The Roots update added 11 badge challenges to PEAK, each with an associated cosmetic reward. Complete a badge’s published objective to work toward its cosmetic; for most challenges, the objective is the clearest available guide to what you need to do. The reward pairings below are reported by a guide, while the official update notes confirm the badge-and-reward system.
Roots badges and their cosmetic rewards
GameSpot lists the badge names and challenge objectives; Patch Crazy reports the corresponding cosmetics. The official Roots notes confirm that all 11 new badges have cosmetic rewards, but do not name every item in the material reviewed.
| Badge | Published challenge | Reported cosmetic reward |
|---|---|---|
| Forestry | Climb past the Roots. | Gnome Hat and Gnome Outfit |
| Tread Lightly | Climb past the Roots without ever having more than 25% spores. | Plague Doctor Hat and Plague Doctor Outfit |
| Web Security | Escape a spider’s web and survive. | Mummy Hat and Mummy Outfit |
| Undead Encounter | Cure yourself from a zombie bite. | Pumpkin Hat |
| Advanced Mycology | Try all five types of Shroomberry in one expedition. | Antlers |
| Disaster Response | Pull an unconscious friend 30 metres with the Rescue Claw. | Climbing Helmet and Climber Outfit |
| Calcium Intake | Block 100 total damage with Fortified Milk. | Third Eye |
| Competitive Eating | Eat three hot dogs in five seconds or less. | Drink Hat |
| Applied Esoterica | Resurrect a friend using unholy means. | Skeleton Onesie |
| Mycoacrobatics | Bounce up to 40 metres off a mushroom. | Fairy Hat and Fairy Outfit |
| Cryptogastronomy | Cook and eat a Mandrake. | Sprout Hat |
These are the published challenge descriptions, not a complete explanation of every qualifying interaction. In particular, the descriptions do not specify every item that cures a zombie bite or exactly what counts as “unholy means” for Applied Esoterica. Avoid assuming an unlisted method will count.
How to approach the challenges
The objectives suggest a practical way to decide what to attempt first: distinguish challenges that require another player from those centered on a biome, item, or condition. This is a reading of the published objectives, not a developer-recommended order.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match- Teammate-dependent: Disaster Response calls for pulling an unconscious friend with a Rescue Claw; Applied Esoterica requires resurrecting a friend. Arrange a cooperative run for these.
- Condition-sensitive: Tread Lightly requires staying at or below 25% spores throughout the climb past the Roots. Its wording makes the condition continuous, rather than a final-check target.
- Item- or action-specific: The other objectives call for particular items or actions, including Shroomberries, Fortified Milk, hot dogs, a mushroom bounce, and a Mandrake. The published descriptions do not provide further qualifying-mechanic details beyond their stated thresholds.
How to unlock Cryptogastronomy and the Sprout Hat
PC Gamer reports that a Mandrake can resemble a Medicinal Root from a distance. Look for its face; when picked up, it screams and makes nearby players drowsy. To complete Cryptogastronomy:
- Find and pick up a Mandrake rather than a Medicinal Root.
- Cook it on a portable stove or at the campfire at the top of the map.
- Eat the cooked Mandrake. The badge unlocks, and the Sprout Hat reward is received when the run ends.
What the Roots update added
The November 2025 Roots update introduced 11 badge challenges with cosmetic rewards and added eight emotes, according to the update notes reproduced by GameSpot. Those counts describe the update’s additions, not player completion rates.
In August 2026, the PEAK Team described Final Ascent as the game’s last major content update and said it would continue bug fixes and maintenance. The team wrote, “As we’ve said since the beginning, PEAK isn’t a live-service-game.” That announcement does not establish that the Roots challenges were retested on the current build.
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