Our newest update, Last Light, has completed its beta period and is now available for all game owners on Steam and the Epic Games Store! Last Light contains a number of additions, including late game candle usage, hero path conversions to the skill-replacement system, improvements to hero goals, improvements to gamepad function, Infernal Flame accomplishments and also changes to the flame extinguished ambushes with Infernal Flames.

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback during our beta period! We have even more exciting plans for Darkest Dungeon II, including Kingdoms, a FREE stand alone campaign game mode coming to the game later this year.

This build includes the conversion of all remaining pre-Vestal Paths to use the “new” skill replacement system.

Important note: our focus for this conversion was to align the systems. We didn’t make significant changes to the Paths themselves.

However, there are some small, immediate benefits in the form of improved tool tip accuracy and better gains from +X% DMG / +X% Healing buffs now that most of these values are intrinsic to the skill rather than applied via Path buff.

Getting all Paths onto the same system has been a much-requested community feature, and of course we’ve been eager to do this for a long time! This helps pave the way for future Path balancing and revisions. We don’t have a firm timeline, but we’ll share more when ready.

In this build we’ve added new features that allow players to utilize Candles once the Altar of Hope has been fully upgraded. You can spend Candles both before starting an Expedition and during an Expedition:

• INVENTORY GRANTS: After maxing out the Working Fields, players may now spend profile candles there to get random pulls from the item categories, the cost increases after each roll. Each pull grants the player items in inventory that can be used on that expedition
  
• QUIRK RE-ROLLING: After maxing out the Altar of Hope (base game tracks), players may now spend profile candles at the crossroads to reroll quirks on non-memoried heroes. The cost increases after each roll. Use this feature to fine tune your party!
  
• NEW ENCOUNTER CHOICES: After maxing out the Altar of Hope (base game tracks), players may now spend inventory candles if available on new choices at encounters (assistance/resistance/cultist/creature dens)

• After maxing out the Altar of Hope (base game tracks), new hero goals will begin to generate for them which can reward a hero class trinket or signature inn item upon completion
  
• Most hero goals that reward candles now immediately reward inventory candles upon completion

• After you max out your Altar of Hope(base game tracks), you gain access to the flame accomplishment UI (currently located on the stagecoach screen) to see which bosses you’ve defeated with each Infernal Flame
  
  • This is not retroactive, due to technical limitations. For context, this was a requested feature after the latest Infernal Flames were added and unfortunately, we did not have tracking for defeated confessions with specific Infernal Flames
• Once a player fully completes all Infernal Flame triumphs and fills their Vitrine, they will unlock a unique reward!

• Ambushes that occur when the flame is extinguished will no longer appear when most Infernal Flames are equipped.
  
• The Fragile Flame and The Bastard’s Beacon will still have these ambushes appear since they do not modify the flame level effects.

• Updated Unchecked Power token description to clarify how much Burn it may apply

• Highwayman: Sharpshot’s Double Tap can temporarily no longer target inanimate objects such as the Librarian’s books; this prevents an issue with an infinite turn loop

Hellion

• Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
  
• Berserker: Bleed RES Piercing has been moved from the blanket buff onto If It Bleeds and Bleed Out
  
• Berserker: CRIT bonuses are now reflected directly on If It Bleeds and Bleed Out
  
• Carcass: Block removal is now reflected directly on Wicked Hack
  
• Carcass: Taunt is now reflected directly on Barbaric YAWP!
  
• Ravager: Bleed RES Piercing penalty has been moved from the blanket buff onto It If Bleeds and Bleed Out

Jester

• Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
  
• Intermezzo: Stress RES buff is now reflected directly on Inspiring Tune
  
• Intermezzo: Bleed effects are now reflected directly on Inspiring Tune, Battle Ballad, Play Out, Solo, Encore, and Echoing March
  
• Intermezzo: Additional tokens are now reflected directly on Battle Ballad and Play Out
  
• Soloist: The blanket +20% DMG buff has been removed
  
• Soloist: Razor's Wit, Fade to Black, Harvest, Slice Off, and Finale average DMG has been increased ~20% accordingly. This also applies to their Mastered versions.
  
• Soloist: CRIT bonuses are now reflected directly on Harvest and Slice Off
  
• Soloist: Bleed RES Piercing has been moved from the blanket buff onto Harvest and Slice Off
  
• Virtuoso: No skills were affected

Leper

• Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
  
• Monarch: Vulnerable token is now reflected directly on Intimidate and Purge.
  
• Monarch: -75% blanket DMG debuff for Chop and Chop+ has been removed
  
• Monarch: Chop and Chop+ skill DMG has been reduced accordingly
  
• Monarch: +100% blanket DMG buff for Chop and Chop+ has been removed
  
• Monarch: Chop and Chop+ now deal a flat +7 DMG vs. Cosmic targets instead. This bonus DMG is also affected by sources such as Strength tokens.
  
• Poet: Increased heal is now reflected directly on Solemnity
  
• Poet: -25% blanket DMG debuff has been removed
  
• Poet: Chop, Hew, Purge, Break, and Bash skill DMG has been reduced accordingly
  
• Poet: Intimidate and Intimidate+ DMG is no longer penalized as the skill's DMG is already low
  
• Tempest: +33% blanket Chop DMG buff has been removed
  
• Tempest: Chop and Chop+ skill DMG has been increased accordingly

Man-at-Arms

• Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
  
• Bulwark: +50% Shield Attack Skill DMG blanket buff has been removed
  
• Bulwark: +10% Stun RES Piercing on Shield Attack Skills blanket buff has been removed
  
• Bulwark: Rampart and Hold the Line DMG has been increased accordingly
  
• Bulwark: Rampart and Hold the Line now directly reflect their 10% Stun RES Piercing
  
• Bulwark: Taunt tokens are now reflected directly on Stand Fast and Stand Fast+
  
• Bulwark: -25% Crush & Riposte DMG blanket buff has been removed
  
• Bulwark: Crush and Crush+ DMG has been reduced accordingly.
  
• Bulwark: Riposte DMG is no longer reduced on this Path
  
• Sergeant: -20% DMG blanket buff has been removed
  
• Sergeant: Crush, Rampart, Hold the Line, Courageous Abandon, and Strategic Withdrawal DMG has been reduced accordingly
  
• Sergeant: Riposte DMG is no longer reduced on this Path
  
• Sergeant: Self-removal of Weak and Vulnerable tokens is now reflected directly on Bolster and Bolster+
  
• Vanguard: +50% Crush DMG blanket buff has been removed
  
• Vanguard: +25% Riposte DMG blanket buff has been removed
  
• Vanguard: Crush, Crush+, and Riposte DMG have been increased accordingly
  
• Vanguard: Riposte DMG value is now reflected on the Path tool tip

Occultist

• Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
  
• Aspirant: the blanket melee DMG buff has been removed
  
• Aspirant: Sacrificial Stab, Binding Shadows, and Anamnesis DMG has been increased accordingly
  
• Aspirant: Binding Shadows moves you forward 1
  
• Aspirant: the blanket -15% Debuff RES Piercing penalty for Cursing skills has been removed
  
• Aspirant: -15% Debuff RES Piercing penalty is now reflected directly on Weakening Curse, Vulnerability Hex, and Malediction
  
• Ritualist: the blanket healing buff has been removed
  
• Ritualist: healing ranges on Wyrd Reconstruction and Wyrd Reconstruction+ have been adjusted accordingly
  
• Ritualist: the blanket +10% RES Piercing buff is now reflected directly on Weakening Curse, Vulnerability Hex, and Malediction
  
• Ritualist: the bonus Strength, CRIT, and Dodge+ token chances for curses are now reflected directly on Weakening Curse, Vulnerability Hex, and Malediction
  
• Warlock: the blanket DMG buff for ranged skills has been removed
  
• Warlock: Abyssal Artillery, Daemon's Pull, and The Burning Stars DMG has been adjusted accordingly

Plague Doctor

• Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
  
• Alchemist: blanket Blight RES Piercing buff has been removed
  
• Alchemist: Blight RES Piercing is now reflected directly on Noxious Blast and Plague Grenade
  
• Physician: Reduced Blight/Bleed is now reflected directly on the relevant skills
  
• Physician: Disorienting Blast's Stun RES Piercing is now reflected directly on the skill
  
• Physician: Disorienting Blast's Vulnerable token is now reflected directly on the skill
  
• Physician: Ounce of Prevention's Stress RES buff is now reflected directly on the skill
  
• Physician: Emboldening Vapours additional Strength token is now reflected directly on the skill
  
• Surgeon: blanket Melee DMG buff has been removed
  
• Surgeon: increased Melee DMG is now reflected directly on Incision
  
• Surgeon: blanket healing buff has been removed
  
• Surgeon: increased healing values are now reflected directly on Battlefield Medicine and Indiscriminate Science
  
• Surgeon: blanket Blight RES Piercing debuff has been removed
  
• Surgeon: reduced Blight RES Piercing is now reflected directly on Noxious Blast and Plague Grenade

Runaway

• Existing Paths converted to the skill replacement system
  
• Arsonist: blanket Burn RES Piercing buff has been removed
  
• Arsonist: Burn RES Piercing is now reflected directly on Searing Strike, Ransack, Firefly, Dragonfly, and Controlled Burn
  
• Arsonist: blanket DMG debuff has been removed
  
• Arsonist: blanket CRIT buff has been removed
  
• Arsonist: DMG of Searing Strike, Ransack, Firefly, and Dragonfly has been reduced accordingly
  
• Arsonist: CRIT of Searing Strike, Ransack, Firefly, Dragonfly, and Controlled Burn has been increased accordingly
  
• Orphan: rank effect text has been condensed for better legibility
  
• Orphan: Firestarter's CRIT token is now reflected directly on the skill
  
• Survivor: blanket healing buff has been removed
  
• Survivor: blanket healing over time buff has been removed
  
• Survivor: increased healing values are now directly reflected on Cauterize
  
• Survivor: increased healing over time value is now directly reflected on Run and Hide
  
• Survivor: blanket Burn RES Piercing debuff has been removed
  
• Survivor: Burn RES Piercing debuff is now reflected directly on Searing Strike, Ransack, Firefly, Dragonfly, and Controlled Burn

• Increased Black Phillip’s HP from 24 to 29

• Added chance for most Implication mashes to drop Iron Banded Wheels and Steel Plating stagecoach items
  
• Combat and Inn item tooltips now display gold or blue coloring for target strings depending if it targets heroes or enemies
  
• Shrine Map: No longer appears once all Shrines of Reflection have been completed
  
• Almanacs: Added the Road Gear tag, +2 speed, and +10% Stress RES for their respective regions
  
• Shambler’s Spawn: Added +33% Cultist Encounters
  
• Rat Skull: Increased Stun RES debuff from Tracking Shot from -10% to -20% and decreased Healing Received penalty from skills when facing Creatures from -90% to -66%
  
• Profane Scroll: Reduced Turn End while in Rank 3 and 4 Stress damage from +2 to +1 and chance from 100% to 33%
  
• Strong Shackles: Reworked to Apply On Hit: Immobilize and Gain On Hit: Immobilize
  
• Staggering Striker: Added If Target has Immobilize: +50% DMG
  
• Covert Cloak: Added If Target has Immobilize: +10% CRIT
  
• Sneaker’s Standard: Combat Start: All Heroes: Stealth Token (33%) changed to Combat Start: All Allies Behind: Stealth Token
  
• Unwavering Standard: Combat Start: All Heroes: Block Token (33%) changed to Combat Start: All Allies Behind: Block Token
  
• Grim Mask: Reworked to Gain On Crit: Each Ally: If Flame > 40: -1 Stress (33%), Each Ally On Turn End: If Flame < 40 +1 Stress (33%), and If Flame < 40: +40% DMG
  
• Heart-Shaped Padlock: +10% Resolute Chance changed to Random Ally When Healed: Add 1 Positive Token (33%)
  
• Blood-Smeared Calculations: Removed 1 DMG on turn start and turn end. Changed turn end conversion to now convert Crit to Dodge Plus and Strength to Block Plus. Added Turn End: Bleed 1
  
• Snappy Swig: Speed threshold for gaining a CRIT token increased from 8 to 10
  
• Anatomical Map: Chance to apply negative token or positive token changed from 90%/10% to 95%/5% respectively
  
• Hastening History: Changed Turn End: Random Ally: Speed Token (33%) to Turn End: Ally Ahead: Speed Token (33%)
  
• Insulating Insignia: Changed Turn End: Random Ally: Block Token (33%) to Turn End: Ally Ahead: Block Token (33%)
  
• Wax Inoculant: Now targets whole party and cost increased from 8 to 12
  
• Caked Palette: Now has 100% chance to copy a positive token along with a 5% chance to copy all negative tokens
  
• Pouch of Lye: Added -1 Stress for each Corpse cleared with this item
  
• Shred of Decency: Changed removing 1 Worship to removing all Worship
  
• Sickening Silence: Now affected by DOT modifiers
  
• The Fragile Flame: Reduced the number of random debuffs from 5 to 3

• D-pad now functional for UI screens
  
• Removal of token sheet quick access on UI screens (can still be accessible in pause menu)
  
• Tooltips are now toggled on and off with R3 instead of showing at all times
  
• Embark buttons on Crossroads, and Altar of Hope, Embark relationship screen have been converted to hold to confirm
  
• Reset mastery points now hold to confirm
  
• Dungeon popup buttons have also been converted to hold to confirm
  
• Embark button on crossroads is no longer a button prompt and is selectable instead
  
• Cycling through cosmetics have been changed to the shoulder buttons instead of the d-pad
  
• Add a visual cursor when navigating INN route rewards and options menu to make it easier to see the location of your cursor
  
• Fix on inventory cursor showing at the bottom instead of the top
  
• HP can now be viewed in ALT view in combat
  
• Pet now clickable on gamepad
  
• Improvements on gamepad cursor feedback and icons in various areas
  
• Fixed a case where skill tooltip displayed after switching heroes without toggling it with R3
  
• R3 now also works for tooltips and cursor on paths panel
  
• "All items" item filter icon not highlighted after entering Hoarder
  
• Fixed a case where dpad hero ribbon repositioning would break on certain screens
  
• Fixed an issue where the R3 button will stop working when entering a region
  
• Fixed and issue where dpad down would open the glossary while trying to navigate the tutorial archive

• Added map tooltip descriptions for specific Assistance Encounter Locations
  
• Assistance Encounters Locations now have most choices that better thematically match the visuals of the encounter
  
• Added Armor and Wheel threshold conditions for Assist location choices for Armor/Wheel repairs to improve appearance when needed
  
• Added tutorial descriptions for completing the Altar of Hope and completing the Working Fields
  
• ‘Hold to confirm’ buttons have been added as a toggleable option when using mouse and keyboard
  
• Added a green glow to the Pass button while on Death’s Door to better signal its healing capabilities

• Fixed some text in Wanderer Duelist’s Disengage tool tip
  
• Fixed an issue with Black Phillip’s corpse having incorrect health
  
• Fixed an issue with the Inn tutorial showing an empty tooltip box
  
• Updated Hero Path verbose descriptions for Leper as well as adjusting formatting to remove what appears to be an unneeded extra space.
  
• Fixed Cardinal idling during friendly buff
  
• Fix for when barricade swordsman transitions from timeline into zoom out
  
• Fixed Bounty Hunter inn idle popping han
  
• Fixed an issue with the duelist boot kick anticipation animation
  
• Fixed Double tap having a delay before recovery
  
• Fixed for Gaunt lost soul widow Belt clipping
  
• Fix for Collector t-posing when being guarded
  
• Fixed an issue where Vanquisher quirk did not receive it's healing effect from kills with Murder Weapon
  
• Fixed issue allowing rare chance to flee from fights on the Mountain
  
• Fixed an issue where combat would not end correctly if target dies on their turn
  
• Fixed an issue where encounter choice barks would change if you hover on and off repeatedly
  
• Fixed issue where Pouch of Lye removed corpses on miss
  
• Fixed an issue where hero ribbons temporarily overlap after hero replacements or run restart
  
• Fixed incorrect quantity range for the appearance of Inn items
  
• Fixed Almanacs not appearing from Completed Working Fields Stagecoach item rolls
  
• Fixed an issue with the Plague Doctor's hero palette being applied to the Crusader
  
• Fixed an issue where the Vitrine UI would appear out of position for a few frames before being put in the correct final position
  
• Fixed issue with radiant flame showing infernal flame visuals when equipping
  
• Fixed some tutorial toasts not triggering at the right time
  
• Fixed an issue where the flame vfx on the stagecoach would behave irregularly
  
• Fixed issue where no Combat Items were awarded at Caged Creature Academic Studies with the Cosmic Hater quirk choice
  
• Fixed an issue with Tracking Shot / Illumination not correctly preventing Ravenous Reach from receiving Dodge after transitioning between phases

• The update is not fully localized, expect the other languages to be added in the coming days
  

Introducing Kingdoms - a FREE stand alone campaign game mode coming to Darkest Dungeon II later this year.

Watch the Kingdoms announcement trailer below!

This new game mode challenges players in a desperate race against the clock to find and defeat a monstrous threat before it overwhelms and destroys the Kingdom. Journey across the land to gather resources and battle evil incursions, all while defending a network of safe haven Inns.

Acquired resources are used to upgrade heroes and also the Inns themselves, which can be improved via extensive upgrade trees. Players will embark on unique quest lines and fight back against three new monster factions: The Coven, Beastmen and Crimson Courtiers. Kingdoms can be played independently of the game’s original “Confessions” campaign.

We announced Kingdoms earlier today as part of the Triple-i Initiative[iii-initiative.com]. To help celebrate the announcement, Darkest Dungeon II is currently 33% off.

https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/1940340/Darkest_Dungeon_II/

You can also pick up The Binding Blade DLC for 10% off.

https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/2598510/Darkest_Dungeon_II_The_Binding_Blade/

Want to keep up with all Kingdoms news? Be sure to join our official Discord[discord.gg] and our mailing list[eepurl.com].

We’ll be releasing more information on this free update in the coming months.

GAMEPLAY

• Removed 0 light ambushes when an Infernal Torch is equipped to the stagecoach.

Developer Note: This is a change we would like to test with a large and active portion of our users to validate over this coming weekend. Since we are in an experimental period, and many of you are engaging on the public beta, we felt this would be a great opportunity to actually try something dynamic like this to gather as much feedback from you all on how this affects gameplay. Please try it out and let us know how it affects your decision making and gameplay on Discord![discord.gg]

FIXES

• Fixed an issue with Tracking Shot / Illumination not correctly preventing Ravenous Reach from receiving Dodge after transitioning between phases
  
• Added Gamepad option to enable/disable R3 toggle for displaying tooltips
  
• Updated wording on the added option to enable/disable Hold to Embark option

We've just released a hotfix to our coming_in_hot branch.

We encourage players who want to help test these changes and provide feedback to switch to the "coming_in_hot" beta branch . Your save will carry over when you switch to that branch.

IMPORTANT: Once you switch your branch you MUST stay there until we push the update to the retail branch for everyone. We always recommend making a backup of your save file!

• The Fragile Flame: Reduced the number of random debuffs from 5 to 3
  
• Hero Goals: Increased chance for hero trinket and signature inn item goals to appear
  
• Added new variation on the Working Fields UI for when Inventory Grants feature is active (ie. after 100% completion of base game Working Fields Unlocking)
  
• Added small animation to Vitrine entry completion

• Fixed an issue where Vanquisher quirk did not receive it's healing effect from kills with Murder Weapon
  
• Fixed issue allowing rare chance to flee from fights on the Mountain
  
• Fixed an issue where combat would not end correctly if target dies on their turn
  
• Fixed an issue where encounter choice barks would change if you hover on and off repeatably
  
• Fixed issue where Pouch of Lye removed corpses on miss
  
• Fixed an issue where hero ribbons temporarily overlap after hero replacements or run restart
  
• Fixed incorrect quantity range for the appearance of Inn items
  
• Fixed Almanacs not appearing from Completed Working Fields Stagecoach item rolls
  
• Fixed an issue with the Plague Doctor's hero palette being applied to the Crusader
  
• Fixed an issue where the Vitrine UI would appear out of position for a few frames before being put in the correct final position
  
• Fixed issue with radiant flame showing infernal flame visuals when equipping
  
• Fixed some tutorial toasts not triggering at the right time