Hey Guys,[/b]

Gordian Quest is launching today at 12pm GMT and we are so excited to finally unveil the game to you.

Here at Mixed Realms, we are great fans of classic RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons, Ultima, Might and Magic and Wizardry. The idea of forming a party of heroes made up of warriors, rangers, clerics, wizards, mages and monks and bringing them on a grand quest has always been appealing and a big draw for us.

So one year ago we challenged ourselves to create a modern version of such games while still preserving the questing and turn-based combat elements that made old RPG games so charming.



The deckbuilding mechanic was an obvious answer. It is a popular and modern game mechanic which allowed us to weave hero progression and turn-based combat naturally into a game.





Next, as we wanted to accommodate a party of at least 3 heroes to bring to adventure, we created a grid-based battleground where heroes can move freely on one side to deploy passive and active skills from a deck strategically to deliver and defend against attacks, and enemies do the same on the other side. And as the game progresses and enemies grow in strength, players will be challenged to continually enhance their deck and develop effective combo strategies to keep the tide of battles in their favor.



For the element of adventure, we created a node-based system where maps, dungeons and events are always procedurally generated to offer a non-linear experience every time a player replays the game.



Finally, players who are looking for an unforgiving roguelike experience can ramp up the difficulty of their game, making the threat of permadeath loom over each battle.

In Gordian Quest, the narrative is about the relentless pursuit of power and resources by ancient humans which incurred the wrath of the Gods, who in turn rained curses upon the lands to punish them and their descendants.

Incidentally, this seems to mirror the events that are currently clouding our world - the pandemic, the worsening global climate and the looming economic crisis.

We believe that in the darkest and grimest of situations, we see the best and the worst in people. This is when the heroes and devils within us emerge. Fortunately in the case of Gordian Quest, heroes stepped forward and rendered themselves to save their world. The enemies are strong and the odds are stacked against them, but they know that it is a fight worth fighting so that later generations get to live free of these curses. And we hope that in these trying times, we will see more of such heroes in our world.


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Here's a Look at the Game Through Some of Our Favorite Youtubers and Streamers!





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Features and content during Early Access

• One Act - The Early Access version features one Act, providing 5-6 hours of playtime per playthrough.
  
• Six heroes - At the moment, players can choose from six different heroes each with their own unique class, skills, and playstyle to form a party of three and bring to adventure. At launch, there is a swordhand, a cleric, a ranger, a scoundrel, a druid and a spellbinder.
  
• Hundreds of skills - The heroes have a combined total of close to 500 passive and active skills that can be deployed during turn-based battles, allowing players to discover and formulate their favorite combos.
  
• Train and equip heroes - Heroes can be upgraded, trained and equipped with a large selection of weapons, armor and enchanted trinkets to enhance their abilities.
  
• High replayability - Procedurally generated maps and dungeons and randomized hero skills make each playthrough different from the last.
  
• Various difficulty levels - Take on hardcore mode for a teeth-gritting permadeath experience, or play more casually where death is only a setback.
  
• Loot galore - Gather items and relics throughout your journey to boost your heroes’ abilities. In the future, you will also encounter mysterious items that can bless your heroes but also cripple them with a curse at the same time.
  
• Carryover rewards and progression system - Get rewarded the more you play. Progressing in Acts with each hero lets them start off with a bit more resources, items, or even granting the ability to modify their starting decks.

You can check out our dynamic roadmap over here which we would update from time to time which details additional features and content planned for the full version -
https://steamcommunity.com/app/981430/discussions/0/1869497355997188988/

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Please Engage With Us!

We're a small indie game studio based in Singapore, known for the hit cyber ninja VR simulator called Sairento.

We love interacting with gamers and one of our mandates is to build games for gamers. Please help us perfect Gordian Quest by giving us your feedback and suggestions through our Discord Channel at https://discordapp.com/invite/tce6YMW.

Please share the game with your friends, streamers or Youtubers you love.
Thank you so much and stay safe, stay home and play more of Gordian Quest :)

Cheers,
Mixed Realms

Hey Heroes,

This week, we lift the curtains on the skill grid system, which is one of the core progression systems for heroes, alongside itemization.



This diamond block may look unassuming, but it is the very first building block of your heroes. The first block you start with is always semi-randomised - meaning the placement of the inner 8 nodes are always fixed, but the outer 4 nodes will be in different positions in every run.



Every hero has three skill schools, which are essentially three separate pools of card that revolve around a particular play style. Each of these three paths has three tiers of skills (Common, Rare, and Epic).

When you unlock a skill node, you gain a chance to draw one skill from three randomly drawn choices, making every run unpredictable and giving you a unique build on every run. Mix and match between the skills of these three schools to uncover highly potent combinations and effective techniques.



Drawing a new card advances one of three stats - Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence. This is denoted by the Red, Green, and Blue color of the card's title banner. This means that the more Strength (red) cards you draw, the more you boost the power of cards in that school, as well as granting a higher bonus to Strength rolls in event challenges.

Build your heroes to be strong, fast, or wise in how they handle both combat and out of combat encounters.



As with any deckbuilding game, the right cards can make your deck, and the wrong cards ruin them. If you aren't happy with the luck of the draw, you can always choose to redraw one of the existing cards in your deck. You will get a chance to pick one from three randomly drawn cards from the same school. This keeps every level up fresh as you can find a new card to make a build work, or improve the composition of your existing deck.



Heroes can earn skill points by levelling up, or through completing certain quests. Use these skill points to traverse the grid - nodes can only unlocked if they are adjacent to another unlocked node on the grid, thus you must plan ahead to be able to reach the nodes of interest.



There are more than just skill nodes on your grid. Through the course of the game, you will find ample opportunities to Master or Refine your deck through the skill grid. These highly valuable nodes can boost the power of any card in your deck, making it deal more damage or gain new effects on play; or take out a card from the deck, keeping your draw pile lean and deadly.



After spending 5 points in the skill grid, you will gain access to your next grid. This grid is procedurally generated, but within certain parameters. Within a range of levels, you will be guaranteed a number of Rare and Epic skills from each tree, as well as Mastery and Refine points. Their layout, however, is never the same, making levelling as a mini-game where you must chart your path through the skill grid.



You can choose how the new skill block connects to your existing grid. This is important, as you may recall that you can only traverse the grid by connecting adjacent nodes together. This means that depending on the layout of the new grid, you may choose to connect it straight away, or connect it another side to achieve the shortest path to the nodes you desire.

Over the course of the game, you may also encounter unique grids with special nodes that cannot be attained through the normal course of levelling up...



Your heroes' growth is in your hands. Every run will be something fresh and exciting, every level up an impactful event and an exercise in strategic planning. This is the promise of the skill system in Gordian Quest. No two skill grids will ever look the same, even for the same hero in different runs.

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We hope that was an exciting look into one of the systems of our game, We look forward to showcasing more cool stuff in the coming weeks!

Join us down in our Discord server for a discussion, or if that isn't your thing, feel free to start a discussion over here.



If you've missed out on our previous posts, here is all the teasers we've shown - this list will be growing as we go along!

• An Introduction To Gordian Quest
  
• Introducing Gordian Quest's Procedural World
  
• Introducing The Battle System
  
• Introducing Hero #1 : Lucius The Swordhand
  
• Introducing Hero #2 : Alphonse The Scoundrel
  
• Introducing Hero #3 : Bertram The Ranger
  
• Introducing Hero #4 : Catherin The Cleric
  
• Introducing Hero #5 : Pierre the Spellbinder
  
• Introducing Hero #6 : Ida the Druid
  
• Our Ideas For Future Heroes

If any of the above gets you excited, you'll be absolutely in for a treat with Gordian Quest. We can't wait to show you more, stay tuned!

Drop us a comment, wishlist our game and tell your friends about it :)

Sincerely,
The Gordian Quest Team

Hey Heroes,

In the past weeks we've showcased the 6 starter heroes - they'll accompany you through the entirety of Act I. This pool of heroes will be expanded as we continually work on the game, and we wanted to share some of our additional hero ideas with you.

While these aren't set in stone, we do foresee them fitting into the lore and the settings of Acts II to IV. Like the heroes we've showcased, each one has access to three unique build paths, and between their skills and the items you find, you'll be able to mix and match between them to create unique expressions of the same hero, whether it's the 1st run or the 99th run.

The Shinobi
Fans of Sairento VR, fear not! As a throwback to our very first VR game involving ninjas and slow-mo bullet time action, as well as a nod to the leading lady Chieko, the Shinobis' core feature is her blinding speed and highly mobile playstyle. Her kit revolves around being able to reposition herself on the battlefield with ease to avoid enemy attacks and execute devasting moves.

The Monk
The Monk's core feature is a combo buildup system, much akin to fighting games. Performing a combination of moves can open up special combo finishers that apply a secondary effect. The Monk fights fluidly, cycling between the way of the open palm and the closed fist, and when the situation calls for it, his trances and mantras can unite a team together.

The Bard
The Bard's core feature is a chord system. By stringing together a series of harmonizing notes, he can work his magic, positively influencing friends. By doing a reverse, The Bard can sow chaos and confusion within the enemy ranks. The Bard is a hero that rewards clever and creative ways of combining these songs.

The Marauder
The Marauder's core feature is his natural fury, making him a vicious fighter. Wounds make him stronger and more violent, as he converts his pain into unbridled fury. The Maurader's kit revolves around being able to use more powerful abilities when he takes damage, and bulldozing any obstacles with sheer willpower. Playing a Marauder is to toe the line between death and power.

The Geomancer
The Geomancer's core feature is his mystical ability to read and manipulate the intangible element of luck and destiny. By studying the environment and his foes, he can determine optimum areas to stand on to become more lucky and to follow up with a chain of attacks, pushing towards the outcome of a successful battle. Luck is a double-edged sword however, and with great luck also comes bad luck, if you aren't positioned correctly.

..and more!
We've got plenty more ideas in store - these are just a few we have in mind. We love and encourage community interaction, so we're keen to hear your ideas too!

Join us down in our Discord server for a discussion, or if that isn't your thing, feel free to start a discussion over here.



If you've missed out on our previous posts, here is all the teasers we've shown - this list will be growing as we go along!

• An Introduction To Gordian Quest
  
• Introducing Gordian Quest's Procedural World
  
• Introducing The Battle System
  
• Introducing Hero #1 : Lucius The Swordhand
  
• Introducing Hero #2 : Alphonse The Scoundrel
  
• Introducing Hero #3 : Bertram The Ranger
  
• Introducing Hero #4 : Catherin The Cleric
  
• Introducing Hero #5 : Pierre the Spellbinder
  
• Introducing Hero #6 : Ida the Druid

If any of the above gets you excited, you'll be absolutely in for a treat with Gordian Quest. We can't wait to show you more, stay tuned!

Drop us a comment, wishlist our game and tell your friends about it :)

Sincerely,
The Gordian Quest Team

Hey Heroes,

You've already met five out of our six heroes for Early Access release (more to come in the future), each with a unique set of abilities to bring to every adventure. Our next hero is no different. A true master of beasts and the mighty elements, she proves that Mother Nature is not to be trifled with.



Ida the Druid
Ida is a wild child who seeks to defend her forest home from the evils that encroach upon the land, with both her valiant animal companions and her mastery over the forces of nature.

Starting Talents
Ida's familiarity with the wilderness makes her a formidable ally in challenges and battles involving nature. Moreover, her ability to use various types of weapons allows for flexibility in gameplay.

• Nature Lore - Receives +2 bonus in events while in the wilderness
  
• Observant - Receives +2 bonus during Perception Tests
  
• Proficiency : Small Blades - Can use daggers and swords
  
• Proficiency : Bows - Can use bows and quivers
  
• Proficiency : Spears - Can equip spears
  
• Proficiency : Light Armor - Can use light armor
  
• Proficiency : Medium Armor - Can equip medium armor

Skill Schools
Every school has around 20-30 unique skills. Shown below is a small sample of the kind of skills Ida can obtain over the course of her adventures...

• Primal - Primal skills focus on raw fighting power and transformation abilities.
  
  
  
• Elemental - Elemental skills focus on mastery over the elements of nature.
  
  
  
• Animal Kinship - Animal Kinship skills focus on summoning and synergy with the familial animals of the wild.
  

Skill Previews
Here are a couple of preview shots of select skills in action!

Primal Aspect
[/b]

Tornado


Summon Spirit Bear


Build Potentials
Ida is able to focus her builds along three distinct paths, each with a unique playstyle to suit the situation.

• Primal - A brawler who takes it to her enemies, with the ability to shapeshift into a powerful bear form.
  
• Elemental - A caster who pummels her foes with the fury of nature itself.
  
• Animal Kinship - A beastmaster who has an army of wild companions at her bidding.
  
• Primal + Elemental - A brawler who wields the powers of nature to enhance her combat effectiveness..
  
• Primal + Animal Kinship - A beastmaster who fights alongside her wild companions.
  
• Elemental + Animal Kinship - A caster who strikes from afar, with her pet companions to guard her.

This is just a taste of what we have to show for our Early Access. We'll be working on this and even more amazing content as we go on!



If you've missed out on our previous posts, here is all the teasers we've shown - this list will be growing as we go along!

• An Introduction To Gordian Quest
  
• Introducing Gordian Quest's Procedural World
  
• Introducing The Battle System
  
• Introducing Hero #1 : Lucius The Swordhand
  
• Introducing Hero #2 : Alphonse The Scoundrel
  
• Introducing Hero #3 : Bertram The Ranger
  
• Introducing Hero #4 : Catherin The Cleric
  
• Introducing Hero #5 : Pierre the Spellbinder

If any of the above gets you excited, you'll be absolutely in for a treat with Gordian Quest. We can't wait to show you more, stay tuned!

Drop us a comment, wishlist our game and tell your friends about it :)

Sincerely,
The Gordian Quest Team

Hey Heroes,

This week, we focus on a hero who boasts a strong command over various schools of magic. Whether it is molding magical energies into evoking elemental spells or telekinetic abilities, he is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.



Pierre the Spellbinder
An academic and a keeper of the books, Pierre studies the ancient magicks that the ancestors wielded in their ascent to power. With the recent resurgence of evils in the land, he has taken it upon himself to study these phenomena first hand.

Starting Talents
His knowledge of magic translates into the ability to wield items of such nature. It will also aid the party in scenarios such as deciphering ancient runes, or identifying a mystical effect.

• Arcane Lore - Has a +2 bonus in events involving magic.
  
• Proficiency : Small Blades - Can use daggers and swords.
  
• Proficiency : Wand - Can use wands and arcane focuses.
  
• Proficiency : Staffs - Can use staffs.
  
• Proficiency : Light Armor - Can use light armor.

Skill Schools
Every school has around 20-30 unique skills. Shown below is a small sample of the kind of skills Pierre can obtain over the course of his adventures...

• Evocation - Evocation skills focus on the elements of fire and ice to lay waste to the battlefield.
  
  
  
  
• Force - Force skills focus on defense, utility and control of the battlefield.
  
  
  
  
• Conjuration - Conjuration skills focus on creating ethereal objects to protect and to harm.
  
  

Skill Previews
Here are a couple of preview shots of select skills in action!

Invoker of Blades


Force Wave


Blizzard


Build Potentials
Pierre operates at his maximum potential when he is able to generate channel charges. By maintaining this status, it enables access to high cost, high impact spells. His schools also synergize strongly with each other, making him a wrecking ball on the battlefield - if he is able to mitigate damage to make up for his low health.

• Evocation - A wizard who commands fire and ice. Requires buildup, but has high damage potential.
  
• Force - A wizard who controls the flow of the battle, with the ability to foresee attacks.
  
• Conjuration - A wizard with great offensive flexibility, able to focus on both a melee and ranged fighting style.
  
• Evocation + Force - A wizard who can focus on a main element, with the ability to position enemies for best effect.
  
• Evocation + Conjuration - A wizard who focuses on pure damage, able to burst down enemies.
  
• Force + Conjuration - An agile wizard who can lock down opponents, and then pummel them with spells in rapid succession.

This is just a taste of what we have to show for our Early Access. We'll be working on this and even more amazing content as we go on!



If you've missed out on our previous posts, here is all the teasers we've shown - this list will be growing as we go along!

• An Introduction To Gordian Quest
  
• Introducing Gordian Quest's Procedural World
  
• Introducing The Battle System
  
• Introducing Hero #1 : Lucius The Swordhand
  
• Introducing Hero #2 : Alphonse The Scoundrel
  
• Introducing Hero #3 : Bertram The Ranger
  
• Introducing Hero #4 : Catherin The Cleric

If any of the above gets you excited, you'll be absolutely in for a treat with Gordian Quest. We can't wait to show you more, stay tuned!

Drop us a comment, wishlist our game and tell your friends about it :)

Sincerely,
The Gordian Quest Team

Hey Heroes,

This week, we focus on a hero who fights for justice and the Light. She has flexibility in the kind of role she can bring to a team - having a strong stable of offensive and healing spells, while being no slouch in the combat department either.



Catherin the Cleric
Catherin is a cleric of the Holy Order, holy warriors who train to combine both faith and steel to become paragons of justice and strength. As a peacekeeper of the realm, she fights tirelessly to defend the realm against threats of both physical and supernatural in origin.

Starting Talents
Her training and background gives Catherin a disciplined personality, and this shows in her starting talents. She's not one to back off from doing what's right, and championing the right causes, and she has the ability to back up her words.

• Stubborn - Has a +1 bonus to Endurance and Willpower challenges
  
• Tough As Nails - Has a starting +3 HP bonus
  
• Proficiency : Blunt Weapons - Can use maces and flails.
  
• Proficiency : Medium - Can use medium armor.
  
• Proficiency : Shields - Can use shields.

Skill Schools
Every school has around 20-30 unique skills. Shown below is a small sample of the kind of skills Catherin can obtain over the course of her adventures...

• Divine - Divine skills focus on channelling the power of the Gods to lay waste to your foes.
  
  
  
  
• Holy Warrior - Holy Warrior skills focus on combining offensive and defense abilities that are mostly martial in nature.
  
  
  
  
• Spirit Healer - Spirit Healer skills focus on empowering, protecting and restoring your allies.
  
  

Skill Previews
Here are a couple of preview shots of select skills in action!

Smite


Radiance


Healing Wind


Build Potentials
Catherin can fulfill multiple roles in the party as the need arises. Her healing abilities are second to none, which can help sustain her allies through a rough patch, or to reverse the effects of a tactical mistake. For a more self sufficient and capable party, she can dish out the hurt with her divine abilities, although it requires her to build up her channelling charges.

• Divine - A cleric who weakens and smites foes down with powerful spells.
  
• Holy Warrior - A fighter that can soak up damage or jump to her ally's defense when needed.
  
• Spirit Healer - A priest that keeps up the vigor of her allies, while also enhancing their prowess.
  
• Divine+ Holy Warrior - A potent combination where martial abilities feed into powering up divine abilities.
  
• Divine + Spirit Healer - A spell focused cleric that can competently dish out both offensive and defensive spells.
  
• Holy Warrior + Spirit Healer - A team-focused fighter that fights in the front line, but can pull out healing spells in a tight situation.

This is just a taste of what we have to show for our Early Access. We'll be working on this and even more amazing content as we go on!



If you've missed out on our previous posts, here is all the teasers we've shown - this list will be growing as we go along!

• An Introduction To Gordian Quest
  
• Introducing Gordian Quest's Procedural World
  
• Introducing The Battle System
  
• Introducing Hero #1 : Lucius The Swordhand
  
• Introducing Hero #2 : Alphonse The Scoundrel
  
• Introducing Hero #3 : Bertram The Ranger

If any of the above gets you excited, you'll be absolutely in for a treat with Gordian Quest. We can't wait to show you more, stay tuned!

Drop us a comment, wishlist our game and tell your friends about it :)

Sincerely,
The Gordian Quest Team

Hey Heroes,

This week, we focus on a hero who's a master of ranged combat, and can also provide a unique value to the party by constructing turrets and traps.



Bertram the Ranger
Bertram is a ranger of the wild. Being a expert tracker and a highly adaptable survivalist, he is often called upon for hunting and scouting missions. His skills make him uniquely suited for leading expedition groups through unfamiliar terrains.

Starting Talents
Bertram is not as physically hardy as other heroes, but he makes up for it by having highly versatile ability schools that let him be as proactive or reactive to situations as needed. He can be a threat from anywhere on the field, and a deadly one if left unchecked.

• Nature Lore - Has a +2 bonus when dealing with challenges involving nature.
  
• Observant - Has a +2 bonus in tests of perception.
  
• Proficiency : Small Blades - Can use daggers and swords.
  
• Proficiency : Bows - Can use bows.
  
• Proficiency : Crossbows - Can use crossbows.
  
• Proficiency : Medium Armor - Can use medium armor.

Skill Schools
Every school has around 20-30 unique skills. Shown below is a small sample of the kind of skills Bertram can obtain over the course of his adventures...

• Sharpshooter - Sharpshooter skills focus on mastery of different arrow types and bow techniques to take out foes at any distance.
  
  
  
  
• Trapper - Trapper skills focus on controlling and defeating enemies through the use of traps.
  
  
  
  
• Sentry - Sentry skills focus on the construction of automated field weapons to turn the tide of battle.
  
  

Skill Previews
Here are a couple of preview shots of select skills in action!

Rain of Arrows


Cross Hatch


Sentry Turret


Build Potentials
Bertram has strong range potential, so keeping him in the back row and away from danger is the way to go. With that said, a portion of his abilities also reward him for maneuvering about the battlefield to gain circumstantial boosts, or to set up his abilities in the right places. He is a flexible fighter who can ramp up his damage output if he is unchallenged.

• Sharpshooter - An unmatched marksman who takes out foes from a distance.
  
• Trapper - A trapper who dominates the battlefield with dangerous traps, luring enemies into them.
  
• Sentry - An engineer who constructs turrets to lay waste to the battlefield.
  
• Sharpshooter + Trapper - A versatile marksman who lures their foes to their demise, and picks them off.
  
• Sharpshooter + Sentry - A commander who can provide key supporting fire to their allies.
  
• Trapper + Sentry - A tactician who requires set up time, but revels in unbridled destruction when their devices are in place.

This is just a taste of what we have to show for our Early Access. We'll be working on this and even more amazing content as we go on!



If you've missed out on our previous posts, here is all the teasers we've shown - this list will be growing as we go along!

• An Introduction To Gordian Quest
  
• Introducing Gordian Quest's Procedural World
  
• Introducing The Battle System
  
• Introducing Hero #1 : Lucius The Swordhand
  Introducing Hero #2 : Alphonse The Scoundrel

If any of the above gets you excited, you'll be absolutely in for a treat with Gordian Quest. We can't wait to show you more, stay tuned!

Drop us a comment, wishlist our game and tell your friends about it :)

Sincerely,
The Gordian Quest Team

Hey Heroes,

Next in the lineup is one who has no qualms about stabbing his enemies in the back.



Alphonse the Scoundrel
Alphonse is a scoundrel who has spent time among the best of the worst - honorable thieves, unscrupulous cutthroats, and deadly assassins. The world is his playground, and he intends to stay alive with his wits and cunning.

Starting Talents
Being a rogue, Alphonse has a very focused proficiency set revolving around small blades and medium armor. He has other talents that keep him at the forefront of battle, as well as making him more likely to avoid and survive traps in random events.

• Alert - Retains initiative bonus when ambushed.
  
• Dual Wield Mastery - Can equip weapons in his offhand.
  
• Lightfooted - Has a +2 bonus in events vs traps.
  
• Proficiency : Small Blades - Can use daggers and swords.
  
• Proficiency : Medium Armor - Can use medium armor.

Skill Schools
Every school has around 20-30 unique skills. Shown below is a small sample of the kind of skills Alphonse can obtain over the course of his adventures...

• Assassin - Assassin skills focus on potent single target damage, and the mastery of poison.
  
  
  
  
• Sabotage - Sabotage skills focus on controlling the battlefield through implements and traps.
  
  
  
  
• Subterfuge - Subterfuge skills focus on sowing chaos among enemies through deception and illusion.
  
  

Skill Previews
Here are a couple of preview shots of select skills in action!

Stab


Noxious Bomb


Backup Plan


Build Potentials
Alphonse is considered an advance hero to play and has strong damage potential no matter how you build him. While he is naturally more fragile than more combat-oriented heroes, he can make up for it with smart positioning and clever control of the battlefield.

• Assassin - An assassin geared around annihilating high value targets.
  
• Sabotage - A trapper who lays traps to kill, hinder, and harass your foes.
  
• Subterfuge - A highly elusive agent of the shadows, who strikes at opportune moments.
  
• Assassin+ Sabotage - A versatile assassin who uses traps to create confusion, and expose weakness on their targets.
  
• Assassin+ Subterfuge - An assassin who dances in and out of the danger zone with a backup plan ready.
  
• Sabotage+ Subterfuge - A scheming trapper who uses traps in both offensive and defensive capacity.

This is just a taste of what we have to show for our Early Access. We'll be working on this and even more amazing content as we go on!



If you've missed out on our previous posts, here is all the teasers we've shown - this list will be growing as we go along!

• An Introduction To Gordian Quest
  
• Introducing Gordian Quest's Procedural World
  
• Introducing The Battle System
  
• Introducing Hero #1 : Lucius The Swordhand

If any of the above gets you excited, you'll be absolutely in for a treat with Gordian Quest. We can't wait to show you more, stay tuned!

Drop us a comment, wishlist our game and tell your friends about it :)

Sincerely,
The Gordian Quest Team

Hey Heroes,

In this week and the coming weeks, we'll be previewing each of the 6 heroes that will be present in the Early Access version of Gordian Quest. Each of these heroes are differentiated by their personalities, starting talents, and skill schools. Today, we'll be covering Lucius, the Swordhand.



Lucius, The Swordhand
Lucius is a former soldier who now wanders the realm as a free agent, helping those in need. He is an expert combatant, and possesses strong battle instincts which makes him a natural leader on the field.

Starting Talents
Being an ex-military man, Lucius has proficiency in a wide array of weapon and armor choices at the start, allowing him flexibility when it comes to choosing equipment to complement his skills.

• Dual Wield Mastery - Can equip weapons in his offhand.
  
• Proficiency : Blunt Weapons - Can use maces and flails.
  
• Proficiency : Small Blades - Can use daggers and swords.
  
• Proficiency : Large Blades - Can use two-handed swords.
  
• Proficiency : Medium Armor - Can use medium armor.
  
• Proficiency : Heavy Armor - Can use heavy armor.
  
• Proficiency : Shields - Can use shields.

Skill Schools
Every school has around 20-30 unique skills. Shown below is a small sample of the kind of skills Lucius can obtain over the course of his adventures...

• Swordsmanship - Swordsmanship skills focus strongly on one-on-one fighting prowess.
  
  
  
  
• Warrior - Warrior skills focus on general combat ability and crowd control.
  
  
  
  
• Leadership - Leadership skills focus on buffing yourself and allies.
  
  

Skill Previews
Here are a couple of preview shots of select skills in action!

Blast Wave


Phantom Edge


Show of Force



Build Potentials
Lucius is a highly versatile front line hero, who can also act as a cornerstone of any team with his strong supporting skills. Build him in the following ways!

• Swordsmanship - Excellent single target duelist, for taking down tougher foes.
  
• Warrior - Take on multiple foes at once without breaking a sweat.
  
• Leadership - A commander who directs his team and executes strategic plays to win battles.
  
• Swordsmanship + Warrior - A well balanced warrior who can switch between a fighter and tank role easily.
  
• Swordsmanship + Leadership - A fighter who creates opportunities for himself by placing his team in strong formations.
  
• Warrior + Leadership - A commander who leads the front line, bringing down weaker foes to expose high value targets.

This is just a taste of what we have to show for our Early Access. We'll be working on this and even more amazing content as we go on!



If you've missed out on our previous posts, here is all the teasers we've shown - this list will be growing as we go along!

• An Introduction To Gordian Quest
  
• Introducing Gordian Quest's Procedural World
  
• Introducing The Battle System

If any of the above gets you excited, you'll be absolutely in for a treat with Gordian Quest. We can't wait to show you more, stay tuned!

Drop us a comment, wishlist our game and tell your friends about it :)

Sincerely,
The Gordian Quest Team

Hey Heroes,

This week's topic is Gordian Quests's battle system. If the map system is the lifeblood of the game, the battle system is the meat and bones. Our goal with the combat system to provide the following :

• Turn-based gameplay
  
• A highly tactical experience where every action counts
  
• An almost puzzle-like aspect when examining enemy actions and reactions
  
• Satisfying synergy and combos from items and party members

Let's delve into it.



Roll for initiative!
The age-old clarion call to battle - rolling for initiative. As the battle is turned based, every unit has their turn in the pecking order of when to act. Everyone's position in this queue is automatically determined behind the scenes by rolling 3 six-sided dice and adding the unit's Initiative score.

Every hero has a base Initiative score - agile and lightweight heroes tend to be able to act first. This score is then modified by skills and items. Remember that Initiative is fluid, and various status effects like Speed Up and Slow Down can influence the flow of battle.

And .... action!

Every unit acts can use a number of skills based off their AP (Action Points). All heroes start with 3 AP, with various skills costing a range of AP from 0 to 4 or more. AP can be increased through skills or items.



What's your intention?
There is value to being the first to act in battle - at a glance, you can view the intent of all units that have not acted. This means that you have the advantage of planning a strategy to counter your foes.

This means that if an enemy acts faster than you, you will need to play more defensively as you are unable to determine their next action. With that said ... read on.



Enemy intentions are fluid. They change if they they are unable to target anyone with their current skill - in other words, they switch to using the next available card in their hand. Use this knowledge to optimize how you spend your action points - avoid a powerful attack by moving to another lane, or take the heat off an ally by stepping into an enemy's sight.



Studying and outsmarting your enemies is key to winning battles unscathed. With the above information in mind, here are the rules of engagement when fighting enemies.

• Every enemy has a specific deck (the simplest enemies have 3 cards, while tougher opponents can have twice that)
  
• Enemies will draw and hold 2-3 cards in their hand per turn
  
• Enemies will pick the first valid card, from left to right
  
• Enemies will play 1 action from their hand per turn
  
• Powerful monsters can have 1 or more passive abilities that change up the battlefield, or knock players around. Be on guard!

You're up next
On your hero's turn, you're going to have to make some choices. Here's a simplified loop :

• Need to reposition yourself? This costs 1AP per cell moved.
  
• In a tight situation? Use a consumable. Each hero can only carry 2 into battle, but they cost no AP to use.
  
• Play a card in your hand. Discover synergies between certain cards that can grant additional effects, or let you play more cards on your turn.
  
• Out of AP? End the turn.

Sounds simple enough - but remember that every action counts. One wrong move can expose a weakness in your strategy, and your party will be punished for it.


There is no I in Teamwork
Heroes are strong by themselves, but that won't do when going up against more powerful elites. By working in unison, heroes can trigger supplementary attacks and effects that can boost their effectiveness. These skills are called Trigger skills, and are labelled as such.

Trigger skills are all about positioning. By keeping in the same lane, row, or any other position as described, a hero can activate other heroes in the same turn for a free action. Heroes can only be triggered once per round in this way.



As such, every Action Point matters. Weigh the use of it to change the enemy's intent, to get into the correct formation, to avoid danger, or to get in range for an attack. There are going to be some hard decisions to make.


Advanced strategies
There's more to the battle system, but that is outside the scope of this post. Utilize the many status effects to your advantage, all while deftly trying to take as little damage as possible. Here are a couple of unique ones to look out for ...

• Knockback - Push a target backwards in their lane (swap if they hit someone else)
  
• Channel - Every point of Channel will reduce the AP cost of certain spells by 1
  
• Burn - Every point of Burn will inflict 2 damage on the target's turn
  
• Frozen - Will lock up a random card in the target's hand
  
• Burning Ground - Units take damage when stepping into this cell
  ... and more!

This is just a taste of what we have to show for our Early Access. We'll be working on this and even more amazing content as we go on!



If you've missed out on our previous posts, here is all the teasers we've shown - this list will be growing as we go along!

• An Introduction To Gordian Quest
  
• Introducing Gordian Quest's Procedural World

If any of the above gets you excited, you'll be absolutely in for a treat with Gordian Quest. We can't wait to show you more, stay tuned!

Drop us a comment, wishlist our game and tell your friends about it :)

Sincerely,
The Gordian Quest Team