RuneScape has been testing major combat updates for months, and they are finally here in today’s update. Along with a new dev diary video to break down what to expect, the team has worked with the community to create this latest change.
The combat beta began back in November, with the Jagex team noting that, after releasing their first new combat style ever, Necromancy, they were looking to build upon some of the changes that style brought. This was set to be a modernization of the three original styles, via some of their work on Necromancy.
Some of the changes in this update were originally part of the Necromancy update, such as altering Accuracy to use a scaling damage system instead of affecting hit chance, and adjustments to critical strikes. Working with the community, with some creators also taking part in the testing and consulting with the devs, we now have this new update. As much as it does change, since combat is such a big part of RuneScape, it’s not the only improvement they have planned.
The core combat system is reworked, with adjustments not just to Accuracy and crit ttrikes, but to damage potential, and damage caps. Instead of there being a chance to hit a monster, if your hit chance is 70%, now you'll hit for 70% of your damage with every hit instead of missing 30% of the time. No more worry about missing. You'll hit each time and avoid wasting adrenaline or trigger a cooldown for nothing. When it comes to critical strikes, instead of just having a 10% chance of a 50% Critical Strike boost, now you will do 50% increased damage 10% of the time. All of these changes are intended to make combat feel more reliable and dynamic.
After months of fine-tuning, the update is here, and this isn’t the end. Not only does the team have more combat changes in mind down the line, but for now, their priority is making sure this update is–and remains–balanced.
