Totems, Essences, and Synergy Combines

Totems

The mod includes three totems: the Ability Totem, the Synergy Totem, and the Active Synergy Totem. These are support items rather than swords. Craft the Ability Totem first, then the Synergy Totem, and finally the Active Synergy Totem, since each builds on the previous one.

Keep the totems in your inventory while you fight. They are meant to be carried alongside your sword, not placed as blocks.

Essence Gathering

Essences are the backbone of every sword recipe. The full set is Fire Essence, Water Essence, Earth Essence, Wind Essence, Thunder Essence, Light Essence, Dark Essence, Ender Essence, Beast Essence, and Mixed Essence.

Mixed Essence is the most flexible and is used in advanced combines. Produce it whenever you have spare base Essences so you are not stuck later.

Synergy Combines

Synergy combines pair a sword with a totem or with another sword to produce a stronger result. The Active Synergy Totem is the key item for the highest-tier combines. If a synergy recipe will not appear in the crafting table, move it to the Transmutation Furnace — that is where the transmutation recipes live.

Workflow: gather Essences, craft the Sword Handle and basic swords, build the totems, then run synergy combines through the furnace. Keep every intermediate sword and totem; the top-tier recipes consume them.