[2022] Monthly Development Update - October 2022

A lil somethin somethin: You can find the details for this event on the announcement page here.

Greetings Ascended,

This month we will be giving you an overview of what to expect with Chapter IV, the new systems that will be accompanying it, and the balance pass.

Storm’s Fall
Whilst we want to keep narrative specifics under wraps until you can experience the Chapter for yourselves; here is a tease, a taster, of what is at stake in Chapter IV:

“Rest now, Ascended. You are free.”

The events at Crimson Keep hang over the mind of the Ascended, an endless nightmare from which they felt they’d never wake. A family torn asunder, and a foe unleashed.

Meanwhile, sinister forces conspired to harness the power of Oshara, the ancient dragon matriarch and Voice of Naedre. Though their effort ultimately failed, it did uncover a new target, a new opportunity, sequestered away in the halls of Stormfall Palace.

Now, the city falls under the hungry gaze of a being more powerful, more cunning, and more dangerous, than any you have directly fought before. A being whose machinations have led you, the Ascended, to this moment. All you have fought for, all you have lost, the allies you have gained, and the family that was broken, are poised to burn away in a tide of ash, fire, and Fury.

You must prepare. Stormfall must prepare.

Ahriman comes...

The Ultimate Boss Fight
The boss fights that have capped off Wolcen’s chapters are memorable, intense, sometimes even charming, and above all: tough. We want to continue that grand tradition in Chapter IV, but with a twist. Ahriman, the grand architect of your fate, is a foe unlike any other you have faced. You most certainly will not win if you rush in blind.

In fact, we guarantee it.

So, even with all your power, how can you succeed? The Fallen Duke of Fury has legions at his command, powerful lieutenants, and the collective fury of all those he has pacified which manifests in truly devastating abilities beyond count. You must remove these elements. Chapter IV will incorporate and expand upon the War Table and City Expansion systems with new features, which will be used to weaken The Blind Prince and improve your chances, whilst weaving in narrative and thematic elements.



New Experiences and Mechanics
Chapter IV will not only be a continuation of Wolcen’s story, but it will also add new layers to the game and its systems which will appeal to even the seasoned endgame player. As we did with Bloodtrail’s release, we are taking the opportunity to make some sweeping changes that will improve the existing core gameplay and systems, as well as allow for greater flexibility in the future in terms of seasons.

The update will bring:

• The Lieutenants system: an expansion of the War Table’s loop in Chapter IV and Endgame. As they complete operations, players contribute progress to unlocking important missions, where they must face down an elite enemy who wields one of Ahriman’s many deadly abilities. If the player is triumphant, Ahriman will have a weaker version of that ability when he is finally confronted.
  
• A Curses and Blessings system: a new series of modifiers that are triggered by progressing through the Lieutenants system in Chapter IV, or according to the difficulty level selected at endgame. These modifiers sit on top of the War Table’s existing mission modifiers in Chapter IV and Endgame. While they are far fewer in number, they are much more powerful and unique. They will enable, or require, more strategic play. Work-in-progress examples include:
  
  • Curse: Thunderous Wrath.. A lightning storm rages over the battlefield, periodically striking at the player unless evaded. Will you avoid the strikes or bear the damage and harness the power of the skies?
    
  • Blessing: Impurity Incarnated. Claim the power of the zealots that would dare to hunt you. Hitting enemies applies a vulnerability effect, increasing the damage they take from all sources for a brief time.
• New City Building projects, which will be key to increasing Stormfall’s defences and providing you with powerful buffs to aid you in your fight against Ahriman.
  
• A new rhythm to endgame: Ahriman’s siege of Stormfall will periodically trigger during endgame, culminating in a dynamic Ahriman fight and powerful rewards…should you survive.
  
• Infinitely scaling difficulty. Currently, higher difficulties in endgame are unlocked by accumulating Skull Points, which are awarded from successfully completing Operations at the highest available difficulty. You may have noticed that, upon reaching the current difficulty ceiling of 217, Skulls still appear on the rewards screen. With Chapter IV, you will be able to accumulate Skulls at 217 and then use them to launch Operations at as high a difficulty as your stockpile (and bravery) permits. Push the limits of your skill and builds: ever greater rewards and challenges await!
  
• Chapter IV will also bring a few new toys for players to... play with. There will be several new Unique items to open new playstyle possibilities. We will be detailing these at a later date!

On top of all that, as we have communicated previously, Chapter IV will be accompanied by a massive balancing pass. This will touch on:

• All skills,
  
• All skill modifiers,
  
• All nodes in the Gate of Fates,
  
• Specific nodes in the Gate of Fates reworked to help boost 2-handed play,
  
• A general reduction to the XP curve for player levels,
  
• A general reduction in City Building costs,
  
• Unique items, with a significant increase in power for underperforming items.

This of course has just been a general overview of Chapter IV and what features and improvements are coming with it. We’ll reveal more information and present some deeper dives into specific topics in the following months.

As always you can join us on the Official Discord[discord.gg] and have a chat, or you can find the previous Monthly Update here.