Book 3: The Queen's Left Hand

Hey there, heroes!

This week, we have a new side quest available from Circe in Book 3 Swordhaven, written by Lorekeeper!

Circe needs some assistance with her latest mission to help Queen Victoria! And since you're such good friends, of course you're going to lend a hand!

Head over to Book 3 Swordhaven and speak to Circe to play this week's release: The Queen's Left Hand! Note: This quest requires completion of Book 3.

Also this week, a new cosmetic helm is available for purchase!

The Ancient Ceremonial Helm of Wolves can be purchased from the DC Cosmetics shop for 300 Dragon Coins!

The DragonSlayer rework has had a major overhaul! The new reworked DragonSlayer now has a different playstyle that's all about finding short, precise burts of damage after protecting yourself from an attack, rather than resolving a long damage combo. There are a lot of big changes, so make sure to read carefully!

First, Counters are no longer gained from all Defends. Counters are now gained if you are hit OR defend against a hit while you have a Counter effect active (Avoiding a hit does not count):

• Instinctual Counter from the Widget
• Prepared Counter from Counter Stance
• Bracing Counter from Chilling Slash
• Slayer's Counter from Dragonslayer

When you Counter, you'll gain 1 Analysis, and also gain Counterattack for 1 turn: +50 Bonus, +100 Boost, and +200 Crit! All skills have had their old Counter empowerments either removed or added to the default effect of the skills (or moved around!)

Other passive changes:

• Stat threshold for +50% base damage has been increased from total level +/- Level/10 to +/- 20 (i.e. from 9 to 20 diff at level 90). You still need at least Level + 10 trained in both stats, however.
• Weighted Armor
  • Now grants +10% direct damage reduction (changed from 5% all damage reduction)
  • Debuff reduced from -50 Avd/-25 Def to -30 Avd only. Since Counters are no longer gained from any Defends, the need to reduce the effectiveness of external Defense is no longer necessary.
• Instinct/Instinctual Counter
  • Passive effect reduced from +3X% all damage reduction (max 15%) to +2X% direct damage reduction (max 10%). Combined with the Weighted Armor change, you'll have the same net DR%, but more has been shifted to the passive from Instinct.
  • Instinctual Counter effect increased from +100 Def/-100 Avd to +120 Def/-120 Avd.
• Analysis
  • Counter renamed to Counterattack, and is no longer affected by buff detection abilities.
  • Counterattack changed from +50 Bonus/Crit to +50 Bonus, +100 Boost, and +200 Crit.

Skills have also been changed a lot, too!

• Attack
  • Base damage increased from 1x100% to 1x120%.
• Counter Stance
  • Turn 1 values increased from +160 Def/-160 Avd to +250 Def/-250 Avd/
  • CD increased from 0 to 1.
  • Maximum effectiveness now takes 6 turns between usages instead of 5: +0/10/40/90/160/250 (max).
• Draconic Combo
  • -Crit effects increased across the board. (These effects will still replace each other, however)
  • Strike: 3 turns of -25 Crit -> 6 turns of -25 Crit.
  • Flurry: 3 turns of -25 Crit -> 5 turns of -35 Crit.
  • Dive: 3/5 turns of -25 Crit -> 4 turns of -45 Crit.
• Draconic Blaze
  • CD reduced from 7 to 5.
  • Base damage reduced from 5x30% (150%) to 5x20% (100%).
  • DoT damage changed from 5 turns x 50% to 3 turns x 80% (3 turns x 100% for Reptilians/Dragons)
• Ire of Scales
  • Base damage reduced from 1x150% to 1x100% (the 50% base damage is made up for by the class stat passive)
• Wyvern Scout
  • Old effects removed, now grants 3 turns of immunity to most enemy effects.
• Phantasm of Akriloth
  • Base damage increased from 4x75% (300%) o 4x100% (400%).
  • Now always applies 6 turns of +50 Health to the enemy.
  • This attack no longer has innate +100 Bonus.
• Slayer's Stand
  • Now always grants +230 Avd (from net +180 to +200)
  • This attack no longer has innate +100 Bonus.
• Hone Blade
  • Effect increased from +5X% Crit damage (max +25%) to +(15+5X)% Crit damage (max +40%).
  • Effect now always lasts for 10 turns instead of 8/10.
• Slayer's Cleave
  • CD reduced from 12 to 10.
  • Now always heals 20% of max HP instead of 10% per successful hit.
  • No longer applies Armor Coating (moved to Wyvern Scout).
• Slayer's Keen Eye
  • Effect now always grants +100 Bonus for 6 turns.
  • This attack now always has innate +200 Bonus/Crit.
• Dragonbane
  • Skill position swapped with Chiling Slash.
  • CD reduced from 8 to 5.
  • Base damage reduced from 2x90% (180%) to 2x50% (100%).
  • Effect reduced fro m5 turns of -30 All/+40 Health to 3 turns of -10 All/+10 Health.
• Chilling Slash
  • Skill position swapped with Dragonbane.
  • Base damage reduced from 1x120% to 1x100%.
  • Bracing Counter effect changed from 2 turns of +100 Def/-100 Avd to 1 turn of +50% direct damage reduction. (Still counts as a Counter if you are hit or defend!).
  • -Crit effect increased from -60/-90 Crit to -100 Crit.
• Dragonslayer
  • CD reduced from 14 to 8.
  • Slayer's Counter effect changed from 2 turns of +150 Def/-150 Avd to 1 turn of +50% direct damage reduction. (Still counts as a Counter if you are hit or defend!).
  • -Crit effect increased from -50 Crit to -100 Crit.

As you can see, these are some major changes! Player feedback identified that hte class was both complicated and fragile, as missing one Counter would set back your next skill. This easily snowballed into further losses, with the end result being a class that had an unreliable and usually mediocre performance.

These changes completely change the playstyle, making Counters more consistent, and focusing on short bursts, fitting the theming of the class and design as a deliberate counterattacker. As always, things are subject to change, so feedback is welcome!

Also this week, some engine fixes & updates!

• Fixed an issue where equipping or displaying a weapon could have your Default weapon remain shown in a bugged state, which could lead to a loading crash.
• Fixed an issue with helms where loading an outfit could incorrectly hide hair.
• Fixed an issue where helms would sometimes be Shown when they weren't.
• Added a new option that is on by default: Keep Outfits On
  • If you have a Dragon Amulet, Keep Outfits On will keep displayed gear Shown when you equip other items to the same slot.
  • If you do not have a Dragon Amulet, or Keep Outfits On is toggled off, equipping gear will also immediately Show it.
• Anything else I may have forgotten!

And that's all for this week!

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