Hello Adventurer!

Welcome to the next patch. Thanks again to everyone on the Steam forums and Discord for the incredible feedback!

This patch applies to the Demonlore update that is currently on the public test branch (check the forums for how to access it).

From the Developers

The Demonlore expansion is now feature complete and we have made all of the planned changes ready for final testing on the public test branch. The Demonlore expansion now has a lot of new content, overhauled systems and new features, and lots of changes based on the large amount of feedback from our amazing community!

This update includes the planned phase-3 changes of the Demonlore roadmap, and some unplanned changes that felt good during testing (such as overhauling the veterancy and removing heroic leveling). As a developer it can be difficult to make the decision to remove existing systems, but it's always important to know it's an important option to consider if it benefits the feel of the game - and we are very happy with the new game feel of leveling up in-battle and moving faster between battles.

The biggest part of this update that you have all been waiting for is the new Stage-5 map on the main run. It is now available, including the new Main Boss enemy! Take the fight to the demons!

From here we will evaluate the final feedback, mostly in regard to quality of life, bug fixes and balance. The new keybinds and controller updates are in, as well as some other requested features that make everything feel that bit nicer.

Check out the patch notes below for the full details.

Stage-5 and New Main Boss

That's right, the main run is now a 5 stage run! Don't worry, entering that 5th stage is optional. This is the full run and it it's definitely longer, but also gives you more opportunity to max your units veterancy and get maximum damage from synergies.

The main run has also been restructured so that the first 3 maps end in a Miniboss instead of a Main Boss, and those 3 Main Bosses have been moved to the final battle at each if the three key runs. This was an important change, as repeating runs is more fun when you encounter random Minibosses before a Main Boss, as opposed to just facing the same four Main Bosses every time.

Two New Characters

The final two characters have been added! Tempo can be unlocked when you have enough currency, and Wisperio is unlocked by completing the main run. These characters have unique kits and abilities, including a new Time Guardian mechanic to keep your powerful abilities in check.

More Miniboss Enemies

We have added the final Miniboss enemies, each with unique mechanics. There are now a total of 8 Miniboss enemies and 5 Main boss enemies, giving you heaps of variety through your runs!

Veterancy and Heroic Leveling Overhaul

The heroic level up after battles has been completely removed, along with the post-battle coin screen (to speed things up). In place of this we have a new level up system for veterancy that gives you Veterancy XP through the battle. Each time you level up, you get to choose a veterancy upgrade. Keep an eye out for loot goblins as well, not only do they drop bonus coins, but also a bunch of veterancy gems!

New Difficulty Level - Brutal!

There are a range of gamers that play Riftbound, some like to take a more casual approach, and some like to experience the hardest challenges we can offer. In light of this we have added a new harder difficulty level! If you have mastered Merciless (+3), be ready to take on the new Brutal (+4) difficulty. Enemies are a little tougher, but one thing we try and avoid is primarily buffing enemy health to increase difficulty - so for the Brutal difficulty mode some enemies will have more powerful attacks, you will encounter more elites & champions, and you will face many more nightmare battles!

... and more!!

This is quite the mega-patch, so real the full notes below on all of the other changes. There are new mechanics such as the Time Crystal system, changes to boss battles and lots more!

What's Next?

Now that the roadmap is complete we will make any final tweaks and bug fixes as required (remember to send us your feedback). This will remain on the public test for a little while before we fully release it in a couple of months, as we work on another big announcement!

❤️ Thanks!

A huge thanks to everyone that has been providing feedback. We are really happy with how the new Demonlore update has been received and are excited to proceed through the roadmap with you!

The best way you can support us is by leaving a review on Steam, as this gets more attention to our game on Steam, and will give us the flexibility to expand the game even more into the future.

Patch v1.2.9

Please Note: Due to significant changes in save data, any active Summoner's Path runs have been retired. Meta progression is not effected.

Please Note: Keybinds will be reset due to significant changes. We recommend also going into the "Controls" section of the game options, press "Reset to Default" and then adjust keybinds as you see fit.

• Stage-5 has been added to the main run. Once completing Stage-4 you will be given a choice, the choice to enter Stage-5 is only available if you have all 3 keys. This is a unique stage with a new main boss.
• A new Main Boss has been added and will only be encountered in Stage-5. Can you take the battle through the rift and achieve ultimate victory!?
• A new eerie black smoke has appeared on the battlefield.
• A new difficulty level, Brutal (+4) is now available in Roguelite runs.
• A new battle type “Infernal Nightmare Battle” has been added and will appear in Stage-5. This is a harder version of an Infernal Battle with a miniboss.
• Three new MiniBoss enemies have entered the fray. Marrow, Tendril and Wreck. (Note that Baalzor has been retired and replaced by Marrow).
• New Encounter “Wisperio Unchained” added. This is a Stage-5 only encounter that is used to unlock the character “Wisperio”.
• New magic shield mechanic has been added. Enemies with a magic shield show an extra shield bar over their health. Unlike armor, shields do not carry over excess damage, and they recharge automatically when the target is not being hit.
• New Time Shard counter now appears along the spell bar for a new time mechanic. The guardian’s have issued a decree not to manipulate the timeline... you have been warned!
• A new item “Fin’s Orb of Obliteration” is now available in the consumable shop.
• A new enemy has appeared! The lesser demon attacks is weak, but it attacks in packs.
• A new enemy has appeared! The Time Guardians are watching…
• New feature added to run maps, Goblin Sightings! When a POI on a map has a goblin sighting, that battle will be increased to the next battle difficulty, but it will also have a much higher chance at spawning loot goblins, and can spawn more loot goblins.
• Main Boss mechanics have changed. Previously you would lose the battle if a single enemy made it to the crystal, this will now only happen if 3 enemies make it to the crystal. New UI elements will show this feature, and the crystal will break each time an enemy reaches the end.
• The first 3 main bosses (Troll, Reaper, Warlord) have been moved to the final stages of the 3-stage key runs (Path of Wrath III, Path of Ruin III and Path of Blight III) with key reward. For the main run (Path of Chaos), the first 3 stages will now have a random mini-boss, then continue with the Necromancer boss in Stage-4, followed by the new boss if you manage to unlock Stage-5.
• Reworked the level up and hero system. We have removed the level up system, and instead added a new heroic reward type to the map. The original level up system was done to obtain the heroic rewards before a hero shop existed, so the current features have outgrown it. Instead we have added the Veterancy level up which happens during battle.
• Reworked the veterancy system. Instead of gaining veterancy after every wave, you now gain it from veterancy gems dropped by enemies on death. Some enemies such as Elites and Champions have a chance to drop gems that will give you more veterancy xp. This will give us more flexibility with mechanics that effect veterancy gain.
• Veterancy levels for units is now capped at 15 (or 10 for producers like Aetherling). The special attack for each unit still becomes available as a level 10 vet upgrade, and after level 10 new vet upgrades become available to further increase damage when you have other elemental types in the battle.
• New Veterancy Upgrades are available for attackers with a +1% chance to deal double damage for each AIR or WATER type elemental in the battle (there is a version of these for the Air, Fire and Water elementals that requires elementals of other types). This upgrade is available after a unit reaches level 10, has 2 stacks, and is inherited by evolutions.
• Aqua Elemental can now have damage, critical chance, critical damage, health regen veterancy upgrades, but the double damage upgrade has been removed.
• The Time Shift spell is now classed as Minor Time Major and has a small chance to create a Time Shard.
• The compendium now has sections to display tactics and consumables.
• Updated the VFX that show when your wisp collects energy
• Heroic Reward icon was added to the map key.
• XP Rate is no longer shown on the run details panel, since the level up mechanic has changed.
• Updated the artwork for the 3 keys (wrath, ruin, blight).
• New cosmetic “Cat Mustache” has been added to the character customizer and is unlocked by default.
• New cosmetic “Bat Wing” has been added to the character customizer and can be unlocked if you have 300 stars.
• New cosmetic “Dutch Beard” has been added to the character customizer and is unlocked if you have 500 stars.
• New cosmetic “Dragon Wing” has been added to the character customizer and can be unlocked by winning a run on the new Brutal difficulty.
• New cosmetic “Commando Hat” has been added to the character customizer and can be unlocked by winning a run on Merciless difficulty.
• New cosmetic “Professor Mustache” has been added to the character customizer and can be unlocked by defeating the Stage-5 boss.
• The game engine has been updated for support for some new visual effects.

Quality of Life

• New battle keybinds have been added. We recommend resetting keybinds in the settings and then customizing them. A dedicated keybind for Crystal Shield and Heroic Transformation have been added, as well as 4 new keybinds for Tactics Slots 1-4. Note that there is still a dedicated Recall keybind, however this is a Tactic now so will also be accessed from the relevant Tactic Slot keybind.
• Gamepad input has been updated to work with the new spellbar layout and veterancy choices. In addition to this the D-Pad directions are now used to toggle the bag (left), show the veterancy list (right) and show the fusion chart (up).
• Updated gamepad target to store the last selected tile, so when you cast your next spell it will start from that tile. This also separately stores the last tile used for certain spells, so your last stored target for summoning an elemental and casting an attack spell will be different.
• Added a glowing red danger effect that shows on the left side of the screen as the enemies get closer to your crystal, this is to help alert you to the danger. Similar effects will show to alert you to Time Guardian danger levels. The crystal itself also glows red for danger.
• Added a new MiniBoss tutorial screen that appears on your first encounter with a miniboss.
• Added a timer bar when evolving units.
• Added a skip button to the end of run gem reward screen that lets you speed up the run results.
• Added a ground shadow and height line to Wraiths to help show which tile they are on
• The Continue Run screen now shows the title of the run that is currently in progress.
• The Map screen now shows the title of the run that is currently in progress.
• The Roguelite run map now also shows the difficulty label with the run title.
• The new run details panel now shows a “+” next to enemies that have a higher chance of occurring, and enemy names and affixes listed here are now translated.
• The veterancy list will now show if its empty (instead of not showing at all)
• The veterancy list and choices will now show in available languages.
• Updated the veterancy list (that shows when you mouse over the icon) to display items in 2 lists.
• Removed the temporary fusion list from the escape menu, in place of this we have added a new icon at the top right of the screen which you can hover over to see the fusion reactions during a battle. In addition to this there is a help icon on the reward screen that allows you to see fusion effects when choosing rewards. The fusion list also now works for the available languages.

Characters

• New Character “Wisperio” can now be unlocked, features new tactic Overload, new spell Arcane Shackles and new upgrade Laser Wisp.
• New Character “Tempo” can now be unlocked, featuring new tactic Chrono Glitch, and new spells Temporal Purge and Wand of Aging.

Audio

• Added new sounds for Corrosion, Energy and Protection potions.
• Added new sounds for Tactic: Thunderstep and Conflagrate
• Added new sound for Minibosses Grime, Arachnea, Nyxis, Gori and Blightrix
• Added new sound for the Veterancy level up dialog.
• Reduced the volume of the spider eggs hatching from Miniboss Arachnea

Balance

• Merciless and above difficulties now use the “Hard” presets for enemies which have slightly more base health. Overall this will increase the difficulty of enemies and bosses slightly at Merciless and above in Roguelite mode. For example most skeletons health increases from 100 to 120 base health.
• Circle of power can now appear in columns 1, 3, 4 & 5 (previously 3 and 4)
• Circle of Growth can appear in columns 2 (previously 1 or 2), to support the suggested strategy of not having economy in the first column.
• Circle of mending can now appear in columns 1-5 (previously 2-4).
• Loot Goblins are now classified as normal ground units, take maximum 100 damage from any source and health is increased from 300 to 350. Overall they will take more damage from spells, especially spells that deal big damage. They are still immune to stuns, roots and time magic, however will be effected by the Orb of Obliteration.
• Minibosses Arachnea, Grime, Tendril and Wreck now only spawn in Stage 2 or higher miniboss battles. Nyxis can now appear in Stage 1, however its projectiles will deal less damage.
• Miniboss Nyxis projectile damage changed from 15 to 8 when it is encountered in Stage-1.
• Totem of Rock now spawns with a Fortification tile.
• Increased the collision size of the burst wisp projectiles by 25% so they would more reliably hit
• Updated the Corrupted Boar dash attack so that you can more reliably avoid it with movement tactics such as side step and thunderstep.
• Miniboss bonuses per rank have changed max health bonus changed from 10/20/30/40 to 10/25/40/60, and damage bonus from 20/40/60/80 to 20/40/60/80 to 20/30/40/50 and damage resistance from 0/0/0/0 to 0/0/5/10
• MoonBeam radius increased from 0.8 to 1.0 so that it can more easily effect enemies.
• MoonBeam base damage to armor increased from 5 to 20 to emphasize the armor-stripping purpose of this spell.
• MoonBeam health damage amount increased from 0 to 20%
• MoonBeam movement speed increased from 0.4 to 0.8
• MoonBeam now damages bosses.
• MoonBeam Rare radius increased form 0.8 to 1.1, and it also inherits the other balance changes from the non-rare version.
• All Boss Battles will now have more elite and champion enemies in difficulty +2, +3, +4, and for difficulties 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, Stage-3, Stage-4 and Stage-5 boss enemies will also have more elite/champion enemies. Note that this doesn’t increase the amount of total enemies, just how many of them are elites or champions.
• The Troll boss fight has been made more difficult with more enemy spawns (since it was moved to a map 3 battle where you will be more powerful the difficulty also needed to increase). Merciless and above now also has different enemy spawns to increase the difficulty further.
• Aether Mastery Rank 2 Perk (bomber wisps) interval changed from 25 to 35 seconds.

Fixes

• Fixed the visual effect from Reaper’s Doom Toll attack not moving with the elemental that was effected.
• Fixed a bug that could cause the enemy Commander to get stuck in the ground when it had any teleporter type affix
• Fixed the display position of decaying aura on some enemies such as the Eye of Newt
• Fixed an edge case where the summoner would not summon skeletons if it was blocked at the end of a lane.
• Fixed potion consumables becoming locked from the Anti-Magic mutator.
• Fixed the special Crystal Shield spell becoming locked from the Anti-Magic mutator.
• Fixed the environmental tiles (scorched, frostbite, corrupted) created by the Necromancer boss and Warlord boss. They can now be removed by the cleanse spell.
• Fixed a bug where the purchase character button would not update until you reselected the character.
• Fixed a bug that allowed elementals that were actively being pushed to a new location (such as from a boar attack), could be targeted with tactics that would push them.
• Fixed a bug where the targeting arrow would not be positioned correctly above the loot goblin.
• Fixed a bug causing loot goblins to spawn less often than they should when you hadn’t had one for a while.
• Fixed the hitbox on the Necromancer boss which too tall.
• Fixed a bug where the Circle Patterns encounter would still give circle consumable instead of the bonus circle in every battle.
• Fixed a bug that caused the Veterancy icon to stay on screen when the spellbar was hidden.
• Fixed Wisp Bombs (from Wisp of War, Flyby Wisps etc) not registering aether damage for fusion effects.
• Fixed a bug causing the Character completion stars not to show the correct number of stars. E.g. if you win on Merciless the run should now show 4 stars for that character instead of 3.
• Fixed an issue where enemies with an emission texture wouldn’t dissolve as nice on death.
• Fixed an issue that prevented Berserkers going berserker or mutators such as Forward Offensive and Backup Plan from triggering when you also had the Mutual Destruction mutator
• The "Heal All Units" veterancy upgrade option will only show if there are friendly units in the battle.

⚡ If you enjoy the game please consider writing a Steam review, it really helps us small indie developers getting recognized in Steam. ❤️

Join Us!

We are very active devs, so you are more than welcome to join our discord or leave your feedback on the Steam forum with anything you would love to see in the future of the game. This is just the beginning of very exciting times ahead!
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