Information September 2023 Balance Changes [Explained]

Reminder: This only contains the balance related changes.



Welcome to our balance changes for the September 2023 Patch! Our main focus for this patch was the HP Challenge System and as an bonus we've fixed up a number of hitbox issues that have plagued the server for years. Hope you enjoy this patch!



「 Challenges System 」

The Challenges System has become a far bigger project than we expected, but we're happy to have finally landed on a version that we're fully satisfied with, and that we're now releasing for a final test. To be more specific, this final round of testing will only last one patch: short of gamebreaking glitches, the first two tiers of the HP Challenges System will be fully released during our upcoming Halloween patch.

Speaking of release, we have decided to take a different approach than what we had first planned. Instead of releasing the whole system in one single patch, we will be working on two tiers at a time; this will make for a more flexible release schedule, that also won't risk getting delayed because of enormous workload.
Additionally, this will enable us to work on different content, instead of being forced to wait on the full completion of the Challenge system before being able to tackle other projects.

Although the primary objective of the Challenges System is to create an alternative to HP washing, we don't want the gameplay associated with the system to be simple and dull. Players should be rewarded with a unique game experience, where you craft your own story and are allowed to progress doing what you enjoy the most, while still enabling you to be able to experience all types of content. As this is MapleLegends' biggest custom feature, we believe it should be as refined as possible. Ensuring that players can enjoy it for a good deal of time, while not getting to the point of repetitive. Trying to strive to this level of standard has resulted in us taking more time than expected for its release, and we hope that players understand our choice of approach.
With these concepts in mind, the following changes (compared with the previous live testing) have been applied:

• The Mandatory challenges that previously required players to kill a number of monsters has been replaced by a completely custom Questline (still mandatory).
  • There will be a questline for Challenges tier 1, and a different (still custom) questline for Challenges tier 2.
• The Mandatory challenge that previously required to deal a specific amount of damage with a skill based on the character class has been replaced by a quest given by your job instructor.
  • The quests will still be based on skills of your class, but not necessarily about damage.
• The requirement to complete all previous Optional challenges of a specific type, in order to attempt that type of challenge at your current tier, has been removed.
  • This means that you will no longer need to complete Boss I and Boss II, before being able to challenge Boss III, for example.
  • Only one challenge for each type can be challenged at a time: this means that you won't be able to challenge Boss II while you're challenging Boss I.
  • The !challenges command has been completely revamped, and will now also offer you the option to pick which challenge to keep active.
• The requirement to complete a Challenge tier has been altered: it now includes the Mandatory Questline (the job-specific Quest), and at least three Optional challenges of your choice (of the same tier that you're trying to complete).

Using custom questlines, we want to give players the feeling of embarking on a series of stories that might initially feel disconnected between each other, but perhaps might come together in the future through unexpected developments, plot twists, solved mysteries, and so on.

We've previously worked with custom questlines with the Monsterbook Ring, but this is a much bigger undertaking, with a fleshed out storyline, custom assets, and potentially new quest mechanics. We hope to offer a seamless journey that provides players with a natural sense of progression.

Finally, we don't want players to feel forced to "give up" on their Challenges questline exploration because of the limitations we put in place to access the bonus HP. Because of this, we have changed the way the HP is gained: completing each Challenges tier will "collect" the bonus HP into a pool, that the player can then ask Rosa about at any time they want. You will still need to opt out of HP washing, and to remove your assigned AP into HP/MP, but unlike before, this choice can be made at any point, thus removing what could have been a tough roadblock too early in the life of a character.

「 Skill specific drop rate 」

• Blizzard, Genesis, Meteor Shower - Drop rate remains functionally unchanged
• Non-ultimate mage skills - Drop rate is higher than ultimates, but comparable to the average drop rate for all non-mage classes

• Dragon Roar - Drop rate decreased to be comparable to mage ultimates drop rate

• Aerial Strike - Drop rate slightly reduced

While we can't divulge fully how our drop rates work (even if we did, it would require maybe an entire page of explanation), we've reworked how we've coded it so that we are able to tweak certain skills and how it functions within our drop system. What does this mean? It means we'll be able to change drop rates for any specific skills moving forward without them getting affected by other factors.

In trying to promote alternative gameplay, we have improved the drop rates for other mage skills. So you should see a better rate for non-ultimate skills than before. That said, when we compare it amongst different classes, the rates should still remain comparable! If you're asking how does this make sense? It's due to a modifier that used to exist for ALL mage skills, rather than just solely for ultimates. We're assuming this existed because of how they are a full map attack and are extremely efficient at clearing out mobs. However, by recoding the drop rates, we were able to remove that class modifier and make it skill specific. If this still doesn't make sense, just blame the original code & original drop rate formula (the ones that we didn't code).

As we're able to apply skill-specific rate adjustments, we felt that Dragon Roar and Aerial Strike should also be given a similar treatment as mage ultimates, as they are also full map attacks with highly efficient clear rates. This change was implemented with hopes of making all full map attacks have a more consistent drop rate, even across different classes.

Do bear in mind this allows for easier customization on our end, so based on community feedback, changes can be made - in either a buff or a nerf - depending on what players feel is fair.



「 Bishop 」

• Resurrection - Health recovery now includes HP from equipment when resurrecting dead players
• Resurrection - Health recovery is now based on skill level, starting from 10% at level 1 to 100% at level 10.

Resurrection used to provide base HP health recovery when resurrected, which is confusing since the HP bar shown in the game interface includes both base HP and equipment HP. This resulted in some cases where players think they have just enough HP to survive but get instantly killed upon resurrecting. Including health recovery from both base HP and equipment HP should fix this problem.

Resurrection is also a very powerful skill, but right now its a "1 skill point wonder". We want to move away from this preconception of Resurrection, and instead make players have to balance out the benefits of their array of skills, much like other classes do, when leveling up their Bishops. Resulting in a more flexible build depending on each player's gameplay preference.

「 Buccaneer 」

• Male Transformation/Super Transformation - Standardized the vertical height hitbox to be similar as the female counterpart

In some of the transformation animations, the male version of transformation and super transformation have a taller hitbox, which resulted in a disadvantageous scenarios like in Bergamot 3rd body where even when you duck, male buccaneers will get damaged while the female counterpart wouldn't. This has been changed so that the choice of gender does not result in any unintended advantages or disadvantages.

「 Night Lord 」

• Alchemist - No longer increases duration of potions
• Alchemist - Increased the recovery rate from 150% to 200%

A duration for potions via alchemist offers a significant gameplay advantage especially on high end attack potions like Gelt Chocolate and Onyx Apple. Considering that some of these resources are only obtainable in a limited fashion, it wouldn't be fair for other classes. We therefore decided to shift the skill benefit toward recovery rate as potions are freely available through NPC shops and will not be as advantageous. Additionally, this change is intended to be more economically helpful for 3rd job Hermits that don't have the large HP and MP pools that can fully utilize the percentage-based potions to reduce potion costs.



Grinding in late 3rd job is known to be difficult due to the lack of monsters with good HP to EXP ratio. While the solution is simple to just improve the ratio for many of the 3rd job appriopariate monsters, we would like to avoid buffing monsters in maps that provide massive advantages to full map attacks, as it will unintentionally further the leeching meta. We chosen to adjust the ratios for a select number of monsters in hopes they can provide alternative grinding spots for actual 3rd job players.

「 Rexton 」

• EXP increased to 4,104 (1.8x from 2,280)

「 Brexton 」

• Increase EXP to 5,250 (2.1x from 2,500)

「 Thanatos 」

• HP increased to 350,000 (5x from 70,000)
• EXP increased to 32,800 (8x from 4,100)
• Significantly improve the overall drop rate on various items

「 Gatekeeper 」

• HP increased to 390,000 (5x from 78,000)
• EXP increased to 37,410 (8.7x from 4,300)
• Significantly improve the overall drop rate on various items

Over the years we noticed a number of bosses with hitbox issues, but changing them required painstakingly changing them individually for every frame. xiaoyaoz is our savior and took it upon himself to implement these changes. These QoL changes (1) improve hitbox consistency, (2) improve when damage visualizations show up, and (3) improve hitbox and animation syncing. The bosses that received these QoL changes are:

• Papulatus
  
• Bergamot 1, 2, 3
• Dunas 1
• Nibelung 1, 2, 3
• Nameless Magic Monster
• Dunas 2, Dunas Unit, Shield Dunas
• Royal Guard
  
• Castellan, Castellan Toad

Additionally, the following stationary bosses have had their knockback value increased to 200k, with the intention to reduce chances of "frozen" behavior from them:

• Bergamot 1, 2, 3
• Nibelung 1, 2, 3
  
• Castellan, Castellan Toad

We also did some new changes for some of the bosses in hopes of making bossing a little more interactive for players without stretching them too far from the originals. This includes making some attacks more react-able, and some others requiring player response to dodge them. Let us know what you think and if they can be made more interesting!

「 Papulatus 」

• [Result of QoL change] Melee characters can now consistently hit Papulatus from the floor
  
• [Result of QoL change] Papulatus can now be damaged when it is healing

「 Bergamot 」

• [Result of QoL change] Gun attack from first body is now react-able
  
• [Result of QoL change] Rocket attack no longer causes random bow/crossbow/claw swing
• [Result of QoL change] Bergamot will continue to animate when all characters are on the bottom right of it
• [Result of QoL change] All Bergamot attacks will no longer damage a transformed Buccaneer that is ducking

「 Dunas 1 」

• [Result of QoL change] Purple looking attack no longer randomly "dash"
• [Result of QoL change] Melee characters can now consistently hit Dunas from certain spots

「 Nibelung 」

• [Result of QoL change] Characters can now consistently damage Nibelung from beneath it
• [Result of QoL change] Bullets attack no longer causes random bow/crossbow/claw swing
• [Result of QoL change] The Bullets full damage is dodgable by maneuvering around them
• [Result of QoL change] Characters situated beneath Nibelung will receive touch damage

• [New Changes] Weapon cancel cooldown is increased to 40 seconds
• [New Changes] Summon cooldown is decreased to 15 seconds
• [New Changes] Large missile attack no longer stuns on damage
• [New Changes] Large missile attack horizontal range has increased to cover the "safe spot" with decreased damage in the newly extended area (previous hit range will still receive touch-like damage)
  
• [New Changes] Some experimental visual "movement" on purple laser attack (hit range remains the same)

• [Revamp] Small missile attack is now an area warning type attack
  
• [New Changes] Small missile attack is unavoidable but dodgeable by walking away from it
  
• [New Changes] Small missile attack potential horizontal range has significantly increased and will reach range attackers
  
• [New Changes] Small missile attack now stuns on damage
  
• [New Changes] Small missile attack damage has been decreased
• [New Changes] Cloud damage frequency is decreased and now has 999 accuracy

「 Nameless Magic Monster 」

• [Result of QoL change] Orange ground slamming attack is now react-able

• [New Changes] Orange ground slamming attack is dodgeable by jumping
• [Revamp] Lightning attack is now an area warning type attack
• [New Changes] Lightning attack is unavoidable but dodgeable by walking away from it
  
• [New Changes] Lightning attack maximum horizontal range has largely increase and will reach range attackers
  
• [New Changes] Lightning attack stun duration is increased to 3 seconds

• [New Changes] Added a Weapon Defense Up buff (similar to Dunas 1) on an unused skill animation
  
• [New Changes] Added a Magic Defense Up buff (similar to Dunas 1) on an unused skill animation

• Mysterious Coin Pouch 2 droprate has been slightly increased

「 Dunas 2 」

• [Result of QoL change] Shield Dunas Laser Attack is dodgeable by ducking
• [Result of QoL change] Shield Dunas Purple looking attack now shows the proper hit area
• [Result of QoL change] Dunas 2 no longer randomly "dashes" on its Purple looking attack
  
• [Result of QoL change] Melee characters can now consistently hit Dunas from certain spots

• [New Changes] Shield Dunas jump attack hitbox hits the back too
• [New Changes] Spawn animation for Dunas 2 is sped up to look more natural
• [New Changes] Dunas 2 Dispel skill is changed to Confuse now

• [Revamp] Dunas 2 Yellow looking attack is now an area warning type attack
• [New Changes] Dunas 2 Yellow looking attack is unavoidable but dodgeable by walking away from it
• [New Changes] Dunas 2 Yellow looking attack horizontal range has largely increased and can reach range attackers
  
• [New Changes] Dunas 2 Yellow looking attack now dispels on damage (no longer stuns, knockback still remains)

「 Castellan Toad 」

• [Result of QoL change] The transition of first body to second body now looks smoother
• [Result of QoL change] Second body now have attacks timings that are well separated to prevent an attack going off while the character is still in an iFrame from the previous attack
• [Result of QoL change] Tongue attack no longer does random touch damage
• [Result of QoL change] Tongue attack no longer causes random bow/crossbow/claw swing
• [Result of QoL change] Tongue attack is now dodgeable by ducking
  
• [Result of QoL change] Wave looking attacks no longer have a smaller hitbox in between animations
  
• [Result of QoL change] Damage lines are now more consistently placed throughout the second body

Due to a fix done on a monster skill level, the following monsters existing confuse skill will have a cooldown of 60 seconds (previously default to 0 second)

• Leviathan
• Rex the Wise (from Pink Bean)
• Super-Charged Poison Golem

We hope this round of changes will offer some interesting refinement to how Challenge works and how bosses felt. 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 much appreciated!

Special thanks as usual to all our current and previous staff members who were involved with the changes!