Blade & Soul NEO Beginner’s Guide
Blade & Soul NEO is a revamped version of the classic Blade & Soul experience, bringing back the nostalgia of the 2016-2017 era while introducing new systems and quality-of-life improvements. Whether you’re a returning player or a newcomer, this guide will set you up for success.
Key Features of Blade & Soul NEO
Blade & Soul NEO combines the classic content of the original game with modernized systems. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Classes
Check out our Best Solo Class Guide if you need help picking a class.
At launch, Blade & Soul NEO will offer 7 classes:
- Assassin
- Blade Dancer
- Blade Master
- Force Master
- Kung Fu Master
- Destroyer
- Summoner
Warlock is not available at release but may be added later, as seen in other regions like China.
Major System Updates
1. Paid Currency Market (N Coin)
The marketplace in Blade & Soul NEO uses N Coin, the game’s paid currency. While this may sound pay-to-win, it’s actually a more accessible system compared to previous versions. Here’s what you can buy with N Coin:
- Gold: Exchange N Coin for in-game gold.
- Gear: Weapons, accessories, soul shields, and more.
- Skill Books: Essential for unlocking and upgrading skills.
- Outfits and Cosmetics: Customize your character’s appearance.
- Soul Badges and Insignias: Enhance your stats and abilities.
Free-to-play players can farm End Coin in-game to purchase these items, making the system more balanced.
2. No Arena (For Now)
The 1v1 and 3v3 arena modes are currently unavailable in the Korean version of Blade & Soul NEO. However, 6v6 PvP is available but limited to one hour per day with specific queue times. This may change in the global release, so stay tuned for updates.
3. Vitality System
The Vitality System acts as a stamina mechanic that limits how much loot you can earn daily. Here’s how it works:
- You start with 100 Vitality per day.
- Activities like dungeons and field bosses consume Vitality (e.g., 9-10 for dungeons, 1 for field bosses).
- You can use Vitality Potions to exceed the daily limit, but these are limited.
This system prevents excessive grinding and helps casual players stay competitive. It also combats botting by limiting how much loot can be farmed.
4. Personal and Shared Loot
- Personal Loot: Guaranteed drops for you when you complete content.
- Shared Loot: Rolled among party members. This replaces the old gold bidding system, making loot distribution fairer.
5. Daily and Weekly Challenges
- Daily and weekly challenges can only be completed once per account, not per character. This discourages alt farming and encourages focused gameplay.
6. Dungeon Difficulty
Dungeons no longer have easy, normal, or hard modes. Instead, there’s a single difficulty level. While this simplifies things, it may be challenging for new players. Future updates might reintroduce difficulty options.
Gear and Progression
1. Skill Books
Skills are no longer freely selectable. Instead, you unlock and upgrade them using Skill Books:
- Gray and Green Books: Easily obtainable from merchants or dungeons.
- Blue and Purple Books: Rare drops or purchasable from the marketplace.
- Transmutation System: Combine lower-tier books for a chance to upgrade them.
Skill Books add depth to character customization but require more effort to optimize your build.
2. Weapon and Gear System
- Weapons: Instead of upgrading a single weapon, you’ll acquire new weapons as you progress. Upgrading weapons is optional and costly, so only do it for long-term gear.
- Mantra System: Adds minor stat boosts to gear. It’s not essential but can provide small advantages.
- Insignias: These are like runes that enhance your stats. Aim for AP Insignias for maximum damage.
3. Faction Quests and Blueprints
- Join a faction and complete daily quests to earn Faction Stones.
- Use these stones to buy blueprints and craft weapons and accessories. This is a reliable way to gear up early in the game.
4. Card Collection System
- Collect cards from field bosses or by spinning wheels with essences.
- Complete card sets to gain stat bonuses like HP, crit damage, and attack power.
- This system adds a long-term grind for min-maxing your character.
Exploration and Open-World Content
1. Exploration Log
- Each area has an Exploration Log that rewards you for completing tasks like killing monsters, finding artifacts, and discovering hidden locations.
- Rewards include small stat boosts, making exploration worthwhile.
2. Field Bosses
- Field bosses spawn in major areas and drop valuable loot like essences and soul shields.
- Defeating a field boss has a chance to spawn a Lightning Boss, which drops enhanced loot.
- Farming field bosses is one of the best ways to earn End Coin and gear up.
3. Ritual Bosses
- These bosses appear randomly in the open world and drop essences for cards, materials, and cosmetics.
Quality-of-Life Improvements
1. Infinite Sprint
- Sprinting no longer consumes stamina, making travel faster and more convenient.
2. Teleportation
- Teleport directly to NPCs and dungeons, significantly reducing travel time during quests.
3. Expanded Inventory
- Your inventory is larger and can be expanded with gold.
Tips for Beginners
- Focus on Main Story and Daily Quests: These are your primary sources of XP and rewards.
- Farm Field Bosses: They’re the best source of End Coin and gear early on.
- Join a Faction: Complete faction dailies to earn blueprints and craft gear.
- Manage Vitality: Prioritize high-reward activities like dungeons and field bosses.
- Experiment with Skill Books: Optimize your build by acquiring and upgrading the right skills.
Final Thoughts
Blade & Soul NEO brings a mix of nostalgia and modernization, making it an exciting experience for both veterans and newcomers. While some systems like the Vitality mechanic and Skill Books may take time to get used to, they add depth and balance to the game. Keep an eye out for updates as the global release may bring additional changes.
Good luck, and enjoy your journey in Blade & Soul NEO!
Head over to our Blade & Soul NEO section for more guides.
