Shadowcorn Attack! - Release 2.4 Sneak Peek
Tensions are rising in the Dark Forest.
As adventurous Unicorns trek ever deeper into the dark realms to loot precious UNIM, the Shadowcorns begin ramping up their violent appetites and preparations for extended warfare with their prized minions. Their efforts to connect with dark rituals from the past are already affecting the Unicorns’ ability to quest, and will soon disrupt their usual ability to focus on farming and gathering effectively. While Unicorns suffer from the effects of the looming dark arts, the Shadowcorns are lining their coffers with plundered riches and resources for battle.
There will be periods of tranquility where Shadowcorn attacks will be minimal and easily avoided by talented Unicorns! As Twilight Tactics begins, attacks will become more frequent, and only the mightiest of Unicorns can guarantee success.
Details
One of the features in Patch 2.4 coming later this month is Shadowcorns beginning their assault on Unicorn farms and gathering carts. As part of these assaults, any time a Unicorn engages in gathering or farming there will be a small chance that the action fails and puts more resources in the pool of rewards for Shadowcorns.
This chance will be derived from an overall stat requirement on a per-building level basis.
Any time a Unicorn fails at gathering or farming, the Unicorn will still receive a portion of the rewards but the remainder will be sent to Shadowcorn holders in the form of RBW! Similar to UNIM quests, 75% of the stolen amount will be distributed to Shadowcorn holders and 25% will be sent to the treasury.
Example
For example*, if the stat requirement for farming was 1100 and the unicorn had an overall stat level of 1050, the unicorn would have a 95% chance at success. If, however, the unicorn is attacked by Shadowcorns while farming. the player will receive fewer berries, and the “stolen” berries will be directed to Shadowcorn holders in the form of RBW. Similarly, if the assigned Unicorn has 1200 total stats, the Unicorn would have a 100% chance of success. For the most important tasks where players want to guarantee success, it will always be possible to achieve a 100% chance of success by selecting a Unicorn that has enough stats.
*Note: The exact numbers are still being analyzed, but the numbers provided above show the general mark we are aiming for when calibrating these numbers.
Rationale
This update to gameplay is intended to increase the importance of stats and reward players who have spent time & resources on breeding high-stat Unicorns. It also paves the way for Gemworks, as Gems will allow players to “upgrade” their existing Unicorns that need an extra boost to stay effective on the farm.
The update is also key to adjusting the farming framework in preparation for Twilight Tactics and providing a foundation for the tug-of-war-like dynamic between Unicorns and Shadowcorns.
Once Twilight Tactics becomes active, Shadowcorn attacks will be more prevalent. More attacks on Unicorns mean more rewards for Shadowcorn holders, creating an active incentive for Shadowcorns to continue crafting minions and keep the battles going! In turn, this will also add incentives for Unicorns to fight back and restore periods of tranquility to maximize their farms.
This update is just one piece of patch 2.4, but we wanted to share more details about this aspect ahead of the release so players can be prepared for the battles to come…
What are your thoughts on this new development? Speak with fellow uni-fam over at the Discord server, we’d love to listen!