Hello everyone, This is Kumon from enish.
This is another Producer’s Letter, and this time, I’d like to share the “DOLL and equipment skill balance adjustment proposals” that the development team has been discussing. We would like to use these as a basis to try out a new approach for implementing balance adjustments.
The rough schedule is as follows:
- Initial proposal release: Thursday, October 17, 2024
- Feedback collection period: Thursday, October 17, 2024 - Friday, October 25, 2024
- Final proposal release: Tuesday, October 29, 2024
- Balance adjustments implementation: Mid-to-late November 2024
Please note that the above schedule is tentative and may be adjusted depending on the situation.
Below, you'll find our "Balance Adjustment Approach" along with the "Current Status → Adjustment Proposal." It's a bit long, but we'd appreciate it if you could take a moment to review it and share any feedback using the provided form.
Thank you for your support as we try out this new process!
Introduction
Goals of This Adjustment
Here are the primary goals we aim to achieve with this round of adjustments:
・Ensure each DOLL reflects its rarity
We will review the balance of unique skills and rarity bonuses to support underutilized DOLLs and skills.
・Boost the effectiveness of Boosters and Enchanters
We aim to ensure that Boosters and Enchanters have a distinct role from Strikers and Mystics and can excel
in their own way.
・Allow Guardians to fully fulfill their role
We will improve usability, including common skills, to better enable Guardians to perform their role.
・Enhance the usability of buff and healing skills
Adjustments will be made to allow buff and healing skills to be used more easily on moving targets, such as
expanding their range or increasing the duration of effects.
・Balance overpowered skills
We will adjust overpowered skills while ensuring we do not diminish their core value.
How to Share Your Feedback on the Adjustment Proposals
Each proposed adjustment has a number (e.g., "#1-1"). Please clearly state which proposal you are commenting on when submitting your feedback. If you have suggestions not covered in the proposals, you can submit them under "#99."
- Feedback Period: October 16, 2024 – (End date to be announced)
- Feedback Form
1. Overpowered Skills with Excessive Impact
Let's address the "overpowered" skills first, which many of you are most curious about (and possibly dreading). While these adjustments might be controversial, we believe it’s important to tackle this subject directly.
Power Value
The strength of a skill is influenced by various factors such as the area of effect, cast time, and whether all hits land on the target. Since not all hits may connect, power value should be viewed as just one indicator of a skill's strength.
To help you get a sense of the impact certain overpowered skills have, we’ll use power values to explain the current situation and our adjustment plans.
Current State and Adjustment Plan for Each Skill
#1-1 Nana Izumi’s Unique Skill: "Toward the Deadly Place" + Equipment Sub-Parameter: "Thirst blow"
Current Status:
This skill unleashes a powerful, wide-range lightning attack after using Nana’s unique skill. Combined
with "Thirst blow" (which boosts regular attacks), this results in extreme damage. The damage output can
reach up to 300 power when boosted by "Thirst" and other factors.
The wide-area lightning attack that triggers after using the unique skill is incredibly powerful. This additional effect is treated as a regular attack, and when combined with "Thirst blow" (hereafter referred to as "Thirst"), which enhances regular attacks, it creates what can be described as an "overpowered" combination.
In terms of power value, even without "Thirst," the regular attack combined with the additional effect reaches 105. With a ★6 rank and an enhanced critical rate, adding a single "Thirst" can push the power value beyond 300.
Adjustment Proposal:
- Adjust the additional effect so that "Thirst" does not apply (this applies to both Nana and Halloween Miko).
- From Lv1 to Lv5, the range is too narrow and the power is too weak, so we will strengthen it.
Originally, we also considered adjusting the overly wide range of the additional effect. However, taking into account the difficulty of raising Nana to ★6 and the challenge of obtaining and upgrading golden equipment with the "Thirst" effect, we decided that it would be best to limit the adjustments to excluding the effect of "Thirst."
#1-2 Yuki Banjo's Unique Skill "Rigid Shield: Absolute Barrier" + Common Skill "Hyper Reflect"
Current Status:
When "Rigid Shield: Absolute Barrier" is active, the user becomes invincible, and when combined with
"Hyper Reflect," they can reflect damage even though they take no damage. This results in an
overwhelmingly powerful state.
Adjustment Proposal:
- Modify the skill to only reflect the amount of damage actually taken.
- When invincible, no damage is received, and therefore, no reflection will occur.
This is a pure glitch, please let us fix it.
#1-3 Common Skill: "Ice Needle"
Current Status:
The evolved "++" version of Ice Needle has a power of 6.5x5 hits, which equals 32.5 in total. It has a
short cooldown and low MP cost, making it very easy to use. Additionally, it comes with a piercing effect,
further enhancing its already strong performance.
Adjustment Proposal:
- Slight adjustment to lower the power from 6.5 to 5.
- Review the balance of similar skills in other elements and apply buffs where necessary.
Considering that this is a common skill with relatively low acquisition difficulty, a power of 3x5=15 would be more appropriate. However, since this skill significantly contributes to the enjoyment of the game, we propose only a slight adjustment within a reasonable range.
#1-4 Stun Success Rate & Stun Lock Issues
Current Status:
When a target is in a stunned state, it is possible to repeatedly overwrite the stun, creating a "stun
lock" situation.
Adjustment Proposal:
- Increase the impact of evasion on reducing the skill success rate.
Currently, increasing evasion does not affect the success rate of skills (it increases hit rate but not evasion rate). As a result, the stun effect is always applied. We plan to adjust the success rate calculation method to increase the influence of evasion, making it so that stuns will not always succeed. For more details, refer to the upcoming adjustments related to evasion parameters.
#1-5 Instant Death from Freeze
Current Status:
When a player’s skill causes a target to enter a frozen state, any subsequent attack has a high
probability of triggering an instant death effect.
Adjustment Proposal:
- Adjust the frozen state effect so that, instead of causing instant death, it increases the chance of critical damage.
In cases like the Arena, the "instant death" effect is too extreme and can disrupt gameplay balance. Therefore, we are considering adjustments to reduce the disadvantage and make it less severe.
#1-6 Knockback
Current Status:
The stun duration after a knockback is too long, making it possible to "trap" players using certain
skills.
Adjustment Proposal:
- Reduce the stun duration after knockback to prevent trapping scenarios.
This is more of an improvement than a nerf.
#2. Parameter Influence Formula Adjustments
These adjustments aim to correct formulas affecting damage, agility, critical hit rate, accuracy, evasion, and other parameters to eliminate the "dead parameters" issue. The formulas presented here are simplified for clarity, although in practice, they incorporate a variety of factors such as passive skills, buffs/debuffs, attributes, resistances, and random variations. The goal is to make the underlying logic easier to understand while addressing key points.
#2-1 Damage Formula (Adjustment for Defense Buffs/Defense-ignoring Attacks)
Current Status:
The current damage calculation formula is as follows: if the attack power exceeds the defense power, the
defense has no effect:
If Attack Power >= Defense: Damage = Attack Power
If Defense > Attack Power: Damage = (Attack Power^2) / Defense
In battles against similarly leveled or weaker opponents, it’s rare for defense to be higher than attack power, rendering defense debuffs or defense-ignoring effects ineffective.
Adjustment Proposal:
- Modify the damage formula so that defense always has an impact unless the attack power is at least double the defense:
If Attack Power >= Defense * 2: Damage = Attack Power
If Defense > Attack Power: Damage = Attack Power * (0.82 * √(Attack Power/Defense) - 0.16)
Adjust monster HP as needed to maintain balance.
*The further to the right, the higher the defense compared to attack power.
*Damage level of 100 = Attack power directly translates to damage output.
When looking at the graph, the damage reduction might seem significant, but considering that defensive debuffs or defense-piercing effects will compensate for this, we believe it falls within a reasonable range.
Each Parameter
#2-2 Evasion Rate in PvP
Current Status:
The evasion rate in PvP is calculated using the following formula:
Evasion Rate = Base Evasion Rate + Buffs/Debuffs
Buffs and debuffs include all effects from passive skills and other relevant factors. The "Base Evasion Rate" works as follows, and the impact of additional buffs/debuffs on evasion is also calculated based on this formula.
Currently, the evasion values for most Master DOLLs are in the tens of thousands, and if sub-slots are fully filled, the numbers can roughly double. As these values continue to grow, it may take a long time to reach the maximum cap of 30%. In the current state, even slight changes in these values don’t result in noticeable improvements, making it difficult to feel the effects of any incremental increases.
Adjustment Proposal:
We will increase the impact on lower combat power ranges.
On the other hand, once the parameters reach a certain level, the sense of growth diminishes, but we decided on this approach because the early stages are the most important for most players.
#2-3 Skill Success Rate (Hit x Evasion)
Current Status:
The skill success rate is calculated using the following formula:
Skill Success Rate = (Skill's Set Success Rate + Base Hit Rate + Buff/Debuff Modifiers) * (1 - Target's
Resistance).
Additionally, the adjustment based on the comparison between hit and evasion works similarly to the damage formula. When hit exceeds evasion, the base hit rate is applied as is, which significantly reduces the influence of evasion:
Hit ≥ Evasion: Base Hit = Hit
Evasion > Hit: Base Hit = Hit² / Evasion
There are two main issues with the current system:
1. Increasing evasion only reduces the rate at which hit improves, but it cannot lower the original hit
rate (i.e., it doesn't reduce hit below its base level).
2. Since the evasion system follows a formula similar to the damage formula, the effect of evasion is
minimal unless it exceeds the opponent's hit, making it hard for evasion to take effect.
Adjustment Proposal:
・The adjustment based on the comparison between hit and evasion
will no longer be additive, but multiplicative, to have a more significant effect:
Skill Success Rate = (Skill's Set Success Rate * (1 + Hit/Evasion Comparison Adjustment) +
Buff/Debuff Modifiers) * (1 - Target's Resistance)
・The hit/evasion comparison adjustment will be allowed to have both positive and negative
effects:
Hit/Evasion Ratio Adjustment = 1.2 * (atan((Hit/Evasion - 1) / 0.5) / π + 1/2) - 0.6.
This change aims to make evasion more impactful by providing a more dynamic balance between hit and evasion in determining skill success rates.
This part of the formula is particularly difficult to simplify, so you don't need to worry about the exact details of the equation. The key takeaway is that if the hit rate exceeds the opponent's evasion, the hit rate increases, and if the opponent's evasion surpasses the hit rate, the success rate of the hit decreases accordingly.
#2-4 Cooldown Time (Agility)
Current Status:
Cooldown Time is calculated using the following formula:
Cooldown Time = Skill Cooldown * Agility Modifier * (1 - Buff/Debuff Adjustments)
The Agility Movement Speed Modifier is structured as follows.
Similar to evasion, players in lower power brackets may not experience noticeable changes in cooldown times.
Adjustment Proposal:
We will increase the impact of agility in lower power brackets.
Similar to evasion, once the parameters reach a certain level, the sense of growth becomes less noticeable.
#2-5 Movement Speed (Agility)
Current Status:
The increase in movement speed due to agility is calculated using the following formula:
Movement Speed = Base DOLL Movement Speed * (1 + Agility Movement Speed Modifier + Buffs/Debuffs)
The "Agility Movement Speed Modifier" is as follows:
Similar to evasion, the effect of agility on movement speed is not noticeably felt unless the agility value becomes significantly high.
Adjustment Proposal:
We will increase the impact for lower power levels.
Similar to evasion, once certain parameters reach higher levels, the sense of growth diminishes.
Adjusting Skill Balance and Enhancing Type-Specific Traits
Here are the individual skill adjustments aimed at ensuring each DOLL and type-specific traits can shine. Since there are quite a few adjustments, we've organized them in a table format.
Here is the overall approach for the adjustments:
・Adjusting the Power of Unique Skills
Some unique skills are clearly weaker in terms of power compared to generic skills. The goal is to bring
most unique skills to the same level or even stronger than their generic counterparts.
Note: Since there are many unique skills being adjusted only for power, they are not all listed in the
following adjustments.
・Enhancing Underperforming Skills (Mainly Offensive Skills)
Skills that are hard to use (due to factors like charge time, MP cost, post-action delay, or narrow range) but offer weak effects are the main targets for improvement. Adjustments will focus on increasing power, range, and usage frequency, among other aspects.
・Improving Buff, Debuff, and Healing Skills
These skills currently struggle with mobile targets. We will expand their range and adjust effect durations to make targeting easier.
・Guardian Role
The Guardian's primary role is to attract enemy attention (aggro) and protect allies by taking hits. We plan to improve skills that increase aggro, making it easier to attract enemy attacks. Additionally, we’ll enhance the range and duration of defensive skills to improve survivability.
Individual Skill Adjustments
| Skill Name | Type | Element | Adjustment | Notes |
| #3-1 Tension Up |
Physical | None | Effect Increase MP Cost Reduction Range Increase (on evolution) |
Buff skill usability improvement Range increase on evolution |
| #3-2 Fiery Fan Strike |
Physical | Fire | Range Increase | |
| #3-3 Mega Explosion |
Physical | Fire | Power Increase Follow-up Attack Power Increase Range Increase (on evolution) |
Enhancement of follow-up skills against status ailments |
| #3-4 Inferno Purgatory Blaze Rush |
Physical | Fire | Power Increase Range Increase |
Skill enhancement to match the risk (MP cost, large action) |
| #3-5 Power Mist |
Physical | None | Effect Duration Increase Effect Power Increase Range Increase Longer Reach |
Buff skill usability improvement |
| #3-6 Downforce |
Physical | None | Range Increase | Debuff skill usability improvement |
| #3-7 Gigant Iceberg |
Physical | Water | Reduced Instant Death Rate from Freeze Range Increase (on evolution) |
Considering changing instant death effect Range increase on evolution |
| #3-8 Azure Fang: Infinite Sea Dragon Strike |
Physical | Water | Power Increase Range Increase |
Skill enhancement to match the risk (MP cost, large action) |
| #3-9 Atmos Bullet |
Physical | Wind | Becomes Penetrating Range Increase (on evolution) |
|
| #3-10 Rapid Wind |
Physical | None | Effect Duration Increase, Effect Power Increase Range Increase (on evolution) |
Buff skill usability improvement |
| #3-11 Wide Deployment |
Physical | None | Effect Duration Increase Effect Power Increase Range Increase (on evolution) |
Buff skill usability improvement |
| #3-12 Elegant Piercing Flying Swallow Soar |
Physical | Wind | Can Now Be Directed Becomes Penetrating (on evolution) |
|
| #3-13 Mental Focus |
Physical | None | Effect Duration Increase Effect Power Increase Range Increase (on evolution) |
|
| #3-14 Lightning Drop |
Physical | Lightning | Range Increase | Skill enhancement to match the risk (large action) |
| #3-15 Thunderclap Divine Ring | Physical | Lightning | Range Increases Per Level | Skill enhancement to match the risk (MP cost) |
| #3-16 Grand Shield |
Physical | None | Effect Duration Increase Effect Power Increase Range Increase Longer Reach |
Buff skill usability improvement |
| #3-17 Debris Flow Edge |
Physical | Earth | Knockback Power Increase Follow-up Multiplier Increase (on evolution) |
Skill feature enhancement |
| #3-18 Heavy Quagmire |
Physical | Earth | Range Increase | Skill feature enhancement |
| #3-19 Gravel: Netherworld Seismic Wave |
Physical | Earth | Range Increase Per Level Debuff Effect Power Increase (on evolution) |
|
| #3-20 Divine Rock: Genbu Hexagonal Crystal |
Physical | Earth | Buff Range Increase (on evolution) | |
| #3-21 Iron Crush |
Physical | None | Range Increase Buff Effect Power Increase (on evolution) |
Enhanced range to improve aggro collection |
| #3-22 Here Here |
Physical | None | Added Aggro Effect Buff Duration Increase |
Added aggro effect upon activation for instant aggro collection |
| #3-23 Stun Rush |
Physical | None | Range Increase | |
| #3-24 Demon, Come Here |
Physical | None | Range Increase Duration Increase Effect Power Increase (on evolution) |
Aggro skill usability improvement |
| #3-25 Shield Veil |
Physical | None | Range Increase Range Extend |
Defensive skill usability improvement |
| #3-26 Hyper Reflect |
Physical | None | Reflect Count Increase | Defensive skill usability improvement |
| #3-27 Stand Firm |
Physical | None | Range Increase Removal of Usage Limit |
Defensive skill usability improvement |
| #3-28 Rigid Shield: Absolute Barrier |
Physical | None | Cast Removal Range Increase (on evolution) |
Defensive skill usability improvement |
| #3-29 Fire Arrow |
Magic | Fire | Range Increase or Range Increase | |
| #3-30 Ruthless Burst |
Magic | Fire | Range Increase (on evolution) | |
| #3-31 Burner Wall |
Magic | Fire | Telegraphed Adjustments (★3～) Range Expansion Revisions (on evolution) |
|
| #3-32 Meteor Storm |
Magic | Fire | Range Expansion Bullet Count Increase |
Skill enhancement to match the risk (MP cost, large action) |
| #3-33 Flame Pillar |
Magic | Fire | Review of Hit Count for Evolution | |
| #3-34 Fierce Flame Dragon Summon |
Magic | Fire | Charge Time Review or Attack Frequency Review | Summon skill adjustment |
| #3-35 Ice Needle |
Magic | Water | Range Narrowing (width) Range Narrowing (height) (initial to final stages) Small Power Down |
Adjusting low-risk, high-return skill |
| #3-36 Inspiration |
Magic | None | Range Expansion | |
| #3-37 Frozen Nova |
Magic | Water | Range Expansion | |
| #3-38 Water Pillar |
Magic | Water | Range Expansion Freeze Removal |
Removal of freeze effect |
| #3-39 Absolute Zero |
Magic | Water | Range Expansion (on evolution) Lower Freeze Rate and Instant Death Rate |
|
| #3-40 Wind Blast |
Magic | Wind | Desire for Penetration or Added Use Count (on evolution) | |
| #3-41 Jet Storm |
Magic | Wind | Range Expansion (both horizontal and vertical) | |
| #3-42 Lullaby Breeze |
Magic | Wind | Range Expansion (on evolution) | |
| #3-43 Blind Garden |
Magic | Wind | Range Expansion Cooldown Review Darkness Application Rate Increase |
|
| #3-44 Tornado |
Magic | Wind | Shortened Duration Power Increase (on evolution) |
|
| #3-45 Spiral Boomerang |
Magic | Wind | Effect Review Power Review |
Adjusting low-risk, high-return skill |
| #3-46 Thunder Rain |
Magic | Lightning | Effect Revie Range Expansion or Bullet Penetration |
|
| #3-47 Thunder Blade |
Magic | Lightning | Range Expansion | |
| #3-48 Lightning Gemini |
Magic | Lightning | Effect Review | |
| #3-49 Narukami |
Magic | Lightning | Range Expansion Essential | |
| #3-50 Hawkeye |
Magic | Lightning | Extreme Range Expansion | |
| #3-51 Genesis Thunderbolt |
Magic | Lightning | Range Expansion | |
| #3-52 Thunder God: Thor's Hammer |
Magic | Lightning | Change to Selectable Activation Range (movable) | |
| #3-53 Over Soil |
Magic | Earth | Effect Review Range Expansion |
Debuff skill usability improvement |
| #3-54 Gungnir Gravel |
Magic | Earth | Effect Range Expansion Explosion Range Expansion (on evolution) |
|
| #3-55 Gaia's Enrage |
Magic | Earth | Range Expansion Small Power Increase |
|
| #3-56 Stone Wall |
Magic | None | Make ★ evolution ++ larger than ★+ Prevent Penetration of Long-Range Attacks |
|
| #3-57 Stack Mud |
Magic | Earth | Increased Movement Speed Reduction Effect | |
| #3-58 Galaxy Impact |
Magic | Earth | Power Increase Range Expansion |
|
| #3-59 Summon Golem |
Magic | Earth | Duration Increase | Summon skill adjustment |
| #3-60 Heal |
Magic | None | Healing Hit Detection Extension Range Increase Longer Reach |
Healing skill usability improvement |
| #3-61 Healing Wind |
Magic | None | Healing Hit Detection Extension Range Increase Longer Reach |
Healing skill usability improvement |
| #3-62 Quick Heal |
Magic | None | Healing Hit Detection Extension Range Increase Longer Reach |
Healing skill usability improvement |
| #3-63 Celestial Heal |
Magic | None | Range Expansion (on evolution) | Healing skill usability improvement |
| #3-64 Marionette Dream | Physical | Lightning | Range Increase Buff Effect Range Increase (on evolution) |
|
| #3-65 Monochrome Spin | Magic | Wind | Range Increase Power Increase |
|
| #3-66 Tea Time Tempest |
Physical | Water | Range Increase | |
| #3-67 Real Skill from Yi Er San |
Physical | None | Range Increase Stock Change to Fire Element |
Usability improvement, Change from no element to fire |
| #3-68 Ablation Laser |
Magic | Fire | Range Increase MP Cost Reduction Cooldown Reduction |
|
| #3-69 Successful Mission |
Magic | None | Range Increase | |
| #3-70 Genius Girl is Here! |
Magic | None | Range Increase Shooting Range Increase |
|
| #3-71 Zero Intermission |
Physical | Water | Power Increas Range Increase |
|
| #3-72 Mysteriously Falling Space | Magic | Earth | Follow-Up Attack Enhancement on Evolution | |
| #3-73 You Humble Ones, Lie on the Ground |
Physical | None | Range Increase | |
| #3-74 Mes Penetrate |
Physical | None | Range Increase Cast Removal |
|
| #3-75 Poisonous Work |
Ph |
I’ve tried to break down the technical documentation that the development team has been exchanging in a way that’s easy to understand. How did it turn out? We’d love it if you could share your thoughts on this attempt on social media!
Additionally, if you have any feedback on the adjustments, please share them with us through this form.
Thank you for your continued support of Last Memories.
Executive Producer,
Yoshiyuki Kumon
