v0.4 October 2026

The Sun Shield update

Food that strengthens you. Wards that hold back the dark.

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  Seventeen effectsEach with a name of its own, in a row of sockets above the hotbar: a gold rim for a good effect, a red one for a bad.
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  The Sun ShieldEat a Sunapple: four golden hearts over your health for two minutes, and every hit takes the gold first.
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  Nightsight and WardsThe dark lifts to a violet half-light. Carved pillars give their effect to everyone within 5 blocks.
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  Your character, drawn againAn outline, soft shading, collars and seams, eyes with a second glint, and a blink every few seconds.
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  Sparks and aurasSparks for the big moments. Beat a Keeper and its aura is yours to wear.

Effects

What is on you now shows as a row of icons just above the hotbar: a gold rim for a good effect, a red rim with clipped corners for a bad one. The rim drains as the time runs out, the seconds sit under it, and it blinks for the last five. There are seventeen, each with a name of its own:

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  Sun ShieldGolden hearts on top of your health take damage first
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  MendingHeals 1 heart every 2 seconds
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  NightsightThe dark lifts to a violet half-light
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  SwiftstepWalk and sprint 25% faster
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  WindleapJump about 2 blocks high
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  HearthwarmChill, Frozen and Frostbite build up half as fast
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  SatedHunger drains half as fast
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  BlightLose half a heart a second; never your last half heart
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  BurningLose half a heart a second; water or rain puts it out
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  ChillMove slower
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  FrozenCannot move or jump; you can still swing
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  FrostbiteBuilds in Drift Snow; when full it hurts
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  RootedHeld in place by roots; you can still swing
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  WindboundCaught in the wings; cannot move
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  HollowingYour hits deal less damage
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  WebbedMove slower; cannot sprint
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  RotHunger drains three times as fast

Poison is now Blight, fire Burning, slowing Chill and freezing Frozen, with the same numbers on Medium and Hard. Hollows now sap your strength (Hollowing), Crawlers web you (Webbed), and spoiled food brings Rot. On Easy the bad effects last half as long, and hunger effects never come. Where each comes from is in the effects guide.

The Sun Shield

Eat a Sunapple and four golden hearts stand in their own row over your health for two minutes. Every hit takes the gold first; when the last golden heart goes, it breaks into falling shards. Another Sunapple fills it back to four, never above. The same on every difficulty and in player fights.

Food

Eleven foods give an effect: a Sun Carrot gives three minutes of Nightsight, Mushroom Broth gives Mending and Hearthwarm, a Cookie gives Swiftstep, roast meat and pie keep you Sated. Foods with a good effect can be eaten when you are full. Eating shows: the food rises to your mouth with three chews, and players nearby see it. Effect foods are never sold.

Nightsight and Wards

• Nightsight lifts the darkest light to a violet half-light. The sky stays night.
• Wards are carved Greystone pillars with a gem: the Swift Ward (Swiftstep), the Leap Ward (Windleap) and the Night Ward (Nightsight). Set one down and it gives its effect to everyone within 5 blocks; in your offhand it gives it to you.

Your character

Every character is drawn again: an outline, soft shading and a rim of light, collars, hems, seams and thumbs, eyes with a second glint, and a blink every few seconds. Your face winces when you are hit, sets when you fight, and smiles when a page is found or a Keeper falls. Far-off players are drawn plainer.

Sparks and auras

Sparks mark the big moments: gold shards when the Sun Shield breaks, motes rising from the chest when a Torn Page is found, a ring to a Ward’s reach when it is set down, a Keeper’s fall in its element with the binders’ chains flung out, and more for a Sunapple, an achievement, a rare chest and a friend arriving. Reduced motion (Settings › Comfort) halves them and stills the rings.

Beat a Keeper and its aura is yours to wear: Rime, Ember, Bloom or Gale motes drifting round you. Find all sixteen Torn Pages for the Whole Tale. Auras are looks only, chosen in Looks (Body › Aura); earned auras are never sold.

Banners

Banners come in ten colours: six wool of one colour over a haft, at a Maker’s Bench. A banner turns to face whoever sets it down.

Earlier versions: all updates.