Tide of Desolation is here!
Event Dates/Times
- Event Start Time: 8am CET, Wednesday, December 13th, 2023
- Event End Time: 8am CET, Wednesday, February 14th, 2024
The Land of the Dead has come to swallow the bayou. Ash Bloom brings cinders and insect swarms. Spine Altars tarnish the soil. Halt Desolation’s spread—or die.
Hunters, our latest Live Event begins today, December 13th, and runs through February 14th, 2024. New equipment, Traits, rewards, and story chapters are ready for you to explore and enjoy. As the Tide of Desolation lays waste, you’ll need to choose your side and pledge each of your Hunters to a Pact, which will offer you different benefits as you set about racking up those Event Points. The featured Wildcard Condition, Ash Bloom, will challenge even the most experienced Hunters.
~ The Hunt Team
Ash Bloom
Sunken graves bloom with rot and plagues of flies. The skies darken as Ash Bloom encroaches with a foul intent. Desolation unfolds as all scour Hunt’s most paranormal Wildcard Condition yet for the source of the bayou’s greatest curse.
New Wildcard Condition—Ash Bloom
Ash Bloom is a new multi-phase Wildcard Condition. Light mist will rapidly transition to a heavy blanket of fog, with flurries of ash drifting up from the Land of the Dead. Animals will be in a state of alert, and dogs will bark for the duration of the heavy phase. Phases (and transitions between phases) are shorter than the ones within Thundershower.
Ash Bloom Pattern
- Missions start in the heavy phase.
- Ash Bloom alternates between a light and heavy phase.
World
- Crows, ducks, chickens, and horses are more easily spooked during the heavy phase.
- Dogs in cages bark continuously during the heavy phase.
Pacts
Familiar to those who participated in the previous Live Events, each Hunter has the choice to pledge themselves to one of three Pacts:
- The Demented Pact
- The Drowned Pact
- The Grounded Pact
Each Pact comes with their own set of unique Traits which offer new ways to play Hunt: Showdown. These Pacts unlock special powers and can be strengthened by acquiring Pledge Marks through in-game activities.
The Demented Pact
The banishing of the Murmurstone has thrown The Demented Pact into disarray. Their new leader rallies their cult into an unstoppable swarm. They seek the Graven Path that leads to the Targets they revere.
The Demented Pact Hunters:
- The Beast Hunter
- The Scarecrow
- Scourge: Midian / Morrigan
The Drowned Pact
Unleashed from the Land of the Dead, The Drowned Pact roams the bayou. They are plagued with bloat and the curses of sunken ships. Each Drowned struggles to save their fate from sinking once more.
The Drowned Pact Hunters:
- Captain Laffite
- Deckhand
- The Hornback
The Grounded Pact
The Grounded Pact fights harder than ever to save the bayou from being devoured. As new forces vie for power, Daughter of Decay leads the Grounded in search of the source of Desolation and what it feeds.
The Grounded Pact Hunters:
- Daughter of Decay
- Luna Wolf
- Teche Wraith
Pledge Marks
A maximum of 3 Pledge Marks (PMs) can be gained per Mission; each Hunter can only hold 4 PMs maximum. They are tied to each Hunter and are brought out when extracting. They are not physically carried by Hunters and therefore cannot be directly taken from others. The current amount of PMs gained can be viewed in both Mission and Roster.
Sources of Pledge Marks
Each time a Pledge Mark is gained, it is rewarded across the whole team. Each of the 3 sources can only be gained once per Mission:
- Reaching the Event Point (EP) Threshold: Gaining 30 EPs for the first time will reward 1 Pledge Mark.
- Looting your first Hunter: Only the first Hunter looted in a Mission will give 1 Pledge Mark—all loots after this will only give EPs.
- Banishing your first Boss Target or Wild Target: Only the first Banish will give 1 Pledge Mark—banishing the second Target will only give EPs.
Event Points
- Interacting with an Event Clue or Rift – 10 EPs
- Banishing a Boss Target or Wild Target – 12 EPs
- Extracting a Bounty Token – 30 EPs
- Interacting with a Spine Altar – 6 EPs
- Destroying Spine Altars – 3 EPs
- Looting an enemy Hunter – 12 EPs
- Becoming the Soul Survivor – 30 EPs
- Challenges – EPs vary
- Dark Tribute – 200 EPs (1st milestone, daily)
Spine Altars
Spine Altars are the event objects spawned in the world for Tide of Desolation. Like previous events, these objects can reward Hunters with Event Points. Active interaction with Spine Altars will give the most Event Points and is also the quietest method. However, they can also be destroyed, in exchange for less points. This results in an explosion which, after a short fuse time, deals moderate damage to nearby Hunters and causes bleeding.
- Interaction – 6 EPs and the Spine Altar is used up.
- Destruction – 3 EPs and the Spine Altar explodes, damaging anything in the vicinity.
Altars glow red and produce a sound in the same manner as a Clue when enemy Hunters or Beetles are nearby. The detection range is the same as a Clue.
Pact Traits
Like in previous Tide events, Tide of Desolation features special Traits that can be gained at Supply Points during Missions. You must first pledge your Hunter to a Pact using the Pledge Boxes at Supply Points, after which Event Trait Spurs will appear nearby. Your Hunter must use owned Pledge Marks in exchange for an Event Trait. This transaction is done by interacting with the individual Trait Spur—once the interaction is complete, the indicated Pledge Marks will be deducted. Additionally, Event Burn Traits can be stacked up to 3 times per Hunter.
The visibility of these Trait Spurs is individual. A Hunter can only see the Trait Spurs relevant to their current Pact, meaning what you see at Supply Points may differ from what your Teammate(s) sees.
The Demented Pact
- Berserker (1 PM) – All melee attacks do double damage.
- Rampage (2 PMs) – Killing an enemy Hunter while at least one Health Chunk is empty triggers a Restoration effect for your Hunter. (Burn Trait)
The Drowned Pact
- Mariner (1 PM) – Health and Stamina regeneration is greatly increased while in water and marginally increased while exposed to heavy rain.
- Remedy (2 PMs) – Using Dark Sight, interact with a Trait to trigger a Restoration effect similar to banishing for your team's Hunters. (25m) (Burn Trait)
The Grounded Pact
- Shadow Leap (1 PM) – Using Dark Sight, teleport to the location of a monster, killing it in the process. Excludes Targets.
- Final Gasp (2 PMs) – Looting a Hunter triggers a Restoration effect for your Hunter. (Burn Trait)
Event Traits are only available during the Event; once the Event is finished, they will be removed.
New Equipment
New Weapon Variant: Caldwell Pax Trueshot
The iconic single-action six round revolver receives an extended barrel that increases muzzle velocity. It also features slightly increased damage and effective range, at the cost of a slightly increased recoil. Can be used for dual wielding.
- Basic - Medium Ammo – 6/12
- Dumdum - Medium Ammo – 6/12
- Incendiary - Medium Ammo – 6/12
- Full Metal Jacket - Medium Ammo – 6/12
- Poison - Medium Ammo – 6/12
- High Velocity - Medium Ammo – 6/12
Developer’s Note: This Pax variant has been long requested, and we can’t wait to see what the community does with it.
New Weapon Variant: Drilling Handcannon
The standard Drilling rifle shortened to make a smaller, more compact package. The Drilling Handcannon packs a punch at both medium and close range.
- Basic - Medium Ammo – 2/20
- Dumdum - Medium Ammo – 2/20
- Full Metal Jacket - Medium Ammo – 2/20
- Basic - Shotgun Ammo – 1/3
- Flechette - Shotgun Ammo – 1/3
- Penny Shot - Shotgun Ammo – 1/3
- Slug - Shotgun Ammo – 1/3
Developer’s Note: This medium slot version of the Drilling rifle provides the flexibility to enhance your loadout in many ways. The Drilling Handcannon has a faster reload than its base variant, supporting you in closer engagements, but trades off with lower damage due to the sawn-off barrel.
New Weapon: Katana
A two-handed sword refined over hundreds of years to slice and pierce even the sturdiest armor, making human flesh effortless to rend. A special attack is enabled with the Martialist Trait. The Katana is a medium slot weapon and deals more damage than its Calvary Saber cousin.
Developer’s Note: The Katana is a versatile weapon in its own right, but it truly shines when paired with the new Martialist Trait. This combination unlocks a special melee attack with increased damage. This is a concept we intend to explore further in the future.
New Weapon Variant: Dolch 96 Claw
The German prototype, semi-automatic pistol has a new, hooked blade affixed for hand-to-hand combat. Can be used for dual wielding.
- Basic - Special Ammo – 10 / 10
- Dumdum - Special Ammo – 10 / 10
- Full Metal Jacket - Special Ammo – 10 / 10
New Weapon Variant: Drilling Hatchet
The Drilling Hatchet features an additional blade to create a powerful multipurpose weapon.
- Basic - Medium Ammo – 2 / 20
- Dumdum - Medium Ammo – 2 / 20
- Full Metal Jacket - Medium Ammo – 2 / 20
- Basic - Shotgun Ammo – 1 / 3
- Flechette - Shotgun Ammo – 1 / 3
- Penny Shot - Shotgun Ammo – 1 / 3
- Slug - Shotgun Ammo – 1 / 3
Developer’s Note: The Drilling Hatchet enhances the Drilling Handcannon further with a large axe blade. Like the Romero Hatchet, the melee attachment slows down reloading.
New Weapon Variant: Dolch 96 Deadeye
Another new Dolch variant, this one comes with a short scope to utilize the weapon’s power at mid-range. Unlike other Dolch variants, it does not use stripper clip to reload. Can be used for dual wielding.
- Basic - Special Ammo – 10 / 10
- Dumdum - Special Ammo – 10 / 10
- Full Metal Jacket - Special Ammo – 10 / 10
New Weapon Variant: LeMat Mark II Carbine Marksman
The LeMat Mark II Carbine is a versatile weapon, beloved by many Hunters. To take advantage of its longer barrel, Hunters affixed a Marksman scope to create this new variant.
- Basic - Compact Ammo – 9 / 18
- Incendiary - Compact Ammo – 9 / 18
- Full Metal Jacket - Compact Ammo – 9 / 18
- Basic - Shotgun Ammo – 1 / 4
- Dragonsbreath - Shotgun Ammo – 1 / 4
- Slug - Shotgun Ammo – 1 / 4
- Starshell - Shotgun Ammo – 1 / 4
New Custom Ammo on Existing Weapons
- Caldwell Conversion Uppercut Full Metal Jacket Ammo
- Caldwell Pax High Velocity Ammo
- Dolch 96 Dumdum Ammo
- Dolch 96 Full Metal Jacket Ammo
- Winfield M1873 Poison Ammo
- Winfield M1873C Poison Ammo
- Winfield M1876 Centennial High Velocity Ammo
New Trait
Martialist
Cost: 2 Upgrade Points
Allows a Katana to be sheathed, which enables a first strike attack that does extra damage.
Developer’s Note: For the duration of Tide of Desolation, Martialist is only available to unlock through the Battle Pass. After the Event’s conclusion, it will be a Bloodline Rank unlock, in line with other Traits and gameplay items.
Rewards and Battle Pass
A new Battle Pass is available for Tide of Desolation. There is also a free path.
Battle Pass: 1000 BBs
- Unlocks Premium Progression
- Unlocks extra Challenge rewards for faster progression
Battle Pass Bundle: 2440 BBs
- Unlocks Premium Progression
- Unlocks extra Challenge rewards for faster progression
- +15 Battle Pass Levels
Free Tier Rewards
- Equipment Unlock – Caldwell Pax Trueshot
- Custom Ammo Unlock – Winfield M1873 Poison Ammo
- Chapter 1 (Story)
- Equipment Unlock – Drilling Handcannon
- Chapter 2 (Story)
- Custom Ammo Unlock – Winfield M1873C Poison Ammo
- Chapter 3 (Story)
- Custom Ammo Unlock – Winfield M1876 Centennial High Velocity Ammo
- Chapter 4 (Story)
- Equipment Unlock – Katana
- Custom Ammo Unlock – Caldwell Pax High Velocity Ammo
- Chapter 5 (Story)
- Equipment Unlock – Dolch 96 Claw
- Chapter 6 (Story)
- Blood Bonds – 100
- Chapter 7 (Story)
- Custom Ammo Unlock – Dolch 96 Full Metal Jacket Ammo
- Chapter 8 (Story)
- Equipment Unlock – Drilling Hatchet
- Chapter 9 (Story)
- Legendary Combat Axe – Cracked Obelisk
- Chapter 10 (Story)
- Trait Unlock – Martialist
- Chapter 11 (Story)
- Custom Ammo Unlock – Caldwell Conversion Uppercut Full Metal Jacket Ammo
- Chapter 12 (Story)
- Equipment Unlock – Dolch 96 Deadeye
- Chapter 13 (Story)
- Custom Ammo Unlock – Dolch 96 Dumdum Ammo
- Chapter 14 (Story)
- Equipment Unlock – LeMat Mark II Carbine Marksman
- Chapter 15 (Story)
- Legendary Hunter Unlock – The Beekeeper
- Weapon Charm – Boreal Point (Overspill) Note: You cannot buy the Overspill level.
Premium Tier Rewards
- Legendary Regeneration Shot (Weak) – Thorax Brew
- Blood Bonds – 100
- Legendary Caldwell Pax Trueshot – Last Line
- Legendary Liquid Fire Bomb – Fiery Froth
- Blood Bonds – 100
- Weapon Charm – Mother's Prize
- Legendary Drilling Handcannon – Fossil Tooth
- Weapon Charm – Abyssal Anchor
- Legendary Hunter – Thirteenth Mate
- Legendary Dolch 96 Claw – Veil Slasher
- Weapon Charm – Bitter Honey
- Blood Bonds – 100
- Legendary Drilling Hatchet – Razor Spate
- Legendary Katana – Ancestor's Wrath
- Blood Bonds – 100
- Legendary Dolch 96 Deadeye – Pupil Brine
- Blood Bonds – 100
- Legendary LeMat Mark II Carbine Marksman – Sullied & Sworn
Event Store
While Desolation wrecks the bayou, make sure to check out the new, seasonal gear! There are also some returning skins; grab them while you can. Note: You cannot see a bundle if you already own any of the items in that bundle.
- +1 Battle Pass Level – 200 BBs
- +10 Battle Pass Levels – 2000 BBs
- Legendary Hunter – Coal Bearer – 1500 BBs
- Legendary Martini Henry IC1 – Fierce Garland – 1000 BBs
- Legendary Stamina Shot – Blitzen’s Boost – 700 BBs
- Weapon Charm – Defiled Ornament – 300 BBs
- To All a Good Night Bundle – 3090 BBs [list]
- Legendary Hunter – Coal Bearer
- Legendary Martini-Henry IC1 – Fierce Garland
- Legendary Stamina Shot – Blitzen's Boost
- Weapon Charm - Defiled Ornament
- All ‘Winter Solstice’ and ‘Blood & Ice’ items
- Legendary Hunter – Devil's Advocate
- Legendary Cavalry Saber – Corvus
- Legendary Winfield M1873 Swift – Mountain King
- Legendary Quad Derringer – Evergreen
- Legendary Throwing Axes – Calling Bird
- Legendary Fire Bomb – Spirit of Yule
- Legendary Hunter – The Skinflint
- Legendary Vetterli 71 Karabiner – Winter Rose
- Legendary Mosin-Nagant M1891 Sniper – Hailstorm
- Legendary Dusters – Nutcracker
- Legendary First Aid Kit – Cold Snap
[/list]
Event Boosters
- All Pre-Pledged Hunters will have a +10% Event Points Boost. Additionally, for Tide of Desolation, there are several Hunters that give the 10% Boost without being Pre-Pledged. [list]
- The Beast Hunter (Demented)
- The Scarecrow (Demented)
- Scourge: Midian (Demented)
- Scourge: Morrigan (Demented)
- Captain Laffite (Drowned)
- Deckhand (Drowned)
- The Hornback (Drowned)
- Daughter of Decay (Grounded)
- Luna Wolf (Grounded)
- Teche Wraith (Grounded)
- The Beekeeper
- Coal Bearer
- Devil’s Advocate
- The Drowned Kid
- The Drowned Rat
- Thirteenth Mate
- The Skinflint
Don't own Hunt yet? Get your copy for PC on Steam or from the Crytek shop. For Xbox, head to the MicrosoftStore, and for PS, find Hunt on the PlayStationStore.
Got queries or questions? Stop by our social media channels and let us know:
Discord + Facebook + Twitter + Instagram + Xbox + Steam
