Since the launch of Settlements there has been a heavy focus on adding community requests and expanding on the current content, with more boss fights and equipment.
So after the last wave of updates you may be asking what is next for the game?
The answer is:
BEASTMASTERY.
The second free expansion to the game.
Without giving away all the spoilers right away, the new expansion will add the new character skills of Beastmaster and Veterinarian as well as the world skill of Animal Breeding.
Masses of new pets have been added to the game as well as the ability for characters to use 2 pets at once.
All pets have now been classed as either a Combat or a Support pet. With further subclasses as worker, assault, defender, harasser, mount, protector or distracter.
As your skill in beastmaster increases so will the ability of the pets you command. However the downside is that all pets can now be attacked in combat and knocked out. A knocked out pet will no longer fight for you until the battle is over.
This creates a whole new dynamic of trying to match what pets are best for what characters based on their combat and settlement roles.
As well as this there will be 2 new adventures that will become available from era 3, these new adventures are randomly filled with monsters of your current era and can be played as many times as you wish, no matter what era of the game you advance to. Some of the new pets can only be found within these adventures.
Adding to that, you will also have the ability to breed your own pets. Once you have 2 or more of the same pet you can spend coin to attempt to upgrade to a better or even a rare version of the advanced pet.
The expansion will also come with a host of new steam achievements to unlock.
More information on this expansion will become available as it enters beta testing.
Beta testing is planned to begin on the 28th of Feb (this date may move slightly), so for those who wish to wait until the expansion is stable before enjoying the new content, please make sure you switch to the default branch now.
I hope you enjoy the new content and the many extra hours of play it will bring to the game.
Tormunda