Version 0.2.16 (Rewards Update) has officially left the beta branch, and is now in Stable. We'd like to thank everyone who downloaded the beta and provided feedback. You do not need to unsubscribe from the beta branch if you are currently using it, as both beta and stable branches have been updated.

Now, on to the details of the major changes we've been testing on the beta branch. Potential spoilers have been hidden somewhat below.

New Rewards System

To address feedback related to how grinding for items could feel too punishing, we have changed the way we handle rewards when you lose a run.

Now, instead of losing all your books and relics and 50% of particles when losing a run, you will instead keep all books and relics, but lose all particles. To offset the particle loss some, your Town will generate particles passively while you adventure, based on how many heroes you have unlocked.

We have also adjusted the loot tables and reward chances to make defeating bosses, elites, and midbosses more rewarding, and there is a new useful "farming" item you'll receive after beating Act 1.

New Act 1 and 2 Completion Rewards

When you complete Act 1, you will now receive a new bundle item, the Transmitter, which automatically transfers some collected particles back to down as you adventure. This item is designed to help make farming easier, or protect some of the particles you collect in difficult runs.

Act 2 now awards the Particle Beacon difficulty modifier item on completion, and the old Transmogrifier item has been removed.

Modified Cursed Mirror Battle

No boss battle has received as much feedback about frustration as this one, especially for certain team compositions, so we've redesigned the start of the fight a bit to help. Instead of your mirrored clones receiving free turns, they will now start the battle "ethereal." This makes them immune to damage until their next turn. Hopefully this helps alleviate some frustration for teams who need a chance to set up some.

Full changelog for v0.2.16

New Content/Balance Changes

• Town now passively generates particles, based on how many heroes you have unlocked, as you adventure
• Instead of losing all books and relics and keeping 50% of particles after failing a run, you will now keep all books and relics, but lose all particles
• Transmogrifier item has been removed, and in its place you now get the Particle Beacon difficulty modifier item at the end of Act 2
• After beating act 1, you now gain access to the Transmitter item, which automatically transfers a portion of gathered particles to town as you adventure.
• Elite enemies now guarantee drops of one rare and one book/relic, along with the stim pod and a couple random loot items
• Midbosses drop a guaranteed rare for their random loot
• Bosses drop more guaranteed books/relics, and larger amounts of particles
• Abandoning a run now works exactly the same as failure
• Endless mode extra rewards rebalanced to focus more on awarding more books, relics, and rares and less giant lists of random loot
• Skill Books now all cost 50 at the vendor, except for encylopedia which is 100
• Reduced introductory upgrade cost for Bookbinder and Relic crafting
• Added a base hit chance calculation display to battle when targeting enemies
• Added a base damage reduction calculations to skill/relic menu attributes list
• Characters now display static attributes in town
• Reduced variation on character stats when taking them into missions
• Dead enemy names now have reduced opacity so they are distinct from low health ones
• AoE type skills are now able to target downed character slots
• Stealth Generators will now completely exit the encounter to the map when used, instead of allowing you to collect potential rewards
• Status moved up the battle menu, swapped with Defend, since it is likely more useful overall, and help make sure it's obvious
• Added a tutorial the first time you get a status effect to help guide new players to look at the status menu
• Samuel's (Lawbringer) Duel skill animation and sound made a bit more interesting
• Thick Fur passive (Sasquatch, Vul, some enemies) level 1 damage reduction reduced from 50% to 30%
• Mirror Image clones of Angel will no longer use Ascension when they disappear
• Mirror midboss clones now start "ethereal" (immune to damage) for their first turn, instead of getting an extra free turn
• New battle music, with a separate track for bosses
** Bug Fixes **
• Fixed some interactions with Samuel's (Lawbringer) Lawman and redirected damage
• Fixed a couple of inconsistencies related to Taunt and targetability
• Fixed town popup alerts to chain, when there are multiple new time breaks added at once, for instance
• Fixed crash related to Vigor distortion
• Fixed crash related to Angel's Divine Voice passive
• Fixed Boxing Glove relic not granting stun damage correctly
• Fixed conflict with Angel's safeguard skill and support skill
• Fixed a rare soft-lock state from Zane's (Fire Mage) Combust passive
• Fixed Marine's Smoke Grenade skill animation only working properly the first time you use it
• Fixed Stasis Time Break not ending properly when changing forms with Claire
• Fixed Sapper Drone enemy's Fuse interactions with effects that block using skills
• Fixed a crash when applying Gel Goo and Hardened Stone relics to Medic
• Fixed some order-of-operation calculation issues related to skills hit/dodge chance
• Fixed Marine's First to Fight passive level 3 always applying
• Medic's Squad Support fixed so it won't conflict with Support given by his relic
• Fixed Ralf's (Jester) Entertainer trait not applying tech bonus at level 1 properly
• Fixed Darius' (Marine) Smoke Grenade skill uses not replenishing between battles
• Fixed Og's (Caveman) Throw Spear skill uses not replenishing between battles
• Fixed some bugs with Og's (Caveman) Sabertooth skill selection and targeting
• Fixed Lydia (Priestess) being able to target herself when she shouldn't be able to
• Fixed Asariel's (Angel) Ascension being unable to proc when she was taunted
• Fixed overlay shader effects not being removed when exiting to the main menu in the middle of a battle that has one
• Fixed Revive item being unable to target downed allies properly