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Account-wide leveling
Character growth in Vindictus: Defying Fate is account-based. When your account reaches level 4, all four playable characters are level 4 with the same base stat increases. You don't need to grind each character separately. Leveling one benefits all of them. XP comes from story progression, combat encounters, and boss kills.
Characters can be switched at any campsite. Since levels and Ability Points are shared across the account, swapping from Lann to Karok mid-session doesn't mean starting over at a lower power level.
Ability trees
The ability system splits into two categories:
Shared Abilities: Account-wide utility and survivability upgrades. Increased Flovian Flask capacity, higher base HP and damage, improved combat resource management. Every character benefits from these.
Exclusive Abilities: Character-specific enhancements that improve Active Skills and combat style. Each character has their own tree. Lann gets faster dodges, Fiona gets stronger counters, Karok gets more impactful Clashes, and so on.
Abilities are unlocked sequentially through branching skill trees. Once purchased, they are permanent. There is no respec. This makes every point spent a long-term strategic decision. Ability Points are stored at the account level, so points earned on one character can be spent on another's exclusive tree.
Ability Points and upgrade materials
AP comes from multiple sources: exploration chests (the primary source early on), boss kills, and story progression. Chests typically yield AP, currency, and sometimes upgrade materials. Finding all hidden AP in a region requires thorough exploration. Checking every side path, climbing every surface, and opening every chest.
Higher-tier ability nodes require specific upgrade materials beyond AP:
Skill | Effect |
|---|---|
Still Crystal of Eternity | Unlocks key mid-level Shared Ability nodes. |
Frozen Orb of Origins | Unlocks the ultimate Shared Ability node (final unlock in the shared tree). |
Burning Crystal of Eternity | Unlocks key mid-level Exclusive Ability nodes. |
Tempestuous Orb of Origins | Unlocks the ultimate Exclusive Ability node (final unlock in each character's tree). |
Weapon crafting
Weapons are crafted at the blacksmith Graham in Colhen. The system is straightforward:
Defeat bosses or complete Special Missions to obtain Blueprints.
Gather materials: Hanner (currency), Charcoal, Findium, and rarer resources from exploration.
Visit Graham and select "Craft & Enhance Weapons" to craft the weapon.
Blueprints are account-wide, once unlocked, any character meeting the requirements can use them. Weapons are class-exclusive: Lann uses twin swords, Fiona uses longsword and shield, Karok uses battle pillars, and Delia uses bastard swords.
Weapon enhancement
Weapons can be enhanced multiple times using Hanner plus materials from exploration and missions. Each enhancement increases the weapon's level, boosting attack power, critical chance, and precision stats. The progression is linear and predictable, no random failure chance, but each weapon has a maximum enhancement cap. When you hit the cap, you need to craft an entirely new weapon from a higher-tier blueprint.
An interesting detail: weapons in Defying Fate function as equippable stat upgrades rather than physical inventory items. They don't take up inventory space and are managed through the Fitting Room at the Boutique.
Inventory
The inventory divides into three categories: Combat Items (Flovian Flasks and consumables with 5 quickslots for fast access), Materials (crafting resources like Charcoal, Findium, and Crystals), and Valuables (items that exist only to be sold for Hanner). Excess consumables auto-transfer to storage when inventory fills.