Rabbit and Steel’s Extra Mode is not just “Hard Mode with bigger numbers.” It is a fundamental remix of how the game communicates mechanics, positions players, and punishes mistakes. If Lunar already felt tight, Extra Mode feels openly hostile the first time you step into it.
Rabbit and Steel Extra Mode Guide and New Rabbits
The DLC itself is free and adds:
- Three new areas
- Four new playable classes
- New bosses and remixed encounters
- Tasha appearing as a shopkeeper
- Extra Mode, which is where most players immediately get destroyed
Extra Mode assumes you already understand the base game’s visual language. The problem is that it deliberately breaks that language.
Unlocking Extra Mode and New Rabbits
From what is shown in gameplay, new rabbits are not reliably unlocked by beating Extra Mode directly, especially early. If your group cannot clear the harder stages, progression instead comes from:
- Repeated runs
- Clearing new areas on lower difficulties
- Grinding battles rather than hard clears
This matters because Extra Mode expects class familiarity. Going in with half-unlocked kits is a recipe for instant wipes.
Core Difference
The most important thing to understand is this:
Extra Mode introduces mechanics that look familiar, then behave differently.
Examples seen repeatedly:
- Circles that normally mean “stand here” now require at least one player, not everyone
- Multiple identical indicators appear per player, forcing role-based positioning
- Objects that look passive suddenly become mandatory kill targets
- Terrain changes mid-fight without warning
- Edge damage zones that punish panic movement
Most wipes happen not because players are slow, but because they trust old habits.
Positioning Mechanics
Extra Mode heavily leans into:
- Shared mechanics
- Split responsibility
- Punishing overlap
Several encounters show situations where:
- Two players stack in the same safe zone and die
- One player rotating “correctly” causes another to fail
- A mechanic only checks for one correct position, not all
The correct mindset is not “everyone do the same thing,” but “someone must do the thing.”
If you move reflexively with your teammate, you are probably wrong.
Target Priority Is No Longer Obvious
In normal play, enemies die when they die. In Extra Mode, some enemies exist purely to enforce mechanics.
Examples shown:
- Slime-like targets that must be killed immediately or mechanics spiral
- Butterflies and adds that look ignorable but are actually wipe conditions
- Bosses that become untouchable unless you chase them through terrain hazards
If something moves strangely, pulses, or breaks pattern rhythm, it is probably not decorative.
Terrain Is a Weapon Now
Extra Mode actively weaponizes the arena.
Seen mechanics include:
- Boxing-ring style boundaries that deal extra damage
- Sand or shifting terrain that slows movement unexpectedly
- Edges that tick damage faster than players expect
- Arenas that reshape mid-phase, invalidating safe habits
The biggest mistake players make is overcommitting to damage when terrain speed changes. Many deaths happen because players realize too late that they physically cannot reach safety anymore.
If the arena changes shape, stop attacking and reposition immediately.
Boss Design Philosophy in Extra Mode
Extra Mode bosses follow a clear pattern:
- Teach the mechanic unfairly
- Kill you once
- Expect perfection next time
Several bosses:
- Combine multiple mechanics at once
- Reuse older patterns but offset timing
- Add counting, color matching, or tracking responsibilities
- Force delayed reactions instead of instant dodges
The “numbered tiles” and “multiple color box” mechanics are especially lethal because they require processing, not reflexes.
If you panic-dodge, you die.
Shopkeeper and Tasha
Tasha appearing as a shopkeeper is not just a visual change. Extra Mode makes shop decisions far more impactful.
Observed priorities:
- Survivability upgrades matter more than raw damage
- Cooldown reduction can trivialize later phases
- Movement-related bonuses often outperform DPS boosts
Because Extra Mode punishes mistakes harder, builds that rely on “one-phase or die” are extremely risky unless your group is already consistent.
Damage
Several moments show players doing good damage and still losing because:
- All players must be alive for a mechanic
- Revive timing matters more than DPS
- Certain phases punish stationary damage dealers
Standing still to maximize output often overlaps with delayed explosions, cleaves, or tracking mechanics.
Extra Mode rewards controlled damage, not greedy damage.
Team Awareness
Extra Mode exposes one harsh truth:
You can play perfectly and still wipe if your team doesn’t understand the mechanic.
Common failure points:
- One player rotating correctly while another mirrors them incorrectly
- Players not calling positions
- Revives used at the wrong phase
- Someone being asleep or inactive during a shared check
If a mechanic looks cooperative, assume it is.
Mental Shift Required to Clear Extra Mode
To actually make progress, you need to unlearn habits:
- Stop assuming indicators mean the same thing as before
- Stop stacking automatically
- Stop chasing damage during movement phases
- Stop rotating “because it feels right”
Instead:
- Assign responsibility
- Watch for delayed effects
- Track who is alive
- Treat every new visual as suspicious
Extra Mode is not about reaction speed. It is about interpretation under pressure.