In-game system guide
Lord of Mysteries Connections Guide
Connections project figures out of history into the present, and each one lends you a skill. This guide covers the draw and pity rules, how skill ranks are paid for, the relationship bonds worth chasing, all thirteen Connections with every rank of their skills, and the daily affinity routine.
What Are Connections?
The game uses historical projection to place figures from the past into the present. You collect them, and each Connection's own distinctive skill helps you push further into this Beyonder world.
Getting Connections
Befriend Connections (结交人脉) in the lower left of the Connections screen opens the draw interface. Drawing costs Lamp of History (历史明灯), which comes from various activity shops and can also be exchanged for 120 bound gold list currency (绑定金榜).
- A purple (epic) Connection is guaranteed within 5 draws.
- A gold (legendary) Connection is guaranteed within 40 draws. Single pulls and five-pulls follow the same rule, and pity progress resets once a gold drops.
- Once you pass 40 draws, a 20-pull button appears.
As with Marionettes, Wish raises your target Connection's rate to 80%, and it can miss at most once. Wish charges reset every Monday, granting 2 per reset, and every 110 draws awards one extra Wish charge.
Connection Upgrades
Pulling a duplicate gives you an upgrade point for that Connection — 1 point per duplicate. Upgrades raise that Connection's skill rank, up to rank 5.
| Skill rank | Upgrade points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1 |
| 3 | 1 |
| 4 | 1 |
| 5 | 2 |
| Total | 6 |
Maxing a skill costs 6 upgrade points — so beyond the original, you need 6 duplicates, 7 copies in total.
Relationships and Bonds
The Relationships (关系) tab holds different combinations of Connections. Once you own everyone in a combination, that relationship can be activated — you must click to activate it; it does not happen automatically.
There are two categories:
- Combat relationships (协战关系) — rewards include Historical Research points and an extra bond bonus to the Connection's skill. There are only 2 of these right now.
- Historical relationships (历史关系) — rewards are Historical Research points only.
Once the Connections in a bond group reach the required star levels (1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 stars respectively), you can raise the relationship level for more Historical Research points and a stronger bond skill. That upgrade also has to be unlocked manually.
Historical Research points earned from relationships give a sizeable boost to combat power when they reach each milestone.
All Thirteen Connections
The reference table above, in English. Role picks from the author:
- Damage, PvE: Forsi
- Damage, PvP: Dunn
- Healing, universal: Audrey
Audrey 奥黛丽 Top pick
Mind Insight 心灵洞察
- Rank 0 Audrey heals a friendly target and applies Scrutiny to them, recording damage for a set time; when it ends, a proportion of that damage is restored as health.
- Rank 1 Healing received by the target is increased by 5% for the duration.
- Rank 2 Restoration increased by 10%.
- Rank 3 The holder of Scrutiny immediately removes slow and Sluggishness on themselves, and cannot be slowed or made Sluggish for the duration.
- Rank 4 Restoration increased by 10%.
- Rank 5 60% of healing that overflows from Scrutiny converts into a shield for 5 seconds, capped at 0.5× the caster's health.
Bond groups: Afternoon Tea Break (茶歇午后) — bond upgrade · Another Spectator (另一位观众)
Leonard 伦纳德
Midnight Verse 午夜诗篇
- Rank 0 Leonard chants a Requiem verse, inflicting grievous wounds on enemies and granting himself an aura that slows the movement speed of nearby hostile targets.
- Rank 1 Aura radius grows from 6 metres to 8 metres.
- Rank 2 Aura duration goes from 6 seconds to 7 seconds.
- Rank 3 When the calm aura opens, an 85% base chance applies 1.5 seconds of Sluggishness to hostile targets within 6 metres.
- Rank 4 Aura duration goes from 7 seconds to 8 seconds.
- Rank 5 When the skill ends, a 50% chance puts enemies within 8 metres into 1 second of Nightmare Induction (sleep).
Bond groups: Tracking and Surveillance Techniques (跟踪和监控的技巧)
Forsi 佛尔思 Top pick
Trick Performance 戏法表演
- Rank 0 Forsi summons a bolt of lightning that shocks the target for damage. Against monsters the damage is increased by 75%.
- Rank 1 Grants yourself Monster Damage Bonus for 20 seconds.
- Rank 2 Shock damage increased by 10%.
- Rank 3 On hit the target becomes Electrified, chaining the shock to up to 4 nearby targets for damage. If there is nothing to chain to, that hit gains 35% damage instead. Against monsters the damage is increased by 75%.
- Rank 4 Shock damage increased by 10%.
- Rank 5 The moment Electrified ends, the target is guaranteed to take one more lightning hit. Against monsters the damage is increased by 75%.
Bond groups: Afternoon Tea Break (茶歇午后) — bond upgrade
Dunn 邓恩 Top pick
Nightmare Impact 梦魇冲击
- Rank 0 Dunn pours nightmare power into the ground, condensing it into a nightmare that damages the target and leaves a Nightmare Mark; when the mark expires it deals further damage.
- Rank 1 After Nightmare Impact hits a pursued target it applies grievous wounds for 3 seconds at 66% strength.
- Rank 2 Nightmare Impact and Nightmare Mark damage increased by 10%.
- Rank 3 The grievous wounds from Nightmare Impact last 6 seconds.
- Rank 4 Nightmare Impact and Nightmare Mark damage increased by 10%.
- Rank 5 When Nightmare Impact's shadow energy hits, it splits into 2 secondary shadows that chase other enemies within 8 metres for equal damage (without applying Nightmare Mark), plus 4 seconds of 60% grievous wounds.
Bond groups: The Guardians (守护者们) — bond upgrade · The Last Dance (最后一舞)
Daly 戴莉
Séance Ritual 通灵仪式
- Rank 0 Daly performs a séance, restoring health to nearby allies and dealing damage to enemies.
- Rank 1 The ritual now triggers once every 1.5 seconds.
- Rank 2 Ritual healing +10% and damage +10%.
- Rank 3 Ritual radius increased by 20%.
- Rank 4 Ritual healing +10% and damage +10%.
- Rank 5 Allies inside the ritual below 50% health receive 30% extra healing; enemies inside above 50% health take 30% extra damage.
Bond groups: The Guardians (守护者们) — bond upgrade · The Last Dance (最后一舞)
Alger 阿尔杰
Wave Riding 驭浪
- Rank 0 Ride the waves, gaining Super Armor and a speed boost, steering the charge with the direction keys. When the charge ends — or on a manual second cast — it attacks enemies around you. Equipping the skill also raises your speed on the water board and when swimming.
- Rank 1 Casting cleanses control effects, and you are immune to slows while riding.
- Rank 2 Wave Riding movement speed +5%.
- Rank 3 The raised wave applies Sluggishness to the primary target at 100% base chance for 2.5 seconds.
- Rank 4 Wave Riding movement speed +5%.
- Rank 5 The raised wave forms a 6-metre-radius sea vortex in the target area, pulling nearby targets toward the centre and cutting their movement speed by 15%. The vortex lasts 3 seconds.
Bond groups: Mushrooms and Fish (蘑菇与鱼)
Susie 苏茜
I'm Just a Dog 我只是一条狗
- Rank 0 Audrey throws 3 of Susie's favourite Backlund pet biscuits, which restore allied health; touching a biscuit also restores health.
- Rank 1 Scattering the biscuits additionally restores health to the 2 allies with the lowest health percentage within 6 metres.
- Rank 2 Biscuit healing increased by 10%.
- Rank 3 The number of biscuits thrown increases to 4.
- Rank 4 Biscuit healing increased by 10%.
- Rank 5 Picking up 4 biscuits grants you a shield worth 5% of maximum health for 8 seconds.
Bond groups: Afternoon Tea Break (茶歇午后) · Another Spectator (另一位观众)
Lovia 洛薇雅
Flesh Shadow 血肉阴影
- Rank 0 Lovia grants the caster a flesh shadow that continuously damages enemies.
- Rank 1 While Flesh Shadow is active, taking damage applies a 2-second attack reduction to the attacker. This can affect the same target only once per second.
- Rank 2 Flesh Shadow damage increased by 10%.
- Rank 3 Flesh Shadow duration increased by 1.5 seconds.
- Rank 4 Flesh Shadow damage increased by 10%.
- Rank 5 On cast, if your health is at or above 50% you gain 5 seconds of +8% damage reduction; below 50% you receive healing instead.
Old Neil 老尼尔
Debt Repayment 还债
- Rank 0 While equipped: gain a stack of Debt every 5 seconds, up to 4. On use: Old Neil spends all Debt to damage the target — the more Debt spent, the higher the damage, and damage to monsters is increased by 100%.
- Rank 1 Debt now stacks up to 6.
- Rank 2 Damage increased by 10%.
- Rank 3 Debt accrues faster, one stack every 4 seconds.
- Rank 4 Damage increased by 10%.
- Rank 5 Spending a full stack of Debt grants Debt-Free for 10 seconds, raising Monster Damage Bonus.
Frye 弗莱
Necro Mark 死灵印记
- Rank 0 Frye damages an enemy and applies a Necro Mark, making them take extra damage — a proportion of the caster's attack — whenever the caster hits them.
- Rank 1 Each time the mark deals its extra damage, the caster restores health.
- Rank 2 Necro Mark's extra damage and healing increased by 10%.
- Rank 3 Skill cooldown reduced by 3 seconds.
- Rank 4 Necro Mark's extra damage and healing increased by 10%.
- Rank 5 When Necro Mark expires it explodes for small-area damage, scaled to how many times the extra damage triggered — more triggers, more damage — with 75% extra damage against monsters.
Bond groups: The Guardians (守护者们) · Tracking and Surveillance Techniques (跟踪和监控的技巧)
Frank 弗兰克
Magic Mushroom 神奇蘑菇
- Rank 0 Frank summons a special mushroom at the enemy's position; detonating it deals area damage.
- Rank 1 Enemies hit by Frank's mushroom are infected with mycelium, slowed 25% for 4 seconds at 100% base chance.
- Rank 2 Detonation damage increased by 10%.
- Rank 3 After detonating, Frank's mushroom leaves a mycelium zone that deals continuous damage to anything standing in it.
- Rank 4 Detonation damage increased by 10%.
- Rank 5 The explosion restores health to the caster based on its damage — the more targets caught, the more health restored.
Bond groups: Mushrooms and Fish (蘑菇与鱼)
Benson 班森
Haggling 讨价还价
- Rank 0 Benson haggles, tossing 1–5 coins at random. The number of coins sets the size of the discount, and the discount grants a matching buff.
- Rank 1 If you are unhappy with the discount, you can recast within 3 seconds to haggle again.
- Rank 2 Damage bonus +2%, and critical bonus raised by 30% of its base value.
- Rank 3 Guaranteed to toss at least 2 coins.
- Rank 4 Skill enhancement raised by 25% of its base value, critical bonus by 30% of its base value.
- Rank 5 Guaranteed to toss at least 3 coins.
Bond groups: Sevia Chrysanthemums for You (献你塞维亚菊)
Melissa 梅丽莎
Runaway Gears 暴走齿轮
- Rank 0 Melissa summons a gear device above her head that sweeps a flame beam forward, damaging enemies along its path and breaking any shields they hold.
- Rank 1 Enemies hit are scorched, taking damage over 4 seconds.
- Rank 2 Beam damage increased by 10%.
- Rank 3 Summons 2 gear devices; an enemy hit by both beams at once takes 1.4× the damage of a single beam in total.
- Rank 4 Enemies hit have a 60% chance to take 3 seconds of 66% grievous wounds.
- Rank 5 After firing, the gear device automatically flies at the target for damage.
Bond groups: Sevia Chrysanthemums for You (献你塞维亚菊)
Draw Strategy
A three-person bond (a combat relationship) grants 16 Historical Research points per upgrade, far more than a two-person bond's 5 or 6, so aim your pulls at three-person bonds. Wish charges refresh 2 per week and do not carry over — once Connections unlock on day two (Saturday), spend them rather than waste them.
- All damage classes (including Warrior): in the first week, Wish for Forsi and pull her to high stars. Finishing the 7-day newbie quests grants one Audrey, so the Afternoon Tea Break bond unlocks within 7 days at the latest.
- If you play PvP: alternate between Forsi and Dunn, slotting in one Daly to unlock The Guardians.
- Spectator: alternate Forsi and Audrey. Since day 7 gifts an Audrey, favour Forsi in the rotation so Audrey does not overflow, and simply push Afternoon Tea Break to a high bond level.
Duplicates also give Projection Fragments (投影片段) on top of skill points:
- Purple: 2 fragments per duplicate, 4 once the skill is capped.
- Gold: 10 fragments per duplicate, 50 once the skill is capped.
Spend Projection Fragments in the Connection shop on more Lamps of History first, to keep the draw cycle going. If your total draw count is very high and Daly is still not maxed, exchanging for one Daly is an option — but it is not recommended for ordinary players.
Daily Affinity
Connections also have an affinity system, raised through the daily interactions Stroll (漫步), Invitation (邀约) and Dance (共舞). Each of the three raises affinity once per day, and your first Invitation of the day is free (first globally). Further interactions cost Reminiscence Invitations (漫忆请柬), which are limited per week — concentrate on one Connection at a time, because a week's supply is exactly enough for 7 days with a single one.
With a monthly card you also get 5 letters per day, which likewise consume Reminiscence Invitations.
Affinity caps at level 7. Every gold-quality Connection gives you another copy of themselves at level 6. Other affinity rewards include furniture, social actions, avatar frames and titles.
Raising affinity also yields a lot of Memory Caskets (记忆珍匣), which are exchanged for cosmetics at the Hall of Past Events (往事陈列馆).
Before You Use These Numbers
Everything above reflects the game as observed in launch week of China Open Beta, from a guide revised on August 23, 2026. Pity counts, wish rates, fragment yields, bond point values and the role picks are all subject to balance patches, and the roster will grow. Treat the recommendations as the author's assessment at that point in the patch cycle rather than settled tiering.