Dragonkin: The Banished’s Tracker Update Takes a Real Swing at Endgame Depth

Why This Update Actually Matters

Dragonkin: The Banished just dropped its second major Early Access update, and it’s the first time I’ve felt the game aiming squarely at the ARPG endgame conversation. Eko Software (the studio behind Warhammer: Chaosbane and How to Survive) has history with snappy combat but thin post-campaign loops. This patch reads like a direct response: a new class in the Tracker, a volcanic region called Erde-Nor, and systems-Hunt missions with a “Draconic Tarot,” plus Champion enemies-that scream “we’re building a reason to grind.” That caught my attention because ARPGs live or die on what happens after you hit your first gear wall.

Key Takeaways

• Endgame gets structure: Erde-Nor Hunts, a marquee Red Dragon Lord boss, and Champions add teeth and rewards to the loop.
• Draconic Tarot looks like a map-mod system-player-chosen buffs/debuffs to shape difficulty and drops.
• The Tracker class injects mobility and target-marking—plus every other class gains two new skills for build variety.
• Long-requested QoL (loot filter, death recap, revamped intro) finally lands; console players must wait for full release.

Breaking Down the Announcement

The headliners are endgame Hunts in Erde-Nor, capped with a showdown against the Red Dragon Lord. It’s the clearest signal yet that Dragonkin wants a repeatable, boss-anchored loop, not just campaign cleanup. On top of that, the Draconic Tarot lets you customize expeditions with mod-like cards—think Path of Exile’s map affixes or Diablo’s Nightmare Sigils, only framed as a deck you build. If it’s done right, Tarot should do more than “more damage taken, more loot dropped.” The best versions of this system force interesting trade-offs and nudge you into different builds: roll extra projectiles and suddenly your melee setup isn’t so comfy.

Champions are the other pillar. “Stronger elites with fresh mechanics” can be either thrilling mini-bosses or just blue/yellow punching bags. The line between the two is mechanics. If Champions bring aura combos, resist shenanigans, or positional puzzles, great. If they only crit harder, we’ve seen that film. The press notes imply “rewards worthy of the effort,” which is essential—no one wants tanky elites that don’t pay out.

The Tracker Class and Buildcraft Potential

The new Tracker is pitched as an archer-assassin hybrid—anticipation, speed, combos—with a signature Targeting ability to mark prey and run them down. On paper, that’s a great fit for ARPG pacing: mark, burst, reposition. I’m curious whether Targeting scales into endgame (e.g., mark-based vulnerability stacks, team utility) or gets outclassed by raw AoE spam. The good news is the other classes aren’t left behind: every existing class gets two new abilities. The Knight now has a ranged basic and a defensive ally heal, which screams “group play” support. Oracle picks up distance control and setup tools, and the Barbarian adds sturdier defenses plus a mid-range basic for bruiser builds.

This matters because Dragonkin’s “Ancestral Grid”—its take on a passive/skill lattice assembled from fragments—wants room to breathe. New skills increase the combinatorics, and that’s where theorycrafters thrive. If Eko supports the grid with clear breakpoints, keystones, and fragment synergies, we might see the kind of build diversity that sustains a meta beyond week one. If not, expect one or two “Tracker clears all” YouTube builds and a lot of copy-paste.

Erde-Nor: A Hotter Grind Loop

Volcanic biomes are ARPG catnip, but Erde-Nor isn’t just a palette swap. Four new maps and a dungeon expand routing options, and the new Wyvern—a scorpion twisted by Dragon Blood—suggests the team is experimenting beyond simple reskins. If the dungeon hooks into Tarot-modified Hunts and culminates in meaningful boss ladders (materials for crafting, class items, or Tarot unlocks), Erde-Nor could be where players live between patches. If it’s just “more places to kill things,” the novelty fades fast.

QoL That Actually Moves the Needle

Two features arrive fashionably late but absolutely necessary: a Loot Filter and a Death Recap. Any ARPG trying to court lifers needs a filter; it turns the loot firehose into signal over noise. Death Recap is underrated too—seeing the last seconds before a wipe helps you spec smarter and call the real threats. The revamped intro and Prologue aim to fix pacing, which matters if Dragonkin wants to onboard console players smoothly at 1.0. It’s good to see these land before full release instead of as post-launch promises.

There’s also a free Founder Pack 3 cosmetic DLC. Free cosmetics are easy wins in Early Access; the key is messaging. As long as paid cosmetics don’t gate effects or readability, most ARPG communities shrug and grind on.

The Gamer’s Perspective: Cautious Optimism

Eko’s past work delivered solid feel but stumbled on long-term hooks. This update suggests they know it. Tarot-modified Hunts, Champions, and a headline boss are the right knobs to turn. What I’ll be watching next: do Tarot cards create build puzzles or just stat taxes? Are Champions mechanically varied or HP sponges? How rewarding is the Red Dragon Lord on repeat? And with consoles waiting for full release, will controller-friendly UI and performance be bulletproof at launch?

TL;DR

Dragonkin’s second Early Access update makes a real push into endgame with Tarot-tuned Hunts, Champions, and a slick new Tracker class. The QoL finally meets ARPG standards, and Erde-Nor adds a proper grind space. If Tarot depth and Champion variety land, this could be the patch that puts Dragonkin on ARPG fans’ radar.