Information February 2025 Balance Changes [Explained]

Reminder: This only contains the balance related changes.



Welcome to our balance changes thread for the February 2025 Patch! While the main focus of this update was the Lunar + Valentine event, we’ve again managed to sneak in a few changes, including a partial rework for Dark Knight, so let's check them out!



「 Macro change 」

• Macro changes from December 2024 patch have been reverted.
  • Attack skills can once again be chained in a macro.
  • Ults (Meteor Shower, Blizzard, Genesis, Dragon Roar) can no longer be put in macro.

While we believe in the previous patch that the macro change is necessary for better game balance, the intended effect has not been as effective as we wish for the tradeoff made. Instead, in the future, we will be exploring other options that have better cost-benefit tradeoff.



「 Dark Knight 」

• Aura of the Beholder is partially reworked!
  • Aura now has 2 new modifier effects on Beholder:
    • If Beholder is summoned, grants 90% stun chance to Dragon Fury attacks.
      • Starts from 18% chance and increases 3% per skill level.
      • Stun duration is 3 seconds.
    • If Beholder is summoned, grants an attack speed increase for the Dark Knight, much like Buccaneer's Speed Infusion. Weapon speed will increase at certain levels of this skill. This stacks with Booster, but not with Buccaneer's Speed Infusion.
      • At skill level 6 and above, increases weapon speed faster by 1.
      • At skill level 16 and above, increases weapon speed faster by 2.
      • Note: When the Buccaneer's Speed Infusion is used, it will replace the aura's effect. After the expiration of the Buccaneer's skill, either the Buccaneer has to use it again, or the Dark Knight can summon Beholder again to reapply their own.
    • Note: The stun and attack speed increase will not apply when Beholder is not summoned.
  • Aura of the Beholder will keep the damage-reflect effect for now, but this will be removed on the final rework.

• Achilles - For the Dark Knight's job, not for Hero and Paladin.
  • Damage taken from enemy is now -30% (from -15%).
  • Every skill level now gives -1% damage reduction (from -0.5%).

As discussed in the Dark Knight feedback thread, we are planning to rework some of the skills for Dark Knight. This is not the full rework yet as Berserk and some of the related skills will require more time to develop. We hope these partial changes will help Dark Knight toward a better gaming experience and please look forward to future changes.

「 Swordsman 」

• Endure - For the Swordman job, not for Thieves.
  • Now gives a 16% chance (2% per level) of not consuming a "healing potion".
    • This does not require the Swordsman to be on a ladder/rope to activate.
    • A potion is considered a "healing potion" if it heals HP, does not influence attack, magic attack, accuracy or avoidability, and is not a transformation potion.
  • Example 1: Using a Grilled Cheese WILL be able to use Endure's effect, as it recovers HP, but doesn't affect the stats mentioned above.
  • Example 2: Using an Onyx Apple will NOT be able to use Endure's effect, as whilst it recovers HP, it influences attack as well.
  • Example 3: Using a Mana Elixir will NOT be able to use Endure's effect, as whilst it doesn't affect the stats mentioned above, it also doesn't recover HP.

  ​

We recognize that all warrior classes have significant potion usage, especially in certain expedition bosses. This change to Endure is meant to reduce some usage in these scenarios. We will be monitoring the effectiveness of this change.

「 Wizard 」

• Slow - Now affects Bosses.

Archmages have long been neglected in the majority of boss recruitments. We will be experimenting with different changes to increase the viability of mages in bossing scenarios.




「 Zakum 」

• Zakum 3rd body EXP has been redistributed among the 3 bodies.
  • Zakum 1st body now gives 1m EXP (from 0 EXP)
  • Zakum 2nd body now gives 2m EXP (from 0 EXP)
    
  • Zakum 3rd body now gives 4m EXP (from 7m EXP)
• Zakum Pillar-looking-like attack is tweaked across all 3 bodies.
  • It is now unavoidable by avoid and shifter (still can walk away from it)
  • The warning indication time is now longer
  • The top vertical damage box is now lowered slightly

Due to the large discrepancy in avoidability between certain classes, high-avoid classes could simply ignore Zakum pillars with minimal chance to be stunned. With this change, players will need to react to falling pillars regardless of their avoidability stat and skills. Because of this change, we have increased the window to react to the attack.



While there are many more changes we would like to do, we'll need to save them for another patch. As always, your sincere feedback is greatly appreciated!
Thanks as usual to all our current staff members with the changes!