Check-in~!!!

Need more flakes

I just noticed something extremely frustrating after today's hotfix. Before this update, reaching Survival 5 through the season mechanic gave a solid triple bonus: · Morale 3 → +60% damage · Tenacity 3 → -60% damage taken · Resolve 3 → +60% shield effectiveness That was a meaningful reward for investing heavily into the Survival path. Now, after the hotfix, Survival 5 gives ONLY a +30% damage boost. No damage reduction. No shield bonus. Just a 30% – less than half of what it used to be in terms of offense, and absolutely zero defensive or utility value. And the worst part? This change was not mentioned anywhere – not in the patch notes, not in any dev log, not even in a simple in-game notification. It was quietly slipped in, as if players wouldn't notice. This is not a minor tweak. It completely destroys the viability of builds that relied on that survivability, and it wastes all the effort players put into stacking Survival cards this season. What makes this even worse is that, less than two months ago, after a major balance uproar, the devs publicly promised that they would "never let our time and effort go to waste." And now, right at the launch of the new season – the very moment when players are exploring new builds, testing synergies, and resetting their saves – they pull this kind of silent, unannounced change. This directly contradicts that promise and shows a complete disregard for everyone who trusted their words. This is a deliberate stealth nerf, plain and simple. There is no way this was accidental – it was a conscious decision to slash the numbers and remove two entire buffs, and then deliberately omit it from every communication channel. I am not against balance changes – but I am strongly against zero‑communication shadow patches. When changes are hidden like this, it gives the impression that player time and intelligence are not valued. We test, we theorycraft, we invest resources – and then the ground is pulled out from under us without a single word. This is unacceptable. Please do not treat the community as if we won't notice. We notice. And we are not happy. 

Lords, greetings.

We are pleased to welcome you to our 14th Dev Letter.

Since our last letter, we have been fully focused on preparing for the World Merge.

We have repeatedly migrated and verified data to ensure that your current gameplay experience continues as seamlessly as possible even after the merge.

As you have waited a long time for this moment, this letter is focused on everything you need to know to prepare for the day of the merge and what comes afterward.

We will first cover the Worlds included in the merge, character name changes, Character Storage, and how the Marketplace and Mail will be handled. We will then explain the changes to Guilds and Alliances, as well as what will happen to Lord’s Arena records.

Finally, we will share what is coming in the August update.

▣ World Merge Details

The day we promised is almost here

The World Merge will take place on August 26, 2026.

The Worlds included in the merge remain unchanged from what we announced in our previous Dev Letter.

※ Servers within each World will also be merged following the same structure.
     (Example: Medea 01 → Remus 01)

Your characters and assets will remain safe

The World Merge does not mean starting over.

Your characters, equipment, items, and currencies will all be transferred as they are.

We are taking every precaution to ensure that the time and effort you have invested so far are preserved.

Setting a New Character Name

There is, however, one step that will be required as part of the merge.

When multiple Worlds are combined, there may be multiple characters with the same name.

To resolve these duplicate names, you will need to set a new character name before entering the game for the first time after the merge.

〔How It Works〕
 • A character name setup screen will appear when you first log in after the merge.

 • You must enter a new character name before you can enter the game.

• Your previous character name cannot be used again.

We understand that changing a name you have used for a long time may take some getting used to.

We hope this new name marks the first step of a new journey in your new World.

▣ Character Storage

So that not a single character is lost

As characters from multiple Worlds are brought together into a single World, the number of characters you own may exceed your available Character Slots.

To accommodate this, we are introducing Character Storage.

Additional characters will be moved to Character Storage

Any characters exceeding your available Character Slots will not be deleted. Instead, they will be moved to Character Storage.

For a set period of time, you will be able to review the characters in storage and choose which ones you would like to activate.

Expand your slots to activate more characters

Even if you currently have only two Character Slots unlocked, there is no need to worry.

After the merge, expanding your Character Slots will allow you to activate additional characters from Character Storage according to the number of slots you have opened.

Even if you are unable to decide immediately, you will still be able to expand your slots and activate characters during the grace period.

Grace Period and Character Selection Criteria

Character Storage will remain available for a set period before it is finalized.

If you do not activate characters before the grace period ends, characters will be retained based on the following criteria:

We will provide a generous grace period so that you have enough time to review your characters and make your decision.

The exact duration and procedures will be announced separately.

▣ What to Check Before the Merge

A little preparation can make the transition smoother

Below are a few things we recommend checking before the World Merge.

These steps are not mandatory, but taking care of them in advance will help you get started more smoothly after the merge.

〔Marketplace and Mail〕

If you have items listed for sale or ongoing transactions, we recommend retrieving those items to your Inventory before the merge.

Please also check any pending trade reservations, unsettled proceeds, and unclaimed Mail.

〔Storage〕

We also recommend taking some time to organize any items currently stored in Storage.

Detailed information on how each of these items will be handled during the merge will be clearly provided in a separate notice before the World Merge so that you have enough time to prepare.

▣ Changes to Guilds and Alliances

Guilds will remain, while Alliances will begin anew

Guilds

The Guilds you have built together with your companions will remain intact after the merge.

Guild members, Guild Levels, and the records your Guild has accumulated will all carry over.

However, since identical Guild names may exist across different servers, all Guilds will temporarily be assigned provisional Guild names at the time of the merge.

〔Guild Name Change〕
 • Only the Guild Master can change the Guild name.

 • A Guild name change notice will appear when the Guild Master first logs in.

• The provisional Guild name will remain displayed until the Guild Master changes it.

Alliances

All Alliances on the Worlds and servers included in the merge will be disbanded.

To support the creation of new Alliances, players who were Alliance Leaders before the World Merge will receive 1,000 Diamonds via Mail to cover the re-establishment cost.

We ask for your understanding regarding the reset of Guild names and Alliance information.

▣ Lord’s Arena Record Reset

First, we would like to apologize

Lord’s Arena records will be reset as part of the World Merge.

As a result, Arena records accumulated from August 17 through August 25 will not be retained after the merge.

We determined that carrying over records accumulated under different World environments could compromise the fairness of the rankings.

This decision was therefore necessary to ensure that all Lords within the merged Worlds can begin again from the same starting point.

Lord’s Arena information for Sven and Helena, which are not included in the World Merge, will remain unchanged.

Compensation

While we cannot restore the records that will be lost, we have prepared compensation for the time you spent participating during this period.

〔Compensation〕
• 24,000 Lord’s Arena Tokens

• Amun x1

• Dark Amun x1

• 7,000 Solidarity Tokens

Further details, including eligibility and distribution timing, will be provided in a separate notice.

We look forward to seeing you compete once again for the top spot when Lord’s Arena begins anew after the merge.

▣ World Merge Celebration Benefits

Helping you settle into a new market

Temporary Marketplace Fee Reduction

Immediately after the merge, items from multiple Worlds will enter a single market, and it may take some time for prices to stabilize.

To help Lords trade more freely while adjusting to the new market environment, transaction fees will be reduced for a limited period following the merge.

The reduction will apply to both the World Marketplace and Personal Trades.

This will be a good opportunity to complete trades you have been putting off or pick up items you have been looking for.

The exact fee reduction and applicable period will be announced separately before the merge.

Server Transfer Support

To help you choose the environment that best suits you within your newly merged World, we will provide an opportunity to transfer servers shortly after the merge.

〔Server Transfer Period〕

• August 27–30, 2026

You can move together with your Guild members or set out in search of a new community.

There is no need to decide immediately—you can take some time to explore the merged World first.

Eligibility requirements and further details will be announced separately before the merge.

▣ August Update

New content arriving alongside the merge

Alongside the major changes brought by the World Merge, a variety of content updates are also planned for August.

1. Equipment Enhancement Festival

A month to take on the challenge of enhancement

We are preparing a special event period for Lords ready to take on Equipment Enhancement.

〔Restoration〕

• Equipment destroyed due to failed Enhancement during the event period can be restored.

• You may personally select one weapon and one piece of armor to restore.

Eligible equipment includes Epic and Legendary weapons, as well as Helmets, Tops, Bottoms, Gloves, and Shoes.

Accessories, Cloaks, and Off-hand Weapons are not included in this event.

Items eligible for restoration can be checked through a dedicated event screen during the event period.

Restored items can be claimed during a designated claim period after the event ends.

Detailed eligibility requirements and the event schedule will be announced separately.

2. New Growth Content: Tabula

A new path of growth opened by the roll of the dice

A new growth system called Tabula, in which you progress by rolling dice, will be added.

You will move across a board and gain stats based on the spaces you land on, offering a style of progression different from existing growth systems.

Tabula combines elements of chance with choices you make yourself, meaning that even with the same number of rolls, the outcome can vary from player to player.

Detailed rules and the reward structure for Tabula will be introduced in the Update Notes.

3. Barbas Hunting Ground EXP Renewal

A hunting ground worth returning to

This is the first result of the hunting ground efficiency improvements we mentioned in our previous Dev Letter.

Many of you have raised concerns that hunting grounds could become more crowded following the World Merge.

We reviewed the relevant data and promised to improve high-priority areas one by one.

The first of these areas is Barbas.

Barbas is a region many Lords pass through during progression, but we have continued to receive feedback that its efficiency falls behind other hunting grounds.

With this renewal, the EXP gained from defeating monsters will be increased, improving progression speed within the relevant level range.

By providing more viable hunting ground options, we also expect congestion currently concentrated in certain areas to become more distributed.

We will continue reviewing usage data and gradually expand these improvements to other areas.

4. Expanded Mount Collection Effects and a New Mount

The more you collect, the stronger you become

A wide variety of Mounts have been added to LORDNINE over the past year.

To reflect this, Mount Collection Effects, previously available up to Stage 6, will be expanded to higher stages.

Reaching these new stages will grant additional stats.

For Lords who have steadily built their Mount Collections, this will provide additional rewards for the progress you have already made.

For those just beginning their collections, it will also provide new goals to work toward.

One new appearance-only Mount obtainable through a coupon will also be added, giving you a new look to accompany you on your adventures.

5. Specialization Renewal

Easier to read, easier to use

The Specialization screen will receive an overall redesign.

Point information that was previously spread across the interface will be presented more clearly, while the boundaries between Trait groups will be made easier to distinguish visually.

A new filter will also allow you to find only Traits that provide the stats you are looking for.

Specialization balance adjustments will be made alongside these UI improvements.

Full details of the changes will be provided in the Update Notes.

6. Improvements to Avatar and Artifact Confirmation

Reducing repetitive actions

We are improving the inconvenience of having to confirm items one at a time from the Confirmation menu.

A new Batch Confirmation feature will allow you to confirm all items that meet your selected conditions at once.

Filters will also be added so that you can sort by Grade or view only items that have expired or have no remaining attempts.

The more Avatars and Artifacts you have acquired, the more this will reduce the repetitive steps involved.

Updates with Adjusted Schedules

Two features previously announced for August in our last Dev Letter have been moved to a subsequent update.

〔Rescheduled Content〕

• New Active Skills for each weapon type (learned at Lv. 85)

• Hunting Ground Expansion: Tomb of Tyriosa B4

We would first like to apologize to the Lords who have been waiting for these updates.

On the day of the World Merge, a large amount of data from multiple Worlds will be combined into a single environment.

If new skills and a new hunting ground were introduced on the same day, identifying the cause of any unexpected issues would become significantly more difficult.

We determined that confirming the stability of the merged environment first, and then introducing these updates afterward, would provide a better overall experience.

Both features are being prepared for the update that follows.

The exact schedule will be shared through our next Dev Letter and a separate notice.

August in Your New World

Alongside the major change of the World Merge, a variety of new content will arrive for Lords this August.

Begin a new path of progression through Tabula, and experience the improved progression speed in Barbas.

We are also finalizing a number of detailed policies that have not yet been confirmed.

Further details on each update, along with the remaining World Merge policies, will be shared sequentially through separate notices and Update Notes before the merge.

▣ Closing

Lords, thank you for reading this long letter to the end.

This is already our 14th Dev Letter.

Three months have passed since we first announced the World Merge in our 10th Dev Letter.

During that time, the schedule was postponed twice, and we know you have waited through each delay.

Now, the time has come to deliver on that promise.

Maintenance on the day of the merge may take longer than usual.

The detailed schedule and procedures will be announced in advance through a separate notice.

There will also be a few things that require your attention after the merge, including setting a new character name, managing Character Storage, and changing provisional Guild names, so please be sure to review the relevant notices once more.

The World Merge is not the end. It is a new beginning.

You will encounter more Lords in hunting grounds, and the Marketplace will have a broader selection of items.

Finding a party should also become easier than it is today.

Even after the merge, we will continue monitoring hunting ground congestion and the trading environment closely.

If you experience any inconvenience, please continue to share your feedback with us.

Your voices have helped shape the direction of LORDNINE until now, and they will continue to do so going forward.

We look forward to greeting you again under new names in Musha and Remus.

Thank you.