Strongholds, Liberation & Challenges
An evidence-safe operational checklist for stronghold states, liberation, re-blockades and challenge triggers.
This field guide keeps world-state operations and challenge conditions from becoming one ambiguous completion percentage. Use the Content Database for accepted records and the Completion Companion for saved state.
State model
Section titled “State model”Track each supported location as one of:
| State | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Unreached | The location has not been verified in the current save |
| Available | The activity is visible and its prerequisites are met |
| Cleared | The accepted clear trigger was reached |
| Liberated | The supported liberation state is visible |
| Re-blockaded | A repeatable hostile state is confirmed |
| Blocked | Progress is prevented by story state, issue or missing evidence |
| Research | The record exists but the exact rule is unresolved |
Do not collapse Cleared, Liberated and Re-blockaded into the same state.
Stronghold pass
Section titled “Stronghold pass”- Verify the accepted location and identity.
- Record the world state before entry.
- Preserve a manual save.
- Complete the supported objectives.
- Record the visible clear or liberation trigger.
- Revisit nearby services or routes whose state may change.
- Save and reload to confirm persistence.
- Track any repeatable hostile state separately.
Challenge pass
Section titled “Challenge pass”- Read the exact challenge wording.
- Record the current counter before the attempt.
- Use only the required action and target type.
- Check the counter immediately afterward.
- Repeat once under the same conditions if no progress appears.
- Confirm the current verified patch is installed before applying an older workaround.
- Report a possible regression with the challenge name, prior count and reproduction.
Patch 1.16.00 explicitly fixed progress or completion faults for Back Alley Cleanup, Shield of Unchanging Will V, Harmonious Hooves VIII and Overwhelming Slash II. These fixes do not establish every hidden requirement; they provide the current regression baseline.
Patch 1.17.00 separately fixes incorrect progress counting for Desperate Rescue. Record the counter before one qualifying action on the current build; if it still does not advance, preserve the save and report a possible regression. The official notice does not state that older missed progress will be awarded retroactively.
Re-blockade discipline
Section titled “Re-blockade discipline”Where a re-blockade or other repeatable state is supported:
- record the condition that returned the hostile state;
- keep the first liberation and repeat clear as separate events;
- verify whether services, rewards or route access changed;
- do not claim a repeat interval or reward cycle without a reproducible test;
- save before deliberately changing the location state.
Failure classification
Section titled “Failure classification”| Symptom | Classification |
|---|---|
| Activity not visible before a known prerequisite | Story-blocked |
| Objective complete but final trigger absent | Possible progression fault |
| Challenge counter does not move under the exact condition | Possible tracking fault |
| Route or requirement is not verified | Evidence-blocked |
| Activity completed but returns by a supported rule | Repeatable state, not lost progress |
Final operations audit
Section titled “Final operations audit”- Every accepted stronghold record has a state.
- Liberation and re-blockade states are separated.
- Challenge counters were tested on the installed patch or explicitly retained as unaffected by the current hotfix.
- Possible regressions include exact reproduction evidence.
- Unknown repeat rules and rewards remain unclaimed.
- No blocked record is counted as complete.