Sword x Staff: Ancient Relic Scaling and Anniversary Companion Pull Strategy

In Sword x Staff, the meta is constantly shifting as new power thresholds are introduced. Recent updates have subtly increased the influence of Ancient Relics on overall combat power, making them a core focus for players looking to maximize their efficiency during the anniversary event. This guide outlines how to balance your resource allocation between the increasing importance of Relics and the new Companion card banners.

The Rising Importance of Ancient Relics

Players are observing a quiet but significant shift in power scaling. While character levels and gear remain foundational, Ancient Relics are now providing a larger percentage of total combat efficacy.

Stat Weighting: As you progress into later stages, the percentage-based bonuses from high-tier Relics often outweigh flat stat gains from lower-tier equipment.
Prioritization: If you find your damage output stalling despite having high-level gear, re-evaluate your Relic synergy. Focus on upgrading Relics that offer multiplicative bonuses rather than additive ones.
Resource Management: Do not funnel all your currencies into Companion banners at the expense of ignoring your Relic development. A balanced approach ensures that your combat power remains stable as the game's difficulty scales.

The anniversary event introduces new Companions that can significantly alter your team composition. However, the temptation to "pull for everything" can lead to a depleted resource pool. Use the following criteria to decide where to invest:

Strategy	Focus Area	Recommended Action
F2P/Low Spender	Core Synergy	Only pull if the Companion provides a direct utility upgrade to your current main class.
Mid-Tier	Stat Padding	Pull if the Companion offers passives that support your primary Relic set.
High-Tier/Whale	Meta Dominance	Evaluate the Companion’s skill impact in 4v4 and high-difficulty boss scenarios before committing.

Balancing Relics and Companions

To optimize your progress during the anniversary, follow these tactical steps:

Assess Your Current Relic Loadout: Before pulling on new banners, audit your current Relics. Are they fully upgraded to your current level cap? If not, prioritize these upgrades first to ensure you have a solid baseline.
Analyze Companion Passives: Don't just look at the raw power of a new Companion. Look for "passive synergy"—does this Companion increase the effectiveness of the Relics you are currently using? If there is a synergy, the pull value is much higher.
Avoid Impulse Spending: The anniversary event often creates a "fear of missing out." Set a firm budget for how many summons you will perform. If you hit your target without obtaining the desired Companion, stop and redirect remaining resources into Relic fragments or enhancement materials.
Monitor Power Spikes: Use the training dummy or low-level dungeon runs to test your power after upgrading a Relic versus obtaining a new Companion. Often, a high-tier Relic upgrade provides a more consistent power spike than a base-level Companion card.

By shifting your focus to favor the growing influence of Relics while being selective with your Companion pulls, you can maintain a competitive edge and ensure your account remains optimized for the current and future meta.