The most effective strikes are the ones that counter an opponent's attack. Although you can't block magic, you can block a regular strike by pressing the X Button and then unload on the enemy.

If you hold down X for too long, your enemy can break your block and do a lot of damage. Once you gain experience, you learn protective spells like Guardian. Although Guardian costs you Tech Points, it will block most magic attacks and strike attacks. You can't counterattack from a Guardian block very effectively, but it can save your hide when things look bleakest.

When you're not blocking, you're pulverizing your enemies with a series of strikes. You're credited for a combo when you strike your opponent multiple times with physical attacks before it can recover from the first strike. If you hit your enemy three times in succession, "3 Hits" appears in the top right corner. You'll get bonus experience points based on your biggest combo.

The quickest way to rack up strikes is with Lloyd's Sword Rain Tech Attack. Lloyd can often sneak in couple of standard attacks either before or after this fearsome barrage of quick thrusts.