Ash Echoes Echoing Nexus

Nexus is a roguelite mode core to progression in Ash Echoes. Nexus has a multitude of unique mechanics that can be confusing starting out. This guide will explain all you need to know about Nexus.

Nexus is a major part of progression in Ash Echoes. Engravings are earned by the lead character at the end of each run, granting you stats and passive effects for all content.

In addition to Engravings, clearing Danger Zones for the first time will grant you a generous amount of X-Particles. Each path in Nexus also has reputation levels to progress through as you earn Engraving records on multiple characters, granting pulls for Traces.

Each week, you can also earn Mirrorshards to level Traces and Coins for reaching depth milestones up to a cap of 80.

Having high Engraving ratings across multiple characters will also provide growth rewards. These include XP, X-Particles, Resonance Clues, and increased DEF and TRM stats in all battles.

Clicking the Nexus button in the lobby will take you to the Nexus menu. Here you can access Nexus: Simulation, Nexus: Surface, and any unlocked Echoing Nexus.

Nexus: Simulation will consume a Blank Chip (obtained from daily activity) to instantly generate an Engraving with stats and skills based on character ascension and Memory Trace level.

Nexus: Surface and Echoing Nexus require Spirit to enter. You will receive one Spirit on daily reset and can regenerate an additional one from daily activity. You can buy additional Spirits using X-Particles at a rate of 20 per Spirit. If you have 5 or more Spirit you will not regenerate more.

• Nexus: Surface involves taking a character on a short Nexus run through five map segments.
• Since Nexus: Surface runs are capped at Depth 5, Engravings generated will have low stats and few skills. Nexus: Surface is mostly used to provide a quick and easy way to finish daily/beginner missions.
• Echoing Nexus is the primary Nexus mode and involves going on a lengthier Nexus run through many map segments. This allows you to create an Engraving with many customizable stats and skills.

Beginning a Run

At the beginning of your run you will select a leader character. This character will be who you control throughout the run and will receive an Engraving upon Nexus completion. Each character has a set of initial Engraving stats and skills.

After selecting a leader, you will choose five Memory Traces and an aiding Memory Trace from another player. These Traces will determine your Engraving stats and skills. The higher level your Traces, the more stats they will give.

Encounters

Groups of enemies will appear throughout your journey in the Nexus. You can only use your leader to take out these enemies. After defeating all enemies in an encounter, you will be given the choice to increase depth. As depth increases up to level 12, you will be granted higher stats and skill points. Past depth level 12, enemies will continue to ramp up in difficulty but no additional stats or skill points will be granted.

• Since there is no terminal in encounters, your terminal stat instead reduces enemy Max HP and ATK, with a maximum of 90% reduction at a TRM stat of 1,600.
• Tip: If you struggle with a group of enemies, you can run around them and wait for your skill cooldowns to recharge.

Reward Nodes

As you progress through Nexus, you will encounter reward nodes of various types. These will provide you a selection of bonus stats, skill points, or Trace skill levels to choose between.

Memory Trace Interactions with Reward Nodes

Illumination: Memory Traces have a chance of becoming illuminated every time you gain stats.

• The chance of a Trace becoming illuminated and the bonus stats gained during illumination increased with Trace level.
• If a Trace is not illuminated, the chance of illumination increases with each reward node.
• Illuminated Traces will remain illuminated until picked.
• You can view illuminated Traces and the chances of a Trace becoming illuminated on the top right of the screen during stat selection.

• The bonus stats conferred by illumination can be increased via the Memory Enhancement reward node.

Memory Trace Properties:Each Memory Trace has a unique bonus that will be applied when certain conditions are met.

• Memory Traces have a Trace Awakening skill. This skill can be upgraded up to 5 times during a Nexus run. Levels 1, 3 and 5 will provide stronger versions of the skill while levels 2 and 4 provide a combination of skill points and stats.
• If a skill is already at max level, instead you will be given a large sum of skill points.

• Every Memory Trace has an array of skills that can be unlocked at random in certain reward nodes.

Danger Zones

Danger Zones act like standard stages: you can bring up to 7 characters and an assistant character to defeat waves of enemies and/or a boss. Clearing Danger Zones for the first time rewards X-Particles. When encountering the same Danger Zone on subsequent runs, you will be able to skip the combat if you are strong enough or the depth level is 8 or lower (excluding the final boss node). Either way, you will receive multiple reward nodes.

If you lose a battle in a Danger Zone, you will be given the option to either retry the battle or avoid it. Avoiding a Danger Zone will reduce your depth level and thus reduce your rewards.

Nexus Paths

Each Echoing Nexus has one or more Paths associated with it. After reaching a branch node during a run, you can select an unlocked path to continue the run through. Each Path consists of different enemies, mechanics, and Danger Zones. Each path can also reward an exclusive skill.

Finishing a Run

After finishing the final boss Danger Zone, you will collect your final reward nodes and then be able to select skills collected throughout the run to be used for your leader’s Engraving. Skills can be leveled up using skill points depending on the amount of times you upgraded them throughout the Nexus run.

After you’ve selected and confirmed your skills, your Engraved skills and stats will become usable everywhere!

Other Nexus Mechanics

Mental Load

As you perform actions in the Nexus, your mental load will increase. As mental load increases, increasingly severe debuffs will be applied. Mental load can be reduced at certain reward nodes.

Defense Scaling

As you progress to higher depth levels, the DEF stat requirement will increase. Failure to meet this stat requirement will lead to a damage taken debuff proportional to the deficit.

Stat Caps

Depending on the Nexus type, each stat has a maximum limit that can be reached. - For example, Nexus: Phenomena and Nexus: Mirage have stat limits of 1,280 per stat.

After a stat reaches 1,000, future gains will be halved.

The highest Engraving ratings obtained on each character that have completed a run on a path will be recorded. These ratings will contribute to the reputation level for the corresponding path. As the Reputation level increases, you will be rewarded with currency to be used on Memory Trace banners. Additionally, higher reputation levels provide stat bonuses for Nexus Memory Challenges and make it easier to get stats and skill points in that path.

Nexus Memory Challenges

Each Path has corresponding Nexus Memory Challenges. These challenges utilize the mechanics of the Path in a single stage. Challenges are unlocked by completing a run with high enough Engraving ratings. Bonus stats will be provided during challenge stages based on your Path reputation. Completing Memory Challenges yields valuable rewards, such as X-Particles, Memory Trace Selectors, and a special badge.

Before delving into the Nexus, it's important to keep in mind your team's priorities. Some Memory Traces require a stat threshold in order to trigger their skills, and you should keep that in mind when allocating stats. If you really want to Min-Max, you can also calculate beforehand the total of skill points you'll need, but most of the time that won't be necessary.

The Nexus is actually quite intuitive, and most of the time you can pick the stat or skill option that gives the highest numbers.

As a rule of thumb, give preference to the Path of Stats (Right) until you start struggling with encounters, then switch to Path of Skills (Left).