Chronicles of Eptinia v1.1b

[Roskoll]

Hello there, its a nice campaign, i also like the story, wish the items and skills showed exactly how much stats they give but it is what it is. Also i wanted to know whats the song from the tavern in chapter 3, i dont see it on credits and songs used.

 

[FallenStar]

Hello there, its a nice campaign, i also like the story, wish the items and skills showed exactly how much stats they give but it is what it is. Also i wanted to know whats the song from the tavern in chapter 3, i dont see it on credits and songs used.

I'm glad you like it.
The reason the song isn't in the credits it's because it was made specifically for this campaign.

 

[deepstrasz]

The reason the song isn't in the credits it's because it was made specifically for this campaign.

AI or why isn't it credited/mentioned at all?

 

[FallenStar]

AI or why isn't it credited/mentioned at all?

Yes

 

[FallenStar]

CoE Patch Notes 1.1
New Chapter: The Bloom Beyond
Overview:The Commander is hidden in a remote camp to recover, but he still hasn't awakened.He should've woken up by now. Either the wounds run deeper than they thought, or something else is holding him back.Abelia must journey into the wilds to find a legendary plant that may bring him back.
(In version 1.1 Chapter 6 acts as if the player has unlocked the following quests:
Ironclad Mercenaries
Alcot's Revenge
Munch Madness
However, when Chapter 7 and 8 will be released, the player will need to unlock those quests for rewards to be available. This change is only done for players that have finished version 1.0 in its entirety, so they don't have to replay it)

General:
Updated model for Gerlock Orb
Updated icon for Predator's Instinct
Updated icon for Ratzel
Updated icon for Trial by Steel (Main Quest)
Munch Madness now uses Ratzel's icon
Updated icon for Power Shot
Updated icon for Nullification Shot
Updated icon for Alcot's Net
Updated icon for Aura of Valor
Updated icon for Commander's Inspiration
Tweaked Aura of Valor to show that the Commander is vulnerable while his units are invulnerable
Improved selection scales for many units for better clicking and gameplay clarity
Numerous ability descriptions have been streamlined and rewritten to improve clarity and readability.
Slightly improved tutorial text for clarity and easier reading.
Replaced the Altar in Chapter 3, 4 and Wardogs with the Altar of Stars by Vinz
Hopefully fixed the Commander's Chest crash
Added Cheat codes for users who have finished previous chapters and wish to unlock units:
gimmeredbeard = Unlocks Redbeard at Commander's HQ
gimmealcot = Unlocks Alcot at Commander's HQ
gimmeratzel = Unlocks Ratzel at Commander's HQ
gimmetrisael = Unlocks Trisael at Commander's HQ
gimmegerlockorb = Unlocks Gerlock Orb at Commander's Chest
gimmehealingpotion = Unlocks Greater Healing Potion at Commander's Chest
gimmefeynlore = Unlocks the ability Summon Spectral Wolf for the Commander(yes, cheats can be used across all chapters although some bugs may appear in certain instances so use them with caution)
(Cheats only work from Chapter 1 to 5)

Chapter Fixes
Chapter 3 - When the first Gerlock Giant appears, Commander, Aeneas, and Noel are now moved forward if the player left them behind, preventing soft‑locks.
During Chester's encounter, previously hired/unlocked units will be brought closer into view for the player.
Chapter 5 - Adjusted Dalkyon Defenses on Halibel's side so she can push more smoothly after the objective is done.
Removed the two Skyborn that attacked players when destroying the last two towers from the north.
Added visual prompts on blocked ramps to show they cannot be used.
Fixed a ramp that could not be fully traversed. It is now fully accessible.

 

[SalvatorThenorium]

CH.6
(The Bloom Beyond)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-

Chapter 6 is, without exaggeration, a huge leap forward in quality in almost every aspect of the campaign. From the very beginning, it is clear how much the terrain and the overall decoration have improved. Everything feels more refined, more alive, and much more carefully crafted. The effects placed across the map also deserve praise, because they are used very well and strengthen the atmosphere without ever feeling excessive or random.

The OST also deserves special mention, because it fits the mission extremely well and adds a lot to the immersion. In fact, immersion is one of this chapter’s greatest strengths. The healing mechanic with plants and the detection system through the heroine Abella, the elven Ash Ranger, are both very good and unique ideas. It is the kind of mechanic that gives the map its own identity and makes the experience feel different from a standard campaign.

The hero itself may not be particularly strong, but it is still interesting, which is often even more important. On top of that, the units in this chapter in general have very creative abilities. Characters like Ratzel, a demiwolf with unique skills such as Tiny Target, which makes him faster and gives him a chance to dodge, help make the gameplay much more memorable. The same goes for Trisael, a shaman who can transform into a pig with a ranged attack, while his other two spells are focused on healing. That level of creativity in the unit design is one of the things that makes this chapter stand out so much.

Another major strength is the fact that the map is very large and has many objectives, yet it never becomes boring. That alone is already impressive. On the contrary, the exploration works very well, and the chapter manages to stay engaging from beginning to end. For players who enjoy maps with a more RPG-like style, this aspect works especially well. The sense of exploration here is genuinely excellent.

The explosive barrels are another simple but very effective detail. They help a lot during the bandit sections and also make the environment feel more believable and interactive. Speaking of that, the plot involving the elves and the racism against them is also very interesting. In a way, it even brings to mind someone like Garithos(XD), but jokes aside, this is actually a strong narrative element and helps enrich the world even further.

The cinematics deserve special praise as well. The amount of effort put into every single one of them, even the less important ones, is genuinely impressive. You can clearly see the care taken not only with the major moments, but also with the smaller scenes. That makes a huge difference in a custom campaign and shows a level of dedication that is well above average.

The entire Aedrimar section during the elven war is especially epic. The terrain in that section is very good, the spells are well designed, and the result is a part that feels both challenging and genuinely fun to play. The chapter manages to balance spectacle, difficulty, and gameplay variety very well.

Even so, the final section is without a doubt the highlight of the mission. The idea of collecting the three items needed to open the path to the temple already works very well on its own, but the temple itself is beautiful and leaves a very strong impression. Without a doubt, this was the best mission I have played in the campaign so far. It had been a long time since I had this much fun playing a custom campaign, and that says a lot about the quality of your work.

Even on a technical level, the chapter is impressive. Surprisingly, I found almost no bugs at all. The only problem I noticed was one moment where I died and nothing happened, but aside from that, it was basically zero bugs. That is rare enough that it absolutely deserves to be mentioned.

If I had to point out one negative aspect, it would only be to avoid some terrain deformations that look too square or too straight, because at times they can stand out a little compared to the rest of the visual quality. But honestly, that is a very small criticism considering the overall level of the chapter.
EX:
-

-
It is also worth mentioning that certain sections are very well balanced in terms of challenge. The Crimson Golem, for example, may have some kind of secret, but from the way I experienced it, he felt insanely hard to kill. Not impossible, of course, but definitely very difficult. The drowned/fish section in Trisael’s mission is also very challenging, to the point where I nearly lost him around three times. The gnoll section is also challenging, although slightly less intense. And to top it all off, the stories told after defeating each clan near the corrupted structures are simply perfect. Details like that reinforce just how rich your world really is.

Overall, this chapter is a clear demonstration of growth. It improves greatly in visuals, atmosphere, mechanics, worldbuilding, and gameplay variety. It is an ambitious mission, very well executed, and extremely memorable. Your work here is genuinely excellent, and this chapter really gives the impression that you have a remarkable talent for creating memorable campaigns. I am honestly very excited to see the rest of your maps.
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It took me around 2.4 hours to finish the entire mission while trying to complete all objectives.

I was genuinely impressed by this chapter

 

[SENMON]

Good work!

 

[Blasterixx]

Sup, i got stuck in the last chapter, i have no clue how to open the door with the tablets...

 

[FallenStar]

Sup, i got stuck in the last chapter, i have no clue how to open the door with the tablets...

Hey.
Read the tablets' descriptions and drop them inside their corresponding color.

 

[Blasterixx]

Hey.
Read the tablets' descriptions and drop them inside their corresponding color.

Nice quick answer, but I still have no clue how to do it. I keep dropping the tablets into each region and nothing happens. What do you mean by their corresponding color? There is no hint or indication which tablet is supposed to go to which color. What am I missing? Or is it a glitch?

 

[FallenStar]

Nice quick answer, but I still have no clue how to do it. I keep dropping the tablets into each region and nothing happens. What do you mean by their corresponding color? There is no hint or indication which tablet is supposed to go to which color. What am I missing? Or is it a glitch?

The tablet's description corresponds to a color.
Hover your mouse over each tablet in your inventory and read its description.

Blood for Red
Rain for Blue
Birth for Green

 

[Blasterixx]

Chronicles of Eptinia v1.1b Review​

I finished the campaign, and overall, I did enjoy playing it. The strongest aspects were definitely the story and dialogue, both were engaging and well done. The cinematics were also decent, and I really appreciated the variety of unit models. Each unit and character having its own personality was a big plus; they genuinely felt alive and distinct, which added a lot to the experience.

---

Weak Points:​

Extremely Slow Movement Speed​

The biggest issue, by far, is the movement speed of all units. Every unit had either slow or average movespeed, and it just feels terrible to play with them. It took a long time to get used to, and even then, it never felt right.

Because of this:

• The entire gameplay feels sluggish
• Moving from one location to another takes way too long
• The pacing suffers heavily

Honestly, it feels like the game speed was reduced from fast to slow.

I assume this design choice was meant to make the world feel bigger, but it ends up hurting the gameplay more than helping immersion.

Possible fixes:

• Increase movement speed of all units by at least +100
• If not that, then at least add more speed scrolls throughout the campaign

Also right now, using one of the few speed scrolls feels good in the moment, but once it expires, you immediately notice how bad the default speed is again. It creates a constant “ugh” moment.

---

Lack of Meaningful Permanent Items​

Another major issue is the lack of impactful permanent items.

From my playthrough:

• Only 2 decent permanent items stood out:
  
  • The weak venom orb (early quest)
  • The keg of ale (from shops)

Because of this, I ended up:

• Mass-stacking kegs of ale, since they also work on demi-hero units
• Ignoring most other items entirely

Most other permanent items were:

• +1 armor rings
• +1 or +2 damage swords

These felt completely useless, especially in later chapters. I honestly don’t see the point of including such weak items beyond the early game. By mid-to-late game, there should be much stronger and more meaningful options for permanent items, from optional quests and bosses.

---

Weak Heroes & Poor Progression​

The heroes themselves feel extremely weak.

I understand the intention, balancing them so they’re not overpowered compared to the other non-hero units, but the result is the opposite extreme:

• Heroes feel underwhelming and fragile
• No access to stat tomes to improve them
• Very limited leveling

Examples:

• Main commander hero only reached level 6 near the end
• Elf hero only reached level 4, despite having higher-level abilities

This means:

• You barely get to use or experience their full kit
• Progression feels cut short and unsatisfying

---

Item Carryover System Issues​

The way items transfer between chapters is confusing and poorly implemented.

There is a chest system, but:

• It only returned very weak items (venom orb + a healing potion)
• Stronger items like the keg of ale didn’t carry over properly

Because of this:

• My entire campaign inventory was basically just kegs of ale
• The system feels pointless and inconsistent

Also, I lost items entirely in some cases, which is frustrating, cuz they were on the non-hero units.

This raises questions:

• Why not just carry over items normally between chapters?
• Is this a limitation of the engine (Reforged)?
• Do non-hero units with limited inventory slots fail to save items?

---

Other Smaller Negatives​

Forced Ability Selection​

At the start of chapters, the game automatically selects the first ability (Q).

• This removes player freedom
• I want to choose my own starting abilities

---

Low Range on Ranged Units​

Most ranged units have very low attack range (200–250).

• Makes them feel clunky and ineffective
• There’s no good reason for ranged units to be this limited

---

No Shop Sell Function​

There is often no way to sell items, which is a big problem.

• I frequently had excess consumables
• I wanted to sell them to buy more units, but couldn’t

Every mission should include:

• A shop
• A sell function, ideally in a main building

---

Spell Range Issues​

Many spells require melee-range usage (~200 range).

Example:

• Commander’s W ability

This makes spells:

• Awkward
• Clumsy
• Unnecessarily restrictive

---

No Unit Upgrades​

Throughout the campaign:

• My units stayed at 0/0 upgrades (damage/armor)

There needs to be:

• A system to upgrade units using gold/wood in all missions

---

Puzzle Design Problems (Tablets)​

The tablet puzzle has multiple issues:

1. Not intuitive
   
   • No indication which tablet matches which color
2. No visual hints
   
   • Words should be highlighted (red, green, blue) to guide the player
3. Unclear mechanics
   
   • It’s not obvious you need to drop items on circles

In most campaigns:

• You just carry the item and walk onto the circle

Here, that expectation is broken without explanation.

---

Item Loss from Puzzle​

After dropping them for the tablets:

• I couldn’t pick them back up cuz the cinematic started instantly
• Lost 3 items permanently, not like it matters that much, but still.

This feels like a bug or poor design.

---

Scorpion Unit Too Weak​

The scorpion gimmick unit:

• Deals very low damage to heroes

Suggestion:

• Increase damage from 200 → 400

Especially since:

• I had 3 kegs of ale, making my regen extremely high
• That section became trivial

---

Final Fight Issues​

The final battle against shadow units was underwhelming:

• Gameplay was repetitive:
  
  • Just stood near a fire and fought enemies one by one
• The final boss had issues:
  
  • Shadow clones were buggy / erratic
  • They ran around randomly and didn’t attack properly
  • Only the real boss engaged consistently

This made the fight:

• Easy
• Unintentionally comical
• Not very satisfying as a finale

---

Final Thoughts​

The campaign has strong foundations, especially in story, atmosphere, and character personality. However, it is held back by gameplay issues, especially pacing, itemization, and mechanical clarity.

Despite all the negatives, I still had fun playing it. The final chapter with the commander was especially epic, with a lot going on. That mission, along with the last chapter featuring the elf female hero, were by far the highlights of the campaign.

Another highlight in the final chapter with the commander was the new Summon Spirit Wolf spell. That spirit wolf was incredibly strong, especially when buffed with the commander’s W ability. With that combo, it becomes an absolute beast. Its damage skyrockets, and it tears through units like they’re made of paper.

Honestly, that was the best part and the only truly powerful-feeling hero ability in the entire campaign, it wasn’t even close. With its fast attack speed and increased movement speed from the buff, the spirit wolf actually felt like a proper unit from melee or other campaigns. It came across as overpowered, but in a really satisfying and well-executed way.




My rating for this custom campaign is 𝓢 Tier with 90 out of 100 points!

 

[FallenStar]

Chronicles of Eptinia v1.1b Review​

I finished the campaign, and overall, I did enjoy playing it. The strongest aspects were definitely the story and dialogue, both were engaging and well done. The cinematics were also decent, and I really appreciated the variety of unit models. Each unit and character having its own personality was a big plus; they genuinely felt alive and distinct, which added a lot to the experience.

---

Weak Points:​

Extremely Slow Movement Speed​

The biggest issue, by far, is the movement speed of all units. Every unit had either slow or average movespeed, and it just feels terrible to play with them. It took a long time to get used to, and even then, it never felt right.

Because of this:

• The entire gameplay feels sluggish
• Moving from one location to another takes way too long
• The pacing suffers heavily

Honestly, it feels like the game speed was reduced from fast to slow.

I assume this design choice was meant to make the world feel bigger, but it ends up hurting the gameplay more than helping immersion.

Possible fixes:

• Increase movement speed of all units by at least +100
• If not that, then at least add more speed scrolls throughout the campaign

Also right now, using one of the few speed scrolls feels good in the moment, but once it expires, you immediately notice how bad the default speed is again. It creates a constant “ugh” moment.

---

Lack of Meaningful Permanent Items​

Another major issue is the lack of impactful permanent items.

From my playthrough:

• Only 2 decent permanent itemsstood out:
  • The weak venom orb (early quest)
  • The keg of ale (from shops)

Because of this, I ended up:

• Mass-stacking kegs of ale, since they also work on demi-hero units
• Ignoring most other items entirely

Most other permanent items were:

• +1 armor rings
• +1 or +2 damage swords

These felt completely useless, especially in later chapters. I honestly don’t see the point of including such weak items beyond the early game. By mid-to-late game, there should be much stronger and more meaningful options for permanent items, from optional quests and bosses.

---

Weak Heroes & Poor Progression​

The heroes themselves feel extremely weak.

I understand the intention, balancing them so they’re not overpowered compared to the other non-hero units, but the result is the opposite extreme:

• Heroes feel underwhelming and fragile
• No access to stat tomes to improve them
• Very limited leveling

Examples:

• Main commander hero only reached level 6 near the end
• Elf hero only reached level 4, despite having higher-level abilities

This means:

• You barely get to use or experience their full kit
• Progression feels cut short and unsatisfying

---

Item Carryover System Issues​

The way items transfer between chapters is confusing and poorly implemented.

There is a chest system, but:

• It only returned very weak items (venom orb + a healing potion)
• Stronger items like the keg of ale didn’t carry over properly

Because of this:

• My entire campaign inventory was basically just kegs of ale
• The system feels pointless and inconsistent

Also, I lost items entirely in some cases, which is frustrating, cuz they were on the non-hero units.

This raises questions:

• Why not just carry over items normally between chapters?
• Is this a limitation of the engine (Reforged)?
• Do non-hero units with limited inventory slots fail to save items?

---

Other Smaller Negatives​

Forced Ability Selection​

At the start of chapters, the game automatically selects the first ability (Q).

• This removes player freedom
• I want to choose my own starting abilities

---

Low Range on Ranged Units​

Most ranged units have very low attack range (200–250).

• Makes them feel clunky and ineffective
• There’s no good reason for ranged units to be this limited

---

No Shop Sell Function​

There is often no way to sell items, which is a big problem.

• I frequently had excess consumables
• I wanted to sell them to buy more units, but couldn’t

Every mission should include:

• A shop
• A sell function, ideally in a main building

---

Spell Range Issues​

Many spells require melee-range usage (~200 range).

Example:

• Commander’s W ability

This makes spells:

• Awkward
• Clumsy
• Unnecessarily restrictive

---

No Unit Upgrades​

Throughout the campaign:

• My units stayed at 0/0 upgrades (damage/armor)

There needs to be:

• A system to upgrade units using gold/wood in all missions

---

Puzzle Design Problems (Tablets)​

The tablet puzzle has multiple issues:

1. Not intuitive
   • No indication which tablet matches which color
2. No visual hints
   • Words should be highlighted (red, green, blue) to guide the player
3. Unclear mechanics
   • It’s not obvious you need to drop items on circles

In most campaigns:

• You just carry the item and walk onto the circle

Here, that expectation is broken without explanation.

---

Item Loss from Puzzle​

After dropping them for the tablets:

• I couldn’t pick them back up cuz the cinematic started instantly
• Lost 3 items permanently, not like it matters that much, but still.

This feels like a bug or poor design.

---

Scorpion Unit Too Weak​

The scorpion gimmick unit:

• Deals very low damage to heroes

Suggestion:

• Increase damage from 200 → 400

Especially since:

• I had 3 kegs of ale, making my regen extremely high
• That section became trivial

---

Final Fight Issues​

The final battle against shadow units was underwhelming:

• Gameplay was repetitive:
  • Just stood near a fire and fought enemies one by one
• The final boss had issues:
  • Shadow clones were buggy / erratic
  • They ran around randomly and didn’t attack properly
  • Only the real boss engaged consistently

This made the fight:

• Easy
• Unintentionally comical
• Not very satisfying as a finale

---

Final Thoughts​

The campaign has strong foundations, especially in story, atmosphere, and character personality. However, it is held back by gameplay issues, especially pacing, itemization, and mechanical clarity.

Despite all the negatives, I still had fun playing it. The final chapter with the commander was especially epic, with a lot going on. That mission, along with the last chapter featuring the elf female hero, were by far the highlights of the campaign.

Another highlight in the final chapter with the commander was the new Summon Spirit Wolf spell. That spirit wolf was incredibly strong, especially when buffed with the commander’s W ability. With that combo, it becomes an absolute beast. Its damage skyrockets, and it tears through units like they’re made of paper.

Honestly, that was the best part and the only truly powerful-feeling hero ability in the entire campaign, it wasn’t even close. With its fast attack speed and increased movement speed from the buff, the spirit wolf actually felt like a proper unit from melee or other campaigns. It came across as overpowered, but in a really satisfying and well-executed way.




My rating for this custom campaign is 𝓢 Tier with 90 out of 100 points!

Thank you for playing Chronicles of Eptinia and for taking the time to write such a detailed review.
I really appreciate the effort you put into it and I'm glad to hear you still had fun with the campaign overall despite its shortcomings.
About the things you mentioned:
I genuinely value the feedback even if I don't address each point directly. A lot of the campaign's quirks, like pacing, item design, or hero strength, tend to split players. Some people enjoy the slower, more deliberate style while others prefer a faster, more dynamic approach. It really depends on the person.
CoE will get a few small adjustments here and there but not major changes. Some of its "flaws" and design choices are simply part of its identity. (for better or worse).
Still, I appreciate the feedback and I'll definitely keep them in mind for future projects and campaigns.
Thanks again for the kind words, the honesty and the time you spent with the campaign.
Cheers!

 

[RatzRatzzz]

I finally got around to playing Chapter 6! As always, it's a very high-quality level, both in terms of story and gameplay. As always, the cinematics are top-notch. And what's especially important is that in this chapter, a bit more relaxed than the previous one, but by no means boring, we learn quite a lot about the story... It was especially enjoyable to play as Abelia and get to know her better.
I really want to talk more about this chapter! But I won't – I think everyone should experience this for themselves
Awesome update!

 

[Jackwar]

Still currently playing through mission 6. But something that I know was on mission 4, I got access to Trisael, but he could also be recruited any number of times. On mission 5, I had a full group of him, 75% of them were boars, the rest were healers, which helped speed up the mission quite a bit. But now that I have the unlock on mission 6, it confirms it was a bug, and I wasn't meant to have him (and definitely not 20 of him).

Aside from that, I enjoy the campaign to some degree, as was said quite often, the speed of the characters is quite annoying, especially for Mission 3 and Mission 5, dragging out the mission length by a lot (I had 16 saves on Mission 5 with a total length of 3 hours and 20 minutes). The other problem is pathfinding; having to individually tell Units to go through corridors or gaps was really annoying, especially when they would run off and pull enemies.

I feel Rain of Arrows sucks, and I think it was mission 4 where I was given access to it at level 1, which really hurt, as I much prefer the other abilities.

Something that I personally would like to see is having an additional ally that would send down waves through the lanes (like mission 2), or if you destroy a base, the front line would be pushed up (Like Starcraft 2, Wings of Liberty: Breakout mission)

 

[FallenStar]

Still currently playing through mission 6. But something that I know was on mission 4, I got access to Trisael, but he could also be recruited any number of times. On mission 5, I had a full group of him, 75% of them were boars, the rest were healers, which helped speed up the mission quite a bit. But now that I have the unlock on mission 6, it confirms it was a bug, and I wasn't meant to have him (and definitely not 20 of him).

Aside from that, I enjoy the campaign to some degree, as was said quite often, the speed of the characters is quite annoying, especially for Mission 3 and Mission 5, dragging out the mission length by a lot (I had 16 saves on Mission 5 with a total length of 3 hours and 20 minutes). The other problem is pathfinding; having to individually tell Units to go through corridors or gaps was really annoying, especially when they would run off and pull enemies.

I feel Rain of Arrows sucks, and I think it was mission 4 where I was given access to it at level 1, which really hurt, as I much prefer the other abilities.

Something that I personally would like to see is having an additional ally that would send down waves through the lanes (like mission 2), or if you destroy a base, the front line would be pushed up (Like Starcraft 2, Wings of Liberty: Breakout mission)

Hey, thanks a lot for taking the time to write all this up and haha, yeah, that's definitely quite the bug you found with Trisael. Being able to recruit him endlessly (and ending up with a small army of boars and healers) was absolutely not intended. I really appreciate you pointing it out. I'll patch that mistake as soon as possible.

Hotfix
I've pushed a quick fix for the issue where Trisael was available in Chapters 4 and 5, even though he's only supposed to unlock in Chapter 6.
This happened because of a cheat I used during development to test his availability (gimmetrisael) and I accidentally left part of it active.
It slipped right past me but it's now corrected.
Thanks Jackwar