[h1][u][b]Team Tidings[/b][/u][/h1] Hey Folks, It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the latest edition of the Final Stand: Ragnarok newsletter. In this edition, we’ll be covering in depth the tons of new content being added to the game in our latest release, Update 1.2! A new Champion, a new game mode, an overhauled progression system and much more await you. Take up the swords of Carthalon, the famed Lion of Carthage, and carve your way through legions of undead while invigorating your allies. Join a party with four others in the new Missions mode, wherein you fight to complete a series of randomized objectives that become more difficult with every success – and should you manage that, you’ll still need to escape alive. After conquering the battlefield, explore the scores of different options within the new Progression Tree, ensuring that your Champion’s playstyle fits you perfectly. There’s a lot to talk about, so without further ado let’s take a look at FS:R’s new update! [h1][u][b]State of the Build: Update 1.2 - Carthalon, Missions, and Progression[/b][/u][/h1] [h2][b]New Champion - Carthalon, the Lion of Carthage[/b][/h2] One of the fiercest gladiators ever to fight in Rome’s coliseums, Carthalon survived impossible odds again and again. Condemned to die in a final bout versus a rabid lion, Carthalon defeated the beast and defied his fate. He would go on to lead a revolt of slaves and gladiators against the Roman Republic, a rebellion that he would not live to see the end of. Now, in death, he has a chance for glory anew and the opportunity to fight for a worthy cause by supporting his newfound allies wherever the fighting is thickest. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/0723708e038bfad01557de3ba412ef95cad5bfc9.jpg[/img] [i]Above: Art of Carthalon about to leap into the fray.[/i] Carthalon is FS:R’s first new Champion, and fulfills the role of a Support Hybrid that can deal damage while supporting and, importantly, healing allies. We’ve wanted to add a character that appeals to players who prefer Support classes in their games for a while now, but we also wanted to avoid adding a strict healer that became mandatory to take for every game. Carthalon is the happy medium that resulted from these discussions – a capable combatant and medic that grows more powerful the longer he stays in the thick of the fight. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/f1c1c49b067ef098590685a46d4dc1947663bcd4.jpg[/img] [i]Above: Carthalon's default appearance in the game lobby, waiting to inflict carnage. Wait, what game mode is that?[/i] Carthalon’s key mechanic is [b]Fervor[/b], represented by the three-pronged flame visible in the center of the screen when playing as him. Fervor increases the strength of all of Carthalon’s abilities in stages, each stage being represented by one of the three prongs being filled completely. Fervor can be built by dealing damage to enemies with either Carthalon’s basic attack [b]Flurry of Blades[/b] or one of his active abilities, [b]Shockwave[/b]. Carthalon’s secondary attack, [b]Furious Strike[/b], does increasing damage dependent on your Fervor – becoming a deadly single target devastator at max Fervor. However, Fervor will begin to decay slowly if you’re not actively fighting. This results in a playstyle where you’re seeking out enemy NPCs, fighting them to build your Fervor, and then utilizing that Fervor for more powerful attacks, abilities, and healing while trying to make sure that it doesn’t decrease in the process. Playing Carthalon requires managing your Fervor carefully, and knowing how best to build it up while still being aware of your allies’ need for support. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/ac9bea0ee0eb6cff3b8f518fca3f208bf8ce540a.jpg[/img] [i]Above: Carthalon's attacks and abilities listed out - study them well before battle.[/i] Carthalon’s three active abilities are reflective of his role as a hybrid Support character. His first active ability, [b]Shockwave[/b], damages and slows nearby enemies. Any enemies killed by this effect award a small amount of Fervor. His second active ability, [b]Protective Shout[/b], is an Area of Effect heal that restores an initial burst of health and then does more healing over time. Importantly, the amount of healing done as well as the total cap for how much healing over time you can receive is determined by Carthalon’s level of Fervor at the time of him using this ability. Carthalon’s third and final active ability, [b]Mark Target[/b], designates a single enemy, allowing allies to regain part of their Shield with each attack. Allies will also deal additional damage to this enemy based on the current amount of Shield they have. If this target dies while marked, it will drop [b]Tokens of Favor[/b] that provide small Health and Mana boosts for any allies that pick them up, similar to Runes that can be found in-game currently. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/13d370f0108a6df31d8a2a8c1fa749a6e3b5f70a.jpg[/img] [i]Above: A preview of some of Carthalon's Rune Mods available in-game.[/i] We’re extremely excited to get Carthalon into your hands – a lot of hard work has gone into having him fill a unique niche not currently available from the five original Champions. His playstyle is active, frenetic, and engaging. It rewards action and aggression and encourages keeping your allies close so that you can keep them in the fight. Heed the call for battle, and let the Lion of Carthage roar once more! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/067541cdb10485cc03e90e8e851b1825051c177f.jpg[/img] [i]Above: Carthalon in action![/i] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/cbf463a9c8a593af16f22dd4b15bb4679a774c04.jpg[/img] [i]Above: He thrives in the fray, where he can build his Fervor and keep his allies alive.[/i] [h2][b]New Game Mode - Missions[/b][/h2] [b]Missions[/b] are a new type of game mode coming in Update 1.2, honing down the scale of party sizes to focus on a more compact, repeatable, and challenging experience. Whenever you queue for a Mission, you’ll spawn in to a series of three randomized objectives placed around the map that can be accomplished in any order. After completing an objective, the difficulty of the subsequent objective increases. In addition, Missions have several marked and unmarked secondary goals that can be completed to reward Runes, eliminate a source of powerful enemies, and provide bonus experience at the end of the round. Once you’ve completed the three main objectives, you and your fellow Champions will then have to reach a teleporter in order to leave and survive the Mission. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/c6d3bf8fad3081d5283b2f927de901932fe0dcf1.jpg[/img] [i]Above: A long abandoned fortress, now turned into a haven for Hel's hordes. Danger and treasure await, but don't tarry...[/i] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/fad66fa28f10e78d84086fffc1d3496a1852d831.jpg[/img] [i]Above: Offerings. Make use of them if you hope to survive.[/i] For Missions, we wanted to ensure that the gameplay loop was different from FS:R’s existing modes. While Scenarios tend to focus on a set of structured objectives with minor elements of randomization, in Missions the randomization and element of chance is at the forefront of the experience. Each Mission you play will provide you with a unique combination of goals, starting location, and side quests to venture out on. And victory won’t come easy – Missions feature a smaller player cap of only 5, but that doesn’t mean they’re a cake walk. If you venture off on your own away from your teammates, you’re going to be at constant risk. Sticking together, communicating, and tackling objectives as a team of Champions that compliment one another are all key to making sure you survive. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/25001f39be2281832c745f0ef33d22cb18b8e3e1.jpg[/img] [i]Above: Do you have what it takes to survive? Do you have what it takes to survive? Time to find out.[/i] There’s still plenty of progress for us to make with Missions, including more art assets, but as is they stand as a proof of concept and a showcase of how much content we can put together quickly in response to player demand for more game mode variety. Buckle up, because we’ve got a lot more exciting content coming to Missions in the future that you won’t want to miss! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/0e394563746eb3c555cd3099d9fced7a8e6f2126.jpg[/img] [i]Above: The sovereign eyes of a fallen demigod watch your ceaseless struggle with unmoving disinterest.[/i] [h2][b]Overhauled Progression System[/b][/h2] One of the key changes coming in Update 1.2 is an overhaul to FS:R’s progression system! In the interest of increasing a player’s ability to make meaningful choices, as well as making those choices sooner than they previously could, we’ve both changed how [b]Rune Mods[/b] are unlocked and added a separate [b]Progression Tree[/b] that allows for you to specialize every Champion to fit your playstyle. There are hundreds of combinations in the Progression Tree for you to try with each Champion as you level them up, and resetting your skill tree is both free and unlimited – so don’t be afraid to experiment! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/51f20630e1e2bf86c67e182b7dd115a278d2e322.jpg[/img] [i]Above: The chosen Perks for Carthalon here highlight just one of dozens of possible paths in the Progression Tree.[/i] Prior to Update 1.2, Rune Mods unlocked one by one in a vertical tier. So you would need to unlock the first Rune in tiers 1 through 5 by leveling before you could access the second Rune in tier 1. While this system functioned well for those who had a lot of time invested into the game, it meant that players interested in a given Rune couldn’t interact with it or try it out until putting a serious amount of time and effort into that Champion. Now, you will receive [b]Rune Keys[/b] as you level up. Each Rune Key can unlock one of the 5 available runes that you have per tier, in any order that you prefer. So instead of having to wait until nearly max level to get the 5th rune slot in Tier 1, you’ll be able to access it almost from the start. Tiers will now also unlock as you level up, providing a more streamlined and easy to understand leveling experience. Additionally, where before you would slowly unlock your equipped Rune Mods in a given match, you will now start with all of your chosen Rune Mods active – all the better to test out new builds and get into the fight. The largest addition to a player’s arsenal of choice in Update 1.2 comes in the form of the Progression Tree. The Progression Tree puts the power firmly in your hands to decide what is most important to you for every Champion. With scores of Perks to unlock as you level up, you will be faced with branching paths and mutually exclusive upgrades that not only buff you but wholly alter your playstyle. Do you want to deal more damage at any cost? You can specialize in just that, sacrificing Mana with each swing in order to maximize how much punishment you dish out. Or you could focus on enhancing your Shield, making sure it lasts as long as possible – which is particularly useful if you take the perk that gives you unlimited sprinting so long as your Shield is active! Boost your Mana returns from dealing and taking damage so that you never have to stop using your abilities mid-fight. We could go on and on, but it’ll be that much sweeter to see players discover their own builds and preferences with the system we’ve built. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/ea50602cd0e72a65fc8da27c06f72de776fe07d9.jpg[/img] [i]Above: The decisions made in the Progression Tree can be reset at any time – but why would you ever want to get rid of unlimited sprint?[/i] Between the six different Champions and scores of Perks within the tree, there are truly so many different ways that you can choose to take things as you level up – all coming in Update 1.2! [h2][b]Game Mode Selection[/b][/h2] A longstanding feature request from the community, we’re happy to announce that you can now select which game mode to queue for in Update 1.2. Simply click on the UI element directly above that beautiful big ‘Play’ button and you’ll be able to choose between hopping in the queue for Scenarios (Towers of Vigrith, Arena, and Dungeon Maze), and Missions (new in Update 1.2). Adding this quality-of-life feature made sense for Update 1.2, as the addition of a new game mode with a drastically different experience means having the element of choice is more important than ever. Game mode selection will become even more important as more maps and modes are added to FS:R in the future. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/ae437225355cd5b6261139047270026e76bff16a.jpg[/img] [i]Above: The new game mode selector – while Battle Royale won’t be available when Update 1.2 releases, you can expect it to feature shortly thereafter![/i] [h2][b]New Character Skins[/b][/h2] In any third person game, you’re going to spend the vast majority of your experience staring at your chosen character – in FS:R, this means watching them hack, slash, and blast their way through thousands of enemies in an epic battle for the ages. But not every battle has to be fought with grim, dark determination – there’s always room for a little sunshine. That’s why to cap off a summer full of FSR updates, we’ll be releasing our Beach Collection! It’s time for the Champions of Ragnarok to soak in some sun and catch some (snow) waves. Available for purchase through the in-game store, make sure to pick them up so you can close out the summer in style. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/396a36ba97985c28453e7d01aae8390bce7a81cb.jpg[/img] [i]Above: Our fabulous five, ready for anything summer has to throw at them.[/i] [h1][u][b]Release Notes: Update 1.2[/b][/u][/h1] [h2][b]Major Features[/b][/h2] [b]Progression[/b] [list] [*] Players now have an entirely new way to customize their Champions with the Progression Tree! Assign perks that grant buffs to your Champion, and watch your power grow as you level up. You have a limited amount of perk points but can respec freely at any time – build your Champion to be a brutal damage dealer or a speedy tank, the choice is yours. [/list] [b]New Game Mode: Missions[/b] [list] [*] In our new Missions game mode, the Champions are sent to complete a series of randomized objectives on one of the infinite battlefields of Ragnarok! Fight hordes of enemies, achieve your goals, and then fight your way back to the portal to escape before time runs out. [/list] [b]New Champion: Carthalon the Gladiator[/b] [list] [*] FS:R’s first new Champion, Carthalon, is now available to play! Carthalon is both a melee damage dealer and healer able to slash through minions with his dual swords while building up Fervor to buff himself and heal allies. [/list] [h3][b]Art[/b][/h3] [b]Missions Map Decoration[/b] [list] [*] The Art Team has created new assets and updated old ones for the Missions game mode. With randomized layouts and objectives, we’ve made sure to create some recognizable landmarks to help players navigate the battlefield and complete their goals. [/list] [h3][b]FX[/b][/h3] [b]Missions Objective FX[/b] [list] [*] The FX team has been hard at work supporting our efforts on Missions. New explosions, new sparkles, and revamps of some of our favorite twinkles have been added to spice up the action. [/list] [h3][b]Audio[/b][/h3] [b]New Music[/b] [list] [*] Our Missions Game Mode comes with a suite of new music for various states, such as the dramatic escape finale. Keep your ears tuned for all of the new grooves that serve as the backdrop to your glory! [/list] [h3][b]Gameplay[/b][/h3] [b]Game Mode Select[/b] [list] [*] With the introduction of Missions, we’ve added a Game Mode Select to the main menu. Now you can choose whether you queue for one of the existing Scenarios, or the new Missions mode. And who knows what other modes might find their way there? [/list] [b]Rune Mod Rework[/b] [list] [*] Rune Mods have been reworked to go along with the new Progression system. Now you unlock your mods with Rune Keys that you can earn by leveling up your Champion. As you keep playing you keep earning more Keys to unlock powerful new Mods. This allows you to choose the order in which you unlock new Rune Mods with much greater freedom. [*] [/list] [b]Revive Adjustments[/b] [list] [*] Noticing the loop of revives in matches, the Gameplay team has adjusted when you’re able to revive your allies. If you’ve just been revived yourself, there’s a 16 second cooldown until you can revive your allies – so try to stick together! You will see the “Too tired to Revive” message if you attempt to revive during this cooldown. In the future, we’ll be adding a UI element to more clearly communicate when a player is unable to revive/be revived. [/list] [u][b][h2]Bug Fixes[/h2][/b][/u] [list] [*] Several Rune Mods were not functioning as intended, such as the damage values from Jalb’s Sundering Shield Bash. We have tuned these to work as expected. [*] We’ve implemented a fix for usernames overflowing in the End Match Summary screen. [*] We’ve also gotten in fixes for several issues backfilling matches. [*] The Audio team has improved the audio volume in several areas that were playing either too loudly or softly to be more balanced. [/list] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/b9ce6881376b985a27fdb27e0a943311f5259877.png[/img] [h1][u][b]What's Next?[/b][/u][/h1] While players can expect to have their hands full with a new Champion, new game mode, and overhauled progression system, we’re always looking to hint towards what’s coming in the future of FS:R. In this case in particular, a screenshot will speak more clearly than any description ever could! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/41353282/34c7fcf43fcbc4e4005f2786af005c86ea50b506.jpg[/img] [i]Above: These are not the frost-rimed hills we’ve become accustomed to – where are we?[/i] [h1][u][b]Final Note[/b][/u][/h1] That just about wraps up everything coming to FS:R in Update 1.2, big and small. Between the game’s first new Champion, a new game mode, and a complete overhaul to progression, there’s a lot to sink your teeth into. Many of the changes and additions were only made possible utilizing player feedback, so be sure to share what you want to see in-game with the team. Keep an eye out for the next edition of our newsletter in order to stay up to date with the latest and greatest that FS:R has to offer! If you or a friend has been waiting to check out Final Stand: Ragnarok, you can [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1605600/Final_Stand_Ragnark/]purchase the game right here on Steam[/url]. If you’re looking for other Champions to play with, you can check out the FSR Discord server here: https://discord.gg/finalstandragnarok We’ll see you on the battlefield, Champions!