Greetings from Team Tapas!

First of all, we’d like to thank you for playing Garden of Witches and waiting patiently for our next official update for such a long time.

Initially, we were aiming to have this update ready by last December. However, as we considered future epilogue content and long-term updates, we determined that it was necessary to reorganize the game’s overall progression structure and combat system one more time. In that process, we ended up overhauling several core systems from the ground up, which delayed the update significantly longer than planned. We are truly grateful for the patience you have given us.

In this 0.9.2 update, we have conducted a comprehensive overhaul of Garden of Witches’ progression structure, combat system, and build-selection mechanics. These parts of the game were previously scattered across various systems. So we have redesigned the game’s architecture and streamlined various parts of the game so that it will be easier to expand the content of the game in the future.

These are the core changes for this beta:

• Added an Armory system so you can choose a basic loadout before starting a run

• Reorganized map progression structure and the flow of rewards

• Overhauled the whole Spell, Weapon, and Synergy Systems

• Expanded build options with a new Imprint System

※ This update will reset all challenge score records for the Main Story and Epilogue 1 and reset all currently active runs.

In this update, we have overhauled several core systems centered around Garden of Witches’ progression structure and Build Progression System. Previously, various systems, such as achievements, cards, and attributes, each influenced your progression and build-choices in different ways. With this overhaul, we have streamlined those various systems into a more distinct and clear structure. We have simplified the progression structure so that it is level-based and redesigned build progression around Imprints and Relics.

Previously, players had to earn gold through achievements and then use that gold to buy upgrades. However, this created an issue where players felt forced to grind for specific achievements just to get gold, which unnecessarily disrupted the natural flow of the game.

In this version, we have removed the achievement-and-gold-based progression structure and introduced a Level-Based Progression System. Now, you will naturally earn experience (EXP) through combat, and as you level, you will obtain Upgrade Points to grow your character. As a result, we have recalculated the cost of each Upgrade Node and are giving you more freedom to choose your upgrade path among various options.

※ Upon updating, the game will convert any gold you currently have into EXP at a fixed ratio.
※ The game will reset your upgrades, and you will need to reselect them using the new system.
※ We have temporarily removed the Achivement System. We plan to reintroduce it in the future as a way to track gameplay progress.

• Before: Earn gold via achievements and spend gold on upgrades

• After:

  • Earn EXP through combat to level up (Max Level: 70)

  • Each level grants +1 Base Attack Power and 1 Upgrade Point

  • Use Upgrade Points to upgrade Sil in her house

• Removed HP Recovery and ATK Speed nodes, which did not apply to Epilogue 1

• Increased the total number of nodes, and adjusted the values and costs for all nodes

• We are currently overhauling the Achievement System due to the new changes in the Upgrade System.

• We plan to reintroduce achievements after the system overhaul is finalized.

This update will convert your current gold into experience (EXP) at a fixed ratio, which will then determine your level. This design ensures that players who have previously completed all upgrades will reach the early Level 50s and maintain a Base Attack Power similar to before the update. We have set the maximum level cap at Level 70, so Base Attack Power has more potential to grow overall.

※ This update will reset your existing upgrade allocations, so you will need to re-allocate your upgrades using your newly earned Upgrade Points from leveling up.

Although we intended the original Side Missions to serve as a tutorial to guide players early on, we determined that they were not effectively fulfilling that role in practice. Furthermore, they often interrupted the flow of the main story, so we decided to remove them in this update to improve the overall experience of the game.

The cards that the Side Missions provided as rewards have been reconfigured to fit the new system overhauls. Some special card effects have been incorporated into the Rune and Imprint Systems, and the “Sea of Blood” Card effect (“Blood Marble can be stack cast.”) has been integrated into the base functionality of Blood Marble. 

One thing to note is that we have not decided to permanently scrap the Side Mission System. It may return in the future in the form of another type of content, such as Challenge Mode.

One of the core goals of this update was to strengthen the structure of the Build Progression System so that the gameplay loop could feel different even when using the same weapon or spells. Previously, Attributes and Relics played a heavy role in determining a build’s direction. In this overhaul, the structure has shifted to focus on Imprints and Relics. We achieved this by simplifying the basic functions of weapons and spells and certain attributes and designing the new system to allow for diverse playstyles and upgrade options through the use of Imprints.

The Imprint System allows you to imprint weapons, spells, and special skills with effects that enhance or fundamentally change how they are used. Each weapon, spell, and special skill has various Imprints available that can alter your playstyle, allowing you to construct distinct builds even when you are using the same equipment and spells.

Additionally, we have integrated special options previously found in the Card System and certain skill attributes into the Imprint System. For special skills (Epilogue 1) in particular, we have slightly lowered their base performance while providing Imprints for them that make them more flexible or powerful. For example, we have made the “Auto-cast spell on Critical Hit” effect, which was previously part of a special skill, into an Imprint for specific spells. 

You can obtain Imprints as rewards during a run.

Previously, we set relics to appear a maximum of three times per run, following a fixed tier sequence. This led to issues where players felt the acquisition order was predictable or that the same artifacts would appear repeatedly. 

In this update, we have removed tiers from relics and have increased the frequency of their appearance, allowing you to develop your build using relics with greater freedom.

Previously, curses existed as a mechanic that was tied to obtaining Relics. In this update, we have decoupled curses from the Relic System and overhauled them into a standalone Curse System. Curses now appear as a type of reward during a run and are designed to give players a strategic choice that simultaneously offers both risk and reward.

Since we removed the Card System and overhauled the Upgrade System, certain utility features, such as the number of revives and starting dice a player had, were reduced.

To compensate for this and to increase the quality of life of the early stages of a run, we are introducing a new Rune System. 

You can equip runes at the Armory in Sil’s House. They provide a variety of options to help you secure your desired build more reliably. These options range from basic bonuses that increase revive counts and starting dice to strategic effects that guarantee that attributes with specific tags will appear within a certain number of attribute reward choices.

Previously, players often found themselves repeatedly using dice on spell reward choices just to get the specific spell they wanted after starting a run. We felt this was unnecessary, so starting from Chapter 2, we have overhauled the game’s structure to allow players to set their starting loadout directly in the Armory.

Now, you can select both your Weapon and Spells in the Armory before starting a run, and you can also equip your Runes there as well.

In Chapter 1, we will maintain the existing random spell reward choices at the beginning of a run. We want to preserve the experience of encountering and choosing new spells for our first-time players. 

We have changed the dialogue feature with Canele, which previously only became available starting from Epilogue 1, so that you can now access it starting from Chapter 1. As a result, we have updated some dialogue lines.

With the previous map structure, choosing different paths often led to similar progression outcomes regardless of which route you took.

With this overhaul, we are aiming to increase the importance of route selection and strategy during map progression by widening the gap between rewards based on the path you choose. To achieve this, we have added new reward types and Elite encounters, while adjusting the overall structure of rewards given.

Furthermore, the difficulty of previous normal combat encounters was relatively low, leading to a lack of tension outside of boss battles. In this update, we have added a variety of new monsters and designed the normal combat encounters to require more situational responses and tactical choices.

We are also introducing Elite Bosses to provide higher-difficulty encounters and corresponding rewards compared to normal encounters. Along with this, we have added new types of reward rooms, distinct from existing ones, to enhance the fun of choosing your path and getting rewards throughout the map exploration process. 

• Normal Encounters

  • Room icon changed

    • Before: Displayed specific obtainable rewards (spell, weapon, passive attributes)

    • After: Simplified to a normal encounter icon (rewards remain the same as before)

  • Added new monster layouts and monster types for each domain

• Bosses

  • Defeating bosses now grant Imprints and Attributes

• Dice Shop

  • Before

    • Change a spell

    • Change an attribute

    • Buy a passive attribute

  • After

    • Can now only buy passive attributes

• Relic

  • Before

    • Obtain a Relic without any combat

  • After

    • Obtain a Relic after clearing a common enemy encounter

• Removed Rooms

  • Tag Removal Room

  • Dice Room

  • Guaranteed Tag Attribute Room

• New Rooms

  • Curse Room

    • Choose 1 out of 3 Curses

  • Well Room

    • Choose one: Restore health / Remove tag / Gain a die

    • Choose an additional passive attribute

  • Elite Room

    • Added two types of Elite Bosses for each domain

    • They have lower HP than the Main Bosses but are more challenging

    • Defeating them grants an Imprint and an Attribute

  • Imprint Room

    • Obtain an Imprint after clearing a common enemy encounter

• Starting from Chapter 2, spell reward choices will be removed

  • From Chapter 2 onwards, you can equip Spells at the Armory before starting a run

• Enhanced the randomness of the Map Generation System

• Removed the Missing Page Rooms (Random Event Encounters)

• Adjusted the game’s overall difficulty to align with the new system changes

• Modified portions of the story following the Chapter 5 ending

• Added one additional floor to the third area of Chapter 2, 3, 4 and Challenge Run.

We have adjusted the overall difficulty, reward tables, and EXP balance to align with the various system changes. In particular, we have updated the system to provide Imprint rewards, which allow you to enhance your weapons, spells, and special skills, upon reaching specific levels or defeating mini-bosses.

In this update, we have overhauled the general UI and UX to match the newly added systems. Moving forward, we plan to continuously improve upon various UI designs and effects.

To understand the exact effects of a reward, you had to select it first in order to check its details. It was also difficult to see which rewards might appear when using dice to re-roll. 

We have redesigned the selection screen so that detailed information can be checked immediately during the selection phase. We have also added a preview feature that allows you to see potential rewards in advance. (Note: This feature is currently undergoing further adjustments.)

Improved the design of the map legend and descriptions to enhance information readability.

We have overhauled the design so that you can check your current status, including the newly added systems, at a single glance. We have also temporarily removed the detailed info screen and will reintroduce it later after it is reorganized.

We have changed the design to make the format more intuitive. Following the removal of the Side Missions, we have removed UI elements related to the Side Missions.

We removed this feature to accommodate for the addition of other functions to that specific UI area and keybinding. While this may be a slight inconvenience in Chapter 1, you can set the position of your Spells in the Armory starting from Chapter 2.

We have improved the overall UI design and visual effects of the game.

The goal of this balance pass was not merely to tweak numerical values but to make the process of constructing builds more flexible. 

Previously, certain weapons and spells had very rigid uses, which often led to builds becoming fixed around those specific uses. To address this, we have simplified the base abilities of weapons and spells, streamlined the way attributes function and changed build progression so that players can expand their playstyle through Imprints and Relics. Some special options for weapons and spells have been removed or integrated into the Imprint System.

Additionally, the Witchcraft System has undergone structural changes. For example, Fire DMG, which was previously calculated as a percentage of weapon or spell damage, now functions as an independent damage type. Accordingly, we have adjusted Fire DMG to scale based on your Base Attack Power.

We have also performed a general balance pass on the Passive Attribute, Synergy, and Witchcraft Systems to ensure they align with the current changes to the game.

In addition, we have made overall balance adjustments to the Passive, Synergy, and Attribute Systems, as well as combat difficulty, to align everything better with the game’s new structure.

Below is a summary of the major balance changes we have made.

If you’ve unlocked all upgrades in version 0.8.2, your total gold will be converted into EXP, which will generally place you in the early Level 50s at the start of this patch. The early Level 50s is equivalent to the Base Attack Power you would have in a fully upgraded account under the previous system.

If you’ve unlocked all upgrades in the previous version (0.8.2), your total currently held gold will be converted into EXP, allowing you to start around the early Level 50s range. This range is set to be the rough equivalent to the Base Attack Power of your fully upgraded character in version 0.8.2.

Our goal for this version is to enable players to clear Chapter 4 at around the early-to-mid Level 50s. To achieve this, we have adjusted enemy HP across the board. Furthermore, since we have expanded the rewards you can choose from in Epilogue 1, we have recalibrated Epilogue 1’s reward table and slightly reduced level-up requirements.

• Adjusted Enemy HP (Relative to Final Boss)

  • Chapter 1: Reduced by approximately 7%

  • Chapter 2: Increased by approximately 26%

  • Chapter 3: Increased by approximately 22%

  • Chapter 4: Increased by approximately 11%

  • Epilogue 1: Reduced by approximately 18%

  • Main Story Challenge Run: Increased by approximately 11%

  • Epilogue 1 Challenge Run: Reduced by approximately 18%

• Epilogue 1

  • Reduced level-up requirements slightly

  • Final Boss Berserk Timer: 180s → 210s

• Changed the name of the “Charge” attribute tag to “Stack”

• Changed the terms related to “Scissors” to “Weapon”

• Standardized Witchcraft DMG Notations

  • To clarify which bonuses affect which types of damage, we have standardized the notation for all Witchcraft DMG, such as Total DMG, Weapon DMG, Spell DMG, and Crow DMG

• Critical Hits

  • Changed how each weapon displays critical hit damage

    • Before: Increases Critical DMG: n% (Showing the added amount)  

    • After: Critical DMG: n% (Shown as a total coefficient)

  • Critical DMG Increase Options

    • Simplified the calculations to increase Critical DMG directly

    • As a result, the numerical values shown for synergies or relics that increase Critical DMG will appear lower than before, but the final power level has been adjusted to remain similar to previous levels

• Burn damage per sec (DPS) calculation

  • Before: Burns proportional to Base Attack Power

  • After: Burns proportional to Enemy HP

• Flower

  • Damage: 🗡️260% → 220% 

  • Before: Exploded only when stepped on by an enemy

  • After: Now always explodes whenever the flower is removed

• Weapon Sharpness (Formly Scissors Sharpness)

  • Max: 400% → Unlimited

• Spell Rampage

  • Max: 5 → Unlimited

• Spell Enhance

  • Max: 60% → 40%

• Attack SPD: 1.8 per sec → 2 per sec

• CRT Stack Req: 2 → 3

• Base Effect

  • Before: Attacks the enemy with Scissors. Sharpness efficiency is increased by 200%, but all Sharpness is removed upon hitting with Scissors. After a fixed number of hits, the next attack will be a Critical Hit.

  • After: Inflicts Weapon DMG to all enemies in range. After a fixed number of hits, the next attack is a guaranteed Critical Strike.

• DMG: 🗡️250% → 160%

• Attack SPD: 1.8 per sec → 1.5 per sec

• Base Effect

  • Before: Fires Scissors at the strongest enemy. After a fixed number of hits, the next attack will be a Critical Hit. Sharpness efficiency decreases by 90%, but all Spell damage increases by 60%.

  • After: Shoots a projectile at the strongest enemy, dealing Weapon DMG to all enemies in range. After a fixed number of hits, the next attack is a guaranteed Critical Strike.

• DMG: 🗡️150% → 90%

• Attack SPD: 1.8 per sec → 1.5 per sec

• CRT Stack Req: 2 → 1

• Base Effect

  • Before: Attacks the enemy with Scissors. After a fixed number of hits, the next attack will be a Critical Hit. Max count of Sharpness is increased by 400%.

  • After: Inflicts Weapon DMG to all enemies in range. After a fixed number of hits, the next attack is a guaranteed Critical Strike.

• DMG: 🗡️120% → 65%

• Attack SPD: 2.8 per sec → 3 per sec

• CRT Stack Req: 1 → 3

• Base Effect

  • Before: When used, loads 20 projectile(s) and fires 1 at each of the strongest enemies, damaging all enemies within range. In addition, the damage of Needle, Flower, and Crow increases by 60%.

  • After: Upon use, loads projectiles and shoots them 1 at a time at the strongest enemy, dealing Weapon DMG to all enemies in range. After a fixed number of hits, the next attack is a guaranteed Critical Strike.

• DMG: 🗡️150% → 100%

• Attack SPD: 1.8 per sec → 2 per sec

• Cooldown Attribute

  • Before: When Scissors inflict a Critical Hit, the Cooldown of all Cooldown Skills is decreased by 1s.

  • After: When a Weapon inflicts a Critical Hit, decreases the remaining Cooldown of all Cooldown Skills by 0.5s.

• Fire Attribute

  • Before: When Scissors inflict a Critical Hit, inflicts an additional 40% damage as Burn.

  • After: When a Weapon inflicts a Critical Hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️200%.

We have performed a general overhaul of each spell’s use cases and stats in accordance with the simplification of the Spell System and the introduction of the Imprint System. Furthermore, as spell options became more streamlined overall, we determined that the existing “Needle Shot” spell could no longer maintain its specific role and identity. As a result, we have removed “Needle Shot” and added a new spell, “Rush,” which allows for a more stylish playstyle.

• DMG: 🗡️1000% → 1100%

• Cooldown: 12s → 13s

• Attribute Changes

  • Weapon

    • Before: When Slash inflicts a hit, 180% of Scissors damage is inflicted as Additional Damage.

    • After: When Slash inflicts a hit, gain 145% Sharpness.

  • Cooldown

    • Before: Cooldown of Slash is decreased by 3s.

    • After: Decreases Slash Cooldown by 20%.

  • Thread

    • Before: When Slash inflicts a hit, it severs all Threads inflicted on the target. Damage is increased by 20% per severed Thread.

    • After: Shoots 3 Needle(s) at all targets hit by Slash.

  • Flower

    • Before: When casting Slash, all Flowers within 8m wither. Damage is increased by 20% per withered Flower.

    • After: When Slash inflicts a hit, spawns 3 Flower(s).

  • Crow

    • Before: When casting Slash, all summoned Crows are removed. Damage is increased by 20% per removed Crow.

    • After: When Slash inflicts a hit, summons 3 Crow(s).

  • Blood

    • Before: When casting Slash,  damage is increased by 10% per 1 point of Blood Gauge consumed.

    • After: When Slash inflicts a hit, spawns 3 Blood Clot(s).

  • Fire

    • Before: When Slash inflicts a hit, inflicts Burn for 40% of damage.

    • After: When Slash inflicts a hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️600%.

• Base Effect

  • Before: Moves behind the strongest enemy, before attacking all nearby enemies and gaining 50% Sharpness.

  • After: Teleports to the opposite side of the strongest enemy and inflicts Spell DMG to all enemies in range.

• DMG: 🗡️300% → 375%

• Attribute Changes

  • Weapon

    • Before: When Ambush inflicts a hit, 120% of Scissors damage is inflicted as Additional Damage.

    • After: When Ambush inflicts a hit, gain 50% Sharpness.

  • Cooldown

    • Before: Cooldown of Ambush is decreased by 1.5s.

    • After: Decreases Ambush Cooldown by 20%.

  • Thread

    • Before: When Ambush inflicts a hit, all Threads connected to the Ambush target are severed and Ambush cooldown is decreased by 1s per severed Thread.

    • After: Shoots 1 Needle(s) at all targets hit by Ambush.

  • Flower

    • Before: When casting Ambush, Flowers within a radius of 5m wilt. For each wilted Flower, recover 1s of cooldown.

    • After: When Ambush inflicts a hit, spawns 1 Flower(s).

  • Fire

    • Before: When Ambush inflicts a hit, inflicts Burn for 40% of damage.

    • After: When Ambush inflicts a hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️200%.

• DMG: 🗡️1200% → 1500%

• Cooldown: 15s → 17s

• Attribute Changes

  • Weapon

    • Before: When Counter inflicts a hit, 500% of Scissors damage is inflicted as Additional Damage.

    • After: When Counter inflicts a hit, gain 200% Sharpness.

  • Cooldown

    • Before: When Counter inflicts a hit, cooldown of Counter is decreased by 5s.

    • After: When Counter inflicts a hit, decreases the remaining Cooldown of Counter by 4s.

  • Thread

    • Before: Shoots 5 Needle(s) at every target hit by Counter.

    • After: Shoots 4 Needle(s) at every target hit by Counter.

  • Flower

    • Before: When Counter inflicts a hit, spawns 5 Flower(s).

    • After: When Counter inflicts a hit, spawns 4 Flower(s).

  • Crow

    • Before: When Counter inflicts a hit, summons 5 Crow(s).

    • After: When Counter inflicts a hit, summons 4 Crow(s).

  • Blood

    • Before: When Counter inflicts a hit, spawns 5 Blood Clot(s).

    • After: When Counter inflicts a hit, spawns 4 Blood Clot(s).

  • Fire

    • Before: When Counter inflicts a hit, inflicts Burn for 40% of damage.

    • After: When Counter inflicts a hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️800%.

• DMG: 🗡️150% → 375%

• Max Doll Attacks: x3 → x2

• Cooldown: 5s → 10s

• Attribute Changes

  • Weapon

    • Before: When a Doll inflicts a hit, 20% of Scissors damage is inflicted as Additional Damage.

    • After: When a Doll inflicts a hit, gain 50% Sharpness.

  • Cooldown

    • Before: Cooldown of Summon Doll is decreased by 1s.

    • After: Decreases Summon Doll Cooldown by 20%.

  • Thread

    • Before: When casting Summon Doll, if there are 2 or more connected Threads, severs 2 Threads and summons 1 additional Doll(s).

    • After: Shoots 1 Needle(s) at all targets hit by Doll attacks.

  • Flower

    • Before: When casting Summon Doll, if there is 1 or more Flowers within 8m, withers 1 Flower and summons 1 additional Doll(s).

    • After: When a Doll inflicts a hit, spawns 1 Flower(s).

  • Crow

    • Before: When casting Summon Doll, if there are 2 or more summoned Crows, removes 2 Crows and summons 1 additional Doll(s).

    • After: When a Doll inflicts a hit, summons 1 Crow(s).

  • Blood

    • Before: When casting Summon Doll, Doll damage is increased by 10% per every 1 point of Blood Gauge consumed.

    • After: When a Doll inflicts a hit, spawns 1 Blood Clot(s).

  • Fire

    • Before: Doll summoned through Summon Doll inflicts Burn for 40% of damage.

    • After: When a Doll inflicts a hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️200%.

• Base Effect

  • Before: Summons a Sewing Wheel nearby that chases and continuously attacks enemies. Sewing Wheel returns to caster after 3s.

  • After: Summons a Sewing Wheel nearby that tracks enemies and deals continuous Spell DMG.

• DMG per sec: 🗡️240% → 150%

• Attribute Changes

  • Weapon

    • Before: Every 1s while Sewing Wheel is inflicting a hit, gain 30% Sharpness

    • After: Every 1s while Sewing Wheel is inflicting a hit, gain 20% Sharpness.

  • Cooldown

    • Before: Cooldown of Sewing Wheel is decreased by 2s.

    • After: Decreases Sewing Wheel Cooldown by 20%.

  • Thread

    • Before: Every 2s, Sewing Wheel severs 1 Thread(s) on the target it is hitting, and Cooldown of Sewing Wheel is decreased by 1s per 1 severed Thread(s).

    • After: Shoots 1 Needle(s) at all targets hit by Sewing Wheel every 2s.

  • Flower

    • Before: Sewing Wheel withers any Flowers it hits and Cooldown of Sewing Wheel is decreased by 1s per 1  withered Flower(s).

    • After: Every 2s while Sewing Wheel is inflicting a hit, spawns 1 Flower(s).

  • Fire

    • Before: Sewing Wheel inflicts Burn for 40% of damage.

    • After: Every 1s while Sewing Wheel is inflicting a hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️100%.

• We have removed this spell.

Dashes a set distance, dealing Spell DMG to all enemies in range..

• DMG: 🗡️420%

• Cooldown: 6s

• Cast Time: 0.5s

• Range: 6m

• Radius: 3m

• Base Effect

  • Before: Move SPD is increased by 50% for 3s. At the end of the effect, all enemies in range are inflicted with damage increased by an amount equal to Gauge and spawns a Flower upon inflicting a hit.

  • After: Increases Move SPD by 50% and charges Gauge for 3s. When the effect ends, deals Spell DMG to all enemies in range proportional to the amount of Gauge charged.

• DMG: 🗡️200% → 375%

• Cooldown: 8s → 7s

• Attribute Changes

  • Cooldown

    • Before: Cooldown of Butterfly Walk is decreased by 2s.

    • After: Decreases Butterfly Walk Cooldown by 20%.

  • Flower

    • Before: Butterfly Walk has max Gauge increased by 100% and Gauge Recovery SPD increased by 50%.

    • After: When Butterfly Walk inflicts a hit, spawns 1 Flower(s) for each 100% of Gauge charge.

  • Fire

    • Before: Butterfly Walk inflicts Burn for 40% of damage.

    • After: When Butterfly Walk inflicts a hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️2% for each 1% of Gauge charge.

• Base Effect

  • Before: Fires a Shadow Surge towards the strongest enemy, inflicting damage and summoning 1 Crow(s).

  • After: Shoots a projectile at the strongest enemy, dealing Spell DMG to all enemies in range.

• DMG: 🗡️350% → 375%

• Attribute Changes

  • Cooldown

    • Before: Cooldown of Shadow Surge is decreased by 1s.

    • After: Decreases Shadow Surge Cooldown by 20%.

  • Fire

    • Before: Shadow Surge inflicts Burn for 40% of damage.

    • After: When Shadow Surge inflicts a hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️200%.

• Base Effect

  • Before: Upon casting, inflicts damage on nearby enemies for 6s, and summons 1 Blood Clot(s) every 2s while active.

  • After: Upon use, deals Spell DMG to all enemies in range for a set duration.

• Blood Marble can now be stack cast. (Formerly the “Sea of Blood” Card effect)

• DMG per sec: 🗡️220% → 195%

• Cooldown: 18s → 14s

• Attribute Changes

  • Weapon

    • Before: Every 1s while Blood Marble is inflicting a hit, gain 30% Sharpness

    • After: Every 1s while Blood Marble is inflicting a hit, gain 25% Sharpness.

  • Stack

    • Before: Duration of Blood Marble is increased by 1s every time Charge is consumed.

    • After: Blood Marble Max Stack +1.

  • Cooldown

    • Before: Cooldown of Blood Marble is decreased by 4s.

    • After: Decreases Blood Marble Cooldown by 20%.

  • Blood

    • Before: Period between Blood Clots being generated by Blood Marble is decreased by 1s.

    • After: Every 2s while Blood Marble is inflicting a hit, spawns 1 Blood Clot(s).

  • Fire

    • Before: Blood Marble inflicts Burn for 40% of damage.

    • After: Every 1s while Blood Marble is inflicting a hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️140%.

• Base Effect

  • Before: Launches a Fireball at the strongest enemy, dealing damage and inflicting Burn on all enemies in range.

  • After: Launches a Fireball at the strongest enemy, dealing Spell DMG to all enemies in range.

• DMG: 🗡️850% → 750%

• Cooldown: 12s → 10s

• Attribute Changes

  • Weapon

    • Before: When Fireball inflicts a hit, 120% of Scissors damage is inflicted as Additional Damage.

    • After: When Fireball inflicts a hit, gain 100% Sharpness.

  • Cooldown

    • Before: Cooldown of Fireball is decreased by 3s.

    • After: Decreases Fireball Cooldown by 20%.

  • Thread

    • Before: When Fireball inflicts a hit, severs up to 3 connected Threads, and Cooldown is decreased by 30% per severed Thread.

    • After: Shoots 2 Needle(s) at all targets hit by Fireball.

  • Flower

    • Before: When Fireball inflicts a hit, spawns 3 Flower(s).

    • After: When Fireball inflicts a hit, spawns 2 Flower(s).

  • Crow

    • Before: When casting Fireball, up to 3 summoned Crows are removed. Cooldown is decreased by 30% per removed Crow.

    • After: When Fireball inflicts a hit, summons 2 Crow(s).

  • Blood

    • Before: When casting Fireball, Fireball damage is increased by 10% per every 1 point of Blood Gauge consumed.

    • After: When Fireball inflicts a hit, spawns 2 Blood Clot(s).

  • Fire

    • Before: Burn amount inflicted by Fireball is increased by 100%.

    • After: When Fireball inflicts a hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️400%.

• Before: Increased damage for each Skill per 1 of the Max Charge of each Skill (6% per level)

• After: Increases a Skill's damage for each point in its Max Stack. (2% per level)

• Before: Decreases all Cooldowns (8% per level)

• After: Decreases all Cooldowns (5% per level)

• Before: Increases the amount of all Burn (30% per level)

• After: Increases Fire DMG. (10% per level)

• 6 Synergy

  • Before: Scissors damage is increased by 50% and CRT DMG Increase is increased by 100%.

  • After: Increases Weapon DMG by 30% and Crit DMG by 30%.

• 2, 4 Synergy

  • Before: Spell damage is increased by 30%.

  • After: Increases Spell DMG by 20%.

• 6 Synergy

  • Before: Gain 2% Spell Enhance every time a Spell is used.

  • After: Gain 1% Spell Enhance every time a Spell is used.

• 6 Synergy

  • Before: Gain 5% Overcharge when Charge count is used.

  • After: Upon using a Stack, gain 2% Overcharge.

• 6 Synergy

  • Before: When the Threads connected to the target are severed, for each 1 severed Thread(s), inflicts 700% of Needle damage. When Threads reach Max Stack, when a new Thread is connected, base Threads are severed.

  • After: When the Threads connected to a target are severed, inflicts 600% of Needle DMG for each Thread severed. After Threads reach Max Stack, when a new Thread is connected, base Threads are severed.

• 6 Synergy

  • Before: When a Flower withers or explodes, it fires a projectile at the nearest enemy, inflicting damage to all enemies in range.

  • After: When a Flower is removed, launches a Flower Bomb at the nearest enemy, inflicting 100% Flower DMG to all enemies in range.

• 6 Synergy

  • Before: When a Crow is removed, a projectile that inflicts damage equivalent to a 400% of damage inflicted by Crows is fired. When Max Summon Count of Crows is reached, additionally spawned Crows are immediately removed.

  • After: When a Crow is removed, shoots a Crow Afterimage, inflicting 400% Crow DMG to all enemies in range. If Crow max summons is reached, any additional Crows generated are removed immediately.

• 6 Synergy

  • Before: Gain 2% Blood Rage per 1 of Blood Gauge consumed.

  • After: Gain 1% Blood Rage per every  1 consumed Blood.

• 2 Synergy

  • Before: Combustion amount per second is increased by 100%.

  • After: Increases Fire DMG by 100%.

• 4 Synergy

  • Before: All Burns are increased by 100%.

  • After: Increases Fire DMG Burn Rate by 100%.

• 6 Synergy

  • Before: When Burn exceeds the target's HP, 60% of the excess is instantly combusted.

  • After: Increases Fire DMG by 300%. If Fire DMG exceeds a target's HP, 60% of the excess is immediately applied as Burn.

• Thread 7, Fire 7

  • Before: Enemy HP is burned for 40% of Needle damage.

  • After: When a Needle inflicts a hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️20%.

• Flower 7, Fire 7

  • Before: Enemy HP is burned for 40% of Flower damage. 

  • After: When Flower and Flower Bomb inflict a hit, deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️10%.

• Crow 7, Fire 7

  • Before: Enemy HP is burned for 40% of Crow damage.

  • After: When Crow and Crow Afterimage also deal Fire DMG equal to 🗡️20%.

• Blood 7, Fire 7

  • Before: Absorbing a Blood Clot inflicts Burn for 200% of ATK on all enemies within 3m.

  • After: Absorbing a Blood Clot deals Fire DMG equal to 🗡️20% to all enemies within 3m.

Previously, each special skill in Epilogue 1 had its own unique gauge recovery method, and they were structured to provide near-maximum performance as soon as you acquired them. In this overhaul, we have simplified their gauge recovery methods and standardized their base effects. Imprints will now play a critical role in enhancing the effects of special skills. Our goal was to adjust the destructive power of special skills early in a player’s run by slightly lowering their base performance, while strengthening the significance of build choices made when selecting an Imprint.

• Before

  • Passive Effect: The Spell in the 2nd Slot can no longer be cast directly, but every time a critical hit is made with Scissors, the Spell in the 2nd Slot is cast automatically and the gauge is restored by 10. (Max Gauge : 400)

  • Active Effect: Consumes 100 of the gauge to increase all damage by 100% for 10s.

• After

  • Active Effect: Upon use, increases All DMG by 30% for 5s. (Gauge Charge SPD: 1% per sec)

  • Max Gauge: 400 → 100%

  • Gauge Requirement: 200 → 100%

• Before

  • Passive Effect: Consumes Charge to restore the gauge by 10. (Max Gauge : 320)

  • Active Effect: Consumes 160 of the gauge to restore all cooldowns and charges to their max values.

• After

  • Active Effect: Upon use, resets all Cooldowns and restores Stacks to max. (Gauge Charge SPD: 1% per sec)

  • Max Gauge: 320 → 100%

  • Gauge Requirement: 160 → 100%

• Before

  • Passive Effect: Each time a cooldown skill is used, restores the gauge by 10. (Max Gauge : 600)

  • Active Effect: Consumes 300 of the gauge to increase Cooldown Recovery SPD, Cooldown Skill Casting SPD, and Scissors Attack SPD by 100% for 10s.

• After

  • Active Effect: Upon use, increases Cooldown Regen SPD, Casting SPD, and Weapon Attack SPD by 30% for 3s. (Gauge Charge SPD: 1% per sec)

  • Max Gauge: 600 → 100%

  • Gauge Requirement: 300 → 100%

In this update, we have added new Relics and recalibrated existing ones to fit the current architecture of the game, while also removing several Relics.

Rather than simply reducing the total Relic pool, we have redesigned the Relic System to increase the individual value of each selection, ensuring that Relic choices have a more meaningful impact on your build. Additionally, by removing Relics that were non-essential or overly situational, we expect players will find it easier to obtain the specific Relics they need for their build.

While it may feel like we have removed many Relics, we have prioritized aligning the Relic pool with future content in mind, including elements that we will introduce in Epilogue 2.

• Arcane Parasite

  • Increases all Spell DMG by 15%.

• Broken Pocket Watch

  • Decreases all Spell Cooldowns by 10%.

• Enchanted Knot

  • All Cooldown Skills Max Stack +1.

• Scalding Oil

  • Increases all Fire DMG by 30%, but decreases Burn Rate per sec by 50%.

• Heated Claw

  • Decreases Sharpness duration by 50%, but increases its efficiency by 35%.

• Hazy Hand Mirror

  • Decreases Needle DMG, Flower DMG, and Crow DMG by 50%, but increases their spawn amount by 100%.

• Magic Rosary

  • Sharpness effects also apply to Spell DMG at 5% efficiency.

• Ocular Lens

  • Increases Weapon Crit DMG by 10%.

• Spiked Maul

  • Increases Weapon DMG by 40%, but decreases Attack SPD by 15%.

• Pocket Monster

  • Increases All DMG by 5% for every 1 Relic held.

• Glass Butterfly

  • Before: All damage dealt is increased by 25%. However, all damage received is increased by 30%.

  • After: Increases All DMG by 20%. However, increases All DMG Received by 30%.

• Red Shoes

  • Before: Cooldown of all cooldown skills is decreased by 20%. However, Max HP is decreased by 25%.

  • After: Decreases Cooldown of all Cooldown Skills by 15%. However, decreases Max HP by 30%.

• Keychain

  • Before: Needle, Flower, and Crow damage is increased by 30%.

  • After: Increases Needle, Flower, and Crow damage by 15%.

• Leech Ring

  • Before: Each time a Spell is cast, its damage is increased by 10% per every 1 point of Blood Gauge consumed.

  • After: Each time a Spell is used, that Spell's damage increases by 5% for every 1 Blood Gauge consumed.

• Tripod Scissors

  • Before: In exchange for reducing the number of attacks required for Scissors to land a critical hit by 1, all damage is decreased by 10%.

  • After: Weapon Crit Requirement -1.

• Beast Gloves

  • Before: Crit DMG Increase of Scissors is increased by 50%.

  • After: Increases Weapon Attack SPD by 10%.

• Magic Sweeper

  • Before: For each broken Thread, withered Flower, or removed Crow, the cooldown of all cooldown skills is decreased by 4%.

  • After: When a Thread, Flower, or Crow is removed, for every 1 removed, decreases the remaining Cooldown of all Cooldown Skills by 3%.

• Jewel Scarab

  • Inflicted with the Curse of the Jewel Scarab, decreasing all damage dealt by 20% for the next 3 battle(s). When Curse of the Jewel Scarab is removed, all damage is increased by 20%.

• Moonflower

  • Inflicted with the Curse of the Moonflower, increasing dash cooldown by 100% for the next 3 battle(s). When Curse of the Moonflower is removed, cooldown of all cooldown skills is decreased by 16%

• Piggy Bank

  • Inflicted with the Curse of the Piggy Bank, preventing you from receiving rewards for the next 2 battle(s). When Curse of the Piggy Bank is removed, you will receive all forfeited rewards at the end of the battle, and receive an additional 2 Passive Attribute(s).

• Pumpkin Lantern

  • When using a cooldown skill, fire 4 projectiles, each dealing 75% of base ATK.

• Cursed Knife

  • When a basic attack makes a Critical Hit, fire 4 projectile(s), each dealing 75% of base ATK.

• Cracked Goose Doll

  • You may choose to forfeit the next stage's Relic and select this stage's Relic 3 time(s).

• Dream Catcher

  • Increases all damage by 0.5% for each 1 Dice used.

• Crying Ouija Board

  • Select and remove 2 tag(s). Attributes of removed tags will not appear as future attribute rewards.

• Cracked Swan Doll

  • You may choose to forfeit the next stage's Relic and select this stage's Relic 2 time(s).

• Sewing Kit

  • Gain 3 passive attribute(s).

• Cat Bell

  • Gain an additional 1 chance(s) to Revive.

• Magic Burner

  • The damage of each Spell is increased by 5% per each 1s of that Spell's cooldown.

• Dripping Clock

  • The cooldown of all cooldown skills is decreased by an additional 1s.

• Spider Pendant

  • Cooldown recovery speed is increased by 30% if a HP-burning enemy is within 3m.

• Crawling Collector

  • Receive 1 Dice each time a room is entered.

• Smiling Ouija Board

  • All damage is increased by 5% per 1 tag removed.

This 0.9.2 update goes beyond simply adding new features. It is about laying the groundwork for future expansions. Moving forward, we want to expand Garden of Witches in even more diverse directions. While some parts of the game may feel different from what you are used to, we will continue to refine the new systems to ensure they lead to a more enjoyable gameplay experience overall.

Lastly, we are currently preparing content for Epilogue 2 and are working hard to bring it to you as soon as possible in a state that is as highly polished as possible. We hope you will continue to look forward to our future updates.

Thank you.

— Team Tapas

First of all, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks for the incredible amount of feedback you’ve shared! We spent a lot of time preparing for this update and had many worries going into the beta, but you’ve given us a lot of strength with your enthusiasm and support.

Before we released the official patch, we wanted to use this beta to check for and fix any issues. For those of you who haven’t gotten a chance to, you can join the beta test by opting in and updating the game on Steam.

We’d like you to freely share your thoughts about areas of the game you feel can be improved.

※ When updating to version 0.9.1 Beta, any ongoing runs will be reset.

If you’ve unlocked all upgrades in the previous version (0.8.2), your total currently held gold will be converted into EXP, allowing you to start around the early Level 50 range. This range is set to be the rough equivalent to the Base Attack Power of your fully upgraded character in version 0.8.2.

Our original intent was to allow players in the early-to-mid Level 50s to clear Chapter 4. However, we have determined that the HP of the enemies in Chapter 4 and Epilogue 1 were set slightly too high.

Therefore, we have lowered the overall difficulty so that players in the early-to-mid Level 50s can clear Chapter 4 more reliably. Additionally, we are aiming for Level 70 to be the point where players can clear Challenge Run by a relatively comfortable margin.

To achieve this, we have adjusted enemy HP across the board relative to the Final Boss, and we have also slightly decreased EXP requirements for Epilogue 1.

• Enemy HP Adjustments (Relative to the Final Boss)

  • Chapter 2: Reduced by approximately 8%

  • Chapter 3: Reduced by approximately 18%

  • Chapter 4: Reduced by approximately 33%

  • Epilogue 1: Reduced by approximately 40%

  • Main Chapter Challenge Run: Reduced by approximately 33%

  • Epilogue 1 Challenge Run: Reduced by approximately 40%

• Epilogue 1

  • Slightly decreased EXP requirements

  • Final Boss Enrage Timer: 180s → 210s

Since clearing Elite Monsters provided an Imprint and an Attribute, their clear value was so high that they tended to feel mandatory. This increased the importance of map layouts that allowed players to clear two Elite Monsters in a single path, making the gameplay experience depend heavily on whether such a layout appeared. Also, we determined that map layouts where players had to defeat up to 6 Elite Monsters in a run (under certain conditions) led to high player fatigue.

To resolve these issues, in Chapter 3, 4 and Challenge Run, we have reduced the number of Elite Monster encounters to one per area. In place of the second Elite Monster Room, we have added an Imprint Room where players can clear a normal wave of monsters to acquire an Imprint. Additionally, to compensate for the reduced number of Elite Monsters that you can clear, we have added an extra floor to the third area of Chapter 2, 3, 4 and Challenge Run.

Finally, to alleviate the difficulty of removing Curses, we have changed the Relic Rooms so that combat now occurs within them. Along with the new Imprint Rooms, we expect that this will make lifting curses much easier than before.

• Added an extra floor to the third area of Chapter 2, 3, 4 and Challenge Run

• Added normal combat encounters to Relic Rooms

• Reduced the amount of Elite Monster Rooms that appear to 1 per area in Chapter 3, 4 and Challenge Run

• Added a new Imprint Room

  • Acquire 1 Imprint after combat

  • Appears once per area in Chapter 3 and 4.

Internally, from what we have determined, the value of Relics and Imprints are not drastically different. Not every build requires a full loadout of Imprints, and we currently feel that Relics serve as a meaningful alternative for players. However, we have identified a critical issue with Relics. The Relic pool was so large that it was too difficult for players to obtain the specific ones they wanted.

To address this in this update, we have reduced the total number of Relics and shifted our focus towards increasing the value of individual Relic choices. We have removed some Relics that were either non-essential to builds or overly dependent on specific conditions to be useful. We expect this will make it much easier for players to select Relics they actually need. While the list of removed Relics may seem long, we have prioritized organizing the pool now while considering new elements that we plan to add in Epilogue 2.

• Raven Talisman: Increases Crow DMG by 25%.

• Sewing Kit: Increases Needle DMG by 25%.

• Fragrant Flower: Increases Flower DMG by 25%.

• Shackles: Decreases Move SPD by 10%, but increases All DMG by 20%.

• Wolf Skull: Increases All DMG by 50% while HP is 30% or lower.

• Crawling Collector: Increases All DMG by 1% for every 1 Dice held.

• Smiling Ouija Board: Increases All DMG by 3% per 1 tag removed.

• Barbed Bangle: Increases All DMG by 10% for every 1 Curse held.

We are currently reviewing various opinions regarding the Rune System and are positively considering the addition of new Runes. Along with this, we are looking into transferring the functions of some recently removed Relics over to Runes (e.g., Effects related to Dice, Tag Removal, and Curses).

While we are still exploring several avenues to improve the Rune System, for this update, we have modified how the “Tag Lock” Runes function. We have changed them from activating simultaneously to activating sequentially. This will ensure that they are viable even when two are selected at the same time.

For other aspects of the system, we plan to monitor the current version after it goes live and adjust based on further feedback.

We have noted feedback expressing disappointment regarding the changes to Spells. We changed Spells so that they assumed a more basic function in which they did not inherently generate the Attribute they were originally associated with. In particular, we really struggled with the removal of Needle Shot. However, since there are clear advantages to the changes we have made, we wanted to monitor the current direction a bit longer while we proceed with further updates.

For attribute balance, the Fire Attribute has been performing stronger than intended across all stages, so we have slightly nerfed the Fire Attribute. Conversely, we have buffed certain builds that have been underperforming. Regarding Summon Doll, we have determined that the previous “Attack Count Reduction” Imprint was not fun to use. Therefore, we have adjusted it so that attack count increases at the cost of reduced damage.

While it is difficult for us to perfectly balance every build, our goal is to tune the game so that most builds can reach a level where clearing the game is achievable.

• Singing Scissors

  • CRT Stack Req: 3 → 2

• Base Burn Rate per sec: Decreased by 50%

• Flower DMG: 200% → 220%

• Synergy

  • Fire 6

    • Before: Increases Fire DMG by 400%. If Fire DMG exceeds a target's HP, the excess is immediately applied as Burn.

    • After: Increases Fire DMG by 300%. If Fire DMG exceeds a target's HP, 60% of the excess is immediately applied as Burn.

  • Magic 2, 4

    • Before: Increases Spell DMG by 15%.

    • After: Increases Spell DMG by 20%.

  • Magic 6

    • Maximum Spell Enhance: 30 → 40

• Imprints

  • Scissors

    • Increases Weapon DMG by 15%.

      • After: Increases Weapon DMG by 10%.

    • Increases Weapon Crit DMG by 10%.

      • After: Increases Weapon Crit DMG by 15%.

  • Giant Scissors

    • Increases Weapon DMG by 15%.

      • After: Increases Weapon DMG by 10%.

    • Increases Weapon Crit DMG by 10%.

      • After: Increases Weapon Crit DMG by 15%.

  • Magic Scissors

    • Decreases Sharpness gain by 90%, but increases all Spell DMG by 30%.

      • After: Decreases Sharpness gain by 90%, but increases all Spell DMG by 20%.

    • Increases Weapon Crit DMG by 10%.

      • After: Increases Weapon Crit DMG by 15%.

  • Broken Scissors

    • Increases Weapon DMG by 15%.

      • After: Increases Weapon DMG by 10%.

    • Increases Weapon Crit DMG by 10%.

      • After: Increases Weapon Crit DMG by 15%.

  • Singing Scissors

    • Increases Weapon DMG by 15%.

      • After: Increases Weapon DMG by 10%.

    • Increases Weapon Crit DMG by 10%.

      • After: Increases Weapon Crit DMG by 15%.

  • Summon Doll

    • Doll Max Attacks -1. Increases Doll DMG by 150%.

      • After: Doll Max Attacks +1. Decreases Doll DMG by 30%.

  • Sewing Wheel

    • Decreases Sewing Wheel duration by 30%, but increases its Spell DMG by 70%.

      • After: Decreases Sewing Wheel duration by 20%, but increases its Spell DMG by 80%.

• Relic

  • Red Shoes

    • Before: Decreases Cooldown of all Cooldown Skills by 10%. However, decreases Max HP by 30%.

    • After: Decreases Cooldown of all Cooldown Skills by 15%. However, decreases Max HP by 30%.

  • Keychain

    • Before: Increases Needle, Flower, and Crow damage by 10%.

    • After: Increases Needle, Flower, and Crow damage by 15%.

• Curse

  • Receive a Curse that increases Dash Cooldown by 30% for 3 Battles. Once the Curse is removed, Cooldown of all Cooldown Skills decreases by 10%.

    • After: Receive a Curse that increases Dash Cooldown by 30% for 3 Battles. Once the Curse is removed, Cooldown of all Cooldown Skills decreases by 15%

• Fixed an issue where Singing Scissors would not unlock in Main Story: Challenge Run

• Fixed an issue where the map would not reset correctly when saving and loading in Main Story: Challenge Run

• Fixed a bug that allowed players to pass through walls with Rush and dashes

• Fixed an issue where doors or other objects could soft-lock cutscenes in certain areas

• Fixed an issue where Butterfly Walk would get canceled when other spells were triggered by the Auto-Cast Imprint.

• Added input delay to the Reward UI in Epilogue 1 to prevent accidental skips

• Fixed various system and UI-related issues

• Updated text and translations to their latest version

The Beta Test is still ongoing! If you are interested in participating, please refer to the link below for more information.

※ Progress made during the beta may not be carried over to the official update.

※ For instructions on how to participate in the beta, please check this \[[url="https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2530470/view/517465051240595750?l=koreana"]Link[/url]].

Thank you.