Challenge Event

A Challenge Event is the first and most common type of Event in Final Fantasy Record Keeper. As the name implies, Challenge Events are sequences of dungeons meant to challenge the player. Challenge Events may vary according to one of three formats. The two most common formats have had seven unique schematic layouts in the game's history. All variations are explained below.
==Structure==
===Formats===
====Long play format====
The long play format offered six or more dungeons whose difficulty grade followed a slow curve from one to the next. This was the preferred format from March 2015 to April 2016. In this format, Bonus Battles offering rare items and Memory Crystals were added midway through the event.
====Quick play format====
New in 2016, the quick play format abbreviates challenges so that no more than five dungeons are on the initial track, in turn grading difficulty on a faster curve. The quick play format automatically adds all of the regular Bonus levels (+, ++, and +++) at the start of the event as opposed to deferring the Bonus levels until midway through the event. In their place, Ultimate battles are added to the Elite/Part 2 track. This is the current default template for events from April 2016 to present.
The event Dreaming's End brought with it an omission of the Ultimate+ dungeons from mid-2017 forward, allowing players to obtain Memory Crystal IIIs more readily. At the same time, however, an even higher difficulty level was introduced, also leaving the Ultimate++ dungeon as the lone requirement for any of Cid's Missions issued during an event.
===Layouts===
====Single-track====
In a single-track challenge, the player is given sequential (and usually consecutive) pieces of a particular game's story, and must progress sequentially through a series of short dungeons in order to reach a given goal, such as a previously unavailable player character. Starting with the first dungeon, the player can unlock the next dungeon in the sequence by clearing dungeons as in the regular game. Each dungeon in the sequence has an increasing level of difficulty over the dungeon preceding it, and with it, a gradual progression in both the amount of Stamina needed to clear and prizes awarded. At specific points, there may even be boss battles reflective of the event's scenario.
As with the regular game, Elite Dungeons may be unlocked in parallel as the player achieves Master rank on the dungeons played, increasing their difficulty exponentially.
====Dual-track====
In a dual-track challenge, the player is given one or more game events that may not be consecutive, and instead form two separate tracks with differing goals. Within each track is a ladder of steadily increasing difficulty as the player ascends it; in this respect, the ladders resemble those found in Collector's Events or Survival Events. All Rewards are collected immediately upon the completion of each battle echelon, and progress along with the difficulty levels established.
====Continuous====
A continuous challenge is an event so large that it needs to be split into parts, yet is still a single event. Essentially, this is a single-track event without the benefit of Elite Dungeons. Thus, the player is required to complete all dungeons in the first sequence to unlock the second sequence, which takes the place of Elite Dungeons. On the official strategy wiki hosted by DeNA, the Part 2 dungeons are flagged as Elite despite the term not appearing in the event itself.
Several continuous challenges appear to be dual-track events, but it should be noted that dual-track events as they are referred to in this wiki do not have a linear unlock requirement, while continuous events will always have one.
====Fast-track====
In a fast-track challenge, the entire event is abbreviated to no more than five regular dungeons versus the eight or more offered in most other challenges. However, each dungeon increases sharply in difficulty over the one before it. Elite Dungeons do not appear as a result, and the rewards are rarer than in other challenges.
====Phased ladder====
A phased ladder challenge pits the player against dungeons of steadily increasing difficulty, sometimes without adding a second track of any kind. Play begins with a small number of dungeons whose difficulty climbs in the same fashion as a Daily Dungeon, but instead of having all dungeons unlocked at once, new dungeons roll in at predetermined intervals, each new dungeon being significantly more difficult than the one immediately before it. Thus, the player will appear to have completed the event on the first day, but may soon find that he/she will have more to do as the ladder builds every day or every few days. The pattern continues until the event has rolled out in its entirety. This format is ideal for rushes and gauntlet-style events.
====Gauntlet====
The gauntlet layout features a single track of six or more battles. Each is fought against one specific enemy, usually a boss. Difficulty starts low as with other challenges, but increases modestly as the player continues fighting through the gauntlet. It differs from the phased ladder in that all tiers are available from the start.
It is not known whether this layout will be reused in other events, though the structure of Discord and Harmony was that of a "split" event, whereupon one half of the event is released while the other half is deferred to a later period.
====Showdown====
A limited-run format, Showdown-style challenges served as a means of showcasing the Mote-Record Spheres system as it was introduced. These events usually presented as rolling gauntlets, each phase representing one boss at a series of predetermined difficulties. Moreover, Record Synergies varied per the themes of the event, rather than by Record Realm. In the case of events such as The X Records, Record Synergy was activated per battle within the dungeon, making it more difficult to assemble a synergized party. Nonetheless, the format served as a trial for other more lasting mechanics.
====Open-track/Full Dungeon Unlock====
The open-track layout, referred to in-game as a Full Dungeon Unlock, was introduced in beta for 2017's The Torch Burns On. In this format, players are permitted to enter any of the event's 11 dungeons regardless of difficulty; all dungeons and rewards are available from the start of the event. This type of event is often complemented with a Revenge Event from an earlier period.
====Rush====
New for 2019, the rush layout operates much as the Full Dungeon Unlock, but with a track of nine boss battles versus the eleven of the prior layout; the resulting track always has three standard-difficulty battles, two intermediate battles, two Ultimate battles, and two nightmare battles. All dungeons are composed of one boss battle per round, with most being only one round. As before, Revenge Events appear after three days; but each event lasts a full two weeks
==Rewards==
As with other event types, progression through a Challenge Event yields various types of reward items, which may include:
*Mythril
*Growth Eggs
*Materials
*Realm-specific equipment
*Abilities
*Ability orbs
*Player characters
*Memory Crystals
*Gil
Stamina Shards are not awarded at any time.
==List of Challenge Events==
===Single-track Events===
===Dual-track Events===
Event 	Realm	Notes 	Region Duration 	Region Duration
Event 	Realm	Notes 	Japan 	Global
A Fateful Coin Toss - Ascension and Freedom	VI 	Recruitable characters were Edgar and Sabin. 	February 17–26, 2015 	July 30 - August 9, 2015
The Battle Arena 	VII 	Recruitable characters were Tifa and Red XIII. Tifa Memory Crystal available.	February 24 - March 5, 2015	August 5–14, 2015
===Continuous Events===
===Fast-track Events===
Event 	Realm	Notes 	Region Duration 	Region Duration
Event 	Realm	Notes 	Japan 	Global
Flames of Vengeance	XIV 	Recruitable characters were Thancred and Y'shtola.	July 22 - August 4, 2015 	September 18 - October 1, 2015
By Stone Revealed 	FFT 	Recruitable characters were Agrias and Ramza. 	October 28 - November 9, 2015	April 4–16, 2016
===Phased ladders===
Event 	Realm	Notes 	Region Duration 	Region Duration
Event 	Realm	Notes 	Japan 	Global
Relics of Light 	I 	The only recruitable character was the Warrior of Light. Both of his Memory Crystals could be obtained. 	September 6–14, 2015 	March 8–18, 2016
Dawn Over the Big Bridge	Multi	The ultimate boss rush! Players crossed the Big Bridge to battle bosses from across the series anthology to collect accessories, Hall of Rites tickets, and more fabulous items. They who dared to enter the Rift faced an even greater challenge. Super Soul Break Spectacular V was also held.	December 25, 2015 - January 5, 2016	June 25 - July 6, 2016
===Split gauntlet event===
Event 	Realm 	Notes 	Region Duration 	Region Duration
Event 	Realm 	Notes 	Japan 	Global
Discord and Harmony(Chaos) 	Dissidia	Recruitable characters were Y'shtola, Luneth, Firion, Bartz, and Shantotto. Both Shantotto Memory Crystals available, plus Bartz Memory Crystal and one Memory Crystal II Lode.	February 26 - March 9, 2016	August 19–26, 2016
Discord and Harmony(Cosmos)	Dissidia	Recruitable characters were Garland, Golbez, Kefka, Exdeath, and Sephiroth. Garland, Golbez, and Kefka could break the second level cap. 	March 9–23, 2016 	August 27 - September 3, 2016
===Japan-Exclusive Events===
Event 	Realm	Notes	Duration
Dispute with Shinra	VII 	 	December 19–23, 2014