This update changes a lot of stuff. We have a couple new items, 4 new NPCs, some game mechanic tweaks, and an unlimited underworld to explore. I’m sure I’ll have to do a follow up patch to adjust things further but there’s been enough of a delay so let’s just jump in and test things out!

I’ve received a ton of feedback that shows the game is a much different experience for veteran players compared to newer players. It’s a scary world out there for a newbie and many avoid conflict or risky behavior. I’ve experimented enough with the difficult side of things, while it has been fun to push the limits I think it’s time to collect some new data. So let’s switch gears and start making the world a bit more casual 🙂

• The experience penalty for deaths in the underworld is less than half of what it was.
• The experience penalty for deaths in the overworld and underground is less than a fourth of what it was.
• Now when you die, instead of dropping all loot you have a 1/3 chance to drop each item. Mystera Legends players will be familiar with this system.
• You no longer lose tribe affiliation or rank on death (this may change after further testing).
• Dust and assassin experience amounts have been adjusted relative to the new penalties.
• New ‘Lock’ item will allow you to secure your item stacks from thieves and invaders. Only a random 10% of the secured items can be looted by enemies per day. This way you can recover most of your valuable stuff even if you are killed and robbed. Build with gold, silver, and copper.
• Exploration experience is only granted when you explore areas you haven’t been to recently.
• Mages and Flame Demons now have ‘Penetrate’ which ignores armor.
• Clubbing and hammer weapons penetrate armor.
• New ‘Mace’ weapon in the clubbing category.
• Shield block formula reworked to be diminishing after skill level 50. You now take 1 damage instead of 0 when blocking.
• Armor can’t be equipped or unequipped if you have been in combat recently. You can still drop armor to unequip quickly.
• When you visit an unexplored floor in the underworld it will automatically generate and start populating it with monsters and objects based on the depth. Every floor has an expiration of 1 week before it is reset by an ‘earthquake’.
• Traps are a new dungeon feature. Shard traps will be placed randomly on some floors.
• Hole traps are invisible until you fall in them. They take you to the next floor down and give you a few seconds of invincibility.
• Gold rocks and other types can be mined in the underworld now.
• Mercy statues are no longer every 5 levels but generated randomly.
• New NPC ‘Creeper’
• New NPC ‘Ghost’
• New NPC ‘Archmage’
• New NPC ‘Haunted Remains’

I’ve fixed a number of bugs in the last 2 weeks. Some NPC movement has been improved, and underworld NPCs will no longer die of old age. An exploit with escape ropes was fixed (Thanks to Robin Hood for the report) along with some others. I will be adding more NPCs, items, traps, and game adjustments soon. Have fun testing!