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In Synduality: Echo of Ada, you start off as a member of the Drifter’s Support Association, a group dedicated to assisting freelance drifters in collecting AO crystals and generally making their lives more manageable on the surface. However, not everyone plays fair, and the Association won’t tolerate dishonesty for long.
The player-versus-player aspect in Synduality can be harsh for those in the Association. Fortunately, players who break the rules are quickly dealt with. If you want to stay in the Association’s good books, steer clear of the Black Market. But if you’re intrigued by it, be aware that it can be quite pricey.
How to Join the Black Market
The Black Market serves as the direct opposite of the Association. While the Association focuses on player-versus-environment gameplay, the Black Market caters more to those who prefer player-versus-player action. This means that you must choose one; you can’t belong to both at the same time.
There are two ways to enter the Black Market, both of which involve making the Association unhappy. The first method is to defeat other players. If you take down two or three players, you’ll be expelled from the Association once you return from your latest mission. However, since PvP can be unpredictable, and some players are just better prepared, you may find it tough to get those kills.
Your second option is to pay your way out. Money talks in this game, and the Association will make sure you know the cost of leaving them. It costs 150,000 credits to exit voluntarily, a significant amount if you’ve played for any length of time. However, this choice will still result in your expulsion, just as if you had eliminated other players.
Even during co-op missions, you can accidentally kill other players. If this happens and you’re marked as a Cautionary Association Member, just complete a few missions without attacking anyone to eventually regain your regular membership.
Once you join the Black Market, you’ll also receive a bounty. If you paid to leave the Association, your bounty will be 10,000 credits. If you killed your way in, your bounty will be based on your actions, and it will likely be much higher than 10,000.
Pros and Cons of the Black Market
Even though the name sounds ominous and leaving the Association may feel drastic, not much will change for you. Most features remain the same. You will still have access to your base, can craft all the same items, and utilize all available facilities. At first glance, the main difference seems to be that you now have a bounty on your head. However, there are some less obvious changes.
Firstly, other players can kill you without facing any penalties, which means they can collect the bounty on you if they succeed. They will also get notified when you enter an area (though not where you are unless they scan you), making it easier for them to avoid you. It’s tough, but that’s the risk you take when you engage in PvP.
You will also need to take on missions from new factions within the Black Market. These missions are similar to what you would complete in the Association but focus more on ballistic weapons and dealing with bandits instead of Enders and energy weapons. Many rewards will match what you had before, but the gear will now be combat-focused and ballistic-themed.
Since you unlock single-player CIC missions through these new tasks, you will lose access to them when you switch to the Black Market until you complete enough missions to regain that access.
The most significant change comes from the Item Shop. Items gained from completing missions are removed upon joining. This means you’ll no longer be able to purchase any energy weapons or Cradle parts you previously had access to. If you decide to leave the Black Market and go back to the Association, those items will return to the shop, but the Black Market options will not. So, be sure to purchase anything you want before making the switch.
After joining the Black Market, you can only operate in the Southern Zone until you complete enough missions to unlock access to the Northern Zone. This is likely intended to keep you away from beginner players and surrounded by more experienced competitors.
How to Rejoin the Association
If you start feeling overwhelmed by the constant danger, you have the option to rejoin the Association, though there is a cost involved. Unlike the fixed fee to leave, this amount varies. You must first clear your bounty with them before you can be readmitted.
That’s all it takes for your past misdeeds to be wiped clean. You’ll be welcomed back as a full member of the Association rather than a Cautionary member. As always, your money holds more weight than your choices. Plus, you will retain your ballistic weapons upon rejoining. Just be careful not to get killed while carrying them, as you will not be able to buy any new ones unless you craft them or join the Black Market again.
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