Inspired by (stolen from) the Hazard 5+ options in Deep Rock Galactic. Optional modifiers players can enable when starting Clockworks runs. More enemies, more health, more damage, etc. Players can choose which modifiers to enable to create a more challenging run, and each one adds a bonus to crowns obtained, possibly materials, tokens, rarities, etc. as well. These modifiers are available only for the Clockworks, not missions.

The modifiers do not have to be plain stat adjustments, they could be more interactive, again inspired by Deep Rock Galactic's mission mutations system. Infinitely spawning explosive wisps featured in certain missions. Graveyard phantoms chase the players on every level. Replace some enemies with higher tier versions, different status versions, or different monsters entirely. Lightning bolts randomly striking down near the party. Weak permanent curse, affected by curse resistance.

It could be a simple setting in the mission select UI, but I would also propose that they could instead require a deposit of minerals in the lobby, and different combinations of minerals activate different modifiers, as a callback to ye olde days of player-driven gate construction.

These modifiers are not available for missions, they are exclusive to the actual Clockworks. I'm sick of the meta of 10 FSC runs a day. This is to increase the variety in content players can run for resources and be competitive with running FSC or the first level of Sewer Stash over and over again, and provide a proportionate challenge.