Campaign fights
The main run advances through two acts, normal encounters, event fights, challenges, bosses, and Auction House stops. Normal wins award Shards and open the regular shop; boss wins create a larger purchase window.
While available, it gathers 5 Shards after each combat victory. The first combat defeat activates Rewind, releases every stored Shard, and lets the run continue. A later defeat while Rewind is unavailable ends the run. Rewind is automatically deactivated at the final boss and releases its stored Shards there.
Damage, survival, and duel challenges
Challenge encounters grade a specialized objective rather than only a normal formation clear. Each band is one threshold set; cards keep the exact tier ladders and Gold values.
3 challenge cards
First recorded damage, survival, and duel reward group
Damage Challenge
vs CrabSurvival Challenge
vs SwampGiant1v1 Duel
vs Mimic3 challenge cards
Second recorded damage, survival, and duel reward group
Damage Challenge
vs CrabSurvival Challenge
vs SwampGiant1v1 Duel
vs Mimic3 challenge cards
Third recorded damage, survival, and duel reward group
Damage Challenge
vs CrabSurvival Challenge
vs SwampGiant1v1 Duel
vs MimicDamage challenges reward early output and uptime. Survival challenges reward mitigation, shields, healing, control, and correct first targeting. A 1v1 duel asks which single hero can function without the formation's usual support.
Difficulty progression
Each contract adds one explicit source of pressure. Beat the previous difficulty to unlock the next, and compare stage records at the same difficulty index before judging a formation or build.
Open contract
Play without difficulty modifiers.
Opening wounds
Heroes take 10% Max HP damage at the start of each combat.
Durable enemies
Enemies are more durable.
Reduced income
Earn 1 fewer Shard per surviving Hero at the end of each combat.
Restricted equipment
Heroes can only equip 1 item per rank.
Deadlier enemies
Enemies are deadlier.
Boss influence
Act Bosses influence combats in their act, making them more difficult.
Six-challenge contract
Complete all 6 challenges and defeat the final boss. A failed challenge ends the run and resets the win streak; enemies have increased stats and the run cannot continue into Endless Mode.
Red Rift ends at the final boss
- Complete every challenge and defeat the final boss to seal the Red Rift.
- Failing a challenge ends the run and resets the current win streak.
- Enemies receive increased stats throughout the contract.
- A Red Rift victory does not continue into Endless Mode.
A delayed engine that eventually scales can still lose the contract at one failed challenge. Favor protection, target access, and repeatable damage that already function at the next checkpoint.
Endless mode
After the final campaign boss, Endless rotates through Mushroom, Snake, and Slime maps. Enemy stat multipliers make permanent growth, true damage, target access, and repeatable engines more important than a one-time power spike.
Storm begins at 50 seconds and becomes more punishing as combat continues; Riftbreaker appears at 90 seconds. A defensive engine therefore needs a conversion into damage or permanent growth rather than indefinite survival alone.