Hey everyone, Elias here from RivalSector. Let’s talk about the Early Access launch. It has been… well, let’s call it “rocky”. We have all been there, sitting in queues, dealing with launch-day bugs, and feeling that familiar player frustration. In 2025, a rough launch is almost a feature. What is not a feature is how developers respond to it.
Usually, the first big “event” after a launch is a great chance for the studio to make some of that development cost back. We see a shiny new cosmetic shop, maybe some XP boosters, and a “limited-time” armor set for 20 bucks.
That is what I was expecting from Fellowship. I was wrong.
The team at Chief Rebel just dropped their “Haunting of Stronghold” dev update, and it is the polar opposite of a cash grab. It is a genuine “thank you” to the community for sticking with them through the shaky start. They have released a patch packed with not just a fun seasonal event, but also with massive, game-changing UI improvements and critical class-balancing passes.
I am legitimately impressed. This patch shows they are listening, and they are respecting our time and our wallets. Let’s break down everything in this massive new update.
“The Haunting of Stronghold” is All Treats, No Tricks
First up, the main event: “The Haunting of Stronghold,” running from today, October 30, until November 13.
The team has given the Stronghold a full spooky makeover. We are talking pumpkins, new eerie ambience, spooky music, the works. There is also a new vendor, the “Caretaker of Fallen Heroes,” who will be our go-to for the new loot.
But here is the headline: the devs are not selling the new Halloween hero skins. You have to earn them.
The new event loop is simple, and honestly, it is brilliant.
- To unlock a hero’s specific Halloween skin, you must complete 10 dungeons with that hero.
- Once you hit that 10-dungeon mark, the skin becomes available for purchase from the new vendor for a small amount of in-game gold.
- The devs were clear: this is not retroactive. You cannot just log onto your main with 500 dungeons and buy everything. You have to play, starting now.
This is the perfect “we are sorry” gift. It is not a handout, it is an incentive. It encourages us to play the game, to try out new heroes, and to engage with the core dungeon-running loop. They could have sold these for premium currency, and many of us would have bought them. Instead, they tied them to gameplay. That is a massive W in my book.
Ghoulish Goodies: The Complete Loot List
So, what are we grinding for? The new vendor has a full set of skins and two new mounts.The skins cost 60 Gold each (after unlocking them), and the mounts are available for gold right away.
I have put together a table of all the new hero skins you can earn. I have already got my eye on that Tariqenstein skin.
Hero Skin Rewards (Unlock by 10 Dungeons per Hero)
| Hero | Halloween Skin Name | Cost (After Unlock) |
| Ardeos | Emberjack Lord Regalia | 60 Gold |
| Elarion | Embalmed Prince Wraps | 60 Gold |
| Helena | Curse of the Fallen Knight | 60 Gold |
| Mara | Guise of the Skittering Coven | 60 Gold |
| Meiko | Ward of Dark Spiritbinding | 60 Gold |
| Rime | Wargwitch Vestments | 60 Gold |
| Sylvie | Infernal Heartbreaker | 60 Gold |
| Tariq | Tariqenstein Stitches | 60 Gold |
| Vigour | Shroud of Phantom Fright | 60 Gold |
On top of the skins, we are getting two new mounts. I mean, you cannot have a Halloween event without a broomstick, right? These do not require any dungeon unlocks, just gold.
- Mount – Haunted Broom: Costs 120 Gold
- Mount – Broomstick of the Wicked: Costs 480 Gold
If you want to collect every single item from this event (all 9 skins plus both mounts), you are looking at a grand total of 1,140 Gold. It is a totally achievable goal for the two-week event, especially with the new economy changes.
More Than an Event: This is a Core Update
Honestly, the event is just the spooky cherry on top. This patch delivers some of the most-requested quality-of-life and balance changes we have been asking for since day one.
1. The UI is Finally Fixed
I am not exaggerating when I say these UI changes will fundamentally improve how you play.
- Buff Tracking: We finally have a (first iteration) buff tracker! It shows key ability and talent buffs, so you are not guessing if your procs are active. This is huge.
- Active Ability Timers: A yellow frame will now count down on your ability icons, showing you exactly how much time is left on effects like Sylvia’s Life Pedal or Allarian’s Starfall Volley. It is a massive clarity boost.
- Death Log: Died and have no idea what killed you? The new death log improvements will now show what damage sources hit you. This is a critical learning tool for pushing higher-difficulty dungeons.
2. Massive Class and Economy Balancing
The dev team came in hot with the buff hammer, and they are spreading the love.
- Allarian Buffs: My man Allarian was struggling. He was one of the most-played heroes but also one of the most underpowered. He is getting “big damage buffs,” especially at higher levels.
- Non-DPS Damage: Vigor and Sylvia are both getting a 25 percent damage buff. Helena and Mako are also seeing damage increases. This is a fantastic change that helps smooth out dungeon runs when you are not in a full-sweat-comp. It respects the “play what you want” fantasy.
- Fixing the “Adept Wall”: The devs acknowledged the massive difficulty spike players hit when moving into Adept difficulty. To help, they are increasing gold generation in Contender and Adept. This means more item upgrades, faster, which will help players gear up to clear that wall.
- Eternal Loot Changes: For all you end-game players, they are buffing rewards in Eternal. You will now see more Marks of Fellowship, more supplies, and a higher chance for socketed items, especially in higher Eternal tiers. This is to make farming other content just as viable.
My Final Take
I am genuinely hyped. This is not just a lazy Halloween event. This is a “we are listening” patch. The “Haunting of Stronghold” event itself is a perfect model, it rewards playing the game, not opening your wallet.
But the real story is the host of UI and balance changes that came with it. Buff tracking, ability timers, major hero buffs, and economy fixes, this is the stuff that gives a game long-term health. The developers owned the rough launch and are making good on their promise to support the community.
The event is live now and runs until November 13. I am going to go grind out that Meiko skin.
What do you think of the new event and the patch? What skin are you going for first? Let me know in the comments. For more in-depth analysis and guides on Fellowship, be sure to check out our Gaming Insights category right here on rivalsector.com.
Good luck in your dungeon runs.
