Duplicate shards?

[Riger82]

Is there any point to them? I've been killing this ghost for the last half hour in the boat and can't get the shard from it. But I've gotten 5 from the Dullahammer just outside that I keep killing while farming.

[Kashra Fall]

Shards have 2 types of levels. Rank and grade and both do seperate things. Sadly, the game does not inform you what grade does, but if you pay attention when you get multiple shards, you will see it. The dullahammer heads for instance get stronger by enhancing them. If you get multiple shards, you get more, up to 5 heads. Grade stops at 9.

[soiberi1]

Originally posted by Kashra Fall:

Shards have 2 types of levels. Rank and grade and both do seperate things. Sadly, the game does not inform you what grade does, but if you pay attention when you get multiple shards, you will see it. The dullahammer heads for instance get stronger by enhancing them. If you get multiple shards, you get more, up to 5 heads. Grade stops at 9.

How to increase rank and grade? increase rank add additional effect, or strength the skill. what about grade

[Riger82]

So will it be a vendor I find later? Because I don't see any options atm.

[Kashra Fall]

Originally posted by Amicia:

Originally posted by Kashra Fall:

Shards have 2 types of levels. Rank and grade and both do seperate things. Sadly, the game does not inform you what grade does, but if you pay attention when you get multiple shards, you will see it. The dullahammer heads for instance get stronger by enhancing them. If you get multiple shards, you get more, up to 5 heads. Grade stops at 9.

How to increase rank and grade? increase rank add additional effect, or strength the skill. what about grade

Grade is raised by 1 for every duplicate you have. So if you have 9 shards, your grade is 9. Rank is raised at the alchemist (Which you likely haven't gotten to yet. He's in town.) for materials.

[Riger82]

So just grind till I get 9 of them for full grade? Because I found a lovely spot to do so right near a save point once you use the cannon to make a shortcut.

[Kashra Fall]

Originally posted by Riger:

So just grind till I get 9 of them for full grade? Because I found a lovely spot to do so right near a save point once you use the cannon to make a shortcut.

If you want a max grade shard, then yeah. If not, then no =P.

Note, you still have to level it with enhancing, but the grade is different entirely.

[Lyneralia]

Originally posted by Kashra Fall:

Sadly, the game does not inform you what grade does,

it is actually mentioned in the first dialogue with the church lady, but it's very brief. she says that "gathering multiple of the same shard will increase it's power, but that has a limit" or something very close to that at least.

[Dakiaris]

Here's all you need to know
Grade = number of shards usually effects the effect of the shard
Rank = Bought upgrade for the shards adds a 2nd effect.

Side note
Passive shards when you hit Rank 9 give you a permanent passive effect you can turn on or off and if you equip the shard while the effect is on doubles the effect. When you do rank/grade 9 it is very VERY powerful later on.

Take the increase luck passive it gives +10 luck and increases your chance to crit by roughly 10% at Grade and rank 9... If you equip the shard as well you get +20% to both instead of the +10%.

As far as active abilities go Grade = damage in most cases while Rank adds a effect or reduces cost. Also for Familiars if you wanna see something op farm the Dullahammer heads till you get Grade 9...... Trust me it's op regardless of difficulty it's the only familiar that seeks its target and summons up to 5.

[Kashra Fall]

Originally posted by Dave~:

Originally posted by Kashra Fall:

Sadly, the game does not inform you what grade does,

it is actually mentioned in the first dialogue with the church lady, but it's very brief. she says that "gathering multiple of the same shard will increase it's power, but that has a limit" or something very close to that at least.

Yes, which is a vague answer at best. Some shards increase the power, some increase efficiency or make more numbers, like the dullahammer head. It doesn't get stronger via shards, just makes it have more produced =P.

With Rank you can actually see what it does. Grade is guessing.

[Doresh]

Grade = increases raw power (more damage / higher stat bonus / more bonus damage to a weapon category)
Rank = increases versatility/utility (more projectiles / stat bonus applied to more stats / higher attack rate with weapon category)

[Iorveth]

Originally posted by Kashra Fall:

Shards have 2 types of levels. Rank and grade and both do seperate things. Sadly, the game does not inform you what grade does, but if you pay attention when you get multiple shards, you will see it. The dullahammer heads for instance get stronger by enhancing them. If you get multiple shards, you get more, up to 5 heads. Grade stops at 9.

I beg to differ, just open the Conpendium and there is a section about Shard's grade&rank...

[Riger82]

Originally posted by Doresh:

Grade = increases raw power (more damage / higher stat bonus / more bonus damage to a weapon category)
Rank = increases versatility/utility (more projectiles / stat bonus applied to more stats / higher attack rate with weapon category)

Grade doesn't always increase power.
Drain, for instance. Rank increases the power. Grade...does little to nothing. I saw the same 1 in 20 hits activate at g1 as I do at g9.
Accelerator. BOTH grade and rank do the same thing. They make it faster. The damage from the aura is the same at g9 as it is at g1.
Money is Power. g1 gave me 5 to all the stats when I had enough gold. g9 still gave me 5 to all the stats when I had the same amount of gold.

Some shards really do get nothing from grade increases.
Dullahead was really weird. Even number grades did literally nothing. The heads didn't get any kind of damage boost from even numbers. Only the odd number grades increased the number of heads, but not their damage. Rank did that.
Not actually sure if grade does anything for the pets. The fairy did the same 20-40 damage with her crummy little attack at g1/r1 as she currently does at g9/r9. Grade may just let her use more items to heal you. Or maybe rank. Who knows.

[Kashra Fall]

Originally posted by Emrys:

Originally posted by Kashra Fall:

Shards have 2 types of levels. Rank and grade and both do seperate things. Sadly, the game does not inform you what grade does, but if you pay attention when you get multiple shards, you will see it. The dullahammer heads for instance get stronger by enhancing them. If you get multiple shards, you get more, up to 5 heads. Grade stops at 9.

I beg to differ, just open the Conpendium and there is a section about Shard's grade&rank...

Yes, which was updated in my newest post replying to the person saying "Dominque mentions it makes them more powerful" It however does not mention what that power does, as it changes from shard, to shard. I figured it out overtime, but the game does not give a detailed description of any of this and it is up to the player to figure out the majority. Either way, not a big deal. I was quite pleased when I got three shards to see another dulla head pop out =P.

[Sinsear]

What's funny is the game lore/story tells you if you have too many shards its bad for your health which may cause some people to not max out on shards if they were reading the flavor texts.

[Riger82]

Originally posted by Sinsear:

What's funny is the game lore/story tells you if you have too many shards its bad for your health which may cause some people to not max out on shards if they were reading the flavor texts.

And then it doesn't actually seem to matter at all. Especially with the 'revelation' at the end about your character.
Side note... How do you do the black mouse over boxes for spoilers?