Infinite Dendrogram

In 2043, Infinite Dendrogram, a VRMMO, can simulate all five senses and other features that offer players endless possibilities. Two years after its premiere, a soon-to-be college student, Reiji Mukudori, has acquired his own copy. First, he makes a character named 'Ray Starling,' where his more experienced brother Shu gives him a tutorial. Then, after saving a girl from a Demi-Dragon boss monster, his Embryo, Nemesis, awakens and destroys the beast.

Infinite Dendrogram first started as a web novel published by Sakon Kaidō on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website. The light novels were published by Hobby Japan on November 1st, 2016, and being illustrated by Taiki. The same company issued the manga, which started on December 22nd, 2016, and was illustrated by Kami Imai, the mangaka known for NEEDLESS. A spinoff called Crow Record: Infinite Dendrogram Another was published by Media Factory and drawn by La-na; that started on May 27th, 2019, and ended on February 26th, 2021. An anime produced by NAZ and directed by Tomoki Kobayashi aired on January 9th, 2020, and ended on April 16th, 2020.

Tropes used in Infinite Dendrogram include:

Artificial Intelligence: The 13 Control A.I.s administrate the world of Infinite Dendrogram and have specified tasks to maintain order in the game.
Background Magic Field: Resource is an energy that flows throughout the world and is the basis of life there. When a being is killed by another, their Resource is absorbed by the killer.
Bag of Holding: Inventories or Item Boxes are a standard device in the VRMMO. They can hold the user's item inside another dimension larger than its size. Inventories can also be modified to resist thief skills and preserve the state of items stored in them.
Character Class System: The job system that can be accessed by Masters and Tians with their conditions to be unlocked for use. There are more than 10,000 jobs available in varieties of battle, production, magic, etc.
Combo-Platter Powers: Tians, Monsters, and Masters can all gain various Skills and Magic. Unlike the other two, monsters can gain SKills and Magic naturally as they level up. Masters and Tians gain them by leveling up from their current equipment and Jobs in the game. Masters can go further due to the Skills given by their Embryos and the higher level Jobs.
Deep-Immersion Gaming: The titular VRMMO can give players the five senses and realistic physics, where techniques like martial arts can be translated for more damage.
Functional Magic: Magic is a technique for people with magic-oriented jobs or certain monsters. They need MP and are embedded in Jobs by the system. The power and effect of spells are determined by the user's maximum MP, the amount of MP they use for the spell, and their skill level with the spell. This can be taken further with other skills related to augmenting magic. The types of magic are grouped into Attributes. There are three Great Attributes based on manipulating physical energy. Other Attributes for spells fall outside the Great Attributes. The Attributes are:
- The Sky Attribute generates energy like sound, heat, light, etc. It also consists in manipulating gases. The Sky Attribute excels in offense spells. The Attributes under Sky are:
  - Flame Attribute have spells that control thermal energy along with sound and light. This Attribute is known for having the highest attack power compared to the others.
  - Light Attribute involves spells creating light. It is second in power compared to Flame but is first in speed while being effective against the undead. The drawback comes from the high cost of HP, the time to cast the spell, and the predictable trajectory.
  - Lightning Attribute has spells manipulating electricity. It is known for ignoring defenses and is more versatile than the Dark Attribute due to its similar trait, but it can't damage non-living targets.
  - Wind Attribute is magic that controls the air. Spells are invisible but move slowly, but they have a broad range.
- Earth Attribute governs the manipulation of minerals and solids. Spells with this Attribute have a combination of offense and defense. However, they are limited due to the use of solid matter while only able to deal physical damage.
- Sea Attribute is magic known for controlling liquids and energy absorption or decay. It also has other Attributes like Sky:
  - Water Attribute has spells for manipulating water.
  - Ice Attribute is magic that absorbs heat energy and freezes targets.
- Dark Attribute is known for having anti-life properties and spells that don't carry actual mass. It can ignore the physical defenses of living organisms but doesn't do that much damage. It can also be defended against by Light Attribute spells or magical barriers.
Living Weapon: If a Master gets a Maiden or Apostle types with Arms attributes, they can act as a living weapon with control of their skills to help their masters. There are even some weapons that are alive due to being magic.
Mon Machine: Jewels are inventories used for creatures such as tamed monsters. When returned to the device, they are fully restored. When Masters do not log in for 6 months, any creature stored will be automatically released.
New Powers as the Plot Demands: Tians and Masters can gain Skills by leveling up or from equipment. Masters can gain more due to their higher level limit and additional skills from their Embryos.
Non-Player Character: Tians are the native inhabitants that Masters see as NPCs with intelligence and emotions like humans. They are limited in jobs and levels, unlike Masters. They also leave a corpse after death and can't be revived or respawned.
Power Systems: Embryos are the cornerstone for Masters within the game based on their personality and experience. All Embryos have a common attribute called Status Correction, which increases or decreases their Masters' stats based on the strength of the Embryo's unique ability.Based on how simple or complex Embryo's skills are, their Master's stats change. There are many variances, but there are 5 basic types that players usually start with:
- Type: Arms manifest as armaments or even body parts and organs. Masters with these types have bold yet hot-blooded and reckless personalities. It is the most common type of Embryo in Infinite Dendrogram.
- Guardner types are monsters that protect their Masters. Players' personality with this type are cowardly and desires someone to defend them.
- Chariots Embryos are vehicles that even include mecha. A Master's personality is indecisive, following others, and compulsively lying.
- Type: Castles are buildings known for their defensive capabilities but can't move. Masters with this type have an introverted, gentle, yet cooperative personality.
- Territory types are unique abilities within a specific area with no physical form. Type: Territory masters have a control freak attitude that holds onto stress while acting like lone wolves.
There are also Rare Types where Masters would have an unusual mindset.
- Type: Maidens are Emrbyo that look like human females and start as a hybrid of one of the five basic types. They emerge due to a sense of crisis along with Master, who believes that Infinite Dendrogram isn't a game where the lives of Tians weigh as much as people in the real world. Their abilities focus on boss killing by concentrating their strength under restrictions.
- Type: Apostles take on a human male form and start as a hybrid with one of the five basic types, much like Maidens. They manifest from a sense of duty and the Master's hatred of Infinite Dendrogram. They have an ability known as Dominator, which takes control of a part of the world and transforms it towards their benefit.
- Type: Body has the Embryo replace the Master's body. Due to the rarity, Masters are believed to carry the concept of imagining themselves being replaced by something else.
Skills are the abilities that individuals in Infinite Dendrogram can gain. Humans can acquire Skills from Jobs and equipment. Masters are unique due to the Skills gained from their Embryos. Each Skill has levels that affect its power. Low-Rank jobs have Skill Levels that cap at 5, and High-Rank Jobs cap at 10. 10 is the limit that can't change no matter what equipment that would raise the level. However, Superior Jobs can have Skills that go to the EX level. There are different types of Skills:
- Passive Skills are the type activated continuously or triggered automatically when by conditions.
- Active Skills need to be activated based on the user's will.
- Equipment Skills come from equipment. They can be made from production-type Job Skills. The more Skills or the more powerful effect they may have, the greater the chance of failure when embedding them into equipment.
- Job Skills are those that can be gained from Jobs. These Skills will be reset when a character's Job changes. They are divided into their own subcategories:
  - General Skills can be used regardless of the main Job a character has set.
  - Characteristic Skills can be used based on the main Job that's part of the same Grouping.
  - Ultimate Skills are the strongest Skills available to a job and are exclusive to the Job when set.
- Sense Skills are gained from specific Jobs, which can affect their aptitudes and physical abilities. These Skills can turn an amateur into an expert. However, they depend on the user's affinity, or the effect may weaken.
RPG Mechanics Verse: The various Masters, Tians, and Monsters can gain Skills and Magic and get stronger by leveling up. Tians and Masters can acquire Jobs if the conditions are met. Masters can gain quests by random chance or from guilds or organizations. There are also events where players can participate for prizes.
Vancian Magic: Gems are one-use items that store spells for future use. They are available in markets, and the prices are based on the magic stored.
Year Inside, Hour Outside: One hour in the real world is 3 within Infinite Dendrogram.