Editing Photon Drop

{{Item 
|icon=Tool
|color=rare
|jp = フォトンドロップ
|translation = Photon Drop
|stack=99
|hex=031000
|type=Photon
|desc=High purity crystal Photon.<br>There is someone who needs this...
}}
{{Tool|rare|Photon Drop}} (commonly abbreviated "PD") is a rare [[Tools|tool]] that is primarily used as trade currency between players. Photon Drops can drop from any enemy or box in the game on any difficulty. 

Photon Drops can also be used in [[Gallon's Shop#Paganini's exchange|Paganini's exchange]] in the [[Quests|quest]] {{Quest link|Gallon's Shop}} to exchange for items or weapon enhancements. Paganini will trade various items for Photon Drops, at prices ranging from 1 to 99 Photon Drops; he will also add specials to [[ES weapons]] for set amounts of Photon Drops, and [[Weapon attributes|attributes]] to non-ES Weapons at a rate of 5% per 20 PDs. 

By default, only the item exchange service is offered for each character. The "Modify ES Weapon" and "Enhance weapon's Photon" services must be unlocked on a per-character basis by completing a sidequest in {{Quest link|The East Tower}} and {{Quest link|The West Tower}} respectively. 

==Usage==
By talking to Hopkins in {{Quest link|Gallon's Shop}} with at least one Photon Drop in the inventory, he will take you to Paganini, where you can exchange them either for one of a selection of items depending on the number of Photon Drops held, or for two other unlockable services he can offer.

===Item Exchange===
'''WARNING: Only carry the ''minimum'' amount of Photon Drops needed in your inventory, as Paganini will take ''all'' of them for the trade.'''
You will be asked to confirm the exchange multiple times before it is finalized.

This exchange is notable for the {{Tool|rare|Photon Sphere}} (among other things) that allows the player a faster and more cost-effective option of [[Gallon's_Shop#Adding_attributes_to_weapons|adding attributes to weapons]], as a Photon Sphere may be used to add 30% to a single attribute (as long as the attribute is 70% or less), instead of spending 100 Photon Drops to add only 25% to that attribute.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!1 Photon Drop
!20 Photon Drops
!50 Photon Drops
!99 Photon Drops
|-
|
{{Tool|rare|AddSlot}}<br>
{{Shield|rare|Assist Barrier}}<br>
{{Shield|rare|Recovery Barrier}}
|
{{Tool|rare|Magic Water}}<br>
{{Tool|rare|Parasitic Cell Type D}}<br>
{{Tool|rare|Berill Photon}}<br>
{{Shield|rare|Red Barrier}}<br>
{{Shield|rare|Blue Barrier}}<br>
{{Shield|rare|Yellow Barrier}}<br>
{{Sword|rare|Nei's Claw (Replica)}}<br>
{{Cane|rare|Broom}}<br>
{{Cane|rare|Flower Cane}}
|
{{Tool|rare|Blue-black Stone}}<br>
{{Tool|rare|Magic Rock "Heart Key"}}<br>
{{Tool|rare|Photon Booster}}
|
{{Tool|rare|Photon Sphere}}
|}
</div>

===Adding specials to ES weapons===
{{GlobalFlag
|title = ET Paganini (ES SPECIAL)
|type = Unlockable
|fhex = 2
|fdec = 2
|bmhex = 00000020
|bmdec = 32
}}
If the player brings Paganini the data from the terminal at the top of {{PSO link|quest|The East Tower}}, the "Modify ES Weapon" option will be available for the character that completes this sidequest, though it can be completed on any difficulty. (Paganini will no longer be accessible in this quest for that character once you have done this, and Hopkins will only state that, "My father is working on a huge project right now.", as an alternative method of checking completion.)

* Start the East Tower quest
* Talk to Hopkins in the lab (he is in the same place you would find him in {{PSO icon|quest}} Gallon's Shop for accessing "Modify ES Weapon" after sidequest completion)
* Kill Epsilon at the top floor of Control Tower, then interact with the terminal (you will receive a Quest Board item).
** Upon killing Epsilon, player teleporters (via {{PSO link|tool|Telepipe}} or {{PSO link|disk|Ryuker}}) can no longer be created, and any that are active will be turned off. The gate in the Lab leading to the Central Control Area will also become locked. If you use the provided teleporter before interacting with the terminal, you will be forced to redo the quest to properly complete the sidequest.
* After clearing the quest, make sure to talk to Hopkins again before handing in the quest at the Hunters Guild.

This allows the player to add a special attack to their ES weapon, with the available specials depending on the number of PDs in the player's inventory and the ES weapon in question.

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!# of PDs
!Specials Offered
|-
|20
|HP Revival*, TP Revival*
|-
|30
|Blizzard, Burning, Tempest
|-
|40
|Berserk, Chaos, Geist, Gush, King's, Spirit
|-
|50
|Arrest, Demon's, Hell
|-
|60
|Jellen (21), Zalure (21)
|}
<sup>* HP Revival and TP Revival refer to passive recovery over time, similar to the [[HP/Revival]] and [[TP/Revival]] units.</sup>

Note that [[ES Knuckle]] cannot receive HP Revival and TP Revival, [[ES Psychogun]] can ''only'' receive HP Revival and TP Revival, and [[ES Windmill]] can only receive HP Revival, Jellen, TP Revival, and Zalure.

===Adding attributes to weapons===
{{GlobalFlag
|title = WT Paganini (ATTRIBUTES)
|type = Unlockable
|fhex = 2
|fdec = 2
|bmhex = 00000040
|bmdec = 64
}}
As a prerequisite, first the player's character must collect the {{PSO icon|quest}} [[The East Tower|East Tower]] data for Paganini (see [[#Adding Specials to ES Weapons|Adding Specials to ES/S-Rank Weapons]] above for directions).

Then if that character also brings Paganini the data from the terminal in Seabed during {{PSO link|quest|The West Tower}} quest, the "Enhance weapon's Photon" option will be available for the character that completes this sidequest, though it can be completed on any difficulty. (Unlike East Tower, there is no easy way to check through Hopkins if you have already completed the West Tower sidequest, as Hopkins in this quest will say the same "My father is working on a huge project right now." line, both before completing the previous sidequest as well as after completing this one.)

* Start the West Tower quest after having completed the East Tower sidequest
* Talk to Hopkins in the lab (he is in the same place you would find him in {{PSO icon|quest}} Gallon's Shop for accessing "Enhance weapon's Photon" after sidequest completion)
* Traverse the Seabed Upper levels until you find and access the terminal containing the Research Data (you will receive a Quest Board item).
** Unlike the previous sidequest, you do not have to continue onto the Control Tower to complete this sidequest. Simply access the terminal and then {{PSO link|tool|Telepipe}} or {{PSO link|disk|Ryuker}} back to Pioneer 2.
* Return to the lab and talk to Hopkins ''before'' ending the quest

This allows the player to add and boost [[Weapon Attributes|attribute]] percentages on their weapons for a set amount of PDs, at 4 PD per 1%, or 20 PDs per 5% on an attribute. A [[Photon Sphere]] can also be used to add 30% to an attribute, but only if the attribute in question is at or below 70%. There are some restrictions to adding attributes:
* a weapon cannot have more than three attributes ([[Excalibur]], [[Lame d'Argent]], [[Sealed J-Sword]], and [[Tsumikiri J-Sword]] cannot have more than two, and ES Weapons can't have any at all),
* Hit % cannot be added to a weapon,
* an attribute cannot exceed 100%.

===Photon Hoard===
:''Main article: [[Photon Hoard]]''
A stack of 99 Photon Drops can be condensed into a {{Tool|rare|Photon Hoard}}, a rare tool unique to ''Ephinea'', by speaking with an NPC in military garb in {{Quest link|Gallon's Shop#Photon Hoard|Gallon's Shop}}. 

Photon Hoards serve the purpose of allowing players to store and trade large amounts of Photon Drops at a time. One Photon Hoard can be disassembled back into a stack 99 Photon Drops by speaking to the same NPC. The character must not be holding any Photon Drops in their inventory at the time to do this.

==Availability==
===Enemy drops===
All drop rates assume a [[drop anything rate]] of 100%.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!Difficulty
!Drop Rate
|-
|Normal
|1/2000
|-
|Hard
|1/1500
|-
|Very Hard
|1/600
|-
|Ultimate
|1/375
|}

===Box drops===
{{BoxDropTableHead}}
{{DropRow|id=All|idspan=9|diff=Normal|diffspan=2|nolink=1|[[Forest]], [[VR Temple]]|1/3921}}
{{DropRow|nolink=1|[[Cave]], [[Mine]], [[Ruins]], [[VR Spaceship]], [[Central Control Area]], [[Crater]], [[Subterranean Desert]]|1/3703}}
{{DropRow|diff=Hard|diffspan=3|nolink=1|[[Forest 1]], [[VR Temple Alpha]]|1/4545}}
{{DropRow|nolink=1|[[Forest 2]], [[Cave]], [[VR Temple Beta]], [[VR Spaceship]], [[Jungle Area North]], Crater ([[Crater (Eastern Route)|Eastern]], [[Crater (Western Route)|Western]], [[Crater (Southern Route)|Southern]], and [[Crater (Northern Route)|Northern]] Routes)|1/4167}}
{{DropRow|nolink=1|[[Mine]], [[Ruins]], [[Jungle Area East]], [[Mountain Area]], [[Seaside Area]], [[Central Control Area]], [[Seabed]], [[Control Tower]], [[Crater Interior]], [[Subterranean Desert]]|1/3846}}
{{DropRow|diff=Very Hard|diffspan=3|nolink=1|[[Forest 1]], [[VR Temple Alpha]]|1/2500}}
{{DropRow|nolink=1|[[Forest 2]], [[Ruins 2]], [[Ruins 3]], [[VR Temple Beta]], [[Seabed]], [[Control Tower]], [[Subterranean Desert 2]], [[Subterranean Desert 3]]|1/2222}}
{{DropRow|nolink=1|[[Cave]], [[Mine]], [[Ruins 1]], [[VR Spaceship]], [[Central Control Area]], [[Crater]], [[Subterranean Desert 1]]|1/2000}}
{{DropRow|diff=Ultimate|nolink=1|Any|1/1250}}
|}

===Black Paper's Dangerous Deal 2===
: ''Main article: {{Quest link|Black Paper's Dangerous Deal 2}}
Note that all rates are the chance of getting an item per Photon Crystal, not per roll.
{{BPDTableHead}}
{{BPDTableRow|quest=Black Paper's Deal 2|questspan=4|diff=Normal|1/9}}
{{BPDTableRow|diff=Hard|1/16}}
{{BPDTableRow|diff=Very Hard|1/8.76}}
{{BPDTableRow|diff=Ultimate|1/8.76}}
|}

===Quest reward===
Photon Drop can be obtained from the Lucky Roulette in {{Quest link|Gallon's Shop}}. If the roulette lands on Paganini after obtaining both "Gods Shields" from him, the player is rewarded a Photon Drop.

Photon Drop can be obtained from the gambling terminal in {{Quest link|To The Deepest Blue -MA4 Venue-|To The Deepest Blue}}. After every first-prize item has been won once, any additional first-prize wins will be rewarded with a Photon Drop.

Photon Drop can be obtained from the roulette in {{Quest link|The Beak's Cafe Ver.2}} roulette.

===Events===
Photon Drop could be obtained from a {{Tool|rare|Present (Christmas)|Present}} on Normal difficulty in 2015, all difficulties in 2016, and Normal and Hard difficulties in 2017.

Photon Drop was given as a consolation prize for failing the 5-{{Tool|rare|Event Egg|Egg}} gambles in the 2016, 2017, and 2018 {{Quest link|The Egg Shop|Egg Shops}}, as well as the 10-Egg gamble in the 2016 and 2018 Egg Shops.

{{Tools}}
{{Guides}}
[[Category:Tools]]
[[Category:Photons]]