[Neus]

[smcf=body]Optimization Changes
Significant changes to many functions that are frequently called have been made, including;

• Ability lookup.
  
• Stat calculations.
  
• Damage resistance calcuations.
  
• Aptitude calculations.
  
• Auras
  
• Etc.

This should result in a smoother experience, especially during high traffic hours.

Verglas Rework

• All Offensive Skills:
  Max SP changed to 3.
  Scaling adjusted to match old Rank 3 scaling at Rank 1 (IE, the scaling is still the same at max Rank).
  FP cost for Bear and Hare skills changed to 15 + 1 per Rank.
  FP cost for Fox skills changed to 35 - 2 per Rank.
  
  
• Verglas Stance
  Using a skill of a specific discipline changes your stance to that discipline at the end of the skill's effect.
  (IE, using Cold Front will put you into Bear Stance.)
  
  Depending on your stance, you gain a special basic attack that can only be used with Fist weapons.
  
  
• Deploying
  Certain skills can deploy the Ice Point Guard; this puts the Ice Point Guard as an attackable field object at the specific location. Deployed Ice Point Guards can be retrieved or used in special ways by certain Verglas skills.
  
• Ice Point - Max SP changed to 1. Name changed to Create Ice Point. Ice Sheet range changed to 1. If the skill targets a tile with an Ice Sheet on it, the Ice Sheet range is increased by 2 and the skill refunds 2 Momentum.
  
• Ice Point Greaves - Max SP changed to 1. Damage changed to 50% of Ice ATK and is considered bonus damage. You also now leap to the Ice Point you target.
  
• Ice Point Guard - Max SP changed to 1. No longer increases DEF/RES. Instead, grants a 30 + (Scaled SKI/2)% chance to parry basic attacks from martial weapons and fists (30% reduction) and increases Evasion's damage reduction by 15%. Can now target deployed Ice Point Guards to reclaim them. Using the skill while you have 4M or less grants Guard LV 30 for 1 round.
  
  
• Bear's Might, Fox's Cunning, Hare's Agility - Max SP changed to 1. Effect changed; When you deal Ice damage while in the appropriate stance, you gain a stacking buff for 10 rounds (+5, up to a maximum of 30). These buffs lose 5 LV every round if you aren't in the appropriate stance.
  
  Bear's Might - Crest of the Bear; Increases Basic Attack (Fists only) and Critical damage (flat bonus) by LV.
  Fox's Cunning - Crest of the Fox; Increases Ice ATK by LV.
  Hare's Agility - Crest of the Hare; Increases Evade by LV.
  
• Axe Kick - Deals bonus Ice magic damage equal to 50% of Ice ATK if Ice Point Guard is active. Additional effect changed; If you are Airborne and have Ice Point Guard active, the target is knocked down and knocked 1 tile away, and your Ice Point Guard is deployed in front of you.
  
• Face Stomp - Range increased to 3 (but target must have an unoccupied tile next to them). If Ice Point Guard is active for you, the target's knockdown is not cured, but your Ice Point Guard is deployed on the tile they are in.
  
• Rapid Kick - Number of kicks increased to 3 + Rank. Can now target tiles with deployed Ice Point Guards or an empty tile if you have Ice Point Guard active (it will deploy it in the tile you target). If the target is an Ice Point Guard, for every kick, you create three branching projectiles that deal Ice magic damage (50% of Ice ATK + bonus kick damage) which ignores armor to the first enemy they encounter. Duration of the Ice Point Guard it targets is reduced by 1. Basic effect is the same, but now ignores Evasion.
  
• Cold Front - Knockback changed to 2 + Rank. Can now target tiles with deployed Ice Point Guards or empty tiles if you have Ice Point Guard active (it will deploy it in the tile you target). If the target is an Ice Point Guard, it will kick it the same distance. If it encounters an enemy, they take the skill's damage and are knocked back the remaining distance.
  
• Crawling Spikes - Now, if the spikes encounter an Ice Point in the line, they will try to jump in a line to another Ice Point within 5 Range (up to 5 times) - otherwise, if an enemy is in 5 Range, it will jump to them in a line. All enemies the spikes pass over take the skill's damage, and if they're passed over multiple times, they take 50% extra damage for each time (up to a maximum of 200% extra damage). No longer creates an Ice Point at the end of its travel.
  
• Icicle Spear - Effect changed; Targets 2 locations; Location 1 must contain an Ice Point or Ice Point Guard (or you with IPG active), Location 2 must be 1 tile adjacent to that location.
  Transforms the target Ice Point into a spear of ice that travels up to 5 tiles (tiles with Ice Sheets do not count), dealing Ice magic damage to all enemies it encounters and may inflict Frostbite LV 25 for 3 rounds.
  If the target is an Ice Point Guard (or you), the skill's damage is increased by 50%, but stops upon hitting one enemy, and inflicts them with Frozen LV 200 for 3 rounds.

Boxer

• Note: Max rank changes for these skills are just shaving off the early ranks. Their power at max rank is the same as it is currently.
  
• Schwarz Sturm - Max rank changed to 1.
  
• Felsmanege, Grandupper, Asura Fist - Max rank changed to 3.
  
• Regenschauer - Max rank changed to 3 (FP cost not adjusted).

Demon Hunter

• Lead Storm - Effect changed; Gun skill. Requires Desperado Stance to be active to use. All enemies within a 2 Range circle are hit with a shower of projectiles, dealing damage based on your Gun weapon's damage type and applying on-hit effects to each of them once. If you are Airborne, the circle's size is doubled. (Scaling: 100% SWA + 10% per Rank)

Ghost

• Rising Game - Now always boosts STR, WIL, SKI, CEL, LUC and RES (no Rebound required). Skill effect changed to cap Rising Game LV to its Rank + 1 (this does not change the maximum level you can currently achieve).

ETC

• Bunker Formation and Customization parts that give bonus DEF have been changed to give bonus Armor instead.
  
• Seal of the West, Seal of the East, and Nightshade have been adjusted to always give their bonus.
  
• Added a Torch to Zeo's shop and Pink's tutorial chest. When used, it changes your personal light to be much brighter (and makes it visible to other players). Reuse to turn it off.
  
• Due to performance issues and suspected server issues, Battle Backgrounds have been disabled for the time being.

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