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DEVELOPER'S BLOG
Intense Balancing: AoE, Multi-hit, Swordsman/Archer Trees
Greetings, Saviors! It’s been a while since we shared our latest development plans here at the blog, but today we would like to continue our Intense Balancing series with another round of general combat and also class-specific changes we have in the works, this time geared towards the Archer and Swordsman class trees. Note that the content we’re discussing here can look different once it actually makes it into the game. Any changes will be duly announced through the patch notes when they’re ready to be applied. Readjusting the AoE Attack/Defense Ratio One of the focal points of this patch is going to be the AoE attack/defense ratio. In a nutshell, the AoE attack/defense ratio determines how many targets are hit by an AoE attack. If the maximum AoE attack ratio of a given attack is 15, for example, that attack can hit as much as 5 characters that have an AoE defense ratio of 3. There are many ways to increase and decrease AoE attack/defense ratios in the game, but we’re mostly looking to address the skills that decrease AoE defense ratios to 0. Using an AoE attack on enemies with an AoE defense ratio of 0 lets you hit an unlimited number of targets within your range, with some single-target skills also allowing this. Attacks like this often become virtually inescapable. The two skills that can currently decrease the AoE defense ratio to 0 are the Linker’s Circle 1 attribute ‘Hangman's Knot: Splash Defense’ and the Falconer’s Circle 1 skill ‘Circling’ – these skills will be updated to decrease AoE defense ratios to 1 as the minimum value. The Mergen’s Circle 1 skill ‘Homing Arrow’, which despite being designed as a single-target attack can be used to reach multiple enemies, is having its hit range and AoE attack ratio values readjusted in the same context. Falconer Changes Let’s look at some class-specific changes now. The Falconer is a class with many unique skills, but more often than not, it’s ‘Circling’ that attracts players to it. Our goal in this patch is to improve on the distinctive aspects of the Falconer, increasing its potential as an attractive class on various angles. [C1 Skill] Roost - 50% increase to Falconer skills used near the roost. - Duration decreased from 120 to 20 sec. - Cooldown decreased from 60 to 20 sec. [C1 Skill] Circling - AoE defense ratio set to 1. - Duration changed from 20 sec to 15 + [skill level x 1] sec. - Hawk follows the casting character for the duration of the skill. - Applied range identical to skill ‘Aiming’. [C1 Skill] Hovering - 50% additional damage to Beast type enemies. [C2 Attribute] Hovering: Guardian NEW - 'Hovering' deals 100% additional damage to boss monsters. [C1 Skill] Pheasant - 50% additional damage to Beast type enemies. - Max. number of targets changed from unlimited to 15. - Cooldown reduced from 40 to 25 sec. - New C2 attribute ‘Pheasant: Lightning Bolt‘. - New C3 attribute ‘Pheasant: Heavy Impact’. [C2 Attribute] Pheasant: Lightning Bolt NEW - Increases hawk’s number of attacks when using 'Pheasant'. [C2 Attribute] Pheasant: Heavy Impact NEW - Enemies affected by 'Pheasant' gather at the point where the skill was cast. [C3 Skill] Pre-Emptive Strike - Changed to ON/OFF function (SP adjusted, cooldown removed). - Triggers ‘Sonic Strike’ and ‘Hovering’ additional damage. - New C3 attribute ‘Pre-Emptive Strike: Sure Victory’. [C3 Attribute] Pre-Emptive Strike: Sure Victory NEW - Increases critical chance proportionally to attribute level when an enemy affected by 'Pre-Emptive Strike' has 100% HP. [C3 Attribute] Hawk Hunter NEW - The Hawk does not leave when using skills and returns to standby position automatically. ‘Roost’ is becoming more than just a perch for your Hawk companion, adding a 50% attack increase to all Falconer skills performed near it. Also, by reducing its duration from 120 to 20 seconds and cutting the cooldown to 20 seconds, we want to turn ‘Roost’ into a skill useful for not only stationary but moving combat situations as well. ‘Circling’, which reduces enemy AoE defense ratios proportionally to skill level, is now going to reduce them to a fixed value of 1, regardless of skill level. Duration is being set to 15 + (skill level) seconds, with the range matching that of Circle 3 skill ‘Aiming’. Another big change is that, while ‘Casting’ is active, the Hawk will now always follow the casting character without disengaging from the skill. The unlimited targets of ‘Pheasant’ are being replaced by a maximum of 15 enemies. To compensate, the skill is getting an increased attack value and a shorter cooldown of 25 seconds. The new ‘Pheasant: Lightning Bolt’ Circle 2 attribute is going to increase the number of times the Hawk attacks during the skill’s duration. ‘Pheasant: Heavy Impact’, the new Circle 3 attribute, gathers all enemies affected by ‘Pheasant’ to the central point where the skill was cast. Also in Circle 2 there’s the new ‘Hovering’ attribute ‘Guardian’, which gives 100% additional damage to ‘Hovering’ attacks on boss monsters. To complement this, ‘Pheasant’ and ‘Hovering’ both get 50% additional damage on Beast type enemies. ‘Pre-Emptive Strike’ is changed into a toggle skill you can switch on and off, meaning cooldown is eliminated and the skill only consumes SP when it is active. Also, ‘Sonic Strike’ and ‘Hovering’ attacks executed under ‘Pre-Emptive Strike’ are getting a 10% damage boost per skill level, while the new Circle 3 ‘Pre-Emptive Strike: Sure Victory’ increases critical chance by 10% per attribute level when the enemy hit by the skill has HP at 100%. The final new attribute to be added to Falconer Circle 3 is ‘Hawk Hunter’ (requires a minimum of ‘Roost’ and ‘Call’ at level 1). This attribute makes it so that the Hawk companion does not wander away from your character even when using skills, setting it automatically to standby mode when necessary. Linker Changes [C1 Attribute] Hangman's Knot: Splash Defense - Name changed to ‘Hangman's Knot: Focus Attack’. - AoE defense ratio set to 1. - [Attribute level x 5%] damage increase for 3 seconds (max. level 5). Similarly to ‘Circling’, ‘Hangman’s Knot’ is another attribute that currently allows you to reduce AoE defense ratios to 0. After changing the attribute's name to ‘Hangman's Knot: Focus Attack’, we’re setting its AoE defense ratio to a fixed value of 1. With a maximum level of 5, it will provide a 5% damage increase per attribute level on enemies affected by ‘Hangman’s Knot’. Other AoE Attack Ratio Increases The attack values of the following skills and summons will also be getting an AoE attack ratio increase. Featherfoot - Ngadhundi +3 - Kundela Slash +3 Necromancer - Skeleton Archer +5 - Skeleton Soldier +5 - Shoggoth +5 (all attacks) Sorcerer - Salamion +5 (all attacks) Bokor - Zombie +5 - Wheelchair Zombie +5 - Scale Zombie +5 (all attacks) Improving Damage in “Effect” Multi-hit Attacks There are two kinds of multi-hit attacks in Tree of Savior: one kind is calculated as actual separate hits according to the attack’s formulas (the “true” multi-hit); the other is calculated as the damage of the entire attack, but displayed as multiples (the “effect” multi-hit). Currently, whenever a proportion-based damage increase is added to an “effect” multi-hit attack, that damage increase is applied only one time, like so: - 50% damage increase is applied to a 1,000 x 5 multi-hit attack - Damage increase is applied only to one hit = 1,500 + 1,000 + 1,000 + 1,000 + 1,000 = 5500 - Counting all of the attack’s hits, 5,500 / 5 = 1,100 (it only comes up to a 10% increase per hit) To improve on this, we want to have damage increases apply to all the hits of these “effect” attacks, the same way it happens with the ”true” multi-hits. In the example above, that would mean 50% applied to each of the 5 hits (1,500 x 5). When we apply this proportional damage increase to the attacks below, their total damage value will also increase. Keep in mind, however, that we are simply correcting the fact that the proportional damage increase wasn’t being applied to the total value of the attack; we are not giving each hit an additional damage value (+) like what happens with “true” multi-hit attacks. Swordsman Wizard Archer Cleric Highlander - Cross Guard Peltasta - Umbo Blow Hoplite - Pierce Cataphract - Earth Wave - Doom Spike Doppelsoeldner - Redel - Zucken - Zwerchhau - Sturtzhau - Zornhau Dragoon - Gae Bulg - Dragon Soar Wizard - Energy Bolt - Earthquake Cryomancer - Ice Bolt Elementalist - Freezing Sphere Alchemist - Alchemistic Missile Featherfoot - Bone Pointing Archer - Twin Arrow Quarrel Shooter - Running Shot Ranger - Spiral Arrow - Barrage Fletcher - Barbed Arrow Falconer - Sonic Strike Cannoneer - Shootdown - Cannon Shot Musketeer - Volleyfire - Bayonet Thrust - Birdfall - Penetration Shot Hackapell - Skarphuggning - Storm Bolt - Leg Shot Mergen - Triple Arrow Paladin - Conviction Besides these skills, we will also be applying proportional damage increases to the total damage value of buffs that temporarily increase damage or the number of hits of an attack. Quarrel Shooter Changes [C3 Skill] Running Shot - New additional damage calculation formula. - Duration set to 300 sec. The amplifications and multipliers of the additional damage in ‘Running Shot’ are now being replaced by a simple addition formula. To understand how this works, take the example below. Ex.) Double Gun Stance (x 150%) x Running Shot level 5 (x 300% >> + 200%) Current: Double Gun Stance 150% x Running Shot 300% = 450% New: Double Gun Stance 150% + Running Shot 200% = 350% ※ This will also apply to the attack multiplier formula of the Cannoneer’s ‘Bazooka’. Other than this, the duration of the ‘Running Shot’ buff is also being set to a fixed value of 300 seconds, instead of the maximum of 23 seconds at level 5. Hoplite Changes [C1 Skill] Stabbing - Faster consecutive piercing hits. - Damage increases with the number of consecutive piercing hits. [C3 Attribute] Stabbing: Onslaught NEW - Increases the max. number of Stabbing hits according to attribute level (max. 10 hits). [C1 Skill] Pierce - Cooldown decreased from 30 to 20 sec. - Overheat increased from 1 to 2. - New C2 attribute ‘Pierce: Repeated Shock’. [C2 Attribute] Pierce: Repeated Shock NEW - Applies +2 hits on enemies affected by the Shock debuff. [C2 Skill] Long Stride - Increases damage according to the character’s weight. - Increased range. - Number of targets increased from 5 to 10. - Cooldown reduced from 49 to 30 sec. - New C2 attribute ‘Long Stride: Stun’. [C2 Attribute] Long Stride: Stun NEW - Inflicts Stun proportionally to attribute level. [C2 Skill] Spear Lunge - Cooldown reduced from 24 to 20 sec. First, the piercing hits of ‘Stabbing’ are getting twice as faster, with more and more damage applied according to the number of consecutive hits. Not only that, the new Circle 3 attribute ‘Stabbing: Onslaught’ is going to increase the number of hits by 1 per attribute level, up to a maximum of 10 hits. These skill changes, combined with the new attribute, are expected to boost the DPS of ‘Stabbing’ by about 3-4 times, helping cement its place as another essential Hoplite skill. As for ‘Pierce’, which deals more damage on larger enemies, we’re cutting the cooldown from 30 to 20 seconds and increasing the overheat from 1 to 2. The new ‘Pierce: Repeated Shock’ Circle 2 attribute also adds +2 hits to the skill on enemies affected by the Shock debuff. Circle 2 skill ‘Long Stride’ is going to increase damage by up to +100% according to the weight of your character’s inventory. Meanwhile, the skill’s range is increasing significantly, as well as the number of targets (5 to 10), with cooldown also being reduced from 49 to 30 seconds. Adding to this, the new Circle 2 attribute ‘Long Stride: Stun’ will have a 100% chance of inflicting Stun for a duration proportional to the attribute level. ‘Spear Lunge’, which is used to increase pierce damage, is also seeing its cooldown reduced from 24 to 20 seconds. Cataphract Changes [C1 Skill] Impaler - Critical applied to enemies affected by the Shock debuff. [C1 Skill] Earth Wave - 50% more damage dealt to knocked down enemies. - Casting time removed. - Overheat increased from 1 to 3. - Cooldown increased from 12 to 15 sec. [C1 Skill] Steed Charge - Reduced post-casting delay. - Can be cast 1 more time after the initial casting. [C2 Skill] Doom Spike - Reduced post-casting delay. - Reduces critical resistance of affected enemies by 10 per skill level. [C2 Skill] Acrobatic Mount NEW - Increases mounting skill damage by 5% and SP consumption by 10% per level. - Duration: 40 sec. - Cooldown: 60 sec. With these changes, ‘Impaler’ is going to deliver critical attacks to every enemy affected by the Shock debuff. We’re also getting rid of ‘Earth Wave’’s casting time, while increasing the skill’s damage on knocked down enemies by 50%, the overheat from 1 to 3, and the cooldown from 12 to 15 seconds. ‘Steed Charge’ is another skill with casting-related changes. Not only is the post-casting delay being reduced, right after casting the skill you’ll be able to execute it one more time. ‘Doom Spike’ is receiving the same post-casting delay cut, with an added reduction of critical resistance on enemies affected by it by 10 per skill level (meaning up to -100 at level 10). And to complete the Cataphract overhaul, for every level of the new Circle 2 skill ‘Acrobatic Mount’, you will also be getting a damage increase of 5% (although with an added SP consumption of 10%) on mounting skills, i.e. those that can only be used when mounted on a Companion. ‘Acrobatic Mount’ comes with a duration of 40 seconds and cooldown of 60, and it is expected to significantly increase the damage of not just Cataphract, but Lancer attack skills as well. Dragoon Changes [C1 Skill] Dragon Soar - 30% damage increase on Flying type enemies. - Overheat increased from 1 to 3. [C1 Skill] Dragontooth - Casting time set to 1 sec. - Applies double the critical rate value when the enemy is hit. - Increases critical damage by 10% with one-handed spears. - Ignores 50% of enemy defense with two-handed spears. [C2 Skill] Dethrone - Reduced pre-casting delay. ‘Dragon Soar’ is getting a much-needed overheat boost, going from 1 to 3, and a 30% damage increase on Flying type enemies that is also applied on targets affected by Raise and other status ailments. ‘Dragontooth’, on the other hand, will always cast in 1 second regardless of skill level, and add a couple of extra effects: double the critical rate when the enemy is hit, 10% critical damage increase if you're equipping a one-handed spear, and 50% of enemy defense ignored when using two-handed spears. Last but not least, we’re reducing the pre-casting delay on ‘Dethrone’, allowing Dragoons to use their spears continuously with more ease. After these changes are applied, we will be preparing another patch of intense balancing, this time with a little more Musketeer. Changes in the Wizard tree will eventually come after that, or so we plan; but again, we’ll make sure to keep releasing more details here on the dev blog, so stay tuned.
Big Rank Updates + More Intense Balancing
Greetings, Saviors! It’s finally time to talk about the next character rank and the brand new classes that are coming along with it. This time around we’re doing things a little differently, so we wanted to take our time to explain how the rank system is changing, and what you can expect when the update arrives. We’re also continuing the last post on intense class balancing with another round of Cleric tree overhauls, this time affecting the Krivis and Oracle classes. As always, don’t forget that the changes discussed here aren’t final and can look different by the time they’re added to the game. As for class-specific plans, keep in mind that there are more updates in store for other classes and class trees, so don’t be too disheartened if yours hasn’t been mentioned yet. Horizontal Expansion of New Classes First, we’re going to reorganize the way class ranks work and how they’re updated. Starting from this update, any new classes will be considered as Rank 8 classes in order to provide numerous character progression paths. The maximum character rank will still increase from 8 to 9, meaning each character will be able to advance into a maximum of 9 classes, including the Circle 2 of current Rank 8 classes. They will be implemented separately from the level expansions and other new content updates. In other words, we’re making a distinction between Character Rank and Class Rank. Character Ranks will continue to increase, allowing each character to advance into one more class whenever they reach Class Level 15. The maximum Class Rank, on the other hand, is fixed at Rank 8, which will include all the new classes added to the game in the future. This means that all classes in Class Rank 8 (both current and future) will provide equal combat abilities (attack skill factors) and will be hierarchically equivalent to one another. The reason we decided on this model was that, no matter the total number of class ranks, the classes that pack the most punch are usually the ones in the last one or two ranks, which ends up limiting your class build choices. We wanted to create a system that was fairer to future updates. If, in the current game, your rank (your highest ranks’ skill attack) is the big decisive factor in your combat ability, after the update that role is being taken by your level (basic stats) and items. Because of this, besides the ongoing development of new items, our goal is to increase the amount of tactical skills unique to each class and create an environment where players can more freely make up their character builds according to their own preferences. For lower-rank classes, which skill factors remain relatively low, we have plans to introduce a Master Circle (name undecided) which will expand their combat power and abilities to a level similar to those of higher-rank classes. New Classes As you can guess, this character rank expansion is bringing with it a new set of classes, but here too the system through which they’re updated is going to change. Here’s a summary of how it works: Current system - Once-a-year update with 8 new classes (2 per class tree) introduced at the same time. - New classes added to a class rank +1 higher than the previous maximum. - New farming content and level expansion added at the same time. New system - One new class introduced periodically (4 classes this time only). - All new classes added to Class Rank 8. - Farming content and level expansions updated independently from new ranks. To sum up, until now we aimed for a once-in-a-year rank update with 8 new classes and additional high-level content all at once, but this time we’re releasing a smaller set of 4 new classes (1 per class tree). This is because, in future rank updates, our goal is to start introducing one new class each time. Aside from that, we’re also updating maximum level expansions and new high-level content independently from new ranks. To the current Rank 7 and 8 classes, of course, we’ll be adding Circles 3 and 2 respectively. Plus, we’ve developed brand new attributes for some of those classes. We expect to share more details about the new classes and skills at a later date through the dev blog. Class Rollback System The class system in Tree of Savior is one of our game’s most unique characteristics, but it can also be one of the hardest to approach by players. The high degree of freedom goes hand in hand with a certain burden – and sometimes regret – about class build choices. To improve this, we want to create a system that will allow all characters to revert their latest advancement decision (one character rank) at any time. To understand how this would work, take for instance a character with the following class build: Cleric 2 – Priest 2 – Monk 3 – Inquisitor 1 (Rank 8). For this character, the rollback system will put them back in Rank 7, Class Level 15, before the advancement into Inquisitor 1. Any Class EXP acquired during Rank 8 will be reset as well, and because the highest rank this character has achieved was Rank 8, they won’t be able to rollback one more time to a Rank lower than Rank 7 (in other words, you can’t rollback more than one character rank). Any class advancement requirements will be maintained in the case of rank rollback, so players won’t have to fulfill them again if they want to advance into the same class. Advancement Quest Changes We’re doing away with advancement quests for any new classes to come. Instead, we’re opting for a system where your character will have to fulfill certain requirements before talking to the Class Master in order to advance. This is similar to how current hidden classes work, although the requirements won’t be as difficult to achieve. Existing classes, as well, will no longer require advancement quests; after reaching Class Level 15, you can simply select a class from the menu to advance automatically. At this point you will also be given the option to warp to the corresponding Class Master. As for the advancement quests currently in the game, we have plans to renew them and add them as regular subquests offered by the Class Masters. For the new classes, however, after your character has advanced, you’ll be able to receive a Specialization Quest from your Class Master. This class-specific quest can consist of high-difficulty missions, retrieval quests and other challenging activities. As what happens with current existing classes, by advancing into one of the new classes you automatically get the basic costume corresponding to it. The difference is that, with the new classes, you can also get different variations of the costume with alternative colors or additional accessories depending on the difficulty of the Specialization Quests you complete. Krivis Changes Time to get specific again. Following our previous “Intense Class Balancing” post, which covers classes like Paladin, Priest, Pardoner and other Cleric tree folk, this time we’re introducing some Krivis-specific improvements expected to arrive with the next rank expansion. In a nutshell, we’re restructuring Krivis into a low-rank magic attack class, one worthy of standing between the basic skill-savvy Cleric C2 and the support-heavy Priest. Divine Stigma Added DOT (damage over time) attack function and damage bonus to Zaibas. Aukuras: Attribute Attribute changes Aukuras to a Fire attack buff with added property damage. Daino Maximum buff limitations removed; Daino effects changed. The new Aukuras: Goddess of Fire attribute (Circle 2) allows you to reduce the duration of Aukuras by 80% and the cooldown to 30 seconds, while adding Fire property damage to magic attacks on nearby enemies based on your INT/SPR. To Divine Stigma, now with a fixed duration of 15 seconds and cooldown reduced to 6 seconds, we’re adding a DOT attack function that applies additional Fire property magic damage every second. Not only that, enemies affected by the Divine Stigma debuff receive 1.5 more damage from skill Zaibas. Along with these changes, Divine Stigma is also getting a new Demon Slayer attribute, which increases damage on Demon-type enemies, and a regular Enhance attribute. Finally, we’re removing all limitations of the maximum number of buffs and turning Daino, which so far served to increase that number of buffs, into a skill that changes your basic attacks into magic ones. Attacks performed under Daino will have no block, evasion or critical, and they will rely on your INT stat for added value. Oracle Changes Next up, here’s what we’re preparing for our Oracle skill overhaul. Arcane Energy Will no longer reduce SP or STA when moving to a map. Counter Spell Changed to remove nearby enemy tiles and apply immunity to magic attacks. Prophecy Duration fixed at 25 secs, no. of targets reduced by 50% and cooldown changed to 40 secs. Death Sentence Changed to apply set percentage of additional damage on enemies affected by the skill. Foretell Chance of invincibility changed to regular invincibility within the circle; changed duration and movement speed. The Oracle class is getting its fair share of buffs, nerfs and simple modifications this time. First, Arcane Energy will no longer reduce SP or Stamina, while Counter Spell will now remove all enemy tile skills nearby and provide immunity to magic attacks. We are also changing the duration of this skill to 10 seconds, with a cooldown of 60 seconds and no limitations to the maximum number of targets. Prophecy, on the other hand, is getting a fixed duration of 25 seconds instead of the current variation of 10-80 seconds. Meanwhile, the number of targets is being reduced from 2 to 1 per skill level, with cooldown increasing from 25 to 30 seconds. Death Sentence is turning into a skill that applies additional damage to enemies affected by it. This additional damage increases from +40% on 1 target at level 1, to +130% on 5 targets at level 10. Besides this change, we’re expanding the skill’s range by 4 times and setting the duration at a fixed 15 seconds, with cooldown reduced from 200 to 60 seconds. An important change to note about Death Sentence is that, unlike the current effects, enemies affected by the skill will not be instantly defeated after its total duration. They will receive additional damage as explained in the paragraph above, but that damage is then applied to the caster after the skill’s duration. To reduce this handicap, Oracles can invest in the new Death Sentence: Reduce Penalty attribute (Circle 2), which reduces the damage returned in proportion to the attribute level. Finally, the effects of Foretell are changing from a mere 43-45% chance of invincibility to full invincibility when moving inside the skill’s magic circle, plus 100% accuracy for ally attacks. On the other hand, Foretell duration is being changed from 15 seconds at all levels, to 5 seconds on level 1 gradually increasing to 15 seconds at level 5. Its cooldown is also being revised, changing from 42 to 50 seconds. The default movement speed under Foretell is set at 50, but the new Decrease Movement Speed attribute allows you to reduce that number by a good amount. That's it for today's updates. We know the new rank system changes we have planned are quite significant, so don't hesitate to leave your feedback about them or the second round of class balancing introduced here. We would love to know what you think!
Dev Interview: Random Item Stats
Greetings, Saviors! Our most recent dev teaser included a quick snippet about a new system of random stats on equipment items (previously introduced through the PvE roadmap) that sparked more than a little curiosity among players. We thought it was time to shed some light on this feature, so we met with the TOS developer in charge of the random stat system to find out how it can be used and what it really means for the game. Staff: Hello, it’s such a pleasure to meet you! We’ve all been wondering about this random stat system since the PvE roadmap, and I was told you were the one to bother about it. IDev: Yes! I’m in charge of planning all things item-related for Tree of Savior. It’s nice to meet you, too. Staff: I see, we shall call you the I(tem)Dev, then. If you read any of the other Dev Interviews you’ll know I always find the most original nicknames for our devs. Moving on. I would like to start by asking how the random item stat system came to be, and what your intentions behind it were. IDev: Our goal with the random item stat system is to address the excessive gap that exists between equipment items, in terms of both difficulty of acquisition and actual performance. We believe that the random stat system can help make it easier for players to obtain better gear that fits their needs. Staff: I’m not sure I get it. In what way does the system make it easier for us to get better items? IDev: Currently in the game, it’s easy enough to get your hands on low-performance equipment. If you want to take your gear a step further, however, you either have to enhance/transcend your “okay” items to a high enough stage, or dedicate hours and hours to farming for the right materials. With the random item stat update, not only do equipment drop rates increase, but the items come to you in their finished state, so you have a better chance of finding gear you’re happy with. Staff: Okay, that makes sense. I was hoping you could also tell us, specifically, what is the maximum number of stats and sockets per equipment item under the new system? IDev: Hm… For this one I think it’s better if I show it to you in a table, hold on (*scribbling*). Here you go. Type Sockets Stats One-handed weapons 3 1-4 Two-handed weapons 5 3-6 Armor 1 1-4 We’re still working out the details on accessory items so I don’t have that information yet, but in any case this is just our initial plan and it could suffer some changes before the system is actually applied to the game. Staff: So the number of stats allowed is different depending on the type of gear. In that case, what determines the maximum value of the item stats you get? Are you setting a maximum value based on the sum of all the item’s stats, or is it applied individually for each stat? IDev: The maximum value of each stat is going to be individually influenced by the item’s equip level and grade. Staff: I’m also curious to know if perhaps gear stats are going to have any influence on skill levels. IDev: We don’t have any plans to make that happen, no. But who knows, that could change in a future update. [WARNING - Fake item stats ahead.] <A girl can dream, can’t she? T^T> Staff: Fair enough. You mentioned in the PvE roadmap that players will need to identify the new items at an Appraiser in order to reveal their random stats. If that’s the case, will Appraisers with higher skill levels have any advantages in terms of what stats are revealed in the identified items? IDev: The Appraiser’s skill level is not going to influence the type of stats that get revealed in the item, but it will somewhat increase the chances of revealing a higher number of stats. Staff: I can see it’s going to be a good era for Appraisers… Speaking of the future, what other plans do you have for after the random stat system is implemented? IDev: Well, I don’t want to spoil too much – and please take this with a grain of salt – but if I were to summarize it in three words… Kite Moor, property resistance, Chaplain. Staff: I’m pretty sure that was more than three words… I’m not complaining, though. Whatever Kite Moor is, it sure sounds luxurious! And… those were all the questions I had for you. Thank you so much for the interview; your answers were very enlightening. IDev: The pleasure is all mine. Glad I could be of help, and thank you to the player community for the continuous support!
Introducing: Guild Territory Wars
Greetings, Saviors! We at the dev team have hinted about wanting to develop new formats of PvP content before, particularly when it comes to guild wars. Well, we’ve been working away on a bunch of new ideas ever since, and today we’re ready to introduce you to a different kind of GvG experience we’re developing called the Guild Territory Wars. Our goal with the Territory Wars is to create a guild activity that’s challenging and highly rewarding, one that requires optimal team work from the guild members and strong leadership from the guild master. Everything is still in the works for now, but we’re going to continue focusing on this and other projects to advance and diversify guild content. So… What Are Territory Wars? Guild Territory Wars are a large-scale PvP challenge in which guilds can battle each other to seize areas of territory in a field. We believe Territory Wars – and the hefty rewards we have planned for them – can help promote healthy competition, creating a real purpose for guilds to grow and develop. Before the War The plan is to have Guild Territory Wars begin every Sunday at 8 PM and last a total of one hour. Before the schedule begins, players will be able to select whether to take part in the wars or not through an option in the Guild window. Only the guild master will have the authority to opt in or out of Territory Wars. This is in line with a series of other updates we have planned for guild content, which aim to solidify the role of leader for guild masters. Spot Areas Spot Area Genar Field Galeed Plateau Inner Wall District 8 Grade B B A Spot Areas are maps where players can fight in Territory Wars, with Spots being the sections of land you can seize. According to the grade of the Spot Area, the rewards for seizing the corresponding Spot will be different. As of now, we have a total of three Spot Areas planned out (the ones in the table above), but we will consider adding more areas to the game depending on how they perform. The War Begins! When the Territory Wars schedule starts, entering a Spot Area will require you to select one of two options at the green arrow in adjacent fields. Here you can jump right into the war zone, or skip the battle and enter the map as you normally would. After moving to the Spot Area, guild members can battle in true PvP style to either protect their seized Spot or seize the one held by the rival guild. Members of the guild that seized the Spot in the previous Territory Wars will be allowed to enter the Spot Area 5 minutes before the war begins to plan out their strategy. Seizing/Protecting a Spot During the war, each Spot Area will contain a Territory Tower, with the land around it forming the Spot that can be seized by a guild. To gain hold of a Spot, guild members will need to earn points by advancing into the perimeter of the tower. The guild that currently holds the Spot, on the other hand, can fight back by reducing the points of the invaders. The final score will then determine which guild will hold that Spot during the next Territory Wars. 1) Earning Points (Invading Guild) The invading guild earns points every second according to the number of members within the perimeter of the Territory Tower. Below is a table that shows the amount of points earned by invading the Spot of the guild that holds it. No. of members in the Spot 1 member 2 members 3 members 4 or more members Points earned per second 3 5 7 9 2) Taking Points (Protecting Guild) The guild protecting their Spot can deduct points from the invading guild, also according to the number of guild members within the perimeter of the Territory Tower. Here, too, the amount of points taken from the invading guild every second increases proportionally to the number of members of the protecting guild inside the Spot. No. of members in the Spot 1 member 2 members … 9 members 10 or more members Points taken per second 1 2 9 10 3) Final Score The first guild to score exactly 1,000 points in the war seizes the Spot. In certain situations, however, the guild may not be able to gain any more points, like in the example below. Guilds My guild (1 member in the Spot) Guild A (1 member in the Spot) Guild B (2 members in the Spot) Guild C (1 member in the Spot) Score 999 999 995 850 If, like in this example, two or more guilds have gathered all the conditions to reach 1,000 points, their score will no longer increase. Instead, those guilds will need to gather all of their members inside the Spot in order to win. We should note that there’s still room for improvement in the point system, but we will keep you notified of any changes. 4) Protector Buff Guilds that succeed in seizing a Spot will receive a special Protector Buff that boosts their members’ combat abilities. Not only that, the more wars a guild manages to keep hold of a Spot, the more intense the effects of the buff will be. Strategic Bosses Territory Wars have one more tactical element to them: boss monsters. During the war, a powerful boss monster will appear, which guild members can defeat in order to receive temporary beneficial effects. These boss monsters can make a big difference in the amount of points you earn or take, becoming an important part of your guild’s strategy. We do, on the other hand, understand that there could be aspects about this feature we haven’t fully predicted, so we’re open to adjusting any rules necessary to make the system as fair as possible. The Rewards Winning the Territory Wars and securing a Spot is certainly worth a generous reward. After every period of war, guilds that succeeded in seizing a Spot will receive a set percentage of the amount of Market fees they paid during the past week. This prize is delivered in the form of items to the Guild Storage. Again, this a feature we are still polishing. Any changes we make to the rewards should be announced separately.
[TEASER] Level Expansion, New Systems
Greetings, Saviors! We know many have been curious about the new content that’s coming to TOS in the next level expansion (which, we should warn you, is not tied to the addition of new classes; we'll talk more about those later)… As seen in our PvE roadmap, we have a lot more prepared besides the new maps and quests, so today we’re releasing another sneak peek of the key features you’ll be seeing when that patch arrives. Here they are!
Intense Class Balancing, Here We Go
Greetings, Saviors! We have yet another batch of changes to discuss today, this time related to class balance. We’ve discussed class-specific balancing on many other occasions here at the blog, but the changes we’re introducing today are a little different. Unlike regular balance patches, this one is going to bring more substantial changes to each class, with some skills acting entirely different and new attributes added to the mix. Today we’re sharing some of the adjustments we have in store for a few Cleric classes (don't worry, we have plans for other classes and class trees too). As always, remember that the changes discussed here aren’t final or absolute. Some content may be added or readjusted before it makes it into the game, so keep that in mind. Paladin Changes We’re starting with Paladins, a class for which we have a few specific skill changes planned. Namely, we’re turning the C2 Conversion skill into a Turn Undead attribute and adding two brand new skills. Turn Undead: Conversion Conversion skill removed, added as Turn Undead attribute. Sanctuary New buff skill. Demolition New attack skill. Shield Guard C key activates shield to block attacks. First, we’re taking Turn Undead and Conversion, two skills largely ignored by most Paladins, and combining them into a single skill with increased effects. The cooldown for Turn Undead is being reduced from 70 to 50 seconds, while the AoE ratio goes up by 2. As for the skill’s area, we’re switching the current conical shape for a square one that covers 1.7 times more terrain, giving players a much more comfortable reach on nearby monsters. As mentioned above, the Conversion skill will become a Turn Undead attribute, replacing the current [Conversion: Might Enhance]. The new [Turn Undead: Conversion] attribute, then, means a certain chance per skill level of converting enemies hit by Turn Undead. With this, you can have up to 5 converted monsters at any time, which will act like summons and receive influence from your SPR stat and additional attack from your weapon’s magic attack. Of course, Paladins who already invested points in their Conversion skill will have those returned in the form of Paladin skill points. Now, let’s look at the new skills. First, we’re adding Sanctuary, a buff that can protect and empower allies, neatly reinforcing the role of the Paladin as a defense Cleric class. For as long as the Paladin holds their prayer, Sanctuary increases ally defense, an increase which then determines the strength of the additional Holy property attack the skill provides. So Sanctuary offers decent protection and attack boosts to nearby dealers who may be short on defense or HP. On the other hand, the skill can only be used with a shield equipped and it lasts for a maximum of 10 seconds (it isn’t canceled when the casting character is attacked). The other new skill we have ready for Paladins is Demolition, a wide-range attack technique used exclusively with two-handed blunt weapons. Demolition, with its AoE attack ratio of 12, strikes the ground 3 times to deal a total of 7 hits on any monsters nearby. We thought a skill like this was needed to complement the lack of wide AoE action in the physical attack Cleric family, while still differentiating itself from Monk skills of a similar concept. The new Circle 3 attribute, Shield Guard, gives Paladins the same ability Peltastas and Murmillos have of using their shield to block enemy attacks. Combined with other future Paladin attributes, it can also serve to protect allies, depending on your controls and setup. Priest Buffs and Pardoner Shops Pardoner shops have always been the subject of discussion. They’re a unique characteristic of Tree of Savior, with many Pardoners dedicating themselves to providing the highest performing buffs at the most affordable prices to everyone in-game. On the other hand, while celebrity Pardoner buffs get all the acclaim for their attractive effects, Priest buffs are relegated to the background, to the point where even Priest characters often buy their buffs from Pardoners instead of using their own. With these changes, we want to have shop buffs perform 30% below the effects of normal buffs, while boosting the numbers on real skill buffs. Pardoner shop buffs will, therefore, be more limited in terms of how much of a boost they can offer, while Priest skill buffs will perform similarly to the current shop ones. First, we’re doubling the defense-increasing effects of Aspersion (considering a standard of skill level 15, SPR 300). Then, we’re increasing by almost 4 times the effects of the Pardoner skill Increase Magic Defense (same standard), and we’re adding it to the list of skills allowed in the shop. From Blessing, we’re removing the limits on the maximum number of attacks and applying it with 30% less effect in Pardoner shops. Instead, you’ll be able to use this buff for a long time without worrying about the number of attacks you’ve used. Sacrament, often just used as a supplement to additional property damage buffs, is saying goodbye to the downward compatibility with Blessing and the meager Holy damage extra. Our plans now are to have it add a very significant amount of Holy property damage to regular attacks. To recap everything, this is how Pardoner shop and Priest buffs are going to change. Skill BEFORE (Skill Buff) AFTER (Skill Buff) BEFORE (Shop Buff) AFTER (Shop Buff) Aspersion Lv. 15 Physical defense +512 Physical defense +1060 Physical defense +512 Physical defense +742 Increase Magic Defense Lv. 15 Magic defense +560 Magic defense +2207 Magic defense +1544 Blessing Lv. 15 Add. damage +913 (limited attacks) Add. damage +913 (unlimited) Add. damage +913 (limited attacks) Add. damage +639 (unlimited) Sacrament Lv. 10 Holy attack +330 Holy property add. damage +370 Holy attack +1285 Holy attack +330 Holy property add. damage +370 Holy attack +899 As you can see, skill buffs are going to get a pretty significant increase after the changes. Defense shop buffs, even with 30% less effect, are still going strong. Blessing may become less effective in shops, but it offers unlimited attacks and, when used with Sacrament, a similar degree of additional damage and more than 1 hour of comfortable hunting. Other Skills The Priest’s Monstrance, due to its peculiar system (and the occasional bug…), can often be difficult to install, so we wanted to change the way this skill is used to a more intuitive one. The new Monstrance magic circle will be large regardless of level, and it will not disappear when it’s stepped on by an enemy. The Bokor’s Ogouveve is going to increase zombie damage based on skill level. Like Sacrament, the Chaplain’s Last Rites is having its additional Holy damage removed and will instead be adding damage to Holy property attacks, which increases when your HP gets below a certain level. To create a more stabilized dealing skill for Monks, Golden Bell Shield is becoming a stationary attack skill that provides both invincibility and resistance to knockback/knockdown, gaining you time until the Pain Barrier kicks in. This last part is because, along with the skill change, we’re replacing Golden Bell Shield’s Safety Zone attribute with a Pain Barrier one, which applies a Pain Barrier state for 5 seconds after the skill (your character will be able to move during that time). For the Pardoner’s Decatose, we’re reducing the amount of Silver consumed from 1,500 to 300. The 10% chance of reacquiring the Silver spent is being scrapped; instead, the 10% chance of instant enemy death can be increased up to 2 times (to 20%) according to your SPR stat. Not only that, the skill is getting an overheat of 2 and a new [Decatose: Enhance] attribute. To the Oracle’s Forecast we’re adding an evasion increase of 100 for you and your party members. We’re also reorganizing the attributes in the Kabbalist’s Merkabah. [Enhanced Durability] will become a basic function and [Magic Defense] will be integrated into [Divine Protection]. Gematria and Notarikon, two skills which take up a little too many points for the amount of function they offer, will be mastered at level 1. They are also having their cooldown reduced from 10 to 1 second in order to combine with other skills more conveniently. This is all we have for you today, but there are still many more class balancing plans left to talk about. Don’t be too discouraged if your class or preferred skill wasn’t discussed here; as we mentioned in the beginning of this post, none of the changes are final and we are always working on other classes and aspects of the game. We’ll make sure to keep you updated on our plans as usual. Thank you!
Dev Roadmap: PvE
Greetings, Saviors! Today on the dev blog, we’re sharing for the first time the main PvE developments in our content update roadmap for the months to come. Earlier this year we introduced major changes to TOS’ combat system, and we set out to develop a whole new series of updates to complement them, some of which were already discussed here on the blog. Now, we’re finally able to present a new batch of content that’s being prepared for future updates. Just remember that all the previews in this post aren’t final and the content presented here can look different once it actually makes it into the game. Level Expansion and New Scenarios First, as you can probably guess, we’re expanding the current maximum level from 330 to 360, adding a new main scenario quest with fresh subquests, locations, enemies and items. In the new main scenario, during your search for the Revelations you come across a mysterious woman named Neringa who leads you to Vaivora’s Fantasy Library. You find that the Library has been invaded by Demon Lord Warpulis and his minions, and you join forces with Neringa and the Kupoles to retrieve the Revelation kept within the Fantasy Library, before it falls in the hands of the evil Warpulis. In Coral Plains, you team up with followers of Goddess Jurate to bring down demon Kartas, who is plotting to take over the region with the help of the Kruvina. At the Narvas Temple in White Tree Forest, details are revealed about the contract between Demon Lord Hauberk and Agailla Flurry, the one who ultimately led him to his downfall. All the while you’ll be meeting new goddesses, new masters and a whole roster of diverse NPCs. Plus, besides the usual EXP Cards, completing the new quests is going to earn you prizes like bonus stats and attribute points, making the discovery of the new stories that much more rewarding. Random Equipment Stats Now, for something a little more substantial. We’re changing the stats of unidentified equipment items from a fixed set of features to a random set of stats that varies by individual item. These unidentified items will be available from monsters not only in Hunting Grounds, but also in regular fields. So you’ll be able to find Magic, Rare and Unique grade equipment items in Hunting Grounds and regular fields, and to reveal their stats you will need to identify the items at an Appraiser. The drop rate of these items will be higher than that of the current Unidentified Cubes obtained from Hunting Grounds, further increasing their supply and variety, while also promoting the farming of these items. On the other hand, the maximum number of gem sockets in equipment, a feature which currently sets the limit to the performance of the item without contributing much to its value, will be changed to a fixed number. Here, we’re increasing the number of sockets in two-handed weapons, setting the random maximum number even higher than that of one-handed weapons. When this update arrives in the game, you’ll be able to get level 350 unidentified equipment items from the new level 331-360 fields and Hunting Grounds. The random stat system, however, will apply to all unidentified items starting at level 75. This means that even unidentified items that are already in the game (level 75-315 Magic and Rare items) will no longer be dropped with fixed stats, instead abiding by the new random stat system. Other than that, we also have plans to introduce monster gems that increase the level of Rank 7 and 8 skills, as well as new boss cards. Readjusting Stats Item stats, similar to Boss Monster Cards, will be categorized by type. These types will be largely divided into attack, defense, basic stat increases, and others. When you first identify an item, you’ll get a set of stats that you can use as they are, or readjust them into a configuration you like better. When you readjust these stats, the number and type of the stats will be fixed. What you can do is change individual stats to a different one of the same type, or increase the value of your preferred stats in the item. To do this you’re going to need a specific type of material item, which you can get by dismantling equipment items (you’ll be able to dismantle equipment items – except unidentified ones – for material items). With stat readjustment, the focus shifts from farming new items to guaranteeing a good number of stats. Re-readjusting an item can decrease durability by 1, so to make up for that, we’re increasing the multiplying factor of durability. In this system, you can then adjust your item’s stats and use it, or you can dismantle it and/or sell it, giving way to new equipment items. As for the Unidentified Cube Fragments that will no longer drop from monsters, they’ll be returned to the players in the form of level-appropriate dismantling items. Looting Chance To the character’s secondary stats, we’re adding a new number called Looting Chance, which increases your probability of obtaining random stat unidentified items from monsters. Your Looting Chance is not influenced by your basic stats (STR, INT, etc.); instead, it increases with equipment stats, in-game gimmicks, items and possibly events. Another way you’ll be able to boost your Looting Chance will be through newly-added gems. These clear gems will be rarer than regular ones, and they can be added to armor items to directly increase your Looting Chance. Since some random stat equipment will already include some value of Looting Chance, adding the clear gems to these items can be a great way to create your own farming gear. Challenge Mode This is another main addition we have in store for PvE. When hunting on a field after the update, you may come across a special type of monster. Defeating this monster will open a portal into the Challenge Mode, an area containing better items than the ones you might find elsewhere. The monster that opens the portal to the Challenge Mode appears after you defeat a certain number of other monsters in the same channel. Anyone can defeat the monster and enter an open portal, but the Challenge Mode zone itself is unique to each player or party. Entering the Challenge Mode is like entering a cutscene quest, in that the area is created exclusively for you (and your party members). Challenge Modes will each have a level and time limit, which determine the combat abilities of the monsters and item drop rates within the challenge area. The Challenge Mode ends when you reach the time limit or your character becomes incapable of combat, and you can participate once per day. To make the most of this mode, then, investing in your Looting Chance is clearly a must. But the Challenge Mode doesn’t end here. If you defeat enough monsters plus the final boss inside the zone, you’ll be able to choose between two options: Step Up or Close. Choosing Close ends the Challenge Mode and yields a clearing reward. Opting for Step Up, on the other hand, takes you to the next stage of the Challenge Mode, where you can try your luck on even stronger monsters with higher drop rates. You can keep stepping up the stages for as long as the level limits allow; just keep in mind that, if the challenge ends because you became incapable of combat, you won’t receive any clearing rewards. You’ll need to judge your own combat abilities versus those of the monsters to know when to drop out of the challenge. The Challenge Mode clearing rewards, by the way, include an item that allows you to enter a new dungeon, but we’ll discuss that in the next section. New Dungeon & Designed Items As mentioned in the section above, the Challenge Mode rewards include an item that will give you access to a new kind of dungeon. You can enter this dungeon in a premade or auto-matched party as usual, but unlike other instanced dungeons and missions, this one has no daily limit and can only be entered by consuming that special reward item. In this dungeon, occupied by particularly strong monsters, you can obtain the new Designed Unique recipes. Compared to Unique equipment with random stats, Designed Unique items include special custom stats, higher values on particular stats and, in the case of weapons, a different outer appearance. With a bit of luck, you can still land some very solid stats on regular random-stat Unique items, but the appeal of Designed Unique equipment is that its effects and performance are more precise according to the use you give it. We are also preparing multiple items for the same type of equipment, increasing the variety of gear within the grade. Not only can you get Designed Unique recipes in this dungeon, you will also find there customizable items (where you can change the type or value of the stats) and other items you won’t see in regular fields or dungeons. New Earth Tower Difficulty Settings and Entry Rules To go along with the maximum level expansion, to the Earth Tower’s Solmiki Area we’re adding two new difficulty settings. So if your party is strong and well-rounded, you can have a go at the Hard Mode and get your Legend equipment set in a shorter amount of time. We’re also increasing the supply of level 270 Lolopanther materials, effectively turning the set into the go-to superior choice for mid-level range characters. Another aspect of ET we’re changing is the entry rules. Instead of 1 time per day (+1 for Token users), the limit will be 3 times per week, with the rewards adjusted accordingly. Similarly to the updates we have planned for the Saalus missions, the Token benefits here will not be for extra entries, but for additional rewards. With this overall reward boost, we expect the time for acquiring ET items to reduce by 10% for Solmiki gear and 40% for Lolopanther gear. Legend Boss Cards You may remember from a previous dev blog post where we showed a preview of the new monster card equip system (seen in the image above) that there was a space in the middle for an additional card. Well, this central slot is now reserved for Legend-grade Boss Cards (golden frame). Our plan is to have boss cards of the Legend grade be obtainable from future field boss monster cubes (cards obtained from current field bosses will not change their grade to Legend). The system for enhancing Legend boss cards will be different from that of regular boss cards. Rather than gradually increasing the card’s EXP, you will need to use up to 4 other cards as fodder to increase the Legend card’s level (★) by 1 in one attempt. Depending on the type and level of the fodder cards, however, there can be a risk of destroying the Legend card in the process. Finally, we should also mention that unlocking the slot for Legend cards will require special conditions related to the goddess’ Revelations. And... that’s it for today! We hope this post gives you a better idea of where we’re heading in our development plans for the next major updates regarding PvE. As always, we’ll keep you on track of the progress through the dev blog and our patch notes. Thank you!
Dev Interview: Adventure Journal Overhaul
Greetings, Saviors! If you keep up with our Announcements here at the website, you’ll know that the devs are getting up to some pretty major changes to the old Adventure Journal. Today we sat down with the developer in charge of the transformation to find out what's in store. Staff: Well, hello, Mr. Adventure Journal Dev, it’s nice to have you. How do you feel today? AJD: To be honest, this is my first interview ever, so I do feel a little nervous. Staff: Don’t worry, I won’t bite… I want to start by asking about how the process of revising the Adventure Journal came about. I remember the first notice from a few months ago that got players excited about the new version of the Journal, and it seems you’re now making real alterations to it. What made you want to revise this feature of the game? AJD: With the Adventure Journal the way it is now, there were always times when we felt like it displayed unnecessary information, or that it was shown in an ineffective way. We also felt that the rewards players got from the achievements weren’t always the best incentives for exploration. With this in mind, we decided to reorganize the information in the Adventure Journal and introduce new rewards that would better motivate players to complete different achievements. Staff: As a developer, what part of the process of changing the Adventure Journal concerned you the most? AJD: The biggest worry for me was the new reward system; figuring out which rewards would better suit each achievement and what would get players exploring the maps in a way that felt satisfactory. Staff: That certainly sounds like a challenge, although as a player of TOS myself, it also makes me excited for the changes that are to come. Now, onto the next question. The latest announcement about the Adventure Journal mentions that some of the new content is going to be reset every month. I would like to know more about what this content is, how it will be different from the permanent-type content, and why you decided to divide it into these two categories. AJD: The types of content we’re thinking of including in the resetting category are monster kills, item drops, item crafting, personal shops, fishing and dungeons. The difference between the two categories is that you won’t be able to access your records for the resetting content after the period corresponding to that month is over, while the permanent content will remain recorded in your team’s Journal for as long as it exists. The content we put in the permanent category is there mostly for practical reasons; like quests, for example. I don’t think most players would be too happy if all their quest records were deleted every month and they had to create another character just to fill them up again… As for the resetting content, we thought the current ranking system made it hard for new players to try and make it into the top spots, a problem which is only aggravated as the game’s service continues. We wanted to give more of our dedicated players the chance to compete for meaningful rewards. Staff: That sounds fair. If you make the scores appear in real-time on the Adventure Journal, that’s definitely going to increase the competitive aspect of Journal achievements. I’m sure you know better than anyone that, in the current system, to be a top ranker you really need to step up your enhancement investments. This time, however, it seems you’re shifting the focus towards monsters and items; is there a reason for this? AJD: Well, we thought that, if we’re going to revise the achievement rewards, we should focus on those related to the content that the players most easily and commonly encounter in the game. Staff: I see. Does that mean it will be easier for players to get points for their Journal? And if so, what would you say is the best method for getting into the top ranks of the Adventure Journal under the new system? AJD: We’re increasing the points attributed to monster kills, item drops and crafting, so hunting more varieties of monsters and crafting different types of items is probably your best bet. This isn’t set in stone, however. After the big Adventure Journal changes are applied, we’re going to continue monitoring the way players use the new system and adjust the content as necessary. Staff: Considering the rewards that are at stake, and the fact that players will have to compete to get them, I think we can expect people to eventually devise more efficient, “pain-free” ways to achieve their goals… What are your thoughts on this? Does this match the purpose you have in mind for the Adventure Journal? AJD: The main purpose we envision for the Adventure Journal is to record your team’s activities within TOS. I believe the players will always be clever enough to come up with optimized ways to play whatever content we put out – the Journal included – and we’re certainly not against it. That said, if we find that there are any tricks or any harmful ways to achieve those goals beyond honest competition, then we will have to revise the content accordingly. Staff: In the current system, for example, the “easy” way some players have found to maximize their points is to buy items from the Market, slightly enhance them, then sell them back, which isn’t harmful to other players, but doesn’t really fit with the purpose of the Adventure Journal either. Will you be giving different points to items obtained from hunting monsters and those bought from the Market? AJD: We did want to include purchased and re-purchased items in the total count, but the possibility of abuses like the one you mentioned made us rethink it. In the end, we decided not to have items obtained through the Market count towards the Adventure Journal. Staff: Hunting is the way to go. Got it. I’m a pretty competitive person myself, so I couldn’t help wondering about that. Now that my curiosity is satisfied, I want to ask about the “life” content records you’ll be adding to the Adventure Journal. What are those about? AJD: If records related to monsters, item drops and crafting are going to be the basis for the combat portion of the Adventure Journal, the “life” section is going to be about non-combat content, like fishing and shops. Staff: Oh! I did notice the two tabs related to that content in the preview images, along with a little gap just big enough to house another tab… Could it be for a future content update, perhaps…? AJD: Hahah, you got me. Yes, we wanted to leave a little room for any non-combat content that may be developed and happen to fit with the record-keeping function of the Adventure Journal. Staff: The Growth category feels somewhat like collecting badges, I would say. I personally can’t stand seeing those empty spaces there left to fill, so I did some research and I found out that, in order to complete all the spots, you really need to raise a whole family of characters. Is this intended as part of the Journal achievements? AJD: “Raising” characters of different classes is a big part of what makes Tree of Savior interesting, so we felt that it needed to be incorporated in the Adventure Journal as well. Staff: I don’t know, I tend to feel very attached to my characters, but I’m worried that this kind of system might encourage players to create characters just for the collection, then throw them away. What are your thoughts on this? AJD: Though some classes may be more popular, every class has its own value in Tree of Savior. I can see how some players would be tempted to create characters just for the Journal rewards, but our hope remains that it will help people experience different classes that they may not have tried otherwise. The Adventure Journal records are also proof of all the diverse activities the player has done within the game, so we believe it’s still a valuable addition. Staff: The new Exploration tab was interesting, too. For one, it really makes you want to go back to all the spots you missed along the way. The Achievements section, on the other hand, was a little unexpected. I couldn’t figure out what else we’re supposed to do in this tab just by looking at the info on it. Was this intentional? AJD: Yes, you can access that information from the Achievements section in the Character Info window. We didn’t want to have the same information repeated in two different places, so we opted for removing it from the Adventure Journal. Staff: Since the permanent content won’t be reset, I’m assuming any rewards that come from that can only be received once per team, is that correct? What I want to ask is: exactly how much TOS would you have to play to get to, say, level 13 in Growth? AJD: To get to level 13 in the Growth section, you need 5,600 points. That’s 100 points per team level and 50 points per class. The minimum you would need to achieve this would be 5 max-level characters, with 4 characters composed of 8 unique classes each. Staff: That’s… a lot of work indeed. I should start planning. Now that the new Adventure Journal is finally gaining form, are you satisfied with how it functions, or do you have plans to keep working on it? AJD: We’ll definitely keep working on it. Tree of Savior still has a lot of room to grow and integrate new content, content which will need to be recorded through the Adventure Journal. Besides, like I mentioned earlier, we also have to consider the players’ feedback to assess which parts need to be adjusted and how, so we’re confident that you’ll see more Journal updates later on. Staff: Very well! I only have one final question. What does the Adventure Journal mean to you, as a developer? AJD: Rather than answering that question myself, I would like to ask the players. I want to know how they felt about the Adventure Journal so far, and what they would like it to become in the future. We’ll always need to take into account the player’s vision of the Journal in our plans, so any feedback is more than welcome. Staff: I’m sure the players will have a lot to say in the comments. Alright, as promised, that was my last question. Thank you for letting me pick your brain for this interview. I’ll look forward to more news on the Adventure Journal from you! AJD: No problem, I’ll make sure to keep you updated!
We’re Going Fishing!
Greetings, Saviors! We’ve talked about fishing in two separate Dev Interviews here at the blog (read them here and here), so we’re happy to announce that the long-awaited fishing update is finally making it into iTOS! In this post, we want to let you in on what you can expect from this new function and how you can make the most of it. As you may know from our previous posts, fishing is a little different from most other contents in the game, in that it doesn’t require you to fight or concentrate on a specific task. Fishing in TOS is much more relaxed: you simply set up your fishing rod and let the items come to you… Now, there are a few important things you should know about fishing before heading out to your nearest spot. First, to fish you need 3 essential elements: a Fishing Spot, a Fishing Rod and some Bait. Before You Fish Before you start fishing, you’ll need to acquire a fishing rod and bait. You can purchase both of these from Fishing Manager Joha, the new NPC in the city of Klaipeda. Below is a list of the items Joha is selling. The Old Fishing Rod is your first choice of rod available. For bait, you can get Worms or Shrimp. Other than these basic items, Joha also sells Paste Bait and the Fishing Bonfire (yes, of course it works underwater!), which are bonus items you can use to improve your fishing experience. You don’t need these items to fish, but they make the process faster and more effective. If you login after the fishing update, you will find a new fish icon next to your Character Info icon in the lower-right menu. That’s your Tackle Box, and it’s where the items you fish are automatically stored before you receive them in your character inventory. The Tackle Box is shared with all the characters in your team. How to Fish Once you have all your fishing gear, find the Fishing Spot in the city of Klaipeda or in the Cobalt Forest region. To start fishing, get inside a Fishing Spot and right-click the fishing rod from your inventory. The window will prompt you to place some bait on the slot, which can be Worms or Shrimp. Choose your preferred type of bait and click the confirmation button to begin. Each regular fishing cycle lasts one minute and consumes one unit of bait. If a cycle is successful (i.e. if you catch an item), you will see the item caught appear in your Tackle Box. Unsuccessful cycles (the ones where no item is caught) have no particular effect. New fishing cycles will begin automatically unless you run out of bait, exceed your daily fishing count or your Tackle Box becomes full. You can also use the ‘Stop Fishing’ button on your Tackle Box to cancel the current fishing cycle. You can fish a total of 10 items per day (per team), which means that if you already caught 10 items that day, your characters will no longer be able to fish. This daily count resets at 6AM (server time), and you can check how many times you have left by looking at your Tackle Box. Using Fished Items There are a few particular items you can obtain by fishing. 1) Small Silver Fish: This is a small fish you can use as bait, the same way you do with Worms or Shrimp. 2) Silver Fish: This type of fish can’t be used as bait. Instead, you can grill them over a bonfire and eat them! This applies the Grilled Fish buff, which increases your HP and SP recovery. During our new Gone Fishing event, you can also exchange Silver Fish at the Fishing Manager NPC for an exclusive Butler or Maid costume! The full details are over at the event announcement here. All of these contents will be available starting August 1, 2017. Make sure to understand how the system works before you have a go, and stay tuned for more fishing-related news!