With update 0.9.8 we are reworking the character, skills and weapon unlocks to make it much easier to unlock the fun stuff and provide more determined progression. The pathfinder also got a major rework, with not only a new tutorial guiding new players but also allowing a direct teleport to a new map. With this update we are questioning old and dated systems to make them fresh and engaging. Just because it is like it is does not mean it has to stay as it is.

Major Improvements and Changes:

• Pathfinder Rework: The Pathfinder is a powerful device that lets you teleport to new maps. Critical components have been captured by the Aeodra and their servants. Utilising the full potential of the pathfinder will require to find the missing components first.
  The pathfinder system is now locked on new save files and will unlock after defeating the serpent on the void map for the first time. If you already have an active run past this progress the pathfinder will be unlocked automtically for you. Player feedback has shown that the Pathfinder system is an unnecessary layer of complexity. It is best introduced at a later stage when players have acquired map shards to make use of the system. Furthermore a new tutorial has been added to explain map mods and the map corruption system. Pathfinder teleporting got reworked. The time where you had to select a map in the pathfinder to go back to the portal, reactivate the portal and then enter the portal is over. You can now teleport directly from the pathfinder screen with the power of just one button click. Furthermore the pathfinder got a complete visual redesign as the old design was ancient.
• Easier Character Unlocks: Character unlocks are now much easier obtainable. Reaching level 10 on your first run will already unlock the Dark Wanderer. Reaching level 15 with Dark wanderer will unlock the Rogue character. Reaching level 15 with Rogue will unlock the Farmer character. Character unlocks from the town Ankerath are now possible directly without the need to unlock all weapons and skills. The unlock cost is also reduced to 10.
• Reworked Unlocks: Unlocks in general now have a dynamic price with the first unlocks being as cheap as 1 light fragment and then ramping up the more you have already unlocked. The dialogs now display the dynamic pricing showcasing exactly what you need for the unlocks. We want to give players access to the fun stuff as early as possible so that you can spend more time playing the game with everything it has to offer.
  
• Map Unlocks: The spawn chance of the map unlock device is now increased to unlock new maps much earlier.
• Descent Expedition: The cost to increase expedition depth has been greatly reduced. Cost per levels are now (2,4,6,8,10,12) was (10,20,30,40,50,60). The choice of which expedition depth you are choosing should be determined by what you build and playstyle can handle rather if you farmed enough sky gems.
• Improved Controller Navigation in Trees: You can now press two directions on the d-pad for more precise node jump navigation in the pathfinder and skilltree.
• Character Specialisation Rebalancing:
  • Range Unknown Wanderer Specialisation rebalancing: Powerful cast now can not be obtained directly at level 10 to allign it with melee unknown wanderer.
  • Powerful cast now increases projectile damage +150% (was 200%)
  • Dual Force now increases melee damage +150% and projectile damage +100% (was 150%)
  • Uber Slash now grants +10% crit chance and +100% crit damage (was +300% before)
  • Critical cast now grants 15% crit chance (was 20%) and +50% crit damage (was +200% before)
• Crafting Potential: Character starting weapons now start with 10 crafting potential (was 0 before).

Further improvements:

• Added glow effect to unused skill points in the skilltree
• Improved the available specialisations points UI design to allign it with the skilltree design. A glow effect now indicates you have specialisation points to spend.
• Improved position of legacy tree of light level
• The enter map button is now focused on default when clicking on a map using controller input

Bugfixes:

• Fixed sky forge weapons stats UI not updating when selected weapons
• Fixed a crash when dying and having ranged companions active
• Fixed serpent boss layering
• Added back the vanished map decorations in the basement map
• Fixed destroyable cave chests not being destroyable