In Risk of Rain 2, unique items define each run and shape how players interact with enemies and the environment. Among the rarest and most intriguing items is Ifrit’s Distinction, a powerful Void item with the ability to burn enemies with devastating fire damage. This item not only enhances a survivor’s offensive potential but also changes the way you build your loadout and engage in combat. Understanding the mechanics, benefits, and strategic uses of Ifrit’s Distinction can significantly impact your survivability and damage output during longer, more challenging loops.
What Is Ifrit’s Distinction?
Ifrit’s Distinction is a Void-tier item introduced in updates expanding the Risk of Rain 2 item pool. It serves as a corrupted variant of theIgnition Tank, meaning it will corrupt all copies of that item in your inventory. The core function of Ifrit’s Distinction is to enhance your ability to inflict burn damage, specifically by causing all ignite effects to deal a percentage of an enemy’s maximum health over time. This transformation can drastically increase the lethality of certain builds, especially when synergized with items that apply burn effects regularly.
Item Effect
The primary effect of Ifrit’s Distinction is as follows:
- All Ignite effects (such as burn from Gasoline, Will-o’-the-wisp, or Ignition Tank) now deal0.5% of the target’s maximum health per secondas bonus damage, on top of their normal effect.
- This burn scales well into late-game runs where enemies have large health pools.
- As a Void item, Ifrit’s Distinction can be obtained only through Void Cradles or Void Fields, adding to its rarity.
How to Obtain Ifrit’s Distinction
Void Cradles and Corruption
Since Ifrit’s Distinction is a Void item, you won’t find it from regular chests. It can appear in the following locations:
- Void Cradles: These can spawn randomly in stages after the Void update. Activating one will give you a Void item in exchange for health.
- Void Fields: Found through the hidden Bazaar Between Time entrance in the first stage, this area can contain multiple Void items as rewards for clearing cells.
It’s important to note that collecting Ifrit’s Distinction will automatically corrupt allIgnition Tanksin your inventory. Plan accordingly before you pick it up, especially if you’re relying on that item’s original effect.
Risk and Reward
As a Void item, picking up Ifrit’s Distinction comes with a trade-off. The corruption mechanic can disrupt some builds, especially if you were relying on the burst explosion from Ignition Tank. However, the benefit of increased burn damage based on max health often outweighs this downside, especially in late-game scenarios.
Synergies and Ideal Builds
Burn-Applier Items
Ifrit’s Distinction works best when paired with items or abilities that inflict burn. The more often you apply burn effects, the more value you gain from the item. Key synergies include:
- Gasoline: Causes enemies to ignite on death. With Ifrit’s Distinction, this now deals percentage-based damage to surrounding targets.
- Will-o’-the-wisp: Creates an AoE explosion on enemy death that ignites enemies. Increased burn power boosts area clearing.
- Molten Perforator: Launches magma balls that burn targets. Combines well with Ifrit’s passive effect.
- Runald’s and Kjaro’s Bands: When both are active, they boost your elemental output, and Kjaro’s Band in particular benefits from fire-enhanced damage.
Best Survivors to Use Ifrit’s Distinction
Some characters are better suited to exploit the burning mechanics enhanced by Ifrit’s Distinction. Survivors with frequent on-hit effects or natural fire-based skills benefit most.
- Commando: With high fire rate and on-hit synergy, Commando can constantly reapply burn through items.
- Loader: Her Thunder Gauntlet can be paired with items like Gasoline or Will-o’-the-wisp for powerful AoE burn.
- Artificer: Naturally has fire-based skills and can take full advantage of the burn scaling. Flame Bolt becomes deadly.
- MUL-T: With multiple weapons and fast attack speeds, he can consistently apply burn when outfitted with the right items.
Late-Game Scaling and Loops
Percentage-Based Damage Advantage
In the early game, Ifrit’s Distinction offers modest improvement to your damage, especially when enemies have small health pools. However, as you enter later stages or loop into higher difficulties, the item’s true value becomes clear.
Since the burn deals damage based on a percentage of an enemy’s max health, it bypasses traditional armor scaling and becomes one of the most effective ways to damage bosses and elite monsters. This makes it a top-tier item for long runs and surviving deep into the endless loop.
Elite and Boss Erasure
Enemies like Stone Titans, Wandering Vagrants, and Mithrix become much easier to handle when their massive health bars can be steadily burned down over time. Stack Ifrit’s Distinction with other Void or fire-scaling items for exponential power increase.
Drawbacks and Considerations
Item Corruption Trade-Off
Once picked up, Ifrit’s Distinction replaces all Ignition Tanks. This might ruin certain strategies that rely on the explosion trigger of that item, especially for burst-damage builds. Always weigh the benefit of percentage burn against what you’re losing. Some builds may rely more heavily on immediate damage rather than damage-over-time scaling.
Void Item Limitations
Void items are rare and can be hard to acquire consistently. Building a strategy around Ifrit’s Distinction requires flexibility and the willingness to adapt if the item doesn’t show up early. Survivors without natural burn synergy might also struggle to capitalize on the item’s effect without adequate support from other loot.
Strategies for Maximum Effectiveness
Plan Around Burn Application
To get the most out of Ifrit’s Distinction, you should prioritize any item or skill that can ignite enemies. Aim to stack items like Gasoline and Molten Perforator, or play survivors who already apply burn. It’s a waste of potential to carry the item without ways to consistently activate its bonus damage.
Stacking Multiple Copies
Unlike some items, stacking multiple Ifrit’s Distinctions won’t change the 0.5% damage figure directly. However, stacking more copies helps in case of item loss from Shrines of Order or Purity use. Your focus should instead be on stacking burn-source items.
Use with Damage-over-Time Builds
Survivors who deal a lot of damage over time (DoT) will find Ifrit’s Distinction a perfect match. Combining this item with builds focused on bleed, poison, or shock can create a synergy of constant ticking damage that overwhelms even the toughest opponents.
Ifrit’s Distinction in Risk of Rain 2 is a rare and powerful Void item that transforms burn damage into a serious threat across all stages of the game. By scaling with enemy max health, it allows players to tackle elite enemies and bosses more efficiently, especially in long runs and late-game loops. When used with high-frequency burn items or fire-based survivors, its effectiveness increases dramatically. Despite the cost of corruption and its situational nature, players who build around Ifrit’s Distinction can unlock a playstyle centered on destruction by fire, making each run more intense and rewarding.