This update focuses on tuning the overall shape of a run and giving the player more control over their build.
Previously, the math worked out where a run would include between 9-10 "breather" battles (realm-start battles and stray threats) and 14-15 "full" battles (including bosses).
This has been reduced to 4-5 "breather" battles and 10-11 "full" battles. The exact placement of fights still varies between runs, but now it's expected that about one third of rooms lead to a fight, rather than about two thirds. The 100 Stars achievement is still quite attainable under these conditions, but to compensate for their being fewer battles, you now also gain 1 Star by default for discarding an item.
Cauldrons are now guaranteed to offer an upgrade and a removal, which do not refresh.
Card removal events now give you an item that lets you remove a card, rather than having you choose one of five.
Items and neutral cards in general have been buffed to balance the fact that you have less control over which ones you get.
Items that give cards have had their max HP cost dramatically reduced or eliminated, and new items have been added that allow you to destroy Actions for some benefit, or remove Gambits with some minor drawback.
Golden neutral cards' Banes are now temporary, and many other neutral cards have been strengthened to fit their role as powerful single-use cards.
CHANGELOG
v0.8.0 -> v0.8.1
BUG FIXES
Fixed cards getting stuck in the middle of the screen when closing the card menu during the animation.
Fixed boss-defeat achievements automatically unlocking (they will be properly unlocked upon opening the Library if you've already done so).
Fixed Serration's backlash showing damage on preview for non-attack cards.
Fixed some unintended behaviour with the Cauldron when one party member has retreated.
Fixed tutorial behaving weirdly if you were defeated during it.
Fixed edge case that caused swarm enemies to sometimes receive special behaviours.
Cards destroyed via card-destroying items are now counted in the post-run cards purged stat.
Fixed some cases where examining statuses would display the version for the wrong team.
STORY
Added several more lore entries, unlocked through certain conversations.
Martial arts
Magical arts
Roguecraft
Puppetry
Barrier Band
Sheltrite
Nullgrass
Tether
VISUALS
The single target arrow no longer obscures the indicator cluster in tactical view.
Added final art for final bosses.
GAMEPLAY
Rebalanced encounter frequency across the run. Encounters are less likely to happen multiple times in a row.
The Cauldron now guarantees removal and upgrade items, and now has 3 Cauldron-specific items and 2 realm-specific items (rather than the other way around).
The Cauldron now only refreshes cards and memories.
Cards from the Cauldron go into your hand first rather than your deck, so you can use items on them immediately.
Character-specific path choices now show up later in a run.
Card removal path choices now show up later in a run.
Card removal path choices now give an item that removes a card, rather than having you pick a card to remove from a selection.
Action drafts can now appear at any major choice, rather than only every 9 rooms.
Actions are slightly more likely to appear in regular card drafts.
Type-specific draft choices now show up earlier in a run.
Stray threats are even less likely to happen later in a run.
Stray threats no longer increase the likelihood of a full encounter happening.
Adjusted chance of finding items after battle to account for there being fewer battles.
Boss battles no longer drop items, as the boss itself drops an item.
Enemies are slightly more likely to come from neighbouring realms.
QUALITY OF LIFE
Several settings have been reworded to be more clear, with descriptive toggles rather than checkboxes.
By default, hovering over enemies now also displays their "permanent" statuses (Sturdy, Fragile, Stable, Unstable). This can be changed in the settings.
Added codex entry detailing how damage statuses work.
Added tutorials for enemy AOE indicators (attacking, debuffing, buffing).
Re-added tutorial for opposing statuses.
CARDS
Seagull:
Rescue now gives a flat 2 Rally with 2 Overheat.
Save now discards a maximum of 2 cards rather than 3.
Inquiry now retreats for 1.
Lever now rushes to your ally's side rather than pushing your ally.
Gambits are no longer immediately shuffled back into the deck on battle end, to allow you to use items on them after battle.
Many neutral cards have been buffed.
All golden neutral cards' associated Banes no longer remain in your deck after battle.
As a result of the above, the Rest event no longer removes Banes (there are none to remove).
Stabilize now removes all Banes from your entire deck, rather than just your hand.
Alignment and Stance now purge 5 stacks of their associated debuffs rather than 3.
Evade now gives 2 Dodge rather than 1, and no longer gives you Fear.
Rush now walks for 5 rather than 3, and Vault now jumps for 4 rather than 3.
Bewinder and Blunt now inflict 5 stacks of debuffs/strip 5 stacks of buffs, rather than 3.
Brace now gives 2 Buffer rather than 1.
Fortify and Sharpen now give 5 Grit/Focus rather than 4, but no longer remove Vulnerable/Dulled.
Suspension and Tunnelling can now be upgraded, gaining Draw 1.
ITEMS
You now gain 1 Star by default for discarding an item.
Water: Triple Point now skips 5 turns of cooldown rather than reducing Overheat by 1.
All items that draft Actions have had their max HP costs reduced (5/3/1 rather than 15/10/5).
All items that draft Gambits no longer cost max HP.
Intuition can now be used to destroy any Action, not just the rightmost one.
Clarity and Lucidity now immediately destroy cards/actions rather than giving them the Destroy keyword.
Loose Shackle now gives 3 Burn rather than 3 Fray.
Fire: Cold Ash now gives 1 Rally in addition to immediately destroying the selected card.
Added a new item to each realm that immediately destroys an Action for a unique benefit.
Fire: Burning Mark, which destroys an Action and gives 5 Focus.
Water: Flowing Mark, which destroys an Action and heals for 20.
Wood: Rising Mark, which destroys an Action and gives 3 AP + GP.
Metal: Polished Mark, which destroys an Action and gives 20 max HP.
Earth: Buried Mark, which destroys an Action and gives 5 Resist.
Added a new item to each realm that applies Destroy to any card with a certain drawback.
Fire: Passionate Offering, which applies Destroy to any card at the cost of 3 Burn.
Water: Calm Offering, which applies Destroy to any card at the cost of 1 Blinded.
Wood: Reflective Offering, which applies Destroy to any card at the cost of 3 Weakened.
Metal: Dry Offering, which applies Destroy to any card at the cost of 1 Vulnerable.
Earth: Stable Offering, which applies Destroy to any card at the cost of 1 Dulled.
Cauldron items are now shown in the neutral items list.
MEMORIES
Memory draft events now let you pick one of two.
Character-specific memory draft events now let you pick one of three, rather than one of two.
ENEMIES
Dodge stacks on enemies are now always consumed, even if your attack hit.
Water:
Mirrorscale's attack is no longer locked, but has been slightly nerfed to compensate.
Arrow of Time's Entropy is now a non-locked card that inflicts Poison, rather than a locked one that inflicts Exposed.
Most realm 2 and 3 enemies do slightly more damage to compensate for there being fewer battles overall.