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Bloodline System - Version 2 vs Version 3
Mar 29, 2026, 05:20 PM
Add bloodline system gameplay images
May 8, 2026, 08:55 AM
Applied Title Case to body headings
11Overview22The bloodline system is Blight: Survival's answer to a fundamental roguelite design problem: how to make death punishing enough to matter while ensuring players feel long-term progress. When a character dies in No Man's Land, they are gone permanently along with all their equipped gear and gathered materials. But the bloodline preserves something. Experience, talents, and traits pass to the player's next character, the "next of kin" who carries on the legacy.44The developers described it directly: "You get to keep some of this XP for your next character, so you will get stronger even when you fail."66What carries over7+What Carries Over88ElementCarries Over?DetailsExperience (XP)PartialSome experience points transfer to the next-of-kin character. The exact percentage or formula has not been detailedTalentsYesTalents pass down the bloodline. Unlocked talents remain available for successor charactersTraitsYesTraits pass through the bloodline alongside talentsEquipped gearNoAll equipped weapons and armor are permanently lost on deathGathered materialsNoAny crafting materials, coins, and loot collected during the run are lostInventory itemsNoRemedies and other consumables are lost1111The split between what carries over and what does not creates the system's tension. Gear loss is permanent and painful, especially if the character had upgraded equipment from the Artisan's workshop. But the bloodline's talent and trait inheritance means the next character starts from a slightly stronger baseline than the one before it.1212Next of kin13+Next of Kin1414When a character dies, the player creates a new character who becomes the "next of kin" in the bloodline. This successor inherits the accumulated bloodline benefits: the XP, the talents, and the traits. The new character starts with fresh gear and an empty inventory but benefits from the cumulative progression of every predecessor.1616Character creation uses Unreal Engine 5's MetaHumans technology for customization. The next-of-kin is a new individual in the same bloodline, not a resurrected version of the dead character. The Writhen's mask, which all members wear, ties the new character into the same faction identity.1818Long-term progression19+Long-Term Progression2020The bloodline system creates a progression arc that sits above individual runs. Even failed runs contribute something to the bloodline, meaning no mission is truly wasted. Over time, the accumulated bloodline benefits make new characters slightly more capable at the start. A first-generation character starts with nothing. A tenth-generation character benefits from the combined experience of nine predecessors.2323This long-term arc coexists with other forms of persistent progression. The camp develops over time regardless of character deaths. The Artisan's workshop and available upgrade options may expand as the player invests in the camp. Together with the bloodline, these systems ensure that even players who die frequently are still making forward progress.2525Gear loss and stakes26+Gear Loss and Stakes2727The bloodline system deliberately does not soften the gear loss. A character who had upgraded weapons and armor from the Artisan's workshop loses all of it on death. The materials spent on those upgrades are gone. The successor starts with basic equipment and must rebuild through new extraction runs.2929This design ensures that death always hurts. The talents and traits that carry over represent knowledge and experience, things that cannot be taken away. But the physical gear, the tangible reward of successful runs, is always at risk. This is the core of the extraction-lite loop: the stakes have to be real for the extraction decision to matter.3131Relationship to other systems32+Relationship to Other Systems3333SystemInteraction with BloodlineExtraction-Lite GameplaySuccessful extraction preserves gear and materials. Failed extraction triggers the bloodline: gear lost, XP partially carried overThe ArtisanGear upgrades are lost on death. Materials spent are not refunded. The Artisan's work only persists as long as the character survivesThe CampCamp development is permanent and independent of character death. The camp persists even when bloodlines endClassless Character SystemEach new bloodline character can be built differently. Inherited talents expand the options availableBlessings and ShrinesBlessings are per-run only. They do not carry over through the bloodline36-Co-op and bloodline36+Co-Op and Bloodline3737In co-op play, the bloodline system applies individually to each player. If one player's character dies during a co-op run, that player's bloodline receives the XP carryover while their teammates can continue the run with their characters intact. The dead player cannot rejoin the current run. Their next session starts with a new bloodline character.3939This creates an asymmetric outcome in group play. A successful co-op extraction where all four players survive is the best case: everyone keeps everything. A run where one player dies means that player's bloodline progresses slightly while they lose all gear, while the surviving players keep their characters and full haul.
