Summary
It’s clear thatPalworldwears its inspirations on its sleeve, drawing mechanics and design elements from survival games likeArk: Survival Evolvedand creature-collecting games likePokemon. WhilePalworldhas come under fire from players for often blurring the line between inspiration and direct rip-off, especially when it comes to the designs of its Pals, there are some ways the game could put its own unique twist on some classic survival crafting game mechanics. One feature that would be perfect forPalworldto iterate on is the enchanting mechanic fromMinecraft, as it could add more depth toPalworld’s weapons.
As a game that was touted as “Pokemonwith guns” leading up to its release,weapons are an important part ofPalworld’s gameplay. Players who progress throughPalworld’s crafting tree will eventually gain the ability to craft more and more powerful weapons, going from primitive bows and arrows to automatic assault rifles. While it can be satisfying to unlock these powerful weapons, one way the game could keep players engaged after reachingPalworld’s late-game is by allowing them to add unique modifiers to their weapons and tools via an Enchanting Table similar toMinecraft.
Palworld Could Make Great Use of Minecraft’s Enchanting Table
InMinecraft, players can spend lapis lazuli and experience points to imprint a specific modifier onto a piece of gear or tool. This process requires players to first craft anEnchanting Tableusing obsidian, diamonds, and a book and can be augmented through the placement of bookshelves in a certain configuration around the Enchanting Table in order to increase the level of enchantments available to the player.Minecraftplayers can then place their desired item on the Enchantment Table and select one of three randomized enchantments it offers, spending the appropriate amount of lapis lazuli and experience points to add this enchantment.
By adding enchantments to their gear,Minecraftplayers are able to improve their ability to interact with the game’s world, both from a survival standpoint and a crafting one. Enchantments can help improve mining efficiency, make tools and weapons more durable, and even give players superhuman powers like the ability to survive a fall from any height. The way in whichMinecraft’s enchantmentsincentivize players to experiment with optimizing their gear through enchanting is a great late-game activity and rewards players for reaching certain milestones in their crafting trees by improving the tediousness ofMinecraft’s core gameplay loop.
How an Enchanting Table Could Work in Palworld
GivenPalworld’s similar crafting mechanics to those ofMinecraft, it would make sense for the game to include the ability to augment weapons and tools using a method similar to the Enchanting Table.Palworldalready features several different types of crafting workbenches, such as the Weapon Workbench, Repair Bench, and Sphere Workbench, so implementing one that allows for weapon and tool modification wouldn’t be too much of a stretch. Some ofPalworld’s Pals also grant players unique bonuses, which could translate into gear modifications under this type of system.
PerhapsPalworldcould allow players to imprint modifiers on their tools and weapons by utilizing resources like Pal Souls typically used forupgrading stats at Statues of Power. Another, darker wayPalworldcould implement this type of mechanic is by allowing players to sacrifice their Pals in order to imbue their weapons with a Pal’s particular element to give that weapon or tool a certain new ability. This mechanic could also reward players for matching a sacrificed Pal’s work abilities with the type of tool the player is enchanting, such as sacrificing a Pal with the Mining ability could increase the efficiency of a pickaxe.
