Skills
Skill system in the game (Appearance and Equipping)
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- Skills will be represented by small tokens. Each skill will have a unique token, and a unique effect that it triggers. What this effect is you have to figure it out yourself, mostly.
- Skills will be organized into families. This only means that a skill belonging into a certain family will likely have a similar nature to other skills belonging into the same family, this is to help you getting the vague idea of how it will work.
- There are four skill families: Spelunky, Caster, Warrior, Neutral, which fit the three main roles the players can have. There are other families too like "Heroic", which is for players with the heroic persuasion.
- You will have a certain amount of "skill slots", depending mostly on your level. The higher level you have, the more skills you will be able to juggle with. Skills that you currently use are called "Active Skills", the others are kept in your stash.
- Only skills that are in "Active" slots can be used during a Turn. Passive skills must be also equipped into the "Active" slots to have an effect!
- Skills can be (un)equipped into the active slot while the player is off the map (ie is on the Spawning Queue or the Waiting List). Level up is helpful too (see Obtaining skills).
Obtaining, Upgrading and Learning
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- You will be able to obtain new skills and abilites by leveling up, getting it taught by NPCs or other players in some cases, or just find them on the map. Yes, you read it right.
- Upon leveling up, you will recieve 4 random skill tokens. You can keep 2 of these, provided you have enough space to put them away. In a general case, one token will match your Class choice, and another one will match the Primary Trait. The other two tokens are random. If your first token matches both your Class and Primary Trait, there is a 50% chance of "unluck" that it will be the only token you are guaranteed and 3 tokens will be random.
- You can instantly activate one of the freshly obtained skills, if you have an empty active slot for that, the other one will go into your stash.
- Skills obtained in any other way will go into the stash.
- Skill tokens can be traded with other players, and in some cases with NPCs.
- The skills in the slots are not locked down. If you find another skill that you'd rather have than the current one, you will be able to swap for it. There are a few exceptions, though. One of them is when some skills do not work together in the active slots, for example divine skills with infernal skills. Yeah, you can't be on all the far edges of the multisided scale at the same time, I'm sorry. This does not mean that you cannot have counterworking skills in your stash, though!
- There are skill tokens that are naturally "learnable", which means they can be turned into a permanent ability after reaching certain level. Once most tokens reach their maximum level, they generally become learnable, too.
- You can upgrade your skills by collecting more of the same type, and melding them.
- Melding means that you will unite two tokens into one, which also uses their effects. If you meld two tokens of the same type, it will result in the same type of token with one level higher.
- Melding different types of tokens can result in different "end products", but not all tokens are meldable.
- If you meet certain conditions, you will be able to learn "Advanced" skills.
Skill Interactions
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- Unaligned skills do not interfere with any other skills, all the contrary, they are kind of combo skills.
- "Basic" skills do not interfere with each other, you can equip and combine Warrior, Caster, Hero, Spelunky, Neutral however you like.
- Once you learn a basic skill, it has a hidden effect on your char. Well, not so hidden now as I'm spoiling it, but yeah. Learned basic skills on higher levels might deny the usage of certain skills, but generally you don't have to worry about that.
- "Advanced" skills will likely have troubles to work together with other skills from different families.
- You can combine Active skills, see the information about Combo-ing.
Known Skill Effects
Below are the known skill effects. In parenthesis are added their class type and primary trait, if applicable. This does not mean that they are exclusive (except for most warrior skills and some spelunker / caster), but an indication in which circumstances they are likely to appear.
Spelunker
Jump (Spelunker, Agility): The user of this skill is able to land on an empty tile in distance [1+X], where X is the level of the jump. The tile must be located in a straight line from the starting point, where the line spans over the adjacent tiles lying in between them. Jumping affects only the tile the player lands on, it does not interact with the tiles inbetween.
Run (Spelunker, Agility): The player is able to move through as many adjacent tiles as his movement points + this skill's level. Running stops if all movement (or shorter specified distance) is used up, or the player falls into a trap, steps into a mine, or otherwise inhibited in their movement. Each unexplored tile passed through via this skill will be explored and evaluated accordingly. The player cannot run back and forth between the same tiles in the same turn.
Treasure! (Spelunker): Upon first spawning of the map, the player will recieve a pm, which will contain a very vague information about the whereabouts of 1 treasure item, if there is any buried on the map. Higher levels of this skill give more exact details.
Detect Traps (Spelunker, Survivalist): Spelunker only. Reveals 1 mechanical trap at 1 movement range, then it goes on a 5 turn cooldown. Grants 1 XP for every revealed trap, but does not disable said traps. Possible upgrades on level up: more traps, bigger range, shorter cooldown.
Weaponize (Spelunker): Allows [util] type equipment to be used as weapons, which deal [item level bonus + this skill level] physical damage. Warriors can pick up [util] type items with this skill, but they can use them ONLY as weapons.
Disarm Traps (Spelunker, Agility): Spelunker only. Requires [tool](like [lock picks]) or pointy stick. The player can disarm 1 easy revealed trap in movement distance, and gains equal XP of trap difficulty. Traps that are harder get +20% fail chance per difficulty level difference.
Possible upgrades: remove the item neccessity, increase simultaneously disarmable trap count, increase solveable trap difficulty.
Caster
Warning (Caster - Divine, Survival): The player recieves a warning before stepping or spawning on a tile that has a mine below. The token goes inactive and can be used again in 25 turns.
Visions (Caster - Divine): The player is able to reveal any undiscovered tile of the playfield and gains an XP. The token goes inactive and can be used again in 25 turns.
Haste (Caster - Divine, Agility): Caster Only. Target player (including self) gains +skill level movement points for the turn, then this skill goes on a 5 turn cooldown. When casted on an ally, the caster shares the XP gained from the tiles revealed in the process.
Enchant (Caster - Divine): Caster Only. Enchants any item with one skill token owned by the enchanter for the current map. The enchantment counts as an item based skill token, and stacks with any enchantment/upgrade the current item has. If the player enchants an item owned by an ally, the caster gains 1XP. Limit: 1 enchantment / map, which can be upgraded upon leveling the skill.
Push (Caster - Dark): The player is able to move an enemy on an adjacent tile in the direction pointing away. If this action results in any kind of exploration, then the pushing player recieves the XP. Fellow players cannot be pushed, only if they agree to it.
Exhaust (Caster - Dark): Caster Only. Target Non-allied creature loses all movement points for the turn, which is now granted for the Caster. Skill goes on 5 turn cooldown upon a successful cast.
Claim (Caster - Dark): Caster only. The player takes away the weapon of one enemy in melee range, provided they have empty hands to do so (or can put the current item in hand away to somewhere). As long as the player is on the map, they can use the weapons basic attack on skill level 1, and can use weapon based (warrior) skills with further level ups. When the player leaves the map for whatever reason, the weapon is dropped at their last location and is freely claimable by anyone.
Heroic
Answer the Call (Heroic): The player is able to teleport to a discovered tile next to another player, provided that player has requested help. Teleporting there happens as a free and first action of the player, who can still perform a regular action afterwards.
Level 2: The player is able to teleport any unoccupied tile next to another player who requests their assistance on the same map.
Rescue (Heroic): The skill user can declare explicitly another player who they wish to rescue. In case the other player is about to step/spawn on a mine, the rescuer saves them, moving both of them out of the map. The rescuer gains 1XP for rescuing another player and is also able to perform their regular action for the turn. In case someone else is about to die, the Hero can rescue them too, but in this case the skill goes on a 5 turn cooldown
Limitations on the Rescue skill:
- You cannot rescue someone from a fight or from situtations that are not deemed life threatening.
- The rescued and the hero can not respawn in the same turn if there is no waiting list.
- First level of rescue only works on mines, but with level up can be expanded to other sources of damage.
Encouraging Shout (Heroic): The hero invigorates all nearby allies, who gain an additional "main action" for the turn. The hero gains additional main actions for the next turn, equal to the number of invigorated allies - 1.
Delivery (Heroic): The hero can move another player at the start of turn to an already explored tile anywhere on the map, then themselves return to their original position. Both the hero and the other player can peform their normal actions afterwards. Any XP gained by the other player that turn will be also rewarded to the hero. Level up possibilities: unexplored target tiles too or ability for the hero to stay next to the delivered tile.
Warrior
Formation movement (Warrior, Agility): Declare it on another player on the same map. You are allowed to move in the same pattern as the target. This movement does not exhaust your regular movement. (so you can formation move with someone else then use your regular movement.
Stone Skin (Warrior, Survival): Warrior Only. Grants immunity to basic natural slicing weapons (like claws). Upon upgrading, the immunity can be extended to other damage sources or higher tiers of existing sources.
Brothers-in-arms (Warrior): Warrior Only. If an ally is attacked by an enemy monster, the Player can teleport next turn to an explored tile next to that ally as a pre-action.
Weapon Proficiency (Warrior): Warrior Only. Grants 1 ability based on the player's favored weapon.
Sense Enemies (Warrior, Survival): Warrior Only. Reveals 1 enemy group lying in ambush in 1 movement distance, then this skill goes on a 5 turn cooldown. Grants 1XP per enemy group revealed, and the players get to first strike against them.
Battle Ready (Warrior, Agility): Warrior only. Provides a free First Strike for the player when a) steps on a tile with monsters lying in ambush, b) spawns on the map next to an enemy. This token is learnable.
Indominable (Warrior, Survivalist): The player is immune to the first crowd control effect per turn, such as knock ups/backs, stuns, lockdowns, etc...
Neutral
Dodge (Neutral, Survival): Gives 20% chance to dodge an incoming physical attack, be it melee or ranged. Possible upgrades: better % chances, dodge other attack types (1 new type / level: traps, ambush first strikes, non-mind spells, 1 mine explosion / level).
Power Surge (Neutral): Increases the physical power of the player.
+1 Tile (Neutral): Can be combined / melded with other skills to increase their range / efficiency.
Skill / Action Combos
Most actions and skills are main actions, which means only one of them can be performed in one turn. However, certain combinations can be performed in a single turn, resulting in a skill similar, but not entirely the same as the parts it consists of. Combos are stronger than normal skills, but using them constantly leads to early exhaustion (
see status effects).
Push + Whip:
Yank: Move the target towards the direction of the player or to a possible neighbouring tile.
Jump + Pole:
Pole Vault: Doubles the range of jumping distance, provided there is a firm spot to land the pole on (e.g.: no quicksand, water, void, etc.). Does not work if there is an insurmountable obstacle inbetween (e.g. force field or too big height difference).
Run + Sword Attack:
Assault: A sword attack with increased damage on the next tile, which is in line with the direction of the run. The run has to be on a straight line, each tile passed (including the last tile the player steps on) adds +1 to the damage.
Jump + Push:
Cannon Ball: A push with increased efficiency, the further the jump starts, the stronger.
Run + Jump:
Long Jump: Run on the tiles specified, followed up by the Jump. The running must happen in the same straight direction as the jumping, which range can be increased by 1 tile per every 2 tiles ran in the appropriate direction.
Jump + Arrow Shoot:
Air Strike: The player jumps up (and lands on the same tile), and shoots an arrow at the target tile. The maximum range of the shot is increased by the possible range that can be reached by jumping.
Weapon Abilities
Weapon abilities are Major actions and require an appropriate type of weapon in the main hand. These abilities are granted either by leveling up [Weapon Mastery], or by enchanting the weapons.
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Parry: The sword can be used defensively as a main action, in which case it counts as +DEF equal to its +ATT. No cooldown.
Slice: Deals normal damage to the target enemy in range, and half damage (rounded up) to another enemy also within range. (The player can say whether they attack to the left or to the right.)
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Shield Bash: Deals physical damage equal to the shield's melee DEF value, and has a 25% chance to stun the target.
Stand Ground: Ignores the first incoming physical attack, and player becomes indominable for the turn ( = immune to stuns, knock ups, push backs from physical sources, like the skill with the same name).
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Dual Shot: Allows the player to shoot 2 arrows at the same time, at the expense of using up 2 arrows of the inventory (Arrows can be recollected if they don't break at the target). No cooldown. Can target the same enemy with both arrows, or 2 different enemies on the same or adjacent tiles (provided both are within range).
Warpaints
Goblins who are elected leaders recieve a warpaint, which bestows another ability to use, without occupying any of the existing skill slots. The warpaints are organized in different families, and - as the leader progresses -, can be further developed.
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Marks of the Spelunker:
- Sign of Swiftness: +20% chance to dodge. (Stacks with dodge tokens)
- Sign of Agility: +1 to basic movement speed (ie one more tile moving distance, stacks with run/jump)
Marks of the Divine:
- Sign of Goodwill: Heals an ally (including self) for 2 HP, in a radius of 3 movement range.
- Sign of Vigil: Can tell about a map object whether it contains danger or not. Has a cooldown of 5 turns.
Marks of the Dark:
- Sign of Deceit: Can lure an enemy 1 tile towards or away from the leader, provided the target is within a 7x7 grid (with the leader in the middle), and the location lured to is empty. Has a cooldown of 5 turns, which can be reduced by stacking other "lure" effects.
- Sign of Despair: Reduces the attack and defense of an enemy while it is in combat. Has a cooldown of 5 turns.
Marks of the Hero:
- Sign of Encouragement: Passive. Everyone within a 5x5 grid (with the leader in the middle), has a +1 level of his active tokens.
- Sign of Strength: Passive. The leader deals double damage to the enemy.