Patch Notes 0.96
Launch post: | Runarcana 0.96
Intro
Patch 0.96 has a lot going on; besides polishing and finalizing the creature system shown in the Preview and adding over 100 new creatures, there have been changes to classes, Roles, Pasts… almost every part of the system has undergone some modification, but the main changes came from larger shifts:
- New Marksman Subclass: Until now, there was no Marksman subclass that used flamethrowers as its primary weapon. The Path of Khorsan fills this role, but this also necessitated an update to the rules of the flamethrowers themselves, providing both lower-level options and more varied progression options.
- New creature system: In addition to the new rules and the addition of new creatures, several features and abilities that interact with creatures needed to be modified to accommodate the new rules involving creatures.
- Traps: With the update to the trap rules and the addition of the Trapper Role (which, despite already being published, is part of version 0.96), some interactions with the Role were also introduced.
- Poison update: Another part of patch 0.96 that was published somewhat in advance; some of you may have already seen the changes and additions to Poisons and the Apothecary's Craft.
New Creature System
Up until version 0.95, Runarcana creatures still carried a lot of direct influence from D&D and, despite working with older versions of Runarcana, did not fit well with the current system, both in terms of combat "balancing" and the current philosophy of the system.
The new creature system aims to bring greater balance between creatures and players, providing a robust system for creating new creatures and a wider variety of abilities they can use, as well as tools beyond the "CR" (Critical Difficulty) to define the danger level of creatures. This makes it easier to create or choose enemies that present different types and levels of challenge for a group of players of a specific level. The Functions allow for easy differentiation between creatures that act as "bosses" and those that function as fleeting and "trivial" encounters. The idea here is that the CR can be used more intuitively than in previous versions (which drew heavily from d20 systems), where the balancing was quite different from the current Runarcana and creatures were separated by a fractional level progression without differentiation between single enemies and group adversaries.
Afflictions
Diseases and Madness are two mechanics that have existed in Runarcana since version 0.92, but ended up being sidelined as the system progressed, existing in a "limbo" of things that affect creatures but are not conditions. The addition of Afflictions groups more "complex" effects than the system's simple Conditions, separating them into four types:
- "Mental and Spiritual Distresses": Effects that affect a creature internally, such as the "Madness" introduced in 0.92.
- "Diseases": Negative effects on the creature's body, with unique duration and rules. Unlike poisons, diseases are not associated solely with instances of damage, venom, or similar, and are not "crafted" by Apothecaries or similar entities.
- "Dependecies": Negative effects that arise as a consequence or necessity of using or consuming something specific. The Dependency on Shimmer and the Essence Hunger of the Vesani have become this type of Affliction.
- "Curses": Magical effects that are not necessarily centered on a creature and may or may not be accompanied by positive effects.
Each of the Afflictions has its own way of affecting targets and of being "cured" (when possible).
Afflictions not only bring new "negative effects," they bring new ways to explore how characters interact with negative effects, potentially triggering exploration to seek treatments or unique consequences for wrong decisions.
Origins
The Vastaya of the Vesani Tribe were affected by the Affliction rules, with their Essence Hunger trait being converted into an Affliction (Dependency), which also made the creation of the Variant Heritage: Half Vesani.' viable.
Classes
Acolyte
Spiritual Rite
The ability Destroy Undead' has been reworked to conform to the new creature rules.
Rite of the Stars
The text for the Revitalize skill now specifies changes to its healing effects, and the text for the Restore Life skill from the Rite of the Stars is rewritten according to the Afflictions rules.
Burial Rite
The text of Liturgy: Shepherd of Souls' has been revised to conform to the new rules for creatures. The texts of Rest in Peace and Last Rites' have also been revised to adapt to the new Liturgy.
Additionally, the text for the "Last Rites" skill has undergone a minor correction (up to version 0.95, the text requested a saving throw but did not specify the attribute).
Marksman
Addition of the "Khorsan Trail," a new subclass focused on the use of flamethrowers and explosives.
Bodhisattva
The ability Peaceful Mind now affects Episodes of Mundane Mental Distresses (in addition to its existing effects).
Hunter
The class gains proficiency with the Trapper role.
Beast Friend's Enclave
The Animal Companion ability has been updated, based on the Creature Roles and Collectives rules, clarifying which types of creatures can become companions and allowing groups of weaker beasts as animal companions.
Combatant
Strategos' Honor
The Trained Vision ability now allows you to identify a creature's Role and Subtype.
Mercurial
Spy Cabal
The ability Inspect Weaknesses can now identify a creature's Subtype.
Explorer's Cabal
The cabal now grants the Trapper Craft.
Shaman
The Shaman class has undergone a complete update, receiving a new subclass as part of the process.
Pasts
Corrections to the equipment text for the Pasts of Wanderer', Artisan', Local Hero, and Inventor'. Additionally, the Past of Outsider' now grants proficiency with the Trapper' Craft.
Crafts
Alchemist
With the addition of Afflictions and the changes in the way Shimmer works, formulas related to it have undergone changes to become consistent with the current version.
Apothecary
The Apothecary Craft has undergone minor changes to adapt to the new rules regarding Poisons.
Trapper
The Trapper Craft was added along with the new Trap rules, bringing rules and formulas for their creation and synergies related to them.
Heritages
The Regional Heritages Vestaya Bloodline received an additional effect linked to Magical Diseases.
The Regional Heritage Natural Medicine receives an effect linked to the Afflictions of its region.
The Regional Heritage Valor of the Protector is altered so that its negative effects align with the rules of Affliction, now granting an Episodic Distress.
Variant Heritages
Addition of Half-Vesani to the options of Half-Vastaya.
Changes to the Technological Variant Disadvantages and the Technological Threshold text to make the Heritage consistent with the Afflictions rules.
Changes to the text of Spectral Risen based on changes to Afflictions and the Acolyte due to the new creature rules.
Runes
Addition of 4 new Runes, expanding the range of options.
Runesences
Addition of a Runessence linked to Energy and a Runessence linked to the Variant: Risen.
Sutras
The Harmonization Sutra now affects Mental and Spiritual Distresses instead of curses, as it is more consistent with its fantasy.
Weapons
Update to the Flamethrower type firearms and addition of the Slingshot, Bola (Sejuani's weapon), War Fan, and Spinning Axe (Draven's weapon).
Adventurer Equipment
First Aid Kit: Up to version 0.95, the terms first aid kit, first-aid kit, First Aid Kit, medical kit and Healer's Kit are used interchangeably in more than one place in the system. To avoid confusion, they are all standardized as First Aid Kit'.
Mounts and Lifestyle
Update to the Mounts and Other Animals table.
Gadget: Mecha
Changes to the Turbo Chemotank' to accommodate the changes related to Shimmer and Afflictions.
Runeterra
Nazumah
The region now has the Trapper role among its Activity options.
Running the Game
Traps
The traps have been redesigned, bringing new ones to deal with these obstacles and examples for use in campaigns.
Poisons
Poisons have also undergone a revamp, with new poisons being added and some synergies with the Collector: Biologist and Apothecary Crafts, in addition to rules based on the “origin” of collectible poisons.
Afflictions
The Diseases and Madness pages are redone and give way to Afflictions, as explained previously.
Exotic Materials
Changes to the Shimmer system, based on the new Afflictions rules.
