The Ultimate Guide to Soul Weapons: Best Series and Souls
After a couple of chapters of the Bestower of All arc, we are now getting used to Soul Weapons and Fortune Weapons.
But there are many more Soul Weapons to come!
This article goes into a detailed comparison of the various series within these weapons, highlighting their unique traits.
Whether you're unfamiliar with Soul Weapons or simply looking for recommendations, this guide has you covered.
Comparing Soul Weapon Series in Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent
Differences Based on Weapon Types
Soul Weapons (found in Hell) come in six different series, each with its unique soul slots and soul activation bonuses.
These slots represent the type of soul a weapon can hold.
Initially, weapons have two slots, but this can increase to three and then four as you upgrade them.
Currently, we can only upgrade to Soul Weapons III (since the introduction of BoA Chapter 4). Soul Weapon IV enhancement won't be available until BoA Chapter 7.
Soul Types and Best Effects
- Sun Soul: Increases damage against hellfiends. Always aim for that effect.
- Human Soul: Enhances stats. Go for the stat you need, which will mainly be PAtk and EAtk. Other interesting options include SP, Speed or HP. You should avoid Crit, PDef and EDef in most situations.
- Star Soul: Amplifies skill potency. Always aim for the character's best skill (they are usually marked as S tier).
- Moon Soul: Breaks skill damage limit cap (99,999 damage). Can also reduce SP consumption if needed.
Soul Slots and Bonus Stats of Each Soul Weapon Series
All Soul Weapons have the same base stats, the only change between series are their soul slots and the stat bonuses they give when upgraded.
First 2 soul slots are given with the base soul weapon. The third slot is given when upgraded to II and the fourth slot is given when upgraded to III.
Regarding stat bonuses, they are given per added soul (ordered below).
These series will be released once per Bestower of All chapter, so we'll need to wait a bit to get them all.
Let's go through each Soul Weapon series:
Hollow Series
- Soul Slots: Sun-Gold, Human-Gold, Star-Rainbow, Moon-Gold
- Stat Bonuses: PAtk/EAtk +5, SP +10, Crit +15, HP +200
- Key Points: Offers a balanced distribution of souls, making it versatile but not specialized. The bonus of +200 HP provides a notable boost to durability at IV. Ideal for those who are just starting their journey in Hell, this series provides a mix of offensive and defensive capabilities. It's a great all-rounder weapon to have when you're unsure about the specific challenges ahead.
Ruinous Series
- Soul Slots: Sun-Gold, Human-Gold (x2), Star-Rainbow
- Activation Bonuses: HP +50, PAtk/EAtk +10, HP +150, SP +20
- Key Points: It's particularly suitable for players who might not have the strongest characters and are looking for extra durability in battles. The double Human Gold slots allow for substantial HP boosts, potentially reaching a 680 HP bonus, making characters more resilient against tough opponents. However, its damage boost against Hell enemies is limited.
Thorned Series
- Soul Slots: Sun-Gold (x2), Star-Rainbow, Moon-Gold
- Activation Bonuses: SP +5, PAtk/EAtk +10, SP +15, Crit +20
- Key Points: Great for increased damage, potentially boosting it by up to 70% against hellfiends. However, it lacks the ability to boost HP, making it more suitable for aggressive playstyles.
Dire Series
- Soul Slots: Human-Rainbow, Sun-Silver (x2), Moon-Gold
- Activation Bonuses: Crit +5, PAtk/EAtk +10, HP +150, PAtk/EAtk +20
- Key Points: Despite its promising potential, the Time series may not be the best choice for many players. Its performance doesn't quite match its theoretical potential. It's a decent upgrade from the Hollow and Ruinous series, but there are better options available as you progress further in the game.
Stalwart Series
- Soul Slots: Human-Rainbow, Sun-Silver, Moon-Gold (x2)
- Activation Bonuses: PAtk/EAtk +5, HP +100, Criti +15, HP +200
- Key Points: Can significantly raise the damage cap, which is amazing for 1-hit high-damage units. It requires a strategic approach, making it suitable for seasoned players familiar with their character's strengths.
Abyssal Series
- Soul Slots: Sun-Rainbow, Sun-Gold, Sun-Silver, Star-Rainbow
- Activation Bonuses: HP +50, SP +10, PAtk/EAtk +15, SP +20
- Key Points: Highly specialized in damage enhancement. However, its late-game introduction means players might not have many opportunities to use it fully. It's the top recommendation for tackling high-difficulty content, especially when a high damage output is necessary.
To sum it up, for DPS characters Abyss Soul Weapons are the best choice, followed by Thorned Soul Weapons.
Recommendations Based on Role and Situation
- For Story Progression: Opt for the Hollow Series. It's the first Soul Weapon you'll find, and upgrading it provides a good balance of offense and defense.
- Budget Players & 4-Star Character Users: The Ruinous Series is your best bet. It significantly boosts HP, making your characters more resilient.
- High Damage Dealers: Consider the Thorned Series, especially if you can consistently deliver strong attacks. Remember to fine-tune your weapon with the right souls.
- 1-Hit High Damage Characters: Equip the Stalwart Series. This is especially effective if you can apply buffs and debuffs to maximize damage potential.
- If Hell Challenges Are Too Tough: Try out the Abyssal Series. It's particularly useful for tackling high-difficulty Hell content.
- Healers & Supporters: Stick with Fortune Weapons. These characters benefit more from stats like EAtk, Speed, and SP rather than pure damage against hellfiends.
Efficient Enhancement of Hell Soul Weapons
Gathering Souls and Soul Shards
Souls that can be bestowed upon weapons from Hell are obtainable at the soul fragment exchange and from Hell enemies.
If you're struggling to gather souls, here's a our farming guide:
Best Ways to Get Souls
You can get Bronze/Silver souls defeating random enemies in Hell. This method is especially recommended if you haven't yet acquired soul weapons.
Pro Tip: Elite enemies guarantee a drop of Gold or higher-tier souls, so defeating them once per hour is recommended to get a nice stack of souls to exchange for soul shards.
Best Ways to Get Soul Crystals
Soul crystals, which can be exchanged for soul shards, come in three sizes: large, medium, and small.
Each size can be exchanged for different quantities of soul fragments.
You can get those in several places:
NPC Interaction
By inquiring (Purchase, Contend, Entreat) with some NPCs in Hell towns, you can gather small to medium-sized soul crystals.
The crystals held by these NPCs replenish daily at 9am UTC, so it's a good practice to collect them once every day.
The Hunt for the Cait
After defeating the Cait found throughout Hell, it will drop soul crystals. Occasionally, they might even drop a large soul crystal.
Make sure you're equipped to exploit their weaknesses for a better chance at defeating it!
Exchange with Historic Fragments
Historic fragments, used for exchanging BT weapons and other items, can also help you obtain small to medium-sized soul crystals.
If you have excess fragments after securing your weekly Fortune game tickets, feel free to exchange them for soul crystals.
Some 4-star A4 accessories are purchasable with Historic Fragments, so keep that in mind!
Exchanging Job Tokens
By clearing job towers, you can obtain medium-sized soul crystals. Up to 30 can be acquired every month.
If you've already collected unique accessories and awakening stones, consider this method to increase your soul crystal reserves.
Conquering the Master Tower
Defeat Lvl 100 NPCs in the Master Tower, and you can earn one large soul crystal per fight, with a maximum of ten per week.
Even if you defeat the same floor multiple times, it still counts!
Fortune Gameboard
If you're lucky, you can get some Soul Shards by opening chests in the board game and reaching the Reward Spots.
Exchanging Unnecessary Souls for Shards
If you have Souls that you no longer need, head to the "Exchange → Ultimate Techniques/Equipment → Soul Shard" section to swap them for Soul Shards.
If you're unsure about which Souls to exchange, consider the following:
High Priority for Exchange
- Human Souls: Generally, all silver and below are not needed. In the near future, with the introduction of Rainbow human souls, all gold human souls will also be unnecessary.
- Rainbow Star Souls: If you're not planning on creating a weapon for a specific character, these star soul skills are unnecessary. Given their high exchange rate, it's advised to swap them actively.
Medium Priority for Exchange
- Gold Human Souls: Physical and elemental defense aren't essential. It's best to retain those with speed, HP, and SP attributes as they might come handy.
Low Priority for Exchange
- Sun Souls: Except for damage increase, they're generally not needed.
Exchanging Collected Shards for Desired Souls
The Soul Shards you've gathered can be traded for your preferred Souls at the exchange.
Ensure you select and secure only the Souls you need to build your Soul Weapon.
The Gacha-style Soul Box can be an option now, but will become redundant. We'll be able to choose any Soul without limits, so there won't be any reason to opt for this box.
The Soul Effect Selection Process
How to Add a Soul?
- Navigate to "Change Souls", located at the bottom left of the party menu.
- Choose the soul weapon you intend to enhance with a soul and select a soul slot.
- Select the soul you want to add (it needs to match the same slot type).
- Review the soul effect you wish to add and confirm your selection.
- Click on "Yes" to proceed.
- Check the soul's outcome.
Evaluating the Effect
If the added soul doesn't produce the desired effect, consider replacing it with another soul or completely removing it with Void Dust.
Replacing or Removing a Soul
To modify a previously added soul, head to the "Change Souls" option and select the corresponding slot and add the new soul.
If you're unsatisfied with the outcome, you can add another one it using the "Select another soul" option on the result screen.
Note: Using this method means discarding either the previously added soul or the new one. To avoid discarding a soul, you'll need the item known as Void Dust.
Steps to Remove Souls Using Void Dust
- Access "Change Souls" at the bottom left of the party organization.
- Choose the weapon from which you wish to remove the soul.
- Select the soul to be removed.
- Use the void dust for removal.
- Confirmation: Soul removal successful!
Void Dust Utility
Use the void dust repeatedly until you obtain the desired effect.
As a word of caution, you can't retain the effect before removing a soul and adding it again. Keep that in mind when selecting effects, especially for Rainbow Star souls.
Remember, even when selecting effects for other type of souls, the Void Dust is indispensable.
Where to get Void Dust?
Conclusion
Choosing the right Soul Weapon can greatly influence your battle outcomes in Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent.
By understanding the unique features of each series and aligning them with your characters and playstyle, you can navigate the challenges of this game more easily!
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