Rihana

Lore & Background

Rihana's life was once defined by the Dominion's iron hierarchy. Trained as a soldier on the continent of Curious, she rose through the ranks with the same cold efficiency the regime demanded of its citizens. She followed orders, held the line, and told herself that the machinery of war was not her responsibility. That self-deception shattered when she witnessed the true cost of the Dominion's expansion and the suffering it inflicted on the people she was supposed to protect.

Her defection to the Resistance was not a dramatic rebellion but a quiet, agonizing choice. She left behind the structure that had given her identity and walked into a ragtag group of fighters who had no interest in polishing her medals. What she found instead was purpose: not the purpose of serving a flag, but the purpose of standing between the vulnerable and the powerful. Her bond with Doha, in particular, became a lifeline, reminding her that she was more than a number in a military roster.

In the broader world of Tales of Arise, Rihana represents the theme of redemption through action. The Dominion's power is built on control, resource extraction, and the erasure of individual will. Rihana's choice to fight on the side of the Resistance—imperfect, frightened, and still haunted by what she did in uniform—is a living rebuttal to that philosophy. Her green Blessing Arts, which heal and sustain, are not merely a combat tool but a narrative statement: she chose to give life rather than take it.

In Their Own Story

The rain had not stopped for two days. Rihana stood at the edge of a collapsed bridge, her sword resting low and still, the green light of a spent Art fading from her knuckles. Below, the river ran the color of rust. Doha sat on a broken pillar, mending a tear in her coat with steady hands, and did not look up.

"You don't have to stand guard every night, you know," Doha said.

Rihana almost smiled. Almost. "Someone has to."

"I can hold a blade. I've held a blade."

"I know."

A long silence. Somewhere in the dark, a Dominion patrol's searchlight swept the tree line and moved on. Rihana exhaled, and the tension in her shoulders dropped by a fraction. She sheathed her sword, walked to the pillar, and sat beside Doha without a word. The rain kept falling. The green glow was gone. But the night, for once, was quiet enough to almost feel safe.

Reader's Guide

Rihana's native Arts belong to the Blessing (green) element, which in Tales of Arise covers healing, party buffs, and a set of solid offensive sword strikes. As a melee character, she closes distance quickly and can chain her sword combos into Arts for burst damage. Because Arts in this game are shareable across the party, any of the four members can equip Rihana's green Arts, but she remains the most natural user due to her base stats and combo flow.

In-story, her Blessing Arts stem from her time in the Dominion's military, where soldiers were trained to use the continent's ambient magical energy for both combat and field medicine. Her green Arts are a continuation of that training, redirected from an instrument of control to one of care.

Build tip: Rihana shines as a hybrid melee DPS/support. Equip her with a mix of offensive green Arts for damage and one or two healing Arts to keep the party stable in longer fights. Pair her sword combos with a short Art in the middle of the chain to reset enemy stagger. If you want to maximize her, prioritize Arts that boost her attack speed and critical hit rate, since her playstyle rewards fast, rhythmic sword work over long cooldowns. She also benefits from being kept in the front of the combo rotation, as her melee range means she needs to be adjacent to the target.

Did You Know?

• Rihana was a soldier in the Dominion's military before defecting to the Resistance, and her past service is a recurring source of personal conflict throughout the story.
• Her Blessing (green) Arts include both offensive sword strikes and healing abilities, making her one of the few party members who can meaningfully fill both damage-dealer and support roles.
• She shares a particularly close, sisterly bond with Doha, and their dynamic is one of the emotional cores of the party.
• As one of only four core party members, Rihana is a constant presence in nearly every major story beat, giving her a uniquely wide range of narrative moments compared to supporting cast.