A Journey through Consciousness - Facing Alpha Nemesis - BiMonthly Log #9 (no video) - 07.01.2024 - 21.01.2024 (BiMonthly Updated)

// sorry for the delay, I took extra 2 days to finalise the Fanatic's skills and apply all the properties to the game correctly (made a lot of mistakes in time, since my brain feels kinda super bored of all these thousands of properties added)

07 - 21.01.2024

< ALCHEMIST skill set rework >

<> Removed Elemental Field mechanic entirely, replaced it with the similar Combo Field mechanic.

<> Reworked almost completely the ability "Elemental Field Mastery" (Passive), replacing most of the older effects with newer ones.

 >> Removed the necessity to create the tedious code for the algorithm that would check for any such effect overlaps and what such Elemental Fields would be on each tile.

<> Removed all mentions of Elemental Fields in Passive "Alchemist".

<> Rewrote Glyph Mastery's description (Passive) to remove old terms. Slight changes to its effect as well.

<> Elixir of Gases (Elixir) description changes (slightly). Removed the +10 Poison damage to Attacks. Now all units inside take +25% Poison damage.

<> Elixir of Concealment buffed to also grant Unfettered Cloak (Dark Utility) on target as well.

<> Elixir of Prosperity (Elixir) changes to effect, to make its current sizes grant somewhat different effects instead of the same but buffed.

<> Elixir of Quickwit (Elixir) effect rework, allowing the cast of another ability during the same Phase.

<> Elixir of Quickening (Elixir) effect slight changes.

<> Elixir of Storing (Elixir) CD reduced from 5 to 3. Slight description change to better reflect functionality.

<> Elixir of Supply (Elixir) full rework, allowing it to be used as a "Shop" instead, which enables caster to purchase Buffs, boons, Any Aura they'd like, automatically remove 1 Ailment or receive healing amount of their choice.

 >> Resource stored does not reset on this ability's duration reset or end.

 >> Drink Uses increased from 1 to 2, yet CD also increased from 3 to 4 rounds.

<!> Added duration for each effect applied, like Combo Fields' typical 2 rounds duration and "Stinkin' Hell Cloud's" duration of 3 rounds.

<!> Since Potions would make use of the Elemental Field mechanic (old, removed), all corresponding Tags regarding it were replaced with Combo Field Generator.

  >> Potions can also be thrown at self, which means they can be thrown on the same tile as caster. Mentioned this in each Potion's description.

<> Basic Potion (Default Attack) now also removes 2 Debuffs on affected allies. Struck enemies grant 1x [Toxic Reagent] instead of 2. This is also a Combo Trigger.

<> Potion of Mana - each size gained a new minor effect as well.

<> "Life-Balance" Concoction (Potion) slight damage increases for Small and Medium sizes, added the "Targets: 6" tag, like with all other Potions to show it's an AoE. CD reduced from 8 to 4 rounds.

<> Potion of Mana-Flow (Potion) CD reduced from 5 to 3. Now also applies Wonder (2 rounds) on allies.

<> Potion of Bitter-Renewal (Potion) CD reduced from 7 to 4.

<> Absinthian Might (Potion) CD reduced from 6 to 3. ATK granted by each size increased slightly (except Jumbo) as well as the permanently gained stats.

<> Potion of Intellect (Potion) CD reduced from 6 to 4, quality of life improvements. Jumbo size no longer applies Clarity for 3 rounds (Clarity now has default duration of 2). However, each size now also has new effects.

<> Potion of Recovery (Potion) slight improvements to effect. CD reduced from 5 to 3.

<> Potion of Absorption (Potion) CD reduced from 5 to 4, slightly increased damage and added the assimilate function. Now caster also can gain Omni Shield through this Potion (based on affected allies).

<> Bottled Storm (Potion) now applies Buffs and Debuffs on allies as well as some Debuffs on foes struck. CD reduced from 5 to 4.

<> Stink Bomb (Potion) applies a lot of Minor Effects as well, during Introductory Phase and each Main Phase.

 >> Removed +20% Fire damage taken by all units. Added +25% Poison damage taken by all instead.

 >> Classified its effect as Environmental.

 >> Initial damage increased from 24 to 52 Poison damage.

 >> Applies 1 Dark Favor, 1 Debuff and removes 2 Buffs from each character (non-summoned units) during each Main Phase, if possible.

 >> CD reduced from 8 to 5.

<> Bottled Inferno (Potion) CD reduced from 7 to 4, its effect is also a Combo Trigger and additionally applies 1 Mini Effect per size. Knockback was also removed from JUMBO size and added as default effect (each size has it now, with a strength that varies by size as well).

<> Gale Potion (Potion) CD reduced from 6 to 3. Now can be cast during any Phase, not just Engage Phase.

<> Bubble Brew (Potion) CD reduced from 5 to 4, effects shortened and now applies 2 Mini Effects.

<> Rock in a Bottle (Potion) CD reduced from 7 to 3, also applies Fragility and Disoriented (1 round).

<> Contaminated Brew (Potion) had in Loss of Life changed to Death damage and its damage increased for each size.

 >> Now it also creates a Stinkin' Hell Cloud for 3 rounds.

 >> No longer removes all Ailments on struck allies, but reduces their duration by -1 instead.

 >> Affected Ailments are still copied upon any struck foe and the effect was reformulated to make better sense.

 >> Revived allies gain slightly more max HP and max Mana % based on the number of boons on caster; they also gain Regeneration (2 rounds).

 >> CD reduced from 11 to 5.

<> Added properties for Action Point and Movement Point gain prevention to each minor foe, as well as added all these changes into the game.

 >> Corrected 2 situations where property IDs were wrong.

<> Added general Potions' properties into the Common Event that begins the PBS.

<> Added general properties of minor foes (Stats and Resistances) to the game (personal ones have been added before).

<> Added general properties for minor foes' abilities (except mini-boss, they don't need this since they are a single entity- no duplicates).

<> Added a new ability line for Se-j Yyayi-kaara Rözantróffa named Talismans. These have indefinite duration and automatically trigger on self OR enemies struck by caster's next ability.

<> Corrected a keyword color for Freezing (Debuff).

<> Removed all properties regarding "personal success chance" from all characters and performed this correction of all characters in game.

<> Finalised Se-j Yyayi-kaara Rözantróffa's rework.

 >> Glyph Mastery (Passive) rework for each Glyph she can Craft. Removed the "only once per round" limit of any of her Glyphs (except the free Action Point gain, which is limited to 1 per round by default ruleset).

 >> Clarification: Glyph effects do not stack, yet can now be applied more than once per round (so if applied and used in Main Phase 1, they can be reapplied in Main Phase 2, or any oother remaining usable Phase of the current round).

 >> Added a +40 extra damage / healing output buff to Minor Glyph of Power, since it's effect was changed from "+6 output damage / healing" to "+12 damage / healing output per boon on self".

 >> Since Se-j Yyayi-kaara Rözantróffa's old mechanic "Elemental Fields" was replaced with the already existing, new, Combo Field mechanic (Guild Wars 2 inspired) there is no more need to add Elemental Field properties to each map tile to see whether any of her Elemental Fields would be affecting that particular tile.

 >> All her effects apply themselves on foes on them being hit.
 >> Removed the three types of application (on hit, on move, on being on an affected tile) and their horrid code that were specific to Elemental Fields' function.

 >> Effects applied on foes that have a duration are not new effects, but Mini Effects, so they need no new extra properties to add, allowing the removal of the older ones.

 >> Talisman effects allow her to be a bit more oppressive through the ability to inflict hidden Mini Effects on player.

 >> Elemental Field Mastery (Passive) renamed to Combo Field Mastery, and each effect changed from slightly to fully.

 >> Elixir of Concealment CD increased from 1 to 2 (there are 3 versions of each Elixir and Potion that can be used individually - only 1 of ANY size can be used per round).

 >> Elixir of Wealth (Elixir) - removed the effect that grants caster -1 CD per ally that drinks ANY of these sizes. This was done due to the great CD reduction performed on each Elixir.

 >> Slightly nerfed the bonuses granted by Elixir of Quickening for each size, even if they cannot stack (only 1 such Elixir can be drunk per round, irrespective of size, and their effects last 1 round). Yet such bonuses may stack too much, and adding a max limit to these values means having to add extra properties which is a piss.

 >> Elixir of Quickness no longer grants caster Reagents when allies use this Elixir, since caster can now Craft them at the cost of Mana. Now, this Elixir and all its sizes can be used under Stun (Debuff) and Knockdown (Ailment) and automatically removes both. Also heals, per size, if ANY is removed.

 >> Slight cost reductions for the healing provided by Elixir of Supply's Large and JUMBO sizes.

 >> Basic Potion (Attack) has had its Combo Trigger effect set to trigger AFTER creating its Water Field instead of before. Now also grants 2x [Toxic Reagent] per enemy struck, as was in the beginning (was reduced from 2 to 1).

 >> Corrected multiple property names that regarded the wrong Elixir size (due to copy-pasting names).

 >> Corrected "Like a Chemical Spill . . ."(Passive) where it stated that Talismans have Application Speed. Corrected the effect to show that Talismans are instant Craft and instant Cast (they need to be activated).

<> Finalised Se-j Yyayi-kaara Rözantróffa's abilities properties set for her as well as the first enemy.

<> Classified the newer effects: general Runes (Ground Markings), general Traps, general Gadgets and the only general Device as "General Machinations".

<> Creating properties for each of these within the minor foes' general properties (variable 970): general properties as well as the specific ones.

<> These General Machinations can be cast outside of a Phase's action limit of 1 instant and 1 non-instant action, despite their own Speed.

<> 1 general Rune (Ground Marking) and ONLY 1 other general Machination Type (any of the Traps, Gadgets or the Device) can be cast as extra actions / Phase.

<> These effects are not Craftable, usually, are gained through abilities or Combos.

<> Finalised all these corresponding properties, both general and specific, as well as added them in the game.

<> Added the few missing general properties to minor foe 9's code (not all of them were copied to be minified and added to the game).

< MOVING ON TO FANATIC >

<> Reduced max number of Tokens from 10 to 5.

<> Stalwart Defender's Favor application effect triggers from own Favors as well as the Mini Effects applied on self and allies.

 >> Blessing and Purified (Fanatic's Favors) have been renamed to Sanctificare and Purification. They are still specific Favors, yet their name can easily be confounded with Blessed and Purified (Boons - same color) as well as with Blessed (Utility) and Purified (Buff).

<> Aria of Comfort now also applies 2 Buffs on caster. It also heals if caster is enveloped in Light / Holy or Water Aura.

<> Aria of Recollection applies each Purified Mini Effect as well as Refreshed on caster if +3 targets were affected (buff of the older existing effect that just applied Purified). Also added the duration for Endurance (Boon), which is the default 2 rounds.

<> Removed the stacks of Unrest and the other stack mechanics. Redundant and not easy to gain. Caster begins game as Transcended, in honor of the Asendji.

<> Snactificare and Purification (Fanatic Favors) were removed and their effects incorporated in Stalwart Defender (Passive). It is the same effect that incorporated them, except game has 2 less Favor effects.

<> Adjusted the writing on Stalwart Defender's (Passive) final effect: "When a foe in range 2 of caster attacks any of casters'  allies, that foe will be dealt 33% of caster's ATK Light damage (this is not an attack; struck allies don't have to be in range 2 of caster)."

 >> Struck allies can be anywhere on the map.

 >> Only foes in range 2 of caster that damage caster's allies (who can be anywhere on the map) will be damage by caster's effect.

<> Removed the effect that granted caster extra Attack damage per Token owned (would've been a bit too much extra Attack, considering caster has other ATK boost sources as well).

<> Aria of Persistence's Mantra of Persistance was renamed as Persistence and was rebranded as Favor instead (no other Mantras made this one redundant).

<> Changed Aria of Recollection's effect to remain the same yet no longer dependent on the removed stack mechanic.

<> Increased Test of Faith's (Death Pact) end effect's base healing if caster does not Depart from 125 to 320, as well as the healin per ability cast from 4 to 6 at Difficulties 1 - 3. Departing can now also be prevented by losing 3 Faith.

 >> Base Shield gained also gains an extra +5% per Divinity effect active (on self, of course).

 >> Departing from own effect is mitigateable by spending 3 Faith.

<> Removed ability Test of Resilience (Death Pact), replaced wtih Banish the Unholy (Domination).

<> Deleted ability Transcendence (Passive) since it was just a huge effect which was somewhat redundant. Sufficiently lenghty when it came to gaining Transcendence, but other than that the stacks didn't have much of a use. Those small uses caster would gain from reaching max of each stack can be supplemented by Minor Effects instead.

<> Created ability Aria of Penance (Aria).

<> Adding new ability lines: Domination, Chaos, Suppression (actively blocking unwanted thoughts) and Repression (same as suppress, meaning-wise, except it's unconsciously triggered).

<> Added a new sub-ability line "Divination".

<> Protective Strike has been renamed Ardent Strike, this way it makes more sense, being related to the new effect gained by caster (Ardent Piety - Divinity).

 >> Use 3x Tokens effect has been incorporated into ability's base effect (cost removed, activates by default).

<> Vengeance Seeker (Attack) now grants 2 general Runes on cast, had its CD increased from 1 to 10 and also gets -1 CD every time caster attacks. This way, the Resurrection effect is no longer a sub-effect and can therefore be affected by Celerity. Ability also gains -3 CD if an ally is actually Resurrected (stacks with the -1 from having used an Attack).

<> Triple Chop (Attack) had its CD increased from 5 to 6, but now gets -1 CD each time caster uses an Attack.

 >> Gain Celerity default, or automatically gain it if within Light Aura / Light Field.

 >> The 1 Faith gained if all 3 strikes hit is gained AFTER the ability's effects (including the "Use 1 Faith" effect).

 >> Applies 2 Divinity effect (on self, of course).

<> Faithful Swing (Attack) had its ATK ratio changed from 88% to 80% + 10% per Faith owned.

<> Shield of Faith (Passive) also increases caster's non Attack damage by +10% per Divinity effect active.

<> Hymn of Intimidation has been renamed "Faithful Resurgence" and its Type was changed from Hymn (there was only 1) to Resurrection.

 >> Grats 2 Buffs, and its current effect was included into Holy Grace, a new Favor that lasts 3 rounds.

 >> Healing is reduced significantly but is gained at the beginning of each round.

 >> slightly increased ATK and damage reduction gain for Difficulties 4 and 5.

 >> Resurrection amount now also increases per Faith.

 >> Resurrected allies healing was reduced for all Difficulties, but increases now by +5% per Divinity effect active.

<> The regular Spell abilities have been converted into "Spell: Chaos Archetype".

 >> Bestow Life - also applies Dora's Malevolence in range 2 of caster.

 >> Heal Self - also apply Distortion of the Holy (Dark Utility) and Quickness (Dark Favor).

 >> Cure Ailment - reworked to remove 1 Ailment from a foe. buffed if affected by Intimidation. Remove Debuffs as well, and apply 2 Debuffs on target.

 >> Grant Clarity - full rework. Renamed Distort Clarity. Applies boons to ally and Divine Armor to caster if cast on an ally. If cast on a foe, they lose Clarity and gain Mind Burn (Debuff) and Mind Freeze (Dark Utility).

 >> Rebuke Impurity - new ability that deals Holy damage based on how many Negative Effects target has on self.

<> Created 5 abilities for the Domination line.

<> Created 4 abilities for the Suppression line.

<> Created 5 abilities for the Oppression line.

<> All Signets have been branded as Elite abilities as well.

<> All Signets have been added in their description that they have indefinite duration.

<> All Signets have had their descriptions changed, added several keywords to better reflect functionality.

<> All Signets receive an "Active" effect, which has a corresponding duration and CD.

<> All Signets "Equip" effect is their first effect which will always remain active (like a passive effect).

<> Changed the effect of "Holy Avatar", removed the Faith Cost. Now it grants Endurance on allies affected by own Favors.

<> Removed Psychic Immunity from Signet of the Herald, grants 3 Buffs (single trigger, on equip only).

<> Reduced the healing of Signet of Purity from 28 (base) to 12. Improved version is 15. It can be a bit too much, given that all 4 new Archetypes of abilities are "Spells" as well.

<> Heal Self (Spell: Chaos) healing reduced to 65 / 80 from 80 / 100 but also grants an ally Purity (Buff) 2 rounds. This is so as to fit the Targeting Range general property.

<> Added property in Fanatic's Stats.txt that counts the number of Divinity effects active.

<> Changed Vengeance Seeker's (Attack) final effect to trigger the -3 CD reduction if the Attack is successful, not just if an ally is Resurrected.

<> Triple Chop (Attack) had its description adjusted to reflect that each swing increases the max HP, not just ability usage (so, 3x triggers per ability use).

<> Finalised Fanatic's properties for skills, added them in game for self and for allies. Also added Fanatic's effects on player to player's code.

< MINOR EFFECT CHANGES >

<> Added "NumberOf" counter for each character. Only first minor foe, player and the major foes have them in the .txt files! These properties are in game for each character.

<> Rewrote the effect of Necrophobia (Debuff) to better show its functionality (removed confusion within the effect).

<> Rewrote the effect of Clumsy (Dark Utility), replacing owner"with "caster" to remove confusion.

<> Corrected a plural verb form for Chronophobia (Debuff).

<> Added "Foes only" statement for Dystychiphobia (Dark Favor), to present the fact that only foes are affected by this Dark Favor, since some Dark Favors have effects both on caster and foes.

<> Changed Quickness (Buff) description from "Each ability"to "Next ability".

<> Adjusted Healing Presence's effect (Buff) to state that the second effect takes effect only on application. Corrected it as picture and replaced the old one.

<> Slight effect description change to Regeneration (Buff) for better clarity.

<> Divine Armor (Buff) effect description change  to show clearly that Armor values gained do not have a duration. Removed the "Lasts 1 round" premise.

<> Changed Protective Nature (Favor) to reduce -10 damage on allies in range 2 instead of granting them extra ATK for 1 round, that will have to be reduced at the end of duration.

<> Corrected a keyword's missing color in the description of Ambidextruous (Buff).