# PokéBonk Rifts and Relics Guide: Incense, Alpha & Rewards

> Learn how Incense opens Rifts, when to summon the Alpha and how to choose and replace Relics.

Canonical HTML: https://pokebonk.co/guides/rifts-and-relics

Publisher: PokéBonk Guide (https://pokebonk.co), an independent unofficial fan guide. Original game: https://pokebonk.com/.

Game snapshot: v0.9.8; build mw2lpvdy; checked 2026-11-05.

**Source check: v0.9.8 · 2026-11-05**

[Versions, sources and scope](https://pokebonk.co/sources)

**Rifts turn Incense into a short battle for a Relic.** In solo Classic, spend Incense to open a Rift, survive the swarm and defeat its Alpha. The Season 3 announcement lists **32 Relics and three equipment slots**; v0.9.8 adds an option to summon the Alpha early.

## Where Incense comes from

According to the developer, Dominants, Summoners, challenges, guardians and some Alphas can drop Incense. A run starts with one and can carry up to three. The default keyboard interaction to open a Rift is C; check your current key bindings or mobile controls in the game. Spending one is a run decision, so use it when your build can handle a focused fight and you have enough space.

## Fight the swarm and Alpha

A Rift has a random type and a rarity of Common, Rare, Epic or Legendary. Inside, the zone clock stops while waves of that type appear. The announcement describes swarm enemies that fall in one hit, alongside berries and power-ups. After the waves, defeat the Rift Alpha to claim its rewards. Plan your movement around the room and leave yourself a route through the crowd; stopping the zone clock does not mean the encounter is risk-free.

## Summon the Alpha early in v0.9.8

After 15 seconds of waves, the current patch lets you call the Alpha without waiting for the remaining waves. The developer says the prize is unchanged, but you give up the defeats from waves you skip. Stay longer if those defeats matter for your current goal; call early when you prefer to move on. A v0.9.6 fix says the return portal now appears somewhere reachable.

## Choose and replace Relics

The Alpha offers a choice of one of three Relics; available rarity depends on the Rift and luck. Relics provide stats and their own passive effects. You have three slots, and once they are full you choose which equipped Relic to replace. Read the three current cards and compare them to your existing attacks and weakness; the announcement does not establish one universally best selection.

## Team Rifts and mode differences

In co-op, Incense opens a Team Rift on the shared map. If the Alpha is defeated, each player chooses a Relic. The Season 3 announcement separately describes automatically opening overflowing Rifts in solo Survival from minute 8. Do not assume every solo Classic rule applies unchanged to Survival or co-op. The [Season 3 overview](https://pokebonk.co/guides/season-3) links the other systems.

## Sources and limits

This guide summarizes the [official Season 3 news](https://api.pokebonk.com/news?lang=en) and [v0.9.8 patch notes](https://pokebonk.com/assets/defineProperty-CERxPiQA-mw2lpvdy.js), checked November 5, 2026. We have not completed every Rift rarity, measured Relic drop rates, verified every Relic interaction or tested team play. Use the current in-game controls and reward cards for your run.

## Keep exploring

-   [PokéBonk Season 3 Guide: Johto, Maps, Relics & Fusions](https://pokebonk.co/guides/season-3)
-   [PokéBonk Great Expedition Guide: Extraction, Loot & Rewards](https://pokebonk.co/guides/great-expedition)
-   [PokéBonk Modes: Classic, Survival, Co-op & Daily Mutation](https://pokebonk.co/guides/game-modes)
-   [PokéBonk Co-op: Matchmaking, Team Survival & Pause](https://pokebonk.co/guides/co-op)