A lot of people on the Discord have asked what New Game Plus does. I made this guide to help other players understand how NG+ functions, and to relieve unnecessary stress.
This guide has been updated with Forgotten World content and the Relics of Chaos update.

If you are still going through your first run, be aware that this guide contains some minor spoilers.

To simplify some things, here's some terminology used in the guide:

Normal save- A save game that has not preformed New Game+
New Game+ - Also referred to as NG+. A completed save file that has started NG+, and what you'll learn about in this guide!

If anything isn't listed here and you think it should be, let me know!


With NG+, you can:

• Play through the story again.
  
• Earn Champion rewards a second time. Your highest score for each Champion remains on record.
  
• Receive once per run rewards again, such as the Koi, Scorch, and Bard eggs (you can also get these from boxes)
  
• Try out master difficultly.
  
• Receive another set of Spectral Familiars. In Eternity's End, your chosen familiar gives an Infinity Flame and its egg. In a normal save, your familiar does not drop an egg. (Obtaining more Infinity Flames no longer require NG+. They can be bought at the Arena Coupon Merchant located in the Infinity Arena)

Before starting a NG+, be aware that:

• Map progress is lost
  
• Keeper rank is reset
  
• Monster Army is cleared
  
• Chests are reset
  
• Legendary Keepers lose their particle effects and the Ancestral Medal chest is reset

For information regarding items and equipment, please view the Carryovers section.

There are four different game modes that can be paired with NG+. Bravery, Permadeath, Randomizer, and Relics of Chaos. To access these, make sure Advanced Game Modes is enabled in Options, then select New Game. They can all be done at once, separately, etc. That's 20 different combinations! You need to beat the game once in order to combine the game modes with NG+.
For information regarding how monsters carry over, please view the Monsters section.

You can see what game modes are active on a file by checking the top right corner of the save file.

A NG+ can be be saved on a different slot or overwrite the selected slot. Overwritten data cannot be recovered.

You can change your character's name before starting a NG+ (can be changed again later)
Upon starting a NG+, you are prompted to choose a Spectral Familiar.
If you choose a Spectral Familiar you already have, you will not receive a duplicate.

If you wish, you can NG+ a NG+ as many times as you like.

Some items are carried over when you begin NG+, though some items do not for balancing purposes. Items that are not carried over are refunded for an amount of gold.
Your current gold and Monster Journal progress are carried over (you can access the Monster Journal after receiving it in the Blue Caves.)

• All eggs carry over.
  Eggs do not carry over if the Bravery game mode is selected.
  
• These eggs cannot be donated to the Monster Army until you encounter one of its species.

Carries over:

• Level Badges
  
• Monster Bells
  
• Skill Potions
  
• Skill Resetters
  
• Shift Stones
  
• Switch Stones
  
• Clear Stones

Doesn't carry over:

• Crystal Shards
  
• Level 42 Badges
  
• Craft Boxes
  
• Reward Boxes Lvl 1-5, X

• Food items do not carry over.
  Converted to gold.

• Combat consumables do not carry over.
  Converted to gold.

• Craft materials do not carry over.
  Converted to gold.

• All catalysts carry over.

Only costumes carry over. Here's the specifics:
Carries over:

• Monster Keeper
  
• Dragon Lord
  
• Dragon Lord (alt)
  
• Winter Explorer
  
• Old World Tycoon
  
• Keeper Master
  
• Monster Tamer
  
• Explorer
  
• Alchemist

Doesn't carry over:

• Double Jump Boots
  
• Warm Underwear
  
• Runestone Shard
  
• Blob Key
  
• Key of Power
  
• Ahrimaaya
  
• Arena Coupons
  
• Rare Seashells
  
• Mozzie
  
• Celestial Feathers
  
• All other keys (Stronghold, etc.)

• All weapons carry over, except Relics.
  Relics only carry over if the Relics of Chaos game mode is selected.
  
• Weapon upgrades are reset to +0 (+5 -> +0, etc.)
  No gold is provided from reverting to +0.

• All accessories carry over, except Relics.
  Relics only carry over if the Relics of Chaos game mode is selected.
  
• Accessory upgrades are reset to +0
  No gold is provided from reverting to +0.

All monsters you own are carried over, although:

• Their levels are reset to 1.
  
• They gain experience when inactive until they reach the level they were prior to NG+ (does not affect monsters hatched during NG+)
  
• All food effects are cleared.
  
• Skill Potion effect remains.
  
• Shifted monsters retain their shifts.
  
• Monsters left at the farm at Horizon Beach will remain there.
  
• Wild monsters cannot appear shifted until you complete the Sun Palace again.

WARNING
If you do NG+ Bravery mode, you will lose ALL your monsters and eggs. Everything else carries over as usual. Recommended to save on another slot to avoid loss.

If you have more than one of a spectral familiar, the game will select whichever one is first in the monster menu. This only affects which spectral talks during dialogue. If you want a certain familiar to be chosen, put them first in the menu before starting NG+. Changing the order after starting does not change the familiar.
Note: The priority Spectral's name will have to be input in again as the name prompt still appears.

You cannot use certain Explore Abilities until you encounter a monster that has it. (example: encountered a Silvaero. You can now use any monster you own with Improved Flying)

Due to the Spectral Familiars having Tackle (Toad), Claws (Wolf, Lion), and Flying (Eagle), these are instantly available upon beginning a NG+.

This section covers what is commonly recommended to do before starting a New Game+.
You do not need to follow this section; it is simply here to help those who want to get everything out of their runs. More information will be added at a later time, as necessary.

If you NG+, the level of your weapons and accessories drop back down to +0. You do not earn gold from your equipment being downgraded. If you want to increase your earnings, you can sell leveled equipment. Make sure you have enough copies.

Any unopened boxes will be converted into gold upon starting NG+. Why not open them instead? Arena Coupons disappear once you NG+, so spend them on some goodies before you start exploring the Sanctuary again!

If you NG+ your file, your monsters and equipment will be set to their base levels, which may complicate dueling online. If you enjoy PvP, you may want to make a copy of your save file so you can continue to battle online. You could also grab the PvP save that has every monster and equipment from the moi rai Discord server in the #online-pvp channel by checking the pins (Steam only)

With each New Game Plus run, you can get one set of all the spectral familiars (in a normal save, you can obtain the other three, but not your chosen familiar.) This requires you to be the rank Keeper Master, which is earned after you defeat (not five star) every Champion monster.
Champions will be bolded and underlined if they do not have wild encounters.
If you are looking to make a collection of every monster and their shifted forms, I recommend that you try to five star those that cannot appear in the wild, as Reward Boxes don't always give you what you want.

There are 27 Champions:
No, "Godzerker" doesn't count towards the Champion number.

Thank you for reading! This is my first guide, so I hope I was able to help!

I have spent a lot of time preparing this guide, and am really excited to share this! After countless updates, this guide covers everything about New Game Plus and is considered finished.

Remember, NG+ is a choice. You do not need to do it unless you absolutely want to.



I learned a lot from making this NG+ guide that I decided to make another guide, for a different game! I have a Cassette Beasts guide, which is my second guide and is full of useful information!
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3000812572