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Xenoblade Chronicles 3

What Are The Odd Shaped Shards Used For?

By
Vincent Lau

This page explains the purpose of the odd shaped shards found in Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

These shards can be found all over Aionios.

While traveling through Aionios, you may find bright, glowing items lying on the ground in obscure locations or after feeling a Unique Monster.

When you pick them up, you’ll discover they’re an Odd Ringlike Shard or something similarly nonsensical, with an equally vague item description.

Obviously, grab them when you see them. However, their true purpose won’t be revealed until the final chapter of the game, right before entering the final dungeon.

The Secret of the Shards, Revealed

(1 of 2) The odd shaped shards will be renamed to Origin Shards.

The odd shaped shards will be renamed to Origin Shards. (left), You can match the names using the table below. (right)

After obtaining the Bravery, a new quest will appear at Sentridge Harbor Control in the Cadensia Region: Uniting the Seven Nopon. This is a long-winded quest that’s too long to explain in full here, so please follow the link if you want to learn more.

During this quest, it’s revealed that the odd shaped shards are actually Origin shards–and, if fashioned properly, can be used to upgrade Blades. All of shards (ones you’ve collected and ones you’ve yet to collect) will then be renamed as follows:

Old Name New Name
Odd Round Shard Round Origin Shard
Odd Ringlike Shard Toroidal Origin Shard
Odd Triangular Shard Trigonal Origin Shard
Odd Six-Angled Shard Hexagonal Orig. Shard
Odd Square Shard Square Origin Shard
Odd Oblong Shard Rectangular Orig. Shard
Odd Pointy Shard Rhomboid Orig. Shard

How to Upgrade Blades

(1 of 2) You need multiple of each shard to upgrade a Blade.

You need multiple of each shard to upgrade a Blade. (left), After upgrading a Blade, they will look different and receive a minor stat boost. (right)

Upon completing Uniting the Seven Nopon, you can speak to Samon at his workshop in the City, west from the Michiba Canteen to upgrade each character’s Blade. You’ll need all 7 types of Origin Shards for each upgrade, but different characters require different amounts.

Each Blade can be upgraded once. After being upgraded, it will look visually different and receive a minor boost to Attack, Block Rate and Critical Rate. This boost applies when performing auto-attacks and Arts in the relevant class (eg. Swordfighter if you upgrade Noah’s Blade), but also when using Master Arts from that class.

Upgrading Noah’s Blade

Origin Shard Required Amount
Round Origin Shard 2
Toroidal Origin Shard 1
Trigonal Origin Shard 5
Hexagonal Orig. Shard 3
Square Origin Shard 4
Rectangular Orig. Shard 4
Rhomboid Orig. Shard 2

Upgrading Mio’s Blade

Origin Shard Required Amount
Round Origin Shard 3
Toroidal Origin Shard 5
Trigonal Origin Shard 3
Hexagonal Orig. Shard 1
Square Origin Shard 1
Rectangular Orig. Shard 4
Rhomboid Orig. Shard 4

Upgrading Lanz’s Blade

Origin Shard Required Amount
Round Origin Shard 1
Toroidal Origin Shard 3
Trigonal Origin Shard 2
Hexagonal Orig. Shard 3
Square Origin Shard 5
Rectangular Orig. Shard 3
Rhomboid Orig. Shard 7

Upgrading Sena’s Blade

Origin Shard Required Amount
Round Origin Shard 5
Toroidal Origin Shard 2
Trigonal Origin Shard 2
Hexagonal Orig. Shard 4
Square Origin Shard 1
Rectangular Orig. Shard 2
Rhomboid Orig. Shard 5

Upgrading Eunie’s Blade

Origin Shard Required Amount
Round Origin Shard 5
Toroidal Origin Shard 4
Trigonal Origin Shard 3
Hexagonal Orig. Shard 3
Square Origin Shard 3
Rectangular Orig. Shard 1
Rhomboid Orig. Shard 2

Upgrading Taion’s Blade

Origin Shard Required Amount
Round Origin Shard 2
Toroidal Origin Shard 3
Trigonal Origin Shard 3
Hexagonal Orig. Shard 4
Square Origin Shard 4
Rectangular Orig. Shard 4
Rhomboid Orig. Shard 1
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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Nintendo
  • Platforms,
    Switch
  • Genre
    Action RPG
  • Guide Release
    27 July 2022
  • Last Updated
    12 May 2023
    Version History
  • Guide Author

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Welcome to our guide for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - the eagerly anticipated third entry in the Xenoblade series by Monolith Soft on the Nintendo Switch. This guide is a work-in-progress and currently contains the following:

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