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. Enemy power steps up per band — +3%/level D1–20, +5% D21–40, +6% D41–75, +8% D76–100 (compounding) — and higher levels pay richer loot to match. The number falls into four named bands:
| Band | Dissonance | Step per level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | 1–20 | +3% | Open to all players |
| Hard | 21–40 | +5% | The first difficulty break |
| Nightmare | 41–75 | +6% | Farmable with fully-kitted Mythical + Notes |
| Cacophony | 76–100 | +8% | The deepest push — pays the climb, not new rarities |
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 costs half its listed energyCost; a Repeat loop is ordinary play, so each looped run costs that same half rate and still earns the Attuned bonus. 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 Repeat Battle and for unlocking the next difficulty tier. See Progression.
Repeat Battle
Once a node is 3★ and first-cleared, you can set it to Repeat — the fight loops, re-starting the same node as soon as you clear it, so you farm it without walking back to the map.
| Thing | Value |
|---|---|
| How it runs | a live looping run — each clear re-queues the next; runs until you stop or your team wipes |
| Auto-battle | turn it on and the loop runs hands-off |
| Scope | a single node (must be 3★ and first-cleared) |
| Drops | rolls the leaner repeat/farm loot pool (first clears pay richer) |
| Energy | ordinary play — half the node's energyCost per looped run, and still earns the Attuned bonus |
| Requires | node at 3★ and already first-cleared |
It's the farming tool — a live loop of a node you've already mastered, none of the re-selecting. 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.