Noob Incremental Ascension Guide

# Noob Incremental Ascension Guide: When and How to Ascend

Ascension is one of the most important mechanics in Noob Incremental. It resets your progress but grants powerful permanent bonuses that let you push much further. This guide explains everything you need to know about ascension: what it does, when to do it, and how to get the most out of each run.

What Is Ascension?

Ascension is a form of prestige. When you ascend, you lose most of your current progress—including your level, coins, upgrades, and equipment—but you gain **Ascension Points (AP)** and unlock permanent multipliers and abilities. These bonuses carry over to your next playthrough, allowing you to progress faster and reach higher levels than before.

Think of it as resetting the game to start over with a significant advantage. The earlier you ascend, the quicker you can rebuild and surpass your previous peak.

Prerequisites for Ascension

Before you can ascend, you must meet certain conditions:

• **Reach Level 100**: Your character must be at least level 100. This is the minimum requirement for the first ascension.
• **Defeat the Guardian of Time**: This boss appears at level 100. You need to defeat it to unlock the Ascension Shrine.
• **Collect 1,000 Ascension Essence**: Essence drops from elite monsters and bosses after level 80. You need 1,000 to perform the ascension ritual.

Once these are met, visit the Ascension Shrine in the main hub and interact with it to begin the process.

How Ascension Works

When you ascend, the following happens:

What You Lose

• Character level (reset to 1)
• All coins and gold
• Most upgrades (except permanent ones described below)
• Equipment and inventory items
• Progress in dungeons and quests
• Any temporary buffs

What You Keep

• **Ascension Points (AP)**: The currency you earn from ascending. AP can be spent in the Ascension Tree to unlock permanent upgrades.
• **Ascension Tree upgrades**: Any upgrades you purchased with AP remain active forever.
• **Achievement progress**: Achievements are account-wide and unaffected.
• **Unlocked features**: Any game features that were unlocked via achievements or special events stay unlocked.
• **Cosmetic items**: Skins and titles are not reset.

Earning Ascension Points

The number of AP you earn on each ascension depends on your highest level reached in that run:

• Base formula: AP = floor((highest_level - 100) / 10) + 1
• So if you reach level 150, you earn floor((150-100)/10)+1 = floor(5)+1 = 6 AP.
• There is a bonus for reaching milestones: +1 AP at level 200, +2 at 300, +3 at 400, etc.

Therefore, pushing further before ascending gives more AP, but it also takes more time. The key is balancing speed versus reward.

The Ascension Tree

After your first ascension, you can spend AP on permanent upgrades in the Ascension Tree. The tree has several branches:

• **Might**: Increases damage and critical hit chance.
• **Wealth**: Boosts coin drops and shop discounts.
• **Wisdom**: Increases experience gain and skill point acquisition.
• **Vitality**: Improves health and defense.
• **Luck**: Enhances rare item drop rates and dungeon loot.

Each node costs increasing AP. Early focus on **Might** and **Wisdom** to speed up your runs. Later, invest in **Luck** for better gear.

Optimal Ascension Timing

Knowing when to ascend is crucial. Too early and you get few AP; too late and you waste time grinding small gains.

First Ascension

Ascend as soon as you meet the prerequisites—around level 100-110. The first ascension is the hardest because you have no AP bonuses. Aim to defeat the Guardian of Time, gather 1,000 essence, and ascend. You'll earn 1-2 AP. Spend them on Might or Wisdom to accelerate your next run.

Second Ascension

After your first ascension, you should level up to about 150-160 before ascending again. With a couple of AP spent, you'll move faster. This run should take less time and yield 5-6 AP. Continue investing in Might and Wisdom.

Mid-Game Ascensions (Three to Ten)

From run three onward, you can push to level 200-250. The bonus AP milestones make it worthwhile. Aim for a breakpoint where the next milestone is within reach. For example, if you're at level 195, push to 200 for the extra +1 AP. Each run should take 1-2 hours of active play or a few hours of idle.

Late-Game Ascensions (After Ten)

Once you have a strong Ascension Tree, you can reach much higher levels. Consider ascending when:

• Your progress slows down significantly (e.g., taking more than an hour to gain 10 levels).
• You can reach a new milestone (e.g., level 400, 500, etc.) within a reasonable time.
• You have enough essence to ascend (you'll accumulate plenty automatically).

Generally, late-game players aim for level 400-500 per run. The AP gained per run becomes large, and the tree grows quickly.

Ascension Strategies

Active vs. Idle

If you play actively, you can push higher levels faster. Idle players may want to ascend more frequently with lower levels because they gain slower. Adjust your threshold: idle players can ascend at levels 130-150 repeatedly, while active players can push to 200+.

Using Boosts

Save your best boost consumables (XP potions, damage scrolls) for runs where you plan to push deep. Pop them around level 150-200 to maximize gains. Don't waste boosts on early runs that you'll reset soon.

Equipment Prep

Before ascending, ensure you have equipped your best gear. After ascending, you'll lose it, but the stats from gear affect your highest level reached before reset. Using high-level gear can bump your highest level by a few points, granting extra AP.

Essence Management

Essence is only needed for the first ascension. After that, you don't need to collect essence to ascend. However, essence can be used to buy temporary buffs at the shrine. It's usually better to save essence for later ascensions when you need a small boost to hit a milestone.

Common Mistakes

• **Ascending too early**: If you ascend at level 100 every run, you'll only get 1 AP each time. You need to push a bit further to gain meaningful AP.
• **Not spending AP**: Some players hoard AP. Spend them! The bonuses are cumulative and make each run faster.
• **Ignoring the Ascension Tree balance**: Don't invest only in damage. Wisdom helps you level faster, which indirectly gives more AP. A balanced approach works best.
• **Ascending without preparation**: Make sure you've done your dailies and claimed any quest rewards before ascending, as they reset.
• **Not using the auto-ascend option**: Once you unlock it (after 5 ascensions), you can set an auto-ascend threshold. This is great for idle play. Set it to level 200 or 300 and let the game run.

Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I ascend more than once per day?** A: Yes, there's no cooldown. You can ascend as often as you want, provided you meet the prerequisites (which after the first ascension is just reaching the level threshold).

**Q: Do I lose my skill points?** A: Yes, skill points reset because they are tied to level. However, you'll regain them quickly with Wisdom upgrades.

**Q: Do Ascension Points expire?** A: No, AP are permanent and persist across all ascensions.

**Q: Should I reset my Ascension Tree?** A: You can respec AP for a small fee (in-game gold). This is useful if you want to try a different strategy. The cost increases with each respec, so use it sparingly.

**Q: What is the maximum Ascension Tree level?** A: Each node can be upgraded up to level 100. However, the cost increases exponentially, so most players max out around 30-50 per node.

Conclusion

Ascension is the core loop of Noob Incremental. Mastering when and how to ascend determines how quickly you progress. Start with early ascensions at level 100-110, then gradually push to 150, 200, and beyond as your tree grows. Spend AP wisely, use boosts strategically, and always aim for the next milestone. With this guide, you'll be ascending efficiently and unlocking the game's full potential.

For more tips, check out our [Beginner's Guide](/guides/beginners-guide) and [Idle Progression](/guides/idle-progression) articles.

Happy ascending!