Atman's Barrier fills from primary attacks and reduces incoming damage, with hits against Mark depleting it. Spirit Surge rewards a stronger barrier with more damage. Later, Atm…

Atman's Barrier fills from primary attacks and reduces incoming damage, with hits against Mark depleting it. Spirit Surge rewards a stronger barrier with more damage. Later, Atman's Grace makes critical hits contribute more to charging it. Those relationships give the character a reason to connect attacks while preserving the protection he's built. The practical distinction is between building the bar and spending it carelessly. If you attack into several enemies at once and absorb everything they do, you may give away the benefit as quickly as you earn it. A strong barrier isn't an instruction to ignore attack patterns. In a player discussion about Mark's 'stamina' bar, commenters explain that it's his barrier and recommend mixing attacks with timely movement. That's a useful way to understand why treating the meter like Linda's mobile-shooting resource would lead to the wrong expectations. Try beginning with an enemy whose attack you recognize. Land attacks during its recovery, then avoid the answer. Add another enemy only when you can still read both. You're practicing how to build protection without immediately turning it into a health trade. When choosing improvements, consider the whole interaction. A benefit tied to critical hits needs opportunities to land them. A damage benefit tied to a high barrier needs you to preserve that barrier. Reading an upgrade in isolation can hide the behavior needed to make it worthwhile. The useful build is the one you can actually operate during a crowded fight.