Hell Clock Ascension is quoted as the first endgame system that skips over the campaign and starts the rogue-like venture into the endgame. Here, we will be dealing with new concepts such as Penances and Hell Level to make the game more difficult, adding an extra layer of challenge to the core game. You will have a limited number of runs to clear out all three bosses in the game. Here is a complete guide to the Ascension system in Hell Clock.
All the Features You Lose in Ascension
Starting an Ascension in the game is a fresh start, a complete reset of the game’s world. Losing will result in starting the game from scratch. Here is the stuff you lose when you start an Ascension:
- Acquired Levels
- Relics
- Soulstones
- Gear
Ascension does allow you to start the endgame run with all the skills unlocked, but you must beat all three major bosses with the limited amount of runs (Max 7). You are also allowed to set your difficulty level that fits the challenge that you can handle in the game. The game on Ascension boils down to creating new builds, Relics, Constellations, and more to figure out the gameplay that can improve your gameplay.
All the Features You Keep in Ascension
The selection is very few compared to the things you lose in Ascension. Now we take a look at the stuff we keep in the Ascension run:
- Completed Promises
- Highest Hell Level Unlocked
What are Penances and Hell Level Systems?
Ascension also added two new systems: Hell Level and Penances, to make the game interesting.
Penances: They act as modifiers or penalties on your character. One Penance can enable more damaging status effects from enemies, while others can reduce your overall defence.
Hell Level: Penances will have a direct influence over the Hell Level. Activating more Penances will increase the Hell Level. The beta version caps the Hell Level at 35.
Both are designed to serve an excellent, difficult experience, and you get to choose how difficult you want the game to appear on your play.
Note: On your first journey, you will only make it to Hell Level 10. Only after you beat Hell Level 10 can you go to Hell Level 25, and it goes on until Hell Level 35. In the future, the Ascension will support up to Hell Level 100.
All the Changes Ascenion offers
The main modification you will notice is the changes present in the game. The game will feel different, and it is many ways plays a bit differently than the main game. Here is the list of changes that come with Ascension.
- Ascension starts with all skills present at the start, which includes all the NPC services at the hub.
- The Great Bell of Canudos is replaced with The Infernal Bell.
- A Run Counter is placed below the mini-map. Unable to defeat the three major bosses before Run Counter will result in a Failed Ascension. Then you must start it all over again.
- Ascension has a limited number of times you are allowed to descend into Hell.
- You can only adjust the difficulty at the start of each Ascension run and fiddle with Penances. Once you are in-game, you are unable to make any changes.
Also Read: Hell Clock: Veil of Quills Chain Explosion Build Guide
Spending Constellation points under Ascension
The constellation system comes close to a class system in the game. It allows you to create a build for an Ascension run. These points will be the deciding factor of your victory. At the start of Ascension, you are allowed to spend points in the Constellations under three Devotion Paths:
- Fury (Red Color): Warrior Path
- Discipline (Green Color): Rouge Path
- Faith (Blue Color): Mage Path
As you acquire more Constellation points, you will feel free to experiment between all three Devotion Paths (Fury/Discipline/ and Faith). When you are starting out in the game, you must choose only one of these 3 paths to focus on in the game. The choice of the Devotion path will affect the drop rate of certain Relics and unlock new relics in the game.
What do you get from completing Hell Rock Ascension?
The game will get significantly harder, but you are getting way too many benefits, most of which show up in the form of rewards:
- Promises: Promises are achievements that reward you with Constellation points.
- Unique Relics: Unlock high-quality relics linked to your devotion path choice. You will obtain some Relics that can be used for general purposes without being related to any of the Devotion paths.
Should You Skip the Campaign or Play it before Ascension?
If you have played the campaign before and are looking for the instant challenge, you can directly jump to the Ascension by selecting Skip Campaign. But if you are a newcomer, we highly recommend that you play the campaign, so when you reach the end, you will receive 4 Constellation Points for the Ascension Run. Think of it as a starter gift for the very first Ascension run instead of showing up empty-handed.
