Part of the Events Series:

Event Calendar: Every event cycle (Start Here).

Barbarian Forts Guide: The commanders you will bring.

Speedups Guide: What Hell mode pays out.

Quick Answer

The Karuak Ceremony runs about four days and has an individual and an alliance component. You pick one of five difficulties — Easy, Normal, Hard, Nightmare or Hell — and that choice is locked for the whole event. Each difficulty is 50 waves of barbarians, and every summon costs 100 action points. Clearing the individual track on Hell pays roughly 12 legendary commander sculptures, 15 Dazzling Starlight Sculptures, 2,000 gems and 30 hours of general speedups — one of the best individual payouts in the game.

The Decision That Matters

You cannot change difficulty once the ceremony starts. That single rule is the whole strategic content of this event.

Pick too high and you stall partway up the 50 waves, collecting only the rewards for the levels you actually cleared. Pick too low and you clear comfortably while leaving a large amount of value unclaimed.

So decide honestly:

How strong is your barbarian pair? See barbarian forts — the same commanders apply.
Will your alliance rally for you? You can fight solo or rally with alliance members, and a reliable alliance effectively raises the difficulty you can attempt.
How many action points can you bank? At 100 AP per summon across 50 waves, this is an enormous AP sink.

The Action Point Problem

100 action points per summon, 50 waves. Action points cap and stop regenerating, so the difference between a governor who prepared and one who did not is stark.

Preparation, starting several days out:

Stop spending AP on ordinary barbarians as the event approaches.
Bank AP refill items rather than using them casually.
Check the event calendar so the window does not surprise you.

This is the same discipline that Lohar's Trial rewards, at a much larger scale.

Solo or Rally

Both work. Rallying with alliance members lets you attempt a harder difficulty than your account could manage alone, and governors who help allies complete a challenge are occasionally rewarded with a Mark of the Karuak.

That reciprocity is the point: help with your alliance's summons and they will show up for yours. An alliance that coordinates Karuak gets substantially more out of it than one where everyone grinds privately — see the alliance guide.

Rewards

Each of the 50 waves carries its own reward, and higher difficulties pay better at every step. At the end you receive an occult treasure matching the highest level you completed.

The Hell-mode individual completion figures — 12 legendary sculptures, 15 Dazzling Starlight Sculptures, 2,000 gems, 30 hours of speedups — are worth putting in context: legendary sculptures are the hardest currency in the game to accumulate, and Starlight Sculptures can be directed at a commander of your choosing. See the commanders hub.

FAQ

How long does the Karuak Ceremony last?

Around four days, with individual and alliance components.

Can I change difficulty during the Karuak Ceremony?

No. Your choice is locked for the whole event, which is why picking correctly matters more than anything else here.

How much AP does a Karuak summon cost?

100 action points per summon, across 50 waves. Bank action points and refills beforehand.

What are the Hell mode rewards?

Roughly 12 legendary commander sculptures, 15 Dazzling Starlight Sculptures, 2,000 gems and 30 hours of general speedups for completing the individual track.

Can I do Karuak with my alliance?

Yes — solo or by rally. Helping allies can also earn you a Mark of the Karuak.

Key Takeaways

Four days, five difficulties, 50 waves — and the difficulty locks at the start.
100 AP per summon. Bank action points days in advance.
Rallying with your alliance lets you attempt a harder tier than you could solo.
Hell mode pays legendary and Starlight sculptures — the scarcest currency you have.
Help with alliance summons; the reciprocity is worth more than the solo grind.

Rise of Kingdoms Karuak Ceremony Guide: Difficulties and Rewards