New Game Plus

Start New Game Plus in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Carry over progress and unlock new features for a second playthrough of the Aionios adventure.

Congratulations, Consul! Having successfully navigated the intricate world of Aionios and brought your journey to its epic conclusion, you now have the opportunity to embark on a new adventure with enhanced capabilities. New Game Plus (NG+) in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 allows you to restart the main story while retaining many of your hard-earned progress and unlocking new features. This section will guide you through the specifics of what carries over, what doesn't, and how to best utilize NG+ for a truly comprehensive experience.

Initiating New Game Plus

After viewing the credits and saving your cleared game data, return to the title screen. Select "Load Game" and choose the save file marked with a star icon (★). This indicates your cleared game data. You will then be prompted to start a New Game Plus. Confirm your selection to begin your new journey.

What Carries Over

The beauty of NG+ lies in the significant advantages you retain from your previous playthrough. This allows for a smoother progression, the ability to tackle higher difficulties, or simply to enjoy the story again with a powerful party.

• Character Levels: All party members retain their levels. This includes Noah, Mio, Eunie, Taion, Lanz, Sena, and any unlocked Heroes.
• Class Ranks: All acquired Class Ranks for every character carry over. This means you won't need to re-grind Class Points (CP) for previously mastered classes.
• Unlocked Classes: All Hero Classes you've unlocked will be available from the moment their respective Heroes join your party in the NG+ storyline.
• Hero Characters: While Heroes won't be immediately available at the start of the game, once their recruitment conditions are met in the NG+ story, they will rejoin your party with their previous levels and Class Ranks.
• Skills and Arts: All learned Skills and Arts for each character and class are retained.
• Equipment: All Weapons, Armor, and Accessories you've collected will be in your inventory from the start. This includes rare and unique items like the Holy Gauntlets or Titanium Greaves.
• Gems: All crafted Gems and their levels are carried over. This is a massive advantage, as high-level Gems significantly boost your party's combat prowess.
• Nopon Coins: Both Silver and Gold Nopon Coins are retained. These are invaluable for purchasing rare items, materials, and even leveling up classes instantly.
• Affinity Chart Progress: Colony Affinity and related rewards (like bonus EXP or CP) are carried over. This means you'll have access to previously unlocked benefits from the start.
• Collectopaedia Card Progress: Any completed Collectopaedia Cards remain completed, and their rewards are still accessible.
• Unlocked Fast Travel Points: All previously discovered landmarks and fast travel points will be available on your map, though some may require story progression to access.
• System Settings: Your game settings, such as difficulty, camera controls, and audio preferences, will persist.

What Does NOT Carry Over

While much of your progress transfers, certain elements reset to ensure a fresh narrative experience and to prevent breaking the early game balance entirely.

• Story Progress: The main story progression resets to the beginning of Chapter 1.
• Side Quests and Hero Quests: All side quests and Hero Quests reset. You will need to re-accept and complete them to earn their rewards again.
• Consumable Items: All consumable items, such as food buffs and Battle Items, are reset. You'll need to re-gather these.
• Money (Gold): Your accumulated Gold will reset to zero.
• Ouroboros Forms and Skills: While the ability to use Ouroboros forms is tied to story progression, any specific Ouroboros skill tree progress will reset. You'll need to re-earn and allocate Ouroboros Points (OP) as you progress through the story again.
• Chain Attack Gauge: The Chain Attack gauge and its progress will reset.

New Game Plus Exclusive Features

NG+ isn't just about replaying; it introduces new elements to enhance your experience.

Level Down Feature

One of the most significant additions in NG+ is the ability to voluntarily lower your characters' levels. This feature is accessed at any Rest Spot (e.g., a tent, camp, or Colony barracks). Select "Level Down" from the menu. You can reduce individual character levels or the entire party's level. The experience points gained from leveling down are converted into Bonus EXP, which can then be used to level up characters again at your discretion. This is incredibly useful for:

• Challenging Combat: If you find the early game too easy with your high-level characters, you can lower your levels to make encounters more engaging.
• Optimizing Class Grinding: By lowering your level, you can gain more Class Points (CP) from lower-level enemies, making it easier to master classes you might have overlooked in your first playthrough.
• Earning Bonus EXP: The Bonus EXP gained from leveling down can be stored and then strategically applied to specific characters or classes later, allowing for more controlled progression.

Strategy: Consider leveling down your party to around the level of the enemies in Chapter 1 or 2 to enjoy a more balanced challenge while still benefiting from your retained equipment and skills. As you progress, you can gradually raise your levels using the stored Bonus EXP.

New Accessories and Items

While not explicitly stated as "NG+ exclusive," certain high-tier accessories and materials become more accessible or are designed for the challenges of a second playthrough. Keep an eye out for new drops from Unique Monsters or rewards from high-level side quests that you might have missed or were too difficult to tackle previously. For example, the Mastery Gauntlets (boosts CP gain) or Endless Loop (enhances Chain Attack potential) are excellent targets for a NG+ run.

Recommended NG+ Strategies

To make the most of your New Game Plus experience, consider these strategies:

1. Focus on Class Mastery: With retained Class Ranks and the Level Down feature, NG+ is the perfect time to master every single class for every character. Prioritize classes that grant powerful Master Skills or Arts that complement your preferred playstyle. Use Nopon Coins to instantly rank up classes if you're short on time.
2. Tackle Superbosses and Unique Monsters: Your powerful party is now well-equipped to challenge the toughest Unique Monsters and Superbosses you might have struggled with in your first playthrough. Seek out the Seraphic Ceratinia in the Erythia Sea or the Perilwing Ryuho in the Cadensia Region for ultimate challenges and rare drops.
3. Complete Missed Side Quests: Use your knowledge of the world and powerful party to efficiently clear any side quests or Hero Quests you skipped previously. Many of these offer valuable rewards, lore, and character development.
4. Experiment with Builds: With all classes and equipment available, experiment with unconventional character builds. Try a tanky Noah, a healer Sena, or a damage-dealing Taion. The possibilities are vast!
5. Experience the Story Differently: Pay closer attention to the narrative details, character interactions, and foreshadowing now that you know the full story. You might pick up on subtle nuances you missed the first time around.
6. Collect All Collectopaedia Items: Aim to complete all Collectopaedia Cards for every Colony. This not only grants rewards but also deepens your understanding of Aionios's ecology and resources.

New Game Plus offers a rich and rewarding continuation of your Xenoblade Chronicles 3 journey. Whether you seek ultimate power, a deeper understanding of the world, or simply another adventure, NG+ provides the tools to make it an unforgettable experience.