New Season Gameplay: Pandora Labyrinth

Pandora Labyrinth is a new shrinking-zone gameplay mode located on the Path of Adventure. It has no ticket or stamina requirement, so players can enter at any time and repeatedly farm monsters, bosses, reward packs, gear, stones, and development materials.

In previous seasons, Hades imprisoned Pandora inside the labyrinth and attempted to use her power to invade other time-spaces. Pandora's magic has now disturbed the flow of space-time and brought the labyrinth to the magic continent. To protect Chilly Village, Knights will enter the Gloom, defeat the monsters hidden within, and search for the treasures sealed deep in the maze.

Entry, Difficulty, and Exploration Rules

• Players enter Pandora Labyrinth from the Adventure Path, then choose a stage and difficulty.
• Higher difficulties unlock gradually after the player defeats the stage boss at the current difficulty.
• After entering a stage, the player is teleported to a random location on a large map.
• The map contains normal monsters, bosses, new labyrinth-exclusive monsters, and the new boss, Netherworld Maid.
• Pandora Gloom appears ahead of the player and continues moving forward over time. Players must actively enter and follow the mist to keep receiving Pandora's extra rewards.
• If the player stays outside the mist for too long, the mist dissipates. The monsters and Chthonic Handmaiden disappear with it, and additional mist rewards can no longer be obtained in that run.

Reward Pack Progression

• Defeating monsters in Pandora Labyrinth drops loot and also grants reward-pack points.
• Each run starts with one level 0 reward pack.
• When enough points are accumulated, the current reward pack upgrades automatically.
• For every 3 reward-pack levels gained, an additional new level 0 reward pack is created.
• When the player leaves the mist, all accumulated reward packs open at once.
• Depending on reward-pack type, players may obtain equipment, enhancement materials, enchantment materials, Eidolic materials, and other development resources.
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Ways to Increase Labyrinth Earnings

• Defeat mist-exclusive monsters to gain more reward-pack points.
• Trigger mechanisms inside the labyrinth to summon large waves of monsters and quickly build up reward-pack progress.
• Use Gloomquartz to strengthen the challenge, stop the mist from fading, and gain extra reward packs of a specified type.
• Unlock Pandora Talents to strengthen the character and improve stage output efficiency.
• Explore the mode after launch to discover additional hidden earning methods and special content.

A deeper area called Heart of Calamity is hidden within Pandora Labyrinth. This area will bring tougher challenges and better rewards, and is planned to open in a later version update.

Season Opening Event: Godgraced Night

• Event duration: From the July 8 game update until July 30 at 04:00.
• During the event, players can obtain Luminary Star from any in-game stage and from the 7-Day Revel.
• Luminary Star can be used at Godgraced Night to open Box of Marvels, with a chance to obtain free rewards such as the Dogdoin Eidolon and Ranger Zhaocai.
• The Box of Marvels event also offers rewards including Underlord Eidolon, Pet - Moxie, Skin - Pandoughra, Skin -Nyx Zhaocai, Home Decor, and other items.
• Full event details and exact reward pools will be available in game after the event opens.
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New Gacha Skins

• Font of Calamity: Pandora
• Valiant Heart: Metheus
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New Eidolon

Legendary Eidolon: Underlord Eidolon

• Become enhanced after dealing AoE damage, and while fighting bosses.
• Increases the base damage bonus provided by Gravitic Nova.
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Legendary Armor Eidolon: Pandora Eidolon

• AUpon a successful projectile hit, projectile size and projectile damage are increased.
• Increases the damage bonus provided by Heavy Ordnance.

Epic Armor Eidolon: Dogdoin Eidolon

• After taking damage, grants increased all-damage output and damage reduction.

Fatestone System

In SS8, the original Fatebound system is optimized into the new Fatestone system. The new system gives players more freedom when building Fatebound combinations and makes it easier to customize a character's final setup.

Socketing Fatestone

• Each character starts with 6 stone slots, and additional slot access is unlocked progressively as the character levels up.
• After a Fatestone is equipped, the Fatebounds on that stone take effect directly and count toward Fatebound combinations.
• Fatestone come in rarities including Rare, Epic, Legendary, and Insane.
• When obtained, each stone has 1 fixed Fatebound tied to the stone’s name and may also carry 0 to 3 random Fatebounds.
• Higher-rarity stones can roll more random Fatebounds and draw from a broader Fatebound pool.
• Example: a Subdivision Stone always has Multishot Fatebound as its fixed Fatebound.
• Fatestone can be obtained from Pandora Labyrinth while exploring the mist and challenging enemies.

Calamity Stone

• Calamity Stone are special Fatestone with a higher degree of customization.
• A Calamity Stone may have 0 to 4 empty fatebound slots.
• These empty slots can be filled through the Subsume function after the required Proving Grounds has been reached.

Imbue

• If a stone's random Fatebounds are not the desired combination, players can use Imbue to directionally replace 1 random Fatebound.
• Each stone can refine only 1 Fatebound slot, so choosing the right stone and the right Fatebound to replace is an important planning decision.
• Imbue consumes Weathered Hephaestite.
• Imbue an Insane stone also consumes Stone crystal.

Subsume and Astrophage Resonance

• Subsume applies only to Calamity Stone and unlocks after the player clears a required number of Proving Grounds.
• Subsume consumes one Insane stone and can place the consumed stone's fatebound into empty Fatebound slots on the Calamity stone.
• If the Calamity stone already has Fatebounds, Subsume randomly retains several Fatebounds from the combined Fatebound pool of the Calamity stone and the consumed Insane stone.
• If the final Calamity stone contains qualifying Astrophage Fatebound, it triggers Astrophage Resonance for additional bonuses.
• The more qualifying Astrophage Fatebounds a Calamity stone has, the stronger the stone becomes.
• If a stone slot's base affix is a Calamity affix, socketing a corresponding Astrophage Fatebound triggers resonance.
• If a stone slot's base affix is a normal affix, socketing a Astrophage Fatebound with the same affix triggers resonance.
• A Calamity stone's own base affix does not participate in resonance.

Fatestone Materials

• Fatestone development mainly consumes Weathered Hephaestite and Stone crystal.
• Weathered Hephaestite are consumed when refining or devouring.
• Stone crystals are additionally consumed when refining Insane stones.
• Both Weathered Hephaestite and stone Crystals can be obtained by dismantling stones.
• stones are obtained through Pandora Labyrinth.

Calamity Equipment and New Legendary Equipment

• SS8 adds a new equipment type: Calamity Equipment.
• Except for boss set equipment, Legendary and Insane equipment can appear as Calamity-type gear.
• Calamity Equipment has unique Calamity affixes and special drop effects.
• New Legendary equipment will also be added in the new season.

Class Concordance

SS8 introduces a reinforcement system called Class Concordance. After certain classes awaken, they receive additional tuning bonuses in addition to their awakening skills. These bonuses are designed to strengthen classes for higher difficulty challenges, reduce power gaps between classes, and grow gradually with awakening progress. Tuning strength will vary by class based on past class performance.

Season Transition and Rewards

• The Carnelian rank requirement in SS8 remains the same as the previous season: Level 400.
• Some Proving Grounds maps will continue to use Voidlands.
• After a seasonal character reaches specific Level milestones, players can obtain 2 SS8 Einheri Skins for free: Hyacinth, the Graced Chord and Nyax, the Nocturnal Veil.
• Rank skins, such as Carnelian or Gold skins, are independent from Einheri skins. Players can obtain both types at the same time if they meet the requirements.
• SS7 rank settlement rewards, Proving Grounds leaderboard trophies, and title rewards can be claimed through Main Screen Top-Right Menu > General Events > Seasonal Rewards.
• Transition-period content settlement, character classification, and leaderboard reward rules follow the same season-change rules used in previous seasons.

Item Inheritance Rules

Equipment

Equipment classification and inheritance follow the same season-change rules used in previous seasons.

Other In-Game Items

Specializations, Hephaestite, and similar in-game items follow the same inheritance rules used in previous seasons. Players can refer to the previous SS1 season transition notice for the detailed baseline rules.

Storage

• In the new season, the seasonal storage initially unlocks 3 pages.
• Starting from page 4, additional seasonal storage pages require Gem to unlock.
• SS7 seasonal storage pages will be merged into permanent storage.
• All items in permanent storage will be inherited.
• If a player's permanent storage is fully unlocked and full, all permanent storage contents will still be merged and inherited at the start of SS8.
• Players can switch storage tabs to choose pages opened in different seasons. S0 to SS3 share one tab, while SS4 to SS7 use a separate tab.

Gameplay and System Updates

Class Shop

The SS8 Hero Shop adds the Hellion class, which can be purchased with Gem.

Dreadmarch Mode

Dreadmarch Mode will remain available in SS8. Leaderboard rewards and chest rewards have been adjusted for the new season environment. Players can participate on weekends.

Sparkling Rally

SS8 opens a new Sparkling Rally event and Spark missions. Players can obtain a selectable gacha skin and in-game resources for free.

Fatebound Effect Adjustment:

Multishot

• 1-piece effect: changed from 'Your number of projectiles is increased by 1; with half effect for skills' to '+Your number of projectiles is increased by 2; with half effect for skills; total damage reduced by 35%.'
• 2-piece effect: changed from 'Your number of projectiles is increased by 2; with half effect for skills' to 'Your number of projectiles is increased by 3; with half effect for skills; total damage reduced by 25%.'
• 3-piece effect: changed from 'Your number of projectiles is increased by 4; with half effect for skills' to 'Your number of projectiles is increased by 4; with half effect for skills; total damage reduced by 40%.'

Smartcast

Smartcast slots unlock as players complete Chapters 3, 4, and 5 of Saga of Valor. Completing those chapters unlocks 1, 2, and 3 slots respectively.

Boss Set Adjustments

Alpha Yeti Ensemble

• Old effect: when attacking, releases 1 area attack that deals cold damage, with a cooldown for each target.
• New effect: Dealing Cold Damage summons an ice pillar to erupt from beneath the target's feet, dealing {2}% Cold Damage to enemies and applying [Chilblains].
• [Chilblains]: Cold Damage taken by enemies is increased, and their movement speed is reduced for a while".
• New Axial Incarnate effect: The effect of [Zero Shatter] is now permanently active during combat. After an ice pillar erupts from the ground, the damage bonus for yourself and your minions is increased for a while.

Skeleton King Ensemble

• Old effect: On defeating an enemy, you’ve a chance to summon several followers that inherityour ATK and Life.
• New effect: Defeating a certain number of enemies summons exploding bones that chase down the nearest enemy. When attacking Bosses or Vanguards, summon several exploding bones. The bones explode upon approaching their target, dealing Dark Damage to enemies within the blast radius and applying [Ossiarch’s Malison].
• [Ossiarch’s Malison]: Dark Damage taken by enemies is increased and their attack speed is reduced for a while.
• New Axial Incarnate effect: Once you enter the [Sepulchered Remains] state, it remains permanently active for the rest of the battle. While active, you and your minions gain a Damage Bonus.

Ranger Adjustments

Skills

• Cloudpiercer Shot level 10: charged-up damage increased from 510% to 600%.
• Scattershot level 10: base Scattershot damage increased from 240% to 360%; additional damage increased from 180% to 240%.
• Rain of Arrows: Leonar - Lion level 10: base Scattershot damage increased from 360% to 480%.
• Predatory Focus level 10 old effect: Lock 30 of your max mana to activate. You convert 60% of your INT to DEX, and regen an additional 14 mana/1s. Casting a skill will pause the mana regen effect by 1s.
• Predatory Focus level 10 new effect: Lock 30 of your max mana to activate. Your bonus physical damage increases by 90%, and you restore an additional 14 mana/1s. Casting a skill will pause the mana regen effect by 1s.

Specialization

Razorward - Homing level 5: damage increase raised from 120% to 180%.

Off-Hand Weapon Slot

After SS8 begins, permanent characters will retain their off-hand weapons, while seasonal characters will no longer have an off-hand weapon slot.

Grand Blue and Arcane Scroll Enchantment

Grand Blue gameplay will be removed in SS8, but the Arcane Scroll Enchantment development system will remain. Arcane Scroll Enchantment enchantment materials can be obtained from Pandora Labyrinth.

Other System Changes

• Venture difficulty selection will be removed.
• The New Specialization event will be removed.
• Tempering will no longer produce Insane Fatebounds.
• Some system and gameplay unlock pacing has been adjusted.
• A new My Presets feature will be added.

Closing

SS8 launches on July 8. More detailed numerical values, reward pools, and final in-game descriptions should be checked in game after the update is live.