Events and Seasonal Content

Hunt: Showdown runs seasonal events that layer temporary mechanics on top of the core Bounty Hunt loop. These events add new objectives, consumables, and environmental hazards that change how matches play out. The current event cycle is Road to Hell, which introduced Strongholds, Caged Boss Targets, and Tarot Cards.

This guide covers the event-specific systems. For core boss encounters, check the Maps and Bosses guide. For base game mechanics, check the Getting Started guide.

Strongholds

Strongholds are massive, fortified zones that spawn on the map during event matches. They feature trench networks, barricades, and guaranteed high-value loot. The 26th Regiment trench systems are the most common Stronghold layout.

What makes Strongholds different from normal compounds:

• Guaranteed Military and Medical Supply Points containing sealed rewards.
• Guaranteed Caged Boss Target (see below).
• Higher AI density with more aggressive enemy compositions.
• Fortified entry points that create natural chokepoints for defenders.

How to approach Strongholds:

1. Stronghold locations are static. Learn where they spawn on each map and you can route toward or away from them intentionally.
2. Rushing the Stronghold early gives you first access to the Caged Boss and supply crates before other teams arrive.
3. If you are not interested in the event objectives, avoid Strongholds entirely. They attract aggressive players and produce noisy, extended fights.

Caged Boss Targets

Caged Boss Targets are a simplified bounty source found exclusively inside Stronghold compounds. They do not work like normal bosses.

Key differences from normal bosses:

• No combat phase. You interact with the Caged Boss Target and it banishes instantly.
• Yields exactly 1 Bounty Token on banishment.
• No clue tracking required. Walk into the Stronghold, find the cage, interact, grab the token.
• The banishment sound still broadcasts your position to the entire server.

What this means for match flow:

A single match can now generate up to three distinct bounty sources:

Source	Location	Requirements
Normal Boss	Standard boss lair compound	Kill, banish, and extract. Full combat phase.
Wild Target (Hellborn/Rotjaw)	Roaming the map surface or water	Kill, banish, and extract. Combat required.
Caged Boss Target	Inside a Stronghold	Interact and banish instantly. No combat.

This fragments the server population. Some teams rush the Stronghold for a fast bounty. Others go for the normal boss. A few will hunt the Wild Target. With bounties split three ways, matches often have less concentrated PvP around any single objective.

tip

If you want a fast, low-risk bounty, rush the Stronghold at match start. Grab the Caged Boss token and extract before the teams fighting the normal boss finish their banishment. You skip the boss fight entirely.

Tarot Cards

Tarot Cards are consumable items that occupy Equipment Slots. They produce map-wide effects when played, acting as strategic disruptors that alter match conditions for every player.

Active Tarot Cards

Card	Effect	Cooldown	Tactical Use
The Chariot	Flips the status of all extraction points. Locked extractions unlock. Open extractions lock.	5 minutes (global)	Block an enemy's extraction route. Force bounty carriers toward your ambush position.
The Tower	Marks all players on the map for a short duration.	Varies	Force information disclosure. Reveals hiding teams and campers.
The Fool	Creates a false bounty signal, confusing teams tracking the real carrier.	Varies	Misdirect pursuers while you extract at a different point.
The Empress	Spawns additional AI hazards in a targeted area.	Varies	Area denial. Flush defenders from a compound by flooding it with hostile AI.

The Chariot Counter-Play

The Chariot card is the most impactful and most frustrating Tarot Card in the current meta. When an enemy plays The Chariot:

1. Your current extraction point locks instantly. The timer resets and you cannot extract there for 5 minutes.
2. Previously locked extractions unlock simultaneously.
3. A brief warning notification appears on screen. Watch for it.

How to handle it:

• Always identify at least two extraction routes before picking up a bounty. If your primary extraction locks, pivot immediately to your backup.
• Do not stand at the extraction point waiting. If The Chariot fires while you are mid-countdown, you have wasted 20+ seconds and now need to run to a new exit.
• If you are the one playing The Chariot, time it when the enemy bounty carrier is committed to an extraction. The maximum value is locking their exit while your team is already set up at an alternative extraction they are forced to use.

warning

The Chariot's 5-minute cooldown is global. Once one Chariot is played, no other Chariot can activate for 5 minutes, regardless of which team played it. Do not carry two Chariot cards. One is enough per match.

Supply Points

Update 2.8 added two new types of supply points that spawn in and around Stronghold zones:

Supply Type	Contents	Location
Military Supply Point	Sealed weapon crates, explosive consumables, and scarce ammo	Inside or near Strongholds
Medical Supply Point	Vitality Shots, Antidote Shots, and medical consumables	Inside or near Strongholds

These crates contain guaranteed sealed rewards, unlike standard supply points that only restock tools. They are worth diverting for if your loadout is running low, but they are also bait. Other teams know the supply points exist and may camp them.

Event Progression

Seasonal events track progress through an event-specific XP bar. You earn event points by:

• Extracting with bounty tokens.
• Completing event-specific tasks (marked in your challenge log).
• Finding event-specific collectibles scattered across the maps.
• Killing AI and hunters during event matches.

Event rewards include exclusive Legendary hunter skins, weapon skins, and cosmetic items that are unavailable outside the event window. If you want the event exclusives, prioritize event matches during the active period.