Neverness to Everness (NTE) Equipment Systems Explained: Arc, Gear & Substat (Affix) Priority

Key takeaway: Character equipment in Neverness to Everness is split into two main systems — the Arc (the weapon, providing a main stat and substat bonuses) and the Gear (Cartridge/Drive Block, providing set-effect bonuses). Arcs are pulled from the Arc banner, with an S-rank base rate of about 3% and a dual-pity system (an S-rank Arc guaranteed within 6 pulls at most, the featured one within 8 at most).

Beyond level and skills, a large part of a character’s combat power comes from their equipment. NTE’s equipment is split into two main systems: the Arc and the Gear.

Arc (Weapon)

The Arc is the character’s weapon. Every character equips one Arc, and S-rank characters have a signature Arc — the signature Arc usually maximizes that character’s traits. Arcs come in different types, the pairing of character and Arc affects DPS output, and they are obtained from a dedicated “Research” banner.

An S-rank character paired with their own signature Arc brings out their fullest strength:

Gear (Equipment Components)

The Gear is similar to the “artifacts / relics” of other games, and is made up of two component types:

• Cartridge — provides stat bonuses
• Drive Block — provides stat bonuses

The Gear’s stats are split into a main stat and substats. Players need to filter for the right Cartridges and Drive Blocks based on each character’s needs — Main DPS units focus on ATK and burst stats, while supports focus on buff effects.

Stat Priority Quick Reference

Gear stats are split into the main stat (1 per Cartridge) and substats (4 per Cartridge). NTE’s friendliest design is that substats are “what you see is what you get” — fully visible the moment you obtain a piece and permanently fixed, unlike artifacts that require endless reroll grinding. So the point is not to “farm,” but to “pick the right ones and don’t force yourself to keep the wrong ones.”

Main stat (chosen by character role):

Role	Main Stat Priority
Pure burst DPS	Crit DMG / Elemental DMG%
ATK-type DPS	ATK% / Elemental DMG%
Support	Energy recharge
Healer	Healing bonus / HP%
Shielder	DEF%

DPS substat priority: dual crit (crit rate + crit DMG) > elemental DMG% > ATK% > generic DMG%. Push crit rate to about 60-70% first, then mainly stack crit DMG, keeping a “crit rate : crit DMG ≈ 1:2” balance for maximum efficiency.

⚠️ Don’t just hit “auto-equip”: the system’s one-tap equip won’t place the correct Drive Block shapes to trigger 4-piece set effects, and the community generally recommends manually filling in all 4 correct Drive Blocks. For the full 12 Cartridge sets, Drive Block shapes, and farming locations (Rabbit Hole instances), see the complete Gear system guide.

Progression Priority

1. Build the Arc first — the weapon is a stable source of power, so prioritize leveling it up.
2. Get the Gear right — get the stat direction correct first, then gradually chase substat quality.
3. Concentrate resources — invest your progression resources in your main team; don’t spread them thin.

The data in this article is compiled from community sources; actual mechanics and values are governed by the in-game data.

FAQ