Looting
A new player owns only the class default weapons. Every other weapon, armour, accessory and enchantment is earned by playing: each battle turns your side's deeds into essences of eight families, and often drops a plan fragment. Three fragments make a plan; the forge turns a plan and its essences into an item you own. A won battle always drops a fragment, a loss climbs a chance that pays out by the fourth miss, and at most three plans are open at once, so a steady player completes an item about every three wins.
The eight families
Every item belongs to one family, and its family's essence pays most of its forge price. Each essence comes from a deed: Blood from damage dealt, Iron from damage taken, Road from hexes walked, Ember from Overheat gained, Shade from rear hits and unseen kills, Grace from healing and buffs given, Hex from debuffs and displacements, Crown from Victory Points scored.
| Family | Items |
|---|---|
| Blood | Axe (Weapon), Devastation Stone (Accessory), Echo Focus (Weapon), Echorb (Accessory), Executioner (Weapon enchantment), Fight Idol (Accessory), Multistrike Glove (Accessory), Musket (Weapon), Opener's Mark (Accessory), Reckless (Weapon enchantment), Sunder (Weapon enchantment), Sword (Weapon), War Draught (Consumable), Wild Magic Gem (Accessory) |
| Iron | Adaptive (Armour enchantment), Aegis (Accessory), Anchored (Armour enchantment), Evasive (Armour enchantment), Heavy Armor (Armour), Last Stand (Armour enchantment), Medium Armor (Armour), Resurrection Totem (Consumable), Spear (Weapon), Spell Absorption (Armour enchantment), Stoneskin Tonic (Consumable), Tower Emblem (Accessory), Warden's Coat (Armour) |
| Road | Backstep (Weapon enchantment), Gravity Boots (Accessory), Hermes Boots (Accessory), Light Armor (Armour), Old Cloak (Consumable), Quicksilver (Consumable) |
| Ember | Adrenaline Injector (Consumable), Cold Snap (Consumable), Heat Exchanger (Accessory), Powder Keg (Consumable), Stoker's Brand (Accessory), Venting (Weapon enchantment) |
| Shade | Appraiser's Eye (Accessory), Blindfire (Weapon enchantment), Bow (Weapon), Dagger (Weapon), Ear Trumpet (Accessory), Haze Cape (Accessory), Lantern (Accessory), Patience (Weapon enchantment), Seer's Lens (Accessory), Smoke Vial (Consumable) |
| Grace | Cleansing (Armour enchantment), Consecration (Weapon enchantment), Healing Salve (Consumable), Leech Grimoire (Weapon), Martyr Mark (Accessory), Protective Barrier (Armour enchantment), Purifying Water (Consumable), Rallying Horn (Accessory), Regeneration (Armour enchantment), Robes (Armour), Senzu (Consumable), Siphon (Weapon enchantment), Troll Heart (Accessory) |
| Hex | Expanded Reach (Armour enchantment), Gauntlets (Weapon), Hammer (Weapon), Hex Bottle (Consumable), Snare Net (Consumable), Staff (Weapon), Transmutation (Weapon enchantment), Whip (Weapon) |
| Crown | Combo (Weapon enchantment), Crossbow (Weapon), Energy Sigil (Accessory), Gem of Anarchy (Accessory), Hourglass (Consumable), Last Resort (Accessory), Overcharge Core (Consumable), Signature (Weapon enchantment), Wand (Weapon) |
Fusion
Two effect pieces of the same kind (two accessories, two weapon enchantments or two armour enchantments) fuse into one unique that carries both at their fusion form and a third effect, the resonance of their families. A fusion form is a weaker copy of the piece: every number at 60% (rule 1); a benefit that cannot shrink stays and its drawback grows instead (P); or a hand-written form (H). Fusing never consumes the parents.
| Piece | Family | Original | Fusion form | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrenaline Injector | Ember | Warm: x1.10 instead of x0.85; Hot/Meltdown penalties x1.5 | Warm: x1.06; Hot/Meltdown penalties x1.3 | 1 |
| Aegis | Iron | toggle block, 2 charges halve a hit; depleted +10% taken | 1 charge; depleted +6% | 1 |
| Blood Contract | Crown | 15% max HP -> +1 AP, unlimited | 25% max HP -> +1 AP | P |
| Devastation Stone | Blood | area skills +20%; allies in area hit | +12%; allies in area hit (kept) | 1 |
| Ear Trumpet | Shade | walkers within 2 lit; -1 vision | within 1; -1 vision | 1 |
| Echorb | Blood | +10%/repeat; -5% new action | +6%/repeat; -3% | 1 |
| Energy Sigil | Crown | first action each turn free; AP cap 2 | first action free every OTHER turn; AP cap 2 | H |
| Executioner's Mark | Blood | +25/+15/-5/-15% by HP band | +15/+9/-3/-9% | 1 |
| Field Glass | Shade | +1 vision; -10% max HP | +1 vision; -17% max HP | P |
| Fight Idol | Blood | +15%; -5%/MP walked (cap -30%) | +9%; -3%/MP (cap -18%) | 1 |
| Gem of Anarchy | Crown | cooldowns -1; +1 OVH per skill | cooldowns -1; +2 OVH per skill | P |
| Gravity Boots | Road | difficult terrain = open ground; -1 vision | same; -2 vision | P |
| Heat Exchanger | Ember | 2+ skills in a round: +2 decay | +1 decay | 1 |
| Hermes Boots | Road | opens tier 3; -2 vision | opens tier 3; -3 vision | P |
| Lantern | Shade | turn end: enemies within 2 lit; +5% taken | within 1; +3% | 1 |
| Last Resort | Crown | toggle: next skill 0 AP for 50% current HP | toggle: next skill 0 AP for 83% current HP | P |
| Martyr Mark | Grace | round start: allies within 2 heal 5; you lose 5/ally | heal 3; lose 3/ally | 1 |
| Monocle | Shade | attacker that hits you is lit; -10% max HP | lit; -17% max HP | P |
| Multistrike Glove | Blood | basic attack 2 hits x60% (120%); +1 OVH | 2 hits x56% (112%); +1 OVH | 1 |
| Old Cloak | Road | once: 10 free MP; -1 MP until spent | once: 6 free MP; -1 MP until spent | 1 |
| Overcharge Core | Crown | once: +2 AP, +3 OVH | once: +1 AP, +2 OVH | 1 |
| Rallying Horn | Grace | ally dies: others vent 3; you +1 OVH | vent 2; you +1 | 1 |
| Resurrection Totem | Iron | once: revive at 30%; -30% max HP, no healing | revive at 18%; -18% max HP, -50% healing received | H (L11) |
| Senzu | Ember | once: Rest -> OVH 0; skip next round; +10% taken | once: Rest vents 6; skip next round's AP only (may walk); +6% | H |
| Smoke Vial | Shade | first hit under 40% HP: untargetable till round | under 24% HP | 1 |
| Sniper's Focus | Shade | +2 range if still; -1 once walked | +1 if still; -1 once walked | 1 |
| Stamina Medal | Ember | OVH penalty read 1 tier cooler; -5% dealt | penalties x0.91 / x0.82 / x0.73 (between the two tiers); -3% | H |
| Tactical Mind | Road | 1 AP: tier 3 this turn | 1 AP: tier 3 this turn, priced x4 not x3 | H |
| Tower Emblem | Iron | -10% taken if still; +5% once walked | -6%; +3% | 1 |
| Troll Heart | Grace | +40% healing received; +15% taken | +24%; +9% | 1 |
| Wild Magic Gem | Blood | A +20% dealt/+15% taken; B -10%/-10% | A +12%/+9%; B -6%/-6% | 1 |
| Backstab | Shade | rear +10%, front -10% | rear +6%, front -6% | 1 |
| Berserker | Blood | +20% at <=50% HP, -10% above | +12%, -6% | 1 |
| Cursed | Blood | +20% dealt, +15% taken | +12%, +9% | 1 |
| Extension | Shade | +1 reach, -10% | +1 reach, -17% | P |
| Frozen | Hex | hit halves target's MP tiers | tiers cut 30% (not 50%) | 1 |
| Growth | Blood | -20% start, +10%/kill (to +30%) | -12%, +6%/kill (to +18%) | 1 |
| Holy | Grace | your heals +20%; -15% dealt | +12%; -9% | 1 |
| Illuminating | Shade | hit lights the target; -10% | lights; -17% | P |
| Occult | Blood | skills +15%; 5% max HP per cast | +9%; 3% | 1 |
| Quickdraw | Ember | first attack a round: 50% dmg, no OVH | 70% dmg, no OVH | 1 |
| Silenced | Shade | hidden position; facing bonuses halved | hidden; facing bonuses cut 83% | P |
| Swift | Road | after attack: tier 3 opens; -15% | tier 3; -25% | P |
| Vampiric | Grace | heal 25% of damage; -15% max HP | 15%; -9% | 1 |
| Vengeful | Blood | +25% vs who hurt you this round | +15% | 1 |
| Adaptive | Iron | +/-2 DEF/MR per hit type, cap 8 | +/-1, cap 5 | 1 |
| Anchored | Iron | ignore 1st forced move a round; -1 MP | 1st forced move each round shortened by 1 hex; no MP loss | H |
| Bloodlust | Blood | heal 30% on a kill; take 5% of adjacent ally hits | 18%; 3% | 1 |
| Cleansing | Grace | round end: a timed status -1 turn | 60% chance each round | 1 |
| Evasive | Iron | -5..-30% from 4..9 hexes; +10% at <=2 | -3..-18%; +6% | 1 |
| Expanded Reach | Hex | engaged zone +1; -1 MP | +1; -1 MP | H (L11) |
| Guardian | Grace | adjacent allies -20%; you +10%/ally | -12%; +6%/ally | 1 |
| Guardian Aura | Grace | allies in zone -10%; you +5%/ally | -6%; +3%/ally | 1 |
| Intensified Grip | Hex | zones x3 / x5; enemies in zone +5% | engaged x3 only (challenged x4 as normal); +3% | H |
| Last Stand | Iron | <30% HP stats x1.3; >70% x0.9 | x1.18; x0.94 | 1 |
| Lightweight | Road | +1 MP; +10% taken | +1 MP; +17% taken | P |
| Protective Barrier | Grace | adjacent ally -30%, you take it | 18% | 1 |
| Regeneration | Grace | heal 6 a round; -10% max HP | 4; -6% | 1 |
| Spell Absorption | Iron | heal 20% of magic taken; +20% physical | 12%; +12% | 1 |
| Swift-Footed | Road | start -1 MP; +1 MP per kill | start -1 MP; +1 MP per 2nd kill | H |
| Thorns | Hex | reflect 25% within 2; +10% taken | 15%; +6% | 1 |
| Warded | Iron | negate 1st debuff a battle; -15% DEF/MR % | negate; -25% | P |
Resonances
The third effect depends only on the pair of families. Damage resonances never stack: the strongest that applies to a hit counts.
| Families | Resonance |
|---|---|
| Blood + Blood | Your first hit each round on a unit at full HP: +5%. |
| Iron + Iron | The first hit you take each round is reduced by 3. |
| Road + Road | Your first walk each round: its first 2 hexes cost no pool. |
| Ember + Ember | While Hot (8-9), your Overheat decays 1 more at your turn end. |
| Shade + Shade | +1 vision while you have not attacked this turn. |
| Grace + Grace | Your heals on an ally under 50% HP: +10%. |
| Hex + Hex | The first debuff you apply each round lasts 1 turn longer. |
| Crown + Crown | Once a battle, your next skill's cooldown is 1 turn shorter. |
| Blood + Iron | +3% damage dealt while you are above 50% HP. |
| Blood + Road | After a walk of 3+ hexes, your next hit this turn: +3%. |
| Blood + Ember | While Hot (8-9), +4% damage dealt. |
| Blood + Shade | +4% damage on a target that cannot see you. |
| Blood + Grace | A kill heals you 5% of your max HP. |
| Blood + Hex | +3% damage on an enemy carrying a debuff. |
| Blood + Crown | Your ultimate deals +4%. |
| Iron + Road | Leaving an enemy's zone of control costs you one tier less. |
| Iron + Ember | Once a round, a hit you take while Hot vents 1 Overheat. |
| Iron + Shade | Hits from a hex outside your sight deal -10% to you. |
| Iron + Grace | A heal you receive also shields 20% of it until your next round. |
| Iron + Hex | Once a round, an enemy that hits you in melee loses 1 MP on its next walk. |
| Iron + Crown | Once a battle, the first hit that would leave you under 25% HP is halved. |
| Road + Ember | A walk of 4+ hexes vents 1 Overheat. |
| Road + Shade | After a walk of 3+ hexes, your next hit this turn lands one arc worse. |
| Road + Grace | Allies adjacent to the end of your walk heal 3. |
| Road + Hex | An enemy adjacent to the end of your walk loses 1 MP on its next walk. |
| Road + Crown | Your first walk each round costs 1 MP less. |
| Ember + Shade | While Warm or hotter (5+), +1 vision. |
| Ember + Grace | When you Rest, adjacent allies vent 1 Overheat. |
| Ember + Hex | Your debuffs on a Hot enemy last 1 turn longer. |
| Ember + Crown | Your first skill each round charges 1 less Overheat. |
| Shade + Grace | Your heals on an ally no enemy can see: +15%. |
| Shade + Hex | An enemy you debuff is lit until the round ends. |
| Shade + Crown | Your first skill each round cast from a hex no enemy sees: +1 max range. |
| Grace + Hex | An enemy that hits an ally adjacent to you is lit until the round ends. |
| Grace + Crown | Once a round, healing an ally vents 1 of its Overheat. |
| Hex + Crown | The first debuff you apply each round also charges its target 1 Overheat. |
Tempering
A weapon, armour or accessory can trade stats: 1 ATK = 1 MAG = 1 DEF = 1 MR = 5 max HP = 1 point, 1 MP = 3 points, and each temper loses 15% of the points moved (at least 1). An item moves at most 6 points and MP by 1. On one unit, no stat may move by more than 35% of its class base, and ATK and MAG may rise by 15% at most. A unique is hidden from the opponent, shown as its base item, until its bearer lands or takes a hit.
The endgame
Items remember their battles: at 10, 50 and 200 they earn an inscription of their family ("of the Long Road") and a patina. Codex sets (every item of a family, every mage weapon storied...) grant titles you can wear. Surplus essence buys looks in the cosmetic forge: unit tints, roster banners, titles and Armoury room. None of them changes a rule.