Upgrade Sectorb

Upgrade Sectorb is an orb that applies an Upgrade effect to a peg when the orb activates on contact. It increases the peg's Upgrade total, enabling upgraded pegs to enhance orbs and slime mechanics elsewhere in the board. Upgrade Sectorb appears in the same orb pool as other upgrade and utility orbs and is conceptually paired opposite Omegorb (which applies Downgrade).

Upgrades are tracked in a separate pool from Downgrades; an Upgrade on a peg contributes to Upgrade-based effects independently of any Downgrade values that peg might also have. Upgraded pegs alter several game systems: they increase damage and secondary effects of orbs that interact with pegs and they can power up slimes and shield pegs according to the game's slime-power rules. Some specific interactions follow discrete thresholds rather than linear scaling, so identical numeric totals of Upgrade and Downgrade do not cancel each other out.

Practical notes on using Upgrade Sectorb:

• Use Upgrade Sectorb to prioritize creating upgraded pegs in lanes where you want stronger orb interactions or to power beneficial slimes. Upgraded pegs are visually distinct and produce stronger results when orb abilities check Upgrade totals.
• Upgrades power up positive slimes and certain shield effects. For example, many slime types gain discrete bonuses at listed Upgrade thresholds (Rubber, Lightning, Heal, Damage Reduction, Shield types, Double Damage, Poison). These bonuses are applied according to the Upgrade pool and are not offset by separate Downgrade pools.
• Downgrades (from orbs such as Omegorb) reduce orb damage when they activate but are handled as a separate mechanic; a peg can hold both Upgrade and Downgrade values that contribute to different effects rather than netting to zero.
• Some slime effects and shield interactions use small integer thresholds (e.g., +10/-3, +1/-0.5) to determine additive bonuses like extra bounces, additional zaps, extra heals, or added damage. Upgrading pegs with Upgrade Sectorb helps reach those thresholds more reliably.
• Combine Upgrade Sectorb with relics and other orbs that increase Upgrade application to maximize slime and shield synergies. Avoid situations where Omegorb or other Downgrade sources are concentrated on the same pegs you intend to upgrade, since Downgrade values will still produce separate (often negative) gameplay effects even if Upgrades are present.