Hi everyone,
Embercast 0.3.23 is out for Windows and Mac.
There is a new outfit in the game that only one player can wear. The Hollow Sovereign belongs to whoever holds #1 in the ranked Top 100.
Here is how it works. Within a minute of someone taking #1, all eight pieces are theirs: the Crown of the Hollow Spire, the Robe of Ember Runes, the Raven Mantle, the Iron-Shod Tread, the Chained Grimoire, the Caged Ember Crystal, the Blackthorn Flamecage staff and the Ash and Ember Wake. When someone else takes #1, the set moves to them. You can't buy it, and nobody can give it to you.
The crown is the one piece you keep. Everyone who has ever held #1 keeps the Crown of the Hollow Spire for good, even after they fall out of the Top 100.
The book at the Sovereign's shoulder is the Chained Grimoire. It belongs to whoever holds #1, and it is full of old magic and older secrets. One of its pages lists every wizard who has ever held #1, in the order they were crowned. When a new wizard takes the top spot, their name appears on that page, and it never comes off. You can see the list in the game: open the Top 100 and choose The Chained Grimoire.
The Top 100 also shows the reigning Sovereign on a card, wearing their own look.
One change to the board: your name now joins the Top 100 after your fifth rated match. The first four still count toward your rating, so nobody lands above players who earned their place on the strength of one lucky win.
You can also play in teams now.
2v2 online. Find a 2v2 match puts you on a team of two against two others. Your team shares one goal and one score, and everyone keeps their own energy. After a goal, the scoring team gets a few seconds on the field to celebrate before kickoff.
Parties. Add friends by player name under Play, then Friends & party, and invite them with one press. They land in your party lobby, where you pick teams, choose 1v1, 2v2 or 3v3, and let bots fill any empty places. The party stays together from one match to the next.
Team matches against bots. Local duel now has 2v2 and 3v3 against bots. Your bot teammates take turns, so one goes for the ember while the others hang back to support you.
Team matches don't count toward your rating yet. If a player leaves, the match carries on with their side a player short.
Two smaller things. Wizards swing their arms while they run. And if an embercast doesn't go through, Embercasting tells you why once, then opens on a fresh incantation the next time you visit instead of greeting you with the old problem.
If this is the first update you've had from me, a lot has happened in the last two weeks: the Forest Court, riding the walls, watching any match live, goal replays you can save as clips, and embercasting your own hats. Every update I've sent is on the site now, pictures and all: https://embercastgame.com/log/
If you're on 0.3.20 or earlier, you need this update to play online. Download it here: https://embercastgame.com/download/
Thanks for playing. If you take #1, send me a screenshot of yourself in the crown.