A standard Run has three Missions followed by a World Boss. The second Abraxas Stone unlocks the Final Boss, so a Run can then continue from the World Boss into that additional encounter. Returning to Sanctus Clypeus between Missions does not finish the Run or unlock the Loadout Station.
If you quit, the official rule is to resume at the hub before the Mission you last played. In co-op, the same player must host to continue that Run. Check saving and host rules, or follow the full sequence below.
Mission, District, Ward, Run, and Hunt
| Term | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mission | An assignment selected at the War Table with objectives, enemies, an estimated duration, and rewards. | Official Support |
| District | The combat location or stage traversed during a Mission. Nexus Gates divide its encounter areas. | Official Support and review footage |
| Ward | A major region of Gildenarch containing documented Mission locations. | Official Wiki |
| Run / Hunt | The full attempt: three Missions, then a World Boss, followed by the Final Boss when available. Running out of lives also ends it. | Official system guides and multiple launch reviews |
| World Boss | The encounter after three Missions that advances Abraxas Stone progression. It still comes before the Final Boss once that fight is unlocked. | Official Run guide |
Official Support sometimes uses Mission and Run loosely, while the videos and release UI separate the short District assignment from the longer active Run. This guide uses the terms above so reward checkpoints and Loadout restrictions stay clear.
The Complete Run Timeline
- At Sanctus Clypeus, choose your starting Loadout and Angel, set the difficulty, and select the first Mission.
- Clear objectives and Nexus Gates in District Mission 1. Equip or Store useful Gear and choose temporary Boons.
- Defeat the District boss and return to the hub. The Life Pool refills and secured progress is banked, but the Run remains active.
- Use the hub services available during the intermission, then select District Mission 2.
- Repeat the Mission flow, return to the hub, and continue into District Mission 3.
- After the third Mission, return to the hub and enter the World Boss encounter. A World Boss is still part of the route even after you have collected all three Abraxas Stones.
- Once the second Abraxas Stone has unlocked the Final Boss, the Run can continue beyond the World Boss. Defeating the Final Boss grants the third Stone. Running out of lives also ends the Run.
The September 2 developer clarification confirms three Missions followed by a World Boss. The official Run guide clarifies that the second Stone unlocks the Final Boss and that this encounter follows the World Boss. If Mahkteah awards your second Stone, you can continue to the Final Boss in that same Run.
What You Can Do Between Missions
| Available at the hub | Release behavior and limits |
|---|---|
| Life Pool | Refills after Mission completion and before the World Boss. |
| Blacksmith and permanent upgrades | Upgrade purified Armory Gear for future starting Loadouts. |
| Merchant, supplies, and NPC services | Restock or use unlocked progression services before the next Mission. |
| Current field Gear | Gear already carried in the active Run remains the practical way to change the current build. |
| Starting Loadout menu | Stays locked until the full Run ends, as confirmed by the developer. |
| Co-op party | The official design returns both players to the same hub lobby so they can continue together. |
The September 2 clarification supersedes the broader wording in the earlier AMA: returning to the hub does not reopen the Loadout Station. You can still equip field gear and use available vendors or progression services. Prepare your starting kit before the Run begins.
For why new equipment appears at Common and cannot replace your starting kit yet, see the Loadout Station explanation.
Life Pool, Mission Failure, and True Death
Single-player deaths consume a Life and trigger an automatic revival with a burst that pushes nearby enemies away. True Death occurs when the Life Pool is empty. The current Mission ends, and the larger active Run ends with it.
Mission completion refills the Life Pool before the next District. The official AMA also confirms a refill before World Boss fights. In co-op, the party shares the Life Pool and partners can revive each other.
Unsecured Gear is gone after failure. Gear carried through a Nexus Gate survives in a weaker purified form, while XP, Levels, Scrolls, some Souls, and other documented permanent progress remain.
What Persists During and After a Run
| System | Between District Missions | After the full Run ends |
|---|---|---|
| Equipped field Gear | Continues with the active build. | Purified versions remain if the Gear was secured. |
| Nexus Gate Boons | Most launch footage shows them continuing, although official duration wording conflicts and at least one potion exception was reported. | Temporary choices reset. |
| Life Pool | Refills after each completed Mission. | A new Run starts with the current unlocked maximum. |
| XP, Levels, Scrolls, upgrades | Permanent progress remains banked. | Still available in later Runs. |
| Starting Loadout | The station remains locked until the full Run ends. | Editable before the next new Run. |
Official sources disagree on whether Gold is kept after failure. See the Purification guide for the full kept-and-lost checklist and the exact source conflict.
Handcrafted Locations, Changing Content
The developers describe defined spaces that players can learn. Randomized enemies and challenges change what happens inside those locations. Independent reviews also observed changing objectives and route access.
The documented locations are fixed, handcrafted spaces. Replay variation comes from the enemies, modifiers, objectives, rewards, and which routes are available in a given attempt.
How Long a Full Run Takes
No official full-Run duration has been published. The War Table provides an approximate time for an individual Mission, but a full attempt also includes exploration, three District Missions, hub stops, build decisions, a World Boss, and the additional Final Boss encounter once available.
Difficulty, route choice, optional exploration, solo or co-op play, experience, and time spent at the hub can change the total substantially. Use the War Table estimate to budget time for the next Mission, not the whole Run.
Saving, quitting and continuing
The official Run guide resumes a stopped Run at Sanctus Clypeus before the last Mission, rather than at the exact point where you stopped fighting. Keep the same host when resuming a shared co-op session.
Hotfix 1.0.1 also lets a guest retain Run progress and continue solo. This is different from switching hosts for the same shared session. Before abandoning or restarting, check what each player can continue and compare permanent progress.
If levels or permanent unlocks are missing, use the save-loss checklist. The co-op issue table separates released fixes from remaining problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is one Mission a full Run?
No. A Run spans three Missions and a World Boss, and can continue to the Final Boss once unlocked. Returning to the hub after one Mission does not end it.
How many Missions are in a full Run?
Three Missions, then a World Boss. The second Abraxas Stone unlocks the Final Boss, which follows the World Boss and grants the third Stone when defeated.
Does the Life Pool reset between Missions?
Yes. The official developer AMA says it refills after a completed Mission and before World Boss fights.
Can I change my starting Loadout between Districts?
No. The developer confirms that the Loadout Station remains unavailable until the full Run ends through completion or death.
How long does a full Run take?
There is no official fixed duration. Check the approximate time for the next Mission at the War Table and allow additional time for hub stops, the World Boss and the Final Boss if available.
Can I quit between Missions and resume later?
Yes. The official guide says you resume in Sanctus Clypeus before the Mission you last played. In co-op, the same player must host to continue that Run.
Are the maps procedurally generated?
No. The developers describe defined, learnable spaces with randomized content inside them.
Sources and Evidence
Official sources explain the rules. Third-party gameplay reports are identified by author and describe the version or session shown; they are not our own tests.
- Official How Runs Work video
- Official How Builds Work video
- Crimson Moon Support: What is a Mission?
- Crimson Moon Support: Completing a Mission
- Crimson Moon Support: Failing a Mission
- Crimson Moon Support: Sanctus Clypeus
- Official Crimson Moon Wiki: Wards
- Crimson Moon Developer AMA 2
- FightinCowboy launch review and field test
- The Co-Op Bros two-player review and field test
- DarkHero 25-hour review and field test
- Official Crimson Moon Wiki: How Runs Work
- Official clarification: Runs, Loadouts and Gear (September 2)
- Official Hotfix 1.0.1 notes (September 11)