Your NPC allies are not dead weight in Hollow Realization. Learn how to build effective parties, use Switch, and raise affinity for combat bonuses.
Why the Party System Matters
I will be honest: I tried to solo everything for the first several hours thinking the AI allies would be incompetent. Then a particular dungeon boss walled me for over a dozen attempts. I brought a full party and cleared it on the first try. The AI in this game is actually quite good -- allies heal you, stun enemies, set up Switch opportunities, and can even revive you when you go down.
You can have up to three party members with you at once (four total including yourself). Choosing the right combination makes a massive difference in difficult encounters.
Main Cast and Their Roles
• Kirito/You -- You are the primary damage dealer and the one who initiates most Switch chains. Your weapon choice determines your role (DPS with 1HS/Dual Blades, range with Bow, stun/tank with Mace, etc.).
• Asuna (Rapier) -- Fast melee DPS with emergency healing. She will throw out heals when party members drop below half HP, which has saved me more times than I can count. Excellent default party member.
• Lisbeth (Mace) -- The best tank/stun character. Her mace attacks build stagger quickly, creating frequent Switch opportunities for the rest of the party. She also has high durability and draws enemy attention.
• Sinon (Bow) -- Ranged DPS with excellent weak-point accuracy. She stays at a safe distance and plinks away at enemies, which is great for bosses with dangerous close-range attacks. Less effective in tight dungeon corridors.
• Silica (Dagger) -- Fast-hitting support who brings Pina (her feathery dragon companion) into battle. Pina provides additional attacks and some healing/support. Silica is good for players who want extra sustain.
• Premiere -- A unique character who grows significantly as you progress through the story. Keep her in your active party whenever possible -- she has abilities no other character has, and her combat performance scales with story progression and affinity.
Player Tip: For general exploration and easy content, any party works. For tough bosses, my go-to composition is: Lisbeth (tank/stun), Asuna (DPS/heals), and Premiere (DPS/support). You cannot go wrong with this setup. Swap Sinon in for Lisbeth if the boss has devastating melee that you want to avoid entirely.
Tactical Commands
From the party menu (and via quick commands during combat), you can issue tactical orders to your allies:
• Act Freely -- Balanced default behavior. Allies make their own decisions about attacking, defending, and healing. Good for general exploration.
• All-Out Assault -- Allies prioritize dealing damage above all else. They use skills more aggressively and focus on offensive tactics. Best for trash mobs and easy encounters where you do not need much healing.
• Hold Position / Defensive -- Allies play more cautiously, focus on staying alive, and prioritize healing/support. Use this for tough boss fights where you cannot afford to lose a party member.
• Focus Support -- Allies prioritize buffing you and keeping the party healed. Good for when you are playing aggressively with Dual Blades or a glass cannon build.
• Switch On / Switch Off -- Controls whether allies actively respond to Switch opportunities. Leave this ON in almost all situations -- Switch is one of the most powerful mechanics in the game.
Affinity and Relationship Building
Affinity is not just a social mechanic -- it directly affects combat performance. Higher affinity with a party member means:
• They use Switch follow-ups more frequently and with better timing.
• They are more likely to come revive you when you are knocked out.
• They use their support/healing skills on you more reliably.
• They position themselves better during combat, staying out of danger while still contributing.
• They may unlock special combination attacks or character-specific events.
How to raise affinity:
• Battle together. Keep them in your active party while you fight. Performing successful Switch chains together builds affinity faster.
• Make correct dialogue choices. When talking to NPCs in town or during story scenes, pay attention to their personality and choose responses they would appreciate. You do not need a guide for this -- just be nice to them.
• Give gifts. You can give items to NPCs in town. Everyone has preferred gifts (Asuna likes cooking ingredients, Lisbeth likes ore/metal materials, etc.), but any gift is better than none early on.
• Complete their character quests. As affinity rises, NPCs will request specific events or quests. Completing these gives large affinity boosts and unlocks content.
• Do not let them die repeatedly. While they do not permanently hold grudges, getting knocked out frequently does not help. Keep them healed.