Devblog: Cra Revamp 2021-04-28 14:00

SPANISH
 

Objectives of the Revamp

The existing Cra class didn't seem satisfactory to us because of the lack of potential and diversity in its actions. Indeed, quite often, Cras were satisfied with just one or two damage spells among the available spells, interspersed with a few reinforcement spells when cooldown periods allowed as such. In our opinion, there wasn't enough potential for anticipation for Cras to build a game in the medium and long term during a fight.

The objective of the Cra revamp is therefore to offer it more strategic potential when the class is properly mastered. We also want to make choosing a Cra more relevant in high-level team compositions, whether in PvP or PvM combat.

Our main lines of thought for this revamp were as follows:
 

How can we offer Cras strategic potential while keeping a simple way of playing for those who want it?

By giving Cras spells whose effects are variable under certain conditions (target or state), we can offer two ways of playing. Basic use of the spells on opponents makes it easy to play while using with beacons reveals the spells' full potential.
 

How can we encourage Cras to use a wider range of spells?

By offering more synergy between spells, but also between elemental paths, Cras now have every reason to use the entire range of spells at their disposal to reveal their full potential.
 

How can we make Cras direct actors in combat?

By reducing the range of some of Cras' key spells while in exchange, offering them better mobility and a greater ability to get out of disadvantageous situations, as well as better area control.
 

How can we differentiate Cras' elemental paths while maintaining the class's roleplay insofar as possible?

By harnessing and trying to transpose the archers' various character traits (offensive, defensive support, prowler) that can be found in history and fiction. We chose to offer three of the archers' aspects that made it possible to offer varied actions that could meet different needs within a team of players or when going it alone.

We have introduced a new mechanic for Cras around which many spell effects are centered: the Tactical Beacon. The Beacon is a static summons that Cras can summon up to three times simultaneously and with which the vast majority of their spells will let them interact. These beacons will trigger additional spell effects when targeted, but will also replicate the effects of some of these spells on the Cra's other beacons on the field. This way, the game vision, and positioning become essential allies to anyone who wants to fully harness this class.

With these changes, Cras will benefit from three distinct elemental paths that represent many different ways of playing. Utility spells will also be added to the elemental paths' spells.
 

• The Fire path, offensive, based on raw damage and the ability to burn opponents.
• The Earth path, defensive, based on powerful attacks – but detrimental to the caster's mobility – and support from allies. This path introduces a new state: the Guardian state, which will change the effects of Earth spells.
• The Air path, the prowler's path, is based on less powerful attacks – but which aim to exhaust the enemy with poisons, traps, and spells to slow them down – while offering Cras greater mobility.

Through these three paths, we hope we'll give everyone their own a way of playing and developing relevant strategies to overcome their opponents, all without upsetting the most casual players' habits.
 

List of Spells by Elemental Path

Fire Path

 

• Armour-Piercing Arrow (Level 3)
• Abolition Arrow (Level 17)
• Burning Arrow (Level 42)
• Blinding Arrow (Level 54)
• Explosive Arrow (Level 90)

 

Earth Path

 

• Transfusion Arrow (Level 1)
• Barricade Arrow (Level 21)
• Last Bastion (Level 31)
• Plaguing Arrow (Level 60)
• Punitive Arrow (Level 100)

 

Air Path

 

• Retreat Arrow (Level 1)
• Poisoned Arrow (Level 9)
• Pursuit Arrow (Level 26)
• Pitfall (Level 48)
• Bat's Eye (Level 80)

 

Utility Spells

 

• Summoning of Beacon (Level 1)
• Distant Shooting (Level 6)
• Grapple Arrow (Level 13)
• Lashing Arrow (Level 36)
• Dispersing Arrow (Level 70)
• Recall Beacon (Special Spell)
• Cra Dopple (Level 200)

 

Spell Descriptions and Acquisition Levels

Good to Know

 

• The AP cost, Range, or effects of some existing spells may have changed.
• When a spell is replicated on the other beacons, it only concerns beacons controlled by the player, and it does not affect the beacons of potential Cra allies or opponents.
• Beacons occupy a summons's position, and the maximum number of them on the field is therefore limited by both the spell (maximum 3) and the number of summons of the player.

Information in italics is the changes or corrections done following the initial testing mentioned in this report.

Summoning of Beacon – Level 1

Summons a Tactical Beacon that can serve as a target or relay for Cra spells. Only three beacons can be on the field at the same time.

Retreat Arrow – Level 1

Inflicts Air damage and pushes the target. When the spell is cast on a beacon, if it inflicts pushback damage on it, the beacon inflicts Air damage in an area of effect.

Transfusion Arrow – Level 1

Steals HP in the Earth element from the targeted enemy. If the spell is cast on an ally, heals them by a percentage of their HP to the detriment of the caster's HP. If the Cra is in the Guardian state, healing does not cost anything.

Armour-Piercing Arrow – Level 3

Inflicts Fire damage and then inflicts extra Fire damage if the target has more than half of its HP.

Distant Shooting – Level 6

Increases the range and chance of Critical Hits of allied targets present in the area of effect.
The spell bonuses have been fixed; the amount of CH granted was unusually high.

Poisoned Arrow – Level 9

Inflicts Air damage for multiple turns.

Grapple Arrow – Level 13

Attracts the caster towards the targeted beacon.
The spell's Range has increased by 1 at level 5 and 6. The movement distance is still 3 cells.

Abolition Arrow – Level 17

Inflicts Fire damage. If the spell's target dies during the turn, it burns adjacent allied entities and inflicts Fire damage on them. When the spell is cast on one of the Cra's beacons, kills the beacon and refunds the cost of the Abolition Arrow spell to the caster. The beacon inflicts Fire damage and burns adjacent enemies when it dies.

Barricade Arrow – Level 21

Inflicts Earth damage and removes extra MP from enemies if the caster is in the Guardian state.

Pursuit Arrow – Level 26

Inflicts Air damage and steals 1 MP from the target. If the target is under the effect of Pitfall, the AP from the Pursuit Arrow spell is refunded. When the spell targets one of the Cra's beacons, increases the Cra's MP by 3 and kills the beacon.
A stacking limit for effects on the caster has been added (1 max) to limit the amount of MP you can gain each turn.

Last Bastion – Level 31

On the next turn, the caster loses all of their MP and enters the Guardian state for 1 turn. In this state, they gain a resistance and range bonus. They also cannot be moved or teleported.

Lashing Arrow – Level 36

Shoots an arrow that applies erosion to the target and increases the Power of allies adjacent to the caster. If the spell is cast on a beacon, applies an erosion penalty on enemies and a Power bonus on allies adjacent to the beacon. The effect is also replicated on the Cra's other beacons on the field.
The spell will correctly apply Erosion to opponents instead of allies.
The power gain effect will be properly limited.
The base critical hit rate has been corrected to 1/40.


Burning Arrow – Level 42

Inflicts Fire damage and pushes targets present in the spell's area of effect. Burns the enemies hit.

Pitfall – Level 48

Places a trap on the ground. When triggered, removes lots of MP from the target and inflicts Air damage. The pitfall remains visible on the map for 1 turn before becoming invisible.

Blinding Arrow – Level 54

Inflicts Fire damage in an area of effect and reduces the range of the enemies hit. When the spell targets a beacon, the effect is also replicated on the Cra's other beacons on the field.

Plaguing Arrow – Level 60

Inflicts Earth damage that increases with each consecutive cast on the same target. If a new target is hit, the bonuses are removed. This effect can be stacked 3 times. If the Cra is in the Guardian state, this spell does not require a line of sight.
The row should be properly deactivated when using the Last Bastion spell.
The spell should properly trigger the effects of certain spells that activate when direct damage is received (such as the Mecanofoux's Rotapush spell).


Dispersing Arrow – Level 70

Pushes enemy and allied entities in the area of effect. When the spell targets a beacon, the effect is also replicated on the Cra's other beacons on the field.
The spell executes properly even if the center of the area is empty.

Bat's Eye – Level 80

Inflicts Air damage and detects invisible items in its area of effect. When the spell targets a beacon, the effect is also replicated on the Cra's other beacons on the field.
Damage when used on a beacon will be fixed.

Explosive Arrow – Level 90

Inflicts Fire damage in an area of effect and increases the caster's Power for each enemy in the area of effect. Damage is increased on burned enemies. The effect is also replicated on the Cra's other beacons on the field.
The power gain and the damage when used on beacons will be fixed.

Punitive Arrow – Level 100

Inflicts Earth damage and increases the spell's damage every 3 turns. If the Cra is in the Guardian state, prevents the target from using movement spells or being moved.
The minimum casting range has been reduced (from 6 to 8; 9 at level 6).

Recall Beacon – Special Spell

Targets a Tactical Beacon present on the field. At the start of the next turn, makes the Cra and the targeted beacon switch places. The beacon will be destroyed at the end of the turn.

How stats are distributed will also change in the update:
 

• For Strength, Chance, Intelligence, and Agility, the point cost to increase a stat will be 1 up to 100, 2 up to 200, 3 up to 300, 4 up to 400, and then 5 after 400.
• Wisdom will keep its fixed cost of 3 and Vitality its fixed cost of 1.

When the new Cra comes out, the stats and spell points of players in the class will be reset.

The class set will change accordingly.
 

---

We hope these changes will meet your expectations, and we'll see you in the coming weeks for some real in-game testing! In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.