Mar 27, 2024

1.05.61201 - Darkest Dungeon II - Last Light - Coming_in_hot Release

Darkest Dungeon® II - RedHookMichaela

Important Note on this Coming_in_Hot Release:

We encourage players who want to help test these changes and provide feedback to switch to the "coming_in_hot" beta branch . Your save will carry over when you switch to that branch.

IMPORTANT: Once you switch your branch you MUST stay there until we push the update to the retail branch for everyone. We always recommend making a backup of your save file!

Darkest Dungeon II - Last Light

We’ve deployed a new build to the coming_in_hot branch. The focus of this test is the new features we have added, including late game candle usage, hero path conversions to the skill-replacement system, improvements to hero goals, and also Infernal Flame accomplishments.

Please note, this our first playable version, and as such many of the art assets are missing or are temporary. Expect added visual polish as we get closer to our retail release.

Please engage with these new systems and send us your feedback! Hopefully you can see that DD2 is a labor of love for us, and we are truly enjoying continuing to improve and add to the game.

As always, thank you for being an active participant in these tests.

Hero Path Conversions

This build includes the conversion of all remaining pre-Vestal Paths to use the “new” skill replacement system.

Important note: our focus for this conversion was to align the systems. We didn’t make significant changes to the Paths themselves.

However, there are some small, immediate benefits in the form of improved tool tip accuracy and better gains from +X% DMG / +X% Healing buffs now that most of these values are intrinsic to the skill rather than applied via Path buff.

Getting all Paths onto the same system has been a much-requested community feature, and of course we’ve been eager to do this for a long time! This helps pave the way for future Path balancing and revisions. We don’t have a firm timeline, but we’ll share more when ready.

Late Game Candle Usage

In this build we’ve added new features that allow players to utilize Candles once the Altar of Hope has been fully upgraded. You can spend Candles both before starting an Expedition and during an Expedition:

INVENTORY GRANTS: After maxing out the Working Fields, players may now spend profile candles there to get random pulls from the item categories, the cost increases after each roll. Each pull grants the player items in inventory that can be used on that expedition
QUIRK RE-ROLLING: After maxing out the Altar of Hope (base game tracks), players may now spend profile candles at the crossroads to reroll quirks on non-memoried heroes. The cost increases after each roll. Use this feature to fine tune your party!
NEW ENCOUNTER CHOICES: After maxing out the Altar of Hope (base game tracks), players may now spend inventory candles if available on new choices at encounters (assistance/resistance/cultist/creature dens)

Hero Goals

After maxing out the Altar of Hope (base game tracks), new hero goals will begin to generate for them which can reward a hero class trinket or signature inn item upon completion
Most hero goals that reward candles now immediately reward inventory candles upon completion

Infernal Flame Vitrine

After you max out your Altar of Hope(base game tracks), you gain access to the flame accomplishment UI (currently located on the stagecoach screen) to see which bosses you’ve defeated with each Infernal Flame
- This is not retroactive, due to technical limitations. For context, this was a requested feature after the latest Infernal Flames were added and unfortunately, we did not have tracking for defeated confessions with specific Infernal Flames

Combat

Updated Unchecked Power token description to clarify how much Burn it may apply

Heroes

Highwayman: Sharpshot’s Double Tap can temporarily no longer target inanimate objects such as the Librarian’s books; this prevents an issue with an infinite turn loop

Hero Path Conversions

Hellion

Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
Berserker: Bleed RES Piercing has been moved from the blanket buff onto If It Bleeds and Bleed Out
Berserker: CRIT bonuses are now reflected directly on If It Bleeds and Bleed Out
Carcass: Block removal is now reflected directly on Wicked Hack
Carcass: Taunt is now reflected directly on Barbaric YAWP!
Ravager: Bleed RES Piercing penalty has been moved from the blanket buff onto It If Bleeds and Bleed Out

Jester

Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
Intermezzo: Stress RES buff is now reflected directly on Inspiring Tune
Intermezzo: Bleed effects are now reflected directly on Inspiring Tune, Battle Ballad, Play Out, Solo, Encore, and Echoing March
Intermezzo: Additional tokens are now reflected directly on Battle Ballad and Play Out
Soloist: The blanket +20% DMG buff has been removed
Soloist: Razor's Wit, Fade to Black, Harvest, Slice Off, and Finale average DMG has been increased ~20% accordingly. This also applies to their Mastered versions.
Soloist: CRIT bonuses are now reflected directly on Harvest and Slice Off
Soloist: Bleed RES Piercing has been moved from the blanket buff onto Harvest and Slice Off
Virtuoso: No skills were affected

Leper

Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
Monarch: Vulnerable token is now reflected directly on Intimidate and Purge.
Monarch: -75% blanket DMG debuff for Chop and Chop+ has been removed
Monarch: Chop and Chop+ skill DMG has been reduced accordingly
Monarch: +100% blanket DMG buff for Chop and Chop+ has been removed
Monarch: Chop and Chop+ now deal a flat +7 DMG vs. Cosmic targets instead. This bonus DMG is also affected by sources such as Strength tokens.
Poet: Increased heal is now reflected directly on Solemnity
Poet: -25% blanket DMG debuff has been removed
Poet: Chop, Hew, Purge, Break, and Bash skill DMG has been reduced accordingly
Poet: Intimidate and Intimidate+ DMG is no longer penalized as the skill's DMG is already low
Tempest: +33% blanket Chop DMG buff has been removed
Tempest: Chop and Chop+ skill DMG has been increased accordingly

Man-at-Arms

Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
Bulwark: +50% Shield Attack Skill DMG blanket buff has been removed
Bulwark: +10% Stun RES Piercing on Shield Attack Skills blanket buff has been removed
Bulwark: Rampart and Hold the Line DMG has been increased accordingly
Bulwark: Rampart and Hold the Line now directly reflect their 10% Stun RES Piercing
Bulwark: Taunt tokens are now reflected directly on Stand Fast and Stand Fast+
Bulwark: -25% Crush & Riposte DMG blanket buff has been removed
Bulwark: Crush and Crush+ DMG has been reduced accordingly.
Bulwark: Riposte DMG is no longer reduced on this Path
Sergeant: -20% DMG blanket buff has been removed
Sergeant: Crush, Rampart, Hold the Line, Courageous Abandon, and Strategic Withdrawal DMG has been reduced accordingly
Sergeant: Riposte DMG is no longer reduced on this Path
Sergeant: Self-removal of Weak and Vulnerable tokens is now reflected directly on Bolster and Bolster+
Vanguard: +50% Crush DMG blanket buff has been removed
Vanguard: +25% Riposte DMG blanket buff has been removed
Vanguard: Crush, Crush+, and Riposte DMG have been increased accordingly
Vanguard: Riposte DMG value is now reflected on the Path tool tip

Occultist

Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
Aspirant: the blanket melee DMG buff has been removed
Aspirant: Sacrificial Stab, Binding Shadows, and Anamnesis DMG has been increased accordingly
Aspirant: Binding Shadows moves you forward 1
Aspirant: the blanket -15% Debuff RES Piercing penalty for Cursing skills has been removed
Aspirant: -15% Debuff RES Piercing penalty is now reflected directly on Weakening Curse, Vulnerability Hex, and Malediction
Ritualist: the blanket healing buff has been removed
Ritualist: healing ranges on Wyrd Reconstruction and Wyrd Reconstruction+ have been adjusted accordingly
Ritualist: the blanket +10% RES Piercing buff is now reflected directly on Weakening Curse, Vulnerability Hex, and Malediction
Ritualist: the bonus Strength, CRIT, and Dodge+ token chances for curses are now reflected directly on Weakening Curse, Vulnerability Hex, and Malediction
Warlock: the blanket DMG buff for ranged skills has been removed
Warlock: Abyssal Artillery, Daemon's Pull, and The Burning Stars DMG has been adjusted accordingly

Plague Doctor

Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
Alchemist: blanket Blight RES Piercing buff has been removed
Alchemist: Blight RES Piercing is now reflected directly on Noxious Blast and Plague Grenade
Physician: Reduced Blight/Bleed is now reflected directly on the relevant skills
Physician: Disorienting Blast's Stun RES Piercing is now reflected directly on the skill
Physician: Disorienting Blast's Vulnerable token is now reflected directly on the skill
Physician: Ounce of Prevention's Stress RES buff is now reflected directly on the skill
Physician: Emboldening Vapours additional Strength token is now reflected directly on the skill
Surgeon: blanket Melee DMG buff has been removed
Surgeon: increased Melee DMG is now reflected directly on Incision
Surgeon: blanket healing buff has been removed
Surgeon: increased healing values are now reflected directly on Battlefield Medicine and Indiscriminate Science
Surgeon: blanket Blight RES Piercing debuff has been removed
Surgeon: reduced Blight RES Piercing is now reflected directly on Noxious Blast and Plague Grenade

Runaway

Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
Arsonist: blanket Burn RES Piercing buff has been removed
Arsonist: Burn RES Piercing is now reflected directly on Searing Strike, Ransack, Firefly, Dragonfly, and Controlled Burn
Arsonist: blanket DMG debuff has been removed
Arsonist: blanket CRIT buff has been removed
Arsonist: DMG of Searing Strike, Ransack, Firefly, and Dragonfly has been reduced accordingly
Arsonist: CRIT of Searing Strike, Ransack, Firefly, Dragonfly, and Controlled Burn has been increased accordingly
Orphan: rank effect text has been condensed for better legibility
Orphan: Firestarter's CRIT token is now reflected directly on the skill
Survivor: blanket healing buff has been removed
Survivor: blanket healing over time buff has been removed
Survivor: increased healing values are now directly reflected on Cauterize
Survivor: increased healing over time value is now directly reflected on Run and Hide
Survivor: blanket Burn RES Piercing debuff has been removed
Survivor: Burn RES Piercing debuff is now reflected directly on Searing Strike, Ransack, Firefly, Dragonfly, and Controlled Burn

Monsters

Increased Black Phillip’s HP from 24 to 29

Items

Added chance for most Implication mashes to drop Iron Banded Wheels and Steel Plating stagecoach items
Combat and Inn item tooltips now display gold or blue coloring for target strings depending if it targets heroes or enemies
Shrine Map: No longer appears once all Shrines of Reflection have been completed
Almanacs: Added the Road Gear tag, +2 speed, and +10% Stress RES for their respective regions
Shambler’s Spawn: Added +33% Cultist Encounters
Rat Skull: Increased Stun RES debuff from Tracking Shot from -10% to -20% and decreased Healing Received penalty from skills when facing Creatures from -90% to -66%
Profane Scroll: Reduced Turn End while in Rank 3 and 4 Stress damage from +2 to +1 and chance from 100% to 33%
Strong Shackles: Reworked to Apply On Hit: Immobilize and Gain On Hit: Immobilize
Staggering Striker: Added If Target has Immobilize: +50% DMG
Covert Cloak: Added If Target has Immobilize: +10% CRIT
Sneaker’s Standard: Combat Start: All Heroes: Stealth Token (33%) changed to Combat Start: All Allies Behind: Stealth Token
Unwavering Standard: Combat Start: All Heroes: Block Token (33%) changed to Combat Start: All Allies Behind: Block Token
Grim Mask: Reworked to Gain On Crit: Each Ally: If Flame > 40: -1 Stress (33%), Each Ally On Turn End: If Flame < 40 +1 Stress (33%), and If Flame < 40: +40% DMG
Heart-Shaped Padlock: +10% Resolute Chance changed to Random Ally When Healed: Add 1 Positive Token (33%)
Blood-Smeared Calculations: Removed 1 DMG on turn start and turn end. Changed turn end conversion to now convert Crit to Dodge Plus and Strength to Block Plus. Added Turn End: Bleed 1
Snappy Swig: Speed threshold for gaining a CRIT token increased from 8 to 10
Anatomical Map: Chance to apply negative token or positive token changed from 90%/10% to 95%/5% respectively
Hastening History: Changed Turn End: Random Ally: Speed Token (33%) to Turn End: Ally Ahead: Speed Token (33%)
Insulating Insignia: Changed Turn End: Random Ally: Block Token (33%) to Turn End: Ally Ahead: Block Token (33%)
Wax Inoculant: Now targets whole party and cost increased from 8 to 12
Caked Palette: Now has 100% chance to copy a positive token along with a 5% chance to copy all negative tokens
Pouch of Lye: Added -1 Stress for each Corpse cleared with this item
Shred of Decency: Changed removing 1 Worship to removing all Worship

GAMEPAD

D-pad now functional for UI screens
Removal of token sheet quick access on UI screens (can still be accessible in pause menu)
Tooltips are now toggled on and off with R3 instead of showing at all times
Embark buttons on Crossroads, Altar of Hope, Embark relationship screen have been converted to hold to confirm
Reset mastery points now hold to confirm
Dungeon popup buttons have also been converted to hold to confirm
Embark button on crossroads is no longer a button prompt and is selectable instead
Cycling through cosmetics have been changed to the shoulder buttons instead of the d-pad
Add a visual cursor when navigating INN route rewards and options menu to make it easier to see the location of your cursor
Fix on inventory cursor showing at the bottom instead of the top
HP can now be viewed in ALT view in combat
Pet now clickable on gamepad
Improvements on gamepad cursor feedback and icons in various areas

GAMEPLAY

Added map tooltip descriptions for specific Assistance Encounter Locations
Assistance Encounters Locations now have most choices that better thematically match the visuals of the encounter
Added Armor and Wheel threshold conditions for Assist location choices for Armor/Wheel repairs to improve appearance when needed
Added tutorial descriptions for completing the Altar of Hope and completing the Working Fields

FIXES

Fixed some text in Wanderer Duelist’s Disengage tool tip
Fixed an issue with Black Phillip’s corpse having incorrect health

Known Issues

As with our previous experimental release, the update is not fully localized, expect the other languages to be added prior to the retail release