Combat-related adjustments Optimized attack animations, including: Great Sword Jump Attack, Great Sword Heavy Strike, and Great Sword Mastery skills: Quadru-Tornado Slash, 2-Strike Slash, and Assault.
Single Blade Mastery skills: Hop Spin Strike, Thrust Slash, and Rolling Slashes.
Gauntlets Mastery skills: Spiral Hook and Charged Punch.
Hammer Mastery skills: Upstroke Hammer and Earth Hammering.
Spear basic attacks, and Spear Mastery skills: 3 Piercing Strikes, Triple Impacts, and 2 Piercing Strikes.
Spear Heavy Strike animation.
Added visual effects to some skills and adjusted camera shake performance.
Added an audio cue when a Single Blade user successfully blocks and can perform a Counter Strike.
Removed the movement speed reduction while drawing a bow. (Unchanged on PvP servers.)
Recover Sense can now remove more control effects, including grab skills and some Boss control effects.
Recover Sense cooldown is now affected by coefficient settings. On lower difficulties, its cooldown is greatly reduced.
Optimized weapon-switching feel by adding weapon-switch input buffering during skill animations.
Optimized an issue where, when switching weapons, the character could play unarmed basic attack animations while still holding a weapon.
On PvP servers, further optimized the damage reduction calculation when the additional damage from Agility Whip and Sundering Curse takes effect on players.
Fixed an issue where some Spiked Whip skills had no hit visual effects or sound effects.
Slightly increased the playback speed of all attack animations.
Slightly increased player running and sprinting speed.
Jumping optimizations: Optimized jump animations.
Slightly increased jump height.
Increased falling speed during Jump Attacks.
Roll optimizations: Added diagonal Rolls.
During Mimicry, Roll is changed to a teleport with faster animation and will no longer be blocked by enemies.
Hitstun optimizations: Shortened the duration of player empty-Resilience Hitstun and Hitstun caused by being Reflected. (Unchanged in PvP.)
Reworked normal hit reactions.
Reworked knock-up animations.
Added physical reactions when humanoid creatures are hit.
Added physical reactions when some animals that previously lacked hit reactions are hit, including: Monkey, Wild Lion, Flamingo, Giant Elephant, Fogfrog, Camel, Cat, Mammoth, Honey Badger, Armadillo Lizard, Anaconda, Sacred Ibis, Vulture, Moose, Ostrich, Rhino, Saber-toothed Predator, Sobek Crocodile, Onyx Scarab, Anubis Hound, Lion, Bear, Snow Leopard, Cobra, Alpaca, Wild Horse, Bison, Longhorn, Giraffe, Tempest Griffin, Brown Bear, and Vajra Ape.
When large Bosses enter combat, the camera will zoom out to make it easier to observe Boss behavior. This currently applies to: Sobek Crocodile, Anubis Hound, Onyx Scarab, Fogfrog, Mammoth, Tempest Griffin, Saber-toothed Predator, and Vajra Ape.
Optimized all combat-related sound effects.
Added single-player cross-save gameplay: single-player and co-op modes now support cross-map, cross-save play. Single-player players and co-op hosts can open the save-switching list at cross-map gates.
Non-host co-op players will be prompted that only the host can switch saves when interacting with cross-map gates.
When a co-op host switches saves, all characters, including offline characters, will be transferred together, and all online players will be kicked.
When switching saves in single-player, the currently controlled character and all items carried in the backpack will be copied to the target save.
A secondary confirmation window will appear when switching saves.
Reduced the space height requirement when placing Weapon/Gear Racks.
Raid hours on No Raid servers have been changed to 24/7.
Fixed an issue where ships could be used to lift another ship and pass through walls and terrain.
Fixed an issue where players would continue taking Groundspike damage after flying onto Groundspikes and leaving.
Fixed an issue where, after tribesmen automatically activated a Force Field, the Force Field’s durability would not recover.
Fixed missing Groundspike textures.
Fixed an issue where expeditions could not be dispatched properly even when enough materials were shown.
Fixed an issue where the group filter in the Exploration Checkpoint interface did not work, preventing personnel from being dispatched from the selected group.
Fixed an obstruction issue when using mining platforms in the Misty Forest mines.
Fixed abnormal permission checks when kicking members from a guild.
Fixed an issue where Shipborne Main Cannons could not attack shields.
We've refined the base attack and Mastery Skill animations for a variety of weapons, including longsword, gauntlets, spear, and more — with tweaks to animation expressiveness across the board:
We heard your feedback on the whip — so we've nearly rebuilt all of the whip's normal attack animations and its initial skill. It's now a fast-hitting, low-damage-per-hit weapon designed to apply sustained pressure on enemies.
Base attack animations, sprinting, dodging, and jumping have all been fine-tuned. In particular, when activating Mask Mimicry , you'll now have a brand-new teleport dodge animation.
We've added hit reactions to a large number of animals, and optimized the third-person camera distance when entering boss fights — giving you a better view of the boss's behavior.
Open your Steam Library
Right-click Soulmask and select "Properties"
Go to the "Betas" tab
In the access code field, enter: soulmaskptb123
Select the publictest branch from the dropdown
Wait for the game to update, then launch the PTB version
## What changed
**Dungeon enemy placement** — reduced unreasonably placed ranged enemies across all dungeons and reduced **Ballista** units in enemy camps
**Enemy AI** — all enemy AI now behaves more appropriately for their corresponding difficulty mode
**Boss encounters** — boss disengage timers and health regeneration rates have been optimized, and boss skills have been redesigned to make overall difficulty more forgiving
**XP and crafting** — XP multipliers adjusted across most modes; single-player crafting speed multiplier can now be set up to 100x
**Tribesmen survivability** — added "Downed but Not Dead" option (enabled by default on lower difficulties) where critically downed Tribesmen will not be killed by AoE damage
**Tribesmen functionality** — work tasks are now more responsive, material fetching frequency optimized to reduce pathfinding issues, and deployed Tribesmen can now use "Hold F2" Rally to Me function to quickly move to the player's position
**Whip weapon** — reworked initial skill tuned down as it exceeded design intent with DPS and poise damage efficiency
**HUD improvements** — debuff status detail button prompts made more prominent, stamina bar priority and visibility increased, stamina value display redesigned, and crafting progress bar added back
**UI and clarity** — status effect presentation clarified for better understanding
**Known item in progress** — single-player cross-map mechanic requires further polish before release; skill descriptions and translations being reworked
## Overall
Dungeons are less punishing, Tribesmen are more useful and survivable, and the **Whip** is being balanced down while quality-of-life features improve across the board.
Dungeon rebalancing to reduce unreasonable ranged enemy placement
All enemy AI now behaves more appropriately for their corresponding difficulty mode
Boss disengage timers and health regeneration rates have been optimized
XP multipliers have been adjusted across most modes; in single-player mode, the crafting speed multiplier can now be set up to 100x
Added a "Downed but Not Dead" option for Tribesmen — this will be enabled by default on some lower difficulties. When active, Tribesmen who are critically downed will not be killed by AoE damage
Dungeon-Related We've reduced the number of unreasonably placed ranged enemies across all dungeons
Ballista units in all enemy camps will be reduced
All Tribesmen work tasks will be more responsive
We've optimized the frequency at which Tribesmen repeatedly fetch materials in workshops — they'll now be far less likely to encounter pathfinding issues
Some Chieftains found the debuff presentation in the new HUD confusing, so we'll make the status detail button prompts much more prominent—so you can immediately understand what's happening.
We'll be adding the crafting progress bar back in , so you can still keep track of your item production progress.
The reworked action skills were reported as being too strong —especially the whip. Its reworked initial skill had DPS and poise damage efficiency that exceeded our design intent. We'll be tuning it down to be in line with other weapons' initial skills.
Difficulty & Balance Redesigned the values and mechanics of certain boss skills to make overall difficulty more forgiving
Tribesmen Deployed Tribesmen now have a "Hold F2" Rally to Me function, allowing Tribesmen to quickly move to the player's position
Some Chieftains found the new HUD changes uncomfortable , so we'll continue adjusting based on your feedback: We'll further increase the priority and visibility of the stamina bar , and redesign how stamina values are displayed.
Many Chieftains had questions about the single-player cross-map mechanic , so we need to further polish this new feature before release.
Some skill descriptions and translations are being reworked.
## What changed
**Balance Changes**
- **Lower AI levels** — humanoid enemies now have reduced attack aggression, lower arrow accuracy, cannot precisely parry attacks, and dodge less flexibly
- **Creature HP regeneration** — creatures now regenerate HP more slowly after disengaging from combat
- **Destroyer's Fury** — reduced rate of increase and halved enraged state duration
- **Ballista damage reduction** — removed the damage reduction effect while operating neutral Ballistas
- **Ballista range** — Tribe Ballistas now have ranges of 20/30/40 meters; Camp Ballistas have 50-meter range
- **Neutral Ballistas** — no longer consume bolts, can fire indefinitely, and will not automatically take ammo from chests
- **NPC Ballista operation** — added 60-second cooldown after NPCs leave, preventing immediate return; crosshair spread added when shooting at players
- **Tribesmen work efficiency** — can now remotely access items while working, reducing pathfinding; added "Downed but Not Dead" function
- **Phase Anchor** — corrected crafting proficiency type and reduced crafting time
- **Gathering tools** — removed weapon damage attributes
- **Portal crafting** — greatly reduced crafting time and overall item weight
- **Ruins structures** — reduced item weight for Anti-Radiation Towers, Hibernation Pods, Mysterious Stone Tables, and related parts
- **Survival/Tribe Mode progression** — reduced EXP required to level up after Lv.40
- **Awareness EXP** — default multiplier now at least 3x in single-player modes
- **Crafting speed cap** — increased to 100x
- **Flying Ship Fleets
At lower AI levels, humanoid enemies now have lower attack aggression, lower arrow accuracy, cannot precisely parry attacks, and will not dodge damage as flexibly
Creatures now regenerate HP more slowly after disengaging from combat
Reduced the rate at which the Destroyer’s Fury increases, and halved the duration of its enraged state
Removed the damage reduction effect while operating neutral Ballistas
Adjusted Ballista range against players: Tribe Ballistas now have a range of 20/30/40 meters, and Camp Ballistas now have a range of 50 meters
Neutral Ballistas no longer consume bolts when fired, can fire indefinitely, and will not automatically take ammo from nearby chests
After an NPC leaves a Ballista, a 60-second cooldown is added; during this cooldown, the NPC will not immediately return to operate it
When NPCs operate Ballistas to shoot at players, the crosshair will spread, giving shots a chance to miss
In all modes, tribesmen can remotely access items while working, effectively reducing pathfinding frequency
Added the “Downed but Not Dead” function for tribesmen
Corrected the crafting proficiency type of Phase Anchor and reduced its crafting time
Removed weapon damage attributes from gathering tools
Greatly reduced Portal crafting time
Reduced the overall item weight of Portals, Anti-Radiation Towers, Hibernation Pods, Mysterious Stone Tables, and related parts produced in Ruins
Reduced the EXP required to level up after Lv.40 in Survival Mode and Tribe Mode
In single-player Survival Mode, Tribe Mode, and Casual Mode, the default Awareness EXP multiplier is now at least 3x
Increased the crafting speed coefficient cap to 100x
Optimized Flying Ship Fleets so they automatically reset back to their flight route after deviating more than 50 meters
Protective Field building Tips now display the current durability of the field
Fixed an issue where bolts did not drop properly from Camp Ballista inventories
Fixed an issue where Camp Ballista range limits against players did not take effect
Fixed an issue where NPC-operated neutral cannons could damage non-hostile neutral units
Fixed an issue where shield surfing could be used to collide with and move ships
Camp, Stronghold, and Ballista Adjustments: Reduced the number of Ballista Towers and Sand Bandit Guards in large Flying Ship camps
Tribesmen and Work System： In single-player mode, when the crafting list changes, tribesmen assigned to the corresponding position will now start working immediately, greatly reducing unnecessary waiting
Added a “Hold F2” come-to-me function for deployed tribesmen, allowing them to quickly move near the player"
Mysterious Tisane crafting output is now affected by output bonus effects
Fixed an issue where a single Tribe could own multiple Shark-class Flying Ships
Fixed an issue where ships could be used to carry away other players’ ships
Fixed an issue where Beer duration did not match its description
Fixed an issue where Corrosion Arrows could not be carried through player-built PVP Portals
## What changed
**Crafting & Resources**
- **Date Palm Syrup** can now be crafted at the Worktop.
**PVP Balance**
- **Spiked Whip** skills had their True Damage percentage reduced in PVP mode.
**Multiplayer & Networking**
- Players without a public IP can now manually enter an address for **Cross-server Teleport**.
- **Energy Cost** information added to Shipboard Protective Field items.
**Talent & Combat**
- Fixed **Cunning** and **Scapegoat** Talent entries interfering with bandage effectiveness.
- Fixed steal-type **Talent entries** not triggering against non-humanoid NPCs.
**Invasion System**
- Fixed players being unable to pay supplies to prevent invasions when their invasion win streak was too high.
**Ship & Mount Issues**
- Optimized the shattering effect of Protective Fields.
- Fixed tribesmen following players onto ships spawning into enclosed spaces.
- Fixed **Weapon Racks** on ships being affected by Bonfire range when retrieving the tribesman list.
- Fixed **Airship** engine sound effects being lost.
- Fixed item drops on death not being retrievable when the player's mount died while riding.
- Fixed the aiming guide line for **Shark-class Flying Ship Main Cannon** not displaying.
**Map Changes**
- Removed Turning Stairs.
## Overall
Soulmask patched crafting options, PVP balance, multiplayer connectivity, talent mechanics, and numerous ship-related bugs.
Date Palm Syrup can now be crafted at the Worktop.
Reduced the percentage True Damage of Spiked Whip skills in PVP mode.
Players without a public IP can now manually enter an address for Cross-server Teleport.
Added Energy Cost information to Shipboard Protective Field items.
Optimized the shattering effect of Protective Fields.
Removed Turning Stairs.
Fixed an issue where using bandages could be ineffective when the Talent entries “Cunning” and “Scapegoat” were triggered.
Fixed an issue where steal-type Talent entries could not be triggered against non-humanoid NPCs.
Fixed an issue where players could not pay supplies to prevent invasions when their invasion win streak was too high.
Fixed an issue where tribesmen following players onto ships could sometimes spawn into enclosed spaces.
Fixed an issue where Weapon Racks on ships were affected by Bonfire range when retrieving the tribesman list.
Fixed an issue where Airship engine sound effects could be lost.
Fixed an issue where, when item drops on death were disabled, players could not find their package if their mount died while they were riding it.
Fixed an issue where the aiming guide line for the Shark-class Flying Ship Main Cannon was not displayed.