NTE Bond System Guide: How to Level Up Affinity Fast

The Bond system in Neverness to Everness (NTE) is one of the game’s most rewarding long-term features. Raising your Bond Level with a character unlocks new interactions, cosmetic rewards, profile items, and exclusive character outfits at Bond Level 10. Reaching max bond also grants a +5% ATK boost, making it worth pursuing beyond just aesthetics.

However, the Bond grind is notoriously slow, requiring roughly 56,000 total Affinity to max out a single character. With the right daily habits, you can push Bond Levels efficiently without burning through your Fons.

Here is the ultimate guide to leveling up your character bonds fast in NTE.

Step 1: Level Up Esper Zero’s Life Skill First

Before you send a single gift, you must level up Esper Zero’s Five-Star Paragon life skill.

This skill adds a 5% bonus to Affinity earned from gifts for characters at or below a certain Bond Level cap. Each time you upgrade the skill, the cap extends (up to Bond Level 8 at max). If you skip this step, you are leaving free points behind on every gift you send.

Materials for this skill come from commissions and daily activities.

Step 2: Give Favorite Gifts Daily

Gifting is the fastest and most reliable source of Bond EXP. However, there are strict daily limits:

• 3 gifts per character per day
• 10 gifts total per day across all characters

Always give favorite gifts — these yield 100 Affinity per gift regardless of item rarity. Non-favorites only give 50 Affinity, making them a poor use of your daily limit.

Tip: Fadia’s favorite gift (Classic Trio) costs 660 Fons. If you are low on Fons, prioritize other characters first.

Step 3: Farm “Fluffy Clouds” from Apartment Furniture

Fluffy Clouds are the best passive Bond farming method in the game. They are generated automatically through the apartment Comfort system and can be gifted to any character for 400 Affinity each.

1. Complete the Fluffy Incident side quest near Hankaku Street to unlock the system.
2. Furnish your apartment to raise your Comfort Level (around 800 Comfort maximizes cloud generation).
3. Fluffy Clouds can be stored for up to 7 days, so you only need to collect them once a week.

Step 4: Use the Prayer Tree Daily

In the southeast area of the New Homeland District, you’ll find the Fortune Shades Prayer Tree.

1. Set your in-game clock to nighttime.
2. Purchase a Prayer Plaque from the nearby vendor for 2,000 Fons.
3. Pray at the tree to grant 50 Affinity to a randomly selected character.

The Prayer Tree can only be used once per day, but it’s a great free source of passive Bond EXP.

Step 5: Complete Bond Quests and Map Encounters

Each character has dedicated Bond quests tied to their Bond Level. Talk to characters when they’re present in the city to activate them. Completing them rewards solid chunks of Bond EXP and expands character lore.

Characters also appear randomly on the world map with special encounter icons. Interacting with them triggers Memory Theater events — one-time scenes that reward approximately 200 Affinity each. Check the map regularly!

Step 6: Apartment Interactions and Swift Travel

Having characters over at your apartment opens up interaction activities like hangouts and special dialogue scenes. Most activities reward you with roughly 100 Affinity points (only for the first time you interact through that specific medium).

Additionally, while using Swift Travel (the city taxi system), there’s a random chance one of your characters appears as a passenger. Completing the ride rewards a small amount of Bond EXP.

Summary Tips for Efficient Farming

• Focus on Level 10: Prioritize characters whose Bond Level 10 skin you want the most.
• Edgar is Unique: Edgar is the only character whose max Bond provides a direct gameplay benefit: a random Hunter Guide weekly.
• Avoid Gold Letter Gifts: They are extremely expensive (some require real money) and offer poor long-term value.
• Reply to Texts: Use heart-icon text messages from characters to trigger small bond interactions and free Affinity.
• Maximize the Cap: Spread your gifts across at least 4 characters daily to maximize your 10-gift cap.