This guide covers the Promotion Exam in Kaiju No. 8: The Game. Including a list of Promotion Exam rewards, mechanics, conditions, recommended characters, and how to win and complete the Promotion Exam in K8 The Game.
Table of Contents
What is the Promotion Exam?
Reaching the required Player Rank unlocks a Promotion Exam through Special Request. Clearing it is the only way to advance Spec-Ops Rank, regardless of how much Player EXP you earn.
Defeat Waves of Kaiju
The Promotion Exam is a Special Mission where you must defeat waves of Kaiju. Their levels scale with the Exam's level.
| Exam | Kaiju Level | Waves |
|---|---|---|
| Promotion Exam 1 | Kaiju Level 40 | 3 Waves |
| Promotion Exam 2 | Kaiju Level 70 | 3 Waves |
| Promotion Exam 3 | Kaiju Level 90 | 3 Waves |
*The current Player Rank cap is Level 70, with potential increases in future updates.
Promotion Exam 1 Guide and Rewards
| Conditions | Reach Player Rank 15 |
|---|---|
| Enemy Lv. | Lv. 40 / 3 Waves |
| Rewards |  Dimensional Crystals x300 THE GAME Gacha Tickets x2 Credits x9,000 Defense Force Manuals Kaijumite II x4 |
Promotion Exam 1 is the easiest and can be cleared with a 4-star squad. Make sure your squad is at least level 30-40 to clear. Completing it raises the Character Reinforcement cap from 40 to 70.
Promotion Exam 2 Guide and Rewards
| Conditions | Reach Player Rank 30 |
|---|---|
| Enemy Lv. | Lv. 70 / 3 Waves |
| Rewards | Dimensional Crystals x300 THE GAME Gacha Tickets x2 Credits x24,000 Defense Force Manual III x8 Kaijumite II x4 |
Promotion Exam 2 offers some challenge but is manageable with a well-leveled squad, weapons, skills, and decent uniparts. Clearing it raises the Character Reinforcement cap from 70 to 90.
| Tips! | Bring a squad that exploits the Kaiju's Element weaknesses to break their PLT quickly. Plan ahead by reviewing 'Kaiju Info' before deploying. |
|---|
Promotion Exam 3 Guide and Rewards
| Conditions | Reach Player Rank 40 |
|---|---|
| Enemy Lv. | Lv. 90 / 3 Waves |
| Rewards | Dimensional Crystals x300 THE GAME Gacha Tickets x2 Credits x30,000 Defense Force Manuals III x13 Kaijumite III x7 |
Promotion Exam 3 is challenging if your squad is under-leveled or not built enough to break Kaiju PLT and resistances. Completing this exam raises the Character Reinforcement cap from 90 to 100.
| Tips! | To clear Promotion Exam 3, it's recommended to have at least 1–2 Level 90 characters with good Uniparts and Weapons. |
|---|
Promotion Exam 3 Monster Weakness
 ▼Slash | Miniature and Midsized Kaiju, such as Phaneroplasmodium (Miniature) and Trichonephila, have PLT weak to Slash. They appear in Waves 1 and 2. |
 ▼Elemental | In Wave 3, Kaiju Plates are weak to Elemental attacks and can be broken using any of the 5 Elements: Fire, Ice, Wind, Lightning, and Water |
 ▼Common | Waves 1 to 3 have plates that can be broken by attacks from all 8 Elements |
Recommended Slash Characters
| 5★ Slash Character | |
|---|---|
Gen Narumi | Narumi wields both Slash and Shot, making him a versatile dual-element physical attacker, especially effective against enemies with high Physical RES. |
Soshiro Hoshina | Hoshina is a Slash-type Attacker. His Combat Skill is an AoE Attack, which is effective in clearing swarms of enemies. |
Kikoru Shinomiya | Kikoru is a Slash-type Attacker. Her ATK and CRIT DMG increase with each action, and her Ultimate can also apply a DEF debuff. |
| 4★ Slash Character | |
Soshiro Hoshina | 4-star Hoshina is a Slash Supporter who removes debuffs and boosts allies, making him an ideal battle buddy for AoE and Nuker attackers. |
Kikoru Shinomiya | 4-star Kikoru is a Slash Attacker. When an enemy has its Core Exposed, her SPD and damage output increase, allowing her to hit harder when it counts most. |
Recommended Elemental Characters
| 5★ Elemental Character | |
|---|---|
Sagan Shinomiya | Sagan is the only 5-star Defender with both Blunt and Fire elements. With Taunt and high durability, she protects allies, boosts their offense, and has enough firepower to counter enemies. |
Reno Ichikawa | Reno is a Shot and Ice Attacker who applies Ice Crystals, causing allies' hits to trigger bonus damage. He's a strong pick if you want an attacker that deals extra damage outside his own turn. |
| 4★ Elemental Character | |
Tae Nakanoshima | Nakanoshima is a Slash and Fire Attacker who inflicts Burn and can boost her damage output by increasing her sustained damage multiplier. |
Iharu Furuhashi | Iharu is a status-inducing character and Lightning Element Supporter. He weakens enemy defenses and amps up his allies' Lightning damage. |
Recommended Common-type Characters
| 5★ Common-type Character | |
|---|---|
Kaiju No. 8 | Kaiju No. 8 is a Blunt Attacker with high base stats. Though he can't equip Weapons or Uniparts, his combat effectiveness is boosted by permanent buffs. |
Mina Ashiro | Mina is a Shot-type Attacker who gains a guaranteed Critical Hit every 3 actions, further amplifying her already high damage. |
Isao Shinomiya | Isao is a Blunt Defender who protects allies by granting them Shields. He also boosts all allies' DMG Dealt, with an additional bonus for each teammate under a Shield. |
Rin Shinonome | Rin is a Shot-type Attacker. Both her Combat Skill and Ultimate are AoE-based attacks. She's a strong pick for stages packed with enemies. |
| 4★ Common-type Character | |
Ryo Ikaruga | Ryo is a Shot-type Supporter who can grant allies DMG dealt increase and speed buff with his Ultimate. This allows you to act before the Kaiju or aim to increase the number of attacks. |
Akari Minase | Akari Minase is a Shot-type Defender whose Combat Skill heals allies while boosting their Ultimate Gauge charge rate. |
Kaiju 8 The Game Related Guides
Recommended Guides
| Popular Articles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Reroll Tier List | Best Characters | Best Squads |
| Early Game Guide | Daily to Do | Paid Packs |
| Character List | Weapon List | Uniparts List |
Other Articles
How to Reroll
Best Free 5 Star
Best 4-Stars
Best Banner
Gacha Animation
Pulls Until Guaranteed?
Enhance Priority
Squad Setup
Web Store
Redeem Codes
Latest Updates
Controller Support
Element Effects and Plate Mechanics
Best Store Purchases
Action Order
How to Disassemble Weapons
Weapon Exchange Shop
Uniparts Farming Guide
Weapon AscensionMust Reads Before Playing
| Useful Info | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Registration | Required Specs | Steam Release |
| Link Data | Data Transfer | Best Settings |
| How to Fix Lagging | PS5 ver? | Voice Actors |
Character List
5★ Character Ratings
| Kaiju No. 8 | Kikoru Shinomiya | Mina Ashiro | Soshiro Hoshina |
| Gen Narumi | Isao Shinomiya | Rin Shinonome | Reno Ichikawa |
