Update 9

Greetings all, this is Kev. Update 9 is now live. This update is compatible with any run from Update 6 and forward.As I mentioned in the notes for Update 7, we've started focusing our efforts on a couple huge features for As We Descend: Sacrosanct, which is the third playable Origin with its own mechanics and variations on the units and gameplay; and improved Steam Deck support (with corresponding controller support and other UX adjustments as needed). Some controller changes have found their way into this update and the last, allowing various submenus to be used via strictly controller.This means that until we get those features done, our monthly updates (like this one) will tend to be smaller in the interim period. There's no specific timeline for either of these features, as they have their own uncertainties when it comes to completion; they will be tested on the experimental branch before they're completed, and they'll be done when they're done.For this month's update, we're focused on Descension play patterns as you progress through the descension tree, the frequency of Reactor Rod offerings, and slowly introducing more of the controller features we've been implementing. We also took a look at the least drafted tech and cards, and made some reworks/changes to increase their competitiveness towards more popular options.Thanks for everyone that's been reporting issue they've run into, it's been invaluable for our bug fixing efforts. If you encounter any bugs, be sure to report them either in the Steam discussions, our Discord, or directly in-game using which is the best way to get bug reports and feedback to us.Cheers,
Kev and the team at Box Dragon

Full Changelist

(Patch 0.14.0)

Descensions

Design notes: All major mutations have names so it's easier to refer to them. All descension changes take place immediately, so if you have a run-in-progress, they will be swapped for their new effects. Additionally, the rarity rates of starters/basics have been adjusted to greatly reduce the frequency of seeing the same units over and over again.

• Major Mutations all granted names: Onslaught, Battle Weary, Scarcity, Last Bastion, Elite Threat, Proliferation, Grievous Injury, Epicenter, Eternal Ruin, The Apocalypse
• Adaptive Foes, with the prior effect of Mutation 8
• Cryptic Disease removed
• Elite Threat effect now states that it moves Elite battles closer to the City (no gameplay change; the underlying changed occurred in Update 8)
• Mutation 6 effect moved to Mutation 7 (Grievous Injury)
• Mutation 7 effect moved to Mutation 8 (Epicenter)
• Mutation 6 (Proliferation) has a new effect: Increases the number of units offered in normal drafts by 1. However, these units have a chance to be offered with a wound.
• With Mutation 2 (Battle Weary) enabled, Unit drafts now offer starter/basic units at a slightly lower frequency (so you will see significantly more rare units)

Expeditions

Design notes: Since the change to elites in Update 8 that caused elites to show up closer to the City, this had the unintended effect of reducing the frequency you would be offered Reactor Rod rewards. To offset this, all Elite Expeditions now have a high frequency of offering Reactor Rods as their visible rewards on the map. This should increase the average number of Reactor Rods offered throughout a run.

• Elite expeditions now have a high chance to offer a Reactor Rod as the guaranteed reward

Tech

Design notes: Some of the least picked tech have been reworked. If you have an in-progress run where you already have a Lone Monument or Incinerator Forge, it will continue to work; they just won't show up in drafts starting with this patch.

• Scrap Heap (Boss, Neutral)
• Pillar of Heroes (Boss, Votive)
• Dimensional Strider changed from 2 Barrier per support card to 1 Barrier per support card
• Effusing Wings redraw amount changed from 2 to 3
• Reactive Armor gives Fading Armor equal to the applied Empower rather than always giving Fading Armor 1
• Lone Monument deprecated
• Incinerator Forge deprecated

Units/Cards

Design notes: Looking at the data, some cards stood out with much lower pickrates than other cards. These have been adjusted to make them more competitive with more frequently picked cards.

• Awestruck rune gain increased from 1 to 2
• Core Cycler rune gain increased from 2(3) to 3(4)
• Dry Powder draw increased from 3(4) to 4(6)
• Pyrolysis upshifted from Basic to Rare, cost reduced from 1(0) to 0, and Flow gain increased from 1 to 1(2) per card banished
• Retrieve cost reduced from 2(1) to 1(0)
• Arcane Insight cost reduced 2 to 1; fixed an issue where its base form also had Initiative
• Inspiration draw increased from 2(3) to 3(4)

HUD

• Updated the layout of tech icons in the top bar; it compacts more gracefully now and is less likely to block things

Codex

• Visual improvements

Controls/Controller

• Controller navigation to and within the topbar
• Misc hotkey and input hint fixes
• Card "wheel" in the Unit Draft now allows for spinning on both gamepad and keyboard/mouse
• Supporting Pause menu, Forces Inspection screen, Card Overviews, Expedition Map, Unit Draft, Event Dialogue, Unit Card Draft, and Deployment screen

Fixes

• Fixed issue where Tinker text would say "Next Cycle" when it was this cycle
• Fixed Immolation not reducing its command cost based on Runes
• Fixed Force of Will stagger preview
• Fixed draft appearance rate of Valiant Strike, Strike True, Find Weakness, and Shatter
• Fixed an issue where buttons (mainly noticeable on the Recruit button) would not be clickable after animations until re-hovered
• Fixed an issue where clicking the text of a given setting once would not actually toggle the setting
• Fixed a few rare crashes

Thanks for playing, and hope you enjoy the new update!