Descent: Champions

1 Hour Descent: Champions
Race Information
Duration:	1 Hour
Rules:	Hardcore Solo
Specials:	Dead characters go to Void League

Descent: Champions is an hour-long race league introduced in Season Five. A 40-minute version is the signature event for Season Eight, with a separate leaderboard for Descent: Champions racers.

The race is similar to Descent and uses many aspects of roguelike games. Characters enter a dungeon and fight their way through 15 levels, meeting increasingly tougher foes on the way down to the bottom level where a final boss awaits. Although Descent is a hardcore race, dead characters are still eligible to receive race rewards.

The race temporarily returned during the last month of version 2.6.X as the deployment of the major expansion, version 3.0.0, has been delayed . The race was deployed in parallel with the close beta of version 3.0.0

Differences

Like Descent, Champions is a significant departure from the other race leagues. Here is a rundown of the main differences.

Differences from Descent

• Descent: Champions uses different areas with new bosses. There are also multiple paths and optional side-areas, while Descent has a linear area progression.
• The inclusion of more game features such as map modifiers, passive skill point rewards, etc.
• Custom unique items that are exclusive to Descent: Champions.

Interaction with other leagues and players

• No partying is possible. A Descent: Champions race is purely a solo experience.
• At the end of the race, surviving characters join the dead characters in to a Void league and become unplayable. Items cannot be transferred to Standard or any other league.

Area differences

• There is no town area or vendor, and therefore no reason to pick up valuable items that you won't use.
• Descent: Champions areas have their own unique names and themes. They are based on existing tilesets and are similar to endgame maps.
• Once a character enters the next area, they can't go back. If you log out during the race, your character will respawn at the beginning of the current area.
• There are no waypoints or any other quick means to travel between areas. You cannot skip any levels, aside from running through and ignoring monsters.
• Some areas (Shrine of the Pagan God, The Cage, The Glittering Cave, The Glittering Crypt and The Nexus) contain unique bosses similar to their map counterparts, but unlike most maps, these areas are just boss rooms
• Some areas contain rogue exiles, but these are different from the usual ones and do not spawn at random

Difficulty and ladder positioning

• Descent: Champions doesn't use the same "Normal—Cruel—Merciless" difficulty system where areas repeat with increasing difficulty, but instead switches to Cruel and Merciless resistance penalties (-20% and -60% respectively) starting with certain areas.
  • Areas from The Entrance Hall to The Cage are considered Normal, The Necromantic Crypt to The Glittering Cave/The Glittering Crypt are Cruel, and The Inner Halls Level 1 to The Nexus are Merciless.
• If a character dies during the race, it can still hold a position on that race's ladder, marked accordingly.
  • If a character dies in a Cruel or Merciless area, it is subject to experience loss, which is applied before the final experience value is put on the ladder.

Gear and drops

• Item drop rates are improved compared to other leagues. The exact differences are unknown.
• There is no stash and no vendors to trade items with. Everything that may be of use must be used or carried in inventory; any items that you won't use are only a burden.
• Some equipment and currency is provided via special chests in each area.

Special chests

Main page: Descent: Champions Chests

Each area has a chest at the beginning except for the boss areas. These chests contain useful items such as flasks, skill gems, equipment, and crafting currency. The contents of each chest are predetermined and depend on the character class and the area they're located in: see Descent: Champions Chests for a complete list of items.

Because the race has multiple paths, players cannot open every chest and should strategically choose their route.

Unique item chests

Main page: Descent: Champions Chests#Unique item chests

At the start of the race—after the first provisions chest—there are two chests containing special unique items. Each chest vanishes after one item has been removed from it, so players may only take one item from each chest. Each item has three white linked sockets.

First chest

• Blood of SummerBlood of Summer
  Rusted SwordOne Handed Sword
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 7.2-18
  Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%
  Attacks per Second: 1.55
  Weapon Range: 1140% increased Global Accuracy RatingAdds 2 to 6 Physical Damage
  2% increased Movement Speed per Frenzy Charge
  +1 to Maximum Frenzy Charges
  20% increased Area of Effect
  33% chance to gain a Frenzy Charge on KillInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Rust of WinterRust of Winter
  Rusted HatchetOne Handed Axe
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 9.6-18
  Elemental Damage: 2-4
  Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%
  Attacks per Second: 1.50
  Weapon Range: 11Adds 2 to 4 Physical Damage
  Adds 2 to 4 Cold Damage
  50% chance to Avoid being Chilled
  Your Physical Damage can ChillInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Ashes of the SunAshes of the Sun
  Driftwood ClubOne Handed Mace
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 7.2-9.6
  Elemental Damage: 3-6
  Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%
  Attacks per Second: 1.74
  Weapon Range: 1110% reduced Enemy Stun ThresholdAdds 3 to 6 Fire Damage
  20% increased Attack Speed
  500% increased Ignite Duration on Enemies
  25% increased Burning Damage
  30% chance to IgniteInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Splinter of the MoonSplinter of the Moon
  Driftwood WandWand
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 6-10.8
  Critical Strike Chance: 7.00%
  Attacks per Second: 1.40
  Weapon Range: 120(8-12)% increased Spell Damage20% increased Spell Damage
  12% increased Cast Speed
  Regenerate 2 Mana per second
  4% chance to Freeze, Shock and IgniteInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Thunder of the DawnThunder of the Dawn
  Corroded BladeTwo Hand Sword
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 9.6-19.2
  Elemental Damage: 1-9
  Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%
  Attacks per Second: 1.45
  Weapon Range: 1340% increased Global Accuracy RatingAdds 1 to 9 Lightning Damage
  +40% to Lightning Resistance
  9% chance to Shock
  50% of Physical Damage from Hits taken as Lightning Damage
  When you Kill a Shocked Enemy, inflict an equivalent Shock on each nearby EnemyInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Vestige of DivinityVestige of Divinity
  Gnarled BranchStaff
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 13.2-27.6
  Critical Strike Chance: 6.00%
  Attacks per Second: 1.30
  Weapon Range: 15+18% Chance to Block Attack Damage while wielding a Staff16% Chance to Block Attack Damage
  Adds 2 to 4 Physical Damage
  15% increased Area of Effect
  Reflects 8 to 14 Physical Damage to Attackers on Block
  +2 to Weapon RangeInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Fragment of EternityFragment of Eternity
  Glass ShankDagger
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 8.4-16.8
  Critical Strike Chance: 12.00%
  Attacks per Second: 1.65
  Weapon Range: 1030% increased Global Critical Strike ChanceAdds 1 to 4 Physical Damage
  10% increased Attack Speed
  100% increased Critical Strike Chance
  +45% to Global Critical Strike Multiplier
  15% chance to gain a Power Charge on KillInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Relic of the CycleRelic of the Cycle
  Crude BowBow
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 11-28.6
  Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%
  Attacks per Second: 1.54
  Weapon Range: 120100% increased Physical Damage
  10% increased Attack Speed
  +30 to Accuracy Rating
  Projectiles Return to you from final TargetInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Scar of FateScar of Fate
  Nailed FistClaw
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 7.2-20.4
  Critical Strike Chance: 6.20%
  Attacks per Second: 1.60
  Weapon Range: 11+3 Life gained for each Enemy hit by AttacksSocketed Gems have 50% reduced Mana Cost
  Grants Level 20 Hatred Skill
  Adds 2 to 6 Physical Damage
  +3 Life gained for each Enemy hit by your SpellsInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.

Second chest

• Blood of SummerBlood of Summer
  Rusted SwordOne Handed Sword
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 7.2-18
  Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%
  Attacks per Second: 1.55
  Weapon Range: 1140% increased Global Accuracy RatingAdds 2 to 6 Physical Damage
  2% increased Movement Speed per Frenzy Charge
  +1 to Maximum Frenzy Charges
  20% increased Area of Effect
  33% chance to gain a Frenzy Charge on KillInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Rust of WinterRust of Winter
  Rusted HatchetOne Handed Axe
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 9.6-18
  Elemental Damage: 2-4
  Critical Strike Chance: 5.00%
  Attacks per Second: 1.50
  Weapon Range: 11Adds 2 to 4 Physical Damage
  Adds 2 to 4 Cold Damage
  50% chance to Avoid being Chilled
  Your Physical Damage can ChillInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Fragment of EternityFragment of Eternity
  Glass ShankDagger
  Quality: +20%
  Physical Damage: 8.4-16.8
  Critical Strike Chance: 12.00%
  Attacks per Second: 1.65
  Weapon Range: 1030% increased Global Critical Strike ChanceAdds 1 to 4 Physical Damage
  10% increased Attack Speed
  100% increased Critical Strike Chance
  +45% to Global Critical Strike Multiplier
  15% chance to gain a Power Charge on KillInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Tear of EntropyTear of Entropy
  Iron HatQuality: +20%
  Armour: 1030% increased Attack Speed when on Low Life
  15% increased Attack Speed when on Full Life
  +10 to maximum Life
  20% increased Cast Speed when on Low Life
  9% increased Cast Speed when on Full LifeInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Remnant of EmpiresRemnant of Empires
  Goathide BucklerQuality: +20%
  Chance to Block: 28%
  Evasion: 14
  Movement Speed: -3%3% increased Movement Speed30% Chance to Block Spell Damage
  +15 to maximum Life
  +3% to all Elemental Resistances per Endurance Charge
  50% chance to gain an Endurance Charge when you Block
  +3% Chance to Block
  Reflects 4 to 8 Physical Damage to Attackers on BlockInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Chains of TimeChains of Time
  Rustic Sash(12-24)% increased Global Physical Damage10% increased Elemental Damage
  30% increased Life Recovery from Flasks
  30% increased Mana Recovery from Flasks
  30% reduced Flask Effect DurationInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.
• Slivers of ProvidenceSlivers of Providence
  Serrated Arrow QuiverAdds 1 to 4 Physical Damage to Bow Attacks+10% to all Elemental Resistances
  50% increased Duration of Elemental Ailments on Enemies
  10% chance to Freeze, Shock and Ignite
  Gain 25% of Weapon Physical Damage as Extra Damage of a random ElementInto darkness, horror, madness...
  So goes the descent.

Zones

			The Entrance Hall Level 2
		↙		↘
	The Chattering Halls Level 4				The Croaking Halls Level 4
		↘		↙
			The Rasping Halls Level 6	→	The Freezing Chamber Level 7
			↓	↙
			The Shrine of the Pagan God Level 6 Boss
			↓
			The Dungeon of Anarchy Level 8
		↙		↘
	The Dungeon of Necromancy Level 10				The Hollow Cave Level 10
	↓		X		↓
	The Haunted Dungeon Level 12				The Burning Cave Level 12
	↓	↘		↙	↓
	The Obelisks of Faith Level 12	→	The Cage Level 12 Boss	←	The Chamber of Greed Level 12
			↓
			The Necromantic Crypt Level 14
		↙		↘
	The Diabolic Crypt Level 16				The Misty Cave Level 16
	↓	↘		↙	↓
	The Ember Crypt Level 18		The Stormy Ledge Level 18		The Frozen Cave Level 18
	↓	↙		↘	↓
	The Glittering Crypt Level 18 Boss				The Glittering Cave Level 18 Boss
		↘		↙
			The Inner Halls Level 1 Level 20
			↓
			The Inner Halls Level 2 Level 22
			↓
			The Inner Halls Level 3 Level 24
			↓
			The Nexus Level 24 Boss