[Announcement] October 17th Developer's Notes

Hello, Heroes of Bermesiah!
Following the release of Iris, various data such as dungeon statistics, character usage rates, and survey results have been analyzed
in preparation for updates that will allow players to continue fostering affection for their characters.

This notice aims to share the general direction of the upcoming balance update in advance.
The first round of balance adjustments is scheduled for October 22nd, with additional updates to be implemented sequentially through future patches.
In addition to balance changes, new systems, dungeons, and other diverse updates are also being prepared for the latter half of this year.

Below are the details of the balance patch scheduled for October 22nd.

■ Counter Attack Improvements for 4th Bar and Awakening Special Skills
4th Bar and Awakening Special Skills are designed to consume a significant amount of resources in order to deliver powerful attacks during crucial moments.
However, situations have arisen in which monsters evade attacks through counter attacks when struck.
To avoid counter attacks, certain skill types have become disproportionately favored, resulting in a lack of variety in skill concepts.
To address this, improvements will be made so that monsters in dungeons do not perform counter attacks or teleportation when struck by these skills.

■ Reduction of Pre-Delay for 3rd Bar Special Skills
The time between activation and the first hit of an Special Skill is referred to as the “preparation time.”
This duration varies depending on each skill’s concept.
However, because 3rd Bar Special Skills significantly influence overall damage output, the difference in preparation time has had a considerable impact on balance.
To resolve this, adjustments will be made to the time-stop effect applied when using 3rd Bar Special Skills, reducing the disparity in time until the first strike occurs.

In addition to the balance updates mentioned above, further improvements such as damage adjustments and structural refinements for Special Skills will also be implemented. Detailed information will be provided in future update announcements.
The following are additional balance improvements planned for upcoming patches:

■ Fix for Forced Right-Facing Direction After Using Certain Special Skills
In some cases, using certain Special Skills forces the character to face right. As a result, Pet Skills may activate in unintended directions when used during these skills. This issue will be corrected to ensure Pet Skills activate as intended.

■ Character Movement and Control Improvements
After previous adjustments to character controls, instances were identified where characters did not respond as intended, leading to a less satisfactory control experience.
Overall responsiveness and precision will be improved to ensure accurate input and smoother control.

■ Structural Improvements for Certain Characters’ Special Skills and Command Systems
Based on analyses of play rates, endgame participation data, and survey feedback, several characters with lower overall performance have been identified.
Since minor numerical adjustments alone are insufficient to improve their effectiveness, structural improvements will be made to enhance their usability.

The development team will continue to work diligently to ensure that GrandChase remains an enjoyable and enduring game for all players.
Thank you.