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Switch Link Effect Guide & List

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What are Switch Links?

Along with the normal strong buffs obtained from spell cards, skills, and passive abilites, every Friend has their own Switch Link Effect, which comes in 6 different flavors. Usually this coincides with their Friend type; offensive units will have Attack Links that boost offensive stats, speedy units will have Speed Links that increase Agility/Accuracy/Evasion, etc.

As their name suggests, Switch Links occur upon Friends switching in and out from battle. There are 2 different effects a Switch Link has, based on if the Friend switches in or out. Switching In has the Friend gain some of the viable buffs the other Friend procured during battle, while Switching Out has the Friend that leaves give some of their viable buffs to the Friend switching in. Exceptions occur for the Power, Shield, and Vital Links, but these are the general rules for these Switch Link Effects.

Along with the already-established effects, these buffs can be further improved thanks to Lore Bonuses. This is a hidden feature that (mostly) doubles the benefits of Switch Link Effects between 2 units and it is activated based on canon friendships and lore relations. The chance of it activating increases relative to friendship level, which eventually becomes guaranteed at Pink Heart friendship level. While we have no officially sent data regarding this, there is a community-made spreadsheet that contains information for all the currently released units.

Each section below will provide the effect of each Switch Link as well as all of the Friends who possess that link. Note that the values in parenthesis indicate bonuses from lore relations.

Attack Link

  • Switch out: Unit gives +1 (+2) YANG ATK, YIN ATK, CRIT ATK, CRIT ACC (3 turns) to the unit being switched in.
  • Switch in: Unit gains +1 (+2) YANG ATK, YIN ATK, CRIT ATK, CRIT ACC (3 turns) if the other unit has any of these buffs when switching.

Power Link

  • Switch out: Unit gives +1.00 (+1.50) Spirit P to the unit being switched in.
  • Switch in: Unit gives +0.50 (+0.75) to the current front row (does not include self).

Speed Link

  • Switch out: Unit gives +1 (+2) Agility, Accuracy, and Evasion (3 turns) to the unit being switched in.
  • Switch in: Unit gains +1 (+2) Agility, Accuracy, and Evasion (3 turns) if the other unit has any of these buffs when switching.

Guard Link

  • Switch out: Unit gives +1 (+2) YANG DEF, YIN DEF, CRIT DEF, CRIT EVA (3 turns) to the unit being switched in.
  • Switch in: Unit gains +1 (+2) YANG DEF, YIN DEF, CRIT DEF, CRIT EVA (3 turns) if the other unit has any of these buffs when switching.

Shield Link

  • Switch out: Unit gives 1 layer (2 layers) of Barrier to the unit being switched in.
  • Switch in: Unit heals 1 layer (2 layers) of Barrier Status of the current front row (does not include self).

Vital Link

  • Switch out: Unit restores 30% (50%) HP to the unit being switched in.
  • Switch in: Unit restores 10% (15%) HP to the current front row (does not include self).

Credits

Special thanks to Alex.393#0812 for the information provided in his speadsheet and RedMisao#2816 for the updated Switch Link Bonus Chart which made this article possible!

If you have any suggestions and feedback regarding this article, please reach out to the Touhou LostWord Discord Official server's #gamepress-feedback channel!

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About the Author(s)

I usually write about strategy guides as I try to fix my skill issue. I can be contacted via Discord (Minzhire#0225) but mainly on Touhou LostWord Official Discord's #lostword-strategy channel. If you got any feedbacks and/or suggestions regarding the articles I've worked on, please use the #gamepress-feedback channel.

I mainly go by Neku on Discord and primarily focus on writing articles for Touhou Lostword. You can usually find me on the Touhou Lostword Official Discord (Neku#9644) if needed for edits regarding any information on that side. 

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