Everything about improvements

Improving an artifact comes down to investing emotion: as complexity increases, new properties are unlocked and basic characteristics become stronger. To understand the mechanics, let's start with the basic terms.

Basic terms

• **Quality **— the main rank of an artifact: Poor → Common → Uncommon → Rare → Higher.
• Complexity — the “emotional charge” of an item. It grows with each improvement and increases the price of the next actions.
• Basic stats — initial parameters set by the artifact itself. They can be upgraded upon reaching Common quality.
• Additional stats — available parameters after reaching Common, Uncommon and Rare quality (up to 3 in total). These parameters can be changed.

Quality and complexity

An artifact becomes stronger once emotions are invested in it: every flash of passion or shadow of anxiety becomes a link that makes the item stronger.

Basic stats

• Available for improvement with Low quality only.
• Before reaching Normal quality, **exactly 4 points **can be distributed.

Distribution example (artifact with base stats: Health, Energy):

• Option A: all 4 points for Health.
• Option B: 2/2 for Health and Energy.
• Option C: 3/1 — build hybrid.

Quality multiplicators:

• Common ×1.25, Uncommon ×1.5, Rare ×1.75, Higher ×2.0.

If the basic value was 10, it will be 20 at the Higher.

Additional stats

They appear :

• +1 stat with Common,
• +1 with Uncommon,
• +1 with Rare.

That's a total of up to three additional stats for an artifact when it reaches Rare quality.

Improving:

• The increase is not fixed; the result depends largely on luck and the current complexity level.
• The higher current complexity, the lower the increase from the same energy portion (diminishing returns effect).

Practical advice: if you had no luck earlier and the complexity has already increased, consider leveling up a new artifact — further complexity will require more emotion, and investments will be ineffective.

Changing a stat:

• You can replace the additional stat with one of the three suggested ones.
• Old stat **progress **will be reset.
• You need emotions, the complexity grows (as for each operation).

Step-by-step improvement process

1. Start**:** artifact with Low quality.
2. Distribute 4 points for basic stats.
3. Bring the complexity to 5 → get Common quality and first additional stat.
4. Work with the additional stat: provide energy, monitor output.
5. At complexity 10 the **second additional stat **will be opened; at 20 — the third.
6. Decided to replace the additional stat → choose from the 3 options.
7. Get to complexity 40 for unblocking Higher quality and get ×2 of basic stats.
8. Keep an eye on its durability, and if necessary, infuse it with energy to make it last longer, but it is crucial to find the right balance.

“Energy is like water in a bucket: every step up the ladder spills it over the edge. And the fuller the bucket and the steeper the climb, the greater the loss — and the harder it is to replenish it with a new portion above.”

Notes from the experienced witch's diary

• Level for the role — if the artifact is for surviving, choose health, magical, and physical armor. For damage, do the opposite.
• Monitor the upgrading success — don't be afraid to switch to a new artifact if the early stages are unsuccessful; this is often more rational than upgrading an unsuccessful one.
• Additional stats changing — plan it in advance. Please understand that changing an additional stats means losing all of its progress and increasing complexity.