Held items
Held Items, which the game's enhancement screens call Carried Items, unlock at the Student III title. They come in Rare, Epic and Legendary, which decide how many Runes they hold, and each has a main stat plus a core effect. You enhance one by feeding it spare items or Carried Item Cores. A Legendary item taken to level 15 unlocks its Tier 2 effect and can form a Contract with a species, for 10 Mark of the Strong: Breezy Plains.
Equip your first Held Item
- Reach the Student III title: clear the Elite Training Core Courses, level up, and pass Dr. Lewis's Theory Test.
- Open Aniimo Management (P on PC) and select an Aniimo.
- Open the Training menu at the bottom right, then the Held Item tab at the top right.
- Pick an item and confirm. Some Aniimo refuse: the items have a will of their own, and the Aniimo has to accept.
Rarities
| Rarity | Colour | Runes | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | Blue | Up to 4 | Mostly fodder for enhancing better items |
| Epic | Purple | Up to 5 | What most players run through the story |
| Legendary | Gold | Up to 6 | Endgame; only these reach level 15 for the Tier 2 effect and a Contract |
What some Held Items do
| Item | Main stat | Core effect |
|---|---|---|
| Ferocious Fang | Damage Amp +10% | +0.7 ATK per level |
| Gargantuan Horn | BREAK +10% | +0.7 BREAK per level |
| Spirited Feather | REGEN +10% | +0.7 REGEN per level |
| Giant Tortoise Shell | HP +10% | +0.7 P.DEF and M.DEF per level |
| Heritage Amulet | HP +10% | A shield worth 4% of max HP after taking damage ten times |
| Heartseeker Pendant | Damage Amp +10% | 50% chance of extra damage after a critical hit |
| Fission Needles | Damage Amp +10% | 50% chance for basic attacks to hit twice |
| Echoing Grimoire | Damage Amp +10% | +5% damage for repeating a skill, up to five times |
| Explosive Gloves | Damage Amp +10% | +5% Damage Amp per 10 EP you hold |
| Capacitous Battery | Damage Amp +10% | Ultimate damage +30% |
| Auspicious Bell | REGEN +10% | 20% chance to gain 5 EP when you use a skill |
The Ferocious Fang is the best item for Helion, because its damage bonus applies to all of Helion's abilities.
Where they come from
- Alpha Aniimo, each dropping its own item or material.
- The Holo-Battle Sim, which is also the main farm for Carried Item Cores.
- Sanctums, events, Journey discoveries and world chests.
- Homeland excursions, though only low-tier items.
- Legendary items mostly come from Companion Handbook levels and events rather than drops.
Enhance one, then form a Contract
- Open the Enhance menu and feed the item spare Carried Items of equal or lower quality, or Carried Item Cores. Higher rarity fills the bar faster.
- Farm Basic Carried Item Cores from Elite Training, Alphas, the Holo-Battle Sim shop, Pathfinder Challenges and chests.
- Take a Legendary item to level 15 to unlock its Tier 2 effect and the Contract option.
- Equip it on the species you want to bind it to, press Form Contract and pay 10 Mark of the Strong: Breezy Plains.
- The contract effect then works for every Aniimo of that species, and does nothing on any other.
A Contract binds the item to one species. Think before you spend the Mutation Marks.
Not confirmed yet
- Which Alpha drops which specific Held Item.
- Whether Rare and Epic items have their own level caps.
Held items, answered
How do you equip Held Items in Aniimo?
Open Aniimo Management, select the Aniimo, open the Training menu, then the Held Item tab, and confirm. They unlock at the Student III title.
What are Carried Items?
The same thing as Held Items. The enhancement screens call them Carried Items.
How do you upgrade a Held Item?
Feed it spare items of equal or lower rarity, or Carried Item Cores, in the Enhance menu.
Where do Carried Item Cores come from?
Elite Training, defeating Alphas, the Holo-Battle Sim shop, Pathfinder Challenges and chests.
What does a Contract do?
At level 15 a Legendary item can bind to one species for 10 Mark of the Strong: Breezy Plains. Its effect then applies to every Aniimo of that species and strengthens their signature skills.
What is the best Held Item?
It depends on the Aniimo. For Helion it is the Ferocious Fang, since its damage bonus covers all of Helion's abilities.
Why won't my Aniimo take a Held Item?
Not every Aniimo accepts one. The items have a will of their own, and the Aniimo has to approve the pairing.
What is Irisalis's exclusive Held Item?
The Floral Rainbow Feather, which costs 30 Irisalis Petals.
Sources: Game8, Game Rant and the Fextralife wiki.
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