Gameplay basics Pyre Guide

Last update: 16 August 2017

Before approaching the game, it's always a good idea to learn the gameplay basics, which will enable you to understand the principles governing the world of Downside. Below, you will find many entries that should come in handy during your journeys.

• Character development
• The art of choosing
• Looking for the path
• The Rites
• Liberation Rites
• Talismans and augmentations
• Additional activities
• Feats of Glory
• Titan Stars
• Scribe Trials
• Slugmarket
• How to get Sol
• How to level up quickly

Character development

After defeating subsequent enemies, your allies will get experience points (XP), new items and skills. All the info about the given character is available in the blackwagon.

1. Character name - Lodariel.
2. Glory - the amount of damage done to a pyre after this character manages to get the orb into the pyre.
3. Quickness - this is rather self-explanatory.
4. Presence - the range of the character's Aura.
5. Hope - defines the amount of time a character is banished after being hit or getting the orb into a pyre.
6. Enlightenment - the XP level, divided into five stages.
7. Additional character skills are presented in this window.
8. A window for an extra item - Talisman.
9. Here are two separate paths for developing the character. Each experience level you get lets you allocate one skillpoint to the chosen tree.

Let's emphasize here, that the outcasts can only learn four skills, unlocked along progressing to higher levels (5 levels tops). Plan the development of characters ahead, since you can only fully develop two trees.

The art of choosing

During exploration you will be forced to make different decisions that will influence the story later on. Quite often, when traveling to your destination, your friends will have different opinions about different problems and offer different solutions. Your task is to make the decision of which path do you want to follow.

Looking for the path

After every Rite, your companions will ask you to show them the way to their next challenge. To do that, look into the sky and search for a bright star. After locating the next destination, the game will be resumed.

The Rites

These are dynamic, 3v3 gameplay focused on getting the orb from the center into the enemy's pyre to get some points. Each team begins with a set of 100 points, and each time you manage to get the orb into the pyre, the enemies' points decrease. During a match, you can pass the orb around with your mates, jump, and sprint and use special skills to make life of your enemies more miserable. Considering that every outcast that joins you has a unique set of skills, you are able to combine unique strategy for every game. A rite can be divided into a couple of stages.

Stage 1: Checking the enemies' stats and skills

Before each match, look up the enemies - this will make the whole thing easier. In the above case, the enemies are fast but have poor Aura reach and long banish time. On top of that, they get only 15 points for dropping the orb into the pyre.

Stage 2: Choosing your own team

Once you get to know the stats of the enemies, it will be easier for you to choose an adequate line-up for the match. In the example, the reasonable way to do things is inviting one strong character and two quick ones, which will be able to intercept enemies.

Stage 3: The match itself

When you make all the choices regarding the personnel, you will begin a game. The team that manages to bereave the enemies of all their points wins a match. Losing a Rite doesn't mean you loose the whole game. The leader of the loosing team is able to bail himself out of Purgatory, and the story goes on.

Liberation Rites

All your efforts have one, ultimate goal - achieving salvation of all your heroes, so that they're able to get back to their old lives. Occasionally, you will be able to participate in a special Liberation Rite - winning such rite allows one of the members of your team to be freed from the Purgatory. Note the fact that only one hero can receive absolution, so it's always a tough choice. Of course, you always need to have somebody ready as a replacement for the one you're letting go. Also note that not just everyone deserves this right - only the characters that have enough Enlightenment points will be allowed to do this.

Talismans and augmentations

The Talismans offer additional buffs for you and your team, which can significantly improve your standings in a match. In order to augment a talisman, you should:

1. Talk to Ronem in Slugmarket.
2. Buy the right kind of Stardust from Ron.
3. Move the Stardust above the talisman you want to enhance...
4. ...and confirm your choice.

Remember that some talismans have to be augmented a couple times in order for them to become more powerful.

Additional activities

When playing Pyre, you will also have some spare time, during which some additional activities may be performed - this will let you improve your stats, get more money and unlock achievements.

Searching for items

This will let you get a lot of Salt (the currency in the game). Looking fro items is very useful if you need to unlock the achievement that requires 1000 Salt in the Slugmarket. Every item you find can be sold for a certain amount of money.

Studying the Book of Rites

This improves your team members' stats. Obviously everyone wants the strongest team possible - studying the Book of Rites is the best way to achieve that.

Mentoring

This allows you to mentor a character, i.e. to lead it through the game. The chosen ally receives 1000 experience points, which is a lot. Mentoring is a great way of helping a character reach the highest level quickly.

Feats of Glory

Feats of Glory are unlocked automatically along with the progress in story. When they're available, the player has an opportunity to get additional money rewards for fulfilling specific goals during the Rites. For example, you might have to neutralize a specified enemy a couple of times during one match.

Titan Stars

Titan Stars are simply a way of making things harder for yourself by weakening your Pyre and reinforcing the enemies (quickness, stamina, damage resistance). Your heroic efforts will be rewarded with additional XP. You will only be able to play this mode further in the game. In order to confirm additional challenges, you will need to accept your choice before a Rite begins.

Scribe Trials

During the game, you will receive Beyonder Crystal that allows you to perform the Scribe Trials (where only one character is fighting). That character is thrown into a 1 versus 3 fights, where they have to prove their value. If the Rite is passed, the character will receive a Talisman appropriate for it's class.

Beyonder Crystal also allows you to play a sparring against Sandra's team. This lets you to try out new characters.

Slugmarket

During your journey across the Downside, you'll often encounter Ron, who runs his small mobile business. He'll have new items each time you meet. Among the things you can buy from Ron, you'll find e.g. Stardust to power up your talismans, as well as additional Talismans, potions, and rings that may help you during the matches.

How to get Sol

The main currency in Downside is Sol. Unfortunately; it's quite difficult to come across Sols in greater quantities. There are, however, a couple of ways of reinforcing your own efforts:

1. Search for items. Any stuff you don't need can be sold for money.
2. If one of your team members gets out of the Purgatory, they leave all their equipment behind, including the Talisman they got in Scribe Trials. It's useless without its owner, so you can just sell it.
3. Doing Feats of Glory during the Rites will yield some additional money.

How to level up quickly

If you want to develop your skills faster, you can do one of the following things:

1. The main source of XP are the Rites. By participating in the games, the characters get XP.
2. Use Mentorship often. The character you chose to be the mentor of will get 1000 experience points.
3. Let your favorite characters have a rest sometimes. When they regenerate, and their XP bar is being filled in green, they will get extra XP for the Rites.