Reverse: 1999 Glossary
Plain-language definitions of the terms you'll meet in Reverse: 1999.
Every term the game throws at you without explaining. Each entry also shows the OFFICIAL name used inside the game in Japanese, Korean and Traditional Chinese — read straight from the publisher's own text files, so you can search or ask about it in your own language and still find the right thing.
The elemental type system of Reverse: 1999. There are six Afflatus - Beast, Plant, Star, Mineral, Spirit, and Intellect - and every Arcanist and enemy belongs to one. Afflatus determines the counter (restraint) relationships that decide who deals bonus damage to whom.
The restraint cycle formed by the six Afflatus is NOT two triangles — it is a single four-way cycle: Beast counters Plant, Plant counters Star, Star counters Mineral, and Mineral counters Beast. Spirit and Intellect sit outside the cycle: they counter nothing and are countered by nothing. Attacking an Afflatus you counter deals increased damage; being countered means you take more.
The playable characters of Reverse: 1999, people able to use the Arcane arts. You build a team of Arcanists to fight in battles, and each one has a fixed Afflatus and rarity.
Arcanists are graded by star rarity from 2-star up to 6-star. Higher-rarity Arcanists generally have stronger stats and more impactful kits, while 6-star is the top tier featured on gacha banners.
The equipment items you attach to an Arcanist to raise their stats and grant passive effects. Each Arcanist can hold one Psychube, which can be leveled up and refined to improve its bonuses.
The skill cards Arcanists use in battle. Each turn you play Incantation cards to attack or support, and merging two identical cards of the same tier upgrades them to a higher tier (up to Tier 3) for a stronger effect.
The resource an Arcanist builds up over the course of a fight, usually by playing Incantation cards. Once an Arcanist reaches the required amount of Moxie, they can unleash their Ultimate.
An Arcanist's most powerful skill, cast once they have accumulated enough Moxie. Ultimates typically deal heavy damage or provide strong utility and are a key part of team strategy.
The ascension system that raises an Arcanist's level cap in stages (Insight I, II, III). Reaching new Insight tiers unlocks higher stats, additional skills, and more Resonance capacity, using materials gathered from stages.
A tuning system where you place Resonate cards onto an Arcanist's grid to boost their stats. Higher Insight tiers open up more Resonance slots, letting you customize an Arcanist's stat spread.
The dupe system: obtaining extra copies of an Arcanist raises their Portray level, which strengthens their Ultimate and other skill effects. Higher Portray levels make an Arcanist notably more powerful.
An advanced upgrade available to select 6-star Arcanists that enhances or reworks their kit and gives them a new appearance. Unlocking Euphoria requires dedicated materials and significantly changes how the Arcanist plays.
The premium currency of Reverse: 1999, used to make pulls on gacha banners. Clear Drops are earned through gameplay, events, and rewards, or purchased directly.
The safety mechanic on gacha banners that guarantees a 6-star Arcanist once you have made enough pulls without one, with the odds rising as you approach the limit. Featured banners also include a guarantee that steers you toward the rate-up Arcanist.
No term matches — try another word.
Terms — quick answers
What does Afflatus mean in Reverse: 1999?
Afflatus is the elemental type of an Arcanist — Star, Plant, Mineral, Beast, Spirit or Intellect. They do NOT form two triangles: there is a single four-way cycle — Beast beats Plant, Plant beats Star, Star beats Mineral, Mineral beats Beast. Spirit and Intellect sit outside the cycle, countering nothing and countered by nothing. Attacking the Afflatus you counter deals more damage, so stages usually tell you which Afflatus to bring.
What is a Psychube?
A Psychube is the equipment an Arcanist wears: it raises one main stat and adds a passive effect. In the Japanese and Traditional Chinese versions it is called 心相, in Korean 의지 — the same item, different name, which is why searching for it in your own language can be confusing.