Thank you very much for playing STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN.
We are currently working on updates for the first season pass additional mission "Trials of the Dragon King," and would like to take this opportunity to provide some background regarding some of the revisions.

Until now, most battle sets and special ability effects were fixed, limiting players' strategies and approaches. We reflected on this issue and decided to make some changes.

The main problem was the extensive scaling due to discrepancies between mission and equipment levels, a feature that greatly affected the balance of the game. Low-level gear with amazing special abilities or job affinity bonuses was still inferior, and the only solution was to collect higher-level equipment.
In this update, we not only eased the scaling, but upon reviewing the properties of character stats, we also reduced its reliance on equipment levels and increased the benefits received from special effects and job affinity bonuses.

We also added a feature that allows equipment level to be raised at the smithy, in hopes of alleviating players gathering equipment based solely on its high level. Now players can hold on to gear with special abilities, high job affinities, or other qualities they like. They can raise their levels, group them in battle sets with varying stats, or perform many other actions, allowing for a more expansive character customization experience.

We've also introduced a new accessories equipment type and new chaos equipment special effects, both of which we hope will make gear collection more exciting and increase the variety of approaches to character customization.

Another revision we made was to the range in which special abilities and job affinity bonuses raise various stats, in order to allow for more versatile pairings of battle sets, special abilities, and job affinities.
The revisions made to special ability effects were due to the fact that stacking certain effects made them too powerful, and stacking more than a certain number provided no additional benefit.
As for job affinity bonuses, equipping an artifact greatly affected the difficulty of missions in the level 200 vicinity, making it difficult to jump in to the season pass additional mission without artifacts. To address this, we have reduced the reliance on increased stats through job affinity bonuses for missions around level 200.
However, the significance of artifacts grows as players make their way through the new additional mission, and they will continue to remain relevant. Players without artifacts can obtain them through this new content.

We are aware that these changes may be a setback to those who have enjoyed the game thus far, but we believe they are necessary in order to keep the content fresh and exciting for everyone.

In addition to the topics described above, we are of course taking steps to create an even better play experience, so please look forward to future updates.

▼Applicable to All Platforms

Season Pass Additional Mission "Trials of the Dragon King":

▶Features of "Trials of the Dragon King"
("Trials of the Dragon King" can be unlocked by purchasing the season pass.)

• New main and side missions

The main game must be completed to access these missions.

• New content "Trials of the Dragon King"

The main game must be completed to play this content.
Special conditions have been added to missions to increase the rate at which dragon treasure rewards can be obtained. Dragon treasure can be converted to accessories and items that have unique effects.

• New weapon type "Staves"

Becomes available in the mission at the start of the main game.

• New "Accessories" feature that grants the use of enemy abilities

Becomes available in the mission at the start of the main game.

• New jobs

Can be unlocked by fulfilling certain conditions.
(Equipment with affinities for the new jobs will drop regardless of whether the season pass is purchased.)

• New "Change Class" feature that increases job level cap

Can be unlocked by fulfilling certain conditions.
Feature includes additional job trees, job abilities, and job affinity bonuses.

• BAHAMUT difficulty level

The main game must be completed to access this difficulty level.
- Enemies are higher level, and equipment and rewards more powerful.
- Boss attacks and actions have been reworked, making it more challenging than CHAOS difficulty.

【Added Functionality】

• The smithy and equipment

• Added new armor type: Accessories.

Becomes available in the mission at the start of the main game.

• Added new feature of the smithy that allows raising equipment levels.

• Special effects

• Added new special effect: Chaos.

Equipment with chaos effects can now be obtained. Chaos equipment have unique properties such as increasing damage dealt to certain enemies and greater effectiveness in general. 等。

• Overall difficulty

• Added Extra Mode for CHAOS and higher

While certain rewards are restricted, Jack can take on missions in a permanently boosted state, making it easier to play through the new storyline in CHAOS difficulty and above.

• Graphics/UI

• A UI effect appears when a soul burst can be performed on a locked-on target.

• Through the Edit Party menu, Jack's appearance can be changed to that of his allies during missions.

(Applies only to allies participating in said missions.)

• Job icons appear next to ally nameplates in battle.

• A notification appears on the world map screen when a new mission is added.

• Master points are displayed when master abilities are unlocked in the job tree.

• Auto-Dismantle

- Equipment is now dismantled even if the mission is abandoned.
- Quantities of shields, multi-slot equipment, and other gear types to be retained can be adjusted individually.
- Added the option "Ignore" (to ignore specific conditions).

• Added "Avg. Equipment Level" to the pause menu.

• Multiplayer

• Added feature that allows players to choose and enter a room from a list of rooms matching their conditions.

• Added room creation shortcut in the menu screen accessible through cubes.

• IDs can be displayed above characters' heads during multiplayer.

Option can be turned on through Display Settings in System Settings.

• Searches can be filtered by difficulty without specifying a mission.

Searches by mission level ranges can be performed in CHAOS difficulty and above.

【Adjustments】

• Upgrades and equipment

• The Smithy

- Certain special effects that were unattainable before are now attainable.
- Reduced the number of job crests necessary to raise job affinity.
- Reduced the amount of each material necessary to upgrade equipment after changing its special effects.
- Increased the amount of each material obtained when dismantling equipment.

• Equipment dropped by enemies are randomly imbued with certain special effects that were previously unavailable.

• In CHAOS difficulty and above, the special effects and job affinities of equipment dropped by enemies are randomized.

Previously, each piece of gear was prone to certain special effects, but this change allows for more freedom when choosing equipment for your party.

• Special effects

• Relaxed conditions to trigger special effects and job affinity bonuses when near death.

Also relaxed conditions that constitute near death, making associated special effects and bonuses that much easier to trigger.

• Changed formula for calculating the amount of damage mitigated through special effects and effects such as protect, shell, mighty guard, etc.*

Damage mitigation effects exceeding 100% can now be stacked. However, damage can no longer be nullified.
*The previous formula of (damage value)*(100 - reduction rate) has been changed to (damage value) / (100 + reduction rate), and no longer matches the rate shown on various effects.

• Changed formula for calculating the MP cost reduction through effects.*

MP cost reduction effects exceeding 100% can now be stacked. However, MP cost can no longer be nullified.
*The previous formula of (MP cost)*(100 - reduction rate) has been changed to (MP cost) / (100 + reduction rate), and no longer matches the rate shown on various effects.

• Overall difficulty

• Up to 99,999 damage can now be dealt.

• Changed low level threshold to "mission level - 10."

• Eased scaling in cases with discrepancies between mission and equipment levels.

• Eased scaling in cases with discrepancies between enemy and equipment levels.

• Adjusted enemy stats based on level increase in all difficulties.

• Adjusted damage and other values in cases with discrepancies between stats of player character and enemies.

Adjustment not only allows for more varied job and equipment pairings, but also accentuates the unique characteristics of each job, as jobs are no longer as reliant on stats.
- Physical damage:ncreased effects of strength of attackers, stamina of defenders.
- Magical damage:Increased effects of intellect of attackers, spirit of defenders.
- Critical damage:Adjusted effects of agility of both attackers and defenders.
- Status ailment accumulation:Affected by intellect of attackers, spirit of defenders.
- General attack MP recovery:Affected by intellect of both attackers and defenders.
- Break gauge consumption when blocking physical attack with soul shield:Affected by strength of attackers, stamina of defenders.
- Break gauge consumption when blocking magic attack with soul shield:Affected by intellect of attackers, spirit of defenders.
- Soul shield MP recovery:Affected by spirit of both attackers and defenders.

• Reduced the number of anima crystals necessary to unlock higher level missions in CHAOS difficulty.

• Weapons and attacks

• Attacking an enemy knocked into the air or "wall splat" results in a critical hit.

• Charge attacks can be unleashed with all weapons when countering after Chain Cancel or Soul Shield.

• Reduced HP and break damage dealt with charge attacks.

• Longer duration of invincibility for side attacks with swords.

• Longer duration of invincibility for front, back, and side attacks with daggers.

• Katana action senshin stance persists after unleashing a general attack.

• Combo abilities

• Combo ability effect: Increased HP restored through critical hits.

• Combo ability effect: Increased MP restored through physical attacks, attribute-based attacks, and critical hits.

• Combo ability effect: Greater mitigation of physical, attribute-based, and break damage taken.

• Combo ability effect: Greater status ailment accumulation.

• Combo ability effect: Greater reduction of enemy's max break gauge.

• Increased chance of triggering parry combo ability for all weapons.

• Increased range and power of the sword combo ability radiant aura.

• Increased HP restored for the sword combo ability blessed blade.

• Reduced chance of staggering moderate and large enemies during the consecutive strike sequence of knuckle combo ability takedown.

• Reduced chance of staggering moderate and large enemies during the consecutive strike sequence of axe combo abilities brutal tackle and cyclone rush.

• Command abilities

• Lightbringer:

- Can be activated while broken.
- Longer duration of invincibility after activation.
- No longer prompts "Buff Duration + X%" effect of passive skills and job affinity bonuses.

• Changed formula for calculating blood weapon damage.

HP restored is now proportional to the base power of each attack.

• Invisible:

- Reduced duration.
- The effect making it difficult to be targeted by enemies now fades over time.

• Overpower: Reduced MP cost.

• Sentinel: Increased damage blocked.

• Bravery: Increased damage dealt, break gauge recovered, and duration of break gauge recovery.

• Runic Protection:

- Reduced MP cost.
- Increased MP damage mitigation.

• Chaosbringer:

- Reduced buff duration when limited MP is used.
- No longer prompts "Buff Duration + X%" effect of passive skills and job affinity bonuses.

• Jobs and job affinities

• Increased HP growth for each basic job up to level 30.

• Reduced job affinity bonus boost of all stats except HP.

• Pugilist: Job action explosive fist

- Increased power of consecutive attacks.
- Reduced power of last attack.

• Marauder: Boosted effect of job action upheaval when charging attacks enabled by job affinity bonus barbarian's soul.

• Duelist: Job action weak spot

- Reduced invincibility duration after activation.
- Reduced HP and break damage dealt.

• Warrior: Boosted effect of passive skill "Damage Dealt at Max HP + X%" from the job tree.

• Knight: Job tree passive skills

- Reduced effect of "Damage Taken at Max HP - X%."
- Parry: HP Recovery
• Reduced HP recovery.
• Changed information to display entire amount restored after a successful parry instead of rate restored per second.

• Red mage: Longer effect duration of job action chainspell's haste/haste II/haste III.

• Berserker

- Job action berserk
• Reduced damage dealt and chance of breaking enemies.
• Potions can now be used while berserk is active.
• Added effect that mitigates break damage taken.
• Berserk effect is removed when changing battle sets.
- Berserk Mastery: Increased HP restored upon defeating enemies.
- Reduced effect of passive skill "Near Death: Damage Dealt + X%" from the job tree.
- Reduced duration of effects of job affinity bonus savage awakening once lapsed.

• Thief: Job affinity bonus treasure hunter

- Effect is still active when bonus belongs to an NPC.
- Increased drop rate of high rarity equipment.
- Increased drop rate of high rarity equipment.
- Increased drop rate of high rarity equipment upon defeating a boss.

• Dark Knight

- Reduced HP consumed by attacks when job action souleater is active.
- Reduced effect of passive skill "Near Death: Damage Dealt + X%" from the job tree.
- Reduced effects of job affinity bonuses "Adrenaline Bonus I" and "Adrenaline Bonus II."

• Paladin

- Job action holy fang
• Increased HP recovery.
• Reduced MP consumption while active.
- Holy Fang Mastery: Increased HP recovery when using soul burst.
- Boosted effect of passive skill "Damage Dealt at Max HP + X%" from the job tree.

• Ninja: Job action ninjutsu

- Can now switch to a different ninjutsu technique after using shuriken.
- Utsusemi:
• Buff is no longer removed after parrying an attack.
• Increased number of invulnerable attacks.
- Increased duration of kanashibari.

• Assassin: Displays number of marks on enemies.

• Liberator: Job action mighty guard

- Reduced MP consumption while active.
- Adjusted graphics.

• Breaker: Reduced duration of defense down debuff generated by zantetsuken mastery.

• Void Knight: When runic mastery is in effect, time until MP-recovering arcane circle is deployed is reduced.

• Sage

- Job action magic sigil:
• Emblems obtained will no longer disappear when changing battle sets.
• Unleashing ultima now consumes MP.
- Increased effect of job affinity bonus ancient knowledge.

• Job mastery

• The job master feature can now be unlocked upon completing the main game or reaching level 30 with any job.

Previously, the feature could only be unlocked when raising the level cap of a job.

• 5 master points are now obtained upon leveling a job to 30, allowing for the allocation of 5 more points than before.

• Increased cap of available points for Category 1, allowing for further boosts to stats.

• Increased "Damage Dealt at Max HP + X%" effect of master abilities.

• Reduced "Damage Taken at Max HP - X%" effect of master abilities.

• Reduced "Near Death: Damage Dealt + X%" effect of master abilities and special effects.

• Reduced "Near Death: Damage Taken - X%" effect of master abilities and special effects.

• Master ability "Parry: HP Recovery"

- Reduced duration of recovery.
- Reduced amount of recovery.
- Displays entire amount restored after a successful parry instead of rate restored per second.

• Master ability "Parry: MP Recovery"

- Increased duration of recovery.
- Reduced amount of recovery.
- Displays entire amount restored after a successful parry instead of rate restored per second.

• Master points are no longer allocated to NPCs.

• Enemies

• When surrounded by multiple enemies

- Reduced frequency of enemy attacks on and off-screen.
- To more easily assess the battle situation at any given time, increased frequency of ally attacks toward enemies that aren't targeting the player character.

• Displays names of projectile attacks unleashed by chaos goblins.

• Reduced effect of Flan enemies' acid debuff physical resistance down.

• Reduced chance of being staggered by magic attacks from nightmare enemies.

• Body parts of nightmare and ahriman enemies are now easier to destroy.

• Increased break damage dealt upon destroying body parts of nightmare, ahriman, coeurl, or griffon enemies.

• Adjusted nameplates display timing of unblockable attacks by ogre and mindflayer enemies and the Ultima Weapon Origin boss.

• Adjusted nameplates display timing of attacks by the behemoth boss.

• Increased effect of the Kraken boss's inky envy debuffs physical and magic resistance down.

• Status Ailments

• Poison no longer causes death to enemies or allies.

• Graphics/UI

• Adjusted screen resolution, event scene lighting, and screen effects.

AMD FSR 1.0 is now supported, which addresses the low resolution issue of certain graphics.
(For the Epic Games Store version, settings can be changed from Graphics Settings.)

• Adjusted lighting in certain dungeons.

• Reduced camera swing when following the quick movements of locked-on targets.

• Fixed abrupt camera movements when Auto Avoid Obstructions is active.

• Filtering by job in the preset menu applies to both battle sets.

• Multiplayer

• Adjusted range of matchmaking area to allow for more matches.

【Resolved Issues】

• Other various bug fixes.

Hope you to try the update and enjoy the gameplay.
We look forward to your continued support.