- Arkheron guides start with map knowledge: ping locations for your team before the match begins.
- High-value star locations hold gold and purple chests with Eternal relic gear.
- Quests, treasure runes, and challenges are the three fastest gearing methods.
- Collect 2 Eternal pieces for a set bonus; collect 4 to transform and gain an extra ability.
- Visit the training room first to test every Eternal before queuing into PvP.
Map Knowledge: The First Skill Every Arkheron Player Needs
Arkheron is a fast-paced PvP extraction-style game where you build your loadout on the fly. Matches snowball quickly, so players who know the map and communicate efficiently gain an early edge over the other teams in the lobby.
Video Highlights:
- Use the map ping system to direct teammates without voice chat
- Star-marked locations contain the best loot tiers
- Green shrine icons mark shard shops for gear, consumables, and revives
- Quests (exclamation marks) reliably drop gold and purple chests
The map doubles as your communication tool. Open the map and ping objectives for your squad — you can even do this before the match starts while choosing your drop location. A single ping telling your team "first objective: quest, then loot the star area" gives newer players immediate direction.
| Map Icon | What It Means | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Star | High-value location, gold/purple chests | High |
| Green shrine | Shard shop: gear, upgrades, consumables, revives | High |
| Exclamation mark | Quest tree, spawns 3 challenging mobs | High |
| Treasure room | 5-6 premium chests, requires a key | Very high |
| Challenge marker | 3v3 arena vs another team, winner takes chests | Situational |
Use the over-map before the match starts to ping your first objective. Teams with a plan consistently out-loot teams that wander into random corridors and settle for green gear.
Green chests found in ordinary corridors only contain standard green gear — it cannot be upgraded and offers no set bonuses. It is serviceable early, but every good Arkheron run should transition toward high-value locations quickly.
Eternals and Set Bonuses Explained
The Eternal system is the heart of Arkheron's build crafting. In the training room, every Eternal in the game lines the walls with their full gear sets displayed beneath them. Spend time here before queuing: read each piece, equip the sets, and test the four-piece transformation ability.
- 1 piece: Grants the Eternal's base power (e.g., a summon, aura, or utility effect).
- Upgraded piece: A duplicate picked up by you or a teammate automatically upgrades your version — reduced cooldowns, stronger effects.
- 2 pieces: Unlocks the set bonus (e.g., deal 100% more damage at low health).
- 4 pieces: Transform into the Eternal and gain one extra ability.
Each Eternal fills a distinct role. Picking pieces that match your playstyle — and pinging pieces you don't want for teammates — is how strong squads divide the loot.
| Eternal | Playstyle | Signature Gear Effects |
|---|---|---|
| Hollow | Support / Ranged | Summons glooies that attack and heal, roots enemies, creates a wall |
| Arrenia | Melee / Tanky | Ice crown adds a damage-negating health bar, slowing aura, mace and sword |
| Subo | Skirmisher | Crown throws a wolf onto targets, amulet grants a sprint wolf for escapes |
| Grimald | Zone Control | Electric box deals area damage; drop it as a sentry that pings enemies |
Press F1 on keyboard (or the equivalent controller button) in-game to quickly review what each of your pieces does, including upgraded versions and your current set bonus.
Crowns and amulets are the most commonly wasted pickups — players grab them without knowing their effects. If a piece doesn't fit your build, ping it for a teammate instead; only one copy of each Eternal piece exists per run, and a teammate's duplicate still upgrades yours.
Aim to know two or three Eternals well rather than dabbling in all of them. Mastery of one transformation is what wins late-game PvP fights.
Three Ways to Get Geared Fast
Runs snowball hard in Arkheron: a team with a few good pieces that wins one fight takes all of the losers' loot. Speed of gearing decides most matches. There are three proven methods, ranked here by reliability.
Quests (Most Reliable)
- Exclamation mark on the map
- Interact with the tree to start
- Defeat 3 challenging mobs as a team
- Always drops gold and purple chests
- Beatable with minimal gear, range helps
Treasure Runes
- Monsters have a chance to drop a key
- The moment you get it, run to the treasure room
- Contains roughly 5-6 premium chests
- You appear to be the only one who can claim it
Challenges (High Risk)
- Offer a 3v3 arena challenge to another team
- Winner takes the spoils and spawned chests
- Eliminates a rival squad from the lobby
- Best saved for confident teams
Ping a quest the moment you land, clear it with your team for the guaranteed gold and purple chests, then route toward a star location or shard shop. This opening gives most squads a full set bonus before the first major PvP encounter.
Don't forget the shard economy along the way. Every monster and chest drops shards, and the green shrine shop converts them into:
- Missing set pieces to complete your two-piece bonus
- Duplicate gear that upgrades your current pieces with new powers
- Consumables — always keep a few on hand
- Teammate revives, starting at a couple hundred shards
Step-by-Step: Your First Winning Run
Train Before You Queue
Load into the training room, test every Eternal's gear set, and pick two or three that fit your playstyle. Learn what their crowns and amulets actually do.
Plan Your Drop
On the over-map, ping your first objective for the team — a nearby quest is the safest opening. Agree on which Eternal pieces each player is chasing.
Clear a Quest Early
Head to the exclamation-mark tree, defeat the three mobs using range and teamwork, and claim the guaranteed gold and purple chests to kickstart your set.
Snowball the Map
Rotate through star locations and the shard shop. Pick up shards constantly, stock consumables, and upgrade pieces via duplicates. If a key drops, drop everything and sprint to the treasure room.
Fight on Your Terms
Engage other teams only once you hold set bonuses and upgraded pieces. Ping unwanted Eternal gear to teammates so the whole squad scales together.
Never walk past a green shrine with a few hundred spare shards and a dead teammate. A revived ally keeps their set progress, which is almost always worth more than another shop item.
Accessing Arkheron: Betas and Platforms
Arkheron runs limited playtest windows. The Crossplay Beta ran on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation from Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27, with cross-platform queues and the Endless Spires mode live all weekend. The tutorial, training room, and bot modes stay available 24/7 so new players can practice mechanics and Eternal loadouts between test windows.
| Platform | How to Join |
|---|---|
| Steam | Sign up via FirstLook or request access through Steam Playtest in the Steam app |
| Xbox | Join through the Xbox Insider Hub app under Previews, or sign up via FirstLook |
| PlayStation | Sign up through FirstLook; redeem your invite code when it arrives |
Invites go out in waves, and access gained in one playtest carries over to future ones. Players who signed up through Steam or FirstLook also receive friend invites they can distribute, so squads can climb together. For signup details and the latest playtest schedule, check the official Arkheron play page.
Arkheron playtests are not under an NDA — you are encouraged to share gameplay footage and streams. The official Arkheron Discord is the community hub for builds, strategy, and feedback.
Pre-Match Checklist and FAQ
Before Your First Match:
- Test every Eternal in the training room
- Choose 2-3 Eternals to main this session
- Learn the map icons: star, shrine, quest, treasure room
- Practice pinging objectives before the drop
- Memorize the 2-piece set bonus and 4-piece transformation thresholds
- Plan to keep consumables and revive shards stocked
Q: What do star icons on the Arkheron map mean?
Stars mark high-value locations with better loot quality. Instead of green chests with basic non-upgradeable gear, these areas contain gold and purple chests with a high chance of Eternal relic gear needed for set bonuses and transformations.
Q: How do Eternal set bonuses work in Arkheron?
Each Eternal piece grants a base power. Two pieces unlock a set bonus such as dealing 100% more damage at low health, and four pieces let you transform into that Eternal with an extra ability. A teammate picking up a duplicate of your piece automatically upgrades your version.
Q: What is the fastest way to get geared in Arkheron guides?
Quests are the most reliable method: interact with the tree at the exclamation-mark location, defeat the three mobs as a team, and collect the guaranteed gold and purple chests. Treasure rune keys and 3v3 challenges are faster but less reliable or riskier.
Q: Can I play Arkheron with friends across platforms?
Yes. Arkheron supports crossplay between Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation during beta windows, and players receive friend invites through Steam or FirstLook that can be redeemed on any platform.