Hello inquiring gamer!
How is life treating you these days? Spring is well under way here, so we're in the process of trading our heavy coats for lighter jackets. Most of our time is spent indoors though, you know how it is! :] Anyway, development is making good progress on multiple fronts, with quite a bit of new content and features compared to the demo! We've picked one such feature to present today.
If you have played our demo, you have probably noticed that when you forge a skill with support effects, such as healing or buffing, the text mentions it "applies to all ". And you may have wondered "what allies?", since Eiris is transposing alone. You would be right... So?
Enter Totems and Automatons
There are currently two types of friendlies in battle. They are customizable allies you can temporarily summon to your side in the form of skills. Simply put:
- Totems are static but have more hp and hit a large area around themselves.
- Automatons are mobile units that come in various shapes and sizes. For instance, the brittle Sniper charges for a turn before hitting enemies far away, while the steel Hoplite can take a hit or two without flinching.
Both are fully integrated to the Neural forge (skill crafting) system. They’re actually Form synapses, which means you get to customize your summon just like you would any other skill. Instead of determining the range and area of effect of your skill as Form synapses usually do, a Summon Form synapse determines what kind of ally will cast the skill in your stead. And there are plently of options.
A little Grunt automaton who follows you around and buffs your damage, a Totem that pushes enemies away, a poisonous Ranger? Your allies are who you want them to be.
The Summoner archetype
You can definitely build your character around your summons and become the overseer to an army of hand-made soldiers if it's that's something you enjoy (we know we do!). However, be advised that summons do come with some drawbacks.
- If you don’t invest in them through your gear and your Mind tree pathing, they’ll be weaker and risk dying too quickly to have an impact.
- Their base “effect power” is lower than yours, meaning the skills they cast are less effective than your own, unless you significantly upgrade them.
So, whether you just want a temporary scrap shield to draw aggro for a couple turns, or to command your own neural battalion, summons open up a world of new strategy and build possibilities!
Early access is coming this Fall and we will continue to give you news and updates along the way. We're also very eager to hear your feedback! What do you think of summons in games? Is the idea of building armies of minions appealing? Are you more of a lone wolf? Let us know!
You probably already know where to find us, but in any case, here is your reminder that we're available for a chat on Discord, and Twitter.
Thank you for reading, and as always, take care of yourself! ♥