Node types
Not every fight is the same shape, and that's the point. The Journey pushes you to build a roster, not a single "best team." Each node type asks a different question, and the wrong answer fails even with strong fighters.
What every node shows you
Before you commit, tap a node to read three things — they're how you decide whether to attempt it:
- Recommended power — a color-coded advisory: green if your team meets it, yellow if you're within about 20% below, red if you're further under. It's guidance, not a lock; you can attempt a red node, you'll just probably lose.
- Energy cost — bigger nodes cost more (see Energy).
- Loot preview — an honest "1 of N from a family pool." The item pictured is an example of what can drop, not a guarantee — you'll get one item from that family.
The types
| Type | Where in a 16-node chapter | What you face | The question it asks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | The 11 ordinary nodes | One team of three normal enemies | Can your balanced team win a fair fight? |
| Elite | Nodes 4, 8, 12 (each sprint's checkpoint) | One stronger enemy team | Is your team actually invested — gear, skills, ascension? |
| Swarm | Node 7 | Waves of many weak enemies | Can you hit lots of targets fast? |
| Boss | Node 16 (the finale) | One huge boss plus helpers | Can you burst down one tough target? |
| Trial | Rotating daily node | A curated special fight | A fresh daily test — see Daily Trials |
Standard nodes
The bread and butter of a chapter. One enemy team of three, tuned to teach the chapter's theme. A balanced team — an Anchor up front, a Striker, a Mender — clears most of these. This is where you learn a chapter before it tests you.
Elite nodes — the stat check
Nodes 4, 8, and 12 — the checkpoint at the end of each of the first three sprints. A single but noticeably stronger enemy team, standing as a mid-run wall. Elites ask whether you've actually invested in gear, skills, and ascension — a team that coasted through the Standards can stall here. Elites also carry a first-clear RSNC bonus, so the first time you drop each one pays out. Each Elite also plays to its class — a Striker Elite adds one class beat (a bleed, a life-drain, a Speed-steal, a cold bite), so scout its class in the Enemy Preview, not just its role.
Swarm nodes — the area-damage check
Node 7. Instead of one team you face many weak enemies arriving in waves. Your team's health and effects carry between waves; each wave shows up fresh.
- A single-target team kills one enemy per turn while the rest chip away — by the last wave you've lost to attrition.
- An area-damage team clears each wave in a round or two and finishes healthy.
This is the reason you build a wide-hitting team.
Boss nodes — the single-target check
Node 16, the finale of the run. You face one boss with a colossal health pool plus helpers — often a Mender keeping it topped up and a debuffer weakening you.
- A single-target team drops the helpers, then pours everything into the boss → win.
- An area-damage team splits its damage three ways, the boss never falls → loss.
Bosses can do dramatic things — hit harder at low health, open big, or lean on a Mender — but it's all expressed through the same skill system your own fighters use, with no unavoidable, can't-miss chip on top; the threat is always something you can read and counter. Each world's capstone Boss is its Herald, and each Herald fights as its own class (Cinderfall's Embric as a Brawler, Stillair's Zephyrian as a Sky Knight, Meridian's Maris as a Wave Dancer). Bosses also carry a first-clear RSNC bonus, so the first time you drop one is the richest single moment in a run.
The daily Trial
A rotating Trial node refreshes each day — a curated special fight outside the normal chapter flow, with a few attempts a day. It's covered on its own page: Daily Trials.
Why this forces a roster
Bring an area team to a Boss and you barely scratch it; bring a single-target team to a Swarm and you get nibbled to death. There's no team that wins everything — that's the design. Aim to own enough fighters to field:
- a balanced team for Standard fights,
- a wide-hitting team for the Swarm,
- a focused single-target team for the Boss.
Remember your team is locked for the whole run, so you're not choosing per node — you're choosing the one team that can survive all of a chapter's questions in a row.
See also
- Run Mode — how these nodes string into a 16-node gauntlet
- Bestiary — how to scout a node's Enemy Preview
- Loot & rewards — what each node type pays