InSynduality: Echo of Ada, you are initially joined up with the Drfiter’s Support Association, an organisation designed to help freelance drifters in gathering AO crystals and generally supporting their lives on the surface. Of course, not everyone wants to play nice, and the Drifter’s Association isn’t willing to abide by foul play for long.

The PvP in Synduality is quite cruel to players within the Association, but at least those who break its rules are expunged almost immediately. So if you’re looking to stay in the good graces of the Association, you better keep your eyes away from the Black Market. If it piques your interest though, know that it’s an expensive affair.

How To Join The Black Market

The Black Market is essentiallythe opposite of the Association. While the latter is what you are initially part of and is geared towards PvE play, the Black Market ismore built towards those who engage in PvP. This also makes both organisations mutually exclusive. You cannot be part of both simultaneously.

There are two ways of joining the Black Market, and both involve upsetting the Association. The first is tosimply kill other players. After two or three players defeated, you will be expelled from the alliance after you return from your latest sortie. With PvP being somewhat random, and some players simply being better prepared, or maybe you just have a bleeding heart, you might find it difficult to kill other players.

That leads to the second option - paying your way out. Money speaks louder than actions, and the Association wants you to know the cost of leaving them.150,000 credits is the cost to leave by choice, which if you’ve played any amount of the game you’ll be aware is not a small sum. Regardless, this action results in you being kicked out of the association in the same way as killing other players.

Even in a co-op mission,you can kill other players by mistake. If you do so, and are marked as a Cautionary Association Member, spend a few sorties without attacking others, and you will become a regular member again in time.

After you join the Black Market,you will now have a bounty as well. If you paid to leave the Association, this will be 10,000 credits. If you killed your way into the Black Market, then your bounty will be relative to your crime, and likely much higher than 10,000.

Benefits And Negatives Of The Black Market

Despite the scary name and being kicked from the Association, not as much changes as you might expect. In fact, quite a few things stay the same.You have the same base, can craft all the same items, have access to the same facilities. At first glance, the only difference is that you have a bounty on your head now. There are quite a few changes that aren’t immediately apparent, though.

First off,other players can kill you now without any repercussions, and will claim the bounty on your head if they defeat you. They’re also informed when you enter the area (though not your location unless they analyse you), so they can more easily avoid you. It’s harsh, but that’s the price to pay for killing others.

You also have to take onRequests from new organisations within the Black Market. These are almost identical to those given to you within the Association, though with a focus on Ballistic weapons and Bandits rather than Enders and Energy weapons. Many of the rewards are even the same, witheverything instead swapped for a Ballistic, combat-focused piece of gearinstead.

As the single-player CIC missions are unlocked through Requests,you will lose them when you join the Black Marketuntil you complete the requisite Requests again.

The biggest change would be in the Item Shop.Every item added to it from completing Requests is removed. This means you can no longer buy any Energy Weapons or Cradle parts you previously unlocked. If you leave the Black Market and rejoin the Association, these items are returned to the shop, but the Black Market’s are removed. So make sure to buy up any items you want before swapping sides.

After joining the Black Market,you are also restricted to the Southern Zoneuntil you complete enough Requests to unlock the Northern Zone. This is likely to keep you away from beginner players and keep you with those who are more experienced instead.

How To Rejoin The Association

If you ever get tired of constantly having a target on your back,you can rejoin the Association, though this also comes with a price. This isn’t a fixed price like leaving the Association though, but scales. Before you can rejoin the Association,you have to pay off your bounty to them.

That’s all it takes though for all your sins to be forgiven. You are immediately returned as a full Association Member as well, rather than a Cautionary one. Like always, your money is worth much more than your actions. Plus,you get to keep your Ballistic weaponsafter coming back. Just make sure not to die with them because you won’t be able to buy them unless you craft it or join the Black Market once again.