Friday, January 23rd Design Notes: Book 3: Amityvale


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Friday, January 23rd Design Notes: Book 3: Amityvale - A Fowl Feast

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1/23/2026 22:02:45

Laeon val Observis
Member

quote:

Friday, January 23, 2026
Book 3: Amityvale - A Fowl Feast
Hey there, heroes!

This week, we're returning to Verlyrus in Book 3 Amityvale! After delving into the mysteries of Amityvale's new mayor, you found yourself underground at a mysterious door...

Head over to the house in Amityvale surrounded by boxes. Consult with your allies; Verlyrus, and the Fish Lord. Perhaps together you can concoct a plan to put an end to this latest threat... Or maybe the mayor is one step ahead!

A Fowl Feast awaits in Book 3 Amityvale!

Also this week, a couple of bugfixes and updates!
Snugglepanda now has updated tooltips!

Snugglepanda's Ultimate Panda now uses a different animation.

Snugglepanda's Ultimate Panda, Adorable Pandah, and Panda Says No effects now require On-hit rather than Auto. This also means the Panda Says No stun no longer bypasses immobility resistance.

Panda Says No now automatically applies -200 Immobility for 1 turn.

Snugglepanda now uses the updated class face.

Fixed typo in Rogue's Flashing Blades tooltip. Effect duration is now properly listed as 3 turns.

Shadow and Ancient Base classes can now obtain a maximum of 5 Potion total per battle using the Cloak Scrap.

Fixed how Shadow and Ancient Shadow Base classes are displayed in the Armor Closet.

Fixed typo in Rogue's Flashing Blades tooltip. Effect duration is now properly listed as 3 turns.

Negative END and WIS can no longer reduce player HP and MP below 0.

Other behind the scenes support things for future plans!

And that's all for this week!

quote:

Saturday, January 24, 2026
Weekend Hotfix Jan 24, 2026
Hey there, heroes!

After some consideration and work, some more adjustments to SnugglePanda have been made.
Outside of restricted challenges like the Arena at the Edge of Time, or certain challenge fights, SnugglePanda's Ultimate Panda, Adorable Pandah, and Panda Says No effects are automatically applied without requiring hits to land. In other words, these skills will function as they did before yesterday's bug fixes.

Inside restricted challenges, Ultimate Panda, Adorable Pandah, and Panda Says No effects are applied On-hit, and Panda Says No automatically applies -200 Immobility. These skills will function as they do after yesterday's bug fixes.

The bug where SnugglePanda could sometimes reduce duration on effects applied to the player depending on how many effects were on the player and target, is still fixed, for all situations.

< Message edited by Laeon val Observis -- 1/24/2026 16:07:32 >

AQW

Post #: 1

1/24/2026 14:04:36

GodJank
Member

RIP Snugglepanda

Kinda sucks for the people who bought the class for 60 something bucks, just to have it be nerfed immediately after. Imo I just think the class should have been banned from the Inn instead.

Post #: 2

1/24/2026 14:59:06

Verlyrus
DragonFable Boxcat

Did an update for SnugglePanda.
https://dragonfable.com/gamedesignnotes/weekend-hotfix-12426-10252

- Outside of restricted challenges like the Arena at the Edge of Time, or certain challenge fights, SnugglePanda's Ultimate Panda, Adorable Pandah, and Panda Says No effects are automatically applied without requiring hits to land. In other words, these skills will function as they did before yesterday's bug fixes.

- Inside restricted challenges, Ultimate Panda, Adorable Pandah, and Panda Says No effects are applied On-hit, and Panda Says No automatically applies -200 Immobility. These skills will function as they do after yesterday's bug fixes.

- The bug where SnugglePanda could sometimes reduce duration on effects applied to the player depending on how many effects were on the player and target, is still fixed, for all situations.

Post #: 3

1/24/2026 15:58:23

GodJank
Member

Those are good changes I think, yeah. Think it's very unfortunate that HM just randomly decided to drop the Panda merch right back, so I don't blame you for the impromptu nerfs (considering these are lowkey long overdue). Just unfortunate for the people who bought the class.

Post #: 4

1/24/2026 16:45:35

SongOfInsanity
Member

I disagree with the nerfs being a good thing. Without the the stun and debuffs auto inflicting, and with most classes out preforming it, there is no longer an incentive to use SnugglePanda outside of a self-imposed additional challenge for restricted challenge fights. Something most players, particularly casual players like myself, don't do.

Although, the adjustments do allow the SnugglePanda class to retain its usefulness for regular boss fights.

Edited, because it dawned on me that my original comment was more of a complaint than constructive criticism.

< Message edited by SongOfInsanity -- 1/24/2026 17:08:06 >

Post #: 5

1/24/2026 17:05:36

Laeon val Observis
Member

And here we go with the oversenationalizing. May I remind you that there are at least 3 foes at the Inn that are unstunnable (Void Reunion and Mega Mewphant), so the changes to the Panda's stun is inconsequential. And since its DPT is already at the low, shouldn't you already be worrying that your Dragon companion would be carrying you to victory anyway? Slap a 200 CHA build on a 200 AST Dragon, and barely a change in the feel.

As an additional note, perhaps these words that were unleashed during the DragonLord Tournament thread should still hold substance:

quote:

If a strategy involves zero thought and zero risk, it is not a strategy.

Even the mighty DoomKnight, another P2W class which embodies supreme power contrast to Panda's supreme defense, does require tactical thinking to fully channel.

Speaking of offense/defense contrasts, looks like the new year is opening to expanding more defensive weapon specials that are worthy avenues to balance the scales with the likes of Ice Scythe and friends. A welcome direction, if I'd say so myself.

< Message edited by Laeon val Observis -- 1/24/2026 17:23:12 >

AQW

Post #: 6

1/24/2026 17:56:23

GodJank
Member

quote:

so the changes to the Panda's stun is inconsequential.

The changes to Panda's stun are huge. -200 Immo is too low, considering the class doesn't have any innate -All. Bosses have 300 Immo by default these days, so the only way to enable a stun is by having 200 MIS Draco, which is generally terrible.

It's a genuinely ruinous nerf, but one that I think is well deserved and long overdue.

quote:

Something most players, particularly casual players like myself, don't do.

The class is unnerfed outside of challenge fights. If you're not an Inn person, you have nothing to be upset about.

Post #: 7

1/24/2026 19:44:54

TFS
Helpful!

quote:

I disagree with the nerfs being a good thing. Without the the stun and debuffs auto inflicting, and with most classes out preforming it, there is no longer an incentive to use SnugglePanda outside of a self-imposed additional challenge for restricted challenge fights. Something most players, particularly casual players like myself, don't do.

Well, no, perhaps as a less casual player might be able to tell you, SnugglePanda is still very strong. The spammable MPM shield and strong heal plus almost-loopable -60 Boost/Bonus are still incredibly good in challenge fights, particularly against single targets. It's not good outside of boss fights, due its low damage and focus on defense, but that was already the case before this change.

With the autostun (which was due to a bug, and was not an intentional feature of the class), it was the most overpowered class in the game, short of DoomKnight V1. Something overpowered like this is not only antithetical to the point of a challenge arena, its $60 price tag would incentivize players to spend incredible amounts of money on a buggy, overpowered item just to P2W their way past challenges - which was not the design intent.

Post #: 8

1/24/2026 20:00:45

DragonKeeper
Member

There used to be many YouTube videos of SnigglePanda doing Inn challenges but since the challenges have been ramping up in difficulty SnugglePanda has dropped of the radar. DoomKnight v2 is also not as active as it once was. Perhaps DragonLord is now the true king.

Post #: 9

1/25/2026 18:59:54

Lee
Member

Figured I'd throw my two cents out, not that I imagine it'll mean much or change anything now seeing how past releases have been.

Anyway. Seems to be a hot take in the community (how, I don't fully understand) but Snugglepanda being nerfed was undoubtedly a long time coming. It's been well known in the community that Panda has always been ridiculous with it's plethora of debuffs and it's auto stun (intentional or otherwise). However, to my understand it's always been taken as "yes it's broken, yes it shouldn't exist but it's Rare and unobtainable.

Until Heromart lol. That's a whole bag in and of itself, from the (lack of) communication of Panda returning, to the ridiculous price tag for a hoodie/postcard. I'm of the mind that Panda realistically should've just been hard banned (either meaning it can not enter any challenge fights such as JEX including fights in the Inn or going the route of v1 (which just locks it out of every challenge fight + the Inn besides a small group) and left at that. Realistically, it would've saved a lot more time than whacking it's autostun and removing the auto hit from it's skills, and then going back to add a -200 Immo res onto said stun. And then having said -Immo not apply in the Inn...

Certainly a choice was made, along with some back tracking if I'm being completely honest. At the end of the day, what's done is done. I hope the team has learnt from this experience moving forward.

There's the elephant in the room around "oh but people may have not known about the auto stun before the nerf while also not being in the community", which I personally find ridiculous. How would they not know about the auto stun - one if not the main selling point of Panda (you can not tell me seriously that people spent $60+ on a hoodie or god forbid, a postcard) while also somehow learning that Heromart re-released a rare that as far as I know, wasn't really notified anywhere.

There's also the point to be made that Panda is still busted without the auto stun, seeing as it's the only class to my knowledge to have a -100 Boost skill. On top of a -60 Boost/Bonus. Yes the class struggles in anything that's not a solo fight but that has always been the case, moreso if it's just a solo fight which is a DPS check and/or heals a lot per turn (i.e outhealing your damage lol)

TLDR;
Panda getting nerfed was long overdue, but (seemingly a hot take) I do think just banning it from the Inn and challenge fights without nerfing the skills would've been quicker and easier instead of backtracking. Heromart has some blame in this situation as well.

I apologise for coming across harsh and rude towards the DF team but genuinely, this week has not been a good week for AE in the communication side of things.

Post #: 10

1/26/2026 0:24:06

TFS
Helpful!

quote:

There used to be many YouTube videos of SnigglePanda doing Inn challenges but since the challenges have been ramping up in difficulty SnugglePanda has dropped of the radar.

because that guy stopped playing the game

quote:

DoomKnight v2 is also not as active as it once was. Perhaps DragonLord is now the true king.

I've updated the tierlist (overdue, sorry) following this release. DoomKnight is similar to SnugglePanda in that it was an old class without modern tools that was carried by how overpowered autostuns are, and has to cope with a lot of matchup reliance following adjustments to said autostun. There's no longer any one class that's mindlessly overpowered everywhere, but the closest thing you'll get is Kathool, Ranger, or DragonLord.

quote:

However, to my understand it's always been taken as "yes it's broken, yes it shouldn't exist but it's Rare and unobtainable.

SnugglePanda's bugs have long been known about, but were said to not be high-priority fixes due to how few players they affected plus the disproportionate workload in untangling the how poorly the class had been programmed. The DragonFable developer was NOT told by HeroMart that the SnugglePanda codes had been rereleased - despite the DragonFable class being the sole source of demand for the Panda rerelease in the first place. If DragonFable had been given advance notice about the Panda rerelease, obviously the bugfixes would have happened before people spent $60 on it. Being upset at the DragonFable developer for what happened here is ludicrous.

quote:

I'm of the mind that Panda realistically should've just been hard banned (either meaning it can not enter any challenge fights such as JEX including fights in the Inn or going the route of v1 (which just locks it out of every challenge fight + the Inn besides a small group) and left at that.

Why do you think this? If every single quest that banned DoomKnight V1 should have been retroactively edited to disallow SnugglePanda as well, despite the fact that SnugglePanda is still available for purchase and will be for the forseeable future, just to justify leaving buggy content in the game unfixed, that would be strictly antithetical to how DragonFable has been designed for the past 15 years.

quote:

There's also the point to be made that Panda is still busted without the auto stun

quote:

seeing as it's the only class to my knowledge to have a -100 Boost skill

quote:

that has always been the case, moreso if it's just a solo fight which is a DPS check and/or heals a lot per turn (i.e outhealing your damage lol)

All of these statements are untrue... I don't think there's much of an understanding here about what made SnugglePanda overpowered, the contexts that made/make its traits desirable, and what strengths it has or doesn't have without the autostun. I'm also not sure how you can be of two minds about 'Panda is still busted' and 'Panda couldn't do duos even with the autostun' (which isn't true). I don't get why one would go on here and start complaining when they don't understand the subject.

quote:

I hope the team has learnt from this experience moving forward.

What exactly is it that you hope they've learned...?

< Message edited by TFS -- 1/26/2026 1:03:35 >

DF	Post #: 11

1/26/2026 0:45:46

Laeon val Observis
Member

Well, that saved me the time to enlighten/refresh @Lee. Was about to unload some after reviewing his post and seeing that TLDR remark.

quote:

What exactly is it that you hope they've learned...?

I'd guess that since he is (partially) active in AQ, it can be taken in the context of him hoping that releasing content will be more transparent moving forwards on why certain decisions have been enacted and how an item, class, or feature should behave (e.g. how the Info Subs section of the AQ forums is updated when an item is already acquirable, or how AQW posts a DNs on the rundown of Chrono even if the calendar in still in -at the least- pre-order stage). Hopefully. AQ peeps seem to have a tendency to slap FOIA here, FOIA there, FOIA everywhere. Probably understandable considering that section of the AE multiverse is the whale's game (don't have a means of gauging EpicDuel even though PVP games are usually the money makers) in terms of acquiring powerful gear (either through a Z Token package or the gacha feature that is the Golden Giftbox). A player has a lot to lose due to lack of informed decisions there unlike here.

< Message edited by Laeon val Observis -- 1/26/2026 0:48:36 >

AQW

Post #: 12

1/26/2026 1:05:39

DragonKeeper
Member

quote:

TFS wrote: I've updated the tierlist (overdue, sorry) following this release. DoomKnight is similar to SnugglePanda in that it was an old class without modern tools that was carried by how overpowered autostuns are, and has to cope with a lot of matchup reliance following adjustments to said autostun. There's no longer any one class that's mindlessly overpowered everywhere, but the closest thing you'll get is Kathool, Ranger, or DragonLord.

Thanks for the update. Maybe v2 will get an upgrade that allows it to do better against multiple opponents? Kathool is not that much fun to play.

< Message edited by DragonKeeper -- 1/26/2026 1:06:04 >

DF	Post #: 13

1/26/2026 9:33:37

GodJank
Member

quote:

Maybe v2 will get an upgrade that allows it to do better against multiple opponents?

I don't know how hot of a take this is, but considering the class takes 2 years to get and costs at least 65 dollars (plus whatever taxes you've got), then I think the class SHOULD be perceived as the best class in the game. Normally I'm against any aspects of P2W, but I think DoomKnight being such a massive investment should warrant at least some modernization; the class hasn't aged super well imo.

Post #: 14

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