Cross of Auria News

[p]The patch notes themselves this time are long so I'll keep the text up here bullet pointed:[/p][p]If you played the game during the intro to Saboteur/Synergist patch and equipped those classes, the character who equipped them immediately gained access to skills from other classes they don't normally have access to due to the experience requirement difference which has since been patched out. Rather than code in a skill removal for every single contingency, we're just going to leave it in and call it my mistake. The amount of unintended skills gained is roughly 3-5 levels worth of every class coded into the game immediately upon having equipped Saboteur/Synergist. For example, my Ruby has Cleave now. She shouldn't.[/p][p]I'm introducing a new challenge to finally replace The Pit, which was shut down in the 5.0.5.0 patch in September of 2021. It will consist of ten separate locations accessible from within the Awoken Veil. This update introduces the first of the ten gauntlets.[/p][p]The first Gold hunter badge is available from Team HH in Brandywine Forest for completing Team HH: Strike I quest. [/p][p]Two new achievements are available, one for obtaining the Gold badge and another for completing the available Awoken Veil Trial.[/p][p]This update will be available at some point between now and the end of tomorrow. I realize that's not a real professional thing to say, but I have to test out achievement functionality before I officially release it! I can't do that without you guys noticing that the achievements have been added to the back end on Steam.[/p][p]Our primary area of update this time around is still the Brandywine Forest Headless Horseman encounter.[/p][p][/p][p]6.8.4.1 \[Build #190, Release Date: November 8-9, 2025][/p][p]New:
- The Headless Hunter Lodge in Brandywine Forest has a new quest for Ruby!
- The Team HH alchemist has new purchase options for Ruby when in posession of the Silver and Gold lodge badges!
- A low level trial has appeared in the awoken Veil! Completing the trial yields a one-time reward for Ruby's Snake pet and unlocks a new achievement! Ruby is protected from death during this event, all party members may join, and rewards are kept even if Ruby ultimately fails. Failing the challenge will return Ruby to the Veil. Doing the trial multiple times will reset Ruby's "Challenge Level" as seen on the Save screen.
- A restoration crystal appears in the same area as the new trial.[/p][p]Updates & Changes:
- The temporary enemies in The Black Forest are now at rest. The corresponding item in Ruby's House has been removed. Enemy data for 1187-1196 has been removed from the game. Troop data 499-512 removed from the game.
- The original Halloween 2021 area has been sunset. This location has been reused for the new Team HH: Strike I quest. All associated enemy and troop data has been retained and updated to fit the new required uses. The location now has random encounters. Fixed encounters are significantly higher level and do not show their level in their name. The Veil portal to H21 no longer brings players to that location and the location itself is now Timelost.
- Enraging Flames can now apply Burn and is classified as a Magical Attack.
- The location referred to as the 'awoken Veil' now reflects that in its visible name.[/p][p]Fixes:
- Fixed an Orc War weather event in Brandywine Forest that was unintended, causing it to rain inside buildings.[/p][p]Achievements:
- A new achievement is available for completing the first trial in the awoken Veil which coincides with reaching Challenge Level 10. This achievement may be earned immediately.
- A new achievement is available tied to progression with the Headless Hunter Lodge. [/p][p]Character Sheets:
- The Warlock 2nd generation character sheet has been rerolled using current randomizers. Until another reroll, new Warlocks will effectively follow a 3rd generation sheet.
- Hunter 2nd gen character sheet rerolled.[/p][p]Known Issues:
- If you logged in during the intro to Synergist/Saboteur patch, then every class was instantly increased by several levels while either of those was equipped. This caused characters to have access to skills they shouldn't normally have. Rather than add code to remove these skills, we're just going to call this one my error and leave it be.[/p][p][/p]

[p]I'm a few days late with this one - but Warchest of the Headless Hunters is now available on the Steam shop !![dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]This DLC adds a new ally to Ruby's team from the Brandywine Forest / Hunter Lodge area. Functions similar to the snake and has its own unique class![/p][p][/p][p]Some quick notes about the patch that released alongside this (6.8.4.0) -
• Changes EXP required for leveling Saboteur & Synergist classes due to a learn skill bug created by their requirements being different.
• Added 3 Supply, 1 Target, & 1 Strike quest to the Team HH Lodge in Brandywine Forest, alongside a lore drop from those 4 NPCs.
• Fixed lingering 2020 halloween event bugs.
• Adjusted halloween item drop rates and associated skills.[/p][p][/p][p]Some quick notes about the DLC itself (Warchest of the Headless Hunters)[/p][p]• Allows access to the Imp pet from Brandywine Forest area, in a cabinet within the hunter lodge.
• Unlike previous DLCs, the check for ownership is ongoing. Our other DLCs will uninstall locations causing an error/crash when you try to access a location you no longer have installed. This one will run the check for DLC ownership every time pets are added or removed from the party. Basically, we had a problem with people returning the Founders Packs back when they had a price tag, before they were "Gift Pack". I don't intend to let people keep what they haven't paid for - I think that's fair.
• The check is only whether or not a DLC is installed, nothing to do with whether or not you are currently online.
• Imp will leave the party any time the Snake also leaves the party.
• I'm still overseeing any potential issues - if something comes up, please let me know ASAP! [/p][p][/p][p]6.8.4.0 \[Build #189, Release Date: November 3, 2025]
New: - The Headless Hunter Lodge in Brandywine Forest is ready for volunteers... almost! Visit this location for a new series of hunter Supply, Target, and Strike quests! - A new ally is available via the Warchest of the Headless Hunters DLC available on the Steam shop!
Fixes:
- Team HH: Inititation I now adds to the Complete section of the save menu upon accepting the next quest from the same NPC. This quest does not add or remove from the "active quest" display at all.
- Fixed a blocked path issue in the 2020 Halloween event.
- Fixed the 2020 Library Guardian encounter.
- Fixed Sabotage Element Break effect.
- Lightning Rage now prevents access to Synergy, Sabotage, and Swordsman abilities.
- Fixed an issue where Synergist and Saboteur classes would allow quick learning of skills from other classes based on the EXP required discrepancy by bringing the EXP required to level up in line with other classes. However, they also now gain 33% more EXP than regular classes.
Updates & Changes:
- Drop rates for 2020 & 2021 Halloween event enemies have been scaled down to be more in line with the new 2025 event. However, these other enemies now also benefit from conditional Sabotage based drops.
- Newly acquired + weapons from the Hallows set show their attack element in the tooltip and have HP, MP, or TP regeneration effects. Previously acquired Hallows weapons do not inherit these updates due to the way gear works in the game engine.
- Shadow Rend reworked. Is dark type, can apply Luck Break (33%), and tooltip adjusted.
- Soul Drain reworked - has Piercing, lower base damage and longer cooldown, but greatly improved mastery effect. No longer grants TP.
- Lash now factors in four times the attacker and defender's luck instead of just one. No longer grants TP.
- Increased Sweet Candy drop rate from Brandywine Sadkins.
- New icons for both versions of -Break abilities to distinguish easier between Saboteur magical breaks and Skill physical breaks when uncontrolled characters use them.
Notes, Known Issues & Other:
- Removed 67 unused audio files.
- Removed 327 unused sv_enemies.
- Removed 50 unused battleback1.
- Removed 50 unused battleback2.
- Removed 60 unused faces.
- Progress through Brandywine Countryside is blocked beyond the current available 5 Team HH quests. Stay tuned for the next update![/p]

[p]Hey everyone just a quick update. The next update is ready to ship alongside a new DLC which features a collectible battle monster similar to the Snake that was recently added, but I spent too long getting it ready and now it's in 'waiting for Steam review' limbo. I expect that sometime next week it will be good to go and can be finally published. The corresponding patch, 6.8.4.0, will be held back until the DLC itself can be launched. Alongside the DLC is 3 Supply quests, 1 Target quest, and 1 Strike quest from the Headless Hunters lodge. [/p][p]In terms of the Horseman event itself, it's going to take significantly longer than I thought. My goal is to make 10 Headless Hunters quests, and then 13 special access quests of different types which goes through this new region. I don't want to publish anything half baked or "to be completed later" anymore, so that will just have to come out a little bit later when it makes some less sense. [/p][p]I'll think of something interesting to do in the interim, but my focus is also going to be shifting to Snowdrift to fully repair and roll out a lodge there. [/p][p]We'll talk more when Warchest of the Headless Hunters is launched, which hopefully will be by the end of next week. See you then[/p]

[p]Development on the 2025 Halloween event is progressing well. A bug was reported on Discord which forced this early rollout. For now, the world map has seen a minor change and allows access to Brandywine Forest - the host location for upcoming Halloween themed DLC event. Progress is blocked beyond the first quest & second zone. If you choose to explore this area now, I recommend using an additional save file. A message plays in the first zone also saying as much.[/p][p]This update also launches many changes to enemy skills as well as gives some enemies the new unmitigated Attack. In my quest to not have enemies ever do 0 damage without access to a functioning plugin, I've created a secondary Attack command that does 2x the Atk stat as damage with normal variance and does not take into account the defender's (Ruby's team) armor. I think upgrading the engine itself is what allowed the TurnOrderDisplay (top right during combat) to function, but also broke the ArmorScaling. I prefer TOD to function - I can just do extra work for AS.[/p][p]While the new zone on the world map isn't finished, it also isn't empty. The enemies there will respawn upon leaving and returning. These zones do not currently have step-based random encounters, so the only enemies you encounter will be the ones you bump into. The Halloween themed enemies in this area have increased stacking drop rates from landing Saboteur debuffs. Ex: Landing Attack Break will increase the drop of some items by x%, then landing Magick Break will increase that drop rate even further. This is limited to one increase per state landed, so using the same one over and over won't give higher bonuses. Exact drop rates may be revealed in the future if we end up doing a full postmortem guide.[/p][p]It is important to note that the Sabotage version of Attack Break and the Skill version of Attack Break share the same debuff state, meaning that once you learn all the skills you can, you don't have to keep leveling Saboteur if you don't want to. The same goes for Synergist abilities. Learn Skills start becoming available for both Saboteur and Synergist beginning at level 20. The classes themselves become available to Ruby's team once a character has brought White Mage or Black Mage above level 5 for Synergist and Saboteur respectively. [/p][p][/p][p]Final note... I'm not going to scrap the 2020/2021 Halloween events from the Veil like I previously intended. I think what I created for the alternate outfit event in both story and gameplay is unique enough within the game to not take it away. However, as the easier event by far, I will have to cut item drop rates across the board with the next update, however soon that is with Oct 31st being the latest. So, if you have not visited the Veil and taken part in the alternate outfit Halloween event, you have 3 more days to get super easy drops. The items used in the 2025 event are the same as the ones from 2020/2021 and progress made during the new event will work toward those orange weapons![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]6.8.3.2 \[Build #188, Release Date: October 28, 2025][/p][p]Fixes:
- Fixed an issue where pets would rejoin the team during the Frostslayer class trial event before canonically added back to the team. [/p][p]Updates & Changes: - All store pages for Cross of Auria and associated DLC have been updated to reflect the following changes: Developer Name, Publisher Name, YouTube link (removed), and Social Media link. Long story short, I'm using a new name online (iArtefact) and all my new projects, plus this one, reflect that. Discord name is Artefact Kingdom - once you join, you must select the appropriate role to see the CoA section. (Edit 11/4/25 - This has been undone.) - Part of the Overworld has been updated to allow access to the new DLC zone. - Lash now has a 30% chance to apply Element Break, is classified as a Magical Attack, has a 2 turn cooldown, and has a massive % damage based Mastery Effect up to level 5. - Gale Guard reworked. Corresponding state has been removed. Ryan will still use this skill with its new effects. - Charge now does Physical instead of Inherited damage, has +50 Speed, and has a % damage based Mastery Effect. - Flutter now has +25 Speed and a % damage based Mastery Effect. - Sticky Slap now has a flat damage based Mastery Effect. - Leech is now considered Physical element, can apply Poison (20%), has a 5 turn cooldown and has a flat damage based Mastery Effect. - Wing Slap now has a 3 turn cooldown. - Bite now has a % damage based Mastery Effect. - Chomp now has a % damage based Mastery Effect. - Slap now has a % damage based Mastery Effect and no longer has a reduction to Speed. - Enraging Flames now properly has a 2 turn cooldown and has a mastery effect. - Small Candy Pouch randomizer is now 3-5, up from 1-5. - Large Candy Pouch randomizer is now 9-12, up from 4-12. - Sweet Candy and Sour Candy can now be consumed to restore some HP (10% and 20% respectively). - Blazing Candy now does AoE fire damage and can cause Burn. - Hallows Frames now have distinct icons.[/p][p]Notes, Known Issues & Other:
- This update rolled out due to the pet fix - the Halloween 2025 event is not yet complete. However, the first quest may be started! Progress beyond it is currently blocked.
- A warning message appears in the first zone of Brandywine Forest to make a new save. I strongly recommend doing so during event construction.[/p]

[p]We had a long one a few days ago so let's keep this one short - a new object appears in Ruby's House and the awakened Veil for toggling on and off the Black Forest halloween themed enemies. While active, up to 21 roaming enemies will appear throughout the forest of which 20 have random spawn points. The amount of roaming enemies depends on Ruby's level, increasing up to level 30. When Ruby is level 30 or above before entering the zone, all 21 enemies will be loaded in. On the other hand, if Ruby is below level 5 when entering the zone, none of the 21 enemies will spawn. [/p][p]Rather than make you guess, here's some important info:
- Sabotage abilities cause items to drop more frequently from these 21 battlegroups.
- Not all secrets released will be documented in these patch notes.
- These event enemies only provide 1 EXP per unit and 0 gold, but have a chance to drop EXP tokens.
- The pumpkin in Ruby's House / Awakened Veil share triggers and effects and can be accessed beginning after Day 1 ends (aka: it is not in the Day 1 / Ruby's House zone).
- This wave of patches will all fall under the 6.8.3.X, Build 186-X grouping due to testing and iteration as we go. I will likely have to make rapid adjustments and documenting them all while releasing them would become cumbersome. When the next "full patch" gets posted, everything changed between now and then will be documented in there, but have already taken effect in game.
- Synergist and Saboteur classes prevent the use of Skills and Magic, but have Learn Skills via the menu for Skills and Magic beginning at level 20. These classes will also change the visual level of your other classes when swapping between them. This is because these new classes require significantly less EXP to level up. While equipped, they view the other classes as having their current EXP, but traveling along the lesser EXP-required level up path. You don't actually gain levels from swapping classes.
- Report bugs directly to me here on the Steam Forums or more quickly on Discord @ https://discord.gg/nj8qFGxagP. I ended up having to terminate the previous server that was being used for other things, but that's a story for another place and another time. This will function as my permanent Discord home moving forward until such a time where I stop using the app. (Edit 11/4/25: The best place to report bugs for now is going to be here on the Steam community pages.)[/p][p][/p][p]6.8.3.X \[Build #186-X, Release Date: October 19, 2025][/p][p]New: [/p][p]- An object appears in Ruby's House after Day 1 and the awoken Veil which allows players to toggle The Black Forest 2025 Halloween enemies. [/p][p]- Saboteur class now available to Black Mages level 5 or higher.[/p][p]- Synergist class now available to White Mages level 5 or higher.[/p][p]- New states (buffs & debuffs) created for the two new classes. [/p][p]Updates & Changes:[/p][p]- Newly acquired Hallows+ weapons tooltip includes which items the weapon will disassemble into. This also applies to the shop tooltip. They disassemble at a 100% rate.[/p][p]- Hallows++ weapons tooltip now includes "cannot be disassembled".[/p][p]- File size increase due to sourcing new assets - currently unused.[/p][p]Fixes:[/p][p]- Fixed a visual bug for the Candy Bag when removing Blazing Candy. The math has always functioned correctly, but the display number referenced the amount of remaining Sweet Candy instead.[/p][p][/p]