All Hail the Orb Obelisk Guide: Stages and When to Advance

Updated 2026-10-22: Correction: the pre-finale checklist used to include all five hidden achievements, but You saved Bob...Good job! can only unlock after the credits (relaunch, then click Bob on the main menu). On October 5 the Steam review snapshot was updated to 1,586 total reviews, with 1,497 positive and 89 negative; the post-story date remains April 26 Hotfix #2.

TL;DR: All Hail the Orb has 6 Obelisk stages. Each advance resets parts of the dungeon, so timing matters. Don't advance stage 3 before the Library is staffed, and don't rush stage 4 before Crystal Conduit is running. Stage 6 requires 1 billion Devotion to complete.

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All Hail the Orb Obelisk guide: what should you do first? (quick answer)

Build cultist automation before pushing the next stage, and use the stage 4 to stage 6 window to finish hidden achievements, ducks, and alchemy cleanup. Stage 6 requires 1 billion Devotion, but the April 26 post-story update means the finale is no longer a hard lock on missed achievements.

• The Obelisk has 6 stages: each unlocks new systems and pushes the Devotion ceiling higher
• Stage 6 ("The End...?") requires 1 billion Devotion and triggers the story conclusion
• Don't advance stages before your automation is established: the passive Devotion generation carries each push
• Complete the five hidden achievements and get duck count near 50 before the finale (or clean up post-story with the April 26 patch)
• After the April 26, 2026 update, the game continues after stage 6: missed achievements can be cleaned up

All Hail the Orb current status: October 2026

The live Steam snapshot checked on October 5 lists $6.99, a Very Positive label, and 1,586 total reviews: 1,497 positive and 89 negative. The official feed's April 26 Hotfix #2 added post-story play. The official achievement page currently shows 46 achievements, including five hidden entries. Sources: All Hail the Orb on Steam, the official achievements page, and the official news feed.

What the All Hail the Orb Obelisk is

The All Hail the Orb Obelisk is the progression spine. Six stages, each requiring a Devotion threshold to advance. Each stage unlocks new mechanics: early stages introduce basic cultist automation, later stages open alchemy, dungeon access, and the systems that make the Devotion scaling work at the numbers you need for stage 6.

Devotion is generated two ways: clicking the orb manually, and passive generation from cultists assigned to it. Early in the game, clicking is how you build initial resources. Within the first hour, cultist automation becomes more effective than clicking. By the middle game, your cultist operation is what's doing the work: clicking the orb gives bonus outputs like Resonance Crystals rather than being the primary Devotion source.

The Obelisk stage advances are gates. You can see stage 6 on the list from the start. The 1 billion Devotion requirement looks enormous in stage 1 and stops feeling that way by stage 4.

GODEEPER: The full achievement list, 100% completion order, and what the April 26 patch changed about missable content. All Hail the Orb Achievement Guide →

The All Hail the Orb Obelisk: six stages

The All Hail the Orb Obelisk stage progression unlocks systems in a specific order. Early stages give you the automation framework. Later stages expand the Devotion sources and introduce the complexity that makes the final push possible.

Stages 1-2 introduce cultists and the basic automation loop. This is where you stop thinking about clicking as your primary job and start thinking about how many cultists you can assign and sustain. Devotion growth is slow compared to where it ends up, but the systems you build here compound into the mid-game.

Stages 3-4 are the point where alchemy and dungeon exploration become the important planning problems. The verified achievement guide lists nine recipes, including Devotion Resonance Crystal and Crystal Conduit, and maps the trinkets needed for each. Treat exact stage gates as in-game progression rather than assuming every recipe opens at one fixed stage. Once dungeon rooms are available, start exploring them if you're going for full completion.

Stages 5-6 are the late-game push. Stage 5 requirements are high enough that you need established automation (cultists, alchemy chains, and passive Devotion all working together) before the stage 6 threshold of 1 billion Devotion feels reachable. Stage 6 is the ending.

The exact Devotion thresholds for stages 1-5 of the All Hail the Orb Obelisk aren't published in-game in a way that surfaces clearly outside of active play. What's confirmed: stage 6 is 1 billion Devotion. The community's Getting Started guides on the Steam hub (app 4262310) have mapped the intermediate stage values for players who want the exact numbers.

Each Obelisk stage advance triggers a notification and unlocks new mechanics. Stage 4 is where alchemy and dungeon access typically open up.

When to advance vs. when to wait

This is where most players make the Obelisk harder than it needs to be. Advancing a stage too early (before your automation is stable) means the next Devotion threshold takes much longer because your passive generation is still weak.

The right time to advance a stage: when your passive Devotion is growing noticeably without you clicking. If you walk away for ten minutes and come back to meaningful progress, your automation is doing its job. Push the stage.

If progress requires you to sit there clicking, wait. Add more cultists, check if there are alchemy discoveries that boost generation, and let the system run longer. The Obelisk doesn't have a time limit. Patience here saves more time than rushing.

Between stage advances, let automation compound. It sounds obvious, but the instinct in clicker games is to keep clicking because clicking feels productive. In All Hail the Orb, the better move is often to set up a cultist chain and step away. Come back in 20 minutes. The Devotion numbers will have moved more than a session of active clicking.

Pre-finale checklist

Before pushing the 1 billion Devotion final stage, work through this:

The five hidden achievements (Toasty Buns, Dont'cha think it's too early?, What's Behind the Bookshelf...?, Bath Time, and You saved Bob...Good job!) are tied to specific interactions: three in-world actions, one click on the main-menu Orb, and Bob, who appears on the main menu after the credits. The All Hail the Orb achievement guide lists the exact action for each. They have blank Steam descriptions. Before the April 26 patch, missing them meant starting over. Now you can complete them post-story, but doing the first four during the run is cleaner since you're already exploring the systems involved.

Duck count: get near 50 before the finale. The Quackpot gacha runs on a separate currency. Roll 5 at a time, not one at a time; it's more efficient per duck. After the April 26 patch, Quackpot costs were adjusted, so this grind is different from the launch version.

The Grand Opus covers all 9 alchemy recipes. The official achievement guide confirms the recipe count and the Library trinket path, while the exact Eureka trigger rate is community-reported rather than an official percentage. If you have not finished it near stage 6, let the Library automation run instead of treating an unverified rate as a guarantee.

Check the achievement list for anything with a clear unlock condition you haven't hit yet. Resource milestones (Devotion counts, cultist totals) unlock naturally during stage 6 progression. Activity achievements (rolling ducks, reading books, clicking the orb specific amounts) should be close to done by now if you've been playing normally.

Getting duck count near 50 before the finale is easier with the Roll 5 option. After the April 26 patch, Quackpot costs were adjusted, so the grind differs from the launch version.

What the April 26, 2026 patch changed

Before this patch, completing stage 6 ended the game. Permanently. Players who missed any non-ending achievement before the finale had to start a new run.

The patch added post-story continuation: the game keeps running after stage 6 completes. You can still roll the Quackpot, explore dungeon rooms, let the Library generate books, and watch automation keep building Devotion. The five hidden achievements and the remaining achievement list are completable post-story. Steam's official page currently shows 46 achievements total.

The patch also added improved achievement tracking (catches Steam unlocks that didn't fire correctly in earlier builds) and reduced Quackpot costs.

For players who started a run before the patch and want to know if it applies retroactively: the official post describes the new post-story flow as a game-wide change. Load an existing save and check the current build before assuming a restart is required.

GODEEPER: The five hidden dungeon achievements with exact room descriptions and interaction notes. All Hail the Orb Secrets Guide: Hidden Rooms, Duck, Alchemy →

Tips

The stage order is fixed, but your pace isn't. Each advance is a choice. Slower, more automated runs reach stage 6 faster in real time than rushed, manually-clicked runs that stall on each new Devotion threshold.

Dungeon exploration and Obelisk progression run in parallel. Once dungeon rooms unlock, you can explore them during the same stretches where automation is building Devotion. Route them together. You're not choosing one over the other.

Check the achievement list at stage 4 or 5. By then you know the game well enough to see what needs manual attention before the finale. Resource milestones resolve naturally with stage 6 progression. The ones that need specific effort are the hidden dungeon achievements and duck count.

The 1 billion Devotion requirement sounds intimidating in stage 1. By stage 5, if automation is established, the passive generation gets you there without much active play. Let the cultist system run, check in periodically. The finale arrives on its own.

Step-by-Step: plan an Obelisk run

Step 1: Establish cultist automation. Move from manual clicking to passive Devotion as soon as the early systems allow it.

Step 2: Pause before each stage advance. Check that your passive generation is moving and that you are not postponing an alchemy or dungeon task you actually want to finish first.

Step 3: Use the midgame for cleanup. Work through the nine-recipe alchemy path, hidden achievements, and duck milestones while the next Devotion threshold is running.

Step 4: Push stage 6 when ready. The 1 billion requirement is the finale, not a permanent lockout anymore. Keep the post-story cleanup option in mind if one achievement is still missing.

Related Reading

• All Hail the Orb Complete Guide 2026: Hub for all All Hail the Orb guides: alchemy, automation, secrets, endings, and achievement tips.
• All Hail the Orb Review: A Short, Cheerful Cult Classic: All Hail the Orb review: a pixel-art clicker about summoning cultists and exploring a dungeon.
• All Hail the Orb Automation: Max Cultist Efficiency Guide: All Hail the Orb automation guide: optimal cultist distribution by stage, idle session checklist, stamina.
• All Hail the Orb New Player Mistakes: 8 Common Errors: All Hail the Orb new player mistakes: under-staffing the Library, wrong alchemy order, advancing too.
• All Hail the Orb Alchemy Recipes: Complete List of All 9: All Hail the Orb alchemy recipes: complete list of all 9 discoveries, exact effects, unlock.
• All Hail the Orb Best Build Guide: a build-focused companion for turning the Obelisk's automation into a stronger run.

References

• All Hail the Orb on Steam: store page, patch notes, community hub
• LeGingerDev: developer page on Steam
• All Hail the Orb achievement guide: full achievement list and unlock order
• All Hail the Orb official achievements: current total and hidden achievement names
• All Hail the Orb official news: post-story Hotfix #2 and later hotfix context
• All Hail the Orb endings explained: what happens when you complete stage 6
• All Hail the Orb tips for beginners: full run preparation before pushing the finale
• All Hail the Orb secrets guide: hidden achievements and dungeon rooms

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many Obelisk stages are in All Hail the Orb? A: Six. Stage 6 requires 1 billion Devotion and triggers the story ending. After the April 26 patch, the game continues post-story.

Q: What is the final Obelisk stage? A: Stage 6, "The End...?", at 1 billion Devotion. Completing it triggers the story conclusion. Post-April 26 patch, the game continues running after stage 6.

Q: Should I rush the Obelisk stages? A: No. Advance a stage when passive automation is doing the work, not when you're manually clicking to sustain progress. Rushing produces slower runs.

Q: What happens after you complete the Obelisk? A: Post-April 26 patch: the game continues. You can complete achievements, roll Quackpot, and explore dungeons. Before the patch, completing stage 6 ended the game permanently.

Q: What should I do before the final stage? A: Complete the five hidden dungeon achievements, get duck count near 50, and let the Library run for Grand Opus if you're chasing 100% completion.

Q: How do cultists help with the Obelisk? A: They generate Devotion passively. More cultists means faster Devotion generation without clicking. Building cultist automation before each stage advance is the core strategy.

Q: Is any Obelisk content missable? A: After the April 26, 2026 patch: no. Everything is accessible post-story. Before the patch, the five hidden achievements were missable if you completed stage 6 first.