Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen October 2019 Newsletter

The Visionary Realms team is trying out something new with this month's newsletter for their upcoming old-school MMORPG Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen. Instead of the usual articles, we get a video update hosted by game producer Benjamin “Machail” Dean and senior content creator David “Roenick” Schlow. This video newsletter goes over Pantheon's racial passives, tells us a bit about the Spriggan race, and features a community Q&A segment. Check it out:

And here's an overview of the passives:

1. The Skar

We would describe the Skar of Skargol as animalistic, resourceful and deadly pack hunters. In our design discussions, raptors are often invoked when describing the Skar and their behavior towards their enemies or prey. There is a certain fearlessness within them, attacking their enemies with abandon.

There’s also an interesting, almost insect-like aspect to their ability to adapt and endure. They could go a long time without eating or drinking and not feel the effects. They can endure patiently, waiting for the moment to strike. Then like raptors, or a swarm of locusts, they could devour their enemies, or each other.

Innate racial passives of the Skar:
  • Long-Suffering: Increases maximum health by 5%
  • Fear of the Nine God: Grants an innate 20% resistance to Fear effects
  • Pack-Hunter: Increases movement speed up to a maximum of 5% when in range of Skar group members.
  • Skar have an advantage against the Predatory disposition (+X% to damage dealt, -Y% to damage received. May also nullify certain aspects of the disposition’s effects).
2. The Ogres

When it comes to describing the Ogres of Broken Maw, their physical strength, their fortitude and stamina dominate, entirely geared toward combat. When they fight, they enter into a kind of Battle Trance: one on one conflict and ultimate victory are constants in the Ogre’s mind.

Innate passives of the Ogres:
  • Broken Maw’s Grit: Ogres gain extra attack rating from each point of Strength.
  • Staggering Strength: Increases critical damage by 5%.
  • Battle-Hardened: Grants an innate 25% chance to resist non-magical stun effects. This becomes 100% immunity to non-magical stuns during Battle Trance (active).
  • Ogres have an advantage against the Bloodthirsty disposition.
3. The Dark Myr

Many of you might be interested to know that JN Gerhart, our Lead Writer, drew inspiration for the Dark Myr of Syronai’s Rest from the Chiss of Star Wars lore.

Heavily shaped by the myths and legends of their culture, as a race they are constantly mindful of their past, and in the present are cunning, cold, observant and highly logical - the natural fruits of the cynical bitterness through which they see the world around them.

Innate racial passives of the Dark Myr:
  • Vestige of Syronai: Grants underwater breathing and increased swim speed.
  • Perceptive: Increases Insight skill by 10 points.
  • Embittered Psyche: Increases both Stealth Effectiveness and Awareness by 10 points.
  • Born of Deep Waters: Grants an innate bonus to Anaerobic and Pressure acclimation.
  • Dark Myr have an advantage against the Cunning disposition.
4. The Humans

The Humans of Thronefast have an inherent belief and confidence that they will succeed, that they will find the treasure, that they will conquer the enemy.

This contagious optimism is married to love of exploration and adventure - always looking for glory, driven by destiny, and their Bards certainly write the catchiest songs. For these reasons, Humans have always had a way of rallying others to a common goal.

Innate racial passives of the Humans:
  • A People Inspired: Increases melee, ranged and spell haste by 2%.
  • Wanderlust: Grants a bonus to faction gain with neutral factions. This also increases experience gained through exploration.
  • Shield Specialization: Increases Shield Mastery skill by 10 points.
  • Thronefastian Charm: Increases the effectiveness of skills & abilities modified by Charisma.
  • Humans have an advantage against the Alarmist disposition.
5. The Elves

Tradition is highly valued by the Elves of Faerthale; the central tenet includes maintaining steady stewardship of the Lucent Tree. However, in light of this communal focus, there is an interesting diversity among the Elves, manifested in the unique factions of the Ashen and Ember Elves - players will have the opportunity to align themselves with one or the other at character creation.

Ashen Elves are wise, intelligent and measured - given to study, memorization and recitation. Ember Elves are impassioned in their hearts - they believe evil needs to be met where it sleeps and dealt with swiftly and proactively.

Innate racial passives of all Elves:
  • Lucent Ancestry: Grants innate resistance to Nature magic and increases the effectiveness of Nature abilities.
  • Nimble: Increases the effectiveness of skills & abilities modified by Agility.
  • Elves have an advantage against the Truesight disposition.
Ashen Elf Racial Passives:
  • Deep Recitation: Grants an innate 20% chance to resist spell interruption and counterspell abilities.
  • Sagacious: Ashen Elves gain extra spell rating from each point of Wisdom.
Ember Elf Racial Passives:
  • Unflinching: Grants an innate 20% chance to resist knockdown and knockback abilities.
  • Deftness: Grants extra attack rating from each point of Dexterity.
6. The Halflings

The Halflings of Wild’s End face everything with a smile. As a people, they are imbued with mischief and mirth, bursting with youthful optimism and confident that everything is going to go well.

Still, those who look closely can sense that deep underneath this genuine layer of merriment, this is a people cursed - and the laugh of the Wraith who cursed them still echoes in memory.

Innate racial passives of Halflings:
  • Wild Mind: Grants innate resistance to Charm and Mesmerize effects.
  • Dagger Specialization: Increases Dagger skill by 10 points.
  • The Fire of Youth: Grants a bonus to the effect of consumables.
  • Wraith Hunters: Grants a bonus to damage inflicted against Wraith targets.
  • Halflings have an advantage against the Deranged disposition.
7. The Archai

As a people, the Archai of Su’Roa are marked by a culture of celebration - they are imbued by a grateful spirit for the gift of liberation they were granted long ago.

Freedom from their former slave-masters has instilled within them an abiding hope and a drive to work for the good and protection of others.

They are not without pain, however, knowing that their current form is still a kind of prison. No longer able to exist as beings of light, they require outer shells to function, so there is a tension, an ache and a longing for what they once had.

Innate racial passives of the Archai:
  • Living Reservoir: Mana-drain effects are reduced by X%.
  • Effervescent: Immune to effects that drain Endurance.
  • Elemental Attunement: Grants a bonus to the effectiveness of elemental-based abilities based on attunement (Fire, Water, Wind, Earth).
  • Natural Acclimation: Innate bonus to Acclimation score based on elemental attunement: Fire = Scorching, Water = Frigid, Wind = Windshear, Earth = Toxic.
  • Archai have an advantage against the Playful disposition.
8. The Dwarves

The Dwarves of Khadassa stand unique among the other races in many ways, but perhaps most importantly, they are the only people who live in the physical presence of the celestial who formed them.

While Dwarven strength, hardiness and mastery of the forge are renowned, the inspiration they draw from the Dwarven Father’s presence marks them, producing in their ranks a legendary zeal, making them energetic leaders and formidable combatants.

Innate racial passives of the Dwarves:
  • Fortitude: Dwarves gain extra Hit Points from each point of Stamina.
  • Grip of the Dwarven Father: Grants immunity to Disarm.
  • Ice and Stone: Innate bonus to Cold Resistance, Frigid and Toxic Acclimation.
  • Mountain-Forged: Increases Blunt weaponry skills by 10 points.
  • Dwarves have an advantage against the Avenging disposition.
9. The Gnomes

The Gnomes of Skyhold were isolationists for 50 years after arriving on Terminus. While their hidden activity over that first half-century remains a mystery, the doors of Skyhold are now open and Gnomes have emerged to mingle with the other races.

As a people, Gnomes are extremely fascinated by magic and mystery. They are much like scholarly adventurers, or arcane archaeologists - always on the hunt to solve the next riddle or grasp a new, deeper power.

To balance this primal drive, they also carry the memory of the Elos fire - and with it, a kind of fear that wards them, a reminder that to follow their passion and curiosity too far might destroy them.

Innate racial passives of the Gnomes:
  • Incantation Mastery: Grants an innate 20% chance to resist Silence.
  • Enigmatic Brilliance: Gnomes gain extra Mana from each point of Intelligence.
  • Ethereal Being: Increases Dodge chance by 3%.
  • Constant Scholar: Increases the rate at which skills improve.
  • Gnomes have an advantage against the Mastermind disposition.