Journey reference
Every Journey number on one page. Each block links to the page that explains it in full.
You set difficulty with the Dissonance dial — a single number that scales enemy power. The bands below (Normal / Hard / Nightmare) are just names for ranges of that dial. Higher bands are still being tuned, so they may not be open to your account yet.
Run structure
A chapter is one 16-node run, played as 4 sprints of 4 nodes.
| Layer | Value |
|---|---|
| Nodes per run (chapter) | 16 |
| Sprints per run | 4 (nodes 1–4, 5–8, 9–12, 13–16) |
| Checkpoints | after nodes 4, 8, 12 — each fully heals your team |
| Victory | clearing node 16 clears the chapter |
| Health | your team's HP carries between nodes within a sprint; a loss ends the run |
Node types
You field a team of 3 at every node. Each node shows its own energy cost (bigger nodes cost more) and a recommended power advisory before you commit.
| Type | Where | Make-up |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | the 11 ordinary nodes (1–3, 5, 6, 9–11, 13–15) | 1 enemy team of 3 |
| Elite | nodes 4, 8, 12 (each sprint's checkpoint) | 1 stronger team of 3 (first-clear RSNC bonus) |
| Swarm | node 7 | several waves of weaker enemies |
| Boss | node 16 | 1 boss + helpers (carries a first-clear RSNC bonus) |
| Trial | daily | a rotating featured fight — 3 attempts a day (see Daily Trials) |
See Node types.
Difficulty — the Dissonance dial
You set difficulty with a single Dissonance number, saved once and applied to every run until you change it. Each level raises enemy power +4% (Level n = ×1.04ⁿ), and higher levels pay richer loot to match. The number falls into three named bands:
| Band | Dissonance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | 1–20 | Open to all players |
| Hard | 21–40 | Still being tuned — may not be open to your account yet |
| Nightmare | 41+ | Still being tuned — may not be open to your account yet |
Difficulty is set on the map and locked once a run starts. See The Dissonance dial.
Energy refills
Energy is called Attunement, and it's a loot bonus, not a gate — nodes are always playable, and playing while Attuned pays +50% quantity of all loot drops (items, gear, aspects, chests, essence). Playing a node by hand costs half its listed energyCost; Sweeping costs the full cost and pays baseline. Your pool maximum is 120 + 10 per 10 Tune-In levels (Signal subscribers +30%), regenerates +1 every 60s (Signal: ~48s), and can be refilled in two tiers per UTC day:
| Refill tier | Cost | Per UTC day |
|---|---|---|
| RSNC ladder | 500 → 1,000 → 1,500 → 2,000 → 2,500 → 3,000 RSNC (stays at 3,000 after the 6th) | up to 6 |
| Paid | $1 each (USDSC or Card) | up to 6 more |
Both counters reset at UTC midnight. The app always shows your exact next cost (server-authoritative). See Energy.
Stars
You earn 0–3 stars per node, so a full chapter tier is worth 48 stars (16 nodes × 3).
| Stars | Roughly |
|---|---|
| ★ | Clear the node |
| ★★ | Clear with fighters to spare |
| ★★★ | A clean, efficient clear |
Stars are the gate for Sweep and for unlocking the next difficulty tier. See Progression.
Sweep
Once a node is 3★ and first-cleared, you can batch-run it instead of watching each fight.
| Thing | Value |
|---|---|
| Runs per Sweep | 1–10 |
| Scope | a single node, a sprint, or the whole chapter |
| Drops | halved vs. a normal replay |
| Energy | same per-node energy cost |
| Requires | node at 3★ and already first-cleared |
It's the farming tool — same rewards pool, half the rate, none of the watching. See Loot & rewards.
Activity Score cap
| Thing | Value |
|---|---|
| Journey weekly cap | 5,000 Activity Score / week (separate from Arena's 5,000) |
| Over the cap | loot, stars, and progress still count; no more AS |
Battle Level & the Echo's Ladder
Your PvE power grows with your Battle Level (from Battle XP earned in runs). What actually drives your Journey stat bonus is your Effective Battle Level, which folds in Tune-In:
Effective Battle Level = Battle Level + ⌊Tune-In ÷ 10⌋
That is, every 10 Tune-In levels adds +1 effective Battle Level. Effective Battle Level sets your rank 1–10 on the Echo's Ladder, which grants a Journey-only PvE stat bonus (it has no effect in Arena PvP). See Progression.