EpicDuel PVP Game Design Notes

September 24, 2025

Skill Augments Part 7

EpicDuel is live with 12 new skill augments focusing on high level skills focusing on poison and Energy control. There aren't many more skills left to augment so we're very excited to see how all the classes perform with reinvigorated new skill trees.

• Bounty Hunter:
  • (UA) Venom Strike: Deal 100% dmg. and deplete target's HP / EP for 3 turns; cured by Field Medic.
  • (UA) Venom Strike: Deal 100% dmg. and poison the enemy for 30turns; cannot be cured.
• Mercenary:
  • (EA) Static Smash: 85% unblockable dmg.; drains target's energy, absorbs 120% energy drained.
  • (UA) Static Smash: 65% unblockable dmg.; drains target's energy, absorbs 90% energy drained; no Rage gain for user.
• Tech Mage:
  • (EA) Assimilation: Unblockable. Deal 85% dmg; drains target's energy, absorb 120% energy drained.
  • (UA) Assimilation: Unblockable. Deal 65% dmg; drains target's energy, absorb 90% energy drained; no Rage gain for user.
• Cyber Hunter:
  • (DA) Venom Strike: Deal 100% dmg. and poison the enemy for 2 turns; cured by Field Medic.
  • (UA) Venom Strike: Deal 100% dmg. and poison the enemy for 3 turns; cannot be cured.
• Tactical Mercenary:
  • (UA) Toxic Grenade: Deal 100% dmg.; apply compounding poison to the enemy for #DUR turns; cured by Field Medic.
  • (UA) Toxic Grenade: Deal 100% dmg.; poison the enemy for #DUR turns; steal poison dmg. as HP; cured by Field Medic.
• Blood Mage:
  • (EA) Energy Parasite: 85% unblockable dmg.; drain % of target's Energy for #DUR turns, gain 75% the drain amount; 25% initial EP gain on first hit.
  • (UA) Energy Parasite: 85% unblockable dmg.; drain target's Energy for #DUR turns, gain the drain amount; -100 target EP, 25% energy gain on first hit.

Bux Fixes

Using an energy draining skill like Energy Shot or Soul Siphon against a target with Gamma Brand applied would cause the entire duel to crash which might appear like a lag spike or disconnect. Using these attacks on a target with Gamma Brand will now work, but won't crit because energy pool attacks cannot crit. This is because energy pool attacks inherently ignore defenses so a critical hit would have no defenses to ignore, forcing the battle engine to freeze since it's looking for information that is not provided.

Tags: Nightwraith

September 19, 2025

Gamma Pirate Gear NOW LIVE!

Our latest promotional package is now live! Power up with this latest gear pack overflowing with weapons, armors, and powerful new cores! Like with the Infernal Guardian Gear package, we will offer a version with Varium and a version without for the budget-conscious EpicDuel players. However, you might need some extra Varium because we're also adding over 20 new Gamma Pirate-themed styles!

• Gamma Pirate Armor A
• Gamma Pirate Armor B
• Gamma Pirate Armor C
• Gamma Pirate Armor A CC
• Gamma Pirate Armor B CC
• Gamma Pirate Armor C CC
• Gamma Pirate Cutlass P
• Gamma Pirate Cutlass E
• Gamma Pirate Cutlass CC P
• Gamma Pirate Cutlass CC E
• Gamma Pirate Arsenal P
• Gamma Pirate Arsenal E
• Gamma Pirate Flintlock P
• Gamma Pirate Flintlock E
• Gamma Pirate Flintlock CC P
• Gamma Pirate Flintlock CC E
• Gamma Pirate Blunderbuss P
• Gamma Pirate Blunderbuss E
• Gamma Parrot P:
  • Gamma Parrot Punisher P: Unleash the hazards of the seas for physical damage.
  • Gamma Parrot Mimic P: Distract with 85% while applying an enemy's buffs to yourself.*
• Gamma Parrot E:
  • Gamma Parrot Punisher E: Unleash the hazards of the seas for energy damage.
  • Gamma Parrot Mimic E: Distract with 85% while applying an enemy's buffs to yourself.*
• *Only buffs that are eligible for being removed with skills such as Heart Attack will be eligible to be copied. Buffs will be copied with the full duration. Buffs will not override existing buffs (i.e. if you already have Defense Matrix active on yourself, you will not override the buff with a copied version from your opponent.)
• New Cores:
  • Gamma Guts (Armor) (Active): Gain 100 HP and convert poison into HP for up to 3 turns.
  • Gamma Brand (Primary) (Active): Mark target for guaranteed critical damage on the next attack (must be activated within 5 turns).
  • Gamma Rage (Sidearm) (Passive): Gain double Rage if Sidearm is deflected.
  • Gamma Rage (Auxiliary) (Passive): Gain double Rage if Auxiliary is deflected.
  • Gamma Rage (Primary) (Passive): Gain double Rage if blocked.

All purchases of the Gamma Pirate package will include the rare Gamma Pirate Crest achievement!

Balance Changes

• Molten Shrapnel / Hunter's Retribution: 150% -> 140% (max).
• Primary/Gun/Aux Mastery: 10% -> 7%.
• Deadly Aim / Red Vision (Auxiliary Damage): +30%(max) -> +20% (max).
• Red Vision (Sidearm and Auxiliary): 9% - 20% ----> 3% - 12%.
• (EA) Shadow Arts (Bot damage): 12% -> 10% (at level 10).

XXIV Talk Like A Pirate Day Bundle

Ahoy, matey! The Talk Like a Pirate Day Bundle be a treasure chest o’ booty ye won’t want to miss! Get ready to hoist the Jolly Roger and embrace yer inner swashbuckler, this bundle be packed with all ye need to rule the seven seas. Grab yer bundle and set sail for adventure, or ye might be walking the plank, aye!

NOTE: When you purchase a bundle, you will still earn reward points equivalent to those earned from individual merchandise purchases. The bundles offer exceptional value by combining physical and digital goods, and include exclusive badges & titles.

XXIV Talk Like A Pirate Day - Bundle Includes:
1 x Voyage Around the Lore - 24"x36" Graphic Poster
1 x Davey Jones Talisman - T-Shirt
1 x Sailin' Cap'n Scurvy - Enamel Pin
1 x Pirate Captain Beleen - 12"x18" Collector's Print
+ Bonus HeroPoints

Bonus Digital In-Game Rewards:
NOTE: You’ll unlock bonus in-game rewards across AdventureQuest Worlds, AdventureQuest 3D, DragonFable, AdventureQuest Classic, and EpicDuel!

Tags: Nightwraith

September 10, 2025

More Combat Skill Augments

This week offers yet another big update to combat skills with 12 new skill augments. There aren't many skills like these left on the trees so I think the next area of focus will be damage-over-time skills (i.e. Venom Strike).

• Bounty Hunter:
  • (EA) Static Grenade: 80% primary dmg.; drains target's energy; absorb 120% of drained energy.
  • (UA) Static Grenade: 65% primary dmg.; drains target's energy; absorb 90% of drained energy; no Rage gain.
• Mercenary:
  • (UA) Bunker Buster: Fire a rocket that grants 20% lifesteal; 15% chance for critical strike.
  • (PA) Bunker Buster: Fire an energy rocket that ignores 15% of the target's defense; 15% chance for critical hit.
• Tech Mage:
  • (PA) Bludgeon: Energy attack with defense ignore via the weapon's blunt end; 20% crit chance.
  • (UA) Bludgeon: Physical attack with lifesteal via the weapon's blunt end; 20% crit chance.
• Cyber Hunter:
  • (EA) Plasma Grenade: Throw an energy grenade inflicted massive damage.
  • (PA) Plasma Grenade: Throw a physical dmg. grenade, ignoring 15% Defense; 20% lifesteal.
• Tactical Mercenary
  • (EA) Frenzy: Deal 110% damage and heal based on damage.
  • (UA) Frenzy: Gain health and Energy based on damage.
• Blood Mage:
  • (UA) Plasma Cannon:Fire a plasma cannon dealing energy damage; 25% Energy steal.
  • (PA) Plasma Cannon: Physical dmg.; ignore 20% target's Resistance; 15% crit chance; gain 10% dmg. to Energy.

There's bound to be potential for balance tweaks after so many back-to-back skill updates so we'll go into a cooldown on new skills for next week as priorities shift to the new Gamma Pirate Promo!

Changes and Fixes:

• Added measures to combat the suspected source of increased lag after last week's update.
• (UA) Overload: Cooldown increased from 2 to 3.
• (UA) Stun Grenade: Cooldown increased from 2 to 3. 
• Maul (Rage drain) will now correctly reduce Rage by the % amount.
• When a player self-applies Infernal Offering, Infernal Blessing, or EA Field Medic, and they are stunned before the last tick of healing applies, the last tick never occurs. This bug was always possible but rare, and only became reproducible after 100% augments were introduced.
• The asset for Conductor Armor (WS) not loading correctly.

Tags: Nightwraith

September 05, 2025

New Augments

For this latest round of skill augments, we're again focusing on offensive skills. Originally the intention was to focus only on skills with stuff change, but not all skills have stun chance so the the augmented skills might seem a bit random w/re skill tree location.

• Bounty Hunter:
  • (UA) Stun Grenade: Inflict physical damage with a 100% stun chance; disables sender's offensive abilities.
  • (PA) Stun Grenade: Inflict energy damage with a 15% base chance to stun the enemy.
• Mercenary:
  • (UA) Maul: Strike, draining % of target Rage with a 15% stun chance.
  • (UA) Maul: Unblockable strike, ignoring % of defenses.
• Tech Mage:
  • (UA) Overload: Summon lightning with a 100% stun chance; disables sender's offensive abilities.
  • (EA) Overload: Summon lightning ignoring 15% of target defenses.
• Cyber Hunter:
  • (UA) Pulse Punch: Reduce target Rage rate by % with 50% initial Rage steal.
  • (UA) Pulse Punch: % lifesteal with 50% initial Rage reduction; ignore 20% defense.
• Tactical Mercenary:
  • (PA) Barbed Grenade: Energy damage with 15% base chance to crit; ignores 10% defense.
  • (EA) Barbed Grenade: Throw a spiked grenade inflicting Physical damage.
• Blood Mage:
  • (PA) Bludgeon: Energy attack with defense ignore via the weapon's blunt end; 20% crit chance.
  • (UA) Bludgeon: Physical attack with defense ignore via the weapon's blunt end; 15% Energy drain.

We will continue working through the offensive skill augments before moving on to buffs and debuffs since they are more complex and generally take longer to develop. We hope you are enjoying the new augments so far as it has been thrilling to expand upon EpicDuel's battle engine after so many years of relative stasis. I can promise you that the most interesting augments are still yet to be released!

Balance changes:

• (EA) Hybrid Armor: 4%-13% --> 1%-8% Defense/Resistance boost.
• (UA) Hybrid Armor: Boosts Defense/Resistance by a flat value instead of a percentage, +17 def/res at level 1, +2 per level; keeps 25% Rage gain bonus and 5% damage-to-energy conversion
• Deadly Precision (damage reflection): 25% --> 15% melee damage reflection.
• Deadly Precision (sidearm): 6%-15% --> 10%-25% more sidearm damage.
• Mania (defense reduction): Reduces 10% stats instead of 20% defense.

Bug fixes:

• (EA) Double Strike: Level 10 is correctly set to 52%.
• Healing-reduction effects dynamically affect heal-over-time (HoT) skills like Infernal Blessing.  HoT ticks are affected if a healing-reduction debuff is active when the tick occurs.
• The counter for remaining jugg battles was off by 1.

Tags: Nightwraith

September 02, 2025

A few days ago, we introduced a new battle end state: Battle Draw. This state applies if the battle ends before the first turn is completed -- most commonly when the opponent instantly disconnects, either unintentionally or intentionally. Currently, in a Battle Draw, the remaining player(s) earns no Credits, Experience, or drops and the battle record is unaffected. This was deemed too punative so we have revised Battle Draws to grant a win as well as reward a small set amount of Credits and Experience. Battle Draws will still reward no drops and wil not deduct limited cores or boosts.

In summary, Battle Draws:

• Grant a win
• 75 Credits
• 20 Experience
• Do not reward war or PvP drops
• Do not deduct a boost
• Do not deduct a core
• Do not factor Power Hour

We may adjust the rewards further if we see rapid disconnects continue to be abused. We are also investigating excluding Faction wins from Battle Draws, eliminating another incentive to boost wins.

Tags: Nightwraith

August 29, 2025

EpicDuel is live with new skill augments, balance changes, and bug fixes! 

New Skill Augments

Experiment with these new skill augments for all classes! Some are fairly straightforward, offering adjusted damage values or an alternative damage type, while other drastically change the skill's effect, like reducing healing effectiveness instead of defense ignore. Expect another round of skill augments next week also focusing on offensive abilities.

• Bounty Hunter:
  • (UA) Cheap Shot: Ignore % of defenses; steals Energy based on 25% damage.
  • (UA) Cheap Shot: Ignore % of defenses; unblockable.
• Mercenary:
  • (EA) Double Strike: Attack for more dmg., defense reduction based on 50% dmg. bonus; -50% block/deflection.
  • (PA) Double Strike: Opposite dmg. type attack for more dmg., defense reduction; -50% block/deflection.
• Tech Mage:
  • (PA) Plasma Bolt: Fire a bolt of plasma at an enemy target, dealing physical damage and ignoring 15% defense.
  • (UA) Plasma Bolt: Fire a bolt of plasma at an enemy target, dealing energy damage; 15% lifesteal.
• Cyber Hunter:
  • (UA) Neural Scythe: Launch a scythe of primary damage type, ignoring Defense/Resistance by skill level.
  • (PA) Neural Scythe: Launch a scythe opposite of primary damage type, increasing damage by skill level.
• Tactical Mercenary:
  • (EA) Crippling Strike: Attack for 105% damage. Reduces % Defense / Resistance for #DUR turns.
  • (UA) Crippling Strike: Attack for 100% damage. Reduces % Healing for #DUR turns.
• Blood Mage:
  • (PA) Fireball: Inflict energy damage, reducing target's Defense and Resistance 15% for 2 turns.
  • (EA) Fireball: Inflict physical damage, reducing target's Defense and Resistance 30% for 2 turns.

Balance Changes

• Deadly Aim (Primary/gun): 9%-20% --> 3%-12% more primary/sidearm damage
• (UA) Hybrid Armor: 7% --> 5% damage to Energy conversion
• (EA) Hybrid Armor: 20% --> 12% damage to Energy conversion
• Cyber Armor (HP bleed): 60%-96% --> 75%-120% boost to armor's defenses; 40 --> 30 HP bleed
• (UA) Mineral Armor: 10% --> 5% Energy drain
• (EA) Mineral Armor: Flat Defense boost, +43 Defense at level 1, +3 per level; flat +20 Resistance boost
• (EA) Reroute: 10%-35% --> 8%-30% Energy conversion
• Mania (defense reduction): 13%-30% --> 15% --> 35% lifesteal/Rage gain
• Infernal Blessing: 150 --> 165 HP gain per turn (readjustment since Medical Mastery no longer applies to it)

Battle Draw

Not a new battle mode, but a new battle state: If someone disconnects or refreshes the game before the first turn completes, the duel ends in a draw with 0 rewards, but no impact on the battle record for the person remaining. In the event of a 2v2 or Juggernaut match, the battle will only be a draw if both members of a team leave before the first turn completes. We are implementing this to counteract rapid disconnects used to boost wins and rewards for characters. Players who disconnect from battle will still face with the normal loss and run penalty.

Bug Fixes:

Challenges don't work while the chat filter is active. It seems crazy, but last week's chat filter changes broke challenges for people with the filter enabled. It's wild how changes to one system can completely break another seemingly unrelated system.

Coming Soon: Gamma Pirate

We're currently developing a new pirate/Gamma-themed promo back that we're pleased to share: The Gamma Pirate! Prepare to sail the irradiated seas with new weapons, armors, bots, and cores coming soon!

Tags: Nightwraith