The sun is soon to set on another year, and the night grows ever longer. As we light the fires to guide us through the end of the year, our sense of community and camaraderie is renewed; rediscovered. Another month has passed, another day has ended, but time moves on. Let’s take a look at what we have to share in this month’s edition of Eterra Monthly!
Eyes on Eterra
Recent discussions have sparked concerns about us moving towards AI-First. We want to be clear: Eleventh Hour Games is committed to people-first development. We’re continuing to invest in talented developers across multiple disciplines because our studio’s strength has always come from passionate, creative individuals. If you’re excited about game development and believe your skills could help shape the future of Last Epoch, we encourage you to apply. EHG was built by dedicated gamers, and we’re committed to ensuring that human passion and craftsmanship remain at the core of creating the greatest ARPG.
Our CEO and Game Director, Judd Cobler, also shared some exciting news for players who purchased Last Epoch. The upcoming Orobyss expansion will be FREE to all owners of the base game. In addition to the free expansion, players on both platforms will be presented with a brand new DLC class that can be optionally purchased. This class is NOT required in order to enjoy the Orobyss expansion. While the details of this class are under lock and key for the time being, we have revealed that this will be the first of what is being called “Paradox Classes.” One question we’ve seen quite a bit is why the class is paid, not the expansion, when doing so is a “common and accepted” model.
We needed to adjust our monetisation model, as cosmetic sales alone were not enough to fund development costs. We've been strongly against paid expansions because of how they split the player base; so by making the class paid, the monetisation remains optional, and the player base can stay as one.
A road map has also been provided in addition to all of the above. We encourage you all to take a look and see with your own eyes, here.
Mike's Teasers
The Dev stream was light on teasers. Turns out a little tar and cloth can work wonders to plug a leak. All the same, it didn’t stop this ghostly visage from finding its way to Mike’s stream.
Build Spotlight
As the world turns and the north grows cold and dark, we travel back in time to a place of bitter wind, blood, and savagery. There is strength in numbers to be sure, but every pack needs a leader. The Triple Team Beastmaster is all of that and more!
This month’s Build Spotlight goes to the Triple Team Beastmaster by Lelith.
The most important item to begin this build with is the Tyrant’s Skull. We’ve been seeing this relic a lot this season, and for good reason. Lelith uses Last Bear’s Lament, and Last Bear's Fury, both reforged, to round out Heath, Endurance, and Damage output. Mantle of the Pale Ox for body armor, and Cleaver Solution and Naal’s Tooth for weapons, pretty much complete this behemoth of a fighter.
You’ll want Swipe, Fury Leap, and Frenzy totems for yourself, but other than that, let your ferocious and sometimes furry friends handle the rest.
Read the full build guide for all the juicy details, then go terrorise the wild unknown of the Monolith of Fate.
Community Fun
As the end of the year rests right around the corner, families and friends will gather. This month, we’d like to offer you all something warm and comforting to gather around.
Wick stumbled his way through a portal and into Eterra again. It took a while to get back, but when he did, he had quite the story to tell.
“I found myself far in the north. Not quite to Heoborea proper, but close enough to smell the cook fires another day’s walk away. As it grew darker, I found a lone campfire, tended by a figure in black. He gave me a place to sit and a warm drink that felt like home. He never gave his name, but when I asked where he’d learned to make a cider like this, all filled with sweet and spice, he said,
‘One of the oldest traditions in the dark months is to sit around the fire with friends, tell your story, and enjoy a steaming mug of Wassail. Oh, how I miss those days when things were simpler, the world was quieter, and friends were easier to find.’
He didn’t sound sad, just distant, as if his memories had carried him somewhere far away. I knew what was coming. The terror from the eastern mountains and the armies at his command. But for now, I enjoyed a piece of fire, and something to remind me of my own friends.”
Notes:
- The type of apple and orange doesn’t matter. They are more of a preference. However, if you have some wassail left over, store it in the refrigerator with the spices and fruit inside. The fruit will continue to soften and make a wonderful, intensely spiced snack, good for up to 1 week.
- Save yourself some time! Mulling spices are not often kept year-round, but most grocery stores will sell them around the holidays. Store-bought spices are welcome in this recipe as they also often cater to the palate of locals in the area.
What's Next?
Thank you all for joining us for another month in Eterra. As you know, the studio will be closing for the holidays. That means the Eterra monthly will return in January as the staff enjoys time off for the holiday. From our studio to all of you, we hope you have a wonderful rest of the year. We will have lots more to cover soon, and we are excited to have you all along for the ride.
This has been Eterra Monthly, a report on the happenings and changes in the world of Last Epoch. We hope you have enjoyed this month’s report and will see you all again soon.