Welcome Hunters!
Growth in life is often described with metaphors like "forging yourself in fire " "leveling up " or "reaching the next level." When it comes to Steel Hunters "forging " "leveling up " and "reaching the next level" do find a visually suitable representation in-game— our new System Tree . It connects back to life in a simple way: forging your own path . The revamped System Tree was designed to put power back in your hands. It creates fair predictable and balanced scaling while also allowing for more meaningful choices in shaping your Hunter's strengths on the road to Level 40.
Why This Matters
- Consistent Scaling : All Hunters follow the same rules making balance easier.
- Clear Progression : You know exactly how much power comes from the System Tree vs. in-battle scaling.
- Better Control : We can finetune balance across different game stages (as you level up your Hunters through the System Tree and throughout battles).
All Things Balanced as They Should Be
From Version 0.40 on we're changing how ability power (AP) and the System Tree affect your Hunters' abilities.- Ability power (AP) : Represents the strength of an ability which increases as each battle progresses.
- System Tree : Enables synergy between pre-battle decisions and in-battle performance ensuring every choice matters.
Key Changes:
All abilities that scale with ability power will continue to scale during each battle based on your Hunter level progression and the Enhancement Cores you collect. This mainly applies to abilities related to "Time to Kill" (TTK)—like applicable offensive powers or healing abilities. However the main source of power for your abilities comes from the System Tree. Here's How It Works:
Let's take Razorside's Frag Grenade—Detonator Mod. When first equipped it starts with 2 000 explosion damage . Upgrading it via ability stat upgrade Nodes in the System Tree increases the explosion damage by +150 . Ability power comes into play after you get in a battle. As your Hunter gains more levels and collects Cores 2 150 explosion damage also scales through ability power . For example:
- Reaching the second level provides a 3% ability power increase:
- Starting from 2 000 you would reach 2 060 .
- Starting from 2 150 you would reach 2 215 .
Base Damage
Level 2 (+3%)
Level 3 (+9%)
Max (+80% Hunter Leveling + Enhancement Cores)
2 000
2 060
2 180
3 600
2 150 (with Node)
2 215
2 344
3 870
It's in Your Hands
With this update ability power (AP) and the System Tree now work together for smoother more balanced progression. All base abilities—whether damage healing or unique effects—scale through the System Tree . However only offensive and healing abilities (affecting Time to Kill ) continue to scale dynamically during a battle as you level up and collect Enhancement Cores . Abilities like Heartbreaker's Stealth don't scale with ability power (AP) because they don't directly impact offensive strength health or shields. Instead these abilities improve through other factors such as increased duration.There are three types of C ores — Structure Shields and Damage —all providing equal AP increases based on their tier. This ensures predictable fair scaling while still allowing for dynamic progression. All Hunters now follow the same scaling rules making balance adjustments easier and progression clearer. You'll always know where your power comes from allowing for smarter build choices. Sources of Ability Power
The following chart shows you a base approach to increasing AP through the System Tree and in-game enhancement but keep in mind that there are more ways to upgrade your base AP. Specific gear that you'll be able to earn for your Hunter can be tied to an increase in base AP on the Hunting Grounds upleveling their stats. Initial
In-Battle Level
Every Hunter starts at +0% (Base 100%)
2
+3% (Cumulative +3%)
3
+6% (Cumulative +9%)
4
+9% (Cumulative +18%)
5
+12% (Cumulative +30%)
Lvl 5Bonus
+10% (Cumulative +40%)
Cores
Level 1
+2% for each(Max +12%)
Level 2
+3% for each(Max +18%)
Level 3
+4% for each(Max +24%)
Level 4
+5% for each(Max +30%)
Level 5
+7% for each(Max + 42%)
New in V0.40: More Ways to Mess With Your Enemies
The first iteration of this new System Tree arrives in Version 0.40 featuring a universal structure for all Hunters. Each tree consists of 15 Hunter stat Nodes and 8 ability stat Nodes ensuring a balanced foundation across the board. While the structure is currently the same for every Hunter this is just the beginning—future updates will bring even more variety and specialization .Also a total of three Unique Nodes has been allocated for every Hunter further bringing out your hero's specific capabilities and thus influencing your playstyle.- The System Tree is divided into 4 sections that unlock as Players reach a certain number of unlocked nodes and Hunter Level on a given Hunter:
- SectionTotal Nodes (Excluding Unique Nodes) in Section# of Required NodesRequired Hunter Level190121710+10+31820+20+41930+30+
- Unique Nodes also have specific unlock requirements:
- Unique Node# of Required NodesRequired Hunter Level120+20+230+30+330+ including all 4 nodes in the row immediately above30+
Future Plans for the System Tree
One of the more exciting possibilities in terms of the biggest improvement this could open up one day is differentiating System Trees based on Hunter roles. Ability-focused Hunters could have more Ability Nodes while others might focus more on raw damage or defensive stats. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach these adjustments would allow each Hunter to lean into their strengths and feel more unique. In a possible Steel Hunters future this could become a real thing. However it will require further testing and a more precise approach to be investigated as there is always a priority on keeping tight focus on Hunter balancing of course. Another exciting change could also be introducing dynamic progression paths: by adjusting the way Skill Trees branch out we can create meaningful decision points that allow for deeper customization. Unique Nodes will also be placed differently depending on the Hunter making progression feel even more tailored and strategic.The new System Tree is just the beginning. With these improvements we're not only refining how Hunters scale but also laying the foundation for an even deeper and more rewarding progression system . Whether you're looking to maximize your abilities finetune your stats or adapt your Hunter to your preferred playstyle this update gives you more control than ever before .But we're not stopping here. We want to hear from you ! Join the discussion on https://discord.gg/steelhunters let us know your thoughts and be part of shaping the future of Steel Hunters .See you on the Hunting Grounds!
Steel Hunters Glossary
- Ability Power (AP) : A stat that determines the strength of certain abilities. AP increases as you progress through a battle by leveling up and collecting enhancement cores.
- System Tree : The progression system where you upgrade your Hunter's stats and abilities.
- Enhancement Cores : In-battle items that enhance your Hunter's abilities. They come in five tiers—Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 and Level 5—and increase ability power based on their rarity.
- Time to Kill (TTK) : A gameplay metric representing how long it takes to eliminate an enemy. Abilities affecting TTK (like offensive or healing abilities) scale with ability power.
- Unique Nodes : Special Nodes in the System Tree that provide exclusive Hunter-specific enhancements influencing gameplay style and strategy.
- Base Stats : The starting strength of abilities before any upgrades or in-battle scaling.
- Scaling : The process by which your Hunter's abilities become stronger as you progress in the game—through both the System Tree and in-battle progression (like level-ups and Core collection).
