Ultimate Guide to Harmony Cubes in NIKKE: Strategic Tips
Understanding the game mechanics and making the most of available resources can significantly enhance your gameplay.
In NIKKE, one such resource is the Harmony Cube, a valuable item that can boost your units' capabilities.
This guide dives deep into Harmony Cubes, explaining their functions to help you optimize their use throughout the game.
Ultimate Guide to Harmony Cubes in NIKKE: Strategic Tips
What are Harmony Cubes?
Functionality and Acquisition
Harmony Cubes are unlocked primarily by completing Lost Sector levels for the first time.
Each level provides either a Harmony Cube or batteries needed to upgrade these cubes.
The cubes themselves act as additional gear slots for your units, allowing you to customize and enhance unit capabilities beyond standard equipment.
Types of Buffs
When equipped, Harmony Cubes provide specific buffs that enhance a unit's performance in battle.
These buffs range from increasing damage output against certain types of enemies to boosting reload speed or ammo capacity.
Each cube is designed with a primary effect that improves as the cube is upgraded, making the strategic selection and prioritization of upgrades critical due to the limited resources available each month.
Strategic Placement
Harmony Cubes should be placed on units that can maximize the benefits of the specific buffs they provide.
For example, cubes that enhance offensive stats are best used on damage-dealing units rather than support or leader roles, which might not leverage the increased offensive capabilities effectively.
It's important to match the cube's buffs with the unit's role and strengths in your team composition.
Upgrade Limitations
Batteries needed for upgrading Harmony Cubes can be obtained by completing specific game activities, such as Union raids and solo raids.
However, since these resources are limited, deciding which cubes to upgrade becomes a strategic decision.
Players must evaluate which cubes offer the most significant benefits to their current roster and gameplay style.
Elemental Strategy
Certain Harmony Cubes also interact with the elemental attributes of units.
For example, a cube might enable an electric-coded unit to deal extra damage to water-coded enemies.
Understanding and exploiting these elemental advantages can provide a significant edge in battles, particularly against tough opponents where elemental matchups are crucial.
Long-term Value
While all Harmony Cubes provide benefits, some are more valuable in the early stages of the game, while others become critical as you progress to mid and late-game scenarios.
For instance, a cube that enhances reload speed might be universally beneficial, continually providing significant advantages as your units grow stronger and face more challenging enemies.
Harmony Cubes Breakdown
Resilience Cube
This cube increases the reload speed of your unit's weapons, a critical buff in any combat scenario.
Since reload speed is a rare attribute in gear, the Resilience Cube stands out for its ability to enhance DPS consistently.
It is particularly effective on DPS units where rapid firing is crucial to maximizing damage output.
Bastion Cube
The ammo refund feature of this cube makes it invaluable in the late game, especially for units that have a high ammo consumption rate.
By refunding ammo on every tenth shot, it allows DPS units like Modernia and Scarlet to sustain their attack longer without reloading, which can be pivotal in extended battles.
Adjutant Cube
This cube increases the charge speed for special attacks, making it ideal for units like Snow White and Alice, who rely on charging their powerful abilities quickly.
Its effectiveness is contingent on the unit's role and the player's strategic needs, making it less universally applicable than the top-tier cubes.
Wingman Cube
Enhances the total ammo capacity.
While generally beneficial, its impact is less pronounced compared to top-tier cubes.
It’s best used on units that benefit from larger ammo reserves but don't rely on hitting the last bullet for critical effects.
Assault Cube
Increases hit rate (accuracy), which can be beneficial for shotgun and SMG users.
However, its subtle impact makes it less desirable than more transformative buffs.
It’s typically used when better cubes are not available.
Onslaught Cube
Boosts charge damage but does so additively rather than multiplicatively, limiting its effectiveness.
It's useful for giving a minor boost to certain units but isn't a priority for leveling up.
Vigor Cube
The Vigor Cube notably increases a character's maximum HP (Hit Points), and from level 5 onwards, it also enhances damage dealt as a strong element against specific enemy types.
This dual functionality makes it particularly valuable in both PvE and PvP modes.
Quantum Cube
Accelerates burst generation, which can be crucial in PvP where quick burst deployment can lead to victory.
However, its benefits are less significant in standard missions, making it a niche choice focused on competitive play.
Endurance Cube
The Endurance Cube enhances the defense (DEF) stat of the unit it is equipped to.
Although it is somewhat similar to the Vigor Cube, it should not be considered a direct replacement.
This cube is particularly effective in scenarios where additional defense can help units withstand chip damage from opponents.
How to Use Harmony Cubes Effectively
Prioritize Upgrades Wisely
Due to the limited availability of batteries needed for upgrading cubes, prioritizing which cubes to upgrade first is crucial.
Here’s how to approach upgrading:
- Early Game Strategy: Focus on cubes that provide significant immediate benefits. The Resilience Cube, which boosts reload speed, should be your top priority. Faster reload speeds translate directly to higher DPS, beneficial across almost all combat scenarios.
- Mid-Game Considerations: As you progress, begin to integrate cubes like the Bastion Cube. This cube’s ammo refund capability becomes increasingly valuable as you encounter lengthier battles where sustained DPS is crucial.
- Late Game Optimization: For late-game content, particularly when units are well-developed and additional gameplay mechanics come into play, the Adjutant Cube and Wingman Cube can be strategically important based on specific unit needs and mission requirements.
Match Cubes to Suitable Units
To maximize the effectiveness of each Harmony Cube, match them to units that will benefit most from the specific buffs they provide:
- Damage-Focused Units: Equip damage-oriented cubes like the Resilience and Bastion Cubes to your main DPS units. These cubes enhance their primary role—dealing damage—by increasing the frequency and sustainability of their attacks.
- Specialized Role Units: For units with specific roles, such as snipers or chargers like Snow White and Alice, consider the Adjutant Cube to reduce charge times, enhancing their ability to use powerful abilities more frequently.
Utilize Elemental and Role Synergies
Some cubes offer additional benefits when paired with units of specific elemental types or combat roles.
Use cubes that enhance damage against specific elemental types strategically during missions where you face predominant enemy types.
This tactic can be particularly effective in levels with high concentrations of a single enemy element.
Avoid placing certain cubes on units that do not benefit from them.
For example, defensive or support units may not gain much from offensive cubes, while DPS units will not benefit significantly from defensive-oriented enhancements.
Plan for PvP and PvE Separately
Cubes like the Quantum Cube are specifically effective in PvP scenarios due to their ability to speed up burst attack generation.
Equip PvP-oriented cubes on units used predominantly in arena fights.
This specialization ensures that these units are optimized for quick, decisive battles typical of PvP encounters.
If you use the same units for both PvP and PvE, remember to swap their cubes accordingly before each type of mission to maximize their effectiveness in each mode.
Conclusion
Harmony Cubes are a game-changer in NIKKE, offering significant enhancements to your units.
By understanding each cube’s unique benefits and strategically prioritizing which cubes to level up, you can maximize your gameplay efficiency.