Affinity in Grim Trials is raised by progressing Academy character side quests. The released achievement lists confirm six maximum-Affinity goals: Pytra, Milyun, Ivanya, Iskra, Kai, and the shared Breone & Nameles relationship. Official game material confirms that Academy quests are designed to build relationships and unlock knowledge and support; a current post-launch trophy route further reports that completing a character's side quests fills that character's Affinity heart in the Knowledge > Characters menu.
What is Affinity in Grim Trials?
Affinity is the relationship progression tied to people Avelin meets in the Academy. The current Steam description says that players can explore the Academy, seek enlightenment from mentors, take on quests to build relationships, and unlock advice, knowledge and powerful support from their peers. An earlier official developer log explains the narrative side of the same system: mentors have their own histories and philosophies, and those stories are revealed through repeated interactions such as side quests.
That makes Affinity more than a decorative friendship meter. It sits at the intersection of story, side quests and long-term completion. A post-launch trophy guide reports that finishing side quests increases the relevant character's Affinity and displays a progress message, while the Knowledge > Characters menu shows a heart above the character portrait filling over time. Treat that interface detail as current player-tested evidence rather than a formal developer manual, but it provides a useful practical way to check who still needs attention.
All six maximum-Affinity achievements
The released Steam, Xbox and PlayStation achievement/trophy lists agree on the six relationship milestones below. These descriptions are stronger evidence than launch-week guide speculation because they come directly from the platform achievement data.
| Character | Achievement | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Pytra | Friendly Fire | Reach maximum Affinity Points with Pytra |
| Milyun | Tailored Teaching | Reach maximum Affinity Points with Milyun |
| Ivanya | The Witch's Apprentice | Reach maximum Affinity Points with Ivanya |
| Iskra | Research Assistant | Reach maximum Affinity Points with Iskra |
| Kai | From Foe To Fellow | Reach maximum Affinity Points with Kai |
| Breone & Nameles | Furry Friends | Reach maximum Affinity Points with Breone and Nameles |
Do not assume John has a hidden equivalent achievement simply because he is a major mentor. The released lists name these six Affinity objectives specifically. John still matters for story and quest progression, but there is no separate maximum-Affinity achievement for him in the 29-achievement set.
How to raise Affinity efficiently
The safest current approach is simple: after every major story milestone or boss victory, return to the Academy and check John plus the other residents for new side quests. The current player-tested trophy route reports that many side-quest batches open after a main boss, often with John first directing Avelin to another Academy character. Some later quests also depend on earlier character quests, so treating the Academy as a checklist after each major Trial is more reliable than saving every conversation for the end of the game.
The same guide reports that Affinity itself rises by completing those character side quests. Common objectives include talking to another resident, crafting an item, delivering materials, or defeating enemies while meeting an equipment condition. Because the in-game quest menu can track these objectives, there is little reason to memorize every requirement before accepting them. Instead, focus on keeping quest chains moving and avoid leaving an entire character's chain untouched for several story chapters.
Character-by-character planning
Pytra — Friendly Fire
Pytra is the Academy blacksmith and is part of the original mentor group highlighted by the developers. Her maximum-Affinity achievement is Friendly Fire. Because side content also feeds crafting and recipe completion, Pytra's chain should not be treated as isolated relationship flavor. If you are also chasing Crafting Recipes or Weapon Connoisseur, keeping her quests current reduces cleanup later.
Milyun — Tailored Teaching
Milyun is the Spinner and another of the early Academy mentors. Tailored Teaching unlocks at maximum Milyun Affinity. Current released-game completion routing ties Academy side quests to recipe acquisition, which means Milyun progression overlaps naturally with gear crafting and Fashionista planning. The separate Mentor Makeover achievement also explicitly connects Milyun to crafting a new gear set for John.
Ivanya — The Witch's Apprentice
Ivanya is the Witch and potion specialist. Her relationship achievement is The Witch's Apprentice. Ivanya's quest chain overlaps with Iskra in at least one released achievement route: Courier Girl requires completing The Special Delivery, and the current trophy walkthrough describes a sequence passing a package between Ivanya and Iskra and completing a specimen-related task. Exact quest names can differ by localization, so use the objective text shown in your game rather than relying on translated names from another language guide.
Iskra — Research Assistant
Iskra's maximum-Affinity achievement is Research Assistant. Her side content matters beyond the heart meter because the strongest current Secret Chamber route places the Camouflage Cloak recipe behind an Iskra exploration quest. That makes Iskra a priority for players working on Tomb Raider and Buried Knowledge as well as the Affinity achievement itself.
Kai — From Foe To Fellow
Kai is introduced after story progress as another Cocoon and fellow Reaper trainee. The achievement From Foe To Fellow requires maximum Affinity with him. Kai also has a separate gameplay role around practice and rivalry, so his content is easy to postpone while focusing on mentors. Do not. If 100% completion is the goal, treat his quest prompts with the same priority as the mentor chains. See the dedicated Kai guide for his broader character and Training Ground context.
Breone & Nameles — Furry Friends
Breone the cat and Nameles the dog share Furry Friends. Their side content has an unusually important connection to secrets. The current released-game route for the first Grim Reaper Chest requires progressing both characters far enough to obtain two keys after gaining access to the Secret Chamber. This means a player chasing Furry Friends, Buried Knowledge and the wider side-quest completion route can make progress on all three goals together.
Does Affinity matter for the True Ending?
The achievement data itself only says that End of All Cycle requires reaching the True Ending; it does not publish a hidden Affinity formula. However, the best current released-game trophy route recommends completing all Academy character side quests before defeating Superbia. That same route says those side quests are the work needed for the six maximum-Affinity achievements and reports an extra post-credits scene after the final boss when the side content has been completed.
Because this trigger has not been documented in an official developer checklist, the safest wording is: maximum-Affinity progress is strongly aligned with the current player-tested True Ending route, but the platform achievement descriptions do not independently prove that each individual heart must be at maximum. If you want to minimize the chance of repeating the final fight, finish the six Affinity chains and other available Academy side quests before Superbia. The dedicated True Ending Guide keeps the official facts and community-tested trigger conditions separate.
Why Affinity saves time on 100% completion
Affinity quests overlap with several other achievement categories. Current player-tested data says many side quests award recipes needed for Fashionista and Weapon Connoisseur. Iskra progression connects to the Camouflage Cloak and Secret Chamber. Breone and Nameles progression connects to the first Grim Reaper Chest. Ivanya and Iskra have a delivery chain associated with Courier Girl. Kai has a sparring-related achievement elsewhere in the list. Finishing relationship content as it appears therefore reduces the amount of backtracking required after the story.
This is also why a pure “rush all seven bosses first” route is less efficient for completionists. Boss progression unlocks new Academy content, but Academy content in turn unlocks recipes, secrets, relationship milestones and potentially the tested True Ending route. Alternating between Trials and Academy cleanup gives you more value from each return to the hub.
Common Affinity mistakes
- Assuming normal dialogue alone is enough. Current player testing points to side-quest completion as the practical Affinity driver.
- Ignoring Academy checks after bosses. New quest batches can open after major progression milestones.
- Leaving Iskra or Breone/Nameles until the end. Their chains intersect with Secret Chamber and Grim Reaper Chest completion.
- Equating one Affinity trophy with all relationships. Each of the six achievements tracks a specific character or pair.
- Claiming every heart is officially required for the True Ending. That exact requirement is player-tested, not stated in the achievement text.
YouTube guide status
A search on September 6, 2026 did not surface a focused current-version video that clearly documents all six Affinity chains from start to maximum while showing the post-launch quest states. Rather than embed a generic trailer or an incomplete character clip, this page stays text-first until a focused walkthrough can be verified.
FAQ
How many maximum-Affinity achievements are in Grim Trials?
Six: Friendly Fire, Tailored Teaching, The Witch's Apprentice, Research Assistant, From Foe To Fellow, and Furry Friends.
Who do I need maximum Affinity with?
Pytra, Milyun, Ivanya, Iskra, Kai, and the Breone & Nameles pair.
How do I increase Affinity?
Official sources confirm that Academy quests build relationships. A current released-game trophy walkthrough further reports that completing a character's side quests raises that character's Affinity and fills the heart shown in Knowledge > Characters.
Are the Affinity quests missable?
A current third-party trophy route reports that the side quests are not missable and can be completed before the final boss. That is useful player-tested information, but it is not an official developer guarantee.
Should I max Affinity before Superbia?
If you want the safest current True Ending route, yes. The strongest current completion walkthrough recommends finishing all character side quests before Superbia so you do not need to repeat the final fight.
Related guides
Sources & verification
- Grim Trials on Steam — official Academy, mentors, quests, relationships and support framework
- Official Academy Denizens developer log — mentor identities, Kai introduction and side-quest-driven character stories
- Steam global achievements — six maximum-Affinity achievement names and requirements
- XboxAchievements list — cross-platform confirmation of the six Affinity descriptions
- TrueTrophies — PlayStation cross-check
- Gamerbase released-game trophy guide — third-party side-quest/Affinity tracking, quest sequencing and True Ending routing