Discovering High-Purity AO Crystals in Synduality: Echo of Ada

In Synduality: Echo of Ada, humanity exists only in small enclaves after a catastrophic rainfall that wiped out most of civilization. To address this, the Cradlecoffin mechs were developed to explore the surface and, most importantly, to mine AO Crystals. These crystals, which emerged post-rainfall, serve as a powerful energy source, commanding a high price on the market.

As a Drifter, your main activity will involve digging up AO crystals to boost your wealth. Although the process of extracting these crystals is straightforward, there’s more to it than meets the eye. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to mine AO crystals effectively and grow your fortune rapidly.

Understanding Excavation

During the tutorial, you’ll find that mining AO crystals is one of the first tasks you undertake, and it will likely remain a consistent part of your gameplay. There will always be AO crystals available to mine, making them the most reliable income source in the game.

The excavation process is simple. You utilize the AO Search ability with your Magus, sending out a pulse that reveals any AO crystals in your vicinity. These will be temporarily marked on your map. Upon reaching a crystal, just hold the excavation button until the crystal breaks, allowing you to collect the fragments that drop. Easy as pie!

That’s the basic approach. The system’s complexity lies in the different types of AO crystals available and the Excavators you can use. You start with a basic model that can only extract low and regular-purity crystals. To progress, you should aim to upgrade to a better Excavator capable of mining higher-quality crystals.

AO Crystal Tiers

When it comes to excavating AO crystals, you need to consider two main factors: size and purity. Size is easy to determine visually. Larger crystals yield more shards, and while the shards are heavier, they also tend to fetch higher prices.

Using AO Search, you’ll see an estimate of a crystal’s size, with smaller ones represented by a single icon on the map and larger ones indicated by either multiple smaller icons or one larger icon. Always prioritize larger crystals for better rewards.

Purity is trickier to discern from a distance. Most Magus units can only provide information on purity once the crystal is within sight. However, the brightness of the AO crystal can give clues about its purity. Dull crystals are likely of lower quality, while bright orange ones indicate higher purity.

You can also gauge a crystal’s purity by the color of the excavation icon. It fills in different shades, including white, green, or blue, which reflect the average rarity of the crystal. A white icon typically indicates low-purity crystals, whereas a blue icon suggests you’ll find at least one high-purity crystal.

Strategies for Acquiring High-Purity Crystals

While you can take a slow and steady approach, mining every crystal you encounter, this method can be time-consuming and luck-based. Instead, mine strategically. Here are some tips to make your excavation process faster and increase your wealth:

• Utilize a Weather Gazer Magus. This type can detect the purity of AO crystals from a distance and differentiate shades from faded yellow to bright orange.
• Always give preference to larger crystals. They may take only slightly longer to mine but will provide significantly higher rewards.
• Whenever possible, excavate during rain. This increases the purity of any AO crystal by an entire tier.

A Weather Gazer Magus can also track upcoming rainfall, helping you plan which crystals to mine and maximize your profits. Even better, crystals that have their purity enhanced by rain can still be extracted with Excavators that would normally handle non-boosted crystals.

By following these strategies, you should be able to accumulate a wealth of rare AO crystals in no time. Just be cautious of other players who might try to take you down before you reach the extraction point.