Difference between revisions of "Battle Sprite"

Revision as of 00:26, 4 August 2013

The Battle Sprite interface.

A Battle Sprite is a combat companion that all Spiral Knights can acquire. Each Battle Sprite has a selection of skills that can be used by the player when the Sprite is equipped. Skills range from direct attacks to party buffs and monster debuffs.

Prior to the Skylark crash, Battle Sprites, known originally as E-Class Battle sprites, were initially small, mechanical, AI-driven field companions that aided the Spiral Knights in planetary reconnaissance. Sprites collected from the crash within the Clockworks appear to be reacting to the Core's energy signal, changing dramatically based on their environment, improving their capabilities even as they remain loyal to their primary directive to support Knights in exploration and discovery.

They are intended to provide players with the ability to specialize their role in a party. The choices you make for your Sprite will act like a class for your knight, augmenting your choice of weapons and armor. For example, you may choose a Sprite that deals direct damage with attack enhancements or instead choose a Sprite that bolsters your parties defenses.

Obtaining a Battle Sprite

Rhendon stroking a Drakon Battle Sprite

A series of rank missions are available players as soon as they reach Haven. These missions start by teaching players about Battle Sprites, talking to Biotech Morlin, will teach them about sprite skills, perks, harnesses, and levelling, while Biscotti will explain how to feed and care for Battle Sprites.

Subsequent missions will allow knights to try out each of the three starter sprites before ultimately choosing one to keep. Players should take their time to know a little about sprites or see them in action before choosing. Once a selection is made, there's no going back!

A player's first battle sprite is awarded to the player after completion of An Eternal Bond. Currently, a player may only own one battle sprite.

Using a Battle Sprite

Equip, unequip, or rename a Battle Sprite.

Any sprites you own will show up in an arsenal section called "Battle Sprites". Clicking on a sprite's icon in the arsenal section will bring up a menu allowing you to equip, unequip, or rename the sprite. This section does not appear if you do not own one.

To access the Battle Sprite interface, click on the character button (hotkey: P), then select the Battle Sprite tab. This interface will show options to feed the sprite, equip a harness on them or choose a perk.

Battle Sprites can execute powerful combat skills on your command. Changing or updating the keys selected for them can be done under the 'controls' section of the options screen.

Types of Battle Sprites

Drakon

The smoldering Drakon resembles a dragon and delivers powerful, fiery blasts to foes. Because of its immense firepower focusing on direct assault, it may be considered the most offensive out of the three starter battle sprites.

Seraphynx

The divine Seraphynx resembles an angelic cat-like creature and uses its luminous powers to defend the party from attacks. Although a support sprite, it can attack enemies directly, dealing enough damage to weaken or vanquish an enemy.

Maskeraith

The shadowy Maskeraith resembles a masked phantom and uses its toxic powers to debilitate enemies. This sprite has a healthy mix of offensive abilities as well as the ability to debuff enemies.

E-Class

The most basic form of the sprites which are used primarily for surveillance and have no combat abilites. Players cannot currently aquire an E-Class sprite. Morlin owns one.

Skills

Choosing an ultimate skill.

After having bonded permanently with their knight, a sprite will start off with having one skill that a player can use. As a battle sprite levels up, they gain skill points that the player can use to improve the augments of any given skill.

Once a player has allocated all their skill points to the Sprites' skills and their Sprite has reached level 90 after using an Ultimate Evo Catalyst, the player can choose an ultimate version of a skill 1, making the base skill even more powerful and evolving the sprite in the process. The ultimate skill is gained on top of the base skill, so the base skill use is still retained. After an ultimate skill has been chosen, the battle sprite will further evolve its appearance to reflect the choice. This means that not only will high level battle sprites look different from one another, but even play differently. A sprite gains a new skill at levels 15 and 50 after being fed a required item.

Battle sprite skill points and ultimate skill choice can be reset with a special material called a Reset Star. Reset Stars are sold in the Supply Depot. When using a Reset Star, a sprite’s level is retained.

Feeding Sprites

Feeding sprites is one way of increasing its heat, but also reduces its appetite. When its appetite is low, it will be impossible to feed the sprite. Over time, appetite increases slowly on its own. Adventuring into the Clockworks is another and quicker way of increasing a sprite's appetite, and also gives the sprite heat.

To feed a sprite, bring up the character panel and select the Battle Sprite tab, then click on your Battle Sprite's icon. Choose any material from the Arsenal to feed the sprite. Some materials will grant more heat than others while still decreasing appetite at the same rate, so be sure to feed your sprite its favorite item!

Favored Items

Favored items are materials that a battle sprite enjoys eating the most. Feeding a battle sprite with a favored item will grant it much more heat than if the sprite was fed a different item (This is only true for high level sprites. For low level sprites high star mats are generally better food). There's a special alchemy machine next to Biscotti that allows knights to craft favored sprite food from materials and minerals.

An alchemy machine used to create food specific to Battle Sprites.

Required Items

In order for a Battle Sprite to advance and level up, a required item will need to be fed to the Battle Sprite. Most of the time, the item will be a material or the sprite's favored item. However, at certain levels, the required item will be an Evo Catalyst, allowing the sprite to evolve in some cases. Without the required item, the battle sprite will not level up, no matter what or how many materials the player feeds the sprite.

A battle sprite will require an Evo Catalyst at levels 14, 49, 89. 94, and 99 before advancing a level. A sprite will evolve and change its appearance at levels 15 and 50, and at 90, 95, and 100 depending on your selection of Ultimate skills.

The Battle Sprite feeding interface.

Harnesses

Harnesses are items that a battle sprite can equip to gain bonuses or to deal a certain type of damage. Some harnesses can also reduce skill cooldown by a certain percentage.

Please keep in mind that some harnesses cannot be equipped on certain sprites. For example, Drakons cannot output piercing damage, so it will be unable to equip the Golden Harness.

Harnesses can be purchased from Riley, the Harness merchant in the Lab.

Perks

Perks are buffs that a sprite gives to a player. These buffs include health boosts to status resistances to reductions in charge time. Like skills, perks are unlocked as a sprite levels up. They can be chosen or changed at any time in the Battle Sprites tab.

Battle Sprites acquire perks at most levels, and those perks are selected randomly. Battle Sprites can continue to acquire perks after reaching level 100.

Historical Notes

• Battle Sprites were implemented in game on release 2013-07-30

See Also

• The Collector
• Battle sprite preview
• Announcing: Battle Sprites!
• Battle Sprite Skill Details
• Battle Sprite Ultimate Skill details