How Extraction Works

The Basic Shape

Every run follows the same underlying structure: drop in, gather loot, then get out alive before you lose it. Dying anywhere in the field means losing everything you were carrying — only gear already banked in your warehouse stash back at camp is safe.

Step by Step

• 1. Drop in — solo, or in a squad of up to three.
• 2. Loot and fight — gather Gyldenblood, gear, and relics from chests, drops, and defeated enemies, while avoiding or fighting both corrupted creatures and rival Gyldhunters.
• 3. Find and defeat a Returner Woodling — this is the extraction objective. Defeating one gives you a Soul of Return, the item that actually lets you leave with your loot. See our Enemies & Bosses page for more detail on the Woodling.
• 4. Reach an exit — beta players report both solo and team extraction points exist on a map, meaning squadmates aren't all forced to funnel through a single shared exit.
• 5. Survive until the extraction completes — this window is often the most dangerous part of a run, since other players know exactly where you're trying to leave from.

Why the Extraction Window Is the Hardest Part

Once you've committed to extracting, you're a known, static target for the length of the extraction process. Rival hunters who spot you mid-extraction have a strong incentive to rush in and take everything you've gathered — so timing when you push for the exit, rather than greeding for one more loot cycle, is a real skill in itself.

What You Keep vs. What You Lose

• Lost on death: anything you were carrying into or found during the run.
• Safe regardless: anything already deposited in your warehouse stash before the run started.

Related Reading

New to the loop entirely? Start with our Beginner Guide. Curious what you're actually fighting along the way? See Enemies & Bosses. Want to know which maps this plays out on? Check Maps & Locations.