Embark's October 8 Frozen Trail 2.0 notes change pass progression, movement gear and the value of routes on Pendola Pass. They also add an Outpost and revise the skill tree, quests, matchmaking and storage. The official update notes describe how the systems affect returning Raiders.

Choose a pass before earning points

The update removes Cred and uses Reward Points for pass progress. Only one Reward Pass can be active at a time. The new Frozen Trail Pass has 60 levels across free and premium tracks; existing Raider Decks move to a Legacy Pass. Rewards already unlocked remain granted, and older decks can still advance when selected.

If the goal is to finish a Legacy Pass, make it active before completing Feats. Reward Points are applied to the selected pass, so progress follows that choice rather than advancing several passes together.

A single highlighted progression track receives points from generic tokens, beside ONE ACTIVE PASS and POINTS GO TO SELECTED PASS.
Concept diagram of the article's rule that only one Reward Pass can be active and Reward Points go to the selected pass.

Plan weekly Feats around milestones

Feats grant 15 Reward Points and one progress step on Easy, 25 points and two steps on Medium, or 50 points and three steps on Hard. The weekly track has three milestone rewards worth 250 points each, reached at four, eight and twelve progress steps.

After completing the three milestones, players can continue completing Feats, but major milestone rewards do not return until the weekly timer resets.

The end-of-round screen now previews milestone progress and rewards, and the in-round log shows milestone updates. Returning players can use those displays to check whether a Feat moved the weekly track as expected.

For example, two Medium Feats reach the first four-step milestone; four reach the eight-step milestone. Four Hard Feats reach twelve steps and complete the third milestone. That arithmetic helps compare the effort of different Feats, but it does not change which pass receives the points: the currently active one still controls progress.

Recheck the Raider Skill Tree

The skill tree changes how branch choices work. At the middle of each branch, a node offers two skills and the player chooses one path. That choice can be changed by resetting the tree. At a branch's end, a player who has invested the required points can select up to two of three skills.

The new structure makes some choices mutually exclusive at the branch midpoint, while leaving a separate selection at the end. Embark says the redesign aims to make choices better define a build, but the notes are not a comparative build test. Returning players should inspect their current path and reset rules before assuming an old setup carries over unchanged.

Treat Pendola's loot zones as variable

Pendola Pass is the new map and the only map where the notes say Dynamic Loot Zones are being tested. An area's loot value can be higher or lower from one raid to another, but its loot category stays the same: a Residential area remains Residential.

Embark also lists Frigate and Redirection map conditions, three new enemy types—Bully, Skulker and Hydra—and two weapons, Bantam and Stiletto. The notes publish no numeric loot odds or preferred route. To evaluate a route, compare results across Pendola raids and record the map condition rather than relying on one run.

Unlock the Outpost and understand weapon loss

The new Outpost opens through a project and includes a Research Bench. Its first step, “Research Topside Living Conditions,” asks players to photograph a farmland house. The camera can be bought from Shani, crafted at the Workbench or found Topside. The update adds 22 quests, and quest XP now appears in the reward list.

Weapon Stencils are a separate customization addition. There are 14: eight found Topside, five exclusive to the Frozen Trail Premium Pass, and one tied to DLC. A stencil works like a learned blueprint and requires Stencil Parts to apply. It does not protect the weapon itself: if its owner is downed, another Raider can loot a stenciled weapon. The notes also add 100 Furniture Designs.

Frozen Trail adds the Grappling Hook alongside the Snap Hook and Tether Launcher. Embark reduced the Snap Hook's range from 20 to 18 meters, doubled durability use per activation from 2% to 4%, and raised its power cost from 50 to 60. At full power, the higher cost still allows multiple uses in a short period, but no longer allows immediate back-to-back activations. The notes say the change is meant to distinguish the Snap Hook from the new Grappling Hook: the Snap Hook is a burst-mobility option with more commitment, not a straight upgrade path. The release also lists a known issue that the Tether Launcher cannot currently be repaired, with a fix planned for an upcoming update.

Check the queue and storage changes

Solo vs. Squads is no longer in matchmaking. Embark says it is re-evaluating the mode because it did not give players enough incentive to choose it over other queues. Players who relied on it should confirm the current options before entering a raid.

Stash capacity rises by two levels to 328 slots before Expedition rewards or extra space from Nomadic Envoys. Downed players can now open the map. The map-selection screen and default gamepad mapping also changed. Controller users should check the new bindings. Several existing photo quests now require pictures taken with the new camera, including The League, Reduced to Rubble, Life of a Pharmacist, Battening Down and Groundbreaking. Before a risky run, confirm the active pass, map condition, queue and camera requirement for the selected quest.