In our last Dev Talk, Game Director Robin Henkys introduced the upcoming Into the Fray update and gave an overview of its major features, including a major Magic Staff Overhaul. In today's video, he is joined by Combat Designer Michael Schwahn to give more details of this massive, from-the-ground-up rework of this entire weapon line.
Read on for a written description – and if you missed the last Dev Talk, you can watch it here.
Background
In 2021, the War Gloves weapon line launched, with spells and abilities that felt crisp, impactful, and fun
Some old favorites started feeling outdated in comparison, so have been revamped
This rework is for one of the largest weapon groups in the game, Magic Staffs
Most of the rework will launch with the upcoming Into the Fray update, with the rest coming in a subsequent patch
Overview
Goals:
Bringing the gameplay experience of Magic Staffs to a whole new level
Making Staffs fun to use while also rewarding strategic high-level gameplay
Giving Staffs a powerful and mighty feel on the battlefield
These were accomplished through:
Massively upgraded visuals (both graphical and VFX)
Fully reworked player animations
New audio effects created specifically for each spell
Last but not least, numerous new and reworked abilities
Visual, Animation, and Audio Improvements
Redesigned and modernized Staff models
More distinct shapes and colors for better readability during gearing and combat
Greater distinction between One- and Two-handed Staffs, both through length and animations:
One-handed Staffs are now held towards the enemy; their action feels swifter, like a light sword
Two-handed Staffs are held upright; the caster conjures quick attacks from the offhand and heavier attacks from the full staff
VFX overhauled to make spells feel more impactful and polished
Completely re-imagined sound design, with all-new sound effects for each line
Gameplay Improvements
Numerous entirely new spells added
Older spells reworked:
Improving underused spells
Adding more depth to simpler spells
Examples of updates to specific staff lines follow
Fire Staffs
Pyroblast made more nuanced as a channeled skillshot
The longer the channel, the more damage it deals
Causes additional knockback when fully charged
Caster can break channel at any time for a less powerful shot
Other new spells: complete rework of Ignite, new E-spell for Infernal Staff
Holy Staffs
Many smaller adjustments to make abilities more dynamic
Now possible to move (slowly) while channeling Holy Beam
Desperate Prayer now adds a buff to the caster if used on a target above 40% health
Reworked Smite, can now be cast at the ground to hit multiple enemies
Nature Staffs
Thorns reworked into multi-castable ground area that slows enemies and gives stacking damage buff
New W spell, Brambleseed: throw to deal instant damage, and after a delay knock enemies airborne and deal additional damage
Both abilities make solo PvE and PvP more interesting and fun
Cursed Staffs
Field of Death replaced with Anguished Soul: conjure a ghostly creature that inflicts fear and magic damage
New Q-slot ability added, many existing abilities improved
"Into the Fray" and Beyond
The next update includes changes to Fire, Holy, Cursed, and Nature Staffs
Arcane and Frost Staffs will follow in a later patch, with changes including:
Arcane: Energy Bolt and Energy Beam replaced with more dynamic and interesting damage spells
Frost: new Q spells that do not depend on cast speed
We’re looking forward to sharing more about Arcane and Frost Staffs once the update is released at the start of the next season. For now, stay tuned for more Dev Talks on Portal Towns, the Castle Rework, and more!
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