How to Unlock Acolyte in Risk of Rain 2: Hallowed Concepts

How to Unlock the Acolyte Survivor

The Acolyte is a unique, close-range survivor introduced in the Risk of Rain 2: Hallowed Concepts expansion. Unlike characters unlocked via simple milestones, the Acolyte requires a specific multi-stage encounter during a standard run. To begin, ensure you have the Hallowed Concepts DLC enabled.

First, you must obtain the N’tormat item and at least one N’tormat Page. These are acquired by completing Trials or Wake events. If you are having trouble finding these, head to the Bazaar Between Time, drop down into the pit, and interact with the gong to access a guaranteed Trial.

Finding and Activating the Shrine of Descent

Once you possess the required N’tormat and a page, keep an eye out for the Shrine of Descent in subsequent stages. Community reports indicate that this shrine consistently spawns once you hold the necessary items. Visually, it is very similar to a standard Shrine of the Mountain, but it features a distinct glowing eye icon hovering above it.

Tip

Activating the Shrine of Descent significantly increases the difficulty of your current stage's teleporter event by adding soul-binding mechanics. Ensure your build is stable enough to handle multiple teleporter bosses simultaneously before interacting with it.

The Ritual Arena and Reviving the Acolyte

After successfully completing the teleporter event while the Shrine of Descent is active, a ritual portal will appear. Entering this portal transports you to the Soulbound Threshold. Here, you must navigate to the arena and interact with the console to initiate a boss rush.

You will need to fend off four waves of enemies and bosses. The final challenge is the Anima Harvester. Once you defeat this boss, you will find the Acolyte lying on the ground near the exit.

To complete the unlock, approach the Acolyte and interact with her to offer a healing item from your inventory. This item will be consumed to revive her, making her permanently available in your survivor selection screen.

Recommended Healing Items for Revival

The interaction requires a functional healing item. Based on player testing, the following items are confirmed to work for the revival process:

• Medkit
• Bison Steak
• Leeching Seed
• Topaz Brooch
• Harvester’s Scythe
• Cautious Slug
• Infusion
• Power Elixir

Please note that utility or defensive items such as Tougher Times or Dio’s Best Friend are ineffective for this specific interaction. It is highly recommended to secure a common healing item early in your run to ensure you have one ready once you reach the ritual arena. Using the Artifact of Command can help guarantee that you have a suitable item in your inventory when the time comes.