Cygames' major expansion DLC, Endless Ragnarok, released on July 9, 2026, for PS5, PS4, Switch 2, and PC, introduces a massive overhaul to the game's difficulty structure. In this Endless Ragnarok difficulty settings explained guide, we will break down every single tier of play available to players. Having a clear grasp of the Endless Ragnarok difficulty settings explained below is vital for planning your progression path from the opening chapters to the absolute limits of the endgame. Whether you are using accessibility features to enjoy the narrative or optimization strategies to conquer the newly introduced Chaos tier, understanding how these modes scale is essential for efficient material farming and character building.
Navigating these settings dictates not only the damage modifiers of bosses like Beelzebub and Ragnalia, but also determines which progression systems—such as Weapon Transcendence and the Summon System—are active. The expansion scales the total roster to 28 characters, including the 6 new DLC arrivals: Beatrix, Eustace, Fraux, Fediel, Gallanza, and Maglielle. Each difficulty tier alters enemy behaviors, unlockable rewards, and the viability of specific party compositions.
Assist Settings for Accessible Play (Story & Action)
For players focusing on the narrative or those who prefer a more relaxed mechanical experience, Endless Ragnarok offers dedicated Assist Modes. These settings can be toggled on or off at any time from the Main Menu under Gameplay Settings, provided you are playing on Story difficulty.
The most automated setting is the Endless Ragnarok full assist mode. When activated, this mode handles almost all combat inputs automatically. Pressing the analog stick toward an enemy causes the active character to perform optimal attack combos, execute Link Attacks, dodge incoming area-of-effect (AoE) markers, and use healing skills or items when health drops below 40%.
| Assist Setting | Automated Actions | Restrictions | Target Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assist Off | None. Full manual control over movement, attacks, dodges, and skills. | None. Available on all difficulty tiers. | Standard and veteran players. |
| Assist Mode | Auto-combos by pressing a single button; auto-dodge assistance. | Only available on Story difficulty. Disabled in online multiplayer. | Casual players wanting active but simplified combat. |
| Full Assist Mode | Auto-attack, auto-combo, auto-dodge, auto-heal, auto-Link Attack. | Only available on Story difficulty. Disabled in online co-op and endgame modes. | Players focused purely on story or with accessibility needs. |
It is critical to note that the Endless Ragnarok full assist mode is strictly locked out of high-level content. You cannot utilize any assist settings when attempting Maniac, Proud, or Chaos difficulty quests. Furthermore, assist features are completely disabled within The Conflux, the expansion's new roguelite solo mode, as well as during high-tier Fatebreaker quests.
Progression Tiers: Easy, Normal, Hard, Very Hard, and Extreme
As you advance through the main campaign and the Quest Counter in Seedhollow or the Folca Hub, you will unlock standard difficulty tiers. Each tier increases the level cap of enemy monsters and improves the drop rates of basic upgrade materials, such as Fortitude Crystals and standard Sigils.
- Easy / Normal: Designed for the initial playthrough. Enemies have low health pools and rarely deploy overlapping red AoE indicators.
- Hard: Unlocks after completing Chapter 5. Bosses begin to use overdrive mechanics more frequently, demanding basic coordination of Skybound Arts (SBA).
- Very Hard: Unlocks upon completing the main story campaign. This tier introduces elemental resistances, requiring players to match their character's element to the enemy's weakness for optimal damage.
- Extreme: Unlocks alongside the post-game Quest Counter. This is the first tier where players must optimize their Sigil loadouts to meet DPS checks.
| Difficulty Tier | Average Enemy Level | Key Unlock Requirements | Primary Materials Dropped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy / Normal | Level 1 - 40 | Available from start | Basic Weapon Materials, Low-tier Spellbooks |
| Hard | Level 41 - 60 | Clear Campaign Chapter 5 | Refinement Ore, Fortitude Crystal (S) |
| Very Hard | Level 61 - 80 | Complete Main Campaign | Elemental Shards, Fortitude Crystal (M) |
| Extreme | Level 81 - 100 | Complete Chapter 0 | Silver Astrum, Fortitude Crystal (L), Tier IV Sigils |
Farming Extreme difficulty is the fastest way for mid-game players to gather the Master Points (MSP) required to push characters to Level 100. Once a character reaches Level 100, they can begin unlocking the expansion's new Master Traits system, which features three distinct progression paths: Insight, Essence, and Crux.
Unlocking the Real Challenge: The Proud Quest Guide
To transition from standard post-game content into the true endgame, players must understand Endless Ragnarok how to unlock proud difficulty. Unlocking this tier requires completing a specific chain of Extreme and Maniac difficulty key quests at the Quest Counter, culminating in the critical prerequisite quest: "The Tale of Bahamut's Rage."
Step-by-Step Proud Unlock Progression
- Clear all red-marked "Key Quests" on Maniac difficulty.
- Complete the quest "The Tale of Bahamut's Rage" to unlock the Epilogue chapter.
- Defeat the Arcarum creation, The World, during the Epilogue storyline.
- Return to the Quest Counter in Seedhollow to receive the Proud Rank Promotion Quest.
Once unlocked, this Endless Ragnarok proud quest guide recommends adjusting your party composition to handle intense damage spikes. In Proud difficulty, bosses like Beelzebub and the dual-boss encounter featuring Seofon and Tweyen can easily wipe an unprepared team with single combat arts.
[Maniac Key Quests] ──> [The Tale of Bahamut's Rage] ──> [Defeat "The World"] ──> [Proud Rank Unlocked]
Survival Tactics for Proud Difficulty
When tackling Proud quests, prioritize defensive Sigils. Equipping Sigils such as Guts, Autorevive, and Potion Hoarder is mandatory for survival. Characters like Vaseraga (utilizing his invincibility frames) or the newly introduced Maglielle (who provides active shields and flying weapon support) excel at keeping the party alive.
If you are struggling with the DPS checks on Proud bosses like Ragnalia, consider farming lower-tier quests to fully upgrade your Ascension or Terminus weapons. Do not attempt Proud difficulty with weapons below level 150, as your damage output will trigger the boss's Enrage timers, leading to automatic party wipes.
Chaos Difficulty: The Ultimate Endgame Frontier
Introduced specifically in the Endless Ragnarok expansion, Endless Ragnarok chaos difficulty represents the absolute pinnacle of challenge in the game. Unlocked only after completing the entire Epilogue campaign and defeating Beelzebub on Proud, Chaos difficulty scales enemy levels well past 150 and introduces new, aggressive attack patterns.
In Chaos difficulty, many boss attacks will one-hit kill characters who lack defensive buffs or specialized S-tier Sigils like Warpath+ or War Elemental+. To combat this extreme lethality, the expansion enables the Summon System exclusively for Chaos-difficulty quests and higher.
The Summon System in Chaos Difficulty
Lyria can summon powerful primal beasts directly into combat to turn the tide. Players can bring up to four summons per party, though only one can be active on the field at a time.
- Controllable Summons: Lucilius and Rolan can be actively controlled by the player to deal massive elemental damage and apply party-wide invincibility.
- Primal Burst: Triggered when all four party members execute their Skybound Arts (SBA) during Link Time while a summon is active. This deals catastrophic damage and bypasses boss defense phases.
- Passive Bonuses: Even when not active, equipped summons provide passive stat boosts, such as increased maximum HP caps and cooldown reduction.
| Chaos Quest Name | Boss Encounter | Recommended Power Level | Unique Drops / Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatebreaker: The Void | Beelzebub (Chaos Form) | 22,000+ | Chaos Calamity Core, Weapon Transcendence Materials |
| Fatebreaker: Heralds | Ragnalia & The World | 23,500+ | Doom Herald Emblem, Slot EX Sigils |
| Fatebreaker: Founders | Seofon & Tweyen (Unchained) | 24,000+ | Supreme Primarch Essence, Master Trait Tokens |
Clearing these Fatebreaker quests on Chaos difficulty is the primary method for acquiring the rare materials needed for Weapon Transcendence. This system allows you to push Defender, Ascension, Executioner, Stinger, Stunner, and Terminus weapons beyond their standard limits, unlocking swappable traits (Slot II up to level 25, Slot IV up to level 10) and unique aesthetic effects.
Optimization Strategies for Chaos Difficulty
Surviving and farming Chaos difficulty requires highly optimized character builds and coordinated team synergy. At this level, tier lists become highly relevant. Sandalphon remains the undisputed SS-tier character due to his Supreme Primarch Mode, which allows him to spam lightstep sword waves while remaining highly mobile. Among the new DLC characters, Beatrix acts as a top-tier DPS by utilizing her high-risk, high-reward Delta Clock mechanic to freeze enemy action frames while boosting her own critical hit rate.
Master Traits Customization
Before entering Chaos quests, ensure your active characters have fully invested in their Level 100 Master Traits. You should customize your active path depending on your party role:
- Insight Path: Best for support and ranged characters like Cagliostro or Eustace. Focuses on cooldown reduction and skill utility.
- Essence Path: Best for main DPS characters like Beatrix or Narmaya. Focuses on raw damage cap increases and elemental attack multipliers.
- Crux Path: Best for tanks and bruisers like Siegfried or Gallanza. Focuses on stout heart duration, defense scaling, and threat generation.
┌─── [Insight Path] ──> Cooldown & Skill Utility (Support/Ranged)
│
[Level 100 Character] ──┼─── [Essence Path] ──> Damage Cap & Elemental Multipliers (DPS)
│
└─── [Crux Path] ────> Stout Heart & Threat Gen (Tank/Bruiser)
Recommended Sigil Loadouts
To maximize damage output while avoiding one-hit KOs, your Sigil grid must balance offense with utility. The table below outlines the optimal Sigil configuration for tackling Chaos-tier content.
| Sigil Slot | Recommended Sigil | Tier | Primary Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slot 1 | War Elemental+ | S-tier | Converts all attacks to the enemy's elemental weakness |
| Slot 2 | Warpath+ (Character Specific) | S-tier | Unique character mechanic buff (e.g., Beatrix Delta Clock extension) |
| Slot 3 | Alpha / Beta / Gamma V+ | A-tier | Enhances SBA damage and raises the global damage cap |
| Slot 4 | Critical Hit Rate V+ | A-tier | Increases crit chance to 100% when paired with Wrightstones |
| Slot 5 | Potion Hoarder V | Utility | Increases green, blue, and mega potion counts for survival |
For more detailed breakdowns on character builds and weapon upgrades, check out our comprehensive guides on Weapon Transcendence and the Summon System. For those seeking to test their skills solo, refer to our walkthrough on The Conflux to master the roguelite gateways in Seedhollow.
To keep up with official updates, balance patches, and community event schedules for the game, visit the official Cygames Granblue Fantasy: Relink Portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Full Assist Mode in Proud or Chaos difficulty?
No. The Endless Ragnarok full assist mode (along with standard Assist Mode) is strictly limited to Story difficulty. Once you progress to Maniac, Proud, or Chaos difficulties, all assist features are disabled, requiring complete manual control over your character's movement, attacks, and evasive maneuvers.
How do I unlock the new Summon System for endgame quests?
The Summon System is unlocked automatically upon entering the Epilogue campaign after defeating "The World." However, summons can only be actively fielded in combat during Chaos-difficulty quests and specific high-level Fatebreaker encounters. They cannot be used in lower difficulty settings like Normal or Hard.
What is the prerequisite to unlock Chaos difficulty?
To unlock Chaos difficulty, you must first unlock Proud difficulty by clearing the quest "The Tale of Bahamut's Rage," complete the subsequent Epilogue storyline, and successfully defeat Beelzebub in his Proud-difficulty encounter. Once these steps are complete, the Chaos difficulty option and its associated Fatebreaker quests will become available at the Quest Counter.