Phase Roadmap

Status: Planned

This is the current phase plan for the overhaul. Each phase is intended to feel complete enough to test on its own.

For canonical cross-phase tables, use Phase Registry.

For the reference detail-page shape, use Phase 01 - Greenwake.

Phase Rules

Each phase must ship with:

• A clear travel destination
• One meaningful crafting loop
• One boss or boss cluster
• At least one viable path each for melee, ranged, magic, and summoning
• One quest chapter
• Co-op-safe rewards and progression flags
• One traversal upgrade in the form of a mount, tack branch, grapnel, or wayshrine unlock

Summary

Phase	Theme	Boss Gate	Traversal
01	Greenwake	Ashroot Sentinel	Mossback Doe
02	Frostweb	The White Brood	Rime Ram
03	Black Archive	The Null Scribe	First Grapnel upgrades
04	Windplain Cairns	Horned Regent	Steppe Runner
05	Mireglass	Murkcoil	Bog Skater
06	Sunscar Dunes	The Carrion Crown	Dune Skipper
07	Blackwake Reach	Admiral Brine	Tiderail Skiff, first Worldshift
08	Underbriar	Graveshade Warden	Lantern Stag tack
09	Deep Rime	Icevein Matron	Frost Prowler
10	Hollowstep	The Urn Mother	Longline Grapnel
11	Rotwarren	Blightspine	Sporeback
12	Ember Vaults	Cinder Twin Ascetics	Ashwing
13	Starwell Temple	Starved Arcanist	Wayshrines, breach unlock
14	Breach Cluster I	Mother Slurry, Crimson Chorus, Silk Cathedral Regent	Grave Bat
15	Breach Cluster II	Auric Gauntlet, Velvet Eclipse, Prismwyrm	Skyray
16	Horizon Split	The Horizon Splitter	Void Skiff

Phase 01 - Greenwake

Goal: Build the first adventure-first playable slice and replace vanilla early aimlessness with a directed forest-to-cave loop.

Reference page: Phase 01 - Greenwake

Content:

• Forest surface, forest caves, starter village hub
• Early materials: copper, iron, gold, emerald, obsidian, rootshard, resin, stone, clay, bat wing, cave spider gland
• Armor slice: Trailcloth, Tinker Copperplate, Hearth Iron, Gilded Crest
• Boss gate: Ashroot Sentinel
• Traversal unlock: Mossback Doe
• Quest flow: guide NPC -> enter caves -> gather summon path -> defeat first boss

Definition of done:

• The first quest chapter can be completed cleanly in co-op
• Each core class gets at least one useful weapon path
• The first boss summon path is understandable without external wiki help
• The first boss unlock meaningfully changes the next phase
• The first mount makes exploration feel better immediately

Phase 02 - Frostweb

Goal: Introduce stronger biome identity, summon support, and an open-arena boss hunt.

Content:

• Snow biome and snow caves
• Spider nest and brood summon language
• Material pressure: silk, frost, and cold-mineral expansion on top of the frontier metals
• Armor slice: Silkhide and Hoarfur
• Boss gate: The White Brood
• Traversal unlock: Rime Ram
• Quest flow: investigate frozen caves -> locate nest -> trigger brood fight -> defeat boss

Definition of done:

• Snow feels mechanically distinct from forest
• Summoning builds become clearly viable
• The phase teaches arena-reading and boss mobility
• The second mount introduces a new traversal role, not just more speed

Phase 03 - Black Archive

Goal: Introduce the first major structure crawl and the first magic-heavy milestone.

Content:

• Archive entrance and two-floor dungeon structure
• Armor slice: Emberglass and Shadeweave
• Boss gate: The Null Scribe
• Reward theme: void shards, archive minerals, magic mobility, first major relic expansion analogue
• Traversal unlock: first Grapnel upgrades
• Layer unlock: first low-sky routes and archive watchspires
• Quest flow: craft or acquire archive map path -> clear structure -> defeat boss

Definition of done:

• Dungeon navigation is memorable and repeatable
• Magic builds get a strong identity spike
• The reward is more than raw numbers and affects future build flexibility
• Grapnel play now matters in exploration and some arena layouts

Phase 04 - Windplain Cairns

Goal: Break biome monotony and add a grounded arena-focused fight outside the dungeon path.

Content:

• Plains biome and plains cave progression
• Cairn arena and bone-offering summon theme
• Material pressure: runestones, emerald precision branch, and plains martial conversion lines
• Armor slice: Windplate and Cairnrunner gear
• Boss gate: Horned Regent
• Traversal unlock: Steppe Runner

Definition of done:

• Plains loot and visuals feel different from forest and snow
• The boss arena is readable and reusable
• One strong melee and one strong ranged reward path exist here
• The new mount supports open-ground dodging and travel

Phase 05 - Mireglass

Goal: Push poison, resilience, sustain, and more dangerous terrain pressure.

Content:

• Swamp surface and cave path
• Material theme: sludge, ivy, quartz support, venom-adjacent drops
• Armor slice: Mireguard and Glassspine support paths
• Boss gate: Murkcoil
• Traversal unlock: Bog Skater

Definition of done:

• The swamp boss requires movement discipline rather than only DPS
• The biome adds useful upgrades instead of filler
• Players have clear reasons to revisit the biome after first clear
• The mount meaningfully solves marsh and poison-terrain frustration

Phase 06 - Sunscar Dunes

Goal: Add a wider-travel biome with ruin hunting and airborne boss pressure.

Content:

• Desert biome and caves
• Ancient statues and ruin theming
• Material pressure: obsidian utility, fossil lines, and desert crystal support
• Armor slice: Sunscour Mail and Dunerider
• Boss gate: The Carrion Crown
• Traversal unlock: Dune Skipper
• Layer expansion: stronger low-sky and cliffside routes

Definition of done:

• Desert structures teach the player to search, not only mine
• Ranged and mobility builds get meaningful upgrades
• The phase bridges cleanly into coastal raider progression
• The desert mount changes both sand travel and boss readability

Phase 07 - Blackwake Reach

Goal: Turn exploration into a named destination and unlock the deep-cave layer.

Content:

• Blackwake harbor stronghold and coastal raid content
• Boss gate: Admiral Brine
• Reward theme: deep cave unlock, raider utility, travel and siege flavor
• Traversal unlock: Tiderail Skiff
• World state unlock: first Worldshift
• Layer unlock: first Nether frontier routes awaken after the phase
• Quest flow: obtain coastal map path -> raid Blackwake site -> defeat admiral -> unlock next layer

Definition of done:

• The special biome feels like a step up from normal biome content
• Deep cave access is clearly communicated
• The reward is a hard gate into the next world layer
• Worldshift gives old biomes fresh reasons to revisit them

Phase 08 - Underbriar

Goal: Start deep-cave progression with a much heavier encounter tone and essence rewards.

Content:

• Deep forest cave
• Shadow-gate summon language
• Armor slice: Tungsten Vanguard and Mourning Bark
• Boss gate: Graveshade Warden
• Reward theme: Shadow Essence and first deep-cave power spike
• Traversal unlock: Lantern Stag climbing tack

Definition of done:

• Deep caves feel categorically more dangerous than caves
• The first essence loop is established
• Melee, magic, and summoning all gain a valid upgrade route
• Existing mounts continue to matter via tack instead of immediate replacement

Phase 09 - Deep Rime

Goal: Expand deep-cave identity through telegraphed AoE and frost control.

Content:

• Deep snow cave
• Ice-crown summon path
• Armor slice: Glacier Witch and Rimeguard
• Boss gate: Icevein Matron
• Traversal unlock: Frost Prowler
• Layer expansion: high-sky hunt routes and frost roosts

Definition of done:

• Frost telegraphs are readable and fair
• The armor slice supports multiple playstyles, not only one archetype
• The essence reward plugs into future crafting
• The mount is combat-useful without replacing grounded skill

Phase 10 - Hollowstep

Goal: Introduce a more occult and structure-bound deep biome.

Content:

• Deep plains cave
• Spirit-urn arena summon path
• Armor slice: Hollowstep Runner, Dryadborn, Aged Crest
• Boss gate: The Urn Mother
• Traversal unlock: Longline Grapnel

Definition of done:

• The phase has a distinct visual and combat tone
• Utility and mobility gear become more interesting than pure defense
• The arena rules are clear in co-op
• The new grapnel opens routes that mounts alone cannot solve

Phase 11 - Rotwarren

Goal: Deliver one of the heaviest mid-to-late-game pressure checks in the ladder.

Content:

• Deep swamp cave
• Decay summon path
• Armor slice: Mirebloom and Widowplate
• Boss gate: Blightspine
• Reward theme: Bio Essence and stronger summon support
• Traversal unlock: Sporeback

Definition of done:

• The boss feels like a real gear and movement check
• Poison and gear-sustain themes are mechanically visible
• The biome supports repeat farming without feeling empty
• The mount adds a distinct jump or impact identity, not a reskin

Phase 12 - Ember Vaults

Goal: Set up the temple unlock through a strong duo-boss milestone.

Content:

• Deep desert cave
• Dragon-soul summon path
• Armor slice: Fossil Spearline, Sharpsight, Ancestor's Veil
• Boss gate: Cinder Twin Ascetics
• Reward theme: Primordial Essence and temple access
• Traversal unlock: Ashwing

Definition of done:

• The duo-boss encounter is stable in multiplayer
• The unlock into the temple is unmistakable
• Ranged and spear-like archetypes get distinct support
• The first major flying mount arrives at the right power tier

Phase 13 - Starwell Temple

Goal: Close the main pre-breach campaign and unlock the endgame loop.

Content:

• Temple structure and final temple floors
• Boss gate: Starved Arcanist
• Reward theme: relic slot expansion, breach unlock, altar dust path
• Traversal unlock: Wayshrine network
• Layer unlock: stable access to otherworld-style breach realms

Definition of done:

• The temple is a proper capstone dungeon, not just a hallway to the boss
• The breach unlock feels earned
• Buildcraft before breaches is coherent and satisfying
• Travel compression improves without deleting exploration value

Phase 14 - Breach Cluster I

Goal: Introduce repeatable endgame clusters with different combat asks.

Content:

• Slime Cave
• Graveyard
• Spider Castle
• Bosses: Mother Slurry, Crimson Chorus, Silk Cathedral Regent
• Armor slice: Sludgeforged, Nightsteel, Cathedral Silk
• Traversal unlock: Grave Bat

Definition of done:

• Endgame repeatability exists without becoming pure grind
• Each breach biome has a strong identity
• Multiplayer loot remains fair under repetition
• Endgame mounts begin to support aerial or siege play cleanly

Phase 15 - Breach Cluster II

Goal: Finish the breach arc with more spectacle and prestige gear.

Content:

• Sun Arena
• Moon Arena
• Crystal Hollow
• Bosses: Auric Gauntlet, Velvet Eclipse, Prismwyrm
• Armor slice: Dawnbreaker, Duskveil, Prismplate, plus high-style prestige sets
• Traversal unlock: Skyray

Definition of done:

• These fights feel like endgame spectacle
• The armor rewards look and play differently
• The player is now ready for the final boss arc
• The aerial mount game feels fully realized by this point

Phase 16 - Horizon Split

Goal: Deliver the final multi-phase boss and the project's clearest statement of completion.

Content:

• Horizon Splitter encounter
• Final quest chain and credits-equivalent resolution
• Final weapon set and void-themed capstone items
• Armor slice: Seamforged
• Traversal unlock: Void Skiff

Definition of done:

• The final fight is readable, stable, and satisfying in co-op
• The player can look back at a coherent progression ladder
• Older phases still have optional reasons to revisit them
• The stable, relic, grapnel, and stormfront systems all feel like parts of one game

Sequencing Rule

If implementation bandwidth is limited, finish each phase end-to-end before starting the next one. Do not spread half-built bosses and half-built gear across multiple unfinished phases.