Dev Blog | Feb. Combat Balance Adjustments

Dear Metas,In the wasteland after Starfall, every trigger pull is a survival game played with Deviants. We remain committed to maintaining the dynamic balance of the combat system, preserving the freshness and strategic depth of gameplay, and delivering an ever-evolving combat experience for Metas. In the February 25（PT） update, we will adjust the Battle Skills of certain Deviation with weapon damage types, modify the damage types for Pathfinder, Pyroclasm Starter, and Additional Rules, as well as enhance Gilded Gauntlets.I. Deviation AdjustmentsWe have observed that some weapon-damage-type Deviation Battle Skills failed to correctly calculate certain Crit Hit and Crit DMG attributes under specific circumstances, resulting in lower-than-expected final damage. This update fixes the issue. Additionally, considering the instability introduced by Crit Rate, we have increased the Battle Skill damage for these Deviations. Below are the specific adjustments.Adjustment DetailsEffect BeforeEffect NowButterfly's EmissaryFires a swarm of force-field butterflies toward the target direction, which automatically track 3 enemies and deal 5 instances of damage to each, each dealing 80% of Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG.Fires a swarm of force-field butterflies toward the target direction, which automatically track 3 enemies and deal 5 instances of damage to each, each dealing 120% of Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG.ZapCamTriggers a flash shot in the aiming direction, marking up to 5 hostile targets within range even through obstacles. Deals 400% of Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG. Simultaneously applies The Bull's Eye to the targets.Triggers a flash shot in the aiming direction, marking up to 5 hostile targets within range even through obstacles. Deals 800% of Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG. Simultaneously applies The Bull's Eye to the targets.Soul SummonerSummon a feather sparrow to fly in a straight line, applying The Bull's Eye effect to targets along its path and dealing 400% Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG.Summon a feather sparrow to fly in a straight line, applying The Bull's Eye effect to targets along its path and dealing 600% Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG.Lonewolf's WhisperSummon a lone wolf to charge forward in a straight line, dealing 400% Psi Intensity of Weapon DMG to enemies in range and pulling them in.Summon a lone wolf to charge forward in a straight line, dealing 800% Psi Intensity of Weapon DMG to enemies in range and pulling them in.Fixed an issue where Polar Jelly and Invincible Sun incorrectly applied the wrong vulnerability type in practice. After the fix, they now correctly apply Status Vulnerability.II. Weapon AdjustmentsIn the Dec. 23(PT), 2025 combat Deviation upgrade, we standardized the vulnerability types of combat Deviations into Weapon Vulnerability and Status Vulnerability. Ideally, we intended Weapon Vulnerability Deviations to pair with weapons dealing Weapon DMG, while Status Vulnerability Deviations would pair with weapons dealing Status DMG. However, weapons like Pathfinder, Pyroclasm Starter, and Additional Rules deal both Weapon DMG and Status DMG, and most combat Deviations cannot simultaneously enhance both damage types, resulting in partial damage loss.Taking Pyroclasm Starter as an example (screenshot shows current in-game display, not post-adjustment): Pyroclasm Starter can trigger Burn Keyword while also charging bullets to deal Blaze Elemental Weapon DMG. When using Deviations that apply Status Vulnerability, the charged Blaze Elemental Weapon DMG cannot benefit from the vulnerability effect. Conversely, when using Deviations that apply Weapon Vulnerability, the Burn Keyword effect cannot benefit from the vulnerability.We also observed that when Additional Rules uses Status Vulnerability Deviations to apply elemental bullets, it cannot benefit from the Status Vulnerability effect and requires switching to Weapon Vulnerability Deviations.Therefore, in this update, we will uniformly change the damage type of Pathfinder, Pyroclasm Starter, and Additional Rules from Weapon DMG to Status DMG when charged, while still allowing them to benefit from Crit Hit/Crit DMG and Weakspot/Weakspot DMG bonuses. To ensure Keyword triggers work in both charged and uncharged states, we'll standardize the trigger condition to "when shooting hits a target". Specific adjustments are as follows:Adjustment ContentEffect BeforeEffect NowPyroclasm Starterl On hit, there is a 27% chance to apply Burn to the target.l On hit, there's a 20% chance to generate Deviant Particles nearby (collect them to enter Charge state, lasting 60s).l When reloading, consumes all Charges to replace ammo with Dragon's Breath rounds: deals Blaze Elemental Weapon DMG equal to 95% of Attack (Burn DMG bonuses apply).l Blaze DMG +20%. Consuming Charge grants additional +8% per stack, up to 4 stacks, lasting until next reload.l When shooting hits a target, 27% chance to apply Burn to the target.l When shooting hits a target, 20% chance to generate Devi

Feb 23, 2026 - 12:26

Dev Blog | Feb. Combat Balance Adjustments

Dear Metas,

In the wasteland after Starfall, every trigger pull is a survival game played with Deviants. We remain committed to maintaining the dynamic balance of the combat system, preserving the freshness and strategic depth of gameplay, and delivering an ever-evolving combat experience for Metas. In the February 25（PT） update, we will adjust the Battle Skills of certain Deviation with weapon damage types, modify the damage types for Pathfinder, Pyroclasm Starter, and Additional Rules, as well as enhance Gilded Gauntlets.

I. Deviation Adjustments

We have observed that some weapon-damage-type Deviation Battle Skills failed to correctly calculate certain Crit Hit and Crit DMG attributes under specific circumstances, resulting in lower-than-expected final damage. This update fixes the issue. Additionally, considering the instability introduced by Crit Rate, we have increased the Battle Skill damage for these Deviations. Below are the specific adjustments.

Adjustment Details

Effect Before

Effect Now

Butterfly's Emissary

Fires a swarm of force-field butterflies toward the target direction, which automatically track 3 enemies and deal 5 instances of damage to each, each dealing 80% of Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG.

Fires a swarm of force-field butterflies toward the target direction, which automatically track 3 enemies and deal 5 instances of damage to each, each dealing 120% of Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG.

ZapCam

Triggers a flash shot in the aiming direction, marking up to 5 hostile targets within range even through obstacles. Deals 400% of Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG. Simultaneously applies The Bull's Eye to the targets.

Triggers a flash shot in the aiming direction, marking up to 5 hostile targets within range even through obstacles. Deals 800% of Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG. Simultaneously applies The Bull's Eye to the targets.

Soul Summoner

Summon a feather sparrow to fly in a straight line, applying The Bull's Eye effect to targets along its path and dealing 400% Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG.

Summon a feather sparrow to fly in a straight line, applying The Bull's Eye effect to targets along its path and dealing 600% Psi Intensity as Weapon DMG.

Lonewolf's Whisper

Summon a lone wolf to charge forward in a straight line, dealing 400% Psi Intensity of Weapon DMG to enemies in range and pulling them in.

Summon a lone wolf to charge forward in a straight line, dealing 800% Psi Intensity of Weapon DMG to enemies in range and pulling them in.

Fixed an issue where Polar Jelly and Invincible Sun incorrectly applied the wrong vulnerability type in practice. After the fix, they now correctly apply Status Vulnerability.

II. Weapon Adjustments

In the Dec. 23(PT), 2025 combat Deviation upgrade, we standardized the vulnerability types of combat Deviations into Weapon Vulnerability and Status Vulnerability. Ideally, we intended Weapon Vulnerability Deviations to pair with weapons dealing Weapon DMG, while Status Vulnerability Deviations would pair with weapons dealing Status DMG. However, weapons like Pathfinder, Pyroclasm Starter, and Additional Rules deal both Weapon DMG and Status DMG, and most combat Deviations cannot simultaneously enhance both damage types, resulting in partial damage loss.

Taking Pyroclasm Starter as an example (screenshot shows current in-game display, not post-adjustment):

Pyroclasm Starter can trigger Burn Keyword while also charging bullets to deal Blaze Elemental Weapon DMG. When using Deviations that apply Status Vulnerability, the charged Blaze Elemental Weapon DMG cannot benefit from the vulnerability effect. Conversely, when using Deviations that apply Weapon Vulnerability, the Burn Keyword effect cannot benefit from the vulnerability.

We also observed that when Additional Rules uses Status Vulnerability Deviations to apply elemental bullets, it cannot benefit from the Status Vulnerability effect and requires switching to Weapon Vulnerability Deviations.

Therefore, in this update, we will uniformly change the damage type of Pathfinder, Pyroclasm Starter, and Additional Rules from Weapon DMG to Status DMG when charged, while still allowing them to benefit from Crit Hit/Crit DMG and Weakspot/Weakspot DMG bonuses. To ensure Keyword triggers work in both charged and uncharged states, we'll standardize the trigger condition to "when shooting hits a target". Specific adjustments are as follows:

Adjustment Content

Effect Before

Effect Now

Pyroclasm Starter

l On hit, there is a 27% chance to apply Burn to the target.

l On hit, there's a 20% chance to generate Deviant Particles nearby (collect them to enter Charge state, lasting 60s).

l When reloading, consumes all Charges to replace ammo with Dragon's Breath rounds: deals Blaze Elemental Weapon DMG equal to 95% of Attack (Burn DMG bonuses apply).

l Blaze DMG +20%. Consuming Charge grants additional +8% per stack, up to 4 stacks, lasting until next reload.

l When shooting hits a target, 27% chance to apply Burn to the target.

l When shooting hits a target, 20% chance to generate Deviant Particles nearby (collect them to enter Charge state, lasting 60s).

l When reloading, consumes all Charges to replace ammo with Dragon's Breath rounds: deals Blaze Elemental Status DMG equal to 95% of Attack (Burn DMG bonuses apply).

l Blaze DMG +20%. Consuming Charge grants additional +8% per stack, up to 4 stacks, lasting until next reload.

Pathfinder

l When the weapon hits, triggers Frost Vortex (5s cooldown). Each hit reduces cooldown by 1s.

l When the weapon hits, 60% chance to generate Deviant Particles (collect them to enter Charge state). Max Charge stacks +10.

l Can consume Charge for a Charged Shot: fires a piercing ice spike dealing Frost Elemental DMG equal to 110% of Attack (benefits from Frost Vortex bonus, deals 20% DMG to Metas).

l Frost Elemental DMG +30%. After Charged Shot, Frost Elemental DMG +8% for 15s, stacks up to 3 stacks.

l When shooting hits a target, triggers Frost Vortex (5s cooldown). Each hit reduces cooldown by 1s.

l When shooting hits a target, 60% chance to generate Deviant Particles (collect them to enter Charge state). Max Charge stacks +10.

l Can consume Charge for a Charged Shot: fires a piercing ice spike dealing Frost Elemental Status DMG equal to 110% of Attack (benefits from Frost Vortex bonus, deals 20% DMG to Metas).

l Frost Elemental DMG +30%. After Charged Shot, Frost Elemental DMG +8% for 15s, stacks up to 3 stacks.

Additional Rules

l When shooting hits a target, triggers Fortress Warfare (10s trigger interval).

l After using Deviation skills, bullets deal 120% Attack as Elemental DMG (type depends on Deviations).

l Reloading an empty magazine restores 25% of its capacity as Deviant Power, up to 20 points max per reload.

l In Fortress Warfare status, Crit Rate +15%.

l Trigger Fortress Warfare upon hitting shots, with a 10-second cooldown.

l After using Deviation skills, bullets deal 120% Attack as Elemental Status DMG (type depends on Deviations).

l Reloading an empty magazine restores 25% of its capacity as Deviant Power, up to 20 points max per reload.

l In Fortress Warfare status, Crit Rate +15%.

III. Gear and Other Adjustments

We've observed that Gilded Gauntlets provide slightly lower benefits compared to other key defensive gear, primarily due to insufficient Crit Rate leading to inconsistent overall damage. This balance update enhances them as follows:

Adjustment content

Effect Before

Effect Now

Gilded Gauntlets

Unlocks the Crit Hit ability for Burn (can utilize character's Crit Rate).

Unlocks the Crit Hit ability for Burn (can utilize character's Crit Rate). Burn Crit Rate and Burn Crit DMG +20%.

Additionally, we've received feedback from many players that high Fire Rate sniper rifles like Pathfinder and Octopus! Grilled Rings! incur higher bullet costs compared to other weapons. This update will increase sniper ammo production outside RaidZone Mode, allowing Metas to use these weapons more freely.

* The above values are for testing. There may be slight adjustments when implemented in-game.

To ensure a smooth transition, we will issue 3 Blueprint Conversion Attempts to all players after this update.

Once Human Development Team

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