Material/General Acquisition
Players tend to accumulate a large number of materials simply by exploring the clockworks. This is because defeating monsters in an appropriate area is generally the most efficient way to find most materials. Higher ranked materials have a better chance of dropping in deeper levels of the Clockworks.
Unless it is rated ☆☆☆☆☆ or a certain ★☆☆☆☆, a given "general" material is associated with one monster family or a single status theme. A monster in a given depth will have a drop table of possible materials associated with its family and status. Combat areas that are themed with a status will have more monsters of that status type. Sort the general material list below by stratum theme and consider the following stratum range information to decide where to look for the best chances of finding desired items:
- ☆☆☆☆☆: Depth: 1 and below (Stratum 1 range: depths 1-3)
- ★☆☆☆☆: Depth: 1 and below (Stratum 1 range: depths 1-3)
- ★★☆☆☆: Depth: 4 and below (Stratum 2 range: depths 4-7)
- ★★★☆☆: Depth: 8? and below (Stratum 3 range: depths 8?-12)
- ★★★★☆: Depth: 13 and below (Stratum 4 range: depths 13-17)
- ★★★★★: Depth: 18 and below (Stratum 5 range: depths 18-22, Stratum 6 range: depths 24-28)
Note: the most shallow depth is often not accessible via arcade due to clockwork terminals and subtowns. Certain missions allow access to combat in depths 4 or 13. Depth 8 is exclusive to Moorcroft Manor. Depth 18 exclusive to Emberlight unless the 
Event Mission: Shroud of the Apocrea, available only during the event, is hosted by a player ranked Knight Elite. This all seems moot, considering the best place to farm for a specific material is generally in the deepest depth of the stratum it begins to drop, unless it is 5*, then as deep as possible on elite difficulty in areas that have many monsters are best. This is usually depth 28. Players will generally collect many materials on the way to this ideal depth.
