I still remember the first time I dragged an Echo card onto the table in Wuthering Waves. I expected another combat trial, not a full auto-battler TCG hidden inside a live-service event. Yet there I was, in the Septimont area, staring at yellow energy dots and wondering why my Fusion Warrior kept missing. That event was All Out! Towards the Peaks of Prestige, and even in 2026, it remains one of my favorite reasons to log in.
Unlocking the Card Table
Before I could play a single card, I had to reach Capitoline Hilltop in the Shadow of Glory main quest. That is Act 5 of the Rinascita story. If you are a new player, do not expect to jump straight into the fun. It takes hours, especially if you actually read the story instead of skipping. Once I qualified, I opened the event screen or started the quest from the quest menu. The beginner challenges taught me mechanics that later decided every victory and defeat.
The Three Stats That Matter
Every Echo card shows three main stats: STR, DMG, and CON. I learned to read them like a tiny character sheet. STR and DMG shape how hard an Echo hits, while CON tells me how much punishment it can take. The yellow dots on top of a card show its energy cost. On the right side of the table, I can see my current energy. The game gives me two energy at the start of each turn, but leftover energy does not stack. That rule hurt me more than any boss.
Deconstructing is my emergency battery. I drag an Echo to the right side of the screen to destroy it, and I get one energy unless the Echo has a special ability that says otherwise. I can deconstruct from my hand or from the table. During placement, I try to use every single card I can. If I do not, my leftovers shuffle back into the deck and I draw new random cards next round. Sometimes it is better to deconstruct a useless card and use my Resonator ability instead.
Resonators and Tactics
At first, I only had Rover. As I progressed, I unlocked Cantarella, Zani, Encore, Xiangli Yao, and Carlotta. Each Resonator has tactics: one active and one passive ability. The passive usually needs a specific condition, but if I build my deck around it, it becomes a consistent engine. The active ability costs energy and can be used in any round. I cannot count how many times a well-timed active tactic flipped a losing board.
Core Echoes Are the Boss of My Deck
After the first few battles, I gained a core Echo. Core Echoes do not require energy to place, but they have Trial requirements. For example, Sentry Construct needs three units with Flank Force activated on the table. That pushed me to include Fusion Warrior and baby Viridblaze Saurians. Core Echoes usually decide the rest of my deck, so I never treat them as an afterthought.
Modulation Changed Everything
Modulation is the mechanic that made me feel clever. One-cost Echoes often have inactive special skills. To activate them, I place another Echo on top. The new Echo inherits the activated special skills, and its stats become the sum of both cards. The old Echo returns to the deck. I cannot modulate core Echoes, so I use modulation on my normal units. It is how I turn a weak opening into a terrifying board.
Transformation Slots
In the middle of both sides, there is a darker spot. That is the transformation slot. Certain Echoes have abilities that trigger when transformed, granting stats, energy, or other buffs. I drag the card there, it gets consumed, and I receive the effect. I still need the required energy shown on the card, but the payoff is often worth it.
Deck Building Rules I Never Break
Once I unlocked deck building, my win rate depended on preparation more than luck. Here are the rules I follow:
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Each deck needs exactly one core Echo. It sits in the top slot and dictates the build.
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A deck can use up to two attributes. If I include Glacio and Fusion, every card must belong to those two.
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I can use up to two copies of any card. That means a minimum of ten and a maximum of twenty cards outside the core Echo.
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I always consider card abilities, not just raw stats.
I also keep multiple decks. Some opponents fold to a fast aggressive lineup, while others require a defensive core Echo with healing or shields.
How I Collect More Cards
There are two main ways to grow my collection. First, winning battles outside endless mode unlocks one or two new cards. Second, victories give Prestige Points. I go to Collections from the main event menu, switch to the second tab on the left, select locked Echoes, and buy them. In 2026, this still feels like a fair progression loop.
Tips From My Many Losses
Luck matters. I can pull the perfect card and still watch my Fusion Warrior miss a smaller enemy. AoE abilities sometimes fail against high-mobility targets. So I focus on what I can control:
| Tip | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Build synergy | A perfect lineup of special abilities and three-cost Echoes can destroy most enemies. |
| Scout the opponent | Before battle, I check their deck for weaknesses and strengths. Then I choose the best deck and Resonator. |
| Watch placement | The left side is the front line, the right side is the back line. I never put squishy units in front of heavy damage. |
| Use every card | Leftover cards return to the deck, so deconstruct or place them. |
| Respect RNG | Sometimes the best plan is to adapt, not rage. |
That last one is easier said than done. Have you ever lost a card battle because one attack missed? I have. More than once.
Rewards Worth the Grind
During the limited phase, I could earn up to 1,200 Astrites, the Moment of Triumph flight skin, a Card Duelist banner, and a skin for the Cuddle Wuddle Echo. Even if I already claimed most rewards, I still return for the joy of building a new deck. The mode is a rare break from dodging and parrying, and it proves that Wuthering Waves can be more than combat.
Final Hand
All Out! Towards the Peaks of Prestige is not just a side event for me. It is a full auto-battler with energy management, positioning, modulation, transformation, and deck-building rules that reward patience. If you are new, push through the Rinascita story until Capitoline Hilltop. If you are a veteran, check your opponent, tune your core Echo, and play your cards right. In 2026, that advice still holds.