New Game+

Welcome, seasoned wanderer, to New Game+ in Sword of the Sea! This mode offers a fresh challenge and new opportunities to explore the vast, shifting sands with enhanced abilities and unique rewards. Your previous triumphs have prepared you for this next journey, but be warned: the desert has grown more formidable.

Upon completing the main story and witnessing the final restoration of the Great Wave, you'll be prompted to start a New Game+. Selecting this option will carry over several key elements from your previous save, while resetting others to provide a renewed sense of progression.

What Carries Over?

All Collected Relics: Every Ancient Relic you painstakingly unearthed will remain in your inventory, providing their passive bonuses from the outset.
Board Customizations: Your favorite Board Skins, Trails, and Glider Wings are all available immediately from the Customization menu in the Oasis.
Player Abilities: All unlocked movement abilities, such as the "Sand Dash" and "Wind Glide," will be accessible from the start, allowing for more fluid navigation.
Lore Entries: Your completed Lore Codex will remain intact, offering a comprehensive history of the world and its inhabitants.
Challenge Completion: Any completed Time Trials or Trick Challenges will retain their "completed" status, though you can re-attempt them for better scores.

What Resets?

Story Progress: The main narrative questline will reset, allowing you to experience the story again with your enhanced character.
World State: All environmental puzzles, sealed passages, and un-restored monuments will return to their initial states.
Essence Fragments: All collected Essence Fragments will reset, giving you a fresh opportunity to gather them and unlock new upgrades.
Spirit Guardians: The Spirit Guardians will need to be re-awakened, and their associated challenges will be available once more.
Enemy Encounters: All enemies will respawn in their original locations, but with significantly increased health and aggression in New Game+.

New Game+ Exclusive Content

Beyond the increased difficulty, New Game+ introduces several compelling reasons to embark on a second journey:

1. The Shifting Sands Gauntlet

This is the primary new challenge. Throughout the world, specific areas will now feature "Shifting Sands Gauntlets." These are marked by a swirling purple aura and a unique totem. Interacting with the totem initiates a timed challenge where you must navigate a treacherous section of the environment while avoiding new, more aggressive enemy variants and environmental hazards. Successfully completing a Gauntlet rewards you with:

Glimmering Shards: A new currency used to purchase exclusive New Game+ items.
Rare Essence Clusters: These grant a larger boost to your overall Essence pool than standard fragments.

2. Ancient Architect Blueprints

Hidden within the most challenging Shifting Sands Gauntlets are fragments of "Ancient Architect Blueprints." There are five in total, scattered across the major regions:

Blueprint Fragment: Oasis Heights - Found in the "Sunken Spire Gauntlet" located north of the main Oasis, accessible after awakening the first Spirit Guardian.
Blueprint Fragment: Whispering Dunes - Located in the "Echoing Canyon Gauntlet" within the Whispering Dunes, near the entrance to the Sunken City.
Blueprint Fragment: Crystal Caverns - Discovered in the "Gemstone Labyrinth Gauntlet" deep within the Crystal Caverns, past the Glimmering Grotto.
Blueprint Fragment: Scorched Peaks - Acquired from the "Volcanic Ascent Gauntlet" on the highest peak of the Scorched Peaks, requiring advanced Wind Glide maneuvers.
Blueprint Fragment: Forgotten Shore - Found in the "Tidal Surge Gauntlet" along the Forgotten Shore, accessible only during specific tidal cycles.

Collecting all five fragments allows you to craft the Architect's Board at the Oasis Artisan. This legendary board offers a significant speed boost and a unique passive ability: "Temporal Drift," which slightly slows down time during aerial tricks, making complex maneuvers easier to execute.

3. The Obsidian Relics

A new set of three "Obsidian Relics" can be discovered exclusively in New Game+. These are not tied to specific locations but are instead dropped by particularly powerful "Apex Predators" – enhanced versions of existing enemy types that appear randomly in the world after you've awakened at least three Spirit Guardians in New Game+.

Obsidian Charm of Resilience: Grants a small chance to negate incoming damage. Dropped by the "Apex Sand Serpent."
Obsidian Pendant of Swiftness: Increases your Sand Dash recovery speed. Dropped by the "Apex Wind Weaver."
Obsidian Sigil of Insight: Highlights nearby hidden Essence Fragments on your compass. Dropped by the "Apex Dune Behemoth."

These relics offer powerful passive bonuses that can significantly aid your journey through the increased difficulty of New Game+.

4. New Customization Options

The Oasis Artisan now offers a selection of exclusive New Game+ Board Skins and Glider Wings, purchasable with Glimmering Shards. These include:

"Starlight Surfer" Board Skin: Requires 50 Glimmering Shards.
"Phoenix Feather" Glider Wings: Requires 75 Glimmering Shards.
"Abyssal Trail" Effect: Requires 30 Glimmering Shards.

These cosmetic items are purely aesthetic but serve as prestigious indicators of your mastery over the sands.

Strategies for Success in New Game+

Prioritize Essence: With enemies being tougher, maximizing your Essence pool for health and ability usage is crucial. Focus on collecting Essence Fragments early on.
Master Movement: Your carried-over abilities are your greatest asset. Utilize Sand Dash and Wind Glide extensively to evade powerful enemy attacks and navigate Gauntlets efficiently.
Exploit Weaknesses: Even enhanced enemies retain their elemental weaknesses. Pay attention to their attack patterns and use the appropriate elemental attacks from your sword.
Gauntlet Practice: The Shifting Sands Gauntlets are challenging. Don't be afraid to retry them to learn the optimal path and enemy placements. Precision is key.
Scout Apex Predators: Keep an eye out for the distinctive glow of Apex Predators. They are tough but offer valuable Obsidian Relics. Engage them strategically, utilizing environmental hazards to your advantage.
Resource Management: While Essence Fragments reset, remember to frequently visit the Oasis to upgrade your health and abilities.

New Game+ is designed for players who have truly mastered the art of sand-surfing and wish to push their skills to their limits. Good luck, and may the winds guide your board!