This article was sponsored by Rend.
A single saga or match of Rend can go on for a month or more, so you'd better believe victory is sweet. Winning a saga earns you a huge chunk of Ascension Points which you can spend on permanent bonuses that carry over between sagas, but even if you don't win, you'll still earn a good amount of points for participating. You'll also earn points as you go which you can spend during your current saga. As long as you're playing regularly, supporting your faction, and seeing sagas through to the end, you'll earn plenty of points and make meaningful progress. That being said, let's look at some of the bonuses you can purchase using Ascension Points.
Personalizing your character is a huge part of Rend, and unlocking cosmetics like hair styles and character auras through Ascension points goes a long way to making your Norse warrior stand out. Cosmetics aren't limited to your character, either: you can purchase decorations like banners for your faction's base as well. These are a great way to display your past efforts and make your character feel unique.
You can also tailor your character by preserving elements from previous sagas and bringing them forward with you. For example, if you manage to tame an incredible pet in your second saga, you can permanently unlock that pet using Ascension Points so that you can fight alongside it once again in your third saga. Of course, you can't just start a new saga with a super powerful pet. You'll need to resurrect it before you can use it again, but that's a small price to pay for your favorite Wildcat or Warg.
Ascension Points can also be used to purchase buffs and abilities. Ascension Runes can increase the rate at which you harvest materials, for example, or add passive bonuses which synergize with your strategy for your next saga. The strongest perks, Ascension Keystones, are tied to limited slots which are locked in when you start a saga, so while you can spend Ascension Points on cosmetics and Ascension Runes during a saga, you also have to plan ahead.
Importantly, the bonuses unlocked through Ascension Points aren't so powerful that players who have them will tower over players who don't. They are not huge power swings that offer an unfair advantage. Additionally, new player bonuses will help newcomers catch up and jump-start their Ascension progression.
By spending Ascension Points between sagas, you can continue to advance your play style and define your character. Which is what Ascension Points are ultimately all about: making new sagas feel fresh.
Rend is now available on Steam Early Access. You can find more information about Rend on its official site.
