In this comprehensive guide, we will delve deep into the intricate world of Echo Systems, offering detailed insights, strategies, and tips to optimize your gameplay experience. From understanding the basics of Echoes to mastering tuning and upgrading, this guide will equip you with the knowledge needed to excel in Wuthering Waves
Understanding Echoes System
What are Echoes?
Echoes serve as equipment that can be equipped onto your characters, bestowing them with a diverse array of stat boosts. Each Echo possesses a unique ability, ranging from straightforward damage dealing to team buffs, thereby significantly impacting your strategic choices in battles.
In Wuthering Waves, the Echo system bears a resemblance to Genshin Impact’s Artifact system but with distinct differences. Each character has five slots for Echoes, and every set provides two effects: the first effect activates with two pieces, while the second requires all five pieces from the same set.
A key point to remember is that each Echo must be unique. If you equip the same Echo more than once, you won’t unlock the five-piece effect. However, the “Shiny” version of an Echo is considered different and can be used to complete your set.
The first Echo slot is special as it allows your character to use the Echo’s unique skill. As of version 1.0, there is a feature to recycle Echoes. You can convert five Echoes into two random new ones, irrespective of their rarity. This recycling feature adds a layer of strategy to managing your Echoes.
Cost System Explained
In Wuthering Waves, managing your Cost system is crucial for optimizing your gameplay. Each character begins with an 8-cost capacity, which gradually increases to 12 as you upgrade your terminal. Specifically, it rises to 10 at level 2 and reaches 12 at level 9.
You can equip Cost 1, 3, or 4 Echoes in your first slot as your Echo skill without impacting your set’s overall effect. Cost 4 Echoes are from World Bosses, providing essential materials for character ascension. These can be farmed frequently. Cost 3 Echoes come from medium enemies known for their Vibration Strength (Stagger), which are available in limited numbers each day. It’s best to farm these daily, especially in co-op modes. Cost 1 Echoes are from small enemies scattered across the map, making them the easiest to gather.
A key strategy is to balance your Echoes properly, as you can’t stack more than two bosses in a set. Here are some recommended setups:
- Early game: 4, 1, 1, 1, 1
- Mid-game: 4, 3, 1, 1, 1
- Endgame: 4, 3, 3, 1, 1
Remember, rarity significantly influences base stats and substats, making it an important factor in your Echo management.
Echo Classes, Rarities, and Stats in Wuthering Waves
Echoes in Wuthering Waves are categorized into four distinct classes, each with its own cost. These classes not only differ in cost but also their potential stats. Every Echo comes with a Primary stat that is randomly selected, a main Secondary stat, and can include up to five additional sub-stats.
In Wuthering Waves, every echo possesses two primary attributes: RNG and predetermined. The first attribute, RNG, varies based on the echo’s cost and can result in different affixes. However, the second attribute remains constant for each echo.
Echoes of 4 primarily feature ATK and may yield affixes such as Crit Rate, Crit Damage, or bonuses to ATK, DEF, or HP Healing. On the other hand, echoes with a cost of 3 offer a lower amount of ATK but can grant Elemental Bonus Damage, along with affixes for ATK, DEF, HP, or Energy Regeneration.
Meanwhile, echoes with a cost of 1 prioritize HP and can yield affixes related to ATK, DEF, or HP. This system streamlines the grinding process, with each cost influencing the ease of acquiring certain attributes. As new sets and monsters emerge, this dynamic may shift, altering the grind for players.
All Echoes have primary and secondary main stats. Thankfully, there is no RnG involved in the secondary main stat. It is fixed to ATK on Boss and Elites, while Common has HP.
List of main stats
- Common Class – ATK%, DEF%, HP%
- Elites = ATK%, DEF%, HP%, Energy Regen%, Elemental Damage Boost
- Bosses = ATK%, DEF%, HP%, Crit Rate%, Crit DMG%, Healing Bonus%
Aside from the main stats, each Echo boasts up to 5 sub-stats determined by its rarity, ranging from 2 to 5 stars. Higher rarity echoes come with increased maximum levels and more sub-stats.
| Color | Max Level | Number of Sub-Stats |
| Green | 10 | 0 |
| Blue | 15 | 3 |
| Purple | 20 | 4 |
| Gold | 25 | 5 |
Sub-stats are pivotal in bolstering your Resonator’s prowess. Every 5 levels, a sub-stat rolls, contributing to your Echo’s overall power. What makes sub-stats in Wuthering Waves fascinating is the possibility of having the same sub-stat as the main stat. This versatility enhances customization and strategic gameplay.
Here’s a rundown of all the potential sub-stats:
List of sub-stats
- Flat ATK
- Flat HP
- Flat DEF
- ATK%
- HP%
- DEF%
- Energy Regen%
- Crit Rate%
- Crit DMG%
- Basic Attack DMG Bonus%
- Heavy Attack DMG Bonus%
- Resonance Skill DMG Bonus%
- Resonance Liberation DMG Bonus
Set Bonuses/Sonata Effects
Let’s delve into Sonata Effects. These perks are like special rewards for assembling Echoes from the same set, akin to gathering artifacts in Genshin Impact or memory sets in Punishing Gray Raven. By outfitting your Resonator with multiple Echoes from a single set, you unlock extra boosts to their stats, complementing their abilities.
How many Sonata sets exist? Presently, there are nine distinct sets, each tailored to different aspects such as elemental enhancement, healing, offence, and energy restoration. While this variety offers some customization, it often leads to prioritizing sets based on your Resonator’s role, like focusing on elemental enhancements for attackers and more versatile sets for support roles.
So, how do you obtain Sonata Effects? Well, it’s a bit of luck. Every Echo has a chance to belong to one of these sets, with drops varying even from the same enemy encounter. While regular foes might yield different Sonata effects, bosses of the mighty “Overlord” class always drop a set.
And what’s the payoff for collecting these sets? The more Echoes you gather from the same set, the stronger the bonus. Pairing two Echoes from a set grants a modest boost, while assembling a full set of five Echoes unlocks a potent bonus, empowering your Resonator with enhanced abilities and strategic advantages.
Mastering Tuning and Upgrading
Let’s talk about Tuning in Wuthering Waves. As your Echo levels up, every five levels open up a slot for an extra substat. To unlock these substats, you’ll need Tuners, which randomly reveal additional attributes like attack/defense boosts, HP, energy regeneration, crit rate/damage, and bonuses for basic/heavy attacks. However, elemental damage upgrades aren’t accessible through Tuning.
The number of substats you can unlock hinges on the Echo’s rarity: green Echoes have none, blue ones offer three, purple ones provide four, and gold ones grant five. Keep in mind that Tuning doesn’t carry over when you use a tuned Echo to level up another. You’ll have to tune the new Echo from scratch.
So, Tuning is a crucial aspect of enhancing your Echo’s capabilities, allowing you to customize their stats to suit your playstyle and strategy.
How to Obtain Echoes
In Wuthering Waves, you can collect Echoes by defeating enemies across the overworld. Each enemy has a chance to drop its Echo upon defeat. Here’s a breakdown of how to capture Echoes from different classes:
- Overlord and Calamity Echoes (Bosses): These powerful enemies respawn every five minutes. Unlike typical Gacha games, battling them doesn’t deplete your Stamina and can be done endlessly. Plus, the first five defeats yield a higher chance of Echo drops.
- Elite and Normal Echoes (Overworld): Overworld enemies refresh daily at 4 AM. This allows players to farm them daily at various locations across the overworld.
- Echo Domains: While farming Echo Domains requires Stamina, it’s an efficient way to acquire specific Echoes quickly. Each run in an Echo Domain consumes 60 stamina but offers targeted Echo farming.
So, whether you’re taking on bosses, exploring the overworld, or delving into Echo Domains, there are multiple avenues to gather Echoes and enhance your gameplay experience.
Alright, let’s delve into what we’ve uncovered about the Echo system in Wuthering Waves. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it and how you believe it stacks up against the artifact systems found in other gacha games. Also, don’t miss out on the ongoing Echo Summon web event, where you can explore more about these Echoes and even secure one for yourself ahead of the game’s release. It’s a great opportunity to dive deeper into the Echo system and see what it has in store for us!
