Cool Steel

What is the condition?

At refinement 1, Cool Steel increases damage against opponents affected by Hydro or Cryo by 12%. Refinement 5 raises this to 24%. The condition is on the opponent: the target must be affected by Hydro or Cryo when the wielder deals damage. The sword also has ATK as its secondary stat.

When does it make sense?

It can provide a direct, simple bonus when the wielder attacks targets that can reliably remain affected by Hydro or Cryo. If that status is absent, the conditional damage bonus does not apply, leaving the ATK secondary stat. The weapon does not name a particular attack type, so its condition is about the target's elemental status rather than the wielder using a specific attack.

How do the comparisons differ?

Absolution has CRIT DMG and a damage effect triggered when the wielder increases a Bond of Life. Amenoma Kageuchi has ATK and restores Energy after using a Burst if Skill uses have created Succession Seeds. Aquila Favonia has Physical DMG Bonus, ATK, and an effect triggered by taking damage. These provide other stat or trigger patterns; none uses Cool Steel's Hydro-or-Cryo target condition.

Is refinement worthwhile?

Ascension advances the weapon through stages 0–6. Refinement increases the conditional damage bonus from 12% at rank 1 to 24% at rank 5 and consumes another copy at each step. That investment matters most when the wielder frequently attacks Hydro- or Cryo-affected opponents; it does not remove the status requirement.

Limitations and tradeoffs

• The damage bonus applies only against opponents affected by Hydro or Cryo.
• Refinement consumes another copy and does not change the required target status.