◤Developer Note: Galactic Disaster Season 4 Balance Adjustments◢ (Edited)

Zero Out All Despair!
Hello, this is the Chaos Zero Nightmare development team.

■ Details
- Compensation details and the adjustment of the max cap of Morale, Fortitude, and Resolve
ㄴ [View More Details]

In this Developer Note, we would like to provide details on the major balance adjustments coming with the Season 4 update.
* The details outlined in this developer note are subject to change at the time of the actual update.

The Season 4 balance adjustments will improve the performance of certain Combatant cards and underutilized gameplay elements. At the same time, elements that have been performing excessively well will be brought to a more appropriate level. These changes are intended to reduce the performance gaps across the overall combat experience and provide a more balanced gameplay experience.

The changes also include adjustments to certain Battle System mechanics and reductions to some of the Seasonal Powers introduced in Season 3. These elements were released without sufficient testing, which led us to make adjustments after release. We sincerely apologize for the confusion this has caused our Protos.

We deeply regret that our inadequate testing has negatively impacted your experience. We also understand how frustrating it can be to see the decks and strategies you spent countless hours crafting affected by these changes.

The following compensation reflects our commitment to continuously improving our service and providing a better experience for our Protos. We will completely overhaul our internal testing procedures and do everything in our power to prevent similar issues from occurring again.

◈ Compensation for Our Protos
- Claim Period: July 29 (Wed) after the maintenance – August 18 (Tue) 23:59 (UTC)
* Delivered to your in-game mailbox, Storage Period: 7 Days

Compensation	Quantity
Rescue Anchor	10
Core of Annihilation	3
Core of the Reverse	3
Core of Potential	5
Colorless Core	10
Core of Mutation	15
Abyssal Core	30

The following changes are included in this adjustment:

- Combat System Specification Changes
- Core of Mutation Improvements
- Combatant Ego Manifestation and Card Buffs
- Damage Increase Cap for Orlea’s Softie Card
- Equipment Effect Adjustments
- Season 3 Seasonal Power Adjustments (Persona Engraving / Cards)

[Battle System Specification Changes]
We have confirmed that the number of buff stacks and cards has exceeded the limits originally intended by the development team, resulting in significant gameplay inflation. Based on our review, we determined that certain builds and playstyles have become powerful enough to undermine the intended strategic gameplay experience. To address this issue, we will introduce limits on certain persistent effects and the number of cards that can be held in the discard pile.

- The max stacks of Morale, Fortitude, and Resolve will be limited to 15.
When an effect is gained beyond the maximum number of stacks, effects with the shortest remaining duration will be removed first.
For example, if Morale lasting for 1 turn and permanent Morale are both active when the maximum number of stacks is exceeded, the Morale lasting for 1 turn will be removed first.

- The Discard Pile will be limited to a maximum of 200 cards.
When additional cards are moved to the Discard Pile after this limit has been reached, the oldest cards in the Discard Pile will be moved to the Exhaust Pile first. Effects that activate when a card is Exhausted, such as Incinerate, will not activate when this occurs.

[Core of Mutation Improvements]
Core of Mutation was designed as a new progression feature that allows Protos to further enhance the Save Data strategies. However, we have found that its limited availability and the significant difference in strength between effect levels have created considerable pressure for many Protos. To address these issues, we will implement the following three improvements.

First, a Memorial feature will be added when using a Core of Mutation on an effect that has already been applied. When an additional Core of Mutation is used, you will be able to keep the existing effect or apply the new one. This will prevent your progression level from decreasing after using a Core of Mutation.

Second, the number of obtainable Core of Mutation will be increased. They can be purchased up to 10 times at a reduced price. Afterward, they may be purchased an unlimited number of times at the original price.

Third, we will reduce the performance gap between lower-level and higher-level effects while making special effects more appealing alongside general-purpose options such as Enhanced Attack. Through these changes, we aim to reduce the tendency to favor only high-level effects and specific options, encouraging a wider variety of meaningful choices.

Effects that are not listed below remain unchanged.
- Value Adjustments

- Previous Effect Removed
ㄴWith the enhancement of the Extra Attack: 1-Turn Morale Lv.2 effect, the following effect has been removed.

Effect Name	Effect
Extra Attack: 1-Turn Morale Lv.3	On Extra Attack, 1 Morale for 1 turn (3 times per turn)

[Combatant Ego Manifestation and Card Buffs]

▶Narja
Narja has consistently performed well as a healer and support Combatant. However, the usability of Narja’s Ego Manifestation effects has fallen short of expectations, so we are making the following improvements.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Ego Manifestation Stage 2	When Voracity decreases, 25% chance to gain 1 Voracity.	When Voracity is decreased, 40% chance to gain 1 Voracity.
Ego Manifestation Stage 4	+30% Damage Amount to Predation.	+40% Damage Amount to Predation.
Ego Manifestation Stage 6	At the end of the turn, inflict 50% Defense-Based Damage to random enemies and Heal 1% Health for each Predation decreased this turn.	At the start of the turn, gain 4 Voracity and 2 Predation. At the end of the turn, inflict 50% Defense-Based Damage to random enemies and Heal 1% Health for each Predation decreased this turn.

These changes strengthen Narja’s Ego Manifestation damage support while improving the consistency of generating Voracity and Predation, allowing Narja to contribute more reliably in battle.

▶Nine
Nine has demonstrated consistent performance against powerful single enemies. However, some Ego Manifestation effects have been too restrictive in practice, so we are improving their usability and overall damage contribution.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Ego Manifestation Stage 4	When Nine’s cards are Exhausted, gain 1 Improvisation equal to the Cost of that card. Improvisation: +50% Defense-Based Damage Amount to Nine’s Attack Cardfor 1 turn (max 3 stacks)	When Nine’s cards are Exhausted, gain 1 Improvisation equal to the Cost of that card. Improvisation: +50% Defense-Based Damage Amount to Nine’s Attack Card (max 3 stacks)
Ego Manifestation Stage 6	When Hew cards are activated, inflict 15% of the Damage dealt to the target as Fixed Damage.	When Hew cards are activated, inflict 25% of the Damage dealt to the target as Fixed Damage.

Improvisation will now last until the end of battle instead of 1 turn, significantly improving its usability. The damage of Ego Manifestation Stage 6 will also be increased.

▶Renoa
Several of Renoa’s Unique Cards have underperformed in terms of damage contribution. Their base Damage Amount will therefore be increased across the board.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Instant Judgment	Cost 1, 180% Damage, If Dirge Bullet is in hand, discard 1 card and +100% Damage Amount	Cost 1, 220% Damage, If Dirge Bullet is in hand, discard 1 card and +100% Damage Amount
Instant Judgment (1st Epiphany)	Cost 1, 270% Damage, If Dirge Bullet is in hand, discard 1 card and +150% Damage Amount	Cost 1, 330% Damage, If Dirge Bullet is in hand, discard 1 card and +150% Damage Amount
Instant Judgment (2nd Epiphany)	Cost 1, 220% Damage, If Dirge Bullet is in Draw Pile, discard 1 card and +120% Damage Amount	Cost 1, 270% Damage, If Dirge Bullet is in Draw Pile, discard 1 card and +120% Damage Amount
Instant Judgment (3rd Epiphany)	Cost 1,220% Damage, If Dirge Bullet is in Graveyard, Exhaust 1 card and add 1 Hit	Cost 1, 270% Damage, If Dirge Bullet is in Graveyard, Exhaust 1 card and add 1 Hit
Ballad of Pitch Black	Cost 1, 50% Damage × 3, +20% Damage Amount for each Dirge Bullet in hand	Cost 1, 60% Damage × 3, +20% Damage Amount for each Dirge Bullet in hand
Ballad of Pitch Black (1st Epiphany)	Cost 1, 75% Damage × 3, +30% Damage Amount for each Dirge Bullet in hand	Cost 1, 90% Damage × 3, +30% Damage Amount for each Dirge Bullet in hand
Ballad of Pitch Black (3rd Epiphany)	Cost 1, 50% Damage × 3, 1 Mark to the target for each Dirge Bullet in hand	Cost 1,60% Damage × 3, 1 Mark to the target for each Dirge Bullet in hand
Ballad of Pitch Black (4th Epiphany)	Cost 1, 50% Damage × 3, increase Damage Amount of Dirge Bullet's Extra Attack by 100% for 1 turn	Cost 1, 60% Damage × 3, increase Damage Amount of Dirge Bullet's Extra Attack by 100% for 1 turn
Ballad of Pitch Black (5th Epiphany)	Cost 1,50% Damage × 3, Exhaust all Dirge Bullet in Graveyard, increase Damage Amount by 50% for each	Cost 1, 60% Damage × 3, Exhaust all Dirge Bullet in Graveyard, increase Damage Amount by 50% for each
Last-Ditch Assault	Cost 1, [Retain], 150% (+N%) Damage. Discard all Dirge Bullet, then +50% Damage Amount for each card Discarded	Cost 1, [Retain],300% (+N%) Damage. Discard all Dirge Bullet, then +50% Damage Amount for each card Discarded
Last-Ditch Assault (Ego Stage 1)	Cost 1, [Retain], 150% (+N%) Damage. Discard all Dirge Bullet, then +70% Damage Amount for each card Discarded	Cost 1, [Retain], 300% (+N%) Damage. Discard all Dirge Bullet, then +70% Damage Amount for each card Discarded

▶Luke
To improve the overall performance of Luke’s Handgun Bullet build, exclusive cards and Ego Skills will be buffed.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Magnum Shot	Cost 0, [Ephemeral/Exhaust/Bullet], 70% Damage	Cost 0, [Ephemeral/Exhaust/Bullet],85% Damage
Silver Shot	Cost 0, [Ephemeral/Exhaust/Bullet], 50% Damage, Weakness Attack: Increase Damage Amount by 100%	Cost 0, [Ephemeral/Exhaust/Bullet], 60% Damage, Weakness Attack: Increase Damage Amount by 100%
Uranium Shot	Cost 0, [Ephemeral/Exhaust/Bullet], 50% Damage. If the target has Shield, increase Damage Amount by 100%	Cost 0, [Ephemeral/Exhaust/Bullet], 60% Damage. If the target has Shield, increase Damage Amount by 100%
Stealth Reload	Cost 1, Create2 Handgun Bullet	Cost 1, Create 3 Handgun Bullet
Stealth Reload (1st Epiphany)	Cost 1, Create 2 Handgun Bullet, +30% Critical Chance to those cards	Cost 1, Create3 Handgun Bullet, +30% Critical Chance to those cards
Stealth Reload (2nd Epiphany)	Cost 1, Create 3 Handgun Bullet	Cost 0, Create 3 Handgun Bullet
Stealth Reload (3rd Epiphany)	Cost 1, Create 2 Handgun Bullet. At the start of the next turn, create 2 Handgun Bullet	Cost 1, Create 3 Handgun Bullet. At the start of the next turn, create 2 Handgun Bullet
Stealth Reload (5th Epiphany)	Cost2, [Exhaust], Create 5 Handgun Bullet	Cost 1, [Exhaust], Create 5 Handgun Bullet
Finisher Round	Unusable, [Unique/Bullet], 300% Damage. When 5 Handgun Bullet cards are used, remove Unusable	Unusable, [Unique/Bullet], 500% Damage. When 5 Handgun Bullet cards are used, remove Unusable
Lethal Design (Ego Skill)	Cost 5, 300% Damage, +15% Damage Amount for each card in hand	Cost 5, 450% Damage, +25% base Damage Amount for each card in hand
Ego Manifestation Stage 3	+50% Damage Amount to Lethal Design, and the Damage Amount for each card in hand is changed from +15% to +25%	+100% Damage Amount to Lethal Design, and the Damage Amount for each card in hand is changed from +25% to +35%

▶Kayron
The Damage Amount Increase through Ego Manifestation will now persist throughout battle, improving his overall usability.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Ego Manifestation Stage 4	Each time a Futility card is Exhausted, gain 1 Echo of Paradox. Echo of Paradox: +10% Damage to Kayron's Attack Cards for 1 turn (max 3 stacks)	Each time a Futility card is Exhausted, gain 1 Echo of Paradox. Echo of Paradox: +10% Damage to Kayron's Attack Cards (max 3 stacks)

▶Khalipe
The base Damage Amount of Silver Veil and her Ego Manifestation bonuses will be increased, while the conditional Damage Amount of Greatsword Aquila will also be improved.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Silver Veil	When Silver Veil stacks up to 3, 400% Defense-Based Damage to all enemies. Upon activation, remove Silver Veil	When Silver Veil stacks up to 3, 500% Defense-Based Damage to all enemies. Upon activation, remove Silver Veil
Silver Veil (Ego Stage 6)	When Silver Veil stacks up to 3, 500% Defense-Based Damage to all enemies. Upon activation, remove Silver Veil	When Silver Veil stacks up to 3, 650% Defense-Based Damage to all enemies. Upon activation, remove Silver Veil
Greatsword Aquila	Cost 1, 150% Defense-Based Damage to all enemies. If Vulture Ejection is in hand, increase Cost by 1, +100% Damage Amount	Cost 1, 150% Defense-Based Damage to all enemies. If Vulture Ejection is in hand, increase Cost by 1, +120% Damage Amount
Greatsword Aquila (1st Epiphany)	Cost 1, 210% Defense-Based Damage to all enemies. If Vulture Ejection is in hand, increase Cost by 1, +120% Damage Amount	Cost 1, 210% Defense-Based Damage to all enemies. If Vulture Ejection is in hand, increase Cost by 1, +170% Damage Amount
Greatsword Aquila (5th Epiphany)	Cost 1, [Retrieve 3], 150% Defense-Based Damage to all enemies. If Vulture Ejection is in hand, increase Cost by 1,+100% Damage Amount	Cost 1, [Retrieve 3], 150% Defense-Based Damage to all enemies. If Vulture Ejection is in hand, increase Cost by 1, +120% Damage Amount
Ego Manifestation Stage 4	Each time the Silver Veil effect is activated, gain the Deploy Veil effect. Deploy Veil: +10% Damage and Shield Gain Amount (max 2 stacks)	Each time the Silver Veil effect is activated, gain the Deploy Veil effect. Deploy Veil: +30% Damage and Shield Gain Amount (max 2 stacks)
Ego Manifestation Stage 6	At the start of battle, gain 2 Silver Veil, and +100%Damage Amount to Silver Veil.	At the start of battle, gain 2 Silver Veil, and +150% Damage Amount to Silver Veil.

▶Hugo
The Damage Amount Increase granted by Ego Manifestation will now persist throughout battle, and Morale granted by the Stage 6 effect will be increased to 2.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Ego Manifestation Stage 4	Each time Commence the Hunt is activated, gain 1 Arbiter’s Fury. Arbiter’s Fury: +10% Damage Amount to Hugo for 1 turn (max 4 stacks)	Each time Commence the Hunt is activated, gain 1 Arbiter’s Fury. Arbiter’s Fury: +10% Damage Amount to Hugo (max 4 stacks)
Ego Manifestation Stage 6	At the start of the turn, inflict 1 Hunting Mark to a random enemy. Hunting Mark: When hit by the effect of Commence the Hunt, gain 1 Morale for 1 turn. Removed when activated or when Hunting Mark is applied to another target.	At the start of the turn, inflict 1 Hunting Mark to a random enemy. Hunting Mark: When hit by the effect of Commence the Hunt, gain 2 Morale for 1 turn. (max 1 stack) Removed when activated or when Hunting Mark is applied to another target.

* For the updated [Hunting Mark] tooltip, “(max 1 stack)” has only been added as tooltip text. There are no changes to its actual behavior.

▶Lucas
The Damage Amount of Machine Launcher Bullet will be increased.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Armor-Piercing Rounds	Cost 1, [Exhaust/Ephemeral/Bullet], 120% Damage, 60% Damage to another enemy. If the target has Shield, +30% Damage Amount	Cost 1, [Exhaust/Ephemeral/Bullet], 140% Damage, 70% Damage to another enemy. If the target has Shield, +30% Damage Amount
Explosive Shot	Cost 1, [Exhaust/Ephemeral/Bullet], 120% Damage, 60% Damage to another enemy. 1 Weaken to all enemies	Cost 1, [Exhaust/Ephemeral/Bullet], 140% Damage, 70% Damage to another enemy. 1 Weaken to all enemies
Dispersing Shot	Cost 1, [Exhaust/Ephemeral/Bullet], 120% Damage, 60%Damage to another enemy. 1 Impair to all enemies	Cost 1, [Exhaust/Ephemeral/Bullet], 140% Damage, 70% Damage to another enemy. 1 Impair to all enemies
Cold Shot	Cost 1, [Exhaust/Ephemeral/Bullet/Haste], 120% Damage, 60% Damage to another enemy. Increase Action Count of all enemies by 1	Cost 1, [Exhaust/Ephemeral/Bullet/Haste], 140% Damage, 70% Damage to another enemy. Increase Action Count of all enemies by 1
Flame Shot	Cost 1, [Exhaust/Ephemeral/Bullet], 120% Damage, 60%Damage to another enemy. 1 Agony to all enemies	Cost 1, [Exhaust/Ephemeral/Bullet], 140% Damage, 70% Damage to another enemy. 1 Agony to all enemies

▶Beryl
The base Damage Amount of Charged Shot and Opening Found will be slightly increased, improving Beryl’s early Chaos damage output and the overall damage potential of Heavy Weapons Specialist builds.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Opening Found	Cost 1, [Retain] 140% Damage, Retain: Add 1 Hit for 1 turn	Cost 1, [Retain]160% Damage, Retain: Add 1 Hit for 1 turn
Charged Shot	Cost 2, [Retain] 240% Damage, Retain: +120% Damage Amount	Cost 2, [Retain] 270% Damage, Retain: +135% Damage Amount
Charged Shot (2nd Epiphany)	Cost 1, [Retain] 240% Damage, Combo: +120% Damage Amount	Cost 1, [Retain] 270% Damage, Combo: +135% Damage Amount

▶Tressa
The amount of Agony inflicted by Shadow Dagger and Advanced Shadow Dagger will be increased, improving Tressa’s overall Damage Amount.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Shadow Dagger	Cost 0, [Exhaust], 80% Damage, 1 Agony	Cost 0, [Exhaust], 80% Damage, 2 Agony
Advanced Shadow Dagger	Cost 0, [Retain/Exhaust], 2 Agony, 50% Damage, +10% Damage Amount for each Agony on target	Cost 0, [Retain/Exhaust], 4 Agony, 50% Damage, +10% Damage Amount for each Agony on target

[Damage Increase Cap for Orlea’s Softie Card]
We found that the damage increase granted by Orlea’s Softie card when Retained created excessive synergy with certain Damage Amount Increase effects, to the point that it undermined the game’s intended strategic gameplay.

Our goal is to preserve Orlea’s gameplay identity and party contribution while adjusting only the interactions that excessively dominate combat. To achieve this, the Damage Amount Increase granted by the Retain effect of Softie cards will now be capped at 350%.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Softie ★	Cost 0, [Exhaust/Retain/Creation], Increase Damage Amount by 10% for 1 turn. Retain: Increase Damage Amount of the next Attack Card used by 10%	Cost 0, [Exhaust/Retain/Creation], Increase Damage Amount by 10% for 1 turn. Retain: Increase Damage Amount of the next Attack Card used by 10% (max 350%)
Softie ★★	Cost 0, [Exhaust/Retain/Creation], Increase Damage Amount by 20% for 1 turn. Retain: Increase Damage Amount of the next Attack Card used by 20%	Cost 0, [Exhaust/Retain/Creation], Increase Damage Amount by 20% for 1 turn. Retain: Increase Damage Amount of the next Attack Card used by 20% (max 350%)
Softie ★★★	Cost 0, [Exhaust/Retain/Creation], Increase Damage Amount by 35% for 1 turn. Retain: Increase Damage Amount of the next Attack Card used by 35%	Cost 0, [Exhaust/Retain/Creation], Increase Damage Amount by 35% for 1 turn. Retain: Increase Damage Amount of the next Attack Card used by 35% (max 350%)

If, as a result of this adjustment, you no longer wish to invest in or use Orlea, we will provide a Growth Reset feature that refunds the resources spent on her levels and Potential. Once again, we sincerely apologize to our Protos.

[Equipment Effect Adjustments]
We discovered that the Attack +% effects provided by certain equipment, including Clover of the Forest, were being applied multiplicatively instead of as intended. These effects will now stack additively with other Attack +% effects. In addition, several equipment effects related to Action Count have exceeded their intended limits and will be adjusted accordingly. The affected equipment is listed below.

Adjustment Target	Before	After
Nightmare Hairpin	When a Single-Target Attack Card is used, increase Action Count of the target by 2 (1 time per turn)	When a Single-Target Attack Card is used, increase Action Count of the target by1 (1 time per turn)
Crushed Angel Feather	When ally Linked cards are used, increase Action Count of all enemies by2 (1 time per turn)	When ally Linked cards are used, increase Action Count of all enemies by 1 (1 time per turn)
Torture Toolbox	At the start of the turn, increase Action Count of all enemies by 3	At the start of the turn, increase Action Count of all enemies by 1
Bloody Pendant	When Duplicated Cards are used, Action Count of all enemies does not decrease for 1 turn (1 time per battle)	When Duplicated Cards are used, increase Action Count of all enemies by 3 (1 time per battle)
Clover of the Forest	Attack +% effects stacked multiplicatively	Attack +% effects now stack additively with other Attack +% effects (such as Criticism of Discord and Tentacles of a Ruined Age)
Verdant Day
Verdant Night
Verdant Shackles
Pulsating Egg
Bloom: Dull Bone Blade

[Season 3 Season Power Adjustments (Persona Engraving / Cards)]
Going forward, we intend to avoid adjusting Seasonal Powers after they have been released, as doing so can negatively impact deck-building freedom and the overall season experience. However, the Persona Engravings and Cards introduced in Season 3 significantly exceed the intended power levels of previous Seasonal Powers due to insufficient balance review during development.

If left unchanged, this would inevitably lead to power inflation in future seasons. Repeating this cycle would rapidly reduce the long-term value of your Save Data while also increasing the burden of having to repeatedly farm new content. For this reason, we have decided to make the following adjustments.

That said, we also want to preserve the diverse deck-building strategies and gameplay experiences that Protos enjoyed throughout Season 3. Therefore, these adjustments primarily reduce numerical values while maintaining the original roles and functions of the Engravings and Cards in combat.

Lastly, we would like to share some of the improvements we’re currently considering for Sortie.

Since the Sortie update, various Core items have been added to the Chaos Analysis Lab, increasing the amount of Black Mass that Protos need to spend and making Sortie feel increasingly like a mandatory daily task. As a result, the burden of entry Aether and the overall fatigue associated with Sortie have grown to the point where we believe they are beginning to detract from the enjoyment of the content.

To address this, we are preparing additional improvements. First, with the Season 4 update, the entry Aether refund point will be moved from after clearing the Act 1 Boss to upon entering the Rest Spot immediately before the Act 1 Boss.

In addition, we plan to introduce improvements that reduce the time required to play Sortie as soon as possible. Our goal is to implement this in a way that preserves the value earned by Protos who actively play Sortie while still allowing players to obtain rewards at a reasonable level. Once the update schedule has been finalized, we will provide more details.
We are also exploring additional improvements internally, and we will continue to share future plans as they are finalized.

Once again, we sincerely apologize for failing to provide a stable gameplay experience due to insufficient testing of various in-game systems.

The development team will use this experience to further strengthen our internal review process and continue improving the game based on your feedback and gameplay data.

Thank you.

Chaos Zero Nightmare development team

Developer Notes's post

◤Developer Note: New Combatant and The Great Rift Content Preview◢ (Edited)

◤Developer Note: Additional Notice Regarding the Season 4 Balance Adjustments◢

◤Developer Note: Galactic Disaster Season 4 Balance Adjustments◢ (Edited)

◤Developer Note: Upcoming Balance Adjustments and Future Direction of Sortie◢

◤Developer Note: New Combatants and The Great Rift Content Preview◢