The topic for this edition of 'Vampir' tips is all about Relics and Resonance effects. Relics are essentially auxiliary gear that grant four stats via crafting; they are perfect for customising your loadout. You can also upgrade them, which is a prime opportunity to boost your DPS. I have broken down how to manage these items and which stats are actually worth your time.

Q. Which Relics should I be choosing?
A. Base your selection on the Resonance effect.

Fundamentally, your gear in Vampir consists of one weapon, four armour pieces, and five accessories. You pick these up through field farming or crafting, and depending on their grade, you might even register them in your collection. Beyond that, you have Relics: a Perfume, a Holy Grail, and a Fountain Pen. The first two are sold in the in-game 'Shop - Exchange - Relics' menu, while the latter is purchased via the Gehenna Point Shop. Do note that the Fountain Pen has strict per-server and weekly purchase limits, so they are not exactly overflowing in supply.

When it comes to Relics, more is always better. You have two primary goals: the first is hitting +12 enhancement. Reaching +4, +8, and +12 unlocks one Resonance effect each. There are four types of Resonance—'Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green'—and your second goal is to collect the specific colour you want. Since the outcome is entirely random, you should hoard and upgrade as many as possible to widen your pool.

When preparing Relics for Resonance, stop at +4 enhancement for a moment. Filter out those that have the 'Soul of the Dead' in your desired colour. Keep stacking that same colour using this method. To avoid losing too much combat power, make sure to keep at least one of each type in reserve. Furthermore, the combat power gained from Relics is driven more by crafting than by the enhancement level. For example, if you have a +5 uncrafted Night Holy Grail and a +3 crafted Night Holy Grail, the latter will actually grant you higher combat power.

You can stack up to nine Resonance effects, but the key is gathering the right colours. Resonance effects do nothing on their own; they only function once you meet the conditions to trigger the 'Soul of the Dead'. I will cover the specifics in the next section.

Q. Which Resonance effects do you recommend?
A. Yellow is the safe bet, while Orange tends to divide opinion.

There are four Resonance effects from Relic enhancement, categorised by colour. The Red Soul of the Dead provides critical hit rate, Orange provides cooldown reduction, Yellow provides damage amplification, and Green provides critical damage buffs. These buffs are calculated based on the total number of Resonance effects you currently possess.

The safest bet among these is damage amplification. According to the character info page, this increases all damage by a specific ratio, which is beneficial in any situation. Conversely, the Orange cooldown reduction is polarising. Currently, in Vampir, it is difficult to maintain natural MP recovery, so the general consensus is that reducing skill cooldowns is not particularly impactful if you cannot sustain the costs. The two options vary significantly in terms of efficiency and versatility.

The Red and Green effects boost critical hit rate and critical damage. These are typically sought after by players who have already built up enough stats to support such a setup. Keep in mind that the number of Resonance effects required to activate them differs. The Red Soul of the Dead requires a minimum of six, while Green requires three. Theoretically, a 6+3 custom setup is possible.

The Yellow and Green combination is a build aimed at maximising damage, and it is easier to set up because it only requires three Resonance effects to function. With three +8 Relics, you can obtain a 4% all-damage amplification and 12% critical damage boost. It is a solid choice to finish your build with these conditions and then slowly swap out options as you collect more Relics.

Q. What should I do with Relics that didn't roll the desired Resonance effect?
A. Dismantle them to help craft a Relic Box.

I have covered the basics of managing Vampir Relics and Resonance effects. However, as you enhance these, you will likely end up with unwanted Resonance effects or surplus items. I recommend dismantling these. Dismantling a Relic yields 'Remnants' of the same type. Once you collect 200 of these, you can craft an 'Enhanced Relic Box' in the 'Crafting - Consumables' menu.

Opening an Enhanced Relic Box grants a Relic enhanced between +3 and +8. These are guaranteed to be beyond 'safe enhancement' levels, and there is a 55.8827% chance to obtain a Relic with a Resonance effect. With a bit of luck, you can reach a Relic with two Resonance effects much more easily. Best of luck in getting the items you need.