Developer Notes: A Preview of New Challenges & Metas

Hello, Hunters!

This is the Solo Leveling:ARISE team.

Are you enjoying playing as the Monarch of Shadows, who joined as the Dark-attribute Successor on July 30th? Today, we would like to share news about the upcoming August update following the Monarch of Shadows, as well as content to be revealed afterward.

From the newly joining Hunter and Sung Jinwoo's weapon to upcoming content and the ranking system revamp—we will now guide you through the news we have prepared so that Hunters can enjoy playing even more this summer.

[A New Challenge Beyond the Workshop of Brilliant Light, Hall of the Monarchs]

Until now, the content that welcomed Hunters focused on strategizing by changing the attributes and combinations of Hunters and weapons against different bosses and monsters.

As variations continued within the same framework, we believe some of you may have felt disappointed by the repetitive flow at some point.

Accordingly, our team pondered content that could design the challenge itself anew, going beyond mere changes in combinations, and we would like to reveal it through this update.

The 'Hall of the Monarchs', unlocked for Hunters who have cleared Tier 10 of the Workshop of Brilliant Light, is content where you do not follow a fixed strategy, but rather select restriction effects yourself to combine your own difficulty and strategy methods.

For example, you can challenge yourself to an extreme speed clear by selecting 'increased enemy attack power/HP' and 'time limit applied' restrictions together, or conversely, aim for extreme evasion by selecting the 'reduced recovery' restriction. The categories of restrictions consist of common restrictions, boss-specific restrictions, and seasonal restrictions, so you will be able to feel a different tension and thrill every time, even when facing the same boss.

Additionally, bosses will be randomly matched each season in the 'Hall of the Monarchs,' and in the first season, you can challenge Surtur, Vulcan, and Yogumunt. As the Hall of the Monarchs establishes itself as a new challenge-type content, the balance of the Workshop of Brilliant Light will also be adjusted so that many Hunters can enjoy it. The first season of the 'Hall of the Monarchs' will run for two weeks starting September 3, and the weakness attributes will be Water and Light.

We plan to prepare special honorary rewards for top-performing Hunters in the 'Hall of the Monarchs,' and detailed information will be provided through a separate notice in the future. We ask for your interest in this newly added challenge-type content, and we hope you enjoy playing with new strategies.

 [4-Hunter Team Fight Mode]

Meanwhile, while the 'Hall of the Monarchs' is content designed with a completely new way of challenging players, our team believes that the fun of team composition is also an indispensable element of 'Solo Leveling:ARISE.' However, there were limitations with the current compositions, which led our team to ask one question.

'Why can we only form teams of three?'

We put a lot of thought into this question and decided to break away from the long-standing framework of 3-Hunter compositions to design content featuring 4-Hunter compositions.

The 4-Hunter Team Fight Mode is content where you research and tackle challenges with the optimal 4-Hunter composition tailored to your deck, choosing from Striker, Supporter, Breaker, Stacker, and Buster class Hunters. 

Since it basically takes the form of a team fight, four Hunters fight simultaneously, and when you switch Hunters, you join the battle as the selected Hunter. In line with this mode, we also plan to introduce a new combat system featuring joint attacks created by the four Hunters together.

We will do our best to showcase this content as soon as it is ready, and detailed information, including our 4Q update direction, will be provided during the Developer Live Stream in August.

※ Please note that some update details may be subject to change upon the actual release.

[Ranking System Revamp Notice]

Recently, along with issues regarding story progression, we have reviewed the various feedback you have sent us about the Trophy Ranking system.

Although the current Trophy Ranking is not tied to direct rewards, we are aware that many Hunters consider it important. However, while story progression has previously been one of the elements symbolizing a Hunter's strength, our adjustments to the progression system to allow players to enjoy the story without stress have turned the Trophy Ranking at the time of a story update into an indicator closer to "who logged in first and played quickly," causing it to function differently from its original intent.

Therefore, our team intends to gradually improve the ranking system into a format that more clearly showcases the strength Hunters have built up over time and allows for comebacks.

1)    The existing Trophy Ranking will end with the August update. However, the weekly Essence Stone rewards based on the number of trophies held will remain unchanged.

2)    A new ranking system based on Power will be added within the year so that Hunters' growth can be fully reflected.

We will provide detailed information on the rewards for the new ranking system once they are ready, and we will continue to listen to your feedback to refine the ranking system.

※ Due to the revamp of the ranking system, "Edge of Illusion and Dreams" will run as the seasonal content instead of "Battlefield of Time" for the August update. Detailed information regarding "Battlefield of Time" will be provided in the October update.

[The 2nd Memorial Hunter: Light-Attribute Buster, Lee Joohee, Pilgrim of the Labyrinth]

Within the time wound back by the Rulers using the 'Cup of Reincarnation,' there exists a world of Hunters living lives similar to, yet slightly different from, the present.

Through social media, we previously revealed the colors of the Memorial and Original versions of the Hunter arriving in August. Did anyone guess which Hunter would appear in what form just by looking at the colors?

'Lee Joohee,' who was greatly loved in the original work, is coming to visit Hunters in the form of another world. ‘Lee Joohee, Pilgrim of the Labyrinth' is a Hunter who, driven by regret over failing to protect her loved ones, fights at the very front as if burning herself out just to save people.

In battle, her Basic Skills and Core Attacks trigger additional attacks, and as this effect stacks, the power of her Buster Skill increases. We expect her to show particularly great synergy when paired with Laura Walker and Shimizu Akari, whose balance is being adjusted this time.

The Light-attribute Buster ' Lee Joohee, Pilgrim of the Labyrinth' will debut as an Attack-scaling Hunter.

[New Sung Jinwoo Weapon, 'Spirit Blade: Blizzard']

Introducing the Water-attribute stacking weapon, 'Spirit Blade: Blizzard'.

'Spirit Blade: Blizzard' is a blade infused with the soul of an ice fox that guarded a snowfield where winter has not ended for hundreds of years. By swinging the scabbard and sword in a cross motion, it freezes a wide area in front. 

It enhances the damage of all of Sung Jinwoo's skills that can trigger a freeze effect, and significantly strengthens the weapon's skills when those skills are used a certain number of times.

It is expected to become a new option for Water-attribute Sung Jinwoo weapon combinations by showing particularly good synergy with Sung Jinwoo's weapon 'Skadi', which is also undergoing balance adjustments this time.

[Balance Adjustment]

Through this update, we will broadly adjust the balance of Hunters, Sung Jinwoo's weapons, and Artifact effects. The adjustments will focus on buffs so that neglected Hunters and weapons can shine again, and so that players can equip class-appropriate Artifacts in team fight modes. Some changes will go beyond simple numerical adjustments and include near-rework level transformations.

In particular, through this adjustment, Shimizu Akari will be revamped to synergize well with Light-attribute busters, and Skadi will play a meaningful role as a weapon specialized in Water-attribute Overload damage.

In addition, the Team Fight mode-exclusive effects of Artifacts will also be buffed. To ensure that equipping Artifacts matching one's class in Team Fight mode provides greater benefits, the class-exclusive effects of all sets will be enhanced.

Furthermore, for the Surtur's Flame set, the basic effect of 'increased Burst damage stacking effect upon successful Overload' will be split into '1) increased Burst damage, and 2) increased Burst damage stacking effect upon successful Overload' to improve usability and secure a higher damage floor for Busters.

※ Detailed adjustment values will be provided in a future patch note.

[Laura Walker’s New Costume]

Unveiling Laura Walker's new look, ready to spend a sweet summer night with you, Hunters!

[Other Improvements]

Our team has also prepared various improvements so that Hunters can focus on playing in a more comfortable environment.

■ Workshop of Brilliant Light New Season Operation

This Workshop of Brilliant Light will run in the order of Season 3: Rockpasa, followed by Season 4: Legia. Season 4: Legia is scheduled to run for only one week due to the update schedule. Additionally, all elements will be weakness elements for Stages 1–5, and Water/Light will be the weakness elements starting from Stage 6.

■ Successor Auto Mode Improvements

We have improved the Successor Auto-Play system so skills are now used based on the recommended combo sequence.

■ Additional Hunters for Ultimate Skill Simplification

Through this update, we plan to simplify the Ultimate Skills of the following Hunters in Guild Boss and Power of Calamity.

- Yoo Soo-Hyun, Esil Radiru, Gina, Jeong Yerim, Pure Sword Princess Cha Hae-In, Seorin, Elena Renault, Alicia Blanche, Meilin Fisher, Niermann, Mirei, Goto Ryuji, Sung Jin-Ah, Han Se-Mi, Thomas Andre, Cha Hae-In, Go Gun-Hee, Laura Walker, Shimizu Akari, Min Byung-Gu, Sung Il-Hwan, Song Ki-Hoon, Lee Bora, Isla Wright, Silver Mane Baek Yoon-Ho

※ Please note that newly added Hunters will arrive with ultimate skill animation simplification already applied for Guild Boss and Power of Calamity content.

■ Simulation Gate Floor Expansion

The Simulation Gate will be expanded from Floor 55 to Floor 60.

※ The details and numbers covered in the Developer's Note are currently under development and may be partially changed during the actual update.

Starting with Lee Joohee, Pilgrim of the Labyrinth and Spirit Blade: Blizzard, all the way to Hall of the Monarchs and the 4-Player Team Fight Mode—we will continue preparing a wide variety of content so that all of our Hunters can fully enjoy their time this summer.

We are deeply grateful for the incredible love and support you’ve been sending us, and our team is currently hard at work preparing for our 2.5-Year Anniversary.

We are working on various updates to deliver a unique kind of fun and challenging experience that only Solo Leveling:ARISE can offer. We are actively listening to your feedback through various channels and making continuous improvements based on what you share with us, so please stay tuned!

During the upcoming live stream in August, we’ll be able to give you a sneak peek into some of these exciting plans. We will always do our best to repay your support with an even more enjoyable game and spectacular action.

Thank you.

[Developer's Note Surprise Gift]

* The redeem code can only be used once per account, and rewards will be distributed immediately upon use.

* The redeem code is valid until August 26, 2026, at 23:59 (UTC+0) and cannot be used after this period expires.

* [Treasure Hunt] Event Tickets will be converted into Gold after the event ends, so please make sure to claim and use them before the event concludes.

- Solo Leveling:ARISE Team -