Codex Rifts¶
In the decades following the Codex War, scholars studied the magical artifacts and lore recovered from the fallen forces. They discovered strange otherworldly creatures, dubbed "rift spawns", that had the ability to tear openings between realms and times.
When rift spawn are defeated, there is a small chance a rift gate will form at the site of its demise. These rift gates shimmer with flawed magic and are a window back in time to Britannia during the early dark days of the Codex War.
Traveling through these "codex rifts", players find themselves embroiled in the raging battles of the past. Survivors from that era see the players as allies sent from the future to help turn the tides of war.
Many adventurers have tempted fate and entered a rift gate, hoping to change the course of history by intervening in events before the Codex's destruction. None are known to have succeeded. The currents of time are not so easily altered.
How Rift Gates Spawn¶
Rift Spawns¶
Throughout Britannia, creatures can randomly spawn as Rift Spawns - twisted versions of normal creatures empowered by temporal magic. These creatures are visually distinct and more dangerous than their normal counterparts.
- Rift spawns can appear anywhere in the world
- Higher fame creatures have a higher chance to spawn as rift spawns
- They retain the characteristics of their base creature type but are significantly stronger
Gate Formation¶
When a rift spawn is killed, there's a chance it will create a rift gate:
- Gate spawn chance: 1% to 50% based on the creature's fame level
- The gate appears at the location where the rift spawn was defeated
- Only players within 16 tiles of the kill can enter the gate
- You don't need to have dealt damage - proximity is all that matters
- The gate remains for a limited time before closing
Entry Restrictions
Only one account per player may enter a Codex Rift instance at a time. This prevents multi-client abuse and ensures fair gameplay.
The Rift Instance¶
Environment¶
Once you enter a rift gate, you're transported to an instanced version of Britannia during the Codex War:
- Duration: 60 minutes per instance
- Ruleset: Full Felucca rules apply
- PvP: Players can attack each other freely
- Exit: You can leave at any time, but cannot re-enter the same instance
Rift Champions¶
Inside the rift, you'll encounter powerful champions fighting in the war:
- 8 unique rift champions exist, but only 3 are active at any given time
- Champions spawn at specific locations throughout the rift
- Each champion has unique abilities and mechanics
- Defeating a champion yields significant rewards
Rift Masters¶
After defeating a rift champion, a Rift Master may appear:
- Extremely powerful enemies that require coordination to defeat
- Have a 5-minute respawn delay after being killed
- Drop the best rewards including rare statues
- Award Rift Shards based on damage dealt (top damager gets 5, scaling down from there)
Rewards¶
Rift Shards and Codex Shards¶
The primary currency earned from Codex Rifts:
- Rift Shards: Awarded when killing rift masters (1-5 based on damage contribution)
- Codex Shards: Low chance to drop from any mob killed inside a rift
- Both currencies can be spent at reward vendors in Dawn (Event Center)
Monster Statues¶
Rift masters have a chance to drop rare monster statues with unique "rift" hues:
- Decorative statues of various creatures
- Special rift-themed coloration
- Rare collectibles for housing
- Single-click shows the creature name
Experience¶
- Fame and karma gains
- Champion spawn experience
- Valuable loot from champions and mobs
Strategy & Tips¶
Finding Rift Spawns¶
- Hunt in areas with high monster density
- Target creatures with naturally high fame (dragons, daemons, etc.)
- Travel with a group to cover more ground
- Stay alert - rift spawns can appear anywhere
Entering Rifts¶
- Keep an eye on surrounding players when hunting rift spawns
- Position yourself within 16 tiles of potential rift spawn kills
- Be ready to enter quickly before the gate closes
- Remember you can only enter with one account
Inside the Rift¶
- Team up: Rift champions and masters are challenging
- Watch your back: Full PvP is enabled
- Manage your time: You only have 60 minutes
- Focus on damage: Rift Shard rewards scale with damage contribution
- Don't overstay: Exit before the timer expires or risk being ejected
Optimal Builds¶
- Tamer: Strong pet damage for rift masters
- Mage: Area damage and utility for mob clearing
- Dexxer: High single-target damage for champions
- Bard: Provoke champions onto each other or reduce their effectiveness
Account Restrictions¶
To prevent exploitation and ensure fair play:
- Only one account per player allowed in a Codex Rift at a time
- If you somehow enter during a ban period, you'll be ejected to Dawn
- Standard dungeon multi-client restrictions apply
Related Systems¶
- Currencies - Learn about Rift Shards and Codex Shards
- Achievements - Track your rift exploration accomplishments
- Champion Spawns - Related endgame PvM content
Patch History¶
The Codex Rift system was introduced in Patch 0.27 and has received numerous balance updates:
- 0.27: Initial implementation
- 0.28: Spawn range adjustments
- 0.29: Account restrictions added
- 0.30: Rift master timer fixes
- Various patches: Balance adjustments to champions and spawn rates
For detailed patch history, see the patch notes.