FAQ
General
What is Tears of Themis?
Tears of Themis is a mobile otome game for iOS/Android published by Chinese game developer MiHoYo, notably also the creators of mobile RPG Genshin Impact. The game was first released in China (29th July, 2021) and Taiwan (20th August, 2020). Global server release date was on 29th July, 2021.
What is joseimuke / why do I frequently see this game and similar games in this genre labeled as otome?
Joseimuke is an all-encompassing term for media designed for a female audience -- things like otome, yaoi, shojo manga, etc.
Otome (maiden) games are a genre of video game that feature romance between the female lead character and her male love interests. The actual gameplay itself varies from title to title.
A simple rule of thumb is that all otome is joseimuke, but not all joseimuke is otome.
For a more in-depth overview of the topic, this article by Otome Obsessed offers an excellent break down of the distinctions in terminology: https://otomeobsessed.com/why-you-think-a-joseimuke-is-an-otome-game/
What is the point / objective / appeal of this game? Why should I play it?
If you’re not interested in the romantic elements of Tears of Themis, you may still find it appealing for it’s collection elements -- obtaining and leveling up your cards -- and/or for the visual novel element, as the main plot of the story is less focused on romantic development and more on the detective/mystery aesthetic (or at least it is at the time of writing).
I’m coming from Genshin Impact. How is this game different and what should I expect?
Unlike Genshin Impact, Tears of Themis does not have an open world and there are no avatars to control. It’s a visual novel with card collection by means of the gacha (or other tasks, but rarely.)
I’m coming from Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice or similar otome game. How is this game different and what should I expect?
MLQC and Tears of Themis are pretty similar in how they’re structured. You’ll collect cards from the gacha and power them up to use them to beat mission quests and other objectives to progress through the main plot and side stories.
Can I change the gender of the MC?
Unfortunately no. The MC's gender cannot be changed and can only be female.
How long is the story?
The game was released in global with 5 chapters, with more to release mid-August 2021 and September 2021.
At the time of publishing, seven chapters have been released for the main plot in the CN server. Each male love interest also has their own personal side story, which at the time of publishing contains four chapters each.
Cards of SR and SSR rarity also come with side stories specific to the artwork of that card that consist of various sections each.
Progress in completing the available content will be dependent on a player's card collection and regulated by the limited nature of resources like stamina, but eventually most long-term players will complete all available main story and personal story content and be left to focus on card collection-related tasks, mini-games, and events while waiting for new content updates.
Are any of the choices in the story permanent, and will the story change depending on what I pick (for ex: if one guy is picked over another)
At the time of publishing there’s no indication that anything you choose will have a long-term effect on the story or is irreversible, nor does the game force you to choose one love interest over the others.
The romance development in Tears of Themis is highly dependent on the collection of cards for the love interests, from the base set but also from time-limited events that occur regularly. Otherwise, though, the romances are fixed, meaning that you can pursue.
Where can I buy miHoYo/Tears of Themis merchandise?
https://mihoyo.tmall.com/index.htm?spm=a1z10.3-b-s.w5002-16362476162.2.11f075f9M1sZtf
Technical
Can I play this game on emulator?
Several people have reported that the game can be successfully run on Bluestacks 5.
I can't play the game on Data!
This seems to be a relatively common issue amongst players. A workaround solution is to play the game while connecting through VPN. Make sure you verify the VPN you're connecting to is safe before using it!
Gameplay
General
What time is reset?
4:00 AM UTC+9. You can also view your Daily quests in-game for a rough timer.
Dailies, affection, friendship badge claims, quests all reset during this time.
What time do events/new Shadows of Themis start?
12:00 PM UTC+9.
How fast does AP recharge?
1 AP every 6 minutes / 10 AP per hour.
What are all the currencies in Tears of Themis? What do they do?
Read the [Currency page](https://tot.wiki/wiki/Currency) on the Wiki.
What are S-Chips used for?
They can be used to convert to stamina or Tears of Themis (currency used to pull on banners). In the future, they can also be used to convert to special event Tears, so don't convert them ahead of time! Save them!
What are the star currency for?
You get Gift currency after you pull 5+ of a card. These Gifts can be used to trade for Stars to upgrade cards.
I'm out of Gold/EXP! How do I get more?
- Complete your Business and Operations dailies in Legal Studies.
- Do Anomaly Stages / Temple of Trials / Trials of Themis.
- Always claim your NXX Headquarters Resource Requisition (Unlocked after 04-02).
Do Rookie Tasks disappear?
No. They will stay around indefinitely/forever until you complete them.
What should my game progression be like?
Focus your energy on the Main Story. There are some features that Main Story unlocks like NXX HQ that'll help with the resource grind, so you want to focus your energy here and try to get as far as you can here up through at least up to Ep. 5 (I).
There are some stages where you will hit a wall though, and if you don't have the Gold/EXP to level them up, you will have to switch gears and refocus your energy on Anomaly stages/Trials of Themis/Temple of Trials to grind Gold/EXP/evolve mats to upgrade your cards.
Once your cards are strong enough again, then you can start using energy on Main Story again and basically repeat the cycle.
After you're finished with Main Story, you can look into continuing the grind to level up your cards in preparation for future chapters.
What should I spend Friendship Badges on?
Whichever resource you're missing.
User/Profile-Related
Go to your Profile and there should be a share icon in the bottom left. You do not have to actually share your post. Simply clicking on the social media you want to share with and backing out is enough to trigger the rewards.
How do I get the blue Judgement Badge? How do I get other badges?
It was only available to Closed Beta users who completed all their Closed Beta tasks in May. It is no longer obtainable.
Other badges are obtainable during various events. Check the [Wiki page on Badges](https://tot.wiki/wiki/Badges) for a list of all badges and how to obtain them.
How do I get illustrations?
Illustrations are art snippets that appear during Main Story, Character Stories, Dates, etc. Viewing the art when you're playing through the story automatically unlocks it in your archive.
Complete Main Story episodes and in future events.
Mall / Gacha
Can I top-up outside the App/Playstore?
Yes! Go to the [ToT miHoYo website](https://tot.mihoyo.com) and click the Top Up option on the banner.
What are the best purchases if I want to minnow/dolphin/whale?
If you're looking to spend, the best purchases typically are the Monthly Pass and the Investment Fund.
The Investment Fund is more of a long-term purchase though, as it requires you to get to Level 80 in order to obtain the full rewards, which may take several months.
There is also the Welcome Gift, where you can buy any amount of gems ($0.99) for materials and a free SR.
If you're looking to maximize Gem -> S-Chip Conversions, look for packs that offer a better ratio than the standard 1 Gem -> 10 S-Chip or 18 Gems -> 180 S-Chips -> 1 Tears of Themis ratio, such as the limited-time event pack conversions (e.g. During release, there was a pack that offered 1 Gem -> 40 S-Chips).
I purchased gems and claimed the Welcome Gift but didn't claim the SR, help!
The item to claim the SR card will be in your Inventory.
What is Shadows of Themis?
Shadow of Themis is the name the game calls card banners.
What should I pull on?
It is recommended to do the guaranteed SSR in 30 pulls on the permanent banner at the very least. From there, look at the [Future Event Card list](https://new.reddit.com/r/TearsOfThemis/comments/n8v8cy/tears_of_themis_event_card_list/) to see what you would like to save for.
Does it matter if I do single/ten-pulls?
No, there is no difference doing single/ten-pulls. The pity counter to getting an SR/SSR in 10/100 will be the same regardless of single or ten-pulls.
How does pity work?
On most banners, you will get a guaranteed new SSR at 100 pulls. If you pull an SSR you already own on rate-up, your pity will not reset.
How many S-Chips will I need to hit pity?
180 S-Chip = 1 Pull, so 18000 S-Chips = 100 Pulls.
If you want both SSRs on a banner, you will need 36000 S-Chips.
Does banner pity carry over?
Banner pity will carry over to other banners of the same type. For example, Rotation banners to Rotation banners.
See [the banner archive page on the Wiki](https://tot.wiki/Shadows_of_Themis) for banner types.
Is there a soft pity in the game?
There is no soft pity.
What is the conversion rate on P-Points?
$1 USD = 6 P-Points. [See the Wiki for a list of rewards and their estimated USD rate to obtain them.](https://tot.wiki/wiki/Mall#Total_Purchases)
How do debate stages work? What do cards do?
The Wiki covers deck and card mechanics here:
What is Influence? What are arguments?
Influence is the Attack stat in the game. Arguments are essentially the enemy's arguments that you deal damage to when selecting a card.
How should I level my cards?
Early on, leveling your cards equally is more effective than hard focusing on a single card. Depending on the level you get stuck on, you may want to focus on cards with attributes strong against the boss.
This is because it takes more materials to level higher-level cards than lower ones, and your deck will be stronger overall if you have multiple leveled cards vs. a single strong card.
Can I focus on only cards for one character?
Some stages force you to use characters from a single character only (e.g. Character Stories, Birthday events), so unless you plan on skipping out on these character stories/events, it is still recommended to eventually level them.
What do support decks do?
A portion of the support deck card's stats will be applied, strengthening your overall deck (as how much damage you do is also affected by your overall deck strength).
Some cards also have skills which apply from the Support Deck, such as the [Formidable skill](https://tot.wiki/wiki/Formidable) or [Progressive skill](https://tot.wiki/wiki/Progressive).
Note that these are the only two skills known to activate from the Support Deck. Other skills (even passive boosts) must be in the Primary Deck to activate.
Do card buffs stack?
Yes, card buffs do stack.
What skills should I focus on?
It is typically recommended to focus on offensive skills. Some offensive skills include:
- [Layer by Layer](https://tot.wiki/wiki/Layer_by_Layer) - Boosts Influence (Attack) % of all cards for X turns.
- [Preemptive Strike](https://tot.wiki/wiki/Preemptive_Strike) - Selfish offensive skill that makes a card do more % damage.
- Attribute Buffing Cards - Boosts Influence % of <Attribute> cards for X turns.
Are all cards voiced?
No, only SSR cards have their stories voiced. SR cards have stories but are not voiced.
How do I unlock video calls / text messages?
Some chapters of card stories will unlock video calls / text messages. This is denoted by a call/message bubble symbol on the card story chapter.
What are Private Messages? How do I listen to Private Messages?
Main Story SR cards have Private Messages. These feature short ASMR-like audio that the player can listen to. In the beginner Vision tutorial with Davis, one SR containing private messages will be randomly drawn. Cards with Private Messages include:
- Artem "Staying Humble"
- Artem "Darkest before Dawn"
- Vyn "Spilling Light"
- Vyn "Entrapped"
- Marius "Butterflies"
- Marius "Falling into You"
- Luke "Once Upon a Time"
- Luke "Together with You"
Players can level the card to Lv. 40 to unlock Private Message 01 and Lv. 70 to unlock Private Message 02.
Story
I need help with a story investigation stage!
The Wiki has pages for each stage, some of which include guides to things like Clue Analysis, Inspection, etc. <https://tot.wiki/wiki/Category:Story_Stages>
Do choices affect the story / text messages / calls?
No, choices do not affect the story outside of minor dialogue differences and maybe unlocking different illustrations.
Even if you do choose one choice, you can always replay stories / text messages / calls if you want as well to choose the other choices!
Legal Studies
How do I obtain more Work Permits?
1/day from daily quests. +1/day from if you have Monthly Pass.
Where can I find the Legal Study schedule?
The [Wiki](https://tot.wiki) also has one on the front page along with reset timers.
Anomaly
Can I grind and unlock new cards using card fragments dropped here?
Yes! Some stages drop card fragments which can be turned into a full SR when you obtain 100 of them.
In fact, some of these cards are only available through Anomaly (e.g. Luke "Together with You") while the others have reduced drop rates in the gacha.
Trials of Themis / Temple of Trials
I don't know the answer to a Trials of Athena (owl) question!
Check this page on the Wiki for a list of questions: <https://tot.wiki/wiki/Trials_of_Themis>
NXX Headquarters
How can I get more S/A-rank case analyses?
The chance is random. Leveling up your headquarters will increase the chances though!
What is Deep Analysis? What does it do?
The higher level your cards, the higher chance you can proc Deep Analysis, which will triple the amount of materials you receive upon completion.
What talents do I level in the Study Room?
Focus on the offensive skills first that boost Influence/damage (top right). Then the timer skills (bottom right) and finally the defensive skills (left).
What do the reduce time/timer talents in the Study Room? What do they do?
In debate stages, you have a bubble that starts at 50%. Without the talent, every time you use a card it will just refill to 50% again.
If you have the talent though, then it'll add +20% (or however much the talent skill gives), and once you hit 100%, you will be able to take two turns to the enemy's one. Then it will start refilling again from 0.
