Atlas Fallen: Essence Stones map Atlas Fallen - guide, tips

In Atlas Fallen, players have many options for creating their build - the Essence Stones help. In our guide we discuss how they work, how to look for them and list the best ones.

Last update: 11 August 2023

Character building is an important part of Atlas Fallen. There are dozens of Essence Stones to acquire in all sorts of different ways. On this page of our guide, we explain how to obtain them, how they work and which ones are the best.

• Essence Stones - general information
• How to acquire Essence Stones?
• Best Essence Stones

Essence Stones - general information

Essence Stones are active and passive skills you can equip to add them to your ability bar. They're divided into three tiers. The first two have a single active skill and three passive ones. The third tier has an active skill and two passives.

They can only be used after charging your Momentum Gauge. The gauge is also divided into three tiers. A skill can only be used after your Momentum reaches a specific level.

The stones are also colored, their colors showing their purpose:

1. Green - enhance your healing and the use of Idols.
2. Purple - tricks granting new moves, usually slow down and stop enemy attacks.
3. Yellow - enhance your defense or parrying capabilities.
4. Blue - make you gain more Momentum.
5. Red - increase damage dealt or unlock new offensive skills.

How to acquire Essence Stones?

There are a few different ways to acquire Essence Stones:

1. Killing monsters - when reading the bestiary, you should notice it lists potential enemy drops. One such drop are Essence Stones. If you're looking for a specific ability, read some monster entries.
2. Opening chests - they can hide resources and Essence Stones. Looking for them will be worth your while.
3. Talking to NPCs - some characters can give you an Essence Stone or a formula at the end of the conversation. Others reward you with them for completing their quests.

Best Essence Stones

All Essence Stones can be important parts of your build. Some, however, are extremely versatile and can benefit any build, always being worth considering.

Tier 1:

1. Dazzling Impact - active - interrupts enemy attacks. Its range is high, letting it affect multiple foes. Fully upgrading it increases its AoE, damage and crystallizing chance.
2. Counter Attack - passive - execute a powerful counterattack after a successful parry.
3. Tenacious Parry - passive - significantly extends Sandskin duration.

Tier 2:

1. Fractured Field - passive - your Slam leaves behind a damaging AoE for 5 seconds.
2. Piercing Parry - passive - reduce enemy defense on a successful parry.
3. Ruthless Slayer - passive - greatly increases damage dealt after killing an enemy or destroying a body part.

Tier 3:

1. Staggering Blast - active - a powerful move that deals heavy damage to all enemies hit, interrupting their attacks.
2. Innate Parry - passive - if you fail to parry an attack, your Sandskin will automatically parry it for you. This can occur every 22 seconds.
3. Affliction Mark - passive - hits with the Dunecleaver add stacks on the enemy. On 7th stack, causes an explosion and crystallizes the enemy.