// News // 30th Dec 2020 — 3 years ago // By Jamie Davies

Stoneshard Equipment Update #2 - What's New? — Patch Notes

NEW ADDITIONS

New weapon type: Two-handed axes - 29 pieces.
New ability tree: Two-handed axes- 10 new skills.
New weapon type: Two-handed maces - 23 pieces.
New ability tree: Two-handed maces - 10 new skills.
New mechanic: Throwing. Throw weapons and other items to deal damage, distract enemies, and trigger traps.
New mechanic: Skinning. The chance to harvest a pelt now depends on the damage type used to kill an animal. Added new hunting trophies: dog pelts, snake skin, and bear fat.
New mechanic: Hearing. Increase your Perception to hear nearby enemies before seeing them.
Two new NPC: Bran the Trapper and Unar the Scribe.
The trapper travels between Osbrook and Mannshire, selling various hunting gear and some other items.
The second NPC can be found in the Mannshire castle upon completing 3 Osbrook contracts - he trades in treatises.
20 new enemy types, including 7 new minibosses.
25 new armor pieces: 7 helmets, 9 chest pieces, 5 belts, 2 sets of gloves, 1 pair of boots, and 1 shield.
New traps: Pressure Plate (Flame & Poison Cloud), Sound
Combat consumables: added a claw trap, a net, caltrops, and a smoke bomb.
5 new drug types, completed with reworked drug mechanics.
New Mannshire crypt contract.
Additional flora: added 6 berry shrubs, 1, new mushroom type, and 1 new herb type.

ATTENTION: This patch IS COMPATIBLE with the previous version’s saves. It should be possible to continue your current playthrough after this update.

However, we highly recommend starting a new game: item tweaks won’t affect the already equipped or stored items. Additionally, the new contract won’t spawn when playing from an old save.

GAMEPLAY

Enemies can now also feel pain.
Throwing potions applies enemies with their effect for 25% of the original duration.
Fabric, leather, paper, and organic items will burn if dropped on a burning tile.
Added a system for enemy interactions with traps. By default enemies are aware about the traps of their faction and the traps which were installed within their Vision. Other traps will remain hidden - the chance for them to be discovered depends on enemy Perception. Some enemies also learned how to disarm discovered traps.
Activated claw traps can be picked up, repaired at a blacksmith, and then placed again.
Manually disarming traps will grant experience.
New stat: Stagger Chance
New effect: Stagger. Reduces Crit, Counter, Dodge, and Block Chances to 0, and increases Fumble Chance to 100%.

BALANCE

Changes to the characters’ Affinities:

Arna starts with Two-handed maces.
Jorgrim starts with Two-handed axes.
Dirwin starts with Two-handed axes.
Velmir starts with Two-handed axes and Two-handed maces, but no longer has Maces affinity.
Jonna starts with Dual Wielding.

Rebalanced primary Attributes:

Strength:
+[1 > 0.5]% Melee Damage
+[1 > 0.5] Block Power
+[2 > 1.5]% Crit Efficiency
+[1 > 1.5]% Armor Damage

Agility:
+[0.5 > 0.75]% Counter Chance
-[0.25 > 0.5]% Fumble Chance
Added +0.5% Armor Penetration
[Removed +0.5% Stealth

Perception:

+[0.5 > 0.75]% Accuracy
+[0.5 > 0.75]% Crit Chance
+[1 > 0.5]% Ranged Damage

Vitality:
+[1 > 2] Health
+[5 > 4] Energy
Removed bonuses to Immunity
Added +1% Intoxication Resistance

Willpower:
+[0.75 > 1]% Pain Resistance
+[0.5 >0.75]% Magic Resistance
+[1 > 0.5%] Magic Power

Rebalanced pain gain from all damage types.
Made balance changes to most enemies.
Increased the base chance to evade a trap.
Reduced the base chance to disarm a trap.
Traps balance changes:
[Claw Trap] 20 Slashing Damage > 35 Rending Damage.
Immobilization duration: 3 > 4-10
Base disarm chance: 60% > 75%
[Spike Trap] 25 > 40 Piercing Damage
Bleeding duration: 10-16 > 10-20
Change the formula for damage from Bleeding and Burning - now they don’t scale from Max Health as much.
Base unarmed damage was increased by 2 points.
Block Chance now only works if you have a weapon or a shield equipped.
Crit Efficiency: the base damage multiplayer for crits has been increased from 110% to 120%.
Rebalanced loot from the brigands.
[Brigand Madman]: removed “Adrenaline” and “Painful Stabs”.
[Ancient Troll]: Decreased its Accuracy from 100% to 90%.
Troll’s Armor was increased to 50.
Experience granted on death was increased by 20%.
[Stun]: its maximum duration was decreased from 5 to 2 turns
[Daze]: added maximum duration – 5 turns
Removed: +5% Fumble Chance
[Unholy Blessing]: +20% > +15% Life and Energy Drain, Damage Reflection.
[Blessing]: The duration of shrine blessings was increased to 1440 turns.
Removed passive Sanity and Morale change.
Added an immediate Sanity and Morale boost upon using a shrine
Added +10% Healing Efficiency.
[Satiety]: added +10% Healing Efficiency.
[Deafening Roar]: To avoid situations with the simultaneous Stun and Disarm, there’s now a sequence of checks, launched one after another in case the previous one fails: firstly, it’s 25% to Disarm. Then, it’s 75% to Stun, and finally - 100% chance to Daze.
[Henbane]: reduced the duration of “Battle Rage” to 12 turns. The effect is no longer guaranteed to activate, instead there’s a 25% chance – high Intoxication can raise this chance up to 100%.
[Velmir]: The Condition of his starting helmet was reduced from 60% to 40%
[Waterskin]: reduced the number of uses from 10 to 6.
[Stardust]: changed its effect.
An item’s level now has lower influence on the damage from enchantments.
Dual Wielding now consists of 3 tiers, just like all other ability trees with 10 skills.
Increased the maximum level for items sold by merchants.

CHANGES TO ABILITIES

SWORDS

[Endurance Training] 25% chance to replenish 5% Max Energy on hit > +25% Energy Restoration for 3 turns after using a sword ability.
[Honed Edge] +5% Bleed Chance for 5 > 3 turns.

MACES

[Armor Break] Added a Stagger Chance.
Applies -30% > -15% Control Resistance.
[Dazing Strikes] Changed: +5% Daze Chance for mace attacks > Mace attacks apply their targets with -3.5% Accuracy and -3.5% Damage for 4 turns.
[Moment of Weakness] Stunned enemies take +33% > +20% Damage.
[Concussion] Changed: Mace attacks apply -5% Control Resistance for 4 turns > Mace crits apply -15% Control Resistance for 3 turns.

TWO-HANDED SWORDS

[Feint Swing] Now applies its target with +10% Damage Taken for 4 turns.
Other bonuses are doubled if the target is Staggered.
[Feast of Steel] Added +5% Crit Chance to its stacking effect.
Every third attack gains +100% Crit Chance > +100% Stagger Chance
[Heroic Charge] Added a Stagger Chance
[Parry] All received attacks are guaranteed to trigger a Counterattack > Grants +75% Counter Chance
Each successful block reduces the Skill’s cooldown by 1 > 2 turns.
Added: Each Counterattack grants +7.5% Crit Chance for 3 turns.
[Arc Cleave] Added a Stagger Chance.
Each enemy hit reduces active Cooldowns of the ability tree by 1 > 3 turns.
Added: Replenishes 7.5% Max Energy for each Staggered enemy.
[Courage] Added: If the target survives, grants +10% Damage for each adjacent enemy.
[Fight to Death] While “Feast” is active, killing enemies reduces active Cooldowns of the ability tree by 3 turns > Each consecutive strike against the same target grants +7.5% Stagger Chance and +5% Counter Chance for 5 turns. The effect resets upon attacking a different target.
[Taste of Victory] Killing enemies with two-handed swords replenishes 7.5% > 15% Max Energy.
Added: Attacks against Staggered enemies grant +5% Damage for 4 turns.
[Revanche] Added: while Parry is active, blocked attacks replenish 5% Max Energy.

DAGGERS

[Double Lunge] Now also reduces the Skill’s cooldown when killing an enemy.
[Deadly Trick] Grants +25% Crit Chance > +25% Bleed Chance and +25% Counter Chance.
Added: The strike also has a Stagger Chance.
[Gaping Wound] Applies the effect for 8 > 10 turns.
Using abilities has a 50 > 75% chance to trigger Bleeding.
The Bleeding duration has been increased.
The effect applies +20% > +33% Abilities Energy Cost.
Added: the effect applies -25% Bleed Resistance.
[Coup de Grace] Finishing an enemy off with this skill now grants +50% Crit Chance for 4 turns.
[Quick Hands] Killing enemies > Dagger strikes reduce active Cooldowns of the ability tree by 1 turn.
[From the Shadows] Added: Thrown daggers do +30% more Damage.
[Counterattack Mastery] Dagger strikes grant +4% > +5% Counter Chance for 5 turns.
[Weakening Jabs] Dagger attacks apply their target with +4% Damage Taken > -5% Damage and +5% > +7.5% Cooldowns Duration.
[Danse Macabre] Changed: Dagger crits gain +10% Life Drain > Dagger Crits grant +4% Dodge chance for 5 turns and permanently apply their target with +10% Damage Taken and -10% Bleed Resistance.

STAFFS

[Unwavering Stance] Added: Every 3rd attack gains +100% Crit Chance
[Destabilizing Hits] Added: the effect is also triggered by applying Stagger.
[Now or Never] Effect duration 1 > 2 turns.
Added: is now also triggered by Dodging and grants +25% Stagger Chance.
[Battle Trance] Staff crits now reduce all active Cooldowns, not just the ability tree’s.

SHIELDS

[Retaliation] Added: Can now only trigger once per 5 turns.
[Last Bastion]: Added: Can now only trigger once per 8 turns.

PYROMANCY

[Ring of FIre] Applies -20% > -10% Fire Resistance for 4 > 3 turns.

GEOMANCY

[Rune of Sustention] Added: Grants the caster -10% Damage Taken when occupying tiles adjacent to their runic boulders.
[Runic Boulder]: Raising a boulder will now generate noise.

COMBAT MASTERY

[Seize the Initiative] Reduced the maximum number of stacks from 6 to 5.
If the target uses active abilities, they reduce the number of debuff stacks on it and the number of buff stacks on the attacker.
Added: added a Stagger Chance to the initial hit and Counter Chance buff/debuff to its stacking effect.
[Defensive Tactic] and [Offensive Tactic]: Changed:
Instead of a static bonus for each enemy within Vision , they now grant stacking bonuses for performing certain conditions.
Tactics now work for a limited number of turns.
Switching tactics no longer takes a turn or spends Energy.
[Finisher]: Added: this attack now has +25% Crit Chance.
[Against the Odds] Prevents Health from dropping below 10 > 15%
Added: the first attack received during the next turn does no damage and is automatically countered.
[Stance Training]: “Defensive Tactic” now increases weapon stances’ duration by 1 turn for each received attack.

ATHLETICS

[Mighty Kick] Added: Failing to knock the opponent back now Staggers them for 2 turns.
[Sudden Lunge] Confusion Chance was replaced with Stagger Chance.
[Dash] Bonus Damage for each adjacent enemy was replaced by Counter Chance.
Each enemy adjacent to the starting position increases the Energy cost of the Skill by 20% > 10%

DUAL WIELDING

Some of the skills were moved around. “Dual Wielding Training” is now available earlier, while “Dying Fervor” was moved further down the ability tree.
[Enough for Everyone] The effect is no longer removed if the target leaves the adjacent tile.
[Deflect] Changed: Using this skill no longer reduces Hands Efficiency.

Each fully blocked attack now grants +5% Hands Efficiency for 2 turns and reduces active Cooldowns of the ability tree by 1 turn.

[Whirlwind] Changed: Can now jump between the same targets for an unlimited number of times.

Each jump now grants -10% > -15% Hands Efficiency .
The Skill’s Cooldown is no longer reduced by killing enemies. The same goes for bonus Hands Efficiency - killing enemies no longer increases it.
Added: +4% Dodge Chance for 3 turns per each strike.

[Concentration] Lasts for 6 > 12 turns.

Added: receiving damaging attacks reduces the duration of the effect by 1 turn.

[Dual Wielding Training]: Using weapon-based skills no longer grants bonus Hands Efficiency.

Using weapon-based skills while wielding two weapons of the same type grants +7.5% Crit Chance and -7.5% Fumble Chance for 2 turns.
Using weapon-based skills while wielding two weapons of the different type grants +25% Off-Hand Efficiency and +7.5% Counter Chance for 2 turns.

[Berserk Tradition] +2.5% Hands Efficiency > +4% Counter Chance.

All bonuses now scale based on the character’s level and Attributes.

[Dying Fervor] Grants +10% > +20% Hands Efficiency when Health drops below 50%.

Added: Additionally grants +7.5% Crit Chance and +7.5% Counter Chance when Health drops below 33%

SPEARS

[Nail Down] Changed: Immobilizing enemies with this skill no longer reduces active Cooldowns of “Nail Down” and “Impaling Lunge”.
[Impaling Lunge] Changed: The bonuses are no longer doubled when attacking Immobilized Enemies.
Using this skill against Immobilized enemies now does -25% Damage and halves other bonuses, but instantly refreshes this Skill’s Cooldown.
[Maneuver] Changed: now gains stacks for each reduced Cooldown, not fully refreshed one.
[Determination] Added: replenishes 10% Max Energy for each affected enemy. The enemies are additionally applied with -20% Move Resistance for 3 turns.
[Precise Hits] Grants +10% Accuracy > -5% Fumble Chance and +20% > +15% Bodypart Damage.
[Stay Back!] Affected enemies are applied with -25% > -15% Piercing Resistance for 1 > 2 turns.
The chance to trigger “Impaling Lunge” on a basic attack is 15% > 10%.
[Wounding Spearhead] Spear crits deal extra damage equal to the target’s 4% Current Health > 5% Max Health. Added a threshold for the max damage, based on the character’s Strength and Agility.

BUFFS TO UNIQUE ITEMS

As you may already know, the shortcomings of the existing item quality system prevent the unique items from being enchanted, which makes them less attractive to players. To compensate for this issue while the quality system is being properly reworked, most of the existing unique items (with the exception of the starting ones) were buffed:

Fancy Sword: -15% Abilities Energy Cost
Engraved Sword: -15% Cooldowns Duration
Decorated Warhammer: +25% Armor Penetration
Ornate Flanged Mace: +10% Daze Chance, +5% Stun Chance
Decorated Dagger: +10% Crit Chance
Carved Longbow: +10% Immobilization Chance
Vagabond Knight's Armor: -7.5% Damage Taken
Ceremonial Cuirass: +5% Health Restoration, +25% Healing Efficiency
Occult Cloak: +13% Bleed Resistance
Jousting Cloak: -5% Damage Taken, -5% Abilities Energy Cost
Raven Heater Shield: +15% Fortitude
Pig-Faced Bascinet: +15% Fortitude
Cervelliere with Ear Guards: +10% Control Resistance
Ornate Barbute: +5% Accuracy

ART

New potion sprites.
New icons for some modifiers.
New sprites for some consumables.
Some enemies got their visuals updated.
New shop signs for merchants and artisans in the settlements.

UI & UX

Changes to the mode menu: the attack and rest modes can now be moved to the ability bar. Added Shout and Reload actions to the mode menu.
Upon equipping dual weapons, the stats for both hands are now being displayed separately in the character menu.
Sleep and Blindness effects now make the screen go dark.
Bow and crossbow hovers now display their Range.

FIXES