Stygian Rifts are structured 3v3 PvP matches accessed via an Arena-based queue system. Players form teams and sign up within a dedicated section of the Arena to compete in 15-minute instanced battles. The focus is on team-based combat, strategic positioning within a dynamic environment featuring shifting doorways, and scoring through player kills and damaging Stygian Servitors. ELO ratings track player performance in this event type.
Equipment Note: In Stygian Rifts, high-end equipment bonuses are normalized to standard GM levels during participant combat.
Joining a Match
Announcement and Sign-Up
Stygian Rifts sign-up area in the Arena.
Fifteen minutes prior to the commencement of a Stygian Rifts event, a server-wide announcement alerts players. During this window, players can proceed to the northeast corner of the Arena to sign up using the Stygian Rifts Sign Up Stone. Only eight team slots are available per event, making early registration advisable to secure participation.
Sign-Up Process
Using the Stygian Rifts Sign Up Stone.
Double-clicking the Sign Up Stone opens the Stygian Rifts menu. This menu displays the time remaining until the event starts, the list of currently registered "Match Teams" (up to 8), "Waiting Teams" queued for a slot if one becomes available, and "Waiting Solo Players" seeking teammates. Buttons at the bottom allow players to "Join With Party," "Join as Solo Player," or "Leave" the queue. The menu can be refreshed using the button in the bottom right.
The Stygian Rifts sign-up menu.
Join With Party: A party leader can register their team by clicking this button if the party consists of exactly three players, all are currently within the Arena region, all are guilded (any guild), no member is already signed up on any account, all followers are stabled, and no member is under the effects of Disguise Kits, Polymorph, or Incognito spells. Successful registration places the team in the Match Teams list if space permits, or otherwise adds them to the Waiting Teams list.
Join as Solo Player:Notification upon joining as a solo player. Individual players can sign up by clicking this button if they meet similar criteria: not in a party, within the Arena region, guilded, not already signed up on any account, followers stabled, and not disguised. They are added to the Waiting Solo Players list. Once three solo players are waiting, the system automatically forms a team, adds them to the Match or Waiting list, places them into a party together, and notifies them of their new teammates.
Leave: This button allows a team leader to disband their registered team or a solo player to remove themselves from the waiting list.
Waiting Period and Disqualification
Example of a disqualification message.
During the 15-minute sign-up window, the system performs periodic Disqualification Checks every 60 seconds. Any player or team found violating the initial sign-up criteria (e.g., leaving the Arena, unstabling pets, joining another Rifts team on another account) will be disqualified and removed from the queue. Affected players are notified of the reason. If a Match Team is disqualified, the highest-priority Waiting Team is promoted. Disqualified teams can re-register if they meet the criteria again, but lose their previous queue position. Players are permitted to duel within the Arena while waiting without risking disqualification, but will forfeit any ongoing duel if their match begins.
Match Start and Rift Cells
A Stygian Rift Cell with Banker and Respawn Brazier.
Once the 15-minute sign-up period concludes, a final disqualification check runs. The system then performs matchmaking for the confirmed Match Teams, pairing the highest ELO-rated team against the next closest ELO team, and so on (team ELO is the average ELO of its members). If an odd number of teams remain, the lowest ELO team does not get a match but receives minor compensation (1 PvP Reward Point, 1 Stygian Rifts Reward Point).
Matched teams are teleported to individual Rift Cells. Each cell contains a Banker for last-minute restocking, an Exit Moongate for emergencies (using it forfeits participation and teleports the player to the Arena), and a Respawn Brazier used during the match. Players have 60 seconds in the Rift Cell for preparation before being transported to the Stygian Rift arena itself.
Stygian Rift Matches
Match Environment and Rules
Stygian Rift matches last for a fixed duration of 15 minutes. Opposing teams start in rooms on opposite sides of the arena. The "Sparse" match variant no longer occurs; all matches use the standard ruleset.
Certain restrictions apply within the Rift:
Players are constantly flagged as "Recently in PvP," affecting certain PvM bonuses.
Summoning spells and the Invisibility spell cannot be cast.
The Hiding and Stealing skills cannot be used.
Players do not consume Reagents, Bandages, Arrows/Bolts, or Refresh Potions.
One free Cure Potion consumption is granted every 30 seconds.
Equipped and backpack items are treated as Blessed upon death, except for Magical items or items crafted with Colored Materials. Poisoned weapons lose their charges on death.
Arena Features
Damage from a lowering doorway.
The Rift arena is characterized by numerous Doorways that periodically raise and lower (now every 15 seconds), creating a constantly changing battlefield. Standing where a doorway attempts to lower inflicts significant damage. Respawn rooms contain Mana Nodes that double mana regeneration rate for players actively using the Meditation skill upon them. Environmental traps may also appear, requiring players to navigate carefully. Blade Spirit NPCs no longer spawn in Rifts.
Scoring
A Stygian Servitor within the Rift arena.
Scoring operates on both individual and team levels.
Individual Score: Players earn points primarily through combat. Killing an opponent grants contributing players points equal to (100 x Damage Dealt %). Damaging a Stygian Servitor (spawns every 60s if none exist, now has 3000 Hit Points) yields points calculated as ((Damage Amount / Creature Max HP) * 100). The player dealing the most damage to a killed opponent receives kill credit for stat tracking.
Team Score: A team's score is the sum of its members' individual scores. The team with the higher score at the end of the 15-minute match wins. Winning teams grant 3 Guild Prestige to the guilds of their members, while losing teams grant 1 Prestige (maximum 3 Prestige per guild per event). Match outcomes (Win/Loss/Tie) also adjust the ELO ratings of all participants.
Player Death and Respawning
Stygian Rift respawn map selection.
Upon death, players are instantly resurrected at full health, stamina, and mana within their team's Rift Cell. They face a 30-second respawn cooldown, during which they can use the Banker to restock. After the cooldown, double-clicking the Respawn Brazier presents a map of the Rift arena, allowing the player to choose a room to teleport back into the fight. Strategic coordination with teammates is advised for selecting a safe reentry point.
Event Completion and ELO
The Stygian Rifts event concludes once all concurrent matches have finished. Players are then ranked based on their individual scores across all matches in the event to determine reward distribution (Guild Reward Points and Battle Commendations). ELO ratings are updated based on match results, and all participants are subsequently ejected back to the Arena.
If a player has not participated in a Stygian Rifts event for 2 weeks or more, their ELO Rating will begin to drift 5% towards the starting value of 800 at the start of each subsequent week of inactivity.
