Progression Roadmap

Quick answer: how progression works

The single biggest beginner trap in Granblue Fantasy: Relink is grinding side content too early. The main story alone unlocks everything you need, and by the time you reach the post-game you will be swimming in currencies, sigils, and materials that make early-game grinding look like a waste of time. Push the main story first, reach Veteran Skyfarer, then start the real farming loop at Extreme difficulty.

This roadmap covers the base-game progression arc and how it bridges into the Endless Ragnarok expansion. If you are already past the base game, jump to the Endless Ragnarok bridge section.

Why main story first

Towns are full of side NPC quests and the quest counter offers repeatable missions in the Monster Hunter style. These are intentional distractions during the early game. The rewards they give outscale massively once you unlock Extreme difficulty, so spending hours grinding Slime missions or low-tier sigils before Veteran Skyfarer is the most common time-waster new players fall into.

The main story gives you three things that matter:

• Crewmate Cards to unlock new characters at a steady pace.
• Weapon and sigil materials sufficient to keep your main character progression on track.
• Skyfarer grade progression that unlocks the next difficulty tier.

The only side content worth doing during the story is the first clear of quest-counter missions that reward Crewmate Cards, because those are one-time payouts.

Skyfarer grade roadmap

Progression is gated by your Skyfarer grade. The general path is linear:

1. Clear the main story until the first credits roll. This unlocks Veteran Skyfarer grade.
2. Veteran Skyfarer opens Hard, Very Hard, and Extreme difficulty quests.
3. Push through Extreme quests to gear up, then unlock Maniac.
4. Maniac unlocks the best farming spots in the base game.
5. Proud difficulty is the final base-game tier and offers the best gear and sigils.
6. From Proud, the Endless Ragnarok expansion adds Chaos difficulty and The Conflux endgame mode.

Extreme is where the real grinding loop starts. Proud is where the best base-game gear lives. Everything before Extreme is preparation.

Crewmate Cards & character unlocks

Crewmate Cards are the currency used to unlock new playable characters. The main story hands them out gradually, and certain quest-counter missions give them as first-clear rewards. Because they are limited early on, think carefully about which character you spend them on.

If you want to test a character before committing, use the save-scum trick:

1. Turn off auto-save in settings.
2. Save your game manually.
3. Spend the Crewmate Card to unlock the character.
4. Play a quest or two with them.
5. If you do not like the playstyle, reload your save and try a different character.

This works because Crewmate Card spend is rolled back by reloading, and there is no online check on character unlocks in single-player.

Picking your first main character

For a brand-new player with no prior Granblue Fantasy knowledge, two characters are widely recommended as beginner-friendly main picks:

• Lancelot - speedy dual-blade DPS with crowd control. His freeze ability gives the party a window to dump damage on a frozen boss, which is especially valuable in multiplayer.
• Charlotta - greatsword DPS but surprisingly fast for her size. Her kit is beginner-friendly enough that button-mashing produces continuous damage, and she has an invincibility skill that lets you face-tank mechanics.

Every character in the game is viable, so if you have a favorite from the Granblue Fantasy universe, pick them. The recommendation above is for players who have no preference and want the smoothest on-ramp.

See also the tier list first-character section and the Best AI Team guide for companion picks.

When to actually start grinding

Do not grind before unlocking Extreme difficulty. The reasons are simple:

• Early-game sigils and materials are low-tier and will be replaced quickly.
• The best farming spots (see the Farming Spots guide) are locked behind Extreme and Maniac.
• Currencies cascade once you reach the post-game; spending an hour grinding Rupees at level 20 is worth less than five minutes of Extreme farming at level 80.

During the story, focus all upgrades on your main character only. Mastery points are shared across characters, so spreading them thin early produces a weaker party than concentrating them on the character you actually control.

Bridge to Endless Ragnarok

Once you are comfortable at Proud difficulty and have a geared main character plus one or two AI companions, the Endless Ragnarok expansion opens up new progression:

• Chapter 9 continues the story and introduces the new threat.
• The Conflux is the new endgame dungeon mode - see the Conflux guide for unlock requirements and floor mechanics.
• Master Traits add a new character progression layer - see the Master Traits guide.
• Chaos difficulty replaces Proud as the hardest content tier and drops the materials needed for endgame upgrades.
• Six new characters join the roster - see New Characters.

The base-game farming spots (Assault Formation, Slimepede) remain relevant for general leveling and currency even in the expansion, but Conflux becomes the primary source of endgame upgrade materials.

Common progression mistakes

1. Grinding before Extreme. The time-to-reward ratio is terrible compared to post-game farming.
2. Spreading mastery points across all characters. Concentrate on your main character until you have a real farming spot.
3. Skipping Fate Episodes. These give significant stat boosts and extra sigil slots. Watch them whenever they unlock.
4. Worrying about elemental weaknesses early. Elements are a bonus in the main story. The War Elemental sigil solves this issue later - see the Sigil guide.
5. Selling low-tier sigils and excess materials. Trade them for Knick-Knack Vouchers at Siero's shop instead - the vouchers buy random high-tier sigils.

FAQ

How long is the main story?

Roughly 10-11 hours to reach the first credits roll and unlock Veteran Skyfarer grade. This is the single most important early milestone.

Should I do side quests during the story?

Only first-clear missions that reward Crewmate Cards. Everything else can wait until you unlock Extreme difficulty.

Do I need to play the base game before Endless Ragnarok?

Yes. Endless Ragnarok is an expansion built for players who understand Relink's core loop. See the How to Start Endless Ragnarok guide.

What if I picked a character I do not like?

Use the save-scum trick described above - turn off auto-save, reload your save before the unlock, and try a different character.

Source & verification notes

This page consolidates community knowledge from long-form player guides and cross-checks it against official update notes and in-game terminology. Names are normalized to official English spellings (SBA, sigils, Damage Cap, Veteran Skyfarer, Assault Formation, Slimepede, Slime Pit, Curios, Transmutation, Overmastery). Community routing advice is useful for priorities, but exact drop rates, balance values, and unlock requirements can shift between patches.

• Official / patch level: difficulty tiers (Hard / Very Hard / Extreme / Maniac / Proud), Skyfarer grade names, quest names, Endless Ragnarok systems (Conflux, Master Traits, Chaos difficulty).
• In-game / community level: farming routing, sigil priorities, save-scum tricks, AI party picks, AFK farming setups, Overmastery target stats.
• Last checked: July 2026. Re-verify farming spots and sigil drop sources after major balance patches.