How to Obliterate Yourself at the Obelisk in Risk of Rain 2

Unlocking the Mercenary: The True Respite Challenge

To unlock the Mercenary in Risk of Rain 2, you must complete the "True Respite" challenge, which requires you to obliterate your character at the Obelisk. This process acts as an alternative "end" to your run, effectively replacing the standard final boss sequence if you choose to pursue it.

According to community reports, you must progress to Stage 7. Once you complete the teleporter event on this stage, do not enter the teleporter. Instead, look for a Celestial Portal that spawns in the area. This portal has a distinct blue-green hue and will be announced in your in-game chat. Entering this portal transports you to "A Moment, Fractured," a hidden realm where the Obelisk is located.

Navigating the Path to the Obelisk

Upon entering the Celestial Portal, you will be placed in a platforming section. You must successfully navigate the parkour challenge to reach the bottom of the map. At the end of this path, you will find a large, monolithic structure: the Obelisk.

Interact with the Obelisk, and the game will prompt you with a confirmation message asking if you are sure you want to proceed. Confirming your choice will trigger the obliteration, ending your run. Note that this action is permanent for that specific run; once you choose to obliterate, you cannot return to the main game stages.

Rewards and Considerations

Completing this process for the first time unlocks the Mercenary, a high-mobility melee survivor that utilizes a katana for rapid strikes. For subsequent runs, obliterating yourself at the Obelisk serves as a reliable method for farming Lunar Coins, granting you 5 coins each time you perform the action.

Tip

If you possess the "Beads of Fealty" lunar item, interacting with the Obelisk will not end your run immediately. Instead, it initiates a fight against a Twisted Scavenger. Defeating this boss acts as a successful obliteration and rewards you with more Lunar Coins (reportedly 10), while still counting toward the "True Respite" challenge requirements.

Troubleshooting Common Questions

• Can I use Shrines to obliterate? No. Community testing confirms that standard shrines found throughout the game that exchange health for coins do not trigger the "True Respite" challenge. You must use the specific Obelisk found in the hidden realm.
• Does difficulty matter? While players often choose "Drizzle" (easy) mode to quickly reach Stage 7 for unlocking characters, the Obelisk functions the same across all difficulty levels.
• What if I have high-tier equipment? Be aware that all your accumulated items, upgrades, and progress are discarded the moment you obliterate. Ensure you have unlocked the character or farmed the desired coins before confirming the interaction at the Obelisk.

For more information on game mechanics and updates, visit the official Risk of Rain 2 Steam store page.