Hypertuned/Resonant

[Cenerae]

Is there any lore to support what each of these states does for the recipents? It's possible I overlooked something in the MSQ, but all I have are assumptions.

Obviously Resonance is a Garlean copy of the Echo, though there's precious little information on how they might have imparted that sort of ability to someone in the first place.

Hypertune I assume is what the failed experiments/people who weren't strong enough of will? But it's clearly intended to be an upgrade in combat ability just the same. I'd question how exactly, though. Grynewaht was already rediculously strong and reckless before his procedure, the only difference I could see was that he became mentally unhinged.

Can anyone shed some light or are there no real sources yet?

[KalinOrthos]

There's unfortunately precious little information about both, but I think one will end up being more important than the other. I think we can just boil down Hypertuned to augmented Garleans, either through high exposure to cerulean (the backbone to Garlean technology), like what we seem to see in Castrum Abania with the Hypertuned in the pods, or implants (what seems to be what happened with Grynewaht in Doma Castle). Pure conjecture at this point.

Resonance seems to be something altogether different from or perhaps an offshoot to the Echo. Echo gives us the ability to at least somewhat converse with Hydalaen as well as complete immunity to the brainwashing effects of other primals, alongside the ability to seem to attune to different job crystals. Resonance, however, seems to be exclusively combat focused, giving the wielder Sharingan-ish abilities of prediction, enhanced combat power, and, at least through Zenos, the ability to fuse to and dominate the will of a primal. Both Echo and Resonance seem to be based around aether though, which, honestly, seems like just a catch-all for a-wizard-did-it juice.

I think the process of Hypertuned is newer but still relatively safe. We see Grynewaht thrown to the experiment to become Hypertuned without a second thought on Yotsuyu's part, and we see far more Hypertuned than Resonant. The implications of the procedure to become a Resonant do seem to imply a much higher risk, as when discussing with Fordola about her failure and the option to reach new powers, the underlying implications seem to indicate a low success rate, moreso that they had never done the procedure on a Ala Mhigan.

[briarth0rn]

They're both new things introduced in Stormblood, so I don't think we have a lot to go off of just yet. I'll bet it'll be explored more in the next couple patches.

[Daralii]

Resonance seems to be something altogether different from or perhaps an offshoot to the Echo. Echo gives us the ability to at least somewhat converse with Hydalaen as well as complete immunity to the brainwashing effects of other primals, alongside the ability to seem to attune to different job crystals. Resonance, however, seems to be exclusively combat focused, giving the wielder Sharingan-ish abilities of prediction, enhanced combat power, and, at least through Zenos, the ability to fuse to and dominate the will of a primal. Both Echo and Resonance seem to be based around aether though, which, honestly, seems like just a catch-all for a-wizard-did-it juice.

We've never seen or heard of Krile or Arenvald talking with Hydaelyn, have we? I think that's a component of the Blessing of Hydaelyn, separate from the Echo.

As for the second point, Urianger explains it as letting Fordola preempt any attacks from any combat style, even ones she's never seen before. To me, that seems like a lore explanation for AoE markers more than anything. Zenos also suggests that we have the power to control primals like he can, asking if we're simply immune to tempering, or if we're immune because our influence is greater than theirs.

[Cilia]

There is precious little information on the subject beyond Resonance (or more specifically the Resonant Echo) being an artificial copy of the Echo. The only thing we have is an unclear memory of Krile's.

[Creating a Resonant] entails... the m-mechanical extraction and transfusion of some manner of... primordial essence.

The simplest solution I can come up with is that Hypertuned are those who failed to achieve Resonance. "Tuning" is a mechanical / musical term, as is "resonating." Hypertuned, then, would just be subjects who were given the same procedure as Resonant but failed to properly achieve the desired effect. There is still a marked increase in combat ability, but a lack of the combat prescience and ability to dominate the will of a primal / eikon. We also know that the process of creating a Resonant can fail, as Zenos tells Fordola trying to obtain it could cost her life.

The cybernetics... may or may not have been Grynewaht's idea. My current guesses are that they're a part of Hypertuning (though the Hypertuned we see in Castrum Abania do not have such augmentations, theirs may be more... discreet, for want of a better term), they were forced on him for his repeated failures, or he willingly got those augs in addition to being Hypertuned. He was dangerously obsessed with defeating us, so that he would go to such lengths wouldn't surprise me.

I asked about it in the PAX West question thread. Hopefully that, and the query on Inferno, are answered.

[Belhi]

Honestly I think its unclear. Resonant seems to mean artificial Echo but Hypertuned could just mean supersoldier. Most Hypertuned enemies we face are augmented physically rather than Aesthetically from what we can see. I would not be surprised to see a Doma castle HM with us heading down into the labs under the castle after the waters recede during the patches.

I heard it pointed out in a live letter and had a look in game to conferm: Inferno seems to have the third Garlean eye.....

[Cilia]

It is, admittedly, very uncertain. There is no buildup or explanation for Hyptertuned enemies beyond an Imperial soldier telling Yotsuyu they had performed a "procedure" on Grynewaht "as Lord Aulus instructed." Other than that and the Journal and Mock-up Grynewaht minion making it clear he has extensive cybernetic augmentations, absolutely nothing about Hypertuning is explained in-game.

I heard it pointed out in a live letter and had a look in game to conferm: Inferno seems to have the third Garlean eye.....

If it weren't for that third eye, Inferno could easily be written off as just some horrific, cybernetically enhanced genetic monstrosity made by Aulus or whatever. But that third eye raises a lot of questions...

[Belhi]

One of the NPCs prior to flooding the Palace comments that it might be for the best since there are rumors of terrible experiments being done in the lower parts of the Castle. I also get the feeling Grynewaht didn't get much say in his fate. He seemed pretty suicidal at the end and prior to that he had been an outright coward, running away at the first sign of loss. I actually felt sorry for him. He was a jerk but I didn't think he deserved that.

[Daralii]

One of the NPCs prior to flooding the Palace comments that it might be for the best since there are rumors of terrible experiments being done in the lower parts of the Castle. I also get the feeling Grynewaht didn't get much say in his fate. He seemed pretty suicidal at the end and prior to that he had been an outright coward, running away at the first sign of loss. I actually felt sorry for him. He was a jerk but I didn't think he deserved that.

He's apparently closer to braindead than suicidally angry in JP. I'll be mad if Yotsuyu gets a redemption arc just because of what happened to him under her watch.

[Cenerae]

So it's mostly as I thought, then. We can only speculate (though said speculation going on here intrigues me). I had missed that line from Krile though. I wonder what kind of 'primordial essence' was being used, since I assume it's not all thanks to them having gotten their paws on Shinryu. I assume as much since I can only assume Zenos was already possessed of Resonance when we first met him.