(Modified) 06/01 Summer Update Pre-Announcement

Quick sneak-peak

Hello, this is Lee Dong Shin, Director of Elsword.

Many adventurers are cherishing Elsword deeply, so we apologize that we haven't been able to quickly solve recent issues as well not communicating properly with the adventurers.
We hope that today's Q&A (6/1) will answer some questions that you all have been curious about.
We will also talk to the players (EUTF) on July 22nd - a place will be prepared for them.
More details will be announced in a separate notice when they're ready.

As promised, we will announce the summer updates.
Next Week (June 8), the new relationship system [Soulmate System] will be updated.
On June 22 the Korean Solace and Gaia server merge is scheduled, once that is complete we will carry out the summer updates.
This summer update we're planning on easing the acquisition and growth of existing equipment to help adventurers enter endgame dungeons.
We also plan to add Set Effects on Tenebrous Armor as many players have requested this.
More Quality of Life changes will be added to help in general.
After the Quality of Life changes, new dungeons, a new Giant Boss will be added.

Endgame Dungeon Improvements

Weapon Improvements

• Apocalypse Type-Void, Flames of Judgement and Vestige of Soul - Requiem drop rate improved.

• Abyss Aura Purification Reward Gauge will be filled up faster.

• Enhancement Level on mentioned weapons above will be automatically +9 when opening the cube.

• Pruinaum Raid / Abyss Raid / Challenge Mode Difficulty reduced

• We'll try to reduce patterns that caused stress and discomfort by improving them to be less difficult.

[Pruinaum Raid]

Pruinaum Raid has become the fundamental raid in the process of growth, however many patterns still do close to instant kill damage.
In particular, Howling can annihilate the entire party simply due to a mistake.
The process of acquiring the Weapon, Accessories and Titles is causing great fatigue.
Therefore, we will reduce the amount required to obtain the weapon, as well as reducing the Evolution requirements.
We'll also try to ease some patterns like Haivan's Bombs and Berthe's Debuff Immunity.

[Abyss Raid]

It became known to us that Blooming Mineral Field is causing great fatigue to players, so we'll try to reduce the Myuriconus Barrier pattern, as well the Awakened Myuriconus' teleportation pattern alongside the Sea Current Adaption Buff.

Abyss Story Mode will be added.

[Challenge Mode]

Challenge Mode is representing the highest difficulty in the game, in each area the parties must do their best to clear.
However, we want to reduce the invincibility time of some patterns that only increase fatigue and harm the fun of the challenges.
In addition, some characters have clear advantages compared to others, so we will improve them so every character can clear them.

Challenge Mode QoL will be implemented starting June before the summer updates.

Reforging Improvement

We'll try to reduce the burden of reforging by increasing the overall pity bar of both.
The amount of the current pity bar will be carried over but not exceed 100%.
For example: Amethystine Reforge 12 -> 13 50% Pity Bar will be 100% after this update.
Refer to the tables below for more information.

[Amethystine Prophecy Equipment]
[Tenebrous Equipment]

Tenebrous Changes

At first, we didn't want to include the set effects as it is difficult due to the Shadow Effects system.
However, it felt kind of lacking as endgame armor, so we decided to include it. The Set Effect will be determined by the 3rd Row Effect.
You can receive it without needing to maximize the Shadow Effect, and it will activate once having 4 Tenebrous Pieces of the same 3rd Row Shadow Effect equipped.
We'll try to keep the value of Tenebrous armor high even after the new armor is released.

When using the Tenebrous Character Change Ticket, everything will be carried over (Enhancement Level, Reforge level, Shadow Effects, Sockets, Seal Count, Pity Bar, Attribute Effects).

Growth Period Quality of Life

During the Growth Period, we'll reduce the amount of repetitive play due to difficult dungeons and Epic Quest.

• Elysion/Varnimyr~Pruinaum Area Dungeon Difficulty reduced

We will decrease the difficulty of Solace's Fortress in Elysion and Shadow Vein in Varnimyr.
Solace's Fortress is a dungeon you play before achieving Lv. 99, in which long play time combined with strong bosses causes fatigue.
Therefore, to ensure smooth play, the attack power of monsters will be adjusted. The invincibility time, attack power and HP of the boss will be adjusted as well.
Shadow Vein's monsters will have their stats lowered to match the entry Combat Power.
In the particular case of Master Road, we'll ease up Phase 2, as it is completely debuff immune.

• Epic Quest Dungeons Play Count Reduction

In order to proceed with Epic Quests, we'll reduce the amount required to replay multiple dungeons.
Only the conditions will be reduced but the rewards will stay the same.

• Transcendence Advancement / Transcendence Skill Quests

When progressing through the Transcendence Quest, it differs from the Epic Quest progression.
Transcendence Skill Quest also has the inconvenience of having to go through dungeons that don't match your current level.

To address this, Transcendence, as well Transcendence Skill Quests, will be changed to match Epic Quest progression.

• Improving Item acquisition in the early Growth Stage

In the early Growth Stage, adventurers get a surplus of items that take up a lot of inventory space, so we will alleviate this by making some improvements so items become less annoying.

• Reduction of the ED cost of imprinting Shining Imprint Stones and removal of Common Imprint Stones

Currently, there are so many options in the Imprint System that the Imprint System becomes a burden when also doing Reforge.
In this summer update, the ED cost of imprinting Shining Imprint Stones will be reduced.

Before: 2.400.000ED
After: 1.600.000ED

Additionally, only Refined and Shining Imprint Stones will drop now.

• Improved Pet Auto Consumption and Encouragement Activation conditions

In order to play Dungeons more smoothly, Pet Auto Consumption will now not share cooldowns with Quick Slot items.
In addition, the Encouragement System activation conditions will be improved.

Before: Activated when Pet Hunger is above 40%, Character HP is 40% or lower, and when attacked 9 times.
After: Activated when Pet Hunger is above 40% and Character HP is 40% or lower.

An item to improve Pet Auto Consumption added: Once upgraded, the pet can consume an item at regular intervals (instead of as soon as cooldown is off).
In addition, you can modify the Pet's Encouragement and Special Encouragement Effects as a function so the pet automatically uses it under certain conditions.

Inventory Function Improved

• We plan to add new features to reorganize the UI, so managing the Inventory becomes more convenient

New Add Ons:

• Through this improvement, pet inventories can be viewed without needing to summon the pet.

Quality of Life

• Improved reforge while using the ED Fee Exemption Ticket

Currently, you have to constantly press OK on a window when reforging with the ED Fee Exemption Ticket.
To solve this, we'll add a checkbox in the Reforge window to decide whether said item should be used.

• Improved Weekly Mission Visibility

In order to alleviate the issue that you forgot to accept a quest after clearing multiple dungeons, we'll add a separate icon that displays if there is an acceptable or completed quest so that you can properly see it.

• Title Search Function

A function to search titles in the title UI is added so that you can conveniently find the desired title.

• Tenebrous Shadow Effect Extraction

When using the Shadow Extraction, a button is added so you can set the odds to 0% to 100% at once.

• Increased the maximum stack count of Large Magical Crystals and Bismuthinite

The maximum stack count of Large Magical Crystal and Bismuthinite is increased from 100 to 300.

• Removal of rank conditions in titles

To ease the title acquisition for adventurers, we'll remove the rank conditions in titles for unlocking as well obtaining (excluding the title: That is SS)

• Improved Party List convenience

The Party Leader will also be able to see the Party Finder UI.
Improvements have been made so that the El Resonance will be displayed in the Party Information and Party Finder UI.
It is also improved that when using the Party Finder set to a certain dungeon, the Dungeon Select will open set on that dungeon by default.
When sending an application to a party, a waiting period will be added before you can send an application to the same party (does not apply to a different party).
When joining a party, a UI is added that allows you to view information of your party members.

• Character Customization (Skill Cut-Ins etc) and Synergy added to Preset

Added to the Preset System so you can change more easily.

• Guild Members participating in Guild Expedition can now be removed

In addition, the player can immediately remove themselves from the Guild Expedition.

• Some Epic Quests will be changed to match the 3rd Job Illustrations starting the Demon Realm to match the progress

New Dungeon and New Armor Update

Warning: The new armor's release has been postponed. Read more [here].

Through the Summer Update, we will improve parts that are difficult and cause fatigue in playing.
We hope the improvements will help you enjoy playing Elsword more.
Along with the improvements, new dungeons and Giant Boss will be added.
The Epic Quest will be added alongside the new dungeons, where the El Search Party heads to the Steel Queen Region (Lu's domain).
We hope that the requests and feedback of the adventurers will be reflected through this summer update.
We will continue listening to the opinions of the adventurers and try continue improving Elsword to be a better environment.
We hope you will look forward to the upcoming content and continue working hard for adventurers.

Summer Update Schedule Summary

• Updates in June, such as the Soulmate System, will be announced during regular maintenance.

• More information about the Soulmate System can be found [here].

Elsword 2023 - New Area

• Region name: Monatera

• Land of the Dead

• Steel Soul Entrance

Translator Notes

Hello! This time, as there is a lot of content to translate, we split up with Ame to translate the Summer Update Pre-Notice and the Q&A. As the latter is still in process and is quite lengthy, it will take some time to conveniently display it organized. Stay tuned and thank you for understanding.

Update 06/06/2023: The contents have been revised to reflect the current situation and avoid confusion between players. Also, certain typos and grammar errors have been fixed as well.

- Ritsu