Greetings, Rune Hunters.

I'm Seong Seop Song, the director of UNDECEMBER.

Through this Director's Letter, we would like to share details about the upcoming season you have been waiting for.

In the upcoming season, we are focusing on expanding Gear Growth and introducing new content, while refining the overall gameplay experience.

Key content such as the addition of Tier 15 Gear options, a Card System, new Skills, and an expansion of the Abyss Gate will be newly introduced, while existing systems will also undergo various improvements to provide a more natural and stable progression flow.

Going beyond the simple idea of creating new gear, this season embodies our commitment to achieving greater refinement through continuous experimentation and iterative improvements.

With this vision in mind, the season has been named [The Forge], representing the act of shaping and refining through continuous effort.

■ New Content

1. Addition of Tier 15 Gear Options

High-performance options that were previously only obtainable from Unique Gear will be newly introduced as Tier 15 Options.

You will now be able to craft gear with performance comparable to, or even exceeding, Unique Gear.

Naturally, the crafting process will be challenging to match its power, but we believe the resulting gear will offer a greater sense of accomplishment.

In addition, Season Mode will introduce exclusive options with values one tier higher than their standard counterparts, and please note that these options can only be obtained during The Forge season.

2. Card System

In the upcoming season, a new growth content feature, the Card System, will be introduced.

The Card System allows you to obtain cards featuring unique illustrations by clearing various content.

These cards go beyond simple collection elements and serve as an important means of enhancing your character's Stats.

Acquired cards are automatically registered in the Card Album, and completing specific combinations or meeting total upgrade conditions within the album will grant additional Stat bonuses.

Additionally, equipping cards in a Card Deck increases Stats based on the combination of equipped cards, with extra bonuses applied when total upgrade conditions are met.

Cards can be upgraded using duplicate cards and materials, allowing you to naturally enjoy collecting and progressing them throughout gameplay.

Furthermore, the Card System will be expanded through integration with various content, encouraging continuous collection and strategic deck-building.

※ In [The Forge] season, the Card System will be available in a pre-opening state.

※ Please note that all card-related data obtained and progressed during [The Forge] season will be reset upon official opening.

※ Additional cards and balance adjustments are planned for the official opening during the following season.

3. New Skills

Two new skills will be added, exclusive to Bows and Axes.

(1) Frost Storm

A Cold Element Bow skill that fires an arrow into the sky, creating a chilled area at the point of impact that deals continuous damage.

(2) Axe Throw

A Fire Element Axe skill that throws an axe forward to deal powerful damage.

The skill's form changes depending on the equipped axe type (one-handed, two-handed, or dual wield).

4. Chaos Rune Enchant

Many of you may have felt frustrated when you couldn't equip a desired Chaos Rune due to its link conditions.

In the upcoming season, Chaos Rune Enchant Essence will be added, allowing Chaos Runes to be enchanted just like regular Runes.

This will allow you to set link directions and colors as desired, significantly reducing the burden after obtaining Chaos Runes.

5. Abyss Gate Stage Expansion and Balance Adjustments

The Abyss Gate is top-tier content built around a high level of challenge, and will continue to receive expansions to its maximum stages along with floor-by-floor difficulty adjustments.

In [The Forge] season, overall balance adjustments will be implemented alongside an expansion of the maximum stages.

The newly added expansion tiers are being designed and balanced with a distinct level of difficulty, aiming to serve as the ultimate challenge for Rune Hunters.

We look forward to seeing many Rune Hunters take on this challenge.

6. Additions to God's Blessing and Character Traits

To expand early-game progression diversity, the system will be expanded to include 12 types of God's Blessing and 10 types of Character Traits.

God's Blessing has been designed to enable new directions in Stat selection, while Character Traits have been refined to more clearly distinguish each concept.

Traits within the same group can no longer be selected together, broadening the range of choices available.

Here are some of the newly added Character Traits:

1. Fountain of Vigor: A group centered around Potion-related mechanics.
2. Silent Resolve: A group focused on enhancing base Stats.
3. Soul Resonance: A group designed to strengthen Minions.

7. Zodiac Preset Saving

Previously, there was an inconvenience in having to reconfigure the Zodiac each time you created a new character.

Now, with the addition of a Preset feature that allows Zodiac settings to be saved and loaded at the account level, you can complete character setup more quickly and jump into combat faster.

■ Improvements and Expansion of Existing Content

1. Avatar Content Improvements

The Avatar system will be improved overall.

The maximum level will be expanded to 140, and character Stats will be partially reflected in the Avatar's offensive active skills.

This is expected to provide a new alternative beyond the existing buff and curse-based options.

2. Raid Improvements

To encourage active participation in raids, rewards will now only be granted to players who deal damage to the boss.

Additionally, boss levels will be fixed at Lv. 70 for Easy Mode and Lv. 170 for Hard Mode.

Easy Mode will be improved to allow solo play, while Hard Mode will be adjusted so it can be completed with a minimum number of players after a certain period of time has passed.

The reward structure will also be overhauled.

Fixed Rune Stone rewards per boss will be removed and replaced with a chest that allows you to obtain one of the available Rune Stones.

Additionally, it will be improved to allow a low chance of obtaining Transcendent Unique Gear.

In line with the intent of cooperative content, we hope this will create a more natural experience of fighting together and sharing rewards.

3. Black Market Improvements

The maximum Friendship level for each Faction will be expanded to Lv. 8.

While the maximum level is increased, early-stage requirements will be eased, allowing you to reach the maximum level through consistent participation in bounties.

Black Market rewards will be revamped, expanding the variety of available items to include high-value items and even Tier 10 Charms.

Along with these item adjustments, the cost to refresh the list will also be reduced.

Additionally, once per day, you will be able to exchange a Deed of Promise for Faction Currency through the traveling merchant Brown.

4. Guide of Illusion Improvements

In Guide of Illusion, overly dark graphical effects will be corrected, and the conditions for upgrading Charm Slots will be eased.

Additionally, the number of materials that can be used will be increased from 5 to 10, reducing the burden of material selection, and the resources required for progression will also be adjusted accordingly.

5. Treasure Chest Improvements

The Treasure Chest system appearing in Chaos Dungeons will be overhauled.

New Divine and Ancient grade Treasure Chests will be added, and while the appearance rate of Unique and Legendary grade chests will be slightly reduced, they will be adjusted to provide higher-value rewards appropriate to their rarity.

Additionally, balance adjustments will be made so that more Treasure Chests can appear in Hard Mode.

6. Spire of Barrier Improvements

There has been feedback that the progression speed in the Spire of Barrier feels slow compared to its rewards.

Accordingly, monster spawn speed has been improved, and early waves have been adjusted to progress more quickly.

7. Unique Synthesis Improvements

Reflecting the positive response to the NPC Astrologer Fortuna, who appeared earlier this season, she will now be permanently available in Town, allowing you to use Unique Synthesis at any time.

However, Fortuna encountered in dungeons will assist with synthesis at a lower cost than in Town, so we encourage you to take advantage of her when you find her.

8. Darkness Energy Improvements

This season introduces a new material, [White Night Crystal], which replaces Darkness Energy in its role as a special material.

White Night Crystals can be obtained through the Zodiac Pass and various content rewards, and the amount required to increase Essence Drop Chance will also be adjusted accordingly with the introduction of this new material.

Through this change, we aim to create a more natural flow in both material acquisition and overall progression.

To conclude,

Additional updates and improvements not covered in this Developer Letter will be shared in detail through a separate notice.

Additionally, we will be conducting a Survey to gather more feedback from Rune Hunters and reflect it in future seasons following [The Forge].

Further details will be provided through a notice, and we encourage your interest and participation.

Thank you.