Xenoblade Chronicles 3: How Do Collectopaedia Cards Work?

One of the best Nintendo Switch games of 2017 finally got a new sequel with the release of "Xenoblade Chronicles 3" on July 29. It's getting plenty of love from critics and receiving praise for its combat and the sheer amount of things to do. The game is absolutely packed with places to explore, characters to meet, and quests to complete and it's likely to take well over 100 hours to beat.

With so much to do and see, diving into the world of Aionios to fight enemies and complete quests may seem like a daunting task. Once you add in the various fetch quests and collect-a-thons that are a staple of this genre, some may struggle to decide where to begin or how to tackle everything. Thankfully, developer Monolith Soft has got you covered. To make all the fetching and collecting easier and more fun to get into, it's added Collectopaedia Cards to the experience. Learning to understand these cards will be vital for the completionists out there that need to do and see absolutely everything.

Over the course of your travels, you'll encounter some NPCs who will ask you to gather various items as you're out in the world. When you get a new assignment, usually by talking to an NPC, but sometimes by exploring or completing story quests, a Collectopaedia Card will be added to the corresponding tab in your quest menu (via Gamepur). No need to worry about gathering or sorting these cards, because they'll automatically show up when you get the corresponding quest.

To see what's on your docket, simply open your quest menu and head over to the Collectopaedia tab. You'll be able to rifle through all the cards you've got and see what you need to gather to complete each card.

The cards will tell you who gave you this particular card and where to find them in the game world, so keeping track of where to go and who to see when you're done is simple. The cards will also tell you how much XP and Affinity each quest is worth so you can prioritize the most important ones. It's also worth remembering that the items you need for each card will tend to appear in the area where you received the card in the first place. So, if you're having trouble finishing off a card, be sure to check where you got it and look around there.

Once you've got some cards, the next step is checking off the boxes on them by collecting and turning in the various items you'll be hunting for. Head out into the wide world and start exploring and collecting.

As you gather items, you'll see your cards fill up. When you've gotten everything you need to complete a card, simply register it right from your menu from anywhere in the world to turn it in and get the credit.

There are two final things to remember as you go adventuring. First, many cards can be turned in multiple times if you gather all the resources again, so remember to check back on cards you've already completed. These can be a great way to get an XP boost if you find yourself lagging behind.

Second, you can use Nopon coins that you'll also find in your travels to fill in empty spots on your cards (via NintendoLife). So, if you're having trouble finding a particularly elusive resource or just don't want to deal with it, you can spend some coins to speed up the process.

That's all you need to know about Collectopaedia Cards and their use. Good luck hunting!