How Boons, Powerups and Consumables Work in Exaverse

Boons, powerups, and consumables provide three different ways to strengthen your character in Exaverse.

  • Boons create a temporary build during each run.
  • Powerups provide immediate offensive or defensive abilities.
  • Consumables are limited-use items selected before entering the dungeon.

Understanding the difference between these systems makes it easier to build Pax around a specific strategy and prepare for the biome boss.

For an introduction to the full gameplay loop, start with How to Play Exaverse.

What Are Boons in Exaverse?

Boons are temporary upgrades selected throughout a run. They can add new effects to Pax’s abilities, strengthen GEMS, improve survival, or create combinations between different attacks.

Your boon build resets when the run ends, allowing every attempt to develop differently.

The available pool includes:

  • Core boons that can work across different characters.
  • Pax boons connected to his powerups and lightning effects.
  • Jungle boons built around the hazards found in Season 1.

Some boons are available immediately, while others are unlocked by completing challenges.

Choosing an Instinct

At the beginning of Stage 1, three Instinct cards appear from five possible options. You select one Instinct for the run.

Each Instinct increases the appearance of a specific GEM color:

  • Crimson Instinct: RED GEMS and POWER builds.
  • Azure Instinct: BLUE GEMS and SPREAD builds.
  • Golden Instinct: YELLOW GEMS and GUARD builds.
  • Verdant Instinct: GREEN GEMS and VITALITY builds.
  • Ashen Instinct: GREY GEMS and WILDCARD builds.

Your Instinct does not lock you into one exact build, but it makes related GEM and boon combinations easier to create.

Boon Levels, Rarities and Prerequisites

New boons begin at Level 1 and can be upgraded to Level 3. Each upgrade adds to the effect selected during the previous level.

Boon cards can appear from Common through Legendary rarity. Higher-rarity cards provide stronger values, but every selected boon still follows the same three-level progression.

Some advanced boons also require another effect first:

  • Chain and Repeat require Claw Surge, Stampede Surge, or Shield Surge.
  • Amplify requires a Surge plus Chain or Repeat.
  • Crimson Charge requires Claw Surge.
  • Azure Charge requires Stampede Surge.
  • Golden Charge requires Shield Surge.
  • Spore Bloom requires Territory Surge.

A standard run provides ten boon offers. Bonus opportunities can increase the total to twelve, so focused builds are usually stronger than selecting unrelated effects.

You can reroll an offer with GEMS. The first reroll costs 5 GEMS, and the cost doubles with each additional reroll during the same run.

See the best Exaverse builds for Pax for practical RAZOR CLAW, STAMPEDE, SHIELD, GREY GEM, and Jungle trap combinations.

What Are Powerups in Exaverse?

Powerups are abilities found during a dungeon run. Unlike boons, they provide an immediate action instead of permanently modifying the rest of the run.

Pax has three core powerups.

RAZOR CLAW

RAZOR CLAW is a high-damage attack designed for one target. It is useful against bosses and dangerous individual robots.

Claw Surge can add lightning damage, while related boons can repeat or amplify the effect.

STAMPEDE

STAMPEDE deals lower damage across multiple targets. It is most useful when several robots are grouped around Pax.

Stampede Surge adds lightning to every enemy hit, creating opportunities for Chain and other multi-target effects.

SHIELD

SHIELD protects Pax from incoming attacks.

Shield Surge stores lightning when a player-used SHIELD blocks damage. That stored energy is released during Pax’s next damaging action.

Learn more about the character behind these abilities in Meet Pax: Exaverse’s Parasaurolophus-Inspired Hero.

How Are Powerups Found?

Powerups can appear as pickups while exploring a stage. They can also be created by a Powerup Potion.

GREY GEMS work differently from the other colors. After selecting Ashen Instinct, mining a GREY GEM has a chance to create a random powerup.

Ashen Jackpot can make these GREY-GEM-created powerups stronger. Other GEM colors support their related boon paths but do not automatically create powerups.

What Are Consumables in Exaverse?

Consumables are items brought into a run for a specific advantage. Players can carry multiple consumable types up to their available capacities, but only one can be used during a player turn.

The current consumables are:

  • Powerup Potion: Creates one random RAZOR CLAW, STAMPEDE, or SHIELD powerup. The effect is instant with a 10-turn cooldown.
  • Health Potion: Restores 35 Health instantly with a 10-turn cooldown.
  • Attack Potion: Doubles original attack and powerup damage for 20 turns.
  • Invincibility Potion: Prevents incoming damage for 25 turns.
  • Equipment Potion: Multiplies the final equipment drop chance by 1.25 for the entire run.
  • GEM Potion: Gives qualifying GEMS a 25% chance to award double for the entire run.
  • Teleport Potion: Moves Pax to the exit after the portal requirement has been met. It can be used once per eligible stage, but not during boss or bonus stages.
  • Mining Potion: Allows Pax to mine GEMS with one hit for the entire run.
  • Speed Potion: Doubles animation and presentation speed for the entire run. It does not grant additional movement, attacks, or turns.

Choosing the right consumable depends on your goal. Mining and GEM Potions support faster resource collection, while Attack and Invincibility Potions help with difficult combat. Equipment Potions are most useful when farming persistent gear.

How the Three Systems Work Together

A strong run connects all three systems.

Your Instinct establishes the build direction. Boons strengthen that direction over several stages. Powerups provide the actions that activate many of those effects, while consumables help cover weaknesses or improve a specific part of the run.

Equipment remains separate. It persists between runs and strengthens Pax’s original attacks, powerups, Health, or Defense. Additional seasonal damage from Surge, Chain, Repeat, and Jungle boons is resolved separately from equipment bonuses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do boons carry over between runs?

No. Boons reset when a run ends. Equipment provides the persistent progression that remains between runs.

What is the maximum boon level?

Each boon can reach Level 3.

How many boons can you receive in one run?

A run includes ten standard boon grants, with approved bonus opportunities increasing the maximum to twelve.

Do colored GEMS automatically grant powerups?

No. GREY GEMS can create random powerups after selecting Ashen Instinct. Other colors support their related build paths through boons.

Are consumables permanent?

No. A consumable is removed from your inventory when used. Its effect may be instant, timed for several turns, or last for the remainder of the run.

Build Your Next Run

Experiment with Instincts, stack connected boons, and use powerups and consumables to prepare Pax for the Jungle boss.

Apply for Exaverse early access and help test the Season 1 systems before launch.