SMALLAND 2 DEV DIARY: Progression & the Perk System

The Perk System

Today we will be taking you through character progression in Smalland 2, and explaining how we have decided to handle things a little differently this time around, whereby you will be able to decide how your character progresses with the brand new Perk System.

Rather than spending hours and hours playing through a standard XP grind system, progression is handled entirely through Perks. The idea is that your character develops based on what you actually get up to in the world.

As you complete quests, discover new locations, and achieve specific challenges and more, you will unlock Perks that give you new abilities, improve existing ones and help to shape your overall approach to survival.

There are 4 classes for you to choose from, each unique in how they will assist you in your journey through Smalland 2, discovering new lands and cultures.

The Four Branches

SURVIVALIST

This one is all about getting around and making the most of what you find. These perks will improve your overall mobility and make the gathering of resources a lot more efficient.

BEASTMASTER

Built for those of you who would rather not tackle the undergrowth on their own. These perks focus on Companions, letting you tame a wider range of species and expand how many pets you can have travelling with you.

WYRDWEAVER

This is where the magic side of things happens, tapping into the mysterious forces of Wyrd. Perks here allow you to unlock, improve the potency and duration of your magic and apply useful enchantments to your gear to give you an edge.

VANGUARD

For anyone who prefers straightforward, direct combat. The Vanguard tree is based around weapon and armor mastery, unlocking attack chains, combos and heavier abilities designed to help you stand your ground against the tougher creatures.

Build Your Character. No Locked Classes

One thing we were keen on from early in development was not boxing anyone into a rigid class. We want you to have the freedom to assign your Perks as you choose and therefore these branches are not mutually exclusive at all.

If you want to put every point in Vanguard and play a pure, frontline fighter, you can. But if you fancy playing more as a Survivalist, focusing on movement and harvesting or using spells and enchantments with Wyrd magic then you are free to mix and match as you see fit. Essentially whatever suits your preferred playstyle.

The overall goal is to let your build feel like a natural reflection of how you actually like to play, rather than something picked from a menu at the very start.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this approach and what kind of setups you typically lean towards with games like this. Are you the sort of Player who sticks to a dedicated role, or do you prefer cobbling together a bit of a hybrid?

Disclaimer: All images are subject to change throughout the development process.