Revision - pvp modes - Drakantos Wiki

Drakantos is primarily a PvE game, but it runs a competitive PvP layer that the developers describe as a "Mini MOBA" inside the MMO. Unlike most MMORPGs, where PvP unlocks much later, you can jump into PvP from the very start, right alongside the PvE Adventures. Both Casual and Ranked PvP grant experience and rewards, so PvP works as a full alternative progression path rather than a side activity: players who prefer it can level and reward their Heroes by competing, even though the pace is slightly slower than PvE.

Every PvP fight uses equalized stats. In PvP everyone is set to max level with maxed equipment and skills, so raw power is taken out of the equation and only skill, decision making, and teamwork decide the match. Your Orbs, Artifacts, and Trophies are also maximized for PvP, and you do not need to have unlocked them first. To check exactly what an Artifact or Trophy does at max level, hold Tab while hovering over it. For more on the wider game systems, see Gameplay.

PvP Modes Overview

Drakantos splits PvP across structured Arena matches and a set of open-world and special encounters. The table below summarizes the confirmed PvP activities and how each one places players against each other.

Mode	Type	Summary
Arena	Structured 3v3 PvP	The main competitive mode. Casual and ranked queues across 13 maps and three game modes (Control, Escort, Assault).
Duel	Open-world PvP	Casual, spontaneous fights you can start with anyone anywhere in the open world.
Red Chest	Open-world PvP	A free-for-all chest event where the last player standing claims most of the rewards.
Adventure Invasions	Involuntary PvP	A rare chance for two groups to share a Guild mission instance and race to collect Erilith crystals. Both teams are rewarded.
Hellgates	PvPvE extraction	An intentional extraction mode: fight demonic enemies for loot in a shared instance and extract before you lose it.

Arena

Arena is the main competitive PvP mode and the part of Drakantos built to feel like a Mini MOBA. Every match places players into 3v3 teams. The game then randomly selects a map and a game mode for the match, and the Hero Selection phase begins. Because you already know the map and mode going into selection, your picks become highly strategic: some compositions are stronger on wide open maps, others excel in tighter spaces, and some heroes are better at zone control while others favor fast engagements. Orbs, artifacts, and trophies are adjustable during Hero Selection, so you can tune your presets to the match ahead. There are 13 maps spread across the three Arena modes.

Arena Modes

The Arena rotates between three objective-based game modes. An older 2023 build of the game called the third mode "Deathmatch," but the current Arena modes are Control, Escort, and Assault.

Mode	How It Works
Control	Stand on the control zones to earn progress while your team holds them. Maps have one or two control points, and the first team to fully capture all zones wins.
Escort	Escort your crystal to the final point while stopping the enemy from escorting theirs. The crystal moves when an ally is nearby and stops if an enemy is close to it.
Assault	A MOBA-like mode with towers and a core. Towers share their health; destroying them exposes the core and makes enemies take longer to respawn. Towers prioritize minions, and without minions the towers and the core have 80% defense. A buff spawns in the middle of the map every 3 minutes and 30 seconds, granting 25% attack for 60 seconds. Assault matches last longer and give more rewards.

Ranked

Arena includes a full ranked system on top of casual play. The ranked ladder runs through nine tiers that represent your progression and skill level, climbing from Bronze up to Ethereal. The Hero Selection process changes as you climb: casual and lower-ranked matches use a simple simultaneous pick where everyone chooses at the same time for faster, more accessible games. From Diamond upward, matches introduce ban and pick phases to cut down on unpredictability, and at the highest ranks picking becomes turn-based, letting teams read enemy choices and respond with counters.

Order	Tier	Hero Selection
1	Bronze	Simultaneous pick
2	Silver	Simultaneous pick
3	Gold	Simultaneous pick
4	Platinum	Simultaneous pick
5	Emerald	Simultaneous pick
6	Diamond	Ban and pick phases
7	Mithril	Ban and pick phases
8	Adamantite	Ban and pick phases
9	Ethereal	Ban and pick phases

Open-World and Special PvP

Outside the Arena, Drakantos mixes PvP into the shared world and into its PvE layers. These encounters range from casual challenges to involuntary clashes during Open World and Adventurer's Guild missions, and they give even PvE-focused players a natural way to taste PvP. Several of them lean on the demonic Erilith crystals and the Bosses and Enemies that share the open world.

Mode	Description
Duel	A classic MMORPG feature: invite anyone to a fight anywhere in the open world. Duels are casual and spontaneous, perfect for testing new skills or simply challenging friends.
Red Chest	Two chest types spawn in the open world. A blue chest summons enemies, and players who survive earn the rewards. A red chest is PvP-focused: it gives a short window for players to gather, then everyone fights, and the last player standing claims most of the rewards. These encounters are intentionally chaotic and unbalanced.
Adventure Invasions	Very rare involuntary PvP during Adventurer's Guild missions. There is a small chance two groups are placed in the same instance, and the objective changes to collecting red crystals called Erilith that spawn across the map alongside demonic enemies. You can defeat enemy players to steal the crystals they carry. Both teams are rewarded whether they win or lose, so no one feels punished for the invasion.
Hellgates	A PvPvE extraction mode. Enter solo or in a group, fight through demonic enemies, and gather valuable loot. Other players share the instance, creating tension between pushing forward and securing what you have. You can extract at any time or risk going deeper for better rewards, and dying means losing the loot you collected, so every decision matters.

Custom Games and Tournaments

Players can create custom games to set up their own matches. In a custom game you choose the modes and maps, invite players or spectate, and customize the rules (for example artifacts and timings). This opens space for community-driven events and player-organized competitions, which is especially useful for streamers who want to run their own tournaments. Wingeon has also announced plans for in-game tournaments, described as regular or weekly tournaments in store text; the custom game tools are confirmed in the current build, while the dedicated tournament infrastructure is a planned addition.

Match Feedback

A few interface and reward details help during a PvP match. An ally's ultimate charge is visible on the scoreboard, so you can read when a teammate is ready to commit. The best performer in a match is highlighted as the MVP and earns +10% points. For communication and information, pressing the mouse wheel opens a ping wheel where you can choose a ping option, and Tab opens the scoreboard (and, while hovering an Artifact or Trophy, shows what it does at max level).

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