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Design: Potion System, Player Progression

August 16, 2025​

  • @rachaelrose1212
  • @Cjzech
  • @Galactic_15
  • @jyu
  • @KiaraJclyn410
  • @maloki
  • @Rev
  • @Sp3cialK
  • @WarrenGore
  • @ybhappy

Visual Working Board PDF​

Meeting Format​

  • Meeting included:
    • Idea sharing (15 minutes)
    • Weekly focus topic (30 minutes)
    • Review of existing and in-progress ideas (15 Miuntes)

Potion System Overhaul​

Core Purpose​

  • Vanilla and Vault Hunters potions feel underused and uninspired
  • Desire to make potions cool, strategic, and part of core gameplay again

Proposed Features​

  • Multi-effect potions with a point buy balancing system:
    • Stronger effects must be balanced with drawbacks
    • Inspired by The Witcher and Potion Craft
  • New potion mechanics:
    • Potions that coat weapons with temporary effects
    • Rift-exclusive ingredients gathered during runs
    • Brewing influenced by ingredient prep (powdering, fermenting, cooking)
    • Alternative base liquids (e.g., Rift water types)
    • Larger potion bottles with multiple sips

Crafting Enhancements​

  • Return potion brewing to cauldrons:
    • Could use a multi-block structure or recipe system
    • Suggestion: brewing stand must be adjacent to a cauldron to enable advanced functionality
    • Inspired by Terraria-style proximity-based crafting

Rift Water Bottles & Liquid Variants​

  • Different Rift biomes could offer unique water sources
  • These liquids affect potion base stats (e.g., "+1 base potency")
  • Encourages exploration and biome variety to access new potion strategies

Essence System Integration​

  • Suggestion to merge Essence system with potion crafting
  • Convert materials into essences for use, storage, or recombination
  • Concerns raised about clashing with other essence-heavy mods (Mystical Agriculture, Botania)
  • Recommended focus: custom implementation over kitchen-sink integrations
  • Add-ons can be used to tweak existing mods for consistency.

Leveling & Player Progression​

Forum Highlights​

  • A forum post on player stats 150+ responses
  • Much of the feedback ties into player progression, separation, and identity
  • Spreadsheet/graph in development to visualize progression systems
  • Guild progression mock-up in chat includes unlock details

Progression Systems​

  • Separate modded gear (base gear) from vanilla gear
  • Use the XP bar or custom systems for level tracking
  • Suggested gates tied to bosses or Rift difficulty to regulate progression
  • Inspired by Vault Hunters’ single gate mechanic leveling up

Wanderer’s Charm​

  • Proposed upgrades to enhance utility and unlock more escape/return options as the player advances

Rift Key Maker​

  • Discussion on upgrading the key maker for higher Rift tiers
  • Alternative idea: remove the key maker entirely and bake its logic into the Rift portal itself

Additional Topics​

Mod Architecture & Project Organization​

  • Once a pitch passes, ownership becomes unclear
  • Concern: no clear team or leader picks up implementation afterward
  • Coordination between teams (Art, Lore, Development) is currently lacking Suggested:
  • Break feature development into assignable tasks
  • Use big meetings to surface cross-team topics
  • Example: Hub World needs to be discussed at the Aug 30th large meeting

Combat Crafting & Item Usage​

  • Reintroduce vanilla+ combat tools, like crafted arrows or throwable items
  • Designed for impactful but consumable use during Rifts
  • Desire to retain vanilla gear viability throughout the game
  • XP-based progression proposed in place of enchantments
  • Armor trims could be used to add modular buffs, referencing the Prominence mod

Next Actions

  • Next week’s meeting will continue at a similar time
  • Next focus: Loot