Revision 5

Overview

Aerial Maneuver is a Health Skill Tree ability exclusive to Kliff. After locking onto a target, you jump to leap a great distance using the Axiom Force. This traversal and combat skill bridges large gaps and repositions you instantly, cutting down on climbing time and opening up new navigation paths across the world.

Unlike a standard jump, Aerial Maneuver uses the Axiom Force grappling system to propel Kliff toward a locked-on point. This makes it invaluable for reaching elevated platforms, crossing gaps too wide for normal movement, and closing distance on distant enemies in combat.

Skill Details

How to Unlock

Upgrade Axiom Force to Level 2 to unlock Aerial Maneuver. This skill is found in the Health (red) branch of the skill tree. Advancing further to Level 3 unlocks Aerial Swing, which adds an offensive attack on landing.

Stamina Requirements

Aerial Maneuver costs 200 Stamina per use, making it one of the more expensive abilities in Kliff's toolkit. At default Stamina levels, most players will not have a large enough Stamina pool to activate this skill comfortably. To reliably use Aerial Maneuver in the field, you need to invest in your Stamina stat beforehand.

Specifically, you need at least 4 levels invested in Stamina through the character stat allocation screen. You can check your current Stamina capacity by opening your inventory and looking at the Stamina bar. Reaching 4 Stamina levels costs approximately 6 to 7 Abyss Artifacts total (including the Artifacts spent on the skill unlock itself and the stat points). Without those points allocated, you simply will not have enough Stamina to activate the ability, and pressing the input will do nothing.

Axiom Force Progression Chain

Synergy with Aerial Swing

If you invest one more Abyss Artifact to reach Axiom Force Level 3, you unlock Aerial Swing, which also costs 200 Stamina. Using both abilities back to back (Aerial Maneuver to close distance, then Aerial Swing to deal damage on landing) requires 400 Stamina total. This is a very expensive combination. Players who want to chain both moves consistently should prioritize Stamina stat allocation even more heavily, aiming for 5 or more Stamina levels to maintain a comfortable buffer for dodging and other actions after landing.

Despite the high cost, the Aerial Maneuver into Aerial Swing combo is one of the strongest gap-closing openers available. You launch yourself at a target from extreme range and immediately follow up with a sweeping attack, often staggering or knocking down enemies before they can react. This makes it especially useful against ranged enemies and bosses that try to maintain distance.

Related Traversal Technique: Force Palm Flight

While Aerial Maneuver excels at targeted leaps, players looking for sustained aerial movement can combine Force Palm with the Cloak to achieve basic flight. By using Force Palm three times in the air and then activating the Cloak's glide, Kliff can maintain altitude and cover large distances without touching the ground. This makes open-world traversal significantly smoother, especially across wide valleys and between mountain peaks.

To extend this flight indefinitely, consume Stamina recovery food while airborne. Eating Stamina food mid-flight or mid-climb prevents Kliff from running out of Stamina and falling, effectively letting you stay in the air for as long as your food supply lasts. This trick works during both the Force Palm flight technique and regular climbing on cliff faces. Keeping a stock of Stamina-restoring meals in your inventory is highly recommended for anyone who relies on Aerial Maneuver and other Stamina-heavy traversal abilities.

Combat and Exploration Tips

• Lock onto a distant enemy first, then activate Aerial Maneuver to close the gap with a powerful leap. This is excellent for initiating combat from range.

• The 200 Stamina cost is substantial. Make sure you have enough reserves before committing, especially if you plan to dodge or attack immediately after landing.

• In exploration, use Aerial Maneuver to reach distant platforms and ledges that are too far for normal jumps. It drastically reduces reliance on slow climbing routes.

• Aerial Maneuver can target both enemies and environmental grapple points. Look for glowing anchor points in the environment to use it as a traversal tool.

• Consider upgrading to Aerial Swing (Level 3) for offensive use, which adds damage on landing and turns the gap-closer into a combat opener.

• Manage your Stamina carefully: 200 Stamina is roughly half of an early-game Stamina pool, so invest in Stamina upgrades if you use this skill frequently.

• If you find yourself constantly running out of Stamina while using Aerial Maneuver, eat Stamina recovery food before or during traversal. This is particularly helpful when chaining multiple leaps or combining with Aerial Swing for the full 400-Stamina combo. Building up your Stamina stat to at least 4 levels is the long-term solution.