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Full notes
Full Ashbound: Crown of Sin update
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What changed
- Gameplay
- Balance
- UI and audio
Ashbound: Crown of Sin changes
ARPG-Style Controls
Movement is still WASD, but you target enemies by hovering over them with the mouse.
Interactions and skill aiming are based on your mouse position.
When hovering over an enemy, their HP and Guard bars are now visible.
Damage numbers appear at the enemy’s location when you hit them.
This makes targeting more intentional and improves overall combat readability.
Archery & Ranged Weapons
Holding Ctrl opens a ranged weapon panel (currently only the bow is active).
While holding Ctrl, you can aim and shoot in the direction of your cursor.
This adds new flow options during combat: creating distance, applying pressure, and punishing openings.
Ranged tools now help shape the tempo of engagements.
Active Skill Slot System
We’re working on a system where you can assign abilities to Q, E, R, and F.
A few prototype skills are currently being tested to see how they affect combat pacing.
Parry-Only vs Unstoppable Attacks
Enemies now telegraph attacks in two colors:
| Color | Interaction | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Attacks | Can be parried | Successful parry triggers a counterattack. Failing a parry (or blocking instead) still results in taking damage. |
| Red Attacks | Cannot be blocked or parried | You must dodge to avoid them. |
This system emphasizes timing and decision-making.
Removal of Stamina
We removed the stamina system entirely. Even softened versions of stamina (slowdowns, damage penalties, etc.) still interrupted combat flow.
Now:
You can attack and dodge freely without artificial slowdown.
Combat remains fast, expressive, and aggressive.
We found that stamina was adding friction, not depth.
Dual Weapon Combat: Shortsword + Greatsword
We introduced a two-weapon combat flow:
Left Click: Shortsword combos
Right Click: Greatsword strikes
The two can be chained together smoothly in mixed combos.
Weapon identity:
| Weapon | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Shortsword | Fast, consistent damage | Weak at breaking Guard |
| Greatsword | Hits multiple enemies, strong Guard break | Slower, lower base damage |
Additional nuance:
Some enemy types take reduced damage from the shortsword.
Shielded enemies are best handled with the greatsword.
Overall Direction
In terms of feel:
Controls: Inspired by No Rest for the Wicked
Combat flow: Aiming for a mix of Ghost of Tsushima and God of War
The core combat is shaping around: timing, pressure, counterplay, and flow.
That’s everything for now, thanks for reading! Feedback is always appreciated.
Source
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