ECHOES OF WAR: SEASON OF RECALLING

Echoes of War is the permanent seasonal challenge mode landing with the Version 1.4 Homecoming update, and it is the closest thing Endfield now has to a standing endgame ladder. The pitch from Hypergryph is pure theatre: “Warfare has left its echoing mark upon your blades. Feel it. Study it. Lament it. Fight again and secure the medals of glory, Endministrator.” Underneath the flavor is a repeatable, rotating combat mode with three difficulties, a stars-based rating system, showcase titles, and Oroberyl payouts on first clear. This post walks through exactly how the mode works and then breaks down the launch season, Season of Recalling, cycle by cycle so you know which stages and enemy mechanics are live when.

The official Echoes of War Gameplay Intro, covering availability, participation criteria, rewards, and combat rules.

TL;DR - Key Points

• Permanent, not limited. Echoes of War stays available after Homecoming. It cycles stage lineups on a schedule, so missing a stage today is never a permanent loss.
• Two gates to entry: Authority Level 40 or higher, and completion of the main mission [Chapter I Process II: Paving the Way].
• Three difficulties per stage: clearing Normal, Hard, and Brutal awards 1 star, 2 stars, and 3 stars respectively.
• Lustrous is the ceiling. Clear a stage on Brutal and hit its bonus challenge goals to add the [Lustrous] boost. Earn Lustrous on all 3 stages in a cycle and the whole season rating and title turn Lustrous.
• First Normal clear pays out Oroberyls. Higher difficulties add [Mark of Perseverance] and [Advanced Progression Selection Crate I] among other rewards.
• No team comp restrictions. You can bring any lineup into any stage.
• Season of Recalling is the launch season: 3 cycles rotating from July 16 through August 16, 2026, each with 3 stages.
• Battle Review stores your performance for the 6 most recent seasons, and you can check friends’ Final Ratings there too.

What Is Echoes of War

Echoes of War is a seasonal challenge mode that is permanently available. Its structure nests in three layers. A season runs for several weeks and carries an overall theme and title. Each season is split into multiple cycles, and each cycle contains 3 stages. Every stage, in turn, comes in three difficulties: Normal, Hard, and Brutal.

That layering is the whole point. Instead of one static gauntlet you grind once, Echoes of War keeps swapping which stages are active so the challenge stays fresh and your rating resets give you something to chase again. It slots neatly between the seasonal beats of Umbral Monument and the periodic Contingency Contract cycles, giving endgame players a consistent repeatable loop that is always on.

If you already read our Homecoming 1.4 program recap, this is the deep dive on the mode that recap only summarized.

How to Unlock Echoes of War

There are two participation requirements, and both are modest by endgame standards:

• Authority Level 40 or higher.
• Complete the main mission [Chapter I Process II: Paving the Way].

If you have been playing through the Homecoming content at all, you almost certainly clear both bars. There is no separate unlock quest beyond meeting these criteria, so the mode simply appears once you qualify.

Difficulties, Stars, and the Lustrous Boost

Each stage can be attempted on three difficulties, and each difficulty you clear grants a fixed star value. Stars are cumulative toward your rating, so the goal on every stage is to push as high as your roster allows.

Beyond raw stars, there is a prestige layer called [Lustrous]. Clearing a stage on Brutal difficulty while also fulfilling that stage’s bonus challenge goals adds the Lustrous boost to the stage rating. This is the “did it clean” flex, not just “did it.”

Lustrous compounds upward. If you earn the Lustrous boost on all 3 stages within a cycle, your season rating and title also become Lustrous. That is the top showcase state, the one the infographic celebrates with “All hail the brilliant master of combat.” If you care about profile bragging rights, Lustrous is the target.

Rewards

Rewards scale with how hard you push. The baseline is generous and the ceiling rewards dedication:

• First Normal clear: claim [Oroberyls] the first time you beat a stage on Normal. This is the reward every player should sweep, since it is straight premium currency.
• Higher difficulties: clearing Hard and Brutal grants additional rewards such as [Mark of Perseverance] and [Advanced Progression Selection Crate I], plus more shown in the reward preview.

Because the Oroberyl payout is tied to the first Normal clear, there is no pressure to immediately conquer Brutal. You can bank the currency now on Normal and come back for the harder ratings whenever your account is ready.

Cycles, Total Rating, and Final Rating

Within each cycle, the number of stars you earn determines the season title awarded. Across the whole season, the highest Total Rating you reach in any single cycle becomes your [Final Rating] for that season. Your current season title is displayed on your Profile and on Friends-related screens, so it functions as a public rank.

Two rotation rules matter here:

• Stages swap between cycles. New Echoes of War stages are added over time, and past stages are rotated back in. With each cycle change, 3 stages are swapped in from the full pool of available stages.
• Total Rating resets each cycle. When a new cycle begins, your Total Rating is reset and you challenge the new lineup to earn stars again. Because your Final Rating is the best single-cycle result, one strong cycle can define your whole season.

Finally, the [Echoes of War - Battle Review] screen stores your per-cycle performance for the 6 most recent seasons, and you can visit a friend’s Profile to see their Final Rating across those same 6 seasons.

Combat Rules

Echoes of War is not a normal combat stage with the numbers turned up slightly. A few rules reshape how you approach it:

• Enemies have better stats. Expect tougher health pools and harder-hitting attacks than the equivalent story content.
• Restricted tacticals. Only HP Treatment tacticals and consumables can be used in combat stages. Utility tacticals you lean on elsewhere are off the table.
• Stage-specific modifiers. Some stages feature specific mechanism traits or special buffs that change the fight, which is where the season breakdown below becomes essential.
• No team comp restrictions. There are no element locks or roster limits, so you can bring whatever lineup you want into any stage.

Season of Recalling, the launch season, laid out across its three Cycles of Recalling with per-stage mechanism traits.

Season of Recalling: Cycle Overview

The launch season is Season of Recalling, and it runs across three cycles. The infographic timeline marks the cycle starts at 7.16, 7.23, and 7.30. All times below are server time.

Server time zones: Asia is UTC+8, and Americas / Europe is UTC-5. Because Total Rating resets each cycle, treat each of these windows as its own mini-season with its own rating to build.

Cycle of Recalling I

The opening cycle features three stages, and two of them carry detailed enemy mechanics you should plan around.

• Scars of Landbreaking. Mechanism Traits reward focused kills. Defeating the Bonekrusher Vanguard increases your Stagger Efficiency Bonus, defeating the Bonekrusher Arsonist increases Arts Intensity, defeating the Bonekrusher Executioner increases Skill DMG Dealt, and defeating the Heavy Ram increases Basic Attack DMG Dealt. In other words, kill order shapes your damage profile, so prioritize the enemy whose buff matches your carry.
• Silver Watercutter. After applying Arts Infliction several times, all operators gain increased Final DMG Dealt. This favors teams that stack Arts Infliction quickly.
• Howling of Undying Beasts. The Skydrummer will not enter its Enraged state, which removes its most dangerous phase. In exchange, after entering battle the Skydrummer’s Resistance against all elements is increased, so raw damage matters more than element-picking here.

Cycle of Recalling II

The middle cycle rotates in a mechanically distinct headline stage.

• Skirmishers’ Æthillu. This is the standout. Enemies cannot move but are harder to interrupt, and Æthillu that can only be damaged by finishers appear on the field. Defeating an Æthillu pulls in all enemies, recovers some SP, and increases the controlled operator’s DMG Dealt for a period of time. Crucially, the clear condition is to defeat all Bonekrusher Ambushers, so beating the Æthillu is not actually required to finish the stage. Use the Æthillu finishers as a burst-and-group tool, not an obligation.
• Silver Watercutter. Returns with the same trait as Cycle I: stack Arts Infliction to raise everyone’s Final DMG Dealt.
• Age of Axes. Rotates in for this cycle without a listed special mechanism trait.

Cycle of Recalling III

The final and longest cycle recycles two familiar layouts alongside a new one.

• Pulverizing Ammunition. New to this cycle, without a listed special mechanism trait.
• Scars of Landbreaking. Returns with the same Bonekrusher and Heavy Ram kill-priority buffs from Cycle I.
• Age of Axes. Returns for the closing cycle, again without a listed special trait.

Strategy by Player Type

How hard you engage should match what you want out of the mode:

• New and returning players: sweep every stage on Normal first to bank the Oroberyl payouts. Because clears are tied to first completion and the mode is permanent, you never lose the reward by taking it slow.
• Completionists: chase Lustrous on all 3 stages per cycle to turn your season title Lustrous, and remember your Final Rating is your best single-cycle result. One well-built cycle carries the season.
• Theorycrafters: the mechanism traits are the playground. Kill-order buffs in Scars of Landbreaking, Arts Infliction stacking in Silver Watercutter, and the finisher-based Æthillu loop in Skirmishers’ Æthillu all reward tailored comps, and there are no restrictions stopping you from bringing your sharpest lineup.

Common Mistakes

• Sleeping on a permanent mode. It is easy to deprioritize a mode that is always available, but the season titles carry real prestige for accounts that engage early and consistently.
• Ignoring bonus challenge goals. Clearing Brutal alone is not Lustrous. If you skip the bonus goals, you leave the top showcase state on the table.
• Forgetting the rating reset. Total Rating wipes every cycle. Do not assume last cycle’s progress carries over, and do not stress a weak cycle since only your best one counts as the Final Rating.
• Overloading on tacticals. Only HP Treatment tacticals and consumables work here, so builds that depend on other tactical utility need a rethink before you queue in.

What Comes Next

Season of Recalling is just the opening act. Per the Homecoming rollout, a second season, Season of Delirating, begins August 9, 2026, adding new stages across its own three cycles. Beyond that, Hypergryph has said new Echoes of War stages will be added over time and rotated into the pool, so the stage list you see today is a snapshot, not the final roster. Expect the mechanism-trait catalog to grow, which keeps the theorycrafting fresh season over season.

For the wider Version 1.4 schedule around all this, our Version 1.4 Homecoming calendar lays out every banner, event, and mode date in one place.

Final Read

Echoes of War is a well-judged addition: low barrier to entry, generous first-clear currency, and a genuinely deep ceiling for players who want to grind titles. The nested season, cycle, and difficulty structure means there is always a fresh rating to build and a Lustrous run to attempt, without the fear-of-missing-out pressure that limited modes create. Sweep Normal now for the Oroberyls, then decide how hard you want to chase Lustrous. If you are still assembling a roster deep enough for Brutal, our operator and team resources over on the Homecoming program recap point you toward the strongest 1.4 pickups to build around.

FAQ

Is Echoes of War a limited-time mode?

No. Echoes of War is permanently available after the Homecoming update. It rotates stage lineups and offers earnable season titles, so treat it as a standing fixture rather than a time-gated event.

What do I need to unlock it?

Two things: Authority Level 40 or higher, and completion of the main mission [Chapter I Process II: Paving the Way].

How do stars work?

Each stage has three difficulties. Clearing Normal grants 1 star, Hard grants 2 stars, and Brutal grants 3 stars. Stars feed into your cycle and season ratings.

What is the Lustrous boost?

Lustrous is a prestige rating earned by clearing a stage on Brutal while also completing its bonus challenge goals. Earn it on all 3 stages in a cycle and your season rating and title become Lustrous too.

Do my ratings reset?

Your Total Rating resets at the start of each new cycle. Your Final Rating for the season is the highest Total Rating you reached in any single cycle, so one strong cycle defines your season.

What are mechanism traits?

Stage-specific modifiers that change the fight, such as kill-order buffs in Scars of Landbreaking, Arts Infliction stacking in Silver Watercutter, or the finisher-only Æthillu in Skirmishers’ Æthillu.

Do I have to defeat the Æthillu in Skirmishers’ Æthillu?

No. The clear condition is defeating all Bonekrusher Ambushers. Beating the Æthillu is optional, though doing so pulls in enemies, restores SP, and buffs your controlled operator’s damage.

What rewards can I get?

The first Normal clear of each stage grants Oroberyls. Higher difficulties add rewards like Mark of Perseverance and Advanced Progression Selection Crate I, among others.

Are there team composition restrictions?

No. You can bring any team into any stage, with no element locks or roster limits.

How much of my history does the game track?

The Echoes of War Battle Review screen stores your per-cycle performance for the 6 most recent seasons, and you can view friends’ Final Ratings across those same seasons.

Note: All dates are server time. The content shown here is for demonstration purposes only and may differ from the actual game. Please refer to the in-game information for specific event details.