Gear Level

Your Gear Level is the single number that sums up your weapon, armor, jewelry, and spells, and it decides how a fight goes. Attacking an enemy far above your gear level means you deal reduced damage and take extra, while out-leveling a target flips that in your favour. This is why you hunt V Blood bosses in roughly level order: each one unlocks the recipes that raise your gear level for the next. Keeping your gear current is more important than raw character level.