Gates

Unit enlightenment occurs through the upgrading of their gates (currently there is a maximum of 5, there will eventually be 7 gates). Each gate specializes in upgrading the unit, but whether the upgrade is worth the cost is the real question. Some enlightenment materials are not plentiful, and acquiring enough unit soul shards for some units can be difficult, so being selective is key.

Gate 1: Primarily focuses on gradually improving the HP of the unit with each level invested, but also PATK, MATK and AGI to a lesser degree. At max level additional stats are granted that vary for each unit. It is generally recommended to max this gate for all units.

Gate 2: Upgrades a passive ability the unit possesses when gate at max level. The value of maxing this gate depends on the benefit the passive upgrade would provide to the units functionality in daily use.

Gate 3: Upgrades the unit's leader skill when gate at max level. This gate should be selectively maxed based on your existing high quality leader skill coverage amongst units you own.

Gate 4: Grants second highest HP improvement, about half the amount of gate 1, with each level invested and anti-sin stats when gate at max level. (Currently doesn't give any significant benefit to max this gate.) (add a link to a page on sins for clarity)

Gate 5: Grants third highest HP improvement, about a quarter the amount of gate 1, with each level invested and upgrades 1 skill per JE/J+ for the unit's jobs when gate at max level (in rare cases it upgrades a gear ability). The value of maxing this gate is dependent on how much it improves the associated skills and whether the unit uses those skills regularly.

Gate Upgrade Costs
Every gate needs its own type and quantity of material and every time you level the gate the materials needed become more costly.

They generally need:


 * Tokens: These are the country specific tokens related to the unit's origin. For a list of where you can farm these items, see Enlightenment/Tokens.
 * Idols: These are the specific statues used by each gate: Winged Serpent of Envy, Heroic Bear of Sloth and Mountain Ram of Lust, Wild Boar of Gluttony and Unicorn of Wrath. They can be farmed every day in multiplayer or on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday respectively for each in single player under Event: Daily Quests.
 * Alchemia: These are the alchemia evolution materials: Soul Alchemia and Arcane Alchemia which can be farmed any day in single or multiplayer in the Alchemia Hunt quests.
 * Golem: These are the golem evolution materials which are specific to the unit's element (these come in two types: Mana or Soul) and Rainbow Soul Golem used by all elements. They can be farmed any day in single or multiplayer in the Golem Games quests.
 * Goddess Jar/Pots: These are evolution materials which are specific to the unit's element and rainbow used by all elements. They come in two sizes, jar and pot. They can be farmed any day in single or multiplayer in the Goddess Worship quests
 * Sinful Indulgence: These are the rarest item used when enlightening units. They can not generally be farmed but are available in limited supply from a variety of sources. For a list of where you can obtain these, see Sinful Indulgence Sources
 * Elemental Crystal: These items are used for gate 4 and 5 enlightenment. The element of the crystal corresponds to the element of the unit.
 * Retribution for Sin: These are used for maxing gate 4 and 5 of enlightenment.

Gate 1
Levels Increase: HP, PATK, MATK and AGI

Max Level Bonus: Flat stat bonus, typically HP and some type of offensive stat (varies by unit)

This gate is the only gate recommended to max for all units or at least to take it to level 4 (if conserving resources), but even then you should always aim to max this gate if you are using the unit heavily, because generally this gate gives between 900 and 1200 HP to the unit making them much heartier and able to survive most maps.

Example: before enlightenment can reach 1636 HP without gear, but when you max his gate 1 and his level to 87 he reaches 2710. He gains around 1100 HP and generally speaking this gate will also increase the unit's damage the most (unless Gate 2 adds an offensive stat like MATK or PATK).

The Master Bonus for this gate generally adds ~100 HP and ~30 of another 2 stats generally related to the offensive scaling of the unit, except for AGI.

Normal levels for the gate: level 2 (if the unit is limited and want to save resourses), level 4 (if you want to save resources), level 5 (normal).

Gate 2
Levels Increase: PDEF, MDEF, CRIT and +5 Hit Rate

Max Level Bonus: Upgrades 1 passive of a job upgrade (JE or J+) and rarely a unique job.

To determine if this gate is worth maxing you need to consider 3 aspects of the unit: the niche, what it adds to the passive (and whether it would be used in place of a passive the unit normally uses) and how it will improve or fix some problems the unit may have.

To cover all cases a comparison of gate 2 upgrades is given below: a good, a maybe and a bad upgrade.

The Niche
Some gate 2 upgrades can greatly improve one niche the unit has or even add a new one.

Example: Maxing 's gate 2 upgrades Trance Augur (+25% AGI, -3% all other stats) to Trance Augur+ (+25% AGI%, -3% PDEF/MDEF/LUCK/CRIT and adds Slash Damage +10% and +2 Jewel Regen every time he kills an enemy). His niche is to charge up and nuke as many times as possible. He is very good at his niche, but this gate adds a new niche that can potentially do more damage if he kills enough enemies and can improve the tempo of his play style significantly.

What it adds to the passive (and whether it would be used in place of a passive the unit normally uses)
Some gate 2 upgrades make a normal passive into a really useful passive. This normally happens when the gate 2 improves an existing passive into a better version and/or adds stats beneficial to the unit.

Example: Maxing 's gate 2 upgrades Armor of Einherjar (+15% HP, PDEF and Jump Res) into One Eye on the Sun (+30% HP, 15% PDEF, MDEF and Jump Res). This is a great upgrade as it helps Acht narrow her passive choices. Without gate 2 maxed she needs to choose between 2 of 3 options, high PDEF, high MDEF or higher move, but with her gate 2 maxed she can narrow down her passive options to 2. So this passive replaces both her defensive passives and allows for the selection of her movement passive without losing bulk.

How it will improve or fix some problems the unit may have
Some gate 2 upgrades fix or help with problems a unit has.

Example: Maxing 's gate 2 upgrades Overdrive (+50% PATK/MATK and -25% PDEF/MDEF) into King of Darkness (+100% PATK, +50% MATK, -25%PDEF/MDEF and +10% AGI). This fixes his severe lack of AGI bumping it from around 125 to 140 (a much more acceptable AGI). Additionally it further increases his already high PATK to an incredibly high PATK.

A maybe gate 2 upgrade
Some gate 2 upgrades are good but not necessary for a unit.

Example: Maxing 's gate 2 upgrades Overdrive (+50% PATK/MATK and -25% PDEF/MDEF) into Enforcer of Wrath (+10% HP, +50%PATK/MATK, -25%PDEF/MDEF and +8% AGI). This isn't bad, it adds more HP and AGI, 2 stats that all units like, but in her case it's not needed because she is already fast enough (especially with her snowball effect maxed) and she already has a decent HP pool.

A bad gate 2 upgrade
There are some units that have a bad gate 2 upgrade, this generally happens when gate 2 doesn't upgrade something the unit needs or is given by another passive the unit uses regularly.

Example: Maxing 's gate 2 upgrades Iron Body (+30% HP) into Wanderer's Scorn (+40% HP and +30% PDEF). He doesn't need any of those stats to be viable. He's typically loaded for full damage and doesn't have room for this upgraded passive. If he needs extra HP, his HP passive gives him enough bulk without the upgraded version. So Lucian doesn't gain anything that he particularly needs from his gate 2 upgrade.

Normal levels for the gate: level 2 (if the upgrade is bad), level 5 (if the upgrade is good).

Gate 3
Levels Increase: HP, DEX, +2 AGI and +15 Evasion Rate

Max Level Bonus: Upgrades the LS of the unit

This gate is generally maxed last, because it's the worst gate cost wise, if the other gates are good.

When deciding if you want to max this gate you need to take into account 3 things: Is the upgrade worth the resources? Do I have a similar or better LS? When would I use this LS?

Generally you want at least 2 of these questions to be yes before investing the resources to max it, all three being yes is of course ideal. You'll want an offensive LS and defensive LS and sometimes a more unique LS (like a CT LS.) These Leader skills should have an additive bonus of at least 70%, with some exceptions based on specifics eg: like Jin LS, because it center on HP (40% HP 20% Dark 5% evasion) and dark lacks good HP LS.

Here is a more in depth look at Leader Skills.

Normal levels for the gate: level 0 (if the units is limited), level 2 (if the unit is limited, have gate 5 and want to save resourses), level 3 (because of the +1 AGI), level 4 (if the unit want a high evasion), level 5 (if it is a good LS).

Gate 4
Levels Increase: HP, PDEF, MDEF and +5% Hit Rate

Max Level Bonus: Generally the same as the Gate 1 (with some difference, like normally if gate 1 gives CRIT in this gate it will be changed to DEX), plus 2 Strong VS (sin type) (one with +40%, the second with +20%).

Gate 4 is pretty similar to gate 1, with some small differences, like this gate gives PDEF and MDEF instead of PATK and MATK or that it gives around half the amount of Gate 1's HP.

However, the real upgrade of this gate is the Strong VS (sin type) that is obtained at max level. These stats are useful for high end content (especially raids) as often the raid bosses have one sin type.

Normal levels for the gate: level 2 (if the unit is limited and want to save resources), level 4 (for any non main offensive unit), level 5 (if the unit is the main offensive unit and you are doing high end content).

Currently there haven't been any bosses with a sin tag, but in the future they should be more common for bosses.

Gate 5
Levels Increase: HP, PDEF, MDEF, CRIT and + 2 AGI

Max Level Bonus: Upgrades 1 skill of 1 JE, J+ or/and unique job.

This gate is similar to gate 2