Raphtalia/Powers and Abilities

Natural and Learnt Abilities
She generally uses a sword and illusion (Light and Dark) magic but is able to use a wider variety of magic types after her Class Up. She later studies magic under the tutelage of the Melromarc's Court Magician and goes with Granny to study and become a master of Hengen Muso.

Offensive Skills
A technique where she hides herself (possibly with magic like Hide Mirage), then appearing behind the enemy for a surprise attack. It remained as an unnamed technique until Naofumi name-dropped it at a later date.
 * Illusion Sword「幻影剣 Genei Ken (lit. Phantom Sword)」


 * Ying Yang Blade「陰陽剣 Onmyou Ken (lit. Ying Yang Sword)」

A technique where she first slashes with a sword coated in light alternating in black or white. The defeated enemy is then converted into two balls of light, black and white, that searches for other targets to attack.

Offensive Skills
Releases a flash of light which looks like a crescent moon from the katana. Slashes at the target and drains their magic power by releasing it as fine snow from the wounds made by this skill.
 * Crescent Moon Sword「三日月閃 Mikatzuki Sen (lit. Crescent Moon Flash)」
 * Powder Snow「細雪 Sasameyuki (lit. Fine Snow)」


 * Sakura: Powder Snow「桜・細雪 Sakura Sasameyuki (lit. Sakura - Fine Snow)」

Seemingly a modified version of the skill Powder Snow, it is unknown how much different this skill is from Powder Snow other than a difference in the visual effects whereby a blizzard of cheery blossom petals appear in place of snow. Unleashes an incredibly fast but simple strike on the target. This is a combo skill created from using the Instant Blade: Mist skill with two katanas at once. Traces and shoots out an energy cross by using two blades. The user lower their sword and then quickly slices upwards. As they do so, the katana's blade flashes then apparates a dark, ghostly, moon-like disc which flies - spinning and slicing at the target. A skill that has similar properties to Soul Eat that depletes enemy SP. It can also damage non-corporeal enemies, such as ghosts. The user makes a lethal thrust. The user makes a second lethal thrust after Thrusting Technique: Lethal Formation One. The user takes a quick-draw stance and unsheathes their katana. This unleashes a blade of wind towards the target. The user makes three successive thrusts instantly. This can work with one katana in each hand to make six consecutive thrusts. The user charges their blade with magic which can then be released in an explosion of stars. This spell wields life force with the Vassal Katana to use a defense-ignoring or defense-rating attack. This skill imitates the power of Q'ten Lo's pacifier. Makes a powerful slash with a flurry of cherry blossoms. This attack is effective against Heroes or those with the Sakura Stone of Destiny's blessing. This skill imitates the power of Q'ten Lo's pacifier. Makes a second powerful slash with a flurry of cherry blossoms after the first formation. This attack is effective against Heroes or those with the Sakura Stone of Destiny's blessing. This skill imitates the power of Q'ten Lo's pacifier. Makes another powerful slash with a flurry of cherry blossoms after the previous formation. Raphtalia has been seen using up to the Fifth formation. This attack is effective against Heroes or those with the Sakura Stone of Destiny's blessing. There are no descriptions of this skill other than it being a slash from a sword drawing stance. The user slashes in the air which forms a tornado. A skill with 0 damage, cooldown and SP consumption. It was found to be effective against illegitimate powers.
 * Instant Blade: Mist「瞬刀・霞一文字 Shuntou Kasumi Ichimonji (lit. Spontaneous Blade - Misty Straight Line)」
 * Brave Blade: Mist「剛刀・霞十字 Goutou Kasumi Juuji (lit. Tenacious Blade - Misty Cross)」
 * Misty Moon「朧月 Oborotzuki (lit. Hazy Moon)」
 * Spirit Blade: Soul Slice「霊刀・断魂 Reitou Dankon (lit. Ghost Blade - Soul Cutter)」
 * Thrusting Technique: Lethal Formation One「突刀技・心殺一式 Totsutougi Shinsatsu Isshiki (Thrusting Blade Technique - Heart Killer Form One)」
 * Thrusting Technique: Lethal Formation Two「突刀技・心殺二式 Totsutougi Shinsatsu Ni Shiki (Thrusting Blade Technique - Heart Killer Form Two)」
 * Wind Blade: Vacuum「風刀・真空 Fuutou Shinkuu (lit. Wind Blade - Vacuum)」
 * Triple Thrust「三連突 Sanren Tzuki (lit. Three Consecutive Thrusts)」
 * Stardust Blade「スターダストブレイド Sutaa Dasuto Bureido」
 * Life Force Blade: Guard Breaker「気刀・守散 Kitou Susan (lit. Spirit Blade - Scattering Guard)」
 * Kagura Dance of Sakura: First Formation: Blossom「桜神楽一ノ型・開花 Sakura Kagura Ichi no Kata Kaika (lit. Ceremonial Dance of Sakura First Stance - Blossom)」
 * Kagura Dance of Sakura: Second Formation: Beginning Blossom「桜神楽二ノ型・一分咲き Sakura Kagura Ni no Kata Ichibuzaki (lit. Ceremonial Dance of Sakura Second Stance - Ten Percent Bloom)」
 * Kagura Dance of Sakura: Third Formation: Third Blossom「桜神楽三ノ型・三分咲き Sakura Kagura Ni no Kata Sanbuzaki (lit. Ceremonial Dance of Sakura Third Stance - Thirty Percent Bloom)」
 * ...Fourth Formation: Fifth Blossom「…四ノ型・五分咲き ...Yon no Kata Gobuzaki (lit. Forth Stance - Fifty Percent Bloom)」
 * ...Fifth Formation: Sixth Blossom「…五ノ型・六分咲き ...Go no Kata Rokubuzaki (lit. Fifth Stance - Sixty Percent Bloom)」
 * Moon Katana: Crescent「月刀・三日月 Gettou Mikatzuki (lit. Lunar Blade - Crescent)」
 * Swallow Fall「燕落 Enraku (lit. Falling Swallow)」
 * Katana 0「０の刀 Zero no Katana」


 * Wind Wing Cutter「風翼斬 Fuuyoku Zan (lit. Wind Wing Slicer)」

It's a fast-dragging attack, in which the blade takes on a winged shape and throws a powerful vacuum blade in a straight line. This ability is a perfect recreation of one of the Heavenly Wind King's (Filo) special moves.

Defensive Skills
An interrupt spell skill which reflects all magic cast on the wielder. This includes buff and debuff magic.
 * Avoiding Trip「解除避け Kaijyo Yoke (lit. Cancellation Avoidance)」

Utility Skills
Summons a second katana which can hold a different form than the first. Teleports the user to the last dragon hourglass they had previously registered at. Allows the user to teleport to any previously registered hourglasses from another dragon hourglass which they are touching.
 * Double Sword「二刀流 Nitouryuu (lit. Dual Wielding)」
 * Scroll of Return/Return Transcript「帰路の写本 Kiro no Shahon (lit. Transcript of Returning Roads)」
 * Return Dragon Vein「帰路の龍脈 Kiro no Ryuumyaku (lit. Dragon Vein of Returning Roads)」


 * Poison Sensing「毒物感知 Dokubutsu Kanchi (lit. Poison Detection)」

It allows the Katana to detect any poison thus sending a warning to Raphtalia.

Combination Skills

 * Hiding Shield「ハイディングシールド Haidingu Shiirudo」

A combination move with Naofumi that uses both Air Strike Shield and First Hiding Magic. This skill summons an invisible shield.


 * Mirage Shield「ミラージュシールド Miirajyu Shiirudo」

A combination move with Naofumi which summons an Air Strike Shield combined with the First Mirage Spell. When the shield is attacked, it counters with an illusion which encloses the target and confuses their sense. Enemies hit with this skill may attack their own allies. A combination of Raphtalia's Brave Blade: Mist and Naofumi/Sadeena's combination magic Descent of the Thunder God. This combination skill envelops Raphtalia's katana with bluish-white lighting which radiates out brightly. When Raphtalia swings down with this katana, a rain of thunderbolts also strike the target. Seemingly a combination of Raphtalia's Stardust Blade and Eclair's unnamed light magic infused attack. This combination skill creates the usual Stardust Blade but the accompanying stars are made of light instead. A combination of Raphtalia's Instant Blade: Mist and Raph-chan's illusion magic. This combination skill generates countless illusory copies of the user to mislead the enemy, creating an opening for a single heavy slash.
 * Blade of the Thunder Emperor「合成技・雷帝刀 Gousei Waza Raitei Tou (lit. Blade of the Lightning Emperor)」
 * Light Stardust Blade「ライトスターダストブレイド Raito Sutaa Dasuto Bureido」
 * Dream Illusion: Shadow Single Strike「夢幻・影一文字 Mugen Kage Ichimonji (lit. Illusionary Dream - Shadowy Straight Line)」


 * Dream Illusion: Mist Single Strike「夢幻・霞一文字 Mugen Kasumi Ichimonji (lit. Illusionary Dream - Misty Straight Line)」

A combination of Raphtalia's Instant Blade: Mist and Raph-chan's illusion magic. This combination skill creates multiple phantasmic slashes in way similar to the skill Instant Blade: Mist with one swing towards the enemy.

Magic
Raphtalia has a natural affinity for Light and Dark Magic as well as illusion magic. She is even able to confuse a creature's sense of smell which is noted to be difficult. Naofumi hypothesizes that this comes from her Tanuki heritage.

Ritual Magic
Produces a bright illumination that reveals hidden monsters. It can also be used to blind enemies momentarily in order to escape.
 * First/Drifa Light「ファースト/ドライファ・ライト Faasuto/Doraifa Raito」

It is magic that creates an illusion of Raphtalia to confuse her opponents. It was only used in a combination skill with Naofumi.
 * First Mirage「ファースト・ミラージュ Faasuto Miraajyu」

It is magic that hides Raphtalia's presence. This spell can be upgraded with All Zweite Hide Mirage to conceal multiple targets.
 * Zweite Hide Mirage「ツヴァイト・ハイドミラージュ Faasuto Miraajyu」

Creates an illusion, such as a tree, to hide the targets.
 * All First Hiding「アル・ファースト・ハイディング Aru Faasuto Haidingu」

Cooperative Magic

 * Form is Emptiness「色即是空 Shikisokuzekuu (lit. Everything is of Nothing)」

This spell is cooperative magic with Naofumi and Raphtalia that involves Way of the Dragon Vein magic. This spell creates sensory illusions that confuse a group of enemies into thinking their target is somewhere else.

Demon Dragon Magic
After the Demon Dragon Emperor gave her protective blessing to Raphtalia, it unlocked her ability to use the Demon Dragon's magic which borrows power from allies to improve magic casting.

With Raph-chan's help, Raphtalia can ask the Raph species for help casting magic. This allows her to cast powerful illusory spells with little incantation time and infuse Heavenly Emperor techniques with significant magic power. When Raph-chan is helping her using magic, he turns into Raph-style hooded sweatshirt which includes a magic tail. This magic can only be used sparingly since it consumes a lot of the Raph's power.


 * Magic Adsorption

Raphtalia's magic tail can absorb magic which Raphtalia can then use to enchant magic.


 * Raph-chan's Vision

By putting on the hood of the sweatshirt, Raphtalia can use Raph-chan's eyes, allowing her to aim her magic more precisely, perform analysis, and see spirits.


 * Beads

When Raphtalia wears Raph-Chan as a coat, yin-yang shaped beads appear on one of her hands, they seem to be able to be thrown as an attack at enemies.

Spells

 * Demon Emperor: Illusory Layers「魔天・幻影層 Ma Ten Genei Sou (lit. Heavenly Demon - Phantom Layers)」

Create multiple illusions with the shapes of black beings wrapped in mist around enemies. This magic is extremely powerful as even enemies who know they are inside an illusion are severely affected, and exiting the illusion usually seizes them with a serious headache.

Heavenly Emperor Abilities
Raphtalia gained the abilities of Q'ten Lo's Heavenly Emperor after conducting the coronation ceremony at the traditional capital. She then was trained by her ancestor to use these abilities. After she officially became Heavenly Empress, she and Naofumi found a magical epigraph which only she could read. This inscription described the abilities exclusive to the Heavenly Emperor. This allowed her to use the abilities more proficiently but also increased the cost. This power allows the user to sense attributes within the opponent and then imbues some kind of effect onto that attribute. Shouting the skill is not necessary but makes it easier to control the flow of power.

Sword Techniques

 * Eight Trigrams Blade of Destiny「八極陣天命剣 Hakkyoku Jin Tenmei Ken (lit. Eight Extremities Formation Heavenly Emperor Sword)」

A technique where Raphtalia gathers eight balls with ying-yang symbols then charges into the enemy turning into a trail of light in the process. After receiving the Vassal Katana, the technique changes into a wide slash from a sword drawing stance, summoning a ying-yang pattern that splits into two to knock back the enemy. It is mentioned by Naofumi that the effects the move creates has became visibly clearer since gaining the Vassal Katana It was translated as Directional Blade of Heaven for a couple of volumes until otherwise.


 * Supreme Ultimate: Slash of Destiny「太極陣天命斬 Taikyoku Jin Tenmei Zan (lit. Supreme Ultimate Formation Heavenly Emperor Slash)」

A technique that also combines the usage of Hengen Muso and Sadeena's katana style which cuts the Sakura Stone of Destiny's flow of power off the target.


 * Eight Trigrams Blade of Destiny Formation Two「八極陣天命剣二式 Hakkyoku Jin Tenmei Ken Ni Shiki (lit. Eight Extremities Formation Heavenly Emperor Sword Form Two)」
 * ...Blade of Destiny Formation Three「…天命剣三式 ...Tenmei Ken San Shiki (lit. ...Heavenly Emperor Sword Form Three)」

A stronger version of the technique Eight Trigrams Blade of Destiny with a possible follow up attack in the form of the Formation Three variant.


 * Eight Trigrams Blade of Destiny Successive Strikes: First Formation: Second Formation: Third Formation「八極陣天命剣連撃・一式・二式・三式 Hakkyoku Jin Tenmei Ken Rengeki Isshiki Ni Shiki San Shiki (lit. Eight Extremities Formation Heavenly Emperor Sword Barrage - Form One, Form Two, Form Three)」

A variant of the technique Eight Trigrams Blade of Destiny where multiple sequential attacks are done instead.

Five Elements Techniques
The Five Elements「五行」is an eastern concept where phenomena of the world (body organs, weather, war, politics & etc.) is broken down and categorized into five groups, Fire, Water, Wood, Metal & Earth, of which are the properties/variables of said phenomena. So applications of an interaction between two groups can give varying results depending on what property/variable of a group is introduced. (e.g. Raphtalia's ancestor's Fire Defeats Metal seals skills while Raphtalia's Fire Defeat Metal gives a stat debuff) An thrusting attack that summons five magic balls. These balls can both defend the caster and attack the opponent. A successful attack will allow the usage of Five Elements Interaction. An attack that summons five magic balls. These balls can both defend the caster and attack the opponent. A successful attack will allow the usage of Five Elements Interaction.
 * Five Practices Destiny Thrust「五行天命突 Gogyou Tenmei Tsuki (lit. Five Phases Heavenly Emperor Thrust)」
 * Five Elements: Destiny Split「五行天命断 Gogyou Tenmei Tatsu (lit. Five Phases Heavenly Emperor Sever)」
 * Metal Quells Fire「金侮火 Kin Bu Ka (lit. Metal Counteracts Fire)」

It has been used to nullify the effects of Fire Defeats Metal that was used by Raphtalia's ancestor which prevented skill usage.


 * Tree Grows Fire「木生火 Moku Shou Ka (Wood Grows Fire)」

It has used to nulify the effects of Water Defeats Fire that was used by Raphtalia's ancestor skill which prevented the switching of weapon forms.


 * Fire Overcomes Metal「火剋金 Ka Koku Kin (lit. Fire Restraints Metal)」

It has been used to reduce the defence of the target and increases their weight burden. Fire Overcomes Metal can also be translated as Fire Defeats Metal.


 * Water Overcomes Fire「水剋火 Sui Koku Ka (lit. Water Restraints Fire)」

It supposedly seals the target's usage of fire magic, though it didn't successfully hit the target. Fire Overcomes Metal can also be translated as Water Defeats Fire. Five magic balls are summoned to be imbued into the weapon, unleashing an attack that also creates a magic formation that has been used to counteract the effects of Divine Clash of the Five Practices (which infuses the user's 5 elemental balls into their attack).
 * Divine Birth of the Five Practices「天命五行相生 Gogyou Soushou (lit. Heavenly Emperor Five Phases Cycle of Growth)」


 * Divine Clash of the Five Practices「天命五行相剋 Gogyou Soukoku (lit. Heavenly Emperor Five Phases Interlinking Restraints)」

Five magic balls are summoned to be imbued into the weapon, unleashing an attack that also creates a pentagram-like magic formation that seems to suppresses the opponent to the limit according to Raphtalia.


 * Five Practices Destiny Field Expansion「五行天命陣展開 Gogyou Tenmei Jin Tenkai (lit. Five Phases Heavenly Emperor Formation Expansion)」

Through the use of Demon Dragon Magic, a magic formation expanding from Raphtalia's feet is created. Most of its functions are unknown but it is demonstrated that Heavenly Emperor sword techniques like Eight Trigrams Blade of Destiny can be executed almost immediately, seemingly with no charging time required.

Hengen Muso Style
Later on in her adventures, Raphtalia learns the Hengen Muso style of fighting and, ever since then, has become considerably more powerful. A basic defense-rating Hengen Muso attack which means that it is especially effective against people or objects like barriers with high defense. The attack sends energy to the core of the target and takes advantage of its rigidity to deal additional damage.
 * Point of Focus「点 Ten (lit. Point)」


 * Moon Ripple「月波 Geppa (lit. Lunar Wave)」

An attack adapted from the Hengen Muso style. The user unleashes a swift horizontal cut with a sword which releases a crescent-moon shaped slash.

Accessories

 * Gemstone Sheath

The gemstone in the sheath starts to charge up once the katana is sheathed. It activates High Quick when the gemstone is charged up and the blade is drawn. The increased agility can be also used to shorten spell chants.