Defect mechanic · Main v0.107.1 · Beta v0.111.0

Glass Orbs

Dark is a savings account. Glass is a coupon with an expiry date.

Glass is an area-damage Orb that starts at 4 plus Focus, loses one base damage after each passive, and Evokes for twice its current value to every enemy. It wants early cycling, not long storage.

Read the exact rules

Official combat screenshot showing Defect's Orb row. Source: Mega Crit press kit

Rules before recommendations

How Glass Orbs works

Initial passive4 + Focus damage to all

DecayBase value falls by 1 after each passive

EvokeTwice current value to all

Strength / WeakDo not modify Orb damage

Best useEarly area damage and fast cycling

A new zero-Focus Glass passively deals 4 to every enemy and can Evoke for 8. After one passive it is worth 3 and Evokes for 6, then 2/4, 1/2 and finally 0/0.

Focus increases both passive and Evoke. Because Evoke doubles the current value, each Focus adds two Evoke damage per enemy. Positive Focus still contributes after the base has decayed to zero.

Orb damage is not an Attack, so Strength, Weak and ordinary Attack multipliers do not modify it. Dualcast, Multi-Cast and Shatter can repeat the current Evoke value.

Channeling with full slots Evokes the front Orb. Extra slots can be a downside when Channel speed is too low to push a fading Glass to the front.

The resource loop

What you are trying to convert

1
Channel Glass with Glasswork, Refract, Spinner or a random-Orb source.
2
Collect one or two early area passives while planning the queue position.
3
Add temporary Focus on a turn with several passives or Evokes.
4
Dualcast, Shatter or Channel into a full row before the Glass value expires.

The pieces that matter

Cards and relics that support Glass Orbs

Cards

GlassworkProvides Block and Channels Glass in one card.

RefractAttacks and Channels two Glass Orbs.

SpinnerProvides continuing Glass generation.

DualcastDoubles the current front-Glass Evoke.

ShatterDouble-Evokes the entire staged Orb row.

SynchronizeTemporary Focus rewards a row with several Orb types.

Relics

Data DiskAdds Focus from combat start, improving passive and Evoke.

Gold-Plated CablesRewards careful placement of Glass at the front of the row.

Emotion ChipCan produce an extra activation turn after taking HP damage.

Runic CapacitorUseful only when the deck Channels quickly enough to fill and cycle the extra slots.

Execution

Play tips that save real HP

Treat Glass as expiring area damage. Do not wait for it to grow like Dark.
Check the row before Channeling so you know how many actions remain before the Glass is forced out.
Pair temporary Focus with multiple Glass Orbs, extra passives or a batch Evoke in the same turn.
Skip extra slots when the deck cannot fill them; delayed Evokes can erase the reason you took Glass.
Use Glass to solve groups and bring Dark, attacks or another scaler for long single-target fights.

Common mistakes

Assuming more Orb slots are always an upgrade.
Leaving Glass in play as if time increased its value.
Expecting Strength or Weak to change Orb damage.
Judging only the printed 4 and missing the all-enemy target, Focus and double-Evoke multipliers.

Experimental branch

Beta v0.111.0 differences

Glass base ruleNo direct rule change found

The same decay and double-Evoke logic applies.

ShatterNow Exhausts after double-Evoking the Orb row

Beta treats the batch Glass conversion as a one-shot payoff unless another copy is found.

Biased Cognition / SynchronizeBiased Cognition remains a strong burst tool, while Synchronize falls to 1(2) Focus in v0.111.0

Glass still has a temporary burst window, but Synchronize's ceiling is lower in the latest beta.

Continue with Defect

See where this mechanic fits beside the character's other build packages, Act 1 picks and relic priorities.

Open the Defect guide