Ash Echoes Nexus Guide, Best Traces, Engravings & Walkthrough

In the world of Ash Echoes, one of the most crucial aspects of progression is mastering the Nexus system, particularly through Engravings and Memory Traces. These two systems are integral to your character’s growth and ability to tackle more difficult encounters. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned player, navigating these systems can seem overwhelming at first. In this guide, we’ll break down the essentials, including how to manage your Traces and Engravings effectively, as well as provide a detailed walkthrough to help you reach the top ranks.

Understanding Memory Traces & Engravings

Before we dive into the specifics, it’s essential to understand how Memory Traces and Engravings work together to enhance your character. Memory Traces are tied to your hero’s stats and progression, while Engravings allow you to further specialize and optimize your build. Both systems come into play when preparing for the more challenging content in Ash Echoes.

1. Memory Traces

Memory Traces function as a way to permanently upgrade your character’s core abilities. As you progress through levels, you’ll unlock nodes that boost various stats like attack, defense, vitality, and mastery. These upgrades not only enhance your character’s raw power but also provide additional bonuses that affect gameplay.

When focusing on Memory Traces, your main objective should be to level up the traces that grant the highest overall stat boosts. However, don’t overlook those abilities that add specialized effects, like increased summon damage or mental load reductions, as they can dramatically impact your strategy, especially in deeper runs.

2. Engravings

Engravings are perhaps the most advanced customization option in Ash Echoes. These upgrades allow you to further specialize your character’s abilities, unlocking potential for better damage, survivability, and utility. When working with Engravings, it’s important to focus on key abilities that work well with your character’s main skills and stats.

Engravings require strategic planning. If you’re using a summoner build, for example, prioritizing abilities that enhance summon damage or grant extra summon-related effects can make a significant difference in battle. Engravings, unlike Memory Traces, require active decisions and planning as you cannot simply max out every engraving – you need to pick the most impactful ones based on your playstyle.

Ash Echoes Nexus Guide – All You Need to Know

1. Progressing Through Depths:

As you begin your journey through the Nexus, you’ll encounter different depths, each offering a set of rewards and challenges. As a general strategy, aim to skip battles once you reach depth 12, as this is the optimal point for farming rewards. You’ll be able to bypass many of the random encounters and focus on the more crucial upgrades.

2. Choosing the Right Upgrades:

In each run, you’ll be presented with different upgrade options. Early on, prioritize Skill Points and Mastery upgrades to improve your overall damage and utility. You’ll need to keep an eye on your mental load, as an excessive mental load will begin to reduce your effectiveness in battle. Make sure to reduce mental load as soon as possible by selecting relevant upgrades.

• Attack and Mastery: Focus on boosting your attack and mastery stats as early as possible. These will have the largest impact on your damage output.
• Skill Points: Don’t neglect skill points, especially when you’re trying to unlock or upgrade important abilities.
• Mental Load Reduction: Always prioritize reducing mental load if you’re accumulating it rapidly. High mental load can significantly hurt your performance, so managing this resource is crucial.

3. Engravings Strategy:

As you gain access to Engravings, prioritize Inspire Stacks and any effects that boost summon damage or damage output based on your build. These Engravings will allow you to increase your overall damage and survivability while focusing on the key aspects of your playstyle. For example, if you’re running a physical damage team, an engraving that boosts physical damage or grants health restoration will be incredibly helpful.

Additionally, pay attention to Terminal Stats and Vitality upgrades. If you’re finding that your team is a bit too fragile, investing in Vitality can help provide that extra bit of survivability.

4. Mastering Boss Fights:

One of the most important aspects of the Nexus is the final boss battles. These encounters can become difficult as you go deeper into the system. Here’s the basic strategy to tackle these battles:

• Stay Out of the Red Zones: Many bosses will have attacks that can wipe your team if you stand in specific areas. Always stay on the outskirts and move to avoid these attacks.
• Use Buffs and Summons Wisely: Don’t be afraid to use your team’s buffs to maximize your damage output. Summons and drones can also be crucial to distract enemies and give you breathing room.
• Manage Mental Load: As your mental load increases, your stats will decrease, making it harder to perform well. It’s crucial to reduce your mental load when possible to ensure you can maximize your effectiveness in these fights.

5. Optimizing Your Build:

When you reach the end of your run, it’s important to configure your final skill build. While the automatic recommendation system provides a suggested configuration, it’s usually better to adjust it manually. Review the available Engravings and Memory Traces, and prioritize those that give you the most beneficial boosts for your team composition.

In Ash Echoes, understanding and optimizing Memory Traces and Engravings is essential to pushing through the toughest content. By focusing on the right upgrades, managing your mental load, and crafting a team that plays to your strengths, you’ll be able to climb the depths of the Nexus with ease.

Remember, Ash Echoes is all about experimentation and adaptability. Don’t be afraid to change up your build if something isn’t working, and always aim to keep your team as balanced and well-equipped as possible. With this guide in hand, you’re now ready to take on the game’s toughest challenges and become a true master of the Nexus!