As soon as the triple system announcement echoed across the game, the player base exploded into heated discussions. After all, achieving the first clear of a Hard Mode dungeon was a monumental feat, more impressive than breaking a previous record. Within minutes, the official forums were flooded with activity. One pinned post, in particular, drew countless comments and analysis:
**[Understanding the Four Dungeon Difficulties — By MMO Know-It-All!]**
The post began with a simple yet captivating question:
**"How big is the gap between the four difficulty levels in dungeons?"**
As everyone knows, in *Godfall*, there are four dungeon difficulties: Easy, Hard, Expert, and Nightmare. But just how significant is the gap between these difficulties?
First, let's talk about Easy Mode. By now, most players have probably already experienced an Easy Mode dungeon. For those who have, you'll know it's not much different from the dungeons you find in other MMORPGs. The classic setup is there—tanks up front managing aggro, DPS in the back dealing damage.
It's the traditional, foolproof formula we're all used to, and it works for Easy Mode dungeons in *Godfall*.
But what about Hard Mode and beyond? Maybe some of you have ventured into Hard Mode dungeons already, but I'm guessing most haven't.
Allow me to break it down for you in detail.
**Hard Mode dungeons are a completely different beast.** They're not something players at the current level can realistically clear. Firstly, the environments are incredibly harsh, packed with traps and hazards. Secondly, the monsters inside are, on average, 10 levels higher than the players. Just imagine a 10-level gap in stats—10 more attribute points and 5 more feats than you.
But those are just the smaller issues. The real challenge lies in the bosses.
The bosses in Hard Mode are utterly terrifying. Their combat strategies are unpredictable. That's right—completely unpredictable. The traditional "hold aggro at the front, deal DPS at the back" strategy? Useless here.
These bosses will adapt to the battlefield, making smart decisions in real-time. If they're losing, they might even run away! But more importantly, their skills are all over the place—abilities you've never seen or heard of before. Honestly, these bosses are a glimpse of what players' ultimate goal should be in terms of their own classes.
In short, Hard Mode dungeons are not just difficult—they're **insanely** difficult.
I've got a friend who's part of the elite squad from *Chasing Cat's Tail*. According to him, their guild has attempted several raids on Hard Mode dungeons, only to fail each time. In one run, their entire elite squad was nearly wiped out.
And we're talking about *Chasing Cat's Tail* here—a top-tier guild, ranked second in *Godfall*. If even their elite squad almost got annihilated, that tells you just how tough these dungeons are.
That's why it's clear—G&G has some seriously skilled players in their ranks. Possibly someone on a whole different level.
As for Expert and Nightmare Mode, those are in a league of their own—basically a living hell!
But I won't spoil too much. Go see for yourselves.
That's it for this post. Here's my prediction:
**G&G will definitely break into the top 10 guilds in the future.**
---
Players reading the post were in awe, leaving comments under it:
- "Man, MMO Know-It-All is really onto something. This deserves a like!"
- "Agreed! I'm from *Elegy of the Alliance*, and a few days ago, NoobSlayer9000 led us into a Hard Mode dungeon. Holy hell, the whole place was crawling with succubi! A bunch of our guys got drained dry!"
- "Succubi?! Sounds awesome, LOL!"
- "Awesome, my ass! They sucked us dry, and now our stats are crippled. It's a total disaster."
- "By the way, have you guys noticed? Dustwalker was in G&G's team. Does that mean he's with G&G now?"
- "Who's Dustwalker? Is he a big deal or something?"
- "Dude, check the gear leaderboard. He's rocking two purple items and one gold item—he's dominating the top three slots!"
- "Your info's outdated. *Fanged Fish Dagger* isn't Dustwalker's anymore. Some guy called *King of Assassins* has it now."
- "King of Assassins?! That sounds badass. Even so, Dustwalker is still a beast."
- "Yo, G&G cleared a Hard Mode dungeon. That means they're going to have a steady stream of silver and gold gear. Aren't you guys tempted to join?"
- "I've already applied to G&G, hehe. You know what they say—first come, first served!"
- "Same here! G&G is going places!"
- "Going places, my foot! Dustwalker's trash, and so is G&G! *Third Heaven* is way stronger!"
- "Oh look, a *Third Heaven* lapdog barking again. Didn't your entire squad just get wiped?"
- "Screw you! Say that to my face! What's your IGN?"
- "Scared? I'm not hiding—my name's Dustwalker!"
- "Everybody chill. I'll use *Thousand-League Eyes* to see what's going down."
---
Meanwhile, in *Third Heaven's* base in Frostleaf Town...
Archangel was fuming as he scrolled through the forum, the fury boiling inside him.
"Dustwalker! Again?!"
Archangel never expected Dustwalker to join forces with G&G and take down the Hard Mode *Cursed Crypt*.
For a long time, *Third Heaven* and G&G had been rivals, both headquartered in Frostleaf Town. They had always maintained a slight advantage over G&G due to their deeper resources and backing. However, after the failed raid on Dustwalker, *Third Heaven's* strength had taken a nosedive. Without the financial support from their corporate backers, they might have already fallen into the ranks of third-rate guilds.
Now, with G&G claiming the Hard Mode dungeon first clear, the gap between the two guilds was bound to widen even further.
"Damn it!"
Archangel clenched his teeth, seething with frustration. Public perception of *Third Heaven* was plummeting, and it was only a matter of time before they were squeezed out of the top 100 guild rankings.
"No, I can't let this slide. We have to kill Dustwalker and restore our reputation."
Archangel stroked his chin, deep in thought. This time, he planned to leave nothing to chance. He would ensure they were fully prepared before making a move.
---
In the *Frost Highlands*, inside the *Icewind Brigade's* base...
No.1 scowled as he listened to the announcements. "That guy already cleared the Hard Mode *Cursed Crypt*? Damn it!"
"Hey No.1, isn't Dustwalker your main? Why do you sound so upset?" Simon, standing nearby, couldn't help but ask.
"Of course, I'm upset! I was planning on clearing a Hard Mode dungeon next, but he beat me to it."
"Come on, don't joke around. Our guild barely has 10 people, and our average level is 5. What Hard Mode dungeon are you talking about?" Simon scoffed, clearly unconvinced that they stood a chance.
"Who cares? I've decided—we're tackling the *Frost Giant Lair*."
"Bro, that place is filled with frost giants and frost giant mages. Are you serious?" Simon looked like he was about to cry. No.1 was acting like a madman, always coming up with crazy plans.
"You're such a coward! Don't you know? Fortune favors the bold! Besides, you've got me. Call me *Mastermind No.1* from now on."
"Mastermind, my ass. You're just a clone!"
"You little... I'll kill you!"
---
In a dim underground building in Winterhold, the *Assassins' League* had a secret stronghold.
The *Assassins' League* was an NPC-run organization, with branches scattered throughout Argoth. They specialized in completing assassination contracts for clients. Rumors had it that the god Prince of Shadows himself was the leader of this organization!
At this moment, the *King of Assassins* was in this very stronghold, holding a bounty notice in his hand.
**Ding! Regional Announcement (The Northlands):**
*Dustwalker, Naomi, OverallSuspender, and their team have completed the first clear of the Hard Mode dungeon, *Cursed Crypt*, with a time of 4 hours 21 minutes.*
Hearing the system announcement, the *King of Assassins* smirked.
Without a word, he folded the bounty notice and disappeared into the shadows.