Crystals in PRAGMATA come in two colors, blue and red. Both will stop you in your tracks long before you have the means to clear them. Filament Masses block doorways and side paths as early as the first sector. Dead Filament shows up later, just as stubborn. The good news is that both types are completely destructible once you reach the right point in the story.
This guide covers exactly when and where to pick up each crystal-breaking ability, how to use them, and which locations are worth backtracking to once you have them unlocked.
1. How to Break Blue Crystals in PRAGMATA
Blue crystals, officially called Filament Masses, are failed printer output from the Cradle’s systems. You will spot them constantly throughout the first sector. They block doorways, side rooms, and stashes of loot that seem tantalizingly close.
No weapon Hugh carries will scratch them, so do not waste your time trying until you have the right tool in hand.
How to Get the Lim Eraser
Lim Eraser
The ability you need is called the Lim Eraser, and it is unlocked naturally during your progression through Sector 2: Mass Production Array. You do not need to hunt for it. You also do not need to complete any optional objectives.
Your main objective in this sector is to reach the Comms Tower. This requires you to deactivate a series of beacons spread across the city map. Work through the beacons in sequence. Continue until you reach the fourth one, located on a rooftop in the Business District.
- From the Office Spaces checkpoint, ascend the two ziplines around the right corner and proceed down the hall to the roof.
- Defeat the enemies around the beacon and deactivate it. A pair of bridges will print into place across the two buildings.
- Take the lower bridge down into the Lim Recycling Facility.
- Work through the facility, using nearby terminals to trigger traps against enemies. Collect the Decoy Launcher along the way.
- Descend to the lower levels and enter the lab at the end of the ramp. Interact with the terminal inside.
At that terminal, Diana absorbs the data chip containing the Lim Eraser. From this point on, she can break any blue Filament Mass in the game.
How to Use the Lim Eraser
Using the Lim Eraser costs nothing and has no cooldown. Therefore, you can clear as many blue crystal walls as you like without managing any resources.
Stand directly in front of the blue crystal cluster and hold LB on the Xbox controller, L1 on the PlayStation, or the E key on PC. Diana will completely dissolve the mass, clearing the path behind it.
All Backtracking Blue Crystal Locations
Generator Entrance’s Blue Crystal
Once you have the Lim Eraser, the most efficient move is to immediately backtrack through Sector 1: Solar Power Plants before continuing the story. Most of the early crystals hide useful upgrade materials.
- Generator Entrance Corridor (Solar Power Plants): Down the right-hand corridor from where you first enter the zone. Breaking this wall rewards a Storage Expander, which increases Diana’s hacking gauge.
- Power Distribution Center (Solar Power Plants): Head through the laser corridor, take the lift on your left, and jump over the left-side balcony to a lower platform. The Filament Mass here hides a combat arena with two chests containing Pure Lunum and Lunafilament.
- Mass Production Array streets: The main city area has numerous blue walls blocking shops, shortcuts, and item stashes throughout the Business District.
2. How to Break Red Crystals in PRAGMATA
Red crystals, known as Dead Filament, are a different obstacle entirely. They appear starting in Sector 3: Terra Dome. They also become far more common in Sector 4.
The Lim Eraser has no effect on them at all. Because of this, you will need to wait for a separate ability before clearing these walls.
How to Get the Cleanse Ability
Cleanse
The ability that destroys Dead Filament is called Cleanse, and it is locked behind late-game progression. You will not have access to it until after completing Sector 4: Lunum Mines.
- Complete Sector 4: Lunum Mines and defeat the boss at the end.
- The story will push you directly into Sector 5: Experimental Pragmatics.
- Complete this short chapter to unlock the Cleanse ability for Diana automatically.
How to Use Cleanse
Cleanse works differently from the Lim Eraser. Rather than a targeted interaction, it fires a charged area-of-effect pulse that detonates around Hugh.
- Hold LB / L1 / E to begin charging the blast.
- A visual ring will expand on the ground in front of Hugh.
- Once the ring covers the red crystal cluster, release the button to trigger the detonation.
Like the Lim Eraser, Cleanse costs no resources and can be used repeatedly. In addition, it carries a secondary use in combat: it can cleanse corrupted enemies, making it a situationally useful tool beyond clearing Dead Filament walls.
All Backtracking Red Crystal Locations
Mass Production Array’s Red Crystal Location
Multiple Dead Filament walls can be encountered long before obtaining the Cleanse ability, making backtracking essential to collect all items. Prioritize revisiting these areas once the ability is unlocked:
- Mass Production Array (lower area): Two Safe Boxes near the Red Zone, just to the right after opening the Escape Hatch leading from the Side Alley to the Business District.
- Terra Dome (Eco Modeling Lab): Right off the ledge to your left after grabbing the second Gen Chip in the main atrium.
- Lunum Mines (Main Excavation Site): Beneath the Logistics Management Escape Hatch.
