Underworld Epoch

Underworld Epoch.

For the base version, see Epoch.

Underworld Epoch is the 2020 Epoch variant, enabled by equipping The Eraglass. The Eraglass passively grants an extra action whenever Momentum is above a threshold, but slows the buildup of Momentum, and inflicts stacking debuffs with each extra action used. It has since been reskinned with the following variant(s):

• Virtuoso Epoch (2024)

All Epochs use a special mechanic known as Momentum, which is generated by some skills and consumed to empower other skills.

Skills

• Chargeburst
  • 30 MP, 0 CD
  • Generates 1 Momentum.
  • Attacks all enemies for 1 hit of 140% damage.

• Punch
  • 30 MP, 18 CD
  • Consumes up to 3 Momentum.
  • Attacks for 1 hit of 150% damage.
  • Inflicts 'Shattered' for (X + 1) turns, a stun.
  • X is equal to consumed Momentum.

• Laser Slice
  • 30 MP, 14 CD
  • Consumes up to 3 Momentum.
  • Attacks for 6 hits of 25% damage (150% total).
  • At 0 Momentum, inflicts 'Sliced' for 5 turns inclusive.
    • -5 All.
  • At 1+ Momentum, inflicts 'Sliced' for 5 turns inclusive.
    • -15X All (max 45).
    • X is equal to consumed Momentum.

• Laser Blades
  • 25 MP, 5 CD
  • Generates 1 Momentum.
  • Attacks for 3 hits of 50% damage (150% total).
  • Inflicts 'Bleeding' for 5 turns, a 66.7% weapon + stat damage DoT.

• Fade
  • 30 MP, 9 CD
  • Applies 'Fade Boost' for 1 turn inclusive.
    • +200 Melee/Pierce/Magic.

• Ultra Boost
  • 35 MP, 19 CD
  • Requires at least 1 Epoch Boost effect active to use. Cannot be used as the first action of a turn with 5 or more Momentum.
  • Empowered: [Power][, Defense][, Aim][, Heal]
  • Generates 1 Momentum.
  • Increases the strength of any active Epoch Boost effects without modifying their durations:
    • Increases 'Power Boost' to +40 Boost.
    • Increases 'Defense Boost' to +80 Melee/Pierce/Magic.
    • Increases 'Aim Boost' to +100 Bonus.
    • Increases 'Health Boost' to a 5% HoT.

• Epoch Boost
  • 20 MP, 0 CD (14 when all effects are applied)
  • Generates 1 Momentum.
  • Applies 1 of the following Epoch Boost effects for 7 turns inclusive. Always applies the earliest effect in the sequence that is not currently applied.
    • 'Power Boost', +20 Boost.
    • 'Defense Boost', +40 Melee/Pierce/Magic.
    • 'Aim Boost', +40 Bonus.
    • 'Health Boost', a 3% HoT.
      • Due to being a HoT, it only heals the player 6 times.

• Attack
  • 0 MP, 0 CD
  • Heals the player for 15 MP.
  • Generates 1 Momentum.
  • Attacks for 1 hit of 100% damage.

• Epoch Hex
  • 20 MP, 0 CD (14 when all effects are applied)
  • Generates 1 Momentum.
  • Inflicts 1 of the following Epoch Hex effects for the next 7 turns. Always inflicts the earliest effect in the sequence that is not currently inflicted.
    • 'Power Hex', -10 Boost.
    • 'Defense Hex', -50 Melee/Pierce/Magic.
    • 'Aim Hex', -25 Bonus.

• Ultra Hex
  • 35 MP, 19 CD
  • Requires at least 1 Epoch Hex effect active to use. Cannot be used as the first action of a turn with 5 or more Momentum.
  • Concentrated: [Power][, Defense][, Aim]
  • Generates 1 Momentum.
  • Increases the strength of any currently active Epoch Hex effects. Increases each effect's duration by 1 turn, but disables it for the turn used:
    • Increases 'Power Hex' to -33 Boost.
    • Increases 'Defense Hex' to -75 Melee/Pierce/Magic.
    • Increases 'Aim Hex' to -50 Bonus.

• Timeshift
  • 50 MP, 59 CD, 9 Charge Time (carries between battles)
  • Eraglass flipped. Healed 50%, cleansed, and momentum maxed.
  • Heals the player for 50% of their maximum HP and MP.
  • Purges the player of all effects besides 'Stuffed', 'Fade', Epoch Boosts, 'The Death Note', and permanent effects.
  • Generates 9 Momentum.
  • Does not grant any more actions than would be given normally, i.e., an extra action is only given if Timeshift is used as the first action and with 5 or more Momentum at start of turn.

• Combo
  • 20 MP, 0 CD (2 if combo is finished or interrupted)
  • Requires the player's last hit to connect for the first use only.
    • Combo sequence is broken if an attack is used in the middle of the combo, but using a non-attack skill will preserve the sequence. However, if the sequence was broken with a trinket/On-Demand attack skill, it will reset without going on cooldown.
  • Generates 1 Momentum.
  • 1st use: Attacks for 5 hits of 30% damage (150% total).
  • 2nd use: Attacks for 5 hits of 40% damage (200% total).
  • 3rd use: Attacks for 6 hits of 50% damage (300% total).

• Pierce
  • 20 MP, 12 CD
  • Consumes up to 3 Momentum.
  • Attacks for 7 hits of 21.4% damage (150% total).
  • At 0 Momentum, inflicts 'Pierced' for 4 turns inclusive.
    • +10 Health.
  • At 1+ Momentum, inflicts 'Pierced' for 4 turns inclusive.
    • +20X Health (max 60).
    • X is equal to consumed Momentum.

• Gunburst
  • 20 MP, 3 CD
  • Consumes up to 3 Momentum.
  • At 0 Momentum, attacks for 1 hit of 125% damage.
  • At 1+ Momentum, attacks for 4X hits of 15% damage and 1 hit of 125% damage ((60X + 125)% total) (max 305%).
  • X is equal to consumed Momentum.

• Final
  • 50 MP, 19 CD
  • Requires at least 3 Momentum to use.
  • Consumes all Momentum.
  • Applies 'The Death Note' for 4 turns inclusive.
    • +60 Block/Parry/Dodge.
    • +10 All.
    • -20 Health.
  • Reduces 'Underworld's Call' stacks equal to Momentum consumed.
  • Attacks for 3 hits of (50 + 11.1X)% damage ((150 + 33.3X)% total) with +200 Crit.
  • X is equal to consumed Momentum.

Mechanics

Momentum

• Underworld Epoch has a Momentum counter that starts at 0 and caps at 9.
• Clicking the Momentum widget above the Attack button allows the player to check their current Momentum and if extra actions are active or not.
  • Momentum charged: X[, double turns active]
• Using a potion will also generate 1 Momentum.

Extra Actions

• Underworld Epoch passively gains an extra action each turn as long as it begins the turn with 5 or more Momentum and does not fall below 5 Momentum after their first action. A turn where you take an extra action is also known as a double turn.
• Underworld Epoch can gain 1 extra action every turn, allowing it to permanently loop double turns.
• Using a potion, trinket, or an On-Demand special as the first action will skip the second action for that turn.
  • Using a potion, trinket, or an On-Demand special as the second action has no consequences.
• Defeating a monster as the first action will skip the second action for that turn.
  • If using Chargeburst, you will retain your second action if the last enemy damaged is not killed.
• As Underworld Epoch does not have a limited supply of second actions like other Epochs, a disabled second action can never be recovered.

Underworld's Call/Song

• Each time Underworld Epoch takes a second action, it immediately applies 'Underworld's Call', a stacking permanent effect. 'Underworld's Call' debuff gradually grow stronger with every further double turn:
  • The Eraglass turns, sapping your stats. Attack once again!
    • -1X All, capped at -30.
    • +1X Health, capped at +30.
    • +1X Immobility, capped at +30.
    • -1X Boost, capped at -30.
    • -2X Melee/Pierce/Magic, capped at -60.
  • After 30 double turns, 'Underworld's Call' reaches its maximum value.
    • The Eraglass turns. Attack once again!
  • If Solo Adagio is equipped, 'Underworld's Call' is replaced with 'Underworld's Song'. There is no functional difference, aside from popups.

Rotation

Setup: (Hex x3 -> UHex -> Blades) or (Blades -> Combo x3 -> Attack)

General Rotation

1. Boost + Boost
2. Boost + Boost
3. Slice + UBoost
4. Blades + Gunburst
5. Combo + Combo
6. Combo + Gunburst
7. Blades + Combo
8. Combo + Combo
9. Hex + Hex
10. Hex + UHex

• Replace Turn 9 and 10 with Gunburst + Chargeburst -> Blades + Combo when offense is important.
• An alternative to Combo on Turn 7 is to use Final and Timeshift the next turn. Timeshifting at 0 Momentum won't grant you an extra action, so you'll need to add a filler turn to accommodate the 19 CD on Ultra Boost and Ultra Hex.
• This rotation works with minor adjustments for almost every single Inn fight.

Aggressive Rotation

If Health Boost isn't required, the following rotation can be used instead:

1. Boost + Boost
2. Boost + UBoost
3. Slice + Blades
4. Combo + Combo
5. Combo + Gunburst
6. Chargeburst + Combo
7. Combo + Combo
8. Gunburst + Blades
9. Combo + Combo
10. Combo + Gunburst

• Replace Turn 9 and 10 with Hex + Hex -> Hex + UHex when defense is important.

Final Loop Rotation

With the changes made to Underworld Call/Song and Final in the 24th February 2024 patch, this rotation allows for Final to be looped and to prevent Call/Song to ever reach stage 10 debuffs at the cost of not having unlimited double turns.

1. Boost + Boost
2. Boost + Boost
3. Slice + UBoost
4. Blades + Gunburst
5. Combo + Combo
6. Combo + Chargeburst
7. Blades + Final
8. Chargeburst
9. Chargeburst
10. Combo
11. Combo
12. Combo
13. Hex + Hex
14. Hex + UHex

• Turn 8 or 9 can be replaced with Potion.
• Turn 12 can be replaced with Gunburst > Timeshift > Hex + Hex etc. if both Health and Mana are low.
• All Chargebursts can be replaced with Attack if the +15 MP is more important.

Powerful Final Loop Rotation

This rotation can be used if the Necrotic Sword of Doom 'special' and Defender Cannon/Runestone are equipped.

1. Boost + Boost
2. Boost + Boost
3. Slice + UBoost
4. Combo + Combo
5. Combo + Final
6. Special (First, third etc. loop) / Cannon/Runestone (Second, fourth etc. loop)
7. Blades
8. Chargeburst
9. Combo
10. Combo
11. Combo
12. Hex + Hex
13. Hex + UHex

• Turn 8 can be replaced with Potion or Attack.
• Turn 11 can be replaced with Gunburst > Timeshift > Hex + Hex etc. if both Health and Mana are low.

Strategy

Underworld Epoch essentially sacrifices burst damage and long-term sustain for faster setup and flexibility. Unlike the other Epoch variants, UWE only requires starting the turn with 5 Momentum to gain extra actions. However, to compensate for the passive double turns, UWE has two penalties:

• It only gains 1 Momentum per action, greatly slowing down Momentum gain.
• For each double turn gained, Underworld Epoch gains stacking debuffs.

While the second point may seem threatening, most fights will be over before they become a huge issue.

In addition to normal Epoch things, two other things should be kept in mind to maintain extra actions:

• Only use Momentum skills when 8-9 Momentum is available.
• Final always drains Momentum to below 3, so it always disables extra actions for at least 1 turn. This means that it should be used sparingly, either to kill a boss or with the intention of Timeshifting the following turn. In addition, it should always be used on the 2nd action.

Because the bonus Momentum from Ultra Boosting is absent and the extra turn mechanic is so different, UWE has more flexibility in terms of when Ultra Boost can be used. You generally should boost all the way anyway, though this is not necessary for easier fights.

• If only Power Boost is Ultra Boosted, start the next turn with Laser Blades + Laser Slice to maintain the extra actions.
• If Power and Defense Boosts are used, the next turn should be Blades + Ultra Boost.
• If Power, Defense, and Aim Boost are Ultra Boosted, the next turn should be Laser Slice + Laser Blades.
• By Ultra Boosting all four Boosts, you will have enough Momentum for Laser Slice before the Ultra Boost.

For consistent damage and survivability with UWE, STR/END is recommended, but DEX/END can give more damage due to Laser Blades having 100% uptime. INT can be considered, depending on if your rotation relies on Final, but is not recommended.