VIDEO GUIDE
QUICK ROUTE
Do it in this order
Get Awakened Projection and earn technique XP
Choose the Awakened Cursed Technique banner before spending your rolls, then summon Awakened Projection. Its awakening tree has four nodes: three add attacks, and the fourth unlocks Frame Freeze. The technique’s experience is separate from player XP and mastery.
- Defeating an NPC while using Awakened Projection gives 10 Awakened Projection XP.
- The first 5,000 technique XP takes 500 NPC defeats at 10 XP each.
- Farm enemies you can defeat quickly; a tougher NPC does not give more technique XP per defeat.
- Check mastery, technique XP, materials, and Yen separately before trying to buy a node.
The Update 34 Exchange NPC also lists the Projection Final Quest, level 3,250, 20 Projection Extra, and 3 Projection Awakening Shards as entry requirements.
Unlock all four awakening nodes
Buy the nodes in order. The first three complete the current four-attack base kit; the fourth adds the Frame Freeze bar and another damage increase. Node 1 is the only node that does not require a Still Frame.
- Node 1 — Split Frame (F): 150 mastery, 5,000 Awakened Projection XP, 1 Projection Awakening Shard, 5 million Yen.
- Node 2 — Perpetual Motion (C): 250 mastery, 15,000 XP, 2 Shards, 1 Still Frame, 20 million Yen. It also gives +50% Crit Damage, +50% ATK, +50% Crit Rate, and +50% CER.
- Node 3 — Mach Break (X): 350 mastery, 30,000 XP, 5 Shards, 2 Still Frames, 30 million Yen. It also gives +150% Crit Damage and +5% DMG AMP.
- Node 4 — Frame Freeze: 35,000 XP, 5 Shards, 2 Still Frames, 10 million Yen. It also gives +150% ATK and +5% DMG AMP.
For all four nodes together, prepare 13 Projection Awakening Shards, 5 Still Frames, and 65 million Yen, plus the listed XP and mastery requirements.
Farm Zen’in Elite Raid and Inheritance Crates
Projection Awakening Shards and Still Frames come from Inheritance Crates earned in the Zen’in Elite (Naoya) Raid. Clear a tier you can finish consistently: harder tiers give more crates, but an easier clear can be more efficient than repeatedly failing a harder run.
- Easy opens at level 7,000; Normal at 9,000; Hard at 11,000.
- Each clear gives 3–7 Inheritance Crates depending on difficulty.
- An Inheritance Crate lists Projection Awakening Shards at 0.5% and Still Frames at 0.2%.
- Keep all five Still Frames you need: one for Node 2, two for Node 3, and two for Node 4.
- While farming crates, defeat NPCs with Projection equipped to advance your separate technique XP requirement.
The quoted percentages are crate drop chances, not guaranteed drops after a fixed number of opens.
Craft Frame Counter while you farm
Do not discard Motion Cogs while opening Inheritance Crates. Frame Counter is the new Special Grade accessory for Awakened Projection, and the same crate-farming route supplies some of its ingredients.
- Frame Counter recipe: 3 Motion Cogs, 8 Metal, 8 Leather, and 1 Catalyst.
- Inheritance Crates list Motion Cog at 1.9% and Metal at 4.9%.
- For the full four-node tree and Frame Counter together, prepare 13 Projection Awakening Shards, 5 Still Frames, 3 Motion Cogs, 8 Metal, 8 Leather, and 1 Catalyst. The 65 million Yen is for the four nodes.
- Level 1, Rank 1 screenshot: +75 Awakened Projection%, +150 Projection Sorcery%, +50 Crit Damage%, and +50 ATK%.
These are the displayed base bonuses on the supplied screenshot; higher upgrade values are not confirmed here.
Zen’in Elite clan and Awakened Projection skins
Zen’in Elite is the matching clan. It can drop rarely from the Zen’in Elite Raid or be obtained through the shop bundle. Its damage and cooldown bonuses complement the technique’s short-window combos.
- Zen’in Elite clan: +15% DMG AMP, +15% Projection AMP, +50% cooldown reduction, +100% Crit Damage, and +100% ATK.
- Boosted skin: +10% DMG AMP and +10% ATK; available from the Skin NPC Shop.
- Elite skin: +35% Awakened Projection AMP and +150% Crit Damage; exchange a token from Crate Rains at the Token Exchanger.
- Cursed skin: announced shop option with +35% DMG AMP, +50% Crit Damage, and +50% ATK.
The first update announcement marked Cursed as coming later. Its current shop availability needs a fresh check. After unlocking a skin, open Techniques, select Awakened Projection, then use Skins to equip it.
Learn the base moveset and movement
The base kit combines dashes, punch sequences, afterimages, and one area attack. While focused, the stamina bar turns white-grey and movement improves; Super Dashes leave a custom afterimage trail.
- Frame Chain (R): Dash toward your aim or the nearest NPC and land three punches.
- Split Frame (F): Dash toward a target, strike once, summon afterimages, then finish with a second hit.
- Perpetual Motion (C): Dash toward your aim or a nearby NPC and deliver repeated punches.
- Mach Break (X): Dash toward your aim or the nearest NPC and use a star-shaped area attack.
The enhanced moves, ultimate, refined passive, and domain were announced for the future full kit and are not part of this base-kit guide.
Use Frame Freeze and trigger Frame Snap
Node 4 unlocks the Frame Freeze bar. When it fills, nearby enemies freeze inside a frame for six seconds. Their health does not drop immediately when you attack: the damage is stored until Frame Snap triggers.
- Land five hits within the six-second freeze to trigger Frame Snap. It releases the accumulated damage with a 75% bonus.
- Five hits do not mean five different skills. Multi-hit attacks such as Frame Chain and Perpetual Motion can help reach the requirement.
- If the window ends after only four hits, Frame Snap does not trigger and the stored damage is lost.
- Watch the bar and your cooldowns. Keep enough attacks ready before the freeze begins, stay in range, and follow the freeze with a reliable five-hit sequence.
Frame Snap needs five hits in six seconds. Four hits are not enough, and the stored damage is lost if the window closes.
