Hotbar Revamp & a late Steam update because the images were not loading in the backend of Steam 🤷♀️
The feature announced a few weeks ago has finally made its grand entrance into AdventureQuest 3D. What started off as a way to equip two Cross Skills has evolved into something a lot bigger… Let’s get into it! (This release was on Thursday, November 14, 2024, just fyi)
How Skills Work
First off, Skills have been revamped to fit into different categories. We’ll start with the most basic skill type and most likely the first kind of skill you’ll use in the whole game, Class Skills. Class Skills are skills the skills that are built into your class. These cannot be changed and are the basic blueprint of how your character plays. Second, we have Cross Skills. Cross Skills are those neat abilities you unlock when you reach rank 10 with a class and can’t slot into any other class you like letting you customize the way you play ever so slightly. Now, here is where we start talking about NEW things. The first big change is we’ve added a brand new type of skill, these are known as Base Skills. Base Skills are a baseline set of abilities that every character will start with, You might recognize them as these were originally all PVP except for Quickstep. Base Skills are mostly focused on utility and will allow us to design encounters with the knowledge players have these options available to them to overcome specific challenges. The penultimate type of skill in the game is PVP Skills. PVP Skills can only be equipped while in the Battle Hall (/join PVPLobby). These skills as the name suggests only work in PVP and are oriented around that. Finally, the last skill category we’ve made is Heroic Skills… Currently, there is no way to access Heroic Skills, however, once we release them I think they have the chance to be one of the most exciting new features in AdventureQuest 3D. Heroic Skills will be obtainable through all different means. From questing to buying from shop vendors with gold, or even from powerful bosses! These skills will allow you to open up what your character can do providing you the ability to heal yourself or party members. Shoot out shadow magic to cause a debuff or even call down lightning on your enemies. Essentially, Heroic Skill can be anything! With this new skill type, you will be able to really make your Hero YOUR hero.
More Slots!
None of this would really matter if we only had one slot to work with like we did with Cross Skills. But, we’ve changed this. The hotbar has been completely revamped to allow skills of all types to be slotted into them. While this week we are launching with 2 available hotbar slots as we receive feedback we can open it up and tweak things to have all additional hotbar slots open to customize with what ever Item or Skill you like.
So Let’s Recap!
Class Skills: The Skills baked into your class.
Cross Skills: The Rank 10 Skill you unlock that works across all classes.
Base Skills: Skills based around basic utility.
PVP Skills: Skills usable in PVP. Must be in the Battle Hall to equip them.
Heroic Skills: Skills you can buy, get as a drop or quest reward. Used to customize your playstyle further.
Essentially, you are building a house! (No, not player housing, we already have that!) The Class is your foundation but the walls and furniture, everything around it that makes it YOUR house are the Cross Skills, Base Skills, and Heroic Skills you choose to make your house… well, YOUR house. Except it’s not a house it’s the Hero who will save all of Lore!
The Bone Inspector
A new questline has been added to the Isle of the Dead for heroes close to the start of their journey through lore. Head on over and talk to Sir Ossian and help this strange knight search for the ideal bones for his collection and earn the Embossed Knight set. The Goal of this questline is the smooth over some gearing pains in the early game.
More Gorses and More Gooncorns
We 'herd' your feedback on wanting a daily quest for the Gorses and Goonicorn content! So gallop over to Luigi, who’s now saddled up with a new daily quest to help you trot away with some Vials of Goo. Gorse and Goonicorn statues await! Goo luck!!
The Wandering Light
The Wandering Light gear has also received a daily. Lady Phimion will have a quest for you to clear the dungeon to earn Motes of Wandering Light.
Two new items dove into the Treasure Chest loot pool in the previous week's release! Variants on the Dragon Ultra Greatswords, which are this month's primo promo items. The Legion Dragon Ultra Greatsword and the Knight's Dragon Ultra Greatsword can be acquired from an Emperor's Chest, Warlord's Chest, or Soldier's Chest. Good luck!
New Promo Item: Ancient Dragon Ultra Greatsword
This November, wield legendary strength with the Ancient Dragon Ultra Greatsword – a weapon forged in dragon fire and brimming with power! Secure this mighty blade when you purchase any package in the Upgrade Shop. Select packs now come with 50% extra Dragon Crystals too, which I *know* you’re gonna need for the upcoming holiday season! Wanna snag an even greater greatsword? Go Guardian to unlock the exclusive Guardian Dragon Ultra Greatsword as an added bonus.
Thank you and... next!
🏆 Over 200 amazingly eerie entires poured into the Screamshot Contest! We are thrilled to award 40+ players with prizes who showcased their creativity and frightful fun in so many wicked ways. Check 'em out at https://aq3d.com/news/2024-screamshot-contest-winners/
🎃 Our players really 'squashed' the competition in our Artix Pumpkin Carving Contest! Feast your eyes at https://aq3d.com/news/artix-pumpkin-carving-contest-winners-2024/
✨ Guild Spotlight next week! Do you want the chance to have your Guild featured on the Design Notes? Enter your guild at https://aq3d.com/posts/adventurequest-guild-spotlight-series/
🌈 Endless colors coming for skin, hair, beard, lips, and stache! No longer will you be stuck to predefined colors -- find the color palette that's perfect for you.
🎄 Frostval, Friday the 13th, and festive festivities coming soon!
Closing Thoughts
We want to make AdventureQuest 3D the game we can, with changes like Spellforged Gear and now this change to how skills and the hotbar work I feel more than ever we are on the right path to really opening up AdventureQuest 3D to put player choice at the center of how they play their character. We will continue to look at ways to add depth to the game and help it evolve into the game the players deserve. Thank you for being with us on this journey.
Battle on,
Clarion, Artix, and the AdventureQuest 3D Team