The “Dissidia Final Fantasy NT” beta is now live, and a lucky batch of fans get to try out the game early. Unlike the previous two games, “NT” changes up the play style by including 3v3 battles and giving Summons an active role in battles. Those who are new the spin-off series might have a hard time wrapping their head around everything they need to know. While it may seem like a little complicated, the key to winning battles is knowing what each function does. With that being said, here’s how to use summons and EX Skills.

‘Final Fantasy’ summons

These mythical creatures have always played a significant role in the mainline series, so it’s only natural that they’d appear in spin-offs. In the last two games, summons were trump cards that could help you turn the tides in battle. However, they never actually appeared during matches and only affected things like Bravery points. However, “Dissidia Final Fantasy NT” takes things up a notch by actually including summons in battle. However, the main trade off for this feature is the EX burst that each character had.

Before the match starts, you can your team will choose one summon that you can call forth during matches. However, you can’t just activate them once the match starts.

Instead, you’ll have to full up the gauge through methods like destroying the cores that spawn around the field. Once it’s full, hold down the touch pad to initiate the summoning process. You can call them faster if everyone works together by holding down the touch pad at the same time.

EX Skills

EX skills provide some useful buffs during battles that players often forget about using.

These can be literal game changers if used correctly as some heroes have some powerful skills. Take Y’shtola, for example. She can cast a barrier around a large radius that can both heal HP and Bravery points. If ever her allies (or even herself) need a boost, her team can protect her as she casts it. While there are other generic EX skills, you shouldn’t take them for granted.

To active them, just press triangle and the corresponding directional input. Each character has three EX skills which are part of their set, so make sure you pick the one that suits your play style. Remember that each EX skill also has a cooldown, so be mindful when using it.

The “Dissidia Final Fantasy NT” beta is in full swing and will end in early September. Meanwhile, the full game will launch next year on Jan. 30.