Onboarding Improvements

[p][/p][p]Hello everyone, and Happy New Year! 🎉[/p][p]As we step into 2026, I want to sincerely thank all of you for the continued support, feedback, and playtime you’ve given Northwind. It genuinely helps us push the game forward in the right direction.[/p][p][/p][h2]🎉 New Year Sale – 20% Off[/h2][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Northwind is currently 20% off on Steam, running until January 6th.
If you’ve been on the fence, now’s a great time to jump in or to recommend the game to a friend who loves roguelite deckbuilders.[/p][p][/p][h2]🛠️ Latest Update: Onboarding Improvements & Major Rebalancing \[LIVE - DEC 28, 2025][/h2][p]Alongside the sale, we’ve rolled out a large gameplay update focused on two main goals.[/p][p][/p][h3]Better Onboarding for New Players[/h3]

• [p]The Perk system is now unlockable, helping reduce information overload early on.[/p]
• [p]Added a tutorial warning for Focus cards, reminding players that Focus already grants mana when drawn and may not always be the best play.[/p]

[h3] Card Rebalancing Overview[/h3][p]This update includes a wide rebalancing across Dualist, Pyrotech, Gems, Gear, and Skills:[/p]

• [p]Adjusted power curves, costs, and rarities to smooth progression.[/p]
• [p]Reduced overly dominant strategies while buffing underused cards.[/p]
• [p]Simplified or clarified several effects to make decisions more intuitive.[/p]
• [p]Improved late-game scaling and reduced extreme burst cases.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]🔎 Full Balance Patch Notes (English Only)[/h2][p]The update is live for all supported languages.[/p][p]The following section contains detailed, technical card-by-card balance changes and is written in English only for clarity and accuracy.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]⚔️ Dualist Card Rebalancing[/h2][p]Power Surge
Rarity: Uncommon → Common
Ability:Add 10 attack → Add 12 attack[/p][p]Power Surge+[/p][p]Add 13 attack → Add 15 attack[/p][p]Wind Walk
Rarity: Common → Uncommon
Power: 9 / 12 / 15 → 8 / 11 / 15
Ability: Skip 2 non-Basic cards → Skip 1 non-Basic card[/p][p]Wind Walk+
Cost: 2 → 1
Power: 15 / 20 / 27 → 12 / 16 / 20[/p][p]Lunar Eclipse
Power: 9 / 12 / 16 → 11 / 14 / 17[/p][p]Lunar Eclipse+
Power: 12 / 16 / 20 → 15 / 17 / 20[/p][p]Training
Power: 6 / 8 / 11 → 4 / 7 / 10
Create Focus on draw pile → Create Focus into hand[/p][p]Training+
Power: 7 / 10 / 14 → 4 / 8 / 12
Create Focus on draw pile → Create Focus into hand[/p][p]Last Chance
Exhaust Energy cards → Exhaust any cards
Add 7 attack → Add 8 attack per card[/p][p]Last Chance+
Power: 10 / 14 / 17 → 12 / 17 / 22
Add 9 attack → Add 10 attack per card[/p][p]Battle Stance / Battle Stance+
Power standardized to 10 / 12 / 15[/p][p]Take Control
Power: 6 / 8 / 10 → 5 / 7 / 9
Now gains Control in addition to switching cards[/p][p]Push Up / Push Up+
Might gain per Basic card increased[/p][p]Empower / Empower+
Overpower bonus slightly increased[/p][p]Execution / Execution+
Locked cost changed to 0[/p][p]Unburden / Unburden+
Changed from unequip-all to targeted Gear unequip scaling[/p][p]Replicate / Replicate+
Cost: 0 → 1[/p][p]Berserker Armor / Slash
Armor and Slash power rebalanced for smoother curves[/p][p]Inner Strength / Inner Strength+
Reworked to recover Energy instead of discard positioning[/p][p](Remaining Dualist changes preserved as listed)[/p][p][/p][h2]🔥 Pyrotech Card Rebalancing[/h2][p]Pipe / Pipe+
Mana gain reduced for better risk-reward balance[/p][p]Focused Shot / Focused Shot+
Reaction now triggers on Level up or down[/p][p]Gun Tricks / Gun Tricks+
Reworked from discard scaling to Skill banish payoff[/p][p]Grit / Grit+
Reworked into cost-reduction utility instead of Surge looping[/p][p]Reload / Reload+
Cost: 3 → 1[/p][p]Bomb Throw / Bomb Throw+
Power increased slightly for mid-game viability[/p][p]Rifle / Rifle+
Flow requirement reduced, Surge gain increased[/p][p]Ivy Hairpin / Ivy Hairpin+
Changed to Flow-based once-per-turn Poison trigger[/p][p]Scarf / Scarf+
Formerly Cursed Scarf, reworked to Ascend scaling Surge[/p][p](Remaining Pyrotech changes preserved as listed)[/p][p][/p][h2]💎 Gems Rebalancing[/h2][p]Sapphire
Might +4 → Might +3[/p][p]Chipped Ruby
Price: 8 → 10[/p][p]Amethyst
Price: 15 → 12[/p][p]Onyx
Overpower reworked, now trades attack power for debuff control[/p][p]Chipped Sapphire
Price: 8 → 4[/p][p]Topaz
Converted from cost modifier to Defensive Exceed utility[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for your kind support! As always, the journey is far from over! More updates are coming soon![/p][p]– The Northwind Team, Barking Kitten Interactive[/p]