Brave Frontier Drop Checks and BC Guide

Brave Frontier Drop Checks and BC Guide by Xerte

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1. Contents [CT]
2. Drop Checks [DRC]
3. Notable Drop Check Tables [DRT]
4. BC [BaC]
5. BC-related Leader Skills and Effects [BLS]

2. Drop Checks [DRC]

Drop Checks are an internal value, usually hidden from players, which determine how many times the game rolls RNG on BC per hit (And in FH, esteem). AoE attacks roll their total drop checks for each individual enemy; random target and single target are unchanging. For example, Dilma has 5 drop checks per hit on his regular attack. Each time he deals damage during his attack, RNG rolls 5 times to determine if a BC drops. Sparking is believe to have some influence, but at this point we’re not certain how much. Drop checks don’t appear to affect HC, zel, karma or items, which are tied purely to hit count.

Each hit can additionally spawn a maximum of 1 drop of each remaining type. This means that a drop check could simultaneously spawn 1 HC, 1 item, 1 karma pick-up and 1 zel pick-up, but cannot spawn more than 1 of any of those. A hit with multiple drop checks can, of course, spawn more than one BC – up to the number of drop checks tied to the hit.

As a general rule of thumb, for regular attacks the majority of units have 2 drop checks per hit, but a lot of low hit count units have higher values. An average total is somewhere around 17-23 drop checks. More is good, less is bad. Units usually have the same drop checks per hit at every evolution, though total drop checks goes up proportional to number of hits. Spheres which increase hit count do not change the total drop checks per hit, so they also change the total drop checks by the same % as the hit count.

For BB and SBB attacks, the drop checks per hit are almost always simply 1. This is generally a balancing check against the AoE and higher hit counts factors.

3. Notable Drop Check Tables [DRT]

The following tables are for drop check totals on basic attacks. Note: except in extreme cases, this number is only particularly important in the arena and Trials/Chronicles.

Notable Drop Check Totals – Basic Attacks – Good (24+)

Notable Drop Check Totals – Basic Attack – Bad (16-)

Units not on either list fall into the following groups:

• Units with a total drop check of 17-23 inclusive. This range is small enough that it should be easy enough to work out what the unit’s total checks must be, as it has to be divisible by the hit count.
• Units in the following batches: Agni tier, Firedrake tier, Elemental Heroes, Sibyl Sisters, Zegar tier. These batches are receiving 6 * evolutions in the future but are more or less irrelevant until then. (Galant and Zeln left in because they’re interesting)
• Units not present in Global data as of Elza batch’s 5 * release, including the Reed vortex batch, Urukina’s batch, JP exclusives and Cardes.
• Units with no 5 * evolution or no combat use

The following table lists Drop Check information for BB and SBB skills which break the norm of 1 drop check per hit, or those with inherent drop rate increases. If a unit isn’t present, assume that the drop checks are simply 1 per hit with no drop rate increases. All values assume 6* form for BB.

4. BC [BaC]

BC, more formally known as Battle Crystals, increase the BB gauge on pic-up. That’s common knowledge. Less common knowledge is how often they drop, how drop rate buffs affect them, how various LS affect their value.

We’ll start with the drop rate formula. This is… relatively simple.

Variables:

• Base Value. 35%. This can change in FH, but apparently that function is still unused.
• Inherent Drop Rate Bonus. This is a stat inherent to some BB and SBB, but usually 0%.
• Unit Buff. The currently active BC drop rate buff from a unit’s BB or SBB. Only one can be active; newer buffs delete older buffs.
• Item Buff. The currently active item drop rate buff. Again, newer buffs delete older buffs.
• Sphere 1/2. Bonus from equipped spheres.
• LS 1/2. Bonus from equipped LS. Note that some LS are only active during sparks.
• Enemy BC Resistance. A hidden stat that enemies can have. We’re yet to find a case of it being used, however.
• Overkill Multiplier. This is x2.0 to all drop rates (not just BC) but only present on hits that land after the target hits 0 HP.

The formula itself looks like this:

BC Drop Rate% = (Base + Inherent Drop Rate Bonus + Unit Buff + Item Buff + Sphere 1 + 
Sphere 2 + LS 1 + LS 2) * (1 - Enemy BC Resistance / 100) * Overkill Multiplier

On each drop check, the game rolls RNG between 0 and 100, and if that number is equal or lower than the final BC Drop Rate, spawns 1 BC. Drop rates 0 or below will never spawn a BC, and 100 or more will always spawn 1 BC.

As an example, let’s look at the following scenario: (Global) Dilma attacks using his SBB (+20% Inherent) while buffed by Felneus SBB10 (+30%) and equipped with Sol Creator (+15%) and Guardian Cloak (+5%). The hit is an overkill. :

BC Drop Rate% = (35 + 20 + 30 + 0 + 15 + 5 + 0 + 0) * (1 - 0/100) * 2.0
BC Drop Rate% = 210

As drop rate is over 100%, Dilma spawns 12 full BC per overkill hit. If this seems a bit much, note that his regular BB and attack only have 85% BC drop rate at this point unless overkilling.

The average BC dropped by an attack is simply Final BC Drop Rate% * Drop Checks. Minimum 0, maximum equal to the number of drop checks. When the drop rate is between 0 and 100%, the final amount can vary according to RNG, but with more drop checks, becomes more stable.

Fractional BC can be produced as a result of arena start BC, Fill Rate LS and BC fill effects with randomized values. These carry over between turns.

In the arena, a unit starts with half of the BC required to fill its regular BB; there is no rounding so fractional BC can matter here – if you have no way to produce fractional BC, consider the start BC as rounding down. BC distribution at end of turn is completely random.

5. BC-related Leader Skills and Effects [BLS]

• BC Drop Rate Increase
  Examples: Zelnite’s LS, Felneus’ SBB buff, Sol Creator, Ares Flute
  This is just a flat boost to the BC drop rate as discussed in the formula previously. When in buff form, the player may have one from an item and one from a BB/SBB (New buffs overwrite old buffs when they don’t stack)

• Inherent BC Drop Rate Increase
  Examples: Douglas’s SBB, Dilma’s SBB, Stya’s BB
  This is a drop rate buff that only applies to the specific attack which has the effect.

• Spark BC Drop Rate Increase
  Examples: Luther’ LS, Leorone’s LS
  Same as BC Drop Rate Increase, but this boost only applies to the BC drop rate of sparked hits (all drop checks of all sparked hits). Only currently found on Leader Skills.

• BC Regen
  Examples: Aisha’s LS, Evil Shard, Lodin’s SBB buff Each affected unit’s BB gauge is refilled by a specific amount of BC at the end of each turn.

• Instant BC Regen
  Examples: Lodin’s BB, Zelnite’s BB/SBB, Tilith’s BB
  Instantly fills the BB gauge by a set amount once the skill animation begins. Doesn’t affect the user except for Items.

• BB Fill when Attacking
  Examples: Karl’s LS, Orwen’s LS
  Fills the BB gauge by some amount after the unit uses a regular attack. The effect triggers once; attack hit cont doesn’t matter. Value can be random. Chance of activation can be random. This is unaffected by BB Fill Rate Increase effects.

• BB Fill when Attacked
  Examples: Lilly Matah’s LS, Lilly Matah’s BB/SBB buff
  Fills the BB gauge by some amount after the unit is hit by any attack. The effect triggers once per full attack taken, regardless of hit count. Value can be random. Chance of activation can be random.

• BB Fill when an Enemy is Defeated
  Examples: Star Blade
  Fills the BB gauge by some amount after an enemy is defeated. User needs to be the unit that lands the killing blow. Value can be random. Chance of activation can be random.

• BB Fill when a Battle is Won
  Examples: Demon Flag
  Fills the BB gauge by some amount after a wave is cleared. Value can be random. Note that Karl, Maxwell and Cardes battles appear to be a single wave, so this effect would not activate during them.

• BB Fill when Sparking
  Examples: Deemo LS
  When an attack sparks, each sparked unit’s BB gauge is filled by a set amount. The amount can be random. Chance of Activation can be random.

• BB BC Requirement Reduction
  Examples: Phee’s LS, Summoner Hat
  Reduces the amount of BC required to fill the BB gauge by some amount. There’s no rounding so fractional BC can matter – if you have no way to make fractional BC, consider the cost as rounding up. Arena starting BC is not reduced to match, allowing you to start with more than 50%.

• BB BC Consumption Reduction
  Examples: Lilith’s SBB, Cardes’ LS
  Refunds some amount of the BB gauge after activating BB/SBB. The amount of BC refunded is determined according to a % of the BC cost after considering BB BC Requirement Reduction effects. The amount of BC refunded can be random.

• BB Fill Rate Increase
  Examples: Felneus’ LS, Lodin’s LS, Aegis Cloak
  Increases the value of dropped BC by a certain amount. This can create fractional BC. This only affects dropped BC; BC from other sources are not increased.