Albion Online News

The Abyssal Depths update has been live for a few weeks, bringing fresh life to Albion’s instanced PvP and new player experience. In this Dev Talk, Game Director Moritz Bokelmann looks at how the update is performing so far and offers an early look at the upcoming Faction Warfare rework.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][h3]Abyssal Depths[/h3]
Instanced Content

• The Depths have seen strong engagement from both competitive and casual players
  • Over 4 million sessions have already been played
  • Players spent over 100 years of collective playtime in the first few weeks
• The risk-reward balance seems just right, keeping a wide range of players involved

• The Antiquarian’s Den is working well as a hub for hell-themed PvP content
  • Increased population across all modes in Hellgates and Corrupted Dungeons
  • Players appreciate the cohesive feel of the entire hell-themed experience

New Player Experience

• Quality-of-life changes are helping new players settle in more smoothly with:
  • Clearer progression paths
  • Better onboarding experience
• Early signs suggest improved retention, though it’s still too soon for long-term data

Overall, the update has largely been met with a positive response, and we’ll continue to pay attention to your feedback as we move forward.

[h3]What’s Next: Faction Warfare Rework[/h3]
Planned for release this fall, the next major update will bring a significant rework to Faction Warfare. This core PvP system plays a key role in Albion’s open-world activity, and the team aims to build on its foundation to make it more engaging, accessible, and rewarding.



Faction Warfare’s Role

• Acts as a stepping stone between casual open-world content and high-stakes guild warfare
• Supports meaningful, repeatable PvP activity across the map
• Drives regional conflict and player circulation, enriching Albion’s dynamic economy

Current Issues

• The frontline system isn’t consistently bringing opposing groups into conflict
• Long travel times to conflict zones create friction and missed opportunities
  • Many players bypass each other, and fights often fizzle out before others can arrive
• Gameplay variety is limited, with most activity focused solely on capturing Outposts

Areas of Improvement

• Refocus fighting into clearer hotspots to encourage more frequent and predictable PvP
  • This includes reducing travel time and making active zones easier to reach
• Introduce a wider variety of objectives to prevent repetition and deepen tactical play
• Improve accessibility for solo players and pickup groups
  • Without requiring guild membership, players should still be able to find allies and jump into the action

The update is still in early development, but we’ll share more details as soon as we’re able. As always, your feedback is important, so we’re eager to hear your ideas. Watch the full Dev Talk above and share your thoughts in the comments!

Twitch Drops just got an upgrade. A new tier of rewards is now available through Noble Community Chests, offering you exclusive vanity items, new token types, and even more ways to collect unique cosmetics.

[h3]Watch and Earn[/h3]
Community Chests continue to be available on any stream in the Albion Online category. You can still earn up to 7 per week, each containing:

• A selection of non-tradable vanity items, including Twitch exclusives
• Victory Emote charges to celebrate your PvP wins
• Community Tokens to exchange at the ingame Vanity Merchant for vanity items and emotes

These drops remain a great way to personalize your character just by watching your favorite Albion streamers.

[h3]Noble Community Chests[/h3]
Noble Community Chests are a new kind of drop, available only on streams hosted by members of the Albion Online Creators Program – our official partnered creators. These chests contain everything found in standard Community Chests, plus a chance to receive:

• Vanity items only available through Noble Community Chests
• Noble Community Tokens, which you can exchange for these exclusive items or salvage into regular Community Tokens

Noble Drops follow a biweekly schedule: one week active, one week off. During active weeks, you can earn one Noble Community Chest per day, up to 7 per week.

[h3]First Drop: Buttercup[/h3]
The first exclusive vanity item available through Noble Community Chests is none other than Buttercup! This skin transforms your fearsome Direboar mount into a gentle boar wearing a buttercup flower behind its ear…  And we all know boars aren’t winning any beauty contests. But Buttercup? Buttercup tries. One flower on one ear. That’s it. That’s the look. And against all odds, the result is kind of adorable.

[video]https://assets.albiononline.com/uploads/media/default/media/video_/media/688346876afc4_720.mp4[/video]

Buttercup is just the beginning. More Noble-exclusive vanity will be added regularly, so stay tuned to your favorite AOCP streams to see what drops next!

Continuing its series introducing the Abyssal Depths AOCP Ambassadors, AlbionTV brings Scribbleloops to the stage! Tune in to twitch.tv/albiononline this Friday 25 at 20:00 UTC to learn more about the creator known for letting his fists do all the necessary introductions.



[h3]Scribbleloops[/h3]

• YouTube: youtube.com/@Scribbleloops
• Twitch: twitch.tv/scribbleloops
• Main Focus: Solo PvP

If you’ve ever thought “I could totally take that group solo,” Scribbleloops is here to teach you how to turn that dream into a reality. Specializing in outnumbered fights and off-meta War Gloves, he’s made a name for himself by turning impossible odds into stylish wins. His YouTube channel is a shrine to solo plays. With minimal commentary, he lets the action speak for itself.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Scribble doesn’t just survive outnumbered fights, he seeks them out. Whether he’s roaming the Roads, diving into the Depths, or walking into the Greater Mists completely alone, it’s always a masterclass demonstration of smart tactics and solid execution. His videos prove that you don’t need BiS gear or a 10-man squad to make your mark. Oh, and the PvP soundtrack? You’ll want your volume up for this one:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Recently, Scribble’s brought his solo-slayer energy to Twitch, joining the ever-growing Albion PvP streamer scene. His streams match his videos: no gimmicks, just raw gameplay and a chilled atmosphere. It’s the kind of stream where one moment you’re casually banging your head to the music, and the next you’re watching a mind-blowing counterplay unfold in real time.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
As an Ambassador, he’s continuing to do what he does best: inspiring players to pick up overlooked weapons, try content they didn’t think was possible solo, and prove that sometimes, it’s you against the world... and you can still win. Catch him live on AlbionTV this Friday, where you could win a vanity bundle chosen by Scribble himself.

The results are in, and thanks to you, Albion’s most mysterious companion finally has a name! After hundreds of incredible entries, one stood out for its fiery creativity and chilling backstory. We’re excited to announce that the winner of the Lore of the Hell-Spun Hatchling contest is:

Emberfang – Soul-Eater of the Furnace Web

“I do not hunt flesh.. I unravel what lingers beneath. Come closer, let me taste the shape of your soul."

You can read its full lore in the forum post here. Congratulations to the contest winner, father – you’ve given this demonic spiderling a name worthy of its terrifying presence and, with the launch of Abyssal Depths Patch 2 today, you’ll see Emberfang’s name immortalized in-game for all to see. Also, keep a look out for a package with exclusive Albion merch coming your way! (No spiders inside, promise.)

Congratulations are due to our runners-up as well:

• Second place: Mr.Bob by Tulimies
• Third place: Molthra by Gathalon

Thanks to everyone who entered this contest, the creativity and passion of the Albion community continue to impress… and disturb, in the best possible way!

This patch adds further improvements and polish to the Abyssal Depths update, including a Marketplace to the Antiquarian's Den, adjustments to the Depths, and several bugfixes.

[h3]Changes[/h3]

Antiquarian’s Den Changes

• Antiquarian’s Dens now contain a Marketplace vendor for the corresponding city’s Marketplace
• The Antiquarian now shows its pet’s name, as chosen by the community

The Depths Changes

• Opening a small chest after completing a room now grants a Demonic Ferocity stack to all party members in range
• In the final level of the Depths, an additional key will appear after ten minutes, and every 3 minutes after that, if the Treasure Vault has not yet been opened
• Minimap icons for Coffers and Chests have been made larger
• Treasure Coffers now only appear on the minimap when in proximity
• There are now PvE and PvP Fame categories for the Depths category in the Player, Guild, and Alliance Rankings
• Timer in the entrance UI now displays seconds when less than 1 minute remains

Albion Journal Changes

• The following missions have had their rewards adjusted:
  • Get a Weapon Generalist Node to level 30
  • Get a Weapon Specialist Node to level 30
  • Unlock Tier 5 Reaver
  • Unlock Tier 7 Reaver
  • Reach Level 30 in any Weapon Generalist Node
  • Reach Level 30 in any Weapon Specialist Node
  • Apply a Chest, Shoe and Helmet skin
  • Unlock x Wardrobe or Mount Skins

UI Changes

• Updated icons for Generalist and Specialist nodes in the Quick Learn node management UI
• To minimize notification spam, players will now receive fewer notifications when multiple Destiny Board nodes are leveled up simultaneously
• 10v10 Hellgate stats have been archived in the player stats UI
• Kill Details UI now displays a full timestamp for each kill
• Appearance UI filters now persist after switching tabs or closing the UI

Other Changes

• Mobs and mob groups in the open world and the Depths now have shorter leash ranges when not attacked
  • This change has been made to make open-world travel more comfortable and to help players in the Depths stay focused during ongoing PvP encounters

• Book Chests and Hidden Treasures have been removed from Corrupted Dungeons
  • Treasure spawns that were previously either Book Chests or Treasure Chests will now always spawn Treasure Chests
• Fame shrines have been removed from Hellgates
• All Captured Smugglers’ guards are now Tier 6
• Duels are no longer possible within Hellgates
• Gathering tools can no longer be swapped while in combat
• [CONTROLLER] Implemented basic HUD Tracker support

[h3]Combat Balance Changes[/h3]

Axes

Blood Bandit has been consistently punching above its weight, so its projectile speed has been reduced to give enemies at maximum range a more realistic chance to dodge it. However, its hitbox accuracy at extremely close and very long ranges has been improved.

• Blood Bandit (Battleaxe)
  • Reduced projectile speed (~9%) and increased hit detection reliability

Cursed Staffs

Great Cursed Staff has been mostly pushed out by the Rotcaller Staff in small group content. To help it succeed in its role of maintaining DoT pressure, Area of Decay’s cooldown has been reduced.

• Area of Decay (Great Cursed Staff)
  • Cooldown: 25s → 20s

Fire Staffs

Flamewalker Staff has been highly effective in solo content. Its survivability has been reduced with a longer base cooldown, while its cooldown refund for hitting enemy players has been increased to reward aggressive play.

• Spontaneous Combustion (Flamewalker Staff)
  • Cooldown: 30s → 40s
  • Cooldown refund: 25% → 40%

Frost Staffs

Frostbite and Ice Shard have been often superseded by Frozen Surge in most content. Rather than nerfing Frozen Surge directly, the alternatives have been adjusted to make them more attractive.

• Frostbite (all Frost Staffs)
  • Removed: 4% bonus damage
  • Added new effect: Frostbite
    • Stack duration: 2.5s
    • 3-stack effect: Stuns for 0.8s
• Ice Shard (all Frost Staffs)
  • Cast range: 13m → 14m

Holy Staffs

Lifetouch Staff has been too strong in Corrupted Dungeons, but underwhelming in group play, so it’s getting a higher cooldown, farther range, less burst healing, and a new buff for allies.

• Holy Touch (Lifetouch Staff)
  • Healing per tick: 76.8 → 55
  • Tick count: 5 → 7
  • Max channel duration: 2s → 3s
  • Range: 9m → 11m
  • Cooldown: 15s → 20s
  • Added: Increases all damage the targeted ally deals by 15%

Following recent buffs, Smite has become too strong in both PvE and PvP. Its damage has been reduced, while the improved cooldown is being retained.

• Smite (all Holy Staffs)
  • Instant damage: 151 → 136
  • Mark damage: 43 → 38

Maces

Dreadstorm Monarch has been given some quality-of-life improvements to help it compete, including a shorter cooldown between casts and increased slow strength.

• Eye of the Storm (Dreadstorm Monarch)
  • Cooldown between uses: 2s → 1.5s
  • Slow strength: 20% → 25%

Quarterstaffs

Black Monk Stave has seen increasing use in ZvZs, while being one of the most demanding weapons in terms of visual and combat clarity. Its tick interval and maximum area duration have been reduced, while its damage reduction strength per stack has been increased to compensate.

• Fatal Blade (Black Monk Stave)
  • Area duration: 5s → 3s
  • Damage per tick: 25 → 80
  • Damage reduction per stack (vs players): 30% → 40%
  • Maximum stack count: 4 → 3
  • Damage and debuff interval: 0.75s → 1.25s

Hurricane’s damage to players has been increased to match its damage to mobs, and it has been given bonus resistances to help Iron-clad players escape safely after sowing chaos among their enemies.

• Hurricane (Iron-clad Staff)
  • Damage per tick: 32 → 55
  • Added: 0.15 armor and magic resistance for 5s

Shapeshifter Staffs

Crystalburst has been given a significant damage boost to ensure the Crystal Cobra transformation remains deadly.

• Crystalburst (Stillgaze Staff)
  • Tick count: 3 → 4
  • Tick interval: 1s → 0.8s
  • Damage per tick: 18 → 27 (Total damage: 54 → 108)

Hellspawn Imp’s passive has been offering too much safety in 2v2 and 3v3. To get a second life, it now requires transforming with sufficient stacks and giving up Hellfire Barrage.

• Return from Hell (Hellspawn Staff)
  • Respawn always → Respawn requires at least 3 shift charges
  • Heal based on shift charges → 18% of max health

Spears

Corrupting Steel has had its recent area damage-over-time nerf reverted to preserve its viability as a DPS contributor.

• Corrupting Steel (Spirithunter)
  • Returned damage over time
  • Damage per tick: 32
  • Tick interval: 0.5s (8 ticks total)

War Gloves

Forcepulse Bracers now use the ‘speed’ auto-attack pattern, and have received cooldown reductions, including a new refund based on the time elapsed between the initial cast and recast.

• Unstoppable Rush (Forcepulse Bracers)
  • Auto-attack pattern changed to ‘speed’ variant (from three-hit combo to two-hit combo)
  • Single cast cooldown: 20s → 15s
  • Recast cooldown: Refunds time elapsed before recasting

Helmets

Following the recent quality-of-life change that prevents Hellion Hood from silencing allies, players have been stacking Hellion Hoods to keep mobs permanently silenced, trivializing some PvE encounters.

• Smoke Bomb (Hellion Hood)
  • Mobs can no longer be consecutively silenced

Armors

Specter Jacket’s aura radius has been increased to better match its visuals.

• Self Ignition (Specter Jacket)
  • Aura radius: 6m → 7m

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

Albion Journal Fixes

• Fixed issue where the mission ‘Apply a Chest, Shoe and Helmet Skin’ stated that all needed to be applied simultaneously
• Fixed issue where ‘Participate in x Raids’ missions would not track progress correctly
• Fixed issue where the mission ‘Hunt a Rare Creature’ would not count higher-tier Tracking targets
• Fixed issue where the mission ‘Catch 5 fish’ could progress from unrelated items
• Fixed issue where the missions ‘Defeat any Crystal Cobra’ and ‘Defeat any Crystal Beetle’ displayed the wrong icons
• Progress bars for combat specialization leveling missions now display the number of achieved nodes

Mob Fixes

• In the Living Legacy event, the mob Eastern Titan of the Nineteenth Age’s Separator spell now knocks players into the air
• Fixed issue where Royal Guard Towers outside Royal Cities would not attack players from enemy factions
• Fixed issue where Sir Bedivere would not perform auto-attacks when affected by Smokebomb
• Fixed issue where Shadow Panther would not spawn additional panthers within its Silencing Mist

UI Fixes

• Fixed issue where available Learning Points in the Destiny Board were rounded in a misleading way
• Fixed issue where Caerleon’s Antiquarian’s Den entrance displayed the wrong minimap icon
• Fixed issue where default item sorting would not follow Marketplace categorization
• Fixed issue where ‘Home’ button would erroneously display as a respawn option
• Fixed issue where clicking a chat link would move the character if ‘Lock Window’ was enabled
• Fixed issue where Death Recap would display a spell’s full CC duration, even if death occurred before this duration was elapsed
• Fixed various HUD Tracker display issues
• Fixed issue where the toggle to hide/show Vanity Sources was missing its icon
• Quick Thinker (Leather Jackets, Hoods, and Shoes): Fixed issue where an incorrect Cooldown Rate was displayed in the item details
• [CONTROLLER] Fixed issue where hovering over a node on the Destiny Board would sometimes cause it to open and close repeatedly

Other Fixes

• Fixed issue where the carry weight bonus from shoe passives would be reduced by Item Power caps
• Fixed issue where players could enter the next Hellgate without defeating the enemy team, and would not receive a reward chest after doing so
• Fixed issue where the rarity VFX of Treasure Vaults in the Depths would not display once opened
• [MOBILE] Fixed issue where Group Dungeon entrances in the Mists could sometimes not be used
• Various fixes and improvements to tutorial missions
• Various additional graphical, animation, terrain, audio, UI, and localization fixes