Many and various enemies stalk the roads that you must travel. Upon entering an enemy’s detection radius, the mini-map in the upper right corner of the screen will flash in warning.

Coming into contact with any enemy will initiate a battle.

All enemies guard areas limited by their fields of vision or other means of detection. Upon entering a guarded area, there is a chance that the enemy or enemies patrolling it will take notice.

If your trespass is observed, a warning icon () will appear over the heads of any enemies alerted to your presence. These foes will then become hostile, taking up defensive positions or rushing forward to attack.

If your party leader comes into contact with an enemy, a battle will begin.

Battles begin normally if the enemy was aware of the party’s presence. If the enemy was caught off guard, however, the party will be able to make a preemptive strike.

Certain enemies, like Zwerg scandroids, have extremely narrow fields of vision and can easily be approached unnoticed. It is always advantageous to do so if possible, as initiating a preemptive strike forces enemies to enter battle with their chain gauges near the staggering threshold.

Shrouds are special single-use aerosols that can only be used outside of battle, and grant the party tactical advantages.

Fortisol and Aegisol bestow their bonuses at the start of battle.

Deceptisol, on the other hand, shields the party from enemy detection, eliminating any concerns of being spotted and attacked. It is useful for avoiding combat, and also for launching preemptive strikes.

Enemies like pantherons, whose fields of vision allow them to monitor wide areas, normally turn hostile and display warning icons () as soon as they are approached. Apply a spray of Deceptisol, however, and you will have no trouble gaining a preemptive strike.

To open the shroud menu, press Button while exploring. Select a shroud with Directional Pad Buttons and then press Button to use it. To close the menu without using a shroud, press Button or Button.

Shroud effects wear off after a brief duration, so be sure to time their application carefully.

Cie’th Stones lie scattered about the world of Gran Pulse—the final remains of failed former l’Cie.

Upon touching a Cie’th Stone, you will be given the opportunity to undertake its unfinished Focus as a mission, hunting down whatever terror it had been tasked with slaying.

Finding and defeating the mark will complete the mission, earning you special rewards. Complete enough missions, and previously dormant Cie’th Stones will begin to awaken, presenting you with new and more rewarding challenges.

It is only possible to accept one mission at a time. Take on a new mission without completing your previous one, and the earlier mission will be abandoned.

You can check the details of your current mission, including the whereabouts of your mark, on the map screen at any time.

These majestic yellow birds allow you to cover greater distances than you could on foot in only a fraction of the time. There are also locations that only chocobos can reach, indicated by swirling yellow indicators on the ground.

To mount a chocobo, approach it and press Button.

Chocobos are courageous creatures, but even they have their limits. Come into contact with an enemy while riding, and the chocobo will lose one unit of morale.

Should a chocobo lose all of its morale, it will throw its rider and flee. Otherwise, lost morale will gradually return, so long as no more close encounters occur.

Chocobos also possess an uncanny knack for detecting buried treasure. When you pass near hidden treasure while riding a chocobo, an icon will appear above the bird’s head. The closer you come to the treasure, the faster this icon will bounce.

Once you have discerned the treasure’s location, press Button to dig it up.

Certain Cie’th Stones function as teleporters, or Waystones, once you have completed their missions.

Using these stones, you can travel instantly to other Waystones that you have activated previously.

These Cie’th Stone emanations block roads and pathways all across Gran Pulse. Complete the mission of the Cie’th Stone near them, and they will dissipate.

Be warned that the marks for these missions are formidable foes, and you need not slay them all. Should you decide to undertake one of these missions, be prepared for a grevious challenge.