Gift Grinding Questions

[Auffie]

So I'm several hours in now and the only Gifts I've unlocked by killing enemies are the ones for the three base bloodcodes. No matter how much stuff I kill, or where I go to kill said stuff, I never see any progress.

I've already checked out several guides and discussions, so I know your level can keep you from getting "gift xp" if it's too high, but my character is legit level 3 and I'm already past three story bosses... What am I missing here? I'm using the codes I want to unlock gifts from, unless those two levels are just THAT BIG a difference, shouldn't I be getting xp for the ones in that code?

Just in case any of this is related, I'm playing offline for my first playthrough to experience the story at my own pace, since this seems to be a pretty souls-like game and I'd rather not deal with any hyper-optimized noob hazers. I've been rotating partners out to see what they can do, so if it's based on how long you keep each one with you, that'd explain alot (although it looks like a bunch of the codes are from already dead characters you'll never have as partners so I don't think it's tied to original code owners outright).

Any info/guides that have it would be much appreciated!

[Admod, the Equivocal]

In order to unlock gifts you need to switch to them and kill enemies until they're mastered. Then you can switch bloodcode to another set to unlock and master other gifts. As for bloodcodes, I got them from the allies by talking to them in base. It might have something to do with unlocked their vestiges if they give you their bloodcode or not? I'm not sure.

[Blazing]

Idk what's going wrong for you without any visuals. But...

There's no reason to play offline as there's no PvP. Any co-op would need to be instigated by either searching or sending a signal.

You're level three and passed 3 main bosses? That's kinda low. Don't think that's the reason, however.

Some things to note: Co-op AI partners do not make a difference, I leveled all my skills without using any AI partner at all. The thing you need to do to master a skill, besides not being overleveled for a specific zone, is to BUY the skill and equip it in an usable slot. You can also buy the skill, and then use an item to master the skill instead. To be able to buy a skill, you also often need to collect vestiges and watch their cutscenes.

Either you're missing one of the essential steps, or there must be some bug that I've never heard of.

[Auffie]

Originally posted by Blazing:

Idk what's going wrong for you without any visuals. But...

There's no reason to play offline as there's no PvP. Any co-op would need to be instigated by either searching or sending a signal.

You're level three and passed 3 main bosses? That's kinda low. Don't think that's the reason, however.

Some things to note: Co-op AI partners do not make a difference, I leveled all my skills without using any AI partner at all. The thing you need to do to master a skill, besides not being overleveled for a specific zone, is to BUY the skill and equip it in an usable slot. You can also buy the skill, and then use an item to master the skill instead. To be able to buy a skill, you also often need to collect vestiges and watch their cutscenes.

Either you're missing one of the essential steps, or there must be some bug that I've never heard of.

Ahhh, so I have to manually EQUIP the skill lol. I was under the impression as long as you'd unlocked it for use in the BC, then used said BC, you were golden.

Ty kindly mate!

[Xengre]

Yup, after you equip it you will level until mastered. Almost every gift in the game once mastered can be used with any code bar a very small specific set that have an * indicating they're locked to that code such as one of Yakumo's passives surviving fatal damage.

If you ever do over level you can use awake to forcibly max the exp and master it but staying low level is definitely faster. Being low level wont make you gain gift exp faster, inherently, based on my level 1 run through the game. However, being extremely low level lets you benefit in a few efficient farms.

1. There is a depth map (2nd one, Den of Darkness) that has a set invasion spot you can run to fast from mistle. Invasions offer the fastest gift exp in the game, by far. This is obviously an insanely low level map. This map and invasion spot is also the best farm for "old world materials" which is used to trade to the gift vendor where you fought the first/tutorial boss in the game that went crazy (his gift stock updates as you do his quests, too). These gifts are then traded to your ally NPCs for their rewards (iirc Yakumo has a particularly good material for weapon transforms). When you run there activate all your buffs and then the invasion. You can kill them as they spawn before they're even visible. Run it a few times and you will learn roughly where they spawn and easily kill them so fast you could end it in like 2-5 seconds even, esp with good AoEs. Personally, I'd ignore the one behind the box further away. Then use the gift that teleports you to mistle and repeat.

2. This one doesn't require low level, just not being over leveled for this later depth boss. There is a boss with the Knight Reborn boss (that is the one from the flash back memory giving you the super sayian code, and if you dk what I'm talking about you will know which code is super sayian when you get it lol believe me). There is a 1-shot build that works even at level 1 for this boss for sake of farming and depth bosses respawn. Boss is next to mistle practically, too. That boss drops the highest end awake material for unlocking skills that take more exp to master plus is an extremely good haze farm which you can use on those gifts or shop items to buy everything in bulk, and eventually levels if you want. It gives not only 2x that awake material but 2x the best weapon upgrade material, too. Yup, great farm. You can level faster to level or medium gifts while using those particular awakes and the insane haze requirements on the more expensive ones killing a ton of birds, so to say, at once.

Game is very viable at level 1, even solo, and even more so with Yakumo/Io partners (the others suck from my testing).

If you feel a bit weaker early on the passives you start to find are going to make a huge difference like swift destruction, one handed sword mastery, etc. Also using 1-6 buffs (yup, that many) is a well known thing in this game. It can be the difference of doing 400 dmg at level 1 and 10,000 damage. Personally, if you do stay low level I recommend the sunset sword which is found very early near start of game from some specific weak mobs and you might even have it. Okay dmg and fast enough.