Public Forum

So, I don’t normally make these types of posts, but the discourse in the Discord has made it necessary to explain the decision-making behind TNR’s balance.

TNR isn’t primarily balanced through strict mathematical formulas. We have set standard numbers for certain tags, along with a general sense of what’s too high or too low, and most tags stay within that framework.

However, this framework is somewhat abandoned when it comes to Bloodlines. The reason is that Bloodlines are something you pay for, and while they can be mathematically balanced, they can still feel terrible to play. So when it comes to Bloodlines, we prioritize how they feel and the overall experience of using them rather than strictly focusing on numbers.

Experience goes both ways: is it fun to play, and is it fun to play against? Sometimes, something may be fun to use but not fun to face (e.g., Aera and Teno Yuki).

Each Bloodline is built around a power fantasy, and that fantasy defines the experience for the person using it. So managing the feel of a Bloodline becomes tricky.

Take Vaporia, HY, and KS as examples: mathematically, they were fine—their numbers were in line with others—but they felt bad to play. And player perception often dictates how people interact with the game and its systems.

Through lots of trial and error, we’ve built a very deep and complex battle system where you can beat someone 20–30 levels ahead of you, where a B-Rank can take down an S-Rank.

A lot of what you see now is based on how combat feels and how you experience it. And while I understand that managing this is a harder task, I believe that for the long-term health of the game, prioritizing player experience is the better path.

Now, does that mean we’ll always favor experience over numbers? No. Sometimes something is just too strong, and you may have gotten addicted to the OP-ness of your Bloodline or a specific jutsu. When it gets balanced, it may feel like a nerf, but it's necessary.

So yes—it’s a balancing act within a balancing act. Is it harder? Yes. Do I believe it’s better long-term? Also yes. Can I be wrong? Absolutely. But at this moment, most Bloodlines are strong and viable. Some are a bit too strong and will be toned down over time. Others are sleeper OP but underused, which is fine for now.

The name of the game is to have fun, and I believe we’ve curated many different ways for you to enjoy combat.

Gameplay updates to follow this rant.