As the name may suggest, this patch focuses on delivering on the promise of variety; inside you’ll find a host of changes including new characters, a new item, and more ways to customize the way you play. Variety is the spice of life, and Battle Squares gets a little spicier with this content patch, so dig in and enjoy!

GENERAL

The first order of business this patch was to increase the amount of game options available to players before the game starts. As a result, new “Advanced game options” have been added to give the host more control on how the game is being played.

NEW – OPTIONS GALORE:

A new “AP Multiplier” option has been added.
- This option multiplies all AP gained from rolling the dice.
A new “Roll Difficulty” option has been added.
- This option adjusts how easy it is for players to control the dice.
A new “Turn Timer” option has been added.
- This option adjusts how much time a player has to take their turn, and allows the timer to be disabled.
A new “Heroic Item Limit” option has been added.
A new “Random Characters” option has been added.
- When enabled, all players will be assigned random characters when the game starts. (Overrides all character selection).
A new “Underdog Buffs” option has been added.
- When enabled, players that are behind in net worth will receive Underdog buffs.

OTHER OPTION CHANGES:

A new 18-round option has been added to the rounds drop-down list.

CHANGED – LEVEL BONUSES

Leveling up now grants +35 AP (+45 if first). (Changed from +20/ 35).

CHANGED – Revival Costs

Revival cost lowered from 15 AP (+15 per death) + .5% Net Worth (+2% per death) –> 5 (+10 per death) + .5% net worth (+1% per death).

CHARACTERS

Since the Character update, players have had to struggle with the choice of whether or not to use their character ability or roll the dice. This was an interesting decision, but made it necessary that all character abilities meet a minimum power level in order to ever see use. This change allows players to do both, while allowing for more combos and interactions between game elements to enable more intriguing options.

RULE CHANGE:

Players can now roll and use their character abilities in the same turn.

NEW CHARACTERS

NEW CHARACTER: Melizan

PASSIVE TRAIT: Amplified Magic
- Harmful spells cast by Melizan are cast on all enemies. Beneficial spells cast by Melizan trigger twice.

CHARACTER ABILITY: Tempest
- Deal 20 damage to all other players. If you’ve cast a spell this turn, this ability does not go on cooldown but its energy cost increases by 1 this turn.

NEW CHARACTER: James

PASSIVE TRAIT: Objection!
- The first time James is targeted by an enemy, he silences them for 1 turn.

CHARACTER ABILITY: Lawsuit
- James sues a target player, taking 10% of their Net Worth (Max 150 AP). James can only use this ability against players that have targeted or killed him this game.

BALANCE CHANGES

Allowing character abilities to be used on the same turn as rolling introduces a lot of potential imbalances. As such, the power level of nearly all characters has been trimmed down to compensate.

AIMOND

Boo! Cooldown increased from 4 –> 6 rounds.

GRAMPS

Back in My Day duration decreased from 2 rounds –> 1 round.
Back in My Day now expires at the start of Gramps’ next turn, rather than at the end of a round.

NURSE ANN

Emergency pass-thru damage reverted from 55 –> 40.
Emergency cooldown increased from 2 –> 4 rounds.

ROBBIE

Snatch ability cooldown increased from 4 –> 6 rounds.
Robbie no longer becomes Untargetable after successfully stealing an item.
Robbie’s stolen items now only sell for 40% of the items original cost. (Down from 50%).
Robbie’s Snatch can only steal items worth 110 AP or less. (Down from 120).

SARGE

Boot camp energy cooldown increased from 4 –> 5 rounds.

STEVE

Bunny Rage energy cost increased from 6 –> 7 energy.
Bunny Rage bonus health ratio decreased from 40% –> 35%.

TIM

Snapshot sell price reduced from 50 –> 25 AP.
Snapshot cooldown increased from 3 –> 4 rounds.
Snapshot energy cost increased from 1 –> 2.
Sightseer (Passive) now only grants +6 experience and +10 AP after Tim uses his ability. (Down from 15/15).
Tim’s Snapshot can no longer be used when:
- Tim is currently moving around the board.
- Tim is currently rolling the dice or selecting a roll modifier/action.
- A square effect is currently resolving. (Such as auctions, the pot, etc).

NAI XIN

Passive buffed to read:
- When Nai Xin has 8 or more energy (down from 10) he gains +3 Attack and Defense.
Chi Transfer cooldown reduced from 4 –> 3 rounds.

COMBAT

Combat changes!

CHANGED – SOFTER CAP

The damage cap has been softened, allowing for damaging attacks and abilities to exceed 75 damage. However, any damage over the cap is now reduced by 75%.

CHANGED – LESS DAMAGE

All damage dealt in combat has been reduced by 20%.

CHANGED – DEFENSE EFFECTIVENESS

Defense is also 20% more effective at reducing damage taken.

CHANGED – FINAL BRAWL

For the final brawl, AP gains/losses are increased by 50%.

ITEMS

A new tool for dealing with players who repeatedly hit you with damaging items. (Ow).

NEW – Rebounder Star

Costs 40 AP
Grants +3 Defense.
After being targeted by an enemy outside of combat, become Untargetable for 1 turn. (4 Round cooldown).

Item Balance Changes

Alien Shield
- Reduces all incoming damage by 5. (Up from 2).
- Defense bonus increased from 7 –> 8.
- Cost increased from 120 AP –> 155 AP.

Cursed Blade
- % Max health ratio increased from 10 –> 12%.

Dash’Kai Blood Tome
- Self-damage dealt increased from 10 –> 20.
- Energy bonus decreased from 2 –> 1.

Earthmother’s Root
- Bonus damage reduced from 5% Max Health –> 4% Max Health.

Eddy’s Emerald
- Cost increased from 60 –> 125 AP.
- Health bonus decreased from 15 –> 5.

Enmar’s Time Rod
- No longer restores 6 energy upon use.
- Cooldown increased from 4 –> 6 rounds.

Giant’s Bane
- Cost reduced from 150 –> 140 AP.
- Attack bonus changed from 3 –> 0.
- % Max health ratio increased from 18% –> 20%.

Hyperdrink
- Energy restoration changed from 8 (4 in combat) –> 6 at all times.

Magic Glove
- Is now auction exclusive.

Ol’ Muriel’s Pin
- Moved to the item pool, and is no longer purchasable in the shop.

Painkillers
- Effect changed: Consume: Reduce all damage taken outside of combat by 75% until your next turn.
- Can no longer be used in combat.

Sirkind’s Grandstaff
- Energy bonus increased from 3 –> 4.
- Cost increased from 70 –> 100 AP.
- Is now a level 3 item.

Sorrow
- % Max Health ratio increased from 7 –> 8%.
- Cost increased from 62 –> 80 AP.
- Is now a level 3 item.

Training Sword
- Cost increased from 45 –> 55 AP.
- Now grants +2 attack after rolling a 5 or less.

Veerin’s Revenge
- Haunt effect now also applies when the player receives a combo strike.
- Defense bonus increased from 7 –> 8

Vitality Armor
- Health bonus increased from 40 –> 65.
- Active effect cooldown reduced from 5 –> 4 rounds.

REMOVED ITEMS

Quizzle’s Mark
Cultist Robe

SPELLS

Time Warp

Energy cost increased from 2 –> 4.

SQUARES

Battle Squares
- Bonus attack and defense from combat training increased to 3. (Other options are unchanged).

VISUALS

It isn’t too often you see this section, but there are some new visual additions!

ANIMATIONS

Added flinch animations for when players take damage.
Refined the out of combat death animation.
Added a recover animation when players revive after death.
Added a spell cast and character ability use animation for Steve, Gramps, Melizan, Sarge, and Nai Xin.

PARTICLES

Added lightning particles for Arcanopulse, and for Hex square damage.

Bug Fixes

Fixed a bug where reviving sometimes wouldn’t remove fatigue effects.
Fixed a bug where Infinity Potion would return too soon in AI games.
Fixed a bug where using the revive capsule icon would cause the revive UI to stay visible for too long.

Patch 0.5.3 — Variety Patch!