Special Stages

Special Stage On Map — Special stages are marked with an icon the the map.

Special Stages are map stages that yield a unique condition that alters battles for enemies and heroes alike. Conditions range from progressive debuffs that are uncleansable to Heroes to enemies given buffs that enhance their defenses or attacks.

Introduced in Season 2, special stages are marked by a small icon that indicates the type of special stages. These stages are more difficult than the other stages in the province and are usually 2 to 5 special stages in any given province.

Poison Mist[]

Poison Mist stages are marked with a small purple droplet. Your heros will be damaged after each turn during the stage.

Poison Mist Stages are:

Province	Stage(s)
01	1-3, 1-6, 1-9
02	2-2, 2-5, 2-8
03	3-2, 3-5, 3-9
13	13-3, 13-5, 13-8
14	14-2, 14-4, 14-7, 14-9
15	15-3, 15-6, 15-9
19	19-4
20	20-3
21	21-4

Magic Night[]

Magic Night stages are marked with a purple and blue mana symbol, which looks like a four-pointed star.

Mana accumulates at double the rate, but tiles only deal half the damage. Special statuses from special skills also only last 1 turn. Enemies are unafffected.

Magic Night Stages are:

Province	Stages(s)
04	4-2, 4-5, 4-8
05	5-2, 5-4, 5-7, 5-9
06	6-3, 6-7
19	19-2, 19-9
20	20-7
21	21-2, 21-9

Dense Fog[]

Dense Fog stages are marked with an icon made of diagonal blue bars.

Mana generation is slower than usual and all special attacks have a chance to miss.

Dense Fog Stages are:

Season	Province	Stage(s)
Season 2	07	7-2, 7-4, 7-7, 7-9
	08	8-3, 8-6, 8-9
	09	9-2, 9-5, 9-8
	16	16-2, 16-5, 16-8
	17	17-2, 17-5, 17-7, 17-9
	18	18-2, 18-5, 18-7, 18-9
	20	20-5
	21	21-7
Season 5	25	25-1, 25-3, 25-5, 25-7, 25-9
	26	26-1, 26-3, 26-5, 26-7, 26-9
	27	27-1, 27-3, 27-5, 27-7, 27-9

Underwater[]

Underwater stages are marked with three wavy blue lines.

When you play these stages, there is an oxygen bar at the top of the battle. You have a certain number of turns to defeat a wave before your oxygen runs out, at which point, you will take damage every turn. Your oxygen bar is replenished between waves.

Fire heroes get reduced attack when Underwater. You may want to employ color stacking on these levels as a result.

Underwater Stages are:

Province	Stage(s)
10	10-4, 10-6, 10-8
11	11-2, 11-4, 11-6, 11-8, 11-10
12	12-2, 12-5, 12-7, 12-9
22	22-3, 22-6, 22-8, 22-10
23	23-2, 23-4, 23-6, 23-8
24	24-1, 24-3, 24-7, 24-9
25	25-2, 25-4, 25-6, 25-8
26	26-2, 26-4, 26-7, 26-9
27	27-1, 27-4, 27-6, 27-9

Deep Underwater[]

Deep Underwater share similar mechanics to the Underwater special stage conditions from Season 2 and the Deep Lagoon: Underwater biome from Season 4, with modifications that buff enemies and debuff Heroes as oxygen levels decrease.

When oxygen levels reach 75% and 50% respectively, enemies gain Lifesteal and Attack Up buffs. After reaching 25% and 0%, Heroes receive reduced accuracy and Mindless Attack every turn.

Explosive Dragon Bomb tiles regenerate small incriments of oxygen, while Power Nautilus Shells (replacing Power Shards in Deep Underwater stages) can be matched or activated to restart all oxygen and have unique effects.

All stages in Mysteries of the Deep feature the Deep Underwater special stage.

Unique Boss[]

Unique Boss stages are often the final stage of the map that is symbolized with a purple skull. The stages has a minimum of two waves, with the second wave being in the titan phase against a larger version of the stage's boss, who strike every turn unless stunned through 3 or more tiles landing on a weak spot that move every 3 turns.

During all phases, all status effects will be removed from both enemies and allies every 5 turns; the boss will also receive a small heal after those 5 turns.

For strategies for each Unique Boss stage are listed:

Season 2	Season 3	Season 4	Season 5	Untold Tales
Ursena	Ymir	Demi-Moreau	Set	Domiventus
	Surtur
	Nidhogg

Realm[]

Realm stages are unique stages within Season 3, marked on the map with a small symbol of the realm they belong to in the bottom right corner.

All enemies there will alter the battle, applying a status buff on allies or a status ailment on enemies after death or nearing it, depending on the realm. This is equivalent to the ability of the Valhalla Summon family of heroes, listed at Realm.

Province	Stage(s)	Realm	Effect
3 – Morass	2, 4, 6, 8, 10	Midgard	All enemies get +15% attack when an enemy has low health; undispellable
7 – Plains	2, 4, 6, 8, 9	Vanaheim	All heroes' mana reduced by 15% when an enemy dies
11 – Hillside	2, 3, 5, 9	Jotunheim	All enemies get Ice Giant minion w/ 5% HP, 2% attack inherited from caster when an enemy dies
12 – Heights	5, 6, 8, 10	Jotunheim
15 – Rivers	2, 4, 6, 8, 9	Svartalfheim	All heroes receive Poison damage when an enemy has low health; can't be cleansed
16 – Edges	7, 9	Svartalfheim
19 – Whispers	2, 4, 6, 8, 10	Nilfheim	All heroes have -15% accuracy for as long as an enemy has low health; can't be cleansed
23 – Passage	2, 4, 6, 8, 10	Helheim	Deal 100% damage to all Heroes when an enemy dies
27 – Volcano	2, 4, 6, 8, 10	Muspelheim	All heroes receive 64 Burn damage for as long as an enemy has low health; can't be cleansed
29 – Forest	2, 4, 6, 8, 10	Alfheim	All enemies are healed by 7% when an enemy reaches low health
31 – Woods	2, 4, 6, 8, 10
32 – Haven	2, 4, 6, 8, 10
35 – Plains	2, 4, 6, 8, 10	Asgard	All enemies gain 20% mana when an enemy dies
36 – City	2, 4, 6, 8	Asgard	All enemies gain 20% mana when an enemy dies

Iteru River[]

The Iteru River is a special stage unique within Season 5, first encountered in Enter Kemyth. Stages set in the Iteru River contain enemies that periodically regenerate boosted health in exchange for slightly lowered defenses.

Every 5 turns:

All enemies regenerate 575 boosted health. This effect cannot be dispelled.
All enemies et -10% defense.

Province	Stage(s)
01	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
02	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
03	1, 3, 5, 7, 9

Tempestous Sandstorm[]

The Tempestous Sandstorm special stages appear in Season 5, in Precipitous Peaks. These stages moderately reduce damage from troops and heroes receive sand damage periodically.

The conditions read:

All Heroes take damage every 3 turns.
Troops deals -50% less damage.

Province	Stage(s)
04	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
05	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
06	1, 3, 5, 7, 9

Kemythian City[]

The Kemythian City special stages start at Caiza Outpost, where enemies become "hyperactive." The stages increase enemy mana generation at the cost of accuracy, as well as a reduction to ailments that affect accuracy.

The condition reads:

All enemies have +25% mana generation.
All enemies have -10% accuracy.
Accuracy ailments are -10% more effective against enemies.

Province	Stage(s)
07	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
08	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
09	1, 3, 5, 7, 9

Cursed Tombs[]

Cursed Tombs special stages start in the Kemythian Detour province, in which everyone is very slow but troops deals increased damage to enemies.

The condition reads:

Mana Speed is set to Very Slow for all Heroes and enemies.
Troops deal +50% more damage.

Province	Stages
10	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
11	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
12	1, 3, 5, 7, 9

Order of the Pharaoh[]

At Greener Pastures, this special stage condition affects Heroes, with them taking damage and receiving lowered defense. The condition is as followed:

All Heroes must take damage every 5 turns.
All Heroes must receive the following status ailment every 5 turns:
- All Heroes receive -20% defense for 5 turns.

The special stages with this condition are listed below:

Province	Stage(s)
13	13-1, 13-3, 13-5, 13-7, 13-9
14	14-1, 14-3, 14-5, 14-7, 14-9
15	15-1, 15-3, 15-5, 15-7, 15-9

Barrier of the Pharaoh[]

The Pharaoh's Barrier special stages are introduced in Pyramids of the Pharaoh; the condition affects enemies, in granting them increased defense against Special Skills. It is as followed:

All enemies receive the following buff every 5 turns:
- All enemies get +60% defense against Special Skills every 5 turns.

These stages are under the Barrier of the Pharaoh:

Province	Stage(s)
16	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
17	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
18	1, 3, 5, 7, 9

Solar Flare[]

The Solar Flare special stages are unique stages in which enemies are given a passive ability similar to the Sun Family Heroes. The condition is as followed:

Each enemy has a chance to perform the following actions when they cast their Special Skill:

Effect 1

- Deals 70% damage to all enemies.
- All Heroes get -34% attack for 3 turns.

Effect 2

- Deals 70% damage to all enemies.
- All Heroes receive Sand damage for 3 turns.

Effect 3

- Boost health of all enemies by 10%. Boosted health can exceed max HP.
- Cleanses the latest cleansable status ailment from all enemies.

The stages listed are afflicted with Solar Flare:

Province	Stage(s)
19	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
20	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
21	1, 3, 5, 7, 9

Desert Madness[]

Desert Madness special stages introduce the stage condition where enemies in every wave are temporarily buffed with berserk any time an random enemy casts their Special Skill against the Heroes.

The status effect reads:

+31% attack and a further +20% increase every time they are hit for 3 turns.

The stages with Desert Madness are as followed:

Province	Stage(s)
22	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
23	1, 3, 5, 7, 9
24	1, 3, 5, 7, 9

Lunar Effect[]

Lunar Effect special stages function similarly to Solar Flare special stages, in that the stages featured in the province give all enemies and bosses a passive ability shared with Heroes in the Moon Family. The conditions are as followed:

Each enemy has a chance to perform the following actions when they cast their Special Skill: