Playtest notes 11 Dec 2025

Internal playtest158 entries62 balance changes45 content additions27 bug fixes11 audio updates7 wording fixes6 performance fixes

This is a pre-release internal note from the closed playtest, quoted as it was written for testers. It describes a build that no longer exists; treat it as history, not as a description of the current game.

This week's patch is a BIG one with lots of new, reworked, and deprecated content as well as a huge balance pass! For instance, many Ascensions have been shifted and reworked, a bunch of new relics have been added and Ancient relics rebalanced, the prices you find at the Merchant may vary quite a bit from what you're used to and, speaking of which, a certain other Merchant is a bit more talkative now.

Items in this note

45 cards

Hand Trick
Skill
1
Gain 7 Block.
Add Sly to a Skill in your Hand this turn.
Accuracy
Power
1
Shivs deal 4 additional damage.
Black Hole
Power
1
Whenever you spend or gain , deal 3 damage to ALL enemies.
Blade of Ink
Skill
1
Add 2 Inky Shivs into your Hand.
Blood Wall
Skill
2
Lose 2 HP.
Gain 16 Block.
Bombardment
Attack
3
Deal 18 damage.
At the start of your turn, if this is in your Exhaust Pile, play it.
Exhaust.
Bulk Up
Power
2
Lose 1 Orb Slot.
Gain 2 Strength.
Gain 2 Dexterity.
Cleanse
Skill
1
Summon 3.
Exhaust 1 card from your Draw Pile.
Fan of Knives
Power
2
Shivs now hit ALL enemies.
Add 4 Shivs into your Hand.
Fetch
Attack
0
Osty deals 3 damage.
If this is the first time this card has been played this turn, draw 1 card.
Flak Cannon
Attack
2
Exhaust ALL your Status cards.
Deal 8 damage to a random enemy for each card Exhausted.
Glacier
Skill
2
Gain 6 Block.
Channel 2 Frost.
Guiding Star
Attack
1
2
Deal 12 damage.
Draw 2 cards.
Gunk Up
Attack
1
Deal 4 damage 3 times.
Add a Slimed into your Discard Pile.
Helix Drill
Attack
0
Deal 3 damage for each previously spent this turn.
Hellraiser
Power
2
Whenever you draw a card containing “Strike”, it is played against a random enemy.
Howl from Beyond
Attack
3
Deal 16 damage to ALL enemies.
At the end of your turn, if this is in your Exhaust Pile, play it.
Infinite Blades
Power
1
At the start of your turn, add 1 Shiv into your Hand.
Lightning Rod
Skill
1
Gain 4 Block.
At the start of the next 2 turns, Channel 1 Lightning.
Loop
Power
1
At the start of your turn, trigger the passive ability of your rightmost Orb.
Lunar Blast
Attack
0
Deal 4 damage for each Skill already played this turn.
Mayhem
Power
2
At the start of your turn, play the top card of your Draw Pile.
Momentum Strike
Attack
1
Deal 10 damage.
Reduce this card's cost to 0 .
Murder
Attack
3
Deal 1 damage.
Deals 1 additional damage for each card drawn this combat.
Particle Wall
Skill
0
2
Gain 9 Block.
Return this card to your Hand.
Phantom Blades
Power
1
Shivs gain Retain.
The first Shiv you play each turn deals 9 additional damage.
Precise Cut
Attack
0
Deal 13 damage.
Deals 2 less damage for each other card in your Hand.
Scavenge
Skill
1
Exhaust a card.
Next turn, gain .
Scourge
Skill
1
Apply 13 Doom.
Draw 1 card.
Sentry Mode
Power
2
At the start of your turn, add 1 Sweeping Gaze into your Hand.
Shadow Shield
Skill
2
Gain 11 Block.
Channel 1 Dark.
Shiv
Attack
0
Deal 4 damage.
Exhaust.
Shroud
Power
1
Whenever you apply Doom, gain 2 Block.
Sleight of Flesh
Power
2
Whenever you apply a debuff to an enemy, they take 9 damage.
Soul
Skill
0
Draw 2 cards.
Exhaust.
Soul Storm
Attack
1
Deal 9 damage.
Deals 2 additional damage for each Soul in your Exhaust Pile.
Sovereign Blade
Attack
2
Retain.
Deal 10 damage.
Stomp
Attack
3
Deal 12 damage to ALL enemies.
Costs 1 less for each Attack played this turn.
Stone Armor
Power
1
Gain 4 Plating.
Supermassive
Attack
1
Deal 5 damage.
Deals 3 additional damage for each card you created this combat.
Sweeping Gaze
Attack
0
Ethereal.
Osty deals 10 damage to a random enemy.
Exhaust.
Thrash
Attack
1
Deal 4 damage twice.
Exhaust a random Attack in your Hand and add its damage to this card.
Trash to Treasure
Power
1
Whenever you create a Status, Channel 1 random Orb.
Unleash
Attack
1
Osty deals 6 damage.
Deals additional damage equal to Osty's current HP.
Voltaic
Skill
3
Channel Lightning equal to the Lightning already Channeled this combat.
Exhaust.

Relics, potions and powers

Book of Five RingsBrilliant ScarfCloak ClaspKaleidoscopeLooming FruitLucky FyshMetronomeMiniature TentPen NibPrismatic GemRazor ToothSparkling RougeTouch of InsanityTuning ForkDexterityPlatingFree SkillGravitySpinnerStrengthTrash to Treasure

Enemies and events

NeowNonupeipePaelAbyssal BathsBowlbug (Rock)Ceremonial BeastColossal FlowerCrystal SphereDamp CultistDoll RoomEntomancerNibbitOrobasSoul NexusSpiraling WhirlpoolTanxTezcataraThe Lantern KeyVantom

Content

General

  • Changed A10 from Gatekeeper -> Ascender's Scorn
  • Changed A4 from Warden -> Tight Belt
  • Changed Scarcity from A8 -> A9
  • Reworked A8 -> Gloom
  • Reworked A3 -> Poverty
  • Character relic unlocks are now tied to Epochs
  • Replaced deprecated Epoch cards:

Ironclad

  • Reworked Stomp card, is now also Uncommon
  • Deprecated the following cards:
    • Pummel
    • Flex
Keep reading111 more words

Silent

  • Reworked and renamed Blade of Ink -> Blackened Blade
  • Deprecated the following cards:
    • Cower
    • Flying Knee

Defect

Necrobinder

  • Reworked Scourge card
  • Reworked Cleanse card, is now also Uncommon
  • Deprecated the following cards:

Regent

  • Deprecated the following cards:

Potions & Relics

Enemies

  • Reworked the Kin boss combat

Events

  • The Merchant??? now talks to you when you visit... it

Balance

General

  • Common relic shop prices increased from 165 gold -> 200
  • Rare relic shop prices decreased from 330 gold -> 300
  • Shop relic shop prices increased from 215 gold -> 225
  • Uncommon relic shop prices decreased from 275 gold -> 250
  • Shop relic price randomization increased from +-5% -> +-15%
  • Global effects that make cards free (such as Free Skill power and Brilliant Scarf relic) now affect X cards, causing them to be played with an X-value of your current energy without spending that Energy

Ironclad

Silent

  • Changed Hand Trick card:
    • Sly application changed from Attacks -> Skills
    • Now only applies Sly for "this turn" instead of for the rest of the fight
  • Nerfed Murder card: damage decreased from 5(6) -> 1(1) (amount currently bugged)
  • Nerfed Phantom Blades card: upgrade damage decreased from +4 -> +3
  • Nerfed Precise Cut card: damage decreased from 13(17) -> 13(16)
Keep reading444 more words

Defect

  • Changed Bulk Up card:
    • Energy cost increased from 1 -> 2
    • Changed from granting Plating -> 2(3) Dexterity
  • Changed Compactor card: now affects Status cards in your Hand instead of Discard pile
  • Nerfed Flak Cannon card: Energy cost increased from 0 -> 1
  • Nerfed Glacier card: Block decreased from 7(10) -> 6(9)
  • Changed Gunk Up card: now places Slimes into Hand instead of the Discard Pile
  • Changed Helix Drill card:
    • Energy cost increased from 0 -> 1
    • Damage decreased from 7-> 3
  • Buffed Metronome relic: Orbs decreased from 10 -> 7

Necrobinder

  • Changed Sleight of Flesh card:
    • Energy cost increased from 1 -> 2
    • HP loss increased from 6(9) -> 9(13)

Regent

  • Buffed Black Hole card:
    • Energy cost decreased from 2(1) -> 1
    • Upgrade changed to gain Innate
  • Changed Lunar Blast card: rarity changed from Common -> Uncommon
  • Nerfed Particle Wall card: Block decreased from 9(13) -> 9(12)

Potions & Relics

  • Changed Lucky Fysh relic: rarity changed from Rare -> Uncommon
  • Changed Nye Shroud relic: rarity changed from Uncommon -> Rare
  • Swapped rarity on Pen Nib and Book of Five Rings relics
  • Buffed Touch of Insanity potion: no longer hits a random card but instead allows the player to choose the card in hand to affect
  • Nerfed Tuning Fork relic: damage decreased from 8 -> 6

Enemies

  • Buffed Bowlbug Rock: headbutt move damage increased from 13(15) -> 15(16)
  • Buffed Ceremonial Beast:
    • Crush damage increased from 11(12) -> 13(14)
    • HP increased from 234(245) -> 244(256)
  • Buffed Damp Cultist: HP increased from 45(46)-47(48) -> 51(52)->53(54)
  • Buffed Entomancer: spear move damage increased from 13(15) -> 16(18)
  • Nerfed Nibbit: slice move Block decreased from 6 -> 5
  • Changed Soul Nexus: no longer has Soul Wither power
  • Buffed Vantom:
    • Dismember move damage increased from 24(26) -> 26(28)
    • Ink Blot move damage increased from 6(6) -> 7(8)

Ancients

Events

Audio

Writing

  • Made a massive wording and hovertip consistency pass. Thanks to Cany for reporting!
  • Recycle card renamed -> Scavenge
  • Ravage card renamed -> Thrash
  • Added new Defect Chapter 6 Epoch
  • Updated text for Necrobinder Chapter 2-6 Epochs
  • Present tense-ified Necrobinder Chapter 1 Epoch
  • Shifted some Epochs and dates around in the Timeline

Bug fixes

General

  • Fixed crash when alt-tabbing while game is launching
  • All Star modifier no longer interacts with Character Cards modifier
  • Chapter paginators are now always visible in Epoch inspect screen
  • Clearing a profile now clears it from Steam Cloud too
  • Fixed Epoch inspect screen not being centered if window is resized
  • Fixed pink color tag not working
  • Fixed Merchant rug not being centered at ultrawide resolutions
  • It is no longer possible to roll a shop at an unknown map point if all of the next map points are shops
  • You can no longer enter Instant Mode accidentally

Ironclad

Silent

Keep reading179 more words

Defect

  • If Lightning Rod card is enchanted with Imbued, it no longer channels 1 Lightning Orb at the start of your first turn
  • Spinner power hovertip no longer mentions an empty Orb Slot requirement that doesn't exist
  • Trash to Treasure power now stacks and channels Orbs based on amount

Necrobinder

  • Fixed Unleash card missing a Summon hovertip
  • Sentry Mode hovertip now correctly references Sweeping Gaze instead of non-existent Incident card
  • Soul Storm card now properly previews the Soul card before adding it to your draw pile

Potions & Relics

  • Prismatic Gem relic no longer adds cards from other colors to colorless card rewards

Enemies

  • Doormaker is now the last Glory boss you discover
  • Doormaker's powers are now positioned correctly when they spawn in with powers

Event

  • Abyssal Baths event's Linger option no longer shows incorrect death warning
  • Colossal Flower event tooltip now shows correct damage per dig
  • Doll Room event no longer softlocks if you take a long time to make a choice
  • Fixed occasional Crystal Sphere event softlock
  • Wongo badge is now awarded when reaching exactly 2000 points

Performance

  • Card rarity VFX nodes are now instantiated only when needed
  • Potion Lab now loads faster
  • Relic Collection now loads faster
  • Text labels now autosize faster
  • Timeline menu now loads faster
  • VRAM compressed some simple black and white assets
Newer: 18 Dec 2025All patch notesOlder: 4 Dec 2025
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