The First Descendant Conquest Event Guide: Rewards, Phases, and Rules

What Is the Karel’s Mothership Conquest Event?

Conquest is the highest difficulty available for the Karel’s Mothership Mega Dungeon. It sits above Normal and Hard difficulty and is available only during the event period.

The mode is more than a version of Hard difficulty with larger enemy health bars. Conquest introduces several additional challenges:

• Increased Vulgus attack power and health

• Enhanced abilities for four Commander types

• Modified objectives and enemy compositions in selected Combat Zones

• Different enemy spawn locations

• More Elite enemies

• Champion Vulgus effects in certain areas

• Additional Commanders in selected Combat Zones

The event has two connected goals. Every player can attempt one clear to obtain the standard Conquest honor rewards. Competitive squads and solo players can also chase faster completion times through the Ranking Run leaderboards.

The competitive Ranking Run is divided into Phase 1: Elite Squad and Phase 2: Team and Solo. Each phase has different rules for party setup, duplicate Descendants, matchmaking, leaderboard eligibility, and rewards.

How to Unlock Conquest Difficulty

You must clear Karel’s Mothership on Normal difficulty once to unlock Conquest. Completing Hard difficulty is not required.

After unlocking the Mega Dungeon, it can be accessed from Karel’s Mothership on the World Map or through the Tactical Transport Control NPC found in Albion and the Axion Plains.

Conquest matchmaking became available with Patch 1.4.2. However, matchmaking access and Ranking Run eligibility are not the same thing. Players chasing leaderboard rewards must follow the separate participation rules for their current phase.

Phase 1 Elite Squad Rules

Phase 1 is designed for organized teams competing for the fastest Karel’s Mothership clear. Its requirements are stricter than those used during Phase 2.

A valid Phase 1 ranking squad must follow these rules:

• The run must be completed by a four-player party.

• The party must enter through a Private Operation.

• Public matchmaking is not accepted for the Elite Squad ranking category.

• Duplicate Descendants are not allowed.

• Normal and Ultimate versions count as the same Descendant group.

• All four players must remain in the activity until completion.

• Ranking is based entirely on the fastest completion time.

For example, a squad cannot use Viessa and Ultimate Viessa together. They are treated as duplicate members of the same Descendant group.

If a player leaves during the run, the dungeon may automatically adjust its difficulty to the remaining party size. However, that record will be excluded from Ranking Run rewards. Runs completed with fewer than four players will also not appear on the four-player squad leaderboard.

Phase 2 Team Rules

Phase 2 opens the Ranking Run to a wider selection of team compositions and removes several Phase 1 restrictions.

Team rules during Phase 2 include:

• Every valid team record requires four players.

• Public matchmaking is available.

• Groups containing one to three players can use matchmaking to form a complete squad.

• Duplicate Descendants are allowed.

• Rankings continue to use the fastest completion time.

• A mid-run departure disqualifies the team record from ranking rewards.

Allowing duplicate Descendants gives teams more freedom to stack strong damage, support, survivability, or area-clearing setups. A complete four-player finish remains mandatory for leaderboard eligibility.

Phase 2 Solo Rules

Phase 2 also introduces a separate solo Ranking Run.

Solo attempts must be started through a Private Operation. Rankings are calculated separately for each Descendant, meaning players compete against others using the same character.

Normal and Ultimate versions receive separate leaderboards. For example, a Normal Bunny record and an Ultimate Bunny record do not compete within the same solo ranking.

This structure gives more Descendants a realistic opportunity to reach the Top 30 instead of placing every character into one global solo leaderboard.

How Conquest Rankings Work

The Ranking Run does not use kills, damage dealt, score, or deaths as its primary ranking measurement. Placement is determined by the fastest successful completion time.

The main ranking rules are:

• Leaderboards are unified across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

• Phase 1 and Phase 2 use separate leaderboards.

• The leaderboard resets when Phase 1 ends and Phase 2 begins.

• Phase 2 does not reset between its first-half checkpoint and final ranking.

• Final eligibility is based on leaderboard placement at the relevant deadline.

• Ranking rewards are delivered after results have been verified.

• Rewards are not granted immediately after recording a qualifying time.

For team rankings, one account can participate in multiple parties and hold multiple records. However, ranking rewards are distributed only once per account.

The Phase 2 first-half standings are a reward checkpoint rather than the final result. Reaching the Top 30 during the first half does not guarantee the permanent rewards. You must still hold an eligible position when the second half ends.

Likewise, missing the first-half Top 30 does not eliminate you. You can improve your time during the second half and qualify through the final standings.

Guaranteed Conquest Clear Rewards

You do not need a leaderboard position to obtain the standard Conquest honor rewards. Clear Karel’s Mothership on Conquest difficulty once during the event to receive:

• Tyrant’s End: Malicious Dominator weapon skin

• Hero of the Dawn: Name Card

• Hero of the Dawn: UI Theme

These rewards are granted once per account and delivered through the in-game mailbox after the successful clear.

Tyrant’s End is a weapon skin for Malicious Dominator. It is not a Descendant outfit.

Additional clears do not provide another set of honor rewards. After the first completion, Conquest gives the same mission completion and enemy defeat rewards as Hard difficulty.

Therefore, one successful clear is enough for players interested only in the guaranteed cosmetics. Repeated attempts are primarily useful for improving leaderboard times or collecting the regular Hard-equivalent mission rewards.

Phase 1 Ranking Rewards

The ten fastest eligible squads at the end of Phase 1 receive a permanent collection of Elite Squad rewards:

• Radiant Dawn Hero Medal

• Trophy of Outstanding Achievement: Karel Defeat Event

• Radiant Hero of the Dawn Name Card

• Radiant Hero of the Dawn UI Theme

The trophy is a Lounge decoration awarded as part of the Phase 1 collection. Final positions are recorded when Phase 1 closes, and the rewards are distributed through in-game mail after the results are checked.

Reaching the Top 10 temporarily is not enough. Your squad must remain within the Top 10 when Phase 1 closes.

Phase 2 First-Half Ranking Rewards

The first half of Phase 2 provides temporary rewards to eligible Top 30 competitors.

Team leaderboard players can receive:

• Dawn Hero Medal of the Shining Squad for 14 days

Solo leaderboard players can receive:

• A Descendant-specific Dawn Hero Medal for 14 days

These first-half medals are temporary and expire after their 14-day usage period. They do not automatically become permanent if the player later falls outside the Top 30.

Phase 2 Final Ranking Rewards

The final Phase 2 standings determine which players receive the permanent rewards.

Eligible Top 30 team and solo competitors receive:

• Dazzling Hero of the Dawn Name Card

• Dazzling Hero of the Dawn UI Theme

Top 30 team competitors also receive:

• Permanent Dawn Hero Medal of the Shining Squad

Top 30 solo competitors receive:

• Permanent Dawn Hero Medal for the Descendant used to establish the qualifying record

Only the final leaderboard position matters for permanent rewards. A player who received a temporary first-half medal but drops outside the Top 30 will not receive the permanent final collection. A player who enters the Top 30 during the second half can still earn the permanent rewards.

Rules That Can Disqualify a Ranking Record

A successful clear does not automatically mean the run qualifies for ranking rewards. Watch for these restrictions before starting a serious leaderboard attempt:

• Phase 1 teams must use four different Descendant groups.

• Normal and Ultimate versions count as duplicates during Phase 1.

• Four-player team runs must finish with all four players.

• A party member leaving during the mission invalidates the team’s reward eligibility.

• Phase 1 ranking attempts require private-party entry.

• Solo rankings require private solo entry.

• Rankings are locked according to the final position at the deadline.

• Unauthorized programs and bug exploitation are prohibited.

• Account sharing or proxy play can result in reward removal or account restrictions.

• Penalties applied to one participant may affect the entire team.

If a ranking is invalidated after the event, its reward is not automatically transferred to the next player or squad. Follow the intended rules from the beginning instead of risking the entire team’s result.

How to Prepare for Conquest

Conquest demands an endgame-ready setup, but raw damage is only one part of preparation. Enhanced Commanders, larger enemy groups, Champion effects, and altered objectives can punish teams that focus entirely on boss damage.

Before entering, check the following:

• Equip a build with enough survivability for sustained encounters.

• Prepare separate tools for mob clearing and single-target damage.

• Learn each Commander’s mechanics instead of relying only on burst damage.

• Decide which player handles support, crowd control, and revives.

• Confirm that every Phase 1 squad member uses a different Descendant.

• Test the complete team composition before chasing leaderboard times.

• Avoid changing the strategy after recording only one weak attempt.

• Keep all four team members connected through the entire ranked run.

Players seeking only the honor rewards should prioritize a safe clear. Competitive teams should first establish a consistent completion before optimizing routes, combat transitions, and boss damage.

Was the Conquest Event Canceled?

No. The playable Conquest Difficulty, its clear challenge, and the Ranking Run were not canceled.

Nexon canceled the separate Karel’s Mothership: Conquest Creator Challenge after several invited creators could no longer participate. That promotional showdown and its voting activity were separate from the player-facing Conquest event.

Players can still enter Conquest, unlock the guaranteed clear rewards, and compete in the official ranking phases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Conquest a permanent difficulty?

No. Conquest is limited-time event content for Karel’s Mothership. Normal and Hard are the dungeon’s standard difficulties.

Do I need to clear Hard difficulty before entering Conquest?

No. Clearing Karel’s Mothership on Normal difficulty once unlocks Conquest.

Do I need a leaderboard rank to obtain Tyrant’s End?

No. Complete Conquest once during the clear event to receive the Tyrant’s End weapon skin, Hero of the Dawn Name Card, and Hero of the Dawn UI Theme.

Can I earn the clear rewards more than once?

No. The honor rewards are distributed once per account.

Can Phase 1 teams use duplicate Descendants?

No. Phase 1 prohibits duplicate Descendant groups. A Normal and Ultimate version of the same Descendant also count as duplicates.

Are duplicates allowed during Phase 2?

Yes, duplicate Descendants are allowed for Phase 2 team runs.

Can I play Conquest through matchmaking?

Conquest matchmaking is available, but the Ranking Run has phase-specific requirements. Phase 1 Elite Squad rankings require a private four-player party, while Phase 2 team rankings support public matchmaking.

How are solo rankings calculated?

Each Descendant has a separate solo leaderboard. Normal and Ultimate versions are ranked independently.

Do Phase 2 first-half rewards become permanent?

No. First-half medals last 14 days. Permanent Phase 2 rewards are based on the final Top 30 standings.

What happens if someone leaves a team run?

The dungeon may adjust to the remaining players, but the record becomes ineligible for team Ranking Run rewards.

Take On Karel’s Mothership

The Conquest event rewards every successful player with a one-time cosmetic collection, while its leaderboards give optimized squads and solo builds a much tougher target. Decide whether you want a safe clear or a competitive time, then follow the correct rules for your phase.

For related progression options, character unlocks, modules, weapons, and mission services, explore available seller offers under The First Descendant boosting. Always check the exact offer scope and follow the game’s Ranking Run rules.