Cursed Waves Overview
Cursed Waves is a permanent roguelite game mode added during Across the Ruined Sea. This mode is continuously updated every patch with new rewards, characters, nodes, and story endings until Sands of Wrath, during which the fifth and final ending, [Reader], is added.
In Cursed Waves, the player will progress through multiple nodes that feature story and combat encounters. Throughout their journey, the player must build a team and collect Artifacts that grant various mode-exclusive buffs to help them reach the ending.
Difficulty Levels
For each run of Cursed Waves, the player must begin with choosing a difficulty level. Once chosen, the difficulty level cannot be changed until the end of the current run.
| Difficulty Level | Downfall Crystal and [Torn Pages] Multiplier |
Consciousness Stability Timer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rising Tide (Normal) | x1 | 300s | - |
| Surging Waves (Hard) | x2 | 120s | - |
| Abyssal Torrent (Nightmare) | x2.5 | 90s | Recommended Minimum BP: 7,500 |
- Consciousness Stability: In Battle Stages, enemies will be enhanced after a set amount of time.
Extra Artifact
If the player reached Chapter 3 in their previous run regardless of the outcome, they will be presented with 3 random Artifacts from which they can choose one to aid them in their upcoming run.
Survey Team
After choosing a difficulty level, the player must then choose a Survey Team. Each Survey Team grants a different set of buffs.
| Survey Team Name | Effects |
|---|---|
| Tide Seeker | Consciousness will stable for 30 seconds longer in the node. |
| Scavenger | Has additional Biomimetic Blood x 2 and Tinbread Cookie x 8 at the beginning of the game. |
| Traveling Troupe | Recruitment Refresh Attempts +1. Slightly increases the chance of recruiting S-Rank Omniframes. |
| Survival Expert | Immediately gives a random Artifact. Gives another random Artifact every two chapters. |
| Expedition Team | Each battle node cleared will increase all members’ Extra DMG Bonus by 5%. |
| Curse Queller | Doubles the Artifact Box rewards in Hard Battles. |
Starting Character
After choosing a Survey Team, the player is presented with Invitations of all five elements: Physical, Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Dark. A randomly chosen element will have its Invitation upgraded to Level 2, which guarantees that at least one S-Rank character will appear every time the player refreshes the recruitment lineup. The player must choose one of the elemental Invitations, from which they will recruit one starting character of their choice. Players can acquire additional Invitations to build their team by clearing nodes during the run.
Currencies
Tinbread Cookies
Used to buy items in Shark-spear Sale nodes. Can be consumed depending on the player’s choice in some Event Nodes. Will be reset every run.
Can be acquired by completing Battle Nodes or depending on the player’s choice in some Event Nodes.
Biomimetic Blood
3 Biomimetic Blood can be used to reset a combat encounter or revive the entire team. If the entire team is defeated when the player has less than 3 Biomimetic Blood, it will result in a game over and the run will be concluded. Can be consumed depending on the player’s choice in some Event Nodes. Will be reset every run.
Can be bought from Shark-speare Sale nodes or depending on the player’s choice in some Event Nodes.
Curse-Dispelling Chapter
Used to purchase Lost Apocrypha buffs. Acquired upon finishing a run.
Downfall Crystals
Acquired upon finishing a run. Accumulating Downfall Crystals increases the [Drifter’s Path] level. Increasing the [Drifter’s Level] grants various rewards including: Event Construct R&D Tickets, Trade Vouchers, CUB training materials, basic training and enhancing materials.
Lost Apocrypha
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Phase 1
- ATK Boost : ATK increases by 5%
- Overall Enhancement : All basic stats ( ATK, HP, CRIT, DEF) increases by 2%
- Default Tinbread Cookie Boost : Has 3 more Tinbread Cookies at the beginning of the game
- HP Up : Max HP increases by 5%
- DMG Boost : Extra DMG Bonus increases by 5%
- Default Biomimetic Blood Boost : Has 1 additional bottle of Biomimetic Blood at the beginning of the game
- Shark-speare Sale Enhancement : Item Discount Slots in Shark-speare Sale +1
- Shark-speare Sale Enhancement : Sale Slots in Shark-speare Sale +1
