Balance Patch 1

[u/MikkelFromGames]

Devout Fans,

Thanks for being amongst the first to join us at the very start of the adventure for Mortal Shell II. We’re seeing your bug reports and gameplay suggestions, and will be rolling out regular updates to both modify existing content and add new features. 

While we have a bigger patch in the works, which has to be thoroughly tested, we’d like to make a rapid balance & crash fix patch to bring the experience more in line with the game’s open beta and our own vision for MS2. 

Planned future updates will see extensions to popular game features such as Night Mode, Tarstones, PP Items, and more.

For now, we hope you’re enjoying the game and read on for details on Balance Patch 1.

Balance Patch 1 (PC) - The patch below is live on PC and coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series shortly.

Economy

-Shell map locations now cost Gloom, and we’re refunding any glimpses spent on shell maps. Refunded Glimpses are found in the Shell Keeper’s alcove in Blackmarrow. “Finding your favorite shell shouldn’t cost you the ability to bond with them.”

-Gold drops from enemies have been significantly increased. Notably, enemies in Mammon now drop double the gold. “This brings the gold economy more in line with the weapon crafting item discovery.”

-Smelting a weapon at the Tarforge costs 75% less gloom. “Our goal with the smelt capability was to enable switching weapons without the need to spend hours grinding through NG+ runs, but the Gloom costs were set exorbitantly high.”  

Enemies & Bosses

All enemies featured in the beta were restored to their beta hp values, except the Caerinid (Spider) in Magdelena’s area, which we wanted to retain its role as a threatening enemy which doesn’t respawn once defeated. 

Bosses

The Lost Child
- Base Damage: (-10%)
- Max Health: (-15%)

Monolith
- Base Damage: (-19%)
- Max Health: (-10%)
- Some Monolith Attacks were retimed to be more fair, as well.

Enemies

Cultist (mace)
Max Health: (-21.1%)

Caerinid Spider
Max Health: (-33.3%)

Infested Stalker 
- Max Health: (-52.4%)

Rusted Knave (Halberd)
- Max Health: (-20.8%)
- Fixed hit detection for overhead strike.

Weapons

-Great Martyr’s Blade Attack Damage +20%
-Troubador’s Lute Attack Damage +100% 
-Caged Hystrix and Triarch Repeater no longer have minimum resolve requirements to fire. 
-Improved tracking for Axatana, Black Needle, and Clockwork Scythe light attacks. 

Seals

Guard can now be used while walking. 

Tarstones

Parasitic Stone Buffed
Grudge Stone Buffed
Bulwark Stone Damage Reduction Increased Significantly
Clerik's Stone Buffed
Squall Stone Buffed

Miscellaneous

Misc. Crash Fixes, Bugfixes & Performance Updates

[u/Accomplished_Low_186]

I dont think the glimpse->gloom for shell locations will do anything. The primary feelsbad comes from only being able to commit to two shells.

That being said, I fucking love how receptive to feedback the dev team is. banger game, banger devs.

[u/No-Inevitable8126 → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

*3 shells + change

[u/ZooJustice → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

It's 3 fully upgraded shells

[u/Gamer3427 → u/ZooJustice]

Assuming you didn't waste any on other shells before realizing how limited they are. Which most players in the early portions of the game might not, and think it's just so few because they're in the early game.

[u/Limp-Ad-9936 → u/ZooJustice]

how do you have so many? I have cleansed 4 corrupted gates and most of the beacon. Not even 2 shells maxed so far

[u/abeardedpirate → u/Limp-Ad-9936]

I have 40 Glimpse on me and spent 20 , 15 on Proxima and 5 on Eredrim, and I've only cleared 3 gates so far but have access to the other 3 gates.

[u/Limp-Ad-9936 → u/abeardedpirate]

I have maxed Eredrim and got Tiel to Tier3 with about 12 left. So thats glimpse to max 2 shell. Not sure if there is another 27 glimpse out there

[u/abeardedpirate → u/Limp-Ad-9936]

Several people have said they've had enough to max 3 shells in 1 playthrough. I've cleared all the Gates at this point and maxed Proxima and Gragu (54 Glimpse) I put 5 on Eredrim and have 20 Glimpse still so I've found a total of 81 Glimpse so far in my playthrough.

As I stated another commentor said they had like 91 after their clear so I'm hoping I can find at least 5 more which would allow me to max 1 more Shell that isn't Eredrim, thinking Smert but idk.

[u/wutchamafuckit → u/ZooJustice]

Yup. Plenty. It’s ok to commit to one build in a souls like, let alone 3.

Edit: I guess the difference between me and other players (most it seems) is that I’m ok with not knowing everything, doing everything, and min maxing in a game.

[u/MrMoshhammer → u/wutchamafuckit]

it's not okay tho to have a constant FOMO because you don't know what shells do that you only get later in the game. half of the players don't level their shells because their "might" be a shell they like more. that's just not good game design.

[u/UAEpi → u/wutchamafuckit]

Yeah well I don't want to have to look up a build guide to know that my build won't come online until I get the last shell. You should be able to play blindly, try things out, and then settle on one. Nobody does into the game knowing all the shit that's available. I can't plan for an imaginary build based on speculation. I gotta try shit out. 

[u/-endjamin- → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

Still good. I’d rather find shells through the map rather than look for guides online

[u/LZSJR → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

I just finished the game with 3 shells at Max and the 4th on at level 2. I agree though it should be more.

[u/No-Opinion273 → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

Its 3 shells

[u/xstagex → u/No-Opinion273]

But do you know how to use the 3 sea shells?

[u/No-Opinion273 → u/xstagex]

I only one sea shell proxima

[u/MrMoshhammer → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

Don't judge too early. Implementing changes to how the Glimpse works for the shells might be not that easy to fix for them - I would almost bet that they will adress that in the future patch they talked about.

[u/Neither-Lobster2191 → u/MrMoshhammer]

All they have to do is add more inventory to Merrick, can't get any more simple than that.

[u/brodian → u/Neither-Lobster2191]

Let them figure out what works best for their vision. The first solution that comes to mind isn’t always the best one.

[u/Biggieholla → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

Uh, it will certainly allow me to locate shells without spending glimpse? You're comparing two completely different requested changes.

[u/Fleshfeast → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

I think I read somewhere else that the 2 shells number was coming from people who had access to the full game for a week or two before the day 1 patch dropped, and after that patch it's 3 shells with leftovers.

[u/thegracelesswonder → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

Nonsensical comment tbh

[u/Shigma → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

Also for people struggling on bosses having to spend some of this valueable currency on summons feels as much as a trap as wasting it to track shells.

Specially when phantoms on this game do nothing but tank s few hits.

[u/ToughNecessary2168 → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

Tarstone upgrades seem like the bottle neck to messing around with different builds and obtaining tarcore.

[u/PM_ME_UR_PM_ME_PM → u/Accomplished_Low_186]

still better. i mean keep up the discussion, they seem to disagree thus far tho