Circuits are the skill system used in CrossWorlds. They can be activated in the Circuit Menu, which is unlocked at the end of Rhombus Dungeon. The Circuit Menu is split into five Circuit Trees, one for each element. The neutral tree is unlocked by default, and the elemental trees are unlocked on obtaining their element. You can also reset your Circuit Trees with a Circuit Override. However the only way to get these is to beat certain bosses, or through expensive late-game trades.
There are two types of Circuits: Passive Circuits and Combat Arts. Passive Circuits provide stat boosts or other background benefits. Combat Arts are active skills for use in battle, and are mostly detailed on their own page. All circuits in the elemental trees are only active while in that element mode; those in the neutral tree are always active, but are only half as effective in element modes. A circuit can only be unlocked if its parent circuit is already unlocked.
Each tree consists of four major paths, where Combat Arts associated with the four basic Combat actions are found, and several minor paths offering only passive circuits. Each of the neutral tree's major paths are balanced, but each elemental tree has two large paths, a medium path, and a small path, emphasizing certain combat actions over others based on the element's style. For example, Heat's Melee and Guard paths are large, Dash is medium and Throw is small.
Branches
The major circuit paths contain split structures called Branches, of two parallel paths of three circuit skills each, including at least one Combat Art. Although it is not possible to have both branches active at once, once one is unlocked, the active branch can be switched at any time at no cost. This allows the player to easily switch their active Combat Arts to match the situation.
Circuit Points
Circuit Points, or CP, are used to unlock Circuits. Circuits cost between 1 and 4 Circuit Points, with Circuits near the end of their tree being more expensive. Each tree has a separate pool of Circuit Points in order to allow the trees unlocked later to be as useful as those unlocked immediately. Every Level up grants one Circuit Point to each tree. The level cap of 99 means a maximum of 98 CP can be earned in this way. Fully unlocking the neutral tree requires 104 CP, while the elemental trees each require 108 CP. Enough bonus CP can be obtained to fully unlock all trees, although the A New Home DLC is necessary for this.
Sources of Bonus CP
Quests
- Digging Up the Past - 1 CP for the neutral tree
- Crocus Pocus - 1 CP for every elemental tree
- Henry Trailblazing - 1 CP for every tree
- The Observatory - 1 CP for every tree
- Waves of Sand - 1 CP for the heat tree
DLC Quests
- Trial of Ascension - 1 CP for the wave tree
- Wetter Work - 1 CP for the cold tree
- Riches with Fridges - 1 CP for the shock tree
- Spiritual Drinks - 1 CP for the shock tree
- Tremors of the Past - 1 CP for the shock tree
- Salty Detox - 2 CP for the wave tree
- Wrath of Goat - 2 CP for the cold tree
- In Cawhoofs - 1 CP for the heat tree
- Trouble on the Highway - 1 CP for every elemental tree
- Lost and On the Run - 1 CP for every elemental tree
- Beach Fight - 1 CP for the heat tree
DLC Story
- Complete the Challenge of Para Island - 2 CP for the neutral tree
- Complete Ku'lero Temple - 1 CP for every elemental tree
Arena Shop (DLC)
Symbol of Neutral - 1 CP for the neutral tree
Symbol of Heat - 1 CP for the heat tree
Symbol of Cold - 1 CP for the cold tree
Symbol of Shock - 1 CP for the shock tree
Symbol of Wave - 1 CP for the wave tree
List of Passive Circuits
For your convenience, you will find here a list for every circuit tree that shows how much of each kind of passive circuit is found in that tree and the maximum relevant modifier possible.
Most trees, with the exception of the Wave tree, have a unique circuit that is only found on that tree, and provides a fixed benefit rather than a percentage increase to a stat. Neutral has Appetite, Heat has Once More, Cold has Bastion and Shock has Extra Dash. Appetite and Extra Dash can also be obtained from items, but Once More and Bastion are only available through their respective circuit trees.
If you are seeking an exhaustive representation of how each circuit is organized in the trees, you should boot up CrossCode and inspect the actual Circuits menu directly, because even though it follows a regular pattern, it is very complex.
Neutral Tree
Once again, almost everything in this tree applies half of their effects to the other four trees.