Stage 5 of Trial of the Bastion, Multi-Pronged Fortifications, is the final trial in the Version 7.0 base defense event. It unlocked on September 11, 2026 after server reset, and it drops enemies on you from several directions across three waves, with an elite Frostarm Lawachurl arriving in the last one. The stage is winnable on a first attempt, but only if your mechanisms are already sitting on the approach lanes before each wave starts.
Quick answer: Clear all three waves without letting your stronghold HP hit zero, and finish with at least 6500 Challenge Rating to claim every reward tier. Stack Pulling Mechanisms with Ice Mist Traps at each entrance, park Impact Shields in the narrow lanes closest to the stronghold, and put Suppression Device: Faster Blaster turrets on the raised platforms.
Access requirements for Stage 5
Multi-Pronged Fortifications only appears once the four earlier trials are done. Each trial in the event opens on its own day, and a new one becomes selectable only after the previous one has been completed, so a skipped Stage 3 will block Stage 5 even on September 11.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Adventure Rank | AR 20 or above |
| Archon Quest | Prologue: Act III “Song of the Dragon and Freedom” |
| Archon Quest | “Gunfire in the Silent Lands” from Chapter VII: Act I “Everwinter Without Mercy” |
| Unlock quest | “A Grueling Combat Simulation” |
| Prior stages | Stages 1 through 4 completed |
| Event window | September 7, 2026 10:00 – September 17, 2026 03:59 (server time) |
The trial itself starts from the event page or by speaking to Talatikhin in Snezhnograd and choosing the option to begin the combat simulation. Stage 5 takes place in the Shadow Realm, which is why the Traveler carries firearms instead of a normal weapon for the whole run.
Mechanisms to bring into Multi-Pronged Fortifications
Mechanisms are placed during the preparation phase on marked floor tiles, and each wave you clear pays out construction materials to spend on more of them. Placement matters more than variety here. Crowd control that holds enemies still makes your own shots land, and turrets clean up whatever leaks past you.
| Mechanism | What it does | Where to put it |
|---|---|---|
| Ice Mist Trap | Cryo AoE damage that freezes and slows | On the ramps and the tiles directly after a portal |
| Pulling Mechanism | Drags nearby enemies into one point | Next to an Ice Mist Trap, to bunch targets up |
| Impact Shield | Knocks enemies backwards | Narrow lanes closest to the stronghold |
| Suppression Device: Faster Blaster | Automatic single-target turret | Raised platforms with a clear view of a lane |
| Spike Mechanism | AoE attack along the walking path | Corridors enemies must pass through |
Note: the loadout screen shows each mechanism’s full description before you commit, so you can check cost and effect while configuring the stage rather than mid-wave.
Clearing the three waves
Firearm and grenade pairings that speed up the clear
Your loadout works like any other Shadow Realm encounter, and you can switch firearm elements mid-fight. A charged assault rifle shot pierces enemies lined up in a straight lane, which is efficient whenever a group funnels through one corridor. For single high-HP targets, an Electro Frag thrown into a Cryo Grenade Launcher hit triggers a Stellar-Conduct reaction and removes a large chunk of health in one exchange.
Tip: throw Frags from a moderate distance. Lobbed from too far away they can catch on walls and waste the cooldown.
Score thresholds, rewards, and how to confirm the clear
You start the stage with 20/20 stronghold HP, and every enemy that reaches the stronghold chips away at it. Score comes from defeating enemies, and the top reward tier for Stage 5 unlocks at 6500 Challenge Rating. A clean run that loses little or no stronghold HP comfortably passes that line, with scores approaching 8900 achievable.
You will know it worked when the Challenge Complete screen appears with your total score. Rewards are not automatic. Return to the event menu, open the Challenge Rewards tab, and claim the tiers you passed, which include Primogems, Mora, Hero’s Wit, Mystic Enhancement Ore, and talent level-up materials. Across the whole combat trial, the event pays out 420 Primogems alongside the character and weapon materials.
Why a Stage 5 run falls short
- Stronghold HP reaching zero, usually from stragglers walking down a lane you stopped watching.
- Mechanisms spread thin across every entrance instead of concentrated where the paths converge.
- Running dry on ammo mid-wave because the supply crates were not looted during the preparation phase.
- Leaving the Frostarm Lawachurl alive while clearing trash, which lets it push past the shields and reach the stronghold.
With Stage 5 done, the trial portion of the event is finished. Stages stay open until the event closes on September 17, so a stage that ended short of 6500 can be replayed with a tighter layout before then.
