Your Ultimate Guide to the Latest Gameplay Changes
Disclaimer: As part of the Kabam Creator Program, we had the privilege of accessing a preview build of the update before its official launch. The information and images provided below are based on this preview build.
Introduction
Welcome to our comprehensive article covering the features and changes introduced in the highly anticipated update 14.0. While there are a few miscellaneous changes to discuss, the focal point of this update is undoubtedly the new Talent Tree mechanic. Let’s dive in and explore its game-changing effects, along with other notable additions.
The Talent Tree
The highlight of update 14.0 is the introduction of the Talent Tree, a system that allows players to specialize in up to three different trees according to their playstyle. These three talent trees are:
- Bartering
- Crafting
- Questing
To progress in each tree, you’ll need to use talent points, which can be obtained as you level up. Each node on the talent tree has specific requirements, and investing talent points in connected nodes unlocks its benefits. Now, let’s take a closer look at each tree.
Bartering
This tree focuses on mastering the art of commerce and maximizing customer satisfaction. Here are some notable talents in the Bartering tree:
- Energetic (Pricn: Points Required In Connected Nodes)
- Maximum energy is increased by +10/20/30/40/50.
- Charismatic (Pricn: Points Required In Connected Nodes)
- Every sale grants an additional +2/4/6/8/10 energy.
- Double or No Deal (Pricn: Points Required In Connected Nodes)
- City workers have a +10/25/40/60/100% chance to bring twice as many items. Note: Does not apply to resource workers.
Crafting
The Crafting tree is all about mastering the art of crafting and resource management. Notable talents in this tree include:
- Bottomless Bins (Pricn: Points Required In Connected Nodes)
- Increase capacity for common resources by +4/8/12/16/20%.
- Warehouse Aesthetics (Pricn: Points Required In Connected Nodes)
- Increase capacity for uncommon resources by +4/8/12/16/20%.
- Zero Waste (Pricn: Points Required In Connected Nodes)
- Crafting an item has a +3/6/9/12/15% chance to not consume resources.
Questing
The Questing tree revolves around mastering the art of adventure and acquiring valuable loot. Here are some noteworthy talents in this tree:
- Common Farmer (Pricn: Points Required In Connected Nodes)
- Increase the quantity of common components found by +5/10/15/20/25%.
- Unusual Ingredients (Pricn: Points Required In Connected Nodes)
- Increase the quantity of uncommon components found by +5/10/15/20/25%.
- Refined Tastes (Pricn: Points Required In Connected Nodes)
- Increase the quantity of rare components found by +5/10/15/20/25%.
Talent Points
To progress in the talent trees, you’ll need talent points. These can be acquired by advancing your merchant level (starting at level 40), or by purchasing them with gold or gems. The cost of each talent point varies depending on the tree. Here is an overview of the total costs:
- 199,046,000,000 Gold or
- 59,275 Gems or
- A combination of both
Refunding talent points is also possible. However, it comes at a cost based on the number of points invested in the tree. Additionally, Kabam has plans to provide reset tokens for free resets in case of major talent adjustments or tree reworks.
Miscellaneous Changes
Aside from the Talent Tree, update 14.0 introduces several miscellaneous changes to enhance gameplay. Here are a few notable ones:
- The Collection Book now includes additional milestones, expanding the range between 20,000 and 50,000.
- Fresh Spirit now explicitly states its effect of reducing the rest time of the equipped hero. This was always present but not previously mentioned.
- Familiars will no longer appear as valid targets for Dragon Invasion when supplying through the market window, reducing confusion.
This covers the major highlights of update 14.0. For a more in-depth analysis of the Quest Talent Tree testing and other related topics, please continue reading. Otherwise, go forth and unleash your talents! And if you enjoyed this article and want to support us, consider making a donation to our Ko-fi page at https://ko-fi.com/stcentral.
Appendix: Quest Talent Tree Testing
At the preview build’s disposal, we conducted various tests to examine the impact of different talent configurations in the Questing tree. Here are the findings:
- Baseline Run: A run without any talent points invested in the Questing tree, serving as a comparison point for subsequent tests.
- No Normal Items Can Drop, Only Flawless+: The Singular Focus talent ensured that common items couldn’t drop, and the Shiny Only talent guaranteed that any quality drop would be at least Flawless. Note that the rules for quality drops will be adjusted in the release version.
- No Quality Items Can Drop, Chance To Double Normal Items: The Packrat Method talent prevented quality items from dropping, while the Double Bundle talent provided a chance to double the quantity of normal items.
- Chance For Bonus Chests To Drop And Keys To Double: This test utilized the Treasure Hunters talent, which increased the chance of finding a bonus chest in quests, and the Key To Success talent, which doubled the chance of finding a key.
- No Items Can Drop: A curiosity experiment involving the Packrat Method and Singular Focus talents, preventing both common items and quality drop.
- No Items Can Drop, Extra Chests, and Keys: This extreme test combined the Packrat Method, Singular Focus, Treasure Hunters, and Key To Success talents, resulting in an abundance of chests and keys.
Each test provided valuable insights into the potential drop changes and loot acquisition strategies within the game. We encourage you to explore these talents and choose the ones that align with your playstyle.
