I've made this as a personal reference, as well as to help you guys out with a small helpful process to get 1337 gear!

I keep the faq by Marcus Majarra at hand when I do most of my tempering and altering since it's darn near perfect for learning the process.

You can find the Faq here: http://neoseeker.com/resourcelink.html?rlid=31256&rid=29607

From what I understand, Glow Crystals and Chaos Crystals play a key role in the process for both weapons and armor. These can be attained from just about any gem shop, Lumina, Geo.. Or if you're low on money, you can just kill polter boxes on the SS Buccaneer.

I'm sure everyone who has experimented with it has different methods, but to break down the Essence conflicts, all you have to do is remember which one combats the other. Simple to break down of course, since there's basically only two sides. I referred to these essence sides as 'X' and 'O'.


Wisp-----Shade-----Dryad-----Aura
---X---------O-------------X---------O
Sala-----Gnome-----Jinn-----Undine

The sides with 'O' symbols will allow eachother to be in place on the piece of armor you are altering. Same thing with the 'X' symbols. Mixing them conflicts.

Placing coins in increments of 3 and following those up with a Glow Crystal assures that you will have the base essence level you placed permanently, provided you don't add an opposing Element.

However, When you find that you would like these other elements as well, you simply have to hammer in a Chaos Crystal after a few Glow Crystals to change over to the other side.

My method looks like this:

*Glow Crystal |The extra glow crystals are for
*Glow Crystal |adding energy to the weapon, so it
*Glow Crystal |can support the large amount of Essence
*Glow Crystal |Markers. The energy requirement gets higher
*Shade Silver |as they increase.
*Gnome Silver
*Aura Silver
*Undine Silver
*Glow Crystal
*Shade Silver
*Gnome Silver
*Etc...

I'm sure you get the basic Idea, Each material has essence resistances, sometimes the same, sometimes different. So some essences may rise slower or faster than you think.

When you're ready to switch to the opposing Essence side, first, Rinse your work. Simply put, just throw 3 Lilipods into it. This will clear your pallett and leave the Essence levels where they are. After that follow it up like so:

Edit: for more info.

*Glow Crystal
*Glow Crystal
*Glow Crystal
*Glow Crystal
*Chaos Crystal|Ancient Moon is active in the
*Wisp Silver|weapon/armor from when you pound it in
*Sala Silver |to when it leaves the item, so don't
*Dryad Silver|freak out when you see it leave, just
*Jinn Silver|add another one afterwards and continue.
*Chaos Crystal
*Wisp Silver
*Sala Silver
*Dryad Silver
*Jinn Silver
*Chaos Crystal
*Glow Crystal
*Glow Crystal
*Glow Crystal
*Glow Crystal

Edit: I've now discovered the use of four coins instead of 3, and found out why my shade essence kept going back to 0.

After you're finished with all the altering, you can add different cards that will now be unlocked thanks to adding the full spectrum of Essences. I myself prefer adding 3 Needles (Bed of Thorns) followed by a Glow Crystal to boost the protection of my armor by 50% per Needle.

Edit: Needles can't be placed if salamander's essence level is above 0.

I hope this helps you guys out, I know it does for me.


This message was edited by Occasus on May 02 2008.

We've all known this. o-o;

This's why I called it a 'personal' reference, you didn't have to read it.

>>
<<

so~

JUst so you know, any crystal can be bought from any "jewelery" shop. THe exact contents of all jewelry shops, regardless of where they're placed is Ivory, Coral, the three gems (Emerald, Pearl, Lapis Lazuli), and then the crystals. throughout the game there's only two shops open at any given time: The one in Lumina (On the way to Monique's shop, same place that you activate Niccolo's quest #3). The other's the jewelry shop in Geo, though after the Teardrop Crystal quest it's moved to the 3rd level of the bejeweled city. Chances are you already knew that much, but anyway...

I'm not really altogether sure I like the fact that Bed of Thorn may prevent HP recovery. Granted, once you're HP is maxed it shouldn't really matter, but it's still enough of a concern for me to sidestep using that particular card. unfortunately the only other card that actively affects the defense of armor is Cleric, but that comes at a nasty cost in another defense area. Any other's that can raise armor defense?

Bed of Thorn is really the only way to effectively raise armor defense values. Some items add to the defense, but only as a capper - you can usually use one of the Eye items to raise one defense type by 25%.

As far as conflict goes, here's the handy chart:

Wisp can always rise. (If Wisp>Shade, Shade drains to 0)
Shade can't rise if Wisp > 0. (If Wisp>Shade, Shade drains to 0)
Dryad can't rise if Shade>Wisp and Aura > 0. (If Wisp>Shade, Aura will drain 1)
Aura can't rise if Wisp>Shade and Dryad > 0. (If Shade>Wisp, Dryad will drain 1)
Salamander can't rise if Undine > 0. (If Undine=0, Gnome will drain 1)
Gnome can't rise if Salamander > 0. (If Salamander=0, Jinn will drain 1)
Jinn can't rise if Gnome > 0. (If Gnome=0, Undine will drain 1)
Undine can't rise if Jinn > 0. (If Jinn=0, Salamander will drain 1)

So basically, raise essences in this order:

Dryad & Aura
Shade
Wisp (but ensure it's not higher than Shade)
Salamander & Jinn OR Gnome & Undine
With Chaos Crystals: Gnome & Undine OR Salamander & Jinn

You also don't need much essence power on armor, either, since it doesn't help beyond the essence marker and certain Mystic Cards --- but it's nice to have them all even and look nice

something I just found out: picked up a SpiritRibbon, an AltenaFeltHat that has status def for petrify, flameburst & freeze. but adding a conchurnip adds confusion prot too! the proceed with the standard varnish for armor:
dryad
3 needle
sleepy eye
only nets a 15 total def, but it's worth it for the 4 status defenses IMHO.

Awesome dude, pretty sure you covered all the annoying ailments. If you plan on going for nightmare or no future though, I'd suggest dragonscales or Isheplatinum gear to bring it up a bit. Tropicallo is...evil..