Commander, greetings,
This is I M GAME.
Today, we’d like to introduce the third preview of the <Bonds of the Battlefield> update: The Commander Joins the Battle.
Alongside the previously introduced Tile Effects and Bond system, this is a major change that significantly impacts gameplay.
The flag will no longer appear in combat. Instead, Sigmund and Livius will directly participate in battle as Commanders.
Unlike other pieces, the Commander does not initiate attacks. However, when attacked, they will counterattack, dealing damage equal to their Attack, and trigger effects based on their traits.
Sigmund – Riposte: When hit, counterattacks the piece that dealt damage to him.
Livius – Punishment: At the end of each round, attacks all pieces that dealt damage to him that round and applies Cannot Attack for 1 round.
The core rule of Master of Piece remains the same. Just as the journey ended when the flag’s HP reached 0, the expedition will now fail if the Commander’s HP reaches 0.
However, unlike the previous version where the flag had only 8 HP, the Commander now has 20 HP, allowing for more flexible and forgiving combat management.
With the Commander’s increased HP, players can now choose to sacrifice the Commander’s health in battle to keep their pieces alive.
However, this also means the Commander will take damage more frequently, and there will be moments where their survival becomes uncertain.
To make the Commander’s HP a meaningful resource, we’ve added a new building event: the Infirmary.
At the Infirmary, you can restore the Commander’s HP or increase their maximum HP.
If your Commander’s health has been worn down through repeated battles, consider visiting the Infirmary to prepare for what lies ahead.
Previously, Master of Piece had a structure where the combat experience varied greatly depending on player skill.
Experienced players could clear battles consistently with minimal damage to the flag, while less experienced players often saw their runs end abruptly once the flow of combat turned against them.
As a result, the experience could feel too easy for some, and too punishing for others.
The Commander system was introduced to address this issue.
Now, even when taking damage in battle, it doesn’t immediately lead to defeat. The Commander can endure, retaliate, and allow the fight to continue.
Even if players fall behind early, they can recover through the Commander’s counterattacks, creating an experience of “surviving through the battle” rather than outright failure.
That said, this change is not simply about lowering difficulty.
Damage taken in combat accumulates as a loss of the Commander’s HP, affecting the rest of the journey.
Skilled players will be able to manage their HP efficiently and push further, while less experienced players may overcome individual battles but face increasing pressure later due to accumulated losses.
With this in mind, the overall difficulty of the journey has also been adjusted.
What we aim for is a shift in how defeat feels—from a “sudden, immediate loss” to the “result of accumulated decisions.”
If you had preserved a bit more HP in earlier battles, chosen to recover at the right moment, or taken a different path, the outcome might have been different.
We want players to reflect on their decisions and approach the next run with better judgment—naturally leading to the motivation of “one more try.”
Beyond what we’ve introduced in these previews, there are many more improvements aimed at enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
New relics, items, and traits have been added, and both balance and level design have been refined.
The <Bonds of the Battlefield> update arrives next week—we hope you’re looking forward to it.
After playing, we’d greatly appreciate it if you could leave us your honest feedback. It helps us a lot.