Qi Gem

Qi Gems are a special currency tied to Mr. Qi’s challenges and the late-game economy. They are earned as drops from dangerous enemies and can be spent on Qi-related rewards, including items such as Hoppers and Qi Seasoning. They also have a hard cap of 999 visible on the on-screen gem counter; once a player has 1,000 or more, the display shows only the last three digits.

Qi Gems can also be converted into gold indirectly by buying sellable items with them. Two common examples are:

• Buying Hoppers and deconstructing them into radioactive bars, then selling the bars. This is the more profitable method, though it takes more time and requires a Deconstructor.
• Buying Qi Seasoning and selling it directly.

The gem drop behavior has an important exception: Shadow Snipers and Putrid Ghosts do not count as Dangerous Monsters and will not drop Qi Gems unless the Mines are at difficulty level 2, with both Danger in the Deep and Shrine of Challenge active.