Character interactions play a major role in Scarlet Nexus. How high your team and individual bond levels in Scarlet Nexus directly correlates to how well your party performs whenever in an encounter. It is at the very center of the game’s character progression system. It would be in your best interest to always pay attention to it and raise it whenever possible.
In this article, we will be looking at the various ways how you can increase the team bond fast. Do the steps we share and soon you’d be taking out ‘Others’ without even breaking a sweat!
Raising Team Bond Level
Do not be confused, individual bond levels are different from team bond levels. The latter is increased automatically as you raise the former. Worry not. We will have a look at how to raise them as well later on.
Team bond levels are the cumulative result of your various individual bond levels. This means that even though you have a party member who’s only at level 2, the team bond level can go as high as 4 or 5.
On top of making your party function better as a team, increasing team bond levels can supply you with various extra rewards. Some of these are cosmetic, while the others are meaty side content.
For instance, reaching level 3 and level 5 team bond level unlocks the white outfits for your party and the opposing party, respectively. Level 4, meanwhile enables you to participate in the team bond episode. Lastly, level 6 gives you a lovely team picture along with the “The Friends You Made Along The Way” achievement or trophy.
As for how to increase the team bond, you simply need to keep raising individual bond levels. With that said, let us proceed to how you can increase individual bond levels.
Raising Individual Bond Levels
Unlike team bond levels, you actively need to do things to increase individual bond levels. You can do this by either completing Bond Episodes or giving your party members appropriate presents.
Completing Bond Episodes significantly boosts individual bond levels, however, they only appear at set periods. Bond Episodes appear during the game’s Standby Phases where characters lounge at the hideout after a main story section. You can participate in Bond Episodes in two ways.
First is by talking to your party members in the hideout yourself, and the other is by responding to their brain messages. Notice if there is a pink chain symbol on the characters around you or your messages. This signifies that there is a Bond Episode you can undertake.
Handing out presents, on the other hand, is as literal as it gets. Each party member has their preferred gifts and you just have to give them to gain a boost in bond levels. These gifts are often found in the shop, which you can then get by either buying them or exchanging materials for them.
Giving Gifts in Scarlet Nexus
Unlike Bond Episodes, you can give gifts as often as you want. Just talk to your desired party member at the hideout and choose the give gift option. Also, note that a red heart next to the character’s icon whenever shopping for gifts means that it’s that respective character’s favorite. Giving them that precise item significantly boosts their bond levels.
The higher the individual bond level you have on a particular party member, the better utility you have on his/her SAS abilities. Furthermore, increasing your bond level on a particular character also unlocks his/her Guardian Vision, Combo Vision, and Assault Vision. All of which can significantly help you turn the tides of the battle in your favor.
Beyond Scarlet Nexus’ high-paced combat system is an extensive character progression system. While not as deep as your Personas or Final Fantasies, this side of the game is still a noteworthy addition. That said, do the things mentioned above as often as you can after every story section. Sooner rather than later, you should notice your bond levels piling up.
