Mineral
From SpiralKnights
A Mineral is a crystalline substance that can be found throughout the Clockworks. They play a vital role in the leveling of Battle Sprites.
Contents
Acquisition
Large mineral deposits can be found commonly throughout the Clockworks, often in one or two rooms per level. After three hits a "crystal spire" is reduced to a size that can be picked up and carried on the player's back. There are four sizes, worth 1, 2, 4, or 6 minerals respectively. The size that drops from a mined mineral is random.
| ||||
|
Minerals can be found much more commonly within certain strata, which originally corresponded to how gates were constructed.
|
Strategy
Because all party members get the same minerals at the elevator, there is no reason to fight over who picks up which mineral. Also, playing in large parties earns you minerals much more quickly than does playing solo. A knight may carry only one piece of mineral at a time. The mineral is moved to the player's arsenal at the end of the level, when the party gets onto the elevator. Each party member gets all of the minerals carried by each member of the party, as long as they get onto the elevator.
Other than the small amount of time required to find and break minerals, there is no reason not to pick up a mineral on each level. Even if you do not want any minerals, your teammates benefit from those you carry.
The different mineral types have wildly different value among players. Broadly speaking, players seem to employ one of three strategies in choosing which minerals to pick up:
- If your sprite is not yet finished, then you might choose the largest mineral needed by your sprite, even if larger minerals in other types are available. This strategy is simple but not highly efficient.
- Instead, choose the largest Crimsonite, Luminite, or Dark Matter mineral available. Use your unwanted minerals to make sprite food, and trade that food for the food you want. Finding trades is especially easy if your guildmates are following the same strategy.
- Some players simply pick up the largest mineral available, regardless of type. Often these players have finished sprites and suspect that Valestone and Moonstone will someday be valuable again.
Usage
- Minerals cannot be traded, though sprite food made from them can.
- Crimsonite, Dark Matter, and Luminite are used to make food for battle sprites.
- All types of mineral can be requested by the
Prestige Mission: Geological Survey.
Notes
Minerals are one of the most prevalent entities in the game, relating most things to each other on a fundamental level. For example, the weapons used by the Gremlin Knocker relate to the status inflicted by the knocker as well as archaic gate construction. Variations of this scenario room can be encountered in the arcade, hinting at the relationship between monsters and minerals. There are many other secrets to discover, according to NPCs such as Feron and Wegner. Research is ongoing.
Bulk baking horrors made by Biscotti and Groat during the Caketastrophe are associated with Dark Matter and Moonstone, respectively.
The 2-3 
Mission: The Collector has an unusual start, with minerals clustered around the arsenal station. This could be useful for speedy mineral gathering if the player is after a specific color. Simply restart the mission until the color you desire appears. This is less efficient regarding the "big picture" of the game, as this area is quite shallow and the player will obtain minerals as well as other loot simply by exploring the clockworks in general.
The Rock Salt material is a "Clockworks mineral that's been infused with absolutely nothing."
History
- Prior to release 2013-10-16, minerals were deposited into arcade gates. Each deposited mineral earned the player some crowns and potentially influenced the gate's stratum themes. There were also achievements for depositing many minerals.
- For a very brief period of time in early August 2013, Almirian Crusaders dropped crimsonite when defeated. This drop's appearance was similar to that of a material, using the arsenal icon for crimsonite, instead of a 3D piece of mineral.
- At some point (???), miscellaneous NPCs started carrying minerals around Haven, ultimately depositing them next to Wegner in the arcade.
List
Crimsonite
Small pieces of Crimsonite called Red Shards are used in crafting. Crimsonite is a key ingredient in food for drakon sprites.
Dark Matter
Small pieces of Dark Matter called Dark Shards are used in crafting. Dark Matter is a key ingredient in food for maskeraith sprites.
Luminite
Small pieces of Luminite called Light Shards are used in crafting. Luminite is a key ingredient in food for seraphynx sprites.
Moonstone
Small pieces of Moonstone called Blue Shards are used in crafting. Moonstone is not used to make any sprite food.
Valestone
Small pieces of Valestone called Green Shards are used in crafting. Valestone is not used to make any sprite food.
