Beast of Reincarnation: Koo Skills & Rapport Guide
Game Freak's Beast of Reincarnation is a story about loneliness and companionship in a desolate, post-apocalyptic world. Luckily, protagonist Emma isn't alone on this adventure. Accompanying her on her journey is the large white dog, Koo.
Emma and Koo's relationship is an unlikely one: Emma is a cleanser of "malefacts," and Koo is a "pale malefact," brought together through circumstance and mysterious fragments of memory. Koo is more than just a cute doggo that follows Emma around. He assists her with fighting, collects items, and alerts her to key items, locations, and enemies nearby.
Koo has his own skill tree, and you can increase Emma's relationship level with him by completing certain actions. Here's everything you need to know to make the best use of Koo in Beast of Reincarnation.
Koo's Skill Tree And How To Unlock New Abilities
Koo will level up alongside Emma as you progress in the story and fight enemies. Koo's skill tree and attributes are entirely separate from Emma's, but the skill points you earn are shared between the two. This means you'll have to choose carefully between the two when figuring out which skill to improve.
Like Emma, Koo's skill tree is made up of two parts: the roots and the branches. Branches are where you'll find active abilities called Bloom Arts. These require Florescence Points (FPs) to use, which can be replenished by successfully parrying attacks from enemies. Press triangle (using PS5 controls) to bring up a quick menu that slows down the action and allows you to choose an attack for Koo to use. Keep in mind that you can't use the same Bloom Art two times in a row!
Another useful active skill that Koo has is the ability to heal Emma in case of an emergency. Open Koo's quick menu (triangle) and select the Emergency Medicine (L2) to provide Emma with a quick heal in a bind. As you discover and research manuals, Koo will learn to use other items automatically, making him even more useful in combat.
Roots are where you unlock passive skills, which are split into three categories:
- Incantation: Linked to Koo's Florescence attribute. Curse enemies and modify existing Bloom Arts.
- Guard: Linked to Koo's Vitality attribute. Grant Emma an armor buff and other assistance.
- Pounce: Linked to Koo's Strength attribute. Gain an insta-kill against weak enemies and learn new skills.
Note that the latter requires you to tell Koo to Run Ahead (L2 + R3). It's also worth noting that Koo's strongest skills require taking two different root paths to completion.
How To Build Rapport With Koo (And What It Means)
After you complete the flashback segment about Emma and Koo's first meeting, you'll be able to build Rapport with your companion. Rapport is built by strengthening Emma's relationship with Koo through in-game actions. Increasing Rapport is how you unlock new skills to research, as well as open up new skill slots to use in battle.
To check Koo's Rapport Rank, speak to him while inside the Cleanse Walker. From here, you can also research items for Koo to automatically use in battle, as well as research skills. And yes, you can also pet the dog.
Falling in battle will cause him to lose trust in Emma, and will decrease the Rapport. Luckily, Rapport will never fall below its current level.
The Easiest Ways To Build Rapport With Koo
Petting Koo isn't just cute: it's an easy way to increase Rapport with your companion. Rapport can be increased in a number of ways. Here are the main methods:
- Feed Koo treats. When you leave the Cleanse Walker for the first time each day, your pack is automatically replenished with treats. Feed Koo these treats through the quick menu (down on the d-pad) to strengthen Emma's bond with him.
- Feed Koo (in general). Feeding Koo any foods to replenish his hunger also increases Rapport a bit.
- Shower with Koo. You can shower at the end of a long day back at the base as long as you have enough water. (Your wandering home base will collect water automatically as you explore.) This has the added bonus of washing off the visible dirt you gather over the day.
- Pet Koo. Petting the pup at base can increase Rapport once a day.
Koo is a useful companion, fighting alongside Emma, guiding her, and offering her friendship in a bleak world. Improving the relationship between Emma and Koo is essential to progressing through Beast of Reincarnation.