The first events don’t kick in until 8/20, which is after Act 2 starts. Given what’s happening in the story, you don’t have quite as many bond events as in previous games, such as Cold Steel 3.
Fortunately, the game compensates with more generous meter increases for each bond event. Cold Steel 4 brings gifts back for an extra boost, and you can even push that relationship a bit further if you manage to win against the specific character in a Pom! Pom! Party! match.
Note this guide naturally contains some general spoilers for characters and locations, though plot spoilers and details related to certain characters are omitted.
What Carries Over from Cold Steel 3?
Zilch, at least as far as bond levels are concerned. For story reasons, Rean’s bonds with his friends start at a pre-determined level. There’s some dialogue and flashbacks for Emma, Laura, and Alisa if you saw their final scenes in Cold Steel 3, but that’s all.
Cold Steel 4 Romance
Romance in Cold Steel 4 works a bit differently from previous games. Certain party members (women only; Crowmance is still fanfiction only) have “special memory” bonding scenes. You need to view all their special memory scenes if you want to see their final bond/romance event during the last interlude.
However, romance isn’t limited to just Alisa, Laura, and Emma this time.
Regardless of which romantic interest you pursue, it’s recommended to save and re-load to view each bonding scene. Cold Steel 4’s bonding events are heavily tied in with the story and flesh out backgrounds or tie up character threads.
Act 2 Bond Events — Part 1
8/20 Bonding Events: Aboard the Merkabah
Available Bonding Events (3 Bond Points to spend)
Musse Altina Fit (Character note and special memory scene) Crow Duvalie
Complete the extermination quest to earn an extra Bond Point. This one involves multiple waves of Creepy Sheep. Come prepared, and don’t waste your CP early.
8/20 Gift Items: Parm
Studded Tie Pin & Cufflinks (Elliot) — purchased from the stall near Parm’s train station. While you’re in Parm, you may want to buy a croquette from the White Footpath Inn. You’ll need it for another gift item later on.
8/21 Gift Items: Ordis
Cypher Graph (Machias) — buy it from the RF Store in Kleist Mall (Ordis’ business district). Teal Anklet (Fie) — buy from Strauss Orbal Factory (North Street; you’ll be there for a required quest anyway). Chevalier Gloves (Kurt) — purchase from Riviera Court. You can only do this now if you complete the Riviera Runaraound hidden quest, which you can trigger by entering the shop in the business district. After that, the store moves to the harbor district.
Act 2 Bonding Events — Part 2
8/22: Aboard the Merkabah
Available Bonding Events (3 Bond Points to spend)
Alisa (character note, special memory scene) Juna Sara (special memory scene) Celine (new costume item) Ash
Complete the West Lamare Highway extermination request to earn an extra Bond Point. This one steals HP and inflicts status effects, plus it’s got a ton of HP on its own. Bring strong characters, use Ash’s Order or Rean’s Gold Dragon Order, and use Recuria Balms as necessary.
8/22 Gift Items: Raquel and Lamare
Violet Musk (Spoiler) — exchange 300 tokens at the Alisha Casino in Raquel. Fuga Braid (Gaius) — exchange at McEnroe’s Pawn Shop. Requires one food item from Decken Pub and one from the Hermit Bar and Inn. Indigo Ribbon Barrette (Duvalie) — buy from the orbment counter at Gasco’s store in Alster.
8/23 Gift Items: Saint-Arkh
Crimson Belt (Ash) — purchase from Albion Garden in Saint-Arkh’s Cathedral Square. Shining Violet Bracelet (Sara) — buy from Chamber’s Orbal Factory in the residential district. Silver Wolf Ring (Crow) — exchange at Demeter’s in the residential district. Must have one Petit White Croquette (from Parm) and one White Smoothie (from the stand in Cathedral Square). If you didn’t grab the Croquette before, you’ll get a chance later in the act.
Act 2 Bonding Events and Gifts — Part 3
8/24: Aboard the Merkabah
Available Bonding Events (4 Bond Points to spend)
Altina (special memory scene) Towa (special memory scene) Laura (character note and special memory scene) Alfin (character note and special memory scene) Machias (character note)
As with the other two days’ events, completing the Old Lamare Monster request earns you an extra Bond Point to spend. This one possesses a party member at random and won’t release them until they’re K.O.’ed. The Divine Song Order and some heavy-hitting Arts users would be best for this one.
8/25 Levees Gift Items: Leeves
Bunny Choker (Altina) — purchase from Lapin Boutique Pocketwatch (Patrick) — buy from Nyo-Sui-An Imports
Act 2 Bonding Events and Gifts — Part 4
8/26: Aboard the Merkabah
Available Bonding Events (4 Bond Points to spend)
Elise (character note and special memory scene) Juna (special memory scene) Jusis (character note) Musse (character note, kimono costume) Emma (special memory scene) Elliot (character note)
Complete the Avon Hills Monster extermination request to earn another Bond Point. This one spams Seal and Mute status effects, so equip the appropriate accessories to handle that. Otherwise, it’s nothing special.
8/26 Gift Items: Eryn, The Witches Village
Sapphirl Necklace (Laura) — purchase from Lemuric (the general goods store). Hunting Cap (Jusis) — purchase from Lemuric (the general goods store).
Act 3 Bonding Events and Gifts — Part 1
8/27: In the sky
Act 3 starts a bit differently, with gift items available before the bond events start.
Fluffy Cushion (Roselia) — purchase from the ship’s store. Dogtag (Randy) — exchange at Neinvalli, using items bought from Recette in Leeves and the general goods counter at Gasco’s in Alster.
Bonding Events open the following events at the Moon Shrine.
8/27 Bonding Events (5 Bond Points to spend)
Laura (special memory scene) Musse (character note, special memory scene) Towa (character note, special memory scene) Gaius (character note) Sara (character note, special memory scene) Alfin (special memory scene) Celine Kurt (character note)
Complete the Gala Lake monster extermination request to earn an additional Bond Point. Go in with poison protection for this one.
8/27 Gift Items: Various Sites in Western Erebonia
Ordis
Goggles (Tita) — purchase from Kleist Mall. Aries Locket (Juna) — buy from Strauss in North Street. Lacrima Earrings (Emma) — buy from Riviera Court in the harbor district.
Raquel
Charm (Alfin) — exchange 400 medals at the Alisha Casino.
Act 3 Bonding Events and Gifts — Part 2
Part two of Act 3 is structured similarly to Act 2, with an extra bout of gift buying after major events midway through.
8/29: In the sky
Available Bonding Events (5 Bond Points to spend)
Crow (character note) Fie (special memory scene) Alisa (special memory scene) Ash (character note) Altina (special memory scene) Juna (special memory scene, obtain tennis outfit) Emma (special memory scene) Duvalie Elise (special memory scene. Only available after completing a specific story quest)
Complete the North Languedoc Canyon extermination request to obtain an additional Bond Point. It also opens after the quest mentioned above.
8/29 Gift Items: In the sky
Star Bell (Celine) — purchase from the ship’s store. Bangle (Musse) — exchange at Neinvalli’s using menu items from Alster’s Sunny Spot Inn and Ordis’ Miranda Tavern.
8/29 Gift Items: Crossbell City
You end up back in Crossbell City as the plot progresses, and there are a few more gift items you can buy on 8/29.
Lovely Brooch (Spoiler) — exchange 500 medals at the Barca Casino in the Entertainment District. Silver Harmonica (Spoiler) — purchase from Imelda’s antique store in the Entertainment District’s back alley. Required for the spoiler character’s character note.
Cold Steel 4 Final Bonding Events: Mishelam Wonderland Bonding Events
Cold Steel 4’s final Bonding Events take place at Mishelam Wonderland during the last interlude. You can also buy the Gold Cameo for Aurelia from the jewelry shop Cendrillon in the MWL welcome center. You don’t get any other scenes with her, though.
Like Cold Steel 3’s final events, you’re limited to how many people you can spend time with, and there’s a specific set of requirements to get a final scene with one of Rean’s lady compatriots.
To start, you get five Mishelam Wonderland tickets to spend on events with, obviously, five people. However, you can get four additional MWL tickets by:
Defeating Spoiler at Vantage Masters (you’ll know who it is when you get there). Give a rainbow trout to the cat at the pier. Finish the Drinking Contest side quest. Talk to Anton after witnessing his sub-event. This opens up after a plot event that itself becomes available after you use three tickets.
If you want to see a specific final bonding event scene, you’ll need to:
see all that character’s special memory scenes. have their bond level at 5. spend time with them using one Mishelam Wonderland ticket.
Some ask you to promise to meet up with them. Regardless of how many promises you make, you don’t make the final choice until later. If you’re aiming for the trophy, go ahead and commit to everyone, then save before making that last choice.
These are all the Mishelam activities and who can participate in them.
Cocktails on the Beach
Towa Emma Laura Gaius Machias Musse Kurt
Sparklers on the Beach
Juna Altina Fie Duvalie Ash Alfin Jusis
Ferris Wheel
Everyone
Mirror Castle Fortune Teller
Alisa Sara Elise Celine Crow Elliot
Horror Coaster
Everyone
After you’ve used your fifth ticket and gone through the sequence with Rean and a certain Liberian general, you can choose to end the night.
Save before you choose to end the night since that’s when the final bonding event with your chosen partner starts — with one exception.
If you purchased the Harmonica from Imelda back in Crossbell, that character invites you out to the Elm Wetlands. The scene is optional, though it’s required for said character’s last note.
Choose to end the night again after that event, and then after another scene, pick who you want to visit. Re-load to see however many scenes you can and to try and obtain the trophy if desired.
That’s everything you need to know about Trails of Cold Steel 4’s bonding, romance, and gifts. Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more Trails of Cold Steel 4 guides in the coming days.
