Mini-devlog Update #29
Skills & Spells
Hey, hey, everybody, it's time for the latest addition of the Mini-Devlog Update! It's been a hell of a ride but the final content update for the release I've been working on for the past 5 months is finally shaping up well and I am entering the Squash phase... bug squashing that is. I will be announcing the closed community beta any day now, so stay tuned and join Prime Games' Discord server if you want to take part in it!
Now, back to the main topic at hand for this update, which is...
Skills & Spells
Sometimes ability rolls are just not enough to avoid conflict, or a character is just better prepared and built up for raw display of power. Then we enter the tactical hex-grid combat.
With the addition of more and more game areas, new options unlock and new possibilities for me to add and expand upon the current system in place. Let's show some of the new active skills in action!
The Mage was in desperate need of a friend on the battlefield, hence they finally get one, the Water Spirit. However, other spells such as Animal Companion or Raise the Fallen already offer a meat shield for the spellcasters (which want one), but a ranged glass cannon is always a great option to have!
Back in May last year we were discussing extensively with fresh community members the Warrior and how to make their fighting style more interesting. These fighters engage in close combat more often than any other profession and can easily find themselves surrounded at the heat of battle. While they can go for a repositioning spell, a nice option is also to strike fear in the hearts of their enemies and make them flee. Of course, not before hitting that Whirlwind goodness.
Finally, I am showcasing the newest Priest spell, which is a way to chain heal all allies on the battlefield. A cheap Stamina gain for a quick 1AP action to get you out of a bad situation.
I am leaving the rest of the new skill additions to your heroes to discover!
Ranks
With the Skill system being in a solid state, it was time to think of a better way to incorporate it within the gameplay and promote more skill play to players who haven't discovered where to get those goodies.
I really enjoy those moments when hitting a new level in a D&D session that increase my stats and give me access to new abilities. You feel how your character has grown not only story wise (via their experience built up during the campaign) but also by altering their capabilities gameplay wise.
I wanted to incorporate that feeling, so instead of the previous going up in rank system with fixed amount of stamina and defence increases, there is now a choice.
On odd ranks, you get your Defence increased as well as a choice to increase one of your abilities (SCOUTING, CHARISMA, THIEVERY, etc).
On even ranks, you get a fixed Stamina increase and a limited selection of 3 skills and spells (both active and passive ones) from which you can choose one.
Don't worry, you can still go, explore and seek all the skills, even the ones you've missed, buy them if you have enough Shards on you and learn them!
It echoes exactly what I want to do, emphasize on choices, the game's main mechanic, and give players more options to build and differentiate their characters. Which are going to be less dependent on piling up defence and stamina for the late game but rather fight their way with tactical decision making.
In conclusion
Big content update coming, closed-beta and release of the full game at the end of the month!
Wishlist now and see you at the finish line!
