Codename Entertainment : Blog

December 30th, 2025

Idle Champions: December 2025 Variants

Tags: idle, champions, new content, update, variants, grand tour, xaryxis, fortune's wheel, vecna.

As winter descends fully upon the Sword Coast, those caught out in the wild find themselves stalked by Winter Beasts...

Today's update brings 12 Winter Beast-themed variants across the Grand Tour of the Sword Coast, Light of Xaryxis, Turn of Fortune's Wheel, and Vecna: Eve of Ruin campaigns!

A Grand Tour of the Sword Coast

The Dread Domain of Tovag

Variant: Foolish Doesn't Mean Clueless

Race across the dread domain with Champions that don't focus on Wisdom!

You can't use Champions that have WIS as their highest ability score, including ties.
A Fool joins the formation. Champions adjacent to the fool are distracted and have their base attack cooldown increased by 2 seconds.
Complete Area 525

The Castle of a Thousand Vecnas

Variant: Boring Doesn't Mean Useless

Join the troops of Kas with Champions that don't focus on Charisma!

You can't use Champions that have CHA as their highest ability score, including ties.
A Chicken joins the formation. Champions adjacent to the chicken are distracted and have their base attack cooldown increased by 2 seconds.
Complete Area 525

The Sanctum of the Sword

Variant: You Better Watch Out

Fight your way across Tovag to recover the Sword of Kas as the dreaded cold tries to stop you!

The weather is snowing in all areas.
You can only use Champions with a base attack cooldown of 5 or less seconds.
Attack cooldowns are doubled due to the cold.
1-2 Winter Wolves spawn with each wave. They don't drop gold nor count towards quest progress.
Complete Area 600

Light of Xaryxis

Rocky Reception

Variant: Snow and Steady

Search for Commodore Krux while staying warm.

The weather is snowing in all areas
You may only use Champions with a Constitution score of 15 or higher.
1-2 Hares spawn with each wave. They don't drop gold nor count towards quest progress.
Each time a Beast is defeated, all enemies for the rest of the area get a +100% boost in speed and damage, stacking additively and capping at 10.
Complete Area 650

Rock and Roll

Variant: Wyld Stallyns

Escape the rock before you need to give your history report.

You may only use Core Champions and Champions released in the first 2 years.
1-2 Skeletal Horses spawn with every wave. They don't drop gold nor count towards quest progress.
Complete Area 700

Flight of the Kindori Pod

Variant: Not Entirely Stable

Join Krux's crew, and navigate a shaky asteroid field.

You may only use Chaotic Champions.
The ground quakes every 30 seconds. The quakes cause a screenshake and debris to hit the Champions, subjecting each Champion to a DEX save. On a failure, they take damage equal to 75% of their max health and are Stunned for 15 seconds
Complete Area 750

Topolah's Tower

Variant: Parting Giff

Visit Krux's friend to collect a Wildspace navigation tool while under attack by a menagerie of monsters.
Must have completed a Variant 2: Animated Giff

Krux starts in the formation. He can be moved, but not removed.
Each wave, 1-2 additional enemies with a random monster type spawns. They drop no gold nor count towards quest progress.
Each time an enemy that is NOT any Champion's favored foe is defeated, the enemies gain an Unfavored stack. Enemy speed and damage are increased by 100% for each Unfavored stack, stacking additively. Unfavored stacks cap at 10 and are reset when changing areas.
Complete Area 800

Turn of Fortune's Wheel

The Beginning is the End

Variant: Tomb of Champions III: Zany Zephyr Zip

Return to the Tomb of Annihilation to stop Acererak from assembling a villainous super team as fast as possible!

You must complete area 450 and reset the adventure within 30 minutes of starting the objective.
Fire breath potions can't be used during the adventure, and click damage has no effect after area 5.
Complete Area 450

Soul's Mirage

Variant: Frozen Dessert in the Desert

Get lost in the frozen dessert, and encounter some interesting dreams from your past.

The weather is snowing in all areas.
You may only use Neutral Champions (on the good/evil axis).
Every 5 seconds, a scoop of ice cream hits a random Champion, stunning them for 10 seconds.
1-2 Polar Bears spawn with each wave. They don't drop gold nor count towards quest progress.
Complete Area 900

Vecna: Eve of Ruin

Isle of Serpents

Variant: Frosty Reception

Travel to Oerth and slither along with Champions that are agile enough to not get stepped on.

The weather is snowing in all areas.
You may only use Champions with a Dexterity of 15 or higher.
1-2 Frosty Giant Rats spawn with each wave. They don't drop gold nor count towards quest progress.
A Frost Giant joins the formation.
Complete Area 1000

Tomb of Wayward Souls

Variant: Specter of Death

Explore a disorienting dungeon under the specter of death.

You may not use Lawful Champions unless they are Undead.
A Specter joins the formation. Every second, the Specter drains the life of adjacent Champions equal to 10% of their maximum health. Undead Champions are immune to this damage.
Complete Area 1050

Hellbound

Variant: Infernal Inferno

Travel to Avernus in search of the final rod piece in blazing hot conditions.

You may not use Good Champions unless they are Tieflings.
A Fire Elemental joins the formation. Every second, the Fire Elemental deals damage to adjacent Champions equal to 10% of their maximum health. Tiefling Champions are immune to this damage.
Complete Area 1100

Tales of the Champions: Tier 3 Blessings

Additionally, last week we released the Tier 3 Blessings for The Red Knight as part of our Tales of the Champions 5 release - don't forget to check them out!

Local: Restless Wanderers - Increase the damage of all Human, Tabaxi, or Githyanki Champions by 100%
Local: Intelligence Test - Increases the damage of all Champions by 20% for each unique INT score in the formation
Local: The Strongest Survive Longer - Increase the maximum health of Tanking Champions by 10% for each STR point over 13, stacking multiplicatively
Global: Tales of Tales - Increase the damage of all Champions by 5% for each Tales of the Champions Blessing you have unlocked, stacking additively

Variant Feedback

What do you think about today's Winter Beast-themed variants update?

Let us know what you think by joining our community on one of our officially-supported platforms:

The Official Idle Champions Discord.
The Official Idle Champions Subreddit.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Bluesky, or Instagram.

December 23rd, 2025

Tales of the Champions, Part 5 & Emergence!

Permalink

Posted in Idle Champions.

Tags: idle champions, idle, champions, new content, update, tales.

Well met!

We are thrilled to close out 2025 with the fifth Tales of the Champions update, with two new adventures and six new challenging variants that will take you to from the Shadowfell to the Outlands!

On our next adventures, Kas the Vampire seeks purpose in unlife with a little help from his allies, while Nordom the Modron and his friends investigate a curious case about vanishing modrons...

Completing the base adventures will unlock Kas (Seat 6) and Nordom (Seat 9) while completing the new variants will unlock Feats, Corrupted Gems, Modron Component Chests, and an exclusive Skin!

Are you ready to take on the challenge? Read on to learn more!

Ashes of the Past

Kas the Destroyer has grown tired of his eternal crusade against Vecna. It's up to Astarion, Windfall, and Blooshi to help the Darklord of Tovag learn what he really wants, and how to let go.

Complete Area 150
Rewards: Kas Unlock

Variant 1: Uneclipsed

Kas seeks new purpose in unlife, with a little help from his supporting friends.

Kas joins the formation. He can be moved, but not removed.
You may not use any other Champions that have the DPS role.
One of Kas's soldiers joins the formation. Only Evil Champions next to the soldier can deal damage with their base attacks.
Getting to Know Idle Champions: Champions with the DPS role are your main damage dealers. Choose and position your Champions well to make the most out of your party's main damage dealer!
Complete Area 350
Rewards: 4 Gold Kas Chests and 250 Corrupted Gems

Variant 2: Who's the Boss?

Kas seeks new purpose in unlife, while facing some additional bosses.
Must have completed a Tier 2 variant in an Event

Kas joins the formation. He can be moved, but not removed.
Boss health, damage, and speed are increased by 100%.
A boss enemy spawns at the start of the first wave of each non-boss area. These extra bosses do not drop gold or loot bags, or count toward quest progress.
Two of Kas's soldiers join the formation. Only Evil Champions next to the soldiers can deal damage with their base attacks.
Complete Area 800
Rewards: Kas Epic Feat: Resolute (Stun Immunity) and 250 Corrupted Gems

Variant 3: No Rest for the Wicked

Kas seeks new purpose in unlife, with a little help from his restless friends.
Must have completed a Tier 3 variant in an Event

Kas joins the formation. He can be moved, but not removed.
Champions don't recover health when moving to a new area.
Champions resurrect at half health when changing areas instead of full health..
At the start of each area, Champions take damage equal to 30% of their max health.
Three of Kas's soldiers join the formation. Only Evil Champions next to the soldiers can deal damage with their base attacks.
Complete Area 1400
Rewards: Oerth Kas Skin and 250 Corrupted Gems

Case File #9717

When a roaming friend gets caught in the middle of a conspiracy of missing modrons, it's up to Nordom to crack the case. Travel to Automata in the Outlands in search of clues, explore a strange factory, and uncover the truth.

Complete Area 150
Rewards: Nordom Unlock

Variant 1: Gone Missing

Nordom and friends investigate a curious case of vanishing modrons and vanishing Champions.

Nordom joins the formation. He can be moved, but not removed.
Click damage only deals damage for the first 25 areas.
Fire breath potions can't be used during the adventure.
Once a Champion is placed in the formation they can not be swapped or removed
Every 50 areas, 20% of the Champions are removed and locked for the remainder of the adventure. Nordom is immune to this effect.
Getting to Know Idle Champions: Once you've unlocked at least two Champions in each bench slot, you can attempt to unlock a second party and run two sets of Champions at the same time! This variant gives you a little practice on how to Split the Party.
Complete Area 350
Rewards: 4 Nordom Gold Chests and 250 Corrupted Gems

Variant 2: Clockwork Clash

Nordom and friends investigate a curious case of aggressive and armored modrons. Must have completed a Tier 2 variant in an Event

Nordom joins the formation. He can be moved, but not removed.
Only one Champion of each species can be included in the formation at any time. Champions with multiple species count for all of their species.
Non-boss Construct enemies without segmented health have 4 segmented health instead of their normal health
1-2 Modrons spawn with each wave. They don't drop gold nor count towards quest progress.
Complete Area 800
Rewards: Nordom Epic Feat: Explosive Bolts (Nordom gains the Control role and his base attacks explode in a small radius, dealing 1 hit to all enemies in the area and knocking them back a short distance.) and 250 Corrupted Gems

Variant 3: All Roads Lead to R04M

Nordom, R04M, and friends investigate a curious case of vanishing modrons. Must have completed a Tier 3 variant in an Event

Nordom joins the formation. He can be moved, but not removed.
You may only use Champions with a total ability score of 82 or higher.
R04M starts in the formation. Champions next to R04M have a +2 bonus to all ability scores, but it's too late to help with the variant restriction.
Complete Area 1400

Winter Beast Emergence

As winter descends fully upon the Sword Coast, those caught out in the wild find themselves stalked by Winter Beasts... The Winter Beast Emergence brings Golden Epics for Blooshi, Lark, and Windfall, Feats for Beadle, Calliope, Halsin, Minthara, Skylla, Warduke, and Windfall, and the new Cozy Calliope Skin!

New Items Added to the Thayan Enclave!

Golden Epics - 20,000 Corrupted Gems Each
- Blooshi Slot 1 - Staff of the Reanimated (Global Damage Buff)
- Lark Slot 2 - Pendant of Brilliance (Uptempo Uggie Buff)
- Windfall Slot 1 - Queen's Blade (Global Damage Buff)
Feats - 10,000 Corrupted Gems Each
- Beadle - Prodigal Leader (Global Damage Buff)
- Calliope - Scholar (INT +2)
- Halsin - Multiversal Allies (Global Damage Buff for each species)
- Minthara - Vengeful Composure (Piercing component of Oath of Vengeance only requires 1 Soul Branding stack
- Skylla - Keen Athlete (STR +1, INT +1)
- Warduke - Blazing Blade (A Trained Killer Buff)
- Windfall - Drifter (Long Game Buff)
Skins - 10,000 Corrupted Gems Each
- Cozy Calliope
Chests
- Unlimited Winter Beast Emergence Emergence Chests - 2,500 Corrupted Gems each
  - Contains gear for Beadle, Blooshi, Calliope, Halsin, Lark, Minthara, Skylla, Warduke, Windfall

Campaign Feedback

We're now halfway through the Tales of the Champions Campaign. What do you think so far? What Champions do you hope we feature in the back half? We'd love your feedback!

Join our community on one of our official platforms and let us know what you think!

The Official Idle Champions Discord.
The Official Idle Champions Subreddit.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Bluesky, or Instagram.

December 18th, 2025

BW2: Flooded Mines Quest Hub

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Posted in Bush Whacker 2.

Tags: bw2, new, content, 2025, flooded, mines, quest, hub.

Hi Whackers!

The Mer-Dwarves have a great new project, but it's mired in setbacks that only a Bush Whacker can solve! Help them build up the Mer-Miner's Quarters into a proper Quest Hub, featuring new quests, dailies, store, and more!

If you've completed the Welling Adit and mended the Tidal Medallion, you can get started at the Town Crier or the Forewoman in the Mer-Miner's Quarters.

Note: Once you've started these daily quests, you won't be able to do any Halflight Haven, Cenote Site, Cera Altepetl, Explorer's Camp, Sanctuary, or Cloudland daily quests for the next 20 hours.

Completing the Daily Quests will award you Sunken Dollars, which can be used to buy a plethora of exciting custom items and treats from this hub's unique store once it's been unlocked.

Chat about it on the forum!

Happy Whacking!

December 5th, 2025

Champion Update: Nordom

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Posted in Idle Champions.

Tags: idle champions, idle, champions, new content, update, champion spotlight, nordom, the great modron march.

Modrons are the embodiment of law and order, marching in lockstep through the planes. But when Nordom Whistlklik was separated from his fellow modrons, the essence of chaos infected this rogue quadrone. Now with his crossbow-shaped gear spirits in hand, he works to fit his complex new outlook into his logical—if quirky—understanding of the planes.

Nordom the Modron has received some much-needed attention with his rework, improving his utility across formations and reinforcing his link to the Modron Core system. These changes will go live at the beginning of the second week of Simril 9 on Wednesday, December 10.

Let's talk about Nordom's rework!

Nordom

name

seat

2.5%

crit chance

100%

crit damage

Nonbinary

gender

122

age

Lawful Neutral

alignment

overwhelm

Modron

species

Fighter

class

Support

roles

None

affiliation

str

dex

con

int

wis

cha

tot

Patron Eligibility: Vajra, Strahd, Elminster (until December 10th, 2028)

Abilities

Basic Attack

Gear Spirits (ranged) - Two gear spirits have taken the form of crossbows, which Nordom fires simultaneously at the closest two enemies. If only one enemy remains, he'll instead hit it twice.

Formation Abilities

Form Orderly Ranks - Nordom increases the damage of all Champions in the one column ahead of him by 100%.
Core Programming - Nordom increases the effect of Form Orderly Ranks and potentially augments his own abilities depending on which Modron Core you have assigned to the current adventuring party. Buffs stack multiplicatively.

Core Buffs:

Modest Core: 100% for each unique species in the formation.
Strong Core: 100% for each Champion with a total ability score of 78 or higher in the formation.
Fast Core: 100% for each Speed Champion in the formation.
Magic Core: 100% for each Champion with a magic base attack in the formation, and Nordom's crossbows count as Ranged/Magic attacks.
Aerois Core: 300% for each Heroes of Aerois Champion in the formation, and Nordom gains the Heroes of Aerois affiliation.
Unaffiliated Core: 100% for each unaffiliated Champion in the formation.
Lawful Core or No Core: 100% for each Lawful Champion in the formation.

The Great Modron Puzzle - Nordom gains Pipe Puzzle stacks based on the status of the outputs in all active Modron Cores you have equipped across all parties. The effect of Form Orderly Ranks is increased by 25% for each Pipe Puzzle stack, stacking multiplicatively.

You gain Pipe Puzzle stacks for having:

Powered Outputs
Epic Powered Outputs
Supercharged Outputs

Specializations

BASIC Functionality - Nordom increases the effect of Form Orderly Ranks by 33% for each BASE adventure you have completed in the Grand Tour campaign, stacking multiplicatively.
Modron Core Toolbox - Nordom increases the amount of experience gained on the Modron Core attached to his adventuring party when completing new areas by 20%
Core Competency - Nordom gains Core Competency stacks based on the total level of all of your modron cores. The effect of Form Orderly Ranks is increased by 25% for each Core Competency stack, stacking multiplicatively.

Ultimate Ability

The Frequent Modron March (melee) - A multitude of modrons march from left to right over 15 seconds, pushing all enemies back a short distance and dealing ongoing massive damage as they pass by.

Equipment

Global DPS Buff

slot 1

Core Programming Buff

slot 2

Form Orderly Ranks Buff

slot 3

Buffs all Specializations

slot 4

The Great Modron Puzzle Buff

slot 5

Ultimate Cooldown

slot 6

Feats

Uncommon

Selflessness Increases the damage of all Champions by 10%
Single-Minded Goal Increases the effect of Nordom's Form Orderly Ranks ability by 20%.
Core Values Increases the effect of Nordom's The Great Modron Puzzle ability by 20%
Binary Input Increases the effect of Nordom's Specializations by 20%

Rare

Inspiring Leader Increases the damage of all Champions by 25%.
Prepare to March Increases the effect of Nordom's Form Orderly Ranks ability by 40%.
Processing... Increases the effect of Nordom's Core Programming ability by 40%
Pipe Expertise Increases the effect of Nordom's The Great Modron Puzzle ability by 40%
New Speech Pattern Increases the effect of Nordom's Specializations by 40%

Epic

Piercing Bolts Nordom gains the Debuff role and enemies hit by his base attacks take 400% more damage. Does not stack Unlockable as an Event Reward
Plumbing Wizardry Increases the effect of Nordom's The Great Modron Puzzle ability by 80% Available in the Cozy Nordom Vanguard Pack
Modron Sensibilities Increases the effect of Nordom's Core Programming ability by 80%
Within 5% Tolerance Increases the effect of Nordom's Specializations by 80%
Prodigal Leader Increases the damage of all Champions by 50%.
Greater Order Increases the effect of Nordom's Form Orderly Ranks ability by 80%.

Nordom the Modron Feedback

What do you think? The best way for us to hear your feedback would be for you to join our community on an officially-supported platform:

The Official Idle Champions Discord.
The Official Idle Champions Subreddit.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Bluesky, or Instagram.

December 3rd, 2025

Idle Champions: Simril 9

Permalink

Posted in Idle Champions.

Tags: idle, champions, event, new content, update, lark, nordom, simril.

Simril is ruined! Someone or something has been pillaging all the food stores of Luskan, leaving very little leftover for the feast of Simril, let alone the long, cold winter to follow. Your party has been hired to hunt down this ruiner-of-holidays and recover the stolen sustenance.

It's time for our final event of 2025: celebrating Faerûn's winter solstice with Simril 9!

We are incredibly excited for players to get their first chance to unlock the last new Champion of 2025, Lark Silverstring, the tiefling bard of the Fallbacks party. Lark is a Support, Speed, and Debuff Champion, so we have little doubt he will find his way into many of your formations.

Coming next week on December 10 will be our second Featured Champion for Simril, Nordom the Modron. Nordom has been reworked with an emphasis on providing more utility while reinforcing his link to Modron Cores. You'll be able to learn all about the Nordom Champion Update when the blog goes live on Friday, December 5.

Now, on with the show -- let's talk about Simril Year 9!

Featured Champions

Lark

A consummate showman and performer, Lark loves the spotlight, but his desire for attention might end up getting him killed. Hunted by mysterious enemies with deadly intent, Lark has nevertheless managed to forge a degree of notoriety and a small fan following as a bard, all while evading his pursuers and any questions about who is hunting him and why. Lark left his old band of performers and initially joined up with the Fallbacks in order to surround himself with powerful protectors. He didn’t expect to catch feelings for the group in the process, but he’s adjusting. The show must go on, after all.

Learn more about Lark in his Champion Spotlight.

Nordom

Learn more about Nordom in his Champion Spotlight when it launches this Friday, December 5th.

Flex Champions

Flex Slots allow players to unlock additional Champions and earn chests during events, choosing from a pool of retired Champions associated with the event. This collection of retired Champions includes the Champions from previous years of the event as well as some Champions whose events have been retired. This event's Flex Slot pool includes:

Regis

seat 2

Talin

seat 2

Halsin

seat 3

Dhadius

seat 5

Krull

seat 6

Shadowheart

seat 6

Lucius

seat 7

Warduke

seat 8

Yorven

seat 10

Warden

seat 11

Event Augments

Augment 1: Challenge Week (New Augment)
Description: A Mastery Challenge will start on the third week of the event, providing opportunities to prove your formation-building skills and earn unique rewards.

Augment 2: Golden Weekly Offers (Returning Augment)
Description: One of your weekly offers will be Golden during this event. Golden offers provide an additional 10% discount! The Golden tag persists when an offer is rerolled.

Augment 3: Auto-Blacksmith (Returning Augment)
Description: Event Champions whose recruitment adventure or variants you complete gain common rarity equipment in all slots if they don't already have better. Every tier two or higher event variant completed automatically applies 100 Tiny Blacksmithing Contracts to the variant's Champion's equipment for free!

Augment 4: Boon Enhancements (Returning Augment)
Description: An additional boon buff at each level increases the damage of Tiefling Champions!

Event Feedback

Are you excited about Simril and Lark? Let us know what you think!

The best way for us to hear your feedback would be for you to join our community on an officially-supported platform:

The Official Idle Champions Discord.
The Official Idle Champions Subreddit.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Bluesky, or Instagram.