Dark and Darker Hotfix #128-1 Outlines Broad Class Changes

The notes add barrel hiding, adjust dungeon loot and extraction timing, and revise abilities across every class.

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A blue-lit fantasy scene shows a hooded figure beside a glowing vessel while another character enters a swirling portal.

IRONMACE has published the details for Early Access Hotfix #128-1, a broad pass that revisits every class and adds a new way to hide inside wood barrels. The notes also change dungeon loot, extraction timing, and Custom Play features. The preceding Hotfix #128 focused on escape and stability fixes and added a Tavern departure countdown.

Among the class changes, Rogue’s Hide no longer breaks in light, though it reveals the Rogue’s silhouette. Druid shapeshift damage now scales linearly with its primary attribute, while Wizard receives damage adjustments across several spells.

IRONMACE says it is continuing to refine the direction introduced in EAS11. Its balance goal is to preserve each class’s identity and strong abilities while giving different builds meaningful roles and ways to counter one another. The developer also plans to keep working on dangerous, unpredictable dungeons where player decisions count, and to revisit quests, the Workshop, and other content that no longer fits the updated systems or was temporarily removed.

Dark and Darker Early Access Hotfix #128-1 Patch Notes

Bugfixes

Fixed an issue where severe lag could persist after spectating and eventually cause the game to close.
Fixed an issue where Warlock’s Abyssal Orb could grant Darkness Shards when hit by allied magical projectiles.
Fixed an issue where the VFX location of the destination gate created by Warlock’s Abyssal Gateway could briefly shift when another player passed through it.
Fixed an issue where Bard’s One-Man Band effect could be removed by Ranger’s Purge Shot or the Wisp’s dispel effect.
Fixed an issue where allied buff icons could be displayed instead of debuff icons on enemies within the effect radius of Bard’s One-Man Band flute and drum.
Fixed an issue where players could be unable to escape via the updraft after defeating the Wyvern in the Wyvern Lair of The Frost Mountain – Ice Abyss.
Fixed an issue where players could be instantly killed without touching the orbs generated by certain Banshee attack patterns.
Fixed an issue where Silver Ore that does not spawn in dungeons could be required as a quest submission item.
Fixed an issue where an item receipt notification could appear even when the Goblin Recovery was at 0%.
Fixed an issue where players could repeatedly fail to reconnect and be unable to enter the game after a matchmaking failure in Custom Play.
Fixed an issue where the next session might not start properly after a session ended in Custom Play.
Fixed an issue where a “Starting server…” toast message could appear when clicking the Start button in a Custom Play room while a session was already in progress.
Fixed an issue where the hovered slot could flicker when another participant’s information changed in a Custom Play room.
Fixed an issue where skill slots could occasionally appear empty and the player’s location on the minimap could fail to update immediately after entering a dungeon.
Fixed an issue where the game might only start after the host clicked the Start button twice in Custom Play.
Fixed an issue where participants could remain in the Ready state after returning to the room following the end of a Custom Play session, preventing the host from starting the next session.
Fixed an issue where health restored in the Custom Play Down Room could revert to its previous value upon descending to the next floor.

Game Updates

Added the ability to hide inside Wood Barrels in dungeons. Players can interact with a barrel to enter it and interact again to break the barrel and exit. While hiding, players cannot move, attack, use items, or use skills, and monsters will not detect them.
Improved the visibility of the health bar UI.
Removed the Squire – Quick Prepare menu.
Changed Custom Play so that players in the spectator list can switch to participants by clicking an empty slot.
Removed the Party Chat On/Off button from Custom Play chat.
Removed the Ready status indicator from the host’s slot in Custom Play.
Improved Custom Play to display whether the ready-player requirement has been met using color coding.

Balance Updates

General

The fuel of light source items has been increased.
The size of the Dark Swarm and the appearance time of extraction portals in Normal and High-Roller modes have been adjusted.
Common Grade monsters, Sub Bosses, and Bosses now drop more Gold Coins.
Weapon drops from some monsters have been adjusted to better fit their concept.
Additional drop sources have been added for some quest items.
The number of items found in Medium Wooden Crates, Small Wooden Crates, and Wood Barrels has been reduced.
The price of the Gold Coin Pouch sold by the Goblin Smuggler has been reduced from 500 to 200.
The scaling curves for Will, Knowledge, and Magic Resistance have been improved.

Classes

Fighter

Breakthrough’s duration has been increased from 8 seconds to 12 seconds.
Fortified Ground’s All Attributes bonus has been increased from 3 to 5.
Spell Reflection’s magical damage reduction before reflecting has been increased from 15% to 20%.

Barbarian

Robust’s Max Health Bonus has been changed from 10% to 15%.
Treacherous Lungs’ shout duration increase has been changed from 30% to 50%.
Savage’s Impact Power bonus has been changed from 1 to 2.
Savage Roar’s Physical Power Bonus reduction on enemies has been changed from 20% to 30%.
Skull Splitter’s bleed damage has been changed from 12 over 4 seconds to 20 over 5 seconds.

Rogue

Hide is no longer broken by light, and instead reveals you as a silhouette while in light.
Thrust’s Armor Penetration has been increased from 15% to 25%.
Weakpoint Attack’s Armor Rating Bonus reduction has been increased from 30% to 40%.
Rupture’s bleed damage has been changed from 15(0.75) to 20(0.5).
Sneak Attack’s additional damage against targets not in combat has been increased from 10 to 20.
Trickster’s Action Speed has been increased from 20% to 30%.
Ambush now also grants 25% Physical Damage Bonus when coming out of hide.

Ranger

Overdraw’s damage increase stacking interval has been changed from 1 second to 0.5 seconds.

Wizard

Fireball’s direct hit target now also takes splash damage, and direct damage has been reduced from 30 to 20, keeping the total damage on the direct hit target at 30.
Ice Bolt’s damage has been increased from 20 to 30.
Lightning Strike’s damage has been increased from 25 to 30.
Zap’s damage has been increased from 15 to 20.
Magic Missile’s damage has been increased from 10(0.5) to 11(0.75).
Explosion’s damage has been increased from 20 to 28.
Fireball’s burn duration has been increased from 2 seconds to 3 seconds.
The burn and healing reduction duration applied by Fire Mastery to Fireball and Explosion has been increased from 4 seconds to 5 seconds.
Meteor Strike’s burn scaling has been increased from 0.5 to 1.0, which also applies to the burn from Fire Mastery.
Arcane Infusion’s direct damage has been increased from 3 to 5.
Quick Chant’s Spell Casting Speed has been increased from 10% to 15%.
Melt’s duration has been increased from 2 seconds to 5 seconds, its Physical Damage Reduction penalty from 15% to 20%, and its Projectile Damage Reduction penalty from 5% to 10%.

Cleric

Perseverance’s incoming damage reduction has been changed from 2 to 3.
Protection from Evil’s harmful effect duration reduction has been changed from 30% to 50%.
The decay rate of health gained from Over Healing has been reduced from 2% to 1% per second.
Judgement’s cast time has been reduced from 1 second to 0.75 seconds.
Protection’s duration has been increased from 8 seconds to 20 seconds.
Divine Strike’s duration has been increased from 12 seconds to 20 seconds.
Lesser Heal and Holy Light scaling has been increased from 0.8 to 1.0.
Smite’s damage has been increased from 5 to 10, while its duration has been reduced from 12 seconds to 7 seconds.
Advanced Healer’s Magical Healing has been increased from 4 to 5.
Vow of Silence’s Magic Power Bonus has been increased from 4% to 10%, and its cast time has been reduced from 1.25 seconds to 0.75 seconds.
Aura of Awe’s range has been increased from 2m to 3m.
Radiant Blade’s weapon damage has been increased from 12 to 15, and its Impact Power from 3 to 4.

Bard

The healing per beat from One-Man Band’s Drums of the Vanguard has been adjusted to 1(0.1), 1(0.15), and 1(0.2) per stage.
One-Man Band’s Panflute of Tailwinds now grants party members 1%, 3%, and 5% Move Speed Bonus per stage, and reduces enemy move speed by 0.5%, 1.5%, and 2.5%.
Sing’s cooldown has been reduced from 40 seconds to 24 seconds.

Warlock

Phantomize’s duration has been increased from 4 seconds to 6 seconds.
Blood Pact’s additional Max Health has been increased from 30 to 50.
The Dark Magical Damage Bonus per Darkness Shard consumed during Blood Pact has been increased from 25% to 33%.
Dark Reflection’s scaling has been increased from 0.25 to 0.75.
Infernal Pledge’s damage reduction against Undead and Demons has been increased from 10% to 25%.
Shadow Touch’s fixed magical damage has been increased from 1 to 2.
Curse of Weakness’s All Attributes reduction has been increased from 20% to 25%.
Dark Offering’s damage bonus has been increased from 3% to 5%, while its duration has been reduced from 100 seconds to 60 seconds.
Antimagic’s magical damage reduction has been increased from 20% to 25%.

Druid

Shapeshift form attack damage now scales linearly with the primary attribute. The attribute scaling cap (about 17) has been removed, and each attribute point now adds the same amount of damage at every level.
Damage at base attributes remains the same, but now increases more than before as attributes rise. (e.g. Bear’s Swipe at 66 Strength: 62 → 85)
Bear’s Swipe damage has been changed from 27 to 22 + Strength x 0.57, and Bash damage from 41 to 36 + Strength x 0.57.
Panther’s Scratch damage has been changed from 23 to 18 + Agility x 0.57, and Neckbite damage from 25 to 20 + Agility x 0.57.
Chicken’s Pecking damage has been changed from 23 to 17 + Resourcefulness x 0.57.
Penguin’s Sharp Beak damage has been changed from 17 to 11 + Will x 0.57.
Insect Predation healing and Water Cannon damage now scale linearly with Resourcefulness and Will respectively, staying the same at 39 and increasing by about 30% at lower attribute values.
Shapeshift stack recharge time has been reduced from 10 seconds to 6 seconds.
The -50% magical damage penalty of Shapeshift Mastery has been removed.
Panther’s Rush can now be used while casting a shapeshift or during combo skills.
Wild Fury now grants 15% Physical Damage Bonus and 15% Physical Damage Reduction for 6 seconds, instead of 20% Physical Damage Reduction and 20% Magical Damage Reduction for 8 seconds.
Nature’s Touch attribute scaling has been increased from 0.25 to 0.5.
Restore’s attribute scaling has been increased from 0.25 to 0.5 and its base healing from 20 to 30, while its duration has been reduced from 12 seconds to 10 seconds.
Entangling Vines and Thorn Barrier charges have been increased from 2 to 3.
Orb of Nature charges have been increased from 4 to 5, and its cast time has been reduced from 1 second to 0.75 seconds.
Barkskin Armor charges have been increased from 4 to 5.
Tree of Life’s healable health has been increased from 20 to 40, its duration and healing over time from 8 seconds to 10 seconds, and its All Attributes bonus from 3 to 5.
Lifebloom Aura’s healing has been increased from 1 to 2.

Sorcerer

Fire Orb’s direct hit target now also takes splash damage, and direct damage has been adjusted from 35 to 30.
Water Bolt’s damage has been increased from 15 to 20.
Windblast now deals 10 damage, and its knockback has been adjusted from 300/200 to 300/300.
Vortex now deals 15 damage, and its knockback has been adjusted from 400/300 to 400/400.
Flamestrike’s damage has been increased from 30 to 35.
Fire Orb’s splash damage has been increased from 10 to 15.
Lightning Bolt’s damage has been increased from 7(0.5) to 10(1.0), and its homing angle from 30 to 60 degrees.
Lightning Sphere’s damage has been increased from 5(0.5) to 10(1.0).
Glaciate’s damage has been changed from 5(0.5) to 3(1.0), and its duration has been increased from 12 seconds to 15 seconds.
Stone Skin’s Physical Damage Reduction has been increased from 10% to 15%, and its duration from 12 seconds to 15 seconds.
Eruption’s launch force has been increased from 800 to 1000.
Earth Elemental and Lava Elemental duration has been increased from 18 seconds to 24 seconds.
Lightning Storm’s scaling has been increased from 0.75 to 1.0.
Electric Dash’s radius has been increased from 100 to 125, and its landing damage from 15 to 20.
Mud Shield’s duration has been increased from 7 seconds to 8 seconds.
Wall of Fire’s duration has been increased from 8 seconds to 12 seconds and its direct damage from 10 to 20, while its damage over time has been reduced from 20 to 10.
Frost Lightning’s immobilize duration has been increased from 1.5 seconds to 2 seconds.
Lightning Vortex’s damage has been increased from 20 to 30.
Flamethrower’s duration has been increased from 4 seconds to 5 seconds.
Apex of Sorcery’s Magic Power Bonus has been increased from 30% to 50%, and its Magic Penetration and Action Speed bonuses have been removed.
Mana Flow’s duration has been increased from 3 seconds to 5 seconds.
Lightning Mastery’s additional electrify duration has been increased from 1 second to 2 seconds.
Spell Stride’s Move Speed Bonus has been increased from 15% to 25%.
Innate Talent’s Magical Power has been increased from 5 to 7, and its Spell Casting Speed from 10% to 15%.
Air Mastery now grants 50% Air Magical Damage Bonus.
Elemental Fury’s Cooldown Reduction Bonus per 1% health lost has been increased from 0.5% to 0.75%.
Time Distortion’s cast time reduction has been increased from 90% to 100%.

Items

Rapier’s Weapon Damage has been increased by 5.
Brimstone Powder has been added to the crafting materials for the Grimsmile Ring, and the required amount of Golden Teeth has been reduced from 5 to 3.
Copperlight Kettle Hat’s Armor Rating has been adjusted from 22 to 20-21, Headshot Damage Reduction from 9% to 10%, and Move Speed from -7 to -8.
Copperlight Plate Boots’ Move Speed has been reduced from 3 to 2.
Copperlight Sanctum Plate Armor’s Magic Resistance has been increased from 36 to 40.
Copperlight Lightfoot Boots’ Move Speed has been increased from 6 to 9.
Cobalt Viking Helm’s Headshot Damage Reduction has been increased from 10% to 12%, and Projectile Damage Reduction from 2% to 4%.
Cobalt Hat’s Armor Rating has been adjusted from 11 to 6, Magical Power from 3 to 2, and Move Speed from -8 to -5, and the Additional Memory Capacity option has been removed.

Which class change do you think will make the biggest difference in dungeon fights? Follow the evolving EAS11 class and dungeon direction on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.

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