I pressed my back to cold concrete as three enemies closed in and a choice flashed across the screen. I picked a Combat ability and watched the room rearrange itself around that one decision. You will face that moment often—choices matter.
I’m Dylan’s unofficial field guide: I’ve played, tested, and stripped down what actually changes the fight. Read this and you’ll know which Combat abilities to pick, where to acquire them, and how they bend encounters to your will.
On the subway you watch strangers choose a route: List of Control Resonant Combat Abilities and How to Get Them
Choices in the game are momentary, but their consequences last a whole run. Combat abilities come from Resonant encounters—mini-bosses scattered through the map that hand you an either-or moment. Pick one, and the alternatives are off the table for that playthrough unless you use a Reset Item.
| Combat Ability | What it does | How to Get Them |
|---|---|---|
| Barrage | Fires projectiles toward a target for ranged damage. | Defeat the Artist Resonant during the Orientation prologue. |
| Volatile Anomaly | Summons an ally that you can throw and detonate for explosive damage. | Defeat the Artist Resonant during the Orientation prologue. |
| Shield | Absorbs damage and enables a powerful Shield Bash against enemies. | Defeat the Artist Resonant during the Orientation prologue. |
| Push | Sends enemies backward and can knock them into hazards or off ledges. | Defeat the Dancer Resonant in the West Incursion Zone. |
| Ground Slam | Slams enemies from above, with stronger area damage from greater heights. | Defeat the Dancer Resonant in the West Incursion Zone. |
| Ignite | Adds Fire damage and Burn to melee attacks and several abilities. | Defeat the Deserter Resonant in the Patterned Factory. |
| Inferno | Creates increasingly intense Fire waves that apply Burn over time. | Defeat the Deserter Resonant in the Patterned Factory. |
| Spore Burst | Rapidly fires Mold projectiles while building the Infected status effect. | Defeat the Collective Resonant beneath the Park. |
| Growth | Summons a Mold ally that fires spores and builds Infected over time. | Defeat the Collective Resonant beneath the Park. |
| Spike | Summons an Astral Spike that attacks enemies and builds Astralized. | Defeat the Physicist Resonant at the Underpass Spire. |
| Astral Rebuke | Launches enemies upward with a homing spike while building Astralized. | Defeat the Physicist Resonant at the Underpass Spire. |
| Command | Takes control of an enemy and turns them into an ally during combat. | Defeat the Co Director Resonant in the Unknown Field Office. |
On a crowded bus you learn how people make room: What Is Combat Ability in Control Resonant?
Combat abilities are the supernatural tools Dylan borrows from the world to tilt fights in his favor. They affect damage, crowd control, status effects like Burn or Infected, and interactions with Falter and Power mechanics. You earn a choice after beating a Resonant, and that choice can reshape how a build handles every encounter.
You can also revisit those choices with Reset Items at the Gap. That’s how you experiment with different pairings of Combat abilities and Artifacts or tweak a run after a few bad decisions. If you follow guides on Steam or watch a quick clip on IGN or GameSpot, you’ll see the same pattern: choice, consequence, and the occasional hilarious combo.
How do you get Combat abilities in Control Resonant?
Defeat Resonants to earn a choice. Each Resonant gives a set of Combat ability options; pick the one you want and it becomes part of your loadout. If you later regret the selection, a Reset Item at the Gap lets you change it.
Can you change Combat abilities in Control Resonant?
Yes. Use Reset Items when you visit the Gap to reselect Combat abilities from past Resonant choices. That makes experimentation painless if you’re testing builds for trophies or trying to pair an ability with a specific Artifact.
At a café you overhear simple strategies that win fights: Which Combat Abilities to Pick?
Your playstyle decides which powers feel valuable. I prefer combinations that speed up finishers and build status quickly. Think of abilities like tools in a kit—some are multipurpose, others situational.
- Barrage: Reliable ranged damage for thinning weak enemies. Pair it with rapid-fire Artifacts and it becomes a cleanup tool.
- Push: Create space or shove foes into hazards. Great in levels with environmental danger.
- Ignite: Adds Burn to attacks, stacking damage over time and making finishers trigger faster.
- Spore Burst: Builds Infected rapidly; excellent for breaking down tanky foes when paired with sustained DPS.
- Astral Rebuke: Lifts enemies for air-combo follow-ups—works well with heavy melee or aerial finishers.
- Command: Convert a strong enemy into a temporary ally and shift the fight’s tempo; good for clutch saves.
For players who like flexibility, Pair Barrage or Spore Burst with Ignite. If you prefer control and safety, Push and Shield let you sculpt the battlefield. Think of a run as a kitchen recipe: a sharp knife and a steady flame make the rest easier.
Remedy Entertainment built these systems to reward experimentation; community hubs on Steam and clips on YouTube will show you wild combos and confirm what works for your hardware or controller of choice. Ready to reshuffle your build and set the next fight on fire—literally or metaphorically?