Revision 2

Overview

In Neverness to Everness, weapons are called Arcs. Each playable character wields a specific type of weapon that is tied to their identity and fighting style. Unlike games where any character can equip any weapon type, NTE locks each character to their designated Arc category through a compatibility system. This means that choosing which Arcs to invest in is directly tied to which characters you are building.

Arcs come in three rarity tiers: S-Rank, A-Rank, and B-Rank. Higher-rarity Arcs provide stronger base stats and more powerful passive abilities, but even lower-rarity options are functional for most content when properly enhanced. The Arc system interacts closely with the gacha system, since S-Rank Arcs are among the premium drops from the Scarborough Fair banners.

Arc Types

Arcs are organized into five broad categories. Each category represents a combat philosophy rather than a specific weapon shape, so two characters in the same category might wield very different-looking weapons.

Each character has a specific Arc Compatibility tag in their profile. This tag tells you which Arc category they can equip. A character tagged as Solid can only use Solid Arcs, and so on.

Arc Ranks

S-Rank Arcs are the rarest and most powerful weapons in the game. They can be obtained through the Scarborough Fair gacha or by spending 25 Tri-Keys in the exchange shop. S-Rank Arcs typically come with a unique passive ability that can fundamentally change how a character plays, making them significant upgrades over lower-tier options.

A-Rank Arcs are strong and more commonly acquired. They drop more frequently from gacha pulls and can also be obtained from in-game events and reward tracks. While they lack the flashy passives of S-Rank weapons, their solid base stats make them reliable choices, especially for characters whose S-Rank Arc has not yet been pulled.

B-Rank Arcs are common drops that serve primarily as enhancement material. In the early game, B-Rank weapons are perfectly functional for clearing story content, but they fall off in effectiveness once you reach endgame challenges.

Notable S-Rank Arcs

Several S-Rank Arcs have been showcased in promotional materials and during the Co-Ex Test. The following table lists confirmed S-Rank Arc names.

Arc Class and Rarity Distribution

The three Arc rarity tiers are frequently referred to as S-Class, A-Class, and B-Class in player communities and community tier lists, mirroring the Esper Ranks used for the characters themselves. The class labels are interchangeable with S-Rank, A-Rank, and B-Rank in the in-game UI; newer community resources favor the Class naming to keep weapon rarity and character rarity on the same scale.

Every playable Esper has a signature S-Class Arc that is built around their kit. Pulling an Esper on their limited banner typically comes with an elevated chance to also pull that Esper's signature Arc, which is the highest ceiling build for that character. A-Class Arcs cover fallback options that are strong without needing limited banner luck, while B-Class Arcs serve as the early game baseline and a steady source of enhancement fuel.

Rarity Summary

Signature Arcs by Character

Each launch Esper is built around a signature Arc that shapes their fighting style. The table below lists confirmed signature weapons for the playable roster as of the game's launch on April 29, 2026. These Arcs are tuned to complement their owner's element and combat kit; equipping them on another character is not possible because of the Arc Compatibility system that locks weapon types to character types.

Beyond the signature S-Class roster, the Hethereau Residents Guide event offers a free A-Class Arc called "The Forgotten" as a reward for completing the full Residents Guide. The Forgotten is handed out to all players who finish the event and functions as a strong permanent A-Class option that does not require banner pulls.

Arc Progression and Enhancement

Arcs grow in power through the Equipment Enhancement system, the same framework that governs other gear upgrades in Neverness to Everness. Leveling an Arc consumes enhancement materials and lower-rarity Arcs as fodder. Each level raises the Arc's base ATK and scales its secondary stat (such as CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, or ATK%), and its unique passive effects become stronger at breakpoint levels.

Enhancement follows a tier-gated structure. Arcs have several refinement breakpoints that unlock at specific levels, and progressing past each breakpoint requires rarer materials. Because B-Class and A-Class Arcs drop far more frequently, they are the primary fuel for these upgrades. Pulling duplicate B-Class Arcs during S-Class banners is normal and expected; those duplicates are not wasted because they feed directly into the enhancement pipeline for the pieces that actually matter for end-game teams.

Enhancement Stat Scaling

The stat column on the existing Character Weapon Examples table shows the secondary stat that each listed Arc rolls with. The percentage value is the stat at maximum enhancement and assumes all breakpoints have been unlocked. Players planning their material budgets can use these final values to estimate how much each Arc will improve a given character, and to compare weapons within the same rarity tier at a glance.

Priority Order

• Signature S-Class Arc for your current main DPS. This is the single highest-value investment because the signature passive often defines the character's ceiling.

• A-Class Arcs filling roster gaps. Any character without a signature S-Class benefits from a maxed A-Class Arc that rolls the right secondary stat for their role.

• Support Arcs. Buffers, shielders, and healers typically need less damage scaling, so supports are usually fine running mid-level Arcs until the main damage dealers are fully built.

• Second main DPS. After the primary team is complete, the second damage dealer in your rotation takes the remaining enhancement budget.

Arc Awakening

On top of standard enhancement, Arcs also interact with the broader Awakening System that governs long-term character power progression. Awakening unlocks additional passive effects and stat bonuses as players pull duplicates of an Arc or invest long-term materials, similar in spirit to the imprint and refinement systems used by other action RPGs in the same genre.

The first Awakening activation usually unlocks the Arc's core passive, while later stages layer on conditional buffs, increased scaling on specific attack types, or energy refunds that improve rotation economy. Because signature Arcs are designed around their owner's kit, higher Awakening stages tend to amplify the character's defining gimmick rather than introducing new mechanics. For example, an Arc's Awakening might extend the duration of a specific buff, reduce the cost of a signature skill, or increase the damage bonus applied during a character's unique stance.

Awakening is not strictly required to clear core content. A fully enhanced S-Class Arc at base Awakening still provides the headline passive and strong base stats. Higher Awakening stages are primarily relevant for leaderboard runs, tower-style end-game modes, and content that pushes against damage-per-second checks.

Drive Blocks and Modules

Arcs do not exist in isolation. They work in tandem with two other equipment systems that together form a character's complete loadout: Disks and Drive Blocks, which provide substat-focused gear similar to artifact sets, and Modules and Consoles, which layer build-defining passive effects on top of the basic stat package.

Drive Blocks are the primary source of CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, and element-specific damage bonuses that convert an Arc's raw ATK into final damage output. A strong Arc on a character with weak Drive Blocks will still underperform because the damage formula scales heavily with the multiplicative stats that Drive Blocks provide. Conversely, great Drive Blocks on a low-rarity Arc can outperform a signature Arc on bare gear, especially before end-game enhancement materials are available.

Modules determine which combat interactions the character can leverage. Some Modules buff Parry counter-damage, others strengthen Stagger contribution during break windows, and a handful offer Nullification bonuses that reward defensive play. Module choice is typically the last piece of a build because it locks in a specific playstyle around the character and their Arc.

How the Three Systems Interact

Character Weapon Examples

Every character in NTE has a signature weapon design that reflects their personality and lore. The table below provides examples of character-weapon pairings.

Tips

• Match Arc types to character compatibility. Always check a character's Arc Compatibility tag before investing resources into a weapon. Equipping the wrong type is not possible, so this is mostly relevant when deciding which gacha banners to pull on.

• Evaluate S-Rank vs. A-Rank carefully. An S-Rank Arc's passive ability can be transformative, but a well-enhanced A-Rank Arc often performs adequately. If you are resource-constrained, it may be better to enhance the A-Rank you have than to wait indefinitely for an S-Rank drop.

• Use B-Rank Arcs as fodder. Once you have A-Rank replacements, B-Rank Arcs are best consumed as enhancement material rather than kept in your inventory.

• Check the Tri-Key exchange. If you have accumulated 25 Tri-Keys, you can guarantee a specific S-Rank Arc from the exchange shop. This is a reliable way to pick up a weapon that perfectly fits your main DPS.

For more on how weapons interact with character rarity, see Esper Ranks.