Urgent: Whip Balance Priority for PvP and PvE Integrity

[papadopamine]

Dear CampFire Studio Team,
I am writing to share feedback regarding the current state of weapon balance, specifically focusing on the Whip.
While I appreciate the ongoing work on Soulmask, I believe that rebalancing the Whip must be made a top priority. Currently, its mechanics disproportionately dominate both the PvP and PvE landscapes.
In PvP, the current state of the Whip undermines competitive integrity, making other weapon builds feel unviable. In PvE, it bypasses intended challenges, trivializing core gameplay loops. Since combat is a pillar of the Soulmask experience, leaving the Whip in its current state negatively impacts player retention and overall satisfaction.
Please consider prioritizing a balance pass for the Whip in the upcoming updates to ensure a fair and diverse combat meta for all players.
Thank you for your hard work and for listening to the community.

[Viking]

Who cares if it breaks PVP and if it makes PVE more fun for casuals let them keep it. There is no reason to post launch nerf anything, this is not a live service game or a competitive ESPORT. Just because you lost a kit to a guy with a whip is no reason to cry. What retains PVE players in survival games is not combat for the most part. It is every other aspect of the game, combat is a side activity for most PVE players or a part of general farming not the main drive. If PVE players were deep into combat mechanics you would see MUCH higher % rates of combat achievements in 99% of survival games but you see things like "Alpha Ascension
You Ascended off the ARK, at Alpha level!" trophy being much higher than 8.1%... Yes every person to ever play ark, less than 10% ever did alpha bosses. Or better yet Conan Exiles "The Devil in Iron: Defeat the Kinscourge" being 18.5%. A game focused on primarily combat has only 18.5% of people that ever killed the Kingscorge a mid game boss. PVE players do not care if a item is OP, it just means they have to grind for less time to achieve the same goal, and can go back to tending their farms...

[papadopamine]

Originally posted by Viking:

Who cares if it breaks PVP and if it makes PVE more fun for casuals let them keep it. There is no reason to post launch nerf anything, this is not a live service game or a competitive ESPORT. Just because you lost a kit to a guy with a whip is no reason to cry. What retains PVE players in survival games is not combat for the most part. It is every other aspect of the game, combat is a side activity for most PVE players or a part of general farming not the main drive. If PVE players were deep into combat mechanics you would see MUCH higher % rates of combat achievements in 99% of survival games but you see things like "Alpha Ascension
You Ascended off the ARK, at Alpha level!" trophy being much higher than 8.1%... Yes every person to ever play ark, less than 10% ever did alpha bosses. Or better yet Conan Exiles "The Devil in Iron: Defeat the Kinscourge" being 18.5%. A game focused on primarily combat has only 18.5% of people that ever killed the Kingscorge a mid game boss. PVE players do not care if a item is OP, it just means they have to grind for less time to achieve the same goal, and can go back to tending their farms...

Your logic is flawed. Just because you use Soulmask as a farming simulator doesn't mean the combat system should stay broken. If you 'don't care' about combat and only want to tend your farm, then a whip nerf won't affect your carrots anyway.
Soulmask isn't just a building game; it has a massive PvP community and deep combat mechanics that the devs are clearly trying to polish. Using low achievement stats from other games to justify a broken meta is just a weak excuse for wanting an 'easy mode'. If you want zero challenge, go play Creative Mode, but don't hold back the game's development just because you're too lazy to learn how to play without an OP crutch.

[Tensar]

Even with just PVE in mind, if a weapon is too strong why people would use other weapons?

Not surprising they added x5 on official pve servers if the community want an easy game.

[Viking]

Originally posted by papadopamine:

Originally posted by Viking:

Who cares if it breaks PVP and if it makes PVE more fun for casuals let them keep it. There is no reason to post launch nerf anything, this is not a live service game or a competitive ESPORT. Just because you lost a kit to a guy with a whip is no reason to cry. What retains PVE players in survival games is not combat for the most part. It is every other aspect of the game, combat is a side activity for most PVE players or a part of general farming not the main drive. If PVE players were deep into combat mechanics you would see MUCH higher % rates of combat achievements in 99% of survival games but you see things like "Alpha Ascension
You Ascended off the ARK, at Alpha level!" trophy being much higher than 8.1%... Yes every person to ever play ark, less than 10% ever did alpha bosses. Or better yet Conan Exiles "The Devil in Iron: Defeat the Kinscourge" being 18.5%. A game focused on primarily combat has only 18.5% of people that ever killed the Kingscorge a mid game boss. PVE players do not care if a item is OP, it just means they have to grind for less time to achieve the same goal, and can go back to tending their farms...

Your logic is flawed. Just because you use Soulmask as a farming simulator doesn't mean the combat system should stay broken. If you 'don't care' about combat and only want to tend your farm, then a whip nerf won't affect your carrots anyway.
Soulmask isn't just a building game; it has a massive PvP community and deep combat mechanics that the devs are clearly trying to polish. Using low achievement stats from other games to justify a broken meta is just a weak excuse for wanting an 'easy mode'. If you want zero challenge, go play Creative Mode, but don't hold back the game's development just because you're too lazy to learn how to play without an OP crutch.

Don't need a OP crutch, in fact I haven't even got far enough to even craft a whip and haven't found one yet and am doing just fine at awareness 50 and just about to level tribe up to level 4. Still have not seen a single whip in the game yet because you don't have access to them in the jungle map. Killed the first 2 variants of the 3 previous bosses with a sword/board and eternal torch mask. Was setting up for Griffon trying to farm out some decent archers.

Need I remind you whips can't be found/crafted in the misty jungle map? Haven't even touched the DLC yet. So I can play just fine with other weapons. I just don't PVP because I don't want to be able to build a nice looking base not a fortified box that is just a responing resource node for people to tear apart while I am offline. Because hate to break it to you, this is in fact a sandbox survival game where you can play it however you want.

[Viking]

Originally posted by Tensar:

Even with just PVE in mind, if a weapon is too strong why people would use other weapons?

Not surprising they added x5 on official pve servers if the community want an easy game.

Willing to bet a LOT of people are playing with XP slider maxed out as well as harvest. Most people I have seen across MANY MANY survival games want more relaxed rates. Hell even Conan is mostly actual RP servers where you have to fill out a character sheet to play on them and have 20X+ rates. ARK PVE servers used to all be 10X and at 2X you can hit 105 pre-ascension in under 10 minutes. as is. 7D2D PVE servers are 3x drop rate standard with a buttload of mods to increase box, backpack and carry weight. Valheim every server is massive XP/Harvest rates to make the grind way easier or non-existent and a ton of mods for building. Only PVP players care about what is the strongest weapon/armor. Everyone else just plays with what they think is fun, or looks cool.

[Tensar]

Originally posted by Viking:

Originally posted by Tensar:

Even with just PVE in mind, if a weapon is too strong why people would use other weapons?

Not surprising they added x5 on official pve servers if the community want an easy game.

Willing to bet a LOT of people are playing with XP slider maxed out as well as harvest. Most people I have seen across MANY MANY survival games want more relaxed rates. Hell even Conan is mostly actual RP servers where you have to fill out a character sheet to play on them and have 20X+ rates. ARK PVE servers used to all be 10X and at 2X you can hit 105 pre-ascension in under 10 minutes. as is. 7D2D PVE servers are 3x drop rate standard with a buttload of mods to increase box, backpack and carry weight. Valheim ever server is massive XP/Harvest rates to make the grind way easier or non-existent. Only PVP players care about what is the strongest weapon/armor. Everyone else just plays with what they think is fun, or looks cool.

You should seriously consider playing the Sims if in a survival game you don't want to farm and increase your gear.

[Chibbs]

Originally posted by Viking:

Originally posted by papadopamine:

Your logic is flawed. Just because you use Soulmask as a farming simulator doesn't mean the combat system should stay broken. If you 'don't care' about combat and only want to tend your farm, then a whip nerf won't affect your carrots anyway.
Soulmask isn't just a building game; it has a massive PvP community and deep combat mechanics that the devs are clearly trying to polish. Using low achievement stats from other games to justify a broken meta is just a weak excuse for wanting an 'easy mode'. If you want zero challenge, go play Creative Mode, but don't hold back the game's development just because you're too lazy to learn how to play without an OP crutch.

Don't need a OP crutch, in fact I haven't even got far enough to even craft a whip and haven't found one yet and am doing just fine at awareness 50 and just about to level tribe up to level 4. Still have not seen a single whip in the game yet because you don't have access to them in the jungle map. Killed the first 2 variants of the 3 previous bosses with a sword/board and eternal torch mask. Was setting up for Griffon trying to farm out some decent archers.

Need I remind you whips can't be found/crafted in the misty jungle map? Haven't even touched the DLC yet. So I can play just fine with other weapons. I just don't PVP because I don't want to be able to build a nice looking base not a fortified box that is just a responing resource node for people to tear apart while I am offline. Because hate to break it to you, this is in fact a sandbox survival game where you can play it however you want.

TLDR: you don’t even know what you‘re talking about since you haven’t even used the weapon he’s talking about.

It is a valid request, since there in fact is a crowd of PvP players and even for PvE players an overpowered weapon can be a fun killer since some people either would feel stupid not to use it or simply like a whip, but don’t want it to be unnecessarily op.

Btw I myself only play this game pve on private servers. I prefer PvP in other games. Just as a slight reminder that it’s not „the evil PvP crowd trying to ruin your game“, it’s just gamers offering feedback and requesting balancing.

[FreeHelicopterRides]

I agree. Whip needs to be adjusted.

[papadopamine]

Originally posted by Viking:

Originally posted by papadopamine:

Your logic is flawed. Just because you use Soulmask as a farming simulator doesn't mean the combat system should stay broken. If you 'don't care' about combat and only want to tend your farm, then a whip nerf won't affect your carrots anyway.
Soulmask isn't just a building game; it has a massive PvP community and deep combat mechanics that the devs are clearly trying to polish. Using low achievement stats from other games to justify a broken meta is just a weak excuse for wanting an 'easy mode'. If you want zero challenge, go play Creative Mode, but don't hold back the game's development just because you're too lazy to learn how to play without an OP crutch.

Don't need a OP crutch, in fact I haven't even got far enough to even craft a whip and haven't found one yet and am doing just fine at awareness 50 and just about to level tribe up to level 4. Still have not seen a single whip in the game yet because you don't have access to them in the jungle map. Killed the first 2 variants of the 3 previous bosses with a sword/board and eternal torch mask. Was setting up for Griffon trying to farm out some decent archers.

Need I remind you whips can't be found/crafted in the misty jungle map? Haven't even touched the DLC yet. So I can play just fine with other weapons. I just don't PVP because I don't want to be able to build a nice looking base not a fortified box that is just a responing resource node for people to tear apart while I am offline. Because hate to break it to you, this is in fact a sandbox survival game where you can play it however you want.

This is hilarious. You are literally arguing about the balance of a weapon you’ve never used, on a map you haven’t left, while playing a mode (PvP) you don't even participate in.
Awareness level 50 is just the beginning; you haven't even scratched the surface of the late-game meta or the DLC content. It’s like trying to lecture a pilot on how to fly a jet while you’re still learning how to ride a bicycle. Next time, try to actually experience the content before jumping into balance discussions. Your 'opinion' on the Whip is irrelevant because, by your own admission, you have zero experience with it.

[papadopamine]

Originally posted by Chibbs:

Originally posted by Viking:

Don't need a OP crutch, in fact I haven't even got far enough to even craft a whip and haven't found one yet and am doing just fine at awareness 50 and just about to level tribe up to level 4. Still have not seen a single whip in the game yet because you don't have access to them in the jungle map. Killed the first 2 variants of the 3 previous bosses with a sword/board and eternal torch mask. Was setting up for Griffon trying to farm out some decent archers.

Need I remind you whips can't be found/crafted in the misty jungle map? Haven't even touched the DLC yet. So I can play just fine with other weapons. I just don't PVP because I don't want to be able to build a nice looking base not a fortified box that is just a responing resource node for people to tear apart while I am offline. Because hate to break it to you, this is in fact a sandbox survival game where you can play it however you want.

TLDR: you don’t even know what you‘re talking about since you haven’t even used the weapon he’s talking about.

It is a valid request, since there in fact is a crowd of PvP players and even for PvE players an overpowered weapon can be a fun killer since some people either would feel stupid not to use it or simply like a whip, but don’t want it to be unnecessarily op.

Btw I myself only play this game pve on private servers. I prefer PvP in other games. Just as a slight reminder that it’s not „the evil PvP crowd trying to ruin your game“, it’s just gamers offering feedback and requesting balancing.

Exactly. Well said. It’s about the health of the game overall, regardless of whether you're a builder or a fighter. When one item invalidates the rest of the arsenal, the game loses its depth. Thanks for the support!

[Viking]

Originally posted by Chibbs:

Originally posted by Viking:

Don't need a OP crutch, in fact I haven't even got far enough to even craft a whip and haven't found one yet and am doing just fine at awareness 50 and just about to level tribe up to level 4. Still have not seen a single whip in the game yet because you don't have access to them in the jungle map. Killed the first 2 variants of the 3 previous bosses with a sword/board and eternal torch mask. Was setting up for Griffon trying to farm out some decent archers.

Need I remind you whips can't be found/crafted in the misty jungle map? Haven't even touched the DLC yet. So I can play just fine with other weapons. I just don't PVP because I don't want to be able to build a nice looking base not a fortified box that is just a responing resource node for people to tear apart while I am offline. Because hate to break it to you, this is in fact a sandbox survival game where you can play it however you want.

TLDR: you don’t even know what you‘re talking about since you haven’t even used the weapon he’s talking about.

It is a valid request, since there in fact is a crowd of PvP players and even for PvE players an overpowered weapon can be a fun killer since some people either would feel stupid not to use it or simply like a whip, but don’t want it to be unnecessarily op.

Btw I myself only play this game pve on private servers. I prefer PvP in other games. Just as a slight reminder that it’s not „the evil PvP crowd trying to ruin your game“, it’s just gamers offering feedback and requesting balancing.

This from a a guy who has been playing the game since 2024 and has only ever killed 1 NPC tribe leader, or reached awareness level 50. There is a 100% chance I know more about this games mechanics, at least PVE wise than you do with 1/5th the time played. If you were playing PVE on a private server you'd still have the achievements to show you were playing because Flint Tribe is crafters/farmers/porters, Claw for melee fighters, Fang for archers and if you were "playing this game pve on private servers" or had even scratched the surface of the original map you would have killed the tribe leaders of at least Western Rainforest, River Valley and Mangrove multiple times as a natural part of farming but I only see River Valley almost 2 years ago.

NO Lv.60 Red Mythic Prey killed,
NO Masks found, so no ancient dungeons farmed/explored,
NEVER made tequilla so never farmed resources in the desert or had to keep a tribe fed or happy, which in turn tells me you never intentionally raised comfort level buffs,
Didn't even farm elephants for premium thick leather to outfit your guys in iron armor.
You don't play PVE.
You stopped playing PVE in 2024 at least gauging by the games achievements alone.

So yes it is PVP players crying nerf as always. Big babies always mad they play a mode where they know there will always be a "META", then cry "NERF META" and when the vocal minority of try-hard crybabies gets their way a new "META" rises and the cycle repeats until everything is homogeneous and equally wet noodled to the point the game turns into even more of a slog and they quit playing. But every time they add a new building type or furniture or weapon type PVE gets a huge resurgence of players.

[Three-Headed-Monkey]

11 posts in a topic about asking for balancing nerfs and i have no idea "why" the whip is considered op and what you'd want to see nerfed about it.

whats so strong about it? the charge attack or something else? havent been using one since bone tier because they felt kinda clunky (like a lot of the weapons)

[Viking]

Originally posted by Three-Headed-Monkey:

11 posts in a topic about asking for balancing nerfs and i have no idea "why" the whip is considered op and what you'd want to see nerfed about it.

whats so strong about it? the charge attack or something else? havent been using one since bone tier because they felt kinda clunky (like a lot of the weapons)

The only weapon you can use whilst moving.

This is why they are crying, cuz people using it keep pwnding them. Every other weapons you are stationary-ish during attacks.

[wildbill]

Originally posted by Three-Headed-Monkey:

11 posts in a topic about asking for balancing nerfs and i have no idea "why" the whip is considered op and what you'd want to see nerfed about it.

whats so strong about it? the charge attack or something else? havent been using one since bone tier because they felt kinda clunky (like a lot of the weapons)

Ya, what is so OP about it? Could it be that you can whip your tribesmen to increase their moral? That is pretty OP, but fun and such a good feature. I'd sure hate to see it nerfed

[Three-Headed-Monkey]

Originally posted by Viking:

The only weapon you can use whilst moving.

This is why they are crying, cuz people using it keep pwnding them. Every other weapons you are stationary-ish during attacks.

am i missing something? whip attacks are stationary for me, spear i can use while moving though.