"Theater Mechanicus" Gameplay Details

Ruijin from Liyue Harbor has invented a new tabletop game known as "Theater Mechanicus." Taking advantage of the Lantern Rite period, she would like to get more feedback from players...
A "tabletop game"!? Sounds... utterly thrilling! Go check it out, Travelers~

>>Go to Lantern Rite Gameplay Details<<

〓Duration〓
Duration: 2021/02/10 10:00 – 2021/02/28 03:59 (Server Time)

〓Eligibility〓
Complete "The Origin of the Lanterns" and "Liyue: Theater Mechanicus" quests to unlock the "Theater Mechanicus" challenge.

〓Stage Details〓
"Theater Mechanicus" consists of 6 Stages. Unlocking the next Stage in line gives you access to a correspondingly higher difficulty, raises the max level of Mechanici, and increases the upper limit of the Veneficus Sigils you can possess. The particular unlock criteria for each Stage are as follows:

The "Theater Mechanicus" challenge consists of 8 difficulty levels. The more difficult the challenge, the higher the reward multiplier. To unlock the next difficulty in line, you must first unlock the corresponding Stage and complete the challenge on the previous difficulty.

〓Gameplay Overview〓
The objective of "Theater Mechanicus" is to use various strategies to withstand monster attacks. The detailed explanation of the gameplay can be found below~
• Rules
Following the location marking, Travelers can go to Ruijin in Liyue Harbor to access the Stages. Each time you take part in "Theater Mechanicus" you will have to expend 1 Xiao Lantern, regardless of whether you succeed in completing the challenge or not.

Travelers can attempt the challenges in either Single Player or Co-Op Mode. Co-Op supports two people at once.

At the start of each challenge, your characters will enter a Stage whereby enemy attacks take place in waves. Travelers will enter the construction phase before each wave.
The construction phase features a countdown at the top of the screen that shows the time remaining for Travelers to strategize and construct Mechanici. During that time, the paths that the next wave of enemies is about to take will be highlighted on the ground.

Travelers can construct various Mechanici at predetermined positions and use them to deal damage to monsters.

Constructing Mechanici consumes Veneficus Points. Travelers start each Stage with a certain amount of Veneficus Points to spend. You can accumulate more Points by defeating enemies on each Stage and using related Mystic Arts.
Removing existing Mechanici will refund a part of their cost in Veneficus Points. Travelers can also spend some Veneficus Points to reconstruct already existing Mechanici.

When you enter a Co-Op session of Theater Mechanicus, the max constructible Veneficus Mechanici is a collective limit that is shared between all Travelers. Each Traveler still accrues Veneficus Points individually.
Additionally, in Co-Op Mode, the levels of each Traveler's Mechanici depend on their individual upgrade progress.
(Example: Traveler A has upgraded a certain Veneficus Mechanicus to Lv. 3 and Traveler B to Lv. 5. In Co-Op Mode, this Mechanicus' upgrade level will also be Lv. 3 or 5, depending on which of the Travelers constructed it, no matter who hosts the challenge.

Hint: If a Co-Op Stage is abandoned before completion, neither of the Travelers will be able to join another Co-Op session for a set amount of time.
Travelers can choose to end the construction phase early and start the next wave immediately. (Press the "P" button on PC, tap the "Start Wave" button on the left side of the screen on mobile, and press down both sticks on PS4.)

After the construction phase is over, the monsters will start emerging from the purple portal and move along the predetermined paths. When a monster reaches the blue portal, it escapes the Stage.

Monsters will not attack characters in a Stage, and characters cannot deal damage to monsters, gain Energy, or use Elemental Bursts. Instead, skillful use of Mechanici and the environment is key to victory in Theater Mechanicus.

Hint: Although characters cannot deal damage to monsters, they can stil use their Elemental Skills to infuse monsters with elements.
Mechanici aside, Travelers can also utilize special features of each Stage to destroy monsters. Those interactive features will be subject to a cooldown before they can be used again.

Travelers can check the challenge progress on the left side of the screen, including information such as:
• The current wave number and the number of monsters remaining for that wave
• The total number of monsters that escaped and the challenge objectives
• Amount of Veneficus Points left
• The current number of Mechanici built and the maximum number of Mechanici that can be constructed

The challenge shall be considered a success if the number of monsters that escape does not exceed that which is stated in the given requirements. If that number is exceeded, you will fail the challenge, and this will immediately end the Stage.
When the challenge ends, you will receive a certain number of Veneficus Sigils as a reward based on the finalization rules of that Stage. Veneficus Sigils can be used to unlock and upgrade Mechanici.

• Stage Features
Travelers can check the Stage Features at any time throughout the Stage, including monster types in the current wave, the current Stage's layout, detailed information regarding Mechanici, Mystic Arts already chosen, and Stage Challenges.

• Mystic Arts
Upon defeating each wave, Travelers will have an opportunity to choose a Mystic Art for the Stage. Mystic Arts represent a variety of effects such as:
Some Mystic Arts can allow players to gain additional Veneficus Points
Some Mystic Arts enhance Mechanici or increase the maximum number of constructible Mechanici
Some Mystic Arts can increase the difficulty level of the next wave, while presenting an opportunity to gain additional Veneficus Sigils after completing the challenge
Some Mystic Arts, while providing a great boosts to Mechanici, come with frightening side effects
Make sure to excercise caution while choosing your Mystic Arts, Travelers... At the same time, you can select the "Skip" button at the top-right corner of the screen to skip choosing a Mystic Art.

• Finalization Rules
Upon completing a Stage, players will receive a corresponding amount of Veneficus Sigils at the time of finalization based on the number of Stage Challenges that have been completed. You can check Stage Challenges in the "Stage Features" menu, either before entering a Stage or at any time during the challenge.

The total amount of Veneficus Sigils that players obtain at the end of a Stage is equal to the sum of Veneficus Sigils earned by completing Stage Challenges and multiplied by the Reward Multiplier corresponding to the difficulty of the Stage.
Example: Travelers completed a Stage on Difficulty 2 with a corresponding Reward Multiplier of 1.2. They earned 300 Veneficus Sigils by completing the Stage Challenges, so the final amount of Veneficus Sigils that they will receive is:
300 x 1.2 = 360
Travelers can check their details of finalization in the finalization screen.

• Armory
In the "Armory" menu available before entering a Stage, Travelers can spend Veneficus Sigils to unlock new Mechanici or upgrade the ones already owned.

Each type of Mechanicus possesses its special features.

Each time a Mechanici is upgraded, it grows in strength. Once a certain level is reached, it can also gain additional effects. The level and type of Mechanici available within a Stage depend on how advanced your Mechanici are in the Armory.

Hint: The amount of Veneficus Sigils required to upgrade a Mechanicus is proportional to its level.
• Stages
Upon unlocking "Theater Mechanicus," Travelers will be able to challenge the following Stages. Travelers can unlock new Stages of "Theater Mechanicus" by progressing through the stages of Festive Fever.

〓Rewards〓
Travelers can check the relevant quests in the "Theater Mechanicus" event page and unlock subsequent quests by accumulating Festive Fever. Each completed quest will award you a certain number of Peace Talismans.

Travelers can use Peace Talismans in the Xiao Market to exchange for various rewards, including Crown of Insight and the namecard style "Celebration: Lantern-Light." You can also spend 1,000 Peace Talismans in "Stand by Me" to invite one of Liyue's 4-star character to join your Party.
That's all the latest details for "Theater Mechanicus." Stay tuned for details on more events in the future. See you next time!