Bibcoon in Infinity Nikki
Screenshot by Destructoid

How to get Essence ingredients in Infinity Nikki

Vital ingredients

After you start unlocking more Sketches in Infinity Nikki, you’ll find that the materials you need to craft them become harder to obtain. One such material is essences, which are needed for the Miracle Outfits that Nikki is working so hard to get. 

Recommended Videos

Essences are a material that can be gathered passively as you go about your daily activities, but you can’t unlock the ability to get them until you’ve got a hefty amount of insight in each skill. Don’t worry if this sounds confusing, let’s go through it. 

How to get Insight in Infinity Nikki

Realm of Nourishment in Infinity Nikki
Screenshot by Destructoid

Insight is earned as you go about your business, and everything you do earns you a certain amount of Insight per day. There are five different types of Insight, earned in the following ways:

  • Collection Insight: From gathering plants on your travels
  • Bug-Catching Insight: From catching bugs
  • Animal Grooming Insight: From grooming animals
  • Fishing Insight: From catching fish
  • Combat Insight: From battling and defeating Esselings

While you will slowly build up a solid supply of all types of Insight as you play, you can also visit the Realm of Nourishment to quickly net a lot of Insight without too much effort. The Realm of Nourishment is filled with Fufus who will trade relevant items in return for a variety of Insight, costing you only Vital Energy in return. 

How to unlock Essences in Infinity Nikki

Heart of Infinity in Infinity Nikki
Screenshot by Destructoid

This is where things get slightly complicated and convoluted. To unlock the ability to get Essences, you’ll need to upgrade skills via the Heart of Infinity skill tree, as shown below:

Upgrading skills in Infinity Nikki
Image by Destructoid

Each upgrade will unlock the ability to gather Essences in certain areas:

  • Upgrade #1: Florawish and Memorial Mountains
  • Upgrade #2: Breezy Meadow

Skills branch outwards from their respective nodes, and you need to unlock them in order. Between each upgrade, there are sketches to be unlocked. Here’s what you’ll need for each step for any individual skill:

UpgradeBlingInsightWhimstars
Sketch #15,0003002
Upgrade #110,0001,0002
Sketch #220,0002,0003
Upgrade #250,0003,0003

You don’t need to craft the sketches from in-between steps in order to unlock the upgrade for each skill, and there is a third skill upgrade to unlock, although this doesn’t unlock any new areas where you’ll be able to gain Insight. Instead, it changes the appearance of your tool for each ability and offers the chance to get double rewards.

How to get Essence in Infinity Nikki

Rainy Orchid Essence in Infinity Nikki
Screenshot by Destructoid

After unlocking the ability to get Essence, you’ll passively collect it as you do all of the things you previously did anyway. Grooming animals, catching bugs, collecting plants, or fishing will all earn you Essence if something that you gather has an Essence equivalent. 

Not all materials have an Essence equivalent, so don’t worry if you don’t immediately get any from the first thing you pick up. Here’s a full list of Essences that are currently available to collect and use in crafting:

AbilityEssences available
Plant collectingAromalily
Florapom
Grasspom
Hare Powder
Rainy Orchid
Seed Pearl
Sizzpollen
Starlit Plum
Windbloom
Wisteriasol
Animal groomingBeretsant Feather
Bibcoon Furball
Bowler Fluff
Bullquet Felt
Bunny Fluff
Floral Fleece
Longstocking Wool
Pony Curls
Suspenders Fluff
Bug catchingBlossom Beetle
Bustlefly
Chimecada
Scarf Worm
Scarfmoth
Socko
Wiztle
FishingCarryfin
Handkerfin
Kerchief Fish
Lamp Fish
Quillfin
Ruffin
Toque Fish
Whisker Fish

Destructoid is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Paula Vaynshteyn
Paula Vaynshteyn
With her first experience of gaming being on an Atari ST, Paula has been gaming for her entire life. She’s 7,000 hours deep into Final Fantasy XIV, spends more time on cozy games than she would care to admit, and is also your friendly resident Whovian. Juggling online adventuring with family life has its struggles, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.