After nearly five years, Genshin Impact has finally delivered on player requests for a new permanent endgame mode beyond the familiar Spiral Abyss. Enter Stygian Onslaught, which rolled out with the 5.7 update, and it’s proving to be quite the challenge – even for the most seasoned Travelers and “whales” who have invested heavily in their accounts.
What is Stygian Onslaught?
Stygian Onslaught is a boss rush mode where players assemble three distinct teams of four units to take on souped-up versions of existing bosses. For its debut, you’ll face off against the Hydro Tulpa, Lava Dragon Statue, and Secret Source Automaton.
Beyond the combat challenge, Stygian Onslaught also serves as a special, secondary domain for every artifact type, dishing out extra artifacts at set Resin intervals. This makes it a valuable activity even if you’re not aiming for the absolute highest difficulties.
The Difficulty Tiers: From Fearless to Dire
The mode features six tiers of difficulty: Normal, Advancing, Hard, Menacing, Fearless, and Dire. The first five tiers offer a relatively standard difficulty curve, with Fearless feeling comparable to, or perhaps slightly tougher than, the hardest floors of the Spiral Abyss.
However, it’s the sixth tier, Dire, that has truly put players to the test. Accessed after conquering Fearless and unlocking the “Perilous Challenge” option, Dire drastically increases boss HP, making it incredibly difficult to defeat them within the strict 120-second timer, let alone the 180-second total timer for the ultimate challenge.
Even Whales Are Struggling
Reports from the community, including seasoned players with well-invested accounts and even prominent streamers and theorycrafters like Zajef77, indicate that Dire difficulty is a monumental task. The significant DPS check, coupled with the need for specific elemental counters and the starting zero energy for Elemental Bursts, means that only highly optimized teams with top-tier characters, signature 5-star weapons, and even max Constellations on 4-star supports stand a chance.
While some players have managed to clear Dire without “wildly egregious spending” by utilizing perfect meta teams, others who have spent upwards of $100,000 on their accounts are still finding it technically demanding. This highlights that Stygian Onslaught isn’t just about raw power; it also demands skillful play and strategic team building.
Rewards and What to Aim For
The good news is that you don’t need to conquer Dire to get all the primary rewards. All the main rewards from Stygian Onslaught can be obtained by simply beating Fearless. Furthermore, you can snag all 450 Primogems by just clearing Hard difficulty, and matchmaking can even help you get there with a boost from other players.
Beating Menacing and Fearless in single-player will net you Dust of Enlightenment, useful for Genshin’s new artifact reroll system. Clearing Dire, however, unlocks limited-time weapon cosmetics, with a special shiny effect added for completing the challenge within 180 seconds. These cosmetics will last for the entire six-week patch before needing to be re-unlocked in the next rotation.
A Promising New Challenge
While some players might be feeling the “fatigue” of yet another high-difficulty challenge, Stygian Onslaught offers a meaningful and distinct combat experience compared to the Spiral Abyss. It provides a dedicated space for hardcore players and spendthrift whales to truly test the limits of their characters, all while dishing out extra artifacts every patch.
It’s a step in the right direction for Genshin Impact’s endgame content, offering a coherent and challenging activity that truly has some bite.
What are your thoughts on Stygian Onslaught? Have you attempted Dire difficulty yet, or are you happy just tackling the lower tiers for rewards? Let us know in the comments below!
