The tides have turned once again in Deepwoken, and Verse 3: Chapter 1 — titled Duskguard — brings a wave of powerful additions to the world. From a brand-new origin and faction to sweeping movement changes and long-overdue combat QoL, this update is shaping up to be a major shift for both PvE and PvP players.
Let’s break down everything you need to know in this full guide.
Deepwoken Duskguard Update Guide – Verse 3: Chapter 1
NEW ORIGIN: Authority Ensign
The Authority Ensign is the latest origin introduced in Deepwoken. Unlocking it allows players to tie themselves directly to the Central Authority, a dominant political-military faction in the world.
How to Unlock:
- Defeat Titus, a high-ranking Authority figure
OR - Gain Hero reputation with the Central Authority
Once unlocked, you can begin your playthrough as an embedded figure within the Authority ranks.
NEW FACTION: Central Authority
The Central Authority is now fully implemented as a playable faction — and it’s more than just a title.
Key Features:
- Start as an Authority Ensign
- Ascend the ranks of the Authority by completing missions and events
- Choose from different divisions within the faction
- Gain unique talents, gear, and abilities exclusive to the Central Authority
You’ll also find a full cast of 11 new Authority-affiliated NPCs populating Fort Merit, a key hub for faction progression.
New Faction Content
Alongside the new faction, players can access powerful faction-specific upgrades:
18 New Faction Talents – These include combat passives, synergy boosts, and more.
3 New Faction Mantras – Custom abilities tailored to Authority builds.
New Faction Weapons & Gear – Unlock gear as you rise through the ranks.
World Updates & Lore Progression
“The waves continue to rise…”
Story-wise, the update pushes tension in the Eastern Luminant. Land is sinking, territory struggles are escalating, and new paths are opening up. If you’re exploring or looking to progress the game’s broader lore, now’s the time to push east.
New environmental NPCs also deepen the lore presence of the Authority across the map.
New Ambient Track
“Wardens Of The Valiant Dead” by Naktigonis has been added as a haunting and atmospheric theme. You’ll hear this near Authority installations and in high-stakes encounters.
MOVEMENT REFRESH & ANIMATION UPDATES
The movement system has been modernized to feel more fluid and expressive. These changes don’t just polish animations — they enhance parkour and PvP responsiveness.
Movement Changes:
Air Dash → Slide Combo: You can now slide immediately after air-dashing.
Updated Air Dash VFX
Shift-Lock Sprinting: Your character now faces movement direction, not camera angle — huge for precise parkour.
Dynamic FOV while Sprinting: Slight FOV changes enhance the feeling of speed (can be turned off in settings).
Camera Smoothing Toggle: Smooths out third-person view during movement and locks camera to torso. Disabled by default.
BALANCING CHANGES (Combat & PvE)
This update includes major balance improvements across all combat encounters, including key PvE and PvP flow fixes:
Knockout System Overhaul:
KO’d Enemies Auto-Die After 25% HP Loss
No more manually executing each humanoid mob — once an unconscious enemy takes 25% of its max HP in damage, it auto-executes. This is especially helpful for non-Flamecharm builds.
Flourish Execution Removed:
Old Mechanic: If you dealt >25% of a mob’s max HP in one hit, it forced a flourish (action-locked execution)
New Mechanic: That flourish is gone. You still auto-execute at 25% damage, but no animation lock.
Additional Balance Changes:
Mercy Kill is now innate (no need to unlock)
Non-Weapon Attacks can now also auto-execute if damage >25% of target HP
Mantra Cooldown Fix: CD now starts even if you feint/cancel on ground (prevents mantra abuse)
Tillian’s Beret:
- +10 Ether
- HP reduced from 7 → 3
Iron Slam: Base damage lowered
Bug Fixes & Optimization
Performance Improvements:
Tree Optimization: Trees have been heavily reworked to reduce part count — allows room for future map expansions.
Key Fixes:
Wallclip with executes fixed
Campfire collision cheese removed
Packmule dupe glitch patched
Rare death-while-teleporting bug fixed
Elevator iframe exploit patched
Sprint recognition bug fixed (prevents false sprint attacks)
NPC gestures now play correctly in extended dialogue
Hotfixes & Minor Changes
These changes were added after the main patch as hotfixes:
Improved Mission Rewards
More Rank Points
More EXP
Mission Fixes: Addressed several bugs with mission triggers and outcomes
Squad Clearing: Leaving the game now clears your squad
More Execution Dialogue: Warden Jericho now has new death sentencing lines
Cosmetic Fix: Raphael and Rashet’s hair no longer floats toward the sky