THRONE AND LIBERTY News

[p]We’ve teased the Hyperboost Server, Orb weapon, Housing system, Battlegrounds, and Dimensional Trials revamp, but are finally ready to discuss each new feature in more detail. Which one are you most excited to experience on September 18? Join Creators Grobs, Whelps, and Aragon as they share their thoughts with Tico about the next major update.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]Each week we’ll spotlight a different key feature from the September update alongside interviews with NCSOFT. This week included a behind the scenes look at the Orb. Stay tuned for more details as we get closer to release.[/p][p]Thanks for your support! We’ll see you in Solisium.[/p]

[p]THRONE AND LIBERTY Update 2.24.0 downtime will begin at 10:30 p.m. PT (5:30 a.m. UTC) on August 20 and last approximately 4 hours. Prepare for your fiercest adversary yet in Altar of Calanthia Nightmare Difficulty, plus the introduction of customizable Headstones. How will you be remembered? Special rewards will also be available through the Solisium Grand Morph Festival, Mystic Portal: Lucky Pouch, and Call to Arms Archboss Guild Raid events. Here are the full list of changes.[/p][p][/p][h3]Altar of Calanthia: Nightmare Difficulty Unlocked[/h3]

• [p]The increased difficulty "Nightmare" mode for the Altar of Calanthia raid is now available.[/p]
• [p]Featuring increased boss stats and new mechanics, Nightmare mode also offers new and unique rewards for overcoming its challenge.[/p]
• [p]Players must have 7,000 combat power or higher to enter Nightmare mode.[/p]
• [p]Defeating Nightmare mode Calanthia guarantees a Heroic accessory drop and a chance to acquire a Nightmare-specific Morph.[/p]
• [p]Players who defeat Calanthia in Nightmare mode will receive a specially-colored title, 'Calanthia's Nightmare'.[/p]
• [p]For raid groups who defeat all three phases of the raid with no single player death, they will also receive a specially-colored title, "Total Nightmare".[/p]
• [p]Five new Heroic grade accessories have been added to the Raid currency shop.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Altar of Calanthia: Difficult Mode Adjustments[/h3]

• [p]Resolve of the Star Fragment: When a team is fully defeated on any boss in Difficult Mode, all players will receive a damage and HP buffs for additional attempts. This buff stacks up to 5 times and can only be applied once every 3 minutes.[/p]
• [p]Dragar'yle: In phase 2, the number of lightning summoning devices required to be placed on the statue has been changed from 2 to 1.[/p]
• [p]Dragar'yle: Added an effect that pulls the lightning summoner during the Dragaryle pattern (allowing the use of summoners attached to walls).[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Solisium Grand Morph Festival[/h3]

• [p]From August 21 through September 18, the Solisium Grand Morph Festival comes to town![/p]
• [p]Take part in Morph Races throughout the event to collect Festival Commemorative Medals. Trade in your Medals for event-specific rewards including an updated Morph, Gesture, Profile Frame, and Title.[/p]
• [p]Collect special meal ingredients through daily check-ins, Amitoi Expeditions and Fishing to craft a limited-time event meal that provides bonus Sollant and weapon specialization gain as well as increased Abyssal coin efficiency.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Call to Arms: Archboss Guild Raid Event - Queen Bellandir[/h3]

• [p]Between August 21 and September 3, guilds will have access to a special version of the Arch Boss Queen Bellandir fight as a Guild Raid.[/p]
• [p]The Guild Raid version of Queen Bellandir has adjusted mechanics and is balanced for a smaller group of players to tackle.[/p]
• [p]Guilds may enter the Queen Bellandir guild raid up to twice per week while the event is active![/p]
• [p]Defeating the Guild Raid version of Queen Bellandir will always drop a Tier 2 armor, a Tier 2 accessory, a non-boss Nebula Island accessory, and may drop Arch Boss Weapons or Accessories.[/p]
• [p]In this run of the Call to Arms event, Guild Raid Queen Bellandir will also drop the new material used in upgrading Bellandir weapons.[/p]
• [p]Punishment Stones purchased for the Tevent Guild Raid event will be removed during maintenance, and cannot be used for the Queen Bellandir event.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Mystic Portal: Lucky Pouch Event[/h3]

• [p]From August 21 through September 3, receive a Plentiful Lucky Pouch when opening Mystic Portals and Mystic Globes. Lucky Pouches contain varying amounts of Sollant, including a chance at a 100,000,000 Sollant prize.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Custom Headstones[/h3]

• [p]Customized Headstones are all the rage in Solisium! Decease in a style that suits your personality. Pull fast, die often, and leave a pretty grave.[/p]
• [p]Dying in PvE encounters will leave behind the headstone you've selected through customization.[/p]
• [p]Dying in PvP will display the customized headstone choice of your killer.[/p]
• [p]Custom Headstones are set in the new section of the Mirror Boutique, under 'Appearance Effect'.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]General[/h3]

• [p]Dimensional Trial Season End Date: Corrected the display of the current Dimensional Trial Season ending date in the UI.[/p]
• [p]Rewards will be sent automatically at the completion of the current Dimensional Trial season.[/p]
• [p]Sword and Shield: Fixed an issue allowing Counter Barrier to block some skills every 0.1 seconds instead of 0.5 seconds.[/p]
• [p]Wand: Ray of Disaster now damages multiple targets when the Targets Expanded Specialization is applied.[/p]
• [p]Spear: Fixed an issue causing Rising Slash to not go on cooldown when blocking at the same time it was used while Deluzhnoa's Serrated Shard was equipped.[/p]
• [p]Archboss: Fixed an issue allowing Tevent to be attacked from a Safe zone in PvP events.[/p]
• [p]Combat Settings: Fixed an issue preventing some options from being changed within the 'Current' Comat Settings tab.[/p]
• [p]Chat: Arrow keys can once again be used to navigate the list of chat commands.[/p]
• [p]Runes: Chaos Rune favorites are now saved when relaunching.[/p]
• [p]Controller: Controller users can now use the "Follow" option (foot icon) from the Party HUD to quickly move to another player's instance.[/p]
• [p]Performance: Fixed an issue causing the client to hitch when changing body types in the Change Appearance menu.[/p]
• [p]Shop: Fixed an issue causing all Shop offers to be displayed in English when launching the game after previously selecting a non-English language.[/p]
• [p]Localization: Fixed an issue causing Korean text to be displayed in the Sync menu if opened before reaching level 50.[/p]

[p][/p][p]Thanks for your support! We'll see you in Solisium.[/p]

[p]Go behind the scenes with NCSOFT on the Orb, a new magic-based support/DPS weapon coming in the next major update. Orbs can be placed and remotely triggered depending on your situation. How will you take control of combat through this new playstyle?[/p][p][/p][h3]Q: How did your team decide on the size of the Orb?[/h3][p]A: We spent a lot of time adjusting the size back and forth with each test, trying to find that perfect balance where the Orbs felt visually present, but didn’t interfere with the player's field of view. In the end, we arrived at a size that gives the Orbs a strong presence in combat without disrupting the overall flow of gameplay.[/p][p][/p][h3]Q: How did you determine its abilities and mechanics?[/h3][p]A: The goal of the Orb goes beyond raw damage output. The Orb’s abilities and mechanics were built around the core concept of a weapon that lets players shape the battlefield and shift the flow of combat. Unlike traditional weapons that focus on direct damage or instant healing, the Orb was designed to function as a tactical tool.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]With up to three Spheres, the Orb’s unique resource, players can protect allies, block enemy advances, and create openings for advantageous engagements. The effectiveness of each skill would then vary depending on the placement and number of these Spheres on the field. Through extensive playtesting, we refined the system into one that is easy to learn yet offers game-changing potential in the hands of skilled players. Another goal was to introduce a new playstyle that rewards not only quick reflexes and precise aim, but also strategic planning and strong team coordination.[/p][p][/p][h3]Q: What was the visual inspiration for the Orb?[/h3][p]A: The name Orb was chosen because it perfectly captures both the physical form of a sphere and the cosmic energy concentrated within it. The visual concept was inspired by celestial gravity, orbital movement, and fantasy concepts where magical constructs have the power to distort space itself. We wanted it to feel like a conduit through which players could harness the power of the universe — both functionally and visually evoking themes of astronomy, galaxies, and warped space. With that in mind, we aimed to visually express that the Orb is not just a physical object, but a force that dominates the battlefield by shaping space itself.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Q: What was your greatest challenge in designing this weapon?[/h3][p]A: The biggest challenge in designing the Orb was creating a combat flow that balances offense, defense, and area control within a single weapon. A key question was how to make Spheres feel both intuitive to use and rich in strategic depth. We also aimed to build a skill shot-based playstyle that’s easy for newcomers to pick up, yet offers endless tactical possibilities for advanced players.[/p][p]To overcome these challenges, we went through countless prototypes and playtests. As a result, the Orb has become a weapon that’s easy to start with but deeply rewarding to master.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Q: How did the Orb change from its original concept throughout development?[/h3][p]A: From the early stages of development, the Orb was built around a clear concept: area control and protection using summoned Spheres. We stayed true to this core idea throughout development, focusing on refining the details, from numerical tuning and skill synergy to visual effects, to elevate its overall polish.[/p][p][/p][p]As a result, the final version isn’t drastically different from the original concept. This reflects how clearly defined the weapon’s direction was from the start, and how carefully we worked to preserve and perfect that vision.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Thanks for your support! We can’t wait for players to experience the Orb firsthand when it releases alongside Housing, the Hyperboost Server, the Dimensional Trials revamp, and Battlegrounds as part of the next major update.[/p]

[p]THRONE AND LIBERTY Update 2.22.0 downtime will begin at 10:30 p.m. PT (5:30 a.m. UTC) on August 6 and last approximately 5 hours. It includes the return of the Archboss Guild Raid event, Mystic Portal Treasure Hunt, and more. Find the full list of changes, plus various bug fixes below.[/p][p][/p][h3]Call to Arms: Archboss Guild Raid Event Returns[/h3]

• [p]Between August 6 and August 20, guilds will have access to a special version of the Arch Boss Tevent fight as a Guild Raid.[/p]
• [p]The Guild Raid version of Tevent has adjusted mechanics and is balanced for a smaller group of players to tackle.[/p]
• [p]Guilds may enter the Tevent guild raid up to twice per week while the event is active![/p]
• [p]Defeating the Guild Raid version of Tevent will always drop a Tier 2 armor, a Tier 2 accessory, a non-boss Nebula Island accessory, and may drop Arch Boss Weapons or Accessories.[/p]
• [p]In this run of the Call to Arms event, Guild Raid Tevent will also drop the new material used in upgrading Tevent weapons.[/p]

[h3]Mystic Portal: Treasure Hunt[/h3]

• [p]From August 6 through August 20, daily login rewards will grant you special Mystic Keys. Open Mystic Portals to play a treasure-hunting minigame![/p]
• [p]Hunt down hidden treasure chests through different puzzles for a variety of rewards, including an Amitoi, Morph, and character progression materials![/p]

[h3]General[/h3]

• [p]Artifacts: Default artifact inventory size is now 300 slots, expandable up to 500.[/p]
• [p]Summer Splash: Fixed an issue causing additional Splash Coins to not drop upon defeating enemies while Gigantrite's buff was active.[/p]
• [p]Queen Bellandir of the Frenzied Flame: Fixed an issue where this version of Queen Bellandir could become un-attackable if a section was destroyed during the leap attack.[/p]
• [p]Tevent: Fixed an issue allowing Tevent to be attacked from unintended safe locations.[/p]
• [p]Sword and Shield: Shield Survival Technique: Removed the damage reduction effect granted by defending against a Fury attack within 0.5 seconds. Increased the shield amount granted when defending against a Wrath or Fury attack.[/p]
• [p]Sword and Shield: Stalwart Bastion: Reduced duration from 9 seconds to 6 seconds. Targets affected by Stalwart Bastion must wait 45 seconds before receiving Stalwart Bastion effects from other casters. This does not apply to effects from the same caster.[/p]
• [p]War Games: Riftstones: Fixed some areas of the map where targeting and sightlines differed between the standard and War Games version.[/p]
• [p]Controller: Fixed an issue causing the previously selected rune slot to be updated instead of the current one when adjusting socket types.[/p]
• [p]Controller: Fixed an issue where skill tooltips would always be shown despite settings selected to not show them.[/p]
• [p]Raids: Adjusted the movement animations when teleporting between raid locations.[/p]
• [p]Matchmaking: Fixed an issue causing the accepted role highlight to display incorrectly when the Matchmaking Successful prompt is shown twice before all players have accepted.[/p]
• [p]Dungeons: Fixed an issue causing the first room in the Crypt of Augmentation to appear much brighter than intended while using Low graphics settings.[/p]
• [p]Combat Settings: Fixed an issue causing hotkeys to activate when entering a name for a Combat Setting preset.[/p]
• [p]Auction House: Removed various Earring Lithographs from the Auction House that cannot be obtained.[/p]
• [p]Shop: Fixed an issue preventing the Congratulatory Packages granted upon completing Chapters 5, 7, 9, and 13 from being displayed in the Shop.[/p]
• [p]Battle Pass: Fixed an issue causing the incorrect weapon skin to be shown when selecting the Daggers, Crossbows, Staff, or Longbow from the Desert Star Shop.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue that rarely prevented any movement beyond dodge-rolling until relaunching the game.[/p]
• [p]Battle Pass: The Tidal Weapons and Skill Core Imprint Scroll can now be purchased from the Summer Splash Shop.[/p]
• [p]Battle Pass: The quantity of Abundance Fruit, Mastery Report, and Dimensional Contract Token II items received from the Summer Splash Shop have increased from 1x to 2x.[/p]
• [p]Combat: Added max-value limits to the following stats:[/p]
  • [p]Cooldown Speed increase now caps at 200%.[/p]
  • [p]Buff Duration increase now caps at 150%.[/p]
  • [p]Attack Speed increase now caps at 150%.[/p]

[h3]Localization[/h3]

• [p]Localization: Fixed an issue causing Korean text to be shown in the Skill Core Device menu.[/p]
• [p]Localization: Fixed an issue causing Korean text to be shown when using the Unlock All option in the Artifact menu.[/p]

[h3]Cosmetics[/h3]

• [p]Fixed a case where skill effects could display incorrectly when changing weapons that had their appearance customized.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue causing the Shield of the Azure Moon weapon skin to be held incorrectly resulting in the players hand clipping through it.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue causing hair to appear translucent on the Eternal Archer Headpiece when dyed silver.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue causing parts of tattoos on the Summer Splash outfit to not display correctly.[/p]
• [p]Morphs: Fixed an issue causing the Iron Tsarca to not be available in the Morphs menu.[/p]

[p]Thanks for your support! We'll see you in Solisium.[/p]

[p]Let the Summer Games commence! Win rewards and recognition on the road to our September update. Publishing Partner Producer godspeed is back for another episode of Eye on Solisium. This installment covers the Percy Amitoi Coloring Contest, Summer Fashion Contest, Hide n’ Seek event, Chat Emoji Contest, Profile Frame Contest, Illusion Workshop Contest, and Biggest Catch Contest. We’re also excited to announce an August Creator Roundtable featuring Creators Grobs, Whelps, and Aragon. Last but not least, the Starbloom Festival will return on August 20 with refreshed rewards.[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]In case you missed it, please check out our Summer in Solisium article for a first look at upcoming content, including the new Orb weapon, the new Housing system, Hyperboost servers, and more.[/p][p][/p][h2]Community Contests[/h2][p]Each contest will run for one to two weeks in either the THRONE AND LIBERTY Discord Server or THRONE AND LIBERTY X.[/p][p][/p][h3]Percy Amitoi Coloring Contest: August 5[/h3][p]Following the original Color Craft: Amitoi Edition contest, you have another opportunity to directly influence future Amitoi. Color in the provided Percy Amitoi image with your own personal touch before the August 15 deadline and then vote for your favorite. The most popular choice will be added to the game as a future reward. The winner will also receive the Brush Boss title, Illusion Scrolls, Dyes, and Sewing Threads. Rules and restrictions will be available in Discord.[/p][p][/p][h3]Summer Fashion Contest: August 11[/h3][p][/p][p]Show off your summer style on X for a chance to win the Ventius Premium Bundle. Honorable Mentions will be able to select two weapons from the Ventius Gilded weapon set as their reward. Look forward to an X post on August 11 where we’ll request images of your characters in summer-themed outfits.[/p][p][/p][h3]Chat Emoji Contest: August 18[/h3][p]Design your own in-game chat Emoji and then vote for your favorite on Discord before the August 22 deadline. The 3 most popular submissions will be added to the game in a future update. Winners will also receive the Brush Boss title, Illusion Scrolls, Dyes, and Sewing Threads. Stay tuned for the full rules and guidelines on Discord.[/p][p][/p][h3]Profile Frame Contest: August 25[/h3][p]Enter on Discord for a chance to create the next in-game Profile Frame and earn the Brush Boss title as well as Illusion Scrolls, Dyes, and Sewing Threads. Submit your entry before the August 29 deadline and then vote on your favorite. The 3 most popular choices will be added to the game as a future reward. Rules and guidelines will also be available on Discord.[/p][p][/p][h3]Illusion Workshop Contest: September 1[/h3][p]Similar to previous Illusion Workshop contests, you can share your favorite looks based on a specific theme for a chance to win Illusion Scrolls, Dyes, Sewing Threads, and the Brush Boss title. More details to come on Discord.[/p][p][/p][h3]Biggest Catch Contest: September 8[/h3][p]Share your biggest catch on the X for a chance to win Ornate Coins. More details will be revealed closer to the contest.[/p][p][/p][h3]Hide n’ Seek Event: Coming Soon[/h3][p]Keep your eyes peeled for a unique Oremong in secret locations across Solisium. The first to snap a screenshot will receive special rewards. Stay tuned for more details on X at a later date.[/p][p][/p][p]We cannot wait to see your submissions. Thanks for your support![/p]