COA IX Event Timeline: Jan 8-22, 2026
COA IX runs January 8-22, 2026. Divine Procession operates 19:00-21:00 server time. Maintenance: January 8, 08:00 UTC+8 for 240 minutes. Team registration closes January 14, 09:00 UTC+8 (effective deadline: January 13, 21:00 UTC+8 for club processing).
Ancient Passage enforces a 5-match daily limit per role, totaling 20 matches maximum per role across the event. Daily limits reset at 00:00 UTC+8.
For Identity V Echoes recharge, BitTopup provides fast, secure transactions with competitive pricing.
Reward Tiers
Fragment rewards by team rank:
- Rank 1: 2000 Fragments
- Rank 2: 1500 Fragments
- Rank 3: 1200 Fragments
- Ranks 4-8: 800 Fragments
- Ranks 9-16: 600 Fragments
- Ranks 17-50: 500 Fragments
Costume pricing:
- S-Tier Joseph: 2888 Echoes
- A-Tier (Knight, Painter, Fire Investigator, Faro Lady): 1388 Echoes (1178 Echoes first week)
- COA IX Essences: 318 Echoes per pull
- S-Tier pity: 250 pulls (79,500 Echoes max)
Regional advancement: Japan advances top 5-6 teams; NA-EU and Southeast Asia advance top 8 teams from Leviathan Shore.
Fragment Cap Mathematics
The 20-match total cap per role across 14 days creates a hard ceiling. You can't multiply daily limits (5 matches) by event duration—the 20-match cap is absolute.
Daily Fragment Cap
Match point yields:
- Quick Match (12:00-22:00): 800-1000 points (Survivor), 1200-1500 points (Hunter)
- Ranked Match (12:00-14:00, 19:00-21:00): 1040-1300 points (Survivor), 1560-1950 points (Hunter)
Queue times:
- Hunter: 3-5 minutes standard, 2-3 minutes peak (19:00-21:00)
- Survivor: 1-2 minutes standard, <1 minute peak
Team point formula: (highest Hunter score × 2) + sum of top 4 Survivor scores.
Fragment Cap Formula
With 20 matches per role over 14 days, optimal distribution is ~1.4 matches daily per role. However, the 5-match daily limit allows concentrated grinding: complete all 20 Hunter matches in 4 days, all 20 Survivor matches in another 4 days, leaving 6 buffer days.
Individual Abyss Battle qualification: 1500 Quick/Ranked points or 3000 Duo Hunters points.
Free vs Paid Caps
F2P cap relies on the 20-match limit per role, daily logins, and team missions. Missing one day reduces maximum fragments proportionally.
Paid sources offer unlimited scaling. At 318 Echoes per Essence, reaching 250-pull pity costs 79,500 Echoes. A-Tier first-week discount (1178 Echoes) is more accessible for low-spenders.
Breakpoint: F2P works for A-Tier frames/emotes; S-Tier typically requires Echo purchases.
All Fragment Sources
Daily Login Bonus
Login rewards provide guaranteed fragments. Resets at 00:00 UTC+8 daily. Missing one login permanently reduces total potential. Represents 10-15% of total free earnings.
Team Missions
Largest fragment source for organized players. Teams need 5-7 players (minimum 5 for Online Qualifiers). Maximum 1 non-permanent resident per team. Join club 12+ hours before match participation.
Mission tracking updates every 15-30 minutes on leaderboards.
Echo-to-Fragment Conversion
318 Echoes per Essence = ~1.27 fragments per 100 Echoes. 250-pull pity guarantees S-Tier at 79,500 Echoes max.
A-Tier direct purchase (1178 Echoes first week) provides fixed fragment value—more predictable than Essence gambling.
For cheap Identity V Echoes top up, BitTopup offers competitive rates with fast delivery.
Hidden Sources
Redemption codes:
- queenbee1127: 75-150 Echoes
- 27026: 75-150 Echoes
- 2A543: 75-100 Echoes
Redeem via Lobby > Gift > Settings > ID input. Codes expire quickly—redeem immediately.
Event-specific daily quests (separate from standard dailies) require manual activation from event menus.
Fastest Team Mission Routes
Mission Difficulty Tiers
- Quick Completion: 10-15 minutes (e.g., Win 3 Survivor matches)
- Standard Completion: 20-30 minutes (e.g., Rescue 5 teammates with specific characters)
- Extended Completion: 35-50 minutes (e.g., Win 5 consecutive matches with A-Tier+ costumes)
Speed-Optimized Order
Days 1-4: Quick Completion missions Days 5-9: Standard Completion missions Days 10-13: Extended Completion missions Day 14 (Jan 22): Buffer for makeup attempts
Best Character Picks
Rescue missions: Mercenary, Coordinator Decoder missions: Mechanic, Prisoner Kiting missions: Perfumer, Enchantress
Hunter missions:
- Quick eliminations: Sculptor, Geisha
- Control: Violinist, Breaking Wheel
- Chase: Ripper, Hell Ember
Solo vs Coordinated Efficiency
Coordinated teams complete missions 30-40% faster than solo queue. Solo players should focus on Quick Completion and individual-focused Standard missions, then seek temporary teams for Extended missions via Discord/in-game recruitment.
Don't-Waste-Echoes Spending Plan
F2P Path
F2P can target A-Tier frames/emotes through pure grinding. The 20-match cap + daily logins + team missions provides ~60-70% of fragments needed for basic A-Tier rewards.
Requires perfect attendance across all 14 days. Missing 2-3 days drops totals below A-Tier thresholds.
Low-Spender Path
Target first-week A-Tier discount (1178 Echoes)—best fragment-per-Echo value. Purchase on day 10-11 after confirming free fragment total.
Set hard Echo spending cap before event starts.
Echo Purchase Breakpoints
- First breakpoint: 1178 Echoes (discounted A-Tier costume)—best ratio
- Second breakpoint: 15,000-20,000 Echoes (multiple A-Tier + Essence pulls)
- Catastrophic breakpoint: 79,500 Echoes (S-Tier pity)—diminishing returns accelerate 40% beyond second breakpoint
When NOT to Buy Echoes
Don't buy during days 1-3—can't calculate free fragment potential yet.
Don't buy before exhausting redemption codes (225-375 free Echoes).
Don't panic-buy on final day (Jan 22)—rushed decisions under time pressure.
Reward Tier Unlock Strategy
A-Tier Costume Requirements
A-Tier: 1388 Echoes standard, 1178 Echoes first week (210-Echo/15% discount).
Perfect attendance + all Quick/Standard missions = need 800-1200 supplemental Echoes for first A-Tier costume.
Prioritize costumes for most-played characters.
S-Tier Path
Joseph's costume: 2888 Echoes direct purchase. Essence gambling: 250-pull pity = 79,500 Echoes worst-case; average 120-150 pulls (38,160-47,700 Echoes).
Direct purchase guarantees specific item. Essence gambling risks higher costs.
Players willing to spend up to 40,000 Echoes might gamble; 3,000-5,000 budgets should direct purchase.
Portrait Frames and Emotes
Most accessible for F2P/low-spenders. Require 40-60% of total event fragments.
Prioritize COA IX Exclusive or Limited Edition frames. Character-specific emotes for mains take precedence.
Emotes cost 200-400 fragments each—excellent for players slightly short of costume thresholds.
14-Day Completion Calendar
Week 1 (Jan 8-14)
Days 1-3: 2-3 matches daily, Quick Completion missions Days 4-6: 4-5 matches daily, add Standard missions Day 7: Checkpoint—calculate current fragments vs target, adjust Week 2 plan
Week 2 (Jan 15-21)
Days 8-10: 5-6 matches if behind pace, 3-4 if ahead. Complete Standard missions, begin Extended missions. Days 11-13: Extended missions, makeup attempts. Make Echo purchase decision (low-spenders). Day 14 (Jan 21): Final full grinding day. Complete remaining missions, exhaust daily limits, verify logins.
Final Day (Jan 22)
Buffer day for emergency fragments. Should require minimal effort if you followed schedule.
If behind: prioritize Quick over Extended missions (better fragment-per-hour).
Last chance for Echo purchases—only buy if pre-calculated exact needs.
Common Fragment Waste Mistakes
Buying Echoes Too Early
Days 1-5 purchases risk 500-1000 excess Echoes. Wait until day 10-11 for accurate fragment data.
First-week discount (210 Echoes) is small compared to potential waste from unnecessary purchases.
Ignoring Team Missions
Team missions offer 2-3x fragment-per-hour vs standard grinding. Neglecting them forfeits 20-30% of total potential.
Seek temporary coordination via community channels. One 2-hour session can complete multiple missions worth days of solo grinding.
Complete all Quick missions before Extended missions—better time efficiency.
Missing Daily Logins
Missing 3 logins forfeits ~10-15% of total free fragments.
Set device reminders 30 minutes before 00:00 UTC+8 reset. 60-90 seconds for highest fragment-per-minute ratio in event.
Advanced Tips
Efficiency Metrics
Track fragments-per-hour:
- Quick Match Survivor: 400-500 fragments/hour
- Ranked Match Hunter: 600-800 fragments/hour (skilled players)
- Quick Completion missions: 800-1200 fragments/hour
- Extended missions: 300-500 fragments/hour
Prioritize Quick missions even when Extended offers higher total rewards.
Character Synergies
Mechanic + Coordinator completes decode and rescue missions 25-30% faster.
Hunter switching: Sculptor for early-game pressure, Dream Witch for late-game control.
Time Management (Working Players)
1-2 hours daily: prioritize 19:00-21:00 window (fastest queues).
Focus on Quick Completion missions + daily logins.
Weekend: 2-3 hour team mission sessions. Weekdays: 30-60 minute login + quick missions.
Secure Echo Top-Up
Purchase Timing
Optimal: days 10-11 (accurate free fragment data + comfortable time remaining).
Early (days 1-5): risk excess Echoes. Late (days 13-14): stress + panic buying.
First-week A-Tier discount expires day 7—purchase day 6-7 if targeting A-Tier.
Calculating Exact Needs
Formula: Required Echoes = (Target Cost - Current Fragments - Projected Free Fragments) ÷ Conversion Rate
Track current fragments daily. Project 14-day total: 300 daily average = 4,200 total; 500 daily = 7,000 total.
Trusted Methods
BitTopup provides secure Identity V Echo top-up with competitive pricing, fast delivery, and excellent community ratings. Secure transaction processing protects account info with minute-level delivery.
Prioritize platforms with established reputations, secure payments, responsive support. Avoid too good to be true pricing—account security risks.
FAQ
What is the maximum fragment cap in COA IX? 20-match limit per role + daily logins + team missions = ~6,000-8,000 free fragments with perfect attendance. Unlimited additional fragments via Echo purchases.
How many fragments daily in COA IX? 300-600 fragments for active players completing 4-5 matches + daily missions. 5-match daily limit per role caps participation.
What are the fastest team missions? Quick Completion missions (Win 3 Survivor matches): 10-15 minutes, best fragment-per-hour ratio.
Should I buy Echoes or play free? F2P works for A-Tier frames/emotes. A-Tier costumes need ~800-1,200 Echoes supplement. S-Tier requires 2,888-79,500 Echoes.
How many Echoes for A-tier skin? 1,388 Echoes standard; 1,178 Echoes first week (Jan 8-14). Perfect attendance players need 800-1,200 supplemental Echoes.
When should I buy Echoes? Days 10-11 (Jan 17-18) after establishing free fragment baseline. Provides accurate calculation data, avoids early over-purchasing and final-day panic.
