by taking away abilities, gear, and even imposes time limits. Those brave souls that make it through this highest difficulty, will gain the new Rabite Slippers cosmetic item.

Preparing for No Future in Trials of Mana

Due to how strong enemies are during No Future, it is advised to import as many edges as possible. To be the most ready, one may want to consider planning and stocking up on equipment and skills across two full playthroughs. This will make the entire ordeal much more manageable during a third or fourth run.

Party Selection

No Future difficulty greatly amps up all enemies’ attack and defense stats, as well as imposes time restrictions. Often enemies can kill party members in one to three hits. This means there is a much higher emphasis on speed, evasion, and recovery. Primary casters like Angela and Charlotte may be in grave danger when concentrating on spells. A sturdy tank like Duran might only be able to resist one more strike during No Future, and may not necessarily have the damage output to compensate. It should also be expected that characters will repeatedly die, making buffs and sabers somewhat riskier. Still, some big buffs like Charlotte’s Magic Shield and Hawkeye’s Wall may have great uses in certain fights.

When considering a final party, there should be fast attacks, debuffs against enemies, and at least some form of party-wide healing. Once this choice is made, it is best to farm and plant ??? seeds so the correct class change items are already in one’s inventory at the start of New Game Plus.

Chain Ability Inheritance

While No Future mode resets the three selected party members, the other three benched characters will retain their levels and classes. Because of this, they can pass along extremely useful Chain Abilities that they learned in the last run. Because of this foreknowledge, players may want to purposely set those character’s class and training points for some of the following:

• Flourish: Duran Duelist/Edelfrei, Luck
• Heal: Duran Paladin, Intelligence
• Magic Armor III: Angela Spellbinder, Luck
• Tough II: Angela Mystic Queen, Strength
• Total Resistance: Angela Rune Seer, Stamina
• Judge: Angela Archmage, Strength
• Move MP Saver II: Angela Archmage, Spirit
• Limit Break II: Angela Grand Diviner, Intelligence
• Finishing Blow II: Kevin Annihilator, Strength
• Heal Upgrade II: Kevin Beast King, Intelligence
• Stat Down Resistance: Kevin Enlightened, Spirit
• 1-Hit Class Strike: Kevin Divine Fist, Strength
• Mighty III: Charlotte Chaosbringer, Strength
• Hard Ricochet III: Charlotte Chaosbringer, Luck
• Sturdy III: Charlotte High Priestess, Strength
• Special Effect III: Hawkeye Vigilante/Wardenkeep, Intelligence
• Attacker II: Riesz Brynhildr, Strength
• Super Stat Down II: Riesz Fenrir Knight/Dragon Master, Intelligence
• Extra Portent: Riesz Vanadis, Luck

Endgame First Class Gear

Standard weapons and armor found while progressing the story will not be adequate for No Future. It is instead advised to purchase and find all of the strongest weapons and armor ahead of time. Endgame shops like those in Pedda or the Merchant Cats will offer seemingly inferior and cheaper items. However, these tiers of items can be used by first or second classes making them perfect for New Game Plus of any difficulty level. Players should buy all of the best weapons, helms, body armor, rings, and shields needed for their planned freshmen and sophomore classes.

For later classes, it is also advised to farm and plant as many Rainbow and Gold seeds as possible before moving to No Future mode.

No Future Rules in Trials of Mana

Aside from the vastly increased enemy stat caps, No Future difficulty imparts direct penalties to the party; but also gives some extra options to lower the potential insanity. This mode is a committed challenge: party members will have their levels and classes stripped; additionally, if the game difficulty is ever lowered, it can no longer be returned to this increased setting. It is also recommended to take direct control of the needed character without depending on the AI.

Locked and Exclusive Chain Abilities

No Future restricts a large list of Chain Abilities acquired throughout the game. These include ones gained from completing the game, defeating super bosses like the Black Rabite and Anise, gained from post-game quests, or rewarded from Lil Cactus. This eliminates overpowered choices that would normally grant extra EXP, automatic HP/MP/CS recovery, or generous stat boosts.

To compensate for this, two special Chain Abilities have been added in the form of Guided Sword and Guided Sword II. The former makes the two computer AI partners invincible, while the latter restores all HP after battle concludes. While this might seem too good, the overall usefulness is only fair. The AI companions lack good tactics and would instantly get themselves killed, otherwise. Additionally, each character has a limited amount of Chain Ability slots, which means using these Guided Swords will lower offense power slightly.

Item and Time Limits

Another heavy rule of No Future is that items will lock after three uses in battle. This makes it extremely important to pick the right consumables and use them at key moments. It is best to turn off the AI’s item use or they may waste an item’s limit. MP restoration should be saved for only those characters with the best spells and moves; mostly healing and debuffs. There is a heightened use for projectile and offensive items like Bumpkins.

What makes this even harder is that all boss fights now have time restrictions. Most every boss must be killed in ten minutes or less. Failing to do so will cause a game over. This puts a huge emphasis on swift and powerful damage while finding invincible animation states. The most obvious of these include rank two and three Class Strikes that freeze enemies in place or hit multiple times. Some candidates include Warrior Monk’s Genbu Kick, Starlancer’s Meteor Thrust, Fenrir Knight’s Raging Fury, Nomad’s Dance of Roses, Ninja Master’s Shadow Menace, and Liege’s Magic Rend.

No Future offers a perilous challenge, not for the faint of heart. Players that have previously cleared Trials of Mana may welcome the almost obscene level of difficulty.

Trials of Mana is available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.

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