Dev Log #01 – Welcome to Evervalley – Blood and Bone

Welcome to the first official dev blog for Evervalley – Blood and Bone, a tactical fantasy RPG where strategy, loss, and grit define every battle. Inspired by XCOM but set in a rich, dark fantasy world, Evervalley brings turn-based combat into a land overrun by undead, raiders, and the growing shadow of a necrotic warlord.

This post serves as a full overview of the game and everything we’re building into it.

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Core Gameplay

Evervalley – Blood and Bone is a squad-based, tactical RPG where players control up to six customizable units in turn-based battles. The gameplay emphasizes:

Tactical Positioning: Use terrain, cover, and unit abilities to outmaneuver the enemy.

Class Synergy: Each unit class—Fighter, Rogue, Archer, Wizard, Cleric, and Paladin—has unique abilities and gear loadouts.

Permanent Death: Units lost in battle are gone forever. Losing all units in a mission doesn’t end the game—but it does set you back.

No Initiative Order: During your turn, you can act with your units in any order, allowing full control of strategy.

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Combat System

Combat takes place directly in the exploration environment using Unity’s NavMesh system, with features including:

AP-Based Movement & Actions

Attack Differentiation: Melee requires proximity; ranged can attack from a distance.

Enemy AI: Enemies evaluate threats, seek cover, retreat when wounded, and use synergy.

Dynamic Camera: The camera snaps to units during key moments—attacks, movement, or damage—while giving the player isometric control during planning.

Status Effects: Poison, Bleed, Burn, Freeze, and more—status effects now stack and create build synergies.

Field of View: Units have a 180-degree horizontal and vertical FOV that determines vision and attack eligibility.

Cover System: Affects ranged accuracy, melee vulnerability, and defensive bonuses.

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Gear & Loot System

Loot is randomly generated with a flat distribution rather than tiered rarity. Gear can be found:

In chests during missions.

As end-of-battle rewards based on battle type:

Skirmish: Low chance of minor item.

Milestone: One or two guaranteed items.

Major Battle: One guaranteed item and a chance at more.

Each item has three tiers, each with 1 to 3 passive bonuses—AP boosts, resistances, HP increases, and more. Equipment builds are meant to offer viable tactical variations, with every unit class supporting multiple playstyles.

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Potions & Consumables

There is no mana system. All spells cost AP. Potions and consumables offer healing or temporary effects (like defense boosts, resistance, etc.) and can be quick-slotted for tactical use.

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The Stronghold (Base System)

Between battles, players return to a fully upgradeable castle hub that includes:

Barracks: Manage, level up, and equip your party.

Armory: View and sell gear.

Map Room: Select missions and track kingdom progress.

Apothecary: Craft healing potions and consumables.

Training Complex: Speed up XP and skill gain.

Wizard’s Study: Unlock spell upgrades and research.

Upgrades cost gold, which can be earned through battle performance or loot.

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Story & Progression

The game is split into 10 stages, each containing several tactical missions and a major narrative-driven battle. The story is deeply integrated into gameplay with dynamic dialogue throughout each mission.

Opening: Players begin in a besieged hamlet under attack by orcs and goblins—an early taste of the threat to come.

Enemies: The enemy roster includes:

Goblins, Orcs, Skeletons, Wraiths, Necromancers, and Dragons

Each with base and elite variants

AI behaviors based on type (casters retreat, tanks taunt, swarm units flank, etc.)

Final Goal: Defeat the Necrotic Warlord and end the threat consuming the kingdom. There is no morality system, no branching endings, and no side content—this is a tightly focused narrative of resistance and survival.

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Key Features Recap

Grid-based, XCOM-style tactical combat

6 diverse unit classes, each with deep build potential

Randomized loot with meaningful bonuses

Status effect stacking for damage-over-time synergy

Full upgradeable base system

No initiative system—act with any unit, in any order

Battles range from small Skirmishes to brutal Major encounters

Enemy synergy and scaling difficulty over time

Player units can die permanently; story progresses regardless

Replayable stages with randomized rewards and loadouts

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That’s the current state of development for Evervalley – Blood and Bone. We’re building a tactical RPG that’s as punishing as it is rewarding—where each decision counts, each battle tells a story, and each victory inches you closer to reclaiming the kingdom from darkness.

Thanks for joining us on this journey. Stay tuned for the next dev log, where we’ll dive deeper into unit abilities, enemy behaviors, and how we're designing encounters to challenge your tactical mind.