The Three Realms
| Realm | Players | Role in the run | What changed in 1.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inferno | 33 | Entry realm: hordes, question marks, Chambers, the first boss (Lucifer) | New encounter density and Paragon sources |
| Purgatorio | ~11-22 | Mid-realm: duo boss (Adam & Eve), tougher Chambers, Dust economy peaks | Better mid-run upgrade pacing |
| Paradiso | 11 | Final realm: the Wrath of God, endgame loot, Scepter of Charity home | Added with 1.0 — new final boss and weapon |
Two Growth Layers
- Long-term power comes from Dark Woods — permanent account progression between runs.
- In-run power comes from Relics and the Dust earned in Torture Chambers.
- Weapon Mastery — every weapon permanently raises core attributes as you use it.
- Traits — upgrade to level 10; post-2025 updates lean into Co-op Power.
Feats & Ordeals
- Feats — unlock systems and milestones; e.g. Weapon Upgrades unlock at Feat 5.
- Ordeals — difficulty modifiers for endgame runs; stack up to 12 for the highest challenge.
What Carries Between Runs
Dust and Bones belong to the run economy. Paragons are a persistent currency, alongside Eternal Shards; they also carry through the optional Fate reset.
Co-op interplay: Co-op & Communication →
Endgame: the Fate System (Update 1.1)
Progression no longer stops at the credits. Update 1.1 (August 17, 2026) added the Fate System: once you have defeated Wrath of God with the Crown of Immortality equipped and watched the end cinematic, an Astrolabe appears in Dark Woods. Interacting with it lets you voluntarily reset your run-based progression - perks, perk slots, weapons and their upgrades, shrine upgrades, world keys, relics, feats and star cosmetics - while your earned cosmetics, compendium entries, archive, loadouts and all currencies carry over.
Each completed cycle raises your Fate Level by one, up to Fate Level 10, and every level adds a 10% bonus to the Eternal Shards you earn at the end of a run. Your current Fate Level shows next to your name in Dark Woods, on the world map and in end-of-run stats, which makes it the de facto veteran badge in public lobbies. Update 1.1 also refreshed the daily loop: new Call to Arms events (Lucido Hunt, Bone Harvest, Coordinated Strike) and daily quests for the Pride, Temperance, Gluttony and Charity weapons, so short sessions still advance long-term progression.
FAQ
What the Fate system changes
Update 1.1's Fate System (ten Fate Levels at the Astrolabe in Dark Woods) converts endgame surplus into permanent value: resetting perks, weapons, shrine upgrades and relics grants Fate Levels that boost end-of-run Eternal Shard rewards. It is a prestige loop by design — the guide's advice is to finish one full mastery project before the first reset, so the reset starts from a spine rather than from zero.
Feats and the directional grind
Feats are the meta layer's quest log: they reward the specific behaviors (weapon mastery, realm clears, co-op actions) that compound into late-run power. The efficient pattern is picking one feat line per session and letting the run serve it, rather than chasing every feat half-way — feats complete on cumulative behavior, and focus finishes them.
Two growth layers, one session
Dust and Bones belong to the run economy. Paragons are a persistent currency, alongside Eternal Shards; they also carry through the optional Fate reset.
Read the 1.1 changes alongside this guide
The developer’s 17 August update explains the targeted balance changes, weapon-Feat unlocks, dynamic difficulty and Fate-reset exceptions. Tier labels here are editorial suggestions, not official rankings. The developer can adjust some balance parameters without a client patch.