Who gets the Formalism effect from The Formalism Mystery?

Only Guardian characters: Firtho, Gratia and Lorin in the current roster. None of our build pages pick it yet, so on anyone else it only adds its 3,704 HP and 476 ATK at Lv. 80.

Is it worth getting duplicates of The Formalism Mystery?

Each duplicate raises its Resonation Tier by one, up to Tier 5. From Tier 1 to Tier 5 its scaling values go from 10 to 20 and 42 to 84. At Tier 5 it reads: "The character using this Motive gains 20% ATK. Upon unleashing a Tactical Assault, their Stun Buildup Bonus is increased by 84% for 15s."

How strong is The Formalism Mystery at Lv. 80, and what does it cost?

3,704 HP and 476 ATK, the highest ATK among the 17 four-star Motives (shared with 9 others). Reaching Lv. 80 takes 21,500 Ounce, 10 Guardian's Instinct, 7 Guardian's Insight, 7 Guardian's Challenge and 14 Guardian's Legacy.

The Formalism Mystery

Updated 1 November 2026 · 4-star · Guardian · 476 ATK at Lv. 80

The Formalism Mystery is a 4-star Guardian Motive (weapon) in Silver Palace, with 476 ATK and 3,704 HP at Lv. 80. Its Formalism effect at Tier 1: The character using this Motive gains 10% ATK. Upon unleashing a Tactical Assault, their Stun Buildup Bonus is increased by 42% for 15s. Only Guardian characters get it: Firtho, Gratia, Lorin.

Stats by level

Lv. 1 to 80

LevelLv. 80

Base HP

3,704Lv. 80

Lv. 1 · 168×22.0 from Lv. 1

Base ATK

476Lv. 80

Lv. 1 · 21×22.7 from Lv. 1

Max level in the beta files.

Formalism effect

Resonation Tier 1 to 5

One copy

The character using this Motive gains 10% ATK. Upon unleashing a Tactical Assault, their Stun Buildup Bonus is increased by 42% for 15s.

Each duplicate raises the Resonation Tier by one. Only Guardian characters get this effect: Firtho, Gratia and Lorin.

Breakthrough materials

Six breakthroughs, Lv. 20 to 70

Lv. 20
- ×3
1,000Ounce
Lv. 30
- ×7
1,500Ounce
Lv. 40
- ×7
2,000Ounce
Lv. 50
- ×7
3,000Ounce
Lv. 60
- ×5
4,000Ounce
Lv. 70
- ×9
10,000Ounce
Total
- ×10
- ×7
- ×7
- ×14
21,500Ounce

Books in the total, left to right: Guardian's Instinct, Guardian's Insight, Guardian's Challenge, Guardian's Legacy. Where they drop is on the Motives page.

In the database

One of 8 Guardian Motives, 4 of them 4-star.
Its 476 ATK at Lv. 80 is tied for the highest among the 17 four-star Motives (10 share it).

Lore

Investigation reports, interrogation logs, case notes. An endless drudgery that makes stamping out crime in the streets look easy by comparison.
Financial statements, monthly reports, bonus evaluations produced in a ceaseless cycle, upheld by steadfast rules and superficial processes.
Honestly, who on earth came up with it all? It's a riddle of red tape that could stump even the most seasoned of inspectors.

Data compiled from the Dichotomy beta game files, checked 1 November 2026. Launch is 14 December 2026 (UTC+8), and names and numbers can change before then.

Frequently asked questions

3 answers, always open

Ask on Discord

Who gets the Formalism effect from The Formalism Mystery?: Only Guardian characters: Firtho, Gratia and Lorin in the current roster. None of our build pages pick it yet, so on anyone else it only adds its 3,704 HP and 476 ATK at Lv. 80.
Is it worth getting duplicates of The Formalism Mystery?: Each duplicate raises its Resonation Tier by one, up to Tier 5. From Tier 1 to Tier 5 its scaling values go from 10 to 20 and 42 to 84. At Tier 5 it reads: "The character using this Motive gains 20% ATK. Upon unleashing a Tactical Assault, their Stun Buildup Bonus is increased by 84% for 15s."
How strong is The Formalism Mystery at Lv. 80, and what does it cost?: 3,704 HP and 476 ATK, the highest ATK among the 17 four-star Motives (shared with 9 others). Reaching Lv. 80 takes 21,500 Ounce, 10 Guardian's Instinct, 7 Guardian's Insight, 7 Guardian's Challenge and 14 Guardian's Legacy.