Ascension (Difficulty)

Redux Only Content Information on this page or section is specific to DD1 Redux for PC.

Ascension is a difficulty level above Nightmare introduced in Dungeon Defenders Redux.

It aims to increase the difficulty and loot quality of nearly all maps to 'endgame levels,' whilst providing an even greater challenge for veteran players. Many of Redux's additions and changes are centered around Ascension.

Differences from Nightmare

• All enemies have higher health, attack damage and (if not already maxed out) movement speed.
• Some bosses are more aggressive and/or possess new attack patterns.
• Cyclopes, a new Ogre variant, spawn on nearly all maps and many challenges.
• Regular Ogres are even more common.
• Eternia Crystals have at least 20,000 HP on all missions.
• All maps playable on Survival or Pure Strategy go up to wave 35 if they did not already last that long.
  • Embermount Volcano still ends on wave 40.
• The Cowboy Monkey heals heroes for less.
• Some bosses in the Polybius gauntlet are swapped.
• The Great Old One is fought at the end of the original Crystalline Dimension mission. He never seals hero abilities.
• Pets are fully functional on all assault missions. However, healing pets restore 85% less hero health in the Temple of Polybius and Returnia series.

Loot

• Numerous items (and hero costumes) are exclusively obtained from clearing maps on Ascension, Divine and Void Crystals and the Plane Gun for example. Some items are tied to map secrets only doable on Ascension.
• The chances for items of Ultimate quality or better to drop or be rewarded are greatly increased.
• At least 45% of dropped loot after a wave finishes will be armor, up from 25%.
• The starting Base Damage stat(s) on acquired weapons and offensive pets is/are much higher, often exceeding 10,000.
• More builder pets can have up to +800 in one or multiple stats.
• Most completion rewards that require playing on a difficulty below Nightmare or Insane are received, in addition to their Nightmare/Insane counterpart.
  • For example: defeating the Kraken in Aquanos as a Huntress or Ranger yields both the Pressurized Energy Core and The Depth Charge.
• Ascension reworks the overall Survival loot quality of all maps. All maps are split up into 4 tiers, with tier 1 being the maps with the lowest quality maps in Ascension (comparable to Infested Ruins on Nightmare), getting better quality with each successive tier until tier 4, the maps with the highest quality available in Ascension.
  • Tier 1: The Deeper Well-Alchemical Laboratory, Moonbase, Dread Dungeon, City in the Cliffs
  • Tier 2: Servants Quarters-The Throne Room
  • Tier 3: Royal Gardens-The Summit
  • Tier 4: Every other map not listed

Notes

• Beating missions on Ascension instead of Nightmare DOES NOT count towards the achievements Mythical Real Time Strategist and Transcendent Survivalist. Pets acquired on Ascension for Catch 'em All and I've Got Monsters in My Pocket do not count either.
• While most builds for Nightmare will work on Ascension (assuming that the player's heroes' stats are high enough), they may have to be adjusted to account for the Cyclopes' snot bubbles.
• Though extremely rare, it is possible for Divine and Void armor to drop during Campaign missions on Ascension Hardcore or Ruthless, such as in The Tinkerer's Lab and Crystal Cave.
• If the last few enemies left to spawn in the wave are Ogres, aka. "Slowgres," they will eventually be forced out.

Tips

• A good way to test if your heroes' stats and gear are ready for Ascension is to play The Deeper Well-Alchemical Laboratory on Campaign with Hardcore enabled.
• Playing through only the first 4-6 waves of Deeper Well Survival on Hardcore is an easy way to level up heroes fast if they are not level 93 or 100 already.
  • Players willing to carry others through Campaign missions can grant their guests more exp. per hour, such as The Tinkerer's Lab or Temple of Water on Ascension Hardcore.

Achievements

File:Ascended Defender.png Ascended Defender - Clear the original, classic campaign (Deeper Well-Glitterhelm) and those maps' challenges on Ascension Hardcore or Ruthless.

• When the player returns to their Tavern after accomplishing this, they are awarded a special one-time accessory. If they have Eternal Defender, their item box also expands to 1,000 slots.

Trivia

• Ascension used to be called "Insanity." Enemies were colored cobalt blue instead of white (light gray on the minimap).

Version History

• 12.0.3:
  • Enemies spawn faster and have more consistent spawn schedules in any given wave.
• ?: Renamed to "Ascension" and changed enemy colors to white.
• ?: Introduced as "Insanity."

See Also

• Ruthless Mode