In Solo Leveling: ARISE, players can engage in various game modes, each offering unique challenges and rewards. Here's an overview:
Story Mode[]
Main article: Story
Story Mode is inspired by the events and characters of the original webtoon. It includes Main Chapters, which are essential for unlocking new features and game modes, and Side Chapters, which are optional quests. Each chapter in Story Mode may contain a mix of Story, Battle, and/or Boss Stages, providing a varied and immersive gameplay experience.
Main Story Chapters focus on Sung Jinwoo's journey and must be completed to unlock new features and game modes. To advance through the story, make sure to consistently level up Sung Jinwoo and your Hunters, as higher levels are required to progress further.
Side Chapters explore the stories of specific side characters and Hunter allies of Sung Jinwoo from the webtoon. Although optional, completing these chapters rewards players with Custom Draw Tickets, along with other Stage rewards available within each chapter.
To unlock Hard Mode and replay the Story at a higher difficulty, you must first complete Chapters 7 to 10 on Normal difficulty. This allows you to experience the story again with increased challenges and earn the first clear rewards for each chapter once more.
After completing Chapter 15, Reverse Mode becomes available. This version of the Main Story Chapters features unique Battle Missions and rewards, but restricts you to using only your support Hunters, adding a new layer of strategy to the gameplay.
Hunter Archive[]
The Hunter Archive is a crucial game mode that lets players explore the rich lore and backstories of their favorite hunters. To access it, go to the Lobby and click on the Compass icon, then select Hunter Archive.
To unlock Character Stories and their chapters, players need a Hunter Archive Key, three of which are replenished for free upon the first login of each day. This allows players to gradually uncover the backgrounds and narratives of various characters. As Sung Jinwoo reaches specific levels or completes certain main story chapters, more character stories become available in the Hunter Archive.
Chapters within the Hunter Archive are divided into two types: Story and Battle. Some chapters focus purely on storytelling, offering deeper character insights without combat. Others include battles where players take on the role of the featured character, experiencing their story firsthand. Completing a chapter rewards players with 50 Essence Stones, a special currency used for accessing gates, performing hunter draws, and unlocking other content.
Once all Hunter Archive stories are completed, a new feature called the Secret Library is unlocked. In this mode, players can spend their Hunter Archive Keys to receive various rewards, including costumes, further enhancing the gameplay experience.
Gates[]
Main article: Gates
Gates are essential dungeons for farming character growth materials, primarily Mana Crystals. These crystals can be exchanged in the Store for resources like Weapon Enhancement Gear, Artifact Enhancement Chips, or even Keys for other game modes. To unlock Gates mode, players must first clear the Boss Stage "To Overcome" in Main Chapter Story 2 and complete the Assassin Job Change quest for Sung Jinwoo.
There are five different Gate Types, each with unique challenges and rewards:
- Normal Gates: Standard dungeons that can be played in either Player Mode (with Sung Jinwoo) or Hunter Mode (with only Hunters).
- Dungeon Breaks: Discovered during Difficulty 5 or higher scans, accessible only in Player Mode.
- Bonus Gates: Randomly spawned Gates that appear in unpredictable locations.
- Special Gates: Dungeons with unique objectives, such as destroying treasure chests or defending against goblin waves. These gates give more gold than others, so they're good to clear when the user is low on gold.
- Red Gates: Unlocked after clearing Chapter 7, these are harder Hard Mode-only dungeons with four enemy waves and a debuff-applying sculpture on the stage. They provide better rewards than normal Gates but come with greater difficulty.
Red Gates spawn randomly after clearing other Gates or by rescanning the map. A Red Gate may appear immediately after a scan or after completing several normal Gates. Rescanning is free every five minutes, but players can pay 500 Gold for an instant refresh.
To enter any Gate, players need Gate Keys, with one key consumed per successful attempt. 10 Gate Keys are replenished for free daily, but more can be obtained from the Mailbox or purchased. For continuous Gate farming, 150 Essence Stones can be spent to buy 3 Gate Keys, up to 10 times daily.
Clearing Gates rewards players with a variety of items, including:
- Weapon Enhancement Gear
- Artifact Enhancement Chips
- Armor Artifacts
- Melding Cubes
- Essence Stones
- Reputation, XP, and Gold
Additionally, clearing at least three Gates daily grants up to 14,340 bonus XP. Challenges, Achievements, normal Missions, and Hunter Pass Missions are linked to clearing multiple Gates daily, weekly, seasonally, or in total, providing rewards such as Essence Stones, Gold, and other enhancement materials.
When scanning the map for Gates, players select a Difficulty Level that determines possible rewards, Gate Battle Power, team restrictions, and Gate Types (except for Red Gates). Higher difficulties yield better rewards but come with greater challenges.
Each Gate has team restrictions, requiring either Player Mode (with Sung Jinwoo) or Hunter Mode (with only Hunters). Players should invest in leveling up both Sung Jinwoo and their Hunters to be prepared for any Gate type.
Once a Gate is cleared, players can choose Go to Gate Mining to send a mining team to harvest materials. Initially, players can deploy up to three mining teams, but additional teams can be purchased for 2,000 Essence Stones each. Mining teams earn XP and level up to a maximum of Level 20, providing faster mining times, more gold, and bonus rewards. Gates are mineable for 24 hours after clearing, so it's crucial to dispatch mining teams promptly.
The player's mining team can also level up, as they earn a small amount of XP every time they mine a Gate. There are 30 levels in total with the following rewards.
After clearing Chapter 6, Stage 6 on Normal difficulty, players unlock the Sweep feature, allowing them to auto-clear Gates if their character's Battle Power exceeds the Gate's. The number of Sweeps per day depends on available Sweep Points or Special Sweep Tickets. However, Intermediary Boss kills are not counted when using Sweep, only the Final Boss contributes to Special Kill Commissions.
Encore Missions[]
Encore Mission unlocks after completing Normal Chapter 5: Gatekeeper in Story Mode. This mode allows players to rematch bosses from the side story chapters, but at a much higher difficulty. Since Encore Missions are the primary way to obtain armor artifacts, including helmets, body armor, gloves, and boots, they should be completed daily to ensure steady character progression.
Unlike most game modes, Sung Jinwoo cannot be used in Encore Missions. Instead, players must rely on other Hunters they have acquired through gacha or other means. The bosses encountered in this mode are significantly stronger than their side story versions, making it essential to have a well-built team before challenging them. Players should also ensure their team is at the recommended level to handle the difficulty.
Each boss fight is divided into 20 tiers, with additional challenge tiers unlocking from Tier 21 onward. These higher tiers introduce Proof of the Strong stages, pushing players to test their team’s strength against even tougher opponents. Since higher tiers offer better rewards, players are encouraged to progress as far as possible. The artifacts obtained from this mode are adjusted according to tier difficulty.
| Tier | Obtainable Artifact Lv. |
|---|---|
| Tier 1-5 | Lv. 20-35 |
| Tiers 6-10 | Lv. 45-55 |
| Tier 11 or higher | Lv. 65-75 |
Before starting an Encore Mission, players can check the mission details, which include the boss’s passives and the recommended attributes that are most effective against them. This allows players to strategize and build a team that can counter the boss's strengths. Each difficulty tier also has its own set of Battle Missions, which grant additional rewards upon completion.
To enter an Encore Mission, players must use one Dungeon Mission Unity Key. These keys replenish for free daily, but players can also purchase additional keys from the Mana Crystal Exchange and Guild Exchange Shop. For those looking to maximize rewards, there is also an option to increase the number of keys used per run, resulting in a greater amount of loot.
In addition to armor artifacts, Encore Missions provide various other rewards, including enhancement chips, gold, essence stones, and more, depending on the stage and difficulty. Since stronger bosses yield better rewards, players should aim to challenge higher tiers as their Hunters grow in strength.
Instance Dungeon[]
The Instance Dungeon game mode becomes available after completing Chapter 9: The Birth of a New Monarch in Story Mode. This mode allows players to rechallenge bosses from the Main Story, providing a tougher fight and a chance to earn high-level accessory artifacts.
Since Instance Dungeon is the main source of accessory artifacts—including rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces—players should aim to complete it daily to maximize their rewards. The higher the tier, the better the artifact rarity.
Each boss fight in Instance Dungeon is divided into 20 standard tiers, with Challenge Tiers starting at Tier 21 or higher. These Challenge Tiers introduce Proof of the Strong stages, offering an even greater challenge.
| Tier | Obtainable Artifact Lv. |
|---|---|
| Tier 1-10 | Lv. 40-55 |
| Tier 11 or higher | Lv. 65-75 |
With each difficulty tier, the boss’s strength, passive abilities, and recommended attributes will be displayed in the Instance Dungeon menu, allowing players to prepare accordingly.
Each Instance Dungeon difficulty has a set of Battle Missions that players can complete to earn bonus rewards in addition to the standard loot.
To enter an Instance Dungeon, players must use a Dungeon Mission Unity Key. These keys replenish for free daily but can also be obtained from Mana Crystal Exchange and Guild Exchange Shop.
For greater rewards, players can increase the number of Unity Keys used per attempt, enhancing the amount of loot received.
Aside from accessory artifacts, players can also obtain Artifact Enhancement Chips, Gold, Essence Stones and other valuable resources.
With progressively harder tiers, customized difficulty scaling, and powerful rewards, Instance Dungeons are a crucial part of character progression, ensuring players can continuously strengthen their Hunters and optimize their builds.
Battlefield of Trials[]
Battlefield of Trials unlocks after completing Chapter 7, Stage 4 of Story Mode. This game mode allows players to challenge multiple floors filled with strong enemies, including powerful bosses. Unlike other modes that have a set number of stages, the Battlefield of Trials continuously expands with new floors added in every other update. Players can attempt this mode as many times as they like since it does not require any keys or consumable items to participate.
The mode is divided into two variations: Player Mode and Hunter Mode. In Player Mode, players control Sung Jinwoo, with other Hunters assisting, similar to Instance Dungeons. In Hunter Mode, Sung Jinwoo is unavailable, and players must rely solely on their recruited Hunters, similar to Encore Missions. Each mode contains 40 floors at launch, with more added over time, providing an ongoing challenge for players to tackle.
Each floor features different enemies and conditions, requiring players to adjust their team compositions accordingly. Some floors impose specific team formation requirements, adding another layer of strategy. The mission details display useful information such as enemy passives and recommended attributes, allowing players to plan ahead and build the most effective team. Additionally, each floor has its own set of Battle Missions that provide bonus rewards upon completion.
Rewards in the Battlefield of Trials vary depending on the floor. Players can obtain Gold, Melding Cubes, Skill Scrolls, Mana Power Elixirs, Custom Draw Tickets, Designs, Essence Stones, Marks of Time, Artifact Enhancement Chips, Shadow Energy, Abyssal Fragment, Abyssal Energy, and Rune Fragments. Since the mode has no entry restrictions, players can repeatedly challenge floors to farm valuable materials and strengthen their characters.
Battlefield of Time[]
Battlefield of Time unlocks after completing Chapter 10 of Story Mode and differs from other game modes by focusing on how quickly players can clear a stage. The faster a stage is completed, the better the rewards. This mode is divided into two sections: Season and Challenge, each offering unique challenges and ranking systems.
In Season mode, players fight against a specific boss using Sung Jinwoo and other Hunters. The boss changes with each new season, and before a new season starts, players enter a Practice Period. During this time, they can test different team compositions to find the most effective way to defeat the upcoming boss as quickly as possible.
Challenge mode follows a different structure. Here, players can only use Hunters other than Sung Jinwoo, and the boss changes weekly instead of seasonally. Additionally, each week introduces a "Rule of the Week," which applies a special condition to the fight, requiring players to adapt their strategy. Challenge mode also consists of five tiers, with each higher tier featuring increasingly stronger bosses.
Battlefield of Time does not require any keys or consumable items, allowing players to retry stages as much as they want to improve their scores. However, the initial clear rewards can only be obtained once, meaning replays are primarily for improving ranks rather than farming materials.
This game mode features a ranking system that places players on a server-wide leaderboard based on how fast they clear the boss. Higher ranks yield better rewards at the end of a season. The player's ranking is determined within a group of 100 players, and the top performers receive superior rewards.
Rewards in Battlefield of Time vary based on performance. The usual rewards for individual stage clears include Gold and Mana Crystals. End-of-season ranking rewards typically include Essence Stones, Designs, and Melding Cubes. Additionally, players can earn achievement rewards for meeting specific conditions, which usually consist of Mana Power Elixirs and Artifact Enhancement Chips.
Power of Destruction[]
Main article: Power of Destruction
Power of Destruction unlocks after completing Chapter 14 of Story Mode. This game mode challenges players to deal as much damage as possible to a powerful enemy, earning points based on the total damage inflicted. These points determine player rankings, and rewards are distributed accordingly.
In this mode, players can use two separate teams of Hunters to register scores. The combined points from both teams determine the overall ranking. Properly leveling up and equipping Hunters with the best weapons and artifacts is crucial for achieving a high score.
The boss in Power of Destruction undergoes minor changes periodically, such as weaknesses or attack patterns, so it's essential to check the boss info before attempting a run. Players can register their best score after defeating the boss, but once registered, the score becomes permanent for the day. If unsatisfied, players can retry or adjust their team before committing to a final score.
Power of Destruction rankings reset daily. After each reset, rewards are distributed based on player performance, and slight adjustments may be made to the boss, such as elemental weaknesses. Players can make unlimited attempts without any key restrictions, but once scores for both teams are registered, the mode is locked until the next reset.
Rewards in Power of Destruction are divided into three categories:
- Overall Rank: Competing against all players in the server, rewards are Destruction Chests.
- Group Rank: Competing within a smaller group, rewards include Blessing Stone Transcendent Stone Chests, Gold, Powder of Blessing, Essence Stones, and Destruction Chests..
- Solo Challenge: Achieving specific score thresholds to earn instant rewards, including Blessing Stone Transcendent Stone Chests, Gold, Powder of Blessing, Essence Stones, and Destruction Chests.
The Destruction Chest contains various crafting materials such as Powder of Blessing, Essence Stones, Mana Power Crystals, Melding Cubes, and Designs. The exact options available depend on whether the chest is Level 1, 2, or 3.
Battlefield of Chaos[]
Battlefield of Chaos unlocks after completing Chapter 15 Episode 6 on Normal Mode. This game mode is the primary way to farm Gems, which become available after clearing Chapter 15. Gems can be equipped in a dedicated screen to provide additional bonuses to Sung Jinwoo, his allied Hunters, and his Shadows.
Once unlocked, Battlefield of Chaos presents five different options, each corresponding to a specific type of gem. However, some options may be locked at times. Players must fight through multiple waves of enemies to earn rewards, with a total of 10 waves per option. As players progress through the waves, the chances of obtaining higher-quality rewards increase.
Each wave features a set of Battle Missions that, when completed, provide bonus Essence Stones. To participate in this mode, players need Battlefield of Chaos keys, which replenish daily for free but can also be purchased using Essence Stones or Mana Crystals from the Exchange Shop.
The main objective of this mode is to acquire Gems, and the further a player advances, the higher the chances of obtaining rare and powerful ones. Players can also use multiple keys in a single run to enhance the rewards they receive.
Workshop of Brilliant Light[]
Main article: Workshop of Brilliant Light
The Workshop of Brilliant Light unlocks after completing Chapter 10-4 on Hard Difficulty in Story Mode. It is endgame content and the final game mode available in the game.
This mode is a rogue-like raid dungeon where players must clear a series of stages before facing an extremely powerful final boss. Preparation is key, and using the recommended element will increase your chances of success.
Throughout the raid, players will encounter Optional Stages, which grant Blessings (buffs) and Curses (debuffs) that persist until the raid ends. These can significantly impact the difficulty and strategy of the run.
The Workshop of Brilliant Light offers three difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, and Hard, with rewards scaling based on the chosen difficulty.
To enter this dungeon, players need Workshop of Brilliant Light Invitation, with two being provided every week. However, an additional one can be obtained from the Guild Exchange Shop if the user's Guild is high enough level. Maximizing ticket usage is essential to obtaining the best rewards.
The main rewards from this mode include Cores are Core related items like Solidified Stones, which are currently exclusive to this dungeon.
Simulation Gate[]
Simulation Gate is a roguelike-style game mode where battles take place in a virtual dungeon. It unlocks after clearing Normal Chapter 20 and can be played twice a week using Entry Codes, which replenish weekly.
The mode consists of 11 stages, each offering different challenges. Players fight through Normal and Enhanced Battles to earn buffs called Codes, face mid-bosses at Stages 4 and 8, and battle Sung Jinwoo as the final boss at Stage 11. Some stages feature non-combat events for extra rewards, while others provide resting areas to heal or upgrade buffs.
The main rewards include materials for Artifact Enchantment, Dimensional Discs for the exclusive shop, and Memory Chips to unlock permanent stat boosts in the Simulation Gates through Effect Amplification. Strategy is key—choosing the right Codes and managing team composition will determine success. Difficulty ranges from Tier 1 to Tier 30, and completing higher tiers automatically clears lower ones.
Unlike other modes, Sung Jinwoo cannot be used, making team selection even more critical. By progressing through Simulation Gate, players can permanently strengthen Hunters, making future runs easier and more rewarding.
Guild Game Mode[]
Guild Boss[]
Main article: Guild Boss
Guild Boss is an exclusive battle mode available twice a week for guild members. Similar to Path of Destruction (PoD), it allows multiple attempts, but only the best score is recorded at the user's Choice.
The battle features Sung Jinwoo and nine Hunters, split into three teams of three, fighting to defeat the featured enemy as many times as possible within a time limit. Each time the boss’s HP reaches zero, it revives stronger, gaining increased stats and recovering health.
Rewards are divided into Individual and Guild Rewards. Individual rewards are based on the number of boss enrages achieved and are given after the user enters all battle records. Guild rewards are distributed at the end of each season at daily reset (Thursday 0:00 UTC+0), based on the guild’s total contribution. Working together is key to maximizing rewards and climbing the rankings.