Grimoire: Manastorm F2P update and 50% off sale! news

Greetings all! It has been a long time since our last major update and naturally there has been a lot going on. For just over a year now Grimoire has been on Steam Early Access and we are now getting close to final release! From now until May 2nd the game will be 50% off. This will be our last sale before release but before you run off to Steam please take a few minutes to read about the upcoming Free-to-Play system and spell progression update.

As some of you may know our #1 problem has always been a low player population and we are well aware how frustrating it is to have a multiplayer game with nobody to play against. This is why we have decided to switch from Pay-to-Play to Free-to-Play.

Here is how Grimoire’s Free-To-Play will work.
Grimoire is about having fun in a fair and skill-based environment, So we will be avoiding launching anything resembling the “Pay-To-Win” model. ALL non-cosmetic content will be entirely available through playtime. Users will, however, have the ability to speed up their progress and look a bit cooler via microtransactions through their Steam wallet.

All of the game’s features including game modes, spells, maps, etc will be available for free to all Steam users. The paid content will be the game’s classes, cosmetics, and exp boosts.

All free users will start with access to the Fire class and then be able to access the rest of the classes in three ways:

1. Playing the game and earning “Arcane” points which can then used to unlock classes.
2. By purchasing individual classes through Steam.
3. A “Ultimate Pack” bundle which will include all current classes as well as any future classes, also purchasable through Steam.

So what about people who already own the game?
All Early Access players will be automatically granted the “Ultimate pack” on release.

What is the Ultimate pack?
The Ultimate pack grants access to all current classes as well as any future classes that are added to the game. This will also grant a permanent EXP bonus and some other small rewards(TBA).

That’s not all!
We are also adding a spell progression system which Early Access players will get an early look at soon! Each class starts off with the basic four active spells and one passive spell. As you play the game you will earn Arcane points which can then be used to unlock one of eight new active spells per class (48 total). These new spells are designed so that players can further customize each class to their preferred play style and role.

Want to change Lightning into a short range burst DPS class? You can do it! Find Fire boring as an area damage class? You can change it to a single-target direct damage focus! With the new spells you can mix and match to create entirely new combinations or multi-role classes. We have added all new mechanics to the new spells such as Lifesteal, physics (bouncing) projectiles, blinds, proximity traps, and more!

We are also adding polish to the game’s options menu, server browser, and game modes. In addition we will also be adding new maps, tooltips, additional mana spells, sound effects, spell effects, stats systems, music, and bug fixes. For more details please see the last three DevBlogs 38, 39, and 40.

Our small but dedicated indie team has been working on this update for months and we can't wait to finally release it to the community. There will also be a pre-F2P patch that will allow Early Access users to play with the 48 new spells so please consider taking advantage of this sale! You will get an early look at the new spells as well as a head start with designing new spell combinations and learning the new mechanics.