Burst Affinity is obtained at level 20. It allows your next “magical” spell to create a Magic Burst. Chain Affinity is obtained at level 40. It allows your next “physical” spell to open or close a Skillchain. The game tells you this, and it’s all fine and dandy, but how exactly do you use these job abilities? For simplicity’s sake, we’ll start with Chain Affinity.

Chain Affinity

The most efficient way to use Chain Affinity is: activate the ability, use your opening Weaponskill, then cast your closing spell. For example, let’s say you want to make a Gravitation Skillchain. Once you have 100% (or more) TP, use Chain Affinity. Then follow up with Red Lotus Blade, and finally Sickle Slash. Timed properly, this should create Gravitation. (If you’re /THF, use Sneak Attack before Sickle Slash, not Red Lotus Blade). You’ll notice that your initial Weaponskill will consume your TP, so your closing spell will cast at a very low TP %. This can result in some disappointing numbers for spells with damage TP modifiers, like Vertical Cleave. Another way to use Chain Affinity is to have someone else open the Skillchain, and close it with just your spell. An example of this would be Tachi: Gekko → Vertical Cleave, where Vertical Cleave closes Darkness with the full TP amount.

Burst Affinity

Just like the description says, you’ll need to use Burst Affinity if you’d like to use a “magical” spell to create a Magic Burst. You won’t be able to without this ability active. Because of the admitted awkwardness of this ability, it is generally only worth attempting to burst your own Skillchains. Let’s go back to the Gravitation Skillchain earlier; if you throw Burst Affinity into the mix, you can follow up Sickle Slash with a Dark or Earth-based magical spell, like Death Ray or MP Drainkiss. Proper execution should look like this:

Activate Chain Affinity, Burst Affinity → Red Lotus Blade → Sickle Slash, Gravitation → MP Drainkiss, Magic Burst!

Useful Solo Skillchain Combos

BLU can create nearly every Skillchain by itself, including both Light and Darkness. Only a few of them are worth noting, however, and you’ll find them listed below.

Note: Light will be available at Lv70 if you have unlocked Savage Blade on another job.