Cadena is a Nova Thief who has a variety of attacks and moves that get stronger as you use more of them. Cadena is great for you if you like to use different moves and combo them together. Cadena has a cool backstory where she discards her princess status and rips out her horns, wings, and tail in order to seek revenge.
Cadena has one of the best link skills in the game so you should definitely make one. They are pretty good at mobbing and bossing so making Cadena your main is great and looks great.
Cadena 1st Job Skill Build
When playing Cadena make sure you have a link skill that applies an Abnormal Status. This will give you a damage boost and synergies with other passives you will get later on. Link skills like Empirical Knowledge (Explorer Mage) and Thief’s Cunning (Explorer Thief) work really well with Cadena.
Cadena’s attack skill becomes Chain Arts: Thrash and using skills after will have a damage boost.
Chain Arts: Pursuit is used for mobility at a horizontal and vertical angle.
Candea 1st job skill build,
- Chain Arts: Thrash (+1), Shadowstep (+1), Chain Arts: Pursuit (+1)
- Shadowstep (MAX)
- Chain Arts: Thrash (MAX)
- Uncanny Luck (MAX)
- Summon Scimitar (MAX)
- Chain Arts: Pursuit (MAX)
- The Way Of Shadows (MAX)
Cadena 1st Job Skill Explanation
| Skill Name | Max Lvl Description | Purpose |
 Chain Arts: Pursuit | MP Cost: 10, Damage: 100%, Max Enemies Hit: 1, Number of Attacks: 1, 100% chance to slow enemies for 5 sec | Mobility Skill (Command: Up + Skill Key – Launches 45 degrees upward) (Command: Down + Skill Key – Launches 45 degrees downward) (When used on an enemy it applies a slow) |
 Chain Arts: Thrash | MP Cost: 13 [1st Hit] Damage: 150%, Max Enemies Hit: 4, Number of Attacks: 2 [2nd Hit] Damage: 150%, Max Enemies Hit: 6, Number of Attacks: 2, 100% chance of slowing enemies for 5 sec Skills used immediately after 1st hit gain +10% Final Damage (Excludes Chain Arts: Thrash) | Starter Mobbing Skill (Press the Attack key to whip your chain at mobs) |
 Summon Scimitar | MP Cost: 15, Damage: 125%, Max Enemies Hit: 6, Number of Attacks: 5 Cooldown: 4 sec | Dash Skill that helps with mobbing |
 Shadowstep | MP Cost: 5, jumps further | Flash Jump Skill |
 The Way of Shadows | Avoidability: +15%, Speed: +20 | Passive Buff |
 Uncanny Luck | Permanently increases LUK by 50 | Passive Buff for LUK |
Cadena 2nd Job Skill Build
This is when you get your important passive, Muscle Memory. This passive makes it so that every time you switch to different attacks you’ll get all damage and final damage boost.
Keyboard layout is important for Cadena since you’ll need to cycle through all of your skills.
Cadena 2nd job skill build,
- Chain Arts: Thrash 2 (+1), Muscle Memory (+1), Summon Shuriken (+1)
- Summon Claw (+1), Weapon Mastery (+5)
- Weapon Booster (+6)
- Wisdom Of Shadows (MAX)
- Chain Arts: Thrash 2 (MAX)
- Muscle Memory (MAX)
- Physical Training (MAX)
- Weapon Mastery (MAX)
- Summon Shuriken (MAX)
- Summon Claw (MAX)
- Weapon Booster (MAX)
Cadena 2nd Job Skill Explanation
| Skill Name | Max Lvl Description | Purpose |
 Chain Arts: Thrash 2 | Chain Arts: Thrash 2nd Hit Damage: 200%, Max Enemies Hit: 6, Number of Attacks: 3 | Boosts your Chain Arts: Thrash (Attack key) |
 Summon Claw | MP Cost: 20, Damage: 235%, Max Enemies Hit: 10, Number of Attacks: 4 Cooldown: 3 sec | Mobbing Skill (can only be used while in the air) |
 Summon Shuriken | MP Cost: 28, Strikes for 205% damage 40 times over 7 sec Automatically explodes once all attacks are expended, or when duration ends Explosion deals 450% damage to 8 enemies 3 times Press the skill key again to manually detonate the shuriken Cooldown: 10 sec | Mobbing Skill (really good for throwing to a side and letting it do its thing) |
 Weapon Booster | MP Cost: 10, Increases attack speed of all weapons for 200 sec | Active Buff for Attack Speed |
 Muscle Memory | Triggers upon switching summoned weapons [Stack Bonus] Attack Skill Final Damage +3% per stack, for 20 sec Stacks up to the number of weapon summon skills you possess (excluding Chain Arts) Refreshing this buff stack inflicts additional hits [Bonus Hits] Damage: 100%, Max Enemies Hit: 5, Number of Attacks: 2, Cooldown: 0.5 sec [Passive Effect: Damage for Scimitar +80% points] | Passive Buff (This is what makes Cadena unique, you cycle through all your skills to get more Final Damage) |
 Weapon Mastery | Mastery with Chain, and all Summoned Weapons increased by 50% | Passive Buff |
 Physical Training | Permanently increase LUK by 30 and DEX by 30 | Passive Buff for Stat |
 Wisdom of Shadows | Attack Power: +10, Critical Damage: +5%, Critical Rate: +10%, Avoidability: +20% | Passive Buff |
Cadena 3rd Job Skill Build
If you listened to the 1st job skill build you’ll have the links skills that work really well with Cadena. Cheap Shot is a passive you get at 3rd job which gives you more Critical Rate and Critical Damage against Abnormal Status enemies.
Cadena 3rd job skill build,
- Chain Arts: Thrash 3 (+1), Muscle Memory 2 (+1), Summon Shotgun (+1)
- Summon Daggers (+1), Summon Decoy Bomb (+1)
- Muscle Memory 2 (MAX)
- Cheap Shot (MAX)
- Chain Arts: Thrash 3 (MAX)
- Summon Shotgun (MAX)
- Summon Daggers (MAX)
- Summon Decoy Bomb (MAX)
- Keen Eye (MAX)
- Determination (MAX)
Cadena 3rd Job Skill Build Explanation
| Skill Name | Max Lvl Description | Purpose |
 Chain Arts: Thrash 3 | Chain Arts: Thrash 2nd Hit Damage: 300%, Max Enemies Hit: 7, Number of Attacks: 4 | Boosts Chain Arts: Thrash (Attack Key) |
 Summon Shotgun | MP Cost: 30, Max Enemies Hit: 6, Number of Attacks: 7 Close Range Damage: 390% Mid Range Damage: 320% Long Range Damage: 275% Cooldown: 5 sec | Mobbing Skill (gets stronger the closer you are to the enemy) |
 Summon Daggers | MP Cost: 35, Damage: 315%, Max Enemies Hit: 4, Number of Attacks: 8 Enemies struck will have a 100% chance to become Terrified for 10 sec, reducing their Defense by 30% Cooldown: 10 sec | Mobbing and Bossing Skill (Put in your rotation while mobbing) (Shines when used against bosses since it lowers their Defense) |
 Summon Decoy Bomb | Place a bomb that explodes after 1 sec MP Cost: 40, Damage: 415%, Max Enemies Hit: 8, Number of Attacks: 6 Cooldown: 8 sec | Quick Hop Backwards while throwing down bombs |
 Muscle Memory 2 | Triggers upon switching summoned weapons [Stack Bonus] Attack Skill Final Damage +7% per stack, for 20 sec Stacks up to the number of weapon summon skills you possess (excluding Chain Arts) Refreshing or incrementing this buff stack inflicts additional hits [Bonus Hits] Damage: 200%, Max Enemies Hit: 6, Number of Attacks: 3 Cooldown for Bonus Hits: 0.5 sec [Passive Effects – Damage for Summon Scimitar, Claw, Shuriken +100% points] | Improved Muscle Memory (more Final Damage and Bonus Hit Damage) |
 Determination | Max HP: +20%, Abnormal Status Resistance: +30, Elemental Resistance: +30% | Passive Buff for Resistances |
 Cheap Shot | Your attacks against enemies affected by Abnormal Statuses gain Critical Rate: +1%, Critical Damage +5%, Max Eligible Targets: 5 | Passive Effect that gives you more Critical Rate and Critical Damage |
 Keen Eye | Ignore DEF: +20%, Avoidability: +40% | Passive Buff for IED |
Cadena 4th Job Skill Build
4th job for Cadena is where you’ll get some more skills to chain together and even your bind skill. Try to chain as many attacks as you can before you Bind for big damage.
Cadena 4th job skill build,
- Chain Arts: Thrash 4 (+1), Muscle Memory 3 (+1), Summon Brick (+1)
- Summon Spiked Bat (+1), Chain Arts: Reign of Chains (+1)
- Weapons Expert (MAX)
- Wisdom Of Shadows 2 (MAX)
- Chain Arts: Thrash 4 (MAX)
- Muscle Memory 3 (MAX)
- Cheap Shot 2 (MAX)
- Summon Brick (MAX)
- Summon Spiked Bat (MAX)
- Nova Warrior (MAX)
- Chain Arts: Reign Of Chains (MAX)
- Nova Temperance (MAX)
- Chain Arts: Beatdown (MAX)
Cadena 4th Job Skill Explanation
| Skill Name | Max Lvl Description | Purpose |
 Chain Arts: Thrash 4 | Chain Arts: Thrash 2nd Hit Damage: 400%, Max Enemies Hit: 7, Number of Attacks: 5 | Boosts Chain Arts: Thrash (Attack Key) |
 Summon Brick | MP Cost: 45, Damage: 485%, Max Enemies Hit: 7, Number of Attacks: 7 Cooldown: 8 sec | Mobbing Skill |
 Summon Spiked Bat | MP Cost: 40 [First Hit] Damage: 450%, Max Enemies Hit: 8, Number of Attacks: 6 [2nd Hit] Damage: 555%, Number of Attacks: 7, Max Enemies Hit: 8 [3rd Hit] Damage: 715%, Max Enemies Hit: 10, Number of Attacks: 8 For each enemy struck fewer than Max Enemies Hit, Damage Increased by 5% Enemies struck by 3rd Hit have a 100% chance to be confused [Confusion] Duration: 15 sec, Enemy Attack: -20% Cooldown: 12 sec | Mobbing and Bossing Skill |
 Chain Arts: Reign of Chains | MP Cost: 25, Damage: 600%, Max Enemies Hit: 12, Attack Duration: 6 sec Can use directional keys to move while holding the skill key Cooldown: 45 sec | Big AoE attack |
 Chain Arts: Beatdown | MP Cost: 255, Max Enemies Hit: 1, Damage: 300%, Attacks: 2, Stun Duration: 10 sec Increases stun duration up to 100% based on inflicted damage If the enemy isn’t stunned, invincible for 5 sec Depending on the number of skill key presses, follow-up attack power is divided into 3 levels Attacks each group of enemies with 770%/880%/990% damage, respectively, 15 time(s), and activates a final attack that attacks 10 enemies with 250%/350%/500% damage, respectively, 10 time(s) During the consecutive attacks, activates a shockwave that attacks up to 10 enemies with 600% damage 4 time(s) Additional DEF ignored: +80% Cooldown: 150 sec | Bind Skill |
 Muscle Memory 3 | Triggers upon switching summoned weapons [Stack Bonus] Attack Skill Final Damage +11% for 20 sec Stacks up to the number of weapon summon skills you possess (excluding Chain Arts) Refreshing or incrementing this buff stack inflicts additional hits [Bonus Hits] Damage: 350%, Max Enemies Hit: 7, Number of Attacks: 4, Cooldown: 0.5 sec [Passive Effect: Damage for Summon Scimitar, Claw, Shuriken, Shotgun, Daggers, and Decoy Bomb are all increased by +120% points] | Improved Muscle Memory Skill |
 Cheap Shot 2 | Your attacks against enemies affected by Abnormal Statuses gain Critical Rate +2%, and Critical Damage +10% Max Eligible Targets: 10 Bleed Chance: 50%, Bleed Duration: 10 sec, Bleed Damage: 110% over 1 sec | Improved Cheap Shot Skill |
 Weapons Expert | For chain and all Summoned Weapons – Mastery: +70%, Attack Power: +30, Critical Rate: +30%, Critical Damage: +15% | Passive Buff for Attack and Critical Rate |
 Wisdom of Shadows 2 | Attack Power: +30, Critical Damage: +5%, Critical Rate: +10%, Avoidability: +15% | Passive Buff for Critical Rate and Critical Damage |
 Nova Warrior | MP Cost: 70, Increases all stats assigned APs by 15% for 900 sec | Active Buff for Stats |
 Nova Temperance | Clear Status Effects Cooldown: 180 sec | Active Skill to Clear Status Effects |
Cadena Hyper Skill Build
When it comes to Cadena hyper skills you’ll want to buff your Chain and Chain-less skills. Beatdown Cooldown Cutter is great for bossing. Veteran Shadowdealer doubles your Muscle Memory and creates an Explosion whenever you summon a weapon.
Cadena hyper skill build,
Chain-less Arts – Reinforce- Chain-less Arts – Boss Rush
- Chain Arts: Thrash – Reinforce
- Chain Arts: Thrash – Linked Attack Reinforce
- Chain Arts: Beatdown – Cooldown Cutter
- Veteran Shadowdealer
- Chain Arts: Crush
- Shadowdealer’s Elixir
Chain-less Arts – Reinforce
Chain-less Arts – Boss Rush
Chain Arts: Thrash – Reinforce
Chain Arts: Thrash – Linked Attack Reinforce
Chain Arts: Beatdown – Cooldown Cutter
Veteran Shadowdealer
Chain Arts: Crush
Shadowdealer’s ElixirCadena 5th Job Skill Build
When you reach level 200 and get access to your V Matrix and new 5th job skills. The best way to level them up is through Nodestones and Experience nodes. Cadena V Skills are,
Chain Arts: Void Strike
Apocalypse Cannon
Chain Arts: Maelstrom
Muscle Memory Finale
Cadena Perfect Trio Nodes
Cadena has 2 perfect trio nodes and 1 incomplete trio node. The 3rd trio can be the skill you use the most since all skills are boosted anyways. They are Thrash, Summon Brick, Summon Spiked Bat, and Summon Daggers, Summon Shotgun, Summon Scimitar, and Chain Arts: Beatdown, Crush and Veteran Shadowdealer.
Thrash, Muscle Memory & Reign of Chains Boost
Summon Brick Boost
Summon Spiked Bat Boost
And,
Summon Daggers & Shuriken Boost
Summon Shotgun & Decoy Bomb Boost
Summon Scimitar & Claw Boost
And,
Chain Arts: Beatdown Boost
Crush & Veteran Shadowdealer Boost
The other important nodes are Last Resort, Venom Burst, Decent Sharp Eyes, Grandis Goddess’s Blessing and of course Decent Holy Symbol.
Cadena 5th Job Skill Explanation
| Skill Name | Max Lvl Description | Purpose |
 Chain Arts: Void Strike | MP Cost: 1000, Duration: 65 sec Creates giant chains that travel along an arbitrary path inflicting 550% damage 6 times to up to 10 enemies Chain Cooldown: 0.6 sec Cooldown: 150 sec | Mobbing and Bossing Skill (makes it so that giant chains come down when this skill is active) |
 Apocalypse Cannon | MP Cost: 1000 The cannon gathers energy for 10 sec, periodically inflicting 495% damage 5 times to up to 8 enemies at set intervals After amassing enough energy, it creates a supernova that deals 1650% damage 8 times to up to 15 enemies Cooldown: 25 sec | Summons a giant Cannon that is great for Mobbing and Bossing (after it gathers enough energy it will fire a strong blast) |
 Chain Arts: Maelstrom | MP Cost: 250, Deals damage for 8 sec at a certain interval Damage: 660%, Max Enemies Hit: 8, Number of Attacks: 4 Upon attack, 100% chance to Slow enemies for 6 sec Attack speed gradually decreases based on time | Puts down a tornado of chains that deals consistent damage |
 Muscle Memory Finale | MP Cost: 450, activates in location of nearby enemy upon hitting Muscle Memory additional hit 4 times Additional Hit Activation: 4, Max Enemies Hit: 7, Damage: 550%, Number of Attacks: 7 Muscle Memory Finale is prepared 1 each per 11 sec up to 3 Preparation time reduces by 2 sec when Chain Arts: Reign of Chains/Chain Arts: Beatdown/Chain Arts: Crush hits, reduces by 1 sec when Chain Arts: Void Strike hits | Active Skill that helps you inflict additional hits with Muscle Memory |