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New Skill System Detailed for Drakensang Online: Rise of Balor

Rise of Balor, the largest add-on in the history of Drakensang Online, will be released in August. Bigpoint, one of the world’s leading developers and publishers of online games, today reveals details about the new skill system in their hack’n’slay game.

The heart of Drakensang Online—the character skill system—has been completely revised and converted to a skill and talent mastery system for all four character classes. There are still three talent trees (Experience, Wisdom, Fame), but they have been redesigned from the ground up. Each class has a new skill, the most powerful one offered so far:

  1. Dragon Knight: Frenzy Battle Cry
  2. Spellweaver: Frozen Orb
  3. Steam Mechanicus: Tesla Turret
  4. Ranger: Explosive Shot

Skill Talents
In the old system, talents became available at the same time as the associated skill. Each skill had two talents: players could pick one or the other, but not both. The new skill system offers many more options in character development. As characters gain levels, they will automatically earn talent points to spend on talents. Each skill has three talents that can be purchased with these points. Players can choose freely how to distribute talent points. It is also possible to reorganize them to try out different builds and play styles.

Knowledge Talents
Players still earn Ancient Wisdom through game play and daily challenges, automatically earning Knowledge talent points on the way. Some abilities (like teleport, skill slot, cloak use, mount) have been removed from the list of Knowledge talents and are now free and available to all players through normal game play. There is a combination of shared and unique Knowledge talents for each class, which improve character capabilities and allow for greater customization. A new type of Knowledge talent called Focus talents are split between Agility, Attack, Mobility and Vitality, letting players improve these individual aspects of their characters at an extremely granular level. As with Skill talents, Knowledge talents can freely be changed as desired, encouraging players to experiment and discover their optimal skill and talent configurations.

Fame Talents
Players will collect Fame talent points in PvP battles that can be distributed on Fame talents. Additionally, participation and victories in PvP will earn players Honor Badges, which can be spent for valuable items and gear. Bigpoint has improved the PvP shop, with decreased prices and new offers. Each class has a combination of shared and unique Fame talents, which improve character ability in PvP, allowing for greater customization.

The expansion “Rise of Balor” raises the maximum level from 45 to 50 and adds 150 brand new quests to Drakensang Online. Unanticipated twists and turns guarantee excitement and suspense, even for players who think they’ve already seen everything the world of Dracania has to offer.

Please note: There’s a video on Twitch with Lead Game Designer Jason Durall explaining the new skill system: http://www.twitch.tv/drakensang/v/7844664

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