Escalation
One set of supplies. No gear changes. Five back-to-back Behemoth battles. In this increasingly intense challenge, your goal is to make it to the end of your run with a high enough Escalation Level to face the final boss. Legendary rewards await those who succeed — but this won't be an easy victory.
Prove Your Worth
In Escalation, encounters are as dangerous as they are unpredictable. Navigate shifting environmental hazards, elemental mutations, and dual Behemoth battles as you fight to raise your Escalation Level. Winning an encounter will grant you passage to the next one.
Choose your amps
Each time you win an Escalation encounter, you'll see charged aether gather in a nearby crystal. Collect it to power up your lantern and activate an Escalation amp — a special buff that will carry through your entire Escalation run. Amps range from common to epic and can be improved with talents.
Grow your talents
As you collect charged aether and power up your lantern, you'll begin to earn talent points. Spend them at the Lantern Attunement Device in Ramsgate to upgrade your amps and unlock rewards. Each Escalation (shock, blaze, etc.) offers 25 possible talent points — and each talent point you earn grants you a permanent +2 bonus to power and resilience when playing Escalation.
Face the Boss
If you want to fight an Escalation's boss, you'll need to prove that you're up to the challenge. That means reaching an Escalation Level of 40 or more during an Escalation 10-50 hunt and making it to the final encounter. Your Escalation Level is shown at the end of each round.
Danger meter
This number indicates how much danger you're in. Finishing an encounter with a low danger percentage will raise your Escalation Level faster.
Escalation level
This number indicates how well you're doing. Raise it to 40 or more to face an Escalation's boss. But be careful — raising your Escalation Level will also raise the difficulty of Escalation encounters.
Shock Boss: Malkarion
Slayers who prove their worth in Shock Escalation will earn the right to take on a Malkarion —a quick-striking, aerial menace with the power of lightning at its call. With the ability to hover just out of range, this sky serpent will have you reaching deep to overcome its shock assaults.
Legendary weapons
Facing a Malkarion in Shock Escalation will unlock schematics for all of its legendary weapons. These high-powered weapons aren't easy to craft, but the perks are worth the extra effort.
Prismatic Cell Slots
Each legendary weapon features two prismatic cell slots — universal slots capable of holding any cell you own. Leverage them to fine-tune your build and take on even tougher challenges.
Weapon Bond
Bond your Malkarion weapon to another shock weapon to gain its perk (e.g. +3 Aetheric Attunement) and unique effect (e.g. +30% damage to Behemoth heads). Weapons must be the same type and element to bond.
Legendary Ability
Activating the legendary ability on any Malkarion weapon will teleport you to a nearby Behemoth and deal massive shock damage.
Malkarion armour
The Malkarion armour set draws its thundering power from three built-in perks: Aetherhunter, Predator, and Grace — a perk that grants you bonus move and attack speed after sprinting.
Ready to turn up the voltage? Earn 25 talent points in Shock Escalation to unlock the Malkarion ultra armour — a cosmetic upgrade set with additional shock details.
Blaze Boss: Torgadoro
Have you ever fought a volcano, Slayer? Because taking on a Torgadoro isn't far off. Even if you make it through their thick rock armour, there's still the matter of the lava underneath. And watch out for those hands; Torgadoros have been known to get a bit … grabby.
Legendary weapons
Facing a Torgadoro in Blaze Escalation will unlock schematics for all of its legendary weapons. These high-powered weapons aren't easy to craft, but the perks are worth the extra effort.
Prismatic Cell Slots
Each legendary weapon features two prismatic cell slots — universal slots capable of holding any cell you own. Leverage them to fine-tune your build and take on even tougher challenges.
Weapon Bond
Bond your Torgadoro weapon to another blaze weapon to gain its perk (e.g. +3 Evasive Fury) and unique effect (e.g. The fourth hit in a row deals +150% stagger damage). Weapons must be the same type and element to bond.
Legendary Ability
Activating the legendary ability on any Torgadoro weapon will send you into a rage, turning your fists into searing weapons. While the rage lasts, you'll deal extra damage to targets below 50% health.
Torgadoro armour
The Torgadoro armour set draws its strength from three built-in perks: Knockout King, Overpower, and Zeal — a perk that increases the effect of lantern tap abilities. Schematics unlock when you face your first Torgadoro.
Not hot enough for you? Earn 25 talent points in Blaze Escalation to unlock the Torgadoro ultra armour — a cosmetic upgrade set with flowing lava details.
Umbral Boss: Thrax
How far do the Umbral Deeps go? It's hard to say. But if you ever find yourself at the edge of a dark and shimmering pool — be alert. This is where Thraxes are known to feed. These cunning Behemoths use portals to hunt, striking through rifts with razor-sharp forelimbs and emerging from void-space to dive onto prey. Luring one into the open may be your best bet, but even this plan demands caution. Untreated, a Thrax's corrupting influence can leave a Slayer so drained that they can barely lift a finger — much less a weapon.
Legendary weapons
Facing a Thrax in Umbral Escalation will unlock schematics for all of its legendary weapons. These high-powered weapons aren't easy to craft, but the perks are worth the extra effort.
Prismatic Cell Slots
Each legendary weapon features two prismatic cell slots — universal slots capable of holding any cell you own. Leverage them to fine-tune your build and take on even tougher challenges.
Weapon Bond
Bond your Thrax weapon to another umbral weapon to gain its perk (e.g. +3 Cunning) and unique effect (e.g. When under 20% health, deal +50% damage). Weapons must be the same type and element to bond.
Legendary Ability
Activating your Thrax weapon's legendary ability will deal umbral damage to surrounding enemies, then teleport you into the sky. Target a landing spot and slam back to earth to dish out even more umbral damage.
Thrax armour
The Thrax armour set draws its strength from three built-in perks: Nine Lives, Cunning, and Catalyst — a perk that increases the effect and duration of tonics. Schematics unlock when you face your first Thrax.
Want to show off your Escalation expertise? Earn 25 talent points in Umbral Escalation to unlock the Thrax ultra armour — a cosmetic upgrade set with glowing details.
Terra Boss: Agarus
Rot has pervaded the Arbourhome Blight, turning a once-verdant Farslayer refuge into a place of pestilence and poison. But there may yet be a way to cleanse it. Battle your way to the heart of the forest and root out the source of the infection: the fungal Behemoth boss, Agarus.
Legendary weapons
Facing a Agarus in Terra Escalation will unlock schematics for all of its legendary weapons. These high-powered weapons aren't easy to craft, but the perks are worth the extra effort.
Prismatic Cell Slots
Each legendary weapon features two prismatic cell slots — universal slots capable of holding any cell you own. Leverage them to fine-tune your build and take on even tougher challenges.
Weapon Bond
Bond your Agarus weapon to another terra weapon to gain its perk (e.g. +3 Sharpened) and unique effect (e.g. After not dealing damage for 4 seconds, your next 4 attacks deal +50% damage). Weapons must be the same type and element to bond.
Legendary Ability
Activating your Agarus weapon's legendary ability will revive all Slayers within a large radius, granting them healing over time and immunity to stagger. Bonus: You can use this ability while downed — even at 100% Danger.
Agarus armour
The Agarus armour set draws its strength from three built-in perks: Fortress, Sturdy, and Parasitic — a perk that delays a portion of damage taken and instead deals it over time. While you take delayed damage, you also gain lifesteal — giving you a chance to win back your health before it ticks away. Parasitic only applies to damage that takes 10% or more of your max health. Armour schematics unlock when you face your first Agarus.
Want to show off your Escalation expertise? Earn 25 talent points in Terra Escalation to unlock the Agarus ultra armour — a cosmetic upgrade set with expanded dye regions and an eerie glow.
Frost Boss: Urska
The permafrost has begun to melt, revealing fragments of an ancient past ... and awakening something deep in the ice. Battle through Skaldeskar's frostbitten lands with the aid of its warrior queen, Linnea Silver, and seek out the Adversary of Vylmark: the bloodthirsty Urska.
Legendary weapons
Facing a Urska in Frost Escalation will unlock schematics for all of its legendary weapons. These high-powered weapons aren't easy to craft, but the perks are worth the extra effort.
Prismatic Cell Slots
Each legendary weapon features two prismatic cell slots — universal slots capable of holding any cell you own. Leverage them to fine-tune your build and take on even tougher challenges.
Weapon Bond
Bond your Urska weapon to another frost weapon to gain its perk (e.g. +3 Nimble) and unique effect (e.g. After dodging, drop 3 ice mines around you on a 30 second cooldown that deal 300 damage). Weapons must be the same type and element to bond.
Legendary Ability
Activating your Urska weapon's legendary ability will create a frost shield that blocks hostile projectiles for a period of time. Enemies that touch the shield while it is active will take damage and become chilled. This ability can also interrupt.
Urska armour
The Urska armour set draws its strength from three built-in perks: Aetheric Frenzy, Guardian, and Cascade — a perk that generates up to four random collectible boosts when you use your lantern hold ability. Armour schematics unlock when you face your first Urska.
Want to show off your Escalation expertise? Earn 25 talent points in Frost Escalation to unlock the Urska ultra armour — a cosmetic upgrade set with additional fur and ice details.
Radiant Boss: Chronovore
Radiant aether is surging to uncontrollable levels as Orrery scientists attempt to claim Behemoth power as their own. Now, Behemoths from across the Shattered Isles are drawn to the surge, feeding on the aether and, in turn, being fed on by the surge's source: the soul reaping Chronovore.
Legendary weapons
Facing a Chronovore in Radiant Escalation will unlock schematics for all of its legendary weapons. These high-powered weapons aren't easy to craft, but the perks are worth the extra effort.
Prismatic Cell Slots
Each legendary weapon features two prismatic cell slots — universal slots capable of holding any cell you own. Leverage them to fine-tune your build and take on even tougher challenges.
Weapon Bond
Bond your Chronovore weapon to another radiant weapon to gain its perk (e.g. +3 Cunning) and unique effect (e.g. +12% chance for attacks to hit twice). Weapons must be the same type and element to bond.
Legendary Ability
Activating your Chronovore weapon's legendary ability will draw on the temporal power of radiant aether to return you to wherever you were 3 seconds before activation and restore all health, stamina, and status effects to their previous state. Afterwards, you'll become invulnerable and gain increased move speed for 6 seconds.
Chronovore armour
The Chronovore armour set draws its strength from three built-in perks: Zeal, Grace, and Pulse — a perk that turns every tenth hit into a critical strike (level it up to increase the frequency of critical strikes and add a critical strike damage bonus). Armour schematics unlock when you face your first Chronovore.
Want to show off your Escalation expertise? Earn 25 talent points in Radiant Escalation to unlock the Chronovore ultra armour — a cosmetic upgrade set with gleaming footprint effects.
- How do I get access to Escalation hunts?
- You can unlock Escalation hunts on the Slayer's Path after reaching Milestone VI. Hard Escalation hunts can be unlocked at Milestone XII.
- What does an Escalation boost do?
- Escalation boosts grants you (and all Slayers in your party!) a +25% bonus to earned charged aether. This effect can stack up to four times — once per party member with an active boost.
- How can I get an Escalation boost?
- Joining the Slayer's Club includes an Escalation Boost. You can join the Slayer's Club from the Reward Cache screen.
- How do I get more talent points?
- Earn talent points by collecting charged aether. You can earn charged aether by breaking Behemoth parts (in Escalation hunts only) and by interacting with the charged aether crystals that appear after each Escalation encounter.
- Can I reset my talent points?
- Yes. Look for the Reset button on the Escalation talent tree screen. You can reset your talents as many times as you like.