Dev Log #8 — Elite Overhaul, Rotation System, New Materials, and Update Plans

[p]Hello everyone — it’s been a little quiet on the patch side, and many of you have been wondering what’s going on. The truth is: the next update contains significant structural changes, so we needed a bit more preparation time.[/p][p]From the last build, we identified two key issues:[/p]

1. [p]Difficulty 1 is still too punishing for new players, and[/p]
2. [p]The game does not provide clear goals and meaningful progression when trying to obtain the items you want.[/p]

[p]After extensive discussions with our Discord community and internal team, we finalized our direction. Most of the work is now complete, and we expect the patch to go live in the first week of December.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]1. Elite Monster System Rework[/h2][p]We’re performing a complete overhaul of the elite ecosystem:[/p]

• [p]The number of elite monsters will decrease,[/p]
• [p]But each elite will have significantly increased HP.[/p]

[p]In the previous update, Goliath received a new attack pattern, and some monsters now have knock-up abilities that send you flying and knock you down if you get hit by their signature attacks. This next patch expands on that:[/p]

• [p]Increased elite HP[/p]
• [p]Armor-type monsters appearing starting from Difficulty 1[/p]
• [p]Viper and Coriarius are gaining a new defensive type: Psionic Shields[/p]

[h3]What are Psionic Shields?[/h3]

• [p]They function differently from Armor.[/p]
• [p]They exist in small amounts,[/p]
• [p]But regenerate very fast when you’re not attacking them [/p]

[p]Even with these buffs to enemies, the actual difficulty at tier 1 should feel easier overall because the total number of elite spawns is being reduced dramatically.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]2. Reaper Spawn Groups & Global Rotation[/h2][p]Previously, all elite types appeared together in every level, creating overwhelming situations. Now that we've added Armor types and a new Psionic Shield type to all tiers, it'll become even more difficult.[/p][p]To resolve this, we are introducing:[/p][h3]Reaper Spawn Groups + Global Rotation[/h3][p]When selecting a bounty, you will now see which elite Reapers will appear in that level.
Each map–Reaper combination rotates periodically, letting you:[/p]

• [p]Identify which Reapers are available[/p]
• [p]Target specific elites for farming[/p]
• [p]Choose maps strategically based on your goals[/p][p]This provides greater control and predictability, while significantly reducing randomness for players seeking specific drops.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]3. Elite Materials[/h2][p]Elite Reapers will now drop two types of materials:[/p]

• [p]Common Materials (guaranteed)[/p]
• [p]Rare Materials (chance-based) - examples below
  [/p]

[p]These materials will be used for:[/p]

• [p]Item crafting[/p]
• [p]Weapon/gear modification[/p]

[p]If you want to finish crafting/upgrading items using only Time Stones, please complete them before the patch, as the system will be updated afterward.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]4. Rebalancing and Scaling (Difficulty 1 Changes)[/h2][p]We’re applying dynamic adjustments to Difficulty 1 to support new players better:[/p]

• [p]New players will experience a lower starting difficulty[/p]
• [p]Difficulty will scale upward dynamically as they progress[/p]

[p]Existing players who have already cleared content will not be affected.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]5. Contract Reward Sequence Adjustment[/h2][p]We’re reorganizing the sequence of Contract rewards.[/p][h3]Why are we doing this?[/h3]

• [p]To make Contract progression more rewarding,[/p]
• [p]To better match difficulty with reward value,[/p]
• [p]And to increase the motivation to pursue specific rewards in the Contract.[/p]

[p]We are ensuring that:[/p]

• [p]Players who have already completed Contracts, or[/p]
• [p]Players who are mid-progress[/p]

[p]will not be negatively affected.[/p][p]
If any issues appear, please report them immediately.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Additional Content Planned for December[/h2][p]A few more updates are coming before the end of the year:[/p]

• [p]A Christmas-themed lobby decoration set
  [/p]
• [p]A new boss fight — and yes, it’s stronger than the Dragon. Here's a little peek at the WIP screenshot. [/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Upcoming Features Still in Design[/h2][p]These features are still being shaped, and your feedback is essential:[/p][h3]Level Modifiers[/h3][p]Modifiers that can make levels easier or harder, such as:[/p]

• [p]Additional recipes[/p]
• [p]Adjusted cooking flows[/p]
• [p]More monsters[/p]
• [p]Removing C-vex[/p]
• [p]Other experimental variations[/p]

[h3]Black Elites[/h3][p]A more powerful tier of elite enemies is intended for higher difficulty challenges.[/p][h3]Items that affect Cooking[/h3][p]We are considering adding items that affect cooking, such as an item that reduces cooking time. Exact slot and implementation are still under discussion.[/p][h3]New Cooking Level[/h3][p]A completely new stage will be revealed soon.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]We Want Your Feedback[/h2][p]For everything still in the planning stage, we want to incorporate the community’s input. Please share your thoughts on Steam or join the discussion on Discord — Discord is especially convenient for real-time chatting.[/p][hr][/hr][p]Thank you again for your patience while we prepared this large-scale update.
We’re excited to roll it out soon.[/p][p]See you in the first week of December![/p][p]— The Pizza Bandit Team 🍕🛠️[/p]