Greetings, Candidates! Today we have version 0.4.3 Free available here on itch.io, and the Supporter version 0.4.4 has just been published on Patreon. Versions 0.4.2 and 0.4.3 were mostly focused at expanding the tools available for combat both for our Candidate characters and for some other NPCs, as well as getting the new NPCs for the incoming adventure finely tuned.

You can take a look at the latest changelogs here: 

Version 0.4.1 Virginities Collector Changelog

Version 0.4.2 The Artifact Changelog

Version 0.4.3 New Faces Changelog

Version 0.4.4 Pain Under the Storm Changelog

In this post, I'll be showcasing some of the new actions and weapons introduced in the latest versions, as well as some ideas on how to take advantage from them. We might see some of the new characters from the incoming adventure, so feel free to skip this devlog post for a while if you'd like to meet them in game without spoilers!

Blade and Board: The blade and board is an eminently defensive weapon, providing resilience, physical and weapon resistance and the move 'Shield Bash'. Shield Bash is a move that provokes lust and control damage and the minor debuff 'Disorientation', that shines when used to counter physical hits: the damage provoked by physical hits will be severely reduced and the chance of success will increase considerably.

On the image, you can see how the vast majority of the damage from "Kick" has been negated. It should be noted that I've used Shield Bash in direct succession from Taunt. Why? Because a NPC with extra physique will be more likely to use physical attacks, so by taunting Valtan, I've made her more likely to use 'Kick' over magical actions such as 'Freeze Feet' or 'Embers', effectively taunting her into wasting her turn against Shield Block. This is the log from the options that the AI considered in the very last turn.

Confident Harassment is an action that requires a melee, non-contact weapon (such as staffs, swords or spears) that shines when fighting alongside another physical-based character. While the base lust and control damage of this action is lacking, it has a small priority (which makes it get played before most other actions) and applies small buffs and debuffs to the actor and the target, making the actor more likely to avoid certain physical-based attacks, and the target more likely to be hit by them.

On this scene, my Confident Harassment has priority over other moves, so even though it deals far less damage than Nash's Staff Swipe, it considerably boosts her own accuracy, therefore ensuring that Valtan falls down.

Gambit of Deceit and Gambit of Honesty are mixed physical-social attacks that provoke the altered states 'Cynical' and 'Trusting', respectively, and have increased effects against opponents with the opposing altered state. While you can reach considerably high lust damage with them, the control damage is mediocre, and you may risk spending a lot of bar stats to deal some extra damage while your opponent gets an advantaged position. Notice that these attacks' social affinity will make them more effective against targets with natural social weakness, such as Claw, but less so against those with natural social resistance, such as Ate. Much like the following actions, they may be good additions to the arsenal of some characters with hybrid builds.

Infuse Body is the first modal action of the game, introducing an altered state that consumes resources each turn, but will continue active for as long as those resources are available. Infused Body uses the actor's intelligence and will to raise their own physique, agility and resilience, which might be a well needed buff if you have a magical build but intend to get some merits during the Ashwalker tournament. Because it potentially provides a buff for the rest of the scene, it makes sense to cast it as early as possible. However...

Pain has used Bear Aspect, which raises her physique and resilience in exchange for some agility. Given the dangerous look of that, it might be wise to put extra care into making sure she has trouble to meet her target.

Using Confident Harassment saves Ate from a menacingly looking Crush, an action that deals lust and control damage scaling with physique and resilience. It also has the "pain" affinity, for which Claw and Pain (cough) have natural strength. However, using a weaker action in order to stay alive while "infused body" is active may be seen as a waste of resources. You'll have to make a choice regarding how safe you want to play it.

Given Pain's build, it might not be wise to engage in a direct sexual confrontation. It is for that reason, I hope, that Eshir uses a neutral pounce against her, which will prevent retaliation damage. Under some circumstances, pounces could result in the involved characters being unable to attack each other, so the "Press down" action has been added as well, allowing the pouncer to deal some physique+will lust damage against the target's will, although it won't be as powerful as sex actions.

Later on, I take advantage of the opportunity to pin Nash down, finally letting Infused Body show its usefulness, although Pain gets freed and brings trouble back to Eshir served twice. You may remember Savage Crush from the first adventure - although a monster uses it, you won't be learning it from Artume because it requires the user to be big.

Once Nash falls down, the rest of the fight is easy, and we aren't backed into a corner at all... Huh, where did my allies' health go?