- Active matter fusing uses Fuse Recipes in the Refiner to create weapons or items.
- Refining Active Matter can provide credits when you need general currency.
- Fuse Recipes appear through progression systems such as Monolith levels or Investigations.
- The Refiner’s left side is the key interface for combining minor items with Active Matter.
- Best practice is to compare a recipe’s output against its material cost before committing resources.
How Active Matter Fusing Works
Active Matter has two confirmed uses in the Refiner. You can process it directly to receive credits, or use it as a required component in a Fuse Recipe. The second option is the core of active matter fusing, allowing several minor items to be combined into a weapon or another useful item.
The Refiner is therefore more than a simple conversion station. It serves both as a currency source and as a crafting-style interface for specific recipes. When you open the Refiner, look at the left-hand side for available Fuse Recipes. These recipes determine the required materials and the resulting item.
| Refiner Function | Main Result | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Direct refining | Credits | When you need flexible currency |
| Fuse Recipe | Weapon or item | When you have a target recipe and required materials |
| Recipe inspection | Material requirements | Before spending Active Matter |
| Progression unlock | New recipe access | After advancing Monolith levels or Investigations |
The most important distinction is that direct refining and fusing serve different purposes. Refining is the safer choice when you need credits immediately. Fusing is the better choice when a recipe offers an item that supports your current build or progression plan.
Direct Refining
Converts Active Matter into credits. This is the straightforward option when you do not have a specific Fuse Recipe in mind.
Recipe Fusing
Combines Active Matter with minor items to produce a weapon or item through a recipe shown in the Refiner.
Recipe Unlocks
New Fuse Recipes can become available through Monolith levels or Investigations, giving progression a direct crafting benefit.
Check the available recipe before refining Active Matter for credits. A reserved material may be more valuable for a weapon or item you already plan to create.
A useful way to think about the system is opportunity cost. Every unit of Active Matter can either become credits now or contribute toward a future recipe. The correct choice depends on your immediate needs, the materials in your inventory, and whether an unlocked recipe has a meaningful use for your loadout.
For a detailed player discussion of these two Refiner functions, see the Active Matter Refiner explanation on Steam.
Active Matter Fusing Step-by-Step
The fusing process is simple once a recipe is available, but a quick inventory check prevents waste. Use the following workflow whenever you want to turn Active Matter and minor items into a crafted result.
Open the Refiner
Enter the Refiner and inspect the available options. Focus on the left-hand side, where Fuse Recipes are displayed. This is the area used for recipe-based production rather than direct credit conversion.
Select a Fuse Recipe
Choose the weapon or item you want to create. Read the recipe requirements carefully and confirm that Active Matter is included among the required materials.
Verify Minor Items
Compare the listed minor items with your current inventory. If one component is missing, do not commit the materials yet; continue progressing or gather the missing item first.
Confirm the Result
Review the expected output and decide whether it is more valuable for your current plan than the credits you could receive by refining Active Matter directly. Confirm only after checking the full cost.
| Step | Action | Decision Point |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open the Refiner | Locate the left-side Fuse Recipe area |
| 2 | Select a recipe | Identify the intended weapon or item |
| 3 | Check materials | Confirm Active Matter and minor items |
| 4 | Compare value | Weigh the crafted result against credits |
| 5 | Confirm production | Commit materials only after review |
The most common mistake is treating every available Active Matter unit as spare currency. That approach can delay a future weapon or item if a recipe becomes available soon after. Instead, check your current progression goals first.
A second mistake is selecting a recipe without checking minor items. Active Matter may be present, but the craft still depends on the complete material list. If the recipe cannot be completed, holding the material may be more useful than converting it immediately.
Do not automatically convert every Active Matter unit into credits. First inspect Fuse Recipes and confirm that no planned craft requires the material.
This workflow does not require memorizing every recipe. The Refiner itself is the best place to verify current requirements because the available recipe list reflects the options currently unlocked for your progression.
Recipe Unlocks and Progression Planning
Fuse Recipes are tied to progression. The available information identifies Monolith levels and Investigations as examples of unlock paths. This means recipe access is not limited to a single activity, and players should monitor both systems as they advance.
Because recipes can become available through progression, Active Matter should be managed with a short-term and long-term plan. Short-term spending supports immediate credits or a currently available item. Long-term saving preserves flexibility for recipes unlocked after a Monolith milestone or Investigation.
| Progression Source | Relationship to Fusing | Planning Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Monolith levels | Can unlock Fuse Recipes | Check the Refiner after advancing |
| Investigations | Can unlock Fuse Recipes | Review new recipe options when investigations progress |
| Refiner access | Displays available recipes | Use it as the final source of current requirements |
| Inventory management | Determines craft readiness | Keep required minor items organized |
A practical planning cycle looks like this:
- Check the Refiner before beginning a new progression objective.
- Record which recipes are currently visible and which materials they require.
- Keep Active Matter available if a useful recipe is close to completion.
- Recheck the Refiner after Monolith or Investigation progress.
- Refine surplus material only after planned crafts are accounted for.
Save for Progression
Hold Active Matter when you are close to a Monolith level or Investigation milestone that may unlock another Fuse Recipe.
Craft for Power
Use fusing when the resulting weapon or item directly supports your current objectives and the required minor items are available.
Refine for Flexibility
Convert material into credits when no current recipe is useful and flexible spending is more valuable than a planned craft.
There is no single spending rule that fits every inventory. A player with a nearly complete recipe should usually preserve the required Active Matter. A player with no relevant recipe and an urgent credit need may prefer direct refining. The key is to make the choice after checking the Refiner rather than before.
After a Monolith level or Investigation milestone, reopen the Refiner and review the left-side Fuse Recipe list. New options may change how you value stored Active Matter.
Recipe planning also improves inventory clarity. Instead of treating minor items as unrelated clutter, group them mentally by their possible use in Fuse Recipes. When several required components are already available, the recipe becomes a concrete near-term goal rather than an uncertain future option.
Choosing Between Credits and Fused Items
The central decision is whether to refine Active Matter for credits or reserve it for a Fuse Recipe. Both options are useful, but they solve different problems.
| Choice | Benefit | Main Trade-Off | Best Situation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refine for credits | Immediate flexible currency | Active Matter is no longer available for the recipe | You need credits and have no priority craft |
| Fuse into a weapon | Adds a targeted equipment option | Requires Active Matter plus minor items | The weapon matches your current needs |
| Fuse into an item | Produces a specific utility or progression item | May consume materials needed elsewhere | The item has a clear near-term purpose |
| Hold the material | Preserves future options | Provides no immediate reward | A progression unlock is approaching |
Use these questions before confirming a decision:
- Is there a currently unlocked recipe that directly supports your next objective?
- Do you already have most of the required minor items?
- Are you short on credits for an immediate purchase or upgrade?
- Are you close to a Monolith or Investigation milestone?
- Would the crafted output replace or improve something you already use?
A simple priority system can help:
| Inventory Situation | Recommended Priority | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Recipe nearly complete | Save Active Matter | One missing component should not force unnecessary conversion |
| Useful recipe visible | Compare output first | The item may offer more value than credits |
| No relevant recipe | Refine selectively | Credits provide broader short-term flexibility |
| Progression milestone nearby | Delay conversion if possible | New recipes may become available after progression |
| Urgent credit shortage | Refine only needed quantity | Preserve the rest for future fusing |
The strongest general strategy is selective spending. Avoid converting your entire stock unless you have checked the Refiner and understand what you are giving up. Likewise, avoid hoarding every unit if a visible recipe can immediately improve your progression.
Before Confirming a Fuse Recipe:
- Open the Refiner and inspect the left-side Fuse Recipe list
- Confirm that Active Matter is included in the requirements
- Check every required minor item in your inventory
- Compare the crafted result with the credits from direct refining
- Review upcoming Monolith or Investigation progression
Use Active Matter for fusing when the recipe has a clear purpose and the required minor items are ready. Otherwise, preserve flexibility or refine only what you need.
This approach keeps the system easy to manage. You do not need a complicated spreadsheet or a permanent inventory rule. A quick Refiner review before each conversion is usually enough to protect your future options.
Active Matter Fusing FAQ
Q: What is Active Matter used for in the Refiner?
Active Matter has two confirmed uses: it can be refined into credits, or it can be used in Fuse Recipes to help produce a weapon or item from several minor items.
Q: Where do I find Active Matter Fuse Recipes?
Open the Refiner and check the left-hand side for Fuse Recipes. Recipe access can be connected to progression such as Monolith levels or Investigations.
Q: Should I refine Active Matter for credits or save it?
Save it when a useful recipe is available, nearly complete, or likely to become relevant after progression. Refine it when you need credits and no current recipe has priority.
Q: Do Fuse Recipes require only Active Matter?
No. The available explanation states that Fuse Recipes combine Active Matter with several minor items. Always inspect the complete requirement list before confirming a craft.
Treat the Refiner as both a credit converter and a recipe station. Checking both options before spending is the most reliable way to manage Active Matter.