[2022] Changes for Guild Season 16

Hello players of Albion,

I would like to introduce you to all the upcoming changes for Season 16. We are completely overhauling castles, with new layouts and treasure chests spawning through the entire week. And we are also adding an additional 5v5 non-lethal Crystal League, which in conjunction with the new Crystal Arena should lower the entry barrier for Crystal League and bring in more players.

Castle / Castle Outpost Overhaul
For Season 16 we overhauled Castles completely, and vastly improved the Castle visuals in two entirely new layouts. And Castles now spawn high value chests throughout the entire week. Every 3 hours, every Castle and Castle Outpost has a chance to spawn a chest. This chest has a random value, which is broadcast globally one hour before it can be opened. Since all these spawns still stay synchronized, the largest power blocks can’t contest all chests without splitting up, which also allows mid-sized guilds to contest these objectives. Additionally, we also modernized Castle fight mechanics. For example, the demolition hammer can now be used without pre-equipping it, like a gathering tool.

Changes in Detail

• Improved Castle layouts and graphics to encourage fighting on multiple fronts, create more space for defenders, and offer more polished visuals
  
• There are now two castle layouts, depending on biome:
  
  • Layout A: Highlands, Mountain
    
  • Layout B: Forest, Steppe, Swamp
    
• Castles and Outposts no longer generate passive Season Points
  
• Instead, opening Castle and Outpost chests grants Might to all players from the guild in proximity to the objective
  
• Castles and Outposts also have a new Might Level in the Conqueror’s Challenge, which is how they now generate Season Points
  
• Castle and Outpost Treasure spawn times are adjusted. Chests now have varying rarity levels, which are pre-announced on the world map and spawn at the same time, meaning groups can choose which rarity they feel confident contesting. Castle Chests now also spawn frequently throughout the week to promote large-scale fights ongoingly.
  
  • Chests unlock (i.e. can be opened) at the following times: 1:30 UTC, 4:30 UTC, 7:30 UTC, 13:30 UTC, 16:30 UTC, 19:30 UTC, 22:30 UTC
    
  • Each time slot there is a 67% chance that a Castle Outpost spawns a chest and a 40% chance that a Castle spawns a chest
    
  • Each chest has a random rarity of Common, Uncommon, or Rare
    
  • Chests spawn one hour before they unlock, and are globally pre-announced on the world map along with rarity level
    
  • On the weekend, guaranteed Legendary chests unlock in all Castles and Outposts on Saturdays at 13:30 UTC and 19:30 UTC, and Sundays at 1:30 UTC
    
• Demolition Hammers in inventory are now used automatically (like gathering tools) when interacting with hostile structures (e.g. Castle gates)
  
• Castles have new Mortar NPCs, which assist with defense
  
• Removed waiting times between Castle Guard waves, and Elite Guards now also spawn when breaching the Castle Lord room
  
• After defeating the Castle Lord, players must stand in a capture circle to claim the building, preventing enemies from stealing it by sniping the boss at the last moment
  
• Chests spawn regardless of owner status, but can only be looted by the Castle owner
  

Castle Might Levels

• Level 1 - Might required: 36,000
  
• Level 1 - Season Points: 60
  
• Level 2 - Might Required: 90,000
  
• Level 2 - Season Points: 150
  
• Level 3 - Might Required: 162,000
  
• Level 3 - Season Points: 270
  

forum.albiononline.com/index.p…80a4cbb64714092affd916491

Crystal League Changes / Crystal Arena
Competitive 5v5 battles have always been an important endgame feature in Albion Online, and the 5v5 Crystal League is intended to offer this playstyle. However, in its current form it has been too difficult to get new players into this content. To introduce more players to this exciting game mode we are adding the new Crystal Arena with our Into The Fray Update. And once new Crystal teams form in the Crystal Arena, they can now start playing in the new 5v5 non-lethal Crystal League. This is an entire Crystal League added which only has non-lethal matches, but also the full 9 level experience. This should make the process of getting new teams into the Crystal League much smoother and increase overall participation.

forum.albiononline.com/index.p…80a4cbb64714092affd916491


Non-Lethal 5v5 Crystal League Added
A knockdown-rules 5v5 Crystal League now runs alongside the full-loot League:

• Uses current Crystal League system but changes all matches to knockdown rules
  
• Rewards are reduced from the full-loot League, but still sufficiently reward progress
  
• Season Point cap is shared with full-loot League
  
• Players can qualify for the Crystal League Championship through the non-lethal League
  
• Matches happen at different times than the full-loot League, allowing participation in both
  

Non-Lethal 5v5 Schedule:
forum.albiononline.com/index.p…80a4cbb64714092affd916491


5v5 Crystal League (Lethal)
Changes (all changes also apply to the non-lethal 5v5 Crystal League):

• 5v5 Crystal Realm map adjusted:
  
  • East and west capture points moved slightly northwards
    
  • Objects added to map for additional choke points and structure
    
• New mechanic added to 5v5 matches, Double Healer Penalty:
  
  • Teams with two healing Staffs get an additional healing reduction debuff, even if the two healers are not healing the same target
    
  • Penalty applies in all 5v5 matches, including Arena and Crystal Arena
    
• Only Level 1 Tokens can be bought from the Energy Manipulator, Level 4+ Tokens are untradeable
  

Lethal 5v5 Schedule:
forum.albiononline.com/index.p…80a4cbb64714092affd916491

20v20 Crystal League Changes

• Match Adjustments:
  
  • Base Respawn time: 10s → 15s
    
  • Runestone Channel Time: 10s → 7.5s
    
  • Points per Death: 2 → 3
    
• The goal of these changes is to make matches more accessible. Shorter channeling of Runestones makes them easier to claim, while higher Respawn times and points per death reduce the number of deaths per match, reducing gear costs. Additionally, this makes mass strategies, like sacrificing numerous players to secure Runestones in non-full loot matches, less successful.
  
• Consolidated time slots:
  
  • 20v20 matches are now scheduled across fewer time slots, with more teams playing simultaneously, to reduce no-shows
    

20v20 Schedule:
forum.albiononline.com/index.p…80a4cbb64714092affd916491

New Crystal League Skin

• A new Crystal Gladiator Wardrobe Skin can be won in all Crystal League matches:
  
  • Wardrobe pieces are non-tradeable and consists of 4 pieces: Helmet, Armor, Shoes and Cape
    
  • Winner chests have a rare chance of dropping pieces – the higher the level, the higher the rate. (With a 0% drop chance in daily matches)
    

forum.albiononline.com/index.p…80a4cbb64714092affd916491


Might Level Adjustments
We additionally made it easier to progress in certain Might Levels, where guilds hadn't progressed as much as we would have liked.

• Corrupted Dungeons:
  
  • Might Level Requirement per Level: 6,000 → 4,000
    
• Crystal Spiders:
  
  • Might for first Level: 30,000 → 20,000
    
  • Season Points - First Level: 30 → 20
    
  • Might Increase per Level: 15,000 → 10,000
    
  • Season Point Increase per level: 15 → 10
    
• Outland Treasures:
  
  • Might for first Level: 30,000 → 20,000
    
  • Season - First Level: 30 → 20
    
  • Might Increase per level: 15,000 → 10,000
    
  • Season Point Increase per level: 15 → 10
    

I hope you are looking forward to these changes will have a lot of fun in the next season.

Cheers,
Retro