[0.16.0] Rebalance Patch

Patch got delayed due to balancing difficulties with a small testing team, and a bit of feature creep. We were also going to include some new passives (think talents) but it took a bit too long and was not included.

Patch tldr;

• The game balance had gotten pretty bad, getting out of hand with each class release but not much time to address them. We've rebalanced all class damage and sustain based on several metrics. These metrics will be used to balance future classes so we don't get into the same situation.

• Damage and sustain was very spikey, with one-shots and full heals being the norm. The game was becoming more like an ARPG where it only promoted solo aoe farming. The changes aim to start turning it around where combat is a bit slower, more fair, and promotes working together.

• Some QOL additions and missing features.

• Shared skills and passives (Heal/Haste/Cure/FreeCast) were removed, and distributed amongst base classes. This is to start give classes more of an identity/niche.

• Status effects have been revamped, for better clarity and reduce status bloat for future classes. Also gives classes different niches with which status effects they have access to.

• All armor sets have been revamped (late game armors were overshadowing everything else too much).

Monster & Boss Changes

Changes

• Monsters now have Def and Mdef

• Removed regen from Bosses

• Monster damage reduced by around 25%

• Removed random casting and extra cast range from bosses

• Spawner Bosses now have 60s of No KS protection for the Spawner and Party. This is cleared if the Spawner leaves the map

Goals

• Giving monsters certain strengths and weaknesses (therefore giving different builds/classes different niches). Much like how the introduction of Crit Defence means Crit builds are less effective in some maps. This is just the start of it, we will slowly push maps to different niches as we do map expansions

• Reducing spikey-ness of incoming and outgoing damage

Threat System

Changes

• Monsters target the player in range with the most threat.

• The party screen shows relative threat.

Threat is generated when
- You deal damage
- You cast a targeted skill
- You cast a skill near aggressive monsters
- You use a threat generating skill like Taunt

Goals

• Pretty standard system in MMOs, was just missing before

• Allows tanks to keep aggro and DPS to monitor their aggro generation

1. Status Effect Changes

   Changes

   • Status effects have been revamped, for better clarify and reduce status bloat for future classes. Also gives classes different niches with which status effects they have access to

   • Many status effects and their applications were changed

   • Status UI has been revamped for better visualisation

   Roughly how status effects are displayed in UI:
   - Buffs
   - Self Buffs and Effects
   - Debuffs

   Status Effects

   Stagger: Disable Block, -25% def
   Curse: Reverse Healing, -25% mdef
   Burning: Stacking dmg, 3% hp dmg per second
   Bleeding: Stacking dmg, Disable health recovery
   Poison: Stacking dmg, Disable mana recovery
   Decay: Stacking dmg, -1% healing received per stack
   Slow: -50% Cast/Attack/Move speed
   Blind: -25% Hit/Flee/Crit
   Weaken: -25% Final Damage
   Vulnerability: +1% Physical damage taken (max 25 stacks)
   Magic Exposure: +1% Magical damage taken (max 25 stacks)
   Might: +1% Melee/Magic/Ranged damage (max 25 stacks)
   Frenzy: +25% Attack speed, +1 Attack speed limit
   Focus: +25% Cast speed
   Haste: +25% Move speed, +10 Agi
   Fury: +20% Crit
   Vitality: +20% Health, +10 Vit
   Regeneration: Stacking recovery, +1% healing received (max 25 stacks)
   Protection: +25% Block
   Defiance: +10% Final Damage Reduction
   Stability: No Flinch, No Knockback
   Blood Lust: +25 HP Siphon
   Grace: +100% HP/MP recovery rate
   Benediction: +10 Str/Int/Dex/Luk, +20 Hit
   Zeal: +15 Atk/Matk
   Guardian Spirit: Immune to ranged damage
   Aegis: Immune to all damage

   Goals

   • Clearer status displays

   • Better set of statuses with clear effects, which are distributed to difference classes to give them a niche

   Skill Scalings Changes

   Changes

   • Stat scalings (like 5% atk per INT) has been moved to weapons e.g. staff gives you +0.5% skill damage per INT

   To clarify what I mean using Firebolt as example with 100 INT:
   Current
   1000% MATK + 5% per INT
   = 1500% MATK
   New
   1000% MATK x 0.5% per INT with a Staff
   = 1500% MATK

   Goals

   • Makes things much easier to balance, because Lv1 vs Lv5 is truly 1/5 power, instead of being just a little bit weaker depending on your INT.

   • Open up more build variety based on weapon choice, instead of locked by class

   Essence System & Substats

   • Added essence system for altering gear substats

   • Added new substat types to items

   Essence System
   Each item comes with a random amount of potential (15-25). Each essence consumes potential. When reaching 0 potential essences can no longer be used.
   Weapons can have a max of 5 substats, other gear has a max of 4 substats.
   Essence drop chance from monsters based on level: 0.1%-0.5%When dropping an essence it has a chance to be one of the following types:
   - Rebirth (cost 2-3): removes all substats and adds 3-4 new substats (30% drop chance).
   - Flow (cost 3-4): rerolls value of a selected substat (25% drop chance).
   - Destruction (cost 4-5): removes a selected substat and adds a new substat (20% drop chance).
   - Growth (cost 5-6): adds a new substat (15% drop chance).
   - Chaos (cost: remaining): ?? (10% drop chance).Chaos has an even chance to do one of the following:
   - Do nothing
   - Multiply the value of each substat by 0.7-1.3x (substats can go beyond the max value this way).
   - Add a random substat at minimum value (substats can double up this way).
   - Convert the implicit stat of a weapon (15% cast speed > +1 matk per str).
   - Rebirth effect (recycling all stats and ruining the item).

   Goals

   • More build variety and a longer gear chase

   • At the same time more control of your gear drops instead of pure RNG

2. Fixes / Improvements

   • Increased monster lure drop rate: 0.1% > 0.3%

   • Fan of Knives reverted to leap over type (same as Aerial)

   • Clones should no longer have animation or aftercast delays

   • Fix clones having pets

   • Fix clones getting stuck in movement

   • Fix salvation not working

   • Moved party UI so it doesn't get blocked by monster UI

   • Added hold V to pickup (1s cooldown)

   • Mousewheel can now be assigned as hotkey, added camera zoom hotkeys

   • Now teleports back to previous location after a PVP match

   • Now shows red circles for enemies in a PVP match

   • Revive is now fixed cast time (unaffected by CTR), starting at 2s

   • Arcanum ward is now fixed duration

   • Optimised character select screen

   • Added barrier display on health bar (party / self)

   World Map UI

   • Monster stats have been added to hover over tooltips

   • Search bar has been added which allows searching for any item, highlighting maps that drop them

   Vending Search UI

   • New UI which allows you to search for all items currently being vended.

   • Clicking on an item will 'pin' it, highlighting the vendor if they are on the same map

   Party Search UI

   • New UI which allows you to look at a full list of public parties

   • Parties are default public, you can change this in party settings, as well as Name and Level Range requirements

   Controller Support

   • You can now switch between Auto / Keyboard & Mouse / Controller schemes in Settings

   • Auto will switch between the two scheme depending on last input

   • Autotarget system added for Controller

   • Separate Hotkey rebinds for Controller

   • Most functions work with Controller, but UI navigation is not supported yet

   Item Changes

   • All armor sets have been revamped (late game armors were overshadowing everything else too much)

   • Notably Stat Legs / Shoes were reduced (+10 > +5)

   • Added new early items for Revive, Cure, Haste

   • Reduce mount drops

   • Reduced granted lv of autocast hats (gunk shot)

   • Replaced all MP leech with MP siphon (mana leech scaling with damage wasn't balanced)

   • Holy Staff now turns Exorcism into a burst skill

   Some details of armor set revamps
   Novice: Grants Lv1 Heal/Haste/Cure
   Skystrider: +30% neutral resist, Anti Flinch
   Direwolf: +15% def pierce
   Spellthread: Grants Lv5 FreeCast
   Eternal: Grants Lv1 Revive
   Ashwalker: +30% aspd, +1 max aspd limit
   Weaver: All Stats +5
   Cleric: -10% mp cost
   Breezeguard: +10% spell dodge
   Stormplate: +1% max MP regen
   Island Spirit: Grants Lv5 Haste

3. Balance Changes

   Goals

   • Improving class identity

   • Promoting party play, by reducing individual sustain and damage

   • Classes have been rebalanced based on a number of metrics, such as survivability, party support and mechanical difficulty.

   • Damage Order: Shinobi/Gunslinger > Berserker/Wizard/Necro > Priest/Weaver > Paladin

   Changes

   • Rebalanced advanced class damage, overall it has been reduced significantly

   • Rebalanced healing, leech and regen, overall it has been reduced significantly

   • Removed Heal/Haste/Cure/FreeCast and HP/MP passives from all classes, they have been redistributed among specific classes

   • Removed Mass Heal/Haste/Cure, they have been merged with the base versions

   • Maximum attack speed (Atk Spd Limit) now scales with AGI as well as some items. (185 + 1 per 30 AGI + items, up to 193). Some Atk Spd sources have been reduced: Atk speed was worth maxing out for majority of builds, we've made it harder to reach max ASPD so its not always the best choice

   • Reflect damage now also scales with ATK: more build options for reflect

   • Single Target spell reflect now affects any offensive targeted spell, including absolution

   Scout / Gunslinger

   Goals

   • More synergy with weapon swap, for better build diversity with 2-weapon builds

   • Better survivability

   • Less spammy gameplay

   Changes

   • Strafing Volley: 300% > 350% Total, scales with Multistrike

   • Force Shot: 300% > 500% Total

   • Fan Fire: 90% > 40%. Removed cooldown, scales with Multistrike

   • Panic Burst: 90% > 100%. 3 charges, scales with Multistrike

   • Suppressive Shot: 150% > 100%. 2 charges, applies Marked

   • Sniper Shot: 2 charges, 6s cd, projectile (30 range)

   • Piercing Shot: 75% > 150%. Range 20 > 30 (the projectile lasts 50% longer)

   • Rifles have 25% more damage at 12+ range

   • Aerial Shot: 200% > 100%. Added 1s Elusive. 6s cooldown.

   • Point Blank: 250% > 150%

   • Shrapnel: 200% > 150%

   • Slow Trap / Poison Grenade pool / Piercing Shot / Jump Shot applies Vulnerability

   • Gatling Gun: Now useable by all classes, reduced Multistrike and Chain

   • Launcher: Now useable by all classes, added autocast Explosive Grenade

   • Shock Absorber: removed self slow

   • Lockdown: AtkSpdLimit +1

   • Trigger Happy: removed Multistrike, added Flee

   • Grenades: Now element locked

   Swap Bonuses

   • Weapon Swap: Fury (+20% crit)

   • Fan Fire: Sniper Shot +20%

   • Panic Burst / Freeze Grenade: Point Blank +20%

   • Piercing Shot / Point Blank: Panic Burst +20%, and Panic/Fan Fire aoe +3

   • Shrapnel: Explosive Grenade +20%

   Mage / Wizard

   Goals

   • Arcane sigil change to work better with Might

   • Exposures to be more of a mage class niche, instead of easily accessible to all via cards

   • Damage was already close to target, only EO was reduced

   Changes

   • Added True Sight/Free Cast/Increased Recovery

   • Thunderstorm: 200% > 250%

   • Firewall: 125% > 500% total

   • Fire Pillar: 40% > 120%, Cooldown 0 > 3 (max 1 instance)

   • Hydro: 120% > 100%

   • Elemental Overload: 1600% > 1000%

   • Arcane Sigil: +25% damage magic / matk > +50% matk

   • Exposures: now -4% per level instead of -20% all levels

   Weaver

   Goals

   • More build diversity

   • Tighten gap between builds (AA autocast and caster)

   • Buffed up mage skills also helped put Weaver in a better spot DPS wise

   Changes

   • Added Whirlwind, Slow Trap, Impale, Strafing Volley (replaced previous passive skills)

   • Added Heal, Haste, Cure, Free Cast 5

4. Acolyte / Priest

   Goals

   • Bring damage to new balance

   • Fit the class with new Buff/Debuff standardization

   • Change skill point spread to try and create meaningful choices across all builds

   • Change healing cadence to better match a less spiky damage environment (HPS vs heal spikes)

   • Make High Heal a more present skill on overall gameplay

   • Introduce more space to counterplay Absolution on PvP

   Changes

   • Mass Heal/Haste/Cure replaced with Heal/Haste/Cure. Area scales with level

   • Heal: cooldown 3s > 1s. Rebalanced

   • Added Increased Recovery/True Sight

   • Moved Absolution to Priest

   • Benediction: Now casted from the player

   • High Heal: 1000% > 600%. Also recovers 20% max HP

   • Divinity: Now grants Vitality

   • Sacrament: Now grants Focus

   • Fanaticism: Now grants Frenzy

   • Guardian Spirit: Now grants Guardian Spirit (Immune to ranged damage). Converted to short targetted buff like Arcanum Ward

   • Smite: 50% > 60%. No longer crits

   • Holy Wrath: Cooldown 3 > 5. Applies Magic Exposure

   • Absolution: Cooldown 5s at lv5

   Rogue / Shinobi

   Goals

   • Bring damage to new balance

   • Limit break was throwing off balance in our tests, and also not fun to constantly toggle on/off. So it will be removed and revamped for future classes

   Changes

   • Added Haste/Cure

   • Venom Strike: 300% > 200%. Hits 3 > 2. Now scales with Multistrike

   • Smoke Screen: now applies cloak to allies

   • Venom Coating: poison duration now scales with level, up to level 5

   • Flame Orb: 100% > 80%

   • Binding Spiral: 50% > 30%

   • Flash Step: 200% > 150%

   • Black Blade: 150% > 100%

   • Releases: reduced by half

   • Shuriken/Twist of Fate/Fan of Knives: reduced by half

   • Removed Limit Break

   Knight / Paladin

   Goals

   • Bring damage to new balance

   • Fit the class with new Buff/Debuff standardization

   • The new reflect formula meant also reducing reflect skills a bit

   • Reduce the amount of buff upkeep to match other classes

   Changes

   • Taunt: now applies Threat / Increased Threat generation for the new system

   • Reflect Shield and Fortify converted to passives

   • Knight attack skill apply Vulnerability

   • Defiance: Now grants +10% final damage reduction

   • Vitality Aura: Now grants Vitality

   • Conviction Aura: Now grants 10 Might

   • Grand Cross: 200% > 100%

   • Consecration: 25% > 50% (damage). 12.5% > 10% (healing).

   • Shield Throw: 200% > 150% Total

   • Shield Bash: 500% > 300% Total

   • Gryphon Riding: Auto unlocked

   Warrior / Berserker

   Goals

   • Bring damage to new balance

   • Fit the class with new Buff/Debuff standardization

   • Tighten gap between builds (AA and caster)

   • More synergy with AA and Tomahawk

   Changes

   • Mighty Roar: Now grants 10 Might

   • Furious Shot: Now grants Fury

   • Blood Howl: Now grants Blood Lust

   • Blood Frenzy: +2 atk spd limit, +100% Multistrike instead of AA damage

   • Axe Throw: 450% > 200%. Scales with Multistrike

   • Dark Claw: 750% > 400%

   • Cyclone: 150% > 125%

   • Execute: 250% > 175%

   • Wild Charge/Earth Splitter: 300% > 150%

   • Fearsome Cry: 300% > 100%

   Summoner / Necro

   Goals

   • Bring damage to new balance

   • Moved skill points from mandatory basic Summon control to deliberate Summon focus choices on the early game

   Changes

   • Added True Sight

   • Summon Command/Recall/Swap/Mount: Auto unlocked

   • Summon skills now max out at Lv3, determining their 'stage' (which means you can mount them at Lv3)

   • Summons have +500 base health

   • Summon base stats have been reduced by around 30%. Removed penalty in PVP

   • Summons always have Combo Ready

   • Reduced mana cost of summon skill casts by half, matching Clones

   • Soul Strike: 100% > 60%

   • Resonance: 25% > 15%. Removed buff effect

   • Dissonance: 100% > 75%. Removed buff effect

   • Fury Bond: Now gives 5 Might + Fury

   • Guardian Bond: Now gives 5 Regen + Vitality

   • Grave Chill/Necrotic Presence effects: 20% > 10%

   • Reap healing reduced

   • Turtle King now casts the real Elemental Overload

   Thank you for all your support, we will continue working hard to deliver the best experience in the game! Wishlist SpiritVale!