Starting difficulty?

[Bogart]

Does difficulty affect how grindy the game is? If so is it better to play on the easiest? Just started on Normal but wondering if I should reset...

[Shadowfang]

i think the relaxed difficulty reduces the grind slightly [more resources form nodes] but i could be wrong

[Meanwhile]

First hit when I typed your question into Google instead of creating a forum post:

Difficulty Settings



Players may now select between three main difficulties when starting a server that modifies the power of enemies as well as how deadly environmental effects are. These difficulties are Relaxed, Normal, and Brutal.

Relaxed

For those that favor exploration, building, and more relaxed combat.

Units deal 25% less damage
V Bloods deal 40% less damage
V Bloods have 20% reduced maximum health
Blood drain reduced by 25%
Sun is less deadly


Normal

An experience focused on exploration, building, and challenging combat.

These are standard settings.


Brutal

Face devastating challenges in a world with evolved adversaries.

Recommended for seasoned veterans.

V Bloods have additional abilities and modified combat behaviors
V Bloods have +3 Levels
V Bloods deal 70% more damage
V Bloods have 25% increased maximum health
Units deal 40% more damage
Loot drops are increased by 25%
Durability loss is reduced by 50%

[Suzaku]

Brutal difficulty does have 25% increased loot multiplier as its default compared to normal or casual, but this option, and many others, can be changed afterwards.

[weirdee]

If you don't want too much grind, just open the world creation settings and adjust the stats so it takes less time to craft and convert, lowers decay rates, and perhaps change the drop rates if you really want to.

The only other major factor here is how you feel about the length of boss fights, but it'll take some concrete experience ingame to figure that out.

[Heavy Blues]

Keep in mind, the full patch notes claim that the base resource gain from harvesting has been improved, so if the early game grind of stuff like wood and metal is what's bugging you, that seems to have been addressed.

[Bogart]

Thanks guys, I can also see the difficulty can be changed in game too.