Guide to Resonating and Understanding Drops (Xenoblade Chronicles 2)

Featured with permission by Ikarostv

I’m sure that many of you have seen the harsh fate results from grinding Rare Cores / Legendary Cores only to be let down in anguish that you’ve (again) received another Common Blade.

The information I am about to provide, is based on my own analysis after spending 150~ hours with the game. This has been information absorbed by the communities ideas, and my testing.

—Idea Levels—

Idea Levels. These are Stats that are placed on a character, that are built based on your interactions with other blades. If you check the Affinity Tree with blades, you will notice certain nodes will have an “Idea+” icon, alongside a symbol next to it. These symbols represent a resonance stat that is integrated into the game – that directly effects your resonance with Cores.

If you go to your “Blade Bond” menu – and open a core, you can see the different stats reflected in there, associating with Boosters.

Each character has a set amount of Idea Levels when they start. For instance, you’ll notice that Zeke starts with a high Justice Level.

The higher a specific Idea Level – the better your results at receiving a Rare Blade.

Why? This is because the game intends you to use multiple blades for Merc Missions, etc – and develop your playstyle. They do not intend on everyone having every Rare Blade within the first 10 hours of playing and opening Cores.

It follows the theme, of Rex and his gang building and resonating friendships and bonds with multiple blades.

Plus – the game follows heavy utilization of Elements. They assume that users will build a specific team based on abilities, elements. So they assume people will follow a specific line with certain characters, to match their playstyle.

—Idea and Boosters—

Boosters. These are items that can be consumed when resonating with a Core Crystal – to better your chances at receiving a Blade with a specific element from the pool of available blades. You can use up to 5 Boosters of the same type, at a time – when resonating with a Core Crystal.

Bravery: Fire and Water

Truth: Wind and Ice

Compassion: Earth and Lightning

Justice: Light and Dark

Now – as said. Using these Boosters, will temporarily increase one of your IDEA Levels. For each Booster used, you will notice the corresponding Idea Level temporarily Increase. So if you had a Justice 5 and used 5 Justice Boosters – you will have a temporary total of 10 Justice when you are resonating with a Core Crystal.

—What does this mean?—

So, this is the scoop of how to properly utilize these Boosters and your Idea in order to get a better CHANCE of what you are looking for.

Let us use Zeke as an example, to give a core understanding (pun intended).

Zeke has a naturally high Idea Level with Justice. If you notice, when you first got him – he would tend to receive more Dark based Blades from the start. This is due to the accompanying lower level of the rest of his Idea Levels. Not by much – but enough to effect his results.

So to counter act that – if you have Rex with all similar Idea Levels. You will have an equal playing field for his results. You will not have a natural benefit for a specific type, over another.

If you want the best possible results, you will need to have a plan.

—Example—

Let’s say you want Wulfric. Wulfric is an Earth type Element. The accompanying Idea for him would be Compassion.

Let’s say you have Rex who is 5/5/5/5 in all of his Ideas. Equal playing field – no advantage. If you use a +5 Compassion, you will receive a temporary 10 in Compassion while resonating. This will give you a higher chance at receiving EARTH AND LIGHTNING based Blades.

For the best possible result, you will want to start bonding with and increasing Affinity Notes with Blades that will give the +Idea stat for Compassion. Raise it as much as possible, and then use a +5 Booster.

So – let’s say you got Rex to 10 in Compassion but retained a 5 in everything else. Using +5 Compassion Boosters would net you a 15 Temporarily for Resonating.

That is a 200% difference over your other Idea Levels – when resonating. Having the higher number will..

1. Increase your CHANCE at pulling from the Earth/Lightning pool exclusively.
2. Increase your CHANCE at pulling a Rare Blade. That is because your character has more of a resonance with that role.

(I know Wulfric is gathered from story. But I am using him as an example just because he was the first to come to my head while writing this at work. The concept between Element to Boosters is still relevant info however.)

—Conclusion—

Overall – the objective is clear. If you know of specific blades you are aiming for – then attempt to push the limit on your Idea Levels first.

KOS-MOS is a pain to get, based on the merit she is the ONLY Light Blade in the pool that you can receive. Mythra is the ONLY other Light Blade in the game.

So without playing these odds correctly, you will be very lucky to even see KOS MOS for some time. Not only are you competing against the other 3 Idea Levels or 7 Elements in total if you are using all of the same base Idea Levels. You are competing with the Common Blades that exist too.

If you want KOS MOS.. best bet is to abuse Zeke’s initial Justice Level – and then +5 Justice on him. Once you do that – you’ll have a higher chance. Plus – she is DPS… so she would work great for Zeke. If you are far enough in the story then You will have the ability to resonate with his Blades anyway, as well as everyone else. So don’t worry about it that much

—Thoughts—

Also – I personally do not believe the LUCK STAT plays any sort of factor in your results. It is purely based on your Idea levels. We are battling a pool – and having a high LUCK STAT would just omit the entire Idea system completely – if someone were to abuse it somehow. What’s my reasoning? Well – proof is in the pudding. When you start the game, you are bombarded with Rare Blades. Our LUCK STAT is garbage.. yet we are receiving these blades. There are more in the pool to receive from. But as you run out – it gets harder. That’s all.

So – upon some verification, finally after clicking in my memory WHERE it was in the story (went brain dead after all of this time) it specifies Luck DOES effect results. However – it doesn’t seem to feel that way. But – if they say it does, it does.

Proof: https://imgur.com/a/kaBMf

Other Tips

If you want to increase a Common Blade faster, they don’t need much Trust to unlock their different levels. Just go ahead and find the Food that they like the most – and then sit at a shop and keep refilling – and spamming your refill on your pouch. This is a lame way to do it – but some would appreciate this method for results.

Super easy to accumulate 500 Trust with someone, and unlock all 5 tiers of their Affinity tree. Rather than completing fights. This allows max potential with your upgrades.

Just remember – upgrade the TREE that rewards the Idea Level of your choice. You can save this Blade for later and max them out – for rewards. Otherwise we just want to focus on Idea Levels primarily. Aim for what you want the most, for the best potential!

EDIT: New Additions!

• Idea Level also influences the rarity of the common blade received.
• I have noticed that Rarity seems to be depicted potentially in the animation when using the Crystal. There is a red flame that bursts from one of the 3 different character avatars that appear. When the Red Flame bursts from the 2nd Animation – it tends to be a higher level rarity blade. If it’s the 3rd animation – I’ve recalled seeing only Rares from this. If it’s none at all or the first animation, just a typical blade. Also – the avatar of the blade at the 3rd animation is a depiction of the Blade you will receive.
• I found that Luck DOES influence it – and found the solid proof. It was 50/50 with the community on if it does or doesn’t I added the screenshot above.
• Remember to get the Deed to increase your idea points and your booster inventory limit, to make life easier!

Document: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HKkPoCbW0oO1JzV-hx21ueZMIjmWdboVh3vgSrlEwj4/htmlview?usp=sharing&sle=true

(Document created courtesy of u/Camreth

I hope this helps for people, to get an idea of how this works.

As we gather more information we can add to it and help make this entire thing easier to understand!

Good luck, and happy Resonating!