Re Night elemental crits occur when you attack a target carrying an element with its direct counter element. In developer Seahorse Games' tactical deckbuilder Re:Night, basic attacks typically deal modest numbers between 1 and 4 damage, making elemental critical hits the primary mechanism for scaling single-hit damage past 60 and even over 100 in late encounters.
How the Elemental System Works in Re:Night
Combat in Re:Night is structured around a three-element cyclical counter system:
- Fire beats Grass
- Grass beats Water
- Water beats Fire
Each of the starter party members specializes in one specific element. The Farmer attacks with Grass cards (such as Grass Fork and Mighty Fork), the Hunter uses Fire cards (such as Fire Shot and Shotgun Shot), and the Rogue uses Water cards (such as Water Blade and Fluid Strike). Characters do not dual-wield elemental affinities, so setting up crits requires sequencing actions across your three party members.
When a character uses an elemental card on a target, it applies that element type and adds stacks to the target's status icon beside their health bar. A unit can hold only one active element type at a time. When an attack of an advantageous element hits, it consumes or overwrites the previous affliction, inflicting an elemental critical hit before applying the attacker's element to the target for the next follow-up.
| Element on Target | Required Counter Element | Starter Hero Responsible |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Grass | Farmer |
| Grass | Fire | Hunter |
| Fire | Water | Rogue |
Elemental Crit Multipliers and Stack Scaling
Elemental afflictions in Re:Night scale from stage 1 up to stage 5. The total damage dealt by an elemental crit depends directly on how many stacks of the weak element exist on the target before the triggering blow lands:
- 1 Stack (Base Crit): Striking an enemy afflicted with 1 stack of an inferior element deals double damage (a 2x multiplier).
- 5 Stacks (Maximum Crit): Reaching the maximum of 5 elemental stacks allows an advantageous attack to deal up to 6 times normal card damage (a 6x multiplier).
Because card power scales multiplicatively rather than additively during a crit, playing high-power cards into high stack counts creates massive burst damage. For example, hitting a target holding 2 Fire stacks with an upgraded Water card like Fluid Strike or Surge can rapidly jump from a base 4 damage hit into a 12-to-20 damage burst. Stacking up to 5 elements can push an upgraded shot or strike past 60 damage, unlocking Steam achievements like Burst Dmg (deal at least 60 damage in a single hit).
How to Execute Elemental Crit Combos
To maximize damage within a single turn, your party must rotate between applying stacks and executing trigger hits.
- Prime the Target with Stacks: Use low-cost or multi-hit skills to build the target's elemental count without overwriting it. Cards like Tri-Touch or passive equipment effects (such as Fire Stone applying 1 Fire to all enemies at battle start) provide free primer stacks.
- Execute the Advantageous Strike: Switch to the countering party member. Ensure the triggering card is an elemental card rather than a neutral attack (basic Punch cards deal neutral damage and cannot trigger or apply elemental statuses).
- Transition to the Next Element: The triggering hit applies its own element to the target. For example, if the Rogue hits a Fire-loaded enemy with Water Blade, the enemy takes critical Water damage and now carries Water stacks.
- Pass the Turn to the Next Hero: The Farmer can immediately follow up the Rogue's Water strike with Grass Fork to trigger a second elemental crit in the same turn. The Hunter can then follow the Farmer's Grass strike with Fire Shot.
This cyclical chain allows teams with sufficient energy and positioning to trigger multiple crits in a single turn, progressing toward achievements like Elemental Reaction (trigger 5 elemental crits in one turn) and Elemental Master (trigger 50 crits in a single run).
Managing Enemy Elemental Crits and Positioning
Elemental rules apply equally to your heroes. If an enemy inflicts Water on your character and subsequently lands a Grass attack, your party member will suffer an elemental crit.
- Check Enemy Intent: Hovering over an enemy displays their designated target, planned skill, movement range (green tiles), and maximum attack reach (red tiles).
- Deny Counter Attacks: If your Farmer is marked with Water stacks, reposition them behind allies or deploy battlefield objects (such as walls summoned by Hunter skills) to block line of sight.
- Cleanse or Overwrite Stacks: Shrines, certain defensive consumables, and specific equipment can cleanse elemental statuses. If a unit is incapacitated at 0 HP, a Resurrection Stone automatically revives them and cleanses all temporary statuses.
- Use the Rewind Feature: Re:Night includes a penalty-free rewind system. At any point during your turn, you can undo individual actions, return to the start of the current turn, rewind to the previous turn, or restart the battle from the beginning. If an attack order accidentally overwrites an element or exposes an ally to a fatal enemy crit, use the rewind button to recalculate your move sequence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do neutral attacks trigger elemental crits in Re:Night?
No. Neutral attacks, such as basic Punch cards or equipment dealing neutral damage, do not possess an elemental typing. They do not trigger critical multipliers against element-afflicted targets, nor do they apply or overwrite elemental stacks.
What is the maximum number of elemental stacks an enemy can have?
Standard elemental afflictions stack from 1 up to a cap of 5 stages, which yields up to a 6x damage multiplier when struck by the countering element. Certain advanced setups, such as projections or unique conditions tracked by achievements (like Element Hoarder), can track higher numbers of combined elements under specific circumstances.
Does an elemental crit consume the element on the target?
When an elemental attack triggers a crit, it replaces the existing element with the attacker's element. A Grass hit against Water will deal critical damage and leave the target afflicted with Grass, setting up an immediate Fire critical hit for your Hunter.
Can enemies trigger elemental crits against the player?
Yes. If an enemy attacks a character who carries an elemental status that is weak to that enemy's attack type, the damage receives the same critical multiplier. You must inspect enemy intent tiles and adjust positioning to keep vulnerable heroes out of range.
