Class-Based Inventory System
Hey everyone!
Thank you for all the feedback since launch! A week ago we added chest swapping to let you store and retrieve items from chests and shops. Today, we're building on that foundation with a class-based inventory system that adds strategic depth while keeping Petmancer streamlined and accessible.
What's New: Limited Inventory Slots
Each character class now has up to 4 total slots per equipment type (weapons, armor, shields, and spells). That's your equipped item plus stored items. The number of slots depends on your class and reflects their strengths:
Barbarians get 3 weapon slots: carry multiple weapons and switch between different combat styles
Mages get 3 spell slots: build a versatile arsenal of magic
Rangers get balanced slots across all equipment types: swap between ranged and melee as the situation demands
And each of the other 14 classes has its own unique allocation
Classes can only carry equipment they can actually use, so some classes have 0 slots for certain types (Barbarians can't carry spells, Shapeshifters can't wear armor, etc.).
This design also provides a gradual ramp up. Players can pretty much ignore the inventory system and play the same as before, and add more depth to gameplay when they choose to engage with inventory.
How It Works
When you find new equipment, you'll see three options:
Keep: stick with what you have equipped
Equip: use the new item right away, and store the current item in your inventory
Store: save it in your inventory for later
You can swap between equipped and stored items anytime from the character screen. For quick access, you can also:
Touchscreen/Gamepad: Long-press the weapon/spell/armor buttons
Keyboard: Use hotkeys (default: 1, 2, 3. Configurable in Settings)
When your inventory is full, you'll be prompted to choose which item to discard, sell, or place in a chest to make room for the new one.
New: Tavern Chest
Between dungeons, you can now use the Tavern Chest to transfer physical equipment (weapons, armor, shields) between your different characters. Found a great sword on your Mage? Store it in the Tavern Chest and pick it up with your Barbarian on the next run!
Gameplay Impact & Balance Changes
This update significantly changes how some classes play, and I'd love your feedback on the balance:
Spellcasters (e.g. Mage, Summoner, Djinn) get the biggest boost. With multiple spell slots, you can now:
Switch between spells and use them while waiting for cooldowns
Keep your spellcaster contributing almost every turn from the back line
Make interesting strategic choices about which spells to carry
Versatile classes (Ranger, Mercenary) can now adapt mid-dungeon:
Carry both ranged and melee weapons
Switch tactics when your front line goes down
Respond to different enemy types more effectively
Specialized classes still excel at what they do best, but now with more tactical options within their niche.
This is a significant power increase for some classes, especially spellcasters, but it also adds meaningful strategic decisions and reduces downtime waiting for cooldowns. Let me know how it feels in practice!
Why Limited Slots?
Petmancer is designed around meaningful choices: we want every decision to matter. Unlimited inventory could turn the game into a hoarding simulator and remove focus on the primary gameplay.
With up to 4 slots per type, you get flexibility to experiment and swap between favorite items, but you still need to make strategic decisions about what's worth carrying. It's the best of both worlds: casual-friendly simplicity with room for tactical depth.
What This Means for You
No more accidental losses - your good items have a safe place
Experiment freely - try new builds without commitment
Class identity matters more - your inventory allocation reflects your playstyle
More strategic depth - deciding what to carry and when to swap is part of the game
Less waiting around - especially for spellcasters who can rotate through multiple spells
Thanks again for all your support and feedback! This is a significant gameplay change, so please let me know what you think of the new system and how it affects class balance. Your feedback helps shape Petmancer's future.
Other updates
This update also brings in a host of other small changes and bug fixes:
The Chrono Drift blessing now shows an icon next to the gold in the dungeon UI, which indicates how many turns before the next chrono pulse that resets cooldowns
Mimics ambush you, not the other way around
Additional tutorials for Inventory and Tavern Chest
Shortcuts mentioned in tutorials now use the custom key/button mappings from settings
Translation fixes
Various fixes to UI state
Happy dungeon crawling!