Imperial Knights desire level system

Imperial Knights tracks character progression through two related systems: Desire Level (欲望Lv) — the visible in-game meter shown as hearts — and H-Level (HLv) — the hidden experience counter that governs when those hearts fill. Understanding this system is essential for players who want to collect all gallery scenes, maximize combat efficiency through the platinum card Amatsuka Koyori, and plan efficient multi-file progression.

This page explains the mechanics of both systems, what rewards they unlock, and how they interact with New Game+ carries.

How Desire Level works

The Desire Level meter appears in the character status screen as a row of hearts. Each heart represents one level of the desire system. Filling all hearts to maximum unlocks rewards:

• Visual rewards — costume variants and CG scenes tied to desire milestones
• Gameplay rewards — the platinum card Amatsuka Koyori at maximum level
• Progression unlocks — certain scene flags require specific desire thresholds

Desire Level increases through:

• H-events — viewing adult scenes in the game
• Battle victories — minor contribution to desire meter
• Quest completion — small bonuses for finishing requests

The rate at which desire increases varies by action. H-events provide the largest single increment; battle victories provide minimal contribution.

H-Level mechanics

H-Level (HLv) is the hidden experience counter that governs the Desire system:

• H-Level range: 1–10
• Level-up condition: H-Level increases by viewing H-events
• Repeat events: The same H-event within a single playthrough does not increase H-Level a second time
• Cross-file behavior: H-Level carries over into New Game+ runs as an accumulated value

The critical implication: within one playthrough, you cannot grind H-Level by repeating the same event. You must encounter different H-events to progress. Across multiple New Game+ files, however, the accumulated H-Level value persists — which means players who want the platinum card on a new save do not start from zero.

The platinum card reward

Amatsuka Koyori Card (天宮小依) is a Platinum Rare card that doubles EXP gained in battle. It is obtained by reaching H-Level 10 (maximum) in a single playthrough.

This card is one of only two Platinum Rare cards in the game that cannot be obtained from the gacha. Its combat applications:

Effect	Description
EXP multiplier	Battle EXP gained is doubled
Farming application	Significantly speeds up character leveling
Priority	Essential for players pursuing level 99

For players who want to max all character levels (maximum is level 99), the Amatsuka Koyori card is effectively mandatory. Without it, reaching level 99 requires approximately twice the grinding sessions.

Platinum Rare distribution overview

Card	Rarity	How to obtain
Amatsuka Koyori	Platinum	Max H-Level (10)
Lilia	Platinum	Ci-en membership benefit

Lilia Card doubles item drop rate after battle. Unlike Amatsuka Koyori, it requires a paid developer subscription and cannot be obtained through gameplay alone.

Desire Level and gallery completion

The gallery system in Imperial Knights tracks scenes across multiple categories. Desire Level affects:

• Scene unlocks: Some gallery entries require minimum desire thresholds to appear
• Costume variants: Certain CG variations are locked behind desire milestones
• Collection percentage: Full gallery completion requires filling desire-dependent rows

For a complete gallery, you need:

1. All three routes cleared (main story scenes)
2. All guild quests taken with appropriate outcomes (quest scenes)
3. Desire Level maxed on at least one file (platinum card and variant CGs)

What carries into New Game+

System	NG+ behavior
H-Level	Carries as accumulated value
Desire hearts	Reset per file; visual rewards tied to single file
Amatsuka Koyori Card	Carries if already obtained
Lilia Card	Does not carry; requires separate acquisition
Gallery scenes	Main scenes carry per route; quest scenes stay manual

The NG+ carry of H-Level means that players with a max-level save can start new files with an already-accumulated desire bonus. This is intentional — Circle Poison designed the system to reward long-term players.

Efficient H-Level farming across files

Same-file restriction

Within one playthrough, the same H-event does not grant additional H-Level. This prevents trivial grinding and encourages:

• Playing through multiple routes on the same file
• Taking guild quests that trigger different flags
• Exploring different story branches

Cross-file strategy

For players targeting the platinum card on a new file:

1. Use an existing save with Amatsuka Koyori Card equipped on Diana
2. Start NG+ on a new route
3. Progress through H-events — the H-Level carries, so you can reach max faster
4. The Amatsuka Koyori Card itself also carries, accelerating the leveling process

This creates a positive feedback loop: max-level files breed even faster max-level files.

Desire Level and character balance

One non-obvious interaction: H-Level and desire are character-specific, not party-wide. The desire meter shown in the UI reflects Diana’s desire level specifically. Other party members have independent desire meters not visible in the main interface.

For practical purposes:

• Diana’s desire drives the Amatsuka Koyori Card acquisition
• Other characters’ desire affects their individual scene flags
• Mercenaries retain their own desire/H-Level state when hired

Quick reference

Item	Detail
Desire Level	Visible hearts; fills through H-events
H-Level	Hidden 1–10 counter; governs desire progression
Same-event restriction	Same event in one file = no second H-Level gain
Cross-file H-Level	Carries as accumulated value
Max H-Level reward	Amatsuka Koyori Card (EXP double)
Other Platinum card	Lilia Card (drop rate double, Ci-en only)
EXP bonus with card	2x battle EXP
Max character level	99

Related pages

• Card tier list — platinum card rankings
• Card album — full gacha and album mechanics
• Gallery guide — scene collection and desire thresholds
• New Game+ — what carries across files
• Checklist — desire flag tracking