Last month I posted a roadmap update and from the comments came some interesting topics regarding combat!
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1299620/view/3097912220598606430
It gave me the idea for this week's dev log to lift the curtain a little bit on how things are progressing in the combat 'department' which is one of the important bullets from my roadmap update. I've touched upon player skills & spells in recent updates, so this time around I'll take a look at the enemies...
Uttaku is the most difficult area from the main continent of Harkuna. It has the highest rank requirement which means you must avoid getting hit by a sledgehammer in the face if you venture too deep without good preparation. Of course, experienced players with good game knowledge can still drift around with a low-level character to gain quick mid-game advantage. But I'll leave those cookie cutter strategies for you to discover!
A peculiar place to explore is a range of low, broken foothills rising up to the peaks of the Grumes to the west called...
The Crags of the Long Homes
‘Are you holy enough to haul the hoards from these halls, hero? You choose a chill charnel-house to challenge your chances. These homes are sacred, and not for the greedy or the guilty. You must indeed be sure of your right arm and your righteous cause to dare enter here.’
There is a book called the Black Diptych. A dark and sinister manuscript that guards a secret to a treasure, but at the same time it's the cause for more bloodshed than the treasure itself! If you have found it... then you'll have a clue what to do. Otherwise, you would rely on your intuition and sometimes blind luck. The rewards? Immense. The risk? You'll have to find out! But better beware of...
The Hangman!
This barrow contains a circular chamber at its centre – all around the walls hang decaying corpses. The fresh ones are garrotted and dangle from a hangman’s noose – the skeletons grin from gibbets. You feel your own throat tighten as a dark figure emerges from the gloom, thin and tall. His magic chokes you as he draws a long pale sword.
The Hangman is a special type of enemy. It will haunt you through the area for your sacrilege. While in the Crags, his special abilities and stats are at their high, but even if you win and escape, he'll meet you again and his damage to your soul and abilities is permanent... His Shadowfall ability is cast each round and you must make a high Sanctity roll to mitigate its devastating damage. On the other hand, his Soulbane hits that drain your ability points would make you wish you hadn't set foot in Uttaku in the first place!
To get rid of the Hangman, you must find out how to lift its curse. Which is a quest on its own. Of course, with the new Skill system I mentioned last time plus some good gear, you'll have the chance to prepare well and figure out how to survive those encounters even without lifting the curse.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1299620/view/3092285258419557381
Last but not least, there is hidden knowledge in this area that can help you in another place. Somewhere there is a lake guarded by a powerful foe. If your knowledge of the arcane arts is good enough, you'll figure out its weakness. A possible choice could be to lure it outside of its lair. Otherwise, welp, you'll have a rough underwater combat coming up, that's for sure...
But hard-won battles mean hard-won loot!
Those are a few examples of the 100 enemies you can meet in the Fabled Lands. Some you'll meet more than once, others will beg for your mercy if they survive. Sometimes your hardest battles won't be fought on the tactical grid but when you meddle in the court intrigues. Better wear your stripped and spotted scarves!
See you next time, folks! If you've made it this far in the post, don't forget to wishlist the game if you haven't already:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1299620/Fabled_Lands/