Understanding the Basics

With the launch of Blue Protocol in Japan, many players are eager to dive in, but the language barrier can pose a challenge. If you find yourself struggling to understand the game’s mechanics, don’t worry! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about leveling up, gearing up, and navigating the adventure boards so you can progress efficiently.

Progression System: Levels and Item Level

Your progression in Blue Protocol is determined by two main factors: your character level and your item level. Your item level (displayed in-game) dictates your ability to participate in higher-tier content. To increase it, you need to upgrade your gear, including weapons and imagines.

Imagines come in two types: Battle Imagines (which provide active skills) and Equippable Imagines (which function as passive stat boosts). You have two slots for Battle Imagines and five slots for Equippable Imagines. Improving your item level involves continuously crafting and upgrading these items, ensuring you always equip the highest-level versions available.

How to Craft and Upgrade Imagines

To craft Imagines, you need recipes and materials. Both of these are primarily acquired through the Adventure Boards, which form a core part of the progression system.

• Main Story Quest: While the main story unlocks key features and areas, it doesn’t directly provide gear. However, completing it is essential for opening up new content.
• Adventure Boards: These contain challenges that reward you with crafting materials and recipes needed to upgrade your gear.

There are two main categories of adventure boards:

1. Adventure Rank Boards – These increase your Adventure Rank, which unlocks additional content and new boards. Upgrading your rank requires visiting the Adventure Rank Officer in the main city.
2. Gear Boards (Weapon and Imagine Boards) – These provide the necessary materials and recipes for upgrading your weapons and imagines.

Each board consists of a primary path (which must be completed) and optional side tasks (which provide extra materials but are not mandatory).

Translating Tasks and Finding Materials

Since the game is in Japanese, locating materials for crafting can be tricky. Most material names and locations can be translated using external tools like Yandex. A general approach is to check the adventure board task descriptions for required materials, translate them, and locate their farming spots on the map. A common example is hunting Goblin Warriors at the Foot of the Calm Mountain, which drops essential crafting materials.

Where to Craft Gear

Once you have the necessary materials and recipes, head to the crafting stations in the main city. There are separate crafting NPCs for Weapons and Imagines:

• Weapon Crafting: Located in an area you’ll naturally visit as part of the questline.
• Imagine Crafting: This can be harder to find. Speak to the appropriate NPC in the crafting district, where you’ll see two options: Battle Imagines (B) and Equippable Imagines (E).

When crafting, always prioritize higher-level imagines and ensure you have the required materials before proceeding.

Side Quests: What’s Worth Doing?

Not all side quests are created equal. Here’s a quick way to determine which ones are worth your time:

• Must-Do Quests: Any quest that rewards boards or recipes.
• Situational Quests: Those that provide materials necessary for a specific imagine or gear piece.
• Low-Priority Quests: Generic XP quests, especially early on, as better XP rewards come later in the game.

Five Essential Beginner Tips

1. Managing Active Boards – You can only have a limited number of boards active at any time. If a board is grayed out, you won’t receive credit for its tasks, so make sure to activate the correct ones.
2. Tracking Materials and Quests – You can track a single board at a time for easy reference. Additionally, you can track specific materials needed for crafting by selecting them in the menu.
3. Getting Your Mount – You’ll unlock your first mount upon completing the Adventure Rank 4 Board, significantly improving travel time.
4. Field Boss Drops – While crafting is the primary way to obtain gear, some Field Bosses drop valuable imagines. Be sure to check your inventory frequently for potential upgrades.
5. Dungeon Reward Tickets – When completing dungeons, you have the option to use a reward ticket for double loot. Be cautious, as the default option is Yes, and you may want to save these tickets for more difficult dungeons later.

Optimizing XP Gains

If you want to level up efficiently, avoid doing low-XP side quests too early. XP rewards improve significantly in later zones, so save non-essential XP quests for when you reach Level 12-17 and enter higher-tier regions.

Final Thoughts

With this guide, you should have a solid foundation for progressing in Blue Protocol. Focus on upgrading your Adventure Rank, optimizing your item level, and prioritizing the most valuable adventure boards and side quests. If you ever feel lost, be sure to refer back to your tracked boards and materials for guidance.

By following these tips, you’ll maximize your efficiency and enjoy a smoother gaming experience. Happy adventuring!