Not only do you get some more character development and worldbuilding by engaging in these conversations with everyone, but there’s also a big gameplay benefit from maxing out these camp bonds. Upon reaching the highest level of bond with someone (by having five conversations with them around the campfire), you’ll unlock their second mystic arte. These are incredibly powerful abilities that you have no other chance to attain if you don’t take the time to get to know your party members.
Benefits of Camp Bonding
The primary & only gameplay benefit from raising bonds with other party members is that you’ll unlock each member’s second mystic arte. These are hard hitting, spectacular artes for each character and cannot be unlocked any other way. As a result, it’s worth taking the time to max out each bond with every character. Here’s a brief list of every secondary mystic arte, unlocked through camp bonding:
Shionne: Explosive Charge Law: Crimson Skies Rinwell: Aquarius Damnation Dohalim: Epochal Severance Kisara: Final Player
From a narrative standpoint, it’s also worth maxing out these camp bonds, since it’ll unlock several skits per character where you get to know them and hear about their backstory a little more. And finally, for the trophy hunters out there, maxing out a bond will also unlock an achievement. There’s an achievement for each bond maxed out, for a total of five. Additionally, there’s a secret sixth achievement for reaching the highest bond level with every party member in the game.
How To Do Campfire Bonding
Upon first playing Tales of Arise, camp bonding won’t actually be available for a little while. It’s unlocked upon entering Cyslodia for the first time, with Rinwell become a full member of the party, not just as the guest she initially appears as. After Rinwell joins the party proper, a skit will play during the next occasion that the party reaches a camp. Alongside this, the game will introduce the concept of camp bonding to you, as well as walking you through a short tutorial. Then you’ll be able to select one character from your party to have a conversation with. For this first instance of camp bonding, Rinwell’s name will be grayed out. This is simply because for the purposes of the tutorial, the game wants you to have a conversation with Shionne first. From then on, while camping, you’ll be able to converse with one party member of your choice at a time. It will be the last option before resting, after you’ve selected a cooking recipe. It’s very clear who your best options to converse with are at any time. You can reach the next level of bond with anybody who has a small white text-box next to their name. An absence of text-box means that you can still converse with them, but it won’t result in an increase in your bond level with them. Once their bond has been maxed out, a nice little smiley face will appear next to their name, which means you can focus on getting to know everybody else instead. Tip: While progressing the story, you’ll only be able to bond with certain characters on certain occasions. Example: you won’t be able to immediately max out your bond with Shionne by talking to her every single time you camp. Once you’ve beaten the game, you’ll no longer have to wait for any story events to trigger certain bond conversations unlocking. However, you’ll only be able to increase your bond level with any character once per hour of gameplay time. This cooldown is shared party-wide, so you can’t chat with Law, then immediately camp again and have a chinwag with Dohalim. Note: As implied by the name, camp bonding only works when sitting around a campfire. So avoid staying at inns if you want to raise someone’s bond level. Your party members are too busy enjoying the creature comforts of Dahnan hospitality to worry about things like “making friends” when they aren’t roughing it around a campfire.
